Monday, September 3, 2018
The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University
Students Dedicated to Professional Journalism Volume 130 | Issue 1
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CHANGE IS COMING
According to Lowman Student Center Director Rob Webber, the $40 million expansion is scheduled to open Jan. 15.
IN BRIEF CEO of Cengage Michael Hensen granted Associate Editor Sharon Raissi an exclusive interview where he explains his company’s attempt at introducing an innovative new method for students to access textbooks. Get all the details about Cengage on p. 2. The Chapter of League of United Latin American Citizens and the student organization Royalty are hosting a school supply drive on-campus to benefit Huntsville Independent School District. Find out how you can make a difference by donating on p. 3. Dr. Ronald Daigle was recently given the Excellence in Teaching award. Arts and Entertainment editor Tesla Cadena sat down with Daigle to gain insight on his unique teaching style and why he is so popular among his students. Find out for yourself on p. 4.
Kacie Ging
BY CHEREE SMITH News Editor The highly anticipated $40 million expansion of the Lowman Student Center is scheduled to open Jan. 15. It will feature a bowling alley, pub, restaurants, a ballroom and several more amenities. “Construction is scheduled to end sometime in December,” Lowman Student Center Director Rob Webber said. “We will take that time to get furniture installed in the building, complete the punch list, train our staff, and we will open up to the public Jan. 15.” The current Kat Klub will be relocated to the new expansion. It will include an eight-lane bowling alley, six new billiard tables and five new video game stations.
“No game room is complete without video games,” Webber said. The new restaurants in the LSC expansion will be Steak ‘n’ Shake and Oath Pizza. Adjacent to the Kat Klub will be a new pub that will offer beer—on tap and in bottles—as well as wine. The Kat Klub will also have a small performance space for comedians and musical acts. “It will be a fresh and hip new space on campus,” Webber said. “It will have a little bit of a coffee house vibe.” There will be an outdoor courtyard area on level one. “It will have a dual purpose art/ shade structure that will provide some shade…for people who want to dine outside,” Webber said. “It is adjacent to the dining area, so
there will be some outdoor seating.” The LSC expansion will also have an atrium. The atrium space will serve as the epicenter that will connect all three floors of the LSC, according to Webber. The Kat Klub, pub, restaurants, lounge spaces, outdoor courtyard and atrium will be on the first floor. A new 10,000 square-foot ballroom will be on level two. This space will have the capacity to break down into four separate spaces. The ballroom in the LSC expansion will be in addition to the ballroom that currently exists. “The new ballroom does not have a built in stage,” Webber said. “Everything in the ballroom will be portable and flexible to support events. We will have integrated theatrical lighting and sound ca-
pabilities. I think the space we are building is one of the most technologically advanced Student Center ballrooms in the country.” On level two, there will be more lounge spaces that will overlook the courtyard. There will also be additional meeting rooms. “They will serve as support spaces for the ballroom and for major events, but also for our student groups in providing them more meeting space in the building,” Webber said. “The expansion price tag is approximately 40 million dollars.” For more information you may visit http://www.shsu.edu/dept/ lowman-student-center/expansion-news.html
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Page 2: The most recent information about the new two-factor authentication
In case you missed it, there is a huge raven statue on the south side of campus. Contributing writer Ethan Eichhorst offers his perspective on the statue as well as other changes around campus. What are your thoughts? Check out an amazing photo of the raven on p. 5.
Page 5: Everything you need to know about the new rules before Saturday’s kickoff
Sam Houston State University’s 2018 football season begins Saturday. Sports editor Jordan Smith tells you all the preseason details before the Kats match up against Prairie View A&M at Bowers Stadium. Get ready for the new campaign by checking out p. 6. Jordan Smith
Tyler Josefsen
The Houstonian | bit.ly/SHSUCampusNews | Monday, September 3, 2018
Page 2
campus news
Exclusive: Can Cengage revolutionize textbook industry?
