University Press October 4, 2018

UNIVERSITY PRESS

The Newspaper of Lamar University

Vol. 95, No. 5 October 4, 2018

Engulfed in student debt Financing decisions drive school choice Olivia Malick UP managing editor

One of the biggest decisions students make when entering college is how they will pay for their education. Some receive help from their parents, grants and scholarships, but a majority of students attending college in the United States have to take out student loans.

There are currently 44.2 million Americans with student loan debt, totaling up to $1.48 trillion — surpassing credit card debt for the first time in 2014, according to Studentaid.ed.gov.

“Over the last three or four decades, college tuition has risen a lot, and one of the main reasons that’s occurred is not so much from schools increasing their budgets, but really because the states have taken away funding from the state colleges,” Karyn Neuhauser, LU associate professor of finance, said. “When I was in school, tuition was much cheaper, and even when you adjust for inflation it was much cheaper because the states were funding a huge percentage.

“The other day I looked at Lamar’s funding and it was surprising because somewhere around 10 percent of the budget comes from the state. Ten percent is a lot of money but percentage wise it’s very low. That leaves schools with the only option to make up for what the states are cutting by raising tuition, which in

UP graphic by Olivia Malick

See DEBT, page 2

Art, Japanese style

REDtalk to offer advice for studentfaculty relations Cheyenne Ard UP contributor

UP photo by Cade Smith

Thomas Duran, sophomore graphic design major, points out the Japan influences in his artwork, Sept. 27. The work was produced as result of a study abroad art trip in the summer.

Dishman exhibit spotlights study abroad work Cade Smith UP staff writer

The Dishman Art Museum is hosting, “Drawing in Japan,” an exhibit guest-curated by Christopher Troutman, LU assistant professor of art. The exhibit showcases a variety of works from students who participated in the Japan study abroad program

this summer. A reception will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Oct. 12.

“I took 10 students and we stayed in Japan for two weeks learning how to draw and paint,” Troutman said. “The purpose of the trip was to draw on site, completing 100 sketchbook pages, which included observational and compositional studies. We

went to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Nara.

“Then we went to Beppu City to visit Lamar’s sister university, Beppu University, where we worked with their faculty and students. While at the university we were taught by professor Shinozaki in Japanese painting, and the students got to sit in on a Japanese manga and an ani-

mation class there as well.”

Troutman said that the main assignment for the exhibition was for the students to respond to their experiences in Japan.

“The students worked on three drawings to reflect that experience,” he said. “Some students in the show went on See JAPAN, page 3

Do you want to build a relationship with your professor but not sure how?

LU Success, a program for academic coaching, will host the REDtalk “Building Relationships with Faculty,” by a panel of faculty members, Oct. 17, on the 6th floor of the Mary and John Gray Library starting at 2 p.m.

Admission is free to all, Kelly Williams, LU Success and REDtalks coordinator, said.

“The ‘Building Relationships with Faculty’ REDtalk will have a panel of five faculty members from different disciplines across campus and they will be able to share their perspective on how to build relationships with faculty,” she said.

Students who are uncomfortable or are not sure what kind of questions to ask will have the opportunity to draw questions from a bowl to ask the faculty panel, Williams said.

“It’s really going to be about students asking the faculty panel questions, so that they can find out how they can utilize their professors as a resource for them,” she said.

See REDTALKS, page 2

‘Guacamelee’ offers twist on Hispanic culture REVIEW Jason Hebner UP contributor

“What is a Luchadore? Nothing but a miserable pile of secrets.” So says Carlos Calaca, in the game “Guacamelee.” This quote is a perfect example of what the game is all about.

As a love letter to both Hispanic culture and video games, this hidden indie gem teaches players about the world of Mexican wrestling, mannerisms and humor, and its artistic style is heavily Hispanic.

“Guacamelee” is an exploration-based platformer, harkening back to late ’90searly 2000s classics such as “Super Metroid” and “Castlevania.”

The combat, in addition to being a good representation of the showy and acrobatic

wrestling popular in Mexico, is smooth and well balanced. The controls are easy to learn, yet hard to master, but by the end of the game you’ll be racking up 100 hit combos without a sweat.

The player starts the game as a young agave farmer who is tasked with saving El Presidente’s daughter after she is kidnapped by the menacing Carlos Calaca.

On the journey, players are bestowed with a lucha-libre mask of great power, with everything needed to defeat any obstacles.

The game also has a tonguein-cheek sense of humor, with posters strewn about advertising things like “Los Super Hermanos” and “Los Casa Crashers” — a play on Super Mario Brothers” and “Castlecrashers.” Even Calaca’s quote about Luchadores is a nod to the pop-

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ular “Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.”

There aren’t many problems with this game, though the enemy variety is an issue. Once half the game is done, the player has seen all the enemy types, their move sets and their alternatives.

Even with outstanding bosses, the game lacks canon fodder obstacles, and it becomes a blur as to which skeletons were previously fought where.

However, other than a few tiny nitpicks, this game stands out among the piles of same-y MetroidVania pixel art games, with its unique and inspired art style, its lighter tone and humor, and its smooth flowing combat.

“Guacamelee” is produced by Drink Box Studios and is available for PS3, PS4, PSVita and PC. And at only $14.99, it’s great value for money.

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INSIDE

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Thursday,October 4, 2018 University Press

Page 2

“You can look at a picture for a week a nd never think of it again. You can also look at the picture for a second and think of it all your life.”

NOTICE

The University Press can be read online at www.lamaruniversitypress.com.

Advertising rates can be found on the site, along with practically all information that a person might be looking for.

— Joan Miro

REDTALKS from page 1 The faculty panel will include Craig Escamilla, Executive Director of Retention and Student Success, Ruth Stanley, communication professor, Amy Smith, English professor, Yasuko Sato, associate history professor, and Jordan Wright, Deaf Studies.

“This REDtalk will be very

important for students because no one will play a more active and important role in a students’ success than a faculty member,” Escamilla said.

