Volume 126 | Issue 16

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014

The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University

What’s happening at Sam ACCREDIDATION, P.2

FASHION, P.3

Groups on campus are Faculty and staff are about going to show off business to start preparing for style fashion today midway review Volume 126 | Issue 16

THE HEADL I N E S i n br i e f

/HoustonianSHSU

MIRACLE, P.4

CONTEST, P.6

The Octogenarian says he witnessed a miracle on campus

Help Sammy take on the Lumberjack and others in the SLC mascot challenge

@HoustonianSHSU

@HoustonianSHSU

HoustonianOnline.com

Twenty years strong, 67 feet high

Compiled by Manny Jawa, web editor

NIGERIA EBOLAFREE

The World Health Organization declared Nigeria free from Ebola Oct. 20 after no positive cases had been identified in the past 42 days or twice the incubation period.

However, the WHO still expects 5,000 to 10,000 new cases of Ebola per week in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone by December.

MISSING STUDENT PROTESTS

Mexican government officials announced Oct.19 that federal police would assume control of public security in 13 towns within a 125-mile radius of Iguala, Guerrero. Police departments in that area are being investigated after the disappearance of 43 students following protests in late September. The students were last seen being rounded up into police vans.

MARIJUANA EDIBLE BAN

According to an AP report, the Colorado Dept. of Health and Environment wants to ban the sale of edibles containing marijuana.

The department believes that marijuana-infused brownies, candies, cookies and sodas could be attractive to children. Legalized recreational sales, the first in the U.S., started Jan. 1 in the state.

APPLE PROFITS

A month after the release of its iPhone 6, Apple posted a profit of $1.42 per share according to quarterly financial results released yesterday. The iPhone 6 beat sales expectations by 1.3 million units with 39.3 million units sold in the quarter. Apple also released iOS 8.1, which included Apple Pay, yesterday.

AIR-BAG RECALL

LESLIE CORDOVA Staff Reporter

Towering over Interstate 45 just inside Huntsville city limits stands the 67 ft. American hero, General Sam Houston.

“Big Sam” will be celebrating his 20th anniversary this Saturday on Oct. 25 from 12-3 p.m. The event will be held by the statue and visitor center located at 7600 State Highway 75 South.

The monument is the world’s tallest statue of an American hero and was dedicated to Huntsville on Oct. 22, 1994. The center celebrates annually, with birthday cake available to the public, every Oct. 22.

However, every five-year anniversary, the group hosts a larger, more involved event.

Some of the events planned for this upcoming Saturday consist of a short program where Mayor Mac Woodward will give a proclamation about the statue and its importance. In addition, Jarrod Sterrett will be a musical guest. There will be hotdogs and games on the porch and a picnic in the park. Door prizes, such as gift cards of various values, will also be given.

The Sam Houston statue is one of the biggest attractions in Huntsville and construction on it began in 1991 by artist David Adickes.

Adickes was born and educated

in Huntsville from which his love and appreciation for Sam Houston stemmed. The statue itself was a three-year project and a gift to the city from Adickes.

“Sam Houston was a great hero and one of the most interesting people,” Adickes said. “He died in my hometown.”

Adickes also said he felt that by being surrounded by that history and growing around it fueled his desire to give back to the community later on in life.

The city provided funding for the visitor center and Adickes funded the statue along with 13 city friends who also donated funds for the project. The land was donated by an old schoolmate and fellow Boy Scout of Adickes, Thomas Gee. Director of tourism and cultural services at the visitor center Kimm Thomas said they are expecting a few hundred people at this year’s event. The visiting center has had more than one million signatures in their guestbook and more than 120 visitors from foreign countries.

Among these visitors were a few celebrities such as NBA players and Kermit the Frog.

Thomas said she believes that the event is a nice way to celebrate the history in Huntsville and to do so as a community.

“The event helps in recognizing Huntsville as a home to Sam Houston, and the history that surrounds our great city,” Thomas said.

Brynn Castro | The Houstonian

TWENTY YEARS LATER. The Sam Houston statue on Interstate 45 overlooks passing cars days before the 20th anniversery of his dedication.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recalled 4.7 million Toyota, Honda, Mazda, BMW, Nissan and General Motors vehicles after reports of a defect that could cause metal fragments to fly out when an airbag deploys.

Owners with model years 20002011 are encouraged to check SaferCar.gov for details of the recall.

LUFTHANSA CANCELS FLIGHTS

For the eighth time this year, a strike by pilots caused Lufthansa to cancel about two-thirds of its scheduled operations yesterday.

200,000 passengers on the airlines’ 1,450 short and mid-length flights were expected to be impacted. The Vereinigung Cockpit union, who represents 5,400 of the airline’s pilots, is upset over changes to retirement benefits and wage increases.

TEXAS VOTER ID

The U.S. Supreme Court decided Oct. 18 to allow Texas’ enforcement of voter ID laws for the November Election.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recently approved Sam Houston State University’s enrollment data, among which was the school’s breakdown of student population by race. Since 2008, white students have been relatively decreasing while black, multicultural, international and Hispanic students have been relatively increasing. American Indians have also been decreasing but not at the rate by which white students are. In 2010, Hispanic students surpassed black students as the largest minority in the student population, although both are more than 25 percent smaller than white students. Total percentages may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.

