Southeast Arrow May 2, 2012

 1 ARROW • week of May 2 - 8, 2012

LAST CHANCE TO DANCE PG. 5 GRADUATE PG. 6

WE BELIEVE PG. 2

REMEMBERING A BROTHER PG. 4

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT PUBLICATION MAY 2 - 8, 2012 Student run since 1911

The Office of Student Conduct handles student judicial cases Dan Fox Editor

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Members of the Southeast Missouri State University football team were involved in an alleged hazing incident on April 13. The Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney’s office has declined to press charges on the students, but the incident was referred to Southeast’s Office of Student Conduct for review, according to a release by assistant to the president Diane Sides. The office’s main goal is to uphold the Code of Student Conduct at Southeast. If the office suspects that a student has violated Southeast’s Code of Student Conduct, the student will be issued a notice to appear, usually by either the Department of Public Safety or the Office of Residence Life. The student then must meet with either assistant dean of students Dr. Randy Carter or one of his assistants. “At that point their rights are explained to them and there’s a preliminary investigation to determine if there is any reason to go forward,” dean of students Dr. Dennis Holt said. If the decision is made to proceed, students have the option to have an administrative hearing or go before the student-run All University Judicial Board. If they choose an administrative hearing they will have a one-on-one discussion with Carter or his graduate assistant Danielle Pettigrew. If the student chooses to go in front of the board, he or she will present their case to a minimum of three AUJB members. Carter presents the claims and evidence

against the student during both types of hearings. However, in an AUJB case the board will make the final decision, not Carter. In either style of hearing the student can have witnesses, legal attorneys and advisers from the university present. Attorneys and advisers are allowed to sit in, take notes and advise the student outside of the hearing but cannot speak for the student while the proceedings take place. If a student wants moral support from friends and family members, the student can ask that the hearing be open to them, according to Carter. The office handles offenses from cheating in the classroom to sexual assaults. It is possible for the office to hold its hearings and discipline a student even while that student is under a criminal investigation by the Cape Girardeau Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, according to Carter. “It’s happened,” Carter said. “Unless we’re asked specifically not to.” Carter said that sometimes the office will wait to investigate in order to avoid getting in the way of a criminal investigation. The office primarily works with DPS, relying on them for reports and details of its investigations. Sometimes an officer is asked to be present at a hearing, either as a witness or if the office feels there is a security reason to have them in the building. The burden of proof used for an Office of Student Conduct hearing is the preponderance of evidence. That is the standard used in United States civil courts and is defined by the Missouri government website

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At that point their rights are explained to them and there’s a preliminary investigation to determine if there is any reason to go forward. Dr. Dennis Holt as “that degree of evidence that is of greater weight or more convincing than the evidence which is offered in opposition to it or evidence which as a whole shows the fact to be proved to be more probable than not.” “What that means is reasonable judgment,” Holt said. The ofﬁce handles 275300 cases per year, according to Carter, and most of those are handled through an administrative hearing. There are no records available to the public documenting every case, however all criminal offenses are posted on the DPS website in their annual statistics. Carter said that in a matter of public safety, DPS would decide whether or not to release information related to a case.

More about the AUJB board The All University Judicial Board is comprised of 20 students. Three of those members must be present at a student hearing, but the Office of Student Conduct tries to have at least five in attendance, according to assistant dean of students Dr. Randy Carter. To be on the board, a student must be a second semester full-time student, be in good disciplinary standing with the university and have at least a 2.75 GPA. A student who has been disciplined by the office before may be selected as long as the offense was minor. It is preferred by the office, but not required, that the student demonstrates a clear understanding of the Code of Student Conduct and have demonstrated leadership ability either on or off campus. Carter said the office looks for someone who is fair-minded, cares about education and is a good citizen. The AUJB chairperson, the student who leads the board, is chosen by the president of student government. “We generally want someone who has had at least a year of experience on the board, obviously has an interest in the position, shown some good leadership roles,” Carter said. Out of the 275-300 cases the office hears in a year, approximately 10 of them are heard by the AUJB.

BRIEFS Check out the full version of this story and others online at southeastArrow.com.

