Patty Juliuson finally reveals why she has a broom in her closet.
Laura Mino writes about her semester studying in Costa Rica.
Read more on page 4
March 1, 2013 Volume 84 Issue 18 echo.snu.edu
Read more on page 3
TheEcho
6612 NW 42nd St. Bethany, OK 73008 (405) 491-6382
Construction of new facility raises concerns about parking Kendra Nixon, Content Editor The groundbreaking ceremony for the JD and Mary West Science Laboratory will be at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 1. According to the university website, over 3,000 graduates of the university’s science programs have gone on to be teachers, medical doctors, dentists, researchers, nurses and professors. While the new facility will benefit the science program, the construction is a major undertaking that will significantly affect the campus as a
whole. Construction will begin in April and will last approximately 14 months. The University plans for the building to be completed by July 1, 2014 and be open for the fall semester of 2014. The new building will be connected by a hallway from the current science building. The building will expand south into the Royce Brown parking lot. This will cause a majority of the parking lot to be closed off for a greater part of the construction,
and half of it to be closed perma- concern for some students, especially commuters. nently. One commuter, Dathan KenWith the combination of undergraduate and graduate stu- nemer, expressed his concern about parking in the future. “I feel as if the parking situation is a little crowded,” Kennemer said. “And the only ‘overflow’ parking lot is by Sawyer [Center], which is clearly not close to any of the classroom buildings. There dents, staff, faculty and visitors, is another overflow parking lot by parking seems to be tight. With Chapman, but it is always filled, the closing of one of the biggest especially in the afternoon due to parking lots, parking has been a parents picking up their kids from Bethany [Elementary and Middle School]. However, facility directors have not turned a blind eye to the situation. Ron Lester, Director of Facilities Management, and Scott Strawn, VP for Financial Affairs, have met with several campus stakeholders to discuss the challenges of parking among other things. “We do not have any new solutions as far as new parking available, but we are making some operational changes to take advantage of all the parking we do have and are trying to align expectations to what will be happening,” Lester said. Lester asked for cooperation of all faculty, staff and on-campus resident students to avoid park-
“the parking situation is a little crowded”
A large section of the Royce Brown parking lot will be closed due to construction of the JD and Mary West Science Laboratory. Photo by Kira Roberts.
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Construction of new facility and parking, continued
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ing in the remainder of the Royce Brown lot for the duration of construction to allow commuters, professional and graduate evening classes first chance at the Royce Brown parking. He is encouraging more parking along 39th Expressway as well. Another commuter, Rachel Atnip, did not mind the previous parking situation, but feels differently with the reduction in parking. “Now about them taking out a large majority of Royce Brown for
construction is absolutely crazy. It’s the main parking lot that every student hopes to park in because it’s right in the middle of everything,” Atnip said. “And for a student living off campus, we are less likely to get a spot closer to the main campus area which means leaving my house even earlier to walk across campus even further.” Kennemer agrees with Antip with the poor location of the new science building. “It’s absolutely ridiculous. The new science building is great for
attendance purposes and what With student’s concerns in not,” Kennemer said. “But you’re mind, SNU still believes there are more pros than cons to the new building. “The fact is, with the exception of major events happening at the same time as classes, we have plenty of parking on campus,” Lester said. “Its just that we may have to walk a little further going to cause major problems than we like.” trying to make people park by The new facility will “house Sawyer for class at Herrick or the teaching and research labs, classfine arts building. Why take away rooms and support space,” acthe most convenient parking lot?” cording to SNU’s website.
“we have plenty of parking on campus”
Students work to promote diversity and cultural awareness Brad Crofford, Editor-In-Chief Some may not think of the university as being particularly diverse, but a student group wants students to learn from it. The Multicultural Student Network, more commonly known as MSN, is a campus organization that seeks to help students learn from their differences. It is currently in its second year.
