The Houstonian

This is the last issue of print editions for the Houstonian until the Fall Semester, please visit us online.

Vol 115— Issue 29

Huntsville, Texas

INDEX SEE page 10

A YEAR IN SPORTS

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Nation & World...page 4

Viewpoints................page 2

Entertainment........page 5

Campus................page 3

Sports....................page 6

Graduating Entertainment editor Kevin Jukkola presents the best for last.

SEE page 5

ENTERTAINMENT

SHSU among 15 Public Universities

By Bruce Erickson

University Communications

Recognized for Student Success, Grad Rates Sam Houston State University is among 15 public universities across the nation recently recognized for “outperforming most similar institutions in helping students stay on track

and graduate” in a new report from the nonprofit Southern Regional Education Board.

“By highlighting the success of these 15 institutions, we hope that other universities learn from their experiences,” said Cheryl Blanco, SREB vice president and co-author of the report.

“These institutions are

helping many students complete college degrees who otherwise often do not graduate. The strategies and programs that they’re using can be adopted by other colleges and universities,” Blanco said.

“Attentive leadership toward student success is important,” Blanco said,

“and we found many great CEOs in our study who are dedicated to improving student retention and graduation rates, in addition, at these 15 institutions, the commitment crosses all divisions -- up, down and across the organization chart -- including faculty, staff, students, administrators, even

alumni.” president James F. Gaertner “At some of these said “SHSU faculty, staff, institutions, alumni seem to administrators and alumni be everywhere, serving as committed ourselves to visiting lecturers, sponsors helping students succeed as of off-campus activities, our top priority, and then community service we organized and evaluated volunteers, career advisers, ourselves accordingly.” job providers and financial contributors.”

Sam Houston State — See SHSU, page 7

Time Warp

Evaluations testing tenure Students feedback playing vital role when granting

History to be relived

By Jessica Priest

with food and craft at

With the Spring semester drawing to a close, SHSU students will be asked to fill out an end-of-the-year evaluation form to assess their instructor’s teaching effectiveness.

Perceptions of this process vary dramatically among students across campus.

For some students, this task may be viewed as time consuming and unnecessary.

“I think the scantron way of doing things is tedious and not descriptive enough,” freshman Alexiah Carter said.

“It’s gotten to the point where if you do them so much, you almost get tired of it.

Some of my professors have told me that the comments matter the most and I start thinking why am I putting so much effort into filling out a scantron?”

Others simply don’t see the point.

“I don’t think [evaluations] matter [for me individually], because I’m not taking that teacher or that same class again,” freshman Sandra

weekend Folk Festival

By Kristin Meyer Senior Reporter

In the 1800s there lived a general. He was the first and third president of the Republic of Texas, fought in the War of 1812, and is the namesake of our university- General Sam Houston.

For the 23rd year, the Sam Houston Memorial Museum will host the General Sam Houston Folk Festival to depict the time that this man lived in.

The festival will be held this weekend, April 30- May 2 from 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday. The event will be held behind the Sam Houston Memorial Museum. Admission is $7.00 for adults, age 5-12 $6.00, and children under 5 years are free. “$12,000 of the proceeds will be used to host the festival again next year, but everything above that will be donated to the Sam Houston Museum,” said Mike McManus, Chair of East Texas Folk Festival Inc. “The Folk Festival depicts the life and times of General Sam and Margaret Houston,” said McManus.

“There will be many different demonstrators and reenactments for example: glassblowers, blacksmiths, soap makers, candle makers, etc.”

There will also be entertainment for children such as crafts and traditional games from the 1800s.

If any attendees want to dress up there will be vendors and sutlers at the festival selling costumes and uniforms resembling those worn in the 1800s, along with handmade jewelry and other objects.

The festival is meant to be primarily educational, but that does not mean it won’t be fun. There will be food, live music, crafts and dancers including a Native American dance group, the Sahawe Indian Dancers.

McManus advises students to either attend the festival Saturday or Sunday because Friday there will be 4,600 fourth graders attending.

For more information on the General Sam Houston Folk Festival, logon to http://www. shsu.edu/~smm_www/ FolkFestN/.

professors position, promotion, and protection.

Associate News Editor

By Meagan Ellsworth

Editor-in-Chief Tenure decisions are based on a faculty member’s scholarship, their teaching, and their service to assess the quality of teaching.

“Student evaluations are a critical element in that [decision],” Sam Houston State University Provost, David Payne, said. “The university policy allows a number of majors for a quality of teaching therefore it has an important [effect] in determining a faculty member’s tenure.”

During the Process a faculty member submits their credentials and goes through what’s called a department promotion and tenure committee.

That committee examines the credentials and makes a recommendation to the chair,” Payne said.

The chair makes a recommendation to the Dean and the Dean may or may

Joe Buvid | The Houstonian

Based off of the student evaluations, SHSU compares well with the nation.

“We are substantially better than the national average in the quality of our teaching,” Payne said. “For example in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences more than 70% of the classes are above the national average, which is strikingly good.”

Bolles said.

Despite these factors, some students still put forth an honest effort to adequately evaluate their professors performance.

“I put time and effort [into my evaluation] because when I take those classes I might get really irritated with a teacher and I think this is the only chance to let that be known

… any other time it would out there.” be considered disrespectful,” And Carter’s opinion is Carter said. “You only get one certainly “getting out there”. shot to say how you feel, so, if it doesn’t count, then it doesn’t count, but at least you get that — See TESTING, page 5

not have an advisory committee. The Dean’s recommendation then goes to the Provost.

“I make an independent examination and evaluation of credentials,” Payne said. “I make a recommendation to the President.”

The President makes the recommendation to the Board of Regents.

Only the Board grants tenure.

“Sometimes faculty members think that I give or deny tenure, not so. Payne said. I don’t grant tenure. We all make recommendations until it reaches the board, the board grants tenure.

It is possible for tenure to be granted without the Provost’s recommendation.

“The board would have to decide that I made a mistake” Payne said.

The same is true in the case of disapproval from the department.

“I may agree or disagree with the department’s recommendation,” Payne said. “This is the purpose of having mul-

tiple levels of review.”

Payne said if the department makes a decision about whether a professor’s credentials meets what the department feels are appropriate standards, the college then has to decide whether or not the department and its assessment meets the college standards.

“I have to ask is the decision that is reached appropriate for university standards,” Payne said. “Some departments are exceedingly strong, others are less strong, but all of them have to meet a basic level.

I’m the person who says does this meet the basic level for the whole university.”

Professors can appeal if denied tenure to the grievance committee. Payne said there has not been an increase in cases.

“Overall I don’t think so. There are always cases where people feel like they haven’t been properly recognized.

Tenure does cost the university more to cover salary as there often a promotion. Payne said tenure has not been affected by the budget cuts.

Tenure tends to be sensitive subject.

“You’re talking about someone’s future, a faculty members future, so of course it’s important and it ought to be important, “ Payne said. “You’re talking about making a judgment of the quality of work that their doing.

Payne said everyone wants to be recognized for the quality of their work.

“When you make a judgment that their work is not up to the standards of the university of course that is a very painful and difficult thing to hear and say,” he said.

The student evaluation is a national standardized exam.

“So someone in business here is compared to someone in business at other universities,” Payne said.

“What I tell faculty is that we don’t

Joe Buvid | The Houstonian

Mingling with the Media

— See page 5

want anyone here at Sam Houston who is not at least an average teacher nationally.” “ We don’t care if other universities have teachers who are below average, but we want our faculty to be at the national average,” he said.

Student evaluations are one of several ways of assessing that. If a faculty member scores very highly on student evaluation it is likely that professor’s [very good].

If a professor scores low on student evaluations, there are other ways that faculty member can establish that they are quality teachers.

For example they can talk about innovations in curriculum, distance learning, contributions to construction, pedagogical techniques.

“There are a variety ways that a faculty member can establish that their contributions are better than the student evaluations show,” Payne said.

The article “Safely Funded,” published in the April 20 issue of the Houstonian, is currently being reviewed to clarify some details following a response by the Associate Director of Recreational Sports, Frank Harrison.

If made, any clarifications may be found online.

GOODBYE PAGE

Page 2 The Houstonian Normally words come easily to me. I can, under most circumstances, take a blank page and turn it into a word filled sheet, packed with nonsensical ramble.

But as I sit here, scrounging for words, thoughts and epiphanies to litter this goodbye letter, I can’t help but find myself almost completely silent.

It’s been a long five years here at SHSU for me. I’ve had such a great experience here, and though I’m saddened to see it end, I can honestly say I’m extremely excited that this part of my journey is coming to a close.

