Tennis center opens this weekend
INSIDE
Buying groceries on a budget
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Why students don’t wear red
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Alt-j impresses audiences
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friday
NOVEMBER 7, 2014 FRIday High 68, Low 50 sATURday High 69, Low 43
VOLUME 100 ISSUE 33 FIRST COPY FREE, ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS
NEWS Briefs World OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Burkina Faso’s military leader lashed out at regional mediators on Thursday, saying he wasn’t concerned about a two-week deadline imposed by the African Union for him to hand over power to a civilian transitional government or face crippling sanctions. BEIRUT — American aircraft bombed al-Qaidalinked militants in Syria on Thursday, and activists said another radical rebel group also was hit - an apparent expansion of the aerial campaign against the Islamic State group to target other extremists deemed a threat to the West.
National SEATTLE — A man charged with killing his live-in girlfriend and posting photos of her lifeless body online was returned to Washington state on Thursday after he surrendered to an officer in Oregon and waived extradition. CINCINNATI — The march toward gay marriage across the U.S. hit a roadblock Thursday when a federal appeals court upheld laws against the practice in four states, creating a split in the legal system that increases the chances the Supreme Court will step in to decide the issue once and for all.
Texas CONROE — Two sheriff’s deputies were injured, one seriously, when they were struck by a vehicle while walking back to their patrol car after helping a stranded motorist on Interstate 45 in Southeast Texas. SAN ANTONIO— A man has pleaded guilty in the death of a man who was strangled in a downtown San Antonio hotel room.
Faculty Senate discusses University Curriculum, Capital Campaign christina cox Managing Editor clcox@smu.edu The Faculty Senate met Wednesday afternoon for its normal meeting and to hear a presentation about the Capital Campaign from Vice President for Development and External Affairs Brad Cheves and a presentation about the University Curriculum (UC) from Associate Dean Peter Moore. The Second Century Campaign began Sept. 12, 2008 and will end Dec. 31, 2015. SMU
hoped to raise alumni giving from 12-13 percent participation of 25 percent, a goal it has nearly reached. However, the campaign is still is about $98 million short of its $1 billion campaign goal. According to Cheves, the university chose to focus on alumni giving because of its impact on a formula for the U.S. News and World Report rankings for top 50 universities. The push was also to place SMU among 34 other higher education institutions, like Rice University and Cornell University, who all set and completed $1
billion campaigns. “It is important for our institution to make a statement of strength for the future of the university,” Cheves said. “Supporters have embraced those aspirations to become that university we have described on campus.” Currently alumni giving for the Second Century Campaign is at $902 million, with 100 percent future fulfillment on all pledges. According to Cheves there are about 102 major gift prospects that the university is pursuing before the campaign ends
in December. The $1 billion will be used to improve the academic quality, student quality and campus experience at SMU. SMU has already used the funds to endow 102 faculty chairs, offer 511 new scholarships and start 16 capital projects. All areas surpassed their pre-campaign goals. Post-campaign the university hopes to have a greater operational impact on academics and athletics, a stronger participation by graduate alumni and additional capital requirements.
“We will use this strategic plan to engage the broader community in what our aspirations are as a community,” Cheves said. Moore followed Cheves’ presentation to discuss the recent changes to the UC and the issues facing the curriculum. This semester many Student Learning Outcomes (SLO’s) were revised and junior and sophomore students had revised requirements for their level 2 pillar and proficiencies and experiences requirements.
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STUDENT LIFE
Students give new meaning to ‘hanging out’ on campus, outdoors savannah louie Contributing Writer slouie@smu.edu Life for the typical college student is often synonymous with stress. However, in the midst of balancing academics, work, and a social life, SMU sophomore Jacqui Jacoby has discovered how to achieve a state of relaxation most college students would envy. For more than a year, Jacoby has been hanging out – literally – in her hammock for some much-needed leisure time. A few days each week, you can find Jacoby reading a book, listening to music or napping while suspended between two trees behind Clements Hall, enjoying her shady paradise. “The rocking motion mixed with being outside and the sunshine, it’s like complete
Courtesy of Savannah Louie
Students hammocking near their residence halls on a warm, fall day.
relaxation,” said Jacoby. “Afterward, I literally feel a difference in my muscles and my joints. My whole body is
completely relaxed.” Hammocks are available in a variety of colors and styles, and can range in price from $20 to
EVENTS
$35,000. At SMU, students can be spotted swinging between trees near Clements Hall, under their lofted dorm beds, and
between the pillars of sorority houses. Students at other universities are also in on the trend. One California campus has even installed hammocks in the quad. There is no official policy for hammocks on SMU’s campus, according to the university’s manager of grounds services, Ann Allen. But Allen said that officials are aware that students are hammocking around campus. Since she started using a hammock two years ago, senior Kenna Rood has found that studying in her hammock often gives her a much-needed rest break. “A hammock is the best place to get class reading done, as long as you don’t mind interrupting it with a little nap that is bound to
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PROGR AMS
Big iDeas Pitch Contest winners announced Courtesy of Mallory Paul
Topics like the intelligence community were discussed.
Tower Center hosts security conference dinner mallory paul Contributing Writer mmpaul@smu.edu
The John Goodwin Tower Center hosted its annual National Security Conference Wednesday evening. The topic presented by Dr. Thomas Fingar was “China, Intelligence and U.S. Grand Strategy.” “I’m here because as a Tower Scholar this is going to be a really large part of my life,” sophomore A.J. Jeffries said. The room was filled with Dallas professionals, policy experts, SMU professors and
students. The dinner and discussion was held in the Mack Ballroom located in the Umphrey Lee Center. Fingar is the inaugural Oksenberg-Rohlen Distinguished Fellow in the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. But, not everyone was as alert; one student fell asleep at the table. FIngar’s discussion was long and detailed. He covered topics like the intelligence community, government policy, the U.S.’s relationships with other countries, and the nation’s grand strategy.
caroline mendes Contributing Writer cmendes@smu.edu Eleven winners have been announced for the grand prize at the Engaged Learning Big iDeas Pitch Contest held Oct. 31. More than 40 students participated in the contest. The Big iDeas Contest offers a platform for students to share their one-of-a-kind proposals in hopes of winning $1,500 to further their entrepreneurial expedition. The contest awards up to $20,000 overall to students who win with their business ideas. “The Big iDeas program is a place where students can experience ‘safe’ failures,” judge Simon S. Mak said. Students participating are able to try new things and learn, receive feedback and encouragement, and not create any permanent damage to their reputations if their ideas fail. The Big iDeas contest addresses one of the key problems most budding entrepreneurs and
Courtesy of Caroline Mendes
Students presented their big ideas Oct. 31 at the Tower Center.
students face, which is gaining access to seed capital. “Big iDeas has a three tier process that enables students, should they continue to apply and be accepted through each stage, up to $11,000 to start and grow a Big iDea,” said Director of Arts Entrepreneurship Program and a
Big iDeas judge Jim Hart. “Not only do students have access to such funds, but can also use the new CUBE incubator, where students can office, have meetings, plan out their concepts, learn new skills and be mentored.”
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