Season starts
Spring practices begin for football team Page 6
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
News 1, 2 Arts & Life 3 Sports 6 Views 4 Classifieds 5 Games 5
Volume 97 | Issue 30
Sunny 83° / 51°
ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
Gillette files two motions BY BEN BABY
Senior Staff Writer
ARTS & LIFE: Dance and theatre professor earns fellowship Page 3
PHOTO BY JAMES COREAS/SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Two beehives are hidden in the walls of the Radio, Television, Film and Performing Arts Building. It’s estimated that they’ve been there for at least 18 years.
UNT delays beehives decision BY M ATTHEW CARDENAS Staff Writer
SPORTS: Softball team risks Cowgirls Page 6
VIEWS: Politicians distract voters from real issues Page 4
Two 18-year-old beehives housing millions of bees outside the Radio, Television, Film and Performing Arts Building are being considered for removal or relocation, after students reported some of the bees were acting aggressively. Officials said they plan to make a decision at the end of the spring semester. The bees have been in a threeinch gap in the exterior north wall of the building since 1993, officials said. The hives house an estimated 4 million bees — about half of Denton’s estimated bee population. They were scheduled to be removed March 14, but UNT officials said they wanted more time to talk to bee experts and consider all available options. “Delaying action on the bee colonies will allow us to continue to gather as much information as possible on the best way to
deal with [them],” said Charles Jackson, the acting senior associate vice president for administration in an interview with UNT’s InHouse publication. “The bee colonies are damaging the building and will either have to be moved or eliminated.” Relocating the bees could cost UNT about $1,150, said Brandee Tercek a bee control specialist from Bee Safe Pest Control. Tercek said she spoke to a UNT official who called seeking information about hive removal. Tercek said the fees for removing bees start at $700. Then, removing the combs and honey would cost another $450. “Live removal is very expensive,” Tercek said. “Especially when they become Africanized.” Tercek said bees become Africanized when they feel threatened. “It’s when they come after you,” she said. “They are protecting the nest. Protecting their queen and combs.”
Theatre freshman Ja ke McCready is allergic to bees, but he said there is no reason to exterminate the ones living in the building. “They’ve been here for 18 years,” he said. “No one has been stung. No one has been chased by bees.” Radio, television and film junior Hannah Smith has all of her classes in the Radio, Television, Film and Performing Arts Building, and she said she doesn’t want to worry about the bees. “Getting stung by bees sucks,” Smith said. She also said she doesn’t think the risks justify the high price of relocation. “You don’t want anyone being hurt or hospitalized,” Smith said. Tercek said should UNT officials decide to remove the bees, they could be relocated to a location in Dallas or a farm in Oklahoma.
The Texas Woma n’s University student accused of making terroristic threats in a classroom last month could soon face felony charges, officials said. Christopher Gillette will be presented before a grand jury in the next two weeks, said Jamie Beck, the first assistant district attorney for Denton County.
Motion to lower bail Gillette, 30, remains in county jail with the bail set at $250,000 after his arrest March
“The more attention a case gets in the press, the less likely a defendant will catch a break.”
—Ben Hunsucker, Criminal law attorney
1 for making terroristic threats in a TWU classroom. According to a court document, Gillette said during class that he was “a veteran with the special skills needed to tear Washington, D.C., apart brick by brick.” Gillette is a veteran of the Army and was stationed in Kosovo, said David Sloane, Gillette’s attorney. Sloane filed two motions last Wednesday to have Gillette’s bail reduced. “[Gillette] has only minimal financial resources, but could raise the funds required to post bond in an amount between $500 and $2,500,” Sloane said in
the motion. The issue involves the Eighth Amendment, w h i c h prohibits e x c e s si v e CHRISTOPHER bail, exces- GILLETTE sive fines, and cruel and unusual punishments, Sloane said. Denton crimina l law attorney Ben Hunsucker said he believes the case will continue as a felony instead of being reduced to a misdemeanor. “The more attention a case gets in the press, the less likely a defendant will catch a break. If people are watching, the last thing a district attorney wants to do is to reduce the case,” Hunsucker said. Along with the motion for a reasonable bond, Sloane also filed a writ of habeas corpus, which states that Gillette is “unlawfully restrained” by the Denton County Sheriff’s office. The case involving the writ will be held by the probate court April 1. “I’ve written five of those in 15 years. That’s how seldom they are,” Sloane said in a phone interview last week. Sloane is seeking to get Gillette medical assistance upon his release, but said nobody will see Gillette as long as he has a pending criminal charge. According to the affidavit, Gillette was arrested at the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center following his statements in class.