The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/news | Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014

Page 2

SHSU begins preparing for review CONNOR HYDE Senior Reporter

A committee of 16 faculty and staff members at Sam Houston State University has initiated research and data collection for the university’s 5th Year Interim Report of accreditation.

Currently, the committee is in the data gathering process and will provide narratives regarding diverse subjects ranging from the history of the university to the ef-

fectiveness of student services and activities.

SHSU is accredited with The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) – a regional body of accreditation of degreegranting higher education – and was reaccredited in 2009. Somer Franklin, assistant vice president for Academic Planning and Assessment and the SACSCOC Liaison at SHSU, said accreditation reaffirms the quality of education students receive.

“It’s beneficial to our students to

know the quality of their education and it is looked upon by employers and graduate schools,” Franklin said. “Most importantly, the U.S. Department of Education links federal aid with an institution being accredited.”

According to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, students attending accredited schools will also benefit from a networking perspective with employers and assures employers that “an educational program has met widely accepted educational standards.”

Franklin said the SHSU committee has been “working behind the scenes” since February. The committee met for the first time in the summer and is currently compiling data and reports to submit to SACSCOC in March 2015.

Each committee member represents the different divisions and academic areas at SHSU. Franklin said it is her job to compile each report into a single narrative to submit to SACSCOC. SHSU has been accredited since 1925 and has not had its accreditation threatened in the past, Franklin said.

According to Franklin, citations that colleges and universities usually see from the accrediting body during the process includes insufficient justification for the amount of professors on staff and documentation of learning outcomes from educational programs. However, SHSU has not received a citation for either, Franklin said.

“We have no reason to believe that [accreditation] won’t continue,” Franklin said. “We have a strong campus and can easily demonstrate the quality of our programs and services.”

Associated Press

(TOP LEFT) Apple Pay rolled out to Disney Store locations nationwide on Monday, October 20, with the launch of Apple’s iOS 8.1 software update. (TOP RIGHT) Mothers and relatives of the 43 missing students from the Isidro Burgos rural teachers college, with posters with the images of their missing loved ones walk in to attend a mass at the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014. (MIDDLE LEFT) World Health Organization director for Nigeria Dr. Rui Gama Vaz speaks during a press conference in Abuja, Nigeria, Monday Oct. 20, 2014. On Monday, the World Health Organization announced a rare victory in the months-long battle against the killer disease, declaring Nigeria is Ebola-free. (MIDDLE RIGHT) FILE in this Feb. 23, 2010 file picture Lufthansa planes stand at the Frankfurt Rhein-Main airport in Frankfurt Germany. A union representing Lufthansa’s pilots has announced a new 35-hour strike against the airline’s short-haul fleet starting Monday, the latest in a string of walkouts over retirement benefits. The Vereinigung Cockpit union said Sunday Oct. 19, 2014 the strike targeting Lufthansa’s Airbus A320, Boeing 737 and Embraer fleet will start mid-Monday and end at midnight local time Tuesday. (LEFT) In this Sept. 26, 2014 file photo, smaller-dose pot-infused brownies are divided and packaged at The Growing Kitchen, in Boulder, Colo. Colorado health officials want to ban many edible forms of marijuana, including brownies, cookies and most candies, limiting sales of pot-infused food to lozenges and some liquids.

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The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/campusculture | Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014

Page 3

Fashion show to feature professional attire

ALL BUSINESS. (Left) Junior accounting major Derron Griffin models a menswear look at the dress rehearsal for the Dress to Impress fashion show. (Right) Freshman nursing major Me’Leeza Comeaux shows off her business professional look to be shown at the show tonight in the LSC Ballroom.

SEAN SMITH Campus Culture Editor Campus fashion has many passing trends and fads that allow students to express their personality.

From yoga pants and Ugg boots to Sperry’s and Chubbies, campus fashion is as diverse as the university population itself.

However, students may not know how to dress once they have graduated and are trying to land a job in their chosen fields. For that reason, Beautiful Alliance has teamed up with the National Asso-

ciation of Black Journalists and the Women of 1520 to put on a fashion show to teach students how to dress business professional.

“I’ve been to an event called Greek Assembly every semester since I was a freshman, and on the flyer they always stress business professional attire or business casual,” Courtney Campbell, senior biomedical science major and Beautiful Alliance president, said.

“Everytime I go, there’s always guys and girls that come, but they don’t come dressed to par. What this campus needs is a fun way to display what business professional

attire is and business casual attire is so students can be prepared when they go to a job interview.”

Campbell said she looked for other smaller organizations with which to host the fashion show.

“When I was looking for organizations to do the program with, I wanted to reach out to [NABJ] to do a program with them,” Campbell said. “Just as Beautiful Alliance, people don’t know a lot about NABJ. I felt it would be a good way for two newer organizations to come together to put something together to wow the student population.”

Beautiful Alliance and NABJ will also work with the Women of 1520, an all-women business organization.

