April 16, 2008

The student voice of Midwestern State University

The Wichitan page 4 Get to steppin’

Campus organizations strut their stuff during stomp show Monday

page 10 Sports Saturday Maroon team defeats gold, 6-0, in football game to highlight Jeff Williams Sports Saturday

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Voice of experience

Assault victim punished

Senator Bob Dole visits campus as part of Artist Lecture Series Brittany Norman Editor In Chief

The U.S. economy, while trending downward, is not freefalling toward a catastrophe, former U.S. senator and one-time presidential candidate Bob Dole said Monday night.

Dole made the statement in a private interview prior to speaking to MSU students, faculty and the Wichita Falls community as part of the Artist Lecture Series. In that same interview he also justified America’s presence in Iraq and voiced his support for presidential hopeful John McCain.

Dole served in the United States Congress for 35 years, ran for president in 1996 where he was defeated by Bill Clinton, and ran for vice president in 1976.

Currently, he is serving on a committee to investigate problems with treatment of veterans.

Dole said he was not alarmed by the current state of the economy.

“It’s not the first time the economy has slowed down,” he said. “I think the basics are still pretty sound. It’s very volatile, but we’re not headed for some depression.”

He said that the housing market is in a state of crisis, but that the government must tread lightly to avoid becoming too deeply involved.

“We need to protect deserving people, but we need to be sure we don’t bail out some of the people who made bad loans knowing they shouldn’t have had the loans in the first place.”

With talk about health care, the deficit and social

Chris Collins Managing Editor

security at the forefront of the presidential candidates’ platforms, Dole discussed the power that the economy could cast over the election.

“The economy is always important in election years and it’ll be a factor,” he said. “If it picks up, it could be a big plus (to the Republicans).”

The topic of dollars and cents segued into the war in Iraq.

“The war in Iraq is a factor with many people, but I think deep down people know we’re in a war on terror,” he said. “We have short memories. We want to move on in America. We don’t want to live in the past and focus Photo by Patrick Johnston on 9-11, but it happened and there Senator Bob Dole spoke to an audience of students and commuwere people killed and we’ve had nity members on Monday evening in Akin Auditorium. to spend hundreds of billions of there were weapons of mass destruction. Turned out dollars from all the stuff since then, so that doesn’t there weren’t – at least we haven’t found them yet – do much for the economy either.” but everyone believed that.”

Dole believes the selective memory of Americans He said that list of people who believed that Iraq has made it difficult to see what got us into the war in possessed weapons of mass destruction included Bill the first place.

Clinton and Al Gore as well as George W. Bush.

“When the war didn’t end in a couple months, (a “Now, of course, everybody’s got their ideas. It’s lot of people) changed their minds,” he said. “Should been a long time,” Dole said. “But you have to keep we have gone into Iraq? I don’t know. I wasn’t there, in mind, we’re not fighting a country. This is not like I didn’t have the material, but I can tell you that evSee “Dole” pg. 4 ery leading person in this country and others thought

‘Great Day of Service’ debuts on campus Ryan Hatcher For The Wichitan

MSU will come together Saturday, April 19 to mark its first “Great Day of Service.”

According to Assistant Professor Candice Fulton, the occasion is a great opportunity for students, faculty and staff to serve Wichita Falls by completing two hours of community service.

“I have always had a huge heart for doing service and I think it’s important to help those in our community,” Fulton said.

Fulton was a first generation graduate from her family who said she was helped out a lot on her way through college. She wants to return the favor.

Whether it be through time, skills or money, people need to know the value of giving back, she said.

The idea for a “Great Day of Service” came about when Fulton tried a similar exercise with her class last fall for extra credit.

“Students really enjoyed participating and saw the good effect they could have on others,” the chemistry teacher said.

Everyone will have a number of community service options to choose from, including helping with the Special Olympics, working in the Faith Mission soup kitchen, campus cleanup, door-to-door food collection, city park clean up, WALC book fair, helping at the Boys and Girls Club and elementary school clean-up and planting.

Fulton’s goal for the “Great Day of Service” is to round up 200 volunteers on campus.

So far only fifty people have committed to volunteering, 40 of which are from the Caribbean student organization.

“The Caribbean students have always been willing to blanket themselves in any event and help out with whatever is needed without having any obligation to do so,” Fulton said.

Fulton wants to encourage all students and faculty to spread the word as well as serve by signing up teams.

This can be accomplished by either e-mailing gds@mwsu. edu or obtaining a service selection form from a campus organization leader or faculty member.

All participants are to meet in the Comanche Suites in the

Clark Student Center from 9 to 10:30 a.m. for breakfast and to obtain their assignment paperwork.

The first 100 participants to obtain their assignment paperwork will receive a free T-shirt.

“The organization or college with the most participants will receive a trophy,” Fulton said.

According to Fulton not a lot of feedback has been received so far, but she is looking forward to the actual event.

She hopes to meet her 200 person volunteer goal with hopes of having an even bigger turnout next year.

ed driving the wrong way down Taft.

He swerved left to avoid oncoming traffic and collided with two trees on MSU property.

The MSU physical plant couldn’t be reached for an appraisal of the damage.

Vasquez was transported to the emergency room at United Regional’s 10th Street campus to treat a dislocated hip and a broken leg.

Smith, who was not in the vehicle when it crashed, was uninjured.

The MSU Police Department has made no report of the incident.

“It just ended up in our lap,” Officer Mike Cross said.

Wichita Falls police that were present at the accident believe alcohol was involved.

Vasquez could face charges of theft and driving while intoxicated, said Sgt. Joe Snyder, public information officer for the Wichita Falls Police Department said.

Wichita Falls police continue to investigate the accident.

Man hurt after colliding with tree Chris Collins Managing Editor

One man was injured in an auto accident April 13 when a stolen vehicle crashed onto the MSU campus.

The owner of the truck, Barry Smith, 6003 Crestview, dropped off Jacob Vasquez, 4611 Taft, near his home. The two men are not MSU students.

When Smith let Vasquez out Photo by Patrick Johnston near the 3600 block of Taft, Vasquez jumped behind the A man was injured on April 13 when he crashed a vehicle into this tree on the MSU campus. wheel of the vehicle and start-

An MSU resident was placed on housing probation after being assaulted in Pierce Hall March 30.

Freshman Travis Monk, 18, was inside the room Craig Rice, 18, room Saturday evening when the two began to argue. Rice grabbed Monk, Monk said, and a friend broke them up.

“It wasn’t anything huge,” Monk said.

Rice had begun crying, Monk said. It appeared he had been drinking. When Monk and a friend tried to help Rice, a second altercation began.

A third fight transpired outside the dormitory, Monk said.

His shirt was ripped and he suffered minor contusions, cuts and bruises.

Later that night, Monk flagged down a Wichita Falls police officer in the Sikes Senter parking lot. He made a formal complaint of the assault.

The following Wednesday, Monk was informed by Pierce Hall Director Wayne Shields that he and Rice would both serve a year’s term housing probation. Monk would also have to write a two-page paper about what he had learned since the assault.

Monk said he was confused as to why he was being punished when he was assaulted.

