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The Newspaper of Lamar University Vol. 91, No. 1
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Building on Progress LU PRESIDENT EVANS HIGHLIGHTS ENROLLMENT INCREASE, CONSTRUCTION DURING FALL CONVOCATION LAUREN VAN GERVEN UP EDITOR @thegerven
UP Kristen Stuck
LU President Kenneth Evans addressed faculty and staff during fall convocation. Aug. 18.
Lamar University President Kenneth Evans announced an increase in enrollment and new campus development during the 2014 Convocation, Aug. 18. Evans said that the convocation, which takes the form of a state-of-theuniversity address, is different from other schools where he has worked, but it is a good thing. “This is the first university that I have been a part of where they have a convocation like this,” he said. “One where faculty and staff, professional staff that help facilitate student recruiting and advising, and the faculty involved in the structural mission — all the people that keep this university functional and operative — are all here in one place. I think it’s a great and important part of what characterizes this
community, and I’m very pleased that we do this.” Evans said that after completing his first year at Lamar, he and his wife Nancy are even more excited about their future here. As 2015 will be a legislative year, Lamar will seek funding for several project, Evans said. “This is a huge free throw,” he said. “Every institution or organization seeking to receive funding is bellying up to the bar; you can imagine Lamar will be in the middle of that fight. We are very fortunate to have strong local legislation ready for the task.” Lamar has prepared and submitted its 2016-2017 legislative appropriations request, Evans said, adding that once again the school will seek funding for a new science and technology building. “It’s a bit pricier than the last time we proposed it,” he said. “But, two years have passed, some things have
changed, our university is larger and, quite frankly, we simply need the space. We came close in the last session and hope that this session will deliver the much-needed facility.” The past summer, this fall and next spring form the base for Lamar’s accounting period, Evans said. The numbers for these three periods are essential to the funding formula. “These numbers are very pertinent to what we are likely to see in potential revenue to support our mission,” he said. “Enrollment ties directly to revenue. As of this morning, we have registered 14,600 students — 153,000 credit hours. These figures represent a four percent increase in student headcount, and a 14 percent increase in credit hours over last fall.” Evans said that Lamar has targeted the southern part of Houston for an intense recruiting initiative. “We are going to continue to main-
tain our traditional recruiting efforts in the markets that we currently focus on,” he said. “We suspect to see significant enrollment gains yet again next fall. We’ve already seen some signs of the efforts that we’ve been putting in the south part of Houston with the composition of this fall’s entering class.” Lamar had completed its fiscal year 2015 budget Evans said. “It’s a lean and realistic budget,” he said. “We have included a two percent merit-based raise for faculty and a two percent across-the-board increase for staff. I can tell you that we’ve hit the numbers that we anticipated to hit on the standpoint of student enrollment and retention over this fall semester and this coming spring. I anticipate a budget coming from the state that will give us the ability to provide what I think are very handsome opportunities See CONVOCATION, page 2
Berry visits campus to promote voting KRISTEN STUCK UP MANAGING EDITOR @kristenstuck Texas Secretary of State Nandita Berry visited Lamar Aug. 29 for the first week of the Vote Texas tour, which aims to increase election turnout among college students. “We wanted to focus on college campuses because we all know that the first time anybody goes to the polls they are uncertain about the process,” Berry said. “College students between the ages of 18 and 24 especially are uncertain. They know they want to vote, but they are uncertain about the mechanics of voting. We wanted to ensure that they have all the information they need to make this process as
WELCOME
easy for them as possible.” Lamar is one of 11 universities on the tour. “My role as Secretary of State is very simple, and that is to ensure that our elections are smooth, they are secure and they are successful,” Berry said. “The way I can ensure that they are smooth is to ensure that everybody has the information they need to vote.” Berry said she wants students to know they can vote in either their home county, or the county where they attend school. She also discussed the new voter ID laws for Texas and how it can affect college students. “It is the law in the state of Texas that a photo ID is required to go to the polls,” she said.
Courtesy photo by Kara Timberlake
See BERRY, page 2
Texas Secretary of State Nandita Berry visited campus Friday to promote voting.
ENRICHING LAMAR UP Desmond Pickens
Lady Cardinal mascot Lou throws out T-shirts to students gathered in the Quad Aug. 28 during a pep rally that was part of Week of Welcome. For more WOW picture, look on page 5.
Lerma, Rhodes honored with Plummer Awards as top August graduates
UP Lauren Van Gerven
Dean Kevin Dodson talks to students during a mixer welcoming freshman honors students in Gray Library Aug. 28.