“We are a group of students and staff striving to raise diversity and cultural awareness on campus by encouraging understanding, tolerance, and sensitivity of different cultures,” Trey Polk, a student and MSN coordinator, said. Director for Student Success Misty Jaggers is the staff person responsible for MSN. “Our hope is that this organiza-
tion will provide an opportunity for students to really celebrate, appreciate, and learn from the differences between us,” Jaggers said. “As we create opportunities to learn more about each other and our unique stories, our hope is also that we will be surprised at how much we have in common.” MSN has held several events, including a clothing drive in the fall of
2012 and a game night in February. It will be holding another clothing drive in April, as well as another game night at some point this semester. “We had a lot of success with
“our hope is that we will be surprised at how much we have in common” the fall clothing drive and we hope to do even better with this one,” Jaggers said. “All clothes collected will be given to the individuals that the REACH Theme House works with and anything left over will be given to homeless shelters. We’d love to have a lot of students participate when we distribute these clothes.” MSN is open for all students to participate. “We meet once month and this is a club that doesn’t have any requirements that [the applicant] has to acquire. Anyone can join. It does not matter who you are,” Polk said. Those interested in learning more about MSN can contact Misty Jaggers in Student Development.
OPINIONS TheEcho
March 1, 2013
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Dating, divorce and life outside “the bubble” Macy Silman, Staff Writer
ried and then three or four years Ring by spring. Join us for so and to have kids. so’s upcoming nuptials. Baby fever. Sound weird? If you are experiencing any of The question that comes to me these phrases, then you are most definitely living life in the “bubble of SNU.” In our day and age, as college students in the Christian community, everything seems to be happening so much faster. We date more seriously during college. We get married sooner. We have babies at an earlier age. And yet the world around us, the world outside this little community, is is: “why is this the case?” It’s not doing things at a much different pace. necessarily a bad thing, but why Outside the bubble, most seri- are things so different everywhere ous dating doesn’t happen until af- else? ter college and engagements can be I recently read Divorce Culfrom a year to three years long. ture by Barbara Whitehead (for a More and more people are wait- class. It’s not on my usual reading ing until age 26 to 28 to get mar- list). It had a lot of interesting,
“Ring by spring, upcoming nuptials, baby fever”
thought-provoking ideas. Apparently, the culture around us is full of young adults who are a little gun shy about marriage because the divorce rate has grown so significantly. These said young adults are also a lot more concerned about being financially stable before marriage. Since the divorce rate increased, the kids from those families completely slow down the process, causing a less aggressive reason to seriously date, thus later engagements that last longer and marriages that are put off. Also, due to the apprehension toward marriage, people are moving in together or “cohabitating” instead of getting married. This either terminates the process toward marriage or prolongs it.
Now, this may sound a little different than what you are used to. On our little campus, people are seriously dating if not already engaged. By the time we are graduating, these couples will be getting married. At age 26 to 28, said couples are pregnant and having babies. Divorce Culture also hit on the point of early marriage and had quite an interesting thought. Generally, couples that get married later have a harder time adapting to each other because they have already grown and become independent. Couples that get married earlier, while less mature and without as much world experience, do get the chance to grow together and become more of a unit.
