February 18, 2014 • Vol. 96, No. 19
www.theprairienews.com
Comm Department celebrates Comm Week Preston Thomas Reporter
sentation as part of Comm Week and the Distinguished Lecture series, as well as a Q&A session with the students attending. Scarbrough is the internal director of communication for Teach
tion department head Dr. Trudy Hanson. “He’s an award winning speaker, but more than that, his success in the field shows what you can do with a communcation degree. I think he’ll connect
ENTERTAINMENT
with the students really well.” To cap off events on Wednesday at noon in the FAC foyer, a handful of Communication department professors will be participating in Project Runway; featuring such faces as Dr. Vartabedian, Dr. Cain and Dr. Drumheller getting dressed up in crazy costumes put together by teams of Communication and Mass Communication students. “We’ve been doing [Comm Week] since before 2006,” said Dr. Hanson. “In 2007 when the department moved into the FAC it became a joint project between Comm and Mass Comm. The main purpose is to raise awareness of communication careers and what the department has to offer.” “We’ve been doing all kinds of work, meeting since about November about Comm week,”
FEATURE
OPINION
WT Bateman team promotes Popmoney app.
Lady Buffs basketball clinch a share of the LSC.
Laci McGee interviews the bassist for Smile Empty Soul.
An in-depth look at student night shift workers.
WTAMU makes progress with new technology.
PAGE 4
PAGE 7
PAGE 8
PAGE 10
PAGE 11
B
y the time one reads this paper, Comm Week 2014 will already be in full swing. Monday saw the Voice Game Show in the FAC recital hall as well as the Alumni Table Talk, which featured several WT Communication and Mass Communication program graduates who have gone on to careers in their respective fields. There are more events still to come for Feb. 18 and 19. Tuesday, Sing for Your Lunch will be held at noon in Legacy Hall. There will be free pizza and karaoke in the room and it is open for all students to come sing, eat, and goof around. “There is a rumor that some professors will come and sing,” said senior Mass Communica-
NEWS
tion major Abbey Coufal. Later in the evening at 7 p.m., once again in Legacy Hall, Kirk Scarbrough will be giving a pre-
for America. “I’m really excited about having Kirk [Scarbrough] come and speak,” said Communica-
TYLER ANDERSON/ CO-EDITOR Professor Dustin Hahn, Professor Paula Schlegel and Professor Randy Ray participate in The Voice on Monday as part of the Comm Week celebration.
SPORTS
facebook.com/theprairiewt
said Communication graduate student Julia Greif, “This is my third year on the board, so I’m familiar. Dr. Hanson is very organized in that she knew what we needed to do from the beginning. It was up to us to contact all the people from all the alumni people coming in to the speaker for the distinguished lecture series.” “It’s been a lot of fun getting to know students from the Comm department,” said Coufal. “It’s cool to meet new people and learn about their majors, and they in turn learn about our majors.” “I’m very excited about this week,” said Dr. Hanson. “This committee has worked hard and been very creative with the theme this year.”
@The_Prairie
2
NEWS
Buff News Briefs
Three Professors Receive Emeritus Title
T
hree retired West Texas A&M University professors were recognized by the Texas A&M University System and given the title of Emeritus/Emerita during the January board meeting. This title recognizes a professor’s long and distinguished service to students, faculty and staff members, WTAMU and the Texas A&M System. To be eligible, faculty members must have been employed full time for at least 10 years and retired. Retirees must be nominated, have letters of reference and be screened by a review committee. This year’s recipients include James D. Kemmerling professor emeritus of speech and theatre 40 years, Dr. David A. Labrie, deceased, professor emeritus of biology 30 years, and Dr. Robert A. Wright, professor emeritus of biology 47 years.
