Issue #11 - April 21, 2010

Hilltop Views S t .

E d w a r d ’ s

U n i v e r s i t y

Wednesday, April 21 , 2010

Volume 27 | Issue 11

Find 8 Entertainment: out the results of the Air Guitar Regional Championship.

Former women’s socFeatures: The 11Sports: 9 cer player sees success from Feldenkrais method Toppers in the Community.

offers students a free way to relieve stress.

Insurance rate hike expected Tristan Hallman It is unclear what the effect of the health care reform bill will be on the already-high premiums at St. Edward’s University, but the Human Resources department is bracing for an increase.

Human Resources Director Haven Street-Allen said that the university’s health insurance plan, which covers 600 St. Edward’s employees, could be in danger of being taxed when many of the provisions of the health care plan go into effect. The bill will tax health insurance plans of more than $8,500 for individuals and $23,000 for family plans.

Currently, St. Edward’s most popular plan, Aetna HMO, costs $5,802 for employees and $17,136 for families.

“We would hope this

wouldn’t be a problem, but there are provisions in the law which will result in increases in premiums,” Street-Allen said, adding that she would not be surprised by a 25-35 percent insurance premium rate increase next year.

These provisions include a 2011 requirement for insurance companies to fully cover preventative procedures and the elimination of maximum annual benefits such as a maximum annual benefit for durable medical equipment and maximum lifetime benefits. Health insurance companies are expected to pass on the cost of covering these procedures to consumers in the form of higher premiums.

St. Edward’s changed its insurance plan in 2008 when its former provider, Humana, asked for a 54 percent premium increase, forcing

The Faculty Senate has taken another step forward with its plans to provide a childcare facility for faculty and staff at or near St. Edward’s University.

Members of the Faculty Senate’s Childcare Committee met with university Executive Vice President and

Provost Sr. Donna Jurick to discuss the plan March 26.

This was preceded by months of research, including a survey of 340 St. Edward’s faculty and staff, to see whether the university would benefit from an available childcare facility.

Craig Campbell, associate professor and Faculty Senate representative for New

Job market offers optimism Jake Hartwell

Associated Press

Promising decreased costs, President Obama signed sweeping health care legislation into law.

Human Resources to negotiate for a lower-cost plan.

However, Street-Allen said premium increases usually vary from 5-20 percent annually, but added that a few very ill employees could lead to a more drastic increase in premiums.

“Most of our employees share in the cost of coverage so premium increases impact them directly,” Street-Allen said. “Employees who have higher out-of-pocket medical costs BILL’S | 3

Child care takes a step forward Jen Obenhaus

hilltopviewsonline.com

College; Cory Lock, assistant professor and Faculty Senate representative for Undergraduate Programming; and Judy Leavell, dean of the School of Education, said the meeting went well. “[ Jurick’s] response was positive,” said Campbell. “She agreed to present [the proposal] to the administrative team, including Dr. Martin,

for further study.”

Campbell said the childcare center’s operational funding would be covered by funds from tuition.

“Dr. Martin told the Faculty Senate in the fall that he would support having a child care center if the financial impact was low,” Campbell said.

PROPOSAL | 4

Students graduating in May from St. Edward’s University can look forward to a stabilizing job market, though they are not out of the woods just yet.

The national unemployment rate has remained steady at just under 10 percent. In March, many states reported slight decreases in the unemployment rate.

to six months to find a job or longer depending on their field, Nichols said.

Nichols said that a mistake graduates make is waiting to look for employment after graduation.

“Internships are going to be key,” Nichols said. “If you’re a graduating senior and you haven’t done any internships, you’re kind of behind the game already.”

In summer 2009, the Of-

“The economy is starting to pick up, and hiring is up about 5.3 percent.”

—Elizabeth Garcia Nichols

In addition, Austin and other Texas cities have been named by Forbes and Time magazines as places that will lead the nation out of a recession.

“The economy is starting to pick up, and hiring is up about 5.3 percent,” said Elizabeth Garcia Nichols, who handles employer relations at Career Planning.

“The bad news is that some of our students need a wake up call. They haven’t put their job search in gear yet.”

The average student will need anywhere from three

fice of Career Planning began collecting survey data to determine what graduates were planning to do after graduation. Although all of the survey results have not yet been collected for May graduates, the statistics for summer and fall have. ‘“Approximately 42 percent of our seniors are employed, and 11 percent say they’re going to grad school,” said Nichols. “And the rest are job seekers,” Nichols said. “That’s very GRADUATES | 4

Page 2 | NEWS

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 | Hilltop Views

Sexual Assault Awareness Month events hit campus Danny Salazar Many sexual assault victims stay silent about their experiences, but Sexual Assault Awareness Month has raised voices all around campus at St. Edward’s University.

This year, the Health and Counseling Center has set up a full schedule of events for the month of April to offer support and resources to people who have been impacted by sexual violence.

For Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Health and Counseling Center developed a multi-tiered approach to its prevention programming.

“We did this in hopes of providing information about the incidences of sexual assault,” said Sarah Porter, staff psychologist and program director of Wellness and Outreach Services.

Posters around campus early this month displayed

Christina Villarreal

The awareness shirts can be seen all over campus.

pictures and stories of people who have been sexually assaulted.

Another event was the Clothesline Project, devel-

oped by the Health and Counseling Center.

The project is a vehicle for women affected by violence to express their emotions by

decorating a shirt, according to the Clothesline Project website. Participants then hang the shirt on a clothesline to be viewed by others as testimony to the problem of violence against women.

“The Clothesline Project is a program started in Cape Cod in 1990 to address the issue of violence against women,” Porter said.

The Health and Counseling Center has also partnered with the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault for programming and poster series, Porter said.

Porter encourages students who are seeking more information about sexual abuse to contact Hilltopper HealthQuest, an online mental and physical health website for the St. Edward’s community.

“While there are a number of informative articles, videos and quizzes, the Coping with Trauma and Maintaining

Positive Relationships modules are particularly relevant because they discuss interpersonal violence,” Porter said.

The University Police Department has also joined the efforts this year and planned Rape Aggression Defense classes during April.

UPD officer Alice Gilroy, who is in charge of the classes, has always been involved with crime prevention and self-defense methods on campus.

“I’ve always being interested in teaching women how to protect themselves,” Gilroy said.

This year, UPD and the Health and Counseling Center received a grant from the Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation to share for the month’s events. This grant helped Gilroy offer the RAD classes with adequate equipment and training.

“[Women] really need this course,” Gilroy said. “It’s a good course.”

Gilroy says she wants to make sure people understand the dangers of rape and sexual assault. She also said she does not want women to suffer through the stigma of always having to look behind their backs.

“Women have to think about this [sexual assault] all the time,” Gilroy said. “It’s not fair that it should always be on their mind.” dsalaza4@stedwards.edu

Catholic Studies major to be offered for first time Ari Auber St. Edward’s University, though a Catholic Holy Cross institution, has never offered a major that specifically focuses on its history and heritage—until now.

In fall 2010, Catholic studies will be available as a major for students, promising them a comprehensive study of the religion that founded the university.

“There are lots of good classes here that talk about Catholicism — some in philosophy, religion, even English literature — but we wanted all of those combined to bring to students an interdisciplinary understanding of it,” said Steve Rodenborn, a religious studies professor involved in creating the major.

Interest from both faculty and students in having a major that focuses exclusively

on Catholicism led Rodenborn to work with Fr. Lou Brusatti, dean of the School of Humanities, and Ed Shirley, another professor and the area coordinator of religious studies, to create the Catholic studies major last semester.

At first, their proposal contained classes that didn’t exist in the Catholic studies programs of other universities.

“We had to tweak [the proposal] to make it more realistic,” Shirley said.

Catholic studies as a major will offer three new classes: Catholic Intellectual Life, Catholic Intellectual Heritage, and Faith and Reason.

The rest of the classes comprising the major are already offered at St. Edward’s.

Catholic Intellectual Life, considered the introduction to the major, will examine the sacramental imagination.

Catholic Intellectual Heritage, an upper-level class,

looks at Catholicism from a historical perspective and will cover different themes each semester. Faith and Reason will be taught by a philosophy professor who is not Catholic.