BY SHARON RAISSI Associate Editor Pioneering what could lead to a new age in academia, Cengage Learning launched Cengage Unlimited on Aug. 1. The new service is a digital learning subscription designed to save students money on textbooks each semester. After
paying an access fee, the student then has access to almost the full library of textbooks Cengage has to offer. “What we decided they needed were fundamentally two things, which was based on what the students and faculty told us,” CEO of Cengage Michael Hansen said. “One, they want quality material, they want the materi-
als that get them through the class, that allow them to pass in as easy a way as possible while still learning something. And secondly, we want affordability. That led to the birth of Cengage Unlimited.” Cengage offers more than 20,000 products across 70 disciplines. For $119.99, the student gains access to the library of
TSUS approves list of changes BY CHEREE SMITH News Editor The Texas State University System Board of Regents approved new academic programs and courses at their meeting on Aug. 16. There are four new academic programs. These programs include a Master of Arts in Technical Communication in the Department of English, Master of Fine Arts and Social Practice in the Department of Art, Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security in the Department of Security, according to Sam Houston State University Associate Director of Communications Emily Binetti. There are also two new certificate programs available at SHSU. A graduate certificate in Communication Studies in the Department of Communication Studies and an undergraduate
certificate in Technical Communication in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences were approved, Binetti said. TSUS approved 55 additional courses for the 2018-2019 academic school year, according to Binetti. Regents approved changing the name of the College of Fine Arts and Mass Communication to the College of Arts and Media effective Fall 2019. “The current title fails to capture all that we do in contemporary terms,” Dean of College of Fine Arts of Mass Communications Ron Shields said. “I have not received the official written notification of this change— it may take a few more days— or even a couple of weeks for the approval to make it through the entire system.” The construction plans for the proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine (applicant statusseeking accreditation) were also approved.
“I am pleased to reach this milestone with the Board of Regents having recently approved the design plans for our proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine (applicant statusseeking accreditation),” SHSU President Dana Hoyt said. “The building will be constructed on donated land located in Conroe, Texas and will include spaces in support of instruction, research, academic administration and student life.” For a complete list of changes, visit http://www.shsu.edi/today@sam/T@S/article/2019/ regents-approve-academicchanges.
textbooks for four months. For $179.99, the user gains access for a full year, and for $239.99 the student will receive a twoyear subscription. Even after the subscription ends, users will retain reference access to their course materials for the first year for free. “The way you consume video, is in all likelihood, you have a Netflix subscription,” Hansen said. “The way you consume music is that, in all likelihood, you have a Spotify or iTunes subscription. And we said, we can essentially do the same thing in higher education for course materials. Therefore, we opened up our entire catalogue of products.” Thus far, this sort of service is unprecedented in the textbook business. “Typically new startups came in and revolutionized businesses,” Hansen said. “It was not the record companies who invented Spotify. It was some guys in a garage who invented it because they saw the customer need. And frankly, the incumbent players, like the record companies, ignored the consumer. I think that we, as one of the few
companies in an industry, were the incumbents. We were part of the problem, and we decided to be the solution. If you ask the people at Cengage, that is probably the thing that we are the most proud of.” Cengage Unlimited partnered with Chegg to offer subscribers a month of free access to Chegg’s Learning Services. Unlimited subscribers will also gain 30-day free access to Kaplan Test Prep materials and 6-month free trial of Quizlet Plus. “This is essentially what students told us: they want to be part of a learning hub,” Hansen said. “We, essentially, want to be advocates for the students. Whether we sell this particular product or not doesn’t matter. This is obviously additional value for the students who buy this subscription. We ultimately, are putting them in a position to be more successful in their learning experience.” Students can purchase their subscription straight from the Cengage website or at bookstores on or off campus.
Gone Phishing: Duo app offers more protection
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Police Blotter: SHSU’s Finest Keep the Campus Safe Aug 20th: Sexual Assault The University Police Department responded to Huntsville Memorial Hospital to a report of a Sexual Assault. While on scene, the female victim reported she was assaulted in their on-campus residence by a known male individual. At this time, based on the investigative facts, there is no ongoing threat to the campus community. An investigation into this reported assault is ongoing.
Aug 21st: Welfare Concern An officer was dispatched to White Hall, 2101 Avenue I, in reference to a welfare concern. The individual was transported for further evaluation. The officer also informed the Dean of Students.
Aug 22nd: Forgery An officer was dispatched to the University Police Department, 2424 Sam Houston Ave, in reference to a report of forgery. The complainant stated she noticed that her bank account was over drawn via check. The complainant expressed her wish to prosecute.
