Feb. 9, 2011

New Wine Blog Launches page 12 PAGE 1 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2011

Vol. 105, NO. 19 UATRAV.COM

Officials Stress Safe Practices

PAGE 2

Profile on the Hill: A Conversation with Tim Swedenburg

Valentine’s day and beyond, sexual health remains important

by MATTIE QUINN Staff Writer

GRACE GUDE Staff Photographer Anna Newman and Paul Hohnbaum keep each other warm in the cold Tuesday afternoon. Though Valentine’s Day is a day of romance, health center officials emphasized a need for sexual diligence.

Sexuality is an important topic, especially during the college years, and the UA can provide a variety of sexual health services, no matter what the issue might be.

“We try to be very comprehensive when it comes to sexual health,” said Mary Wyandt-Hiebert, director of STAR Central, which stands for Support, Training, Advocacy and Resources on sexual assault and relationship violence. “As far as educating, we try to do a lot of outreach activities around campus that range from women’s health, to sexual violence prevention, to sexually transmitted infections, where I have a lovely slideshow I love to show.”

The Pat Walker Health Center is also a go-to place on campus for any student with any sexual health problem.

“The medical clinic serves both men and women and

provides STI screenings, contraceptives for women, and also has the ‘close encounters’ service during the regular school year that allows for free and confidential HIV testing,” Wyandt-Hiebert said. “We also have the women’s clinic that obviously services just women, and also has STI screenings and contraceptives, but also has services such as getting pap smears and cervical issues.”

CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) also provides students with nonphysical sexual health issues.

“We have students who come in and talk to someone when they are struggling with their sexual identity.

CAPS also has a sexual assault advocacy service, where girls can talk to survivors of sexual assault. Sexual health encompasses so much more than just the physical aspect of sex,” Wyandt-Hiebert said.

see HEALTH on page 3

PAGE 5

Officials Dispute Study that Places UA at Bottom of List

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UA Fundraising Sees Gains in 2011

PAGE 6

Are you tired of the snow?

Find out what UA students and staff think in Trav Talk

Food Pantry Provides for UA Students, Staff and Faculty

by SABA NASEEM Staff Writer

Full Circle Campus Food Pantry, an emergency food assistance program established to distribute food and personal products, opened its doors Feb. 7 to students, staff, and faculty Thursday, a member of the Volunteer Action Center said.

The pantry, established by the VAC, is a student-run program that offers “an accessible, compassionate and dignified environment to provide for the nutritional needs of the UA community so they can

fully focus on their education,” according to the mission statement.

The idea first started when VAC members heard a story on the National Public Radio about a student who excelled in his studies, yet was homeless, said Scott Flanagin, director of communications for the division of student affairs. The story inspired students to start a food pantry here to give students access to the essentials needed.

The VAC began working on the pantry in the Spring of

see VAC on page 3

UA to Host Conference for SEC Student Leaders

by JORDAIN CARNEY Asst. News Editor

GRACE GUDE Staff Photographer Full Circle volunteer Jessica Boyd hurries to stock the shelves of the program’s newest project, the Campus Food Pantry, before the winter storm hits. The food pantry opened Feb. 7 for members of the UA community in need.

BUS VEERS OFF COURSE

Troubles Continue for NWACC Admins

by DELCIE KINCAID Staff Writer

GARETH PATTERSON Staff Photographer A Razorback Transit bus left the road at approximately 5p.m. Tuesday. Nobody was injured in the accident, which occurred near the corner of Garland Avenue and Sycamore Street.

WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011 VOL. 105, NO. 19 UATRAV.COM

PAGE 5

WEATHER FORECAST

TODAY 24°

As a state review of questionable raises at NorthWest Arkansas Community College concludes, additional issues concerning position alignment and salaries paid to top administrators remain at the college, which has the lowest graduation rate in the state, according to the state’s annual Retention and Graduation Report.

College administrators have been under investigation by officials in the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and the Office of Personnel Management for giving raises during a state-wide freeze on cost of living adjustments, annual career service recognition payments and merit increases for classified and unclassified state employees. The freeze was announced by Richard Weiss, director of the Arkansas Department of Finance and

THURSDAY 28°

Administration on May 26 and took effect July 1, the beginning of the 2011 fiscal year. The suspended salary adjustments were restored Dec. 2, according to a memorandum issued by Weiss.

ADHE oversees unclassified employees, including administrators and faculty, whose salaries are mandated by an appropriations act. OPM oversees classified employees, who include support staff and maintenance personnel.

ADHE officials have completed an investigation on unclassified employees at NWACC, said communication official Brandi Hinkle. The raises given during the freeze by NWACC to unclassified personnel are at the discretion of the institution.

“Universities are encouraged to comply, but they don’t have to,” Hinkle said.

FRIDAY 38°

see NWACC on page 6

WEEKEND 46°

The UA was selected to host the SEC Exchange Conference in 2012, which is designed as an opportunity for student governments across the SEC to share ideas.

“It’s a very useful conference for every student government in the SEC,” said ASG President Billy Fleming. “It gives us a chance to bring some folks from our executive branch, our legislative branch and our executive committee together and share what some of the successes of our administration have been, which is important, but also what some of the failures been, so we have a chance to see what has worked better on other campuses.”

For the UA students perhaps the biggest news coming from the conference is that the UA campus will host the conference in Spring 2012.

“As much as hosting the exchange is kind of a reward for a great showing at the conference, it’s also an opportunity for us to showcase our university; to showcase our student government, the facilities, the faculty and the support we have from the administration,” Fleming said.

“It was comforting to see the UA used as an example [for other universities],” said ASG Vice President Emily Evans.

The conference will also be a chance to involve younger ASG members and help develop their understanding of ASG. “It gives a chance to really engage students that come here from other universities, not only with our campus,” he said, “but also with the young

see ASG on page 3

WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011 PAGE 2

PROFILES FROM THE HILL

A Conversation with Ted Swedenburg

by KRISTEN COPPOLA Staff Writer

In honor of Valentine’s Day, the Traveler is featuring Tim Swedenburg, a professor in gender studies, which is a minor in the Anthropology department. He teaches about gender as separate from sex and how it is defined by individual cultures. He hopes that people who take classes within gender studies will leave with an open mind to different views of gender and its affects on society, he said.

Q: How long have you been at the UA? A: I started teaching again in August 1996. [Previously,] I taught four years at the American University at Cairo, and I taught before that at the University of Washington.

Q: Can you explain what gender study means?

A: For people who are teachers of gender studies, gender – as opposed to sex – is the cultural construction of males and females. As opposed to focusing on how biology creates different sexes, it is how culture constructs relationships, primarily between men and women, but also how it constructs sexuality.

Q: What classes do you teach in gender studies?

A: I teach a course called Male and Female Anthropology, a humanities anthropol-

ABOUT THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

ogy class called Queer Theory and sometimes a course in the summer called Sexual Meanings.

The Arkansas Traveler, the student newspaper at the University of Arkansas, is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring academic sessions except during exam periods and university holidays.

Opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Traveler. The editor makes all final content decisions.

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Q: In Queer Theory, does “queer” refer to homosexual or it’s broader definition as odd?

A: There is a kind of tension between both. Within the community of people who study the issue and within the community that defines itself in relation to queer there are some that would argue that queer is the expansive definition of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender. There are others who would argue that Queer Theory is talking about any kind of sexuality that is regarded as abnormal or deviant from the perspective of the norm. In the class, the text takes the approach that queer is defined as a dissention from what is normal, so it has a very expansive definition. Someone who is celibate or asexual would fit into that rubric.

Q: How does gender affect everyday life?

A: I think that if you learn the main point of gender studies, that gender is something culturally constructed and is not fixed for all eternity by our genes, and is something that can and does change over time, then that is an important understanding that can lead to openness. When people propose something different that you haven’t heard of before, you’ll think if it isn’t immoral, then

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GRACE GUDE Staff Photographer Ted Swedenburg is a professor of gender studies in the anthropology department. Swedenburg said he hopes to broaden student horizons when considering modern gender roles. maybe it’s OK. If what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman is really produced by culture and not genetics, then it gives people toleration for a lot more options for how people live and how they behave and organize families.

Q: College is a place where people come together and jump into relationships. What insights do you have to share in regards to relationships and gender studies?

A: You don’t need to rush

Call The Traveler

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EDITORIAL

in to get married. There are other options to getting married really young, and a lot of people don’t get married.

I’m not trying to suggest that I’m anti-marriage, but there are people with lots of other ways. There are people that don’t enter in to that particular institution.

BAILEY ELISE MCBRIDE

Q: What sparked your interest in gender studies?

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see PROFILE from page 3

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PAGE 3

WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011

VAC from page 1 2010. They received a $30,000 donation from Chartwells and the Department of Student Affairs to help with getting space for the pantry.

“It’s really exciting to see how it has all come together,” said Brittany Arroyos, the public relations and marketing director of the VAC. “At the beginning of the semester we weren’t sure it was going to happen, but it has turned out to be bigger than what we thought.”

The pantry provides canned food, boxed pastas, rice, cereal and other non-perishable items, as well as personal items such as shampoo,

deodorant, and toothpaste.

This is important because there are many students here who have food insecurities and this will help them out, Arroyos said.

Arkansas has a 17.7 percent food insecurity, one of the

for college, they can also afford to pay for their food,” Flanagin said. “However, not all students are privileged and many students may be sacrificing meals to pay for college.”

Students can receive food from the pantry by filling out

“People sometimes tend to think that if someone can pay for college, they can also afford to pay for their food. However, not all students are privileged and many students may !"#$%&'()#&(*+#,"%-$#./#0%1#2/'#&/--"+"34# -Scott Flanagin, director of communications and outreach highest percentages in the nation, according to a report by the United States Department of Agriculture.

“People sometimes tend to think that if someone can pay

an application form and a request form at fullcircle.uark. edu. Volunteers prepare a bag with three days worth of food that can be picked up at the pantry.

