Barnes sets scoring mark Forward breaks UTD career points record PAGE 10
VOLUME XXXII, NO. 3
First rule of Fight Club: A gentleman never tells PAGE 7
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF UTD — WWW.UTDMERCURY.COM
FEBRUARY 13, 2012
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Student inspires refugees to study human rights Senior teaches teens in Thailand for six weeks
ANWESHA BHATTACHARJEE Features Editor
HALEY HERNANDEZ/COURTESY
(From left) Aung So Win, senior Brittany Ellenberg and Htoo Naing Lin attend class in a schoolhouse for Burmese refugee youth in Khao Lak city of Thailand. Win and Lin were two of eight students taught by Ellenberg.
A project on documenting work conditions in the rubber plantations of south-west Thailand landed political science senior Brittany Ellenberg at the forefront of a human rights campaign for Myanmar’s refugees last fall. An internal political conflict within Myanmar has resulted in more than 140,000 Burmese people illegally immigrating to Thailand in search of work and a safe haven, according to an April 2011 Time Magazine article. Ellenberg’s work with the Foundation for Education and Devel-
opment, or FED, took her to the southern Thai city of Khao Lak, where she intended to record discriminatory employment practices of such refugees, including youth and teenagers, in various Thai plantations and farms. As her work progressed, she decided she wanted to learn more about the youth working in these plantations. Ellenberg thought the senior year classroom in the FED schoolhouse would be the best place to start her research, she said. “I went into the classroom and introduced myself as a political science major who had worked with United Nations before … and they started asking all these questions,”
Comets watch their waste lines Trash recycling contest underway SHEILA DANG Mercury Staff
she said. “They wanted to know what the United Nations and (the United States) were doing for them, and then one of the kids asked ‘Why isn’t anyone helping us?’” Ellenberg then set out to help them understand human rights better and to empower them with the knowledge and hope to stand up for their rights. For the remaining six weeks of her stay, she taught classes aimed to educate the eight-student senior class of the FED youth outreach program about different human rights activists and movements in the past, from Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights
see ELLENBERG page 14
Geography to go off the map SHEILA DANG Mercury Staff
UTD launched its participation in RecycleMania 2012 with the display of Mount Trashmore, an exhibition of one day’s worth of trash produced on campus at the Chess Plaza on Feb. 8. This is UTD’s fifth year as part of RecycleMania, a recycling competition that takes place Feb.5- April 6 among more than 550 colleges and universities to reduce waste and promote recycling programs on campus. Along with the recycling competition, RecyleMania is a student video contest. This year’s theme is The Spirit of Recycling, in which video submissions must relate a unique quality of their school to recycling. “Winning is not our total objective, it’s just a friendly competition. The prize is basically recognition,” said building services manager Bron Clayton. Thea Junt, energy conservation and sustainability manager, got the idea for a trash display from a similar event that took place at Northwestern University. To collect waste for Mt. Trashmore, the janitorial crew emptied garbage cans across the campus at
we do and it adds up over our lifetimes.” The recycling competition is split into eight categories such as bottles and cans, per-capita recycling and gorilla, which measures the total weight of recycling produced by each school. Currently, UTD ranks fifth in paper recycling, tenth in
Due to an overall lack of interest, the geography program is slated to be combined with geospatial information science, or GIS, starting 2015. James Marquart, Dean of the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences said the decision was made by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board which sets the standards for degree programs across the state. Geography was designated as a low-producing program; UTD has graduated less than 25 geography majors in five years. “Because we can’t grow the program, what we’re going to do is combine (geography) with GIS,” Marquart said. “(The coordinating board) wants us to utilize the resources we have in the biggest programs that generate the largest number of students. We’re combining the two to get the head count up so we can maintain all of it.” According to adviser Nora Hernandez, the program adds only five to seven new students each year. Marquart attributes the lack of student
see RECYCLE page 5
see GEOGRAPHY page 5
CHRISTOPHER WANG/STAFF
Senior Saskia Versteeg dresses as a trash monster during a RecycleMania event on Feb. 8 on the Chess Plaza. RecycleMania runs from Feb. 5 to April 6 and is a competition between universities nationwide.
the end of the day which was then piled on the Chess Plaza. Displays of items that UTD recycles such as aluminum cans, bottles, paper and batteries were also placed alongside the garbage. “We hope it generates some discussion of what we can recycle on campus and where people can do it,” Junt said. Saskia Versteeg, physics senior
and president of Students for Environmental Awareness, also hopes that the Mt. Trashmore display will be an eye-opener for many students. “I really hope that students get a visual for how much trash not just UTD, but the world, produces each day,” Versteeg said. “We might not think about where our Styrofoam cups go…but there is a definite impact of each and every little thing
Rate My Professor pursues partnership with UTD Officials question ethics of online ratings, anonymous student feedback
PAUL DANG Mercury Staff
The teacher rating website, ratemyprofessor.com, has approached UTD with an offer to collaborate its rating system with the University’s grade distribution data, but while the venture was recently introduced to the Academic Senate on Jan. 18, some UTD officials have say it raises many questions that must be addressed before they decide to log on to this domain. Judd Bradbury, a business professor, served as a faculty member who discussed the proposition in the Senate. He said his main concern was
how UTD might provide its grade distribution data to an outside organization, leaving the university potentially powerless to control how the site might use the information. Also, by partnering with the site the university would also tacitly endorse the site’s content. The popular RateMyProfessor site, now owned by the mtvU subsector of Viacom, allows students to rate and comment on their professors based upon the criteria of Helpfulness, Clarity, Easiness and Overall Quality. The rating system operates on a 5.0 scale and averages all of the submitted ratings to create a final
see RATEMYPROF page 5
TROI CLUSE/STAFF
MTVU’s teacher rating website, ratemyprofessor.com, allows students to anonymously comment on and rate their professor’s performance. The site recently approached UTD to gauge the university’s interest in officially using the rating system.
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THE MERCURY n FEB. 13, 2012
UTD Police scanner
LAUREN FEATHERSTONE Mercury Staff
Senators give their support for a student veteran center and reveal details on the Founders Fountain renovations at the Feb. 7 Student Government meeting. Matthew Melton and Mike Rials, both veteran students at UTD, presented a proposal for the creation of an on-campus veteran center. Currently there are 650 veteran students enrolled at UTD and the center would help provide resources and build a community for these students, Melton said. The center would be accessible to all students, not solely veterans, who are interested in such matters. The senate gave their support for the proposal. Justin Hajek, Student Affairs Committee chair and Arts & Technology senior, reported the current status of the Founders Fountain renovations. After the old tile is removed, new tile will be put down and further additions will be implemented such as a handicap ramp, increased lighting and outlets around the fountain, Hajek said. The renovations are tentatively scheduled to be completed by Scholars’ Day, March 1.
