Rambler 3-11-09 by The Rambler

The Rambler e

The students’ voice since 1917

March 11, 2009

www.txwes.edu/rambler

Vol. 102, No. 8

Rosedale Revival

News Briefs Scene Shop The ground-breaking celebration for the Claudia Stepp Scene Shop will be held at 1:30 p.m. March 3 at the corner of Binkley Street and Ave. C. A reception will follow at the Louella Baker Martin Pavilion. All members of the Wesleyan community are invited to attend. RSVP to Scott Cannon (scannon@ txwes.edu) by March 13.

Coffee shop, bookstore to open

Photo by Gasten Schoonover

Self Defense Wesleyan Village will host a self-defense training March 27. A black belt and karate school owner will conduct the free class. For more information, contact Kelly Neace at kdneace@mail. txwes.edu.

Career Fair Career Services will hold its annual career fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 31 in the Sid Richardson Center. More than 30 businesses are signed up including sponsors Army, Texas Highway Patrol and Whitley Penn LLP. Career Services, on the second floor of the West Library, is available for more information, or for a complete list of committed employers, e-mail careerservices@txwes.edu.

Service Day The chaplain’s office is sponsoring ‘A Great Day of Service’ with CTCYM, Student Leadership Team and the Metro Board of Missions from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 4. The group will meet at Poly UMC for a breakfast and workshop before heading out with their smaller groups to handle special assignments serving the ministries of the Metro Board of Missions. To sign up, contact the chaplain’s office at (817) 531-4461 or e-mail gchilds@txwes. edu before March 13.

Rambler Spring Break The Rambler will be going on Spring Break with the rest of Wesleyan and will publish its next issue April 1.

Photo by Tiara Nugent

Wesleyan’s new coffee shop is named Java Joe’s months before its opening, and the new location for the Texas Wesleyan bookstore displays its sign weeks before the store moves. Both are now set to open after spring break, and both are part of revitalization partnerships between the public and private sectors.

The vision that drives renovation at the Rosedale corridor continues to light up the Wesleyan campus. The bookstore moves across Rosedale Street over spring break, and the new coffee shop in the Baker Building will celebrate its grand opening March 23. In November, local dignitaries including U.S. Reps. Michael Burgess and Kay Granger, State Rep. Marc Veasey and Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Hicks joined University President Hal Jeffcoat in the Baker Building dedication. Burgess, a fervent local contributor, said that the changes we see are great examples of “what we can do locally with a little national participation.” On the same commemorative day, Jeffcoat unveiled plans for the future opening of a coffee shop on the north end of the building. Named in honor of Joe Brown, speech and theater professor, Java Joe’s is in the midst of a “soft” open and will open officially for business March 16. The shop honor’s Brown’s 30-plus year career at Wesleyan. The Coffee Spot at Java Joe’s offers a menu of coffees, tea, specialty drinks and desserts. The coffee bar is also Wi-Fi equipped for those who wish to remain connected during their visit. Poly Retail, TownSite Co.’s development in the 3000 and 3100 blocks of Rosedale across from campus, is also taking shape. The bookstore is relocating and is scheduled to open there after spring break. Follett, the bookstore operator, has leased 3,900 square feet for the new location, according to the Fort

See Openings, page 2

Next year’s tuition increase sign of the times

New rates, cutbacks a response to ‘unavoidable, major cost increases’ Rene’ Edwards STAFF WRITER

Tuition will increase $515 a semester for the 2009-2010 school year. The increase is needed to account for growing costs the university is accumulating, according to Bill Bliebdrey, senior vice president of finance and administration. This rate brings the block undergraduate tuition rate for full-time students taking 12 to 18 hours to $8,880, including the general and technology fees. Bleibdrey said cost increases, such as insurance and energy, are a few expenses that have risen significantly in the past few years. When costs rise, so does tuition. “We intentionally wanted to minimize our increase because of the general economic conditions,” said Bliebdrey. “We did this despite some unavoidable, major cost increases. As a result, we had to cut back in a number of areas in order to keep tuition affordable.”

According to the minutes from his presentation to Faculty Council, those cutbacks include the elimination of faculty raises, a cutback in faculty and staff retirement contributions, “selective” hiring, a slowdown in IT development and delay of any increased security expenditures. He said in his presentation that such deci-

“We also don’t want to generate excessive profits by charging too much. Students can expect annual tuition increases that will reflect our increasing costs of operations.” – Bill Bliebdrey Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration

sions were difficult but necessary during the current recession in order to keep university finances healthy. Institutions everywhere are experiencing similar adjustments.