STAFF
EDITORS Tyler Anderson
Officials to hold tuition and fees hearing
O
fficials of West Texas A&M University will hold three public hearings addressing the proposed tuition and fee changes for the 2015 fiscal year. Hearing will be held on Feb. 18 at 11:45 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center. The final hearing will be at 5:00 pm Feb. 24 at the Amarillo Center. The PDF version of the PowerPoint presented at the hearings is posted on the WTAMU website at wtamu.edu/about. public-hearings.aspx The university and other state universities are seeking an increase in tuition and fees.
and Admissions Officers in December. Garcia has been active in the organization as a member for 16 years. He chaired the Latino/Latina Caucus from 2002-2004 as well as serving on the board of directors from 2005-2008. AACRAO, the largest and oldest association for enrollment service professionals, was founded in 1910 and currently has 11,000 members and partners representing in more than 2,600 institutions, organizations and education-oriented business in the United States and more than 40 countries around the world. --All information taken from the WT website and Rana McDonald.
The Asia Project Jacob Helker Reporter
C
ombining elements of comedy, music and poetry, The Asia Project gave a performance in the JBK Commons on Feb. 13. The spoken word duo, consisting of poet Asia Samson and guitarist Jollan Aurelio, covered a wide variety of topics including nostalgia, love and Samson’ s battle with cancer, which Samson called his “awakening” to begin performing poetry. “When I perform something that I believe in, it’s more meaningful,” said Samson. Since 2009, the group has toured more than 400 college campuses and has been featured
WT faculty member named AACRAO President Elect
D
an Garcia, vice president for enrollment management at West Texas A&M University, was elected president elect of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars
AD MANAGER
REPORTERS
Connor Woods
Cheyenne Black Alyssa Bonner Kyle Coulter Jacob Helker Jessica Malacara Laci McGee Brooke Self Preston Thomas
DESIGN EDITOR
Megan Moore
Kati Watson
ASSISTANT EDITOR
ADVISER
B.J. Brittain
February 18, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Dr. Butler Cain
SPORTS REPORTERS Wyatt Miller Jose Robledo Tanner Sims
COLUMNIST Nathan Slaughter
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Christopher Brockman
on TEDX as well as Def Poetry Jam. When asked, Samson said that his best accomplishments were personal, citing his victory over cancer, marriage and the birth of his son as his greatest achievements. Guitarist Jollan Aurelio described his role in the group as atmospheric, saying his pieces were meant to emulate Samson’s poetry. “It’s kind of like a score to a movie,” said Aurelio. Reed Copelin, a junior education major and consultant to the CORE office, helped coordinate the event and said that his aim was to bring something “a little different” to the campus. “It’s positive and encouraging,” said Copelin. “Maybe this will put our foot in the door for future things like this.” Copelin also called the event “a success” and said that everyone who attended “really got spoken to.” The dominant theme through the performance was hope. In their last poem, Samson focused on defiance in the face of hardship.
WEB ASSISTANT Georgia Romig
LAYOUT ASSISTANT Cheyenne Black
PHOTOGRAPHERS Natalia Molina Jasmin Ruiz Thomas Koenig
The Prairie is a student-operated newspaper at West Texas A&M University. It functions to inform, educate and entertain readers accurately and responsibly. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration, faculty or staff. The Prairie verifies the legitimacy of the advertising appearing in The Prairie, but cannot be held liable for any advertising claim made in this publication. The Prairie has a circulation of 1,500 and is printed by the Amarillo Globe-News. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. -- First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
February 18, 2014 | theprairienews.com
CORE hosts Sexual Responsibility Fair BJ Brittain Reporter
L
ast week the University Core Office held a Sexual Responsibility Fair in the Jack B. Kelly Student Center. The purpose of this event was to educate students about the risks and consequences involved when one is sexually active. The Core Office set up a table in the JBK on Monday and Tuesday of last week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. so that students could stop by on their way to class or lunch. The lunch rush was especially busy for the table, where they educated a large number of students about sexual responsibility. Many students had a positive reaction to the event and were grateful that the Core Office sponsored it. “I think it is important to educate people about sexual responsibility so that they know about the consequences,” Zach England, a freshman athletic training major, said. “People need to know the consequences of their actions
Pregnant?