These classes, in addition to other classes taken from religious studies and philosophy, will form the core classes of the new major. The electives may come from any subject, as long as they pertain to Catholicism in some way.

This range means that students are able to approach Catholicism from all angles.

They will apply critical thinking skills, which is in keeping with the mission of this university, Rodenborn said.

Shirley echoed Rodenborn’s sentiments.

“As a liberal arts school, we don’t teach you a particular skill like ITT Tech does,” said Shirley. “We’re here to help you to learn to think.

Catholic studies does that.”

Rodenborn and Shirley are hoping that the major will continue attracting the interest of faculty and students.

Shirley said there’s a chance that it will. Some religious studies majors may switch to Catholic studies now that they have the choice to focus on one religion exclusively.

At least one student indicated that this possibility may happen.

“I feel like I have a calling to do Catholic studies because I want to be a youth minister for Catholic youth,” freshman Mary McNamara said.

McNamara is currently double-majoring in communication and religious studies. She is debating a transfer from religious studies to Catholic studies, preferring the focus on one religion that Shirley teaches.

Catholic studies arrives on the tails of new additions to

Eloise Montemayor

Professors Ed Shirley and Steve Rodenborn

the Humanities department, including the Jewish studies minor, which was implemented in fall 2009.

Catholic studies was not created to fill in a gap in the religious studies curriculum.

Rather, Rodenborn said the major is intended to complement what already exists and to enrich student interest in the religion of St. Edward’s.

“Catholic studies gives you a little of this, a little of that,” Shirley said. “Its interdisciplinary nature follows the Catholic and liberal arts tradition of the school.” aauber@stedwards.edu

Hilltop Views | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

NEWS | Page 3

Study abroad expanding Jake Hartwell St. Edward’s University students might soon have new study abroad options among an array of already-expanding programs.

The university widely encourages students to study abroad and is working on creating more avenues through which students can go abroad. Two programs in Mexico, however, have been canceled.

Although fall and summer application deadlines have passed for the vast majority of programs, International Advisor Erin Garcia said that students can begin planning for the spring 2011 semester.

Campus in Angers This summer marks the end of the first year of St. Edward’s physical campus in Angers, France.

“For the fall, we have 22 students that will be going; among the summer and the fall, we have 55 students,” International Coordinator Esmeralda Hoang said.

In the summer, students will receive credit for a French course while studying biology with Professor Bill Quinn, cultural foundations with Professor Peter Beck or photocommunications with Professor Joe Vitone. In the fall, Associate Professor Christie Wilson and Professor Catherine MacDermott will each teach several courses.

Faculty-led Programs This summer, New College students will study Public Safety Management with Professor Craig Campbell in Amman, Jordan. Other New College students will study communications with Professor Sue Carrey in Costa Rica.

In Sevilla, Spain, students will receive Cultural Foundations education and intensive Spanish. In Edinburgh, Scotland, students will study the planning and execution of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with Assistant Professor

Sheila Gordon for Cultural Foundations and Event and Management Marketing credits.

Exchange Programs The Office of International Education also offers reciprocal exchange programs, in which students enroll in an international university separate from St. Edward’s.

“We actually have five different reciprocal exchange partners that we work with,” Garcia said. “We have one in Buenos Aires, Argentina; one in Monterrey, Mexico; one in Koblenz, Germany; one in Edinburgh, Scotland.

We just started a new one in Angers, France.”

Garcia said that the exchange programs are very independent. Students study as local students, entirely immersed in the culture and left to organize their semesters on their own. Additionally, any St. Edward’s financial aid is applicable. The university also works with International Student Exchange Programs, which offers study in 138 universities throughout 40 countries.

“ISEP is kind of like a matchmaking company that matches up exchange students from around the world,” Garcia said. “It’s still a very immersive experience, very independent. You pay to St. Edward’s tuition, housing and meal plan, and you get all of those things in the host location.”

Canceled Programs Although studying abroad offers students many positive experiences, it can occasionally be dangerous. Two programs in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, were canceled due to the country’s mounting drug violence. A recent report by the Associated Press said that drug-related violence has killed over 22,700 people in Mexico Associate Professor Russ Frohardt and Assistant Professor Sara Dixon had

planned to take 12 students from the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences to Valle de Bravo. Students were set to take nine hours of courses over six weeks in the summer, one course requiring participation in substantial civil service projects. Both programs were canceled.

“There is currently a travel advisory from the State Department regarding U.S. travel in Mexico,” Frohardt said.

“Several students and parents were expressing concern about safety. After evaluating risks, both schools decided this was not an appropriate time to take a group of students into the country.”

Frohardt said that a trip to Monterrey, led by Professor Terry Newton, had been canceled much earlier in the semester. “There is a very strong possibility that the program [for Behavioral and Social Sciences] will be offered next summer,” Frohardt said.

Looking Ahead St. Edward’s has been discussing the possibility of study abroad options in Bahrain, an island in the Persian Gulf.

“We have a very active alumni base in the Gulf States, and there is interest there for seeing a St. Edward’s presence,” Hoang said. “These programs are still in the development stage and might not come to fruition until spring 2011 at the earliest.”

St. Edward’s is considering three options for Bahrain.

The first is an exchange program with the University of Bahrain, and the second allows students in the area to prepare for education at St. Edward’s. Hoang said that the third option is professional education offerings focused on banking and finance certifications. jhartwe@stedwards.edu

Bill’s effects uncertain Continued from page 1

are impacted when benefits decrease. In group insurance, it is a constant balancing act to try to do what is best for most people most of the time.”

An annual 20 percent increase in health insurance costs would put the St. Edward’s health insurance

benefit provides and even over-the-counter medications if my doctor prescribes them,” Street-Allen said. “This reduction will actually impact those with higher medical expenses, increasing the cost to those who have some of the highest expenses.”

Last month, the Associated Press reported White

“Anyone who thinks that they are going to get free health care out of it, or that they are going to get their bills reduced, doesn’t know what this bill is about.”

— Assistant Professor Brian Smith

premiums over the $23,000 threshold by 2014, leading to even higher costs.

Street-Allen said there is no way of predicting what the costs would be or what St. Edward’s would do if the premiums became taxable.

But Street-Allen said she was most disappointed in the decreased upper limit in Flexible Spending Accounts, also known as health savings accounts, which are separate from health insurance plans.

Through Human Resources, employees contribute a portion of their earnings to an account, which pays for the cost of medical procedures that are uncovered by health insurance plans.

The health care bill lowers the tax-deductible amount of money an employee can contribute from $2,500 to $5,000. There are currently 300 faculty and staff members on the FSA plan.

“I use mine to cover prescription co-pays, dental expenses not covered under my dental plan, eyeglasses in excess of what my vision

House officials as saying that employers would see premiums fall by $3,000.

Lawmakers are aiming to control costs by reducing some medical compensation, increasing preventative care and a reduction in uncompensated emergency room visits. The point of mandating individuals to obtain health insurance, especially healthy young adults, is also an attempt to spread costs more evenly, said Brian Smith, assistant professor of political science.

Smith and Street-Allen said that much of the results of the bill are still unknown.

But he said he believes the bill will likely cut down on health care costs by reducing emergency room visits by the uninsured, who will be more likely to visit a primary care physician instead.

“For some people, health care costs may go down,” Smith said. “For people in my position, I would expect to see what we see every year.”

Smith said that he does not believe much of the health care bill will not affect the already-insured.

“One of the problems is that we are already covered,” Smith said. “We aren’t going to see any real direct benefits.”

In Massachusetts, where a very similar plan was implemented in 2006, the cost of health insurance premiums have still increased 40 percent, which is 7 percent more than the increase of costs nationwide, according to a report published in the Boston Globe.

“I think insurance companies are scared. I think health care providers are scared,” Street-Allen said.

“Both of those facts lead me to believe that the actual charges from health care providers will increase, possibly at a greater rate than in the past, and insurance companies will be trying to cover anticipated losses between government mandates and a greater trend.”

But Smith said that, personally, he does not believe the bill will have much of an impact on his health insurance plan.

