January 24, 2012

Vol 120 | Issue 2

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Publishing since 1913

Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University

Police: Money has been stolen from dept. accounts, pg. 3

Visit us on Facebook: “The Houstonian SHSU”

PAC prices lowered, pg. 4

INDEX Viewpoints ....... pg. 2 A&E ................... pg. 4 News .................. pg. 3 Sports................. pg. 5

Art department chair to step down ‘JoePa’ dies at 85 Photo courtesy audreyjm529 | Flickr

CoFAMC Dean begins search for Shipp’s replacement MISTI JONES Senior Reporter The chair of the art department at Sam Houston State University will be stepping down on Aug. 31, according to an email sent to art faculty.

Tony Shipp has been head of the art department for six years, and it was announced Jan. 12 that he would be stepping down.

“The major reason for this change is that my vision of what can be encompassed in an outstanding Department of Art differs from that of [Shipp],” Roberta Sloan, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Mass Communication, said in an email to the art department’s staff.

During his time as chair of the department, Shipp started the W.A.S.H. program, hired faculty members, and further developed the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation and Graphic Design.

“Under his leadership, the department has grown and developed, for this we owe him a great debt of gratitude. Thank you, Tony,” Sloan said.

According to the email Sloan sent out, Scott Plugge, Ph.D., Interim Director of the School of Music will be the chair of the search committee for the new chair of the department. The committee will have six tenure-track faculty, six tenured faculty members, and a faculty member outside of the department that will be appointed by Sloan.

Plugge held the first meeting for the search committee on Jan. 20. Staff members who want to be considered for the position were advised not to be on the committee.

In May 2003, a federal lawsuit was brought against the university. Gary and Jasmine Graybill, former art faculty members, alleged that Shipp created a hostile work environment through sexual harassment and retaliation.

“Shipp’s stepping down as chair as absolutely nothing to do with his litigation issues,” Sloan said.

On Jan. 9, federal judge Vanessa Gilmore ruled that SHSU’s motion to dismiss was granted in part and

ZACHARY BIRDSONG Sports Editor

File photo | The Houstonian

SHIPP STEPS DOWN. Shipp (pitcured top-right) began teaching at SHSU in 1998 after getting his MFA in Photography and Sculpture from the Univeristy of Florida in 1993.

denied in part. The judge dismissed the charge of sexual harassment but ruled that the university to the charges of retaliation.

According to Sloan, if the chair search is unsuccessful then she will appoint an interim chair to serve in 2012-2013.

Shipp was unable to be reached by the deadline time.

Former Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno passed away early Sunday morning. He was 85-years-old.

In November, Paterno was relieved from his position after 46 years, when allegations of a child sex-abuse scandal surfaced at the university. A few days after his dismissal, Paterno was diagnosed with lung cancer. On Jan. 13 the AP reported that Paterno re-entered the hospital and on Saturday multiple reports came out that Paterno was in critical condition.

Paterno leaves a lasting legacy and was the winningest coach in college football history with 409 career victories, winning two national championships and a record 24 bowl games.

While things ended in controversial fashion for

the former head coach, his impact on and off the field effected many, just not those in the Penn State community.

“I don’t know Joe Paterno, but I know a lot of people who do and he just did a fantastic job and I don’t think there will ever be another one like him,” Sam Houston State University head coach Willie Fritz said.

Paterno put Penn State on the map academically and athletically and it’s unusual for coaches to stay in one place, Fritz said.

“He’s given millions and millions of dollars to the university,” Fritz said.

“He’s one of a kind, and obviously it’s sad what transpired in the last two months of his life. But from everything that I’ve heard about him, he was a top notch guy.”

Paterno is survived by his wife, five children and 17 grandchildren.

University offers to purchase BSM property to expand student center MOLLY WADDELL Associate News Editor

The Finance Department at Sam Houston State University has offered to buy the Baptist Student Ministry’s building.

A press release sent by the BSM in early January stated that Vice President of Finance and Operations Alvin Hooten notified them that they planned to build on their current property. The BSM was given two choices; they could either sell their building or the university would seek to take it through eminent domain.

“We love SHSU,” David I. Griffin, Director, said. “We desire that they grow and thrive in their pursuits, but we do not believe that this should be done through the taking of privately owned property that was purchased by Baptists over half a century ago.”