Biking Biking for Babies Bicyclists will cover 1,200 miles

in one week to raise money for Biking for Babies. Biking for Babies is an antiabortion organization that hosts an annual charity ride to raise money and awareness for other anti-abortion organizations and crisis pregnancy centers, which counsel pregnant women and their families against having an abortion and offer various forms of support. This year Biking for Babies will raise money for eight organizations in the Midwest. Bikers will start in New Orleans on May 21 and ride to Chicago, their longest trip to date. Ten bikers will be participating in the ride, biking between 90 and 190 miles a day. The group has been preparing for the ride by cycling long distances, running and weight training. Many of the riders also compete in triathlons and marathons. They will be making stops along the way with host families and parishes, where they will speak about Biking for Babies’ mission. The team will make stops in Columbia, Jackson and Greenwood in Mississippi; Memphis in Tennessee; Cape Girardeau in Missouri and Freeburg, Champaign and Chicago in Illinois. Last year Biking for Babies raised over $21,000 for Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center in Illinois, Students for Life of Illinois and Women’s Care Center in Wisconsin. Southeast Missouri State University senior Cory Ross will be one of the 10 riders making this journey.

Show Regional farm show The Southeast Missouri State

University Collegiate Farm Bureau will host the Southeast Regional Farm Show 2012. The show will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 5 at the David M. Barton Agriculture Research Center in Gordonville, Mo. Admission is free. Contact 573-651-2106 for questions or information.

Vol 102, No. 15 • © A partnership with Southeast Missouri State University and Rust Communications • To advertise, call 573-388-2741

COMPETE  2 ARROW • week of May 2 - 8, 2012

SOUTHEAST to host OVC Championships SOUTHEAST TRACK AND FIELD TEAM WILL VIE FOR CONFERENCE TITLES THIS WEEKEND

BRIEFS

Southeast Football

2012 schedule announced 

The Southeast football team released its 2012 schedule on April 20. The team will play 11 games, five of which will be at Houck Stadium. The first three games will be against non-conference opponents, beginning on Aug. 30 at Central Michigan. The tennis’ home opener will be on Sept. 8 against Mars Hill College. The final eight games will be against OVC opponents. Notable games include Sept. 15 at SIU Carbondale, Sept. 22 at home against Tennessee Tech and homecoming Oct. 20 against UT Martin.

Southeast Baseball

Redhawks win two against UT Martin 

The Southeast baseball team won two of three games against OVC-foe UT Martin over the weekend. After losing the first game on Friday 5-4, Southeast scored 27 runs on Saturday and Sunday combined. The Redhawks won 13-1 on Saturday behind 15 hits and four home runs. Starting pitcher Zack Smith threw seven innings and allowed one earned run. Southeast hit five home runs on Sunday and won 14-2. Starting pitcher Dylan Lynn threw seven innings and allowed two earned runs. Southeast improved to 16-29 overall and 7-11 in the OVC. The Redhawks are two games out of sixth place in the conference, which is the final qualifying spot for the OVC Tournament. Southeast will face Jacksonville State in a three-game series starting at 6 p.m. Friday at Jacksonville, Ala.

Southeast Softball

Redhawks’ season ends Wednesday 

The Southeast softball team will miss this year’s OVC Tournament. The seventh-place Redhawks have no OVC games left and have ﬁve more losses than sixth-place Tennessee Tech. The top six teams qualify for the OVC Tournament. Southeast was swept by Murray State in the three-game series over the weekend. The Redhawks lost 3-1 and 10-7 on Saturday and 8-7 on Sunday. Southeast will ﬁnish its regular season at 5 p.m. Wednesday in a doubleheader against Belmont at the Southeast Softball Complex.

Travis Wibbenmeyer Sports Editor

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Home field could be an advantage for the Southeast Missouri State University track and field team when it hosts the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships this weekend. “Home-field advantage is just so much more adrenaline,” said Southeast thrower Craig Robinson, who competes in the shot put, discus, hammer and javelin events. “You’re used to the ring you’re throwing out of, so you don’t have to worry going to the ring and whether it’s slick or slow. You’re used to throwing here every day. You practice here. This is your spot. You have the home crowd here that will keep you going.” “We got to protect our house, and we are used to this track, and I feel like since we are home that’s going to give us an advantage,” Southeast sprinter Angelica Larrier said. Twenty Southeast athletes and the 4x100-meter relay team set their season bests at the Joey Haines Invitational on April 6-7, which was Southeast’s home outdoor meet this season.

