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February 25, 2014 • Vol. 96, No. 20
WTAMU proposes tuition and fee increase W Alyssa Bonner Reporter
est Texas A&M University is proposing tuition and fee increases that could go into effect next fall with approval from the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents. The public hearings for the tuition and fee increases were held on Feb. 18 at the Jack B. Kelley student center on the WT campus and Feb. 24 at the Amarillo Center. Dr. J. Patrick O’Brien, university president, said during the public hearings that tuition for Texas residents could increase by about $77 to $198 per long semester. The amount of increase is dependent upon the remaining number of credit hours a student has left to complete. Right now, Texas residents pay about $3,485 in tuition per long semester. “It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it will add up to even more
for border state and out of state students because we already pay an extra amount per credit hour,” Lauren Carter, junior Sports and Exercise Science major, said. The tuition figure would be a fixed rate for the rest of the student’s time at WT, should they graduate on time. “I like that it’s going to be a fixed rate so that I will pay a consistent rate for the rest of my schooling,” Kambrie Phillips, sophomore Communication Disorders major, said. According to information from the Amarillo Globe-News, the new guaranteed tuition rates would go into effect next fall after a new state law required public universities to provide the option of a fixed tuition. The law states universities could either make the fixed rates mandatory or allow students the choice to opt in. O’Brien said the Texas A&M system made the new tuition rates mandatory.
Career Expo is coming to WTAMU.
Buffs Basketball endures a rough patch.
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NEWS
SPORTS
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The intent is to provide certainty to students and parents as to what they will be paying for their education over the next four years, O’Brien said. The university will be able to set a new guaranteed tuition rate for incoming freshmen in the future. There would be a four-year guaranteed rate for students with zero to 29 credit hours, a three-year guaranteed rate for students with 30 to 59 credit hours, a two-year guaranteed rate for students with 60 to 89 credit hours and a oneyear guaranteed rate for students with 90 to 120 credit hours. Wade Shaffer, vice president for academic affairs, said it will offer an incentive for students to graduate on time. If a student does not finish within four years, their fifth year tuition would be set by the rate for seniors in that year. Students repeating a course three times will also face additional charges. The new tuition plan also comes
ENTERTAINMENT
Yellow City Comic Con draws in a crowd.
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with increases in various student fees, including the advising fee. Currently, students pay a $35 advising fee per long semester and $17.50 per summer term. The advising fee would increase to $50 per long semester and $25 per summer term. Increasing the advising fee would generate an estimated additional revenue of $261,657. The additional revenue from the increase of the advising fee would go toward three full-time advisors, training, additional student-worker hours and a profile for AdvisorTrac, a student tracking software program. In the summary of the tuition and fee increase hearings, O’Brien lists the advising fee that students from various Texas schools currently pay, which are higher than what WT students currently pay. “I think it’s unfair to justify price increases by comparing it to rates
from other schools,” Abigail Walsh, sophomore Music Therapy major, said. “The lower prices at WT is one of the reasons that so many people come here.” In addition to the increase of the advising fee, there will be an additional Accreditation Enhancement Fee for undergraduate and graduate students in the Social Work and Education programs, respectively. A pdf (portable document file) of the PowerPoint presentation from the hearings can be found at http://www.wtamu.edu/about/ public-hearings.aspx. The university will seek authority to increase its tuition and fees from the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents at its meeting in May.
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FEATURE
OPINION
Scarbrough speaks of WTAMU’s influence.
Faculty may pay more for parking.
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NEWS
WTAMU to host 34th annual Showcase of Music
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he School of Music at West Texas A&M University will host the 34th annual Showcase of Music Friday, Feb. 28 at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts in Amarillo. The event will start with a pre-show beginning in the Center’s lobby at 7:20 p.m. The evening’s program will include performances by the concert band, symphonic band and percussion ensemble and two chamber ensembles named winners of the annual Showcase competition. The event’s finale performance will feature the WTAMU symphony orchestra and choirs and will be comprised of both current and former students in a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Since the department’s first Showcase of Music in 1980, more than $500,000 has been added to the program’s scholarship funds. This year’s event will include the announcement of the recipients of the 2014-2015 Mercer scholarships.
