April 13, 2011 by The Echo

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Volume 105 — Issue 11

April 13, 2011 Wednesday

4 TODAY Sunny

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4T H U R S D AY

Opinion:

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4F R I D AY

Partly Cloudy

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Baseball: Bears win series against Bobcats with Sunday victory 13-7 4 page 8

Comedy: Colin Mochrie, Brad Sherwood entertain Reynolds audience

Voice: Board of Trustees Endowment Fund is OK when used appropriately

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4 page 3

Thunderstorms

Sports:

Campus Life:

Care Bears host Eat to Beat Cancer by Brad Smith Staff Writer

The UCA Care Bears hosted their second annual “Eat to Beat Cancer” lunch April 6 in McCastlain Hall. The dinner was held as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society to help fund cancer research. Food for the dinner was donated by Aramark. The crowd was mainly UCA faculty and staff, with a few students eating at the event, as well. A minimum $5 donation allowed anyone to eat from the buffet of soup and fruit salad. Chef Robert Hall made desserts for the event. At noon, an auction for homemade deserts was held, with items starting at $10. All desserts were donated by UCA faculty and staff and all money from the desserts went to the American Cancer Society. While most items in the auction went for $15-$25, a pan of brownies were sold for $45. There were more than 20 desserts auctioned off at the lunch. “This is raising wonderful money for cancer research and cancer treatment,” Philip Shell, the auctioneer at the event, said. The UCA Care Bears relay for life team has sponsored multiple events to raise money for the American Cancer Society, including a fundraiser at Pizza Hut in Conway. The Care Bears waited tables and a percentage of the profits from

Around Campus: Health and Wellness Fair The Health and Wellness Center is sponsoring the Annual Wellness Fair today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom.

Language scholarships The Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures is offering three scholarships to native speakers of Spanish, French and Japanese for the Fall 2011 semester. Applicants must be undergraduate students and will need to work eight hours a week in the Language Learning Center. The deadline is today and applications can be turned into Irby 207.

Bear Hug of the Nature Reserve Tomorrow during x-period the Green Bear Project will attempt to form a human chain around the Jewel Moore Nature Reserve as a sign of protecting it. All students are welcome to participate. Food and prizes will be offered to participants.

80 Proof Applications 80 Proof applications are available for executive office positions and are due Friday in the Student Life office, Student Center 207 or in the Student Health building office.

Step Show The All-Greek Step Show will be Friday at 7 p.m. in the Farris Center. Greek organizations from around campus will participate and the event is open to all students. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the Farris Center.

Senior Brick Seniors graduating in May are encouraged to be a part of the UCA Senior Legacy Walk by ordering a senior brick. Brochures are available at Buffalo Alumni Hall or online at uca.edu/alumni.

250 Mile Club The Bear Tracks 250 Mile Club is accepting members. Students are able to accumulate up to five miles a day and mileage is self reported. Mileage can be done by walking, jogging or running on a treadmill or on the indoor or outdoor track.

Welcome Week Organizations interested in helping with freshmen Move-In Day during Welcome Week 2011 must send in the application with one representative to a mandatory meeting April 26 during x-period in Student Center 213.

Photo by Anthony Byrnes

UCA Faculty meets April 6 at the McCastlin Ballroom to participate in Eat to Beat Cancer. A $5 donation allowed anyone to eat from a buffet of soup and fruit salad

their tables went to the American Cancer Society. This year’s “Eat to Beat Cancer” was more successful than last year’s event, Care Bear member Kathy Moore said. “We expect proceeds to be much bigger than last year,” Moore said. “We had a line of people when we started and it has been steady since.” Moore said that she, Provost Program Coordinator Donna Gladwin and Associate for Administration Connie May lead the Care Bears. Moore said they were “like the three Musketeers.” Gladwin and May serve as co-captains of the Care Bears. Gladwin said that the organization started because all of the Care Bears have lost parents and other loved ones to cancer. The Care Bears have been together for four years and have sponsored many events for the American Cancer Society. They are comprised of faculty and staff at UCA, with many taking part in the Relay for Life team. Gladwin said that many of the people on their Relay for Life Team were also cancer survivors who wanted to help other people deal with the hardships of cancer. The Care Bears were also at the Relay for Life at Estes Stadium Friday night, helping to raise awareness and money for the American Cancer Society. The dinner is the largest Care Bearsponsored event. The Care Bears hope to meet a goal of $4,000 for the American Cancer Society from both waiting tables and sponsoring the lunch.

- A S S I S TA N C E -

Financial aid clinic successful; 150 students receive money help

by Simon Gable Staff Writer

Anxious students eased their worried minds by attending the financial aid clinic held by the Student Financial Aid Office in the Student Center lounge on Thursday, April 7. Assistant Director of Financial Aid Andrew Linn said: “This is the first time that we have held a clinic like this. A team of employees at the office, including

myself, planned and organized the event”. The clinic allowed trained staff to personally review students’ information, assist in completing their financial aid applications and recommend steps to keep their financial aid healthy, according to the Financial Aid page on the UCA website. “Five professional counselors from our office were at the clinic to help students with their financial aid needs,” Linn said. The clinic was created to help Financial Aid staff better connect with their student

clientele. “We are always trying to figure out different ways to connect with the students and keep them more informed about the whole Financial Aid process,” Linn said. The clinic allowed the Financial Aid staff to interact with students outside the walls of the financial aid office. “The clinic was great because it allowed us to come to the students,” Linn said. “It was a great way for us to reach out and communicate with the students in a

-EVENT -

place that they feel more comfortable,” he said. Roughly 150 students attended the clinic in its four hours of operation. “150 students doesn’t sound like many, but we were packed nearly the entire time,” Linn said. Junior hemistry major Lee Burchfield attended the clinic to make sure that his financial aid was going through properly.

See Aid - page 2

-COMMUNIT Y -

National Association for Black Program seeks student volunteers Men United educates students by Ben Keller Sports Editor

by Zachary O’Neal Staff Writer

The National Association for Black Men United had their NABMU week where they held different events to supply knowledge for the students. NABMU focuses to empower and educate the campus to help improve graduation rates among black students, particularly the males. “It was required by our national board to do two graduation programs a semester,” NABMU President David Saterfield said. “We do things like DOA, Diploma Over All. We had college graduates to come in to tell us what it takes to be successful in college.” The current graduation rate for the black students at UCA is 33 percent for the males and 42 percent for the females, averaging approximately 35 percent. Monday through Wednesday, the events were held in the Student Center nightly and they hit on different points to further educate students with proper knowledge to better themselves as a person. On Monday, the event was “How to be Successful in America.” For this event, pastor of the True Holiness Saints Center Everette

Index 4 Opinion 4 Campus Life 4 Entertainment 4 Sports

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Cornell Maltbia spoke about what it takes to be successful in America. About 50 students attended. On Tuesday, the event was “Faculty Appreciation Program.” In this event, eight faculty, staff and administration members were celebrated for being an influence on the students’ success at UCA. The honorees were assistant professor in Family and Consumer Science Pam Bennett, Director of Minority Student Services Angela Jackson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lance R. Grahn, philosophy instructor Tanya Jeffcoat, speech instructor Adriian Gardner, English instructor Isiah Lavender, Baridon Hall Resident Master Melissa Crawford and Associate Dean of Student Life Wendy Holbrook. Before the honorees were awarded, another speaker from True Holiness Saints Center, Shawanna Rodgers, came to discuss her point of view of success and how to achieve it. Saterfield said if they continue encouraging people to go to class, get help outside of class and even just smiling and having encouraging words and talking with studentabout life situations can be beneficial to

See NABMU - page 2

Community Connections, a program designed to help children with special needs, is looking for UCA students to volunteer for the many programs they offer to children with developmental disabilities. Volunteer Coordinator Derek Moser said he enjoys having UCA students and organizations as volunteers because they make for great helpers and role models for all of the children enrolled in the many different programs in Community Connections.

“UCA has always been such a big help in our past programs. We provide one-on-one buddies with our children so it is good for us to get students that are involved in the community,” he said. Moser said he feels college students, especially all of the volunteers from UCA, help out in ways many other volunteers cannot. “College students have always been the best at buddying up with our kids,” he said. “Our kids like college students the best and they are more mature than your high school

See Volunteers - page 2

- R E L AY -

Community walks in remembrance by Lee Hogan Staff Writer

Community members walked in remembrance of lives lost to cancer and in celebration of the people who have survived cancer Friday night at Estes Stadium. Groups included those from local businesses and Conway Regional Medical Center, among others. Relay for Life events take place across the country every year and began in 1985. The event, an all-night event, was free to participate in, but donations were welcome. Participants received a t-shirt for donations of at least $25.

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The event began with a “survivor’s lap” for all participants who overcame cancer to walk around the track. The names of those who lost a battle with cancer were illuminated around the entire track. Marilyn King, an oncology nurse at CRMS, said she has participated in the event for many years with a group from the hospital to help raise awareness for cancer. “I’ve always tried to support these walks as much as I can,” King said. “I remember when these walks use to be over at the high school and that has been a while ago. It is great to see how far these walks have come and I hope these

See Walks - page 2

Free Floating Time on the Buffalo River increases appreciation of state’s beauty

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NEWS

Police Beat

- GOVERNMENT-

The following reports and arrests are from the UCAPD docket. UCAPD reports any tickets issued as arrests, according to ucapd.com.

Nonstudent arrested for possession of marijuana Nonstudent Bradley Peach, 21, was pulled over April 6 on Bruce Street. Peach did not have a driver’s license. While Peach was looking through his belongings the officer began to notice the faint smell of marijuana. Peach was only able to display a bill of sale for his car and a payroll check to prove his name. He said his license was suspended but he had a permit to drive to and from work. Officers found 29.9 ounces of marijuana in Peach’s car and two weighing scales. Peach said he did not sell marijuana but was a heavy smoker. He said he smokes marijuana every morning, during lunch, in the afternoon and on his way home from work. The scales found in his car are

used to make sure he is not ripped off from his dealer. Peach was charged for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia and his bond was set at $9,513.

Student gets scratched in fight Two international students were arguing in front of Stadium Park Apartments April 8 at 9:47 p.m. Student Tingting Wu, 24, grabbed student Shen Tiezheng, 23, while he was in his car and scratched his neck and face. Wu was told to leave the area and Tiezheng parked his car and went into his apartment. A few minutes later, Tiezheng said Wu started banging on his window until it broke to get his attention. Wu was placed under arrest and charged with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.