Aug 23rd: Assist Outside Agency An officer responded to the Bearkat Junction Convenience Store, 2020 Sam Houston Avenue, with a possible bicycle theft. The officer assisted Huntsville Police in locating the serial number on the bicycle and relayed the information to Sam Houston Police Dispatch to determine who the owner was and if it had been reported stolen. HPD arrested the male and took possession of the bicycle.
Jordan Smith
BY JUSTIN BLUM Contributing Reporter Sam Houston State University increased online security for employees this summer by introducing a new high-tech security measure called Duo. SHSU implemented Duo on July 13 with the intent of giving faculty and staff better protection against phishing and other possible attacks on their accounts. The most common way a password can be stolen is through phishing. Phishing is the process in which someone tries to electronically acquire sensitive information by posing as other companies or businesses. Phishing has been a constant problem at SHSU over the years with more than six million emails blocked per month, according to information received from the IT@Sam Communications Department. Duo utilizes a function known as two-factor authentication— a method that allows the user to confirm their identity using two parts. The first part is when a user enters their username and password. The second part of this system requires the user to use their smartphone. Users must confirm their identity to access Banner SelfService in MySam and other administrative applications. Duo provides multiple options for
a user to confirm their identity. These options are via text, phone call or by entering a sixdigit passcode generated from a random sequence of numbers. IT@Sam said that a recent cyber-attack on several SHSU employee accounts nearly succeeded in redirecting paychecks. After the incident, IT@Sam concluded that relying on passwords would not be sufficient in protecting employee accounts. The only accounts that currently use the Duo two-factor authentication are those of faculty, staff and student workers. The university is currently in the process of evaluating and considering Duo two-factor authentication for all students, according to Associate Director of Communications Emily Binetti. Aside from using Duo, IT@ Sam recommends forwarding any suspicious looking emails to abuse@shsu.edu to help combat phishing.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleCommunityNews | Monday, September 3, 2018
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community news
Huntsville Library introduces ‘sittercise’ Phone scam hits close to home Gavin Guinther
Gavin Guinther
SPREAD YOUR WINGS. The 21-foot tall, 7,000 pound raven statue is a new addition to campus. The significance of the statue comes from Sam Houston’s nickname amongst the Cherokee people, which was “the raven.”
BY ZACHARY LEONARD Contributing Reporter The Huntsville Public Library is offering “Sittercise” classes to help the community exercise regardless of physical ability. Many of the routines taught in this course are performed in a chair, making Sittercise an op-
tion for those with physical impairments. The program focuses on improving strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, endurance and overall function. “Having the classes here makes it less intimidating to come to,” Huntsville Public Library’s Adult Services Coordinator Mary Kokot said. “The
library is just more accessible to everyone and we love to see students and community members interacting and having a good time.” The library started its Sittercise courses in January to help senior citizens and those with chronic illnesses stay active. According to Kokot, many of the
attendees are older, but it is open to anyone. The Huntsville Public Library also hosts a variety of other classes such as Pilates as well as beginner and intermediate Spanish and genealogy courses. Most courses offered through the library are free and attendees can jump in at any time. “Our goal here at the library is to keep people engaged,” Kokot said. “Whether that is through exercise or learning a new language, people of all ages can benefit from any of our programs here at the library. “ The Huntsville Public Library hosts Sittercise every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Community Outreach: SHSU supply drive benefits Huntsville school district BY CHEREE SMITH News Editor The Sam Houston State University chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens and the SHSU student organization Royalty are hosting a school supply drive to benefit Huntsville Independent School District. The organizations began taking donations of essential supplies on Aug. 22. Junior International Business major Stephanie Serrano says they are accepting a variety of supplies including dry erase markers, folders, crayons and glue. Even something as simple as copy paper can be beneficial for teachers. “Some schools limit how much paper each teacher gets or they leave the shipment in the teachers’ lounge and whoever comes first gets what they can take,” Serrano said. It is a scenario that Serrano says plays out in Texas classrooms and schools every day.
Teachers are forced to take what little they already earn and put it back into their students’ and classroom needs. Serrano says teachers spend an average of $530 per year for classroom supplies. However, teachers are only allowed to deduct $250 from their taxes annually. Data from The National Education Association in 2017 shows teachers do all of this on an average annual salary of $52,575. “Teachers have to buy items to decorate the class such as educational posters or bins so students will be able to store their items,” Serrano said. “They also purchase professional development materials, computer materials, books, snacks and so much more.” Serrano hopes that SHSU students will look back and remember those educators who helped motivate them to get where they are and pay it forward by donating to help the next generation of students and leaders. “I hope that SHSU students
Gavin Guinther
remember those teachers that went out of their way to help students that did not have the necessary materials for one reason or another,” Serrano said. The organizations are accepting school supplies through Sept.
