Wednesday November 7, 2018
Volume 113 Issue 10
Junior Pansy Johnson crowned homecoming queen “I’m just going to be myself. I’m going to be the leader I’ve always been, and I’m going to allow people to see me as me.”
by Lauren McCabe Staff Writer
The Estes Stadium fell into silence Saturday night as the crowd awaited the name of the new UCA crown. “Your 2018 UCA Homecoming Queen is … Pansy Johnson,” the announcer boomed over the intercom, as the field camera panned to Johnson, her face captured in a moment’s shock before she broke out in tears as the crowd’s roar echoed in the stadium. “It feels so surreal. I’m beyond honored, and I’m beyond blessed,” Johnson said as she strolled off the field in awe and with a smile that could have lit up the night. “I’m really at a loss for words right now and very emotional. It’s the best feeling in the world, and I’m taking it all in.” It was even more of a special treat for Johnson to have been escorted by her grandfather, Tony Lee O’Guinn Jr., who said that although he lives away from his granddaughter, he is reminded of her positivity every time he talks to her. “It’s been exciting watching her grow into a
young woman and taking responsibility, as well as just being herself,” O’Guinn said . “It’s been overwhelming with [Homecoming Week], but she’s been a trooper, and I’m proud to have her as my granddaughter.” Johnson, a junior broadcast journalism major and public relations minor, is from Fordyce, Arkansas. She was sponsored by the Theta Mu chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She is also a member of the Minority Mentorship Program Executive Board and the Student Orientation Staff. Johnson felt grateful for everyone who supported her on the road to being named the 2018 Homecoming Queen. “[The support] has been outstanding,” Johnson said. “Alumni and sorors came down just to see me, [as well as my] advisers, my friends and my family. I’m so thankful for all of them.” Johnson campaigned alongside eight other homecoming court finalists and said that her true mission was to stand out from the rest. “I campaigned really hard on social media platforms [such as] Instagram and Facebook. I pushed my flyers, [and] I gave out cupcakes,”
Johnson said. “I tried to go the extra mile, and I think everything else fell into place.” Friends and supporters crowded around Johnson as she gripped flowers in her shaking hands and held back tears. Those taking photos of the homecoming court fixed her crown upright and placed her beside President Houston Davis for a photo-op. “[To those who voted for me], thank you, thank you, thank you. I can’t say that enough,” said Johnson. “I enjoyed the parad[ing], tailgating and being able to share the court with amazing girls. It’s been a wonderful experience.” As for her plans to hold her position as homecoming queen, Johnson only has one goal. “I’m just going to be myself. I’m going to be the leader I’ve always been, and I’m going to allow people to see me as me.” O’Guinn told of the hope he has for his granddaughter as she takes on representing UCA. “I hope she continues to stay grounded and stay true to who she is,” he said. “It was wonderful to see her enjoy that moment [of crowning] because she truly deserves it. She truly is a wonderful person.”
photos by Lauren Swaim
[Top left] (Left to right) Bruce D. Bear, senior Homecoming Maid of Honor Mattie Schanandore, President Houston Davis, junior Homecoming Queen Pansy Johnson and Sugar Bear pose for a photo at last Saturday’s Homecoming game. [Bottom left] Alumna Ashlin Stock, UCA’s 2017 Homecoming Queen, with Johnson. [Middle] Johnson is overcome with emotion as she learns that she has been named the 2018 Homecoming Queen with her escort, her grandfather Troy O’Guinn Jr. [Top right] Stock congratulates Johnson after she wins the title of Homecoming Queen. [Bottom right] (left to right) Junior Wendy Magbanua, senior Megan McAfee, senior Madeline Moix, senior Hannah Howard, junior Pansey Johnson, senior Mattie Schanandore, senior Sarah Grace Brown and senior Colleen Weidman pose for a Homecoming Court photo during halftime.
mpus Life: HOMECOMING
ucks Maid anew: of Honor: ations Senior complete Mattie Torreyson Chanandore crowned shop of Honor Maid 43page 2 4 page
NEWS
CAMPUS LIFE
SPORTS
John Mulaney: Emmy award-winning comedian riffs on UCA history 4 page 3
Fall Fest: Food, fun, rides on an unseasonably warm fall day 4 page 5
Sugar Sistas: Five seniors dominate volleyball team’s stats 4 page 9
2/ November 7, 2018
HOMECOMING EDITION
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photo by Jessica Huffmaster
Sophomore Janya Lopez dances with the Honeybears at the 2018 Homecoming pep rally Oct. 30 in the Farris Center.
Pep rally helps ring in Homecoming Week by Lauren McLemore Staff Writer
photo by Lauren Swaim
Fresh after being crowned UCA’s 2018 Maid of Honor, senior Mattie Schanandore walks the Estes Stadium field escorted by her brother Cole Schanandore.
Senior Mattie Schanandore named 2018 Maid of Honor
by Lauren McCabe
Staff Writer
The anticipation was palpable Saturday night as UCA students, alumni, friends and family awaited to hear who would be representing UCA as the 2018 Homecoming Maid of Honor. The girls on the field stood still, and a single name was announced throughout the stadium: Mattie Schanandore. From the student section, stands erupted in cheers and claps as Schanandore’s biggest supporters heard the name they had been waiting for. “It honestly is just very surreal. I was not expecting [to be crowned Maid of Honor] whatsoever,” Schanandore said. “Just to hear the organizations who sponsored me scream when
my name was announced was very special and exciting. Schanandore is a senior chemistry major with an emphasis in prepharmacy. Schanandore is the President of the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority and was nominated by the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Alongside President Houston Davis and the UCA bear mascots, Schanandore sported a black dress with a gleaming sash reading “Maid of Honor” given to her by the 2017 UCA Homecoming Queen Ashlin Stock. “Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me and have sent me encouraging messages. I’m so grateful and so thankful for UCA as a whole,” Schanandore said. While thinking back to her campaigning for homecoming court,
Schanandore reflects on her years of involvement with UCA. “I think most of the campaigning happens years before your senior year when [I was] actually sponsored for homecoming,” Schanandore said. “Get involved on campus and [also] being involved with other organizations [around campus]. The organizations who have sponsored me [have] stood behind me and encouraged people to not only vote for me for homecoming, but for [anyone they want].” The Maid of Honor exited the field alongside her mother, as well as her brother, Cole Schanandore, who escorted her down through the center field between lines of UCA band members. Her brother proudly held Schanandore’s plaque honoring her as maid
under his arm. Later Cole posted the following message to his Facebook: “I’m so proud of the woman [Mattie] has become and the impact she has made during her time at UCA. She is smart, strong, beautiful and a great friend to all.” The comment section of Schanandore’s post was flooded with congratulatory statements from loved ones acknowledging her hard work and accomplishments. “The support has been probably the best thing about this whole experience,” Schanandore said. “Getting to serve [my sorority] as president and also seeing how encouraging they are for me, I could cry about it. It’s really special, and [my supporters] are all really special to me.”
Students filled the Farris Center Oct. 30 to attend the Homecoming pep rally and enjoy games, entertainment and giveaways as a kickoff for the Mardi Gras-themed spirit week. The night began with a performance by the UCA band, the cheer and dance teams and color guard. Student Life Director and emcee Kaylon Bradford conducted the rest of the night with announcements about the dress up day themes and events going on throughout the remainder of spirit week. Games throughout the night included a round of knockout, a dance competition and a game that consisted of a race between three competitors to put on football attire, catch a football thrown at them and run back to their starting point in order to win. The pep rally closed out with the announcement and introduction of the 2018 UCA Homecoming Court. “I hope to get the crowd pumped up,” said freshman Daquann “Quan” Ford, one of the performers at the pep rally. The pep rally, typically a 45-minute to an hourlong event, is a staple of homecoming on campuses everywhere, but while many students attend just for the
fun, others are hard at work behind the scenes. At UCA, the pep rally is organized by the campus organization Bear Den, which aims make the pep rally a great event for the students. “When we plan the pep rallies, we think of events that have done well in the past and what made those events fun,” said junior Bear Den President Ellie Roditis As hype as events like pep rallies get, homecoming is about unity and community in the end. The Bear Den’s roots in campus involvement go deeper than just pep rallies when it comes to homecoming. The UCA Twitter page, @ucabears, tweeted a video Oct. 23 of Bear Den alumni reflecting back on Homecoming. “I think what’s really cool about homecoming is the blending of the old traditions and the new traditions,” said John David Pittman of the class of 2004 in the video. “It’s important, the traditions are important, but you should always be developing new stuff too.” No matter how much the music changes, the traditions of the UCA pep rally and the effort that goes into making homecoming events will never go out of style. “I think pep rallies are important because it is a time when students can come together,” Roditis said.
[Top left] Freshman saxophone player Lauren Chetnik marches alongside the Bear Marching Band during the Homecoming Parade Nov. 3 down Bruce Street. Photo by Jessica Huffmaster. [Top middle] Senior Jacob Waymon conduc the Bear Marching Band during their pregame performance. Photo by Lauren Swaim. [Bottom middle] Alumnus Tyler Hollowell yells out the UCA Alma Mater while the Bear Marching Band plays. Photo by Lauren Swaim. [To right] Junior Jayne Crawford supports freshman Ellie Traeger as they cheer on the football team. Photo by Jessica Huffmaster. [Bottom left] Members of Delta Sigma Theta celebrate their victory at the 2018 UCA Homecoming Gree Show hosted by Students for the Propagation of Black Culture and the National Panhellenic Council Nov. 2 in the Farris Center. Photo by Jessica Huffmaster. [Bottom right] President Houston Davis and First Lady Jenny Davis smi and wave to UCA fans during the Homecoming Parade Nov. 3. Photo by Jessica Huffmaster.
The Echo
THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS’ STUDENT NEWSPAPER
WEDNESDAY
NOVEMBER 7, 2018 Volume 113 — Issue 10
ucaecho.net TODAY’S FORECAST
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Fall Fest: Food, fun, rides on an unseasonably warm fall day
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‘Heart Shaped Bed’: Nicole Dollanganger’s latest album for the melancholy 4 page 8
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Mulaney tailors comedy act to suit UCA’s purple and gray
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by Emily Gist Opinion Editor
THE NEWSDESK FROM THE EDITOR
I N T E R N AT I O N A L Female child victim of caste-based beheading
A complaint was filed with police in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu, India, alleging that a girl rejected the advances of an accused man whose name has not yet been released. The accused came from a higher caste, making it easier for him to assert power over the girl. The accused has been arrested and charged under the act of criminalized caste-based violence. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, the total number of crimes against people of lower castes was more than 47,000 in 2016.
N AT I O N A L Shooter kills two yoga students in Florida A shooting took place in Tallahassee, Florida, at a hot yoga studio Nov. 3. Two people were killed and five injured by shooter Scott Paul Beierle before he fatally shot himself. The students fought back, and one man was pistol-whipped by the shooter in the process. There had been previous reports of Beierle harassing several women in the Tallahassee area before he posed as a customer and shot up the yoga studio. Beierle had also made several YouTube videos where he ranted about a woman who had rejected him.
Mother kills disabled son, own mother, self
S TAT E
Texas man arrested in Bentonville for warrant
Antonio Evans, 35, was arrested Nov. 2 in Bentonville, Arkansas, after fleeing Texas because of pending criminal charges. Evans had a warrant out for his arrest in Tarrant County, Texas. He faces charges of capital murder and aggravated sexual assault against a child. Authorities believed Evans to be hiding in Bentonville before the Western Arkansas Fugitive Task Force tracked him to an unnamed apartment complex on Southwest Pearl Drive. Evans was being held at Benton County Jail as of Nov. 2, awaiting transportation back to Texas.
