The Forum Orientation Edition 2014

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UALR.EDU/FORUM

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Student Newspaper

2014 ORIENTATION EDITION

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

4........................................Campus Map

2013-2014

Executive Editor Jacob Ellerbee

2014-2015

Executive Editor KENDRELL COLLINS

9...........................................CAmpus Life 15..................Trojan Trolley Map 19..........................................Housing 22.............................................Dining 25........................................Academics

Features Editor ALEXIS WILLIAMS

Sports Editor ALTON YOUNG

GRAPHIC DesignerS BYRON BUSLIG CHRIS HELLIWELL

Adviser Sonny Rhodes

Distribution Manager Jordan Anderson

Advertising Manager NATHAN KELTCH

37.............................Entertainment

Business Manager LAURA Rodriguez

OPERATIONS Manager RYAN GUINEE

38...............................................Sports

The Forum is the official student newspaper at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The Forum is funded in part by the student activity fee; members of the UALR community are allowed one copy per edition. When available additional copies may be purchased for $1.25 by contacting The Forum’s business manager. Newspaper theft is a crime. Anyone who violates the single copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and/ or university discipline. The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the staff and contributing writers and do not represent the official views of UALR. Students enrolled in Journalism 3320 and other reporting classes are contributing writers for The Forum. Advertising inquiries should be referred to The Forum’s advertising office and can be reached by calling 501569-3319. The Forum is published 7 times in each of the fall and spring semesters. The Forum editor can be reached at 501-5693265. All material published in this newspaper is copyrighted.

27.................................Public Safety 30......International Programs

Letters to the Editor The Forum welcomes letters to the editor on any subject as well as comments on our news coverage and editorial position.

Letters must include the author’s name, classification, major or position and a contact telephone number for confirmation.

Letters are subject to editing to meet space limitations. Please limit letter to 500 words or less.

The staff will not alter the meaning of the letter, but will correct spelling and punctuation and edit to conform to Associated Press and news style.

All letters are subject to publication. The editor has the right to reject any letter especially those letters that are libelous, obscene or incoherent.

Letters should be emailed to editor@ualr.edu or sent to: The Forum University of Arkansas at Little Rock

It’s not just for journalism majors!

Get experience Have fun

Get paid!

UALR’s Girl

ualr.edu/forum

By Paige Mason Inking by Byron Buslig

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Campus Map

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Letter

Student Government Association President Letter

Dear incoming students, My name is Lauren McNeaill, and as President of the Student Government Association and fellow Trojan, I am pleased to welcome you to UALR. The exciting thing about this Welcome is that it marks the beginning of a journey that will ultimately determine the rest of your life. It’s a journey that – though full of ups and downs – has the potential to propel you into the life that you have always wanted to live.

So, as you get settled into this new life, I urge you to take advantage of the many resources and opportunities available to you on campus. Get started by joining a student organization, making new friends, and - if you’re really crazy - STUDYING! Yes. Studying.

It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

Time is wasting and time is indeed short, so good luck my fellow Trojans! I’m sure you will do well.

Sincerely,

Lauren McNeaill

SOCIALIZE with US! Breaking News The UALR Forum

Photo Galleries

Trojan Sports

@TheUALRForum

Orientation Leaders help point •Phillip White •Sophomore •Mechanical Engineering Technology

•Robyn Oglesby •Sophomore •Psychology and Sociology

•Calton Davis •Sophomore •Management Information System

“I love living on campus because I get to meet new people and have quick access to classes and events.”

“There are so many great opportunities at UALR and I especially love the campus community.”

“The social life on campus is amazing. It’s always fun getting to know new people and attending social events.”

•Shequil Jones •Sophomore •Health Sciences

•Aaron Lazenby •Junior •Political Science

“Being on campus here at UALR is everything that I imagined. The student life and involvement is all anyone could ever hope for from a college.”

“The Greek life on campus is great. I joined Pi Kappa Alpha and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”

•Vivien Sara Fechner •Junior •Studio Art and Photography

•Kristyn Scott •Sophomore •Early Childhood Education

“I love UALR because of it’s diversity of people present and academic programs available.”

“One thing I love about UALR is the networking with other students. It makes picking classes and professors much easier.”

•Corrigan Revels •Junior •Mass Communications “I enjoy the easy connection you can have with the staff here at UALR.”

•Michael Jackson •Sophomore •Mass Communications

•Martiyha Simmons •Senior •Biology

“One thing I like about UALR is the diversity of students from different cultures.”

“I love, love, love UALR! I love meeting new people and building strong bonds inside and outside of my department. It’s so easy here to get involved on campus and have lots of fun!”

you in the right direction •Nora Bouzihay •Junior •Biology

•Chenesia Brown •Junior •Criminal Justice

•Xeniya Rudolf •Senior •Biology

“One of the many great things I love about UALR is the diversity and how much of a close knit community UALR truly is.”

“I enjoy the diversity here.

Many campuses don’t have that.”

“I love the diversity! UALR has given me plenty of opportunities to find some great friends with rich backgrounds.”

•Breonna Coleman •Junior •Business Marketing

•Bianca Lachelle Mayo •Senior •Philosophy and History

•John Barnes •Junior •Biology

“One thing I love about UALR is the the relationships you are able to build with the awesome people you meet here.”

“I enjoy the relationships I have been able to build here at UALR: between students, professors, staff, faculty, and guests. UALR is a family.”

“I really like the fact that this is a nontraditional campus.”

•Natalie McCandless •Junior •Mathematics

•Teryn Houvener •Junior •Nursing

•Haley Stogsdill •Junior •Psychology

“I like the community feel to this campus!”

“I really love how many different opportunities that available to each student.”

“I enjoy the diversity on campus!”

Arkansas Rehabilitation Services

Student Loan Payback Program

Get a Fresh Start on Your Future...With the Student Payback Program Offered By Arkansas Rehabilitation Services.

The Student loan payback program serves as an incentive to qualified vocational rehabilitation counselors in exchange for a specific work commitment. Counselors who are employed with Arkansas Rehabilitation Services and have received a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling are offered assistance with repayment of loans incurred in pursuit of their master’s degree.

Since this is a loan program, there are requirements and rules that must be met by all applicants in order to qualify.

For more information or questions about this program

501.296.1663 or email Devin Bryant at: devin.bryant@arkansas.gov.

please call:

ARS ATP Ad.indd 1

5/2/14 12:49 PM

Campus Life

UALR.EDU/FORUM

Campus Life offers range of student activites

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Left: Newspaper Fashion Show during the Newspaper fashion for Sustainability Week

Bottom: Rachel Rowland, representing the UALR Biology club, piloted a cardboard boat during a race for the Homecoming Cardboard Boat Regatta

KenDrell Collins News Editor

O

ne of the best ways to make the most of the college experience is by getting involved with campus activities. Not only does campus engagement allow students to meet friends and explore new interests, it also provides leadership experiences that can be useful in any future career.

“Students who take advantage of campus life programs experience leadership with the support that campus life professionals and student organization advisors provide,” said Jan Austin, the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Life and Leadership Development.

“Many former students refer to what they learned through involvement in campus life programs as the experience that prepared them to work with and even supervise - others, to budget time and financial resources, skills they’ve continued to use long after graduation.”

Each fall, the Office of Campus Life kicks off the year with Trojan Daze. For this two-week long event, students get to watch movies, win prizes, hear campus safety tips and even meet campus leaders. The 2014 celebration will occur August 13 - 23.

“Trojan Daze events include housing move-in, workshops and convocation for new students, ice cream with campus administrators, and a special welcome from student organizations for those interested in getting involved on campus,” Austin said. “It’s exciting to welcome new and returning students to campus.”

The Office of Campus Life offers a variety of services and activities throughout the school year as well.

Diversity Programs Since over 30 percent of UALR’s student population includes underrepresented minorities, Diversity Programs is devoted to

promoting equality and cultural diversity. Some of its annual celebrations are Martin Luther King, Jr. week, Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, LGBT National Coming Out Day, and Women’s History Month.

Student Government Association Those interested in serving as a student representative for their peers can join the Student Government Association. The SGA is divided into three governing branches: executive, legislative and judicial.

Executive members are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the SGA. The positions consist of president, vicepresident, chief of staff, chief justice and secretary.

The legislative branch is made up of representatives from each college and five members-at-large. The justices of the Student Court handle the ticket appeal

process and elections. To learn more about the SGA, visit ualr.edu/sga.

Campus Recreation Student health is another major component of the Office of Campus Life.

Campus Recreation offers fitness and health programs that help ensure students get the physical exercise necessary to balance the mental strains that come with college life.