PROFILE from page 2

ASG from page 1

age, with living with, socializing with and working with women who were feminists in the ‘60s and ‘70s. It would be a combination of the feminist movement and secondarily the gay and lesbian movement. Also, it was emerging as an important discipline of anthropology when I was a grad student.

members on our student government- senators, fresh hogs, cabinet members that are freshmen or sophomores and are going to be here for a long time that might not fully understand what our student government does, let alone the other 11 in the SEC.” Though ASG representatives were the delegation that many people came to with questions, Fleming said, members of ASG also used the conference to bring new ideas back to campus.

Other schools at the conference have scholarship, grant and emergency loan programs that ASG members would like to try to implement something similar at the UA. “They are in a different position sometimes than we are because of what we’re limited to spending our fee money on,” Fleming said.

Despite that, ASG members try to capture the spirit

of the law and find a way to adapt it.

“Private giving toward a grant, scholarship or an emergency loan is one of the most important things that I think a student government can provide for their con-

Q: Who would benefit from taking gender studies?

A: Narrow-minded people. I think anybody would benefit.

Q: How did you feel about the outcome of Super Bowl XLV? A: It’s not that I don’t like football. I taught at the American University at Cairo, and I have a very great interest in and affection for Egypt and its people. I’ve been following the pro-democracy movement, and that kept me away from the Super Bowl. I’m glad the Packers won.

stituents,” he said.

An emergency loan would help students who don’t have enough money to pay for food, books or classes.

ASG executives are working on furthering a Razor Rewards programs and hope to

The pantry is student-run and will be open Mondays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers are required to sign a confidentiality form to protect the privacy of anybody requesting food.

All the food and products come from donations. The UA community can help by joining the campus-wide “Food Fight” initiative to help raise non-perishable food and toiletry donations for the pantry.

It’s nice to see how many people are willing to volunteer and help each other, Arroyos said. “The concept of Full Circle is to show that if you help someone, they will help others, creating this continuous cycle.” implement it in the fall, Evans said. The program would reward students for attending events on campus, and was an idea members brought back from the 2010 SEC Exchange Conference.

ASG members also adopted some of the student advocacy measures and literacy outreach put in place this academic year from the 2010 conference, he said.

Fifteen members applied to go to the SEC conference, and five were chosen: Fleming, Evans, Chief of Staff Kayln Williams, LaShunta Williams, director of student advocacy and ASG Senator Raven Cook.

The date for next years SEC Exchange hasn’t been decided yet, but it will be around the same time, Fleming said. ASG members would pick a few weekends and consult with the other schools to pick a weekend that worked for everyone.

HEALTH from page 1 No matter where you stand morally on the topic of sex, students can agree that sexual health is an important thing.

“Being happy and healthy sexually is very much a personal decision. As long as you feel comfortable and sure of your decision even after the Franzia wears off, go for it.

Having sex is a natural and enjoyable thing, and while it is not paramount to my happiness, I consider expressing and experimenting with my sexuality very important to my personal and emotional growth,” said a junior English major who wished to remain anonymous.

Other students felt having sex during the college years is too reckless a decision.

“I feel that any college campus is going to be reckless when it comes to sex because at our age many people feel invincible and don’t think consequences apply to them,” said senior Mollie Booth. “To me sexually healthy means practicing monagamy, specifically only once you’re married. Then you don’t have to think about safe sex and whether or not you’re going to contract something awful.”

While students may disagree on what being “sexually healthy” means, most everyone can agree that sex is a topic that should be discussed more on college campuses.

“Way too often, students on this campus are plagued by a feeling of taboo or shame

when it comes to sexuality.

No one is talking about it but everyone is doing it. We need to encourage more open dialogue about sexual practices,” the anonymous junior said.

Wyandt-Hiebert agreed that lack of sexual knowledge often leads to sexual problems with students.

“College students are going to be college students, no matter where they are in the country. Sex is an issue that isn’t talked about frankly, so college students will just talk to their buddy who doesn’t have a real idea of anything either,” Wyandt-Hiebert said.

“We live in a generation of young people who think there is an easy fix for everything, if you catch something you can just take a pill and be done, but don’t always think about prevention. When students come to me with an issue, it’s typically from lack of sexual knowledge.”

In October 2010, Trojan Condoms released their fifth annual Sexual Health Report Card, ranking 150 universities across the country based on their sexual health resources. UA ranked 99 out of 150, up from the position of 101 in 2009. Columbia University, Michigan State and Ohio State rounded out the top three, with the University of Idaho, Brigham Young University and Depaul University rounding out the bottom three.

For students who wish to find out more on the sexual health services at the UA campus, visit health.uark.edu.

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

You can check out the Traveler online at uatrav.com or by scanning here:

PAGE 4 Wednesday, February 9, 2011

EDITOR: Bailey Elise McBride MANAGING EDITOR: Mille Appleton

Do You Realize?

Three years ago this Tuesday, the day after Valentine’s Day, one of my best friends died in a horrible and unexpected accident.

Isaac Perrault was intelligent, witty, hilarious — the kind of person I could take around any friend or any relative and have no doubt that they would love him instantly as much as I did. He had an amazing family that loved him unconditionally (a feeling that went both ways, to be sure), and a network of friends that would do anything for him.

Which made it hurt all the worse when he was unexpectedly taken away from us. The church where his service was held was barely big enough to hold the more than 700 people who came back to Tulsa, Okla., from across the country to pay their respects to a life that meant so much, although it was cut so short.

This year, on the third anniversary of his death, Isaac’s family asked many of us that Bailey Elise McBride knew him to send them a traveler@uark.edu memory to read to remind them that Isaac hasn’t been forgotten. I was hard-pressed to pick just one, because so many happy times came to mind.

As far as a message I would share with our readers, though, the song “Do You Realize?” by The Flaming Lips, which was played at his funeral, was the first thing that came to mind: Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die? But instead of saying all of your goodbyes, let them know you realize that life goes fast, it’s hard to make the good times, you realize the sun doesn’t go down, it’s just an illusion caused by the world spinning around.

I know Valentine’s Day is a holiday that most people spend taking their significant other out to dinner, sending flowers or moping because they are single. This year, though, I would encourage you to reach out to all of those people in your life that you love and remind them how you feel and that you appreciate the affect they have had on your life.

There is never a bad day to tell someone how much you care.

Letter from the Editor

FROM THE BOARD On Feb. 2, the U.S. Senate voted against a repeal of the controversial health care bill championed by Democrats last year.

The vote has been widely regarded as a symbolic and political move by the GOP — even if the Senate had voted in favor of a repeal, President Obama would have vetoed the measure.

The vote comes in the wake of a new report released this month by The Commonwealth Fund — a foundation that supports independent research to promote a high-performing health care system — that ranks Arkansas No. 42 for child health care performance.

The assessment took into account 20 indicators with categories including access and affordability, prevention and treatment, potential to lead healthy lives and equity.

In 2009, the same organization ranked Arkansas No. 48 in overall health care performance.

The Natural State has played a key role in the health care debate since Obama first began to push his legislative agenda, shortly after taking office.

In January, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” with only three Democrats joining Republican lawmakers in a 245-189 vote. Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR), a self-proclaimed Blue Dog Democrat, voted for the repeal.

Additionally, former Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) cast what many said was the deciding vote on health care reform when the Senate passed the bill on a rare Christmas Eve session — the first Christmas Eve vote since 1895.

No matter which side of the aisle you’re on, everyone can agree that reform is necessary if we are to lower health care costs and expand access to medical care for the millions of uninsured.

With our elected officials coming under fire from constituents, health insurance firms and drug pharmaceutical companies, the stakes are high.

Arkansas legislators must not allow special interests and smear campaigns to poison reform efforts and distract the electorate from other pressing issues.

While the health care bill certainly has flaws, a complete repeal is not good for America or for the state of Arkansas. A repeal would mean that individuals 26 and younger will no longer be covered on their parents’ plan, and insurance companies can again deny coverage for pre-existing conditions.

The bill expands coverage to lower income families, including Arkansas children who are currently being overlooked.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the health care law will reduce the federal deficit by $124 billion over the 2010-2019 period and will also reduce the number of uninsured, nonelderly people by about 32 million.

In contrast, the CBO reports that a repeal would increase the deficit by roughly $230 billion through 2021.

Cutting specific revisions should be an option for lawmakers who are unhappy with the final product. However, a full repeal is a huge step backward and will only weaken Arkansas’s health care system and continue to contribute to the state’s poor rankings nationwide.

UA Alum Witnesses Revolution

by Cory Ellis

Guest Writer

As a graduate of the University of Arkansas’ Middle Eastern Studies program, I’ve sat through my fair share of Joel Gordon’s lectures on Egyptian history. But over the past two weeks I’ve been given the rare chance to actually live Egyptian history.

Three weeks ago I arrived in Egypt, and within a few days I was swept up into what is now being called the second Arab Revolt, the first of which was in 1916.

Finding yourself in the middle of a revolution isn’t as clear or as concise as a Wikipedia article — it’s a violent and cathartic process that will forever be debated and analyzed long after I’m gone.

It’s hard to witness a revolution. Its effects invade every aspect of one’s daily life and turn a bystander into an active participant.

While the UA helped me understand the political and cultural aspects of the recent Egyptian turmoil, nothing could have fully prepared me for the human aspect of a revolution.

During my short time in Egypt I was chased by a band of secret police wielding electric clubs and sticks and watched as a young Egyptian took his last breath.

The three years of Arabic classes I took at the UA with Adnan Haydar and Paula Haydar proved to be useful while I listened to protesters give passionate speeches urging the masses to

EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR OPINION EDITOR NEWS EDITOR

Bailey Elise McBride Mille Appleton Samantha Williams

Nick DeMoss The Arkansas Traveler welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be at most 300 words and include your name, student classification and major or title with the university and a day-time telephone number for verification. Letters to the editor can be sent to traveler@uark.edu. Letters are edited for grammar and length, not content.

Courtesy Photo Cory Ellis

mism for Egypt’s future.

As the country descends into further chaos and anarchy we all have the opportunity to witness the birth pangs of a new Egypt and consequently a new Middle East.

President Barack Obama and his administration are quickly reaping the failures of over 30 years of foreign policy that allowed the Middle East to be dominated by authoritarian regimes that sacrifice human rights in the name of American interests.

