Daily Toreador The
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013 VOLUME 87 ■ ISSUE 118
Tech System professors ranked as top in state Three Texas Tech System professors were ranked as top professors in the state by Online Schools Texas. Elizabeth Trejos-Castillo, an associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, was ranked in the Top 14 Hispanic Professors in Texas. These professors, according to the Online Schools Texas website, are making differences in education while valuing their Hispanic heritage. Dottie Durband, an associate professor in the Department of Personal Financial Planning, was listed in the Top 25 Women Professors in Texas, according to the website, and was chosen for her dedication to students and academic efforts. Lori Rice-Spearman, an associate professor and program director at the Health Sciences Center, also was ranked in the Top 25 Women Professors in Texas, according to the website, and was chosen for her accomplishments such as receiving a Distinguished Teaching Award. ➤➤news@dailytoreador.com
Bill to reduce concealed gun class time considered AUSTIN (AP) — Lawmakers are considering a proposal to reduce the amount of class time required for a concealed gun permit. Under a bill heard by the Senate Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday, new applicants would need four to six hours of classroom instruction. Current law requires ten to 15 hours. The classes would still cover dispute resolution, gun safety and gun storage. Applicants would still have to pass firing range tests. New Braunfels Republican Sen. Donna Campbell described her bill as a defense of the Second Amendment. It drew little opposition. Several gun safety instructors said the long class sessions have limited value. Democratic Committee Chairman John Whitmire of Houston spoke in favor of the bill. He has taken the class. He said “it really seemed like it went on forever.”
OPINIONS, Pg. 4
Hansen: Bilingual education: Why you need to care
twitter.com/DailyToreador
www.dailytoreador.com
Serving the Texas Tech University community since 1925
Smith begins search for staff, recruits March 23, 2011
Sept. 20, 2012
Nov. 9, 2012
March 22, 2013
March 25, 2013
Billy Gillispie appointed
Gillispie resigns as
Walker wins first
Tubby Smith leads No. 11
Minnesota fires
HC at Texas Tech for 2011-
Tech’s basketball
game as interim
seed Minnesota in upset
head coach Tubby
2012 basketball season.
coach.
head coach.
against No. 6 seed UCLA.
Smith.
Aug. 31, 2012
Oct. 4, 2012
March 13, 2013
March 24, 2013
April 2, 2013
Gillispie hospitalized,
Chris Walker
Tech beats West Virginia
No. 11 Minnesota
Tech hires Smith
accused of overpracticing
named interim
in first round of Big 12
loses to No. 3 Florida
as new men’s
players.
head coach.
tournament.
in Smith’s last game.
basketball coach.
By MICHAEL SUNIGA STAFF WRITER
Tubby Smith was officially announced as head coach of the Texas Tech men’s basketball team Monday night to replace Chris Walker, who was the interim head coach during the 2012-2013 season. Smith was introduced as head coach in a news conference Tuesday afternoon in United Spirit Arena. At the season’s end, Tech Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt announced the decision that a head coaching search would be conducted, with several candidates set to be interviewed, including Walker. “Nineteen days ago our season ended in (Kansas City) and I set an agenda at that time to identify the best person in the country to come and lead our program towards a successful future,” Hocutt said. During the span of 19 days, Hocutt searched for a new head coach who would provide the leadership skills necessary to build Tech players into winners on and off the court, he said. On March 26, Tubby Smith was fired by Minnesota after the Golden Gophers lost during the third round of the NCAA tournament. Shortly after his dismissal, Tech displayed an interest in the former national championship coach by way of visit, Smith said. “Right away we were sold, they flew down to North Carolina and we met,” he said. “In fact, we were just going to talk, and they indicated that they had two extra seats on the plane.” Smith said he told his wife he wanted to visit with Tech officials in Lubbock following their visit in North Carolina. “‘Let’s go back, let’s go back with them and see what it’s like,’” he recalled saying to his wife. “We flew back that evening and sure enough, here we are.” Hocutt said he was excited about hiring Smith to fill the head coaching vacancy. “The process we went through the past 19 days was thorough,” he said. “It was healthy and it was appropriate. All of us could not be more pleased with the outcome that we are here today to celebrate and to announce.” Although Tech appointed a new head coach, Hocutt said he has a great appreciation for what Walker did while filling in as interim head coach. “His leadership and his positive attitude were contagious and it was very tremendous, and I sincerely appreciate the good work that Coach Walker did this year,” he said. Upon appointment, Smith said he plans to build the Red Raider program into one of
ABOVE: PHOTO BY BRAD TOLLEFSON/The Daily Toreador BELOW: PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY DUNKER/The Minnesota Daily
ABOVE: ORLANDO “TUBBY” Smith fist bumps Raider Red during his introductory news conference as the new Texas Tech men’s basketball coach Tuesday in United Spirit Arena. Smith was the coach at Minnesota for six seasons and Kentucky for 10 years. BELOW: COACH TUBBY Smith signals to Minnesota on March 22 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin.
