Jan 31, 2018

Jan. 31, 2018 | Midwestern State University | thewichitan.com | Your Campus. Your News. | Vol. 82 No. 17

Almost no students watch State of Union address TYLER MANNING EDITOR

Lunch With Mustangs pg. 5

The bi-weekly luncheon where donors discuss the season standings and general sports talk, had a turnout of 15 people.

UPB Meeting

pg. 6

UPB members discuss upcoming events in February. The members discussed a lot of events in store for the student body

Men’s Basketball

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illions of Americans watched Donald Trump give his first State of the Union address last night.

However, almost none of them were at Midwestern State University.

Outside of the political science department, few students are actively involved in national politics despite Student Government Association’s efforts to get students more involved in politics.

“We want to get people involved in the political process. The most we can do is talk about issues that are fundamental to the campus whether it is LGBTQ rights, DACA, international students, issues being raised in class, that kind of stuff,” Damian DeSilva, vice president of SGA and economics senior, said.

Maria Peña, president of the SGA and political science senior, said though members of SGA try to get students involved in politics, they make sure that they are not advocating for a specific political party.

Peña said, “[SGA members] try to stay away from influencing which political affiliations students should be geared more toward. We will share information about events or organizations that the political science department offers to their students regardless of what political party it may be.”

To DeSilva’s the most effective way to get

“No. I honestly do not know what that is.”

pg. 8

The men’s basketball team came out on top finishing the game with a 10-point difference of 79-69.

PHILLIP TORRES MATH SENIOR

students involved is to discuss political issues that affect students on campus.

DeSilva said national political issues are brought to their attention when it needs to be discussed with students on campus and that due to the divisiveness in today’s political climate, issues addressed lend themselves to discussion.

“This current climate is perhaps the most divisive it has been in the last generation.

There hasn’t been anything that has divided

“No. I have to study, do homework, and practice my instrument.”

CHRISTELLE BILLAN MECHANICAL ENGINEER JUNIOR

the the country like this, politically, since the Vietnam War,” DeSilva said. “Many of these things tend to cut across the political divide.

It is usually something that is conservatively or liberally leaning. Most things tend not to be bipartisan issues. Typically bipartisan issues are more easily discussed and worked. It is opposing views that are seemingly at odds with each other.”

No official watch parties were held on campus last night.

“No sir. I don’t know what that is.”

KYLAN HARRISON UNDECIDED FRESHMAN

“ Yes because I am a political science major and that interests me.”

ZACH MADISON POLITICAL SCIENCE SENIOR

2 | Jan. 31, 2018 | STAF F E DI T O R I A L

Students need to get more involved in politics OUR VIEW: No matter the political beliefs, it’s important to get educated and vote.

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earning about and understanding politics and life as a citizen is a crucial part of the transition into adulthood. We get to choose who runs our government at local, state and national levels. That’s a huge deal — yet only 50 percent of citizens ages 18-29 voted in the 2016 presidential election, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.

Allowing younger generations to voice our opinions on most national issues can open and move the political world forward — which is not only good for society, but necessary. That means we, as eligible youth voters, need to get educated on the issues and vote.

We stress the phrase “get educated” because voting without any semblance of knowledge about the political beliefs and/or political party we support is just as bad, if not worse, than simply not voting at all.

With Trump’s State of the Union address airing today, consider his message and listen to what he’s telling us. Fact check when you can, read up on his policies and decide if he’s someone worth supporting for the next three years — the power is in our hands.

CORRECTIONS • In the article titled “Progress is a process: MLK’s legacy 50 years later,” reporter Latoya Fondren was not attributed for her additional reporting on the story. The Wichitan regrets the error.

Inclusion, representation matters

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’ve heard the whispers my entire life. As I walked down hallways in middle and high school, I always heard the hushed comments about my weight. I get it—I’m fat. This isn’t news to me. I’ve been overweight my entire life, and while I’m not exactly the picture of health, I know that I should never be made to feel like I don’t matter. Like I shouldn’t be Cortney around. Like I don’t belong.

Wood So, I blended in.

If you see me walking around, chances are I’m sporting a Tshirt, shorts and my Chacos. Maybe a jacket if it’s a little chilly out, but on most days, I’m pretty consistent. Being overweight, I could never just walk into any store and hope to get cute clothes like all my friends. Heck, I was lucky if they carried a T-shirt in my size, and over time I learned that department stores didn’t want me. As I would walk through the rounds of clothes and pick up shirt or touch a pair of jeans, I felt the employees eyes. I could hear their internal monologue: “As if she could ever wear that. Those pants would bust at the seams if she stuffed herself into it.” So instead of subjecting myself to that brand of torture, I stayed in my bubble, away from anything my fat my bulge out of. And so went my life. T-shirts, shorts and shoes. Absolutely ordinary. Absolutely hidden. Because I never saw representation, I knew I didn’t belong with everyone else.