Competitive sports are also available to all UALR students through intramural leagues and tournaments.

More information about Campus Recreation is available at ualr.edu/campuslife/recreation.

Greek Life Greek organizations afford students the opportunity to forge a lifelong brotherhood or sisterhood, as well as participate in volunteer and community service activities. Students who wish to join a fraternity or sorority have many options to choose from. A new fraternity called Delta Chi will be welcomed to the UALR campus this fall.

The three governing bodies for Greek organizations include the Interfraternity Council, the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the College Pan-Hellenic Council. Affiliates for the IFC include Kappa Sigma and Pi Kappa Alpha. CPC sororities are Chi Omega and Kappa Delta. The NPHC fraternities include Alpha

Phi Alpha, Inc.; Iota Phi Theta, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc.; Omega Psi Phi, Inc.; Phi Beta Sigma, Inc. The NPHC sororities consist of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc.; Delta Sigma Theta, Inc.; Sigma Gamma Rho, Inc.; and Zeta Phi Beta, Inc. Other Campus Life functions and offerings include: allocation and administration of the student activity fee, cultural observances, new student orientations, peer tutoring and referrals, special events, the University Program Council, The UALR Forum Newspaper and student support services.

The Office of Campus Life is located on the second floor of the Donaghey Student Center in room 216.

You can visit ualr.edu/campuslife/ for additional information.

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Campus Life

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Student Organizations Hundreds to choose from, or make your own

UPC The Forum staff attended the 2014 ACMA awards at Central Baptist College in Conway. The Forum took home 18 awards in several categories for its newspaper and student-sponsored magazine.

Photo courtesy of “Sonny” Rhodes

The Forum: More than just a newspaper

T

he Forum is the student-run college newspaper of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The paper is published every two weeks during the school year and is also available online. The Forum maintains a presence in other social media avenues such as Twitter, Facebook, Vine and Instagram as well.

The Forum staff of writers, editors, photographers and designers are all UALR students and are paid for their work. In addition to the regular staff writers, the Forum also relies on the work of contributing writers. Journalism professors encourage their students to submit their best work for consideration of publication.

Another opportunity, besides the pay and the experience, that writing for the Forum provides is for students to begin to build a portfolio that will help them once they finish school.

The Forum newspaper is typically separated into four main sections: news, features, entertainment and sports. Each has its own editor, in charge of finding story ideas, assigning them to writers and editing their respective sections. The editors outline what they want in their sections. It’s then in the hands of the designers, who place the photos, stories and headlines onto the pages in appealing presentation for readers.

Helming the ship for the Forum is the executive editor, who serves as the final authority on what gets printed as well as runs the day-to-day business operations of the paper. The executive editor for the 2013-2014 school year, Jacob Ellerbee, knows the value of a student’s time spent at the Forum.

“You learn a lot of valuable life lessons that you’re not going to get in the classroom,” Ellerbee said.

Some of the things Ellerbee said a student could learn while working at the Forum are time management, working with others, become better at their respective craft, networking for the future and developing friendships.

The Forum is not just a place for journalism majors either. It’s a good place for writers of all kind, as well as illustrators, graphic designers and students interested in ad sales and the business aspects of a student newspaper.

UALR journalism professor Carlton “Sonny” Rhodes serves as the faculty mentor for the Forum and is available to answer some of the tough questions that young journalists may have.

The Forum has a new executive editor for the 2014-2015 school year. KenDrell Collins will be the new head of the newspaper staff. Collins comes off a successful stint as last year’s news editor, which included winning Reporter of the Year honors at the 2014 Arkansas College Media Association awards. The Forum won 18 awards at the ACMAs, which annually reward the best college publications in Arkansas.

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Campus Life

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UPC

I

Non-Traditional Student Organizations

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he Non-Traditional Student Organization (NTSO) is a student organization geared toward non-traditional students to help them through the college experience. “Non-traditionals can join any student organization,” said Cynda Alexander of the Office of Campus Life, “but the NTSO offers non-traditionals peer mentoring and peer tutoring throughout their education here, not just the first semester.”

Alexander said that students who mentor through the NTSO continue to do so for the entire time they are at UALR. Alexander said that mentees can become mentors after their first or second semester.

Mentors are trained by Alexander and she checks with them throughout the semester.

The NTSO does not have student officers but instead has committees of mentoring, events and fundraising/ scholarship.

Students get to choose which committee they want to be part of, said Alexander.

The NTSO and the Non-Traditional Student Program have events year-round focused toward non-traditionals for scholarship workshops, speakers and resource workshops.

Meetings are set at the beginning of each semester according to Alexander. “Most the time they meet in my office, and not all at the same time,” said Alexander, “nontraditionals are super busy and hard to pin down.”

f you are looking for a way to get involved on campus, joining the University Program’s Council might be the thing for you. The University Programs Council is a student organization through the Office of Campus Life. The purpose of UPC is to offer programs for students on campus and the community.

If you want to help plan campus activities, you must sign a contract stating that will maintain a 2.0 GPA, attend 75% of the meetings each semester and 50% of the programs. By being a member of UPC, you get to have a say in what programs happen here at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Some events that UPC hosts are movie nights, guest speakers, comedians and other special events.

Being a member of the University Programs Council is a great way to get involved on campus, earn volunteer hours and make new friends. If you are interested being a member, there will be a welcome back meeting on August 15th from 10am to noon.

Are you a new

?

to UALR? TRANSFER Have questions about your transfer credits?

WE HAVE ANSWERS! The Office of Transfer Student Services (OTSS) is here to assist prospective, new and current UALR students with transfer credit questions.

Services include the following: • Pre-Transfer planning & assistance • Prospective student transfer credit evaluation • Transfer core curriculum review & credit adjustment • In-state community college transfer credits • Out-of-state & private transfer credit research/analysis • Current & continuing transfer student support

office of Transfer sTudenT services

Hours

Mon. - Thurs.

Friday

7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• 501.682.1273 • ualr.edu/transfer • transferoffice@ualr.edu • Student Services Center 321-E

OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC ADVISING Our professional advising team is available year-round and serves a diverse group of students including those who are new, transferring, undeclared, international and pre-professional.

We provide a highly personalized approach to your academic advisement so you can find your best possible fit and succeed at UALR. We look forward to getting to know YOU! Student Services Center, Room 320 | 501.569.3386 | ualr.edu/advising

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401 President Clinton Avenue | Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 | 9:00 am - 6:00 pm | (501) 320-5780 | cahc@ualr.edu | ualr.edu/cahc

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The Alliance

A student organization where everyone is welcomed

Alliance President Zack Baker and other members attended the Little Rock Pride Parade on October 5, 2013.

Alexis Williams Features Editor

The Alliance is UALR’s student organization for straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. “[This organization] is where straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students come together in an accepting, open environment designed to discuss topics related to both the gay and straight communities and provide a social network,” said Alliance President Zack Baker.

Baker said that based on cam-

pus life records, the Alliance has been around for at least 10 years.

They currently have about 30 regular members.

“We have done so many activities this past year,” Baker said.

He said the organization participated in the first-ever Little Rock Pride Parade, welcomed such guest speakers as Gerri Jewel, Brock Thompson, and Andrea Zekis, organized an LGBT student and faculty meet-andgreet that drew a sizable crowd, organized UALR’s “National Coming Out Day”, participated in the Homecoming cardboard

boat regatta, hosted game nights, conducted a panel discussion with several important campus officials about issues regarding LGBT college students, raised almost $1000 and sent eight students to the National LGBT equality conference, started a regular ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ watch party on Monday nights, partnered with the Human Rights Campaign twice: once to urge Senator Pryor to support ENDA and once for a community meeting about the needs of LGBT people in Arkansas, conducted a successful production of The

Vagina Monologues, and doubled membership from the 2012-2013 academic year.

Baker said of the students’ favorite activities have been the ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ watch parties on Monday nights, but their biggest event was the LGBT student and faculty meet-and-greet which welcomed 60 to 70 guests.

Baker said activities for 20142015 were not completely decided, but he already had a few ideas planned.

“We plan on doing several things including LGBT History Month activities, attending the

National LGBT Equality conference: Creating Change, along with several other social activities,” Baker said.

“Whether you are looking for new friends, to make a difference, something to do, or somewhere to belong, you will find your place in The Alliance,” Baker said.

For more information or to join the Alliance, students can contact Zack Baker at zdbaker@ ualr.edu. They can also follow the Alliance on Twitter: @ualr_alliance and on Facebook: Ualrs Alliance.

