the Mercury
www.utdmercury.com
The Student Newspaper of UTD
Vol. XXX, No. 14
Alumna’s cupcake art moves to NY gallery Page 2
Campus through the lens of day and night Page 7
November 1, 2010
Poet shifts views through art Page 9
Graphene rising
Parking update: permits, lots Shane Damico
Managing Editor spd064000@utdallas.edu
courtesy of Rodolfo Guzman
Materials science graduate student Muge Acik published research on new formations of graphene, a single layer of carbon one atom thick, and oxygen in October.
Grad student publishes on new material Rebecca Gomez
Staff Writer becks@student.utdallas.edu
Before her research was published in the Oct. 2010 issue of the scientific journal “Nature Materials,” before
her discovery of a radical new formation of graphene oxide, before she could even conceive of what the data from her experiments was telling her, materials science graduate student Muge Acik had to prove
quantum physics wrong. Acik, more familiar with chemistry than physics, worked with Materials Science Department Head Yves Chabal to observe the unusual behavior of electrons in the experiments.
“The exciting part was that to discover this conformation of graphene oxide, we had to solve how this conformation occurred,”
see GRAPHENE page 6
Remember it ‘gets better’ Danelle Adeniji
Staff Writer dxa102120@utdallas.edu
On Oct. 20, the National Day of Remembrance, people across the nation and campus wore purple to honor the memories of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (lgbt) teens who took their lives. Throughout September a
total of ten lives, ranging in from ages 13-19, were ended. These suicides had one thing in common — bullying. The case that brought antigay bullying back into the light was Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi who committed suicide September because two students videotaped him in an intimate encounter with a man and
broadcast the video online. This issue has exploded the past month according to Dana Rudolph in her Oct. 10 article “Bullied to Death.” Writer Dan Savage started the “It Gets Better Project” in September for lgbt teens who have no one to talk to or no one to turn to. One of the
photo by Albert Ramirez
Hundreds of students wait to take chemistry quizzes in the GEMS, Gateways to Excellence in Math and Science, PC lab about four times a month.
Students in science classes question quiz protocol Contributor news@utdmercury.com
There are about 800 students in General Chemistry I, 200 students in General Chemistry II and only 40
seats in the GEMS, Gateways to Excellence in Math and Science, PC lab where each week, these students must take an online quiz. This, some students have said, has resulted in long lines and missed quiz deadlines.
see PARKING page 4
Ban discussed Smoking policy evaluated Shane Damico
Managing Editor spd064000@utdallas.edu
see REMEMBRANCE page 4
Running out of time
Nada Alsami
This semester, students, faculty and staff have had a few reasons to look at parking differently. First from permit changes and increased online sales, and now to future lot adjustments. The Evening Orange (EO) permit is once again available for student purchase, said Transportation Manager Nancy Branch. EO permits allow students to park in orange spaces after 5 p.m. only. “The students at (the School of Management) really communicated to Dean Pirkul that they wanted (the EO permit) back,” Branch said. Following the EO’s availability to students, the Purple permit is now available for purchase by faculty and staff. Branch said the idea was to provide each demographic with a higher level permit than they had previously been capable of purchasing. Unexpectedly, the Purple permit’s availability barely improved its sales. “We were very sur-
prised that we didn’t see a significant increase in Purple permit purchases,” Branch said. Branch said perhaps her department failed to adequately market the change, but she also has another theory. “Staff and faculty got mad at us that they weren’t seeing enough gold (spots),” Branch said. “(They) are buying green and gold. They’re not buying the ones that they should be buying, orange and purple, the higher levels of parking. Everybody wants to pay the lower price.” In the future, at least a year’s time, the Parking and Transportation Department will discuss designating the lots nearest to on-campus buildings for faculty and staff and lots farther away for students. Branch said this is a typical parking setup for most universities. UTD will have its first paid visitor lot in the next 2-3 weeks, Branch said. Lot I, adjacent to the Conference Center, will have an electronic pay
General Chemistry I and II students are assigned an online quiz in the GEMS PC lab about four times each month. The Students have
see GEMS page 4
According to University policy, to promote a healthy, safe and aesthetically pleasing work, educational and living environment, all facilities at UTD are smoke free. This means all students, staff and faculty are expected to smoke at least 25 feet away from campus buildings. The UT System Student Advisory Council (UTSSAC) is discussing the possibility of a system wide smoking ban which could ban smoking on campus at UTD entirely. UTSSAC meets three times every year to discuss possible policy changes concerning students in the UT System. After a decision is made, the council may present a proposal to the UT System Board of Regents for approval. The council is composed of two student representatives from each campus. UTD’s 2010-2011 representatives are Student Government (SG) President and political science senior Grace Bielawski and SG Communications Committee chair and Arts & Technology senior Kia Wright. Wright is serving
photo by Albert Ramirez
Graduate students Nuvsh Reddy (left) and Shakil Lalani (right) smoke outside Green Hall. on UTSSAC’s Student Involvement and Campus Life (SICL) Committee, which is responsible for drafting the smoking ban, if they choose to do so. Discussion on the ban started after SICL Committee members said many students on their campus don’t like smoking, Wright said. According to the results of SG’s September soundoff, out of 302 responses, 195 students would likely support a smoking ban and
107 would likely not. A decision hasn’t been made, yet. The first SICL Committee meeting was primarily composed of brainstorming. “The committee isn’t certain if it’d be a full-out smoking ban or just have designated areas away from traffic,” Wright said. “But apparently it’s not feasible at some schools because their campuses are
see SMOKING page 5
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Blog
November 1, 2010
Alex Hays
Social Media Editor socialmedia@utdmercury.com
Leah Foster graduated from UTD as an Arts & Performance major. At UTD she experimented with different mediums and art objects, trying to find what worked for her. Cupcakes worked. Foster had two cupcake based shows in Dallas. The first was at UTD’s Visual Arts Building, and the other at Gorilla Arts in downtown Dallas. Leah moved to New York about three months ago and she already has a show lined up! It opens Oct. 27 at conArtistNYC. For this show she managed to cook up 10,000 cupcakes. If only I could be in New York to experience the art space in all it’s sweet-smelly glory. The first question on every one’s mind: why cupcakes? Leah said it all started with her casually baking cupcakes to give to people. “The cupcake is a guilty pleasure, its something I enjoy baking, I enjoy looking at it, I enjoy holding it but I really don’t like eating it because I know its not good for me.” She started to wonder why she never really ate them but enjoyed baking, decorating and giving cupcakes to people. Leah says the cupcakes have become a lens for her to explore body image. “I’ve been called cupcake, I’ve been called sugar, I’ve been called sweetie, I’ve been called all these names that reference sweets, yet if I was just to sit and eat cupcakes all day or eat sugar all day, no man would want me as his cupcake because I won’t look like the girl he wants me to.” Leah thought about the tensions that exist in the enticing, colorful individual
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object that is the cupcake. “I call it the duality of the cupcake, in that I’m both extremely attracted to it and really repulsed by it. In my work I’m trying to have that reaction where you’re disgusted because there are so many cupcakes, but at the same time it’s really beautiful and really interesting to look at.” Leah said she was influenced by Félix González-Torres, particularly his ‘Candy Spill’ piece. Félix placed a lot of candy on a museum floor and the audience was allowed to take a piece. The show was over when all the candy was taken. Leah liked the participatory aspect of Torres’s work. “I wanted my work to do that and to be participatory, so that’s why I have (group) cupcake decorating and I have all these cupcake parties. I’m trying to create these experiences for people outside of what they think art is.” Leah also referenced the work of Rirkrit Tiravanija, who set up a kitchen inside an art gallery and cooked Thai food for people. Tiravanija has said himself, “it is not what you see that is important but what takes place between people.” He tried to create situations, or events. He sets out to create spaces of interaction according to Arts & Culture. Janine Antoni is another artist whose work heavily guided Leah’s cupcake creations. Leah referenced Antoni’s piece “Gnaw” where she chewed up a 600 Ib block of lard to make lipsticks, and then chewed up a 600 Ib block of chocolate to make heart shapes. Antoni’s work often references process, body image and cultural perceptions of femininity, according to The Museum of Modern Art. The Mercury will post pictures on the blog from Leah’s New York show once it’s over, in three weeks.