and be ready to be responsible for their actions.” There are multiple consequences one could face if one engages in sexual activity irresponsibly. The Core Office wanted to use the Sexual Responsibility Fair to show students these consequences as well as how to prevent them. “I’m glad that they are teaching people about all of this stuff,” Tim Barrett, a junior psychology major, said. “I mean, nobody wants to have a kid running around when you haven’t planned for that to happen. People need to know about this because once you have a kid you won’t finish your degree and that is what we are here for.” Unplanned parenthood is not the only consequence of irresponsible sexual activity that students have to worry. “One thing that everyone needs to know more about is STDs,” England said. “Those are really bad and people need to know more about them.” Another student expressed a unique outlook on the event and the reasons for which it was done. “I think people get out of high school and get to college and don’t know how to deal with their new freedom,” Dan Bonds, a junior sports and exercise science major, said. “They just want to have fun and don’t think about the consequences. It’s cool that they are working to teach students more about these things so that they can handle their new freedom and won’t let things like kids get in the way of their college careers.” With rates for both unplanned pregnancy and STDs both rising in recent years, events such as the Sexual Responsibility Fair are a good way to educate people on these problems and how they can be prevented.
NEWS
3
4
NEWS
February 18, 2014 | theprairienews.com
WT Bateman team promotes Popmoney Alyssa Bonner Reporter
T
he WTAMU Bateman team, a Public Relations campaign team, is promoting the product Popmoney in the West Texas Panhandle throughout the month of February. The Bateman team is part of the WT chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). Each year, PRSSA partners with a different organization, and this year they are partnered with Fiserv, a global provider of financial services
technology. Fiserv developed Popmoney, a person-to-person (P2P) payment service that enables individuals to send and receive payments electronically in a manner that is designed to displace traditional check payments. “The name originates from Pay Other People plus Money,” Abbey Coufal, senior Mass Communication major, said. Popmoney differs from other P2P payment services in the manner in which transactions take place. “Popmoney transactions exe-
cute from the sender’s checking account to the receiver’s checking account directly. There is no requirement for a stored value account for either participant,” Coufal said. Popmoney can be used through the website, www.popmoney.com, or by downloading the app for free onto your smart phone. When using the app, you can import contacts from your phone, select the amount and who to send it to and leave a personalized message when the money delivers. Money is sent from the sender’s bank account directly to the receiver’s bank account, with no middle account that you have to transfer money in and out of. “Popmoney makes it easy to split checks at dinner or when students go out. It seems like no one ever has enough cash, and ATMs charge to withdraw if it isn’t your bank,” Kaitlyn Jones, junior Mass Communication major, said. “WT students could also pay rent, utilities or other shared living expenses.”
Popmoney can also be beneficial to parents. “For example, the student has suddenly run out of money. The parents can send the money to their student quickly using Popmoney,” Coufal said. In the fall of 2013, Popmoney won the Innovation in Mobile Value-Added Services award at the Mobile Money Global Awards held during the Mobile Money and Digital Payments Summit in Dubai. The award recognizes the company that has been most innovative in developing new services and finding new ways to deliver them via the mobile channel. “It is essentially the future of money transfer,” Matt Villegas, junior Mass Communication major, said. The Bateman team is promoting Popmoney throughout the month of February as part of their competition. The team has been preparing for the Popmoney campaign since August. “Members of our team did lots of research throughout last
The Station For Your Generation
91.1 FM ALYSSA BONNER/THE PRAIRIE A screen shot of the Popmoney app.
semester, and throughout winter break, we had to meet and plan out what we were going to be doing this month,” Jones said. A campaign book including a case study of the implementation of the campaign in February must be completed and submitted to judges in March. The WT Bateman team is competing in a national campaign against 120 schools. Last year, the Bateman team competed for the first time in WT history. “We are really excited to be the second team to compete in the school’s history,” Coufal said. The members of this year’s Bateman team are Coufal, Jones, Villegas and Cambry Cooper, a junior Mass Communication major. The team is advised by Kim Bruce, assistant professor of Mass Communication. To keep up with the Bateman team and their promotion of Popmoney, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ WTBateman.
