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New plans for Fry Street reveal obstacles Students, business owners debate over plans BY MORGAN WALKER
Senior Staff Writer
Since 2006, there have been many attempts to revamp the empty lot of grass near Hickory and Fry streets and now a new idea has evolved. Michael Clark of Winkelmann & Associates, Inc. sent a letter to the Denton Planning Department on Dec. 21 stating that the Dinerstein Companies of Houston proposed a student housing facility. “I think an apartment complex certainly is a better neighbor for the local neighborhoods than the drive-through pharmacy they were looking at doing,” said Kevin Roden, student life assistant director in the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science. “On the other hand, I still kind of miss what was there on Fry Street because it seemed to be a great gathering point for students.” The facility would include a parking garage, a mix of one, two and four bedroom units along with a clubhouse, pool and additional courtyard, according to the letter. Roden said he first found out about the project from an article in the Denton RecordChronicle. Roden, who is also a member
of Denton’s Historic Landmark Commission, sent an e-mail on Jan. 7 to the UNT administration explaining his concerns about the project. “Many are encouraging [the developers] to move this project toward a more mixed-use development by making space for first floor retail/restaurants on the Fry and Hickory side of the apartment complex in order to give this a more ‘new urban’ feel and return that area to the gathering it once was,” Roden wrote. Various zoning issues have been considered in the developers’ planning process. One obstacle is a communications tower, which sits in the middle of the property. The facility in the basic proposal also exceeded the height maximum for the Fry Street overlay district, Denton City Council member Jim Engelbrecht said. There are many positives and negatives to be considered in a project like this, he said. “Obviously, it’s close to campus,” he said. “The other side of it is there’re two streets that cannot be increased in size and capacity and that would put more traffic on those streets.” Director of Housing Elisabeth “Betsy” Warren said she feels secure about student housing at UNT because its primary target is incoming freshmen. Because freshmen have to live on campus for their first 30 hours
There are plans of building new housing called Fry Street Village at the corner of Fry and Hickory. or live at home, student housing tries to accomplish other goals that apartment complexes may not have, she said. “We feel like we’re a partner in the students’ academic success and we’re going to be more and more focused on academic
accomplishment and creating a scholarly environment,” Warren said. “That’s a different thing than what these beautiful complexes are offering.” Warren added that the student housing department does value other individuals bringing
housing to the area. “We’re all kind of scrambling for business during down economic times,” she said. Brian Lockley, Development Review Committee Administrator of Denton, said the committee is now waiting to hear back from
FILE/PHOTO BY CLINTON LYNCH/VISUALS EDITOR
the developers before any further plans are made. “They’ll look for more information from the city before they move forward and submit another application,” he said. Read the Editorial on this issue on Page 6
Transfer students monopolize Administration sees changes
BY K RYSTLE CANTU Staff Writer
Transfer students constitute the majority of UNT’s student population, and every year the university pulls in about 500 more transfer students than freshmen. Last spring, UNT had its largest transfer class in 15 years, said Director of Admissions Rebecca Lothringer. This majority of transfers made the spring enrollment for 2009 larger than the fall, and the same is expected for this year. “Transfer students are the majority whether they know it or not,” said Scott Geer, coordinator of Eagle Camp and transfer programs. “We wouldn’t get so many transfer students if they didn’t like the experience here. We constantly see more transfer students coming every fall and every spring.” According to the U.S. News & World Report’s article, UNT was said to be one of the top ten schools to watch because of its innovative changes in academics, faculty, students and campus facilities. It is also recognized as the No. 1 transfer school in Texas, as well as being one of the top 10 in the nation. The majority of students that he has seen as transfers generally hail from community colleges specifically, said Geer. Transfers tend to arrive from Dallas County Community College District and Collin County District most, said Lothringer. North Central Texas and Tarrant County College bring in the second highest numbers. While in some cases it may take longer to graduate because of part-time transfers or students who aren’t full time, most transfer students tend to graduate on time or around the same time as the average freshmen, Lothringer said. “We really don’t see a difference in the amount of time it
BY MORGAN WALKER
Maureen McGuinness, assistant vice president of student A search for the new vice pres- development, said she worked ident of The Division of Student with With for more than 14 Development will begin this years. “Students are her first priority,” spring while Elizabeth With steps McGuinness said. “She is a great in as the interim vice president. With took on the new posi- mentor and she’s always challenging us to think about tion after former vice the students first.” president Bonita Jacobs Meghan Vittrup, a stepped down to focus UNT alumna who works on UNT’s National as a student assistant for Institute for the Study With, said she is hardof Transfer Students, working and well-suited which was created in for this position. 2003. “She’s very hard“My hope is to Elizabeth With working, yet she makes do the best job that I possibly can,” With said. “What time to work with and talk with we’re doing in the Division of us students,” Vittrup said. The purpose of student develStudent Development is helping to provide a better experience for opment is to ensure opportunities students while they’re on campus for student success and developso that they stick around and they ment, address the diverse needs of all students, and encourage lifegraduate.” With has served in multiple long learning to prepare students leadership positions within for global citizenship, according student development since to its Web site. One reason for the reorgani1998. Most recently she served as the zation of student development associate vice president where she is to have a better working relawas responsible for the Learning tionship between student develCenter, Center for Student Rights opment and academic affairs, and Responsibilities, Student Bataille said. With will be working with Celia Legal Advisor, Parent Programs, New Student Mentoring Programs Williamson, deputy provost and dean of undergraduate studies, and the Career Center. The institute is designed to to improve the working relationhelp transfer students during the ship. Dale Tampke also now serves transition process. “This is one of her passions,” as the dean of undergraduate UNT President Gretchen Bataille studies. Tampke joined UNT in 2008 as said of Jacobs and the institute. “She’s been speaking all over director of academic readiness the country about it and she’s and has more than 20 years of devoted an incredible amount experience in higher education. Tampke will “work to emphaof time to it.” Jacobs, director of the insti- size academics in UNT’s student tute, was also vice president life programs, ensuring all of student development since u n d e r g r a d u a t e s t u d e nt s 1998 and author of “The College have the best opportunity to Transfer Student in America: The succeed,” Bataille wrote in a letter in InHouse on Jan. 4. Forgotten Student.” Senior Staff Writer
PHOTO BY CLINTON LYNCH/VISUALS EDITOR
Forrest Holub, an electrical engineering sophomore, came to UNT his freshman year, but decided to attend community college because it was cheaper. Now he has transferred his credits back to UNT to finish his degree. takes a transfer [to graduate] and the amount of time it takes a freshmen,” Lothringer said. Though Lothringer admits UNT is quite generous with taking core credits, she suggests that all transfers meet with a community college adviser before transferring to make sure all credits transfer as well as with an adviser at UNT. Lothringer also notes that in comparison with freshmen, the transfer population is a bit older, between 22 and 26 years of age. “Transfers tend to have a little bit more experience, and a lot are out on their own,” she said. Though the success rates of a freshman and transfer student are similar, Lothringer said the transfer student’s GPA is sometimes slightly higher than the freshman who started out on campus. Lothringer thinks this may be because the average transfer student is slightly older and more experienced when they
transfer to UNT. Most freshmen are just out of high school and often don’t know what to expect the first year, she said. Transfer students like Ernel Eddins, a political science senior, transferred to UNT because of its educational standards.