Shields claimed he had instigated the incident. Monk denies this.

“What happened is bullshit,” Monk said. “I think this system is screwed up.”

Shields told Monk he could also consult the Dean of Students Dail Neely about the incident. Monk declined.

It may be ironic that Monk is a criminal justice major.

Monk said he reported the incident only to have a record of it. It could be important if he was assaulted again, he said.

His own complaint turned back on him, Monk said. “I could have pressed charges, but didn’t. I never meant to get anyone in trouble.”

Monk said if he were assaulted again at MSU, he wouldn’t complain or contact the authorities. He’s afraid the same thing will happen again.

“They need to focus on what’s right and wrong,” Monk said.

Monk said there aren’t hard feelings between him and Rice, even though he feels he was punished wrongly.

“Everything is solved,” was Rice’s only comment.

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The Wichitan

Staff Editorial

Plastic parasite

Anyone who has lost an MSU campus card

and paid the $20 replacement fee has wondered what that $20 goes toward.

It doesn’t buy new equipment, since a small

tripod and a couple of computers doesn’t consititute a technological stockpile.

It doesn’t remodel the Campus Card Services

office, which is scantly larger than a walk-in closet.

It doesn’t pay for the flimsy plastic cards with

our washed-out photos on them.

Do you know where it goes?

A fund. That’s what workers in the office

shoved between the bookstore and a hallway will tell you.

But this small space is robbing student pockets

at every opportunity.

Did you know that, in addition to the $20

paid every time a card is replaced (which amounts to about $10,000 every year), the service is allocated $110,365 of student money annually?

$110,365 for what? Who knows. The Wichitan

only recieves $25,000 annually. That’s less than a quarter of what Campus Card Services recieves.

They must do four times the work we do!

We can’t even get you into the computer lab.

Or whatever else the campus card does.

For a product that is supposed to benefit

students, the cost of having a campus card just isn’t worth it. Maybe we should just trash them.

But if we do that, how are we going to spend

all of our Maroon Money?

Stuffed animals pieces of life

Everyone had (or may still have) a little fluffy cuddle buddy, a stuffed friend; a Haley Cunningham best budFor The Wichitan dy by the name of “Fido” or “Gizmo”. I’m not one to judge, I still love my stuffed animals. In fact, I still share a bed with three. Chester, Fox in Sox and Green Blobby. I rarely suffer a sleepless night with my stuffed animal posse by my side…or at least in the general vicinity, I tend to be a kicker.

When I was young, I had dozens of stuffed animals. Of course I had to make sure all of them got a spot beside me when it came bed-time, just in case one of them got their little animal feelings hurt. As you can imagine, it was quite uncomfortable for me, and quite amusing for my parents. Sometimes you couldn’t even spot a tiny little Haley head among the many toys. I didn’t care; to this day I still believe that stuffed animals have souls.

No, I’m not talking about the “Webkinz” type of plush toy soul. (Webkinz, what a phony excuse for stuffed companions these days.)

In case you aren’t hip with the lingo, Webkinz readily available stuffed animals that come with an 8-character code. By registering this code on the Webkinz website, you “adopt” this pet in the virtual Webkinz World, which is an online play area with its own economy.

Kids can earn money, called KinzCash, by buying new pets in the stores, then playing online games, answering general knowledge questions, and daily activities like clicking “I love my Webkinz!”

Imagine Giga Pets meets Beanie Babies…with a tiny dash of obsession.

Kids can spend their KinzCash on food and clothing for their pet, items for their pet’s room, or to build rooms onto their “house.”

Imagine old-school “house” meeting the worldwide interweb of chaos.

Concerns have been raised about children’s use and overuse of the toys. Some worry that children will become addicted to

the game, and it has even gone so far that the toys are a distraction in school, causing the toys to be banned in some schools.

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m all for old-school “Rover” and all over opposing this evil that is “WebKinz.”

I don’t mean to sound old, but back in my day, not every second-grader had ready access to the Internet on their cell phone.

Our best friends were the tattered teddy bear, the worn out bunny rabbits, the blankets and pillows and even in my brother’s case, the dishrags.

These guys stuck it out through thick and thin (more often the thick.) Our friends saw the dark side of the crack between the bed and the wall; they were dismembered, lost their eyes, had their noses rubbed off and their ears gnawed away. Not to mention they were suffocated every night as you held them close for security purposes.

You may call me imaginative, but these guys aren’t just filled with fluff, they have a soul inside. It’s a soul that is imparted from your tiny self, not purchased on the Internet with KinzCash. They spent every devoted night by your side, keeping

you safe from the beasties. They caught all your tears until they were stained. They followed you everywhere, crushed when you left for school and ecstatic when you returned.

As you look upon your tattered friend today, you are in fact looking upon your childhood in a physical form.

They shared your slumber filled nights, warm at your side and then comforted you when you awoke from your nightmares.

They watched you grow and grow away from them. Now they most likely sit atop a dark closet with the rest of your childhood storage.

Go dig out your old friend from the dust and the boxes and hug them. Hold them close. I promise it will be unlike any kind of stress reliever you can imagine. You are not just reuniting with someone you used to know; you are rekindling an old friendship and embracing a piece of your childhood. A piece of your childhood that will be eternally grateful and loyal to you until all of their stuffing or limbs are gone. And even then, they won’t be far in your memory.

THINK GREEN: Please recycle The Wichitan after reading.

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The Wichitan 3410 Taft Blvd. Box 14 • Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 News Desk (940) 397-4704 • Advertising Desk (940) 397-4705 Fax (940) 397-4025 • E-mail WICHITAN@mwsu.edu Web site: http://www.mwsu.edu/~wichitan Copyright © 2007. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. 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. First copy of the paper is free of charge; additional copies are $1. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a telephone number and address for verification purposes. The editor retains the right to edit letters.

Editorial Board

Reporters Richard Carter Josh Mujica

Copy Editor Marissa Millender

Entertainment Editor Courtney Foreman

Photographers Loren Eggenschwiler

Adviser Randy Pruitt

Sports Editor Bobby Morris

Advertising Manager Correlle Ferlance

Editor-in-Chief Brittany Norman

Managing Editor Chris Collins Op-Ed Editor Position Open

Photo Editor Patrick Johnston

Entertainment

The Wichitan April 16, 2008

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The Wichitan April 16, 2008

News

Lost ID cards cost students $10,000 every year Kaitlin Morrison For the Wichitan

Campus Card Services is raking in money from MSU students losing their ID cards.

Every year the service makes about $10,000 from lost cards.

That translates to 500 lost cards per year.

To replace a card that has been lost, damaged or stolen; it costs students $20 every time.

The only way that the Campus Card Services office will replace a card for free is if a girl gets married and changes her

name or if the card is so worn down the picture is indistinguishable.

“When we started the program, we adopted the policy from other schools. We checked their prices and made ours somewhere in between,” said Campus Card Director Sherry Kingcade.

“MSU’s price isn’t the cheapest, but it isn’t the highest.”

The program began in August of 2004. All students, faculty and staff were required to have their picture made and put on an ID.

“We wanted to make students aware of the significance of their ID cards. It’s not just a little piece of plastic,” Kingcade said.

