Feb. 28, 2018 | Midwestern State University | thewichitan.com | Your Campus. Your News. | Vol. 82 No. 21
Honoring the campus history Administrators honor first African American students during bench dedication ceremony LATOYA FONDREN REPORTER
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o honor the first African American students who attended MSU in 1954, administrators hosted a ceremony in which they dedicated a bench to the alumni in the Clark Student Center Comanche Suites on Feb. 23. Syreeta Greene, director of the office of equity, inclusion and multicultural affairs, said she felt honored to host the ceremony because she had the opportunity to meet iconic individuals who created a legacy mark. “To be the person who had to coordinate the event, it’s a mixture of regular, good old stress because you want things to be perfect for folks that have a meaningful contribution to the institution, but also honored to be able to meet living legacies, to hear their stories, and to know that I did something meaningful,” Greene said. Suzanne Shipley, university president, said the ceremony helps students understand that it takes individuals to change society and to fight for what they believe in. “When you look around, you’re not going to see the difficulties and prejudices that people before you had to fight through whether it’s feminism, racism or other ‘isms,’” Shipley said. “It gives you the courage to know that the things you’re fighting now can be changed and can be fought, but it helps you realize that you have to stand up and that’s what they did.” Keith Lamb, vice president of student affairs and enrollment management, said the ceremony is a chance for students to experience history. “It’s fascinating. It’s history. We have had the opportunity today to interact with the institution’s history and to learn a lot from it. This predates almost all of us, right? And it is a significant story to be told and needs to
PHOTO BY RACHEL JOHNSON | THE WICHITAN
Syreeta Greene, director of equity inclusion and multicultural affairs, University President Suzanne Shipley and Keith Lamb, vice president of sutdent affairs and enrollment management, unveil the bench in the Clark Student Center Comanche Room that is dedicated to the group of African American students who first attended and fought to be at Midwestern State University on Feb. 23 live on, and that is certainly pertinent today,” Lamb said. Charles Bosley, honoree, said history allows students to be aware of the events that happened before them and what’s happening now so they can understand the importance of an education and their futures. “My parents were farmers and I knew right away that I didn’t want to be a farmer,” Bosley said. “Education is the key and it allows many obstacles. You guys are the future and the future is yours.” Edwin Fuller, honoree, said being back to visit his hometown of Wichita Falls has
changed tremendously. “The people react to you differently than they did in the old days,” Fuller said. “In the old days, it was separate and unequal so it’s a big change. I spent all of my summers here and there was no work because if you were black, you couldn’t get a job.” Rosie Flanigan, longtime friend of both honorees, said she attended MSU for her master’s degree. She also said she wanted the community to come out to and bring their children so they could see the history behind the bench. “Our students have lost so much, and I
wish the Wichita Falls community would bring their children out here so that they would know the struggles that people have gone through so that they could afford a good education,” Flanigan said. O’Linda Battle Barnett, sister of Dorothy Battle, one of the first African American students enrolled on campus, and Willie Faye Battle, one of the plaintiffs, said she’s proud to see her sisters hard work pay off. “I am very proud of Midwestern University because the fact that I know my sister had a great point in getting Midwestern to be what it is today by applying. She had the strength to come apply and when she was turned down, she didn’t stop. She followed through,” Barnett said. “And as a result, today, Midwestern is multicultural. It has all races at the school, which is tremendous because they are able to work together and bring a lot of different things to the university making it stronger.” Greene discussed racist policies in the past and how campus culture has changed since. “For some colleges and universities around the country when integration happened, there was a sundown policy unofficially, where students of color had to be off campus by the time the sun went down,” Greene said. “When you have those types of factors and to think that’s a drastic change to the way students can live on campus and engage on campus is vastly different than what they experienced.” Barnett said she wants all students to know about the history of their school and to be proud of it. “This is our history, everyone’s history,” Barnett said. “I want all of the students attending Midwestern to know about this so they can be able to know about their history and be proud and know where they are today and respect their school.” Additional reporting by Tyler Manning.
“Urinetown” Opens pg. 3
Community Learning Center pg. 5 ADA Compliant pg. 6
Though being postponed a day, “Urinetown” still managed to attract crowds on a rainy Friday.
Housing is set to make Sunwatcher a new residential community learning center.