Students rally for tsunami victims
ONLINE: White wins conference award PHOTO BY DREW GAINES/SENIOR STAFF WRITER
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Construction continues on the commuter rail and bus station at East Sycamore Street and Railroad Avenue as workers lay pipe at the site. PHOTO BY JORDAN SHEDD/INTERN
Phi Gamma Delta is taking donations in the University Union to help aid the American Red Cross disaster relief for Japan. Students who donated got bracelets. BY NICOLE BALDERAS Staff Writer
Since the massive earthquake and tsunami destruction in Japan on March 11, organizations worldwide have stepped in to help provide funds to rebuild the country and provide relief for afflicted families. Though the devastating events occurred right before spring break, some UNT organizations wasted no time and quickly organized relief fundraisers. “Originally we had a booth reserved for a blood drive and had bracelets for people who donated blood,” said Chris Ivester, a member
of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and an entrepreneurial business senior. “After we heard about Japan, we decided to take donations for the Red Cross and give those who donated a bracelet.” Phi Gamma Delta will accept donations at a booth next to the One O’ Clock Lounge in the University Union today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The group will also accept blood donations today in the Union’s Silver Eagle Suite and tomorrow in the Golden Eagle Suite during the same times.
See STUDENT on Page 2
City vote may stall A-train BY DREW GAINES Senior Staff Writer
The June opening of Denton’s A-train line is riding on the city’s approval of a 180-foottall telecommunications tower that would provide radio correspondence for the network of commuter trains. T h e D e nt on C ou nt y Transportation Authority is vying for a Specific Use Permit from the City Council, which would allow the tower to be erected on a 15-acre plot within Kerley Street and Teasley Lane. City officials are expected to
decide on the permit in April. If approved, DCTA and its contractors will begin construction immediately to allow for testing of the communications system in April and May, just in time for the train’s June opening. “This tower is critical to our radio communications for the A-train system-wide,” said Tom LeBeau, the vice president of Rail Development and Capital Projects for DCTA. “It provides us all redundant backup up and down the system, which is a safety feature.” The tower w il l house fiber optic cables that act as
the nerve system for the rail lines, enabling communication between the trains if the network’s main radio system experiences problems. It is also designed to implode on itself should it ever come down. There has been some opposition to the project from residents living nearby. A few expressed their dismay with the scheduling of the towers’ construction during a City Council meeting March 1. They criticized DCTA for not notifying them about the project sooner.
See COUNCIL on Page 2
Page 2 Josh Pherigo & Laura Zamora, News Editors
News
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 ntdailynews@gmail.com
Student groups help Japan Continued from Page 1
PHOTO BY DREW GAINES/SENIOR STAFF WRITER
People wait for a bus at the new commuter rail and passenger station at Railroad Avenue and East Hickory Street Wednesday. The June opening of Denton’s A-train may be delayed as DCTA awaits approval for a new communications tower.
Council to vote on tower Continued from Page 1 C ou nc i l member s a l s o questioned the timing and use of t he proposed tower during the meeting as they addressed LeBeau. “Right now, this is the best solution we have,” LeBeau said, as he assured the council that the tower will not disrupt local television and cellphone signals, and that DCTA will be its sole operator. “This is standard railroad communications.” DC TA lo oke d at ot her opt ions for prov id i ng t he system w it h its communicat ion dev ices, i nclud i ng sma l ler towers, but ma ny proved to be too cost ly, LeBeau said. However, the project has ga r nered over whel m i ng
support from officials on the city’s Planning and Zoning Committee. Construction of the tower seems imminent as parts have already been ordered.
“... This is the best solution we have,”
—Tom LeBeau, Vice president of rail development and capital projects
D C TA’s V ic e P r e sident of C om mu n ic at ion s a nd Planning, Dee Leggett, said its final assembly should be quick.
There are t wo phases of development planned for the 15-acre site that will house the final structure. The first and most immediate phase will be the construction of the 180-foot-tall tower and its supporting communications system. The second phase calls for a new DCTA vehicle maintenance facility that may be operationa l in the next few years. “The Teasley property was t he best solut ion for us,” LeBeau said. Const r uct ion is nea ring c om p l e t i on a t D e nt on’s commuter rail and bus station on East Hickory Street and Railroad Avenue. The road running through the site is already open to DCTA’s buses, as passengers board right next to the rail line.
