The Forum Nov. 14, 2012

Freshman gets research grant

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‘Pill’ proves tough to take

Trojans win season opener

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Volume LXXXV Number VII

News in a

FLASH

The UALR William H. Bowen School of Law will be hosting scheduled visits for candidates for the position of dean.

The four candidates will visit the law school campus through Nov. 27. The search for a new dean began in July when Interim Dean Paula Casey assumed the position after Dean Emeritus John DiPippa stepped down.

The UALR Department of Theatre Arts and Dance will host the annual Fall Dance Harvest from Thursday, Nov. 15 to Sunday, Nov. 18 in the University Theatre. Tickets start at $5 for students.

For more information, call (501) 569-3456.

Jeff Stinson, a private equity and entrepreneurial developer with more than 20 years of experience in venture investing, has joined UALR as director of the Center for Innovation and Commercialization.

The center works with university affiliates to establish businesses that work to commercialize university research and intellectual property.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Student Newspaper

New provost named after long search

Fight for your right to free speech

Chelsey McNiel Features Editor

After a 17 month-long search, Chancellor Joel E. Anderson announced Zulma Toro-Ramos as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs Nov. 7, according to the Office of Communications. “ D r .

Zulma Toro -Ramos brings to UALR an impressive portfolio of leadership skills and Toro-Ramos experiences that will serve this university very well,” Anderson said.

“She enthusiastically embraces our student success goals, and her vision and values are a good match for UALR’s mission. She is well-prepared to lead our university’s academic division through the challenging times that lie ahead for higher education. ToroRamos has a strong

PROVOST, continued on page 3

The Forum’s Managing Editor Ricky Harris, graduate student in higher education, and Features Editor Chelsey McNiel, senior journalism major, act their parts during the First Amendment Free Food Festival Tuesday, Nov. 6 in the Diamond Café. The event featured a variety of students who came together to experience what life is like without their rights to free speech, assembly, religion, press, petition and association. Photo by Tiffany Williams Article, page 5

Student fall break to begin next year, administrators say

Joe Angolia, UALR’s former director of sports information, has been hired as Director of Communications for the Kentucky High School Athletics Association, where he began working Nov. 12. During Angolia’s seven years as director, he served as the department’s web-master, publications coordinator, social media manager and primary media contact for the men’s golf, basketball and baseball programs.

Jacob Ellerbee Sports Editor

International Celebration Week is currently in full swing at UALR offering music, food, education and more. The series of events began Tuesday, Nov. 13 with International Celebration Day and will run through Friday, Nov. 16.

Sgt. Rommel Benjamin of the Department of Public Safety sustained minor injuries Oct. 31 while in pursuit of a multiple-robbery suspect on University Avenue. The Chevrolet Impala he was driving sustained major damage to its front. Photo by Cameron Moix

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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Pursuit of armed robbery suspect leads to injured public safety officer Kerissa acetta

Asst. Features Editor

A Department of Public Safety official sustained minor injuries in a wreck at the intersection of University and Asher Oct. 31 while in pursuit of an armed robbery suspect, according to officials.

The driver of the other vehicle, James Tucker, failed to yield to the emergency response vehicles, resulting in the wreck.

Sgt. Rommel Benjamin sustained “minor lacerations and a sprained knee,” Sgt. Bobby Hicks said.

According to the UALR Incident Report, after checking on Tucker, “Sergeant Benjamin was then transported to St. Vincent’s Hospital to be checked out.” Tucker was not injured.

Sergeant Benjamin and the Little Rock Police Department were in pursuit of 19-year-old armed robbery suspect Donnell Robinson. According to Sergeant Hicks, “Robinson was sus-

pected of several armed robberies around campus,” including one outside of the Kum & Go on Colonel Glenn Road and one outside of the Denny’s on University Avenue.

The third robbery was a “purse-snatching” outside of the Raceway Gas Station at 6425 S. University Ave. Dusty Emfinger witnessed the “purse-snatching” and was shot in the shoulder in his car after he followed the suspect’s vehicle in an attempt to get the license plate number.

The police report describes Robinson’s escape car as a white 2004 Oldsmobile Alero. During pursuit, the suspect drove over a spike strip laid out by Little Rock Police “on Asher at the Ritz Motel,” according to the report.

The Alero continued, rolling on its rims, and clipped another car in its path. The vehicle proceeded to turn into the Town & Country

ROBBERIES, continued on page 3

After several Faculty Senate discussions and research conducted by the Academic Calendars and Schedules Committee, Chancellor Joel E. Anderson has approved a fall break for the university that will begin Fall 2013.

Faculty Senate President Laura Smith-Olinde said members of UALR faculty and staff have been discussing prospects of such a policy for the past two or three years.

According to records of the Faculty Senate meeting April 26, Anderson expressed reservations about approving a fall break. He asked that the Academic Calendars and Schedules Committee conduct research and present the findings before he signed off on the proposal.

“I’m not sure we’ve investigated all aspects thoroughly," Anderson said. “I feel better when policy changes are evidence-based, and the fact that other institutions do it is not necessarily a good reason.”

According to Jason Kushner, who chaired the Academic Calendars and Schedules Committee that conducted the research requested by Anderson, it took some time to gather all of the information necessary to help reach a verdict.

“The committee set out to study what was the practice at other Arkansas campuses," Kushner said.

One of the concerns with fall break is meeting all required instructional hours.

“The state has mandated that every class that is three credit hours must have a certain number of minutes,” Smith-Olinde said.

Kushner said the committee needed to verify that no

instructional time would be lost if there was a fall break.

He said the committee found this was a particular concern regarding lab time in the sciences areas.

“If we allow a break in the middle of the semester," Smith-Olinde said, "it makes it very difficult for [the science area] students to get the required number of clinical hours that they need to get.”

On the other side of the argument, she said it would be an opportunity for students to have a break from class, and faculty would have time to catch up on work.

“Now, this is not a faculty break. Classes won’t be held.

We might use that time to catch up on some things.”

After all of the research was submitted for review, the Faculty Senate intended to take a vote on the proposal. Kushner said the Senate planned to vote on the proposal in the final meeting of spring 2011, but several snags impeded the vote.

“It was suggested due to the likelihood of debate, and Dr. Eshleman's (the former Senate president) resignation, it [the vote] was tabled until the beginning of the fall 2011.”

The proposal was then passed by the Faculty Senate and then sent to the Office of the Chancellor for review and final approval.

In the end, Kushner summarized the entire process by saying, “policy in higher education just takes a long time to go from idea to practice.”

UALR’s fall break, October 14-15, falls on a Monday and Tuesday. The school will also be closed an extra day for Thanksgiving break. It will be closed Wednesday (the day prior to Thanksgiving) through Sunday.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Opinions Staff Editorial

That’s what he said Ricky Harris

Arkansas lags behind, as usual Barack Obama (332) Mitt Romney (206)

Barack Obama Mitt Romney

2012 President Election results - Electoral College

2012 President Election results by county

Barack Obama (332) Mitt Romney (206)

Barack Obama Mitt Romney

2012 President Election results by county Proportioned to population of counties

2012 President Election results - Electoral College Proportioned to population of states

Illustrations courtesy of Mark Newman, University of Michigan

Divided nation, or changing electorate?

The Forum If you were to look at the electoral college map of the presidential elections from Nov. 6, you might think that America is a republican-dominated country.

But if you look deeper, you will quickly notice how far from the truth that assumption really is.

The demographics in America are changing. That cannot be argued.

Seventy-two percent of the electorate this year was white.

This is down from 89 percent in 1980 and 74 percent in 2008.

America is becoming more and more diverse, which is a good thing. But it’s not a good thing for the Republican party.

This election showed that minorities are important, especially for anyone who didn’t realize it before. America is di-

verse and the Republican Party is not adapting.

The GOP is, obviously, the party of the white folk. According to a recent article by Slate, 88 percent of Mitt Romney’s support was from white voters.

Fifty-six percent of President Obama’s support came from the same group.

Romney carried a large portion of the white vote, but it obviously wasn’t enough. At this rate, the Grand Old Party will soon be no more.

This does, in some ways, seem like the nation is divided.

But in other ways it does not.

The division is between radical right-wingers versus everyone else in the country.

The Tea Party takes moderate Republicans who show signs of compromise and take them down in the primaries.

Then these radical candidates join the discussion of general

elections and sometimes win.

Luckily, a candidate who thinks pregnancy can be prevented if a rape is “legitimate” will not be gracing the halls of Congress with his presence.

And neither will that guy who said that pregnancy from rape is “something God intended.”

Voters are waking up.

In an election that had a Republican victory written all over it, President Obama not only escaped with a victory but clinched a strong majority of the electoral and popular votes.

This should be a wake up call to republicans all over the country. A party cannot survive by not branching out. When times change, people change.

When people change, the parties must change.

And gaining support from voters who aren’t white will involve not only talking the talk,

but also walking the walk.

In a sense, nothing changed in American politics on Election Day. The President is still Barack Obama; the U.S. Senate is still in democratic control; and the U.S. House of Representatives still has a republican majority.

But at the same time everything changed for the Republican Party. The American electorate has changed and it will continue to change. The only way for the GOP to keep up is to adapt and rid themselves of radicals with outrageous views.

With the House still in GOP control, republican leaders can show that compromise is not a bad word. Instead of stalling every measure put forth by the president and the democrats, the GOP should extend a hand and meet half way.

That’s the least they could do.

