The Houstonian, Feb. 24

Vol 117— Issue 11

Huntsville, Texas

SPORTS

Thursday, February 24, 2011

FEATURE PRESENTATION

Men’s basketball team loses

Festival ‘Inspiracion’ SEE page 4

SEE page 5

INDEX

Entertainment........page 4

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

Sports....................page 5

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

Special...................page 6

Historical Huntsville activism Walker County Pioneer Changes the face of Sam Houston State University

By Lauren Adkins

Contributing Reporter

black middle class and church leaders to make opportunities available to people of color and the poor.

Baker’s activism began when he was fired from the Huntsville Independent School District after nine years as an instructor and the chair of the science department at Sam Houston High School.

He was fired because he would not sell his property, and that was causing a controversy in the white community.

This prompted his emergence as a local community activist in the 1960s and his fight to desegregate Huntsville schools.

“We decided to begin working on matters that would improve our community and lift the status of the blacks,” Baker said.

“The best way to accomplish this was to work within the system and deal

Photo courtesy of Newton Gresham Library

FLASHBACK. For five decades Huntsville native Wendell Harold Baker Sr. has been a civil rights activist for the improvement of race relations as well as political and economic equity. City Council in the late 1960s, with Scott Johnson, the first African American elected in city government since Reconstruction (right).

Hidden treasure

By George Mattingly Contributing Reporter

Tonight’s keynote address

by Macki Samake, Ph.D., part of the Black History Month celebration, will expose students to a “hidden treasure.”

Samake is the associate professor of linguistics and director of International Relations & Cooperation at the University of Bamako in Mali. His keynote address, a part of the Black History

Month celebration hosted by the History Department and Program Council, will take place at 7 p.m. in CHSS room 190.

“I think that Dr. Samake represents a beautiful history that can be forgotten – a history that didn’t come easily for him,” said Bernadette Pruitt, associate professor of history.

Samake was born in January 1954, a time of change around the world.

The US was at the start of the

civil rights movement and several African nations were beginning to stray away from colonialism.

Samake and his eight siblings and three halfsiblings were raised in the rural town of Ségou, a very poor region surrounding Bamako.

His father worked as a chauffeur and his mother, his father’s second wife, raised the children in their home.

— See KEYNOTE, page 3

Privacy Breach

Transportation agency seeks ways to enhance security, strengthen privacy protections

By Brittany Pires

Contributing Writer

It is difficult enough to endure the rigorous process of airport security, but for Adrian Williams, it is even more exasperating being patted down like a criminal because he has to wear a back brace.

In 2008, Williams was involved in an automobile accident that left him with a twisted spine. He suffered from spinal cord trauma and after emergency

surgery, wore a full back brace for two used to ask if I was wearing a bra, and years. Now he uses a more permanent then I’d have to explain everything. and less This is a lot more noticeable “It was completely degrading subtle.” spinal brace, to have to expect why there was But for one that allows the screeners metal in my spine, after enduring working for the him to do more physical two years of stares and comments Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n about my brace.” activity.

Security Agency, --Adrian Williams “The back the brace – and brace is less the metal in his noticeable, and it gives me a better spine – was anything but. chance of not injuring myself in my Williams was at George Bush daily routine” Williams said. “People Intercontinental Airport in December

when he went through the screening process. He wanted to visit his daughter on her birthday. Before he could reunite, he said he was humiliated and treated with disrespect.

“They searched me first to see if I was carrying anything that set the machine off, and then suggested that I do the body scan,” Williams said.

“It was completely degrading to have to expect why there was metal in my spine, after enduring two years of stares and comments about my brace.”

— See BREACH, page 3

TOP CHEF

By Jessica Priest

Web/ Multimedia Editor

Program Council served up some food and fun Wednesday night in the LSC Ballroom with an event called, "Multicultural Top Chef."

Hosted by Atraviya Thomas and Andrea Richardson, the competition pitted three cooking teams against each other for a chance to win a variety of cooking utensils and prizes.

Ultimately, the East Feast South team came out on top.

Junior Criminal Justica Major Christopher Kha, a member of the winning team, said he didn't hesitate in enrolling in the opportunity.

"I just love cooking," he said. "I cook almost every single day."

Donielle Miller, coordinator for the Office of Multicultural International Student Services, or Office of M.I.S.S., agreed.

"This [event] is just a great way to get students active, involved and to show off their skills," she said.

By Erin Peterson

Associate News Editor

On June 8, 1964, Sam Houston High School honors graduate John Patrick who became the first African American student at what was formally Sam Houston State Teachers College.

This was an important date in history for the university because it closed the chapter of segregation at the school.

But the story behind the integration movement at Sam Houston is an interesting piece of history that not many people know, even 47 years after Patrick sat down for his first class.

For five decades Huntsville native Wendell Harold Baker Sr. has been a civil rights activist for the improvement of race relations as well as political and economic equity.

In the early 1960s, Baker made it a point to challenge civic leaders, politicians, educators, the business community, the — See HISTORY, page 3

Jared Wolf | The Houstonian

SGA pushes for health center walk-in bill

Stephen Green | The Houstonian

Students may be able to receive near-immediate medical attention through walk-in appointments, beginning as early as Fall 2010.

The Student Government Association, or SGA, passed the McKelvey Student Health Act during Tuesday's general meeting.