A dish best served bold: Seth Nelson STAFF WRITER

A new item is being served on the Internet. An updated site for Wesleyan’s food services department can be found at http://www.campusdish.com/ en-US/CSSW/TexasWesleyan/. The site not only features the familiar sights such as dining locations and meal plans, but adds additional information, colorful pages and pictures, a Weather Channel forecast and more. “I think that it’s definitely a step in the right direction,” said Marques Hamilton, a senior mass communication major. Here are some of the things you can find on the site:

The cost of tuition is determined by a number of aspects, Bliebdrey said, such as the school’s costs, other local and national university tuition and what the university considers reasonable. University of North Texas and University of Texas at Arlington are approximately $7,400 a year full-time, according to their Web sites, but they are public institutions with enrollment of more than 30,000 students. Fees greatly increase the actual dollars students end up paying at public universities. Texas Wesleyan University’s enrollment is approximately 3,000 with tuition lower than other private institutions in the area. According to Texas Christian University’s Web site, full-time tuition is currently at $26,900 a year. Full-time tuition for Southern Methodist University, according to its Web site, is $35,160. Wesleyan’s new full-time rate, $17,760 annually, is almost half of the schools mentioned above.

See Tuition, page 2

A new site for dining services has made its way to the Web

Menus: Soon, this Web site will add the daily rotating menu for Dora’s Café. This is Jospeh Barnes’, director of food services, favorite part. “When I put the menus in, you’ll be able to check nutritional value of each entrée,” he said.

See Dining, page 2

What’s new? This new site shows newly-added meal choices. For example, Dora’s Café now lets you make ciabatta sandwiches. Locations: Dora’s Café (the all-you-can-eat establishment), Grille Works, Java City, Bene and the C3 Convenience Store (all in the SUB). Hours are provided for all locations.

Sports

Rams hoops ride winning streak and clinch automatic bid to NAIA National Tournament. Page 5

Entertainment

Before your spring break travels, be sure to participate in the Miss March trivia contest. Page 6

News

March 11, 2009

The Rambler 2

Dining Plans

Dining, from page 1

Meal Plans: If you don’t want to pay for your meals daily, you may choose to add a meal plan with your tuition. Those who are commuter students may opt for the Ram Sampler; those living on-campus may choose the Silver Plan, the Gold Plan or the Platinum Plan. Frequently asked questions regarding what can or cannot be done with the meal plans are also available.

Freedom Plans Freedom Plans are designed for people who plan to spend a lot of time on-campus. Any of the three Freedom Plans satisfy the dining requirement for undergraduate students who live in the residence halls. PLATINUM Plan - $1325 + tax This plan comes with unlimited meals per week plus $50 Dining Dollars per semester. That's breakfast, lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday, and brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday and anytime in between.

Catering: Are you a campus organization needing food for your next event? This link provides users with all the information needed to bring the same quality food as in our campus’s dining locations to your meeting room. View guideGOLD Plan - $1325 + tax lines, sample a menu or place an order.

Photo by Gasten Schoonover

The cashier’s office is preparing for the upcoming financial changes the university faces.

Tuition, from page 1 Bleibdrey said Wesleyan’s costs are rising more than tuition. “Rarely is there a year when tuition at this or any other institution is not increased,” he said. “As our requirement – it is that we spend no more each year than we take in – we also don’t want to generate excessive profits by charging too much. Students can expect annual tuition increases that will reflect our increasing costs of operations.” According to the office of finance and administration, hourly undergraduate tuition rates, which apply to summer school and part-time students, will increase $24 to $608 per hour. Next year’s graduate tuition will range from $442 to $842 per hour, up from $424-$809. All rates include general and technology fees.

Employment: This is the place to go if you want to work for any of the dining locations on campus. Download, print, fill out and turn in the attached form. Fresh and Healthy: A new feature provides tips on how to eat healthier on campus or at home. Also, find cooking tips and check back monthly for a different recipe to try on your own. Sustainability: Dining services and its parent, ARAMARK, commit to a cleaner environment. You can also learn about how you can be more green. Contact Us: Meet the people who make food services possible. Tomika Steward, operations manager, said she is happy about the variety the site offers. “In viewing our new Web site, I found it to be a very informative tool on all levels from meals, to meal plans, to hours of operation and catering,” she said. “It leaves very few questions unanswered when viewing the entire site. It’s very detailed and also has good nutritious tips for healthy foods offered. It’s also a good marketing tool for all the current and potential students and faculty members.” The Coffee Spot at Java Joe’s is in the midst of a soft opening. It will open over spring break and will have its official grand opening March 23. Java Joe’s offerings include coffee, tea and desserts and is Wi-Fi equipped.