On Jan. 9, the administration told BSM that the university had no desire to use

eminent domain.

“We never said we would exercise eminent domain,” Hooten said. “We did offer to purchase the property at a fair market value based upon a qualified appraisal of the property. Negotiation of purchase price is the preferred methodology the university utilizes when acquiring property.”

According to Griffin, selling the property would likely result in a low amount of profit that would not pay for them to rebuild in a new place.

The school would like to use the land to expand on the Lowman Student Center, and plan on using the land that the Smith Kirkley building is currently on, next to the BSM building.

“The university and BSM are in a good place right now,” Griffin said At this time the BSM has not accepted the offer of purchase at a fair market price, but the offer has been left “on the table” if they do decide to sell.

Megan Laurie | The Houstonian

IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT. The Baptist Student Ministry is supported by the Tyron Evergreen Baptist Association, according to their website. The building is located next to the Smith-Kirkley Hall buidling.

Flooded Rec Center may reopen soon MISTI JONES Senior Reporter

Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian

WORKOUTS DOWN THE DRAIN. Recreational Sports officials shut down the Rec. Sports Center (RSC) after the City of Huntsville sewage supposedly backed up and caused a pipe to bust near the rock climbing wall. Officials said there was “inches of water.”

The Recreational Sports Center is tentatively scheduled to reopen Wednesday after a pipe ruptured near the climbing wall area last week, officials said.

Several inches of sewage water drenched the ground floor, resulting in the temporary shutdown of the whole RSC for several days. The cause of the pipe malfunction remains unknown.

“The RSC is doing all that it can to fix the problems including opening the Health and Kinesiology Center to allow some recreation possibilities,” Scott Vaculik, Assistant Director of Informal Recreation and Aquatics, said.

The HKC facility kept its doors open for academic classes and participation in basketball, racquetball and two multipurpose rooms for fitness classes.

According to the SHSU Rec. Sports Facebook page, members of the RSC handed out “goodies” to students last Friday as an apology for any inconvenience.

“Everyone has been extremely understanding, and we have been very grateful for that,” Vaculik said.

The center is currently being assisted

by SERVPRO Industries, which was contracted to help clean up the entire basement area in order to resume normal activities as soon as possible.

The RSC has asked that attendees check the facility’s SHSU and Facebook websites as they strive to keep the public updated on the reopening progress.

Regular hours of operation are set to proceed this week if the mess subsides.

Current schedule for the HKC: Tuesday 1/24: 3 p.m.-10 p.m.

Wednesday 1/25: 6:30 a.m.-midnight

Viewpoints

Page 2 Tuesday, January 24, 2012

houstonianonline.com/viewpoints

JoePa legacy: fair or foul?

Brandon K. Scott looks back at the Penn State coach’s last few months

N

ow that college football fans have had time to let Joe Paterno’s passing settle in, we can take a look at this news story without disrespecting the man, or elevating him as the deity he proved not to be.

This Paterno stuff is complicated because we have someone who did so much good through his calling as a football coach.

Paterno set the standard for how to go about business in college athletics, with an humble approach and the importance of football always in its proper context and perspective. Paterno’s legacy has every much to do with the kind of man he was as it does his coaching accolades, which includes the most wins in Division I football history.

He was also known as a molder of men and the kind of guy so many parents wanted their sons to be around. But ever since November, when it became national news that a Penn State graduate assistant claimed to have witnessed Paterno’s retired assistant coach Jerry Sandusky having sex with a young boy in the shower at the team’s facility in 2002, it’s been rather difficult to view Penn State (which has always

Today in history:

41 – Roman Emperor Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel despotism, is assassinated by his disgruntled Praetorian Guards. The Guard then proclaims Caligula’s uncle Claudius as Emperor.

1862 – Bucharest is proclaimed capital of Romania.

1911 – Japanese anarchist Shūsui Kōtoku is hanged for treason in a case now considered a miscarriage of justice.

1916 – In Brushaber v. Union Pacific Railroad, the Supreme Court of the United States declares the federal income tax constitutional.

1943 – World War II: Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill conclude a conference in Casablanca.

1946 – The United Nations General Assembly passes its first resolution to establish the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission.

