September 27, 2012

TODAY’S FORECAST

HI: 91o LOW: 70o

Summit Entertainment, John Bramley| Associated Press

Adamcik: “Perks of Being A Wallflower” is a typical coming-of-age story.

Brings unique literary view to teenage life when growing up in modern era.

Chance of Rain:

10%

Student talked out of suicide at parking garage, sent to hospital.

Volume 122 / Issue 9

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Guest speaker causes controvery with campus LGBTQ group

www.HoustonianOnline.com

Student group focuses on voter education, registration SOPHIE NELSON Staff Reporter

Joselynn Taylor | The Houstonian

GO VOTE Be the People SHSU volunteers help register students outside the CHSS building on campus Wednesday.

drive is to get everyone registered to vote before the Oct. 9 cutoff date and then Be The People SHSU will focus on helping voters learn more about the candidates.”

He also emphasized that if students wanted to take part in the local elections they will have to register to vote in Walker County.

Ashleigh Sanchez, a freshman Business major and a member of Be The People SHSU, also

encouraged students to register and then vote to make a difference, especially since each presidential candidate directly affects educational funding for college students.

She then said it was important to be educated about the candidates in local/state elections as well instead of just voting a “straight ticket” because it often results in an unqualified candidate

being put into office.

Cawley said it is not important to Be The People SHSU who they choose as their ideal candidate.

“We do not care who you vote for, as long as you vote with purpose,” Cawley said.

Be The People SHSU will have a program set up closer to election periods that will have drivers taking people from campus to the polls and back.

Fareed Khan/Associated Press

PROTESTING PEOPLES Pakistani students chant anti-US slogans at a rally to protest against the making of a blasphemous film by a U.S. filmmaker at Karachi university on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012 in Pakistan. A Pakistani Taliban spokesman says the militant group has announced an amnesty for a minister who offered a $100,000 bounty for anyone who kills the maker of an anti-Islam film.

Incendiary video sets world ablaze Students give mixed reactions on subject of anti-Islamic video

Everyone from world leaders to armchair pundits are weighing in on the anti-Islam film that sparked outrage in the Middle East and North Africa. The film not only affects Muslims in those countries, but the foreign policy of the United States.

A Youtube user with the pseudonym Sam Bacile uploaded a controversial 14-minute video in early July titled “Innocence of Muslims,” which negatively depicts the creation of Islam and the life of Muhammad, Islam’s main prophet.

In response to this video, a group of extremists in Benghazi,

Faculty, admin. voice concerns over customer service in higher education GEORGE MATTINGLY News Editor

World News

JAY JORDAN Staff Reporter

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Campus News

The panic starts to show in students’ eyes as they see the red, white and blue flyers beginning to clutter the campus. Anxiety deepens as first-time voters begin to realize, “I’m 18 now, and I have no clue what I’m doing! Who do I vote for? How do I even sign up? I know nothing about anyone who’s running. This is too hard! I’m just not going to vote.”

An honors political science class and seminar realized students lacked voter’s education and decided to do something to remedy the situation. Their combined ideas and suggestions gave way to Be The People SHSU. Be The People SHSU is a nonpartisan group committed to educating new voters and conveying the importance of voting. According to their Facebook page, college students should vote because “the decisions politicians make today will affect the current college generation for the rest of [their] lives” from the job market, to the health system, to family life.

Trey Cawley, chairman of the design committee of Be The People SHSU, said, “Our main

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Libya attacked the U.S. Consulate on Sept. 11, killing four Americans including Christopher Stevens, U.S. Ambassador to Libya.

Sam Houston State University students have differing opinions on the controversy.

Zach Giddens, a criminal justice major, recalls his initial thoughts on the intent and creation of the video.

“Whenever I first heard about it, I thought that the video never really needed to be produced,” Giddens said. “I definitely think that [the makers of the video are] in the wrong.”

Other students took to the internet to voice their opinions about this issue.

One Redditor, Naufrago92,

thinks the outrage could be the cause of the media. “... It is ridiculous to believe that all the outrage is completely because of this video,” he said.

“I’m slightly sure that there are more offensive videos circling the Internet about Muhammad, why this one is getting so much attention is probably because many (mainly the mainstream media) keep feeding it attention.”

Jason Enia, Ph.D., a political science professor at SHSU, said the violence and riots that have erupted around the world in response to the video could be due to different causes.

“One possibility is that this is short term violence in reaction to the video, and we might call

that demonstrative violence (or violence related directly to the video),” Enia said.

He also cited research that shows that demonstrative violence isn’t organized.

“It’s almost better to kind of leave it alone,” Enia said.

Enia said another possibility behind the violence is that the attack was a triggering mechanism for more violence to come.

Giddens agrees with Enia, saying the retaliation to the video was a bit too much.

“I agree with [the embassy attackers] being upset, but they went overboard,” Giddens said.

“At the same time, I do believe that there’s not much that we can —

VIDEO, page 6

Dissention and dialogue arose among faculty members and administrators during discussion of applying aspects of customer service to education at Sam Houston State University in the President and Provost Roundtable Discussion on Wednesday.

President Dana Gibson presented a handout outlining customer service principles that could be applied to higher education that revolved around treating students as “professional clients” and their education as a product.

Several of 100 faculty members that packed LSC room 320 voiced their concerns over challenges applying the principles outlined in the agenda with budgeting issues, identifying student expectations and maintaining university goals and expectations.