Southeast will host the championship on Friday and Saturday at the Abe Stuber Track and Field Complex. Southeast, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State and Tennessee State will send a men’s and women’s team to the meet, while Austin Peay, Jacksonville State, Murray State and Tennessee Tech have only a women’s team to send. Southeast and Eastern Illinois women’s teams each have

to the performance list. Eastern Illinois is the favorite to win the meet on the men’s side. The Panthers have athletes ranked in the top three in all but four events on the OVC Performance List. Of the teams participating in the meet, the Panthers have the top three performers in the 100, 400 and 800-meter dashes and have the top 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams. OVC member SIU Edwardsville has athletes in the top three of some events but will not participate in the conference meet. The school is completing its certification process to NCAA Division I sports and will be eligible to compete in next year’s championships. The Redhawks have the top three performers in the shot put and have at least one in the top three in the discus, hammer and javelin events. Robinson is second in the shot put and third in the hammer. Freshman Kevin Farley is first in the shot put and third in the discuss. Eastern Illinois is the defending OVC men’s and women’s champion. Southeast finished second in both competitions last year.

Teenager battles brain cancer By Amity Downing Arrow Staff Writer

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16-year-old Nolan Weber loves playing sports, especially baseball but has had to adjust to the obstacles of living with a brain tumor. The Jackson High School junior uses only his right hand to ﬁeld, catch and throw the ball due to a lack of mobility in his left side. On April 7, 2011, Weber’s parents got a call around lunchtime from one of their son’s very good friends. Nolan had had a seizure during English class. “He was ﬁne that day,” Nolan’s mother Rachelle Weber said. “He had actually pitched an entire game two days before.” After the phone call, the Webers went straight to the emergency room at St. Francis Medical Center. Nolan had suffered a general seizure and his whole body was affected.

Southeast Football

Spring game 

The Southeast football team held its spring game on Saturday at Houck Stadium. The offense defeated the defense 28-25 with quarterback Kyle Snyder throwing a touchdown pass to Spencer Davis with eight seconds remaining. Snyder threw for 177 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. The defense recorded three sacks and two interceptions. Fullback Ron Coleman rushed for a game-high 68 yards.

Craig Robinson throws a shot put at the Joey Haines Invitational at the Abe Stuber Track and Field Complex. - Submitted photo

13 athletes and a relay team in the top three of the OVC Performance List, which is more than all other OVC teams. The OVC Performance List is a ranking of the top times or distance in each event compiled throughout the season. In the OVC Championship a first-place finish awards a team 10 points and a second-place finish awards eight points. A third-place finish usually awards six points but varies based on the event. A minimum of the top six places in each event will earn at least one point for a team. “I feel like on the women’s side, we are going to win,” Larrier said. “If we do a little bit better than what we’ve been doing, I think we’ll be OK. I feel like I’m going to hopefully win the 100 and hopefully place in the top three for the [200].” Larrier is second on the OVC Performance List in the 100 and third in the 200. Senior Jessica Bollinger is first in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter runs. Eastern Illinois has two of the top three athletes in the conference in the 3000-meter steeplechase, high jump and pole vault events, according

Nolan Weber at his physical therapy session. - Photo by Paul Stokes

Nolan showed no signs of any health problems leading up to the seizure, aside from some difﬁculty moving his left side. The Webers attributed the issue to knee problems that Nolan already had from running. “Within three hours of being there, we were on our way in an ambulance to Children’s [Hospital at Barnes-Jewish] up in St. Louis,” Rachelle Weber said. After an MRI that evening, the Webers learned that Nolan had a tumor in the right side of his brain. “It just caught us by surprise,” Rachelle Weber said. “It’s not like we were prepared for hearing anything like that.” A surgery to remove the tumor was scheduled for the next Friday and was successful. Nolan returned home the following Wednesday, went to his ﬁrst therapy session on Friday and was baptized Easter Sunday. “He was pretty adamant,” Rachelle Weber said. “Nolan is very — he’s a warrior. He’s absolutely a warrior.” A week after Nolan’s surgery to remove the brain tumor, the Webers received news that the tumor was a malignant glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM. Nolan was diagnosed with brain cancer. For the next few months, Nolan went to therapy three times a week and underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatments at the same time. Every weekday for seven weeks, Nolan had to leave Jackson at 5 a.m. to reach St. Louis by 7 a.m. for his radiation treatment, which took about 15 to 20 minutes. Three times a week, Nolan went to therapy immediately after returning home. By the end of the summer, Nolan had regained most of his strength in his left side. He made

