The L asso On the scene since 1914
Student-run newspaper | Never a dull moment
Wednesday, October 1, 2014 | Vol. 101, No. 21
Community | North Central Texas College
TWU honors NCTC victims Community mourns the deaths of students from a nearby community college
Campus News
Student Life VP named Dr. Monica MendezGrant named Vice President for Student Life
Sarah de Schweinitz Reporter sdeschweinitz@twu.edu
Photo by Tammi Paul
Above: Students, faculty and staff were encouraged to sign and leave notes on the banner in support of the victims’ friends and families. SGA organized the banner signing in the SU, where students could easily stop by and leave their notes for those affected.
Emily Nickles Page Editor enickles@twu.edu
Follow The Lasso twulasso.com
Photo by Tammi Paul
Above: Students gathered at the LittleChapel-in-the-Woods for the vigil in honor and memory of the deceased NCTC students.
The world is full of pain and death and things that don’t make sense, but it’s in those times that we see the true colors of humanity. How we react, in love or indifference, defines who we are as a community. Last weekend, a North Central Texas College bus was sideswiped by an 18-wheeler while heading southbound on highway I-35 returning from a scrimmage with Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma. According to the Dallas Morning News, the bus carried 16 members of the university and NCTC women’s softball team. Their head coach was driving the bus. The 18-wheeler, driven by 53-year-old Russel Staley from Saginaw, Texas, veered off from its northbound course then drove across over 800 feet of a median and into the side of the bus at around 9 p.m. Friday evening. The truck driver did not stop or evade collision, continuing another 100 feet before hitting a tree off the side of the freeway. Staley was treated at a hospital in Pauls Valley for only minor injuries. The coach refused treatment on scene and was treated at a nearby hospital for minor injuries as well. All the passengers on the left
side of the vehicle were severely injured. The bus spun around on impact and landed on its side. This accident resulted in the lost lives of four girls. Three were pronounced dead at the scene and one died later in the hospital where she was brought for immediate treatment. The bus was an hour out from Gainesville, where they were returning, and just a few miles south of the Turner Falls area. According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Staley claims that he was distracted by something in the main cabin of the truck, although OHP representative Ronnie Hampton stated that they are not inclined to believe his story. Authorities do not believe that the driver fell asleep and are still waiting on the toxicology reports on both men, which is expected to take a few months. Hampton shared that they will be investigating the cause of the accident as if it were a homicide because of the number of deaths that resulted. NCTC responded to this tragedy with poise and compassion. NCTC President Brent Wallace opened up for a Press Conference and release Saturday morning with as much information as he could as they were still waiting on further report from the OHP. The Gainesville campus opened for students and staff to meet with
After a national search to find the best candidate, Dr. Monica Mendez-Grant was chosen as the official Vice President for Student Life at TWU. MendezGrant has served as the Interim Vice President since May of 2014. During her time at TWU, she has been the Director of the Center for Student Development and Student Orientation, and she was previously the Associate Vice President of Student Life. She has over 20 years of experience working with students and holds degrees in Higher Education Administration, Counseling and Business Administration. In the press release written by TWU’s Chancellor and President Dr. Carine Feyten, Mendez-Grant is praised for the work she has completed thus far such as securing over three million dollars in funding and working with the Director of Intercultural Services to reach out to future college students in Denton and other counties. Mendez also introduced the TWU National Student Awards Initiative, which has given students the chance to study abroad on the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, among other things. Mendez-Grant’s innovations at TWU include Little Chapelin-the-Woods renovations, expansion of student health services, First Lady Gown renovations, support to TWU for Title Three funding and more. One of the more notable achievements of Mendez-Grant is the Single Parent Resources Information Networking Technology scholarship program, which she started in 2009. Her resume speaks volumes about her dedication to serving and guiding students. In 2002, she taught “University 1011” at TWU, which is meant to provide students with the necessary groundwork to succeed in college.
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Denton | Chancellor and President
Feyten settles in, listens to students
The new Chancellor and President is seeking ways to improve the campuses INSIDE THIS ISSUE Opinions
Internships for students...............2
News
Sexual assault on campus..........3
Community
Earthwise in Denton....................4
Arts & Entertainment
010 Gallery’s new exhibit.............5
Sports
Soccer breaks records................6
Shelby Baker Editor-in-Chief sbaker3@twu.edu I stepped out of the elevator to a seeming endless sea of periwinkle. Everything matched – the carpet, the walls, the furniture. Sunlight filtered in through every window. I had arrived at the 15th floor of ACT. I had been to the Chancellor’s
floor before but never past the reception area. You see, I had an interview with the Chancellor but despite my weeks of planning, felt completely out of my element. In case you haven’t met or seen the Chancellor, she is a very tall woman, graceful and finely dressed. I had just gotten out of class, my hair a mess and wearing typical college student fashion. It’s easy for any one to
see the differences between me, a student, and her, the Chancellor of TWU. But as I sat down and talked with her, the differences seemed to melt away. Because what started as an interview evolved into a delightful (at least on my part) conversation. Q: What is your personal vision, idea, plan for your time at the university?
A: Well, I hope the time is long. Finishing my listening journey, starting to figure out in my head what are some distinguishing characteristics of TWU. We have a very special and unique niche — we are the largest university in the country, and maybe the world, predominantly for women, and that is really powerful.
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Opinions
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
twulasso.com
Opinion | Internships
Internships: advantage for you or for them?
