UNIVERSITY PRESS
The Newspaper of Lamar University
Vol. 95, No. 6 October 11, 2018
‘Interstellar’ information 2017 Nobel Prize winner Thorne to lecture Tuesday Cassandra Jenkins UP editor
The Lamar University Academic Lecture Series presents “Interstellar,” a talk by Kip Thorne, winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics. The free public event will be hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences, Oct. 16, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the University Theatre. A Q&A session with Thorne will precede the talk from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Landes Auditorium in the Galloway
Kip Thorne
Building. The event has been rescheduled from spring 2018. A showing of the movie “Interstellar,” for which Thorne was a consultant, will be held Oct. 12 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Price Lecture Room in the John Gray Center. “He is going to give a talk on the movie “Interstellar” and the science of it,” Philip Cole, professor and chair of the department of physics, said in a previous interview. “He was a science editor for this movie, which came out in 2014, one
year before the discovery of gravitational waves came out.” To accompany Christopher Nolan’s film, Thorne has written “The Science of Interstellar,” which reveals that the movie’s jaw-dropping events and never-before-attempted visuals are grounded in real science. Thorne introduced wormholes into modern science fiction and movies through his work on Carl Sagan’s novel and film “Contact,” and is also the author of the bestselling book, “Black Holes and Time Warps: Ein-
stein’s Outrageous Legacy.” Thorne is among the world’s most influential scientists and co-founder of the billion-dollar Laser Interferometer GravitationalWave Observatory project, a collaboration of more than 1,000 researchers from more than 20 countries. He and his team made history by proving the direct existence of gravitational waves, a discovery that won him the Nobel Prize and earned him a place See THORNE, page 6
CHCE to host boundary talk Vy Nguyen UP staff writer
The Center for History and Culture Events will host John P. Evans, Jr., professional land surveyor, as he presents two lectures over the evolution of the TexasLouisiana boundary, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., in Landes Auditorium in the Galloway Business Building. “Our mission, at the Center for History and Culture, is to encourage students at Lamar to engage with elements of what makes our region unique and meaningful in the history of the United States,” Brendan Gillis, assistant professor of history, said. Evans will present a broad overview of his book, “Evolution of The Texas-Louisiana Boundary: In Search of The Elusive Corner,” which he cowrote with Jim Tiller, professor of geography at Sam Houston
“Our mission, (at the CHCE), is to encourage students at Lamar to engage with elements of what makes our region unique and meaningful in the history of the United States.” Brendan Gillis
State University. “The book focuses on the evolution of the Texas-Louisiana border, and the complex history behind how the states’ border lines came to be on the map today,” Gillis said. See BOUNDARY, page 6
Fall Career Fair to offer job help Olivia Malick UP managing editor
UP photo by Abigail Pennington
A COLORFUL CAUSE Participants celebrate crossing the finish line by dumping colored cornstarch on each other during the Gift of Life 5K Ribbon Run and Color Rush in downtown Beaumont, Saturday. The event raises funds and awareness of cancer screenings.
The Center for Career and Professional Development will host the Fall Career Fair, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., today, in the Live Oak Ballroom of the Setzer Student Center. The event is open to students and alumni of all majors seeking any career. Professional dress is recommended, and participants should provide résumés. “All majors — current students and alumni — are encouraged to attend,” Amy Dillow,
marketing coordinator for the Center for Career and Professional Development, said. “We’ve partnered with the graduate fair, so it’s a two-in-one experience.” Free headshot opportunities will also be provided at the fair. “Headshots can be used for LinkedIn and other career programs,” Dillow said. Students can get résumé feedback at the fair, as well as at the Center for Career and Professional Development all seSee FAIR, page 2
STEM building to focus on research Cassandra Jenkins UP editor
Lamar University is expanding. Last year, students got to witness the grand reopening of the Setzer Student Center. Before that, the university unveiled the brand new Reaud Honors Building. Now, we are within weeks of seeing the new Science and Technology building. a 70,000 sq. foot space with upper-level biology labs, 19 faculty offices, several classrooms, a renovated greenhouse and a state-of-the-art “maker’s space.”
“The new Science and Technology Building will contain new-age, new-era, modern and mixed-use laboratories for upper division biology,” James Marquart, vice president and provost of academic affairs, said. “They can also be switched out to other disciplines such as chemistry, engineering and physics. “There will also be a “maker’s space” in the building for people, students and faculty to fabricate things.” Marquart said the building will be multi-dimensional so it can do more than just accommodate biology students and
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faculty, but be a multi-purpose building for other STEM activities and classes. “It’s hard to get space,” he said. “It’s hard to get buildings, so the programming that goes into these buildings today is that they are mixeduse. You may be able to do a biology lab and then in 30 minutes take it down and put it back up as an inorganic chemistry lab, or microbiology, or this or that. “That’s why the chairs, the tables and the things that will be in there are going to be See STEM, page 2
UP file photo
Contractors work on the new Science and Technology building, May 2017. The clouds reflect off the window panels that will wrap around the entire building for an open display.
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INSIDE
Thursday, October 11, 2018 University Press
QUOTE OF THE DAY Page 2
“It’s not what you achieve, it’s what you overcome. That’s what defines your career.”
