May 2, 2012

Page 1

Kiss the Ring

Blowin’ Smoke

pg. 3

Students pay chunk of bill for sports rings over five years.

pg. 8

Write-ups for marijuana infractions in dorms are constant problems.

wichitan

ht e Wednesday

May 2, 2012

thewichitan.com

your campus/ your news

Wedding mistake costs university over $11,000

CHRIS COLLINS EDITOR IN CHIEF

A marital mishap at the Wichita Falls Museum of Art in 2010 cost the university more than $11,000 in donor funds. Instead of using the money to buy equipment or fund scholarships, MSU ended up paying to host a wedding. The foul-up, uncovered through state Open Records statutes, shows that ongoing construction at the museum nearly derailed the fall wedding of Elizabeth Gipson, daughter of Nick Gipson, academic adviser and internship coordinator in the Dillard College of Business Administration. Museum officials said they had expected renovation of the main gallery and removal of asbestos to be complete when Gipson and his wife, Linda, booked the October venue for their daughter, putting up a $192 deposit. But as the wedding date approached, it was obvious the work wasn’t going to be finished. By then, about 300 wedding invitations had been mailed out. Complaints were lodged with the university, according to documents, forcing

administrators to scramble for an alternative. MSU ended up renting a 40-by100 foot tent from Taylor’s Rental Equipment Company in Fort Worth, pitching it in the museum parking lot. Broken down, the rental included: • $2,500 for the tent • $60 for sidewalls • $400 for eight lights • $5,400 for flooring • $1,800 for turf • $362 for tables • $45 for extension cords • $400 for other supplies Mary Helen Maskill, events coordinator at the museum, said the reception party used a gallery inside the museum. The museum ended up compensating the family with $11,092 in supplies, along with some of its own tables, chairs and personnel. “It was clear the contractors weren’t going to finish,” said President Dr. Jesse Rogers. “I felt like it was our responsibility to make good. I could not imagine a family having a wedding planned and

WEDDING pg. 3

Dept. chair arrested on lewdness charges Garcia, who became chair in 1999, was released from jail after postDr. Adalberto Garcia, chair ing a $1,500 bond. of the Foreign Languages The Harvard graduate department, is facing public has been teaching at Midlewdness charges after he western for 29 years, earnwas found engaging in sexual ing tenure in 1995. activity at Lucy Park Tuesday If he is found guilty, morning. Garcia could be terminat“This is a personnel matter,” ed under policy 3.124 of MSU president Dr. Jesse Rogthe MSU policies and proers said. “However, Dr. Garcia cedures manual for moral has been placed on adminis- Dr. Adalberto Garcia turpitude. trative leave pending our full “We will have a plan investigation on the matter.” set so students aren’t imAccording to police reports, Garcia was observed by an officer having sex in pacted by what has happened,” said Dr. the park bathroom with a man identified Samuel Watson, dean of College of Human and Social Sciences. as Harold Jefferson. BRITTNEY COTTINGHAM MANAGING EDITOR

Chris Riley prepares to squat thrust more 600 pounds. Photo by HANNNAH HOFMANN

Graduate assistant makes a name for himself as a powerlifting machine. RUTH FITZGERALD FOR THE WICHITAN

Before the day is over, Chris Riley will have consumed two pounds of red meat and downed one chicken shake. “Yes, I make chicken shakes,” said Riley with a grin. The unappetizing beverage is the daily diet of Riley, a powerlifter who on March 2 deadlifted 705 pounds at The Arnold, an international event held in Columbus, Ohio in honor of Arnold Schwarzenegger, a former Mr. Universe and California governor. Contestants from 48 countries took part in powerlifting, weightlifting and strongman competitions. This year, Riley, a 25-year-old graduate assistant working on his master’s in exercise physiology, took second place in the USA Powerlifting Raw Challenge. Riley’s final stats were: bench press, 374 pounds; squat, 661 pounds; and deadlift, 705 pounds. And yes, Schwarzenegger was there to enjoy the show. The win was pretty impressive for someone who has only been lifting weights since late 2008. At that time, Riley was doing Olympic weightlifting, which consists of the events “cleanand-jerk” and “snatch.” Today, at 296 pounds, he competes solely in RAW drug-tested USAPL com-

