February 19, 2020 by The Wichitan and Wai Kun

Feb. 19, 2020 | thewichitan.com |Real Students. Real Stories. | Vol. 84 No. 8

Sports

News

INDEPENDENCE

OR SYSTEM? PRESIDENT SHIPLEY DISCUSSED POSSIBLE TEXAS TECH SYSTEM ALLIANCE.

Media

Snowstorm

Comics

Day in the Life

7 LIKE PUZZLES? TURN TO OUR ACTIVITIES SECTION ON PAGE 6. pg

14-15

When it comes to Texas Tech, there’s no need to fear change

hile many students were shocked and confused when it was revealed that Texas Tech University invited MSU Texas to join its collegiate system, The Wichitan staff believed this should be a call for celebration. The two concerns that students have been most vocal about are: will this make college more expensive, and will this destroy the Mustang culture and identity? We don’t have to look any further than Division II rival, Angelo State University, for comfort. Since joining the Tech system in 2007, Angelo has maintained lower tuition and fee rates than MSU by roughly half a thousand dollars ($8,720 compared to MSU’s $9,601). Just because we would be joining a more expensive school system doesn’t mean that our rates will dramatically increase. In fact, being under a larger system calls for rates to be smaller for the university. As for tradition, joining Tech hasn’t affected Angelo in that way either. The Rams have kept its mascot, colors, name and age-old traditions just as Midwestern State has been guaranteed it would get to do as well. Yes, we’ve been one of only four independent public universities in Texas since the 1900s, but it’s not the 20th century anymore and times have changed; it’s time for our university to change too.

C A M P U S VO ICE S

The Texas Rangers are looking forward to a promising season

he Texas Rangers. Despite being the less talented brother of the Texas baseball team duo (Texas Rangers and Houston Astros), the Rangers have held their standard of being the favorite Texas-based baseball team. The Rangers had a disappointing 2019 season, falling well short of the playoffs at a record Matthew of 78-84, coming up third in the American Tempelmeyer League West. Jeff Daniels, who in my opinion is an underperforming General Manager, decided to make some moves. The first move of the offseason, which has also been the largest, came in the form of acquiring three-time all-star and two-time Cy Young award winner, Corey Kluber. Daniels also went and signed a plethora of new faces in the form of pitchers, Jordan Lyles and Kyle Gibson, along with the position players of (in order of opinionized notoriety) Robinson Chirinos, Todd Frazier, Matt Duffy, and Greg Bird. Along with signing a couple of multi-year veterans the Rangers have focused their attention on how strong their youth is and the embrace of the talent thereof. The Rangers have made no difference in the advancing of their young talent with big-time boppers of Joey Gallo, Danny Santana, and Willie Calhoun. Santana and Calhoun were key bench players in the Rangers surge last year and have been awarded a strong trust and starting positions. Keeping with the trend of allowing younger prospects to promote the reserved time, the Rangers have allowed younger players such as Nick Solak, Scott Heineman, and Isaiah KinerFalefa to pick up the garbage and reserve time. With the accreditation of how the structure of the team itself was formed this offseason lets discuss how this will affect the standings. The MLB playoffs come to form where the best team in each division makes the playoffs where the two teams with the best records who did not meet the classifications are allowed a play-in game in the form of a wild-card game. Winner of the wild-card game plays the team with the best record in their league. There are two leagues in the MLB with three divisions each; factoring in the one wild-card team, there are 8 playoff

EDITORS: Kristin Silva, Amos Perkins PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR: Bridget Reilly Vol. 84 | No. 8

Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd. | Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 wichitan@msutexas.edu | thewichitan.com @wichitanonline

DESIGNERS: Brittni Vilandre, Omar Combie BUSINESS MANAGER: Jeri Moore

ISSUE STAFF: Cortney Wood, Matthew Tempelmeyer, Dallas Wabbington, Khirstia Sheffield, Taylor Anderson, Christian Oseguera, Christian Evans, Abby Jones, Colin Stevenson ADVISOR: Jonathon Quam

teams with 4 per league. The Rangers exist in one of the most difficult divisions in baseball: the American League West. The AL West consists of the Oakland Athletics, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Angels and of course the Texas Rangers. I’ll now break it down to a standpoint team by team-wise. The Houston Astros finished with a 107-55 record placing them as the American League champs. However, if you have paid attention to just about anything concerning baseball this season, you probably did not fail to miss the Astros cheating scandal. In short order, the Astros had been stealing signs illegally from other teams and have been punished because of this. These repercussions that have been enacted on the Astros have left a big “what if?” around how the Astros will perform this year. The Oakland Athletics finished the year at 97-65, clinching the wild-card spot along with the AL central Minnesota Twins before inevitably losing to the Twins in said wild-card game. Additionally, the Athletics have always been a stagnant team where they usually try to promote players within and can lead to a really salty young team that performs well. The Los Angeles Angels finished last season with a record of 72-90 and only really made one addition with the signing of allstar Anthony Rendon to pair up with the number one baseball player alive in Mike Trout. This signing may seem good on paper but the Angels have had a huge history of taking in great freeagents and those players really tanking in the regular season. See Albert Pujols, Vernon Wells, Jonathan Lucroy, Andrelton Simmons, etc for example. Lastly the Seattle Mariners with a record of 68-94 and didn’t do much in the offseason but the only way to go is up. All that being said the division will definitely be competitive this year but it’s really anybody’s guess as to how it will finish out. My advice to the people who consider themselves a fan of the Texas Rangers is to watch how our young talent blasts our offense into a surge while being backed by strong veteran pitching, hopefully leading to a playoff-bound season!

Applied arts and sciences senior

Copyright ©2019. First copy free. Additional copies $1.00 each. 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.

PHOTO COURTESY IMBD

Sam Elliott, Ashton Kutcher, and Danny Masterson in The Ranch (2016).

