January 27, 2012

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The Spectrum W W W. N D S U S P E C T R U M . C O M

High-flying acrobats take stage Success has trickle-down effects Act from China wows audiences in National championship earns players, the Festival Concert Hall fans national notoriety Page 5

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Student fee open forum gives students voice

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Barry Foundation funds Concordia project Concordia receives gift for new auditorium and scholarship Mike Liudahl News Reporter

during the colder months -that also matches with the organizations’ ideals,” she said.

Other fraternities such as Farmhouse and Sigma Chi also chose to host service-related recruitment events with the hopes of educating interested men in the aspects of the fraternity that aren’t just social or academic.

Delta Upsilon, a fraternity that has struggled with recruitment in recent semesters, was determined to create a lot of hype for this spring’s events.

On Tuesday, Delta Upsilon hosted a tour of Fargo and the NDSU campus in a stretch Hummer limo.

The event concept was thought of by Delta Upsilon

Much like it did for NDSU in 2007, the Barry Foundation is making a big impact on the Concordia College campus and its Offutt School of Business. A gift from the Barry Foundation will fund a major construction and renovation project for the business school.

The project involves a $16 million renovation of the Grant Center, which will include an approximately 8,200 square foot auditorium. The new space will be named Barry Auditorium, and it will be able to accommodate 200 people with movable seating to allow for flexible event staging.

B. John Barry, chairman of the Barry Foundation, is a founding member of the Offutt School of Business Global Leadership Council. His father, the late Richard Barry, founded the Barry Foundation in 1986.

North Dakota State University’s downtown campus also received a significant gift from the foundation in 2007.

Richard H. Barry Hall opened in August 2009 as home to the NDSU College of Business, department of agribusiness and applied economics, North Dakota Trade Office and Center for Global Initiatives and Leadership.

Similar to the Concordia project, the contribution to the NDSU College of Business cost about $15 million, which went toward the renovation of an already existing building and incorporated the building of an auditorium.

As part of the foundation’s mission statement, they emphasize “proactive philanthropy where opportunity is created to benefit individuals and communities both locally and globally.”

“Our family has a feeling of responsibility to our roots and a responsibility to rural philanthropy. We are delighted to participate in what’s going on here,” John Barry said.

Construction of the auditorium on the Concordia campus

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Josie Tafelmeyer | The Spectrum

Student Body President Cam Knutson speaks with students, student leaders and department representatives about student fee appropriation Tuesday during an open forum event.

Emma Heaton Co-News Editor During a student fee forum on Tuesday, students demanded answers as to why student fees are potentially rising again. Representatives were posed with challenging questions regarding how students’ money is continuously being spent.

Student government and student fee advisory board worked together to create the student fee open forum. The board was created to safeguard the voices of students in the fee increase proposal process.

The board discussed the five mandatory fees – library, technology, student activity, career services and health and wellness – with students at the forum.

The current student body

president and vice president realized that students needed to get more involved in the fee process.

“For our group, it’s very helpful to get that feedback from a wide angle of students,” Cam Knutson, student body president, said.

The student advisory board has met four times this year, so there was a limit on how much information could be provided during the allotted time at the forum.

“That’s one thing. You can tell there are some people who are still looking for a little more,” Knutson said. “I think that’s where you trust in the process.”

The majority of the student fee advisory board is made up of NDSU students. The board includes six students and four heads of departments on campus.

“It’s set up really well to

where they [members] can give their feedback and concerns and also have a very impactful vote. Other schools don’t have that,” Knutson said of the new group.

In the past, students were not able to have a direct impact on the decisions made regarding student fee increases.

Although student government could be consulted, students did not have a real vote.

“We are the model for what’s going to come in the next years for the advisory board, for NDSU and also for the universities all across the state of North Dakota,” said Steff Johnston, a freshman at NDSU. Johnston serves as an at-large appointee on the student fee advisory board and is majoring in communications.

The Wellness Center proposed an increase of $16 per semester to help sustain its operation and services provided

to students. The student activity fee is the primary funding source for the center, and it would be falling into a deficit without the increase of the Wellness Center fee.

Rising utilization of the Wellness Center has caused additional wear on the equipment. The number of students using the Wellness Center has increased 25 percent since 2007.

Proposals from the library called for student fees to also double to $16 per semester.

Without the increase, the library would be forced to cancel the electronic resource subscription given to students for their studies, as they are already operating in a deficit.

The technology fee experienced a 50 percent increase in the 2004-2005 academic years. This year, the technology fee is proposed to increase by 75.13 percent for full-time

students, which translates to a $61.98 per capita increase.

An increase in technology fees would allow the department to avoid service cuts and will give students a greater say in the delivery of services.

Students brought up points regarding the steep costs of Blackboard licensing fees and alternatives that the department could make. All recommendations discussed by students at the forum will be taken into careful consideration when forming the final decision.

“I came in supporting the new technology fee and the library fee. These two components directly affect the quality of education that we’re getting,” Sydney Hull, a senior majoring in history and offcampus student senator said.

“I am here to get the best edu Story continued on page 3

Greeks host recruitment events Spring recruitment underway Cate Ekegren Co-News Editor

Recruitment is off to a fresh start this spring for both fraternities and sororities that are looking for students interested in becoming more involved with the campus and the community.

Beginning Monday for the 12 fraternities at NDSU and Tuesday for the three sororities, interested students who missed the more formal recruitment of the past fall semester were able to experience all that Greek life has to offer.

“Some people really appreciate the more casual atmosphere of spring recruitment,”

Courtney Barstad, Coordinator of NDSU Greek Life, said.

Sorority recruitment ran Tuesday through Thursday with events at different houses being held between 5 and 8 p.m.

Barstad believes the shorter events during the weeknights accommodate students’ academic and work schedules much easier than the slightly more time consuming recruitment at the beginning of the fall semester.

“Our numbers might be down from last year but we have had more than 30 women sign up for sorority recruitment this spring as of Tuesday,” Barstad said.

Bids to join a sorority will be distributed to women who participated in spring recruit-

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ment by Barstad today. After bids are accepted or declined, if each of the three sororities did not fill all available spots, there will be a second recruitment this spring, called continuous open bidding.

“Our goal is to always accommodate everyone interested in joining NDSU Greek Life and assist the individual chapters in reaching their recruitment goals,” Barstad added.

Recruitment for the 12 NDSU fraternities and other non-Panhellenic Greek organizations is handled by each house individually.

Various events are held throughout the week and range from mini-golf to chili feeds to LAN parties.

Many fraternities opted for

more unique events this year in hopes of attracting more attention and giving interested students a more in depth look into fraternity life.

While food-related events are quite popular, Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity hosted a Blazin’ Wing eating challenge at Buffalo Wild Wings on Tuesday and Kappa Psi pharmaceutical fraternity prepared a homemade meal and offered free blood pressure readings for a senior center.

Barstad, who helps oversee recruitment events, said she is happy to see an increase in events revolving around service and other important aspects of life such as wellness and scholarship.

“It’s nice to see something different going on -- especially

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News

Advising Resource Bond refinancing Counseling Center Center hires full- to result in savings announces spring support groups time staff for university Cate Ekegren Co-News Editor The Advising Resource Center, or the ARC as it is commonly referred as, answered student demands and gained administrative support by hiring a full-time staff member, taking effect earlier this spring semester.

The new staff member, Andrea Weber, will be available to answer general academic inquiries from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. every day the university is open.

Mainly geared towards underclassmen, the mission of the ARC is “to foster student achievement and retention by providing advising resources in a centralized location.�

That location, somewhat lost in the commotion of the Memorial Union, is located on the main floor next to the Student Activities Office. “A lot of students have questions about their academic plans but don’t always know who to talk to or where to go on campus to get answers or more information,� Weber said. “My job in the ARC is to serve as an available resource to answer general questions and give students the information to connect with their adviser or other campus resources to answer the more specific questions,� she added.

Weber graduated from NDSU in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in health communication and returned to NDSU to complete a master’s degree in mass communication. “I earned both my bache-

lor’s and master’s degrees here, so this new position means a lot to me because NDSU is a place I care about and I want to see students succeed.�

Weber also taught in the communication department before being hired as the coordinator of the ARC. “I was a lecturer before and really enjoyed working with students,� she said. “This new position is great because I get to continue that work but in a different way now.�

Serving under the direction of Carolyn Schnell, the associate dean of university studies, and Lisa Nordick, director and associate dean of distance and continuing education, Weber said part of her role in the Advising Resource Center is to research and work on advancing the technology the university uses for advising not only on-campus students but also students taking online classes that may never visit the physical NDSU campus.

Short-term and long-term goals for the ARC are being set and for now Weber said she encourages students to stop by and become familiar with how the ARC can aid in their student success. “It’s great seeing students take the initiative to get information and advice as they make decisions and navigate their academic progress,�

Weber said.

The Advising Resource Center is located in the Memorial Union Gunkelman Room on the main floor. Students do not need an appointment when visiting the ARC. Weber can be contacted by phone at (701) 231-8662 or by email at ndsu.arc@ndsu.edu.

Matt Severns Spectrum Staff May will mark the 10-year anniversary of the groundbreaking of the Living Learning Center East. Much has changed since 2002, and perhaps the most notable of these changes has been the climate of the financial market.

Before the groundbreaking, NDSU sold 30-year revenue bonds to fund the construction of Living Learning Center East, a practice not uncommon in capital project systems.

