T H E
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Monday April 18, 2011
Volume 92, No. 105 www.theshorthorn.com
Since 1919
Southland Shootout
Mr. Trump goes to Washington
The baseball team corralled the McNeese State Cowboys at Clay Gould Ballpark. SPORTS | PAGE 5
Celebrity businessman Donald Trump is a 2012 presidential OPINION | PAGE 4 candidate worth considering, columnist says. TEXAS LEGISLATURE
UTA VOLUNTEERS
Bill puts Tier One reward in focus HB 1000 defines how UTA and its six competitors can snag their shares of the National Research University Fund. BY J.C. DERRICK The Shorthorn senior staff
The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley
Biology senior Jennifer Nassanga paints a shirt for the Koi Koi House orphanage in Uganda as part of the Freshman Leaders on Campus’ Big Event project Saturday outside the University Center. Volunteers painted shirts for the children, wrote letters and could buy beaded jewelry with the proceeds going to the Koi Koi House.
UTA served the community at 37 work sites for the Big Event The event surpassed its goal of 1,000 volunteers by 71, and raised more than $300 in sales.
Big Event volunteers helped in projects to raise spirits at the Koi Koi House in Uganda.
BY VALLARI GUPTE AND BIANCA MONTES
The Shorthorn senior staff
BY BIANCA MONTES
The Shorthorn staff and senior staff
While he would normally be making breakfast on a Saturday morning, nursing admissions assistant Alex Despres was in Fort Worth putting together a wheelchair ramp for a woman who had her leg amputated. Despres was a volunteer in one of the 37 community service events this Saturday, as part of UTA’s annual Big Event. The event provided opportunities for students to make a difference in their community. About 1,071 volunteers spent Saturday creating wheelchair ramps, cleaning parks and animal shelters, stuffing Easter eggs with candy and digging for fossils. As a part of the Texas Ramp Project in Fort Worth, Despres said the ramp he helped to build was for an elderly woman who could not afford it. “It felt really good to see her be able to get in and out of her house without assistance,” he said. Despres said he loved volunteering at the Big Event this year. “I wish we did it once a semester instead of once a year,” he said. Serving her last year as the Big Event director, Tiffany Kaminski said the event conquered many milestones this year. The event surpassed its volunteer goal of 1,000 by 71 students, raised more than $300 in hot dog sales and received a $5,000 sponsorship from Wells Fargo. Frank Lamas, Student Affairs vice president, put the Wells Fargo proposal together and said he was more than happy to pick the Big Event as the recipient of the money this year. Lamas said when he started working at UTA, only 100 volunteers were involved in the Big Event. “They’ve done a wonderful job over the last six years,” he said. “I really commend our stuBIG EVENT continues on page 6
The Shorthorn: Aisha Butt
Biology senior Monique Wilkins, left, and exercise science junior Thu Vy, right, play musical chairs with children at the Earth Day Festival Saturday afternoon at River Legacy Living Science Center.
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PROJECT LOCATIONS Students and other volunteers participated in community service events all across the Metroplex.
Saturday, 136 volunteers joined the Freshmen Leaders on Campus for the culmination of its global service project, the Ugandan Koi Koi House. As part of its annual community service project, the Big Event partnered with the group to give volunteers a better understanding of what the freshmen are trying to accomplish in Uganda. “I think the volunteers are really getting an educational-based project with this, and that is what’s so great about it,” said Big Event director Tiffany Kaminski. “They’re learning not only what our orphanage is, but what the students are doing to help the kids.” Volunteers were cycled through three project sites on campus, where they learned about the orphans in Uganda, painted Tshirts for the children and wrote them letters of inspiration. The Koi Koi House is a program in Uganda that promotes a self-sustaining and self-sufficient project that unites a village by improving the lives of street orphans, AIDS widows, village women, prostitutes, the elderly and the special needs children, according to the group’s website. Nursing freshman Amber Rodriguez signed up for the event after seeing the video the group made about the Koi Koi House. “It really inspired me to help them out,” she said. “Just the HOUSE continues on page 6
Late last week, the Texas House unanimously passed a bill that establishes a method by which the state’s emerging research universities can access the National Research University Fund. Provost Donald Bobbitt said the bill furthers the work of the 81st Legislature. “They didn’t have a distribution mechanism, so although we knew the criteria and what we had to meet, how the funds were going to be distributed between one or two or seven institutions was not defined. This is what HB 1000 accomplishes,” Bobbitt said. In 2009, the Legislature passed HB 51, creating what is now a $613-million fund to provide incentive to seven emerging research BILL continues on page 3
FACULTY/STAFF
Scholarship honoring professor hits $25,000 The 73-year-old professor decided to leave after UTA offered buyouts for faculty members older than 60. BY ASHLEY BRADLEY The Shorthorn staff
Physics professor Truman Black was surprised when he was thrown a surprise party for his retirement last week, but he was even more surprised that a scholarship fund had been started in his name, already reaching $25,000. “I consider it an honor that they are honoring me like this,” Black said. Through UTA’s Maverick Match, a program that matches all donated funds using the university’s natural gas royalty funds, UTA will match funds donated to The Truman Black Scholarship throughout the Truman Black, next year. physics professor Black has been a professor at UTA for 46 years, and said when he first came to the university, it wasn’t what it is now. “I came to UTA to establish research,” he said. “There was very little research going on then.” When Black first arrived in 1965, he said BLACK continues on page 6
RESEARCH
STUDENT GOVERNANCE
Adjunct professor uses new method, finds king’s tomb
Polls open for Student Congress election
The research team changed protocol by looking in houses. BY JOEL COOLEY The Shorthorn staff
Michael Callaghan, anthropology adjunct assis-
tant professor, has carbon dated the oldest Mayan tomb ever discovered, which will change the way Mayan kingship is considered. Callaghan received the results of the carbon dating for pottery found in the hidden tomb, which was found
in Guatemala in late March, and presented his findings at the annual meeting for the Society of American Archeology in early April. The findings proved kingship in Mayan cultures dates TOMB continues on page 6
BY BIANCA MONTES The Shorthorn senior staff
Student government elections begin today in the University Center Palo Duro Lounge and the first floor of the Maverick Activities Center. Polling sites are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Tuesday. Students can vote for Student Congress president and
vice president, UTA Ambassadors, Mr. and Ms. UTA, the Student Service Advisory Committee and SC senators. Carter Bedford, student governance and organization director, said the candidates will represent the student body. Photo identification is necessary to vote, and representatives at polling sites prefer stu-
ONLINE For a list of the candidates, visit theshorthorn.com.