Sharkey Andrews, SG president and Arts & Performance senior, addressed important decisions made by the University of Texas System Student Advisory Council, or UTSSAC. UTSSAC recommended that, with the rising cost of housing, teacher’s assistants and research assistants should be ensured an adequate pay rate that reflects their high quality and time spent. Also, UTSSAC recommended that students be made aware of the Behavioral Assessment and Intervention Teams, which allow students to report other students who may be dangerous to themselves or others. Andrews also mentioned a possible opportunity for students to take road trips. Route Sprout, a company that organizes road trips for students, hopes to begin a partnership with UTD. With this service, students could say how many people they wanted to take out-of-town for a weekend and Route Sprout would then make arrangements with the bus company and give students a seat price, Andrews said. Jessica D’Souza, Communications Committee chair and undecided junior, announced that the online sound-off was very successful.
Although sound-off results have not been released yet, there were over 300 participants, D’Souza said. With the strong turnout, it is likely that SG will lower the amount of paper sound-offs, Andrews said. Filing for General Elections opens Feb. 27 at 8 a.m. and closes March 23 at noon, said Braeden Mayer, SG secretary and international political economy senior. Senate made a resolution supporting the elimination of residential combo parking passes. Senate elected Alyssa Foster, political science sophomore, to the position SG treasurer. Cameron Broussard, Zach Johnson, Liza Liberman, Amy Ngo, Danny Polisetti and Joey Sankman were appointed to senate. Senate allocated up to $100 for the JSOM town hall, scheduled Feb. 27 at 5p.m. in the executive dining hall. Senate allocated up to $700 for the Recycling Race, a recycling competition between on-campus housing complexes. Senate allocated up to $3,000 for elections and referenda advertising materials. The next senate meeting will be at 5:15 p.m. on Feb. 21 in one of the Galaxy Rooms.
Jan. 27 • Police received a report of a stolen laptop from a student. • A student received a citation for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol by a Minor. Jan. 28 • A non-affiliated individual was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated and Unlawfully Carrying Weapons. Jan. 30
• A student was issued a citation for Failing to Leave ID after a traffic accident. Jan. 31 • A contract employee reported a terroristic threat. Feb. 1 • A bookstore employee reported a theft. • A minor vehicle accident occurred in Lot J. Feb. 2 • A student was arrested for Driving Under the In-
fluence of Alcohol by a Minor. Feb. 4 • A student reported the theft of his laptop and other property. Feb. 6 • A staff member reported the theft of his iPhone. Feb. 8 • A theft was reported at the bookstore. • A student sent harassing electronic messages through the Internet.
UTD student orgs reach record high PHILIP JOHNSTON Mercury Staff
This year the number of registered student organizations rose from 160 to 186. This increase of more than 16 percent reflects how rapidly UTD is growing, both in numbers and in student involvement. “You definitely have to account for the increase in enrollment,” said Tineil Lewis, assistant director of Student Life Programs. The increase in student organizations can also be attributed to the ease with which a student group can become a registered organization at UTD. Caleb Brackens, a student worker in the Center for Student Involvement and a cofounder of Mu Epsilon Kappa, said the process is short
and simple. “It probably took us about a week total (to get the organization founded),” Brackens said. “We didn’t run into any problems.” Student groups wishing to become registered organizations must first fill out the appropriate paperwork that states their purpose to help the school to understand why the organization exists. Once the paperwork is complete the group must show that they already have at least five members before they can schedule an appointment with Lewis. After they meet with Lewis, the final step is to complete an organization orientation. When a group has registered and been approved, they can receive benefits that range anywhere from mailboxes for organizations,
to DJ equipment for events or even organization funding. Founding an organization also provides the opportunity to be a leader, Lewis said, which she believes shows drive by those with unique interests. Mu Epsilon Kappa is one of those unique groups that the founders believe recognizes the fact that UTD is a place with a large number of students vested in what some might call “geeky” interests, but these students for the most part lacked such an organization. This group is a reflection of the trend that is sweeping the campus. Regardless of interests, Lewis said, more and more students are beginning to get involved with making the campus a more active community.
Opinion
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FEB. 13, 2012 n THE MERCURY n WWW.UTDMERCURY.COM
Remember the good old days of St. Valentine? Love in the time of recession: Valentine’s economics PAUL DANG Mercury Staff
We all had to go out and buy Valentines for everyone in my fifth grade class. Actually, we didn’t really have to in the way we had to do our homework or take standardized tests, but to only receive and not give back on that February day resulted in a form of ostracism only an 11 year old would understand as he plays alone at recess. So naturally, I dragged my tortured parents along with me to the local Walmart the night before to purchase a box of two dozen Valentines for my classmates, certain that most of them would have one for me as well. That Marxist notion of love was beyond me as I indiscriminately passed out my Dragon Ball Z Valentines. I gave one to every girl. I gave one to every boy. Mrs. K would smirk and peer through her glasses with all the semblances of a self-satisfied Trotsky as we gave each other a befittingly red Valentine and received 20 or so back. This seemed like a fair transaction to me at the time. It wasn’t until I graduated from the iron curtain of elementary school that I learned that while such a system looked great on our wide-ruled paper, it would never work in the real world. Those cartoon cards affixed with bite-sized bonbons really meant nothing to any of us. Soon I would discover that the more expensive and exclusive my Valentine was, the more return I got on my investment. And so Capitalism prevailed. Valentine’s Day narrowed down from a group of twenty students to a single girl, my girlfriend, or pseudo-girlfriend at the time. The obligation to spend was still there though, and I remained
oblivious as I stumbled into competition with all the striving boyfriends across the expansive United States. Adam Smith’s invisible hand directed my marionette strings as I waddled up and down Hallmark and Hershey aisles every year on this day of love. I would trade my tiny paychecks in for perishable gifts that she would show off to her classmates, coworkers and ex-boyfriends. Hierarchy was at play here: Flowers beat chocolates, which rivaled stuffed animals, but jewelry trumped them all. A wealthy, or perhaps desperate, boyfriend would go for the trifecta. There was no more Mrs. K, but there was Adrianna Lima duri n g
ALAN DIEZ
the Super Bowl whispering to me, “Give and you shall receive.” Leaning closer to the television screen, I clung on to every word uttered from those unattainable lips. She and the likes taught me that every kiss began with “K” and a diamond was forever. And of course, if I ever hoped to be a truly loving boyfriend, I would go to Jared’s. But anyone in a lasting relationship will tell you, the novelty of a Valentine wears off by each year. Last year’s flowers, adjusted for inflation, would be this year’s necklace only to gross the same
level of surprise or adoration — if not less. Eventually this game would play out until my perfunctory Valentines were worth as much as they were in fifth grade. And so capitalism collapses. Girlfriend unemployment rates would soon be at a record high, and I would be spiraling towards a Great Depression. The market would recover though, and I would find a new girlfriend, but I was doomed to repeat that vicious cycle again. After a while, you start to wonder what a Valentine really is — kind of like how you’d ponder on what a dollar really is as you direct it into a vending machine. A Valentine’s Day gift is supposed to represent the sentiment behind a couple’s relationship. Just like that green paper in your wallet is supposed to represent the fungible goods and services you can exchange for them. But what happens w h e n y o u bloat t h e value of a relationship through materialism? I eventually realized that it was never about giving gifts or making outward gestures that keeps relationships going, but instead it was something that was always there. Mrs. K and Adrianna Lima were both wrong. And I would eventually adopt a resource-based economy where I wouldn’t need gifts or showmanship to prove to that I had the kind of love for her that would inspire Stephanie Meyer novels. Maybe I’m being bitter. Maybe I’m being broke. But for sure, without a doubt, I can safely say that the lovely women that I’m currently seeing will get nothing from me on Valentine’s Day. Nothing but love that is.