REDtalks happen frequently throughout the semester and cover themes such as academic success, personal development, professional devel-

opment, health and wellness, among other things, Williams said.

“REDtalks, offered by faculty, staff, or students are presentations on topics that will help students be successful and that are interesting to them,” she said.

Along with learning how to

DEBT from page 1 debt is to live below your means,” Neuhauser said.

“Just because this amount of dollars is available, doesn’t mean you necessarily need to accept it.”

Neuhauser said students need to make informed decisions about their career paths, and the universities they choose, in order to make the best financial decisions.

“I read an article a few days ago, and it was about three or four people and their experiences with debt,” she said. “There was a girl that went to Harvard and got a degree in drama and graduated $160,000 in debt.

“Theater is wonderful, but that degree doesn’t really lead you to a highpaying job — not right out of college — so to take on that kind of debt and then not be able to afford the payments isn’t necessary.

Students need to think about how much they take out versus what their reasonable salary expectations upon graduation will be.”

It’s better to take out loans and graduate than take out loans and not graduate, Neuhauser said.

“Suppose you end up with the average amount

of student loans, but because you didn’t graduate you are only making $10 an hour — and let’s face it, you may well be making less than that since the minimum wage in Texas is still $7.25,” she said. “A single person who makes $20,000 a year will end up with a take-home income after taxes of about $1,470 a month.

“Now, the average student loan payment ($351) is taking up 24 percent of your take-home pay. If you make less, this only gets worse, and it becomes harder and harder to repay.”

Neuhauser said that another reason students default on their loan payments is because they become overwhelmed by other types of debt.

“Suppose our student, who makes $50,000 a year and has a take-home of $3,500 a month, buys a car that costs $40,000 and moves into an apartment that rents for $1,400 a month,” she said. “Those two items alone will take up about $2,100, or 60 percent, of their takehome pay a month.

“If they spend another $800 on food, gas and utilities, and $200 in

credit card payments, that only leaves $400. If they pay their student loan, there is nothing left for any ‘incidentals,’ which come up all the time. So, what’s going to happen is that the other stuff gets paid for and the student loan doesn’t.”

Neuhauser said a situation like that could be avoided by buying a $20,000 car and renting a $1,000 a month apartment so that there would be money left over for rainy days and savings.

“It is okay to take out a reasonable amount of student loans if you graduate college with a degree that is in demand and had made decent grades,” she said. “Stay away from other types of debt, especially credit card debt and payday loans.”

The LU office of scholarships and financial aid has a page on lamar.edu dedicated to tips on managing student loan debt, including resources to help students calculate their loan repayments.

For more information, call 880-7011, visit 200 Wimberley Building, or visit debt.org for student loan management information.

build a relationship with faculty members, students will receive complimentary nachos for attending, Williams said.

“The nachos were a hit, so we will have nachos at this one, but it’s different at every REDtalk,” she said.

For more information, visit lamar.edu/redtalks.

Free tools for managing student debt • Debt Payoff Planner and Calculator This free app offers loan calculations including balance, APR and minimum payment amounts while also providing easy-to-read graphs.

• iontuition This website offers assistance with student loan management and helps organize financial aid debt as well as personal finances with support from loan counselors. www.iontuition.com/ Colleges

• Student Loan Hero This website gives students an overview of all of their finances, making it easy for students to stay organized and pay their loans back quicker. www.studentloanhero. com/ • Unbuy.me This program offers two different methods of paying off student loan debts — the avalanche (highest interest rate) and the snowball (lowest principal) methods.

CALENDAR

Oct. 4

LU Volleyball vs. Nicholls McDonald Gym 7 p.m.

Oct. 5

LU Soccer vs. Southeastern LA LU Soccer Complex 7 p.m.

Oct. 5-7

LU Theater presents: ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time’ Studio Theatre 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.) 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Sun.)

Oct. 6

Social Justice Symposium Gray Library 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 6

LU Volleyball vs. New Orleans McDonald Gym 1 p.m.

Oct. 10

LinkedIn Workshop Landes Auditorium 12:35 p.m. to 1:35 p.m.

Oct. 11

Fall Career Fair Live Oak Ballroom, Setzer Student Center 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Oct. 11

Cardinal Jazz Orchestra Fall Concert Rothwell Recital Hall 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Environmental performance

Improvement by the numbers

An approximate reduction in overall emissions since 2002.

Reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions since the installation of three cogeneration units in 2005.

Investment in environmental performance measures over the last 15 years.

Reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions since the installation of a wet gas scrubber in 2005.

Beaumont is not on any TCEQ air pollutant watch list.

ExxonMobil is committed to continuous improvement in environmental performance.

We’re proud to call Beaumont home.

We live and work here too.

exxonmobil.com/beaumont

UNIVERSITY PRESS • Thursday, October 4, 2018

Page 3

‘MUM’ show explores Texas ritual Claire Robertson UP contributor

Texans viewing Nancy Newberry’s exhibition “MUM,” will experience deep nostalgia.

Handmade, extravagant homecoming mums and boutonnieres are a tradition that amplifies the glamour of football season. Newberry captured this pageantry with her uniquely framed photographs that add humor and curiosity to this generational ritual.

“MUM” is on display at the Dishman Art Museum. A reception is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Oct. 12. Newberry will present a Q&A at 5:30 p.m. in the Dishman Lecture Hall, prior to the reception.

Dennis Kiel, Dishman Art Museum director, was born in Toledo, Ohio and said he did not grow up with this homecoming tradition.

“Supposedly, it’s only a phenomenon in Texas,” he said. “I read somewhere that it’s kind of drifted now to parts of Louisiana and Oklahoma, but I never heard of it.”

Kiel first saw Newberry’s work during Houston’s FotoFest.

“When I first saw these photos it caught my attention, because I didn’t know what I was looking at,” he said. “It’s just not pictures of mums. You’re looking at that photo and how she puts it

JAPAN

models practicing sports or posing casually, while others take on a more surreal stance, like gymnastics on the back of a couch or hanging off a spiral staircase.