Photo by Gasten Schoonover

This plan comes with 15 meals per week plus $100 Dining Dollars per semester. Ideal for students who are likely to eat 15 all-you-care-to-eat meals weekly. SILVER Plan - $1325 + tax This plan comes with 12 meals per week plus $150 Dining Dollars per semester. Designed for those studetns who want more flexibility with their budget. Spirit Commuter Plans Spirit Plans are designed for people who are on-the-go with the goal of making it as easy as possible to eat on campus. The Spirit Plans aim to make commuting easier for anyone. Ram Sampler - $500 + tax This plan includes five all-you-care-to-eat meals per week plus $25 Dining Dollars per semester. Payment Options Visit the housing office in Wesleyan Village or the student life office to purchase a dining membership. Pay by credit card, check or money order: made payable to Texas Wesleyan University. www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSSW/TexasWesleyan/

Openings, from page 1 Worth Star-Telegram. The entire center received new floors, new roofs and updated storefronts. According to news reports, the renovation is being funded in-part by a $1 million grant from the Housing and Urban Development administered through the city of Fort Worth. The money was split between TownSite and Wesleyan, and Wesleyan used its money to aid in the renovation of the Baker Building. It has been more than 10 years since the area around campus has had shops or restaurants like the Mama’s Pizza, Ashburn’s Ice Cream Co. and Mott’s that once lined Rosedale. City and Wesleyan officials are glad to see the new life. Community members hope even more changes are on the horizon. “We are to remain united to assure positive change in the vibrant part of southeast Fort Worth,” Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Hicks said. -Martin Garcia

Opinions

“Going home to Austin and going to South By Southwest live music shows.” “Going to the Houston Rodeo and Taylor Swift concert.”

Justin Perez Senior Business Administration

“Working full time and doing a project with Lauren.”

Lauren Bell Senior Business Administration

“Working extra hours, doing projects and taking a road trip.”

“What are you doing for spring break?”

Olivia Mitchell Freshman Elementary Education Julie Hutson Sophomore Political Science

March 11, 2009

The Rambler 3

What happens in Fort Worth...

Gambling cash flow not sufficient cause to plant casino in Tarrant County

esperate times call for desperate measures, and, honestly, these are desperate times. Not to slay the slain, but the economy is in turmoil and no legislation thus far has done much to help. That is until now, says a spearhead of Texas politicians. Ryan Their proposed plan Authier doesn’t involve cutting corporate income taxes or giving more incentives to college students. No, those are too simple and, honestly, don’t involve enough neon and debauchery. Texas State Sens. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) and John Carona (R-Dallas) alongside representatives Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie) and Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) are sponsoring a bill that would legalize gambling in the state of Texas, bringing 12 Vegas-style casinos to the state and slot machines to hundreds of other venues. “Texans are already gaming. They’re going to continue to do so. I say let’s regulate it and let’s tax it and let’s use the money to pay for public schools and highways and other needy programs in the great state of Texas,” Ellis said. I don’t know about you, but public schools and highways aren’t exactly the first thing to come to mind when I think of the city of sin. The men have plenty of figures to back up their bid, though. They estimate that gambling in Texas would generate around $54 billion yearly, $3-$5 billion in state tax revenue and create up to 120,000 new jobs immediately. In addition, $1 billion would be set aside for Texas students’

college tuition and another $1 billion for Texas highway repairs. Not bad, but is the money really worth it? The Baptist Church says no (shocker). Rob Kohler, consultant for the Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, gave a Van Damme-esque warning to legislators, saying, “It’s not smart public policy for the state to get into. We’re going to make sure they don’t.” Though that statement instills a fear that only the Baptist church can impart, sponsors of the bill aren’t showing signs of slowing down. What might intrigue the Wesleyan community

is that one of the proposed locations for one of the resort-style casinos is in our very own Tarrant County. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “Gaming advocates have suggested that Arlington could be a likely site for the Tarrant County casino because of its stature as one of the state’s leading entertainment destinations.” Arlington currently is the location of Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor, The Ballpark in Arlington and the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium; and that’s all within a few blocks of each other. Why not add a multi-million dollar Vegas-style casino to Texas’ own province

of play? Locals wouldn’t seem to mind the addition. In a survey done by the Texas Gaming Association, 70 percent of Metroplex residents feel that a casino in Tarrant County (and another in Dallas) would be beneficial economically. Despite the benefits, there are still naysayers, including Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck as well as Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief who told the Star-Telegram he’s “not overly enthusiastic about casino gambling in [Fort Worth],” but would consider it if the measure gets the votes. It’s easy to see that the casino has very obvious ups and downs. On one hand, gambling does bring in heaps of cash flow to the economy. On the other, that money is still coming from the consumer, and, like state lotteries, serves as a somewhat regressive tax, hurting the poor even more. As Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley puts it, many casino patrons would waste money at the tables that “would have been used to buy milk and bread.” This last ditch effort is too little, too late. Though it is refreshing to see Democrats and Republicans working together so diligently, it is generally a sign of frenzy. Yes, I do find it ironic that the closest place to play a legal game of Texas Hold ‘Em is in Oklahoma. And, yes, if there was a casino 10 miles east on Interstate 30, I would certainly take advantage of it. But this rash proposal of a bill is not going to fix our nation, only serve as yet another distraction from the real world. After all, “What happens in Fort Worth” just doesn’t flow like Vegas. Ryan Authier is a senior psychology major and is the entertainment editor for The Rambler.

