Feb. 16, 2011

Arkansas Baseball 2011 Preview PAGE 1 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2011

Vol. 105, NO. 20 UATRAV.COM

Schedule to Remain Unchanged

by MATTIE QUINN Staff Writer

No spring break, classes lasting until June and Saturday classes are just a few of the rumors swirling around campus — all of which are untrue — after six days were missed because of the snow storms that hit Fayetteville at the beginning of the spring semester.

“There is no snow day policy like K-12 schools have,” said Daniel Pugh, vice provost for student affairs and dean of students. “Our faculty have found ways to manage despite not having a snow day policy, and we are very lucky that faculty were able to communicate electronically with students.

We have great faculty that can manage these days off. A couple of teachers did open up classrooms for Saturday classes, nothing mandatory, just a way for students to catch up.”

Electronic communication was a valuable tool for some faculty members during the snow break.

“I know a lot of the faculty did not feel as disconnected as they would have even five years ago because of all the technology there is now. All of this isn’t best-case scenario, but this all isn’t as shocking as it appears on face level,” said Ro DiBrezzo, Chair of Faculty Senate. “Most faculty members build a little wiggle room into their syllabus anyway. Every semester has a rhythm and the

worst part of all of this is honestly just that the rhythm of this semester was interrupted.”

For students, interruption from the progress of the semester was the worst part of all the days missed.

“The snow days, while fun, have really disrupted my rhythm this semester,” said ASG President Billy Fleming.

“It’s been difficult to fully adjust to the spring semester when your classes have only met four or five times in four weeks,” Fleming said. Now that snow is melting and there is no sign of more snow to come, Pugh stressed the importance of staying calm about the semester ahead.

“We would never delay graduation. Some students may have some readings or assignments over spring break, but that’s it,” Pugh said. If you haven’t heard from a teacher via email, reach out to them about how material is going to be covered now. We should all take a collective deep breath, because we will all get through this. At the end of the day, we are still at the beginning of this semester,” he said.

As for those calls and texts telling students classes were canceled, Fleming hopes that the process of deciding that became more transparent this year.

GARETH PATTERSON Staff Photographer “Conference calls take A UA staff member clears snow after a winter storm dumped approximately 15 inches of snow on campus.

Officials said that despite missed place, and on those calls, we classes, spring break will not be canceled and graduation will not be delayed. see SNOW

on page 3

Education Issues Top ASG D.C. Trip

by JORDAIN CARNEY Asst. News Editor

Five members of the ASG are going to Washington, D.C to lobby for education-based issues including research money and financial aid for students.

“We have confirmed meetings with Womack, Ross, Pryor and Boozman,” said LaShunta Williams, director of student advocacy. They also have appointments with think tanks to help increase their understanding of higher education strategy.

“It’s a mix of us lobbying, bolstering our relations with some of the groups that we work with that are there and coming up with through these think tanks a better strategy moving forward for us to pass on to groups coming after us about how to focus our efforts in a way we might not have,” Fleming said. “I think we did a pretty good job with it, but we might not be as in line with it as we should be.”

“There’s a limited opportunity for us to really go after anything other than research money or other higher education earmarks that comes fed-

erally rather than statewide,” Fleming said.

ASG members will also be discussing funding for Pell Grants and student loans.

Year-round Pell Grants and in-school interest subsidy on Stafford loans for graduate students are both proposed cuts from President Barack Obama in the 2012 budget released Monday.

They meet with members of the Arkansas alumni chapter and taking a tour of USA Today, which is the UA’s partner for the readership program.

“They’re going to let us sit in on their editorial meeting,” Williams said. “While it’s not student advocacy related, it’s one of the fun things we get to do while we’re there.”

The members of the ASG going on the trip are ASG President Billy Fleming, LaShunta Williams, director of student advocacy, Jacob White, Amanda Bandworth and Kelsey Kelton. The trip will last from Wednesday to Sunday.

The ASG members will also be taking a student advocacy trip to Little Rock March 9-10.

WEDNESDAY, February 16, 2011 VOL. 105, NO. 20 UATRAV.COM

XpressMail Returns Amid Issues

by SABA NASEEM Staff Writer

Information Technology Service workers restored XpressMail Monday in response to many complaints about the slowness of UA Mail, an IT technician said.

“The main issue has been the UA Mail getting slow during the time of day when many users access the system around the same period of time,” said Walter Green, an IT technician.

Students were glad to have XpressMail back, they said.

“UA Mail wasn’t always working,” said Othman Boudhoum, a junior industrial engineering major. “Beside that, the options are not that clear on UA Mail.”

For example, managing folders or looking for emails that were sent in the past is harder to figure out, he said.

Senior international relations and Middle Eastern studies major Kelly O’Connor liked that Xpress Mail is less busy from a design standpoint, she said.

“It’s simple, it’s easy to attach stuff, and I was just so used to it.

There are too many things going on in the UA Mail I don’t like it at all,” she said.

IT Services removed XpressMail because it was an “old, out -of-date mail system,” said Susan

see EMAIL on page 3

Fifty Cases of Flu Reported

by SABA NASEEM Staff Writer

As the winter season brought in cold weather, snow and ice to the UA campus, the cold winds also blew in the seasonal viral disease-influenza.

At least 50 cases of influenza were reported in the last month, a Pat Walker Health Center official said. Those numbers include only the cases that are confirmed by lab tests.

“This is a lot for four weeks, but it is not abnormal,” said Mary Alice Serafini, executive director of the PWHC. “We can tell with these numbers that there are more people out there spreading the flu.”

Influenza is a viral disease that can come in three different types: A, B and C. Type A is the most serious with the most acute symptoms and includes H1N1, more commonly known as swine flu. Type B is similar to Type A, although not as serious and Type C is the mildest, with symptoms similar to a cold.

“There are far more than 50 cases of the flu, but those 50 are the only ones counted, primarily to see what parts of the state we are seeing the flu

WEATHER FORECAST

TODAY 66°

BEN FLOWERS Staff Photographer With approximately 50 cases of influenza reported on campus during the last month, students are encouraged to practice good hygiene when coughing and sneezing to avoid spreading the illness. Students who feel sick should not attempt to attend class if they are contagious, officials said. in and for determining peak season,” said Ed Barham, public information officer for the Arkansas Department of Health. “We can never know exactly how many cases there are because many people simply stay home when they are sick.”

Symptoms for the flu include headaches, fever, aching muscles and joints, coughing and fatigue. The flu is passed through the air

THURSDAY 68°

FRIDAY 63°

and infects the nose, throat or lungs.

“We ask everybody to use good respiratory hygiene,” Serafini said. “People should frequently wash their hands, use tissues and shouldn’t share utensils.”

Students have been getting sick, though it is a common cold as opposed to the flu, they said.

“I was sick four days ago and had a terrible cough and a

SATURDAY 60°

SUNDAY 62°

fever,” said Hannah Coffman, a junior psychology major.

“My doctor said I didn’t seem to have the flu, just a bad cold when I saw her.”

The number of flu cases is alarming, Serafini said. “The best way to prevent illness is full body wellness. Students need to eat healthy, take vitamins, remain active, drink

see FLU on page 3

MONDAY 63°

TUESDAY 52°

WEDNESDAY, February 16, 2011 PAGE 2

PROFILES FROM THE HILL

A Conversation with Henry McLeish

by BRADY TACKETT Staff Writer

Henry McLeish is an expert in European Union policy and politics. He was formerly an association football player and a member of the Scottish Parliament. He was scheduled to be on campus to give a presentation about EU politics last week.

Q: What was the transition like from being a football player to entering politics?

A: I played soccer, as you would call it, at a very early age and I played professionally when I was 15. I played internationally for Scotland at 18. That was the younger part of my life. It was a part-time professional job. Then I went into politics in 1973, when I was about 23.

Q: Last year you advocated a merger between the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Football League. Any progress?

A: Yes, I think. It seemed to me that we needed to streamline the number of institutions running the game. So I proposed that the two leagues combine.

It doesn’t extinguish their own identities, but it does mean it’s one voice for Scottish football and it would allow for a better relationship with the overall football authority.

Q: Did working in the Scottish Parliament change the way you viewed your country?

A: I’ve always had a very positive view of my country and the role of government in the

United Kingdom. I’m proud of Scotland’s achievements; it is a country with huge potential. I think being part of the Scottish government gives you a new opportunity for Scotland to be distinctly different within the United Kingdom.

ABOUT THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER 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.

One copy of The Arkansas Traveler is free to every member of the UA community. Additional copies can be purchased for 50 cents each. Mail subscriptions for delivery within the continental United States can be purchased for $125.00 per semester. Contact the Traveler Business Manager to arrange.

Q: What would you do differently if you were in Parliament again?

A: The important thing in my political career was to be part of a team, and in that sense, I think it’s been an outstanding success.

The legislation we put through was regarded by all the political parties as very positive. But now Scottish National Party is calling for independence, which is to leave the United Kingdom.

My own party, the Labour Party, is arguing for remaining within the United Kingdom.

