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May 6, 2009
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The sTudenT voice of MidwesTern sTaTe universiTy The WichiTan page 11 Expressions page 13 Disaster in Dallas Cowboys workout facility collapses, leaving one paralyzed and multiple hospitalized. Graduating art majors display their work for the MSU community starting Friday. WEDNESDAY MAY 6, 2009 Campus to niCole Allen n For the Wichita oard an goes before B bacco b accooncam Thefutureoftob of the MSU s pus is in the hand ents. BoardofReg ban on smok A proposed use oncampus ing and tobacco ' at MSU `right to smoke t for rriedalarge Students protes ajor,whileheca mAtt ledesmA n For the Wichita ic hicles, and publ t buildings, ve under the jurish the Studen has passed throug iation and or outdoor areas ssoc Government A dministrative diction of MSU. vote in May versity A The board will rnottheban the Uni ewhethero todecid council. hbytheBoard Ifvotedthroug willprohibit willpass. an ofRegents,theb cco use in See BAN page 3 g and toba smokin ned or leased all university ow Ban! nicationsm adSmokeOutThe blacksignthatre takeawaysmoking, n "If the campus ca waynext?" kea other whatcantheyta byahandfulof Paulwasjoined Tuesday morning sts tobacco enthusia aza to Sunwatcher Pl who gathered in alltobacco rsitybanon protesttheunive OTEST page 3 See PR of Regents Photo by Patrick Johnston Travis Paul protests the proposed smoking ban on Tuesday. t is planningto pu Even thoughMSU when it comesto htray the butt tothe as s,aselect fewaren't ampu fizzle smoking onc r right to puff illing to let thei w out. ghts," ging on our ri "They're infrin niormass commu,aju saidTravis Paul Music professor completes marathons on 7 continents Chris Collins Managing editor In the mid-1990s, Dr. Ruth Morrow, chair of the music department at MSU, weighed 225 pounds.Morethan10yearslater, she has become a marathon runner, a world traveler and an international musician. Atonepoint,shehadshed90 pounds. "I needed to do something forme,"Morrowsaid."Ididn't meantolosetheweight.Ididn't mean to start running. It just sort of happened." Amarathonis26.5mileafoot race that requires some speed, butalotofendurance,Morrow said. But the music professor isn't just any marathon runner. She has set her goals high � in early March she ran a marathon in Antarctica, completing her circuitofthesevencontinents. She and other runners were shipped to the southernmost continent more than a week before therun,Morrowsaid.Ittook10 days to arrive at their destination. "In some ways,Antarctica is likenowhereelseintheworld," Morrowsaid."It'stheonlyplace with no native human inhabitants.ButIdon'tthinkitwasas overwhelming for me as it was forsomepeoplebecauseit'snot someplace I've always wanted to go." Early test runs of the course maderunnerswaryofthevenue, Morrow said. The ice-covered landmass swallowed one competitor to the hips in quicksand in seconds. The race was run on King George Island, which is just north of Antarctic Peninsula. The run was pleasant for Morrow,shesaid,butshethorough- gave her an inkling abouthowmuchshe would enjoy running. After taking a littletrainingadvice from Dr. Jim Hoggard, Perkins-Prothro Distinguished Professor of English, Morrow was sold. Hoggard, a competitor in nine marathons himself, gave her tips on Photo Courtesy pacing and dietary Ruth Morrow got a chance to sightsee in concerns. Antarctica before running a marathon. "I found runShe has now run on all seven contining marathons exnents. tremely moving," Hoggard said. "It ly enjoyed touring the tundra as wasasmuchofaspiritualevent well. "In the afternoon they took us asaphysicalevent." Hoggard recommended that toadesertedArgentinebasewith marathonrunnersbeabletorun a glaciated mountain," Morrow said."Wecouldstillwalkupthe 20ormoremilesamonthbefore mountain and look out on the theraceandbeabletoclock30 continentandthebaywherewe �40milesweekly. Also, he cautioned runners to were. Most of us slid down the make sure they can tackle the mountain in kind of a run or a luge.Ifyouweren'tcarefulyou distancebeforetherunarace. couldeitherendupinthewater, "You have to think of the in a big puddle or in this huge length of the run as a matter of course," he said. amount of slush." Thegroupwentsightseeingin Morrow started merging her twogroupsaroundthecontinent vacationplanswithherpenchant in zodiacs, a style of inflatable for marathon running in the lateboatthathasbeenproducedsince 1990s.Shemadeplanstorunin WWII. Since Antarctica has re- Oklahoma, Colorado and Hamained basically untouched by waii. man, the continent is a premiere Morrowsaidshewashesitant to run the events at first, since zoneforviewingnature. "Thegroupthatwentonshore some of them were only weeks first actually got to see a leop- apart,butHoggardimploredher ard seal kill a penguin," Mor- to try. "I found a half-marathon that row said. "Granted, that's not was close to where I wanted to something you would necessarilywanttosee,butitispartof campforSpringBreakatOU," Morrowsaid."Itwashysterical nature." Morrowbeganrunningmara- �therewasthisbrassquinteton thonsinfall1997.Shewonher thecornerat7:00onaSaturday age group at the first Race for See MORROW page 4 the Cure event at MSU, which LaLa performs on the Odds stage. LaLa has been doing drag shows ever since catching the eye of the bar owner. Drag queen spends weekends strutting her stuff The smoky room fills with lights as the queens step onto the stage. Their tall shoes shimmerwithlifewhiletheirvibrant dresses twist to the music. Beyonc� blares boisterously as LaLa bounds through the curtain. The drag queens at Odds, a downtowngaybar,providepopular entertainment on Wednesday and Saturday nights. MSU student, LaLa, is a popular attraction who loves to strut her stuff. LaLa realized her fascination with drag shows the night sherevealedshewasgaytoher friends. "Iwas18whenIknewIwas gay,"LaLasaid."Iwas19when I came out to my friends." HernewlifebeganthatSaturdaynightasshemarveledatthe Ashley CAmpAnA For the Wichitan Oooh, LaLa! dragqueensflutteringacrossthe stage. "Oh my gosh," LaLa said. "They'rebeautiful." Withinweeks,LaLawasowning that same stage. "LaLa is just naturally a performer," said Tiffany Cusey, an MSU sophomore. "She's better thansomethathavebeendoing dragfor15years." AlthoughLaLahasonlybeen performing as a drag queen for three months, she has already establishedherselfonthestage. "Everyone looks forward to [her]show,"saidDustinStump, MSUsophomore."Shegivesher all." LaLa keeps herself busy throughouttheweekbybeinga bothastudentandperformer. "Isleep,work,eat,drinkand study,"LaLasaidwithalaugh. After her first show in July, LaLa didn't perform for another monthbecauseshewaslearning how to manage her schedule. Footballgamesandotherschool activities occupy LaLa's time during the school year, making it hard for her to get booked in shows. LaLa became a drag queen a fewmonthsagowhenshecaught the eyes of Odds bar owner, VickiBrown. According to LaLa, Brown noticedherdancingabilitiesand approached her at closing time and asked if she was interested in doing drag. LaLa agreed and had her first show on Saturday, July12th,2008. Drag queens are responsible for their own makeup, outfits andwigs.Anexperiencedqueen helps her get ready for shows. She carefully adorns LaLa in her 55-dollar Dillard-bought makeSee LALA page 4 Some MSU professors are assigning group work instead of giving students indivual final exams. We think this sucks. This means that instead of earning your own grade for the final assignment -- which in most classes counts for more points than any other test -- you have to count on others. Of course, for those who don't want to do any work, this is often an effective technique. Some students are pros at manipulating other group members or making excuses for not pulling their weight. Others pull the leadership card, wishing to delegate instead of participate. Sometimes group work turns out just dandy -- everyone helps and everyone's grade is better because of it. Other times it ends up looking like a college-themed Lord of the Flies. We think that group work is important, but it's important to work in a group. Also, group-related assignments should be dished out in the middle of a semester, not at the end. Ironically, this staff editorial was written by one person. There's no `I' in group Staff Editorial Proving to be no more than a pretty face AlyssA Edson Op/ed ediTOr It's been about a week since Miss California's catastrophe of an answer to a question asked during the Miss USA pageant was broadcasted for the world to see, yet it still seems to be a topic under much discussion and debate. To re-cap what happened if you've been living under a rock: Celebrity-blogger Perez Hilton asked Miss USA if she believed Gays should have the legal right to be married. Her answer: "I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land that you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage and, you know what, in my country and my family I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anyone out there, but that's how I was raised and that's how I think it should be; between a man and a woman." Ultimately, Miss California ended up being the runner-up to the crown and title of Miss USA, a loss that Hilton claims Carrie Prejean suffered from due to her response to his question. No matter the position you take on gay marriage, you have to realize that Prejean's answer was not one that was very well thoughtout. First of all, what the heck is "opposite marriage," Ms. Prejean? No, that term does not in fact exist. And besides that, saying "no offense" when it is pretty obvious that the answer is going to offend plenty of people seems a little dumb. The Miss USA competition is all about finding the woman that best represent our country, and although it may not seem ideal, that usually consists of the women in the running giving the most politicallycorrect statements they can. Why not give a response that won't leave the crowd booing? She wanted the title and crown so badly that she got fake boobs just weeks before the competition, but she was willing to give a controversial response. It just doesn't make sense. Personally, I do believe gay marriage should become legal in all states. Why not? Just because I'm straight doesn't mean others should be allowed to have the same rights for holding different views. Even though I don't agree with Miss California's beliefs doesn't mean I am cursing her in front of everyone, which unfortunately is how Hilton is handling the situation. I know her response wasn't exactly an educated one, but people are allowed to hold different beliefs. To be honest, I actually think it's very close-minded of people to be against gay marriage, but Prejean lost the competition because of her response, so you don't need to drop a c-bomb when describing her. Almost immediately after getting off the stage the night of April 29, Prejean began to defend her comments with some crazy tactics. She has been recorded saying that she heard God whispering to her as Hilton asked his question, claimed her sister was a gay rights activist (her sister later said this was a surprise to even herself), and has said she has become a "martyr to pandemic liberalism." First of all, was God also whispering to you as you strutted across stage in a bathing suit revealing your freshly-done plastic surgery? Anyway, we get it. You're not changing your opinion anytime soon. However, Prejean has told reporters she plans on becoming more educated on the topic of civil unions and will be able to give a better response to the question she received last week. Since the competition, Prejean has stood behind her original stance which is something I totally commend. Voicing your opinions can be hard, especially when a good portion of people disagree with you. I guess it's good to see that she is being real and isn't pretending to be someone she's not. Well, except her chest, that part's not too real. The Wichitan . 09 008 - 20 2 ONS for I n LL POSIT e hel d o ing A ll b is hir iews wi v e n inter 2 p.m. Op 1@ Y, MAY 1 3 MONDA oom B10 .r rts Bl dg @ A Brittany ain Fine F ll ake it ca essage! 't m an am If you c o leave t . Be sure 70 ) 704-66 (940 Copyright � 2007. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. First copy of the paper is free of charge; additional copies are $1. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a telephone number and address for verification purposes. The editor retains the right to edit letters. 