Do internships give students an advantage or does it allow them to be taken advantage of? Sarah de Schweinitz Reporter sdeschweinitz@twu.edu Internships sound great on the surface. They seem like a great way to gain experience and start networking. Unfortunately, they also sound like a great way for companies to get free labor out of students. I asked Coordinator of Experiential Learning at TWU Kurt Krause what he thought, and he said that he knows not all internship opportunities are perfect but that they are worth a shot. “Although I encourage all employers to pay their student interns, the reality is that unpaid internships continue to exist, especially in certain industries — non-profit, healthcare, entertainment, government, just to name a few.”
said Krause. To students who think that all unpaid internships are just free labor, this is what Krause had to say: “In many ways, they are right. I always say that a paid internship is better than an unpaid internship, so students should work hard to seek those out. Having said that, an unpaid internship is better than no internship at all because employers strongly prefer students with previous work experience.” He added: “Often, an unpaid internship can lead to paid, full-time position with that same company upon graduation. It happens all the time.” Krause’s optimism is encouraging, but stories of many interns across the country are not so motivating. According to the Texas
Workforce Commission, it is up to employers to decide whether or not to pay interns. There are supposed “stringent guidelines” to prevent employers from exploiting interns. On the TWC website it states: “In the United States, federal law mandates that unpaid interns must not benefit the company economically or be used to displace the work done by paid employees.” I think the key phrase here is “must not benefit the company.” While this is in the official criteria, there are many interns who would say that their work did benefit the company and that they were working just like full-time employees. For example, in 2013, 3,000 interns tried to file a class-action lawsuit against the Hearst Corporation
(a well-known media and information company) to get the money they felt they deserved for their work there. Unfortunately for them, a judge in New York denied the interns class status and ruled that if they wanted to sue, they had to do it individually. The Fair Labor Standards Act gives a list of six criteria to determine whether a position can be appropriately labeled an internship or employment: 1. The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training, which would be given in an educational environment. 2. The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern. 3. The intern does not displace regular employees but works under close
supervision of existing staff. 4. The employer providing the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern. 5. The intern is not entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship. 6. The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Fact Sheet on internship programs states: “If all the factors listed above are met, an employment relationship does not exist under the FLSA, and the Act’s minimum wage and overtime provisions do not apply to the intern.” To me, this sounds like a really crafty way to get free labor out of people. Why shouldn’t
interns be paid if they are performing a job? One of the arguments is that the experience is enough, so interns shouldn’t demand monetary compensation. The problem with this argument is that while the experience may indeed be beneficial, not everyone can afford to work without getting paid — Especially while paying for school at the same time. Of course, I think experiential learning is the best kind, especially if it’s to help prepare you for your eventual career. I just think that if a student is willing and able to put in the time, they should be compensated. That might draw in more eager students and give those who don’t have the resources to do an unpaid internship a chance to gain experience as well.
Opinion | Animals
Opinion | Denton Law
Emotional support animals improve overall health
Dentonites vote to make Denton a ‘wet’ county
Feeling furry friends Smart bet on going ‘wet’ Matt Olson Reporter molson3@twu.edu
Amanda Clark Page Editor aclark9@twu.edu Three words: emotional support animals. You may be wondering exactly what an emotional support animal is, and a week ago I wouldn’t have been able to tell you. Emotional support animals are exactly what they sound like: animals that provide emotional support, specifically to people with mental and psychological disorders. There are even ordinances in place now that say if you can prove that you are in need of an emotional support dog, apartment complexes and such have to allow you to have your pet, regardless of their policy. Is this crazy? If you asked me when I first found out about emotional support animals, I would have been quick to say yes. As I’ve thought it over some more though, the concept of emotional support animals makes complete sense to me. Even if you don’t have a mental or psychological disorder, many people suffer from some form of depression or emotional stress on a regular basis. While it is ideal to have a community of people to walk through these circumstances with you, sometimes the layout of one’s life does not allow for a caring community. Seeking professional help is always encouraged but is not always an option due to extenuating circumstances.
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG
Graphic by Toi Ferguson
Yet how easy is it to go out and buy a cat, dog or even a fish to encourage you and give you some joy? Take my roommate Kara, who is an extreme animal lover, she is one of the more emotionally healthy people I know. I would accredit that a lot to her relationships with others and her ability to process through her emotions. I also walk in on her talking to Swisher, our pet fish, quite often. I think owning pets gives people the ability to care for something else and to receive love in an unconditional manner. This is healthy and helpful, especially for people who have disorders. I think it’s a great alternative or addition to medication to prescribe someone to get a pet. So basically a medical professional is encouraging relationships in this person’s life, and I couldn’t agree more. Relationships are hard
and messy and they often scare me because of a lack of trust. An animal’s loyalty; however, is unwavering. When it comes to allowing people to have pets in their home regardless of a development’s policy, I am in favor. Proof of need is required, and depending on the facility’s policy the government has to supply some additional funding. Though it may seem ridiculous to some that the government would help aid emotional support animals, I think it encourages the overall mental and psychological health in America. I truly believe that the integration of pets into what we’re prescribing for people with mental and psychological disorders is a step in the right direction. Pets encourage relationships, activity and interaction, and, I would say, provide much more than just emotional support.
