The student voice of Midwestern State University
The Wichitan page 11 Expressions
page 13 Disaster in Dallas Cowboys workout facility collapses, leaving one paralyzed and multiple hospitalized.
Graduating art majors display their work for the MSU community starting Friday.
WEDNESDAY May 6, 2009
Board e r fo e b s e o g n a bacco b
Campus to Nicole Allen n For the Wichita
bacco on cam The future of to of the MSU s pus is in the hand . ts en Board of Reg ban on smok A proposed use on campus ing and tobacco
h the Student has passed throug iation and ssoc Government A dministrative A ity rs ve the Uni council. h by the Board If voted throug will prohibit n of Regents, the ba cco use in ba to d an g smokin ned or leased all university ow
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es, and public buildings, vehicl der the jurisun or outdoor areas . SU M of diction vote in May The board will not the ban or to decide whether . ss will pa See BAN page 3
e’ at MSU k o m s to t h ig ‘r t for rried a large Students protes ajor, while he ca Matt Ledesma n For the Wichita
Photo by Patrick Johnston Travis Paul protests the proposed smoking ban on Tuesday.
t is planning to pu Even though MSU when it comes to htray the butt to the as s, a select few aren’t pu m fizzle smoking on ca eir right to puff th t le to g in ill w out. ghts,” ging on our ri “They’re infrin nior mass commu, a ju said Travis Paul
Ban! nications m ad Smoke Out The black sign that re take away smoking, n “If the campus ca away next?” ke what can they ta by a handful of other ed in jo as w Paul orning sts Tuesday m a to tobacco enthusia Pl Sunwatcher az who gathered in ty ban on all tobacco si ge 3 protest the univer See PROTEST
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Music professor completes marathons on 7 continents
In the mid-1990s, Dr. Ruth Morrow, chair of the music department at MSU, weighed 225 pounds. More than 10 years later, she has become a marathon runner, a world traveler and an international musician. At one point, she had shed 90 pounds. “I needed to do something for me,” Morrow said. “I didn’t mean to lose the weight. I didn’t mean to start running. It just sort of happened.” A marathon is 26.5 mile a foot race that requires some speed, but a lot of endurance, Morrow said. But the music professor isn’t just any marathon runner. She has set her goals high – in early March she ran a marathon in Antarctica, completing her circuit of the seven continents. She and other runners were shipped to the southernmost continent more than a week before the run, Morrow said. It took 10 days to arrive at their destination. “In some ways, Antarctica is like nowhere else in the world,” Morrow said. “It’s the only place with no native human inhabitants. But I don’t think it was as overwhelming for me as it was for some people because it’s not someplace I’ve always wanted to go.” Early test runs of the course made runners wary of the venue, Morrow said. The ice-covered landmass swallowed one competitor to the hips in quicksand in seconds. The race was run on King George Island, which is just north of Antarctic Peninsula. The run was pleasant for Morrow, she said, but she thoroughChris Collins Managing Editor
gave her an inkling about how much she would enjoy running. After taking a little training advice from Dr. Jim Hoggard, Perkins-Prothro Distinguished Professor of English, Morrow was sold. Hoggard, a competitor in nine marathons himself, gave her tips on Photo Courtesy pacing and dietary Ruth Morrow got a chance to sightsee in concerns. Antarctica before running a marathon. “I found runShe has now run on all seven contining marathons exnents. tremely moving,” Hoggard said. “It ly enjoyed touring the tundra as was as much of a spiritual event well. as a physical event.” “In the afternoon they took us to a deserted Argentine base with Hoggard recommended that a glaciated mountain,” Morrow marathon runners be able to run said. “We could still walk up the 20 or more miles a month before mountain and look out on the the race and be able to clock 30 continent and the bay where we – 40 miles weekly. were. Most of us slid down the Also, he cautioned runners to mountain in kind of a run or a make sure they can tackle the luge. If you weren’t careful you distance before the run a race. could either end up in the water, “You have to think of the in a big puddle or in this huge length of the run as a matter of course,” he said. amount of slush.” The group went sightseeing in Morrow started merging her two groups around the continent vacation plans with her penchant in zodiacs, a style of inflatable for marathon running in the lateboat that has been produced since 1990s. She made plans to run in WWII. Since Antarctica has re- Oklahoma, Colorado and Hamained basically untouched by waii. man, the continent is a premiere Morrow said she was hesitant to run the events at first, since zone for viewing nature. “The group that went on shore some of them were only weeks first actually got to see a leop- apart, but Hoggard implored her ard seal kill a penguin,” Mor- to try. row said. “Granted, that’s not “I found a half-marathon that something you would necessar- was close to where I wanted to ily want to see, but it is part of camp for Spring Break at OU,” Morrow said. “It was hysterical nature.” Morrow began running mara- – there was this brass quintet on thons in fall 1997. She won her the corner at 7:00 on a Saturday age group at the first Race for See MORROW page 4 the Cure event at MSU, which
Oooh, LaLa!
LaLa performs on the Odds stage. LaLa has been doing drag shows ever since catching the eye of the bar owner.
Drag queen spends weekends strutting her stuff Ashley Campana For the Wichitan
The smoky room fills with lights as the queens step onto the stage. Their tall shoes shimmer with life while their vibrant dresses twist to the music. Beyoncé blares boisterously as LaLa bounds through the curtain. The drag queens at Odds, a downtown gay bar, provide popular entertainment on Wednesday and Saturday nights. MSU student, LaLa, is a popular attraction who loves to strut her stuff. LaLa realized her fascination with drag shows the night she revealed she was gay to her friends. “I was 18 when I knew I was gay,” LaLa said. “I was 19 when I came out to my friends.” Her new life began that Saturday night as she marveled at the
drag queens fluttering across the stage. “Oh my gosh,” LaLa said. “They’re beautiful.” Within weeks, LaLa was owning that same stage. “LaLa is just naturally a performer,” said Tiffany Cusey, an MSU sophomore. “She’s better than some that have been doing drag for 15 years.” Although LaLa has only been performing as a drag queen for three months, she has already established herself on the stage. “Everyone looks forward to [her] show,” said Dustin Stump, MSU sophomore. “She gives her all.” LaLa keeps herself busy throughout the week by being a both a student and performer. “I sleep, work, eat, drink and study,” LaLa said with a laugh. After her first show in July, LaLa didn’t perform for another
month because she was learning how to manage her schedule. Football games and other school activities occupy LaLa’s time during the school year, making it hard for her to get booked in shows. LaLa became a drag queen a few months ago when she caught the eyes of Odds bar owner, Vicki Brown. According to LaLa, Brown noticed her dancing abilities and approached her at closing time and asked if she was interested in doing drag. LaLa agreed and had her first show on Saturday, July 12th, 2008. Drag queens are responsible for their own makeup, outfits and wigs. An experienced queen helps her get ready for shows. She carefully adorns LaLa in her 55-dollar Dillard-bought makeSee LALA page 4