dents to use their Mav Express card, Bedford said. Election results will be posted Tuesday night. BIANCA MONTES news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu.
Page 2
Monday, April 18, 2011
THE SHORTHORN
THREE-DAY FORECAST
CALENDAR
Today
Calendar submissions must be made by 4 p.m. two days prior to run date. To enter your event, call 817272-3661 or log on to www.theshorthorn.com/calendar
Partly Cloudy • High 90°F • Low 70°F
TODAY Downtown Arlington Music Mondays: 12:15 p.m. First Baptist Church Sanctuary, 300 S. Center. St. Free concert and lunch. For information, contact Martha Walvoord at walvoord@uta. edu or 817-272-2439.
Tuesday Slight Chance Thunderstorms • High 91°F • Low 62°F
Opera Workshop Performance: 7:308:30 p.m. Irons Recital Hall. Free. For information, contact the Music Department at music@uta.edu or 817272-3471.
Wednesday Slight Chance Thunderstorms • High 82°F • Low 67°F — National Weather Service at www.nws.noaa.gov
Exposure: Photos from the Second Battle of Fallujah: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Library sixth floor. Free. For more information contact Erin O’Malley at omalley@uta.edu.
Combat Narratives: Stories & Artifacts from UT Arlington Veterans : 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Library sixth floor. Free. For more information contact Erin O’Malley at omalley@uta.edu. What You Wish the World Could Be: Early Years of Six Flags Over Texas : 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Library sixth floor. Free. For more information contact Erin O’Malley at omalley@uta.edu. Art Exhibition in The Gallery at UTA: Master of Fine Arts Exhibition: Master of fine arts students display their artwork. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Gallery at UTA. Free. For more information, contact Patricia Healy at phealy@uta. edu or 817-272-5658.
planetarium@uta.edu or 817-272-1183. UTA Baseball vs. Houston Baptist: 6:30 p.m. Clay Gould Ballpark. Free for students, $5 for public. For information, contact Jason Chaput at 817-2727167. Clavier Series Piano Recital: 7:308:30 p.m. Irons Recital Hall. Free. For information, contact the Music Department at music@uta.edu or 817272-3471. Comedian Anjelah Johnson: 7:30 p.m. University Center Bluebonnet Ballroom. Sold out. For information, contact EXCEL Campus Activities at 817-272-2963 or excel@uta.edu.
TUESDAY
ONLINE
Violent Universe: 6 p.m. Planetarium. $6 for adults, $4 for children. For information, contact the Planetarium at
View more of the calendar and submit your own items at theshorthorn.com/calendar.
POLICE REPORT
ONLINE EXCLUSIVES
This is a part of the daily activity log produced by the university’s Police Department. To report a criminal incident on campus, call 817-272-3381.
The MAC to offer simple ballet class open to all Lengthening and strengthening muscles to achieve the body of a ballerina is the purpose of a new aerobics class offered at the Maverick Activities Center. Ballet aerobics instructor Lacey Taylor said the class is for all levels of physical activity and the concept of mixing ballet with aerobics is something very new for this area. “You see a lot of it in New York, but not so much here,” she said. Taylor said each class will focus on a different set of muscles with ballet positions. The class will be simple enough for all levels of physical activity and will use a lot of repetitions to give participants the long lean body of a ballerina, she said. “It is a watered down ballet class that will begin at the bar and end with stretching to lengthen out the muscles,” she said. The class will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Friday from April 22 to June 3 in the MAC Room 102B. The class is $99 with a discounted price of $49.50 for faculty and staff. — Edna Hortorn
THURSDAY Theft A woman reported at 3:45 p.m. that someone stole her cell phone while on the north side of the Maverick Stadium bleachers, 1307 Mitchell Circle. A suspect was identified and the phone recovered at the person’s house. The case is active.
monday
ENGINEERING
Second engineering dean candidate to speak today
Miscellaneous At 9:30 a.m. officers met with a student at Centennial Court apartments, 700 Mitchell Circle. The student wanted to report that the apartment director took her pet to the Arlington Animal Shelter.
Minor accident At 11:30 a.m. a staff member reported that a thrown discus damaged a vehicle at Maverick Stadium, 1307 Mitchell Circle. Police identified the vehicle owner and notified him of the damage.
PERSONAVACATION by Thea Blesener
The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley
ABOVE: WFAA News 8 anchors Cynthia Izaguirre, left, and Chris Flanagan interview Tiffany Kaminski, marketing senior and UTA Volunteers Big Event director, on Friday during WFAA’s Daybreak morning show at Victory Plaza. Kaminski was promoting the Big Event day of service that took place in a variety of locations in the D-FW area on Saturday. RIGHT: A group of about 40 UTA students cheer for the camera during WFAA’s Daybreak morning program outside of the Channel 8 studio in Victory Plaza in Dallas.
