ThePRAIRIE
February 18, 2015
Vol. 97 Iss. 18
Two sexual assaults have been reported on the WTAMU campus since January 31. read more on page 3
Design by: Matthew Donaghy and Megan Moore
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Political Science club hosts public forum on
Professor develops new alloy
WT football team gains recruits
Shotgun Rider performs benefit concert
Guy P. Yates remembered by former students
2 NEWS NEWS
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Buff News Briefs
Staff EDITOR Megan Moore ASSOCIATE EDITOR Alyssa Bonner ADVISER Dr. Butler Cain AD MANAGER Alyssa Bonner LAYOUT DESIGNERS Alyssa Bonner Megan Moore Russell Sanderson
Photographers Natalia Molina
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.
Denevi talks ADHD in Lecture Series
Students beta test Time Code Sync Master
imothy Denevi is the author of Hyper: A Personal History of ADHD and will read and discuss his memoir as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center in Legacy Hall. Denevi was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and was subject to a barrage of treatments for hyperactivity in the 1980s. These treatments included Ritalin which triggered a psychotic reaction, as well as behavior theraphy, antidepressants and a liquid diet. More than four million children are medicated for hyperactivity today. The lecture is free and open to the public. A reception will immediately fllow Denevi’s lecture.
West Texas A&M University alumnus with a passion for film making has given a group of WTAMU students an opportunity of a lifetime with the beta testing of a product that could revolutionize the world of video production. Paul Miller, who graduated from WTAMU with a M.B.A. in 2011, is working with Dr. Leigh Browning, professor of business communication and marketing and the Jerry Miller Professor of Entrepreneurship, and the student group MEDIAMinds in the testing of a new digital slate called a Time Code Sync Master.
College of Business announces Professorships
iles Gatewood, senior on the West Texas A&M University basketball team, was named as the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week and was honored Monday, Feb. 16. afternoon. Gatewood is the second Buff to pick up offensive weekly honors from the LSC this season after leading WT to two league wins last week and tallying a career-high 29 points on Saturday.Four other players have been recognized as LSC Players of the Week this season. These players include Freshman Carl White on Dec. 16, Freshman David Chavlovich on Jan. 5 and Senior Antjuan Bal on Feb. 2. The Buffs currently sit in fifth place in the LSC.
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he College of Business has announced the appointment of four new endowed professorship for the spring of 2015 and the establishment of a new professorship to be filled in the fall. Dr. Sharon Burnett has been named the Gene Edwards Professor of Accounting. Dr. Leigh Browning has been named the Jerry Miller Professor of Entrepreneurship. Dr. Jeffry Babb has been named the Phil Gensler Professor of Computer Information Systems. Dr. Bin Shao has been named the Terry Professor of Business.
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Gatewood honored as Player of the Week
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February 18, 2015
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3 NEWS NEWS
UPD investigates three reported assaults at WT Jasmin Ruiz Reporter
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est Texas A&M University has had three reported assaults on campus since Jan. 31. The most recent incident was reported on Feb. 15 to the University Police Department. A female resident of Stafford Hall reported an ex-boyfriend entered her dorm after hours, without permission, and attempted to sexually assault her. On Tuesday, Feb. 17, UPD issued a statement that 21-yearold Terrell Maurice Mason of Canyon was arrested with-
out incident and booked into the Randall County Jail. Mason is a WTAMU student but did not live on campus. Another incident was reported on Feb. 11 when a female was pushed up against her vehicle by an unknown male in his early 30s. The female had her keys in hand and was able to set off the vehicle alarm and the male ran away. UPD will continue to look for this individual and is requesting any additional information. On Jan. 31 a female was sexually assaulted in Jarrett Hall by a WT student known to the victim. The victim went to a local hospital in Amarillo. The
Title IX Coordinator for WT has been notified of the incident. “The case is still under investigation at this time,” Shawn Burns, Chief of Police at West Texas A&M University, said. “The University Police Department is a full service police department and employs investigators as a part of our department.” When a case of sexual assault happens, there is a specific process that goes with it. Once a report is made it is immediately assigned to a detective. Evidence and suspects are reviewed, and once all information is gathered, it goes through a District Attorney office for consider-
Public forum inspires change Kaley Green Reporter
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est Texas A&M University’s Political Science Club hosted a public forum titled Profiling: Why? last Thursday night in the Senate Chamber inside of the Jack B. Kelley Student Center beginning at 6:30 p.m. Many campus organizations were represented at the event, such as the Black Men’s Association, the Black Women’s Association, the Hispanic Student Association and the Secular Student Alliance. Although both University Police and Canyon Police officers were absent, a panel of retired law enforcement officers were present and able to give a law enforcement insight. The event began with a short presentation in which profiling was defined
as, “The use of personal characteristics or behavior patterns to make generalizations to determine whether a person may be engaged in illegal activity.” The presentation then shifted to how profiling is sometimes used to make critical decisions based on age, income, religion, culture and sexual orientation. Whether such uses of profiling are justifiable or not, they occur daily in the U.S. Statistics were given about incarceration rates for the same drug charges against white, black and Latino men in Texas. Black men were three times more likely to face incarceration than their white counterparts, and Latinos twice as likely. A study the Political Science Club found from 2013, reported police officers were 46.5 times more likely to be assaulted than civilians. “It won’t change until we change
some societal problems,” George Williams, retired Amarillo police officer, said. “Change will come from educating officers, diversity in the ranks and properly made laws.” CPD, though absent to the forum, sent a document about the complaint process. Citizens that feel they have been profiled in encounters with police can follow the steps listed in the document. Once the presentation was complete, the floor was open to all in attendance to share their experiences. “There is an internalized racism that everyone has,” Nataziah Gipson, Public Relations major said. “Those in power have hard jobs, but they perpetuate the stereotypes more. I think that this event was beneficial.” “Trying to build a stronger connection with law enforcement will help,” Lucell Hanson said.