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Tickets for the event will be sold at multiple locations including the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex Room 202, Tarpley’s Music in Amarillo, and at the door the night of the event. Tickets are priced at $10 for adults and $5 for students.
Cruz named to Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators
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ary J. Cruz, instructor of mathematics, was one of the nine faculty members in The Texas A&M University System to be named as a 2014 recipient of the Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators. Cruz, along with the other nine recipients, will be recognized during the annual banquet of the Chancellor’s Century Council Feb. 21 in College Station. Each faculty member will receive a $1,000 stipend, commemorative medallion and a certificate. They will also serve on the selection committee for future nominations and will be asked
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to present at the Chancellor’s Summit on Teacher Education in the fall.
International author to speak at Willson Lecture Series
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T’s Willson Lecture Series and the WT Ministerial Alliances will host international author and speaker Nabeel Qureshi of Ravo Zacharias International Ministries (RAIM) at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27 at the Alumni Banquet Facility. In his upcoming book “Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus,” Qureshi describes his intellectual and spiritual journey from Islam to Christianity. The book tells a story of the clash between Islam and Christianity. Qureshi describes how pursuit of the religion in which he was raised led him to Christianity through friendships, investigations, dreams and visions. Cameron McAllister, a member of the speaking and
REPORTERS
Cheyenne Black Alyssa Bonner Kyle Coulter Jacob Helker Jessica Malacara Laci McGee Brooke Self Preston Thomas
February 25, 2014 | theprairienews.com
writing team at RZIM, will also speak. Qureshi and McAllister will engage in a question and answer session regarding common questions surrounding Christianity.
Cornette Library to host documentary screening from “Created Equal” series
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ornette Library will host a screening on Tuesday, Feb. 25 in a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) entitled “Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle.” Portions of the documentary film The Loving Story will be shown from 7 to 9 p.m. in room 220 of Old Main. The Loving Story is about a Virginia couple that was arrested in 1958 for breaking the Virginia Racial Integrity Act of 1924, which forbade interracial marriage. The documentary follows Richard Loving and his wife Mildred, who was of African
SPORTS REPORTERS Wyatt Miller Jose Robledo Tanner Sims
COLUMNIST Nathan Slaughter
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Christopher Brockman
American and Native American descent, as they fight for the recognition of their marriage up to the Supreme Court. Dr. Marty Kuhlman, professor of History at WT, will facilitate the discussion on the documentary. America is marking the anniversaries of the Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington in 2013, and Cornette Library is one of more than 450 libraries, churches and other groups across the country to receive film sets of The Abolitionists, Slavery by Another Name, The Loving Story and Freedom Riders for the “Created Equal” series. The documentaries are the backbone of the series and outline the story of the civil rights movement from its early period in the 1820s to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1967 overturning laws forbidding interracial marriage. “Created Equal” is part of the Bridging Cultures initiative of the NEH.
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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 25, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Readership WT to travel to Uganda Jasmin Ruiz Reporter
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est Texas A&M University has a Common Reader Book for freshman’s to read at the beginning of the fall semester. This year’s common reader book was Doc Henley’s “Wine to Water”, a story about a man who went from bartending to helping find clean water for the world. More than 300 freshman students wrote an essay for the Readership essay contest, and 11 of them were chosen to go to Uganda in March to help Doc Henley and his organization. “I have never been on a plane,” Alfredo Rosendo, freshman mechanical engineering major, said. “A 13 hour plane ride is a little frightening.” Aside from the fear of flight Rosendo said he is very anxious and excited about the opportunity that was given to him. For many students, this will be the first time to travel overseas and a trip to a foreign country takes additional preparation. Some of the added preparation includes getting vaccinations and anti-malaria shots. Students will also have to pack the right clothing and equipment, as they will
be partnering with Doc Hendley on his water projects. “We will be attending church services,” Abby Betts, freshman graphic design major, said. “It will be part of our cultural experience.” Not only will the students be experience part of the cultural while in Uganda, but will also help out with the building of wells and filters. In addition to this, they will also be teaching some of the locals how to use the wells. While in Uganda the students will be traveling to Murchison Falls National Park and the River Nile. The readership process consists of reading the book, writing the essay, and then submitting the essay to the contest. Of those who submitted only 17% of the 300 students were chosen to continue to the next round. The students are then required to go through an interviewing process before the final group is chosen. “I didn’t make it, Jessica Moore, freshman Ad/Pr major, said. “My first reaction was really sad, but then I thought about it and came to the conclusion that it should simply be honored that I made it that far.” The students will be leaving March 6 and will return on March 17.