“One of my favorite photos is the young woman doing that back stand on that elephant bird bath,” Kiel said. “(Newberry) said she took gymnastics and she used to do that on her couch — and somehow that evolved into this. A lot of it is reality, but also unreality because it’s based on her memories, and you know how memories are.

“Some of it is exaggerated, but that’s what I like about it and that’s what caught my attention.

I like photos that have subtle humor and you just go, ‘Well, how did they come up with that UP photo by Claire Robertson pose?’”

Beyond the ornate mums, the Kaleb Dixon, Beaumont sophomore, studies Rachel Newberry’s “MUM” photography at the Dishman Art Museum, Sept. 28. cluttered backgrounds and the creative poses, the models raise in that rectangle, how she fits all mums,” he said. backdrops,’ and I said, ‘Well, questions.

“These students look so disinthe elements in there.

Kiel referred to one photo- that’s not the point. She doesn’t “And then the mum just hap- graph showing students posed want just your typical white or terested, and that says somepens to be the subject. And then on the back of the couch. gray backdrops — it’s the quirki- thing right there,” Kiel said.

Kiel said Newberry’s work rethere happens to be a little bit of “The thing that caught my eye ness of the certain environments. humor, which I like when I look was the young woman that’s She has basic reasons, like she’s wards careful study.

“With any art, you have to at photographs. So, I wondered, being photographed through the trying to create chaos in the phohow could I use this series.” window, and she’s on top of her tos, but she’s basing it on her give it a chance, you have to After meeting the artist, Kiel house,” he said. “That’s the sort memories and also allowing the spend a little time with it, even if was able to bring the exhibition of thing that caught my atten- people posing to come up with it’s just a minute,” he said.

“MUM” is on display through to Lamar for a showing begin- tion. Or, they’re down the steps their own ideas.” ning Homecoming Week. to the basement but, you know, Newberry pictures the sub- Nov. 9.

The Dishman Art Museum is “One of the things I like about the basement’s a mess. jects with their own mums and (Newberry) is it’s just not your “One person said, ‘This pho- usually at their homes or schools. located at 1030 E. Lavaca on the typical poses of people with tographer needs a lesson in good Some photographs depict the Lamar campus.

from page 1

more than what was required.

The students were encouraged to respond in their own variety and style. I think they had their own interests in terms of what they were drawing about and you can see that at the show.”

Karisma Danas, junior drawing major, said her works were inspired by various characters and sights she saw while traveling around Japan.

“One of my works is inspired by all of the cute stuffed animals I saw in the claw machines that I could never win,” she said. “I also included characters that I liked

and recognized. Some of the characters in my work include Pikachu, Mario, Gudetama and Cinnamoroll.

Danas said that her work in the show was originally going to be realistic but she decided to put her own spin on it after talking with Troutman.

“My other artwork in the show is inspired by the tanuki statues that I saw walking around the different shops and seeing them displayed on people’s porches,” she said. “In Beppu, where we were staying, they are known for their hot springs and I wanted to

include that into my drawing as well.”

Thomas Duran, sophomore graphic design major, took inspiration from the manga class.

“The basis of my work features in the background, one of my classmates, Andy Ramos, wearing his giant blue-lensed glasses,” Duran said. “He called himself the ‘Ao Oni,’ which is the blue demon — I was with him most of the time so it was funny to see how he would react to different things in Tokyo and in Japan in general. I based all three panels off of him reacting to

everything he saw there, and made it overexaggerated. One of the panels is based off the landscape of the hotel we stayed at and Andy looking at the skyline in Nara.”

Duran said that the first preliminary drawing of his work started with sketches he made walking around trying to figure out what he wanted to do for his assignment.

“I asked Troutman if I was able to put the three panels together and make something out of it,” he said. “My other drawing is a stand alone, and is based off

our first night in Tokyo. We were all tired from that first day walking around with all of our luggage and everything. The artwork is a mixture of my representation of all of Tokyo and how we were feeling.”

Duran said that he learned to spend more time understanding what he wanted to sketch and draw in order to make a bigger piece.

The Dishman Art Museum is located at 1030 E. Lavaca on the Lamar campus.

For more information, call 880-8959.

Page 4

Thursday, September 20, 2018 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

EDITORIAL

5 UNIVERSITY PRESS Thursday, October 4, 2018

How to manage college stress

It is no secret that while college is some of the best years of your life, it is also some of the most stressful. Attending college is the beginning of a journey that leads one down the path towards a final destination — a career.

As with any journey, there are challenges along the way that test one’s mental endurance and perseverance, for better or worse.

These challenges are what help shape students into productive members of society — but what is unique about the stress students face is that it can come from multiple sources, at any given time, and have a lasting impact on the future.

A recent survey conducted by The Associated Press shows that around 80 percent of college students experience daily stress from factors such as increased workloads, student debt, environmental and family circumstances.

But does this mean that all stress is bad? Not necessarily.

Surprisingly, stress serves a useful purpose in our lives. Students learn and retain more information under moderate levels of stress which serve as motivators that push students to face challenges and increase productivity, according to psychcentral.com. However, excessive stress eventually takes a toll on one’s body and can lead to physical, cognitive and emotional is-

Commentary

Abigail Pennington UP contributor

sues, according to ncbi.gov. Unfortunately, students with persistent stress in their lives often fail to see the warning signs until the situation is out of control.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to manage stress in college while maintaining a healthy balance.

Regular exercise is a great way to relieve stress — a good workout can release tension that accumulates during the course of a long day. However, getting enough exercise does not mean spending hours at the gym — find an activity to enjoy and stick with it. This can include going for a walk, riding a bike or getting your hands dirty in the community garden.

In addition to regular exercise, it is important to get enough sleep — between seven and eight hours a night. It may seem like a good idea to stay up late to finish an assignment or study for an upcoming exam, but in the long run it is counterproductive. A

2017 study by the American College Health Association reports that only 10 percent of college students get enough sleep to wake up feeling rested and alert.