As I see it: Why I have a broom in my shower
Patty Juliuson, Columnist
I have a small broom in my shower. It’s more of a scrubbybroom than a sweepy-broom, if you know what I mean. From what Ronna Fisher tells me, keeping a broom in the shower is not a normal thing… well, then. I started this habit when we lived in Japan. In that culture, the bathroom was just for the bath. The toilet was in its own little closet in another area, and our bathroom was the size of Dr. Poteet’s office. No kidding. Every surface except the ceiling was tiled, which, I must tell you, got pretty stinkin’ cold in the winter. We had a soaking tub, very deep and very short. There was no shower stall per se, but the regular faucet and shower attachment came out of the tiled wall and there was a drain in the floor. The very cold tiled floor… Anyway, if you’ve never cleaned
a Japanese bathroom, you just haven’t lived. It’s like shaving a bear-- where do you stop? With all that tile in a humid climate, it got nasty really quick. My solution? The broom in
“if you’ve never cleaned a Japanese bathroom, you just haven’t lived.” the shower. After my bath, I would wrap up in my shower robe and go to town on the tile. A splash of cleaner, a little scrubby- scrubscrub, a quick rinse, and I was done. Having the useful tools
Knowledge, like a scrubby broom, is a useful tool. Photo by Patty Juliuson
handy meant that I could take care can help you recognize steps to of it right away and save myself a take to avoid suffering the conlot of work later. sequences of your own stupidity, Knowledge, like my little scrubby broom, is a very useful tool. It Continued on page 4
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Why I have a broom in my shower, continued Continued from page 4 which, frankly, is priceless. There are certain things in life that challenge everyone, and the best way to equip yourself is to have the knowledge to deal with a problem before you actually need it. Challenged with handling money? I recommend you read and implement Dave Ramsey’s “Total Money Make-
over” BEFORE you are drowning in debt. Have anger issues? Talk to a counselor and practice your coping skills NOW before your behavior damages important relationships. Can’t stop engaging in things that can harm you mentally, physically, or spiritually? Do the smart thing and get help NOW. I know you can’t avoid all the
nasties of life; sometimes, things just happen. You look around one day and realize you have let a bad situation get the best of you, like mold on tile. But you can be ready to take action. Everybody is confronted with daunting situations. Arm yourself now for what you know is coming. Knowledge IS power, people,
and implementing knowledge correctly is wisdom. Proverbs 2:10-11 says, “For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.” And a little scrub keeps the mold off. Now who doesn’t want that? See you in class.
There are cultural trips to see the cracked churches of Managua, Nicaragua, shaken by a ferocious earthquake in 1972 but still exuding quiet majesty. Our service projects in dirt-poor pueblos change the lives of the farmers and families who are somehow content without the flashing glitz of the Internet and television. The days are full and tiring, but the rewards are immeasurably valuable. Here it’s obvious what is truly yours and what are
just the distractions of the world. you to pick Him up again at the God does not stop when airport. He travels with you and He’s waiting to meet you at your destination. God is not just in the United States of America; His love reaches across political borders. It took living 1600 miles away from home to make me fully realize the importance and comfort of God’s faithfulness. Even when everything is difyou cross the border into a new ferent and nothing is familiar, our country. He does not wait for loving God stays the same.
Letters from abroad: Costa Rica
Laura Mino, Guest Writer The tropical sun shines on my face. I can hear the rush of the river gliding over rocks in the distance. A brilliant green and red bird with a two-foot-long tail flies overhead. It’s just another beautiful day in paradise. It’s still hard to believe this is school. When your “classroom” is a moss-covered log facing a twenty-foot waterfall, it’s easy to forget that this is supposed to be work. We, the eight students of the Quetzal Education and Research Center (QERC) in Costa Rica, spend the mornings in lecture and the afternoons are busy with individual research. But the beauty of the place turns the stress of school into an unforgettable experience. Four months away from family and friends, seeing exotic and colorful animals, learning and living a different culture... It’s the perfect opportunity to step away from the crazy busyness of the United States and learn about yourself. There’s still plenty to get done, of course. We’re researching tree species and altitudinal shifts, water quality in the nearby Savegre River, climate change, human impact on and conservation of the breathtaking forest surrounding the village of San Gerardo de Dota. Daily hikes into the forest have us catching frogs and lizards and listening to the symphony of unique bird calls. Anything science-related has a place here: biology, chemistry, or physics.
“It’s just another beautiful day in paradise.”
Students watch the sunrise from the top of Cerro del Muerte (Death Mountain) before a lecture on herpetology. Photo provided by Laura Mino.