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Nursing Department promotes health Alyssa Bonner Reporter
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enior Nursing students are teaming up with United supermarkets in Amarillo to perform free health screenings. Adults can receive a health screening on Tuesdays at Amigos on I-40 and Grand and Wednesdays at United on 45th and Bell from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until March 5. The health screenings
include a number of things. “We do a finger stick for blood glucose. We do blood pressure, height and weight and we do a BMI off of that,” Ryan Chisum, senior Nursing major, said. “We don’t try to treat any of these things, we just make them aware.” The students also created fliers and pamphlets that cover a wide variety of topics including family health, immunizations,
type 2 diabetes, men’s health, breast cancer and more. “We are doing the health screenings to promote health in the community and get people aware of getting their health checked regularly because a lot of people don’t get their checkups,” Chisum said. “They don’t realize that they have high blood pressure or high glucose.” The students are partnered with United supermarkets in order to reach a large number of citizens in the community. “Both Amigos and United at 45th and Bell impact a variety of cultures in our community,” Nancy Turrubiates, Bachelor of Science instructor in the Nursing program, said. “The goal was to establish a community partnership and give the students an opportunity to network with a variety of individuals.” The opportunity to add the health screenings was discussed with the United supermarkets
and both stores agreed it would be a great idea. “They really want us there,” Chisum said. “They really get involved with this.” The health screenings have been a success for the students. “As faculty for this course, I am pleased with the way things have gone so far in the screenings,” Turrubiates said. “We have already screened over 50 individuals and yet to complete this project.” Nursing students have performed the free health screenings in the past as part of their Populations course and have done other community outreach events as well. “The students who are taking the Populations class, which focuses on community health, do them every semester as part of their assignments,” Severin Witte, senior Nursing major, said. “I was able to do some last semester, which included a health screening at Fair on
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PHOTO COURTESY OF NANCY TURRUBIATES Nursing students (left to right) Kyler Wiggins, Lindsay Sheffield and Meagan Jennings participate in the free health screenings.
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the Square, a flu shot clinic in the JBK and a health fair for the homeless in Amarillo.” This semester, the health fair for the homeless will take place on April 29 at Guyon-Saunders in Amarillo. “We’ll get our donations throughout the community, both Amarillo and Canyon and the Health department will come and help with supplies,” Chisum said. “We’ll get a restaurant to help cater. It’s always been successful.” The students are expecting about 150 participants in the health fair for the homeless. By doing various community outreach events, the Nursing department at WT hopes to make a positive impact on the health of the community. “If we can affect one person in making positive changes to their health, then we have succeeded,” Turrubiates said.