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Campus Life

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DONAGHEY

STUDENT CENTER

FIRST FLOOR Bookstore

Health Services Disability Resource Center

Fitness Center

Pool

Student Government Assocation

Food Court Campus Life Ledbetter Rooms A,B & C Meeting Rooms D, E & F

Diamond CafĂŠ

Vice Chancellor for Educational Student Services & Student Life Dean of Students Meeting Room G

Leadership Lounge

The Forum

SECOND FLOOR

Trojan Trolley Hours of Operation: Monday-Thursday: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Friday: 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Maroon Route (South Campus): 1. University Village 2. University Plaza Breezeway 3.Bus Shelter on University Drive at crosswalk 4.CATA bus shelter on Campus Drive Across from DSC 5. South Oaks Apartments

Silver Route (North Campus): 1. Lot 14 at Jack Stephens Center near pedestrian bridge 2. Lot 13 East in front of Jack Stephens Center 3. Lot 8 between College of Business and EIT 4. West Campus Drive at Fine Arts Building 5. West Campus Drive across from DSC 6. North end of West Hall

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DONAGHEY

STUDENT CENTER PAuline Mothu Staff Writer

T

he Donaghey Student Center is one of the most intricate buildings on campus and it’s located at the center of campus.

The DSC is a 180,000 square foot, twofloor building that offers many facilities and services.

The DSC also offers dining options provided by the food company Sodexo. It also provides computer corners known as “cyber-zones” where students can surf the internet, check their emails or access their BOSS and Blackboard accounts.

The first floor contains the Information Center, Health Services, the Disability Resource center, the campus bookstore, and the Fitness and Aquatics Center. The

Fitness and Aquatics Center is available to all UALR students, faculty and staff with presentation of an UALR ID. Student IDs, used for meal plans and access to campus locations, can be made next to the bookstore. Hours for the DSC and the Fitness and Aquatics Center can be found at ualr. edu/studentcenter.

The second floor contains the Ledbetter Assembly Hall as well as the offices of the Vice Chancellor for Educational Student Services and the Dean of Students. Also located on the second floor is the office of Campus Life where students can seek information about campus events and student organizations.

Offices for the student government leaders, graphic designer Benny Scroggin’s office, the Leadership Lounge and the The Forum office are located in the upperconcourse of the DSC as well.

Located in the Donaghey Student Center: • • • • • • •

Diamond Café Quiznos Taco Bell Starbucks Ledbetter Assembly Hall Educational Student Services and Student Life Campus Life

• • • • • • • •

Leadership Lounge Student Organizations The Forum Campus Bookstore Health Services Information Desk Disability Resource Center Fitness Center

Find your way around with the map on page 14

Campus Life

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C. W. DONALDSON

STUDENT SERVICES CENTER PAuline Mothu Staff Writer

T

he Student Services Center, located next to the Donaghey Student Center and recently renamed Charles W. Donaldson Student Services Center, is the one-stop location for students seeking important information about campus administration and services.

Within the four-floor building, students can apply and register for classes, find out about financial aid, talk to advisers and apply for graduation.

The building’s south side is connected to the Donaghey Student Center by a glass sky-bridge. The bridge guides students to

the building’s second floor which houses the offices of Financial Aid, Records and Registration, and Private Scholarships.

Transfer students can also find more information at the Office of Transfer Services located on the third floor of the building.

Offices of the chancellor and provost as well as a 205-seat auditorium are located on the first floor.

Moreover, students seeking help or wanting to discuss personal matters in private can go to Counseling Services, which is located on the first floor on the Student Services Center.

Other SSC departments include Student Accounts and Cashier’s Office, Veteran Affairs and Disability Services.

Located in the Donaldson Student Services Center: • • • • • • • • • • •

Admissions & Financial Aid Records & Registration Private Scholarships Transfer Student Services Academic Advising Counseling Services Veteran Affairs Student Accounts Cashier’s Office Chancellor Provost

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Insta

Greek

Life

UPC brings a variety of entertainment to the UALR campus.

Past programs have included game shows, comedians, hypnotists, magicians, musicians, lecturers, and movie nights. UPC programs are FREE! Anyone who is interested in being a member of UPC is welcome! For more Insta

information, email Emily Cox (UPC Advisor) at ebcox@ualr.edu.

UALR.EDU/FORUM

Student Housing

UALR housing: Your home away from home

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ROOMMATE EQTIQUETTE • Make a schedule of when it is okay for guests to be over • Decide on an alcohol policy (for those over 21) • Make a schedule for quiet/study hours • Ask if you want to use something that does not belong to you

Rachel Wright Staff Writer

U

ALR campus living is focused on helping students connect with one another and adjust to campus life, according to Dean Debbie Gentry.

All first time freshmen are required to live on campus, unless they live within the ZIP codes stated on the UALR housing website.

Most freshmen go into West Hall, said Gentry. My hope is that every person in West Hall is in a learning community.

She said that, through housing, students can find others who are interested in the same things they are such as nursing, arts, business and other major fields.

“Student success is the number one focus,” said Gentry. She said the dorms are similar to a support system, so students do not feel like they are alone. Students are encouraged to join the Hall Council.

Students are also encouraged to read the section in their handbook on what to

bring and what not to bring when moving in, said Gentry. She also recommended that all students living on campus talk to their roommates before moving in.

“Talk to your roommate before you get here. What to borrow, food, common areas, and sharing toiletries,” said Gentry.

All students living on campus must purchase a meal plan, but students have the choice of which meal plan to buy.

UALR has five housing establishments: West Hall, East Hall, North Hall, South Hall and University Village.

West Hall is mostly for freshmen according to Gentry. The rooms are set up for two people per room. Roommates share a vanity sink and are assigned bathrooms said resident assistant Aundreya Sanders, a political science major. Sanders said there is one RA per floor and they have programs each month as well as a floor meeting and one-on-one meetings to check in on residents.

All resident assistants are asked to do a program each month, either for their floor or the living community.

When there is an over flow of freshmen, they go to East Hall along with sophomores. East Hall dorms have two-person rooms. Two rooms share a common living area and bathroom. “The top three floors of East Hall are private bedrooms,” said Gentry, meaning one person per room.

North Hall is mainly for Donaghey scholars, student athletes, returning students and transfer students said Gentry. It is setup in apartment style, housing two or four people to an apartment who share a bathroom and living area.

South Hall is setup just like North Hall and is mainly for the Engineering Information Technology scholars, transfer students and returning students.

The University Village is located across from campus. It is for upperclassmen and graduate students. “We also use University Village for International students, because it is open year round,” said Gentry. The apartments are setup with four bedrooms with a living area or two bedrooms and a shared living area. Each bedroom has an individual bathroom.

•If your roommate is sleeping, be respectful.

Do not: turn on light, play loud music, turn the TV volume too loud, make a lot of noise • Decide who is responsible for certain chores, such as cleaning the bathroom, washing clothes, sweeping, etc.

• Do not eat your roommate’s food without getting permission

A Look Inside

Campus Housing

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Dining

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TROJAN EATERIES FROM A TO Z UALR Dining Services, operated by Sodexo, has several locations on campus for you to find something that will hit the spot.

Diamond CafĂŠ Located in the Donaghey Student Center, the Diamond Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner during the week. Brunch and dinner are served on weekends. You can use your meal plan or you can purchase a meal, $5 for breakfast and $7.50 for lunch and dinner. The Diamond Cafe is set up in a buffet-like style and there are different meals to chose from everyday. Pizza, desserts, burgers, soup and some kind of vegetarian option is always available. The Diamond Cafe is open for breakfast from 7 a.m to 9 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m to 2 p.m and dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. On the weekends brunch lasts from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner is from 5 to 7 p.m.

Food Court

The Commons Store

At the Food Court, you can get meals from Taco Bell, Starbuck’s or Quiznos. The restaurants are centrally located in the Donaghey Student Center.

The Food Court is only open during the week.

Starbucks is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday.

Taco Bell and Quiznos are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday.

The Commons Store is located in the middle of the residents halls and is a convenient grocery store for those who live on campus. You can use your dining dollars to purchase everything from ice cream to nail polish remover. It also has a variety of hot meal options cooked daily. The Commons Store is open 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Sub Connection Sub Connection is located in the EIT Building. It offers various sandwich options, alongs with chips, desserts, fruit and drinks. The restaurant is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Friday.

Trojan Grill The Trojan Grill is a popular dinner option for residential students. Located near the residents halls, the Trojan Grill offers a variety of meal options, which includes cheeseburgers and quesadillas. The Trojan Grill is open from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays and from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.

