WEDNESDAY
September 1, 2010
Vol. 93 • No. 14
www.therambler.org
The Rambler The voice of Texas Wesleyan University students since 1917
Politicians need to scale back on the politics.
Wesleyan sports prepare for upcoming season.
Opinion, page 2
Sports, page 5
Publication ranks TWU in top tier Jonathan Resendez
jlresendez@mail.txwes.edu
US. News & World Report recently ranked Texas Wesleyan a top tier school and No. 71 among the Western Regional Universities in its “Best Colleges” list. The list ranks more than 1,400 schools using the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The top tier ranking only applies
to the U.S. News and not the one issued by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. “When you consider the number of universities in the United States, I think [the ranking] is very positive,” Interim President Dr. Lamar Smith said. Smith also said that the rank shows the school’s progression. “When you consider where we’ve come from, that’s just more impres-
sive than ever,” he said. “I suspect there was a time in our past where we would not have a ranking at all.” The positive growth pattern is attributed to the quality of the teachers and administrators, Smith said. Senior Vice President and Provost Allen Henderson said the rank “speaks to the health and vitality” of Texas Wesleyan. “Our university is in excellent financial shape, and we’ve grown con-
siderably in the last 10 years,” Henderson said in a press release. “We’re poised to do some new and creative things in the future.” Senior psychology major Courtney Hickerson said more one-onone time with class instructors is one of the qualities Wesleyan has that sets it apart from other schools. “The teachers get to know you better, and you get to spend more time with them,” she said. “You have more
opportunity to learn from them specifically.” Polytechnic High School counselor Sodonia Johnson said prospective students sometimes consider the rankings when school shopping. A tough economy can also give the rankings more value, she said. “Usually kids interested in that [number] know that the job market may look at the school rankings more favorably,” she said.
Goodwill redoes dorm room
Rooms beginning to change per report Shauna Banks
sbbanks@mail.txwes.edu
plans to become an elementary school music teacher after graduation. Wesleyan recently expeStewart spends all her rienced its first taste of Extime at Wesleyan. In adtreme Makeover: College dition to taking 18 hours Edition. Stewart is a senior mu- this semester, she has a On Aug. 19, one dorm sic education major who part-time job at the pool mdbates@mail.txwes.edu
resident, Selena Stewart, received a makeover of her dorm room with all furnishings supplied by Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth, Inc.
Professor’s book outlines Muslim complexity in U.S.
Rachel Peel
rlpeel@mail.txwes.edu
A Wesleyan professor published a new book in June that addresses the competing demands of American Muslims and the Islamic religious and secular laws. After two years of research and a year of writing and editing, Wesleyan Religious Studies assistant professor Dr. Mark E. Hanshaw published his book “Muslim and American? Straddling Islamic Law and U.S. Justice.” The aspects covered in his book include divorce and child custody in different Muslim and Islamic cultures in the U.S. and abroad. “Hopefully the book will help us better understand the complex fabric of the religion in this country,” Hanshaw said. “I think the Muslim community doesn’t get as much attention as other religious groups
in this country do.” Hanshaw received his doctorate in religious studies from Southern Methodist University in 2004, and he also received his jurist doctorate from the University of Tennessee in 1991. He said he has several other degrees. Though Hanshaw’s doctoral work concentrated on the Islamic tradition, he has also done a lot of research in other religious systems. Professors of religion Dr. Ron Ballard and Dr. Jesse Sowell selected Hanshaw to take over the department of religious studies as they entered phased retirement in Fall 2007. “We found out about Hanshaw when he still was in grad school,” Sowell said. “We were interested in him because he won an award for teaching in a public college. For a religious professor to win an award in a public school said a lot about
bit of everything.” Originally, Goodwill wanted to do a makeover of a house with a group like Habitat for Humanity. They switched gears ROOM, page 3
RENOVATE, page 3
Meisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff
Goodwill Inc. remodeled Stewart’s room after she wrote an essay.
Melissa Bates
Gone are the days of pink vertical blinds and spending precious dollars on a load of laundry. In are the days of late-night gaming tournaments and Lizzy lounge chairs. After bringing in two consultants last spring, John White and Bambi Harris, Residence Life at Texas Wesleyan implemented several suggestions from the consultants’ report over the summer. Most renovations suggested were focused on the lobbies of Stella Russell and Elizabeth Means Armstrong Halls, with plans to re-carpet and paint Wesleyan Village. “They looked like the 1960s dorms, and so we had done some painting, but this is a total makeover,” said Pati Alexander, vice president for enrollment and student services. “Elizabeth was converted to all singles. We pulled out the extra beds and then we ordered recliner chairs; they’re called Lizzy chairs.”
in the SUB as a swim coach. “Everything in my life is on campus,” Stewart said. “It’s not only my living area; it’s my study area, my personal area and my hangout area. It’s my little
Wesleyan continues to upgrade technology with SMART boards Shauna Banks
sbbanks@mail.txwes.edu www.sxc.hu
who he is.” This will be Hanshaw’s third year at Wesleyan, and he said he was recently promoted to chair of religious studies. Hanshaw said he prefers to keep his religious affiliation quiet because he does not want his students to come into his class with preconceived notions. Melondy Doddy, junior psychology and comparative religions major, said she appreciates Hanshaw’s lack of religious bias. “His ability to step out of his own religion and to teach about other cultures and religions is one of the most interesting things about him,” Doddy said. “I think he is a real progressive leader at Wesleyan, and he is one day going to put Wesleyan on the map.”