“Transfers tend to have a little bit more experience, and a lot are out on their own.” —Rebecca Lothringer, Director of Admissions
“It’s just a bigger school and the educational value seems like you’re getting the most for your money,” Eddins said. “When I went to Midwestern State they didn’t have what I was looking for. As far as academic standards, UNT had a lot more.” the UNT is also recognized
among international student transfers as well. “UNT was cheaper in terms of cost,” said Vishala Sivapalan, a biochemistry transfer junior from Malaysia. Sivadalan said that UNT provided easier access to the degree she wanted, as well as achieving it in a shorter amount of time. “Where I come from, this college degree takes longer,” Sivadalan said. Akemi Kaushik, a kinesiology graduate student and transfer from India, said the major she wanted wasn’t offered in her country. She also found out about UNT through word of mouth from friends. Kaushik said that though she is happy with UNT as a whole, she found the admissions process for international students rather difficult. “It was a little more complicated here,” she said. “I’m not sure if it’s the same for other students, but for me it was a very difficult admission process.
Page 2
News
01.20.2010
Scott McBride & Rebecca Hoeffner & Melissa Boughton, News Editors
ntdailynews@gmail.com
New dean plans Law affects cigarette smokers retention policy BY LISA GARZA
Senior Staff Writer
BY SHEA YARBOROUGH
Tampke spoke to several Staff Writer f resh men who were on Dale Tampke became dean academic probation by their of undergraduate studies in second semester, he said. “The students were trying December 2009, taking over responsibilities such as the to use their high school study Learning Center, transitional habits in their college classes,� advising and residential educa- Tampke said. Last fall, five sections of the tion. “Our goal is to get students to class were offered, with 12 to a timely graduation,� Tampke 15 students opting to enroll in each. Tampke said he is unsure said. Increasing the retention rate of the number of classes that of students who enter UNT as will be offered next fall, but he freshmen and continue their hopes to increase the number education through to gradu- to 12 or 15 with the class still ation will be the main focus, being optional. It won’t take more Tampke said. than a semester to “Right now our perfect the model retention rate is 75 that the university percent,� Tampke said. will adopt for the “We can do better than entire freshman class, that.� predicted Tampke. Part of the plan to “We want to make increase the amount sure the model works,� of students who make Dale Tampke Tampke said. it from their first year In conjunction with Tampke’s to graduation is a mandatory class to prepare students for new responsibilities came a pay the transition from high school increase of more than $60,000 a study habits to college study year, bringing his yearly salary to $150,000, said Donna Asher, skills. Last fall, freshman had the assistant vice president of option of enrolling in a pilot Academic Affairs. Asher also said that such class designed to help them make that transition. However, a large pay increase was Tampke said, it will be diffi- warranted. “There was a significant cult to measure the effectiveness because all students who expanse in the scope of responchose to enroll in the class sibility,� Asher said. “The curricexhibited good study habits ulum, the core, residential — the scope more than doubled.� and succeeded. Asher stated that Tampke Since the course is not mandatory, the administra- was the only candidate for the tors cannot compare the impact position. Tampke’s approach to his of the class on a broader variety new office is to add a personal of students. The class is not offered this connection for each student. “We want to talk directly to spring, which will give administrators a chance to analyze the students about their academics,� Tampke said. data from last fall’s classes.
Smokers may now have to light, and relight, their cigarettes because of a newly enforced fire prevention law. Since Jan. 1, Texas legislation requires retailers to only sell firesafe cigarettes. The bill was passed in June 2007 and became effective in January 2009, but retailers were allowed to sell their remaining inventory until Dec. 31. The coalition is a project of the National Fire Protection Association. “This is not an anti-smoking campaign,� said Lorraine Carli, vice president of communications. “Our single goal of this initiative is to reduce the number of cigarette-related fires.� Texas is one of 49 states where legislation regarding the firesafe cigarettes is in place or pending. Between 700 and 900 people — smokers and non-smokers — die each year from cigarette-ignited fires, according to the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes. The tobacco in the cigarettes is wrapped in two to three layers of less-absorptive paper. Each layer slows down the burning of the cigarette by decreasing the flow of oxygen to the burning tobacco. When not in use or left unattended, the cigarette will extinguish itself. Packs of firesafe cigarettes are labeled with the letters FSC, which stand for “fire standards compliant,� and
PHOTO BY KAITLYN PRICE/PHOTOGRAPHER
Accounting freshman Mark McCall smokes a fire-safe cigarette after the new law regarding cigarettes was passed in January.