tryouts for his high school soccer team and played for both the varsity and junior varsity teams. “By the end of September, we noticed a few small things, changes that kind of concerned us, so we had him do another MRI,” Rachelle Weber said. “On Oct. 1 they found that it had returned. They really didn’t want to take it out surgically. I hate calling it inoperable, but that’s really what they classify it as.” After a clinical trial at Children’s Hospital at Barnes-Jewish that was not successful, Nolan was accepted into a clinical trial at St. Jude around Christmas. During the trial, he has been taking chemotherapy pills every night. Nolan has had two check-ups and his tumor has remained stable. His hometown as well as surrounding communities have supported Nolan and his family since his diagnosis. Jackson businesses are decorated with signs that say “We Believe,” a slogan the Weber family adopted after a visit from their pastor after Nolan’s relapse. “That was the message, believing that you have been healed,” Rachelle Weber said. “At first that was what got us through those first few days, then it turned into weeks, and then it turned into months. We went through our whole house. My husband wrote believe on every single mirror, window, just so you saw it everywhere you looked. And it just kind of grew from there. It was pretty amazing.” The support didn’t stop there. Hillarie Mueller, a field representative for Southeast SportsCare, organized the High Heel Dash, a fundraiser for the Nolan Weber Benefit and Friends of Brody, a charity for another young boy from

Vol 102, No. 15 • © A partnership with Southeast Missouri State University and Rust Communications • To advertise, call 573-388-2741

Jackson who died last year after fighting brain cancer. Half of the money raised will be split between the two charities, and the other half will go to the SoutheastHEALTH Foundation. “We’re always looking for new, different, exciting events to support the hospital,” Mueller said. The High Heel Dash is a twoblock run in heels for women, men and children of all ages. It is a race designed to make participants look comical while raising brain cancer awareness and money for the two charities. “It’s just a great benefit for a really great cause,” Mueller said. “The whole town of Jackson has kind of just rallied around these two families. And these families, they really appreciate everything we do for them, and they’re just so thrilled that we’re thinking of them.” Rachelle Weber is excited to see the turnout and the participants run in their heels by her side. “It’s just like running in somebody else’s shoes,” Rachelle Weber said. “That’s exactly the way it is. I’ll run miles in heels if that’s anything like what he goes through.” Registration is $20 for participants ages 18 and under and $30 for participants over 18. Pre-registration for the High Heel Dash ends Friday. Those who register before that date receive a $10 discount on the entry fee. The first 100 participants to register receive a free T-shirt and race bag. Same-day registration begins at 9 a.m. Saturday. The first heat of the dash begins at 10 a.m. on High Street in Jackson. Prizes will be awarded and donations will be accepted. For more information visit the Southeast SportsCare Facebook page.

PLAY

 3 ARROW • week of May 2 - 8, 2012

SOUTHEAST hosts youth basketball camp THE CAMP IS SPLIT INTO THREE PARTS, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE AT VARIOUS TIMES IN JUNE Jordan Hale Arrow Reporter

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The Southeast Missouri State University women’s basketball team will help young basketball players improve their game this summer during a three-part basketball camp for girls in June. This will be the ﬁrst year coach Ty Margenthaler and his staff host this camp since this past year was Margenthaler’s ﬁrst year as coach of the team. The camp is split into the elite camp, the individual camp and the team camp. The elite camp runs June 4-5, the individual camp is June 6-8 and the team camp is from June 22-23. All of the camp sessions will be held at the Show Me Center. “We look to get girls from all over, but most are from this region,” assistant coach Ben Coomes said. “We get some from southern Illinois, Saint Louis, southeast Missouri and hoping to get some from west Tennessee and west Kentucky.” The elite camp is for girls in ninth-12th grades and is more intense than the other two camps. The cost for the elite camp is $75. The girls will work with current Redhawks and the coaching staff in drills to improve their skills. “I’m hoping some of our top prospects get to the elite camp and possibly become Redhawks in the future,” Coomes said. The individual camp is split into two sections with one for players in 1st-4th grades and

one for players in 5th-8th grades. The 1st-4th graders camp takes place from 8 a.m. to noon and the 5th-8th graders camp takes place from 1-5 p.m. The cost is $75 for either section. This camp is designed for girls with a high interest in basketball and a wish to get better. The team camp is also split into two sections, varsity and junior varsity. The varsity camp costs $350 with an additional $12 to stay overnight per person and the junior varsity camp is $200 with an additional $12 to stay overnight per person. In this camp, high school teams and teams created within the camp will get the chance to scrimmage against each other in a game atmosphere with referees. “High school teams come from all over,” Coomes said. “It’s like a big jamboree.” Players have the option to stay on campus in the dorms for the overnight camps, or they can stay in hotels. “It’s great to get to work with the campers trying to make their experience fun and help them get better as well,” Coomes said. The deadline for registration for the elite camp is May 28. The deadline for the individual camp is May 30, and the deadline for the team camp is June 15. There is a $30 late registration fee for participants who register after any of those dates. For more information contact Coomes at 573-651-2943 or by email at bcoomes@semo.edu