“Now that [the bill] has passed through SGA, we are now waiting for Frank Parker [of Student Services] to sign off on it,” SGA Vice President A. Rene McKelvey said.

“From there, it goes through other members of the administration. We should have an answer by May, and, if it passes, we may be looking at [the resulting changes] in the fall.”

McKelvey's inspiration for the act came from a declined visit to the Student Health Center.

“I felt really sick . . . , went to the health center and was basically turned away,” McKelvey said. “I sat in the parking lot, got upset, made a few calls and then started thinking about where I could go or what I could do about this to make a change.

“I was shocked that they actually expect all 17,000 of us [students] to make appointments to be seen at an on-campus clinic . . . This is the type of stuff that SGA should be doing to make our campus a better place for our students . . . that was my light bulb moment.”

McKelvey declares many reasons as being justifications for the act.

“My major concern is that this is a mandatory fee, for which we're not reaping the appropriate benefits,” McKelvey said. “We pay a mandatory computer lab fee, and we're not turned away from the computer lab.

“We should get what we're paying for.”

McKelvey feels that the bill is very reasonable.

“We present [the Student Health Center] with a lot of options,” she said.

The McKelvey Student Health Act presents five options for the Student Health Center to choose from. They may employ an additional practitioner of medicine whom is licensed to issue prescriptions when necessary and is available in the clinic for all walk-in appointments; they may seek a contract with an in-town physician who may be available for walk-in appointments at no additional cost to students; they may designate at least three open appointments per day for students without appointments; they may remain open and staffed during the normally closed noon to 1 p.m. break with one practitioner of medicine whom is licensed to issue prescriptions when necessary and to receive patients without appointments; or provide the student body with another option that equally meets the practices listed prior.

— See HEALTH, page 3

Viewpoints

Page 2 Thursday, February 24, 2011

houstonianonline.com/viewpoints

Cutting the dollar menu Steven Perry discusses the government’s mission to fiscal

responsibility, and the impact it could have on higher education It’s a problem all of us solved in second grade: Tommy has three dollars to buy candy at the candy store, and all of the candy is 50 cents. How many pieces of candy can Tommy buy? It’s a pretty simple lesson: if you don’t have the money for something, you can’t buy it.

No matter if it’s a new car, or tickets to a concert, or the latest piece of technology, if the bank account says zero, you’re not getting it.

But in the past several years, every time the government goes to the candy store, it goes on a mini-shopping spree. New federal programs, earmarks, and pork have led to everincreasing deficit spending, and have built up a federal debt of over $14 trillion. In the current federal budget, 6 percent will be spent on just paying interest. It’s not often that I find myself discussing solutions to problems in a generational timeframe, but in reality, that will be the amount of time it takes to get the United States back to financial independence.

And if that was not bad enough, we come to the true problem: the way the federal government

boss came in and told you that for the same job he paid you $100 last week, he’s only giving you $80 this week; in a month instead of bringing in $400, you’re only bringing in $320. In a year, you’ve lost over a thousand dollars. That’s going to make a major dent in your social life.

Although deliberations on the budget will continue until the session ends in late May, it’s a foregone conclusion that higher education will be cut across the state, the only doubt really is by how much. We know that tuition, residence contracts, and meal plan rates are going to have to increase to make up for this shortage. This, of course, also comes at a time when federal grants are being cut, making the total amount of financial aid drop significantly.

See part 2 next week for more information on the continuing economic problems of both the United States and Texas, including discussion of a balanced budget amendment, and how we can protect our educational funding.

Tom Chambers | Flickr.com

BUDGET. The Texas Legislature has recommended that the state budget for higer education be cut by as much as 20 percent. SGA President Ryan Bridges spoke to Congress earlier this week discussing the matter.

spends money. Even if the magic money fairy were to appear tomorrow, wave her magic wand to cause $14 trillion to appear in the United States Treasury, and make all our debts go away, it still wouldn’t solve the problem. In just a few years we would be back to where we are today. Without both a substantial policy and ideology shift to fiscal responsibility, the federal government doesn’t have a chance.

But now let’s look a little closer to home. Earlier this week, I had the privilege of traveling on the Student

Activities Legislative Trip to visit the capitol in Austin and to sit in on various committee meetings. With a Texas deficit expected to range from $15 billion to $27 billion for the biennium, it’s no surprise that finding some fiscal responsibility is the foremost goal. To this end, committees and programs statewide are finding their budgets cut pretty substantially. In the proposed house budget plan, Sam Houston will see an approximate 20 percent cut in its operating budget.

To put that into perspective, imagine if your

- Steven is a guest columnist and member of SHSU Debate.

Comedy Corner

All cartoons courtesy of creators.com.

Hats off to Wisc.

Ryan Leonard applauds the

protestors for giving up benefits I’m torn. The conservative in me doesn’t want to have anything to do with unions.

Then again, there’s this little voice in the back of my head that says: people, even those in the government, should have the right to bargain for better conditions and wages. I mean, why not have the right to bargain? Being able to bargain for better conditions is fine. However, when there is simply no money for the demands that have been put on the table, people have to accept that.

