Rambler 4-1-09 by The Rambler

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The students’ voice since 1917

April 1, 2009

News Briefs

www.txwes.edu/rambler

Steppin’ Up:

Theater scene hosts Claudia Stepp Scene Shop groundbreaking ceremony

Focus Group Trish Quiñones and CETL is hosting a student focus group to better meet student needs. They are seeking sophomore and transfer students to participate. Students will be asked questions about their experiences at Texas Wesleyan. Free food (lunch and early dinner) will be provided to volunteers. The focus group will take place April 14 at the West Library. Time slots include: 12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. for sophomores and transfer students as well as 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. for transfer students. Contact Trish at pquinones@txwes.edu or call (817) 531-6564 for information.

Poetry Contest Aries, Wesleyan’s national literary magazine, is hosting a campus-wide poetry contest. Send all original pieces to aries@txwes. edu. The deadline is April 8. The winner will be announced at Awards Day on April 28.

UCD University College Day begins at 9 a.m. on April 7 with Rev. Michael Dowd, author of Thank God for Evolution, speaking on evolution. Additional presentations and discussions will take place from 10:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the orientation room at the West Library and at the gallery as well. All sessions are free and open to the public.

Rangers Discounts Ticket discounts are now available for Texas Rangers games for students, faculty, staff, family and friends. Tickets start at $7.50 and go up to $31, depending on seating selection (select games only). For schedule and pricing contact Julie Handley at jhandley@txwes.edu.

Rambler Contribution Please send all news briefs to twurambler@ yahoo.com. Submissions due by noon Friday to see brief in the following week’s issue.

Vol. 102, No. 9

Chuck Fain STAFF WRITER

Ground was officially broken for Theatre Wesleyan’s new scene shop at the corner of Binkley and Avenue C. According to Connie Whitt-Lambert, theater department chair, the shop may be open as early as next fall. “That’s what we’ve been told so far. Nothing is certain at this time,” said WhittLambert. The new shop, where all the behind-thescenes magic will happen, is named the Claudia Stepp Scene Shop. Stepp is an alumna of Texas Wesleyan and a member of the board of trustees, as well as a long-time supporter of the arts. According to The President’s Review, Claudia Stepp and her husband Rob gave $200,000 toward the construction of the new 5,000-square-foot scene shop. Sections for welding, scene painting, finish work and lighting will be included in the new scene shop, “as well as air-conditioning Photo by Tiara Nugent and restrooms,” Whitt-Lambert happily reUniversity President Hal Jeffcoat accompanies members of the ported. Stepp Scene Shop celebration March 23. The shop is named for These are all improvements over the non alumna and board of trustees member Claudia Stepp ‘72 and air-conditioned, restroom-less, metal buildincludes innovative sections for scene painting, finish work and ing on the corner of Avenue B, which has lighting.

International Experiences

only two sections: work and storage. Wesleyan’s own Bryan Stevenson, theater professor and technical director, created design for the new shop. The groundbreaking ceremony took place March 23. Whitt-Lambert said the department is excited about the new building and even has plans to begin renovating the theater itself. “We’d like to clean out the top floor, free it up for classroom and rehearsal space, maybe even another performance space,” said Whitt-Lambert. This is all part of Wesleyan’s “Rosedale Avenue Redevelopment Initiative,” according to The President’s Review. The initiative includes the redevelopment of the storefronts across Rosedale and the renovation of the Baker Building. Theatre Wesleyan has been recognized for producing some fine, and fine-looking, productions – even if the conditions the productions were constructed in weren’t so fine. The innovated new shop will improve working conditions, increase productivity and beautify the Rosedale area, Whitt-Lambert said, and the Wesleyan theater students will enjoy building the show almost as much as you’ll enjoy watching it.

Grad Finale ‘09

Retiring director ready for new discoveries Eunice Nicholson STAFF WRITER

It was her love of languages that transformed Betsy Johnson, an Oklahoma native, into an international woman. That transformation eventually led Johnson to Texas Wesleyan in 1998 where she was appointed to lead a new comprehensive international department in 2004. As Johnson prepares for retirement from Wesleyan at the end of the semester, she has discovered that her international experiences have given her an even greater appreciation of what matters most--family, friends and coming home. Parley vous Françoise? Johnson’s parents were a big influence on her early years. Her father was a Harvard-trained attorney. Her mother earned a degree in French from Wellesley. “I got my love of languages from my mother,” Johnson said. “They take you into another place. They are almost like traveling--you have to go outside of yourself and join this other group.” In high school, languages were her best subjects. Johnson’s mother encouraged her to study Latin as well as French, and she later studied Spanish, German and Japanese. Johnson also enjoyed the trips she took with her family to the east and west coasts of the United States and to parts of Canada. But it was a trip to New York City at the age of 16 that ignited her passion for travel. “Travel shaped my personality,” Johnson said. “It gave me a view of the world that I did not know existed beyond my hometown. After that, I just wanted to travel, travel and travel.”