“If I stop smoking for a minute, my cigarette goes out.�
—Misti Fields, radio, television and film senior are visible near the Universal Product Code or bottom flap of the box. The cost of cigarettes will not be affected by the change,
according to the association. However, manufacturers and retailers will incur a cost of $100 per pack if they knowingly produce or distribute non-firesafe cigarettes. Fire marshals will be inspecting all cigarettes to ensure compliance. The self-extinguishing cigarettes may help prevent fires, but the new burn-out rate is noticeable. “If I stop smoking for a minute, my cigarette goes out,� said Misti Fields, a radio, television and film senior. “I smoke really fast so it doesn’t bother me that much, but I’ve talked
to other smokers, they said it’s annoying.� Commander David Boots of Denton Fire Station 3, said the fire-safe cigarettes are a good idea, but admitted he doesn’t know much about them. “I’ve heard about them but it doesn’t really matter to us,� he said. “If it’s not on fire, we’re not worried about it.� Fields said the potential inconvenience of the fire-safe cigarettes is not a big deal compared to the benefits. “Now if people fall asleep while smoking, their house won’t burn down,� he said.
Denton Airport to receive upgrades BY A LEX CHEATHAM
worked with several aviation groups. Now the airport is scheduled Denton Municipal Airport has catered to private pilots for many to undergo millions of dollars decades and more recently has in upgrades in preparation for various university events, NASCAR races and the 2011 Super Bowl. “The airport will always serve private pilots and has just recently seen its f light training programs and aviation businesses increase,� airport manager Quentin Hix said. The six-month project, scheduled to break ground in late January, will open enough space for 34 hangars, and will aid the airport in continuing to provide for aviation businesses. Several areas of the airport must improve to keep up-to-date with increasing technology and infrastructure. ALLOY MEDIA & MARKETING The airport works closely THAWKINS with the university’s aviation sc/rv logistics program. The airport houses U.S. Aviation Group, a flight school and the corporate sponsor of the Student Aviation Association at UNT. The U.S. Aviation Group also works closely with UNT President Gretchen Bataille, and Anita Givens, the Texas Staff Writer
Educat ion Agenc y sen ior have been more than $24 million director for technology, to coor- worth of upgrades to public infradinate projects for international structure, either constructed or transfer students who want to scheduled for completion in 2010 at the airport. get involved in aviation. Hix said that these projects “We have designed a program that takes people who have no have been supported greatly by flight training whatsoever to federal and state grants, with highly trained, highly skilled less than $3.8 million from local pilots in 11 months,� said Mark taxes. Funding for this project came Taylor with the aviation group. The main improvement primarily from a large federal will be a new taxiway in the Aviation Administration grant, southeast area of the airport as well as revenue from natural at about 2,305 feet. McMahon gas production on airport propContracting submitted a bid erty. Denton ta x payers were of $1,171,760 to complete the respon sible for a sma l l plan. “At some point you max out percentage of the total cost but the capability of an airport. A will benefit from the construcnew runway will help us tremen- tion through sales tax revenue, as well as millions in newly dously,� Taylor said. The second major upgrade attracted businesses. Hix also said that the growing is a 1,000-foot extension of the DAL020748B 1/20, 21, 22/2010 main runway, a change made community, the university aviaUNT (North Texas Daily) 3.66 x 5 and the avianecessary by the tremendous tion program 2 tion businesses in the North growth in aviation industry at SIX9001 the airport. U.S. Aviation Group Texas region are causes for the changes at the Denton Municipal alone has 40 aircrafts. The extension will include Airport. The improvements w ill upgraded security, radar equipment in the towers and the promote added business for accommodation of much larger the airport and add value to the taxpayers and the public of aircrafts, Hix said. In the last few years there Denton, Hix said.
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Sports
01.20.2010 Justin Umberson, Sports Editor
Page 3 ntdaily.sports@gmail.com
PHOTO BY RYAN BIBB/PHOTOGRAPHER
PHOTO BY RYAN BIBB/PHOTOGRAPHER
Junior post Chynna Burwell, goes up for a shot against the Newman Jets during Senior guard Brittney James works against University of Texas-Pan American defense trying to get a shot off during a preseason game. The Mean Green hopes to a preseason game. UNT plays South Alabama tonight at the Super Pit. end a two-game losing streak tonight against the University of South Alabama Jaguars at 7 p.m.
Mean green looks to come back strong
BY BEN BABY Staff Writer
Coming off a tough onepoint loss on Saturday, the U N T women’s ba sketba l l team (5-14, 2-6) will tr y to bounce back against the South A labama Jag uars at 7 p.m Wednesday at the Super Pit. South Alabama (12-6, 7-0) boasts an undefeated conference record and comes in to Denton atop the Sun Belt East Division. “What’s crazy is that they don’t have any speakable size, but they’re just really scoring the ba ll well,” head coach Shanice Stephens said.
The Jaguars are led by head coach Rick Pietri, who is in his 10th year with the team. The Jaguars have been dominant in conference play, winning by an average margin of 9.6 points per game. Coming into the season, S out h A la ba m a w a s not expected to be in the position that it is in. Freshman forward Jasmine Godbolt sa id she believes that it will take a solid team effort to contain the quick Jaguars. “W hen she was ta l k i ng to us today she told us we need to break down, actually
break down and play defense,” Godbolt said about Stephens. “ Ever ybody not sta nding up, but breaking down and playing defense. We just have to be composed.” Despite injuries, sophomore guard Brittany Hudson and freshman guard Caitlin Hawkins will play for UNT. Hudson did not practice on Tuesday, but Stephens said she fully expects Hudson to play Wednesday. Hawk ins was pulled out early of last Saturday’s game because of strained back. Hawkins, who did not show any signs of the injur y on
Tuesday, will be expected to fulfill her new role as starting point guard of the team. “It’s a new position for me, but I’m getting more comfortable w ith it and I just like filling that role for our team because we were in need of a point guard, so that’s exciting,” Hawkins said. As t he newly christened f loor general, Hawkins will try to protect the ball from a quick and scrambling South Alabama team. The Mean Green had 26 turnovers in Saturday’s loss, and has a season average of 24.2 turnovers per game.