1961 – Goldsboro B-52 crash: A bomber carrying two H-bombs breaks up in mid-air over North Carolina.

The uranium core of one weapon remains lost.

1984 – The first Apple Macintosh goes on sale.

1986 – Voyager 2 passes within 81,500 kilometres (50,600 mi) of Uranus.

1990 – Japan launches Hiten, the country’s first lunar probe, the first robotic lunar probe since the Soviet Union’s Luna 24 in 1976, and the first lunar probe launched by a country other than Soviet Union or the United States.

2003 – The United States Department of Homeland Security officially begins operation.

been synonymous with “JoePa”) with the same perspective.

The first two people thengraduate assistant Mike McQueary shared this information with were his father and Joe Paterno.

We know Paterno went to his higher-ups with this information, and we know those higher-ups have been charged with perjury – stemmed from their efforts to not fulfill their responsibilities in getting to the bottom of what appears to have been ongoing criminal activity.

Paterno has only been charged in the court of public opinion as a contradiction to the high level of morality he was known for. Now, in the court of public opinion, he may never really rest in peace.

Fair or foul?

Pundits are going to try to sell you a Paterno who did more good than bad in his life. The wonderful things he did, like donating so much of his own cash to bettering the university, and taking a personal interest in the men he coached, can’t be understated with the mention of a crime Paterno himself didn’t commit.

His failure to make sure Sandusky was banned from State College, a place they call Happy Valley, is a colossal one. But we can draw from some of Paterno’s

final words to the public to try and understand how he failed to do something that everyone on their soap boxes are certain they would have done.

“I’d never heard of, rape and a man,” Paterno told the Washington Post while on his deathbed.

Think about that quote for a

Brandon K. Scott Recurring Columnist

second. Don’t let JoePa off the hook if this means that much to you, but analyze that quote as best as you can.

Never heard of rape and a man?

We knew Paterno was born in 1926, but doesn’t that quote sort of put into perspective how old this man was, not to mention how long he’d been sheltered in Happy

Valley since the 1950s?

Child molestation, especially homosexual child molestation, didn’t happen in the world that Paterno lived in – which I believe is safe to say was a different world than the rest of us live in.

It’s so easy to point the finger and say, “Well, I would’ve done this and he should have done that.”

But to understand how Paterno got stuck like a deer in the headlights in this crisis is to understand what it’s like to be Joe Paterno. It’s safe to say that no one can realistically put themselves in that position, because most of us were born after 1926 and none of us redefined a university over a 50-year period.

The question is not just, what would you have done if you were in Paterno’s shoes, but more importantly, what would you have done if you were actually Joe Paterno?

We couldn’t fathom it.

We’re not from a generation where scandals get swept under the rug. More distinctly, we don’t have multiple decades of highlevel moral institutionalism to stand on.

“I called my superiors and I said, ‘Hey we got a problem I think.

Would you look into it?’,” Paterno said in the same Washington Post

interview. “Cause I didn’t know, you know… I had never had to deal with something like that. And I didn’t feel adequate.”

How sad is it that a man his age and of his stature, with all the molding of men he had done over the years, didn’t know how to handle that situation? And what does it really say about being perfect for so long?

Maybe Paterno was too perfect.

Life had been so good, he never had to deal with such an issue until he was well into his 70s. If only we could all be so fortunate.

What’s sad and sort of ironic here is Paterno taught so many people so many different things that were supposed to prepare them for the real world, but his displacement from reality seemed to have buried him alive wellbefore it was made public that he was suffering from lung cancer.

Here’s another JoePa quote to the Post, which reinforces how different the world is that he lived in from the one the rest of us do.

“I don’t think I deviated from what I’m all about and what I thought was important.”

I suppose we all prioritize differently, and our life circumstances have so much to do with that.

MySam should not be at MyUniversity Matt Frazier laments the ‘downgrade’ of university programs, wasted money

I

t’s a few days before you graduate. Finals are over, and you are extremely worried about the outcome of that difficult math class.

The professor told you your grade would be posted today, yet you spend all day refreshing the unofficial transcript on MySam to find out it’s not there.

Checking before the graduation ceremony it still is not posted.

The day after the faculty’s due date to turn in grades, which is two days after graduation, the grade finally is posted, and you find out you made an F in the class, preventing you from graduating.