The Lasso editorial staff Editor-in-Chief
Designer
Managing Editor
Page Editors
Shelby Baker • sbaker3@twu.edu Alexander Ancira • aancira@twu.edu
Reporters
Toi Ferguson • lferguson2@twu.edu Emily Nickles • enickles@twu.edu Amanda Clark • aclark9@twu.edu
Monica Alcaraz • malcaraz@twu.edu Matt Olson • molson3@twu.edu Sarah de Schweinitz • sdeschweinitz@twu.edu
Copy Editors
Photographer
Advisor
Tammi Paul • tpaul1@twu.edu CORRECTIONS
This November, Denton residents who go to the voting booth will be faced with an important choice: to make the county “wet” or to maintain its current “moist” state. Denton stores can sell beer and wine while restaurants can serve those options and mixed drinks. Bars must register as private organizations in order to serve liquor, and the owners must pay unnecessary fees to do so. Voting to make Denton a wet county will not only help the local economy but also improve the town’s image. Liquor sales can generate large amounts of revenue for a county the size of Denton. With two colleges in town and an impressive local music scene, allowing liquor sales will more than likely boost Denton’s economy. Not only could bars and restaurants serve liquor without facing unnecessary obstacles, but liquor stores could also open within county lines, both creating jobs and serving the public in the process. College and drinking do not go hand in hand, but college students tend to drink; when students reach the legal drinking age, they have the freedom to experiment as they see fit. Some students
“Voting to make Denton a wet county will not only help the local economy but also improve the town’s image.” - Matt Olson, Lasso Reporter
refrain altogether, which is a perfectly respectable choice. However, with the large percentage of students who do drink and, again, both TWU’s and UNT’s contributions to the local consumer population, what logical reason remains to prohibit the sale of liquor within county lines? The first and most obvious reason is the danger of drunk driving. Alcohol-related accidents claim a high number of lives each year. While one may be inclined to link liquor sales to drunk driving incidents, the fact of the matter is that some people will choose to drive home — or elsewhere — when they clearly should not do so. Allowing liquor sales within the county will not increase the likelihood that responsible drinkers will become irresponsible. The second and somewhat insidious reason is the attempt to legislate “morality.” Alcohol consumption is seen as sinful by a majority of religions. However, people who speak out against drinking are simply stating
All rights reserved. The Lasso is a weekly student publication of Texas Woman’s University, written and produced by students and printed at DFW Printing. Editors develop their own editorial and news policies.The presentation of news and editorials and the personal opinions expressed in The Lasso are those of Lasso staff and writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty, staff, students, administration or the Regents of Texas Woman’s University.
This week’s issue Vol. 101 No. 21
their opinions, which apply to their own lives. It is equally my opinion that drinking in moderation is a healthy means for people to enjoy themselves, and my opinion applies to my own life. I don’t seek to ensure that everybody drinks alcohol. Therefore, people who think drinking is sinful should not seek to ensure that alcohol is prohibited. This attempt to legislate “morality” is akin to last decade’s banning of samesex marriage. Opponents sought to prohibit same-sex marriage despite the fact that homosexual couples’ ability to get married would not affect them. They saw the issue as it pertained to their “morality” despite the fact that it did not pertain to their lives. In the same way, people who seek to prohibit liquor sales are attempting to enforce their vision of “morality” upon the population at large. Voting to make Denton a “wet” county helps not only in generating revenue but also in welcoming the town to the rest of the modern world.
Letters from Readers The Lasso Stoddard Hall Rm 311
Email lasso@twu.edu Website twulasso.com
Savannah Peer • speer@twu.edu Tiffany Lam • tlam6@twu.edu Rhonda Ross• rross7@twu.edu
The photo caption of Alumna Vickie Washington on pg. 5 in the Sept. 24 issue was credited to Tammi Paul. The photo was actually courtesy of Vickie Washington.
We value reader submissions. As a university newspaper we have certain criteria that limit what we will place inside our newspaper. Please limit letters to 300 words. Columns submitted should be no longer than 600 words. Please include your name, address, phone and email. Your contact information will not be published. Unsigned submissions will not be published. All submissions are also edited for length and clarity. Submissions become property of The Lasso.
News
Something I’ve been thinking about a lot is the university is more than a place; it is a force. I really like this image that we are a force in the state, in the nation. Women can be a force and it is important for women to be a force in making change and in the state in terms of legislature. It’s important that they consider us a force in making things happen. The idea that we are more than just a place is really appealing to me. I’m planning on engaging the whole community and really the students, and seeing where we want to move. It’s kind of fun. I’ll talk more about that during the inauguration. Q: I recently attended Pioneer Panel, and it seemed to me that the top three concerns were the need for a new residence hall, the need for a student union and an increase in parking. A: We just had a meeting actually with the students last week, with the Student Government Association and student
Campus Blotter
out. Q: There has been very little heard regarding the UNT Collaboration in the past two years. A: We are working fast and furiously on that. I just had lunch with UNT President Neal Smatresk last week. He showed me around campus, and we talked a lot about the different areas we want to collaborate in. Programs joined in offering where we have strength and they don’t and vice versa, and even doing things together in the city. We have a few programs actually, and at the graduate level there are quite a few we want to strengthen. I mean, it’s silly to have two great universities in the same town and not capitalize on each other’s strengths. He is very interested in some of the things we do, including athletics.
Visit twulasso.com for the full interview
Dig Little d app Monica Alcaraz Reporter malcaraz@twu.edu
A new app is making waves as a guide to good food and fun activities in Denton. With construction on Hickory, the City of Denton is making big plans to become a great tourist attraction. The app provides easy access to information pertaining to events, parking, the construction Denton is facing and much more. Each venue listed within the app is a Denton original that is near and dear to a Dentonite’s heart. From the Greenhouse Restaurant on Locust Street to The Loophole on the Square, the app is built to be a go-to for all
Denton related events and businesses. The app also includes a price range for each venue and a brief description of what is provided at each. This app also provides an easy-to-access DCTA bus schedule and route, as well as fare and the information to pay off a fare citation. This portion of the app also provides “Rider Alerts” as a warning regarding any detours, travel guides and adjustments or changes in DCTA. With so much information at hand about so many locations here in Little d, this app makes navigating Denton easier than ever before. For the first time, information about Denton is all located in one easily accessible place.