Campus ID cards are important to MSU students.

The card enables students free admission to all events on campus, such as athletic games, plays and extracurricular events.

Students who live on campus can only enter into their dorms if they have a campus ID card.

If they want to eat in the cafeteria, they must possess an ID

card.

If someone were to steal an ID card, they, too, could enter the dorms, causing an unsafe situation for students all over the campus.

Many students have money put on their cards through Wells Fargo Bank. It serves as their debit card.

Parents of MSU students can add Maroon Money to their children’s ID cards. This allows students to spend money at various locations all over Wichita Falls, like restaurants, gas stations and other stores.

So when students lose these cards, they lose more than just the small piece of plastic with their picture and student ID number.

So far this academic year, from September 2007 to January 2008, about 266 cards have been lost. This means that the Campus Card Services have made approximately $5,400.

“The amount of lost cards peaks the first two months of every semester. That’s when students realize their card is gone and they need it,” Kingcade said.

Campus Card Services just doesn’t rely on students paying the lost card fees. Every year, campus card gets its budget from the Student Allocations Fee. “The board takes out about $10,000 out of the amount we turn in because they know we will make somewhere around that number in lost cards,” Kingcade said. “The $20 amount isn’t to help our service make money. It’s to help students realize that losing this card could potentially be dangerous to someone around them.”

and works more hours. Couch, 21, manages a Shell gas station, working between 40-50 hours per week. Last semester he tackled 21 semester hours, but it currently taking 15.

“It’s not too bad,” he said. “I study and do my homework at work mostly.”

Vikki Chaviers, a licensed counselor in the Counseling Center, said she understands.

While attending MSU herself, she worked 20 hours per week on campus and later got a different job.

“The times are different now, and that was 35 years ago. Plus,

I was living at home at the time,” she said.

Some students have found that even working a part time job and going to school full time can be taxing.

Monica Jones, a business major, works about 25 hours per week and takes 14 credit hours.

“I don’t know how I do it because I’m bad with time management,” she said. “It is very hard and I just don’t have time.”

Renisha James only works nine hours a week on campus, but also takes 19 credit hours.

She finds that a feat within itself.

Other students think that working and having a job is not that bad. Ryan Malone works approximately 32 hours per week at a hospital and takes 13 hours.

He said sometimes it is hard to balance his school work with his job and life, but enjoys the challenge.

“Whenever I’m awake and not working, I’m reading. Sometimes it’s tough, sometimes it’s not,” he said.

Marquita Ward, exercise physiology major, works 20 hours per week part time at a clothing store.

“My hours are really good,

and it’s not hard for me to work and go to school. I just have to make or find time to do both,” she said. She is taking 14 credit hours this semester.

Chaviers cited a formula to help perform the balancing act of maintaining a job and being successful in school.

“If a student is taking 12 hours, they should keep their work hours at a maximum of 25, no more than 30. Also, if they can, they should try to find a job pertaining to the field they are studying,” she said. Chaviers said the Career Management Center can assist students in finding jobs

related to their field because full time and part time opportunities are often available.

For every one credit hour, a student should spend two to three hours studying for that class, she said.

“If you do the math, that ends up being a full time job, too.

Imagine adding a 40-hour work load on top of that.”

Time management is essential to combating school, work and a social life.

Students said that most employers are flexible and accommodate their school schedules and activities.

Students figure out balance between work and school Karmen C. Simmons For the Wichitan

Having a job can be challenging for students, especially those who attend MSU full time.

Trying to balance a social life, school, and work can be daunting.

Rashad Blanton, engineering major, works more than 30 hours a week and is currently taking 14 credit hours.

“All I do is sleep, work, and go to school, and I barely have time to sleep,” he said.

Todd Couch, sociology major, carries a much heavier load

Dole........................................................................................................................................................................................continued from page 1

World War II or Vietnam or even the Gulf. We’re fighting these terror groups and they’re everywhere. They’re kind of amorphous.”

Dole said the situation has become more complicated with Iran weighing in now and Syria sending terrorists to help harm Americans in Iraq.

“No one wants to stay one day longer than necessary,” he said.

“I think most Americans want stability. If I were your age and I was thinking down the road 15 years instead of 15 minutes, I’d like to see the world with a diplomatic Iraq, and maybe some

of the other countries becoming more democratic. That’s the best thing that could happen to the people.”

As far as Dole is concerned, John McCain is the best man for the job of president and is far more qualified than Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama.

“Foreign policy-wise, I’m not even sure they (Obama and Clinton) are on the ‘B team,’” he said. “But he (McCain) is definitely on the ‘A team.’”

He says McCain’s experience as a veteran is important to many people, particularly veterans and their families. He also has experience in foreign policy and na-

tional security as well, he noted.

“But it’s too early to tell,” Dole said. “He’s got to pick a running mate, it has got to be somebody experienced, of course, someone younger.”

At the moment, he believes that Americans are growing tired of the constant campaign coverage.

“I think there’s a little voter fatigue right now here in America, I don’t care what party you’re in,” he said. “How many nights do we have to watch that in Pennsylvania, it’s 45-52? Is that a news story? Does that tell you anything about what (the candidates) really believe in?”

With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan still going on, stretching the U.S. military, talk of a draft has come up. Dole doesn’t believe it will come down to such a drastic measure.

“I voted for an all-volunteer army,” he said. “Obviously, if we had some calamity that we can’t foresee, you might have to do a draft, but we’ve got some outstanding young men and women serving our country right now, making sacrifices, and they’re volunteers.”

He said that these days, the military isn’t a bad career choice with the benefits that are offered.

STOMP SHOW Above: Members of Omega Delta Phi placed second. Top right and far right: Members of Delta Sigma Theta placed first.

Immediate right: Members of Alpha Phi Alpha placed in third. The winners were decided by audience applause.

Photos by Patrick Johnston

He said all of the candidates are going to have to prove to voters that they can handle the dynamic issues across the nation.

“If you’re the candidate, like John McCain is, you’ve got to go out there and make your case,” Dole said. “You’ve got to have an economic plan; you’ve got to have a national security plan; you’ve got to have a health care plan.”

And the race doesn’t all rest on policy.

“A lot depends on how long the democratic race goes on,” Dole said. “They’re getting pretty personal. I think most people

are turned off by constant negative politics, from either party.”

It only takes one event to make all the difference in the eventual outcome, according to Dole.

“In politics, one day can be a lifetime,” he said. “I mean, you make a mistake, you say something, something happens in America or some place we have an interest in, and it can change everything. People begin to understand what’s really important is liberty and freedom and which one of these candidates is best suited to ensure it.”

Dole was the final speaker in this year’s series. He was paid $50,000 for his appearance.

News

“Great Day of Service” entrance

deadline; volunteers work 2 hours for community; CSC Comache; 9 a.m.

- 1 p.m.

Part-time/ volunteer

job fair; Clark Student Center; Thurs.

12 - 3 p.m.

• April 18

Academic Awards

Dinner; Wichita Falls Country Club; Fri. 7 p.m.; Tickets $15.

•

Adult literacy book fair; Wichita

Falls Museum of Art; Friday - Sunday.