The Fain Fine Arts Building is undergoing renovations to be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
2 | Feb. 28, 2018 | STAF F E DI T O R I A L
Markers help to educate students OUR VIEW: Historical markers enhance the student experience by reminding students of the school’s history while encouraging students to stand up for their beliefs.
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ast week, university administrators unveiled a bench dedicated to the first African American students to register in classes. Last year, they unveiled a historical marker for the plaintiffs that fought for the school’s integration. Through these actions, administrators have allowed students to learn about the actions and people that have led the school culture to be where it is today. Having historical markers on campus teaches students about the school’s unique and interesting history. Students who attended the bench dedication ceremony were not aware that our campus was the first public university in Texas to become integrated. By allowing students to tangibly see the history of this school in physical form, results will lead to a more educated student populace. These reminders of the success gained from the adversity those who came before also serve as an inspiration to those wanting to enact change on campus. They serve as reminders that through adversity and hard work, students can change the climate of campus. Markers are reminders to students to never give up and to have high standards set for their campus. We applaud administrators for their efforts to have historical markers on campus. Their efforts serve to educate students on the school’s rich culture and to inspire students.
CORRECTIONS In an earlier version of this story, it said the gala was hosted by the Black Student Union, “Aldridge hopes the BSU hosts it again” and “‘I went with a friend and we got a black and red mug the first year and the second year they gave us a notebook. Aldridge said.’” The Wichitan regrets these errors.
Think beyond just speaking English
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hen I was in the eighth grade, I lived in Mexico for eight months. Later when I was 18, I went to three countries in Europe. In both experiences I had little to no knowledge when it came to their native languages. In Mexico, I learned what it was like to not be able to attend certain classes or school funcRachel tions because you didn’t speak the language. Johnson Every other day I was taken out of other higher level classes to go to Spanish as a second language. I enjoyed learning a new language, and I loved getting the opportunity to explore and be apart of someone else’s culture. Despite all that, I still felt left out at times. My friends there oftentimes would go in and out of Spanish and English so fast that I could never truly keep up, and a lot of times would miss out on jokes or parts of conversations that ended up being important. It was frustrating at times, I did get excited when someone spoke English, because for a slight moment my head didn’t feel like it was searching for the right words or phrases, I was confident and didn’t have to second guess if what I said made sense. I practiced the pronunciation of words over and over be-
cause I hated being labeled a “gringa” and people thinking it was cute how I pronounced a word. By the time I left, I was pretty fluent, but there were many hurdles I jumped to get to where I was. It took people being patient and supportive, but it also took me not giving up and persevering. Later when I traveled to Europe, I didn’t speak any of their native languages. I didn’t even know “hello,” but something that I admired so much about Europeans was that almost everywhere I went, someone spoke English. Since so many different languages are spread throughout Europe, they use English as the language in common to speak with one another. It no longer became a pride issue. Instead it opened doors for people to travel and made them more willing to look past a language barrier, so long as they could experience and respect each other’s cultures. So, before you say to someone that they need to learn English because it’s America, stop and think. Be patient if they are learning. Help them. Try to learn a language so you can be that person that can help a family not from here feel more comfortable and welcome. Just because we live in America, doesn’t mean we can’t speak something other than English. Rachel Johnson is a mass communication senior.
Free Speech Paradox, a paradox of intolerance
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major function of college is to train us for our chosen careers and prepare us for the tough trials adult life will throw our way. In general, universities do a worthwhile job of giving students academic and professional tools to develop into productive, contributing members of society. However, one area where universities have Markell Braxton-Johnson failed students is correctly imparting on us what freedom of speech really is, and what it truly means to believe in the principles of the First Amendment. If you ask most students if they believe in free speech, I’m certain most of them would answer “yes” with little hesitation. While that is a great sign, the actions of students across the US would indicate something quite different and slightly troubling. In general, when people – especially college students – think of free speech they think of a few scenarios. They might think of a citizen criticizing his or her government, a cartoonist mocking a feature of pop culture or, as has happen at MSU, an organized march against hateful ideologies. These are all important examples of how free speech is used, but they don’t paint the full picture of what free speech is. As much as free speech is voicing benign thoughts, it is also
wichitan
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Vol. 82 | No. 21
Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd. Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 wichitan@mwsu.edu thewichitan.com @wichitanonline
the expression of controversial ideas, offensive words and even hateful views. This is where the free speech paradox comes in. Sometimes referred to as the paradox of tolerance, this is the idea that to truly believe in free speech you must stand up for, allow and tolerate speech that you might find repugnant. Even if that speech calls for the censorship of others. As evidenced by recent insurrections at UC Berkeley, this is an aspect many university students and administrations have recently come to ignore. The idea of freedom of speech wasn’t “created” so people could merely express pleasantries to one another. It’s the complete opposite. The concept of the First Amendment, and free speech itself, arose out of the desire for people to express unpopular beliefs without the fear of being censored, physically stifled or worse. One thing universities and students alike must realize is that, when it comes to speech, we must be tolerant of intolerance. Preparing for the real world requires a full understanding that there are going to be people who have odious views. We can’t just muzzle these people and pretend they don’t exist. To be a principled advocate of free speech, you must defend both views you agree with and views you find abhorrent. Markell Braxton-Johnson is a sports and leisure junior.