This exact situation happened to someone I know, and this person has been at SHSU for a few years now.

Before the summer of 2011, SHSU used SamWeb instead of MySam for everything. This

included financial aid, transcripts, grades, and even buying a parking permit. In the 2010-2011 school year, SHSU decided to switch to Banner, developed by SunGard.

Banner is software used by many other universities. It is also known for how non-user-friendly it is among other problems it has.

Some things seem completely odd in which category they are under.

For instance, I was looking for DegreeWorks, the program that replaces DARS. I would normally think this would be under “Campus Resources”, but instead it is tucked away in the corner under “Registration”. I thought it would have been under “Campus Resources” because the Office of the Registrar, Library, and Bursars Office are all there At the end of the semester, students would be able to see their grades as soon as they were posted

The crowds at the Women’s basketball games have remained small. In case you haven’t noticed, they’re currently 4-1 in conference play. Come out and cheer these women on!

The new ‘potpourri’ in the REC Center. I don’t know about everyone else but I’ll wait as long as they need to get that mess cleaned up right!

by their professors. Of course, this made a difference if their professor posted their grades on the due date or as soon as they possibly could, but many professors I had posted them as soon as possible.

Most of the time, it was easy to find out if you had to retake a class the next semester right after your finals.

With MySam, you cannot see your grades for the semester until after the due date for the professors to turn them in. This means if you were to take your final for a class on Monday of finals week, and your professor grades it within an hour after it is over, you will not know your grade for the class until more than one week later.

I wondered why this is the case, as SamWeb showed the grades to students instantly. After asking around, I found out that the whole system must be refreshed for the

grades to be shown to students.

This is to prevent data loss, so only the professors have any access to the database for grades during this time.

The students cannot view it at all.

I find it embarrassing that our school must pay extra money to downgrade their system. Being a Computer Science major, it’s even more ironic that about four or five lectures in my Operating Systems class covered how to solve this exact problem.

Switching back to SamWeb is probably out of the question now, but at the very least, I think SHSU needs to urge SunGard to fix their software to implement this basic functionality.

-Matt is the Web and Multimedia Editor for The Houstonian.

“We’re playing our rivals SFA and we need all the fans we can get! We don’t plan on losing at home so come out and support us!”

-Sequeena Thomas Junior Forward

Come out to Johnson Coliseum Wednesday night 6:30 p.m.

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 936-294-1495. The Houstonian is a member of the Associated Press and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.

The crowds have been growing at the Men’s basketball games! The crowds have been loud and our athletes feed off the energy. Keep it up fans!

The combined GPA for all athletic teams in the Fall 2011 semester was the highest ever in Bearkat history. Way to keep on your grind in and out of the game!

News

Page 3 Tuesday, January 24, 2012

houstonianonline.com/news

Selfless act helps advance program at SHSU MISTI JONES Senior Reporter A pledge of $25 million has been donated to Sam Houston State University from ThermOmega-Tech, Inc., founded by Alumnus Frederick Pirkle. The philanthropy will fund a new engineering technology program as well as provide financial support for students majoring in the field.

“It’s the largest contribution commitment in the history of the university,” Frank Holmes, Vice President of University Advancement, said.

From the donation, $10 million will go towards the production of an engineering technology facility announced as The Fred Pirkle Engineering Technology Center. An additional $10 million will provide an endowment fund awarding scholarships for SHSU students involved in the engineering technology program.

The final $5 million is set to create The Frederick L. Pirkle Enrichment Fund used for faculty Photo courtesy of shsu.edu recruitment and professorship as PROUD ALUMNUS. Fredrick Pirkle shows true selflessness in donating $25 well as advanced equipment and million to Sam Houston State, for the engineering technology program. internship aid for students of the department.