Hats off to the protesters in Wisconsin for acknowledging that they’ll have to pick up part of the tab for their benefits. Still, I’ve seen plenty of instances where union members were unwilling to take ‘no’ for an answer. I lived in Seattle less than two years, but that was enough time to see teachers go on strike twice and Boeing employees go on strike once. The Boeing employees became dangerously close to seeing their jobs shipped overseas because there comes a point when enough is enough.

So I guess I’m against unions. Well, not so fast. I recently interviewed Phillip Olt, an educator in the Austin area. I’ve known Phillip for years and have always respected his opinion.

His being a teacher made his opinion all the more valuable in this case. He acknowledges that there are downsides to unions, especially if it becomes corrupt, but he also got to keep his job because of one.

A few years back, while he was a teacher in Florida, he discovered that a very powerful person in his school district was stealing money from the school’s budget. He confronted the person and was threatened with termination. Because he was a member of a union, he had a powerful ally in his corner. Without the union, he would have been fired.

Sure, he could have hired a lawyer and tried to sue on the grounds of wrongful termination, but that would have taken months if not years to sort through. The union got the job done in no time at all. So collective bargaining isn’t just for snobby, selfish teachers? I’m torn.

When I first started preparing for this article, I had every intention of knocking the collective socks off of the Houstonian readers with a persuasive point of view that would leave little doubt as to what the solution was for Wisconsin. I blew it and I don’t care. I’ve learned some things about unions and I hope that you can come to the realization that bargaining doesn’t have to mean you get what you want.

It should just mean you have the right to negotiate.

I hope that when the dust settles in Wisconsin, regardless of the outcome, I hope that we can take a step in the direction of civility and collectively exchange ideas without fear of being demonized or slandered.

- Ryan is a sophomore English major.

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 email your thoughts or drop by our office in the Dan Rather communications building. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you as always for your continued support of the Houstonian.

Stephen Green Viewpoints Editor sgreen@houstonianonline.com

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.

Letter to the Editor I recently read the article addressing the debate surrounding the impending bills that would allow licensed handgun owners to carry their firearms on campus. I can see how many would feel more secure being able to do this, but in my opinion, it is likely to cause more harm than good.

If these bills are passed, what we will have are those paranoid people who already carry around several knives on a daily basis, granted the ability to walk campus with a much more dangerous weapon. Even though they must go through training to be able to do this, that doesn’t take into account the reaction individuals will have to a certain situation. There simply isn’t a standardized test to gauge how every single person will handle a stressful confrontation. One possible outcome of this that I see is that someone who is not as calm and collect in a possible emergency will hastily pull the trigger and seriously injure someone who actually meant them no harm.

After all, with the exception of someone walking alone at night, there isn’t much cause for alarm when it comes to a student’s safety on campus, in my eyes. I have never felt endangered walking across campus in broad daylight, and when walking at night, it is just common sense to travel in pairs or in a small

group. If you find yourself walking alone at night nevertheless, UPD can and will escort you back to your dorm or whatever location you may be trying to reach.

So if you use your head or the safety precautions put in place by the University, there is really no need to carry a firearm walking around campus.

The reality of it is that aside from the ones that would be carrying the guns, the rest of us aren’t going to feel any safer.

Frankly, I’d be unnerved if I knew that I was in the presence of a classroom full of people carrying concealed handguns. What’s stopping someone from cracking under the pressure of whatever they may be experiencing in their lives and taking it out on innocent bystanders? The difference between these people and the individuals who have gone on campus shooting sprees in the past is that they are going to be ALLOWED to carry their weapons, giving them more opportunity to use them.

I really can’t see how this is going to have much of a positive outcome. If these bills pass, I’ll be curious to see how it affects the crime rate on college campuses.

I’m not going to hold my breath in expectation of positive results, though.

- Sarah Hagler is a freshman psycology major.

Take it and make it

Cheval John addresses excuses used by struggling individuals Take advantage of the opportunities that are given to you.

“Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted one-moment. Would you capture it or just let it slip?” - Eminem Everyone who are fans of Eminem knows this quote from the song “Lose Yourself”. This song rings true for a lot of reasons and unfortunately, some miss that chance. Whenever things don’t go a person’s way, they try to find excuses on why they did not succeed, but in reality, they missed their opportunity.

In my experience, I have noticed that some black individuals make excuses on why they are not progressing. It seems to me that they are using slavery as an excuse. Yes, I understand the issue of slavery and I wish that it did not happen, but they should not use it as a crutch. Also, it seems like there are many obstacles that are in the way that are keeping them from being successful, including being raised in a single parent home.

People like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, W.E.B. DuBois and many others fought and risked everything for equal rights for future generations. Different acts including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed through Congress that gave black Americans the opportunity to succeed.

But it seems like those individuals are not taking advantage of it.

While I realize the challenges many of these individuals face in their pre-existing circumstances, I also see others who have had the same background and took advantage of the opportunities to get out of the situation instead of making excuses.

For instance, Bernadette Pruitt, Ph.D., associate professor in the History Department, had a difficult childhood. It seemed as if nothing was going her way, including with the education system, but she graduated from high school and came to Texas Southern University. Not only did she earn her Bachelors and Masters degree, but also earned her Doctorate from the University of Houston.

She exemplifies how it does not matter how you grew up, you have to work hard to get what you want.