Q: What’s different about American politics?

A: It’s a difficult question to answer because of your own Constitution and the way things developed with the old, historical traditions of the United Kingdom. There are two problems: The parliamentary structure of your Congress is very tribal, very partisan and very confrontational. It seems to me that you don’t tackle problems as well as you could if you had a better degree of consensus. While President Obama and the Republicans in the House are seeking to do that, The U.S. doesn’t seem to be very good at it – neither does the U.K. Secondly, in the world just now we face enormous problems that are not going to go away. That really calls for elected politicians

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119 Kimpel Hall University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 72701 479.575.3406 [main] 479.575.3306 [fax] traveler@uark.edu

COURTESY PHOTO Henry McLeish was a member of the Scottish Parliament and also played professional soccer for Scotland. He has visited 41 of the 50 states and said he especially enjoys Oklahoma and Arkansas. to see that the problem is more three months will be very testimportant than party bickering. ing, not only for the Egyptians, So in that sense we share com- but for the Western world. mon problems.

Q: You’ve been to Arkansas Q: What is America’s role in many times over the past dethe Egypt situation? cade. Why here?

A: I think Obama has done his role effectively. America mustn’t be seen to be internally meddling or dictating what the future is. In that sense, I think Obama has not done that. I think it’s okay to get rid of President Mubarak, but there’s going to be a period of instability and there is now emerging instability not only in Tunisia but also in Yemen and Jordan. I think the U.S. is in a very important role in all world affairs, but especially the Middle East. The next two or

A: I have a great love of the U.S. I can criticize its politics and the issues here, but it’s a great country to visit. I think I’ve been to 41 of the 50 states over the last 25 years. I first came to Oklahoma, so I really enjoy Tulsa. As a consequence of working there, I also got involved in Arkansas.

The great thing about Fayetteville is that there are some very, very significant things happening at the university. I like the students; I like the staff. All in all, why wouldn’t you want to come ?

Call The Traveler

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CORRECTIONS The Arkansas Traveler strives for accuracy in its reporting and will correct all matters of fact. If you believe the paper has printed an error, please notify the editor at 575.8455 or at traveler@uark.edu.

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The women and men of the University of Arkansas Police Department, in partnership with the community, are committed to protecting the future of Arkansas by promoting a safe and secure environment.

HAVE A TICKET? CALL 575-7275 TO RESOLVE IT

The Transit and Parking office handles parking permits and passes and transit for students, including bus routes and GoLoco Ride Sharing. Students with parking violations can contact the office to appeal their citation.

NEED A RIDE AT NIGHT? CALL 575 - 7233

Otherwise known as 575-SAFE, the mission of the Safe Ride program is to provide students with a safe means of transportation from any uncomfortable or inconvenient situation. Safe Ride brings you home safely.

NEED TICKETS? CALL 1-800-982-4647

Don’t forget to call early and reserve your student football tickets for the 2010-2011 season. The ticket office is located on Razorback Road next to Baum Stadium.

PAGE 3

WEDNESDAY, February 16, 2011

Engineering Students Need Votes STAFF REPORT

Chemical engineering students are seeking votes for a project that will reduce dependency on fossil fuels and help clean pollution. The project is designed to convert algae and other plant matter into fuel, and if the UA group receives enough votes, their innovation could be featured on PBS in a special documentary.

Students can head to the PBS site planetforward.org to vote.

Voting ends at midnight on Feb. 17.

Undergraduate students Elizabeth Bevan, Ethan Carter, Megan Huslig, Jill Ivey, Ali McAtee, Hiroko Nakao, Kylan Rakestraw, Lizbeth Rostro, Michelle Shepherd, and Jeremy Stout are involved in the research. Doctoral students Jianjun Du and Tom Potts are also working on the project.

“The idea is we’re doing this research on making fuel in a way that’s better for the environment, which affects everyone,” said researcher Jill Ivey. “We want to win this competition to let people know what’s going on and gain support in this line of thinking about the environment.”

More than 800 ideas have been submitted, according to the Planet Forward website, and 17 winners will be featured in the special.

Chipotle Coming to Fayetteville

by KRISTEN COPPOLA Staff Writer

The Chipotle company is expanding, and Fayetteville is just one of the new locations.

“We just finished store 1,000 in Flower Mound, Texas,” said Barry Hicks, who oversees the branch that is building the Dickson Street Chipotle. “We’re going to start one in Little Rock in 2 or 3 weeks.”

The sudden onset of winter weather has delayed the original opening plans for Chipotle, but the restaurant should be ready for business around 10 to 12 weeks from now, Hicks said.

There are two other restaurants that look to be in direct competition with Chipotle, both within a quartermile radius: The Flying Burrito Co. and Qdoba Mexican Grill. Managers at both locations recognize that a new restaurant will apply pressure, but neither is worried about business.

“I don’t think it’s going to affect us very much at all,” said Del Larsen, manager at Flying Burrito. “Like anything, it’s something new, so everyone’s going to try it, but that little initial buzz will go away.”

“From my experience – I

School Closing Meets Mixed Reviews at UA

by SABA NASEEM Staff Writer

The UA campus became a winter wonderland last week as the biggest snowstorm of the year dumped more than 15 inches of snow on an already snowed out campus.

Classes were canceled for the seventh day Friday, making it the second two-day week in a row.

Last year, there were only three school cancellations because of inclement weather, said Sharon Gaber, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. This has been the biggest snowstorm since the ice storm of 2009.

For many students and professors, the decision to close the university before the snowstorm hit in the first week of February came as a surprise.

“We were sure about the snowstorm and we have students that travel from Bentonville and other surrounding cities, so we wanted to let them know as early as possible,” Gaber said.

Professors had mixed views on these decisions to close school, especially on Friday Feb. 11.

“I find so many closings to be less a function of the students, faculty and staff ’s ability to get to campus, than an indication of the American obsession with possible lawsuits and litigation from slipping, crashing, health issues, and just simple inconveniences,” said Thomas Paradise, professor of geosciences. “Having driven all over Fayetteville on Thursday, the roads were clear and maintained, so to find the UA closed again was a surprise and disappointment.”

However, to ensure safety for the entire Razorback community, UA officlas decided to remain closed.

“Not everybody lives on campus and we didn’t want anybody to be seriously injured because conditions weren’t safe,” Gaber said.

There were no serious injuries or reported car accidents to the UAPD, but there was a “slip and fall” accident

on Feb. 4, said UAPD Lieutenant Gary Crain.

French professor Hope Christiansen agreed with the decision to close the university, she said. “I can say with assurance that in my first few years here, it was extremely rare for the university to close.

The faculty would go through great stress and hardship to get to campus. One year, I got stuck in a parking lot that was a sheet of ice because nothing had been done to it and another year I had an accident trying to get to campus.”

Students stayed off the streets and spent their time out in the snow sledding or indoors relaxing, they said.

The snow days have had a major impact on academics.

Classes scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays only met once in the last two weeks.

“It has really disrupted my lecture schedule as I have had to cancel three lectures,” said Surendra Singh, a professor in physics. “So far, however, it seems we will be able to manage things reasonably well.

The students seem cooperative and willing to work with me.”

During the snow days, Singh and many other professors communicated with students via email and blackboard, posting notes and lectures and assigning students homework and reading.

He is considering teaching an extra class or two with the students or scheduling the exams outside the class times, he said.

Other professors have readjusted their syllabi, many for the second time now. Exams and papers have been pushed back or content has been taken out, professors said.

“My professors postponed the tests during the first storm, but this time everything was to stay on schedule, which means that I’ll be having all my tests this week.

Also, we have to makeup our science labs on our own,” said Gavely Toor, a junior biology major.

GRACE GUDE Staff Photographer A Chipotle Mexican Grill is set to open at the former location of Wow Sushi on Dickson Street in about 10 weeks, after being delayed by severe winter weather.

Employees of Qdoba Mexican Grill and Flying Burrito Co. were confident that the new competitor would not significantly damage their business, they said. used to work at Denny’s, and we had an IHOP move next door – [a competing restaurant] does have an effect for the first 2 or 3 weeks, but in the long run, I don’t think it will affect us,” said Reyes, manager at Qdoba.

Reyes is planning to focus on the employees and customer service and is confident that customers will keep coming back even after Chi-

potle has moved in, he said.

“We’re going to do what we do, and make sure service is good,” Reyes said. “We’ve got things they don’t have, and our food has more options.”

Students are showing excitement that about a new restaurant so close to campus. Some are skeptical about how it will compete with the already-established Mexican

eateries, while others are diehard Chipotle fans.

“I’m excited about trying Chipotle for the first time, but it has some tough competition against my favorite restaurant Flying Burrito,” said Audrey Del Real. “[Chipotle is] Qdoba and Flying Burrito’s worst nightmare,” said Matt Moss, who has Chipotle in his hometown.