photos courtesy of Teresa Rafidi
Opinion
the Mercury www.utdmercury.com
November 1, 2010
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Editorial Board
Chemistry students could benefit from different quiz approach General Chemistry students lined the interior of the Conference Center on Oct. 4 in attempts to make their quiz deadline. These students are required to take their quizzes in the Gateways to Excellence in Math and Science (GEMS) PC lab before the 7 p.m. deadline on designated quiz days. With weekly quizzes and over 1,000 students to fit in 40 seats through the course of a week, a policy revision may be needed. The long line on quiz day may be a result of a mass case of procrastination. We are in college, but some
students said they weren’t adequately prepared for quizzes until a few days before the deadline. Giving students the freedom to complete quizzes anytime throughout the semester would not, in most cases, help prepare them for exams and keep them up to date with material. What is likely to occur is an even larger line outside the GEMS center a few days before the end of the semester. However, if students had the ability to take quizzes anywhere online before the deadline, they would still
be held accountable to learn the material before a certain date and have the ability to take the quiz closer to their own pace. Online quizzes have the option of being timed and having deadlines. The drawback stems from the fact that students have a wider ability to cheat, but if that is the way they choose to handle the quiz, it would show through their exams. The possibility to help students who take quizzes seriously, outweighs the risk of having some students abuse the system for a short term gain.
Editorial Board Jessica Melton, Editor-in-Chief Shane Damico, Managing Editor Laura-Jane Cunningham, Graphics Editor Alex Hays, Social Media Editor Swaroop Rayudu, Web Editor news@utdmercury.com The Mercury Editorial Board voted 5-0 in favor of this editorial. The board consists of the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, managing editor, graphics editor, social media editor and web editor. The board will discuss, debate and develop editorial positions on issues affecting the UTD community. We welcome your responses at news@utdmercury.com. Opinions expressed in The Mercury are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the university administration, the University of Texas System Board of Regents or the Student Media Operating Board. Editorial and business offices are in Student Union, Room 2.416. Telephone: 972-883-2286. Mailing address; SU 24, Richardson, TX 75080.
Gun-free policy not effective Philip Harris
Contributor news@utdmercury.com
On Sept. 28, math sophomore Colton Tooley opened fire with an AK-47 outside and then inside the Perry Castaneda Library at UT. No one was hurt or killed, except Tooley, who took his own life. Did somebody forget to tell Tooley the UT campus is a gun-free zone? I have been wracking my brain for the last few weeks trying to figure out how he was able to physically bring a gun onto the campus when the stated policy of the University is that students simply aren’t allowed to have guns. My sense of security at UTD has been tragically shattered. I have been banking my feelings of personal security on the fact that UTD is officially “gun-free.” The natural conclusion to this policy seemed to be that students are physically incapable of bringing firearms onto any part of the campus. Apparently this isn’t the case. Now it’s time to get real. How many tragedies have to happen or almost happen, like on the UT campus a few weeks ago, before we wake up and realize that gun-free school zones make absolutely no sense? Never before have I heard such foolish statements
as when discussing gun policy on a university campus. Statements so ungrounded in logic as to be absurd. “I just feel safer on a campus that doesn’t allow guns, I like knowing that the person next to me in class doesn’t have a firearm.” How on earth is this a possibility? We don’t attend a school surrounded by fences and metal detectors. Anybody who pleases can waltz onto campus armed to any degree they choose. In fact, the only thing that gun-free school zones guarantee is that all of the lawabiding, responsible students at a university, and there are many, won’t have a weapon. The people who break laws are the people we least want to carry a weapon, and those are the only ones who would carry a gun in a gunfree school zone. Besides the Police, who are legally allowed to carry a gun, of course. Readers shouldn’t misunderstand this article as critical of the police force. They work very hard to protect our campus and enforce laws. But the next most ridiculous statement I hear regarding gunfree school zones is, “it’s the
police’s job to make campuses safe and secure, so students shouldn’t be allowed to carry a gun with a concealed carry license.” The last time I checked, there isn’t a police officer in every classroom on campus. That kind of a police presence might be the slightest bit overbearing, not to mention entirely impractical financially and administratively. The police are effective at enforcing laws and protecting students, but they aren’t omnipresent. School shootings often lead to several tragic deaths before police can arrive and diffuse the situation. It’s clear, after several school shootings in the last few years, that gun-free school zones cannot physically or realistically keep students from carrying weapons. It’s nice to pretend that if a University says students can’t have guns, nobody has one, but it isn’t reality. Universities have harsh policies against drug and alcohol possession, but students trample all over these rules on a regular basis. While the UT campus is three hours away, the UTD campus has not been free from the possession of weapons either.
Comet
by Laura-Jane Cunningham
This past summer a student was robbed at gunpoint after returning home from an offcampus ATM. Prior to that, a student brought a firearm onto campus claiming it as a prop, allegedly without any intent to commit a crime. My point is not to make another tired plea for concealed carry on college campuses. While I personally believe this is a viable solution, many do not, and trying to make that point here would cause too many people to miss my point in an effort to combat the logic or wisdom of allowing college students to carry concealed weapons. The more important conclusion is that simply banning weapons on a campus doesn’t work. There have been enough school shootings to show that no matter how firm a university’s rules are about weapons, no matter how many signs and postings show pictures of guns with a circle around them and a line drawn through them, students still bring guns onto campus and kill other students. New solutions must be discussed. Whether this means concealed carry, more police officers, or preventative measures to help troubled students not resort to violence, something must be done to ensure a safe campus for UTD students.