STORMSPORTS TheEcho
March 1, 2013
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Staff and students share thoughts on Courts of Praise Kira Roberts, Layout Editor The Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) put on an event called Courts of Praise on Tuesday, February 19. Similar to the Fields of Faith event that is held every Fall semester, this was an evening for all athletes to gather to hear the gospel and grow together in community. This year assistant men’s basketball coach, Artavius Bogan, and head athletic trainer, Mike Mathis, shared their testimonies and what God had laid on their hearts. “SNU puts on Courts of Praise and Fields of Faith as a testament to our belief of integrating faith with our education. As athletes, we take it seriously that as Christians, we have a mission field on our teams and during competition,” said senior Ellen Martin. “This means that the SAAC, FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and the coaching/athletic staff are committed to making sure that every athlete that comes through the university knows about the saving grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that they have the opportunity for spiritual growth here.” Martin said that this event helps build a sense of community among all of the sports teams and breaks down walls for people to ask tough questions, share hardships and victories in their life, and generally encourage each other in the Lord. Martin also mentioned that it helps emphasize the fact that the coaches and athletic staff are here
for the students and want to see them grow in a relationship with Christ. Mathis just started his 13th year at SNU. He said he loves his job
“I can either be ashamed of what I have not done, or get busy seeing where God is working and join Him there ” because it allows him to be in a position of helping people. “When an athlete comes to see me, they are usually struggling with an injury that is hindering them from doing what they love to do,” Mathis said. “Any advice or course of treatment that I can give is usually seen as me helping to make the situation better. They may not always like the course of action that I lay out for them, but ultimately they know that it is all in their best interest.” Mathis was adamant that God laid it on his heart to share the gospel with the athletes that he works so closely with.
“At first I thought this was something that God was calling me to do for their sake, but now I realize that He was showing me that I have fallen way short of who He needs me to be,” Mathis said. “My daily walk with Christ must become more transparent for people to see Him. At this point I can either be ashamed of what I have not done, or get busy seeing where God is working and join Him there.” Mathis said the hard part was admitting to everyone that he has failed in an area of his life. However, he also said that same difficulty was also the most freeing. “While Satan loves to keep us guilty in our complacency, Christ loves to liberate us through His grace,” he said. It may seem as though events like this don’t make a difference, but both Martin and Mathis would disagree. “Many disciples of Christ are inspired by testimonies...and I think it’s always a good thing to get connected to those around you and hear their stories as an affirmation of the crazy ways God works in our lives,” Martin said. “I know of at least one person who came to know the Lord [at Courts of Praise], and I’m constantly amazed at the way God uses humble people to do great things.” “What I know is that I said what I felt the Lord was leading me to say. The results I will leave up to God,” Mathis said.
Flicks Film Festival is TONIGHT!
7:30 at Floyd Center Gym (next to BFC) $1 or FREE with a Crimson Card
SNU Keep up with results and scores at snuathletics. com Athletics
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Southern Nazarene Takes 13th at Crawford Wade Invite snuathletics.com POTTSBORO, Texas. Blake Jackson shot a seven-over par 79 on the final day of the Crawford Wade Invitational as SNU shot a 648 to take 13th. Jackson was just three strokes over his score from Monday as he
finished in a tie for 28th at 155. Eric Smith shot an 82 on the day after he tied for 43rd as he finished at 158. John Eischen tied for 67th at 165 and Jacob Metcals finished in 78th at 174. Trey Stiles withdrew on the final day after shooting an 80 the day before. St. Mary’s stayed right where it
Jackson posted two rounds under 80. Photo from snuathletics.com
started in first as it shot a 3-over par 589. Matthew Van Winkle led the way with a 2-under 142. Arkansas-Fort Smith took second at 600 and Texas A&M Commerce took third at 601. Harding was just a stroke back of Commerce in fourth while East Central took seventh at 617. Henderson State
and Ouachita Baptist went ninth and 10th at 622 and 628. Southern Arkansas also finished 11th at 631 while Arkansas-Monticello took 12th at 640. The Crimson Storm will play again at the Dave Falconer Memorial, March 11-12, in Danville, Ark.
Blake Jackson. Photo from SNU athletics.com
Congratulations
to Oumoul Thiam, women’s basketball, for breaking the GAC record for points scored in a season
Make sure to support the basketball and baseball teams in their upcoming games!