This was until a little over a year and a half ago on June 10, 2016 when the plus size inclusive store debuted.

Sikes Senter Mall is one of the only shopping strips in Wichita Falls, and is an easy spot to kill a few hours. I’ve roamed the mall my entire life, so when a new store debuts, Wichitans tend to get excited. As the store began to come together, my cu-

riosity piqued. Torrid? I had never heard of it. But a place that catered to plus size women? I was up for anything.

After one single stop into the store, I was hooked.

Before you even set foot into the store, you’re greeted with a bright, bold sign, in all caps, illuminated by a soft light, unafraid to be noticed along side three plus size mannequins dressed to the nines. So I walk inside and am greeted with smiling faces eager to talk and build relationships. People who look like me. People that dress in stylish clothes, not hidden by whatever they can fit in, but instead clothes they choose.

Not stuck with anything, but instead wearing clothes made specifically for their bodies, not just thrown together out of necessity.

According to their Glassdoor webpage, Torrid’s “exclusive collections are designed to fit flawlessly, inspiring to feel confident and sexy-with no apologies.” And for once in my life, I could begin seeing those words as descriptions of me. Instead of someone who hid, but someone who is beautiful, confident and unapologetic for that.

Just one store opening in little ole Wichita Falls opened me up to a level of confidence I had never experienced. Before then, I never understood the fuss about inclusion or representation. While I will never know the harsh extent of what isolation feels like, I can attest that inclusion matters, and affects people more than anyone would realize.

Because I see fabulous women confidently standing together to encourage one another, I understand the gravity of inclusion, on a minor scale, granted, but it’s forced me to see why society has to be better. It has to raise us up so no one feels left out.

Because I once blended in. Now, I stand out.

Cortney Wood is a mass communication sophomore.

What it is like to be a photographer

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veryone has their own definition of being a “photographer,” yet no one can deny how vital we are for modern society.

What others don’t realize is that it is not all fun and glamor. It is at times, but we also spend a tremendous amount of time alone.

I started taking photos the summer of 2017 with my friend’s Sony digital camera and I Leonardo found myself in a different, better world for me.

Gonzalez My first photos weren’t good, obviously, but I had the eye for photos. I was determined to learn more about a camera’s settings and how to edit like the photographers you see on Instagram.

It’s time consuming when you’re having 2-3 shoots per week, that’s only the first step. Then you find yourself hand-

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Vol. 82 | No. 17

Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd.

Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 wichitan@mwsu.edu thewichitan.com @wichitanonline

picking every picture you need into your computer and phone to edit them later. Editing is the part people forget to acknowledge when they’re waiting for their photos to be done. I spend an average of 2 to 4 hours editing 5-8 photos, but it also depends on what the photo looks like and the story it represents.

Once I had enough confidence to say “I’m good” at taking portraits, I decided to invest in a Canon camera for myself.

Then, I started to reach out to individuals to take pictures of them to practice on. Soon enough, I started to charge for fashion portraits and senior pictures for an affordable price because I am still a beginner and I know the struggle of a “broke college student.”

My journey is barely beginning and I’m excited to see how I can implement this on my future profession.

Leonardo Gonzalez is a mass communication junior.

EDITOR: Tyler Manning MANAGING EDITOR: Cortney Wood VISUALS EDITOR: Justin Marquart PHOTO EDITOR: Francisco Martinez ISSUE STAFF: Leonardo Gonzalez, Brian Lang, Kristin Silva, Alyssa Mitchell, Tre Jones, Chloe Phillips, Makayla Scheck, Robin Reid, Brendan Wynne

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Shea James, Rachel Johnson, Harlie David

ADVISER: Bradley Wilson

Copyright ©2018.

The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication.

Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University.

The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a email address, telephone number and address.

| Jan. 31, 2018 | 3

OSCARS LEAD-UP

‘Lady Bird’: a relatable look at a mother-daughter bond

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or teenagers, getting along with their parents is a constant struggle. The same is true for Christine McPherson, who goes by the nickname Lady Bird. She is a senior at a Catholic high school outside of Sacramento, California.

Greta Gerwig’s charming comedy “Lady Bird” examines the turbulent life of a discontented, independent teenager and her struggle to find herself. Led by the marvelous Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird” runs the full gamut between hilarious comedy and authentic sadness, telling the story of the relationship between a mother and her daughter.

For Christine, nothing is good enough. She is tired of California, tired of being poor and tired of Catholic school. Her dream is to go to college on the east coast, far away from the bland life that she knows. However, her mom has different plans. Every time Christine wants to fly away, her mom drags her back down to Earth with her quick, sharp jabs, destroying her confidence.

The deep love of this mother and daughter is so obvious to the audience, yet the characters remain unaware of its intensity. Christine’s unorthodox take on life and unbounded hopes for her future are

relatable and watching her “try on” different personalities is fascinating.