Campbell said while the experience of putting on a fashion show has allowed many learning opportunities; it is more difficult than she expected.

“The president that had Beautiful Alliance before me, she did way more fashion shows than I have,” Campbell said. “She did four to six fashion shows while she was president. The day of her shows and the weeks leading up to them, I would see her stressing. Now I’m feeling

Sean Smith | The Houstonian

what she’s feeling.”

The organizations will be collecting canned goods at the show to donate to the Good Shepherd Mission.

The fashion show is free and open to the public. The show will start tonight at 7 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Ballroom, with doors open at 6:30 p.m.

SMMC to teach students CNN withdraws support of NABJ how to prep for doomsday SAVANNAH WOODWORTH Staff Reporter Go to the store, pack your bags and prepare your home. The apocalypse is coming to Sam Houston State University.

But all is not lost. Run, don nott walk, to the Student Money Management Center’s Apocalypse Preparedness Seminar on Wednesday from 6 - 7 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center room 315.

According to the SMMC website, the event will teach life saving techniques to prepare students for doomsday emergency situations.

The techniques presented will give students the upper hand at becoming doomsday preppers.

One such doomsday prepper is Alicia Norman, junior psychology major. Norman has what she calls a “bug out bag” in the trunk of her car. It is a backpack that contains things like ponchos, toothbrush,

painkillers and many other items that would be useful in the event of an emergency.

“I’ve always been drawn to postapocalyptic scenarios and events that would lead up to them,” Norman said. “Whenever the movie ‘Contagion’ came out, that was my first time thinking that a post apocalyptic scenario could actually happen.”

“Contagion” is a film that came out in 2011 about a pandemic and the events that follow. From this film the “bug out bag” was born.

“One of the big things my research showed me was how to make a bug out bag, which is just a bag full of various supplies that could help you get through 24-60 hours,” Norman said. “Originally, I made one in the event of some horrible worldwide threat happening, but now I know it’s good to have even in the relatively simple event of a house fire.”

The bag is similar to the emer-

gency kits many people keep in the trunk of their cars for flat tires. The differences between the two are scene in the heat reflective blankets, collapsible water bottle and tarps Norman keeps in the bag.

“I check it a couple times a year, just to trade out supplies and make sure everything is still good,” Norman said. “The [bug out bag] is just something you want to grab and go.”

It is always good to be prepared for the worst. In today’s world anything can happen, from the apocalypse to money management issues. It is this level of preparedness that students can learn at the Student Money Management Center’s seminar on apocalypse preparedness.

For more information, contact Student Money Management Center at 936-294-2600.

SEAN SMITH Campus Culture Editor

CNN withdrew its support of the National Association of Black Journalists’ 2015 Convention and Career fair following critical remarks from the organization and its president.

NABJ released a statement Oct. 8 stating their concerns with the employment atmosphere for African Americans at CNN. The release cites recent hiring and retention trends at the national news network as well as a $5 million lawsuit against CNN from a former writer and producer have become worrisome, according to NABJ President Bob Butler. He also released personal statements discussing NABJ’s about their findings.

Alexis Reese, sophomore mass communications major and president of Sam Houston State University’s chapter of NABJ, said the feud is complex because Butler’s person-

al statements may have contributed to CNN’s withdrawal.

“I think, for [Butler], it was a personal statement,” Reese said.

“As president, he’s the face. Whatever he says, everybody will go off of that, but I feel like he gave an opinionated statement that wasn’t a general stance through NABJ.” Reese said while Butler’s statements should not have led to CNN’s withdrawal, NABJ’s findings do support his criticisms. Despite that she feels they pulled for the wrong reasons and too soon.

“I feel like they pulled out for the wrong reasons,” Reese said.

“They’re there as a workshop for people who are trying to become journalists, so them being there was necessary. I feel like they pulled out for a personal reason and now it’s making other people think there is a diversity issue.”

Reese said while CNN’s move directly affected the national convention the effects could affect the individuals from chapters across the country.

Seniors to show off at BFA exhibit SEAN SMITH Campus Culture Editor

Three seniors in the Sam Houston State University studio arts program will present their work in “Movement,” a show opening today at the Student Satellite Gallery.

Trey Goloby, Tania Villman and Melly Rae will present their work, which varies in medium and inspiration, throughout the week at the gallery, located at 1216 University Ave. in downtown Huntsville.

Goloby is pursuing a bachelor of fine arts in studio arts with a concentration in drawing and painting. His work portrays the psycho-

logical suffering and condition of the mind, pertaining particularly to his interpretations of the world, according to the gallery’s website.

Villman centers her work on various aspects of jellyfish. Using attributes, such as texture and transparency, she creates graphic design-like images with organized and planned-out markings.

Villman plans to receive her teacher certification after graduating in December with a BFA in studio art and a concentration in drawing and painting.

Rae’s work deals with secrets, sexuality and intimacy, using watercolor and pen illustrations. She currently resides in The Woodlands and creates work with a soft

and delicate quality that enhances and contrasts the piece’s subject matter.