Congratulations, Arkansas.

Once again, you have managed to show the rest of the country how far behind we are.

And the same goes for the rest of the South, except Virginia and Florida. At least the commonwealth and the sunshine state have some sense.

In 2000, Arkansas went for George W. Bush, a republican, by 10.61 percent over the democrat, Al Gore.

In 2004, this margin between the republican and democrat shrunk to 9.76 percent.

But in 2008, when a charismatic, young Illinois democrat swept the national election, Arkansas voted for the republican by 19.86 percent. And last week, Mitt Romney took our state by 23.69 percent.

In terms of election results, those gains are tremendous.

Luckily, Arkansas isn’t anywhere near representative of the United States as a whole.

I find it hard to understand how voters can support a candidate who believes that 47 percent of the country doesn’t matter.

Oh, wait: I actually do understand. Right-wing voters in Arkansas think democrats are going to steal their guns and kill their babies. That would explain the radio ad I heard last week for Mack’s Prairie Wings in Stuttgart. It went something to the effect of “buy your guns now before it’s too late” in case Obama gets re-elected.

I hope everyone ran quick to get all those guns and ammo that the democrats and the president stole during Obama’s first term.

Oh, wait ...

And it’s not even just presidential politics. Take the medical marijuana initiative for example.

Colorado and Washington voters approved measures legalizing marijuana for recreational use.

And Arkansas voters rejected a measure legalizing the same natural plant for medical use.

Come on, Arkansas. What is it going to take to get some sense knocked in to you?

Technological breakthroughs could change concept of parenting Frankly, my dear GEOFFREY BARA An amazing new discovery made by a group of scientists from the Kyoto University Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) has brought, to my mind, far more questions than it has answers.

Stunning as it may seem, new research indicates the possibility of creating human reproductive cells, be they eggs or sperm, from the stem cell tissue of living donors. This allows for future lesbian couples to have and raise their own children without the aid of donated sperm, which, is important to note, would not contain either of their DNA. Gay couples would be able to do the same, with an egg manufactured from stem cells from one of their own bodies. Anyone at all with reproductive difficulties will be able to have healthy children containing their own genetic code. This goes a step, or perhaps many steps, further than in vitro fertilization: in

this technique, naturally formed eggs and sperm are combined in a laboratory in an attempt to produce a viable fetus which is then implanted in either the mother or the surrogate’s womb.

At first look, I found this research to be exciting and I marvel at its implications. My problem is that not all of the implications are as positive as the others.

Being able to make responsible, loving, childless couples into parents is a wonderful thing, if that is what these couples wish.

However, once we start tampering with ourselves on this level, where does one draw the line?

As science continues its attempts at unlocking the human genome and we become closer to understanding what portions of our DNA are responsible for which traits and behaviors we exhibit, the possibility of eliminating cancer and heart disease begins to shine on the horizon.

For the not-so-idealistic among us, this sounds frighteningly like the future Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” predicted: a future where those of us who can afford it genetically engineer perfect children who become the new elite, and those of us who are born the oldfashioned way and contain basic

human flaws become the serfs, the untouchables, the rabble.

This is ironic because the human race has gotten as far as we have based in large part (at one time) on the process of natural selection. This process has been virtually defeated by humans.

We do whatever we can to assist the reproductively challenged in their quest to procreate, so nature has if not no power, then certainly a greatly diminished power in deciding who will and who will not have children. This causes negative traits to continue to be passed down, generation after generation.

I’m not suggesting that humans should be considered exactly like the animals of lower orders that we study; obviously our contributions are not limited purely to physical strength and ability to reproduce. Many people born through the aid of science have gone on to be remarkably valuable to the human race.

Far be it from me to tell someone that if they can’t have kids maybe they shouldn’t; I myself was born after my mother underwent several surgeries in an attempt to have a child with my father. That said, they did eventually manage it without having

to create any portion of me in a laboratory, and I turned out all right. I only suggest that it’s important to realize that we’ve already begun mucking about with nature on a very significant level — and it looks like we aren’t even close to done.

In “Gattaca,” a feature film with similar themes, these people who are born without the aid of genetic manipulation are referred to as “God-children.” I’ve always liked that term, despite being the proud atheist I am.

I wonder for the faithful among us though, what does this research say about the existence, or lack thereof, of the human soul? If life can be completely created in a laboratory, where, then, is that divine spark of life?

Given these questions, I don’t suppose the religious community will be in favor of continuing this research or attempting to replicate it among humans. But, what if they are? Those social implications are fascinating.

Perhaps its because I have been living in a culture that so radically prefers opposite-sex to same-sex unions my entire life: I can’t say. For whatever reason, though, the pessimist in me predicts that even if this new science, as it applies to infertile heterosexual couples, gains sub-

stantial support, the idea of two men or two women “creating” a child in this way will remain unpalatable to the public at large.

Of course, the only reasoning behind this would have to be that it goes against God’s plan.

Whether something is “natural” or not will no longer be applicable at that point, whether it’s the child who is the product of a relationship or the relationship itself. It sounds invalid, though, to suggest that an infertile couple choosing to intervene and create their own child were doing so according to God’s plan, regardless of their respective sex. So, with no God argument or nature argument, what have we got left?

The thing I love about science is that as it progresses, in addition to highlighting what makes all of us interesting and unique, more than anything else it serves to point out how similar we all are. We’re all made of the same things, working essentially toward the same goals.

The only problem I have ever had with science is its speed.

The ethical and moral questions regarding this research far outweigh the supposed benefits, at this time. What is called for at this juncture is introspection, discussion and a lot of patience.

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.

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

Letters should be sent to editor@ualr.edu or

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

News Editor Cameron Moix

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Features Editor Chelsey McNiel

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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 serve 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.

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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

News

Goblin-masked robber Construction projects persist at law school strikes campus

3

Jennifer Ellis

Executive Editor

More than five hours after the incident, a 21-year-old male student reported being robbed by a masked gunman on campus at about 7:15 a.m. Nov. 1, according to the UALR Office of Communications and the Department of Public Safety.

The student told police the suspect, who had approached him from behind in front of the field house and Donaghey Student Center, was a man between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing about 200 pounds.

He was wearing a green goblin Halloween mask with yellow around the eyes, a black hooded sweater, blue jeans and Nike shoes. The victim described the gun as a silver automatic.

The suspect took the student’s grey and black backpack containing an iPad and two books and ran north toward the residence halls. He then headed east toward Fair Park Boulevard.

The student told police he did not immediately report the incident because he was scared, Detective Tonya Soule said.

Further information was not available, as the crime is still under investigation. If you have any information or witnessed the crime, police ask that you contact Soule at (501) 569-8793 or DPS at (501) 569-3400.

Construction crews were hard at work Nov. 9, as they continue to undertake a number of projects on McMath Avenue and other areas surrounding the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law and MacArthur Park. The majority of McMath Ave. is currently closed as crews work to transform it into a wide thoroughfare complete with a new median, side walks, street lamps and a recently completed roundabout. Photo by Cameron Moix

PROVOST, continued from page 1 record of engaging the community as well as state legislators to the benefit of her university and state.”

Toro-Ramos is currently dean of the College of Engineering at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kan. and will assume her new position at UALR on Jan. 7, 2013. As provost, she will lead the Graduate School and Bowen School of Law, as well as six colleges: Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Business; Education; Professional studies; Engineering and Information Technology; and Science.

Sandra Robertson, director of the UALR Office of Budget, Planning, and Institutional Research, has served as interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs since David

ROBBERIES, continued from page 1 Belcher left the position June 30, 2011, to become chancellor of Western Carolina University.

“I am honored and excited with the opportunity to serve as provost and vice chancellor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock,” Toro-Ramos said. “I look forward to working with Chancellor Anderson and his leadership team, the faculty, students, and staff as we continue to take this wonderful institution to its next level of excellence.”

Toro-Ramos was dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of New Haven, Conn., from 2001 to 2005 and was chancellor of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez from 1999 to 2001 before

Police Beat Neighborhood hooligans pull fake gun on coach

Student’s car vandalized for bad parking job

Officers from the Department of Public Safety recently responded to a call from UALR’s baseball field after suspects pulled a gun on a coach and fled into a nearby neighborhood.

At about 5:45 p.m. Oct. 19, the coach called to report the incident, which occurred after telling the three black juveniles to leave the premises. The issue began when the coach saw the three acting suspiciously in the ball field. After hearing a popping noise coming from the bathroom, he entered to find the suspects with what appeared to be a real gun.

After discovering that it was fake, he advised the suspects not to bring it onto a college campus. One of the suspects then replied, “go f--- yourself,” and another said, “I’ll bring a real gun next time.”

The three juveniles, who are believed to be between the ages of 12 and 15, then fled on bicycles and were not apprehended.

A student parking in an oncampus parking lot recently reported her car was vandalized with white chalk critiquing her parking.

At around 2 p.m. Oct. 31, an officer from the Department of Public Safety responded a report of criminal mischief in parking lot 15.

Upon her arrival, the complainant showed the officer that someone had written “f--- you” in white chalk on the back windshield of her car. A note was also left that read, “You’re a f---ing c--- park better,” signed Taylor and Alyss.

The suspect was identified as Taylor Helfrich. Helfrich filled out a witness statement and was cited with criminal mischief, advised of her court date and released.

Routine stop results in arrest for multiple warrants After a recent routine traffic stop due to expired tags, officers from the Department of Public Safety discovered that the driver of a red Dodge SRX had five different warrants in five different counties.