CORRECTIONS Thursday’s story “Crosswalk renovation to end by Tuesday,” incorrectly said the remaining budget from the Engineering Research Building construction would go toward operation and maintenance costs. The remaining funds went to the crosswalk redesign and to pay off the tuition revenue bonds issued to cover the construction cost.
Jean-Pierre Bardet, University of Southern California civil engineering chair, is the next engineering dean candidate to be introduced to the campus. Bardet will speak at 2 p.m. today in Nedderman Hall Room 100 in a forum to faculty, staff and students. The forum is the second of four to help the search for the next Jean-Pierre Bardet engineering dean. Engineering Dean Bill Carroll is stepping down from his position in August, but said he plans to stay at the university to conduct research in computer engineering. After the forum, students, faculty and staff will be asked to take an online survey to rate Bardet’s traits like leadership, communication, commitment and collaborative efforts. The university’s hiring committee, which is comprised of the provost and other members of the administration, will review the feedback forms before making its final selection, said Carter Tiernan, student affairs assistant engineering dean. Bardet is the second engineering dean candidate on campus. The other two candidates are scheduled to speak on April 21 and 25 in Nedderman Hall Room 100. — John Harden
ARLINGTON
Section of UTA Boulevard to be closed for 10 days
To read more about the event, visit theshorthorn.com. The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley
MORE ONLINE
The caption for the photo that accompanied Thursday’s story “students move to check king of chess” should have stated that Derrick Gatewood would play challengers from noon to 2 p.m. Friday. News Front Desk ......................... 817-272-3661 News after 5 p.m........................ 817-272-3205 Advertising ................................. 817-272-3188 Fax ............................................. 817-272-5009 UC Lower Level Box 19038, Arlington, TX 76019 Editor in Chief ........................ Dustin L. Dangli editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Managing Editor ................... Vinod Srinivasan managing-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
CONTINUING EDUCATION
•
ROTC plays Taps: On Thursday, UTA ROTC Color Guard played musical memoriam taps for alumnus and soldier Lt. Robert F. Welch III at River Legacy Park. Welch was killed in Afghanistan on April 3 after a mortar round landed near him.
•
Chess: Check out a story and video of former two-time Maverick Chess Club champion Derrick Gatewood returning to UTA to beat all but two of 11 challengers in a simultaneous tournament. Gatewood took on all challengers at once as he made his way down a row of competitors.
UTA Boulevard will be closed between Pecan and Center Streets for construction beginning at 1 p.m. today. The road will be closed for about 10 days, university spokeswoman Kristin Sullivan said via email. She said the road will be closed to construct three separate storm water and water tie-ins. The section is located between the parking structure being constructed for College Park Center and First Baptist Church of Arlington. — Vidwan Raghavan
News Editor ............................... Monica Nagy news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Assistant News Editor ............. Andrew Plock assistant-news.shorthorn@uta.edu Design Editor .............................. Marissa Hall design-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Copy Desk Chief .................... Natalie Webster copydesk-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Scene Editor ............................ Lee Escobedo features-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
Opinion Editor ...................... Johnathan Silver opinion-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Sports Editor ............................. Sam Morton sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Photo Editor ......................... Andrew Buckley photo-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Online Editor ........................ Taylor Cammack online-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Webmaster ......................... Steve McDermott webmaster.shorthorn@uta.edu
Student Ad Manager ........... Dondria Bowman admanager@shorthorn.uta.edu Campus Ad Representative ........ Bree Binder campusads@shorthorn.uta.edu Marketing Assistants................... RJ Williams, Becca Harnisch marketing@shorthorn.uta.edu
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Spring 2011
Campus Elections View candidates’ statements at www.uta.edu/studentgovernance/elections
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When:
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Where:
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THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON 92ND YEAR, © THE SHORTHORN 2011 All rights reserved. All content is the property of The Shorthorn and may not be reproduced, published or retransmitted in any form without written permission from UTA Student Publications. The Shorthorn is the student newspaper of the University of Texas at Arlington and is published in the UTA Office of Student Publications.
Opinions expressed in The Shorthorn are not necessarily those of the university administration.
THIS WEEK IN MAVERICK ATHLETICS: UTA Baseball
UTA vs. Houston Baptist at Clay Gould Ballpark Tuesday, 4/19 6:30pm
UTA Softball
Sam Houston State Series at Allan Saxe Field Friday, 4/22 4 & 6pm (DH) Saturday, 4/23 1pm Your #1 source for the latest in Sports
Monday, April 18, 2011
Page 3
The ShorThorn
World VieW
alloCation sCenarios HB 1000 would provide 4.5 percent of the National Research University Fund for qualifying schools each biennium. Schools would split that amount, with an equal portion being reinvested into the fund. If more than six schools qualify to receive money, there would be no reinvestment into the fund. There is currently about $613 million in the fund, 4.5 percent of which is $28 million.
university 1
50% reinvested into fund
university 1
33% reinvested into fund
university 1
25% reinvested into fund
university 2
university 3
Operator airs plan to control nuclear crisis TOKYO — The operator of Japan’s crippled nuclear plant laid out a blueprint Sunday for stopping radiation leaks and stabilizing damaged reactors within the next six to nine months as a first step toward allowing some of the tens of thousands of evacuees to return to the area. While the government said the time frame was realistic, those forced to flee their homes, jobs and farms were frustrated that their exile is not going to end soon. And officials acknowledge that unforeseen complications, or even another natural disaster, could set that timetable back even further.
university 2
One qualifying school
university 1
university 2
20% reinvested into fund university 4
university 3 Four qualifying schools
nation
Two qualifying schools
Three qualifying schools
17% university 1 reinvested into fund
14% university reinvested 1 into fund
university 2
university 5
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university 3 university 4
ASKEWVILLE, N.C. — A tornado-spewing storm system that killed at least 45 people across half the country unleashed its worst fury on North Carolina, where homes broke apart, trees snapped and livestock were swept into the air. Residents in the capital city and rural hamlets alike on Sunday mourned the dead, marveled at their own survival and began to clean up devastated neighborhoods. Observers reported more than 60 tornadoes across North Carolina on Saturday, but most of the state’s 21 confirmed deaths occurred in two rural counties.
university 6
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North Carolina gets worst of storms
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Gas in six states, capital tops $4 a gallon
Six qualifying schools
Five qualifying schools
WASHINGTON — Add New York to the growing list of states where gas prices are topping $4 per gallon. On Sunday, the Empire State became the sixth state to top $4 for the average price of a gallon of gas, joining Alaska, California, Connecticut, Hawaii and Illinois, according to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge. The average price of gas also rose to more than $4 per gallon in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.