NEWS
February 25, 2014 | theprairienews.com
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WTAMU’s Career Expo to happen Feb. 27 B.J. Brittain Reporter
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here is it possible to speak to potential employers, learn about different industries and possibly land a job for after graduation? As fantastic as it sounds, such an event does exist: the Spring 2014 Career Expo. This event, which is sponsored by WT Career Services and will be held on Feb. 27 in the JBK Legacy Hall, is a general job fair where employers from multiple fields come speak to students. The Expo will begin at 10 a.m. and end at two that afternoon. There are numerous reasons why Career Services holds this
event. “Its purpose is really twofold,” Kim Muller, Assistant Director of Career Services, said. “It is a job fair for
“A lot of times your skill set is what helps you get a job versus your specfic degree.” -Kim Muller students seeking internships as well as for students who are graduating and need a job for after graduation. It also acts as a source of information for students who aren’t sure about what they want to do after
graduation.” The Expo is designed to target a large variety of majors, with many diverse companies coming to the event, such as police departments and accounting firms. However, students are encouraged to speak to all of the employers at the event. “A lot of times your skill set is what helps you get a job versus your specific degree,” Muller said. “A company may not be looking for a History major, but could be looking for someone with problem solving and critical thinking skills, which a history degree would help you get.” Muller also went on to explain that this event is a great way to make initial contact, and
that it is a good idea for younger students to attend the event, as job hunting can be intimidating if one waits too long. With an expected attendance of around 500 students, the Career Expo is well supported by the students of the university. “I think it’s a good idea to talk to potential employers,” Francesco lo Sauro, a freshman History major, said. “These days, having connections is almost as important as a degree, and this can really help you get your foot in the door.” The night before the event will be the Pre-Fair Reception, which will allow students to visit with the employers in a more relaxed environment. This reception will also take place in the JBK Legacy Hall
from 6-8 p.m. on Feb. 26. The Pre-Fair Reception is also well attended by students who want to make a good impression on local employers. “It is important to get to talk to them like that so that you can get to know them and make them have a good opinion of you,” Chance Fox, a sophomore Music Education major, said. “Sometimes it’s not what you know, not even who you know but how well you know them, so this is a good way to do that.” Overall, the Career Expo, as well as the Pre-Fair Reception, are both helpful ways to meet potential employers, gain an internship or learn about the field one is interested in.
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SPORTS
or what has been called the underwear Olympics, the NFL Combine has grown from year to year. The current top eligible draft prospects participate in an array of drills to gauge their NFL potential. The NFL invites 335 college football players each year. West Texas A&M has two participants, quarterback Dustin Vaughan and defensive end Ethan Westbrooks. Both individuals have enjoyed successful careers during their playing days, boasting school records to prove it. Vaughan is WTAMU’s all-time passing leader and Westbrooks holds the school record in sack totals. Aside from WT, the combine hosts the top prospects and gives those players the opportunity to showcase their abilities on a stage in front of the whole world to see. Players go through a number of tests and evaluations during their time in Indianapolis. The players are measured for their hand size, wingspan, height and weight as well as flexibility. The prospects also are tested on their athletic ability in drills such as the 40yard dash, shuttle runs and the L-drill. The players finish their on-the-field tests with position
February 25, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Slaughter’s Sports Talk Prairie Sports Columnist Nathan Slaughter weighs in on any and everything sports each week.
work in various drills. Aside from the resume, a player must build with his performance during games, as the combine can be a make or break event for prospects. It can come as a disappointment for prospects that measure in smaller than expected. There are standards for the measurables at certain positions and a lack to meet those standards can harm a player’s draft stock. Dustin Vaughan impressed scouts with his 6 foot 5 inch, 235 pound frame; yet his measures in hand size is a knock against him. One thing I can say is, as being a former teammate and wide receiver that has caught passes from him, he throws the ball hard. Small hands or not, he jammed my pinky one day in practice from a ball that had so much zip that my pinky still hurts to this day. Nonetheless, there is a supposed “science” to the evaluations at the combine; the measurables are used to compare former and current players to the prospects. It can be tough on pro hopefuls if there isn’t a player that scouts can compare to in the measurable compartment. The event that everyone
wants to see is the 40-yard dash. The forty is measurement of straight-line speed and athleticism. It takes a good stride, along with stride frequency and lower body power to post a great time. The fastest time recorded is held by current Tennessee Titan running back Chris Johnson, with a 4.24. Heading into this year’s combine, prospects Sammy Watkins, De’Anthony Thomas, Justin Gilbert and Dri Archer are the names with potential to break the record. Sports apparel brand Adidas is offering $100,000 to the
player who posts the fastest time wearing their new Adizero Five Star 40 cleats. So I went to the tape to see which player had the highest potential to earn this 100k. I studied each player and determined that if Dri Archer decided to wear the Adizero cleats, that he would win the cash. I decided this, primarily due to how much ground he covers in five yards when he appears to be at his top end speed on film. In numerous clips, I saw him cover five yards in one to two steps, which is insanely fast. Closing out Day Four of the NFL Combine, Dri Archer, a running back from Kent State, had posted the fastest time with a 4.26. That is .02 seconds slower than the record held by Johnson at 4.24. The defensive backs have yet to run, but I doubt anyone posts a time faster. Archer came into the combine, claiming he would
break the record. What doesn’t make sense is why he didn’t wear the Adizero cleats. Archer boasted the confidence that he was the fastest, yet he didn’t give himself an opportunity to win the 100k. Currently, wide receiver from Oregon State, Brandin Cooks, is the front-runner to win the money with a time of 4.33. The defensive backs still have to run, so it will be interesting to see who wins the challenge set by Adidas. Although, I believe Adidas should have opened up the challenge to all eligible prospects and not just those competing in Indianapolis. The fastest player may or may not be there. Who knows, maybe I could be in the running. If you want to state my care, check YouTube to see my fastest time recorded up until this point, titled “Nathan Slaughter 40 Yard Dash”.