See Johnson, page 2

Photo by Tiara Nugent

Graduating seniors attend Grad Finale March 25 and 26 in the new Texas Wesleyan Bookstore where they were able to pick up caps, gowns, invitations and tassels. Jostens was also present offering their latest in graduation rings and other graduation paraphernalia. Graduation DVDs are made available through the Psi Chi program. DVDs won’t be available at graduation, so they must be purchased through the psychology department. Students can stay updated on their graduation affairs by visiting the registrar’s link on the Wesleyan home page.

Remembering the soldiers and the cause

Jennifer Burgess, Psi Chi's current president, said the organization hopes to bring home to the battlefield: “It isn't just toothbrushes and deodorant; we ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR want to send comic books and candy and anything that makes them feel like With the looming economic crisis and controversy surrounding the curthey are at home, even if just for a few minutes.” rent status of our nation, many forget that this country is still involved in an Last year's drive, which mainly took place within the psychology deoverseas war. Though Iraq no longer receives the partment, sent more than 10 stuffed boxes to Troop bulk of America's attention, many at Wesleyan are “We have received four boxes of the products HHC 553rd CSSB stationed in Camp Liberty, Iraq ensuring our troops are not forgotten. “We hope this year we can outdo that since we're The Texas Wesleyan chapter of Psi Chi, the that you have sent and we want you to know expanding the drive across campus,” said Lopez. national honor society in psychology, will be that it brought excitement to my shop; it is The drive left a lasting impression on many solhosting its second annual Soldier's Angels drive good to see a taste of home here.” diers. MSG Zaiger Poll noted that “it’s encouraging during free period April 7th in the Brown Lupton – Master Sgt. Zaiger Poll to know that [the soldiers] have fellow citizens that Center lobby of the Student Union Building. Camp Liberty, Iraq care about them and their cause.” “We're excited,” said senior psychology maAccording to Burgess, the items in most demand jor and Psi Chi Secretary Tiffany Lopez. “We did are packages of socks and some basic toiletries, but Soldier's Angels last year and got a great response, but this is the first time we all items are welcomed, especially the snacks, games and various magazines. are taking it campus wide. It means a lot to the soldiers and to our growing Donations will also be accepted to help pay for the shipping costs of the packorganization.” ages. Psi Chi is asking for donations of everything from toiletries to magazines, The drive will take place at 12:15 p.m. April 7 in the Brown Lupton Censnacks and even board games. ter lobby, located between the Student Life offices and the SUB.

Ryan Authier

College Life

Stumped by your term paper? Get some helpful hints on researching and drafting. Page 4

Entertainment

For those who like to venture out, this well-known yet lightly-used island may be the perfect fit for a vacation. Page 6

News

April 1, 2009

The Rambler 2

Oldest honor society on campus makes newest additions Chuck Fain STAFF WRITER

Alpha Chi, a national honor society active on the Wesleyan campus, recently inducted its 78th class into its hallowed realm. Dr. Bobby Deaton, Wesleyan professor of physics and faculty sponsor of Alpha Chi for the last 30 years, presided over the traditional candle light induction ceremony. Alpha Chi is a nationally recognized, highly prestigious organization that honors the top percentage of a university’s students, usually the top 10 percent, according to Alpha Chi Web site. Wesleyan, however, holds a higher standard of the top one to two percent. Membership is obtained through invitation only, which goes out to active students with a GPA of 3.75 or higher. According to Deaton, only about 20 – 25 students get the invite each year. “If someone had a slightly lower GPA, we could also take scholastic character and campus activity into consideration,” said Deaton. “We emphasize scholarship and character.” Active since 1922, it stands as the oldest honor society on campus. Its motto, taken from the biblical verse John 8:32, is “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free,” according to the

Johnson, from page 1 To the West and back After she finished high school, Johnson attended the University of Oklahoma where she majored in French. Then, in the summer of 1964, between her junior and senior year, Johnson traveled to France to study at the University of Grenoble. She loved being there. “Once I got back from France, I just lived to return to Europe,” Johnson said. Upon returning to finish her senior year at OU, Johnson met her husband who was in the Air Force and on scholarship to finish his degree. After both graduated, they moved to Austin, and two years later, Johnson and her family, which included a stepson and the couple’s first daughter, moved to Europe. The Johnson family lived in Germany for two years-- a year in Zweibrucken and a year in Lahr. After Germany, they moved to London for two years and then to Oxford for two more years where their second daughter was born. “We traveled for 30 days each year on the continent (of Europe) and enjoyed the local festivals, theater and other activities,” Johnson said. “I fell in love with the art and architecture.” In 1974, Johnson and her family returned to Texas. Three years later the Johnson family returned to Oklahoma. Having developed a passion for European art and architecture, Johnson returned to her alma mater and in 1982 earned a master’s degree in art history. For the next seven years Johnson worked as an academic counselor and adjunct assistant professor in the college of architecture at Oklahoma. To the East and back With an overwhelming workload at OU, working 60 to 80 hours a week, Johnson needed a change. “I quit,” she said. Johnson happened to be friends with the dean of OU’s school of arts and sciences and his wife, so she planned to sit down with them for dinner shortly after her resignation. During dinner, the dean asked Johnson what she would like to do if she could do anything.