•

Student-directed one act play fes-

Student- directed

one act play festival; Fain Fine Arts Theatre; 7:30 p.m.

Lion’s Club Day Habitat for Hu-

manity; Fuller Estates; Saturday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

•

African Student Organization

banquet; dance, drama, African cuisine; Sat. 4 p.m.; call 882-2349 for details.

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This is no longer the case.

“All fees are here to stay,” said Allan Goldapp, associate vice president for facilities services.

“We’re never going to see any of this money recovered.”

The Lone Star State hasn’t exactly prepared the university for the jolt by providing increased funding, Goldapp said. The state legislature will meet again next year to evaluate the new MSU budget.

The hike in utility expenses is largely due to national inflation of natural gas. Usage at the university hasn’t changed dramatically, but gasoline and diesel prices have.

The MSU motor pool consists of about 55 trucks, vans, cars and busses. Most vehicles belong to the physical plant fleet.

Last year, the university fueling

station used 15,388 gallons of fuel for the motor pool, spending $42,799. In addition, 5,817 gallons of fuel were purchased off campus, adding another $17,210 to the bill.

The university’s natural gas rate has been locked in since last spring and won’t be renegotiated for another year. The electricity contract, however, expires in September, and a bidding process will determine if any changes are implemented.

It’s not cost effective to upgrade the energy-draining systems in the older buildings on campus, but other updates are being made to promote efficiency.

While there is not currently a committee devoted to energy efficiency, MSU is required to file an energy conservation plan with the state every year.

“Anytime we can make things more energy efficient, we will,” Goldapp said. “If we do a renovation or replacement, we put in more efficient equipment.”

Campus wide, 12,000 40-watt light bulbs have been replaced with 32-watt bulbs to save about $100,000 per year, according to MSU’s 2007 energy conservation plan.

The use of utility systems in buildings is minimized during non-use hours, such as weekends, holidays and semester breaks, Goldapp said.

There are more opportunities to incorporate energy conservation measures in the new wellness center, and the Fantasy of Lights Christmas display will also be updated with more efficient lighting, according to the plan.

Physical plant tackles voluntary recycling for the wichitan

Allen Goldapp, vice president for facilities services, said his department is doing what it can to meet voluntary recycling standards.

The cost of disposing trash is lower in Texas than in the rest of country, according to Goldapp. With its wide-open spaces and multiple landfills, the pressure to recycle hasn’t quite outweighed costs.

“Recycling is just not cost-effective,” Goldapp said.

Despite the reluctance to allocate more funds to meet recycling goals in the form of a possible environmental fee for students, Goldapp is currently planning a trial recycling program in Moffett Library.

The state hospital has agreed to pick up paper and aluminum from the library twice a week. If all goes according to plan, Goldapp will be able to reach the two primary goals he has set for the experiment.

Goal number one is to avoid requiring additional staff to deal with the storing, collecting and relocating of the recyclables. The second is to make sure the process is easy and accessible to students and faculty.

Aside from these lofty goals, the university certainly has obstacles to over-

come in its quest to be more environmentally friendly. The lack of available space may be too much to overcome without extra funding, Goldapp said.

“We have to have a place to put the paper and aluminum we choose to recycle,” he said.

He suggested some ways to save space to make recycling a reality on campus. He said crumpled sheets of paper and cardboard boxes that aren’t properly broken down are big spacewasters.

Being aware of small ways to save space could result in a more active recycling plan, he said.

Goldapp also said eliminating the plastic in vending machines campus wide would be an easy way to promote a more environmentally sound campus. Since aluminum is so much easier to recycle, eliminating plastic bottles would give the university a much-needed head start, he said.

He didn’t, however, consider what a lack of bottled water on campus would do to the student population. He said it shouldn’t be an issue because of the drinkable tap water on campus.

He said recycling is simply going to have to be a collaborative effort between administration, faculty and students if it is to be successful.

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MSU commuters aren’t the only students having to dig deeper into their wallets to deal with rising gas prices.

As of Fall 2007, an energy surcharge was implemented at MSU. All students now pay an additional $6.50 per credit hour to compensate for the university’s inflated utility bill.

It takes more than leaving a couple of lights on to cause a million dollar increase in the cost of utilities. The tab rose from about $2.6 million in 2006 to more than $3.8 million in 2007.

The new fee was originally approved by the university’s Board of Regents as a temporary solution to a big problem.

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Fuel prices gouge student pocketbooks

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Campus briefs • April 16

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students are candidates for graduation this spring. Commencement ceremonies will be May 10. cheerleaders represented MSU at the National Cheerleaders Association Collegiate Nationals in Florida. The squad placed fourth in the nation for Division II, Small Coed.

6

Entertainment

The Wichitan April 16, 2008

Miranda Lambert rocks out, country style Texas singer-songwriter pleases Grand Prairie crowd with songs of sweet revenge Brittany Norman Editor In Cheif

The sound of Texas country replaced the starting gate bells and the racetrack announcer’s drawl after the last race at Lone Star Park on Saturday, April 12.

The Grand Prairie horse racetrack’s opening weekend celebrations included a concert by former Nashville Star contestant Miranda Lambert, who is touring to promote her album Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Wichita Falls artist Johnny Cooper filled the opening slot with his high-energy brand of Texas red-dirt music.

Some of the songs were his own and others were covers, but the curly-headed singer/ songwriter and his band owned the stage, drawing in some of the die-hard Miranda fans.

He and his band had the audience singing along with the covers they played and listening closely to the more unfamiliar original tracks.

Then it was Lambert’s turn.

The Lindale native strutted onto the stage, situated alongside the home stretch of the track, and didn’t waste any time engaging the audience, which ran the gamut from diehard racing fans to 5-year-old girls who waved signs proclaiming their love for the country songstress.

She started out the concert with a crowd-pleasing rendition of the title track for her album. It wasn’t hard to envision the blond musician cruising bar parking lots looking for an ex-boyfriend and starting a fight with his new lady with the high-energy way she paced the stage, singing with a forcefulness not often seen in young artists.

Throughout her set, the songs tended to lean toward themes often avoided in the county music business.

There were a few slow-

paced songs, such as Love Your Memory and Desperation that dealt with love and loss in a way recognizable from Nashville country radio, but for the most part, Lambert stays away from whining.

Instead, her lyrics face up to the problems they present head-on, and often in a violent manner.

In Kerosene, she lights a cheating boyfriend’s ‘high society’ house on fire.

In Gunpowder and Lead, she loads up a shotgun and lights up a cigarette while waiting to give her abusive man what’s coming to him.

While stomping across the stage to address all members of the audience, Lambert hammered on a guitar during some tracks, flipped her hair during others, and wasn’t afraid to dance a little.

In fact, she encouraged the audience to do the same, urging them to “shake what your mama gave ya!”

Her playful Texas twang seems more pronounced on stage than on the albums, and her energy level is sky-high.

While some tracks fall flat on the CD version, her performance didn’t have a single dull moment.

She kept the audience on their toes by throwing in tracks by other artists, including an unexpected dose of Led Zeppelin’s classic song Rock ’n Roll.