6. Those who are interested in donating supplies should drop them off in the designated boxes in the Lowman Student Center, Newton Gresham Library or Room 317 in Academic Building IV.
BY CHEREE SMITH News Editor The City of Huntsville is warning citizens about a new phone scam. According to the City of Huntsville website, citizens have been receiving calls from someone claiming that they are with law enforcement telling citizens that there are warrants out for their arrest. “The caller goes on to advise that the citizen should acquire a pre-paid Visa, or other credit card, in the amount of the warrant,” the City of Huntsville website said. “Once the prepaid credit card is obtained, the citizen is to call the person back with the credit card information, at which time the person empties the pre-paid credit card.” Please be advised: Huntsville Police Department will never ask for a credit card payment over the phone. Any citizens who receive calls about outstanding warrants should contact the police department or municipal court to confirm that the information is correct before proceeding with any action.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianOpinions | Monday, September 3, 2018
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Opinions
Is new raven statue ruffling students’ feathers? What are your thoughts on the new raven statue? Let us know! @HoustonianSHSU
Kacie Ging
SPREAD YOUR WINGS. The 21-foot tall, 7,000 pound raven statue is a new addition to campus. The significance of the statue comes from Sam Houston’s nickname amongst the Cherokee people, which was “the raven.”
BY ETHAN EICHHORST Contributing Writer If you walked from any one of the forms of housing south of campus, you may have noticed it was extremely warm the first day of school. The warmth is expected, though, and the embarrassment that comes as all sorts of geometric sweat stains form on your bright orange shirt. You’re filled with spirit to see that person in class that you are not quite friends with but want to be, or that professor that seems to get you. But leaving all that, on the journey down Avenue I to the campus, passing Raven Village, Piney Woods, and White Hall, the sun reflects off a brownish metal figure appearing on the horizon. You lazily
look to see if a car is coming as you cross Bowers Boulevard (you know they’ll stop, no need to look). From the sidewalks next to the blah and blah house, there it stands, a raven. Its body is made of little shapes meant to resemble feathers, but they look more intimidating than that. They look like the scales of a reptilian-bird crossbreed— as fantastical a creature as a Bearkat. Beside the raven is the new building that you may never enter, but I can tell you, I have been inside. The building may possess Huntsville’s most beautiful restrooms, with backlit rectangular mirrors and complex tile arrangements. There are orange swivel chairs in the halls for students to recline in as they speak with their best
academic bravado. When the elevators reach their floor the doors open silently, as if it was no machine at all, but an angel that had lifted you up or taken you down. There is a very enjoyable collage of tiles in the lobby, but the rest of the building is a passionately neutral white or gray, or at least it felt that way— meant to convey what is modern, contemporary, present, new and current. But out the doors and into the heat, just at the end of a leveled slope of new sidewalks and places for bushes and trees, the raven soars over its students, and seems to stare at the twodorm house across the way, looking into its future demise. Surely, as a new modern building is planned to be erected to the east, those dorms, surrounded by aca-
demic buildings, will meet their end. It will be a different place when they are gone, but ask any Bearkat, and they will tell you that it has been a different place with each new semester. Something is different about this raven, though. Unlike the orbs in front of the Fred Pirkle building that seem playful and innocent, displaying the supposed wonder and beauty of reason and science, the raven is entirely tribal, threatening and honest. I hope it stares down every hoodie, T-shirt and hat showing that awful shade of maroon. SHSU students are Bearkats, yes, but we are also ravens, the sons and daughters of Sam Houston, walking through the same streets as he.