It is now 10 years later, and the bonds face a call date. The call dates, which for this series of bonds come every 10 years, allow the university to refinance by buying them back and selling them with reduced interest.

Gary Wawers, controller in the accounting office, says that because of the magnitude of the project, an adjustment of even a single percent can amount to significant savings for the university. “We’re coming up to the call date, and now the interest rates, where they are, they’ll be much better interest rates,�

Wawers said. “We’ll be a good full percent under the old rate. ... We’ll be in the 3.8 percent neighborhood -- or hopefully lower than that -when we issue these new bonds.�

With the outstanding balance on the bonds at just over $6 million, the projected savings from the refinancing, according to North Dakota University System documents, is approximately

$688,240.

Robert Vallie, the student member of the State Board of Higher Education, which is an advocacy body for the University System at the state level, said the refinancing is a routine, but developed, plan. “It was simply trying to get a better deal than what was already out there,� Vallie said. “It’s my understanding they’re taking a proactive measure and just trying to make sure that if there’s a way that we can make more of a decent kind of a deal, we’re making it happen.�

In order to get the best deal, the bonds will be put into a competitive sale environment and receive bids from various firms. “It’s typically an investment firm. It might be Smith Barney, Merrill Lynch, or it might be RBC Dain Rauscher or Bank of America,� Wawers said. “These bids, they’ll be a competitive sale. We want to get the best rate we can.�

Though the original bondholders will be bought out and replaced by new firms or holders, the 30-year term of the bond will remain the same. The new bonds will be issued with a 20-year term, at which point the university expects to have them paid off. “They’re revenue bonds because the revenues that come later -- when students live in those halls, when students pay money to the university -- that’s revenue to the university, and that’s used to make bond payments,� Wawers said.

The bidding on the bonds will take place in mid-February.

Hannah Dillon News Reporter The NDSU Counseling Center has listed its group counseling programs that will start during the spring semester. These groups span a wide variety of issues that students may deal with and have been created for students who feel that they need help in these areas.

This semester, some of the programs include a graduate student support group, a bereavement group, a meditation group, an alcohol and drug abuse group, a mood management group and a group entitled “Unpacking Your Family Baggage�, which is designed for students with family concerns or issues.

Some groups, like the meditation and alcohol support groups, recur every semester.

However, there are always new groups announced each semester. If a program receives enough feedback and attendance, the Counseling Center may make it a more regular group and offer it each semester.

All of the services at the Counseling Center are free for students. The Counseling Center, alongside support groups, offers individual counseling as well. While some students may feel wary about joining a group, Teresa DeMers, a counselor at the center, explains why groups can be beneficial. “It’s helpful to be able to meet with other students who have similar concerns to be able to relate with one another, to be able to find support and to find ways to cope with some of the concerns they have,� DeMers said.

Marlys Borkhuis, the assistant director of the NDSU Counseling Center, said that students feel relieved when they realize that they’re not the only ones with a certain problem and learn to trust the other members of their group. “I think sometimes you have to be able to trust the other people to tell them something and they’re not going to laugh at you or act like, ‘That’s really weird,’� she said.

Both DeMers and Borkhuis suggest that students try to challenge themselves if they feel that they need help. Joining a support group can be a big step, but it can also be a very beneficial one. The people in these groups help each other out, especially when some are further along in their healing journey than others.

Even though the sessions are with multiple people, confidentiality is required.

Borkhuis stressed that no student will have to detail information that is uncomfortable for them to say to the group and that confidentiality will never be broken.

Once a student contacts the Counseling Center, they can usually get into a group within a week. If a student doesn’t want to try groups, or has found that the groups don’t work for them, the Center offers individual sessions as well. “Everybody’s got stuff in life, you know? And I think of it as an opportunity to grow,�

Borkhuis said, encouraging students to take the first step to helping themselves.

For information, students can visit the Counseling Center’s webpage at http://www.ndsu.edu/counseling. The Counseling Center is located in Ceres Hall 212.

Greeks continued from page 1 vice president and recruitment chair, Waylon Lindseth, with the help of an alumnus who happens to work for a limousine rental company. “We wanted people to come to our event and make it memorable,� Lindseth said. “Everybody gets stuck doing the same types of events and this way we could set ourselves apart.�

The limo tour for interested new members turned out to be a major success in the opinion of Delta Upsilon president Wesley Rogers. “We had seven guys go on the Hummer tour with us,� Rogers said. “It was

great to see them so interested in learning more about the fraternity and not just there because they wanted to ride in a stretch Hummer.�

Erik Schwarzkopf, a member of Delta Upsilon since 2008, was glad so many men were able to attend their recruitment event to see what makes their house so unique. “Because we are the only non-secretive fraternity, it is important for those interested in joining Greek life to know that that makes us different from everyone else,� Schwarzkopf said. “Personally, my parents were more accepting of the

fact that I wanted to join a fraternity because I was able to invite them to our events and have them meet my new brothers.�

Bids to join one of the fraternities on campus will be distributed by individuals from each respective house today; however, ongoing recruitment will continue for most fraternities including Delta Upsilon.

For more information on NDSU Greek Life, visit their website at http:// www.ndsugreek.com, or contact Courtney Barstad in the Student Activities Office located in the Memorial Union.

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courage more construction of natural gas pipelines. The agency is commissioning a study of North Dakota's natural gas production trends and whether there's enough pipeline capacity to carry the fuel.

Briefs STATE MINOT, N.D. (AP) — State health officials this week are running radioactivity tests on bags filled with an oil field material that are stacked in downtown Minot.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The director of North Dakota's Pipeline Authority says the state may need to en-

UNDERWOOD, N.D. (AP) — More than 200 acres of crop land near Underwood that were mined for coal more than 20 years ago are set to be turned back to farming.

It will be the first time in the Falkirk Mine's 35-year history that any land will go back to agriculture.

News NATIONAL

BRIDGEPORT, Conn.

(AP) — Four police officers, including the president of the local police union, were arrested Tuesday by the FBI on charges that they used excessive force against illegal immigrants and covered up abuses in a New Haven suburb where a federal investigation found life was made miserable for Hispanics.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — WORLD SARAJEVO, BosniaMinnesota Rep. Michele (AP) — Bachmann announced Herzegovina Wednesday she will seek a Bosnia's war crimes court has fourth term in the U.S. House confirmed a 31-year prison

Students study abroad with global food systems Allison Pillar News Reporter A new opportunity offered at NDSU this year is the Global Food Systems Study Abroad Program developed by NDSU’s animal sciences department in the College of Agriculture, Food Systems and Natural Resources. A group of students from NDSU will be traveling to China in May to learn about Chinese culture and the global food system.

This year’s program, the first of its kind, is a 15-day trip to three areas of China from May 19 to June 2. Not only will students be learning about agriculture on a global level, but they will also be engaging in a whole new culture full of exciting new sights and experiences.

“One of the goals of our department, and I guess I would say our college and university for that matter, being the College of Agriculture, is taking a lot of the experiences we give students right now beyond the classroom,” David Newman, Animal Sciences Department assistant professor said.

The trip will consist of visiting three areas of China: Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai. In each location, students will be participating in cultural activ-

ities such as visiting the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City and the Terracotta warriors in addition to learning about how China’s agricultural economy affects our own.

An important point for students to keep in mind is that this trip is not only limited to agriculture or business majors.

The opportunities for cultural experience are endless when being exposed to new customs and ways of living through international travel.

“When you start to talk about culture, one thing that really comes into the forefront is just seeing how people live and understanding how people would take on daily [tasks] … this makes it a very versatile opportunity for students from all different types of majors,” Carl Dahlen, an assistant professor in the animal sciences department, pointed out.

This year’s destination, China, was chosen because of its vast amount of people and its increasing affluence in the global economy. According to Newman, when “talking about expanding agricultural opportunities, you can’t have a conversation without discussing China.”

China is just the first step however, with both Dahlen and Newman having high hopes of the program expanding with each year to come.

following her failed presidential bid.

(AP) Stocks mostly fell early Wednesday ahead of a statement on interest rates from the Federal Reserve and a news conference by its chairman. Traders also fretted about Greece's slow progress in talks with private bondholders aimed at reducing the nation's crushing debt load.

Eventually, Dahlen said a destination on every continent except Antarctica is the goal, hoping to have students taking part in the program this year become the biggest advocators for the future trips.

Jody Hanson, a senior at NDSU majoring in agricultural engineering, said her main reason for joining the study abroad program is that “our economy is not a U.S. economy anymore; it is very much a global one.”

“Coming from an [agricultural] background,” Hanson added, she is well aware of the fact that “anything we don’t use in the United States gets exported.” To see where everything goes and comes from will be quite an experience as she travels internationally for the first time.

The ultimate goal of the program, according to Dahlen, is to open the eyes of the students to the “huge and profound influence that [other countries’] cultures have on our own,” and to always “represent NDSU with pride.”

Application for early enrollment is open until Friday, Feb. 10. Anyone with questions or concerns regarding the program, application, or cost, can contact Newman at (701) 2317366 or david.newman@ndsu.edu or Dahlen at 701-231-5588 or carl.dahlen@ndsu.edu.

sentence for a former Bosnian Serb police officer convicted of genocide.

Judges found that Radomir Vukovic participated in the execution of over 1,000 men — part of the notorious Serb massacre of some 8,000 Muslim Bosniaks from the east Bosnian town of Srebrenica in July 1995.