The administration’s pragmatism in dealing with this revolution has, and will continue to be viewed as an inherent weakness by many Egyptians.

The U.S. government has done an adequate job monitoring the fluidity (policy speak for “we don’t know what’s going to happen”) of the Egyptian revolution and responding accordingly. However,

the real test will be in the coming weeks and months as Mubarak will almost certainty cling to his last vestiges of power, leaving the administration with a fundamental problem.

Will Obama fully support the abstract values of freedom that the Egyptian people are demanding or continue to walk a tightrope of tenuous support for the doomed dictator? The answer to this question will reverberate and define America’s Middle East policy for decades to come.

The Egyptian people are fighting for the same freedoms that we as Americans take for granted everyday. History is being written before our eyes — I was just lucky enough to witness it first hand.

Cory Ellis graduated from the UA in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Middle Eastern Studies, and minored in History and Arabic.

The Other Five Percent on Campus BLACK AT THE UA

by Rosalyn Taylor

Traveler Columnist

EDITORIAL BOARD

act as “one heart, one soul, and body” in order to break into Tahrir Square.

Although I never learned the Arabic words for tear gas or Molotov cocktail — those are words you tend to learn on the fly — it did come in handy while explaining America’s foreign policy position to enraged protesters or talking to the local neighborhood security force that guarded my apartment from looters.

The Egyptian people have sharply criticized American foreign policy for its shortcomings in the region while simultaneously maintaining a vast love for Americans and our culture. During my final days in Egypt I saw the slow decay of this sentiment as I was harassed multiple times and told to go home.

I wasn’t looking to get involved in the protests but I also knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to live history.

I was in Tahrir Square on Jan. 25 when the first major protest broke out against President Hosni Mubarak and his regime. It was there that I also experienced my first taste of tear gas.

On Jan. 28, I watched as protesters battled riot police over the bridges leading into downtown Cairo and once again tasted clouds of tear gas. I felt the concussions from rubber bullets and flash bangs used by the Egyptian security forces.

I left Tahrir Square that night with a sense of hope and opti-

I am an African American woman and a student at the UA. I couldn’t be more proud to be a Razorback and I imagine the rest of the student body feels the same.

However, with Black History Month in full force, I can’t help but acknowledge the progress we have yet to make as a campus and as a community.

According to the UA’s Fall 2010 Enrollment Report, only 5.3 percent of enrolled students at the university are African Americans — this is about 1,128 people, a small number compared to the 78.5 percent of Caucasians.

For me, these striking statistics give the word “minority” a whole

new meaning.

Ron Jones, a close friend and fellow African American, wasn’t planning on going to college at the UA until he visited the university and fell in love with the campus.

Despite Jones’ excitement about being a Razorback, he has expressed a desire for a more unified student body. He says that students are always “sectional” especially at large events or places like the dining hall.

This is understandable in that people usually feel most comfortable when surrounded by others who are like themselves. However, I couldn’t help but agree when Jones said, “A primary goal of higher education is to prepare you for society, which can be less than comfortable.”

Eating lunch at Brough Commons exposes the very segregation Jones hopes will cease in the near future. Greeks sit with greeks. The Asian exchange students sit with other Asian exchange students.

These days, we don’t need to be told to sit with our own because we do it ourselves. But when one is black at a predominately white institution, selfsegregation becomes a more

sensitive issue — and all students are guilty of it.

In regard to classroom diversity, I have often been the only black person in many of my classes. This creates an interesting dynamic because people pay attention when I talk. My classmates usually expect me to sound differently — more “ethnic.” So I love surprising others with my great diction and grammar.

Another friend, Alice McMillan, vented to me about similar experiences at the university.

“Being black at the UA is definitely a challenge,” she said.

“You get tested. The way you carry yourself, your demeanor and the way you respond to ignorance are things that you have to be prepared to handle.”

It’s a battle every day to work harder than the person next to you because being black means you have to challenge the stereotypes.

McMillan said it best: “I feel obligated to excel in class because I can’t have people thinking that they’re better than me just because I’m the black girl with the big lips and thick, curly hair who is just here because she lucked out and got some scholarship for just be-

ing black and not really college material.”

This is a perspective that many African Americans share. No one wants to feel singled out or different from the person sitting next to him or her, but the truth is that we are all different. It’s up to our generation to embrace our differences and move forward.

The racial divide on campus is also reflected throughout Fayetteville.

The lack of stylists, entertainment and clothing that relate to the black community cannot be ignored. Besides the University Program’s headliner concerts and the Interfraternity Council’s (IFC) “Row Week,” there’s a lack of entertainment featuring black artists.

Having a broader range of entertainers on and around campus, allows people to become more accustomed to different cultures. We must seek to understand and accept one another before we can advance to the next level as a society.

So in the spirit of Black History Month, I encourage everyone to reach out to people who are different from you and embrace what they have to offer. You might be surprised what you find.

PAGE 5

WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011

UA Officials Dispute Study Results Program Funding

by MATTIE QUINN Staff Writer

A new study released this month by the Milken State Technology and Science Index placed Arkansas 50th in the nation for science and technology capabilities.

The study was based on five categories: Human Capital Investment Composite, Research and Development Inputs Composite, Risk Capital and Infrastructure Composite, Technology and Science Work Force Composite and Technology Concentration and Dynamism Composite. These five categories had several subcategories, which totaled 79 metrics on which states were graded.

“We’ve taken a look at the data results, and we feel we’re moving in the right direction,” said James Rankin,

Vice Provost for Research and Economic Development. “We looked at the 79 different categories, and we feel like we’ve made positive changes in more than half of those categories.

We also feel like a lot of our improvements weren’t captured in the study.”

Despite doing poorly in the study, Rankin remains optimistic about Arkansas’s development.

“We did well in some of the categories, he said. “In our department, we also found it interesting that while we did poorly on entrepreneurship in that study, we ranked in the top 15 in a recent study done by the Kauffman Foundation.

So it just kind of depends on the time frame the research was done, and other outside factors,” Rankin said.

However, Rankin and the rest of the team at the Research

and Economic Development at the UA plan on keeping in mind some of the findings to improve the rankings for next time.

“We’re going to try to start more companies based on university research, because brain drain is a big problem for Arkansas. We have people who graduate from Arkansas universities and then move away because there are simply not enough jobs for Arkansas graduates. So we’re going to look at how we can create jobs across the state, not just Northwest Arkansas,” Rankin said.

In addition to adding jobs to the Arkansas market, more long term goals are also being pushed.

“We want to push longterm research and economic development, and really think about how we can create entrepreneurs throughout the state.

More folks that can start companies and keep jobs here,” Rankin said. “Gov. Beebe is pushing for us as a state to create more venture capital, which would give money to high-potential, start-up companies.”

Despite the rankings, Rankin is optimistic about the direction him and his team are going to create a more successful state.

“We really feel like we’re moving in the right direction, and making a lot of positive changes within our department, so we’re looking for our ranking to change by the next study.”

For more information on the Milken Institute State Technology and Science study, and to compare Arkansas’s composites with the rest of the nation, visit www.milkeninstitute.org/tech

SLEDS OR NOT, STUDENTS HIT THE SLOPES

GARETH PATTERSON Staff Photographer Freshmen Sloane Roberts and Paige Passmore sled inside a plastic tub while a crowd of students look on. Students ventured out into the cold during their time off school on Feb. 1-3.

Continues for RIC

by LIBBI STURM Staff Writer

More than $25,000 is available to students this semester through Residential Interhall Congress funds, said Kaleb Cox, the newly-appointed RIC president.

Although the budget is raised through on-campus residence hall fees, Cox said, even off-campus students can request funding to help sponsor activities for the UA community.

Housing officials designate the RIC budget annually from a portion of what each student pays to live in residence halls.

This is the same fund—known as “residents’ education”—that pays resident assistants’ salaries. This year, the more than $45,000 RIC budget came from a fee of $10 per resident.

RIC senators vote on how to distribute this money to programs that are consistent with the goals of the congress. The purpose of RIC is “to address the educational, physical, recreational, and social needs of students living in residence halls,” according to the RIC website.

The money can be used for a wide range of events from addressing a need on campus, to educating students about an issue, to providing entertainment, Cox said. The important thing is that the RIC-sponsored service is provided to the benefit students using only the fee money.

Examples of past events funded by the RIC include the following: $1,000 registration fee for a peer education conference, $3,300 for an on-campus intramural tournament, $820 for ballroom dancing in the Union and $2,000 for an oncampus motivational speaker.

Although RIC distributed approximately $20,000 during the fall semester, the

senators are already considering several requests for funds to benefit students during the spring semester.

“Razorback Idol,” the Friday Night Live event in the Union on Feb. 4 was the most recent RIC-sponsored event, Cox said.

Up for consideration at the Feb. 7 meeting was the Black History Month event “Sweet Chariot” organized by the residents of Gibson and Gregson Halls. This annual presentation has won national awards in previous years.

RIC has helped sponsor “Sweet Chariot” for several years, Cox said, pointing out that educational programs— not just those centered around entertainment—are important to him and other RIC members.

There’s no cap on how much money one event can receive, he said. Senators vote based on the perceived cost of the program, and there are other types of assistance available for programs lacking funds.

Ideally, students should be aware of how RIC money is spent, but Cox said he knows that the housing department does not always diligently update the website with the new information.

However, any program receiving money from RIC must advertise where the funding came from, and all hall senators are notified about legislation passed during each RIC session.

Anyone can write a bill requesting money for an event, Cox said. RIC senators are always willing to sponsor new legislation and can help applicants with the process, he said.

RIC meets every Monday at 6:30 in Maple Hill room 143. Budget requests must be formalized as legislation that the RIC senators can vote on. The rules for distribution of funds are outlined at housing.uark.edu/RIC.

WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011 PAGE 6

UA Fundraising Sees Gains in 2011 Soldiers Learn from UA Agri Experts

by SABA NASEEM Staff Writer

The UA has raised $64,477,768 in donations halfway into the 2011 fiscal year, a university official said. This is a 42 percent increase from the amount raised in the same period of time last year.