‘The Ranch’ captures good and bad elements of small town life PHOTO BY JERI MOORE | THE WICHITAN

A clear hint of a messy meal to come.

My kingdom for a meal of crab

he little seafood restaurant on 3801 Call Field Road stands to fill a cajun spiced hole in our local eateries; however, you may need to ask the waitstaff to turn up the spice since the medium I ordered was extremely mild. Jeri We took a seat in booths to the right of Moore the door and were quickly waited on. The waitress was polite and attentive throughout our entire time there. Not once did I run low on my drinks. I ordered a half-pound of blue crab with corn and potatoes while my dining companion ordered a half-pound of sausage. When

the food arrived, the kitchen served my meal in the same bag as my dining companion. This may be a problem if a diner has an aversion to pork products. After sorting out our order, we started our meal. The crab was tender, but the meat was difficult to get to. A seafood cracker is provided, however, the blue crab is so small that a steel fork is better suited to open the leg. Unfortunately, they only had plastic forks on hand so much of my

Rating: 3/5

food went to waste. All problems aside, the food was good and the issues are easily fixed. I’d eat there again but I’ll be bringing my own fork next time.

Feel strongly about something? Don’t just talk about it, email us your thoughts and see them in the next edition! Email us at: wichitan@msutexas.edu

etflix’s original “The Ranch” presented its series finale after 80 episodes of family drama, relationship problems and the risk of losing a family ranch. The Bennetts discover how a family can overcome setbacks regardless of what tries to break them apart through a good laugh and a beer to drink. When Colt (Ashton Kutcher) returns home to Dallas Colorado after a failed attempt of a semi-pro football Wabbington career, he joins the family ranching business with father Beau (Sam Elliot) and brother Rooster (Danny Masterson). With the constant threat of losing the Iron River Ranch to cold winters and selling their cattle, a major ranching company named Neumann’s Hill begins to buy out local ranches to add to their monopoly. While trying to get back into the flow of ranching, Colt struggles to earn Beau’s approval due to Colt’s immature nature and lack of ranching skills. Colt and Rooster often spend their time drinking or getting into trouble with past acquaintances at the only bar in town which happens to be owned by their mother Maggie (Debra Winger). Colt’s exgirlfriend, Abby (Elisha Cuthbert), runs into him at the bar where Colt discovers he is still in love with his high school sweetheart. Just like Beau, Abby doesn’t approve of Colt’s constant immaturity. With Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson as executive producers, it is only natural that a few of their former cast members would show up. “The Ranch” can be described as “That ‘70s Show” meets country western due to not only the laughs and southern environment, but many actors who were on “That ‘70s Show” make character appearances. Known as Red, Kitty and Fez from “That ‘70s Show,” the actors Kurtwood Smith, Debra Jo Rupp and Wilmer Valderrama turn into drunks and ranchers in a small Colorado town. As someone who has seen every episode of both “That ‘70s Show” and “The Ranch,” there is a shared vibe between the two shows. I always recommend this show to people from small towns because it is relatable, not necessarily about ranching, but rather the hometown life of ever-changing friends, alcoholics and football running the town. The show reminds me of when people return to their hometown after high school to realize how everyone’s lives have changed. Although I do not directly relate to the cowboy aspects of the show, I feel at home when I watch “The Ranch” because it is like watching a show about my hometown.

‘Oh Wonder’ is perfect for study vibes

Classic Ke$ha is back W

hat, some guy reviewing a Ke$ha album? Yupp that is what is happening here and I have to say this: Girls, Ke$ha is back with her anthem-filled glitzy fourth studio album, High Road. Christian Evans Ke$ha stans will be happy to know that she sticks true to her brand with High Road and releases wave after wave of euphoria with multiple radio-worthy anthems in the mix on this album. Ke$ha officially announced the album Oct.21, 2019 with a video trailer that premiered on Rolling Stone. When asked about High Road, Ke$ha said the album would “revisit the rap-inflected vocals of her earlier work” and that is exactly what High Road does in its fullest ability. The first song on the album, “Tonight” is your classic Ke$ha song and, with it, she sends a message to her fans that if you’ve been with her from the beginning, you’re going to love this album. It’s almost impossible to listen to the first song without listening to the second one, “Doing My Own Dance,” where Ke$ha sings about how in the face of critics that want her to return back to her old musical persona, she will defiantly continue to do her own ”dance” or way of doing things. The third track and also first single off High Road is the pop banger/anthem “Raising Hell” where Ke$ha sings about how even good people want to do bad things before they eventually die. The fourth song on the album is the title song and is another faster paced and even more lovable pop banger/anthem. When I first heard the song, my jaw literally dropped with some of Ke$ha’s word

choice in the verses I heard (why would she delete the message and drink a beverage?). The seventh and eighth song on the album, “Cowboy Blues” followed by “Resentment” is the closest you’ll get to a western/country genre influence on this album. “Cowboy Blues” has a ukulele twist to it as Ke$ha sings about questioning if she might have already met and missed her one true love and, thus, messed her whole life up. “Resentment” has Ke$ha teaming up with country singer Sturgill Simpson for a duet directed by legendary songwriter and producer Brian Wilson. Moving further into the album, track number 12, “The Potato Song (Cuz I Want To)” is the weirdest song on the album. In the song, Ke$ha indirectly tells the listener was recorded by her because “she wanted to” and no one can or would stop her. The final song on the album “Chasing Thunder,” has Ke$ha ending the album on a somber note, reflecting on what kind of person she is. When listening to the album High Road, it is clear that Kesha is sticking to her roots and not changing her sound, despite the multiple times she claims throughout the lyrics of High Road that she has changed her sound and is getting criticized for it. Ke$ha not changing her sound is not a bad thing in any way because what she does works and creates for a music listening experience that is unique when compared to any other artist. On a scale of one to five, with five being the best, I give High Road a solid four.