CAIRO (AP) — Tens of thousands of Egyptians rallied Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of the country's 2011 uprising, with liberals and Islamists gathering on different sides of Cairo's

Tahrir Square in a reflection of the deep political divides that emerged in the year since the downfall of longtime leader Hosni Mubarak.

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Fresh clashes in southern Yemen have killed six alQaida militants and injured 10 soldiers, military officials said Wednesday. The fighting southeast of the city of Zinjibar is the latest since militants seized a number of towns in the area last spring.

Yemeni forces have so far failed to push them out.

Barry continued from page 1

Josie Tafelmeyer | The Spectrum

The Barry Foundation, which provided funding for NDSU’s Barry Hall, has gifted Concordia’s new auditorium.

will begin this spring and renovation of the Grant Center for the Offutt School of Business is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2012.

“This fantastic new space is designed with state-of-the-art technology capabilities,” Greg Cant, Offutt School of Business dean, said in a recent press release. “Barry Auditorium will be the ideal space for business lectures and events.”

In addition to the building projects, the Barry Foundation

is funding a Barry Scholars Endowment, which honors the Offutt School of Business’ mission to educate and inspire generations of leaders who demonstrate individual entrepreneurial spirit and leadership.

The new Barry Scholars Program will be the most significant scholarship opportunity for students in the Offutt School. The prestigious $20,000 scholarship will be provided to four junior and

senior level students annually.

“Barry Scholars will be expected to assume leadership and service responsibilities in the Offutt School, including leading seminar discussions, organizing specific events and mentoring peers,” Cant said.

“During their senior year, scholars will also present a public lecture on original research that addresses global economic and social changes.”

Student fee continud from page 1 cation possible. I don’t want to get an inferior education.”

Students who attended the open forum additionally brought up the issue of being more informed of issues, as they felt the upcoming proposals were secluded to a small group. Knutson said that one of the strong recommendations for next year is to post the proposals on the student government website to allow students to provide continuous

feedback.

Students involved in the fee advisory board included Michael Paolini, Luke Broader, Michael Nagel, Rachel Black, Sam Ewen and Steff Johnston.

Representatives from each department were also in attendance, including Marc Wallman, assistant vice president for enterprising, computing and infrastructure; Jean Ostrom-Blonigen, interim assis-

DAILY HAPPY HOUR 2-4-1 FIRST ROUND 4:30-6:30

tant vice president for information technology services; Barbara Lonbaken, dean for student wellness; Chris Suriano, associate director of the Wellness Center; and Alissa Kuntz, assistant to the dean of libraries.

For more information regarding the proposed student fee increases, visit the student government office in the Memorial Union.

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Linda Vasquez Features Editor Phone: 231-5260 | Email: features@ndsuspectrum.com

Features

Chris Professor profile: Stephenson Beck Brown and Rihanna A professor committed to students and research Andrew Koch back Staff Writer together?

Linda Vasquez Features Editor

Three years ago from Feb. 8 will mark the anniversary of Chris Brown’s assault of his then-girlfriend Rihanna. Although these artists are to be separated by court order, it may just be that they are secretly back together, at least that’s how it seems.

It was a shock to people back in May 2011 when both artists followed each other on Twitter especially after both individuals were very public about their violent break-up.

The recent Twitter incident caused quite a stir when both artists reportedly exchanged love messages on the popular social networking site.

According to an article on www.huffingtonpost.com, Brown and Rihanna send each other coded messages. Back in December, Brown tweeted, “Love U more than you know!� Not more than a minute after his tweet, Rihanna tweeted, “I’ll always love you #1LOVE.�

Us Weekly magazine revealed that the artists “have secretly been hooking up for nearly a year� and that a Rihanna insider admitted that “Rihanna loves to live dangerously, and talking to and hooking up with Chris is all part of that.� Of course both Brown and Rihanna have denied the rumors but do state that they are only friends.

Although the re-kindled relationship is only speculation, Brown and Rihanna were recently spotted partying at the same venue Sunday night.

TMZ reported that the two exlovers were seen at Greystone Manor, a nightclub located in West Hollywood, CA. They did not leave together, however, and did not have contact with each other.

Brown, with his girlfriend Karrueche, left the venue through the front door. Rihanna exited through a side door of the club.

It is not clear if Rihanna and Brown have any intentions of getting back into a relationship. After their public domestic violent experience though, it may be that they won’t due to reasons of public backlash.

Despite whether or not they plan to get back together, I think it would be a mistake.

No woman should ever have to be in a domestic situation where she feels she might be in danger. And as much as I enjoy listening to Brown’s music and Rihanna’s hit singles, for them to get back together would be a bad idea.

Why? Because most do-over relationships that contain domestic violence end up the same way.

NEWS • GOSSIP • TRENDS features @ndsuspectrum.com

Professor Stephenson Beck’s work in the field of communications can be described as fascinating. A man dedicated to family, sports, his students and work in research sums up what his life revolves around.

The most interesting facet of the life of Beck is the fact that he has always wanted to do something that matters.

Whether it is being a family man to his wife and two kids, helping his students succeed in the classroom, helping his students achieve their career goals or doing research in the field of communications, he makes an impact on those around him.

In 2002, Beck received his Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism from Brigham Young University. A proclaimed sports enthusiast, he worked for stations such as PBS and Fox Sports. “I had always wanted to be a sportscaster,� Beck confessed. “I am a sports nut.�

Being a sports broadcaster was a dream job for Beck, but he soon found that he had no time for family and came to the realization that he needed to do something else. “I could not see where I wanted to be family-wise with the lifestyle of being a sports broadcaster, and I did not feel like I was doing something that actually mattered,� Beck stated.

Becoming a teacher was the next part of the agenda for Beck. After receiving his Master of Arts at the University of Illinois in speech communications in 2005, Beck became a teaching assistant for the university. He says this was the start to a successful career in teaching. “I found a research area I loved and found a job in teaching that met all of the needs that I wanted,� Beck shared.

Beck continued on to get his doctorate at the University of Kansas, graduating with a degree in communication studies, serving as a graduate teaching assistant for the school.

NDSU was not a school that Beck expected to teach at. “The North is a familiar place for my wife because she

Linda Vasquez | The Spectrum

Stephenson Beck of the department of communication has had successes and interests both within and beyond the classroom.

is Canadian. I applied here, and was given an interview,� he said. “A lot of the concerns we had initially like not knowing a lot about Fargo, and if it was a good place to raise a family disappeared immediately. I realized that it was a great place to raise a family, and I felt like I could make an impact here as a teacher.�

Beck received the job and has been teaching here at NDSU since 2008.

Taking pride in being a teacher is something that Beck lives by. He strives to influence his students and learn simultaneously. “My teaching philosophy is to get students to learn how to think and learn how to learn,�

Beck explained passionately.

Health talk What’s on your plate?

A look at the daily recommended intake of food

Jessie Battest, Contributing Writer 5 2

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“It is a very uncomfortable position to be put into. Students will feel vulnerable and uncomfortable, but the students who figure those things out will enjoy their college experience the most and continue to grow as people.�

Doing research in the field of communications that makes an impact on groups of people is also part of Beck’s work.

His research focuses primarily on groups of individuals. Currently, Beck is working with the special education teams in the public school systems. “Right now we are trying to collect a basic data on how knowledgeable the students and members of those groups are about conflict management, and how conflict and

Protein foods consist of poultry, seafood, beans, eggs, and nuts. You should consume five and half to six and a half ounces of protein foods daily, which is like eating, for example, five eggs, two small lean hamburgers, or 12 almonds.

4 1

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1 As college students, we tend to forget sometimes the importance of nutrition has on our bodies. Midnight snacking and late dinners are nothing new to college years, but the recent campaign first lady Michelle Obama has headed makes it simple when choosing the best thing to put on your plate.

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decision management influences the welfare of both,� he said. “These teams are designed to help these students out. Education workers are a lot of times not trained in the area of group communication skills. They do not have the facilitation, decision-making and conflict skills.�

Beck hopes that his research can help better the communication in groups, based on becoming better decision makers and managing conflict.

Outside of NDSU, Beck is heavily involved with his family, loves to watch sports, and is devoted to his church. Taking vacations with his wife is also something that he loves to do. Beck admits that they both love to travel.

Yes, all kinds of fruits count—including fresh, frozen, canned, or dried.

Even 100 percent fruit juice! Just make sure they do not contain a lot of added sugar. You need about two cups of fruit every day.

Fruits do not contain cholesterol, and they are rich in potassium, fiber, folic acid, and Vitamin C.

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Grains are anything made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, or barley. These are broken down into two subcategories: refined grains and whole grains.

Make sure at least half of your four daily ounces (which is equivalent to four slices of bread) is whole.

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Usually being put into a good situation brings success in what you do. Beck is no stranger to this theory, as he attributes most of his success as a professor here at NDSU and all of his research to what he says is a good situation.

Beck loves the feedback he gets from his students on his teaching style. He also loves the thank-you notes he gets at the end of each semester and enjoys hearing that his teaching helped get some student a job or an internship.

As a man of faith, a dedicated father and an inspiring professor, he truly understands how to teach, and he offers all of his students a chance at the best college experience.

Vegetables can be drank as juices, or eaten as raw, cooked, dried, frozen or canned.

Different types of veggies offer various nutritional value: dark green (spinach), starchy (corn), beans and peas, red/orange (carrots), and “others� (cauliflower).

You need 2 1/2 to three cups of vegetables every day.