— Carlton Fisk
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STEM from page 1 movable.” The “maker’s space,” which Marquart said is modeled after the Design Kitchen at Rice University, is a space for students and faculty to work hands-on with technology, and fabricate items such as drones through the use of 3D printers and drill presses provided in the space. “Students will be making things,” Marquart said. “We want them to use the equipment provided for the space, and help them to potentially purchase their own items so they will be able to see and learn how to do these kinds of important things before they go on to take a job. “They will be much more acclimated to the work world
by working hands-on with technological equipment in college.” Marquart said the curriculum and courses taught within the building also have to include and incorporate project-based learning. “We will assign faculty members through their proposals, and we are viewing them as we speak, on the basis of activities,” he said. “Can we find interdisciplinary teams to work on a similar project? For example, water quality. That could be a biologist. It could be a chemist. It could be a civil engineer. It could be a mechanical engineer. But, what are they going to do to work together to get grants and contracts to employ students,
to do the research, get the papers and the publications, and to continue that to sustain their activities as they go forward? That’s the ultimate goal — to get people working in teams to solve problems.” Marquart said the other element of the building is science on display, which can be viewed through the open, seethrough design. “When people walk by the building they are going to see people in there doing things, that they are busy, they’re active,” he said. Marquart said the building is also going to be an important element in recruitment and campus enhancement. “Ultimately, the building is going to help reshape the cam-
pus and be a star in the region for us,” he said. “We can bring high quality students to see the building and maybe get them to come to Lamar. “Architecturally, it is the newest classroom building on the campus in almost 40 years. It will be a new building for the campus. It will continue to enhance the look of the campus, and we will get lots of students, parents and activity through it. “I think it will be a building that people in Southeast Texas are going to want to come and see.” The Science and Technology building is set to open at the end of the semester, and begin housing classes as early as spring 2019.
FAIR from page 1 mester long, Dillow said. “We have a student employment office, open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., where students can get on-site résumé feedback,” she said. “They can also schedule appointments with their career consultants.” The Fall Career Fair is held in conjunction with the Graduate Fair, and students will be able to meet representatives from several different career fields. “Students will be able to see what’s available to them in terms of recruitment and internships,” Dillow said. “Students can apply for graduation at this fair, purchase their cap and gown, class rings, graduation announcements, etc., as well as get in contact with alumni affairs.” All of the potential employers present at the event are listed at lamar.joinhandshake.com.
“Students who attend this event will see what benefits are out there for them,” Dillow said. “Freshmen are encouraged to come as well and see everything that’s available.” There will be two more Career and Professional Development events in the fall semester. Coffee & Connect will be held Oct. 16. The event will provide free coffee and networking opportunities. The Educator’s Career Fair will be held Nov. 1 in the Setzer Student Center’s Live Oak Ballroom. “We’ll also have another career/grad fair in the spring, on March 5,” Dillow said. “There will be another Coffee & Connect on March 19, a Criminal Justice Fair March 21, and another Educator’s Career Fair, April 4, although the spring dates are subject to change.” For more information, contact Dillow at 880-8878 or at amy.dillow@ lamar.edu.
STEM alliance to host Tucker lecture, Oct. 19, in 119 Lucas The LU STEM Students of Color Alliance will host post-doctoral research associate, Greg Tucker, as the second speaker in their lecture series, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., Oct. 19, in 119 Lucas Engineering Building. Tucker will present “A Flexible All-inorganic Fuel Cell Membrane.” Tucker’s emphasis of research is electrochemistry, which he studies at the School of Molecular Sciences at Arizona State University. His focus is the synthesis and characterization of ionic liquids, molten salts and plastic crystals for ion conduction in electrochemical device applications. For more information, contact Jacqueline Jensen-Vallin at 880-7859.
CALENDAR
Oct. 11
Cardinal Jazz Orchestra Fall Concert Rothwell Recital Hall 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Oct. 11-13
LU Theatre presents: ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time’ Studio Theatre 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Oct. 13
LU Football vs. Incarnate Word Provost Umphrey Stadium 3 p.m.
Oct. 16
Coffee & Connect Live Oak Ballroom, Setzer Student Center 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Oct. 19
LU Soccer vs. Houston Baptist LU Soccer Complex 7 p.m.
Oct. 20
LU Football vs. Sam Houston State Provost Umphrey Stadium 3 p.m.
Oct. 21
LU Soccer vs. Texas A&M - Corpus Christi LU Soccer Complex 1 p.m.
UNIVERSITY PRESS • Thursday, October -11, 2018
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Thursday, October 11, 2018 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
Professional wrestling returns to Beaumont Ricky Adams UP contributor
Curtis Stratton has been bringing professional wrestling to the Golden Triangle for more than 15 years. “Our very first show we ever did was at Southeast Texas Mardi Gras in Port Arthur,” Stratton, a Groves native, said. Stratton’s company, Hurricane Pro, will host its latest event, Oct. 13, in the Beaumont Civic Center. Hurricane Pro’s monthly promotions started at the National Guard Armory in Orange. From there Stratton relocated to an armory in Port Neches before all the armories in the area closed and Stratton moved the promotion to its present home in Beaumont. “I couldn’t ask for a better place,” he said. “The Civic Center is rich with wrestling history going back to the late 70s,” he said. “I used to come here as a kid and watch wrestling. I’m just so excited to do what I do because it is something that I used to come as a kid and watch. I have been very fortunate — you get to make
memories with people who come.” Earlier this year, Hurricane Pro introduced an inaugural women’s championship. Since then, women’s matches have been featured frequently, including a Fatal-4-Way Women’s Championship Title Match, which will be the main event at the October show. The women’s match will include Hurricane Pro’s current champion, Miranda Alize, who trained at Reality of Wrestling in Houston, run by five-time world champion and retired wrestler, Booker T. Santana Garrett, has competed in Impact Wrestling and WWE in Florida and Japan. Britt Baker is a threeyear professional wrestler out of Ohio who has performed on All-In, the highly-publicized wrestling pay-per-view event. Rounding out the competitors is second-generation performer Rachael Ellering. Trained by former ECW and WWE wrestler Lance Storm, Ellering has performed in several major promotions such as WWE,
A wrestler performs an elbow move on his opponent during a Hurricane Pro match, Sept. 26, 2015. Impact Wrestling and ROH. Stratton’s love for wrestling drives him to continue to build his promotion business. “I will keep pushing it until they put me in the
ground,” he said. Along with the Fatal-4Way, the card will feature a six-man tag team match and several singles matches. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with action starting at 7
p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and children, with a family four pack available for $30. VIP tickets are $25, which includes early admission plus a meet and greet
UP photo by Ricky Adams
with the main event participants. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or at www.hurricanepro.info. For more information, visit Hurricane Pro on Facebook, or HurricanePro1 on Instagram.