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Dining

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Top: Donaghey Student Center Cafeteria Middle: Diamond Cafe Bottom: The Commons Store

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Dining

UALR.EDU/FORUM Top: Diamond Cafe Bottom: The Commons Store

Photos by Victoria Hickey

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ACADEMICS AT UALR Academics

UALR.EDU/FORUM

College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences KenDrell Collins News Editor

T

he College of Arts, Letters and Sciences is among the newest additions to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s academic units. It is the product of the university’s comprehensive restructuring that enables the university to more efficiently meet student needs.

The college encompasses a total of 11 divisions allocated to three primary academic areas: art, humanities, and sciences.

The Division of Art include art, music, and theatre and dance.

Students who wish to pursue a major in the art department have two degree options: Bachelor of Arts in Art (BA) or a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Art. The first choice of the two offers tracks in art education, art history and studio art. For the second, art students, applied design, art education and fine art (studio art) are all options.

Music majors can choose to emphasize different areas, from music history and literature to music performance and vocal secondary education.

Dance students can learn the intricacies of choreography and movement, while theatre students have the opportunity to take what they learn to the stage in university-sponsored productions.

English, history, international studies and second languages, and interdisciplinary studies are all included in the humanities division. Depending upon your interest, tracks are available in

TOP 6 “Must-Dos” On Your Freshman Year

the English department for those who enjoy creative writing as well as those aspiring to teach English.

History students at the undergraduate level can receive a Bachelor of Arts in History, a Bachelor of Arts in History and Secondary Education, or a minor in geography. For those who wish to further their studies, a Masters in Public History is also available.

Bachelor degrees are offered in French and Spanish. UALR also offers courses in German.

Philosophy and interdisciplinary studies both award Bachelor degrees. Students can also pursue a minor in religious studies. One way to get involved in the department is by joining the Socratic Society or the UALR Ethics Bowl Team.

The third division, Science, is composed of applied science, biology, chemistry, physics and astronomy, and mathematics and statistics. An array of applied science is available for exploration: astrophysics, biosciences, chemistry, environmental science, computational science, nanotechnology and others.

Biology students can have a taste of ecology and organismal biology, molecular biology and even Secondary Education.

Future chemistry majors can expect a career in education, medicine, or energy and waste management.

Mathematics and Statistics degrees can open doors in areas including but not limited to algorithm analysis, computer animation, investment management, cryptology, and mathematical research.

College of Business Jayme Goad Staff Writer

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he College of Business is located in the Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development on the north side of campus. If an entering freshman is interested in getting a business degree, he or she needs to visit the placement center at the college.

“We want to make sure you are on the right path so you don’t take courses you don’t need,” said Jane Wayland, dean of the business college. With the only placement center at the institution, the

College of Business offers eight undergraduate degrees: accounting, business information systems, economics, finance, international business, management, online management and marketing. Business students are not required to have minors because they must complete 45 hours of business core.

An essential tool for the College of Business students is the Arkansas Small Business Development Technology Center that is located on the second floor. The center works with big business clients so the students can get hands-on experience in

the business world.

Student not admitted into the college can still take part in all the activities held at the college. Each semester the college hosts a speed mixer where every student talks to a variety of business people then are set up to interview their matches. Other extra-curricular activities the college offers are the Reynolds Business Cup and Microsoft Imagine Cup. “The students who win are the students who get involved and go to the workshops on resumes and interviews,” Wayland said.

Interested students can check out ualr.edu/cob.

Social Sciences and Communications Hillary Perkins Staff Writer

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he new college of Social Sciences and Communications is introduced to UALR on July 1. The new college consists of the following units: School of Mass Communication, Speech Communication, Rhetoric and Writing, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology, Political Science and the Institute of Government.

These units merge from the College of Professional Studies and the College of Art, Humanities

and Social Sciences.

Social Sciences and Communications is also the support system of University Television, KLRE/KUAR public radio, the Survey Research Center, the Center for Nonprofit Organizations and the Center for Public Collaboration.

“Social Sciences and Communications is the second biggest college on campus in terms of the number of students and faculties,” said Avinash Thombre, Associate Professor of Speech Communication.

He said the College of Social Sciences and Communications is

a study of how society works and how people think and communicate with one another.

“I think the idea is to bring together disciplines that are common,” said Olaf Hoerschelman, the director of the mass communications department since 2012.

Hoerschleman mentioned that if a student is studying one subject, he or she can study another related subject. In other words, if a student is studying journalism, he or she can study political justice because politics plays a major role in the media.

For more information, visit ualr.edu.

•Welcome Week – Housing Olympics and kickball tournament – August •Support The Trojans – Whether it’s basketball, baseball or volleyball, you can get in free with your student ID – all year!

•Chancellor’s Pancake Breakfast during finals week – December, May •International Fashion Show – March •Greek Week – April •Trojan Fest – April

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Appendix 10. Proposed Organizational Structure for Academic Colleges William H. Bowen School of Law Law School

College of Business Departments: Department of Accounting Department of Economics & Finance Department of Management Department of Marketing & Advertising Department of Business Information Systems Institute for Economic Advancement Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center

College of Education and Health Professions Division of Health Professions: Department of Audiology & Speech Pathology Department of Health, Human Performance & Sport Management Department of Nursing Department of Counseling, Adult, and Rehabilitation Education (CARE) School of Social Work Division of Education: Department of Educational Leadership Department of Teacher Education

College of Arts, Letters and Sciences Division of Arts: Department of Art

College of Social Sciences and Communications Division of Communications:

Department of Music

School of Mass Communication

Department of Theatre Arts & Dance Division of Humanities: Department of English Department of International and Second Language Studies

Department of Speech Communication Department of Rhetoric and Writing University Television Division of Social Sciences: Department of Criminal Justice

Department of History Department of Philosophy & Interdisciplinary Studies

College of Engineering and Information Technology Departments: Department of Computer and Information Science Department of Construction Management Department of Engineering Technology Department of Systems Engineering Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Earth Sciences

Department of Psychology Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Division of Science: Department of Applied Science

Department of Political Science

Department of Biology

Institute of Government

Department of Chemistry

KLRE/KUAR

Department of Physics & Astronomy Department of Mathematics & Statistics

Faculty (Tenured, Tenure-Track and Non-Tenure Track) = 25 Head Count =439

Faculty (Tenured, Tenure-Track and Non-Tenure Track) = 45

Faculty (Tenured, Tenure-Track and NonTenure Track) = 101

Faculty (Tenured, Tenure-Track and NonTenure Track) = 158

Faculty (Tenured, Tenure-Track and NonTenure Track) = 84

Faculty (Tenured, TenureTrack and Non-Tenure Track) = 62

Head Count1 =1,291

Head Count= 2,292

Head Count= 1,584

Head Count= 1,250

Head Count= 922

SSCH = 11,983

SSCH = 30,063

SSCH = 52,674

SSCH = 92,566

SSCH = 55,069

SSCH = 18,948

Courtesy of the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

1

College of Business headcount includes the MBA program housed in the COB Dean’s Office and is not assigned to a specific department.

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UALR App Victoria Hickey Staff Writer

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eed to find out what is going on at UALR? There’s an app for that! You can stay up to date by downloading the free UALR Mobile app available for both Android and iOS mobile devices. The app includes many different resources that can help you every day.

The most important section of the app is the section entitled “Learn”. From here you can access BOSS, Blackboard and your UALR email account. It is important to check your email account frequently to make sure you do not miss any important emails from professors.

If you need to get in contact with a professor or an advisor, you can look in the directory section. Here you can find phone numbers and emails for all of the UALR professors and faculty members.

If you cannot find your next class, go to the map section and see a map of the whole campus.

If you need a ride, use the Trolley section to see a map and schedule of the trolley route.

The calendar will list the events going on at UALR. From social events to academic events, you can find them all listed in one place.

You can find the complete Course Catalog located under Courses. This will help you decide what class you should take to earn the degree you want.

If you need help, you can find the contact information for DPS and Health Services under the “Get Help” section. It is important to keep these numbers handy, in case you ever have a problem.

There will never be a reason to miss a basketball game. The athletics section keeps you up to date on upcoming games and tournaments for all Trojan athletics. You can also find news stories and other information on your favorite Trojan athletes in the app.

The app is free and easy to use. Go to your respective app store and type in “UALR Mobile.”

Enjoy!

UALR’s Public Safety

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Jayme Goad Staff Writer

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he UALR Department of Public Safety’s mission is to ensure the safety of every student. With the main office located on the south side of campus off Asher Avenue and a substation located in Stabler Hall, officers are able to be in different areas on campus 24/7.