The exhibition runs today through Saturday with an opening reception tonight from 5-7 p.m. The gallery is open Thursday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/viewpoints | Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014

Page 4

The Octogenerian:

PAWS

A miracle on campus

KENNETH LEVIN Columnist Last week I witnessed with my own old eyes the happening of a miracle on our campus.

Now hold on a minute. Did you say a miracle? Well my dictionary defines a miracle as a noun; an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause. A wonder. A marvel. A wonderful or surpassing example of some quality.”

Okay, so the miracle I witnessed fit that definition exactly except it was not necessarily supernatural (unless you believe in the hand of God). My miracle came from man, humankind, and even more from the heart of man.

Here is the background of our miracle. I recently ran into a small group on campus called Jews on Campus. I found that they were planning a small event to celebrate a centuries’ old holiday called Sukkot (pronounced in English, suekose). This is a celebration of the harvest, and today it is celebrated around the world by the building of a structure in the place of celebration. That structure called a Sukkah. It is small hut, open to the sky, and represents the structures built by the ancient Jewish farmers in the middle of their fields where they stayed until harvest was completed. Also, as part of the Jewish Laws of Charity and as part of the celebration, the people gathering in the crops would leave some in the field for the benefit of the poor and the wildlife.

So, is this the Jewish miracle I am talking about? Well no, the Red Sea has already been parted. This miracle is a homegrown Bearkat miracle.

To continue, I am an old man,

and I have limitations. Among them is a mind that thinks like a 45-year-old, but every time my mind orders this old body to act, it is reminded of my decrepit condition. So I called on my get-it-done girl, my wife Judy, and the next thing you know, there is a Sukkah being constructed on campus by members of JOC with Judy’s help.

Location became an issue to me and resulted in my becoming entangled with our school bureaucracy. You see, all of us students know that when a group wants to reach their fellow students on campus, they set up a tent, display or table outside in front of the Lowman Student Center. I found the group setting up their Sukkah in that newly developed open field behind the LSC and this bothered me.

Now understand that I just transferred here to SHSU from an institution of higher learning that had numerous extracurricular activities, that when approved by the school, were checked out for the safety of the students and then supported by the school. Here at Sam, it appears the policy is a little different in that if an extracurricular activity is approved, the safety of the school is covered and then permission is granted. Different, but okay.

I understand and you work within the system.

This past Friday I did something I never do, I skipped a class, a class I really enjoy. Instead I went to the office of the president of our university. I was not expecting to meet with her but I looking to start a process of help.

I found a bureaucratic system in place where I was treated royally while being shuffled from office to office, painlessly and nicely enough by a team of real professionals of whom the school executives can be proud. I wound up back with the original source of my problem, which got me nowhere. Five hours

later, I had a great meeting where I was promised action but the action wasn’t acceptable.

But dear reader, let me get back to the miracle. Now here is the plan: based on the university’s suggestion that included none of the help I requested, the group rejected the school and planned to proceed.

Now that is fine except for a conversation I was privy to between Mother Nature and God. As I best remember, it went something like this, “Hey God, it’s me Mamma Nature. Did you see where those Jewish kids at Sam Houston State University are planning to put food out for up to two hundred students and invited guests onto tables supplied by the school if they are willing to carry them down the mountain to the location the school has stuck them with and set up out there in the open?

Well I, as Mama Nature, already have a couple of typhoons going in the Pacific and a hurricane in the Atlantic. And none of my blizzards are available this early in the season, so I think I’ll just chip in for my part and I’m going to contribute an 80 percent chance of rain, thunderstorms and wind just to spice things up.” God just grunted and shook his head thinking this will be easy.

And lo and behold, the day came and so did the rain. The deluge, as those of us out in it remember, fell.

Not drops of rain but a pouring on of water. Yes, the wind came, too, ripping across our open campus and the Sukkah, unprotected by the enormity of the Lowman Student Center and its trees out in the front, went crashing into the soggy ground.

And so, that was the miracle at Sam Houston State University.

As is said in the 1773 hymn by William Cowper, the first line of which has become an adage to justify special happenings, para-

phrased, “He works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform”.

You see, the first-down mountain building next to our school’s ill-chosen site for the Jewish event is the Baptist Student Ministry.

Here are the Jews, looking for a home as they have been doing on and off for 6,000 years or so. And to the rescue, our campus division of the Baptist Student Ministry, who not only came out to help construct the ill-fated Sukkah, but when Mother Nature poured on the adversity, our Baptist students stepped in and volunteered their building and the help of their people to host this Jewish event.

Remember way back in the beginning of this article under the dictionary definition of a miracle the phrase “a wonderful or surpassing example of some quality?”

Was the event a success? Well, weather kept some people who had intended to attend away, but in my memories, Jews often measure the success or memorability of an event by its food consumption and this event went through some of the most delicious, rich, chocolate brownies that Judy has ever made. Over ten dozen bagels, cream cheese and a couple of cream cheese spreads, brownies, fresh vegetables and dips, two kugels, a sort of noodle pudding, (one sweet cinnamon and vanilla with apple raison and apricot in a cream base and the other more of a savory with caramelized onions and mushrooms). The one that seemed to be the favorite of the Baptist students I talked to was the latter and more brownies, assorted homemade cookies, and a comradery that could not be measured.

