Mallett Goes Down, Wilson Steps Up Page 8
PAGE 1 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2010
Vol. 105, NO. 10
Muslim Woman Bullied in Library by NICK DEMOSS News Editor
An apparent case of verbal harassment in Mullins Library Oct. 8 was an isolated incident and not indicative of a larger epidemic of antiMuslim sentiment, police said. Doctoral candidate Banan Al-Daraiseh was standing at the main entrance of the library waiting for her friend when an unidentified man began harassing her, as students and staff stood in disbelief, she said. “There’s no place for you in America,” the man yelled.
“There’s no place for Sharia, go back to Sudan.” Sharia law is the sacred law of Islam. Al-Daraiseh reportedly asked the man whether she was bothering him, to which he responded, “Yes you’re bothering me – the way you’re dressing is bothering me.” AlDaraiseh and her friend were wearing hijabs – a traditional Muslim head covering. Library officials attempted to intervene in the conversation and the man eventually left after failing to find an open computer, said Alberta Bailey, director of public services for Mullins Library. Because the library is a state
institution, anyone can use the resources it offers, though non-affiliated users are supposed to check in with staff, said Allon Callahan, night circulation supervisor. The pair subsequently filed a complaint with both the library and UAPD. The man is yet to be identified and the case is still being investigated, said UAPD Lt. Matt Mills. Mills noted that the incident was “definitely not something that occurs frequently.” Al-Daraiseh also mentioned that she had never previously been approached in such a hateful way. The incident was likely fueled by
misconceptions about the nature of Islam, some of which are perpetuated by news outlets, she said. The man’s comment about Sharia Law in America may have been fueled by recent statements made by Nevada Senate nominee Sharron Angle, Al-Daraiseh said. Angle told a group of Tea Party supporters earlier this month that two U.S. cities are under Sharia law. “Misinformation of Muslims in the media can mis-
recycled water bottles, and in seven uses will have left no carbon footprint, according to the habitotes Web site. This means the Hog Wild totes will represent 250,000 plastic bottles removed from the amount of waste northwest Arkansas produces. The totes not only hold four times as much as common plastic bags—up to 25 pounds the Web site says, but they are also washable. When students from Fayetteville High School’s Green Team and the U of A Green Groups Guild distribute the totes at Reynold’s Stadium before the game, tailgaters will be trading
in plastic shopping bags for the more durable and reusable bags. “We’re of a generation in which conservation practices must be taught — we weren’t born knowing how to care for our environment,” said habitotes’ Greg Sparrow. “By involving these local student groups in this tote giveaway, we’re hoping to ensure a sustainable future for those who will come after us.” The goal of habitotes totes, according to the Web site, is to provide a way to reduce dependency on plastic bags and a way for companies to create brand awareness. When organizations sponsor totes with their custom-
ized logos, the reusable bags can be distributed for free, serving the dual purpose of increased marketing opportunities and increased recycling awareness. The Hog Wild version for this weekend is also a canvas for team spirit. If each one of the 50,000 totes to be handed out at the game were used only four times instead of a grocery sack, it would be the same as if 800,000 plastic shopping bags had been taken out of circulation. For the students who help
see MUSLIM on page 3
Game DayTotes Promote Recycling by LIBBI STURM Staff Writer
Recycling will team up with Razorback spirit during the Arkansas—Ole Miss game this weekend when 50,000 “Hog Wild habitotes” will be distributed to fans before the game. These eco-friendly alternatives to plastic shopping bags are made by habitotes, a northwest Arkansas company that uses recycled plastic water bottles to make the totes. This week, the totes will have a Razorback printed on one side and the U of A Old Main logo on the other side. Each tote is made from five
see HABITOTES on page 3
Camping Rules for the Ole Miss Game
Students can camp at Gate 17 beginning at 11:30 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 21. !"Students must register their tents to receive permits registering up to 10 campers per tent. !"Tents must be attended at all times by at least one person. If left unattended, the tents may be removed by university personnel. !"Tents and other camping equipment must be removed by 5:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 23. !"Stadium Drive will be closed to traffic starting at 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 21. !"Camping will not be permitted at any entrance to Barnhill Arena prior to entry into the Snoop Dogg concert. !"
Photo Illustration Recycling officials will hand out approximately 50,000 tote bags at the Oct. 23 football game against Ole Miss. The UA-themed totes are meant to reduce the need for plastic grocery bags.
The Age-Old Question:To Skip or Not to Skip? Website Provides Class Skipping Calculator by ALEX HETHERINGTON Staff Writer
LARRY ASH Photo Editor Sara Osuan, a sophomore from Springdale, checks email and relaxes in front of the Fulbright Peace Fountain near Old Main. Osuan ‘s Sociology class had been canceled and she was killing time Friday morning before going to lunch with friends.