Arts
ENTERTAINMENT
TheEcho
March 1, 2013
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Jake’s movie review: The Life of Pi Jake O’Bannon, Columnist It is hard to argue against a movie that wins four Oscars, including the award for best directing. Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” did just that last weekend. And trust me, there will be no arguments about its brilliance coming from me. I must be honest with you though. I tried to watch this film once before and did not make it half way through. I blame it on my not feeling well and the late hour. However, I still have had a negative view of it for the past couple of months. That all changed this past week when I took a trip down to your friendly neighborhood Cinemark Tinseltown for a matinee solo movie. The fact that I was sitting in a theatre by myself with 3D glasses on took me awhile to get over, but once I regained confidence in myself I was locked in for the next two hours. And if anything else, it’s the visual beauty of the film that will keep you interested. It honestly was the most visually beautiful film I have ever seen in theatres. The story, based on the novel of the same name by Yann Martel, tells of Pi Patel, a young and curious boy from India who finds himself thrown into an adventure that changes his life forever. If you have read my reviews in the past, you will know that I like to find spiritual themes in just about any movie. And usually I do that even if I know that it is not what the director fully intended. Sure, my thoughts are far-reaching at times, but the spiritual themes in “Life of Pi” are put right in front of you, and as far as I could see, leave you with one distinct feeling – a renewed faith in God. The story of Pi’s adventure is told through Pi himself at an older age, as he is speaking with a man who
had heard about him and wants to know if his story can really “make [the interviewer] believe in God.” Flashbacks show us how it really happened. Circumstance leads Pi stranded at sea in a boat with a Bengal tiger. This is obviously a dire situation, but it sets up perfectly Pi’s belief that, “You cannot know the strength of your faith until its been tested… Doubt is useful.” Pi came from a safe, comfortable environment and his world was rocked when the boat he and his family were riding sank at sea. His faith was tested. The relationship between Pi and the tiger (who’s name is Robert Parker) is one of mystery and beauty. What starts as a ferocious beast becomes a beacon of hope for Pi. At one point he says about Robert Parker, “My fear of him keeps me alert. Tending to his needs gives me purpose…I would have already been dead without him.” Are you beginning to catch part of the message here? There reaches a point where Pi believes there is nothing left, and he lets go by saying, “God, thank you for giving me my life. I’m ready now.” What Pi does not know is that it is not his physical life that he is giving up, but when he looked at Robert Parker and said, “We’re dying,” what was really going was his former life. It was in giving away his life that he received a new one. After saying those words Pi wakes up and finds himself on an island. This island is not his final destination; rather it is what he believes a place where God gave him rest. Pi realized here that when you need it, God will give you the rest you need, rest that will allow you to move forward and not get stuck in the ruts
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Academy Award predictions: How did they do? Best Supporting Actress:
Jake: Anne Hathaway Jason: Anne Hathaway The Oscars: Anne Hathaway
Best Supporting Actor
Jake: Tommy Lee Jones Jason: Philip Seymour Hoffman The Oscars: Christoph Waltz
Best Actress
Jake: Jennifer Lawrence Jason: Emmanuelle Riva The Oscars: Jennifer Lawrence
Best Actor
Jake: Daniel Day-Lewis Jason: Daniel Day-Lewis The Oscars: Daniel Day-Lewis Best Director Jake: Steven Spielberg Jason: Steven Spielberg The Oscars: Ang Lee Best Picture Jake: Argo Jason: Lincoln The Oscars: Argo
Final tally: Jake “The Movie Guy”: 4/6 Jason Hubbert: 2/6
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A&E
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Jake’s movie review: The Life of Pi, continued
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that life can bring. Ultimately, Pi and Robert Parker find their way to land. When in the hospital being revived, there are men who come to interview Pi to find out how the boat may have sunk. Pi tells them the story, and the men proceed to say, “We want a story that won’t make us look like fools.” These men
were unable to believe such a fantastic, mystical story because they were not able to see it themselves. So Pi proceeds to make up an entirely new story to please them, and they leave. The film ends with a conversation between older Pi and the man interviewing him. The interviewer asks which story was the truth, to which Pi says that the first one is the
real story. The story where Pi went through incredible hardships and doubt, but found that God was with him all the way. He ends by claiming, “The tiger story is the better story.” I believe, and I sense that the director of the movies believes, that the “tiger story” is the story of our walk with God daily. When we tell it to others we might get the response
In defense of video games
Video games can teach important lessons. Photo by Brad Crofford.