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New to NCAA: 2018 football rule changes BY GABIREL MEYERS Contributing Writer The Sam Houston State University Bearkats kick off their season September 8th against the Prairie View A&M Panthers, and head coach K.C. Keeler is getting his team acclimated to the new NCAA rule changes that go into effect this season. Play Clock After Touchdowns/Kickoffs: After touchdowns and kickoffs, the play clock will now be set at 25 seconds instead of 40. This is an attempt to increase the pace of play in college football. The average college football game now lasts almost three and a half hours. Many NCAA executives would like to see that number dropped. The NCAA isn’t the only group of people that would like a faster pace of play; fans do as well. Many believe that the drop in attendance and viewership of college football games last year has at least something to do with the speed of the game. I don’t think this rule will affect
outcomes much, if at all, but it may speed up games a bit, and that’s something I support. Keeler commented after a scrimmage last week that the team felt the impact of this rule change early on, barely getting their first play of the game off after the opening kickoff. “I like the rule change,” Keeler said. “But it’s going to make you think a little bit.” “We snapped the ball at two seconds the first play of the drive.” Kickoff – Fair Catch: A team can now fair catch a kickoff inside their own 25 yard line, and the ball will be placed at the their own 25. With a lot of attention coming towards football because of potential brain damage and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the NCAA is taking some preventative measures on kickoffs where a lot of the biggest collisions happen on the football field. Kickoff returns can be some of the most exciting plays in the game, especially for the Bearkats. They have All-Americans returning kickoffs—senior Davion Davis and junior Nathan Stewart. Kickoff returns are one of the most dangerous plays in the sport, so the NCAA implementing a rule in order to try and limit the number of kickoff returns makes sense. It should increase player
safety, which is a good thing. “They’re trying to protect the kids, and safety is a big issue,” Keeler said. “We tell our kids if the ball doesn’t have a big hang time let’s try to take it out, but if there is, let’s just fair catch it and take the ball at the 25.” Instant Replay – 10 Second Runoff/Minimum Time for A Play: Any time the officials conduct a replay review in the last minute of the half there will be a 10-second run off following the review if the clock was running at the end of the play being reviewed. You can avoid the runoff by calling a timeout. This is the most controversial rule change coming into the season, and I’m not in favor of it. This was a rule in the NFL last season, and it probably cost the Detroit Lions a game—and a playoff spot. In a game against the Atlanta Falcons, the Lions scored presumably the game winning touchdown with eight seconds left in the game. The play was reviewed and rightfully overturned to rule the receiver down just outside of the goal line. The Lions absolutely had enough time to run another play had the correct call been made on the field initially, but because of this exact rule, the Lions lost the game. Most teams in college football now run a hurry-up/ no-huddle offense to consistently
get plays off in less than 10 seconds. This rule has no place in college football. I’m 100% against this, and I’m certain that it will affect the outcomes of games this season. “We live in a two minute offense,” Keeler said. “When [the run off] happens, the fans are going to be like ‘What just happened’ and you know what the coaches are going to be saying ‘What just happened.’ Until you live through it, you don’t even really understand what’s going on.”
There are a few other rule changes that address what is acceptable to be on a jersey or advertisements on the field that should not and will not affect the outcome of games. I’m not generally in favor of adding rules and/or making rules more complex because as a fan I do not want to see the game I love get over legislated with rules that don’t hold any value. Players should decide the game on the field, not rule changes made by a bunch of suits in the NCAA front office.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianAandE | Monday, September 3, 2018
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arts & entertainment
Accounting professor’s unique style equals excellence
Let’s Get Fiscal! Dr. Daigle’s office is surrounded with keepsakes from colleagues and students from years of academia. He celebrate his students achievements by giving them coasters, and they give a lot back in return.
BY TESLA CADENA Arts and Entertainment Editor Ronald “Ronny” Daigle won the Excellence in Teaching award on May 10 for his dedication to his students and his academic life. Daigle has been a semifinalist for this award for three years and a finalist for another three years; he finally won after seven years of nominations. “It’s still shocking to have won,” Daigle said. “I’m humbled and honored because there’s so many good faculty here. I’m a full professor here, but I look to other faculty for mentoring. “What I think of is a quote to keep this all in perspective, ‘The higher you are placed, the more humble you should walk.’” His office walls are covered floor to ceiling with magnets, photos, memorabilia and various mementos from students from years of teaching. Behind his office door is a variety of orange jackets and clothes to show school spirit.