I’ve endured through three degree changes, the deterioration of my once beloved fraternity, faces that have come and gone, and the frightful life of being on The Houstonian.

Oh The Houstonian.

It was by pure happenstance that I even started contributing to The Houstonian to begin with. And now here I am, soon to be former Viewpoints Editor, writing a goodbye letter. Odd how the wheels of life can turn.

As cliché as it is, I can’t help but think of the people that helped me in this meandering experience, and made my life more enjoyable throughout. As a result, I will dispense my “thank yous” now.

Dr. Krienke: Thank you for your support throughout

Joe Buvid is the Photo Editor for The Houstonian. He is graduating with a degree in Business Marketing and Business Economics.

Throughout my three years at Sam Houston State University and four semesters on staff of The Houstonian, I have gone through experiences that will shape the direction of my life forever. Being a part of this staff has taught me many lessons about discipline, commitment and ethics that can be carried wherever I am taken.

The three things that inspire me to continue to achieve are my faith, family and friends, and they will keep aiding in the progression of my journey. A fourth aspect that inspires me at different points is being part of a team, which is precisely what The Houstonian is. Everyone’s input is welcomed and their assets are respected and used in order to make the best product possible for the students.

Although there are dozens of people that have been a essential part of the staff since I began, the choice to acknowledge those currently employed is simply because of a limited amount of space.

John-Keep on keeping on.

Joe- You are a committed photographer that do what is necessary to get the job done. Hopefully, this will continue, as well as the success that you have attained to this point in your photography career.

Lotis- You do a wonderful job at getting to know and understand the various

Brad: Thank you for making me feel/look cooler than I really am. What can I say, you’re my Turk. I remember the time I thought you were a myth. Like Bigfoot, or the Loch Ness, I had heard about you and your savory ways, but thought that it was a SHSU rumor. Man, was I wrong. Your eclectic taste in music and culture will forever boggle my mind. TIPA ’09 will forever be ours. Oh yeah. I look forward to the day when you’re famous, because it will happen.

Joe and Lotis: You both have caused more headaches than possibly imaginable with your brash, impetuous attitudes. I can’t say that I will miss it. But I will miss both of you, and I thank you both for all the fun times that did occur on our behalf. Lotis, you’re welcome for the food I so graciously cooked for you.

Joe, like Brad, I expect to see your work famously displayed someday.

Mike, Brandon, Jessica and Thomas: keep up the great work. All of you are the future of this newspaper, so treat her well. Kristin, John, Jared: it was a pleasure working with you all, and I will miss it (especially our grandiose word on the street escapades John).

Lastly, and most importantly, I want to thank you Meagan. You’ve been my rock the past two years

we’ve been together. I couldn’t ask for a better friend/girlfriend. Thank you for putting up with me and my vices, and if you ever feel overwhelmed because of me, just thank Rachael for hooking us up. It amazes me how compassionate you are with my dreams, and do your best to stand by them (no matter how ludicrous they seem). Your love for journalism and this newspaper still astounds me to this day. I don’t know of anyone else as dedicated as you, and that inspires me.

I know you’ll do amazing things one day. Thank you for everything dear. Here we are, juggernaut.

To anyone I may have forgotten, I am truly sorry, and know that you too will forever be in my heart.

It’s been great experience here at Sam, and I’ll remember those times forever, but I’m ready to move on.

Oddly enough, this goodbye letter feels like a “cutting of ties” for me, and I feel strangely overjoyed it’s complete. As for what’s next for me, all I can say is that “all you can do is play along at life and hope that sometimes you get it right.” And that’s what I’ll be doing.

Until next time, stay classy Sam Houston.

The lesson learned was that if I wasn’t going to give this school a chance, I was never going to like it here.

It may not have been my first choice but it was the right one.

To the staff of the Houstonian: Meagan, take a break every now and then and stop wasting food. You will continue to develop and have many more challenges ahead. Just remember to breath and not let it drown you in complication. I hope I was able to set a good example and left you with words of wisdom that will help you in career.

Lotis, I’m not sure where to begin. We had great time this year covering sports; we covered 3600 plus miles this year. I’m sure you will make it to Sports Illustrated and you know where you can always find a good photographer.

Jessica, oh how are time together has been short. I’ve only been around you for one semester but we have had fun and had a few good laughs, mostly at Kevin’s expense. You also will continue to develop into a great journalist and don’t take smack from 326er’s.

Heath, first I want to say thank you for all the food Meagan gave me that you bought. It was good. Heath,

I also totally agree that Michael C. Hall is better than Jon Hamm. As a fellow Houstonian class of 2010, I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Also, I promise not tell anybody about how you had to find new pants at TIPA in Dallas.

It’s under lock and key.

Oh, Mike Silva (a.k.a.

Billy Mays), every day in the newsroom was an experience. From your random comments to your wise cracks about something that made no sense, it was a great year and I’m glad I got to know you. I will be checking in on the sports page to make sure it’s up to my liking. By the way, have we ever figured out what that sandwich on the way home from McNeese was?

Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, it’s been a long, long two years. I don’t know where to begin, however I will start here with giving you credit for having an educated opinion about your views and honorably arguing them tooth and nail. This will take you far in life, and when you’re ready to cross over from the dark side and be the conservative that I know you are, I will welcome you with open arms.

To our Senior Reporter Kristin Meyer, your talent and abilities will take you far into achieving the goals

you have set for yourself.

Nobody pushes you harder than yourself and that is something I admire about you. I know you will make it to New York.

John, this semester you had a lot to learn and a lot on your plate. You were able to take care of all of your responsibilities and still contribute to the paper and even learned a thing or two about photography along the way. My advice for you going forward is the same I got from a Getty Images photographer and a Sports Illustrated photographer: just keep shooting and shoot as much as possible, and you never know where you will end up. You have big shoes to fill next semester as you will be the most experienced staff photographer.

Lord Mad Brad Basker, you are a crazy turkey and you have made many days at The Houstonian far more interesting that I could have expected. At TIPA in Dallas we were able to really get to know one another and ever since then we have had a strong friendship. Since we both are Houstonians, I’m sure we will see each from time to time to catch up on recent developments. However, you need to learn how to play “Over the Rainbow”.

Brittany Hampton, I will not forget our endless string

of sharp comments to each as I know we just did in jest.

You have a big challenge in front of you with the paper, but I know you are the person for the job.

There are so many more people that have made my experience here at Sam Houston such a memorable one, I would like to thank you also. My final goodbye goes to the Athletes that I have befriended on Facebook. It has been an honor and my pleasure covering you over the past couple of years; I even got to know a few of you beyond Facebook. Because of you, covering sports was made easy and I’m thankful I was able to capture some of the moments of your athletic careers. With all due sincerity, thank you.

My advice to all the students of Sam Houston State is to get involved, and you just might not know what you will find. Get outside of your college and branch out.

Even though I was a Business major, I still became an award winning photographer for The Houstonian and it opened the door to possibilities that I wouldn’t of had if I hadn’t stepped out of the Smith-Hudson building.

Mike-You have some unique ideas for the layout of the Sports page and combine it will excellent content to make the page constantly interesting. You are a talented writer and have been a good sport this semester when much of the playful teasing revolved around you. Thanks for taking it all in stride.

Heath-You are a good person whose brutal honesty is something many people don’t want to hear, but is welcomed by me as a respite from a world filled with snakes. We are more alike than anyone might think, with the main difference being that you are less willing to put up with bullshit that I consider a daily inconvenience. Your intelligence will serve you well in whatever career path you choose. Ultimately, I consider you a friend worthy of keeping in touch with.

Jessica-I have learned much from and about you that will always be remembered no matter where the road of life takes me. You are a talented journalist and, more importantly, you have a good heart. These last few months have been fantastic, and thank you for sharing a portion of them with me.

Meagan-You have the potential to be the best Editor-in-Chief this paper has ever seen. You are more committed to revealing the truth and getting the story right than anyone

else I know. Also, you are never satisfied with the finished product, which is a necessary characteristic for a leader always pushing forward for improvement in the future. You will not accept anything less than perfection but your congenial nature always makes the painstaking enterprise of producing a newspaper a much less stressful experience.

Christi-You were a great Editor-in-Chief and are the main reason that I am here right now. Essentially, you are the cause of a lot of stressful nights that could have been avoided. Just kidding. Thank you for allowing my talents to grace your page and then believing that I was competent enough to be the Entertainment Editor. I hope that my work has confirmed you made the right decision hiring me. You are one of the nicest and smartest people I know, and I hope that you will continue being one of my closest friends.