The reason why I am writing this is because I am an African American and I understand the pain and suffering of being stereotyped by others. I understand the circumstances and the pain of slavery and at times, it infuriates me, but at the end of the day, it already happened. It is time for everyone to take advantage and go to college to obtain a degree so that you can be successful in life and set an example for those who are looking up to you because like it or not, you are a role model to those that will be taking the same path.

- Cheval is a blogger for the Houstonian.

The Houstonian Editorial

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Meagan Ellsworth...............................................................936-294-1505 SECTION EDITORS Mike Silva.............................................................................Senior Editor Jessica Priest.......................................................Multimedia/Web Editor Erin Peterson..................................................................Associate Editor Stephen Green..............................................................Viewpoints Editor Brandon Scott.........................................................................Sports Editor Thomas Merka........................................................Entertainment Editor Jared Wolf.......................................................................Graphic Designer STAFF Kolby Flowers................................................................. Senior Reporter Lotis Butchko.................................................................Sports Reporter Jessica Gomez......................................................................Photographer April Sanders............................................................................Copy Editor

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

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

News

Page 3 Thursday, February 24, 2011

Students take legislative trip houstonianonline.com/news

House Higher Education Committee.

“I found the public health meeting interesting because I know about the issue,” said Erich Stolz, a senior who represents IFC and Sigma Chi. “Also, I liked the smaller committee meetings as opposed to the larger house meetings. It was much more personal because you got to see the actual members.”

Students also had the opportunity to speak for a few minutes with members of the Texas Legislature who represents Huntsville and surrounding areas,

Representative Lois Kolkhorst and Senator Steve Ogden.

“I thought it would be more of a one-on-one with the representatives,” said Justin Meaders, a senior who represents the Collegiate Veterans Association and former Sergeant in the Marine Corps. “I wanted to go on this trip to push some ideas on them and to see how they operate. I had no idea how the process worked.“ The group was scheduled to attend a Senate Finance Committee meeting chaired by Ogden, but instead sat in on a Senate floor discussion.

While on the floor, the Senator pressed fellow senate colleagues to vote on a resolution to petition the federal government for a constitutional convention to amend the U.S. Constitution.

“Seeing Ogden on the floor proposing the resolution was the highlight of the trip for me,” said Dana Angello, a senior who is the President of the Political Science Junior Fellows. “It was inspiring to see the power that our own senator has.”

Ogden was calling for a petition which he hoped would pressure the United

States Congress to amend the constitution to mandate a balanced budget.

Several students saw that meeting as the highlight of the trip as they did not get to see much legislative action.

“The highlight of my trip was when we were watching Ogden debating on the floor over the federal constitution on the floor.” said Josh Ruschenberg, a junior who is the Vice Chair of the College Republicans and a Sergeant in the Army National Guard. “I wanted to go on this trip because I'm interested in political science and I wanted to see first hand how state government runs.”

The group also sat in on the House Higher Education Committee where SGA President Ryan Bridges was invited by the committee to testify on proposed budget cuts. After the meeting, they got an opportunity to speak with the Vice Chancellor of Government Affairs for the Texas State University System, Sean Cunningham.

“I most enjoyed speaking with Sean,” said David Kelly, a junior who is the president of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. “It was very personal and he took time to talk to us and listen to our issues and he answered all of our questions.”

Sophomore Erik Johnson, who is the President of the Inter-Fraternity Council, says he was very satisfied with the trip.

“I wanted to see how our

weigh national security concerns over medical privacy with its Advanced Imaging Software Technology has left travellers such as Williams believing that they have been subjected to embarrassment and unnecessary measures.

Privacy advocates say the scanners expose travelers to the indignities of a virtual strip search and those with a medical condition are a target.

“If by law, I don’t even

have the right to know his medical history, neither does airport security,” said Rebecca Williams, Adrian Williams’ wife.

By the end of 2010, the TSA plans to have 500 advanced imaging body scanners installed at airports across the United States.

Hundreds more are expected to be installed a year later.

However, TSA has undergone a lot of public scrutiny over these new procedures, and many groups

nationwide are fighting to rid airports of this privacy breech.

“I will go as far as to boycott the airline transportation system if I have to,” Adrian Williams said. “I hope this goes to the Supreme Court, because this is a huge violation of my rights as a citizen.”

On Feb. 1, the TSA announced that it was beginning to test advanced imaging scanners at three

airports that would remove passenger-specific images for generic outlines of a person.

“We are always looking for new technology and procedures that will both enhance security while strengthening privacy protections,” TSA Administrator John Pistole said.

“Testing this new software will help us confirm test results that indicate it can

the university responded with a letter thanking her for her application and interest.

However, once officials at the registrar’s office recognized Haywood’s Prairie View A&M College transcript, the registrar quickly rescinded her transfer. Expecting the university to turn her down, she then sent the university’s letter to Baker, and they then decided to file a lawsuit against the university.

“I remember going up to the college with Annie Kizzie, trying to get her registered, and being told that we could not because the university was segregated,” Baker said.

“We expected Maxine to get rejected from the university, so we knew that our next plan of action would be to file a lawsuit. So I called a lawyer

in Houston and told him about the case and that we wanted to file a suit.”

After hearing Baker’s argument, the lawyer asked him to send the letter and a $35 court fee to file the suit.

The lawyer refused to charge them for his services.

“A few days later the suit was filed and the story came out in Friday’s paper,” Baker said. “The interesting thing is that the Huntsville paper would not take it because they were afraid of offending those who subscribed to the paper in the town. However, the Houston Chronicle did agree to run the story.