NEWS
February 18, 2014 | theprairienews.com
5
Photography show at the Paper Crane
Laci McGee Reporter
S
treets of Gold: “Living My Mission” is a photography show that will be opening at The Paper Crane Feb. 22 at 7:30 and will last until around March 22. The photos that will be exhibited and sold at this show were taken be Mallory Henderson. The photos were taken when she and her husband spent three months in South Africa with Experience Mission. “I’ve seen the photos she has taken and think [they] will be really interesting,” Dyvonna Melson, who works at The Paper Crane, said. “I’ve seen some of the animals, scenery and also of the mission and children that she worked with.” Part of the proceeds that are raised from this gallery
show will be donated back to Experience Mission. The mission of this organization is to “spread Christ’s love by connecting people together from diverse cultures and backgrounds, developing leaders and assisting those that live in under-developed communities with resources and support to enable them to reach their own communities and actively participate in extending out to the world.” Mallory and her husband spent their time in South Africa in two different communities. The first was Pomfret in the Kalahari Desert. While there, they “lived next door to an orphanage and spent most of [their] time laughing and playing with kids, teaching and pouring into the people within the community in whatever capacity [they] could,” Hen-
derson said. After a month, they traveled ten hours to a town called Olivenhoutbosch where they stayed for another five weeks. This town in located in the more urban area of South Africa, near Johannesburg. “I would go back in a heartbeat,” Henderson said. “Africa stole a part of my heart, and I am already longing to go back and hug the necks of the children, men and women I grew to know and love while I was there. Life in Africa, though not easy, is simplified, colorful and joyful - something I think us westerners could work on a bit. We have much to learn from Africa, in my opinion.” The Paper Crane is open Monday thru Friday from 10am to 6pm. They not only offer a gallery space for art shows, but also a variety of art classes for
all ages. Also, art supplies can be purchased at The Paper Crane. Inside, there is also the Canyon location of the 806 coffee shop. The next gallery show will begin in late March.
“It’s cool that they bring in a different crowd than the people who just come in regularly,” Tyler Travis, who works at The 806 satellite coffee shop, said.
FLYER COURTESY OF JESSE MELSON The Streets of Gold: Living My Mission exhibit will open Feb. 22.
Living on and off campus, pros and cons Jasmin Ruiz Reporter
L
iving on campus has been said to be one of the best college experience to have. Students who live on campus can get active with extra curricular activities, meet new friends and have convenient access to all WTAMU has to provide for students. But for the students who do not live on campus, their lives as college students might be different from those living in a dorm. “My parents couldn’t support me fully,“ Lluvia Vidaña, junior Ad/Pr major, said. “[They] didn’t want to take out any
loans and it was much cheaper living off campus.” Vidaña doesn’t live on campus but does live in Canyon. However, living in Canyon doesn’t always mean one can have it easy because of gas and other car related problems. “Driving and parking is an issue for me,” Stephanie Vazquez, sophomore psychology major, said. “Driving back and forth grinds my gears.” Vazquez said she enjoys being with her family
and does not like the idea of living under a roof with many rules and regulations. It can take commuters up to an hour to get to Canyon and find parking. For many students or faculty, parking is an issue because if one leaves campus for any reason, there will be a good chance that someone else will occupy the parking spot. However, living on campus doesn’t mean that the dorm
“Where else can you get up ten minutes before your class and make it on time?” -Tania Fuentes
life is always a walk in the park. Students who live on campus also have obstacles they have to go through. “Fire drills are a bit irritating,” Tania Fuentes, junior criminal justice major, said. “If you’re sleeping or showering, you have to leave no matter what.” Even though being active in school and meeting new friends are some of the reasons why living on campus is a good thing, students do have to follow rules and are not allowed to bring certain things to residence halls such as pets (except fish), microwaves and dartboards when living on campus.
Advertise with us! Contact: Connor Woods Advertising Manager
Connorwoods112@gmail.com
or at 806-231-9052
6
SPORTS
February 18, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Slaughter’s Sports Talk Prairie Sports Columnist Nathan Slaughter weighs in on any and everything sports each week.