h Wonder” is the name of a very widel y successful London based alt-pop duo Christian consisting of a Evans couple, Anthony West and Josephine Vander Gucht. They have played sold-out shows in a multitude of arenas and concert venues from New York City to London and even Paris. They started to really gain popularity in America after they were featured in the song “The Way Life Goes” by hip hop artist Lil Uzi Vert on his third studio album Luv Is Rage 2. This weekend, “Oh Wonder” released its third studio album No One Else Can Wear Your Crown. The album is your classic softcorepop experience, perfect for those study vibes I know fellow students seem to be looking forever for. The album is marketed on Apple Music as “gentle electro-pop to stir the soul,” which is as accurate a description for this album you’ll find out there. No One Else Can Wear Your Crown is a total of 15 songs that add up to 48 minutes of listening although, the last five songs are different versions of some of the first 10 songs on the album. Throughout the entire album, you are continually graced with the duet of Anthony and Josephine blissfully, almost talking softly to you throughout the album. The first song on the album, “Dust,” features a piano brushed over with an ever so light electro-pop melody in the background, with words of encouragement to help you power through whatever it is that you are doing. The third song on the album, “Better Now,” was performed live before No One Else

Can Wear Your Crown was released at an intimate show “Oh Wonder” did in London. The song is about a person who has been hospitalized, and the duo expresses their well-wishes and hopes for the person to get better. The fifth song on the album, “In and Out of Love,” features a solemn melody that feels reminiscent of a song by the band “Bastille.” It’s easily one of the most memorable songs of the album as Josephine and Anthony highlight feelings about each other being the others’ “the one” and what they would do if they had not met each other. For the final song on the album, “Nebraska,” Anthony and Josephine explain the song like this, “Seven years of being a couple in a band is a pretty crazy concept for a relationship. It’s rare that we spend more than a few hours apart from each other, and that intensity was something we unknowingly challenged when we wrote this song. Ironically, we have never been to Nebraska.” The song features a hushed, soft melody, which is perfect background music to fuel that study vibe. Overall on a scale of one to five, with five being the best, I give No One Else Can Wear Your Crown a solid three. It’s a great album, but overall, it just doesn’t have that “pop-out” song or unique sound that makes it stand out from other albums in the softcore genre. Maybe if I was British, they would get a four.

PHOTO COURTESY REDDIT

Students choose XFL over democratic debates

AMOS PERKINS | MANAGING EDITOR

ollege students around the nation opted to watch the new XFL football league over the democratic presidential candidate debates. When college students had to choose between learning more about what leaders might be running their country or watching a semi-professional football league filled with washed up NFL players, the choice was obvious. “I’m sure somebody else will vote for exactly who I want them to, but they can’t watch the game for me,” Chad Broham, recreation and leisure senior, said. The XFl boasted exciting action on its opening weekend with the New York Guardians beating the Tampa Bay Vipers in a 23-3 nailbiter and the Seattle Battlehawks beating the Dallas Renegades in a 15-9 shootout. The Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire debates didn’t even combine for a single touchdown. “Yeah, I don’t know what a coccyx is, but it can’t be more fun than a couple of former NFL backups beating the tar out of each other,” Deborah Longbottom, pop culture sophomore, said. While the debates featured verbal battles between virtual no-names Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden, the XFL debut featured household names such as Quinton Flowers, Jim Zorn and Taylor Heinicke clashing on the field. “Pete Butti-whats-it? Wasn’t that guy Tom Brady’s back-up at one point?” Ashlee McClueless, astrobiology freshman, said. With straight-ticket voting in Texas outlawed starting in 2020, many experts thought young people would actually learn the candidates and their policies. Those experts obviously never watched a weekend full of low-quality football. “I mean as long as it’s not Trump, anybody’s fine right?” Dan Outtadaloop, nautical archaeology junior, said. “It’s not like all these candidates have different policies and opinions that could drastically shape the nation in different ways or anything.”

PHOTO COURTESY IMBD

The Mandalorian (2019).

A Wichitan suggestion:

The Mandalorian Y

ou’ve seen the “baby Yoda” memes; now it’s time to watch the show they came from. Despite being set in the familiar Star Wars universe, Disney+’s The MandaloriAmos an doesn’t require any prior Perkins knowledge of the famous space saga to be enjoyed. For those who are familiar with the Star Wars films, this space western takes place five years after Return of the Jedi and bridges the gap between the original trilogy and the most recent string of films. The Mandalorian follows the adventures of an unnamed Mandalorian bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) as he searches for, and ultimately protects, a child of the same species as the popular Yoda character. Watching the transformation of “Mando” from a ruthlessly efficient hunter to something of a father figure to The Child is one of the true delights of this series. Pascal manages to display an array of emotions using just his body language and voice, despite the character never removing his helmet. While the titular character and the adorable child steal every scene they’re in, the show has a diverse cast of supporting characters that provide depth and intrigue. Gina Carano plays Cara Dune, a former rebel turned mercenary who crosses paths with the Mandalorian on several occasions. Taika Waititi (of Thor: Ragnarok fame) lends his voice to the bounty hunter droid, IG-11, one of the funniest and most likable characters on the show. Nick Nolte voices Kuiil, an alien farmer and arguably the tale’s wisest character.

John Favreau (director and Happy from the Marvel Cinematic Universe) is at the helm of the show as its director, executive producer, writer and creator. The slow pace of the episodes helps develop the setting and tone of the show, but Favreau intertwines enough action and tender moments to keep the audience invested. Disney’s big budget also helps the show look just as beautiful, if not more so, as any Star Wars production on the big screen. Ludwig Goransson, Grammy award winning composer/ producer, follows up on his success from the Black Panther soundtrack to create a theme that makes The Mandalorian feel like a true Western despite its extraterrestrial setting. While students are no doubt familiar with the baby Yoda memes or perhaps the phrase “This is the way,” less people have actually seen the show due to being intimidated by the Star Wars name. However, the show stands alone, and above, other Star Wars production, so those who are not fans of the franchise can enjoy the show just as much. The Mandalorian is a thrilling and gripping epic that can captivate any audience, not just Star Wars fans.

