WEDNESDAY March 8, 2017 Vol. 101 • No. 4
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OPINION
Wesleyan introduces pantry Hannah Onder
hlonder@txwes.edu
Americans are using too many fossil fuels. Many countries are using alternative fuels to stop the deterioration of the planet.
NEWS
Food pantry opens to help students. Dr. Alison Simons helped to create and open the pantry this semester.
CAMPUS
Mental health issues matter to many Stastically speaking, you or someone you know may well suffer from mental health issues.
A&E
Singing organization holding tryouts. The largest sinigng teacher association has 7,000 members worldwide.
SPORTS
Senior sociology major Lessie Haney, a mother of three, knows how it feels to struggle with finances while in college. So when Dr. Alison Simons, assistant professor of sociology, approached her about Texas Wesleyan’s food pantry, she jumped at the chance to help. “She had told me about the food pantry and I thought it was phenomenal,” Haney said. The idea for a food pantry has been tossed around for the past two years after it came to the attention of graduate student Catherine Swiatocha that Dora’s has limited hours and closes over the holiday and spring breaks, leaving hungry students on campus. “Two years ago, we organized to feed Thanksgiving and then she had this great idea to set up what we call the hub,” Simons said. “It would be a food pantry and a resource for students who needed stuff to come to. It’s taken a little while to get it set up.” After the Social Justice League completed a food drive last fall, half of the food donated remained at the Polytechnic United Methodist Church, and a campus food pantry was started. “Our food pantry is now set up and we have a fair amount of food in it,” Simons said. “It’s down in the Fellowship Hall at the moment and we now have a board near the Fellowship Hall with the hours that we’re open. We’re only open at the moment when I have volunteers to come for it.”
Kayla Prachyl
klprachyl@txwes.edu
Texas Wesleyan students and staff have already began taking precautions for any dangers spring break might bring. Chris Beckrich, Wesleyan's director of campus safety and security, said that drinking is by far the most common safety issue affecting college students on spring break. "We actually have very few drunk incidents we have to deal with as far as security," Beckrich said. "However, binge drinking is still a major
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This is how the Wolverine should end. Logan surprises fans with an emotional rollercoaster.
Eddie Castlow, a church member and food pantry volunteer, believes that the food pantry has two benefits on campus. “The first way is to feed the students that are hungry and the second way is to learn more about volunteering and the people you go to college with,” Castlow said. “The best way for us all to be a better society is for us all to be better people. I think volunteering and working with people who may be in a different situ-
issue." Beckrich also said that it's impor-
"Always have a designated driver, have someone that is going to be
ation then you improves the person you are, especially when you’re in college, no matter the age you are.” Both Castlow and Haney volunteer for the pantry because they feel it’s important for students not to be hungry. “The students may have their schooling paid for but the finances for the food is not always there,” Haney said. “It just makes their
FOOD PANTRY. page 3
“Watch your alcohol intake, stay hydrated, watch out for each other, and most importantly stay safe.” - Dr. Eddy Lynton tant students should be aware, and take the normal precautions to avoid problems.
responsible and set rules," Beckrich said. "As far as intoxication, you not only have to be concerned with
yourself but also the other drivers on the road, especially around one or two in the morning when the bars are closing." Texas Wesleyan’s spring break is March 13-17. More than half of all college students go somewhere during spring break, according to chicagotribune.com. Some popular destinations include Puerto Vallarta, South Padre Island and Cancun, according to studentcity.com. Dr. Eddy Lynton, assistant profes-
SAFETY TIPS. page 3
New Orleans trip to aid Katrina victims hlonder@txwes.edu
Dr. Robert Thiebaud has been collecting information on the accuracy of fitness trackers.
Now the league is looking for volunteers since the food pantry can only be open when someone’s willing to work. They’ve asked the church, the Black Student Association, Theatre Wesleyan, and students in the Introduction to Sociology classes, who are required to get 15 hours of service this semester, to assist with volunteering and donations. “The more people that can help us the more the word gets out,” Simons said. “All we need is an hour a week.”
Be aware of dangers on spring break
Hannah Onder Do fitness trackers really work?
Graphic by Hannah Onder Texas Wesleyan’s food pantry opens on Sundays at 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Polytechnic United Methodist Church.
Senior general business major Kelsey Fulton was sitting in Student Life contemplating her spring break plan. She wanted to use spring break to make a difference instead of partying. “I hadn’t quite decided what I was going to do yet but I felt like I could maybe do something positive with that time,” Fulton said. “I just turned 21 but I’d rather use my spring break for service than lose it.” Fulton and 11 other students will leave for New Orleans early March 13 to help out Hurricane Katrina victims through the spring break Break a Difference volunteering program. Break A Difference is a national program that encourages volunteerism by “young adults and students” to various locations during spring and winter breaks, according to breakadifference.org.
