Razorback Swim Team to Face the Bulldogs Page 7
Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012
“About You, For You”
University of Arkansas Student-Run Newspaper Since 1906
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Working Over Fall Break
Bailey Deloney Staff Writer
Aw, Snap: Performance Poetry on Campus Fayetteville recently played host to the Individual World Poetry Slam, which hosted over 70 poets from all across the world competing for the title for World Poetry Champion. Full Story, Page 5
UA Student Receives and Gives Back Through Boys and Girls Club Freshman Trei Dudley recently received the highest honor given to Boys and Girls Club members nationwide. Full Story, Page 5
Vol. 107, No. 36
Emily Rhodes Photo Editor Construction workers work during Fall Break at the Vol Walker Hall addition and renovation site, Tuesday, Oct. 16. The renovation is planned to be completed in Fall 2013.
Safe Zone Allies had their next orientation session Oct. 15. Safe Zone is a national organization dedicated to making sure all students feel welcome and accepted, regardless of their sexual orientation, said Brande Flack-Armstrong, associate director for Multicultural Educational Outreach Center for Multicultural and Diversity “We believe in equality, equal services and equal rights for everyone,” said Viviana Pagán, program coordinator for Multicultural Educational Outreach Center for Multicultural and Diversity. Every third Monday of the month, Pagán coordinates an orientation for UA faculty and staff members who are interested in becoming safe allies. Judd Harbin, associate dean, leads these orientation sessions, Pagán said. These sessions help train safe allies on how to provide safe conversation and resources to students who may come to them for help, Pagán said. Following the orientation, safe allies post a rainbow hog outside their doors in order
Leaves Fall Off the Trees, Actors Perform Students Off the Grid Stories Written by Local Prisoners v
Jaime Dunaway Staff Writer
Men’s Soccer Plays at High Level
Since being founded in 2006, the men’s soccer club has played a competitive level in the Oklahoma Club Collegiate Soccer League. Full Story, Page 7
Today’s Forecast
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to show their support for gay, lesbian and bisexual students, Flack-Armstrong said. This hog serves as a comfort to students and also notifies them that they can seek counsel and support from those faculty members, Flack-Armstrong said. “Safe allies are a network of people who are open to identifying themselves as accepting of the gay, lesbian, bisexual population,” Pagán said. The more rainbow hogs students see around campus, the more students will see the university as a welcoming place, Flack-Armstrong said. Even if some do not choose to use the facility as a resource, this sign of support will mean a great deal and help make sure everyone feels welcome here, Flack-Armstrong said. Hershel Hartford, administrative support supervisor in the department of communication became a safe ally when he was the Episcopal chaplain at UA. “It is important for people to have an understanding that there are people out there that they can talk to about issues,” Hartford said. People need to be able to express themselves openly, he said.
Shelby Gill Asst. Companion Editor
Her daughter’s favorite color is yellow, the car that takes her across town is yellow, the suit she wears at the Northwest Arkansas Community Correction Center is yellow, and the “Prison Stories” project presented Thursday by five northwest Arkansas actors at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church put the audience focus on “yellow.” “I wear the color yellow, but I am not yellow. It’s just the color I have to wear right now, because it’s all that’s given to me,” said Jordan Scott, one of the “Prison Stories” performers. “Prison Stories” is a writing project started in Memphis, Tenn., by actress Elaine Blanchard in 2009. The project offers a small group of imprisoned women an intensive writing course. They use writing to look into the lives of incarcerated women and then they transform their stories into a theatrical performance. Volunteers act in the theater adaptations to allow the inmates to “develop a deeper trust in themselves and the power of their stories,” Blanchard said on the Prison Stories Project webpage. “There are times when times are good and there are times when times are bad but time is all I’ve ever had and now it’s locked up time,” said actress Arianne Ellison from the stage, reading the poetry written by the
inmates. The writers are kept anonymous because of the sensitivity of the performance’s topics such as drugs, abuse and family. Five performers sat in chairs on a dimly lit stage in the parish hall while poetry and dialogue bantered from actor to actor without pause. The script had a unique tone for each woman it represented and it moved rapidly through an array of delicate topics ranging from “meth” to “men.”
“This facility is doing something very wonderful to their minds because they were so loving. My stereotypes were definitely broken down.” Erika Wilhite
Playwright
The performances grew increasingly personal as the stories progressed from life before prison to looking into the future outside the prison bars. Nearly 100 people packed into St. Paul’s and sat hushed until they erupted
see PRISONERS page 3
Students and faculty return to campus refreshed and ready for the second half of the semester after four days off from classes. “Fall break gives students a chance to rest and head into the final weeks of semester,” said Scott Flanagin, director of communications and outreach for the division of student affairs. “October becomes a very long month, and there are a lot of things happening.” Fall break was implemented last year as a result of a poll conducted by Associated Student Government in 2010. Students had made the request for a break in the fall several years prior to 2010, but they had to wait until the provost and faculty decided it was time to work on making it a reality, Flanagin said. Students said they think that Fall break is a positive experience that helps them relax and get caught up on their school work. “I am going to go crazy if I don’t have Fall break with law school and all,” said Ben Hale, first year law student. Other students agree. “With school being so stressful, it’s a little break to catch up and give you a little breather,” said Shauntell Mathis, freshman chemical engineering major. “It gives you a chance to rest and clear your mind
if you actually study.” Fall break is also another way for students to escape the drudgery of their daily routine. “Fall break is two extra days to get out of the regular flow of things and mix things up a bit,” s aid
Rachel Larios, freshman computer science major. “I get to sleep in a few extra days, and I have more free time to do stuff.” Fall break gives students the opportunity to go home to visit family and friends or opens up free time for families to visit their student at the UA. For students who are not going home, several said they would find activities around campus, such as hiking at Devil’s Den or visiting the Crystal Bridges
see BREAK page 2