NorthernArizonaNews.com
INSIDE
Life: Earth Week, p 13
Sports: Tennis, p 15 Opinion: Murphy Hiring, p 8 A&E: Adult Swim Carnival Tour, p 26
SINCE 1914
Issue 13, VOL 99 April 19, 2012 - April 25, 2012
NAU picks Murphy
Former Memphis asst. to coach men’s basketball
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The lost world of north campus Students experiment in educational greenhouse
BY WILLIAM BROWN
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AU draws people from all over the world for its forested mountain landscape — and draws people from across Arizona for its four seasons. However, what many do not know is that different climates exist here on campus — and plants from all over the world thrive within them. These artificial climates, sustained within two different greenhouses on campus, provide opportunities for students to study biomes not found in northern Arizona. They also serve a variety of other purposes, including wildfire restoration and
sustainability exercises. Tina Ayers, the supervisor of the teaching greenhouse, said the facility, which was built in the 1960s, received some much-needed renovations last year. “The place really got a facelift last summer [when] the Dean of the College of Engineering, Forestry and Natural Sciences bought us some new panels,” Ayers said. “They are Lexan panels that are polycarbonate plastic and twin walls that are energy-efficient and buffer the outside temperature. NAU took off the old glass that TOP: Kendra Hart, a junior biology major, inspects one kept breaking and installed the [new] of the many plants located in the greenhouse. BOTTOM: Students from Botany Club and Tri Beta prepare to feed panels.” worms with recycled organic material. (Photo by Christina see GREENHOUSE page 7 Breen)
BY BRETT MURDOCK
urrent University of Memphis assistant coach Jack Murphy has been hired to lead the NAU men’s basketball program, the school announced Thursday afternoon. “We are so pleased. This is a great day for NAU Athletics,” said Lisa Campos, the Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics. “It was a really competitive process. There was a lot of interest in this position. We know that Jack is the right person to do that and if you look at his background, he’s Jack Murphy, the learned a lot from great coaches.” Murphy has been on the new coach of the Memphis staff since 2009, joining NAU men’s basketball program. the program when close friend Josh (Photo courtesy Pastner took over. Before holding Inside NAU) that position, he was a member of the Denver Nuggets organization under George Karl, acting as an advance scout while also serving as the video coordinator and leading players such as Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith in off-season workouts. “My first thanks goes to obviously Dr. Campos and President Haeger for seeing a vision in me,” Murphy said. “It’s very humbling. I’m overjoyed but it hasn’t hit me yet.” Murphy’s coaching career started at UA, where he was a team manager before working his way up to director of basketball operations, spending eight seasons in Tucson from 1998-2006 under Lute Olson, before leaving for the Nuggets gig. Serving under three quality coaches in his young career, Murphy has taken away an extensive knowledge of how to handle programs both on and off the court. “I learned from Coach Olson how to respect the game and respect your players,” the 32-year-old said. “With Coach Karl, I learned how he managed players and his staff. He was an unbelievable motivator in several ways. From Coach Pastner, I’ve learned how important it is to bring in entire communities and empower the players.” see MURPHY page 16
FOR THIS WEEK’S STAFF EDITORIAL ABOUT THE HIRING OF JACK MURPHY, SEE PAGE 8
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