JESSICA CHENG
The Valentine’s Day Revolution may be a good way to save MICHELLE OFIWE
Mercury Staff
No, I’m not talking about the awkward days of playground love, where we gave each other frogs and peanut butter sandwiches as our true signs of affection. I’m talking about that 269 AD kind of love, where we martyred priests in Rome and named a holiday after them. I do realize that it’s probably extremely superficial of me to bring up the fact that Valentine’s Day has been completely bastardized and commercialized, because you probably already know that. You know just as much as I do that if we wanted to stay true to Valentine’s Day, we’d be exchanging the sacred gift of Roman martyrs. So why do we continue to buy into the arbitrary requirements of showing love and affection every time February rolls around? I mean brainwashing’s all good and well, but it’s peculiar that we haven’t recognized as a society that there’s noth-
ing natural about the Valentine market. Time and time again, we find ourselves rushing for a Valentine, rushing to buy that Valentine something sweet or pink or fluffy, and sighing in relief when we wake up the next day and don’t find our things strewn about the street. Why are we so sure that we know how Valentine’s Day works? Why do guys invest in pounds of chocolate and women know to practice their shocked-butpleased face in the mirror before bed? If we want to get technical, we could probably talk about gender roles and how Valentine’s Day is steeped in the same male-dominated ideas that we find in any other part of society. You know, Man sees Girl, Man dates Girl, Man takes care of Girl by buying Girl things. Valentine’s Day only serves to exacerbate that kind of thinking, because now a woman’s giant ring has to be about love. Those chocolates have to be about commitment.
see VALENTINE page 4
As a student what do you feel about Valentine’s Day? “Valentine’s Day is simply a Hallmark holiday.”
“It’s kind of a high school and below thing. To me, everyday should be a Valentine’s Day.”
“Too expensive.”
Krystal Dearman Accounting junior
Joshen Ipe Finance junior
Ryan Scanlon Accounting senior
“I think Valentine’s Day is nice because my boyfriend gets me flowers.”
“It’s a silly holiday. It means nothing to me, and I’m in a relationship.”
“Too cliche´. Should be the whole year, not one day.”
Olivia Dao Psychology junior
Heather Power Business junior
Bruno Maia Business sophomore
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Gender binary
THE MERCURY n FEB. 13, 2012
VALENTINE
continued from page 3
CATHRYN PLOEHN/GRAPHIC EDITOR
That giant pink bear (that will inevitably end up in the dumpster like all bears before him) has to be about affection. All these ideas seem normal and even sane — when, in reality, most couples probably don’t understand that roses and bears do not make a relationship. But hey, I don’t blame people for thinking otherwise. I don’t blame the guys out there for the pain in the pocketbooks and I’m definitely not going to fault the girls for coveting all things glittery. The Valentine market works hard and early to make sure we understand that love doesn’t come without a little pocket change. The commercials vary widely, from cards to romantic get-away cruises. Everywhere a couple turns, notions are be-
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ing set up to watch their every move: Didn’t buy your girlfriend a ring? You must not love her! Don’t want a diamond ring from your hubby? There must be something wrong with you! At the risk of sounding radical, I’m all up for a total Valentine’s Day revolution. Forget the necklaces and forget the expensive “exotic” trip. Tomorrow, call up your honey-dollsweetie-pie and invite them over to…stare at them. Talk to them. Watch a movie they like or you hate. Prepare them a meal and burn down your kitchen in the process. Play them a moonlight love song and pop a guitar string. Find some other way to show how you feel that comes as natural as the love you have for them. If nothing else, at least you can say you saved a bit this year.
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RATEMYPROF continued from page 1
score for professors. There is also the trademark option to add a red chili pepper icon to a professor’s name should he or she be deemed “hot.” In addition to the numerical and pepper rating system, posters can anonymously comment on professors they’ve had. Ted Kontopoulos, political science freshman, and Samantha Varney, finance freshman, shared positive remarks about using the site. “I thought it was fantastic, I used it to literally pick every single class,” Varney said. “I feel like the average rating is an accurate description.” While many students look for a teacher’s Overall Quality, others might look for specific qualities in a teacher. “I think that the Helpfulness and the Clarity are definitely the most important things,” Kontopoulos said. “Because even if the subject is hard, if you have someone who is very articulate and someone willing to work with you — that’s what college education is all about.”
GEOGRAPHY
continued from page 1 interest, partly due to how the subject is taught in high schools. “If you look at the high schools, they’re not teaching geography in the same volume (as universities),” Marquart said. “For us to have a geography program, we need to have high schools that send students who are interested in it and that’s simply not happening.” A few geography students have voiced concerns over the blending of the two programs and the availability of classes, however Marquart said geography classes will still be delivered to students.
“At first blush, most students might be, ‘Great I can get the easy professor,’” Bradbury said. “Well you might want to think of the long term ramifications of that. If you turn the University into a game show and you’re just chasing the easy A’s, what are you going to come out of it with?” According to the site, if you’re an Education major at UTD and you want an easy professor, you could take Patricia Garrison’s classes because four out of four reviewers have given her a full 5.0 in regards to Easiness. She has also earned the esteemed chili pepper. However, if you’re a Business major looking for an easy class, the site will inform you that Larry Chasteen is one of the most difficult professors at UTD, with a solid 1.0 Easiness rating from all six raters. While the university already has its own system of quantitative review for professors, the third-party site markets itself to college students who would like to see the opinions of other students in an open arena. The site basically provides a megaphone for what students want to really say about professors, whether or not the com-
mentary is accurate. Bradbury said that while he acknowledges the site’s option for professors to post rebuttals of their own, he questions if this is an efficient use of a teacher’s time. Like most professors, Bradbury was oblivious to the site until someone had told him of its existence. He typed in the URL only to find out that his commentators either loved him or hated him. “I think we need to think about how much time we want professors editing student comments posted on a social networking site,” he said. “Versus, ‘Let me meet with you as a student and talk about what challenges you’re having with a course.’” Because all the scores and comments and chili peppers are public information, the site’s content, which can range from complimentary to spiteful, can affect a professor’s professional reputation in a way they can’t control. Ultimately, Bradbury said he still remains neutral to the idea of the University teaming up with the site, but he does, however, want the aforementioned concerns addressed before UTD relinquishes its date to a third party.
