Sweet Revenge T H E
U N I V E R S I T Y
O F
After losing to Sam Houston in its last meeting, the women’s basketball team wins at home for homecoming.
T E X A S
SPORTS | PAGE 8
A T
A R L I N G T O N
Tuesday March 2, 2010
Volume 91, No. 84 www.theshorthorn.com
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ENGINEERING
Tech event used as recruiting tool Starting this year, a FIRST The robot challenge allowed scholarship is available to attract high school students to preview students from different cities, the College of Engineering. states and even continents. BY CHRIS HUNT The Shorthorn staff
The College of Engineering hosted the fifth annual Southwest Regional For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Tech Challenge Saturday in the Maverick Activities Center. The challenge, called Hot Shot, featured team-built and operated robots capturing baseballsized plastic balls and tossing them into various receptacles for points. Twenty-four teams of high school robotics technicians battled through 27 qualifying rounds for a shot at the finals. College of Engineering dean Bill Carroll said it was the best turnout UTA has had at a FIRST event.
J. Carter Tiernan, College of Engineering assistant dean, directed the challenge and provided information about UTA’s College of Engineering. “All of these kids get to come to our university,” she said. Hosting the event allows the students to preview the campus — something she hopes will encourage them to explore what the College of Engineering has to offer. Additionally, team participation in a U.S. FIRST Tech Challenge is one of the new scholarship’s requirements. Interested students must also meet all of the President’s Charter Scholarship requirements, to which the FIRST Scholarship CHALLENGE continues on page 4
HEALTH
Fair offers food, fun and information Free food and scavenger hunt accompany health screenings stressing preventative care. BY MONICA S. NAGY The Shorthorn staff
Students will receive free health screenings and free food at the “Fun in the Sun” Student Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday. Sponsored by the Student Health Advisory Committee in collaboration with Health Services advisers, the fair is strategically held before spring break to stress preventative health care, inform students of the health services available to them through the university and cover a broad range of health topics. “The Health Fair is a wonderful opportunity for students to get some basic knowledge on health related topics,” Health Services Director Robert Blum said. With more vendors and volunteers than the year before, the
WHEN AND WHERE What: Student Health Fair 2010 When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday Where: University Center Palo Duro Lounge and Central Library Mall
fair will offer more hands-on interaction for students, health educator Nekima Booker said. Through the 42 vendors, students can expect services ranging from kidney, blood pressure and vision screenings, as well as massages and pedicures. Kinesiology junior Natalie Herring recommends that students attend. “Not a lot of people know what’s going on in their body, so to go somewhere where they can be informed and possibly prevent a problem is awesome,” she said. While taking part in the free health screenings offered, students can also grab free food provided by vendors like Sweet ToFAIR continues on page 6
The Shorthorn: Will LaVoncher
Comedian Tissa Hami performs Monday night in the Rosebud Theatre. Hami had a short stand up act followed by her telling life stories about how she got to be where she is.
Muslim-American comedian turns her daily experiences into entertainment BY HANNAH DOCKRAY The Shorthorn staff
Multicultural Affairs director Leticia Martinez opened a night of comedy by alerting the audience members that the terror level had been increased to orange, while introducing Muslim-American comedian Tissa Hami. Hami performed in front of a crowd of about 50 Monday night in
10 0 2 G N I M HOMECO
s ral storietion. ne of seve bra This is o e weeklong cele th covering
Corps of Cadets’ Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony welcomes new members.
Maversity: Why GI Joe Enlisted Barbie 12:30 p.m., UC San Saba Get the full schedule at
TheShorthorn.com
COMEDY continues on page 6
Hunger event portrays discrepancy in food rations Participants in the Hunger Banquet experience the hunger millions feel daily.
BY ALYSIA R. BROOKS The Shorthorn staff
BY JOHNATHAN SILVER The Shorthorn senior staff
The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley
ROTC members watch from the Palo Duro Lounge as a round is fired by the Carlisle Cannons during the Hall of Honor Reception toasts on Saturday.
As Medina read, nine cadets lined up on the stage behind her dressed in uniforms reflecting the various time periods outlined in the poem, including the time of World War I, World War
Welcoming Diversity 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., University Center San Jacinto.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Cadets honored in ROTC tradition The Corps of Cadets held its 30th Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony on Saturday, honoring two inductees from two generations. The event, which began with a reception at 10:30 a.m. in the Palo Duro Lounge and continued with a luncheon at 1 p.m. in the Rio Grande Ballroom, honored retired Lt. Col. Lee B. Wilson and Col. Lester Simpson for their careers in the military as well as their time in the Corps of Cadets. During the reception, cadet Staff Sgt. and nursing junior Analise Medina read the poem, “I Am A Maverick.” The piece details the history of the Corps of Cadets on campus from the time the university was a military academy to present day.
the Rosebud Theatre. She said her stand-up includes topics that usually make Americans uneasy. Her jokes encompassed a variety of Muslim stereotypes and made fun of the superficial way others see Iranians. Her performance began with a 30-minute comedy skit followed by a speech on her life lessons and wrapped up
TODAY’S DIVERSITY EVENTS
II, and the Korean and Vietnam wars. “Reading the poem makes me really proud because of the rich HALL continues on page 3
Event participants learned Monday night during the Oxfam America Hunger Banquet that a brief conversation or an unexpected economic downturn could result in people losing their source of income and livelihood. The event was part of Oxfam America’s ACT FAST initiative to educate people about world hunger and resource shortages and to garner support for beating poverty. Participants were assigned a social class and ate accordingly. But some changed classes after a scenario in which they experienced good times or lost jobs. Out of the nearly 50 who participated, those who represented highclass society were served tea, chicken, rice, vegetables and beans. Middle-
class partakers were given rice, beans and water, whereas those in the low class were served only rice and water. Before the feast began, Brian Builta, Tarrant Area Food Bank grants specialist, explained to listeners the weight of world hunger and what his local organization does. One event that launched hunger and disaster relief benefits was the charity single “We Are the World,” recorded in 1985. More than a billion people worldwide are hungry, he said. “Those are astronomical numbers,” Builta said. “Nine hundred eighty-seven million people on Earth live on a dollar a day or less.” He added that there is hunger among friends and other members of society that many don’t notice. He said although it doesn’t seem as tragic as malnourished children in Africa, hunger is everywhere and needs to be combated. Most participants walked into the HUNGER continues on page 6