SPORTS
February 25, 2014 | theprairienews.com
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Buffs Basketball tumbles down stretch Wyatt Miller Sports Reporter
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tumbling down the stretch proved fatal to the West Texas A&M Buffalo men’s basketball team as the #3 ranked Texans of Tarleton State outlasted the Buffs at the Wisdom Gym in Stephenville 81-68, on Feb. 15 while the same ailments helped the Lions of Texas A&M-Commerce steal a 84-83 victory from the Buffs on Feb 22 at the First United Bank Center. On Feb. 15 against Tarleton, the Buffs played well by the first timeout of the game, lead 11-8 with 15:48 left. However, the Texans dominated the offensive boards in the first half, but hot shooting from the Buffs kept them slightly ahead, and by the first media timeout, the Buffs led 20-18. The last few minutes of the first half were intense, as WTAMU senior guard Drimir Ferguson knocked down several
three-point shots and a few free throws to give the Buffs a 37-31 lead. Tarleton would come back and tie the game at 37 apiece with just seconds remaining in the first half. A last second dunk from WT junior forward David Duncan would send the Buffs into the locker room with a twopoint half time lead, 39-37. The Texans came out of the locker room on fire, and went on a 14-2 scoring run to reclaim the lead at 56-47 and forcing a WT timeout. The teams traded a few misses, and at the under-12 minute timeout, the Texans led 59-52. WT would come out of the timeout and connect on the next two shots and with 9:22 left to play, cutting the Texans lead to three at 60-57. Offensive rebounds for the Texans sealed the deal as time began to expire in Stephenville. The closing minutes of the game saw the Buffs slowly fade away and fall to the Texans. The Buffs were led by Ferguson with 24 points and
junior guard Tez Dumars with 11. Junior forward Antjuan Ball and junior guard Keon Pledger each recorded 8 points for Buffs. On Feb. 22, the Buffs started the game shooting well. This was initiated by WT senior guard David Gibbs who sank a NBA-caliber three-pointer for the first points of the game before Commerce answered with their own deep three pointer. Commerce would take the early lead at 9-7 with 14:36 on the clock. A Pledger three pointer would give the Buffs a 14-11 lead with 12:10 left in the first half. A Duncan layup and two free throws from Pledger would give the Buffs a 19-15 lead. The Buffs held on to a small lead until the Lions tied the game 23-23 on a fast break layup with 7:36 remaining in the first half. The Buffs and Lions traded buckets to finish up
the first half of play, and at the break, the Buffs led 41-36. The Lions came out of the locker room with a vengeance, sinking a three-point shot and tying the Buffs at 51 all with 15:40 left. The Buffs answered with a scoring run to reclaim the lead 61-56 with 10:54 left to play. The Lions went on a run of their own, taking a 7671 lead with 4:53 left. The Buffs countered with another offensive run to take an 82-78 lead with 2:24 left on the clock. The teams then traded buckets and with less than one minute to play, the Buffs had a twopoint lead at 82-80. The Lions were fouled on a three-point shot their next possession and made all three free throws to
take a one-point lead at 83-82 with ten seconds left to play. A last second desperation shot would not fall for the Buffs and they drop the final home game of the season. Leading scorers for the Buffs were Pledger with 19 point, Ferguson with 17, and junior guard Miles Gatewood with 14. With the heartbreaking loss, the Buffs fell to 10-15 (2-11, LSC) on the season while the LSC leading Texans cruise to 23-1 overall (12-1, LSC) with a victory over Eastern New Mexico while the Lions improve to 17-8 (6-7, LSC). The Buffs will finish the 2014 regular season on March 1 in Portales against Eastern New Mexico. Tipoff is set for 8:30 pm.