Women’s basketball coach Ty Margenthaler will host his first girls basketball camp this June. - Photo by Kelso Hope

Summer Sports Calendar Baseball

Track

Jacksonville State University

All Day OVC Outdoor Championships

Jacksonville State University

All Day Georgia Tech Invitational

Jacksonville State University

All Day Louisville Twilight

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All Day May 11 and 12 ATLANTA, GA.

All Day May 11 LOUISVILLE, KY.

Murray State University 6 p.m. May 11 CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.

Softball

Murray State University 2 p.m. May 12 CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.

Murray State University 1 p.m. May 13 CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Belmont

5 p.m. May 2 CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.

Belmont

7 p.m. May 2 CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.

6 p.m. May 17 CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 2 p.m. May 18 CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 1 p.m. May 19 CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO.

Vol 102, No. 15 • © A partnership with Southeast Missouri State University and Rust Communications • To advertise, call 573-388-2741

CREATE  4 ARROW • week of May 2 - 8, 2012

SENIORS perform their last Southeast show STUDENTS HOPE TO SCORE A JOB FROM THE SHOWCASE

Live the

These students will perform in the Senior Showcase at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. - Submitted Photo Andrea Gils Arrow Reporter

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Graduating seniors in the Department of Theatre and Dance will present their best pieces for family, friends and peers in the Senior Showcase on Saturday and Sunday. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Wendy Kurka Rust Flexible Theatre at the River Campus. There will be another showcase May 15 in New York where select graduates will perform for agents, casting directors and other recruiters. According to Dr. Kenneth L. Stilson, interim chair of the department and one of the coordinators of the showcase, the Senior Showcase will be a dress rehearsal where the department’s faculty can say goodbye to its graduating students. The New York City showcase is a business-like function that only industry professionals will attend. The department organizes these two showcases to help students launch their careers in acting, directing, musical theater, dancing and design. Some of the professionals invited to The New York City showcase include composer, lyricist and musical director of “Nunsense” productionist Leo P. Carusone; manager, actor, singer and producer Rich Martino; dance competition judges Tracy Fleming and Ben Cameron and Tony Awardwinning performer Donna McKechnie. A committee of faculty and staff from the department chooses the performers it believes will best represent the university for the New York City Showcase. According to Stilson, the criteria students are judged by are their talent, overall technique, mental toughness, work ethic and attitude. Theater and dance faculty have been coaching students to help them perfect their technique and reach their potential. Stilson and Amy Fritsche coach actors, Philip Edgecombe coaches dancers, Judith Farris and Joseph Mason coach vocalists and Jeff Luetkenhaus and Rhonda Weller-Stilson coach designers. “They are representing us,” Stilson said. “We don’t send anyone we think isn’t ready.” The selection must be done carefully. Stilson said one bad performance could lead to recruiters not returning to scout artists from the university. The showcase will have an opening and closing number, monologues, duets and dance pieces.

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Once you get to a certain point in this field, when you are about to graduate, I feel you are ready to go and take the next step. Eileen Engel

Senior Eileen Engel chose her pieces, “Stuff Like That There” and “A Home” during the summer and has been working on them for the past two months. “Once you get to a certain point in this ﬁeld, when you are about to graduate, I feel you are ready to go and take the next step,” Engel said. “You are ready to move on to showcase and be seen by everyone in New York.” Dance and German major Amanda Beckmann said she isn’t as nervous as she expected to be to perform in New York. “I’m treating this performance like any other, because I would like to think that I always try to bring my best,” Beckmann said. The showcase is not only a chance for students to shine but also to learn together. “We work collectively as a group.We support each other. We constructively criticize each other so that we can all be the best that we can be,” Engel said. “It is also an individual work in the sense of your own personal pieces and how much time and effort you apply to those.” Stilson said it is important for graduates to be introduced to the theater industry as early as possible. “Your future employers are going to change all the time, and they should,” Stilson said. “Every time I go to New York I learn better how the industry works.”

he students performing in the Southeast Showcase are: Abby Vatterott, Bradford Rolen, Caleb Schaaf, Carly Earl, Carolyn Beatty, Danielle Albertina, Eileen Engel, Gabrielle Brown, Jake Ferree, Jeanine Holtgrave, Jessica Schloss, Lindsay Prawitz, Maria Bartolotta, Marissa Dawn McWilliams, Sara Wiegard, Stephanie Peterson and Zach Wachter.