LU’s new Honors College to build on 50 years tradition KRISTEN STUCK UP MANAGING EDITOR @kristenstuck Lamar University has a new college. After 50 years on campus, the Honors Program is now a full college. “It’s been a slow, gradual evolution and development in growth, and really, for the last few years, we’ve been basically functioning like a college,” Kevin Dodson, founding Dean of the Honors College, said. “There are requirements and stan-
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dards for the functioning of an Honors College. There’s a general organization, the National Collegiate Honors Council, which set up the standards. We’ve been more or less functioning like that for several years now. It was just the next logical step and the resources finally became available.” The mission of the college is to combine academic excellence and community engagement, Dodson said. “Our college is specific to Lamar,” he said. “It is tailored to the Lamar culture,
to Southeast Texas. Obviously, we have requirements regarding GPA and number of credit hours in honors, but we also strongly stress students getting involved in the community.” Dodson said the Honors College is the vehicle by which students are able to get involved in the community of honors students, the campus community, and even the broader community of Southeast Texas, through a variety of service projSee HONORS, page 4
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Lamar University honored two students with the Plummer Award, recognizing them as the top male and female graduates in Lamar’s 2014 August graduating class. Lamar University president, Kenneth Evans, presented the awards during commencement ceremonies August 16 in the Montagne Center, where Texas State University System Regent, Charlie Amato, delivered the commencement address. Plummer Awards honor the late Otho Plummer, who was chairman emeritus of the Lamar board of regents and a longtime board member. Rolando Lerma, Jr., a graduate of Ben Bolt High School in Ben Bolt, earned the Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. He is the son of Nelda and Rolando Cadena, the husband of Edwina and the father of Alessandra and Jason. Lerma is a summa cum laude honors graduate. His hobbies include
spending time with family, reading and going to the beach. Future plans include enrolling in graduate studies to earn the master of business administration degree to pursue a career with the Department of Homeland Security. Kristal Rhodes, a graduate of Memorial High School in Port Arthur, earned the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science. She is the daughter of Debra and Randell Rhodes and the late Edelmira Rhodes and the fiancé of Christopher Chapman. Rhodes is a member of Phi Beta Alpha and was named to the President’s List. Her hobbies include playing video games, gardening, crochet, belly dancing, travelling, genealogy, coin collecting, reading and astronomy. Future plans include receiving a teaching certificate, getting married, travelling and returning to school to complete the master’s degree.
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LU CONFERS 683 DEGREES AT AUGUST GRADUATION; AMATO GIVES ADDRESS Lamar University conferred 683 degrees at summer commencement Aug. 16 in the Montagne Center. Texas State University System regent and entrepreneur, Charlie Amato, was the keynote speaker. Graduates hailed from eight countries, 21 states outside Texas and 200 cities and towns in Texas. Lamar awarded 683 degrees to 681 graduation candidates — 13 for doctorates; 415 for master’s degrees, 248 for bachelor’s degrees and seven for associate degrees. Doctorates included nine in educational leadership, one doctor of audiology and three doctor of engineering. Two students earned two bachelor’s degrees; one earned both a Bachelor of Business Administration in general business and a Bachelor of Business Administration in entrepreneurship. The other earned a Bachelor of Science in fashion retailing/merchandising and a Bachelor of Science in exercise science and fitness management. The master’s candidates included 314 students who earned degrees in education as part of Lamar’s online education program. Texas State University System regent and San Antonio-based entrepreneur, Charlie Amato, delivered the commencement address. Amato was reappointed to the Texas State University System Board of Regents in 2013 to serve a second, six-year term as a regent after serving as Chairman. He is the Chairman and Cofounder of SWBC, a San Antonio-based diversified financial services company which provides a wide-range of insurance, mortgages, and investments to individuals, businesses, and financial institutions.
CONVOCATION ••• Continued from page 1 for raises for the coming future. So, I’m very excited about that.â€? Evans said that he watched the accomplishments of Lamar’s students over the past year and continues to be convinced that they can go toe-to-toe with the finest in the nation. “Our students have traveled the world,â€? he said. “We have almost 80 Cardinals that have studied abroad this summer, and that number will increase in the future. Regarding international studies, we hope to have a new study abroad leader identified soon. I can’t announce that name yet, but we are
Courtesy photo
Entrepreneur Charlie Amato was the keynote speaker at commencement Aug. 16.
very excited about that addition.� Provost Steve Doblin, who provided the introductory speech for the 14th year, will retire at the end of the spring semester. Doblin announced that the school has the most new staff members (137) since he started introducing the convocation. Evans announced new faculty in leadership positions. Vicki McNeil is the new vice president for student engagement, Juan Zabala is Lamar’s new vice president for advancement, and Kevin Dodson is the founding dean of Lamar’s new honors college. More than $133 million was raised for the Investing in the Future campaign, Evans said. “Thanks go out to a lot of people,� he said. “Of course, development activ-
ities never end. We’re busy raising new gifts for future campaigns.� This coming year will also see construction continue around campus, Evans said. “I’ve been telling you that they are going to start construction of the administration/ honors college building relatively soon,� he said. “Here I am telling you that they are going to start relatively soon. They did demolish the Brook-Shivers old dorm complex, and we are in the process of getting primary approval by the regents this upcoming meeting, to break ground and get that project moving along. We are excited about that project. “Across the street will be an entrepreneurship facility. It’s funded out of the land office fund and we are excited
BERRY ••••••••••••••••••••••• Continued from page 1 “Students make the mistake of going with their college ID, but it does not work for voting. You have to take one of the seven forms of ID that the legislature has approved: a Texas driver’s license, a Texas personal ID, a concealed handgun license, a US passport, a US citizenship certificate, your military ID, or if you don’t have any of those, you can go to your local DPS and get an election identification certificate, which is used specifically for voting and not for anything else.â€? If students choose to vote in their home county, but can’t make it back, they can request to vote by mail by Oct. 24. Berry said that the reason she is doing the tour now is so that students have time to register and to prepare for the new voter ID laws. “Lamar has a lot of good things planned,â€? Sara Gubala, political science instructor, said. “Sept. 22 through 25, we are going to have voter registration at the Setzer Student Center. As a political science instructor, it is my job, and I feel
about that as well. So, if you take those two buildings, you add a new softball complex that we are going to break ground for near the soccer stadium — that whole corridor coming into Lamar will become a gateway. There will be a gateway-archway that will be on Rolfe Christopher Drive.� There will also be several renovation projects on campus, Evans said. “Most of you have seen the Ty Terryl track is desperately in need of renovations,� he said. “Our track team has not been able to train on it because of the injuries that they had been receiving. “The other facility that is desperately in need of renovations is the Setzer Center. We are in the process of completing the negotiations of the food
compelled to get students registered and to vote. “Hopefully, we can get more people, who aren’t just nodding their heads in class, to actually do it and to go vote, because that is part of being involved.� Berry pointed out that presidential and gubernatorial elections usually bring a higher voter turnout. She said she urges students to find a candidate that they like and become involved with the campaign. “We need every different perspective in the process for our democracy to come out right,� she said. “Our students usually will hear from people that if they disagree with a policy, that their voice wasn’t heard. Well, if you don’t vote, then your voice will not be heard. “I want to ensure that students especially understand that this is a really important civic duty. If they want their voice to be heard, your vote is your voice. “It’s kind of like a choir. You need the altos, sopranos, tenors, as well as the base to harmonize so that the song comes out just right.� The last day to register to vote is Oct. 6. For more information, visit votetexas.gov.