4

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All milk products are included in the dairy group. Drinking three cups of milk each day will supply your body with a sufficient amount of calcium, keeping your bones and teeth strong.

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F r i d a y, J a n u a r y 2 7 , 2 0 1 2 | T h e S p e c t r u m Nick Proulx Arts and Entertainment Editor Phone: 231-5261 | Email: ae@ndsuspectrum.com

5

Arts and Entertainment

Golden Dragon Acrobats stun crowd at Festival Concert Hall

Nick Proulx A&E Editor The Golden Dragon Acrobats performed Tuesday night at the Festival Concert hall, putting on a routine that raised the roof -- literally. A spectacle of high flying and gravity defying feats was capped off with a towering display that left a lone acrobat high enough to rub up against the ceiling.

The display of time-honored Chinese tradition wowed a hefty number of spectators and NDSU students on hand. “I thought the performance was pretty cool. I was amazed how synchronized their group was,� said Brendan Skime, a freshman studying sports and recreation leadership. “The guy who climbed the ladder of chairs blew me away because he was actually in the rafters of the auditorium,� he added. “The Golden Dragon acrobatics show last night was awesome! Definitely one of the coolest things I've seen in

a while,� said sophomore Grady Anderson, adding, “It was pretty much mind-blowing from start to finish.�

The performance was so good it even took some people by surprise, like Andrew Fillmore, a graduate student in the plant science department. He initially had doubts about how entertaining a free show could be, but the Golden Dragon Acrobats shattered those suspicions. “It really makes you appreciate how hard acrobatics can be. It looks fun and easy but it has to be a lot more difficult than it seems,� Fillmore admitted.

Extravagant costumes and tone-setting music helped to create an overall experience that Anderson described as absolutely unreal. “I'd see this act again.

Where else can you get such a mind-blowing cultural experience by guys who look they could do Ab Ripper X at least three times in a row?� he asked.

The Golden Dragon Acrobats are the only Chinese company that tour year-round across America. More information and a tour schedule can be found at goldendragonacrobats.com.

Josie Tafelmeyer | The Spectrum

The Golden Dragon Acrobats, a traveling group based out of China, impressed students and community members with high-flying acts Tuesday night.

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Contest offers trip to ‘American Idol’ audition as grand prize

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Do you have an affinity for the arts?

Wr i t e a b o u t i t . contact the A&E editor at ae@ndsuspectrum.com

The Forum is once again putting on the Fargo Star competition this year, and already two NDSU students have made their way to the finals.

Mary Jo Hotzler, deputy editor at The Forum, was one of the individuals who started the contest five years ago. She says they had an idea to do an “American Idol� spinoff of sorts, with a trip to an “Idol� audition offered as a grand prize. “A few of us were sitting around, thinking that we could do something like ‘Idol’ here,� Hotzler said, adding that the first competition was put together in just a matter of weeks. “It was small then compared to what we have now, but we knew it had potential when we looked around at the very first Fargo Star event and saw that the place was packed,� she continued.

It’s the first year entering the contest for Shelby Heimbuch, a sophomore triplemajoring in apparel, retail merchandise and design, public relations and pre-law.

She travels throughout the summer and competes at events like the North Dakota State Fair, and she approaches music as more than just a hobby and perhaps a back-up plan. In addition to being an NDSU student, she’s currently taking lessons at the Elevate Rock School here in Fargo.

Heimbuch says she’s been singing since around 8 years old and writing songs since she was 10. She doesn’t see herself as outwardly musical, so she prefers to write her feelings as a song with an overall message or theme.

Her sound is derived from influences like Dave Matthews, Garth Brooks,

Toby Keith and Miranda Lambert, and she performed Sugarland’s “Stay� for her audition. “You can only go so far with luck, and you have to take yourself the rest of the way,� Heimbuch said. She already plans on getting to an American Idol audition one way or another if she doesn’t win Fargo Star, since she’s hoping to get her foot in the door on the music scene. However, she sees this as a much easier way to do it financially. At the moment, she’s thinking about performing something by Carrie Underwood for the finals.

Jordan Thornburg, another NDSU student, is giving the contest another shot this year. The senior, studying business administration with a minor in music, has advanced to the finals twice now. “I made it to the finals last year, and my sister said I should try to go for it again.

The last two winners had entered it in years previously, so I figured why not try again,� Thornburg said.

He’s considering singing the Johnny Cash classic “Folsom Prison Blues� for the finals but says nothing is set in stone just yet. For his audition, played guitar while singing a cover of the Bee Gee’s hit “Stayin’ Alive,� because he says it’s a fun song to do. He rendered it an octave lower though, citing the fact that he sings baritone in the NDSU Concert Choir. “Ideally, I just want to get as much exposure out of this as possible,� Thornburg said. “I know it’s hard to get into the music industry, and it’s such a winner-take-all market. There are a lot of great bands and artists out there that people don’t know about. I think it would be great to get into the singer/songwriter genre though,� he added.

Thornburg started singing in elementary school and has more recently begun writing his own songs, claiming to have two completed and a few works in progress currently. Some of his material is soft and based on crushes he’s had, but a song he titled “Stoplights� is an edgy, bluesy, metaphorical tune about a homeless man teaching him life’s lessons.

Hotzler touts the competition as an opportunity for young people like Heimbuch and Thornburg to get noticed. “It has given a lot of people an outlet for showcasing their talents,� Hotzler mentioned. “Because of the way we have our paper and website set up, and because we get so much traffic through them, there’s an opportunity for aspiring singers or people just looking to have fun to have so many eyes on them,� she explained.

The competition is set up in three waves of auditions, and is currently in its third week of voting. The two competitors who receive the most votes advance to the finals automatically, and all remaining competitors are pooled into a fourth week of voting afterward. The top four performers from that week advance to the finals, which is scheduled to happen Feb. 25 at The Venue at The Hub. Heimbuch earned her spot during the first week of voting, while Thornburg was chosen just last week, pulling in 26 percent of the roughly 25,000-vote tally.

All performers will have musical backing from Post Traumatic Funk Syndrome during their final performances, which will happen before a panel of judges and an audience that will decide on a winner. For more information or to vote online, visit fargostar.areavoices.com.

F r i d a y, J a n u a r y 2 7 , 2 0 1 2 | T h e S p e c t r u m

6

Arts and Entertainment KNDS albums of the month

DJ Vincent Favard’s underground Fridays

3 new albums worth checking out David Breitbach Contributing Writer Here are three new albums released this month that are worth the listen.

Laura Gibson – “La Grande” It’s not a coincidence that the artwork of the album and the songs written by Laura Gibson coincide with one another. The pounding drums and rhythm of the upright bass of “La Grande” immediately make you feel as if you are sitting around a campfire listening to tales of the Wild West.

As the album progresses, you move into tracks like “Milk Heavy, Pollen-Eyed” where all of the instruments begin to center around Laura’s soothing voice. Here you start to witness her story-telling ability that was influenced by her childhood growing up in the Pacific Northwest. Each and every song conveys a serene melody that is faintly reminiscent of a lullaby.

In addition to producing and playing most of the instruments, Laura received help from members of The Dodos, The Decemberists, and Calexico. Fans of Jessica Lea Mayfield, Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps, and Regina Spektor will thoroughly enjoy this album.

Gonjasufi- “MU.ZZ.LE” Low-fi’ hip-hop, middle eastern, experimental, electronica, industrial, punk: These are just a few of a handful of words that have been used to describe Gonjasufi’s music. To actually label his

music as one specific genre though is a relatively difficult task. It’s probably more accurate to say that he disregards the whole concept of genres.

Instead, Gonjasufi incorporates a collection of different samples and dices them up to create these unique layers of sound. In his brand-new album titled MU.ZZ.LE, Gonjasufi continues to follow his previous production methods used in his critically acclaimed debut, “A Sufi and a Killer.”

One noticeable difference is his approach at making the album a little more structured and not as sporadic as his last release.

First Aid Kit- “The Lion’s Roar” When you think of Americana/bluegrass, what artists come to mind? Gillian Welch?

Allison Krauss? How about First Aid Kit? Ever since their Fleet Foxes cover of “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” was first discovered on YouTube, the two Swedish sisters, Klara and Johanna Söderburg, have slowly begun to develop a growing fan base. Their new album “The Lion’s Roar” rivals some of the best Americana that has come out within the past year or so. Klara and Johanna vocals harmonize perfectly together and at times it is hard to distinguish them apart. The opening track “The Lion’s Roar” tells about how much we yearn for what’s best while “Emmylou” pays homage to their musical heroes.

Although people may be unfamiliar with this duo, I would highly recommend this album to anyone who is a fan of country and/or bluegrass.

THQ cancellation rumors Steven Strom

Week 7: Knife Party DJ Vincent Favard Contributing Writer Every Friday, DJ Vincent Favard introduces an upcoming underground electronic artist to NDSU students. After DJing and producing music for seven years in Europe, he has now moved to NDSU to study education. He is one of the electronic music references of the Fargo-Moorhead area and is going to share his passion for underground music throughout weekly presentations of his favorites underground producers. Genres will vary throughout the weeks, exploring the different sub-genres of electronic music.

Knife Party is the electrohouse/dubstep project of Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen, members of the Australian drum’n’bass band Pendulum.

They only started collaborating on this new project last year and are already hitting the biggest electronic music festivals, headlining with huge DJ acts such as Tiestö, Skrillex, David Guetta and many others.