3410 Taft Blvd. Box 14 � Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 News Desk (940) 397-4704 � Advertising Desk (940) 397-4705 Fax (940) 397-4025 � E-mail email@example.com Web site: http://www.mwsu.edu/~wichitan The WichiTan Editor-in-Chief Brittany Norman Managing Editor Chris Collins Op-Ed Editor Alyssa Edson Entertainment Editor Jamie Monroe Sports Editor Bobby Morris Editorial Board Reporters Richard Carter Courtney Foreman Photographers Peter Hiatt Copy Editor Lana McCarley Advertising Manager Jody Smith Adviser Randy Pruitt Photo Editor Patrick Johnston BAN.........................................................................................................................................................................................continued from page 1 "Assuming the board passes the ban, it still won't take effect until Jan. 1, 2010," said Joey Greenwood, Director of Recreational Sports. "So far 43 colleges have banned smoking on their campus," he said. "We want MSU to promote a safe, healthy and pleasant environment for the campus community," he said. The approval of the ban was not unanimous within each meeting and took several minutes to discuss how students would be affected. In the end, the ban prevailed for the reason that tobacco has adverse health effects on users and nonusers who share the same space. In the next six months, MSU is planning to create support groups for those smokers who wish to quit. They will also set up classes and organize informational Web sites to help with breaking the habit. Junior Samatha Blevins said she is tired of smelling the smoke as she enters buildings when walking from class to class. "Cigarette butts are all over the ground around campus," she said. "It makes our school less appealing to potential students and their parents. Not only that, but by banning smoking we will be helping the health of students, faculty, staff and everyone around them. If the ban is passed and someone is caught smoking on campus, there will be no official consequences. Greenwood said the only consequence will be the feeling of guilt due to peer pressure. "I believe it will be hard for people to quit smoking on campus unless (there are consequences)," Blevins said. Greenwood explained that it wasn't too long ago when smoking inside buildings was permitted and the only consequence was guilt. MSU's policy will prohibit the use of smokeless tobacco as well as smoking. Tobacco advertising, sales and free distribution of tobacco on campus wouldn't be allowed, either. "Banning smoking on campus is not a negative issue," Greenwood said. "We want it to be a positive viewpoint on life. We want our community to be safe and healthy." It will be the responsibility of all students, faculty, staff and campus visitors to uphold the honor of the university by affirming commitment to this policy, Greenwood said. News The WichiTan May 6, 2009 3 PROTEST.....................continued from page 1 products. "It's not only about smoking... it's civil rights," he said. "They (MSU) aren't even giving us the option of smoking in some general area of campus so the non-smokers could avoid it." Homemade displays that read "Nicotine Nazis" and "What Next?" dotted the crowd while a male student sat in a lawn chair and took puffs from a decorative hookah. Students defiantly blew wisps of smoke into the air as if to send out a signal that their presence would be noticed. "Since we didn't have our voice heard during the SGA meetings we're letting them know right now that there is still a group of people out here who feel like they've had something taken away from them," said Orlando Flores Jr., a sophomore mass communications major. Flores felt the smoking ban was poorly publicized in an effort to get it past administration without much of a fight from those that were strongly against it. "To be honest I don't really smoke that much. I'm more of an occasional smoker," he said. "But I thought it was kind of messed up that the issue was kept on the downlow before it went before a board decision." When asked if he felt that smoking on a tobacco-free campus encroached on the rights of those who went through proper channels to attain the ban, Paul was quick to refer back to the point of non-representation. "Sure there were a lot of students that voted for a smoke-free campus but on the flip side of that when they had that meeting with student government they didn't really advertise it all that well," he said. "I heard about it after the fact. They put an event on the school's calendar but I felt like they should have done more to let people know this issue was taking place." Flores agreed. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to have a smoke-free campus, but it's still a portion of the entire population here that voted for it," he said. "There are still a lot of students that want to smoke and to take that away is like taking away democracy." Still, the protestor conceded that if the university was to hold another vote on the ban and the results came out much the same, he personally would relent. "If they publicized it more and gave everyone more time to think about it, and it still came out the same way, I would be OK with that," Flores said. "It just feels like this whole thing came out of nowhere when they voted on it." Paul hoped the protest would be a catalyst for raising awareness about the ban, and hopefully lead to its appeal. "I think the protest is going to be a good kick start to getting the appeal process started," he said. "I'm sure there's going to be a lot of students that don't even know there is going to be a ban, so hopefully this will get the word out." Campus briefs Wednesday Thursday � TACT Luncheon for MSU retirees at the Wichita Club at 12:15 p.m. � Retirement Reception: Dr. Nadia Bug at the West End Atrium of Dillard at 4 p.m. � TLRC Burgers and Beer for Faculty at the Sikes Lake Center at 4:30 p.m. Friday � Mass Communication Silver Celebration in the CSC Shawnee at 4 p.m. � Senior Art Exhibition Opening in Jaunita Harvey Gallery at 6 p.m. � Theatre: Festival of One-Act Plays in the Fine Arts Center Bea Wood Theatre at 7:30 p.m. � Mass Communication Awards Ceremony in the CSC Comanche at 6:30 p.m. 13 37 Number of graduating seniors who achieved scores in the top 10 percent nationally in the ETS Major Fields Test in Business. Number of awards won by MSU students at the annual Texas Intercollegiate Press Association competition in Dallas. Saturday � Theatre: Festival of One-Act Plays in the Fine Arts Center Bea Wood Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Spotlight 7-11pm 7-8:30pm 7-8pm 7-8pm 7-11pm 7-11pm Finals Frenzy Schedule... Aqua Massage in Sunwatcher Plaza Siesta Room in Arrowhead Lounge Pi�ata & Prize Table in the Atrium the A SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS... -To the Panhellenic Council for donating over thirty bags of animal food to the Wichita County Humane Society. -To the Male Association of Nurses and Men of Midwestern student organizations for becoming officially registered. -To the following Student Ambassadors and Spirit Days Peer Counselors for being honored as a recipient or finalist at the 2008-2009 Outstanding Student Awards: Drew Anderson Laud Mills Ashton Dalrymple Sonny Skaaning Kevaughan Graham Zahnela Claxton Erin Short Haley Lain Matt Capps Chelsea Humphrey Funnel Cakes in Sunwatcher Plaza Fiesta Frames in Atrium Salsa Lessons in the Atrium 8:00pm 8-9pm 7:30pm 7:30-8:30pm 7:30- "Dang, That's Funny!" Improv in Wichita I & II Breakfast Burritos in the Dining Hall ($5 without MSU ID) Line Dance Lessons in Kiowa Make 'em & Shake `em Maracas in the Atrium Rec Room Tourney (Pool, Ping Pong & Darts!) Movie: Paul Blart Mall Cop in Shawnee Theater 9-10:30pm 10:00pm 8:30-10pm 8:30- 9:30-10:30pm 9:30- Bizarre Magic Brian Brushwood in Comanche Don't miss the drawing for a FREE Flip Video Recorder at the end of the night! Visit the "Pinata & Prize" Table to win! Movie: Paul Blart Mall Cop in Shawnee Theater Attention Students... Would you be a great representative for the University? Can you interact well with current students, alumni, prospective students, parents, donors, and community members? If so, then apply to be a Student Ambassador for 2009-10!! Applications are currently available in the Student Development and Orientation Office (CSC 194) and online at http://activities.mwsu.edu. Fall applications are due by June 1, 2009. The Spotlight is brought to you by The Office of Student Development & Orientation Endless Opportunities. Lifelong Connections. Clark Student Center, Room 194 (940) 397-4500 http://activities.mwsu.edu Sponsors: Career Management Center, Clark Student Center, Counseling Center, Dining Services, Housing & Residence Life, Panhellenic Council, Recreational Sports, RHA, Spanish Club, Student Development & Orientation, and UPB. Also, don't miss the "Good Luck on Finals" tent featuring free scantrons, bluebooks, snacks, and drinks on Thursday morning in Sunwatcher Plaza sponsored by the MSU Alumni Association 4 The WichiTan May 6, 2009 didn't have to recover before the run." Though Morrow still beat thecut-offtimefortherace,itwas the longest she had taken to run the distance. "SinceIwasinthefourthgrade I've wanted to go to the Himalayas," Morrow said. "I think it was being somewhere I've always wanted to go that made the memories so vivid." Morrow has never won a marathon. "I've always been slow, but I lovethedistance,"shesaid. Her best placing was third in the Big Dog Ultra Trail Run in Ruston,LA.Oftheeightwomenwho started the race, three finished. In effect,Morrowplacedlast,earning aplaqueofadeaddog. "It'smymostcherishedtrophy," Morrow said. "The guy who came in right before me � like 40 minutes before me � was still there when I finished the race. He said he kept hoping I would pass him, since everybody wants the dead dog. I think it's really ironic that mybestfinishwasalsobeingabsolutely last in the run." Morrow's world travels began morning that didn't look like they wanted to be there." Morrow said her first half-marathonwasn'tthatmuchfun,butit planted the seed.After her run in Oklahoma,shesetouttorunall50 states. She completed the goal in 2006. Morrow said she thinks that she has seen many places because of her running that she probably would not have experienced otherwise. "I've gone all these wonderful places that I don't know when else I would have gone there. When would I really have gone?" she said. "The most amazing journey I tookwasgoingtoMountEverest," Morrow said. Her Asia marathon,the2005NepaliNational,beganatthebasecampofthemountain.Morrowsaidittook11days, includingtworestdays,totrekfar enough up the mountain to begin running. It started at 17,000 feet above sea level. "Everysingleoneofusdidget altitude sickness at some point," Morrow said. "For me it was the worst because I got it last and I upandhelpsherchooseanoutfit. LaLaslipsintohersize6dress, shaves her body and fluffs the foam-thebreasts,inhershirt. Uponarrivingatthebarforher firstshow,LaLawenttothesmall back room to receive the order of performances. After bumping elbowsinthecrowdedroomoffour, shefoundoutshewassecond. LaLa burst through the curtain separatingherfromtheapplauding audience accompanied by Pussycat Dolls lyrics. "Donotfallintheseheels,"LaLa saiddescribingherfirstthoughtas shefacedtheaudience. Someofthedragqueensimprovisetheirperformances.NotLaLa. "She never just does a routine onthefly,"Stumpsaid."Shetakes it seriously and you can tell she enjoys what she does." MARATHON............................................................................................................................................................................continued from page 1 after she earned her double bachelor'sdegreeinpianoperformance and philosophy in 1977. She lived inAustriaonaFulbrightfellowship forayearwhilestudyingmusic.It was a great experience that made herwanttoseemoreoftheworld, she said. "IfeellikeeverysingleU.S.citizenneedstogoliveabroadforat least six months in a non-English speaking country," Morrow said. "Partially because you do learn the language and learn how to communicate with people. But the biggest reason for that is two-fold. You need to realize there's all sorts of differentpeopleintheworld,many ofwhomhavedifferentbeliefsthan eachofusdo.Also,it'stolearntolerance and to cherish the freedom we have. "For me this is really important: `What can we do for each other to make all of our lives better?'" Morrow said. "Not just `What can Idoforme?'ThisispartofwhatI really love about being a musician. Whenever I can I will marry doing runs with giving