EDITOR: Tyler Manning MANAGING EDITOR: Cortney Wood VISUALS EDITOR: Justin Marquart PHOTO EDITOR: Francisco Martinez ISSUE STAFF: Latoya Fondren, Rachel Johnson, Markell Braxton-Johnson, Brian Lang, Kayla Guillory, Taylor Robinson, Andrea Pedon, Tosia Floissac, Samuel Frederick
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Bridget Reilly, Robin Reid, Avery Whaite
ADVISER: Bradley Wilson
Copyright ©2018. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a email address, telephone number and address.
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‘Urinetown’ provides a night of entertainment
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Brian Lang
ith its unconventional title and unusual subject matter, “Urinetown” may seem like a poor choice for a musical, but this zany production by the theater department successfully
pulls it off. This hilarious comedy makes fun of conventional theater, criticizes capitalism and bureaucracy and turns the expectation of a happy ending on its head. For those tired of traditional theater, “Urinetown” is the show to see! “Urinetown” is a musical comedy written by Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis and directed by Christie Maturo, assistant professor of theater. It centers around a fictional city in the midst of an intense drought. A powerful corporation, “Urine Good Company,” has set high fees on bathrooms and anyone who doesn’t use these bathrooms is sent to the mysterious Urinetown. Young Bobby Strong leads a rebellion in hopes that everyone can pee for free. One of the best parts of this show were the lead actors, Samuel Mitchell and Ilka Megee playing Bobby Strong and Hope Cladwell. Both were great choices for their parts, leading the production with strong voices and excellent acting. Their duet “Follow Your Heart” was both touching and funny. Kalli Root and Ellanor Hattie Collins, playing Little Sally and Officer Lockstock had great chemistry, as they frequently broke the fourth wall to add witty observations about the events of the show. They acted as the show’s narrators and did an excellent job of projecting and making their jokes land. The choreography made the dance numbers shine and the ensemble’s energy was contagious. One of the best parts were the scooters. Elanor Hattie Collins broke her leg before the show opened, but instead of that deterring her, she and her partner Officer Barrel (Addrian Gaut Jr.) rode around on scooters. It made their “authority” even more comical and only made the show funnier.
PHOTO BY ROBIN REID | THE WICHITAN
Cast members run through act I finale during rehearsal for “Urinetown” on Feb. 15.
PHOTO BY AVERY WHAITE | THE WICHITAN
Ellanor Collins, theater junior, who plays Officer Lockstock in the production of “Urintetown” practices one of the songs at rehearsal Feb. 9. The set design was another outstanding aspect of this production. A sign saying, “Urinetown” was hung above the stage in bright yellow letters, and the scenery and backdrop added a dilapidated feel to the set. It conveyed the poverty and misery in the fictional town, but was also a great space for the fun dance numbers. The only complaint about this show is the lack of microphones for the cast. This show is filled with witty phrases and zingers, but many of them went unheard. Some of the actors’ voices were drowned out by the orchestra, and it was hard to distinguish what was going on at some points. However, the actors were clearly trying to project their voices, mostly successfully. “Urinetown” is unlike nearly any other musical in that it constantly parodies conventional theater. Various songs parody “Annie,” “Fiddler on the Roof” and “West Side Story.” The characters fall neatly into their archetypes of hero, damsel in distress and evil corporation. The actors hilariously overplay their surprise constantly, each time evoking laughter from the audience. “Urinetown” is a must-see show for students. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and its frequent plot twists keep the audience on their toes. The cast and crew create an entertaining production that students will love.