As technology continues to change the way people live their daily lives, Texas Wesleyan officials are keeping their promises to inject it into their curriculum, giving students in many majors the opportunity to use cutting-edge devices in their classes. Dr. Hector Quintanilla identify said the School of Business decided to purchase three new SMART boards for faculty to use in their classes within the Armstrong Mabee-Business Center. This newer technology uses an interactive white board, digital ink pens, a computer and projector, allowing faculty to share examples and lecture notes with students. Students can also access entire lectures, including class notes written on the SMART board
through different software, including Blackboard, currently used by some faculty, said associate professor of economics and finance Dr. Kalpana Pai. “For me it’s easy to go back to materials I’ve already covered. But for students I think it’s a good tool to have,” Pai said. These three new SMART boards were purchased with restricted money donated to and raised by the school of business, and make up only a small fraction of the 21 installed across the campus, said Title III instructional technologist Meghan Foster. In 2007, AT&T donated $25,000 to the university as part of an initiative to bring technology into the classroom and use it on campus. “As part of a project proposal, we basically promised AT&T that we would continue that initiative,”
Quintanilla said. “We took that money and we did several things with it. We took some of that money and bought new chairs and new desks for a lot of these classrooms.” Some of the money donated by AT&T was also used to purchase the first two SMART boards for the AMB in 2007. Quintanilla said each board is approximately $2,000 for all the components needed, and about $1,500-$2,000 to install. Most other SMART boards currently on campus were purchased through the Title III Grant in 2007, where the university received nearly $2 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Strengthening Institutions Program, Foster said. Foster also said the SMART boards are just BOARD, page 3
WEDNESDAY
September 1, 2010
Vol. 93 • No. 14
www.therambler.org
The Rambler The voice of Texas Wesleyan University students since 1917
Politicians need to scale back on the politics.
Wesleyan sports prepare for upcoming season.
Opinion, page 2
Sports, page 5
Publication ranks TWU in top tier Jonathan Resendez
jlresendez@mail.txwes.edu
US. News & World Report recently ranked Texas Wesleyan a top tier school and No. 71 among the Western Regional Universities in its “Best Colleges” list. The list ranks more than 1,400 schools using the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The top tier ranking only applies
to the U.S. News and not the one issued by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. “When you consider the number of universities in the United States, I think [the ranking] is very positive,” Interim President Dr. Lamar Smith said. Smith also said that the rank shows the school’s progression. “When you consider where we’ve come from, that’s just more impres-
sive than ever,” he said. “I suspect there was a time in our past where we would not have a ranking at all.” The positive growth pattern is attributed to the quality of the teachers and administrators, Smith said. Senior Vice President and Provost Allen Henderson said the rank “speaks to the health and vitality” of Texas Wesleyan. “Our university is in excellent financial shape, and we’ve grown con-
siderably in the last 10 years,” Henderson said in a press release. “We’re poised to do some new and creative things in the future.” Senior psychology major Courtney Hickerson said more one-onone time with class instructors is one of the qualities Wesleyan has that sets it apart from other schools. “The teachers get to know you better, and you get to spend more time with them,” she said. “You have more
opportunity to learn from them specifically.” Polytechnic High School counselor Sodonia Johnson said prospective students sometimes consider the rankings when school shopping. A tough economy can also give the rankings more value, she said. “Usually kids interested in that [number] know that the job market may look at the school rankings more favorably,” she said.
Goodwill redoes dorm room
Rooms beginning to change per report Shauna Banks
sbbanks@mail.txwes.edu
plans to become an elementary school music teacher after graduation. Wesleyan recently expeStewart spends all her rienced its first taste of Extime at Wesleyan. In adtreme Makeover: College dition to taking 18 hours Edition. Stewart is a senior mu- this semester, she has a On Aug. 19, one dorm sic education major who part-time job at the pool mdbates@mail.txwes.edu
resident, Selena Stewart, received a makeover of her dorm room with all furnishings supplied by Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth, Inc.
Professor’s book outlines Muslim complexity in U.S.
Rachel Peel
rlpeel@mail.txwes.edu
A Wesleyan professor published a new book in June that addresses the competing demands of American Muslims and the Islamic religious and secular laws. After two years of research and a year of writing and editing, Wesleyan Religious Studies assistant professor Dr. Mark E. Hanshaw published his book “Muslim and American? Straddling Islamic Law and U.S. Justice.” The aspects covered in his book include divorce and child custody in different Muslim and Islamic cultures in the U.S. and abroad. “Hopefully the book will help us better understand the complex fabric of the religion in this country,” Hanshaw said. “I think the Muslim community doesn’t get as much attention as other religious groups
in this country do.” Hanshaw received his doctorate in religious studies from Southern Methodist University in 2004, and he also received his jurist doctorate from the University of Tennessee in 1991. He said he has several other degrees. Though Hanshaw’s doctoral work concentrated on the Islamic tradition, he has also done a lot of research in other religious systems. Professors of religion Dr. Ron Ballard and Dr. Jesse Sowell selected Hanshaw to take over the department of religious studies as they entered phased retirement in Fall 2007. “We found out about Hanshaw when he still was in grad school,” Sowell said. “We were interested in him because he won an award for teaching in a public college. For a religious professor to win an award in a public school said a lot about
bit of everything.” Originally, Goodwill wanted to do a makeover of a house with a group like Habitat for Humanity. They switched gears ROOM, page 3
RENOVATE, page 3
Meisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff
Goodwill Inc. remodeled Stewart’s room after she wrote an essay.