concerts." Inthatvein,MorrowranamarathoninTulsa,Okla.,thisApril.She and making money." LaLa also views drag shows as a placeforherandherfriendstosocialize. In addition to LaLa, there are many other MSU students who come out and enjoy the festivities and shows. "My friends do come out and supportme,"LaLasaid."AndI'm gratefulandlovethemforit." Not only do drag shows provide a social outlet, but another source ofincomeforLaLa. "Drag helps me pay for things and have extra money in my pocket,"LaLasaid.Althoughthemoney is definitely an inducement, LaLa enjoys entertaining crowds more. "Some people don't approve of [drag] but that's their opinion," LaLa said. She knows that some judgethislifestyle,butsheenjoys entertaininganddragisoneofthe gave a recital two days later in St. Louis. During her South America run near Machu Pichu, Morrow met a couple from New Zealand who encouragedhertoperformintheir home country. She was artist-inresidence to the town of Gisburn foraweek. "Iplayedinabouteightdifferent schools, from elementary to high schools,"Morrowsaid."Ihadthese little second-graders doing these dances and sticking their tongues out,whichwasjustsoamazing." She said she enjoyed entertaining the townspeople with American musical styles that some hadn't heardbefore,suchasragtime. "I was trying to give our culture to others not because it's great, butbecauseit'spartofwhoIam," Morrowsaid."HopefullyIbrought some of the culture and another worldview back to the states." Morrow's advice to other runnersistodowhatfeelsright. "Listen to your body," Morrow said.Shesaidsheusuallyrunsfor 100footfallsandthenwalksfor50. She also said runners should try to walk uphill. ways she does. "It'sawalkinawoman'sshoes," La La said wincing her hazel eyes as she thought about the nine-inch heelsdiggingintoherfeet. Her designer heels aren't worn out yet. LaLa plans to continue drag shows but is taking a break until shehasmorefreetime. "Getting out of it is a drag," LaLa said as she explains the one thing she doesn't enjoy about drag shows. Once the bar owner notices the success of a performer, she wants to keep them booked. LaLa has a hard time committing because of her other activities. She has plans to enter a pageant at OddsinJanuaryorFebruary,ifher schedule allows. "My main goal is to finish the race and be able to walk the next day,"shesaid. Morrow considers herself to be athletic,butcallsita"slowathletic." "I have the strength and endurance, but I don't necessarily have the speed," she said. "Sprinting, going all out for a short period of time, is not my thing. I'm slow enough that I have to choose my runs carefully � some of them have time limits that I just won't News make." Morrowrelatestrainingformarathons to training to play music. "When I get to practicing the piano, I can go for hours without even noticing," she said. "I think that goes for the running as well. I don't have to be running with somebody,Idon'tneedthecheering crowds in order to keep me going.Idon'tmindbeingbymyself forextendedperiodsoftime." LALA..........................................................................................................continued from page 1 It's this entertainment she brings to the stage that also brings money into her pocket- or purse. HerfirstnightatOdds,sheperformed for ten minutes and made $150. "She makes good money because she knows how to work the audience,"Cuseysaid. LaLa and other drag queen's willwalkupgracefullytosomeone whoisofferingmoneyandsingto them and give them a kiss or hug in return. Depending on how sexual the song, they may playfully tug the money directly out of a belt buckle,accordingtoLaLa. LaLa has performs to popular songs by Beyonc�, The Pussycat Dolls and Janet Jackson. "Many people enjoy drag. Many people despise drag," LaLa said. "It'saboutentertaining,havingfun Urgent Care / Family Practice Clinics TEXAS LICENSED NURSE PRACTITIONERS LOOKING TO START A NEW ADVENTURE? Join CareNow, We Welcome New Grads!! $7500 Sign-On Bonus Flexible Schedule Physician on site at all times Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex Quarterly Bonus Program Outpatient setting Call Lindsay today at 972-906-8175 email@example.com www.carenow.com eoe Wichita Falls has got talent. That's what Elizabeth Hawley, a 45-year-old Costa Rica native living in Wichita Falls, thinks. And she would know � the housewife with two MSU degrees is the founder, publisher and editor of the Wichita Falls Literature and Art Review, a biannual magazine showcasing regional artists and authors. Two issues in, Hawley and her staff have dug up a plethora of unique short stories, poems and photos. "There are artists here who are little-known that should be known," Hawley said. "It all fell into place by itself, because I think it was needed." The soft-spoken stepmother of four published the first edition of the magazine in Aug. 2008. Chris Collins Managing ediTor Journal presents a taste of local talent The most recent hit shelves this spring. "I thought we needed one publication that would show our community who we have in town," Hawley said. "I went to Switzerland once and saw an exhibit. Turns out the artist was from North Texas and I had never heard of him. Had I not come to Switzerland, I might not have ever known about him." It's this line of logic that led Hawley to plan a diverse, eclectic collection of area art. She spoke about it with Dr. Lynn Hoggard, professor of English at MSU, while she was pursuing a master's degree here in 2008. Together, Hawley said, the two founded the magazine. Hoggard, who has published five of her own books, is now a consultant for the publication. She calls WFLAR a watering hole for the arts. "With this journal, we have something that strings together all of the arts as they are being created in Wichita Falls," Hoggard said. "We're trying to give artists the voice they deserve." Submissions for the journal are up, Hoggard said. She expects even more contributors with the recent release of the latest issue. "Artists are beginning to hear about it and realize what an opportunity it is to get their work out to a wider public," Hoggard said. "Whether I have a financial question or a question about MLA style, Lynn always gives me a straight answer," Hawley said. "That's what makes her such a great person on our team." Community members and MSU faculty make up the core group of contributors, though more international artists are being worked in, Hawley said. Some MSU personnel that contribute are Catherine Prose, assistant professor of art, Dr. Michael Collins, interim chair of history, Nancy Steele-Hamme, chair of art and Steve Hilton, assistant professor of art. "We've accepted pieces from all over the world," Richard Carter, photographer and all-around editor for the magazine, said. Submissions from France and Spain have already been chosen for the winter issue, he said. "As we learn about all the spots on the Internet where people can find out about us, we're starting to have people come from outside to submit, which is wonderful," Carter said. The age range of submitters is anywhere from 16 to 80. "This allows people to be creative and to tackle subjects in a different way," Carter said. "It can be a different way to get people interested and involved in some of the things of the past of Wichita Falls." About 1,000 copies of each WFLAR issue are printed. The magazine is sold at Hastings, the Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU, the Kemp Center for the Arts, Dance Etc., and The Littlest Skyscraper. Each issue costs about $10 $12. Hawley doesn't expect the publication to make much money right now, though that doesn't bother her. "It's not set up that way, but it can become that way," she said. "Right now, it just pays for the honoraria we give to authors and artists. Printing costs right now are pretty much prohibitive. We keep the price low on purpose so that everyone can buy it." "We're trying to make this more accessible to Wichita Falls," Carter said. "Our audience right now is News The WichiTan May 6, 2009 5 Required classes Resident alcohol violations are on the rise inform about debt Jenny Gaylor Brittany norMan For The WichiTan Kristin Mullen For The WichiTan After four (or five or six) years of work, a hold on a hard-earned diploma is the last thing a student wants to see. Graduating seniors who have received student loans through financial aid have four more chances to attend an Exit Counseling Session before commencement. The sessions will be held at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on May 5 and May 21. About 225 students must attend one of these one-hour classes before they can graduate. If they do not attend one before graduation on May 16, a hold will be placed on their transcript and diploma. The purpose of these classes is to prepare students to repay their lenders. For the 10 years Michelle Wells has been a financial aid counselor at MSU, students have been required to do some sort of exit session. Any school that participates in the Federal Student Loan program is required to hold an exit session for students. In 2007, the average borrower indebtedness hit $14,500, up from 2005 and 2006. MSU's current default rate is 6.2 percent. According to Sue Nelson, associate director of financial aid, this rate is expected to increase because of rising unemployment. "We make every effort to make sure that the students know they can apply for an unemployment defence or forbearance during those times that they aren't able to make payments," Nelson said. "When students run into problems with their payments, the most important thing they can do is stay in touch with their lender or services so they do not go into default." MSU's financial aid office offers four different types of loans, including Guaranteed Student Loans, subsidized and unsubsidized, Parent Plus loans, College Access Loans and private loans for students. "All of this could change for the future as President Obama looks at the student loan program," Nelson said. "We will know how to go forward in the next few months." largely people from Wichita Falls, and we want people to see what's around them. I would like people to realize that there's a lot more talent around here than they think there is." Since moving to the U.S. from Costa Rica in 1984, Hawley still notices the differences in how art is displayed in both countries. "In San Jose there is so much culture," Hawley said. "I knew it was the same thing here, it was just harder to find for whatever reason. I think it's more accessible there, too, like everything's in one place. Here it seems to be spread out and not known. That's my interest � to make it known." Hawley hopes that the magazine will grow to a quarterly, published four times a year. Also she hopes it will be distributed regionally instead of just locally. Profs use program to catch copycats New athletics fee could free up cash for organizations Matt ledesMa For The WichiTan With the final days of classes winding down and deadlines for term papers quickly approaching, MSU students may want to think twice before handing in unoriginal work. That's because a set of electronic eyes may be scanning those works, searching for any traces of plagiarism. Turnitin, an anti-plagiarism program first experimented with by the university in 2004, has been helping professors like Robert Redmon keep students in line when it comes to academic dishonesty. "I've found that it's even more beneficial for its deterrent effect than actual policing," said Redmon, associate professor of education and reading. "Students are much less likely to gamble with plagiarizing somebody else's work if they know they will be checked over by this program." The student handbook defines academic dishonesty as the act of using source material of other persons, either published or unpublished, without following the accepted techniques of crediting or the submission for credit of work not the individual's to whom credit is given. According to its company Web site, the program helps educators check students' work for proper citation or possible plagiarism by comparing it with three continually updated content bases. Those three areas include the ever-expanding World Wide Web, content from subscription-based publications (newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals) and a vast archive of student papers already submitted to Turnitin. "Basically the program takes the text and compares it with a large repository of text that the Turnitin company has purchased the rights to, plus other work submitted by students," he said. "It looks for