SNOW from page 1

I received nearly 700 weather updates via Twitter and email from our students. As their photos and commentary came in throughout the day, I shared a small portion of the data with the others on the call in an effort to demonstrate the unique challenges students living offcampus faced when it came to digging out their cars, navigating un-plowed side-streets and simply traversing the 15-plus inches of lingering snow. In the end, I think the information we received from these students helped convince all of us on the call that closing campus on Friday was the right decision,” Fleming said.

Now that school is back in session, DiBrezzo had one final thought of the snowstorms of 2011.

“I am sure all of this will just be something we will laugh about at the end of the semester,” he said.

EMAIL from page 1

typically have a representative from UAPD, Parking and Transit, Facilities Management, University Relations, Provost Sharon Gaber and myself,” Fleming said. “We discuss the serviceability of our bus routes, such as how many can run at full or reduced routes, the status of our main pedestrian conduits on and near campus and the condition of our Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible areas. The safety of our students, faculty and staff is always integral to the university’s decision, and each person on the conference call has an opportunity to advocate for or against closing campus.”

Social media also played a large role in the discussion of whether to keep the UA open.

“The Thursday night call was especially interesting, as

Adkins, associate director of IT Services. There were also issues with support by the vendor.

The IT Desk has not been able to tweak the performance of the UA Mail to the standards of the people and until the slowness issues are resolved, XpressMail will provide an alternative solution, Adkins said.

IT service officials are working on customizing the different software components of UA Mail to make it more efficient.

There are many changes that can be made based upon the equipment the software is running on, the number of concurrent users accessing the system and the error logs, Green said.

“We are continuing to make software changes to improve the speed of UA Mail and are planning a hardware upgrade soon,” he said.

FLU from page 1 water and remember basic hygiene such as hand washing. Most importantly, when sick, stay home. I have yet to meet a professor that wants an infected student spreading sickness in class. Open communication is key.”

There are some students, however, who will come to class, despite being sick.

“There is a girl in one of our classes who has been sick for what seems like weeks now,” said Sonal Bhandari, a junior history and art major.

“She hasn’t gone to the doctor yet because she doesn’t want to miss class. I know I’m going to get whatever she has because I have a really weak immune system and I just don’t have time to get sick.”

Robert Mueller, a professor of music, has been sick for a week and found out he had the flu after testing positive at a clinic, he said.

“The doctor told me not to teach class on Tuesday because I’m still contagious,” Mueller said. “The snow days had already pushed back the semester’s schedule, and now the sick day is going to push it back even more.”

There is just too much work to make-up, he said.

Peak season for the flu is in late February and early March, Barham said. The best way to prevent oneself from getting the flu is by getting vaccinated, he said.

“It’s not too late to get the flu shot,” Barham said. “This year’s vaccination protects against H1N1, Type B influenza and H3N2.”

The vaccinations do not guarantee complete immunity to the flu virus, but they do help lessen the intensity and make the duration shorter if one does happen to catch the flu, he said.

The PWHC has “very little vaccination left,” but students are encouraged to go to a clinic or pharmacy in the area for flu shots, Serafini said. The center administered more than 2,000 flu vaccinations before winter break.

Health center officials encourage students to come in if they are sick so they can be properly diagnosed and given medication, Serafini said. The flu spreads quickly among students in close quarters, so it is important to keep it contained.

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

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PAGE 4 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2011

EDITOR: Bailey Elise McBride MANAGING EDITOR: Mille Appleton

Navigating the Road to Success

by Shane Broadway Guest Writer

Enrolling in college was not the first step you made toward a successful future, but it was a big part of the journey.

By completing a degree, you will increase your earning potential by hundreds of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. That equates to a better standard of living, a higher Courtesy Photo quality of life for you and your family, and by 2025, more than half of jobs in Arkansas will require some sort of post-secondary credentials – most will require a bachelor’s degree.

At the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE), we find what’s more important than just awarding degrees is providing Arkansans with workforce skills to equip them for higher-paying jobs.

Although degree production is a priority for our agency, I encourage you to choose a degree program other than general studies. Consider the fields of science, technology, math or engineering. These jobs are going to be more in-demand in coming years, and now is the time to prepare for those opportunities.

To get those degrees, you have to attend class. Studies show that students who attend class regularly make better grades than those who skip. That’s a no-brainer, right? But if you want to keep your financial aid, you must keep your GPA up.

If you’ve received the Academic Challenge Scholarship, ADHE will do its part if you will do yours to ensure you receive those dollars each year. It’s like money in the bank.

So keep your grades up, carry a full-time load and keep your financial aid. If you didn’t receive the Challenge Scholarship right out of high school, reapply if your grades are better now than when you graduated.

Hopefully you’ve gotten involved on campus, whether it’s in Greek life, student government or a student/professional organization. Those people are going to be your professional peers if they stay on the right track, and your faculty advisers can really be helpful.

The friendships you’re creating and relationships you’re building can easily generate opportunities for learning outside the classroom by way of an internship or a part-time job.

Networking may sound blasé or like a soft skill, but it’s an invaluable talent to develop.

And of course, have a good time! You’ll never have an opportunity quite like this again.

Shane Broadway served three terms as an Arkansas House representative and two terms in the Senate for Pulaski and Saline Counties. He was elected the youngest Speaker of the House by his colleagues in 2001. He currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR As a nationally competitive institution, the University of Arkansas takes pride in the achievement of students, the caliber of our faculty, the dedication of our staff, and our strong ties to the communities we serve. Together, we work for progress in hundreds of interconnected fields of study and connections are at the core of this progress. The UA has adopted technologies like RazAlert, the UARK Mobile app, Blackboard, and social media to facilitate the exchange of information quickly and efficiently. The technologies we use each day keep us connected and competitive. The transition from Xpressmail to UA mail was aimed at retiring a program no longer supported by its manufacturer, in favor of a modern program for email services.

The issue is that UA mail is not a modern program. Some have highlighted a poor user interface, speed, compatibility, reliability and a lack of functional features as problems with UA mail. It seems that most favored Xpressmail for its convenience, speed, and reliability. While not particularly advanced or attractive, Xpressmail was functional. Personally, I have never used UAmail because it lacks the features built into programs that are free to the general public — programs that we don’t pay student fees to use and maintain.

Other schools have excellent programs developed and serviced by Google and Microsoft that would be a great alternative to UAmail. Most of us don’t use the UA’s programs because we simply link our accounts to another mail client. What are we paying for? I expect more for my dollars.

Don’t you?

JONATHAN CARLSMITH Graduate Student

EDITORIAL BOARD 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.

Marcus Ferreira STAFF CARTOONIST

Open Carry Law Threatens Safety FROM WHERE I STAND

by Billy Fleming ASG President

How comfortable are you around firearms? Would you lounge on the Old Main lawn or the Union Mall if you knew everyone around you may legally be carrying a concealed weapon?

If you’re like me, the prospect of legally concealed weapons on campus may prompt you to consider transferring to another campus. Unfortunately, a progun advocacy group called Arkansas Carry, headed by Steve D. Jones, is proposing just that here at the UA. I understand that our state’s affinity for Second Amendment rights is unique compared to most of the nation. There aren’t many places where a Democratic governor like Mike Beebe, would tout an endorsement by the National Rifle Association during a campaign.

Most Arkansans, myself

included, believe passionately in the right to bear arms.

What I don’t understand is why Arkansas Carry and Jones believe we should transform our public institutions of higher learning into the Wild West.

Most advocates of a campus carry provision tend to state, without the use of data or any acceptable metric, that more guns will make campus’ safer.

To make their case, advocates of campus carry laws tend to invoke tragedies like the Gabrielle Giffords shooting in Arizona, the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007, and even the shooting in 2008 at the University of Central Arkansas.

Odd as it may seem, the argument is often that allowing more guns on campus through a concealed carry provision would have allowed someone to intervene and minimize the tragic outcomes of these events.

Perhaps my faith in our fellow student body’s marksmanship is unjustifiably low, but I have a difficult time believing that a surplus of bullets and firearms would do much more than exacerbate the above situations. All it takes to garner a Concealed Handgun Carry License (CHCL) in Arkansas is a background check and a perfunctory training certification.

I can’t imagine trusting someone who has only met

these paltry requirements to intervene in an adrenaline filled, life-threatening situation. I spent two years as a Cadet at West Point, qualified as an Expert marksman (37 out of 40 timed-targets), and I wouldn’t trust myself in a situation like that — let alone someone who only meets the meager CHCL requirements.

The question I find myself struggling with on this issue, however, is why should my uneasiness with guns on our campus preclude others from exercising their Second Amendment rights? Is my fear of a gun-toting campus more significant than the right to bear arms? Does the Second Amendment apply to a college campus?

I’m not sure that I can answer those questions, or perhaps I’m simply choosing not to. The Attorney General’s Office in Arkansas, however, has provided Arkansas Carry with their interpretation of the state’s concealed carry law, which reads as follows: “Even though the statutes, as worded, permit the carrying of concealed handguns onto certain portions of college or university property…colleges and universities have the authority to prohibit the carrying of concealed handguns onto any part of their property.”