In fact, they put it on the front page. This of course generated a considerable interest and, in the fear of further embarrassment from

the ordeal, the state of Texas governor ordered the school board to overturn the school’s segregation policy and admit black students.”

Since that day, Patrick became the first African American to attend the teacher’s college and at the time of his graduation in 1969, the university had hundreds more enrolled in its varying degree plans, including the once-rejected Haywood.

According to archived records, Dr. Elliot Bowers, the acting president at the time, expressed the need to move on from the desegregated past.

“Patrick is just another student, and he will be treated like anyone else,” Bowers said. “We are now desegregated, and any student

who meets the standards of the college will be admitted.”

Due to the efforts of Baker, the Voter’s League, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Sam Houston State University was forced to end segregation, and it opened up a multitude of opportunities for all students.

Baker is now considered a pioneer for African American rights in Walker County.

“The university has changed dramatically since we first started rallying for desegregation,” Baker said. “There is much more diversity and, because of the integration laws, my daughters were able to get good educations from Sam Houston. My philosophy is this, if not me, then who?”

By Kolby Flowers

Senior Reporter

Ten students were given the chance to serve as official representatives of the university and see how decisions are made concerning Higher Education at the Texas Capitol yesterday.

As part of the third annual Legislative Trip, sponsored by Student Activities, students were given a chance to speak with the people who represent them, according to Brandon Cooper, Assistant Director of the department.

“I think it was a great success,” said Cooper. “It’s different each time. This time, students were able to see a different side of the government than what we normally get to see. We were exposed to several different aspects: judicial, legislative and executive.”

Each student represents an organization on campus and are selected for the trip based on the applications they turn in.

“In the past it has been a hand-picked process by the department,” said Cooper.

“This year we opened it up to an application process and students had to write a personal statement and tell us what they expected from this trip and what they would bring back to university as a result of being selected.”

As part of the trip, students were given a tour of the Capitol and sat in on various committee meetings such as the House Public Health Committee and the

From BREACH page 1

Following the 2001 terrorist attacks, the federal government established the TSA and gave the agency broad authority to search luggage and the bodies of airline travelers, often exposing medical information about travelers they would rather not reveal to total strangers.

The TSA’s decision to

From HISTORY page 1

with the people who made the decisions.”

Baker said he and other activists started with the integration of Sam Houston State University by arranging for Trinity High School graduate Annie Kizzie to apply, but she was turned down because the university only allowed whites to receive an education.

They then found another student named Maxine Haywood, who was a teacher in Willis, Texas, to send in and application with a letter of interest.

According to Baker, Haywood wrote a letter that expressed her interest in attending the university and

Kolby Flowers | The Houstonian

O’ TEXAS OUR TEXAS. A group of Sam Houston State University students went to Austin on the Third Annual Legislative Trip. Back row (left to right): Erik Johnson, Kolby Flowers, Steven Perry. Front Row (left to right): Dana Angello, Josh Ruschenberg, Erich Stolz, Zach Crowder, David Kelly, Taylor Ballard.

From KEYNOTE page 1

After his father became a mechanic, he was able to earn a living to support his children through grade school.

After earning a hard-fought independence from French rule in 1960, more schools emerged in Mali, thereby providing the people with access to public education. Samake was a part of the first generation to benefit from public schools.

Six of 11 children went on to finish high school, though Samake was the only one to receive a bachelor’s degree. Soon after, more opportunities allowed him to study abroad and establish networks with people of other nations. He worked as a teacher at several schools in Bamako and earned a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Saint-Louis in Senegal in 2004.

He became the professor of

linguistics and a member of the faculty of the Department of Literature, Languages, Arts and Humanities at the University of Bamako in 2005 where he later served as head of the Division for External Affairs, Rector’s Office. Currently, Samake is the director of International Relations & Cooperation.

Today, Mali is the third poorest country in the world.

Most citizens live on less than two U.S. dollars a day, while its literacy rate is estimated to be about 2030 percent, according to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. In his lecture, Samake will address the history of Mali leading up to its independence and the impact on the country.

“It is imperative that American students, especially African-American students see the racial, ethnic and religious diversity that exists globally,” said Pruitt.

As a part of the celebration of Black History

state government works,” said Johnson. “Yeah, our representatives were busy so we got to talk to them for only a few minutes but that’s understandable. I enjoyed talking with the people from the Texas State University System. They were really nice and helpful.”

The trip was a “great opportunity to network,” not only with people from the school, but with those who make influential decisions in students' lives, said Freshman Steven Perry, who represents the Freshmen Leadership Program and the Speech and Debate Team.

Zach Crowder, a junior who is the Vice President of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, said that was the reason he applied for the trip.

“Initially I planned to go on this trip to be able to network as well as meet new people from prospective organizations on campus,” said Crowder. “I hoped to gain knowledge on pertinent issues that could affect the people in the organizations that I represent.”

The students on the trip also got to experience a rare joint session of both houses during a “State of the Judiciary” address which is similar to the State of the Union address but instead focuses solely on the Texas Judiciary system.

- Kolby Flowers was also a part of the trip as a representative of the Houstonian and as a Senator in the Student Government Association.

provide the same high level of security as current advanced imaging technology units while further enhancing the privacy protections already in place.”