IN OUR NEXT ISSUE SAB Presents: Comedian Sara Schaefer
photo courtesy of Sterling Imageworks Photography
Emmy award-winning comedian John Mulaney peruses The Echo newspaper while on stage at Reynolds Performance Hall Nov. 1. He chuckled at a Police Beat headline and critiqued the staff for inaccurate information concerning him and his Emmy nomination.
changed to Bruce D. Bear in 1999. Mulaney complained that the original name was fine, and the university had no reason to change it. “That’s all of the random facts I know from doing a quick Wikipedia search,” Mulaney said, pretending to walk off of the stage. He then continued with his act, providing new material while occasionally asking the audience questions to fuel his comedy. Later in the performance, Mulaney pulled out a copy of The Echo and read an excerpt about himself in the Around Campus sidebar of Issue 9, which reported his Netflix
by Marcus McClain
Prosecuting Attorney candidates Carol Crews and Zach Throneberry went toe-to-toe Oct. 29 in the Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center, vying to earn votes on ballots for the Nov. 6 Midterm Election. The candidates ran in the 20th Judicial District, which contains Faulkner, Van Buren and Searcy counties. Both Crews and Throneberry are current residents of Conway. Throneberry has spent the last three years serving as the deputy prosecutor in the 12th Judicial District of Arkansas prosecuting drug, property and violent crimes. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Arkansas and his juris doctorate from the University of Arkansas’ School of Law at Fayetteville. Crews graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in history and Spanish. She went on to earn her juris doctorate at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Bowen School of Law. She has been a prosecutor for 11 years, prosecuting juvenile, property and financial crimes. She is currently the chief deputy prosecuting attorney for the 20th Judicial District and served as the senior trial attorney before being promoted. Crews saw these positions as an advantage in experience and used that angle throughout the debate. “Prosecuting criminals in court is a unique skill that you only gain after doing it time and
time again,” Crews said. “I ask for your vote, that I think I’ve earned, based on 11 years of fighting for victims and working with law enforcement in this county.” To combat criticism of him being less experienced, Throneberry pointed out the low number of criminal cases that make it to jury trial. “My opponent likes to talk about my lack of experience in the number of trials I’ve had, but all together it’s more than the last prosecutor ever had,” Throneberry said. He then redirected his focus to promoting open access to the Attorney’s Office, if elected. “It’s much more about going out in the community and talking to people, getting legislation passed, managing the office and putting people in the best position they have to succeed,” Throneberry said. The candidates discussed ways to balance alternatives in prosecuting defenders such as sobriety or drug courts, and in what situations holding defendants accountable is best for protecting the public. “The prosecutor is the gatekeeper for drug court,” Crews said. “People who are trafficking or selling drugs are not allowed in drug court. It’s for people who have found themselves addicted and need help.” She said the key to determining which court a defendant should see is to look at each case individually and have a relationship with defense attorneys to get a clear view of the defendant’s side of the story. Throneberry said the key to finding this balance lies in determining which offenders
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He then joked about the student going to the police with a popped eye from the “eye popper.” After the performance, sophomores Jasper Reddin and Micah Walsh said Mulaney’s jokes about UCA made his comedy more relatable, which made his act more humorous. “He cares about small towns enough to go on Wikipedia, and he actually researched which, I think, is the mark of a true comedian,” Walsh said. “He’s actually willing to put the time in.” Reddin said he often listens to Mulaney’s stand-up on Spotify, but the material he
PA R AT R O O P E R S
Candidates debate issues as state’s early voting opens
Index: 4Police Beat 4People of UCA
special “Kid Gorgeous” was nominated for an Emmy. “I fucking won the Emmy for that,” Mulaney said after reading it. Mulaney had in fact won an Emmy for “Kid Gorgeous” at the 70th Emmy Awards in September. He then continued to the Police Beat, chuckling at one of the headlines that read, “Random student pops someone in eye, runs.” He referenced his earlier joke about UCA’s former name as the Arkansas State Normal School. “You know how [UCA is] normal? He was random,” Mulaney said.
MIDTERM ELECTIONS
Assistant Sports Editor
Georgia mother Kimberly Butts fatally shot her 15-yearold son Caleb, who had Down syndrome, her mother, Jan Kirkland, and herself Oct. 30. Caleb’s father, Mike Wilson, called the police to the scene when he found his son’s and Butts’ lifeless bodies lying side by side in the master bedroom. The body of Butts’ mother was found in the hallway. Caleb had multiple shots to the chest and Butts had a gunshot wound to the left temple. No motives have been identified at this time.
WHAT’S AHEAD
Stand-up comedian John Mulaney researched campus history to tailor his roasts to the UCA community, fueling his Nov. 1 performance at Reynolds Performance Hall by engaging students with questions and riffing on several students’ politeness. Mulaney began his comedy show by poking fun at UCA history, joking about how UCA was founded as the Arkansas State Normal School. Mulaney said the name implied the school was hiding just how abnormal it was. He set up a scenario where a professor informed his class they were going to make “lingerie for small goldfish,” but if anyone were to walk in and question it, the class was to say, “We’re the normal school.” Mulaney then joked about how UCA determined its school colors. He said that according to Wikipedia, Ida Waldran and W.O. Wilson were tasked with determining school colors. He went on to say that Wilson was probably wearing a gray sweater and Waldran was wearing a purple scarf — and it stuck for 100 years. “It shows how prepared they were,” Mulaney said. “What should we make the mascot? I don’t know, the floor.” He then moved on to the school mascot. UCA’s school mascot used to be named Victor E. Bear, which Mulaney commented was a play on words, sounding like “victory bear.” The mascot’s name was
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performed for UCA was material he had never heard before. “It felt more personal. It didn’t feel like it was a rehearsed act. It felt more like improv,” Reddin said. Throughout his performance, students would yell out comments or suggestions for comedy bits and Mulaney would respond. Other times, he asked audience members questions in hopes of roasting them, but was continuously caught off guard by their politeness. At one point, he said the people in the front row thought they were so special and asked one front-row audience member, “Why are you even here?” when she responded she was a UCA alumna, not a student. “I can’t really roast them because they’re too polite,” Mulaney said. Another time, he complained about being too hot on stage, at which point he pointed out an audience member for adjusting her jacket in mockery of his overheatedness. When he tried to call her out on it, it turned into a pleasant conversation. “Stop trying to diffuse me with politeness,” Mulaney said. Reddin said he could tell Mulaney was not used to Southern hospitality. Mulaney was brought to campus by the Student Activities Board, which is funded by the Student Activities Fee. The next event on SAB’s lineup is comedian Sara Schaefer’s performance at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 in the Student Center Ballroom.
photo by Marley Cash-Powell
Sgt. Jason Bauder flies in as the first of several parachuters landing in Estes Stadium Oct. 30. The U.S. Army’s Parachute Team, the Golden Knights, performed single and tandem jumps to help celebrate the UCA ROTC program’s 50th anniversary.
Golden Knights jump into Estes Stadium by Marley CashPowell News Editor
As students exited their classes at the start of x-period Oct. 30, they likely wondered why there was an airplane circling at an altitude of 3,500 feet above campus. The C-31 Friendship aircraft carried the U.S. Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights, who dropped into Estes Stadium at 2 p.m. to celebrate the UCA ROTC program’s 50th anniversary on campus. Sgt. Jason Bauder was the first Golden Knight to parachute into the stadium, streaming the American flag behind him. Once landed, Bauder took the microphone and provided a narrative of the Golden Knights’ history, including their promotion of ROTC programs across the country, while describing the maneuvers performed by his teammates in the sky above the small crowd. “The jumpers are
out,” Bauder said over the loudspeakers. “Watch for the simultaneous openings of the main parachutes. There you have the high-flying black and gold of your United States Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights.” The jumpers landed one by one in the stadium, each quickly shedding their parachute gear. Once the last jumper landed, they entered formation on the 40-yard line, quickly straightening each other’s uniforms and signature maroon berets before coming to attention for their individual introductions. After each jumper stepped forward and saluted the crowd, they reformed their line at arm’s length from each other between the 40- and 50-yard lines. Then, the Knights honored Athletic Director Brad Teague as a distinguished audience member for the growth and success he has brought to the UCA Athletic Program since starting in the position in 2007. The Golden Knights presented
Teague with a wooden baton bearing an engraved placard. “Dr. Teague, the United States Army, the Golden Knights and the great state of Arkansas proudly salute you,” Bauder said. After Teague shook hands with each Golden Knight, the crowd was invited onto the field where Teague, soldiers, ROTC cadets and administrators, UCA mascot Sugar Bear, members of the media and people from the community mingled before helping the Knights repack their jump gear and parachutes. Sgt. First Class Jeremy Pines has been involved with the ROTC program at UCA for two years. He said the Bayonet Battalion includes eight universities between Little Rock and the Ozarks and that UCA’s Bear Company represents nearly half of the cadets in the battalion with 55 cadets out of the total 120 cadets being Bears.
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Aramark, food drive discussed at SGA by Caela Rist
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photo by Marley Cash-Powell
Senior Ryn Dailey explains to junior Madison Heller how to use a key to decode messages in Dailey’s hanging digital transparency titled “Introspection, The Unseen World: Mundane Objects and Their Extraordinary Lives.” Dailey’s art piece is the largest work on display in the senior exhibit, which opened Nov. 1 in the Baum Gallery.
Seniors display artwork in juried art exhibition, two artists honored
by Lauren McLemore Staff Writer
The BA/BFA Juried Senior Art Exhibit opened with a drop-in reception from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Baum Gallery. All displayed artwork was produced by seniors in the art department in either BFA or BA degree programs. Student artists and their parents and friends, along with other students and faculty, attended the show. Artists stood by their works to explain their pieces and interact with audience members. The two students who were chosen to be honored for their works in this year’s juried exhibition were seniors Cody Scrivner and Heather Guenard. Scrivner’s works involve woodworking, with both carvings and relief cut prints in ink, as well as silkscreen and ink prints. One of Scrivner’s works is predominantly featured at the end of the main hall into the larger two rooms of the gallery. It is an interactive relief cut printed in ink on medium density fiberboard, or MDF, titled “Wheel of Misfortune.” Guenard’s works also involve relief cut prints in ink; however, hers are much smaller works on paper, framed behind glass along with their relief
Debate:
cut blocks, creating a unique symmetry and clean lines in her presentation. She has a series of four of these framed pairings in the exhibit. The largest art piece claimed the entire back wall of the largest room. The piece was made by senior Ryn Dailey and was titled, “Introspection, The Unseen World: Mundane Objects and Their Extraordinary Lives.” Dailey’s piece is made of transparent squares of plastic held together by tiny clear, plastic clothespins, creating two large panels, one hanging in front of the other. Dailey’s artist statement reads, “My illustrations express the duality of worlds through contemporary objects and the realm of each object’s opposing avatar.” Dailey is interested in the way objects interact with people and their surroundings. Her piece contains many different objects, such as a toothbrush and a stool. Students spent a great deal of time on each piece and every work holds personal meanings for the students. “I made narratives for each object,” Dailey said. Dailey’s narratives are about the secret lives everyday objects live. The stool’s narrative reads, “Stan the stool stands
uncomfortable on hardwood floor daily. Stan is bothered that he isn’t comfortable for his owner either. Sometimes he just feels worthless.” Dailey’s piece is a digital work that she created using Adobe Illustrator. She created the piece using a tablet and stylus. Dailey did run into some obstacles while creating the piece. She had to figure out how to hang the plastic squares, while working on her project mostly between classes. Dailey is majoring in fine arts with an emphasis in graphic design. Her work on this project was good practice for the skills she will use in graphic design later in her professional life. The student works are diverse. One piece of art is a compilation of postcards purchased from an estate sale. This piece is titled “Stitching Memories” and was created by senior Lauren Lee. Another student, senior Carlo Juan Manuel Jr., has a collection of four paintings in the art show, all of which are outdoor scenes in oil paint. “Oil paint is not something you can just pick up and do. You have to work on it and practice with it,” said Manuel. He plans to add more pieces to his collection, continuing his focus on outdoor scenes. The exhibit will remain on display in the Baum gallery until Dec. 6.