Hit it or quit it: Texas sex education suffers T

exas is frequently thought of as “backwards” by the rest of the nation. Whenever the word “Texas” comes up, most who aren’t from here think of a guy in a 10-gallon hat firing off six-shooter behind a head of cattle. And though Texas has progressed a lot since the 1800s (shootouts in saloons are at an all time low), it would seem we still have some growing up to do. For instance, Texas had a ban on selling sex toys until as early as last year, it is still legal to hang a man Chuck for stealing your horse and our execution rate is four Fain times that of any other state – 432 since 1976. (The state with the second highest execution rate, Virginia, doesn’t even touch us at a mere 103, according to deathpenaltyinfo.org.) Given all this, it should come as no surprise that Texas has come in lacking in another socially important area: sex education. Recently, researchers at Texas State University conducted a survey of sex education in Texas public schools. According to straitstimes. com, 990 school districts were surveyed, which is 96 percent of all Texas school districts. The results were that “94 percent of Texas school districts teach that abstaining from sex is the only healthy option for unmarried couples, and, in many cases, students are given misleading and inaccurate information about the risks associated with sex.” This is result of then Gov. Bush (his legacy live on), who put the program into place for Texas schools during the mid 90s. Just to reiterate, that’s 94 percent of Texas’s schoolchildren who are given a “Just Say No” pep talk about sex, if their school even addresses the issue at all. I must say though, growing up in a small town Texas school, I’m disappointed, but not surprised. Sex ed at my school was one day in gym class. All the boys went to their locker room, and the girls to theirs, and we were shown a video about hair growing in strange places, our voices sounding funny and our inability to control erections – as if we didn’t know any of that before! The only instruction we got from our coach was, “Stop laughing.” God only knows what sort of poorly-produced video filled with obvious information the girls had to sit through (but if it was anything like ours, it was at least pretty funny). The “sex can wait” method of sex ed in schools may be about to change, however. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Democratic lawmakers in the Texas legislature proposed a bill on March 2 that would require Texas schools to “include more medical information about contraception and disease prevention” in their sexual education curriculum. Democratic proponents for the bill, Sen. Rodney Ellis and Rep. Joaquin Castro, say that the new law would not force schools to teach sex education,

The Rambler

Chuck Fain is a senior English major and is a staff writer for The Rambler.

Rambler Ratings

Founded in 1917 as The Handout Harold G. Jeffcoat, Publisher Kelli Lamers, adviser Tiara Nugent,editor-in-chief Ryan Authier, entertainment editor Gasten Schoonover, photo editor

“but if they do, they would have to provide complete and accurate information.” There are, of course, those who oppose the new measure. Opponents of the bill say that all matters of a sexual nature should be taught at home. That’s an excellent idea. Children should be taught about sex by their parents. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that talking to one’s kids about sex is a difficult task, and many parents either are unwilling to do so, uneducated themselves on the subject or simply don’t know how to go about it. I’m not saying that sex ed should be thrust upon everyone, either. Parents should have fair warning about their children’s educational curriculum and should have every right to impose their own views and beliefs onto their children – but not onto other people’s children. It is one thing to deny your own child sex education, but quite another to take it away from others. Other arguments exist, such as “abstinence is the only 100 percent safe method.” While this is true, it also raises the question: Are we not to do anything unless it’s 100 percent safe? If so, then driving is out the window (you should see the statistical data on that), so is swimming, going to the park, eating out and pretty much doing anything aside from laying in bed. One opponent likened informed sex education to telling kids not to do heroin, then showing them where to get it and how to shoot it. This is a ridiculous comparison, and in order for it to be apt, it would require the use of a prostitute in the classroom. Besides, sex is a natural, beautiful part of life – doing heroin is a depraved, vicious attack on your person. The fact that the two were compared makes me feel sorry for those who see sex in such a distasteful, unflattering light. Providing our youth with information about responsible sexual practices is not a green flag for fornication. Discussing proper condom use and the dangers of having multiple partners will not result in a classroom orgy, despite what the Christian right seems to think. Just because some savage, sex crazed animals are bursting at the seams to copulate with anything that moves, their ravenous desires held back only by their fear of their god, doesn’t mean the rest of us are. And while I don’t think people should be forced into taking sex ed, I do think that it should be available to educate the ones who do want to know. Obviously, the abstinence only program is not working so well. According to msnbc.com, Texas has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country. Why not give the next generation the tools they need to make informed decisions? Instead, we have resolved to just tell them “no,” then sit back and hope they don’t make a fatal mistake.

Martin Garcia, news editor Bryce Wilks, sports editor Ashely Oldham, advertising manager Rachel Horton, Web editor

Member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. Opinions expressed in The Rambler are those of the individual author only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas Wesleyan community as a whole. Letters to the editor: The Rambler, a weekly publication, welcomes all letters. All submissions must have a full printed name, phone number and signature; however, 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 opinions page. “We are not afraid to follow the truth...wherever it may lead.” -Thomas Jefferson Address all correspondence to: Texas Wesleyan University, The Rambler, 1201 Wesleyan St., Fort Worth, TX 76105. Newsroom: 531-7552 Advertising: 531-7582 E-mail: twurambler@yahoo.com

Thumbs up to the coming of spring break.