AMSET to host third-annual Monster Mash, Oct. 19 Rachel Hellums UP contributor
The Art Museum of Southeast Texas will host the third annual Monster Mash, Boos and Brews, Oct. 19, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., for ages 21 and up. Admission is $35 in advance, and $45 at the door. The event will feature a costume contest, live musical entertainment by Southeast Texas rock band Twisted Throttle, and food from Al Basha and Two
Magnolias. “We are looking forward to the outfits people come in,” Kara Timberlake, AMSET PR coordinator, said. “We hope they get really creative with their costumes. We have first-, second- and third-place prizes. “Del Papa and Giglio Distribution will be supplying seasonal craft beers, wines and hard ciders, if you’re not into seasonal beers.” The costume contest will be held at 9:30 p.m. The event will
also include face-painting, a silent auction and raffle, a fortune teller and a photo booth. This year, AMSET will be honoring Xenia Fedorchenko, associate professor of printmaking, drawing and color theory at Lamar University. “All proceeds will benefit AMSET exhibitions and educational programs,” Timberlake said. For tickets or more information, visit amset.org or call 8323432.
EDITORIAL
5 UNIVERSITY PRESS Thursday, October 11, 2018
Self expression through body art
UP graphic by Cade Smith
Tattoos have become a popular trend in today’s society, with television shows like “Ink Master,” “Tattoo Rescue,” “Ink Master Angels,” and the Facebook web series “Tattoo Shop.” Tattoos have also have gained popularity among athletes and
Commentary
Cade Smith UP staff writer
celebrities, and for many of us, they have become a way to share stories and are a form of self-expression. However, some employers deem tattoos to be unprofessional or trashy. According to a recent poll by the advocacy organization Support Tattoos and Piercings at Work, 76 percent of potential employees felt that tattoos and piercings hurt their job interview chances. I went to an interview where a potential employer told me that if they hired me for the job I would have to cover my tattoos. But, my tattoos do not reflect on how well I am qualified for a job. Employers who do not support tattoos tend to overlook someone’s resume and assume the tattoos mean the person is
UPeditorial Avoid influenza, get vaccinated Cases of influenza begin to increase in October and November, and peak in December and February. Approximately 36,000 people die, and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized each year because of the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One should get a flu shot each year, especially if they are, or are around, vulnerable people, such as children under five, pregnant women, people 65 years or older or those with chronic medical conditions. There are several misconceptions about the flu vaccine. For one, the vaccine cannot cause the flu. Flu shots given with a needle are currently made in two ways: the vaccine is made either with flu viruses that have been ‘inactivated’ and therefore are not infectious, or using only a single gene from a flu virus in order to produce an immune response without causing infection. Another common misconception is that the flu vaccine is not necessary every year. The CDC recommends flu shot every year for anyone six months and older. Severe reactions to flu shots are rare and in the case that one has a severe reaction, effective treatments are readily available. Some people may be affected by flu symptoms after receiving the vaccine, but more often than not, people contracted symptoms from other sources. Flu shots are available at local CVS Pharmacies, Kroger Pharmacies and MedExpress-Beaumont. For more information about influenza and vaccines, visit cdc.gov.
not a good worker or has a terrible work ethic. The Disney company recently relaxed their recruitment policy because they could not find enough qualified workers without tattoos. When a company forces its staff to cover their tattoos, it hurts the company in the longrun. Employees will feel that the company does not respect their work ethic, choosing to see only the surface appearance rather than seeing the employee as an individual. However, when a company allows tattoos, workers will feel respected and are more likely to perform well. If they know they may face discrimination, why do people get tattoos in the first place? The reasons are as many as there are types of tattoos. Many
Advisors Andy Coughlan and Stephan Malick Member of Texas Intercollegiate Press Association
Some employers allow visible tattoos if they are not vulgar or offensive. As tattoos become more prevalent in society, they are becoming increasingly more mainstream. It is no longer the domain of sailors and prisoners, or the sign of a misspent youth. Knowing someone’s motivation for getting a tattoo not only helps them get to know someone as an individual, but also to bring people together. Tattoos should not hinder one’s ability to get a job, nor are they a negative reflection of a person’s work ethic. Tattoos are a way of expressing one’s individuality. People should be judged, to paraphrase Martin Luther King, not by the image on their skin, but by the content of their character.