“We are here for the students, if it weren’t for them we wouldn’t be here,” Chief of Police Edward L. Smith said.

The first thing a new student will need to do through public safety is obtain a parking decal.

If a student is living in any of the on-campus housing, they will need to get a hang tag to put on their rear view mirror. If either of these are not present, a student will receive a ticket.

There are several ways students can be proactive about

when it comes to their safety on campus. At the beginning of the school year, students are advised to label all of their electronic belongings with their “T-numbers.” Record all personal property such as electronics, with a brand, serial and model number. Put the recorded information in a safe place –at a parent’s home –in case something is stolen. This proactive record can help public safety retrieve any lost or stolen items in the future.

If a student is ever in need of an escort they should call public safety. DPS encourages students not to walk alone after dark and always have someone expecting them wherever they are going.

“Make every effort to not be out alone. Chances of you being robbed or attacked while with a friend, are very slim. Two or more, they are not going to bother you,” Crime Prevention Officer Jennifer Sibley said.

With new hires on the way,

First Year Experience Victoria Hickey Staff Writer

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ne of the required courses for incoming freshman is First Year Experience.

This three credit hour course is about you as a student and helping you to succeed. Throughout

the semester, you will develop the answers to questions such as: ‘How do I learn best?’, ‘What’s my major?’ and ‘How will I manage my career money and establish my credit?’.

Throughout the semester, the professor will help you to be more aware of resources on campus,

public safety will be even more available in the heart of campus at all times. They currently have two segways and four bicycles, which help the officers to get to where they are needed quickly.

Although parking is limited on campus, there are several options. “If students live in the residence halls, park by the hall you live in,” Sibley said.

On the north side of campus, lots 14, 13 East, 13 West and 16 are open lots. On the east side of campus by the residence halls, there are two gated lots that require a student ID. Right off of Fair Park Boulevard is a parking deck which requires dollar bills or quarters only. There are three metered lots, two are located off University Drive and one is located off Security Drive. An open lot is available on the south side of campus off Campus Drive by Asher Ave. When you are parking, try to park in the middle of a lot, not out on the outer edges of the lot Sibley added. This makes it less likely to have a break-in on a car.

“Do not leave anything in your car -change, laptops, purses, anything. Not even the mount for a GPS, because they know then you have a GPS,” Detective Tonya Soule said.

Students may use the blue emergency phones that are located around campus to contact public safety or call them directly.

“If people see someone who looks suspicious, call us because we can go check it out,” said Sibley.

Department of public safety also offers seminars on personal safety, domestic violence, theft prevention, identity theft, women’s self-defense, active shooter preparedness and more.

For emergencies, students are advised to call the department of public safety at (501) 569-3400.

get more involved and become a well-rounded person, as well as prepare for the future and your life after college. The professors will guide you through numerous notes and assignments that will assist you in deciding what you want your future to hold. Some of the major assignments include - a discovery wheel, which helps to identify your strengthens and weaknesses as a student; a ser-

Information Technology Services Victoria Hickey Staff Writer

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aving trouble logging on to Blackboard?

Have no fear, Information Technology Services is here. Located in Student Union A in room 105, IT Services is here to assist UALR students and faculty with a range of technological issues. If you are having troubles accessing the network on campus, logging into any of the UALR systems, such as Blackboard or myUALR or having problems with the UALR email. They can also help if you are having computer or tablet issues. If you need more information about IT Services, you can visit their website: ualr.edu/ itservices/help or call (501) 916-3011.

If you are having trouble with Blackboard, visit ualr.edu/blackboard or call (501) 683-7602. You can also visit ualr.edu/blackboard/ contact for more help with Blackboard issues.

vice learning assignment, which requires you to spend 15 hours volunteering your time to help someone in the community; and creating a resume with a cover letter.

After taking this course, you should feel more confident as a student and know which learning strategies work best for you. In addition, you should have a more developed plan for your future.

Earn a science or mathematics degree AND a teaching license in just four years with UALRTeach; watch your career possibilities unfold.

• • • •

Tuition reimbursement for SCED/IGSC 1101 and 1102 Early teaching experiences Mentorships with experienced educators Extensive content knowledge development

If you want to share your enthusiasm and knowledge of these subjects with others, then UALRTeach may be for you.

Email ualrteach@ualr.edu to find out how to get started.

UALR

Teach ualr.edu/ualrteach

Intramural Sports

Group Fitness What is Fitness?

Check our website for specific times and dates

Fitness means being able to perform physical activity. It also means having the energy and strength to feel as good as possible. Being more fit can help you to sleep better, handle stress better, and keep your mind sharp.

Classes for 2014 - 2015 include:

Piloxing

Zumba Gold

Water Exercise

Intensity

Yoga

Kick Butt

Strength & Conditioning

Boot Camp

Step/Strength Fusion

Fall

Spring

Flag Football 11v11 Soccer 3v3 Basketball

5v5 Basketball Indoor Volleyball

Special Events / Tournaments Singles Table Tennis Singles Racquetball Singles Tennis Disc Golf Battleship

Indoor Soccer Tournament Ultimate Frisbee Tournament 4v4 Flag Football Tournament Doubles Table Tennis Doubles Racquetball Doubles Tennis Cardboard Boat Regatta

Sign up on imleagues.com

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INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS STUDY ABROAD

Alexis Williams Features EDitor

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he opportunity to study abroad is open to all UALR students of any major or classification. “[Study Abroad] is the place students will visit when they wish to study in other institutions outside of the United States,” Porntip Israsena said. Israsena is the Interim Study Abroad Director, Donaghey Scholar and fall 2013

graduate who has studied in several different countries.

During the 2013-2014 academic year (including summer 2014), 88 students will have studied abroad in such places as France, England, Germany, Jordan, Mexico, Spain, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Taiwan, Italy, Oman, and South Korea.

Regardless of major or career goal, every student can benefit from a study abroad experience.

Israsena said that once students return to the U.S., they cite gaining a greater global perspective

and more self-confidence as their greatest benefits of studying abroad.

“They understand something about the world that they did not know before. Whereas they might have only read U.S. news before their trip, now they read world news and are more globally aware,” Israsena said.

“They learn a lot about themselves through studying abroad.

They realize that yes, they can take an international flight for the first time and yes, they can

Students spent summer 2011 in Taiwan as part of the Taiwan-United States Sister Relations Alliance scholarship program.

eat food they’re not used to,” Israsena said.

Among the many reasons to study abroad, Israsena said it is also beneficial in the workforce.

“Employers are looking for students who can work in a diverse environment, be flexible and work with people from different backgrounds. [Students] have a lot to gain from studying abroad.”

Money should not be an obstacle for students interested in studying abroad.

“We work closely with the

Office of Financial Aid, because [both our offices] see this as a valuable experience for students,” Israsena said. Eligible students may receive increased financial aid or apply for multiple international and study abroad scholarships that the university offers.

For more information, students can email studyabroad@ ualr.edu, call 501.569.3376, or visit the Study Abroad office at Donaldson Student Services Center in room 417.

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SECOND LANGUAGE CLUBS Sign Language Klub (SLK)

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he purpose of Sign Language Klub (Sigma Lambda Kappa) is to support students interested in learning American Sign Language.

“We were founded in 1981 and have about 50 members,” said SLK President Angelia Hester.

Hester said SLK hosts several activities, including monthly meetings, Deaf Awareness Week to encourage student awareness of ASL and deaf culture, and “See-A-Song” to showcase the students’ talents using American Sign Language.

“One activity that we haven’t done in the past is a continuing educational opportunity that gives the students a place to expand their knowledge and experience in the field of deafness outside of the classroom,” Hester said.

Students can contact SLK at slkualr@gmail.com and friend or like them on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Sign Language Klub has been in existence since 1981.

French Club

Spanish Club

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he purpose of Spanish Club is for students at University of Arkansas at Little Rock “to go beyond the classroom and learn about the Spanish language and culture,” said Spanish Club Secretary Alora Crooms. There are currently over 80 UALR students on the Spanish club email list.

Club members have volunteered at Franklin Elementary, the Mexican Consulate, learned salsa dancing, practiced language abilities over lunch and celebrated Cinco de Mayo as part of their list of activities.

“Next year we plan to have movie nights, monthly lunches and activities such as rock climbing, bowling and mini golfing in order to expand our Spanish vocabulary in a fun environment,” Crooms said.

Students interested in the Spanish Club may contact: Andrea Saavedra, President - aesaavedra@ualr.edu Chloe Deaton, Vice President - ccdeaton@ualr.edu Alora Crooms, Secretary - adcrooms@ualr.edu Morgan Gillum, Treasurer - mngillum@ualr.edu

T

he purpose of French Club is to “get outside of class experience with French,” said French Club President Christine Stuckey.

