North Texas Daily 9-24-15

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VOL. 105 No.5 RUNAROUND

Students struggle for answers By Linda Kessler Copy Editor @LindaKessler

For a university aiming to take on national prominence, UNT’s communication practices often delay students and faculty from handling certain affairs vital to being enrolled in classes or educating the student body. On college campuses, there are many places students, parents, faculty and staff can go to have their university-related questions and concerns dealt with. But when those places do not operate efficiently it can lead to what UNT President Neal Smatresk and others call the “UNT runaround.” Smatresk described the term as ineffective communication when students or faculty are redirected to various departments, or don’t have their issues managed in a concise and timely manner. Latasha Phillips, a Marine Corps veteran and transfer student, said she knows all about this issue. A recent experience with UNT left her puzzled at customer service when she had enrollment questions last month. Phillips, who feels she’s wasted her time, went from the Student Veteran Services office to the General Academic Building, to the Eagle Student Services Center and back again in her search for answers Phillips said have yet to be resolved. “Two bottles of water later and my anger is through the roof. I make my way back to the GAB and express my frustration,” Phillips said. “An advisor promptly came and wrote me a short form for concurrent enrollment. Why could

SEE RUNAROUND ON PAGE 2

WEATHER

Today H: 91°F L: 68°F 7-Day Forecast Friday H: 91°F L: 66°F Saturday Sunday

H: 90°F L: 64°F H: 91°F L: 67°F

Monday H: 92°F L: 68°F Tuesday H: 91°F L:68°F Wednesday H: 91°F L: 70°F TRENDING

@ntdaily @thedose_ntdaily @ntd_sports

#PopeinDC

Pope Francis arrives in the United States for the first time, canonizes Junipero Serra, a Spanish missionary

#BlackPanther

The Atlantic’s Ta-Nehisi Coates to write new comic book as part of “All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe.

#YogiBerra

Yogi Berra, a famous catcher for the New York Yankees known for his off-the-wall quotes, passed away late Tuesday evening.

EDITORIAL

NEED FOR SPACE TRAVEL ON PAGE 8 TIMELINE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2015

NTDAILY.COM SCHOLARSHIPS

A JACK-OFALL-TRADES

Dallas-based group offers money for master’s program By Lisa Dreher Staff Writer @lisa_dreher97

Local jiu jitsu gym owner has a few tricks up his sleeves By Kayleigh Bywater Senior Staff Writer @kayleighbywater

As a kid, Top Game Jiu Jitsu studio owner Blake Dvorak wasn’t focused on kicking a soccer ball around, building train sets or playing with toy cars. Instead, his interests lay within a simple deck of playing cards. Ever since he was 10 years old, Dvorak has spent his time learning different magic illusions. “I watched a David Blaine TV special right around my tenth birthday,” Dvorak said. “Right after I watched it, I went out and bought my first magic set. That was it after that.” Growing up, Dvorak and his family moved around a lot since his father, Dave, was in the Air Force. One of those moves took his family to Vegas when he was in sixth grade. “We lived in Vegas for a while,” Dvorak said. “I got to grow up in an environment where so many magicians lived and performed. I got to see how it worked out firsthand.” Dvorak said when he would walk down the Strip or explore different parts of Vegas he liked to perform tricks for passersby. Just a kid at the time, he wanted to show people what he could do. One of Dvorak’s biggest supporters when

he was starting out was his sister Brittany. She said her brother would constantly come to her asking for advice. “We moved around a lot, so we were each other’s best friends,” Brittany said. “He would come into my room at night after spending hours practicing, have me drop everything and watch his new tricks. His face would always light up when he was doing any of his tricks.” There are thousands of different magic tricks and illusions, but Dvorak chooses to focus on card tricks. He plans to continue improving his skills and has

Blake Dvorak balances cards under his chin on Sept. 23. Hannah Ridings | Senior Staff Photographer

SEE MAGICIAN ON PAGE 4

SPEAKER

Bill Nye to speak at UNT in April By Josh Taylor Staff Writer @ iEnglishBetter Bill Nye the Science Guy is coming to UNT next semester. He joins the latest lineup of speakers for the Distinguished Lecture Series. The lecturers include a Pulitzer Prize winner, a former FBI agent and entertainers. The series begins Oct. 21 with Jose Antonio, a former undocumented American who continued on to win awards for his work and establish the nonprofit Define American. Those attending the lecture can expect to hear inspiring stories about

making the most of their situations. The Division of Student Affairs, which runs the lectures series, intended this series to give its viewers an eye-opening lecture on life skills to better their name alongside UNT. On Nov. 3, Joe Navarro, a body language expert, former FBI agent and supervisor and author of “What Every BODY Is Saying,” will be the second speaker. Jessica Williams, an actress known for being in “Hot Tub Times Machine 2,” will lecture Feb. 9. She is a comedian and a correspondent for the Daily Show on Comedy Central. Bill Nye will speak April 6.