Their assessment continues by stating that carrying a con-

cealed handgun is not allowed in any place at the discretion of the person or entity exercising control over the physical location of the place. The person or entity must place a written notice that carrying a handgun is prohibited, no less than 10 feet from each entrance of the location.

The state of Arkansas has clearly identified their position on the matter, and for that I am thankful. As it stands now, the proposed legislation for a concealed carry provision has yet to be considered in committee.

However, as important as some may feel the right to bear arms might be, I believe our campus would be unequivocally less safe if concealed weapons were allowed on the premises. One only has to look at planned memorials, such as the one held at Northern Illinois University this week, to see the lasting impact firearms can have on a campus.

I’m sure in the minds of some that may make me antigun or anti-Second Amendment, but that’s simply not true.

The reality is that I would feel unsafe being on a college campus where mentally unstable, intoxicated, scorned, or poorly trained classmates may be an arm’s length away from unleashing the hell on campus seen at universities across the country.

Academic Freedom Comes Under Fire

by Lara Alley

Guest Writer

Universities are often regarded as institutions that foster academic diversity, but a recent scandal at Brooklyn College proves that sometimes having your own opinion doesn’t always pay off in the end.

On Jan. 27, adjunct professor Kristofer PetersenOverton was dismissed from a teaching position at Brooklyn College on the grounds that he was unqualified.

His dismissal sparked a fiery debate that led to multiple sources publically defending Overton’s qualifications and blaming college officials for unjustly terminating his position — ultimately leading the college to re-hire him only a few days later.

Professor Mark Ungar, who made the decision to hire Overton, claims that several individuals wrongly accused Overton of having “slanted” views on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which led to his dismissal.

Unger objected to the university’s decision to fire

him by stating that it “undermines academic freedom and departmental governance.”

New York State Assemblyman and a College alumnus, Dov Hikind, said that Overton’s dismissal was due to his curriculum, which supposedly had an anti-Israeli stance.

This curriculum was apparently reflective of his service in the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, which college officials believe was “viciously anti-Israel,” even though its purpose is to establish and protect Palestinian civil liberties.

Well-known blogger, Bruce Kesler is who many say ignited the controversy when he sent Brooklyn College President Karen Gould a letter of disapproval and posted his opinion on his blog.

“Mr. Petersen-Overton’s personal biases should not be allowed to pollute the academic realm, nor should taxpayer dollars be devoted to promoting his one-sided agenda,” he wrote.

“I ask you, Dr. Gould, is Mr. Petersen-Overton, an overt supporter of terrorism, really the best candidate Brooklyn College could find to teach this course? Surely,

you must concede that the answer is a resounding no.”

Interesting enough, it appears that Kesler’s insensible opinion on the subject actually had some pull in the outcome of Overton’s termination.

Kesler’s careless use of the word “terrorism” and Gould’s willingness to dismiss a teacher after reading one scathing blog post is startling.

Overton has a history of humanitarian work and activism in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which does not translate into terrorist acts.

Overton simply addresses the fact that there might be another, slightly less talkedabout side to the Middle East conflict and to perhaps, give a voice to the Palestinians that are affected by it.

For this to be equivalent to supporting the extremists who enter heavily populated areas with explosives is severely misguided. The accusation has no merit and for it to be considered in the debate makes me question the college officials’ leadership.

As a Palestinian-American, the constant confusion between Palestinian moderates and extremists is ex-

hausting — especially when the moderates hold the majority.

It is interesting to see how a small percentage of radical views can define the opinion on an entire race of people.

Why aren’t both sides held accountable for terroristic acts?

It is rare to see a Palestinian act of terror compared in equal measure to an Israeli act of terror. The “self-defense” claim should not be used as an excuse on either side of the spectrum.

So, where do the accusations end? I believe that there should be two separate states and that the issues should be solved reasonably and diplomatically.

However, if people like Overton are not being considered for teaching positions simply because they hold a different view that leans proPalestine, then when will we hear those opinions that trigger debate and turn peace talks into actions?

While this incident did not occur at the UA, the issue of suppressing speech on campus, whether it’s from a professor or a student, threatens the entire institution of higher education.

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

PAGE 5 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2011

BASKETBALL

WOMENS BASKETBALL

Pelphrey: Hogs an “Overachieving” Bunch Coming Up Short

by ZACH TURNER Staff Writer

Arkansas reached the 15-win mark Saturday against LSU for just the second time in coach John Pelphrey’s four years.

After the 80-61 win at home against the hapless Tigers, Pelphrey said the Razorbacks (15-9, 5-6 Southeastern Conference) had “overachieved.”

“I think this team is an overachieving team,” Pelphrey said after the LSU win. “It is probably too early to get into all of that, but we more opportunities out there so let’s see if we can overachieve and get a few more.”

The Hogs overachieving doesn’t mean Arkansas has to make up for a lack of talent on the roster, Pelphrey said Monday.

“When you know you got an overachieving mentality then you don’t worry about those things,” Pelphrey said. “Do I think that this team is the most talented team in the country?

No, I don’t, but do I think those guys understand that?

I think they do. Does that mean we can’t have success?

No. Does that mean we need to overachieve? Absolutely.”

The win over the Tigers was just the Razorbacks’ fourth in 19 games in the second half of SEC play the last three years. The Hogs ended last season on a six-game losing streak.

Before the LSU win,

Arkansas had lost three consecutive contests.

“I believe in coach,” Clarke said. “I think everyone does. We got a lot of guys that are united.”

The Razorbacks built momentum two weeks ago with consecutive wins over Auburn and then-No. 19 Vanderbilt, the Hogs dropped two straight home games to Georgia and Ole Miss after starting the season 12-0 in Bud Walton Arena.

Mississippi State then being downed Arkansas 67-56 in Starkville, Miss.

“Maybe some people are doubting us and thinking we are going to quit because we had a losing streak of three games, but we get together, work hard and get prepared for every single game and continue to do those things throughout the season we think we will be okay,” Clarke said.

Players have handled fan criticism of Pelphrey differently. Clarke said he prefers to block it out and focus on the positive and more peaceful things, but freshman Mardracus Wade said he feeds of the energy criticism gives him.

“It is like fuel to my fire,” Wade said. “I like feeling my back is against the wall because I know my guys can do it because we have shown and proven that we can do it. When I hear things like that it makes me want to go harder and play even tougher.”

Arkansas gets a timely break from SEC play Wednesday, hosting non-

Women’s basketball struggling to win close games in conference play.

by PATRICK GRINNAN Asst. Sports Editor

Ryan Miller STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Rotnei Clarke said that the team still believes in coach Pelphrey

conference foe Florida A&M (10-14, 5-6 MEAC).

A win against the Rattlers would give the Razorbacks consecutive wins heading into a showdown at SEC West division leader Alabama (16-

8,

8-2 SEC) Saturday.

“I think it is different,” Clarke said about the break from conference

see BASKETBALL on page 6

Arkansas’ women’s basketball team is nearing the end of the Southeastern Conference schedule, but lately, the Razorbacks have been attempting to get back to the form they started conference play in.

It hasn’t worked.

Arkansas (13-12, 4-8 SEC) has dropped four contests in a row, and seven of its last nine games.

“Right now we are trying to energize ourselves, to believe that we’re still the same team that won some big games early, and that was on the brink of winning our last three games,” Arkansas coach Tom Collen said.

The Razorbacks are making strides, but not enough.

Arkansas had struggled with rebounding, but has out-rebounded its opponents by four rebounds per game in the last three games.

The Razorbacks out-rebounded South Carolina and Auburn last week, but lost 57-54 and 64-59, respectively.

Arkansas continues to lose in the final moments of games. Against South Carolina, the Razorbacks gave up a two-point lead with 14 seconds remaining in regulation, losing in overtime.

Sunday against Auburn,

OLYMPIC SPORTS

Track Hogs Shine at Tyson, Despite Dismal Weather

by BRANDON HOWARD Staff Writer

Arkansas’ men’s track team had an impressive weekend at the Tyson Invitational, the last meet before the Southeastern Conference Championships.

Arkansas coach Chris Bucknam took some distance runners with him to a different meet in Seattle, leaving the rest of the team under the guidance of assistant coach Doug Case. After the meet, Arkansas jumped from No. 12 to No. 5 in the national rankings.

“We went to another level this weekend,” Bucknam said.

“Across the board, we competed well and I’m proud of the kids.

We’re feeling good about things.”

Inclement weather before the Tyson meet made it hard

for all the athletes to keep their training routines in place, but many were able to catch up on their studies, Bucknam said.

Arkansas excelled in many events in the Tyson meet. The Razorbacks only got one NCAA automatic qualifier, but had top 10 finishes in more than events.

Junior Tarik Batchelor and sophomore Dey Tuach had solid performances. Batchelor, who received the sole automatic qualifier for his long jump, reached the goal on his next to last jump with a score of 7.95m or 26-feet, 1-inch.

Tuach won the men’s 800-meter run with a time of 1:48.08.

