T H E
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T E X A S
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Tuesday March 1, 2011
Volume 92, No. 83 www.theshorthorn.com
Since 1919
A cup for the soul
Weekend of tradition
Newly opened local coffee shop Health and Harmony House offers yoga classes and music performances. SCENE | PAGE 4
Miss a Homecoming event or want to relive one? Read stories and see pictures from the celebration. ONLINE | THESHORTHORN.COM
STUDENT GOVERNANCE
SC to take stance on concealed carry Senators will discuss and deliver the student body’s decision to Austin in March. BY J.C. DERRICK The Shorthorn senior staff
Student Congress will vote tonight in favor or opposition of a bill that sits before the 82nd Texas Legislature that would permit con-
LIBERAL ARTS
Women discuss the trials of war
cealed handgun license holders to carry weapons on campus. SC President Aaron Resendez said he doesn’t know how the vote will go. “I’m waiting to see what kind of debate Congress has,” he said. Resendez and a six-person delegation hope to deliver the stance to legislators in March. “Being the second largest institu-
tion in the UT System, I think it’s our obligation to speak on behalf of 33,000 students,” he said. Resendez said SC used several tools to gather student feedback on the issue. Efforts included hosting a forum last week during which senators met with attendees and a Maverick Opinion Board that gave students the opportunity to voice opinions by writing sticky notes and
attaching them on boards placed around campus. “We’re having senators talk to constituents, and we’ve received emails and read the editorials in The Shorthorn,” he said. Jeff Hazelrigs, Liberal Arts senator, said he was able to speak with 10 to 15 constituents at the forum. CONCEALED continues on page 3
WHEN AND WHERE Student Congress will vote in favor or opposition of concealed carry on campus. When: 6 tonight Where: Student Congress Chambers, lower level University Center SC will travel to Austin to relay the opinion to legislators this month.
‘Platanos y Collard Greens’ confronts cultural issues.
The 25th annual Women’s History Month lecture series will include four events. BY STEPHANIE KNEFEL The Shorthorn staff
The UTA community can look at the ties between women and war as a part of Women’s History Month. Women’s Studies will hold a series of guest lecturers throughout March. The topic this year is Women and War. Desiree Henderson, Women’s Studies interim chair, said the speakers will bring diverse individual perspectives about women and how war affects them positively or negatively. “The ironic situation is women in war-torn countries tend to deal with greater harshness, but in the United States, the military can be an opportunity for women to advance socially and politically,” Henderson said. Doris Buss, associate law professor at Carleton University, Ottawa,
The Shorthorn: Daniel Molina
From left: Actors Karina Ortiz and Edgar Moore Jr. portray two young college students that fall in love and break cultural barriers in the process in Platanos and Collard Greens Monday night in the Rosebud Theatre. The play began Diversity Week and was hosted by Multicultural Affairs along with EXCEL Campus Activites.
Off-Broadway play starts diversity week
WOMEN continues on page 5
MAVERICK SPEAKERS SERIES
Bill Nye tickets sell Wednesday Tickets to attend a roundtable discussion with Bill Nye will be available 8 a.m. Wednesday at utatickets.com. After tickets for Nye’s Maverick Speakers Series lecture at 7:30 p.m. March 23 sold out in four hours, UTA’s fastest selling speaker of the series, the roundtable discussion moved from Nedderman Hall to Bill Nye, Emmy2,709 seat Texas award winning Hall, allowing television host for more attendees. The roundtable at 3:30 p.m. March 23 is part of the Annual Celebration of Excellence by Students and will feature a discussion between a four-member panel and Nye on the current state of science. After the discussion, audience members can ask Nye questions. The roundtable is only open to the UTA community, while the lecture is open to the public. The event is free to attend but requires a ticket. — Vidwan Raghavan
BY MELANIE GRUBEN The Shorthorn staff
The Shorthorn: Daniel Molina
Toi Williams dances on stage as he plays the supportive father in Platanos and Collard Greens Monday night in the Rosebud Theatre.
An interracial couple sat on the Rosebud Theatre stage, deep in intimate discussion, when a Latina woman’s voice cried out over the speakers, “Angelita! What is that black boy doing in my house?” A touring play from New York, Platanos y Collard Greens, brought to UTA drama, spoken word poetry, dance and music in reflection of the conflict and connections between black and Latino cultures throughout American history Monday night. Written by David Lamb, the play told the story of black college student Freeman Woodson and Dominican college student Angelita Cimarones who fall in love and face prejudice from their families and the outside world. The event was hosted by Multicultural Affairs and sponsored by EXCEL Campus Activities with a grant from Target.
The Rosebud Theatre was less than half full with 80 attendees, but erupted in cheers when actor Taylor Preston shouted out, “If you’re ready for platanos, and you’re ready for collard greens, let me hear you make some noise!” Edgar Moore, who played Freeman Woodson, said upon seeing the smallness of the crowd, the actors were at first disheartened. However, the energy of the crowd made up for the size, he said. “Once they responded after that first scene, we knew it was going to be good,” Moore said with a grin. Moore said his true goal with this production was to make people feel good. Actors should “make them feel good, make them forget about what BS is going on in their lives, at least for three hours,” he said The play’s language blurred the line between diaPLATANOS continues on page 6
UTA VOLUNTEERS
Cluck declares American Red Cross month UTA Volunteers and Mission Arlington offer volunteer opportunities for the month. BY ALI AMIR MUSTANSIR The Shorthorn senior staff
Volunteering springs to life on campus as American Red Cross month begins. Arlington mayor Robert Cluck declared March 2011 American Red Cross month as part of a long-standing national tradition made annually since 1943, when
President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared March 1943 ‘Red Cross Month.’ Lynn Handley, American Red Cross Chisholm Trail chief communications officer, said the organization requested the proclamation from the city. “We ask mayors of every city and community to also declare [the month] to raise awareness,” she said. Handley said there are a number of things volunteers are trained for at the Red Cross. She
said health and safety volunteers may be trained in CPR, first aid or as a lifeguard, while disasterrelated volunteers may be trained to assess damages or to assist victims and relief workers on site by providing snacks and drinks. All Red Cross volunteers must submit to a background check, Handley said. She said the check is like one a person would have when applying for a job. People with problematic backCROSS continues on page 3
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES UTA Volunteers will volunteer at the following: • Oxfam Hunger Banquet: Participants get to experience what buying power people of different social and economic groups have. 6-9 tonight in the University Center Bluebonnet Ballroom. • Movin’ Mavs Obstacle Course at MAVfest: Participants can experience daily wheelchair life. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 2 University Center mall. • Arbrook Retirement Community: Ongoing program for volunteers to visit with retirement community residents.