Conversely, South Alabama does a good job of taking care of the ba ll, averaging 13.3 turnovers per game. T h i s sea son, U N T ha s done a good job of applying pressure on opposing ba ll handlers, forcing 30 turnovers or more on four separate occasions. Stephens said she believes that the turnover margin will be one of many factors that will decide the outcome on Wednesday. “Composure, shooting the ball well and getting down a nd defend ing,” Stephens said. “That’s it in a nutshell
of us being able to compete with them, because they are playing really well. They are playing with a lot of confidence, but that’s a great time to knock somebody off.” With a record of 1-5 in the month of January, the Mean Green has its share of troubles as of late. “We just got to keep it in our minds that we’re still in it and can still come out in a good position if we keep playing defense,” Godbolt said. “The offense will be there, but if we play hard defense, then we should be able to pull it out.”
The Script: Men’s basketball team not meeting preseason expectations Opinion BY SEAN GORMAN Senior Staff Writer
After the coaches of the Sun Belt Conference unanimously picked t he Mea n Green to w in the Conference’s West Division and in the midst of three straight 20-win seasons, t here were ma ny rea sons coming into t he yea r t hat UNT would be able to match the prospects of Mean Green fans and contend for the Sun Belt Conference Title. A l it t le more t ha n ha l f way into a season of ups and dow ns, it appears that the Mea n Green has not lived up to t he expectations set at the beginning of the year and must begin to play more consistently if it wants to win the regular season Sun Belt West title. While UNT has played well, it sits two games behind the Un iversit y of Denver a nd Arkansas State University.
T h i s p osit ion leaves t he tea m in contention for a first place bid, but being unanimously voted in as the preseason favor ites to w i n the division means you shouldn’t need help f rom ot her tea ms to secu re that spot. The bottom line is even if the Mean Green could be on its way to another 20-win season, it hasn’t matched the preseason expectations that were perhaps higher this year than any year before. No b o d y e x p e c t e d t h e team to falter against a now 5-14 Flor ida Inter nat iona l University club that shocked the fans at the Super Pit last month when they defeated the Mean Green by 10 in a surprise overtime win. More d isappoi nt ment came in two games against Arkansas State, a team that t he ex per t s ex pected t he
Sean Gorman
Me a n Gre en to handle with relative ease. A 13-poi nt loss to t he R e d Wo l v e s last weekend made t h i ngs more difficult for UNT, as it failed to gain a game on the top tea ms in
front of them. “I thought overall it wasn’t a great effort from our basketball team,” head coach Johnny Jones said about the loss on the road. Jones may be right, but there’s a good chance his team may have just been out matched. A f ter d roppi ng t wo of two by more than 10 points against ASU, it seems clear that the Mean Green is not the top team in the conference right now. These tough losses, coupled w it h a 4-4 i n con ference record, mea n t hat if UNT wants to contend for a NCA A
Tournament birth or win the Sun Belt West, its work is cut out for it. R a n k i ng eig ht h i n t he Sun Belt in scoring defense a nd sevent h i n f ield goa l p e r c e nt a g e de f e n s e a nd blocked shots shows t hat this is a middle-of-the-roaddefense that needs work. This was most evident in last Saturday’s game against ASU, where the team allowed a season-high 83 points. “A r k a n s a s S t a t e i s a talented team, but we need to do more work on the defensive side of the ball to have a better chance at winning this conference,” senior forward Eric Tramiel said. If the team can make even s l i g ht i m pr ov e me nt s on this side of the basketball, then there is certainly hope t hat a late-season push is possible. “We still have a long season in front of us and believe that if we can make some adjustments and improve anything is possible,” Tramiel said.
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Sports
Page 4 Justin Umberson, Sports Editor
01.20.2010 ntdaily.sports@gmail.com
UNT athletic director names new head coach Brief By Eric Johnson Senior Staff Writer
Fif t y days a f ter for mer head volleyball coach Cassie Headrick’s contract was not renewed, UNT found its new c oach, K a n s a s a s si st a nt Ken Murczek, late Tuesday evening. Murczek spent the last four years as an assistant with Kansas and Virginia, where he helped lead both programs to winning records. He was named the program’s eighth
head coach after seven years of coaching experience at the collegiate level. Before his coaching career, Murczek was a successful player dur ing his col lege years. He led Sa n Diego State University to the top-15 while ranking fifth in the nation in digs, and went on to play indoor volleyball professionally in Switzerland, Germany, France, and Indonesia. Murczek has a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a master’s degree in teaching and teacher education.
A coach who puts education first, Murczek had two player s na me d to E SPN t he Maga zine’s Academic A l l-Dist r ict tea m, a nd a conference-high eight players ea rn Academic A ll-Big 12 honors last season. UNT lost only two players from last season’s team, and Mu rczek w i l l be cha rged with bringing the program back to the top of the Sun Belt Conference. The last winning season for the Mean Green came in 2006 when the team won the Sun Belt Western Division.
Texas Rangers reach 1-year deals with Hamilton, Ray ARLINGTON (AP) — A l l- St a r s l u g g e r Jo s h Hamilton reached an agreement Tuesday on a $ 3.25 million contract w ith the Texas Ra ngers, who a lso brought back one of their former top prospects from Japa n for a spot in t heir starting rotation. Right-hander Colby Lewis, selected 38th overall as a supplemental first-round pick in 1999 by the Rangers, agreed to a two-year deal worth at least $5 million, a contract that includes a club option for 2012. He spent the last two seasons with Hiroshima, where he was 26-17 with a 2.82 ERA in 55 games. “This is not the development plan we had in mind when he was our top prospect,” general manager Jon Daniels said. Ha m i lton w a s el ig ible for arbitration for the first time after hitting .268 with 10 home runs and 54 RBIs during a n injur y-plag ued season a year ago, when he made $565,000. Texas a lso sett led w it h right-handed reliever Chris Ray, who was acquired in December from Baltimore for pitcher Kevin Millwood. Ray gets a $ 975,000, oneyear contract, up from last season’s $850,000. The only Rangers still in salary arbitration are right-
handed starter Scott Feldman and closer Frank Francisco. Feldman, a 17-game winner last season, is seeking $2.9 million while Texas is offering $2.05 million. Francisco has asked for $3.6 million and the Rangers have countered with $3 million. Lewis will get $1.75 million this season and can make
“W hen I was younger, I didn’t have real command of the strike zone,” Lewis said. “When I hurt my shoulder, coming back from that, it put me in a situation where I wasn’t throwing as hard. So I really had to command the fastball.” Plus, Lew is worked on developing his breaking and
“He’s become a premium strikethrower with big stuff, a guy that’s taken the ball with regularity.”