similarities in the texts in a side-by-side comparison and gives a score based on what it finds. The more alike the text is base on the stuff in the database, the higher the score." Redmon, one of the first to utilize the service on campus, also pointed out that the software is just a tool. The final discretion falls on the observer to determine whether or not any plagiarism has taken place. The professor was unaware if any official statistics existed regarding how much the program is used by MSU faculty. According to Michael Dye, director of Information Systems, the service is paid for on a yearly basis. Last year's bill totaled $6,713.35. Dye said the fee varies from year to year. Turnitin's Web site claims that it has led to a reduction of more than 80 percent of plagiarism cases over the first several years at various institutions. Some instructors at MSU are still unversed in its practices. Redmon said a discussion took place two years ago on whether or not to continue using the service. "At the time I was chair of the faculty senate and was in communication with the provost over whether or not to renew our subscription," he said. "She polled people from all the different departments at the university to see how much it was valued. Apparently it was very much in use and most people thought it was a valuable resource." One year, Redmon used the program on a paper submitted by a graduate student. What had started out as initial suspicions of some plagiarism ended with much more shocking results. "There was a grand total of three original sentences," Redmon said. "When we tested his paper we found that he had almost completely copied it from two different literary resources that were posted on the Internet." Turnitin.com said the company is currently projected to attain more than 166 million student papers by 2010. It's now licensed to approximately 6,500 high schools and colleges in 106 different countries and processes nearly 130,000 student papers a day. Meredith huMphreys For The WichiTan The Student Allocation Committee can't determine next year's budget for 25 campus organizations until the state legislature votes on the passage of the proposed athletic fee. As a result, the comittee meeting, originally set for April 22, has been rescheduled for June 14. The Athletic Fee, which was passed by the students and the Student Government Association last fall, would require full-time students to pay a maximum of $10 per credit hour into a fund solely designated for athletics. The MSU regents will decide what the final fee amount will be, but Dr. Farrell said it is unlikely that the board will agree on $10. "It could be as low as even five dollars," Dr. Farrell said. Dr. Jesse Rogers, SGA president Ian Van Reenen, the student member of the Board of Regents and a student athlete presented the proposed fee to the Texas State Legislature in April. The Board of Regents expects to hear from the legislature by May 31. "We feel very confident it's going to pass," Dr. Farrell said. If the proposal is passed in Austin, the MSU Board of Regents will determine the exact amount for the fee. Then by calculating how many students are enrolled for next year, they will have a budget for the Student Allocation Committee. The 2008-2009 budget was $2,287,371 and was divided among Alcohol violations in MSU residence halls jumped nearly 20 percent in 2008 over the previous year. Twenty-one students were caught with marijuana in their rooms. A total of 142 cases of alcohol violations were on file this school year, according to Wayne Schields, assistant director for housing and residence life for judicial affairs. This compares with 119 cases for 2007-2008. MSU policy states that no alcohol is allowed in residence halls. However, a first offense for students who get caught is not the last straw. Students are given a warning and must meet with Schields. Since January, 23 violations have been recorded. Not all of these recorded violations are reported to the MSU police department, according to Danny Reddick, director of housing and residence life. "If we go into an apartment during a party and there are 20 people, everyone gets summoned to have a hearing," Reddick said. "Not all of them have actually violated any rules." If a student is just present when RA's come in and discover alcohol in the room, they won't be written up for an official violation. Schields said he sometimes requires students to write a two-page reflective paper about what they have learned from the experience and about Texas alcohol laws. They must also complete an online alcohol education program, which costs $25. Students who possess marijuana must take an online program, which costs $75. "Sometimes students don't like the cost of the program and then I remind them what a ticket from the Wichita Falls police would cost," Schields said. An MSU junior was recently written up for alcohol use in Sunwatcher Plaza. The alcohol policy there is slight different from that of other residence halls. If all residents of the apartment are of legal drinking age then alcohol is allowed in the apartment. However, this wasn't the case for this junior. "It was after midnight on my 21st birthday and almost everyone who came over to help celebrate my birthday had gone," he said. "Two RAs came over saying we had a noise complaint but they saw empty bottles and told us they had to write a report about the incident." The junior and her roommate had to meet with Schields. "He was very understanding and professional," the junior said. The two residents were required to write papers and put on probation until the end of the semester. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 88 percent of college students, including those under the age of 21 have used alcohol. Although many students who are written up for alcohol are compliant, things happen that may catch an RA off guard. RAs are trained to deal with hostile students, especially if the student is intoxicated. A hall director or another RA is always on call by pager if needed. "The RAs can call for backup 24 hours a day," Schields said. Procedures to deal with a drunken student include not entering a resident's room completely if you are alone and only confronting residents from their hall. RAs sometimes must cite personal friends if they are caught drinking. "It is human nature to protect your friends," Schields said. "But RAs have a job to do and they know where the boundaries are." New course teaches writing for digital world heather priMavera For The WichiTan Digital and New Media Rhetoric is course MSU will offer for the first time this fall. The upper level English class will give students the opportunity to explore and alanyze a different style of writing. Sally Henschel, English professor at MSU, will be the instructor of the course, which will be held Mondays and Wednesdays at 2 p.m.. "We will examine the canons of rhetoric (invention, arrangement, style, memory and delivery) and discuss how and/or if these canons apply to the production, display, distribution, recall and storage of information in digital and networked environments," Henschel said. In other words, how are rhetorical strategies affected by technologies that require the author to compose flexible, reusable content, that allow the reader to shape the message he or she wishes to receive? "In an economy where information is abundant, overwhelmingly so, how does a writer compete for the attention of the audience?" Henschel asked. The course will examine this and other challenges that today's writers encounter. Students will also read some excellent works on digital and new media rhetoric and put their new knowledge into practice with group projects. One of the main learning modules for the class will be the new software, Adobe Technical Communication Suite 2. The software will allow students to create, manage and public technical documentation to multiple channels. "I'm incredibly excited to teach this class. It will be helpful for students to learn and understand the new forthcoming style of digital writing," she said. Composing for digital media is different. The main purpose of the course is to enable students to approach and analyze different writing situations. "A major concept we will look at is concept reuse," Henschel said. "We want to be able to use the material in different situations and get the attention of our readers." 25 campus organizations. Athletics received $515,000 of that budget. The Clark Student Center was given $355,295, the Counseling Center $267,323, the Vinson Health Center $290,385, Disability Support Services $119,099, and Recreational Sports $117,217. The rest of the budget was allocated to groups and events such as: Academic Honors Dinner, ArtistLecture Series, Campus Card Services, Cheerleaders, Family Day, Homecoming, Music, New Student Orientation, Rugby team, Student Development, Student Government, Student I.D./Handbook, Student Leadership Banquet, Student Success Series, Team Arrow Cycling Club, University Programming Board, Voices, Wai-Kun and the Wichitan. If the athletic fee goes into effect next semester and the budget stays relatively the same, $515,000 will be left in available funds. Dr. Farrell said that these funds will go to the other organizations on the list, since many don't always get the amount they have requested. If there is money left after the Student Allocation Committee has given to each group, it will go to a few different areas that the SGA voted on when it approved the athletic fee. The students voted that the money go toward more leadership opportunities on campus, enhancing the hours of the Vinson Health Center, possibly hiring another physician for the health center, and for student spirit groups to travel to out-of-town sporting events. Alumna writes novel about supernaturals with wings, not fangs Forget vampires. Beauty is never more perfected than when it graces an angel's face. C.J. Sully brings the timeless themes of friendship and redemption to a new medium in The Speech of the Divided. MSU students and faculty won't recognize the author's name, but they do know her. C.J. Sully is actually Carrie Sullivan, an MSU graduate and a former editor of The Wichitan. The 2008 graduate who now teaches English at Rider High School wrote the book over the course of a year. It was published in December. Sullivan's novel features good and evil angels hashing out their epic battle on Earth. In it, two angels of light are pursued by angels of darkness in an ethereal realm. The benevolent beings are tricked into entering a portal to Earth where they are left trapped and without a mission. Soon, evil angels also land on earth but in a larger number. Their objective is to strengthen their grip on humanity by establishing a new and malicious religion. "I've always been interested in angels," said the ginger-tressed writer. "The lore is fascinating. And Biblically, they seemed like such interesting, beautiful beings. I wanted to do something that hadn't been done before. I was also curious to touch on the theme of the Fallen sentient being. I never thought it was fair that humans could get redemption, but the third of all the angels (the ones who Fell) were out of luck." Sullivan decided to publish under the pseudonym C.J. Sully rather than her name. The old adage about books is never judge a book by its cover. But readers do. They also judge a book by the author's name, something Sullivan chose to avoid by publishing under the androgynous name C.J. Sully. "Some people automatically HeatHer Preston For The WichiTan 6 The WichiTan May 6, 2009 News May graduates will come face-to face with tough job market This year's May graduates may face a bleak outlook when looking for a job. "We know this for a couple of reasons. We know obviously about the economy, but our unemployment rate in March was 8.5% which is higher than it has been. There have also been large job losses," Dirk Welch, Director for the Career Management Center, said. "The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that 5.1 million jobs have been lost since December '07. [That] HeatHer Preston For The WichiTan a tortured being with an appearance glorious enough to rival Apollo and a soul black enough to rival Lucifer. As for the unusual title, Sullivan said, "the title of the book comes from a quote by Thomas Carlyle: `Music is well said to be the speech of angels.' And then for the divided part, think in terms of heaven and hell, but also think of the good and bad that we all have within us." Sullivan said self-publishing is a great option for