“I’ve never seen my health insurance decrease,” Smith said. “Anyone who thinks that they are going to get free health care out of it, or that they are going to get their bills reduced, doesn’t know what this bill is about.” thallma2@stedwards.edu

Page 4 | NEWS

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 | Hilltop Views

Garcia and Heiden outspent opposition four-to-one Ari Auber The Blanca Garcia-Krista Heiden campaign for president and vice president of the Student Government Association spent more than their opponents, Hannah Kurtzweil and Samantha Cook, by a margin of more than fourto-one.

The Garcia-Heiden campaign spent a total of $720.61, which translates to $1.75 for every vote that they accrued, whereas the Kurtzweil-Cook campaign spent a total of $183.39, which translates to about 75 cents for every vote the campaign received.

Garcia and Heiden won the election with 67 percent of the vote.

“The money isn’t just about winning the campaign, it’s about setting the tone for next year,” Campaign Manager Celso Baez said. “It wasn’t just about winning the election, it was an investment in the future.

Baez went into the campaign with prior experience in campaign work. He works at Stanley Garrison and Associates, a political consulting

firm, as a campaign finance manager.

Donations to the GarciaHeiden campaign, from a total of twelve people, amounted to $375. The campaign is also expecting several donations that have already been pledged to help pay off money each candidate spent from their own personal finances.

“We were expecting to spend the money,” Baez said.

“We saw it as a great opportunity not only to spend a lot of money, but to raise a lot of money. We think that raising money from students represents legitimacy and buy-in

on the students’ behalf.”

Few of the donations, though, came from students not associated with SGA. But Baez said fund raising efforts forced the campaign to reach out to students, which was a key campaign issue for Garcia and Heiden.

“It was really hard to get students to donate money,” Baez said. “I tried designing a fund raising letter, but it was more aesthetically pleasing to political students. I’d say that letter was more important to getting endorsements from student organizations.”

During the campaign, the

Garcia-Heiden campaign was reprimanded for negative campaigning. While speaking to the Unity Coalition, campaign staffer Zachary Peal said Kurtzweil would be “a puppet” for the university’s administration.

Because of Peal’s statement, Elections Commissioner Margot Cromack lowered the maximum the Garcia-Heiden campaign could spend by $150.

Baez said the campaign ultimately decided to keep Peal on staff after he apologized, despite the negative remarks.

“He was crucial to keeping

momentum,” Baez said. “He was a great strategist. When the Elections Commissioner proposed an alternative sanction, which included dismissing Zac Peal from the campaign, we just saw it as a harsh alternative.”

Despite the lowered limit, Garcia and Heiden still set a new spending record. Last fall, SGA raised the limit that each candidate could spend. The limits for each candidate went from $200 to $500, meaning that collectively, both campaigns could have spent up to $1,000.

The Kurtzweil-Cook campaign did not report receiving any outside donations.

Kurtzweil and Cook also only used self-funded campaign finances for posters, art supplies and photographs while the Garcia-Heiden campaign purchased a variety of posters and cards as well as food for socials with students.

Kurtzweil and Cook also did not begin campaigning until several days after the election had begun because Kurtzweil was out of town. aauber@stedwards.edu

CAMPUS BRIEF

SGA meal plan relief altered Haleigh Svoboda The initial Student Government Association plan to award 10 grants to offset the commuter meal plan mandate has been altered.

“We are in a process of transitioning it from the primary account to the endowment fund we set up,” Vice President Intergovern-

mental Affairs Chris Duke said.

Now, the funds will be coming solely from the orginization’s fundraised account rather than money given to SGA by the university.

SGA will now only be offer grants to five students. hsvobod@stedwards.edu

Graduates find job leads Proposal given to Martin Continued from page 1

Nichols said. “That’s very approximate, because we haven’t yet filled in the May graduate stats.”

Nichols said that she expects the May statistics to resemble the previous semesters, with about 40 percent of students reporting employment and 10-15 percent going to graduate institutions.

“We reach about 90 percent of our graduates each semester, which is pretty high for a survey result,” Nichols said.

Graduating students are eligible for career planning at

St. Edward’s even as alumni.

Although some universities charge fees or limit resources for graduates, Nichols said that St. Edward’s alumni are eligible for career planning services indefinitely.

One of the resources available through the Career Planning Office is Hilltop Careers, a website that lists jobs and internships for St. Edward’s students.

“Since the beginning of the semester, we have in Hilltop Careers 458 job postings,” Nichols said. “That specifically is the best place to start your job search because those employers… want to hire a St. Edward’s graduate

or student for internship.

It’s very tailored to the St. Edward’s student.”

Over the academic year, Career Planning had 2,696 appointments with students, offered 51 workshops with over 700 students participating and gave over 75 class presentations. Nichols encouraged all students to begin their job searches now. jhartwe@stedwards.edu

Continued from page 1

“Sr. Donna wanted to determine what might be possible capital outlay costs. She agreed to keep us informed of next steps.”

Jodi Egerton, assistant professor of English Writing and Rhetoric, has two children under the age of five years old. Egerton said if there were a childcare center on campus, she’d be able to be far more flexible with her availability.

“I spend two hours every day driving between my daughter’s preschool, my son’s childcare and St. Ed’s,” Egerton said. “I arrive on

campus usually just minutes before my class starts, and I leave right after my classes end to start the pickup run.”

Egerton also said a childcare center would allow her to be on campus longer.

“I’d have the ability to pop in, have lunch with my kiddos, and nurse my son in between [classes],” Egerton said. “This would allow me to

be more easily accessible to students. “ Catherine Rainwater, professor of English Literature and president of Faculty Senate, said an updated report on the childcare proposal is scheduled for April 29. jobenha@stedwards.edu

Corrections In the article “SGA approves commuter meal plan relief proposal,” in the April 14 edition of Hilltop Views, Eric Bustos was referred to as a senator from the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences when, in face, he is the senator for the junior class.

Hilltop Views | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

check out

Hilltop Views

GAMES | Page 5

games Look for the answers to both games in next week’s issue!

online edition at hilltopviewsonline.com

Answer to last issue’s Sudoku:

Page 6 | Hilltop Views Wednesday, April 21, 2010

ENTERTAINMENT

Students’ radio hits the air Meg Seeger

Music has been a part of their lives since they can remember. Now, they’re taking the next step and letting their creativity run wild.

Sophomore Jamie Aldridge can’t remember what it was she liked about music from the beginning. Sophomore Alex Simons remembers singing and playing the piano at age 4. They are two very different people, but they possess the same passion for music.

Getting started Both women agree that sometimes they need more depth from music, something other than mainstream.

They said the radio feeds the public the same thing over and over again, and that’s not fulfilling. Their love for music and need for more variety started their journey towards an online radio show known as “The Hapster.”

Aldridge initiated the radio show after hearing one of her business professors talk about the days when he had done the same thing. She then approached Simons, a friend, to help her out.

“We have good taste in music,” Aldridge said. “If anybody should do this, it should be us.”

Hosted by Jammmey Rock (Aldridge) and A SIZ (Simons), “The Hapster” launched March 12.

The construction process was stressful and long, but they were ready for the first show to be up.

Regardless of what their busy schedules bring, they find time for music. Music follows them wherever they go, whether they’re on the way to class, doing homework, or driving.

“Honestly, I don’t think I’d be happy if I didn’t have some connection to music in

general,” Simons said.

Aldridge has always enjoyed finding new music her friends have never heard. She enjoyed the thrill of finding music that would then show up on the radio a month or two later. She said she has always had an ear for what’s going to be popular.

Simons has been involved with music since a young age, but at age 15 one of her friends, who she calls her a music guru, inspired her to become more involved. In high school she began to listen to bands like the Flaming Lips, Jack’s Mannequin and Animal Collective. None of the three is usually heard on the radio or grouped with mainstream music.

However, both girls find mainstream music a necessity.

“It’s catchy,” Simons said.

Sophomore Andrew Wilson, a mutual friend since their freshman year at St. Edward’s, thinks Aldridge has a wide taste in music that will appeal to different groups of people. He also said he thinks Simons will appeal to hipster listeners.

Producing the show To make this show work, both girls have been willing to collaborate with one another.

They each make a list of song ideas for their radio play list and present it to each other.

They listen to each song and then decide what is right for the show.