W
Comments
A Picture’s Worth
hat do you think of Papa John’s replacing Coyote Jack’s Grill in the Comet Café ?
“I prefer the pizza.”
“It’s freaking awesome.”
“Papa John’s is better.”
Anusheh Hemani Psychology freshman
John Fell Business junior
Brianda Vela Biochemistry freshman
“It’s a great idea. I love Papa John’s, it’s my favorite kind of pizza.”
“Hopefully the new Papa John’s pizzas will be cheaper than the Subway pizzas.”
“I’m really excited to have the Comet Café not smell like Subway.”
Jerrill Raju Biochemistry freshman
Kate Aronson EMAC senior
Laura Carroll Psychology sophomore
the Mercury Editor-in-Chief Jessica Melton
Graphics Editor Laura-Jane Cunningham
Managing Editor Shane Damico
Web Editor Swaroop Rayudu
Advertising Manager Josh Moncrieff
Social Media Editor Alex Hays
Administrative Assistant Andrew Arias Photographers Albert Ramirez Brandon Higgins Ben Hawkins Staff Writers Danelle Adeniji Jameshia Bankston Rebecca Gomez
Contributors Nada Alasmi Anwesha Bhattacharje Rebecca DeButts Amanda Duke
The Mercury is published on Mondays, at twoweek intervals during the long term of The University of Texas at Dallas, except holidays and exam periods, and once every three weeks during the summer term. Advertising is accepted by The Mercury on the basis that there is no discrimination by the advertiser in the offering of goods or services to any person, on any basis prohibited by applicable
law. Evidence of discrimination will be the basis of denial of advertising space. The publication of advertising in The Mercury does not constitute an endorsement of products or services by the newspaper, or The University of Texas at Dallas, or the governing board of the institution. Copyright © 2010 UT Dallas
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November 1, 2010
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Follow the leader SG: Papa John’s New position created for leadership education announced Anwesha Bhattacharjee Contributor news@utdmercury.com
Event planning and leadership training will soon be handled by a new position that will work towards focused development after Kristen Myers comes to UTD. She joins as the Assistant Director for Student Life on Nov. 1. Myers worked as residence director at Oklahoma State University for two years and at UT Arlington for the past two and a half years. “I am excited to start the new position at UTD,” Myers said. “I have been on the campus several times and student leaders seem so engaged and involved. I am ready to get to work and learn more about the University’s culture.” Dean of Students Gene Fitch said his office created the position to focus on event planning and leadership programs for UTD Students. Assistant Dean of Students Kecia Baker interviewed candidates for this position. She said the position will be in charge of making and managing campus committees that organize events like Welcome Week and Homecoming. “The position will focus on key elements of our student life here at UTD and make
them part of a tradition,” Baker said. Student Government President and political science senior Grace Bielawski, and executive chairman of Student Union & Activities Advisory Board and management graduate student Nicholas Hinojosa were both on the committee that interviewed Myers. “I was looking for somebody to take Homecoming to the next level, someone who was willing to include students in the process of event planning and leadership,” Bielawski said. “Over the years I have noticed the same small group of people in the student government. I wanted the assistant director of student life to have not just the desire to change that, but also the experience and knowledge to do so. I was pleased with Myers’ experience, perspective and her willingness to accept feedback from the students.” Hinojosa said he thought Myers’ ideas had vision and substance. He said she talked of how leadership should fit to demographics. “She has facilitated similar programs at the previous schools she’s worked in,” Hinojosa said. “I think I supported Myers’ appointment because of her ability to give definite ideas, her back-
ground in a similar school to ours and the approachable way in which she mediated the discussion.” Myers said she has taught leadership classes and training programs at her previous school. “When I was in undergraduate school, I had a lot of leadership experiences but no one helped me figure out how to use them or how they could help me career wise. I want to ensure that students define their leadership. They can have tons of leadership experiences but they need to know what to do with it,” Myers said. Myers said she likes the way UTD’s leadership programs target students by their year. She said she would like many of these programs that are currently held in classes to be held out of class and that she would like to see more of leadership summits and workshops which could count for credits. “One of the things I’d like to start at UTD is the student led Service Learning Project program. Students come up with a service project or volunteering idea and a group of students work on the project. I’d also like to expand the leadership program into the Living Learning Communities program,” Myers said.
Shane Damico
of high ridership would increase the chances of the route becoming a reality, Bielawski said.
Managing Editor spd064000@utdallas.edu
The following is a breakdown of key topics raised at the Oct. 19 Student Government (SG) meeting. Full minutes of meetings can be found at sg.utdallas.edu. • Student Affairs Committee chair and political science junior Haroon Hashmi reported that pizza restaurant Papa John’s will replace Coyote Jack’s Grill in the Comet Café sometime January 2011. • SG President and political science senior Grace Bielawski said SG is currently conducting a survey to assess how many students would use a bus traveling from campus to the Walmart located at the Coit Road and Mapleshade Lane intersection. Evidence
In the Oct. 18 issue of The Mercury, the article “Safety concerns” contained an error. Graduate student Sharad Jaganathan’s name was misspelled as Sharat Jagannath. In the same issue the article “Head start” contained an error. International political economics sophomore Christine Cepelak’s name was misspelled as Christine Celepak. The Mercury regrets these errors.
continued from page 1
Oct. 15 • Student reported an unknown person committed fraud using his identity. • Student reported the theft of his bicycle from the bicycle rack near UV Building 59. Oct. 17 • Student received a city
citation for disorderly conduct in response to an unreasonable noise complaint for setting off fireworks in Waterview Park Phase III. Oct. 20 • PD dispatched to UV Building 55 in response to a strong odor of marijuana. Two students were
issued citations for possession of drug paraphernalia. Oct. 23 • Student reported a case of harassment through text messages. Oct. 24 • Non-affiliated individual arrested for public intoxication.
Parking
and staff who don’t know how to use the new decal style parking permits on a different car. Some people have placed their decal permit on their previous hangtag permit. Branch said permits positioned this way are not properly displayed. “Actually, if you get it so dusty that it’s not sticking well, you can rinse it with water and (the adhesive) comes back,” Branch said.
Branch also recommends that students use My Parking Account, the online shop for parking permits and citation appeals. Branch said the online service helps reduce traffic at the Bursar’s Office and saves time. Since the introduction of My Parking Account online permit sales have nearly tripled with just over 3,000 sold in 2009 and nearly 9,000 sold this year.
