WEDNESDAY
November 3, 2010
Vol. 93 • No. 22
www.therambler.org
Lady Rams fall to the Lady Saints in a 3-2 game series.
The Rambler The voice of Texas Wesleyan University students since 1917
Pictures from the Fort Worth Symphony’s performance. A&E, page 7
Sports, page 5
Candidate visits campus, speaks with community
Paralegal group set to form at university Melissa Bates
Barry Grubbs
mdbates@mail.txwes.edu
bgrubbs@mail.txwes.edu
Wesleyan’s search for a new president moved forward on Oct. 28 when the first of two finalists being considered for the university’s presidential post met with the school’s faculty. A group of about 75 Wesleyan faculty members gathered in the lecture hall of the Health Science building and were introduced to Frederick G. Slabach, who after a brief statement, fielded questions from those in attendance. Slabach, who was formerly the dean of Wesleyan’s School of Law, currently serves as the executive secretary and CEO of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation in Washington D. C. Before he opened the floor for questions, Slabach talked about his personal values and his parents’ strong efforts to make higher education a priority for him and seven siblings. “Higher education is the greatest socio-economic elevator ever devised by man,” Slabach said. “That’s why I feel so strongly about being a part of it.” A wide variety of issues were discussed during the meeting ranging from academic tenure for faculty to Slabach’s vision for making Wesleyan a more vital component of the Fort Worth community. When asked what he saw as the university’s greatest challenge, he said financial concerns are always at the top of the list of challenges for most universities, and he thought Wesleyan was no different. He talked about his experience in the area of institutional fundraising. “I like doing that kind of thing,” Slabach said. “It’s sort of a part of my public service ethos.” As the dean of Wesleyan’s law school, Slabach was able to solicit money from many of the Tarrant County organizations he was involved in. In his current role as chief executive officer of Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, he is responsible for managing a $55 million trust fund and distributing that money for scholarships. Slabach and faculty members discussed the issue of Wesleyan’s mission to serve first-generation students. Slabach said he and his seven siblings were all first-generation students and that personal experience motivates him to
CANDIDATE, page 3
Meisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff Executive secretary and CEO of the Harry S. Truman Foundation in Washington, D.C. Frederick Slabach is vying for Wesleyan’s presidential vacancy. Slabach visited Wesleyan Oct. 28 and 29 to speak with students, faculty and staff about his plans for the university.
Tutoring aims to aid student success Shauna Banks
sbbanks@mail.txwes.edu
Students overwhelmed with the slew of research papers, projects and assignments still facing them before the semester’s end, can breathe a sigh of relief. There is help, and it’s only a hop, skip and jump away at Texas Wesleyan’s Academic Success Center. Offering tutoring services primarily in writing and math, select undergraduate students
and faculty are giving a helping hand to any students who may need extra instruction to complete an assignment. “We have excellent tutoring services in the Academic Success Center,” Dr. Helena Bussell, associate provost at Wesleyan said. “To ensure that students get tutoring in what they truly need, tutoring services begin with an assessment of student needs at the point of initial contact with the center.” Bussell also said that as a
result, students may not only get tutoring in a specific subject such as math or writing, but may also receive assistance with study skills and time management, and be given referrals as needed. In addition to the undergraduate student tutors, the center also has several professors who offer their time, including Lisa Scott and Dr. Mary Landers, who both offer math-tutoring services. “I am glad to be available for
students to come to the Academic Success Center for help on their math work,” Landers said. “I find the students who make the decision and time commitment to come are genuinely interested in their own progress. It pleases me to help students succeed in their goals.” Assistant director and learning specialist at the center, Michael Greer Hall, said other professors offer their time in
Understanding Wesleyan.’ Willie Sublett III, freshman music education major and social chair of GSA, said with the current rise in bullying, tolerance is something that is really needed right now. “We can’t have people making fun of each other based on their size, sex, race or anything and that’s all part of why we’re doing the Door of Tolerance,” Sublett said. “We just ask people to come through who may be having problems with being tolerant of others.” Joe Brown, dean of freshman success and professor of theatre and communication,
said, “The Gay Straight Alliance wants people to be more tolerant and understanding of other people’s differences, not just gender orientation but religious, cultural, height, weight, hair color, major, all the stereotypes we hear.” The Door of Tolerance is painted white to allow for the signatures. It is a symbolic door that people walk through and write their names on as a gesture to say ‘I am someone trying to be open, understanding, accepting and tolerant of our differences and embrace diversity,’ Brown said. “As educated people, I think
we need to be aware of our global society,” he said. Amanda Moten, junior history major and president of the GSA, said she hopes people feel a sense of pride and a sense of pledging to make a difference when they walk through the door. “I hope people walking through the door will realize they are now promising to be more inclusive, to be tolerant of people different than them,” Moten said. “It’s a way to admit those mistakes and promise to be a
Wesleyan’s paralegal studies majors may soon have a group of their own. Paralegal studies majors have shown interest in creating an organization at Wesleyan that can help with networking and navigating the legal community. Director of paralegal studies Dr. Barbara Kirby said people in the department wanted to have an organization for students who are paralegal studies majors or other students who will be working in the legal profession. “Our goal would be to make contacts within the local legal community, bring in speakers who can talk about the job market in the Fort Worth and Dallas area and to find out what kinds of positions are available for paralegals,” Kirby said. The paralegal organization will have connections with the Wesleyan Law School, but the two schools will not be directly associated. “Ultimately we’d like to have some kind of interface with the people at the law school, but I think it would be basically having them come in as speakers at our meetings,” Kirby said. “We definitely want to take advantage of the fact that we have a law school by making connections between the future lawyers and the future paralegals.” Because the organization is still in the pre-formed stages ,they don’t have set times and dates for meetings. Right now, they meet at 6 p.m. on
LEGAL, page 3
Chunkin’ Pumpkins
CENTER, page 4
Alliance provides doorway to pledge tolerance Melissa Bates
mdbates@mail.txwes.edu
Texas Wesleyan’s Gay Straight Alliance asks people to be more tolerant of the diversity of people on this campus and in our world. From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 11 in the mall, the GSA will have a Door of Tolerance for students, faculty and staff to walk through pledging they will be more tolerant of others. Anyone who walks through the door can sign the door and they will receive a certificate and a button that reads: ‘Diversity, Tolerance,
DOOR, page 4
Meisa Keivani Najafabadi | Rambler Staff Tabitha Evans, freshman undeclared major, smashes a pumpkin while dressed as Princess Peach during the Vesleyan Monster Bash on Oct. 29.