Chair and associate professor of Economics Ed Blackburne, Ph.D., expressed his frustration with possible inconsistencies of the customer service principles.

“I think the faculty feels frustrated when this topic comes up because they feel squeezed,” he said. “I think [the faculty feels] the administration is not giving them enough room to do what they need to do, do it unapologetically, and give a good service, but at the same time is being told it might not be ‘their realm’ as a customer service department but you will be held to the same standard’.”

Gibson addressed these frustrations with faculty members and stressed that although the principles were not required, it is important to adapt to some principles of customer service based on outside influences from the state, especially with funding in the future. According to Gibson, state funding from SHSU is about $4,065 per student versus $15,000 per student at the University of Texas at Austin.

“Part of my job is to discuss the pertinent topics that will affect us in over the next five to ten years,” Gibson said. “I do think it’s not broken here, but how do we respond to what is becoming blatant consumerism [.…]The state dynamics are such that some of the performance indicators [for state funding] will be based on some of [these principles] for our funding.”

Provost for Academic Affairs Jaime Hebert agreed with Gibson, noting it is important to achieve a balance between applying new principles of customer service in higher education and university goals and traditions as SHSU looks to move forward.

“The reason why we have these discussions is to see how we adapt these aspects of customer service without losing who we are in basic principles,” Hebert said. “The topic helps the university see how we can adapt.”

Faculty members also voiced concern with identifying roles and responsibilities of students, parents and faculty members when looking at students and parents as “clients,” especially when they pay for their education.

—

TABLE, page 6

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News

Thursday, September 27, 2012

UPD responds to disturbed man on SHSU campus parking garage BRANDON K. SCOTT Staff Reporter University police helped deter an oncampus suicide attempt by a 19-year-old man who authorities said is not a student at Sam Houston State.

Last week, police responded to a report of a man sitting on the concrete railing atop the Sam Houston Parking Garage, screaming and threatening to jump. Police

were able to convince him to come down without incident and he voluntarily went to Huntsville Memorial Hospital for further treatment.

Since the man, who police requested not be identified due to the sensitive nature of the situation, was not an SHSU student and was voluntarily treated at the hospital, he wasn’t evaluated by the university’s counseling

center or health clinic.

Police said they did not suspect the suicidal male was intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.

“We get suicide attempts on campus and in the city as well,” UPD Deputy James Fitch said.

“It’s normal to take them to the hospital, and if they go voluntarily, we usually don’t stay with them. Had he refused, we would’ve kept up with him as a suicide watch patient.”

C o i n c i d e nt a l l y,

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. One university counselor said in the past there have been students to go on top of the garage and threaten suicide.

Treatment for suicidal students at SHSU involves a mental evaluation at the Health Center, followed up by treatment at the Counseling Center.

The counselor said successful suicide attempts at SHSU are rare, but

those few cases almost always involve students who never visited the Counseling Center, or sought out counseling at all. Likewise, he said the Counseling Center has never lost a suicidal patient it was treating.

Read Tuesday’s copy of The Houstonian for a more in-depth look at the issue of suicide at SHSU and other college campuses.

Career Expo offers students chance to get ahead in tough job market GEORGE MATTINGLY News Editor Students flocked to Johnson Coliseum on Tuesday looking for opportunities to network and find future jobs as Career Services hosed its annual Carrer Expo and Graduate Professional School Fair.

A variety of 88 companies including several public services and police departments from Austin, Bryan and Baytown as well as Cellular Cells, Target, McCoy’s Building Supply, Peace Corps and Crothall Healthcare.

Representatives from SHSU Graduate Studies, University of North Texas, and University of Houston, Texas Wesleyan University were also present.

For several students who attended, the expo was an opportunity to network with potential employers face-to face, an important aspect of job searching, according to Susan Byrd of Career Services.

“It’s important for students to make themselves visible to employers,” Byrd said. “It helps them to stand out versus other ways of contacting employers such as through email or mail.”

“Sam gives us so many options to find jobs, but beyond that its more difficult to find a job now,” Julie Mannella, senior marketing major, said. “It’s almost like you have to know

chance to move up,” Graduate student Brandon Boast said. “It’s not scary for me to find a job, it’s just a matter of getting my name and resum out there to move up.”

For most students, the prospect of finding a job after graduation is a frightening, especially with rate of unemployment. As of August of this year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the unemployment rate for Texas at 7.1 percent.

Despite the fright, it was important for students to be at the expo to prepare for the future after graduation.

“It is scary to think about because graduating and finding a job is a long process,” Jaimee Mayes, senior Criminal Justice major, said. “But it’s good to be here to get a head start and see George Mattingly| The Houstonian what different employers require.”

GETTING AHEAD. Business graduate Franisha Wells Bryd offered advice to students speaks to a representative from the U.S. Department of State. who are preparing to graduate and someone to get a job, so it’s good we get to begin looking for jobs. be her and get an idea of what employers are “Prepare early and be aware of the services looking for.” available and more importantly, take advantage Some graduate students went, not to find a of them,” she said. “It makes the difference and job, but to take the next step in their careers. will help [students] advance.”

“I work in retail now, so I’m looking for a

Speaker sparks concern from LGBT group McKINZIE BROCAIL Senior Reporter

The presence of an anti-gay religious activist speaking on campus today has sparked apprehension among members of Gamma Sigma Kappa (Gay Straight Kats).

Christian author and public speaker Frank Turek, Ph.D., will be giving a free seminar called “I Don’t have Enough Faith to

Be an Atheist” from 7 to 9 p.m. today in either the Olson Auditorium of Academic Building IV or the LSC Theatre.