To end the concert, she started up singing her most recent chart-topper, Famous in a Small Town, and by the end, the audience was carrying the tune so well that she let them finish out the last chorus by themselves.

When the song about living outside the big-city limits was over, she smiled at the crowd one last time before getting back on her tour bus.

“Thank y’all for coming,” she said. “It’s so good to be home.”

Photo

s by B rittan Top t y Nor hree man photo bert p s e Grand rforms a : Miranda t She p Prairie, T Lone Sta Lamr e l album ayed song xas on Ap Park in s , ‘C f r o r azy E m he ril 12. well a x r hand s several -Girlfriend new ful of older , c Botto track ” as s and m rig overs. ht: Jo open a e h taine d for Lam nny Coop b d e charm the crow ert and en r d wit ter. h Botto his re m d-dirt place left: The a c the tr fter a da oncerts t y of h ack. orse ook racin g at

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Entertainment

7 One more shot at love The Wichitan April 16, 2008

Tila Tequila is ready for round two of MTV’s ‘A Shot at Love’ lauren wood

For The Wichitan

If you thought there would only be one season of the hit MTV show, A Shot at Love, with the infamous Tila Tequila, you were mistaken. This party girl is at it again with a new competition for her heart between 15 lesbians and 15 straight guys.

So apparently, her and Bobby didn’t work out (imagine that) and this bachelorette is hell-bent on finding her new perfect match. I mean, who honestly thought that Bobby was her “true love”? I personally was rooting for Danny, but there has to be at least two seasons of people brawling for you to find your actual true love.

It is just so nice of her to broadcast this quest for love on national television, and it just happens to be the quickest way to get people to fight over you. Remember now, this is for Tila finally finding love, not her money, fame or hot body.

In case you don’t know about this bisexual beauty from Texas, before A Shot at Love, Tila made a name for her-

self by building a social network of more than 2 million MySpace friends. She modeled for Playboy and quickly got jobs as a model in Hollywood baring her body.

This season, Tila is in a brand new house with new rules that will surely keep the audience even more interested. Since they all know she is bisexual, the only major question Tila Tequila at the MTV Video Music Awards at the Palms Casino Resort is whether she will pick on Sep. 9, 2007. a guy or a girl.

During season two, whatever it takes to win Tila’s heart.

This season is sure the emotions will be at crazy and the This small tattooed babe is taking to be an even bigger hit ultimate battle of the sexes are going to things to a whole new level with A Shot than last season. Be sure be extreme and definitely competitive. at Love Two. Although Tila still doesn’t to catch all the drama as She will be booting the ones who aren’t know what sex she fancies, she does it unfolds when Tila Teright for her, and she is determined to know exactly what she wants and is quila tries yet again to settle down with her Mr. or Ms. Right. just looking for the right girl or guy to take a shot at love, airThere is sure to be more catfights peak her interest. (Bonus for the guys: ing Tuesday, April 22 on and punches between this new crop she will probably be wearing even less MTV at 9:00 p.m. of guys and girls that are willing to do clothes than last season.)

‘Grind-y’ metal band set to play the Legion

Brandon Arnold, Tyson Arnold, Rusty Holcomb, Jason Cooper of Lycergus. Photo Courtesy.

back to a notorious classical figure who helped develop For The Wichitan the hardcore Spartan miliFor its signature name, tary society. area band Lycergus went “The translation of the richard carter

name Lycergus literally means ‘he who brings into being the works of a wolf,’” said band drummer Brandon Arnold. “It’s pretty brutal,”

he said with a chuckle.

Lycergus turned out to be the perfect name for the veteran metal band.

The quartet will bring its no-holds barred music to the American Legion 169 this Saturday starting at 6. p.m. the band will also release it’s new album that evening.

Arnold first discovered the name Lycergus while reading Marquis DeSade’s classic novel “Justine.”

“There came a point during the philosophical discourses that the character who was about to sell his daughter into prostitution was talking about brutal laws that had been sanctioned through history,” Arnold said.

The character, a tough Spartan lawgiver named Lycergus, is the basis of the band’s name.

Arnold liked the sound of the name. He did further research into his history and the development of the Spartan military state. “He had all kinds of really nasty laws, like if your kids weren’t going to measure up to being Spartans, they were gone.”

With name in-hand, Lycergus started off in February 2006 from several of the re-

maining members of Nothing Remains. They were Arnold and his guitarist and brother Tyson along with a vocalist.

The trio later added Rusty Holcomb on bass. Earlier this summer, Lycergus added bassist Jason Cooper after the dissolution of grindcore band Ten Cent Pistol allowing Halcomb to return to guitar, his original instrument.

When the band’s original vocalist left a month or so later, the vocal duties were split between the two guitarists and bass player. The situation is perfect because Cooper used to sing back in a high school band called Beneath that included both Arnold brothers.

Together in their current incarnation since last summer, the band is aggressively playing shows in the region from Missouri to Oklahoma City to Austin.

With all the many different genres of metal being played anymore, Lycergus plays “really fast, really grind-y heavy metal,” said Tyson Arnold. “Really grind-y, a lot of death metal, there’s a little bit of hardcore there and there’s a little bit of

black metal with some of the melodies.”

The band plays as fast, as nasty and as tight as they can bring it all together.

“We get a lot out of those Norwegian death metal bands,” Arnold said, “but not a lot out of what they do or their beliefs. They had a lot of neat stuff musically going on.”

The two Arnolds and Cooper also play in a band called High Windows, though it sounds very little like Lycergus.

Tyson Arnold, who studied painting at MSU, explained the differences between his two bands simply: “You’re not going to paint the same picture all the time.”

Despite working fulltime jobs, the band members spend as much time as they can playing live, on the road. “You have to see how your stuff holds up and if other people and bands like it,” said Arnold.

Lycergus’s goals are to play more shows.

“We’ve been doing this since high school,” Arnold said. “There’s really not a better way to spend your youth than in a band.”

Sarah Marshall falls flat at box office Robert W. Butler MCT

Jason Segel crafts a funny line of dialogue and, as shown by the opening moments of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” he’s perfectly willing to bare all for the sake of comedy.

But he still has a lot to learn about character development and fashioning a satisfying narrative.

Segel wrote and stars in “Sarah Marshall,” this month’s offering from the Judd Apatow comedy machine. You may remember him as the least geeky of Seth Rogan’s roomies in “Knocked Up.” Here he plays Peter Bretter, a big soft (in both the physical and emotional sense) homebody who writes music for TV shows and has for the last five years been the boyfriend of hottie actress Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), star of a “C.S.I.”-type show called “Crime Scene: Scene of the Crime.”

Early in the film, Peter, fresh from the shower, is visited by Sarah, who announces she’s breaking up with him. Segel plays the scene in the nude. Like totally. Talk about vulnerability.

He mopes. He cries. He scores

with a girl he meets in a bar, but instead of a post-coital cuddle he bawls into his pillow. The guy’s a mess.

Finally he decides to get away from his woes by vacationing at a posh Hawaiian resort - only to find that Sarah and her new boyfriend, pompous British rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), are checked into the same hotel.