“When Mr. Pirkle visited our hospitality and manufacturing campus a couple of years ago, industries. The valves were he was very pleased to see how invented and manufactured by Sam Houston State University is Pirkle, who has patented over preparing our students to make 20 products, including the BBQ significant contributions in Guru. today’s world through careers in Pirkle was granted The industry,” President Dana Gibson Distinguished Alumni Award said. “I am very proud to be a in 2011, the highest honor the part of this university, where it is university can give alumni. obvious to visitors “He’s quite that our students a remarkable can dream and “It’s the largest con- person,” Holmes succeed.” said. “He is very P i r k l e tribution in the his- grateful for what graduated from tory of the universi- Sam Houston SHSU in 1970 State has done with a Bachelor ty” - Frank Holmes for him. It’s of Science degree his hope that in Industrial through this Technology and legacy, the received his Master of Arts in students that go through the Industrial Technology in 1974. program will make a significant After graduation, Pirkle contribution to the country.” founded Therm-Omega-Tech For about a year, Pirkle has in 1983 in Warminster, Pa. been suffering from Lou Gehrig’s According to the Therm-Omega- disease (ALS). Holmes said Pirkle’s Tech website, the company disease and his appreciation for produces adjustable temperature SHSU’s engineering technology control valves for locomotives to program are what has motivated keep engines from freezing and him to do things with his fortune has greatly impacted the railroad, that will benefit others after he’s aerospace, solar, healthcare, gone.

Multiple SHSU departments victims of credit card fraud MISTI JONES Senior Reporter

Five university departments fell victim to possible credit card fraud according to the Procurement Office, and University Police Department officials, who were notified Jan. 3.

The credit card vendor contacted the office in regards to expenses at two Home Depot stores and online purchases in California.

The five departments— Language, Literacy & Special Populations, Curriculum & Instruction, Foreign Language, Health & Kinesiology and Family Consumer Science— were immediately contacted to review purchases on their individual accounts. All university departments were advised to watch for suspicious transactions.

“With the purchases being made in other states, there is a chance that the numbers were obtained somehow and then new cards were made and sold to individuals in California,” Deputy Chief James Fitch said.

UPD is currently working with the Procurement Office, Bearkat One and various educational departments, to assist people with using the purchasing credit cards safely and correctly to prevent more occurrences. They are also working with the stores to obtain surveillance video of the culprit.

“The Procurement Office requires card holders of the university to attend training prior to using the card,” Chief Kevin Morris, Director of UPD, said. “In addition, this same office requires card holders to attend additional training and updates according to their training schedule. The training includes precautions that the card holder should take.”

According to UPD, financial crimes can be difficult cases to investigate because they require so much information. Cases such as these can typically take three to six months to solve even when a suspect is provided. In this case, it is uncertain how the credit cards number were obtained.

“Either a company’s database that stores consumer credit card information was breached and

obtained, or the credit cards were skimmed and a card was cloned,” Morris said. “A credit card can be skimmed or the information can be obtained and not used until six months or a year later.”

The total expenses on the credit cards have exceeded $3,776, and no suspect has been provided from the incidents. Information about what was purchased with the credit cards cannot be released due to the ongoing investigation.

According to a Houstonian report in July 2011, about 50 counts of identity theft were reported in the Huntsville area, affecting citizens, faculty, staff and students. Many students discovered that their Bearkat One card money had been used up within a matter of days.

The Huntsville Item reported that hundreds of Huntsville residents were victims of a credit card “skimming” fraud that originated from a virus planted at Margaritas resturaunt. That case has been handed to the U.S. Secret Service and is still under investigation.

Photo courtesy of shsu.edu

STILL SEARCHING. UPD, Bearkat One, and several other departments continue searching for the person who fraudulently used university credit cards.

Supreme Court votes against redistricting maps

Todd Wiseman | Texas Tribune

TUG OF WAR. Texas is still having issues with redistricting their maps, even though the original maps have not violated any law.

Stephen Green Editor-in-Chief The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against redistricting maps drawn by federal court judges on Jan. 20; however, some say it may affect the 2012 presidential race.

The court ruled against

temporary maps drawn by a three-judge panel in San Antonio, which were made to be used while the maps drawn by the Texas Legislature are being challenged.

The original maps were drawn by the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature and were

disputed by a number of lawmakers for illegal gerrymandering, or drawing district lines in a way that skews votes in favor of one group or party.

Justice Clarence Thomas said in his concurring opinion the original maps are still able to be

Upcoming Events Today 3:30 p.m.-4:20 p.m.: Saving for Spring Break: a Student Money Management Center workshop, in the Lowman Student Center Room 315.