Opening night draws in crowds BRIAN LANG REPORTER
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rowds of students, faculty and community members filled Fain Auditorium on a rainy Friday night to see the premiere of “Urinetown: The Musical.” The set glowed an iridescent yellow, reflecting the theme of the show, as the audience excitedly talked while thumbing through their programs. Since those in charge of the production postponed the show due to inclement weather, the show opened on Friday as opposed to its scheduled opening night of Thursday. After the show, the cast hosted a brief talk-back, allowing audience members to ask questions for the cast and crew. Some people asked about the cast’s favorite parts of the show, others were curious about the running gags throughout the show. One audience member brought up the drought that struck Wichita Falls several years ago and how it related to the fictional drought in Urinetown. Jaron Imbriani, sports and leisure sophomore, said, “I really liked the show, it was very interesting. I had never heard of it before, so I was really curious about what it was about. I think it was really entertaining to watch.” Lauren Gardener, pre-med biology junior, said she enjoyed the way the play handled exposition. “I really enjoyed the play, it was really interesting and entertaining to watch,” Gardener said. “My favorite part was Officer Lockstock explaining to the audience what was going on a lot and just doing that commentary towards the audience. I want to go see future plays. I’m really excited to see them do ‘Our Town.’” Cast members shared their favorite parts about the show. Ilka Megee, theater education sophomore, played one of the lead characters Hope Cladwell
and said, “My favorite part of the show was near the end of it, seeing all of the character archetypes that were made. I think each character is really specific in the show, I’m glad that we each got to that point in it.” Kalli Root, theater senior, played Little Sally in the production and said she enjoyed when the production moved past its rough start. “My favorite part of the show was watching everything come together at the end because it started off we had a couple of rough patches at the beginning. But at the end, it really came together. It was really cool to watch,” Root said. Many of the actors increased their skills over the course of the show, from acting better, learning about what makes great comedy, to maintaining projection so that the audience can hear. Samuel Mitchell, mass communication sophomore, played lead character Bobby Strong and said, “My favorite part was learning the music because I had never learned music like that before. I learned about acting by really doing things instead of just acting them out. That’s what we’ve been talking about in my acting class.” He also added that he has had no formal musical training, yet he was one of the strongest voices on the stage.” Megee said the play taught about comedic acting. Root also added, “ I learned about projection because we didn’t have any mics. So usually it would be like, ‘Oh yeah it would be nice if you can be a little louder so that the audience can hear you better.’ But with this show, it was literally like, ‘If you are not loud, they are not going to hear you.’” The months of hard work finally paid off this weekend for the cast and crew of “Urinetown.” Students can go see this great production for free this Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Fain Fine Arts Center Theatre.
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Underlying message behind a KAYLA GUILLORY REPORTER
student athletes clothing line
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ard work. Dedication. The ability to push through adversity. These are all useful characteristics in staring a business. Due to the struggles he has faced throughout his life, Brandon Sampson, arts and sciences senior, said the creation of his brand represents not only himself, but his journey as well. “I’ve been through a lot of hardships in my life, so I just felt like this slogan represents me and what I’ve put myself through when I went to a junior college,” Sampson said. Sampson attended Monterey Peninsula College, a junior college in California, prior to coming to MSU. “I knew Brandon before he came here [MSU], I knew him when he was at his junior college. I witnessed first hand watching him go through the ‘juco’ struggle,” Elijah Kirkland, psychology junior, said. Selling clothes is not the only objective Sampson is trying to achieve with his brand, See Adversities Value and Generate Excellence. He is also trying to get a message across that could potentially change people’s lives for the better. “It’s a mentality and lifestyle. The slogan will be able to help people stay on a positive note to see that there is a way through adversity,” Sampson said. DJ Myers, psychology senior, said Sampson’s brand is emblematic of who he is as a person. “My favorite thing about Brandon’s brand is that it symbolizes who he is. It’s his message and what he’s trying to get across not only to the world, but also his family,” Myers said. With the support of his teammates and friends, Sampson is not alone in his journey to success. “I support his brand because it’s a part of who I am too, it’s a message that I feel reflects on my life and what I’m trying to do,” Myers said. “I wear all of his clothes and support his brand as if it was my own.” Grayson Paul, special education sophomore, said he supports SAVAGE because of Brandon’s hard work. Paul said, “I support [Sampson’s]
brand because it’s someone who started from the bottom and is trying to work his way up with different things besides football.” Sampson said he wants his brand to give people a voice and inspire them to be great in everything they do. “I’ve influenced a lot of people, I also felt like I’ve influenced myself more than anything to be motivated to try to help those people out who need help,” Samp-
son said. Since the start of his brand in March 2016, Sampson has since expanded by adding headbands, T-shirts, sweatpants and accessories. “He knows what he’s doing and it’s gonna go far,” Myers said. There are benefits of having your own brand, but there are also cons that come along as well according to Sampson. “You lose friends. People take it to heart