and beverage contract. In the process of doing that, we are able to secure some resources that will fund the much-needed renovations. It will be renovations — we will not level that building. It will accommodate wellknown retail food franchises; some of those will also be located elsewhere on campus outside the Setzer Center, and then we’ll do an entire remodeling of that building. It will become a showcase building, something that we can be proud of.� Evans said that he looks forward to exciting Southland Conference play from Lamar’s student-athletes. “We have hired a number of new coaches, we have enhanced our marketing and sponsorships and we are excited for play this year,� he said.
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ARTS
Thursday, September 4, 2014
UNIVERSITY PRESS
‘A monkey that picked up a paintbrush’ LU grad Busceme seeks to capture emotion, connection through painting in first solo show BRANDIANNE HINTON UP CONTRIBUTOR Artist Carlo Busceme IV says he aims to connect with people. After a lot of preparation, he will present his art at Finder’s Fayre Antiques, part of the First Thursday event on Calder Avenue in Beaumont. The show opens 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., tonight, and runs through Oct. 1. The exhibit is part of the Contemporary Local Artist Show Series. “I’ve entered local shows and whatnot, but this is my first solo show,” he says. Busceme, who graduated from Lamar University with a degree in studio art and painting in December, admits he is “a little bit nervous,” and has been spending a lot of time preparing. “It takes up to the last day, you could possibly prepare for anything,” he said. “No matter how much time you have to prepare, it’s always up to the last moment.” Busceme has worked in eclectic art styles in several mediums, but he primarily paints for the convenience and immediacy, he says. His work is all about making a connection with people and communicating feelings. “Whenever someone asks, ‘Are you a practical person or are you an emotional person,’ I’m like, ‘I don’t know. I think I’m just a human’ because I think people are both of those things a lot,” he says. “I’m practically like a monkey that picked up a paintbrush one day.” The artist says he likes to be as genuine as possible, which is why he enjoys painting so much. It allows him to be in the moment with the feelings he wants to convey to people and they are more sincere and genuine. “It’s purely emotional,” he says. “It’s very introspective. There’s rarely a storyline involved. I’m not trying to tell you a story. I’m trying to connect with you about what it is that I was dealing with at the time I made it.” Busceme wants his art to communicate something that can relate with other people, something common, he says. “I keep making new things so I can try to figure out what it is I’m doing and how I can communicate better in doing it,” he says. Busceme works quickly to convey a sense of genuineness in his work, and describes his inspiration as spontaneous. He strives to get through the process of putting everything in him onto the canvas before the emotion of the moment passes. “It’s just one big rush of everything, and then you try to put it on something physical as quickly as you can,” he says. Busceme appreciates design, and says he likes abstract ideas becoming concrete. “It could be anything from a well-made chair to well, anything,” he says. “I like Francis Bacon paintings, and stuff like that — just any kind of design, any kind of idea that’s been made into something physical.” One of the most important parts of Busceme’s process is his reaction to it. He values how his work affects him because it moves him forward until he is satisfied with the result. “I react to what it is I’ve done on the canvas,” he says. “I’ll put something on (the canvas) based on an instinctive kind of emotional response to what it is I’m feeling, and then I’ll react to it once I
see it. So, make something, observe it, react to it, and then make my next mark based on that previous reaction.” If he doesn’t like what he’s done, Busceme covers over it until he gets the reaction he wants. He says there are literally thousands of times that he has reacted negatively to his own work. “I paint over it — I start over,” he says. “I don’t destroy it. I use the canvas. You don’t white it out. You keep painting on it and it doesn’t have to be the same thing at all. You don’t consider the background.” Busceme says he has to be sincere. “Whenever I’m making anything, I feel like I have to act quickly so I can kind of get whatever that was when it was happening,” he says. “And there are a lot of feelings while it’s happening, so you end up working really quick.” This show will feature paintings, but Busceme also works in other media such as drawings, lithographs, wood work, ceramics, and clay. “It’s been mostly working in oil paintings, kind of like abstract, expressive abstract, portrait mostly,” Busceme says. “I don’t really make anything with the idea of it being a style. I’m just kind of making things and they happen to look a certain way. So then I have to figure out what that’s usually called. So, I guess it’s whatever it is I happen to be doing and enjoying until I get bored with it.” Depending on the material he is using, Busceme says that he bounces between loud, very aggressive mark making — “super chaotic” — or something softer that says more with fewer marks. Busceme says he tries to connect on an emotional plane with the viewer, just as he does when he admires other’s work. “You want to share enough so that you can connect with people,” he says. “You paint it, you draw it or you make it because you don’t know how to do it otherwise.” Busceme jokes that his studio is like the super-secret bat cave — located beneath a local bakery with a direct siphon of coffee. Few people know its location and he says he is self-conscious about people photographing or watching him work in his studio. “I don’t like showing unfinished work. I think it’s pointless,” he says. “I don’t want to get reactions on something that’s not done. I don’t want to get too many reactions because I don’t want to be too easily swayed by it. “I’m just kind of self-conscious about it for some reason. I don’t know why.” Busceme is very self-critical, but in a humorous way. He jokes about his huge ego, saying that the theme of his show is just about him, then very matter-of-factly saying, “No. It’s barely about me at all. I’m just making it.” He admires artists who have the ability to make a living doing what they love and hopes to be the same. But ultimately, Busceme’s passion is to convey a common human emotion or experience that connects directly and specifically with people. That is what inspires him in other’s works — a common human experience that is genuinely expressed. Busceme says he really is not a big fan of any one type of art or artist. His only requirement is that the work has to be genuine.