Alpha Chi Web site. Deaton proudly professed this motto to the new inductees, informing them of their individual and their honor society’s mission. While it is a nationally recognized organization, The Texas Mu Chapter is Wesleyan’s own. Deaton said members are recognized at awards day, are eligible for scholarships, compete in regional and national competition and receive an “honor tassel” upon graduating. According to the Association of College Honors Societies, Alpha Chi has 336 active chapters nationally and 385,029 members. It also reports that at the regional and national meetings “student members take part in presenting papers, musical and entertainment features, panel discussions and in voting on policies and actions.” Wesleyan alumna Colleen Burnie presented a paper at the national conference in 2007 and won a $1,000 scholarship award. This year’s induction was held March 6 in the Baker Building. University President Hal Jeffcoat and his wife were in attendance at the ceremony, as well as around 50 other friends, family and faculty. For more information, contact Dr. Bobby Deaton at (817) 5314887 or bdeaton@txwes.edu.

“I would teach in France,” Johnson said. The dean said he couldn’t get her a job teaching in France but wondered if she was interested in teaching in Japan. “No,” Johnson said. But Johnson sent her resume anyway. In 1989, Johnson, who was now single, moved to Japan. She agreed to teach English as a foreign language at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto.

Courtesy of International Programs

Johnson (above, left) enjoys the festivities at the International Program’s Banquet last spring. Her experiences as director have given her a greater appreciation for family, friends and her home, she says.

“It was wonderful, and it was perplexing,” she said. “I was in the most beautiful and historic city in Japan. It was magical in the snow and beautiful in the summer.” Johnson planned to be in Kyoto for only a year. After four one-year stints, she decided it was time to go home. On to Texas When she returned from Japan, Johnson taught ESL at Trident Technical College in South Carolina for two years and at OU for two more years. Then she made the move to Fort Worth to be near her oldest daughter.

Alpha Chi 2009 Inductees Kimesha Yvette Brown Chuck Fain Vickie L. Kohl Tanya E. Love Danielle Elyse Martz Eddie R. McClendon Joshua W. Mican Tiara Nugent Monica N. Pressley Terri L. Price Monica Ramirez-Chavez Collete M. Rose Mary E. Smithee Andrew Taylor Brady E. Wells

Johnson began her career at Wesleyan in 1998. “I had never worked at a university where the main emphasis was on serving the students,” Johnson said. “That impressed me a lot.” Johnson said. She was hired to teach ESL to Wesleyan’s international students and stayed busy teaching for five years. The program was thriving, and she loved it. “The ESL program was successful because all the teachers and students worked hard and were dedicated to learning,” Johnson said. “Being in close quarters for five-hours-aday, five-days-a-week, the teachers and students developed close friendships.” Then Wesleyan created the International Programs Department so that all of the international functions could be housed in one place. Johnson was a natural for the job. “It was like a one-stop shop for international students: admissions, study abroad, international week and the newly added international studies minor operate out of this office,” Johnson said. “I got to know people on campus and discovered they were the strength of Wesleyan.” Johnson is proud of the relationships she has built with her colleagues at Wesleyan. “Betsy is extremely supportive of the international students and everyone around her,” said Marie Boisvert, international student adviser. “She always puts others first.” Assistant Provost Helena Bussell agrees. “One of her greatest strengths is listening to the students and making sure they have received help,” Bussell said. “When students come to the United States, leaving their family support systems behind, such assistance provided by Betsy is invaluable.” Johnson will complete her 11th and final year at Wesleyan at the end of the semester. While her life and career has focused on international culture, Johnson welcomes the opportunity to rediscover her own culture, which includes being with her family and traveling in the United States. “There is an enrichment and beauty found in discovering another culture,” Johnson said. “You also discover yourself and your values more when you have experience [with] international travel.”

Economic stimulus plan includes benefits for students The Pell Grant program got $15.6 billion in new funding, which will allow the number of grant recipients to increase by around 800,000 to 7 million, said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org. The maximum Pell Grant will be $5,350 for 2009-10, he said. In addition, the recipient base for Academic Competitiveness Grants and the National SMART Grant program will also increase, since students who receive those must be eligible for Pell Grants, he said. Ninety-eight percent of Pell Grants go to students with family incomes of $50,000 or less,

Kantrowitz said. The stimulus also contains a $200 million increase to the Federal work-study program that will add 81,000 recipients, Kantrowitz said. About 94 percent of students who qualify for this program are in families with incomes of less than $100,000, he said. The stimulus package also includes a major modification to the Hope scholarship tax credit, now called the American Opportunity tax credit. The credit now goes to $2,500 of qualified tuition and related expenses (up from $1,800) for

four years (instead of two) of postsecondary education. Expenses under the credit now include course material like textbooks as well. The credit is 40 percent refundable, which means that up to $1,000 of the credit may be refunded to eligible taxpayers. Income phaseouts of the credit are higher now, too: $80,000 to $90,000 for single taxpayers and $160,000 to $180,000 for married filing jointly. -Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Stimulate Wesleyan’s economy: Join The Rambler staff Earn up to 10 cents per word for stories. That’s about $60 for the equivalent of your two-page English paper. Why wait? twurambler@yahoo.com

Opinions

April 1, 2009

Year-round beat down: “Dr. Pugh.” “Dr. Salih.” “Dr. Sowell.”