They recently released a free EP (four tracks installment) called “100% No Modern Talking.” The EP features “Internet Friends,” “Destroy Them With Lazers,” “Tourniquet” and “Fire Hive.” “Internet Friends” is a huge electro-house banger. After an intro perfectly sets the mood of the song, it features a long rising break that drops on the

computer-generated female voice saying, “You blocked me on Facebook, and now you’re going to die.” After those comforting words, picture what Totallyvivid.com describes as “pummeling assault of laseriffic synth overdrive.” It is a very solid electro-house club hit that propelled Knife Party to a whole different level.

If you are more into the dubstep scene, then “Fire Hive” is for you. Not as popular as the track previously presented but surely as efficient. It belongs to the reggae-rhythm-inspired dubstep style that has been recently growing. Similarly to “Internet Friends,” the beat drops right after a voice. This time, it is a Jamaican-sounding male voice that relates directly to the reggae overall feel that the rhythm reminds heavily.

I encourage all of you to check them out at http://knifeparty.com and to download their free installment by leaving your email address in the top right corner, after which they will send you an email with a download link. If you like what you hear and do not have plans for spring break 2012 yet, they will be in Miami for the Ultra Music Festival, one of the largest electronic-music festivals on the planet.

Staff Writer You have really got to feel sorry for the fine folks at THQ. In recent years, the video game publisher has completely redefined its portfolio and brought itself up out of the muck of mediocrity.

There was a time when THQ seemed to be nothing but a mill for bad licensed movie games. However, over the past couple of years and with the help of fine developers like Volition ("Red Faction: Guerrilla," "Saints Row The Third") and Relic ("Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War," "Space Marine") the company has become a force to be reckoned with. Well, the critics seem to be in on all of the reckoning, anyway Unfortunately for THQ, high quality and high praise have not translated into the highest of sales.

Even with IPs like "Darksiders" doing at least well enough to warrant sequels, the publisher's stock has congealed at an all time low.

It was then not especially surprising when word spread over Twitter (which is increasingly becoming the number-one source for immediate news) that THQ had cancelled its entire video game line-up for the year of 2014 as it prepared for sale.

Now, try not to get too worked up about who will be making the next "You Don't Know Jack" title.

While the story took the web by storm last week, word of the company's demise has evidently been greatly exaggerated. Or, at the very least, it was announced prematurely. THQ officials quickly made a statement denying any plans to terminate their 2014 line-up or themselves.

What is worrying, however, in the company's official statement regarding its planned “Warhammer 40,000” massively multiplayer online game (MMO), "Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online". Ludicrous name aside, the game seemed to be in fairly decent condition the first (and only) time it was shown to the public. Never the less, the company was quoted as saying that it "...has not made any decisions regarding the planned MMO." For those not well versed in the language of corporate runaround, that's not necessarily a good sign. If the planned MMO was doing alright internally, THQ probably wouldn't have seen fit to mention it specifically. The quote should certainly not be taken as an admission of cancellation, but neither does it bode well for a title that was first announced in 2007. Other than a single trailer in 2010, nothing else has been seen of the game since.

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7

Features

He said, she said How early should you start planning for Valentine’s Day?

The

Honest Truth

Linda Vasquez

Dear Bison Pack, I live in an apartment and my lease is coming to an end soon. This wouldn’t Features Editor really be a bad situation under other circumstances, but I have a roommate who wants to renew. To be honest I don’t have a problem renewing, it’s just that I He Said: “I would say a week prior because it’s not too late to re- don’t want to renew it with him. I don’t hate the guy, but he is messy, late on payarrange plans or too early for plans to get ruined.” – Tony Kelley, a ments all the time and never chips in for groceries. How do I tell him I don’t want to renew our lease without hurting his feelings too bad? After all, he is my freshman with an undecided major. friend and I don’t want him to stop talking to me because of this situation.

She Said: “A week if he/she is a keeper, a couple days if you Sincerely, Renewed Roommate

haven't been dating long. Planning is important so that it is as memorable for your boyfriend or girlfriend as can be.” – Jennifer Wicklander, a junior majoring in public relations and advertising.

With Valentine’s Day coming up in a few weeks, it is no surprise that everyone is talking about the romantic holiday. But is there really a certain time limit required to prepare for this special day? Some people say yes, but how early should you plan?

Well, it depends. If your valentine has been yours for a while, it may require more time for you to think of something new and plan at least two weeks in advance. For instance, you might be considering a romantic dinner at a fancy restaurant. Find out if reservations are needed; some restaurants require them and may have limited space, especially during Valentine’s Day. Another reason to plan ahead is if you are planning a getaway. Sometimes airlines, resorts and travel agencies offer early bird deals. Also, planning a trip takes a lot of organization because it is important to have itinerary plans ahead so that you get the most out of your time with your significant other.

If you and the person have only been dating for a couple days, or haven’t dated at all, one week in advance is the right time to start planning. One week gives you enough time to search for a gift and communicate the plans with your partner. However, if you have never dated the person make sure to ask them before Valentine’s Day, just in case they have already made plans.

There really is no right or wrong answer to how early is too early, but keep in mind that the earlier you plan, the more reliable your plans will be. In fact, if the person is special enough for you to start thinking about Valentine’s Day plans then your effort should take more than just one day.

Dear Renewed Roommate, Unfortunately, the only way for your roommate to understand you don’t want him to move in with you is by telling him. There really isn’t any easy way to give him the news than to just simply sit him down and say, “Hey, I know our lease is coming up and I just wanted to let you know that I’m renewing with someone else.” Follow up by telling him you are willing to help him find a new roommate together, so that he doesn’t feel like, well, you are just walking away from him. As his friend, you should also be considerate that he has a place to stay even if it’s not with you.

-Tough Bison Dear Renewed Roommate, I understand why you are uneasy about renewing with him. It would be stressful trying to live with someone that doesn’t value cleanliness, is awful with paying bills on time and eats the fruits of your labor. Perhaps try giving him a second chance before deciding to not renew with him. You could explain that you want him to meet your expectations of a good roommate, and if he changes his ways you might be able to live with him another year. Don’t give up yet; perhaps the best is yet to come.

-Insightful Bison Dear Renewed Roommate, Having to tell your roommate that you don’t want to live with them can be awkward. However, if you really don’t think that you can live with your roommate anymore, an uncomfortable conversation is necessary. I advise that you bring up your future living situation in a tactful manner, at an appropriate time. In other words, don’t wait until the last minute, and talk to your roommate in a kind yet firm fashion. Let your roommate know that you truly value him as a friend, but living together just hasn’t worked out like you had hoped.

-Bison Blondie

Oscar nominations announced Matt Paulsen Staff Writer Early Tuesday morning, the 2012 Oscar nominees were announced. Every year there are always locks that everyone knows will get nominated, and to keep things fresh and everyone on their toes the Academy always seems to throw in a few surprises. This year is no exception.

In the best picture race, you have the early favorite, “The Artist.” The black-and-white silent film pays tribute to Hollywood’s past. The next frontrunner is “The Descendants.”

Starring Best Actor nominee George Clooney, the film is about a land baron who tries to re-connect with his two

daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident. Other nominees include audience favorite “The Help,” Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo,” Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris,” “Moneyball,” Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life,” Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse,” and the true surprise “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.” Critics, giving it a 48 percent rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes, panned the film starring Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks about death during 9/11. Keeping it at 9 nominees also leaves some surprising snubs including almost lock “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” and last summer’s breakout hit “Bridesmaids.”

The best actor race is fronted by a couple familiar names including George

Billboard Top

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Clooney (“The Descendants”), and Brad Pitt (“Moneyball”).

Supposed to come up just short for a nod was acting vet Gary Oldman who finally got his first nomination for his turn as retired Cold War spy George Smiley (“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”). Next we have a couple lesser-known nominees, including Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”), and wildcard Demian Bichir (“A Better Life”). Not on many speculators’ radars, Bichir snuck in over the trio of Michael Fassbender (“Shame”) Ryan Gosling (“Drive, Ides of March”) and Leonardo DiCaprio (“J. Edgar”) Best actress looks like a two-woman race between Viola Davis (“The Help”) and Oscar veteran Meryl Streep

(Iron Lady).

Michelle Williams (“My Week with Marilyn”) will try to sneak into the race for her portrayal of the woman herself, Marilyn Monroe. The nominees are rounded out by Glen Close (“Albert Nobbs”) and an unexpected yet deserving nomination for Rooney Mara (“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”).

Mara beat out Tilda Swinton (“We Need to Talk about Kevin”) for the fifth and final slot.

Best supporting actress brings a bunch of new faces, as four of the five are firsttime nominees. The current front-runner is Octavia Spencer (“The Help”).

Spencer’s co-star, and the third “Help” lady to get nominated, Jessica Chastain had a breakout year in multiple films in-

LALFlirts

“We Found Love” - Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris

“Set Fire To The Rain”

Brunette girl liked at Other

- Flo Rida

You were just at the w in the cereal area sitting with a blonde girl. You were pretty tall and had on a shirt that was yellowish on the bottom and whitish on the top.

I've never seen you before, wow. So beautiful

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Brunette guy liked at Other

- Adele

“Good Feeling” “It Will Rain”

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“Rack City” - Tyga

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Bruno Mars

“Turn Me On”

- David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj courtesy of www.billboard.com

Is sick.of guys. :( they are all so mean. Sincerely a girl thst needs some lovin.