Turek has written the book Correct, Not Politically Correct: How Same-Sex Marriage Hurts Everyone and coauthored I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist and Legislating Morality with Norman L. Geisler.

That Turek is so actively involved in anti-gay media has members of GSK concerned

and uneasy.

“We accept people from all religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds,” Brad McFarland, GSK officer, said. “As an organization that is so inclusive, we find that many of our members come searching for answers to questions about the conflicting ideas on Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender rights. We believe that everyone should have the right to marry the one they love regardless of sexual orientation, and therefore we are disappointed to have such a large opponent of LGBT rights speaking on campus.”

Turek’s views on the attitudes of the LGBT community and GSK differ extremely from those proclaimed by the organizations.

“…The most intolerant folks are often those who say they are fighting for tolerance,” Turek wrote in Correct, Not Politically Correct: How Same-Sex Marriage Hurts Everyone.

“We would like all students to know that if you want to learn more about the LGBT community or are in need of a safe haven that they are always welcome and should feel welcome at GSK,” McFarland said.

Turek’s seminar will cover the topics that stem from the following questions: does truth exist, does God exist, are miracles possible and is the New Testament true.

It was not clear from the announcement whether sexuality would be discussed at the seminar.

The seminar is sponsored by SHSU’s Ratio Christi, the Fellowship of Huntsville Church and the Faith Lutheran Church of Huntsville.

According to RatioChristi.org, “Ratio Christi is a Student Apologetics Alliance that seeks to encourage and strengthen the faith of Christian students at secular and liberal institutions across the country, while also sharing Christ’s message and love to those that have yet to receive it, through the use of intellectual investigation and apologetics.” Apologetics is a branch of Christianity that deals with the defense and establishment of the Christian faith.

Turek is the founder and president of CrossExamined.org, he has a weekly TV program and hosts a weekly radio show that airs on 144 U.S. stations.

Contacts from Turek did not respond to emails from the Houstonian for comment. A Ratio Christi member referred the Houstonian to Turek’s media contact for comment.

houstonianonline.com/news

SGA passes new bill, appoints new senator LEIGHA LEWIS Staff Reporter The Student Government passed a new bill regarding homecoming elections, elected a new senator, and announced it will be hosting a Blood Drive this Friday during its meeting on Tuesday.

The new bill titled “The Homecoming 2012 Election Mobile Polling Places Act”, was enacted with the hopes of increasing voter turnout for this year’s student elections, which in the past have been low, according to Treasurer Jimmy Williams.

The new bill allows SGA to set up a table with computers ready for polling in busy areas on campus, such as the Lowman Student Center, the plaza, and the CHSS building. At these polling places, students will be able to vote not only for the king and queen, but also for university referendums. These polling places will be open Oct. 16 and 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but students will also receive a ballot in their SHSU email on those days.

“We are not advocating either way on either of the referendums, just merely that [the students] need to go out and vote,” said Williams.

The senate also unanimously elected Robert M. Ferguson as senator for the College of Sciences. Ferguson, sophomore biology major, is involved in Veterans Success at SHSU and the Veteran Alumni Association.

As a senator, Ferguson hopes to address his concerns about veterans not being represented on campus, SGA also discussed the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center blood drive it will be sponsoring Friday between the CHSS and Lee Drain buildings from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

President Shane Rankin noted that everyone who signs up to give blood will be entered in a drawing for two Houston Texans tickets for their Oct. 21 game.

Students have the option to schedule an appointment to give blood by visiting www.giveblood. org, logging into Digital Donor, and entering sponsor code “SHSUNE19”.Walk-ins are also welcome.

For more information regarding the homecoming elections or the blood drive, contact President Shane Rankin at shanerankin@shsu.edu.

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Viewpoints

Thursday, September 27, 2012 houstonianonline.com/viewpoints

Americans not happy with presidential candidates

Surveys are always a fun way to find out new and disappointing things about society. According to the most recent poll by Pew Research Center, a whopping 40 percent of registered voters are “not too/not at all satisfied” with presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Of course, this poll does not include citizens who are so dissatisfied with the candidates they couldn’t even bring themselves to register nor does it include those who passed through the line multiple times in fake mustaches.

So that everyone knows where my own biases stand, allow me to clarify that I consider myself a true moderate--something that can only obtained through a complete lack of faith in any existing parties and several nonexistent ones. Why? Essentially, I find Republicans to be morally repulsive and Democrats to be on a level of incompetence that makes small children cry.

But why is the rest of the country so put out about their candidates?

Well, the Republican Party has earned itself a reputation among audiences as being an elitist coven of Sith Lords. The actions of self-

PAWS UP

PAWS UP to Lil Wayne’s hilarious deposition video. We didn’t know you were so funny!

PAWS UP to The Trevor Project today. We support anti-suicide month!

PAWS DOWN

PAWS DOWN to creepy animals (possums) all over campus when you’re walking home.

declared conservatives across the nation have left voters jaded with the Republicans, and whatever your feelings on the man, you’d be lying to say that the Bush administration didn’t coast out of Washington on a reputation riddled with more bullet holes than a Somali ice-cream truck.

Barack Obama was to be the palate cleanser, a satisfying change of pace that built an entire campaign around the concept of renewal.