writers who have a special project they would like to share with family or friends. Self-publishing is also for those who do not want to give up creative conPhoto by Brittany Norman trol over their Carrie Sullivan holds up a copy of her novel, "The Speech of the Divided." writing, as the She spent a year writing the book, and opted to self-publish rather than go author keeps through conventional methods. complete control over their assume that if you're a womWhen reading her novel, it bevision. an, you can't write anything comes apparent she drew some "I decided to self-publish for that guys would like. They as- of her inspiration from one of a couple of reasons. The main sume you can only write ro- her favorite authors Anne Rice. reason was that it was in my mance or kids books. Not so!" Both Rice and Sully feature suoriginal plan for this particular Sullivan said. "I didn't want pernatural creatures in common story. It was my baby, my true anything to influence the reader day settings. They also both cresoul's creation, and I finally had except for the writing. I didn't ate dynamic character driven the money to self-publish. I felt even put my picture on the book storylines. that I owed it to myself to see it because I didn't want the fact Sullivan's main character bound in book form, even if I that I was a young woman influ- Laphelle is an enthralling mulnever published anything else," encing people in any way." tifaceted character. Laphelle is Sullivan said. While Sullivan had planned to self-publish The Speech of the Divided, the timing was decided by outside factors. "Another reason why I went ahead and did it last winter is I knew that a couple copies of my manuscript were floating around, being read by people I didn't know, due to friends loaning it out. I was getting a little antsy about the possibility of one of these people publishing it under their name and taking credit for it. That is one of an author's worst nightmares!" Sullivan found self-publishing to be a quick, painless process. She had been in contact with Xlibris for several years before she was ready to publish. When the time came, she was able to get on a payment plan. Then she sent in her file and the company took care of everything from there. While Sullivan is happy with her book and with the decision to self-publish, she admits selfpublishing does have its share of disadvantages. "The advertising is difficult. You have to shell out a lot of cash for that, cash I don't currently have. Also, the books are more expensive and only available online if you don't purchase the paperwork to get it into stores," Sullivan said. Sullivan admits the book took several hours a day of her life for about a year. She was forced to make sacrifices for her craft which often left those dear to her out in the cold. "You don't realize what a jerk you're being until it's over. But it's one of the necessary evils, unfortunately. You have to be obsessed if the story is going to be any good. But my family and friends were all very supportive," Sullivan said. "My mother was there to listen to each chapter over the phone after I finished. I had a few close friends read the finished manuscript as well. I actually made changes here and there based on their comments. They really helped me a lot. I'm a writer that could never do it alone, so I owe it to those people--you know who you are," Sullivan said. Even for a motivated writer like Sullivan, the writing process can become difficult. "The hardest part was making myself sit down and write, even if I didn't want to. If you're going to crank out an entire novel, you have to be disciplined, even if all you do that day is edit a paragraph. If you start to slack, you'll never get it finished," Sullivan said. Sullivan has advice for wouldbe authors. "Be like Nike and just do it! Don't get worried about how you're going to change it or if people will like it or not. Make yourself write it, even if it takes you longer than you think you should. You'll be so proud of yourself when you can say to yourself, `I did it.'" Sullivan describes the writing process as euphoric, that for her completing a piece of writing is its own kind of high. "I write because it is my passion. That sounds clich�, but I don't think a lot of people know what it means to have an artistic "passion." Real writers know what I'm talking about," Sullivan said. "I write because when I do, I get this almost mystical adrenaline during the writing and afterwards, and I know at that moment, that I'm doing the one thing in life that makes me the happiest. I hope to write all my life until I'm so old that I can't sit up to type. I think there's always a story to be told, especially as you get older and experience more." She has plans to donate a copy of her book, The Speech of the Divided, to the Moffett Library, so even more will have the opportunity to enjoy her work. "I haven't found anything out there quite like it, and I'm happy to have written something unique," Sullivan said. is when the Bureau and Department of Labor is considering when the recession hit, when things started changing from a positive economic situation to one that wasn't as strong. But a large percentage of those have occurred within the last five months so things have really changed dramatically recently." MSU is a member of NACE, National Association of Colleges and Employers, which monitors trends in new college hires. "This year's survey, the one that they updated in spring after all the economic situation trans- pired says there's going to be a 22% decrease in the number of new college hires over last year. That does not translate to mean there won't be job opportunities, but that means that employers are scaling back in hiring new college graduates," Welch said. "Employers like to infuse that new, fresh talents into their companies and organizations so even though sometimes the unemployment rate, job losses and the economy is not always the best it could possibly be, new college graduates typically face a better picture because companies like to infuse [new talent] into their situation but this May doesn't look as positive as it has in the past" Welch said there are still some bright spots. Industries still projecting increases in hirings are healthcare, education, and government. Other majors that fall outside of those industries having some success are accounting, engineering, computer science, and business management. "All those that aren't in those areas are going to experience a harder time finding employment," Welch said. Welch said it is important for new graduates to understand the process of obtaining employment is a lengthy process which often times takes longer than one expects. "Three to five months seems to be a good barometer. That's why we encourage students even if they are graduating in May to begin that process in the fall," Welch said. "Employers have a long process especially in times where there are fewer positions. It's a very tight job market with a lot of competition. Employers are receiving hundreds of thousands of resumes, so it takes a while to get through all of that. Sometimes a lot of it is out of the hands of the job seeker." According to Welch, employers are looking for a wide range of skills, but several routinely play a large role in the hiring process: communication skills, strong work ethic, team work skills, initiative, flexibility, adaptability, computer skills, interpersonal skills, and technical skills. Welch encourages job applicants to submit a cover letter or a letter of application along with their resume. "Almost all job positions are going to require a resume, and really almost all job positions are then going to require an interview. The resume will help you get the interview. The interview will then hopefully help you get the job," Welch said. "But there are other things you can do in there like a cover letter or a letter of application. A lot of times those are required, but we strongly encourage folks to do one because it highlights your written ability and also allows you to share some information about yourself that can't effectively be shared in a resume." $385 * Free Wi-Fi Thank you notes sent after an interview are also a way to impress future employers because many applicants don't take the time to send one. "One of the things I think May graduates can do to set themselves apart is utilize [the Career Management Center] as another avenue to help make themselves feel more confident or comfortable in what they are handing out there to employers." Welch said. The Career Management Center offers many services to help students and alumni prepare for job hunting such as developing a resume, preparing for interviews, and dressing for success. In addition, the CMC puts on career fair every fall and spring and a separate education career fair each semester. "If you think about it, if you see a job listing online or in the paper and you submit a paper presentation of you, that's only part of the picture. When you are going to a career fair, they are getting a much better picture of who you that just a paper resume and a letter couldn't convey," Welch said. Almost all CMC services are offered free to students and alumni. A small number of resources require a fee; one of the exceptions is preparation courses for testing. Welch has some advice to offer to May graduates, "Try not to become too discouraged by the process. It is important to be realistic as to the length of time it may take especially in this tighter job market." STUDENT LEADERSHIP BANQUET NOMINEES 2008/2009 OUTSTANDING FRESHMAN MAN Andrew Jay Anderson * Christopher Lamone Carter Brian J. Dixon Kenneth Todd Hensley Cory Daniel Lewis Al Khahlil Louisy Zachariah Gilbert McFadden Justin Raymond McGuire Ian Kenneth McMurrey Laud Edward Mills * ^ Edward Lee Pena Jr. Jason Allen Witte * OUTSTANDING JUNIOR WOMAN Heather Marie Alvarado Sonya Resa Boddie Kristen Whitney Bolser Kelly Lynn Buckmeyer Devah Colleen Carter * Jennifer Lynn Downing Amanda Michelle Dvorak Diana Debbie Francis Meagan Elizabeth Hanlon LeaAnn Kidd Mahadai Hope Megan Liburd * Kaitlin Ann McDaniel Miriam Wanjiru Ngunjiri Kaysie D. Overby Caitlin Jo Stout Samantha Chantal Tomei * ^ Lauren M. Wood * OUTSTANDING GRADUATE MAN Nathan Robert Brown * ^ Joshua Richard Wells * Lalit Bhalchandra Yawalkar * OUTSTANDING GRADUATE WOMAN Lindsay C. Clark * Leigh Rose Deweber Cindy Michelle Gruerholz Chandra A. Henry Marie Diane Ibarra Rrezarta Krasniqi Haley Shea Lain * Angie Jane Reay Amanda Nichole Ritchie Amanda Marie Tettleton * ^ Svea Wanntke Leyda M. Rivera Worden OUTSTANDING FRESHMAN WOMAN Chelsea Marion Behrle Stephanie D. Cuellar Alyssa A. Edson * Stephanie Lynnette Hervey * Caesarina M. Paul * ^ Anastasia Marie Reed Rebecca Lynn Tanner Terenz Wallace OUTSTANDING SENIOR MAN Matthew Robert Compton John Nathaniel Ford Liam M. Guthrie * ^ Frank Jeffers Walter Ivey Lambert Jr. Daryll Royden Lloyd * Leon Craig Marrost Casey Lane McCleskey Joel Mathew Morrow Robert Marvin Paul Jr. John Michael Pearson Anthony Michael Rennhack Robert Travis Stegner Jeremy Charles Stewart * MAN OF THE YEAR Andrew Jay Anderson Matthew Louis Capps * Tiemonne Charles Siegmund J. Courtney John Derick Dotson Kevaughan Kelon Graham * Daryll Royden Lloyd David Christian McPhate Alex Mitchell Pappas * ^ John Michael Pearson Jose Iram Perez Jr. Francisco Salas Robert Luke Shelton Sonny Malte Skaaning Jacob Allen Staples James Winfield Walker OUTSTANDING SOPHOMORE MAN Jared Weslee Bell Ashton T. Dalrymple * Michael Arthur Dunn Jr. Jeffrey Daniel Garrison Nicholas Joe La Mere Joshua Allen Loeffler * ^ Daniel Richard McMullan Ibukunoluwa Ogunyinka Sonny Malte Skaaning * Thomas D. Vomastek OUTSTANDING SOPHOMORE WOMAN Shelly Diane Agee * Kourtney K. Aylor Candace D. Berg Rachel Elisa Cooper Erika Ashleigh Hatcher Alicia Cathleen Kobylecky Kelly Ann Madden Carly Victoria Moree Nicole Rochelle Savage * ^ Kristina Michelle Suarez Danielle Faith Thomas * Erin L. Walker OUTSTANDING SENIOR WOMAN Maygan Elizabeth Albert Carol Michelle Barton Morgan J. Blackwell Michaela Bruckmayer Zahnela De Shawn Claxton * Kerilyn Alyson Edwards * ^ Brittney Gaye Franklin Blanca Iris Garcias Jennifer Ann Gaylor Rendie Larae Haynes Chelsea Maureen Humphrey Meredith Leigh Humphreys Brianne Elaine Jamison Carrie Jill Maxwell Jessica Anna Munger Brandy Nicole Navarrette Rosella Marie Salinas Erin Kathleen Short * Jennifer Elaine Hulcy Simmons Ann Myra Smith Amber Michelle Slemmons Katherine Joyce Stepp Lauren ElizabethThielen Kendall Renee Upchurch Suzanne Elizabeth Wallace Jessica Lashawn