Hernandez also reassured current geography students that the decision will not affect them or their ability to graduate on time. “There is no concern for the current geography students,” Hernandez said. “They can stay in geography, we’re going to see them through ... but they will also have the option to move to GIS.” However, Hernandez points out that if students take a break in their studies and return after the new undergraduate catalog has been implemented, they will have no choice but to switch to GIS. While both programs are very similar, Hernandez adds that GIS may give stu-
dents a competitive edge in the labor market. “GIS is multidisciplinary, after finishing the bachelors you could go straight into the masters program and be very adequately prepared,” Hernandez said. “We can also include the GIS certificate. Students that graduate with the certificate are (usually) very gainfully employed.” In the end, she said the geography program should be viewed as being formatted alongside GIS to be more relevant instead of being done away with. “GIS is so many things,” she said. “It all depends on where people want to go with it.”
RECYCLE
continued from page 1 bottles and cans and 15th in the gorilla category. UTD’s first year participating in RecycleMania was mostly limited to the paper category, however, the recycling program has now grown to include materials not measured in the RecycleMania competition such as ink cartridges, toner and wood piles.
WWW.UTDMERCURY.COM “We do a killing on wood piles,” Clayton said. “We keep them out of the dumpsters which takes up a lot of space, we recycle them and we also sell them back to other companies.” Both Junt and Clayton say the recycling program is growing to meet the continuous expansion and development of the campus. This has included putting a recycling program in the residence halls and adding recycling bins
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in University Village, both of which have been met with great success. However, Clayton said there is always room for improvement, especially in buildings with high student traffic. “I’m never content. Every time I go in, I see room for improvement. Green is one of the buildings where we see a lot of students and I definitely want to capitalize on that particular building,” Clayton said.
CATHRYN PLOEHN/STAFF
Listed are the amounts (in pounds) of recycled trash from UTD during Jan. 2012.
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Grad school may not benefit everyone equally JARED PICKENS and JULIE YOON
Senior Lecturer, Finance and Intern
As college students reach the end of their undergraduate education, many begin to wonder if graduate school is worth the costs and the possible student loan debt they will have to pay off after graduating. Although students can learn more and gain knowledge beyond the education of an undergraduate level, they should also consider the opportunity cost of gaining this knowledge. This can vary widely between different degrees and careers. Investing in a graduate-level education pays for itself in many professions; however, in other careers, attending graduate school might be a waste of both time and money. A master’s degree is a longterm investment. According to a report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, those who get a master’s degree earn an estimated $2.67 million over the course of their careers, roughly $400,000 more than the median lifetime earnings one earns with a bachelor’s degree. Doctoral and professional degrees lead to even greater lifetime earnings of $3.25 million and $3.65 million, and $1 million more than a student with a bachelor’s degree. However, for many other professions, the difference in earnings between degrees is marginal. For example, a real estate broker earns $1.5 million whether they have a bachelor’s degree or a graduate-level education. This is also applicable to editors who have
a master’s, doctorate or professional degree. An editor with a bachelor’s degree only earns $100,000 less over the course of their lifetime compared to the earnings of an editor with a master’s or professional degree. Another factor to consider is the labor market and the current demand for your major. Although you may be interested in learning more about literature or life sciences, you have to consider whether you can earn back the money you spend to earn that degree when you begin your career. According to MainStreet, there are 10 top professions where workers receive the biggest lifetime earnings increase by attending graduate school compared earnings from a bachelor’s degree. These top 10 include: 1. Natural sciences, medical and health services managers 2. Marketing and sales managers 3. Sales representatives 4. Business operations specialists 5. Purchasing managers 6. Chemists and scientists 7. Education administrators 8. Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents 9. Budget, credit and financial analysts 10. Financial managers Yes, a graduate education is important and may potentially increases your lifetime earnings, but make sure you calculate the return you are going to get from this investment. It may or may not have the payoff you are looking for if you enter the wrong career. If you have any questions about personal finances or are interested in taking an undergraduate or graduate class in personal finance then contact jared.pickens@utdallas.edu.
THE MERCURY n FEB. 13, 2012
L&A
FEB. 13, 2012 n THE MERCURY n WWW.UTDMERCURY.COM
Gentlemen’s Fight Club
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‘Dustforce’ creates spotless experience LARRY STAVINOHA Mercury Staff
w
ERIC ALFONSO/COURTESY
Fight Club at UTD is not a like its namesake book or movie, but instead refers to a group of houses established by former UTD student Eric Alfonso in efforts to create a community in which men can help each other become more gentlemanly. To accomplish this, Alfonso bought and remodeled houses to allow the fight club to live closer together in a nicer place at a more affordable price.
Alumnus establishes community of camaraderie
What is the Gentlemen’s Fight Club? Eric Alfonso will tell you that it’s an idea, a mindset, as he sits on his leather couch with a circa-1999 Mr. UTD T-shirt on. “You tend to pick up habits with the people you live around,” he says. “Somebody’s slobby, you’re going to become slobby. If people are confident around you, you’re going to become confident.” This mentality of surrounding yourself with the right kind of people in the right kind of place was the beginning of the Gentlemen’s Fight Club — what might best be described as a non-Greek fraternity based upon a chain of houses next to UTD that rents to students. Alfonso, the founder of the club and a former stockbroker, had saved up enough money to purchase his own house in 2003. He took in four roommates who would become the original members of something they could never foresee.
Paul Dang
Mercury staff
“We came from different schools: One was business, I was psychology, another was engineering and another was computer science,” Alfonso said. “Each roommate had their friends over so it became a community.” Once the roommates settled down into the house, more and more of their friends would come over to hang out for parties and barbecues on the weekends. It would eventually get big. And they needed a name for this. “We called it Fight Club because we didn’t know what to call it,” he said. “It was kind of like an inside joke that we had with our friends.” While no bare-knuckle brawls actually broke out like the Chuck Palahniukinspired name suggests, Alfonso’s amateur boxing career remains a standout chapter in his past. A pair of blue boxing gloves signed by
Sugar Ray Leonard proudly hangs in his room in the one of the houses. Near the end of 2006, two of the roommates had moved out and Alfonso began searching for tenants to fill their rooms. More importantly though, he needed people to carry-on the group dynamic that the original four had. This was when Alfonso began to develop a system, or program, to find the right tenant. He needed people who had character, shared the same interests as him, a tenant that could pay rent on time and most importantly, someone who knew how to make their bed. Neatness was key. Naturally, there were rules for this Fight Club as well. As both a landlord and resident of the
see FIGHT page 9
For a game in which the principle goal is only a few steps removed from going out and raking leaves, “Dustforce”, an indie game developed over the course of two years by developer Hitbox, is a great deal of fun. “Dustforce” does not focus on story; you simply play as one of four visually unique characters, armed with a cleaning apparatus and tasked with cleaning the entire level. Visually, the game is a beautiful 2-D platformer that has a cell-shaded look balanced with crisp animations and locations varying from an expansive science laboratory to a stately manor. The techno-ish music compliments this visual style, and helps the player get into the rhythm that this game requires. Gameplay consists of levels with increasing difficulty that all lead back to a single overworld. The overworld is similar to the one found in “Cave Story,” where each level can be accessed, but provides some exploration in its own right. Some levels require a level of dexterity akin to “Super Meat Boy,” with an end goal of cleaning up all the dust, dirt or grime from the surface of the level. To get a perfect score, not only must all the dust be cleaned up, but players must maintain the longest possible combo, requiring the perfection and rhythm demanded by members of the “Guitar Hero” franchise. Through the perfect completion of levels, the player earns keys which unlock doors found in the overworld, leading to levels with increased complexity in design that demand a greater amount of skill from the player. “Dusforce” primarily focuses on being a fun game with a sense of style, and it accomplishes just that. Some levels may leave players frustrated as they are required to repeat them, though no level is entirely impossible. Even if you find yourself stuck on a level, it is possible to view the replay of someone with a perfect score in the level, through the online leaderboards. A future update to “Dustforce” will bring the addition of a level editor, meaning there will be a reason to revisit the game after completion. Between the fitting music, the engaging gameplay and visually compelling style, “Dustforce” is a unique game that is worth the $9.99 asking price on Steam.