The new scanners will still identify metal objects, a TSA press release stated. This means that individuals with metal attached to their body through medical procedure will still have to go through a more rigorous screening process than others.

From HEALTH page 1

“If they don't find any of these options to be satisfactory, then we invite them to meet with [either SGA President Ryan Bridges or myself] to work out another option,” McKelvey said.

Prior to the vote, many members of SGA cited concerns that, especially with the latest budget cuts, funds are rather limited.

“I understand that the university has limited funds, but I have limited funds, too,” McKelvey said. “If I'm not getting the service that I'm paying for, then I want my money back. I've got other places that it needs to go.”

Month, Pruitt urges students to break down many stereotypes associated with Africa and for AfricanAmerican students to notice that many of their ancestors have ties to West Africa to this day. Today, at least four million Malians live in other countries, including the United States. African natives and their direct descendents represent 50 percent of all students of African descent enrolled in American colleges and universities.

“As we move into the future, it is important for students to appreciate this history and diversity in order to build alliances,” Pruitt said.

Please recycle your copy of The Houstonian

Arts & Entertainment

Page 4 Thursday, February 24, 2011

houstonianonline.com/entertainment

Week of “Inspiracion”

Bringing Latin America together in week-long celebration of art

By Rachelle Sadler Contributing Writer

Festival Inspiracion is now underway as event coordinators, faculty and students participate and engage in what is SHSU’s first Latin American Arts Festival, ending on Saturday.

On Monday, aside from the Latin Jazz concert, painter Adelina Moya and sculptor Jesús Moroles, put together a collaborative effort by discussing and showing their artistic expressions and lecture-based presentations.

The two will continue their series of workshops throughout the week at The Wynne Home Arts Center, which will be available to

the SHSU and surrounding communities free of charge.

Beginning Tuesday through Friday, Moya’s “Painting at Wynne” will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and almost immediately following her presentation Moroles’ “Sculpture at Wynne” will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. There will be visual presentations shown over various historical periods in Latin history, from religious freedom to improvisational dance.

The Wynne Home Arts Center is presented like a “home,” and upon entering, there are people and many pieces of art – paintings, sculptures, as well as some drawings, family photos,

collectible items and Haitian Folk Art. Festival creator Sergio Ruiz will be instrumental in organizing what he said is one of the week’s most exciting events – “Creación del Alma” (Creation of the Soul). It will be held in the PAC Dance Theater Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. The show includes modern dance blended with percussive sounds as well as rare sculptures.

“Sculptures will be suspended from the ceiling, dancers will be on the stage, and [Moroles] will be creating works during the performance,” Ruiz said.

“The audience will be given a sculpture that the artist has

Rachelle Sadler | The Houstonian

Jewelry on display at the Wynne Home Arts Center on Wednesday as part of “Festival Inspiracion.”

created as they walk in. Each one is pitched, and when we give a signal, they will [use the sculpture to] take part in the improvisation.

So it’s audience, percussion, dancers and artists, all here on Wednesday night.”

The Invitation Latin Jazz Festival is scheduled to be held on Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Various high school and university bands are coming from Houston, San Antonio and Dallas to participate in several workshops throughout the day. They will also compete for the opportunity to perform with newly New York-based Panamanian musician Danilo Pérez.

“The Friday [concert], for me, is really touching,” Ruiz said. “I was really nervous because the idea came up of having the contest winner play on Saturday night with this international artist who is known everywhere. It’s the equivalent of studying political science with the president.”

The concert will be held Saturday in the PAC Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. along with a Carribean-style jam session put on by SHSU’s Steel and Jazz bands from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. earlier that afternoon.

Unlike the week’s previous events, tickets for Saturday’s events will be made available for purchase at the appointed PAC box office over the phone at 936294-2339 or through email at tickets@shsu.edu. It is

Rachelle Sadler | The Houstonian

A drawing on display at the Wynne Home Arts Center.

$15 for adults and $12 for all SHSU students and senior citizens.

“We’re bringing Latin America together with this festival,” Ruiz said. “We’re doing things in Ecuador, in Bolivia, in Mexico and Puerto Rico. It’s really about community, and for me that’s exciting because it helps us be together and happy. I’m

excited to be able to realize what I’ve been dreaming over the last several years.”

For the complete list of this week’s events and times, visit www.shsu. edu/~music/ festival.

SHSU Theatre Department explores modern twist on ancient myth

By Thomas Merka

Entertainment Editor

Directed by SHSU Theatre professor Maureen McIntyre, “Orpheus Descending” is sure to strike a chord within all who venture out to see this moving piece of true theatre.

The play loosely references the Orpheus myth, where the lead character goes down into Hades to bring back his love, Eurydice, but “Orpheus Descending” is actually set in a small town in Mississippi.

“It’s about a young charming drifter that comes to town and his arrival causes a huge commotion among the women, among the men… he’s a threat to their solid community,” McIntyre said.

“He tries to connect to the lady who owns the local mercantile store, and she is living a very difficult life.

They’re connection is based not only on their affection for each other but also on the fact that they’re a couple of very lonely people.”

The script was originally written in 1954 but McIntyre chose to set this production of the play in the 80s to allow

for more ethnic diversity among the cast, which, after seeing the show, I feel added another level to the already dynamic play.