Source: Dan Branch’s office
said the legislature was unable to establish an awarding procedure in 2009, because the measure wasn’t approved by voters until November. Branch said his plan wasn’t the only method on the table, so the unanimous vote was unexpected. “We thought we would have strong support, but to get a unanimous vote, i was surprised,� he said. “it gave us a lot of momentum heading over to the Senate.� HB 1000 also eliminates
the requirement that schools meet the criteria two straight years leading up to a legislative session. Now, the funds can be dispersed even when a university meets the requirements in years spanning two budget cycles. The fund exists outside the budget, so Branch said schools should be rewarded immediately. Branch, who chairs the higher education committee, said he is pleased with the progress made by the schools.
Science dean Pam Jansma said reaching Tier one is about more than the money that would be awarded. “We are focused on being a national research university, because that is what is right for UT-Arlington, the Metroplex and North Texas,� she said via email. Jansma said UTA was already on the Tier one path when HB 51 was passed.
Winds-stoked wildfires threaten communities AUSTIN — Strong winds and tinder-dry conditions presented more challenges Sunday for firefighters battling a spate of wildfires threatening communities across Texas, including a blaze in Austin that destroyed several homes and prompted an aerial water attack in the capital city. A complex of wildfires 70 to 80 miles west of Fort Worth around and south of Possum Kingdom Reservoir had burned about 32,000 acres and destroyed an undetermined number of homes Sunday, said Texas Forest Service spokesman Marq Webb.
J.C. DerriCk news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
Saturday’s Puzzle Solved
(c)2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
4/18/11
Saturday’s Puzzle Solved
DOWN 1 Antiquated exclamation 2 “Don’t think so� 3 Does better than 4 Sinuous swimmer 5 Microbrewery offering 6 More loyal 7 Estate beneficiary 8 Org. with Raiders and Steelers 9 Was linked with 10 Nightclub minimum 11 Each 12 Bridal accessory 13 Rapids phenomenon 18 “The Grapes of Wrath� family name 23 “A spider!� 24 ’60s-’70s passive resistance slogan 25 Dieter’s feelings of distress 26 Marks for life 27 Studio production 28 Gambler’s words of lament 29 Church belief
(c)2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
30 High-altitude nest 31 Cordelia’s sister 32 Golf or tennis 34 RPM gauges 37 Wrestling duos 41 Part of FBI 43 Physics particle 44 Old World Style pasta sauce brand 46 Computer user’s shortcut
4/18/11
47 Elementary lessons 48 Applaud 49 Old Roman wrap 50 Seniors often take limos to it 51 Bench, for one 52 It’s often enough 53 Instigate, with “up� 56 Debtor’s letters 57 Hitter’s stat
4/18/11
By Gail Grabowski
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Instructions:
ACROSS 1 Key in 6 The thing over there 10 Stalactite site 14 Sticky 15 Get a new mortgage for, briefly 16 Opinion piece, for short 17 Mott’s product 19 Tear up, as a check 20 __ Moines 21 Transvaal settler 22 With all one’s heart 24 What daredevils seem to lack 25 Place to fish from 26 Wore an upsidedown frown 29 Rail chemical carriers 33 Burgundy, for one 34 Pitched shelter 35 Dickens’s Uriah 36 State purposefully 37 Latin ballroom dance 38 Mythological ship 39 Hop out of bed 40 Whizzes 41 Monastery member 42 Fix 44 University officer 45 Greenhouse containers 46 Constructed 47 It starts after the overture 50 Newspaper unit 51 Captain’s “I need help ASAP!� 54 Extinguish, with “out� 55 Gust of wind, e.g. 58 Hamster’s home 59 Drop anchor 60 Counters with beads 61 Train for a bout 62 Japanese wrestling 63 Water bottle capacity
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universities in Texas, including UTA, UT-dallas, UT-el Paso, UT-San Antonio, University of Houston, University of North Texas and Texas Tech University. To tap into the fund, a university must have $45 million in restricted research expenditures, in addition to meeting four of six other Tier one criteria. According to the most recent statistics available from the Texas Higher education Coordinating Board, UTA met two of the benchmarks in fiscal year 08-09. Those two benchmarks were “freshman class of high academic achievement� and “institutional recognition of research capabilities and scholarly attainment,� as defined by the board. HB 1000 would allocate 4.5 percent, currently $28 million, of the fund for the biennium to schools that meet at least four benchmarks. The allocation for that biennium would be split between qualifying schools, as well as a portion equal to what each school receives to be reinvested into the fund. Bobbitt said reinvesting with an eye toward the future, instead of draining all available interest, was the most strategic form of distribution. “That was the approach that we were advocating and it is the smartest way to proceed, in my opinion,� he said. rep. dan Branch, r-dallas, who authored HB 1000,
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continued from page 1
Bill
Solution Solutions, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com
Page 6
Monday, April 18, 2011
The ShorThorn
Tomb continued from page 1
further back than previously thought. He said the next level of research coming in the summer is going to take a new look at the cultures as they don’t follow the typical protocol that came from researching Mayan hierarchy. “We’re excited about our research, but it’s also high risk. We’re using a new form of methodology by not looking in pyramids, but by looking in houses,â€? Callaghan said. The initial discovery was made in June 2008 by Callaghan’s associate John Tomasic, research associate at the University of Kansas. The team traveled to northeast Guatemala in the PetĂŠn region to excavate houses and see what the early Mayan people were like. While excavating a house, Callaghan said the team of archaeologists discovered a
Black continued from page 1
he could tell the university was going to be a great school, but it needed to be pushed in the right direction. He said he helped in doing this by pushing administration to foster more research. “We really wanted to honor the good work he’s done at UTA,� said Shelly Frank, scholarship organizer and College of Science development director. “Dr. Black has an amazing rapport with students. They love him.� Frank said when she was organizing Black’s surprise retirement party and scholarship fund raising party, she was thrilled that so many of his past students came from out of town. Among them was Carol Cooper Johnson, a student of Black’s who graduated in 1970. “He really did love his students,� Cooper Johnson said. “It’s great that his name will be an even longer lasting leg-