“We tried to get the blood donated to Japan also, but it will be sent to the Dallas Blood Bank, which is having a huge blood shortage right now,” said Ivester. T h e Ja p a n e s e C u l t u r e Orga n i zat ion a nd t he Japanese-English Language Exchange Club are collecting donat ions to send to t he Japanese Red Cross. They will accept donations today and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and are located between t he Eag le Stat ue a nd t he Information Science Building. A Japanese good luck flag will drape the booth. “It’s called a Yosegaki,” said Rachel Garton, the co-president of the Japanese Culture Organization and an inter-
national studies junior. “It’s usually a paper or cloth that people write messages on to send to friends or family. The one we have is addressed to the people of Japan, and a bunch of people from a local church w rote messages on the colors and the shape of the Japanese f lag.” Other events include The Sakura formal masquerade ball on April 9 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Syndicate, and a booth at International Week on April 5 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Donations for Japan relief will be accepted at both events. “I’ve a lso ta l ked to Big Mike’s and other coffee shops about putting a donation bin up through the summer,” said Garton. For more information on
the groups’ events, check out t heir communa l Facebook page, “Help Japa n (Nor t h Texas).” The UNT Japanese National Honor Society also plans to help out in the relief efforts. The group is still fairly new and hopes to soon be registered as an official UNT organization. “I think the tsunami earthquake fundraiser w ill be a great way to establish and bring awareness to people who will like to be a part of that academic achievement on campus,” said Lea Sarodjo, the organization’s president and an international studies senior. “Eventually, we want to incorporate communit y service to our organization and expand Japanese cultural awareness.”
POLICE BLOTTER Monday, March 21 Shortly before 2 p.m., a UNT sta f f member repor ted t hat food had been stolen from Bruce Ha l l. A n of f icer caug ht t he ma n, a 20-yea r-old UNT st udent. T he ma n was not charged, but has been trespassed from all UNT residence halls and dining facilities. Sunday, March 20 A U N T pol ice of f icer saw a suspicious person outside of t he Zeta Tau A lpha house in t he 900 blo c k of We s t P r a i r ie St reet at 6 : 30 a.m. T he 2 2-y e a r- o l d m a n w a s intox icated. The of f icer arrested him and transported him to the Denton Count y Jail.
Friday, March 18 Someone ca l led UN T pol ice about a su icida l per son at V ic tor y Ha l l around 10 p.m. Officers came and contacted the person. The person was given help. A UN T pol ice of f icer stopp e d a 26 -y e a r- old ma n at UNT Lot 55, on West Syc a more St reet . The man was intoxicated. Officers arrested him and sent him to the Denton Count y Jail. Thursday, March 17 A fire alarm went off at about 3 p.m. in the Science Research Building. UNT pol ice of f icers, Denton f i r e f i g ht e r s a n d U N T f i r e s y s t e m op e r a t or s responded. They sa id a compressor had sei zed
and caused a lot of smoke. The building was cleared of smoke and reopened. A UN T pol ice of f icer s t opp e d a c a r i n t h e 50 0 block of West Oa k St reet at 2 :40 a.m. T he driver was a 22-year-old U N T s t udent . He w a s i ntox icated a nd wa s a lso wa nted by Denton Police for speeding and failure to display a driver’s license. The off icer arrested him. Wednesday, March 16 At 2 p.m., a UNT student t u r ned h i msel f i n on a UNT PD-issued warrant at t he Su l l iva nt P ubl ic Sa fet y C enter. He w a s wa nted for t hef t u nder $ 50 0. He w a s a r rested a nd sent to t he Denton Count y Jail.
Correction
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In the Thursday, March 10 article “TWU student’s threat expedites UNT program,” the Daily incorrectly stated Christopher Gillette was released from the Denton County Jail after posting a $25,000 bail. Gillette is currently still in custody with bail set at $250,000. The Daily regrets this error.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 Katie Grivna, Editor-in-Chief
Arts & Life
Page 3 kgrivna@ntdaily.com
UNT teacher receives acting award Five summer study BY DAISY SILOS
ability to express myself.”
Sally Vahle of the dance and theatre faculty is one of 10 actors in the nation selected as a 2011 Fellow in the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program. She is the only person from Texas to receive the award. The Dallas Theater Center nominated Vahle, and she said she was in disbelief when the news came. “I’m very grateful I’ll have the opportunity to bring what I learn into my classroom to teach my students,” she said. “I feel really fortunate and honored to have this opportunity, I can’t wait.”