ation and potential charges. With a case of this nature, the District Attorney will present all gathered information to a grand jury who decides if there will be a warrant for that person’s arrest. The assault reported on Feb. 1 is still in the process of being presented to the District Attorney. “The University police department has always provided assistance,” Burns said. “The more people notify us, the more we are able to stop an issue before it gets serious.” In a recent interview with some female students around campus, many expressed concern when walk-
ing to their cars after dusk. “Sometimes I feel scared when I walk to my car,” Lluvia Vidaña, senior Public Relations major, said. “When I park close to my classes, I feel secure, but it still feels a little scary with all the emails and alerts we get.” Other female students reported carrying pepper spray or a whistle with them. Students are able to contact UPD for an escort to their cars anytime. “You are not alone,” Edward Akinyemi Student Body President, said. “Here you have a home, and here you can trust people.”
Happy Valentine’s Day from the Cornette Library & Pippa’s Coffee Shop! $1 off any beverage or pastry at Pippa’s Coffee Shop Limit one (1) coupon per person per purchase. Not to be combined with any other coupons, sales, or promotions. Not applicable to mug refills. Expiration Date: 03/13/2015
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February 18, 2015
Education more accessible with online programs David Duenes Reporter
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eceiving a college education is becoming more accessible. In the past, students had to make time to get to class, make sure they knew what room they were in and write notes by hand until class let out. While this is still the case for some students, others are finding a new way to achieve academic success. West Texas A&M University is among many universities to offer distance education programs. Distance education refers to the online classroom aspect of higher education. One can take classes and receive
the same information from the comfort of their own home as s/he would in a physical classroom setting. Online students can go over lecture notes, view PowerPoint presentations and take online quizzes and exams. It is all the elements of a collegelevel class for the same amount of credit hours on an online platform. Instructor Kim Bruce believes there are many benefits to online degree programs. “Probably one of the best benefits to our students is the flexibility,” Bruce said. “It probably, at the same time, could be their biggest challenge.” Online degrees create opportunities for prospective stu-
dents who don’t have the time to attend classes in person. Single parents, small business owners, grandparents and recent high school graduates are among those who can and do take advantage of such programs. Distance education allows a student to create his or her own schedule that can fit into their everyday life. Bruce also said there are dangers that can stem from trying to do too many things, ultimately causing a breakdown for the student. When asked if the success rate for online students was higher or lower than students who take traditional classes, she found that not all students are created equal.
“Now, having had more than five years teaching both formats, I would say that they just learn differently,” Bruce said. “I think face-to-face students do better with group learning, but students online might develop their writing ability and their ability to think critically quickly. I can see the benefits of both.” Director of Advising Services Rebekah Bachman said there are many programs to choose from when it comes to online degree programs. “At the bachelor level, there are several in Applied Arts and Sciences as well as Criminal Justice and Business Administration,” Bachman said.
She added that students who do not wish to complete their degree entirely online can still take distance education classes. “There are lots of programs that offer some online classes,” Bachman said. “There are even options in core that are available. You can handpick what you want to take online.” Distance education is becoming more popular. No matter the reason for wanting to take an online class, students are handed the information and essentially teaching themselves. For more information regarding distance education, call 1-855-WTAMU-4U (1-855-9826848).