“It is exciting to see such loyalty from alumni and friends,” said Danielle Strickland, director of development communications. “It is clear the UA community understands the institution’s need for private support to continue offering an excellent education to students, and making this university a top choice for top students and faculty. “Thank you” hardly seems sufficient for how much we all appreciate the generosity of each and every benefactor.”

NWACC from page 1 ADHE officials are working with NWACC to better match positions with the responsibilities they entail, Hinkle said.

Specific job positions and maximum salaries for state agencies and institutions are established in appropriation acts passed by the state legislature, according to the ADHE website.

Several positions and salary maximums were out of alignment as of Jan. 18, according to documents obtained from NWACC officials through the Freedom of Information Act. A position group analysis obtained from NWACC officials shows several top administrators making more than the recommended line-item maximum for their salaries. NWACC president Becky Paneitz has a salary of $161,821 — $28,481 more than the item maximum.

Paneitz’s total compensa-

The amount raised includes gifts of cash, gifts-in-kind, new planned gifts and new pledges.

Many of the funds are designated for academic and athletic purposes such as need-based scholarships, study abroad, the Razorback foundation and University Libraries, according to officials.

For the last fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2010, the fundraising total was $86.7 million.

Some of the donations from this year include a $10 million gift from the Reynolds Foundation to a new football center and $42.5 million from Tyson Family and Tyson Foods Foundations for a new child development center.

Other major programs that have been seeing significant support are Access Arkansas and the All-Steinway School

initiative, Strickland said.

The university has unitbased fundraising staff who work on major gift support for specific areas such as student affairs, libraries, or athletics.

They work with alumni and friends of the UA who are interested in programs and scholarships housed within their units.

There are also central staff members who work to raise major gifts for university- wide initiatives. The annual programs team works to raise annual fund-sized gifts and there is a planned giving team that works with donors interested in including the university in estate plans or other deferred giving arrangements, Strickland said.

“Our fundraising approach is donor-centered and very personal in that we do our best to

align donors’ interests with the needs of the institution,” she said.

Donors have the opportunity to designate their gifts where they want and they can also choose if they want it to be used immediately or if they want it to go into an endowment.

Throughout the years, the need for private support grows, she said.

Last year, 15 percent of the operating budget came from private gift support, 34 percent from student tuition and fees, 40 percent from state appropriations, and 11 percent from other revenues.

“The private funds are crucial for the university,” Strickland said. “A lot of other colleges and universities are struggling for money, but the UA continues to stay at the top.”

tion for fiscal year 2010 is listed as $285,095, with $59,201 of that coming from private funds through NWACC’s Foundation Board, making her the highest compensated two-year college president in the state, according to the December 2010 Arkansas Higher Education Compensation Report.

Dan Bakke, president of the largest community college in Arkansas, Pulaski Tech, has a salary of $161,821. Bakke’s total compensation is $220, 296 —with all of it coming from public funds.

Pulaski Tech’s Office of Enrollment Services reported 11,213 students enrolled in collegecredit classes this fall. NWACC’s enrollment for the same period is listed as 8,365 in the 2010 Fact Book on their website.

The analysis also shows the top six administrators at NWACC were paid more than the line-item maximum. Arkansas code 663-309 allows institutions to pay more than the lineitem maximums. Institutions are

allowed to pay 25 percent more than the maximum for 6 percent of their employees, Hinkle said.

A comparison of Pulaski Tech and Mid-South Community College in West Memphis shows none of their administrators are paid above the maximum with the exception of Pulaski Tech’s president, who has the same salary as Paneitz —$161,821.

NWACC is listed as having a 2008 graduation rate of 7.6 percent compared to Pulaski Tech’s 14. 8 percent.

Documents obtained through FOIA show the state-allotted title chief academic officer, held by NWACC’s vice president for learning, John Tuthill, was paid $7,025 more than the lineitem maximum of $107,023. The dean of institutional technology, given the NWACC title of vice president for administration, was listed as Gina Miller in August. The position was not listed on NWACC’s position analysis report as of Jan. 18. Mark Scott, spokesman for NWACC, said

Miller was given a raise of $4,000 in July during the freeze, boosting her salary $12,330 above the maximum.

“The reason for this raise was to ensure all vice presidents were paid on the same scale,” Scott said in an email.

The chief development officer, Steve Gates, listed as NWACC’s senior vice president for advancement, receives $16,698 above the line-item of $100,360 for his position. The chief fiscal officer, Marty Parsons, who began in October, according to Board of Trustee minutes, is paid a salary of $114, 048 — $13,688 more than the maximum. NWACC’s executive dean for strategic relations, Adam Arroyos, holds the state title of chief student affairs officer. Arroyos makes $114,000 — $13,640 more than the maximum.

Classified positions are still being investigated by OPM. Personnel administrator Kay Terry said she expects that review to be complete in February.

by HAILEY RAY Staff Writer

Experts in the UA Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service are working with the Army National Guard to extend agricultural training to Afghan farmers.

Dustan Clark, extension veterinarian and interim associate center director for extension in the Poultry Science Department, first began working with the Army National Guard in July 2009.

The Oklahoma Agribusiness Development Team contacted the department to undergo one-day training in July, and Clark organized a program covering the basics of poultry anatomy, care, disease and the value of poultry litter as a fertilizer.

The Army National Guard requested another training session in the fall, this time to train a group from Arkansas.

They asked Clark to put together a program that would prepare the troops for what they might encounter in Afghanistan.

The team members spent five days at the State Extension Headquarters learning about cattle, goats, other livestock, vegetable production and other aspects of small farm maintenance.

Four members of this team later returned to the university to receive additional advanced veterinary training, and spent two days

extensively covering diseases that affect a variety of livestock.

The program’s overall aim is to help Afghan farmers grow produce and livestock more effectively.

Ninety percent of the world’s opium comes from Afghan poppies, and farmers who cannot find work often turn to the opium trade, military officials told the Texarkana Gazette.

After hearing feedback from the members of the first Arkansas team, Clark adjusted the program for the second Arkansas Agribusiness Development team to include more hands-on work with the animals. The new group spent four days on the University campus, meeting from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. This time students got hands-on experience simultaneously with lectures.

More emphasis was placed on understanding the various diseases that could befall livestock, how to diagnose them and which diseases could be transferred from animals to humans. Plant diseases were also covered in the new training session, as well as how to form and maintain a co-op.

The first Arkansas Agribusiness Development Team returned recently from a year of agriculture work in Afghanistan, and will be honored at the State Extension Headquarters this March, said Rick Cartwright, the associate director of agricultural and natural resources.

TRAV TALK

After five days of canceled classes, students share their thoughts on the winter weather “The snow days were alright at first.

Then I realized how much work I have to make up, and now I hate them. ” -Matt Moss

“I liked sledding, watching movies, and having no school. My teachers aren’t making me make up homework, so that’s good. ” -Charlie Boyken

“I love being with my students so much that I was in agony every minute of the storm.”

- Professor Robert Finlay

“I love snow days, because I’ve had major senioritis since I got to college, and I’ll take any chance I can get to skip class. I’d rather be out of power with no food than in class.”

- Elizabeth Melton

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

You can check out the Traveler online at uatrav.com or by scanning here:

SPORTS EDITOR: Jimmy Carter ASST. SPORTS EDITOR: Zach Turner

PAGE 7 WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011

Defining Stretch

Hogs’ series of games against Mississippi schools could be a turning point in the season

by JIMMY CARTER Sports Editor

Arkansas hasn’t won at Mississippi State in 10 years.

The decade-long drought has spanned three coaching staffs and the Razorbacks have reached the NCAA Tournament just four times during the span.

The Hogs’ matchup with the Bulldogs Wednesday at Humphrey Coliseum would be a convenient time to end the streak, though.

Arkansas is coming off a 6960 loss to the other Mississippi school in the Southeastern Conference -- Ole Miss. The loss, coupled with a 60-59 loss to Georgia earlier in the week, took away the momentum built when the Razorbacks broke a seven-game SEC road losing streak against then-No. 19 Vanderbilt.

The Hogs are entering the home stretch of SEC play and a third consecutive loss would put Arkansas well on its way to another lackluster finish.

The Razorbacks are 6-19 during the second half of SEC play in coach John Pelphrey’s tenure, including 0-12 on the road.

The Hogs have played the

Bulldogs close on the road the last three years, though. Arkansas hasn’t lost by more than 10 points, falling 82-80 last season.

“Mississippi State has been very difficult for us in the past down there,” Pelphrey said.

“They’ve got a good environment, but they’ve been good during that time frame, too. We understand how good they are. We’re going to get to work here, go down there and hopefully perform as well as we did last time we went on the road (against Vanderbilt).”

Mississippi State will be without its leading scorer, senior guard Ravern Johnson. The 6-foot-7, 175-pounder was suspended indefinitely by coach Rick Stansbury, according to an MSU release.

He was suspended Friday for one game because of an inappropriate tweet, then Stansbury suspended him Monday for missing class.

“After Thursday and Friday, he had no conversations with anybody,” Stansbury said, according to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger.

“He just disappeared.”

see CARTER on page 9

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Looking Up

Women’s basketball still having its best season in years, despite recent struggles

by PATRICK GRINNAN Staff Writer

Arkansas’ women’s basketball team is having one of its best seasons in recent memory, but the Razorbacks have lost five of their last seven games and dropped out of the top 25.

At this time last year, Arkansas’ record was 9-13 and the Razorbacks were in the tail end of losing nine of 10 games. Arkansas has improved in almost all statistical categories this season and

see WOMENS BASKETBALL on page 9

BASKETBALL

Searching for Answers Razorbacks trying to avoid late-season struggles for third consecutive season

GARETH PATTERSON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Arkansas coach John Pelphrey went 3-13 in the second half of Southeastern Conference play the last two seasons. The Razorbacks have lost two straight entering the Mississippi State game Wednesday. The Hogs have lost 10 straight in Starkville, Miss.

by ZACH TURNER Staff Writer

Arkansas was riding high after knocking off a ranked Vanderbilt team Jan. 29.

The Razorbacks (14-8, Southeastern Conference) then came home and lost its first two home games of the season in a four-day span.