“We have to check and see how it flows together,” Simons said.

They have a system of grouping the songs that fit a specific genre, so the music isn’t all over the place. The show is composed of about three-fourths alternative and one-fourth mainstream and hip-hop tunes.

“There’s stuff we like, but haven’t heard on the radio

Girl Talk plays Forty Acres Fest Justin Welsh

Alex Simons

Simons and Aldridge started “The Hapster” in March.

yet,” Aldridge said.

“It was diverse and interesting and entertaining because it was music I’d never listened to before,” said sophomore Samantha Aitken, a friend of Aldridge and Simmons for two years.

Programming Next, they must physically buy the music offline to avoid any problems with copyrights. The music is downloaded, converted to the MP3 format and uploaded to the website. According to Aldridge, as long as the songs have been purchased and she has the rights to them, there should not be a copyright problem.

Previously they had hoped to update each week, but with their busy schedules, they have decided once a month would be best. Simons said if they get the hang of things, they may run once every three weeks.

“I’m okay with it not being major,” Aldridge said. “I just want my friends and family to look at it if they have time.”

“We thought that was the easiest way to get the word out,” Aldridge said.

Austin’s radio market Austin is known for its live music scene, but not so much for its radio scene, said Si-

mons.

The state of Austin’s radio scene surprised her because of its music reputation. She said that radio and the music industry are dying out because of the switch to online content. To be successful in radio, competitiveness is necessary.

“You’ve got to be the best,” Simons said.

Radio stations are competing with the Internet, while online radio hosts, like Aldridge and Simons, are competing with music sites like Pandora.

Regardless of the competition, the two are jumping into the radio industry and seeing if they can swim.

“It’s kind of a side project thing,” Simons said. “If it takes off, it takes off, but it’s not expected.”

Simon and Aldridge hope to post a new playlist before the semester ends.

You can find “The Hapster” by going to www.live365. com/stations/jaldridge2208.

Girl Talk, and White Denim performed a free show at the University of Texas’ Forty Acres Fest.

The festival, held on April 10, took place on a cold night, but there was plenty of body heat on the main mall of UT campus, filled with thousands of music enthusiasts.

After a great show by White Denim, the sun began to go down and Girl Talk, a D.J. whose real name is Gregg Gillis, came on the stage.

Gillis began playing his set of mashups, accompanied by a crazy slide show of raining babies and demented clowns behind him.

The performance was made up of new and old

tracks featuring a variety of artists from Motley Crue to Miley Cyrus.

Anyone who has unsuccessfully tried to play D.J. at a party should take lessons from Girl Talk, as he kept the entire night going with the touch of his keyboard.

While Girl Talk lives up to the hype, the most entertaining part of the night was the crowd, which was estimated to have been as large as 10,000.

From the second the music began till the second it ended, the entire concert was one huge dance party, and the combination of lasers, glow sticks, and the occasional beach ball all added to the energy, and kept the party going. jwelsh@stedwards.edu

mseeger@stedwards.edu

Sharla Kew

Girl Talk’s last Austin performance was at ACL.

Hilltop Views | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

ENTERTAINMENT | Page 7

Fest brings reggae fans Michael McNally Reggae lovers were not perturbed by the overcast weather April 17, day two of the Austin Reggae Festival.

Despite heavy showers that morning, festival-goers were treated to a rain-free afternoon with the occasional rays of sunlight slipping through to bake the soggy, muddy ground.

No matter which way the weather swung, everyone had a good time swaying themselves to the happygo-lucky melodies of the islands.

Crowds of mostly college and high school-aged kids surged through and around

neo-hippie-reminiscent campgrounds in search of music, munchies and fun.

The laid-back, chill atmosphere allowed festivalgoers to escape not only from the “stresses of society” but from society in general.

Even security guards seemed to only be concerned with the safety of everyone.

They wanted to have a good time just like everyone else.

The food was delicious and the vendors must have made a killing. Renaissance-style turkey legs, chocolate-covered strawberries, childsized bags of kettle-corn and even green cotton candy satisfied festival-goers who wanted a break from the dancing.

There were also plenty of mobile shops, which sported reggae legend Bob Marley T-shirts, flags, banners, blankets and other memorabilia.

Then, of course, there was the reggae. The sunshineinfused music from Jamaica lit up everyone’s day; there never failed to be an enthusiastic pit of dancers at the foot of the stage.

Hailing from the Texas Hill Country, The Roots Revealers finished up their act as dark clouds quickly invaded the festival.

Soon the exit was flooded with individuals attempting to evade the lightning.

The Reggae Fest seemed to be a much more relaxed version of Austin City Limits, where the shops, food and company were just as important as the central agent that tied everything together—the music.

A breeding ground for fun, the Austin Reggae Fest was a celebration of the things in life that bring a smile to your face. mmcnall@stedwards.edu

Vince Luna

Austin Reggae Fest was held at Auditorium shores.

MOVIE REVIEW

Movie not good for date Jake Hartwell Several reviewers have touted “Date Night” as a match made in comedy heaven, but the 90-minute romantic comedy felt more like some ridiculous circle of comedy hell. This particular circle of hell tormented unfortunate souls with a unique brand of base humor and grueling, awkward silences.

Of course Steve Carell is known for his awkward humor as the character Michael Scott on “The Office.” Twenty-two minutes is just enough screen time for Carell’s routine; after that it descends into uncomfortable stupidity.

Comedy is open to many forms, but Carell’s performance isn’t one of them. His entire repertoire in this film consisted of saying awkward, uncomfortable things until the audience laughed out of pure embarrassment. And at one point he exposed his nipple. That wasn’t funny either.

Tina Fey was far less than spectacular as well. Her generally wittier brand of comedy was overshadowed by Carell

Associated Press

Fey and Carell play a couple in “Date Night.”

until she was reduced to little more than a supporting role, merely cast to provide Carell with another awkward wall to bounce off of.

The film is not redeemed by its plot line. The story is full of so many clichés that it is amazing it hasn’t been sued for some type of copyright infringement.

There is literally nothing good about “Date Night.”

The four of the five funniest parts are in the free trailer, currently posted on YouTube.

Watching that is all anyone needs to do.

Actually, it’s time for Holly-

wood to realize that they cannot and should not continue feeding viewers tripe like this.

Steal this movie. Even if you weren’t planning on watching it, steal it. It’s so bad that it’s worth committing an international crime just to spite it.

Yes, that bad. jhartwe@stedwards.edu

Student tries to incorporate iPad into college life Bryce Bencivengo Apple’s newest invention, the tablet personal computer, or iPad, has garnered mixed reviews from both the public and tech users.

But that hasn’t stopped them from flying off the shelves like any other brandnew Apple product.

The tablet computer has been a vision of both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs since the late ‘90s, but both Microsoft and Apple struggled with the innovation. Now that Apple has its first version,

people are asking the question: So how does an iPad fit into a person’s life? Better yet, how does it fit into a college student’s life?

Kelli O’Donnell, a junior at St. Edward’s University, was one of the first to get an iPad the day they were released.

“I haven’t found the exact way I’m going to use it to get the best use out of it,” O’Donnell said. “It has some great features though. It does have 32 gigs of memory, so I will be able to store a lot of books, movies, television shows, music on it… it’s [go-

ing to] be great to check emails, browse the internet, share documents and take notes on.”

This is not O’Donnell’s first Apple product. She has used an iPhone for a few years but recently switched to a Blackberry. She also has a Macbook laptop.

Similar to the iPhone, the iPad comes with the basic applications installed but there are a variety that can be downloaded in iTunes.

Just weeks after the launch of iPad, there are over 10,000 applications with an average

price of $3.61, which is only $0.11 more than the average iPhone application.

O’Donnell says that can be deceiving though.

“The Kindle app is free, but you still need to buy the books which start around $10,” she said.

O’Donnell has discovered that her favorite application is the Major League Baseball At Bat application, which allows users to watch any game live on their iPad. Despite the different applications available and the ease of use, O’Donnell is not sure

if she knows where the iPad will fit into her life.