Compensation plan approved Tiffany Lam Copy Editor tlam6@twu.edu
Sarah de Schweinitz Reporter sdeschweinitz@twu.edu On Sept. 18 at 9 p.m., a TWU student was sexually assaulted in Stark Hall. According to Director of Public Safety of TWU Chief Elizabeth Pauley, the student knew the alleged assailants and escorted them out of Stark Hall herself soon after the assault. She reported the assault to the TWU DPS the following Sunday. Pauley stated that the student went to high school with the two men involved: “She checked them in. She has known them since high school. They were visiting. Very rarely are sexual assaults stranger-on-stranger.” Thanks to the Clery Act, a landmark federal law enacted in 1990 named for a student victim, schools are required to inform students of any known threat
on campus by issuing a timely warning through mass email, text message and/or phone call. This includes notification of sex offenses, hate crimes and drug and weapon possession. According to Pauley, TWU students did not receive a mass notification of the incident on Thursday because it did not meet the criteria for imminent danger. Pauley said that the DPS is currently investigating the assault. “She didn’t report it until Sunday, so there was no imminent danger. If she had reported it that night, we would have found out all the facts to see if there was an imminent danger. Both suspects have been identified, and the investigation continues. We know who they are; we know where they are. We got her the counseling and medical help she needed. That was our main concern.”
On the TWU DPS webpage, there is a daily crime log which is automatically updated when a crime is committed on campus. The DPS is phasing out a paper crime log in favor of going completely online. There is also the Clery Report online, which shows the past three full years at a time. The newest one, which will include all reports from year 2013, will be uploaded today. For more information on the Clery Act and to view on the daily crime log, go to http://www.twu.edu/dps. If any student is on campus late at night and wants a police escort to get to their car or dorm room, all you have to do is call the DPS at 940-898-2911.
FSA scholarship event Matt Olson Reporter molson3@twu.edu Saturday, Sept. 27, the Denton County chapter of the Former Students Association held a scholarship reception for TWU students. The university Chancellor and President Dr. Carine Feyten served as a guest speaker for the event. Twenty-three students were honored with scholarships from the Denton County chapter, and another student was awarded a scholarship from the TWU Black Alumni. Over 120 students, staff and faculty members were in attendance. The reception began at 10 a.m. and was held in the Hubbard Hall Pioneer Room. Attendees at the reception were offered fruit, breakfast pastries, coffee and juice. Gentle piano music played throughout the event. When Feyten spoke, she requested a moment of silence following the fatal NCTC bus accident. She then spoke about her
of TWU alumnae who donate money so that current students can receive scholarships. The association has various regional chapters, ranging from Austin to Dallas to Houston to San Antonio. One chapter is even based in Southern California. Pagano said of FSA scholarships: “Either [students] find one, or we suggest one. Any application that we get, we usually forward onto the chapters if the FSA doesn’t award them a scholarship.” Students who are awarded FSA scholarships are required to be full time students, to maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 and to volunteer six hours per year to the association. Pagano elaborated: “It’s a way for students to learn who we are. They can see what we do and hopefully turn around and give back to the TWU community.”
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educational history and how scholarships play an important role in providing opportunities for students to succeed. She emphasized the importance of community in regards to enabling individual success. TWU FSA Finance Coordinator Mary Pagano described the process of awarding scholarships to students: “Starting in December, we open applications for FSA scholarships. Students apply for these scholarships, and we go through. We have 10 different scholarships. Some of them are for Music majors, some for Art majors, Fashion Design majors and other students. We go in to determine which student is eligible for which scholarship, and we rate them according to the stipulations of the scholarships. Some are just general scholarships, so they look at the leadership qualities, academics, community involvement, grades and other qualifications.” The FSA consists
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The compensation plan that has been in the making for almost two years was approved recently in a move to bring the university up to market price. This plan included analyses of faculty and staff members. Associate Vice President for Human Resources Lewis Benavides explained: “It’s not just pay — it’s how you feel about working here, about benefits, about career advancements. … Pay was just one piece of it.” In the first step of this three-part compensation plan, staff members were brought up to the 80 percent minimum if they were under. “A lot of people were making more than that,” said Benavides, “but there were about 390 positions out of 826 that were below 80 percent.” Staff members that were not above market price received a four percent adjustment as part of the second step. The third step is a “one-time
lump payment of five percent on Dec. 1,” according to Benavides. Some staff members whose market prices were low saw their pay double with the compensation plan. Though TWU is currently under market price, the plan going forward is to reach market price. A departure from across the board bonuses is also in the plan as the university is looking to reward employees based on performance. “I just want to convey that there was a lot of work done. There were a lot of groups that worked on the project. We hired a lot of outside experts,” said Benavides. “When you have change … you’re going to have a lot of people happy, you’re going to have a lot of people not so happy. But the bottom line is that there’s opportunities for participation.” For more information about the compensation plan and how it works, visit http://www.twu.edu/compensation-classif ication / compensation-pay-plan.asp
Student assault on campus
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Disturbance On Sept. 24, a call was made reporting a disturbance at Lowry Woods Community. Lost or Stolen Property On Sept. 24, lost or stolen property was reported at Jones Hall. Found Property A call was made reporting found property on Sept. 24 at Administration Dr. Medical Emergency A medical emergency was reported on Sept. 24 on Bell Ave. Warrant Arrest On Sept. 24 on Bell Ave., a warrant arrest was made. Medical Emergency A call was made concerning a medical problem on Sept. 25 on Administration Dr. Collision Report On Sept. 25, a call was made about a collision on N. Bell that resulted in property damage. Criminal Mischief A report of criminal mischief was made on Sept. 25 at Bell Ave. concerning $500 worth of property damage. Medical Emergency A call was made reporting someone who had a medical emergency on Sept. 25 in Guinn Hall. Collision Report A call was made on Sept. 25 about a collision in the main lot that resulted in property damage. Harassment A report of harassment was made on Sept. 25 on Administration Dr. Criminal Trespass On Sept. 26, a call was made to DPS regarding a criminal trespass on E. University that resulted in an arrest. Medical Emergency A call about a medical emergency occurred on Sept. 29 at Stark Hall. Warrant Arrest On Sept. 30, a student was charged with a warrant for their arrest that resulted in the arrest of that student at Administration Dr. Assault A call was made about an assault on Sept. 29 from E. University. No personal injury occurred and no arrest was made. Fraud On Sept. 30, a call concerning fraud was made from Administration Dr.