NUMBER OF EPISODES: • •

one season eight episodes

STATUS: •

season two is slated for fall 2020

WHERE TO WATCH: •

Disney+

Answers to last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities

Crossword created by Matthew Tempelmeyer

Comic by Dallas Wabbington

Sudoku created by Kristin Silva

DOTS AND BOXES

HOW TO PLAY: • Each player takes a turn connecting one dot to another adjacent dot horizontally or vertically, one move at a time. After a while, the board begins to fill with a series of horizontal and vertical lines, some connected, some not. • When a player draws a line that forms a square, that player fills the square with his first initial. The player, who drew the closing line on the square, gets another turn. OBJECTIVE: • The game is played until all the dots become boxes, and the player with the most boxes completed at the end becomes the winner. Comic by Abby Jones

ACROSS 1. What face was said to have launched 1000 ships? 4. In the traditional rhyme, how many mice were blind? 5. How many pedals do most modern pianos have? 7. What was Marilyn Monroe’s natural hair color? 8. Which instrument has forty-seven strings and seven pedals? 11. In nautical terms, what is the opposite of port? 14. Which Australian marsupial enjoys eating eucalyptus leaves? 15. Which Russian town suffered an infamous nuclear disaster in 1986? 17. Alfred, an ancient King of Wessex, is famous for burning what? 18. How many bones are on a Skull & Crossbones flag? 20. In women’s gymnastics, what is 6’ 6” long? 21. How many teeth does an aardvark have? 22. What is an irrational fear of trees called?

Crossword created by Matthew Tempelmeyer

DOWN 2. What popular book did Louisa May Alcott write? 3. Which sea creature has three hearts? 6. What is the Italian word for pie? 9. Which reptile, according to the song, should you never smile at? 10. Water boils at 212 degrees on which temperature scale? 12. How many legs does the Legs of Man have? 13. The last prisoner to be held in theTower of London was who? 16. In nautical terms, what is the opposite of windward? 19. Which country does the sport of pelato come from? 21. How many tails does a Manx cat have?

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

Athletic director Kyle Williams informs the Board of Regents that MSU’s men’s sports are suffering GPA wise.

Board of Regents members discuss 20-21 changes

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

Vice president Keith Lamb speaks to the board on proposed additions to the core cirriculum.

PHOTOS BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

(Enrollment management vice president Fred Dietz compares yeild rate between MSU and other Texas institutions. Feb. 13. | Provost James Johnston discusses what kind of skills MSU students need to make graduates more marketable.

KRISTIN SILVA EDITOR

fter hours of discussion of the potential changes for this institution, members of the Board of Regents introduced what will be implemented into the 2020-2021 academic school year.

TUITION

Suzanne Shipley, university president, announced the request to move the initial increased tuition rates

So, there is a new fee proposal.”

MSU Texas’s tuition and fees increase for 15 credit hours. Photo courtesy of the Board of Regents.

The administration recommended the creation of the Global Preparation Program, and a new tuition category for international students from certain partner secondary and postsecondary institutions, beginning in Fall 2020. The goal of this program is to increase the enrollment of well-prepared international students. International students currently pay one of three tuition rates: Tier I, for students earning a $1,000 competitive scholarship and earning a waiver to pay in-state tuition (limited to 5% of the previous year’s enrollment); Tier II, which is resident tuition plus $90 per semester credit hour; and Tier III, which is nonresident tuition. Tier II is not eligible for formula funding.

ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION

Vice President of Enrollment Management Fred Dietz said there was a 17% increase for new enrollment. “We also made some headway into some of the losses we had in the fall,” Dietz said. “We’ve cut those losses in half for the new students coming in, in the spring so we’re pleased with that.” “Yield” is something that the enrollment management team is looking at in terms of admission according to Dietz. downward after looking over the estimates of tuition and fees elsewhere in the state of Texas. “That original recommendation and proposal was a rate of 2.6% increase for our first-year students who would’ve started in Fall 2020,” Vice President of Administration and Finance Beth Reissenweber said. “Earlier this week, as President Shipley mentioned, she wanted to check where this price would put us in the market place.

“As the agricultural [community] looks at the yield of crops, we look at the yield of admissions and what that translates to from an enrollment standpoint,” he said. “This is a measure that we track really closely. The higher your yield, ideally, the more selective you are in terms of admission.” MSU Texas has been in a range of 28-35% of its yield for freshmen.

“Of the applicants we accept, the number that enroll, that’s the percent that we yield. This past year we came in at about 28% and the year prior we were at 33%,” he said. “Ideally, we want to be in that low 30% range; that’s a good number for us. That yield really helps us begin to know how many students are going to come to the institution. For the state of Texas, the average yield rate is 36.7% so we’re not that far off.”

According to the Board of Regents Minutes, the retention of freshmen increased from 64.6% in Fall 2017 to 67.4% in Fall 2018. Dietz did not provide retention rates for classes other than freshmen. Retention rates by college. Research provided by Vice President of Enrollment Management Fred Dietz.

The Spring 2020 enrollment number stands at 5,550 students in comparison to Spring 2019 where the number stood at 5,622 students.

MSU Annual Housing Rates (Proposed) Compared to 2019-2020 Rates at Peer Institutions. Chart courtesy of the Board of Regents Minutes.

Retention continues to be a focal point for the university. Dietz said the university is partnering with the EAB Student Success Collaborative to provide the university the ability to be more efficient and responsive to students in a timely manner.

Dietz said the overall target for retention is 75%.