Stick to a balanced diet. Focus on healthy, balanced meals to keep energy levels up and give one’s body the resources need to plow through a stressful day.

Maintaining a healthy diet can be difficult, especially when the dining hall doors open and the sweet smell of pizza overwhelms one’s senses. Try mixing it up a bit by trading out a slice for a side salad or some fruit.

However, while these are all good ways to reduce stress over time, they don’t help in the moment. When the weight of the day starts to wear me down, I turn to a few of my favorite coping strategies — reading, music and breathing exercises.

Having a good book on hand to escape into is a good way to distract one’s mind from stressful thoughts. There is something

relaxing about the smell of a paperback book and the way the page’s subtle texture feels between my fingers. Whenever I have free time between classes, I like to sneak off and find a quiet area to read for while — even if it’s just a chapter or two.

Listening to music is a great stress release. Since ancient times, music has been used to heal the mind and body. I find Native American flute music to be particularly relaxing.

Breathing exercises are also a good technique to deal with stress. When you take a deep breath, it sends a message to the brain telling it to calm down and relax — which is relayed throughout the whole body. If one pays attention to breathing when stressed, one notices quick, shallow breaths. But when the body is relaxed, breathing is slow and deep. Try to mirror the way we breathe when trying to fall asleep. If that doesn’t work, try inhaling through the nose for 10

UP graphic by Abigail Pennington

seconds and exhaling through pursed lips for another 10 seconds. Repeating these two steps relaxes the body.

Everyone deals with stress at some point during their college experience and having a support system of friends or family to lean on when times get tough is invaluable. We are only human, and that means that there are limits to the amount of stress our bodies can handle.

Don’t be afraid to seek professional help from the LU counseling center or student health center when feeling overwhelmed. The services the centers offer are free, and the staff want to help students have a successful college experience. It is OK to not be OK, and there is no shame in seeking the help of others.

We are not alone with our stress. It happens to us all. But with vigilance, balance and some help, we can all reach our goal — a college diploma.

Title IX leaves out important component – men Lamar freshmen are required to take a Title IX online course which covers a range of important content, including drugs, alcohol and how to handle them.

Crucially, the course covers harassment and sexual abuse.

Commentary

Justin Tompkins UP contributor

While the information is informative and instructive, it also is incomplete. It focuses on the mistreatment of women and LGBTQ issues, but it leaves out an underreported group — males abused and harassed by females.

To some, this may seem to be a minor issue, but these victims exist more widely than believed, and are completely overlooked in the course.

Between 2011 and 2013, the Society for Prevention Research conducted a cross-sectional survey on more than 71,000 students from 120 U.S. post-secondary education institutions about sexual assault victims. Out of all the victims listed, including cisgender males, cisgender females and LGBTQ stu-

UPeditorial Avoiding news not always a bad idea Editor..........................................Cassandra Jenkins Managing Editor...............................Olivia Malick Photo Editor...................................Noah Dawlearn Staff....................................Cade Smith, Vy Nguyen, ........................... Sierra Kondos, Rachel Hellums, .................... Abigail Pennington, Claire Robertson ..........Cheyenne Ard, Jason Hebner, Ricky Adams Business Manager .............................Eloisa Lopez Advisors Andy Coughlan and Stephan Malick Member of Texas Intercollegiate Press Association

dents, only three percent of the victims were heterosexually-assaulted males.

Heterosexual males usually don’t report being harassed by women for a number of reasons.

Men often question themselves about reporting abuse and harassment, asking, “Will people perceive us as heterophobic, or misunderstand us as consenting partners?” “Will people laugh when we tell them what has happened?” or “Will our cases even be considered?”

I understand these questions as it has happened to me. During my senior year in high school, I was sexually assaulted by a female in my class. She caught me off guard one afternoon and began backing me into the corner of the classroom,

It’s nearly the middle of the fall 2018 semester. Classes have kicked in to high gear and we’re entering a busy period of mid-terms.

With every class comes a different kind of stress and it can be easy to be overwhelmed by everything going on Then add to that the daily shenanigans that dominate the news and our social media feeds.

Elections are important and everyone should participate in the system — and certainly the fate of the Supreme Court affects us all — but in

Letters Policy

grabbing me in inappropriate ways. I pushed her off, shocked that the teacher in the classroom hadn’t already stopped what was happening, but he was completely unaware.

The girl began backing me into the corner again, and I tried to scare her off. Instead, she grabbed my wrist, and continued to push and touch me. It was only when her boyfriend looked up and saw her assaulting me that the situation ended.

A year later I still feel violated by what she did to me. I have social anxiety when I am around women, and that anxiety has cost me friendships. Worst of all, I feel like I have no voice in the matter of relationships, and that has led to a fear of relationships, even with those I care about the most.

our increasingly partisan society, getting caught up in the whirlwind of news can elevate stress.

It’s OK to care and to be an active participant in society, but we have to take care of ourselves first.

And it’s important to remember one thing — everything will turn out fine.

Take a deep breath.

Turn off the outside world now and then. Social media has a tendency to exacerbate stress because it amplifies everything going on and

Individuals who wish to speak out on issues should send a letter fewer than 400 words in length to Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 10055, Beaumont, TX 77710, or drop letters off at our office in 202 Carl Parker Building. The writer’s name, address, telephone number and ID number must accompany each letter. Letters received without this information cannot be printed. Letters may be edited for length, grammar, style and possible libel.

Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily those of the UP student management. Letters by the same writer on the same subject will not be published. Poetry and religious debates will not be published.

Men find it difficult to report these events simply because they tend to hold onto what little pride they have left in themselves. Unfortunately, the only people who know what happens are those who are there and are actually paying attention.

Every man has the right to report these actions, just as much as a woman, but until Title IX is properly enforced, these men will continue to be overlooked

by Title IX courses. The information in Title IX needs to represent every person, everywhere, and that is not being done.

This is a serious problem with serious consequences, and it needs serious attention in order to be corrected.

sometimes it’s better just to walk away from it.

