The Forum - September 19th

Lab lures freshman

Page 7

‘Henry V’ hits The Rep

Trojan Soccer scores win

Page 8

Page 10

Visit us Online

ualr.edu/forum

Volume LXXXV Number III

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Student Newspaper

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Campus armed robbery result of Craigslist dealing

News in a

FLASH

Hilal Cansizoglu, a UALR PhD candidate, was featured last month in a New York Times feature story on how food helps cross-cultural unity. The Turkey native is currently seeking a doctoral degree in applied physics and says cooking is a good way to make friends.

UALR’s art galleries are currently showcasing two exhibits that convey the artful intersection of the human existence and nature. The exhibits will be on display until Oct. 3, and a reception for the contributing artists is scheduled from 5 - 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 28 in the Fine Arts Building lobby.

The Cooper Lecture Series will host a screening of the film “INK: A Tale of Captivity” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept.

26 in Donaghey Student Center’s Meeting Room C. The movie, which portrays the 17th century capture of a preacher’s wife by Native Americans, is free and open to the public.

The Clinton School of Public Service will host an event at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Sept.

20 featuring a discussion by Mark Shriver discussing his book, “A Good Man: Rediscovering my Father, Sargent Shriver.”

The book is a memoir about Shriver’s father, who founded the Peace Corps and developed President Johnson’s War on Poverty.

The Arkansas Times Festival of Ideas is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22. The day will include demonstrations and lectures from several “Influential Arkansans,” which will take place at various downtown Little Rock venues and will be free to the public.

Student Government Association elections are scheduled for Oct. 1 - 2 in the Donaghey Student Center.

Registration packets are available in the Office of Campus Life.

Index Opinions News Campus Life Features Entertainment Sports

2 3-4 5 6-7 8-9 10-11

Get

UALR NEWS anytime

at

ualr.edu/forum Scan the code with your smartphone!

Cameron Moix News Editor

were found during the investigation. In response to the findings, Chelte sent a letter of resignation to Chancellor Joel Anderson on April 21, which took effect April 30.

The report also recommended that the institution seek reimbursement for a total of $11,480.80 from Chelte. That recommendation was issued after the audit period, during which he reimbursed the university $3,850 of the initial total of $15,300. According to office administration, Chelte has re-

University Police apprehended an armed man after he and an accomplice robbed a UALR student on campus Sept. 12, according to police reports.

After arranging a meeting to sell a computer he had previously listed on Craigslist, the student was robbed near the site of UALR’s new Trojan Grill about 4:15 p.m. Wednesday.

“It was just a Craigslist deal gone bad,” said one witness, who is also a resident on campus.

The witness was one of four students that accompanied the victim during the attempted sale of his $1,300 Apple Macbook Pro computer. The victim said the laptop was awarded to him by the university through the Donaghey Scholars program.

According to the victim, the two suspects had initially set up the sale through a series of text messages that seemed suspicious.

“He was just really sketchy,” the victim said. “I said, ‘Let’s meet at the Trojan Grill’ and he wanted to meet me across the street instead.”

The suspects met with the victim at 4:05 p.m. and claimed to be present on behalf of the buyer, who was said to be on his way. A period of small

See CHELTE, page 3

See ROBBERY, page 3

Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley said in a memo to University of Arkansas System’s Office of General Counsel last week that he will not press criminal charges against former college of business dean Anthony Chelte. Photo courtesy of Facebook

No charges sought in case of former dean, says attorney Cameron Moix News Editor

After a four-month review of reports by the University of Arkansas System, the prosecuting attorney has decided not to prosecute a former UALR dean for alleged misuse of travel funds.

In a memo sent to the UALR Office of General Counsel Sept.

12, Prosecuting Attorney Larry Jegley stated that the office could not prove criminal intent by former College of Business Dean Anthony Chelte.

“After reviewing the information, we have determined

that this matter may have been the result of a misunderstanding by Dr. Chelte of the University’s travel expense policy,” Jegley stated in the document.

According to the document, this decision concludes a review process by Jegley’s office that began when internal investigation and audit reports were submitted by the University of Arkansas System’s Office of General Counsel on May 7.

The Office of General Counsel’s Internal Audit Report showed that more than $15,300 worth of duplicate or otherwise unauthorized travel expenses

Student Senate plans to ‘Paint the Town Maroon’ Jennifer Ellis

Executive Editor

The Student Senate voted unanimously to pass a bill to help bring Trojan pride to the University District and approved nominations to fill seats on the Student Court and Executive Board during a meeting Sept. 12.

The bill titled Paint the Town M a r o o n Campaign allocates up to $1,000 of the Senate’s annual budget to purchase painting s u p p l i e s , Kim brushes and promotional items to paint UALR and Trojan spirited designs on the windows of businesses surrounding the campus.

At the University of Central Arkansas and Arkansas State University you see a lot of windows painted with signs of community support, SGA Vice President Ed Hernandez said.

It’s that same kind of support and community involvement we want to encourage with this project. “We want to see all up and down University just covered with ‘Go Trojans!’” Hernandez said.

The three-part plan will begin with Student Government Association members recruiting businesses to allow student organizations to paint the establishments’ windows. Then student organizations will be asked to submit window design proposals with prizes offered for the top three designs. And finally, a date coordinating with the opening of basketball sea-

son will be set for the organizations whose designs are chosen to take out their brushes and Paint the Town Maroon.

SGA President Rizan Mohsin said she hopes the project will bring area businesses, student organizations and the student government together. “I think it would be horrible if SGA was doing the entire thing. If we’re promoting a sense of community, then we want community involvement,” she said.

In other business, the Senate voted to apThomas prove the nomination of Senator Christi Kim, sophomore biology major, as the position of secretary, is paid a $250 per month stipend. Dominique Thomas, a sophomore criminal justice and psychology major, Nora Bouzihay and Kenneth Jones were appointed justices to the Student Court, although Bouzihay and Jones were not in attendance.

The addition of the three justices fills all but one of the vacant positions on the Student Court. Kim’s appointment to secretary leaves her Senate seat available in the fall election, which is scheduled for Oct. 1 and 2. There are currently five Member-at-Large positions available and at least one Senate seat available from each college except the College of Professional Studies, which has both of its seats currently occupied. Candidate Registration packets can be picked up at the Office of Campus Life in the Donaghey Student Center.

Phone app aims to make campus student-friendly Liz Fox

Entertainment Editor

A new UALR app with a variety of functions was released to students and faculty on Tuesday, Sept. 18 through the Apple app store.

The concept, which was drawn from a number of other state universities, was developed by a team of three departments that includes the UALR Office of Communications, Information Technology Services (ITS) and Scholarly Technology and Resources (STaR). While a separate Blackboard app was

released to online students last year, expansion for a general app gained momentum during the summer months and ultimately resulted in the newlyreleased final product.

Jennifer Godwin, UALR’s Web Communications Manager, has only been with the project since May but expressed surprise at the fast-paced nature of the creative process.

“If you think about it, two and a half months is not a long time to do something like this, so we

See PHONE APP, page 3

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Opinions Staff Editorial

That’s what he said Ricky Harris

Kudos to UALR police officers

Illustration by Sarah Melero

Value of student input not realized The Forum Many students find themselves sitting in classes that they have no interest in.

Whether it be history or the dreaded college algebra, many people wonder why the classes are required.

The basic argument behind the “core” classes is that they make students well-rounded and help them gain a respect for many different fields while broadening their world view.

Whether you agree with these classes being required or not, getting rid of them totally is not likely to happen anytime soon. And it shouldn’t.

After twenty years without the core requirements being revisited at UALR, a task force was formed in early 2010 to review the current core curriculum and suggest changes that bring it up to 21st century standards.

We won’t get into specifics of the suggestions here; we’ll

leave that task to the news section. Our point is, to acknowledge some problems with the process and to offer our opinions on some of the larger decisions involved.

To begin, students have not been involved much, if at all, in this process. Students are the ones directly impacted by the changes. Some professors tend to get set in their ways and think their area of expertise is the most important.

They buy into the notion that without their subject being required in the core classes that a student won’t get a quality education.

Sadly, this hurts the students. In a time where jobs are harder and harder to come by, is it really vital to have a history of civilization class in order to land a job?

We’re not saying that students know exactly what’s best for them. Academic leaders bring experience and knowledge that can lead a discussion on the changes to

the core requirements. But students should have a much more prominent role in the discussion. Considering our Student Government Association hasn’t been known for doing much in previous years this could be an opportunity for them. Appoint some of the Student Senators to the groups that are working to develop a new core curriculum. We don’t think that is too much to ask for.

The newest marketing campaign from UALR is focusing on “Grads at Work.” Heck, why not talk to those folks.

They experienced the core curriculum and now they’re working in respected fields as examples of how important a college education can be.

Their input would be invaluable in a discussion about the future of the core.

Surely there are plenty of ideas out there as to how to get students involved in the discussion.

Faculty members need to stop and take

‘Dadvertising’ to gay community Frankly, my dear GEOFFREY BARA I know Father’s day isn’t looming. Thank goodness, because I haven’t got any idea what to buy for my dad at the moment. I’m lucky, though, because I have months.

I did, however, see a related ad in a recent issue of Shoppe Talk, a free publication with circulation in Maumelle and Little Rock, that made me smile. The back cover of the magazine features a fullcolor ad for Pleasant Ridge Town Center, one of the nicer dining and shopping areas of Little Rock, I’m meant to understand. There is a list that reads down along the right margin listing the goods, services, and shops one will find there, and it’s all done in soothing, tasteful shades of blues and greys.

Across the top is the name of the shopping center, a logo, a slogan.

All lovely. Then right slap under-

neath it is a statement proudly emblazoned in Impress font (one of the friendliest, in my opinion): “We love our Dads!” and a couple of adorable children holding hands in matched striped outfits.

Perhaps seersucker. I’m not sure, it’s hard to tell. But the actual fabric isn’t what made me smile, although frankly I do love a good summer-weight cotton. No, what thrilled me so much was this absolutely off the cuff reference to the idea that not only might two men possibly be living together in Little Rock, they might be doing financially well enough to live and shop in the “good part of town,” and not only are their kids dressed flawlessly and look happy, healthy, and well-raised: they’ve got kids to begin with!

Oh, I’m not so naive as to suppose that maybe, just maybe, these are a couple of schoolmates or cousins whose crafty respective fathers offered to babysit for the day so that the mommies could go shopping on Kavanaugh or something. And they love their dads in a way that my friends and I love our dads. I see that it’s possible that this may be the case.

It’s just infinitely more interest-

ing (not to mention exciting) for me to think that smaller advertising is starting to think bigger and go the way of Ikea, JC Penny, Gap, Orbitz, Amazon.com., etc.; the list goes on, although unfortunately not forever.

I realize, too, that the fact that these companies are advertizing to the gay community doesn’t expressly state agreement with our way of life (although it does seem to imply it, doesn’t it?) and is more about snagging the almighty gay dollar, which is not to be sneezed at. Gay men spend a lot of money, and these companies want that money to be spent with them. I wonder how many positive interactions have grown out of a productive and mutually satisfying business relationship, though. I think the willingness of more companies to show gay people and their families in more honest, healthy situations is indicative of a change, albeit a slow one, of the way at least businesses are looking at the gay American family unit.

Maybe once there’s more commercials of us at Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrell, we won’t seem so scary anymore.

a breath. Without students, they wouldn’t have a job. So they need to take the time to solicit student opinions before making decisions that affect them.

Another part of the discussion includes whether to retain the requirement of a minor. Currently, UALR requires students to have a minor in addition to their major.

This can be tiresome because many students transfer in with credits that won’t satisfy minor requirements and they may not want to add an additional batch of credit hours to their graduation requirement.

But for those who want to gain depth in another field of interest, the option to have a minor is a good thing. Minors allow students to have a more customized college experience and some programs, like the one in information technology, give students valuable knowledge that could possibly set them apart in the search for quality employment.

All too often police officers only get in the news when it’s a negative situation. From questionable shootings to accusations of racial profiling, serving in law enforcement is no easy task.

Recently, UALR’s police force, the Department of Public Safety (DPS), has done some things that have not gotten the attention they may deserve.

In a situation that directly impacted The Forum, DPS officers caught a juvenile who was going through our executive editor’s car in Lot 2.

They almost got away with hundreds of dollars in photography equipment. Had it not been for the officers out patrolling campus, the suspects likely would have not been caught and the equipment would have probably never been seen again.

Another situation is one that the larger campus community, and even city of Little Rock, probably heard about.

When a student was allegedly robbed at gunpoint outside of the Trojan Grill, DPS officers were on the scene promptly, even catching one of the suspects before they got away.

If that’s not a great response time, then I don’t know what is.

Although that was an isolated incident that was supposedly a Craigslist exchange gone bad, KATV Channel 7 decided that it necessitated a live story from campus, as if UALR needs more bad publicity. It’s bad enough that everyone thinks our campus is dangerous. (Which, by the way, it is not.) It must have been a slow news day.

For those of you who like to run your mouths about DPS being “rent-a-cops,” think twice next time before you crack a joke to belittle our campus’s own state-trained first responders. You never know when it’ll be you who needs their assistance.

Letter to the Editor I am one of those working adults who has no other choice other than to take online courses if I want to finish my degree, and in my opinion it is a bit presumptuous for one to assume that an online degree is “easy” to get.

I have completed several courses on-campus in the last two semesters being completed completely online, and I have found on-campus classes extremely easy in comparison to the work that is required from an online setting. It takes dedication, a will to succeed and excellent time management skills to complete a full course load from most major universities that offer this type of online setting. With online courses, you don’t have an instructor coddling to your every need and dissecting every detail that arises. You must be responsible and intelligent enough to do this on your own. I do realize that not all instructors are like this, but a large majority of them do grade on a curve and in my experience are more likely to cave to the demands of students that they must face once or twice a week versus those that they may never once meet in person.

In fact, I have had a few online

instructors that provide minimal to no instruction. They send you the syllabus, a schedule of homework assignments and then expect you complete the work and pass the tests yourself. If you don’t do the work, you don’t pass.

I do understand your concerns with diplomas earned from “for-profit” colleges, but equating their value with all other college diplomas earned on-line is ridiculous. There is no doubt that some of these online colleges “devalue” the worth of the diploma, but the same can be said for degrees earned from “party” universities that don’t place the same emphasis on academics as they do on social activities and sporting events. Saying that all online degrees “devalue” the worth of the diploma is the same as saying a degree from UALR, ASU or the UofA devalues the worth of those degrees earned by hard-working Harvard and Yale students.

Comparing colleges, online or otherwise, is like comparing apples to oranges.

Melanie Edwards

Junior business administration major

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,

News Editor Cameron Moix

Executive Editor Jennifer Ellis

Features Editor Chelsey McNiel

Managing Editor Ricky Harris

Sports Editor Greg Garcia

Business Manager Holden Raines

Adviser Bruce Plopper

Advertising Manager Steven Wells

Entertainment Editor Liz Fox

obscene or incoherent.

Letters should be sent to editor@ualr.edu or

University of Arkansas at Little Rock 201J Donaghey Student Center 2801 S. University Ave. Little Rock, AR 72204

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/or 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 MCOM 3320 and other reporting classes sometimes erve as contributing writers for The Forum. Advertising inquiries should be referred to The Forum’s advertising office at 501-569-3319. The Forum is published 7 times in each of the fall and spring semesters, and once in the summer. The Forum’s executive editor can be reached at 501-569-3265. All material published in this newspaper is copyrighted.

ualr.edu/forum

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Publication recognizes Chancellor for higher ed, community building Cameron Moix News Editor

UALR Chancellor Joel Anderson was featured in a Sept. 5 issue of Arkansas Times along with 49 other Arkansans who have made their mark on the state in recent years.

The piece, titled “Influential Arkansans,” highlights “more than 50 who shape our state,” and includes and recognizes Anderson for his influence in higher education and community building.

“Some universities and the towns they’re located in largely go their separate ways,” according to the story.

“More is expected of the university in a large metropolitan area.

Under Chancellor Joel Anderson, UALR tries to provide.”

The short section devoted to Anderson, which is just under 200 words, focuses on his work with UALR and the community, including a recommendation to merge Little Rock and North Little Rock utilities in 2000, the creation of the Institute of Race and Ethnicity and the university district development corporation’s work to improve neighborhoods around the metropolitan campus.

“Well, it’s gratifying,” Anderson said, “and I was in good company that included some other UALR people. I am also very proud to see that they were included.”

Some of the “UALR people” that Anderson referred to are Haydar AlShukri, director of UALR’s Arkansas Earthquake Center and the chair of the applied science department, as

well as James Parins, J.W. Wiggins and Daniel Littlefield of UALR’s Sequoyah National Research Center.

The story also announces that Arkansas Times will be “hosting a weekend later in September in honor of these men and women who’ve left their mark on Arkansas.” The event will take place Sept. 21 at the Old Statehouse on President Clinton Avenue in downtown Little Rock and will include a public cocktail reception at which some of the featured honorees will be present. Throughout the next day, Sept. 22, the local publication will host the Arkansas Times Festival of Ideas at locations such as the Old Statehouse, the Historic Arkansas Museum, the Central Arkansas Library and the Clinton School of Public Service.

“Several years ago, the Arkansas Times began publishing a Big Ideas issue, an annual showcase of ideas that would make Arkansas a better place to live,” according to the story.

“It’s always an inspiring endeavor, a rare opportunity for cynical editors to focus on promise rather than shortcomings. In that spirit, we decided to survey some of the people behind the ideas and initiatives that are shaping Arkansas today.”

According to the story, the festival will include presentations and demonstrations by nearly 20 of the featured influential Arkansans.

“It’ll be like our own version of TED Talks,”the story states. Presenters are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include such notable locals as Oxford American publisher Warwick Sabin, University of Arkansas System President Donald Bobbitt, and “Project Runway” fashion designer Korto Momolu, among others.

Anderson said that unlike Bobbitt, he will not be able to attend the Festival of Ideas this weekend because of a prior commitment. He also said that he reads the local weekly “fairly regularly, depending on the stories.”

Police Beat Two campus thefts reported in one day Reports to the Department of Public Safety were filed Sept. 7 that claimed a wallet and cell phone had been stolen from two different people.

According to reports, the first incident occurred in the morning when a student’s wallet was stolen while he was taking a shower at the Donaghey Student Center fitness center. The victim said that this happened while his clothes and wallet were placed on a bench in the locker room.

The report also said that when he was walking into the locker room, the victim noticed two young men, both about 20 years old. He told police that his staff identification card, some cash and both his credit and debit cards were in the wallet when taken.

The same day, a cell phone was stolen from the gallery in the Fine Arts building. According to police, the report was received from the gallery assistant at about 4 p.m., when a woman called, claiming that her phone was stolen by two juveniles.

According to the report, the suspect was wearing tan khaki shorts, white shoes, a white tank top and had a comb stuck in his hair, and the other suspect was wearing a blue shirt.

If you have any information about these crimes, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 501-569-3408.

Narcotic medications stolen in a burglary Several narcotic medications were stolen from a man’s apartment at University Village while he was away Sept. 9, according to a Department of Public Safety report.

According to the DPS, the victim told police that while he was away someone stole several of his narcotic medications from a shelf in

his closet including Oxycodone and Fentanyl patches.

According to the report, the incident occurred while the victim was out of town for a week. Upon his return, he noticed that the Dairy Lane apartment had been ransacked.

The victim’s roommate said that on Sept. 8, when he was asleep, someone had entered his room and stolen $20 from him. There were no signs of the forced entry into the apartment or the rooms.

If you have any information about this crime, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 501569-3408.

Suspects claim drugs are pieces of Sheetrock Two suspects were arrested Sept. 9 on West 28th Street and booked into the County Jail for a warrant, possession of cocaine and theft.

Officers from the Department of Public Safety pulled over a blue Dodge Neon without its headlights on driving down University Avenue at about 4 a.m. and were soon advised by dispatchers that it was stolen. Jean Gamble, 37, and Christopher Fields, 48, were then removed from the car, searched and handcuffed.

According to the report, police found a white rock like substance, a fake ID, several cell phones, two large kitchen knives and a car CD player. Police were also notified that one of the suspects had a warrant in North Little Rock and bench warrant in Little Rock.

Jean Gamble told police that she was driving Christopher Fields and another male named Terry (who left the car when he saw the police) to Kroger to buy some groceries and then sell them to get some “real crack,” according to the report. Both suspects said the white rock substance was Sheetrock.

After the substance tested positive for cocaine, both suspects were transported to the Pulaski County Detention Center for processing.

News

3

Ribbon cut for Student Services Center

Student Government Association President Rizan Moshin helps Chancellor Joel Anderson wield a pair of over-sized scissors during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for UALR’s new Student Services Center on Sept. 7. Photo by Cameron Moix

CHELTE, continued from page 1 imbursed the university system in full since the reports were submitted to the prosecuting attorney more than four months ago.

“After we submitted the case to the Prosecuting Attorney for review, we made demand on Dr. Chelte to make full restitution of amounts we claimed that he owed UALR, and he did make full restitution,” said Senior Associate General Counsel Jeff Bell, to whom Jegley’s memo was addressed. “ As a result, UALR has been made whole. We respect and accept the Prosecutor’s decision to not pursue criminal charges against Dr. Chelte, although we stand behind the findings of our Internal Auditor. We consider the matter resolved and closed.”

According to the report that Bell submitted to Jegley on May 7, Chelte repaid the amount of $3,850 on Dec. 1, 2011.

The report states that this reimbursement was for a trip he took to France in June 2010. It also states that was the day he was notified about the internal audit.

The report goes on to state that among Chelte’s unauthorized business travel were more trips to France and one to Hawaii, for which he had exchanged his airplane tickets to Ger-

many, where he was going to teach at another university.

According to the UALR website, Chelte had been under investigation for misuse of university funds since Nov. 4, 2011, when some of his university coworkers reported allegations of “improper use of funds for personal travel and abuse of leave time regulations” to Interim Provost Sandra Robertson.

“Based on the audit findings, Chancellor Anderson and University of Arkansas System President Donald Bobbitt requested that the UA General Counsel’s Office forward the reports to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review,” according to UALR press release dated May 15.

According to Bell’s report to the prosecuting attorney, the audit also found that Chelte underreported his annual leave time from the university by 182 hours, “which, at his salary, has a value of $16,346.18.”

“The audit committee offered recommendations to UALR for strengthening internal controls regarding travel policy, agreements with foreign schools, international data plans, and use of signature stamps,” according to the May 15 UALR press release.

ROBBERY, continued from page 1 talk led to both suspects claiming to be UALR students, with one going into detail about a nursing major as well as specific courses. Shortly after, the unarmed suspect ran behind two witnesses and grabbed the victim’s Macbook from a nearby table.

The victim said another student accompanying him tackled the unarmed suspect, who proceeded to toss the laptop to his armed accomplice.

After being pushed into the bushes next to the grill, he said Hinton that the armed suspect drew his firearm and pointed at the victim as well as another witness.

After the group of students chased the armed suspect into a neighborhood located on West 30th Street, officers from UALR’s Department of Public Safety then apprehended the armed suspect, who was said to be hiding in foliage located between two

residences.

“I was following them and I thought they would have a getaway car behind East Hall,” the victim said. “But they just kept running and did not get very far.”

The police recovered the stolen laptop as well as the weapon which, according to the victim, had the serial number filed off its small body.

The arrested suspect was positively identified as 18-year-old James Hinton shortly following his capture. The other man was last seen running in a different direction than his accomplice.

While he was also identified through a series of photographs, he has yet to be taken into custody for his involvement.

Witnesses of the crime describe the suspect as a heavyset black man, standing around 6-feet tall, wearing a black shirt with cut-off sleeves and having tattoo of the letter “A” on his left arm.

Those who see an individual matching this description are encouraged to contact Detective Tonya Soule at 501569-8793, or call the University Police dispatch office at 501-569-3400.

PHONE APP, continued from page 1 went with the essentials first,” Godwin said. “This is a work in progress. It’s only in phase one, and we’re excited about it.”

The app, which is available on Apple iOS, contains 12 individual widgets that include useful tools for students on and off campus. While it includes some standard functions, such as faculty and emergency contacts, it also implements an augmented reality map that marks specific UALR locations. Trolley schedules, news and access to the university’s YouTube channel are also included.

Godwin says that once general reactions are garnered from the intended market, the development team will begin to expand the app to include a variety of other features. That includes making a version available to Android users as well as possibly including a map of all blue-light emergency stops.

“If you look at some of the other

school apps, the University of Arkansas [in Fayetteville] also used Blackboard, so it’s a very familiar concept. But we designed our own widgets so it does look and feel like UALR,” she said. “We just feel like we did a great job of getting the essentials out there and we’re excited to keep adding as we get feedback from everyone.”

Godwin also believes that while Blackboard has caused some problems in the past, the app’s development saw many rewards with utilizing such established software.

“Because Blackboard Mobile has helped develop more than a few apps for universities, we reaped the benefits of its expertise,” she said. “Ultimately, we see this app as enriching the campus experience by providing the UALR community with the best mobile technology has to offer.”

4

News

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

ualr.edu/forum

Bowen graduate directs operations at DNC convention Cameron Moix News Editor

George Jenson, chair of the rhetoric and writing department, addresesd an open meeting in Dickinson Auditorium Sept. 7 during a discussion of issues surrounding debate about the revision of the undergraduate core curriculum. Photo by Alexis Williams

Undergrad requirements revisited, to be revised Alexis Williams Staff Writer

After two years of debate about the proposed core curriculum requirements for UALR’s undergraduate students, Simple is best was the general consensus on Sept. 7 during an open faculty meeting about the curriculum, where professors were encouraged to suggest their own proposals and amendments.

The official document is titled the Undergraduate Curriculum Revision Task Force: Revised Report and Recommendations and is dated April 25, 2012. The meeting was devised to lend a voice to the professors who the new requirements would affect. They were permitted to share any critiques or grievances regarding the the tentative blueprint for the core curriculum.

Proposals brought forth in the meeting included placing class limits on dualcompetency courses, mandating periodic performance assessments, and inviting each college to submit its own curriculum requirements.

Angela Hunter, a philosophy major, called for the revisions report to “consider humanities as a whole, rather than a list of check-boxes.”

The revisions report document, which Laura Smith-Olinde, professor of audiol-

ogy and speech pathology, says is only a draft until voted on in upcoming faculty senate meetings, requires a direct incorporation of coursework that stresses writing, technology, values and critical thinking across the dis ciplines.

“Complaints about student writing are universal across the campus,” said Daryl Rice, associate vice chancellor for student success. “We can’t burden rhetoric and writing with all of this. Every major should require intensive writing. My recommendation? Prioritize. That’s how the sausage gets made.”

Nickolas Jovanovic, associate professor of construction management and civil and construction engineering, supplied the curriculum committee with an extensive proposal of what he said would best benefit the students. Essentially, it adheres to the 35-hour state core regulation, but suggests a more diverse choice of science, humanities and social sciences courses than that of the undergraduate curriculum revision committee document.

Other than reducing the credit hours from 44 to 35, the UCR draft requires implementing more upper-level social science and arts courses. It also demands the proficiency of a second language or 2000 level course, however some programs may seek exemptions to the proposed policy.

Someone you know is planning her future.

These would include the programs already operating under their own curriculum like the Donaghey Scholars, nursing and business programs. If the UCR is passed as is through the committee meetings, it would include a fall break and Thanksgiving holiday as part of the schedule.

Concerns over the document surfaced frequently in the meeting. Some worried that the language was too vague. Some expressed disdain for the likelihood of removing certain programs. Some felt that requiring every course to be “technologyintensive” could be problematic and expensive. One professor feared that giving this policy the stamp of approval would also come with a deficit.

All UALR colleges must already meet the requirements of several committees to maintain their accreditations. “With the revision implementation, that’ll just be one more committee to which we will have to prove our accreditation,” said Construction Management Director Michael Tramel.

“How many of our students are nontraditional, or have full-time jobs? The proposal could mean more hours to pile onto them,” said English professor Trey Philpotts.

The core curriculum credit minimum is currently at 44 hours. However, transfer students, who the UCR reports make up 70 percent of the university’s total student population, may end up completing almost 50 hours to meet the requirements set forth by UALR’s core curriculum.

The idea of a new curriculum was first proposed in 2010, and continues to be a source of much controversy. The recommendations must go before more panels before becoming official.

The next Faculty Senate assembly is September 21. The next curriculum meetings are scheduled for October 5 and November 11. These meetings are open to the public.

A UALR William H. Bowen School of Law graduate and native Arkansan recently served as director of operations at this year’s Democratic National Convention in North Carolina.

Clark Jennings, 33, of Little Rock, was appointed to the DNC staff in March and temporarily moved to Charlotte to fulfill his duties in early September.

When offered the position, Jennings was serving as a law clerk to D.P. Marshall Jr. of the United Jennings States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas; a position he filled during a one-year leave from his job as a litigation attorney for Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull and Burrow PLLC. “Several of my colleagues from the 2008 campaign and convention ended up as senior staff in Charlotte,” Jennings said. “So I was fortunate to get the call and the opportunity to come join the team. I feel honored for the chance to serve the president once again and truly enjoyed working alongside so many friends and colleagues toward a goal we all believe in.”

Jennings graduated with high honors from Bowen and received his juris doctor degree in May 2011. When he graduated, he was assistant managing editor of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review.

“The legal education I received at Bowen has prepared me in a myriad of ways not only for this job, but for the future,” Jennings said. “Negotiating challenging logistical details with the United States Secret Service, the Charlotte Police Department, and city government officials was part of my daily routine. Seeing both sides of an issue and reaching an effective compromise, when necessary, was critical, as was the ability to effectively communicate the DNC’s goals and priorities — whether to a law enforcement meeting of 12 people, or a public community meeting of over 500.

The Bowen School of Law helped hone all of these skills, and I know they will continue to serve me well no matter what my future holds.”

Just after graduating law school, Jennings married Mary Rutherford, daughter of Clinton School of Public Service Dean James “Skip” Rutherford. She also received her juris doctor degree from Bowen and was working as an associate at Mitchell Williams Law Firm in Little Rock before the two left for Charlotte.

Jennings graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science and Business Administration from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 2001.

Before attending law school he worked as deputy communications director in the office of the governor and has worked extensively in four different presidential campaigns.

Protesters get graphic

5921 W 12th St, Ste C | Little Rock www.ppheartland.org | 1.855.841.7526

ABNORMAL

PAP SMEAR RESULTS? You$may$be$eligible$to$enroll$ in$a$clinical$trial$at$UAMS. For$more$information$go$to$ www.uams.edu/papresults.

UALR student Aiden Goodrum, a sophomore Sign Language major, spoke with Operation Save America organizer Tom Raddell at a pro-life rally outside the Donaghey Student Center Sept. 14. Radell, leader of Lifelink Ministries, explained that their goal is to remove abortion clinics from five southern states, including Arkansas. Photo by Chelsey McNeil

ualr.edu/forum

Where’s It At?

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Campus Life

5

Hispanic

HeritageMonth

??

Do you know what this is a picture of?

If so, let us know!

Email rrharris@ualr.edu or visit The Forum office with your answer & win a prize!

?

Kappa Delta members (left to right) Melissa Hollowell, sophomore business major; Teryn Houvener, sophomore nursing major; Briony Kendrick, senior dental hygeine major; and Emily Parker, freshman special education major, participate in opening events for Hispanish Heritage Month.

Photos by Chelsey McNiel

September 19th UPC Movie Night: The Hunger Games

7 p.m.

DSC Leadership Lounge

20th Soul Salsa Night

6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

DSC Ledbetter A, B & C

UPC Meeting

5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

DSC 201T

October 1st Boot Camp: Strength & Cardio

5:15 p.m. to 6:10 p.m.

DSC Fitness Center

Water in Motion

5:15 p.m. to 6:10 p.m.

DSC Aquatic Center

Zumba

5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

DSC Fitness Center

3rd UPC Meeting

5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

DSC 201T

Do you have a non-academic event that you want posted on this calendar? If so, email rrharris@ualr.edu

ELECTION

Announcement

The following positions are open for election in the upcoming Student Government Association elections to take place Oct. 1 & 2.

• Member-at-Large (5 positions) • College of Business (1 position) • College of Education (2 positions) • College of Engineering & Information Technology (2 positions) • College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (1 position) • College of Science and Mathematics (1 position) • University College (2 positions) • Graduate School (2 positions) Students interested in seeking an open position must complete a candidate packet, located in the Office of Campus Life.

All candidates must attend an information session to be eligible.

For more information, contact SGA President Rizan Mohsin at rxmohsin@ualr.edu or 501569-5567.

ualr.edu/forum

26th

Above: Mary Adams, senior American sign language major, shows her moves during the Mariachi band performance Sept. 17 in the Donaghey Student Center.

Top right: A band member instructs Gabriela Vizcarrondo, sophomore education major, during a dance. Right: Kenzie Bloom, senior history and english major, follows the lead of a band member during the kickoff event for Hispanic Heritage Month.

News.

Photos.

Now. The UALR Forum

6

Features

That damned Ellis kid David Ellis

Rabbit Weed When you are young there is always that kid in the neighborhood that you really don’t consider a friend, but you hang out with them anyway because they are a little older and can come up with cool stuff to do.

It’s cool at least until you get caught. For my brothers and me, it was a guy named Jeff. I will leave out his last name.

Jeff had all the cool toys and parents who were less restrictive about his comings and goings. He hung out with all the trouble makers of the neighborhood, which made it even more taboo to hang out with him.

We were young and gullible and Jeff took advantage of that fact and used us for a lot of the dirty work behind his schemes.

We would take the heat and look stupid if caught. One time Jeff pulled a prank on us that would make all that other stuff look petty in comparison.

Jeff came to us one day with something he called rabbit weed. This rabbit weed at first glance looked to be no more than a dried out stem of tubular grass about the length of a cigarette.

Jeff described it as a magical plant, which when smoked gave the user a euphoric experience not unlike that of marijuana.

We lit the rabbit weed and passed it between us each taking hits from it and inhaling the smoke. We coughed and hacked and really thought we were doing something cool.

He told us we hadn’t smoked enough to get the effects and offered to sell us a whole bag of the stuff, so we could get the benefits of regular use.

We pooled our money and bought the rabbit weed. We would sneak off every chance we got to puff on the magic grass and try to get a buzz, but to no avail. We kept on smoking thinking we just hadn’t had the right amount yet.

We smoked rabbit weed all summer but when my dad finally caught us with it and we told him what we were doing and why he laughed hysterically and told us we were as dumb as fence posts.

As it turned out the rabbit weed was just some grass Jeff had pulled up in his back yard and dried out. My brothers and I had spent the whole summer trying to get high smoking the actual grass from Jeff’s backyard.

I learned a valuable lesson that summer. If something sounds too good to be true it probably is and if you buy it, then my dad will think you’re dumb as a fence post.

ualr.edu/forum

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Student loans may deny mortgage Chelsey McNiel Features Editor

Seventy-five percent of college graduates with student loans said student loan payments prevented them from buying a house or car, according to a recent study from the Cambridge Consumer Index.

Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Tammy Harrison said over the past few years UALR has required additional counseling hours from students who apply for student loans.

“We want to make sure students are well-informed borrowers,” Harrison said. “[Students] should understand that [student loans] are not just free money that someone is going to forget about. It is an investment in [their] education.”

Harrison said students should borrow only what they absolutely need instead of supplimenting their preferred lifestyle.

She advises students to consider the essentials, set a budget and spend their refund checks on educational purposes.

According to Harrison, students borrow on average $25,000 to $27,000 with a 6.8 percent interest rate.

From that average, the standard 10-year repayment plan would require the student to pay about $290 a month.

Harrison said if a graduate is 90 days delinquent on a student loan payment it is then reported on their credit.

After 270 days the student will lose options for repayment plans and may have their wages garnished.

“UALR is responsible to make sure our students are repaying those loans,” Har-

rison said. “[It] is always a challenge for schools because sometimes that student graduates and they don’t see us as a resource and they always should.”

Harrison said graduates who face financial challenges can reach out to UALR for additional help.

“We can guide them back to that student loan servicer and we can talk about repayment options,” she said.

Extended repayment plans can stretch the standard period of 10 years to around 25; however, more would be paid in interest.

According to financial planning on About.com, lenders advise students to keep their loan payments

eight percent or below their total income. This may not seem like much, but if interest rates rise so will future monthly student loan payments.

UALR provided availability to over $60 million in student loans last year, according to Harrison.

She said within the last two years 9.7 percent of UALR students defaulted on their loans.

Bucky Houser, vice president mortgage loan manager at Arvest Mortgage Company, said because each mortgage applicant is considered individually there is not a specific disqualifying amount of student loan debt.

Houser said Arvest looks at two main items when considering potential borrowers.

It looks at the borrower’s middle credit score from the three main credit bureaus.

The second item is the debt to income ratio. The DTI includes: the borrower’s current gross monthly income, purposed housing payments and revolving debt.

“The vast majority of loans that we see from first time home buyers typically tend to fall through the Federal Housing Administration mortgage loan program,” Houser said. “Just because the FHA program does not have as much of a down payment requirement.”

According to the FHA, “if a debt payment, such as a student loan, is scheduled to begin within 12 months of the mortgage loan closing, the lender must include the anticipated monthly obligation in the underwriting analysis, unless the borrower provides written evidence that the debt will be deferred to a period outside this time frame.” “[Generally speaking], if [a student’s] total debt and their new housing payment is starting to exceed 45 percent or more of their gross income that is when you could start to see some issues with gaining approval,” Houser said.

“But on the other side with mortgage interest rates, they’re trading at some of the lowest levels we have ever seen historically as a nation,” Houser said. “When you’re looking at debt to income ratios that helps because qualifying rates today are so low that it keeps new mortgage payments down.

That’s definitely a positive.”

Local doctor brings house calls to dorms Juanita Britton Staff Writer

After witnessing student residents at the University of Arkansas drive home for medical care from their primary doctor, a Little Rock physician established an alternative.

Dr. Kent Covert pitched his idea to two of his high school friends and several years later DormMD was developed.

DormMD attempts to alleviate stress on students and parents by locating board certified physicians close to the student’s campus. Students receive priority access to these physicians with same day or next day medical services.

Covert said DormMD focuses on culture, wellness

and prevention with an enewsletter that focuses on related topics.

“For the cost of Starbucks or pizza, for less than 50 cents a day, students can receive a board certified physician,” Covert said.

According to Covert, universities provide medical services for students; however universities do not treat chronic illnesses such as diabetes, asthma, and depression.

Therefore, students must travel off campus to seek treatment for these diseases.

Becoming a member of DormMD is easy and hassle free. It only requires a flat rate fee of $14.99 a month with no contract obligations.

Yet, it requires the student to be insured. UALR Health Services does not.

The rate of $2 per credit hour is included in student tuition and provides unlimted visits.

“We see students for any reason except for acute chronic illnesses; however, we do treat mild hypertension, sexually trasmitted diseases, and we provide pap smear screening,” said UALR’s Research Associate in Health Services Marie Sandusky.

“We are a nurse directed facility and we do have authority to write prescriptions,” she said.

With certain illnesses, students can be seen as walk-ins, but may have to wait a couple of weeks or longer for an annual exam appointment.

“DormMD sounds like a good idea, but if students need anything beyond what UALR’s health services provide health services also has the resources to direct students to a physician close to campus,” Charla Hammond, a liberal arts graduate student said.

For more information on DormMD call 800-299-3154 or visit dormmd.net.

To schedule an appointment UALR Health Services visit ualr.edu/health.

Headlines from UALR history One student shot to death; another charged in murder Sept. 15, 1976

• Sophomore Valerie Annegie Darbe was charged with first degree murder after shooting junior sociology major Teddy Allen Haley outside the student union.

Witnesses said Darbe was sitting beside Haley when she pulled a gun from her purse, shot him behind his left ear, then crossed her legs and said “Isn’t anyone going to call an ambulance?”

Judge William Kirby signed an order for Darbe to be admitted to the Benton State Hospital to undergo psychiatric examination while awaiting her Sept. 17 court date.

Residence Hall design hampers MEMS rescue Sept. 12, 1993

• Safety was a concern in the Residence Halls when an emergency stretcher could not fit in an elevator or down the stairwell while carrying a patient.

When Keisha Tolliver was found unconscious on the floor of her room, paramedics attempted to use the stairwell, but couldn’t maneuver around the corner on the last flight of stairs.

Tolliver was removed from the stretcher and helped down the last flight of stairs.

Galleries display phallic art Sept. 13, 2001

Compiled by Taylor Hoffard

• Spanish artist Steve Cruz displayed his colorful acrylics on wood in Gallery III at the Fine Arts Center. Anatomically correct cartoon-like figures explored sexuality in the artwork. Titles included: “Hog Tying Titties” and “The Fuzzy Naked Truth.”

ualr.edu/forum

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Features

7

Naming the 900, spotlight on the class of 2016 Freshman finds unique lab at UALR Kerissa Accetta Staff Writer

Freshman systems engineering major Hunter Dunne researches anti-icing agents at the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences.

Photo by Kerissa Accetta

Over the last two years the Center for Integrated Nanotechology Sciences has provided a curious mind with a rare research outlet.

Hunter Dunne, a freshman systems engineering major with a focus in mechanics, has been working on an anti-icing research project at CINS. According to Dunne, antiicing coatings can potentially be used on automobiles or the surfaces of aircrafts. He said the goal is “to create a surface that repels water in hopes to repel ice.”

“Many labs in the country are experimenting with anti-icing materials,” said Ganesh Kannarpady, a research assistant professor at CINS. “But only a handful of labs are investigating how to use nanotechnology to create anti-icing coatings.”

Dunne chose UALR to continue his research on the ant-icing agent because he couldn’t gain the same experience in any other lab. The combination of equipment used for researching antiicing coatings can only be found on UALR’s campus.

Kannarpady said he selected each machine carefully and designed others himself.

“I got an email saying

there were positions open in the nanotech lab,” Dunne said. “And thought it sounded interesting.”

Dunne graduated from the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts; a residential high school for students gifted in mathematics and science.

At ASMSA, all students have to complete a science fair or final project in Fundamentals of Research Methods. Dunne chose to focus his FIRM project on his anti-icing research.

Dunne won third place in his science fair competition at ASMSA. The U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army also recognized his research project.

Traci Logsdon, the communications and outreach coordinator at CINS, said “[Dunne] is very intelligent in a relatable way. Sometimes in science, it’s hard to explain [what your doing, but] he is able to discuss the matter in a way that is understandable.”

She said a student of his caliber could have attended nearly any school of his choosing.

Dunne volunteered his time in the lab for 30 to 40 hours a week during the summer and is expected to be in the lab 15 to 20 hours a week throughout the semester.

“You don’t need to tell him

to come to the lab,” Kannarpady said. “He is always happy to be here.”

“Working in the lab is fun,” Dunne said. “My favorite part is taking pictures and explaining [what my research is about].”

Dunne hopes to pursue a graduate degree in aerospace engineering at the Michigan Institute of Technology after he graduates from UALR. He wants to pursue a career designing and building aircrafts for NASA and apply some of his research to the designs.

“Space really is the final frontier, and I want [space travel] to change for the better,” Dunne said. “Sixty years after the Wright brothers took flight, we landed on the moon. We are [approaching] 60 years from sending the first man to the moon but what else have we done [in regards to space travel]?”

Until then, Dunne plans to stay involved with CINS and publish some of his findings on anti-icing research.

He hopes his research at UALR can influence space travel in a way that will help him achieve his goals. “[Dunne] is a next generation student [and] is a technological leader in our society,” Kannarpady said. “We can expect great things.”

Study abroad provides lesson in world culture Tatsiana Karaliova Staff Writer

During the summer, 70 UALR students studied abroad in Costa Rica, France, England, Germany, Spain, Mexico, and Istanbul. Exciting experiences and giving them opportunities to learn about different culture firsthand.

“The more globalized the world becomes the more important it is for the UALR students to keep up with the rest of the world and to gain other perspectives on the world,” said the Interim Programs Abroad Assistant Nanette Zobkov. Studying in a foreign country can provide UALR students with these experiences, she said.

“I will definitely advise my classmates to go abroad because it’s [an] experience that you will carry for the rest of your life.”

- Adam Crane UALR offers various programs for studying abroad from short, two to three weeks, faculty led trips, to living abroad for a semester or year.

The Programs Abroad Office holds study abroad information sessions where students are advised on where to start looking for a program, how course credit transfer works or how to fund your studies abroad. Students can apply for a scholarship or financial aid to suppliment expenses.

“I am a big believer in experiential learning,” Zobkov said. “You learn more when you have to learn how to adapt, how to be flexible, how to think on your feet in another environment.”

Spanish and international studies graduate student, Joshua Thomsen, went on a faculty lead trip to Yucatan Peninsula during the summer. He studied Mayan and Mexican colonial art and architecture.

He said that one of the most impressive things he saw there was the site of Uxmal – an ancient Mayan city with its huge pyramid – lit up at night.

“One of the biggest things about studying abroad is that you get outside of your comfort zone and you [because] are in this totally foreign place and it’s hard to get around, so you have to figure [out how to get] around and really learn to problem solve,” Thomsen said.

“I will definitely advise my classmates to go abroad because it’s [an] experience that you will carry for the rest of your life,” Adam Crane, junior biology major, said.

During his study abroad trip this summer Crane visited Rome, Berlin, Paris, Madrid and Salamanca in Spain.

Though it was his first time out of the country, he said he didn’t experience any culture shock.

“I spent much more time in Spain, so I grew to like the country a lot,” he said. “But Berlin was a lot of fun, too.”

Crane said that learning about differences, it’s in the small things that make the largest impact. For example, during siesta in Spain when everything is closed, you just need to get used to it.

“I felt more like an adult there, responsible for myself and my actions,” Crane said.

Xeniya Rudolf, sophomore biology and German major, was among five students from the UALR who studied in Germany.

They had an extensive month-long course in German with daily classes and an exam at the end of the course.

Together with instructor and UALR students they went to Berlin and Köln.

“I really liked Berlin, it’s a beautiful city,” Rudolf said.

“And it was interesting for me to learn about new ways of living; it’s very different from the United States.”

It was Rudolph’s first visit to Germany, but she plans to apply for an internship program there.

Another student, Blake Shahlaie, sophomore biology and French major, sent two semesters in The United Kingdom.

“It was an incredible experience for me,” he said.

Shahlaie said he was most impressed by the architecture, scenery and history of the country.

“You walk down the street and you see an 800-year-old cathedral and they think it’s no big deal,” Shahlaie said.

He travelled to France, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Greece and the Netherlands.

Shahlaie said in Europe, he used public transportation

for the first time in his life.

Some unexpected things students learned were that geographically, England is smaller than Arkansas and some words in The United Kingdom have different meanings than in the U.S., although it’s the same language in both countries.

The Office of International Services will hold a study abroad information session

“it was interesting for me to learn about new ways of living; it’s very different from the United States.”

- Xeniya Rudolf at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 25 in the Office of International Services located in the Education building room 101.

Topics will include researching study abroad programs, scholarships and financial aid, getting credit and more.

For more information and other events, visit ualr.edu/ programsabroad.

Above: Junior biology major Adam Crane (far right) visits the Eiffel Tower in Paris during a study abroad trip this past summer. During his first trip outside the U.S. he also went to Rome, Berlin, and Spain.

Below: Joshua Thomsen, spanish and international studies graduate student, visits a Mayan pyramid in the ancient city of Uxmal in Mexico. His faculty led trip also travelled to the Yucatan Peninsula.

Photos courtesy of Adam Crane and Joshua Thomsen

8

Entertainment

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

ualr.edu/forum

Avery Clark, who previously played a key role in the Rep’s production of “Hamlet,” marks his return to the Rep as the titular character in “Henry V.” Photo courtesy of The Rep

Clinton School hosts panel for Rep production of ‘Henry V’ Actors, crew and board members promote Shakespearean adaptation with positivity JUANITA BRITTON STAFF WRITER

The Arkansas Repertory Theatre , a nonprofit organization going into its 37th year of existence, is showing its production of William Shakespeare’s “Henry V” through Sept. 23. In conjunction with the Clinton School of Public Service, the theatre, also known as the Rep, held a free panel discussion to promote the event.

Attendees were greeted by a number of actors, crew members and Clinton School representatives. Among them was actor Avery Clark, who performs as the play’s titular character, as well as Clinton School Dean Skip Rutherford, who appeared very enthusiastic about the production.

“We are pleased to have actors here to elevate the importance of arts in Arkansas,” Rutherford said.

Known to be a great inspirational story of leadership, “Henry V” is one of Shakespeare’s most popular historic plays. It’s based around a French invasion -- known as the Battle of Agincourt -- that leaves a young man determined to regain seized English territory. While the French army had the luxuries of horses and durable armor, the Englishmen were out-

T Before you quit your job or invest your life savings, wouldn't it be nice to know whether your business idea has merit?

In Operation JumpStart: First Step, you'll examine your business idea from every angle. Not only will it help you make a decision about starting your business, you will discover whether the life of an entrepreneur is right for you.

Operation JumpStart is a practical, hands-on, microenterprise development program designed to help entrepreneurs test the feasibility of their business ideas and plan to launch new ventures.

Proven curriculum for starting or expanding a business PROGRAM INCLUDES • Concept development • Market research • Market analysis • Financial projections • Case studies • Network opportunities

SUPPORT TEAM

Won SBA’s Model of Excellence Award for Entrepreneurial Education PROGRAM COMPLETION

• Graduation • Business Feasibility Plan • Compete in a Business Feasibility Plan Competition for a chance to win Seed Capital for approved business expenses.

• Completers get a $50 tuition reimbursement.

SEPTEMBER 19 — OCTOBER 3, 2012

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 19 UPC Movie: “The Hunger Games”

Free movie and snacks provided by UALR’s University Program Council. Screening starts at 7 p.m. in the Donaghey Student Center Leadership Lounge (just outside of The Forum office - 201J!)

SATURDAY, SEPT. 22 Ark. Times Festival of Ideas Several “Most Influential Arkansans” featured in the Sept. 5 issue of the Arkansas Times are making an appearance to give lectures and workshop in their areas of expertise. See clintonschool.uasys.edu for details!

Maps and Atlases @ Stickyz Indie act that pairs many genres of music with apparent virtuosity. $10 DOS, show starts at 9 p.m.

SEPT. 19 – SUNDAY, SEPT. 23 HENRY V @ THE REP

Adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous play about the English king during the Battle of Agincourt. Stars Avery Clark and Nikki Coble. Schedule and ticket prices vary - see therep.org for details!

Thrill Kill Kult @ Juanita’s

Compete to WIN Seed Capital for approved business expenses.

Completers get a $50 tuition reimbursement Registration begins Class begins Course fee

CALENDAR - UPCOMING EVENTS

SUNDAY, SEPT. 23

• Experienced facilitator • Knowledgeable business coaches • Expert guest speakers

numbered, lacked body protection, and were forced to fight on foot. But through his resolve and motivation, Henry V led his army to victory, and the play proves to be one of life, courage and power.

Robert Hupp, the Rep’s producing artistic director, said he is convinced that the theatre’s version of the play is superior to some previous versions.

“The Rep’s depiction of ‘Henry V’ is even more heroic and honorable than the Henry Shakespeare created,” Hupp said.

Other theatre representatives, including board member Charles Coleman, have been equally pleased with the end result.

“I thought today’s program was outstanding,” Coleman said. “The Rep is fortunate to have a mutually beneficial working relationship with the Clinton School. My enthusiasm about The Rep’s production of ‘Henry V’ has increased having heard from Bob Hupp and the actors about the production. I hope you too will attend the production.”

Tickets range from $25 to $45. For more information, contact The Repertory Theatre at 501-378-0405, or visit therep.org

Sept. 7, 2012 Sept. 29, 2012 $120 (includes book)

Located on the UALR Campus in The Donaghey Student Center - Room 205E Tuesdays 6-9 PM | Saturdays 8:30 -11:30 AM For more information call 501-376-4567 or email susan_forte@hotmail.com Find us on Facebook.com/arkansas.operation.jumpstart Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.

For more information about accommodations, contact Susan Forte, 516 West Pershing Drive., North Little Rock, AR 72114 501.376.4567 - susan_forte@hotmail.com

Veteran industrial/dance act offering music similar to KMFDM, Pig and Skinny Puppy. $18 advance, $20 DOS; show starts at 9 p.m.

Whitewater Tavern Movie Night presents: “Slumberland” Regular movie night featuring John Schafer’s Little Rock Film Festival entry detailing the friendship between two college-age friends. Free; screening starts at 9 p.m.

WEEKEND OF SEPT. 28–30 Arkansas Sounds Festival Event hosted by the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies in Little Rock’s River Market district. Performers include Lucero, The See and The Salty Dogs (of KUAR’s “Tales from the South”).

Guitarist Jeff Coleman will also be providing a tribute to late Band drummer Levon Helm. Free admission.

Alt-country act Lucero is one of many artists appearing at the free Arkansas Sounds Music Festival during the last weekend of September. Photo: Universal Music Group.

ualr.edu/forum

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Entertainment

9

English band reflects on career with new reissue and material

Shoegaze veterans Ride releases deluxe edition, digitally remastered tracks on sophomore album Liz Fox

Entertainment Editor

Indie pop icons and Montreal natives Stars hit Little Rock this October to support their new album, “The North,” which emphasizes a variety of influences and electronic sounds.

Photo courtesy of youarestars.com

Canadian pop act Stars supports ‘The North’ by traveling south Liz Fox

Entertainment Editor

While indie rock has become ingrained in a generation of upstarts over the last decade, a particular locale has nurtured bands that have surpassed the most critical of expectations. The Montreal scene, which includes the Grammy award-winning Arcade Fire, has experienced much exposure, and electro-indie outfit Stars is no exception.

While the band saw glimmers of stateside success with previous albums, the release of “Set Yourself on Fire” in 2004 was what led to their explosive breakthrough. The lead single, “Your Ex-Lover is Dead,” also earned them exposure on several televison show, such as go-to guilty pleasure “Degrassi.” Seven years later, Stars has produced EPs and albums that have only garnered them more fans, and with each release the group has incorporated a variety of influences.

“The North,” the band’s latest work released Sept. 4, is no exception according to drummer Patrick McGee. “Because there are five of us in the band with very diverse and eclectic tastes, it’s hard to narrow down our collective musical influences,” he said.

“But for years we have been trying to fuse electronic and more rock or live instrumental styles into one cohesive record.”

Though they opt for their own take on the eloquent side of pop, the band’s musical foundations are fairly diverse.

The Roots, Joy Division and trip-hop pioneers Portishead were all fused into the new album because of their innovative, sometimes experimental techniques with sound. In addition to this consolidation, different recording circumstances also provided the band with a better understanding of how to finalize the album.

“We also insisted on performing all the takes together as a band in a room instead of multi-tracking everything,” McGee said. “[This was] regardless of instrumentation, which had a big influence on the sound.”

Guitarist and lead vocalist Amy Millan was content with the circumstances

under which the new album was recorded. According to a recent feature with SPIN magazine, all members holed up in a 1950s-style hovel during Canada’s winter months. But bleak conditions -which are plentiful in their homeland -- are what cultivated the finest takes of each track.

“Summer is too hot and sweltering,” Millan said when interviewed by SPIN’s Alyssa Noel. “The way snow dampens sound, it feels like it leaves more room for you to hear what the universe might be wanting you to create.”

While Stars generally sticks with a sound that melds bombast with breakbeats, Millan and bassist Evan Cranley have brought their own experiences to the table. Both have collaborated with scene behemoth Broken Social Scene, whose tracks range from ambient to absolute absurdity. Perhaps it was because of this that McGee feels the recording process for “The North” was the most musical.

“It was the first time [we] felt like a band playing and writing music together,” McGee said. “... Everything felt very open and warm and respectful. In that sense, it was easy.”

To support their new release the group is hitting several U.S. cities and Little Rock happens to be among them.

While they enjoy the crowds from major metros like New York and Los Angeles, McGee said they prefer the unique experience of smaller areas.

“I’m sure [Little Rock] cute and romantic at heart,” McGee said. “Playing to smaller markets can be rewarding in that, because bands do tend to frequent bigger hubs most of the time, when you hit a town more off-the-beaten-path the kids who come out are, more often than not, extra enthusiastic.”

So what does Stars have in store for their post-tour endeavors?

“We will definitely rest, we love rest, and hopefully it will go so well that we can just retire to the Caribbean and make records with Prince.”

Stars will be playing at the Revolution Music Room on Oct. 11 with opening act Diamond Rings. Show starts at 9 p.m. and advance tickets are available for $16.

The “shoegaze” genre has always been hard to define in a general sense.

Chock full of lush instrumentation and fledgling guitar experiments, it pushes music nerds to induct key acts like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive into their list of essentials. But the movement’s first generation, which experienced its peak during my infancy years ago, was extremely diverse. It can be a hassle to pin down what makes a band part of the genre aside from excessive yet endearing use of reverb.

But as one of the scene’s leading acts, the credibility of sensible fourpiece Ride was never questioned.

Formed in Oxford during the late 1980s, the band’s place on the Creation label — signers of The Jesus and Mary Chain, Oasis and Saint Etienne — and the release of their debut album “Nowhere” certified them as up-and-comers. Their second album “Going Blank Again” avoided becoming an ill-fated statistic of the sophomore slump and only gave them more success. But as music’s focus shifted into what we know as “brit pop,” the band struggled with their own material and eventually dissolved with the release of their final album in 1996.

Like its predecessor, “Going Blank Again” has received the reissue treatment. But unlike youth who merely settled for it after being blinded by Ride’s initial success, I believe the album deserves its unique foray into deluxe packaging and expanded release territory.

“Going Blank Again” does depart slightly from earlier material, which serves as a reflection of singer-guitarist Andy Bell’s need to evolve. Bands of the genre who saw commercial success were poppier in nature, incorporating influences from previously big names instead of using abstraction to lure in exclusive devotees. But Bell was hardly a slave to the scene as well, refraining from producing press-friendly shoegaze schlock. That is why the band insisted on making “Leave Them All Behind,” the album’s staggering 8-minute opener, the lead single for radio play.

Sprawling guitar work and a gradual descent into grandiosity, “Leave Them All Behind” seems designed to pull shoegaze fans into a different corner. Instead of continuing with “Nowhere’s” illusory trend, Ride takes on the persona of a better and more innovative version of Oasis (who, coincidentally, Bell joined as bassist following Ride’s break-up). The song structures seem flatly standard but the addition of less-conventional instruments, such as the noodling organ on “Not Fazed,” serves as an ode to the band’s longing for diversity. Even “Time of Her Time,” the record’s sixth track, is eclectic enough to include the influence of

late punk legend Joe Strummer, whose raspy vocals are channeled by Bell as he chronicles an empty love affair.

But an album’s worth of these successful incursions does not mean Ride left behind their shoegaze sound completely, as later tracks spiral into sonic speculation with vibrant distortion.

“Mousetrap” particularly eases any temporary doubts about the band forgetting its root or sole fanbase; though not as orchestral or outwardly lush as “Nowhere” material, it still retains a sense of spaceyness that’s capable of transporting the listener beyond the album itself. This trend continues into the conclusion of “Going Blank Again,” a lengthy number by the name of “OX4” that wraps up loose ends while merely hinting at what became Ride’s succeeding output.

As for the reissue itself, casual fans will be happy with the digital remaster of the original album as well as 4 additional b-sides from other EPs. The packaging itself is also alluring, with all contents sealed in a canvas-style hardback case. But the two most rewarding aspects come with years of diehard longing and eventual discovery.

After a lengthy period of tracking down original master mixes, Ride and producer Alan Moulder have released the band’s only DVD: a live performance from Brixton at the height of their “Going Blank Again” tour. Album tracks are interspersed with singles from “Nowhere” as well as an eyeopening cover of “Chelsea Girl” as an ode to deceased icon Nico. The quality is surprisingly fresh for being derived from basement tapes and aims to surpass expectations of those who formerly anticipated an inferior bootleg copy.

The other bonus is a glossy 36page booklet containing rare/unseen photos as well as a new collection of liner notes. The latter, compiled by journalist Joe Clay, was drawn from interviews with Moulder, Bell and other band members to obtain further insight into Ride’s sophomore album as well as their short-but-worthwhile career — definitely a must-have for a Ride devotee or, if you’re like me, a fiend for impressive packaging.

Perks or not, the idea to keep in mind regarding “Going Blank Again” is its lack of dated sounds. While representative of a great era in music, many of the band’s former colleagues delivered material only suitable for the burgeoning alt-rock scene of the early 1990s. Through immense pressure the band delivered a relic for future generations and in changing it up, Ride achieved one concept upon which reissues are supposed to be based: timelessness.

Emily, the daughter of main character Clyde, undergoes a gradual and gruesome transformation in “The Possession”. Photo courtesy of Ghost House Pictures

New film ‘possesses’ horror fans DAVID ELLIS

Goodreads pitches mobile networking for book junkies CJ Waters

Assistant Sports Editor

Goodreads.com, a social networking tool that allows readers to catalog what books they have owned and read, has released its own app to provide its users with more convenient options when a computer isn’t readily available.

This app helps you keep up with what you want to read, review the books you’ve read and organize your reading history by adding books to categories known as “shelves.” You can also see what your friends are reading and comment on their reviews. The features for this app include a barcode scanner, a to-read list, friend updates, online book clubs and a page that displays local literary events in your area,

One of the app’s best features is the barcode scanner. After scanning, the app not only pulls up the book’s title but also displays ratings and reviews from other Goodreads users. But beware, this app is not an e-reader; even though it may scan the book’s barcode, the book is not available on the device and must be purchased at your local bookseller.

Overall the app is very versatile, and I would highly recommend this to students who are unable to purchase a high-priced book for a college course.

The Goodreads app is rated a ninestar app with a version of 2.0.1. It was updated on August 11, 2012 by Goodreads, Inc. It is available for free for both Apple iOs and Android operating systems serves as the world’s largest site for reader reviews and book recommendations.

STAFF WRITER

The new suspense-horror flick “The Possession” isn’t what I would consider scary, but it will definitely make you wary of what you purchase at a yard sale.

Clyde Brenek (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), a divorced, father of two girls, buys a mysterious wooden box at a yard sale for his daughter Emily. Clyde becomes suspicious of the box as his daughter becomes more and more attached to it. Em begins to exhibit strange behaviors and reacts violently to anyone who comes between her and the box. In his effort for answers, Clyde does some research on the box, and discovers that it is a Dybbuk box, an item used in Jewish ceremonies to contain a demonic spirit. Clyde consults a rabbi to determine what he’s dealing with, and what he finds out is that no one wants anything to do with the evil spirit attached to the box. With the aid of the rabbi, he attempts to act quickly to save his daughter from the demon determined to take her life.

This movie is representative of three distinct genre types - drama, suspense and horror. This makes me wonder if the

writers were fumbling in trying to determine an angle for the storyline, since there were some scenes in the movie that served no purpose aside from being pure filler. For instance, telephone conversations that had little to do with the plot were slipped into the middle of an otherwise interesting film.

“The Possession” did offer some cool special effects, both in the form of computer techniques as well as physical stunts. But overall the movie seemed pretty tame — no outrageous blood and gore here. Because of this, the film didn’t have the visual scare factor that one usually comes to expect from the horror genre. But what did make it work was the imagination of the viewer; as with most demon possession flicks, the scare factor is in what you can’t see.

It may not have had the outlandish gore that most horror films do, but this film had the spook factor that will have you checking out every little wooden box you find for strange writing, and using a flashlight app on your cell phone to check around every dark corner. The story of the Dybbuk box is available online for those who’d like to research but if you’re just looking for a slice of entertainment, this is your kind of film.

10

Sports

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

ualr.edu/forum

Trojans knotch first win, shutout UAPB Offensive spark, fails to create momentum Greg Garcia Sports Editor

Sophomore midfielder Ariel Galletti looks to advance the ball up the field against UAPB on Sept.

9. Galletti ended the game with one goal scored in the 68th minute. Photo by Marcus Lowe

It took the UALR soccer team seven games, but the Trojans finally found the win column with a resounding 4-0 shutout win over UAPB on Sept. 9.

Dominant throughout the game, the Trojans controlled the Golden Lions for 90 minutes on both sides of the ball.

Offensively, UALR put up a season high 49 shots (15 of those on goal), resulting in 4 goals for the Trojans. For UAPB, it was a different story. The Golden Lions only managed three shots the entire contest, exemplifying the stout defense of the Trojans.

UALR jumped out to an early lead when junior defender Ashley Barksdale found the back net in the ninth minute.

Despite controlling the ball for the vast majority of the first half, the Trojans were only able to muster one goal.

The Trojans finally added to their lead when sophomore midfielder Ariel Galletti beat the UAPB goalkeeper in the 68th minute.

The game opened up even more when senior defender Jenna Brady scored the Trojan’s third goal on a penalty kick in the 77th minute.

Sophomore Alyson Rohane capped the scoring for the Trojans with a goal in the 85th minute.

It was the most complete game of the year for the Trojans as they set season highs in goals and shots on goal.

Rohane led all Trojans with 16 shots for the game.

The Trojans, however, failed to carry over the momentum of its victory over UABP by falling to Northwestern State 4-0 last Friday night.

The Lady Demons scored three second half goals en route to a dominat-

Hawaiian native kicks her way to the Natural State After winning state championship, highly recruited player has choices, picks UALR

Conference Schedule Sept. 21 @ Middle Tennessee Sept. 23 @ Western Kentucky Sept. 28 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette Sept. 30 vs. Louisiana-Monroe Oct. 5 @ South Alabama Oct. 7 @ Troy Oct. 14 vs. North Texas Oct. 18 vs. Florida Atlantic Oct. 21 @ Florida International Oct. 26 vs. Arkansas State

Volleyball gets set for conference play CJ Waters

Assistant Sports Editor

Kerissa Accetta Staff writer

Ashley Asuncion is a freshman soccer who was born and raised in Oahu, Hawaii.

Soccer has been a part of her life since she was in Kindergarten.

“I just fell in love with it after a while. I’ve always been playing it, so without it I feel incomplete,” said Asuncion.

For fun, she played soccer and went to the beach. As she matured and progressed her skills in soccer, Asuncion began to play for the Leahi Soccer Club. According to Asuncion, it is the oldest girls-only club on the island and many of the girls who play for the club end up playing at the collegiate level.

Playing at the collegiate level hasn’t been very different for Asuncion. “It’s different because I practice every day, but it’s really not that different because my coaches prepared me well.”

Asuncion feels lucky; not all athletes have amazing coaches early on.

During her senior year of high school, her team won the state championship. Also, she made second team all state and second team for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, meaning she was recognized as one of the top players in Hawaii and in the Interscholastic League.

Asuncion said, “[Moving here] was definitely hard at first, but the people here are really nice just like at home.

It was a smooth adjustment.”

“I miss [my parents] a lot. I talk to them every day. They were really supportive and never really had any negatives to say about [my decision to attend UALR]. I really wanna make my family and friends proud and let them know that they did a good job raising me.” Asuncion added, “Oh, and my coaches back home.”

Asuncion found out about UALR after being recruited by Head Coach Freddy Delgado and Assistant Coach Chris McNaughto.

“Freddy and Chris scouted me in Texas at a college showcase,” she said.

“I considered Holy Names University, Azusa Pacific University, & the University of Portland, [but UALR was] my best option because everything that I ever wanted was gonna be provided for me and the people here are really nice, not like the west coast.”

Outside of her classes, Asuncion spends most of her time in soccer.

“We practice five days a week for two hours, and we have two games a

ing shutout of the Trojans.

The Trojans were out shot by a total of 22-11, only managing three shots in the first half.

Pacing the Trojan offense was Galletti, Barksdale, and sophomore Kailie Holloway who each put up two shots.

For the Trojans, it has been a lowly start to the season. Through the first eight games of the season, the Trojans find themselves with a 1-7 non-conference record.

During that span the Trojans have allowed 29 goals, while only finding the back net seven times themselves.

UALR will go a week without a game before they start conference play. Last year, the Trojans posted a 3-8 record in conference.

The Trojans will travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn. for a date with Middle Tennessee on Friday Sept. 21. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Freshman midfielder Ashley Asuncion controls possession for the Trojans against UAPB on Sept.

9. Asuncion recorded her first career assist as a Trojan in the game. Photo courtesy of Matt Johnson

Player: Ashley Asuncion Position: Midfielder Height: 5’4’’ Year: Freshman Hometown: Honolulu High School: Kamehameha Schools week.”

However, being a part of the UALR women’s soccer team has been very beneficial for Asuncion. Her teammates were very welcoming and ready to give advice to the young Hawaiian.

“I guess my least favorite part is practicing in the heat,” said Asuncion. “My favorite part is getting to see my teammates every day. They’re like my family away from home.”

As for the performance of the team, Asuncion commented, “We didn’t really have a great start, but we are getting to where we need to be.”

Asuncion has not decided on a major yet, but she is leaning towards getting a degree in speech pathology.

“There is a shortage back home and I want to work with kids, so [speech pathology provides] that potential. I’m hard working, even if I don’t succeed [in something] the first time, I’ll keep fighting to do so.”

“The lifestyle here is different,” according to Asuncion, “What gets me through it is knowing I’ll end up living back home when I’m done with college. I just know that I for sure want to end up back in Hawaii, and raise my family and my kids there.”

For Asuncion, the hawaiian lifestyle is something she cannot get enough of.

“It was perfect year around, except it gets rainy during the winters.

[And] you get used to seeing the beach every day.”

The UALR volleyball team finished the Saluki Invitational taking two wins in three games Sept. 7-8.

The Trojans faced Tennessee-Martin, Southern Illinois, and Nicholls State in the two-day Saluki Invitational.

On Friday, the Trojans defeated Tennessee-Martin, 3-1, by winning 25-14, 25-23, 25-21, and falling in the second set, 25-22.

Sophomore Edina Begic set a career high in kills with 31. Senior Eva Xie and sophomore Adisa Hodzic each had nine kills. Emily Pepperman led UALR with a team high 17 digs.

The Trojans were swept by Southern Illinois, 3-0, on Saturday after losing 2523, 25-16, and 25-13.

Begic and Xie combined for 25 kills to pace UALR. Begic recorded 15 kills and Xie had 10. Pepperman finished with a team-high 11 digs and Marleen de Zoete led UALR with a team high 34 assists.

UALR won its last match to Nicholls State, 3-0, by sweeping all three games 25-15, 25-15, and 25-13.

Begic finished in double figures with 18 kills and 13 digs to lead the Trojans.

Along with De Zoete’s 12 digs, she handed out a game high 30 assists to lead UALR. The Trojans then dropped three straight games in the Nike Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Norman, Okla. at the McCasland Field House.

The Trojans played against New Mexico , Oklahoma and Southern Methodist.

The Trojans beat New Mexico in the first set (25-18) and third set (26-24), but fell in the second (25-20), fourth (25-17), and fifth set (15-12) to lose 3-2 on Friday.

Begic led UALR for the 10th time this season with a game high 25 kills.

Hodzic had nine kills while Xie finished with eight. De Zoete led UALR in assists with 42 to go along with her 10 digs. On Saturday, the Trojans were defeated by Oklahoma 3-0 on the first match of the day scoring (25-22), (25-19), and (28-26).

Begic finished the match with a game high 20 kills to lead UALR. Davis and Pepperman had 15 and 14 digs for the match. De Zoete handed out 33 assists for the Trojans.

Begic’s double-double of 25 kills and 19 digs paced the Trojans but it wasn’t enough to get them passed Southern Methodist, which escaped with a 3-2 victory. In the second and fourth set, UALR won 25-19 and 25-22, but narrowly lost the other three sets (25-22, 25-23, 17-15).

Xie finished with 19 kills on 44 swing attempts and Danielle Souza Moura added nine. Pepperman led the Trojans with a team high 26 digs while De Zoete and Wyatt each had 12.

The Trojans open conference play against Florida International Sept. 21.

ualr.edu/forum

Sports

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

To tweet or not to tweet?

11

Some colleges and universities are banning student athletes from using Twitter, should coaches have the choice to draw the line?

Greg Garcia Sports Editor

I realize I’m in the minority when I stand in support of coaches who ban their players from Twitter.

I’ve taken some heat from friends and co-workers who claim coaches are violating the first amendment and that these athletes are smart enough to decide what they should and shouldn’t tweet.

Just stop right there.

First of all, college athletes are recruited to schools based on their talents and academics and not how many Twitter followers they have.

Coaches bring players into their program with the intention of getting them a degree off the field, and helping the program get wins on it.

Coaches invest countless hours into their program with the intent of producing perennial winning seasons.

That being said, if coaches think Twitter will pose as a distraction they have every right to ban their players from using it. A player’s focus should be on their education and respective sport. If a player is more worried about tweeting than performing on the field, you have a serious problem.

Am I endorsing an NCAA-wide ban of every Twitter account of every athlete? Of course not. However, if coaches see Twitter as an inevi-

If coaches see Twitter as an inevitable distraction, there is no reason why coaches cannot take matters into their own hands. table distraction, there is no reason why coaches cannot take matters into their own hands.

By banning Twitter, coaches are effectively able to control the pulse of their team. Not only that, but coaches also eliminate the threat of any unnecessary distractions right there on the spot.

College coaches are not oblivious to the potential harm of Twitter, which is why many of them are taking the situation into their own hands. Football coaches Steve Spurrier at South Carolina and Chris Petersen at Boise State, both renowned coaches at the Division I level, see Twitter as a detriment to their program.

Other schools are taking monitoring to another level. The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville both require their student athletes to install monitoring software that flag certain words, specifically related to drugs, sex, and alcohol.

If universities and coaches are so concerned about what their players are tweeting about and are scared they won’t represent the university properly, why not just eradicate the threat all together?

Petersen seems to agree. According to AOLnews.com, Petersen said, “It’s just a distraction that we just don’t really need to have right now.

There’s plenty of time in their lifetime for Twitter.”

Spurrier agrees. According to GamecockCentral.com, Spurrier said, “Well, we have some dumb, immature players that put crap on their Twitter, and we don’t need that. So the best thing to do is just ban it.”

These are not just two run-ofthe-mill coaches. These coaches are highly respected and proven winners. Don’t you think they would know what’s best for a program?

Look, I get it. I am constantly on Twitter following my favorite athletes and sports insiders. I understand the world we live in is driven by status updates and followers.

But if coaches want to protect their program from potential harm, they should be able to.

I was guilty of tweeting during my tenure as a baseball player here at UALR. If I were asked to stop tweeting, I would have easily obliged. I would like to think I didn’t embarrass the university or the baseball program, but there is a chance one of my tweets rubbed someone the wrong way. There is a difference though in UALR and say USC. Needless to say, I’m not going to have the following of a guy like USC quarterback Matt Barkley (135 followers compared to 71,970 for those of you counting at home.)

Upper echelon universities have to worry about what their student athletes are saying on these social media sites. Before Twitter, fan’s ac-

cess to their favorite athletes was mostly limited to interviews and press conferences. That’s just not the case anymore.

High profile athletes are already under an intense microscope for what they do on the field or court.

Now add 50,000 followers to that spotlight and it’s easy to see how it can be overwhelming.

The fact is, the majority of student athletes aren’t mature or

If a player is more worried about tweeting than performing on the field, you have a serious problem. smart enough to handle something as delicate and dangerous as Twitter. Hell, some professional athletes who are grown men act like complete morons when it comes to tweeting (see @ochoninco).

UALR student athletes are warned before every year about the dangers of social media. Like many other schools, athletes sign a waiver giving the university permission to monitor any social media site at the beginning of every year.

Does that message really get across to student athletes around the country though? Odds are, as someone is lecturing about the dangers of Twitter, someone is tweeting about how bored they are sitting through it.

Twitter will likely continue to dominate the sporting world, with athletes becoming increasingly popular. It’s a delicate situation that should be left up to the coaches on how to handle it. If that means banning it, then so be it.

Is Twitter entertaining? You bet.

Useful? No question. The right medium for an 18-year-old kid who thinks he has everything figured out? In the words of college football analyst Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend!”

Who’s hot in fantasy football for week 3 Steven wells Staff writer

Quarterbacks Expect Brees to be the top fantasy QB this week as he Drew defends home turf in New OrBrees, NO leans against the Kansas City Cheifs, the weakest defense in the NFL. Ryan is the most underrated QB in the NFL. Ryan posted 32 Matt TDs in 2011 and already has Ryan, ATL more than 5 in the early part of the 2012 season.

Running Backs C.J. Spiller, BUF

Spiller is poised to have a huge year at RB, especially in week 3 with Fred Jackson still being on IR.

Arian Foster, HOU

Foster is the top fantasy RB. Houston’s offensive line open wholes each week for Foster to run through. Expect him to have a big week.

Wide Receivers Calvin Johnson, DET

Julio Jones, ATL

Johnson has proven he is an elite fantasy WR. His QB is averaging more than 30 passes per game this year. Johnson will have a big week facing a Tennessee defense.

Grace Townsend Staff writer

Twitter is a great way to keep up with friends, current events, and networking, but some coaches fear it is not for their players and they cannot use it.

Many student athletes around the country are being restricted by their coaches and universities to use this social-media source. It is absolutely ridiculous, if you ask me.

A coach telling an athlete they can’t tweet because they don’t want him/her to say something unintelligent or stupid is like saying, “hey I will trust you to win me games, but other than that I think you’re a total idiot and that I can’t trust what you are going to say off the field/court.”

If coaches and universities are worried about what a student athlete is going to say on a social network to begin with, then maybe the coaches should reconsider recruiting student athletes that are already coming in as a risk.

It amazes me that a player can get suspended for something they say

Instead of banning Twitter, the smart thing to do is educate all student athlets on how to use a social network correctly. on twitter but can fail a drug test or even get arrested and be able to return and play for the team at all.

I get people may argue that coaches are only trying to teach players discipline, but it sounds like restricting twitter because it is an easy way out and avoids having to deal with problem that isn’t even created.

Coaches also consider Twitter as a distraction to the team and for the student athlete.

Hey, I have a good idea. Since Twitter is such a distraction, how about coaches ban players from

watching TV, having a girlfriend/ boyfriend, or even doing any other extracurricular activities.

I have never been to a game or practice where I’ve seen a player tweeting on the sidelines.

For example, according to GamecockCentral.com, head football coach Steve Spurrier said, “Well, we have some dumb, immature players that put crap on their twitter, and we don’t need that. So the best thing to do is ban it.”

That is so rude and irrational to say about teammates. Student Athletes are the foundation and reason why coaches have a job in the first place.

Instead of banning Twitter, the smart thing to do is educate all student athletes on how to use a social network correctly in order to benefit from it.

If student athletes know the consequences beforehand, maybe they will reconsider tweeting certain things.

I do believe that if a student athlete is absurd in their tweeting, that disciplinary actions should take place. That is why education is key.

These student athletes are in college aren’t they? Why not educate them on real life issues that affect people every day.

According to Buisnessinsider.com, only 11.6 percent of college student athletes will go pro and the rest of the 88.4 percent will have to get regular jobs.

Social networking is becoming more important each day and has become a must have for certain businesses. If student athletes are banned from twitter, it is only hurting their communication and networking skills. It’s a new day and age and twitter is here to stay.

Currently all UALR student athletes are allowed to have twitter, however, UALR athletes do attend educational meetings on how to use twitter and other social networks intelligently.

CADA (Chancellor’s Committee on the ADA) is taking requests for funding improvements to both physical and programmatic access at UALR. This includes Bowen School of Law and the Benton Center.

To make a request go to ualr.edu/cada select "Make a Request" If you're unsure if your request is appropriate for the committee, send it anyway!

We will consider each request, and you will get a confirmation email that your request was received.

The committee meets soon to make final decisions on spending priorities.

Jones has an elite QB in Matt Ryan throwing him the ball.

Jones is becoming one of Ryan’s go to receivers.

Tight Ends Jimmy Graham, NO

Graham and Drew Brees have an established connection.

Expect Graham to have a huge game this week.

With the Raven’s defense Rob focusing so much on stopping Gronkowsthe run, look for Gronkowski ki, NE to have a big game. .

UALR’s dedication to providing an accessible and quality education to students with disabilities is perhaps best evidenced by the ADA Committee that the Chancellor has funded for many years. Funds from this committee are spent on creating and maintaining usable, equitable, inclusive and sustainable learning environments, by improving access to both the built environment and UALR’s programs and services (this might include accessible computer equipment, for example).