Gender boundaries needn’t define Halloween choices Halloween, or All Hallows Eve as some would call it, is a time for the scariest horror movies, the most haunted of houses, and candy galore. When people talk about Halloween, it always leads to the all-important question, “Who are you dressing up as for Halloween?” What's weird is that on the one night we can dress up as anyone, people still stick within their gendered roles. One rarely hears a man say he's going as Queen Elsa from “Frozen,” or a girl saying she's dressing up as Goku from the “Dragonball” series. Those who choose to dress up outside of their respective genders are usually perceived as weird, wrong or just stupid. Because of the toxic culture that floats around the term “masculinity,” men limit themselves to expected choices, which causes
Commentary
Jason Hebner UP contributor
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
get “inked” because they have a significant meaning, such as to commemorate the death of a loved one or to represent one’s interests. I have tattoos that represent my fears, as a way to remind myself not to give into them. I have others that represent milestones in my life. Some people get tattoos because they like the art, or what they represent, in different cultures. Japanese-style tattoos have several meanings taken from their culture, religion and art. The Japanese koi fish image represents luck or new beginnings. Despite what interviewees may believe, the Support Tattoos and Piercings at Work survey found that 73 percent of people said they would hire staff that had visible tattoos.
Letters Policy
an overlap and repetition of costumes. The same thing happens to women, and the horrible standards we hold for them in society. In a recent article, Time magazine stated that the most popular Halloween costumes for last year were Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, a clown, Moana, and a unicorn — note that only two out of five of those are unisex. Why is it that on Halloween, we are quick to accept people dressed as monsters and murderers, but not a man in a dress or a girl in full body armor? Costumes shouldn’t define a person. We don’t judge a man covered in fake blood and welding a plastic machete, so why should we judge that same man for wearing high heels and a dress? A good example of how limiting it is for someone to choose a Halloween costume is Dr. Who. For an alien that regenerates a new body every few years since 1963, it took 13 generations to get a female doctor? Why not just let a girl be dressed all snazzy in a fez and bow tie, sonic screwdriver in one hand and a bag of candy in the other? Yes, I hear the questions being asked like, “What about Superman/Superwoman?” or “What about Spider-Man/SpiderGwen?” To that I say congrats, but is there a female alternative to Master Chief, Bane, Freddy, 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.
so on and so forth? No there isn't. Nobody should have to ask themselves when looking at a costume, “Does this fit my gender?” Our costumes don't show who we are, but it's to mask who we are, so why do we need to stick to our assigned gender roles when choosing a costume? As for myself, I’m going full Queen Elsa this year. If anyone’s offended by it, they should just “Let It Go.”
UP graphic by Olivia Malick
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
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THORNE
Thursday, October 11, 2018 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
from page 1
on TIME Magazine’s list of 100 Most Influential People. “In 1915, Albert Einstein developed the general theory of relativity,” Cole said. “This is basically how space time operates with gravitational fields — mass makes big bending of spacetime. It was a big idea which broke away from Estonian physics. It was groundbreaking and complicated, but people saw some predictions and it became beautiful. There was a prediction called gravitational waves. This basically says that the space-time fabric of the universe can ripple and could be measured, a very small thing, hard to detect.” Gravitational waves spread at the speed of light, filling the universe, as Albert Einstein described in his general theory of relativity. “People thought that (the waves were) impossible to detect at first, until the early to mid 60s,” Cole said. “In 1983, Kip Thorne with two colleagues, took forward an idea to the National Science Foundation and they started building this detector, called the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).” The LIGO project used a pair of gi-
BOUNDARY
gantic laser interferometers to measure a change thousands of times smaller than the diameter of the proton, as the gravitational wave passed the Earth. “(The laser) was built and they did two runs with them,” Cole said. “It was the biggest project the Science Foundation had ever done. There is one in Livingston, La. about 200 miles from Beaumont and there is one in Hanford, Wa.” Thorne and his students also invented quantum non-demolition technology to control the quantum behavior of human-sized objects, and they pioneered the modern theory of wormholes and time travel. In his decades-long career, Thorne has personally trained many of today’s world leaders in research on black holes and other relativistic phenomena. In September 2015, LIGO helped open a radically new window into the universe, based on the discovery of ripples in the fabric of space time called gravitational waves — part of Einstein’s theory of relativity. For this discovery, he and his collaborators were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics, the three-million-dollar
Breakthrough Prize for Fundamental Physics, the $500,000 Gruber Prize in Cosmology, the 1.2 million Shaw Prize in Astronomy, and the one million Kavli Prize in astrophysics. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics 2017 to Thorne, along with collaborators Barry Barish and Rainer Weiss, for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves on Sept. 14, 2015, when the universe’s gravitational waves were observed for the very first time. The waves, which were predicted by Albert Einstein a hundred years ago but thought impossible to measure, came from a collision between two black holes. It took 1.3 billion years for the waves to arrive at the LIGO detector in the U.S. Thorne was elected to both the US National Academy of Sciences and the Russian Academy of Sciences, and for his science accomplishments, he has been awarded the Swiss Albert Einstein Medal and the UNESCO Niels Bohr Gold Medal. He is the Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, Emeritus at Caltech.
“Interstellar” is a film about a NASA physicist who is charged with transporting Earth's population to a new home via a wormhole.