The crown jewel of “Lady Bird” is its brilliant acting. The chemistry between Laurie Metcalf and Saoirse Ronan is palpable as they throw deeply hurtful words at each other, but the beautiful part of their relationship is their ability to make up instantly over the little things, like finding the perfect dress or pretending to tour homes for sale. Their arguments are huge and overblown, but it is in their moments of peace that you realize the magnitude of their similarity. Metcalf and Ronan are acting powerhouses, conveying raw emotions with amazing humor and grace.

Ronan’s portrayal of Christine is immediately likable despite her character’s many flaws.

The script accepts the realities of the ups and downs of life and reflects them honestly. Gerwig’s characters are written with such depth and realism that the audience feels a deep connection and compassion for them all.

“Lady Bird” is a bittersweet look into the relationship between a young adult and her parents that all college students should see.

Rating: 10/10

‘The Shape of Water’ gives hope to those without a voice

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Brian Lang wrote both reviews for the Oscar ceremony on March 4, 2018.

he Academy announced its nominations for the 90th Academy Awards last week and the front runner is Guillermo del Toro’s breathtaking film “The Shape of Water” with a staggering 13 nominations.

Starring Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, and Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water” explores the theme of loving the unloved in this modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. This poignant drama is a beautiful hybrid of monster movie and fairy tale that is relevant to the prejudice-filled world of 2018.

Set in 1960s Baltimore, “The Shape of Water” tells the story of Elisa, a mute janitor at a top-secret research facility.

Her life is routine and simple, guided by her friends Zelda, an unwavering African-American woman played by Octavia Spencer in top form, and Giles (Richard Jenkins), her next door neighbor who is a struggling artist and closeted gay man.

They provide her with a small sense of community and belonging. Every evening she awakes to work the midnight shift at the mysterious lab as she has done for a decade. One night, when cleaning up a gruesome spill, Elisa encounters a violent “monster” - reminiscent of “Creature From the Black Lagoon”- trapped in a tank. Instead of

being afraid, she feels a connection with it, since they are both voiceless and misunderstood.

Besides being a powerful fable about the dangers of prejudice, “The Shape of Water” is a beautiful movie to experience. Del Toro thrills in painting with infinite shades of green. From the janitor’s teal uniforms to the endless variations of the hue that are reflected in the damp halls of the lab, green glimmers constantly.

Sally Hawkins’s brilliant performance of the silent Elisa is one for the ages. She effortlessly portrays the immense depths of her character, never letting the audience wonder for a second what is going through her mind.

The haunting score by Alexandre Desplat provides a moving backdrop to both the thrilling and pensive moments on screen and serves as a voice for the creature.

“The Shape of Water” is especially germane in 2018. It demonstrates the importance of fighting for those without a voice and encourages the voiceless to unite and promote change. For those willing to step out of their comfort zone, “The Shape of Water” is a stunningly beautiful must-see.

Rating: 9/10

4 | Jan. 31, 2018 | CO N T I N U ING EDUC ATION: MOSAIC GLASS

U P C O M I N G E V E NT S Study Abroad Information Meeting Jan. 31 at 4 p.m. in Dillard 177 and Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. in Legacy Multipurpose Room | Come learn more about the study abroad program at MSU.

Kick-off and State of the Black Community Forum and Social

Feb. 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. | CSC Comanche | Come to connect and vibe with all who celebrate, identify & are proud of Black culture.

Celebrating the Diaspora

Feb. 1 from 7 to 9 p.m. | Legacy Multipurpose Room | Celebrating the Diaspora recognizes and celebrates the diverse cultures and traditions that make up the African Diaspora.

The MSU community is invited to indulge in the sounds, tastes, and artistry from Africa, the Caribbean and United States, which are cultures represented at MSU.

Black History Month Kick-off Culture Show Feb. 2 from 7 to 9 p.m. | Akin Auditorium | Cultural Fashion Show & Entertainment Celebrating the tradition of African drums & showcasing the unique fashion style of head wraps, scarves & hats. Open to the community.

“The Souls of Black Folk”

Feb. 4 from 4 to 6 p.m. | Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU | The exhibit is a collection of folk art from the African American Museum in Dallas in partnership with the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture and PHOTOS BY SHEA JAMES | THE WICHITAN

TOP: Cindy Cummings, instructor, gets the attendees ready to start creating their mosaic master pieces at the Sikes Lake Center on Jan. 27.

Frank Bohuslav a helper for the 3D printing machines at MSU cuts glass shards to piece together his mosaic of a red and orange flower.

Arthur Bea Williams heard about this mosaic class because her daughter is an associate at the Moffett Library and said she loves to make creative things.

Denna Scheffy from Winthorst attends to stay creative and learn about mosaic glass.

funded by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Super Bowl Watch Party

Feb. 4 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. | Legacy Multipurpose Room | Come watch the game with UPB and RHA. Free food, drinks and whole lot of fun.