Thumbs down to the SUB for being out of chicken salad sandwiches.

Thumbs down to the huge amount of litter along Interstate 30 west of Beach Street.

Thumbs up to the basketball team lineup and coach who were recognized by the RRAC.

College Life

4 The Rambler

Unless you happened to have a grandmother who sent you the coolest alarm clock ever to commemorate your 12th birthday – one that allowed you the option to be startled from your sweet slumbers by cooing seagulls against the crash of waves lapping the beach, a jungle bird cawing above the noises of the rainforest or an obnoxiously loud and egotistical cock-a-doodle-doo of Old MacDonald’s rooster – morning’s dawn may not be such a pleasant experience when announced by the rhythmical beep, beep, beep. Your palm crashes down on the snooze button again and again until finally you leap from the covers, throw on clothes from the pile in your lazy chair and grab your bookbag as you sprint out the door (oops – homework was still on your desk). What happened to breakfast? A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes your blood sugar, giving you the energy necessary to start a new day, according to studies published by the Mayo Clinic. Additionally, people who eat breakfast are more likely to: • Consume more vitamins and minerals and less fat and cholesterol during the day. • Have better concentration and be more productive throughout the morning. • Control their weight. Have more strength and endurance. • Have lower cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease. Convinced your stomach shouldn’t growl until lunch? Your classmates will ap-

March 11, 2009

tions and require only a few moments in a toaster or microwave. Sausage biscuits, fat-free Nutrigrain blueberry waffles, frozen pancakes are a couple examples of nukeable fare, just remember to beware of calories when browsing these aisles. Fresh fruit – including grapes, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, apples, peaches, plums, oranges, melon, mangos and grapefruits – make healthy handy choices too, whether they stand alone or accent an “entrée.”

HONEY BUNCHES OF OATS ... with almonds

Ready in five or 10

For when you get up on time, there’s more choices. Eggs are always excellent for your body – whether scrambled, fried, boiled or poached, the variety of consumption abounds. Compliment the protein with some fiber – toast, half a bagel or an English muffin (the double-the-fiber English muffins made by Orowheat have a nutty grain taste and contain many grams of fiber to boost your morning energy). Who says Egg McMuffins have to come from McDonald’s? For a Mexican flare, spoon your eggs into a tortilla and top with salsa. Before cracking your yolks into the sizzling skillet, brown some frozen shredded hash browns. Once they’re dark enough for your satisfaction, add a couple eggs with a dash of salt and pepper. Surprise your taste buds by experimenting with spices. Garlic (but please brush your teeth before leaving your abode) and Mexican spices can also zest up your protein. Instant oatmeal and southern-style grits will stick with you till noon. Quaker offers numerous delicious flavors, including maple syrup, strawberries and cream and **DISCLAIMER** apple cinnamon. Add some protein to your homestyle Sugary nonsense such as honeybuns, grits by topping the steam- poptarts, cinnamon rolls, fried fruit pies ing bowlful with a slice or turnovers and donuts not included. of cheddar or pepperjack These breakfast illusions are digested cheese. quickly and will leave you hungry and grumpy long before lunch. If a stovetop or grill isn’t readily at your culinary disposal but you’re hankering for some salty, smoked bacon, give Oscar Mayer’s FullyCooked Bacon. It’s not quite the same as frying it fresh, but can certainly do in a pinch. Crumbled bits can also dress up your eggs, breakfast burrito or toaster sandwich. Likewise, microwavable sausage is yours for the buying in your local supermarket meats’ section. Finally, if you have a spare five or 10 minutes before sliding behind the steering wheel, set a bowl on the tabletop and listen to the sound of crunchy cereal bits clinging against the edges. I suggest Honey Bunches of Oats… a lightly sweetened cereal with three kinds of flakes and crunchy oat clusters baked with a touch of honey. Don’t forget the almonds.

No matter your pick for breakfast fare, choice to dine always important By Tiara Nugent

preciate it. Be adventurous and try some of these morning mealtime victuals: On-the-go

Like to bake but never ever have the time to mix up some muffin batter in the mornings? Use a Saturday or evening to whip up a batch. Store the product of your culinary skills in an airtight bag in either a freezer or refrigerator. Enjoy a homemade treat any morning you choose. Yoplait makes delicious fat-free yogurts in tantalizing flavors. Apple Turnover, Lemon Cream Pie, Strawberry White Chocolate, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, Raspberry Cheesecake – I know these selections sound more like delectable desserts, but really and truly each is captive within a creamy essence (of an average of only 100 calories) encased in a disposable container. Invest in some plastic spoons, and you’re set. Though probably not the most wholesome options, the frozen food aisles in your local grocer hold decent breakfast selec-

Professors’ ID mysterious no more: Web sites offer insight Seth Nelson STAFF WRITER

Interested in getting the degree of your dreams but fear getting in a bind because of a choice in professor? Among its many other tools, the World Wide Web is providing an avenue to make that easier too. Web sites with the goal of remedying unknown professor problems are popping up online. RateMyProfessors is an online service of MTV and allows users to post feedback on their instructors. Found at www.ratemyprofessors.com, the site touts itself as the Internet’s largest listing of professor ratings with more than 6.8 million student ratings of more than one million professors. “Each year, millions of college students use the site to help plan their class schedules and rate current and past professors on attributes such as helpfulness and clarity,” the Web site states.