“I love it, it’s so cool,” O’Donnell said. “I’m an Apple fanatic, but I don’t really know about the practicality of it. It’s really expensive, especially when you add up the cost of the apps and the accessories. It’s fun to play with, but I don’t think it will be replacing laptops right now. I really hope it doesn’t replace books anytime soon either.” bbenciv@stedwards.edu Associated Press

Page 8 | ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 | Hilltop Views

Air guitar McRocks Austin Tristan Hallman Proctor Anderson Bryce Bencivengo On the morning of April 13, Brock McRock woke up to a new day. Though he had narrowly been defeated in a contest the night before, he left Houston and hit the road for greener pastures in Austin.

When he arrived, McRock put on his costume—complete with flashing Christmas lights, a puffy jacket and peacock feathers—and walked into the HighBall bar on South Lamar Boulevard.

Then, as he always does on days like these, he prepared to rock.

Such is the life of an air guitar rockstar.

McRock and 15 other contestants, 14 of which were male, took the stage on April 13 to determine who would represent Austin in the National Air Guitar Championships, held on July 22 in New York City.

“This is not for the sober,”

Top three contenders Pastor Moses First Round: Dick: 6.0 Final Round: Dick: 5.8 Total: 35.4

Walker: 5.8

Sinatra: 5.9

Walker: 6.0

Sinatra: 5.9

Brock McRock First Round: Dick: 5.7 Final Round: Dick: 5.7 Total: 34.8

Sinatra: 6.0

Walker: 5.7

Walker: 5.7

Sinatra: 6.0

Walker: 5.8

Sinatra: 5.8

Walker: 5.8

Walker: 5.9

Buck Nasty

Proctor Anderson The 2010 Air Guitar Regional Championship concluded with a group jam session.

said the evening’s emcee, Bjorn Turoque (pronounced “To Rock”), the self-described “world’s second-best

air guitarist.”

The contestants pantomimed playing guitar for 60 seconds during songs of

Proctor Anderson Buck Nasty was the only left-handed competitor at the HighBall Tuesday night.

their choice. Whatever the contestants lacked in talent, skill and cleanliness, they made up for in passion.

Contestants donned costumes, threatened to “melt faces,” performed brief incharacter skits and jumped into the crowd. They kicked, they crawled, they stumbled, they lip-synced—sometimes to the wrong words—and, yes, they all had fake names.

For a minute apiece, people like Scott LeRock, Thunder Muncher, David Lee Rothstein and The Metal Robot were rock-and-roll gods.

After their performances, the contestants were scored on a 4.0-6.0 Olympic ice skating scale and forced to endure the often-vulgar quips from the judges: Jason Dick, a local morning radio talk show host, and local musicians Hank Sinatra and Johnny Walker.

“You’ve got five more years to do something awesome so

First Round: Dick: 5.6 Final Round: Dick: 5.3 Overall Total: 34.2

Philip Seymour-Hoffman can play you in a movie,” Dick said to the portly, red-headed McRock.

But the contestants rolled with the punches, and six contestants, including McRock, advanced to round two. The round had the six contestants (not) playing a hard rock version of the Ghostbusters theme song.

In the end, crowd favorite Pastor Moses O’Dell emerged with a narrow victory over McRock. If O’Dell wins at the national championship in New York City, he will represent the United States in the world air guitar championship held in Finland.

“Tonight, I didn’t do so well,” McRock said. “But I came in second place, and we’ll do it again next year.”

That is, unless he succeeds later this year. McRock said he will now regroup and compete in Denver for their

regional championships on April 20.

As McRock and his fellow competitors learned, the road to rock superstardom is a long one, especially without a real instrument. Some will go on. Some will call it quits.

Not everybody was Bjorn Turoque.

Check out www.hilltopviewsonline.com to see a video from the 2010 Air Guitar Regional Championship. thallma2@stedwards.edu panders2@stedwards.edu bbenciv@stedwards.edu

FEATURES

Hilltop Views | Page 9 Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Feldenkrais sessions help relieve stress

Rosalie O’Connor

Rosalie O’Connor

Feldenkrais involves performing a series of simple motions.

Amber Burton Assistant Professor Sheila Gordon is offering free workshops in the Feldenkrais method as a way for students and members of the community to relieve stress and become aware of their bodies.

The Feldenkrais method is a system of breathing and movement techniques that can be used to improve posture as well as deal with stress and pain.

Many people wonder if the Feldenkrais method is similar to yoga, and Gordon said while there are similarities in the practices, the end goal of Feldenkrais is different. “[In Feldenkrais] there’s this kind of holistic approach to a body-mind movement lesson,” Gordon said. “It’s different [from yoga] because, rather than focusing on stretching or strengthening muscle, Feldenkrais is really concerned with creating an even, equal distribution of

muscular effort.”

Gordon began studying Feldenkrais after she suffered back pain during college. At the time Moshe Feldenkrais, the method’s inventor, was still alive and Gordon learned the practice from his protégé, Anat Baniel, in New York.

Baniel went on to become one of the foremost experts on the Feldenkrais method in the world, and uses it to treat children with movement disabilities and palsy, among other disorders.

“I had heard about [the Feldenkrais method] from friends who had done sessions, and that it could be helpful [for my back],” Gordon said. “And it really influenced me profoundly—not just on a physical or personal level, but also through a way of teaching and learning that had to do with how one thinks about movement.”

When he designed the practice, Feldenkrais was looking to alleviate pain and

disabilities relating to his own knee injury. His background in physics and a black belt in judo aided his study in how humans learn and move through gravitational force. Feldenkrais studied the movement of babies and toddlers to discover how they learn to mobilize, and applied these motions as a way to teach adults how to move in healthy ways.

However, through her study and practice, Gordon became aware of the other applications for the Feldenkrais method in science and health. “[The practice] opened my eyes to a completely new world,” Gordon said. “I went into it to utilize it for creativity, and I started getting calls from parents who were told by doctors that their children

“Feldenkrais is ... concerned with creating an even, equal distribution of muscular effort.”

- Assistant Professor Sheila Gordon

“He observed that, as adults, we lose that awareness and ability to properly use our bodies,” Gordon said.

In 2004, Gordon trained under Baniel and earned her certification in the Feldenkrais method. Gordon is also a certified Pilates instructor.

Gordon wanted to use the methods to explore their use in forms of creative expression such as acting and dancing.

would never walk. I started working with these kids, and frequently they benefited from the lessons and were able to do things they were told were impossible.”

Gordon’s workshop classes at St. Edward’s University teach students the principles and motions behind the Feldenkrais method. When the class begins, Gordon asks students to take a walk around the room so they be-

come aware of their skeletons and how they move through space. “[Feldenkrais] said that in order to make change in one’s self you have to be aware of what you are currently doing,” Gordon said. “This includes the way we walk, how we sit, stand and breathe.”

After the walk, Gordon instructs students in a series of initial movements on a mat on the floor.

Gordon said the principles of the movements are to move slowly and to stop if it causes pain.

“If something causes you pain, imagine yourself doing it without the pain and continue using a smaller range of motion,” Gordon said.

The motions are fluid and never repetitive.

Unlike yoga, students are not asked to hold a position for a certain amount of time or to do repetitions. No two sessions are the same.

“They’re not movements people do every day, and a lot of them are movements that you haven’t done since you were a baby,” Gordon said.

Over the course of the class, Gordon said the movements become easier.

“You start to incorporate your whole body and learn to

move from your spine. Your body starts to feel very free and light,” Gordon said.

At the end of the session, Gordon asks students to take another walk, and note the ways their bodies feel different from the beginning of the session.

“Everything in the method is related to functional movement,” Gordon said. “It helps people in many aspects of their lives, even speaking.”

While the classes are free to the community, donations are accepted. The donations go directly to U.R. Our Hope, a foundation dedicated to helping children with motion disorders or otherwise undiagnosed diseases.

Gordon got involved with the organization about a year ago, after a family that she helped through her practice invited her to a fund raiser.

“My heart really goes out to these kids, and I want to raise awareness of the organization,” Gordon said.

Gordon hopes to be able to have another series of workshop classes like this in the future.

“I’ve been talking with [St. Edward’s] about offering a course in Feldenkrais, but I really just enjoy offering the free workshops,” Gordon said. “Workshops are a good learning environment because people come because they want to be there. You can learn at your own pace.”