Just because information is available 24/7 doesn’t mean we need to be looking at it 24/7.

All in all, everything will be OK. It may take time, but the mid-terms will pass — and, hopefully, so will you.

Balancing all aspects of college life is hard, but we’re capable of handling it. Just think, we’ve made it this far, so what’s a little further?

Repeat that every day.

The opinions that appear in editorials are the official views of the University Press student management as determined by the UP Student Editorial Board. Opinions expressed elsewhere on this page are the views of the writers only and are not necessarily those of the University Press student management. Student opinions are not necessarily those of the university administration. ©University Press 2018

Page 6

Thursday, October 4, 2018 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

UPcampus briefs Post office to close window sales for Columbus Day

The LU post office will close its window sales for Columbus Day, Monday.

Mail and parcel distribution will still be available and normal services will resume Tuesday at 8 a.m.

For more information, call 880-2232 or email postoffice@lamar.edu.

LU Jazz Orchestra, Band to present concert featuring trumpeter Dotson

The LU Cardinal Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Lab Band will present their first concert of the fall semester, 7:30 p.m., Oct. 11, in the Rothwell Recital Hall.

The orchestra, directed by Rick Condit, will feature Houston jazz trumpeter Dennis Dotson.

Admission is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit www.lamar.edu/music.

Community garden offers workday opportunities

The LU community garden is looking for students, organizations and/or departments to volunteer to plant pumpkin seeds.

They will be planting seeds at South Park Garden, northwest corner of Jimmy Simmons Blvd. and Vermont St., from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Oct. 20, Nov. 17 and Dec. 15.

They will be planting seeds at the LU Community Garden,

Sunday ‘preyer’ at TRF

between the tennis courts and the Communicatons Building, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 3 and Dec. 1.

Students can participate at any time between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.

To schedule a work day that is not on the list, contact Alicen Flosi at flosiab@lamar.edu.

For more information, contact on OrgSync.

A falconer shows her bird around the stage while giving information about her bird during the show Birds of Prey in Spring, at the Renaissance Festival in Magnolia, Sunday.

Hospitality admin students to host fall dinners

The Lamar hospitality administration students are hosting “Dinners in the Fall,” beginning Oct. 22.

They will host three dinners, Oct. 22 and 29, and Nov. 9 — seats are limited.

To reserve a ticket, visit www.lamar.edu/education/ family-consumer-sciences/ events/dinners-in-the-fall.html, or call 880-8661.

LU issues new Sexual Misconduct Policy

Lamar has established a new Sexual Misconduct Policy in order to prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment.

The policy is in line with the university’s commitment to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all students, faculty and staff.

The policy has been set forth by the LU Title IX Coordinator and the Human Resources office.

New policies and procedures related to complaints of discrimination and and harassment including but not limited to sexual and gender-based harassment, sexual violence, relationship violence and stalking

UP photo by Kameron Williams

have been put in place.

The Sexual Misconduct Policy can be accessed online at www.lamar.edu/files/docu ments/faculty_staff/humanresources/titleix/TSUS-sexualmisconduct-policy-andprocedures-8-17-2017.pdf To report an incident, download literature or obtain other resouces, visit www.lamar.edu/titleix.index. html.

For more information, con-

tact Jeff Bell, Title IX Coordinator, at jbell@lamar.edu or call 880-2215.

OUR STEM conference abstracts due Oct. 15

The Office of Undergraduate Research is looking for undergraduate and graduate students to participate in the sixth an-

nual STEM conference.

Abstracts are due Oct. 15.

Students can submit their abstracts using this link: www.lamar.edu/forms/under graduate-research/submitabstract-form.html.

For more information, visit www.lamar.edu/undergraduate-research/events/stem/ index.html, or call 880-8430.

Compiled by Olivia Malick

UNIVERSITY PRESS • Thursday, October 4, 2018

Page 7

STUDY ABROAD — SEASIDE STYLE Comm offers opportunity for journalism experience in Brighton, England Vy Nguyen UP staff writer

The Lamar University study abroad will offer a program to Brighton, England, June 11-29.

The six-hour course will include upper-level credit for travel writing and photojournalism.

An open informational meeting will be held at noon, Oct. 11, in 127A Communication Building.

“I think it’s important to continually give students opportunities to go see the world, experience different places, and practice skillsets in those various environments and through those various classes,” Natalie Tindall, communication and media department chair, said.

What started out as a conversation with Andy Coughlan, director of student publication and journalism instructor, grew into a study abroad program aiming for students who are pursuing journalism, corporate communication or broadcast to get a chance to experience Brighton, Tindall said.

“The idea came when I was traveling to my hometown in England and writing my own travel and history pieces for my own publications,” Coughlan said.

The program is an opportunity for students to explore a different culture while creating content.

“Part of my philosophy of communication is about producing work,” Coughlan said.

“When students graduate they will have a body of work that they can use to get jobs.”

Tindall said her motivation is to provide programs that are inclusive for all students.

“This program has the perfect timing, setting and set of classes to take,” she said. “These courses are intensive journalism writing, but are not limited to only communication students.

“This program is not only in-

UP file photos

Brighton Beach and the Palace Pier, top, and The North Laines in Brighton, England, are among the cultural and historic attractions ready to be explored as part of the deapartment of communication and media’s 2019 study abroad program. tended for students who are interested in learning about the intersection of travel, but also a different lifestyle, history, culture and food, which all converge in Brighton. If anyone is interested, we’ll find a way to make it work for them.”

Coughlan said students will produce content that will be published in the University Press and online on the UP website, as well as videos, live blogs and social media.

“It’s going to be a fun trip and we’re going to do a lot of cool stuff,” he said. “It will incorporate all forms of media, and everybody on the trip will be expected to do a bit of everything.”

Tindall said that Brighton is not just of interest to media students, but also to a history buff and a reader as well.

“I’m a huge Jane Austen fan, and Brighton is always mentioned in the regency work of

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Austen,” she said.

Coughlan is a Brighton native, so he knows a lot about the city.