Issue 4 proposes limited casino licensing
will be from Nov. 12-19 and will collect food items from peanut butter, jelly, ramen, soups, pastas, microwaveable meals and personal hygiene products. The items will go toward the on campus Bear Essentials Food Pantry. A handful of other imperative announcements were made during the meeting, including the next Presidential Town Hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 14 in Student Center room 214. All students are welcomed to either submit their campus-related questions online or attend the meeting and ask President Davis directly. A reminder of the upcoming Red Flag Campaign was also brought up by Vice President of Finance Spencer Burton. The campaign will focus on the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and will be during x-period Nov. 13 and 15 at the Student Center Amphitheater. Burton described the campaign as a way to highlight these unhealthy relationships and open the eyes of fellow citizens struggling with their personal relationships.
CLOUDS STREAK THE SKY OVER ESTES
photo by Lauren Swaim
The sun sets over Estes Stadium after a day of Homecoming festivities Nov. 3. During the Bears’ game against Lamar University, they were defeated after suffering a deficit in the first half. For more on the game, see page 10.
Knights:
Army promotes ROTC, importance of goals
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want to make real change, as opposed to escaping a certain type of punishment. “We have a real opportunity here with the new behavioral health clinic to install a [mental health court] and ensure we’re helping the people that want to become productive members of society,” Throneberry said. “And the people who are just wasting our time can be found out and sent away so they can’t harm anyone else.” Following the debate, Keith Lawson of the Faulkner County Cooperative Extension Service held a midterm ballot information session. The three remaining issues Lawson brought up were Issue 2, which concerned implementing a photo ID requirement to vote, Issue 4, which concerned
An informational meeting with Aramark’s General Manager Jim Nabors, a diversity Civility Circle and an upcoming food drive were discussed during the Student Government Association senate chambers meeting Nov. 5. Chair of the Housing and Food Services Committee, Jennifer Cale had met previously with Nabors Nov.1. Cale, along with the rest of the committee, asked Nabors several imperative questions regarding food services at UCA. Nabors was able to confirm several improvements to the food services, including better cleanliness in the Christian Cafeteria from pre-soaking utensils in hot water mixed with detergent before washing. By Housing and Food Services’ request, Nabors also confirmed that Aramark will actively work on providing additional fresh fruit in the cafeteria. Though, regarding additional gluten-free options,
Nabors told the committee they should contact Disability Resources and the Aramark dietitian to find out exactly how many students are impacted by celiac disease before they could move forward. Nabors also informed the committee that the contract between Aramark and Pizza Hut will expire April 2019 and they will replace the establishment in the Student Center with a new pizza place entitled Oaf Pizza. Diversity Committee Chair Marco Ramirez announced there would be a Civility Circle Nov. 7 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the McCastlain Ballroom. This circle will provide an open area for students to discuss diversity and learn more from their fellow students about diversity as a whole on and off campus. The Academic Affairs Committee will be hosting the Benefiting the Bear Essentials Food Pantry food drive. Committee chair Mary Beth Ivie’s goal is to ensure everyone has food on their table for this holiday season. The food drive
authorizing four casinos in Arkansas, and Issue 5, which proposes an increase in minimum wage. If approved, Issue 2 will make it mandatory to present a valid form of identification to vote. Even if voting through an absentee ballot, a copy of one’s ID would be required. The legislature would have to pass laws at a later date, determining which type of photo ID would be accepted. Issue 4 will authorize four casinos in Arkansas, if passed. The casino license would be granted automatically to Southland Racing Corporation in Crittenden County and Oaklawn Jockey Club in Garland County due to them already having games of chance. The remaining two
licenses for Pope and Jefferson Counties would go through an application process with the Arkansas Racing Commission. These casinos would be open 24 hours a day and would be authorized to serve alcohol anytime gaming is taking place. Issue 5 would increase minimum wage over the next three years. It would first be increased to $9.25 per hour in 2019, then $10 per hour in 2020 and finally $11 per hour in 2021. Each increase would be made on Jan.1 of each year. The current minimum wage is set at $8.50, which voters approved in 2015. Election Day for these ballot issues and local and statewide elected officials was held Nov. 6.
ROTC is a student organization which is run by senior cadets under the supervision of a cadre of Army Officers and other administrators. The cadets perform color guard ceremonies at events in the community, help freshmen on move-in day, do community outreach and help UCAPD monitor football games when not completing physical fitness and leadership training. “We get a lot of phone calls to go help out with different events in the community,” Pines said, “and we’re always happy to do that.” Cadet Alexander Propes is what is considered an MS4 or Military Service Level 4 within the ROTC program. He is a senior at UCA holding an
S1 staff position, which is an administrative position, and his responsibilities include tracking student personnel to ensure they are attending physical training and meeting other program requirements. Propes suggested that there are many financial and professional benefits offered by the ROTC program. He said ROTC members at UCA can get a $5,000 scholarship, their housing and dining plans paid, a monthly stipend of $500 and a book stipend of $600 at the beginning of each semester. He also said cadets can receive additional monthly pay of $200 or $300 if they are concurrently enlisted in the National Guard. “The money speaks for itself, but also, you’ve got to look at the fact that it is a very
challenging program that we’re in. [There is] a sense of euphoria when you finally get to the end and you can say, ‘I’ve been through the rigor of the Army,’” Propes said. Staff Sgt. Andy Sippyl of the Golden Knights suggested that regardless of whether students decide to participate in the ROTC program or not, it is important to set goals. “You have to set a goal and always keep pushing for that goal. Stay focused on what you are trying to do in the future,” Sippyl said. The Bear Battalion will also be honored as part of the UCA Veterans Day ceremony at 1 p.m. Nov. 8 on the lawn in front of McAlister Hall.
believes the only things in her bag were notes, but the item she was most concerned about was her set of keys to Carmichael Hall. Because Thomas is a peer coach, she has keys to the peer coach office in Carmichael. If she does not locate the keys, she is going to have to pay to replace the keys and locks. After viewing footage of Bear Hall, it was seen that Thomas left the building with her backpack. After leaving Bear Hall, Thomas went to Twisted Taco with her friend, then to Splash Car Wash on Hogan Lane. Thomas then stated she believed she left her backpack at the car wash.
student Ira Koonce pulled into the parking space right in front of Berry and exited the vehicle. Berry then smelled an intense odor of marijuana coming from Koonce’s vehicle. Berry stopped Koonce and asked him if he had been smoking pot, to which he replied no. Berry then asked him if he had any on his person to which he stated he had some in his pocket. While waiting for backup from Sgt. Zack Hill, Berry had Koonce remove 2 grams of marijuana from his pocket. Berry and Hill retrieved one bag of marijuana and one pill bottle also containing marijuana from Koonce’s vehicle. Koonce was placed under arrest for the possession of a controlled substance. He was then transported to Faulkner County Unit 2 for booking.
Police Beat The following information is compiled from UCAPD incident reports by Assistant News Editor Caela Rist
Possible verbal assault in Baridon Hall dorm room
On Oct. 31, officers Christian Leah Ross and J. Zack Hill were dispatched to Baridon Hall after a report of verbal threatening against student Nelson Hunt. Hunt stated to the police that he was woken up by loud cursing of “queer” and “fuckboy” from a voice he recognized as his roommate Mason Walker. Officers spoke to Walker and he denied all accusations made by Hunt, stating he had been at the library for the last three and half hours, though Walker did state he had returned to the dorm room with friends to take a shower. Officer Michael Shaw observed video footage of the hallway outside of Hunt’s room. He
was able to identify Walker and some friends enter his side of the dorm at 9:58 p.m. and leave at 10:11 p.m. After Shaw spoke with Walker, he stated he locked his keys in his room and had knocked on Hunt’s window in an attempt to be let back in. Walker stated that Hunt did not acknowledge him. Once Walker was able to enter the building through an open door, he told Shaw he knocked on Hunt’s door again. Shaw observed Walker knock on the door four times between 9:39 and 9:41 p.m. Shaw stated that during the footage Walker did not appear to say anything, nor did it appear that Walker was agitated. Walker then waited on his roommate, student Toby Towns, to return to let him into the room. He waited with several friends in the dorm room of Justin Grandfield. After
entering his side of the dorm room, Walker stated he knocked on Hunt’s bedroom door and stated, “Nelson, I just wanted in.” Another student, Alicia Martin, confirmed Walker’s story as she was one of the friends with him during the incident. Towns, Walker’s roommate, was also interviewed and confirmed the same story. Towns went on to say, “There is something wrong with [Hunt].” Towns said when Walker and he first moved in with Hunt, Walker would try to talk to Hunt. Towns said Hunt would just roll his eyes or simply ignore Walker. When Grandfield was asked if he had ever witnessed Walker and Hunt involved in any type of altercation, he said he had not. However, Grandfield went on to say during that while visiting Walker and Towns, he heard
Hunt talking to himself before. Grandfield said Hunt would also suddenly start screaming for no reason. Grandfield said they would check on Hunt each time this happened, but he would say he was alright. Walker confirmed the same story with officer Shaw. The case is still under investigation.
Student loses keys, backpack off campus Officer Phillip Boyd was dispatched Oct. 25 to the lobby of UCAPD for a lost/stolen property report. Student Sarai Thomas stated her backpack went missing from the lobby of Bear Hall Oct. 23 around 4:40 p.m. Thomas went into the office at Bear Hall and came out around 20 minutes later. At this point, she noticed her backpack was missing. Thomas
Student arrested for possession of controlled substance On Oct. 30, officer Taylor Berry was walking through the parking lot North of New Hall writing parking tickets when
Campus Life November 7, 2018
Around Campus: Civility Circle: Politics UCA presents a Civility Circle from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the McCastlain Hall Ballroom and hosted by the Student Government Association and the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion on the topic of politics. The discussion will be facilitated by professors Stephanie Bellar and Michael Kithinji. Civility Circles aim to start conversations about subjects that can be difficult to discuss and demonstrate how to go about these topics respectfully. For more information, contact Administrative Assistant Michelle Kepke at michellek@uca.edu.
Comedian Sara Schaefer The Student Activities Board presents comedian Sara Schaefer at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 in the Student Center Ballroom. Schaefer is a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, writer and producer based in Los Angeles. She has won two Emmys for her work on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” The event is intended for mature audiences and no one under 17 will be admitted. For more information, contact SAB at sabcomedy.uca.@gmail.com.
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Annual Fall Fest delivers rides, fair food, fun to campus by Daniel Adams Staff Writer
Homecoming Week festivities kicked off Monday with the Student Activities Board’s Fall Fest Oct. 29, featuring classic fair food and entertainment that was open to students as well as the greater Conway community. Running from noon to 6 p.m., Fall Fest was the first major event scheduled for Homecoming Week festivities. With plenty of rides, food and fun, there was something for everyone to do throughout the afternoon. Rides and stands were packed into the parking lot between the HPER Center and the Student Health Center, ranging from the scream-producing Zero Gravity ride to the slightly calmer Sizzler. Other options were the track-powered Catch ‘N’ Air as well as the tossing and turning Orbiter, for those who wanted a thrilling experience without the speed of Zero Gravity. Students and other attendees got the chance to taste classic carnival foods like funnel cakes, slushes and cotton candy, among other fare.