And, as an added bonus for the small children that were there, an early surprise personal visit with of all people, Santa Claus.

Talk about your interfaith outreach. Talk about miracles!

up

PAWS UP to Apple releasing iOS 8.1 and the official release of Apple Pay, their mobile NFC payment system. In addition, we will finally get the camera roll feature back and all the confusion can end.

PAWS UP to the falling gas prices and money saved at the pump. If there was ever a time to take a road trip it would be now, so plan that weekend trip home to finally see your folks.

PAWS UP to Beautiful Alliance, The Women of 1520 and NABJ for their presentation of the Dress for Success fashion show.

Join these organizations Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the Lowman Student Center Ballroom for some great fashion ideas.

PAWS

down

Viewpoints section = opinion section The viewpoints section is supposed to express the writers personal opinion on a particular subject, but recently, this unique ability to convey their views has been lost to readers, rants on social media.

DHARMESH PATEL Viewpoints Editor Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are all social media outlets that were explicitly designed to help people express their opinions. The news, on the other hand is a completely neutral information source that in no way shape or form takes any one side. In fact, it is unethical for news outlets such as Fox News, Time Magazine or even The Houstonian to print anything that might convey a personal opinion, take any one side or even endorse an individual, corporation or entity.

Many newspapers and their online counterparts publish a viewpoints or opinion section where individuals are allowed to express their personal opinions on a host of subjects, with some even being controversial. But no matter how much a particular subject pushes the envelope, the writer never teeters on both sides of the fence and continually balances the sword’s

Editorial

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jay R. Jordan ........................... 936-294-1505 STAFF Hannah Zedaker .................... Associate Editor Dharmesh Patel .................. Viewpoints Editor Jeremy Villanueva ...................... Sports Editor Sean Smith ................... Campus Culture Editor Manjot Jawa .................................. Web Editor

edge in order to stay neutral and refrain from taking a side.

A newspaper such as The Houstonian has a certain responsibility to the general public comparable to doctors and the Hippocratic Oath, where writers are intensely screened and must undergo a grueling elimination process involving lying, waterboarding and manipulating opponents into giving up their dreams of becoming a journalist.

If they happen to sleep their way to the top and receive a coveted spot as a staff or contributing reporter, then they have to uphold to these high ideals and vow to never offend their loyal followers.

In fact, the viewpoint section should never do what its name suggests and actually communicate an original idea. These writers must please every reader and never stray too far to the left or to the right.

The reason I bring up this particular topic, as controversial as it might be, is because the Houstonian has recently come under fire for venturing down the rabbit hole and sailing in uncharted territories towards the island of unethical morals. I might as well grow a hump and gather a fleet of flying monkeys as I seek to single handedly destroy journalism.

The articles of which I speak have been berated, ridiculed and destroyed on social media and people have taken it upon themselves to rant about their unwarranted opinions. That is right. As a writer, we are not allowed to explore the rainbow of colors when painting a picture for the reader but must limit ourselves to using just a basic shade of grey.

However, as a reader, you have absolute free range and an entire palette of endless hues to

STAFF, cont.

Brynn Castro ................................ Photo Editor Parbattee Maharaj...... Asst. Viewpoints Editor Connor Hyde .......................... Senior Reporter Ryan Reynolds.............................Layout Editor Jasmine Rangel...........................Layout Editor Lillie Muyskens .................. Graphic Designer Alex Broussard ............. Senior Photographer

mix and match to your take on a subject. And I say this with the upmost respect for you and your opinion because you matter.

So please by any means necessary, sign into any one of the countless social media platforms and rant, rave and shout on the mountaintops to let people know how you feel. The world is your oyster, and I personally will be waiting on the edge of my seat praying that you never stop posting.

In actuality, and quiet sadly, I must now take the time to explain that this entire article is meant to be a satire, a farce, a dryly humored way for me to explain that the viewpoint section of this and any paper is specially created to share the viewpoint of the writer.

Many of you have forgotten that everyone has a unique and individual outlook on life and the situations and subjects that arise as we navigate through this crazy world. Fortunately it is not “1984” and we do not have to live in a dystopian society where opinions are not encouraged let alone allowed.

I know that many people will simply read the headline of this article and formulate their official response to be shared with their tens of followers. They will not even make it this far and realize that in actuality their opinions do matter, all jokes aside. I, along with the rest of The Houstonian staff, welcome your comments and opinions and even invite you to visit our office and encourage you to write something yourself. We are located inside the Dan Rather Communications Building room 210.

Who knows, maybe you may even fall down the rabbit hole.

Editor’s Note Subject matter in this newspaper and on www.HoustonianOnline.com does not reflect the opinion of The Houstonian unless otherwise noted. Staff editorials are subject to the approval of listed Houstonian staff members. For more information, call 936-294-1505.

Faculty Advisor Marcus Funk ......................... (936) 294-3553

PAWS DOWN to the hooligans at the Pumpkin Festival in Keene, New Hampshire and the college students that started an unwarranted riot giving all young people a bad name.