Save the Date!
We Fight Cancer Celebration and Dinner!
Upcoming Home Events
Come help us honor our Survivors & Caregivers March 6, 2014 from 6 - 8 pm Cole Community Center, Palo Duro Room
FEB. 28
Baseball vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville Wilder Park at 7 p.m.
MARCH 1
Baseball vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville Wilder Park at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
FEB 15
Baseball vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville Wilder Park at 1 p.m.
For more information contact Jolenna Wright at 806-676-6593 Relay For Life is April 11-12, 2014 at WTAMU Buffalo Sports Park www.relayforlife.org/canyontx Find us on Facebook and Twitter
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ENTERTAINMENT
February 25, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Yellow City Mini Con draws in a crowd Laci McGee Reporter
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n Feb.22, there was a mini comic convention put on by YC3 (Yellow City Comicbook Convention). This con was held at The Table’s Edge Gaming and Comic store. The comic con lasted from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Yellow City Mini Comic Con helped raise money through donations for the Children’s Miracle Network. “It’s pretty big for a mini con,” Brett Strobel, a graduate student studying English at WTAMU, said. This mini con had artists and vendors from all around the region and from all over Texas. Also present at the con was Amarillo Steampunk. This group will be hosting the first con to be held at an amusement park. That will be on May 31st of this year at Wonderland in Amarillo.
The con will include Steampunk artists and groups from all around the country and possibly all around the world. The entry price will be the same as it is to get into Wonderland normally. The con will have a story line and is from 1 p.m. until 10 p.m. At 8:30 p.m., there will be a free concert by Marquis of Vaudeville. “I’m really tickled with the turnout,” Keith Lathan, a member of Amarillo Steampunk, said. Also present at the Yellow City Mini Con was Amtgard. They are a live action role-play group and their chapter kingdom is called Barony of Evermore Hollow. They meet every Saturday at Conner Park in Canyon at 3 p.m. Anyone who wishes to join is welcome. Amtgard is a nationwide and international organization. “This [con] is pretty successful, glad that we could be part of
it,” Darren Seymour, a vendor at the mini con for Recycled Entertainment, said. Yellow City Con is not affiliated with AMA-Con. The Friends of the Amarillo Public Library put on AMA-Con, but they do like to work together. YC3 has a free comic book day on May 3rd and their next mini con is October 25th of this year. These mini cons are in preparation for their big event in 2015 which will be at Sunset Center. “We are hoping to grow for the next mini con,” Darren Hutchinson, one the members of the YC3, said. He is one of the members who helped organize the mini con. Also present at the mini comic con were many tabletop gamers. Ed Packineau, a senior secondary education mathematics major, was there to promote his new ste-
Theater opens show
Cheyenne Black Reporter
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TAMU’s first production of the spring semester, “The Government Inspector,” started on Feb. 21 at the Branding Iron Theatre. Each semester, the theatre switches off between comedy and drama. This particular production is a comedy written by Nikolai Gogol. The play was adapted by Jeffery Hatcher and was directed by Royal Brantley. “We expected [the play to be] a mystery,” Maddy Sander, a freshman in Music Theater, said. In Imperial Russia of 1839, the mayor of a small town receives notice that there is an inspector from St. Petersburg that has been in town for a week. The mayor franticly sends out for the most influential people throughout the community to try and skew the inspector’s view of the town. Hijinks and she-
nanigans ensue. All the while, the inspector feels worthless and has no reason to live. The mayor then bursts into the inspector’s room at the local Inn, where he introduces himself and they agree upon a mutual bribery. Throughout the play, the townspeople also become part of the conspiracy. The production wraps up with a twist in the end that would surprise the theatregoer. “When I first read the script, I loved it,” Brantley, professor of Art, Theatre and Dance, said. The play was written as though it was being seen through Gogol’s eyes. Brantley showcased the play based on human foolishness and was by highlighted the absence of doors and use of the art of slow motion acting during particular scenes. “I think the play is unusual and funny,” Doris Middlebrooke, the grandfather of actress Allison Simpson, said.