leaders. We talked exactly about that—here is the budget and here is what we need to do, so how do we prioritize? How do we draw up a strategic plan for the whole university? I don’t think there is any question that we want to do all these things but in what order. Q: What do you personally want to see happen first? A: God, I want to do all of it. It’s really a matter of also what we can do from the state because the state has these specific rules about what money you can use for what. For example, you can not build a student union with state money, or you can’t ask for state money to build a parking lot. Our fees and everything are really low, which means we can’t build up a lot of reserves, so what we have now will just maintain what we have now, upkeep, maintenance, if we need to be fixing anything, but not enough to say we’re going to build a brand new thing. So that’s what we have to figure
Assault on campus
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Denton | News
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Interview with Chancellor
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
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think before you judge.
I have Autism.
October is Disability Awareness Month Students interested in the disABILITY support group that is scheduled to begin next week, are encouraged to contact DSS as soon as possible.
dss@twu.edu
940.898.3835
CFO 106
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Community
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Community | Photo essay
twulasso.com
The Dog Days of Denton brings the dogs out on Saturday Tammi Paul Photographer tpaul1@twu.edu
T
he Annual Dog Days of Denton celebrated its 21st year this past weekend. It’s an opportunity for dog owners to show the finest qualities of their canines. The event include shows and arts and crafts vendors at the North Texas State Fair Grounds.
Right: Shaggy sheparding dog herds ducks in a line to the gate in a new herding showcase for dogs hosted by Alamar Farms.
Photo by Tammi Paul
Left: Banjo and his owner Ashley share a loving moment. Banjo is the new Spokesdog for the 2015 Dog Days of Denton show. Right: Attendees check out the vending tents and information on pet health as they walk their dogs through the fair grounds. Photo by Tammi Paul
Photo by Tammi Paul
Local | Commerce
Earth-wise, down-to-earth
Local all-natural grocer brings fresh produce to Denton
Photo by Tammi Paul
Monica Alcaraz Reporter malcaraz@twu.edu Just a couple of blocks away from campus down Elm Street, T-Dubbers and Dentonites can find a small but unique grocery store called Earthwise Produce. Outside, this shop looks like a small home, but open the front door and there you will find a cooler full of colorful fruits and vegetables, and shelves of granola and honey. Around the corner sits co-owner Christina Trevino and one of the many volunteers that helps out around the shop. “We have been in business at this location for two years, and for a year before that my husband and I sold produce at the Denton Farmer’s Market each Saturday,” said Trevino. Owners Trevino and husband Ryan Crocker work together with Johnson’s Backyard Garden ,which provides produce for Earthwise from Austin and out of state locations. But Texas-made is not a far cry from this small grocery store. It features an abundant array of products from honey and cheese to milk and even cleaning products. Among the abundant collection of certified organic produce and dry goods, this small grocer also sells meat: lamb, beef, chicken and pork. “We get our lamb and
beef from Waco, our Pork from Boyd and our chicken from Windy Meadows. All animals are free-range and naturally raised,” explained Trevino. Earthwise Produce also provides Community Subscribe Agriculture through their connection with Johnson’s Backyard Garden, which allows community members to go online and subscribe for a weekly basket of produce. Sizes and prices range from individual, $22; small, $27; medium, $34; and large, $40. The variety of fruits and veggies provided grow with every basket. Along with product, Earthwise provides another valuable asset to community members: volunteer opportunities. Volunteer service consists of helping the owners prepare for market on the weekends and more. If volunteers work a minimum of four hours a week, each get a medium basket of produce what volunteer Carolyn Sargent calls “Vegetable Christmas.” You can also find locally grown produce from Earthwise owners at the Farmer’s Market every Saturday. They also go out to Coppell and will soon be venturing to the McKinney farmer’s market to sell produce.
NCTC Tragedy: TWU support Continued from pg. 1
counselors to work through their loss and grief all day Saturday. Sports teams in the athletic department were brought back from around the district while at away games because the emotional impact would be too great for many of the students on the teams. Sunday night, a prayer vigil was held on the Gainesville campus for students and families to come and support one another and grieve together. The communities surrounding the girls’ home towns have also provided support by holding memorials and prayer vigils. High schools, college campuses and sports teams have worn the school’s colors in ribbons and arm bands to commemorate the four girls. The whole nation has flooded NCTC with love and support, not just nearby districts. TWU Director for Student Development Christine Hall and members of the Student Government Association worked together on the TWU Denton campus to organize a prayer vigil and banner signing last Monday night and passed out ribbons in NCTC’s school colors to represent TWU’s support
this week. The NCTC Corinth campus is only a hop and skip away; with the proximity of this fellow college campus and many previous NCTC associates now attending TWU, this tragedy hits close to home. For a lot of people, the thought running through their heads is: “What if it had been our team?” College sports are important to most campuses across the nation — sports bring people together as a community to root for and celebrate something. Often sports teams are very closeknit; one can only imagine the emotional horror and turmoil the other girls on the softball team are feeling. The prayer vigil was predated by a banner signing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday morning. The banner will go to the NCTC administration as a demonstration of our condolences. After students wrote heartfelt messages on the banner, at 8:00 that evening students congregated to the Little Chapel-in-the-Woods for quiet reflection and prayer for the families and friends impacted by this tragedy. Several students stood up to talk about a few of the girls who had passed; some had
Photo by Tammi Paul
Above: SGA handed out blue and white stripped ribbons at the vigil and banner signing in memory of the tragedy.
played against their team or played on a team with them. A few students spoke from their heart as they reached out with compassion at the sadness of this event. Hall, who coordinated this event, shared: “It shows a lot when you can work together as a community. … It’s good that we can come together as a community to have comfort and support.” NCTC Flower Mound campus representative Roxanne Del Rio attended the event with her husband. She shared to the coordinators that she could feel the
love on the committee. In times of trouble, tragedy and turmoil it’s important to put away thoughts of self and reach out to those suffering in our community. Not just for the short haul but for as long as it takes to heal. TWU showed that we care about our students’ grieving and finding a place of common ground where they can talk with and share that pain. In the end, it’s good to know that the people of TWU care about the world around us, especially those living in it.
Arts & Entertainment
twulasso.com
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
5
A&E | Movie preview
Season’s greetings to terrifying films
There’s something for everyone in the numerous horror film releases on DVD and in theaters Emily Nickles Page Editor enickles@twu.edu The line-up for this fall’s terrifying mind-twisters is looking grim so far, as it should. Ghouls, demons, possessions, creepy dolls, cults and even sasquatches are some of the elements one can expect to appear in this October’s horror films. Some carry more characteristics of a thriller than horror, but the heartwrenching, dark and cruel circumstances identify the films as the same old-same old genre we can’t escape every Halloween season. First up, summer horrors out on DVD and Blu-ray as of this past September are the sasquatch themed film “Willow Creek”; “Cabin Fever: Patient Zero,” which revolves around a murderous pathogen; “The Possession of Michael King,” which is more like the obsession of a widowed man in the afterlife/spirituality; and finally “The Sacrament” which follows two cameramen as they document the search of their friend for his sister and end up finding a cult. As intriguing as the four of these sound, we’ll focus on the most promising: “The Sacrament” and “Willow Creek.” Accord-
Photo courtesy of Jerkschool Productions
ing to both their ratings on MetaCritic and MovieWeb, the response is more positive than some of the flicks that have come out this past summer. “The Sacrament” features a plot centered on an eerie cult—a conventional idea for most horror flicks. A single figure, the Father, of mysterious and unknown background, leads the cult. The two documenters follow the trail to a community based on religious and socialist ideals. The four are “dying” to escape the place as things turn sour. One critic, David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter, claimed: “It makes savvy use of the well-worn found-footage format, modulating its creepy scenario with considerable skill.” Other crit-
Arts | Gallery display
ics online seem to share the sentiment. “Willow Creek” is set where the original 1967 fragment footage of Bigfoot was filmed. Two Bigfoot lovers, Jim and Kelly, go there on Jim’s dream to set foot in the area the video was shot. When they head out to the forest to explore, bad things await them. Critics claim that the film is one of the best of its kind and, directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, does everything a little better, if not acknowledging its flaws. It’s up to you to make your own opinion. Next on the list are movies currently in theaters: “Tusk” and “As Above, So Below.” Though cleverly titled, “As Above, So Below” does not reach its pre-showing expectations. It is set in the French catacombs where a team of explorers attempt to dig deeper into an uncharted area of the caves. Charac-
ters experience psychological traumas as the demons of the city of dead begin to affect each person. The reviews tend to focus on the potential of the idea to be successful but ultimately failing to being original. “Tusk” is vaguely described as taking place in rural Canada where the main character’s best friend goes missing and he and his friend’s girlfriend go out to find him. Viewers explain that the movie was gruesome and snarky, but not quite the typical piece of horror fanfare. In spirit of the season of ghouls and monsters, the much anticipated “Annabelle,” in theaters Oct. 3; “Dracula Untold,” in theaters Oct. 10; and “Ouija,” in theaters Oct. 24, are pieces of filmography to look forward to. “Annabelle” is essentially the prelude to “The Conjuring” where we see how the iconic creepy doll came
to be. Annabelle is the result of a purchase by John Form for his bride to be. He meant the vintage doll dressed in a wedding dress to be his fiancé Mia’s delight. But after their home is attacked by a satanic cult, the violence ends in a demonically possessed doll. “Dracula Untold” attempts to draw attention back to the true story of Prince Vlad the Impaler. The authors weave vampire mythology into a history of the war and throw in a bit of magic and tragic love to boot. “Ouija” may appeal to younger audiences as many of the older generations and youth today may have experienced the tempting dangers of calling to spirits from a Ouija board. The story centers on a group of friends who frightfully call upon the spirits of unbelievable dark powers. As the characters face their
Photo courtesy of IMDb
most inconceivable fears, this might be one where audience members will want to wear an extra pair of undergarments to the theatres. As these movies come out on DVD, rental and theater, I like to remember that other than the mindscrewing qualities of such installments, the ultimate purpose of horror film was to terrify your crush so much their only chance of solace was to cower in your arms. Although that may have been true in the past, this genre has stepped it up in recent years to produce films that truly explore the depths of the supernatural and darkest evils that exist or could potentially exist in our world.