The last installation of the classes will take place Friday April 23 at 4:30 p.m. in Room 141 in the Fine Arts Building. aburton3@stedwards.edu

Page 10 | FEATURES

Wednesday, April 21, 2010| Hilltop Views

Library Week celebrated Local shop thinks globally Megan Ganey

Students participate in Library Week

Ryan Lester Libraries are one of the few places where knowledge is still available to the public for free.

Whether you are browsing catalogs of books, utilizing computers connected to the Internet, or meeting to study and talk with others, libraries provide people with services that are rarely fully appreciated. But, for one week out of the year, libraries attempt to remind people of their value, while celebrating all they have to offer.

As part of the nationwide celebration, the St. Edward’s University ScarboroughPhillips Library celebrated National Library Week April 11-17. The library hosted events aimed at making students aware of the importance of libraries.

“We want to promote particular services and attract students who normally wouldn’t come to the library,” said Connie Cabezas, reference librarian.

National Library Week was initiated in 1958 by the National Book Committee to increase community awareness and appreciation

of local libraries. According to the National Library Week fact sheet, the celebration began largely as a reaction to Americans spending more money on televisions and radios as opposed to books. The American Library Association took over National Library Week after the National Book Committee disbanded in 1974.

Every year Library Week adopts a different theme.

This year’s theme was “Communities Thrive @ Your Library,” and emphasized the ways libraries can be a common resource for all people, as well as the social possibilities they also offer.

Cabezas said that planning for this year’s events started in February, and the library first had to figure out what the budget was and from there determine the pricing for food. Another major focus is figuring out what kinds of activities would interest students.

“Over the last five years we’ve become a little more elaborate, with more events and lots of free food,” Cabezas said.

Some of this year’s events included a book giveaway evidenced by the carts of

Anna Stewart

books sitting outside the library April 11, a poetry slam, a book signing by St. Edward’s professor Varian Johnson and a library trivia game. There were also several events where free food was available to those who stopped by.

“This year was the first time we’ve had an author or have done a poetry slam,” Cabezas said, noting that they were two of the most popular events of the week.

Overall reception to library week was good, according to Cabezas. However, she feels there is room for improvement in the future.

“Something we will be working on for next year is how to better get the word out,” she said.

The next event the library has planned is the end of the year all-nighter. The library will remain open from May 2 at noon until May 4 at 2 a.m. Cabezas said an extra day was added in response to students complaining that the all-nighter wasn’t long enough. rlester@stedwards.edu

As people walk into Ten Thousand Villages from the bustle of South Congress Avenue on a Saturday afternoon, they are transported from a trendy shopping strip in Austin to a variety of countries around the world.

Some people find themselves plinking wooden instruments from Africa or adorning their ears, wrists and necks with silver and turquoise from Mexico. One woman, carrying potted red flowers, buys blue embroidered cloth napkins from Nepal to complete her set. A young woman finds a brown, yellow and red woven bracelet from Bangladesh.

Although these curious wanderers of the handcrafted world are spending their dollars in Austin, their money is directly stimulating and supporting local economies in towns and villages in more than 30 countries across the globe. That is the mission of Ten Thousand Villages.

Ten Thousand Villages was founded more than 60 years ago by Edna Ruth Byler, who, after seeing poverty in Puerto Rico in 1946, decided to sell handmade crafts from the trunk of her car. With the help from the Mennonite Central Committee, the store is now a non-profit franchise with 155 stores across North America. All revenue is retained within Ten Thousand Villages and used to expand retail services and purchases from artisans. Ten Thousand Villages works with artisans from Third World countries to sell their handmade products at a fair and sustainable price.

The franchise sends out buyers who work as consultants and marketing advisors for artisans to make sure their products will sell in the North American market as well as ensure fair trade practices in the villages. Because each artisan’s situation may

be different from another, based on skill level, standards of living and how many people are involved, individual agreements are made. However, all artisans are paid 50 percent up front before their items are sold in stores.

Polly Monear, who trains volunteers at the South Congress store, said that she took the position at Ten Thousand Villages five years ago because of the connection to the arts as well as the global impact. Monear graduated with a bachelor’s degree in

Georing said.

“It’s very obvious to me how my volunteering is directly helping people,” Georing said. “There is a very short connection between when I sell a product that these people made with their own hands, I know that that is directly helping them have a better life.”

Georing also draws connections between St. Edward’s, Holy Cross and Ten Thousand Villages.

“There is an emphasis on social justice,” Georing said.

“...I have been really blown away by how hard people will work for a cause that they believe in,” Monear said. “That’s a daily inspiration.” painting from the University of Iowa. After spending years in the corporate world, she wanted a change to what she considered a more ethical form of business. The day she decided to look for jobs the Ten Thousand Villages position was posted and, as she said, “it all just fell into place.”

“This is the first nonprofit that I have worked for, and I have been really blown away by how hard people will work for a cause that they believe in,” Monear said. “That’s a daily inspiration.”

One of the volunteers, Lisa Georing, a biology professor at St. Edward’s University, got involved with the store through the Mennonite church. During a semester at Bethel College in Kansas, she studied in Israel and Palestine. She said that her travels to Mexico and Central America has raised her global awareness.

“It’s our duty to help people that need it no matter the situation, whether it’s fair trade or health care or whatever,”

“St. Edward’s has this push of wanting students to be globally aware and understand the world that they are apart of and so I think Ten Thousand Villages is a natural fit for that because you have the social justice aspect of which is important to Holy Cross and St. Edward’s and you’ve got this opportunity to learn about people and how Ten Thousand Villages makes a difference.”

Global impact is an important message of Ten Thousand Villages and how it translates through buying fair trade handmade products.

“It’s real easy to feel powerless and get discouraged, so I hope that by coming in here and seeing that they can buy things that don’t represent the exploitation of others, that that gives them some hope and kind of turns a little light on,” Monear said.

mganey@stedwards.edu

SPORTS

Hilltop Views | Page 11 Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Community service thrives Emily Blasdell

With games every week, practices almost every day and a full-time course load, St. Edward’s University athletes already have a packed schedule. For the past year, athletes have added to their duties by serving in over 15 different organizations and groups in the Austin community.

Senior Stacey Copeland, a former St. Edward’s soccer player, has played a huge part in leading the athletes to community service. A transfer student from England, Copeland came to St. Edward’s after working as a full-time youth and community worker.

While Copeland said that she enjoyed playing soccer and going to school at St. Edward’s, she said that she felt as if something was missing. Her desire to serve others led to the establishment of Toppers in the Community.

In spring 2009, Copeland set up three different projects for athletes to participate in. This year, she wanted to expand the program in hopes that more athletes would get involved and help more people.

Copeland has set up an organized and efficient system that makes it easy for teams to be involved. She finds sites and organizations in the Austin area that might need extra help.

She also talks to the athletic coaches, who in turn discuss service projects with their teams. From there, the athletes become involved in planning the activities and projects that they will see through and participate in.

Copeland does much of the organizing and preparation for the projects, but various athletic teams are still very involved with plan-

ning as well.

“It gives an opportunity for athletes to have a real hands-on experience in serving,” Copeland said.

Toppers in the Community does a variety of different projects. At Arch Homeless Shelter, St. Edward’s athletes played basketball with the homeless, cleaned dorms, helped with computers and worked at the front desk.

Copeland said that the athletes also work a lot with children, referred to as “Teeny Toppers.” Some of the organizations that athletes have worked with include Helping Hand Home for Children, Heart House after-school center, Travis Heights Elementary, Dawson Elementary and Dell Children’s Hospital.

They hold one day events and implement programs.

One eight-week program was held at the Phoenix House Rehab Center, where athletes visited twice a week and held activities and games for the children.

At the end of the program, teens from the Phoenix House visited St. Edward’s to watch a variety of athletic games and get the feel of being on a college campus.

Copeland said that many of these kids had mixed feelings about college, but sports helped break down that barrier. In a feedback session about the program, many participants said they are now considering trying to go to college.

“Even if just one kid ends up going to college, we have made a difference,” Copeland said.

One program, the MakeA-Wish Soccer Tournament, has been in the works this semester and is coming up this weekend. The MakeA-Wish Foundation is the official charity of NCAA Div. II.