Blonde girl liked at wellness center Cutie on the abs mats upstairs. We always make eye contact around campus I see you everywhere. I wish I just knew your name and could take you out...

Brunette guy liked at Other I use to see you all the time at the R for lunch we talked on here before i never see you anymore cuz im never up the way...you told me your name before it starts with an L you should message me sometime!

Brunette girl liked at Other girls i know its janu"hairy" and all but please shave those mustaches! one of the biggest turn offs

cluding two best picture nominees (“The Help,” “The Tree of Life”). Flat out comedy is typically passed over when it comes to the Academy, but audience favorite Melissa McCarthy gets her first nomination for her comedic turn (“Bridesmaids”).

Berenice Bejo (“The Artist”) continues the movies dominance in the major categories.

The category is wrapped up with previous nominee Janet McTeer (“Albert Nobbs”).

Best supporting actor had a few surprises of its own. The front-runner is Christopher Plummer (“Beginners”) playing a gay man with terminal cancer. Next we have Jonah Hill (“Moneyball”). Known for his comedies, Hill changes it up and gives a strong performance portraying real-life

stats analyst Peter Brand. The surprising nominee belongs to Nick Nolte (“Warrior”) who gives a touching performance as a former alcoholic trying to reconnect with his two sons.

Kenneth Branagh (“My Week with Marilyn”) and Max Von Sydow (“Extremely Loud & Incredible Close”) round out the nominees. A shocking emission would be Albert Brooks (“Drive”). Brooks was the early front- runner for the whole category at one point in time.

Only time will tell who comes out on top, but whatever happens should be interesting. The 84th Academy Awards airs Feb. 26 and will be hosted by Billy Crystal.

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Jaime Jarmin Opinion Editor Phone: 231-6287 | Email: opinion@ndsuspectrum.com

Opinion

Put the ‘birther’ suit to rest

From liberty to oppression Rylee Nelson Contributing Writer Our society has taken God and swept him under the rug in our ethics and in our society.

We have made him into a white elephant in our classrooms and irrelevant in our Congress.

Our money, the very thing that holds this country together, currently proclaims a blatant lie, plainly stated in rarely read text. On our coins and our bills, “In God We Trust” holds sentiments of an old code that used to set a standard for ethics.

Just as in our courtrooms, where the Bible used to be something of an ethical accountability or in classrooms where the beginning of every school day used to set perspective with the recitation of the words “one nation under God.” We currently value diversity

and “freedom,” but at the price of leaving out God. Our values of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness have recently left the context of Christianity. We have taken freedom of religion to read, “freedom from religion” and that the Christian faith is something to be feared not equally respected.

This past Monday marked the 40th straight March For Life that annually protests the decision of Roe vs. Wade. This event supported by many Christian faiths, as well as others, was largely ignored by news coverage.

Specifically, the New York Times hardly gave any credence to the 500,000 people that marched on the Washington Mall protesting abortion.

This is a glaring example of where the Christian culture is being squelched by societies’ overreaction to a fear of Christian dominance.

To me this is irritating, but it’s not necessarily surprising.

What is surprising is the recent audacity of the executive branch in the latest brash move of unchecked power.

Last Friday, President Obama mandated that almost all employers must adopt

healthcare that covers contraception, sterilization and abortion inducing drugs. The exceptions include Churches or houses of worship, but they do not apply to church affiliated businesses, which include schools or hospitals that hire with no faith discretion.

Speaking specifically from the Catholic perspective, this mandate is directly against my moral code. In effect, I will likely be forced to fund these services, which I am morally against. Also, businesses will no longer have the freedom to insure through a provider who they know holds similar values.

This right to insurance is more than a particular preference; these are deeply held values that go against our freedom to beliefs, religion and all three of the preamble tenants.

This mandate has now moved to suppress the Catholic faith in opposition to one of our major tenants. Not only is society taking my Lord’s name and presence out of the public square, but now Obama is reaching into my personal life through my employer health care provider to mandate unethical coverage.

It is very hard as a Christian to see my beliefs and values be constantly squelched in societal arenas in the name of diversity. It’s hard to know that there’s a social stigma on public prayer or even the mentioning of the name of Jesus. But it is downright painful to see laws enacted that directly infringe my rights to personal values found in my Catholic religion.

Society has a fear of God that is overwhelming. We have developed an unreasonable phobia of all things Christian and have recently reached a new height entering suppression.

We have taken for granted all the good that Christianity has done for us, including its moral system and educational infrastructure. We have instead focused on its weaknesses and transgressions common to us all.

I’m not saying you must be Christian (though I would love it if you would consider it), but let me live my faith just as you live yours.

Rylee is a senior majoring in communications.

Super Bowl XLVI: Could the teams be any worse?

Lukas Croaker Contributing Writer If I could pick two teams in the National Football League that I did not want to see in this year’s Super Bowl, it would be the New England Patriots and the New York Giants.

This is a rematch of Super Bowl XLII where the Giants miraculously upset the Patriots, whom were previously undefeated. My reasoning for not liking these teams is simple and biased.

First, the Giants went into Lambeau Field and beat my hero Brett Favre in 2008 and now in 2012, Eli Manning and Coach Tom Coughlin again went into the Frozen Tundra and upset the 15-1 Green Bay

Packers.

This was a complete waste of a great season for the green and gold. However, the run that the Giants are making now is similar to that of the Packers last year when they hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.

Another reason I do not like the Giants in particular is their quarterback, Eli Manning. He is the baby brother to a much better quarterback, Peyton Manning. Every time the camera is on Eli, it looks as if he is seriously confused or about to cry. He just doesn’t have the swagger to be a Hall of Fame quarterback.

Second, I feel as though coach Coughlin belongs in a nursing home. He is the oldest coach in the NFL and he looks the part. In 2008 when the Giants were in Lambeau, Cough-

lin looked as if he had a serious case of frostbite and spectators didn’t know if he would make it through the game.

I personally thought he would die at any moment and delay the Packers from going to another Championship game. However, Old Man River continues to win games at the right time of the year and make it to the big dance.

When the Giants play in these games, they are commonly known as David in a David versus Goliath matchup.

The reason I do not like the AFC team, the Patriots, could simply be jealousy. It seems as though they always have a team capable of making it into the Super Bowl; this is extremely annoying and I am sick of watching them play the last game of the year.

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They also have the prettyboy quarterback Tom Brady who has more beauty tips than his wife, ex-Victoria’s Secret model Gisele Bundchen. He is also infamous for crying out to refs to throw a penalty flag any time someone bumps into him or looks at him wrong.

Coach Bill Belichick also grinds my gears. He is arrogant and pompous, and he also disrespects other coaches whenever his team faces a loss. Belichick is about as exciting as watching paint dry when it comes to his interviews with reporters after a game. He gives simple, indirect statements that do not answer anyone’s questions.

And his fashion is terrible.

No one thinks cut-off sweatshirts are cool, Bill. Time to dress more professionally and

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to be discussed instead.

Similar to Camping, a lunatic named Orly Taitz has been the birthers’ leading woman in the birther debate.

In this quest to remove Obama from power, Taitz is trying to inform the public of Obama’s unconstitutional position in office. However, she does not seem to do so with grace and tact.

You may have seen this woman with her bleachblonde hair, dark eye makeup and high, ear-piercing voice butcher interviews on MSNBC or CNN. Eventually the interviewers seem to lose hope in her due to her neverending babble and tendency to not answer any of their questions.

Mind you, this same woman has been previously fined $20,000 for a “frivolous” suit in which she tried helping two soldiers from getting deployed. Their reasoning: They didn’t believe Obama was qualified to be president due to his birth status.

People like Taitz need to realize that groundless lawsuits only distracts the people of America and wastes our president’s time when he has more important problems to deal with.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Republican, Democrat or neither; what matters are real issues that actually carry substantial weight. Such issues are jobs, withdrawing troops, gay marriage, healthcare and taxes. Not birth certificates. Ever.

Even though Taitz may have garnered a following, Camping did as well. We all know how that ended … or should I say didn’t end.

Remember when popular Christian radio personality Harold Camping predicted when the world was going to end a few months ago? He developed a loyal group of followers, some who had quit their jobs and wholeheartedly believed that what this man said was the truth.

But Camping was so, so wrong. After three failed predictions prior to the one in October, it just goes to show that people are easily influenced and carried away.

The same can be true about what’s happening in American politics today.

In the midst of the heated Republican presidential primaries and reelection tactics brought on by Obama’s electoral team, the long-winded “birther” debate has been brought up once again. The debate questions the validity of Obama’s natural-born citizenship and qualifications to be president.

Recently a Georgia judge required Obama to make an appearance to one of the birther hearings. However, I believe the president should not be defending his citizenship status when he has other priorities such as running the country for instance.

With the upcoming presidential election pushing forward, our country does not need to be distracted by pointJaime is a junior majoring less, irrelevant lawsuits when there are real issues that need in English education. represent the NFL in a dignified way.

All I want out of Super Bowl XLVI is hilarious commercials and an entertaining half time show. As for the game itself I don’t care who wins because of how much I dislike both teams, mostly their quarterbacks and coaches.

Either a confused baby is

going to win with an ancient coach or a male model has the opportunity to win another title with his arrogant, worstdressed contender coach.

However, the infamous Super Bowl party should be enjoyable, even though the green and gold will not be playing.

Lukas is a junior majoring in political science.

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Opinion iProtest:

He, she or it?