Student dies due to natural causes

by Preston Tolliver Associate Editor

Student Merisa Nichole Coonts, 19, of Harrison, Ark. died Friday at Conway Regional Hospital. Coonts was transported to Conway Regional after complaining of shortness of

breath and collapsing in the C-Store in the Burdick building. UCAPD Public Informations Officer Arch Jones said police, the fire department and MEMS reported to Burdick upon hearing of Coonts’ condition. She died of natrual causes shortly after arriving at the hospital. “It’s just a tragedy,” Jones said. “It’s just sad.”

Coonts is survived by both her parents. Her mother, Rebecca lives in Everton and her father Michael lives in Mt. Judea. She is also survived by two brothers, Justin and Nick. Visitation was held Monday night at Coffman Funeral Home in Harrison and the funeral service was held yesterday at the funeral home’s chapel.

Volunteers:

Community Connections looking for help from organizations 4 Continued

from page 1

students who can get distracted sometimes. We love having UCA involved in our programs.” Moser said Community Connections has had many great experiences with UCA students as volunteers for their many programs. He said many of the Greek organizations on campus sign up to help with fundraisers and different events through Community Connections. Currently, one of the programs through Community Connections I Can! Dance is looking for volunteers and groups to make tutus for the children enrolled in the class, Program Coordinator Jamie Tyler said. Tyler said any one person or a group can contact her and get information about making the tutus for the class and for a fundraiser. Many of the

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tutus made will be sold for $10 during Toad Suck Daze. All of the money made will go back into the program to help continue offering programs for the children, Moser said. Tyler said the I Can! Dance program is looking for more volunteers to help get a lot of the tutus done before April 27. “It is going really well so far,” she said. “We had several people come in the other day and we have a lot of tutus to sell now.” Moser said he too felt like the tutu fundraiser and volunteering has been going well. “Well I have tutus covering almost every inch of my office so I’d say it’s going pretty well,” he said. If you are not looking to make tutus, Moser said Community Connections has plenty of other

of opportunities for students to come out and volunteers. The organization also offers a theater program called ACTS Jr., two sports programs, Top Soccer and RUFL Football and a cheer program, Showstoppers Cheerleading. Moser said Community Connections is always looking for students to be “buddies” for children enrolled in any of these programs. Moser said he will be looking for volunteers over the summer as well to help out with their summer camp, Camp Connect which runs from June 13-17. If any student or student organization would like to help out and volunteer, they can contact Moser at 501-329-5459 or sign up on Community Connections website at communityconnectionsar. org.

SGA votes to support ‘Night of Distinction’ by Marisa Hicks Assistant News Editor

The SGA senate voted in favor of sponsoring the Night of Distinction benefit dinner $5,000 Monday night. Vice President of Operations Kyle Boyd said he met with Assistant Vice President of Buffalo Alumni Hall Kevin Braswell and they developed four terms the money SGA donated would cover: stage and production costs, advertisement, lecturer Durwood Fincher and country artist Lee Greenwood. “Our funds will go to these four restrictions and will be used as Buffalo Alumni Hall seems fit, so it may not all go to one place,” Boyd said. Night of Distinction will be after graduation. Junior class vice president Hunter Phillips said, “The money in the reserve is from past alumni and would be going toward

new alumni, I don’t see why we shouldn’t vote for this.” The senate took a roll call majority vote that passed 31-5 to take $5,000 from the reserve account to support Night of Distinction. President Meghan Thompson reported the university did not have a budget decrease but said Vice President of Financial and Administrative Services Diane Newton would be attending next week’s senate meeting to propose fee increases for next semester. Boyd said $1,500 was allocated from SAFA funds to the film club for a film festival they are putting on. Boyd proposed an amendment to by law E in the SGA Constitution which passed unanimously. The by law will now read that SGA will fund registration fees up to $1,000 per organization per semester. Vice President Austin Hall said the Public Art Committee voted

Walks:

Community raises cancer awareness through Relay for Life program 4 Continued

from page 1

events can help find a cure for this terrible disease. Everyone has been affected by cancer. It is something that you can’t really escape.” King said she also walks in remembrance of those she has treated over the years. “You definitely see a lot of people through the years,” King said. “You see the pain and struggle they endure on a dayto-day basis and when they don’t pull through it is hard to not feel pain for them and their families.” King also said she walks now to celebrate her husband, Jimmy

King, who overcame a battle with colon cancer a few years ago. “It’s a great way to celebrate what he went through,” King said. “We thank God everyday that he allowed him to overcome the disease.” Jimmy said he was happy to participate after overcoming cancer. “This walk is a great way to celebrate all of these great people,” Jimmy said. “All these people had a tough road to overcome cancer and they deserve to be honored as well as those who weren’t as lucky.”

Aid:

Students learn how to find money to further education, manage loans 4 Continued

from page 1

“I have had some problems in the past with getting my financial aid on time,” Burchfield said. “I just wanted to make sure that the process was running smoothly,” he said. While many students that stopped by the financial aid clinic knew what they needed help with, some were totally oblivious to the entire process. “In general, we see a lot of students that have no idea about

the financial aid process, and the clinic was no exception,” Linn said. “But that is why the clinic took place,” he said. One of Linn’s personal goals for the clinic was to get students more informed about student loans, and the debt that comes along with them. “At the clinic, we made sure to show all the students how much money they had already accumulated in student loans,”

NABMU:

Firsthand experience allows students to understand abuse 4 Continued

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students. “That was a very productive program because being a faculty and staff they think that they are not appreciated,” Saterfield said. “By us showing them our appreciation, that helps them to know that their work doesn’t go unnoticed by us appreciating them to work hard and continuing to be the role model they are.” On Wednesday the event was “Prejudice in America.”

In this event, members from PRISM—Pride, Raising awareness, Involvement, Support, and Mentoring—came to give their opinions and gave the audience firsthand experiences of different stereotypes that people have on homosexuals. “I think that this will help us accepting more and being more open because they are people just like we are, and not just some kind of foreign animal,” sophomore Nathaniel Alexander

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8-0 on the recommendation sent to them by the senate. The committee asked freshmen Steven Overturf to create a scaled color model of the mural. The freshmen class reported they will meet with chairmen and professor of mass communication and theater John Gale to try to get a movie channel put on campus. The freshmen will also be speaking with Dean of Students Gary Roberts to see if a Western Union can be placed on campus for international students. The sophomore class is working with the Physical Plant to determine the final costs of the mural project. The junior class reported the checkout time after finals has been extended to 7 p.m. and the senior class is finalizing reservations for the SGA banquet. Senator at large Naruhiko Tsukuda is working on making a new committee for international students.

Natalie Nicholson, walking with a local church group, survived skin cancer in 2007 and said she walks to celebrate it and to remember those who were not as fortunate. “Cancer is a very serious thing,” Nicholson said. “I am grateful everyday that I was able to survive cancer. You see people all around you suffering and a lot of them don’t make it. It makes you have a totally different outlook on life when you see people suffering from the same disease not be as fortunate as you.” Nicholson said she has participated in this event since her recovery in 2007. “I look forward to these walks every year,” Nicholson said. “It’s a great time to just look back at that difficult time and realize I made it through.”

Linn said. “We are not trying to scare students, but we want them to know that student loans can turn into large sums of money that have to be paid back,” he said. “We just want students to think ahead and be ready,” he said. Thinking ahead is what all the students that attended the clinic were doing. “Every year in August we have students that apply for financial aid at the very last minute,” Linn said. “If 100 of the 150 students that showed up at the clinic do what we showed them, it will help ease our burden in the fall,” he said.

said. Thursday NABMU held “Music on the Yard.” This allowed the students the opportunity to hang around the Student Center courtyard and enjoy music. On Friday they had “Food, Fun and Games” in the Student Center. Saterfield said starting next year NABMU will mentor in high schools so when students transition into college they will already have a foundation. “We do mentorship programs with our members,” Saterfield said. “We also do other educational programs about what it takes to get out of college and be successful.

Opinion

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The Voice

April 13, 2011

Board fund useful, but in good cases

The Echo Staff River showcases beauty, enjoyment of nature w

Taylor Lowery Editor & Opinion Editor

Preston Tolliver Associate Editor

Mary DeLoney News Editor

Marisa Hicks Assistant News Editor

Julian Spivey Campus Life Editor

Shea Higgerson Assistant Campus Life Editor

Lisa Burnett Entertainment Editor

Ben Keller Sports Editor

Allison Hartman

As we get into the heart of spring and the days of all the great hiking trails, like the Indian Head grow longer, so grows my longing to be among all of Trail, the area had to offer. the pristine nature our state has to offer. The third day of the trip was the highlight. That Allergies aside, this is my favorite time of year to was the day that we floated the Buffalo River. We be outside and experience Mother Mature and one of traveled about 15 miles to the nearby town of Jasper my favorite places to go is the Buffalo National River. to the Riverview Motel, which also offered canoe I was first introduced to rentals. the Buffalo River about four Canoe rentals are $40 years ago when I went on a apiece and they charge each camping trip with friends. individual $8 to take them Although I have always down river and pick them up loved the outdoors, I had at their final destination. never been much of a The float that they offer by Simon Gable camping person. is five miles and usually takes Staff Writer However, the allure of about three hours, but they good friends and cheap beer told us to take as long as was more than I could handle, we like. They have workers so I decided to give it a try. driving back and forth all We ended up spending day so floaters don’t have to four days at Steel Creek campgrounds in Ponca, Ark., worry about finishing at a certain time. about a two-hour drive northeast of Conway. My group ended up taking about five hours to The drive, which is very scenic, takes you through finish the float and it was awesome. We spent the mountains and into the southern tip of the Ozarks. entire day making our way down some of the most Upon arriving at the Steel Creek campground beautiful scenery that the state has to offer. entrance, which lies halfway up the side of a We did it all while drinking beer, floating, mountain, you instantly start your decent to the relaxing and taking time stops to swim whenever we campgrounds in the valley below. saw fit. We also found tons of good places to cliff dive The campgrounds, which are very flat and wellalong the way. maintained, are literally only a few hundred feet The final day of the trip was spent recovering from the river and some of the most beautiful bluffs I from the beer (after all, one can consume a lot have ever seen. more beer than you would think while floating in We spent the first day of our trip setting up camp the hot sun on a beautiful body of water) and the and becoming acquainted with the area. awesomeness that was the Buffalo River. Luckily, one of the seven people I was with had Since that trip, when the Buffalo took my riveralready camped at Steel Creek so we weren’t totally virginity I have been obsessed with the river and the lost. He knew a great place to gather firewood and a surrounding region. I have gone back multiple times perfect place to take a swim. the year since and my springtime won’t officially be On the second day of our trip we took advantage started until I go back.