Slavery in Libya and Beyond

Feb. 5 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. | CSC Kiowa | Let’s discuss what’s going on in the world, how our everyday actions and consumer purchases support slavery and how we can help put a stop to the practice.

Movie Screening

Feb. 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. | Legacy Multipurpose Room | Equity, Inclusion and Multicultural Affairs office will host the movie screening of The Tuskegee Airmen.

Montrose Trio

Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. | Akin Auditorium | Come out to the auditorium and watch the Music Series at Akin, The Trio formed in 2013 and has established itself as one of the top piano trios in the world.

Free HIV Testing

Feb. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. | In observance of National Black HIV/ AIDS Awareness Day, free HIV testing will be available on campus to all sexually active persons so that they can be empowered by learning their status. There will also be free cookies and condoms as they promote healthy sexual activity.

BSU Talent Show

Feb. 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. | CSC Comanche | Don’t miss out on a night of supporting and rooting for talented mustangs.

CRIME LOG Drugs: Possession or Delivery of Drug Paraphernalia

Jan. 23 at 4:01 p.m. | Sunwatcher Village | Housekeeping found drug paraphernalia in a vacant dorm room.

Theft: Misdemeanor

Jan. 23 at 1:01 p.m. | Parking Lot #6S | Unknown person stole the parking sticker from the victim’s vehicle.

Credit or Debit Card Abuse

Jan. 10 at 3:01 p.m. | Wellness Center | A Midwestern State University P-Card was compromised and unauthorized charges were made on it.

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Lunch with the Stang-Gang KRISTIN SILVA REPORTER

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he bi-weekly luncheon with the school’s athletic donors, supporters and coaches, where the discussion of season standings and general sports talk, had a turnout of 15 people on Jan. 30th.

Kyle Williams, assistant director of athletics, said ‘Lunch with the Mustangs’ has been a continuous event for 16 years and is for corporate sponsors, mustang club members and whoever else would like to attend.

“When I worked in television I would attend these luncheons,” Williams said.

Noel Johnson, head women’s basketball coach, said the coaches come to give updates to donors during their season.

“Hanging out with these guys [is my favorite part],” Johnson said. “It is good to hear about other sports because we are so supportive of each other.”

Dan Shine, graduating class of 1958, is a donor to the athletic department and has been for years. He said he has donated through his family electrical company and by personal means as well.

He said he follows basketball more intently than other sports and regularly attends home basketball games and tries to make it to away games if possible.

“I’ve lived here all my life in Wichita Falls,” Shine said. “I came [to MSU] when it was Midwestern University, it wasn’t a state college. I had four kids and three grandkids graduate from here.”

Williams said if the day ever came when he was no longer the AD of athletics, he would still attend

TRE JONES REPORTER

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PHOTO BY RACHEL JOHNSON | THE WICHITAN

Koby Styles, cross country and track coach, gives an update of the Track Season and where he thinks the team will continue to grow into, during the Lunch with Mustangs held at Wichita Falls Museum of Art on Jan. 30. the luncheons.

“I came to luncheons [before working at MSU],” Williams said. “So to answer your question, yes, I would still attend these luncheons.”

High school art show kicks off ALYSSA MITCHELL REPORTER

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he Annual High School Art Competition opened this week in the Fain Fine Arts Center Foyer Gallery. The art show will be housed in the gallery from Jan. 29, until Feb. 3.

The gallery consists of at least 250 pieces of artwork from different high schools in the surrounding area.

Steve Hilton, associate professor of art, stated in an email, “This is always an outstanding exhibition of artwork in a variety of media such as photography, drawing, prints, painting, ceramics, sculpture and mixed media.”

Students put a lot of hard work and hours into creating the pieces they enter into the competition.

Natalia Hernandez, Hirschi High School senior and one of last year’s first place winners from Hirschi High School, said, “It took me about 50 hours to paint my watercolor and about 20 for the pencil drawing that I entered.”

Not only do the students put in a lot of time and effort so does our school staff and student helpers from the art department. Carlos Aleman, exhibition preparator, and his student staff spend about three days to a week going through the artwork, checking it in and making sure the pieces

Moffett Library hosts tours for students

are appropriate.

Aleman said, “We pretty much have to show everything, but there have been occasions where every once in a while you’ll have something that just isn’t appropriate.”

They spend about three days total setting up the gallery.

Aleman said, “We used what is called a salon style [to put together the show], where there’s not really a rhyme or reason on how it gets put up. We just put it up where it fits and how it fits. Of course you have a little bit of editing whenever you put up stuff like this, where some of the better pieces will get more centralized locations for viewing where we pretty much have to show everything.

We try to do as much as we can when it comes to the kids having their work shown.”

For those interested in viewing the students artwork, the opening reception will be held in Fain Fine Arts Center Foyer Gallery on Saturday, Feb. 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cash awards and scholarships will be given out roughly around noon.