Gender important when raising children Matt Church Contributing Writer While browsing the international papers this past weekend I came across an article that struck a dissonant chord.

A couple in England has raised their child for the last five years as gender neutral and have just announced, “It’s a boy!”

The family is composed of Beck Laxton, Kieran Cooper and the five-year-old in question Sasha Laxton.

Miss Laxton posted a video on YouTube with Sasha echoing her views about “silly” differences between boys and girls when colors were considered gender specific.

However, in the article from the Sun, Miss Laxton said she

encouraged him to play with dolls to hide his masculinity when he started running around the garden naked. He is also forbidden from wearing “combat trousers” and is encouraged to wear flowery tops on the weekends.

His parents are continually overriding any masculine impulse he has with traditionally feminine options. This is not gender neutral. This is attempting to raise a boy as a girl.

As a parent, this struck me as fundamentally wrong. I have both a daughter and a son, and there are things I expect and have experienced that follow gender stereotypes.

Understanding these stereotypes helps you make the adjustments to your parenting style necessary for raising either a boy or girl. It helps you

encourage ongoing development in positive ways and allows you to expect different skills to develop at different times.

For instance, knowing that girls have a tendency to take on a more passive role I encourage my daughter to make choices and to think her way through her homework. I can be a little less intuitive about how she is feeling because she tells me constantly.

Knowing that boys develop communication skills more slowly, I am more patient with my son when he tries to communicate his thoughts or feelings, and I encourage him to do so more often. I know not to ask my son if he wants help figuring something until he seems to be getting frustrated.

I am not touting a strict “trucks are for boys and dolls

are for girls” policy. I am quite simply saying that recognizing the difference between boys and girls is nothing to be ashamed of as a parent or a person.

As a member of the US Army I see little difference in the capabilities of men and women. I see only the individual.

Nevertheless, there is a difference between boys and girls that needs to be recognized in order to allow your child to find their identity.

I can only hope that Miss Laxton and Mr. Cooper don’t go too far in their experiment and cause any lasting harm to Sasha.

Matt is a junior majoring in history.

Letter to the editor In response to the article, “The players can’t take all the credit” written in The Spectrum newspaper, I have to disagree with Joe. I know that the Bison fans are incredible, but I don’t agree they were the “X factor” in the Bison’s success this season. Yes, they cheered them on and traveled to Texas in a herd, but so did the fans of the other team.

I also don’t believe that Fargo is unique in the way it supports its team. Coming from Minneapolis, I know we have a professional football team, but it seems like the city gets just as caught up, if not more, in the college teams.

You are more likely to hear conversations about how the Gophers are doing than how the Vikings are doing. I believe not only Minneapolis and Fargo, but any town or city that has a college, make the teams part of their family.

I believe the “X factor” is the players. The fans are just the icing on the cake. The football players have to be dedicated all year round to make their team successful.

They have to train and keep their bodies in shape. They have to do summer practice sweating their butts off. They have to practice and play in freezing cold temperatures. The players have to learn all the plays and be able to memorize and execute them.

They have to walk off the field with cuts and bruises and sometimes broken body parts, and then get right back in the game next week. The fans only have to show up for the game and cheer.

I think it is wonderful to acknowledge the fans, but I have to disagree with calling them the “X factor.”

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Matt Church Contributing Writer

principles. Most recently the occupy movement shows an example of Gandhism in practice. This blackout form of protest is nonviolence for the new age; Gandhi's ideal refined and re-imagined for the virtual frontier.

Unfortunately, like every movement, there are extremists willing to break the law to make their point. A group of “hacktivists” named Anonymous launched a massive attack against the proponents of SOPA and PIPA on Thursday, just 24 hours after the apparent success of the blackout.

The target sites included The White House, FBI, Department of Justice, Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and a host of recording label sites.

With SOPA and PIPA virtually defeated by the blackout, one has to wonder what will come from these illicit attacks from Anonymous. Will SOPA and PIPA see a bolstering of support?

I am certain that Gandhi’s response to this sort of extremism by one of his supporters would have been admonishment in the most severe of tones, followed by the gentle lecture of a patient father who seeks to guide his wayward child to the correct path.

In order to see the overall success of the blackout, I believe we need to chide Anonymous for acting as the bully and using the equivalent of virtual violence once the peaceful protest has gained ground. I say shame on Anonymous. Like my father always told me: Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.

On Wednesday, Jan. 18, a form of protest that is becoming more and more common appeared again. The blackout of websites like Wikipedia, Google and Mozilla was staged in protest of two bills, SOPA and PIPA, going before congress on Jan. 24.

Wikipedia in particular made the English-version of their site inaccessible for 24 hours, opting to educate any visitors on the protest and encourage contacting their local representative in protest.

With the blackout over, I have to wonder what impact they had. The website called sopastrike.com, which organized the blackout, boasted more than 75,000 websites had participated.

As of last Friday morning, the number of senators opposing PIPA had risen to 45 from the 29 senators who opposed the bill on Jan. 18.

It seems to me that this form of protest is working.

Given the apparent success, I wonder what other interests would benefit from an organized blackout. The traditional forms of protest, sit-ins and picket lines have had mixed reactions. Especially considering the propensity for violence once confrontations arise.

In the past, Gandhi's civil disobedience through nonviolence has been adopted in more direct fashions. Martin Luther King, Jr. adopted Gandhism in his struggle to win civil rights. Cesar Chavez used it in his protest of the treatment of farm workers in California.

In 1989, the Velvet Revolution to overthrow communism in Czechoslovakia Matt is a junior majoring followed Gandhi's nonviolent in history.

Good humor

Sincerely, Beth Oelfke

Shame on you, Anonymous

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Sports Meet-A-Bison: Matt Veldman Travis Jones Sports Editor Following a National Championship, a Missouri Valley Football Conference Championship and many awards, the NDSU football season is over, and the seniors who have dedicated five years of their lives to the school are moving on.

One of those seniors is former tight end and National Champion Matt Veldman.

“My hometown is Becker, Minn.,” Veldman stated. “[NDSU] is really a rich football tradition. It’s a football town and that’s how my high school was growing up.”

Matt wasn’t a stranger to Fargo when he came here, which made the transition for him a little bit easier. “I have family up here too, my grandma and my uncle live up here, and my brother lives up her now too,” Veldman mentioned of his Fargo familiarity.

“I’ve been coming up here my whole life, really a comfortable fit in the community.”

Veldman already has his degree, but has been recently working on his master’s degree and a minor in Agricultural Economics. “I grew up in a small town, maybe about 3,500 people,” Veldman said of his agriculture background.

“I lived in town, but there were potato farms and stuff around.”

Veldman hasn’t always called the Midwest home, however. Before moving to Minnesota and North Dakota, he called home to a few other cities.

“I was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., that’s technically my

hometown,” Veldman said. “I lived there, and then I lived in Cincinnati for a little bit then I moved to the cities and I grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis.

I went to Wayzata, a public school, through seventh grade.”

Transition from city to city wasn’t difficult for Matt. As he stated, he had seen the cities and experienced that life. “I was used to the city,” Veldman added. “We grew up going to all the [Minnesota] Gopher games, I’ve been to Minneapolis a ton of times, so I was used to all that.”

Like any college student, and especially student-athletes, there is always some sort of difference that a person will find when they leave home.

Matt was no exception. “The biggest change coming from Becker to Fargo would be just being on my own. I wasn’t with my parents; I wasn’t with people I knew. It was kind of a fresh start I guess.”

Veldman never failed to mention the people that have helped him throughout his time at North Dakota State.

Coming to college in a new city has potential to be difficult, but being on a team with friends going through the same thing never makes it any harder.

“It made the transition easier, but whenever you have a group of people sacrificing for the same thing it makes everything easier,” Veldman said.

“That’s what we did for five years. Put everything aside that you want to do, and knowing that I’m sacrificing along with everyone else for something else, it’s so much easier to do that than if you’re on your own.”

NSDU players, team laden with accomplishments Kyle Roth Staff Writer

Image courtesy of gobison.com

Matt Veldman ended his college football career with the national title win against Sam Houston State. From here, he hopes to work for a Fortune 500 company, though he wouldn’t mind continuing on with football.

Matt is pursuing a long-time football dream of his at the moment, but he realizes that he can’t play football forever and has other dreams -- big dreams -- to run down. “I want to work for a Fortune 500 company,” Veldman said with a smile. “Preferably out of the cities, but honestly I’d really like to work overseas. Europe or anywhere like that would definitely be my dream job.”

It wouldn’t be the first time that Veldman has traveled abroad, so some familiarity would be there for him. “I went to Italy with my family my senior year of high

school,” Matt said. “We went to Rome and a smaller town south of Rome. This last spring break I went on a trip through the school, and we went to Berlin, Krakow, Poland and Luda fest.”

The future is wide open for Matt in terms of the rest of his life, but for now, it’s time for him to chase down his biggest dream, a dream that he’s had since he was a small child: Play in the NFL. Recently signing with an agent, Veldman will be heading to Indianapolis to prepare for the combine and to start the next chapter in his life.

Bison middle of pack at halfway point North Dakota State women find themselves in tie for fourth place in Summit League Travis Jones Sports Editor With the first portion of the regular season Summit League schedule completed, there’s a log jam in the middle of the standings. It’s a log jam that is going to work itself out eventually, but eventually could mean two weeks or the beginning of March, which happens to be the beginning of the Summit League tournament.