Michael Smith Junior English Major

“Which professor would you play an April Fools’ joke on?”

Emily Straighton Senior Liberal Studies Major Ashly Spencer Junior Education Major

or decades now, children have endured pencils, books and teachers’ dirty looks all with one coveted, highly-anticipated goal in mind: summer vacation. After memorizing test-taking methods and algebraic formulas for months, kids in America Chuck traditionally get a whole Fain summer off. They take vacations with their parents, have week-long sleepovers with their friends and just generally do other stuff aside from going to school. Summer vacation was my motivation to keep going when I was in grade school; it was my light at the end of the tunnel, my carrot tied to the stick, the proverbial prize on which I kept my eyes. I would countdown the months, weeks and days until summer vacation – and even if I had to go to summer school, we still got a month or so off before we had to return to regular school. Summer vacations are a cherished tradition in American culture. Movies are made about summer vacations, musicals are set around summer romance, and “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” has become the classic cliché essay. Though it started as a way for rural children to help their parents with the farming, it has since grown to be so much more, galvanizing and endearing itself to the American psyche. This, however, may all change. Recently, President Obama gave a speech in which he outlined his new policies for education reform. These new reform policies, labeled “Cradle to Career” according to CNN.com, has $5 billion set aside of the new $787 billion stimulus package for a program called “Head Start,” which will help low-income families. This new reform also includes money set aside to prevent teacher layoffs and to raise the bar concerning our children’s test scores. In addition, Obama proposed raising the Pell Grant to $5,550 a year and allotting a $2,500 tax credit for college students from working families. Obama also proposed making the school year longer. This means, in case you didn’t know, that Obama has now declared war on Summer Vacation. OK, perhaps it’s not that grim. The concern our president has, which is shared by many Americans, is that America is falling behind on educating our youth. In a study conducted by UNICEF, where the literacy and basic math and science skills of 15 year-olds from around the globe were tested, the United States ranked 18th. That was right behind Hungary and Norway. South Korea and Japan were in the top two slots, and even Canada mopped the floor with us, coming in at No. 4. More shocking statistics, such as a Reuters report that says only slightly more than half the U.S. population has a high school diploma, should send a message to the American people about the

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

Photos by Tiara Nugent

Texting kills students’ attention span in classroom UWIRE/OSU DAILY BAROMETER

S “Dr. Myers.”

Obama platform for longer school year avoids the bottom-line issue

sad state of our educational system. CNN quoted Obama on this pressing issue. “The relative decline of American education is untenable for our economy, unsustainable for our democracy and unacceptable for our children, and we cannot afford to let it continue.” I agree. America is getting lax on education, which can be nothing but disastrous for America’s future. But I would disagree that the problem lies in length of time kids spend in school and would propose that it’s what they learn, or how they go about learning, that needs reform. Specifically, we need to reform the standardized tests that loom over our schools like a hungry vampire, slowly draining our educational system of its life force. In Texas, for instance, so much is contingent on the TAKS test that schools only focus on the results of said test. Teachers’ jobs, school accreditations and whether or not a school stays open are all dependent on the results of these tests. I remember in high school I had to be in a special math class just for the test, and other classes were devoted to test-taking methods such as filling in the circle completely on a Scantron. There are other opponents of standardized testing, such as Fairtest.org, which says that standardized tests are poor judges of performance, often biased against lower income students and are used as the soul indicator of the schools’ performance and funding. They suggest an evaluation in a classroom setting with a trained and qualified teacher as the best means of measuring a school’s performance. The teachers’ union is also widely against standardized testing, as it limits their skills, forcing them to “teach to the test.” The chapter in Los Angles even threatened to boycott the tests, the Los Angeles Times reported. So, school sucks. Or, at least the way we have them set up now sucks. Arts programs are being mercilessly cut from schools, robbing children of an important part of development in favor of raising a few percentage points on a test. Teaching is structured around this test, and not only the material, but how one should go about taking the test. And while the suggestion of trained teachers personally evaluating classrooms seems cumbersome and difficult to implement, isn’t it an endeavor that’s worth a little extra effort? Isn’t the future of our children, and our nation, worth a little extra involvement instead of being reduced to an anonymous number extracted from a single test? I most certainly think that our educational system should be reformed, and I applaud any effort to do so. But I don’t think making kids go to school more will bring better results if we don’t change what they learning. It’s like having problems with your car starting so you go and buy a new set of tires to fix it. The wheels are fine, President Obama, how about we take a look under that hood?