The great teachers and fascinating students are the foundations of this tremendous university. They are great assets and I have been impacted positively by so many that it would be impossible to name them here.

I have learned things from both my teammates on the club baseball team and colleagues at the newspaper that will be invaluable going forward. I hope that my work ethic and commitment to both has been infec-

tious, and my ultimate goal is always to do the best that I can, while believing that my talent will lead to tremendous results. Getting to know every single one of you has been a privilege, and I hope that you have learned as many interesting things about me as I have about you. I have begun to understand the truth that something can be gained from every relationship and believe that we must cherish all of the connections that we make in our lives, which is what makes it so difficult to find the right words to conclude my thoughts.

The best I can do is take a quote by the immortal Don Draper, perfectly played by the great Jon Hamm in “Mad Men”, and use it to best describe the assorted feelings that are running through me without concern for my well being.

“Nostalgia - it’s delicate, but potent. Teddy told me that in Greek, “nostalgia” literally means “the pain from an old wound.” It’s a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone. This device isn’t a spaceship, it’s a time machine. It goes backwards, and forwards... it takes us to a place where we ache to go again. It’s not called the wheel, it’s called the carousel. It let’s us travel the way a child travels - around and around, and back home again, to a place where we know are loved.”

Heath Wierck is the Viewpoints Editor for The Houstonian. He is graduating with a degree in English.

Joe Buvid

The long bumpy road of college is finally coming to an end for me. First things first, Sam Houston wasn’t my first choice. I’m not even sure that Sam would have been on a top 10 list of schools I wanted to attend.

I originally wanted to go to Texas A&M and from time to time I would wear my A&M shirts to class as I lacked school pride.

In the spring of 2008 I was taking a class with Kristin and Courtney Lundgren and they suggested that I bring my photography skills to the paper. At first, I was reluctant to get

intellect, giving me a reason to want to learn again and being undoubtedly one of the best and most intelligent professors I’ve ever had. I only wish I could have taken more of your classes. One day, I’ll buy Tool concert tickets for us.

Bryan: Oh Bryan… I could most certainly write an entire novel about you (and it may actually happen one day). Thanks for squashing your hate/beef/ jealously/whatever-it-was against me in the beginning, becoming my friend and giving me the chance to voice my opinion on this newspaper. Had it not

been for you, I definitely would not be writing this letter today. You gave me a chance and in turn opened many doors for me. Thank you for that. And once again I’ll state that “Breakfast of Champions” is a dreadful book, and I will never forgive you for recommending it.

Rachael: I want to sincerely thank you for everything you’ve done for me. You were such an amazing friend when I needed it most. Thank you for keeping me company at IHOP, at 3 in the morning, when I needed to study (though it always ended with you spilling coffee everywhere).

You dealt with my narcissism in stride, and always kicked my ass back in line; I will forever be indebted to you and your kindness.

You’re also one hell of a matchmaker.

Kevin: You’ve been one of my favorites in the newsroom. I will miss our debates, and appreciate that they most always ended in understanding. Great minds think alike. I will go on record and state that you have one of the most brilliant minds I’ve ever encountered. You’re welcome. Oh, and Michael C. Hall will always, and forever, be better than Jon Hamm. I hope you can come to terms with this one day. He did beat cancer and all.

Heath Wierck

my years here. You’ve been such an unwavering beam of direction, and I doubt I’ll ever be able to repay you for your guidance. You’ve taught me more about English literature than anyone on this campus, and I can’t thank you enough for that knowledge. Whether you know or not, you’re one of the only reasons I am able to write this letter today. “I pray you know me when we meet again; I wish you well, and so I take my leave.”

Dr. Hendrickson: You were the breath of fresh air I needed to survive my last year and a half here.

Thank you for inspiring my

involved with anything school related, as I still had feelings of not wanting to be here. In my time at the paper I’ve made a complete turnaround on my feelings about my time at Sam. As a photographer here at The Houstonian, I’ve been able to attend many events and really get to know the University.

The opportunities that I have had the chance to have will last me a life and will help me in my professional life. I no longer wear A&M apparel on campus and wear my Sam Houston ring everywhere with pride.

Kevin Jukkola Kevin Jukkola is the Entertainment Editor at The Houstonian. He is graduating with a degree in Print Journalism. experiences that have made people who they are. This will be an incredible asset as your career continues and the connections you have made will make it easier to succeed in this business.

Kristin-You are a wonderful reporter. Keep doing good work and I wish you luck in all of your endeavors.

Thomas-I leave the Entertainment section in good hands, as I am positive that you will do what is necessary to make it the best page possible. If you continue to work hard and do your best in everything, success both individually and for the newspaper will

Thursday, April 29, 2010

be easier than you might imagine.

Brandon-You are a tremendous writer with well studied insight into extremely complex issues.

The discussions I had with you about race and other political issues are important to my growth as a person because of the need to understand someone who comes from a different background is vital in maturing and understanding more about the world around us. These are conversations that are often ignored for political correctness but are needed in order to continue progressing in our ever changing society.

Page 3 The Houstonian

STAFF PHOTO

Staff photo: left to right; Joe Buvid, Jessica Priest, Thomas Merka, Brittany Pires, Lotis Butchko, Kristin Meyer, Meagan Ellsworth, Heath Wierck, Brad Basker, Mike Silva Not shown: Kevin Jukkola, John Rudolph, Brandon Scott, Brittany Hampton, Gupreet Singh, Kyle Thomas, Andrea Warda, Erin Peterson

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Page 4 The Houstonian

Goodbye page cont.

I posed for my last staff photo and watched my co workers smile and ramble consistent nonsense. After a couple of minutes, and with impeccable placement, I shot out a one liner, and got a series of laughs. Gurpreet Singh all the way from India poses for his first staff photo, Mike Silva adds an unnecessary remark, and Lotis takes it too far, but that’s what they do.

I don’t believe the Houstonian has ever holistically been about a journalistic resume, and I don’t think it ever should be. I have a resume with multiple positions in editorial and advertising realms because of my time here, but it would be nothing without the people who helped me get on staff and who made my experience unforgettable.

It must be said that every opportunity I’ve had at this newspaper was prophesied to me by my Pastor, and that the only surprise for me was realizing how much I cared. Almost every school day, excluding the seven months I spent in limbo between June 2009 and the beginning of this year, I stepped foot in Dan Rather 210. Whether I had work to do or not, I found myself dawning the doors of the newsroom to see who was there and how things were going.

This time last year my plans fell apart. I suffered and learned a lot during my time away about myself and what was really important. Although

I was writing for the Houstonian from my cocoon cavern, I had never felt so detached from the paper and the experience I had grown to love.

I didn’t know how special it was until I lost it all, and when I returned this semester to finish undergrad I didn’t desire much. I just wanted to crank out a few columns, and come by the office every now and then, but I had forgotten something.

The Houstonian is not a newspaper published biweekly.

Its identity lies within the faces of those who live in the newsroom, and if you haven’t worked for it you can never understand it. Sure, you can tell a more liberal editor in chief from changes in page layouts, but it does almost no justice to how special this paper is. The Houstonian was too much of me to not be involved, and I was too much a part of it to be negligent.

Every week I meet someone who either hates or loves my columns, and I’m cool with either opinion. However, in all of my time here I have never seen anyone with distain come by to make a change for the “better”.

Lotis Butchko transferred here after a former Houstonianer beat him at competition and has been able to add his expertise, so why can’t a jive turkey who feels we do a bad job resides in Huntsville, TX walk to the 2nd floor of Dan Rather and get an assignment?

They don’t, and I challenge anyone who has something to say to fill the shoes.

Shawn Farrell, Kyla Hede-

VIEWPOINTS

Brad Basker Brad Basker is the Director of Advertising Relations at The Houstonian. He is graduating with a degree in Public Relations. mann, Daniel Flores, Kaytelyn Murphy Sclafani and Jennie Sewell are just a few people dear to my heart, and no one has any idea who they are. I doubt their critics care about missed commas.

But in addition to my Houstonian Righteousness, I realized something else. I’m the only one on staff who can say: “Remember how Shawn always would come back with the most brilliant ideas after using the bathroom? No? I’m the only one?”

I’ve been here so long I can mention names and events that not a single current staff member has ever met. I’m the only one who remembers

because I’m the only one left, and soon ill be just like the others. A name passed down from journalist to journalist from semester to semester archived in the disheveled boxes of old Houstonian tear sheets.