Users can organize professors by last name, field, rating, easiness and whether they are “hot or not” (popular with the students). The course number for classes is also listed. The site contains professor profile pages that consist of information such as how easy the professor was, how great his personality was and whether or not a whole lot of reading was required. “Helpful and fun,” reads a comment posted about Brynn Brystol, theater professor. “Enthusiastic about the subject and her students. Great choice for a general ed fine arts class because she treats everyone with respect and gives students the chance to experiment. Face icons make identifying feedback on professors easy: a yellow smiley face represents excellent teachers, green “unsure” faces represent “soso” professors, and blue “frowny” faces represent poor professors. All are bases on student opinions. Texas Wesleyan professors rated on the site include Dr. Bruce McDonald, Dr. Elizabeth Alexander and Dr. Ibrahim Salih. Professors from the Texas Wesleyan School of Law are also included on the site. RateMyProfessors lists professors from the United States and Canada, as well as England, Scotland and Wales. A free account can be established by entering the typical e-mail address and password. It then allows users to keep track of what comments they make. However, no account is required for browsing, searching or even rating and reporting. Like its counterpart, www.pickaprof.com rates professors but does not yet include a Texas Wesleyan group. However, an interested party could establish one through the Web site. This site features more extensive professor features, as well as other services. Each professor profile is complete with information on what field each professor specializes in and student reviews. These commentaries list what each student thinks the professor does best, as well as what he or she could improve on. An additional feature allows users to compare professors. Pick-A-Prof also includes a bar chart consisting of how well students have done in the past, along with the number of students who have taken that professor and the average GPA and drop rate for the entire group. According to the Web site, such information is derived from university records. Pick-A-Prof can also be integrated with a Facebook account, it offers an option to upload your current and tentative class schedules and provides a book exchange. This feature is an eBay-style service where students can shop for books by entering the ISBN number, the author or the title of the textbook. This site is also free but does require an e-mail address, password and screen name. While Texas Wesleyan is not yet a part of the site, other local schools like Tarrant County College are included.

Sports

March 11, 2009

Streak snapped

Quick Quote

“My only feeling about superstition is that it’s unlucky to be behind at the end of the game.”

- Duffy Daugherty Former Football Coach

Upcoming Events March 11

*3 p.m. Softball vs. Park University March 13 *1 p.m. Baseball vs. Marietta College *3 p.m. Baseball vs. Marietta College *3 p.m. Softball vs. Concordia University March 15 TBD Golf @ UST Texas Intercollegiate March 16 TBD Golf @ UST Texas Intercollegiate 1 p.m. Baseball @ Lubbock Christian 3 p.m. Baseball @ Lubbock Christian March 18 TBA Men’s Basketball @ NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. *1:30 p.m. Baseball vs. Friends University *3:30 p.m. Baseball vs. Friends University March 19 TBA Men’s Basketball @ NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. *4 p.m. Softball vs. Ottawa University

Sports Briefs

Rams scoot by Jaguars March 7 The baseball team scored nine runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally past the University of HoustonVictoria Jaguars 12-6. Caleb McCool received the win, going eight innings and striking out six. Softball splits with Mustangs March 7 The softball team split a doubleheader at University of the Southwest, dropping game one 4-1 before taking game two 3-0. Sophomore Cami Riley picked up the pitching win and Lauren Garza collected two hits and two runs batted in.

A controversial loss in the conference tournament brought the Rams back to earth before nationals

Bryce Wilks SPORTS EDITOR

Despite the temptation, the Wesleyan basketball team has fought the urge to blame officiating for causing their 79-72 loss to Jarvis Christian in the Red River Conference Tournament championship. Two late technical fouls called on Wesleyan gave Jarvis Christian the opportunity to sink four free throws and put the Bulldogs out of reach. According to Wesleyan team members, the fouls were handed out because of the reaction to a Jarvis player who repeatedly elbowed Rams players and received no warning from the referees. “There was some crazy stuff going on that didn’t get called,” senior guard Willie Sweat said. “Chris [Berry] got elbowed in the face and had a foul called on him instead.” The loss snapped an 18-game winning streak dating back to Jan. 10 and ended the Rams bid to hold both the regular season and tournament titles. Luckily, the team had already clinched a spot in the NAIA national tournament beginning March 18 in Kansas City, Mo. At press time the time and opponent was yet to be determined, with selections set to be made March 11. Following the tournament, several Rams were honored with conference awards. Berry was named player and newcomer of the year and head coach Terry Waldrop got the nod as top coach. Check ramsports.net for upcoming information regarding the national tournament.