Painted up to be a political messiah figure, the skin and blood man behind the hype could hardly satisfy a nation that was desperate enough for change to invest the last of their enthusiasm in him. Of course, this was also largely owed to government’s usual display of tried and true junior high cafeteria logic. With a Republican controlled Congress, Obama could have moved to outlaw koala rape and would have met hell passing it.

For better or worse, the ‘change bus’ hit a hard wall made up of compromises and realities. Last election had the highest approval rating in several years and has now taken a dead drop to the lowest since 1992. It was a disappointing

Editorial Staff

Robin Johnson Faculty Adviser 936-294-1499

Stephen Green Editor-in-Chief

We’ve all seen the signs around At the time, I was unaware that I campus lately: Now advising for Spring could access DegreeWorks on my own 2013! computer. It wasn’t until the beginning While many students argue that it of this semester that I learned how to is the adviser’s “fault” that they have access it on my own, so that I could to retake a class or take another class view my degree plan and any notes because they were not advised that it was that any adviser I had met with up to required for their field of study, I believe that point had put on my profile. that many students are going into the The Houstonian spoke with Wesley advising process blind. Students go in Boyd, associative director of Academic thinking that it is solely up to the adviser Advising. He commented on the issue MORGAN MEARS to make an outline of what they need to of student misadvising.

Staff Reporter take for the next semester; however, the “Most of the students at Sam are advising process is a two way street. great, wonderful, ambitious and on top Sam Houston requires its students to be advised of things, but many of them come into my office to be before signing up for classes but students are still advised, and they have no clue whatsoever as to what having problems when it comes to making their they should be doing or what we expect of them here schedules perfect and making sure they are headed at SHSU,” Boyd said. down the right path for graduation. One such Boyd explained that the reason many students student, Courtney Belk, a senior education major were so clueless as to what is required of them in working towards graduating in December 2013, their field of study is because a significant number of explains that she was advised to take a physics course students are not aware of the fact that DegreeWorks is rather than the first bilingual education class that is accessible to them whenever they need it. Therefore, required of education majors and due to this Belk the students go in to the advising process blind, says that she is now a semester behind. handing over responsibility for their next semester I personally have had my fair share of problems in to the adviser thinking that the adviser is going to the SAM Center. During the second semester of my give them the perfect schedule. Boyd stated that the freshman year at SHSU, I went to the advising center, advisers are here “to guide students and lead them in ready to be advised for the Spring 2012 semester, the right direction, but the students are free thinking thinking that the adviser would just point to this adults and I cannot tell them what to do.” class and that class, give me their business card and It seems rather foolish for a student to hand over send me on my way. To be honest, that is basically their education plan to an adviser who has only what happened. known them for a few minutes and only knows facts Yet, when I went to sign up for my classes, I was about them based off of their DegreeWorks profile. completely confused and lost as to what classes I To solve this issue, I think that advisers should show needed to take because I had not paid attention students how to access DegreeWorks from their own during the advising process. I had lost my adviser’s computer during their first advising session. notes that he had given me as a sort of set of guidelines.

Would it be too much to ask?

Like all faculty members, at least once a year I participate in academic conferences in which I present my research findings to colleagues in my particular field of study. Predictably, the initial dialog with these out-ofstate colleagues goes something like this when they see my

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identification badge: -----Sam Houston. Is that in Houston?

-----No, it’s in Huntsville.

-----Huntsville. Isn’t that where they zap the death row inmates?

Now, my question to our board of regents and president is: would it be asking too much to at least go on record as opposing the death penalty considering that

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Web & Multimedia Editor mfrazier@houstonianonline.com

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term for many, though less disappointing in a way that reaps sympathy and more in the way of a 17 year-old that just now figured out Santa Clause isn’t real.

The past several years has resulted in presidential elections no longer feeling to voters like choosing the most promising candidate for their interests.

Instead, we choose between the lesser of two evils. A crotchety old cowboy isn’t going to vote for Romney because he thinks he’s an upstanding, self-made man he can identify with, he just doesn’t want to vote for a liberal whose ideas he doesn’t agree with.

Unfortunately, voting for anyone who isn’t either Democrat

Students need to be more involved in degree planning

Letter DAVID ROSS GERLING

PAWS DOWN to Subway for messing up a catering order for an organization on campus and therefore no food was delivered.

TAYLOR LYKINS Staff Reporter

or Republican is commonly considered to be a wasted vote, which is disappointing considering how many different, exciting kinds of evil there is out there, just waiting to get into power.

One may recall the great Simpsons episode in which two aliens take the forms of presidential candidates. Even after they are publicly shown to be conspiring together against humanity, America still winds up enslaved to the alien species, as none of the voters were able to break the habit of voting only Democrat or Republican.

This childishness is the very reason we are so disappointed in our government in the first place. We are fixated in the twoparty system to the point of insanity. When you go out to eat somewhere, you don’t pick out the same two items over and over then complain about how horrible the food is. You either pick out something else for a change, go somewhere else to eat or strap a helmet to your head and try to ride out your miserable, stupid life by not walking into any more lampposts than you have to.

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Brandon K. Scott Sophie Nelson Karmen King Cheyenne Simpson Jasmine Brown Morgan Mears Allyson Wiley Taylor Likens Leigha Lewis Joselynn Taylor Cody Cobb Cristina Baumann Caitlin Adamcik

now jurors in Texas have the option of recommending life without any chance of ever getting out? We aspire to be a Tier One, internationally famous institution, yet we have a death chamber within a 5- minute walk from our campus. Ironic?