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ENTERTAIN  5 ARROW • week of May 2 - 8, 2012

LAST Chance to Dance for students ALL STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN DANCE SHOWCASE Whitney Law Arrow Reporter

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Last Chance to Dance is a showcase for any student on campus to have one last chance this semester to express themselves through dance. When the River Campus opened four years ago, Last Chance to Dance had 150 people in the audience. This semester more than 400 people are expected to ﬁll the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall. The dance styles vary and there are no limits on what a student can express through this showcase. Southeast dance instructor Hilary Peterson oversees the show’s organization but the students run, choreograph and perform it. “It’s their last chance to dance for the semester and because it’s spring semester, the last chance for the year,” Peterson said. “Because of that we leave it open to anyone who wants to present work and dance in the showcase and get it out of their system and show everybody what they have.” Peterson said that this year’s performance is expected to have about 30 pieces. Most of the performers are in the dance programs, but the showcase is open to anyone. A group of ﬁrst graders from Franklin Grade School in Cape Girardeau will perform a dance routine taught by Southeast dance students Keith Johnson, Zak McMahon and Leshay Mathis. Johnson, McMahon and Mathis were asked to teach dance to students at Franklin Grade School

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There’s literally anything, there’s no limit to what you can put on stage. That’s what’s cool. Zak McMahon

and decided to feature them in the show. These elementary students haven’t been on stage before, and this is the ﬁrst time that elementary students have been a part of the show. McMahon, a sophomore dancer who has participated in Last Chance to Dance four times, said that the dances can range from the kids, to solos, to duets and group pieces. “There’s literally anything, there’s no limit to what you can put on stage,” McMahon said. “That’s what’s cool. You can have a freshman come in here and have never put anything on stage before and put something on a college

stage immediately. That’s actually what drew me to the program. In a lot of other conservatories you don’t have that opportunity and you can’t put any choreography on until you’re a junior or senior.” Students submit a form giving information on the dance that they want to have in the show. As many performances that can fit into a two-hour time span are allowed on a firstcome-first-served basis. Johnson, a junior theater and dance major, has participated in the show six times. He said Last Chance to Dance is an informal concert with no limits that doesn’t rely so heavily on technique. “You do your own thing,” Johnson said. “That’s what’s fun about it too because it’s very free. You don’t have to worry about if it’s good or bad. In Last Chance, good and bad is obsolete.” Johnson and McMahon are in a group farce piece that male dancers do every semester poking fun at the dance concerts that they have done. “It’s for the fans, the patrons of the dance departments and for the dancers to have a good time and laugh about all that we have worked on,” McMahon said. “That’s usually the best piece,” Johnson said. “It’s like organized chaos.” Last Chance to Dance will take place at 7:30 p.m. May 7 at the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall. Admission is free and donations will be accepted. “It’s always an exciting mix of stuff; you never know what you’re going to get,” Peterson said.

Performers for Last Chance to Dance practiced last week for a studentdirected piece. Last Chance to Dance will take place 7:30 p.m. May 7 at the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall. - Photos by Paul Stokes

Major constuction on campus will continue throughout the summer

according to the Southeast website, will house 200 to 250 students. The land of the site is being leveled so that construction of the building can begin. There will also be minor improvements that should be done by fall 2012. “These projects will be brief, but important,” Southeast director of facilities management Angela Meyer said. One thing on the agenda includes assessing the campus electrical system for maintenance. The University Center restrooms also will be renovated to meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. By the time students return to campus in the fall, the Information Technology department will have been permanently relocated to Memorial Hall as part of a plan to make different services all available on the bottom ﬂoor of Academic Hall. The northern and western parts of parking around Polytechnic Building will still be closed due to continuing construction on Magill and the new residence hall.

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These projects will be brief, but important.