Places to go camping in the Austin area

Emma Long Metropolitan Park Located along Lake Austin, Emma Long is one of Austin’s largest parks. It has boat ramps, swimming areas, Turkey Creek Trail and extensive camping facilities.

Pace Bend Pace Bend Park along Lake Travis offers a variety of activities from boating to horseback riding. Visitors to Pace Bend Park camp along the beach, on a cliff or among the trees.

Windy Point Park Thirty minutes from downtown, Windy Point Park offers clean,

Senior Stacey Copeland

Every year, each Div. II school raises money to donate to the foundation, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

In the past, St. Edward’s has typically sold raffle tickets. However, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, which usually plans the fundraiser, wanted to go above and beyond this year, planning double what they usually raise. They also wanted to raise more awareness about the MakeA-Wish Foundation while adding to school spirit.

SAAC decided to hold an indoor soccer tournament open to the St. Edward’s community and even offcampus groups. Student organizations, school departments, alumni and athletes have organized 20 teams to participate.

Some athletic teams are sponsoring a group from Casa Marianella Refugee

Christina Villareal

Shelter, another site that Toppers in the Community has served this year.

The tournament will start at 10 a.m. April 25th and will run throughout most of the day. To create a World Cup atmosphere, each team will be assigned a country to represent.

Everyone is invited to watch and support their favorite team or country.

There will be raffle prizes as well as food for sale. All proceeds will go to the Make-AWish Foundation.

Copeland is graduating in May and said that she hopes to have individuals take on different projects next year in order to continue Toppers in the Community.

primitive camping. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery with picnicking or scuba in the clear waters of Lake Travis.

Garner State Park Along the Frio River in north Uvalde County, Garner State Park offers camping, dancing, miniature golf, places to eat and more.

McKinney Falls State Park If you are not one for camping in tents, this park in South Austin offers screened shelters with bunk beds, electricity and running water.

Guadalupe River State Park Guadalupe River State Park offers four miles of river frontage for boating, tubing and swimming along a nine-mile stretch of river. Those can also choose to hike, ride horses and bird watch.

Bastrop State Park Bastrop State Park is located 30 miles southeast of Austin.

Camp in tents or reserve a cabin and enjoy a swimming pool, golf course, hiking trails, fishing, biking, and a scenic lake.

Buescher State Park After visiting Bastrop State Park, take a scenic road down to Buescher State Park just north of Smithville. Take a hike on over seven miles of trails and enjoy the serene wildlife.

Colorado Bend State Park Colorado Bend State Park, located two hours northwest of Aus-

eblasde@stedwards.edu

tin, is worth going to visit for its drive-up primitive campsites, and for its falls and cave tours.

Inks Lake State Park Inks Lake provides recreational facilities for camping, backpacking, hiking, and golf. Keep cool in the summer by going swimming, boating, water skiing and fishing.

Compiled by: Emily Blasdell

Page 12 | SPORTS

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 | Hilltop Views

Club soccer places second in tournament

Save the environment Recycle your used Hilltop Views newspapers.

Hilltop Views Archives

The St. Edward’s University men’s club soccer team got second place in a Texas State Tournament April 16-18. The Hilltoppers beat University of Texas at San Antonio 2-1, lost to the University of Houston 2-1 and beat University of North Texas 5-0. In the semifinals, they team beat Sam Houston State University 5-4 after penalty kicks and then moved on to the finals against Texas State University, but lost 2-1.

Softball shut out Rattlers

SEU Sports Information

The St. Edward’s University softball team beat St. Mary’s University in a three-game series on April 18-19. The Hilltoppers won 2-1, 3-1 and 9-1, respectively.

Help us preserve the earth by placing newspapers in recycling bins throughout campus.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 | Hilltop Views

SPORTS | Page 13

BENCH WARMING

Garnett’s elbow shifts focus to NBA playoffs Bryce Bencivengo Sports Commentary

4

Was this just playoff basketball or was it dirty?

Well, it depends on who you ask. If you ask Celtic’s players, it’s just playoff basketball, but if you ask the Miami Heat or Joakim

Noah, it’s a cheap shot.

Either way, the attention is back on the NBA playoffs.

Kevin Garnett’s on-court incident in game one against the Miami Heat left him suspended after throwing an elbow in an opponent’s face.

Quentin Richardson came over near where Celtic Paul Pierce lay on the floor injured.

After words were exchanged between him and Garnett, an altercation with multiple players ensued. In the end, Richardson took a Kevin Garnett elbow to the head in the midst of a scrum.

The altercation took place in extremely close proximity to the crowd and ended with Garnett shoving an official who had made contact with him.

When asked if he regretted his actions, Garnett said, “Not at all.

I would hope if I was hurt or if I was down in that position, someone would at least give me some space to sort of recover or to gather myself.

That’s the only thing I was asking for, nothing more, nothing Associated Press less than that.”

Kevin Garnett, center, gets into an altercation on April 18.

The NBA reviewed the tape of the incident and deemed that Garnett deserved a one-game suspension.

In this column I have come down on the side of harsher penalties for all athletes who commit violence on the court and set a bad example for other athletes. While his actions warrant more than a one-game suspension, it has brought attention back to the playoffs and that is a great thing for the NBA. Amidst all of the other sports stories that are floating around, the NBA playoffs were somewhat forgotten. The playoffs didn’t even lead on the two major sports networks until this altercation.

With Ben Roethlisberger’s pending suspension, the National Football League draft, the National Hockey League playoffs and the start of the Major League Baseball, the focus has been taken off the NBA playoffs. This altercation, in the first game of a first round series has immediately brought the focus back to them.

I am sure Garnett was not thinking about the television coverage from ESPN when he threw his errant elbow at Richardson, but what he has done has to make David Stern, the NBA’s commissioner, smile as he hands down the punishment. bbenciv@stedwards.edu

The Hilltop Views’ column, ‘Bench Warming,’ is appearing for the final time in the sports section and is written by Co-Editor-In-Chief Bryce Bencivengo.

VIEWPOINTS

Page 14 | Hilltop Views Wednesday, April 21, 2010

OUR VIEW

Church’s silence hurts Catholics worldwide The recent revelations in the European Catholic Church have left the papacy with its second widespread sexual abuse scandal in less than a decade.

The church can no longer claim that the abuse of childrenby priests is just an American phenomenon.

Throughout Ireland and Germany, victims continue to come forward claiming to have been abused by priests.

The most infamous case deals with the man, dubbed Father H, who was a German priest who abused minors in the 1970s and 80s.

He was initially sent away for treatment but then returned to his job as a priest.

The person in charge of the Munich Archdiocese

at the time of Father H’s arrival was Joseph Ratzinger, better known now as Pope Benedict XVI. The problem of sexual abuse by priests seems to be widespread, spanning multiple decades and involving thousands of children.

This scandal reaches the very top of the Catholic Church, the pope himself. But does it reach the lay people of the church?

The answer is yes.

“I think the average parishioner in the pew is hurting and every priest is hurting as well, but no one is talking about it,” Fr. Rick Wilkinson, head of campus ministry at St. Edward’s University said. “It’s the elephant in the sanctuary.”

With all due respect to those who lead the Catholic Church, a full accounting of the men who are involved and the mistakes that were made is neccesary to move forward.

The problem is, with the exception of a vague call for repentance from the pope, none of the leaders from the church are talking. The bishops and cardinals have not addressed the people they lead, the priests or the people they serve, the parishioners.

The church, both clergy and laity, is suffering from the silence of its leaders.

The lack of an appropriate response is not only a problem of the current pope.

Pope John Paul II was the man in charge when most of these cases of abuse occurred, and he failed to take decisive action as well.

A core tenant of the church, modeled after the values of Jesus Christ, is to protect the vulnerable. There is no better example of this

than the church’s belief in protecting the rights of the unborn.

This care for the vulnerable somehow has not extended to the young children who were abused by these priests.

The tactics employed by bishops, cardinals and leaders at the Vatican to attempt to silence these individuals who were abused is disconcerting.

There is an expectation that one of the safest environments for children should be the church. In fact, children are taught to trust their teachers and religious leaders. Instead, the leaders of the Catholic Church have closed ranks and remained silent.