“We want to offer tutoring to new French students that will not only help the ones being tutored, but [members] as well through practice. We also want to create a sense of community for French majors. I’d never really met any of the French students out of my classes, so finding out there were more than 12 of us interested was exciting,” Stuckey said.\ The French Club has been around since the start of the French program, according to Stuckey. But the club became active again at the start of fall 2013 when Stuckey became president.

Past activities include movie nights, lunches and a bake sale.

For next year, the president said she hopes to continue having weekly meetings, more movie nights, and bake sales.

The president spent spring 2014 in France. “I had been buying French DVDs [in France] for that very purpose of movie nights,” Stuckey said.

“I’d also like to have a “galette de rois,” a traditional French celebration that’s a lot like a king cake (but more delicious). And I’d like to make a Mardi Gras party a reality,” she said.

For more information, students can contact Christine Stuckey at cmstuckey@ualr.edu, Michael Nix at manix@ualr.edu and Chloe Goodrich at cigoodrich@ualr.edu.

UALR Foundation for Suicide Prevention Pauline Mothu Staff Writer

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uicide is the third leading cause of death among 10-24 years old, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. During the fall of 2013, UALR student Skylar Whitaker partnered with the UALR Counseling Services and founded the UALR Foundation for Suicide Prevention in order to inform people on what they can do before it is too late.

UALR counselor Amy Muse said that students often show signs of distress before deciding to take their life.

“It is important to know and recognize the signs,” she said, “as well as trust our instincts and talk about it with the student or friend concerned. Asking questions will not increase his or her thoughts of suicide,” she added.

The UALR community can learn more about suicide prevention during the Suicide Prevention Week which occurs in September and is the major event of the UALR Foundation for Suicide Prevention. During this week, the UALR community shows support to those struggling with suicide ideation with a Memorial Walk, an art show known as the ‘Gallery of Hope’ and other activities. Goodies such as pins, T-shirts and cups were also given away.

“The UALR Suicide Prevention Week started last fall and was a success,” said Whitaker.

Muse agreed, saying, “After the event, many students came to us and said they felt the event was made for them. They felt supported,” she said. The event, along with other videos made by the foundation, was featured in the media.

In addition to the Suicide Prevention Week, the UALR Foundation for Suicide Prevention plans on doing more events to bring awareness to suicide prevention. “As of today, people can find information on the UALR Counseling Services webpage,” Muse said.

“We also have a Facebook page, a Twitter account and an Instagram page,” Whitaker added.

Everyone is welcome to join the Foundation, volunteer during the Suicide Prevention Week and participate to the Gallery of Hope art contest. As the UALR Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s slogan says, “Together we can stop suicide.”

More information can be found at http://ualr.edu/counseling/suicide-prevention/

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Health Services Pauline Mothu Staff Writer

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he Office of Health Services provides quality, cost-effective, accessible health care to the students, faculty, and staff. It is located in the Donaghey Student Center (Suite 102) next to the Information Desk and across from the campus bookstore.

Marie Sandusky, an APRN and Director of the Health Services, mentioned that the UALR community can receive many services

from the staff composed of both advanced practice registered nurses and registered nurses. A consulting physician comes every Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. to answer students’ questions. A psychiatric advanced practice registered nurse is also available for students in Counseling Services, which is located in the Charles W. Donaldson Student Services Center (Suite 119).

The Office of Health Services offers services such as evaluation and treatment of illnesses - such as the flu or colds, but also anxiety and depression, prescription medications, women’s health -such as annual exams and birth control, STD screening and

treatment, physical examinations, lab services, weight management, nutrition counseling and referrals to specialists for some cases.

The UALR Community can also receive immunizations for the Office of Health Services. These include Hepatitis A and B, influenza, meningitis but also human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus that can cause different types of cancer - cervical, vaginal, anal and oropharyngeal (back of the throat). Other vaccines for international travel are available on request.

Students can also check their blood pressure and get a TB test. Screening for pregnancy is also available.

The student health fee is included in tuition and it covers the cost of all visits and most services. There are additional charges for some diagnostic/testing labs, procedures and vaccines.

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The mission of the office of Health Services does not stop at diagnosing and treating common illnesses, it also promotes health and preventing diseases through different events throughout the academic year.

“We also promote healthy lifestyle behaviors through the organization Health Promotion, Programs, and Education (HPPE) which is coordinated by Vanessa Lewis,” Sandusky said. HPPE programs include weekly meetings to offer social support and positive reinforcement for those interesting in having a balanced lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight. There is also a smoking cessation program available.

The Office of Health Services is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Students can either come to the office or call (501) 569-3188 to schedule an appointment. More information can also be found at http://ualr.edu/health.

University Writing Center Alyssa Causey

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Staff Writer

he University Writing Center has been helping students with their writing since 1981. Writing is more than editing. It has to do with organizing, development, structure, content and revision.

All UALR students are welcome in the Writing Center. As long as you are an enrolled student with a T-Number, you can conference with a Writing Center intern.

The interns in the writing center are just like you – students. Also pursuing a degree, they are knowledgeable, experienced, and friendly.

The Writing Center is not an editing service. “We do not edit or correct papers but provide guidance,” said Writing Center Director Allison Holland.

“Interns who work with us enjoy what they do. They’re good at it, and most of them have been here more than one semester because it is a very positive environment,” Holland said. Most of the clients that the UWC serves are from majors other than writing.

Whether you are just brainstorming ideas or have a well-developed paper, the student interns that work in the Center can help. “[It’s] a great place to come and brainstorm their writing and we can help them get off to a great start. Pre-planning is critical to good writing. They can bring

in papers that are already in progress or bring a final paper in for [us to] give them an overview to help finalize revisions,” Holland said.

The UWC does not edit or proofread papers, but rather hold one-on-one sessions to identify patterns of error and ways to improve writing. Interns provide feedback and offer problem-solving strategies. Common issues that the UWC interns help students with include paper citation, resumes, and general substantive suggestions. The UWC has reference books available for use inside of the Center as well.

The UWC has 13 Mac computers available for use by any student. You can print papers off in the UWC at a 10 page limit. The computers have several useful programs: Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, Inspiration, Microsoft 2010 Word, PowerPoint, Excel and TextEdit.

The UWC does not require students to make appointments. They encourage walk-in visits. To conference with another intern or use any of the Center’s other resources, you tell the intern at the desk your T-Number. There is no out-of-pocket cost to use the Center’s resources.

The University Writing Center is a positive environment that encourages and assists writers in building skills. You can find the UWC in Student Union B (SUB) 116. If you have any questions about the UWC, services, or resources, call their office at (501) 560-8343. The UWC opens on the first day of classes.

Marlon Marcio being conferenced by intern Bill Elkins

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OTTENHEIMER LIBRARY EVOLVES TO MEET STUDENTSʼ NEEDS Pauline Mothu Staff Writer

Pauline Mothu

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Staff Writer

pen since 1976, the Ottenheimer Library never stops evolving and adapting to the wants and needs of the UALR community, mainly composed of students.

The library now receives about 270,000 physical visitors and about 160,000 online visitors per year. It has more than 660,000 print volumes available as well as about 44,000 electronic books available through the library webpage.

J.B. Hill, who was named interim dean of the library in August 2013, said that the library is a place for students to study individually or in groups, do research, work and check out books.

Hill said the library wants to help students succeed and is constantly evolving to achieve this goal. The second floor was remodeled in spring 2013 with new furniture and multi-format technology hubs to encourage group collaboration and create a more hospitable studying environment. The first floor is next to be updated, and in order to provide student with what they would like in a new library, flip charts can be found on the first and second floors of the library.

The UALR community can also contribute by sharing ideas online. Currently shared ideas include a 24/7 library, food and coffee shop, and more outlets.

The library officers are aware of student

needs and decided in fall 2013 to extend the library hours until 2 a.m. during finals week.

Beginning fall 2014, the library will partner with the public libraries in order to provide more books to the UALR community.

“This will function like the Interlibrary Loan; students will be able to request books from public libraries and pick them up at UALR,” Hill said.

The officers are also taking into consideration the high demand for food.

“We are working toward the idea of having a coffee shop provided by the foodcompany Sodexo, possibly starting in the fall,” Hill said.

In the long term, the library officers plan on grouping the reference desk, the circulation desk and the ITS laboratory to create a one-stop destination for student research and technology support. This concept arises from the recognition that research, information, study and technology are tightly woven together in today’s student life.