His time was .08 seconds over for the NCAA automatic quali-

see OLYMPIC on page 6

Arkansas wase within three points with less than 30 seconds remaining, but missed an open layup and turned the ball over, forfeiting the Razorbacks’ final chance to tie the game. The Tigers ran the clock down while Arkansas scrambled in a failed attempt to foul and stop the clock.

“We haven’t shot the ball well for a long time,” Collen said. “That hurts us, and usually our defense bails us out and creates turnovers.”

The Razorbacks have not shot better than 40 percent in their last five games, shooting an average of 34 percent. Arkansas has also struggled from 3-point range in the stretch, shooting just 31.5 percent.

The Razorbacks rely on junior guard C’eira Ricketts, junior guard Lynsday Harris and sophomore post Sarah Watkins for scoring.

Ricketts leads Arkansas in scoring, averaging 13.8 points per game. Harris and Watkins average 13.2 and 13.1 points per contest, respectively. The trio has attempted 57 percent of the shots this season.

Junior forward Ashley Daniels stepped up against Auburn, though. Watkins was double-teamed by the Tigers for most of the game in the paint. Daniels took the opportunity to make

see WOMENS BASKETBALL on page 6

TENNIS

Hogs’ Rising Star Chris Nott trying to lead Arkansas to first NCAA Tournament appearance in six seasons

by BRANDON HOWARD Staff Writer

Senior Chris Nott is captain of a hungry Arkansas men’s tennis team.

Nott and the Razorbacks are trying to make their first NCAA Tournament appearance in his time as a Hog. He was ranked the No. 41 singles player in the nation in September and is trying to lead Arkansas (3-1) to its first winning season since 2006.

“We haven’t made the NCAA’s obviously,” Nott said. “If I can do my bit and win, that will mean more wins for the team and we’ll

be in the tournament. If anything like that is on my mind it’s on the back-burner because I’m focused on winning for the team.”

The Razorbacks stumbled early against UNLV, but then reeled off wins against No. 68 SMU, No. 74 Iowa and No. 47 Santa Clara.

“Our guys are getting stronger and improving each and every match,” Arkansas coach Robert Cox said. “We have a couple more weeks before conference play starts to keep getting even better.

“As senior, Chris is playing

see NOTT on page 6

Ryan Miller STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Chris Nott is the most experienced player on the Arkansas men’s tennis team and is trying to lead them to its first winning season since 2006.

COMMENTARY

Lots to Consider When Deciding Pelphrey’s Future Extra Points

JIMMY CARTER jicarter@uark.edu

Arkansas isn’t an elite basketball program anymoreNot a shocking statement, right?

Razorback fans don’t seem to get it, though.

The Hogs haven’t been a national powerhouse in 15 years.

John Pelphrey is part of the reason, but the program was already on the decline when he took over. He’s just coached while it bottomed out in the last two-and-ahalf years.

Arkansas fans are seeing signs of another late-season collapse.

It would be the third consecutive season the Razorbacks faltered down the stretch.

Remember the saying, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”? That’s how fans feel, but this season would be the third straight time the Hogs tanked.

The main culprit is everyone involved in the Nolan Richardson debacle. Richardson, Frank Broyles and John White all share blame for their role in Richardson’s firing and the subsequent hiring process of a new coach.

Arkansas hasn’t recovered.

The Razorbacks settled for upand-coming Stan Heath in 2002.

The program was still one of the top in the country and could have attracted a top-tier coach, but the Hogs settled for the flavor of the minute.

Heath was a nice guy and had several highly-touted recruiting classes, but could never turn the

corner. His back-to-back firstround exits in the NCAA Tournament weren’t enough to appease a fanbase longing for the mid-90s Final Four runs under Richardson.

Enter Pelphrey. Dana Altman took over a program full of academic and off-court issues. He left one day later and Arkansas scrambled to hire Pelphrey.

You have to give Pelphrey credit for taking a job no one else wanted. He’s never made an excuse and is one of the the Razorbacks’ nicest coaches.

He hasn’t gotten it done on the court since the Hogs started the 2008-09 season 12-1 with wins over Oklahoma and Texas. Arkansas finished the season 2-15 and its been downhill since.

The Razorbacks have gone 1429 in the Southeastern Conference since the stellar start. The Hogs ended last season on a six-game losing streak, the worst finish in

school history.

Arkansas has been inconsistent and struggled with off-court problems the last three seasons.

Ten of the the Razorbacks’ 18 scholarship players this season have been suspended at least once.

Courtney Fortson, Jason Henry, Andre Clark, Brandon Moore and Montrell McDonald all left school early or were kicked off the team.

The Hogs have struggled on the court. Pelphrey went 3-13 in the second half of SEC play the last two years and Arkansas is 0-13 on the road in the second half of conference play.

The Razorbacks look lost offensively at times and are undersized. The Hogs consistently play hard, but just don’t have the talent to succeed consistently.

Watch Arkansas play then watch Kansas or a top Big East team and you’ll see the talent gap.

Ultimately, that’s on Pelphrey’s recruiting.

His 2011 class is the silver lining and might be his saving grace, though. The class is ranked No. 6 in the nation by ESPN. B.J. Young is an electric, highly-touted point guard. Rashad Madden is an athletic, long combo guard. Aaron Ross and Hunter Mickelson are skilled, versatile combo forwards. Devonta Abron is a physical post presence.

The five recruits are Pelphrey’s biggest insurance for returning for a fifth season. The on-court results aren’t there and Razorback fans are getting tired of being an alsoran in a weak SEC. Hog fans have to accept the truth, though. Their program isn’t able to attract big-name coaches anymore.

They will have to settle for another mid-major up-and-comer like Pelphrey and Heath. A new coach would be hard-pressed to keep the recruiting class intact, just like Andre Iguodala left when

Richardson was fired.

Pelphrey hasn’t proven much at Arkansas, but the jury is still out.

He took a talented team to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in his first season.

He’s recruited one of the top classes in program history, a class that likely won’t be replicated by a new coach. Madden, Ross and Mickelson are likely the most talented in-state class since the 1970s.

The Razorbacks can’t afford to let that talent leave. They can’t afford to start over with another mid-major coach.

Not now.

This is their best chance to start a climb back to a respectable program.

That’s something they haven’t been in a decade.

Jimmy Carter is the sports editor for The Arkansas Traveler.

His column appears every other Wednesday. Follow him on Twitter @jicartersports

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2011 PAGE 6 from NOTT on page 5 in the top half of the lineup and being challenged both on and off the court. He’s stepped up and shown how to face adversity.”

The Razorbacks have been strong in doubles play this season, winning all four doubles points.

“We’re playing really well in doubles,” Nott said.

“Coach Cox emphasizes doubles a lot and we work hard in practice. What we do in practice is translating very well.”

The real challenge will start once Southeastern Conference play begins. The Hogs went 1-10 in conference play last season and four SEC teams are ranked in the top 15.

“They are some of the biggest threats to us,” Nott said about conference play.

“They are tough, but it will be some good competition.

I don’t think the low ranking reflects our playing, but we’re doing well and going in the right direction. It’s going

from BASKETBALL on page 5 play. “I don’t think it will throw us off. We are not

to be good.”

Arkansas struggled in Nott’s first three seasons, but he adjusted well after moving from another country to play college tennis at Arkansas.

The Chorley, England, native had to adjust to a new country and different culture. Named tennis captain at the Bolton School in England, Nott dominated high school tennis in England and successfully competed in junior’s play on the International Tennis Federation Circuit before coming to America.

“The transition has been pretty easy and straightforward,” Nott said. “But there was some culture shock.

I came two weeks before school, arrived at 11 p.m. and couldn’t see anything.

It was pretty scary actually.

Coach Cox and the rest of the team were really friendly and made the transition a good one.”

Nott’s high school domination transferred seamlessly to the college level as a freshman. He piled up impressive stats in both the sin-

gles and doubles matches in the spring of 2008. He led the Razorbacks with 25 singles victories and finished third with 14 doubles victories.

“Individually, Nott has improved from his freshman year in tight singles-matches,” Cox said. “He’s learned how to pull out close matches and tough points.”

Nott finished his sophomore season with more than 20 singles victories and had an eight-match winning streak, spanning from late January to early March 2009.

The high point of Nott’s singles season came when he defeated Andrei Daescu of Oklahoma, ranked No. 59 in the nation.

Nott improved even more as a junior. He led Arkansas with 17 singles victories and his national ranking peaked at No. 49.

“The Southeastern Conference is completely different than anything in England,” Nott said. “What I did outside of school improved my tennis. The SEC is the best in the US and the competition is incredible.”

going to get thrown off by anything because we don’t underestimate anyone.”

Arkansas has never played a nonconference opponent after starting SEC

play in the Pelphrey era.

“I will be disappointed if there is a letdown.”

Pelphrey said.

Sports editor Jimmy Carter contributed to this story.

Gareth Pattersonr STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Freshman Keira Peak has been a spark off the Arkansas women’s basketball team’s bench and is second on the team in rebounding average,,with 5.8 a game.

from WOMENS BASKETBALL on page 5 her mark, finishing with a team-high 22 points and 11 rebounds.