The mentoring program T h e L u n t- F o n t a n n e Fellowship Program, created by the Ten Chimneys Foundation, was created to provide a mentoring program for the top stage actors who mentor others, said Emma Starzewski, the communications manager for the foundation. “We want the artists to create, interpret and refine their work, so when they return home, they can help others realize their artistic goals,” Starzewski said. This summer, the selected actors will join Academy Aw a rd-w i n n i ng ac t ress Olympia Dukakis for a weeklong class focusing on the work of playwright Anton Chekhov. Vahle said she’s excited to focus on Chekhov’s work because she doesn’t have much experience with it. “It’ll be a time to investigate and explore,” she said. “I’m excited to sink my teeth into something I haven’t spent much time on.” Along with the retreat, the actors will also receive $2,500, Starzewski said. “Ultimately, the program will help strengthen the ability of actors and theaters in communities throughout the country,” she said. Sean Malone, the president of the Ten Chimneys Fou ndat ion, sa id t he purpose of the program is to celebrate actors who are respected for their dedication and passion for the craft. “This program celebrates people like Sally Vahle who are the best of the best in their communities and as theater mentors,” he said.
Staff Writer
Small town, Wisconsin Vahle became interested in acting at a young age doing community theater in her home of Wisconsin. She never thought acting would become her career. “I was always active in plays in junior high and high school,” she said. “When I went to college, I actually wanted to do broadcast journalism, but then I got involved with theater again and it just turned out as my career.” Vahle said she loves the opportunity acting gives her, allowing her to investigate human beings and story telling. “I think theater offers a lot of insight into the human condition,” she said. “It has taught me a lot about listening, being engaged in the moment that’s happening, and it has broadened my perception of myself in the world.” Michael Stewart, a theatre junior, said Vahle helped him realize what he wanted to do in the future. “She’s given me a lot of advice,” he said. “We’ve had a general talk about the acting profession and [she] told me what steps I should take to have a promising career.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF SALLY VAHLE
Sally Vahle of the dance and theatre faculty was recently named one of 10 regional representatives selected as a 2011 Fellow in the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program.
“We’ve had a general talk about the acting profession and [she] told me what steps I should take to have a promising career.”
—Michael Stewart, Theatre junior
Stewart thinks there was no mentor more deserving of the award that Vahle, because she’s someone who’s been in the field a long time and takes the time to help students. “She’s hard-working and has accomplished so much,” he said. “She teaches, she’s the academic adviser for theatre and still acts.
She is amazing.” Vahle said she continues her love for acting because it’s unlike any other career. “It’s a cool profession. It’s one of those professions that continue to grow as you grow,” she said. “There are roles I can play now that I couldn’t when I was 20. I just love the artistic process and
abroad programs cut BY ASHLEY-CRYSTAL FIRSTLEY Staff Writer
Five faculty-led study abroad programs planned by the foreign language department have been canceled because of low enrollment, causing some senior-level students to postpone graduation. The summer abroad programs to Italy, Cuernavaca, Madrid, Morocco and France are among those affected. Marie-Christine Koop, the chairwoman of the language department, said UNT pays instructors to lead the programs if a certain number of students sign up. “It’s not just in foreign languages,” Koop said. “In some programs, different departments have made cuts because of low enrollment or instability.” She said studying languages such as French and German, and critical languages such as Arabic and Chinese, have priority over other languages, which determine how many students are required to go for the program. “For me, they cited enrollment as the problem,” said Jessica Greenfield of the foreign language faculty, who was going to take her students to Italy. “I was suppose to have 25 students and I had 22 signed up, but they said that not enough [students] made payments, so they canceled it.” Other causes include political instability or natural disasters. Koop said the study abroad program to Japan might be at risk for cancelation because of the recent tsunami and earthquake disasters there.
a year at one of the participating universities. “Sometimes it’s even better with non faculty-led programs because you may not be with Americans, so you speak the target language more often ... ” Koop said. Greenfield said seniors who planned to graduate at the end of summer and juniors who planned to complete their minor through these programs would have to wait until next semester. She said she understands the students could do study abroad alone, but isn’t sure if they’ve explored that option. “If you do the faculty-led program, you’re probably already familiar with the faculty member who’s leading it,” Greenfield said.
“ ... They said not enough [students] made payments... ”
—Jessica Greenfield, Foreign language faculty
“You know that the course work you’re getting is consistent with the course work at UNT.” Brooke Walker, a history junior, said she was upset about her trip to Italy being canceled three months before she was supposed to leave. Her parents had already taken out loans and paid for the plane ticket when she found out about the cancelation, she said. “Now that it’s canceled, those two course credits that I would have received through the trip Other alternatives Students can pursue study are gone,” she said. “I’m going abroad opportunities through the to have to take them here at the Global Learning Experience, an school during the normal semester, international organization where and that puts me two semesters students can spend a semester or behind.”