This silence serves no one

except to protect the members of the clergy who are guilty of abusing children.

The Catholic Church is a spiritual home to many who strive to live according to its values. Is it too much to expect the same from the church’s leaders?

With all due respect to those who lead the Catholic Church, a full accounting of the men who are involved and the mistakes that were made is necessary to move forward.

The church needs to seek reconcilation by confessing its wrongs so there can be forgiveness and healing for the people.

American astronauts riding with Russians to space Haleigh Svoboda Almost 19 years after the Soviet Union collapsed, the United States’ rival in the space race will take an additional victory, at least symbolically.

Within the next year, NASA will retire the space shuttle, causing the United States to depend on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft to ferry U.S. astronauts to the international space station for at least five years. President Obama also scrapped the Constellation Program, the shuttle’s replacement, adding further reliance on the Russians.

The Cold War may have ended with the Soviet Union, but relying on its successor for space travel is a risky endeavor that would give the Russian Federation influence over both the U.S. space pro-

gram and foreign affairs.

The biggest barrier between relations with the United States and Russia is the Russian Federation’s desire to maintain a sphere of influence in the areas once under Soviet control. However, the United States has an increased presence in the same areas in recent years.

Despite the recent agreement regarding nuclear proliferation between President Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, the United States and Russia historically take opposing sides in international affairs.

The most recent examples of tension are the United States’ attempts to build a nuclear shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, both former Soviet satellites, and the United States supporting Georgia in the 2008 war with Russia.

The current leadership in Moscow will see that Russia maintains power on the world stage. Moscow isn’t lending the United States its space craft out of the goodness of its heart. Russia could use the United States’ reliance on the Soyuz craft as a bargaining tool in future conflicts. In addition, the United States will have to pay Russia at least $50 million per spot in order for the astronauts to ride on the Soyuz with their cosmonaut comrades.

The United States’ reliance on the Soyuz spacecraft is also a concern of former astronauts. In a letter obtained

by NBC News, Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, expressed concern about the recent decision to cancel the constellation program, which James Lovell, commander of the Apollo 13, and Eugene Cernan,

Associated Press

American astronauts will soon be riding with Russia.

commander of the Apollo 17 mission, signed.

“For the United States, the leading space faring nation for nearly half a century, to be without carriage to low Earth orbit and with no human exploration capability to go beyond Earth orbit for an

indeterminate time into the future, destines our nation to become one of second or even third rate stature,” Armstrong said in the letter.

The Constellation Program sought, in addition to replacing the current space shuttle, to return man to the moon

and possibly explore Mars.

On April 15, Obama gave a speech at the Kennedy Space Center that predicted a U.S. manned spacecraft orbiting space around 2030.

Although Obama made the right decision by focusing on Mars exploration instead of returning to the moon, he needs to rethink the United States’ method of space transportation for the next five years.

Medvedev would most likely make the best decision for his country’s interests by using the United States’ reliance on the Soyuz craft in Russia’s favor. Obama should make the best decision for his country and deny this opportunity to Medvedev. hsvobod@stedwards.edu

Hilltop Views | Wednesday, April 21, 2010

VIEWPOINTS | Page 15

Potential 2012 candidates gearing up for election Christopher Duke November’s midterm elections loom in both the minds of Washington officials and voters alike.

As Democrats face difficult votes such as the stimulus, bailout, cap-and-trade and, above all else, health care, it’s no surprise that Republicans will make gains in both the House and the Senate.

More troubling is this week’s poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports, which shows the GOP has a wide lead over Democrats (46 percent to 36 percent) on a generic Congressional ballot.

Furthermore, independent voters, a key constituency to Democrats’ victory in 2006

and 2008, now prefer the Republican candidate by a 2-1 margin.

These numbers, coupled with President Obama’s sagging approval ratings in key electoral states, make 2012 all the more relevant. But just who would take on incumbent President Obama? You might want to keep these people in the back of your mind.

In it to win it Mitt Romney: The former governor of Massachusetts is still considered by many as the frontrunner in the GOP’s nomination. Romney’s credentials in business make him an attractive alternative to Obama if the economy remains sluggish, unemploy-

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ment high, and anxiety over government spending a top issue. However, voters are still reluctant about his Mormon faith and his flip-flopping on critical social issues like abortion and stem cell research. More interestingly will be how Romney distances himself from his own fix to health-care and the much opposed Obamacare.

Opts out Sarah Palin: John McCain’s former running mate, heir apparent, and former governor of Alaska maintains a huge support base even after she’s left public office.

Palin has raised millions of dollars through book deals and speaking engagements.

She has publicly committed herself to re-electing various incumbent GOP officeholders such as McCain and Rick Perry. Though strong with her base, Palin polarizes Independents and Democrats.

But, voters still worry if she has the experience for the nation’s top job.

Gaining steam Tim Pawlenty: The current governor of Minnesota has become a figurehead of GOP opposition to Obama’s

Associated Press

Romney and Pawlenty after speaking at a rally.

stimulus and foreign policy on the various talk shows.

Pawlenty is not seeking reelection in 2010, increasing speculation that he is laying the groundwork for 2012.

Pawlenty’s approval rating of the mid-50s indicates his ability, if chosen, to place the upper Midwest into play for the GOP. However, he lacks national identity among voters and party activists.

Rising star Mitch Daniels: One of the few GOP victories on elec-

tion day in 2008, Daniels was re-elected by an overwhelming 18-point margin to Indiana’s top office. His tenure during the Bush administration at the Office of Management and Budget is yet to be determined as a liability; he was one of the few working towards “fiscal restraint” during the Bush years. Daniel’s record of reforming government, reducing taxes, balancing the state’s budget, and gaining a 70 percent approval rating from voters identifies

him as an enticing dark horse in the midst of more wellknown nominees.

Just a hunch Rick Perry: the second longest serving governor in U.S. history, Perry is a household name in Texas and becoming one to the nation. Perry’s criticism from Obama’s stimulus, health-care and education reform is setting the stage for a challenge once again from the lone star state. Perry has the discipline, money and voter identification. Perry’s record of lowering taxes and reducing government will play into the larger narrative of Washington gone wild come 2012. Perry has vulnerabilities, of course like defeating Houston Mayor Bill White in 2010, but I wouldn’t count him out. cduke2@stedwards.edu

Sharla Kew Videographer Melissa M. Martinez Copy Chief Arianna Auber Jake Hartwell Mary Hennessy Anna Whitney Copy Editors Christy Torres Advertising Manager Jena Heath Faculty Adviser

Hilltop Views is a weekly student newspaper published by the School of Humanities and serving the community of St. Edward’s University. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the university, whose mission is grounded in the teachings and doctrine of the Catholic Church.

Letter Policy: Hilltop Views welcomes all letters to the editor. Letters may be edited for space, grammar and clarity.

Letters will be published at our discretion. Anonymous letters will not be printed.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR The Internet has opened doors for a lot of people since its creation. Businesses have found their customer bases. People have found communities to become apart of. Writers have found their voices and readers.

Unfortunately the Internet has done something else, it has made it much easier and much safer to spread hate. It’s never ok to spread racist, homophobic or hateful messages, but for some reason the Hilltop Views website receives horrible, horrible comments fairly regularly.

I go to the website fairly regularly to read campus news and every once in awhile I see a comment or two that are really offensive. The comments range from crude political comments to full-on racist remarks.

What’s most disturbing is when online users straight up attack authors. Sure, some of the things that the paper reports aren’t always perfect and occasionally there are articles that really makes me mad but that isn’t a good reason to bash the author.

The paper is read not only by students, but faculty, parents and friends. It’s not only rude but also incredibly disrespectful. It doesn’t only effect the people’s perception of the newspaper, but also the school.

Whether we like it or not the Hilltop Views website represents our school. I don’t want to discourage commenting.

It’s great to see people discussing the news and information that’s on Hilltop Views but lets have the decency to keep the comments presentable.

Justin Granger jgrange2@stedwards.edu

Page 16 | PHOTO ESSAY

The Feldenkrais Method See our story on page 9 for information on the Feldenkrais method. Photos by Rosalie O’Connor.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 | Hilltop Views