from page 1
In order to gain a better understanding of the specific elements of the Texas-Louisiana boundary, we need to learn the reasoning behind the evolution of this unique boundary, Evans said in an email interview. “The location of this boundary was marked on the ground over 170 years ago, and it is important to learn as much as we can about this type of historical boundary so that we cannot only preserve the physical markings of the boundary, we can use developing technology to solve the unanswered questions about the boundary,” he said. Tiller, in an email interview, said knowledge of the boundary affects many people. “It may also give local landowners a better appreciation for any boundary-related arti-
facts that may exist or be found on their property,” he said. Tiller said he came across the general ambiguity of the boundary several times in his work which led him to do additional research on the topic. The book contains 21 appendix items providing information on survey equipment of the 1800s, Red River County border area records, public land surveys in Louisiana, journals and correspondence from the Commissioners to their governments, payroll records, Commission expenditures, Commission maps from the Republic of Texas and the United States, monument recovery information from 1941 and many other subjects, Evans said. Gillis said that when people drive on I-10 and cut across into Louisiana, there’s a reason why
the states have the shapes they do. “Dr. Evans shows us the actual history is a little bit more complicated,” he said. “There’s more to know about how this region shaped the interaction between the states of Texas and Louisiana over the years.” Gillis said he often finds that students think Beaumont and/or Southeast Texas do not matter much. “One of the things we do is highlight places and time in ways in which our region has shaped people’s lives, and the history of the United States,” he said. “That can be a revelation for people who are used to not giving Southeast Texas much credit.” Gillis said the lectures are a good opportunity for students to
engage with an expert in a field of research that they might not be familiar with. “They’ll learn something about the history of our region,” he said. “But also ask questions or speak with a historian who’s done a lot of the hard work that is involved in writing a book, by going out and finding documents that other people aren’t aware of or haven’t received much attention from scholars of history.” Evans said writing the book increased his appreciation for historical events. “Hopefully, we have accomplished our goal of providing information to the audience with a general knowledge of the TexasLouisiana border, as well as (providing) the audience with a research-oriented and/or technical focus on the subject,” he
said. “It is important to preserve our history before it vanishes completely with the passage of time.” Tiller said this is the kind of research that encourages people not only to read it, but also to go out and look at some of the ground features, as well. “Our intention was to provide as much information as possible and, hopefully, provide the spark that may encourage students, faculty and interested readers to further our research and answer their own questions about the topic,” he said. “A onestop beginning point for the history of the boundary. Not the be all, end all — but a beginning point for others to expand upon our work.” For more information, call CHCE at 880-8518.
FEATURES
Clouds Fundraiser brightens downtown
A crowd of nearly 6,000 people gathered in downtown Beaumont, Saturday, for the annual Gift of Life Color Run. The event raises money for cancer screenings and research. The event drew young and old from around the Southeast Texas community, and even the Lamar football team got in on the act during their bye week.
Gift of Life offers free screenings for breast and prostate cancer. Through these efforts, the organization helps fight cancer through education, detection, access to treatment and follow up support. UP Photos by Noah Dawlearn & Abigail Pennington
7 UNIVERSITY PRESS Thursday, October 11, 2018
Color
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Thursday, October 11, 2018 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
Panels shine light on social justice Sociology department hosts first symposium on inequality in US Olivia Malick UP managing editor
In recent years, the term “social justice warrior” has become a common phrase, becoming a derogatory term towards those who raise concerns about the plight of others in American society. But social justice is nothing new. It was not born out of political correctness — it has historically been the means of which change in America has occurred. The LU department of sociology presented the inaugural Social Justice Symposium, Oct. 6, which featured a segment on women in politics and two panels — criminal justice reform and public health. The symposium opened with an address from LU President Kenneth Evans who talked about higher education as a social justice issue. “Those who complete a college degree, on average, make a million more dollars than someone who completed just a high school degree,” he said. “Higher education changes the lives of people, and their children and their children’s children, and they provide a more robust life experience for future generations to come.” Evans said that the disinvestment in postsecondary education by state and federal governments hinders a society’s ability to succeed. “Our future and our children’s futures rely on
a sound secondary educational system,” he said. “I ask you to find a way to assume an instrumental role in making a difference.” Margot Gage, LU assistant professor of sociology, introduced the symposium’s first segment. “I spent some time studying women in politics, and what the research overwhelmingly finds is that the more women that you have running government, the better the population does,” she said. “Women have more ideas about what needs to be done. “So, what we see is that women in politics is good for population health, and in this past year we’ve seen an explosion across America with more women running for office, making monumental breakthroughs.” Gage introduced Adrienne Bell, 2018 Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress, Texas 14th district (as well as being the first woman and the first African American woman to run for the seat), who spoke on the issue of women in politics. “Women have to bring their own chair to the table,” Bell said. “When a woman is undervalued, when we see what’s going on in the news, we realize that we have got to stand tall for women and we need to speak for women. We need to stand up for women’s rights, because we are more than half of this population and everything we do is valu-
UP photo by Ricky Adams
Robert Worley, LU interim director of criminal justice, gives an overview of the U.S. criminal justice system titled, “The Dubious Distinction,” at the inaugural Social Justice Symposium, Oct. 6, in Gray Library. able.” Bell talked about women’s issues and spoke on the unfairness of the criminal justice system towards people of color, leading into a panel on criminal justice reform, moderated by Port Arthur Mayor Derrick Ford Freeman. Robert Worley, LU interim director of criminal justice, presented an overview of the U.S. criminal justice system, also known as “The Dubious Distinction.” Worley quoted statistics by the International Centre for Prison Studies, which said that the U.S. houses 22 percent of the world’s prisoners and has the highest incarceration rate in the world.
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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 (TRASP PASAR ASAR 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.