David Ross Gerling, Ph.D. Department of Foreign Languages

Ask Ally ALLYSON WILEY Staff Reporter Dear Ally, I am desperately trying to lose weight before the holiday season starts. Everyone is giving me advice on how to lose weight, but it just doesn’t work for me. Can you help me find a successful plan that will help me drop this weight?

Sincerely, 20 pounds to go Dear 20 pounds to go, I have struggled with weight issues my whole life, and I completely understand wanting to drop the weight before the holidays start. Honestly, there is no ‘quick fix’ that will make all the weight just disappear but there are some things you could do to make progress.

Experts say that in order to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. You do this by counting the calories you take in and subtracting the calories you burn off through exercise. The average caloric intake for women between the ages of 19-30 is 2,000-2,500.

Young men should take their weight and multiply by 15 to find their specific ideal calorie intake.

Those numbers might seem high, but a Big Mac, small fries and a small coke at McDonald’s is 930 calories; and that’s if you don’t upgrade your meal!

Our portion sizes in America have become too large which makes it very difficult to lose weight. Try to avoid meals with this many calories. Choose chicken instead of beef. Say no on cheese. Use low-fat or fat-free spreads. Eat vegetables or fruits when you want a snack and drink a glass of water before and after each meal to get full quicker. Try to eat five times a day. If you eat three balanced meals and two snacks, your metabolism will speed up and work better.

Another issue I think keeps us from losing weight is putting ourselves on extremely limiting diets. By doing this, you are depriving yourself of everything you like to eat. So when you get off your diet, you will most likely eat a large quantity of what you were missing. It’s all about moderation.

Have that piece of chocolate, but make sure you don’t eat the whole bar.

The first step in losing weight should be to cut down your calorie intake and don’t starve yourself.

Skip the McDonalds meal and cook dinner at home.

The next step in losing weight is to exercise by doing cardio and weights. The SHSU Rec Center offers a state of the art gym as well as many group fitness classes ranging from Zumba to yoga.

The answer to your question is not a simple one. If this seems like too much at first, why not take the stairs instead of the elevator or park farther away from your classes and walk. It doesn’t take much to make a difference. You just need to figure out what you can fit into your schedule. You have to be motivated to work out and count calories that you eat.

Try bringing a journal with you or keep track of your calories in your phone.

I hope this helps you be successful in losing weight.

Sincerely, Ally *If you or someone you know is suffering from a problem, and would like some advice, you can email me anonymously at awiley@houstonianonline.com and you could see my response in the newspaper!*

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Arts&Entertainment

Thursday, September 27, 2012 houstonianonline.com/a-e

Two graduate students in selective dance company CHRISTINA BAUMANN Staff Reporter

SHSU graduate students Brittany Thetford and Travis Prokop are members of NobleMotion Dance Company and have been chosen to perform at the Dance Gallery Festival held in Huntsville, Texas and in New York in October.

Thetford first started dancing when she was 12 years old because it looked like something she wanted to try.

“I didn’t really start getting serious with dance until I was about 15 or 16 years old,” Thetford said. “Growing up in a low income town, I would work four or five nights a week at a dance studio just so I could pay for my dance costumes because dance became something I really wanted to do. If you want it, go get it. That sounds cheesy and naive but you only get as much as you give. If you aren’t willing to eat the floor, you’re never going to figure out how not to fall. It is a process, enjoy it.”

After high school, Thatford decided to receive her undergraduate degree at Sam Houston State University and is now working on receiving her Master’s degree. Soon after graduation, Brittany came into contact with the owners of NobleMotion Dance Company, SHSu Dance professor Andy Noble and his wifen Dionne.

“After graduating, I came into contact with the Nobles and have been dancing with their company for about 4 years” Thetford said.

Another member of NobleMotion Dance Company is

Lynn Lane| NobleMotion

NOBLEMOTION. Travis Prokop, left, is a graduate student at SHSU and member of NobleMotion Dance company. Brittany Thetford, right, is also a graduate student at Sam and a member of NobleMotion.

graduate student Travis Prokop.

“I did not attend Sam Houston for my undergraduate degree so right now my main priority is to pull my own weight and do what Andy and Dionne expect of me” Prokop said.

While he was growing up, Prokop spent a lot of time with his grandmother who loved musicals and ‘Hello Dolly.’

“When I was 6, I would put on my mom’s heels and tap around.

This is when they decided to put me into dance and I have been dancing ever since.”

After receiving his undergraduate degree, Prokop knew he wanted to join NobleMotion Dance Company.

“As soon as I came here, I wanted to be with the company. I went up to Andy and Dionne and told them that even though they didn’t know me, I was going to be in their company and would do whatever it takes to get there” Prokop said.

Both Thetford and Prokop are very excited about their upcoming performances at the Dance Gallery Festival.

Dionne Noble, owner of NobleMotion Dance Company, said that this will be the third annual year that the Dance Gallery Festival will be held at Sam Houston.

The festival takes place in New York and at Sam Houston

State University. This will be the university’s third year for the festival. Astrid Von Ussar started the Dance Gallery Festival 6 years ago in New York and it is only getting stronger and stronger.

Dance companies around the world apply to get in and the festival has about 11 to 12 companies that perform, 11 of which are coming here to perform at Sam Houston Noble said.

Thetford will be in an environmental piece called “Lorelei’s whisper” at Sam Houston and will also be in a piece called “Earth” with Prokop in New York.

Both Thetford and Prokop said they were excited for this year’s upcoming festival.