“You have this great story line that everyone should get and then you have the mythic elements around the edges,” McIntyre said. “There’s some very funny people, and some very tender people, and some very insidious people. Like a character in the play says ‘ The world is filled with light and darkness, light and shadow,’ and the play is too.”

The complexity of the script, the various dialects of the characters and trying to find the balance between the comedy and seriousness of the play has made this show more difficult to direct than other shows according to McIntyre.

“It has a lot of challenges, but for me I am happiest when a show is tough,” Mc Intyre said. “It makes me stand up on my artistic toes and fight.

This show’s challenges are wonderful opportunities for training our actors. They are all going to come away knowing more about they’re

craft than when they started, and that to me as a teacher is gold.”

McIntyre certainly struck gold with this show. While watching the performance, I went through a series of emotional catharsis that left me laughing in the beginning, and crying at the end. I could spend hours typing a typical review of this show, but instead I’ll let you experience the intensity of the play for yourself and leave you with a quote from McIntyre that described my feelings as I walked out of the theatre.

“If you come, think you’ll really know you’ve been in the theatre. That something has happened.”

What: “Orpheus Descending Where: University Theatre Center - Mainstage When: Feb. 23-26 at 8p.m., Sat. Feb. 26 at 2p.m.

Tickets are available at the UTC Box Office or by phone at 936-294-1329.

Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian

STRUTTIN’ IT. The promiscuous Carol Cutrere provokes the townspeople while trying to impress the newcomer, Val, in the SHSU Theatre Department’s production of “Orpheus Descending.”

Sports

Page 5 Thursday, February 24, 2011

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Close, not close enough Kats split with Cougs Men’s basketball loses in final seconds, by one Softball leaves Houston with one win, one loss

By Brandon Scott Sports Editor

HUNTSVILLE -- It was a game which the Bearkats seemed to have total control.

Sam Houston led for much of the night, as Wednesday’s 6463 loss against Northwestern State (7-5 SLC) saw only one lead change in the Demons’ favor until the last 10 minutes of the game.

Thanks to a hot start by from Josten Crow, who scored the eight of the Bearkats’ first 10 points.

Clavell also started strong, with 12 first half points.

The Kats played shorthanded, suiting only seven players against a Northwestern team that SHSU head coach Jason Hooten says is one of the most talented in the country.

“You’ve got to give them credit,” Hooten said. “That’s a team that can go to Katy and win three straight games, throw their record out the window.”

Marcus Williams and Byron Randle stood in civilian clothes, which left the backcourt depleted of depth.

Nafis Richardson struggled off the bench, shooting only two-of-eight from the floor.

The Kats had only seven bench points to the Demons’ 25.

SHSU led by as many as 10 with 6:00 to go in the first half, after a layup from Clavell. Northwestern, then cut the lead to one and went into halftime trailing by only three points.

To make matters worse, the Bearkats did not play as well in the second half as they did in the first.

Northwestern shot over 50 percent from the field, despite trailing most the game.

The Kats had a fair opportunity to win, with eight seconds left, trailing by one.

Crow’s shot was just short and the Demons prevailed.

Sam Houston softball sits at 6-9 on the season after Wednesday, before traveling to Baylor

By Lotis Butchko Sports Reporter

Jessica Gomez The Houstonian

SHOT. Lance Pevehouse made big threes at the end of the game. But it wasn’t enough to get past Northwestern State

Two unearned runs in the sixth inning gave Sam Houston a 2-0 softball victory over the University of Houston in a pitcher’s duel that saw both teams combine for only five hits in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday evening.

Houston bounced back to win the nightcap 6-1, but the Bearkats kept it close until a four-run seventh inning for the Cougars.

Junior Tomi Garrison gave up only three hits and struck out five Cougars in the first

game. No Houston runner got pass second base as the righthander faced only 25 batter.

Donna Bourgeois allowed Sam Houston two hits, one each by Kim Damian and Shelbi Tucker.

In the sixth inning shortstop Hailey Wiginton walked and reached third on a error on a grounder by Alyssa Coggins. An illegal pitch by Bourgeois scored Wiginton and put Coggins on third base. Damian’s sacrifice fly brought home Coggins.

The Bearkats were limited to one hit in the second game. Wiginton again scored for Sam Houston, walking, reaching second on an error,

File photo

stealing third base and scoring on another Damian sacrifice fly.

Courtney Schoenemann was the losing pitcher for the Kats in the second game.

“We had good defense and we played really tough and never gave up,” Schoenemann said.

“I really hope we take this into the weekend for our game on Friday.”

The split gives Sam Houston a 6-9 record for the season. Houston now stands 9-2.

The Bearkats will play in the Baylor University Softball Classic in Waco this weekend.

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SHOT. Lance Pevehouse made big threes at the end of the game. But it wasn’t enough to get past Northwestern State

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Home opening shut out Hayes’ quest for excellence

Baseball team run rules Houston Baptist, 13-0 Senior co-captain continues storied season

By Zach Birdsong

By Lauren Adkins

HUNTSVILLE -- The Bearkat’s were dominant in their home opener Tuesday night at Don Sanders Stadium, beating the Houston Baptist University Huskies 13-0. The Kat’s got their second win of the season and improved their winning percentage to .500 on the season.