Assistant Sports Editor

Religious freedom welcome after high school

Nick Hillemann Photo Editor

Alex Chalupka Web Editor

Heather Chiddix Editorial Cartoonist

Lance Coleman Feature Cartoonist

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When I came to college, one of the things I was people were watching me, judging everything I did. looking forward to was more freedom of religion. Or My freshman residential assistant was very religious, at least less religion forced upon me. but never tried to pursuade me of anything. I have never been very religious despite growing This is my third year in college and I have made up in a very religious town. Luckily, when I arrived friends of all types. Most of my friends came to at college, I found that less people were trying to college with very firm religious beliefs that they have convince me that their way was the only right way. fallen away from or stick by their beliefs and have There are still plenty of people here that do try to learned to be less judgmental. convince everyone that their And others, like myself, way is the only way, but there have just learned to listen is still a lot more freedom here more to everyone about than in high school. religion. I have seen that When I was growing up, there is good and bad in being non-Christian was every religion and that by Brad Smith considered bizarre and often most bad comes from how Staff Writer made you a social outcast, a religion in practiced, not but at UCA, most people from the original intent. don’t seem to care one way Perhaps the most or another. Having certain important thing that I’ve religious beliefs may change learned about religion in up your dating and friend pools somewhat, but college is that I like people of all different religions. I there are so many people on this campus that you thought I was escaping a religious prison when I left probably won’t notice. high school, but when I came to college, I learned In my hometown, the public high school was more about religion than I had ever known before. often controlled by the churches in town. We had I know now that I don’t have to be a believer to no dances, we prayed before everything and I once appreciate a religion’s mark on the world. Being able received detention for hugging a girl in the hallway. to appreciate this has made me a more tolerant view When I arrived at UCA, I didn’t go crazy with of religious people and has made me better able to freedom, but I did feel like I could relax. I felt that less understand other views.

Letters to the Editor Gay publication opens eyes, receives school ban William McClain, UCA Student - March 30 Last month, the Harding University Queer Press (a contingent of current and former LGBTQ Harding students and their supporters) released a web-zine (and print) pamphlet found at huqueerpress.com to a decidedly negative reaction from the university. The first publication by the renegade, anonymous group called “The State of the Gay at Harding University” has firsthand information and confessions from members about what it’s like being homosexual and attending the Church of Christaffiliated private university. Dr. Burks, Harding University’s President, issued a statement in chapel regarding the reasons that the university decided to ban the site on Harding’s firewall. The entire chapel statement can be found on video on YouTube.com. As a gay student myself, I hope that this issue

doesn’t fade away. I hope that anyone reading this (be they gay, straight, transgendered, any sexual orientation) will take some time to think about the issue. Check out the site. Whatever you think about gay rights or homosexuality and religion, I think we could all take some time to see it from these firsthand accounts (that I found to be incredibly poignant) offering a rare and illuminating perspective. I’m extremely thankful that I’m attending a public university where I’m encouraged to have an open mind and speak my thoughts. I’m glad student expression isn’t banned or restricted. I’m glad that I don’t go to Harding, but I hope that the HUQP continues their work. I look forward to reading their next publication.

After everything that has happened in the past several years, it is nice to see that so many people have moved past what happened during and following Lu Hardin’s presidency at UCA. It seems that some people, however, are still looking for reasons to poke at UCA. In a recent story and accompanying editorial in the Arkansas DemocratGazette, concern was expressed over a fund controlled by the UCA Board of Trustees. The Democrat-Gazette reported that the board fund contained $447,000 at the most recent report. It also discussed that the chairman of the board may approve expenses from the fund up to $25,000 without the approval of the full board. Though UCA is unique in this fund, that does not mean it is a bad idea. The Democrat-Gazette of course cited that the fund was where Hardin received his secret $300,000 bonus, which has led to his current guilty felony pleas. This was, however, Hardin’s doing. He instigated the entire thing, and though the board of trustees was wrong for approving it in a private session, they did have the wool pulled over their eyes by his sneaky forged signatures. In the Dec. 17 board of trustees meeting, the board members expressed concerns over the fund because many said they did not understand how the money came to be. It was smart of them to wait and explore the issue further. Since then, the board approved using $112,500 from the board fund to pay for the remained expenses on the amphitheater which will be built in the Student Center Courtyard. Regarding the chairperson’s power to approve the use of up to $25,000 without the full board’s approval, the DemocratGazette included PDF files of a few of the cases in the past few years. While some of these expenses may not have seemed like vitally important university needs, $25,000 is small in the grand scale of funding at UCA. In July 2009, then-chairman Rush Harding III, who is still a member of the board, approved $25,000 to be spent on furniture for the President’s Home. As old as the house is, it probably needed the update because it does serve as a welcoming place for university visitors. In 2005, then-chairman Mike Stanton approved the use of $12,000 to purchase championship rings for UCA athletic teams. Again, not a mandatory need for the university, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important to a group of students. In November 2010, chairman Harold Chakales approved the use of $25,000 to benefit the Baum Gallery. As the arts are so often underfunded, this was a fine use of the board fund, and a way to fund a department that may not have been able to receive the funds otherwise. This is a fund that is unique to UCA, but that doesn’t mean the chairperson of the board is going to haphazardly throw money around everywhere. The board members have surely learned to be honest, open and intelligent about how the money in that fund is spent.

This is a fund that is unique to UCA, but that doesn’t mean the chairperson is going to haphazarly throw money around everywhere.

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The Echo is printed weekly at the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway, Ark. Decisions about content are made by the student editors. The views published are not necessarily those of the University of Central Arkansas. All material is subject to respective copyrights.

Campus Life

April 13, 2011

Mochrie, Sherwood leave audience in hysterics by Shea Higgerson

Assistant Campus Life Editor Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood performed an improv comedy show to a sold-out audience in Reynolds Performance Hall on Saturday, which relied heavily on audience interaction and kept the audience in hysterics. “I thought it was hilarious,” junior Courtney Barnhill said. “I always watched ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ back when I was little so I had to come see this.” Mochrie and Sherwood performed several skits seen on ‘Whose Line,’ but also performed some skits audiences haven’t seen on the show. Since all of the skits are improvised, every performance is unique and the audience basically makes the show. The two comedians made a point to prove to the audience that the performance, as well as ‘Whose Line,’ was completely made up on the spot by taking suggestions from the audience for every skit. “It was really fun,” senior Moriah Tindall said. “It was as funny as the show was. I thought the audience interaction was great.” The audience interaction is the main element that makes the show funny; however, Mochrie and Sherwood do a good job of working with what the audience gives them, especially during the sound effects skit and the puppet skit where audience members have to make Mochrie and Sherwood move their bodies. The puppet skit created a feeling of

Lukas Deem photo

Colin Mochrie, left, and Brad Sherwood, second from right, perform improv comedy with two guests from the audience on Saturday, April 9 at Reynolds Performance Hall. awkwardness, which was a great way to start off the show. Mochrie and Sherwood really worked with the two audience members on stage well and the two audience members did a great job of helping to make

the skit funny. During the sound effects skit, Sherwood brought his microphone to the back of Reynolds and had the audience pass it down the rows every time a new

sound effect was needed. They did good trying to get as much of the audience involved as possible. During the intermission, the audience was invited to write down questions and put them in a basket for the next skit. Mochrie and Sherwood answered each question together no matter how ridiculous the question. While the two comedians do some of the same skits audiences loved on ‘Whose Line,’ I couldn’t help but think how much I missed seeing Ryan Stiles and Wayne Brady on stage and listening to Drew Carey give out random points. It’s not quite the same without the whole cast. One new skit Mochrie and Sherwood performed, which was really unexpected and the most hilarious part of the show, involved them setting 100 live mouse traps on the stage, taking off their shoes and socks and blindfolding themselves, while performing a skit that went all the way through the alphabet. It was hilarious to see them stepping on the mouse traps more so than listening to what was said in the skit and it got one of the best audience reactions. At one point, Mochrie took his blindfold off and began throwing mouse traps at Sherwood and setting them so he would step on them. It would have been good for them to end their show with the mouse trap skit, which Sherwood said is the most dangerous improv skit, but they ended with a song dedicated to Conway. This makes the performance more personal, but the song wasn’t near as funny as the mouse trap skit.

-MUSIC-

ACCORDION PUPPET Artist in Residence Rutman performs piano show by Jeanette Anderton Staff Writer

UCA Artist in Residence Neil Rutman delighted the audience in Snow Fine Arts auditorium on Tuesday night with his piano recital. “What a great show,” junior Anastassiya Zagelskaya, who is a student of Rutman’s, said. “I really liked it.” Rutman played to an almost packed house. Richard McFadden, a Conway resident, received an email about the concert and he and his wife Pamela attended. “I’m glad I heard about it. [Rutman] is fabulous. His fingers dance. We [my wife and I] were very grateful to be here,” McFadden said. Rutman started the concert with selections from composer Jean Phillipe Rameau including, the titles listed in English rather than French, “The Cyclopes,” “The Chicken,” “The King’s Daughter,” “The Savages,” “Minuet” and “Reprise of The Cyclopes”. Rutman said “The Chicken” is highly entertaining because it sounds like a chicken from the very first note. He said “The King’s Daughter” was written about the eldest daughter of Louis XV, who was quite moody and the piece itself seems moody. “The Savages” is a musical depiction of the Noble American Indian, Rutman said. He said “Minuet” is a decadent and over-ornamented piece written for the French aristocrats who, at the time, were decadent and over-ornamented themselves. Rutman said this overindulgent lifestyle caused their children to be sent to the guillotines. Rutman then treated the audience to two pieces from Franz Listz, “Sonetto 104 del Petrarca” and “Sonetto 123 del Petrarca.” He said the first is written about romantic love and the latter is about a higher, divine peaceful love. Rutman said in “Sonetto 104 del Patrarca,” the composer says with music, “I see, but I am blind. I am buried in the ground and I am in the sky.” Rutman then performed Sergei Prokofiev’s “Sonata No. 3 in A Minor.” He said Prokofiev was very young when he composed the piece and the piece, which Rutman said is very difficult to play, has an “almost percussive, no holds barred” feel to it. He said the piece is “too hot to handle.” The piece is fast and frenzied, and alternately sounds like a chase scene or an argument. “Sonata No. 3 in A Minor” seemed to be an audience favorite. “I really liked his way of playing Prokofiev,” Central Baptist College sophomore Hannah Kim said. “It was majestic and showy. I really liked his power on the piano.” After a brief intermission, Rutman concluded the concert with

Junior Jonathan Randle “Probably Italy. The people are warm, rich history and culture and the food is good. It’s just a beautiful place from what I’ve seen.”