Kevin Ward of Morrilton immediately told officers that he was driving with a suspended driver’s license.

Ward’s driver’s licence was run through the system and he was found to have misdemeanor warrants in Morrilton, Dover, Perry County, and Faulkner County, as well as one felony warrant from the Conway County Sheriff’s Office.

Officers took Ward to DPS to await extradition to Conway County to serve his warrants. He was also issued a Pulaski County Citation for driving with a suspended license, expired license plate and no proof of insurance.

Students break out in Diamond Cafe brawl University Police officers responded to a fight that recently broke out in the Diamond Cafe area of the Donaghey Student Center, but by the time they got there, everything was calm.

At about 6:17 p.m. Oct. 29, the Department of Public Safety was notified of a fight in the Diamond Cafe area of the Donaghey Student Center. When the officers arrived, the fight had already dissolved and the suspects had left the scene.

Witnesses of the fight identified the participants as Ryane Benjamin and Brittany Ward.

According to the report, the fight was provoked by verbal threats between the parties, including a text message by Ward to Benjamin that read, “In BLOOD its yo ass u dead b-----.”

Benjamin was told to contact DPS is any further altercation occurred between the parties. Authorities were unable to contact Ward.

taking her position at Wichita State in 2005.

As dean of the College of Engineering at Wichita State, Toro-Ramos was responsible for overseeing 54 fulltime faculty members and about 2,300 students including those pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees.

She also helped establish relationships with industry, government, and alumni for the college.

Toro-Ramos achieved a Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1988, a master’s degree in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan in 1983, and an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering from the University of Puerto Rico in 1982.

plaza and lost control.

The two passengers, who were also suspected in the robberies, were found sitting in the car while Robinson attempted to flee on foot toward Big Country Chateau. Personnel from the Little Rock Police Department were able to apprehend Robinson without further incident.

Robinson’s first hearing was Oct. 31, during which he was charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of theft of property and one count of robbery. According to fox16.com, “Robinson pleaded not guilty to all charges and will now have his case turned over to the Pulaski County Circuit Court.”

Now Hiring Reporters and Advertising Sales Staff The Forum staff is meets weekly from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Tuesdays in DSC 201J. For an application and more information, email the editor, Jennifer Ellis, at jsellis1@ualr.edu.

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Wednesday, November 14 2012

New English Come one, come all faculty present their findings Liz Fox

Entertainment Editor

The UALR English Department hosted a series of research presentations Nov. 8 to showcase recent projects, publications and prospects belonging to three newest members of its faculty.

The latest additions, which include linguistics professor Jeremy Ecke and film scholar Nicole Seymour, came to UALR to offer classes previously unavailable to upper-level students. Angela Hunter, the third presenting professor, spent nine years in the department of Philosophy and recently joined the English faculty to teach courses in gender studies.

Seymour, who also taught at Vanderbilt University, became excited when she saw listings for a professor to teach 20th and 21st century material in an academic setting. While teaching at UALR, she hopes to bring a different take to contemporary film by studying them from an environmentalist perspective.

“For a long time I’ve been wanting to teach a class about environmental disaster cinema, ranging from trashy 1950s movies about nuclear fallout to more recent climate-change movies like ‘The Day After Tomorrow’,” she said. “I’ve just been assigned Film as Literature for spring, so I’m planning to teach it as Environmental Film Genres, and get in some of those films.”

While Seymour is interested in an environmentalist take on popular culture, Angela Hunter has opted for a combination of philosophy and feminism. After attending Colorado College for her undergraduate studies, she obtained her master’s degree in French Literature at New York University before receiving a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Emory University. Though she has already been at UALR for nine years courtesy of the department of Philosophy, she learns new things about student-faculty interaction on a regular basis.

“It feels good to be a part of that and to share the hard work involved,” she said. “I also really like being able to see students develop their own research projects and follow them through. I am often inspired by my M.A. in liberal studies students who take the see of an idea and turn it into a wonderful thesis. It’s transformative for them, and I benefit from being a part of that transformation.”

Berkley graduate Jeremy Ecke was hired to revamp the university’s underdeveloped linguistics minor. The program involves collaboration between English and anthropology courses as well as strongly-recommended foreign language electives. But Ecke, whose passion lies in the formal and cultural development of various languages, is currently doing research in hopes of publishing a comprehensive anthology of alliterative texts in the near-future.

“I’m teaching Introduction to Languages in the spring,” he said. “But my project now is cobbling together two pieces into a book, with one being a theoretical book on metric and metrical study in the literary tradition.”

During the annual Meet the Trojans event Thursday, Nov. 1 in the Jack Stephens Center, Will Neighbour (left) and his fellow teammates signed autographs for fans of both men’s and women’s basketball. Although the event was free of charge for sports fans, attendees were each encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to contribute to the Reach 13,000 Food Drive. Photo by Tiffany Williams

Faculty Senate makes ‘minor’ decisions with the help of student attendance Alexis Williams News Editor

A undergraduate curriculum meeting in Dickinson Auditorium Nov. 2 advanced the Faculty Senate’s process with the help of supportive professors and featured student attendance for the first time this semester.

George Jensen, chair of the rhetoric and writing department, presented his own undergraduate curriculum suggestions before the Senate. The most promiSmith-Olinde nent amendment to the curriculum document is to remove the requirement for a minor. He said that his amendment would not eliminate the option of a minor, just the mandating of one.

“I support that,” said Wendy Lyons, a sophomore double-majoring in small business management and technical writing. “I came into college at [age] forty. I didn’t know what I was doing; I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Within the first semester, I met amazing people within rhetoric and writing and College of Business [who] make it very easy for me to determine which direction I wanted to go. As soon as I did that, I learned that I am going to be in college

Now Hiring Reporters and Advertising Sales Staff The Forum staff meets weekly from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Tuesdays in DSC 201J. For an application and more information, email the executive editor, Jennifer Ellis, at jsellis1@ualr.edu.

for a long time, and it’s what I came to expect.”

Lyons continued to elaborate on her reasons behind supporting Jensen’s proposal.

“Anyone double-majoring knows that they’re going to have to put hard work and dedication into it,” Lyons said. “Not only am I double-majoring, but I am also minoring in creative writing and accounting.” She also said that adhering to differing requirements among the colleges would be unnecessarily overwhelming, if the UCR document remains unchanged.

Faculty Senate President Laura Smith-Olinde then called a vote and the body decided, by a large consensus, to eliminate the requirement for a minor from the curriculum document.

The next item up for debate was the residency requirement. Currently, UALR mandates that its undergraduates complete 30 hours of upper-level coursework. Nickolas Jovanovic, associate professor of construction management and civil and construction engineering, said that this requirement is “fine the way it is.”

“The Engineering and Information Technology curriculum is mostly standardized, therefore my EIT students do not confront obstacles with the requirement,” Jovanovic said.

History Professor Edward Anson disagreed.

“Then, unlike EIT, history is not stan-

dardized. It differs from university to university,” Anson said.

Back-and-forth debate between the departments eventually prompted Joanne Matson, rhetoric and writing professor, to propose a simple language alteration to the residency requirement.

“Would anyone object to making the requirement 30 hours of residency hours,” Matson said, “15 of which must be upper-level?”

The faculty voted almost unanimously for the language inclusion. After the meeting, Lyons voiced her opinions about attending the meeting.

“I feel like even though [the curriculum] is not perfect, they are definitely working to make it better for us.”

“I really think students should be more involved, because they don’t know,” Lyons said. “Until they know about this, how can they learn?”

Smith-Olinde announced the genesis of an ad hoc committee that is to devise a course of action by January 2013 that will address the instructional load of AP credit. “Ad hoc” (meaning “for this” in Latin) committees are formed temporarily to resolve a specific community problem, and are dissolved after they have served their purpose.

The next Faculty Senate meeting is scheduled at 1 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Donaghey Student Center’s Ledbetter Hall.

Student attendance is highly encouraged at these events.

Campus infrastructure hones in on master plan’s potential Christen Carter and Kayla Newton Contributing Writers

A 2010 report reviewing the progress of the UALR strategic plan found “dramatic changes” in infrastructure since the plan was approved in 2005. Two years later, administrators say further developments are still underway for the campus.

Chancellor Joel Anderson has cited recent advancements since the release of the 2010 report that include the Trojan Grill, the Nanotechnology Center and the Student Services Center, all of which opened this year. He also pointed to renovation projects that have been completed at the Ottenheimer Library, UALR Bowen School of Law and University Plaza.

Anderson said the only planned renovation remaining is to Administration South, which will be used for the Nursing Department.

“I think the progress we have made, relative to the challenges we face, has been remarkable,” Anderson said.

Some other notable improvements, such as the construction of West Hall and renovations to the Fine Arts building, have excited students and faculty members.

“It has increased student activity on campus, as well as perception of the campus in the community,” said Student Government Association President Rizan Mohsin.

Floyd Martin, an art history professor, said he is happy to see new dorms and a new Student Services Building on campus, which he thinks will help to better the campus community. But Martin said that important improvements still need to be addressed.

“So many buildings need more reliable heating and air conditioning,” Martin said. “We have few places for things like student lounges or work places.”

The 2005 plan cites the need for infra-

structure sufficient to accommodate up to 20,000 students. There are currently less than 13,000 enrolled students and while Anderson said the property can eventually welcome 20,000 students, he acknowledged that enrollment has been stable for the last few years.

