Villarreal’s Vision
promotes creativity in kitchen NEWS: Student Page 2 Underground Dodgeball League relieves stress ARTS & LIFE: Page 3 Soccer team extends unbeaten streak SPORTS: Page 5
Rick Villarreal building strong sports programs Page 7
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
News 1,2 Arts & Life 3,4 Sports 5,6 Views 7 Classifieds 8 Games 8
Volume 96 | Issue 35
Sunny 75° / 53°
ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
LGBT task force rates UNT environment BY LORYN THOMPSON Intern
After many recent national tragedies related to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community being bullied, UNT officials are seeking an answer to the question of whether it could happen here. At the end of September, the Division of Student Affairs and the Division of Institutional Equity and Diversity created a task force to evaluate the university’s overall atmosphere and the effectiveness of existing programs, and their staffs hope to use their findings to improve the university experience for all students. “We want students who come here to feel comfortable, supported, and to be who they are,” said Gilda Garcia, the vice president for Institutional Equit y a nd Diversit y a nd co-founder of the LGBT task force. “We believe the campus environment is very welcoming and very respectful. On the other hand, perhaps we’re not hearing everything.” The task force is a group that will gather information about potential issues at the university, Garcia said. The group hasn’t organized a specific meeting time yet, but Garcia hopes to have a scheduled meeting ever y other week. Garcia said the task force will continue to meet until the members feel that the issues have been addressed. “This is a short-term group that will meet and take a stand,” Garcia said. “We’ll stay until the job is done.” Maureen McGuinness, assistant vice president of Student Development and co-founder of the task force, said the most likely cause of any issue in the UNT campus environment is that the problem has been overlooked.
“It cou ld be somet hing you and I ignore every day,” McGuinness said. “If someone’s going through the transgender process, which bathroom would they go to?” Diedrick Brackens, a preEnglish junior and president of the student organization GLAD, said he is working with the task force to involve students and uncover issues in the community. “I think that [the university] does meet its mission of being an open and diverse environment,” Brackens said. “I haven’t had any personal encounters with any homophobia or any bullying, and I like to think that most of the other LGBT students haven’t either.” The major issue Brackens cited was the lack of LGBT counseling available for students. “I’ve known LGBT students who have gone to Counseling and Testing and have not been able to receive adequate help,” Brackens said. “I feel like [the staff] are removed from student issues, and definitely LGBT student issues.” Garcia also sees the connection between students and staff as an issue. “We can improve communication between the various services we provide and make sure the information gets to the students who need it,” Garcia said. “We have to get the message out in any platform we can.” McGuinness said that the task force aims to take all students’ opinions into account. “I’m never going to close the door on a student,” McGuinness said. “We need to be able to see what is going on.” For more i n for m at ion or to participate in the task force, contact either Maureen McGuinness at moe@unt.edu or Gilda Garcia at gilda.garcia@ unt.edu.
PHOTO BY DREW GAINES/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Members of the UNT chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws marched on campus Monday to advocate the legalization of marijuana. The group members attracted attention from passersby who had mixed reactions to the protest message.
UNT students march for marijuana legalization
BY A DAM BLAYLOCK Senior Staff Writer
Student supporters of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws heated up the sidewalks of UNT as they marched with signs and chanted in loud voices. About 40 students, some in Halloween costumes, gathered at 2 p.m. Monday at the University Union then wound through UNT on a circular route in an event they called the Happy Halloweed NORML Awareness March. The students shouted, “We mean green!” and “Pass the vote and the joint!” in unison as they marched past the Library Mall fountains. Many of the students held up colorful signs with words like “Don’t be spooked by weed” and “Yes we cannabis.” Erin Long, the president of the
UNT chapter of NORML, said the group wanted to do something different to raise awareness. “We just wanted to do something bigger that people could have fun at,” she said. The group’s intent is to reduce the harms associated with smoking marijuana and educate the ignorant, said Larry Talley, the director of Dallas-Fort Worth NORML and UNT staff Sharepoint architect. Talley came to show his support but would not participate in the march, he said. “I’m hoping we can make a change here in North Texas,” Talley said. Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have laws allowing the medical use of marijuana, according to the national NORML website. Another 13 states, some of those with medical marijuana laws, have
decriminalized marijuana. The marchers received support from student bystanders as they marched through campus. Some students waved at them and shouted encouragements. Others shook their fists in the air and smiled. Chad Gouge, a 39-year-old Fort Worth resident and assistant director for Dallas-Fort Worth NORML, said the chapter was there to support the UNT chapter with anything it might need. “All they have to do is ask, and if it’s in our power we’ll do it,” Gouge said. Gouge, who said he had just returned from a NORML conference in Oregon, said the difference in marijuana tolerance between Texas and Oregon was noticeable. America has 5 percent of the world’s population and 25
percent of its prison population, Gouge said. “And we’re supposed to be a free country?” he said. Not all of the students the group marched past approved of NORML’s cause, however. “Marijuana is illegal for a reason!” shouted one student who walked by. A supporter offered the disapproving student an information packet on NORML, but the student declined. A not her student, Molly Deramus, a history junior, said legalizing marijuana might not have the effect the NORML marchers want. “I’ve been in California, and it’s gonna be abused,” she said. “Yeah, it’ll get rid of crime, but the drugs — it needs to be monitored. I’m [older]. These are just kids.”
See STUDENTS on Page 2
Epitome of Perfection
PHOTO BY SARA JONES/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Kodi Tutt’s uncle, Terry Tutt, holds her as the emcee introduces Kodi to the people at her KodiFest fundraiser on Sunday at the North Texas State Fairgrounds. Kodi has neuroblastoma, a cancer that usually affects children.
Denton comes together in support of cancer patient BY ISAAC WRIGHT Senior Staff Writer
The Nort h Texas State Fairgrounds were alive Sunday with Denton residents rallying at Kodifest, a fundraiser supporting 6-year-old Kodi Tutt, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. Kodi Tutt, a resident of Sanger, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer that typically affects children, in March.
Since then, family members and supporters have organized several events to help defray the medical costs associated with Tutt’s treatment. Family and supporters were quick to point out that they also want to raise awareness of childhood cancer. “It’s not just for Kodi,” said Lynn McCaughan, member of the Kodifest planning team. “We’re putting the word out about child-
hood cancer. It’s a much bigger issue than just this family.” More than 12,400 children under the age of 19 in the United States are diagnosed with cancer each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. Cancer is the most common cause of disease-related death for children and adolescents in this country.
See FAMILY on Page 2
PHOTO BY TARYN WALKER/INTERN
Every Friday at 11 p.m., students release their pent-up stress by playing dodgeball as part of the Underground DodgeBall League in the Physical Education Building walkway. “You get to throw stuff at other people and not get in trouble,” said Andy Green, a radio, television and film junior and member of the league. “The league is the epitome of perfection.” Students are required to bring their own ball. See UNCONVENTIONAL on Page 3