“We believe that if we follow the higher education price index this year that our housing operation will be in good financial shape for this next coming year,” Lamb said. “We are proposing in our freshmen residence halls a 2.55% [increase], our suits in McCullough Trigg a 2.48% [increase], Legacy a 2.44% [increase], and our apartments a 2.43% [increase]. [It will be] a 0% increase for the summer.” According to Lamb, the university’s rates compare favorably to other institutions.

“We expected to be less down than we were for fall and we’ve caught up some of the enrollment for spring,” Shipley said.

“We have partnered with EAB for our student success collaborative,” Dietz said. “This is a software product that will allow us a lot of analysis, will provide us a lot of data related to our students and trends that we’re seeing. It will also help students in terms of how they interact with the university and how we interact with them. That project really has kicked off and we will begin implementation of that over the course of this spring and have it [fully] implemented by the end of the summer.”

enrollment management, proposed a slight increase to room and board rates based on the higher education price index for the fiscal year of 2020-2021.

“The institutions that we’ve selected here are institutions with whom we have a large number of shared applications, institutions that students are looking at when choosing Midwestern State University and institutions with similar profiles,” Lamb said.

REGISTRAR’S OFFICE CHANGES The registrar’s office has made changes to limit the amount of paper used by becoming more electronic.

ROOM AND BOARD RATES Keith Lamb, vice president of student affairs and

“We use a lot of paper on this campus and forms have to travel through [many] different people before they finally land in the place they’re supposed to. That process isn’t only just cumbersome and environmentally not-great at this point, but it really caus-

es problems for faculty and students,” David Carlston, faculty senate chairman, said.

Carlston said that the electronic system benefits both students and faculty. He also noted that the faculty has seen visible improvement since these initial changes. “The registrar’s office has made a lot of effort to start some initial changes to allow some things to be a little bit more electronic and facilitate things for students in general. We have seen a significant impact in terms of both workload and retention of our students as well,” Carlston said.

Williams acknowledged the difficulty of being a student-athlete but pointed out that a student-athlete is still a student first and foremost. “There is a balance that our kids have to go through, certainly, with practice, meets and games and all those things that are with that. At the same time, we have to balance the school work and grade point average, and ultimately graduate,” Williams said. Williams believes that the key to academic success in student-athletes begins with the recruitment stage. “My challenge to our coaches is to, as we talked about,

ATHLETICS REPORT

A report from Kyle Williams, assistant athletics director, showed that male student-athletes’ grade point averages continue to fall consistently behind the overall population of male students on campus and those of male athletes at other schools in the Lone Star Conference. “You can see in those charts that a couple of sports in the men’s category fall every semester below our men’s GPA, and we have urged Mr. Williams to work with our coaches to see how those grade points can be increased,” Shipley said.

2020-2021 MSU annual housing rates (proposed) compared to 2019-2020 rates at

The GPA of the women athletes has peer institutions. been much higher than not only the male student-athletes but also the overall female populamake sure we are recruiting the kids and the students tion on campus. that are going to have a chance to not only succeed on the “We can truthfully say for our women’s sports field or court but in the classroom as well,” Williams said. that you are more likely to do better academically as a Additional reporting by Amos Perkins. student-athlete. It’s mixed for our men’s sports,” Shipley said. READ MORE ONLINE

“This scholarship has tremendously impacted my life”

KHIRSTIA SHEFFIELD REPORTER fter walking across the stage and leaving 12 years of school behind, many students face one of the biggest choices they’ll ever make. That might be continuing on to higher education to fulfill or find their dream jobs, attending a trade school or becoming a freelancer of their passion since birth. And although going to college has been engraved in the minds of students, with the cost of tuition slowly increasing across American institutions, it can feel exhausting and strenuous to pile up thousands of dollars without the certainty of a career that will replenish the money lost. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, in 2019 student loan debt rose by 20 billion, placing the U.S. total amount at 1.5 trillion and signaling that the student loan debt crisis is swelling. This is making it even more important for students to have the opportunity to apply for scholarships to help relieve the financial burden of college. A’Lya Figueroa, business sophomore, attends college on a full-ride scholarship. The Priddy Foundation Scholars Program provides her scholarship because she is a first-generation student. “This scholarship has tremendously impacted my life,” Figueroa said. “Being able to attend college without being oppressed by any financial obligations is a blessing, but it also is way more than money to me. It’s a bond. We have numerous occasions where we are able to network and build relationships outside of our normal friend groups to help better ourselves.” Figueroa said she believes that being classified as a Priddy Scholar has not only opened up doors that will benefit her after graduation, but it has pushed her to step outside of her comfort zones. “With this scholarship, I feel like I am much more involved than I would have been,” Figueroa said. “If not for this scholarship, I would have probably just gone to class and stayed in my room without trying to become a part of my university community. This scholarship program really pushes me to be the best version of myself and that is something money cannot buy.” While attending Eisenhower High School in Lawton, Oklahoma, Figueroa said she worked hard to be a well-rounded student. She graduated with a 4.19 GPA and was ranked sixth in her class. Alhough she attended a small school, she knew the grades she made would help her attain scholarships to help reduce the amount

PHOTO COURTESY OF A’LYA FIGUEROA | THE WICHITAN

A’Lya Figueroa, business sophmore. Feb. 18.