Melissa Bates
Gone are the days of pink vertical blinds and spending precious dollars on a load of laundry. In are the days of late-night gaming tournaments and Lizzy lounge chairs. After bringing in two consultants last spring, John White and Bambi Harris, Residence Life at Texas Wesleyan implemented several suggestions from the consultants’ report over the summer. Most renovations suggested were focused on the lobbies of Stella Russell and Elizabeth Means Armstrong Halls, with plans to re-carpet and paint Wesleyan Village. “They looked like the 1960s dorms, and so we had done some painting, but this is a total makeover,” said Pati Alexander, vice president for enrollment and student services. “Elizabeth was converted to all singles. We pulled out the extra beds and then we ordered recliner chairs; they’re called Lizzy chairs.”
in the SUB as a swim coach. “Everything in my life is on campus,” Stewart said. “It’s not only my living area; it’s my study area, my personal area and my hangout area. It’s my little
Wesleyan continues to upgrade technology with SMART boards Shauna Banks
sbbanks@mail.txwes.edu www.sxc.hu
who he is.” This will be Hanshaw’s third year at Wesleyan, and he said he was recently promoted to chair of religious studies. Hanshaw said he prefers to keep his religious affiliation quiet because he does not want his students to come into his class with preconceived notions. Melondy Doddy, junior psychology and comparative religions major, said she appreciates Hanshaw’s lack of religious bias. “His ability to step out of his own religion and to teach about other cultures and religions is one of the most interesting things about him,” Doddy said. “I think he is a real progressive leader at Wesleyan, and he is one day going to put Wesleyan on the map.”
As technology continues to change the way people live their daily lives, Texas Wesleyan officials are keeping their promises to inject it into their curriculum, giving students in many majors the opportunity to use cutting-edge devices in their classes. Dr. Hector Quintanilla identify said the School of Business decided to purchase three new SMART boards for faculty to use in their classes within the Armstrong Mabee-Business Center. This newer technology uses an interactive white board, digital ink pens, a computer and projector, allowing faculty to share examples and lecture notes with students. Students can also access entire lectures, including class notes written on the SMART board
through different software, including Blackboard, currently used by some faculty, said associate professor of economics and finance Dr. Kalpana Pai. “For me it’s easy to go back to materials I’ve already covered. But for students I think it’s a good tool to have,” Pai said. These three new SMART boards were purchased with restricted money donated to and raised by the school of business, and make up only a small fraction of the 21 installed across the campus, said Title III instructional technologist Meghan Foster. In 2007, AT&T donated $25,000 to the university as part of an initiative to bring technology into the classroom and use it on campus. “As part of a project proposal, we basically promised AT&T that we would continue that initiative,”
Quintanilla said. “We took that money and we did several things with it. We took some of that money and bought new chairs and new desks for a lot of these classrooms.” Some of the money donated by AT&T was also used to purchase the first two SMART boards for the AMB in 2007. Quintanilla said each board is approximately $2,000 for all the components needed, and about $1,500-$2,000 to install. Most other SMART boards currently on campus were purchased through the Title III Grant in 2007, where the university received nearly $2 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Strengthening Institutions Program, Foster said. Foster also said the SMART boards are just BOARD, page 3
Opinion Hold the politics, please
2
|
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
September 1, 2010
“Why don’t we demand the same accountability from
Barry Grubbs Opinion editor
bgrubbs@mail.txwes.edu
Partisan politics is a deadly weapon that is destroying the fabric of one of the greatest societies in history. It’s frustrating to watch Americans slowly losing their grip on true freedom. It seems that we’re either free to be liberal or free to be conservative. How does choosing between these two failed ideologies give us real freedom at all? Plenty of people are protesting the partisan politics we see in government. As usual, liberals complain about conservative and vice versa. Yes, we need choices. Neither of these choices is the right one for a Superpower in decline. Why don‘t we demand the same accountability from politicians we expect from our dry cleaner or our trash collector? You only need to read a few newspaper editorials or Internet blogs on politics to see the deep and frightening divisions that have been created in our population by political in-fighting Problem solving is no longer the issue. It almost seems like our politicians abandoned the problems altogether in the quest to find blame for their political opponents. The blame game is not getting this country out of the economic
politicians we expect from our dry cleaners or our trash collector?” and social quagmire we are in. Neither conservatives nor liberals in government should take pride in their efforts unless that effort results in some measure of progress for the nation they serve. It is well past time for our leaders at every level of government to abandon political partisanship and begin to look at our population as one group. It is time for Americans to set aside their Democratic or Republican loyalties so that our nation can rebuild its identity at home and abroad. While we have struggled to pick the right side, we have slowly lost sight of the notion that we were once all on the same side. New faces in government don’t change anything if the motivation stays the same. We are not cognizant of how swiftly our so-called American dream can be wrestled away from us in a “Clash of Civilizations.” I think that many Americans believe the strength of our American civilization is permanent. It is not indestructible. The world is changing constantly and America is no longer in the lead. The rising economies in the Pacific Rim already cast a shadow on their western competitors. The penetration of the Muslim religion worldwide has serious implications
for Westerners that cannot be ignored. Still, we seem intent on taking sides with either the liberals or the conservatives. I wonder if Americans are simply afraid they aren’t strong enough to stand up to the politics. Polls taken on issues ranging from Social Security to natural disaster relief indicate that we are generally unified against our government. Still, we split up into our little groups and scurry into the shadows to wait out the storm. Desire, courage and creativity were the building blocks of this country from the early days of the revolution through the struggle of two world wars. Americans have won almost every battle fought in our short history, but only because we were united in our cause. Perhaps not since the Civil War has our population been so polarized. Health care, immigration and economic recession are real issues facing Americans and our politicians. There is no time for choosing sides. It’s time for our politicians to abandon their affiliations and work together as American leaders to prop up a very unstable society that was once the model of freedom and prosperity around the world.