UNT researcher: Drunk driving may have genetic component Gene affects alcohol decisionmaking
said. “That plan is usually made ways of tackling the problem in likely to do this than some other person doesn’t mean you’re before you go to the bar. I think the future. “There’s these people that likely to do it necessarily,” what this means is that the S/S [people] intended to drive the just get [DUIs] again and again, Benjamin said. Despite that, he said studying and the law just doesn’t seem whole time.” Thombs said in the past five to phase them,” Thombs said. genetic markers and the impliBY ISAAC WRIGHT years, there have been many “I’m wondering if this could be cated ties to behavior could ultiSenior Staff Writer studies published about the explained by this marker in this mately lead to better strategies for addressing social concerns New research published 5-HTTLPR marker, many of persistent group.” such as drinking and driving. by a UNT professor suggests which have found a connection Benjamin said Thombs’ study that genetics may play a role between the S/S variation and Genetics and behavior Robert Benjamin of the is the first step in a process that in a person’s decision to drive impulsive behavior and disrebiology faculty said studying could eventually lead to better gard for rules. drunk. Thombs said studies have the link between genetics and counseling and treatment of In 2007, Dennis Thombs, the chairman of Social and tied the variation to drug and behavioral traits is not a new individuals who consistently Behavioral Sciences at the UNT alcohol abuse, poor oral hygiene, focus but is often a contro- display problematic behavior. “I think he’s definitely on Health Science Center’s School of depression and gambling. He versial one. Benjamin said Public Health, conducted night- said connecting drunk driving studies connecting genetics and the right path,” Benjamin said. time interviews of bar patrons as to an individual’s gene may help behavior are sometimes used to “Whenever you can develop genetic testing that identifies they exited the establishments explain the problem of repeat DUI pigeonhole individuals. “Just because you’re more what genes or alleles of genes along a bar district in Gainesville, offenders, and may provide new Fla. — across the street from the University of Florida. Thombs and his research team tested patrons for a particular genetic marker in an attempt to find an association between their genes, their alcohol intake, and whether or not they planned to drive away for the night. “We’re studying substance abuse in its natural context as opposed to giving surveys to college students who are sober in classrooms during the day,” said Thombs, who’s been researching alcohol and drug abuse for eight years. “That’s the traditional method.” Thombs’ study focused on a genetic marker known as 5-HTTLPR. The marker has three variations of short and long alleles denoted as S/S, S/L and L/L. About 40 percent of people have the S/L variation, 40 percent has the L/L variation, and the remaining 20 March 22nd, 12:30 p.m. at the percent has the S/S alleles. Syndicate, University Union Thombs’ study found people with the S/S variation were three times more likely to exit the bar March 24th, 9:30 a.m. at the Student with a blood alcohol content Lounge, Discovery Park over the legal limit and were four times more likely to get behind the wheel. “Planning to drive away from a bar at night, you don’t make that plan when you leave the bar,” he
either predispose or cause this effect, it’s the first step toward identifying people at risk and treating.” Outside the lab Bartenders are often an important line of defense when it comes to preventing drunk driving. A number of Denton bartenders said they look for warning signs such as slurred speech, trouble walking and an inability to articulate clearly. Many said they notice when a person is nearing his or her limit. Sean Bonacum, a bartender at the Public House, located on Fry Street across from the UNT campus, said he sees people
who are about to drive after drinking every night and often has to call cabs or get employees to drive them home. “It really comes down to one person can have twenty shots and not look drunk at all compared to a girl that has two beers,” Bonacum said. “After being behind a bar for a while, you start to see the telltale signs between a drinker and somebody who’s drunk.” However, Bonacum said he’s skeptical about whether or not genes affect a person’s decision to drink and drive. “I think it’s kind of farfetched,” Bonacum said. “It comes dow n to responsibility.”