Brad Crofford, Editor-in-chief
Pop quiz: what is a xebec? (And no Googling it!) If you answered that it is a type of Mediterranean sailing ship, then you are correct! How did I first learn about xebecs, and why was I able to remember what they are during a trivia game this last week? Because of a video game, specifically Cossacks: European Wars. Video games are sometimes treated unfairly. They are viewed by some as simply a breeding ground for violence. According to this view, those who play violent video games will sometimes re-enact that violence in the real world. Video games are also sometimes associated with laziness. This is the imEditor: Brad Crofford Adviser: Melany Kyzer Content Editor: Kendra Nixon Layout Editor: Kira Roberts Assistant Editor: Ronna Fisher
age of someone staying home all day playing video games. While there could be some truth to these, I have seen too many positive effects of video games to paint them so simplistically in such a negative light. Video games can offer as an exciting look into other cultures. Growing up, my brother and I played a game called “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” Over the course of the game, we would answer clues about geography and culture as we pursued the villainous Carmen Sandiego around the world. Of course, one might protest that video games like the Carmen Sandiego franchise are meant to be
educational, and those don’t really count. Other games, however, also have benefits. Real-time strategy games like Age of Empires can promote an interest in world history through the various civilizations included in the game. For example, someone playing these games might wonder “Who were the Teutonic knights?” or “What were janissaries?” Games like Cossacks: European Wars teach useful skills in terms of allocating resources and prioritizing. In this game, one’s resources are continuously depleting, and one must therefore carefully balance gathering and expending resources. (Maybe Congress should play this game...but I digress.) One might respond that strategy games might teach useful lessons, but what about games like first-person shooters and role-playing games? Surely they don’t teach useful lessons. I would argue that they do, or at least, they can. For example, let us consider the Halo franchise. In it, one plays as a Spartan, an enhanced super soldier who assists humans in combating alien forces. It typically involves a lot of running and gunning as one traverses sci-fi landscapes.
Pi got, asking for a story that makes us sound less foolish. To outsiders it is a hard story to wrap their mind around. But when you experience it yourself - the unending hope and protection - you can’t help but believe. Take time to watch this movie and reencounter a God who never lets go.
Games like this have redeeming factors as well. As one can play cooperatively with other human players, one can learn to coordinate and communicate under pressure and in the face of opposition. Finally, video games can allow for the exploration of interesting ethical scenarios. For example, in BioShock, players have the ability to harvest a resource called ADAM from non-player characters called “Little Sisters.” If the player kills a “Little Sister,” he/she receives a large amount of ADAM; if the player does not kill and instead saves a “Little Sister,” he/she receives a smaller amount of ADAM in the short term. This presents an interesting moral aspect: is the player willing to do something that is both horrific and avoidable in order to benefit in the short term? This is similar to questions we must answer in life, whether we consciously ponder them or not, like “How far would I go to get ahead?” Overall, video games can help teach traditional lessons like geography, stir an interest in history or other cultures, reinforce teamwork and raise interesting ethical questions.
The ECHO is the weekly student newspaper of Southern Nazarene University and is a long-standing member of the Oklahoma Collegiate Press Association. Viewpoints expressed in the paper are not to be considered official standard-bearers of the university or its sponsoring denomination. Editorials on the op/ed pages that are generated by the ECHO staff--and therefore have no byline--express the opinions of the editorial staff but not necessarily of the administration, faculty or staff of Southern Nazarene University. Personal columns with bylines as well as opinions reprinted from subscription wire services or other publications by permission express the opinions of the writer and not necessarily of the editorial staff of the ECHO or the administration, faculty or staff of Southern Nazarene University. The ECHO publishes a public forum called “Letters to the Editor” and invites readers to express themselves here. The editorial staff requests that letters not exceed 250 words and reserves the right to edit them for clarity and brevity. All letters must be signed. Send them to The ECHO, SNU Box 2541, or through e-mail at echo@snu.edu. Letters will not be returned. Unless otherwise marked, letters received by The ECHO that deal with newspaper content or practice will be considered for publication. Information on advertising can be obtained by contacting the editor-in-chief at echo@mail.snu.edu.