Lynn Butler said she is aware that like Megan, many students have missed their quizzes due to long lines. On most days, however, Butler said there are more than enough seats in the GEMS PC lab. “It really depends on whether or not the students decide to take their quiz on the last day,” Butler said. Associate professor Dr. John Sibert teaches General Chemistry I. He said that he sympathizes with students and wishes there were more seats in the GEMS lab. At the same time, Sibert said that the long lines are not a common occurrence. “The long lines take place only a few times during a semester,” Sibert said. Associate professor Dr. Gregg Dieckmann teaches
General Chemistry I. He said that from the start of the semester he and the other General Chemistry professors warned their students about the possibility of lines and missing quizzes. “We have advised students from the first day of class that this would be a problem if students wait to the last day,” Dieckmann said. Matthews said that although she understands the benefits of taking the quizzes early, she is not always able to do so. “Taking the quiz early solves the issue of time,” Matthews said. “However at that point, I might not be comfortable with the material being covered on that quiz.” Sibert said that the General Chemistry professors make
continued from page 1
station that visitors will use to pay for their parking. Lot K, located near the Student Services Building, will be the second visitor lot to feature an electronic pay station. The lot should be complete at the end of the year, Branch said. Branch said she receives calls from students, faculty
gems
continued from page 1
approximately one week to complete each quiz and can take it at any time the GEMS PC lab is open. Biology freshman and Chemistry I student, Megan Matthews, was standing in line on Oct. 4 with over 50 people. On that day, two quizzes were due and because of the long line, Megan was unable to enter the GEMS lab before the quiz deadline at 7 p.m. “I waited in line for over an hour,” Matthews said. “Other people, including myself, ended up running out of time and were unable to take the quizzes.” GEMS PC lab supervisor
• SG Vice President and political science senior Dina Shahrokhi reported bicycle registration will be enforced in Phases V-IX and the Residence Hall, soon. Students will know enforcement has begun once they receive warnings on their unregistered bicycles. • Hashmi said he is still working with UTD Police Chief Larry Zacharias to evaluate and improve the traffic flow on University Parkway to Campbell Road, while exiting cam-
Corrections:
Remembrance
UTD Police scanner
Report
pus, in response to student complaints. • Biology junior Mehrad Sadeghpour and information technology management graduate student Prabhav Rathi were appointed to senate. Bielawski said all senate seats are currently filled. • Secretary and Arts & Performance junior Brittany Sharkey moved to allocate up to $3,000 for Comet branded car flags, the motion passed. • Arts & Technology senior Kia Wright moved to allocate up to $1,215 towards the purchase of hooded, pullover sweatshirts, the motion passed. • Neuroscience senior Christina May moved, on behalf of the Residential Student Affairs Committee, to allocate up to $850 for Know Your Rights Day and the motion passed.
goals was for older and openly gay lgbt adults to show lgbt teens that life will get better, Savage said. Various people have contributed to the “It Gets Better Project” ranging from the President of the United States to students from UTD. Vice President of PRIDE at UTD and business administration junior Kathleen Tinker was motivated to be a part of the “It Gets Better Project” after learning about the string of suicides in September. Within days a group of students consisting of Tinker, emerging media and communications junior Chelsea Sargent, computer science freshman Greg Slagel, Arts & Technology senior Dan Trinh and Arts & Humanities junior Peter Haddox came together to film a message to live, Tinker said. “There is so much more for them to live for,” Tinker said. “Suicide is a touchy issue for me and even though it’s their choice, I
sure to give students enough time to take their quizzes. “We have a quiz due next Monday,” Sibert said. “We have been done with the quiz content from last week.” Sibert also said that with time management, students should be able to complete their quizzes early. “I want the students to take the quizzes early so that they can identify what they do not know in a timely manner,” Sibert said. “If they wait, they are not ready for the exams which are 85% of the final grade.” In addition to than limited seating in the GEMS PC lab, another common student complaint is the quiz deadline system. Some students feel that removing weekly deadlines
wish they hadn’t done it.” Tinker said she believes lgbt teens will be motivated by the older generation. As an adult Arts & Technology graduate student Luis Midence said society should change the message it sends to the younger generation. “If we keep putting labels on everything, we are creating ‘others’ and that makes it hard to get along,” Midence said. Midence said that he moved to the United States because of the freedom it has to offer. When Midence moved to the United States in 1998 he came during the time Matthew Shepard’s story was gaining national attention. Shepard was a 21-yearold student at the University of Wyoming. He was tortured and killed in October 1998. During the trial, witnesses stated that Shepard was targeted because he was gay. According to an exposé on Shepard on 20/20 in 2004 his murder brought international attention to the issue of hate crime legislation at the state and federal levels.
would enable them to complete the quizzes on their own time. “The whole system would actually supplement us more if we did not have to worry about deadlines,” Rasheed said. “We could then take our time doing the quizzes.” Dr. Dieckmann said that the weekly deadline quiz system is beneficial to students. He said it ensures that students regularly study their course material. “Chemistry is learned by doing,” Dieckmann said. “(The quiz) provides a mechanism to ensure students are continually working on course content, the real key to success in this class.” Some students have also complained about the multiple-part quiz questions.
Midence said that he hasn’t seen that type of public reaction until now. In December 2009 Midence wrote and directed the short-film “Uncertain” in response to three lgbt teenagers who had taken their lives in April 2009 due to anti-gay bullying and harassment. The film depicts the drowsy-dream of a gay teenage boy overdoses on pills to end his life because of the harassment and antigay bullying he faces at school. Midence wanted to continue the conversation about ways to stop anti-gay bullying. “This short video project is inviting viewers to participate in a constructive conversation by asking questions regarding teen suicide, school bullying and lgbt issues,” Midence said. Midence said he believes a change can come by understanding the other person and being knowledgeable about what is going on. “Another young person should not have to die because of the intolerance of others,” Midence said.
Biology freshman and Chemistry I student June Nganga said that her biggest problem with the quiz system is the multiple-part questions. “If you just get an incorrect answer on one part your whole question is counted wrong,” Nganga said. “I would suggest changing the system, so that it gives partial credit for each part of the question you get right.” Both Dr. Dieckmann and Dr. Sibert agree that chemistry department is always working to ensure that students are successful and engaged in General Chemistry. Students with questions or concerns should not hesitate to contact them or any other General Chemistry professor.