The Hogs lost to Georgia 6059 on a last second free-throw

by Trey Thompkins before dropping a nationally televised game Saturday night to Ole Miss, 69-60.

gia and Ole Miss, shooting 33 percent from the field.

“Obviously no one likes to lose and I think everyone on the team hates it with a passion,” Clarke said. “Hopefully that is how you feel if you are a competitor.”

After dropping the two home games last week, Arkansas now sits third in the SEC Western Division standings behind division leader Alabama (15-7, 7-1) and Mississippi State

see TURNER on page 8

The Importance of Sticking Together

ZACH TURNER zwturner@uark.edu

GARETH PATTERSON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

“Anytime you lose it is not good,” Pelphrey said. “We had to handle the two wins and we will handle the two losses.

Hopefully it will be in the same fashion in terms of the preparation, paying attention to detail and coming out with a lot of energy.”

Junior guard Rotnei Clarke exploded two weeks ago over the Auburn and Vanderbilt games, combining for 52 points while shooting 7-of-12 from the 3-point line on his way to being named SEC Player of the Week.

Clarke has since posted just 18 combined points against Geor-

COMMENTARY

Old-Fashioned 3-point Play

Junior guard C’eira Ricketts and the Razorbacks are having their best !"#!$%&'%&("#)!*&+"!,'-"&.$!'%/&0&1"&$2&-3"')&.#!-&!'4&/#5"!6

“That is athletics,” Pelphrey said. “It can be an emotional roller coaster; it can be up and down. We talk a lot about not getting to high, but sometimes it is tough because you want to play with a lot of passion and emotion.”

The back-to-back losses to the Rebels and the Bulldogs marked just the second time the Hogs have lost more than one game in a row this season.

Arkansas suffered a two-game road losing streak against South Carolina and Florida and has not had a winning streak longer than four games this year.

Rotnei Clarke is the fan favorite at Bud Walton Arena for getting the crowd on its feet every time the 6-foot

guard hits a 3-pointer.

His shooting prowess is what he is known for, but he is also the last of a class.

Clarke is the lone remaining signee in coach John Pelphrey’s 2008 recruiting class, which ranked 11th by ESPN. com. After the class’ freshman season in 2008-2009 four of the six recruits left the team for various reasons.

Big men Andre Clark and Brandon Moore both transferred to other schools, TCU and Florida International, respectively, after both received an average of nine minutes per game in a Razorback uniform. Junior college forward Montrell Mc-

Donald played in the first four games of that season before being dismissed by coach Pelphrey.

Small forward Jason Henry was a key contributor for the Hogs in Southeastern Conference play averaging 8.4 points and 5.1 rebounds with big games against Kentucky (12 pts, 11 rebounds) and South Carolina (27 and 12). However, Henry also left the program after the team went 14-16 overall and 2-14 during conference play.

Fast forward to 2011. The Hogs are currently on a twogame home losing streak after picking up a signature win on the road against No.

19 Vanderbilt. Arkansas has fallen to 14-8, 4-5 in the SEC. Among their offensive struggles this season, the biggest downfall to the team is their lack of size coupled with a lack in rebounding.

Arkansas is dead last in the SEC in rebounding margin. The Hogs outrebounded by an average of 7.3 rebounds per game. Arkansas’ most consistent starting lineup this has season has consisted of three guys less than 6-foot-2, which, in a conference with the likes of Kentucky, Florida and Ten-

see TURNER on page 8

OLYMPIC SPORTS

Gymnastics Challenging in Southeastern Conference

by BRANDON HOWARD Staff Writer

Arkansas’ gymnastics team broke new ground against No. 4 Georgia, defeating the Bulldogs over the weekend 195.775-195.40 inside Barnhill Arena, securing the program’s first win over Georgia.

Georgia was 18-0 against Arkansas until the head-tohead meet, with two of the wins coming in the NCAA Tournament. Along the first win over Georgia, this team is the first one to have a victory over every Southeastern Conference opponent.

“When you start a new program, it’s cool because there are so many firsts,” Arkansas coach Mark Cook said.

“Even in our ninth season, we know there was still a lot to be

accomplished and we knew we could do something big.”

The Georgia meet is the Razorbacks’ third consecutive win and their third confer-

Jamie Pisani ence victory. Arkansas (3-2, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) is ranked No. 11 nationally.

“Beating Georgia was a shot in the arm and built momentum,” Cook said. “Be-

ing at home gave the team more confidence in themselves and that will carry over the rest of the season.”

Junior Jaime Pisani also had a standout individual performance against Georgia, winning the all-around competition for the fourth consecutive week with 39.375. She was Arkansas’ top scorer for the event and scored a season-high on bars.

Pisani ranks No. 23 nationally in individual events with her highest ranking at No. 6 in individual floor exercise.

“We watch her health,” Cook said. “At the same time, she knows her body and we trust her, but she’s a junior and doing the all-around, which is a high impact sport, so we try to be more understanding in her training.”

Arkansas’ next meet will be

a Friday head-to-head against LSU in Baton Rouge, La. “This team hasn’t been as sharp as we need to be and could be, but were getting better and we’re gaining more confidence, and I’ve seen improvement, but I want more,” Cook said.

“This team is peaking and we want it to continue.”

Divers Prepare for SEC Championships The SEC diving championships start Friday and coach Dale Schultz is getting his divers ready for the trip to Florida.

“Basically, we’re to the point now where the kids rest a little bit while they train,”

see OLYMPIC on page 8

GARETH PATTERSON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Stacy Bartlett ‘s beam routine scored with a 9.75 in Arkansas’ S 195.775195.40 win against No. 4 Georgia.

WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011 PAGE 8 SEC NOTEBOOK

Eastern Division Standings Bottled Up

by JIMMY CARTER & ZACH TURNER Florida has a firm grasp on first place in the Southeastern Conference’s Eastern Division.

The Gators are 7-2.

After Florida, the picture gets blurry.

Tennessee was in second place at 5-3 entering Tuesday’s contest at Kentucky. The Wildcats were 4-4, tied with Vanderbilt and Georgia.

Not much wiggle room.

“We’re one game out of first and we’re one game out of last,” Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said. “The league is very, very balanced. The schedule is very, very challenging and we’ll take it one game at a time.”

The East has been widely recognized as a stronger division than the West, but the West has fought back recently.

Western Division leader Alabama is 3-0 against the East, including wins against Kentucky and Tennessee.

Auburn (8-15, 1-8 SEC) has the worst record in the conference, but took Georgia to overtime in Athens, Ga. The Tigers only SEC win was at South Carolina.

The East is 15-8 against the West, but the gap has been narrowed the last two weeks – the East is 7-5 during that span.

“I’m not going to try to convince you that the West is better than the East, but they’re all hard,” Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said. “We’re just going to play them as they come.”

Florida Back in Top 25 Florida broke back into the AP Top 25 poll this week after impressive victories over two ranked Southeastern Conference Eastern Division foes.

from TURNER on page 7 nessee, will never work in terms of consistent rebounding.

Somehow Arkansas was able to outrebound Vanderbilt on the road by using good fundamentals. Go figure.

If the 2008 recruiting class had stuck together size and frontcourt availability would not have been an issue since both Clark and Moore measured out to be 6-foot-9, 210-plus pounds.

The Gators jumped to the No. 17 spot in the polls after taking down then-No. 24 Vanderbilt in overtime 65-61, then before upsetting No. 11 Kentucky 70-68 at home in front of College Gameday. Both wins in close fashion with the overtime win and one possession win that was decided on the free-throw line for Florida.

The Gators are 2-1 in overtime games this season and 1-0 in double overtime – a 104-91 victory over Georgia.

“A lot of those games really could have gone either way,” Florida coach Billy Donovan said. “There have been different things happen in some of these situations. We could have very, very easily lost all those games, but just because we have won some close games doesn’t mean that is going to be the trend for the rest of the year.”

Florida boasts the SEC’s best overall record with a mark of 18-5, 7-2 SEC.

Jeffery Taylor.”

Alabama has the No. 94 RPI in the nation, but will have a chance to rise with games against Vanderbilt, Florida and Georgia remaining.

Pearl Returns to Tennessee Sideline

Alabama is No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference in February and it’s not in a really early preseason football prediction.

The Crimson Tide (15-7, 7-1 SEC) are one-half game ahead of Tennessee for the best conference record. Alabama has reeled off five consecutive wins since losing 70-65 at Arkansas Jan. 15.

The Crimson Tide have a big test on the road Wednesday at No. 23 Vanderbilt.

“We’ve got a tough week ahead,” Alabama coach Anthony Grant said. “Obviously a tough challenge at Vanderbilt. I’m very impressed by their team. They have two outstanding scorers in John Jenkins and

Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl is back for the remainder of the SEC slate after missing Tennessee’s first eight SEC games due to suspension.

Pearl returned to the sideline Tuesday against Kentucky. Associate head coach Tony Jones led the team to a 5-3 record to start conference play in Pearl’s absence.

“Well I think that when Commissioner (Mike) Slive levied his suspension against me for eight games, I think he really punished me by allowing me to come back and go to Rupp Arena and the O-Dome (O’Connell Center at Florida),” Pearl said.

The SEC league office decided to suspend Pearl for the first half of the conference schedule after Pearl acknowledged he had lied to the NCAA about an investigation involving illegal recruit benefits.

Pearl admitted he had several recruits over to his house for a barbecue dinner before they had officially signed with the Volunteers.

“It has taught me to make sure that I never run afoul of the rules or if I am under investigation to never compromise,” Pearl said about the suspension.

Tennessee (15-8, 5-3 SEC) had one nonconference game in that time span in which Pearl was able to coach, dropping a matchup against Big East power and then-No. 8 Connecticut which 72-61.

Also the small starting lineup not a factor either since Jason Henry would presumably have had the small forward spot on lockdown with his 6-foot-6 frame. The only true small forward the current team has is Jemal Farmer. For whatever reason, he rarely sees the court anymore.

In the recent loss to Ole Miss, Arkansas seemed to be out hustled to every loose, frustrated after Michael Sanchez’ technical and then unresponsive offensively down the stretch as Ole Miss went on a 17-4 run to close out the

Rebels’ 69-60 win.