I
t has been a groundbreaking week in sports. Michael Sam, 2013 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year and 2014 National Football League (NFL) draft prospect, announced he is gay. The announcement took the sports world by storm. This announcement came with immense buzz, due to the fact that Sam broke the status quo and could be the first openly gay player in professional football. Personally, I’m a firm believer in that people should be able to live their lives however they choose without the endangerment of themselves and others. Yet this decision may have come with a few consequences. Once an athlete enters the brink of professional sports, it is no longer just fun and games. The game that they’ve grown to love, the game that has developed them as men or women, the game that has brought them pain as well as prosperity - enters as whole new realm. The competition level and the preparation time increases, the pressure increases, players are rewarded for their play with money and most of all the praises as well as criticisms increase. The biggest questions that I’ve heard in regards about the announcement of Michael Sam’s
sexual orientation are the following questions. “Why does it matter?” “Why is this news?” “Who cares if he’s gay?” When the announcement surfaced, I faced these questions while trying to put myself in the minds of the NFL executives and coaching staffs that will ultimately decide the fate of Sam in the NFL. First, I did my research to see his potential based primarily on his on the field resume. Sam, who played four years at the University of Missouri, enjoyed a pretty marginal career up until his senior season in which his became the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. That award alone though says a lot about his talent. Since 2003, eight of the last ten SEC defensive POY award winners have been drafted in the first round. Sam recorded SEC best 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss and those numbers would suggest Sam to be a dominant player with high motor and great pass-rushing skills. Scouts have downgraded his performance because nine of his sacks game in three games with so called “garbage competition.” NFL scouts takes the “lack of competition” tag seriously, trust me. Nonetheless, with the num-
bers and accolades to back his play the talent is obviously there. Next, I looked at his intangibles to see where he stacks up against current NFL trends at his position. Michael Sam is about six foot one and 260 pounds, which is not the prototypical size of a NFL defensive end. There are always exceptions to the standards, but players who don’t fit the mold have to make up for it with eye-popping numbers in speed, strength and quickness. NFL scouts care about how player’s measurements match up because they have to be able to compare prospective players to other professionals at the po-
sition to project success. Although Sam has shown the ability to have success despite his small stature for the position, those skills do not always translate well to the NFL. Sam will have to show some eye-popping skills and ability at the NFL scouting combine or his pro day. Most believe he will not, as the tape doesn’t show the potential to do so. Scouts will have to decide whether he can translate to an outside linebacker where his size fits the mold better. The questions about Sam’s play have and will be considered in the months leading up to the draft. However, Michael’s decision to announce his sexual orientation to the world is a decision that will also be evaluated. The NFL is a professional league. It’s a business, which means that football is more than just fun and games for its participants. The league is constantly under the eyes of media professionals and the subject of Sam’s sexuality is a topic that will never decease. If Sam be-
comes an NFL player, the organization that chooses him will have to answer to questions of his acceptance. A watchful eye will check if he is being treated fairly in the locker room. The organization will have to open its doors to the media circus that will come with having an openly gay player on the team. This is why it matters that Michael Sam openly came forth with his sexual orientation. For a player with a lot of questions about how his abilities will translate to the NFL, such a decision may come with a price. The barrier of an openly gay man in a “macho” sports world has never been done. It may have been smarter to wait or delay the announcement but I’m sure there are underlying reasons for the timing. Whether or not Michael Sam is suiting up in a NFL uniform or not is up in the air at this point, but he has proven that the talent is there. Although the only problem with that is talent can only get you so far.