The two teams that top the standings are no surprise.

South Dakota State and Oral Roberts are first and second respectively with only one game separating them in wins and losses column. The Jackrabbits and the Golden Eagles have one game left against one another on the schedule. ORU took the first game in Tulsa against SDSU earlier this season.

Missouri-Kansas City and Oakland are one game ahead of the four-way tie with 5-4 records in the league. North Dakota State will square off against Oakland on Saturday, and the Bison have one game left against UMKC after the ‘Roos took care of business against the Herd last week on the strength of 22 first half points from LeaAndrea Thomas.

The four teams tied for fourth place are South Dakota, Western Illinois, Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne and North Dakota State. The teams’ records in the conference are 4-5, but there is one slight difference between the four.

After starting off the conference grind with a 2-5 record, South Dakota has won two

straight to pull themselves back into the thick of things.

The Coyotes have done it on the strength of senior forward and current Summit League Player of the Week Amber Hegge. Most recently, Hegge put up 16 points and 12 boards against the Bison a couple weeks back.

After losses to Oral Roberts and South Dakota, Western Illinois bounced back with a big win against UMKC on Monday, and they have, what should be, a very winnable game against IUPUI on Saturday.

IUPUI and Southern Utah are the two bottom feeders in the league at the moment and they are spiraling downward.

IUPUI is 3-6 at the midway point, but have lost two straight games, and have a tough stretch ahead with games against WIU, IPFW and Oakland. Southern Utah has just one win on the season with a conference record of 18 and an overall record of 515.

With a tough road trip this weekend, the Bison will seemingly have to at least split to keep pace with the three other teams they are tied with. Oakland and IPFW will play host to the Herd over the weekend, before NDSU hosts Oral Roberts and Southern Utah to start the month of February.

During the final stretch, finding some sort of offensive threat is going to be key for NDSU. Abby Plucker is averaging well below what was expected coming into the season at just over 10 points per game, but a mid-season takeoff would be nothing new NDSU fans, coaches and players. Plucker took off in the very same category last season

In what turned out to be a banner year for the North Dakota State football team, the Argus Leader's Terry Vandrovec might have put it best when he tweeted in December that the Bison won with a lot of good players, but not many superstars that would necessarily garner the national spotlight come time for the All-America nominations.

That said, plenty of Bison players have found themselves on the award lists across the media sphere, recognized for the part they played on a championship team.

Interestingly enough (and deservedly so), the biggest name on the national scene has come from the least spoken-of group on the field, that being senior tackle Paul Cornick.

Cornick's honor’s started with a first-team AP AllAmerican title, and has been featured on several other AllAmerican lists, notably those of the Walter Camp Football Foundation and Beyond Sports College Network.

Cornick was also named national Offensive Lineman of the Year by College Sporting News, and on Wednesday was announced as a participant in the 2012 Players All-Star Classic, a game featuring some of the top college players from around the country that allows those involved to showcase their game in front of NFL scouts.

Cornick is currently rated as a top-20 offensive line prospect by ESPN.com, and holds some chance of being a potential draftee in April.

The other big-name star has been on the defensive side as sophomore corner Marcus Williams has done his best to keep pace with the lofty bar set by Cornick. Also a firstteam AP All-American, Williams' electric play on the

field has garnered the College Football Performance Awards Defensive Back Award in addition to a Fabulous Fifty nomination by CSN. Williams' partner in crime, freshman corner Christian Dudzik, was honored on the College Sports Journal's FCS All-Freshman team, and the online authority's All-American team also featured (in addition to Williams and Cornick) senior tight end Matt Veldman. Senior linebacker Preston Evans was named the group's Playoff Most Valuable Player, an award that seven other Bison were in contention for.

Some of the successes were not solely had on the field, though, as Veldman also picked up a spot on the FCS Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star Team. The list highlights those studentathletes that excel in the classroom, which Veldman achieved with a 3.53 cumulative GPA. The regular season All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Team was similarly stuffed with Bison names, including four on the first allconference team in Cornick, Williams, defensive end Coulter Boyer and linebacker Chad Willson. Five second-teamers were also Bison: Veldman, offensive lineman Austin Richard, kicker Ryan Jastram, safety Colton Heagle and receiver/return man Ryan Smith.

Receiver Warren Holloway, quarterback Brock Jensen and punter Matt Voigtlander were included as honorable mentions on the all-conference lists, as well.

Finally, head coach Craig Bohl pulled in multiple honors for guiding the team to a 10-1 regular-season record and national championship, notably the Coach of the Year Awards from the MVFC and FieldTurf. Bohl was also a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, which identifies the top coach in the country.

Matt Severns | The Spectrum

Dani DeGagne passes the ball to Hannah Linz during a game against South Dakota State. The Bison women have some work to do before Summit League tournament play.

and carried her team during the Summit League Champithe final stretch. onships begin on March 3 in The Bison will play their Sioux Falls, S.D. final nine games of the season from now until Feb. 27 before

Get paid to write about sports sports@ndsuspectrum.com

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Sports

Travis Jones Sports Editor Phone: 231-5262 | Email: sports@ndsuspectrum.com

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Bison in top tier of Summit League grind NDSU currently sitting in third place in league standings halfway through the conference Ryan Bendixson Contributing Writer The North Dakota State men’s basketball team will travel to IPFW and Oakland this week to try to improve their 6-3 conference record, which is currently good enough for a third place spot in the Summit League halfway through the league schedule.

The Bison have had their ups and downs so far this year but have been playing well enough for a chance at a very high seed in the upcoming tournament.

The Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts were selected as the preseason favorite in the Summit League, and have proved why so far as they are currently sitting in first place with an undefeated 10-0 record.

The Golden Eagles are led by Dominique Morrison’s 20 points per game and Michael Craion’s 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Oral Roberts will need to test their skills come early February, however, as they will have their perfect record challenged by road visits to the second and third placed teams in the conference.

Sitting in second place in the

Summit League standings is South Dakota State with their 8-1 league record. South Dakota State is fresh off a big overtime win against the Bison and will look to ride that momentum toward the Summit League tournament. Nate Wolters of the Jackrabbits is currently second in the league in scoring with his 21 points per game, and will look to lead his team throughout the remainder of the Summit League schedule and into the tournament.

Oral Roberts, SDSU and NDSU have all pulled away in the conference early on, but sitting in the middle of the pack, ready to make their move are Western Illinois, Oakland and Southern Utah, all of who have a 5-5 conference record and will be looking to finish the season strong.

Western Illinois missed the Summit League tournament last year, but thanks to Terrel Parks, Obi Emagano and Ceola Clark, all of whom are averaging around 13 points per game, the Leathernecks look like they are ready to compete in Sioux Falls come March.

The Golden Grizzlies of Oakland have underachieved so far this season as they were predicted to finish second in

the league in the preseason, and even made an early appearance in the mid-major top 25. Despite being home to the league’s leading scorer in Reggie Hamilton, the Golden Grizzlies are sitting in the middle of the pack and will look toward their experience to get back on track for the end of the year.

Southern Utah has been a surprise so far this season as they were picked to fall to the bottom of the conference and missed the tournament last year as well, but have been playing well enough to put them in a three way tie for fourth place in the league. The rest of the schedule will not be any easier; however, as they still have a matchup against each of the top three teams in the conference.

Rounding out the bottom of the conference are IPFW and UMKC, each holding a record of 3-7, and South Dakota and IUPUI, each sitting at 2-8 in conference play. Only eight teams will make the Summit League tournament in March, so the remaining games will be critical for these four teams as they will all be fighting for those last two spots.

A legacy that’s not forgotten

Travis Jones Sports Editor Just the same as nearly every sports fan across the country, I’m saddened by the death of former Penn State head coach Joe Paterno. All the coverage and media attention that it’s received would normally spell overkill for me, and I’d tune my color television to another channel, but not this time. This time I sat, watched and learned.

I grew up a Minnesota Golden Gopher fan. A large chunk of my family is from there, and I’ve had the chance to see them play a few times as well. I knew the Big 10; I knew college football so I obviously knew

who Joe Paterno was and what he meant to the sport, because it’s tough to say college football without having his name come up.

I don’t write a column about national sports very often, but I couldn’t help it for this one. Joe Paterno is the greatest college football coach of all time. It’s not necessarily because of the success he’s had on the field, which he’s had a lot of, but it’s what I’ve learned this last week about the man he was off the field that really made me grow to appreciate him.

I was watching ESPN on Tuesday night, and I watched Tom Rinaldi’s interview with Paterno’s son, Jay, four times that night. I read every article I could find, and I soaked in every bit of color television that showed a picture of State College and the scene in front of his statue by the stadium.

15,000 tickets sold out in

eight minutes for a public service for JoePa. Eight minutes.

Like I said earlier, he was more than just a football coach. He had a fund set up into which he and his wife donated a lot of money to a library on the PSU campus that bears the Paterno name on the front of it. I was watching ESPN, and to hear what some of the players were saying about this man was astonishing. The one that stuck out most to me was a player saying that he never had a father, until he went to Penn State, and Paterno treated him like a son.

I hope that everyone remembers Paterno for what he is and what he was. He is a legend and will always be one. He was a great football coach and an even better man. I can’t help but think what it would have been like to know him or to simply shake hands with him, so I will have to admire what he did during his time on earth.

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Taylor Braun goes up to score against South Dakota State last weekend. Braun leads the team in points per game, averaging 16.2.

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