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Major construction projects at Southeast Missouri State University will continue throughout the summer, along with some new projects. The construction on Academic Hall is still in the demolition stage. The Magill Hall expansion has its structure finished and is undergoing brickwork. According to the university website, Academic Hall is still having its interior demolished in order to reach most of the infrastructure, which has been there since the building was first constructed. The project will be finished by the fall 2013 semester. Magill Hall, on the other hand, is being completely refurbished. The walls lacked insulation of any kind, so adding it is a major goal. This, along with replacement of the windows and roof and restoring the masonry, means Magill will have lower heating costs. According to the Southeast website, there also is ongoing removal of asbestos in Magill, which is 90 percent complete. On the inside, there will be a new floor plan. The most noticeable renovation to Magill is the plan to expand the building. The expanded area will have three floors. While the third floor only will be used for mechanical space, the other two floors will include new lecture halls. The steel structure and floor contruction of the building has been completed. The brickwork is also underway. Like Academic Hall, Magill Hall will be finished by fall 2013. Over the summer, construction will begin on a new residence hall that,

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Arrow Reporter

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Andrew Tyahla

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Vol 102, No. 15 • © A partnership with Southeast Missouri State University and Rust Communications • To advertise, call 573-388-2741

 6 ARROW • week of May 2 - 8, 2012

 7 ARROW • week of May 2 - 8, 2012

SUCCEED Graduation a special moment for student and her best friend

Gov. Nixon will speak at May commencment

Katie Levy Arrow Reporter

Sindy Puckett will not walk

across the stage alone to receive her master’s degree. Elanor, her Leader Dog, will be at her side. “Elanor is my best friend in the whole world,” Puckett said. “She’s become a part of me, she’s like an extension of my left hand.” She will be the fourth visuallyimpaired student with a dog to graduate from Southeast Missouri State University. Puckett, who plans to one day be an English professor at a community college, will accept her master’s degree in English from Southeast Missouri State University. She plans to attend the University of Missouri to get her doctorate in English. “It’s a big deal for me because I am the ﬁrst person in my family to graduate,” Puckett said. “Right now I’m just taking everything one day at a time.” Puckett received a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with an emphasis in journalism at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo., in 2006, but her vision began to diminish during her senior year. “I realized that I couldn’t see the blackboard anymore, even when I was standing right in front of it,” Puckett said. “It really worried me.” Puckett was born legally blind, but she had surgery before she turned 1 that brought her vision back. The doctors inserted synthetic lenses in her eyes that allowed her to see until the age of 24. She was the ﬁrst infant to undergo the surgery. The procedure previously only had been performed on people between the ages of 80 and 90. The inserted lenses did not grow as her eyes did, so her corneas were pushed forward, causing her to begin losing her sight. Puckett has decided not to have another surgery to correct her vision due to the extreme pain it caused her. When she discovered she couldn’t continue with her original career choice and become a broadcast news editor, she decided to attend graduate school to study English, a subject she fell in love with during her last semester at Lincoln. “I took an American English class and realized how much I liked it and am good at it,” Puckett said. Puckett chose to continue her studies at Southeast because she liked the English program, the low cost and the staff at Residence Life who helped arrange a room for her and Elanor. Disability Services coordinator Emily Oliveira helped Puckett with class registration. She made sure Puckett’s teachers knew that a visually impaired student was in their class ahead of time and would need special handouts and other accommodations. Disability Services conducts discussions with students and staff about how to communicate and live alongside students with disabilities. “We talk about what is appropriate and inappropriate terminology to make the campus more disability friendly,” Oliveira said. “We can’t change the hills,

Missouri governor to speak to largest graduating class in Southeast history

Jay Nixon will speak at commencement. - Southeast Missourian photo

Sindy Puckett and her 6-year-old Leader Dog Elanor have lived on Southeast’s campus since Puckett first arrived as a graduate student. - Photo by Katie Levy

Sindy Puckett will receive her master’s degree in English this May. She already has received a bachelor’s degree in mass communication. - Photo by Dan Fox but we can change the attitude.” The most difﬁcult adjustment for Puckett was the transition to a new campus that she and Elanor weren’t familiar with. She had to wait two months for her Orientation and Mobility Instructor from Sikeston to show her around campus and Cape Girardeau. While waiting for her instructor, Oliveira showed Puckett around until she and Elanor became more and more comfortable with the area. Within two weeks Elanor already was able to lead Puckett to Grauel Building without being told where to go. “I had a lot of help from people in my dorms also,” Puckett said. “Southeast is very disability-student friendly and

is a lot more accommodating than other campuses.” Puckett’s textbooks are on audio and she listens to them with her computer on a CD and a Victor Reader Stream. A Victor Reader Stream works as an MP3 player that reads books out loud to students with vision problems. She also records her notes through the device and can play them back later instead of reading them. When she needs to read, Puckett uses a CC TV, a device that enlarges print like a digital magnifying glass. She can also use it to change font colors to make it more readable. It takes Puckett longer to study than the average student because she can only listen to lectures.