Peter is so clearly humiliated, so obviously squirming on the hook of unrequited love, that a cute hotel clerk named Rachel (Mila Kunis) takes pity. She comps him a lavish suite well out of Peter’s price range, and then allows him to tag along as she parties with other hotel employees on the beach.

Indeed, the entire resort staff seems to adopt the sad sack Peter.

And ... and ...

And that’s about it. “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” has a workable if unoriginal setup, but as a story it’s like one of those hotel guests sitting in an inflated inner tube and drifting in lazy circles. It doesn’t really go anywhere.

Which is a problem with a romantic comedy, because if nothing else you want to feel like you’re

part of the romance. What we get mostly from this film is ambivalence.

The essence of drama is conflict and change - and nobody changes much here.

Certainly not our leading man, a sort of human marshmallow who’s as bland at the end as he was at the beginning.

Nor can director Nicholas Stoller (who had a better script for “Blades of Glory”) give much shape to this material.

There are some pretty funny lines delivered by a host of familiar faces: Jonah Hill (of “Superbad”) as an unctuous hotel waiter, Paul Rudd (“40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Knocked Up”) as the resort’s stoned surfing instructor), Bill Hader (“Superbad”) as Peter’s exasper- Jonah Hill and Jason Segel. Photo courtesy. ated brother, Jack McBrayer (“Walk Hard” and TV’s “30 the high life for so long he’s forgotRock”) as a honeymooning groom ten what normal life is like. He’s a unmanned by his bride’s sexual de- silly wanker, yes, but still rather a mands. decent chap beneath his ridiculous The real find here is Brit actor wardrobe and womanizing ways.

Brand as a rock idol who’s lived Unfortunately, few of the laugh

lines go to the ladies. Bell (“Veronica Mars”) and Kunis (“That `70s Show”) are used mostly as straight men - er, women - and attractive window dressing. C’mon guys, let the girls be funny, too.

8

Feature

The Wichitan April 16, 2008

Single-act sensations

Theater seniors work to put together annual Festival of One-Act Plays Joseph Stephenson For The Wichitan

At midnight on Monday most students are in bed, resting for the next school day. For a small group of students, however, class has just let out. These are theatre students and this is the season of one-act plays.

The annual Festival of OneAct Plays occurs in April and May. Members of Professor Laura Jefferson’s Principles of Directing class display the fruits of a long and difficult journey: the final chapter in their growth as a theatre major.

While the class is offered only to senior theatre majors with all necessary prerequisites, it involves virtually every student within the department. Even students from other colleges and outside Midwestern State University participate. The Festival of One-Act Plays is exclusively student-designed, student-produced, and student-constructed.

The plays put on the stage, how-

ever, are polished and refined, the result of hours of rehearsal and work. “The one-acts are the culmination of all the theatre classes I’ve taken,� said Chad Crowley, a senior theatre major. “This play represents everything that I’ve learned over the past six years.�

The production of a one-act play requires a serious commitment from all involved, from the smallest part to the lead role to the director himself. “The one-acts are fun, but take a lot of time out of your schedule,� said John Hartman, a sophomore theatre major currently cast in a lead role in The Picketers. “I’m up here rehearsing or constructing for at least three hours a day every weekday.� That’s in addition to his part-time job at Northern Costuming Company and weekends spent with the National Guard.

William Palmer, a student assistant who works in the theatre publicity office, said that over

the course of the festival, he and his co-workers will spend 60 hours formatting and editing the student-designed mailers, programs and posters for each play. “Quite a few of those hours will be spent outside of normal work hours,� Palmer said. “Tuesday, for example, we have to meet with all the directors at six-thirty in the evening when we will take publicity shots for the local paper.�

Despite the work, most theatre majors express a fondness for the one-acts. Such plays showcase students’ talents as “theatricians.� “I love the one-acts, because you get a chance to interact a great deal with a young and upcoming director,� said Matthew Griffin, a cast member in two shows, Los Vendidos and The Picketers. “The shows offer a chance for students to focus on their own creative abilities, without the professors. The plays fuel creativity within the arts and of-

fer a fantastic chance to sharpen problem-solving skills,� Griffin said.

Some students, particularly new arrivals to the department, enjoy the opportunity to put their acting talents on display for the professors. This increases their chances of being cast in later mainstage shows. “This is my first time to act onstage at Midwestern State,� said Michael Johnston, freshmen theatre major. “I’m excited to show what I can do. It’s a great opportunity.�

Benjamin McKinney, a student assistant who works in the scene shop, was impressed with the amount of time the directors have spent constructing scenery this year. “It’s been interesting how often we’ve seen them in the shop here recently,� McKinney said; “Seems like at least half the directors have been in the shop for the past two weeks straight.� “This year’s productions

seem inventive, conceptually, as anything we’ve ever seen,� said Don Henschel, head of the scene shop. “Last year, we heard a lot of great ideas, but saw little follow-through. This year, people seem to be investing a lot of effort into realizing their ideas.�

The Festival of One-Act Plays regularly generates modest revenue from ticket sales, which helps to offset the costs of licensing fees, set materials, and publicity expenses that the department pays for the one-acts and other shows. “[The one-acts] are well-attended, and very popular, particularly with the students and the season ticket-holders,� said Jefferson, professor of the directing class. “We include all the oneact performances in the cost of the season ticket. Our older patrons who we sometimes worry about offending are in fact some of the greatest fans of the students’ work. They’ll sit there, laughing and carrying on, just having the best old time.�

While the one-acts might be popular, the productions remain a very important part of a theatre student’s grade. Following the productions, the students and cast are interviewed by the professors, then graded on their rehearsal habits, the realization of their concepts, the style of directing, and the overall success of their play. All theatre majors must pass Principles of Directing in order to receive a diploma.

At the end of the day, however, the students are, in fact, doing what they love. Despite working late into the evening, night after night, most students express positive feelings about the ritual. “The Festival of One-Acts is my favorite time,� said Mary Okonkwo, senior, as she left the building late one night. “It’s cool to see everyone come together, helping each other out, making theatre a truly collaborative effort. It really makes you aware of what theatre is all about.�

Right: Daniel Ragan interrogates Haley Moore during ‘I Dream Before I Take the Stand!!’ Far Right: Justin Partridge and Drew Davison grimace as they grip each other’s sensitive areas during ‘The Deal.’ Below: Matt Griffin threatens Jon Hartman with a shovel during ‘The Picketers.’ All three plays are apart of the annual Festival of One Act Plays that runs in April and May.

Photos by Patrick Johnston

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Sports

The Wichitan April 16, 2008

Softball squad dominated in four-game set The Lady Mustangs have been on a tear over the past month or so of divisional action.

After dropping their first three games in the LSC Crossover at the end of March the Lady Mustangs rallied to win their four final games, then moved on to split a pair of double-headers

against archrival Cameron University. For the most part, the Lady Mustangs have faired as well as sophomore pitcher Katie Peterson has hurled the large, yellow softball.

The tear that the Lady Mustangs might have been on came to screeching halt last weekend as the No. 8 Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm completely dismantled the Lady

Mustangs’ attack.

The Savage Storm won all four games in the home-andaway four game set. Twice the team had to go into extra innings to complete the game, but however it happened the Lady Mustangs looked to sputter more than they have all season both from the circle and the plate.