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Barbara Barnhart, coordinator for service and volunteerism, said the trip costs students $100 each; the additional costs were covered by the budgets from Service and Volunteerism and Student Affairs. Fulton said many Wesleyan students were interested in the trip to New Orleans. “Barbara told me there were tons and tons of people that were interested in going,” Fulton said. “We are taking 12; other people are looking at making their own way to get down there so it’s been an outstanding turnout. It’s been an outstanding response and I’m really excited about that.” Fulton wasn’t sure at first how many people would give up their break but she’s glad there’s other people interested in the service project she sparked. “I was a little bit younger when (Hurricane Katrina) happened so I wasn’t in college and educated like I am now,” Fulton said, “but seeing
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Graphic by Hannah Onder Texas Wesleyan students will travel to New Orleans during spring break.
all of the images pouring out of Katrina after it happened really struck a chord with me.”
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According to Barnhart, Fulton had approached her at the beginning of
GIVE BACK. page 3
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Opinion
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Earth threated by use fossil fuels EDITORIAL
President Donald Trump recently referred to climate change as a “hoax fabricated by the Chinese,” according to nytimes.com. However, in a recent presentation on climate change, Dr. Bob Landolt, emeritus professor of chemistry, said 97 percent of climate change scientists believe that climate change is real and irreversible. Earth-orbiting satellites and other technological advances have enabled scientists to track climate change, according to climate. nasa.gov. The data, collected over many years, reveals the signals of a changing climate. The evidence for rapid climate change is also evident through compelling events such as sea levels rising, global temperatures rising, warming oceans, shrinking ice sheets, declining Arctic sea ice, glacial retreat, ocean acidification, and decreased snow covers, according to climate.nasa.gov. The main causes for these events are humaninduced activities such as burning fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere, according to oceanservice.noaa.gov. These greenhouse gases affect climate by altering incoming solar radiation and outing infrared (thermal) radiation that are part of Earth’s energy balance. With all the evidence presented, it is obvious that our current president is incorrect and climate change is real. On the other hand, there are numerous alternative energy sources, also known as renewable energy, according to climate.nasa.gov. These include biomass, hydropower, geothermal, wind, and solar energy. Some Americans are already using alternative energy sources and practicing ways to reduce their carbon footprint which, according to Landolt, is the amount of carbon dioxide and other carbon compounds emitted due to the consumption of fossil fuels by a particular person. Among the sources are solar panels, which regenerate electricity; wind turbines for clean-
Photo courtesy of pixabay.com The burning of fossil fuels has led many to worry about the future of the Earth’s environment and look to using alternatives, such as hydropower.
er air; and the Earth’s heat for energy. Americans who are not fully committed to switching to alternative energy have practiced alternative ways to keep the earth cleaner by using less energy by turning off appliances when not in use; regular recycling; using public transportation or biking or walking; buying local produce; or planting a tree. Renewable energy plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. When renewable energy sources are used, the demand for fossil fuels is reduced. These energy sources do not emit greenhouse gases, the cause of climate change. As of 2015, renewable energy sources accounted for about 10 percent of total U.S. energy consumption and about 13 percent of
electricity generation, according to eia.gov. In order for the speed of climate change to decline, a happy medium must be found to change the ways of the Earth. A lot of people do not like change because of the consequences that come with it, but there will always be consequences. While some Americans are doing their civic duty to help each other and the Earth, our country in general is lagging far behind other countries in battling climate change by using alternative energy, according to the Climate Reality Project, which has looked at 11 countries that are shifting and embracing renewable energy. America is 10th on this list, far behind the such countries as Sweden, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
There are a variety of reasons for this, including the government not implementing policies to help the environment; the cost of technology and the maintenance; and the support to fully embrace this new lifestyle, which is why it is important to encourage citizens and local representatives to help implement these causes for change. If we don’t act now, Earth as we know it will suffer from serious consequences that will lead to the destruction of our planet. Countries such as China and India are already suffering the consequences of climate change, which is why the rest of the world should continue the fight for alternative energy.
Have we forgotten how to debate? Nicholas Acosta Content Producer nacosta4@txwes.edu
Imagine you have been invited to attend a debate over the topic of spontaneous generation and how it affects our world. Now you know good and well that the idea inanimate objects can somehow create living things is ridiculous, but you go anyway to hear what is said. The two debaters take the podium, but instead of arguing their points they just debase themselves by insulting each other, the debate becoming simply an airing of grievances. The recent presidential election drew many people to closely examine each debate between the candidates, but instead of watching candidates give points and policies, most of the time what viewers saw was just an insult match between two people. This has become a growing problem among people, educated or not: Instead of simply offering their side of a topic they turn it into a screaming match, as if being loud somehow makes you sound smarter.