SPORTS
February 18, 2014 | theprairienews.com
7
Amarillo Bulls beat Lone Star Brahmas Jose Robledo Sports Reporter
T
he Amarillo Bulls and the Lone Star Brahmas met on Feb. 14 to Feb. 5 at the Budweiser Bull Pen in the Amarillo Civic Center. The two weeks that the Bulls were off were well spent practicing as they took both victories with scores of 9-2 and 4-0, respectively. These two victories increased Amarillo’s overall record to 34-12-2. “The players have worked really hard these past two weeks, they were just anxious to play,” Amarillo Head Coach Dennis Williams said. Their previous encounter had resulted in a Brahmas win 2-0 over the Bulls. This time around, the results were in favor of the Bulls. In the first period, the anxious Bulls outshot the Brahmas 11-10 in the first period of the Valentine’s Day game. By the eighth minute, forward Tyler Gernhofer of the Amarillo Bulls scored, assisted by fellow
forward Cody Gylling and defenseman Joe Grabowski. Just seconds later, Gernhofer, who was unassisted, blazed straight through the middle, to find a shot and scored for the second time of the match. The Bulls kept pressuring and again at tenth minute, Gylling scored with the assists by forwards Eric Purcell and Brendan McGuire. Not yet satisfied with their score, two minutes later defenseman Brendan Vetter scored with an assist by McGuire. With minutes left in the clock, Bulls forward Timmy Moore scored unassisted, which concluded the 1st period. The Lone Star Brahmas could not take the Bulls intensity at the second period as the Bulls outshot the Brahmas 18-5 and obtained two more goals. Halfway into the period, forward Eric Purcell scored assisted by defensemen Brett Szajner and Stuart Pomeroy. With three minutes left on the clock, forward Roman Ammirato assists fellow forward Mitchell McPherson
who takes the puck in between three Brahmas defenders and scored, effectively ending the second period at 7-0 in favor of the Bulls. In the final period of the match, both teams were able to score twice. With less than nine minutes remaining, Sebastian Vidmar of the Brahmas took away Bulls goalie Paul Berrafato’s clean slate by scoring on him. Minutes later, the Bulls responded with a goal by forward Kyle Gattelaro as he circled the net and found the back of the net. In a power play close to the 13th minute, Ammirato scored, assisted by forward Matt Sieckaus and Gernhofer. Two minutes later, Vidmar scored for the Brahmas leaving the game with a 9-2 final score in favor of the Amarillo Bulls. On Feb. 15, a Parent’s Night was held for the Bulls players. Amarillo was quick on their delivery in the first period, scoring two goals that were seconds apart and scoring yet again later in the period. Bulls forward Mike
Davis found the net at the fifth minute mark and was assisted by forward Brady Ferguson and forward Kyle Gattelaro. Seconds later, Bulls teamwork between Gylling and Szajner assisted Purcell as he moved behind several defenders and scored. Close to a minute left, Brady Ferguson stole the puck from a Brahmas defender and scores after the puck slowly got past a block by the Brahmas goalie. The Bulls dominated this period also, outshooting the Brahmas 17-3. The second period was a scoreless, as the Bulls outshot the Brahmas, 13-10. Bulls Goalie Collin Delia stopped every shot the Brahmas had towards the net. There were seven fouls, two of which were considered unsportsmanlike conduct. In the third period, a total of nine offenses were called and four were considered to be unsportsmanlike. At the 14 minute on a power play, Ammirato’s skill makes him go through several defenders and finds Davis who takes the shot and scores
struggled early thanks to strong defense by Midwestern State, forcing 13 turnovers in the game. With eight minutes left in the half, Midwestern State tied up the game but WT was able to go on an 8-0 run The Lady Buffs forced six turnovers gain the upper hand going into halftime up 38-33. Coming out of the half, both teams traded the lead until WT went up by six with 3:25 left in the game. The Lady Buffs committed several fouls in the closing minutes of the game and Midwestern hit a clutch three pointer with 21.4 seconds left to
tie the game at 71. In the overtime, both teams exchanged leads in the first minute. For WT, Sally Higgins made one of two free throws and scored on a steal putting WT up 78-75. WT continued to play aggressive and finished the game on top outscoring Midwestern 17-6 to win 88-77. “I was proud how we were able to close out the game after a rough start in the first half,” Head Coach Mark Kellogg said. “It took a lot to get back on the right track. We’re going to have those games someday.” The win gave WT the sweep
of the season series for the first time since the 2009-2010 season. It also was the first win in Wichita Falls dating back to Jan. 2010. On Feb. 15, Cameron came out strong, going up 18-14 with 10 minutes left in the first half. However, the Lady Buffs went on a 17-3 run, thanks to an aggressive defense. This prompted the Lady Buffs to move to a comfortable 40-27 lead going into halftime. WT continued the offensive explosion, going up 66-33 with nine minutes to play in the game. Going back to eight minutes left in the first half, the
JOSE ROBLEDO/THE PRAIRIE The Bulls celebrated after their win.
ending the game 4-0 win for the Bulls. The man of the match was Collin Delia, the goalie for the Amarillo Bulls, as he blocked all 19 shots and took away opportunities of scoring for the Brahmas. The Amarillo Bulls will be traveling to Corpus Christi, where they will be taking on the IceRays Feb. 22-23 at the American Bank Center.