“(America) has so many prisons because of the economic benefits,” Worley said. “If you’re a city like Port Arthur, where the prison system is a major employer, then the employees get their paychecks and they’re paying into the tax revenue. “Think also about some of the companies that sell food to the prisons, and the millions and millions of dollars that goes to everyone from the workers to employees — that’s the problem.” Tim Winberg, former JIV — justice involved veteran — peer coordinator at the Spindletop Center, and Mary Williams, Jefferson County veteran treatment court director, gave presentations about the mistreatment of veterans by the criminal justice system. “What are we doing in this nation, as a country and state? What are we doing to help veterans transition out of the military?” Williams said. “We have to be there for them. Freedom is not free, it came at a price.” Jesse Garcia, LU assistant professor of sociology, talked about the issues surrounding immigration in the current political climate. “Why are you afraid of people who come from other countries?” he said. “What is causing you to feel this way? How do you address and change that? By listening and understanding. “Put yourself in that person’s shoes. Your ancestors came here for a better life, and that’s what people are doing today.” Stuart A. Wright, LU department of sociology, social work and criminal
justice chair, closed out the panel with a presentation about how social movements changed the course of history and continue to do so. “Social movements are key social forces in the modern world, because when access to institutional channels of authority are blocked or unresponsive to the needs of grievances, noninstitutional vehicles are necessary to redress their grievances,” he said. “Social movements are mechanisms that allow citizens to take their grievances directly to the court of public opinion.” Wright talked about the Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Movement, the Occupy Movement, the Gay Rights Movement, and others, to prove how social movements have changed public perception and the human condition. The Symposium’s second panel focused on how public health impacts and is directly related to social justice. Jeffrey Guidry, Texas A&M department of health and kinesiology faculty, presented “Why Study Health Disparities in 2018?” Guidry addressed the role of economics in health disparities and lack of access to adequate healthcare for poorer populations. “We have to find out why certain people are doing better than others health-wise, and what factors influence those outcomes,” he said. Praphul Joshi, LU associate professor of health and kinesiology, localized Guidry’s points in his discussion about health disparities in Southeast Texas and the
initiatives being brought up in order to combat them. “People always ask me why I left practicing dentistry in India to come to America and teach,” he said. “Yes, I would’ve made more money practicing but that’s not why I went into this field. I want to solve the problems that people are facing — I don’t care about the money.” The public health panel concluded with the presentation “Yale University Air Quality Study” by Jillian Howell, a graduate student in the master of environmental management studies program at Yale University. Howell presented the study, that she did along with other Yale students, that tested the air quality in the Charlton-Pollard neighborhood of Beaumont. The neighborhood borders an industrial plant. Howell said that she and her colleagues discovered the neighborhood through a Title VI case against ExxonMobil that alleged discrimination based on race in violation of Title VI and EPA regulations. “A more thorough investigation would prove to what extent the air quality in the CharltonPollard neighborhood is diminished,” Howell said. “But we do know that the effects of the industry near the neighborhood are harming its residents — they told us so themselves. “More can be done by the EPA to make sure that the air quality is properly monitored and attended to.” A reception for the estimated 150 attendees concluded the symposium.
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SPORTS Intramural Sports All Scores and Standings as updated on Oct. 9.
UNIVERSITY PRESS Thursday, October 11, 2018
UPsports briefs Lamar’s Sam Dumez carded scores opposite the rest of the team and was the only Cardinal who struggled in the second round of action. After posting a one-over 73 in the first round, Dumez struggled in the round of 18 that was broken up over two days scoring a 79. He battled back Sunday afternoon with a two-over 75 to finish tied for 36. LU senior Eason Wang edged out freshman Hugo Hellman for the final scoring spot. Wang carded an 80-73-77 – 230 to end the tournament tied for 44 overall. The Cardinals will be back in action, Sunday, when they travel to Choudrant, La., to compete in the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate, hosted by Louisiana Tech. The 54-hole tournament, three-day tournament is scheduled for 18 holes each day.
Volleyball all UnIVerSIty ChampIonS Co-rec Division Mighty Morphins men’s Division Returning Champs
Women’s Division you Can’t Set With Us
InDoor CrICket StanDIngS men’s Division Sundays 10 a.m.-1 p.m. TEAM W L Hulahul 2 0 Lamar Sharks 1 1 Titan 0 2
T 0 0 0
Flag Football StanDIngS Co rec Division Mon-Wed 5:30-6:30 p.m. TEAM W L ADPi & KA 0 0 ATO and AXO 0 0 HSA 0 0 Knights Of Columbus 0 0 Shhhh 0 0
T 0 0 0 0 0 UP photo by Abigail Pennington
men’s Division Mon/Wed 7:30/8:30/9:30 p.m. TEAM W L T ATO 0 0 0 G.R.I.T.S. 0 0 0 Tues/Thurs 7:30/8:30/9:30 TEAM W L 409 0 0 Beast Elite 0 0 Pi Kappa Alpha 0 0 Sigma Phi Epsilon 0 0 Touchdown Factory 0 0
T 0 0 0 0 0
Football pICkemS Football pickems is a confidence pickem where you pick the winner for college and NFL games and assign a point for from 120. Each week’s winner wins a champ shirt. If interested in being a part of it, email intramurals@lamar.edu Week 3 Standings 1st: Jason Harrington 164 pts 2nd: Joshua Steele 162 pts 3rd: Tyrique Smith 154 pts 4th: Chris Mouton 128 pts 5th tie: Megan Leverett and Cody Sahualla 126 pts 6th: Art Simpson: 96 pts Sport ClUbS Sport Clubs are student run Registered Student Organizations that have an interest in sport competitions. Sport Clubs host and travel for matches and tournaments. If you are interested in a particular club, please email sportclubs@lamar.edu and let us know how we can help you get involved. Soccer The Men’s and Women’s clubs are joining forces to have Co-ed scrimmage matches against South Louisiana Community College, Friday, Oct. 12, at 5 p.m., and Thursday, Oct. 18, at 5 p.m. Both matches will take place at the Recreational Sports Intramural and Club Outdoor Facility (Formerly the driving range). baseball Baseball will travel to Euless, TX Oct 1921 to compete in the annual Wood Wars Tournament. It is a wooden bat tournament playing other club teams from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Ultimate Ultimate is travelling to Dallas, Oct. 2021, to compete in UT Dallas’s Annual Ultimate 101 tournament. This will be a great warm up veterans and learning opportunities for their new members. archery Archery will travel to Foley, Ala., Oct 2428, to compete in the US National 3D Collegiate Championships. They have 10 members travelling and will compete in various individual and team divisions.