A debate is defined as a formal discussion on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which o p p o s i n g arguments are put forward. Notice how the definition makes a point of saying a debate is a formal meeting; there is an etiquette involved, and it’s not just a back-alley argument. People look at freedom of speech as the freedom to say whatever they want, but then forget that it applies to everyone. You can say what you want, but so can everyone else, and that causes problems when you believe yourself to be right on an issue. We’ve forgotten how to debate. For evidence, look at last fall’s Donald Trump/Hillary Clinton debates, or the Ted Cruz/Bernie Sanders debate. What you saw was people just talking over each other, not the calm presentation of points of view. It makes you wonder why we can’t be cordial to each other, even when we have opposing points of view. This is the fundamental problem that is being struggled with today. People agree with an idea and form their ideology and personality with that idea, but when an opposing view challenges that idea it becomes a personal assault.We need to stop taking everything so personally when talking about ideas. An argument is a series of state-
Photo courtesy of pixabay.com Instead of throwing insults at one another, people should have reasonable debates.
ments typically used to persuade someone of something or to present reasons for accepting a conclusion, and yet today it is seen as a heated exchange of insults and disagreements. Just because you believe an idea to be correct doesn’t mean anything to the contrary is an attack on you. Entertaining different ideas has always been a way to engage in conversation and expand our minds to different possibilities. Debating should not be different. Instead of insults being thrown back and forth, debating should be an exchange of ideas, with each side allowed to talk without interruption. There are
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many recent stories of families breaking apart due to different political ideas. Why is this?You would cast out your own family member just because they don’t share your ideas? A family member who helped you through tough times or never turned their back on you is now no longer welcomed because of politics?These times raise a lot of questions for what the future will hold. Will it be a future based on the exchange of ideas, where people can establish a viewpoint without being an attack on others, or will the future be an era of bitterness, when people take their ideas and go home and never wonder what else is there to the world?
Rams up Thumbs up to Theatre Wesleyan’s Jacob Sanchez getting a part in Casa Manana’s West Side Story. Thumbs up to a Texas Wesleyan student saving a couple in a car crash. Thumbs up to Cowboys sideline reporter Kristi Scales speaking at Wesleyan. Thumbs up to ‘What in tarnation’ meme.
Rams down Thumbs down to midterms. Thumbs down to the basketball teams losing in the conference tournaments. Thumbs down to allergy season. Thumbs down to upcoming class project due dates.
Wednesday | March 8, 2017|3
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FOOD PANTRY continued from page 1
lives a little bit easier and makes sure that they have food in their bellies while they study and work.” Simons said the food pantry is open to any students that are hungry as long as they're willing to fill out a form, which remains private. “The reason we need (the forms) is so that we can establish whether it’s a new user or a repeat user,” Simons said. “Then we can get grants and things from the other food banks around here with having the names but the names will not be given out. We just want kind of aggregate information: How many new users we are getting each week, how many repeats we’re getting for the week, so we can kind of establish what’s going on.” Simons said that if the school is able to establish the need for a food bank they will be
SAFETY TIPS
“It just makes their lives a little bit easier and it makes sure that they have food in their bellies while they study and work.” - Lessie Haney able to gain more resources to keep the pantry stocked. The club will also be setting up donation boxes on campus. “There are boxes going out into various areas of the campus which will say ‘food pantry donations’ and anybody can put food in there,” Simons said. “We’ll have a list of what really goes fast. Whatever a student wants if we don’t have it we’ll try and get a hold of it. At the mo-
ment we don’t have any kind of baby food, but if we have a student who needs food who has a baby we will certainly get a hold of it.” Castlow is glad to see the union between the church and the students when tackling this project. “I think that it’s a Methodist university so they probably should have been working together all along, but I’m encouraged by it,” Cas-
happen to them. The Alabama teen had just graduated from high school when she went missing during a trip to Aruba, according to cnn.com. She has not been found. “Alternative spring break is a great opportunity for students,” Lynton said. “It’s something to do, something positive, get away from campus and decompress with your ramily.” Lynton emphasized the strong relationship that each professor strives to build with every student, which is a stamp of Wesleyan’s values.
"All of your faculty members invest a lot in getting to know you guys," Lynton said. "We look forward to seeing you on the flip side of spring break." Dani West, a senior criminal justice major, also agreed that drinking leads to the most incidents. "Always have a sober person around," West said when asked what precautions she takes. "Also just be careful and be aware what you're putting into your body."
break is just a reasonable time to do some of those things.” On this trip, students will be helping to do things like implementing a green initiative, feeding the homeless, and cleaning up trash and debris, Barnhart said. She hopes students will gain some cultural perspective and new relationships while enjoying the experience. Junior bilingual education major Pamela Parra hopes to forge new relationships and try new things on this trip. “I want to see the houses,” Parra said. “How they really look because they show them on TV but they don’t show the beat-down houses, the projects, things like that. Maybe it looks something like the neighborhood around Texas Wesleyan or maybe it doesn’t. I want to compare them and take in the beauty of history.”
Parra joined the trip after Wesleyan student Nancy Huynh told her about her experience on last year’s trip to Arkansas. “She told me it’s different than what you do here in the city so that caught my attention along with being able to meet people there,” Parra said. “I don’t really know anybody so I’d like to get to know some people and do something that’s not normal.” While both Parra and Fulton are excited to volunteer, they also want to explore the culture. “The selfish side of me says I want to see all the culture and the food,” Fulton said. “The volunteer side of me says I’m excited to make some connections and hopefully make an impact that’s going to last more than just a week later.” Barnhart said there are definitely plans for a
tlow said. “It means that two different groups are taking a step to work together to solve a single issue.” Simons, Castlow, and Haney all hope to see the pantry expand on campus and even into the community. “I’d like to see it be able to reach out to the community around us,” Haney said. “You know that people are struggling so that could be a place that they could come to. With the Fellowship maybe it can make connections that bring immunizations, jobs, babysitting clubs, stuff like that can grow bigger and better.” To sign up to volunteer at the food pantry, contact Dr. Alison Simons at asimons@txwes. edu or go to PUMC Room 218.
continued from page 1
sor of criminal justice and sociology, agreed that alcohol and binge drinking are his biggest concerns. “Drink responsibly of course,” Lynton said when asked about ways to prevent these dangers. “Watch your alcohol intake, stay hydrated, watch out for each other, and most importantly stay safe.” Lynton referred to the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in 2005 to touch on the longterm consequences that no one expects to
GIVE BACK
Graphic by Kayla Prachyl
continued from page 1
the year about volunteering in New Orleans to provide disaster relief. “I try to always support students and their passions,” Barnhart said. “This is obviously an area of concern so I kind of initiated that (the service trip to New Orleans).” Barnhart worked to make the project happen during spring break because most students are available to go on long service projects at that time and she wanted to support Fulton’s passion. “I think it’s a lot easier to do experiences on campus and I want to be more focused on doing those experiences on campus throughout the year, but I think this is truly the one opportunity you can get more than one individual together to go a longer distance,” Barnhart said. “Students here are working multiple jobs and they have lots of commitments and spring
trip during next year’s spring break. “It is my intent to continue this for as long as we can do it, as long as we can fund it, and as long as we can sustain it,” Barnhart said. “I think this is just a general good practice for every year but my hope for next year is to bring more students.” Fulton hopes to have a successful trip so the alternative spring break trips continue. “Even if it’s not to New Orleans for Katrina victims that are still rebuilding, there’s a lot of areas across the nation that could really use some help,” Fulton said. “Even in just our Southern area, there’s a lot of cities that still have problems with unemployment, child literacy, homelessness. There’s a lot of areas that we can make an impact.”
Dining Services wishes everyone a happy and safe Spring Break! We will be closed from March 11 to March 18.
Dora’s Cafe will reopen for dinner at 4:30 p.m. on March 19.
4 |Wednesday | March 8, 2017
Campus
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Infographic courtesy of Dr. Bob Landolt Scientists can communicate more effectively with the public about climate change by inverting the pyramid of ther usual presentations to colleagues. That is, start with the bottom line and tell people why they should care.
Infographics provided by Dr. Bob Landolt. Photos courtsey of pixabay.com.
M.D. Anderson
Pre-Professional Program ___________________________________________________ 3PR wishes you a Great Spring Break!
Contact Ashley Coen, ATCOEN@TXWES.EDU, for 3PR questions & Information! follow us @txwes3pr
Attention
Mass Communication Students: Advising week is ALMOST here! Sophomore and Senior Advising for Fall 2017 begins March 20
Contact Dr. Kay Colley to set up an appointment. email: kcolley@txwes.edu phone: 817-531-6525
Wednesday | March 8, 2017
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Campus
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Humans are destroying the Earth Shaydi Paramore
ssparamore@txwes.edu
Climate change is inevitable. Dr. Bob Landolt, an emeritus professor of chemistry at Texas Wesleyan, says that 97 percent of climate change scientists believe that climate change is real and extremely damaging. “The most important thing is that people need to know why there is a problem,” Landolt said. “Not just why there is a solution. People need to know there is absolutely no uncertainty among climate change scientists and how important that is. A lot of people don’t understand the difference between facts, objective knowledge and subjective knowledge.” Landolt first became concerned with climate change in 1973 when a gas crisis occurred. “I usually think back to 1973,” Landolt said. “That was when I was sensitized to energy and the issue of energy.” The things that are most affected by climate change are the everchanging temperature and the persistent weather changes, said Dr. Bruce Benz, professor of biology. “For example, this is the hottest February we’ve had in three years [in Texas],” Benz said. “I’m not from Texas, so I don’t know what the weather has been like in the last century. What I do know from the last 20 years is the extreme
amount of precipitation and then nothing. We go from tons of rain to five years of drought to rain again.” Due to the tremendous amount of rainfall in a short amount of time, the Fort Worth area has lost 25 percent of canopy trees, according to Benz. “A quarter of the trees in the area,” Benz said. “Gone.” The constant increase in temperature and destruction of habitats has brought many insects, animals and plants to the brink of extinction, Benz said. “Just think about the monarch butterflies,” Benz said. “Monarch butterflies are threatened with extinction because of human habitat destruction and climate change. What’s happening is the butterflies are flying back too early [from Mexico], then they are mating and they can’t release their eggs. The U.S. having springlike weather earlier than usual causes damaging effects to the plant and animal life cycles, according to the book What’s Really Happening to Our Planet? by Tony Juniper. Benz said monarch butterflies can only lay their eggs in milkweed plants, and when the butterflies migrate too early toward the Northern Hemisphere, the plants haven’t bloomed yet. Not only are there an extreme amount of plants and animals on the brink of extinction, but diseases like the Zika virus that are
based in tropical countries are migrating to Texas and states along the U.S. coast, such as Florida, Benz said. Texas has become the most popular state for disease-inhabiting mosquitoes to thrive in. “These are diseases we didn’t have before!” Benz said. Flooding has increased in some areas extremely close to water due to the tremendous amount of rising sea levels, according to What’s Really Happening to Our Planet? As the water in the sea get hotter, the ocean water expands and the polar ice caps melt. The sea rises, causing floods. “It takes a lot of energy to heat water,” Benz said. “After 100-something odd years of fossil fuel burning we are seeing the water temperature begin to rise. Glaciers in Greenland are melting so fast that it’s creating a huge amount of fresh water rivers.” With the dramatic effects humans have caused to the life cycle of our environment, such as the extinction of animals, ever-changing temperatures and the dramatic effect of natural diseases, what can we do to save the planet? “Conserve energy, conserve resources, turn off lights when you leave the room, unplug your cell phone charger when you’re not using it, unplug your computer when you’re not using it, don’t leave your car running just because you can or buy a car with good gas mileage,” Benz said.
Global warming’s six Americas in May 2011, as categorize by a 2011 public opinon study of a team of Yale and George Mason Universities.
Why are you so dressed up, Duffy?
“These are just small ways to decrease climate change. We must decrease the amount of energy we use first of all. We need to think seriously about nuclear.” The most important thing to do when it comes to resolving the issue is showing the precautions humans can take on a daily basis, he said. “Educate ourselves on individual carbon footprint and evaluate it,” Benz said. “We need to have specific areas that humans can’t go and destroy. We need to develop considerable effects to avoid this mass extinction ‘cause it’s going to make us miserable. Plants, animals, and fungi will change their routines [mating, blooming]. Extinction is 1,000 times more common today than 200 years ago.The sooner humans go extinct the better Earth’s biosphere will be.” Matthew Powers, a concerned parent and former student at Trinity Valley Community College, hopes people will reverse the process of climate change to protect his children and future grandchildren. “I do believe in climate change, simply because I’ve seen the pollution dumped into the sky and ground around the world,” Powers said. “The buildup of greenhouse gases will cause the earth to warm and most people don’t understand it’s the long-term effects that our grandchildren will have to deal with.”
Infographic courtesy of Dr. Bob Landolt
‘Cause we’re The Rambler’s Pet Picks of the Issue!
Gucci (left) and Duffy belong to Human Resources Manager Kim Stergio. Would you like to see your pet featured in the next
issue of The Rambler? Email pictures of your pet to IMG Director Dalise DeVos at dndevos@txwes.edu.
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Arts&Entertainment
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NATS to hold auditions on campus
graduate school as well.” McCoy praised NATS for providing both students and teachers a great experience with healthy criticism. “When you compete in NATS as a student, you have the experience of performing,” she said. “It’s great. To have the feedback of other professional teachers is great. I had success in those competitions, so that gave me a lot of confidence. And then as a teacher it allows me to offer those opportunities to my students – and, because your students are getting feedback, [you’re] getting feedback [too].” Dr. Jerome Bierschenk, Wesleyan’s music department chairman, joined NATS in 2008 after being recommended by McCoy. Like McCoy, Bierschenk encountered NATS as a student and also thinks the organization is worthwhile. “It’s a way for students to get an honest assessment outside of the department,” Bierschenk said. “It’s nice to get that critique in written form and it is a kind of a competition as well. We’ve had good student success [there]. So it’s a good motivational thing for the students.” Julian Rodriguez, a junior music major who is the current president of Kappa Kappa Psi, the honorary band fraternity, said he first participated in NATS as a Wesleyan freshman. Rodriguez said NATS helped his discipline and ability to work toward success. “It’s made me realize that I actually have to work hard and practice,” Rodriguez said. Photo by Matt Smith Allison Ward, adjunct instructor in voice, conducting and choir, will coordinate this month’s NATS tryouts in various buildings on campus. “Because, sometimes, you can’t just BS your way through a singing competition. You have for the DFW chapter for several years, and will Ward said. “It doesn’t make me nervous, I’m to know what you’re doing and you have to Matt Smith again March 24 and 25. just anxious to do it and to experience it. ” understand everything about what you’re permxsmith@txwes.edu The auditions will be held in the Ann WagJulie McCoy, professor of voice, opera, and forming to do well. It’s made me a better musiThe National Association of Teachers of goner Fine Arts Building and several other diction, originally oversaw the conference, but cian because I have to practice, because I have Singing is holding tryouts at Texas Wesleyan campus locations, and there will be a master recently passed the job on to Ward. to understand my music. And if I don’t, then later this month. class in Nicholas Martin Hall, said Allison “Because I’m on sabbatical, I won’t be the I don’t go on [and] I don’t do well in the comWith more than 7,000 members in 30 coun- Ward, an adjunct instructor in voice, con- site coordinator this year for the area NATS in petition.” tries, NATS is the largest association of teach- ducting and choir, and site coordinator of the March,” she said. “Next year, I’ll probably do Rodriguez described NATS as an integral ers of singing, according to nats.org. NATS is March auditions. the site coordinating again. [But it’s] just great part of his future on two fronts. famous for its conferences, which are divided Students hoping to audition have to be to have [the] competition on our campus.” “If I decide to become a voice teacher, I would into local (DFW), regional (Texoma; Texas entered by a NATS professor, she said. McCoy joined NATS about the time she love to be a part of NATS so I could have my and Oklahoma and New Mexico), and nationWard said auditioning students will sing became a professor, but like many of its mem- students compete as well,” he said. “If I don’t, al levels. three songs for a judge, and several auditions bers, she first encountered it as a student. it’s going to be one thing where the memories I Both NATS members and students of mem- will be going on at the same time. “I think I joined NATS sometime in the ‘80s have and the experiences I’ve learned from [at] bers can participate in the conferences; stuWard has been a member of NATS for some when I became a college professor,” McCoy this competition, this organization, is stuff that dents usually audition at university campuses time now, but this is her first year to oversee said. “But as a student in college, I participated I will take into my professional career.” near local chapter headquarters, according to auditions. in NATS. My senior year of college was my For more information on NATS or auditiondfwareanats.org. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to take first exposure to NATS, [it was] my first com- ing for it, go to dfwareanats.org. Wesleyan has held annual student auditions a bigger role and to help with the conference,” petition as a singer. And then I competed in
LPs, cassettes making a comeback Guadalupe Sanchez
gsanchez3@txwes.edu
Vinyl has always been fascinating to Jose Lazalde, a sophomore automotive major at Tarrant County College, because of the many people who now listen to records. “It seems like there is a higher demand for vinyl records than CDs, so it makes me feel like I should be more inclined to collecting vinyls,” Lazalde said. “I think vinyls are on the rise again because in today’s time, people are in a time where they want to feel nostalgia. And whenever people think of vinyls, it reminds them of their younger years or of those times back when the vinyl was made.” Lazalde also said he has noticed that the bands he listens to are releasing music on CDs and vinyl to expand their audiences. “If I had a record player, I would very likely be collecting such vinyls as well,” Lazalde said. “I like the idea of collecting them because me being the analytical person I am, I want to know how exactly such records work, and would like to have a taste of how people enjoyed art back in the day.” Lazalde is one of many young people who are collecting LPs and cassettes. The return to people buying vinyl records is due in part to the annual Record Store Day, and in part to the increase in shops selling records and record players, according to an article in The Guardian, a newspaper based in Manchester, England. Sales of vinyl in 2016 reached a 25-year high as consumers young and old have embraced having physical copies of music again, according to the article. The Britain Phonographic Industry reported that more than 3.2 million vinyl records were Photo by Guadalupe Sanchez sold last year, a rise of 53 percent; 2016 was also the first year that spending on vinyl out- Editor-in-chief Shaydi Paramore’s vinyl collection includes records by the Beatles, Poison, Van Halen, Whitesnake and the Ramones. paced digital downloads, according to the article. “I feel like in today’s world their music digi- vinyl aficionado from Fort Worth, said his love “I would own vinyls but I don’t have a vinyl At least 30 vinyl albums sold more than tally enhanced is not how they made it,” Ellis for vinyl records will continue as long as he can player and vinyls and players are usually too 10,000 copies in 2016, which is a sharp con- said. “It’s not as raw as it sounded then. I want find his favorite disco records. He said how vi- expensive for my budget,” Valencia said. “I can trast to 2007, when digital downloads began to to perceive it the way someone of their genera- nyl is made is “weird” but amazing. buy five cassettes for the price of like one fivetake hold and a meager 200,000 records were tion perceived it unaltered.” “It’s so cool how they made music with a big inch vinyl.” sold, according to the article. Ellis said the more he discovers new records, disc and needle to help play the music,” he said. Valencia believes owning cassettes and vinyl Digital downloads for singles and albums in the more he falls in love with them. “And once half the album is done, you have to takes people back to to simpler times. 2016 brought in more than $1 billion. Stream“Every Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, Neil flip it. It’s so funny and cool.” “There’s something very classic to owning accounted for nearly half the revenue dur- Young, and The Doors are definitely good reAndrade said he does not know anyone who ing a cassette nowadays,” Valencia said. “It ing the first half of the year, according to the- cords to have,” Ellis said. “They just keep me would not want their own vinyl records. reminds me of my childhood, a simpler time guardian.com. hangin’ on.” “Vintage stuff rocks!” Andrade said. “I have where I didn’t respect cassettes as much I do The resurgence of vinyl is not because of its According to an article written on record about like 10 or 11 records. I love collecting now. Holding out the booklet and unfolding it quality, but because people like to have a phys- sales being at an all-time high by fortune.com, them because I love and enjoy spending time makes me so happy. I’m a big collecting kind ical copy of their music. experts expect LP sales to grow in the future. at the record store finding amazing new music of person and I have lost so many cassettes due Roy Ellis, a University of Oklahoma fresh- Such products are “creating or capitalizing on a that I’ve never heard.” to carelessness and I’ve been trying to recollect man biology major, said he likes the feel of nostalgia wave” and create new experiences for Kevin Valencia, a senior broadcasting major them. It started with two and then it just took having music on LP, especially by such classic those born during the digital age, according to at the University of Texas at Arlington, wishes off.” bands as Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones, the article. he could buy LPs, but due to finances is unable who originally released LPs. Ismael Andrade, a 20-year-old server and to.
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Professor, students test fitness trackers Karan Muns kemuns@txwes.edu Dr. Robert Thiebaud, a Wesleyan assistant professor of exercise science, has been conducting research on three fitness trackers to test their accuracy. Thiebaud has been researching TomTom Adventurer, Microsoft Band, and the Fitbit Surge since the fall 2016 semester, he said. “I remember one time in basic concepts class we were talking about tracking your physical activity,” Thiebaud said. “And you know a student brought up a question, ‘Which one is the best one to use?’ and it’s a good question. There’s been some research but I hadn’t looked much into it.” Thiebaud is doing the research with exercise science majors Jacey Patton, Martin Schmidt, Brook Massey, Terri Shay, and Alex Davis. The research will continue through the semester, and the current research was presented by Massey and Patton at the American College of Sports Medicine regional Texas conference on Feb. 16 and 17 in Waco. There is some research about the accuracy of fitness trackers but there is not a lot of substantial information out there, Thiebaud said. “They come out with new ones all the time, so quickly that we can’t keep up necessarily with how accurate they are,” Thiebaud said. “[We] can’t keep up with the technology so that was one thing, just a curiosity just to see which ones measured accurately.” The fitness trackers being tested measure heart rate at the wrist and track energy expenditures, Thiebaud said. “We’re still in the process of clenching data. We need some more people [to test the trackers],” Thiebaud said. Typically heart rate monitors require a strap to be worn across the chest that can be uncomfortable while working out, Thiebaud said. A fitness tracker with a heart rate monitor at the wrist is more convenient. “With these devices in particular we were looking at them because they can measure heart rate just by doing it at the wrist,” Thiebaud said. “So what we’ve seen so far is that they do pretty good at faster speeds.” The study being conducted by Thiebaud and the exercise science department looks at the accuracy at 2-6 mph on a treadmill, he said. “Just seeing how accurate they are throughout the whole duration and we’re seeing that they’re a little bit better at these faster speeds
but there’s a lot more variation in these slower speeds,” Thiebaud said. Thiebaud said that about 15 Wesleyan students, most undergrads, have participated in his experiment, but he would like to test around 50 students overall. “First, we put these [the trackers] on their wrists. Two on one [wrist] and one on another wrist and then we hook them up to an electrocardiogram or ECG,” Thiebaud said. The student is connected to an ECG to monitor their heart rate, which can be compared to the heart rate the tracker provides, Thiebaud said. “Then we have another machine called the metabolic cart,” Thiebaud said. “They put basically a kind of mask on and they breathe in air and they expire their air. Then we measure how much oxygen they consumed during that exercise and from that information we can estimate how much energy they’re expending.” The metabolic cart is used to estimate the amount of calories burned during the experiment and that number is later compared to the calorie expenditure that tracker displays, Thiebaud said. “It’s about 15 minutes total of exercise so it’s a little bit more structured experiment,” Thiebaud said. “But sometimes you know people just aren’t always on a treadmill but for these particular ones that’s where we were.” The experiment requires each person to wear the three trackers and the metabolic cart mask, and be hooked up to an ECG, Thiebaud said. They then walk for three minutes at 2 mph, 3 mph, 4 mph, 5 mph, and 6 mph consecutively. Their heart rate and energy expenditure is monitored once every minute during the experiment. “We still need to get more data but the one that seems from our data right now to be the best at heart rate is going to probably be the Fitbit or the TomTom,” he said. The Fitbit and Microsoft Band did well at calculating energy expenditure while the TomTom didn’t provide as accurate calorie data, Thiebaud said. “Which one to buy is always the question though,” Thiebaud said. “So that’s what we’re trying to help people figure out. Once we get some more data we’ll have a better more conclusive result.” The TomTom and Fitbit compared to the Microsoft Band are usually better at monitoring heart rate. But the Fitbit and Microsoft Band are better at calculating energy expenditures,
Thiebaud said. The five students he is doing the research with, he said, “have been a huge part of this project and I really thank them for putting in the time and effort. They’ve all been really big contributors in helping to get it figured out to collect the data so they’ve been great.” Fitness trackers are just really convenient and it’s great that they can be worn as a watch, freshman psychology major Trudy Allen said. “I like wearing [my tracker] for golf. Since I’m on the golf team it notifies me when I get text messages, emails and snap chats,” Allen said. They’re fun to use and it’s exciting to see how much exercise she’s gotten in a day, Allen said. “I use it when I’m running and golfing basi-
cally, I like it since it lets me know how far I’ve run and how active I’ve been throughout the day,” Allen said. Allen said she likes the Apple Watch because it has a bigger face and lets her interact with her phone more than the other trackers. Freshman criminal justice major Tyler King said the pedometer feature most trackers have motivates her to get up and moving. “I have the fitbit charge so I’m really interested to know how accurate the Fitbit products compare to the other types of trackers,” King said. “The Fitbit works as motivation for me to try and be healthier.” For more information on this study go to rthiebaud@txwes.edu.
Studen t Lif l l ’ e’s u ffce hour o Yo w s e ! n SB vs MidAmerica Christian University 1PM
SB vs University of Science and Arts 12 PM
BB vs University of Science and Arts 2:30 PM
BB vs University of Science and Arts 12PM & 2PM
Now open until 7 p.m. Mon. - Thurs.
SB vs Oklahoma City University 1 PM
BB vs Dallas Christian College 4PM
WTEN vs North Central Texas College 111AM BB vs Arlington Baptist College 4PM
Martin Hall Happenings: __________________________ March 9 @ 7:30 pm Senior Recital Johnathan Conlon, bass Keith Critcher, piano
March 21 @ 7:30 pm Student Recital Kappa Kappa Psi
March 23 @ 7:30 pm March 28 @ 7:30 pm Senior Recital Wesleyan Instrumental Amber McIntyre, soprano Ensembles Concert Keith Critcher, piano
8 | Wednesday | March 8, 2017 TheRambler.org | For news throughout the day.
Photo by Sachiko Jayaratne Samantha Bastien (hands on hat) and other members of the Lady Rams softball team leave the field during a recent game; the team is ranked fourth in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
Lady Rams prepare for the season Alex Gudac
aagudac@txwes.edu
Warm air, fresh cut grass and dirty pants only mean Texas Wesleyan University’s Lady Rams softball team is just beginning their 2017 season. This year the Rams have been ranked to finish fourth in the Sooner Athletic Conference in the 2017 Preseason Softball Coaches’ Poll, according to ramsports.net. Head coach Shannon Gower says she doesn’t feel any pressure holding down the fourth place spot. Instead, she said, “I feel determined to get to the top.” Bailey Terry, a sophomore third baseman, and
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Mackenzie Kirkpatrick, a sophomore shortstop, both think the team has been under-ranked, especially after beating the No. 1-ranked Oklahoma City University team last season. Gower has coached 13 years at Wesleyan and got her 300th win on opening day of the 2017 season as the team split a doubleheader with Ottawa University, according to ramsports.net. This milestone makes her the winningest coach in the history of Wesleyan’s softball program. “It means a lot being able to reach a milestone,” Gower says, “but it means more than just me getting the congrats and recognition, all past players, coaches, and current athletes deserve it as well.” Terry said Gower getting her 300th win is “amaz-
ing.” “I’m excited to add more,” Terry said. Kirkpatrick said is also ready to add more wins. Gower and the other coaches, she said, have been mentally preparing the team by setting certain goals for pitchers, hitters, and fielders. “We have been preparing for this moment,” Kirkpatrick said. “Working out, getting stronger, and setting the goal to win nationals.” For more information on the Lady Rams season, check out ramsports.net. Image by pixabay.com
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