‘This Means War’ takes aim at Holiday Romance Hollywood date film formula becomes nearly perfected in Valentine’s Day caper JOHN D. McCRARY COMMENTARY
One would think that after almost 100 years of making films, billions of dollars invested, and the highly competitive and cut throat culture of major motion picture production, Hollywood would have been able to figure out the formula for the perfect date movie a lot sooner than this, but it would seem that they’ve almost managed to with “This Means War.” The story of two partner CIA agents and best friends as they compete for the affections of the same woman, “This Means War” tries to blend action and romance in the hopes of satisfying everyone looking for an easy movie-going experience with their special someone this Valentine’s Day weekend. And if they were looking for a happy medium, I can’t think of any other film that comes closer. The film features two very talented actors, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy who, while still lingering in the “that guy from...” range, are both threatening to become household names as the competing American and British spies respectively. At the center of this battle of wasteful use of expensive government resources is a woman quite deserving of such excessive competition, Reese Witherspoon, playing (well let’s
face it) Reese Witherspoon. Ms. Witherspoon brings all her adorable spender, but it’s really the fresher talent that manages to bring a bit of charm to the very formulaic concoction. Hardy is endearing as the shy and romantic single father, and if the part wasn’t so damn simple I’d call it good acting seeing as how it’s such a departure from his more intense fare, like “Bronson,” “Warrior,” and the “Dark Knight Rises.” Mr. Pine on the other hand manages to bring the same kind of All-American swagger which seems to come so naturally to him and landed him the role of JJ Abrams’ Captain Kirk. They both make what could otherwise have been very “stand here and recite your line” parts, and bring enough personal nuance to their performance to keep the rather two-dimensional characters from feeling too terribly stiff. Though the real sleeper hit of this flick is the foul-mouthed sexually frustrated best friend fanning our Helen’s flames played by Chelsea Handler. She manages to not only bring the biggest laughs, but a kind of insight and dimension that the movie would most certainly be lacking otherwise. While all of the performances are above average enough to keep the routine parts from feeling too artificial, they can’t help that they are performing in a world that isn’t limited by things like money, responsibilities and jobs, or even terrorists for that matter.
USA TODAY/COURTESY
Two CIA agents, who are also best friends, compete for the affections of the same woman in the date move “This Means War,” featuring actors Witherspoon, Hardy and Pine.
The subplot concerning a jilted German bad guy is made so terribly irrelevant in the grand scheme of the film it almost feels like it’s not worth mentioning here in the review. While painted like an episode of “Spy vs. Spy,” which in a lot of ways it is, the overall feel of the films is a lot more like a condensed season of “The Bachelorette” than anything else. I think the major drawback for this film, which manages to avoid a lot of the pitfalls that seem to snare so many other attempts at romantic comedies aiming for both sexes, is the very high amount of gloss applied to the world of “This Means War.” To put it bluntly, I couldn’t get over how
nice all of the sets were. From Ms. Witherspoon’s candy shop colorful and conveniently cute day job, to the government agency made of waxed granite and glass, to the apartment that features a swimming pool roof (complete with busty bikini clad swimmer), everything about this movie is neat, and pretty, and apparently within budget. Oh, and in case you had forgotten, we are talking about two government employees. The film is wrought with little mistakes and oversights that, while easy to miss between fumbling for your soda and drooling
see WAR page 9
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L&A
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THE MERCURY n FEB. 13, 2012
Love and Friendship
(Above and left series) Couples and friends walk to and from class braving the chilly weather on Feb. 7. (Below left) Friends Jeremy Nguyen, a neuroscience student, and physics freshman Michael Vandersclice listen to music and watch videos on the SU steps before class. (Below) Graduate students Mingyu Wei and Yu Lu head towards the Green Building for class on Feb. 7. AKSHAY HARSHE/STAFF
(Far right) Biology junior Pete Meermans and friends enjoy a stoked fire while cooking some hot dogs in the Waterview Apartments grilling pit on Jan. 31. (Right) Political science senior Andrew Previc strums a song on the guitar while singing with friends on Jan. 31. (Below i-r) Evan Gordon, a biochemistry junior jams with interdisciplinary junior Zain Gaziani late at night in the Waterview Apartments common area on Jan. 31. CHRISTOPHER WANG/STAFF
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L&A
THE MERCURY n FEB. 13, 2012
FIGHT
continued from page 7 house, Alfonso wanted to create an environment he would be proud to live in, and roommates and neighbors that shared his same positive outlook. “When I went to UTD I didn’t want to join a fraternity with the idea that I might limit the interactions I would have,” he said. Since then, Alfonso’s had everyone from 20-year old college students to 40-year old professionals. He’s even had girls in a co-ed living arrangement and now he’s working on housing solely for the members of the fairer sex. He currently runs four houses, all adjacent to one other, each with its own house leader that he handpicks. While Alfonso won’t turn down tenants that have contrasting lifestyles, the 2002 UTD graduate is al-
ways looking for the people whom he and his tenants would get along well with. Aside from hanging out together at weekend barbecues, the members of this community also participate in group activities like going to the gun range, learning to ride a motorcycle, or maybe even boxing at the gym to escape the weekly doldrums. They also have a tradition of traveling together to a new country every year. New Zealand has been thumbtacked on the map for 2012. Godswill Ugwa, a biology junior and a SUAAB leader, doesn’t live in the houses anymore, but still remains active in the Gentleman’s Fight Club. A Chi Phi himself, Ugwa doesn’t liken the club to a Greek fraternity. “It’s a community of guys and girls trying to become better people,” Ugwa said. “As a man trying to really establish myself, it makes sense trying
to find a community like that which lifts you up.” Moses “Mosey” Munoz, a physics freshman, currently lives in the Gamma house. He says that his rent is cheaper than it would be anywhere else on campus. In addition to the competitive rates, all of the Fight Club houses are fully furnished, designed and maintained by Alfonso himself — something he credits his parents for teaching him. His undertakings in real estate can be traced back to his family’s construction business that he worked for long before he was ever a heavyweight boxer. Not only did this upbringing teach him how to renovate a house, it gave him the blueprints to build a successful business. Alfonso said he is always looking to expand, and while he owns other properties outside of Fight Club, he considers
Jumping for joy
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9
ERIC ALFONSO/COURTESY
The fight club at UTD currently has four adjacent houses for members to reside in. Alfonso hand picks a leader for each house to help tenants get along and reach their goal of becoming gentlemen.
the four houses by the university his pet project and still resides there himself. “I love the university and I want to give back,” he said. Providing cheap housing for college students and anyone else interested is strictly business.