—Jon Daniels Rangers’ General Manager
Photo by Martina Trevino/Photographer
Senior guard Brittney James is UNT’s seventh all-time leading scorer with 1,222 points.
Athlete of the Week: Intense competitor Brittney James By Eric Johnson Senior Staff Writer
$ 500,000 in per for ma nce bonuses. His 2011 salary is $3 million, and the club option is for $3.25 million with a $250,000 buyout. Lew is won 10 ga mes a rookie for the Rangers in 2003 and was in the rotation to start the 2004 season before tearing the rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Detroit then got him on a waiver claim, but he missed all of 2005 recovering from surgery and made only two appearances for the Tigers the following year. He spent one season with Oakland before going to Japan.
offspeed stuff, giving him a better repertoire of pitches. Lewis had 369 strikeouts and only 46 walks over 354 1-3 innings in Japan. In his 72 major league games before that, he had 155 strikeouts and 124 wa lks in 217 1-3 innings. “All the signs, all the attributes that we liked at that time (he was drafted), all the reasons that we thought he would be successful have ultimately come to pass,” Daniels said. “He’s become a premium strike-thrower with big stuff, a guy that’s taken the ball with regularity.”
Attention Are you a UNT student who… …has been told you have dyslexia? …has a chronic illness? …has seen a counselor for depression? …has taken medication for ADD/ADHD? …had classroom accommodations before?
The Office of Disability Accommodation at UNT could help qualified students. Drop by during our walk-in hours, Wednesdays from 2-4 pm.
Office of Disability Accommodation University Union, Suite 321 (940) 565-4323 www.unt.edu/oda University of North Texas
On Nov. 25, 2009, in front of the home crowd at the Super Pit, senior guard Brittney James drained a 3-pointer with 5:37 remaining in an 83-73 Mean Green victory. The magnitude of the moment went unnoticed by James. Those three points gave the dedicated team captain more than 1,000 for her career, an accomplishment achieved by just 11 others in university history. “We had to let her know after the game just what she had done, which is a testament to the teamfirst kind of player that she has become,” head coach Shanice Stephens said. “She has shown so much growth and maturity these last two years, and she should be remembered as one of the greatest players in this program’s history.” From an early age, James was drawn to sports, and has excelled in just about everything she tried. She was a standout, three-sport athlete at West Orange Stark High School in East Texas. She earned first team all-district honors in volleyball and softball, but where she really shined was on the basketball court. James was named first team all-state and district MVP twice, and was even invited to play in the Texas/Louisiana all-star game where she was named the game’s MVP. “To be honest she was probably a better softball player than a basketball player, but she just fell in love with basketball and has been great at it ever since,” said her father, John James. “She is an unbelievable player, but more importantly she is a great person and she has truly been a blessing for us.” The high school star had many opportunities when it was time to accept a scholarship, and rejected offers from Oklahoma State University, Louisiana Tech University, Louisiana-Lafayette and many others to play for the Mean Green. “UNT has had a lot of great players come through here, and the team had a winning season my senior year which was very important to me,” James said.
“I really liked the school and the overall atmosphere and I am happy with the choice that I made. I have really enjoyed my time here.” The 5-foot-8-inch floor general has been a fixture on a team that has undergone a coaching change and a complete roster overhaul since she joined the Mean Green in 2006. Her talent, work ethic, and passion for the game helped to earn the respect and trust of the new coaching staff and made her the focal point of the offense the last two seasons. “When the new coaches took over they didn’t have to keep me here, so I wanted to prove to them that I could lead this team,” Brittney James said. “They believed in me and my ability, so I want to do whatever I can to make sure that they are happy with their choice.” Under Stephens, the intense competitor has developed into a complete player. While James has always been regarded as a pure scorer, she has become one of the team’s best defenders and rebounders as an upperclassman. James’ goal this season was to be a mentor for a team filled with youth, something she didn’t have when she was a young player. “I never had that full upperclassman leadership, which is no disrespect to anyone who came before me, but I wanted to show my teammates that if you work hard on both ends of the floor and play unselfishly that you will be able to accomplish so much more,” Brittney James said. The new demeanor of the 21-year-old criminal justice major has not been lost on her teammates. The Mean Green’s only other senior, Torrian Timms, has shared the court with James all four years and has seen the type of leadership that a young team needs. “It has been a total 360 and she is a totally different person, she has really taken responsibility for this team,” Timms said. “She is encouraging, intense and composed all at the same time, and she does a great job of teaching the younger girls on the team.”
Away from the court, James is the polar opposite of the intense competitor who lights up the scoreboard. Her free time is spent listening to music and relaxing with teammates. “If I am not playing or studying I always have my iPod in,” James said. “I love soul music: Maxwell, Ledisi, Chrisette Michelle, and Eryca Badyu, that type of music just keeps me relaxed and helps me to turn that intensity on and off.” With only 10 games remaining in her college career, James has bright dreams for her future. When she is done climbing the ranks of UNT’s all-time scoring list, No. 30 plans to take her game to the next level, and her coach is right there to help push her towards her goal. “She is a special player, and with the growth she has had these last two years she is showing the early stages of being a premiere player either in the league, or overseas,” Stephens said. When her basketball career is over, James wants to use her criminal justice degree to help juveniles. “I really want to help kids who were never really given a chance,” James said. “I grew up with a lot of kids who had a hard life and I was blessed to have a great life and never want for anything, and I just want to give other people that same opportunity.” James ranks seventh on UNT’s all-time scoring list with 1,222 points, and is 17 points shy of fifth place. She also ranks in the top10 in steals, field-goal attempts and 3-pointers, but it is not the individual accomplishments she wants to leave as her lasting legacy. “I want to be remembered as one of the great players to come through UNT, but more importantly I want to be remembered as someone who always worked hard, played hard and was a great leader,” James said. “I want to leave an impression for the young players that if you work hard consistently and push those around you that it will bring success, and I feel like we canof getDisabi Office on a run here at theUniversity end of the Uni season and end my (940) career 565-4323 on a winning note.” www.unt.edu/o
The UNT Office of Disability Accommodation ann hours for Spring 2010. Drop by with any questions, W 2-4 pm. No appointment necessary.
