The Forum Nov./Dec. 2022 Edition

SUSTAINABILITY IS OUR MISSION: UA LITTLE ROCK SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS

The Sustainability Committee hosts a yearly competition on projects promoting sustainability on the UA Little Rock campus. The committee receives an annual allotment of funds, of which $7,500 is invested in the competition.

Before taking the first step in this proposal, one should consider the sustainability ideals: environment, economics and society. That’s what sustainability is about, after all.

There’s a lot of room to explore and many ideas to bounce off of when approaching your grant proposal. While this can also be a little overwhelming regardless of your experience with grants and projects, students and staff are encouraged to propose a project.

The 2022-2023 Grant Competition winners included a mix of students, staff and faculty members: Chad Overturf (Student), “Development of new composite wood from Styrofoam and organic waste materials”; Dr. Crystal Rose (Faculty), “Installation of A Water Bottle Filling Station in the UA Little Rock Pat Walker Center for Nursing Education Building”; Shawn Bayouth and Julia Napolitano (Staff), “Aerosol Can Recycling Program”; and Vasti Hernandez (Student), “Installing a Trash Boom on Coleman Creek.”

As a member of the Sustainability

Committee, Dr. Michael DeAngelis, associate professor and geology program coordinator, shared more about the competition and what key things to consider.

“One strong recommendation would be to make sure to work with facilities,” suggested Dr. DeAngelis when asked about the proposal process.

After finding a project to pursue, contact the person in charge of the area that involves the building, location, etc. that you plan to work on or around.

One key contact person that Dr. DeAngelis mentioned is Greg Tatera, director of custodial & grounds services. Tatera is a member of the Sustainability Committee, and is passionate about sustainability projects.

For students, the next recommendation is to have a faculty advisor that will sponsor and mentor you. This will allow you to have better contact with committee members, and will help you manage budgeting and funds.

Once you’ve reached the point of creating the proposal and establishing a budget, be specific with the materials you want to purchase.

“This generally requires going out and getting quotes, or at least finding websites with real numbers and coming

up with a clear budget on how you would spend the money,” said Dr. DeAngelis.

One of the final recommendations is to ensure feasibility: will the project be completed within the appropriate time frame, will it need continuous maintenance, who will take on the responsibility of the upkeep, etc. But, before anything else, consider how your project will directly impact and benefit the campus.

The competition allows for a multitude of ideas and creativity. One of the projects submitted in a past competition took place on the UA Little Rock Campus Garden. Krista Schoening, assistant professor of painting, proposed a project for a pigment garden.

Another project mentioned was small but efficient as it implemented a small pollinator garden on the south side of the College of Engineering and Information Technology.

Other projects involve recycling bins on the campus, solar panels, research projects with coffee grounds and installation of water fountains for reusable water bottles.

“My best advice would be to come up with a project idea that is not too big in scope…is something that has a very clear start, middle and end point,” shares Dr. DeAngelis concerning future projects.

This project should be fun, yet practical. It should be beneficial to not just current students, but prospective students as well. And, of course, should show some love and care for the Earth.

While the grant competition takes place once a year, there are other ways to become involved sustainability-wise. Dr. DeAngelis invites students to join the Sustainability Committee, which meets virtually once a month.

They want to have students involved with projects, and events like Sustainability Day and Earth Day.

“I think we’re really just looking for some fresh ideas,” said Dr. DeAngelis.

Students and staff interested in joining should contact Jim Carr, professor and coordinator of graduate studies, at jkcarr1@ualr.edu to learn more.

Other ways include taking courses at UA Little Rock that teach more about sustainability, such as A Sustainable Earth and Plants and People.

UA Little Rock is also part of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), where students and faculty can make an account and access more resources concerning sustainability.

BY VASTI HERNANDEZ

WILLIAM H. BOWEN SCHOOL OF LAW’S OPEN HOUSE

On November 16th, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s William H. Bowen’s School of Law held their annual Open House. This was their first in-person Open House since the pandemic, and it was highly anticipated event.

In 1975, the Arkansas General Assembly founded the University of Arkansas William H. Bowen School of Law.

Their mission states that they seek to be “a diverse community of faculty and students; to provide access to a full- and part‐time skills‐

intensive program of high-quality legal education; to equip students with knowledge, skills, and values; and to assist in solving challenging social and legal problems through scholarship and public service.”