WAR
continued from page 7 at your preferred eye candy, could still be seen on the first viewing. Things like why a British man is working for the CIA, how no one bats an eye at the destruction of a
Corrections:
But creating an environment that encourages betterment of self and society, Alfonso said, is his passion. With plans of establishing a Gentlemen’s Fight Club house in Austin, so his friends can visit the city, the 32-year-old
predator drone, or how the main kid somehow grew front teeth in a matter of days. Considering the genre though, which is loaded with some of the most pathetically thrown together smut in cinema, if these complaints are the greatest I can come up with then
says the sky’s the limit for what he’s doing. Regardless of how far his business grows, he can always look back at the four original Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta houses off of Lookout and Custer.
I’d consider it a success. Yea it’s a little too glossy, the villain is an afterthought, and there are more than a few eyebrow raising details, but ultimately this is just a really nice date movie. And in terms of the formula, I think that’s exactly what they were aiming for.
In the Feb. 13 edition of The Mercury, Joseph Pytcher, finance senior, was misidentified.The Mercury regrets this error.
YANG XI/STAFF
An Alpha Kappa Alpha, or AKA, sorority member celebrates her chapter Feb. 8 during Sigma Kappa week with Kappaerobics in the Activity Center. This was one night of a week-long series of events hosted by AKA.
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WWW.UTDMERCURY.COM n THE MERCURY n
FEB. 13, 2012
Sports LOUD AND CLEAR
SPORTS BRIEFS BOBBY KARALLA Managing Editor
RUGBY SCORES HOME FIELD IN REGIONAL
Broadcasting legend still has his voice
BEN HAWKINS/STAFF
After a 74-0 beat-down against SMU, UTD’s rugby club has advanced to the Texas Rugby Union Regional Tournament. The team earned home-field advantage by going undefeated (5-0). UTD will face Lamar University on Feb. 18 and, should they win, will then face the winner of the match between Midwestern State and UT San Antonio. “It’s definitely given the rugby club a lot of coverage,” junior lock Jimmy Chi said. “People are becoming more aware of us.” The nationally ranked team is in its first year of serious contention since the club’s inception.
BOBBY KARALLA Managing Editor
PHOTO BY BEN HAWKINS
R
eporters surrounded Lee Harvey Oswald as he stood to be interviewed for the first time after his arrest. The whole nation was buzzing. What was supposed to be a press conference quickly turned into a shouting match amongst the dozens of newspaper writers and television cameras. But Bill Mercer had the best seat in the house: He knelt right next to Oswald. One reporter asked if Oswald had been charged with anything. Oswald shook his head and said no. Mercer answered, “Yes you have. You’ve been charged with the murder of the President of the United States.” Oswald and Mercer briefly made eye contact, but both were silent. John F. Kennedy’s assassin then walked away.
BARNES BECOMES ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER
see MERCER page 11
Smith leads UTD to ASC tourney Women earn berth by beating ETBU SHAWN CHO Mercury Staff
ALBERT RAMIREZ/STAFF
By knocking down this shot, Chris Barnes became UTD basketball’s all-time leading scorer. By scoring 11 points against Mississippi College on Feb. 9, Barnes surpassed Martin Salinas’ mark of 1,336 career points. Barnes hit a 3-pointer five minutes into the game Thursday night to notch point No. 1337. Students were given Barnes face cutouts to hold up when he scored, and Barnes received a warm ovation when he surpassed the mark. Barnes is no stranger to breaking records. Last season, he became the first Comet to be named to a second-team All-American squad, and he tied Salinas’ record for points in a season with 490. He also scored 175 field goals, breaking Salinas’ 2006-07 record of 171. His 193 rebounds were also one shy of tying Brian Thomas’ record from 2001-02. Barnes needs 13 field goals to break Salinas’ record of 469 buckets — an impressive feat, considering he will finish no higher than third all-time in attempts.
SMITH TO BECOME ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER After scoring 17 points against Mississippi on Feb. 9, Lyndsey Smith is 12 points shy of tying Chelsea Edwards’ all-time record of 1,314. Smith also broke Edwards’ record for field goals made in a career in the same game, and broke Jennifer Longoria’s record for 3-point field goals in a career earlier this year. Last season, Smith scored 391 points, good for fourth-most in a season in program history. With 351 points as of Feb. 9, Smith has an outside chance to break Tarneisha Scott’s record of 470 points in a season, which was set last year.
The women’s basketball team played their best offensive game of the season so far with a season-high 84 points against East Texas Baptist’s 66. The win now takes their record to 17-4 overall (13-3 ASC). They are still in second place behind Louisiana College, whom they will face on Feb. 11th at home. “We really played well as a team,” said coach Polly Thomason, referring to the team’s win over ETBU on Feb. 4. “Our players just did a good job of passing the ball around, attacking [the board], and finding open players who knocked down shots.” UTD’s excellent perimeter game was the difference maker against
ETBU, as the Lady Comets shot 48.5 percent from the field and connected on 11 three-pointers. Despite its convincing win over ETBU, Thomason still felt there are areas in which the team needs to improve before heading into the ASC Championship Tournament, where UTD will battle it out for the title. “It would be great to stop sending (the opponent) to the line and let them have easy points,” Thomason said. “We can also get better at rebounding the ball, and the players are making the effort to do it which is the first step.” Senior Lyndsey Smith led the team in scoring with her game-high 26 points, knocking down six from
BEN HAWKINS/STAFF
see WOMEN’S BBALL page 11
Senior point guard Nikki Kosary fights off a defender on Feb. 4. The Lady Comets clinched a berth in the ASC Tournament with the win.
Eight-game win streak Run of locks up East for Comets excellence continues
SHAWN CHO Mercury Staff
The UTD men’s basketball team overcame second-place East Texas Baptist University at home with a 66-59, recording their eighth consecutive win on Feb. 4th. The Comets are now 17-4 overall (12-4 ASC) and have widened their lead in the ASC East division standings. The team was off to a commanding start with an 8-0 run, but slowed down as ETBU started sinking shots of their own. Senior Chris Barnes led the team to victory with 18 points and 12 rebounds while fellow senior Kyle Schleigh had 13 points and sophomore Carter Nash finished with 10. Chris Barnes acted as a catalyst for the Comets’ offense, popping in threes after coming off well- designed screens whenever the team couldn’t find their rhythm. Kyle Schleigh also lit up the atmosphere when he dished out the only dunk of the night on a fast break. “The thing I love is that our guys made quality offensive plays in the
BOBBY KARALLA COMMENTARY
managed to limit ETBU’s powerful offense to just 59 points. The Comets went into halftime trailing 29-27 after struggling in the first half, but they turned up the defensive pressure when they came out for the second half.