Chancellor Anderson said this is not an official goal, but he has no doubt that UALR will eventually grow to that size.

“As more and more jobs continue to require postsecondary education, I expect enrollment nationwide and at UALR to probably increase slowly,” Anderson said.

David Millay, associate vice chancellor of facilities management, seems enthusiastic at the prospect of a student population of 20,000, but said there are no current plans to increase the number of UALR’s classrooms.

“I would like to think that the quality of the educational system is what attracts students, but certainly the building does not detract,” Millay said. “I think these new buildings are quite a draw, but not just because it looks good on campus, but because it’s actually providing a function.”

Alumni Jason Brown would like to see an increase in student activities on campus.

“When students have access to oncampus activities, they naturally want to spend more time on that campus,” Brown said.

Some think UALR is moving toward a more conventional campus rather than one for commuters.

“We are moving to where we will have more in-house students and resident halls on campus,” Millay said. “We take into consideration what kind of accommodations students find most popular nowadays.”

ualr.edu/forum

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Campus Life

5

Eat FREE LIVE

Where’s It At?

or

??

FREE

Do you know what this is a picture of?

If so, let us know!

! h t o b o d t ’ n a c u Yo

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

?

Last edition’s answer: UALR sign in front of the Student Services Center

November 14th

Wednesday

International Thanksgiving Celebration 6 p.m.

DSC A/B/C

Cleaner Energy Fair 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

DSC Fitness Center

15th

Thursday

Study Abroad Fair

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

DSC Upper Concourse

Interfaith Dialog Lunch

Noon to 1:30 p.m.

DSC Leadership Lounge

17th

Saturday

Omega Psi Phi Party Midnight to 2 a.m.

DSC Fieldhouse

December

Jacob Ellerbee, a junior mass communication major, stands guard as Jared Johnson, a freshman computer science major, enters the Kingdom of the Dictated States of the Peoples’ Republic of UALR during the First Amendment Free Food Festival Nov. 6, in the Donaghey Student Center.

The event was hosted by The Forum, Sodexo, and the UALR Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Photo by Tiffany Williams

Event emphasizes importance of First Amendment rights The Forum

Many people fail to realize how lucky they are to live free, but some students got a taste of living without rights at a recent event.

The First Amendment Free Food Festival took place on Election Day, Nov. 6, in the Donaghey Student Center. The event was hosted by The Forum, Sodexo and the UALR Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The festival simulated a dictatorship in which students could get a free lunch. The only catch was that they had to sign away their First Amendment rights to enter the Kingdom of the Dictated States of the Peoples’ Republic of UALR, the name given

to the simulated dictatorship set up for the event.

After entering, students were required to abide by the rules of the kingdom, being whatever the dictator and police demanded.

For some students who did not follow the rules, a jail was set up for them to spend their time in.

Various students protested the dictator, with one person declaring, “down with the dictator!”

“This event has been done at other campuses,” said Jennifer Ellis, executive editor of The Forum. “We thought it was a great idea to adopt at UALR. It turned out to be a success.”

Additional photos of the event can be found by visiting The Forum’s Facebook page.

Lyndsay Ballew, a senior anthropology major, acted as the dictator of the Kingdom of the Dictated States of the Peoples’ Republic of UALR during the First Amendment Free Food Festival Nov. 6.

Photo by Tiffany Williams

5th

Thursday

Fall into a Massage Free Massages!

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

DSC Leadership Lounge

In print and online ualr.edu/forum

Before being allowed entry to the Kingdom of the Dictated States of the Peoples’ Republic of UALR during the First Amendment Free Food Festival, participants were required to sign a banner waving their first amendment rights. Photo by Tiffany Williams

6 Features Naming the 900, spotlight on the class of 2016 Wednesday, November 14, 2012

ualr.edu/forum

Freshman catches eye of NASA Liz Fox

Entertainment Editor

Freshman molecular biotechnology major Zartashia Javid received a state grant for her research project on microgravity and eye health from the Arkansas Space Consortium. Javid is a CLC scholar, first generation college student and member of the Muslim Student Association. She plans to become a physician. Photo by Chelsey McNiel

After working under UALR professor Nawab Ali, freshman molecular biotechnology major Zartashia Javid created an optometry-based research project linking eye health to the concept of microgravity. But she didn’t expect this idea to earn a grant from the Arkansas Space Consortium, an organization that involves NASA participation in the state’s research.

“I was a little shocked but very excited about receiving a grant for something I’m very interested in,” she said.

“Also, as a freshman I felt like it was a great accomplishment.”

Originally from New York, Javid relocated with her family to Fort Smith in 2004. She spent most of her adolescence in the public school system before transferring to spend her junior and senior years at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, a renown residential high school located in Hot Springs. The college-level courses and lab experiences later formed a backdrop for what would become one of her key pursuits: biology.

“I took genetics my senior year in high school and I really enjoyed it,” she said. “You can genetically modify things and that’s part of biotechnology, so I was really interested in that.”

Javid was selected as a Chancellors Leadership Core scholar and serves as a member of the Muslim Student Association. She said that while she could have opted for a larger school, she would rather be recognized for her

achievements than anonymously bury herself in a larger setting. She is also enthusiastic about the faculty-student interaction taking place on a regular basis at UALR. “I think there are a lot of people that can help guide you to whatever your goal is and whatever path you’re going to,” she said. “Dr. Ali has always been willing to give students opportunities if they’re willing to work for them. My experience is going really well.”

Javid’s other inspiration comes from her family. Her parents, who migrated from Pakistan to the United States before she was born, fostered a strong emphasis on education for their four children and urged them to complete high school and attend college. As a result, Javid is the second in her family to assume the role of a first-generation college student.

“Since they came from Pakistan, [my parents] were unable to go to school,” she said. “They always pushed us to strive for our goals. They’re always really supportive of me.”

After completing her education at UALR, Javid plans to enter a prestigious medical school and become a physician. Though her research has already garnered her recognition from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Javid said she will continue to work just as hard — if not harder — to make her goals a reality.

“I want to become a physician because the [medical] field is constantly progressing and changing. Being a part in that would definitely leave a positive mark on society and would also keep my mind in learning mode.”

Essay key in scholarship applications Alexis Williams

Assistant News Editor

Although patrons donated more than $1.3 million in private scholarships for the 2012-2013 academic year, there is still competition within the scholarship process.

But students can take conscientious measures to give their application a fighting chance. Financial Aid Advisor Stephanie Conrad stresses the importance of turning in a good essay with scholarship applications.

“The private scholarship admissions process is very competitive,” Conrad said. “We received 500 applications but we were only able to award 10 percent of those. An impressive GPA and ACT score alone do not guarantee acceptance.”

US News and World Report: Best Colleges of 2013 states in-state tuition for the 2012-2013 year at UALR is $6,854 (and over $15,000 for out-of-state) and room and board is $8,755.

Buying books will tack on an additional $1,547, according to leading college search engine Cappex.com. That makes the final price tag for a year on campus about $17,200.

It’s no wonder nearly 83 percent of UALR students apply for need-based financial aid, but UALR could only meet the complete needs of 12 percent of these students, according to the report.

Conrad said a student’s essay is the one chance to make a memorable impression on scholarship reviewers.

“Writing a well-brainstormed, welldeveloped, and well-revised essay is single-handedly the most proactive step an applicant can take to improving his or her chances for acceptance,” she said.

The Writing Center is available to help students who may be struggling with their essay.

“We encourage students to take advantage of the Writing Center,” Conrad said. “You’d be surprised how many essays we receive that simply fall short with frequent grammatical errors.”

Financial Aid has posted approximately 1,200 available scholarships, which are a mix of both general and departmental private, according to Conrad.

One hundred scholarships are considered general private, for which the appropriate application must be completed. Those accepting the general private application are the Alumni Association, Phyllis Keltner Scholarship for Women, athletics, and various developmental scholarships.

The Foundation Fund Board Scholarship is available for full-time, entering freshmen only. This scholarship requires completion of the common scholarship application. There is also a new meritbased aid option for eligible applicants.

Upcoming deadlines will be posted December 2012. For more information students are encouraged to schedule an appointment with Stephanie Conrad in Student Services or visit ualr.edu/scholarships/private/.

Assistant Professor of Applied Science Mariya Khodakovskaya works with graduate students in the new greenhouse on top of the Nanotechology building. The space was opened six months ago and currently holds soybean, corn and barley crops. Photo by Alexis Williams

Campus greenhouse to improve research Alexis Williams

Assistant News Editor

Towering above UALR is a spacious, state-of-the-art facility that is familiar to very few people on campus. In fact, unless you have a science major, you might not have known it even exists.

Graduate students and professors are conducting research in the futuristic and energy-efficient Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, known colloquially as the Nanotech building that opened six months ago. The research canvasses a vast array of subjects, from solar cells to nanomedicine. Part of that research necessitates plant life, so the university discussed in 2006 the possible addition of a greenhouse atop the Nanotech building.

“We talked a lot about the potential of the greenhouse on the physics building,” said David Millay, associate vice chancellor of the Facilities Management department who oversaw the construction of the greenhouse.

“But we eventually decided that the physics building wouldn’t support the structural stress of the greenhouse,” Millay said. “We received [overwhelming support] from top administration, which helped.”

Campus supporters for the facility were Interim Provost Sandra Robertson, Chancellor Joel Anderson, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration Robert Adams, and Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics Michael Gealt. The science colleges were also eager to include the structure.

“CSAM has biology research activity going on, and they’ve wanted

a greenhouse for a long time,” Millay said.

Mariya Khodakovskaya, assistant professor of applied science, is one of three named researchers currently working in the greenhouse.

She is collaborating with a graduate assistant on several experiments, one of which involves “plant stress signaling”. This research centers on improving plant resistance to certain stresses, like cold and drought.

Since the greenhouse was officially opened six months ago, the only plants currently inhabiting the facility are soybean, corn, and barley crops.

“We were cultivating the crops in growth chambers before, but those three are too tall to properly develop in the chambers,” Khodakovskaya said. “When you’re dealing with plants, there is just one way to do it, and that is with a greenhouse.”

Khodakovskaya said the main deciding factor behind the necessity for the greenhouse was the fact that the old greenhouse was simply falling apart, completely unsuitable for research. It had holes in the roof and was in need of “major reconstruction.” “[The greenhouse] will accommodate ongoing research by providing a high-quality environment to do so,” Millay said.

Both Millay and Khodakovskaya said the biggest perk of the rooftop greenhouse was its controlled-environment feature. Every atmospheric aspect, from humidity, temperature, and light, can be carefully and precisely manipulated by a computer system. Consequently, the facility is highly energy-efficient.

The greenhouse is a 1,800-square foot structure built with reinforced

steel beams, concrete floors, and Plexiglas-like tempered windows. It can withstand winds up to 80 miles per hour. Millay said such a facet was mandatory on the roof of a fivestory building. The greenhouse can only be accessed by elevator and is not currently open to the public because of its unique purpose.

“It’s really more of a laboratory than a tourist attraction,” Millay said.

Khodakovskaya said that it might one day be public, but for now, it is just a research facility. “We have to be careful to preserve the atmospheric conditions.”

Millay said the construction of the greenhouse cost the university little more than $200,000, but that increased to $400,000 including tables, furnishings, and the support structure.

“It’s really more of a laboratory than a tourist attraction.”

-Dave Millay

“I am absolutely pleased with the end result,” Millay said, “and eager to see what comes out of it.”

Khodakovskaya also shared her enthusiasm. “I am very excited about [the addition of the greenhouse]. It will hopefully attract more grad students to our campus,” she said. “Our goal is to provide quality research, which will make us more competitive for state funding, which will provide more opportunities for UALR and bring more work here. This is a great step for UALR.”

ualr.edu/forum

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Features

First generation student adjusts to college life Jacob Ellerbee Sports Editor

The Great Recession of 2008 put millions of Americans out of work and into a position of uncertainty.

People who had little-to-no higher education were abruptly thrown into a situation in which new jobs were nearly impossible to find. In order to increase the likelihood of finding a job, many people decided to go back to college.

No one understands the effects of the recession more than non-traditional junior, Amy Jo Hall. After she was widowed in 2007, she realized she needed to do something to give herself a better opportunity to support her family.

“The market for telecommunications [her previous job] is kind of oversaturated and underpaid,” Hall said. “So I knew I would have to pursue a degree to actually have any kind of a job to support my family the way that my late husband did.”

Hall began to research schools that were in close proximity to her hometown of Conway. She said the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton offered her a scholarship based on her GED scores. She began classes in spring 2009 and graduated with three associate degrees in December 2011.

Hall began looking at schools that have a reputation for producing graduates of business programs.

She scheduled a tour of UALR and was pleased with what she saw. She applied for a transfer scholarship and was awarded the maximum amount for the Shelby Breedlove Scholarship.

Not only is Hall a non-traditional student, but she is also a full-time student. She is currently pursuing a degree in Management Information Systems and taking 15 credit hours in her first year at UALR. “It’s manageable because I’m not working,” Hall said. “Social security supports my family enough that I don’t have to work right now; I can focus on my studies.”

Some may wonder what the adjustment is like for non-traditional students going from the workforce to becoming a student. The NonTraditional Student Programs help them adjust to life as a college student.

Non-Traditional Student Programs Director Cynda Alexander, said she is usually the first point of contact for non-traditional students like Hall.

7

That damned Ellis kid David Ellis

The Flintstones Caper

Junior management information systems major Amy Jo Hall is not only a non-traditional student, but a first generation college student. Non-traditional Student Programs help students like Hall adjust to college life after being in the workforce. Photo by Chelsey McNiel “Generally, every day I’ll have contact with a student that needs some kind of help, or finding resources, or needs a mentor, or a tutor, or just reassurance,” Alexander said.

She knows what it’s like to be a non-traditional student because she also came back to school in order to pursue a career change.

“I could no longer make a living as a real estate agent in 2005,” Alexander said. “So I went back to school to get my bachelor’s and master’s degree.”

One way Alexander helps non-

traditional students is by coordinating peer-mentor groups so nontraditional students can help other non-traditional students.

“I line them up with a peer mentor for that first semester and then they end up turning into mentors for me that next semester and [they] stay with me until they leave,” Alexander said. “It’s amazing to watch the transformation of a non-traditional student from the first semester even to the second semester. Once they’ve conquered that first semester -- it’s priceless, it really is.”

Navigating trends: why choose natural hair?

All natural: lifestyle or passing fad? Water quality affects hair health Lashun Burton

Kerissa Accetta

Contributing Writer

Assistant Features Editor

Within the past few years natural hair has been more accepted by society. As a naturalista myself, I believe natural hair is neither a trend nor a phenomenon. No, it is really so much more.

For many women around the nation who choose to go natural, it’s about freedom and confidence. Natural hair is where sexy, special and unique meet to make beautiful women who need no other validation than what they get from themselves. Natural hair is about the woman inside of you.

Romantic as that sounds, going natural may be a stretch for you, but hear me out. For every reason not to go natural, there are three reasons to go natural.

After speaking with fellow student Joslyn Lindsey who is also the creator of Naturally Expressing Me on Facebook this is what she had to say about whether or not natural hair is viewed as a fad or a lifestyle choice.

“I think it depends on the individual. For the majority I think it is a lifestyle choice. I think people have come to the realization that we really don’t need to chemically alter our hair even to wear it straight. I think that makes people more comfortable with themselves. They no longer have to worry about certain things once the chemical is gone,” Lindsey said.

“But monkey see, monkey do. There are a few out there who are seeing everyone else doing it so they may as well try it with no intention of keeping it that way. They’ll get tired of it or just try it and relax their hair again. But just trying it can actually lead to giving deeper thought to it than just a look. I was one of those just trying it, and it has opened my eyes to so much more. The day I cut my hair it became a lifestyle choice.”

Being beautiful is part of being a woman, and a woman should be comfortable and confident in her own skin. For most that means rocking their natural texture.

Natural hair is an extension of creativity and the perfect fashion accessory. It sets each and every woman apart from the norm and sets the soul free. There is nothing more rewarding than being recognized for being yourself.

So, for the ladies long in the natural hair game, keep rockin’ your Angela Davis afros. And for those on the fence or with questions, remember your hair doesn’t wear you, but you wear your hair. That’s why natural hair is more than a trend, because it’s about you. And you never go out of style. So be free and fly.

Water affects many of the aspects of our daily lives.

We drink it, cook with it, clean with it, shower in it.

According to the 2011 Little Rock Water Quality Report, “Central Arkansas Water receives its supply from two surface water sources, Lake Maumelle in Pulaski County and Lake Winona in Saline County. Both lakes can supply water to Jackson Reservoir, a regulating reservoir located within the Little Rock city limits at Reservoir Park.”

Little Rock’s water supply is considered to be very good, scoring an 89 out of 100 whereas the U.S. as a whole only scores 55 out of 100 possible points. This is a measure of the quality of Little Rock’s water supply as rated by the EPA in June 2012. The EPA measures the watershed quality using a complex method that tests 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges.

However, if you’ve noticed a layer of grime on your showers, sinks, and dishes, or you’ve been losing more hair in the shower since you came to UALR, this could be due to hard water. Hard water can be caused by a calcium buildup in the water. Calcium deposits form in water pipes and can affect our tap water.

If you are living in an older building, you might experience more calcium in your water than say, a freshman that just moved into West Hall. The water is fine, but when the water is heated, evaporated, and drained from your sink or shower, deposits can leave a fine residue on the various surfaces the water contacted.

Another issue, one that girls complain most often about, is the water’s effect on your hair. “Hard water is alkaline and alkaline liquids cause the cuticles of your hair to lift up. When your hair cuticles are raised your hair feels rough and it is often prone to tangling and breakage,” according to TruResource Guide.

Minerals in the water can weaken your hair and cause it to break. The best advice experts give is to use a clarifying shampoo. Clarifying shampoos are designed to strip away impurities like minerals and build up of chemicals from your hair. Such a product will help restore you hair back to health and give it shine. Using a conditioner appropriate for your hair type is also important. Using conditioner helps prevent you from stripping away all of the healthy oils that your hair needs.

Another tip involves using apple cider vinegar to rinse your hair. Mix ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar and two cups of water and then pour the mixture over your hair as a final rinse. Because of its acidic nature, apple cider vinegar tightens and closes raised cuticles. This allows your hair to retain more moisture and encourages healthier growth.

Although changing the quality of our water is not an option, thankfully there are ways for us to work around it.

Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s there were numerous ads on television for children’s vitamins, which were geared toward both mother and child. These ads offered statistics to frighten mom, and well-known cartoon characters to entice kids.

My Mom bought into the hype and decided that it would be Flintstones vitamins that would give her children the necessary nutrients that they didn’t get from their daily meals.

My family’s morning ritual was something like this: at 7:30 a.m.

Dad came in, gave each one of us a shove and told us to get our butts up. We fumble around for about an hour doing our bathroom rounds, fighting over turns at the toilet and getting dressed in a school uniform that we’d been wearing for a couple of weeks. Finally, after a few shoving matches and “two for flinching battles,” we would stumble out to the kitchen. There on the countertop would be a row of four PopTarts and four Flintstones chewable vitamins.

Somewhere along the line it was decided the car shaped vitamin was the coolest one and if you got the it then you were number one and all was right with the world; at least for the day. It became a grudge match from then on to get the car shaped vitamin. We would rush to be the first to obtain the car, clawing, biting, and shoving to get to our prize and claim the glory.

In an attempt to save her sanity and keep us from killing each other over a chewable vitamin, Mom proposed a fair compromise. We would take turns receiving the car. It was a grand idea, at least in theory, and it worked for a time. There were days, however, when there was no car placed on the counter. When we asked about this diversion from the “Flintstones peace treaty,” Mom told us there weren’t any more cars in the bottle. This was a travesty of justice, and it had to be investigated.

My brother Joe and I utilized our brother Adam’s skills as a master thief. We snatched a brand new bottle of Flintstones vitamins from the cabinet. Hastily we broke the seal and laid them out on the floor and began to count. Our first mistake was, as it is for most children up to mischief, that we were too quiet.

Mom came to investigate what we were doing mid-count. We were on the verge of a major discovery and we were going to get busted.

There was no way to get the bottle back to the kitchen and she would keep grilling us till she found out what we were up to. We decided our only course of action was to consume the evidence and discard the bottle.

As fast as we could we shoved all the vitamins we could into our mouths and began to chew. We had between the two of us consumed all the vitamins and we hid the bottle before Mom got to our room. We knew we could play off the loss of the bottle by convincing her it never existed making her doubt whether she had actually purchased it.

We had gotten away with it, or so we had thought. As it turns out when a person has more vitamins in their system than they can use, the body then gets rid of the excess. As our guts began to rumble and our bowels began to cramp we knew we had screwed up big time.

There were only two toilets in our house, and my bother Joe and I occupied them for the entire night and into the next day. I believe that we did permanent damage to the commodes, leaving the backs of them looking as though they had been shot with a poop shotgun. I have never to this day suffered with such a pain in my bowels as that day and I pray to whatever powers that be that I never do again.

I could have poisoned myself, all for the sake of a car shaped vitamin and fairness. As a permanent reminder of this I have decided to keep a bottle of Flintstones Vitamins in my medicine cabinet.

A lesson from what I call the Flintstones Caper, is that fair is a subjective concept and like truth, everyone has their own version.

Most of the time, you have the same thing everyone else does, it just takes a different form.

Another lesson, if you consume a lot of any thing you don’t really need to get a sense of fairness, you not only waste your time, but you can hurt yourself in the process.

8

Entertainment

Wednesday, NOVEMBER 14, 2012

ualr.edu/forum

Halle Berry and Tom Hanks undergo a series of make-up changes to prepare for their performances in Wachowski-Tykwer drama, “Cloud Atlas.” Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

‘Cloud Atlas’ guides audiences on thought-provoking journey David Ellis Staff Writer

The multi-genre film “Cloud Atlas” boasts top-notch actors and a fresh style of storytelling. Based on the award-winning novel by David Mitchell, the movie tells the story of one soul which goes on a journey from murderer to hero over the course of six lifetimes.

“Cloud Atlas” placed Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Susan Sarandon and others into roles that span different time periods to show how the actions of different people can affect several generations. This, in addition to different geographic locations, involved a lot of make-up, prosthetics and fake accents; however, this only came to show the versatility of the actors and crew.

Directors Tom Tykwer (“Perfume”) and Andy Wachowski (“The Matrix”) brought their distinct styles to the film. “Cloud Atlas” blended the futuristic effects and action-driven style of Wachowski with the storytelling and character development of Tykwer. The budget for the film was approximately

$100 million, and it grossed just over $9 million on its opening weekend.

“Cloud Atlas” received a 63 percent from critics on Flixter’s Rotten Tomatoes website while 77 percent of polled audience members enjoyed the film.

Most criticism was based on the idea that the combination of special effects and the thought-provoking storyline would be too heavy for some viewers.

But it was that combination of visual effects and storyline that sold me on this movie -- this film definitely had some meat with the potatoes.

This film presents original ideas to the audience during a time in which many films are comprised of tween vampire-werewolf love triangles and trendy but inaccurate period movies.

Movies like “Cloud Atlas” are what the industry needs to revitalize its base. I was not just entertained by the film; I was affected by it and judging by the quiet introspective reaction of other audience members (including my wife), it affected them too. Viewers will be pleasantly surprised by “Cloud Atlas” -- as long as they keep an open mind.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse deliver the singer-songwriter’s revisionist take on the ‘60s with their latest album, “Psychedelic Pill.” Photo courtesy of Reprise Records

‘Psychedelic Pill’ hard to swallow despite artist’s previous success Liz Fox

Entertainment Editor

At 66, rock icon Neil Young can be considered a marathon runner of the music industry. With 35 studio albums to his credit, the songwriter has remained surprisingly relevant decades after “Harvest” and “After the Gold Rush” went platinum. But with an extensive catalog also comes time for reflection on previous perspectives, and it is this mindset that seems to fuel “Psychedelic Pill,” Young’s latest work released Oct. 30 with backing band Crazy Horse.

Though the flower-powered, acidinduced haze of the 1960s brought accessible folk to Young’s first few albums, he disowned the idealism of the hippie movement when personal struggles with drugs and family appeared in later decades. His unwashed mane and avid cocaine use later turned into fatherhood and music experimentation and as a result, Young has returned with a newly-energized form of Americana.

But it’s this new understanding of music from the past that makes “Psychedelic Pill” hard to digest. Much of the album is comprised of what seems like Grateful Dead-inspired takes, a handful of tracks easily surpassing the 15-minute mark. Though some aren’t nearly as mind-numbing, Young’s decision to allow “Pill” to open with a 27-minute testament to jam bands is shaky at best, especially considering that most audiences can barely stand songs beyond the length of “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”

That’s not to say the album lacks variety, for Young has managed to

combine most styles into a pastiche of his own career. “Born in Ontario,” an exaggerated song chronicling the songwriter’s Canadian roots, contains country twang that ironically echoes that of longtime American rivals Lynyrd Skynyrd. “Pill’s” shorter tracks recall well-known parts of Young’s career, infusing flanger-happy Americana with honest, soulful lyrics. These portions serve as the only combatants to the exhausting progressive songs found on the majority of the track listing.

It’s worth noting that Crazy Horse, a band that has collaborated with Young since 1969s, is what makes “Psychedelic Pill” live up to its name. “Walk Like a Giant” is “Pill’s” only redeemable epic, and it pushes Horse to extremes of energy and musicianship while Young remains ringleader of his decadeslong troupe. “Ramada Inn” also allows room for the band to show off the hard virtuosity found in parts of their solo catalog. Unfortunately, the progressive partnership does the bare minimum to distract from the album’s mediocre content and staggering length.

While his latest release is far from the least admirable in his discography (see 1995’s “Life”), Young’s “Psychedelic Pill” has an unconventional presentation that’s hard to get past for the average listener. Some songs show glimpses of the stripped-down and honest version of Young fans know and love, but the epics distract with little more than spiraling instrumentation.

If there’s one thing to be learned about hindsight, it’s that it’s often 20/20 — a fact that can end up destroying material that’s already pure at heart. That said, it’s best to stay gold.

CALENDAR - UPCOMING EVENTS NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2012 SATURDAY, NOV. 17 CANNIBAL CORPSE @ JUANITA’S The notoriously violent metal act visits Arkansas for the first time in several years. Opening acts: Misery Index, Hour of Penance. Admission: $17 advance, $20 day of show; show starts at 10 p.m.

THURSDAY, NOV. 24 THE BIG CATS @ WHITEWATER One of the area’s most rockin’ acts returns to Whitewater Tavern to support their latest album. Show begins at 9:30 p.m..

SATURDAY, NOV. 30 “THE OUTSIDERS”

Production adapted from S.E. Hinton’s novel about socioeconomic differences between gangs in 1965 Oklahoma.

See weekendtheater.org for details.

FRIDAY, DEC. 21 LUCERO @ REV ROOM

Memphis-based alt-country band arrives to rock downtown Little Rock.

Show starts at 9:00 p.m.

FRIDAY, DEC. 28 AMERICAN PRINCES @ REV ROOM The See’s David Slade returns with his locally-renown band to play fan favorites. Doors open at 9 p.m.

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IRVING BERLIN’S

“WHITE CHRISTMAS” Following World War II, a pair of song and dance men with romance on their minds follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont inn. Once they arrive, they realize the inn is owned by their old Army commander and a lack of seasonal precipitation has the inn facing hard times.

Starring Sarah Ager, Jo Blackstone, Case Dillard and Shane Donovan.

NOV. 28 - DEC. 30

Advance tickets on sale now.

ualr.edu/forum

Wednesday, NOVEMBER 14, 2012

Entertainment

9

Cannibal Corpse brings death metal to downtown Little Rock Alexis Williams

Assistant News Editor

“The Man with the Iron Fists,” the newest release from rap artist RZA, features a big-name cast, excessive violence and many special effects. Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

Wanted: moshers and metalheads!