“We have people from Italy this year who have never been to Texas. I am really excited to take a class with these men, they are gorgeous and move like water” Thetford said.

“I am really excited to be going to New York and dancing with all of these great companies.

We do real work and have real passions, we work really hard and are dedicated 110 percent. It’s so wonderful because I am not used to that” Prokop said.

“This is really great for students at Sam Houston. We have dancers from everywhere,” Noble said.

“Companies are coming from Italy, we have a company coming from Senegal, Africa, and then companies from around the United States as well.”

You can see Thetford performance as well as many others at the SHSU Performing Arts Center on Oct. 5 or Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. General admission is $15 and tickets will be sold at the door.

“Perks of Being a Wallflower”

Book tells unique Mumford & Sons new album coming of age tale

has somber, intimate songs CONNOR HYDE Sports Reporter

Tuesday’s release of Mumford & Sons’ sophomore album invites listeners to an intimate performance deep in an English Pub as Marcus Mumford and company pick through songs of loneliness and intimacy.

Abrupt guitar rhythms and brassy banjo riffs with uniform instrumental harmonizing led by the bold vocals of Mumford dignifies “Babel” as one of the best albums of the season.

“Babel” encompasses similar themes heard in Mumford’s 2009 debut album “Sigh No More.” The album’s anchoring single, “I will wait,” commands the intense, gritty romantic poetry similar to previous 2009 single “Roll away your stone.”

With catchy banjo riffs and uniform harmonizing, “I will wait,” answers the accusing questions that arise in their debut album. Lyrics proclaiming “I came home, like a stone, and fell heavy into your arms, these days of dust which we’ve known will blow away with this new sun,” resolves the harsh darkness the 2009 single describes.

Mumford’s new album delves

deep into intimate relationships entangled with love, depression and rain. “Babel’s” fifth track, “Ghosts that we knew,” explores the physical pain involved with a broken man and his lover; with resolution as a small promise of happiness.

Musically, “Babel” explodes with string instruments including the banjo, mandolin, fiddle, cello and violin. The four person group harmonizes with heartfelt compassion led by Mumford’s powerful vocals that command the audience.

“Babel” released a deluxe version with three bonus tracks: “For those below,” a Simon & Garfunkel cover of “The Boxer” and “Where are you now.”

Mumford’s new album was produced by Markus Davs, who brought the group success by producing their “Sigh No More” album in 2009.

Following the release of indiefolk artist The Avett Brothers “Carpenter” album on Sep. 11, Mumford & Sons “Babel” has surely made it a great season for the indie genre.

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CAITLIN ADAMCIK Staff Reporter “Perks of Being a Wallflower”,

by Stephen Chbosky, is a beautiful coming of age story, that will soon get its big screen debut.

The story, originally published in 1999 by MTV, is about a boy named Charlie who starts high school, a terror for anybody. He makes good friends with two seniors at the school, Patrick and Sam. Together, they go through the awkwardness of growing up.

“The Perks Of Being A Wallflower made me cry. Great film. Great book. :)” said @ JessyMendiola on Twitter.

This book is written in a unique way. It is written in first person through Charlie who is writing letters to an unknown person. The whole story is letters. He mentions that he uses alias names so that identities are safe. The writing is great. The style is different, in a good way. Plus, Chbosky writes great lines that stick with the reader.

Charlie is a relatable character.

He is nervous about starting high school. He is not a very social person. He feels like he’s nothing special. Throughout the book, he starts to try new things.

He branches out to see what he enjoys doing, like most teenagers.

Charlie is a super sweet kid that wants to find a place to belong.

Then he meets Patrick and Sam, who are step brother and sister.

They show Charlie what fun is like in high school. They have adventures together with blood, sweat and tears, lots and lots of tears. One fun activity they do together is participate in a Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The book is great for people that did not fit in in school. It is a beautifully written book that leaves the reader astounded.

“I just finished reading ‘the perks of being a wallflower,’ and there are honestly no words to describe how I feel about it #speechless” said @whiteboytwerk on Twitter The events that happen make the reader either want to be in on the action or happy to read about it. All the characters feel like friends. The reader wants the best for the kids in the story. This is a great book, highly recommended.

The anticipated movie adaptation will be everywhere Oct. 5.

We give this book four out of five paws.

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Page 5

Sports

Thursday, September 27, 2012 houstonianonline.com/sports

Eric Fite | The Houstonian

NFL replacement officials reach breaking point in payroll debate JEREMY KLEIBER Staff Reporter

Monday night’s chaos-kindling final play was replayed over and over Tuesday on a continual TV loop; a cherry on top of the blooper reel that has been the replacement refs’ three- week old season.

Here’s what happened: Seahawks receiver Golden Tate pushes Packers defensive back Sam Shields out of the way.

Safety M.D. Jennings catches the pass with both hands against his chest as Tate reaches in with his. One official signals touchdown, another interception.

But ultimately refs rule they both caught it. Simultaneous possession goes to the offense.

Game over, Seattle wins.

Except that is not what happened. The Packers clearly gained possession through an interception in the back of the end zone. This should have ended the game in favor of Green Bay. Goodbye, Emerald City, Hello, win column. Right? No. Enter the Junior Varsity officiating squad.