University of N
01.20.2010 Amber Arnold, Arts & Life Editor
Arts & Life
Page 5 amberm.arnold@yahoo.com
Students risk health with sleep deprivation BY GRACIELA R AZO Senior Staff Writer
As the spring semester begins, gone are the days of waking up in the early afternoon. However, going to bed in the early hours of the night is mostly here to stay. UNT students are putting their mental and physical health at risk with sleep deprivation as the semester goes on. “One of the things that is really important in sleeping is it can really affect a whole complex of health and behavioral problems if the sleep/wake cycle is disturbed,” said Susan Franks, assistant professor in the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth. Physically, a lack of sleep can contribute to health problems, such as obesity. Possible mental difficulties can include irritability, moodiness, anxiety, depression and nervousness,
Franks said. She added it has also been show n to worsen menta l illnesses, such as bipolar disorder. “A whole host of psychological issues are related to sleep deprivation,” Franks said. “Anytime you are sleep deprived, you have a deregulation of your sleeping schedule.” College students are especially vulnerable to these negative effects because they juggle school, work and personal relationships, Franks said. Students experiencing one night of a lack of sleep and those who skip on it often will most likely have the same side effects, just at different levels. “The level of alertness, ability to pay attention and memory retention are all things college students can expect if they are not getting enough sleep,”
Franks said. “Also, as people try to find a way to stay awake, it promotes stimulant and drug use.” Although most experts recommend eight to 10 hours of sleep a night, Franks said the number of hours a person needs is individualized, depending on age and biological factors. “The best way to determine the number of hours you need is to see how many hours it takes for you to feel alert. For some, it may be five, but for others it may be more,” Franks said. Jacklyne Kimani, a medical technology junior, said while taking 12 hours of courses and working up to 25 hours weekly, she finds time for about five hours of sleep a night. However, she said she has not noticed negative side effects or any health problems because of her sleep patterns.
“Sometimes I feel dragging and lazy in the mornings, but I think I sleep OK,” Kimani said. “But I am really tired when I come home from work, and I still have to go to my night class.” Kimani said she usually sleeps in on the weekends to catch up on what she missed during the week. Franks said most students oversleep on the weekends, which is an unhealthy habit because it disrupts the normal sleep patterns. “You’re not keeping your brain in a state of mind where it’s alert,” Franks said. “You want to keep some sort of consistency.” David Hopper, a criminal justice freshman, said working the night shifts in the Air Force for four years forced him to get used to being awake during the night. “It was God-awful to try to
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY AGNES WYSOWSKI/PHOTOGRAPHER sleep at night, but when I got back, going back to sleeping at night was easy,” Hopper said. When he got back home, he said his wife noticed a difference in him as he started to sleep
during the night again. “I was moodier when I wouldn’t get enough sleep, but my wife noticed I was happier when I went back to staying awake during the day,” he said.
Denton-area clinic offers low-cost care for pets BY STEPHANIE DANIELS Staff Writer
With the help from animal protection organizations, those who can’t spend hundreds of dollars on animal sterilization can get the procedure done for a discounted price. The Texas Coalition for Animal Protection offers its low cost pet spay or neuter services near campus. “Spay and neuter is certainly something that communities need, especially with the economy being what it is,” said Stacey Taylor, founder of the Low Cost Pet Spay or Neuter program. “People want to be responsible
pet owners, but many times they can’t afford to be. Programs like ours can help fill that gap to allow middle-class, working folks to provide basic health care for their pet.” Taylor founded the program in 2002 to help people afford sterilization. According to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ Web site, an estimated one million homeless dogs and cats will end up in a shelter, and nationwide, more than four million animals are euthanized annually. “I think in today’s society, it is unacceptable for hundreds of thousands, of millions of animals
to be killed in animal shelters because people are not responsible enough to have their animal spayed or neutered,” Taylor said. Denton Low Cost Spay or Neuter is one of four of the Texas Coalition for Animal Protection’s clinics around North Texas. The nonprofit organization is designed to be self-supporting in giving pet owners vaccines, heartworm testing and sterilizations at a low cost. “As long as our bills are paid, we can provide low-cost spay and neuter,” Taylor said. “We’re nonprofit, so our goal is certainly to break even, not to
create income.” According to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ Web site, sterilization procedures can cost anywhere from about $200 to just more than $300 for a dog, depending on its size and gender, and between $100 and $200 for a cat, depending on its gender. At the low-cost clinics, owners can expect to spend anywhere from $40 to $100 to sterilize a dog or $30 to $40 on the same procedure for a cat. Joyce Needum is the assistant manager for Texas Coalition of Animal Protection and said about 20 percent of the Denton clin-
ic’s customers consists of college students. “There are many programs out there where people can afford nowadays to get their pet spay or neutered,” she said. “There’s also many vets that will work with students and help them pay it out.” Needum said not only can sterilization help the overpopulation issue, but it can also save male animals from testicular cancer, keep them from wandering to find a mate and help prevent males from being aggressive toward owners or other dogs. “We provide 20 to 25 thousand spays and neuters a year,”
Taylor said. “Everyday is spay day for us.”
Clinic Info The Low Cost Spay and Neuter clinic in Denton offers surgeries daily, but appointments are necessary. The clinic is at 713 Sunset St. For a complete listing of prices and appointment information, visit texasforthem.org, or call 940-566-5551.