Coach, lineup recognized by Red River Conference

Terrell Henry Second Team All-Conference

Terry Waldrop Conference Coach of the Year

Kennith Gober Second Team All-Conference

Chris Berry Conference Player of the Year Conference Newcomer of the Year First Team All-Conference

Ryan Barnes Honorable Mention Hector Mukweyi Honorable Mention

Courtesy of Jose Valdez

Senior guard Chris Berry (above) capped a sensational season with 25 points against Jarvis Christian in the Red River Conference Tournament championship game.

Learning the tricks of the trade

Academic, athletic adjustment period key for newcomers on baseball team Travis Spencer and Bryce Wilks THE RAMBLER

As conference season approaches for the baseball team, which is ranked in the top 20 nationally, a clear picture of the roles and duties of newer players have been defined. At this time last year, many were playing high school baseball, and their preparation has been a key factor in making them useful contributors to the Wesleyan program. To make it in college baseball, one has to stay focused and calm, and while these freshmen may appear to have it all together, the transition to college has not been as easy as it seems. College campuses, even those as tightly knit as Wesleyan, can inflict a sort of brain trauma on freshman athletes. Think about all the admissions essays, school visits, discussions with coaches and adjusting to roommates that occurs before they can really feel settled. Sophomore catcher Mikey Valdez endured the process last season as he earned regular playing time. “Getting used to the college schedule was much tougher than high school. Not just the

Three Lady Rams named all-conference March 6 Three members of the Wesleyan women’s basketball squad were honored as all-conference selections. All-time three point shooting leader Kim Gatlin made the second team while Brittany Davenport and Brittany Turner were honorable mention selections. Lady Rams end season in tournament March 5 The women’s basketball team suffered 61-52 loss to second seeded Southwestern Assemblies of God University in quarterfinal action on the Red River Conference Tournament.

Log on to: www.ramsports.net for the latest game information and profiles of your favorite Wesleyan teams and athletes

The Rambler 5

Photo by Bryce Wilks

Freshman pitcher Cory Roper (above) is among the freshmen contributing to the baseball team this spring, after honing his skills during intrasquad games.

baseball side, but academics too,” Valdez said. As a young player fresh from high school graduation, heading into a college campus is very intimidating. Texas Wesleyan has built a strong baseball tradition and the competition for playing time among freshmen, returning and transfer players has become intense. And the demands are not just high on the baseball field. Even the first couple of weeks of fall semester can be very brutal with team meetings, individual meetings, strength and conditioning sessions and working Dallas Cowboys concessions. Those who never find a rhythm can fail to make it to the spring season. Wesleyan, like most schools, usually experiences a fair drop off in team membership during the first semester due to dropouts. It goes to prove the message that head coach Mike Jeffcoat preaches almost every day at fall practice: “No pass, no play.” Even the most impressive athlete out of high school must earn their keep in the classroom by working hard and making grades. Once a player makes it through to the spring season, the actual baseball

adjustments finally set in. “I learned real quick that just because you were good in high school, doesn’t mean anything in college,” former Baylor University standout Randall Linebaugh said. “Everyone is good, and a lot of people are better than you.” Thus far, the baseball team stands at 17-6, with wins over Abilene Christian and Lubbock Christian ranking as the highlights of the preconference schedule. Some true and redshirt freshmen have pitched in to support upperclassmen, as they prepare to one day be the leaders themselves. The transition from high school to college baseball is very hard, and many don’t make it, but a truly valuable life experience results for those who do. The transition turns young boys into men, and men into winners, and finally, winners into champions.

Entertainment

March 11, 2009

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From the web to the airwaves