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Money maker
News
Staff Writer dxa102120@utdallas.edu
Jessica Melton Editor-in-Chief jjm082000@utd.edu
There’s no “me” in sustainability, but what about the “I?” Long-term being sustainable can save the environment, short term small changes can save you money. You’ve heard it before, but carpooling cuts down on green house gas. According to the mother nature network website, transportation is the cause of one third of the green house gas emissions in the United States. Carpooling also saves you money in gas, and every UTD student has access to a free Dallas Area Rapid Transit pass. Just order it online at utdlas.edu/dart and pick it up at the comet center in the upper level of the Student Union. With the flick of a switch you could be saving carbon energy emissions and some money on your electric bill. While compact fluorescent light bulbs have become easily attainable and are available at superstores such as Walmart and Target, the next big thing in lighting has made its first appearance. According to the United States Department of Energy, energy star website, light emitting diode (LED) bulbs can last 25,000 hours and use 75 percent less energy than an incandescent bulb. They may cost a little more, around $40 for a 10 watt LED from Target, but the long life may prove worth the cost. Another easy switch is to change from bottled water to a water bottle. According to Walmart.com, a 25 pack of water could cost $4 while a reusable water bottle costs around $9. Cutting back on bottled water saves the use of plastic, and with a water purifier you wouldn’t have to drink tap water if it’s a concern. These small changes can gradually make a big difference, and not only in your pocketbooks.
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Media Director hired Danelle Adeniji
The fourth article in a continuing series on the environment
November 1, 2010
Joining UTD with a diverse background in print media is Director of Student Media Chad Thomas. Thomas, a graduate from Ohio University, has written for various newspapers across Texas. The Daily Texan, the student newspaper at University of Texas, as a sports writer, freelanced for Dallas Morning News and the Tyler Morning Telegraph. Thomas began his career in print media in high school where he was a part of a group called “Current Issues and Events”. While a part of the group Thomas participated in the University Interscholastic League (UIL)
smoking
continued from page 1 so small.” While UTSSAC’s decision could filter smoking from all UT System schools, some universities are taking action on their own. UT Arlington (UTA) announced a campus-wide tobacco ban fall 2009, effective August 2011, according to The Shorthorn, the student newspaper at UTA. The Shorthorn reports that UTA offers free classes to educate students on the dangers of smoking and help them quit. “Second hand smoke is
where he won as a team UTD Radio, A Modest and individual. Proposal (AMP) and UTD Thomas said this pre- TV. pared him for a career in Business administration print media senior and and caused editor of AMP him to become Taylor Buttler news junky, a said he wants person who Thomas to reads and know AMP is views every not a tradiaspect of tional newsnews. paper and Thomas, that they conalready familsider themChad Thomas iar with the selves the campus news voice of the room looks forward to student body. helping student media Buttler is very positive groups take their work to about Thomas joining stuthe next level. dent media. He said he “(I’m) really excited to believes Thomas has a lot be on UTD’s campus and to to offer, and seems open find out what they want to to discussion. read, see and hear about,” Emerging media and Thomas said. communications junior and Student media at UTD station manager of UTD consists of The Mercury, Radio Tabatha Patterson
said she wants Thomas to know that she is looking forward to working with him. “I enjoy the fact that Thomas has a lot of experience with students and a good sense of humor,” Patterson said. Thomas believes joining UTD will be a fantastic opportunity he said. He also hopes to explore new media. “It’s really drawing to be in a setting working with new journalist,” Thomas said. Thomas said he believes the main goal of everyone in student media is to reach out to the students by being captivating, informative and entertaining. Thomas said he will arrive at UTD open to new ideas for improving student media.
just as dangerous as smoking itself,” said Assistant Director of the Student Wellness Center Amanda Smith. “People who have never smoked a cigarette in their life have had lung cancer because of second hand smoke.” Smith said the Wellness Center isn’t for or against the ban, but they will be ready to help students if a smoking ban is passed. “We don’t pass judgment as far as laws and regulations are concerned,” Smith said. “If the ban were to go through and the students who are smokers are upset about it and they need help,
free policies, according to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation. Biology freshman Steve Kim said the ban would put him in a tough situation because he lives on campus. “I mostly only smoke on campus because I don’t have a car. If they banned smoking I guess I would just have to find a (hidden) place,” Kim said. Wright said more information will be available after the UTSSAC meeting Nov. 19-20 and a final decision will be made and presented to the Board of Regents spring 2011.
we are going to provide information to them to get through it.” Business administration senior Brandon Hicks said the ban wouldn’t bother him, he’d keep his smoking habit off-campus, but he said he thinks some people won’t be as tolerant. “I took some classes at (Collin County Community College) and everybody was pretty pissed by it,” Hicks said. “They were giving citations (to smokers) and everything.” Collin County Community College is one among 16 college campuses in Texas with 100 percent smoke
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November 1, 2010
GRAPHENE
continued from page 1
Chabal said. The phenomena couldn’t be explained by current physics. It was because of the unique properties of a new material called graphene. According to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (RASA), who awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics for the isolation and identification of graphene done by other physicists, graphene is a single layer of carbon just one atom thick. RASA has produced a public information document that states graphene is the strongest, thinnest material known on earth. Not only is it transparent, but it’s also an ultrafast conductor of electrons and heat. Chabal was granted funding by Nanotech Research Initiative (NRI) and Texas Instruments (TI) to determine if graphene could be modified to supersede silicon-based transistors in creating faster, more powerful microelectronic devices. “Transistors are very small
switches that comprise the basic function of every electronic device. They give you a one or a zero, a yes or a no,” Chabal said. Chabal chose Acik, who had been endowed by a TI Diversity Fellowship, to create a stable attachment of graphene to oxygen that would render the material functional as a transistor. “Imagine knowing only bicycles and being told to figure out how to use a car,” Acik said. “That was graphene for me.” The research required completely new machines to experiment with the nanoscale material, machines that came with digital displays Acik said she was not familiar with. Acik enlisted the help of Natural Science and Engineering Research Laboratory (NSERL) lab assistant and computer engineering senior Rudolfo Guzman to understand the computer side of the experiments. “At first their research was foreign to me, but I was able to help with any electrical system or computer programming issues in the lab,” Guzman said. The cross-disciplinary team collaborated with
News materials science professor Kyeongjae Cho and the entire faculty of NSERL to find out exactly what they had created. “The formation we discovered was functional ether bound at the edges of graphene. This detail may seem mundane, but once discovered it can have great results,” Chabal said. The results as concluded in their Nature Materials article, ‘unusual infraredabsorption mechanism in thermally reduced graphene oxide,’ stated this conformation of graphene oxide showed promise in applications of solar panels or thermal-infrared remote sensing (night vision). Even though the research was driven by creating a graphene based transistor, Chabal said it is common that nanotechnology research will lead to unexpected applications. He used similar research into microelectronic device applications for carbon nanotubules as an example. “While people are waiting for the microelectronic devices, they may not know that tennis balls are already being manufactured with carbon nanotubules.”