when you don’t agree with their idea, because they want to be a part of something special,” Sampson said. “Reaching out to people and helping them keep a positive mindset are a couple of pros. The number one objective regarding this brand is to help others generate success and to have an impact on people’s lives.” When coming up with the design, Sampson felt the caution sign emoji embodies the brand’s meaning. “I just felt like the caution sign is saying, ‘Watch out. I’m destined for greatness,’” Sampson said. According to the brand’s website in the “about us” section, Sampson is all about being positive and to help others achieve excellence. “I think [S.A.V.A.G.E.] is pretty affordable, I don’t try and make it too expensive,” said Sampson. Students can be seen wearing the brand around campus. Some said they heard about the site through word of mouth and social media sites. “I heard about it from a friend, and then I also found out a little more on twitter,” Madison Tavarez, dental hygiene freshman, said. Tavarez also said a couple of the items, such as the windbreaker and sweatpants, could be a little cheaper, but overall the prices are fair. For the brand, Sampson has made a Facebook page, Instagram and even a Twitter page. Grayson Paul, special education sophomore, stays up to date with the brand on social media as well. “S.A.V.A.G.E. is beginning to become more and more popular here around campus,” said Paul. According to Sampson, a long term goal of his for the brand is to open a store in Los Angeles, California on top of joining the National Football League. Sampson said his brand is his motivation to the important things in his life, such as family and friends, God and football. His advice for entrepreneurs is to pursue their dreams despite what anyone else says. “Do it, don’t let people tell you otherwise. If you have a dream, all it takes is imagination,” Sampson said.
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Sunwatcher Building 8 becoming third learning center
in the Legacy and McCullough-Trigg halls. The communities in Legacy offer fields tarting fall 2018, Sunwatcher Building 8 will be a new community learn- for first generation, business, PLUGGEDing center, adding to the other two IN (pre nursing) and wellness & recrecenters in Legacy and McCullough-Trigg ation. The communities in McCulloughhalls. The learning community center is Trigg hall offer fields for the Redwine aimed to make students’ experiences in Honors Program, transfer students and the classroom rewarding. Students who members of the program Scholarship Opparticipate in the learning community portunities for Academic Recognition. To are housed together with connection to get in this program, students have to fill faculty, staff and programs specifically out an application for the field they want to be in on the housing website. targeted to the areas interest them. Since the new community learning National research shows students in learning community centers develop aca- center will be in Sunwatcher Building 8, demic and social support systems more people who are living there will have to quickly compared to other students. Also find a new place to live starting next seconnect more often with faculty and staff mester. These residents get first choice for outside of the classroom and participate room selection since they are being inconvenienced with having more deeply with their to move. areas of study as a result Mallory Ledoux, social of participating in study work and Spanish sophogroups with other learning more and resident assistant community center memfor Sunwatcher Building bers. 5, said she doesn’t see the Students who want to housing changes having be in a living learning commuch affect. Ledoux bemunity may choose from lieves it might be harder for communities linked to acaresidents who don’t live in demic interests. the apartments trying to Academic interest JOVANE PARKINSON get in. groups connect students SPORTS AND LEISURE JUNIOR Jovane Parkinson, interested in a common sports and leisure junior, major or area of study. These communities are associated with said he believes adding another learning university programs or majors and en- community center is great. “Adding another center will be good courage collective work in and outside of for the school, hopefully bringing more the classroom. Themed interest groups provide op- people in,” Parkinson said. Parkinson currently lives in Sunwatchportunities for students with common interests to live together and go after those er Building 2 and plans on staying in the interests through organized programs apartment complex. He said the displaced and activities. Themed interest groups students shouldn’t affect his ability to get have no academic or major requirements. back in the same apartment. “I think it’s fair for the residents living Norma Ramirez, assistant director of residence life, said, “We believe there are in building eight to get first room choice many paths to student success. Living since they have to take all of their stuff learning communities are one way to en- and move to another apartment buildhance your experience inside and outside ing.” Parkinson said. Jaydon Cuningan, criminal justice of the classroom. [They are] also an excellent way to make friends and enhance sophomore, is a student living in Sunwatcher Building 8. He said he doesn’t your academic success.” Since this project is fairly fresh and still care about having to move out next sedeveloping, most students, faculty or staff mester. “I don’t like moving, but if they’re trydon’t know about it yet. The staff of the office of residence life said the school is add- ing to improve the school by adding the ing a new center; however, couldn’t give community, then I guess I don’t mind. At full details about how the school is going first, I thought I would have a hard time about setting up the center in Sunwatcher getting back in the Sunwatcher, but now I know I have first pick. It’s all good,” Cunand the plans of development. Two learning community centers are ingan said. TAYLOR ROBINSON REPORTER
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“Adding another center will be good for the school, hopefully bringing more people in.”