“I haven’t been playing as well as I can and I feel like the team needs me to come out and score and rebound as much as I can,” Daniels said. “They were doubling Sarah, but when I got in the post they weren’t doubling me.”

Ricketts, Harris and Watkins most likely getting the brunt of the defensive pressure, freeing up players like Daniels and freshman forward Keira Peak for more opportunities.

Daniel’s 22 points against Auburn more than quadrupled her 5.0-point average in SEC play. Peak averages 7.7 points per game and has scored in double-digits eight times this season.

“I do think when we put the ball in C’eira, Lynd-

say and Sarah’s hands, they honestly do want to make a play,” Collen said. “I think the problem sometimes is that they think the play is always a shot, from their hands, instead of an easy pass to someone who is wide open.”

The Razorbacks finish the regular season with two Thursday road games and two Sunday home games.

Up next Ole Miss in Oxford, Miss., Thursday.

from OLYMPIC on page 5 fier, but it did set the record for the second-fastest in the nation and moved him up to seventh-fastest in school history.

Arkansas has an off week before it hosts the SEC Championships at the Tyson Indoor Track, Feb. 25-27. The events all start at noon Friday and the event ends 5 p.m. on Sunday.

“I thought the kids handled everything really well,” Bucknam said. “They stayed in their routines

and kept up with things in the classroom. We feel good and we’ve got one week to go ahead and get ourselves ready for the meat-grinder.”

Razorback Women’s Track Comes Up Big at Tyson Not to be outdone by the men at the Tyson Invitational, the women’s track team had their own big performances. Current and former Razorbacks finished with multiple top 10 finishes.

Junior Whitney Jones and sophomore Regina George ran in the 200-meter dash and finished

with personal bests. Jones finished with a time of 23.87 and George finished with a time of 23.72.

“The competition in the Southeastern Conference is so key,” said head coach Lance Harter. “We depend of our kids stepping up and taking care of business against your conference foes.”

Former Razorback track star Christin Wurth-Thomas won the women’s 3,000-meter run in record time. WurthThomas finished with a time of 8:49.97, which qualified as a meet record and a Tyson Center record world this year.

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THIS WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

LAUGH IT UP Q: How many electricians does it take to change a light bulb?

A: One.

Q: When geese fly, why is one side of the ‘V’ shape they make longer?

A: It has more geese on that side.

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

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

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SOLUTION

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

UA Student Has ‘Best Winter Break Ever’ — In Jail

Andrew Van Genderen STAFF WRITER

by ANDREW VAN GENDEREN Staff Writer

Rare is the person who finds joy in being detained in a Florida jail for a month, but Jonathan Chavez managed not only to endure his time in incarceration, but prosper because of it.

“In the moments I felt most broken, God provided the most,” said a smiling Chavez, his ineffaceable grin a warm contrast with the nearly two feet of snow just outside the living room window. The past month and a half have been an incredible trial for Chavez as he fought, and continues to fight, for his diploma, his home and his potential citizenship.

Chavez, a senior music major at the UA, left Arkansas in December to visit family in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Jan. 4. Upon arriving in the city, the bus Chaez was on stopped, Immigration

and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents came aboard, and all passengers were required to present identification. Chavez had no ID except for a passport, which ultimately saved him from even deeper trouble. He and several others were taken off the bus, placed in a police car and driven to a border patrol station.

“I knew it was going to be okay,” Chavez said, remembering feeling calm as he stepped off the bus. “I was very concerned – I was afraid, of course. But I prayed every hour, and God provided.”

Chavez is not a legal citizen of the United States, but he is not necessarily an illegal immigrant, either. Chavez’s parents eventually obtained legal residency by re-marrying American citizens, but both did this after he turned eighteen years old. Thus, although his parents became legal citizens, Chavez effectively “aged out,” and fell through a hold in

the system which would have allowed him to become a citizen along with his parents.

“It wasn’t my choice in the beginning,” he said. “I actually felt guilty for a long time because I was doing something I knew I wasn’t supposed to be doing. But it was really clear eventually that God wanted me here, for whatever reason.”

After processing through the ICE station, Chavez was taken to a detainment center in Fort Lauderdale, where he was given an orange jumpsuit and relieved of all of his personal belongings.

“I was actually pretty excited,” Chavez said. “I have always wanted to see how Paul [the apostle] felt.”

He knew only his parents’ phone numbers by heart, as well as his mentor and former voice teacher, Elaine Edwards. Chavez called Edwards from the center, and “she called the whole world,”

he said.

Chavez’s lawyer advised him to have character reference letters sent to back up his resume.

On paper alone, Chavez is impressive. He is an honors student with a 4.0 GPA, sings opera as a musical performance major and is deeply involved in his community.

The response was enormous.

Friends and fellow students at the UA churned out dozens of letters. A church in Manhattan, Kan., wrote letters on his behalf. A church in England had a prayer group devoted to him. A Facebook group centered around updates on his legal status and emotional encouragement acquired more than 550 members in a matter of days. Ultimately, letters of recommendation from hundreds of people around the world, many of whom Chavez had never heard of, poured in to attempt to dissuade the judge from deporting him back to Peru.

Some of the authors of those appeals had impressive credentials. Those who wrote letters on Chavez’s behalf included UA Chancellor Dave Gearhart, UA Dean of Students Daniel Pugh, teachers from Rogers High School, representatives from numerous campus organizations, parishioners from local churches, faculty within the UA multicultural center, leaders from the Office of International Students and Scholars, and dozens of counselors from Camp War Eagle, said 2010 UA graduate Cory Garren, who read and faxed more than 60 of the letters.

“I think that it has to do with his personality,” Garren said of the amazing response to Chavez’s situation. “He is very willing to accept everybody. He is a person people can approach and can relate to. He is just a very important person in lots of people’s lives.”

“I wish I could know all of the names of all of the people who were thinking about me, and just thank them,” Chavez said. “It is

amazing how helpful encouraging words can be.”

The first hearing did not bode well initially for Chavez. The judge was a very harsh man, he said and “was against me from the beginning.” The judge denied bond and was moving swiftly towards deporting Chavez back to Peru.

However, during the hearing, the prosecuting attorney, not just his defense lawyer, requested that he be given deferred action, surprising everyone in the courtroom.

“It shocked both the judge and my lawyer,” Chavez said.

When bond was eventually set for $1,000 on Feb. 3, a close friend in Arkansas paid it the next day, and he was released.

After staying in Florida for a few days with his mother, he returned to Fayetteville on Feb. 8.

Despite the apprehension of not knowing whether he was going to spend his future in the U.S. or Peru, Chavez said his experience in the detention center was a very positive one – a blessing, not a curse.

“I learned so much,” Chavez said. “How blessed am I, that God was able to use me. And in the times I was depressed he gave me the energy and the ability to be a blessing to other people.”

He found his experience analogous in some way to those of Old Testament figures.

“It’s exactly what happened with Joseph. God puts him through this trying process, and he doesn’t know why. But it’s not until 10, 20 years later that we realize the effect that those things had on our lives,” Chavez said. “That’s the kind of God that we have. He has exactly what we need. It may be confusing at first, but it always works out for good in the end. I mean, I got arrested and was detained and still don’t know what is going to happen.

But I have faith that God will not humiliate me. He is not going to change who he is for anyone or anybody.”

Chavez shared many stories of redemption, of trust and tears, of despair and discovery from the jail. He was particularly involved on a spiritual level with his fellow inmates. He was involved in many Bible studies, and filled the role of translator in many cases since he is fluent in both English and Spanish. They read the Bible bilingually, sang songs in a number of languages and prayed together constantly.

Mike Armstrong, pastor of Christ on Campus where Chavez attends church, said Jonathan’s story is an inspiring one. “For most of us, being incarcerated is a bigger issue than God is,” Armstrong said. “For Jonathan, God is bigger than a detention center. That is why he could find joy there.”

“It was the best winter break I ever had,” Chavez said. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Although Chavez is home geographically, he is still in limbo legally, unsure of exactly what will happen next. Deferred action has not yet been granted, though he has been allowed to come back and attend school for the time being. A future hearing to finalize Chavez’s situation is expected to be scheduled, but that date has not been announced yet.

Some have tried to politicize the situation, using his story as a textbook example of who the DREAM Act would protect.

However, Chavez has no desire to be thrust into the political spotlight. “It’s just weird. I have never been involved in politics,” he said, “but I am more than willing to share my experience and what God did for me – that is more important.”

Until further notice, Chavez will remain in Fayetteville, hoping to complete his final semester of college and live permanently in the area he calls home.

“The only thing that I can say is that God is great,” Chavez said.

“If you are faithful to God, he will be faithful to you.”

Old 97’s Brings Country Music With Southern Roots to George’s

Website Assists Flirtation for Lovelorn College Students

by ELIZABETH BOSTWICK Staff Writer

“You came in wearing an adorable blue shirt and I had to keep my jaw from dropping.

I kept myself from staring too much, and just hoped you’d say something to me…but then you drove away in your little blue Camry. Hopefully I’ll see you again.”