The gallery is also open during its regular hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Come out and show the high school students support.

offett Library staff gave tours of the building on Wednesday Jan. 24 and Thursday Jan. 25 to show people the features of the building and some of the collections the library has to offer.

Clara Latham, university librarian, said she thinks it is important to have these tours and is glad the library can give them to people.

Latham said, “We know that there are always students who have never been in the library, and we don’t want them to walk around and not find what they are looking for or feel intimidatted because it is kind of a confusing building.”

These tours are given four times a school year. The library staff gives two tours early in the fall semester and two more earlier in the spring semester. These tours were open for new or returning students unfamiliar with the building, new faculty members or anyone in the public that happened to see the fliers for the tours.

“We know we have three floors for half of the building and only two floors for the other half, so we like to have the librarian walk around and explain each of the departments, what the department’s function is and how you can use different areas like the media department,” said Latham.

Ryan Samuelson, government publications and literacy librarian, was the one who gave the tours and he said one of his favorite parts about

the library is the special collection the building holds.

“The special collection really is special, and I like working here because we are a small library, so we wear many different hats. We never get bored here. Here, we all do different jobs and different things, and that is something you cannot do if you work at a big library,” Samuelson said.

One of the main things that both Samuelson and Latham were looking forward for people to see was the special collection.

Samuelson said, “That always seems to make peoples’ eyes light up when we go to special collections.”

Samuelson said people are often surprised that the library shows movies sometimes and even has a department where students can take movies home to watch then bring back. He said different people react to different things that were shown on tours.

Latham said the reference department, that holds collections of reference books, was one of the other main points shown during the tours along with the periodical department.

One thing that Latham and Samuelson said is intriguing about these tours is there are some days when only two people showed up, and there are times when 20 people can show up. They both said they have enjoyed giving tours of the building, and they are hoping that they can give tours of the library once the new and upcoming renovations will be done to people so they will be able to see all the improvements done on the building.

TOP T WE E T O F T HE WE E K Our top tweet of the week is the tweet regarding the story about the Artist Lecture Series about PostSecret. Some facts about the tweet: • 21,392 impressions • 109 total engagements • 2 likes • 1 retweet

6 | Jan. 31, 2018 |

Fine arts building set to be renovated

PHOTO BY RACHEL JOHNSON | THE WICHITAN

Jeffrey Killion, interim dean of Gunn College of Health Science & Human Services, spoke to a group of peers and MSU faculty as a part of the process of applying for the job of Dean of the Gunn College of HSHS, held in Dillard 101 on Jan 30.

KRISTIN SILVA REPORTER

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Health Science interim dean is up for permanent position RACHEL JOHNSON REPORTER

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effrey Killion, interim dean of Gunn College of Health Science & Human Services, stood before his peers in Dillard Room 101, addressing his vision for the department and the goals he has to better the College of HSHS. The word Killion used was “promoveo” to sum up his visions and plans as future Dean of the college. Promoveo is a latin verb meaning to move forward, to advance, or to enhance.

“Having an open house would be a neat idea, especially after we get the new builiging, [we could even] invite the community,” Killion said.

Killion had many ideas as far as how to advancing the college. Killion had talked about getting a similar set up to the Dillard College of Business as far as getting a student to run a social media(s) account(s) for their college. It would help attract more people to their college if it reached more prospective students through the ways they communicate.

“It would help drive our presence on the social scene,” Killion said.

Killions other goals included working with community colleges to offer them access to more bachelor degree options, adding more staff, try to find more full-time over adjunct professors, signature minors, and opening more doors for masters and doctoral degrees. He says the biggest challenges he thinks they will face trying to reach all the goals for the college are having enough space for classrooms and offices, balanced growth in face

to face and online classes, having too many adjunct professors and not enough full-time, and the budget.

After Killion wrapped up the presentation, the floor was opened up to questions they may have had. Sheree Phifer, radiological sciences clinical coordinator, asked Killion about the doctoral program and if it would be all online or a hybrid. To which Killion said it would be a hybrid program. Phifer also asked when the new building would be completed.

“They are saying Fall of 2019, but right now they are just playing in dirt.

One tractor who pats it down, and then the other one that digs it back it up,” Killion said.

Jennifer Anderson, respiratory care chair, says that there are things that the professors would like to change that they feel they haven’t had a voice to change or fix in the past.

“How would you, as our dean, advocate for us?” Anderson said.

Killion wrapped up his answer and his time in front of his peers by explaining that there are a lot of avenues that the college hasn’t ventured down yet that would be beneficial to try out to make situations better.

Killion said one things to live by is to constantly surround yourself by good people. He said it not only benefits you as a person, but it benefits the people around you as well because in return you will be a good person to others.