PAWS DOWN to the U.S. Ebola Czar Ron Klain. The CDC and federal and state governments have already messed up the situation so badly that anything you do will probably just make it worse.

PAWS DOWN to the International Tennis Federation for calling sisters Serena and Vanessa Williams “brothers” in a blatant sexist and derogatory statement.

Advertising BUSINESS MANAGER Paty Mason ........................... 936-294-1500 ADVERTISING MANAGER Stacy Hood ............................ 936-294-1495

ADVERTISING DEADLINES

ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Executives ....................... TBD Joey Peters ....................... Delivery Manager

Tuesday’s issue ................. Friday at 2 p.m.

Thursday’s issue ............. Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Call for pricing.

The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/sports | Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014

Page 5

SHSU captures Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic TREY OURSLER Contributing Reporter It seemed as nothing changed Sunday in Sam Houston State’s bowling success from last season’s NCAA National Championship.

The Bearkats captured their first piece of hardware this season at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Classic hosted

by Tulane in Kenner, La. After a perfect first two days without a loss for the Bearkats, Sunday started off rough with a loss to Stephen F. Austin State in four games. Without looking back, SHSU defeated No. 4 Vanderbilt in six games to move on to the finals, forcing a rematch with rival SFA. The Lumberjacks had victory in their grasps with a gigantic three-

game lead until the Bearkats stood tall and made it interesting. While down 3-0 with their backs against the wall, the championship experience of the Bearkats shined through with a four-game comeback win to take the title.

The Bearkats averaged fewer than 200 pins per game and only one loss throughout the Classic.

Redshirt sophomore Janine Ku-

wahara posted the highest pin average at 208 per traditional game with freshman Heather Penatzer rounding out the top five bowlers for SHSU at 190.5.

SHSU will have a week off before heading to New Jersey for the Farleigh Dickinson Jamboree.

The tournament starts Oct. 31 and continues through the weekend in Hackensack, NJ.

Cross country finishes in middle of pack RYAN REYNOLDS Layout Editor Coming off a three-week break, Sam Houston State cross country teams saw its stiffest competition in the Alabama Crimson Tide Classic this past Friday at the Harry Pritchett Course in Tuscaloosa, Al. The SHSU women came away with 13th place, and the men took home 14th out of the 24 schools competing.

The women’s course was 4,975 meters while the men’s race covered 8,085 meters.

Senior Anna Moreno had her best race of the year and was the top finisher for the Bearkats, placing 43rd with an elapsed time of 18:21.90. Sophomore standout

Olivia Olguin finished 47th with a time of 18:22.91. Sophomore Miranda Prado did not clock in until thirty seconds later in 78th place with a clocked time of 18:55.02.

Junior Nicole Apate finished 85th with a marked time of 18:58.25.

Sophomore Haley West was the last Bearkat to cross the finish line ending in 115th place at 19:41.39.

Host Alabama won the race.

University of Tennessee’s Chelsea Blaase was the individual women’s champion with a time of 16:37.66 “We worked together and helped each other till the very end,” Moreno said. “We definitely worked really hard, but we are positive that our performances can be much better in our next race. These next two weeks before conference, we are going to work harder than

hard.”

Senior Karl Schreiber was the first to finish for the Bearkat men for the second consecutive time.

He crossed the finish line in 48th with a time of 26:12.51. Sixteen seconds passed until sophomore Evan Arambula ran in at 62nd at 26:28.32.

The two freshmen were the next to cross the finish line for the Bearkats. Colton Stoker finished in 81st place with a marked time of 26:38.32 and Grant Burley finished behind him in 83rd with a total time of 26:46.30. Junior Logan Terry finished right behind Burley at 84th place with a time of 26:47.46.

The last two Bearkats to finish were seniors Ryan Saam and Patrick Pitts. Saam finished in 97th place with a 26:52.94 time and Pitts

finished 100th at 27:06.55.

Clemson University won the men’s race while Auburn’s Ty McCormack was the men’s individual champion with a time of 16:37.66.

“Our top six all finished within the top half of the race with a fortysecond gap from first to sixth,” Arambula said. “Those are solid stats for such a competitive race. However, there are improvements that need to be made because we had two inner conference teams finish ahead of us.”

The SHSU cross country teams will look to improve their overall performances at the SLC Championships on Nov. 3 in Northwestern Natchitoches. The men are set to run an 8000-meter race while the women will be running a 6000-meter race.

Kats drop five-setter to UCA AMSHI STEPHENSON Staff Reporter Sam Houston State fell just short of snapping Central Arkansas’s undefeated Southland Conference record Saturday.

SHSU won the first set 25-23 after senior outside hitter Deveney Wells-Gibson and freshman outside hitter Jordyn Vaughn shared back-to-back kills.

The Bearkats gave up a 22-20 lead after UCA bounced back and won the second set 24-26.

SHSU rebounded and won the third set 25-21, but this was its last set win. UCA responded and won the fourth (18-25) and fifth sets (11-15) to take the match 3-2.