It looks to me like this is really it. It’s not my choice; it’s just the way this thing works.

May 24 I begin grad school at the University of St. Thomas in Houston for a masters in International Studies. I love writing and the media and I love language studies and cultures, so I want to ad expertise to views and perceptions of society. The odds of me roaming the countryside of foreign lands writing as a shameless

A Houstonian affair to remember Brittany Pires reminisces on times in the

newsroom and offers congratulations to seniors.

As the end of the long I quite enjoy the many and departmental or school year approaches, bible verses I often hear, authoritative restraints, I have thought to myself, since that is more religion and a scholarly brawl is “I want to make one last than I am exposed to on sure to arise. However, Houstonian contribution.” my own in a year. And many a time, sports and No, I am not a senior, walking into an array politics are the topics of nor will I be giving a of music from different choice. resignation that entitles cultures is always pleasing I like to think of the me to end with a goodbye to the ear.

Houstonian staff as the column. I will not be The controversy is group on Friends. Each graduating and beginning always fun, either from one plays a role and each a life in the unknown, nor upset staffers or unsatisfied personality flows together moving on to bigger and better things. I cannot even say that I am old enough to I have grown to anxiously await legally consume alcohol. the days where Mad Brad dances But something about this around the room...” last week of production seems bittersweet.

Aside from endless classes, work, and the readers who simply do not so harmoniously. Okay, entertaining mall area, the agree with an article’s maybe not harmoniously, Houstonian has become viewpoint. Some people but everyone offers a little my niche. The drama and just do not understand that bit of themselves. debates that circulate daily we cannot please everyone I have been labeled make for great comic relief simultaneously, and they Production Manager, but after a long course lecture. can get pretty testy. Once I have always considered I have grown to anxiously we even had someone features my forte. I have await the days where Mad break through the glass often imagined composing Brad dances around the door. an in-depth story about room or the editor-in-chief Not really. But that the life of a Houstonian goes through one of her would have made a great staffer, the uncut version. silly, lack-of-sleep rants story.

What a piece it would be; about discovering that Put intelligent and what a savory delight to Microsoft Word has event- worldly individuals in a unveil the true happenings planning templates. room, give them deadlines of Room 210 to the world.

The individual opinions on the Viewpoints page are not necessarily affiliated with the view of The Houstonian or SHSU. The Houstonian is published semi-weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is a news publication of Sam Houston State University, a member of the Texas State University system, and is produced by students. It is self-supporting and welcomes all advertisers. Those interested in placing ads or classifieds should call (936) 294-4864. The Houstonian is a member of the Associated Press.

“

To start, I suppose the campus would do. But the world would soon know the brilliant actions of thought that take place when producing the Houstonian.

The skills and levels of intelligence that take place are unbelievable, or at least, that is the image the world would envision.

Of course, I digress.

We truly do put so much effort to produce a wonderful newspaper. And while I am not getting paid to sweet-talk the big H, I do consider it my crazy oasis of media entertainment.

I would like to offer my congratulations to the Houstonian Seniors, even the ones who refuse to leave. May you go on to earn heaps of money and become the next Dan Rather or Barbara Walters.

Brittany Pires is the Production Manager for The Houstonian. She is a Sophomore Mass Communications major, Sociology minor.

Thursday, April 29, 2010 vagabond are pretty good.

83 Columns, 58 articles, thousands in ad sales, and 12 trained advertising salesmen later and I’m feeling there’s not too much left for me to except for this. Try to fit five years of advice, inspiration, friendships and experiences into a list.

Joe- You snore really loud man. Pan American hotties TIPA 2009 Dallas, TX. That guy was from SFA. Lotis- The most award-winning TIPA journalist I know. In my days of über unsavoricity we would have been a dynamic duo, but we’ll have to settle for journalistic respect.

Kevin- I really would like to see one of your scripts on the big screen. Go Healthcare.

The Astros will never win the World Series.

Kristen- You should come around the office more. It would be a better place to work. You remind me of a photographer named Kyla. I called her my “Smerf”.

Mike- I’m glad to see you’ve grown as a journalist. You’re the biggest turkey I know, and your jokes are often predictable. But if there was one person who had the personality to “fill my shoes” it would be you. You remind me a lot of me, and you’re going to be awesome.

Brandon- Hold it down for the brown.

Hampton- It’s all yours now, church buddy. Keep it tight, and if you need help you know who to call. Not me, Jesus.

Pires- for a Portuguese person who doesn’t speak Portuguese you’re pretty lame. But

you hung in there, and I admire that. You may be a bad latina.

But you’re a good writer.

Kyle - Dude. I’ve never seen anyone work so hard for a 2x2 ad sale.

Gurpreet- I’m too impressed.

Work ethic, ambition, and character = you.

Ziegler- Miss Z; you’re no jive turkey. You keep it real for sure Merka- Gaga.

Rudolph- Our relationship is mostly non Houstonian related.

But you have given me a free pizza and a bear hug. We’ll always have Robokitty.

Jessica Priest- I don’t loathe you. You’re actually quite pleasant. I don’t care what the office rumors say.

Jared- Your cat is trying to kill you.

Heath- I’ll be your Turk if you’ll be my JD. I farted on you at TIPA 2009 and you got me back this year. Write the book man. If you write they will read it.

Meagan- You’re care, work and are worth at least 13 times more than the pay, respect, and stress you’re Job has come with. It’s great to see your passion. Very Gleason of you.

Don’t give up on this paper, but don’t let it keep you from exploring all that the world of media has to offer.

I hope that this letter will mean something to future Houstonian journalists, and it has been a privilege to be a apart of over 96 years of publication. My name is Lord Bradley Matthew Yuki Seu Basker, and I’m done.

Letter to the Student Body Dear Sam Houston Students, Staff and Faculty and Alumni: The Houstonian would not survive were it not for the continued involvement and dedication of the SHSU student body. We welcome all column submissions and letters to the editor. If at any time you feel the need to express an opinion, please do not hesitate to e-mail your thoughts or drop by our office in the Dan Rather, room 210 in the communications building. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you as always for your continued support of the Houstonian.

Heath Wierck Viewpoints Editor haw002@shsu.edu

The Houstonian staff would like to extend a sincere thank you to the university and student body for another great semester.

Have a great summer, and see you in the fall!

Comics for thought

The Houstonian Editorial EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Meagan Ellsworth...............................................................936-294-1505 FACULTY ADVISOR Patsy Ziegler.....................................................................936-294-1499 SECTION EDITORS Lotis Butchko....................................................................Senior Joe Buvid.............................................................................Photo Jessica Priest..................................................................Associate Heath Wierck..............................................................Viewpoints Mike Silva...........................................................................Sports Kevin Jukkola........................................................Entertainment Thomas Merka...................................................................Web

Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor

STAFF Kristin Meyer.................................................................Senior Reporter Brandon Scott.................................................................Sports Reporter John Rudolph.......................................................................Photographer

Advertising BUSINESS MANAGER Tammie Nokes.................................................................936-294-1500 STAFF Brad Basker.........................................................Advertising Relations Brittany Hampton...............................................Advertising Manager Brittany Pires.......................................................Production Manager Kyle Thomas.............................................................Account Executive Gupreet Singh...........................................................Account Executive Andrea Warda...........................................................Account Executive

Advertising Deadlines

Tuesday’s Issue............... Friday at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday’s Issue........... Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.

Comic courtesy of comics.com

CAMPUS

Thursday, April 29, 2010

“Kats Meow” goes purfectly

Across the universe

By Kara Vaughan Contributing Writer From cratered terrain to raging storms, the SHSU physics department is offering tours of the galaxy to explore the startling facts of other worlds and learn the beauty of the patterned constellations. The first event will be “Legends of the Night Sky: Orion,” held Friday, April 30 in the planetarium, room 102 in the Farrington building, from 7p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

During the days of spring, the great mythology hunter, Orion, can be seen along the western sky. Leo the Lion comes out to play and the Big Dipper has center stage. The stars continue to fascinate every generation around the world. The physics department will teach the constellations, stars and planets to anyone curious of the vast stretch around our planet.

The night skies have been used throughout history for navigation, mythology and horoscopes. They have been looked to for the past, present guidance and future choices.

Astronomers look to them for understanding and others just to enjoy their magnificence.

On May 7 and May 14, the final presenta-

tion of “Extreme Planets” will be held on “IBEX: Search for the Edge of the Solar System.” It will be a dive into the unknown to dig up all of the bizarre happenings on other planets. A virtual tour of the clear night sky can be seen inside the planetarium’s dome.

Wondering what could be so extreme about other planets?