she had to pay, but she never expected a scholarship that would fund her entire college career. “I felt like a weight was lifted off the shoulders of me and my parents,” said Figueroa. “I was grateful for the opportunity that was placed in my life, but I knew that I would have to work hard to maintain it.” The Priddy Foundation Scholars Program covers everything from room and board to parking stickers and study abroad programs. The program pushes its students to really experience everything the campus has to offer. Despite her scholarship pushing her to go above and beyond, Figueroa describes the extra pressure she feels to maintain good grades. “Although the scholarship only requires students to maintain a 2.5 GPA, I still feel like there is pressure because this scholarship is so prestigious,” Figueroa said. “In college it is so hard [not] to fall behind and one wrong turn can have you looking at a 2.0 GPA, so I have to be careful in not letting myself get too comfortable or complacent.” Figueroa also said she sometimes finds it hard to balance school work and the extra requirements her scholarship demands of her. “We have weekly meetings once a week for about an hour. We also have a big dinner every first Friday of the month, and once a semester we eat with our donor,” said Figueroa. “It can get difficult, especially during finals or stressful times of the semester, but I have to focus on time management, because to meet my 80 required program hours I have to attend these meeting regardless of the school work I have. I can’t do anything to jeopardize my scholarship.” In spite of the challenges she may face juggling between her requirements as a Priddy Scholar and a student, Figueroa said she continues to stay motivated because of her strong support system. Not only does she receive support from her family, but also from Cammie Dean, director of Priddy Scholars. “Cammie Dean is constantly motivating me and the rest of us on the scholarship,” said Figueroa. “She is like our campus mom, and I know we are all so thankful to have her in our corner.” All in all, Figueroa said she would do it all over again if she had to, and she believes that with or without the scholarship she would have attended MSU, because it has always felt like her home away from home.

The story behind alumni’s Caribbean restaurant:

FA Z M O Z

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Fazmoz restaurant. Feb. 18. DALLAS WABBINGTON REPORTER atisha Evans, university alumni and former Caribbean Student Organization member, opened a Caribbean restaurant in August of last year called “Fazmoz” to provide the community with Caribbean-style food and culture. After graduating in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, Evans stayed in Wichita Falls and began selling food to Caribbean students and locals from her apartment in 2016. Evans said she did not originally plan on going into the restaurant business after graduating. “My intentions were to own a business. What kind of business I could not tell you,” Evans said. “I was into a kind of marketing company. That was my main thing. Even though I was cooking, I was still wanting to go into marketing.” Although Evans enjoyed cooking good food, she said she never had a passion for cooking until she started cooking for locals. “It was motivating to see Caribbean students and local people coming to an apartment to buy food, good food,” Evans said. Evans said she did not have intentions to buy a restaurant until this year. She was driv-

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Quiet night inside Fazmoz restaurant. ing around the plaza where Fazmoz is now located and saw the building was for lease. Evans did not have the funds at the time of discovering the building but had been saving for four years and decided to go for it. When Evans saw the opportunity to open a restaurant and decided to sign the lease in January of 2019. Evans opened the restaurant in August of that year so she had five months to prepare and open the restaurant. Brooklyn Stone is a high school senior working at Fazmoz. Stone started working as a waitress at the restaurant before the opening. “When [Evans] was interviewing [the employees], she was still making changes to the restaurant. I was able to watch the progress,” Stone said. According to Evans, there was nothing in the building and no equipment. Redecorating and buying the necessary equipment for Fazmoz took all of her savings to get the restaurant where it is. Rather than buy all new equipment, Evans sourced out for used equipment. Emerson, her husband, owns a pressure washing company so the company cleaned all of the equipment. Evans changed the interior of the building to match the traditional Caribbean-style with

painted walls to match the different colors of Caribbean flags as reggae-style music plays in the background. “If you would have come here when the restaurant was still Fuzzy’s Tacos, you never would have expected it to look like this. [Evans] redid the floors, the walls, the decorations. All of the straw walls, she made them herself,” Stone said, Mercy Yermo, exercise physiology senior, was interested in Fazmoz because it was a unique restaurant. “[Fazmoz] brought the atmosphere the owners were hoping to create,” Yermo said. Evans wanted to provide the city with fresh ingredients and good service. Evans said that although the city has many restaurants, most of them are fast food chains and lack fresh food. “A lot of people from Wichita Falls have visited my country and visited the entire Caribbean and love the Caribbean. The only time they get to experience the food and that vibe would be if they had the chance to go back to the Caribbean. [Aside from] Caribbean students, the locals love Caribbean food,” Evans said. Before working at Fazmoz, Stone did not know there was a Caribbean organization on

campus. Stone did not expect a city like Wichita Falls to be home to many foreign students. “I found out about the Caribbean organization because on Sundays, [Evans] provided free delivery to that organization. I wondered why she was delivering to specific people. I always figured [foreign exchange students] would go to a bigger city and not Wichita Falls,” Stone said. Evans admitted that she does not want to remain in the restaurant business for the rest of her life. She is thinking about going into real estate after she finds a manager to take over Fazmoz. “I’m a person that believes in being multitalented and using all of your talent to the best of your ability,” Evans said. “Being that type of person, I can’t sit around in one area.” Evans is interested in opening up restaurant chains from the support of the community. Even though she may leave Fazmoz, Evans wants Caribbean food to have a presence in the community. “I will not be in this business forever, but I’m going to ensure that Caribbean food is always served in Wichita Falls and throughout Texas,” Evans said.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

President Suzanne Shipley talks to a crowd of around 35 at the Campus Conversation event about joining the Texas Tech System. Feb. 18.