The night started off well for the Kat’s as they jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, and it continued to get better. SHSU jumped on Huskies pitcher Tyler McCarthy as he pitched just four and a third innings, giving up eight hits and seven runs.

Continued scoring in the late innings of the game helped the Kats rout the Huskies. After leading 4-0 after the fourth inning, SHSU added four runs in the fifth inning, three runs in the seventh inning, and two runs in the eighth inning.

SHSU combined for 14 hits in the game while eight of the nine hitters in the Kats’ starting lineup had hits, but all nine did reach base. Senior’s Braedon Riley and Mark Hudson, as well as Junior John Hale, and Sophomore Greg Olson combined for two hits apiece.

The Kat’s had four players, Olson, Riley, Hudson and

As the Bearkat track and field team looks for another banner year in both Southland indoor and outdoor competition, one of the athletes Sam Houston will be counting upon to post top marks for the Bearkats will be senior D. J. Hayes.

A four-time All-Southland performer, Hayes is having his most successful indoor season this year. He won the 400-meter dash at the Wichita State Herman Wilson Classic with a time of 47.47 seconds, the third-fastest mark in the nation. It was also the thirdfastest time in Sam Houston History.

Hayes is a four-time AllSouthland Conference performer. He is excited about how the season has started and is anticipating continued success. Hayes has come a long way from where he began and has stepped up as a leader on his team.

“When I first got to Sam Houston I was basically going out every night, staying up late and getting in all types of trouble,” said Hayes. “It almost got to a point where I was kicked off of the team. I have calmed down a lot since I got to school and started taking everything a lot more seriously and straightening out my priorities.

“Running a national provisional qualifying time at the opening indoor meet and breaking their stadium record kind of took me by surprise.

I wasn’t expecting to run that fast. I didn’t think my body was capable of doing that right now and after I finished my race I had to double glance at the scoreboard to really make sure I had ran that time,” he said.

Hayes worked a great deal on his strength in the weight

Contributing Reporter

Contributing Reporter

File photo The Houstonian

Braeden Riley is one of the Bearkats best hitters . Riley batted .361 last season, starting in all 55 games played

Sophomore Jesse Plumlee, that combined for two RBIs a piece. Hale, Freshman Kyle Singleton, and Senior Doug Oney each added an RBI. The offense was helped out by an impressive performance by the Kat’s pitching staff, which allowed zero runs and kept the Huskies to just five hits.

Freshman and Starting Pitcher Cody Dickson received his second win

File photo

The Houstonian

Doug Oney is one of the senior leaders of the Bearkat baseball team

of the season, and kept his ERA at zero on the season.

Dickson pitched four innings, allowed just two hits, and struck out seven. Dickson struggled with ball control early in the first inning, as he gave up a hit and walked two, but was able to get out of a bases loaded situation.

Freshman Caleb Smith pitched three innings and allowed two hits, and struck out three. Freshman Matt Walker pitched one inning, allowed one hit and struck out one. Sophomore Michael Burchett pitched one inning, allowed no hits, and struck out two while finishing the game for the Kats.

The shutout was the first for the Kats, since a 10-0 home victory against Texas Southern in the 30th game of last season.

SHSU will play the Huskies again later this season on March 22 at Don Sanders Stadium.

This weekend though the Kat’s will host the Northern Colorado Bears (0-0) and the Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1) in the Bearkat Baseball Invitational. The tournament kicks off this Friday at 6:30 p.m, when the Kats play the Bears.

DJHayes

room, which has dramatically improved his running. He has also been working running exact workout times. Head coach David Self is excited about the way Hayes has improved and expects him to continue to improve over the course of this season.

“DJ has put up a mark that shows,” said Self. “With track it is a lot about responsibility and taking control of your training. I have seen him really mature over time and he has shown people how good he can be. DJ has also done a great job of leading by example for the freshman as a team captain. He knows that a lot of these guys are going to be the backbone of our team and so he helps them train so that they can improve.”

Self and Hayes’ old teammates have had a strong influence on his training and have been very influential people in his life. They really helped him through injuries and how to take care of his body. They also helped him enhance his opportunities as a student and an athlete.

“My old teammates really helped me out “From the first day I arrived on early in my college campus coach Self has always believed in me and gave me the career when I was confidence I needed to succeed. having injury probWhen he made me a team captain lems and getting used this year it was just the icing on the to running track,” said cake that he really trusts and believes Hayes. “They were in me.”

- Senior DJ Hayes like my big brothers and they taught me so

File

much about keeping in shape and just the track world in general. Sometimes I think they had more faith in me than I did.”

Self has also been a big influence on Hayes, both on and off the track.

“Coach Self is more than a coach to me, he is a very influential male figure in my life,” Hayes said. “From the first day I arrived on campus coach Self has always believed in me and gave me the confidence I needed to succeed. When he made me a team captain this year it was just the icing on the cake that he really trusts and believes in me.”

Hayes’ standards for this season are very high. This season he wants to win a conference indoor and outdoor championship, and to become an indoor All-American and to be outdoor national champion. His main goal is to make it to the 2012 Olympics next season.

I am a track fanatic so I am constantly looking at results, so that I can get the motivation to go out and run the best time that I can,” said Hayes.

“I would like to continue to run track after my collegiate career is over and test out the professional circuit. But if me running is not in God’s plan I either want to be a physician assistant or a college sprint coach.”

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