Views
Page 6 Josh Pherigo, Views Editor
01.20.2010 ntdailyviews@gmail.com
Fry needs local Bathroom etiquette for new decade revitalization Editorial On a summer night in 2007, a 22-year-old arsonist hoisted a Molotov cocktail into a small Fry Street pizzeria and ignited a fire that forced a dramatic and defiant ending to the yearlong struggle over the fate of the historic city block. In the two and half years since the fire, the once vibrant area has remained dormant, and a noticeable void has settled into an area that for decades embodied a large aspect of the identity and culture of UNT student life. After numerous attempts to revitalize the historic district, a Houston developer has proposed new plans to build a student living complex on the empty lot near Hickory and Fry streets. The plans, which were detailed in a letter to the Denton Planning Department in late December, represent a positive step in a student-friendly direction in the struggle to revive the beloved district. However, the placement of an apartment complex on Fry Street would strip away the rich personality that the historic area once held. The editorial board strongly opposes the current proposal and urges city and community leaders to fight against the corporate commercialization of the Fry Street neighborhood. Aside from the negative social stigma of building a largescale apartment complex on such a storied and beloved site, the complex itself would place a large burden on the area’s already congested traffic flow. It would be impossible to widen the surrounding streets because of the existing homes. Therefore, for the more than 80 percent of student commuters, an already bad parking situation would become a nightmare. Leaders must do more to encourage the growth of small local businesses that will rebuild the identity of the UNT community. If UNT is to become a nationally recognized and sought after university, a distinctive, culturally rich community must be allowed to thrive in the area that surrounds campus. For many years that is exactly what Fry Street provided, and it can and should once again. Cookie-cutter apartment complexes and national retail chains will not recreate that. Until the void of Fry Street is adequately filled and students have an area that proudly represents a voice and spirit that is their own, the cultural appeal of UNT as more than a regional university will continue to fade in the dust of its academic advances.
Campus Chat
What class are you most looking forward to this semester?
{ { { {
“Organic chemistry because I really like the professor.”
Peter Hu
TAMS second year
Guys have an unwritten code when it comes to answering Nature’s call in public restrooms. This is true for most all of us, whether or not our fathers taught us. Like an instinct just envelops us one day. Dave Barry brought this subject to light in his book, “Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys,” but that was 15 years ago. I have tried to follow Barry’s code as closely as Dexter follows Harry’s, but I think it’s time to revise it for the new decade. Let me fill you in on the current code: Basically, the act of a guy relieving himself is a territorial experience, and there must always be what Barry calls a buffer stall in between two guys using the urinals. Bat h room s w it h oddnumbered urinals are ideal and should be standard. If there are no urinals left, the next guy should wait or use one of the enclosed stalls. That is the gist of the code to which I have been adhering, but there are some times when I must break the rules rather than allow my
bladder to burst. The only time it is OK to use a buffer stall is when a small wall has been implemented to ensure territorial privacy. Any architect designing bathrooms like this must be cognizant of the conundrums we guys face when using the restroom, and for that I thank them. Although there is a separator wall, neither talking nor glancing is allowed. Enter the designated space, find a spot on the wall to stare a hole through, and remain silent and respectful of your fellow brethren. As previously stated, talking is prohibited. However, exceptions may be granted depending on the situation and location. Bars, concerts and sports venues (assuming the conversation is strictly contained to the sports team) are three acceptable lavatories where speaking is permitted. This is mainly because lots of drinking is involved at each location and our guards are at ease. If you try to talk to a guy in a restroom at a restaurant, things
just get awkward. My roommate broke most of these rules all at once at the Hard Rock Café in Houston. There were only three urinals and I took a corner one, which means he should have taken the other corner. He did not. Strike one. He unzips and starts talking to me about the Rangers game because Brandon McCarthy just recorded his first career shutout against the Astros, and we were there. Strike two. While talking, he looks over at me and tries to get me to make eye contact. Strike three. I zip up, and I’m out of there without getting to experience the joys of my natural bodily functions, but I knew I was doing the right thing. That was in May and I still feel uneasy around my roommate. I know this seems very odd, weird and stupid, but it is something many of the guys in our lives stick to. Ladies, you may have a similar code or you may
be normal and dignified, and none of the things I mentioned bothers you. Honestly, I don’t want to know what goes on in there. I would rather let the women’s restroom maintain its mystique, but I digress. I hope I have made things easier for my brothers out there with some of my revisions and updates, but we all owe Dave Barry some gratitude for being the forerunner of this excellent system. Thank you, Mr. Barry. I would be lost without you.
Ryan Feurhelm is a journalism senior. He can be reached at RyanFeurhelm@my.unt.edu.
Craigslist users must police content Craigslist’s vast net work of classi f ied-ad Web sites has been a boon not just to ba rga i n hu nters but a lso to crimina ls searching for victims. The San Francisco-based company has been linked to a wide range of crimes in recent years, from pett y thefts to grisly murders. T he most recent wa s a rape in Wyoming allegedly orchestrated by the victim’s ex-boyfriend, a former Marine in Twentynine Palms, Calif. The 27-year-old mechanic is accused of placing an ad on Craigslist purportedly from a woman seeking “a real aggressive man with no concern for women.” He allegedly continued the impersonation in e-mails and instant messages, enticing a 26-year-old Wyoming man to the victim’s house to engage in abusive, humiliating sex. The incident brought more scrutiny to Craigslist, which stopped taking ads for “erotic services” last May under pressure from several state attor-
as well as to fringe groups of neys general. The company replaced the all types. But despite the headlineerotic services section with “adult services” listings that grabbing nature of some of must be approved in advance the crimes linked to the site, by Craigslist (ostensibly to it makes sense to shield the ba r pitches f or pr o s t it ution and other i l lega l act iv ities) and paid f or ( c r e at i n g a com mercia l paper trail). Yet the attack in Wyoming led some critics to suggest t hat Illustration by Doug Griswold/ The San Jose Mercury News/MCT Craigslist w a sn’t mon itor i ng such post s closely company from liabilit y for what gets posted on its site, as enough. “If a woman is putting an the Communications Decency ad online saying she’d like to Act currently does. Bea r in mind t hat t here be raped, I’d hope it would be stopped,” said a spokesman a re ma ny out let s besides for an Illinois sheriff who’d Craigslist where people can tried in vain to hold Craigslist publ ish f raudu lent comeliable for publishing solicita- ons in relative anony mit y, such as a lter nat ive newstions by prostitutes. Craigslist’s popularity and papers and Internet newsbreadth make it attractive to groups. But the information the seamy elements of society, Craigslist collects from those
who post ads ca n prov ide better leads to investigators than they might obtain from, say, a newspaper that accepts cash for classifieds. More important, society has much to gain from encouraging companies to create venues for people to speak and collaborate freely. Hold i ng sites l iable for the w rongs done by a tiny percentage of users cou ld make it impossible to build low-cost ser v ices t hat ca n grow rapidly in value to the public. Web sites would instead have to maintain large staffs to keep tight control on what users published, reducing customers’ f reedom to a ir their views and participate in the culture. It’s better to encou rage users to pol ice Cra igsl ist by reporting materia l t hat c rosses t he l i ne t ha n to have Craigslist try to police them. T his editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
“Topics in Anthropology because the teacher seems really fun and the class seems interesting.”
