S Fo pe od cia Pa a l S ge nd ec s 1 D ti 1- r i o n 14 n k :
Opinion 7
Campus Pulse 9
A&E 18
What is a “woman voter?”
Graduation Guide
Sarah Topp, assistant professor of human comunication, says “women voters” cannot be defined.
We walk you through signing up for graduation, ording caps and gowns and buying class rings.
Writer Krista Campolo makes a case for the book and new film, “Life of Pi.”
theTrinitonian Volume 110, Issue 13
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www.trinitonian.com
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Serving Trinity University Since 1902
“Over the Hills and Far Away”
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NOVEMBER 16, 2012
TUPD catches Bell Center bandit Period of theft culminates in a chase across Highway 281 Faith Ozer NEWS REPORTER
photo courtesy of Patty Pagano On Saturday, Nov. 10, both the men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in the NCAA South/ Southeast regional championships in Atlanta, Ga. For the first time in Trinity history, all members of the cross country teams advanced to nationals. Additionally, every member of the women’s team earned All-Region honors, setting another school record. For more coverage, see Page 20.
Curriculum review met with mixed feelings from faculty The CCCR surveys professors on credit hours, course loads and the first year experience
by Carlos Anchondo NEWS REPORTER As part of the general curriculum review being conducted for the university strategic plan, the Coordinating Committee for Curricular Review (CCCR) is considering increasing the number of credit hours attributed to each class from three to four, altering faculty course loads and changing the first year seminars to incorporate more experiential learning. The CCCR surveyed 152 of the 250 tenured and tenure-track faculty members on the proposal, releasing the results Nov. 1. The survey, which was anonymous and distributed via email on Oct. 23 and required a response by Oct. 29, included polls and the chance to write additional comments. According to Erwin Cook, T.F. Murchison professor of the humanities and chair of the CCCR, more than 75 percent of faculty members were in favor of “some change,” but differed on which model is best. Cook, who remains neutral on the proposal, stressed that polls are not always
reflective of the true consensus. “While [the survey findings] are helpful,” Cook said, “they are not always indicative of the final outcome.” The survey included three different models: the existing model, a new model and a hybrid option. The first model would be a 3:2 faculty work load, accompanied by a 4:4 student schedule. This means that the university would require faculty members to teach three courses one semester and two the next. The accompanying 4:4 student schedule means students would take four courses each semester, each counting for four hours of academic credit. The second model incorporates a 3:3 faculty model with a 5:5 student schedule, meaning that professors would teach three courses both semesters and students would take five courses per semester, each worth three credit hours. Neither models account for one-hour labs, physical education classes or seminars in the ratio, but could affect the number of hours needed to graduate. Currently, that number sits at 124 for most majors, but it could fluctuate slightly if a new model is adopted. “It would not change much,” Cook said. “It would remain between 120 and 128 hours.” Twenty-one percent of the faculty favored the current student work load and 5:5 model,
whereas 15 percent of faculty members favored the current student load for their own department, but support other departments adopting whatever model best suits their needs. On the other hand, 24 percent favor the 4:4 schedule as the standard model used across the board by all departments in the university. Thirty-nine percent are in favor of adopting the 4:4 model for their own department, but support other departments using their own model. C. Mackenzie Brown, Jennie Farris Railey King professor of religion, is a strong advocate of the 4:4 model but would also support a hybrid of the plans. “Students in the humanities generally, and in religion studies in particular, need much more time to reflect on what they are doing than is possible under the current system,” Brown said in an email on Tuesday. Brown also voiced concern over the pressure that 5:5 schedule creates and the style of learning it forces students to adopt. “When a student is taking four or five other courses, once the reading is done for one course, one has to hasten on to the reading assignment in the next course,” Brown said. “Term projects become obstacles to
see FUTURE Page 5
After a 10 day string of thefts at the William H. Bell Athletic Center, the Trinity University Police Department apprehended Marima Simmons, 44, after he stole another student’s wallet and phone. According to Paul Chapa, director of the Trinity University Police Department, there were three cases of theft at the Bell Center between Sunday, Nov. 4 and Sunday, Nov. 11. After the third case this past weekend, TUPD issued a campus community crime alert and increased patrol in the area. Due to the pattern in location and the items stolen, TUPD suspected that it was a single individual targeting the area. These assumptions were confirmed two days later. “I was in the training room after doing my workout for track. I went into stretch, so I left my shoes and stuff outside like I usually do, like everyone usually does,” said sophomore Sarah Pickett. “When I came out, my wrist-let was gone. It had my ID and drivers license and phone.”
photo courtesy of TUPD Marima Simmons, 44, is responsible for a string of thefts on Trinity’s campus.
After realizing that her items were stolen, Pickett returned to the training room to learn that the theft had been reported by a staff member who witnessed the crime. The witness declined to comment on the events. “At about 3:30 in the afternoon [Tuesday, Nov. 13], an individual in the Bell Center called us and gave us a description of an individual he or she had seen bend down, bring a backpack down to the floor and place a student’s wallet and phone in his bag,” Chapa said. After watching the perpetrator exit the Bell Center, the witness called TUPD to report the theft and location of the perpetrator. “Once dispatch got the call, they put it on the radio and there were some officers already out there,” said Charlie Lopez, sergeant and investigator for
see THIEF Page 3
graphic by Samantha Skory, graphics intern In the map above, the dotted portion of the suspect’s route represents the section of the chase where the TUPD officer lost sight of the suspect. Additionaly, it is important to note that the suspect fled on foot, and TUPD followed in vehicles.