Patrick Fancher

Richelle Pulver Freshman Paralegal Studies Major

The Rambler 3

tudent attention spans on college campuses are being killed, and the text message is the culprit. The act of learning has been brushed aside for key strokes on a device that has more functions than a Swiss Army knife. Today’s basic cell phone has Internet, cameras, videogames, texting, drawing tools, MP3s, and did I mention they also make and receive calls? As a child of the ‘80s, I’m still blown away by how cool cell phones are. But I also realize how addictive and counter-productive they can be, especially when it comes to texting. As an older-than-average student, I don’t want come across as critical or preachy on this subject, because well … it would make me a hypocrite. I text as well, but try to regulate the times I do it. My intention here is to stress a genuine concern about the negative direction texting seems to be taking students. Aren’t there ample opportunities for us to text outside of the classroom, such as on the way to school, while watching TV or studying in the library? Years ago, students were cautious when it came to texting during class, fearing they might get caught. The slightest gesture from an instructor would startle the student enough to put the phone away until the coast was clear. My Math 111 professor would always say, “If the phone rings during class

The Rambler

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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

and plays a song, you have to dance to it.” Those methods of proposed humiliation worked efficiently in the short time they were practiced, but now teachers don’t seem to have the time or patience to attempt such bold moves. Or maybe texting has become so frequent that they view it as a student’s loss and no longer care. I’m sure they would much rather see us retain the information than have to police us. I realized how bad things had become when I read an instructor’s syllabus that said, “Your essay should not look like a text message.” At first, I couldn’t believe it, until I saw similar guidelines on almost every class syllabus from that day forward. I’ve seen many students texting off and on in every class and always during lectures. It’s no longer concealed texting; it’s more visibly blatant. The engaging young woman in one of my morning classes who spends 45 of the 50 minutes we’re in class texting often wonders what we’re supposed to be doing once the teacher stops talking. She’s like a gunslinger, constantly drawing the phone from her pocket, rapidly texting, and sliding it back into the pocket just as quickly. I quietly tease her about it all the time with hopes of discouraging her, but it never works. Get your money’s worth out of being in class instead of investing yourself in your cell phone. Text all you want outside of the classroom, and we can all hope that the killer doesn’t eliminate your chances of creating a successful future.

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 Library (the bar) for moving into the Rosedale strip center.

Thumbs down to the football team’s season-ending loss to the Miami Mice.

Thumbs up to getting full face value on textbook buybacks from the bookstore this semester.

Thumbs up to the halfprice coupons for tuition available online.

Happy April Fools’ Day from The Rambler

College Life

4 The Rambler

April 1, 2009

AGHHHHHHH!

Take terrifying term papers in stride, write to success T

he rigorous ascent lies behind you. Before your eyes, the slope toward the finish line awaits your tracks. The problem? You’re enjoying the splendiferous view of course. The required effort, looming obstacles and anticipated travail between you and the finish line has nothing to do with your sluggish movements. Oh no – nothing at all. In the world of academia, the return from spring break almost never comes easy. Vacationing offers so much more pleasure, sleep, travel, sleep, excitement and sleep than the student life does. Though one half of the semester is complete, much is yet to come before May. You glance Tiara at the syllabus and the the dreaded words catch your eye, jumping off the Nugent page at 10 times the magnitude: TERM PAPER. Crap. What do you write about? How are you ever going to pull 10 pages worth of words out of your scatter-brained mind? When are you going to have the time to surf the library database for articles? When are you going to write? Did that professor require a dozen sources just to torture you? How do you get started? That last question has the easiest answer in my mind, but the hardest procedure to actually do. You know the answer already; Nike popularized it: Just do it. The mental block is 99 percent of your problem, so find your inner Hulk strength and push it aside. Choose a topic which genuinely intrigues you, and then give the following procedures a stab: Familiarize yourself Perhaps your topic involves analyzing the lifestyle of Saudi Arabian women from the 1950s to the present. Unless you are an international student hailing from that country, I would guess you haven’t much of an educated clue about Saudi women’s daily life. Here is where the scandalous Internet sources – like the forbidden sinful Wikipedia – come in handy. You will not import these sources into your bibliography because you are not going to quote them. However, the overview of Saudia Arabia’s economy, marketplaces, average lifespan, average family size, living conditions, government and dominant religion(s) will give you a primitive base of knowledge over your topic and trigger research questions, as well as provide you with some key search terms when it comes time for official research. Just beware that you do not accidentally use some of this illegitimate information within your paper since it now seems like general knowledge. Plagiarism is much worse a crime than citing Wikipedia.