Every year he takes a photo with students from his classes and he tears up when reminiscing about students and the impact they have made on his life. “This award is a humbling honor,” Daigle said. “I want to be a good steward of what this represents because this is a responsibility. I want to live up the ideas of this award.” He always knew he wanted to be a professor, which he credits to growing up in an academic environment. His father was a college professor who stressed doing your best and learning as much as possible. Daigle got his undergraduate degree at the University of South Alabama, got practical experience in the business community and went to graduate school to get his master’s degree and Ph.D. at Texas Tech University. He now teaches auditing and accounting classes. “I don’t call this my academic career,” Daigle said. “I call it my academic life. I want my life to be seamless between what I’m
doing in a classroom and what I’m doing in my life. I love it so much.” After six years of working in public accounting, he discovered Sam Houston State University during his Ph.D. program in 1996 where he met his long-time friend and future colleague— Philip Morris. Morris allowed him to come to SHSU and use his class during the week of 9/11. “I was stranded here in Huntsville all week long because I had flown down,” Daigle said. “I stayed out of the way, but I came here every day that week, and I got to interact with the faculty. As sad as that day was, I left with a wonderful, positive impression of Sam Houston, the department and the college.” Daigle visited the university multiple times over the years, and when the opportunity presented itself, he knew his place was at SHSU’s College of Business Administration. “I did not come here and do a formal interview,” Daigle said. “They felt comfortable making that hiring decision without it. It wasn’t me answering a job ad. It was a seed planted in 1996. It was an interesting path it took for me to come here. I knew the environment here and how much I wanted to be part of it.” Contributing to a positive environment has always been important to Daigle, as he believes people have an impact on each other in most aspects of life. “There are two things I think of when it comes to teaching: you have to be yourself, and you have to show you care,” Daigle said. “There’s a quote I give my students by Teddy Roosevelt which says, ‘People don’t care what you know until you know they care.’ “I impress upon students that I care. I take very seriously that
I have to be a good boss, steward and manager of the authority given to me. I tell my students – respectfully – I love y’all, so we’re going to work hard.” Most people define success in education as straight A’s and a 4.0 GPA, but that is not how Daigle sees it. “When I say succeed, it means giving their best,” Daigle said. “I’m not looking for everyone to be an A student. If you do your best, be proud of your best. There are students I’ve been more proud of earning a B than some earning an A because I’ve seen the effort, attitude and drive.” Although Daigle continually pushes himself and his students, he believes in rewarding them for their hard work. “I give drink coasters as a token of achievement in my classes,” Daigle said. “That’s part of my personality and style. I want to make class fun. I fervently believe in recognizing achievement, especially for those who make the high score on what I call an opportunity for excellence – I don’t use the word test or exam – I use opportunity for excellence.” Another unorthodox method of teaching and encouragement Daigle implements is celebrating Talk like a Pirate Day by showing up to class with a hook, eyepatch and bandana and giv-
ing a “cornball” quiz. On Mardi Gras, he dresses in purple, green and gold and brings King Cake for students to eat outside of the classroom. “What does it cost a pirate to get an ear piercing? A buccaneer,” Daigle said jokingly. “I want to do things that lighten up the class, make it entertaining but educational. I think I’d be doing this stuff no matter what topic I’d be teaching, but when you teach accounting some people might fall into a rhythm of technical stuff. So, I think no matter what you’re in, you need to liven it up and keep them on their toes.” The reason Daigle wants to give back so much is because his academic life and career have helped shape his future. “I had a couple of blessings from my academic career,” Daigle said. “My buddy invited me to a faculty lunch to meet someone since I was new. Well, it turns out the person he introduced me to was my future wife.” Colleague Philip Morris and a former student of Daigle’s also wrote him letters of recommendation that made it possible for Daigle and his wife to adopt a son. Daigle doesn’t just teach. He learns from his students. This award has further motivated him to do even better for future generations.
Stephanie Tan: First music recital of semester BY ABBY BLANCETT Contributing Writer Sam Houston State University’s School of Music had their first recital of the semester on Monday in the Gaertner Performing Arts Center Recital Hall. It featured senior Music in Performance major Stephanie Tan playing classical piano selections. Tan played songs composed by Domenico Scarlatti, Franz Schubert, Jean Sibelius and Ludwig van Beethoven. Tan’s favorite songs were “String Quartet No. 1 in F Major, Op. 18,” “Allegro Con Brio,” and “Adagio Affettuoso ed Appassionato,” all of which were written by Beethoven— her favorite
composer. “I just like how he composes the music,” Tan said. “I remember when I was young, my mom and I would always pass by the piano studio in China, and I just loved it.” Drawn to the piano from a young age, she knew she wanted to learn to play since she was five years old. Tan must perform every semester as a requirement of her major, and this was her final recital at SHSU. She was pleased with her last performance, as she believes she has improved over the years. “Today, actually, I feel like I did way better than my junior recitals,” Tan said. After college, Tan plans to continue pursuing piano. She
is going to obtain her master’s degree and Ph.D. in Music Accompaniment. “I want to teach at a university and share music with everyone,” Tan said.