PHOTO BY JUSTIN MARQUART | THE WICHITAN
Kristen Gregg, BA graduate, walks with the rest of the graduates to the colliseum at the fall 2017 commencement at the Kay Yeager Colliseum on Sat. Dec. 16, 2017.
Provost considers graduation on campus ANDREA PEDON REPORTER
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n an attempt to give future graduates a last farewell to the university, James Johnston, provost and vice president for academic affairs, has explored options to bring graduation back on campus. While graduation is now being held downtown in Kay Yeager Coliseum is the current location of graduation, it has been held in D.L. Ligon Coliseum before. Johnston foresees that if graduation is moved back on campus, the coliseum is where it would be held. Johnston said graduation marks a significant achievement in one’s lifetime. “Beyond the piece of paper that says you’re a graduate of Midwestern State University, it forever changes you as a individual. You view the world differently, you interpret the world differently and it’s all giving you the tools to be successful with whatever you do in your life,” said Johnston. For a number of faculty and staff, they have worked with the graduating students at least four years depending on when they started. Johnston said, “It’s important that we bring closure to that working relationship for the students.” Luke Draper, marketing senior, said graduation is one of the last impressions that stu-
dents have of their university. It is where they have been putting in their hard work and dedication for the future to come. “Goodbyes are pretty important. Just like after we end a chapter in our life, a proper goodbye is something that is really needed. Being on campus that one last time would make the ending of this chapter in life a lot more special because you’re on campus,” said Draper. “It would be nice to get what you’ve been working for on the ground that you’ve been working hard on.” Johnston continued and depicted his vision for how future graduations could be held. “My rough draft look at it would be to graduate right now while we have Ligon Coliseum,” said Johnston. “We would graduate half the colleges on a Friday evening with their faculty and then the other half on Saturday morning with their faculty so they could be with the students that they worked with.” On top of moving graduation back to campus, Johnston along with Suzanne Shipley, university president, have talked about implementing a senior walk this spring. “Basically, my thought is to gather all the graduating seniors here next to Hardin and walk them through each of the academic buildings and the faculty and staff will be there to congratulate the graduates as they walk through,” said Johnston.
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Campus responds to changes in disability laws TASIA FLOISSAC REPORTER
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s a new multi-million dollar plan is being rolled out to address compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, calls are being made for heightened discussion on disability to foster greater inclusion. “Physical accessibility on campus is one thing, but it only complements the bigger picture. We want [disability] to just be normal, but you kind of have two sides; should we throw everything out there and be ‘real advocates’ or are we saying we want it to be so streamlined that nobody notices you’re doing it,” Debra Higginbotham, director of the disability support services, said. The inclusion of braille, easier access through elevators and automatic doors in buildings and renovations to ramps are among some of the upgrades to be made in the coming months, as the Board of Regents understands that students with disabilities still face challenges of non-ADA compliant buildings. Board members approved for work on Ferguson Hall, the Hardin Administration Building and Bolin Hall this fall. Although there is still much to be done, Higginbotham said the school has realized gradual progress over the years. “We have made huge gains in our sidewalks; most of them are fairly smooth. We’ve invested in wider doors, curb cuts used to be random, but we’ve made a concerted effort to address that and other issues,” she said. While only 150 people on campus are registered students with disabilities, Higginbotham said the ‘rule of thumb’ suggests that at least ten percent of the student population, 608 to be exact, have unregistered disabilities. Therefore, they are not receiving necessary support from the disability support services office. Higginbotham said disability does not affect admission and the increase in enrollment of students with disabilities has strengthened the need for inclusion. “The idea is you get more and more people around with obvious disabilities, but what people don’t realize is the number of students who are not necessarily going to say, ‘I have a disability.’ They don’t want to be labeled ‘different’ and that’s why our theme is: ‘Attitude is the only real disability,’” she said. In 2012, the Association for Disability Advocacy, originally established in the early 2000s, was revamped with the intention of drawing attention to student disabilities in the 21st century. But the program, like its predecessor, fell victim to not having enough people to stay with it. Higginbotham said the disability support services office has made significant strides
PHOTO BY FRANCISCO MARTINEZ | THE WICHITAN
Construction of an elevator takes place to Fain to bring building B into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act on Feb. 27.