Strategize I’ll admit I used to write my freshman English papers first and the required outline after (Oops, just spilled the beans . . . good things grades can’t be changed after three years). Outlines often sound like extra work, but when it comes to the lengthy, intricate, upperclassman essays, outlines are your second best friend. So much territory needs to be covered and the order/structure of your paper is very important. Yes, that does imply a primary purpose of the outline is to organize your thoughts. Additionally, it transports you to brainstorm mode and a hundred sub-points flow from your mind through your pencil onto paper. The more detailed you are in your outline, the easier it will be to write your paper because you will know under which header each of your chosen citations belong. Another important element of an outline is your thesis. Another directional guide, the

thesis serves not only you, but your future reader as well by concisely detailing the elements of your essay. A terrific thesis artistically weaves in the overall topic/thrust of your paper, followed by the specific topics you will address to make your point. In essence, your thesis dictates where you are going in next couple pages. Filtering your sources After you’ve drained your print allowance for the entire semester printing 30 page – give or take a few – scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles and filled a one inch binder (organization is your best friend in this process), a knot contorts your stomach. How can you find the profitable quotes? Is it possible to condense 200 intellectual pages into 10 bearing your name in the header? Grab your favorite color highlighter and attack the stack. Don’t read every word – remember, you’re only going need a sparse handful of citations from each article. Some pieces will be more applicable to your topic than others; focus on these. As mentioned before, having an outline allows you to plug in your best quotes under the appropriate section and analyze whether or not each paragraph will have enough information. Generally speaking, each paragraph should have a minimum of three quotes (if your essay has lengthy paragraphs, you will probably require more). Hershey’s slogan for the creamy peanut butter cups boldly proclaims “There’s more than one way to eat a Reese’s.” Ditto to citations. To include all of these forms in your paper: • Paraquote – This form is my personal favorite. Begin your sentence in your own thoughts, and lead seamlessly into a quote from your source, just like the sentence above referring to Reese’s candy. • Paraphrase – Re-state the point made in a source in your own words and possibly add additional detail. • Summary – Condense the general idea of multiple sentences/a section of a source into one sentence in your own words. • Quote – Taken directly from your source, this method of citation is verbatim. Doing so makes the read more interesting and gives variety to your writing style. It’s sure to impress your professor too, guaranteed. Editing and Revision Be meticulous. Take pride in your final product – you have worked too hard to get to this point to be counted off for silly grammar faux pas or an accidental awkward sentence. Reading your work out loud typically alerts to mistakes such as the ones just mentioned. Letting your paper sit a day or two and then revisiting it with fresh eyes is a great method for personal revisions, but getting another set of eyes gives you the benefit of an even fresher look and an unbiased edit. The ARC offers writing assistance via a personal tutor every day of the week. Appointments can be made by either swinging by the ARC or calling (817) 531-4219. Most always, your professor will be happy to scan your paper; this is especially helpful early in your writing process as professors are experts at gauging if you are treading down the right track. In addition, it will demonstrate how much effort and care you are investing in your project . . . and that can’t ever hurt when you’re striving for that A. Tiara Nugent is a senior English major and is editor-in-chief for The Rambler.

Become the big cheese. Winsome Women Re-enactments and animated readings make up the 2009 Faye Goosetree Symposium held March 24. Authors of the book Grace and Gumption, including Wesleyan professor of history Brenda Taylor Matthews, presided over the keynote presentation discussing great Fort Worth Women.

Photos by Tiara Nugent

Gettin’ the scoop

The Rambler is hiring editors for the 2009-2010 school year. Inquire at twurambler@yahoo.com Photo by Gasten Schoonover Freshmen enjoy delicious sundaes while signing up for advising appointments March 26 in the Bragan Fellowship Hall.

Sports

April 1, 2009

Quick Quote

“My doctor recently told me that jogging could add years to my life. I think he was right. I feel 10 years older already.”

- Milton Berle Comedian

Upcoming Events April 3

1 p.m. Softball @ Hardin-Simmons

April 4

Noon Baseball @ University of the Southwest 2 p.m. Baseball @ University of the Southwest April 5 Noon Baseball @ University of the Southwest April 6 TBA Men’s Golf @ Oklahoma City, Okla. Gaillardia Intercollegiate *2 p.m. Baseball vs. Rogers State *3 p.m. Softball vs. Northwood *4 p.m. Baseball vs. Rogers State April 7 TBA Men’s Golf @ Oklahoma City, Okla. Gaillardia Intercollegiate 3 p.m. Baseball @ UTDallas April 8 *5 p.m. Softball vs. Houston Baptist May 16 *TBA Table Tennis @ Texas Wesleyan Open

The Rambler 5

Berry shines for the last time

Guard leaves Wesleyan as all-time single season scoring champ, but plenty of talent returns for another run in 2010

f a McKendree University alumnus is ever broken down on the side of the road, I will pretend I don’t see them and keep on driving. The Bearcats knocked the Wesleyan men’s basketball team out of the NAIA national tournament for the second year in a row March 20, and my hate for Lebanon, Ill., and the college within it is now set in stone. Bryce Only one thing gives me solace: the Wilks fact that McKendree was bounced in the next round and headed home without the national title plaque. Really, there is just one team that walks away from this season thoroughly pleased with the outcome. Only national champions Rocky Moutain College got to fully celebrate, while everyone else is left to wonder “what if?”, no matter how gratifying the path to second, or fifth or 15th place had been until that final loss. For Wesleyan, a second national championship would have cemented their place among the alpha programs in NAIA, but their failure to do so doesn’t necessarily mean 2008-09 was all for naught. Part of building a prestigious program is delivering success year after year. The Rams have now averaged 23 wins per season over the past five seasons and hold a 21 game home winning streak heading into next year. Another necessity for winning program is to allow more experienced players to shine while managing to develop younger players. Wesleyan passed that criteria with flying colors as seniors Chris Berry and Kennith Gober shouldered the scoring load while Terrell Henry, Hector Mukweyi, Ryan Barnes, Ryan Glanzer and Evan Randall made huge leaps as players and are slated to return next season. Add that core to the transfers and freshmen that the coaching staff will surely bring in (just check their track record), and the foundation is set for Wesleyan to build on their winning ways. There is the immediate daunting issue of replacing Berry and Gober in the lineup with other dynamic scorers. For prospective transfers, there could be no better advertisement than watching how Berry adapted to become a first team All-American selection. The exposure that his performance brought is so