“She has grown tremendously.” -Professor Ilonka Rus Her music professor and mentor Ilonka Rus said she can feel Tan’s passion for music and watching her do her final performance at SHSU was bittersweet. “It’s hard for me to let her go, but I know she will continue to
make progress and succeed,” Rus said. “Every time a student graduates, it’s almost like a family member going away. I know she will do very well in life. She has now mastered her foundations, and she’ll continue to blossom in her career.” The piano has 12,000 parts, 10,000 of which are moving while playing. All the small pieces work cohesively to produce the desired sound. Tan practiced at least two hours every day to perfect her performance pieces. “The process is really hard,” Tan said. “You have to have a strong mind and feelings toward the music.”
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Ilonka Rus
Review: ‘Disenchantment’ compels viewers BY MASON GONZALES Contributing Writer From creators Matt Groening and Josh Weinstein (both known from their work on “The Simpsons” and “Futurama”) comes a new animated adventure following a princess, her pet demon and an elf in a fantasy world. “Disenchantment,” which premiered Aug. 27 on Netflix, tells the story of Princess Tiabeanie “Bean” of Dreamland and her misadventures with her elf friend Elfo (that really is his name) and her new personal demon, Luci. Luci is my favorite character from the show, not only in the design and writing of the character’s lines, but in voiceover artist Eric Andre’s delivery of the lines. The show also stars Abbi Jackson, Mat Dixon and “Futurama” voice acting veteran John DiMaggio. There are 10 episodes in the first season with each running a little under 30 minutes. For all the bingers out there, you can get through it in one night if you want. (Just remember to study first.) It maintains a similar art, character design and comedy
style to Groening’s other shows. Many of the jokes did land, although comedy is subjective. For the most part, this show is more of a dark comedy and not laugh-out-loud funny. Due to this, the show is able to hit its stride in many areas. The world these characters inhabit, while fictional, does feel real in a sense and some of the ways they incorporate certain mythologi-
cal creatures into the story feels unique to this universe. For those who are fans of Groening’s previous work, there are a couple of Easter eggs from other shows, which are always cool to find. In terms of animation and voice action, they are stellar for most of the season. There are a few moments when the backgrounds seem dull and
lifeless, but those are few and far between. On occasion, some characters have very wooden or stiff movements. There are also occasional action sequences thrown in, each of which are well-animated and choreographed, but never stand apart from each other. Nonetheless, they do bring excitement into episodes. That said, another gripe is
that it was difficult to tell if the show was trying to be an episodic series or serial. There are plot lines that carry over to later episodes, and the final episodes show what clearly matters, but it was still hard to make that distinction. That criticism may be a little unfair, but it is an issue with other popular animated series as well and must be addressed. It was shocking—to an extent—regarding the season finale in terms of some plot twists. Some were visible from a mile away while others genuinely were shocking, which is good. In this era of mass media, there are so many stories out there, and as a television and film lover, it is nearly impossible to surprise. This show did, at least briefly. Hopefully, it will shock you too. Overall, if you are a fan of “Futurama” or “The Simpsons,” then you should like this unless you are not a fan of dark comedies. It was fun watching these episodes and I feel that when you need a break from studying, homework or just want to relax after a long day at work, “Disenchantment” is something to count on. Season two is expected to premiere in Aug. 2019.