How about knowing that the surface of Venus made up of volcanoes and lava plains, or the fact that Neptune has 13 moons. The moon has a day temperature of over 200 degrees and a night temperature of 200 degrees below zero. There are Saturn’s rings, which are made up of both ice and rock, and also the sun, just an averagesized star our world couldn’t live without.

The extraordinary solar system is here at SHSU, available to any space explorers or curious stargazers at the planetarium. The physics department is offering everyone an opportunity to experience the beauty of the unknown.

For more information on show times call Michael Prokosch at 936.294.3664, or e-mail him at mwp007Wshsu. edu. Also, visit the planetarium’s wiki page at http://shsu-planetarium. wikispaces.com/.

From TESTING page 1

“It turns out that their opinion does matter,” faculty senate chair and SHSU Chemistry professor Paul Loeffler, PhD. said.

And he believes the students’ voice comes in loud and clear via the annual “Faculty Evaluation System”, or FES. According to academic policy statement 820317, the student evaluations given out each semester are instrumental in a variety of administrative decisions including tenure, promotion and merit pay. Because of this, many administrators feel that to neglect its significance would be a disservice to the university.

“Each year, there are faculty members that do not get tenure and do not get promoted and do not receive merit raises because the students have evaluated them unfavorably,” Loeffler said. “So, we would like [students] to take them seriously; we take them very seriously.”

“At [a faculty member’s] cumulative six year point [they stand] for tenure and in that process the university grants them a relatively secure position,” Loeffler said.

Loeffler says the process to be granted tenure isn’t easy, however, as many professors struggle to strive towards this accomplishment.

Many believe that this is why tenure is such a sensitive subject to those involved in higher education.

Employment JP LANDSCAPING NOW HIRING CREW MEMBERS. Apply within at 191 I-45, next door to Home Depot.

Kids World Learning Center Summer Job Opening School Teachers/Field Trips Life Guards/Swim Lessons Come have a world of fun with us!

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Real Estate 1/1, Small complex, 1/2 blocks from SHSU, Shaded, Nice area.

Call 291-1102

For more information please call The Houstonian at 936-294-4864

Joe Buvid | The Houstonian

NO. 1 PRIORITY: Guest speakers David Strickland and Lana Hughes said the future of the media depends on the next generation.

By Jessica Priest Associate News Editor Notable media personalities David Strickland, of Channel 13, and Lana Hughes, of KTRH Radio, visited the campus of Sam Houston State University Tuesday to provide an indepth look into the cut-throat, competitive and rewarding world of journalism as part of a program entitled “The Kat’s Meow: Mingling with the Media”.

The program, which was put on by the student-led public relations group Priority One, allocated two hours for

“You’re talking about a faculty member’s future and so of course it’s important,” Provost David E. Payne said. “You’re talking about making a judgment on the quality of work that they are doing and everybody wants to be recognized as doing wonderful work. So, when you make a judgment that their work is not up to the standard’s of the university, of course that’s a very painful and difficult thing to hear.”

Loeffler says faculty members are awarded tenure on the basis that they exceed the expectations in three critical areas of professorship: teaching, service and scholarship. The FES is also a tool used by the chair of the department, who is just one individual that has a say in the tenure process, to measure a faculty member’s teaching effectiveness. Still, students’ opinions of their instructors do not go ignored - even when the chair is thinking.

“In many departments, the information the chairs use for their evaluation is the student evaluations,” Loeffler said. “That means that the student evaluation and, basically, the students’ opinion has a weight of about 50 percent (in the teaching requirement of tenure).”

And it’s true. The academic policy statement specifically states that teaching effectiveness is comprised of two inputs that receive equal weight including the Chair’s rating, or FES 1, and the students’ rating, or FES 2. Each input contributes 50 percent towards an instructor’s teaching effectiveness score.

Furthermore, many students, especially those that have witnessed the seemingly

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The Houstonian, Page 5

moderator and SHSU Warner Chair Peter Roussel to pose questions concerning the current state of the media.

But students seemed most interested in their advice on how to attain a job in field where a journalism degree is just simply not enough.

“Don’t be afraid to pay dues because we all have to do it and it’s just something that comes with the package” Hughes said. “Do what you love and the rest will follow, but be prepared to start small…Big stories happen in small places.”

Strickland, an alumnus of SHSU who has risen the media ranks to become the Vice President of News for Hous-

ton’s Channel 13, had a different piece of advice to offer.

When he receives 400 applicants for one open reporting position, Strickland said he looks for qualities that will enable to the newcomer to adapt to their family atmosphere. He also values journalistic integrity even in high pressure circumstances.

“I haven’t fired a lot of people in my life, but I have fired people because of their inability to tell the truth,” Strickland said. “I just can’t count on that person.”

Priority one is the product of a directed study in Mass Communication, or MCM 499. The class created their own public relations group

reckless bubbling of their peers, have raised the question on whether or not the evaluations are a credible source of information. For example, are evaluations that are filled out haphazardly a detriment to the evaluation and therefore tenure process? What preventative measures, if any, are in place to ensure the information provided is reliable? Do they throw out those that just don’t seem “right”?

Loeffler says he doesn’t know the IDEA center’s policy towards throwing out unreliable data, but he believes they have a right to do so.

“I do know that they would have, in terms of trying to develop a reliable set [of data], to pick students that have actually put some thought, concern and effort into the evaluation,” Loeffler said.

“Clearly, somebody who has marked one single thing all the way through hasn’t taken [the evaluation] seriously because of the nature of some of the questions. There are simply some questions that do not apply [for certain courses],” Loeffler said.

According to the IDEA center director Bill Pallett, no evaluations are thrown out – no matter what the circumstances.

He says the first 20 items on the IDEA survey detect teaching behaviors. These questions are typically the standard for every course. Items 21 through 32, however, tell a different story.

“When faculty members use the IDEA system, they also have to fill out a form where they select the learning objectives that they feel are most important to their course. So, when a student fills out items 21 through 32

to provide on-campus departments, organizations and others a public relations service.

Roussel says the group of nine students are self-motivated and seek to get a “hands-on” experience to prepare for their future careers. “[The Kat’s Meow] is the first in what we hope will be an ongoing series,” Roussel said. “This will be their legacy.”

Approximately 30 guests were in attendance and food and refreshments were served shortly before the discussion.

For more information on Priority One, please e-mail priority1PR@gmail.com

on a diagnostic or longer survey form, the faculty members have already read those twelve learning objectives and said that these are the ones that are most important for my class,” Pallett said.

“Everyone can define careless responses differently, but we examine the careless response issue by looking at how students do on the first 20 items. For example, do they answer 19 of the [first] 20 [questions] the same way?”

Through this method, Pallett believes IDEA researchers have gathered a better understanding of how serious the issue is.

“We have found out two things. One is that [carelessness in filling out evaluations] doesn’t happen all that often. Less than 10 percent of the forms come out that way. The second thing [we’ve found] is that when [careless forms] did happen the most were on the positive side rather than the negative side. They are more likely to be 5’s than 1’s by a rather dramatic margin,” Pallett said.

“In general, students are pretty positive about their learning.”

Pallett also said that there are many adjustments made to control the rate of error in the evaluations.

“There are a lot of things that can occur in student ratings that can have a modest impact. That’s why we have adjusted scores that look at students’ self-reported motivation in the class and their work habits,” Pallett said.

“We’ve done things to try to level the playing field for both faculty teaching freshmen, sophomore and undergraduate level education classes and those faculty teaching upper level classes in the majors.”

For now, the IDEA Center’s decided course of action is actually inaction.

“We process over 200,000 classes and over 3 million forms a year, so we have examined [the carelessness issue] and, at this point in time, we don’t think that there is a strong enough indication that students are that irresponsible that we need to engage [in that practice],” Pallett said.

Whether the students’ evaluation of their instructors is flawed remains to be seen.

The ability students have to make a positive impact on their instruction; however, is unquestionably certain. Loeffler says that all the faculty can do is hope that the process achieves what it set out to do.

“At each level (of the tenure process) there is an evaluation and, hopefully, the standards for tenure that the faculty member is trying to achieve and/or excel is well communicated through all those levels,” Loeffler said.

“We all just want people who will work hard for our students and serve our students,” Loeffler said in a statement about the FES and tenure. “That’s what we’re looking for.”

Thursday, April 29, 2010

CAMPUS

The Houstonian, Page 6

A man of many talents

Brad Basker ends his career as the most outgoing and unsavory student at Sam Houston State University He reels off two more songs before he gets to his finale of “Postage,” a song about a package he sent to Dia Frampton when he was in love with her.