Sports Briefs

Baseball takes two from Tigers March 29 The baseball team swept a doubleheader March 29 against Paul Quinn by scores of 10-0 and 9-8. Junior outfielder Blake Walker paced the offensive attack, going 4-4 with two double and a home run.

Jaguars take two from Rams March 28 The softball team dropped two contests to the University of HoustonVictoria.The Jaguars took game one 5-2 and game two 10-0. Freshman infielder Christina Kelley went 3-3 at the plate. Lady Rams blank Tabor March 25 The softball team took the front end of a doubleheader with Tabor College by a score of 8-0 before game two was called off due to lightning. Sophomore pitcher Ashley Oldham allowed just four hits while striking out three in the complete game win.

Courtesy of Jose Valdez

Senior Chris Berry (above) was named to the All-American team after his record-setting season. Berry posted 21.8 points and six rebounds per game. He ranked fifth in the nation in scoring and set a new season scoring record with 740 points.

important for small programs, and his success was amplified by the team being highly ranked all season and making the national tournament field. This year’s team put forth effort that will stick out as talented players that are in bad situations elsewhere look for a place to call home. Perhaps next season, the team won’t return home from Kansas City without a win over blasted McKendree, and maybe even more. Bryce Wilks is a senior mass communication major and is sports editor for The Rambler.

Evans snatches pitching award March 23 Junior hurler Joey Evans was named conference Pitcher of the Week for the period of March 16-22. He blanked Bacone 4-0 in a complete game shutout to open conference play.

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

Entertainment

April 1, 2009

The Rambler 6

Fall in love with Puerto Rico S

udan, Saudia Arabia, Pakistan and Syria all have several things in common: they are not ideal college vacation locations, and they’re all regulars on the U.S. Department of State’s travel warning list. But on Feb.20, our neighbor south of the border decided to join similar ranks by landing a spot on the travel alert list—one notch below the Martin warning list. Garcia This saddening news comes at the wake of an increase in kidnapping and cartel wars among Mexican cities. Thus, many spring

some stayed home and others ventured out to different locations. In a time of travel crisis, where popular spots like Cabo Wabo, Cozumel and Playa all fall under the ‘alert’ category, I turned to our neighbor to the southeast, Puerto Rico. With Puerto Rico, we get all of the exoticness that we look for in foreign countries while technically not leaving American soil. Yes, the plane ride is five hours long and you do leave the territorial United States, but Puerto Rico remains a United States Commonwealth, or dependent and sovereign state. That means that your passport can be left at home; all you need is the proper attire and the appetite for fascinating coastal fun. The weather is indeed heavenly on la isla de encanto—another name for Puerto Rico meaning island of enchantment or love. The island bears an average temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit, and you’ll really only see significant fluctuation in the mountainous areas. Although Puerto Rico does lie in a hurricane path, odds are slim that the island does indeed receive a direct hit. Instead, most of the time it will only receive the showers that are associated with the torrents. Worst case scenario, one may travel anytime between December and April to avoid the threat of the hurricane completely. In car, it takes roughly eight hours to tour the whole island. While some would rather spend that time on the beach, the Photos by Martin Garcia Beautiful San Juan Pier, located on the northern shore of Puerto Rico, is a port-of- island terrain, made up of mountains, coastal plains and sandy beaches, would call for numerous vacationers visiting the island via cruise ship. enthrall most any traveler. breakers had their dreams of lying on the white beaches Student Spring Break, the college spring break of Cancun crushed by this red alert and may face same information and booking resource, reminds us of the disappointments this summer. additional perks Puerto Rico has to offer for being United Some went ahead and took the risk this spring break, States property.

“Anyone with a valid U.S. driver’s license can drive in Puerto Rico,” according to the group’s Web site. They also encourage tourists to visit San Juan, the capital, which is full of swimming, diving, hiking and other exploration activities. For the younger traveler that looks for the party crowd, Puerto Rico is also an ideal spot. The legal drinking age is 18, and “Puerto Rico is the leading producer of rum,” according Student Spring Break. Downtown Viejo (Old) San Juan is also equipped with popular party digs such as Señor Frogs. And if you happen to be out when the cruise ships port, the party gets even hotter. So the next time you are faced with a warning from the The view from Condado Plaza, a resort many State visitors take advantage of when visiting The Department Island of Love. telling you not to visit one of your favorite vacation hot spots, don’t automatically think Destin, Fla. San Juan, Puerto Rico is just a plane ticket away, literally. Vacationers will find their niche in the coastal high-rise hotels, the sandy beaches and even the short ferry rides to close, remote islands. Puerto Rico has it all; the biggest difference between it and Mexico is that your pocket might suffer a bit more due to Puerto Rico’s cost of living and expensive dining in exquisite restaurants. This summer, don’t be stuck on the beach sweating a travel alert—head to Puerto Rico to enjoy the same type of captivating fun without the worry. Martin Garcia is a senior English major and is news editor for The Rambler.