While it’s clear UTD has become one of the ASC’s best teams year in and year out, the Comets’ basketball program has a chance to solidify its recent run as the greatest in ASC history. Now that UTD clinched yet another ASC East regular season title — its fourth in as many years — it joins fairly exclusive company. Since the conference’s inception in 1997, this is only the fourth time such a feat has happened. The first two times a team won its division four seasons in a row — Mississippi in the East, McMurry in the West — also coincided with the first four years of division play. Since 2002, only Mississippi has put together a run of four straight outright division titles. In 2004,
see MEN’S BBALL page 11
see CONSISTENCY page 11
ALBERT RAMIREZ/STAFF
Chris Barnes (center) celebrates breaking UTD’s all-time scoring record with head coach Terry Butterfield (left), his family and athletic director Chris Gage after UTD’s win over Mississippi College on Feb. 9.
second half when we absolutely had to have it,” coach Terry Butterfield said. ETBU took UTD to two overtimes on Jan. 28th in a hardfought win for UTD with a score of 95-93. Butterfield compared the points allowed in the previous game to this game, where UTD
Sports
THE MERCURY n FEB. 13, 2012
MERCER
continued from page 10 Almost 50 years later and in the twilight years of his illustrious career, Bill Mercer can say he’s seen and done it all. He was an innovator. If something didn’t exist, he’d create it. If something wasn’t happening, he’d make it happen. And if nobody was talking, he’d talk. Now 85 and retired from teaching and broadcasting professionally, Mercer spends his time announcing UTD sports. But his legendary voice still echoes in the past, before the Internet and before television. In his heyday, Mercer wasn’t just a voice in Dallas. He was the voice in Dallas. “At one time in Dallas, I was the only legitimate play-byplay announcer,” he said. “It was a wonderful time to come through. I was in the right place at the right time.” Mercer’s first broadcasting experience came as a child in Muskogee, Okla., when he would spend his summers announcing make-believe baseball games, teaching himself on-thefly all along. Instead of playing on the football team — Mercer was no taller than five feet, five inches in high school, so he was instantly employed as the water boy during team tryouts — he used his newly found gift: his
CONSISTENCY
continued from page 10 Mississippi and UTD shared the regular season title, and the Choctaws owned the East from 2005-2008. Since 2008, though, no team has knocked UTD off its perch atop the division. Most remarkably, UTD has a chance to become the only team in ASC history to qualify for the NCAA Tournament four seasons in a row. After advancing to the Elite 8 in 2009 and Sweet 16 in 2010, the Comets qualified for the national tournament for a conference record-tying third straight season before losing to Mary Hardin-Baylor in the first round. UTD had advanced to the National Tournament four times in seven campaigns before this season, a run that can only be beaten by Mississippi’s five trips in six years. Such accomplishments
voice. Looking at Mercer today, with his aging face and even smaller stature, it’s hard to believe he still has that same, deep voice as he did decades ago. During regular conversation, Mercer clings onto his cup of coffee and talks slowly and softly, but his voice still carries that same weight as it did in the ‘60s. And during UTD broadcasts, his classic tone comes alive. He speaks quickly, yet clearly, with an energetic enthusiasm that perfectly captures the pace of any sporting event. During the action, he’ll describe a wonderfully executed crossover as seen through his thick glasses, and when a timeout is called he’ll hear the brass blast a crowd-pleasing tune, cry out “And listen to that band,” crank up the in-house volume, sit back and smile out of the side of his mouth. Trademark Bill Mercer. Mercer’s classic style wasn’t easy to master; with no teacher to call his own, he mostly taught himself while attending the University of Denver. After becoming the first student at his university to call sports games for the college radio, he’d review game tapes in an effort to perfect his craft. “I was working so hard to be a good announcer,” he said. “I didn’t really believe I was that good for a long, long time.” After moving to Dallas
with his wife and taking on a job calling wrestling matches at KRLD, Mercer had found his voice: He wasn’t flashy, he wasn’t artificially exciting and he certainly wasn’t going to shout out catch phrases or buzzwords as he says most announcers do today. “I didn’t think about it. I just did the stuff the way I felt it,” Mercer said. He learned on his own, and quickly scored a job calling Cowboys games, and later announced Rangers games in the team’s first season in Texas. Among his many notable sports experiences, Mercer called the 1967 NFL Championship Game, better known as the Ice Bowl. The game-time temperature was estimated at -15 degrees. As far as the game goes, Mercer recalled, his memory is fuzzy. “I don’t remember much from that, except for my own freezing to death,” he said with a chuckle. Despite all his success as a sports broadcaster, Mercer says his finest moment came in November 1963, during one of the worst events in American history. The minor league baseball season ended in September, which meant Mercer spent his days in the KRLD newsroom filling in on news reports. President John F. Kennedy was riding through Dallas in a massive procession. All the station’s regu-
should not go unnoticed. While established programs like McMurry have flirted with moving up to D-II, UTD has quickly become one of the most successful and consistent teams in the region. But the Comets have claimed the division by force; Mississippi has only prevailed once against UTD in the last three seasons. The Comets have really been on a meteoric rise to the top of the conference, especially considering how young the basketball program is. UTD only started fielding a basketball team in 1998, and Terry Butterfield took over in 2000. The program took off quickly, and its reign over the East has been impressive. The Comets will have the chance next season to become the first five-time defending champion in the history of ASC men’s basketball. That would be some five-year run, and a run that would further establish UTD basketball on a national level.
MEN’S BBALL
Louisiana
16-1
19-2
UTD
13-4
17-5
Mississippi
12-5
14-7
Ozarks
7-10
11-11
LeTourneau
7-10
11-11
UT Tyler
7-11
10-12
East Texas Baptist
4-13
6-16 Note: Standings are accurate as of Feb. 9
WOMEN’S BBALL continued from page 10
downtown. She finished the game 10-of16 from the field, with nine rebounds and five assists, and narrowly missed out on recording her first career doubledouble. “She’s just a phenomenal player, really intelligent, and understands the game well enough to know when she’s going to get open looks,” Thomason said. “She started off the game hitting some threes, and I think that gave the players around her confidence.” With 1,302 career points in the bag, Smith is just 12 points shy of the all-time scoring record set by Chelsea Edwards, who scored 1,314 points from 20062010. She is expected to set
the program’s new record as the Comets play their final two home games of the season in the coming week. It’s a crucial part of the season as the championship tournament looms near and pressure mounts, and Thomason reiterated the importance of just taking it one day at a time and getting better every day. “We want to play our best basketball the last three games of the year in the conference tournament,” said Thomason. The Lady Comets will host Mississippi College and Louisiana College on Feb. 9th and 16th, respectively, for the final two home games of the season, before going on the road to UT Tyler and LeTourneau for the last two for the season on Feb. 16th and 18th, respectively.