Jan. 25 3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.: Learning to Lead Speaker Series, in the Smith-Hutson Building’s Mafrige Auditorium

used because “they have not yet been found to violate any law.”

Lawmakers say this means the Texas Republican and Democratic primaries may be held earlier than previously thought.

The ruling allowed the primary date to be held before late June that would have occurred had the maps been rejected by the high court. Originally the date was scheduled for March 3.

Heather Evans, Ph.D., political science professor at Sam Houston State University, said a late primary date could make Texas voters essentially useless in the primary system.

“The later in the year, the fewer individuals will show up to vote,” Evans said. “By the time June rolls around, we should already know who the Republican presidential nomination will be.

States consistently try to hold their primaries and caucuses earlier in the year so that they can define the presidential race.”

Evans said Ron Paul (R-Texas) could be effected by a late move date, but that it would likely not have to come to that.

“Paul will have higher polling numbers here because of his Texas roots, but I don’t think he will still be in the race come June,” Evans said.

Former Massachusettes Gov. Mitt Romney currently leads

Send us your news tips Dan Rather Room 210 936-294-1505 mwaddell@houstonianonline.com

Name: Email: News:

the GOP field, five votes ahead of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

One Texas Representative disagreed with the court’s ruling.

“The good news is that only [Thomas] insisted on imposing the crooked ‘Perrymandered’ map and rejecting the vital preclearance requirement of the Voting Rights Act,” Rep. Lloyd Doggett said in a Jan. 20 statement. “The bad news is that the Supreme Court did not affirm every aspect of the ruling

by Judges Garcia and Rodriguez in San Antonio, so our primary election is not likely to proceed on April 3.”

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott praised the court’s ruling, saying it will help the state create more representative maps.

“The Supreme Court confirmed that the San Antonio court drew illegal maps, without regard for the policy decisions of our elected leaders,” Abbott said in another statement on Jan. 20. “As the justices point out, courts are illsuited to make policy judgments and redistricting is primarily the responsibility of the state.”

The date of the Texas primary is still up in the air, while the courts debate the fairness of the legislature’s maps.

Arts & Entertainment PAC tickets drop to $5 for students

Page 4

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

houstonianonline.com/a-e

GEORGE MATTINGLY Arts & Entertainment Editor

George Mattingly | The Houstonian

NEW OPTIONS: Some of the first events with the new ticket prices will be an Alumni Dance concert held on Friday at 8 p.m. in the PAC Dance Theater and a guest flutist recital on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the PAC Recital Hall.

Student ticket prices in the Performing Arts Center have dropped from $14 to $5 according to an e-mail sent to students on Monday.

The price drop applies to music and dance performances held in the PAC, Roberta Sloan, Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Mass Communications said in the email.

This is separate from the price of tickets for stage plays held in the University Theater Center.

The price change comes after students expressed concerns over ticket prices and attending events in the PAC last semester in a meeting with Sloan, according to a PAC employee.

With the price change, hopes

are to get more students involved with the performing arts at SHSU and to also reach out to the greater Huntsville community.

“We hope you will take advantage of this offer and enjoy some world-class entertainment presented by our students and guest artists,” Sloan said in the email.

For some students, the new price means having more options for things to do in Huntsville.

“Five dollars is a great price,” Milah Moes, junior photography major, said.

“That’s how much I pay to go to the movies. It’s easier to sacrifice five dollars than having to spend fourteen dollars.”

For more information about events held in the PAC, visit the events calendar at www.shsu.edu/ events/.

Comedians to headline spring entertainment GEORGE MATTINGLY Arts & Entertainment Editor He’s not fat, he’s fluffy and he could be heading to SHSU this spring.

Gabriel Iglesias, is among the famous comedians that may be headlining the entertainment this semester in stead of a spring concert, with the ideal date set during the last two weeks of March.

Other comedians that are to be considered by students are Mike Epps, Anjelah Johnson, also known as “Bon Qui Qui”, Joel McHale from “The Soup”, Seth Myers, BJ Novak and Wanda Sykes according to Chuck Collins, Assistant Director for Student Activities.

“The Student Service Fee Board awarded additional money during the spring semester in order to bring a more famous comedian to campus in lieu of a spring concert,” Collins said.