“I don’t know all of the answers, that’s for sure...but that’s why you surround yourself with good people,” Killion said.

o comply with the American Disabilities Act and fire marshal regulations, so students, faculty and visitors with disabilities can reach classrooms, offices and restrooms, the Fain College of Fine Arts is undergoing renovations to accommodate for such needs.

In 2013, the fire marshal came to campus to ensure it met the necessary safety requirements and accommodated to people with disabilities.

Upon inspection, the fire marshal identified some shortcomings within the Fain College of Fine Arts building.

“We needed to upgrade,” Kyle Owen, associate vice president of facilities services, said. “[The renovations] were going to cost big bucks, millions, a lot more than we could afford under normal circumstances.”

The Fain College of Fine Arts recently added a new wing for the mass communication department costing almost $9 million. Requirements within the ADA force the renovations in the Fain College of Fine Arts as necessary.

“The Texas Accessibility Standards require that if you spend over $50,000 due to renovations in a building you have to upgrade it to make it ADA accessible,” Owen said.

According to Owen, university administration developed an application with the state legislature to be able to get the funding to make these changes, and in 2015 the Texas state legislation allowed a budget of $5.27 million for the entire campus’ ADA and fire marshal renovations. Owen said 40-50 percent of that budget will be used on the Fain College of Fine Arts building.

“No, that’s not an option [exceeding the projected budget],” said Owen. “We will reduce the scope if it comes to that.”

Elizabeth Lewandowski, chair and professor of the theatre department, said she has been unable to get to her office on the second floor of the B-wing in the building because of the four knee surgeries she has had since September because she is in a wheelchair. She uses a makeshift office on the first floor and has students bring costumes and other materials down to design and decorate for the theater department.

“This building was built pre-ADA,” Lewandowski said. “They are also re-doing the bathrooms downstairs so they fit the modern code. In the ladies’ room on this floor [B-wing], there is a handicap stall, but you can’t get a wheelchair in it and close it all the way.”

Read the rest of the story online at thewichitan.com.

UPB meeting discusses fun, future events CHLOE PHILLIPS REPORTER

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o discuss upcoming events in February, the University Programming Board held its bimonthly meeting on Jan. 30.

From hosting a Super Bowl party with the Residence Hall Association, to screening critically acclaimed film “Get Out” with the Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Affairs, the organization has a lot of events in store for the student body.

This meeting also introduced an interactive, presentation software for meeting attendees called Mentimeter. This was also UPB member Preston Busby’s, criminal justice senior, favorite part of the meeting. “[UPB chairs] get to know our feedback as they present, so it’s much quicker,” Busby said.

Busby said he is looking forward to the Mardi Gras/Valentines Day party on Feb. 14 and the Black History Month game show on Feb. 26. Students also have the opportunity to win cash prices at the Black History Month game show. “[Cash prizes are] always a plus for any college

student and it never hurts to know more about black history,” Busby said.

Angelica Symonette, low budget/no budget chair and exercise physiology senior, and Hannah King, marketing chair and psychology senior, said they are also looking forward to the Black History Month game show.

“It’s always interesting to see what facts people know,” King said. “So, while you’re standing there, you’ll learn something too.”

Symonette said the event would be really cool and enjoyed the turnout of the meeting.

“It’s really good because the semester just started again, and we have a lot of new people interested in joining UPB,” Symonette said.

Symonette, who has been a member of UPB for two and a half years and became low budget/no budget chair last year.

“I thought it was a really cool experience and [they presented] ideas that I wanted to do. And I was like, “Okay, I can do this like just put my ideas out there and have school spirit,’” Symonette said.

“I’m really excited for the Black History Month game show because that would be really cool.

| Jan. 31, 2018 | 7

‘Urinetown’ stage managers keep show organized W

hile the actors parade around the “Urinetown” stage and memorize lines, songs and choreography, the stage managers spend hours on end reading over paperwork, gathering schedules and offering helping hands to wherever they are needed. Katie Cagle,

stage manager and theater tech design senior, along side assistant stage managers Ron Harle, theater tech freshman, and Emily Burns, theater tech sophomore, rule behind the scenes with kind smiles and stern directions.

KATIE CAGLE, STAGE MANAGER

RON HARLE, ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

EMILY BURNS, ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

CORTNEY WOOD MANAGING EDITOR

ROBIN REID REPORTER

BRENDAN WYNNE REPORTER

tage managers are “kind of like the moms on set,” Katie Cagle, stage manager and theater tech design senior, said.

“Oh, I must have cut my knuckle at some point in the day,” Christie Maturo, Urinetown director, said. “Katie, do you have a bandaid?”

“I do,” Katie Cagle, stage manager and theatre tech design senior, said. “Do you want a regular sized one or a little knuckle one?”

Cagle passes Maturo the bandaid and finishes sifting through pages before she off-handedly picks up a water bottle on the ground as rehearsal begins.