Wesley Toya Mary Okonkwo Madeleine Ann Zaehringer WOMAN OF THE YEAR Carol Michelle Barton Abigail Christopher Zahnela De Shawn Claxton * ^ Kerilyn Alyson Edwards * Valerie Rose Flores Kathryn Grace Gilbert Kristen Leigh Gober Chelsea Maureen Humphrey Kylie Ann Morrison Kristin Elizabeth Mullen Toya Mary Okonkwo Kristen Marie Ouellette Erin Kathleen Short * Ann Myra Smith Sarah Jo Spaniel Katherine Joyce Stepp Carrie Anne Taylor OUTSTANDING JUNIOR MAN Everaldo Marques de Aguiar Jr. * ^ Karu Anto Gerard Clifford Austrie Leonard Jacob Benton Tristan Alleyne Browne * Kevin Allen Francis Kevaughan Kelon Graham * Jon Henry Horry Tyler Riley Murphy Andrew Jacob Pond Robert Luke Shelton Steven Bradley Taylor VIOLA GRADY LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP Liam M. Guthrie JAMES L. STEWART SERVICE AWARD Catholic Campus Ministry * Finalists ^ Winners Skillet venue changes due to swine flu scare Citing "an abundance of caution" and a recommendation from the Wichita County Health Department, Friday's Skillet concert has been moved to the Evangel Temple Church due to the swine flu scare. Still, even swine flu can't stop a band like Skillet. When you think of heavy metal, "Christian" isn't the first word that comes to mind. But Skillet has been making noise in the Christian arena for over 10 years, and has recently embarked on an endeavor leading them into the mainstream world of music. Skillet began to make its mark in the industry after its Lava/Atlantic record debut Collide in 2004. The band's single "Savior" became the second most added at CMJ's "Loud Rock and Crucial Spins" panel the first week of its release. The band has played tours with bands like Saliva, Shinedown and Finger Eleven. With the release of Collide, it has proved to fans and critics alike that Skillet has what it takes Courtney Foreman For The WichiTan Entertainment The WichiTan May 6, 2009 9 Photo Courtesy Skillet will perform at Evangel Temple in Wichita Falls Friday at 7 p.m. Wolverine prequel lives up to the X-Men hype It began in 2000 when audiences were introduced to X-Men. Nine years later, audiences finally get to learn the truth about its main character, Wolverine, and his mysterious and forgotten past in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Throughout the first three films, the cast has remained the same: Patrick Stewart (Professor Charles Xavier), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Famke Janssen (Jean Grey), James Marsden (Cyclops), Halle Berry (Storm) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique). But in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the cast changes a bit. Of course Hugh Jackman fulfills his role as Wolverine, but new characters are introduced that help explain his dark and unknown past. The audience learns of Sabretooth's connection to Wolverine, which is not revealed in the first X-Men film. Liev Schreiber plays the menacing yet brotherly role of Sabretooth. Ryan Reynolds plays a small role in the film as Wade Wilson, a mutant incredibly lethal with two swords. He adds some much enjoyed comic relief in the beginning of the film. Lynn Collins plays opposite of Jackman as Kayla Silverfox, Lauren Wood For The WichiTan to not only survive in the industry, but thrive with success. Columnists have called Skillet "one of the hardest working, heaviest rocking, boldly witnessing, and the most broadly appealing acts of its generation." With seven studio albums and two Grammy nominations including "Best Rock Gospel Album" in 2005 (Collide) and "Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album" in 2007 (Comatose), Skillet has earned the respect it has been given thus far. The band is led by John Cooper on bass, his wife Korey Cooper on guitar and keyboards, Ben Kasica on guitar and Lori Peters on drums. When it comes to Skillet's attempt at balancing the trademark of "heavy metal" and promoting Christian ideals, John Cooper knows how the public might find it confusing. "I guess people are surprised to find out we are a Christian band because our music might be so heavy," Cooper said about the misconception. Because the music is a lot heavier than typical Christian music groups or artists today, Skillet sometimes gets put into the mainstream music scene or the alternative/rock genre. But, the band has no intention of being pinpointed to one type of music. "I always tell people, whether you're Christian or Atheist or anything in between, we write music that people can relate to," Cooper said. Because Skillet is classified as a Christian band, some standards or pressures might be set up for this type of group compared to that of a secular band. Cooper however doesn't feel the pressure so much from the public, but from his own walk of life. "I'm not trying to meet someone else's expectations as much as I'm trying to meet my own. There are expectations from the Christian world there that you have to consider, but most of the time I'm just trying to live with my own conscience on that," Cooper explained. Cooper said he is aware that the mainstream market does a little better than the Christian market when it comes to developing artists, but because of the band's fan base that is being brought along from the Christian music world, Skillet has had no trouble transitioning. Aside from stereotypes and genre debates, Cooper balances both home life and a music career. "I feel we do really well with it. I'm one of the few lucky rock singers that gets to have their family on the road," Cooper said. Wife Korey Cooper is in charge of the home schooling when Skillet goes on tour, essentially keeping the family together as much as possible. Keeping family a priority and staying positive might be one of the reasons Skillet has become so successful. The band has officially just completed its eighth studio album, Awake, and is set to release in august. Skillet is currently on the "Comatose Tour" and is stopping through Wichita Falls Friday, May 8. The concert at Evangel Temple will start at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Wolverine's lover. It is odd to see different faces and characters after seeing the usual gang for so long, but the cast is well chosen. But before we get into the content of Wolverine, here is a refresh course of the first three films. The movie that started this phenomenon, X-Men, introduced the idea of mutants, people with a genetic mutation that formed into extraordinary and unique powers. Cyclops' eyes release an energy beam that is so strong, it can destroy buildings and mountains. Jean Grey's strength is both telekinetic and telepathic, and Storm can manipulate forms of weather. They are seen as outcasts and freaks which humans fear are harmful. Some are, however, and some are not. Professor Charles Xavier, a powerful telepath, created a school for mutants so they can learn to control and direct their powers for the greater good of mankind. He welcomes the reluctant and hostile Wolverine and insecure Rogue, a teenage girl who can absorb the powers and memories of anyone she touches. Magneto has plans of transforming humans into mutants because he believes mutants and Photo Courtesy Hugh Jackman stars as Wolverine in `X-Men Origins: Wolverine.' humans cannot coexist. The XMen must stop him before he kills all of New York, and one of their own. Three years later in 2003, X2: X-Men United was released, causing yet another sensation for Marvel fans. The cast remained the same except for a few new characters who make small but memorable appearances, showing off their powers. Mutants are still struggling to fit into society which leads the humans to an anti-mutant movement, led by William Stryker, the creator and former friend of Wolverine. While Wolverine is searching for clues to his origins, Stryker leads an attack on Xavier's school. A union is created between Xavier and Magneto as they, as well as the other X-Men, try and stop Stryker from destroying and experimenting on mutants. In 2006, the gang returns as a cure for mutancy threatens all mutants. The mutants have a choice to either retain their powers, though it isolates them, or give up their powers and become human. New characters are introduced, but none of the old change. Jean Grey has become the Phoenix, her alter-ego who almost destroys the world. Mutants such as Beast, a huge blue and hairy man who has incredible strength, Pyro, a cocky teen who can manipulate fire, Kitty Pryde, a young girl who can walk through walls, and Angel, a man with gigantic white wings, all must choose a side: either to fight against the humans or with them in a war to end all wars. Now, in 2009, the truth of Wolverine's existence is finally revealed. Jackman does his usual superb job as a very angry killing machine, who just happens to be topless for half the movie (and for a brief moment, naked). The plotline is easy to follow, but you have to get the names straight in order to understand later parts of the movie, as well as the series. Except for the final scene involving a freaky looking Weapon XI/Deadpool, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is an exceptional example of its type. The new director, Gavin Hood, does a great job on focusing only on a select group of mutants instead of trying to squeeze as many characters as they can into an hour and a half. Characters such as Gambit, who charges playing cards with kinetic energy forcing things to explode, Blob/Fred Dukes, a huge mass who has superhuman strength, and Agent Zero, a man particularly talented with guns, are introduced and help with the films personality. The audience learns more about these mutants than most of the characters in the other X-Men movies. There are some touchy-feely moments in the film, but they are soon whisked away by emotions of revenge and anger. The action scenes are typical but impressive, though the CGI occasionally shows through. This is not a perfect film, but when you compare it to the previous installments, this one climbs to the top. ing Daily Happy Hour 3:00-9:00 Owner: Bob Beck www.myspace.com/oldtownwf Bart Crow takes grassroots approach to music It all started when a homesick peacetime soldier picked up a guitar on his downtime and started writing songs. Bart Crow, front man of the Bart Crow Band, said he "never really took it serious" back then. Now he travels around the south with a band, playing different venues every night. He's made his lonesome pastime into a way of life. Wichita Falls fans will have a chance to see the Bart Crow band at Outskirts on Thursday. While they might not know them by name, anyone with a clue at all about Texas music has heard a Bart Crow Band song or two over the radio waves. The single "Wear My Ring" spent so long on the Texas music charts last year that it was dubbed "the song that just won't go away." With the two-step beat dance halls love to play and the modern Outlaw sound that fans love to listen to, it's no surprise that the band's songs travel across Texas airwaves on a daily basis. At night, audiences get a taste of the Bart Crow brand of entertainment on stage, a part of the musical lifestyle that Crow doesn't skimp on. Brittany norman ediTor in chief 10 The WichiTan May 6, 2009 Entertainment Photo Courtesy The Bart Crow Band will be playing Thursday at 10 p.m. at Outskirts in Wichita Falls. Professor dies of cancer, leaves legacy with Last Lecture At 47 years old, Dr. Randy Pausch had a loving wife, three adoring kids, a great career, and the respect of his colleagues. He was also dying of cancer. A last lecture is a series conducted on college campuses nationwide where professors ponder their mortality and what legacy they would like to leave behind. HeatHer Preston for The WichiTan "It can be a little demanding at times, and it's tough to be away from my wife for long periods of time," Crow said. "We take one weekend off a year. We did 180 shows last year. I've been on the road for seven years now, so it's kind of become just a way of life." Part of Crow's life is also invested in giving back to the people who've gotten him where he is today. "My entire career, my life is just built on a fan base," Crow said. "[Charity] is my thank you back to the fans and people who've allowed me to do this and allowed the band to grow." Charitable acts, such as playing a children's benefit called "Music for Mika" in Maypearl, Texas every year, also give Crow a personal reward. "I get a personal high off doing good things for people," Crow said. One recent good deed was inspired by Crow's own time spent in the U.S. Army. "We sent a couple of guitars over to