Bill Nye is expected to come to campus April 6 as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series. Courtesy|Bill Nye

FOOTBALL

McNulty and McCarney to tackle their roots Saturday

By Reece Waddell Senior Staff Writer @ReeceTapout15 In the spring of 1971, North Texas head football coach Dan McCarney walked the across the stage at Iowa City High School. Thirty-nine years later, senior quarterback Andrew McNulty walked the same stage in 2010. Small world. This Saturday, just two and a half miles away from the high school both men graduated from, the Mean Green football team will take on the University of Iowa in Kinnick Stadium. “This isn’t Bill Belichick and Tom Brady coming back to Iowa

City,” McCarney said. “This is just two Iowa City natives who are proud of their roots. It’s a pretty unique situation where a starting division one quarterback and head coach go back to the same hometown, but at the end of the day, we’re trying to get a win as a big underdog.” After playing for the Hawkeyes from 1972-1974, McCarney became its assistant coach under former Mean Green coach Hayden Fry from 1977-1989. He said his time spent at Iowa, both playing and coaching, gave him a unique perspective on the world.

“My time at Iowa definitely enriched my life,” McCarney said. “There are so many great things about it. And if you never worked or lived there, you wouldn’t understand that. But there’s just this incredible loyalty, it’s uncommon and uncompromising.” A few decades later, McNulty was growing up with a father who also played football at Iowa, exposing the quarterback to the game at an early age. McNulty said he’s been immersed in the culture of Iowa football for as long as he can remember. “I grew up watching and I

lived within walking distance of [Kinnick Stadium],” McNulty said. “My brother and I, we would go throw the football around in the yard or in the park, whatever. He helped me get better, but he was older. So he had a one-up on me at times.” Despite the homecoming, McNulty insists on focusing at the task at hand: reversing the 0-2 hole North Texas has dug itself in to start the season. The fact that the next game on the schedule is a bout with the Hawkeyes is nothing more than a

SEE SPORTS ON PAGE 6

A Dallas-based foundation has given UNT $28,500 to be awarded this year to five students pursuing a Master’s of Public Administration. The Hatton W. Sumners Foundation awards recipients with a $12,000 stipend for 16 months and $16,500 toward tuition and fees. This year’s recipients are Abbey Heffner, Sean Jacobson, Chelsea Monty, Patrick Ratlif and Julie Winkler, who are all fulltime pre-career student with the MPA program. Winners are expected to attend seminars throughout the year, with a conference in October. Applicants must be U.S. citizens enrolled full-time in the MPA program. Founded by former United States Congressman Hatton W. Sumners of Texas, the foundation’s mission is to encourage citizen involvement in government. UNT’s MPA within the Department of Public Affairs is the only program in the foundation that offers scholarships within the field. “Of all of [the foundation’s] programs, I think we fit nicely with their mission because our students are citizens who go on to become leaders of government,” said Robert Bland, endowed professor of local government and faculty liaison to the Sumners Foundation. Bland said the relationship between the MPA and the Hatton W. Sumners foundation “raises the profile of the department, the MPA program, the university and our region as well as the center of academic opportunities.” UNT has worked with the foundation for more than 35 years and Sumners Foundation has assisted other schools with 14 scholarship programs throughout Texas and Oklahoma. The foundation expects applicants to educate the public on its responsibility in a democracy. This year’s recipients will also be research assistants to their respective professor for 10 hours a week for the first year. Heffner, who received a bachelor in psychology and child learning and development from the University of Texas at Dallas, plans to specialize in nonprofit management. “I think it’s going to really teach me how nonprofit organizations work and how to lead organizations in a way that they can overcome the challenges nonprofits face,” Heffner said. The Hatton W. Sumners foundation chooses applicants from a pool of those with preferred majors and qualifications who have an interest in local government and nonprofit careers. The deadline for applications is April 1. Finalists are then interviewed on campus in early May, with an announcement of of the recipients in the spring. With a bachelor’s degree in political science from Abilene Christian University, Monty said she is thankful for the financial support from such a substantial award. “I would not have been able to go to grad school without it,” Monty said. Sean Jacobson, who received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Miami University, said he feels the scholarship’s standards directly apply to him. “Less student debt would allow me to focus on studying as much as I can,” Jacobson said. “Getting a good internship and getting a job and starting public service to fulfill the mission of Hatton W. Sumner.”


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