All sorts of stands were set up around the boundaries of the parking lot as well, boasting crafts ranging from balloon art and candy art to face paint and customizable names made out of wooden letters. The festival even brought in other attractions like a zip line and rock climbing wall for heights-defying daredevils. The rock climbing wall recognized successful participants with a siren that would ring upon their reaching the summit. Sophomore Trey White was one of many students who enjoyed Fall Fest. “I was really excited because I missed the [Fall Fest] last year, so I was definitely going to come this year,” White said. Freshman Grace Starks said she liked the convenience of Fall Fest. “All of it’s free, so I don’t have to worry about bringing my wallet,” Starks said. Thanks to the work of SAB, everyone was able to enjoy the carnival food and classic rides for free. From start to finish, the festival proved that once again it was a popular attraction for UCA.
photo by Lauren Swaim
(Left to right) Sophomores Shaniya Caruthers and Brittany Baker wait in line for a carnival ride at the Fall Fest Oct. 29 at the HPER Center parking lot. Besides carnival rides, students enjoyed zip lining, rock climbing, food and booths with interactive activities. For more on the Fall Fest, visit The Echo’s Instagram page to view a video documenting the fun and games.
EXERCISE AND INNER PEACE
Yoga on the lawn changes venue, retains goal of mindfulness
Singer-Songwriter Kate Mills The Student Activities Board presents singer-songwriter Kate Mills at x-period Nov. 8 in the Student Center Food Court. Mills recently debuted her EP titled “Little Bird,” and has made herself known in the New York music scene by performing at some of New York’s most iconic music venues, including The Bitter End, Rockwood Music Hall and Pianos. Mills’ music has been featured on the feature indie film “Hits” and has earned two nominations for the 2013 JAM Awards. For more information, contact SAB Music Executive Kytan Tencleve at sabmusic.uca.@gmail.com.
Women Writer’s Conference UCA will host the second annual C.D. Wright Women Writer’s Conference Nov. 9 and 10, with multiple events focusing on womenidentifying writers from all experience levels, working in journalism, mass market books, literary endeavors and beyond. Featured events include a reading, Q&A and book signing with celebrated poet Allison Joseph; a reading from Megan Mayhew Bergman, author of the short story collections “Almost Famous Women” and “Birds of a Lesser Paradise;” and a book fair. For more information, contact creative writing professor Sandy Longhorn at slonghorn@uca.edu, and for a detailed schedule of events visit cdwrightconference. org/2018-schedule.htm.
photo by Lauren McLemore
Senior Student Wellness and Development intern Kelsey O’Dell and others bow at the end of a yoga class hosted by UCA Wellness Ambassador Alyssa Frisby on Nov. 1 in the HPER’s medium studio after the original Yoga on the Lawn event was relocated indoors because of rain. The event, held during x-period, aimed to promote wellness and give students an opportunity to utilize campus resources to de-stress.
by Lauren McLemore Staff Writer
Student Wellness Ambassadors hosted a free yoga class for students at x-period Nov. 1 as one of their many events to promote and encourage wellness while providing resources on campus. Originally the class was scheduled to be outdoors on the McAlister Lawn, but was relocated to the medium studio in the HPER Center because of last Thursday’s rain.The class was taught by junior UCA Wellness Ambassador Alyssa Frisby, who is currently studying nutrition. “Students are often rushing through campus with their heads down and we want to invite them
to really breathe in the beauty of campus and the changing seasons,” Frisby said. The HPER Center’s medium studio has floor to ceiling windows and overlooks the Jewel E. Moore Nature Reserve, making it difficult not to appreciate the multicolored trees brought by the fall season. The class flowed slowly and gracefully as Frisby calmly instructed those in the class on how to move from one pose to the next, at some points demonstrating alternative poses for those who wanted either less strenuous or more challenging poses. While yoga can be intimidating, Frisby wants students to know that yoga can be practiced at varying paces and
skill levels. Senior Student Wellness and Development intern Kelsey O’Dell attended the class and said it was her first time doing yoga. “It’s kind of a good stress reliever,” O’Dell said. According to the UCA website, Wellness Ambassadors are a group of students who serve as a liaison between the Office of Student Wellness and Development and other students on and off campus to help promote health and well-being by assisting in designing, promoting and participating in health events and campaigns on campus. “We are actively involved in promoting student health and well-being on campus,” said Frisby. The group is in charge of
putting on events such as the Get Yourself Tested campaign, National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, the Designated Driver campaign and, most recently, Yoga on the Lawn. Yoga is already offered as a regular class at the HPER Center, but its reputation as a stress relief activity makes it an important part of wellness for college students, as well as one important social aspect: the student instructor. “I think getting it out there so students can be involved with more students since [Alyssa] is a student rather than just instructors, that makes it better for everybody else, too, because we’re kind of able to relate,” O’Dell said. More opportunities to connect with Wellness
Ambassadors and attend their upcoming events can be found on their instagram, @ucawellnessambassadors and Twitter, @ucawellness. For information on becoming a UCA Wellness Ambassador, students can visit uca.edu/wellness/ wellness-ambassador-program/. A nonstudent-taught, 45-minute yoga class called “Smooth Yoga” is taught by True Alisandre at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the medium studio. The HPER Center schedule defines the class as “a flowing series of standing, balancing, inversions and floor yoga exercises to uplift and harmonize our body and mind. A centering breathing practice and short meditation will be included as well.”
SPJ TALKS GETTING THE SCOOP WITH VETERAN REPORTER
USAF Mid-America Brass Quintet The United States Air Force Band of Mid-America Mobility Brass Quintet will perform a public concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 at the Snow Fine Arts Recital Hall. The quintet is made up of five brass musicians and one percussionist, and the event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Associate Professor of Horn Brent Shires at bshires@uca.edu, and for more information on the quintet, visit music.af.mil/Bands/US-AirForce-Band-of-Mid-America/.
photo by Lauren Swaim
Debra Hale-Shelton speaks to journalism students and professors at an ice cream social Nov. 1 in Stanley Russ Hall. A speaker for the Arkansas chapter of Society of Professional Journalists and reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Hale-Shelton recounted good and bad moments while covering stories for the newspaper.
ucaecho.net
CAMPUS LIFE
November 7, 2018 /6
STUDENTS SAY
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What measures do you think we could take to combat climate change?
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story by Jessica Huffmaster photos by Lauren Swaim
photo by Caroline Bivens
Living Unleashed President and graduate student Lauren Dexter plays with therapy dog trainee Yadi. Yadi is part of the Canine Companions for Independence program that allows people to voluntarily raise puppies for two years to become therapy dogs.
Living Unleashed pairs puppies with volunteering by Caroline Bivens Online Editor
Cuddles from puppies can make even the hardest day a little easier. Members from the RSO Living Unleashed help train assistance dogs for people living with disabilities. Living Unleashed members volunteer to help raise and train assistance dogs through the Canine Companions for Independence program. CCI is a national nonprofit organization that breeds therapy dogs to be partnered with patients at no cost. The puppies are sent to volunteer puppy raisers who raise and train the puppies for
two years. Club members can apply to raise a puppy of their own, assist other puppy raisers by puppy-sitting or co-raising a dog or help fundraise. Living Unleashed was established in 2017 when Honors student Micaela Motzko based her thesis around the CCI program and started the club. Anyone can apply to be a puppy raiser through the CCI website. After applying, a volunteer from the organization will conduct a home visit to see how the applicant lives. Once approved, applicants receive a packet from CCI to help guide them through the training process. The dogs
bred through CCI and are sent to applicants when a litter becomes available. Most dogs are Labradors, golden retrievers or a mix of both. Former Living Unleashed president, junior Emma Styers, has been raising a Labrador retriever mix named Yadi since September 2017. Styers trains Yadi in certain skills and commands, but Yadi is also required to see a trainer twice a month to learn more complex skills. Styers said training Yadi has been relatively easy because he’s been bred to be extremely intelligent. After the two years of training, the dogs are sent back to CCI to be placed in patients’
homes, hospitals or wherever they are needed. Styers said CCI builds off the basic training provided by the volunteers in Living Unleashed to teach dogs how to open doors, retrieve items for patients and provide emotional support. “Even with myself, even if I’m stressed out, I can just come cuddle with Yadi,” Styers said. If a dog fails the training, which would usually only be if the raiser failed to put in the proper time and effort for the training, the puppy raiser has the option to adopt it, but they cannot keep a dog that passes the program.
T H E AT R E AT U C A
‘Tis Pity’ a sinister thriller with incest, action and gallons of blood by Taylor Sone Campus Life Editor
Murder, intrigue and blood: UCA Theater’s production of John Ford’s “‘Tis Pity” delivers generous servings of all three in a perverse tale tracing the fallout of an incestuous love affair between brother and sister. The play follows Giovanni, a bookish youth played by sophomore Jacob Tyler Brown, who, through depraved reasoning, justifies pursuing his beautiful sister Annabella (sophomore Emily Cobb), who requites and becomes pregnant through the affair. When Annabella marries to avoid the shame of having a child out of wedlock, her brother becomes despondent and, since he can possess her no longer, murders his love in a bloody denouement that makes the most grave Shakespearean tragedy seem saccharine by comparison. The well-attended
production ran five shows: two Oct. 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m., two Nov. 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee performance Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. Director Christ Fritzges, associate professor of theater, updates this Jacobean play to early 20th-century Italy, with costuming reminiscent of mafiosos and the dames that they caroused with, and a low-lit, multilevel set with the design of a dagger plunging from the stage into the audience to create a threatening, nightmarish setting for the macabre action. Another interesting design choice was the inclusion of masks on all characters except Giovanni and Annabella, illustrating the difference between the earnest lovers and the unscrupulous seekers of power that surround them. Brown and Cobb both bring an expert level of nuance to the roles they play: Their characters are ostensibly naive about the potential fallout of their actions, but double-edged lines early in
the play like the contractual exchange of vows (“Love me or kill me, sister/brother”) and the mixture of lofty love and carnal lust in the physical interactions of the two tortures the audience when they consider whether the bloody end of the play contains any justice. Postbaccalaureate student Saxon Whitehead plays Florio, the reserved but sinister father of the lovers, in a performance that exemplifies the pomposity of being powerful in a community and the reality of the powerlessness that hubris hides. Whitehead said this play was an important learning opportunity for him. “I had never done a show in verse or a show with mask work before, and at first it was very difficult for me. But ultimately, all the challenges throughout the process really got me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow as an actor,” Whitehead said. The production is striking in its use of sheer physicality, with violent knife-fighting
choreography throughout. The denouement in particular features a spectacular fight scene between Giovanni and the cunningly adept Vasques, played by senior Augustine Nguyen, that results in less of an honorable fight than a ritualized sacrifice of the former. “I really loved doing the stage combat in the show. I’m really thankful for SGA and their generosity in allowing UCA Theater to bring in certified stage combat experts to the university,” Nguyen said. Cobb said that the show was both very challenging and very rewarding. “This show has definitely been the hardest show that I have done, but I’m very blessed and very thankful to have gotten this role and this opportunity,” Cobb said. “I am very excited for everyone that got to see it and go through all the emotions we put out on stage for them, and I hope they really enjoy it.”
Sophomore Caroline Peek
Junior Sidney McCoy
“People try to take initiatives with recycling, but there aren’t a lot of resources in Arkansas for smaller communities. We have [recycling] bins on campus, but it’s not enough.”
“Recycle more, take some more time to analyze and understand what climate change is and see steps to reverse or reduce its effects.”
Junior Julian Duckery
Senior Harleigh Jones
“We need more recycling bins because if I don’t see them I’ll just throw it in the trash. It looks too optional. More recycling bins in classrooms would be helpful too.”
“Bigger organizations that have a bigger voice than we do as students could do more to save, like Starbucks with their replacement of straws.”
Sophomore Sara Martinez
Junior Connor Wood
“I’m a big recycling person; I drink a lot of water and it’s just a small change but it would make a big difference.”
“Fuel efficiency in vehicles because gasoline really affects climate change. I also think more solar panels for homes would help.”
SPOTLIGHT
PEOPLE OF UCA Karen Orozco by Ronak Patel Staff Writer
photo by Ronak Patel
Junior Karen Orozco has been a part of the Student Activities Board for three years and is now the group’s vice president. Working toward a degree in public relations is what led her to join SAB.