Photo courtesy of Facebook
A&E | Review
‘Bodyscape,’ an “The Equalizer,” one generic story artist’s viewpoint Unequal in originality and creative characters, the film is now in theatres Christy Vilmont explores aspects of the human body in her art Monica Alcaraz Reporter malcaraz@twu.edu “Bodyscapes” is the newest series by Christy Vilmont, and it consists of 12 13-by-10 inch archival inkjet prints which will be featured at the SU for the 010 Gallery this week. This series explores the human figure and provides a different perspective from which to examine it. The inspiration for Vilmont’s work in this gallery occurred by happenstance. “In my figure drawing class, my professor noticed that I had a tendency to draw the models in such a way that the finished product had the qualities of a landscape. I really liked the idea and wanted to push it further in the direction of a medium that I work with on a regular basis. I decided to do a photographic series mapping out the figure how I would for a drawing or painting,” Vilmont stated via email. Of the 12 prints, a favorite piece of Vilmont’s includes a female on her back with her legs going straight up and crossed at the ankle. She explained: “I think it creates this very interesting dynamic that looks like legs cascading down a black abyss.” Students and faculty on campus voted last spring on which artists work they wanted to be in the shows. Students that were nominated, Vilmont included, received an email letting them know that they were chosen to be in the 010 Gallery. But with art comes censorship Family Day festivities are coming to a head, and there has been
some hesitation about displaying her work. “I can’t necessarily say they didn’t want my work up, but when I sent my image in for the show fliers to be printed there was definite concern that since my show contains nudity, it might not have been suitable for some of the images to be shown on campus (mostly it seemed because of the upcoming family weekend),” said Vilmont. Talk of moving panels in front of the gallery, altering Vilmont’s show cards and even not including some of her images were a shock to Vilmont. Her show was two weeks away from installation and this was the first she was hearing of any issues revolving around her work. If her series was not approved, none of her work would have been showcased because nudity is a big part of this collection. “I am glad to say that I was given approval on all my images, but I was told I had to hand deliver fliers and wouldn’t be allowed to post them in the Student Union,” said Vilmont. “It is disappointing, but in art there will always be controversy and not everyone will be on board with what you are trying to do, so I always keep that in mind.” Vilmont is excited to be able to share her work with other students on campus. “Bodyscapes” is a favorite project of hers while at TWU, and it makes her proud to be able to share it without having to alter it in any way — that her original vision can and will be viewed.
Matt Olson Reporter molson3@twu.edu
Friday marked the wide release of “The Equalizer,” an action flick starring Denzel Washington as a vigilante seeking justice. The movie benefits from Washington’s presence but ultimately falls short of being a satisfying film, instead itself satisfied to blend in with a long line of similar pictures. Washington is Robert McCall, a soft-spoken Bostonite who looks sullen and reads various books around town. Chloe Grace Moretz stars as Teri, a young woman working as a prostitute for a Russian pimp. Robert and Teri become friends while frequenting an all-night diner. Teri’s pimp beats her severely and hospitalizes her, prompting Robert to spring into vengeful action, which in
the second half of “Taxi Driver,” minus the taxi. The bleakness has been grafted from “The Dark Knight Trilogy.” The film’s editors seem to have learned from the Michael Bay school of thought, as the action is often incoherent and muddled. Washington sells his character’s generic backstory — dead wife, extensive military training, sullen reading — effortlessly, despite countless clichés and writerly conventions. Unfortunately, he does so in Photo courtesy of IMDb service of a movie that uses his character primarily as a turn incurs the wrath of the means to beat others into a Russian mob. pulp. Some audience memThe movie often recalls bers may enjoy Robert’s other, better films than rampages, but the vicarious this one. Robert’s ability vivacity experienced while to predict his adversaries’ watching vigilante violence moves during slow motion is nowhere to be found here. sequences recalls the recent Matters are not helped “Sherlock Holmes” flicks by the fact that most characwhile the plot itself seems ters beyond Robert and Teri to have been lifted from are generally unmemorable.
Everyone is given the most basic characterizations and histories, which makes it difficult to care when their lives are in danger. The actors are given little to do and less to work with. Particularly puzzling is the choice to cast an actress like Melissa Leo in what’s basically an exposition-delivery role and give her roughly five minutes of screen time. Much has been made about the pairing of Washington and director Antoine Fuqua, who worked together in 2001 on “Training Day.” That film is infinitely better than this one. “The Equalizer” will likely find an appreciative audience amongst those looking to see bad guys dispatched in gruesome ways. Viewers who care for more than fetishized violence would be wise to look elsewhere.
6
Sports
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
twulasso.com
Sports | Volleyball
Sports | Soccer
TWU faces setback
Pioneers split games
Pioneers suffer two losses, dropping overall score
After a strong start to the season, TWU loses its second game of the season.