“It’s hard because if someone is making noise around me it blends in and I can’t understand what the computer is reading to me,” Puckett said. “And if a book isn’t already in audio form then I have to scan the book page by page onto the computer for me to hear it.” Puckett can’t get out to do a lot around campus because studying takes her so long, but she still makes time to reach out and meet new people. She is a member of Delta Alpha Pi, an honor society for students with disabilities. “She’s a great student because I literally have to go to her dorm and drag her away from homework to do things,” said Southeast junior Ashley Pritchard,

Vol 101, No. 15 • © A partnership with Southeast Missouri State University and Rust Communications • To advertise, call 573-388-2741

Sindy Puckett and her dog Elanor will walk at graduation together. - Submitted photos

Puckett’s close friend. “She’s always positive, even when she’s busy working on things.” Puckett said she’s encountered a few problems on campus, like the ramp in front of Kent Library being blocked by a student group. Overall she has had no major problems with getting around on campus or with other students. To get around Cape Girardeau, Puckett takes the city bus, uses the campus shuttle service or gets rides from friends. She said that most places she’s visited haven’t given her trouble about her Leader Dog. Elanor will continue to be Puckett’s Leader Dog for the next four months until she retires and is sent to live with a family. The

6-year-old dog will be replaced in early July because she has received too much attention from people over the years and has stopped fulﬁlling her duty. “One day Elanor saw a friend of mine from across the street and led me into the street with trafﬁc around,” Puckett said. “For years she has never been more than a few inches away from me for more than a few hours. It’s a tough decision to let her go because I love her, but she’s a tool and she needs to keep me safe.” Puckett has completed Grade 1 of brail lessons that she started two years ago and she plans to complete Grade 2 by the end of this summer. She said learning brail is like

learning a new language. “I know what the textbook is teaching me,” Puckett said. “But then there’s all the slang and short-handed words that I need to know also.” Brail has cells made up of six dots that make up many different combinations to form words. Brail short hand condenses full words into two letters. Puckett has to read letter by letter and then put each word together in her head. Puckett has a brail writer that looks like a typewriter with six metal keys that she uses to type letters to her friends. “I’m getting better, but I’m not where I want to be,” Puckett said. “It’s like learning to read all over again.”

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It’s a big deal for me because I am the first person in my family to graduate. Right now I’m just taking everything one day at a time. Sindy Puckett

Roxie Meyer Arrow Staff Writer

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Southeast Missouri State University announced Gov. Jay Nixon as the 2012 spring graduation commencement speaker on April 16. “The Governor is honored to be asked to serve as the commencement speaker for this record-size class at Southeast Missouri State University,” the governor’s press secretary Scott Holste said via email. According to university records, a sitting governor has not addressed Southeast graduates since former Gov. Bob Holden spoke in December of 2000 and Gov. John Ashcroft in 1985. “Since Governor Nixon has been a strong supporter of higher education, I think it is important that he speak to the largest class ever graduating from Southeast Missouri State University,” university president Dr. Kenneth W. Dobbins said. Nixon will address 1,052 undergraduates and 270 graduate students – a total of 1,322 students at the ceremony. The 2002 graduate class previously held the record with a total of 957 students. “I expect that in his address in Cape Girardeau, the Governor will talk about the value of higher education in preparing students to enter the careers of tomorrow right away,” Holste said. Due to the high number of students graduating each year, the university requested that students limit graduation guests to four in the main arena and send additional guests to the overﬂow rooms located in the facility’s conference rooms. “We do expect a really big crowd so I would advise anyone attending to get there early and let people know there will be overﬂow rooms with TVs set up and meeting rooms with TVs set up for families with children,” said Diane Sides, assistant to the president. “Public safety will also be running shuttles.” The graduation ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. May 12 at the Show Me Center.