In these guidelines, it lists when employees from the school, such as maintenance workers, have the right to enter the room. “We have the right through contract guidelines that each student signs to enter the room if a work order is filled out,” Cindy Spencer, Director of Residential Living, said. “Also, say there is a leaky pipe or something like that, if it’s an upstairs room, we also check the downstairs room for any damage.” Spencer also noted that there are routine maintenance checks, but students are usually notified of this ahead of time. “There are times [when] we notify students of routine maintenance,” Spencer said. “We usually do this over the break and we let the students know before they go on break that maintenance will occur so they can move certain things around
so areas in the room can be reached for maintenance.” When it comes to residential assistants entering a student’s room, Spencer noted the RAs can not just key into a room whenever they want. “For an RA to enter a student’s room, they must go through the hall coordinator of that particular dorm to get permission,” Spencer said. “The only other time RAs are able to enter a room is for things such as health and safety checks, which RAs give notice about days in advance and list out the time and day for those checks.” An RA from Jarrett Hall voiced the same, stating it’s a safe bet to check with the hall coordinator as an RA before keying into the room. “So, basically as an RA, it’s a safe bet not to key into the room unless it’s a health and safety
check,” Roper Kerby, junior Communication major and RA in Jarrett Hall, said. “The trick about health and safety checks is that we post it ahead in time so the residents know what’s going to happen, but as far as me keying into the room, as an RA, it’s a safe bet to get a coordinator.” Blake Gieseking, graduate student in psychology and hall coordinator of Jarrett Hall, said there are few instances of having to enter a student’s room. “If the RA has concerns that a student has someone after visitation hours in the room, they come get me, and if they student doesn’t open the door for me, which they usually do, I key in,” Gieseking said. “If it is suspected that the student is having a party type thing in their room with alcohol or is breaking university rules, or the
law in general, UPD is usually called.” Spencer said the only other time an RA enters a room without permission is when there are concerns about a particular student. “When a student hasn’t been heard from or seen in a couple of days and hasn’t answered their phone, we will usually check on the student just out of concern for their well-being,” Spencer said. “We may have a couple of employees go and key into the room to check on the student, or may even have a UPD officer back up the employee, just for health and safety reasons.” If students have any questions regarding their privacy in residence halls, they can contact any RA in their respective residence hall, or they can contact the Residential Living office at 806-651-3000.
Privacy concerns arise after improper photo case Russell Sanderson Reporter
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fter the improper photography incident that happened on Jan. 21, some students have had questions about the full scope of their privacy. Students wonder what privacy is guaranteed in places such as residence halls when someone who doesn’t work for the university can roam wherever they please. The residence halls turn into students’ home away from home, so most like to be reassured that their privacy is treated with utmost respect. Whenever a student moves into a residence hall, they sign a contract, much like that of a lease, that lists the particular guidelines and rules the student must follow in order to continue residing in their hall.
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5 NEWS NEWS
Dr. Hunt signs patent rights for commercialization Audrey Roberson Reporter
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mily Hunt, Director and Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, is the first of West Texas A&M University faculty member to have research accepted for commercialization. WT, the Texas A&M University System and Dr. Hunt signed a patent, giving permission for Aggie Venture Partners to license this invention for commercialization on Jan. 27. Angela Spaulding, Vice President for Research and
Compliance said Aggie Venture Partners selected to pursue the Antimicrobial Nano Alloy (ANA) license because it could be commercialized across a wide-ranging variety of industries and result in a greater return on investment. Hunt describes Antimicrobial Nano Alloy as a mixture of nanoscale materials that act as a structural coating that prevents bacteria from reproducing. It can be applied on many different kinds of surfaces such as metal, plastic or ceramic. It kills bacteria using nanoparticles of silver. “I have been working for
several years using combustion synthesis to make new materials,” Hunt said. “I wanted to be able to use my engineering research to help people. Nanosilver has been used forever to fight bacteria even when we didn’t know that is what we were using. So, I developed a material that is both structural and antibacterial.” Hunt composed the initial proof of theoretical experiments to insure that the nanoparticles of silver were safe enough to use in application. Then Hunt recruited senior Mechanical Engineering majors, Trent Kelly and Benton Allen construct antibacterial paint as well as investigate how to coat sand particles with ANA for use in clean water systems worldwide. “I didn’t know much about
this research until Dr. Hunt invited me to join her about a year and a half ago,” Kelly said. “There was quite a bit of literature that we read up on, but I was completely bought in because it wasn’t just academic research but practical research.” Allen said he and Kelly had the freedom to develop their own experiments with ANA’s. They spent hours at a time in the Energetic Materials Laboratory using combustion synthesis, to create different versions of the alloy. Carolyn Bouma, Associate Professor of Biology then validated Kelly and Allen’s work to prove that their ANA samples were effectively antibacterial. “[Kelly and Allen] are absolutely amazing,” Hunt said.” “They were the best choice for this project because they having
a unique mixture of creativity, hard work, and compassion that they incorporate with technical problem solving. These guys will find a way for our technology to reach people, to help people.” With the commercialization of the ANA, Hunt hopes to fund the lab and employ more undergrad researchers to continue to do more projects. Hunt even mentioned antibacterial clothing for the medical and food industries. “It has been extremely rewarding working with Dr. Hunt,” Kelly said. “She is not only smart and creative, but is also dedicated to helping us as students develop a mindset of thinking outside the box. She helps us students create new technologies that can make a difference.”