LU’s outside hitter, Tomar Thomas, Houston senior, tips the ball during a 3-2 comeback victory against New Orleans at McDonald Gym, Saturday.
VOLLEYBALL For the second time in as many games, Lamar University’s volleyball team fought back from the brink of defeat to win a five-set match. The Lady Cards faced match point twice and used a 4-0 run to capture victory over the University of New Orleans, Saturday. LU senior Ivette Dim was one of four Lady Cards with double-digit kills. The senior had 14, joined by freshman Abigale Nash (12), senior Tomar Thomas (10), and junior Dannisha House (10). Sophomore Bre’Ala Box hit .692 with nine kills. LU battled 34 ties and 15 lead changes from sets one to five, though just two ties and one lead change took place in the first game. UNO led by as much as five, 12-7, before LU came storming back with an 8-1 run of its own, capturing the lead 15-13. Momentum was solidly in Lamar’s corner for the rest of the set to take the 25-21 decision. New Orleans opened the second set with a 5-0 run before the Lady Cardinals got back on track, winning eight of the next 10 points to lead 8-7. Momentum swung back to UNO for the next four points, but Lamar knotted the game back up at 13-13 and took the lead for good at 17-16. The Cards closed the set with an 8-4 run to win the game 2520. Eight ties and two lead changes took place in a hotly contested third set, and the outcome wasn’t evident until the final few points. Lamar trailed by four late, but a 4-0 run evened the score at 20. A service error cut that comeback short and UNO took five of the final six to escape elimination and force a fourth set. New Orleans again sat in the driver’s seat for most of the fourth, but Lamar refused to back down, pulling within two points, 19-17, and forcing a Privateer timeout. New Orleans responded well and reached set point, 24-20, but Lamar held its ground twice. A long rally in the final point of the set almost went LU’s way, but a well-placed kill by UNO gave the set to the Privateers, 25-23. 12 ties and seven lead changes took place in the fifth set. Neither team led by more than two the entire game, and the game was evened up again at 12. It appeared as though New Orleans would capture the fifth set when it took a 1412 lead, but the Lady Cardinals won four straight points, capturing the set 16-14 and the match 3-2.
LU will hit the road for four consecutive road games starting with a match, today, in Hammond, La. where they will face Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p.m. MEN’S GOLF Recording one of the biggest comebacks in program history, the Lamar University men’s golf team jumped six spots to rally for a seventh-place finish, Sunday, at David Toms Intercollegiate in Baton Rouge, La. The Cardinals fired a three-round 305-294-297 – 896 to finish seventh overall just four strokes behind UL Monroe. Tournament-host LSU led wire-towire on the two-day 54-hole tournament carding a 282-281-280 – 843. The tournament was originally scheduled for 36 holes on Saturday with just the final 18 Sunday, but due to delays on the first day of the tournament on the par-72 University Club course all teams had to finish the second-round action, Sunday, and then move on to the final round. The Cardinals appeared to be left for dead late in the first round sitting 13 overall, but showed signs of life late in the round. LU closed the round by moving into 12 place and maintained that place throughout the second round of 18 holes. Junior Cody Banach recorded the team’s third-best best score of the opening round but rallied for the team’s lowest score overall. He finished tied for 16 with a 77-70-74 – 221. Banach was one of two Cards who rallied to end the tournament among the field’s overall top 20. He ended his day just a stroke ahead of teammate Nikolai Schaffrath who carded a three-round 222.
Cody Banach
MEN’S TENNIS The Lamar University men’s tennis team walked away with a 7-5 (.583) overall singles recorded, and a 3-2 (.600) doubles record after the 2018 Ron Wesbrooks Invitational held at the Thompson Family Tennis Center, Friday through Sunday. The Cardinals closed out the tournament with sophomore Nicolas Mayr taking the flight one singles runner-up with LU teammate Carlos Paton Canal taking third in the same bracket. Mayr advanced to the flight one singles championship with a 3-0 mark in pool play and squared off again flight one pool B champion Yehonatan Kaufman from UT Rio Grande Valley. The match went right down to the wire as Mayr jumped on top in the first set, 64. Mayr was unable to hold the momentum as the match went the distance as Kaufman pulled out the final two sets, 6-1 and 11-9. Paton Canal’s match didn’t go three sets, but it was a battle right down to the end. LU’s sophomore faced off against UTRGV’s Xavier Lawrence who posted a 2-1 record in pool play. Paton Canal got the early advantage with a 6-1 victory in the opening set. The second set went to a tiebreaker before the Cardinals pulled out a 7-6 (7-5) victory. The Cardinals will have two weeks to prepare for the ITA Regional Championships in Waco, Oct. 19 through Oct. 22, and will take place on the Baylor campus.