Veteran death metal act Cannibal Corpse will rock Juanita’s Cantina in downtown Little Rock on Saturday, Nov. 17. The band will be performing alongside fellow heavyweights Misery Index and Hour of Penance. “[Cannibal Corpse] is my favorite band,” said Jeff Long, freshman computer science major. Long said that he was not familiar with Misery Index or Hour of Penance, but he would still enjoy the performance alongside his girlfriend and his roommate.

Hailing from Buffalo, NY., Cannibal Corpse formed in 1988 following the disbandment of several local metal bands. The band has undergone several line-up changes while also maintaining a notoriously fierce image, releasing tracks with overtly violent or offensive themes.”Torture,” their latest and biggest release to date, marks the 12th album in their discography as well as the fourth to creep into the Billboard 200.

The band’s current tour is a threeweek trek stretching across much of the Midwest; it will begin this week in Huntsville, Ala. and end with a show

in Miami on Dec. 7.

Cannibal Corpse manager Amy Buck said the Juanita’s venue was chosen because Cannibal Corpse hasn’t played in Little Rock for several years.

“There was an offer from a promoter in Little Rock, so we were able to route the band through there,” she said. “[The city] is definitely a market that a band hits maybe once every album cycle. ... Fans should definitely come out to this show!”

As a result of the band’s history and growing popularity, Juanita’s General Manager James Snyder noted that he expects a fairly sizable turnout. “[Cannibal Corpse] has been around for a long time, and I’m expecting at least 300 people,” he said.

Because the ballroom only holds a capacity of 550, it’s likely the concert will sell out.

Opening act Misery Index, formed in Baltimore in 2001 and entices audiences with its blatant socio-political lyricism. The other band, on the bill, Hour of Penance, formed in Rome, Italy in 1999 and centers its music on anti-religion, torture, morality and social issues.

Tickets are $17 in advance or $20 at the door; the show starts at 10 p.m.

‘The Man with the Iron Fists’ falls short of hype with bad acting and special effects David Ellis Staff Writer

“The Man with the Iron Fists,” the latest work from artist and Wu Tang Clan ringleader RZA, makes a wholehearted attempt to resurrect the kungfu genre of the ‘70s and ‘80s while combining a similar hip-hop style RZA mastered in other projects. But despite involving figures like Eli Roth and Quentin Tarantino, the movie becomes lost on viewers through bad casting, production and mediocre screenwriting.

“Man” is the story of a humble blacksmith (RZA) who manufactures weapons to supply gangs and villagers of Jungle Village China, an outlaw town where anything goes. But throughout the movie, the blacksmith finds himself getting caught up in a massive gang with groups wanting to control shipments of gold, which leads him to make his own weapons in order to protect himself from the looming war. Lucy Liu, Russell Crowe and Dave Bautista are also assembled into a cast of characters which aim to pro-

tect the Jungle Village community.

It seems the movie has an advantage of a decent big-name cast, but this is lost in “Man’s” primitive storyline, cheesy dialogue, over-the-top violence and aside from Russell Crowe, bad acting. The only saving grace is the soundtrack, which is a blend of hip-hop and neo-soul and features artists like Ghostface Killah, Kanye West and RZA himself. But the movie really misses the mark. Excellent choreography and effects are wasted on shoddy storytelling and bad acting, and while the film had a lot of potential, “Man” just jumped the shark.

Rotten Tomatoes critics gave this movie a 53% rotten rating. I can’t help but wonder how any audience could enjoy this film. I went in with high expectations and nothing was delivered -- the equivalent of opening Christmas presents to find fruitcake and salmon eyes. Since “The Man with the Iron Fists” appeals to a small demographic of moviegoers, I would suggest not wasting an afternoon or a good buck on seeing it.

The happiness and hardships of iconic act Black Sabbath are chronicled in Brian Aberback’s “Black Sabbath: Pioneers of Heavy Metal.” Photo courtesy of Enslow Publishing

Unauthorized ‘rockography’ offers details of band’s career Jacob Ellerbee Sports Editor

Full-featured recording app provides high-quality sound C,J,Waters

Assistant Sports Editor

Apple’s factory-installed Voice Memos app seems to be a good voice recorder, but there’s a better app out there for those wanting highquality files and better features. iTalk is a full-featured app with a streamline interface that contains a big red button that users can press to start and stop recording. After recording is finished, users an add to existing files, choose from three levels of audio quality (11.025, 22.05, or 44.10 kHz sample rates) and manage recordings. Supported by iTunes File Sharing, the app also contains auto-noise cancellation and a builtin search function to locate files by titles.

Review site Knowyourmobile. com has praised iTalk, saying that the app “represents the next step in the evolution of the Dictaphone, and ironically it’s a step that actu-

ally leaves the concept of a separate recorder behind.”

The app was updated by Griffin Technology on May 17, 2012 with 74 customer review ratings. iTalk is useful and handy for students who are enrolled in mass communications courses since interviews are often part of assignments. I also found it interesting that I can download and sync it to my iTunes account, which allows me to burn files to a disc if a hard copy is needed.

The one con about the app is that users must pay $1.99 for the premium version, which includes the multitasks of setting and forgetting it, transfers recordings using Dropbox, and shares recordings on SoundCloud. iTalk is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad with iOS 4.0 or later. It was last updated on May 17, 2012 and currently holds 74 customer review ratings.

“Black Sabbath: Pioneers of Heavy Metal” by Brian Aberback is a book for anyone who is interested in learning about the group of men that invented heavy metal. The book is “an unauthorized rockography” that introduces the original members of the band, how they invented a new genre of music and how they became superstars in the music industry. This book is unauthorized, meaning Aberback never asked the band if he could publish this book. He doesn’t try to hide this, as it is listed in several different parts of the book.

The four founding members of Black Sabbath are Ozzy Osbourne (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitarist), Bill Ward (drums) and Geezer Butler (bassist).

The group originally formed under the name Polka Tulk Blues Band before undergoing two name changes, finally settling on an abbreviated form of an earlier name, Earth.

The author highlights a pivotal event that happened in the latter part of 1968 in which Iommi made a decision that could’ve ended the birth of heavy metal. Iommi decided to leave Earth and took residence with the progressive rock group Jethro Tull for a short time. He later said he wasn’t comfortable being in that band and decided it would be best if he returned to Earth, which returned what became Black Sabbath to its true form.

The author planted several interesting bits of information throughout the book. He mentions the band decided on the name “Black Sabbath” after

seeing a film of the same name that featured Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein character. This is when Osbourne and his bandmates had a revelation that triggered the heavy metal movement. “[I]sn’t it funny that people like to go and pay money to be scared, to see a horror film,” Osbourne said. “Why don’t we try and put that to some of this heavy stuff we’re playing?”

I don’t want to give away too much of the book, especially if you aren’t well-versed in all things Sabbath, but there are some dramatic moments internal conflict, drug use and difficulties of incorporating new members into later forms of the band. But the design of the book’s cover may deter fans from picking it up, since the art does not disguise the fact that it is heavily photoshopped.

One pro is that the author included a timeline as an appendix to the core material. It starts at 1948 with the birth of three band members and goes through 2010, when second-generation vocalist Ronnie James Dio died of stomach cancer at the age of 67. Also included are lists of every band member, the group’s discography and a list of tours embarked on during Sabbath’s career.

Even if you’re not looking for a story about the origins of heavy metal, this is a book that chronicles the trials and tribulations of men who came from English working-class families and went on to achieve worldwide fame. Black Sabbath created a genre of music the came to define the lives of millions and influenced several later generations of musicians.

10 Sports Team manager turned player is fueled by his past Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Cameron Moix News Editor

Ted Crass has worked his way through the ranks to become the voice of reason for a team filled with young players. Photo by Cameron Moix

UALR greeted a new men’s basketball player this year who once had the odds stacked against him, but has now assumed a senior position of leadership among the Trojans.

Ted Crass was once a kid with a lot of problems and little ambition. But with graduation looming, he decided to make a change for the better. After graduating from Central High School in 2008, Crass enrolled at UALR and soon became team manager for the Trojans men’s basketball team. This meant he was one step closer to achieving his dream of coaching.

Three years later, after developing an extensive knowledge of the sport and relationship with players and coaches, head coach Steve Shields offered Crass a chance to dress out. Although he only played three minutes of one game last season, his foot was firmly placed in the door.

“I feel like [Shields] took a liking to me because I worked hard and he knew my past and how I wanted to change the future,” Crass said. “It’s a great opportunity to get to know somebody, and I was really able to get to know him and learn a whole lot.”

Crass said that basketball was a year-round sport for him as a child, just as it was for his father when he was growing up in Pine Bluff. As a child, he spent most of his free time at the Little Rock Boys and Girls Club on 12th Street, where he later started working as a teenager.

“It was kind of always my idea to go and play college basketball,” Crass said, “and then I got in a lot of trouble and started making bad choices when I was about 15, and I kind of fell away from it and chose a different path.

Then when I got some help and got my life back on track, I decided I was going to help kids instead of playing.”

Crass said he quit playing after his freshman year in high school because he was getting into some trouble of his own. He soon realized that helping people with their problems helped him resolve his own. It was at this point Crass realized his motivating force was his passion for coaching. He said he looks to coaches like former University of California,

“Ted has been a very important part of our program for the past four years. His situation is fairly unique — going from being a manager to a player — but it shows that he has worked extremely hard to get to this point.”