Lukas Deem photo

Artist in residence Neil Rutman performs a piano recital for an audience in Snow Fine Arts on Tuesday, April 4. Liszt’s “Sonata in B Minor,” which is approximately 27 minutes long. “The piece begins in hell and ends in heaven,” Rutman said. Conway resident John Kuster said, “I thought the show was fabulous. It was quite a treat.” According to program notes, Rutman has appeared in Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Tokyo’s Bunka Kaikan and the Schola Cantorum in Paris. He has received awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and for Artistic Excellence from the Astral Foundation.

Anthony Byrnes photo

The Bread and Puppet Theater performs a free show in the Student Center Courtyard on Friday, April 8. The troupe were UCA Artists in Residence.

Students Say story by Shea Higgerson photos by Nick Hilleman

Senior Sara Stovall “Australia. I like the hot climate and I love rugby. They have the best rugby team.”

“Where would you like to live one day?” Freshman Paige Murphy “Maybe New York City. I’ve been there before and I loved it and I want to work in film production one day. That’s a good place to work.”

Senior Zac Noland “New York, because I used to live there and want to go back and they have a great art scene.”

Sophomore Marquise Hughes “I think I’d move to Brazil. They have some pretty nice women over there. It’s pretty close to Cuba. I’d really like to go roll some nice cigars.”

Freshman Danielle Ferguson “Before I kick the bucket, I’ve always wanted to live in Paris, France. One, I want to visit the Eiffel Tower and I know it doesn’t look like it today, but I like fashion and stuff.”

w w w. UCAE cho .n e t / c ampu s -life

Junior Jeremy Morris “Ireland, because that’s where my roots are and their culture with music and all that.”

Freshman Roderick Wells “I would live in Washington D.C., because I would like to live in front of the capitol, but behind the important buildings.”

ucaecho.net

CAMPUS LIFE

April 13, 2011 / 5

-CAUSES-

- D I G I TA L-

Students present graduate films Students walk barefoot to support

by Shea Higgerson

Assistant Campus Life Editor Eight third-year graduate students presented their MFA thesis films to the public at Reynolds Performance Hall on Sunday, April 3 to observe audience reactions before appearing to their thesis committees to find out if they earned MFA degrees in digital filmmaking. “Part of the requirement is that it’s a public screening rather than private,” digital filmmaking professor and director of graduate studies Bruce Hutchinson said. He said the screening is a big deal for the students because it is the first time family, friends and the general public get to see the completed film. He said it also allows the students to gauge the success of their films by observing audience reactions, which allows them to see what worked in their films and what needs to be improved. The screening featured “Tomahawk” by Eric White, which had a lot of hype surrounding it prior to the screening and was the last film shown. It was based on an ex-convict seeking revenge against those who murdered his wife and child and killing anyone who gets in his way. The film is filled with mystery, blood and action. The first film to be shown was “The Faith Machine” by Johnny Weaver, which is a black and white film, gave the audience a glimpse into a future where the use of robots is common practice. In the film, Rev. Morris hires a robot, Jackson, to look after the church and keep it safe from terrorists who have been targeting churches. Church members are uncomfortable with Jackson, because many robots have been accused of helping terrorists. However, Jackson, who does exactly what Rev. Morris asks, wants to become a member of the church and be saved. Bryan Dawson’s film “Victorville” is a film about a wife who becomes empowered to leave her husband and move in with her mom in Victorville because she believes her husband never goes through with his promises and that marriage is not right for her. The husband travels to Victorville to try to bring his wife back only to be rejected. “A Death in the Family” by Brett Neal is a dark comedy dealing with the subject of abortion in a comedic manner. Characters Jeremy and Kate have

ended their relationship after discovering Kate is pregnant and in the beginning of the film the audience sees Jeremy trying to win over Kate. He goes to Kate’s doctor appointment to discover she has had an abortion without telling him and he decides to hold a memorial service for the fetus. Collin Buchanan’s “Cotton County Boys” is a comedy involving three redneck brothers, Sammy, Bo and Bobby, who live with their parents in the country. When the family learns it owes $12,000 to the government, the brothers get jobs in town. However, Sammy and Bo get fired for fighting. In order to raise the money, the boys start making stunt videos to submit to “America’s Most Hilarious Moments” to win the first-place prize of $12,000. The wrong video airs on the show, which shows Bobby asking his co-worker Hattie on a date if he survives the stunts. “Ninth Inning Wedding” by Lesley Allen is a romantic comedy about the trials and joys of marriage, in which main character Greg forgets that it’s his 25th wedding anniversary, while dealing with the prospects that his mother wants to get remarried to his boss and that his 19-year-old daughter Emma wants to marry a punk rocker, Travis. Greg has a talk with the ghost of his dead father in order to sort out these situations. “The Good Life” by Jonathan Childs shows a psychologist who is burnt-out on his job and is offered a traveling job by his cousin who makes a significant salary. The two take a road trip to be with the rest of their family and along the way, the psychologist is reminded why he chose his profession and why he needs to stick with it. Bryan Allen’s “Second Chances” starts off with Aaron Peterson, who is a teacher, witnessing a student being bullied. Peterson decides to help and empower the bullied student, Joel, by holding a conference with the bully, Russell, and his father. However, the conference turns sour when Peterson discovers Russell’s father is the boy who used to bully him in school. In the end, Joel tries to kill Russell, so Peterson must step in and save the bully. Junior Virginia Buff said she went to the screening because she knows a lot of the grad students and wanted to be there to support them and she saw a lot of the trailers and became interested. She also helped in the making of the film “Second Chances.”

less fortunate children without shoes by Lee Hogan Staff Writer

UCA students went barefoot on April 5 in support of children without shoes around the globe. The day culminated with a campus barefoot walk sponsored by TOMS, in which close to 100 people participated, according to the event coordinator, sophomore Josh Whitehurst. Whitehurst said the walk was not as big as last year, which was led by Kris Allen, but the walk still had a great turnout. This was the second walk put on at UCA sponsored by TOMS to raise awareness. Students gathered at the Student Center courtyard before the walk to buy TOMS shoes to be given to shoeless children around the world. Event shirts were also available to purchase. All proceeds from the shirts went to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, according to the event’s Facebook page. Students also painted their feet with words of encouragement for the event or messages for support of the children. Freshman Ozell Pace said the walk was a great way to show support for kids without shoes and to see what they go through on a daily basis. “This just shows you their situation and the position they are in,” Pace said. “We should all buy a pair of shoes and give back to them.” Freshman Mya Brown said she also walked to show support for the event and believed it was a great way to get the word out to support kids without shoes. Brown said it was not as easy as she thought it would be to walk without shoes. Sophomore Jenny Beth Davis said she participated in the walk to do all she could to raise awareness for kids without shoes. “When you think about it, you rarely go without shoes,” Davis said. “When you stop and think about not ever having shoes anywhere you go, it’s kind of mind boggling. I know if some of my friends never had shoes you would never hear them stop complaining about it, so just imagine those kids going without shoes everyday of their life. It’s pretty

Rose Cowling photo

Freshmen Blake Leisenring and Gage Williams particpate in the TOMS walk Tuesday, April 4.

sad.” Davis said she encouraged a lot of her friends to participate in the walk with her. “I think it’s important for everyone to come out and support this cause,” Davis said. “I have been on a couple of my friends for the past week to come to this walk.” The walk was lead by musical group Matt & Kim. The walk started at the courtyard and continued to the Harding Fountain and concluded at the Spring Fling festivities at the parking lot to the east of the HPER Center.

Food Donation Drive for Bethlehem House It is time to begin our food donation drive to help Bethlehem House (our local homeless shelter) restock for their busy summer season.

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This advertisement paid for with funds provided by the Student Government Association.

6 / April 13, 2011

CAMPUS LIFE

ucaecho.net

- F E S T I VA L-

-OPERA-

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Gondoliersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; proves to be lively, comedic by Shea Higgerson

Assistant Campus Life Editor The cast of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Gondoliers,â&#x20AC;? an opera in which the characters get into a situation much more complicated than a love triangle, gave a lively and comedic performance in Reynolds Performance Hall on April 6. The opera is a satire of social class distinctions written by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan and is set in Venice. The romantic connections in the plot become very much like a soap opera when Casilda, daughter of the Spanish Duke of Plaza Toro, discovers she was married, as an infant, to the prince of Barataria. However, Casilda is in love with the family servant Luiz. This love triangle becomes even more complicated when Casilda discovers her husband is one of two gondoliers (Marco and Giuseppi), but it is impossible to tell which one until their foster mother, who is at large, returns to make the distinction. To add to the already tangled love story, Marco and Giuseppi have married two other Venetian women, Gianetta and Tessa. The Grand Inquisitor, Don Alhambra, arrives in Venice to inform Marco and Giuseppi that one of them has become the King of Barataria and must leave for Barataria immediately to rule jointly and control unrest there. The opera is hilarious and the connections between the characters gets crazy making it very enjoyable to watch and every new discovery leaves one wondering what will happen next. Two special additions to the opera that added to the comedy were the references to UCA and the charactersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sarcastic and funny acknowledgements of the orchestra. Graduate student Karen Graham, who played the Duchess in the April 7 performance (there were performances April 6, 7 and 8), said she had a lot of fun rehearsing for the play and working with the big cast. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had a lot of fun extending our

characters,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The more weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve gone along, the funnier our characters get.â&#x20AC;? Some of the most interesting and funny characters are the Grand Inquisitor Don Alhambra and the servant Luiz. Don Alhambra is a very sly and arrogant character, who tries to be a womanizer and somewhat woo the duchess and her daughter Casilda upon arriving in Venice. Luiz, Casildaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love interest, is a bit of an awkward character whose first stage appearance involves him beating loudly and randomly on a drum. The opera includes a lot of choreography, which gives it more energy than dialogue and singing would do alone. The background and costumes were brightly colored, which fit with the fun and crazy plot as well as the upbeat, happy music. However, there were some serious undertones when the confusing marriage situation became too much for the characters to handle. The best part of the opera, aside from the music and performances, was that the cast seemed to really be enjoying themselves and the acting was great. Even when characters did not have singing or speaking parts, they silently interacted with each other to make it more realistic and to keep the scenes lively and fun. The ending was very surprising, but was the perfect ending for this happy and suspenseful opera. In the end, everyone gets what they want when it is discovered that Luiz is the King of Barataria and the husband of Casilda. Therefore, Marco and Giuseppi can remain married to their wives and Casilda and Luiz no longer have to hide their love for each other from the duke and the duchess. Stage director Robert Harden said preparation for the opera was trying and stressful, but was also rewarding when he saw the cast learning and progressing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For me, as a teacher, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always when they get it,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They do something youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been trying to get them to do and they do it with understanding. It comes from them. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come from something I told them.â&#x20AC;?