In her three years at UCA, junior Karen Orozco has worked her way up from social media chair to the vice president of the Student Activities Board. Orozco is from Nicaragua and is at UCA working toward earning her degree in public relations. Her degree in public relations played a big part in Orozco wanting to get involved with SAB. Orozco became involved with SAB early on in her collegiate career. “I had a friend who is now the graduate assistant, Bertita Barrientos, who saw that I was a public relations major and that I was interested in getting involved on campus,” Orozco said. “I already had experience with social media back home in high school with nonprofit organizations and she offered me a position with the Student Activities Board, asking if I would be interested in being the social media chair. I picked up
an application and applied and became the social media chair.” In her three years of being an SAB member, Orozco’s favorite guest SAB has brought to UCA is comedian John Mulaney. “I would have to say John Mulaney [has been my favorite guest]. He has definitely impressed me, because it was the first I had heard his comedy. I’ve heard about him from ‘SNL’ and that was one of the reasons why we brought him and he came and knocked it out the park,” Orozco said. In order to make it possible to have famous people like John Mulaney come to UCA there is work that goes on behind the scenes that the casual student might not be aware of. She said first, SAB executive board members have to consider their budget before deciding whether they can afford a famous comedian, musician or speaker. “If we have two concerts in one semester that is gonna mess up our budget,” Orozco said. “We have to balance that out and that’s why we got John Mulaney.
So next semester we will have our big concert or speaker.” She said the board members work with the managers of these famous comedians, musicians and speakers to see who is available during SAB’s specified dates in order to reserve a venue, which is either Reynolds Performance Hall or the Farris Center. “We have to do it in advance and see if artists are available for those specific dates and if we are really interested, we can try to accommodate different dates,” she said. “From that, we look through a big list of people who are well known. We look at relevancy of the guest. Like with [when we brought] Terry Crews, the #MeToo movement was a big thing at that moment. Those are all factors we take into consideration. Then after that is where our job takes a bit of pause because we have to wait for what their dates and prices are.” To view upcoming events this semester and next semester, students can visit ucasab.com/ExecBoard.aspx.
Opinion
7
ucaechoeditor@gmail.com
November 7, 2018
The Voice
Homecoming queen position open to all RSOs
The Echo Staff Sophia Ordaz Editor
Cassidy Kendall Associate Editor
Marley Cash-Powell News Editor
Caela Rist
Assistant News Editor
Taylor Sone
Campus Life Editor
Jessica Huffmaster
Assistant Campus Life Editor
Emily Gist Opinion Editor
Sarah Kapity
Entertainment Editor
Cody Macomber Sports Editor
Marcus McClain Assistant Sports Editor
Caroline Bivens
It’s plain and simple: Felons should be felons from voting just gives more political power allowed to vote. It’s downright un-American to to rich white people, who have enough power as deprive any citizen of the right to vote — that’s it is. why it’s called a right, not a privilege. Prison It may be tempting to brush off these should serve as a form of rehabilitation, not just disturbing statistics by saying, “Well, if they punishment, which means felons should be able committed the crime, then they deserve it, don’t to restart their lives when they get out. There they?” Common Republican responses to the are enough institutional barriers keeping them issue are that we can’t make “special exceptions” down; the least we can do is give them the power for criminals just because they’re minorities. But to change them. this isn’t a special exception; this is a small step There are currently 2.2 million incarcerated toward equality in a horrendously mismanaged people in America, according to the U.S. Bureau and discriminatory justice system. The reason of Justice. One in five of these people are far more people of color are arrested than white serving time for drug-related offenses. people is not because they commit more We are crowding our prisons with crimes, but rather because police are more people who needed treatment and likely to arrest a minority person than rehab, not a life behind bars — but a white person. Not to mention that that is a whole other issue. The judges are more likely to rule against point is that many of the felons minorities, and they’re more likely to leaving the prison system didn’t give them longer sentences as well. do anything that would remotely As an example, let’s look at Brock prevent them from casting Turner, a white, upper-middle-class an educated, thought-out man who raped an unconscious vote. woman. He was sentenced It’s hard to come up to six months in jail and with a reason for why three years probation, and by Sarah Kapity felons shouldn’t be able only served three months in Entertainment Editor to vote. Will the promise jail. To compare, consider of a “civil death” deter the recent arrest of Patrick people from committing Beadle, a black man who felonies? No, and it hasn’t. Are felons going purchased 2.89 pounds of marijuana in Oregon to somehow band together and elect an evil with a medical card, and brought it back to his wannabe dictator? No, they don’t have the hometown in Mississippi. He was sentenced to numbers for that, and us nonfelons did that just eight years in prison. Yes, that’s a lot of pot, but he fine on our own. had no paraphernalia, scale, money or anything One of the supposedly unintentional side that insinuated an intent to sell. And even if he effects of this voter ban is that it takes a large did, selling marijuana is objectively less morally number of low-income and minority people out abhorrent than raping an unconscious woman of the voting pool because people of color and beside a dumpster. If this comparison isn’t telling poor people are arrested at a higher rate than enough for you, don’t worry, there are thousands rich white people. According to the National more where that came from. Association for the Advancement of Colored Preventing felons from voting is just another People’s website, one in every 106 white adult cog in the discrimination machine, whether we men are incarcerated in America, compared to want to believe it or not. There is no valid reason one in 36 Hispanic adult men and one in 15 black to take away a civil right, especially when it has a adult men. These numbers prove that restricting discriminatory effect.
‘Pit bulls’ receive public contempt they don’t deserve
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Aysha Dixon
Social Media Editor
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Voting is a right, not a privilege; let felons vote
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Dogs that fall under the generalized term of pit bull should be aware of the history behind the “pit bull” have been misunderstood, mistreated development of the breed. The “pit bull” has been and unfairly targeted. An article by the Villalobos developed over a long period of time through the Rescue Center in Louisiana states “‘pit bull’ combination of breeds — namely, bulldogs and is NOT a breed. It is a generic term often used terriers. to describe all dogs with similar traits and Pit bulls were bred from bulldogs and terriers. characteristics often known by the public as “pit Bulldogs were chosen because of their strength, bulls.” size and intimidating look, while terriers were According to the American Society for the chosen because of their agility and determination, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, “the rise of which makes them impervious to pain when they pit bull ownership among gang members in get in altercations with other animals or humans. the late 1980s coincided with the first round of In Kellie Stevens’ BarkPost article “How breed-specific legislation.” However, the ASPCA America’s Dog Became Public Enemy #1 — And also notes that breed-specific legislation does Why They’re Making Such A Comeback,” she more harm than good. BSL is costly, difficult describes the history behind the development to enforce and inaccurate. of the pit bull. Since their origins, they have One deterrent of BSL is the been used for bull baiting, rat baiting and inaccurate grouping of dogs based dogfighting, which is where their negative on physical appearance — it not reputation began. only affects specific breeds, but However, pit bulls also have also mutts who happen to share an extensive history of being great physical characteristics to breeds family pets because of their loyalty, banned by BSL. According to affectionate nature, bravery and the ASPCA, banned breeds easy-going temperament. That last also commonly include trait might surprise you, but German shepherds, it is true — according to the Rottweilers, mastiffs, American Temperament Test chow chows and Society, Inc., 86.8 percent of Dalmatians. pit bulls passed in regards According to the to low aggression, panic and by Jessica Huffmaster Villalobos Rescue avoidance, directly below Assistant Campus Life Editor Center,“like any other golden retrievers. breed, pit bulls can In Stevens’ article, she develop behavior addresses pit bulls’ popularity problems if mishandled, abused, poorly during World War I and II, where they were often bred, unsocialized, etc. that could result in used to symbolize fearlessness, protection and, inappropriate aggression.” In a classic case of occasionally, neutrality in American ads. nature versus nurture, it is important that these According to Stevens, Sergeant Stubby was dogs are not blamed for situations they are a famous stray from WWI who was “trained to raised in. respond to bugle calls, march with troops and “As owners we all have a responsibility to even salute fellow soldiers,” as well as known for make sure our dogs behave well in public. When “distinguishing between American soldiers and people are bombarded with bad headlines about their enemies when getting his comrades’ help, pit bulls, it’s easy to understand why they’re carrying messages under fire, and detecting nervous when they see one on the street. Yet incoming attacks of mustard gas and alerting his each of us, along with our dogs can help alter that humans”. perception,” said professional dog behaviorist Even though many other breeds have suffered Cesar Millan on his website Cesar’s Way. from prejudice and stereotypes, pit bulls have Many people are unaware of the work, time suffered the worst. In my experience of owning a and attention that go into taking care of any pit bull-corgi mix, they are some of the most lively, animal. This becomes more evident as the size intelligent, entertaining and kindhearted dogs of the animal increases. Large dogs are powerful, I have come across. If you are looking to adopt as they are often bred to be, and must be trained a dog, I urge you to consider adopting a pit bull with that in mind. first. It will be one of the best adventures of your Those who own or are considering to own a life.
When looking into the history of UCA homecoming queens, one can’t help but recognize a prevalent pattern: Every single homecoming queen for the past 10 years has been nominated by her sorority. The issue is not that sorority members are chosen for homecoming queen; the women who win homecoming queen have worked hard to get involved on campus and deserve their positions. But when sorority members make up the majority of candidates running for homecoming queen, the diversity of what UCA offers when it comes to Registered Student Organizations isn’t fully represented. Homecoming queens are nominated through a popularity contest. Essentially, any RSO can nominate up to three women for homecoming queen. From there, eight women are chosen to be on homecoming court and the student body votes for one of these eight to become homecoming queen. According to UCA’s Orgsync, there are a total of 190 RSOs on campus in 2018. Of those 190 RSOs, 10 are sororities. Of those 10 sororities, only three, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Zeta and Alpha Sigma Tau, have dominated homecoming queen nominations in the past 10 years, according to Echo articles from the past 10 years. Five of the 10 homecoming queens in the past 10 years have been nominated by the same sorority: Alpha Sigma Tau. This means three sororities — representing 1.6 percent of current RSOs — have dominated 100 percent of the past 10 years of homecoming queen competitions. Additionally, one sorority — representing 0.5 percent of current RSOs — has dominated 50 percent of homecoming queen competitions. These numbers are staggering, and with such a vast number of RSOs, having such a small portion of them win every single homecoming queen competition for the past decade makes one wonder what being homecoming queen really means. At this point, one might as well name homecoming queen for what she is: Greek Life Homecoming Queen. This is not to say homecoming queens haven’t earned their titles. According to past Echo articles, many homecoming queens have been involved in multiple RSOs throughout the course of their college careers. This also isn’t to criticize homecoming queens, but rather encourage an increase in RSO participation outside of just Greek life. The problem is that many students not linked to Greek life don’t see the appeal of voting for homecoming queen. It’s seen as a Greek life competition because mostly people involved in Greek life vote. This means that mostly Greek life candidates are voted as homecoming queen and maid of honor, which repeats the cyclical belief that the homecoming queen title is reserved for Greek Life. However, homecoming queen represents the university and is not just for people in Greek life. She represents the face of UCA. According to past Echo articles, homecoming queens have multiple responsibilities: They have to give speeches and show up at certain events, so their responsibilities stretch beyond beauty. Homecoming queen responsibilities require her to be the face of UCA, which means she should represent all of UCA. In order to increase diversity, more RSOs should nominate three women for the application process. And even if their nominations don’t go through, more students should vote for homecoming queen. Essentially, make homecoming queen what she’s supposed to be and not just a popularity contest between three campus sororities.
One might as well name homecoming queen for what she is: Greek life Homecoming Queen
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 Leader Publishing. 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
8
November 7, 2018
New This Week
Nicole Dollanganger releases hauntingly beautiful ‘Heart Shaped Bed’
by Caroline Bivens
Movies
been consistently growing as a musician, while her lyrics and aesthetic have remained consistent.