Lady Buffs basketball clinch title share Tanner Sims Sports Reporter
Last week proved to be an exciting week in Lady Buffs women’s basketball, as they went on to defeat the Midwestern State Mustangs in overtime 8877 on Feb. 12 before returning to Canyon to host Cameron on Feb. 15. WTAMU easily defeated Cameron by shooting efficiently and being aggressive on defense. With these victories, WT clinched at least a share of the LSC regular season championship. On Feb. 12, the Lady Buffs
Lady Buffs outscored Cameron, 43-9. Devin Griffin led the Lady Buffs had 20 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Sally Higgins and Lacee Logan contributed to the winning effort coming off of the bench scoring 12 and 11 points respectively. The Lady Buffs were able to close out the game and won big 83-57. The Lady Buffs travel to Tarleton State on Feb.19 with a 6 p.m. tipoff for an opportunity to clinch with the LSC title outright.
8
ENTERTAINMENT
February 18, 2014 | theprairienews.com
The Prairie talks to Smile Empty Soul Laci McGree Reporter
F
rom Feb. 14 through Feb. 16, the Ink Life Tour took place at the Amarillo Civic Center’s North Hall. Along with many renowned tattoo artists from around the country, the Ink Life Tour was highlighted by music acts, such as Wayne Static - formerly of Static-X, Guttermouth, Authority Zero and Pop Evil. Included is the post-grunge rock band, Smile Empty Soul. Smile Empty Soul is a rock band that started in 1998. The band has three members: Sean
Danielsen, Ryan Martin and Jake Kilmer. Kilmer is the most recent addition to the band, having joined the band in 2006. The band is currently based out of Los Angeles, Calif. Over the years, they have released six albums: Smile Empty Soul in 2003, Anxiety in 2005, Vultures in 2006, Consciousness in 2009, 3’s in 2012. Their most recent album, Chemicals, was released in Oct. 2013. The Prairie interviewed Smile Empty Soul’s bassist, Ryan Martin. The Prairie: How much has your music changed over the
THOMAS KOENIG/THE PRAIRIE Ryan Martin jammed on the bass.
years? Martin: We have all changed, done a lot of living. Now we are very different people. Our first record, we were very inexperienced. Our new album, Chemicals, we co-produced. The Prairie: How has your fan base reacted to the change in your music? Martin: So far all of the feedback that we have had has been great. The Prairie: How often does Smile Empty Soul tour? Martin: We have been doing a fair amount of touring recently. We toured most of 2013 but it is still a lot of fun. The Prairie: Is the band working on anything currently? Martin: We are still touring and promoting Chemicals at the moment. We haven’t had a lot of downtime to work on anything else. The Prairie: Who writes most of the lyrics? Or is it a group effort? Martin: Sean, the lead vocalist, writes most of the lyrics. The Prairie: Who writes most of the instrumentation? Martin: He does the instrumentation also. Then we all get together and tweak it. The Prairie: How are things for the band on tour? Stressful? Exciting? Martin: It is a little bit of both. Lots of driving and not a lot of sleeping. The Prairie: How do you all handle the stress? Martin: We are all different in how we handle stress. Some drink, some smoke. We all have to find our quiet time. On the longer runs, when we are out on the road, that’s when the stress starts to kick in.
The Prairie: Is there anything else that you would like for people to know about the band? Martin: We are out here working really hard to promote the music that we
make and produce on our own. We have to be away from friends and family for a long time. But we love playing music and meeting our fans. This is why we do what we do.
THOMAS KOENIG/THE PRAIRIE Sean Danielsen sang on of the group’s songs.
THOMAS KOENIG/THE PRAIRIE The members of Smile Empty Soul pose for the camera.
GAMES
February 18, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Can YOU finish first? We are giving away $10 iTunes gift cards. Finish the three puzzles with the correct answers and turn it in at FAC room 103.