Staff Editorial
Student body grows, resources must keep pace More good news—Wesleyan received national recognition in a U.S. News & World Report list that excluded comparable state schools. Wesleyan was ranked no. 71. Without question, The Rambler knows the school is getting better in many areas. However, a question does remain. Can the university retain and accommodate the increasing student body? The preliminary enrollment numbers show an influx in freshmen, which is not surprising. Higher enrollment is expected considering the props Wesleyan is receiving for strengthening the quality of the school, little by little. To strengthen the student body, with both quantity and quality, Wesleyan must focus on retention by delivering adequate resources to its students. Resources like parking, residential housing and technology centers equipped to support a growing student body will be critical. For every reason a student chooses to enroll here, three more should be discovered that make that student want to stay. You get the picture. It’s not a case of outgrowing our real estate; it’s about giving the best students the best experience in higher education. Wesleyan students appreciate the intimate class-
sizes offered here. Instead of eliminating their access to a computer lab, why not create a larger and more complete resource with the latest technology. Our students must have access to the tools they need to compete in a changing job market. Speaking of competition, if the university savors the taste of being listed in the U.S. News & World Report— why not strive to move higher? Why not shoot for 35 instead of 71? Reaching that goal won’t be quick or easy. The best way to reach it, though, is simple. Listen to us. The students trust the administrators to handle the executive and financial business of the university. Likewise, the university needs to trust its students when they say things like, “We need more modern resources.” It may seem like students are all squandering our lives on Facebook and other mindless Internet-related activities, but the truth is some of us can use those tools to make life easier and better for others—which is an appropriate collegiate aspiration as far as we’re concerned. We’re aware the changes take time. And we’re aware of our constant pleading for “more, more and more.” Let’s surprise people and see how far “more” can take us.
The customer is not always right these days Dwight Conerway College life editor
dconerway@mail.txwes.edu
The old adage “The customer is always right” seems to be a thing of the past in some parts of the business world today. I recently had an experience with a couple of well known retailers that gives credence to my theory. It has come to the point where some retailers are so desperate for profits that they are willing to compromise their professional integrity to make a dollar. As a business student years ago, I was taught the difference between a
businessman and an entrepreneur. A businessman/woman wants to develop a relationship with the customer, his immediate family, relatives and friends so that the original customer will serve as a marketing tool via word of mouth. On the other hand, the entrepreneur does not care if you are satisfied with the product you purchased from him. He doesn’t care if your family and friends make a purchase or if you go away and complain to everyone you meet about a bad experience. The entrepreneur has accomplished his mission once he or she has your hard-earned dollar in his pocket. I find this practice particularly suspicious when subliminal return policies are discovered only after the purchase has been finalized. If and
when the customer desires to return an item or has a complaint about it, they often discover a time limit or some other condition. Recently, it seems that many so-called businessmen have adopted the attitude and work ethic of the entrepreneur. My first experience was with a national clothing retailer. I attempted to exchange a Christmas gift but was unable to find anything in the store I was interested in. After standing in line for nearly half an hour, I requested a refund on the item. I was asked for a receipt, and I gave it to the clerk. She scanned the barcode, returned the item to stock, swiped a card and handed it to me. After asking what the card was for, I was informed it was a store credit gift card that could be used for a future purchase. I made
The Rambler Founded in 1917 as The Handout Publisher: Lamar Smith
Jonathan Resendez, editor-in-chief Barry Grubbs, opinion editor Eliana Mijangos, sports editor Chuck Fain, arts & entertainment editor Dwight Conerway, college life editor Meisa Keivani Najafabadi, photo editor Lara Hartman, multimedia editor Erica Estrada, graphic designer/cartoonist Wendy Moore, faculty adviser Dr. Kay Colley, faculty liaison
Member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press, Student Press Law Center, College Media Advisers and College Newspaper Business and Advertising Managers. Opinions expressed in The Rambler are those of the individual authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas Wesleyan community as a whole.
R ambler Contribution
Please send all news briefs to twurambler@ yahoo.com. Submissions due by noon Friday to see brief in the following week’s issue.
Letters to the editor: The Rambler, a weekly publication welcomes all letters. All submissions must have a full printed name, phone number and signature. Confidentiality will be granted if requested. While every consideration is made to publish letters, publication is limited by time and space. The editors reserve the right to edit all submissions for space, grammar, clarity and style. Letters to the editor may be subject to response from editors and students on the opinion page. “We are not afraid to follow the truth ... wherever it may lead.” — Thomas Jefferson
it clear that I had found nothing in the store’s inventory that interested me, but she suggested I give it to someone who could use it. That, according to the store’s policy, was my only option. I didn’t even get an apology. In a similar incident I learned of a consumer who took the same issue up to the corporate level and was denied satisfaction. After purchasing a Global Positioning System, the man received the same item as a gift. Obviously, he had no need for two of the same items so he went to the retailer to obtain a refund. After providing the sales receipt to the customer service representative, he was informed that he could not receive a refund, but would be given a store credit gift card instead. Although he pleaded his case for a refund to the store manager and the
corporate office, the man was frustrated to learn he would have to be satisfied with “store credit.” Should we, as consumers, be forced to accept this kind of treatment from retailers just because the economy has forced them to ride a financial rollercoaster? I personally see it as a form of piracy that is apparently being ignored by agencies such as the Better Business Bureau or the Consumer Protection Agency. Aren’t we all suffering enough in this current economic crisis? Why does the consumer have to suffer the loss? In times of economic prosperity, we consumers faithfully supported these same merchants and kept them in the black. Now they repay us by putting us in the red.