Grouping these three services (reference, circulation and ITS) and having a common space to get assistance with research and technology support is essential for student success, Hill said.

Whether students need help on a research project or to search for a book, the library staff is always available. Students can go to the reference desk for help or use the online service ‘Ask a Librarian’. Through this service, visitors can ask a question via telephone call, text, email or chat.

Located in the Library: First Floor

• Computer lab • Copiers • Government documents • Reference librarians • Circulation staff • Newspapers

Second Floor • • • •

Study desks Study nooks Flat screen monitors Agati sofa

Third Floor • • •

Historical references Bound journals Study desks

Fourth & Fifth Floor • • •

Books available for check out Offices of the graduate school Prive study areas

SPORTS FACILITIES AT UALR

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Things to do in Little Rock Alyssa Causey

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Staff Writer

hat isn’t there to do in Little Rock? You may not hear this question posed very often. In fact, you’re more likely to encounter the opposite. However, Little Rock is becoming more young-adult friendly. With each year, there are more things to do, places to see, and spots to eat at. Whether you’re new to Little Rock or a long time citizen, there are lots of new and classic hang out spots to try out.

Arkansas is the Natural State, right?

Pinnacle Mountain State Park is on the outskirts of Little Rock but well worth the drive. The park has 40 miles of hiking trails along with bike trails.

Two Rivers Park offers bike trails and walking trails. A must-see park in Little Rock is the Riverfront Park downtown.

The eleven blocks and 33 acres of park along the Arkansas River include the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge, the Little Rock Civil War Marker, Junction Bridge, Riverfront Park History Pavilion, La Petit Roche Plaza, Peabody Splash Park, and the Riverfront Amphitheater. Other Little Rock parks include Murray Park, MacArthur Park and Burns Park.

The Little Rock Zoo is open year round.

With over 700 animals, it is ever-growing. It recently added cheetahs and penguins. Dickey-Stevens Park is home to the Arkansas Travelers. You haven’t experienced an authentic Arkansas summer until you’ve visited the Little Rock Zoo and attended an Arkansas Travelers game.

Little Rock is home to the world’s longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge. The

Big Dam Bridge connects the communities of Little Rock and Maumelle with 14 miles of trails. The bridge sits on top of Murray Lock and Dam. If you like bridges, night time and lights, the three illuminated bridges in Little Rock are a must see. The Junction Bridge, Main Street Bridge and the Clinton Presidential Park Bridge are colorfully lit from dusk until dawn every night.

The Arkansas Arts Center houses artwork from internationally famous artists.

The Arkansas Repertory Theater puts on a variety of plays each season. Esse Purse Museum on SoMa is one of only three purse museums in the entire world and was awarded as one of the World’s Hottest Museums of 2014. Wildwood Park for the Arts is a botanical garden park with a gazebo, theater and trails that hosts seasonal events like the Lanterns every year.

This is where you can get excited about food. The Main Cheese is a new, gourmet grilled cheese hot spot. South on Main, the restaurant child of Oxford American magazine, serves Southern-inspired gourmet cuisine. Located in Hillcrest, Café Bossa Nova specializes in South American food.

The Root Café, down the street from South on Main, takes a local approach to food.

It’s burgers, salads, sandwich and brats are organic and sourced from Arkansas farmers and businesses. Main Street Food Truck Fridays offers a wide variety of food each Friday on Main St. in downtown Little Rock.

If you’re new to Little Rock and looking for new sights to see and food to eat, prepare to keep busy. With more parks to visit and restaurants to try, you’re bound to find plenty to stay entertained.

Ron Robinson Theatre Hillary Perkins Staff Writer

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he Ron Robinson Theatre is located in downtown Little Rock. It is a 315-seat, multi-purpose theatre, which is part of the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS). The Ron Robinson The theatre houses music performances, plays, readings, lectures, speakers, children’s activities and other entertainment.

The Ron Robinson Theatre is also used for businesses events and birthday parties.

The theatre is used for seminars, product launches, WebEx Meetings, sales presentations, conventions, shareholder meetings,

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committee meetings, conferences and board meetings. The birthday packages include a free ticket to a public show and a food combo for each child in a group of at least 10 guests.

The Ron Robinson Theatre sponsors the In Kind Donation Program. The purpose of this program is to bring volunteers together to provide donations to organizations in Pulaski County and Perry County to benefit the community. Through In Kind, CALS provides a space in the Ron Robinson Theatre at a discount rate or no charge for three different non-profit organizations.

For more information, visit www.cals. org/ron-robinson-theatre.

Notable Places in Little Rock Big Dam Bridge 7600 Rebsamen Park Rd, Little Rock, AR 72207 From the name you would guess that this is a big bridge, and in fact it is! At 4,226 feet long, it is the longest pedestrian/bicycle bridge in North America that has never been used by trains or motor vehicles. The bridge spans the Arkansas River and the Murray Lock and Dam and it connects approximately fifteen miles of scenic riverside trails in Little Rock and North Little Rock.

William J Clinton Presidential Library 1200 President Clinton Ave, Little Rock, AR 72201 The William J. Clinton Presidential Library located in downtown Little Rock provides a history of President Clinton and his time in office. There are replicas of the Oval Office and The Cabinet Room, as well as his actual Presidential Limousine. One of the main exhibits is the Presidential Timeline, which contains the daily schedules for the nearly 3,000 days that Clinton was in office. The Library is open year-round, closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. The library often has traveling exhibits such as the “Oscar De la Renta”, an exhibit which showcases some of the designer Oscar de la Renta’s many famous works.

Museum of Discovery 500 President Clinton Ave #150, Little Rock, AR 72201 The Museum of Discovery is located in downtown Little Rock and provides a fun and educational experience for children of all ages. The museum focuses on science, history and technology and has numerous exhibits, both temporary and permanent, that will really make you think. The permanent exhibits include the Bug Zoo, Energy!, Immigration Station and a collection of small live animals, as well as many others.

Little Rock Zoo 1 Zoo Dr, Little Rock, AR 72205 Founded in 1926, the Little Rock Zoo has been engaging visitors for almost 90 years. The zoo currently features about 725 animals, from approximately 200 species that call the zoo their home. The zoo is open year-round, closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park 11901 Pinnacle Valley Rd, Roland, AR 72135 If you are an outdoorsy person, you should check out Pinnacle Mountain State Park located just west of Little Rock. With 2,356 acres of land, there is plenty of room for numerous different activities. There are over 10 trails to explore, as well as horseback riding, a playground, picnic areas, fishing, canoeing and boating.

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Women’s basketball team will look to new leaders early

Photo by Alton Young Taylor Gault led the Lady Trojans in scoring last season with a 15.2 ppg average. Gault hit a team-leading 29 three pointers on 33 percent shooting.

Alton Young

Courtesy of UALR UALR head basketball coach Steve Shields has compiled a 179-160 record in 11 seasons.

The Trojans won the SBC tournament in the 2010-2011 season.

Men’s basketball team looks to bounce back from a tough season Alton Young

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Sports Editor

he 2014-2015 Trojan men’s basketball team will lose two senior players (Will Neighbour and Leroy Isler) from last season’s team that went 15-17 overall and 9-9 in conference play.

The Trojans managed to stay competitive in a season that began with losing starting point guard J.T. Thomas four games in.

Six Trojan players missed a total of 50 games with injuries this past season. In addition to Thomas, Neighbour also missed several games along with sharpshooter Ben Dillard, post player James White, guard Kemy Osse and defensive stopper Isler.

The offense that leading-scorer Will Neighbour provided (16.3 ppg) and the on-ball defense on the opposing primary offensive threat that Isler played last season will be missed, but so too will the leadership that the two

seniors gave the team on the court throughout a season that was wrought with challenges.

Though their contributions will be harder to replace than just the numbers they put up on the floor, UALR head coach Steve Shields likes what the team has returning going into his 12th season at the helm.

“I’m very encouraged, when you look at what we have coming back – the pieces that we have coming back,” Shields said.

The Trojans will bring back a team full of players with an allimportant year of experience in the SBC that will serve them well as the new leaders of the team.

One of the returning players is the aforementioned Thomas, who was voted as one of the team captains before last season began. The New Orleans native will be paired with fellow point guards Josh Hagins, who will be the team’s highest returning scoring option (12.4 ppg) and DeVonte

Smith, who posted a nearly 3 to 1 turnover to assist ratio for the season.

Also returning will be forward/ center James White who had several efficient offensive games over the course of the season (11.6 ppg) and will be the Trojan’s highest returning rebounder (6.1). White did this while playing only about 24 minutes a game, which his coach wants to see increase this year.