Local goings-on to satiate your spring fever F

eeling a little anxious between spring break and summer vacation? skating, a snack bar and arcade. The establishment offers a variety of food options to choose There are plenty of things to do around from including nachos for $3, a slice of pizza for $2.50, cheese town to satisfy spring fever and make the days sticks for $3, hot dogs for $1.50, cheese dogs for $2.25, pickles go by a bit faster. for $1 and candy from $1 to $1.50. For starters, several spring festivals will Rollerland West provides birthday parties staring at $69.95 take place right here in the area. for the first 10 skaters and $4.95 for each additional skater. The Scarborough Renaissance Festival will rink also provides private rental skating packages starting at $180 take place every Saturday and Sunday from for up to 40 skaters for one and a half hours and $200 for two 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 4-May 25. A short hours. Monique drive to Waxahachie off FM66, the event is a The Dallas World Aquarium is another avenue for airNolly re-creation of a 16th century village that will conditioned fun. Located at 1801 North Griffin Street in Dallas, include entertainment from artist, artisans and visitors can see many animals from different parts of the world. jousting knights, food, games and rides. Tickets for this event can The upper level consists of a mixture of avian species flying be purchased at the gate for $21.99 for adults and $8.50 for ages freely, building nests and caring for their young at the top of the 5-12. 40 foot waterfall, according to the aquarium Web site. Next up on the calendar, Main Street Fort Worth Arts The site’s mammals range from small vampire bats, to large Festival will have a four-day event commencing April 16 to Antillean manatees. There are also reptiles and fish of many celebrate crafts, music, food and, of course, art. This year’s event species. opens daily at 10 a.m. and is open until 10 p.m. April 16, 11 p.m. At the heart of this aquarium is a 22,000 gallon tunnel, the April 17-18 and 8 p.m. April 19. As it is aptly named, it is located Web site states, with a panoramic view of underwater reef life on Main Street downtown. Admission is free and coupons are filled with sharks and rays. required for food and beverages. For further information about The aquarium is open daily from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. this event, visit www.mainstreetfest.org. Admission is $18.95 for adults and $10.95 for children 3-12. For those who love to have fun in the sun, Burgers Lake Venturing back outdoors, there’s the park that Texas is known is a 30-acre park with a spring-fed lake for swimming. The lake for. includes lifeguards, a staff, 300 picnic tables with charcoal grills Six Flags Over Texas is already again open to the public for for cooking, six diving boards, a 20-foot slide and 25-foot trapeze Courtesy of mainstreetartsfest.org the season and ready to make you feel like a kid again with the and two beaches. likes of all the Looney Toon characters. The streets of downtown Fort Worth fill with folks Burgers Lake is located in Fort Worth at 1200 Meandering General admission into the park includes $49.99 for adults seeking food, music, arts and crafts for the annual Road. The park is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival. and $31 for children under 48” tall. Admission is $12 for adults, and children 6 and under are free. Whether you are a hot-summer-lover or a stay-in-the-coolIf you’d rather beat the summer heat without breaking the bank, Rollerland West is a indoors person, there is plenty to keep you entertained in town. great place to hang with friends while on the move. Located at 7325 Calmont Ave. in Fort Worth, Rollerland West offers great music while Monique Nolly is a senior mass communication major and is a staff writer for The Rambler.

Wednesday

Look Ahead

On Campus:

Off Campus:

• We’re Off to See the Wizard! Oz with Orchestra: Bass Performance Hall 8 p.m.

On Campus:

Friday

On Campus:

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

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

• Senior Reictal (Danielle Martz, flute): Martin Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Off Campus:

• 4th Annual Alumni Invitational Recital: Martin Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Weekly Movie Releases: Adventureland; Fast & Furious

• A Chorus Line: Scott Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

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

Saturday

Thursday

Sunday

Off Campus:

• Soulja Boy, Chamillionaire, Bun B and Mike Jones: Dallas Convention Center, noon • Rosson Crow Exhibit: Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, all day

Monday

On Campus:

Tuesday

On Campus:

• Hatton Sumners Board of Trustees Luncheon: BakerMartin Pavilion, 12 p.m.

• An Evening of Chamber Music Delights: Martin Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Off Campus:

Weekly DVD Releases: Bedtime Stories; Yes Man; The Day the Earth Stood Still; The Tale of Despereaux

• Texas Rangers opening day: The Ballpark in Arlington, 1:05 p.m.

Jump on the CHUCKwagon Join this buckaroo on next year’s Rambler staff. Page editors, photo editors, and writers needed. twurambler@yahoo.com