hollowed space underneath the floor that was often used for storing water or food. The space was covered by a chule tablet, a form of limestone widely used in that region of Guatemala. Callaghan said this type of hollowed chamber is fairly common in preclassic residences. However, what was found in the chamber was not. Upon opening the chamber, Tomasic discovered a body surrounded by mixed pottery fragments that featured a form of ornamental headdress common among kings in the preclassic era. After receiving the radiocarbon dating back from the lab, Tomasic and Callaghan were surprised at the date of the pottery. “It was very shocking. Any other time period in history, this wouldn’t have been shocking. We knew this was very old,� Tomasic said. Upon carbon dating the pottery, Callaghan discovered the vessel had been made around 357 B.C., which
means the institution of kingship in the Mayan world goes back further than archaeologists had originally thought. Callaghan’s wife, Brigitte Kovacevich, anthropology associate professor at Southern Methodist University, was part of the group on site to see the tomb. The pottery found around the body could possibly be a family heirloom passed down through generations, Kovacevich said. “I wasn’t shocked to find a preclassic ruler buried in a household,� Kovacevich said. Kovacevich said this find indicates that the king was not yet at the center of the universe in Mayan culture. Callaghan and Kovacevich will continue to excavate homes in the Holtun site in Guatemala and religious structures in the summer in hopes of discovering the advent of social hierarchy in Mayan cultures.
acy in the department.� Cooper Johnson recalled a memory from one of his classes – one day Black brought a Van de Graaff generator, or an electrostatic generator, to class for a demonstration. After calling for Cooper Johnson to come over to the generator and touch it with her hand, he became confused when the normal reaction didn’t occur – her hair was supposed to stand straight up. “Ha! Hairspray!� She said while he looked at her confused. “I had it sprayed down so much his plan was foiled!� She said she loved going to Black’s class because he always had great demonstrations and so many things to teach. “He would also host parties at his house, and that really fostered great, long-lasting friendships,� Cooper Johnson said. Black said after he received a letter from administration offering tenured and tenuretrack faculty, who meet additional requirements, a oneyear salary buyout, he decided
it was time to leave teaching. “I am 73 years old, and that makes me an old fart,� he said laughing. “Students really do prefer younger professors.� He said the buyout wasn’t the only reason he decided to retire. During the past eight months he has been going through chemotherapy to get rid of his diagnosed cancer. “I’ve been out for the past eight months dealing with that,� he said. “I just feel like sleeping late now.� He said though he has decided to leave teaching, he still has a desire to continue physics research on campus. He’s glad a scholarship has been started in his name, and said he hopes it gives students the “umph� to get motivated in physics. “Students need encouragement, and if you can give them a couple hundred bucks to do that, then why not?� Black said. “I had a lot of students. And I treated them all like my kids.�
Joel cooley news.editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
ashley Bradley news.editor-shorthorn@uta.edu
The Shorthorn: Aisha Butt
Omar Karmally, health care administration graduate student, helps Southlake resident Minheong Lee, 8, create reusable art at the Earth Day Festival on Saturday afternoon at River Legacy Living Science Center. The festival helped children learn about nature through activities, games and crafts.
Big Event continued from page 1
dents.� At the Arlington Archosaur dig site, about 40 volunteers searched for the fossils of dinosaurs and crocodiles to help the process of the site. Mechanical engineering sophomore Erin Smith said excavating for fossils was a wild and interesting experience. “No toilets and poisonous bees nearby — really interesting,� she said. Some volunteers used shovels to clear the area. Others sifted through clumps of soil in search of small bone remnants. Volunteers close to campus continued to use their hands to provide service to the commu-
nity by filling colorful Easter eggs with candy for Mission Arlington’s Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday. Mission Arlington director Tillie Burgin said she was grateful that the volunteers helped with preparations. “If UTA Big Event did not come today, we would be in big trouble,� she said. Burgin said the mission doesn’t usually get the help it needs, and students make a big difference on a daily basis. “Almost every day someone comes from UTA to help us,� she said. Nursing freshman Luzarely Barragan said she never took part in serving her community in high school, and Saturday marked the first time she volunteered her time. “I never felt I got out there enough in high school, so I made sure I was going to do
this in college,� she said. Barragan led 25 volunteers at Mission Arlington, where they sorted out clothes and toys for children. After their service projects, students returned to campus for a Thank You celebration at noon on the University Center mall. Guest speaker and fouryear Big Event Texas A&M committee member Bowie Hogg praised volunteers for their dedication and involvement in the community. Hogg said when he was a student, only four colleges participated in the Big Event. Currently, 70 colleges across the country participate, he said. “Our biggest asset in town is not the Cowboys. It’s not the Rangers. It is UTA,� he said.
ed while they have a life and death situation over there.� He wishes he could tell them that they have so much to live for, he said. Outside, on the University Center mall, Rodriguez said she also struggled to find the right words to say. “I just want to tell them to stay strong,� she said. “No matter what happens always have faith.� Jennifer Fox, group student adviser, said it raised enough money this semester to build a playground for the Koi Koi House. To date, Victoria FarrarMyers, group faculty adviser, said it has raised $4,400 by selling hand-made beads from the women in Uganda and taking donations. She said the project was all about showing students how to think globally.