Replacements, Rent-a-refs, Scabs and Zebra Lite: These are just some of the milder and more appropriate names these substitute officials have been called. The

replacements come from lowerdivision college leagues such as NCAA Division II and III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. One even has Lingerie Football League experience. Note: Division III football isn’t even big enough to offer athletic scholarships, the NAIA is about as relevant as a WNBA slam dunk (lay-up) contest, and it’s difficult to find a mascot in the lingerie football league that DOESN’T resemble a potpourri scent/ stripper alias (Bliss, Chill, Charm, Breeze, Mist, Crush, Passion).

I can’t help but sympathize for Footlocker employees around the globe because, let’s face it; Tuesday was a bad day to wear stripes. But before we start recruiting a lynch mob of fantasy football owners cloaked with cheese-heads and shoulder pads, we must channel our fandomfueled rage towards the bigger picture.

According to about 99.9% of players, the NFL is to blame for not compromising during the labor disputes, not the replacements that showed up to work.

ESPN analyst, Trent Dilfer, questions the integrity of the NFL, a multi-billion dollar corporation that has refused to put anything

down on the bargaining table to bring quality officiating back to the game.

“All this signature play is the dot on the “i” of “integrity,” Dilfer said. “I mean you take the whole word, and there’s a much bigger story than this play.”

The succession of mistakes in the season’s opening weeks included gaffes not normally seen: spotting the ball in the wrong place, allowing video challenges when they should not and marking off the wrong distance on penalties.

Things haven’t just gotten ugly, they’ve gotten “Marla Hooch from ‘A League of Their Own’“ hideous. Denver Broncos coach John Fox was fined $30,000, along with defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio’s is $25,000 fine for their treatment of officials Sept. 17. Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan of the Washington Redskins was fined $25,000 for berating an official Sunday. Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick chased down an official after the controversial Ravens game, which featured the “largest manure chant I’ve ever heard”, according to Al Michaels.

YouTube it.

“If it was just that call, it would be a blip on the screen, but as this has picked up steam in the last three

weeks, it is now a sequence of events that is leading to a crisis for the NFL,” said Ramsey Poston, an expert in crisis communications who was NASCAR’s media guru in the years after Dale Earnhardt died on the track in 2001.

“The NFL appears to be on a shrinking island by itself,” Poston said. “Now you have almost all of their major stakeholders publicly crying out for immediate change, and that includes players, coaches, fans and broadcast partners. And I suspect the official partners, who pay a lot of money to be associated with the NFL, are starting to make calls as well.”

The angry fan comes out in all of us when money talk affects what is happening between the lines, players and analysts not excluded.

“The best players in the world deserve the best officials. If you care so much about the game, then you need to treat the entire game with a level of urgency that it deserves,” ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith said. “There is no way that elite players you just finished negotiating a $200 billion deal with should be subjected to mediocrity in the realm of officiating.”

Packers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, “double checks” the boss with some words of his own.

“I think first of all, I’ve got to do something that the NFL is not

going to do and apologize to the fans,” Rodgers said. “The product that is on the field is not being complimented by an appropriate set of officials. The games are getting out of control. Like I said in the first week, I’m OK with the replacement refs as long as they don’t have a direct impact on the game.”

The USA Today reports that even if the league and referees union come to agreement, this week’s slate of games begins Thursday and it will take time to get the regular refs back to work.

Also, sidelined NFL ref Scott Helverson told the Des Moines Register Tuesday that union and league requirements would take days to sort through, including an in-person vote by all 121 members of the association and a clinic to go over new rules.

And when the original refs do return, it will be a more glorious comeback than the McRib, Bevis and Butthead and Brett Favre all combined. Fantasy owners will sleep well, gamblers in Vegas can bid/sin more confidently and Footlocker employees will come out of the wood works. But most importantly, fans of the gridiron will be able to watch their teams contend “mano y mano”- without an outside variable. That, my friends, is what competitive sports are all about.

SHSU to play TSU in BVBA stadium CODY LEWIS Sports Editor After a shocking loss to Central Arkansas, the Sam Houston State Bearkats (1-2) look to bounce back tonight against Texas Southern University (13) at BVBA Compass Stadium in Houston.

The Bearkats lead the Tigers with an all-time record of 8-5. The last time the two teams met were in 1997 and Sam Houston won 40-7. The Bearkats are 6-26-2 in their 97 years of playing football in Houston.

Both teams are in desperate need of a win.

Texas Southern has lost three games in a row to North Texas, Jackson State and Alabama A&M

after defeating Prairie View A&M in their season opener.

The Bearkats are coming off of two consecutive road losses against Baylor and Central Arkansas.

Giving up leads in the second half has been somewhat of a problem for the Bearkats this season.

They led Baylor 20-10 at halftime and even received the ball to begin the half, but could not hold the lead.

Last Saturday, the Kats led the Bears of UCA with the same score, but this time there were only five minutes left in the game before the Bearkats gave up two touchdowns for the loss.

The loss against UCA ended Sam Houston’s ninegame winning streak against Southland Conference (SLC) opponents. The Bearkats will

have a chance to get back in the win column of the SLC when they face their greatest rival, Stephen F. Austin, at the “Battle of the Piney Woods,” at Reliant Stadium in Houston on Oct. 6.

Since the first time the annual game has been played in Reliant Stadium in 2010, both teams have walked away with a win.

For the time being, however, SFA will face UCA this weekend while the Bearkats play the Tigers. In order for UCA to move back down in the SLC standings, they would need to lose to SFA. For once, Sam Houston students will be rooting for the dreaded Lumberjacks to get a win over the Bears before meeting them in Houston next weekend.