With eight regular season games left and the SEC Tournament in March, it is unclear how the Hogs will close out the season. At this point an NCAA tournament berth is highly unlikely, as well as an NIT berth if the Hogs drop a few more games.

As history would tell from the past two seasons it is at this point in conference play where Arkansas begins to tail off.

Regardless of the wins and losses outcome to finish the season the Razorback faithful has something posi-

tive to hang their hats upon.

Pelphrey and his staff have done an astounding job at keeping the rich homegrown Arkansas talent in the 2011 high school class instate.

Hunter Mickelson, Rashad Madden and Aaron Ross are immediate impact players.

With the addition of Missouri’s finest recruit, B.J. Young, and a Dallas-area big man, Devonta Abron, Arkansas has composed the No. 6 recruiting class in the nation, according to ESPN. com.

Pelphrey’s staff caught lightning in a bottle with

from OLYMPIC on page 7

well at the championships in Gainesville, Fla. “I look for Florida and South Carolina to do well,” Schultz said. “Florida is at home and they dive in that pool every day and South Carolina should do well, but after that it’s anybody’s ball-game.”

Crimson Tide Quietly No. 1

Schultz said. “Our preparation is to get ready for every event, with a focus being on towers.”

Freshman Kesha Naylor has broken two NCAA records in her young career, but has struggled at SEC meets.

“I try not to pressure her, because when Kesha gets up with no pressure, she can compete against anybody,” Schultz said. “She can raise everybody else’s level.”

Junior Alex Roman and sophomore Alyssa Tomlinson set or bested career diving marks and look to do

MCT CAMPUS

Florida has emerged as the best team in the Southeastern Conference’s highly competitive Eastern Division.

three instate-recruits rating in the ESPN 150, but give them credit for being able to keep the three AAU teammates on the Arkansas Wings together for their college years at the UA. The five recruits also address a bigger need for size across the board. Each player in the class plays a different position and one day Razorback nation could be watching a starting lineup of these five competing for wins in the NCAA Tournament.

It is too early to tell exactly how the roster will look for the 2011-2012 season or

what expectations should be placed on the bunch besides improvement from this season.

Regardless, it would be another blow to the hearts of Razorback fans if the 2011 recruiting class doesn’t stick together after arriving on campus, like the previous mega-haul class of 2008.

It would be just another setback for Arkansas basketball trying to go forward.

Zach Turner is the assistant sports editor for The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every other Wednesday.

TRAVELER SPORTS

Men’s Track Ready for Tyson Invitational After an emotional Razorback Invitational and a trip to New York, Arkansas’ track team is back and ready to host the Tyson Invitational.

The Razorbacks are coming off a challenging meet in the New Balance Invitational. Not of all the Hogs ran in the meet and it was treated as a midseason exhibition.

“We look forward to the Tyson meet,”Arkansas coach Chris Bucknam said. “It’s going to set us up for the Southeastern Conference meet, which will be a barn-burner.”

The Tyson Invitational has a larger field than most meets. Fans will be able to see athletes that have a good shot at competing in future Olympics and setting world records. There will be 14 ranked teams in the field of 15.

“We have great versatility and we hope to get some more NCAA qualifiers,” Bucknam said. “We needed a change of venue so we didn’t get caught in a rut. The New Balance meet came at the perfect time and gave us a precursor for traveling to the national meet.

It gave us a good atmosphere for traveling and competing in a big, national meet.”

The Tyson Invitational will be held Friday and Saturday. It starts at noon both days and will be the last meet before the Razorbacks host the SEC Championships.

1. FLORIDA 2. KENTUCKY 3. ALABAMA 4. VANDERBILT 5. GEORGIA 6. TENNESSEE 7. SOUTH CAROLINA 8. MISSISSIPPI STATE 9. OLE MISS 10. ARKANSAS 11. LSU 12. AUBURN

PAGE 9

WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011 from WOMENS BASKETBALL on page 7 the improvement has shown in the Razorbacks’ performance.

Lately, the Razorbacks have given games away because of turnovers and missed opportunities, including contests against Georgia and South Carolina last week. Arkansas has lost four games by four points or less in its last eight contests.

“We don’t have a lot of experience in winning close games like that and I have to teach this team how to handle those situations better,” Arkansas coach Tom Collen said.

The Razorbacks have been outscored by an average of 2.3 points per game in conference play and most of their losses have come late in the contest.

“This team has proven it is pretty resilient,” Collen said.

“The big thing is that we have survived droughts and mistakes along our way.”

Against Georgia, the game was tied with only 33 seconds remaining in overtime, but an Arkansas foul allowed the Bulldogs to pull ahead. The Razorbacks had the ball underneath their basket with four seconds left, but threw away the inbounds pass and Georgia won 57-54.

Arkansas made only 41.2 percent of its free throws, gave up 19 second-chance points and had 19 turnovers, including the costly turnover late in the contest.

The Razorbacks lost another close contest at home Sunday against South Carolina.

Arkansas had a two-point lead

with 14 seconds remaining in the contest, but the Gamecocks hit two free throws to send the game into overtime. South Carolina won 64-62.

The Razorbacks have struggled to rebound in SEC play, getting outrebounded 40.1 to 36.6 per game.

“We’ve talked and talked about rebounding since we got into SEC play,” Collen said. “We’ve gotten hammered on the boards in the SEC. We had to scrap and we had to get better at it, and I think we have gotten better, and that’s what we need to win down the stretch.”

The Razorbacks play four of their remaining six SEC opponents at home at Bud Walton Arena.

“You always feel like you are a favorite at home and that you

GARETH PATTERSON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Junior guard Lyndsay Harris is a big reason Arkansas is having its best season in years. She is averaging 13.1 points per game and has hit 67 3-pointers this season.

Johnson is averaging 17.7 points per game and is tied for second in the SEC with 2.7 3-pointers made per contest.

The Bulldogs have had a tenuous season. Junior point guard Dee Bost – Mississippi State’s second-leading scorer – was suspended for the first semester because he failed to properly withdraw from the 2010 NBA Draft by the May 8 deadline.

Junior forward Elgin Bailey was kicked off the team in December after fighting with sophomore forward Renardo Sidney.

Johnson’s Twitter issues were just the next problem for Stansbury.

“If you’re asking me if I’d rather have headaches or not have them, I’d rather not have them,” Stansbury said in response to a question during the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “It’s been interesting. There’s been some challenging moments, but I guess that’s part of it sometimes. We’ve had some unusual situations.

“We’re just trying to make progress every game right now.

There’s not a lot of consistency yet with what we’re doing, we’re just trying to get better every day.”

The Bulldogs have had their full roster – minus Bailey – since SEC play started, but have struggled with consistency and have lost three of their last five games.

The Razorbacks can identify.

The Hogs haven’t won more than two games in a row in 2011 and have suffered three SEC losses in overtime or by three points or less.

“We understand that we had a

tough week,” Pelphrey said. “The week before, we had a great week.

A better bounce of the ball here or there and it could have been different last week as well. We need to play better, get better at some things. We will do that this week.”

Pelphrey’s Social-Media Policy Mississippi State isn’t the only school that’s had issues with player’s Twitter use.

Arkansas point guard Courtney Fortson was rebuked by Pelphrey for an inappropriate tweet prior to last season. The Razorbacks haven’t had any social media activity as noticeable as the Bulldogs this season, though.

“It’s a work in progress, it’s an everyday deal, it’s a constant education,” Pelphrey said about Arkansas’ social networking guidelines. “The reality of it is that social media is not going anywhere – it’s here to stay. I think the first thing they need to understand is it is media, first and foremost.

“I think all of us probably in life say things off the cuff. Unfortunately with (social media), it gets out there front and center sometimes. There’s a lot of education with it. I don’t think there’s a set guideline to it, but there are a lot of talks. I can honestly tell you, I’ve had to deal with it with my team.”

Educating about social-networking is part of a weekly talk the coaches have with the team, Pelphrey said.

“We bring up things that have happened to athletes and a lot of

times there is a negative tone to it, with somebody’s conduct away from the court,” Pelphrey said.

“We’ll also bring positive things in there. Twitter and Facebook has been a part of the conversation.”

Junior guard Rotnei Clarke deleted his Facebook before the season started and doesn’t have a Twitter.

“It was just a decision I had made,” Clarke said. “Going into the season I didn’t want to put myself out there. It was getting a little crazy. I didn’t want to take any chances and just focus on basketball and things that really mattered.”

Powell, Clarke OK for MSU Game Clarke and sophomore forward Marshawn Powell will play in the Mississippi State game, despite battling ankle issues, Pelphrey said.

Powell rolled his ankle in the shootaround before the Ole Miss game. Clarke twisted his left ankle during the contest.

“I fully anticipate us being at full-compliment with those two guys,” Pelphrey said. “That’s part of being an athlete sometimes.

You’re never 100 percent.”

Powell led Arkansas with 19 points in 27 minutes against the Rebels.

Clarke scored 10 points, but hit just 3-of-10 from the field.

“It’s doing good,” Clarke said about his ankle Monday. “It’s a little sore. I already got a bunch of treatment on it and I’ll continue to do so. I’ll be fine.”

GARETH PATTERSON STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Arkansas is trying to reverse its trend of late-season struggles under coach John Pelphrey. Senior guard Marcus Britt has played on teams that have gone a combined 6-18 the last three seasons in the second half of Southeastern Conference play.

WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011 PAGE 10 Arkansas Traveler assistant sports editor writer Zach Turner met with junior guard Rotnei Clarke and discussed the Razorbacks’ effort in their recent losing streak and his decision to delete his Facebook. Clarke became the fastest Razorback to reach 200 3-pointers this season.

Gareth Patterson

Do you feel like the team is giving a consistent effort game-in and game-out, even without the consistent results?

Definitely. Especially in practice which a lot of you guys don’t see, is guys coming and working hard every single day, just flying around. We work so hard daily and no one is slacking off.

We are all working hard together and that is why I am really not worried about the end of the season coming up. I think we will come back to work and stay positive and hopefully get a run going here at the end.

The second part of the SEC season has not gone well the past two years. What makes you feel this year could be different?