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Rose Cowling photo

Sophomore Gunner Hales beats a car with a sledgehammer at Spring Fling on Tuesday, April 4. The yearly festival is put on by the Student Activities Board and is free for students.

Spring Fling entertains, thrills students by Jeanette Anderton Staff Writer

SABâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spring Fling on Tuesday, April 5 brought in numerous students for carnival atmosphere-like fun and a free concert from musical duo Matt & Kim. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was really surprised,â&#x20AC;? freshman Jessica Hauser said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was my first experience with Spring Fling and I expected something much smaller. I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe there was so much cool stuff to do and it was free.â&#x20AC;? The event is sponsored and organized each year by the Student Activities Board. Reed Strickland, senior SAB comedy chair, said each student must sign a release form and show his or her student ID in order to get a wristband that will give them a free pass to all activities, including the rides. This year the rides included the Tornado, the Orbiter, the Screamer and the X Scream. Senior Eric Barton said he enjoyed riding on the Tornado. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was fast and really good,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can control your own level of spinning by turning the wheel.â&#x20AC;? Freshman Mallory Meek enjoyed her first Spring Fling with a ride on the Screamer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am impressed with Spring Fling,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like a smaller-scale state fair. The Screamer was intense. It was crazy. The hanging upside down kind of gives you a headache, but it was still so much fun.â&#x20AC;? Some of the rides were hard for the stomach to handle. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Orbiter was exhilarating,â&#x20AC;? Kandace Keeney, administrative assistant of the intensive English department, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It made me question the strength of my stomach.â&#x20AC;? Junior Dewan Clayborn said he was surprised by the X Scream. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was fun. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect it to be so fast. It is definitely not a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;kiddieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ride,â&#x20AC;? he said. Spring Fling wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just about the rides for everyone.

Hauser enjoyed visiting all of the activity booths, including the rock climbing wall and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;make your own candleâ&#x20AC;? booth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The candle isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t scented, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really pretty,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made of sand and wax and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really neat. Climbing the rock wall was awesome. It was probably my favorite.â&#x20AC;? Jeff Brown, owner of Country Club Entertainment which had the candle and dog tag making booth, said that he has had a booth at UCAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spring Fling for the last 10 years. The company also provided a four-man jumper, which is a trampoline beneath four pullies that allows one to jump really high. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very popular,â&#x20AC;? Brown said. One booth that was new to Spring Fling this year, the Butt Sketch, was really popular. Artist Krandel Lee Newton, 52, does sketches of a subjectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s backside, rather than their faces. Mark and Jannett Williams, husband and wife owners of Speedway Entertainment, brought their remote control NASCAR racetrack for the second year in a row. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The kids love it,â&#x20AC;? Jannett said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;especially the guys.â&#x20AC;? Patsy Miller of Greenbrier, owner of Miller Spectacular Shows, provided not only the rides, but also Patsyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sugar Shack. Carnival goers could snack on funnel cakes, snow cones and cotton candy at no charge. Miller said she is a former UCA student and enjoys being a part of Spring Fling. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a well earned day of fun for the students,â&#x20AC;? she said. There was also a 70-minute concert that began a little after 5 p.m. Kendra Regehr, SAB advisor who has been organizing Spring Fling for the last 12 years, said the pop punk duo Matt & Kim was a really popular duo with super high energy. She said the duo also participated in the TOMS walk before the show.

-SPRING FLING-

Matt & Kim rock festival crowd with free show

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Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino took the small outdoor stage in the HPER parking lot, making no hesitation to feel out the energy of the crowd, running up to the edge of the stage and shouting along with The Notorious B.I.G., â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where Brooklyn at? Where Brooklyn at?â&#x20AC;? The concept is simple: Schifino, olive-skinned, toned and tattooed, pounds away at her drum kit, (which she has a tendency to climb on top of ) while Johnson, lanky, exuberant and slightly effeminate, mans a set of keyboards and sings. The setup is basic, but the energy these two generate is palpable. The duo is known for pouring all their energy into making the show an exciting experience for the audience. Schifino walked off the stage into the hands of fans, where she danced, briefly, and walked back. The two tossed several bags of balloons into the audience and instructed them to blow them up and release them on the count of three. Three albums and nonstop touring has carried them all over the world. UCA was their first stop in

the US after a short stint in Europe. Matt & Kim understand that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hardly a household name, and want people who arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t superfans to enjoy their shows. For this reason, they make a point to play several covers (or half-covers) at shows, like Alice Deejayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Better Off Aloneâ&#x20AC;? (known more recently as the sample from Wiz Khalifaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Say Yeahâ&#x20AC;?) and Biz Markieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just A Friend,â&#x20AC;? both of which turned into massive sing-alongs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re big fans of DJs,â&#x20AC;? Johnson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to open yourself up to people who havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t heard your music; it opens the doors for people to let loose. Although, we found out that nobody knows â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Just a Friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Australia, for some reason.â&#x20AC;? Matt & Kim aimed to please the crowd. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We actually started cutting some of our own songs from the setlist to play covers,â&#x20AC;? said Schifino. At one point, Johnson started playing the distinctive opening piano notes from â&#x20AC;&#x153;Runawayâ&#x20AC;? by Kanye West, while Schifino took a breather and smiled at the audience, a smile that seemed to say â&#x20AC;&#x153;Matt wants you to think that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to cover â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Runaway,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get your hopes up.â&#x20AC;? Sure enough Matt started playing a different song after about 30 seconds.

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Scroll and Vortex editors. Applications are available outside Stanley Russ room 221 and are due Friday, April 15, in the same location. Interviews will be during x-period Thursday, April 21, in Stanley Russ room 216.

Entertainment

April 13, 2011

-CD REVIEW-

‘Virtues’ satisfies Panic fans after three year wait period by Lisa Burnett Entertainment Editor

ign.com

Protagonist of the videogame “The 3rd Birthday” Aya Brea takes action in one of the game’s many CGI cutscene sequences. “The 3rd Birthday” was relased to the United States on March 29 for the Sony Playstation Portable game system. The game is the third installment of the long running Square Enix series “Parasite Eve.”

‘Third Birthday’ breaks expectations by Ben Keller Sports Editor

Fans of the “Parasite Eve” game series have waited with bated breath for 11 years and the third installment, “The 3rd Birthday,” has hit American shores and it is everything and more anyone could have asked for in a PSP game. For those of you that have never heard of the series, “Parasite Eve” was a game published and developed in 1998 by Squaresoft, better known now as Square Enix. The game was a sequel to a 1995 Japanese horror novel by the same name written by Hideaki Sena. “Parasite Eve II” was a follow up to the original and was released in 2000. The games follow the main protagonist Aya Brea and while “The 3rd Birthday” is not a direct sequel to “Parasite Eve II,” Brea is still the main character. In previous installments, Brea is portrayed as a NYPD cop and an FBI operative fighting off invading monsters in the Big Apple. This time around, however, Brea is found at the start of the game in a bloody wedding dress and devoid of all of her memories. She is enrolled in an organization called the Counter Twisted Investigation, or CTI, as a new agent with a unique ability. Brea dives into the past through other people’s psyche to try and change New York’s future and save it from the invading Babel and the monsters it

creates, the Twisted. “The 3rd Birthday” stays true to “Parasite Eve II” and its style of game play. It takes the form of a survivalhorror and third person shooter game that makes for a fast-paced and intense gaming experience. Like past installments, Brea can still level up, which does improve her fighting capabilities, but the true enhancements to the game come from OE Chips and Brea’s DNA board, a new addition to the series. By adding different DNA Chips and mutating them, Brea can gain special abilities and enhance her gunfire and damage in different ways. The different combinations and ways in which you can augment Brea’s abilities are truly staggering and it is a unique and fun twist to the game. It adds a level of depth to what could have been an average third person shooter and makes it that much better of an experience. As far as graphics go, Square Enix has outdone itself again by showing what the PSP handheld system is really capable of. The in-game graphics are simply stunning. The frame rate is able to keep up with the fast paced action and chase downs that are abundant in every level of the game. “The 3rd Birthday” also has a spectacular battle system that will have your thumbs mashing buttons to stay alive. It is a standard over the shoulder

third person shooter but a few unique twists make this shooter an exciting experience instead of a repetitive chore. In many situations, Brea does not fight alone and has several diligent soldiers at her side to take down the Twisted. Because of her unique overdive ability, Brea can switch between different people’s psyche and gain their weapons and strategic vantage points. This adds to the frenzy of many of the fights, and, more often than not, you will find yourself switching between soldiers every three seconds or so to stay one step ahead of a Twisted. Brea also fights cooperatively with her compatriots. While focusing on a singular target, Brea can issue a crossfire command to have every soldier in range fire at your current target which can weaken it and lead to Brea’s most powerful attack, the overdive kill. Brea invades the targets psyche and does massive damage, but at a cost. The Twisted’s DNA hurts Brea and temporarily disables her. This function is fantastic and really adds a unique level of strategy in boss fights and extended fire fights where the player has to decide if the end justifies the means. The only complaint about the game play is the fact it is hindered by the PSP system. While it isn’t a must-buy killer, it is somewhat hard to get use to playing a shooter with only one analog stick.