Online Editor
Nov. 9 — El Angel (UR), directed by Luis Ortega, starring Lorenzo Ferro, Chino Darin, Daniel Fanego, Mercedes Moran Nov. 9 — The Front Runner (R), directed by Jason Reitman, starring Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons, Mark O’Brien Nov. 9 — The Grinch (PG), directed by Yarrow Cheney and Scott Mosier, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Angela Lansbury, Kenan Thompson
Nov. 9 — Lez Bomb (TV-14), directed by Jenna Laurenzo, starring Cloris Leachman, Bruce Dern, Steve Guttenberg, Brandon Micheal Hall Nov. 9 — Overlord (R), directed by Julius Avery, starring Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier, Pilou Asbaek
Melancholy queen Nicole Dollanganger’s sixth full-length album, “Heart Shaped Bed,” is as disturbing and poetic as her last, but more dynamic in composition. The singer-songwriter released a five-song teaser of the album on her Bandcamp back in March but released the full 10-song album on Oct. 26. Nicole Ann Bell, better known as Nicole Dollanganger, was born in Toronto. Her stage name comes from the book “Flowers in the Attic” by V. C. Andrews.
Nov. 9 — Holy Hell — Architects
Nov. 9 — Eden — Cupcakke Nov. 9 — Origins — Imagine Dragons
Nov. 9 — Elastic Days — J Mascis
Nov. 9 — Bought To Rot — Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers Nov. 9 — Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2 — Lil Peep
Nov. 9 — Simulation Theory — Muse Nov. 9 — Old Wounds — Glow
Nov. 9— You Know I Know — Olly Murs
Nov. 7 — The Sea of Trees (PG-13), directed by Gus Van Sant, starring Matthew McConaughey, Naomi Watts, Ken Watanabe, Ryoko Seta Nov. 9 — Outlaw King (R), directed by David Mackenzie, starring Chris Pine, Stephen Dillane, Rebecca Robin, Billy Howle Nov. 12 — Green Room (R), directing Jeremy Saulnier, starring Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, Patrick Stewart
Nov.13 — Warrior (PG-13), directed by Shaad Ali, starring Diljit Dosanjh, Tapsee Pannu, Angad Bedi, Vijay, Raaz
Five Little-Known Campus Resources List compiled by Emily Gist Opinion Editor
Nicole Dollanganger in her music video for “Lemonade.” The music video has much the same ominous, dreamy vibe as the song itself.
Bell’s condition left her bedridden and caused her to lose her hair. While she was ill, she wrote her first four albums, and recorded them in her bathtub.
Her cheap wigs, heavy eye makeup and pale complexion give her the likeness of a porcelain doll, a look that was inspired by the collection of porcelain dolls her parents had when she was growing up.
Her fifth album, 2015’s “Natural Born Losers,” was her first professionally recorded album. Bell’s high-pitched, haunting vocals create a sound
But don’t be fooled by her childlike appearance; many of Bell’s songs are about dark subjects like death, gore, sex and depression.
Her lyrics can be disturbing, but beautiful in composition. “Heart Shaped Bed” continues the depressing themes in an instrumentally dynamic way. Bell’s instrumentals have come a long way since her bathroom acoustic guitar sessions. Her songs are now equipped with layered vocals, echoing percussion and soft piano. The songs “Lemonade” and
“Uncle,” “Chapel”
featured on “Heart Shaped Bed” are remixed versions that originally came from an unfinished album in 2015. The remixed versions are more dynamically crafted and hair-raising. She takes a step forward with these songs to focus more on the whole of the song and not just the lyrics. She’s also experimenting with more visuals and released a music video for “Lemonade” in early October. Bell has
COMEBACK
With his third official studio album release, “Love Me Now,” on Oct. 26, Canadian rapper and singer Tory Lanez finally broke through and delivered an album that supports his claims as one of music’s top talents. Tory’s previous albums, “I Told You” and “Memories Don’t Die,” were disappointments in comparison to his “Chixtape” mixtape series, where he sampled old-school hits and built his catalog with songs that went on to become viral sensations. “Love Me Now” moves Tory into a different light and proves his ability to excel and create classic original music, rather than building from others’ work. He makes this clear with the opening track of the album, “Why Don’t You Love Me,” which is the album’s most addictive song. After this chill and relaxed intro, Lanez moves on to a more high-energy style of music. This is displayed best in songs like “You Thought Wrong,” “The Run Off” and “Flexible.” On “Big Boy’s Neighborhood” radio show,
Lanez said he approached this album as a mixtape, which likely contributed most to the album’s quality. This may have also led to the numerous guest appearances on the album. Big names such as Trey Songz, Meek Mill, PnB Rock, 2 Chainz and Chris Brown add an element of surprise and an extra bit of flair to the project.
photo courtesy of skiddle.com
Torey Lanez in a posed shot.
Lanez kept things relatively simple when choosing producers for “Love Me Now,” recruiting producers like Smash David, CashMoneyAp and Dez Wright for tracks sprinkled throughout the project. “Keep in Touch,” one of the standout songs on the album, gives fans a long-awaited collaboration with Bryson Tiller. This song adds a smooth feeling to “Love Me Now” as
the two reminisce on past relationships. Lanez also went on to take a slight jab at critics on the ending track, “KJM,” where he jokingly raps, “Tell me which rapper that I sound like this time.” He also talked about the line in an interview with Big Boy. “It’s not that I sound like them, it’s just like adding ingredients of style,” Lanez said. As most of his releases have been, this is a project full of diverse sounds and melodies as he continues to explore different types of music. Still, he gives fans the original Tory Lanez sound that they fell in love with on songs like “She Told Me” and “Talk to Me.” While “Love Me Now” still may not be as great as the latest installment of “Chixtape,” 2017’s “Chixtape IV,” it is easily Lanez’s best album and has something for everyone to enjoy. This album was timed perfectly as Lanez’s mix of rapping and singing couples well with the fall and upcoming winter seasons, and elevates Lanez as an artist to boot. “Love Me Now” is streaming on Apple Music and Spotify and is available for purchase on Google Play and iTunes.
BALL IS LIFE
NBA legend Kobe Bryant tells story of his basketball career by DJ Jones Retired NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who played 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and won five NBA Championships, released his new book “The Mamba Mentality: How I Play” Oct. 23. The book gets its unique title from the “eat or be eaten” mindset that he embodied throughout his career. Whether it’s from not allowing other NBA players to work out with him, playing through injuries or challenging other NBA greats, this cutthroat mentality is what Bryant was best known for throughout his entire career. Bryant used this book to finally come out and talk for the first time since stepping away from the game in 2016. The book focuses on how he dissected and prepared for the game of basketball not just in his 20-year career, but his whole life.
Bryant also talked about former teammates and coaches such as Pau Gasol, who he referred to as his favorite teammate of all time, Lamar Odom and Phil Jackson. Bryant starts the book by returning to when he first touched a basketball and how he instantly fell in love with the game. He talks about how he just enjoyed the look and the feel of the ball, truly demonstrating how much he loved the game of basketball. Bryant went into even more detail with this book to show his obsession and his will to win. Bryant touched on his time on the NBA court when he studied the NBA referee handbook to find out each referee’s positioning on the floor so that he could get away with things such as fouls. Bryant also uses this book to reveal who his toughest matchups were throughout his career. Bryant
names
players
such as Paul Pierce and Tracy McGrady as being his toughest opponents. He referred to McGrady as having “magic” on the basketball court. This was one of the biggest surprises of this book because Bryant looked at this as a weakness during his career. What makes this book so unique is that it’s not only coming from Bryant’s narrative. Reading about him as a person and an athlete from other people’s perspectives is a big thing because Bryant was often labeled as a selfish person. With Bryant being one of the most well-known athletes ever, this book will go down as one of the greatest autobiographies in sports history. Because Bryant has been retired for two years, this book will definitely give lifelong Kobe fans and sports fans something to be excited about. “Mamba Mentality” is currently available in Barnes & Noble and on Google Play.
1. Free counseling
2. Free printing in SGA office
3. Deli in Bernard
On Family Day last month, I met with one of my friends in the library. I asked what he was doing and he said he was signing up for counseling sessions since he didn’t know they existed until earlier that week. It was his senior year. This made me realize many people don’t know that the Counseling Center offers free counseling consultations paid for by student tuition. The Counseling Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and students can walk in at any time during office hours. Signing up requires filling out a little paperwork, but it only takes a short amount of time.
My sophomore year I was stressed about the amount of money I was spending printing at the library. But then I learned that SGA offers free printing for up to 25 pages per day in the SGA Office on the second floor of the Student Center. Free printing is available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Additionally, if you don’t have time to wait in line and need printing ASAP, if you bring in your laptop you can ask to link it to the printer and immediately start printing.
If you’re tired of the food in Christian Cafeteria and get sick of eating the same thing every day at the Student Center Food Court, there is another option that a lot of students don’t know about. There is a deli called the Bear Express Deli on the first floor of Bernard that is similar to the Quiznos in the Student Center and offers a variety of deli foods to help mix things up. Students can also pay for the deli foods using their meal plans, including the Block Plan and Dining Dollars. The Deli is located on the first floor of Bernard hall.
She had already established herself as a poet, but “Heart Shaped Bed” has made her a musician. Although Bell’s music isn’t for the faint of heart, it needs to be appreciated through the context of her illness, poetic lyrics, eerie aesthetic and unique vocals. Her career as a professional musician has only begun, and it’s obvious that she’s continuing to improve. “Heart Shaped Bed” is now streaming on Bandcamp and Spotify.
F E L I Z N AV I D A D
Tory Lanez lives up to ‘Chixtape’ series with third album
Staff Writer
Netflix
photo courtesy of tinymixtapes.com
that’s unique and allows her to stand out.
Assistant Sports Editor
Nov. 9 — Victim Of The New Disease — All That Remains
She should be commended for embracing macabre and making listeners think they’re hearing a sad ballad instead of a perverted poem.
Bell began writing music in 2010 while she suffered from anorexia.
by Marcus McClain
Music
Her lyrics are bleak, and often shocking. She looks at love in a twisted way. In “Beautiful and Bad,” she sings, “I don’t want to be your girl / I want to be your gun, I wanna take you on a date with death / Kiss you with a power drill.”
photo courtesy of rap-up.com
John Legend poses in a promotional shot for his album “A Legendary Christmas.” The album includes nine covers and five original songs.
John Legend spreads Christmas cheer with jazzy holiday album by Cassidy Kendall Associate Editor
Those who love the holiday season can’t resist the timeless music that comes along with it, but many disagree on when it’s appropriate to start having yourself a merry little Christmas. John Legend managed to swing people into the Christmas spirit before November even hit with the release of his holiday album, “A Legendary Christmas,” Oct. 26. In this day and age it takes an artist with mass prestige to release a successful holiday album, as the classic Yuletide staples making up Christmas albums have been done time and time again — and thank God for Legend’s prestige. Legend put his best foot forward with the first track, a cover of “What Christmas Means to Me” with Stevie Wonder. It’s jazzy, it’s smooth and it sets a trending theme for the album as listeners discover none of its tracks stray from greatness. In this album you will hear other classics such as “Silver Bells,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Merry Christmas Baby,” “Christmas Time Is Here,” “The Christmas Song,” “Purple Snowflakes,” “Merry Merry Christmas” and, a personal favorite, “Please Come Home for Christmas.” Legend satisfied his renditions of these classics, differing them enough from the originals to communicate 4. Free Student Health Center consultations The Student Health Center offers a variety of services. One of the most beneficial resources is the Student Health Center’s free consultations. Whether you have a mild cough or something more serious, you can make an appointment at the Student Health Center and get a consultation scheduled within the week. The Student Health Center also provides free STD tests, flu shots, condoms, gynecologist visits, birth control prescriptions, domestic violence aid, immunizations and much more. The third floor of the Student Health Center also offers massage chairs that students can use during Student Health Center hours.
something new, but keeping them similar enough to allow listeners to enjoy the tradition. Even with the rewriting of the tune and structure of these songs, it is solely John Legend’s voice that makes them distinguished. Of the 14 tracks on the album, five are originals from Legend. “Bring Me Love,” “Waiting for Christmas” and “By Christmas Eve” will likely gain annual popularity on the radio as Legend’s distinct, smooth voice carries the tunes gracefully. “Wrap Me Up in Your Love” and “No Place Like Home” will merely gain annual popularity in shopping malls as they adopt a more prim sound — but note I still claim annual popularity, as it would be hard to leave any work of John Legend behind. In addition to the album, John Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen will host an hour-long NBC Christmas special, “A Legendary Christmas with John and Chrissy,” at 10 p.m. CT Nov. 28. A Legendary Christmas Tour will be Nov. 15 Dec. 30. For ticket information, visit johnlegend.com/ legendaryxmas/. “A Legendary Christmas” is now streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. 5. Center for Writing and Communication For students who are struggling with work or just need help reviewing a paper and need an extra set of eyes on it, UCA offers the Center for Writing and Communication on the first floor of Win Thompson. Writing services are available to anyone who walks in. Whether a student needs help on a lab report, the rough draft of a creative writing piece or a graduate school resume, the center is open to students of all majors. And if a student wants to work at the center, he can take a class called Center for Writing and Communication Practicum and get paid to improve others’ writing skills.