-Steve Shields

Los Angeles head basketball coach John Wooden for inspiration. Just as Wooden did with his players, Crass likes to help players build character and stay out of trouble.

“I started coaching basketball when I was 16 at the Boys and Girls Club of Little Rock and decided that I wanted to be a college basketball coach,” Crass said.

While he would love to stay at UALR, Crass said he may attend graduate school in Texas, Nebraska or Florida, and plans to study Speech Communications or Sports Management. While continuing his education, Crass plans to work as a graduate assistant and coach basket-

ualr.edu/forum

ball. He said that his dream is to eventually become an Olympic basketball coach.

“Basketball is growing so fast in South America that I would hope that I can get in on that,” Crass said, “and there are a lot of job opportunities from knowing Spanish.”

But Crass said that he thinks if he would have gone to a bigger school to play basketball, he wouldn’t have such a close relationship with the coaches, especially Shields, who he calls his mentor.

“Ted has been a very important part of our program for the past four years,” Shields said. “His situation is fairly unique — going from being a manager to a player — but it shows that he has worked extremely hard to get to this point.”

Crass spends the majority of his time honing his basketball skills and working out.

Any free time that he has is spent volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club, playing video games like NBA2K and reading coaching books.

Crass said he hopes to be a leader and help his young teammates develop their skills more efficiently.

“I just hope we can win,” Crass said. “I really just hope to be a leader and step in when I need to.”

Crass attributes his basketball skills to his knowledge of the game, being able to stay calm, and keep his composure. He also says that his physical weaknesses are his athleticism and his height.

Crass is about 5 feet 9 inches, but says that doesn’t make him any less motivated.

“I’m able to turn my weaknesses and my past into my biggest strengths,” Crass said. “The things that have literally almost killed me, I now use in my advantage — to be a better person, not just a basketball player.”

11 Trojans top Skyhawks, freshmen lead the way

ualr.edu/forum

Sports

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Matt Johnson

Contributing writer

Freshman point guard John Gillon led the Trojans with 22 points as UALR beat the University of TennesseeMartin Skyhawks 84-68 on Friday, Nov. 9 at the Jack Stephens Center.

The Trojan enjoyed contributions from several of its first year players. In fact, the Trojans had five freshmen score 47 of the team’s 84 points in the first regular season game of their collegiate careers.

The Trojans came out of the gate fast, going on an 11-2 run in the first five minutes of the game. The Skyhawks didn’t wilt, roaring back with an 11-0 run of their own, taking the lead with 11 minutes

“We unloaded some excitement tonight. We’ve been waiting a long time for this first game.”

-Taggart Lockhart

left in the first half.

UT-Martin would go on a 10-0 run before UALR finished the half with a 15-3 run to close out the half. UALR headed to the locker room up seven points, 39-32 The Trojans built their lead to 13 early in the second half, aided by the play of redshirt freshman forward James White.

White finished with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting

Freshman John Gillon helps lead the Trojans to victory over University of Tennessee-Martin in the first game of the 2012-13 season Friday, Nov. 9 at the Jack Stephens Center. Gillion, who scored 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and four other freshmen had more than half of the team’s points. Photo courtesy of EMJ Fotografi from the floor, 14 of those points coming in the second half.

UT-Martin was able to cut the Trojan lead to five points with just under five minutes remaining before a threepoint play by Gillon and a three-pointer from junior forward Will Neighbour putting the game out of reach.

Despite there being 31.3 seconds remaining in the game, UT-Martin player Terence Smith struck Sophomore Taggart Lockhart with a hard foul.

The officials called a flagrant 2 foul on Smith, which results in an automatic ejection.

The 2012-2013 NCAA rulebook for men’s basketball defines a flagrant 2 foul as, “a personal foul that involves contact with an opponent that is not only excessive, but also severe or extreme while the ball is live.”

Neighbour finished with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the floor and pulled down 13 rebounds.

After the game, Neighbour

said he was pleased with the play of his freshman point guard, Gillon. “For a Freshman point guard to come in and do that, I thought that was awesome.”

Lockhart finished the game with 10 points. In his postgame interview, he said he was glad to see the crowd of about 3,800 fans supporting the team in its home opener. “We unloaded some excitement tonight. We’ve been waiting a long time for this first game,” Lockhart said.

Head coach Steve Shields was pleased with the way his team worked together, considering there are so many young players on the roster. “Our guys gave good effort,” Shields said. “I thought it was a total team effort.”

The Trojans hit the road for two games next week against Louisiana Tech and Ole Miss, before returning home to host Milwaukee on Monday, Nov. 19 at the Jack Stephens Center.

Tip-off for that game is schedule for 7 p.m.

Cross-country finishes season with top head coach and title Jacob Ellerbee Sports Editor

Senior Daniele Souza Moura and Sophomore Marleen de Zoete use teamwork to send the ball over the net for a point against the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns. Photo by Tiffany Williams

Volleyball team secures victory over Ragin’ Cajuns on senior day Hannah Stewmon Staff writer

The UALR volleyball team won its last home game of the season Nov. 4, in a comefrom-behind victory against the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns.

UALR lost the first set 2628, won the second 25-21 and lost the third 23-25. This created a 2-1 set deficit for the Trojans, keeping fans wondering if the team would be able to win its final regular season game at Jack Stephens Center.

After losing to ULL in the last meeting 3-0, the Trojans knew what it would take to defeat an experienced team like the Ragin’ Cajuns.

The Trojan volleyball team, which has four student athletes, persevered in the fourth set and outscored the Ragin’ Cajuns 25-13, forcing a fifth and final set. The Trojans took the win in the

final set 15-12 and achieved a dramatic come-from-behind win.

The game was capped off with a small presentation for the four senior players: Sawyer Schaedig (health and science major), Emily Pepperman (biology major), Eva Xie (finance major), and Daniele Souza Moura (sociology major).

They were recognized for their four-year commitment to the team. Each player received a bag and a framed action shot of themselves as a token of appreciation.

After the game, Schaedig said it will be difficult for her to get used to not having her teammates by her side at a moments notice. “We’ve gotten so close this year and it’s going to be really hard without them.”

Head coach Van Compton said she was proud of her senior players for overcoming obstacles and representing

the program with class.

“They’re relentless because of the obstacles we’ve had to overcome this year, and their willingness to believe in something that they couldn’t see at first,” Compton said. “But they believed in it and have brought it a long way.”

Compton continued to praise the senior players and emphasized their importance to the team.

“They are the foundation of this team, and our team is very, very small so they have to do a lot of things that they are not comfortable with because a lot of them play out of position. They have meant a lot to this team,” she said.

The win against the Ragin’ Cajuns means the team has secured at least a fifth seed spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The tournament will be held in Bowling Green, Ky. Nov. 14-17.

The UALR men’s crosscountry team has completed its season and several accolades have been handed down to the team.

The Trojans won the Sun Belt Conference Cross-Country Championship at Kereiakes Park in Bowling Green, Ky., head coach Milton Williams has been named the 2012 Coach of the Year and several student athletes have been named to the All-SBC team.

The 2012 SBC title is the team’s second in three years, bringing the team’s alltime total to five.

The Trojans tallied Pearson 58 points to claim the conference championship.

They bested North Texas, which scored 85 ; Middle Tennessee, which scored 86; Hime and South Alabama, which scored 139.

UALR had three men finish tenth place or better in the event, which was a distance of eight kilometers (approximately five miles).

Senior Markus Pearson finished seventh (25:33.7), Senior Felix Maritim finished eighth (25:40.7) and Sophomore Brock Hime finished tenth (25:51.9).

After the team had secured the SBC championship, it was announced that Williams was named “Men’s Coach of the Year.” This is Williams’ fourth time to win the award. He was named “Women’s Coach of the Year” in 2005 and “Men’s Coach of the Year” in 2007 and 2010.

Hime was not surprised that his coach got the award.

“It doesn’t shock me that he won Coach of the Year, it would’ve shocked me of he didn’t.” Hime continued, “[Williams] is very passion-

ate about the sport and truly cares about his athletes. The man will do anything for us and I respect him for that.”

Junior Shaun Koehn praised Williams for his ability to get his players to perform their best at just the right time. “Coach Williams has many years of experience with training and knows how to make our bodies hit their peak performance at the right time. This is very crucial and not easy to do in our sport.”

Hime made a point to recognize Assistant Coach Aaron Batey as someone who is passionate and works hard, but stays out of the spotlight.

“He does a lot of the behind the scenes work Koehn and does a great job.” “[Batey] was all over the course at conference,” Hime said. “ W h e n Coach Batey came running up to us right Maritim after [we] finished and yelled we had won, we all just began hugging -- we were so happy.”

Four Trojan student athletes have been named to the All- Sun Belt Conference team.

Pearson, Maritim and Hime have all been given Second Team All-SBC honors. Koehn rounds out the awards for the Trojans with Third Team AllSBC honors.

Hime appreciates the personal recognition because he did not get to compete last season. “This was my first cross country season since 2010 due to injury, so making a comeback and getting all conference meant a lot to me.”

Koehn said he is happy the team achieved its goal of winning the conference championship and he achieved his goal of being named to the all-conference team. “It’s awesome to see over five months of hard work and consistency finally pay off.”