over the years through sign. The whole idea is ADA | The Americans with Disabilities Act of activities to foster greatyou just make it like this 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12101) is a civil rights law that er appreciation for the it will be accessible and prohibits discrimination based on disability. disabled community. you won’t have to put a “We’ve hosted a It affords similar protections against sign on it saying, ‘This is number of events to pro- discrimination to Americans with disabilities as accessible.’” vide an understanding the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made Elizabeth Speegle, of really how normal discrimination based on race, religion, sex, first generation stu[disability] is. I’m not national origin, and other characteristics dent and history fresha huge fan of disability illegal. In addition, unlike the Civil Rights Act, man, still finds it difawareness where you do the ADA also requires covered employers ficult to complete mimicking of disability, to provide reasonable accommodations to particular tasks on cambecause it really misses employees with disabilities, and pus as she maneuvers the mark. It’s not so imposes accessibility requirements on public around in a wheelchair much about sitting in a accommodations. or at times with the aide wheelchair for five minof her crutches. utes or using a blindfold and saying this is Speegle was born with cerebral palsy, a what they go through. No, do it all day and disability described by loss or impairment of focus on how people treat you.” motor function caused by brain damage. AlShe said, however, the importance of elec- though having had multiple surgeries to be tronic accessibility has to be underscored as able to walk, Speegle said the biggest chalkey to a more seamless approach to disability, lenge is appearing “normal.” She said parparticularly as there is growing need to cater ents/guardians have a responsibility to teach to different types of disabilities with more their children about diversity and acceptance courses now being available online. to stamp out ignorance. “All electronic communication has to be “I’m a normal person. It’s like having accessible. The hard sell to faculty is that they brown eyes or green eyes, being white or say ‘I don’t want to have to do this or do that,’ brown skin, I just look different and more kids so we try to talk to them about universal de- need to understand that,” Speegle said.
She said it is important to have a voice so other people with disabilities will be empowered. “I can let everyone know that we have the same abilities to succeed. But it has to come across in a way that it’s not just, ‘Oh another club or event,’ or they’re not going to listen. It’s going to go in one ear and out the other. It has to be something constant,” Speegle said. Mendelson Seaman, management information systems junior, said he has had experiences with disability on both sides of his family. “We need to approach them with empathy not sympathy, and we need to go from seeing them as disabled, to having a disability. I have a cousin and brother with disabilities and also had a grandmother who was disabled. So I understand first-hand the importance of gaining an understanding of disability,” Seaman said. “From U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, to great artists like Stevie Wonder, we have heard the success stories. And while it is great that we are trying to improve accessibility on campus, we need to also see them beyond their disability.” Other students such as Tatiana Corbette, biology sophomore, said they have had interactions with disabled students. “Back in high school, one of my closest friends was physically challenged. Things like physical education were not the same for her. It created a challenge for her and most times got her frustrated,” Corbette said. “Getting to classes were a problem for her due to stairs most times she had to take longer routes to get to class. So it was hard as her friend to see her go through those hard times, when all she wanted to do was be normal.” Corbette reflected on her own life and how it would be different with a disability. “It made me most times to think how sometimes I take things for granted. If I had a disability so many things that I love to do I wouldn’t be able to do. I love to sing and perform, I wouldn’t be able to do that,” Corbette said. “I would want people to not treat me different though. Most of the disabled people are some of the smartest people I know. I just feel like so much more could be done to embrace these students.” According to Jernelle Jno. Baptiste, management information systems sophomore, perceptions of disability need to change. Baptiste said, “I actually have thought about being disabled, because I used to help one of my cousins who was blind go to high school and I would always think, ‘Wow, what would I do if I had a disability?’ Life would be drastically different from the way it is now. It is unfortunate that many of us only recognize ‘physical disability.’ Infrastructure alone is not enough, we also have to change the way in which we perceive disability.”
| Feb. 28, 2018 | 7 Foreign language study results in “improved overall school performance and superior problem-solving skills”
The need for bilingual educators is so high that some districts in Texas are importing teaching candidates from locations like Puerto Rico, Mexico and Spain … Some districts, like Mesquite ISD, have launched incentive programs this year to keep their best teachers in the classroom through additional training opportunities and the chance to earn up to $12,000 more annually.