SOCCER Though it took several weeks longer than originally planned, Lamar University’s women’s soccer team finally got a victory over Nicholls State University with a 2-0 shutout, Sunday. The Cards and Colonels had originally been scheduled to face each other on Sept. 14, but a rainout forced the postponement of the match to Oct. 7. Scoreless through 28 minutes, LU’s Kelso Peskin put Lamar out front for good in the 29th minute. Sophomore forward Madison Ledet dribbled down the field and found Peskin near the box. Peskin received the ball and used some fancy footwork to beat a Colonel defender before slamming a shot home in the upper right corner of the net. The goal is Peskin’s sixth of the season, and the score gave Ledet her team-leading fifth assist of the year. Nicholls would attempt eight shots before the halftime buzzer sounded, but LU’s backline made sure not even one of them came close enough for Lamar’s goalie, Sandra Nygard, to have to save a shot. After 45 minutes on the pitch, Lamar led 1-0. The Lady Colonels played a bit more aggressively as time started to run out, out-shooting Lamar nine to six in the second period, but Nygard was unassailable in the net with five saves. It appeared the game would remain a 1-0 shutout despite five of Lamar’s six shots in the final 45 being on-goal, but Lamar added to its advantage in the 86th minute with Peskin dribbling down the field and finding sophomore Ali Hebert on the right side of the box. Hebert shot across the Nicholls goalie and into the top left corner, putting Lamar out front 2-0 with just under five minutes left. The Colonels would attempt a corner and two more shots in the closing seconds, but Nygard and the backline stood their ground, keeping Nicholls off the scoreboard. Lamar returns to action, Friday, in the second game of its three-game Southland Conference road trip. The Lady Cards will play at the University of Incarnate Word at 5 p.m. The match will be followed by the road trip’s finale at Abilene Christian, Oct. 14. Compiled by Cassandra Jenkins
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Thursday, October 11, 2018 • UNIVERSITY PRESS
Jazz ensembles to present concert, today Tiana Johnson UP contributor
The Fall Jazz Concert will be held today at 7:30 p.m. in the Rothwell Recital Hall. Admission is free. “It is going to be a really great concert, something everybody will enjoy,” trumpeter Hannah Sartain said. Rick Condit, director of jazz ensembles and associate professor of saxophone, said that he sees the concert as living history. “Jazz music was born in New
Orleans about a hundred years ago with a combination of influences,” he said. “As it is the only original American art form it has a special place in history. During the 1930s and 40s, before and into World War II, the style of music that we represent was the most important pop music that existed. Everybody, regardless of their background, turned on a radio and wanted to listen to music that what they wanted to hear and that’s what they expected to hear.” The Fall Jazz Concert will fea-
ture the Cardinal Jazz Orchestra, directed by Condit, with special guest trumpeter Dennis Dotson from Houston. “Dennis Dotson is a legendary Jazz trumpet player that went to Sam Houston State in the ’60s and has been to Lamar several times before over the years,” Condit said, “He is the most respected Jazz trumpet player, not just in Houston, but in the region. He’s played with every major artist that comes through town. He is very highly respected, seasoned and legendary.”
The students are mostly music majors and they practice a lot on their own, Condit said. “It has taken them a long time individually to get up to the level where they are able to play this kind of level,” he said. “We play professional-level music.” Saxophone player Dakota Ard said the students work hard to put on a good show. “We are a really talented group and we are really good,” he said. Condit said jazz is still an important kind of music.
“It’s powerful, it’s exciting and it features improvisation, which is spontaneous creativity,” he said. “It’s exciting to watch that and see that happen. “It’s great music. It’s art music. It’s Americana. It’s important historically. “We are representing living history, and we are also trying to build and perpetuate an audience of people to appreciate jazz music and continue to support jazz music.” For more information, visit lamar.edu/music.
‘Curious Incident’ brilliantly delivers Dalen Fox leads strong ensemble in latest LU Theatre production REVIEW Cheyenne Ard UP contributor
Mark Haddon’s novel “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” follows a boy named Christopher Boone, who is on the autism spectrum, and his investigation to solve the sudden death of his next-door neighbor’s dog. Lamar University’s production of the play is stunning, visually attractive and extremely impressive. Simon Stephens adaptation is wellexecuted and brilliantly delivered through breathtaking choreography and impressive attention to detail. Daelen Fox, as Christopher, captivates the audience through his incredible interpretation of Christopher’s eccentric and smart character, through his decision to investigate the murder of the dog, much to the dismay of his rigid but patient father, Ed, who is played by an intense and serious Ed Seymour. Despite his father’s disap-
proval, Christopher questions his neighbors and community in an attempt to find the killer. His caring and gentle teacher, Siobhan, played by a dynamic Chloe Sullivan, who encourages Christopher to write a book about his investigation. Emily Buesing, who plays Judy, captures the intolerant but loving personality of Christopher’s mother well. A favorite scene is when Christopher explains his love for the stars and how he longs to be in space. He is lifted and passed around the ensemble in a way that makes him appear to be floating through space. The stark beauty of the scene gives the audience chills. The set is a marvelous three-walled white box set, in which lights and sceneries are projected throughout the play, adding to the stylized aspect. Guest director Carolyn Johnson did an excellent job of bringing the diverse elements together — from staging to lighting, from choreography to the ensem-
ble’s British accents — to give us a solid production. All the characters are powerful and charming. The characters’ careful attention to detail leaves little to the audience’s imagination. Siobhan’s brief interaction with the audience makes it even more engaging. The lighting, costumes and music are phenomenal. The play gives us a glimpse into Christopher’s condition and how it affects those around him. It puts into perspective how fragile the balance is between love and patience when dealing with others. “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” continues today, Friday and Saturday, at 7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre. Tickets are $7 for LU/LIT student with a valid ID, $10 LU/LIT faculty and staff, senior citizens and Non-LU students, and $15 general admission. For more information, visit lamar.edu/theatre.
UP photo by Noah Dawlearn
The cast of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night,” continues its production today through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre.