Issue 14, Volume 117-- January 26, 2022

THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS’ STUDENT NEWSPAPER

SINGLE COPY PAID FOR BY STUDENT PUBLICATION

WEDNESDAY

JANUARY 26, 2022 Volume 117 — Issue 14

ucanews.live TODAY’S FORECAST CONWAY

Campus Life:

Sports:

Student Success: Seminar teaches students unique note taking strategy.

Basketball: Sugar Bears fall short in second half against Jacksonville State.

4 page 7

New Release: Earl Sweatshirt’s ‘Sick!’ is solid, but underwhelming.

4 page 11

4 page 9

Survey reveals poor perception of administration, lack of diversity, visability concerns faculty, students

Sunny

39/20

THE NEWSDESK FROM THE ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Webb Telescope 1 million miles away

The world’s biggest and most powerful telescope reached its final destination 1 million miles from Earth on Monday Jan. 17, a month after it had lifted off on a quest to see the dawn of the universe. The telescope will enable astronomers to peer back further in time than ever before, all the way back to when the first stars and galaxies were forming 13.7 billion years ago. The telescope will also scan the atmospheres of alien worlds

N AT I O N A L Graduations fall as pandemic goes on High school graduation rates dipped in at least 20 states after the first full school year disrupted by the pandemic, suggesting the coronavirus may have ended nearly two decades of nationwide progress toward getting more students diplomas, an analysis shows. In 20 of 26 states that have released their data, graduation rates fell. Without in-person connections and no prom or social interaction, students are losing motivation.

Low approval rates plague Biden admin President Joe Biden ends his first year at the White House with a clear majority of Americans for the first time disapproving of his handling of the presidency in the face of an unrelenting pandemic and roaring inflation. More Americans disapprove than approve of how Biden is handling his job as president, 56% to 43%. Asked on Wednesday about his flagging popularity, Biden responded: “I don’t believe the polls.”

S TAT E Professor pleads guilty to lying about patents

A University of Arkansas professor plead guilty Friday to lying to the FBI about patents he had for inventions in mainland China. Simon Saw-Teong Ang plead guilty in federal court to one count from a 58-count federal indictment.

Prosecutors say 24 patents bearing Ang’s name were filed with the Beijing government but that he failed to report patents to the university and denied having them when questioned by the FBI.

WHAT’S AHEAD IN OUR NEXT ISSUE

Faculty pen letter in support of African American Studies major.

BY MIA WADDELL News Editor

Diversity and administration need improvement say faculty and students according to the 2021 Campus Climate Survey.

Darshon Reed, Associate Professor of Psychology presented the data in a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

As part of the survey, students were asked to rank their opinions of many factors of campus. These four fell below the benchmark of five and a half out of seven.

Students’ top concerns were visibility (5.41), perception of administration (5.28), perception of peers (5.23) and campus training focused on sexual assault (5.36).

Visibility refers to a student’s ability to see those like them represented on campus — whether it be in administration, faculty, staff or peers. It is a subset of diversity, according to Reed.

The numbers for visibility and campus training fell from the 2020 survey. Perception of administration and peers increased slightly from 2020 but still underperformed.

The faculty’s top concerns were perception of administration (5.33) and visibility (5.23), both of which scored higher than the previous year yet did not meet the benchmark.

“Visibility is consistently not met,” Reed said.

The largest predictor for overall satisfaction for students according to Reed was the perception of administration.

The faculty’s largest predictor for overall satisfaction

When asked "How would you describe the campus culture at UCA?" Words Used Consistently Diverse & Welcoming, (appeared 50 or more times) Repeated Themes in Open Responses Diverse and mostly welcoming, accepting, & inclusive of all students Lack of engagement with students and nonexistent community due to Covid pandemic Discrimination against & harassment towards those with conservative or unpopular viewpoints Students of different backgrounds and organizations with different causes do not engage with each other Online students and commuting students do not have an opinion of campus culture because they are not on campus Non-traditional students feel their concerns are overlooked graphic by Darshon Reed

In the 2021 campus climate report, students and faculty were given open-ended questions to gauge their feelings about campus culture. Pictured are the most common responses from the students who participated in the survey.

was the work environment.

The survey also included a multitude of open-ended questions that allowed students to suggest improvements.

The most repeated suggestion from students was “Opportunities for students from different backgrounds to interact and learn from each other,” most likely in the form of a cultural fair or day.

“We are definitely taking actions to put something of that sort together,” Angela Webster, chief diversity officer, said. “We are working on a diversity week in fall [2023].”

Other top suggestions included: More opportunities for difficult dialogue and diversity of thought, better communication of events, more in-person

opportunities for students, increased diversity within faculty and administration, and improved lighting on campus and in campus parking lots.

The faculty’s top suggestion was to “Increase Faculty and Staff Diversity and Diversity in Administrative ranks (supervisors, upper management, executive staff).”

Other top suggestions by faculty: Increase commitment to diversity by holding faculty and staff accountable for contributing to toxic and hostile environments, promote different beliefs and backgrounds, offer more opportunities to intermingle across positions and departments, and create a dedicated staff position for support of LGBTQ students,

faculty and staff.

Both faculty and students repeatedly described UCA as intolerant of differing opinions.

Students repeatedly said there is “discrimination against and harassment towards those with conservative or unpopular viewpoints.”

Faculty repeatedly voiced “concerns that UCA is intolerant of conservative values and nonreligious beliefs.”

Charlotte Strickland, director of professional development & training, told attendees that next year’s theme for professional training will be “Dialogue,” and how, specifically, to engage in difficult dialogue.

The survey was administered in an off-year, at the request of

PA R K M O B I L E

BY

ADDI FREEMAN

Editor-in-Chief

Beginning with the spring semester, UCA paired up with the ParkMobile app to offer students contactless metered parking spaces. Students can now pay for these spaces using their phones and add time from the ParkMobile app.

Sergeant Michael Hopper of the UCA Police Department said the university has “been looking into this change for the past few years.”

“We were originally approached by students in a project management class with the idea, and we began to look into different companies and options.

The technology has now gotten to the point where contactless payments are mostly hassle-free,” Hopper said.

The new contactless metered parking spaces are located near the HPER Center, the Student Center and Schichtl, and will be placed near Lewis Annex and Donaghey Hall soon, according to a Jan. 11 email sent to the student body and faculty from the UCA PD. The decision to bring about contactless meters was impacted by several factors.

“Covid is driving for more payment methods to be contactless.

Physical parking meters require constant maintenance, cleaning and emptying. They are prone to jamming, which has, in the past, led to students getting tickets for parking at inoperable meters,” Hopper said.

Many students have already tried the new method, but with varied reactions.

Natalie Carden, a graduate student in the Occupational Therapy program, finds the new method “user-friendly.”

“I think they make using the meters more accessible for all students. I know I have found myself without change or without enough change for the time needed, but this eliminates that concern,” Carden said.

However, junior Houston Morphew doesn’t find the meters the best option.

“I think it’s a bad idea because it is more expensive to park at the meters. I parked [at the meters] almost every day since I live offcampus.”

Another student, sophomore Tierney Earnest, finds the meters divisive.

“The contactless payment is creating a divide between the socioeconomic groups.

Financially insecure students or family members who need to pay for parking are being put at a disadvantage for being unable to download the app. It’s a good idea, but taking away the physical option is horrible,” Earnest said.

Still, Hopper believes “the new system offers a definite improvement… The metered parking spaces have always been a popular and convenient option for short-term parking.”

To use the contactless meters, download the ParkMobile app offered in the Apple App Store and Google Play. Users will need to create an account, add their license plate number and include their space number listed on the sign in front of the space. A zone number, also located on the signage, must be entered.

President Davis, as a way to track perceptions of campus since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 survey was compared against fewer institutions than normal because the survey is normally only given during even years.

The 2021 survey had a smaller sample size than years past.

The majority of respondents were cisgender, white females — in both the faculty and student survey.

Despite this, the overall percentage breakdowns of respondents by race and gender mirrored the student population closely, by 4-5 percentage points according to the data.

D E LTA

Metered parking goes mobile, contactless payments on app

Contact Us:

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Entertainment:

photo courtesy of UCA News

Matthew Connolly and undergraduate student Marisol Filares measure the height of soybean crops in Jackson County, Arkansas. The research being done will aid farmers in the Delta region with irrigation and crop yield.

NASA grant awarded to UCA researchers

BY EDMUND BURKE Staff Writer

University of Central Arkansas geographers received a $40,000 grant from NASA to study how the Arkansas Delta’s declining fresh groundwater used for agricultural irrigation impacts the regional climate and crop yields for farmers.

The study is led by Yaqian He, Ph.D., an assistant professor of geography, and Matthew Connolly, Ph.D., an associate professor of geography.

“We want to assess how irrigation interacts with regional climate (e.g., reduced temperature because of more irrigation water evaporating into the atmosphere) and how the changed regional climate

because of irrigation, in turn, affects crop yields that farmers concern most. We then build a benefit/risk map to show farmers where irrigation-climate interaction will promote/ harm crop productivity. Based on that information, farmers may consider changing their irrigation strategy,” Dr. He said.

After submitting a proposal to Arkansas NASA’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), the UCA research team received the grant.

“Each year, Arkansas NASA EPSCoR office will release a ‘Call for Proposals (CFP)’ for research infrastructure development (RID) grant.

Faculty members in Arkansas who feel their research is

Social:

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suitable for the CFP’s theme can apply for it. The applicants need to prepare the proposal about research questions, methods, expected outcomes, etc. They also need to prepare a budget, its justification, and other required documents.” Dr. He said.

Dr. He and Dr. Connolly hired two undergraduate students, geography major Marisol Filares and environmental science major Caden Rhodes to join the team.

“This research project deepened my understanding of the collection of spatial data as well as introduced me to coding languages to manage large amounts of data. It also

See Delta- page 2

Inside: Opinion:

Professors should provide resources to quarantined students.

see page 10

2/January, 26 2022

NEWS

Police Beat

Pelts, new Veterans Resource Director

The following information is compiled from UCAPD incident reports

by Assistant News Editor Kathryn Thornberry

Woman receives DWI, swerving

Chloe Sherman was pulled over by officer Phillip Boyd near Kum and Go on Dave Ward on January 15 and placed under arrest for DWI. Due to the speed and swerving of the car, Boyd turned his lights on near the UCA softball complex. Sherman passed two entrances to the softball complex, as well as Hillman road before she came to a stop at Kum and Go. After Boyd approached Sherman, she admitted that she had been drinking, and she and her passengers were coming from the Sig Ep house.

The policeman determined Chloe was intoxicated after she completed a Walk and Turn test, as well as a One Leg Stand test.

Marijuana found on two students

Jaylon Abdullah and Kolby Hadley were both arrested, handcuffed, and placed in UCAPD patrol units and taken to the Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office after officer Tommy Wise smelled burned marijuana coming from Hadley’s vehicle on January 15.

Abdullah exited the vehicle and proceeded to walk toward Bernard Hall after Wise had ordered him to stop. Abdullah scanned his bear card and entered the building despite Wise’s second order to stop. Wise remained with the vehicle and identified the driver as Jaylon Abdullah. Wise then made contact with three roaches, an end of a blunt and a small amount of marijuana.

Large amount of marijuana in car

Mckenzie Gibson and Albert George were detained by officer Christopher Vasquez on Monday, Jan. 17, after Vasquez approached a vehicle that contained a light odor of marijuana.

Vasquez saw a cup in the center console with the insides of cigarillos and ash all around the center console area. George gave the officer a small joint and told him that he threw another joint. After peacefully complying to give the keys to the officer, Vasquez informed Albert that he would be searching the vehicle. The two were detained, and the search revealed a large bag of marijuana in the glove box, 23 grams.

COMMUNIT Y

MLK Breakfast disrupted by COVID-19, Rep. Jamie Scott calls for greater action

graphic courtest of UCA Inform

UCA holds a Prayer Breakfast each year in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Two pastors were scheduled to speak at this years breakfast. Both could not attend due to unspecified COVID-19 reasons.

BY

MIA WADDELL

collaboration with each other,” Scott said. “Dreams require action, prayer, and urgency. We must act. We must do. We must stand. We must speak up, and not dream lying down.”

Scott spoke strongly about individual choices and their impact on those around us. “You must choose to participate,” Scott said.

Scott believes that Martin Luther King’s most famous values would be of great help to the country and community now.

“Over 59 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King gave his iconic I Have a Dream speech.

Yet, here we are in 2022, with many of the same shameful conditions that King hoped we would have overcome.”

“We, as a nation, and as a people cannot be satisfied, as long as individuals and groups of individuals are brutalized.

We cannot be satisfied as our children are stripped of their adulthood, and robbed of their dignity.”

In addition to collective action in the fight against COVID-19 and racial justice, Scott stressed voter’s rights and a willingness to work with others. Scott nodded to many of the political representatives in attendance and said that despite disagreement, she is proud of the legislation they are creating.

Scott is the youngest

News Editor

The UCA Annual MLK Prayer Breakfast was disrupted

by COVID-19, keynote speaker Rep. Jamie Scott stressed collective action to fight the pandemic.

The MLK Prayer Breakfast, now in its 14th year, was scheduled to include Pastor Tremayne Harris of New Generation Church and Pastor Jason Aultman of Antioch Baptist Church. Both withdrew from the event for unspecified COVID-19 related reasons.

Arkansas Rep. Jamie Scott’s keynote address focused on Dr. King’s idea of humankind’s “inescapable mutuality,” which connects individual action or inaction.

“Collective consequences are inescapable,” Scott said.

“Today, as we endure yet another surge, very painfully… collective consequences, as a result of us taking inaction for our neighbors.”

The theme of the event was “Better Together.”

“Dr. King spoke on this realization that collectively, our destinies are tied together.

Our freedoms are tied together.

We’re better together, simply stated,” Scott said.

“Dreams require us to believe and work in courageous

Delta:

ucanews.live

African American to be elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives. She is a native of North Little Rock and serves District 37 in Pulaski county.

State Sen. Missy Irvin, Rep. Stephen Magie, Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Rhonda Wood, Circuit judge David Clark, and representatives for U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton and U.S. Rep. French Hill were in attendance for the event.

President Houston Davis later announced UCA will observe the National Racial Day of Healing, officially decreed, following the lead of Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, the first governor in the nation to issue a gubernatorial proclamation in honor of the day.

Miss UCA, Nia Kelley performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Kelley is a freshman, pursuing a degree in vocal performance.

Kelley was crowned Miss UCA 2022 in November 2021.

The event also included cello selections from UCA’s professor of cello Stephen Feldman.

Retired UCA leader Ronnie Williams closed the event in prayer. The service took place in the recently renamed Ronnie Williams Student Center.

Due to COVID-19, breakfast was served in to-go boxes at the end of the ceremony.

BY

DELANEY VAN WILPE

Online Editor

Gregory Pelts began his role as UCA’s new Director of Veterans Resource Center Jan. 4.

As a retired active-duty Army Lieutenant Colonel, Pelts has 32 years of military experience.

During those 32 years, 22 were spent on active duty. He has also worked with the Arkansas National Guard in the latter part of his military career. According to UCA Inform, he has served as a “Recruiting Battalion Commander, the Director of Operations and Training at one of the Army’s Education Centers of Excellence and providing administrative oversight to the Arkansas National Guard’s Education Office.”

His new role at UCA will allow him to use his experience in the military in a different and equally rewarding facet.

“Being in the army, I kind of consider it like one of those higher callings in life. You don’t do it just to make money… So, I knew I was not going to be satisfied with doing just what I would think it was a normal job, just to make a buck,” Pelts said. “The only kind of job I would have considered getting into after the army, it would be something that kind of gives me that rewarding feeling, you know, a feeling of fulfillment.

And I consider this job being in that category.”

In his new position, he hopes to increase efficiency.

“The bulk of what we do here is that we help veterans, dependents of veterans or current military personnel

who are in college here [to] access their benefits so that they can more easily go to college financially,” Pelts said.

If the processing operation is efficient, then Veteran Services has more leeway to improve on Outreach.

An aspect of Outreach that Pelts plans to improve is recruitment.

“It’s not in a very formalized way right now, but once I get a handle on the normal processes here, I do hope to expand some recruitment,” Pelts said.

Pelts believes that recruiting more veterans to UCA will, in turn, help more veterans.

“There are people that come off of active duty in Central Arkansas, they have these G.I. Bill benefits, they’re eligible to receive them, but they really are undecided what they want to do,” Pelts said. “If you can come up with some mechanisms to help recruit them, you’re also creating mechanisms to help them grow.”

Assuming this role is not Pelts’ first interaction with UCA’s campus. Before he was an employee, Pelts was enrolled in classes at UCA in pursuit of a history degree.

“I was always kind of a history nerd, and I regretted that I never majored in history the first time I was in college. So I said, ‘when I retire from the army, I want to go get a history degree,’” Pelts said.

“So I started going here to UCA and using my G.I. Bill benefits that I had earned in my military career.”

After three years of retirement, Pelts planned to “enjoy” retirement and had no interest in going back to work.

However, his connections made

through UCA’s Veteran Services office allowed him to rekindle that interest.

“I started taking history classes here on campus, and totally unintentionally, that caused me to network with this office because I had to use this office to access my benefits.

And I remember thinking early on, ‘that’s the kind of job I could actually enjoy doing, helping young veterans or dependents of veterans access military benefits for college education,’” Pelts said. “So, I guess I kind of consider it almost like fate or divine intervention or the powers of the universe or whatever that brought me here.”

Pelts obtained his first degree in Criminal Justice at the University of Arkansas in 1990.

In pursuit of his history degree at UCA, he plans to re-enroll in classes once he gets his bearings of his new position.

“I want to finish that history degree. I don’t have a diploma hanging on the wall from UCA, and I need that,” Pelts said.

Currently a resident of Cabot, Pelts has an hour commute to campus, but he said he was drawn to the UCA environment.

“I chose to go to UCA when I retired because I liked the campus, it seemed to be a wellorganized operation here, I liked the history program and just walking around on campus here is pleasant,” Pelts said. “There are other campuses that were closer to where I live, but they just did not appeal to me. Maybe it’s hard for me to put my finger on exactly why. I felt like if I came to UCA, I would have a better, more well-rounded experience.”

SGA donates $100 to Children’s hospital BY

KATHRYN THORNBERRY

Assistant News Editor

On Monday, Jan. 24, the Student Government Association met in room 205 in the Student Center to discuss donations, resolutions, and the discontinuing of the AfricanAfrican American Studies major.

President Mya Hall moved that the UCA SGA adopt the resolution concerning the removal of the AfricanAfrican American Studies major.

“Whereas the UCA Student Government Association advocates on behalf of all students and their concerns regarding the university. Whereas students have voiced their concerns about the removal of the African-African American Studies major. Whereas the African American Studies program gets no diverse

funding from the University’s budget,” Hall said.

President Mya Hall explained the importance of the major and diversity among UCA. “Whereas according to the fall 2021 diversity ledger 29.6% of the university’s body is nonwhite. 16.1% of which are African American.

Whereas diversity is recognized as one of the four pillars of the University of Central Arkansas’ core,” Hall said. “Therefore we resolve that the UCA SGA does not support the removal of the African-African American Studies major.”

Vice president Moore voted that the SGA allocate $100 to purchase donations for Arkansas Children’s Hospital on behalf of SGA. All funds would be taken from the SGA reserves account.

“I believe we gave a great amount of donations,” says Moore, “I feel $100 is

enough for us to buy just a little bit more donations to donate to them to help out the families.”

The resolution passed with all 34 members voting yes.

Vice president Madison Aldy moved that SGA send 10 students to attend the Arkansas Leadership Summit Jan. 29 for $100 in total. The money will come out of the reserves account. The motion passed with all members voting yes.

SGA members also addressed additional information regarding bear cards.

“Senator Mosby will be meeting with the bear card office to discuss preferred names and pronouns on bearcards,” said Senator Clawson.

Vice president Moore recognized SGA members who achieved a 4.0 last semester.

Drones, soybeans and coding.

4 Continued from page

allowed me to become a remote drone pilot where I learned about regulations in airspaces and interpreting Metrological Aerodrome Reports (METARs) and Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs),” Filares said.

The grant allowed each research team member to attain the Federal Aviation Administration’s remote pilot certification needed to fly a drone.

“We planned and executed our drone flights during Summer 2021 to collect imagery for irrigated and nonirrigated soybean fields in Jackson County, Arkansas,” Dr. Connolly said.

“We used drones to fly over the irrigated soybean and nonirrigated soybean fields to get the drone images. These drone images will be used as training samples in a machine-learning algorithm and combined with satellite images to classify the irrigation and non-irrigated soybean over the Delta region.

This work is ongoing now,” added Dr. He. “We collected the imagery data during the summer because

1 we needed to capture images when the soybean plants were actively growing and consuming water. After finishing the fieldwork, we processed the drone imagery at UCA to create maps of the irrigated and nonirrigated soybean fields,” added Dr. Connolly.

Rhodes created an interactive map that compiles preliminary results of the study that farmers can use to determine how often to irrigate farmland in the Delta.

“The map that Caden created can exactly show the farmers where their irrigationclimate interactions benefit/ risk their crop productivity.

Farmers in the risk counties are encouraged to learn the irrigation strategy from the farmers who are in the benefit region. If we get further funding, we will interview farmers in risk/benefit counties and then provide the best irrigation strategy to all farmers directly,” Dr. He said.

Studying how the Arkansas Delta’s groundwater used for irrigation changes the regional climate and crop yields is

important due to the economic importance of agriculture.

“Using groundwater for irrigation generally changes the moisture balance in the atmosphere and the ground and alters soil chemistry.

Pumping groundwater for crop irrigation removes water from the soil and adds water to the atmosphere. Over time adding water to the atmosphere can change local temperatures and local rainfall patterns. Temperature and rainfall (precipitation) are the variables that directly affect and define a place’s climate, so changing the average temperatures and average rainfall can effectively change climates,” Dr. Connolly said.

“Local changes in a relatively small area can create a microclimate. Microclimates are areas with distinctly different temperature and rainfall characteristics than areas nearby,” Dr. Connolly said.

Results from the UCA research team’s study will help farmers determine how frequently to irrigate farmland.

graphic by Mia Waddell

Campus Life

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January 26, 2022

Around Campus:

Taco ‘Bout Greek Life with Alpha Sigma Alpha On January 26, from 6-7 p.m., Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority will be hosting potential new members in the chapter room of the Alpha Sigma Alpha house to discuss Greek life. Potential new members will be welcomed with a taco bar.

Bear Den General Membership Meeting From 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. on January 27, The Bear Den is hosting a general membership meeting in the Ronnie Williams Student Center Room 214. The meeting will be for students to meet and greet and learn about upcoming events on campus.

Music on the Yard On January 27, from 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m., the National Pan-Hellenic Council will be in the Amphitheater. Students can come out and enjoy hot chocolate and games with the NPHC community.

LGBTQIA Seminar

Photo by Madison Ogle

The opening slide of Marsha Massey’s presentation featured the title “Confronting Bias in STEM Education: Reflections of a Black Chemist.” Massey reflected on her experiences while making her way through the education system, noting the lack of encouragment she felt from advisors.

Panelists confront racial bias in seminar by

Madison Ogle

Campus Life Editor & Cartoonist

UCA faculty shared racial studies and personal philosophies during a seminar that celebrated National Day of Racial Healing.

Presented on Jan. 18 via Zoom, the theme of this panel was “Revisiting Broken Systems” and hosted Taine Duncan, Kristy Carter and Marsha Massey.

Duncan, who is the Chair, Associate Professor and Director of UCA’s Gender Studies Program, was the first featured panelist of the evening. Her presentation focused on critical race theory, a topic that Duncan discusses in UCA’s “Critical Theories of Race” course, a required class under UCA’s path for African/AfricanAmerican Studies Majors and

Minors.

Duncan referenced multiple black scholars, one being Tommy Curry.

Through referencing Curry’s opinions, Duncan discussed the relationship between theoretical education on race theory and the real, lived experiences of black individuals.

“Critical Theories of Race is a framework that allows that aspect of the conversation,” Duncan said. “It’s something that also focuses on the concept of emancipation, which is the idea of trying to generate liberation, freedom and equity for as many groups in as many populations as we can.”

Duncan cited the scholar George Yancy as well, mentioning his idea of parrhesia, meaning brave and fearless speech. “Which is exactly what we’re engaged in

From 3 p.m.-4 p.m. on January 27, BearX and University Training will be hosting a LGBTQIA Seminar on Zoom. The event will consist of a panel discussion, terminology, and Being an Ally and is open to the entire UCA community

today.”

Carter followed Duncan’s presentation, showing research that pertained instead to entrepreneurship among women of color.

Carter showed an image in her presentation of a multicolored pathway with various annotations, an image that she feels represents an entrepreneurial ecosystem from the perspective of women of color.

“It’s basically a woman starting off through a series of mazes, almost like a game of life. Right?” Carter said.

“There is so much that she will endure throughout her journey to get to the finish line.”

Carter continued to highlight inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems and what they offer to those within them, black women in particular. Referencing

the experience of a black business owner, Carter said “her experience indicated that within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, there’s more work to do to create a culture where black women are valued. Not just welcome, but where they are valued.”

The final panelist, Massey said “I’m going to be honest, upfront. I’m going to make this personal.”

Massey reflected on an experience from High School, one that would be one of the first times the education system had failed to aid her in her scholarly pursuits.

“I honestly don’t recall learning about college and scholarships from my high school counselors,” Massey said. “When I think back on it, I try to recall having any conversations with my high school counselors.”

Massey felt as though

she had received little to no support from those designated to encourage her the most.

“Summarizing the goals I have as a faculty member and what I hope others will have in academia would be to empower students instead of always trying to help them,” Massey said. “I think [offering support] would go a long way, Instead of just trying to be cautious and cut things off before they happen. We don’t know the future and what it holds for any of us.”

To close out the event, Attendees of the Zoom were separated into breakout rooms with one of the three speakers.

The breakout rooms offered an opportunity for participants to further educate each other and engage in conversation as it related to the presentations and the National Day of Racial Healing.

LEARNING JOURNEY

Students for the Arts: Poetry Slam On January 27, from 4 p.m.-5 p.m., UCA Students for the Arts will be hosting a poetry slam at UCA Downtown in Downtown Conway. There is a $5 general admission fee that must be cash.

The event will be offering free food.

Glow in the Dark Mini Golf On January 27, from 6 p.m.-10 p.m., the Student Activities Board will be hosting a Glow in the Dark Mini Golf event in the Student Center Ballroom.

Photo by Madison Ogle

Patricia Kohler-Evans stands in front of a “Paraphrasing makes you a better reader!!!” slide. Student Success Workshops cover many topics considered helpful to students and are offered throughout the semester. The workshops are free to all students and faculty.

First Student Success Workshop teaches RAP method

by Mia Waddell

Movie Night

News Editor

From 7 p.m.-9 p.m. on January 30, the Student Activities Board will be hosting a movie night in the Student Center Ballroom.

They will be showing King Richard, starring Will Smith. They will also be offering free food.

Students were taught the ins and outs of the RAP method in the first Student Success Workshop of the semester, “The Paraphrasing Strategy.”

“A student called me and said ‘I need a body bag, cause I just killed that test,’” Student Success Coordinator Marvin Williams said, describing a student who completed the workshop.

“I’ve had two or three students reach out to me about the paraphrasing [workshop] and say it helped them.”

The instructor, Patricia KohlerEvans, Director of Mashburn Center of Learning, began by telling students in the workshop that if they report back about how the method helped them, she would give them a gift.

“She did give him a gift,” Williams said. “She really does do that.”

Kohler-Evans instructed dozens

Dress for Success On February 1, from 1:40 p.m.2:30 p.m., Career Services and BearX will be hosting a Dress for Success event in the Student Center Ballroom. Students can learn how to dress professionally

of students gathered in a lecture hall in Burdick on the “RAP” method.

RAP is a rough acronym for read, ask yourself the main idea, and put it into your own words. Another phrase for this method is “The Paraphrasing Strategy.”

Kohler-Evans began the workshop by asking attendees, “How often do you read and have no recollection afterward?”

“You have to think about [what you are reading], to engage with it,” Kohler-Evans said.

The RAP method can increase your reading comprehension and grades, according to Kohler-Evans.

Paraphrasing each paragraph in your own words was the most important factor in the method.

“Memorizing is absolutely meaningless. When you put it into your own words, there is an elevated likelihood you will remember it.”

Kohler-Evans stated a few tips for employing the RAP method in

your reading and notetaking; the information should be: original, useful, and limit one main idea to each paragraph.

Despite the short presentation, students in attendance caught on quickly during the practice round.

“You may be saying to yourself, this is going to take me a long time to do,” said Kohler-Evans. “The more you do it, the more fluent you’ll become [at the method].”

Student Success Workshops are held frequently. Times, topics, and locations for each workshop can be found on cub connect, or through UCA’s website.

“I would really encourage students to be proactive and attend now before they need it,” said Williams. “A lot of students don’t see the need, but they’re extremely helpful.”

The workshops are free and open to all students or faculty.

There are far more workshops in the fall semester, in tandem with the increased sections of Journeys to Success.

In the Fall of 2021, Williams coordinated 34 student success workshops. A total of 18 workshops are planned for the Spring 2022 semester.

Many students can gain extra credit or are required to attend the workshops by classes they are enrolled in. Attendance is recorded at the beginning of the meeting.

In regard to reported student success, Williams said that exit surveys are administered at the end of every workshop.

“I haven’t reached back out to students a semester or so later to see how they’re doing,” Williams said. He mainly relies on self-reporting.

“A majority of the exit surveys show positive answers. They say they have learned something,” Williams said.

4/ January 26 2022

CAMPUS LIFE CAREER FAIR

Nursing job fair offers student work opportunities

by Emily Kennard Staff Writer

The UCA Career Services Center partnered with Bear Experience to host a nursing job fair on Thursday evening in the University’s new Integrated Health Science Building.

The career fair provided local employers and students in UCA’s nursing program with an opportunity to build professional connections.

“I’m really glad that they have the event.

There haven’t been a lot of events since COVID started, and there’s really been a disconnect between employers and nursing students,” Melissa DeSantiago, the director of human resources at Arkansas Hospice, said.

“We really want to get the word out and want nursing

students to know about us.”

Employers were also impressed by the professionalism and interest of the students in attendance. “All of the students that have come through have been very nice and polite, and they seem very professional and knowledgeable.

I love the fact they’re asking about what type of orientation process they’re going to have once they graduate and start out in the field,” Arkansas Hospice’s Education Coordinator Carey Cross said.

On the event’s CubConnect description, students were encouraged to “dress for success” and to “bring plenty of resumes” for potential employers.

Senior Sarah Newton was one of many students who attended the event, hoping to network with healthcare

professionals. “I thought the event was helpful,” Newton said. “I’m hoping to work for [the Arkansas Children’s Hospital], hopefully in critical care nursing.”

BearX hosts events intended to promote skills considered important by surveys from employers and UCA students and faculty, like diversity awareness, service and personal and professional development.

A student’s attendance at these events shows up on the BearX Co-curricular Transcript, an official university document offered since Fall 2020.

It also records a student’s out-of-classroom learning experiences, like research, leadership positions, internships and volunteer hours.

UCA’s website also lists many resources the

Career Services Center provides for students, available online and in Bernard Hall, to prepare for the professional world.

Along with career assessments, LinkedIn tutorials and presentations, they provide workshops, mock interviews and resume reviews.

To comply with required career fair dress codes, students may also access the World of Work (WOW) Closet on Bernard Hall’s fourth floor and choose one free professional outfit per academic year.

Career Services is hosting their next career fair for teachers Friday, February 25, from 9 a.m. until noon in the Student Center Ballroom, and the general Spring career fair will be Wednesday, March 2, at the same time and location.

KNEE-SLAPPER

Comedian Brent Pella earns laughs during student center performance

by Lindzie Lunsford Staff Writer

The Student Activities Board hosted comedian Brent Pella, who did impersonations and joked about drugs, alcohol, relationships, bitcoin and much more in the Student Center Ballroom Jan. 19. “[Pella] was a really good comedian…I think [the students] had a good time,” Student Activities Director Kendra Regehr said.

During the show, Pella gave high fives to the audience on his way down the aisles and interacted with students during his comedy routine.

One student that Pella interacted with was freshman Cooper Flood.

Flood said he decided to go because he was “feeling kind of sad earlier and saw the flyer.”

When Pella asked Flood questions, the two joked back and forth while the audience laughed. “[Pella] made it easy to play along,” Flood said. “I really liked his execution, performance and visual gags.”

Regehr said there were between 25 and 30 people at the event. The turnout was “pretty good considering the trifecta of the weather, the basketball game going on and the coronavirus,” Regehr said.

The scheduled hour and a half-long show started at 7 p.m. At the end of the show, Pella talked to students and took pictures. Personalized stickers were available for attendees to take home with them.

Pella said he was “super grateful to be here in beautiful Arkansas, which definitely does not look like

the setting of a true-crime podcast.”

Pella said he has been doing standup and online videos for almost eight years.

As for doing comedy in general, Pella said “my mom would tell you 30 [years].”

Pella has been a cast member on seasons 16 and 17 of Nick Cannon’s “Wild ‘n Out.” “It was weird because we didn’t have an audience because of COVID, but it was really fun to be a part of the family,” Pella said.

Pella said he is looking forward to being on the 18th season of the show as well as him having a “big summer tour across the country.” “[COVID] definitely impacted touring in 2020,” Pella said.

Along with touring, COVID also impacted how comedy was done. Pella said

that COVID “kind of forced people in comedy to talk about things that maybe they hadn’t before and that was a challenge that I accepted for sure.”

Pella attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, and originally majored in English before switching to film after being a part of student media. Along with working in student radio Pella was also a sports section writer for his university’s newspaper.

“Just like any club or community on campus, the newspaper was a family,” Pella said.

After doing video interviews for student media, Pella said “that led to switching into film, and then there’s more camera stuff and then comedy. It was all kind of an evolution.”

BEAR CARD

UCA students’ guide to BearBucks

by Madison Ogle Campus Life Editor & Cartoonist

are used on campus at the cafeteria, student center and other dining facilities The difference between available on campus, BearBucks and Dining Bearbucks allows Dollars is something that students to make purchases several UCA students can’t through the campus quite determine. bookstore and off-campus This problem is one that facilities.

Heather Romine, UCA’s UCA currently partners Bear Card Director, can with more than 10 locations clarify. Romine summarized that offer BearBucks, a few the difference between being Zaxby’s, Stoby’s, BearBucks and Dining Taco Bell and CVS. Dollars.

For keeping track of “I would say the best what locations take your way to say it is: if you have a BearBucks, Romine says meal plan, you have dining online is the easiest and dollars,” Romine said. “If most up-to-date. you have BearBucks, it’s “It changes pretty often, because you intentionally so the website is the best added it online or in [the way,” Romine said. “If I get bear card office].” complaints [from students] Beyond that, Romine saying [the location] didn’t said that the other main take the bear card, we difference between take them off. We don’t BearBucks and Dining advertise for them.” dollars is what you can buy As far as partnering with each form of currency. with locations, the matter is While Dining Dollars handled outside of the Bear

Card office.

BearBucks are also accepted through UCA’s vending machines if loaded onto a student’s physical ID. Currently, a mobile Student ID is not compatible with vending machines.

“Vending is the only thing that mobile can’t be used on,” Romine said.

“It’s only the mag strip on the card [that works]. So I hope in the next year that will be changed.”

Romine says the transfer to mobile Bear Cards has been relatively smooth, though a bit confusing when first introduced.

For questions relating to mobile Bear Cards, Romine refers students to UCA’s website again.

Here they have resources outlined for

People of UCA: Amy Ling

by Addi Freeman Editor in Chief

Amy Ling, a sophomore Interior Design major, has resided in Arkansas a little longer than typical international college students.

Originally from Taiwan, Ling came to Arkansas in 2016 as an exchange student.

Upon her arrival, she immediately loved the area.

“I just loved that day. It was so cool.

My hometown is a little bit like city life, but a lot around here is woods and forests, and the people here are so nice,” Ling said.

Ling was expecting a fun year ahead in the exchange program but was worried she wouldn’t return to Arkansas after going back to Taiwan once the exchange program was over.

However, Ling’s hopes

for returning were lifted after speaking with her host family.

“My host family, in the middle of spring break, texted me and asked, ‘are you interested in coming back for high school?’” she said.

Ling came back to Arkansas, where she graduated from Conway Christian High School.

While at Conway Christian, she applied for UCA. “I was a little worried because I didn’t know if I needed to continue my education here. I just didn’t know if I could afford it,” Ling said.

“I applied for a scholarship and was praying I could get it. At the end of my senior year, I found out I got the scholarship, so I was able to continue my education at UCA.” One of Ling’s favorite activities is hiking, and her

host family introduced her to several Arkansas hiking hot spots.

“We went to Mount Magazine once, and that was really, really pretty. I love to hike, so we go to Petit Jean and Pinnacle.

They are so pretty,” Ling said.

Ling is a part of UCA’s branch of Baptist Collegiate Ministry, but the decision to join the group wasn’t the easiest journey for her.

“In my country, we have different religions, but I didn’t know if I believed or was just following traditions.

Then I came here and experienced Christianity with my host family, and I just saw something brand new,” Ling said.

Being exposed to many different religions throughout her life, Ling didn’t know what she wanted to believe.

“It took me about two years to truly put my faith in

students having issues with their cards.

The biggest project Romine is focusing on as Bear Card moves into the future is a new program called “ivalidate,” which is a program used for student check-in at campus events.

“I haven’t set it out yet.

I have one thing I’ve got to fix, and then I’m going to announce it to campus,” Romine said. “But it’s for event check-in eventually.”

The program works by scanning physical or mobile Bear Cards, eliminating the use of third-party apps like “Corq” to keep track of student attendance.

Because all students are guaranteed to have a student ID, Romine believes the program will be more practical for all future events on UCA’s campus, not just events posted to CubConnect.

God and understand what he does in my life. There was a lot happening in my life… nothing’s really perfect because no one’s perfect.

We go through struggles; we go through troubles,” she said. “I found out that God was helping me through all my troubles.”

The community Ling has found at UCA has helped her through some of her struggles as an international student.

“UCA has such a great international program. I’ve met so many people from other countries, and I get to know them and know their cultures.

They have events and programs that have let me understand that we’re different, but we live in the same world, and we still can communicate with each other,” Ling said. “We just have a strong connection.”

ucanews.live

STUDENTS SAY think UCA should “Dostayyouin-person or move online? ” Story and photos by Olivia Snelson

Junior Briawna Stigall

Sophomore Rana Yelen

“I personally believe the classes that can function online should be moved online. I don’t necessarily trust college students with my health like the university wants us to right now.”

“I personally enjoy learning in person. I feel like I learn better in person, but it is a lot during this time to come to classes so I really don’t know.”

Junior Hope Smith

Junior Ryan Jones

“I say in-person classes because I just like the feel of community because I just feel like a lot of people felt isolated when we were just online for the whole year.”

“I personally like inperson classes. It’s more effective for me. I’m able to be one on one with my instructors and kind of just able to get more

Sophomore Brock Wright

Sophomore Aiden Barber

“I think that if safety is involved, like the classes are too large and there’s too many people and the students themselves don’t feel safe, then they should probably go online or at least have the option. “

“I think we should definitely stay in person because a lot of people can’t comprehend what’s being taught in an online format.”

Photo courtesy of Amy Ling

Amy Ling is an interior design major. Originally from Taiwan, Ling attended highschool in Conway before applying to UCA.

Sports

5

January 26, 2022

Upcoming Games

Women’s Basketball 4 p.m., Jan. 27 at North Florida Men’s Basketball 7 p.m., Jan. 27 at North Florida Men’s & Women’s Track and Field Jan. 28 at Texas Tech Invitational Tennis Jan. 30 at Missouri State University

Editor’s Take

Transgender Women in Women’s Sports BY

EMILEE HAGEWOOD

Sports Editor

The subject of transgender women being allowed to participate in women’s sports has been a hot topic for a while now and has recently made headlines again. Republican Gov. Kristi Noem has promoted a bill currently making its way through South Dakota’s legislature that she claims will be the “strongest bill in the nation” of its kind, aimed at protecting fairness in women’s sports.

The bill will restrict transgender athletes in the collegiate and K-12 levels from participating in sports opposite of the sex they were assigned at birth. It was approved by one South Dakota legislative committee Jan.17 and, if it passes the legislature, South Dakota will be the 10th state to create restrictions against transgender people participating in teams that match their gender identity.

As politicians continue to push for these laws, there are already numerous transgender athletes shaking up the system. Their participation and achievements in sports that don’t match their gender assigned at birth have put the internet in a frenzy.

Lia Thomas, an accomplished freestyle swimmer, is competing in her first season as a woman this year, and it has caused an uproar in the sports community.

Thomas competed at the University of Pennsylvania for two years as a man until she underwent two years of hormone therapy. She just recently broke two school records and posted nation-leading times at the Zippy Invitational, where the controversy started.

Professional athletes such as Michael Phelps and Nancy Hogshead-Makar, both Olympic swimming champions, have openly disagreed with the NCAA’s new policy over transgender athletes on a sportby-sport basis. It’s a complicated topic. Wanting transgender rights to flourish while also protecting everything that biological women have worked for in the last century is difficult.

Testosterone suppression can’t reverse the biological advantages that a man develops once he enters puberty — in bone mass, blood circulation, lower body fat, more resistant connective tissue and larger hearts and lungs. The question is then, where do we draw the line, and is there a way to make sports both fair and inclusive?

Photo courtesy of ucasports.com

Junior guard Darious Hall dunks on Jacksonville State Gamecock Juwan Perdue in a close game that led to the end of a three-win streak at home for the Bears. The Bears will be travelling to Jacksonville, Fla. Thursday to face the North Florida Ospreys.

Bears lose by four against Jacksonville State Gamecocks

BY FELECITY

AUXIER

Staff Writer

The Bears fell short, 86-81, against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on the 18th, leaving the Bears with an overall record of 6-12 and the Gamecocks at 11-6.

“The strongest aspect of the game for us was the first [half]. We played very well on both the offensive and defensive end,” senior forward Jared Chatham said.

The game endured 24 lead changes and 11 ties but ultimately came down to a loss for the Bears. At halftime, the Bears held the lead 41-39.

“Our weakest point was finishing defensive plays.

We would play great defense but allow the Gamecocks to get an offensive rebound, and then they would score on their second opportunity,” sophomore guard Masai Olowokere said.

Camren Hunter, a freshman guard, scored 14 points

and had 6 assists. Junior Eddy Kayouloud earned 12 points after coming off the bench. Chatham and freshman Ibbe Klintman both earned 11 points. The Bears shot a percentage of 43.7 from the field and 34.8 from the three-point range. The Bears also forced 20 turnovers on the Gamecocks while only having nine turnovers themselves.

“I feel like, for the most part, we executed our offense really well, and we shared the ball a lot,” Chatham said. “I would say late in the second half, we had the chance to close out on a really good team on the defensive end, but we came up short.”

The Bears didn’t go down without a fight against the highly ranked Gamecocks.

“Overall, the guys gave a great effort. And Jacksonville State is really good. They are a really good team. I told the guys, they are a team that could win this conference. And we’re close, we’re really close,” coach

Anthony Boone told UCA sports.

After winning over North Alabama in overtime and then facing a loss against Jacksonville State, the Bears still have high hopes for the rest of the conference.

“This loss makes us even hungrier because we have an idea of what we’re capable of in this conference, but we still have to prove ourselves. This loss is a good one to learn from,” Chatham said.

Hungry for the rest of the season, the Bears expect to grow throughout the season in hopes of more wins.

“I expect us to continue to do what we are doing, but we have to take it to another level. We are learning to play with each other more and more, and we will continue to get better from here on out,” Chatham said.

The Bears are now 3-2 in the ASUN conference, while Jacksonville State is 4-0. Their next game will be in Jacksonville, Florida against North Florida Jan. 27 at 7 p.m.

FEATURE

Cain believes UCA track will steal conference title

BY WILL

MCDONALD

Assistant Sports Editor

Thomas Cain is a graduate student working on his MBA and a distance runner for the UCA track team. Cain is from Yuma, Arizona, where he ran in high school.

In 2018, he began his collegiate career, placing 8th at the Southland Conference Championships in the 5k with a time of 15:30. He was also a member of the 2018 SLC Cross Country Championship team.

Last indoor track season, he placed sixth at the KMS Open and ran a 4:21 in the mile.

Cain maintains focus during meets by reminding himself of his goals.

“Always keep the bigger goals in mind. I really want to go sub-4 in the mile, sub-14 in the 5k and sub-24 in the 8k,” Cain said. “These are big personal goals. It’s good to always know what you’re working for.”

His personal best in those events are 4:13 in the mile, 14:49 in the 5k and 24:53 in the 8k.

After being put out of the season for a while, Cain is ready to come back with a bang

in the season and in school.

Cain said, “4.0 [GPA] for sure. Shoot for the stars.

Athletically, I just came back. In October, I got diagnosed with mono after one of our races, so I was out for about two months.

I’m just starting back and want to have a healthy, full outdoor season.”

Health is of the utmost importance for many studentathletes this semester who are hoping for a successful season amidst the Omicron outbreak.

“It’s unpredictable, really.

You just have to be able to roll with the punches. That’s part of what being a student-athlete is all about, or even just being a person — getting hit and getting back up again,” Cain said.

Cain thinks the team will finish the indoor season strong and compete fiercely in the outdoor season as well. “We had kind of a rough winter break. A few of us got COVID, and a few of us had some injuries, but we are coming back strong,” Cain said. “I think the team is looking forward to competing at the ASUN indoor meet. I think we can steal a conference title there and during the outdoor

season, too.”

The ASUN Indoor Conference Championship will take place February 25th and 26th in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Cain plans to stay in sports after graduation too. “After I complete my master’s, I’m looking into going into a doctorate business program.

I want to do something within sports like sports marketing.

That would be awesome,” Cain said.

When he is not training or in classes, Cain enjoys reading and playing video games like Fortnite with his friends.

“It’s tough because [classes and training] take up a lot of my time, but I’m a big video game guy. I’ve been playing Fortnite a lot recently. I’ve been working on myself and doing a lot of reading recently,” Cain said.

Cain gave his future self these words of wisdom: “Future Thomas, keep going. Don’t give up. I think a lot of people get ‘senioritis’ or decide to give up early, so just keep dreaming.”

As Cain races towards his future, he strives to achieve his running goals, complete his MBA and represent the bears with pride.

Photo courtesy of ucasports.com

Thomas Cain runs for the finish line at the Chili Pepper Festival 2021 where he placed 39th with a time of 24:53 in the 8k. Thomas enjoys gaming with friends when he isn’t training or racing.

PREVIEW

Softball gears up for first season in ASUN Conference BY

DELANEY VAN-WILPE

Online Editor

Similar to other sports at UCA, the Bears’ softball team is preparing to enter their first season as a part of the ASUN Conference.

Jordan Johnson, a returning UCA pitcher, said, “We are facing a conference of opponents we have never seen before, so we are going to have to adjust quickly and bring our best each time… The new conference is going to be tough, but we have always played tough teams and competed really well.”

The team began practice for the spring season Jan. 10 and are building on what they accomplished in the fall.

Head coach Jenny Parsons said, “We had a very good fall season of training and implementing our defensive and offensive systems.”

Following Parsons’ 10 seasons of coaching UCA

as an assistant coach, this is Parsons’ first season as head coach. Kayla Lucas previously served as a volunteer assistant and has moved to assistant coach for this season. Lindsey Kirschman was also hired as UCA’s assistant strength and conditioning coach.

Johnson said a new softball coaching staff has allowed them to be more successful.

“The team has been really pushed this year with a new strength coach and softball coaching change.

We have become much stronger and prepared for this season,” Johnson said.

Spring season will have many returning players, like Jordan, pitcher Kayla Beavers, and Jenna Wildeman, who led the NCAA in stolen bases last year with a total of 56.

“We return the core of our lineup from last season. A lot of our young players were able to get really good experience,” Parsons said.

Johnson believes this extended time spent together playing season-to-season has

allowed for a more cohesive and tight-knit team.

“We were fortunate to have many starters and upper-classmen return this season, so I believe we are continuing to build on the chemistry from last year,” Johnson said. “The newcomers are molding into the team well and are a good addition to our foundation.”

Last season, the team claimed a spot as the 2021 Southland Conference Runner Up and ended conference play 15-6.

Parsons has high hopes for her team this 2022 season.

“I expect that this team will compete day in and day out with maximum effort. If we can control that, then good things will happen for us,” Parsons said.

Their first game is in Baton Rouge at the LSU Tiger Classic Feb. 11. They will be playing South Alabama and Illinois. On Feb. 12 and 13, they will take on LSU.

Opinion

6

January 26, 2022

The Voice

UCA should provide a virtual learning option

The Echo Staff Addi Freeman Editor-in-Chief Bennett Tinnermon Associate Editor Mia Waddell News Editor Kathryn Thornberry Assistant News Editor Madison Ogle Campus Life Editor/Cartoonist Olivia Snelson Assistant Campus Life Editor Milo Strain Opinion Editor Sydney Cyr Entertainment Editor Emilee Hagewood Sports Editor Will McDonald Assistant Sports Editor Delaney Van Wilpe Online Editor Olyvia Gonzalez Asistant Online Editor

Got Letters?

Comments or complaints about content of The Echo or in reference to anything on campus should be registered with the newspaper by letters or email to the editors. All letters must be limited to 300 words and include the author’s name and phone number. All letters may be published unless they are marked private. Letters may be edited for style, clarity and length.

Editorials written in The Voice express the opinion of the newspaper and the editorial staff. Individual staff opinions are expressed in individual columns.

The Echo office is located in

ucanews.live

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What happened to fully living your life?

At 21 years old, it’s getting harder for me to surround myself with friends my age that aren’t married, engaged, pregnant or in some type of what they hope will be a long-term relationship.

This freaks me smooth out. Do people my age not want to experience everything they can before settling down? Are we falling away from the infatuation with living life to the fullest and actually deciding to never leave our one-horse town?

In our 20s, life is still something that can’t quite be defined. In our 20s, we don’t truly know who we are or who we want to be. Over the next few years, we have so much that we need to figure out about ourselves and the world.

And it will be best if each of us does it on our own.

As an introvert, I am a huge advocate for trying things on your own.

by Addi Freeman I have lived roommateEditor-in-Chief free for a little over two years, and I’ve never felt freer. There is nothing I can’t do because I don’t have to consider the thoughts, feelings, opinions or schedule of anyone else.

If I want to stay in bed all day, watch ‘The Golden Girls,’ ignore the dishes in the kitchen sink and leave the clothes in the dryer, I can. If I decide to take a road trip to Oklahoma at four p.m., no one can stop me.

I take myself on dates to new restaurants and try food I’ve never heard of. I go to the bookstore because I feel like it and splurge on a few hardcovers because, why not? The solo trip to Ireland I’m planning? It’s all about me and my dream of visiting the country.

There are so many foods, activities, places and

innumerable other aspects of my life that I’ve learned my true feelings about while embracing this time on my own. Knowing I came to these realizations all on my own somehow makes them special. Being in any super meaningful relationship, whether romantic or friendly, would inevitably cause me to base at least part of my feelings toward something in the view of another person.

Every person should spend a significant amount of time alone. It’s a vital part of learning who you are.

I’m not saying that marriages, engagements or pregnancies aren’t lovely, amazing things. I just want everyone entering them to be certain they’re ready for that step. I want people to be certain they’ve lived their dreams and aren’t entering a phase in which they’ll live someone else’s.

Is this relationship at your doorstep encroaching on dreams of exploring the world you’ve had since your high school geography class? Is it holding you back from the life you aspire to have because it offers you a sense of false security?

We are so young and have so much life ahead of us, and I want us to fully use it.

I’m taking time off after I graduate to travel. I want to go places. I want to see places I’ve only seen in photos. I want to meet people who will change my life with stories of their own. I don’t want to change what I have always wanted because I have to consider how my life is entwined with another’s.

I want us all to experience the life we’ve dreamed of and romanticized instead of settling into one we may regret.

Professors must provide resources for COVID If UCA requires students to quarantine after already know or understand. testing positive for COVID-19, then UCA should Notes from a classmate are catered to that require professors to provide resources for those classmate’s needs, not the needs of the student who students while they are forced to be absent from is quarantined. class.

The responsible choice to get tested for It is completely necessary to require students COVID-19 and quarantine is coupled with the to miss class and stay away from others if they have irresponsible choice to fall behind in school. tested positive for COVID-19.

This may deter many students from getting However, students’ academic success should tested in the first place. not be even remotely at risk during the Imagine this scenario: a student knows quarantining process. they were exposed to COVID-19, but Currently, professors at UCA are not they also know that the professors in required to provide adequate resources their toughest classes do not offer any for students who miss class due to resources for quarantined students.

COVID-19.

They know that they should get Zoom options, audio recordings, tested to see if they have COVID-19, or at least a somewhat detailed but if they test positive, they overview of what was discussed in know they will be at a huge class that day should be provided disadvantage in their classes. to those that are quarantined.

A stressed college student Nearly every professor paying thousands of dollars to knows how to adapt to virtual get an education may learning because we’ve had choose to put off getting to switch to online classes tested so they can stay

by Sydney Cyr before. on track in class.

Entertainment Editor It is not a big This negatively inconvenience for professors affects the entire UCA to provide some resources community. for quarantined students so those students aren’t at If students avoid getting tested for COVID-19 a disadvantage. to avoid falling behind in school, more people will be Some classes don’t even have a textbook, so the exposed to the virus. only option students have to avoid falling completely UCA should support the best interests of the behind in those classes is to get notes from a student body, and requiring professors to provide classmate. resources for quarantined students is one way to do Some students may feel comfortable with that. relying on notes from a classmate, but I’m not, and I Students should not have to choose between know plenty of other students that feel the same way. their academic success and the safety of their campus Notes from peers are often inadequate because community. people usually only write down what they don’t

As we all settle back into the routine of class after a monthlong break, the pressing question remains: will we switch to online classes?

First things first, nobody likes online classes. Professors don’t, students don’t, it’s been talked about many times. We don’t like them either but we also really hate the global COVID-19 pandemic that still has a stranglehold on the world, much more than we dislike online classes.

In all likelihood we probably won’t switch as that could entail potential refunds from the school, and everyone knows how much the UCA administration loves taking money from college students, but it’s still worth discussing.

If anything, the case for going online is at least much stronger than the first time we switched to online class.

The pandemic is worse than it’s ever been in terms of the amount of active cases. According to the CDC numbers, the average number of daily cases is only just now beginning to slow after the massive Omicron surge and the amount of positive cases is still much greater than at any other point during the pandemic.

Sure, people have been saying this new Omicron variant isn’t as bad, and death rates haven’t been rising as much with the number of cases like with past variants, but is it really too much to not want to get sick? It’s completely crazy that at the very least there isn’t an online option for stu-

COVID-19 is still a big deal, and it’s worrying that at the very least there isn’t an online option for students... dents who don’t want to be exposed to the virus.

Speaking of class, it’s not like classes are back to normal anyway.

Many classes are meeting virtually or cancelling meetings altogether because so many students are catching COVID-19.

COVID-19 can also leave you with long-term effects even if you’ve been vaccinated, although that decreases the likelihood by a huge amount.

It almost seems like UCA wants everyone to just catch COVID and get it over with. This really doesn’t seem fair to all of the older and immunocompromised faculty, staff, and students, as well as students who have elderly and immunocompromised family members.

With all that said though, there are still several strong points in against virtual learning. It is detrimental to the normal flow of class and many students find it much harder to learn virtually than in person.

There’s little to no social aspect of online classes, which is a huge part of the college experience.

Professors also generally dislike virtual teaching compared to traditional classes. For music classes it is almost impossible to meet virtually. It’s not like all the music majors can just pause their classes until the pandemic is over. These are hard questions to grapple with and there are no obvious solutions that immediately present themselves, yet it seems unfair to not have a virtual option always available for those who need it.

When UCA is more focused on making our parking meters virtual instead of our classes, there’s a problem.

Have an opinion? Everyone does.

Write a letter to the editor at ucaechoeditor@gmail.com Letters to the editor don’t just have to be about Echo content.

If you’ve noticed something on campus that’s positive or negative, we want to hear about it.

The Echo is printed weekly by The Courier. 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.

Entertainment “Scream” 2022 pays homage to original 1996 film 7

January 26, 2022

New This Week

by

Movies Jan. 28 — The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild (PG), directed by John C. Donkin, starring Utkarsh Ambudkar, Simon Pegg, Vincent Tong and Aaron Harris Jan. 28 — The Requin (R), directed by Le-Van Kiet, starring Alicia Silverstone, James Tupper, Deirdre O’Connell and Kameron Hood Jan. 28 — They/Them/Us (R), directed by Jon Sherman, starring Joey Slotnick, Amy Hargreaves, Jack Steiner and Shanna Strong

Jan. 28 — Cyrano (PG.13), directed by Joe Wright, starring Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kevin Harrison Jr. and Ben Mendelsohn

Music Jan. 28 — PREY//IV — Alice Glass

Jan. 28 — Extreme Witchcraft — Eels

Jan. 28 — The Zealot Gene — Jethro Tull

Jan. 28 — 11:11 — Pinegrove

Jan. 28 — Oui — Urge Overkill

Netflix Jan. 26 — The Wasteland, directed by David Casademunt, starring Imma Cuesta, Roberto Alamo, Asier Flores and Alejandra Howard

Jan. 28 — In From the Cold, directed by Ami Canaan Mann, Birgitte Særmose, starring Margarita Levieva, Cillian O’Sullivan, Lydia Fleming, Charles Brice and Alyona Khmelnitskaya

Jan. 28 — The Orbital Children, directed by Mitsuo Iso, starring Mariya Ise, Chinatsu Akasaki, Azumi Waki, Yumiko Kobayashi and Natsumi Fujiwara

Top 5 places to cry on campus List compiled by Madison Ogle Campus Life & Cartoonist

Edmund Burke

Staff Writer

Wes Craven’s “Scream,” released in December of 1996, resurrected the slasher-horror genre and amassed a legion of fans — 26 years later Ghostface is back to terrorize the town of Woodsboro and rewrite the playbook all over again.

“Scream” 2022, the R-rated film, topped the box office in its Jan. 14 opening weekend with over $35 million, knocking “SpiderMan: No Way Home” from the top spot since it opened in December of 2021.

The fifth film in the franchise, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, is written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick.

Kevin Williamson is accredited as the original writer of “Scream.”

Writers Vanderbilt and Busick managed to craft a plot that leaves the audience guessing the identity of Ghostface with a twist viewers didn’t see coming.

The newest “Scream” picks up 11 years after the events in “Scream 4” that rocked the town of Woodsboro.

It’s worth noting that “Scream 4,” released in April 2011, was illustrious director Wes Craven’s final film before his death in 2015.

Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette and Marley Shelton all reprise their roles. Shelton played Deputy

Photo courtesy of www.screammovie.com

“Scream” 2022, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, kept viewers guessing the identity of Ghostface with a surprising twist. The film featured an opening scene as an homage to Drew Barrymore.

Judy Hicks in “Scream 4.”

The “Scream” franchise wouldn’t be the same without Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers, Dewey Riley and the town of Woodsboro.

Newcomers to the franchise include actors Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Mason Gooding, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Dylan Minnette, Mikey Madison, Sonia Ben Ammar and Kyle Gallner.

It’s hard to discuss in detail the stand-out performances of Barrera, Quaid and Ortega without major spoilers, but all three are incredible.

Ortega plays Tara Carpenter, sister to Sam Carpenter played by Barrera.

“Scream” 2022 starts with the now famous wrong number

opening scene reminiscent to Drew Barrymore’s character Casey Becker in the 1996 “Scream” film’s opening.

The opening scene with Ortega’s character is a clear homage to Barrymore and the 1996 film that started it all.

There’s even a landline phone — how many people still have a landline in their home? Following her sister’s attack, Sam Carpenter returns to Woodsboro and enlists Dewey Riley to help to unmask Ghostface and put an end to the inevitable bloodbath that awaits.

What makes this “Scream” a great addition to the franchise is how it pays homage to the original film but feels fresh and relatable today.

ROOTS

RAP

Sweatshirt’s new album underwhelming release by

Milo Strain

Opinion Editor

Rapper Earl Sweatshirt dropped his fourth album, “Sick!,” on Jan. 14, 2022.

Despite a solid batch of songs, the album’s lack of cohesion and direction make it Earl’s least exciting release yet.

A former member of the hiphop collective “Odd Future,” a group which also catapulted the careers of artists like Tyler The Creator and Frank Ocean, Earl Sweatshirt is known for his dark, introspective lyrics and textured, psychedelic production, all of which are on display again on this new record. While the record undeniably retains the sound that Earl has cultivated for over a decade now, it feels like Earl is playing it safe, or at least safer than usual, on “Sick!” which makes the project feel underwhelming at times.

“Sick!” is also an incredibly short album, clocking in at just over 24 minutes long. This isn’t automatically a problem but combined with the albums’ lack of consistency and cohesion the short runtime ends up being a negative aspect. Most of the songs on the record are less than two minutes long, which doesn’t give them enough time to develop their ideas and sounds.

This was also the case on Earl’s last album, the groundbreaking “Some Rap Songs,” but that album was much more cohesive, both conceptually and sonically, with each of the very short songs building on and reinforcing one another to create an incredibly emotional and cathartic experience centered around the death of Earl’s father. Meanwhile, most of the tracks on “Sick!” feel like 1.The Donaghey Crosswalk Loitering in a crosswalk is nothing I condone, but shedding a few tears while braving this stretch of asphalt just feels special. Ideally, you’ll want to hit this bit of pavement at nighttime. You decide when and where to ring the blues, but an outdoordaytime cry is, frankly, in bitterly poor taste. Rather, hit this crosswalk once the sun sets. If you time it just right, you might encounter the headlights of an array of vehicles. Yes, they see you.

No, they won’t intervene. They will, however, be bothered.

The concern harbored by these few strangers will make your tears feel a bit more tolerable, if not rewarding in some weird, depraved way.

they’re spinning their wheels and don’t really go anywhere or work together. Both albums are only 24 minutes long, yet “Sick!” manages to feel a lot longer, and not in a particularly good way.

With all that said, there are still some really great standout moments on “Sick!.” Songs like “2010” and “Fire in the Hole” are two of the best songs on the album and feature some of Earl’s most introspective and reflective bars on the album.

“Lye,” “Lobby (int)” and “God Laughs” are three solid cuts that showcase some of the best aspects of “Sick!,” although all three come in under two minutes. If they were a little longer or more developed, they really could have elevated the album quite a bit.

Overall, “Sick!” is not a bad album by any means, but it falls victim to a few problems.

It fails to reach the sonic and emotional highs of Earl’s past albums. The runtime is too short for what it is and how long fans have been waiting, and it fails to live up to the expectations set by “Some Rap Songs,” which is also just an album that would be nearly impossible to follow for any rapper. Seriously, that album is one of the best experimental albums of all time -- a modern classic. Go listen to it if you haven’t. Earl Sweatshirt’s status as one of the best of all time has already been cemented, and this new album is still a cut above the rest. It just seems like “Sick!” is one of his weaker releases overall and won’t be remembered the way his past and hopefully future albums will be. “Sick!” is available on most streaming services, including Apple music, Spotify, and Google Play.

2. The Fountain A fun game to play with this location is to flip a coin before you get all misty-eyed. If it lands on heads, toss the bit of change into the fountain and pop a squat.

You get to cry for a minimum of 30 minutes. Sprawl out on the ground, curl up in a ball. Try lounging along the fountain edge and stroking the water while you let it out. Take a couple of glances at your reflection in the water, then splash the water out of frustration. Make it truly, wonderfully cinematic. In the wake of a tails outcome, put the coin back in your pocket and suck it up for another day. Part of college is learning when to pick your battles.

The franchise and its characters have always been self-aware of the rules of horror.

Fans of the original 1996 “Scream” will remember that Randy Meeks explains how there are certain rules one must abide by in order to survive a horror film.

The fifth film continues to explore slasher-horror tropes: the killer is connected to someone’s past, never trust the love interest, turn around — the killer is behind you, never go to the basement alone and never go upstairs.

Jasmin Savoy Brown, who plays Mindy Meeks — Randy Meeks’ niece — explains the concept of a “requel” to Dewey Riley and that Ghostface might

be trying to right the wrongs of “Stab 8,” the movie franchise that exists in the “Scream” movie themselves based on the life of Sidney Prescott.

A “requel” makes everything old new again with the goal of connecting new characters with legacy characters.

“Scream” 2022 is a horror movie to its core, but it is also funny with moments of social commentary on toxic fandoms.

The kill scenes get more gruesome and vivid culminating in an all-out bloody demise in the third act.

Fans will appreciate the ending and its clear nod to the original film and tie-in.

The newest chapter in the “Scream” saga honors the brilliance of Wes Craven’s 1996 film and offers up a new path for the franchise moving forward.

Perhaps my only gripe would be the lack of screen time for certain characters, but understandably that is part of the plot.

The unexpected twists make this a great addition to the “Scream” franchise.

“Scream” 2022 is more than worth a watch — especially if you’re a fan of slasher horror films.

Go with some friends, go alone, grab some popcorn and enjoy.

In the words of Ghostface, “What’s your favorite scary movie?”

Photo courtesy of www.greenskybluegrass,com

“Stress Dreams,” from Greensky Bluegrass, is the band’s eighth studio album. The group made the album during the pandemic, according to their website. The album is available on most streaming platforms.

Greensky Bluegrass blends old and new sound on new “Stress Dreams” by

Bennett Tinnermon

Associate Editor

Greensky Bluegrass released their eighth studio album, the first in three years, “Stress Dreams,” on January 21. The 13-song album was teased with singles released over the past five months.

The five-man band consists of Anders Beck on the dobro guitar, Michael Arlen Bont on the banjo, guitarist Dave Bruzza, Mike Devol on the upright bass and Paul Hoffman on the mandolin, according to their website.

The title track, “Stress Dreams,” is a gentle and somber tune with lyrics by Devol about the weight of long days and the feelings of exhaustion that come with them.

“It’s harder to keep my gaze off the floor when rest isn’t restful anymore,” echo members of the band. The eight-minute song also takes a long break from the lyrics to focus on the instrumentals, even bringing in a piano and organ.

3. The lobby of Wingo Hall

I’ve spent three semesters delivering the newspaper, and I’ve yet to see a soul in this lobby. Why not change it up and be the single soul that occupies it?

Don’t produce any extensive waterworks, though. Cries that take place here should be condensed to only a handful of minutes. Any outward emotions that last beyond that limit are not recommended. We’re talking in and out, no loitering. The Echo is not liable for any measures Houston Davis takes in order to remove you from the building. On your way out, blow a kiss to the big, bear shaped hunk of wood sitting outside.

In contrast, “Give a Shit” has a more upbeat sound with a quicker tempo. The song features fun solos from a variety of the group’s string instruments that drive the song forward.

In a quote on the band’s website, Devol said, “The lack of gigs gave us the freedom to get together solely to work on this.”

“Grow Together,” written

by Hoffman, has a similar sounding chorus to a modern worship song. Hoffman’s chorus reads, “no matter how far we’ve come, still the same thing on my mind, that we can grow old together if we can find the time.”

A quote about the song from Hoffman on the band’s website said, “My daughter was just born. When she was five weeks old, I sat down on the floor with her and spit this one out. It was an appreciation for my wife and what it meant to become a father. I had never been so moved in the studio as I was when we recorded it. A lot of my songs have come from an open place of serious personal

emotions, but this one was different. Instead of fighting against weakness and pain, it’s romantic, happy, heartfelt and uplifting.”

Hoffman’s emotions can be well-heard in his lyrics and in the vibe of the song.

I really enjoyed the lyrics and the instrumentals this album had to offer. I had previously only heard a few songs by Greensky Bluegrass, particularly their live cover of “Time” and “Breathe” by Pink Floyd, but I was excited to listen to one of their new, full albums.

Whether listeners are already a fan of the bluegrass genre or not, this new album from Greensky Bluegrass can be enjoyed by anyone due to its blend of traditional and modern sounds. At the end of the day, who doesn’t love the banjo?

More information about the group is on their website: greenskybluegrass.com.

“Stress Dreams” by Greensky Bluegrass is streaming on Apple Music, Spotify and other music streaming platforms.

4. Short & Denney Stage

5. Torreyson’s Children section Crying in the library should be reserved for those who are a bit more experienced in the department of breaking down.

Mastery of a silent sob is crucial for this location. If you’re not ready for the big leagues, crying in a study room is appropriate for beginners. Many college students will not likely be browsing the children’s section of Torreyson Library. Passersby who do bother to ask why you’re crying can be easily deterred by saying you simply forgot how touching the ending of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar’’ was. Alternatively, claiming your tears were brought on by an inability to read might garner enough sympathy to earn you a Starbucks Cake-Pop in consolation.

This is one of the few locations where an exception to outdoor-daytime cries should be made. Beef up the weeping when you’re out here in the name of performance art. Making a statement against capitalism? Upset about the weather? Going through a breakup? Fighting the urge to disassemble your dorm brick by brick? The real reason for your outburst will remain between you and the stage. Residents of Short and Denney will hear your hysterics, but they won’t care. Their free time is divided between fire drills and wondering “Hey, is my toilet supposed to make that noise?”

ucanews.live

SPORTS

8 / January 26 , 2022

UCA STATS CORNER SPORT

OPPONENT

RESULT

RECORD

Men’s Basketball

Jacksonville State

86-81 L

6-12, 3-2

Women’s basketball

North Alabama

60-53 W

7-10, 2-4

PERSONAL RECORDS

Photo courtesy of ucasports.com

Graduate Student and forward Hannah Langhi releases the shot while being guarded by sophomore forward Madison McCoy. The Sugar Bears’ next game will be at North Florida Thursday at 4 p.m.

Sugar Bears lack of defense results in 64-47 loss against Gamecocks BY

EMILEE HAGEWOOD

Sports Editor

The Sugar Bears fell short in the second half last Wednesday against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, losing 64-47. The Bears pushed through the first two quarters, putting up 16 points in each, but were unable to defend the goal, giving up multiple points in the third quarter.

Freshman guard Randrea Wright scored the first two points of the game with a jumper and assisted graduate student Hannah Langhi with a three-pointer. The Gamecocks responded with a three of their own, and a game of keep-away ensued.

For every point the Sugar Bears put up, the Gamecocks responded with their own.

The first half continued with an even streak until the 5:15 minute mark when the Gamecocks took the lead.

The Sugar Bears didn’t score another point until minute 2:04.

The Sugar Bears came back in the second half, outscoring the Gamecocks by four. Graduate student guard Savanna Walker assisted Langhi with a jumper to start the half. Down seven

points, Walker, Langhi and Wright took off with a 6-0 lead, closing the gap with 90 seconds to spare. Freshman guard and forward Ruth Balogun scored a free throw and tied the quarter 32-32.

Walker said, “[Wednesday’s] game, we executed our game plan well for the most part. We just came up short due to our own mistakes.”

After the first half, the Sugar Bears couldn’t keep up with the Gamecocks in the second. The third quarter saw numerous turnovers and missed shots. The Gamecocks outscored the Sugar Bears 23-7, ending the third quarter 55-39.

The team’s defense tightened in the final quarter, with the Sugar Bears only allowing nine points to be put up by the Gamecocks.

The Sugar Bears didn’t catch up to the big lead and only put up eight points of their own, with the game ending at 64-47 in favor of the Gamecocks.

Langhi and Wright both tied for points with 13 each.

Junior guard Rita James had a season-best seven points, while Walker followed close behind with six.

According to ucasports.

NEW RECRUITS

com, the Bears were outrebounded for the first time in a month. Walker said, “Moving forward, we plan on continuing to get better and grow as a team. We will watch the film, correct our mistakes, and continue to work.”

The Sugar Bears have had two games postponed this year, Lipscomb and North Alabama, which Walker said was caused by the Omicron variant.

Although other teams have been battling the virus, Walker assures that the Sugar Bears are 100% vaccinated and always wear the proper protection.

The Sugar Bears played their rescheduled game against North Alabama on Jan. 24 and won 60-53, updating their record to 1-4 in conference.

As the Sugar Bears continue their ASUN season, they have high hopes and goals for the end.

“The expectations for the rest of the season is to give it your all, win the ones at home and steal some on the road,” Walker said.

The Sugar Bears will be traveling to Jacksonville, Fla. to play North Florida this Thursday at 10 a.m.

Staff Writer

The Central Arkansas Baseball Prospect Camp scouted 9th-12th graders who wished to play baseball for UCA on Saturday in both UCA’s Indoor Facility and Bear Stadium due to the cold weather.

“It is a great way for us to interact with interested potential student-athletes to see their athletic ability as well as to see if they are a good fit for our program,” coach Justin Cunningham said.

The camp, which cost $150 per camper, started with a warm up for a 60-yard dash. Next, the campers warmed-up to showcase their ability with a pro-style defense by throwing and catching different pitches, such as ground balls and slow balls. Finally, campers moved to the bullpens.

“We receive a lot of interest in our baseball program because of past and present student-athletes with word of mouth and their positive experience with the baseball program and the university,” Cunningham said.

In the indoor facility,

parents and supporters of the campers were told to watch out from the sidelines and were left dodging a few speeding baseballs that landed on the wall.

After lunch, campers moved to bullpens at Bear Stadium.

“A lot of potential student-athletes come to camp because someone they know plays here or has played at UCA in the past,” Cunningham said.

One aspiring player at the event was 10th grader Tucker Satterfield from Conway High School.

Satterfield said that his favorite activity during the event was double pays because “you can sauce it up, you know it’s not just something that’s boring; it makes it interesting.”

Satterfield said that he came because it would be a good opportunity.

“Right now there are no other schools for my-ageplayers that are out there looking for us.”

Satterfield said that he had been playing baseball since he was two or three.

“I saw my older brother playing it, and I decided I wanted to do it. Both brothers

Arkansas Invitational starts Bear’s Track & Field Season BY

DELANEY VAN-WILPE

Online Editor

The University of Central Arkansas’ track and field team’s performance at the Arkansas Invitational Friday, Jan. 14, in Fayetteville resulted in personal records for many athletes.

The teams competing alongside UCA were Oklahoma University, University of Tulsa, Oklahoma State, Arkansas-Little Rock, University of Arkansas, Oral Roberts, Allen Community College, Coffeyville Community College, Butler Community College, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Alcorn State.

A few notable contenders from UCA’s track events were Niklas Iking, Jordan Atkins, Sierra Temple and Anna Bommes.

Iking placed 3rd with a 1:53.60 in the men’s 800M, Atkins placed 5th with an 8.13 in men’s 60M hurdles, Temple placed 6th with a 7.77 in women’s 60M hurdles and Bommes placed play for the Conway High 4th with a 2:23.79 in the School Wampus Cats, and women’s 800M. Satterfield plays shortstop for Kennedy Timmerman also the team. made strides at the meet.

Once Satterfield graduates Timmerman placed 7th with high school, he said that he a PR of 10:27.10 in the women’s 3000M and placed hopes to play Division 1 baseball for UCA. “You can play some of the best players in the country, and I’d like to face the competition.”

“We have interest throughout the region from potential studentathletes that desire to play baseball here at UCA, and at the division 1 level,” said Cunningham.

Satterfield said the reason he wants to play for UCA is because “the ball games are really fun, I went to them as a kid. They have a great fan base, and it’s a great community.”

However, baseball will not end with Satterfield after UCA. Satterfield said that he wants to either be a coach or a sports broadcaster in the future.

“I’d like a shot in the pros too.”

Cunningham said that the prospect camps are held two or three times a year.

The next Central Arkansas Prospect Camp will be held June 7th, 2022.

Baseball Prospect Camp helps Bears scout potential players

BY LINDZIE LUNSFORD

Photo courtesy of ucasports.com

Junior Kennedy Timmerman runs for the finish line. Timmerman placed first in the women’s 1-mile run and set two personal records in the 3000M and 800M.

6th with a PR of 2:25.26 in the women’s 800M “This was the first indoor meet for a lot of us this season, including myself, so it’s really exciting to get back into the swing of things,” Timmerman said. “Overall, I’m happy with the results, but there is still a lot of work to be done and many more miles to be put in. For the next meet, I’m hoping to be much more aggressive.”

For the field events, Michael Jackson placed 4th in men’s long jump with a 7.09m, and Natalie Louw placed 5th in women’s high jump with a 1.58m.

Louw and other UCA athletes shared similar feelings about the difficulty of coming back to a meet following UCA’s winter break.

“Overall, I do think we had a little bit of a rough start after the break. It’s tough when some of us didn’t have proper facilities or equipment over the break while being home,” Louw said. “I think it was a good meet in the sense where it got us all back in the game and a good building block for the rest of the season. I do believe we will have a pretty good season.”

Senior Tate Whaley said, “It was the first race for many

of us, so we are calling it more of a rust buster.”

Whaley, along with Julian Haessner, Jaron Hamilton and Johnny Cordero, placed with personal records in the men’s 3000M. According to UCA Sports, Haessner placed 6th with a PR of 8:37.23, Hamilton placed 8th with an 8:51.32, Whaley placed 9th with a PR of 8:52.21, Parker Jackson placed 11th with a 9:01.36 and Cordero placed 13th with a PR of 9:06.06.

“In the 3000M, I went out with the mindset to win but sadly didn’t have it that day.

A personal record is always nice, though,” Whaley said.

Whaley also placed 16th with a 2:49.07 in the men’s 1000M alongside teammates Tomas Thompson in 14th with a 2:47.12 and Parker Jackson in 15th with a 2:47.48.

“As a team, I am proud of how everyone did, but as we all know and talked about, we can do much better and have a lot of work to put in over these next few weeks,” Whaley said.

Timmerman said, “We’ll only get better from here.”

The Bears will take on their next meet at the Texas Tech Invitational in Lubbock, Texas, on Jan. 28 and 29.

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