“Freshmen Leaders on Campus will have a playground in Jinjin, Uganda, and that’s forever,� she said. “That’s a testament to the effort of these 50 students.� After painting a large heart on a T-shirt with the words live, laugh and love across it, Frank Lamas, student affairs vice president, said we should all take a look at our lives and make a difference. “Those 50 FLOC members are some of the best students we have here on campus,� he said. Lamas said he admires the group because they are not a self-serving group. “They are really looking outside in their community, and I think that’s what we all should be doing,� he said.
Koi continued from page 1
fact that they go through so much, and a lot of them have AIDS and lost their families to AIDS, it really hurt me to see that other people have to go through that.� Before writing letters of inspiration to the 27 orphaned children in the Koi Koi House, volunteers watched a short film about the orphanage. Nursing junior Elvin Marcelino said after watching the video, he had a difficult time figuring out what he could say to the orphans. “It’s a very hard life over there compared to us,� he said while peering at his friends’ letters, looking for inspiration. “It’s just a sad thing that we take a lot of things for grant-
Vallari Gupte and Bianca Montes news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
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SPORTS
Monday, April 18, 2011
Page 5
The ShorThorn
BaSeBall
track & FielD
Sunday win runs Cowboys out of town Mavericks respond from Saturday’s eight-run loss to remain near SLC lead.
Women’s track sets new meet record The women’s track team was the biggest highlight of the Northwestern State Invitational in Natchitoches, La., Saturday, while the men’s team geared up for the stretch run. Sophomore DeAndrea Smith, senior Brittany Culbertson, freshman Breonna Baldwin and senior Megan Turner won the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 3:43.21. Not only did the team win it, they set the meet record at Northwestern State. Head coach John Sauerhage was extremely pleased with the result, but said he’s come to expect these results from this group. “They’ve been consistent online all year, they’ve For the been running full story, visit real well,� Sauerhage said. “It theshorthorn. wasn’t any surcom. prise that they ran like that. We were pleased.� Not only did senior sprinter Cordero Gray win the 100-meter dash, the men had high finishes in field and distance events. Freshman Branko Petrovic set personal-highs in shot put and discus. Both teams will compete next at the Baylor Invitational in Waco on April 23.
SLC Standings Team SLC Stephen F. Austin 13-5 Texas State 13-5 Sam Houston State 11-7 Southeastern Louisiana 10-8 UTA 10-8 Lamar 9-9 Central Arkansas 8-10 McNeese State 8-10 UT-San Antonio 8-10 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 7-11 Nicholls 7-11 Northwestern State 4-14
By Sam morton The Shorthorn sports editor
With only three games separating third place from ninth in the Southland Conference standings, there’s not much room for error. Facing a McNeese State team looking to tie with UTA in the standings, the Mavericks dropped three flyballs and surrendered 13 runs on Saturday. But with the series on the line, UTA ground out a 4-2 win Sunday to clinch its first weekend set in three weeks. “We needed to win that game today, especially after playing our worst game of the season on Saturday,� head coach Darin Thomas said. “With everybody bunched up in the standings, it’s all about tiebreakers. You hope you can win two out of three every weekend.� Neither Sunday starter lasted a single inning, but fortunately for UTA, junior reliever Calan Pritchard was lights-out. Pritchard threw seven shutout innings of relief and retired the last 17 batters he faced. “Calan did an unbelievable job,� Thomas said. “That’s what you want to see as a coach, for a guy to come in and give you
The Shorthorn: Allyson Kaler
Senior outfielder Nick Orr fouls off a pitch in the first inning against McNeese State on Sunday afternoon at Clay Gould Ballpark. His at-bat lasted 15 pitches and helped end the McNeese pitcher’s game early.
Uta 8, mcneeSe State 3
mcneeSe State 13, Uta 5
Uta 4, mcneeSe State 2
Cowboys 000 200 100 — 3 9 1 Mavericks 250 000 10x — 8 10 1
Cowboys 226 000 030 — 13 13 2 Mavericks 000 005 000 — 5 7 3
Cowboys 200 000 000 — 2 6 0 Mavericks 100 010 02x — 4 8 1
seven great innings to let you win the ballgame.� Senior catcher Chad Comer lined an eighth-inning single into left field on a hit-and-run that brought senior shortstop Jesse Payne to third with no outs.
men’S tenniS
Junior first baseman Jordan Vaughn’s sacrifice fly scored Payne to put UTA ahead for good. “After Saturday, we just came out grinding,� Comer said. “One-through-nine in our lineup came out ready and
put it behind us. Coaches told us today was the biggest game of the year so far, so we knew it was going to be a dogfight.� Saturday’s game was far from a dogfight, however. Junior starter Collin Reynolds allowed 10 runs on Satur-
Overall 26-11 23-12 26-12 24-13 20-17 22-16 18-18 18-19 16-22 22-18 17-19 13-24
day, but only four were earned. The Cowboys took full advantage and jumped out to a 10-run lead that wouldn’t be challenged. As bad as Saturday was, Friday’s game looked like the series would be all UTA. The Mavericks wasted no time establishing an offensive rhythm on Friday, leaping out to a quick 7-0 lead after two innings and never looking back. “It was almost too good to get that much run support,� Day said. “I had, like, 30 minutes between innings, so I wasn’t used to that. But it was a good chance to have a great outing.� Day had one of his best games of the season, holding the Cowboys to two runs on eight hits while striking out 11 batters, a career high.