“I sent her the package when she was in Canada,” he says. “It’s probably up there floating around somewhere.”

Basker’s music has become well known around the Sam Houston State University Campus. In his five years at SHSU, he has played his electric guitar, acoustic guitar and even cavaquinho, a small string Portuguese/Brazilian Guitar tuned to D-GB-D. The music started Joe Buvid | The Houstonian young for Basker, SPRINGING OUT THE SUSPENDERS: Mad his father use to force him into pracBrad performed such classics as “Amasong”, “Cloud ticing. To find ways 9” and “Martian Odyssey” at this years “Spring Fling” out he would cut the event, which was hosted by Program Council. strings with scissors and hide the replacement strings. Oddly

By Lotis Butchko enough it wasn’t till he heard Avril Lavigne that he decided he wanted Senior Editor to play guitar again.

Even though pop/punk sensation Avril Lavigne was his inspiration The guitar riffs started along with for guitar he has a wide variety of other songs. His aviator glasses remusic he likes.

In The Houstonian flecting back on the crowd as the newsroom he plays everything from other bands gawked at his great play, Brazilian, to Portuguese and Samba and his ability to down more Red music.

Bulls then humanly possible. Brad At the desk, Basker sits staring Basker stands on stage in his red at a computer, it’s time to write ansuspenders walking around barefoot other “Mad Brad”. He doesn’t move talking to the crowd that he plans to much, but waits for inspiration to make musical love to. strike.

Sometimes he goes to basket“What’s up everyone, my name is ball games, and other times he just Brad Basker. Let’s play some music goes home.

For a column that could today,” he says. revolve around anything, inspiration He starts to warm up and begins playing along with the other music is just a second away.

Basker’s weekly column talks on his bright red electric guitar, and about everything from a squirrel begins playing “Amasong,” a song apocalypse to the advantages of usabout taking a girl down to Brazil ing a loufa over a wash cloth. Since and just dancing. being at The Houstonian, Brad has Before he starts his second song written over 67 “Mad Brads” and he downs another Red Bull, his had finally reached his last one. second in the past 15 minutes. His Of course this has been said besecond song, “Cloud 9,” begins and fore.

Basker has written one other the crowd, rather the people in the farewell column last year when he streets, start to jam out. Two girls thought he was graduating. in the background begin to dance as “You never know what’s going to Basker continues to play. happen,” he says.

“This next song is called Martian The column started when former Odyssey. I was kind of eccentric as a Viewpoints Editor Kristin Edwards kid, and I thought I was from Mars,” asked Basker to do a column. After he says. “So this song is about get16 hilarious columns then Viewting an Earth woman, like you girls, points Editor Bryan Honeycutt to come with me.”

deemed the column “Mad Brad”.

The first “Mad Brad” was about being late to class, but it has since transformed. There have been three columns about squirrels and how they are out to get him, one about female menstrual cycles, and one other about viewing men underwear models, where he used eight different words for the male groin area.

“When I took over as Viewpoints Editor, we were looking for a title of his column,” Honeycutt said. “He had an angry looking photo and it just reflected his photo.”

“I think in a lot of ways Brad’s column reflects Sam Houston’s culture as a whole,” Honeycutt said.

“I was never in the shell” But these were just a way for Brad to show a different side of himself.

Not only is Basker talented at playing guitar, he is also a social networking genius. Aside from his 2,649 friend on Facebook, which he claims to actually know. There is a Facebook group called “I Know Mr. Basker”, in tribute to his social ways.

“I started that group,” Basker said.

“It was for my fan club. It was mainly a social networking tool.”

There is also www.lbmysb.com Basker’s website which he explains as a business venture, for photography, music and blogging.

Next week, Maximillain Augustus St. Claire will be making his last radio show. St. Claire made his radio debut in January. His British accent speaks fluently in the language of music, as he talks about music and social issues.

“You’re on the air with St. Claire,” he says. “Back in the U.K. we didn’t do things like that.”

To the untrained ear St. Claire sounds like a totally original disk jockey, but St. Claire’s friends no better and find that the mysterious man behind the mike is actually their friend Brad Basker.

Radio is new, but it started out of fun.

“It started on a hunch, I was kind of bored,” Basker says. “They were having tryouts that day, and I just figured it would look good on a resume.”

Basker, or St. Claire, was paired up with Nick Steele and they have since started a “college rock show.”

90.5 does relatively well with Basker on air. Most phone calls go something like this: “Brad, is that you with a British accent?”

Basker has always considered himself eccentric “I was never in the shell,” Basker says. “My brother was a Frat Daddy before I got here. I got drunk on orientation night.”

From his first days on campus, Basker was outgoing, he was at every party his freshman year. Aside from alcohol, Basker found his way into other mischievous things. But after his first semester, he had his revelation.

Basker became a devout Christian and it changed his life. He went from party on the weekends to church every Sunday.

Maybe if you get the chance this semester you will see Brad Basker playing in the mall. He might have the acoustic or he might have his cavaquinho. But make sure to stop by and see SHSU’s most outgoing student.

File Photo | Thomas Boydson

AUSTIN HALL ANTICS: In addition to his duties as the Director of Advertising Relations at the Houstonian, Mad Brad likes to indulge the ears of the entire staff with his eclectic taste in music.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

NATION & WORLD

Page 7 The Houstonian

ACT scores are even less likely to complete bachelor’s degrees than their classmates.

The institutions profiled in the SREB report are helping more students complete degrees while also providing a quality education.

These institutions often serve a comparatively high percentage of students from low- income families and students with average-orbelow scores on standardized achievement tests. Yet their six-year graduation rates are near the national average for all students.

The study team used The Education Trust’s College Results Online database to select colleges and universities that met these criteria in 2006: a six-year graduation rate of at least 45 percent; a median SAT score no higher than 1050 (ACT average of approximately 25); a proportion of students receiving Pell Grants of at least 25 percent; and Carnegie Classification as a public baccalaureate or master’s institution.

Sam Houston State was the only Texas university profiled

in the report. The other 14 institutions included: California: California State University, Long Beach and California State University, Stanislaus Illinois: Western Illinois University Kentucky: Murray State University and Western Kentucky University Mississippi: Delta State University Missouri: Northwest Missouri State University Nebraska: Wayne State College New Jersey: Montclair State University New York: Queens College, The City University of New York and The College of Staten Island, The City University of New York North Carolina: Elizabeth City State University and North Carolina Central University Pennsylvania: Clarion University of Pennsylvania The report’s recommendations could help guide state policy decisions to improve degree completion across the na-

tion, Blanco said.

Among the recommendations: • Make graduation of all students the first priority of the campus, the faculty and staff, and central to the campus culture and to all institutional practices.

• Emphasize students’ degree completion in the selection and evaluation of all campus administrators, especially the president and top academic administrators.

• Charge a team of campus leaders with overseeing efforts to improve student success.

• Help ensure that students are academically ready to succeed in college — in reading, writing and math — and provide them with additional instruction when needed.

• Require that all students choose a major and develop an individual graduation plan by the end of the freshman year.

• Provide targeted programs and services that foster degree completion.

• Closely monitor all students’ progress on their individual graduation plans.

• Develop an institutional

master course schedule that covers at least three years.

From 2004 to 2006, Sam Houston State’s six-year graduation rate increased dramatically, from 34 percent to 46 percent. One-year retention rates also increased, to 75 percent.

“We created the Student Advising and Mentoring Center, the SAM Center, to serve as a one-stop shop for proactive, sometimes intrusive, advising, mentoring and support services to help students set goals and create plans to achieve them, and we monitored their progress.

We centralized student services in an Enrollment Management division including admissions, career services, financial aid, new student orientation, registrars office and residence life.”

“We try very hard to not allow even one student fall through the cracks here. We take it personally if they do and we want to know why.”

SHSU’s provost and vice president for Academic

Affairs David Payne praised SHSU faculty for accepting the additional responsibilities that go along with their usual missions of dedicated to the individual student’s success, which means they often go beyond their basic role as teachers to advise and mentor students and refer them to the SAM Center when necessary,” Payne said.

“When we hire a new teacher or staff member, we emphasize that caring for students is a valued and expected part of working here.”

Despite rising college enrollment, improvement in students’ timely completion of bachelor’s degrees in the United States has stalled, according to the report. Fewer than one-third of degree-seeking, full-time freshmen in public four-year institutions graduate in four years. Most students who enter college as first-time, full-time freshmen take at least six years to earn a bachelor’s degree — and only 55 percent graduate in that time span.