the best in the nation, although he acknowledges it will be no easy task. “Rebuilding a program is not easy,” he said. “I think with the talent we have here we have a good start, and I’m hearing great things.” Although Tech improved upon its 20112012 record, the Red Raiders only managed three conference wins in 2012-2013, compiling a 3-15 record in conference play. To improve the program, Smith said he needs to immediately begin recruiting. “It’s going to be critical that we get started right away,” he said. “That’s why I wanted to get here now because there are a lot of talented players in this state and around the country that are still looking for an opportunity.” Smith referenced a relative familiarity with the West Texas area because of recruiting done at junior colleges, but said he also plans to reach out to contacts from former jobs to find top recruits in the nation. On March 16, Hocutt fired all Tech coaching staff excluding Walker, meaning Smith will have to put together a coaching staff relatively quickly in order to entice players to play for Tech. SMITH continued on Page 7➤➤
·· ·· ·
Born on June 30, 1951, in Scotland, Md., Smith is the sixth of 17 children. Head coach at Kentucky from 1997-2007. Won NCAA title at Kentucky in 1998 with a 35-4 record. Had 124-81 record at Minnesota from 2007-2013. Made NCAA tournament 17 of last 22 seasons.
Texas Tech biologist, professor receives $1.6 million grant By MIKAEL GONZALES STAFF WRITER
Student enjoys painting coolers for friends, LA VIDA Page 3
INDEX Classifieds................7 Crossword......................3 Opinions.....................4 L a Vi d a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Sports.........................5 Sudoku.........................7 EDITORIAL: 806-742-3393
A Texas Tech biologist has received a five-year, $1.6 million grant from the National Institute of Health to study the tropical disease leishmaniasis. The NIH Research Project Grant Program will fund Kai Zhang, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, throughout the next five years. Zhang was awarded the R01 grant, the oldest and most common research program used by NIH. According to the Center for Disease ConADVERTISING: 806-742-3384
trol and Prevention website, leishmaniasis is a disease found in the tropics and subtropics of Europe and Northern Africa. The disease, according to the website, is spread through the bite of sand flies and causes skin sores in the most common cases. The flies that transmit this disease are usually smaller than the average mosquito. According to the CDC, about 20 species carry the disease and of the two types of leishmaniasis, cutaneous and visceral, cutaneous is more common and often appears in tourists. “Most of the time, you get a sore or ulcer like lesions on the skin,” Zhang said. “That’s about 80 percent of the cases. Then there
BUSINESS: 806-742-3388
are more serious or deadly infections that will start off as a lesion, but the microbe will invade further into vital organs.” He said about 50,000 to 100,000 people die from leishmaniasis each year, although this represents a small fraction of all leishmaniasis cases. Most cases, Zhang said, are self-healing, cutaneous lesions. With his research, Zhang said he hopes to study the enzymes of the disease so more advanced medicine can be made. He said the main idea of the project is to study a specific pathway in leishmania lipid metabolism.
FAX: 806-742-2434
There are key enzymes that can be used to block leishmania that have helped his research, Zhang said, and it is his job to find out why these enzymes are so important. “We will do genetic analysis, biochemistry essays, etc. etc.,” he said. “But the goal is to just find out why the enzyme is important. And on the other hand, we want to know what we can do with this information. Can we develop this as a new target for therapeutics?” Zhang said he chose to research leishmaniasis because it is an overlooked disease.
CIRCULATION: 806-742-3388
GRANT continued on Page 2 ➤➤ EMAIL: news@dailytoreador.com