MSU Texas administration considers invitation to join Texas Tech University system CORTNEY WOOD WAI-KUN EDITOR resident Suzanne Shipley met with Student Government Association administration members to discuss student reaction and involvement after Midwestern State University officials announced an invitation to be in alliance with the Texas Tech University on Friday, Feb. 14. According to Shipley, she felt it was vital to meet with SGA members to discuss how students would like to be heard. “We think the students would rather be in a group of students discussing this,” Shipley said. “This is just a time to see how people respond to the opportunity.” Shipley, Board of Regents chairman Craven Crossnoe and Executive Committee vice-chairwoman Nancy Marks announced the formal invitation to join the Texas Tech University System Friday morning during a faculty and staff meeting at 10 a.m. Following that meeting, university officials held a press conference at 11 a.m. to further elaborate on this PHOTO COURTESY WWW.TTU.EDU option. “We need to, as a board, determine what is best for this university at this time,” Crossnoe said. “It would have been awful easy to say ‘we’ll just bump this down the road and let the next board decide,’ but we think that would have been shrinking out duties, so we think it is the best thing to look at this right now to determine whether it’s best for us to do it or not do it.” Should the partnership pass, Midwestern State University will not change its name, color or mascot, but there will be an addition “a member of the Texas Tech University System” to its identity. Midwestern

State University will continue to be a part of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. “We don’t think students are going to see a big difference,” Shipley said. “The main difference will be that this board goes away and you answer to a different board; students don’t really care about this board. The president of Angelo said they make all independent budget decisions, all independent curricular decision, their tuition doesn’t have to match Tech’s tuition, so it’s not like we’re in locked step with them. It’s a looser confederation and that’s what appealed to us about it.” Shipley said this alliance would help the university financially because it would allow the university to have better borrowing prices. “We have debt that is related to our bond rating, so for us to borrow money is more expensive than for Tech to borrow money,” Shipley said. “They would borrow money for us at a much lower rate. To build a building or to do anything with borrowed money would be cheaper with Tech.” Midwestern State University is one of four independent Texas universities, and it would be the fifth university to join the Texas Tech University System if this plan is approved. According to Crossnoe, Texas state education officials are encouraging independent universities to join larger university systems. “There’s very clearly some push from the state government for all the independent [universities] to comfortably become part of a system,” Crossnoe said. “We felt that nobody has directed us to do that, but al lof those things are moving forward towards the future of us being part of a system.” Crossnoe said the system’s capacity to influence state-level is much greater than independent universities. If officials elect to join the Texas Tech University System, the local Board of Regents will not continue as the Midwestern State University Board of Regents. Crossnoe said the Board of Regents feel confident that there will be a local person selected to represent the Wichita Falls and Midwestern State University community on the board as well as likely

an advisory board. “The circumstances of our education have changed over the last couple of years,” Crossnoe said. “If you had asked the Board of Regents a year or two ago whether we could consider this, the answer probably would have been definitely no. Since that time, we face the realities we are pretty limited right now. The new Gunn Health Sciences Center was a tremendous project from us. We probably don’t have the capacity in the immediate future to do anything comparable to that again. That is kind of driving the system. Being a part of a system would help us with that.” Shipley said this decision could be made as soon as May, but there’s no definite answer because the board has to have enough information and research to ensure this would be the best decision for MSU as an institution. “We’re not just free to do this,” Shipley said. “It’s the legislature’s decision, so we can’t say ‘they’re offering us membership and we’re accepting it,’ they’ve invited us to consider it, PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE so we’re considering it. WICHITAN If we decide to pursue it, President Suzanne Shipley explains we’ll draft legislation and what it means for Texas Tech Univerthe legislators have to ap- sity to extend a formal invitation to prove it. Then we have to join the university’s system on Friday, have six months where Feb. 14. our accrediting body decides whether we can do it or not. If everybody said this is wrong for the community, I don’t think the board would do it.” Additional reporting by Kristin Silva.

BEHIND THE SET OF

‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

(Above) Students apart of the musical Little Shop of Horrors rehearse a scene. Feb. 16. EMILY BEAMAN REPORTER ehearsals for MSU’s 2020 spring musical Little Shop of Horrors have been in full swing since the first week of the semester, and there will still be many more before the opening night. For this musical, rehearsals are split into three parts. Acting and blocking led by Sally Story, choreography led by Morgan Mallory and music led by Dr. Dease. I had the opportunity to sit in during a choreography rehearsal to share it with those who may not know the typical process of preparing for a performance. Rehearsals began at 5 p.m. When I first arrived, Nikki Anderson, the assistant stage manager, was sweeping the stage. The set was a wooden platform and walls on wheels. One side represented the inside of the shop, and the other was meant to be the street outside. According to director Sally Story, the set, along with puppets used in the show, has been in the process of construction since the beginning of the semester under the direction of Eric Koger, Department Chair and professor. After the stage was cleared, and the cast was signed in, Morgan Mallory, the choreographer,

got the ball rollmajor adjustments ing. there and here. Rehearsal beThe actor’s gan with a dance dancing has to be number between extremely precise Seymor, portrayed for the end picture by Steven Singleto be clean. Actors ton II, and Mr. worked on specific Mushnik, porangles for dance trayed by Calvin moves, foot placeRussell. The actors ment and words walked through to move on to enthe dance and exsure everybody’s perimented with movements were PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN in sync. blocking, where the actors move Assistant professor and choreographer of Little Jordan Ingram, to, before running Shop of Horrors Morgan Mallory directs students to music education the song with the different sections of the stage. freshman, was Broadway music cast in her high track. school’s production of Little Shop of Horrors This process repeated itself through most as a trio member and now portrays Audrey in of the rehearsal period. Songs were first talked MSU’s production. During the actor’s five minthrough step-by-step, then walked through and ute break, she gave insight into what rehearsthen run with the music. als are like for her. Mallory would step back to the stage man“I’m in rehearsal at least four to five hours ager’s table and watch the scene unfold while every day,” Ingram said. “That much time is making minor adjustments here and there and very typical for anybody involved in the play.

And I spend about an hour before or after rehearsal working on my lines and singing.” After the break, the wooden set was turned around, and rehearsal continued as it had before: talk, walk and then run the song. For the next hour, actors danced through scenes and songs along Skid Row. MSU typically puts on a musical every other year. However, with the addition of a musical theatre minor, Story says that she hopes to direct musicals more frequently. Story believes that the impact of being involved with a theatre show encompasses the students, relationships formed and a greater campus community. “I truly hope this will bring more attention to the Musical Theatre program we are trying to build here at MSU Texas,” Story said. “I would love to see us do more musicals here and offer more opportunities for our students.” MSU’s production of Little Shop of Horrors opens on March 5 and closes on March 8 and is performed in the Fain Auditorium. On March 5 and 6, showtimes will be at 7:30 p.m., March 7 will be at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. and March 8 will be at 2:30 p.m.