The much anticipated SLC match of the week resulted in UCA staying on top 9-0 and SHSU dropping down to 5-2 in SLC. Losing in five and being unable to finish strong has become an unfortunate reoccurring trend for the Bearkats, as they lost to Lamar Sept. 27 after having a 2-0 set lead. They were unable to finish the match in the third and when given

Brynn Castro | The Houstonian

SO CLOSE. Sam Houston State volleyball serves against Abilene Christian on Oct. 11. SHSU almost had Central Arkansas on Saturday, but fell just short to the Sugar Bears in five sets. The Kats are 5-2 in Southland Conference play.

another opportunity to finish in the fifth and final set, the Cardinals took advantage by winning the last three points and knocking off the

Bearkats.

In the match against UCA, the Bearkats mirrored the aforementioned scenario. SHSU had chance

after chance to win the ball game but were unable to finish.

Wells-Gibson said that the Bearkats were the aggressors the entire match, except in set five.

“We’re all frustrated because we already know we struggle on finishing,” she said. “We had the opportunity to win and still couldn’t finish.”

Sophomore setter Michelle Griffith agreed with Wells-Gibson.

“We had three chances to win in the second and had some great leads in the sets we lost,” she said.

“But there can’t be any could haves, would haves, or should haves.

Hopefully we get the chance to put them away in the conference tournament.”

SHSU’s Wells-Gibson turned in a match-high 24 kills. Griffith was the second leading scorer for the Bearkats totaling eight kills. She finished the match with 46 assists.

Vaughn and junior middle blocker Carling Urben added seven kills apiece to the scoreboard. 22 digs.

See more at HoustonianOnline. com.

Players of the Week

KESHAWN HILL, RUNNING BACK

All three Sam Houston State touchdowns in Saturdays 31-27 loss to Northwestern State were contributed by running back Keshawn Hill. Hill rushed the ball 17 times for 198 yards including two touchdowns off a 66-yard run and a 74-yard run. Hill now holds the 13th highest single-game performance in rushing yards by a Bearkat running back. The senior from Klein leads all Bearkats in rushing yards.

FABIENNE GETTWART, TENNIS

Fabienne Gettwart is now in Sam Houston State’s record book for women’s tennis after this weekend’s performance at the Univeristy of Texas – San Antonio/ITA Regional Championships in Waco. Gettwart is the first Bearkat to advance into the round of 16 at the tournament, a competition including the top 128 NCAA Division I intercollegiate players. The previous record was set back in 2007 by Irina Sotnikova.

BY THE N UM B ERS. . .

TREY OURSLER Contributing Reporter

23 Numbers of goals for the Sam Houston State soccer team heading into Friday’s matchup at A&M-CC

359

Amount of receiving yards for Sam Houston State wide receiver Yedidah Lewis through seven games this year

18

Days until the first SHSU women’s basketball game against Mary Hardin-Baylor

43

Place cross country runner Anna Moreno finished in the Alabama Crimson Tide Classic out of 224 women this past weekend Hardin-Baylor

FO O T BA L L GA M E GRA DES DAVID GIBSON Contributing Reporter Offense: C The Bearkats dropped another game on the season, this time against Northwestern State. Sophomore quarterback Jared Johnson struggled throwing the ball, going eight of 22 in the air and throwing one interception. Senior running back Keshawn Hill had a monster game with 199 rushing yards and three touchdowns, but it would not be enough for an SHSU win.

Defense: C+ The Kats defense collapsed in the final minutes of the game. Senior safety Michael Wade had another excellent game with 13 total tackles, and the Kats defense held Northwestern’s top receiver Ed Eagan to only 47 total yards. Redshirt freshman defensive end P.J. Hall was remarkable once again with an interception on the line.

However, SHSU gave up 31 points and the game.

Special Teams: D SHSU gave up a total of 125 kick return yards, which is one too many yards. The special teams needs to work on limiting big returns to ease the game for its defense.

The Houstonian | HoustonianOnline.com/news | Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014

Page 6

Mascot challenge to ‘break tie’ CONNOR HYDE Senior Reporter

Alex Broussard | The Houstonian

A FRIEND IN SAMMY. Sammy gives a big hug to a small fan on the sidelines of a football game. He could win the Southland Mascot of the Year with your help.

Sammy the Bearkat is one of 13 mascots pulling for votes in the third annual 2014 State Farm Southland Conference Mascot Challenge.

Currently Sammy is sitting in third place behind Texas A&M – Corpus Christi’s Izzy the Islander and Stephen F. Austin State University’s Lumberjack.

Brian McColpin, SHSU assistant director for spirit programs, said this year is a “tie breaker,” between SHSU and SFA. McColpin said the challenge brings the SHSU community into a national spotlight. “[The mascot challenge] helps spread school spirit, alumni participation and community involvement,” McColpin said. “It also helps get Sam Houston State Uni-

versity out on a national level.”

Voting opened Sept. 20 with the winning mascot earning the title of “Southland Mascot of the Year,” as well as $5,000 for their respective spirit program. Sammy took the title in 2012 followed by SFA’s Lumberjack in 2013.

To vote, participants visit The Southland Conference’s Facebook page and click the mascot challenge tab. Fans can take pictures with their school’s mascot and will be featured on the Southland Conference’s Facebook gallery. One fan can also win a $500 Visa gift card, according to the Southland Conference.