What could our leaders do if they abandoned party politics?
Sammy Max, freshman education
“They could do what we want instead of what the party wants them to do.”
Blake Dunson, freshman exercise science
“They could do more for those people who don’t have it as good as they do.”
Braylon Watkins, freshman management
“They are not focusing on the suffering people in this country.”
Address all correspondence to: Texas Wesleyan University
The Rambler
1201 Wesleyan St. Fort Worth, TX 76105 twurambler@yahoo.com To contact T he R ambler (817) 531-7552 Advertising Inquiries: (817) 532-7582
Jessica Watton, sophomore exercise science
“They could stop worrying about getting re-elected and do their jobs.”
Nolan Barbee, sophomore undecided
“There could be more unity in the country. We could be a better community.”
Campus
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
ROOM
BOARDS
continued from page 1
because school began. David Cox, senior vice president of retail sales and marketing for Goodwill, said Goodwill wanted to make the community more aware of the useful products it has to offer. “We came to Wesleyan with the idea because we wanted a way to show students what is available at Goodwill because it’s really amazing what you can find at our stores when you’re putting together your dorm or your first apartment,” he said. Stewart was one of two students selected by Wesleyan resident assistants to write an essay for Goodwill on why they deserved to receive a makeover. Stewart wrote about how her entire life is centered around Wesleyan. “It wasn’t something that I searched for. It was something that chose me, which made it more special to me,” Stewart said. Stewart said she was most excited by two of the items she received: a mini-fridge and extra seating. Her favorite item is a silhouette mannequin that was decorated with her belts, purses
Name | Rambler Staff Goodwill Inc. hopes to raise community awareness about its products after redecorating Stewart’s room.
and necklaces. Chuck Burton, assistant vice president for marketing and communications at Texas Wesleyan, was there when Stewart saw the room for the first time. “I got to see her Oh-EmGee reaction,” he said. “She loved it. The mannequin piece gave it a feel like when
you watch TV sitcoms and they’re in New York, and it’s just so fashionable.” Fort Worth Goodwill is hoping to do a dorm makeover at the start of every school year, Cox said. He said he hopes students will realize that the stores aren’t just for Halloween costumes and clothes.
Career Services Services Available: CareerLink
Wesleyan’s On-line job board!
•
Major/Career Guidance
• •
Computerized Job Searches Job/ Intern Seeker’s Database •
•
Located in Brown Lupton North Wing Monday-Friday 8:00am-7:00pm 817.531.6512
•
Resume Posting
Resume Writing & Critiquing
smata@txwes.edu rfisk@txwes.edu
Employer’s Database
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Mocking Interview
http://www.txwes.edu/careerservices/index.htm
September 1, 2010
one component of the instructional technologies adopted for the university. “The Title III grant is working to improve the university with the development of innovative advising strategies, Freshman and Transfer Learning Communities and faculty professional development, and the expansion of instructional technologies,” she said. In an effort to give more students this learning experience, the Center for Excellence, Teaching and
Learning has offered faculty chances to attend workshops to learn how to use this technology in their classrooms during the past year. So far, 31 faculty members have attended the introductory workshops offered, Foster said. According to Quintanilla, the university will continue trying to bring students newer technologies that could increase learning efficiency. Such technologies as the SMART board have already
RENOVATE
continued from page 1
Converting Elizabeth’s rooms to singles increased the housing prices for these rooms by 50 percent, but the residence hall is still near capacity, with only a handful of openings left. “We’re hoping it becomes a sort of studious type of building,” Cary Poole, dean of students said. Residents of Stella are also seeing the creation of a new game room and computer room. Poole said new gaming systems, including the Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 will be installed in the game room. Residence Life is also setting up two desktop computers for residents to use. “Some of the returning athletes who are in Stella are real surprised—a positive reaction,” Poole said. Dean of freshmen Joe Brown is responsible for the design and execution of the renovations. He has been with the university for more than 30 years. “He just does this out of the kindness of his heart
on the side. He’s the one who’s been orchestrating all the renovations this summer,” Alexander said. Another suggestion from both consultants was to create a more “hotel lobby” look for each residence hall lobby. Brown achieved this with a selection of new paints, carpets, furnishings and lights in both Stella and Elizabeth. Apart from aesthetic appeal, Residence Life also decided to make laundry free in all residence halls starting this fall. Students can now wash and dry clothes at any time, only having to provide the laundry detergent. Residence Life is also planning to bring in a new laundry vendor next summer. With this new vendor will come a system in which students can receive text messages that tell them when their laundry is finished. In addition, food and drink machine vendors were changed this past summer, offering students Dr Pepper products for the first time.
spread to even lower levels of the educational system, including high schools in Fort Worth ISD, Quintanilla said. “Smart Boards improve learning outcomes by empowering faculty members to deliver more dynamic lessons,” Foster said. “By interacting directly with the content displayed through the computer, faculty members can engage students in the lesson materials and increase their attention and retention of those materials.”
“We’re very happy. They’ve been very responsive to the issues we had,” Alexander said. “They changed out all of the machines and moved some of the machines.” Poole said another amenity Residence Life hopes to provide for each room in the next school year is the MicroFridge, a small refrigerator with a microwave built into the top of it. Since this appliance will only use one power source, it will also help conserve energy. With all the improvements and the influx of new students to the university, residence halls have continued to fill up, currently at 85 percent capacity, or approximately 367 students, and more than Wesleyan has ever had living on campus. “Everything I’ve heard has been very, very positive,” Alexander said. Future plans for renovations also include the Brown-Lupton Center, which Alexander said will soon receive a minimakeover.
Always have a plan The Block 30 is the
best value if you would like to eat 1-2 meals in a week in our residential restaurant.
The Block 40 is
the best value if you dine at our residential restaurants 2-3 times a week.
Plan #1
Best Values for Commuter Students Meal Plans:
Plan #2
The Block 50 is not the best value for your dollar but great for those patrons who would like to join us 3-4 times a week.
Plan #3
Block 30 • 30 all-you-care to-eat meals/ semester • $186.73/ semester • Super Value Stretcher- Add $200 DBDs to your plan and we’ll credit your account with an extra $20 • $6.22 per meal -save versus paying cash at the door!
Block 40
• 40 all-you-care to-eat meals/ semester • $238.50/semester • Super Value Stretcher- Add $200 DBDs to your plan and we’ll credit your account with an extra $20 • $5.96 per meal -save versus paying cash at the door!
3
continued from page 1
NEVER GO HUNGRY Best Values for Faculty and Staff Meal Plans:
|
The Bronze is the best
value if you are really price conscious -all-you-care-to-eat meals are a little more than $4 versus paying at the door is $6.50; plus you get $25 in free DBD just for signing up!
Plan #1
Sample The Ram is the best value if you would like to eat on campus once a day during the week. Plan #2
Willie Wallet is great for students who
have a crazy schedule that need a little bit more in their meal plan membership.
Block 50
• 50 all-you-care to-eat meals/ semester • $284.16/ semester • Super Value Stretcher- Add $200 DBDs to your plan and we’ll credit your account with an extra $20 • $5.68 per meal -save versus paying cash at the door!
Add $ to your meal plan when you get your refund check
Plan #3
Ram Sample • 5 all-you-care to-eat meals/ week • $100 Declining Balancing Dollars • $585.46/ semester (includes tax) • Super Value Stretcher- Add $100 DBDs to your plan and we’ll credit your account with an extra $25 • $6.07 per meal -save versus paying cash at the door!
Willie Wallet • 300 Declining Balance Dollars • $300/ semester • Super Value Stretcher- Add $100 DBDs to your plan and we’ll credit your account with an extra $25
Bronze • 30 all-you-care to-eat meals/semester • $150 Declining Balancing Dollars • $324.75/ semester (includes tax) • Super Value Stretcher- Purchase this membership and we will give you $25 in free Declining Balance Dollars! • $5.82 per meal -save versus paying cash at the door!
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Arts & Entertainment
September 1, 2010
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
What to Alumnus moves past magic watch this fall
Jonathan Resendez
jlresendez@mail.txwes.edu
Mike Ince doesn’t believe in mind readers, but some people think he is one. The mild-mannered Ince graduated summa cum laude from Wesleyan with a mass communication degree more than a decade ago. This helped him land a day job videotaping depositions for attorneys. However, Ince honed the craft he uses in his other job for much longer than 10 years. The 35-year-old began practicing magic at age 15 while working at Magic etc Fort Worth Costume. “I think every boy, at some point, is interested in magic,” Ince said. “I think the early fascination with that is wanting to be amazing, wanting to do things that other people can’t.” At age 10, Ince said he would ride his bike threequarters of a mile to the magic shop and press his nose against the glass and marvel. After receiving a Jonathan Resendez | Rambler Staff few parlor-sized magic tricks Wesleyan alumnus Mike Ince demonstrates his skills in the art of mentalism. from the shop for his 10th birthday, Ince put on his first show. magic morphed into an affinity for a their pattern of speech picks up.” working at Magic etc. and tried a “I’d never seen a magician per- different kind. Mentalism. Ince’s videography doesn’t just ben- trick out of a new mentalism method form,” he said. “So I did a birthday “It’s sort of a magic for grownups,” efit his ability to read mental cues, it book on a young girl. He put a meparty for a friend, and they sent me Ince said. “Even though I’m not claim- also provides customers. dallion under a cup and put out five home without paying me.” ing to be a real mind reader, during During an extended break at a depo- other cups. He asked the girl to place While he didn’t receive compensa- the show I want you to believe I am.” sition, attorney Christian Ellis sparked her hand over any one cup, which tion for his debut performance, Ince Ince admits his craft relies on the up a conversation with Ince after she did after hesitating. did eventually receive a job from his power of subconscious suggestion watching him perform several card She picked the right one. favorite magic shop. and reading people for clues—some- tricks. This led Ellis to hire Ince to per“What amazed me was that I never Ince also gained a lifelong friend. thing he can actually practice at his form at the annual awards banquet for knew until after the performance “Every day after school he’d call job as a videographer for attorneys. the Teen Court of Fort Worth. that she was blind,” he said. and ask for a costume,” said Magic He controls a camera and micro“I’ve never left one of his shows Ince said the girl’s inability to pick etc owner Derek Kennedy. phones from the back of a room without everyone being very happy up his visual suggestions made him Even though Ince is now an adult, while an attorney asks questions that and very amazed,” Ellis said. “Some wonder. Kennedy said he still sees the same may be used in court. are true magic tricks, and some of his “If you watch David Copperfield kindness in him. “If the topic is one which the wit- stuff is purely psychological—that fly, you’re entertained,” he said. “But “Even as a kid, he would do any- ness might lie about, I get to watch part is the most interesting.” you don’t stay up late at night wonthing for anybody,” Kennedy said. them,” Ince said. “I get to watch where Even today, Ince finds new reasons dering ‘Is that real?’ or ‘What hapAs Ince grew older, his love for their eyes go, how they hesitate, how to do what he loves. He was recently pened?’”
Chuck Fain
cmfain@mail.txwes.edu
• September 7 at 12:15 - 12:45 p.m. West Library Faculty Inaugural Showcase Preview Concert: Music for Flute, Piccolo and Piano The Eunice & James L. West Library
• September 8 at 1:15 p.m. West Library Piano Dedication Ceremony - Donor: Dr. Richard Gasser The Eunice & James L. West Library
• September 9 at 7:30 p.m. Faculty Recital: Music for Flute, Piccolo and Piano Martin Hall
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For more information, visit The Music Department on our promotional webpage at http://www.txwes.edu/music/ music/index.htm or call 817.531.4992
Welcome back students!
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Texas Wesleyan Presents
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During the summer months, television suffers a period of stagnation. Unless you have premium cable to enjoy such summer programs as True Blood or Mad Men, then chances are you have been watching re-runs these last few months. The wait is soon over as the new television season begins. Returning this fall will be the staunchly popular cop dramas C.S.I., C.S.I.: NY, and C.S.I. Miami as well as the long-lived Law and Order: SVU. NBC’s solid comedy lineup is back featuring Community, 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation. Last year’s comedy hit Modern Family makes it another season as does The Office, which will lose Steve Carell at the end of this season. Familiar hospital dramas return such as House, Grey’s Anatomy and the spinoff Private Practice. More familiar sights this fall will be a new American Idol with an all-new panel of judges. Desperate Housewives moves back to the neighborhood, featuring Vanessa Williams of Ugly Betty. The everpopular Glee comes back for an encore, singing and dancing its way back into your living room. Popular cable dramas such as Showtime’s ode to homicidal maniacs, Dexter, and FX’s gang of motorcycle maniacs, Son’s of Anarchy, also return this fall. New this season is HBO’s already critically acclaimed Boardwalk Empire. It stars Steve Buscemi as a crooked politician in prohibition-era Atlantic City. The show involves Sopranos’ writer Terrence Winter and Martin Scorsese as executive producer. ABC’s The Event is a “conspiracy thriller” that concerns a man trying to rescue his kidnapped fiancee, only to discover “the biggest cover-up in human history,” according to ABC’s website. Television studios have decided to go green and recycle some old favorites for the new season as well. Hawaii Five0, the popular ‘70s cop show, gets a fresh look but keeps the same familiar theme song. Law and Order: Los Angeles premieres this fall bringing that familiar sound bite to the West coast. Conan O’Brien also returns to television in the fall. Tentatively titled Conan, the show will air weeknights on TBS and feature the same format of O’Brien’s previous late night show.
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Sports
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
September 1, 2010
Jacqueline Wittman
Jwittman@mail.txwes.edu
Former Texas Wesleyan soccer player Mark Puente was released from John Peter Smith Hospital Aug. 22, and is headed home after fighting for his life for more than a month. Puente was struck by a stolen vehicle driven by 57-year-old Ray Dorsey July 11. Puente was going home after working out when his Toyota FJ Cruiser was broadsided by the Ford F350 on Bryant Irvin Road and Camp Bowie Boulevard in Fort Worth, said family and friends of Puente. Support and prayers quickly surfaced online. A Facebook page called “Praying for Mark Puente” was created, and 618 people shared their thoughts and prayers for Puente and his family. Pictures of Puente as a child and young adult were quickly added. The creator of the page wrote, “Let’s post our prayers for Mark on this page so that when he wakes up, he can read through them and see just how many people were praying for him!” A prayer vigil, “Prayer for Healing” took place July 19, hosted by the Fort Worth Police and Firefighter Associations on the front steps of the Tarrant County courthouse. Many people prayed and many believe they got an answer, according to Facebook comments. Puente woke up from his medically-induced coma July 24. He began to walk again and tried to talk to family members. A family friend said Puente underwent several surgeries and his face was swollen and severely bruised. His hip is broken, and he is still not completely healed. Puente suffered short-term memory loss and doesn’t recall the crash. “He had no recollection
Eliana Mijangos
emmijangos@mail.txwes.edu
Meisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff Freshman Katherine Rosenbush with a kill against MACU.
tina Daniel. Venhuizen and Darling led the team in total attacks and assists for the weekend. “They are doing a great job stepping up and being patient with the freshman,” Clawson said. “They lead through example by doing little things like showing up early and being dressed in the appropriate uniform.” Clawson said the tournament was helpful in showing team strengths and weaknesses. “We are working on building our strengths rather than exposing our team weaknesses,” Clawson said. “We
do that through ‘coopertition’, competitive competition.” Darling also said that the team’s will to win this year is stronger, and although they may not have the experience, the freshmen are really working hard. Last year’s team finished fifth in conference. With only four returners, Clawson said, “We are prepared. The seniors have to grab the young ones by their shirt tails and bring them along, but we are prepared.” The Lady Ram’s next home game will take place Sept. 1 at 1 p.m.
Soccer kicks off new season Eliana Mijangos
emmijangos@mail.txwes.edu
Wesleyan men’s and women’s soccer teams opened their seasons on Aug. 28 at Howard Payne University. Christina Zimmerman, senior, opened the game with the first goal of the season leading the Lady Rams to a 4-0 win over the Yellow Jackets. Sophomore Jessica Watton followed Zimmerman’s footsteps with two goals back-to-back. Leah Valtman, freshman, finished the game with the fourth goal. Head coach Josh Gibbs said this year’s team was, “The best team we’ve had so far, both with chemistry and talent.”
With seven seniors this year, Gibbs said he cannot pick just one player to watch. “We are a team to watch. Every player should be in the starting line up every game,” Gibbs said. As for the men’s team, although they out-shot Howard Payne 15-9, they finished with a 2-1 loss. Senior Cameron Stapleton was the first and only scorer for the Rams assisted by sophomore TJ Romaguer. Senior goalkeeper Joakim Soderbaum finished the game with two saves. “We had a great game,” said junior Ricardo Aguilara, second year team member. “We just didn’t capitalize on our opportunities to score.” Phillip Blocklinger, student assis-
Get off Facebook! Go to: www.therambler.org Religious Life at Texas Wesleyan University Chapel: Live music with brief time of worship Tuesdays at 12:15 in PUMC Chapel Free lunch after on PUMC 3rd Floor – Room 312
Common Meal: Free lunch and discussion/dialogue PUMC 3rd Floor – Room 312 “Faith seeking understanding” – ALL are welcome!
For info: http://www.txwes.edu/religiouslife/index.htm
tant for the men’s team, said, “The seniors are doing a good job of running the show.” Blocklinger said the team’s goal is to make it beyond the conference tournament and make a name for themselves in the national tournament. The men finished fourth in conference last year suffering a loss to San Antonio’s Our Lady of the Lake. Gaspar Martinez, former assistant coach and new head coach for men’s soccer, said he holds high hopes for his team. Both Aguilara and Blocklinger said the new coach will be their key to a conference title.
Mark Puente
of what happened to him or that he was injured,” said Brad Egan, longtime friend of Puente and Texas Wesleyan alumnus. Currently, Puente is recovering at home with family and close friends and working on his rehab. Egan said visits are limited to reduce stress and focus on recovery. “I think he will be back to the Mark he was before the accident in six months to a year,” Egan said. “He has been wowing people left and right.” Puente became a Ram in 2004 and was midfielder for the men’s soccer team. Puente attended UTA his junior year. Gaspar Martinez, current men’s soccer coach, was assistant coach of the team when Puente played for Wesleyan and remembers when Puente first started the fire academy. “I was shocked to hear about Mark’s accident,” Martinez said. “My family and I prayed for his recovery, and we were relieved when we heard he was going home.” Puente joined the Fort Worth Fire Department in 2008 as a vacation relief firefighter and is part of Battalion 5. “He always knew he wanted to be a firefighter, and he’s perfect for the role,” Egan said. According to the Puentes family, Dorsey is behind bars, awaiting trial.
Meisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff Rams practice hard to prepare for Howard Payne on Aug. 26.
Wesleyan Week in Sports • Christina Zimmerman, senior, scored the first goal of the season and led the Lady Ram Soccer team to a 4-0 win over Howard Payne Aug. 28 in the season opener. • Cameron Stapleton, senior, scored the first goal for Wesleyan men’s soccer, but the Rams fell 2-1 to Howard Payne in their season opener Aug. 28. • Evoni Darling, senior, finished with 32 assists and 11 digs to bring the Lady Ram volleyball team to a three-match win over Brenau University Aug. 27. • Katherine Rosenbush, freshman, had a game high 16 kills when the Lady Rams defeated Mid-America Aug. 28.
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Former soccer player injured in car wreck
Young volleyball team aims high The Lady Rams swept the 4th Annual Wesleyan Hughes Volleyball Classic this past weekend, Aug. 27- 28. Kristen Venhuizen started the Rams off with 4 kills in their first game against Brenau. Sophomore returner Christina Daniel stepped up with two kills to turn the momentum around in the second match. Freshman Hannah Horten finished the Lady Rams’ threegame sweep with a kill after several solid plays. Game highs included senior and team captain Evoni Darling’s 32 assists and 11 digs. The Lady Rams’ next game against Loyola New Orleans started strong with a 25-13 win in the first game. Venhuizen and fellow senior and setter, Darling, kept the team up with several solid kills. Freshman Haelee Horne led the Rams with 13 kills, eight digs and two block-assists to put away Loyola in a four-game match. Mid-America Christian was forced into error as Wesleyan took another four-game match win. With a struggle in game three, Darling stepped up her vocal leadership and pushed on to win match four. Freshman Katherine Rosenbush finished with 16 kills, a high for both teams. “It was nice to get these wins early on,” Darling said. “It’s some momentum I really feel like we need.” The Texas Wesleyan volleyball team started its season with a trip to New York playing several teams, including California Baptist, ranked third in the nation the weekend of Aug. 20. The tournament was invitation only and also included Damion College, Sue Falls and Houghton, according to Head Coach Christi Clawson. With 13 new players, including 10 freshmen, some members of the team said the trip was necessary to begin building relationships. “All road trips involve some bonding, but going this far really forced the issue,” said sophomore returner Chris-
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to Ian Leggatt and Danny Mijovich for their selection to the NAIA Athletic Hall of Fame for their accomplishments in the sport of Golf!
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September 1, 2010
College Life
The Rambler | www.therambler.org
Presidential picnic draws crowd Left: The Wesleyan Competitive Dance Team performs at the Presidential Picnic during the first week of school. The picnic offered free food, entertainment and raffle prizes. Pick up the Sept. 8 issue for an in-depth look at the dancers. Right: A performer on stilts balances a chair on his chin during the festivities. His performance also included juggling. Below Right: Wesleyan cheerleaders sit courtside while other members entertain. Mascots Willie the Ram and Wilma were also on hand. Photos by Meisa Keivani Najabafadi and Angie Ruiz