Page 6

Sports

Thursday September 27, 2012 houstonianonline.com/news

Astros suprise no one as possible worst MLB team CONNOR HYDE Sports Reporter Once again, the Astros have lived up to the expectation as being one of the worst, if not the worst, team in baseball. With the 2013 schedule released, Houston’s hopes of having a 2005 repeat of postseason success will be delayed another two years as the ‘Stros move to the American League next season.

With a standing record of 50-105, not including the six remaining games on the road in Milwaukee and Chicago, the Astros 50-year tradition of being a competitive team in the league is slowly walking back to the locker room.

If Houston is to see anymore playoff exposure within the next decade their starting pitchers need to make it through five innings, and have relievers and closers learn to pitch shut-out innings.

Lucas Harrell leads the Houston starting pitchers with a team best 3.88 ERA. Although the league average ERA is 4.50, Harrell’s numbers are sub-par when compared to the arms in the AL such as Justin Verlander, Chris Sale, and Jered Weaver; all with ERAs below 3.00.

Assumed closer Wilton Lopez, currently with a 2.17 ERA, remains the only positive light in the Astros’ bullpen.

With 53 strikeouts on the season in 62.1 innings pitched, Lopez is the stronghold that has secured the few wins Houston has this year. However, against AL teams, Lopez has an ERA surpassing the 4.5 league average: 9.00 ERA against TX, 3.38 against ATL, and 5.40 against the White Sox. This season the stros’ were

6-9 against AL opponents. The 2013 season opener against AL West leader Texas Rangers will test the starting rotation after months honing their pitching strength. Houston was 1-6 against the Rangers this year.

Although this is the second year the Astros have ended at the pit of MLB standings, the all-star shortstop will lead Houston back into pennant races if he continues to have season numbers resembling this year’s.

Jose Altuve, with an astonishing height of 5’ 5”, heads the ‘Stros batting statistics with an impressive .293 batting average (ranked 17 in the NL). Unless management decides to trade Altuve like similar Houston all-stars Hunter Pence, Michael Bourne and Lance Berkman, Altuve’s bat will lead Houston in the following years to higher standings.

In the last five years Houston’s general management decisions have been questionable, but with the addition of new owner Jim

L

Crane, the Astros have recruited well this season.

Currently with the Corpus Christi Hooks, first baseman Jonathan Singleton is performing well against minor league pitching with a current batting average of .284. After being drafted by Philadelphia in 2009, Singleton was a part of the Hunter Pence deal with the Phillies. According to Houston. astros.mlb.com Singleton has matured well playing double-A in 2012.

Houston has 10 prospect pitchers in their top 20.

With the 2012 season closing on Oct. 3, Houston will end another season with another disappointing performance recorded in the books. Until the pitching rotation matures and new players start to step up to their role as professional ball players, Astros fans will continue to hold their heads in their hands as their team quickly falls down the well and into the bottom pit of MLB standings.

VIDEO,

page 1

that’s not going to infringe on people’s right.”

The recent attack on the U.S. embassy in Libya sparked protests near other U.S. embassies around the world, even in countries allied with the U.S. “Clearly there’s a lot of pent up frustration for a variety of reasons,” Enia said. “I think that you always hit a certain point where you have a trigger regardless of what kind of violence this is. Then at another certain point, it might morph into something that had nothing to do with [the video].”

Ten U.S. embassies in parts of southern Europe and most of the Middle East have been attacked since Sept. 11. Most of the attacks include rioting, arson, and armed assault. Of those, two attacks have resulted in fatalities, one being the attack in Benghazi, and the other in Cairo, Egypt, where police shot and killed a protester.

Bacile told The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press that he does not feel responsible for the death of Stevens and blames a failed security system at the embassy.

He claims that “Islam is a cancer,” and that “the movie is a political movie,” instead of a religious one Bacile said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

Bacile has since gone into hiding for fear of his life.

The White House requested that the video be taken down on Sept.

14, but YouTube’s owner, Google, rejected the request and only complies with laws that forbid the video in other countries such as Indonesia and India. In Iran, the authoritarian government blocked both YouTube and Google to its citizens in response to the video.

In a recent interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan, Iranian President Mahmaud Ahmadinejad condemned the film.

“Fundamentally, first of all, any action that is provocative, offends the religious thoughts and feelings of any people, we condemn,” he

said.

Bascile was questioned by the FBI about the video, but was soon after released on his own recognizance before staying with family.

TABLE,

page 1

Hebert gave a solution, stressing it was important to recognize the difference in treating students in and out of the classroom setting.

“In my years of teaching, I never looked at student as customer,” Herbert said. “There were points when I became a chair, when I did look at them as a customer because they were coming to me for immediate services or answers, so I approached them differently than I would have as a professor.”

Director of the Counseling Center Drew Miller, Ph.D., agreed with Hebert and suggested to begin building expectations with students and parents as a part of customer service to better inform them of what services they are getting.

Despite the disagreements over some topics during the roundtable discussion, Herbert said the diversity of opinions is key to the future of the university.

“This was open discussion, not official objectives,” he said. “It’s important to us to hear diverse opinions about controversial topics to help us function as a university. The point is we’re all thinking.”

Hebert feels confident about moving forward even though there might be challenges incorporating the customer service principles into higher education.

“Changes are not based on terminology and language,” he said. “They’re based on the demographics of our students and the location of our students and as we continue to grow, we will adapt.”

The next President’s Roundtable is scheduled for Oct. 23.

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