SOFTBALL WENT 1-3 IN MSU TEXAS

I N V I TAT I O NA L

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

Education junior and first base Carson Solis swings and hits the ball. Feb. 16.

PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN OSEGUERA | THE WICHITAN

Sophomore dental hygiene major and pitcher Kathryn Wells takes a deep breath and focuses before throwing a pitch against Regis (Colo.) at the MSU softball field. Feb. 16.

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Psychology senior and outfielder Kelsey Eropkin runs home from third base. Feb. 16.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

Special education senior and outside fielder Lauren Lindgren launches a ball hit by Regis (Colo.) back to the in-field. Feb. 16.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

Psychology sophomore and pitcher Mattye Tyler winds her arm up to release a strong ball against Regis (Colo.). Feb. 16.

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Psychology sophomore and pitcher Mattye Tyler leaves a trail of dust with a pitch. Feb. 16.

AN EMOTIONAL NIGHT

IN THE DOME PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

Mass communication junior and guard Bri Wingfield escapes UT Tyler’s defense to attempt a 2-pointer. Feb. 15.

Senior and forward Ola Ayodele jumps to shoot a floater over the head of a UT Tyler player. Feb. 15.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

Nursing junior and guard Kaki Simpson goes for a layup against UT Tyler. Feb. 15.

TAYLOR ANDERSON REPORTER

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL MUSTANGS VS PATRIOTS (64-60)

omen’s basketball broke their losing streak in a nail biter 64-60 win over the University of Texas-Tyler Patriots Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. in the Dome. The women’s team faced more than the Patriots this week as Head Coach Noel Johnson stepped away to continue her battle against ovarian cancer. Elizabeth Cathcart (No. 43), forward and marketing senior, leads the team in scoring on the court and also leads the team off the court in Johnson’s absence. “It sucks that she doesn’t get to be with us, and it’s definitely not a situation that anyone would want, but her health comes first. That’s the biggest and most important fight for us. Despite the situation, you have to keep showing up and doing what you’re supposed to do. [Our] motivation has always been to play for Midwestern and for your coaches,” Cathcart said. Mica Schneider (No. 4), guard and business finance senior, received Lonestar Conference Offensive Player of the Week by consistently

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

Military personnel celebrate a 3-pointer scored by business finance senior and guard Mica Schneider against UT Tyler. Feb. 15.

putting up high scoring totals throughout the week, including her 25-point outburst on Saturday. Along with high expectations for herself, she also has high expectations for the team. “LSC tournament is in mind but one game at a time. We have two tough opponents next week that we lost to on the road, so we want to get revenge on that, and if we take care of business next week we should see that outlook in that tournament,” Schneider said. Assistant Coach Christopher Reay took control of the team while Johnson recovers, and he has only one goal in mind. “Have fun, fight every possession and win for Coach J,” Reay said. The Mustangs will take on Arkansas Fort Smith Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the D.L. Ligon Coliseum. CHRISTIAN OSEGUERA REPORTER

MEN’S BASKETBALL MUSTANGS VS PATRIOTS (68-65)

UT Tyler looked to avenge its loss and put a dagger into the hearts of the enemy, as MSU came away with the 59-44 victory on Jan. 2 at

Mass communication senior and guard Elijah Lee catches a dropped ball and sucessfully makes a 2-pointer against UT Tyler. Feb. 15.

UT Tyler. The Mustangs looked to set the tone for its upcoming battles in the future. Elijah Lee (No. 1), guard and mass communication senior, continued to dish the ball out well, finishing with five assists. Lee has had at least five assists in eight of his last 10 games. “When guys don’t touch the ball on the offensive end, it affects their energy on the defensive end,” Lee said. “I’m an unselfish guy by nature. I get some type of satisfaction out of getting assists.” D’monta Harris (No. 13), guard and applied arts & sciences senior, set the Mustangs off, running with an easy layup early in the game and he kept that momentum the whole game. When momentum turned in UT Tyler’s favor, Harris curbed it with a 3-pointer. Harris scored 16 points to lead his team in scoring, and he has now scored at least 14 points in the last eight games. UT Tyler held a marginal lead over the Mustangs for a large part of the second half, but a Harris 3-pointer and a Patriots turnover gave MSU the opportunity to shorten the lead. In the possession after the turnover, Derrick Herrick (No. 10), guard and kinesiology freshman, hit a key three to shorten the Patriot’s lead by one. Lee then hit a jumper to pull the Mustangs ahead, and he hit a dagger three to lengthen

the lead to four and ultimately win 68-65. “We went out there and guarded their man. We had to do a better job at penetrating the ball. Ultimately getting those stops led us to score more points in the other direction,” Justin Leslie, head men’s basketball coach, said. MSU faces Arkansas-Fort Smith in its next game on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m. inside D.L. Ligon Coliseum.

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PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

A lone leaf hangs onto a branch despite the snow and ice weighing it down. Feb. 6 | A white-winged dove perches on a snow-covered branch to stay off the cold ground. | Mass communication senior Christian Oseguera snaps a shot in the heavily falling snow.

W ICH I TA’ S W I N T ER

WONDERLAND Tre Bailey and Ben Bailey play tag in the snow. Feb. 5.

PHOTO BY BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN

The four Mustangs outside of Centennial Hall brave the snow. Feb. 5. | Ben Bailey takes full advantage of school being cancelled and plays his favorite game - catch. | A resident of Wichita Falls contemplates making the trek up Lake Wichita’s “mountain.”