Sports
9
November 7, 2018
Editor’s Take
ROAD TO THE GOVERNOR’S TROPHY
Wizards disappointment thus far; Wall, Beal could part ways in Washington
Date
Sport
Location
Pts.
Result
Aug. 17
Women’s Soccer
Bill Stephens Track and Soccer Complex
3
(tie) LR 1.5 UCA 1.5
Sept. 6
Volleyball
Conway
3
UCA wins LR 1.5 UCA 4.5
Sept. 9
Men’s Cross Country
Conway
2
UCA wins LR 1.5 UCA 6.5
Sept. 9
Women’s Cross Country
Conway
2
UCA wins LR 1.5 UCA 8.5
Oct. 14
Men’s Cross Country
Little Rock
2
UCA wins LR 1.5 UCA 10.5
Oct. 14
Women’s Cross Country
Little Rock
2
UCA wins LR 1.5 UCA 12.5
Oct. 22-23
Men’s Golf
Little Rock
2
LR wins LR 3.5 UCA12.5
Oct. 28-30
Women’s Golf
Hot Springs Village
2
UCA wins LR 3.5 UCA 14.5
Nov. 28
Men’s Basketball
Conway
4
-
Dec. 4
Men’s Basketball
Little Rock
4
-
by Marcus McClain Assistant Sports Editor
Despite the Washington Wizards getting back in the win column Nov. 4, against the New York Knicks, their start to this season has been horrendous. With the Cleveland Cavaliers finally out of the picture, and Washington retaining its All-Star backcourt, this is supposed to be a season of breakthrough and triumph for the Wizards. Instead, their start to the season has been anything but uplifting. Losses to less talented teams such as the Memphis Grizzlies and the Sacramento Kings, have left fans scratching their heads at this Washington team. They’ve already been embarrassed several times in this young season with 20-point losses to the Golden State Warriors and a struggling Oklahoma City Thunder team. Worst of all, they were run out of the gym by the Los Angeles Clippers in a 30-point loss. To add more fuel to an already blazing fire, players like Bradley Beal and Austin Rivers are publicly calling out the team for their poor performances in postgame interviews. Although it’s still early in the year and there is time to turn things around, it looks like the Wizards are headed for their most disappointing season yet. This core group of Wizards built around Beal and John Wall has always been outspoken about its high expectations and belief that the team is underrated. But if current trends persist, it could be proven that they’ve been overrated. With those two All-Stars paired together, the team has yet to make a Conference Finals appearance. And the team’s third option, Otto Porter, may be the biggest disappointment of all. Porter is the team’s highest paid player after signing a 4-year $106 million deal in the summer of 2017. However, through eight games this season, he is only averaging 10.4 points per game and shooting 28.1 percent from the 3-point line. With all signs pointing in the wrong direction for the Wizards, and no clear sign of promise, it may be time for drastic change in Washington. From the head coach to the team’s top players, this may be the last we see of the Washington Wizards as we know them.
photo by Cody Macomber
The UCA volleyball team stands together on Senior Day to honor the five seniors graduating after this volleyball season. Each senior got a jersey with their respective number on the jersey, and each was praised by Coach Jeni Chatman on how they made a difference for the team and the volleyball program as a whole at UCA.
Volleyball honors seniors, wins year’s last home game by Cody Macomber Sports Editor
UCA’s volleyball team (22-5, 12-2 SLC) enjoyed two vital wins and a season full of memories after its Nov. 3 game, when it celebrated Senior Day during the last home game of the season. UCA’s five seniors played a large role in their 3-0 set win against Abilene Christian University (13-14, 10-5 SLC) Nov. 1, securing a third-place spot for UCA and helping win an emotional 3-1 set win against Sam Houston State University (20-7, 12-3 SLC) to secure second place in the conference standings Nov. 3. On Senior Day, each senior on both teams were recognized with a bouquet of flowers before the game began, As everyone stood for the national anthem before the game, senior Canada-native Savanah Allen was honored with the playing of Canada’s national anthem, something she said she wasn’t
expecting at all. “It made me feel like my home is being represented, but I’m also at home at UCA,” Allen said. “It was so nice just to have them also recognize that I am from somewhere else. They made me feel like I belong here.” In the first set, both teams fared evenly to tie the score 5-5. UCA scored the next 4 points as senior Samantha Anderson got a block and kill during the run. The Lady Bearkats fought back to tie the score at 17, but UCA found the upper hand and scored the last 3 points of the set to win 25-21. UCA went on an offensive tear in the second set, winning dominantly 25-11. The team garnered a .444 hitting percentage in the set, with every kill except for one coming from UCA’s seniors. “We just decided to go after them,” Allen said. “We followed the game plan to a tee. We had so much enthusiasm, so much excitement, almost feeding off each other.”
SHSU reacted with a dominant set of their own, hitting .394 in the third set and handling UCA 25-13 after scoring the last 7 points to finish the set. With the score tied 3-3 in the fourth and final set, UCA went on a 4-0 run with three consecutive kills from Allen to take a lead that it wouldn’t give back. With a 17-13 lead, senior Haley Tippett hit two kills and served an ace for UCA to give UCA a 20-13 advantage. Sam Houston scored 5 straight points late in the set to come within 1 point of the Sugar Bears, but UCA finished the set with two errors from SHSU to win the final set 25-22. In the match, Tippett finished with 17 kills, followed by Allen with 13 and Anderson with 10 Coach Jeni Jones Chatman said this group of seniors, along with Kellen Dunn and Amanda
See Volleyball- page
LEAGUE CHAMPS
table by Cody Macomber
SETTING THE BAR
Seniors brought successes to impact program’s future by Cody Macomber Sports Editor
One of the beauties of the college realm of athletics is the passion players gather as they strive for the team they committed with. Players have four years of playing eligibility to prove themselves as an athlete in the college environment, and of pursuing success for their respective university. It brings heartache and bitter tears in the lowest of moments, but delivers thrills and pure ecstasy in the best of moments. The first official blew the whistle that signifying the UCA volleyball team scored its 25th point of the fourth set
Women’s golf overcomes early deficit, finishes first by Ryan Bradford Staff Writer
photo courtesy of UCASports
image courtsey of nbcsports.com
Men’s Basketball
7 p.m. Nov. 6 at University of Missouri Women’s Basketball
7 p.m. Nov. 6 vs. Central Baptist College Volleyball
6 p.m. Nov. 8 at New Orleans University Football
3 p.m. Nov. 10 vs. University of the Word Incarnate
See Seniors- page 8
THRILLING THIRD ROUND
photo by Cody Macomber
Upcoming Games
Nov. 3 against Sam Houston State University; the UCA bench cleared to celebrate a picture-perfect win for the Sugar Bears. The team solidified its spot in second place in the Southland conference standings, and helped make Senior Day even more special for the five seniors whom Coach Jeni Jones Chatman had recruited in her first year as UCA’s head coach: Haley Tippett, Savanah Allen, Samantha Anderson, Kellen Dunn and Amanda Dimon. Coach Chatman couldn’t stop bragging about the five seniors, and the impact they had on the program, which will last beyond their tenure at UCA.
UCA sophomore defender Jake Bates scored the only goal in the match between Missouri State University and UCA. His goal came in the second half of the game off of a header during a free kick. This was Bates’ third goal of the season and first in conference play. His other two goals came against Central Baptist College Sept. 3 of this year.
Men’s soccer wins first regular season conference title, defeats top two teams in Missouri Valley by Caroline Bivens Online Editor
It was Bear against Bear Nov. 3 when the UCA men’s soccer team (7-5-3) won its game 1-0 against the Missouri State University Bears (8-2-5) in Springfield, Missouri. The only goal scored during the game was a header late in the second half from sophomore defender Jake Bates. “We limited our mistakes and played good defensively with break set pieces,” coach Ross Duncan said. “Jake made a memorable goal — it was fantastic.” MSU played strong against UCA in the opening of the game, saving two shots from UCA senior midfielder Daltyn Knutson and sophomore midfielder Soren Jensen.
Twenty minutes passed before either team could post a shot. MSU saved a shot from UCA freshman midfielder Katsuyoshi Kimishima, and both teams entered halftime scoreless. “Missouri is a very organized and calculated team, so it’s hard to find a hole,” Duncan said. “You have to have the advantage of being patient and wait for opportunities. You almost have to play perfect.” UCA’s junior goalkeeper Marc Olsen earned his only save of the night in the second half. In the 81st minute, Bates scored the game’s only goal with the help of a free kick service from Jensen and Soren. “A 1-0 victory is what we strive for; we love it. Five goals every game is just unrealistic,” Duncan said. “We try to keep the other team from scoring,
and break them. It’s a product of hard work.” The goal gave Bates his third for the season. “We were able to overcome Missouri State because the whole team bought into the game,” senior midfielder Chris Holmes said. “Whether someone was playing all 90 minutes or zero, we all brought energy that overwhelmed MSU.” Bates’ goal gave UCA the Missouri Valley Conference title. “We’ve got confidence in this tournament against good teams,” Duncan said. “We’re geared up for games, knowing that we can beat anyone.” Against MSU, UCA took six shots, with four on goal and two corner kicks, and committed 13 fouls.
The UCA Women’s golf team finished the fall season strong by taking home the title in the Little Rock Women’s Golf Classic at the Diamante Country Club in Hot Springs after a last-minute rally from sixth place. Coach Natasha Vincent said the final-round victory shows the team has a lot of stamina, as most teams flake out toward the end. “It shows that they have grown,” Vincent said. Senior Emma Svensson shot a 4-under-par 68 in the final round to finish fifth overall with rounds of 73, 78 and 68 to finish at 219. She had six birdies and two bogeys during the final round. Freshman Tania Nunez shot 79, 74 and 71 to finish at 224, tying for 13th. Freshman Elin Kumlin tied for 16th with rounds of 76, 77 and 74 to finish at 227. Freshman Karley Whittington tied for 23rd, shooting 75, 74 and 80 to finish at 229. Senior Sally Fridstrom tied for 55th, shooting 80, 79 and 78 at 237 along with freshman Gracen Blount. “It’s always nice to get a win in as you close the fall season,” Vincent said. She said the victory can
be a confidence booster as the team prepares to head into its spring season. The tournaments final results: •UCA won 291 •MSU finished second at 900 •University of Texas at El Paso at 902 •Western Kentucky University at 904 •Lamar University at 907 •University of South Alabama at 909 •Utah Valley University at 913 •University of Missouri at Kansas City at 920 •University of Arkansas at Little Rock at 925 •Houston Baptist University at 925 •University of Louisiana Monroe at 927 •University of Northern Iowa at 931 •University of Texas at Arlington at 933 •Arkansas State University at 943 •Stephen F. Austin University at 956 •McNeese State University at 975 By beating Little Rock, UCA gained 2 points in the Governor’s I-40 Showdown, and is now leading the competition 14.5 to 3.5. The team started off the tournament Oct. 28, ending Round 1 with a tie for fourth place.
ucaecho.net
SPORTS
10/ November 7, 2018
SPORT
UCA STATS CORNER OPPONENT
RESULT
RECORD
Football
Lamar University
38-24 (L)
(5-4, 4-3)
Volleyball
Sam Houston State
3-1 (W)
(22-5, 12-2)
Men’s Soccer
Missouri State University
1-0 (W)
(7-5-4, 1-1)
Women’s Soccer
Abilene Christian University
1-0 (L)
(16-4-1, 10-1)
photo courtesy of UCASports
The women’s soccer team stands with their trophy, as they won their first Southland Conference Championship. Seniors such as Camillle Bassett and Kristen Ricks kept UCA in many games, and this year’s team will go down as one of UCA’s best, despite the postseason loss.
Women’s soccer ends historic season by Daniel Adams Staff Writer
After a season for the record books, the UCA Sugar Bears’ soccer team (16-4-1, 10-1 SLC) lost in the Southland Conference tournament semifinals against the Abilene Christian Wildcats (14-5-1, 7-31 SLC) 1-0 Nov. 2 after winning against Northwestern State University (10-10, 4-7 SLC) Oct. 31. ACU was able to outshoot UCA in attempts 14-7, and the lone goal in the 76th minute was enough to put the No.1-seeded Bears away after one of their best seasons on record. The team had opportunities come its way, but the Wildcats were able to stop UCA at every turn. While UCA had more saves than the Wildcats, ACU’s stifling defense held UCA back. UCA finishes the year with a new school record of 16 wins, as well as an undefeated record at the Stephens Complex, with a 9-0-1 record at home. The team has the second-highest season point total in school history at 140, finishing third in goals scored,
Seniors: This senior class played a large role in delivering the second-straight UCA volleyball season with more than 20 total wins and at least 12 conference wins. In the aspect of recruiting, winning plays a large role in
with 50, and first in penalty kicks made, with five. Senior goalkeeper Lauren Mercuri finished the season as the new school leader in wins (16) and shutouts (8.3), for a goalkeeper’s season. Her efforts earned her Goalkeeper of the Year for the Southland Conference. Senior forward Camille Bassett closed out the year as the SLC Player and Forward of the Year, as well as the new UCA goal leader for women’s soccer, with 40 goals. She tied for the most points for the Bears, with 92. Other honors for the team included junior forward Connie Awuku-Darkoh earning SLC’s Newcomer of the Year, senior defender Kristen Ricks earning Defender of the Year and coach Jeremy Bishop receiving the Coach of the Year award. Bishop was extremely pleased with the team’s efforts against Abilene Christian, even if the end result wasn’t in the Sugar Bears’ favor. “It was a match-up of two really good teams,” Bishop said. “ACU has had a great year, especially on the defensive side of the ball, while we’ve had a
great year, especially on the attacking side. Unfortunately, they came out on top.” Coach Derek Nichols echoed Bishop, agreeing about how the game went as a whole. “It was a very competitive game throughout,” Nichols said. “We knew they were good and would make things difficult for us. It was a game that could have gone either way, and in the end, they were able to put a chance away, and we didn’t.” Both coaches were extremely pleased with how the season has turned out this year, though the Sugar Bears are now out of the running for an NCAA tournament spot. “Looking back on the year, we have had the best season in the history of the program, with more wins than any team ever at UCA and set numerous records and another championship,” Nichols said. “The season was a huge success, just finished a little too soon.” Bishop said he was extremely satisfied with the season. “It was a great year, arguably the best season in UCA soccer history,” Bishop said. “The team accomplished so much.”
WA R M I N G U P
Men’s basketball plays exhibition at home by DJ Jones Staff Writer
The UCA basketball team defeated the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith 98-87 in a home exhibition game Oct. 29. The game started quick for UAFS, gaining an early lead. UCA soon took the lead and got off to an 18-point lead late in the second half. The Bears shot 49.3 percent from the field, 35.7 percent from the 3-point line and 70.8 percent from the free throw line. The Bears had a total of 23 turnovers, while the Lions
committed 22. Freshman guard Khaleem Bennett led UCA in scoring with 18 points, shooting 70 percent from the field. Behind Bennett was sophomore guard Matthew Mondesir, with 14 points and three steals. Senior guard Thatch Unruh and sophomore guard DeAndre Jones each added 13 points. The Lions shot 47.8 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from the 3-point line. Junior guard Seth Hawley led the Lions in scoring with 23 points, shooting 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. Senior guard Chris Crawford was next in scoring
for the Lions, with 21 points and five assists. Jones said the team has plenty of things to work on. “With this being our first game, there are obviously some things left for us to improve on,” Jones said. “I thought it was good for us to finally go out and run our stuff on a different team.” Jones said it was encouraging to see how good of a team they could be, and he’s looking forward to a fun season. Sophomore forward Jared Chatham said the game could have gone better for the Bears. “The game didn’t go as good as we wanted it to, but a win is a win,” Chatham said.
F O O T B A L L FA L L S
This was Coach Jones first recruited class. convincing athletes to join an athletic program. With that in mind, these seniors put on a show. They have earned multiple Top 10 placements in offensive and defensive statistics. The seniors have scored over 71 percent — 1203.5 out of
1681 — of the team’s points as of the Senior Day game Nov. 3. It will be interesting to see how Chatman orchestrates the team next season to try and fill these impactful seniors’ roles. They certainly carried the tradition of the winning ways of the UCA volleyball program.
CHANCES, DANCES
photo by Lauren Swaim
Junior runningback Carlos Blackman looks for a path through the Lamar defenders during the Bears’ Homecoming game Nov. 3 at Estes Stadium. The Bears suffered a deficit in the first half that brought about their loss to the Cardinals 34-28.
Bears lose second straight in Homecoming by Rose McGarrity Staff Writer
photo courtesy of Bailey Graves
Junior Bailey Graves started dancing when she was 2 years old and has entered multiple competitions since then. As cocaptain of the UCA dance team, she must be organized to balance her duties with the team and her school work.
Graves enjoys traveling, experience of dance by Rose McGarrity Staff Writer
Junior Bailey Graves is the cocaptain of the UCA dance team, helping lead the team through their very busy schedule. This year, the team is dancing at the five home football games, and will also dance at two to three basketball games per week during the basketball season. Graves said dance team members have to work hard to learn their dances. “For a short dance like a football or basketball game, we’ll learn it for about two practices, and spend a few hours during three to four practices cleaning it,” Graves said. “When it comes to our Nationals dance, it’s about a two-day process. It’s super intricate, and we clean the dance for at least a semester, making it perfect.” Graves’ least favorite part of dancing is the time commitment. She has to be organized in order to get all of her work accomplished.
“Our coaches know school comes first, but we have the same schedule each week, unless we have a game,” Graves said. “We know how to prioritize our time to do homework or study.” Graves has a great deal of experience dancing; she has danced for 18 years. Her mom signed her up to dance when she was 2 years old, and Bailey kept dancing because she fell in love with the sport. The dance team sometimes travels for competitions such as Nationals. “We work competitions in Little Rock, Hot Springs and Dallas, but those aren’t very often,” Graves said. “Six of us did get to go to our first UCA away game a few weekends ago to Stephen F. Austin.” Graves’ most memorable moment from the dance team is when the team went to Nationals. “It was such a fun experience, and we got to perform finals on the beach both years I’ve gone,” Graves said. Her favorite part of being
on the dance team has been the friends she has made. Being on the dance team has also given her skills that will aid her later in life. “It has helped me so much with time management, and it taught me how to prioritize,” Graves said. When Graves is not dancing, she spends her time working as a brand developer and marketing director for Eat my Catfish and working part-time at Kicks Active Wear. Graves is also a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha, and serves as the dance chair for this organization. Graves is majoring in marketing with a minor in graphic design. After graduation, she plans to work at Eat My Catfish. “I’m not a planner. I will go where life takes me,” Graves said. The greatest lesson Graves learned from the dance team is you get what you put into something. “Without hard work and determination, you can’t succeed,” Graves said.
The UCA football team lost 38 to 24 against a red-hot Lamar University Nov. 3 during UCA’s Homecoming game. Right before the game started, 2017 Homecoming Queen Ashlin Stock handed off the game ball to UCA President Houston Davis. Spirits were high in the stands, as UCA fans cheered on their team and hoped for a win. UCA’s defense had a slow start. Within the first 20 seconds of the game, Lamar scored a touchdown on a quick two-play drive. The slow start made it difficult for UCA to regain momentum. “We started slow and didn’t have enough energy to come
back,” sophomore wide receiver Lujuan Winningham said. UCA answered shortly after, with a touchdown drive of their own after converting a fourth down inside Lamar’s 30-yard line. Lamar scored two more touchdowns during the first quarter, dampening the spirits of many UCA fans in the stands. At the end of the first quarter, Lamar owned a commanding 21-10 lead. Lamar scored two touchdowns in the second quarter, while UCA was held to just two field goals. Less points were earned in the third quarter. Both teams’ defenses stepped up, and the only score of the quarter came from a Lamar field goal. The third quarter ended with a score of 38-16, with
Volleyball: Dimon, were special to the team beyond their performance on the court. “This group is the group that I brought in,” Chatman said. “There was a lot of unknowns for them. They knew the school that they were coming to, but they didn’t know me. The fact that they bought into me, and worked their butts off for me and this program — a lot of kids would have left.” Following the game, each senior was individually recognized with a framed uniform. Chatman told the crowd what each senior meant to the team and to her as a coach, and each player shared their appreciation and favorite moments with the team and the surrounding audience. In the first game of the week, UCA started strong with
Lamar still in the lead. UCA seemed to gain a bit of momentum in the fourth quarter. With 12 minutes left in the game, the Bears scored a touchdown. However, UCA couldn’t muster the offensive production to catch up with Lamar. The final score of the game was 38-24 in Lamar’s favor. UCA fans and football players were disappointed by the loss. “We know what we need to do. We just need to do it,” junior defensive back Trai Mosley said. When preparing for the next game, Winningham said the team will pay closer attention to detail. The Bears play their next game at home Nov. 10 against the University of the Incarnate Word.
Sugar Bears earn the win on Senior Day
an early 4-point run to take a 9-4 lead. ACU earned a 4-point run of their own to make the score 11-10 in UCA’s favor. As each team traded points, UCA used a 3-point run and a 4-point run to establish a gap, and won the first set 25-19. ACU had an early 5-point run in the second set to lead 9-5, but UCA responded to score 4 consecutive points, including a kill from Tippett and Allen. After ACU scored 5 of the next 6 points, UCA took a 17-15 lead with a 5-0 run, capped by an ace from Dimon. ACU went on yet another run, but UCA clawed its way back and scored the last 3 points of the set to win 26-24. After ACU scored the first 2 points of the final set, UCA scored 3 consecutive points and never gave up the lead through
the rest of the match. Three consecutive service aces from junior Rayna Jefferis gave UCA a 24-16 lead, and after ACU scored 5 straight points, Allen blocked a kill attempt from ACU to finish the match for UCA. The wins played a large role in the Sugar Bears’ goals for the season, but as Chatman reminded her team while honoring the seniors Nov. 3, the team hasn’t yet reached all of their goals. Chatman mentioned the conference title that the team is working toward this year. The Sugar Bears conclude the regular season with two road games before the conference tournament Nov. 16-18 in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The team’s next game is at New Orleans University Nov. 8.