With only 22 days until the political satire “Urinetown” PHOTOS BY CORTNEY WOOD | THE WICHITAN opens, Cagle said Katie Cagle, stage manager and theatre tech design senior, directs people on rehearsal is like the stage at the Jan. 28. rehearsal for “Urinet- “calm before the storm.” own.”

“We have a cast of 20 people, which is a lot for a show here at MSU. In a musical there is music, singing and dancing which usually means more costumes,” Cagle said. “There is a lot more moving parts and crew members. It’s a bigger deal than a play.”

As Cagle manages her fifth show on campus, she said she is much more calm and confident with this show than she has been with other shows, and because this is her last show, Cagle said she’s able to find satisfaction in her work over the years through cast and self recognition.

“No one usually asks about the stage managers. We are just there. Everyone asks the actor and prop person questions, but the stage managers just sit. We do a lot of work, but it’s fine.

You just have to accept the fact that we are never going to get a full congratulations or pat on the back for the work that we do. Even though the actors are going to get the praise and the applause, we know we helped the actors do their job. You have to sit off on the sides and know that you did a good job.

“Urinetown” opens Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Bea Wood theater in the Fain Fine Arts building.

oise begins to fill the room as the actors and actresses gather in the theater to begin the rehearsal for Act I of the school production of “Urinetown.” Ron Harle, theater tech freshman, leans back in his seat as he reflects on his role as Assistant Stage Manager for the musical.

Harle said, “I’m a freshman, so I’ve done musicals before, but never at the college level. It’s very exciting to have this position and be able to experience it all from this side. It gives a new perspective, and it’s certain to give me a lot of cool experiences that I can take away and apply to other things.”

Being an assistant stage manager comes with a wide range of duties to ensure the rehearsal runs without flaws.

“My particular duties are to set up the speaker before every rehearsal and sweep the stage,” Harle said. “After rehearsal, I make sure the ghost light is out, which is a light in the middle of the stage so even when the whole theater Ron Harle, theater freshman, looks over notes and reads lines rehearsal for “Urinet- is dark, people can still get around. own.”

During rehearsal, I can be called to do all manner of things from moving the piano, to fetching a chair for someone. Whatever is needed for the show to run smoothly.”

Although “Urinetown” is a satirical comedy, Harle said he hopes people are able to learn something from the musical. “‘Urinetown’ is such a complex show and so many things can be analyzed from it. I hope every member of the audience can take away their own individual aspect of it,” Harle said.

“It’s a great show and one I would definitely suggest coming to see. Every song is a whole different style, because it’s a satire on types of musicals, and it’s got a neat message to it about political corruption.”

Though people may think a musical comes with its own challenges, Harle said he has still enjoyed the process, thus far.

“My favorite part of being an assistant stage manager for this show is the experience of it. It’s just really neat to be able to observe all the different steps from start to finish. It’s really neat to see everything come together,” Harle said.

rinetown? Did I hear that right? Are you trying to say ‘You’re in town?” The off-putting title to the drought-ridden dystopian musical easily confuses audiences, much like the characters in the play while the cast and crew find themselves in as strange a position all asking one question: “What is ‘Urinetown?’”

But not Emily.

“I love this show” Emily Burns, technical theater sophomore and assistant stage manager, said. “It was actually the first show I ever stage-managed in high school.”

Burns said that while the material may be the same, the execution makes all the difference.

“It’s been vastly different than the one I did in high Emily Burns, theater technical theater school,” she said. “I sophomore, jokes with Joey McGinn, thehave a lot more exater junior, during workshop hours on Jan. perience going into 30. it, as it was really overwhelming. The set is wildly different, and there’s so much more room for the dance numbers. I have come a long way since high school, so it’s really interesting to see myself back in Urinetown.”

Burns said while the experience may be different, her passion for the musical is as strong, and personal, as ever.

“I have an older brother whose autistic,” Burns said. “He doesn’t like to sit down and pay attention to things like plays, but this was one of the first shows he’s actually sat through.

He loved it. He’s memorized all of the songs, so for him to be able to come and sing the songs again is really special to me.”

Burns first stage-managed a production in seventh grade, and has since stage-managed seven main stage productions, five studio productions and been an assistant stage manager “more times than [she] can count.”

With her average weekday spanning more than 16 hours, Burns said her duties extend far beyond the scheduled rehearsals.

“I have class from 8 a.m. — noon, I help put together the set until 5 p.m., we have rehearsal from 6:30 p.m. to approximately 10 p.m. and then I’m doing some kind of cleaning or painting,” she said. “Then we do it again the next day.”

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Performances | Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 24 at 2:30 p.m., Feb. 25 at 2:30 p.m., March 1 at 7:30 p.m. and March 3 at 7:30 p.m.

8 | Jan. 31, 2018 |

Volleyball players say goodbye to resigning head coach MAKAYLA SCHECK SPORTS REPORTER

N PHOTOS BY RACHEL JOHNSON | THE WICHITAN

Trey Kennedy, psychology senior, guards a St. Mary’s Texas Univeristy player during the game in D.L. Ligon Coliseum, Monday, Jan. 29.