They dedicate themselves to the core values of access to justice, public service, and professionalism.

Not only that, but Bowen is the only law school in Arkansas to offer a part-time law degree, the state’s only Master of Studies in Law, and the country’s only concurrent JD/Master of Public Service in

partnership with the Clinton School of Public Service.

This was an incredible event that was immensely helpful to any student potentially looking to study law.

Starting off the tour, the students and parents attending were able to mingle amongst themselves and connect with faculty members.

After conversing for a few minutes and enjoying a few finger foods, the first permanent female Dean of the school, Theresa M. Bainer, introduced the event and

gave a presentation on everything Bowen has to offer.

Then, Bowen took the students on an informative and immersive tour of the classrooms, study rooms, library, and even fitness center.

Finishing off the tour, the students gathered in a lecture hall to hear a mock lecture from Dr. Faraz Sanei. The Open House ended with a Q&A panel from four students currently attending Bowen Law School.

The Open House was amazing.

It was great to see so many students attend and ask questions. Additionally, it was great to see this event held in person once again. If you are looking to study law, I definitely recommend considering Bowen Law School.

BY VIVIAN ANGELES

Vivian Angeles

THE HELPING HANDS FOOD DRIVE IS GIVING BACK THIS SEASON

When we think of the holidays, many things may come to mind: food, shopping for gifts, quality time with loved ones and rest.

However, not everyone will get to experience these things. For others, the holiday consists of fear, stress and pressure to provide.

No one wants to be in this position, and no one should have to be.

This holiday season, consider donating goods or making a monetary donation to UA Little Rock’s Helping Hands Food Drive.

The Helping Hands Food Drive is organized by UA Little Rock’s Staff Senate, which advocates for our employees in numerous ways.

The items most needed for this drive include: cranberry sauce, green beans, cream of chicken soup, cornbread mix, stuffing/ dressing mix, black eyed peas, chicken/vegetable broth, corn, cream of mushroom soup, green peas, yams and sweet potatoes.

A lot of the items requested cost less than $3 per item. The donation boxes used to collect these items are located all over campus; some locations include the Bowen School of Law, College of Business, Dickinson Hall, Donaghey Student Center and Ottenheimer Library.

Each week specific items are

requested. For the week of Nov. 27, stuffing mix is listed as the next item on the Food Collection Schedule.

It is certainly better to give than to receive, especially when we can help bring food to someone’s table – a table possibly filled with children, family and friends.

Make this holiday season one to remember, and look for other places in the Little Rock area that are requesting food items for families that could use some holiday cheer.

CRIME BEAT

Public Intoxication at Trojan Grill

On Oct. 12, 2022, Officer Tameka Matthews and Captain Marilyn Thompson received a call concerning an individual who appeared to be intoxicated harassing students outside of the Trojan Grill. Officer Matthews and Captain Thompson made contact with the male as he was sitting at the tables outside “intoxicated and discombobulated” according to Officer Matthew’s report. The suspect was asked if he had an ID on him and to pull it out of his pocket slowly. He was run through the Arkansas Crime Information Center and was 10-52 which means there were no warrants on file. He was then handcuffed, searched and transported to Pulaski County Regional Detention Center for public intoxication.

Criminal Trespass on UA Little Rock Campus

On Oct. 21, 2022, Officer Joshua Webb was dispatched near the Student Commons regarding a male talking to himself.

This was the second call of the day concerning the same individual exhibiting the same behavior.

Officer Webb made contact with the suspect who was talking to himself and asked if he had any mental or medical issues.

The suspect replied that he was not and had just been drinking beer.

According to Officer Webb’s narrative, he then asked about the conversation the suspect was having with himself.

The suspect replied that he was on campus looking for “pretty girls.”

He provided Officer Webb with identification.

Information Center and National Crime Information Center and informed Officer Webb the suspect was given a trespass notice on October 12, 2022, and was not allowed to be anywhere on campus.

Officer Webb searched the suspect, placed him in handcuffs and arrested him for criminal trespass. He then was transported to the Pulaski County Jail.

Dumpster Diver Arrest

On Oct. 12, 2022, Captain Marilyn Thompson and Officer Tameka Matthews were patrolling the University Plaza alley behind Big Lots when they observed a man dumpster diving.

After telling the individual he could not dumpster dive there, Captain Thompson asked for his name and date of birth.