If that quote failed to pique your interest, maybe this line will do the trick: “I saw you in psychology today, and your red Patagonia pullover and baby blue polo tee turn me on ; ) I want to run my fingers through your soft blonde buzz cut hair.

Maybe Thursday I won’t be so shy and actually talk to you.”

Still not intrigued? Or maybe wondering where to read more?

Check out the new social networking site, likealittle.com.

The anonymous quotes above are two examples of many “flirts” displayed on the site from the UA campus.

The website’s CEO, Evan Reas, founded the site to help shy students connect with their crushes through anonymous

online flirtation. The FFP, or “flirting-facilitator platform,” as Reas dubbed likealittle.com, gives users the opportunity to express their sentiments without the risk of outright rejection.

“The site’s purpose is to allow you to compliment and chat about your crushes around you or otherwise bemoan your missed encounters from the safety of your trusty screen,” Reas explains on the website.

Site visitors have the option to sign-up for a likealittle.com account and view flirts from their campus. A likealittle account also allows users to track flirting activity in specific locations, message other likealittle users and chat with members of the likealittle community. Users post “flirts,” and other users have the opportunity to respond to these comments. Users are given random fruit names to identify comment sources.

Reas and two friends created the website in October 2010 after experiencing their own flirtation frustrations. The site is now present on more than 500

campuses across the U.S. The University of Texas, Texas A&M and University of California at Santa Cruz are the most active campuses on the site. Reas is originally from Wisconsin and studied economics at Stanford.

“It is difficult and awkward to make that first move and we knew that first hand from seeing girls and neighbors around us and just being too shy to say hello. We decided to come up with interesting ways to connect people in the world around them, and the rest is history,” Reas said.

The buzz about likealittle. com begs the question—does the site actually work? Are there any concrete examples of crush connections? Yes. Reas and his team devote an entire section of the site to success stories.

“We have heard hundreds of stories of successful connections and lots of people email us to say thank you all the time. It is very exciting and cool to see,” Reas said in an email interview.

For those left to enjoy Valentine’s Day alone, likealittle. com just might offer a glimmer of hope.

Courtesy Photo

by JON COX

Staff Writer

“It was a lonely holiday/I was alone, you were away/ in Fayetteville or in another state/There’s so many towns I hate.”

Thus begins the Old 97’s song “Lonely Holiday,” from their 1999 album Fight Songs. As a big Old 97’s fan and a life-long Fayettevillian, that line has always irked me a bit. When I got to interview lead singer Rhett Miller all I had to do was mention the song.

“I know, I know,” he said.

His apology was to explain the song in a way I had never interpreted it. I had always viewed the song as Miller’s angst at a girlfriend abroad.

I had, in fact, inverted their roles: the song is from the point of view of a girlfriend, mad at Rhett’s absence due to touring. In fact, he termed her the enemy in the song.

He reassured me that he loved Arkansas; his greatgrandmother is from Pine Bluff. The town serves as the backdrop of the song ‘Am I Too Late?’

Location is undeniably a part of the band’s identity, particularly their country roots. Most songs are peppered with Texas references, although that does nothing to restrict their appeal.

Indeed, whenever Miller forgets what song he’s on, he simply thinks back to where he was when he wrote it.

‘Big Brown Eyes,’ a song he assured me he’d play, was written in the kitchen of an apartment he shared with the guitarist from the Toadies, in a night in which he drank four tallboys.

Out of curiosity, I asked which would be his most exotic song. ‘She Loves the Sunset,’ he replied. A song that seems you should be sipping drinks in coconuts

with cocktail umbrellas, gazing upon hula girls was, in reality, written on the porch of his in-laws house in Cleveland. Exotic? Perhaps not. But it isn’t Texan.

Fighting the urge to get quiet and contemplative in their old age, their latest album, Blame It On Gravity, returns to their roots in Rhett’s mothers garage some 20 years ago. The band mixed classic Old 97’s hits, and a few sneak peeks from their upcoming album, The Grand Theatre, Volume 1, at George’s Friday night.

Miller assures me they’ve been harassing their booking agent to get them more shows in Arkansas.

“It’s ridiculous we aren’t playing as many shows up there as we are in Houston,” he said. Fayetteville is, at the least, “incrementally cooler than Dallas.”

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2011 PAGE 9

Courtesy Photo

by MILLE APPLETON Managing Editor

She spent a year in Thailand teaching English. She lived in New York City for three years.

She had an internship with designer Marc Jacobs. And now she’s finally found her home – a trailer in Arkansas.

A renovated 1973 Airstream trailer to be fair, or Lucy Pearl as she likes to call it. And it’s not technically her home, but home to the things she holds most dear: vintage clothing, jewelry and accessories.

Molly Clark, a Fayetteville native, grew up being teased about her clothing, which always stood out from other people’s standard Gap or J. Crew. At 31, not much has changed.

Best friend of six years Brittany Phillips said Clark still gets teased from friends who joke she’s “wearing costumes,” but now the teasing is really just a form of jealousy.

“She has a creative vision, and it’s contagious. She can put on grandpa trousers she’s made into shorts, wear tights, high heels and a big sweater and just look adorable,” Phillips said.

Step inside Grey Dog Vintage Boutique on College Avenue, across from Starlight Skatium, and that’s exactly what you’ll see: Clark’s creative vision for turning old, used clothing into modern, oneof-a kind pieces for a customer, exactly her inspiration for the symbolic trailer that houses the unique art.

“I’ve always considered fashion to be a real way of expressionism. It’s an individual way of shopping and dressing. You’re not going to be wearing something someone else is wearing, every piece has a history, a story, and I like that,” Clark said.

Though one may wonder how Clark could possibly fit anything into a 25-foot trailer, let alone an aspiring business, visitors are pleasantly surprised when they climb the stairs and nearly float into another world, instantly greeted by Clark’s infectious smile and sincere welcoming.

“As soon as you go into Grey Dog, Molly makes you feel at home,” said employee Brittany Arroyos. “It’s like you enter her own closet, and looking through everything you can feel how much love she’s put into it, every little detail.”

The trailer houses the company of precious vintage garments, jewelry and accessories from across the globe spanning from the 1940s to the 1980s. The silver curved

walls explode with color and history as these timeless treasures hang from their mobile home, transformed

by Clark’s creativity and her seamstress Stephanie Baker’s handiwork into modern vintage.

“Half of her clothes are being totally repurposed. There could be an old-lady-looking long, wool skirt that no young person in their right mind would ever wear, but Molly has a vision for how cute it would be,” said Phillips, graphic

by drawn metallic curtains.

On the opposite end is Clark’s office space. With room for a small desk, chair, laptop and limited business supplies, Clark notes one of the reasons she brings in new clothing and accessories every day is to keep the boutique fresh not only for customers, but herself as well.

Closer attention to detail provides more of a clue to Clark’s personality, including the easily overlooked antique guns camouflaged onto the white walls used to hang jewelry.

Clark claimed she styled the trailer to have masculine and feminine touches, much like her own personal style.

The two delicate crystallized chandeliers hanging from the low ceiling embody not only the trailer, but Clark as well.

Leaving Fayetteville for a bigger city to liberate her artsy self, Clark graduated from the University of Texas, Austin, with a degree in fashion merchandising. After an internship with the illustrious Marc Jacobs, Clark worked in New York City in fashion advertising for three years.

Unsatisfied with her job in advertising, Clark wanted to create an outlet for her love of collecting vintage clothing by opening her own eBay store, Strange Young Pony.

The one-of-a-kind name, now a permanent accessory tattooed on Clark’s wrist in Thai, is a symbolic title she borrowed from a story her aunt had written about her family when she was a child.

“My aunt passed away pretty young, at 41 from cancer, but she always inspired me to travel, and she’s a reminder to me that life is short,” Clark said.

And Clark didn’t want Courtesy Photos to spend her short life doing something she wasn’t designer for Grey Dog. passionate about, so she left the Dressed in vintage from Big Apple and returned to her head to toe, or in this case from roots.

1960s gold, tiger-head earrings Coming home to Fayetteville to “old school” Converse, Clark with a friend from New York pulls off the wearable vintage City, Josh Wilson, she found look that has been exemplified a new surprising fervor in in the atmosphere of the renovating houses and the pair boutique. established the development Clothes line the walls on company Eastville Holdings. perfectly manicured racks On the banks of the White that boast a diverse group of River, Wilson and Clark patterned dresses, wool shorts, found a beat up Airstream polyester blouses and leather trailer for sale. The soon-to-be jackets. Heels and sandals peek beloved Pearl was originally out from underneath the long intended to be renovated into hems on the hardwood floors. a studio apartment. It wasn’t A pair of funky, leopard- until Clark’s trip to Thailand print, knee-high boots that a year later that the idea was are propped in the far end remodeled into floor plans of a of the trailer next to a grand boutique. full-length mirror draw the As Clark realized her eye to a space that offers itself dream of opening a women’s as a miniature dressing room, boutique was starting to come separated from wandering eyes to fruition, and the piles of

clothing continued to grow in her second-bedroom-turnedcloset, she decided to take a cue from her aunt’s memory to travel and do something spontaneous before settling down.