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Views
Page 4 Abigail Allen, Views Editor
views@ntdaily.com
Don’t let politicians distract you
Nods and Shakes Editorial Nod: People rally to help Japan Individuals, companies and organizations decided they wanted to help the Land of the Rising Sun. After the initial 9.0-magnitude earthquake on March 11 in Japan and the subsequent aftershocks and tsunami, the country faces overheating nuclear power plants and widespread destruction. The Editorial Board believes helping Japan is essential given the level of devastation. At UNT, the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, the Japanese Culture Organization, the Japanese-English Language Exchange Club and the UNT Japanese National Honor Society will collect donations today and Thursday by the One O’Clock Lounge and outside of the Information Science Building. Organizations involved are the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and United Way Worldwide. Companies, such as FedEx, have pledged to help the organizations to assist Japan. Even the Japanese Mafia, the Yakuza, is pitching in with monetary assistance and goods. Helping the victims of the natural and manmade disasters is a worthy cause that doesn’t take much time. People can visit american.redcross.org and select “Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami” under the donation tab. Shake: South Dakota change to abortion laws Women in South Dakota who go to the doctor for an abortion after July 1 will have to go through a more than three-day ordeal first. The Editorial Board acknowledges that abortion is a sensitive subject. But forcing a woman to go through counseling before scheduling an abortion and then requiring her to wait for three days between the session and the operation adds even more pain and guilt on women. It seems like cruelty. The bill, South Dakota House Bill 1217, mentions no exceptions in the case of the mother’s health being in danger or if the woman is a victim of rape or incest. This change is part of a larger national trend that has also touched Texas as conservative lawmakers try to complicate women’s ability to get an abortion. The Board feels these added barriers could lead to more backroom abortions, which often create serious health issues and can result in the woman’s death. Asking women to think about alternatives to abortion is not wrong. Forcing women to go through added trauma is. Nod: Running back gets top rating Lance Dunbar will give UNT students something to cheer for at UNT football games if he lives up to the expectations set by Sports Illustrated writer Cory McCartney. McCartney said March 16 Dunbar could become college football’s “next rushing king.” Throughout his career at UNT, Dunbar has earned stellar statistics, including running for 1,553 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. Last year’s team Most Valuable Player has worked hard to help out the Mean Green anytime he stepped on the field. The Editorial Board hopes to see him exceed 2,000 yards in the fall for his senior year. He deserves the national recognition. Shake: Narcotics officer gets caught red-handed Pocketing money is illegal, even if it’s from a drug bust. John David McAllister, a Mesquite Police Department narcotics investigator, plead guilty to taking $2,000 that he thought was a drug dealer’s. The money, however, was part of a sting operation by the FBI. Now McAllister could serve up to 10 years in prison. The Board hopes this incident dissuades officers from trying to skirt the law. Consequences exist for breaking the law and being a law enforcement agent doesn’t exempt you.
SHOCK
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
I didn’t do anything interest i ng over spr i ng brea k except get sick, and it wasn’t even t he “la st n ig ht wa s whoa” kind of sick. So, stuck in bed, I stumbled upon an i nt er e s t i ng c onc e pt . It ’s ca l led Pa rk inson’s Law of Triviality. The law, often known as the bike shed law, is the concept that organizations, especially political ones, will spend a d i spropor t ionate a mou nt of time on triv ia l matters, mainly because important issues are often so complicated that nobody wants to say something incorrect or embarrassing. Even those well versed in the subject often avoid stirring the pot. As a result, as poet William Butler Yeats would say, “t he best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity.” The most common example of this idea is the story of the bike shed and t he nuclear reactor. Because everyone has their own opinion on the aesthetics of a bike shed, each person
wants their say in the project. On the other hand, if a reactor is being built in t he sa me town, fewer people will speak up about the issue because of its complexity, and the town is more likely to simply trust the “experts.” I can tell you from my experience in local politics that this law quite often rings true. Our state legislators are using this basic concept to their advantage. Take a particular issue that has stirred much debate on t he pages a nd website of t he Da i ly a nd elsewhere : c onc e a le d h a nd g u n s on campus. Ever yone believes t hey k now t he “com mon s e n s e” s o l u t i on t o t h i s problem. The fact is, whether it is passed, this legislation will directly affect a relatively small number of students. I’m not here to argue on one side of this issue or the other. But let’s take another issue: the proposed state budget. We are facing some of the most drastic cuts in our university’s history. The proposed House budget cuts $1.7 billion from
higher education, including eliminating financial aid for 60,000 students in Texas. In 2003, university administrators made a deal with the legislature to control their own tuition in exchange for in her it ing a def icit. Since then, lawmakers have made it a point to shif t def icits to u n iversit ies by cut t i ng budgets, which in turn place the burden upon students. The state tightens its belt, the university tightens its own, and students are left with the resulting muffin-top bulge. I’ll let you guess which issue we’ve talked about more, and I’ll let you guess which one state legislators want you to focus on. We need to have a discussion now about how our state can get out of this Möbius strip of constant funding cuts and tuition raises. Apologists for the current system will claim that, since the situation may not be as bad here as elsewhere, there is nothing to fear. To them, so long as we spiral more slowly down the drain than some
other group, the problem does not exist. If we continue down this path, we risk a Sisyphean cycle that we may never break free from. If we do not address these problems instead of relying on buzzwords and hot-button issues, we risk losing all of the progress that has been made so far. If we do not speak up, as Yeats would say, “things fall apart; the center cannot hold.”
Brandon Cooper is a kinesiology graduate student. He can be reached at runfellow@ gmail.com.