Research shows that students from disadvantaged economic backgrounds or with low SAT/

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) — President Barack Obama said Wednesday that there “may not be an appetite” in Congress to deal with immigration immediately after going through a tough legislative year.

With energy legislation on the table and midterm elections approaching, Obama said he didn’t want to force an immigration bill through Congress “just for the sake of politics.” Still, he said discussions on the issue must move forward in a way that can garner the support of the American people.

“We’ve gone though a very tough year and I’ve been working Congress very hard, so I know there may not be an appetite immediately to dive into another controver-

sial issue,” the president told reporters aboard Air Force One returning with him to Washington from a Midwest trip.

The issue of immigration bubbled to the surface in recent weeks after Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed a controversial bill into law requiring local and state law enforcement to question people about their immigration status if there’s reason to suspect they’re in the country illegally. The law also makes it a state crime to be in the U.S. illegally.

Obama has sharply criticized the law, asking the Justice Department to look into whether it violates civil rights. On Wednesday, he said he understands the frustrations of people in Arizona who are faced with thousands of immigrants coming

into their state illegally, but he said the state’s new

the debate over reform.

“What I think is a mis-

officials given the power to stop people on the suspicions that they may be undocumented workers,” Obama told reporters. “That carries a great amount of risk.”

The president said that while he believed he could get a majority of Democrats to support immigration reform, he still needs help from Republicans.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had talked about moving immigration ahead of climate change legislation, a suggestion that splintered bipartisan support for the climate bill. Then Reid said Tuesday he was willing to bring up climate change legislation ahead of an immigration bill, but Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was still angry that Reid

considered putting off the climate bill.

Reid said the longdelayed climate bill “is much further down the road in terms of a product” than the immigration measure, which remains unwritten.

An immigration proposal by three Democratic senators calls for more federal enforcement agents and other border security-tightening benchmarks before illegal immigrants could become legal U.S. residents, according to a draft of the legislation obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. The bill is being developed by Reid of Nevada, Chuck Schumer of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey.

From SHSU page 1

Contacts: For more information about how Sam Houston State University promotes student success: Dr. David Payne, provost and vice president for academic affairs, 936.294.1001, email david.payne@shsu.edu; Dr. Heather Thielemann, vice president for enrollment management, 936.294.1345; email Thielemann@shsu.edu; and Bill Fleming, director of the Student Advising and Mentoring Center, 936.294.4450; email fleming@ shsu.edu; Alan Richard, director of communications, SREB, alan.richard@sreb.org.

To see the report: Go to Promoting a Culture of Student Success: How Colleges and Universities Are Improving Degree Completion (http://publications.sreb. org/2010/10E02_Promoting_ Culture.pdf)

Obama: Congress may not tackle immigration soon

Photo courtesy of Associated Press President Barack Obama answers question for members of the media aboard Air Force One entroute to Andrews Air Force Base, Wednesday, April 28, 2010. immigration law would only end up polarizing

take is when we start having local law enforcement

The Houstonian, Page 8

ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Houstonian’s School Year End Awards Best Film: Up in the Air Kevin Jukkola Entertainment Editor

Best Television Drama: Mad Men Not surprisingly, the best show on television is also the one that gives the most detailed and unambiguous explanations for the nuances and imperfections of the characters.

Don Draper, the most captivating television character ever created, does many unforgivable things to his family and yet we forgive him because we sense a humanity within him that makes his actions understandable. He is simply a microcosm of deeply troubled individuals who attempt to ignore or put off their troubles instead of dealing with them.

Both timely and timeless, this is a funny and poignant examination of people dealing with a sense of abandonment in their personal and professional lives. Some of their problems are selfimposed but most are products of the unforgiving worlds they inhabit, where people are inherently selfish because that is the only way they know how to live. All of the performances perfectly capture the insecurities of each character, while showing growth and maturity in some and the harsh reality about others.

Best Performance in Film: Ben Foster, The Messenger He created a complex character of mysterious intentions who is revealed piece by piece throughout this masterpiece. The subtle touches he utilizes in expressing the emotional pain that now guides his life are completely honest and heartbreaking. His inability to change what has happened and guilt associated with those experiences continuously threaten his well being until the flawless conclusion. We don’t always know why he is hurting or what he is thinking, which is what makes his character so unforgettably absording.

Best Television Comedy: Community It might not be the funniest comedy on television, but it is certainly the most humane.

Joel McHale is superb, setting the zany tone for the entire cast. It has a similar tone to “Wings”, which I believe to be the greatest sitcom of all time, in that it is always willing to sacrifice some laughs in order to reveal something truthful about the intriguing characters. This brings a sense of truthfulness to the atmosphere that makes it more touching than was originally believed possible.

The Tim and Bob Show comes to Huntsville The Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville is pleased to present The Tim and Bob Show concert at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at the new church building at 144 East Mosley Lane.

All proceeds from the concert by this impressive group from San Antonio will go to the church's building fund. Please come and help the church celebrate their new building.

The Tim and Bob Show is a dynamic quartet consisting of Steve Feinstein playing lead/ rhythm guitar and providing tenor vocals; Don Hymel playing rhythm guitar and singing baritone; Kathy Feinstein singing soprano and playing percussion and bass guitar; and Mary Lou Hymel singing alto and playing percussion.

These four performers are members of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio. They have been playing together professionally for almost five years. "At no time has there ever been anyone named Tim or Bob in the band. The name of our band was one of several that came up one evening when the prospect of actually performing professionally was remote," said Don Hymel.

The San Antonio Current, a weekly newspaper with a strong emphasis on entertainment and the arts, has an annual readers poll dealing with the San Antonio arts scene. In 2008 and 2009 this poll selected The Tim and Bob Show as "Cover Band of the Year" (a band that primarily performs material created by other performers). In 2009 The San Antonio Current readers chose the album, "Take It Outside", as "Album of the Year." It consists of 12 songs written by Steve Feinstein and Don Hymel.

The Texas Music Coalition, an organization of Texas music performers, composers, agents, and broadcasters, chose The Tim and Bob Show as their "Artist of the Year" in 2008.

The Tim and Bob Show is not a bar band, not a metal band, not a country band, and not a dance band. They are a band you listen to while you enjoy good food and good company.

Their songs include pleasant and sometimes intricate twopart harmony and occasionally three-part and four-part harmonies.

Recommended donations for the concert are $5.00 for students and $5.00 for seniors 65 and above, and $10.00 for others. Coffee and dessert will be available for purchase at the

show.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Huntsville will get all of the admission intake, all of the baked goods intake, and a percentage of the CD's and tote bags that are sold. All funds raised will be used to help complete the church's new building.

The quartet is donating their time for this concert to the Huntsville church.

Warning regarding directions to the Huntsville church: Mapquest has an error about the location of East Mosley Lane. So please use the following directions.

If traveling north on I-45 from the Houston/Conroe area, take Exit 112 when you get to Huntsville, and you'll then be traveling north on Hwy. 75. Go about 8/10 of a mile past Southwood Drive and look for East Mosley Lane on the right and turn right.

If you're traveling east to Huntsville on Hwy. 30, cross the I-45 overpass and continue trav-

eling east through Huntsville.

Hwy. 30 becomes 11th Street.

You'll cross several streets with signal lights and finally come to Sam Houston Ave. which gets you to downtown Huntsville.

Turn right or south on Sam Houston Ave. and travel about three miles to get to East Mosley Lane. Sam Houston Ave. becomes Hwy. 75 South.

East Mosley Lane is about 1/2 mile past McCoy's Building Supply and not far past Old Houston Road which you'll see on the right. Look for a sign on the right which says Commercial Storage. East Mosley Lane is about fifty yards past this sign.

Turn left or east on East Mosley Lane. The Huntsville church is on the right at the end of East Mosley Lane.

Sam Houston State University students and residents of the central and north parts of Huntsville will travel south on Sam Houston Ave. to get to East Mosley Lane.

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SPORTS

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Page 9 The Houstonian

A Year in Sports: Top Stories of the Year 1. Sam Houston State’s men’s basketball team wins conference, goes to the big dance The Bearkats basketball team had a historic run in the 2009-2010 season.

SHSU began the season by playing tough non-conference opponents, such as Auburn, Louisiana-Lafayette, and the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats.

The Bearkats dominated conference play, finishing with a 14-2 record in Southland Conference play, having only lost to Texas State and UTSA, both on the road.

SHSU clinched the No. 1 seed for the post-season tournament on Feb. 24, when the Kats rolled McNeese State, 74-56, to take the SLC crown in front of the home crowd in Johnson Coliseum.