Men’s basketball rises above St. Mary’s University MAKAYLA SCHECK SPORTS REPORTER

T

he men’s basketball team took on St. Mary’s University on Jan. 29 and came out on top. MSU finished the game with a 10-point difference of 79-69.

“It was good to have a home win. It was a quick turn around so we couldn’t dwell on our past losses from this weekend. We are trying to just get better every day and take it one day at a time,” Devante Pullum, guard and business senior, said.

The first half ended with a score of 38-31. Brandon Neel, junior guard, made 15 out of 38 points. Neel and Pullum started the game off with two three-pointers in the first two minutes of the game. At the 17:22 mark, Josh Huntley, forward and business senior, made a basket to tie the score. With 11:10 left, Wanaah Bail, forward and undecided junior, made a basket to bring the score to 21-17. Not long after Neel scored two points, then at the 7:50 mark, Logan Hicks, sophomore guard, made a three-pointer and the score rose to 26-17. Halftime was 43 seconds away, and Neel made a foul shot to bring the score to 36-29. With halftime closing in, Pullum went to shoot, but was fouled right as the buzzer went off. Officials added one second back on the clock and he made both foul shots given. The score at the end of the half was 38-31.

“Our strength in the first half was getting the layups and wide open shots,” Neel said. “Our weakness was, we weren’t as fluent in our offense as we were in the first half.”

Pullum started off the first half with a regular shot and a three-pointer to bring the team 10 points above St. Mary’s with 43-33. At the 17:30 mark, Neel stole the ball and ran down the court for a basket. Not far behind him was Trey Kennedy, guard and psychology senior, with a three-point basket to make the score 48-33. With 12:54 left, the team was up by 19 points, Pullum set up Ola Ayo-

Devante Pullum, business senior, trips and throws the ball in the air, missing the basket in the last few seconds of the first half, and gaining two freethrows for MSU, which Pullum made both, in the game dele, junior guard/forward, for a dunk at the 9:43 mark.

Ayodele dunked the ball and the score was 60-41. Then just a few minutes later, St. Mary’s started to come back.

At the 5:38 mark, Neel made a basket to bring the score to 64-57. Just seconds later he stopped a St. Mary’s basket and Kennedy made a three-point shot. With the game nearing to an end, the men’s team didn’t let up. In the last three minutes, Neel and Pullum made two foul shots each and Ayodele got three baskets. The final score of the game was 79-61.

“We need to start early and bring the energy early.

When we shut off for two or three minutes the teams run and we can’t stop them. We need to stay engaged the whole 40 minutes of the game,” Ayodele said.

The men’s record is now 7-14 and they will return to D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. against Texas A&M-Kingsville. They will also play at the Coliseum on Feb. 3 against Angelo State.

atalie Burton, volleyball head coach of three years, announced that she is stepping down from the position on Jan. 24.

“She has definitely pulled me through this season by encouraging me and lifting me up on the days I was too hard on myself. She made me realize how to trust the process, not just in volleyball, but also in life. She also taught me that no matter what, I have to be a leader on and off the court since I was the voice on the team,” Rockelle Gholson, outside hitter and mass communication junior, said. “I just want to thank her for pushing me to help reach my potential and for always being there when we needed her. I want her to know she will be missed and that we love her!”

Burton has coached the volleyball team for the past three consecutive seasons.

In 2015, she began her journey at the university. That year, the season ended with a record of 6-26 and the team ended ninth in the conference. The following year, she brought the team to the quarterfinals for the first time in three years and they ended eighth in the conference.

According to Kristin Silva, junior defensive specialist, Burton has made a positive impact on the volleyball program.

“I’ve actually only been here for the past two semesters, but looking back at the history of this program and what it was, I definitely think she made a positive impact on the volleyball program as a whole. Being someone who knows what it’s like to eat, sleep, breathe volleyball, I hope that she finds another place in the volleyball community in California,” Silva said. “I think this is definitely

PHOTO BY HARLIE DAVID | THE WICHITAN

Natalie Burton, head volleyball coach, watches her players during the Texas Women’s University vs. MSU at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Sep. 29. a bitter-sweet moment for her. She gets to have her family together again, but she’s also leaving one behind. I wish nothing for the best for her in the future.”

The volleyball team racked up 4,206 attacks, 1,332 assists, and 243 blocks this past 2017 season, the final season for Burton. The record was 15-16, this was the most improved record since the 2013 season with 17-13.

“I think next season will be very different, but the way she trained us has prepared us to take on this challenge of adapting to a new coach and the type of program they are about,” Erin Richburg, outside hitter and undecided sophomore said. “I would just like to thank her for the opportunity she has given me to live my dream of playing college volleyball and to wish her the best of luck in her new journey with her family.”