“Covered,” above, will be part of the solo exhibition of work by Carlo Busceme IV, a graduate of Lamar’s art department, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at Finder’s Fayre Antiques in Beaumont.
“It could be anyone or anything I see that has a genuine quality to it,” he says. “You feel something or you just admire it for being beautiful because you don’t know why. “That’s one thing. Whenever I look at other people’s art work or anything that they do, I always see some way I can relate to them in it. It’s not so much that I’m looking for them to be better
than me, or different, or these strange beings you can’t relate to at all, but, ‘Oh they’re people and you can relate to them.’ You want to have something in common.” Finders’ Fayre Antiques is located at 1485 Calder in downtown Beaumont. To see more, visit CarloBuscemeIV.tumblr. com.
TASI TENANTS SHOW TO OPEN SATURDAY
High Street Galler y to host Adam Cook paintings Friday The High Street Gallery will host an exhibition of paintings by Adam Cook, 7-10 p.m., Friday. The gallery is located in Victoria House, 2110 Victoria St. in Beaumont. Cook said the best way to describe his work is a mixture of pop art with abstract/neo-expressionism. “I say this because I like the thought of taking ordinary and mundane things we see all the time and distorting, simplifying, and just plain making the piece say, ‘Here I am!’ along with vibrant colors as well,” he said. Cook’s work is reminiscent of the street art of Keith Haring. His work is also influenced by Picasso and Jean-Michel Basquiat. “I also embrace the beauty of imperfection, too, because I’m not a perfect person and I want my art to be an extension of myself,” he said. “Simple as it may sound, it makes me truly ecstatic to paint and create. So if people are happy and inspired to create from what I do, then I’ve done my job as an artist.” For more information, visit the High Street Gallery Facebook page. For more of Cook’s work, visit www.nakeddads.com.
The Art Studio, Inc. will launch its 20142015 season with, “Earthly Delights,” the annual Tenants Show, Saturday. The exhibition, which features the work of more than 20 artists working in a variety of media, opens with a reception, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and runs through Sept. 26. The show features work by more than 20 artists who work in a variety of disciplines. Among the artists showing in the exhibition for the first time is the youngest tenant, 13-year-old John Alexander. The Marshall Middle schooler has been working in clay since he took classes from Studio
founder Greg Busceme three years ago. “I really love the pottery — the whole process of making pots on the wheel,” he said. Alexander said that The Art Studio offers him a chance to not only work on his skills, but also to draw inspiration from the other artists who work there. “I like the culture and the fact that we have all these great artists around us to give us inspiration,” he said. Artist Gina Garcia encourages visitors to attend the Tenants Show to get a feel for the work being produced on a daily basis at TASI.
“Any kind of visually stimulating thing you can think of will be on our walls or on a pedestal, so you want to come out,” she said. “We have a wonderful group of artists, and we have so many different types of work.” Maurice Abelman is another making his Tenant Show debut, having graduated from Lamar with an MA in Printmaking in May. When he was looking for a place to work, The Studio seemed like the obvious choice. “It’s probably the central hub here in Beaumont for the arts and I wanted to be around like-minded artists and part of the community,” he said. “Just seeing other people work inspires me to work, too — it’s just being part of everything.” Abelman this is his first Tenants Show and he said that he is both a little nervous and also really looking forward to it. “I want to be part of everything and see if I hold my own with everyone,” he said. Also making his Tenant Show debut is David Granitz, who said The Studio is more than just an artists’ space. “It stands for Beaumont,” he said. “The Art Studio is a great symbol for Beaumont community.” The exhibition will include painting, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media and photography. The Art Studio is located at 720 Franklin in downtown Beaumont. For information, visit www.artstudio. org.
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University Press
LU construction management nationally accredited HONORS •••••••••••••••• The Reese Construction Management Program has recently become nationally accredited by the American Council for Construction Education. “The Reese Construction Management Program was evaluated with regards to its organization and administration, continuous improvement, curriculum, faculty, staff, students, facilities, services and relations with key members of industry,” said Steven McCrary, director of the Reese Construction Management Program. The Reese Construction Management Program is one of 110 four-year construction management programs in the nation and one of 74 with accreditation from ACCE, itself accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The program will hold ACCE accreditation for five years. “Accreditation is a substantial undertaking and requires that organizations first have one class of construction management graduates and then self-evaluate their programs in terms of stringent industry standards of content and quality,” McCrary said. “Accreditation is an ongoing process of assurance of a program’s content and quality management.” Part of the College of Business,
Continued from page 1
Courtesy photo
Lamar’s Reese Construction Management Program has been nationally accredited by the American Council for Construction education. the Reese Construction Management Program was originally formed in 2008 with a generous donation from Sheila and Jerry Reese as part of Lamar University’s Investing in the Future campaign to address the growing demand for construction managers. The program provides both a bachelor’s degree and hands-on experience and has a 100 percent placement rate of graduates in industry-related jobs. “Since the majority of large-scale construction projects in Southeast
Texas remain in the commercial or industrial fields, any time this market sees an increase in one or the other industries, experienced construction managers will be in high demand,” McCrary said. “Extensive, hands-on education plus a required internship make our graduates competitive in the marketplace.” For more information on the Reese Construction Management Program, visit http://business.lamar.edu/ academic-programs/constr uctionmanagement/index.html.
Information Systems; Kristeen Reynolds, Port Arthur, accounting and entrepreneurship; and Jessica Nabers, Port Arthur, MBA. The Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation was created in 1982 by a small group of Texas businessmen and women to focus awareness on the positive achievements made by outstanding business legends and to honor their contributions to their community and their state. Beaumont business leader and philanthropist Ben J. Rogers was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame in 1991 in recognition of the contributions he made to the business community of the state. Through the scholarship the Foundation seeks to honor Texas’ foremost past and present business leaders and inspire future leadership. Inductees into
the hall of fame are chosen for their distinguished accomplishments in business and their contributions to the development of a healthy, dynamic community in Texas and to the state’s overall economic well being. Each year, scholarships are awarded to outstanding Texas students who exhibit the same entrepreneurial drive and leadership spirit. “The candidates were exceptionally strong this year,” said Evan Melrose, vice president of scholarship for the Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation. “We look forward to recognizing this outstanding group of Texas business students.” For more information on the Texas Business Hall of Fame visit www.texasbusiness.org. To learn more about Lamar University, visit lamar.edu, or the College of Business at business.lamar. edu.
LU’s Burkett selected for business scholarship
Jason Burkett of Beaumont was recently notified that he was the winner of the Texas Business Hall of Fame Ben J. Rogers scholarship. Burkett is pursing both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting at Lamar University. He is participating in a tax internship this summer at UHY, a national independent CPA firm, and will be participating in an audit internship at Deloitte in spring 2015. “Jason is a true Lamar success story,” said Henry Venta, dean of Lamar’s College of Business. Burkett earned an associate degree in business from Blinn College in Bryan, Texas, before transferring to Lamar. Lamar also nominated four other students from the business college this year: Sydney Rush, Groves, a double major in entrepreneurship and dance; Sophia Gawu, Beaumont, Management
ects on and off campus and academic initiatives on and off campus. “Students in the Honors College will engage in what is known as high-impact educational practices,” he said. “The honors classes should be in greater depth and breadth. They should be more demanding and they are composed of exclusively honors students. I think there is a synergy, a sort of critical mass in there that is really helpful to the class.” Dodson points out that the Honors College is different from the other colleges. “The traditional five colleges have their own majors, they have their own professors and they have their students,” he said. “We are built on what they do. We’re adding value to what they do. The value added is in the form of the student’s experience at Lamar, the ways that enriches a student’s experiences, and the way those students enrich the university.” Dodson who joined Lamar in 1991, and started teaching honors classes early on, became the interim dean on Nov. 1. “I taught for many years — I became a member of the Honors Council, I became the assistant director, I became the director, and now I am the founding dean,” he said. “For me, this is just the ultimate capstone of a long and fulfilling career at Lamar University.” As founding dean, Dodson has the opportunity to mold the future of the Honors College, and to invent and construct what it will be. “I am incredibly excited to make this contribution to the university,” he said. “I have been involved for so long and I’ve watched it grow. Almost my entire career has been here at Lamar, and it’s been a really fulfilling and enriching career. I think that I’ve helped to enrich the university, and now this puts me in a situation where I can enrich it further. It’s an amazing opportunity.” Dodson said that he is exploring the possibility of an Honors College lecture series. “These are in prospect, but
we’re looking at bringing distinguished academics to bear their expertise on issues of public interests and concerns,” he said. “We’re talking about very serious public intellectuals. We’re looking for speakers that will appeal and represent all of the different colleges, and appeal to the broad cross-section of students at the university. We want everyone to come. We want to appeal to the broader community.” The Honors College has requirements regarding the GPA and the number of credit hours in honors. An incoming freshman has to have either an SAT score of 1200 in critical reading and math, or they need to be in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class. A continuing student must have a GPA of at least 3.5, but there is a credit hour maximum to be able to join. “We have some specific honors courses,” Dodson said. “We have seminars and topics. These are strictly and exclusively for honors students. They are intended to be outside the box, they are intended to be experimental, and they are intended to be fun. They are not the kind of course you would normally find in your department and in your degree plan.” The Honors College will share their new building with the school’s administration and will be built where the Brooks-Shivers dorm was leveled. The building will be tied into a building across the street and will be the entry point to Lamar. Dodson believes the prestige of the elevated profile of Lamar in the state will benefit everyone. “It’s a really exciting time not only for honors, but also for Lamar,” he said. “I think honors contributes a lot to Lamar, so it’s really exciting for us and what we are going to contribute to the broader community. I think the university in general is really thriving. “There’s a lot of really good stuff happening at Lamar. Any student coming in should be really excited and students who have been here should be excited of what they have seen, and excited about the future of their alma mater.” For more information, call 880-2296, or visit www.lamar. edu/honors-college.
University Press
Thursday,September 4, 2014
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UP Michelle Burdett
WOW events welcome back students The weather hampered some of the events, but not the enthusiasm at Lamar’s Week of Welcome festivities, which concluded with LU’s 42-27 win over Grambling State, Saturday. Students had a chance to spend time with therapy dogs in Gray Library Aug. 26, and show their school spirit during the Painting with a Twist event in the Setzer Student Center Ballroom, Aug. 27.
UP Brooke Stinebrickner
UP Desmond Pickens
KEATING WOODCOX
Kucknoor receives research grant
SCHOLARSHIP ESTABLISHED Ashwini Kucknoor, assistant professor of microbiology, has received a Norman Hackerman Advanced Research Program (NHARP) Grant for the 20142015 academic year. Her proposal, “Characterization of Rhomboid Proteins in Tritichomonas foetus Pathogenesis,” was awarded $85,000. “I feel awesome,” Kucknoor said. “Given the swift competition and tight funding situation, receiving this grant is very rewarding. I am also happy for Lamar and the biology department in particular.” Kucknoor’s proposal deals with Tritichomonas foetus, a sexually transmitted disease that causes trichomoniasis in cattle. The disease causes abortion, as well as numerous reproductive diseases in females. “Regardless of control methods, T. foetus infections still run rampant where
natural breeding, as opposed to artificial insemination, is allowed,” Kucknoor said. “However, reports suggest that artificial insemination is not completely foolproof in prevention. This project will look into a new group of proteins called rhomboid proteins and their role in T. foetus pathogenesis, with the long term goal to explore the possibility of using these proteins as a therapeutic target.” The grant will also provide funding for Kucknoor to hire a graduate student and four undergraduate students and finance the students’ presentations of the research at conferences. The grant was one of 11 offered by NHARP for the upcoming academic year with a combined total of more than $989,000 in funding. Kucknoor’s project was among 256 submissions from researchers at numerous Texas universities.
Of the 11 successful proposals, universities represented include Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, Texas Tech University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of Houston. “The outcome from this research will help the field of T. foetus pathogenesis, and the cattle farming industry,” Kucknoor said. “Any new information gained will also help the field of Trichomonas vaginalis, the human STD causing pathogen as well.” Administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, NHARP focuses on providing funding for basic research in biomedicine, as well as basic research in energy and the environment.
The Lamar University Foundation has announced an endowed scholarship has been established for the College of Arts and Sciences. The Diane Keating Woodcox Scholarship in English and Modern Languages will provide funding for outstanding students to further their studies at Lamar. “We are excited about this scholarship,” said Brenda Nichols, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “This is an excellent opportunity for us to provide upper division students a way to continue their education. The aid of this scholarship should help students graduate in four years as well as help them develop into
successful writers.” While studying English at Lamar between 1960 and 1962, Woodcox was also a member of Kappa Delta sorority. Establishing this scholarship follows a family history of supporting Lamar University. Woodcox and her husband, Larry, have previously honored her brothers, Thomas Keating ‘67 and Calvin Keating ’73, with memorial scholarships supporting industrial engineering and business, respectively. For more information about establishing an endowed scholarship, contact the Lamar University Foundation at 8802117.
DIVERSE: Composed of distinct or unlike elements or qualities The UP consistently attracts one of the most diversified staffs, both ethnically and culturally, of any organization on campus. Major editors have included all races. Some countries represented over the years include, in addition to the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Sweden, England, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, Vietnam, Taiwan, China, Japan, India, Pakistan, Iran, Scotland, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Thailand and Belgium.
UNIVERSITY PRESS ‘Doing our best to be the best’
Page 6 Thursday, September 4, 2014
University Press
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SPORTS
7 Thursday, September 4, 2014
UNIVERSITY PRESS
UP SPORTS BRIEFS Football Lamar University senior quarterback Caleb Berry became the Cardinals all-time leader in touchdown passes with his third scoring strike in Saturday's win over Grambling State. For his success on the field Berry was named Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
Baseball Lamar had three players selected in the 2014 MLB draft over the summer, including All-American Sam Bumpers, who was picked in the 22nd round with the 653rd pick by the Colorado Rockies. Bumpers earned Southland Conference Hitter of the Year honors last spring.The Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers took LU pitchers, J.T.Autrey and David Carver, in the 32nd and 35th rounds, respectively.
Volleyball The Lamar spikers started the season slowly, dropping their first three games. They were defeated 30 by Wake Forest, Saturday, at the Houston Cougar Classic at the University of Houston. Sophomore Autumn Taylor led the team with 12 kills. Friday they went up against Texas State University, but came up short by a set, losing 3-2. Later in the day, the Lady Cards played the University of Houston and were beaten 3-0. They will play Texas-Pan American Friday in Edinburg at noon.
Cross Country As a team, LU finished second in both the men and women’s competition at the Texas A&M Aggie Opener in College Station. Freshman Jan Lukas Becker and graduate student Tobias Riker combined to finish the 12,600-meter course in 37:05.3, trailing the winning pair from Texas A&M by 26.3 seconds. The women’s race saw each individual run 4,200 meters, and the team of Belinda Aguilar and Kaitlynn Warren were the top non-Aggie duo, placing fifth in a time of 30:22.6. Lamar Cross Country will return to competition Sept. 12 at the Rice Invitational in Houston.
UP Michelle Burdett
Lamar Cardinals huddle for a prayer before Saturday’s 42-27 win over Grambling State at Provost Umphrey Stadium.
Cardinal look to ride offense, build defense GRANT CRAWFORD UP SPORTS EDITOR @GrantLamarUP Last year, the Lamar football team had high expectations for their defense. This year, expectations fall on the other side of the ball. Lamar returns this year with eight offensive starters from a group that set or tied nearly 50 school records. “Most people don’t remember that we replaced the majority of our starters on the offensive side of the ball heading into last season,” head coach Ray Woodard said. “So we are in the exact opposite situation this year — veteran offense and a young defense.” Woodard said that he hopes the defense improves as much as the offense improved last season.å “Early on, our offense struggled at times, but they kept working at it, and went on to have a great season,” he said. “You could see the improvement on a game-by-game basis. We will expect more from our offense early, and look for our defense to grow and mature at a similar pace to last year’s offense.” With the majority of defensive starters leaving after the 2013 season, including All-American lineman Jesse Dickson, the Cardinals focused their recruiting on talent to keep the opponents out of the end zone. “I think our recruiting classes have become deeper and more talented every year,” Woodard said. “Because of that, we have some very young, talented players here who just haven’t had their time to shine yet. Now the opportunity has come for them to make a name for themselves.
CARDS TOP GRAMBLING STATE 42-27 IN SEASON OPENER GRANT CRAWFORD UP SPORTS EDITOR @GrantLamarUP The Lamar football team started their season off with a 42-27 win over Grambling State University, Saturday, at Provost Umphrey Stadium. After a 69-yard touchdown pass to senior Mark Roberts, and an eight-yard touchdown run by sophomore Kade Harrington, the Cardinals finished the half with a 14-13 lead. “The first half was very frustrating,” head coach Ray Woodard said. “We left so many points on the field. Grambling was really challenging us defensively, trying to take away our
“Obviously, young guys will make some mistakes early on, but as time goes on their talent will shine through. Eventually, they will have experience, and I believe we can be a pretty good defensive team.” Returning for his senior year is veteran quarterback Caleb Berry, who enters his final season on
running game and short passing game. We made some good adjustments at halftime and were able to overcome our mistakes.” Lamar came out of the locker room and scored 28 unanswered points to put the game out of reach. “We played a very good third quarter as a team,” Woodard said. “I thought Grambling did a great job fighting back in the fourth quarter. We’re happy to get the win but there are some things we have to get corrected.” Senior quarterback Caleb Berry, broke the school career touchdown record when he converted his third score on a five-yard touchdown See OPENER, page 8
pace to become the school’s all-time leading passer in completions. Berry set multiple school records last year, including the single-season record for completions (295), the single-season record for passing yards (3,332), and the single-season record for See FOOTBALL, page 8
Men’s Basketball The Lamar Cardinals released their 2014-15 schedule, which includes a road game against Indiana. “This is a very challenging schedule we will be facing," head coach Tic Price said. "I really like this non-conference schedule that we've put together, because every team brings a different style of play.That is really going to challenge us so by the time we get to conference play we will have seen them and have some experience in how to handle certain situations.” The men will play their first game against SMU, Nov. 14, in Dallas.
Lady Cards fall to UNT in pre-conference play GRANT CRAWFORD UP SPORTS EDITOR @GrantLamarUP The Lady Cardinals’ soccer team (1-3) lost to visiting North Texas (3-0), Sunday, at the Lamar Soccer Complex. Senior goalkeeper Bailey Fontenot had a season-high 12 saves on the day,
but was unable to keep a corner by Karla Pineda from floating in at the 62nd minute. “It was a fluky goal,” Lamar coach Orlando Cervantes said. “The wind got a hold of it and pushed it into the net.” Lamar was only able to get four shots on goal against UNT goalkeeper Jackie Kerestine, who picked up her third clean sheet of the season. Lamar
was playing its second game in three days, having dropped a 2-0 decision to Rice, Friday. “North Texas was rested, and I think you could see that in the second half,” Cervantes said. “I thought we played a much better game than we did against Rice. If we would have had that effort against Rice, I think the outcome would have been different.
Women’s Hoops The Lady Cardinals, who were Southland Conference co-champions and competed in the WNIT last season, open the 2014-15 campaign at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 when LouisianaLafayette comes to the Montagne Center. Lamar has four non-conference home games this season. In addition to the opener against the Ragin' Cajuns, the Lady Cardinals host UTSA on Nov. 23, St.Thomas (Houston) on Nov. 29 and Huston-Tillotson on Dec. 2. "We hope our tough non-conference schedule gets us ready for the Southland," head coach Robin Harmony said. "The bottom line is to get better. We have eight new players this season.We'll find out quickly what type of character we have." The Lady Cards begin Southland Conference play with a home game against Nicholls State, Jan. 3.
UP Michael Reed
Morgan Burden (7) works offense against Cat Sebazco (2) of North Texas during Lamar’s 1-0 loss, Sunday, at the Lamar Soccer Complex.
“These games help us get ready for conference. Wins and losses are (one thing), but it is more important that we be ready for our Southland games.” The Lady Cards continue their fivegame home stand Friday against Texas State at 7 p.m., and Sunday against Prarie View A&M at 1 p.m. “We have some injuries and I hope some of those will heal before the weekend,” Cervantes said. “I'm excited to see what we can do when we have our full lineup intact.” Offensively, the Lady Cardinals boast three of the program’s top-five career scoring leaders. Senior Kimmy Albeno already holds Lamar records with 25 goals and eight game-winning goals. Senior Kristin Bos is second with 19 goals and 12 assists. Junior Jannet Hernandez is fourth on the career list with 12 goals. “We’re going to focus on our attack game this season,” Cervantes said. ‘We have to do a better job of finishing than we did last year.” Lamar has four more matches before they begin Southland Conference play. “We’re playing a tough non-conference schedule,” Cervantes said. “We have to be able to step up and meet these challenges. It’s nice to have all of these home games. We’ve always done well here (24-9-5 all time). We love the support we get from our fans.” Tickets are available at the Montagne Center or online at www.LamarCardinals.com.
Page 8 Thursday, September 4, 2014
University Press
JOHN GRAY CENTER BUILDING NAMED FOR RUDY WILLIAMS Officials, family and friends gathered Aug. 26 to formally dedicate the Rudy Williams Building at the John Gray Center complex to honor Williams for his contributions to higher education at Lamar University. “It is most fitting that the building be named in his honor,� said Lamar president Kenneth Evans. “Generations of Lamar University students and faculty will benefit from his generosity. Now his name will forever be alongside those of several great leaders in Lamar’s history — John Gray, Herman Iles, Elvis Mason and Richard Price.� Williams established The Jean and Rudy Williams Academic Enhancement Fund at Lamar University to provide scholarships and academic enhancement funds for faculty and students. Three quarters of the money generated by the gift will be distributed as scholarships to help the university recruit and retain students of the highest quality; the remainder will be used at the discretion of the president for university academic enhancement.
OPENER •••••••••• Continued from page 7 pass to junior Devonn Brown in the third quarter. Berry finished the game with five touchdowns and two interceptions. “If you give Caleb time to throw the ball and the recievers are open, then he’s going to hit them,â€? Woodard said. One of Berry’s five scores came in the first quarter on a 69yard touchdown pass to receiver Mark Roberts. Berry said he is comfortable with his recievers. “I know where they are going, and it gives me some confidence that I can just lay the ball up there sometimes and they’ll go make a play,â€? he said. Roberts also completed a 43-
The gift was made in memory of his late wife, Jean, who died in 2005. Rudy and Jean were the parents of Susan William Simmons, wife of Lamar President Emeritus James Simmons. Rudy married Helen Hatchell Freeman in 2006. “Education is very important to my dad,� Susan Simmons said. “Although he didn’t have a formal education, he saw that it was very important for his children to go to college.� The Rudy Williams Building was formerly Building B. The other major building of the John Gray Center complex was named for Herman Iles in September 2013. “This is a legacy for my children and grandchildren and it means a tremendous amount to me personally,� Simmons said. “Lamar University is where I earned my degree and Lamar has been so much a part of our lives through the years.� “I hope that people will recognize how much Rudy did for others throughout his life. He’s a humble man whose legacy will now be a part of Lamar in perpetuity.�
yard touchdown and had 139 receiving yards. “It’s not just me,� Roberts said. “It was the offensive line. Everybody executed their routes the right way. It looked good on my part, but it was really the team that made it happen. We know once we get rolling we can’t really be stopped, and I told Caleb that anytime he throws me the ball I’m going to try and score.� Junior Ronnie Jones and sophomore Xavier Bethany had 12 and 13 tackles respectively to lead the Lamar defense. Bethany also recorded a forced fumble and an interception. “He’s only a sophomore, he’s going to be a very good football player,� Woodard said. “He’s about as fast as anybody we have on the defensive side of the ball. His best football is ahead of him.
Rudy Williams
He does everything we ask him. Bubba is what we call him, and Bubba’s off to a good start.� The Southland Conference leader in receptions last year, junior Reggie Begelton picked up where he left off last season, recording 12 receptions, 119 recieving yards and one touchdown. “You look at the stats and there’s Reggie with twelve balls, moving the sticks — catching the ball up the middle, catching the tough corner routes, blocking and doing it well,� Woodard said. “He just seems to do it every week and he’s by far the most consistent player we have. We really count on him.� The Cardinals will return to the gridiron in College Station, Saturday, to play the Texas A&M Aggies. The game starts at 6:30 p.m.
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FOOTBALL •••••••••••• Continued from page 7 touchdown passes (32). “To be honest, the records didn’t really mean much to me,â€? Berry said. “We step on the field to win games, not to set records. We are here to win games — that is our main job. My job is to help this team win, and that is all I focus on.â€? Berry is not the only returning record breaker. Junior wide receiver Reggie Begelton set the school single-season record for most receptions (82), and the LU single-game record of 18 receptions against Stephen F. Austin. “We have some talent returning,â€? Begelton said. “But the special thing about these guys is that they are all staying humble. The records that were set last season don’t really mean anything to this year’s team. We know that people are going to be geared up to stop us, but we have to keep our heads up. We want to continue the forward progress from last season.â€? The Cardinals play seven games at Provost Umphrey Stadium this season. On the road, the standout fixture is against Texas A&M. “The eight Southland Conference games have been set and we’ve had A&M on the books for some
time,� Woodard said. “So we wanted to fill three more spots, hoping to get two home games, but we were fortunate enough to get all three at home. I’m very excited that our kids will be able to play in front of their friends and family so often this season.� Lamar tied SFA for sixth in the SLC coaches’ preseason poll. Woodard said the team has an opportunity to improve from that position. “I said, heading into last season, that it would be the best team we have fielded since we brought the program back, and it was,� he said. “Now they return with a sense of confidence, which will translate into wins on the field.� Quarterback Berry agreed with Woodard that the team does not lack confidence. “When you are surrounded by so many guys who can make plays, it gives me a ton of confidence,� Berry said. “These guys are going to go out and make plays for the team every time they step on the field. It’s a great feeling to be a part of this team.� The Cardinals play Texas A&M in Kyle Field, Saturday. The game airs on the SEC Network, located on channel 611 on DirectTV, on channel 408 on Dish, and channels 334 and 1334 on Time Warner. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
God’s Economy The key to understanding the bible... “...in order that you might charge certain ones no to teach different things nor give heed to myths and unending genealogies, which produce questionings rather than God’s economy, which is in faith.� (1 timothy 1:3b-4) Free & non-credited classes at 5:30 p.m. every Thursday during the fall semester, in room 108 of the Family and Consumer Science Building. Come and join the class! Sponsored by Christians on Campus