It is definitely a different team. We got a lot of new guys and a lot of high-quality character guys. I think we are going to be able to comeback from these losses and frustration whatever you want to call it and be ready. We will work hard and unite and finish strong here in the last part of the SEC. Arkansas has not won in Starkville, Miss., since 2000. Does a streak like that mean anything to the team?

Not really. We don’t really go into any games thinking about past games or streaks in the past or records or different things like that. We can use that as a motivational factor, but we are not really going to need that for motivation. We are going to be motivated either way and ready to play.

With recent troubles other SEC players have had with using social media and that Arkansas teams in the past have had with it what is your take and how you handle that?

I have tried to keep away from that as much as possible. I don’t have a Twitter and I have deleted my Facebook, not sure if I will get that back. It is just decision making and learning from mistakes if you have made one in that area.

What prompted you to delete your Facebook account?

I don’t know. It was just a decision I had made. Going into the season I didn’t want to put myself out there. It was getting a little crazy. I didn’t want to take any chances and just focus on basketball and things that really mattered.

Considering how well the team played on the road last time, after the two home losses it is maybe a blessing in disguise to move out of Bud Walton for a game although you guys obviously love playing here?

I don’t think I would ever not want to play here with our fans and Bud Walton Arena itself, but it is definitely a motivational thing. It motivates me just wanting to win on the road and I know it does this team and our staff. It is big when you can win on the road.

Rotnei Clarke

Junior, G 6-foot 184 lbs.

13.2 points per game 41 percent 3-pointers

STANDINGS EASTERN DIVISION TEAM

Florida Tennessee* Georgia* Kentucky* South Carolina Vanderbilt

SEC 7-2 5-3 5-4 3-2 4-4 4-4

%

.778 .625 .556 .500 .500 .500

Overall % 18-5 15-8 16-6 16-6 13-8 16-6

.783 .652 .727 .727 .619 .727

RPI

Streak

RPI

Streak

14 21 36 11 95 19

W2 L1 W2 L2 L1 W1

WESTERN DIVISION TEAM

Alabama Mississippi State Arkansas Ole Miss LSU Auburn

SEC 7-1 4-4 4-5 3-5 2-6 1-8

%

.875 .500 .444 .375 .250 .222

Overall % 15-7 12-10 14-8 15-8 10-13 8-15

.682 .545 .636 .652 .435 .348

93 131 105 59 202 280

W5 W1 L2 W2 L6 L2

* Results from the Tennessee-Kentucky and Georgia-Xavier contests Tuesday are not reflected in the standings

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

You can check out the Traveler online at uatrav.com or by scanning here:

PAGE 11 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2011

Comics, Games, & Much Much More!

WORD SEARCH

SUDOKU

THEME: ST. VALENTINE’S DAY A R R R A A

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Hugs Cupid Admirer Romantic Card Ring

THIS WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

LAUGH IT UP Q: What do squirrels give for Valentine’s Day? A: Forget-me-nuts

Q: What do UA students give their loved ones on Valentine’s Day?

A: Hogs and kisses!

THAT MONKEY TUNE Michael A. Kandalaft

WONDERMARK David Malki!

BREWSTER ROCKIT Tim Rickard

CALAMITIES OF NATURE Tony Piro

CROSSWORD ACROSS

1 Moderate 6 Sine __ non 9 “Bones” of “Star Trek” 14 Type of pad or brief 15 WWW address 16 Midwest airport 17 Purple creeper?

19 Make fresh 20 Actor Wallach 21 Empty spaces 22 Emphasize 23 Pierre Auguste and Jean 25 Scorch 26 Beam 27 Shirley Temple movie 31 Musician Hayes 34 Land of Lima 35 Cylinder diameter 36 Satellite 37 Show biz personality 38 Muscat’s land 39 __-pong 40 Place for cargo 41 Fuse, as ores 42 Makes glossy 44 Catch red-handed 45 Diana of the Supremes 46 Just to keep up appearances 50 Play lines 53 Computer input 54 Function 55 Popeye’s honey 56 Green illumination?

58 Ring-shaped roll 59 Exist 60 Singer Merman 61 Comb stopper 62 Married 63 School paper

DOWN

1 Horatio of fiction 2 Uncle Miltie 3 Once more 4 Touch lightly 5 Funereal 6 Witty remarks 7 Diner brewers 8 Tavern order 9 Fatal 10 Red explosives?

11 Walking stick 12 Raw minerals 13 Poisonous evergreens 18 Differ slightly 22 Decorative plant 24 Reddish-yellow waterway?

25 Made well 27 Prison quarters 28 Heavy volume 29 Kind of thermometer 30 Closely confined 31 Rascals 32 Dirt 33 Top-drawer 34 Lowly workers 37 Storage box 41 Bakery products trade name 43 “Love Boat” co-star 44 Musical symbol 46 Well-known 47 Downs and Grant 48 Actress Tessie 49 How a water balloon impacts 50 Weepy, tearful gasps 51 Highlands group 52 Latvia’s capital 53 Critical 56 Ordinance 57 “__ Not Unusual”

SOLUTION

Crossword by MCT Campus

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

You can check out the Traveler online at uatrav.com or by scanning here:

PAGE 12 WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011

FEATURES EDITOR: Lindsey Pruitt ASST. FEATURES EDITOR: Erin Robertson

Dickson Street Liquor Store Debuts Wine Blog

by ELIZABETH BOSTWICK

www.dicksonstreetliquor.com

Staff Writer

Courtesy Photo

Chianti Classico 2007 or Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2004? Or maybe a 2006 Zinfandel is better?

Choosing a bottle of wine is a daunting task sure to leave the average person’s head spinning with a jumble of numbers, names and foreign words. After staring at shelves filled with bottles of every shape, size and color, it’s often too easy to grab the Two-Buck Chuck and run for the door.

That, or reach for the bottle with the pretty label. (Great graphics guarantee great quality, right?) And there’s always next time to actually put thought and effort into the decision process. Unless there’s an alternative…

The Dickson Street Liquor Store has developed a resource bound to resolve conundrums encountered by amateur enthusiasts and seasoned connoisseurs alike. The store recently introduced a blog dedicated to breaking down the subtle nuances of reds, whites and rosés in lay-person lingo, easing winos’ woes with detailed

descriptions of products otherwise overlooked by the general public.

The DSL Grapevine debuted on the blogging scene December 29, 2010, promising readers weekly updates about the store’s wine inventory, special offers and factual information about wine varieties and regions. University of Arkansas alumna and Dickson Street Liquor Store Wine Manager Zac Ball created the site to inform customers and advertise store selection, Ball said.

“I just want to point people in the right direction,” Ball said. “I had a degree in English, and I was studying wine on my own.

Our store has a good selection, and I noticed people tend to label-shop. I wanted to educate customers about the wines we have for sale, so I volunteered to write a blog.”

Ball has worked at the Dickson Street Liquor Store for four years, and he is currently completing an online course for certification as a wine specialist. Trips to California to visit with distributors initially sparked his interest in the wine industry. “[The distributors] have tast-

ings, and I get to talk to a lot of representatives from wineries in California and other parts of the world,” he said.

“Our wine selection is not necessarily big, but we have variety that other stores don’t,” Ball said of the store inventory.

“We’re constantly rotating our displays and changing what’s available. We usually have a limited stock of featured wines, so popular wines sell fast. If they don’t sell, we put them on clearance.”

Housed in a former gas station, the Dickson Street Liquor Store opened in 1964. The store website guarantees high quality products at affordable prices, perfect for the budget-conscious college student.

Can’t decide between the Pinot Grigio and the Merlot?

Don’t. Let the DSL Grapevine (http://www.dicksonstreetliquor.com/wordpress/) do the hard work for you and impress friends with a sophisticated understanding of the delicate flavors unique to a bottle of this week’s featured wine, Honig 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, or Guenoc Lake County Petite Sirah 2007, if you prefer.

Feast Your Eyes on the Mediterranean Drama ‘MAMMA MIA!’ phie invited three men from Donna’s past to the mediterranean paradise they visited 20 The Walton Arts Center will years earlier.

With more productions host the spirited performance playing internationally than “MAMMA MIA!” this week.

AMMA MIA!,” celebrated any other musical, “MAMMA by 45 million people around the MIA”! has earned the title of the world, includes one mother, one world’s no. 1 show.

Inspired by the storytelling daughter, three possible dads, magic of ABBA’s songs from and one trip down the aisle.

Donna, an independent, “Dancing Queen,” “S.O.S.,” single mother who owns a small “Money, Money, Money,” hotel on an idyllic Greek island, and “Take a Chance on Me,” is about to let go of Sophie, the “MAMMA MIA!” is a celebraspirited daughter she’s raised tion of mothers daughters, old alone. For Sophie’s wedding to friends and new family found.

“MAMMA MIA!” will run Skye, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends- practi- at the Walton Arts Center from cal and no-nonsense Rosie and Tuesday, Feb. 8 through Sunday, wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya Feb. 13. Tickets start at $53 and – from her one-time backing student tickets are $27 for the band, Donna and the Dynamos. Wednesday and Thursday perBut Sophie has secretly formances only. For tickets go invited three guests of her to www.waltonartscenter.org or own. Desiring her own father call the box office at 479-443to walk her down the aisle, So- 5600.

by MARY FIELD

Contributing Writer

Courtesy Photo

‘No Strings Attached’ a No Go

Courtesy Photo

by MIKE ROACH Staff Writer

No Strings Attached: Paramount Pictures Directed By: Ivan Reitman Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Natalie Portman Release Date: Jan. 21, 2011 Rating: R Run Time: 110 minutes Somewhere in Hollywood there is a machine that is forever churning out mediocre mov-

ies about ridiculously attractive people falling in and out of love through brief spats of humor and overblown romantic issues.

This machine needs to be unplugged.

“No Strings Attached” is the well-meaning story of two young professionals who decide to use one another in a friends with benefits type situation. Complications arise however when feelings begin to blossom out of what is supposed to be just recreational sex.

Essentially, Dr. Emma Kurtzman (Portman) and Adam Franklin (Kutcher), slip in and out of each other’s lives through their adolescent years and eventually wind up living in the same city before Franklin goes on a well deserved drinking binge that ends up with him naked on Kurtzman’s couch the next morning. The story picks up from there, but doesn’t go very far.