Last Week’s Answers
9
10 FEATURE
February 18, 2014 | theprairienews.com
WTAMU students work graveyard shifts
Jose Robledo Reporter
I
s working from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., also known as the night shift or the Graveyard shift, worth working? Currently working Walmart’s night shift is Ramiro Juan Navarro, junior Computer Information Systems Major. “[It’s been] almost 3 months working this shift and there are those days that I’m just too tired,” Navarro said. “I take my books to the break room and read whenever I get the chance. On my days off, all I do is study.” The long hours and nights have been affecting Navarro, but he has no choice than to keep working this shift for
now. He felt confident that he was able to handle this. Staying up late has made working the graveyard shift an easy decision for Navarro. “I thought I would be fine at first since I would get little to no sleep before I took this job, but it’s just a different toll that it takes on your body,” Nicole Hudgens, a graduate sports management student, said. “Sure, it pays more working this shift but honestly, it was not worth it.” Hudgens said that the night shift really had a big impact on her studies and sleeping schedule. At first, she had scheduled her time perfectly on when to study. However,
throughout the day, this method shifted into exhaustion. “It just seems like your body doesn’t shut down and rest during the day,” Hudgens said. “Everything is backward and it feels like living in another planet. I was sleeping every chance I got.” According to the Department of Labor, The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) doesn’t require extra pay for night shifts; it is of a matter of agreement between the employer and the employee. In most companies though, night shift workers get paid more than daytime workers. According to students who have taken this position, on average it usually pays a little
JOSE ROBLEDO/THE PRAIRIE Ramiro Juan Navarro, a Walmart employee, works at the graveyard shift.
more than regular day shifts. “The night shift did pay a little more than regular day shifts,” Juan Gallardo, Master Student Business Administration major, said. “I took the job because I couldn’t afford not to have a full time job and this was the only shift that worked with my schedule perfectly. I did this for 5 years and I can say it was not worth it.” “It was difficult to stay awake all the time, especially when you were running on two hours of sleep or sometimes even no sleep,” Gallardo said. “Don’t do it,” Hudgens said. “You have no social life because you will be sleeping while others are going about their
lives.” To students with no choice and have to take the night shift, Hudgens has some advice. “I was told to get black curtains and that may help you adjust to sleeping; it never worked for me. Try scheduling your classes later in the afternoon so there is more time for sleeping,” Hudgens said. “If you’re going to get a night shift position, try to get it on campus. At least on campus jobs are flexible,” Gallardo said. “I don’t recommend the job at all, because it’s tough to stay awake,” Navarro says. “I’m just trying to stay as long as I can because I have to pay my bills.”
OPINION 11
February 18, 2014 | theprairienews.com
WT progresses in the technology world
I
n this digital age, it can be hard to keep up with the latest technology and trends. We’ve progressed from the blog site Myspace to Twitter, keeping our communication at 140 characters or less. We’ve moved from newspapers to multiple online news outlets. We’ve now got a whole world of information at our fingertips with smart phones. All of this new technology can be overwhelming, but can also provide the college experience with more opportunities. West Texas A&M University has done
an incredible job at keeping up with the latest trends and providing students with equipment and experiences that would be hard to come by at any other university. It’s not just one department making these strides in the technology world, it’s the entire campus. The Agriculture Department has cloned calves. The Engineering department has made a prosthetic hand. The Mass Communications department is experimenting with Google Glass, and that’s just to mention a few.
The learning experience has changed drastically over the years because of technology. Teachers are now able to access professionals from across the country to be guest speakers in classrooms via Skype or Google Hangout. Students have access to all the equipment they need through multiple outlets on campus. Our campus is progressing rapidly to provide students with the best learning experience possible. We at The Prairie are also excited about new technology advances. A new production
facility is soon coming our way and will not only enhance the information that we provide our audience with, but will also improve our success in the professional world. Journalism in this new age is not just about writing. Upon entering the career field, we aspiring journalists have to know a variety of things. We must be knowledgeable in shooting video and editing said video. We must be able to take photographs. Along with this, we have to be able to know Adobe Suites and be able to
layout pages. There are so many different areas that we have to be familiar with and with this new production facility we will be able to embrace all of these assets. We look forward to this new facility and to providing our readers with new content.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Prairie accepts letters to the editor every week. Send letters to
theprairiewt@gmail.com OR facebook.com/
All letters to the editor are subject to editing according to appropriate grammar, language and Associated Press and Prairie formatting.