The man responded by telling Captain Thompson she was the same person that said he was not allowed to be on campus and is on the Criminal Trespass list.

According to Captain Thompson’s narrative, she recognized the man from a previous encounter several days ago in which she told him and two other people the suspect was with they were not allowed to dumpster dive at Big Lots.

As Officer Matthews began to take note of his information, the suspect turned and ran.

Officer Tiffany R. Robinson was contacted for backup and soon arrived on the scene.

Once Officer Matthews and Captain Thompson got the suspect to the ground, he continued yelling and thrashing about, making it difficult for the officers to get him into the patrol vehicle.

the vehicle to conduct a body pat. A small pocket knife, several tools and a glass methamphetamine pipe were retrieved.

The suspect was then placed back in the patrol vehicle and taken to the Pulaski County Regional Detention Center for processing.

While at the Pulaski County Regional Detention Center, Captain Thompson, Officer Matthews, and Officer Robinson were informed that the suspect has two felony warrants for failure to appear on drug charges.

Reminder

Trojans, as it starts getting darker sooner, please be mindful of your surroundings and never hesitate to call UA Little Rock Campus Police at this number: 501-916-3400. For more personal safety recommendations, visit https://ualr.edu/safety/personalsafety/.

Have a wonderful and safe winter holiday!

BY VASTI HERNANDEZ

Dispatch ran his information through Arkansas Crime

Once the officers were able to get the suspect into the patrol vehicle, Little Rock Police Department officers arrived on the scene and were able to get the suspect out of

BY RIAN NEWMAN

TASTES LIKE HOME: PUPUSAS Y ANTOJITOS GENESIS

Growing up with both Mexican and Salvadorian families, I was always asked, “Which food do you prefer?” As in, do I enjoy Mexican food or Salvadorian food more?

This is a difficult question for sure, because there’s so much to choose from and enjoy on both sides.

When it comes to Salvadorian food, I feel like I didn’t get to experience it in the way that I did with Mexican food.

One of my favorites, though, is a popular dish that cannot be replicated when it comes to Salvadorian food: pupusas.

The classic pupusa is made from a corn flour tortilla stuffed with cheese, fried on a pan, topped with curtido (pickled and spicy cabbage) and salsa de tomate. While a pupusa is a true delight, there are few that are as good as the ones my Tía (aunt) and grandma prepare for me when I visit them.

They are the perfect ratio of cheese and tortilla, the curtido is pickled with just the right amount of vinegar and the salsa seasoned with all the good things.

So, when I discovered that a local food truck sells pupusas I had to put them to the test.

Pupusas y Antojitos Genesis is found on 4508 Baseline Rd. in Little Rock, AR.

It sticks out among surrounding places, a bright blue food truck displaying one of El Salvador’s flag’s colors.

The menu is displayed on the side of the truck, and lists many Salvadorian dishes I grew up with

– ones that I look forward to trying!

A pupusa can have other fillings along with the cheese, such as beans, loroco, chicharrón, zucchini, etc.

I went with three options: loroco, zucchini and jalapeño. As soon as I sat down to eat, I piled on the curtido, poured the salsa over, and snapped a quick picture before the first bite.

Overall, I would rate them an 8/10 – almost as good as Tía’s and my grandma’s pupusas.

The taste of each pupusa by itself was heavenly, the perfect ratio of tortilla to filling, but the curtido needed a little more spice and they could have been more generous with the salsa.

Nonetheless, they were filling and satisfied my craving for pupusas, having been deprived of them for too long.

I would definitely recommend this food truck for those nights where cooking is the last thing on your mind, but a home cooked meal is the only thing that will do.

Pupusas y Antojitos Genesis cooked each pupusa with love while I waited in line, and deserve all the support in return. They are open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m, and you can order ahead by calling (501) 454-0872.

BY VASTI HERNANDEZ

HOMECOMING TAILGATE Jacobb Nichol Photos

FEELING SAD?

Do you ever find yourself feeling symptoms of depression during Fall and Winter but generally not during Spring and Summer?

This condition is a recognized disorder called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and about six percent of the U.S. population suffers from it.

People who suffer from SAD tend to suffer from symptoms of depression during the winter as the days get shorter and sunlight decreases.

Their symptoms typically improve after winter once the days get longer.

For someone to be diagnosed with SAD over other types of depression, their symptoms must exclusively occur during one season for at least two years.