Their post-season quest began in the Southland Conference Basketball Tournament, which took place in the Merrell Center in Katy, Tx. In the first round of the tournament, the Kats took on Nicholls, who proved to be a tough opponent at the eighth spot.

The Bearkats edged Nicholls, 62-57, and moved on to the second round of the tournament.

SHSU had another nailbiter against Southeastern Louisiana.

Under the leadership of Ashton Mitchell, the Kats overcame an 83-78 deficit with three minutes left in the game and closed out on a 10-2 run to

take the game, 88-85.

The Kats then faced off against the rival SFA. SHSU prevailed with a 64-48 rout to claim themselves as SLC Champs. Next stop: the NCAA tournament.

SHSU’s journey to the big dance ended in New Orleans, La. The 14th seeded Kats fell to No. 3 Baylor, 68-59, in a backand-forth, edge of your seat game. The Bearkats went cold behind the arc, a place where they usually relish.

Despite an early exit in the NCAA tournament, the men’s basketball team had a very successful season under Head Coach Bob Marlin.

OUT AND IN. Coach Hooten (below) is brought on as head basketball coach when Marlin (left) leaves.

Louisiana-Lafayette Sports Information Brian Blalock | Sam Houston State University

3. Head Football Coach Todd Whitten is fired, Willie Fritz returns to Sam Houston State Upon ending the 2009 football season with a loss at Texas State, the SHSU football team finished with a 5-6 overall record, which included a 3-4 record in the Southland Conference.

2009 ended in similar fashion for the Bearkats under Whitten: another losing season.

Whitten was hired in 2005 to replace Ron Randleman, who won conference coach of the year four times.

In his five years with SHSU, Whitten had accumulated a 25-28 record, which included a 16-17 record in the conference.

Whitten had coached the Kats to just two winning seasons in his time as head coach

and his teams have never placed higher than fifth place in the conference. None of his SHSU teams ever played in the postseason.

Coach Whitten met with Athletic Director Bobby Williams on Nov. 23 for their annual end-of-year meeting.

At the meeting’s end, it was announced that Whitten had been fired.

As a result of Whitten being let go, there was a vacancy at the head coaching position of the Bearkat football team.

The search began immediately and many suitors were taken into consideration.

On Dec. 18, while students were on vacation for winter break, Williams introduced Willie Fritz as the new head

coach for the SHSU football team.

Fritz left behind a 97-47 record at Central Missouri, where he coached for 13 years before being brought on at SHSU. He managed to be to the winningest coach at Central Missouri and had seven or more wins in eight consecutive seasons.

He also led two national championship teams as a head coach at Blinn College.

Fritz, who coached the secondary and special teams for the conference champion SHSU in 1992, looks to turn the football program around and make winners out of the Bearkat football team once again.

John Rudolph | The Houstonian

THE CONFERENCE ELITE. The SHSU basketball team accepts its regular season championship trophy.

2. Head Basketball Coach Bob Marlin takes job at University of Louisiana-Lafayette After leading the Sam Houston State men’s basketball team to its second appearances in the NCAA tournament, Head Coach Bob Marlin accepted the coaching position at Louisiana-Lafayette.

Marlin, who had been considered for the head coach position at various universities, including Houston, UTEP, and Auburn, left behind a 12-year career with a 225-130 record at SHSU, and three conference titles.

Marlin was also named the Southland Conference “Coach of the Year” three times, including 2000, 2003, and 2010.

Following the successful season with SHSU, Coach Marlin felt it was time to relocate and continue his

legacy at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, a team that defeated SHSU, 95-85, earlier in the season.

Upon leaving the position vacant, Athletic Director Bobby Williams felt it was necessary to move quickly and find Marlin’s replacement as soon as possible.

Williams didn’t have to look far, though.

On Friday, Apr. 2, Williams announced that Jason Hooten would take Marlin’s place as the new men’s head basketball coach.

Hooten, who had been an assistant coach under Marlin for the past six years, joined the SHSU coaching staff on July 1, 2004.

Hooten helped guide the basketball team to a 127-59 record in his time as an as-

sistant.

In that span, the Bearkats had also achieved four 20win seasons and stood as a juggernaut of the Southland Conference.

In 2009, Hooten was seleceted as one of the top 100 NCAA assistants by RecruitingRumors.com.

He also received acclaim from CollegeInsider.com back in July, who named him as an honorable mention for the Top 25 Mid-Major assistant coaches in the nation.

SHSU will definitely miss Coach Marlin, but the team doesn’t look to miss a beat under Coach Hooten.

Hooten, a renowned recruiter, has already begun the scouting process and looks to lead the Kats to a successful season next year.

A NEW REGIME. Coach Fritz (below) is brought on as head football coach after Whitten (right) lis fired.

Brian Blalock | Sam Houston State University

SHSU Sports Information

4. The Bearkats’ volleyball team is stunned in first round of postseason tournament

Joe Buvid | The Houstonian

ONE AND DONE. After an historic 2009 season, the SHSU volleyball team is upset in the SLC tournament.

The 2009 SHSU volleyball team was one of the most dominant volleyball teams that could call Johnson Coliseum home.

Throughout the season, the Kats had dominated the Southland Conference.

They opened SLC play by defeating Lamar at home as the opening match of the Comfort Suites Bearkat Classic in a three-set sweep. SHSU lost its next conference game, which was a rematch with Lamar just a week later. From there, the Bearkats never looked back.

SHSU went on to win their next 11 matches, marking their longest win streak since winning 14 in a row in 1993.

Number 11 came in the

home season finale against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Upon winning an enticing fiveset match, SHSU finished undefeated at home at 8-0.

The winning streak ended the next week at UT-Arlington, which set the stage for the Kats as the first of four road games to close out the season.

Unfortunately for the Bearkats, the losing continued.

SHSU went on to lose their next two matches and finished the year by losing three out of their last four matches.

Despite the soft finish, the Kat’s winning streak placed them at second in the West Division of the SLC with a 12-4 record.

They entered the postseason

tournament as the No. 2 seed in the West Division of the bracket.

SHSU faced off against No. 7 Nicholls, a team that the Kats defeated on the road in a threeset sweep earlier in the season.

In the first set, SHSU took control and the lead, winning 25-21. But the Bearkats could not keep their momentum and lost the next three sets in a row to the Colonels.

The match loss meant an upset and an early exit out of the tournament for a historic SHSU volleyball team.

But the loss didn’t keep the Bearkats’ spirits down.

With just two seniors leaving for graduation, SHSU is hopeful for a brighter season in 2010.

5. Head Baseball Coach Mark Johnson takes claim to his 1000th career victory When the 2010 baseball season started, the Bearkats came in with their third straight Southland Conference postseason title.

Head Coach Mark Johnson came into the season with a career record of 989-504-3 in 25 years of coaching at the NCAA Division I level, which included 21 years at Texas A&M and four at SHSU. With just 11 victories to go to reach the 1000-win milestone, the Bearkats looked to get the ball rolling towards celebrating the accomplishment with their coach. At the beginning of the season, it seemed as though it would be May before the Kats reached 11 wins.

SHSU started the season on a seven-game losing streak.

After facing some of the top teams in the nation, including TCU and Utah, the Kats found themselves at 0-7 to start the year.

The Bearkats found their first victory at home against Texas Southern University.

SHSU went on to lose their next two games, but things started turning around when they edged Northern Colorado in a 15-inning home win.

From there on, the Kats went on to win four of their next six, and two games later, embarked on a seven-game win streak.

In the sixth win of that streak, the Kats completed a three-game sweep of the conference foe UTSA, giving Johnson win number 1000 of his career.

Johnson became just the 44th coach to eclipse the 1000win milestone and only the 15th active coach to achieve the feat.

With SHSU’s record currently at 17-25, Coach Johnson’s current career record stands at 1006-529-3, which is just one win behind Arizona’s Andy Lopez, who is 14th in wins for active coaches in NCAA Division I baseball.

The Kats have 13 regular season games left to play before the Southland Conference Tournament and they are currently in ninth place in the SLC. If SHSU makes it into the tournament, Coach Johnson will look to lead the Kats to their fourth straight conference tourney title.

SHSU Sports Information

PROMINENT COMPANY. Coach Johnson becomes one of 44 NCAA coaches to reach 1000 career wins.

Page 10 The Houstonian

A YEAR IN SPORTS

Photos by Joe Buvid | The Houstonian John Rudolph | The Houstonian

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Thursday, April 29, 2010