Romantic comedies as a whole are a predictable, if not,

formulaic genre. The typical storyline involves two attractive people that things heat up between before a complication arises and is then inevitably resolved in a tearful yet joyous reunion that is plagued with sappy one-liners. “No Strings Attached” is no different. Portman and Kutcher have descent enough chemistry but the script is riddled with mundane and overdone sentiment.

Some may complain about the amount of raunchy and albeit unfitting material in the film, because it does tend to wreck certain heartfelt moments. But in reality it offers a breath of fresh air from the standard romantic comedy by being just outlandish enough to entertain. After all, the movie is rated “R” for a reason and getting upset about vulgarity in a movie with this premise makes about as much sense as getting upset about CGI in one of Michael Bay’s train wrecks.

In the end however, there is simply nothing special about this film. While parts of it can be entertaining it is safe to say that the general idea has been done before more times than a person would even want to count. It may be decent enough to watch on a date night, or during a longdistance flight, but as it stands alone it would be best to avoid this film until it is picked up on basic cable in a few years.

Breakfast is Served , Susan’s of Springdale Hog Trough

ERIN ROBERTSON It was one of those bright, crisp Saturday mornings when anything is possible, and Susan’s was humming with activity.

A down-home cooking restaurant in Springdale, Ark., Susan’s Family Restaurant has been a staple in NWA dining for more than a decade.

With a wide dining room and gentle-mannered waitresses that remind me of a grandmother, it is a casual place, but with plenty of genuine Arkansas charm to leave one feeling full to the brim and yet, still wanting for more.

I had driven by Susan’s on W. Sunset for years, but only stopped in for breakfast once this winter. The restaurant was full by 9:30 a.m., and a line at the door solidified the idea that this was a local watering hole. Once seated, a kind, old-

er woman poured my coffee – great, steaming mugs of it – and left me to peruse the menu.

Omlettes, hamsteak, waffles, sausage, biscuits and gravy – it was all there, in traditional diner fashion, begging to be devoured in greasy glory.

What struck me the most out of the menu offerings were the homemade cinnamon rolls, and so I ordered one in hopes of tasting something similar to what I ate growing up.

The cinnamon roll arrived and was as big as my face, dripping with spices and homemade icing. The dough curled in a gentle inward spiral, crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. I took my first bite with a sip of coffee and sighed happily, for I had found the Mecca of all breakfast pastries, made on the spot by one of the grandmotherly waitresses, no doubt.

Companions’ dishes of scrambled eggs, fluffy pancakes, slabs of bacon and biscuits were eaten with similar gusto. As we breakfasted, the families and elderly couples around us did the same, content in the simple Saturday sunlight and the warmth of the familial atmosphere.

With such company, such food and coffee, and such gentle attention, it was a good way to wake up.

WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011 PAGE 13

Erin Robertson ASST. FEATURES EDITOR

by ERIN ROBERTSON

Asst. Features Editor

“I consider myself to be one lucky girl to wake up every day and do what I absolutely love,” said Kirsten Blowers, founder and owner of Riffraff.

Blowers is a Fayetteville native and a 2009 UA alum with a degree in interior design. In the face of the economic recession, Blowers

boldly pushed through the boundaries of senior year stress and an 18-credit hour course load and, two months before graduating, opened Riffraff.

Now a successful home décor, gift and clothing boutique with a coveted spot on the Fayetteville square, Riffraff has been, for Blowers, a dream come true.

More than 200 vendors sell handmade wares at Riffraff,

many of whom are local artists, explained employee Tressa Horton, a senior UA communications major from Marshall, Ark. The Riffraff empire, although born in Fayetteville, is spreading its roots across the South. Horton vouched for the store’s popularity.

“We ship things to Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri…Since we’ve been on

Facebook, we have people who call to purchase things over the phone and we ship it to them.”

“Everything in the store is unlike what you’re going to see anywhere else,” Horton said.

Horton’s tried-and-true favorite item at Riffraff is the peace sign wine topper, made from recycled material and available in different shapes and colors.

“I’ve bought these for myself

and for my friends…The store has something for everyone.”

Blowers echoed Horton’s sentiments about the store’s one-of-a-kind image.

“We work to provide an eclectic experience in Riffraff.

Not only do we [offer] home furnishings, accessories, gifts, jewelry and clothing, but we hope every customer leaves feeling inspired creatively either with their homes or with

their own style,” Blowers said.

The quirky, shabby-chic interior of Riffraff explains their design aesthetic: handmade items like felt flowers, burlap bunting, beaded headbands, painted canvases and antiquebutton rings line the walls and the shelves with decorous, and yet reckless, abandon. Vintage

see RIFFRAFF on page 14

PAGE 14

WEDNESDAY, February 9, 2011

Munchies Opens Despite Storm

THE TOP FIVE New Restaurant Takes Over Location on Garland SUPERBOWL COMMERCIALS #1 Volkswagen

A young Darth Vader’s force is realized when he makes the new Volkswagen start. (Highlights: keyless engine starter)

#2

Doritos

Staff Photo Caleb Johnson

by Andrew VanGendren Staff Writer

The recent snowstorm may have shut down most of Northwest Arkansas, but it failed to crush the entrepreneurial spirit of brothers Will and John Clark, owners of Munchies restaurant on Garland, which opened on Tuesday.

As traffic slogged by outside the small, wood-paneled diner on a frigid Wednesday afternoon, the Clarks served a few intrepid travelers a 12’’ pizza and their trademark “Munch Monster,” a concoction consisting of cookie dough in a deep dish pizza pan and ice cream, among other ingredients.

“We’ve definitely been surprised at the amount of traffic we’ve seen our

first few days, especially with all the snow,” said Will.

Munchies, which specializes in pizza and sandwiches, says its mission is to meet the needs of university students.

They are so dedicated to this plan that they will change their menu completely around to provide what students want, and they are open to suggestions.

“Most people like having their voices heard,” Will said. “If people want something, we will add it to the menu.”

Munchies primarily sells by-theslice pizza in a manner similar to Geno’s on Dickson Street. They are quick, however, to differentiate themselves from their competition.

“We’ve made the place different than Geno’s,” Will said. “They just don’t take the time to understand the stu-

dent clientele like we do.”

The idea for a pizza shop originated with the Clark’s father, who thought the idea for a pizza shop, though appealing, would not work in their native Conway. The brothers, intent on starting their business somewhere, looked to Fayetteville and found their opportunity with the vacant store just south of Wedington, next to Harps.

“We are big Hogs fans, and we just thought we would come up here,” Will said.

Will tried to run a hot dog stand for a short stint this past year on Dickson Street, but the Fayetteville health codes were “stricter on carts than they were on restaurants,” he said.

The building previously owned by the now bankrupt Super Chicken was up for rent, and the location alongside the major thoroughfare of Garland was very appealing, said John.

It is a great location,” Will said. “I don’t know how it was up for rent so long.”

“We just felt like this was the right place to set up a business,” John said. “And six months later, here we are. Our general idea is to create less of a restaurant and more of a place for people to hang out, do homework, and relax.”

Their proximity to the bus stops inspired the Clarks to expand their menu to include breakfast items, including coffee. The old hot dog cart will be used to provide this service to students waiting on the buses in the morning.

For now, however, it appears that Munchies is an excellent refuge from the current bitter temperatures and knee-deep snow. “It’s cold outside,” their billboard said Wednesday, “but the pizza is hot.”

To learn more about Munchies, or to suggest items for their menu, e-mail the Clarks directly a munchsomepizza@yahoo.com.

from RIFFRAFF on page 13 lamps and low, floral couches give the store a lived-in look, and boutique clothing is also available from such brands as Ivy Jane and the Trinity eco-friendly line. As with any Fayetteville store, there is plenty of Hog memorabilia to go around.

Senior psychology major Kelsey Lovewell said she love[s] Riffraff.

“They had an amazing sale when they moved from [their first location on] Mission to the square, and I got several things for my apartment,” Lovewell said. “I really like their furniture!”

Senior journalism major Katherine Dawson also is a fan.

“They have really witty, not cheesy, greeting cards for every occasion that I’ve been buying for whenever I need one. They have unique and adorable home decor that, if

A house sitter resurrects a goldfish, plant and even grandpa with the power of Doritos.

(Highlights: powerful taste of Doritos)

#3

Audi

Millionaires escape the confines of “old luxury”.

(Highlights: The innovation of Audi over a seemingly has been Mercedes)

#4

Bud Light

All the Bud Light ads were memorable but the particularly clever product placement ad served its purpose well. (Highlights: Success of Bud)

#5

Chevrolet

A play on Lassie, the Chevy can brave numerous natural disasters. (Highlights: Chevy’s toughness, strength and power) I wasn’t graduating in May, I would have definitely bought for my apartment! I remember thinking that when I was a sophomore decorating my first apartment, I would have loved Riffraff.”

Junior nursing student Stevie Lomax turns to Riffraff for her dinner party needs.

“I bought…their printed Styrofoam cups for our family Christmas dinner (they said “Naughty and Proud”) and some of their wine glasses.”

Lomax and her fiancé plan to purchase a canvas available at Riffraff covered in word associations with Fayetteville once they graduate, get married, and move away.

Phrases like “Dickson St.” and “College Ave.” are some of the many memorable places highlighted on the canvas, designed to remind Fayetteville ex-pats of their many adventures while at the UA. The vibrant attitude of the

store is an easy aspect for UA students to connect with, as is the general affordability of the products available. Riffraff is an accessible resource for Fayetteville shoppers who don’t want to sacrifice style when on a budget, while Blowers’ model is an encouragement to those interested in the start-up business market.

“I knew potential job positions would be scarce after graduation so I took a risk and created my own job,” Blowers said. “It wasn’t easy and to be honest I was terrified of failing but it was that fear that kept me driving to make Riffraff a success.”

When asked to offer advice to young entrepreneurs, Blowers responded adamantly: “Common sense and your gut instinct are your greatest aspects and tools – trust them!”

Blowers’ guts have paid off, and Riffraff will celebrate its second birthday this weekend.