The symptoms of SAD are feelings of sadness and low energy. During the winter months, people with SAD tend to be unproductive, irritable, overeat, sleep more, and struggle with concentration.

Why does SAD occur? It is believed that lower levels of sunlight lead to lower levels of serotonin and higher levels of melatonin in people suffering from SAD.

However, the exact cause of SAD is unknown and still being

researched. The risk factors for SAD include: being female, young, and living more north of the equator.

There are several treatment options available for SAD. As you may expect, light therapy is a commonly prescribed treatment.

Light therapy consists of exposing patients to very bright light in the mornings every day during the winter season, to compensate for the reduced sunlight. Other treatments include antidepressants, Vitamin D supplementation and therapy.

If you think you may be suffering from SAD, a physician can screen your symptoms and make a diagnosis.

As mentioned, there are many effective treatments available, and a doctor can help identify the right one for you.

BY AHAD NADEEM

HOW DO AMERICANS EAT DURING THE HOLIDAYS?

With Christmas fast approaching, many Americans are beginning to set up decorations, purchase gifts and, most importantly, plan for Christmas dinner.

I believe that food is the best part of the holidays as dinner brings friends and family together for great conversations and quality time.

Since food is such an important aspect of the holidays, Top Nutrition Coaching conducted a survey of 1,000 Americans to understand their eating habits. Here are some of their most interesting results.

First, they found that 29% of survey respondents don’t monitor their eating during the holidays and eat “whatever they want.”

Only 8% of people said they adhere to a diet during the holidays.

Furthermore, more men than women said that they try to eat some healthy food during the holidays.

Second, the survey results revealed that most people are not worried about weight gain during the holidays.

However, more women expressed concern about gaining weight than men.

Finally, when asked about New Year’s resolutions, most survey respondents said they want to eat healthier, go to the gym, and lose

weight.

Thus, Americans tend to indulge and focus less on eating healthy during the holiday season.

The holidays should be a time of relaxation and fun, so eating delicious food (regardless of the healthfulness) is fine in moderation.

So enjoy the holidays with your loved ones, eat amazing food and start thinking about your health goals for next year.

BY AHAD NADEEM

FAWBUSH FULFILLS DREAM ON WHEEL OF FORTUNE

Alyssa Fawbush, a UA Little Rock senior double-majoring in Psychology and Nursing, walked away from Wheel of Fortune with $4,500 during the Thanksgiving episode of College Week.

After years of watching Wheel of Fortune with her grandfather, Alyssa made a forceful appearance in the show.

While Fawbush’s grandfather passed away recently and unfortunately did not get to see Alyssa’s appearance on Wheel of Fortune, she flew to Los Angeles for filming with plenty of support

from her family. Among her supporters were her father, mother, grandmother, two sisters and their boyfriends, and her now-fiancé.

The game show was not the only highlight of the trip; during a layover in Las Vegas, Alyssa’s boyfriend proposed to her, and she happily said yes.

Fawbush has a passion for health care and taking care of others. She currently works at a developmental preschool as a Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT).

Previously, she worked in

hospice care for senior patients. During that time, Fawbush formed a special bond with a patient with whom she frequently watched ‘Wheel of Fortune.’

Her patient quickly noted Fawbush’s talent for deducing the correct answers. After much encouragement and prodding, she was convinced to submit an application to appear on the show as a contestant.

Fawbush shared that she applied to audition for the show in January via the show’s website. She heard nothing from the application for

months—that is, until she received an invitation via email to audition in May.

During her audition video, Fawbush shared her background and her experiences watching Wheel of Fortune with her grandfather as well as her patients.

In August, Fawbush received word that she was accepted as a contestant on the show as a contestant for College Week and would be needed in Los Angeles in two weeks for filming.

She attended her first week of classes of her senior year

virtually during filming. Although preparation for her episode on College Week took hours, Fawbush said the filming itself took twenty minutes.

During her time on set, she and her family had the chance to meet Vanna White and Pat Sajak, a lifelong dream of hers. She said, “This was the most fun I’ve ever had and a dream come true!”

BY BRYAN HERNANDEZ

“THE THREEPENNY OPERA” REVIEW

I saw UA Little Rock Theatre Department’s production of “The Threepenny Opera’’ on Nov 30. The cast and crew did a fantastic job.

The set was incredible, with a tall staircase and scaffolding for the daring actors to climb.