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Day &Night
photos by Brandon Higgins
The water feature which runs down the Student Union Mall
Shane Damico
Managing Editor spd064000@utdallas.edu
It’s been over two years since a daisy chain of major construction projects started at UTD. April 2008 marked the beginning of construction for the first Residence Hall and the Dining Hall, followed by the Science Learning Center (SLC), the Campus Landscape Enhancement Project, renovations to Founders and the Student Services Building (SSB). As the dust settles on these completed projects, new ones are emerging. Construction on the second Residence Hall has already begun and according to Richard Dempsey, Associate Vice President of Business Affairs, the building is ahead of schedule. UTD is currently evaluating contractor proposals for the Campus Services and Bookstore Building (CSBB) and the Satellite Utility Plant (SUP). Construction for both buildings is scheduled to begin at the end of November. The CSBB will house a visitors’ center, multipurpose area, coffee shop and the new on-campus bookstore. The SUP will provide the campus with more air conditioning in order to insure the facilities remain cool as new buildings are built. While most of the construction has bulldozed itself clear from the center of campus, near the SU Mall, students may notice a small fenced in area still remains adjacent to the northwest entrance of the School of Management. Dempsey said this patch of real estate will remain unearthed until the winter break, when critical pipe connections from the SUP to that location will be made. The recent transfers of the Bursar’s Office, Financial Aid Office, Registrar’s Office, Multicultural Center and Career Center to the SSB have made the McDermott Library basement nearly unoccupied. Dempsey said the former Bursar’s Office space may be renovated and used as a temporary site for the on-campus bookstore after the current location of the bookstore is demolished in preparation for the new ATEC building. There are no plans for the other empty areas in the McDermott Library basement, however, Dempsey said. Renovations are also being done on a red brick building UTD acquired, located at the intersection of Drive A and Waterview Parkway. Dempsey said the building is known as the Research and Operations Center (ROC) and it will house the Information Resources Department, some of the Enrollment Management Department and the Geosciences Department on the second floor. After further renovations the building will contain research labs, a presentation room and a computer lab for the Geosciences Department and a general training room.
Student Union Mall
The Student Services Building
Founders
The Science Learning Center, commonly called MSET
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Life &Arts
November 1, 2010
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International exchanges Professor awarded for collaborative work with France Rebecca DeButts Contributor news@utdallas.edu
For ten years, Arts & Humanities Endowed Chair Richard Brettell has promoted an international cultural relationship with France. Brettell was recently honored by the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres as a commandeur for his work with the French Regional & American Museum Exchange (FRAME). The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres was established in France in 1957 to honor great contributions to French culture. There are three ranks,
which a member can be recognized: chevalier (knight), officier (officer) and commandeur (commander). Brettell was awarded the chevalier rank for an exhibit he did in association with the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Brettell said one of the things that make his commandeur status so significant is because he skipped the officier rank completely. “I am now sitting on a cloud with lots of famous people who have received this highest rank in the Order of Arts and Letters,” Brettell said. “The arts are, in the end, the
most effective medium of cultural diplomacy because they communicate across national, linguistic, religious and ideological boundaries.” FRAME was founded in 1999 in collaboration with Brettell, Francoise Cachin and Elizabeth Rohatyn as an exchange between the regional museums of France and the museums of the United States. FRAME is the first organization that has promoted this exchange. Brettell has been the director of FRAME since it began, but has recently resigned his position to move to the Board of Directors. The American office of
FRAME is located at UTD and is coordinated by Arts & Humanities Interpreter, Pierrette Lacour. “(FRAME) is a very important organization for cultural diplomacy,” Lacour said. FRAME’s most recent exhibit, “The Mourners: Tomb Sculpture form the Court of Burgundy” is currently showing at the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA). Lacour said this exhibit is FRAME’s most ambitious project. Brettell is currently teaching a course about the exhibit at the DMA along with two professors from SMU and professors from all over the country.
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Arts & Humanities Endowed Chair Rick Brettell. Brettel received the French commandeur award for his work.
Storytelling with ‘Suzie’ Jessica Melton
Editor-in-Chief jjm082000@utdallas.edu
Board to invite him as the feature poet at their most recent Underground Poetry Circus (UPC) on Oct. 21 said interdisciplinary studies senior Tyree Daniels. “We wanted to spread awareness and diversity,” Daniels said. “He brought something more to the
Hard working, dedicated and no nonsense are all adjectives which gave one graduate student the ability to follow her dreams — and write about a little girl who turned into a sandwich. Arts & Humanities graduate student and teaching assistant Barbara Vance wrote, illustrated and published a children’s poetry book titled “Suzie Bitner Was Afraid of the Drain,” which she affectionately calls “Suzie.” “Suzie” began as a single poem Vance came up with as she went through her day, and was originally intended to amuse solely herself. “It is a children’s book, but it surprised me how many adults liked it,” Vance said. “I think there’s a misconception that if (a book is) light, funny or displays some sort of wonder of the world, it isn’t for adults.” Part of the enjoyment in writing, Vance said, was that she was able to look at things that previously happened in her life and interpret them in new ways. While her poems began as a way to escape seriousness, Vance’s project soon became part of her work. She undertook creating roughly 50 poems for her senior thesis at UTD. The first time Vance sent her book to publishers it was just short of 50 poems. She said the publishers liked her poetry, but said there wasn’t enough of it. Shortly after she received letters from the publishers, Vance began work on her master’s degree and didn’t have enough time to work on her book until 2008. Former student of Vance and business administration junior Michael Kown said he isn’t in the least surprised that Vance created her own book. “She helped me a lot with my own writing,” Kown said. “She does live the subject she teaches.” Previously a Rhetoric 1302 professor and currently a teaching assistant for Emerging Media & Communications, Vance’s love of teaching came through in her book. Vance said high level vocabulary words found their way into her book for two reasons. One, because she was writing for herself and the words found their way in naturally, and two, because she wanted to help kids develop their vocabularies and read contextually. “I wasn’t going to hold back on what I wanted to say,”
see WEST page 10
see VANCE page 10
photo by Amanda Duke
Tim’m West performing his poems and music at the Underground Poetry Circus on Oct. 21 in The Pub.