Panic at the Disco has once again satisfied their fans with their third studio album, “Vices and Virtues,” released March 22. This album is completely different than their previous albums, “Pretty. Odd.,” released in 2008 and “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,” released in 2005. That’s what makes this band so great. Every one of their albums is different than the others. Their 2005 release was more of a techno beat-ish album while their 2008 album had more of a folky feel to it. “Vices and Virtues” is more of a rock/ alternative sounding album. I think this album is Panic’s best yet. After the long wait for “Virtues,” fans should be more than satisfied after their three-year wait. Panic probably has a newer sound since “Pretty. Odd.” to listeners because they are two band members short of their original set up. Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith are the two original members of the band. Former vocalist and guitarist Ryan Ross and bass guitarist and background vocalist Jon Walker left the band in 2009. The new additions to Panic are Ian Crawford on guitar and background vocals and Dallon Weekes on the bass, synthesizers and background vocals. There are 10 tracks on the original release, but on the deluxe edition, there are three bonus songs. My favorite song on the album was the first single, “The Ballad Of Mona Lisa.” This song starts out eerie with just a simple melody that reminds me of a Christmas song, but as the song progresses, chords change and it turns

into a wonderful collaboration of both harmonies of voices, lyrics and a beat to keep you from falling asleep. Urie has a unique voice that is higher than most male vocalists in the alternative genre. The lyrics describe a relationship where a male admirer puts a girl on a pedestal. The chorus describes this relationship with lyrics like: “Whoa, Mona Lisa/You’re guaranteed to run this town/Whoa, Mona Lisa/I’d pay to see you frown.” Another standout on “Virtues” is a song entitled, “Ready to go (Get Me Out of my Mind.)” This is an upbeat song that will be sure to get your toes tapping and want to learn the lyrics to sing along. It features an “oh oh oh” chorus that everyone loves and can sing along to. Beautiful harmonies accompany the fun beat and chorus of: “I’m ready to go (get me out of my mind, get me out of my mind)/ I’m ready to go (ohh uoohhhh.)” “Let’s Kill Tonight” is another track that most music lovers will enjoy. It has an almost techno beat with some guitar solos in the midst of the song. Although the title of the song may sound intimidating, the lyrics are more sad than scary. If you’re a new Panic at the Disco fan, just buy the original release of the album, but if you have been a fan of Panic for a while now, spend the extra three dollars and buy the deluxe version. I would recommend this album to music lovers everywhere. Even if you didn’t like Panic at the Disco’s first two studio albums, give “Vices and Virtues” a chance because it’s nothing like the band has done before.

-NEW RELEASE-

-ALBUM REVIEWS-

Fighters, Simon, Krauss release new albums by Julian Spivey Campus Life Editor

“Wasting Light” by Foo Fighters The Foo Fighters’ “Wasting Light” is the group’s first album since 2007’s “Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace” and it proves once again why the Foo Fighters are the crown jewel of modern rock music. Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl told the media that ‘Light’ would be heavier than ‘Echoes,’ which is probably true. ‘Echoes’ has some great acoustic stuff on it and you won’t find that on ‘Light,’ but the album isn’t really harder than typical Foo Fighters stuff like “All My Life” or “Best of You.” “Wasting Light” has 11 tracks and 10 of them are right up to par (or better) with the Foo Fighters’ discography. The album’s first single “Rope” has been at the top of the Billboard rock chart since it was released over a month ago. “Rope” features the Foo’s usual excellent hard-charging guitars and at the 2:50 mark in the song they unleash a 40-second jam session that proves why they’re at the top of the genre. The best song on the album might be “Arlandria,” with its catchy chorus that ranks right up there with any the Foo Fighters have done before. Other highlights of ‘Light’ are the opening track “Bridge Burning,” which is the perfect song to kick off this album, “I Should Have Known,” which is probably the album’s closest tune to “Everlong” (their best song), and “These Days,” which fully showcases Grohl’s amazing voice.

Top Five Mixtapes of 2011 List compiled by Andrew McClain

“So Beautiful or So What” by Paul Simon

“Paper Airplane” by Alison Krauss and Union Station

There are two types of Paul Simon music that I like: the angsty poet from his Simon & Garfunkel days (“The Boxer”/ “The Only Living Boy in New York”) and the more poppy/worldly/bouncy sound of his solo stuff (“Me & Julio Down by the Schoolyard”). His new album “So Beautiful or So What,” which many critics are saying is his best in 20 years, doesn’t really fit into either of those categories. It does have some good gems, after all Simon is likely one of the five greatest songwriters of all time. I’ve often thought that Simon is just smarter than everyone else with deep lyrics that will stop and make you think and witty ones that will bring a smirk to your face. The highlights for me are the title track and “Questions for the Angels.” The title track includes some great guitar picking, which runs throughout the album, and great lines like “I’m gonna tell my kids a bedtime story/ a play without a plot/ will it have a happy ending/ maybe yes or maybe not/ I’ll tell them life is what you make of it/ so beautiful or so what.” The song also has a verse about Martin Luther King Jr., which I particularly like. “Questions for the Angels” is almost worth purchasing this album on its own. It’s almost sung as a lullaby about a pilgrim walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s somewhat reminiscent of maybe Simon’s best composition “The Boxer,” just not as epic.

Alison Krauss might have the finest voice in the music industry and Union Station might be the best backing band in the industry, so when I heard they’d be releasing their first album in seven years since 2004’s “Lonely Runs Both Ways,” I thought it was about time. After hearing it though, I don’t think it’s up to their fine standards. That being said, anything Krauss and Union Station do together is still going to be better than 90 percent of what’s on the record store shelves. The best song on the album is the group’s first single, which is the title track. It’s elegant in that way that fans are so used to by now in fantastic tunes like “Let Me Touch You for a While” and “New Favorite.” The song is about the impending death of a love and Krauss just rips your heart out with that angelic voice of hers. If there were more songs like this on the album then it would’ve been more what I was expecting. The biggest issue with “Paper Airplane” is that virtually all of the songs sound the same or at least too similar. One thing is certain about the album, like with all of their albums that came before … the musicianship is flawless. Krauss’ fiddle, Dan Tyminski’s guitar, Jerry Douglass’ dobro, Rod Block’s banjo (or guitar) and Barry Bales’ bass mesh and meld together like no other band in the Americana/bluegrass/country genres. An interesting highlight on the album other than the title track and the musicianship is the fact that Tyminski, who is quite the accomplished singer in his own right, sings lead on three particularly bluegrassy songs “Dustbowl Children,” “On the Outside Looking In” and “Bonita & Bill Butler.”

1. “Nostalgia, Ultra” by Frank Ocean

2. “EP” and “I Do Not Talk” by Childish Gambino

Frank Ocean decided to release this album himself after his record company stopped communicating with him. He is a gifted R&B singer and pop songwriter, and has put together an album of catchy, well-crafted songs that exhibit a full range of emotions to its listeners, from nostalgic, wistful, joyful, to creepy and suspicious, all between a few songs, and with a rich, colorful flair.

Donald Glover, known to most as a comedian and actor, notably as the character Troy on NBC’s “Community” began releasing short EPs of himself rapping over indie rock tracks as “Childish Gambino” in 2008. This year, he released an EP called “EP,” and an official video for the track “Freaks and Geeks,” which boasts studio-quality production, leading many to believe that he’s starting to take himself seriously as a rapper.

collider.com

Fabious, played by James Franco, Belladonna, played by Zooey Deschanel, and Thadeous, played by Danny McBride, fail to bring laughs in “Your Highness.”

Green’s ‘Your Highness’ disappoints by Lee Hogan Staff Writer

David Gordon Green’s “Your Highness” was dubbed as the next great comedy before its opening last weekend. The star-power of Oscar-nominee James Franco and Oscar-winner Natalie Portman along with funny man Danny McBride, known for his roles in “Pineapple Express” and the popular HBO series “Eastbound and Down,” was sure to please audiences around the country. Upon seeing the film, I walked away disappointed. Halfway through the movie I wished I had gone to see Russell Brand in “Arthur” instead. The film was loaded with weird, awkward moments, most of which had no real part in the movie. I was also disappointed with the fact Green seemed to try and make an action movie with funny parts instead of a funny movie with action scenes. I kept waiting for the comedy to settle in, but I never stopped waiting. The movie follows McBride and Franco, who are brothers and both princes, on a quest to rescue Franco’s abducted fiance. McBride’s character, Thadeous, struggles with being the younger brother of Fabious, Franco’s character, who is a well-respected warrior everyone loves. McBride, in my opinion, did not disappoint. He was able to portray the

3. “Return of 4Eva” by Big K.R.I.T Mississipi’s Southern rap impresario Big K.R.I.T put together this lengthy mixtape featuring Bun B, Ludacris and Chamillionaire. K.R.I.T. is notably upbeat and produced the entire mixtape himself. The mixtape delivers on all the established conventions of Southern rap, but with a quick, articulate edge; a much-needed answer to the dull, murky rut that Southern hiphop has been stuck in for several years.

rigid, funny character he has become known for so well. I wasn’t pleased however with Franco’s performance, but I’m not ready to place all the blame on Franco. Actually I would probably place more blame on Green for the character he created for Franco. Franco had no lines to showcase his humor. Franco is known for his great performance in “Pineapple Express” as well and had many scenes in that movie with McBride, which were fan favorites. The actors worked terrific together in their first film and the announcement of these two together in this movie sparked interest of more of the same from moviegoers. Green was also the director for “Pineapple Express” and he had the right idea to match these two actors together again, but the final production was poor. Franco’s character was never allowed to be funny. He was too busy being the standup protagonist, while McBride tried to single-handedly save the movie. I can count on one hand, maybe one finger, the times I laughed at a Franco line in the movie. Portman did not make her appearance in the movie until almost 30 minutes in and was sporadically involved in the rest of the film. The movie had potential to be a great comedy with the talent of McBride and Franco, but the potential was not met.

4. “House of Balloons” by The Weeknd This mysterious R&B duo seems to be the darker answer to Frank Ocean, coming out of nowhere to release nine brooding, decadent tracks. Their production style mirrors some of the sparse, quiet dubstep that James Blake is known for, but with vocals that could just as easily be Frank Ocean, Drake, or Ne-Yo. Their sinister style isn’t for everyone, and can often sound empty and lonely, but it is, admittedly, very innovative and engaging.

5. “Kills” by jj While technically released Christmas Day 2010, “Kills” by jj is worth an immediate listen. This Swedish duo borrows lines, phrases and hooks from American pop songs and reassembles them into a fluid, dreamy pop soundscape. It’s an odd combination of hilarious and beautiful to hear jj’s female vocalist singing some of Kanye West’s bawdy lines from “Monster” into a brand new melody.