“Brighton is a historic, multicultural, diverse and artistic town,” he said. “It’s a seaside and tourist resort, so it’s a very eclectic place. The idea is being able to take this wealth of information that I have that allows me to point to students where to find and uncover stories.”

Brighton also offers students an opportunity to really get to know the city, Tindall said.

“You can get around easier, and that’s one of the selling points for this trip,” she said.

“It’s manageable in terms of both costs and location.”

Coughlan said Brighton contains a wide-range of material to create content about.

“My hope is that each student, or in groups, will be looking at different things,” he said.

“You can write a variety of stories, make videos, and maybe podcasts even, on a whole variety of subjects.”

Tindall said the common language features between British and American English is

a selling point.

“Students like studying abroad in places where they don’t have to worry about a language barrier,” she said. “This decreases a lot of the students and parental worries about studying abroad in a different place that’s unknown.”

Tindall said she pushes her department faculty to help students, especially first-generation students, to be able to afford study abroad trips through the appropriate mean of fundraisings and scholarships.

“We want our students to go out, be successful and have those opportunities,” she said.

“We find ways to get people engaged and spirited enough, so they can help fundraise and be a passionate advocate for this study abroad program.”

Tindall said encouraging high impact practices is one of her biggest goals since she arrived at LU in spring 2016.

“Studying abroad is a highimpact practice that give students the exposure to do something related to their own professional development, help prepare them for the multicultural and global environment they’re going to enter into, and gain experience in competing with not just their own classmates, but with other people from other universities and countries as well,” she said.

The program presents students with an opportunity to not only build their portfolio, but also to explore and delve into a place where history is rooted into the culture and a city that offers a different perspective, Tindall said.

“Study abroad always makes people realize that where they plant their feet isn’t the center of the world,” she said. “It doesn’t change your life values, but it gives you a different set of lenses to look through.”

For more information, contact ahcoughlan@lamar.edu.

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All rules meetings will be in the McDonald Gym Rm 117 ALL INTRAMURAL SPORTS ARE FREE! All currently enrolled Fall 2018 LU & LIT students/faculty/staff are eligible to compete in all leagues. For more information sign up online for each sport with imleagues.com OR e-mail us at intramurals@lamar..edu or visit us at Lamar..edu/intramurals lamar..intramurals

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PURSUANT TO SECTION 30.06, PENAL CODE (TRESPASS BY LICENSE HOLDER WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN), A PERSON LICENSED UNDER SUBCHAPTER H, CHAPTER 411, GOVERNMENT CODE (HANDGUN LICENSING LAW), MAY NOT ENTER THIS PROPERTY WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN. CONFORME A LA SECCIÓN 30.06 DEL CÔDIGO PENAL (TRASPASAR PORT TANDO ANDO ARMAS DE FUEGO) PERSONAS CON LICENCIA BAJO DEL SUB-CAPITULO H, CAPITULO P 411, CODIGO DE GOBIERNO (LEY DE PORT TAR AR ARMAS), NO DEBEN ENTRAR A ESTA PROPIEDAD PORTANDO UN ARMA DE FUEGO.

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All rules meetings will be in the McDonald Gym Rm 117 ALL INTRAMURAL SPORTS ARE FREE! All currently enrolled Fall 2018 LU & LIT students/faculty/staff are eligible to compete in all leagues. For more information sign up online for each sport with imleagues.com OR e-mail us at intramurals@lamar..edu or visit us at Lamar..edu/intramurals lamar.intramurals

luintramurals

luintramurals

PURSUANT TO SECTION 30.06, PENAL CODE (TRESPASS BY LICENSE HOLDER WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN), A PERSON LICENSED UNDER SUBCHAPTER H, CHAPTER 411, GOVERNMENT CODE (HANDGUN LICENSING LAW), MAY NOT ENTER THIS PROPERTY WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN. CONFORME A LA SECCIÓN 30.06 DEL CÔDIGO PENAL (TRASPASAR A PORTANDO ARMAS DE FUEGO) PERSONAS CON LICENCIA BAJO DEL SUB-CAPITULO H, CAPITULO 411, CODIGO DE GOBIERNO (LEY DE PORTAR ARMAS), NO DEBEN ENTRAR A ESTA PROPIEDAD PORTANDO UN ARMA DE FUEGO.

Page 8

Thursday, October 4, 2018 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

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SPORTS

UNIVERSITY PRESS Thursday, October 4, 2018

‘ONE DAY, ONE MOMENT’

UP photo illustration

LU cross country team seeks to improve on winning record Casssandra Jenkins UP editor

see how the team will perform the rest of the season.

“We’re really lucky, because our sport is different than other sports, in that we don’t have a regular season win-loss record,” he said. “At the same time, it is very difficult because we have exactly one day and one moment in time to perform. If we don’t do it on that day, then the season is either a success or the season is not a success.

“For us, everything that we do is a dress rehearsal for the championship day. With what I saw this weekend, I was very happy that we were able to be very patient, disciplined and ran hard when we got to the consequential part of the race.”

Houchin said he has also seen some leaders emerge, but recognizes that everyone has an important role in team success.

“Everybody serves a role, so it it’s hard to identify any one person as a definitive leader,” he said. “Everybody brings something different to the table and everybody helps the entire group along, but you always have to have an influx of people coming.

You also have to have an established set of leaders that are present to help the newcomers along, and get familiar with our expectations and things like that.”

James Stockings, Jamie

The LU cross country team consists of nine men and eight women whose lives revolve around the feel of their feet pounding against an open trail.

Day in and day out they train to be the best, running through inclement weather, muddy trails and scorching track rubber as they visualize the finish line just ahead. Cross country coach, Tony Houchin, said there’s one thing on all their minds — returning to a championship.

After top finishes, at spots three and five, in the Aggie Invite, Sept. 22, at College Station for opening day, Houchin said he is confident in the team’s ability to come out on top by the end of the season.