Hip-hop artist challenges stereotypical roles Jameshia Bankston Staff Writer jtb071000@utdallas.edu
Rappers can often be perceived as rough, grimy, sexist and straight. Writer Tim’m West challenges these roles with his own definition of what music and poetry should be. West is a black, HIV posi-
tive bisexual man who uses poetry, music, literature and public speaking to confront the stereotypes and barriers of his demographics. “I think unfortunately because we have such homophobia, it really deprives young black boys of building connections with one another that are kind of loving, sustaining
and nurturing in a way that some girls get to. You can’t talk to your guy friends about your problems, you punch him in the shoulder, not understanding that you can have that without having a sexual relationship,” West said. His unique story and talent inspired UTD’s Student Union Activity and Advisory
Box dwelling brothers teach and give to others Nada Alasmi
Contributor news@utdallas.edu
For five days in front of the Pub, a group of UTD Kappa Sigma brothers slept and hung out inside a cardboard box. Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers began their annual Box-a-Thon event on Oct. 25. For five days, the brothers lived inside a makeshift cardboard house in order to collect food, money and clothing for the North Texas Food Bank, the Military Heroes Campaign and different local homeless charities.
President of Kappa Sigma and accounting and information management junior Stan Gershengoren said that the main aim of the Box-a-Thon was to collect money for the Military Heroes Campaign. “The Military Heroes Campaign supports military veterans,” Gershengoren said. “It is our national organization’s primary charity.” Gershengoren said that the Box-a-Thon also collected food for the North Texas Food Bank as well as various clothing items for local homeless shelters. “We chose to help the
needy and the homeless in our area,” Gershengoren said. “We wanted to support our local community.” One of Kappa Sigma’s most important values, Gershengoren said, is service. “We seek to help less fortunate people,” Gershengoren said. “In Kappa Sigma’s opinion, a civil society is judged by how the poor and needy are cared for.” The Box-a-Thon has been a UTD Kappa Sigma tradition for eight years. Last year the event was
see BOXES page 10
photo by Ben Hawkins
Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers outside the cardboard box made to raise awareness about homelessness. The brothers took turns living inside the box Oct. 25-30.
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November 1, 2010
WEST
continued from page 9
table besides just good music.” At a young age West said he discovered it was possible for him to love both women and men in a sexual way. This realization made West question the ways being a Christian contradicted his sexuality. “The rebuke of my sexual orientation was rooted in my religion, so philosophy created a space to question some of those things,” West said. In 1999, his second year of graduate school at Stanford University as a philosophy and cultural theory major, West was on his way to becoming a professor as he’d always planned. But a sudden change of events brought his future plans to a halt. He was diagnosed with HIV. In order to process the reality of his diagnosis, West took a semester off
VANCE
continued from page 9
Vance said. “The only one I sat down with and tried to find really big words is one about a little boy who tried to memorize the dictionary.” “Suzie”’s illustrations are also meant to teach children. While she drew formally before college, Vance used simplistic drawings to show children they could draw too. “That’s how you really learn to draw is by breaking down more complex pictures,” Vance said. “I wanted very much to
Life &Arts
of school to regroup and “For me that was through rediscover himself. Having poetry, that was spoken the time to assess his life, word, that was music, that his creative niche was was hip-hop.” sparked and the blueprint At UPC, West performed to the first of his three a selection of poems and poetic memoirs, “Red Dirt songs from his published Revival: A Poetic Memoir in literature. One in particu6 Breaths” was lar, “Stutter,” introduced. that emphaWest said sizes what it’s the memoir like to be a embraces his child with a past struggles stutter impairto find himself, ment. ways he dealt “Stuttering with his homoenforces insesexuality and curity,” West ways stereosaid. “Not Tim’m West types in today’s only that society classify what you say humans as more than just will be heard and undertheir own individuality. stood correctly, but what “Faced with my mortal- you have to say will be ity, I had to think about valued.” what kind of legacy I wantAfter his performance, ed to leave behind. And is West left students such as that legacy writing books criminology junior Cody that only 5 percent of the Queen inspired not only population can understand about what he has accomor is there a way that I can plished but also of who he translate these ideas into a is as a person. medium that more people “I really enjoyed his percan relate to,” West said. formance. I could tell that
have those kinds of illustrations so it could be something a child could look at and try to draw and feel they were capable in trying to draw.” After Vance finished the poems and sent off her manuscripts, she decided to take a less traditional route to get “Suzie” on the market. Her decision to self-publish was not for lack of interested publishers. She said she had publishers accept her book, but accepting their terms meant giving up all creative rights. “I pretty much knew Suzie (could) be destined to be a paperback book with illustra-
tions I didn’t like. I was terrified of that,” Vance said. “So, I just started the company and didn’t look back.” Vance said starting her own company sounds more impressive than it was, but running it is difficult. She said she hopes her company takes a step towards changing the conception that self-published books aren’t as good. “It was important to me that the book would go through the same exact process it would go through if it went to any other publisher, Vance said. “(After more than) 10 editing rounds I will never again pick up a novel
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his words came from hardships or struggles from his life,” Queen said. “And after I found out his story it gave it an even deeper meaning.” By performing, writing, and speaking West hopes to continue to do what he loves, serving as a support system and a public intellectual, spreading his message all over the country West said. On Oct. 22, West was featured in “Keeping It Real: Hip-Hop Has Gone Gay,” a master class here at UTD, directed by long time friend and former Stanford student Venus Reese. The show explores how sexuality and race relate to hiphop through dance. West’s general message continues to inspire each new aspiration and goal that his creative spectrum will allow him to explore. “That there is a universality in everyone’s truth and experiences,” West said.
and not believe the typo.” Vance said she’d like to ultimately go into book publishing, but hopes teaching will continue to be a part of her life. “I love teaching, it is a joy for me, so if that’s what I end up doing, I’ll be a happy person.” “Suzie Bitner Was Afraid of the Drain” can be found at Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon.com and at SuzieBitner.com. Vance will be reading some of her 124 poems from “Suzie” 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18 in Jonsson Performance Hall.
BOXES
continued from page 9 successful, totaling over 3000 articles of clothing, $400 and 1500 cans. “The event received recognition from our national Kappa Sigma council as the single most outstanding community service project during 2009,” Gershengoren said. Social chair of Kappa Sigma and criminology sophomore Hunter Barron said that he appreciates how the Box-a-Thon contributed to local charities. “To be able to benefit the community that has been my little corner of the world all my life is really a great thing,” Barron said. This is the second year Barron was involved in the Box-a-Thon. He said that the Kappa Sigma brothers built the house out of wood planks and cardboard. The house was used
the Mercury for storage space and a sleeping area. At least two Kappa Sigma brothers occupied it at all times. “We hung out at the box, we ate at the box and we slept at the box,” Barron said. Barron said that while he slept in a sleeping bag but showered at home. Kappa Sigma brother and international business junior Zaiq Karim said that the Box-a-Thon was not only a charity event but also an important Kappa Sigma social event. “Box-a-thon is an all around event.” Karim said. “We collected donations but at the same time we hung out between classes. It was a great time for us to bond.” Karim said that the event was open to other students as well as other Greek organizations. “All the Greek community was welcome,” Karim said. “They could donate and spray-paint their letters on the box.”