Emily Nickles Page Editor enickles@twu.edu This weekend, the Pioneer volleyball team played two away-games, one on Friday and the second on Saturday. The first game was Friday at 6 p.m. against St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. The game was sadly a loss; the St. Mary’s Rattlers beat TWU players 2-3 in a closely tied score. The first set of the game was 19-25, the second set brought the Pioneers in the lead by a small margin at 26-24. TWU also took the third set at 25-23, but lost the last two at 25-27 and 10-15 with a 5-point casualty. The 5-set loss brought the Pioneers down to a team record of 8-5, but thankfully was a nonconference game and did not count for the regional scoring. According to a press release, some of the girls made all-time careerhighs. First-year Elizabeth Pennington made a careerhigh of 21 digs. Senior Jaqueline Santos and sophomore Mallory Kuechle made 15 kills each. Senior libero Morgan Wilson made 35 digs and led five fellow players in double digit digs. Senior Kelci Lind had 16 digs, Kuechle posted 17 and junior Torie Talkington posted 11. Junior setter Joey Redwine made a game-high of 58 assists and a personal score of 14 digs. Head coach Shelly Barberee stated in an interview the following Monday: “Working as a team fell through the cracks this weekend. A successful team has to work as a team and we did not do
that … We were one point away from winning [Friday] — we needed one point to finish the match and we didn’t do it, we allowed them to come back in. This year in general, we’ve struggled with putting them away, like finishing them off when we have them right there at the end. It gave them momentum and they came back and beat us … It was a hard loss when we only needed one point.” The second game took place against Texas A&MKingsville in Kingsville, Texas, at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers lost to the Javelinas with a final score of 1-3. The game only had four sets. The first set rendered a loss for TWU with a score of 22-25, the second was 17-25, an eight-point loss. The third set was a win for the Pioneers a 25-16, but the fourth and final set was defining nine-point loss at 16-25. According to the press release, the loss at Kingsville dropped the team’s overall record to 8-6 and their Lone Star Conference position to 4-2. The Pioneers had several outstanding players that fought for a good game. Santos led the team to a few wins with a career-high of 16 kills, 14 digs and five block assists. Wilson made 15 digs, leading the Pioneers in number of digs, and Redwine made 14 digs and 35 assists during the game. Although they fought their best, the Pioneers struggled with offense until they led strong during the third set by scoring 10 of the first 15 points and finished with a nine-point lead in the final score of the set. This was a tough
weekend for losses, especially at away games. Barberee explained some of the struggles at Saturday’s game: “Typically some of our leaders are consistent in their play, — they all had bad games at the same time. It’s hard to beat a team when so many people were inconsistent that day. We only had one player who had a good game that day … They need to transfer their cohesiveness to the court.” The volleyball team is still struggling with coordination and drive to win, working to build court chemistry between the veteran players and newbies. But the outlook is positive as they prepare to play three home games this week, and continue to learn from each other in pracice. They played a hard game this weekend, kudos to our lady Pioneers. Barberee said: “This weekend we did not play our best. We could have played better. We had too many errors, — the team that makes the least errors wins typically. We just had too many errors. We kind of beat ourselves this weekend. We should’ve won both of those games, and we did not.” Tuesday night, the Pioneers played Henderson State at home in a nonconference game. This weekend, TWU will play Eastern New Mexico on Friday at 7 p.m. and West Texas-A&M at 2 p.m. on Saturday in two LSC games. For more information on the TWU volleyball team and to keep up with game-by-game statistics, visit http://twuathletics.com.
Photo by Tammi Paul
Above: Sophmore Gabrielle Larson battles for a header in Sunday’s game against Eastern New Mexico.
Shelby Baker Editor-in-Chief sbaker3@twu.edu This past weekend, the TWU soccer team played on their home turf for the first two games in the Lone Star Conference, leaving the pioneers 1-1-0 in this year’s LSC season. On Sept. 26, the Pioneers won 2-1 in their game against West Texas A&M at the TWU Soccer Field. This put the Pioneers at 6-1-0 in the season and started the Lone Star Conference off at 1-0-0. West Texas A&M took the lead in the 34th minute by scoring the first goal of the game. However, junior Madison Purdy was active, tying the game with her first score of the season from 60 yards out. Firstyear Megan Coppedge
provided an assist to senior Emily Davila in the 85th minute, who gave the Pioneers their second and winning goal. The game marked two important moments in TWU athletics history, breaking two school records in one afternoon. The win pushed the Pioneers to a six game win streak, breaking previously set records. The game also opened to a record crowd, with 523 attendees counted. On Sept. 28, TWU’s winning streak came to an end when the soccer team lost 2-1 to Eastern New Mexico in an overtime decision. This placed the Pioneers at 1-1-0 for the LSC and 6-2-0 overall in their season. Back on the home field, sophomore forward Natalia Diaz scored for
TWU in the 40th minute when the Pioneers were awarded a penalty kick. However, Eastern New Mexico evened the score in the 54th minute and took the game in the last minute of overtime. On Sept. 30, the Pioneers played at home again against Oklahoma Christian. The Student Government Association were out encouraging students to attend, serving free ice cream and offering free raffle tickets for prizes. SGA also prepared for the event by holding a session covering soccer 101 earlier that day. The pioneers will return to the field Friday, Oct. 3, in Wichita Falls against Midwestern State. For more information on Tuesday nights game and the final score, visit http://www. twuathletics.com.