NFL, player’s union must reach agreement Si nce A rl i ng ton hosted Super Bowl XLV, much of the recent discussion surrounding the National Football League has focused on the disputes between the National Football League Player’s Association and team owners. Bec au se t he col lec t ive bargaining agreement expired earlier this month, the two sides have been forced into robust debate about renewing the agreement. At stake is whether the 2011 season will be played. The heart of this debate is how shared revenue shou ld be spl it bet ween owners and the players. A d d i t i o n a l l y, p l a y e r s would like the league and its owners to be responsible for a stable retirement package for players and additiona l health insurance coverage, and they would not like to see the season extended to 18 games. In an attempt to expand their bottom line, owners would like to cut two
preseason games and add two regular season games. Owners believe they are not receiving the amount of revenue they are entitled to, while players contend that the teams will not disclose their financial statements. Now t h at t he c ent r a l reasons behind this dispute have been established, let me say this whole situation is childish. The minimum base salary for NFL players in 2009 was $295,000 and the average salary was $1.8 million, so I believe both the owners and the players need to realize their pettiness is completely unwarranted. With the American median salary at $49,777 in 2009, the NFL base sa lar y is nearly six times what an average American makes. I realize that these players are extremely talented individuals and that they provide enterta inment for a la rge amount of people, but there
is no legitimate reason that this type of argument should be taking place. Although I understand that players want more money and a stable retirement because they can only play for a limited number of yea rs, I t hin k they should learn to be more responsible with their money, making it last substantially longer. Also, owners see that they have invested a substantial amount of capital into these teams and would like to be rewarded for that, but we all know none of these owners are facing financial woes and are simply trying to get richer. If you have ever wondered why an average family of four cannot afford to attend a football game, a simple search of player’s salaries would soon explain it. In my mind, these players and owners need to realize that they have been blessed with a great opportunity to
become rich just by playing a game or owning a team. These people are not garnering much favor with the public, which turns on the television each evening to see that there may not even be a season if the players and owners can’t come to a compromise. Simply put, I am sick of millionaires fighting with billionaires.
Blake Windham is a biology senior. He can be reached at blakewindham@my.unt.edu.
TALK
UCLA won’t take action against student BY L ARRY GORDON MCT
LOS ANGELES — The University of California, Los Angeles, announced Friday it would not proceed with any investigation or disciplinary action against a student who produced a controversial online video, in which she complained about Asian students’ behavior. “While we were appalled and offended by the sentiments expressed in t he video, we have uncovered no facts to lead us to believe
the student code of conduct was violated,” said UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton Friday. First Amendment activists said they were pleased with UCLA’s decision. In the video, posted after the devastating Japanese e a r t hqua ke, A lex a nd r a Wallace, a third-year political science major, complained about Asian students using their cellphones in the library as they sought information about the earthquake and relatives in the quake zone.
NT Daily Editorial Board The Editorial Board includes: Katie Grivna, Abigail Allen, Josh Pherigo, Laura Zamora, Sean Gorman, Nicole Landry, Brianne Tolj, Berenice Quirino, David Williams and Will Sheets.
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Sports
Page 6 Sean Gorman, Sports Editor
Wednesday, March 23, 2011 sgorman@ntdaily.com
Sophomore finds new home Softball team faces
another ranked club
BY PAUL BOTTONI Intern
The 6-foot-5-inch South African native Marco Scarola towers over his UNT golf teammates, who have nicknamed him “The Short Guy.” Though the sophomore dabbled in a number of sports while growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa, his future was in one in particular — golf. “As a youngster, I used to hit stones with sticks,” Scarola said. “My aunt eventually bought me a plastic golf club. Then my brother got me a pair of golf clubs, cut them down [so I could use them], and I started playing the game.”
A stick becomes a nine iron The Scarola family loves its sports. Scarola’s father and brother — former PGA Tour golfer Gian-Carlo — played in a variety of athletics. So, young Scarola “followed in their footsteps.” Scarola mimicked his father and brother, playing cricket, golf, hockey, rugby and tennis. Scarola said his sister would get irritated when he and his brother woke up for an early morning round of golf and accidently banged their clubs against the hallway walls. However, golf was not his main focus. “I spent a lot of my high-school days playing cricket more than golf,” said Scarola. While attending Krugersdorp High School, Scarola played cricket, but also joined the golf team. He was named the school’s Sportsman of the Year in 2008. The waves he made on the fairways and greens would guide him to the United States and Denton.
UNT will face No. 18 OSU today BY BOBBY LEWIS
Senior Staff Writer
PHOTO BY PAUL BOTTONI/INTERN
Sophomore Marco Scarola hones his ball-striking skills during practice. A Mean Green golfer
“Marco had a really good golf swing and had a lot of touch.”