“With partial contribution from

Program Council for this semester, we will be able to bring better entertainment to the student body of SHSU.” Students will have the chance to cast their votes for who they would like to see perform through an online survey available today.

Once student input is considered, the Student Activities Office will be able to make an offer to the comedian’s agent, who will allow the performer to accept the “bid” on the booking date, according to Collins.

Comedians will be chosen based on the available budget, artist availability, venue availability and whether the performer will accept college bookings.

Future plans are to continue to host Sammypalooza during the fall and to host an additional concert in the spring semester, Collins said.

Photo courtesy of Shawn McClung Students can cast their vote today for the comedians by visiting www. SO MEATY: Joe McHale, most known for his pop culture commentary on his show “The Soup” studentvoice.com/shsu/comedianpoll on “E!” is among the comedians students can vote to see headlining this semster.

save with

zero down

WHE N YOU S IGN A LE ASE F OR SPRING C O N TAC T T H E O F F I C E F O R C U R R E N T AVA I L AB I L I T Y

Pinc Gator takes his own bite out of music business ZACH BIRDSONG Sports Edior If you follow sports on campus, you may hear the new Bearkat theme song titled “Eat ‘Em Up Kats,” blaring on the sound system.

The song was written by alumnus Carl Henderson, otherwise known as rapper Pinc Gator, a 2004 graduate.

During his time at SHSU, Henderson was a member of the football team and wanted to create a new fight song for the university with a hip-hop style to it.

However, he was never able to develop the song.

He was inspired to write the song after watching the first round playoff game against Stony Brook.

“I told my frat brother after the game I was going to record a new SHSU fight song as soon as possible,” Henderson said.

“Sunday morning I got up at 6:33 am and wrote it without a beat. It was heavy on my mind.”

Though his rapping career has been in the works for a while, it was after graduating from Sam Houston that his career really started to take off.

“I have been seriously been recording and pursuing the music since 2006, but it’s been on record since 1999,” said Henderson, who has also performed at numerous SHSU talent shows.

Since then, Henderson, with his Pinc Gator alias, has managed to record

CLASSIFIEDS 2-story townhomes. private bedrooms & huge walk-in closets. resort-style amenities

apply online @ villasonsycamore.com 936.439.5234 • 1615 Sycamore Ave

RATES, FEES, DEADLINES AND UTILITIES INCLUDED ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE | SEE OFFICE FOR DETAILS

1-1 Apt, Nice Area Quiet Small Complex 1.5 blocks SHSU 936-294-1102

Photo courtesy of Carl Henderson

HELMET OF STYLE: Pinc Gator wears his signature helmet everywhere he goes, which as been painted 10 times.

quite a few songs, including a remix with former NBA Star Shaquille O’Neal and rock and roll hall of famer George Clinton.

“Shaq heard a song I did called ‘I’m a Que,’ he said.

“He heard it on a Thursday, and found me and he was at my house that Sunday.

Shaq is a big kid. We had a good time doing that remix after he squeezed into my studio.”

In July of last year, Henderson released his first album titled “100 years” available on Itunes. Although it was his first album, he has released roughly 100 songs.

Henderson has also released songs dedicated to particular teams, including the Houston Texans and New York Giants, and major colleges such as Alabama, LSU and Baylor.

“I have 21 more on the “to-do list, and over a thousand Facebook messages to filter through,” he said.

While that may seem like a lot, Henderson’s work doesn’t stop there.

“I am working on another album, two more mix tapes, and plenty of educational songs geared toward elementary and high school curriculum,” Henderson said.

Henderson hopes to make “Eat ‘Em Up Kats” a benefit for students with proceeds from the song going toward a scholarship fund.

Even with his growing music career, Henderson still highlights the importance of education.

“Attending Sam Houston State University was the best decision I have ever made in regards of my education,” he said.

“I want whomever is reading this to know that hard work doesn’t guarantee anything, but without it you don’t stand a chance. The only person stopping you is you.”

To keep up with Henderson, follow him on twitter, @pincgator, or on his Facebook page at facebook.com/pincgator.

Sports Men lose in heartbreaking fashion Page 5

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

houstonianonline.com/sports

twitter.com/HoustonianSport

Kats blow 16-point lead and fall in final seconds CODY LEWIS Sports Reporter

It has become habit for the Sam Houston State Men’s Basketball team to find themselves in close games.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Hameed Ali hit a jumper from the left side of the floor giving the Islanders a 50-49 victory over the Bearkats as the clock ran down on Saturday night.