The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleSports | Monday, September 3, 2018
Page 6
SPORTS
Kats, Keeler kickoff season Saturday ranked No. 4
Tyler Josefsen
BY JORDAN SMITH Sports Editor “No, it couldn’t be that many. Are you sure?” Sam Houston State University head football coach K.C. Keeler said in a joking manner when introduced into his 25th season as a head coach in college football and his fifth season at SHSU. With 18 returning starters, it is easy to see why the Bearkats were selected as the favorites in the preseason poll to win the Southland Conference in 2018. Program Success Keeler is the No. 3 active head coach in the FCS with an overall record of 220-85-1. SHSU has been one of the most successful DI football programs with him at the helm, accumulating 46 wins in the last four years and competing with some of the best teams in the country. “46 wins in four years, with only Alabama, North Dakota State and Clemson as the only ones that have won more games than we have, I think it’s a cultural thing,” Keeler said. “They understand that when you are in our culture it’s about certain expectations. There’s accountability. When things aren’t going our way, we believe that we can get the ship righted.” A stacked schedule The 2018 regular season could be tough for the Bearkats. SHSU will play six of their nine conference games away from Bowers Stadium, including the annual Battle of the Piney Woods against Stephen F. Austin at the neutral NRG Stadium in Houston Oct. 6. Keeler talked about the team’s mentality when looking at the schedule prior to the beginning of the season. “It’s kind of interesting when
you look at our player manual and you open up to that schedule, we don’t even have any teams on our schedule,” Keeler said. “We are leaving that page blank because it’s really more about us just trying to become the best football team we can. But, when you do take a step back and look at the schedule you realize ‘Boy, it’s front loaded’. Our guys face some of the best teams in the league right away.” SHSU will open the 2018 campaign with two home games against non-conference opponents—Prairie View A&M and North Dakota. The Kats will then travel to Thibodaux, La. to face the Nicholls State Colonels. “It’s going to be a great challenge to go to Nicholls early in the season to play them at their place,” Keeler said. ”Not only are they talented, but they also have a lot of confidence. There are going to be some great games early on in the season for us, no question.” Southland strong In the 2017 season, the Bearkats finished second in the Southland Conference with their only loss coming against the conference champion Central Arkansas Bears. Keeler addressed the strength and development of the conference in his four seasons at SHSU. “This conference has gotten so much better since I’ve gotten here,” Keeler said. “I remember Abilene Christian, how well they played us until the end [last season] and how well their players are taught. I see that there are a lot of good, young coaches that have come into this conference. There is a lot of change. So, possibly we were voted preseason No. 1 because we do have a lot of guys coming back and I’ve
become one of the old guys in this conference now.” Keeler knows how difficult it is now to play the Southland as opposed to when he first arrived in Huntsville and realizes that no game is a guarantee win anymore. “There was a time when you could look at your schedule and say, ‘here’s three or four that we feel pretty good about,’” Keeler said. “You don’t have those games anymore. Every game now is a game in where you feel like you need to have a great week of preparation because if you don’t, we are the hunted.” New season, new offense The Bearkats are known for their fast-paced play on the gridiron. In the 2017 season, SHSU snapped the ball on offense over 1,000 times. Keeler talked about the style and tempo that the system being brought in by new offensive coordinator Ryan Carty will offer the team. “Ryan Carty played for me at Delaware and was actually Joe Flacco’s backup,” Keeler said. “[Carty is a] tremendously bright individual in a league where those defenses were
always better than the talent he had on offense. He’s used to going up against teams that have better people than he does. Playing fast is not unusual for him. He has that experience from when he was with Chip [Kelly]. We won’t give up scheme speed, and that is one of the things that he and I have talked about. Still play fast, but I think you will see us a bit more intricate with some of our schemes than we have been in the past.” Quarterback battle Mike Dare is a 6-foot 6-inch transfer from Lackawanna Junior College. He has spent time at Rutgers University as a redshirt quarterback before starting nine games for the Lackawanna Falcons. He went 124-215 (57.7 completion percentage) while throwing for 1,970 yards with 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions. His pass efficiency rating was 150.2. Being a transfer to the team, Dare has had to adapt and learn quickly to the new program. “Being the new guy here, I’m grasping the offense very quickly,” Dare said. “Getting to know the stars like Davion and Nate, getting used to them and
getting to throw to them, it’s really easy now especially with the chemistry.” Dare is not the Bearkats only threat in the backfield, however. Ty Brock and Eric Schmid have had an impressive offseason, as well. “Ty Brock was the No. 1 high school quarterback in the country coming out for our level,” Keeler said. “Then we went to the Woodlands and got Eric Schmid, a young man who had 48 touchdowns and four interceptions his senior year. I think we have three [quarterbacks] that we can win with, and like I said Mike Dare, that experience of playing in the junior college, getting a full season in and those game reps really gives him a unique advantage early on.” It will be interesting to see who is in the backfield when SHSU’s season kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. at Elliot T. Bowers Stadium against the Prairie View A&M Panthers who the Kats beat 4834 last year to open up 2017.
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