CollegeHumor.com finds senior success in sophomoric comedy

rooms, images, instant messenger, e-mails and, increasingly on its original site that include clips from the show, Jake more popular, Web videos. and Amir Webisodes, Bleep Bloop for videogamers and These videos can be posted virtually by anyone who even Hardly Working skits that just show the guys goofing has the know-how to make one. But one such contributor became a phenomenal success at it. That Merchant of Virals was a group called collegehumor.com. The entire site is filled with hilarious videos and sketches like Brohemian Rhapsody that parody college life and celebrate its adolescent awesomeness. The initial intentions of the creators of the site was to solicit beer money from viewers, but before too long the popularity of the group and their videos attracted the attention of MTV. Now the once beerCourtesy MTV.com money-maker Web The entire cast of MTV’s The CollegeHumor Show splits time between writing and editing for site has become The the Web site and starring in the show. CollegeHumor Show, which casts nine of its editorial staff as actors that play off at the office. The site is also a host to a number of other fictionalized versions of themselves in a broad range of contributors who submit their own brand of videos so that hysterical situations. they too can follow the footsteps of this Internet mogul. The 30-minute episodes blend the awkward Through the successes of collegehumor.com, other randomness of Web comedy with the scripted elements young students are encouraged to retain their college wild of plot and story structure. True to form, the group side and find a way to incorporate that image into their maintains its original quirkiness that was so prevalent future lives beyond graduation. By holding on to their in the Web site and combines a more refined sense of original image of crude, rude and solid dude comedy (there Courtesy MTV.com comedic value to captivate and entertain larger audiences is one girl in the cast as well, kind of like the cool guy with CollegeHumor’s Jake Hurwitz (bottom) and Amir Blumenfeld have through television. long hair), collegehumor.com has made that transition from developed a cult following with their online mini series Jake and Through their weekly show the group continues to dorm room to office space and never left behind who they Amir. pull the same crude shenanigans that they did in their were, or their friends, in exchange for a career and success achieve success? Well there is hope in the horizon as the sun college days to interact with their new office surroundings, in the “real world.” demonstrating how you don’t have to let go of who you begins to rise, and in its beams we see a shining example of were before in college to fit in the more professional possibility, collegehumor.com. environment. The Internet has become a global community of people Connor Howell is a junior English major and is a staff writer for The CollegeHumor group continues to post Web videos who have a lot to say. They communicate through chat The Rambler. he transition from college life to the professional world is such an abrupt and rapid change that it sometimes leaves former students astonished at how quickly the life and experiences they had at school ended without so much as a warning. The people you used to hang out with all the time simply fall out of touch Connor as you go on with your lives working, Howell raising families and pursuing the dream. I think most of us could agree that one of the best and most important aspects of college is the people we get to know and the good times we have with them. Eventually, though, the parties, the games, the dates and the friends are put aside when we get caught up in whatever the “real world” has to offer. Does it have to be that way? Do we have to let go of who we were in school and conform to a strict standard for the rest of our lives in order to

TRIVIA CONTEST

Wesleyan Chamber Singers represent on national stage Monique Nolly STAFF WRITER

What sketch comedy troupe do the writer’s and stars of Miss March hail from?

A. Those Aren’t Muskets C. The Whitest Kids U Know

B. The Bloomington Bros. D. Britanick

E-mail your response to marchrambler@gmail.com for a chance to win a Miss March prize pack featuring bottle openers, boxer shorts, screening passes and much more.

Look Ahead

Wednesday

On Campus:

Off Campus:

• Cedric the Entertainer: Nokia Theatre, 8 p.m. • Tokyo Police Club: Granada Theater, 9 p.m.

On Campus:

Friday

•Off Campus:

• Baptist Student Ministries: Carter Conference Room, noon. Free lunch served

• Methodist Student Movement: Poly UMC, 12:15 p.m. Free lunch served.

• Hayes Carll: McDavid Studio, 8 p.m.

Off Campus:

• Combined Jazz Band & Wind Ensemble Concert: Martin Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Weekly Movie Releases: Miss March; The Last House on the Left; Race to Witch Mountain

• T.I.: Nokia Theatre, 8 p.m.

To submit an event for the calendar, e-mail twurambler@yahoo.com.

Saturday

Thursday

Sunday

Off Campus:

• Art & Love in Renaissance Italy: Kimbell Art Museum, All day • All-Con: Crowne Plaza, 9 a.m.

Monday

Off Campus:

• The Upsidedown: Lounge on Elm Street, 8 p.m.

Tuesday

Off Campus:

• Gold Fingers: Bass Performance Hall, 7:30 p.m. Weekly DVD Releases: Punisher: War Zone; Elegy

Four members of the Texas Wesleyan Chamber Singers completed the honor of singing in the 2009 American Choral Directors Association College Choir. The performance took place March 7 in Oklahoma City. According to Julie Whittington McCoy, associate professor in the music department, the selection was impressive. “Over 400 students sent in CDs with their vocals, some required music, and music of their choice with an application,” she said. “Screening of the CDs was done by four choral conductors from across the country.” Of the 400, the choral conductors narrowed their choices down to 50 students from various colleges. The four students that represented Texas Wesleyan were Caitlin Fanning, alto; David Gast, tenor; MaryMargaret Meyer, soprano; and Jeremy Smith, bass. The four Texas Wesleyan students that participated Courtesy of music department in the event The Texas Wesleyan Chamber Singers had four of its memebers selected to sing presented on the prestigious 2009 American Choral Directors Association College Choir. the concert during the ACDA’s National Convention. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the national convention, according to the American Choral Directors Association Web site. However, this was the first year Texas Wesleyan students participated. According to Wesleyan officials, those who attended the 2009 national convention had a chance to hear performances from more than 30 of the world’s greatest choirs and participate in a peace event at the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum. Choral director Gary Graden conducted the group at the event. Graden studied at Clark University, the Hartt School of Music, the Aspen Summer Music Festival and the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, under Eric Ericson, according to a Wesleyan press release. He is choral director at St. Jacob’s Church in Stockholm and has been on the faculty of Stockholm’s Musikgymnasium, where he founded and conducted the Stockholm Musikgymnasiums Chamber Choir. With this choir and the St. Jacobs Chamber Choir, he has won grand prizes and first prizes in several of Europe’s most prestigious competitions, the release stated.