Under the stairs, there was a live band that accompanied the songs in the play. “The Threepenny Opera” had twists and turns that left the audience on the edge of their seats.

The entire cast did an amazing job, and the two leads were captivating.

Sophomore Leo Martinez played the lead role of Macheath, and had the audience hanging on his every word.

Dr. Simon Hawkins played Macheath’s nemesis, the formidable Mr. Peachum. Dr. Hawkins had incredible stage presence and confidence from his prior experience in performing.

Each member of the cast did their part to put on an unforgettable performance.

I had a chance to interview a couple of the members of the cast about their experience in preparing and performing this play.

Jerry Henderson III played Walter aka The Scholar, a

henchman of Macheath. This was his first performance, but he was a natural on stage.

Henderson said that on opening night he felt “stoked and wired,” and that at the last performance he told the director that he was “ready for more.”

Henderson said that his favorite part of this experience was the rehearsals because it helped him create bonds with his castmates and gain more confidence.

Wesley Glass played the roles of Officer Smith and one of the beggars. Glass made the roles his own and put a comedic spin on it that was entertaining to watch.

Glass said that he went from a stage manager to an actor two weeks before opening night, but that he was “confident, calm, and happy” on opening night.

Glass is a dance major and says that “Theatre majors and Dance majors take acting critiques differently however equally as beneficial to the process.”

Senior Mya Little played the roles of Lucy Brown and one of the beggars and completely transformed for each of the roles.

This was her first time performing and she said that on the first night, she felt “amatuerish,”

but that she felt like the last show was the best.

I caught the last performance, and I think she did an amazing job. Senior Myles Mitchell played four roles - Pastor Kimble, the Executioner, one of the cops, and one of the beggars.

Mitchell noted that it was important to remember that everything is just acting, and although some scenes are graphic, it is important to remember it is just a scene.

If you missed “The Threepenny Opera,” you missed out on a great

show, and you should definitely try to see the next one. I am very excited to see the next show the Theatre Department puts on.

BY EMILY WELLS

Photo provided by Mya Little

DISCOVER DAY

Jacobb Nichol Photos

Misc. Campus Life Jacobb Nichol Photos

UA Little Rock Dance Team

Jacobb Nichol Photos

Unveiling of the Joe Foley Court Jacobb Nichol Photos

Womens Basketball Jacobb Nichol Photos

OPINION GET OUT AND VOTE

Although nationally the Republicans mostly failed to ride their ‘red wave’ across the finish line, they did not disappoint their base in Arkansas.

Republicans all across the state won their state house and senate races along with all Republicans on the ballot for state officers, including now governor-elect Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

The shining star of the Arkansas Democratic Party Dr. Chris Jones, who gave so many hope, lost.

On the day before election day, I got to talk with Dr. Jones and his campaign when they came to campus, and so many students were stopping by to tell him they voted for him.

The support among young people is inspiring, but it’s not enough. Jones didn’t even hit 40% of the total share of the vote, and that’s largely our fault. We as young people let him down and thus the whole state as well.

His ‘PB&J’ plan to create statewide universal pre-K, expand access to high speed broadband and fostering more jobs was going to be beneficial to our generation. His acknowledgement as a scientist and candidate that climate change is real and is a dangerous threat to our future would allow our

generation in the state to address our imminent and pressing climate crisis if he were elected.

Instead, Sarah Huckabee Sanders–who wants to cut the state budget by 55%, opposes the legalization of marijuana and supports criminalizing trans kids, their families, and their doctors–will become the governor.

You might ask how exactly have we let him down? We don’t vote enough. Plain and simple.

The only data available at the time of my writing this opinion piece shows that in Pulaski County, during all of early voting, voters aged 18 to 24 only cast about 2,000 ballots of the total 67,398 ballots.

We know that young voters are overwhelmingly more progressive, but that they don’t go out and vote. This has got to change. We need to stop letting good candidates like Dr. Jones down. Because when we let them down, we let ourselves down.

If we as young people overwhelmingly support abortion access, marijuana legalization, climate change action and equal treatment of women, LGBTQ+ folks and people of color as statistics show, then we need to go out and vote like it.

We can want change until we’re blue in the face, but we can never make meaningful change by not

showing up at the ballot box.

The future is ours. We will be living in it for the rest of our lives, yet we allow older generations to make decisions for us. We have to take control of our future. We have to vote.

BY OWEN HAYNES

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