Arts & Humanities graduate student Barbara Vance with the children’s book she wrote, illustrated and published.
photo by Albert Ramirez
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Poised for victory Bobby Karalla
Contributor news@utdmercury.com
photo by Albert Ramirez
Business Administration senior Chris Barnes on the basketball court at the Activity Center.
Off the court, business administration senior Chris Barnes is just like everyone else. He likes to hang out with his friends, play video games, listen to music, and cheer for the Philadelphia Eagles and San Antonio Spurs. On the court, there’s something special about Barnes. He’s an outstanding basketball player. Barnes has played basketball since he was 6 years old. He began playing competitively as soon as he was old enough at the Young Men’s Christian Association, continued playing through middle school, high school and at the Amateur Athletic Union level. At his High School in San Antonio, Barnes was named to the All-District Team and the Academic All-State Team. Barnes has continued his success at UTD over the last two seasons. In 2009-10 he
averaged 11.9 points per game — second-most on the team — and shot 49 percent from the field, which helped UTD shoot 48.3 percent as a team and lead the American Southwest Conference (ASC) in team field goal percentage. He also led the team in 3-point percentage by shooting 41.8 percent, the highest among Comets that shot more than one 3-pointer per game. Barnes said he prefers to play power forward, he filled in at multiple positions last season due to injuries on the team. “I’ve had to play some center and small forward,” Barnes said. “Defensively, I’ve had to guard a lot of quicker guys and stronger guys. I think I’ve adapted pretty well to that.” While his resumé is very impressive, Barnes has a normal personality. “I’m a pretty reserved guy,” Barnes said. “I’m not too wild and crazy.” This reserved style has apparently served Barnes well. He
said his defensive role will not change, although he will also be important in the offense. “My role is to knock down open shots and contribute on both ends of the floor, just do whatever it takes to get the win,” Barnes said. Head Coach Terry Butterfield said Barnes’ selfless attitude is indicative of the entire team, as seven players averaged double-digit points per game last season. “(The players) are yes sir, no sir types of people,” Butterfield said. “They are very humble and don’t care who (gets) the credit.” Barnes completely agrees with Butterfield. He said he was not surprised by the balanced scoring. “Any given night, anyone can step up and contribute,” Barnes said. The team’s balanced offensive will make UTD a very difficult team to defeat this season, a year that Barnes hopes will end with another National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Tournament berth. The Comets have qualified for the NCAA Tournament both seasons since Barnes joined the team and he said those two runs have been the highlights of his career. “The style of basketball, the intensity around the games, the crowds, it’s awesome,” Barnes said. “I’m looking forward to making it further this year.” Barnes and the rest of the Comets have one goal. “(An ASC) conference championship would be nice, but ultimately our goal is on a national level this year,” Barnes said. “We want to go make some noise in the tournament.” Their first step towards accomplishing that goal is Nov. 16 at home against Austin College, and Barnes said he wants the students to show support. “The games are really exciting. It makes it more exciting if (students are) there and making a lot of noise.”
Comets ranking, goals look up in 2010 Bobby Karalla
Contributor news@utdmercury.com
UTD Men’s Basketball Head Coach Terry Butterfield said he expects great things from his team this season, and he has good reason. UTD finished last season 24-6 overall and 19-2 in conference play and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2010 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Tournament in spring, following an appearance in the Elite Eight in 2009. They are considered the favorites to win the American Southwest Conference’s (ASC) East Division this season in a poll released by the ASC, and their season begins Nov. 16 at UTD against in-state opponent Austin College. A lot may be expected from the Comets by fans and students, but the team is focused on their main goal. “Our goal is to win every game we play this year,” Coach Butterfield said. “Our program has stepped up in
the last two years to a differ- players all the credit for the ent level.” way they recovered after the The men’s 2009-10 season team lost two important playmay not have ended the way ers. they wanted when they lost “It was indicative of the 74-67 on the type of players road to evenwe had on our tual National team last year,” Champion Butterfield said. Wisconsin“We have a oneStevens Point for-all, all-for-one in the Sweet attitude.” Sixteen. This season, The team both Greene ended their seaand Witten are son without two healthy and Terry Butterfield ready to play. important players lost to injury. Perhaps the Both business administra- most important thing UTD tion senior Brandon Greene accomplished last season was and accounting senior Jimmy earning a bye in the first round Witten averaged over 25 min- of the NCAA Tournament. utes per game and 10 points “When you are awarded per game before they suffered a bye in the first round, it injuries. Greene only played really makes you feel special. in nine out of 30 games last (It) makes you feel like you’re season, while Witten missed right there in the national picthe final two games of the ture,” Butterfield said. season. Their recent success has “The thing I reflect on so made the Comets nationalmuch is that we got it done ly-recognized and they will with injuries to two really key start this season ranked 17th players,” Butterfield said. nationally in the DIII News Butterfield said he gives the poll.
While it may be difficult to live up to expectations, Butterfield said he anticipates his players to be up to the challenge. “I think our guys know that we’re the hunted. I hope that we embrace that,” Butterfield said. However, Butterfield said the players must avoid feeling entitled to any championship. “I try to stress to our guys that last year was last year. This is a chance to have your own legacy and put your own personal thumbprint on (this) season. I want them to have the same types of goals, but I want them to do it in their own way, with their own type of character,” Butterfield said. Butterfield said a big way to help the Comets earn their way to another NCAA Tournament is to attend the games and support the team. The Comets have played well at home, losing only three home games in the past two seasons, and they are quick to point out the source of their home-court advantage. “I want the students to
photo by Ben Hawkins
The Comets practice on Friday, Oct. 22 in the Activity Center. know how much we appreciate their contributions,” Butterfield said. “(If they) can pull for our guys, our guys will respond with great play and hopefully reward them every time they come.” Butterfield made a guaran-
tee about the exciting atmosphere surrounding UT Dallas home games. “I think our guys are worthy of the support, and if people venture over here and get to some ball games, they’ll get hooked,” Butterfield said.
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November 1, 2010
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Math puzzle
Math Puzzle solutions online at www.utdmercury.com.
+ 14
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Losers and Geeks
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Workspace:
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*Remember multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction.
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Tissue Issues by Alison Kwong
by Laura-Jane Cunningham
Instructions: Try to fill in the missing spaces using numbers 1-9 to complete the equations for every row and every column. Each number may only be used once.
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I’m no culinarist... Ya know I didn’t go to culinary school or anything, but my sloppy joe doesn’t have enough sloppy in it. It’s all joe and no sloppy. What’s up with that? Uh... I’m not sure what you’re doing, but...a...wait, what the heck is a culinarist?
Multiple Purpose
by Michelle Nguyen
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