ampunk game, Tephra. “I absolutely love it, it’s a great idea,” Packineau said when asked how he liked the mini con. The group chose to raise donations for the Children’s Miracle Network when a little boy, who is about four, began coming into the store to buy a toy after his chemotherapy treatments. The members of YC3 were hoping to raise a $1,000 to donate to the Children’s Miracle Network. “I’m pleasantly surprised that we have had such a large turnout,” Heather Hutchinson, another member the YC3, said. A little after 5 p.m., Steve Cardenas, who played the Red Ranger for the 90s show Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers and appeared in the motion picture
adaption, arrived at the Yellow City Mini Comic Con. He signed autographs and took pictures with his fans of all ages. He was there in support of a friend who works with the Guardian Antibullying Campaign. Cardenas said that he has 18 conventions lined up so far this year and when he is not meeting fans, he teaches martial arts. “I love it, I do this six months out of the year,” Cardenas said. More information about Yellow City Mini Con is available through Facebook at www.facebook.com/yellowcitycon. More information about the Wonderland Steampunk Convention is available at steampunkworldofwonderland.com.
GAMES
February 25, 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
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10 FEATURE
February 25, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Scarbrough maintains his ties with WT Tyler Anderson Co-Editor
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irk Scarbrough, the Director of Internal Communication of Teach for America, conducted the keynote speech and multimedia presentation during the middle of Communication Week on Feb. 18, taking the place of former presidential speechwriter, Jon Favreau. Beforehand, Favreau had messaged the head of the Department of Communication, Dr. Trudy Hanson, citing that he had caught an illness and was unable to make the trip. However, Favreau told Hanson that he is hopeful to return to West Texas and was open to visit-
ing West Texas A&M sometime soon. Tabbed as keynote speaker at the last minute, Scarbrough is an alumnus of WTAMU. Scarbrough has also gained a collection of valuable experiences and accolades in his time with Teach for America thus far, ranging from teaching third graders in San Antonio to joining their internal communications team in New York City. “So whenever I was thinking about prepping for this speech, I thankfully had enough thought about what I wanted the students to hear at the Alumni Table Talk [on Feb. 17],” Scarbrough said. “It was very fortunate that I didn’t have to
reiterate any points that I may potentially speak about [on the evening of Feb. 18]. I started to think about what kind of content I wanted the student population to hear. They are my number one audience that I’m talking to.” At the keynote speech, Scarbrough used his experiences from WTAMU and his work through Teach for America to relate to the students who attended the event on Feb. 18. Before graduating from West Texas A&M University with a degree in Communication Studies, Scarbrough was student body president, a member of the WT forensics team and was named Man of the Year in his
WT’s Food Pantry
Laci McGee Reporter
W
est Texas A&M University, through the work of students, the student government and student affairs, has decided to open a food pantry. This pantry is currently in a temporary location at the old information desk in the JBK. The Grand Opening will be on March 18. “We have been working really hard to get to this point,” Meredith Perdue, a senior nursing major, said. “We need to get some awareness on what it is, what it is going to be.” Currently, the main method to raise money for the pantry there are Souper Tuesday events. Students can pay $2 to the pantry or bring two cans of food for a bowl of soup. More donations of food and/or money are welcome. This pantry, once open, will be for all students. The hours of operation currently are Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. At that time, the hope is that the food pantry will be manned by
volunteer organizations. However, if a student cannot get to the pantry during its hours of operation, then they are welcome to ask the CORE office to open the pantry for them. “It is a great opportunity for students to get involved,” Leif Knippers, finance major and student body president, said. “I hope it is something that will become part of WT’s tradition.” Anyone can donate money to the pantry, but food is preferred. The WTAMU food pantry works in conjunction with the High Plains Food Bank. Non-perishables are needed, also many students live in dorms, and food that can be cooked in a dorm room is also needed. Organizations are asked to help run the food pantry and to possibly work to organize it. “I think it is a fantastic idea,” Stephanie Brackett, Assistant Director of Student Activities, said. “To have something that students can go get food and not think they are on welfare is great.”