Using the money she’d saved from Strange Young Pony, Clark headed to Thailand for a year to teach English.

Remarkably, it was in Thailand that she found her boutique’s golden ticket – vintage Japanese-made clothing that had a western flair to them.

“A lot of the pieces I had no idea were Japanese and thought they just ended up in western Thailand, but they have a very strong western influence. They’ve got the same silhouettes and same details, like ascot ties and ruffle details, but they have incredible prints and extra attention to detail,” she said.

Clark discovered after World War II there was an influx of Japanese women who wanted to dress like Americans. This prompted the Japanese to incorporate western details into their Asian styles.

Four 50 lbs bags later, Clark was halfway across the world in Arkansas renovating a trailer to

serve as the women’s shop Grey Dog Vintage Boutique.

The idea of using the trailer to house Clark’s boutique fit perfectly with her business model.

“Airstream itself kind of shows that you can reuse anything as long as you put the work into making it look great.

You can transform anything that’s out there and that’s kind of what Molly is doing with the clothing as well,” Wilson said.

Clark and Wilson did all of the renovations themselves, gutting the trailer and starting from scratch.

With the tricky curved walls and aluminum panels, it took multiple 10-hour days to move past gutting and into the transition of renovation, Wilson said.

The six-week project was finally concluded after laborious hours of sweat and tears and a rejuvenated “blank canvas” as Clark called it. She channeled her college town of Austin to make the most out of her current space.

Home to a community of quirky Airstream trailers, Austin is known for its eclectic and liberal lifestyle as well as preserving small local businesses. In the SoCo district

of Austin, a passerby could find anything from tacos to cupcakes to crepes to chicken and waffles in the South Austin Trailer Park & Eatery.

“People are saying they want to open a restaurant or salon.

We could have an Airstream nest right there on that lot.

Wouldn’t that be fun?” Clark mused.

Clark’s dream to “travel and bring one-of-a-kind pieces back and spread the love” is coming true as she prepares for her next trip to Thailand in less than a month.

With the clothes and accessories she finds across the globe, as well as the gems she finds at estate sales or thrift stores during weekend road trips, Clark envisions a flagship boutique in Fayetteville coupled with other stores throughout the country.

She’s spotted an old gas station in Evelyn Hills, Fayetteville that could be renovated to keep its charm, but modernized a bit. Then she could hitch up ol’ Pearl and hit the open road.

But for now, her heart lies in a trailer in an empty lot and she’s loving every minute of it.

PAGE 10

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2011

information to various professionals including farmers, gardeners and architects.

After all, without his knowledge in horticulture, his coffee vision may never have come true.

In 2005, Bray led a short-term church missions team from New Heights Church in Fayetteville to Honduras.

Their purpose was to provide agricultural outreach to indigenous farmers.

“We were trying to help them create a sustainable food system in the area — help them with farming techniques,” Bray said.

The farmers appreciated the effort but were more interested in getting help growing coffee, a major cash crop and source of revenue for them. Fortunately, Bray had coffee fresh on his mind Lindsey Pruitt FEATURES EDITOR after having written Bray allows the beans to pour out into the cooling tray where they cool before being packaged, after 12 to 17 a research paper on coffee breeding three minutes of tumbling in the roaste. months before the trip.

by LINDSEY PRUITT Arkansas.

He used his horticulture Features Editor One of several coffee roasting background to teach them businesses in the area, Bray’s an agriculture method called His travels include business, Airship Coffee, Sloping Agriculture Land Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, supplies 24 wholesale accounts: Technology, or SALT. Kenya, Ethiopia and Honduras. offices, restaurants and coffee “Because the land has such All farmlands. All cash crop shops in Northwest Arkansas. steep hill sides they have a producers. And all for the sake While Bray admits that his problem with soil erosion,” of a good cup of Joe. business is certainly taking Bray said. He and his team Mark Bray, a 36-year- off and “some really cool stuff designed a system using rows of old horticultural extension is happening,” he remains tree legumes to hold the soil in agent for the UA Division of dedicated to his day job as a place and capture nutrients for Agriculture, has made it his horticultural extension agent the coffee plants. mission to create a thriving for Benton County. There he Naturally, Bray began to get coffee culture in Northwest provides updated horticultural to know the farmers since he

spent so much time with them.

“I ended up building relationships with some of the farmers and realized that growing the coffee wasn’t their only problem. They also needed help getting access to a market to sell the coffee beans,” he said.

But first the beans needed roasting.

When Bray brought his first load of coffee beans home from Honduras, he didn’t even have a roaster yet.

“I found a coffee roasting Ph.D. dissertation from a doctoral student at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland and studied cited literature,” Bray said. “Then I bought a hot air popcorn popper for $4 at a second hand store and used it to roast in my garage.”

After sharing the beans with a friend who owned a local restaurant called World Garden, Bray was offered a spot in the restaurant to roast his beans.

Knowing that his thrifty find would be inadequate, he traded in the $4 popcorn popper for a $28,000 custom-built 12-kilogram drum roaster.

Cuddled by distressed copper, the roaster has an old world, contemporary feel, giving it a statuesque beauty. Because Bray spent so much time roasting on nights and weekends away from his family of five kids and his wife, a co-worker from World Garden named the roaster “The Copper Lady” to refer to his metaphorical mistress.

The roaster now sits in the corner of a friend’s warehouse in Springdale after World Garden closed from economic stress.

Late into the evening, Bray can be found among bags of imported coffee beans and his copper lady waiting for the sights, sounds and smells of a perfectly roasted bean.

Horticulturist by day, coffee roaster by night.

Bray buys coffee beans from all over Latin America, Africa and Indonesia using his vacation time to visit these exotic lands to make deals with the local farmers.

One of Bray’s most interesting suppliers is a 70-year-old Guatemalan woman named Mama Carmen.

Mama Carmen was given her coffee farm as an anonymous gift for her philanthropic efforts to take care of more than 50 abandoned children off the streets of Guatemala City.

Inspired by Mama Carmen’s good deed and beautiful coffee farm, Bray, along with members from his original missions team to Honduras, will open their own coffee shop in Fayetteville in two weeks.

It will be called Mama Carmen’s Espresso Café and will be on North College Street across from Shake’s Frozen Custard. It will include an espresso bar, a slow bar and even a store for jewelry, handbags and other items made around the world.

Best of all, it will provide a new home for the copper lady, and more opportunity for Bray

Lindsey Pruitt FEATURES EDITOR

Mark Bray, a 36-year-old horticultural extension agent for the UA Division of Agriculture, roasts coffee beans in friends warehouse as his “moonlighting gig” on nights and weekends.

Brays roasting business is called Airship Coffee. to expose his roasting talents to the public.

Bray receives the beans while they are still green, but have been dried to 11 or 12 percent moisture. The beans pour in, similar to the sound of a rain stick, and are roasted in an artisan-style drum roaster heated by natural gas. The sound of the beans cracking and tumbling in the roaster is a familiar music to accompany Bray’s art.

“Roasting is a good mix of art and science,” Bray said. “A good understanding of the science of roasting provides the framework for the art to be expressed.”

He also relies on his senses.

“It’s very much a sensory experience. I like to find the peak aroma of any particular bean by waiting for the right fragrance,” he said. Watching the beans turn from green to yellow to brown, Bray keeps a keen eye on the small circular window, as if eyeing his copper lady.

Depending on the desired roast, he roasts the beans up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 17 minutes. Once they’ve reached the terminal temperature, they’re dumped into the cooling tray where they cool rapidly.

After the beans cool they are ready to be packaged, sold, ground and brewed.

The Coffee House in Johnson, Ark., run by a 23-year-old softnatured and matter-of-fact guy named Ty Fuller, is happy to brew.

“I’ve known Mark Bray for about three years and he has taught me a lot about coffee.

We sit around and talk about religion, politics or whatever comes up. He is just one of those friendly good guys,” Fuller said.

The Coffee House is nestled in the bottom of an antique house built in 1903 and was renovated by Ty and the help of some of his friends. It serves as a cozy outlet for Bray’s roasting wonders.

“Ty is really good at preparing espresso drinks so I was glad to open communication with him in using my coffee beans,” Bray said.

One of The Coffee House’s regulars, Jared Graham, has been enjoying Bray’s beans and Ty’s barista abilities since the house opened last December.

“I go a couple of days a week at least,” Graham said.

“I like the idea behind The Coffee House because I always root for the entrepreneur and the underdog. Starbucks is great but I want my $15 a week to go toward someone’s dream,” he said.

And Bray’s dream is definitely benefited by Graham’s business.

With the opening of Mama Carmen’s Espresso Café and multiple invitations from farmers across the world to visit and use their coffee beans, Bray’s mission to provide quality coffee is intensifying.

“The business is growing and that’s good. But what really gets me excited is to be a part of a developing coffee culture in Northwest Arkansas that’s built around the pursuit of coffee excellence,” Bray said.