petitions which do not require the use of bench shirts or squat suits. According to Justin Lascek, Riley’s long-time friend and coach, Riley informed him in 2009 that he wanted to deadlift 600 pounds for five repetitions. Lascek said knew this was a distant goal but had faith that Riley could pull it off. According to Lascek, Riley would always wear the same hole-ridden Arkansas T-shirt whenever he deadlifted. Joking around with Riley, he asked, “Hey man, is that your deadlift shirt?” “Yeah, I’m gonna wear it when I pull 600 for five,” Riley shot back. That became his ritual, Lascek said. Riley would show up for workouts wearing his “ratty-ass” shirt and they kidded around that it would explode off him when he finally pulled up his fifth rep of 600 pounds. According to Riley, the T-shirt survived, but now has even more holes and is paper thin. Lascek not only trains Riley, but owns and operates the website 70sbig. com which tracks Riley’s and other powerlifters’ progress and competition statistics. The site also displays each individual powerlifter’s workout regime affiliated with the site, as well as diet and workout recommendations. A powerlifter’s daily routine, especially what he eats, plays a big role in the dedication of an avid competitor. As unappetizing as a chicken shake may sound, it’s a necessary shot of protein that helps strengthen Riley. He subsidizes his vegetables with V8, drinks 1 1/2 gallons of water and eats

one sweet potato per day. Riley trains four days a week, two to three hours per session, in his makeshift gym he shares with his roommate in their garage. His progress has been tracked over the years on 70sbig.com where one can find videos of Riley during particular training sessions and lifts. Powerlifting isn’t always fun and games, however. Riley got a bloody nose while deadlifting a few times, and admittedly, had an “accident” once while doing a squat, but continued on with his workout. That’s dedication. In the future, Riley hopes to move to a larger city or move out-of-state and become a strength trainer for a D1 university. Right now, he has his eyes set on “strongman” competitions. The winner of the strongman competition at The Arnold took home $45,000. Had Riley won first place in his powerlifting division, he would have walked away with $750. While money is definitely a motivator, it’s the pure love of the sport that drives Riley. It’s his passion, he said. Lascek encourages every one of his trainees to look at Riley and how far he’s come in such a short amount of time “You see him deadlift 705 and think it’s a lot, but he was just an average lifter three years ago,” Lascek said. “He didn’t just all of a sudden squat 661 and deadlift 705. He had to earn it every step of the way.” Riley will compete in the Raw Nationals, held in Killeen, Texas in August.

Provost on the hunt for new two deans BRITTNEY COTTINGHAM MANAGING EDITOR

Two of MSU’s six colleges will be deanless next fall. Dr. Rodney Cate, interim dean of the College of Science and Math, and Dr. Barbara Nemecek, dean of the Dillard College of Business, are stepping down. A national search to select permanent deans has already begun, according to Provost Dr. Alicia White. There will be four finalists for each position. “Both searches were expected,” White said. “One search is to replace someone who left to become provost in 2010 so we knew a search had to be conducted to name a permanent replacement. The second search is to replace someone

whose three-year contract is ending (Nemecek). Cate, who has been a professor at MSU since 1978, was made interim dean in July 2010. The dean before him held the position five years. “It’s common to put someone in as interim dean while a search is conducted,” White said. “We cancelled the search last year because of budget uncertainties.” As a tenured full-time professor of chemistry, Cate said he will return to the chemistry program if he is not chosen to remain as dean of the college. Cate said since he has been dean there have been many issues put in front of him.

DEANS pg. 3


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