Peterson opened up the first

game at SOSU Softball Field against the opponents’ star pitcher, Majorie Johnson.

Both teams’ went blow-forblow until the tenth and final extra inning.

SOSU batter Ashley Graham slammed a towering two-run homer off of the left field scoreboard in the tenth inning to propel the Savage Storm over the Lady Mustangs in the first game

Did you know that MSU is home to a collegiate national champion?

No? Well, it’s true.

Freshman cyclist Natalie Klemko, 20, brought home the gold last year in the Women’s A Criterium at the collegiate national championships in Lawrence, Kan. About 50 schools were represented.

“There hasn’t been a female to win any road title at MSU since 2001, so that was a big accomplishment for me,” Klemko said.

The cheese-loving Wisconsin native is one of they top young female cyclists in the nation. She elected not to attend the University of Texas or Stanford or some “major” university with an elite cycling program. She feels right at home here at MSU racing with Team Arrow.

“MSU has a really good cycling program, and they offer scholarships, that helped out,” Klemko said.

Most universities do not offer scholarships. Collegiate cycling is not an official NCAA sport. It is considered a club sport.

“The weather is warm here and it is great for cycling and

training,” she said. “It is really windy compared to Wisconsin though.”

He adjustment from Wisconsin to Texas was not an easy one.

“It was a big change for me because the racing season in Wisconsin begins in April. In Texas it begins in January. It is hard to get ready to race,” she said.

Klemko has been riding bicycles as far back as she can remember.

“I started when I was 4 years old on a Barbie bike,” she said with a laugh.

“At 10 I started racing seriously.

There was a velodrome (indoor cycling race track) down the road from my house, and I spent most of my time there.”

Growing up Klemko played nearly every sport. This helped her become a well-rounded athlete.

“I tried it all. Volleyball and basketball were my favorites. All these sports I’ve played helped me become a better cyclist,” she said.

All her hard work and training has paid off. Klemko is on a scholarship on one of the top collegiate cycling teams in the nation. She also races profession-

ally for Team Advil-Chapstick.

Unlike other collegiate sports she is allowed to compete in both because cycling is strictly a club sport.

Winning the collegiate national championship was a dream come true for her.

“This was my first national title to win on the road. It is my biggest win to date,” Klemko said.

Nationals was held in the streets of downtown Lawrence, Kan. The Women’s A Criterium is a course that is a mile long and the riders must complete 20 laps.

About 85 to 90 women competed that day.

“It is an extremely fast-paced race. I averaged about 25 mph probably,” she said.

Just what goes through the mind of a cyclist when lining up to race on such a large stage? One would expect the “butterflies” or a jittery nervous feeling. Not for Klemko.

“I usually do my best to remain calm and relaxed. I really try not to get too worked up over racing,” she said.

In this case it was easier. Although she was a favorite to win the criterium, she had not performed well in the previous day’s road race.

“I was really confident when it came to the criterium. Being one of the three pros racing that day I was favored, but I did really badly the day before so no one was really watching me,” she said. “That relieved some of

the pressure.”

The collegiate racing season is only four weeks out of the year.

To get a victory at one of those is an amazing feat, especially nationals.

Klemko began pulling away from the pack with about six laps to go.

“When I attacked I got off by myself. I hoped someone was with me to help me. They weren’t I really had to give it my all,” she said. “Those were the hardest six laps of my life.”

Those laps were over before she knew it. Minutes later, Klemko was a national champion. She crossed the finish line about eight seconds ahead of her nearest competitor.

“It didn’t actually sink in until I was on the podium,” she said.

So, what has changed for this national champion? Not much really.

“Cycling is not a sport that gets a whole lot of recognition,” she said. “One difference is that I get to wear a stars-and-stripes jersey to signify that I’m a national champ. That’s kind of cool I guess,” she said.

All of that aside, Klemko is focused and ready for nationals this year. That race will be held in Fort Collins, Colo. in about a month.

“Cycling is a sport you have to devote your whole life to. Right now I’m putting in my base load of training and hoping for a repeat,” she said.

Bobby Morris Sports Editor

Cheesehead cyclist feels at home at MSU Russell Lawrenz For the Wichitan

and handed Peterson her fourth loss of the dominating season.

The Lady Mustangs were their own worse enemies in the second game.

The Savage Storm took advantage plating three unearned runs that came off of five errors in the 7-2 loss in the last game of the double-header.

In the home portion of the series for the Lady Mustangs, Pe-

9

terson took the mound again for the opening game, which took place the afternoon of Jeff Williams Saturday.

Petersen once again posted a solid outing eventually losing the lead in extra innings, again.

The game was eventually lost 6-4, before getting run-ruled 10-0 in the fifth inning of the second and last game.

Patrick Johnston | The Wichitan Katie Petersen pitches to a battle. She has put together another solid season to follow up her Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2007.

on deck...

Take a look at what’s on tap for Mustang athletics this week and come support your Mustangs!

16

Wednesday

17

Thrusday

Men’s Tennis - @ Tyler Junior College Women’s Tennis - @ Tyler Junior College

18

Friday

Men’s Soccer Exhibition @ Southern Methodist University 7 p.m.

19

Saturday

Softball - Senior Day - Northeastern

(DH) 2 p.m.

State

20

Sunday

Cycling - @ Texas State

Football - Walk-on tryouts @ practice fields 9 a.m.

21

Monday

22

Tuesday

Golf - @ Lone Star

Conference Championships in Thackerville, Okla.

Golf - @ Lone Star

Conference Championships in Thackerville, Okla.

Softball - @ Abilene Christian University (DH) 3 p.m.

Cycling - @ Texas State

Sports briefs Football • Led by guest head coach and exMSU alum, Zach Duncan, the Maroon defeated the Gold in the spring football game last Saturday. Neal Carr pounded in a 2-yard touchdown run to put the Maroon ahead for good. The Maroon team took the 6-0 victory and the bragging rights as they head into summer practices.

• Walk-on tryouts will be hosted at the MSU practice fields on Saturday, April 19. Registration for current high school seniors and junior college players that have exhausted their eligibility will begin at 9 a.m.. For more information please contact Brian Natkin at (940) 397-4494.

Women’s Basketball • The Lady Mustangs will be hosting open tryouts on Wednesday and Thursday, April 23rd and 24th. The tryout is open to graduating high school seniors and junior college transfers. Any player under 18 will need to have a participation release signed by her parents, and a current physical is required for all participants (no more than six months old).

Recruits may attend either or both practices. For more information please contact coach William Milton at (940) 631-2367.

Men’s Tennis • The Mustangs snapped a two-match losing streak this past Saturday afternoon when they traveled to take on Dallas Baptist University.

The No. 29 Mustangs improved to 12-6 on the season, as they busted out of their slump in a big way, sweeping DBU 9-0 with stellar play just in time for the LSC championships which begin April 25.