senior year by CORE. “It was amazing,” Julia Greif, a grad student in the Communication master’s program, said about working with and introducing Scarbrough for the keynote speech. “[Scarbrough] was really down to earth and has done so many great things, so it was easy to talk about him and introduce such an awesome person.” According to Scarbrough, it was his ability to keep in touch with the faculty at West Texas A&M that aided his career path. “I was really thinking about what I wish I would have known when I was in WT, from freshman to senior year, as I started to navigate my path outward,”
Scarbrough said. “Thankfully, I have had the chance to stay in contact with the professors of WT and be able to talk about the things that I learned, the things that they probably taught me when I wasn’t listening. I start to think about things that I know that wasn’t a lesson learned, I had the opportunity to bounce those ideas off of them.” The company that Scarbrough currently works for, Teach for America, emphasizes the need for impoverished children in low-income communities to obtain an education. For more information about Teach for America, visit www. teachforamerica.org.
OPINION 11
February 25, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Faculty may pay more for same parking
B
efore the fall semester of 2012, parking on campus was divided up into different zones. Each zone was reserved for different groups, and each group had a specific parking permit that corresponded with their zones. The zones were color coded, with teachers allowed to park in green spots and students allowed to park in blue and white striped spots. Even now, one can see that the green spots are closer to
the classroom buildings so that the professors could park closer to the buildings in which they taught. Of course, the permits for teachers had a higher price tag than that of the student permits, since they got the better parking spots. Once the university made the controversial switch to open parking, the teachers lost these parking spots, but were still required to pay more for their permit. While most did not like this decision, they cooperated
with the rules and bought the more expensive permits. However, it has now been proposed to raise the price of parking for professors even more. Even though the professors get no special privileges with the more expensive permits, the school wants to charge them more for the same rights that everyone else has. This does not seem like the right course of action. It does not follow any sort of logical or
ethical reasoning to raise the cost of parking for faculty even after taking the privileges that they were paying extra for away. It simply does not make sense on any level to make this change. With the institution of the open parking system, faculty members have only a few choices. They can either get to campus extremely early to park, park far away and walk like everyone else or park at the First United Bank Center and catch a ride on the shuttle to
campus. How can the university charge these people more when the professors gain nothing? In fact, they have actually lost privileges, or sleep, in all of this parking turmoil. While the university may need to come up with some extra money to cover expenses, this is not the way to go about it. The strength and quality of our faculty are some of the greatest assets of the school. There are many students who come to WT because the faculty here is so great. Is this the way to reward these men and women for doing their duties so well? While giving faculty members special parking privileges can be controversial, charging them more while giving them nothing in return is even more so. It seems there are two choices that would be fair for all parties involved. Either the university go back to having zone parking so that they can charge faculty more to have better parking, or they do not raise the cost of faculty parking in the open parking system. Charging faculty more to park like everyone else just does not portray the kind of ethics that the university has shown in other matters and should not happen.
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PHOTOS
February 25, 2014 | theprairienews.com
YC3 at The Table’s Edge Comic Store
THOMAS KOENIG/THE PRAIRIE Michael Chavez cosplays as deadmau5.
LACI MCGEE/THE PRAIRIE Bryan Oliver and Robert Sanders III display their steampunk enthusiasm.
THOMAS KOENIG/THE PRAIRIE Steve Cardenas poses to evoke his Red Power Ranger past.
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