the troops in Afghanistan," Crow said. He thinks his time in the mili- tary has helped shape his career as well. "I know what it's like to be homesick and lonely, so I think it gives me an insight of that," Crow said. "The military makes you very disciplined and I know that's helped with organizing and being a band leader. It's also made me appreciate the job the military does." Crow's inspiration comes from a lot of places. "It varies," he said. "Real life experiences, experiences that others have been through. Other music inspires me, too." The artist lineup on Crow's iPod is diverse, a reflection of his many musical influences. "Lately I've been listening to a lot of Ray Charles and Creedence Clearwater Revival," he said, adding that he "loves Creedence." He said that listening to music outside the genre he plays in helps him keep his own sound fresh. "It helps, that way you don't get too much tunnel vision, or get too pigeonholed in a certan style," he said. Crow said if he could have written one song by anyone in the music business, it would be "Middle Aged Crazy" by Jerry Lee Lewis or "Backside of 30" by John Conlee. "Listen to them and you'll know why," he said. "They're just amazing tunes." After Crow got out of the army, he said he started taking music more seriously when he was in college. "I just started writing more and playing more, and so finally I booked a gig," he said. "I was hooked. That was about seven years ago." He played his first gig at the Agave in Stephenville. "Seven years later, we're still scratching and clawing," he said. In the offbeat Texas music scene, a good fan base is the difference between success and obscurity. "I love my fans," he said. "From the rowdy ones to the compassionate ones to the hardcore ones, it's neat to think that we really have fans. I never thought I'd have fans, and now we actually have a handful and that's pretty cool." He keeps in touch with the people listening to his music through the band's Myspace and Facebook pages. As for the future, Crow says he and the band are in it for the long haul. "I just hope to stay in it," he said. "To keep building the fan base and keep selling tickets and making records. That's all I want, to make fans and be pleasing to our fans." As for goals, Crow said he'd really like to sell out Billy Bob's. For now, though, he's looking forward to playing at Outskirts. "I really enjoy playing Wichita Falls," he said. "It's still a work in progress for us. I feel like we're still gaining fans and gaining the support of the radio station, and we're gonna keep playing and keep plugging and hope that everyone will enjoy what we do and keep supporting us." Pausch, a computer science professor for Carnegie Mellon, delivered an actual last lecture titled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams." The speech has become an internet sensation reaching nearly 10 million hits on YouTube. Pausch with the help of Jeffrey Zaslow wrote a book over the speech titled The Last Lecture. In it, Pausch explored what made his life extraordinary and why he is a lucky person. He divided his book into 53 mini lectures that he hopes will serve as a lifetime of wisdom he had hoped to impart to his three small children. And although he died a mere three months after publication, he left behind a unique and touching legacy. Picking up Pausch's book for the first time, I expected it to be incredibly sad. It had all of the makings of a tear jerker, a young person struck down at the height of his life leaving a beautiful wife to raise small children alone. And then there's the terrifying idea that a person has to cram all of his or her life into a few -month span. Although, Pausch is quick to point out that he had a wonderful life. In fact, the entire book is about how he managed to succeed at living out his childhood dreams and how important it is for a person to take those dreams seriously. It is also important to note that Pausch isn't your average person. Faced with a few months to live, the average person wouldn't spend countless hours preparing for a speech. One might even think he was being a little selfish concentrating on one last hurrah while he had precious little time left with his wife and children. However, there is a general likeability about Pausch that comes through in his honest, concise thoughts. Basically, he is reminding readers to live life to the fullest, perhaps not the most novel message but definitely a creative delivery. Whether or not readers agree with the speech, the method or the time spent on his last lecture, it is impossible not to admire Pausch's optimisms and strength. FREE WORKSHOPS Planning To Say "I Do" Soon? Want To Save Money For Your Big Day? Want To Learn To Love For Life? If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, these classes are for you. Couples who complete a workshop will save $60 on their Marriage License. Classes are 8 hours and focus on helping couples develop Communication and Conflict Resolution Skills and tools for a strong relationship. FOR ALL COUPLES Wichita Falls, Burkburnett, And Iowa Park! Dial 211 for information Or go to twogetherintexas.com Arts The WichiTan May 6, 2009 11 In an portfolios at Wichita Falls Museumwords artist's and Juanita Harvey Gallery Graduating seniors to display Graduating art majors will showcase their artwork at the Juanita Art Gallery at MSU and at the Wichita Falls Museum of Art. The exhibit will run from May 8 until August. Receptions for the exhibition opening will be held in both galleries Friday, May 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. "Growing up Mennonite is an important part of my work, ethics, life, discipline, and love of art. This body of artwork is a visual testament to inspiration and hope that is a spiritual necessity. "These pieces are watercolor, acrylic, and oil paintings that depic Biblical events signifying a profound moment of God's Jamie monroe enTerTainmenT ediTor "Visually inspired by Aldous Huxley's `Brave New World,' these images generalize a population physically perfected and mentally conditioned through science and modern medicine. This highly productive and efficient society is able to exist only at the cost of individual thought... "The portraits have been processed in a way to give the subjects flaw- less complexions and suggest a personality devoid of emotion. A hint of color has been left in the eyes to hint at the personalities that lay beneath the drugged, deadpan expressions." HersHel self "Lingering in a crowded theater for a glimpse of movement behind stage or the faint resonance of a finger strumming its first note illustrates the anxious seconds before the curtain draws open and an explosion of lyrical genius reaches the ears. "My body of work is a rebellion composed of figurative painting and photography expressing the outrageous couture of rock and roll. It is a fresh look at youthful exuberance with an attitude and mentality of having fun." KaleigH Harner "Men didn't hold doors open for me. Young, thin, Hollister clerks gave me dirty looks when I walked into the store. We knew the clothes wouldn't fit, but she wanted to make sure I knew she knew. There was always a fear of the school desk being too small and an airplane ride being horribly uncomfortable. "As a woman who has known all sides of the spectrum when dealing with body image issues, I am compelled to explore my inner battles with weight, looks, and self worth. "I am a work in progress, not perfection." Jordan Jacob presence. "Through painting I have found a way to visually portray the internal emotions I feel in my pursuit of a deeper and more profound relationship with the Creator." Marie nuedorf "I grew up in a merciless Brooklyn, New York neighborhood. There was a nearby street where hookers worked every corner, and drug dealers would market their wares with megaphones, without fear of repercussion. The criminals were better armed than the cops. No one did anything to change these circumstances. "I was left with a cynical attitude towards law and order and government. This collection of work is a sarcastic commentary concerning the misplaced value on the lives of public figures." carlos aleMan "Looking from the outside, but not being able to see what is inside is frustrating. I feel trapped and confined when I am unable to explore. Whether a premeditated overseas excursion or a capricious day trip, I feel compelled to discover the obscure details about a city. "This body of digital photographs represents my joy of learning about history through travel, as it has been programmed into my DNA. "I enjoy wandering around for the adventure it brings; it serves as a portal to freedoms." Tracy lowe Sports Disaster in Big D A 33-year-old Dallas Cowboys staff member was left paralyzed and two other team staffers remain hospitalized after Saturday's practice facility collapse, which is now the subject of a federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation. Scouting assistant Rich Behm suffered a spine fracture that caused permanent paralysis from the waist down, the team confirmed Sunday. He underwent surgery to stabilize the fracture Saturday night and remains in stable condition at Parkland Memorial Hospital. Team owner Jerry Jones grimly surveyed the debris on Sunday morning. He lauded Irving police and emergency services for their actions the previous day. "We are also grateful to those Cowboys players and staff members who acted so quickly and heroically in the face of personal danger to help those around them who were in need of immediate assistance," he said in a statement. Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis will undergo surgery at Parkland Hospital today to stabilize a broken vertebra. He was not paralyzed. Assistant athletic trainer Greg Gaither is expected to remain at Baylor University Medical CenJaSon trahan McT The WichiTan May 6, 2009 13 Dallas Cowboys practice structure collapses during mini camp ter for the next few days while his broken right leg heals. The other nine people who received medical treatment were released by Sunday. About 3:30 p.m. Saturday, a burst of up to 70-mph wind carried by passing thunderstorms battered the 85-foot-tall practice facility. The high-tension fabric shell and metal structure folded onto itself and collapsed during the Cowboys rookie camp. About 70 players, coaches, team support personnel and members of the media were inside. Ambulances transported 10 people; two others sought help on their own, officials said. Richard L. Weiner, a neurosurgeon at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas who is not involved in Behm's treatment, said such spinal injuries are "true disasters." "You lose all sensation and all strength and motor function of the legs," he said. "There's really not any medication we've come up with to reverse that." Irving police spokesman David Tull said Sunday that OSHA was investigating the collapse. Representatives could not be reached Sunday. The agency generally looks for violations of federal workplace safety rules. On Sunday, a steady stream of curious fans and neighbors tromped in the mud behind Gold's Gym, separated by a fence from the ruined Cow- McT The Cowboys indoor practice facility collapsed during a team a practice on Saturday in Irving, Texas. Dirty underwear or lucky bras: whatever helps win the game Would you go an entire sports season without washing your underwear? No? What if your dirty underwear could guarantee a win... or at least you thought it could? Some MSU athletes will go to any length to win games. Former MSU soccer player Scott Leonard used to do just that. "I used to wear the same underwear without washing them until we lost a game," Leonard said. While some may find this gross or weird, a number of athletes will do anything to try and ensure a victory. MSU football player Austin Shields said he has to walk heather PriMavera For The WichiTan boys facility. Chip Drown, a lifelong Cowboys fan, drove in to photograph the tangle of fabric and metal. "Now they can complain about the debris," he said to neighbors who opposed the Cowboys building the huge structure. "It's amazing that only 12 people got injured," he said, shaking his head. "Someone is going to get sued over this." It appears that lawyers for the Cowboys were already at work less than 24 hours after the collapse. On Sunday, The Dallas Morning News phoned Charles Timbie, a structural engineer in Pennsylvania who specializes in forensic analysis of building failures. When asked about his investigation of the collapse of a similar facility in 2003, he referred all questions to Levi McCathern, an attorney for the Cowboys. When asked if he had already been hired by the team's legal counsel as an expert, he again referred questions to McCathern, who did not return phone calls Sunday. According to McCathern Mooty LLP's Web site, McCa- thern specializes in catastrophic damage litigation and is "primary trial counsel" for the Cowboys and Jones' family. Representatives of Summit Structure of Allentown, Pa., and Cover-All Building Systems, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, which built the facility, could not be reached Sunday. Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple declined to comment on any legal preparation. In 2007, a Pennsylvania judge, relying on Timbie's expert assessment, found that a structure Summit built for the Philadelphia Regional Port Au- thority on the Delaware River collapsed because of "failure of the design" to account for snow buildup on the roof, court documents show. That structure had a double roof construction, which is different from the Dallas Cowboys' structure. Judge Allan Tereshko wrote that the Philadelphia structure collapsed "under the weight of the first significant snowfall" of the year, conditions that "would have been easily tolerated by the building had it been properly designed and constructed." Midwestern State football releases its 2009 schedule Midwestern State kicks off its 2009 slate which features six home games with a showdown with New Mexico Highlands on Aug. 29 at Memorial Stadium. The Cowboys are one of two non-conference games for MSU which will also face the University of the Incarnate Word on Sep. 19 at Benson Stadium in San Antonio. The Mustangs draw Lone Star Conference crossover games against Southeastern Oklahoma, Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma for the secondstraight season. MSU fills out the 11-game slate with traditional LSC South with home games against West Texas A&M, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Abilene Christian. The Mustangs hit the road to face Angelo State, Tarleton State and Eastern New Mexico. The Mustangs open the season against New Mexico HighMSUMUStangS.coM For The WichiTan from one goal post to the other. Shields does it to get a feel for the field and to get some time to himself before the game. "I have to do it before every game," Shields said. "It helps me get mentally ready for every game." Other MSU athletic team members have their own superstitions. The MSU women's soccer team has had a tradition for more than eight years. They must pray before every game or they won't feel right. Coach Jeff Trimble said he prays before he gives them their pre-game speech, and the starting 11 pray on the field right before the game starts. The MSU women's volleyball and soccer teams also share Dirty underwear may be gross, but they may also be lucky. a common superstition. Both teams have to line up the same way during every warm-up and during every game. Former volleyball player Krissa Johnson said she didn't mess with anyone and their pre-game rituals. "Some girls get really upset if you are in their spot," Johnson said. "If we weren't lined up the right way some girls would get mad." Superstitions play a key role in sports. Even pro athletes admit weird superstitions. Nomar Garciaparra, an infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has to re-adjust his gloves just before he steps into the batter's box. And Tony Romo, the Dallas Cowboys' quarterback, has a lucky T-shirt that he has worn every game since high school. Kari Bristow, an MSU women's soccer player, also has superstitious clothing. "I always wear a hot pink sports bra for every home game and a black sports bra for every away game," Bristow said. Bristow says she has many superstitions. If she doesn't do certain things before a game, or during a game, she believes she won't play well. Bristow swears her superstitions help her play better. All of these MSU athletes feel they have to do these things before each game. It is an important part in getting prepared for their games. A crucial ingredient in sports is the mental aspect of the game. If an athlete isn't in the right mindset, or doesn't think he or she is going to play well, they probably won't. Even though athletes believe it, superstitions are not the reason they win games. However, because they really believe that doing something a certain way will help them play better, they will. A superstition could be the reason a game is won or lost. lands on Aug. 29 at Memorial Stadium against New Mexico Highlands of the Rocky Mountain Atheltic Conference. Current NMHU coach Chad Roanhaus passed for 339 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cowboys to a 40-23 win over MSU in the team's only meeting at Perkins Stadium in Las Vegas, N.M. on Sep. 23, 1995. New Mexico Highlands was 3-8 last season, but claimed wins in two of its last three games. The Mustangs are 2-4 against the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, winning their last contest against the league, taking a 41-15 decision over Adams State on Aug. 25, 2007 in Alamosa, Colo. MSU opens crossover play at Southeastern Oklahoma State on Sep. 5 in Durant before returning to Memorial Stadium to face Northeastern State on Sep. 12. The Mustangs have dominated the LSC North since 2000, going 29-4 against the North and have had a 16-game winning streak against the Oklahoma-based schools snapped by Central Oklahoma late last season. MSU travels to San Antonio to face future LSC South Division foe Incarnate Word on Sep. 26. The Cardinals enter the league in 2010. The Mustangs open South Division play at Angelo State on Sep. 26. MSU has beaten the Rams three-straight times and in five of the last six meetings, but that's when the schedule has turned. In each of the last three seasons, the Mustangs have taken perfect 5-0 marks into its rivalry games with West Texas A&M and Tarleton State. In each of the seasons, MSU has taken consecutive losses. In fact, since the current South Division schedule format took effect in 2005, MSU has lost consecutive midseason games to the Buffs and the Texans. The Mustangs then close with three of four games at home down the stretch. MSU plays host to Texas A&M-Kingsville on Oct. 17 before finishing off crossover play Klutts selected for individuals Midwestern State sophomore Travis Klutts was selected to play as an individual medalist in the 2009 Midwest/South Central Super Regional Friday night when 2009 Division II Men's Golf Championship field was announced. Klutts, who missed must of the spring season due to illness, boasted an average score of 72.63 over six tournament spanning 16 rounds this season. The Lake Kiowa native finished in the top 20 at each of MSUMUStangS.coM For The WichiTan by taking on Central Oklahoma for Homecoming on Oct. 24. The Mustangs travel to Blackwater Draw to face Eastern New Mexico on Halloween before closing the regular season against Abilene Christian. Midwestern has strung together an LSC-best nine-straight winning seasons and is 52-24 (.684) in seven seasons under Bill Maskill which includes playoff appearances in 2004 and 2006. the tournaments he participated, including a pair of top 10 showing incluidng a runner-up performance at the Texoma Championship at the Chickasaw Golf Resort in Kingston, Okla. and a ninth place outing at the Lone Star Conference Championships held earlier this week at the WinStar Golf Course in Thackerville, Okla. Klutts carded top rounds of 69 on two occasions including the second round of the Charles Coody West Texas Invitational at Diamondback Golf Course in Abilene and in the opening round of the Lone Star Conference Championships. The Midwest/South Central Regional which includes 10 teams and four individual medalist qualifiers from each of the regions commences May 4-6 at The Meadows Golf Club in Allendale, Mich. The top five teams and the top two individuals not with an advancing team from each regional regardless of region will advance to the finals which will be held at the Loomis Trail Golf Club in Blaine, Wash. from May 19-22. 14 The WichiTan May 6, 2009 mustangs football schedule Tuesday MSU Softball team to miss postseason for first time 2009 msu Midwestern State will miss its first postseason after the NCAA Division II Committee released the championship field for its 29th Annual Softball Championship. The Mustangs, who close the season with a 31-17 mark, suffered back-to-back losses two weeks ago in the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament and have been idle over the past week. Meanwhile, Angelo State clinched the top seed by claiming the LSC title while Emporia (Kan.) State and St. Edward's (Texas) garnered the remaining MSUMUStangS.coM For The WichiTan Sports New Mexico Highlands Sept. 5 @ Southeastern Oklahoma Northeastern State Sept. 19 @ Incarnate Word Sept. 26 @ Angelo State West Texas A&M Oct. 10 @Tarleton State Texas A&MKingsville Central Oklahoma (HC) Oct. 31 @ Eastern New Mexico Abilene Christian Bold events indicate that they are going to be held at Memorial Stadium. Aug. 29 automatic bids by winning the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Heartland Conference titles, respectively. Southeastern Oklahoma State, Abilene Christian (Texas), Nebraska-Omaha, Missouri Western State and Central Missouri were granted the five remaining at-large bids. The NCAA Division II postseason consists of a pair of fourteam regionals with the winners advancing to the best-of-three game super regional to earn a berth in the 29th Annual Division II Softball Championship from May 21-25 in Salem, Va. Angelo State plays host to one of the pods as Emporia State, Nebraska-Omaha and St. Edward's will play in San Angelo, while Southeastern Oklahoma welcomes Abilene Christian, Missouri Western and Central Missouri in the other half of the South Central Region bracket beginning Friday. The winners of each bracket will face off on May 15-16 at the site of the highest remaining seed for the right to advance to Salem. Midwestern State, who had advanced to the South Central Regionals in each of its first five seasons, was ranked seventh in the final regular season poll. Patrick JohnSton | The WichiTan Freshman outfielder Nicki Duff leads off at first base during the fourth inning of the UCO game earlier in the season. MSU finished up their 2009 season at 31-17. Sept. 12 Mustangs Conference Standings Lone Star Conference Softball North W-L SE Oklahoma (38-7) 9-1 Central Okla. (18-10) 11-3 MSU (22-10) 8-4 Cameron (23-15) 8-4 SW Oklahoma (11-19) 3-9 NE State (9-25) 4-12 East Central (10-17) 3-13 Now this is a graduation gift. Oct. 3 Oct. 17 South W-L ACU (30-9) 8-1 Angelo State (31-4) 7-2 Tarleton State (20-15) 5-4 WTAMU (27-15) 6-6 TAMU-Kingsville (22-15) 5-7 Texas Woman's (21-19) 3-6 Eastern NM (17-16) 2-10 Oct. 24 Men's Basketball Nov. 7 North W-L Central Okla. (24-6) 10-2 SW Oklahoma (19-11) 8-4 TAMU-Comm (17-11) 8-4 Cameron (14-14) 7-5 NE State (11-16) 6-6 SE Oklahoma (5-22) 2-10 East Central (6-22) 1-11 BlackBerry� StormTM Verizon Wireless 3G Exclusive NOW ONLY Stay connected with the world's first touch screen BlackBerry. � Email & IM � True HTML Web browsing � Media Player � Global calling in over 200 countries $ Requires a new 2-yr. activation on a voice plan with email feature, or email plan. 199 99 North W-L MSU (25-7) 10-2 Angelo State (20-9) 8-4 TAMU-Kingsville (19-11) 8-4 Tarleton State (18-10) 6-6 WTAMU (16-11) 6-6 Abilene Christian (10-16)4-8 Eastern NM (4-23) 0-12 � Switch to America's Largest and Most Reliable Wireless Network. Call 1.888.640.8776 WICHITA FALLS 3210 Midwestern Pkwy. 940-692-8080 Click verizonwireless.com MATR�CULA CONSULAR Visit any store BUSINESS CUSTOMERS VERIZON WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS STORES Open 7 days a week. Technicians available at select locations. the MSU Homecoming event. (HC) indicates 1-800-899-4249 Activation fee/line: $35. IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Subject to Customer Agmt, Calling Plan, & credit approval. Up to $175 early termination fee & other charges. Device capabilities: Add'l charges & conditions apply. BlackBerry, RIM, Research In Motion, SureType� and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. Offers & coverage, varying by service, not available everywhere. Network details, coverage limitations, coverage maps & int'l long distance rates at vzw.com. Service may be restricted without notice. Limited time offer. While supplies last. Shipping charges may apply. �2009 Verizon Wireless TGGU