Women’s Tennis • The Lady Mustangs competed in two different matches last Saturday afternoon. Both matches took place at Dalas Baptist courts, with the first match being against DBU and the last match against the No. 11 Northeastern State Riverhawks. The No. 32 Lady Mustangs held off DBU 5-4, before dropping their match against NE State 8-1 to fall to 9-7 on the season

Men’s Soccer •The Mustangs finished the last of their home exhibition games against HardinSimmons the night of Jeff Willimas Sports Saturday.

This was the first and only exhibition contest HardinSimmons was allowed to compete in at the duration of their six weeks of training.

Robert Swann, a secondteam All-American last season, led the team with two goals, both stemming from great free kicks. Jeremy Elder scored the final goal in the match late in the second half to increase the winning margin to 3-0.

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The Wichitan April 16, 2008

Sports

Athletic Department dedicates spring sports day Community shows support for student athlete Jeff Williams recovering from car accident Bobby Morris Sports Editor

Hundreds of people gathered at the MSU practice fields this past Saturday to enjoy a busy day of activities.

Highlighted by the annual Maroon vs. Gold spring football game, the community gathered to watch three different Mustangs’ squads compete and to have fun participating in various activities, such as a dunk tank and inflatable rides.

Along with the spring football game, attendees could watch a crucial LSC double-header between

MSU and Southeastern Oklahoma State, as well as an exhibition contest by the national semi-finalist Mustangs against Hardin-Simmons.

More importantly was the gathering of the community and campus to celebrate Jeff Williams.

Williams, who was injured in a car crash in late February, is now making a valiant recovery effort at the Baylor Medical Center’s rehabilitation facilities.

The university will give all donations and proceeds made during the event to the Williams family to help defray medical and transportation expenses.

Above: Becca Wessels steals third base during the fourth inning against Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Wessels was pinch running for Jessica Rodriguez, who hit a double down the rightfield line. Right: Brad Green passes the ball for the Gold team during MSU’s spring football game.

Green completed three passes on nine attempts for 83 yards. The Maroon team defeated the Gold team 6-0. Bottom: The Mustangs greet Alyson Reynolds to celebrate her homerun to start off the fifth inning.

MSU was defeated 6-4 in extra innings.

Middle Left: Ryan Spence looks for a teammate to pass to during the spring exhibition game against Hardin-Simmons, which MSU won 3-0.

Spence, a redshirted sophomore, has missed the last two seasons due to injuries. Top Left: A boy bounces in a Power Rangers moonwalk.

The moonwalk was a part of the family activities during the Jeff Williams Sports Saturday.

Photos by Loren Eggenschwiler

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The Wichitan April 16, 2008

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Congratulations to the 2007/2008 Student Leadership Banquet Winners and Nominees OUTSTANDING FRESHMAN MAN Tristan Alleyne Browne * Ross Alan Cleveland Jeffrey Daniel Garrison ** Joseph David Mock Zachary Shawn Nichols Jake Lee Parris Sonny Malte Skaaning * Stormy Allen Williams OUTSTANDING FRESHMAN WOMAN Nicole Jewel Barron Sonya Resa Boddie ** Kathryn Jeanette Dufreche Erika Ashleigh Hatcher Jessica Rachel Heil Christelle Pigott * Jessica Alice Rugeley Nicole Rochelle Savage * Amanda Marie Smith OUTSTANDING SOPHOMORE MAN Gerard Clifford Austrie Matthew Shane Bagwill Leonard Jacob Benton ** Kyle Dennison Crouse * Matthew Aaron Faszczuk Jon Henry Horry Joshua Eugene Ibarra Frank Jeffers * Antuan Dupree Jeffery Samuel Eli Shelley Jeffrey Matthew St. Andre OUTSTANDING SOPHOMORE WOMAN Payton Danielle Boatner Britney N. Lauer ** Laura Dawn Rogers Ajanique Sampson * Christina Schutte Tiffany Lane Tipton Maranda Lynnette Urban *

OUTSTANDING JUNIOR MAN Jeremy Paul Cohen Cody Edwin Copeland Michael John Grassi Liam M. Guthrie * Allen Carl Hockenbroch John William Hunter Jr. Masaru Kamada Daryll Royden Lloyd * Alex Mitchell Pappas ** Robert Marvin Paul Jr. John Michael Pearson Robert Travis Stegner David Lee Stephenson Jr.

OUTSTANDING JUNIOR WOMAN Morgan J. Blackwell Anna-Maria Eckert Kerilyn Alyson Edwards ** Kadine Laurel Gomes Kaleigh Rene Harner Ashley Marie Kleiber Kalee E. Mallonee * Jessica Anna Munger Brandy Nicole Navarrette Sarah Jo Spaniel Lauren Elizabeth Thielen Suzanne Elizabeth Wallace Ashley Brianne Watts Madeleine A. Zaehringer * OUTSTANDING SENIOR MAN Adam Ryan Bell Kenneth Wayne Bergstrom, Jr. Rayyan Bilwani Esteban Xavier Burgos Dominique Darnell Calhoun* Eddie Douglas IV Fadil James Imo* Evelyn Anthony Jones Thomas Lee Minturn Imo Java Palmer-Moses Russell Lynn Schaffner Jacob Allen Staples Thomas Tran Hezron Kimani Wade** OUTSTANDING SENIOR WOMAN Christa Carlene Burke Trudy Marie-Ange Christian Whitney Diane Coggin Zahnela De Shawn Claxton** Nefferty Shelley Edwards Carissa Ursuline Georges* Cynthia Michelle Grauerholz Lisa Lynn Moreland Thuy Diep Ngo Toya Mary Okonkwo Jacqueline Marcella Phillip Alyvia Nancy Plummer Amy Lea Rivard Dinah Saint-Jean* OUTSTANDING GRADUATE MAN Ryan Cole Cannedy** James Cody Cochrane Salomon G. Lompo Kedrick J. Osborne Abdul Sajjad Pathan* Che Ajamu Phillip* Kevin Joseph Scott

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE WOMAN Casmint Kavita Edwards Marie Diane Ibarra* Rrezarta Krasniqi Nicole Agnes Seales Shenica Diana Sebastian* Casey Elise Stanaland** MAN OF THE YEAR Adam Ryan Bell Dominique Darnell Calhoun* Joshua Ray Cobler Fadil James Imo** David Christian McPhate Thomas Lee Minturn Patrick Lyn Moore Jacob Allen Staples Jeremy Charles Stewart Hezron Kimani Wade* WOMAN OF THE YEAR Kandyce Mykal Bohannon Sally Carter Correlle Matista Ferlance Brinder Germaine Green Elizabeth Bourland Hawley Kristen Elizabeth Mullen Randi Niccole Roanhaus* Dinah Saint-Jean** Sarah Jo Spaniel Casey Elise Stanaland Amber Denise Witte* VIOLA GRADY LEADERSHIP AWARD Angelica Grimaldo Alvarado Dominique Darnell Calhoun Valerie Flores Jodi Lynn Fox Randi Niccole Roahaus Dinah Saint-Jean Sarah Jo Spaniel Hezron Kimani Wade Madeleine A. Zaehringer** JAMES L. STEWART SERVICE AWARD Omega Delta Phi Chi Omega Sorority Gamma Phi Beta MSU Catholic Campus Ministries Omega Delta Phi Finalists * Winners **