Shelby Bellah
Psychology Sophomore
“General Chemistry because the teacher actually engages the students.”
Prachi Thapar TAMS first year
“Psychology because it’s interesting to see the perception of a college kid.”
Andy Rodriguez
Physical therapy freshman
NT Daily Editorial Board
The Editorial Board includes: Shaina Zucker, Josh Pherigo, Rebecca Hoeffner, T.S. McBride, Melissa Boughton, , Kip Mooney, Amber Arnold, Abigail Allen, Sydnie Summers, Brianne Tolj, Clinton Lynch, Justin Umberson, and David Willliams
Want to be heard? The NT Daily is proud to present a variety of ideas and opinions from readers in its Views section. As such, we would like to hear from as many NT readers as possible. We invite readers of all creeds and backgrounds to write about whichever issue excites them, whether concerning politics, local issues,
ethical questions, philosophy, sports and, of course, anything exciting or controversial. Take this opportunity to make your voice heard in a widely read publication. To inquire about column ideas, submit columns or letters to the editor, send an e-mail to ntdailyviews@gmail.com
Note to Our Readers
The NT Daily does not necessarily endorse, promote or agree with the viewpoints of the columnists on this page. The content of the columns is strictly the opinion of the writers and in no way reflects the belief of the NT Daily.
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Page 8 Amber Arnold, Arts & Life Editor
Arts & Life
01.20.2010 amberm.arnold@yahoo.com
Center provides environmental education to students Children participate in science activities BY K ATHERINE GRIVNA Senior Staff Writer
School buses fill the parking lot outside the Environmental Educat ion, Science a nd Technology Building as wideeyed children file out one-byone with their parent chaperones to visit the Elm Fork Education Center inside. T he c enter i s a publ ic outreach branch of the environmental science program t hat teaches children from kindergarten to sixth grade about science. “When they’re in element a r y school, we have t he oppor t u n it y to ta ke t hei r natura l curiosit y a nd sta rt a good foundation of science for them,” said Brian Wheeler, assistant director of the Elm Fork Education Center. About 15,000 children visit the center every year. The Elm Fork Educat ion Center is important because the activ ities and information they learn get children interested in science, Wheeler said. D u r i n g t h e f o u r- h o u r visit, a lesson about archeology consists of a 45-minute lesson followed by a handson activ it y where t he children dig in the sand to look for artifacts. Once t he k ids f ind a r t ifacts, they measure them and describe what they look like. “They get to pa r t icipate in archeology, not just hear about it, but participate in it,” he said. “That’s really the
FILE PHOTO / HOLLY DUTTON
Students from Friendship Elementary in Keller learn to use a flow meter, a tool used to determine the speed of water. More than 15,000 elementary students visit the center annually from schools around the area. key.” L e s s on s t au g ht at t he Elm Fork Education Center follow the standards of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Sk ills, the curriculum requirements for Texas public schools to teach st udents certain fundamental skills. For t his reason, Denton Independent School District and Lewisville Independent School District of ten send s t u d e nt s t o t h e c e nt e r, Wheeler said. Children are also exposed to college for the first time,
which “can be even bigger than learning about insects,” he said. Financially, the education center is self-sustaining, and no student fees pay for it, Wheeler said. The child or school district pays $7 per child for the trip, he said. During the week, children visit the Elm Fork Education Center between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. T h e C e nt e r i s a l s o a resource for students interested in becoming teachers
to experiment with teaching, he said. Six times a year, the center of fers Fa mily Fun Science Event s on Sat u rdays t hat include programs and compet it ion s for st udent s a nd adults. In the Environmental Crime Scene Investigation program, children and their parents work to solve a n env ironmental crime, using methods including fingerprint analysis and examining fibers under a microscope. In the first Environmental
Crime Scene Investigation, more adults t han children participated, Wheeler said. “They all wanted to learn,” he said. In a Survivor competition, attendees answer questions about how plants and animals adapt to their environment and survive. Using popular culture helps the students learn, Wheeler said. “Once we come up w it h a theme, the science part is pretty easy, in that there is science behind everything,”
he said. The Fa mi ly Fun Science Events are especially popular with the Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the United States of A mer ica because they can earn badges from their experience. Kenneth Dickson, founder of t he Elm Fork Education C e nt e r, s a id he t hou g ht public activ ities should be held in t he Env ironmenta l Educat ion, Science a nd Technolog y Building when he was responsible for t he building in 1998. He wanted to get children interested in science at an early age because many kids don’t pursue it later on in life, he said. “We believed real strongly that it not just be for North Texas but it be a community resource,” Dickson said. Fe w u n i v e r s i t i e s h a v e similar programs because the resources to create education centers aren’t available, he said. “We tr y to use our capabilities and our facilities to educate people more about science and the environment,” Dickson said. Ma r c Webb, a ge olog y junior, said he grew up doing a lot of outdoor act iv it ies, which gave him the idea that geology would be something he is interested in. He said he thinks the Elm Fork Education Center is a good idea, especially since he never learned about the environment when he was a kid. “It gives them a good backg rou nd about a l l k inds of things — life in general or how to treat the environment at an early age,” Webb said.
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