lar reporters were downtown to capture a glimpse of Kennedy, during what Mercer said was supposed to be a great, memorable day in Dallas history. Around noon, Mercer went on the air to announce the President was in town. When the reporters came back to the newsroom with the stunning bad news, Mercer and three other reporters had an idea: They’d report from downtown at the police station and feed the live coverage to CBS headquarters in New York. The four went to the police station and performed the firstever live remote news broadcast, using the same techniques and technology that KRLD did to broadcast Cowboys games. Mercer and his colleagues all worked individually, and none of them knew what the other was doing. They improvised and taught themselves, as Mercer always had. “I didn’t know what the hell was going on,” Mercer joked. “Except for me, I didn’t know what was what.” Between talking to sheriffs and FBI officials, he tried to catch glimpses of Oswald, Kennedy’s killer. Mercer tried to squeeze between the hundreds of other reporters and policemen to get close to Oswald when officials brought him out. He said at one point on the broadcast, viewers could hear him yelling, “I’m be-
WWW.UTDMERCURY.COM ing pummeled! I’m being pummeled!” During one such moment, Oswald walked through all the reporters while Mercer was pinned behind a door. “My size didn’t help,” he said with a huge grin. Mercer’s small build, though, made it possible for him to meander his way up to the very front for what he calls the proudest moment of his career: his face-to-face interaction with one of America’s most infamous men. “That was above the Ice Bowl, above all these other things,” he said. “You’re in the right place at the right time for the wrong thing.” Just over 40 years later, Mercer eventually landed at UTD after meeting with Athletics Director Chris Gage and Sports Information Director Bruce Unrue shortly before retiring from the University of North Texas in 2007. Gage and Unrue were considering streaming games via the Internet, and they wanted Mercer to become UTD’s first sports announcer. He agreed, and brought his UNT students along with him to practice broadcasting live games. Among some of Mercer’s most successful students are Mark Followill and Dave Barnett, the TV voices for the Mavericks and Rangers, respectively. He also taught Craig Way, who announces UT sports. “It means so much to me that
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I taught them,” Mercer said, referring to all his students. “I’m really proud of them. They all have great passion and I’m so proud of each one of them.” Perhaps the pupil Mercer is most proud of, though, is his granddaughter Emma, who has announced dozens of UTD games throughout the past few years. Now at the University of Missouri, Emma has more announcing experience than any of her freshman classmates in Missouri’s journalism school. Mercer glowed as he said Emma is the only one of his children or grandchildren who wants to become a broadcaster. Mercer carved his own niche in the broadcasting industry, and has become one of Texas’ signature voices. When something needed to be done, he did it — whether it was covering Dallas’ darkest day or the NFL’s coldest game. If the pieces weren’t already in place, Mercer put them there. Among his many accomplishments, he kick-started UNT’s student-run, 100,000watt radio station. He and his students put the whole thing together. “We built that sucker,” he said, with that familiar Mercer smile. His pride in his work is tangible and his innovations have carried across almost seven decades. And he isn’t stopping anytime soon.
continued from page 10 ETBU had trouble getting to the boards as effectively as they did in the first half thanks to a more organized Comets defense. “We only allowed 59 points this time compared to 93 only 7 days ago, and so I was really pleased with the way we defended,” Butterfield said. Butterfield emphasized the need to come out on the good side of things, especially in this time of the season, when a game can decide whether you win the conference title or not. “Anytime you can get a win at home against a quality team like (ETBU), it’s always a good thing,” Butterfield said. From looking at the Comets’ remaining schedule, their remaining games can be expected as easy outings. The Comets will need just one more win to seal the division title, but they will approach the last remaining games with the same focus and mentality like they have been doing all season long. “Our approach has to be like every game is a championship game. We have to find a way to get on top of every game and not let ourselves slide,” Butterfield said. “We’re getting so close to the conference championship time that now is the time to extend ourselves and play our best.” The Comets have four games remaining in the regular season, and their next two games will be at home against Mississippi College and Louisiana College on Feb. 9th and 11th, respectively. They will then travel to Tyler and Longview to face Tyler and LeTourneau, respectively, and hope to close out their season on a high note as they head into the ASC Championship Tournament.
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continued from page 1 movement to Nelson Mandela’s Apartheid movement, Ellenberg said. Although there are as many as 600 children studying in FED’s schools, including two nursery and six primary schools, most drop out and don’t transition to the outreach program at all, she said. Those who do are the ones who want to continue into higher education. Part of the problem of education in the refugee community stems from a lack of awareness among parents, which is why they compel their children to withdraw from school so they can work and earn money for the family, Ellenberg said. “Most of these kids don’t get the opportunity to (receive) higher education and some of the kids work all night in rubber plantations from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m. and then start school the next day at 7 a.m.,” Ellenberg said. “One of these students, Aung So Win, wanted to get out of his predicament, and he knew it was possible through organizations like FED and now he has an internship in Bangkok ¬— it’s very cool to see students like him progressing.” Despite the fight the students have to put up as second-class citizens in a country that isn’t their own, they are keen and hopeful of their success as agents of change in their native land of Myanmar, she said. “The image they portray is so hopeful and ambitious that at times it’s hard to play through your mind that they’ve been through so much — they’ll tell you things like ‘I was raped by the military police and I came here and I’m lucky I don’t have to work as a sex slave anymore,’ — at the same time they are grateful for the opportunities they get at FED to build a career and are so optimistic that change is approaching,” Ellenberg said. As a teacher, she helped her students understand that races, peoples and ethnicities have been victimized before
THE MERCURY n FEB. 13, 2012
by similar practices, but leaders have emerged from within these oppressed people to bring social changes in the past. Ellenberg has been working for immigrant communities for a while now and intends to continue to work for immigrant communities in the future, she said. Previously, Ellenberg worked with the University of Peace to study the poor work conditions of indigenous tribes in Costa Rica. There, the native tribes are forced to work in banana plantations living as segregated citizens in their motherland, she said. Currently she is working as mentor for a Burmese family in Dallas. The family is one of very few who were lucky enough to be able to migrate to United States on a refugee status thanks to the International Rescue Committee, she said. Her trips to Thailand and Costa Rica pushed Ellenberg to look at immigrant problems in a different light, she said. She started thinking about immigrants and refugees in the United States, and realized that there were similarities among refugees and immigrants all around the world — they are paid less and discriminated against — just like in Thailand, she said. “People in society have a tendency to discriminate and it happens in every country —its universal — but the good thing about it being universal is that there are so many solutions to the problem and once you’ve overcome the problem, it becomes history that you can learn from,” Ellenberg said.
Visit www.utdmercury.com to watch videos of Ellenberg teaching Burmese refugees in Thailand and read the letters they wrote to The Mercury.
CATHRYN PLOEHN/STAFF
Ellenberg spent her time in Thailand in the city of Khao Lak, where she helped refugee children and young adults familiarize themselves with human rights that aren’t commonly observed in Burma.