— Josh Bowe
SoFtBall
Collom, Office lift UTA to top of SLC
Sam morton sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
After losing online the conference lead last weekFor the end, the Maverfull story, visit icks once again theshorthorn. sit atop the com. Southland Conference after winning two of three against Stephen F. Austin. Senior first baseman Rebecca Collom connected for her 10th homer of the season, while junior outfielder Charne Office collected four RBIs on three doubles and scored three runs.
Women’S tenniS
Mavs earn spot in SLC tournament
UTA conquers SLC regular season 11-0
The men’s tennis team went 2-1 this weekend to finish the regular season 12-9 and 3-2 in Southland Conference play. The Mavericks finished in third place and clinched a spot in the Southland Conference tournament, which starts on April 29. Head coach Diego Benitez said the team had a good season. “It was a great way to finish our conference play, with three consecutive wins,� Benitez said. “We are looking forward to the Southland Conference tournament.� The Mavericks played all three games on the road, beating Nicholls State Friday and Lamar Saturday. Sunday, they lost to Rice. The Mavericks now set their sights on the SLC tournament in San Antonio next weekend. — Travis Detherage
“I’m extremely proud Pair of shutouts sealed of our girls for winning the the Mavs’ eighth regular regular season title and going season championship. undefeated in Southland By traviS Detherage The Shorthorn staff
The No. 62 women’s tennis team won its eighth Southland Conference regular season championship on Sunday after finishing with an undefeated 11-0 record in SLC play. The Mavericks went 2-0 this weekend with shutout wins against Nicholls Sunday and Southeastern Louisiana Saturday. Head coach Diego Benitez said he knew the team had the ability to win a conference title ever since the season started.
Conference play is amazing,� he said. This is the second SLC regular season title for Benitez, who has guided the Mavericks to a 32-1 conference record during the last three years. Assistant coach Marco Matteucci said this has been the best season the Mavericks have had in recent years. “It was a great way to finish the season, by winning both the weekend matches,� Matteucci said. “The team deserves the championship with everything they have accomplished this season.� By scoring the two shut-
outs, UTA held six teams scoreless and recorded shutout wins against their last three SLC opponents. Against Southeastern Louisiana, the Mavericks doubles team of freshman Linda Aqvist and senior Daiana Negreanu beat Audrey Chelini and Raissa Dias, 8-3. Junior Maria Martinez-Romero and junior Nikola Matovicova beat Nina Schmied and Laura Verges, 8-6. Freshman Giada D’ortona and junior Natalia Mayuk had an 8-0 win over Isabel Brito and Morgane Dadot. In singles play, Negreanu beat Chelini, 6-1, 3-6, and 10-8, while Aqvist beat Verges, 6-2, 6-1. Martinez-Romero beat Dadot, 6-1, 6-0 and
Mayuk won a 6-2, 6-2 decision against Schmied. Against Nicholls, the Mavericks swept every match. Aqvist and Negreanu beat Florina Nosca and Marina Ljoshevska, 8-2. MartinezRomero and Matovicova Natalia Zamora and Sumana Kalyanasundaram. Martinez-Romero, Aqvist, D’ortona and Matovicova all finished with an undefeated SLC records in singles play. The Mavericks are now getting ready for the SLC tournament next weekend at the UT-San Antonio Tennis Center in San Antonio as the No. 1 seed. traviS Detherage sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
— Randy McVay
Uta 3, Stephen F. aUStin 2 Mavericks 011
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Ladyjacks 011 000 0 —
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Uta 11, Stephen F. aUStin 6 Mavericks 100 314 2 — 11 15 1 Ladyjacks 001 013 1 — 6 6 1
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ABOUT OPINION Johnathan Silver, editor opinion-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Opinion is published Monday and Wednesday. Page 4
OPINION THE SHORTHORN
YOUR VIEW
Fighting Fraud Pakistan doesn’t need martyrs to take care of corruption
L
ast week a 72-year-old man shook the Indian government to its core. Anna Hazare, a symbol of national conscience for many Indians, is the face of the anti-corruption movement in India. His protest took the form of a hunger strike, an image that evokes the memory of Mohandas Gandhi, a leader of the Indian independence movement. Eventually, the government of the day conceded and promised laws that would remove any immunity enjoyed by those in power. When we cross from Blue (India) to Green (Pakistan), matters take a different flavor. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari is notorious around the world for his enterprising views when it comes to corruption. Recently, Transparency International revealed that from the 90 billion rupees that SARANG WAFAI were kept aside for the Income Support Program, only 17 billion actually made it to the people. Just last year when Pakistan was suffering from one of its worst natural Wafai is an disasters, less than 50 percent of the fund set economics graduate aside for flood victims student and guest actually made it to columnist for The the flood victims. The Shorthorn. government’s credibility was so poor that Join the discussion individual citizens by commenting at raised more money theshorthorn.com. than the entire presidential fund. It is one thing to steal from the poor, but it’s another to steal from those who have lost everything. Even Zardari’s predecessor, the former dictator Pervez Musharraf, who had placed a tax on any aid going to the victims of the 2008 earthquake, had never gone to such lengths. But nobody is waiting for a Pakistani Anna Hazare. Pakistan’s independence movement was much different from that of India. It was not led by social activists threatening hunger strikes but by a charismatic lawyer who took a more legalist stance, using the English Crown’s own laws against them. Adopting that mantle is Pakistan’s judiciary, which achieved its hard-won freedom just a few years back. Facing the dictator’s guns with nothing but slogans, the judiciary was at the forefront of Pakistan’s own political revolution. During the past few years, the judiciary has battled the current regime much like the former, but things this time around are different. Strengthening its role in the Pakistani political system, the judiciary is taking on the government one case at a time. With strategic acumen that was characteristic of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the judiciary, although embattled, is slowly and steadily evolving into an institution. Critics of such change claim that not enough is being done, and if so, it is at a snail’s pace. Least understood about the difference between political protest and judicial change is that political protests are sensational by nature and the other is not. Making headlines is a poor measure of progress, especially in a country where political drama intrigues the nation more than institution building. With an institution as Pakistan’s symbol of conscience, the country does not require the sacrifice of protesting individuals from time to time to set things aright.