Fans are able to vote once per day with voting closing Nov. 21.

The contest is open to Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma residents who are 18 years or older.

For more information visit www. facebook.com/southlandconference.

Static acceptance rate contributes to high enrollment HANNAH ZEDAKER Associate Editor The skyrocketing student population at Sam Houston State University this semester brings into reflection the school’s acceptance rate and the standards to which applicants are held.

Totaling 19,719 students, a headcount which is inclusive of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students attending SHSU for the fall 2014 semester, the student population is nearing its projected goal nearly five years early.

According to Diane McCormick, assistance vice president for Enrollment Management, the increase has nothing to do with a change in the acceptance rate.

“For freshmen, transfer and re-

tuning students in fall 2014, we had a total of 11,803 students accepted,” McCormick said. “Of that, 5,090 enrolled for an accepted to [form an] enrolled percentage of 43 percent.”

According to McCormick, this data is “comparable to previous years.” In order for that to be true, the inflation in enrollment must be explained by an increase in total applicants to make the percentage proportional.

“The number of students applying to SHSU has increased over the last several years,” McCormick said. “For example, we has 22,069 applications for fall 2013 and 24,776 applications in fall 2014.

The overwhelming majority of our students come from the state of Texas. More specifically, our ‘pipeline’ is Houston and the surround-

ing areas, which makes sense.”

As for the criteria by which students are accepted, it grants applicants in the top 25 percent of their graduating class automatic acceptance. After that, applicants in the second quartile are required to have received at least a score of 20 on the ACT and/or a 960 on the SAT, while prospective students in the third quartile must have earned at least a 23 on the ACT and/or a 1060 on the SAT. Applicants in the fourth quartile of their graduating class are “considered by review only.”

According to McCormick, the process by which transfer students are granted admission works differently.

“For transfer students, we evaluate number of transferable credit hours and GPA for all coursework

completed,” McCormick said. “If a transfer student has more than 12 hours of transferable credit, they must have a GPA of 2.5. If a students has more than 18 hours of transferable credit, then a 2.0 GPA is required.”

Although opinions vary on whether or not SHSU’s criteria for admission is rigorous enough, according to McCormick, it is comparable to other universities and is constantly under supervision for potential change.

“The criteria has changed over the years,” she said. “We continually monitor student success and retention as it relates to our admission requirements and make adjustments as necessary. We make changes to our admission requirements in order to continue with our goal of providing a high qual-

ity, affordable education to students who can excel and succeed at SHSU. We are in line with our competitors and of course, monitor their changes in admission requirements as well.”

According to McCormick, because neither an increased acceptance rate nor a flawed admissions process are at fault for the swell in student population, state and nationwide attention to SHSU’s costeffective reputation is, in fact, the culprit.

“SHSU provides a high quality, affordable education to our students,” McCormick said. “Although our population is growing, we still provide one-on-one support, both academically and in the service areas. The university has also received recognition in areas of academics and athletics which cer-

Upgrades planned for SHSU Planetarium KIMBERLIN MOORE Contributing Reporter The sky is the limit for the Sam Houston State University physics department, and they are making visible upgrades this semester to enhance the experience at the oncampus planetarium.

The SHSU planetarium is located in the Farrington Building and

is currently operating with a Mediaglobe I projection system. The system was one of the first entities to receive one of its kind, said staff lab assistant Michael Prokosch.

“The new projector is expected to arrive and be installed sometime during the first two weeks of November,” said Prokosch.

With the plans for improvement, the department will make the transition to the Mediaglobe III system.

According to Konica Minolta Planetarium Co., the Mediaglobe III projection system offers features such as higher resolution, higher contrast ratio, 3-D Space Simulation and special effects.

After the installation of the new projector, students will be able to have a more realistic experience at the planetarium and be able to see smoother images that will make them feel like they are actually

looking up at the night sky in real time.

Prokosch said the decision to switch to the new projector came after the Mediaglobe I service company stopped offering maintenance support for the old projector.

This upgrade will take place within the next month and will be up and running in order for the Planetarium to continue with show times.

The current show that the Planetarium is airing is called ‘Bad Astronomy,’ based on the book of the same name. Prokosch said, however, the show is subject to change after the new projector is installed.

For a complete list of shows and show times, visit www.shsu.edu/ academics/physics/schedule.html or like the “SHSU Planetarium” page on Facebook.

Bearkats drop game against NSU Photos courtesy NSU Photographic Services

Sam Houston State football dropped its fourth game of the season, and its first game in Southland Conference play, against Northwestern State on Saturday 31-27. Senior running back Keshawn Hill rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns, but it would not be enough for a Kats’ victory. Sophomore quarterback Jared Johnson was 8-22 and only threw for 85 yards and one interception. The Kats’ defense held strong, recording three interceptions. Senior safety Michael Wade had one interception with 13 tackles while freshman defensive end P.J. Hall picked his first pass off of his college career and finished with 1.5 sacks. SHSU is now in a four-way tie for third in SLC standings. The Bearkats will host Abilene Christian this Saturday at 3 p.m.