“In opening at Texas A&M, this was kind of a rust-buster competition,” he said. “We have a good number of new faces on the team, people I have not seen compete. It’s good to see how they respond while in the throes of competition. They follow the race plan very well. They stayed patient and ran a very disciplined race, which was something prior to the race that I detailed to them as being very, very important.”

Houchin said he is excited to

Intramural Sports All Scores and Standings as updated on September 30.

Volleyball FInal StandIngS Co Rec division Mon/Wed 6:30 p.m./7:15 p.m.

TEAM SigEp/AXO Mighty Morphins Hustle Pike and ZTA ATO and ADPi

W 3 3 2 2 0

L 1 1 2 2 4

T 0 0 0 0 0

Tues/Thurs 8:00pm/8:45pm TEAM W L Ball Busters 5 0 HSA 0 5

T 0 0

Men’s division Mon/Wed 5 p.m./5:45 p.m.

TEAM W L Kappa Alpha Order 3 1 ATO 1 3

T 0 0

Tues/Thurs 6:30 p.m./7:15 p.m.

TEAM W L Returning Champs 4 0 Pi Kappa Alpha 2 2 Sloppy Sets 0 4

T 0 0 0

Women’s division Mon/Wed 8 p.m./8:45 p.m.

TEAM W L You Cant Set With Us 3 0 Dubs 0 3

T 0 0

Football PICkeMS Week 2 Standings Football pickems is a confidence pickem where you pick the winner for college and NFL games and assign a point for from 1-20. Each week’s winner wins a champ shirt. If interested in being apart of it, please email intramurals@lamar.edu Jason Harrington Joshua Steele Megan Leverett Chris Mouton Cody Sahualla Tyrique Smith

145pts 130pts 126pts 123pts 91pts 71pts

Crowe, Kyle Garcia and Katie Buckley are some of the leaders Houchin named.

“Stockings is a returner from last year — he put in a great summer and has seen significant improvement,” Houchin said.

“Jamie Crowe has been our No. 1 and you also have Kyle Garcia who is in his fourth year. He is a redshirt junior, but is the old man on the team. He shows everybody exactly what my expectations are.

“On the women’s side, you have Katie Buckley who has been a good leader for the women, even though this is only her second year, so everybody brings something different to the table.”

Houchin said the main goals for the season are to place first at the Southland Conference Championship and improve times at the NCAA Regional Championship.

“It’s pretty simple — you always want to keep moving in the right direction,” he said. “You always want to grow. You always want to improve and that’s what we want to do.”

The men and women’s team will compete at the Wisconsin Pre-National’s in Madison, Wis., Oct. 13, before heading to the Southland Conference Championship in Lake Charles, La., Oct. 26.

Courtesy photo

LU cross country runner, Katie Buckley, passes an Aggie runner at the Texas A&M Invitational at College Station, Sept. 22. Buckley finished at the No. 12 spot.

UPsports briefs MEN’S GOLF Lamar University’s men’s golf team fired a three-round (281-289-293) score to finish ninth overall at the Louisville Cardinal Challenge, Sunday, on the par 71 UofL Golf Course in Simpsonville, Ky. Freshman Hugo Hellman struggled to a six-over-77 on the final day of action. It was the only over par round for the Cards’ rookie who carded a threeday 69-70-77 that dropped him into a tie for 38 overall.

Senior Eason Wang picked up the slack equaling his best round with a one-over 72 for a three-round 217.

Wang walked off 18 tied for 47 overall.

Junior Cody Banach and senior Sam Dumez ended the day with a three-over par. Banach ended the day tied with Wang firing a three round 70-73-74, while Dumez ended the tournament a stroke back at 70-74-74.Sophomore Nikolai Schaffrath saved his best for last posting a two-over 73. He moved to 71 overall with a 76-73-73.

LU will have three weeks to prepare for the David Toms Intercollegiate at LSU. The Baton Rouge tournament will take place Saturday through Sunday.

WOMEN’S GOLF Lamar University women’s golf team fired the lowest round of the day, Tuesday, to climb to second on the final day of the Sam Houston State Bearkat Invitational in Magnolia. The Lady Cardinals opened the day third overall, but jumped past Houston Baptist to claim the runner-up position with a three-day total of 298-298-288 — 884. Sam Houston State won the tournament with a 295-287-295 — 877.

LU was led by three players on the individual leaderboard’s top 12, includ-

ing two in the top five. Junior Eva Martinez topped the Lady Cardinals’ scorecard with a three-round 215 to finish tied for second. She carded individualround scores of 72-72-71 to finish just two strokes off the individual title pace.

Sophomore Elodie Chapelet was just two strokes off her teammates pace after recording the team’s lowest round of the day, and the third-overall lowest of the day, to finish tied for fourth at 7573-69 — 217.

LU sophomore Carson Racich carded a three-round score of 225 to finish tied for 12. After struggling through the second round with a fiveover 77, Racich battled back with an even par round.

Freshman Laura PasalodosBarcelo rounded out the team’s top four with a 75-76-76 — 227 to finish tied for 19 overall. Freshman Stephanie Banach closed out the team scorecard with a three-round 78-82-80 — 240.

The Lady Cardinals return to action Oct. 15 when they travel to Monroe, La., to compete in the ULM Fred Marx Invitational. The Fred Marx Invitational will be a 54-hole tournament over two days.

SOCCER It took an extra 19 minutes in the piney woods to determine the winner, but Lamar University’s soccer team emerged victorious, Sunday, in a double overtime game at Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches. Senior midfield Juliana Ocampo provided the winning advantage with two goals, including the game-winner, to give LU a 3-2 victory.

“Juli played extremely well and we needed that today,” head coach Steve Holeman said. “She's very calm on the ball and a terrific presence for us on the

field. She turned in a heroic performance for us again, very similar to what she did against UTSA.” Lamar out-shot SFA 25-17 on the day and had two more shots on goal, but a few lucky breaks allowed Stephen F. Austin to tie the game up twice. Through regulation the two teams had 14 shots apiece, but in extras Lamar had 11 shots to SFA’s three.