Sports

April 13, 2011

From the Shotgun By Ben Keller

Masters showcases talent, heart from some of golf ’s greatest players

his past weekend marked the 75th Masters Tournament and it was one to remember, not only for the rounds, but what happened off the course as well. Charl Schwartzel donned the green jacket this year, beating out Rory McIlroy who was a favorite to win after the early rounds, but choked on his last round. While the competition at Augusta National was great, some of what happened before the tournament were what made it truly memorable and showed how golf truly is the sport of gentlemen. Weeks before the Masters started and then again during press conferences prior to the tournament, 19-year-old Ryo Ishikawa announced his plan to give all of his 2011 winnings from tournaments toward the relief effort in his home country of Japan. I was shocked, inspired and utterly speechless when I heard the Japanese rookie planned on doing this. It is the single most selfless act I have witnessed by a professional athlete in my 22 years. Ishikawa could easily give upward of $2 million over the course of this year. He is a young, talented golfer from overseas and to hear this act of generosity has made me an Ishikawa fan. I sincerely hope he does well this year, not only for the benefit of Japan but for his career as a golfer as well. The outpouring of selflessness did not stop there. Every year there is a special

dinner held at the Masters called the Dinner of Champions where only green jacket wearers are allowed to attend. Each year, the previous winner of the Masters gets to choose the menu for the dinner as a way to share his cultural heritage and a taste of his hometown roots. While it isn’t publicized, I see it as a way of also reminding all the other competitors who the top dog is from last year. However, this year Phil Mickelson decided to put a new spin on the dinner by honoring someone else instead of showing off his roots. Mickelson decided to honor his friend, mentor and former Masters champion Severiano Ballesteros. Since Ballestros could not make it to Augusta, Ga. to see the tournament and attend the dinner because of a brain tumor he was diagnosed with in 2008, Mickelson asked him what would he put on the menu. So, all the former champions had a Spanishinfluenced dinner to honor one of their own who could not attend. Leave it to Mickelson to do something this heart- warming and selfless because right now, out of any professional athlete, he epitomizes the term “role model.” He gives back so much communities through several charitable organizations, he is always a good sport on the course, never loses his cool and he always stops and makes time for his fans after finishing 18 holes, even if he has had a bad round of golf.

- B AT T E R U P -

Baseball Bears take down UAPB Lions 13-2 in seven inning win by Lee Hogan Staff Writer

The baseball Bears run-ruled the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Lions in seven innings at Bear Stadium on April 5. The Bears started early in the bottom of the first inning, scoring three runs and again in the fourth inning, but had their biggest inning of the night scoring six runs in the fifth inning. Senior first baseman Jonathan Houston said he was pleased with the play of the team. “I thought the team played well for the most part,” Houston said. “We had a couple of base running mistakes, but other than that we did exactly what we expected to do. Go out and runrule Pine Bluff.” Houston finished the game 0-1 at the plate with an RBI in the fifth inning on a hit-by-pitch play and also had two base-onballs. The Bears’ first three runs of the first inning came from two walks and Houston’s hitby-pitch. Senior shortstop Kyle Prevett and freshman pinch hitter Doug Votolato both drew walks, scoring freshman outfielder Logan Moon and junior pinch hitter Jordan Getchell. Houston was then hit by a pitch, which scored senior third baseman Zack Dickson. Senior catcher Michael Pair followed with a sac fly to left field, which scored Prevett. Pair finished the game 2-2 at the plate with two RBIs. Moon, in his second bat of the inning, hit a single to center field scoring both Houston and Votolato. Moon finished 3-3 at the plate with two RBIs. The Bears combined for 11 hits on the day. Junior pitcher Bryan Wilson received the win for the Bears in five innings of work on the mound, moving to 2-1 on the

year. Wilson allowed two runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out seven batters. Senior pitcher Evan Cox pitched an inning in relief of Wilson and allowed no hits and no runs and one walk. Cox said he started working on a two-seam fastball about an hour before the game. “It’s something hard with a lot of movement and sink to it,” Cox said. “It is something I can throw inside to right handers and away to lefties.” Cox said he felt the new pitch would be a great addition to his four-seam fastball and would add something different. “My four-seam is flat sometimes,” Cox said. “Having a fastball that has good velocity and sing is good to have.” Freshman Russell Watts pitched the last inning, striking out one while allowing no hits and no runs. Houston said he felt it was a good way to put the Bears’ struggles against the McNeese State Cowboys behind them and to move on to Texas State. “I feel like we gave the series away at McNeese,” Houston said. “McNeese got away with a couple of conference wins because of small mistakes that they capitalized on. Last weekend is behind us and now we’re ready for Texas State.” Cox said he agreed the win against the Lions would help the team’s confidence heading into the series against Texas State. “They [Texas State] are going to be a solid team, but when our team links together I really feel that we are hard to beat,” Cox said. “I am confident that we will be able to link up as a team this weekend and do a great job.” Houston also said that Texas State is known for their success in the Southland Conference. “It’s going to be a great series,” he said. The Bears went 2-1 in the series over Texas State this weekend at Bear Stadium.

Rose Cowling photo

Junior right fielder Greg Noble slides safely into home during the Bears 13-7 victory over the Texas State University Bobcats at Bear Stadium on Sunday. The Bears went 2-1 over the Bobcats in the weekend series.

Bears take series from Bobcats in 13-7 finale win by Ben Keller Sports Editor

The baseball Bears got into a homerun derby during their 13-7 victory over the Texas State Bobcats on Sunday at Bear Stadium. Both teams combined to hit six homeruns during the game, but the Bears came out on top with 14 hits compared to the Bobcats’ 11 and won the game and the weekend series, 2-3. Coach Allen Gum said the Bears clicked offensively and had a great day at the plate. “Offensively we got off to a good start,” he said. We kept leaning on them and kept adding runs throughout the day.” Senior first baseman Jonathan Houston said the team did well offensively and it was exciting to see everyone hitting well. “The wind blowing out at 30 mph over the left field wall definitely helps,” he said. “Put it up in the air and it was going to go.” The Bears hit two of the homeruns, one from freshman centerfielder Jonathan Davis and one from junior third baseman Bryan Willson. The Bobcats hit the remaining four, two of which were back-to-back in top of

the fourth from sophomore catcher Andrew Stumph and sophomore designated hitter Corey Falvey. The Bears led the entire game and got off to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Davis had the first hit of the inning that went through the left side for a single. He didn’t remain on base for long as Houston stepped up to the plate and drilled a deep line drive to the right field corner for a triple that scored Davis from first base. Willson dug in at the plate next and hit a sacrifice fly for an RBI to bring in Houston. Junior left fielder Jordan Getchell was walked with a pitch count of 4-1 from Bobcats sophomore pitcher Colton Turner. Freshman right fielder Logan Moon stepped up and hit a double to right field to bring in Getchell. Moon advanced to third on the throw in to home plate. The Bears were not able to bring in Moon for a run as sophomore catcher Travis Snyder flied out to right field for the final out of the inning. The Bobcats did not score their first run until the top of the second, but the Bears answered back with two runs in the bottom of the half of the inning to put them up 5-1. The

Bears continued to hammer in runs while the Bobcats struggled to keep up with the Bears’ bats and trying to find gaps in their defense. Gum said a huge part of the Bears success on Sunday was a great pitching effort from junior starter Dustin Ward and senior closer Evan Cox. “It looked good,” Gum said. “Dustin gave up a couple of balls that were hit out of the yard, but like I said, on a day like today when you make a mistake, you pay for it. Basically, he gave us the chance to win and then Evan came in and just shut [the Bobcats] down.” Ward pitched for 6.1 innings and allowed eight hits and six runs. He walked no one, had six strikeouts and picked up the win for the day, putting his record for the season at 4-3. Junior pitcher Andy Steinmetz came in to relieve Ward but was quickly replaced with Cox after Steinmetz gave up a homerun over the left field wall. Cox finished out the game and recorded his first save for the season. Cox allowed two hits and no runs for 2.2 innings. He also had three strikeouts. Houston said Cox has become an integral part of the pitching lineup and the defense for the Bears by stepping up as their premier closer.

- R E N O V AT I O N -

Athletic department unveils $1 million artificial turf at Estes Stadium by Jeanette Anderton Staff Writer

UCA’s athletic department announced the plan for a new, multi-colored artificial turf, purple and gray, for Estes Stadium. The project, which is estimated to cost $1 million, will be funded through capital reserves with a 10-year payback from the athletic budget. Athletic director Brad Teague got approval for the synthetic turf from the board of trustees on Feb. 25 without a final decision on color. “We used a large feedback committee of constituents, such as faculty, staff, students and members of the community to make the final decision,” Teague said. Coach Clint Conque said Teague sought input from the coaching staff as well as the feedback committee. “There were a lot of ideas presented,” Conque said. Teague said he is pleased with the final decision. “It certainly grows on you,” he said. Teague said the synthetic turf will save UCA over $100,000 per year in maintenance costs. “These synthetic fields are always in perfect shape,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about divots and holes.” Teague said divots and holes not only cost money to repair, they also cause injuries.

At the February board of trustees meeting, President Allen Meadors said, “With artificial turf, you have 75 percent fewer serious injuries and 50 to 55 percent fewer minor injuries.” Teague said he believes the multi-colored turf will promote school spirit and raise interest in the UCA football program. “There have already been over 205,000 views of the turf on YouTube and 5,000 of those were new to the site.” He said the largest number of YouTube views about UCA football before the announcement was 2,000 hits. “It has already increased awareness of the program,” he said. The coaches and players said they are excited about the change. “It was a unique opportunity to go the nontraditional route without going too far to the left,” Conque said. “An all-purple field might have been a little extreme.” He said the turf will have multi-purpose value for events like Relay for Life and for the UCA band. “A turf that is nontraditional in nature has the opportunity to create school unity and a sense of pride,” Conque said. Conque and others on the coaching staff said UCA may see an increase in recruiting because of the turf. “I think that it will be good for the program,” assistant defensive back coach Chris Hampton said. “I like that it’s different. It should give us a boost in recruiting.”

Dan Augustine, defensive lines and special teams coordinator, said the turf will be invaluable for practice. “The turf will be a huge advantage, especially for special teams, so we can practice when it rains,” he said. “Right now, if it rains, we have to practice kicking indoors.” Augustine said every other football team in the Southland Conference already has artificial turf. “We got in a situation a couple of years back where our field looked rough,” Augustine said. “When it is complete, probably the beginning of June, it will look great. It won’t turn brown during the winter.” Wide receivers coach Matt Kubik, said he agrees that the turf will help the Bears improve. “With synthetic turf, you can practice in a monsoon and still have pretty good footing,” he said. “It’s great. Our players love it and we believe our recruits will as well.” Senior middle linebacker Frank Newsome said he is excited about the turf. “I’m like every other person on the team,” he said. “I am ready to see it and play on it.” Conque said he is excited about the turf and the opportunities that come with it, but his focus is still on the playing. “As the football coach, I am more concerned about the quality of play on the field. My goal is still to challenge for conference titles each and every year,” he said.