The Bearkats are now 2-3 in the Southland Conference, and they split their two-game home stand with one win and one loss.

Ali’s game-winning shot was the end of a comeback the Islanders mounted after being down by as much as 16 points in the second half. Corpus Christi’s Jonathan Jordan scored 14 and Terrance Jones scored 12. Surprisingly, Ali only scored six points.

After Sam Houston’s Marcus James fouled out, the Islanders built momentum and did not slow down. Sam Houston head coach Jason Hooten was not content with how his team played.

“If you do what we did down the stretch, it’s hard to win,” Hooten said. “If you play with fire, you get burned. And we let it get to where a shot beat us.”

Another aspect of the game that didn’t help the Bearkats was the Islanders’ ability to shoot almost 70 percent from the free-throw line. They made 18 out of 26 shots compared to Sam Houston’s 1222. Hooten said earlier in the week that the team’s goal is to shoot at least 70 percent from the freethrow line every game. They fell

Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian

COMING UP SHORT. Bearkat guard Demarcus Gatlin (11) attempts to get to the basket against Texas A&M Corpus Christi on Saturday night. Though Sam Houston lead the majority of the game, the Islanders would ultimately prevail after Hameed Ali hit a shot with .3 seconds left to go in the game.

short on Saturday night.

Steve Werner scored 17 and pulled down nine rebounds for the Bearkats but it wasn’t enough as the Islanders held Sam Houston to 29 percent shooting from the floor in the second half. Demarcus Gatlin was held to an uncommon 5 points along with Marcus James who also had 5.

“We just got too comfortable,” Werner said. “We lost the energy we had in the first half and we didn’t play together.”

The Bearkats were able to hold the Islanders to 21 percent shooting in the first half but

they were outscored 29-17 in the second half. The Bearkats also reduced their shooting percentage from 50 percent in the first half to 29 in the second.

Hooten and his team will stay optimistic as they continue with their season.

“We’ve got a good team and we’ve got good kids,” Hooten said.

“They fight hard and work hard everyday. We’ll bounce back.”

The Bearkats face Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and can be seen on the Southland TV Network as well as ESPN3.com.

Women bounce back in win, strand Islanders, 65-56 KARMEN KING Viewpoints Editor The women’s basketball team took the lead 13 minutes into the game and never looked back.

On the road against Texas A&MCorpus Christi, the Bearkats increased their conference standing to 4-1 as they surfed over the Islanders 65-56.

Junior Britni Martin, shooting 60 percent from 3-point range, draining 22 points, led the Bearkats, followed closely by junior Sequeena Thomas with 15 points and 16 boards.

“Our offense works to everybody’s advantage,” head coach Brenda Nichols said. “They [Martin and Thomas] couldn’t be where they are without everyone else on our team.”

The Bearkats pulled down 21 offensive rebounds and 29 defensive, outrebounding their opponents 50-33.

Chanice Smith, junior 2-guard, was sidelined with an ankle injury a few minutes into the second half

in what was described by Coach Nichols as a “hard fall.” Smith is questionable for Wednesday’s game against Stephen F. Austin.

In the last 61 meetings between SHSU and SFA, the Lumberjacks hold a 54-7 advantage, however Nichols coached the Bearkats to two of those victories.

Nichols will be looking to inside players Angela Beadle, Zoe Tucker, and Nyha Carter to make the difference against SFA. “Beadle will make a big impact in this game. Zoe Tucker and Nyha Carter, those two kids will be huge in this game against Stephen F. Austin,” Nichols said.

“My girls like to get in there and use that physical strength. It’s going to be a powerhouse on the inside for us.”

SFA is a run-and-gun type team which should be an advantage to the Bearkats with their ability to control the pace of the game and create shots inside.

The Bearkats take on Stephen F. Austin Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in Johnson Coliseum.

It’s college– break the rules not the bank.

Up to 30% Off new textbooks.

Plus FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Student. /textbooks Free two-day shipping available to customers who qualify for our free Amazon Student program. Savings based on list price.

Available for iPhone and Droid. Download the Amazon Student App to check prices instantly.