“I just think it’s a big off-season for him to get to where he can play more minutes,” he said.

“Part of that is conditioning, part of that is staying out of foul trouble. I think the two go hand-inhand in a lot of ways.”

White will be paired with returning post players Gus Leeper and Marius Hill. On the perimeter, the Trojans were led

by Hagins, who hit a team-high 48 three pointers for the season and

by Neighbour and Dillard, who shot 38.5 and 39.7 percent respectively from three-point range.

Also returning for the Trojans are forwards Stetson Billings, Mareik Isom and center Andrew Poulter.

The Trojans have also signed junior college transfers Roger Woods, James Reid, Andre Brown and Jerron Washington to round out the roster for next season.

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Sports Editor

he 2014-2015 women’s basketball team will lose three seniors from last season and will lean on the growth from its best player to improve on a season that was stellar at home but disappointing on the road.

The team went 18-12 last season, including a 13-1 home record, despite losing guard Ka’Nesheia Cobbins to a season-ending torn ACL and having senior Hannah Fohne limited all season because of a back injury. The potential missing senior leadership that the Fohne injury meant was obvious to most even outside of the team, but what Cobbins absence meant was more internal according to head coach Joe Foley.

“She was kind of the fire of the team, kind of the catalyst,” Foley said. “When we lost her in practice before the season started, that was kind of a blow that a lot of people wouldn’t see that’s not involved with the team.” This will be Foley’s 12th season as UALR coach.

The three seniors that will leave the team are Fohne, who played last season with a back injury that limited her practice time; Taylor Ford, the point guard and floor leader of last season’s squad and Nia Gregory, who set the tone for the team in the classroom according to Coach Foley.

“Those are three seniors that I hate to see leaving,” he said.

The Lady Trojans will attempt to improve a road record of 4-10 and build on the run that saw them win seven of their eight

games heading into last season’s SBC tournament. The experience of last year’s freshmen, who were forced into bigger roles on the team because of injuries to more experienced players, means that they return with a better sense of what they can do.

Even with the experience that the younger players gained, the returning upper-classmen will be tasked to do an even better job of making the team inclusive to their younger teammates. “That’s where we’ve got to pick it up a little bit. I think we’ve got to play with a little bit more enthusiasm in leading the young kids,” Foley said. Foley cited the gap between the younger and older players as contributing to a slower start than he would have liked last season.

“I think that’s one reason it took this team a little while to gel,” he said. “I hope they learned a lot about how important it is to mesh.”

Among the players that will be returning for the Lady Trojans will be leading-scorer Taylor Gault (15.2 ppg), Shannity James (10.1 ppg/6.3 rpg) and Kiera Clark (9.7ppg/6.2 rpg). Those players, along with a returning Cobbins will be tasked with leading the team. An opportunity that Coach Foley hopes will happen earlier this season.

When you’ve got players who take responsibility and leadership, then you have a chance to be a good basketball team, he said. The team has signed three players so far for next season: Alexius Dawn, Alivia Huell and Monique Towson.

Baseball team dominates games at home

Trojan Sports in brief Swimming/ Diving

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Photo by Alton Young Outfielder Ryan Scott takes a swing at a pitch during a mid-season game this year. The North Little Rock native was in his second season with the Trojans in 2014.

Tanner Rockwell got a save.

During the Grambling Margaret Rogers State game, Tanner Rockwell Sports Editor and Bryson Thionnet hit solo homeruns to get out of a tied ballhe 2014 UALR baseball team game. The lead increased because had an up and down season of hits Thionnet and Rockwell with many of its wins com- made during the game. Busiek ing at home and its loses coming earned his first career win with on the road. the victory against Grambling With three games remaining State. against rival Arkansas State, the In the Missouri State game, team had an overall record of Drew Merten hit a homerun that 23-28 with 18 of those wins com- put runs on the scoreboard. Due ing at home at Gary Hogan field. to teamwork, the Trojans were The team’s conference record was able to get a comfortable lead and 9-18 with the final three games at protect it. Drew McCurry, Austin Gary Hogan Field.

Pfeiffer, and Tanner Rockwell In a game earlier against UT had a rally that earned a big lead.

Arlington, Jesse Harbin had his The UALR pitchers were able to first career win, pitching four prevent Missouri State to score, scoreless innings straight out of which led to the Trojan victory. the bullpen. The Trojans’ offense The team finished its season was unstoppable during that against Arkansas State May 15-17 stretch as they beat Grambling, at Gary Hogan Field. Looking 10-7, and Missouri State, 10-6. On ahead to the 2015 season, the the mound, Jake Busiek and Chad team will lose seven seniors off Bradford picked up wins and the roster.

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he UALR 2014-2015 swimming and diving team will look to second-year swimmers to maintain the recordbreaking pace set by last season’s team. The loss of recordshattering senior Kara Raney will be hard to overcome, but the sophomore and freshmen class will look to continue the UALR culture.

The team began last season with a loss to Southern Illinois 60-177, but came back to defeat Ouachita Baptist 12094. During the Missouri Valley Championships, the team finished at fifth and sixth place.

The team received an award from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America.

They received an award for achieving Scholar All American status. The CSCAA presents the award to college swimming and diving teams who gain a 3.0 GPA or higher. The UALR team had a collective grade point of 3.18.

UALR seventh-year head coach Amy Burgess witnessed more than a few record-breaking performances during the season.

Among them were Jinson Kang breaking the school record in the 200 yard IM and Kara Raney, Erin Trumbach, Courtney Coe and Valeriya Teplova teaming up to break the record in the 400 medley relay. The 2014-2015 swim team will lose three seniors in all: Raney, Hope Myers and Holly Myers.

in conference play. They will start the 2014 season Friday, Aug. 22 against Chicago State at Coleman Sports and Recreation Complex.

During their season, they will face a wide geographical range of teams such as Mississippi Valley State, Tennessee Tech and South Dakota.

In February, eight players signed on for the 2014 season. Laureen Brilka, Lauren Brownrigg, Madison Butina, Maila Carboni, Falilatu ‘Fali’ Garuba, Breanne Ilkuf, Louise Kallin and Quin Wilkes are new Trojans. Elise Brune, Angelica Daggs and Harriett Pallett were also signed in the off-season. In all, there are 11 new student-athletes joining their Trojan teammates this season to continue the push for success and to make a bid for a Sun Belt Conference tournament berth.

Cross Country/ Track

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he UALR men’s and women’s track and field/cross country teams competed in the Sun Belt Conference Championship May 9 through May 11. The all-day event was at San Marcos, Texas. They will also compete May 29 through May 31 in the NCAA West Regional competition at Fayetteville, Ark. The teams have competed this season in the UALR Open, the Central Arkansas Open and the A-State Red Wolves Open. Players earned places on the all-time top 10 list in UALR history during the Beach Invite in California and Soccer the Central Arkansas Open. The ALR Trojan Soccer head men’s team will lose three seniors coach Adrian Blewitt will this year and the women’s team begin his second season as will lose two. coach this fall. The team will look to sustain the quick start from last season with a home-loaded schedule that will add two more Volleyball matches to last season’s total. The team will play 19 matches this he 2014 UALR Trojan womseason compared to last season’s en’s volleyball team will 17. look to improve on a season The UALR Soccer team started that ended in a spike in the wrong the 2013 season strong by defeat- direction. ing Southern University 6-1 and The team went into the SBC UAPB 4-0. The team went 4-14 tournament as the #2 seed, but overall last season, and was 1-7 losers of three straight match-

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es. The team couldn’t turn that momentum around in a hardfought loss in a first round matchup with state rival Arkansas State in the tournament.

The return of SBC Offensive Player of the Year Edina Begic will ensure that the team will be competitive offensively. Begic won the award for the second year in a row and led the SBC in points per set and in kills per set.

She also set a record for kills in a season with 634.

Head coach Van Compton will begin her 27th season as coach of the Trojans, looking to add to her four tournament championships, three regular season titles and four NCAA tournament appearances.

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Golf

he 2014-2015 UALR golf teams will be teeing off in the fall in two very different places. Having no seniors on the roster last season, the women will return with its top players, while the men will lose three seniors from their team.

Nick Zimmerman, Brad Graham and Luis Cedeno were the senior leaders on last season’s team. The men’s team finished in first place at the HBU Husky Invitational in Texas and second at the ULM/Wallace Jones Invitational at Louisiana.

The women’s team should return all its players, including Sofia Berglund, Katie Reid and Sofie Kvarnstrom. The women finished second at the Chris Banister Golf Classic at Alabama and finished fourth in three other tournaments last season.