Scoreless through almost the entire first half, sophomore Lucy Ashworth put Lamar out front when the Ladyjack defender had her pocket picked. Ashworth beat the goalie to the far side and fired a shot in, putting LU ahead 1-0. That score remained through the rest of the first half.

SFA’s first big break came in the 50th minute when Caylon McMillan fired off a shot and it rebounded back to her, and on her second attempt the ball made it just past LU goalkeeper Sandra Nygard to tie the game at one.

In the 65th minute Lamar pushed its advantage with a free kick by forward Rubi Villegas who set up Ocampo to catch the pass and score her fourth goal of the year to up the lead 2-1. Moments later SFA used another rebound to knot the game up at two.

LU had eight more shot attempts through the two overtime periods but couldn’t take over until just a few seconds remained on the clock. While the PA announcer counted down the final 10 seconds, a shot by sophomore Sophia Manibo was saved and rebounded to Ocampo, who scored with two seconds to go to finish the game 3-1.

Lamar returns to action Friday, to host Southeastern Louisiana at the LU Soccer Complex at 7 p.m.

Compiled by Cassandra Jenkins

Page 10

Thursday, October 4, 2018 • UNIVERSITY PRESS

NATURE MEETS NIGHTMARE The Art Studio to present LU alumnae’s ‘Morphogenesis’ Sierra Kondos UP staff writer

A combination of nightmares and nature will take form in a dual exhibition created by the strange minds of two peculiar artists.

The Art Studio, Inc. will host “Morphogenesis,” an exhibition of work

by Lamar University alumnae Anna Myers and Scarlett Blanchard, beginning Oct. 6, with a reception from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Myers said artists can elevate the average human’s experience by challenging perceptions of reality and opening minds to new ways of thinking and seeing.

“Art helps me cope with my day-to-day existence,” she said. “To me, the realm of art can serve as the gateway through which a person can experience strange alien worlds, parallel universes, and creatures both grotesque and unrecognizable.”

Blanchard said her goal is for viewers to notice the correlation between life and death.

“The struggle between subject, this referring to most of the larger pieces, smaller pieces and sculptures, are more like a documentation of a real-life situation, and representation of organisms to their true form in relation to the environment.”

The title of the show is influenced by the weird fiction of both H.P. Lovecraft and his contemporary Clark Ashton Smith. Myers said she is inspired by a variety of things.

“Different concepts, like science fiction, extraterrestrials, ancient astronaut theory, cryptozoology,

mythology, Hindu deities, reincarnation, theosophy, consciousness expansion, clairvoyance, the occult, all things macabre and outré, the astral plane, multiple dimensions, the multiverse, the collective unconscious, string theory, and the vastness of space,” she said.

Blanchard said her inspiration derives from animals, biology, nature, life and death, anatomy, symbolism, surrealism and strange and unusual lines and patterns.

“My process is hard to explain,” she said. “Usually, if I have an idea, I will scribble it out and refine it later. I use a lot of reference photos for anatomical nature studies — other work is from my imagination — and I typically use references for those, too.”

Myers said her drawings start out in a sketchbook drawn from the images she said are constantly dancing through her head to a soundtrack of harsh, aggressive electro-industrial music.

“Sometimes music will inspire a line or a mark,” she said. “Maybe the marks themselves will be the written-out vocals from the song I am listening to, or perhaps a quote from a literary work of cosmic horror.”

Myers said that after much artistic alchemy is performed, and the entity has come into existence, it is either completed in the sketchbook or transferred to a larger piece of paper where the image will become something altogether different.

“The initial creation of the ‘being’ is the fun part — finishing the image is where the hard work and six years of college art

UP file photo

Scarlett Blanchard left, and Anna Myers prepare work for their art show, “Morphogenesis,” which opens Saturday at The Art Studio.

Artwork by Scarlett Blanchard, left, and Anna Myers.

training come in,” she said.

Myers said the process is the same for her soft sculptures, which will also be in the show.

“The forms start out with a wire ‘drawing’ that later serves as the skeleton for the creature,” she said.

“This whole process is new to me and does not flow as easily as working two-dimensionally. After the initial wire drawing, decisions are made as to which areas should either be bulky or remain linear.

Like the drawings, this is all done intuitively. Once the basic shape is created, the wires are wrappwith

strips of quilt batting forming the ‘bones.’

“If there are areas that need to be more fleshed out, more batting is applied and sewn in place.

Next comes the application of the skin. This is the most difficult step because sewing the fabric on the skeleton is physically painful. I’m sure you can imagine how repeatedly stabbing yourself in the fingers with a needle must feel.”

Myers said she wants to share the “strange world” she has created for herself.

“I also want artists to know that it is OK to be

weird, and that an art object can still be enjoyed and celebrated even if other people don’t always know what it is they are looking at or exactly why it was made,” she said.

“Without art, what do we have? Toil all day, every day to satisfy our basic human needs, then die? Art gives us what we need to feed our souls, our spiritual selves, the Ka and the Ba, our astral body — that other part of the human animal that makes us self-aware, sentient beings. Art provides us with a means of escape from this harsh, cruel existence — or just a way to express our dismay with it all.”

Blanchard said that animals have always been a part of her life and of her artwork.

“I am big on being outdoors,” she said. “I took art classes all through high school and was talked into entering work into a Lamar art contest in which 10 recipients were awarded art scholarships.”

Blanchard was one of those recipients.

“I really had no idea what I wanted to go to college for and I began my path towards expanding my art knowledge,” she said.

“I was exposed to more than I had known about art, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking.”

Blanchard graduated in 2010 with an emphasis in printmaking. After graduation, she took a job as a vet tech and has since either worked as a vet tech or a horse trainer. She has also worked in the graphic design field.

“I started back at Lamar last spring to expand on my graphic design fields,” she said. “I am a very structured, goby-the-schedule type of person, and I believe that can be seen in my work.

Drawing and watercolors gives me the control of designed line work.”

The Art Studio is located at 720 Franklin in downtown Beaumont.

For more information, visit www.artstudio.org.