-PREVIEW-

Women’s golf prepares for SLC Championship in Corpus Christi, Texas by Simon Gable Staff Writer

The women’s golf team will travel to Corpus Christi Texas April 18 through April 20, where they will battle all their conference foes at the Southland Conference Championships. The women’s team is hoping to have a good showing at the conference championships to atone for their shaky season. Senior member of the women’s team C.J. Bobbitt said: “We didn’t have the best season overall. We let too many matches slip away from us.” Luckily, the regular season means nothing in conference championships. “All the teams at conference will start on an even playing field,” Bobbitt said. “Teams will be there that have a better record than us, but every team has a chance to win,” she said. One team that UCA will have to watch out for is the team hosting the tournament, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Coach Shane McClung said: “Corpus Christi will have the advantage of knowing the

course. The wind is always a factor when you play at Corpus Christi and they are definitely used to it”. Bobbitt said she agreed that the wind would be a big issue at the championships. “We played at Corpus Christi earlier in the season [finishing 8th out of 16], so we have an idea of how windy it will be. We are going to be prepared for it.” One disadvantage she said UCA might have is that many of the teams they faced this season were not conference opponents. “This will be the first time that we have gone up against most of the teams in our conference,” Bobbitt said. “We will not be able to game plan for these opponents because we haven’t seen them.” Good game planning or not, the conference championships could be the last time that the women’s team steps on to a golf course this season. “Since we didn’t have the best season, we have to win the tournament in order to go to regionals,” McClung said. “We could also send an individual to regionals if she were to win,” he said.

Bobbitt said she would love to win either as an individual or as a team. “This is my senior year and unless we win, this will be my final chance to play golf for UCA,” she said. “Winning the whole thing or even finishing in the top five would really be special,” she said. In order to have a good showing at the championships, Bobbitt said UCA is going to have to stay focused mentally. “The reason we had some bad showings during the year was because we weren’t focused,” Bobbitt said. The women’s team will also have to execute the things they have been working on in practice. “We have constantly been working on our short game in practice,” Bobbitt said. “We have also been working on our second and approach shots,” she said. As long as the women’s team can perform well in what McClung calls the “scoring zone,” they will be fine, McClung said. “We just have to play smart and take it one shot at a time,” McClung said.

ucaecho.net

SPORTS

- B A S E B A L L-

Bears get past Bobcats 6-5 in 11th inning

by Jeanette Anderton Staff Writer

The baseballs Bears narrowly squeaked by the Texas State Bobcats, 6-5, in an 11 inning win in game two of the series Saturday. “It was a good match up,” coach Allen Gum said after the game. “These are two good teams who both had a chance

to win it earlier, but missed some opportunities. Both teams wanted it really bad, but we were able to pull it off in the end.” In the top of the first, the Bobcats had one hit, one run, one left on base and the Bears had one error. The Bobcats took an early lead in the top of the first, which was the only time in the game they were ahead for a full inning.

Bear Chat with

Jake Goode

by Lee Hogan Staff Writer

Sophomore decathlon athlete Jake Goode has been a consistent contributor in his two years on the UCA Track and Field team, competing in many events. As a decathlon athlete, Goode is required to participate in many different type of events. Goode has had great success in both the indoor and outdoor season. Goode finished in the top 10 in seven events at the ASU Kickoff Classic in Jonesboro, Ark. earlier this year, including a sixth place finish in high jump, seventh in shot put and ninth in both the 1,000 meters and long jump. Because of his results, Goode qualified for the heptathlon at the Southland Conference Indoor Championships and finished in 13th place. Goode placed in the top 10 in three events of the heptathlon competition at the SLC Indoor Championships. Goode’s hometown is Conway, Ark. and also graduated at Conway High School

How long have you ran track? I’ve ran track since seventh grade so this will be my eighth year to run.

What is your favorite event to compete in? My favorite event is the pole vault because of the way it challenges me both physically and mentally.

What has been your favorite moment as a UCA Bear? My favorite moment as a UCA Bear was at the conference track meet last year and we were about to start the first day of competition and all of us, there were about 15 of us or so, we all came together and prayed that everyone would do their best.

What brought you to UCA? I’m not sure exactly what made up my mind to come to UCA, but I know it was God’s plan and I am very glad I came here.

What is your major? My major as of right now is applied mathematics with a minor in physics.

What are your plans after graduation? I plan on using my major and minor to possibly go into engineering.

Do you have any superstitions before a meet? No, I’m usually pretty calm before a meet. It’s minutes before I compete before I even get nervous.

What song do you listen to on your iPod before a meet? It really depends, but I like to start my day off with some Chris Tomlin or Hillsong United, but right before a race it’s “Eye of the Tiger” or “Thunderstruck.”

What is your most embarrassing moment? Probably doing Boxer night for my fraternity, but it was a lot of fun.

What are your hobbies outside of track? Riding my motorcycle, playing video games, hunting, reading and playing piano even though I’m just learning.

Bobcats’ senior center fielder Bret Atwood reached first on a throwing error by Bears’ junior third baseman Bryan Willson. Atwood advanced to second when junior left fielder Jeff McVaney grounded out to first base unassisted. Atwood scored, unearned, when junior third baseman Kyle Kubitza singled through the right side. There were no runs or errors by either team in the bottom of the first or the top of the second. In the bottom of the second, the Bears scored two runs, got three hits and left two on base. Bears’ junior left fielder Jordan Getchell tripled to right center. Freshman right fielder Logan Moon tripled down the right field line, sending Getchell in for the run. Sophomore catcher Travis Snider reached on a fielder’s choice to third base by bunting. Moon was put out at home. Snider advanced to second when senior second baseman Zack Dickson singled through the left side. Snider advanced to third and Dickson to second, when the Bobcats walked senior shortstop Kyle Prevett. Freshman designated hitter Doug Votolato walked, sending Prevett to second, Dickson to third and Snider home. Freshman center fielder Jonathan Davis grounded into a double play, second base to first. In the third and fourth innings, there were no runs and no errors. In the top of the fifth, the Bobcats scored two runs, putting them up 3-2. Junior first baseman Tyler Sibley walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Atwood walked. Kubitza tripled to center field, sending Sibley and Atwood home. In the bottom of the fifth, the Bears once again took the lead, scoring three runs, getting three hits and leaving one on base. Davis reached on a throwing error by third baseman and then stole second. Houston grounded out to second base and Davis advanced to third. Willson doubled to right field, sending Davis in for the run. Moon singled to center field, sending Willson home. Snider doubled down the left field line, sending Moon home. There were no runs in the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, the Bobcats got two runs to tie it up at five. McVaney walked and then stole second base. Kubitza hit the only home run of the game to left field, sending McVaney home in the process. There were no runs scored in the eighth, ninth or tenth innings. In the bottom of the eleventh, Votolato singled to third. Davis bunted a single to first base, advancing Votolato to second. Votolato then advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt by the pitcher. Houston singled to right center, sending Votolato home for the winning score. After the game, which lasted over three hours, Bobcats coach Ty Harrington said,“UCA did a nice job of hanging in and figuring out how to execute at the end for the win. Both teams played well and were pretty evenly matched. In the end, UCA was just able to get it done.”

April 13, 2011 / 9

Bears Brief • The Bears softball team was swept by the Texas State Bobcats in San Marcos, Texas this weekend, starting with two losses in a double-header on Saturday. The Bears lost the first game 11-0 in five innings and the second game 4-2. In the first game the Bears (17-23, 7-11 Southland) recorded just two hits to the Bobcats’ 13. Bears sophomore starting pitcher Kelsie Armstrong struck out the first two Bobcats (21-18, 14-7 Southland) batters of the game but then allowed five hits, five runs, two walks, and hit a batter to give the Bobcats a 5-0 lead going into the second inning. The Bobcats added four more runs to their lead in the bottom of the second inning and two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to put them ahead 11-0. The Bears were unable to unable to put two runs on the board to prevent the game ending after the fifth inning due to the run rule. Game two picked up where the first game ended when the Bobcats started off by scoring two runs in the first inning. The Bears scored their first run of the day in the second inning after sophomore shortstop Melissa Bryant led off with a walk and was scored on an RBI by sophomore second baseman

Preslie Long. Bobcats senior designated player McKenzie Baack hit a two-run homerun in the bottom of the third inning to stretch their lead to 4-1. Bears freshman third baseman Ashlynn Tovar scored the final run of the game in the top of the fifth inning when reached on an error and later scored on a passed on a passed ball, giving the game its final score of 4-2. The Bobcats completed the sweep on Sunday with a 7-1 victory over the Bears. The Bears committed three errors during the game and were outhit 9-5 by the Bobcats. Bobcats senior third baseman Jenna Emery hit a solo homerun in the bottom of the second inning to put the first run of the game of the game on the board, giving the Bobcats the early 1-0 lead. The Bobcats scored six more runs in the bottom of fifth off of four hits and two errors to put them ahead 7-0. The Bears scored their lone run of the game in the top of the seventh inning when junior designated player Katie McGregor singled and then scored from second base on an RBI from freshman third baseman Terra Underhill. The Bears will host the Alcorn State University Braves today at 3 p.m. at Farris Field. • The Sugar Bears tennis team dropped two away

matches this weekend to put them at 1-15 for the season and 0-9 in Southland Conference. The Sugar Bears lost to the Sam Houston State University Bearkats 7-0 on Saturday in Huntsville, Texas. The Sugar Bears began the match by dropping all three doubles matches, giving Sam Houston the doubles point and a 1-0 to start the match. Senior LIsa Mainz and junior Allison Hartman lost 8-5 at the number one position, senior Kati Andersen and sophomore Kazumi Otani lost 8-6 at the number two position, and senior Alex Rios and freshman Sasha Ruocco fell 8-4 at the number three position. In singles play freshman Simona Horsikyan was defeated 6-0, 7-5 at number one, Ruocco was defeated 6-1, 6-4 at number two, Mainz lost 6-3,6-2 at number three, Andersen lost 6-1, 7-6 at number four, Hartman lost 6-3, 6-2 at number five, and Rios lost 6-1, 6-0 at number six. On Sunday the Sugar Bears lost to the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 6-1 in Nacogdoches, Texas. Both the number one and two doubles teams lost by a score of 8-1 and Rios and Ruocco won at number three by default. In singles, Rios recorded the only win, recording a 6-0, 6-0 win.

10 / April 13, 2011

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