The urge to stay in a warm bed on a rainy day can sometimes compromise even the most dedicated student’s will to learn. For students conflicted about whether to skip – there is help. “Wondering if you should skip class today?” The Should I Skip Class Today? Calculator (www.skipclasscalculator.com) asks. Students can enter basic information about a class, such as how many times per week they have the class, their current grade, attendance policy, and more, click submit and the question of whether or not it is worth it to skip is resolved. The Should I Skip Class Today? Calculator was developed by Jim Filbert, a 2010 telecommunications management graduate working as a web developer in Detroit, Mich. “The idea came to me one day in February 2010. I woke up one cold morning and debated whether or not I wanted to get out of bed to go to class. I ran
the risk in my head. Then I pondered. I was wondering if there might already be a tool on the interwebs which would run that risk for me. After a few minutes of searching I found nothing -so I decided it was up to me to create. I ended up skipping class that day because I was too excited about the idea,” Filbert reports on the website. “I can see how the information might be useful, but it wouldn’t really affect me because I never skip anyway. I think students should make up their own minds since they are actually taking the class,” said Sarah Griffis, an English and classical studies senior. The website is based on a point system designed to assess the necessity of class attendance. “Each question and answer are assigned a point value. When you hit submit, those values are put through a formula. Some questions have more weight than others. The value produced by the formula will fit into a range of numbers, which correspond
to the outcome. The calculator has been run through dozens of scenarios by multiple testers to ensure the most logical and accurate outcome,” according to the website. The website claims 48,363 calculations so far. “I entered both the classes I take and the classes I teach into the calculator, and I’ll give it some credit, since it said I ‘must go’ to all of them,” said Dolly Hayde, a graduate student and assistant in the anthropology department. “Still, after looking at the site a bit, my impression is that the people who are most likely to use it are probably the people who need to come to class the most,” Hayde said. The Should I Skip Class Today? Calculator website will soon have a community section and already has a Facebook page featuring student grumblings and education-related media. “Sometimes I think it [the website] is [stupid] too,” Filbert notes in the website’s frequently asked questions.
ZTA Promotes Cancer Awareness by KRISTEN COPPOLA Staff Writer
The ladies at the Zeta Tau Alpha house are raising awareness and funds as a part of their national philanthropy. The entire month of October and into November ZTA girls will be setting up booths and hosting various activities in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The awareness event has
taken place every October since 1984. Breast cancer awareness is of interest to ZTA, because the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation is nationally sponsored by Susan G. Komen for the Cure. They are also sponsored by other organizations involved in promoting awareness. “We’re partnered with about 15 different things [including] Susan G. Komen, the NFL, Yoplait Save Lids to Save
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2010 VOL. 105, NO.10 UATRAV.COM
Lives, Betsey Johnson, Lifetime, and Self magazine,” said ZTA President Kelli Golden. The work that ZTA sisters are doing is a part of their required 10 hours per semester of service, but the girls are still very eager to participate. “[The service work] doesn’t have to be with Susan G. Komen,” Golden said. “But a lot of the girls that join Zeta join because of our philanthropy and because they’re somehow directly connected to breast cancer. It’s affected their mom, their aunt, their grandma or
see ZETA on page 3
UATRAV.COM
GARETH PATTERSON Staff Photographer A member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority helps sophomore Kathryn Snyder stick her pink breast cancer awareness ribbon on her shirt in front of the Arkansas Union. Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer among women in the United States.
Fulbright Core Slated to Change by JORDAIN CARNEY Asst. News Editor
Approximately 120 members of the Fulbright faculty voted to adopt the state’s 35-hour core Thursday. The motion passed 75-37 . If the faculty hadn’t voted to accept the new core, Fulbright College would have two cores, said Bill Schwab, dean of Fulbright College. One for traditional students and one for transfer students. A concern with going from the 66-hour core to a 35-hour core was cutting general requirements such as foreign language. Classes removed from the general core can be added to specific majors. The faculty decided to reconsider the changes after Schwab retires at the end of the school year. The motion to reconsider was presented by Chaim GoodmanStrauss, a professor in the Math Department. “It’s not necessarily clear if it was the best way or the only way,” he said. Some professors asked if having a new dean reexamine the changes undercut the vote. “I don’t see this as negating any of the work we’ve done so far,” said Jacob Adler, a philosophy professor. “This is the best we could do in the available, but maybe we could do better if we had more time.” The new core still has to go through a formal university approval process before it can go into effect, said Lynn Fisher, director of communications of Fulbright College. If the changes are approved, the new core will go into effect for the 2011-2012 academic year. Students will be advised based on the year they entered the university, but can request to have their catalogue year moved forward, she said.