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Friday October 2, 2009 INDEX News 2,3,4,6 Calendar 2 Opinion 5 Classifieds 7 Sports 8
Volume 91, No. 25 www.theshorthorn.com
Keeping Our Own
Since 1919
Men’s basketball team head coach Scott Cross gets contract extension to stay through the 2012-2013 season. SPORTS | PAGE 8
STUDENT LIFE
Bed Races pushed back 1 week Some showed up at Maverick Stadium to find just an empty field because the announcement came so late. BY ARIONNE WELLS The Shorthorn staff
Thursday’s Bed Races have been postponed until Thursday after an evening forecast that included lightning and thunderstorms. Lightning as opposed to water postponed the event, said Maggie Garza,
EXCEL Campus Activities University Events director. Another popular campus tradition, Oozeball, the mud volleyball tournament, was also rescheduled due to inclement weather. The organizations sponsoring the event — EXCEL and the Campus Recreation Department — will meet today and discuss the specifics, like the rescheduled time, said John Hillas, Student Activities assistant director. “Right now all I can say is that it will be on the evening of the 8th and it will still be
SAFETY
at Maverick Stadium,” he said. Members of the Freshmen Leaders on Campus are among students who had prior arrangements on the night of Oct. 8, said Jeff Hazelrigs, undeclared freshman and FLOC president. “I was pretty bummed about the postponement because I have to attend the Leadership Center’s Etiquette Dinner that same night,” he said. Jonathan Walker, interdisciplinary studies junior, said that because of EXCEL’s delayed announcement about the
BED RACES RESCHEDULED When: Thursday Time: TBA Location: Maverick Stadium
rescheduling, some students actually went to Maverick Stadium on Thursday night looking forward to the annual event. “It’s unfortunate that it came down to BED RACES continues on page 4
CAMPUS RECREATION
Confirmed student H1N1 case on campus The student, diagnosed Thursday, began feeling sick Monday, left campus and immediately sought medical attention. BY NICOLE HINES The Shorthorn staff
Physicians diagnosed a student with a type A influenza H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, Thursday morning. University spokesperson Kristin Sullivan said Health Services confirmed 25 out of 104 samples tested positive for the common seasonal flu since Aug. 24. Any of these 25 people could have contracted the H1N1 virus, but the service the university used to test for the virus, Tarrant County Public Health, no longer tests for it. As the scare died down, the need for testing declined, Sullivan said. “If you’re sick with the flu right now, you may have the H1N1 strain because seasonal flu typically occurs during winter months,” she said. Emergency management officials across campus regularly discuss issues like the H1N1 virus and have an emergency pandemic plan for the university, she said. “We respond appropriately to the circumstance,” Sullivan said. There is not a set number of cases the university requires to close the campus, but it would respond to the needs of the campus, she said. The Star-Telegram reported Tuesday that a Fort FLU continues on page 4
HEALTH
Classes to help tobacco-users quit begin on Tuesday Program will educate on understanding addiction, steps to stop, handling withdrawal and relapse, and info on resources. BY JOAN KHALAF The Shorthorn senior staff
The campus community may now start signing up for a program aiming to educate BE HEARD and help tobacco users quit. To voice opinions on the proposed tobacco ban to adHealth Serministrators, e-mail hradminvices will conduct istration@uta.edu by Oct. 19. Tobacco Cessation classes starting Tuesday. The program was one of four recommendations the Tobacco-Free Campus Initiative committee sent to President James CESSATION continues on page 3
The Shorthorn: Meghan Williams
OVER THE TOP Management senior Miles Courtney, left, thumb-wrestles business junior Patrick Benavides while undeclared freshman Robert Bastamante looks Thursday in the Maverick Activities Center. After an intense core workout, Courtney and Benavides decided to end with a thumbwrestling match in which Benavides walked away as the victor.
OUTREACH
Program tries to spur Arlington businesses to sport UTA colors Move hopes to bring college-town feel by providing information and supplies like banners and photos. BY JOHN HARDEN The Shorthorn staff
A new university program is encouraging businesses to display a little orange and blue. The Paint the Town Blue program debuted this week, creating ways for local businesses to promote their business by displaying some school spirit. The program will provide local businesses with Maverick Discount Program information, Maverick banners and photos, and advertising specials in The Shorthorn. “When you go to places like TCU or somewhere like UT-Austin, what do you see? You see the school colors everywhere,” said Amy Schultz, Communications associate vice president. “But here in Arlington, where is all the orange and blue?” The program is a part of UTA’s new community outreach initiative, College Town, UTA, which is meant to help connect the university with its neighbors. City councilwoman Lana Wolff, who represents the downtown Arlington district, said she hopes creating a college-town atmosphere will lure more employers to the area. “We like what Amy Schultz is doing with the College Town, UTA outreach
The Shorthorn: Stephanie Goddard
Fuzzy’s Tacos, on Abram Street, has a wall dedicated to university spirit. Paint the Town Blue, a new program, encourages local businesses to display UTA colors.
program,” Wolff said. “We believe that if we can show businesses the effect a college town atmosphere can do, then I’m certain we can build outside interest.” Creating a college-town environment has potential to help local businesses, said Cynthia Chippindale, Potager Natural Café and Other Stuff owner. The traffic such an environment produces could lead to more exposure of
FOR MORE INFORMATION visit http://www.uta.edu/ucomm/collegetown
the downtown area, which means more exposure for businesses, Chippindale TOWN continues on page 3