(Bamford & Mizokawa; Hakuta)
“Students scored significantly higher in MATH […] after one semester of foreign language study 90 minutes per week”
(ecapteach.com)
Foreign language study results in “improved overall school performance and superior problemsolving skills” (Bamford & Mizokawa; Hakuta)
“Students scored significantly higher in math […] after one semester of foreign language study 90 minutes per week” (Armstrong)
(Armstrong)
Why not…
Add a double major in Spanish, a “Spanish for the Professions” or French minor, or German classes? only 20% of the world speaks English as a native or non-native language
34.6% of Texas and 14.9% of Wichita Falls inhabitants speak a language other than English at home (U.S. Census Bureau)
82% of alumni received a competitive edge from their foreign language abilities (American School of International Management)
College graduates who speak a second language earn, on average, wages that are 2 percent higher (Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia)
Credit is available, through proficiency exams, for language ability that you may already have in German, French, or Spanish.
World Languages and Cultures, Midwestern State University Bea Wood 116 jeffrey.oxford@mwsu.edu
8 | Feb. 28, 2018 | PHOTOS BY RACHEL JOHNSON AND BRIDGET REILLY | THE WICHITAN
Mass communication sophomore Mica Schneider gets passed Cameron University’s defense Feb 20. The woman finished their season 13-13 overall and 10-10 in conference play. The woman play West Texas A&M March 1 in Frisco, Texas, in the Lonestar Conference Postseason Tournament. Senior guard Whitney Taylor broke the three-point record with 155 triples in the regular season.
Business senior Devante Pullum jumps above defenders to score a point against Cameron University in the D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Feb. 20.
Trey Kennedy, psychology senior, guards a St. Mary’s Texas University player during the game in D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Jan. 29.
Fans review men’s basketball season F SAMUEL FREDERICK REPORTER
ans give their opinions on the men’s basketball team who finished their regular season with a record of 11-17 and a home record of 7-4. Though the regular season concluded Feb. 20, the men’s and women’s teams are playing in the Lone Star Conference Post Season Tournament. The next game for the men’s team is in Frisco, Texas against UT Permian Basin on March 2, while the next game for the women’s team is Frisco, Texas against West Texas A&M. Cross Cuevas, global studies freshman | “There are a lot of playmakers on the court, but they don’t really play as a team and that was there downfall. The games are always fun to
11-17
Overall record for the 2017-2018 season, with 11 wins.
watch and I have a lot of friends on the team. Ola was a player that stood out to me on the court, because he plays really good defense.” Allen Johnson, business sophomore | “They have a lot of individual playmakers but they couldn’t come together as a whole. It was overall an average season. They have a lot of room for improvement. Brandon Neel and Devante Pullum are cold, they are they players that stood out to me the most on the court.” Hagen Northcutt, education sophomore | “Its been a decent season. They could work together a little more. They play too individually. Kore Lewis, political science freshman | “The season started rough but they finished strong. They started Ola towards the end of the season
80-72
The Men’s Basketball team won their last game with 80 points.
which I believe helped them. When they play as a team they play a lot better. They always support each other no matter what. Ola and his blocking ability, and Trey Kennedy stood out to me.” Alexis Hanshew, business freshman and mustangs cheerleader | “I would say the season was pretty good, they have a lot of really good players with a lot of talent. They are well rounded from their guard play to the big men and shooters. Everybody always seem to do there job but one of the teams greatest weaknesses would be not working together. Some players are selfish and cause turnovers with the ball. Brandon Neel and his ability to take it to the rim and his shot from three. Logan Hicks when on the court is a good scorer and plays solid defense.”
2220
Total points the Men’s Basketball scored during the 2017-2018 season.
538
The total number of points Brandon Neel scored during the season. Neel scored the most points during the season.