DISCOMBOBULATION by Houston Hardaway
Since 1919
REMEMBER The Shorthorn invites students, university employees and alumni to submit guest columns to the Opinion page. Monday, April 18, 2011
EDITORIAL/OUR VIEW
Vote in student elections Winners can influence major decisions that affect students We’re calling it: Jennifer Fox will be the next Student Congress president, and Jeff Hazelrigs will be vice president. Tough call? Not really. They’re running unopposed. The battle for the top student government posts not being competitive is the utmost expression of student apathy. That reflects the student body’s lack of interest and SC’s failure to make its constituents interested in students’ roles in the UTA community. The election winners must do their part too: Be more than a face on the campaign flier. Voting today and Tuesday won’t shake things up as it relates to Fox’s and Hazelrigs’ campaigns, but doing so could set the stage for change in the future. Get out and vote because the people who will eventually win will be beholden to the voter. Voting is the first step in being more invested in student power at UTA. Is it worth it? Does SC do anything? Yes. The school year’s been eventful for the elected body.
ken. Voting, showing up to meetings and providing general support or criticism makes students more powerful on campus. Students seem to not appreciate that the university exists to serve them. It’s time to capitalize on that power. How students vote influences the face of the student body. If SC has the opportunity to take a stance on an issue as high profile as concealed handguns, students should be confident in their leaders to make the right decisions. Simply disagreeing with SC or with other student leaders is not as influential as students making the calls themselves by voting, running for office or both. The more than 33,000 students who attend UTA should be part of that change. That means going to the polls, open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Tuesday, in the University Center Palo Duro Lounge and the Maverick Activities Center first floor.
It hosted a forum to discuss legislation in Austin that would authorize concealed handguns on college campuses. Most notably, members later voted “no” as the student body’s response to pending legislation that would authorize concealed handguns on campus. Not every student agrees with SC’s actions. That can be a catalyst for students to approach their representatives or simply run for a senate seat. These elected positions are a staple of the university. The occupants speak for the student body. These roles should be coveted. These elected positions are more than space filler on a resume. SC draws its power from students. If apathy exists, it makes it difficult for student leaders to have a direct hand in big decisions. Having less than 5 percent of students vote for the body’s president and vice president last year shows that students aren’t in a mind-set to organize or be involved in campus operations. It’s a cycle that needs to be bro-
— The Shorthorn editorial board
YOUR VIEW
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You’re Elected! Celebrity businessman Donald Trump would make an effective commander-in chief
D
onald Trump is gaining momentum for a possible run at the Republican Party nomination for president. I already have his campaign slogan: “President Obama, You’re Fired!” Many people aren’t sure if he’s a viable candidate, and some conservatives are dismissing him before things even get started. But with his economic background and strong language about foreign policy, he could be a force to be reckoned with. He has the non-politician appeal. He’s not a Washington insider, and he’s not a career politician. The presidency would be a pay cut for him, so he’s clearly not doing it for the perks. He has his own jet, security, chefs, assistants and hotels. While not being a politician could be perceived as a weakness, I think it’s a
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dustin L. Dangli E-MAIL editor.shorthorn@uta.edu
strength. It means he hasn’t been corrupted by the cancer that is our current political system of cronyism, favors, lies, demagoguery and basically screwing the people. He’s familiar with bankruptcy and knows how to recover from it. America is at the brink with politicians digging the hole deeper. $14 trillion? Do you know how many zero’s that is? 12. Trump has earned, lost and earned more billions than I could ever hope to have. Bottom line, he knows money, and America needs money. He’s a tough guy, too. He won’t allow other countries to use the U.S. as its “whipping boy.” Strong language about the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and China taking advantage of the world market by manipulating currency is attracting people to him. He said flat out, “China and
The Shorthorn is the official student newspaper of the University of Texas at Arlington and is published four times weekly during fall and spring semesters, and weekly during the summer sessions. Unsigned editorials are the opinion of THE SHORTHORN EDITORIAL BOARD and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of individual student writers or editors, Shorthorn advisers
ELIZABETH PAGE Page is a journalism senior and guest columnist for The Shorthorn. Join the discussion by commenting at theshorthorn.com. OPEC are destroying our country.” I love his policy on Iraq. He said in a recent interview with Fox News host Bill O’Reilly that we should take control of the oil fields and pay ourselves back, pay back Britain and anyone else who helped the country. Sounds good to me. Especially when gas is nearing $4 a gallon. Here’s the bottom line. Trump finally is saying what Americans want to hear. With his name recognition and fearless attitude, he’s a candidate worth watching. 2012 is going to be an interesting year in politics.
or university administration. LETTERS should be limited to 300 words. They may be edited for space, spelling, grammar and malicious or libelous statements. Letters must be the original work of the writer and must be signed. For identification purposes, letters also must include the writer’s full name, address and telephone number, although the address and telephone number
will not be published. Students should include their classification, major and their student ID number, which is for identification purposes. The student ID number will not be published. Signed columns and letters to the editor reflect the opinion of the writer and serve as an open forum for the expression of facts or opinions of interest to The Shorthorn’s readers.