—Brad Stracke, Head coach
From South Africa to North Texas Three years ago, UNT men’s golf head coach Brad Stracke was contacted by the father of Dylan Fritelli, a South African golfer on the Texas Longhorns. The elder Fritelli was spreading word in the U.S. about South African golf while sharing possibilities in the U.S. for South African golfers. He told Stracke about a friend of his son, whom he thought would make a good addition to UNT’s team. “I went to Florida to watch [Marco] play, and liked what I saw,” Stracke said. “Marco had a really good golf swing and had a lot of touch around the greens.”
When Scarola arrived at UNT, he soon bonded with fellow sophomore and roommate Curtis Donahoe. Despite Scarola arriving a semester after him, Donahoe said Scarola quickly meshed with the team. During school breaks, Scarola returns to South Africa, where he gets a fix of what he misses most — his mother’s home cooking. His best performance last season came in the J.L. Lewis Intercollegiate, in which he finished tied for 13th and the team won the tournament outright. This season, Scarola has competed in four of the team’s seven tournaments. His best finish came in the Oak Hills Invitational, during which he barely missed finishing in the Top-25 and shot a season-best round of 70. When Scarola was recruited, Stracke said he knew he could improve certain aspects of Scarola’s game. “I knew with his wedge play and ball striking we could make him a little bit better, and he is. He’s become a better golfer,” Stracke said.
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The Mean Green softball team gets a break in its conference schedule today when it travels to Stillwater, Okla., to face No. 18 Oklahoma State. UNT’s (13-14, 1-5) game against OSU (25-6) is its 10th game against a ranked opponent this season. Half of the Mean Green’s losses have come against ranked opponents. “I think we’ve played really good [against ranked teams],” said senior outfielder Mariza Martinez. “It’s bad to say, but I think we play better against ranked teams.” One of the Mean Green’s two wins over a ranked opponent came March 13 against conference foe LouisianaLafayette, which was ranked 17th in the nation. UNT won 8-5 after being swept by ULL in a doubleheader the previous day. It was UNT’s first victory over ULL since 2007. “The win over ULL was huge, and hopefully we can build on that,” said head coach T.J. Hubbard. OSU’s pitching staff could make life hard for the Mean Green offense. This season, OSU has a combined ERA of 1.67, and sophomore pitcher Kat Espinosa leads the staff with a 12-2 record and a 1.66 ERA. Espinosa has struck out 84 batters in 92.2 innings of work. “I don’t know what they do different, but they have a pretty good pitching staff,” Hubbard said. “We’ll just have to kind of play our game and
PHOTO BY STACY POWERS/SENIOR STAFFER
Junior outfielder Megan Rupp swings to hit the ball during a batting practice for the team’s upcoming game against Oklahoma State tonight.
“The offense has kind of been up and down all season.”
—Mallory Cantler, Senior pitcher
stay focused on what we do best.” UNT will likely face Espinosa or freshman pitcher Simone Freeman. Freeman is 7-4 with a 1.86 ERA. The Mean Green will try to
wake its bats up after being swept by the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders last week in a threegame series. The losses were UNT’s first road games of the season against a single opponent, and the first away from Denton since Feb. 13. “The offense has kind of been up and down all season,” said senior pitcher and first baseman Mallory Cantler. “But I think we’re definitely going to be on the upside of things coming out of [last] weekend, so we’ll see where that takes us.” The game will start at 5 p.m. at Cowgirl Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.
Spring football starts, practice open to public Brief
practices will be open to the public, who can to check in B Y S EAN G OR M AN with the Eagle Angels outside Sports Editor of the practice location to gain The 2011-2012 UNT foot- access. The team will practice at ba ll season w ill begin at 7 p.m. today when t he tea m Fouts Field and the Athletic holds its first spring practice Center field, with the Angels setting up a check-in table of the year. First-year head coach Dan near each location. UNT will host two scrimMcCa r ney a n nou nced t he
mages at 9 a.m. on April 2 and April 9, and will play the annual Green vs. White Spring Game at 1 p.m. April 16. The Spring Game will be broadcast on 88.1 FM KNTU.
Spring Practice Dates March 23 - 7 p.m.* March 25 - 3:30 p.m. March 26 - 9 a.m. March 28 - 3:30 p.m. March 30 - 7 p.m.* April 1 - 6:00 a.m.* April 2 - 9 a.m. April 4 - 3:30 p.m. April 6 - 7 p.m.* April 8 - 6:00 a.m.* April 9 - 9 a.m. April 11 - 3:30 p.m. April 13 - 7 p.m.* April 15 - 3:30 p.m. *Fouts Field practice (All other practices will be at the Athletic Center fields unless noted otherwise)