Audrey Roberson/The Prairie Dr. Emily Hunt, Trent Kelly and Benton Allen worked in the Energetic Materials Laboratory using combustion synthesis to create different versions of the alloy for the project.
6 SPORTS SPORTS
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February 18, 2015
National signing day brings new recruits to team Amberly Hildebrant Reporter
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he stands may be empty and the field does not have maroon and white running up and down, but West Texas A&M University football is in the minds of many people. National signing day was Feb. 4 and WTAMU has a new football recruiting class. The recruiting class consists of 19 offensive players, 13 defensive players, and one player on special teams. The recruiting class this year is small with only 33 players signing to the team. The only player not from Texas is Garrett Gibson from Valenicia High School in Los Lunas, New Mexico. “Any time you see kids move on and continue to play football, it is exciting. Exciting for the kids, knowing they are going to have a wonderful experience playing college football. Something not every everyone has the opportunity to do,” Kevin Jolley, Gibson’s high school coach, said. Jolley has coached Gibson for 3 years at Valencia High School. From our local area, WTAMU has signed Tevin Donald. Donald is a senior defensive back from Palo Duro High School in Amarillo, Texas. “I loved the environment, it seemed like a great place to be and I feel like I can get along with the coaches and the players very well as I continue to play football at the next level,” Donald said. “I’m excited to be able to continue my football career and to be able to play on that next level, and to become a great player.”
Donald’s high school coach, Steve Parr, expressed how he feels about his player moving to the next level “It is always gratifying to see young men go to the next level. It is a combination of God given ability, hard work, and ambition,” Parr said. “Donald has had many stand-
out moments, but the thing that is most impressive is his consistency and willingness to contribute to the team in whatever manner he could,” Parr said. On Feb. 6, it was announced that WTAMU added 3 more players to the 2015 recruiting class. Gobuffsgo.com explains that the buff football
team signed star safety, Keivon Ramsey. Ramsey had offers from Division I schools and withdrew his prior commitment with the University of Texas, according to gobuffsgo.com. Along with Ramsey, Delmarkus Dokes and Tevin Boone signed to the team. The three
newest buffs come with recognition. All three players are star athletes and also play other sports than just football, making them all-around athletes. The future of the Buff football team looks strong with the 2015 recruiting class. Soon, the stands will be filled with Buff fans again come August.
“I’m excited to be able to continue my football career and to be able to play on that next level.” -Tevin Donald
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Amberly Hildebrant/The Prairie The Buffs play their home games at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium during the season.
7 SPORTS SPORTS Love LSC Runner of the Year February 18, 2015
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Cheyenne Black Reporter
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mma Love has been named the LSC Runner of the Year. It has been a long journey for Love, who has been running for WT’s cross country team since her freshman year after she was convinced to attend WT by members of her family. “I really got a good feel for it when I came up to WT,” Emma Love, senior Sports and Exercise Science Major, said. “I liked everyone I met, and I liked what the program was about.” Emma’s confidence has grown since she was a freshman. She understands she can be nervous, but is still confident in her ability. She has also grown in leadership. She has been great encouraging her teammates but still challenges them and holds them accountable all at the same time. Emma has been running cross-country at WT for the past four years. In her first year Love helped place WT in second place at both the indoor and outdoor LSC Championships. On race day, cross country looks like a individual sport, with the tension hanging in the air and the competitive drive each person has to beat out a known rival, though bond between the team members is tighter than individual sports. “We’re a family. We have movie night and we go to church together, which is really cool. All of that just helps build team unity, which helps a lot during races because if you’re unified as a team then you’re going to have each other’s back and you’re going to do the best that you can
for your team,” Love said. “I have seen Emma grow in her faith. She has always been strong in her faith, but to watch her strive daily to live it out and share Christ with others has been amazing,” Kimberly Dudley, head coach of the Women’s Cross Country, said. “Emma is an amazing person. She is selfless, motivated, hard working, and an absolute joy to be around. These attributes spill over into the athlete that she is. She is a strong leader and is the first to encourage her teammates. She always looks for the
positive in everyone and everything she does.” One thing that Love does without fear is helping people. “She’s a caring person, always initiating genuine conversation and asking about how I’m doing and how my season is going. Just very kind and light hearted,” Raven Gerald, a graduate from WT and a recent Lady Buff basketball player, said. “Emma is going to be missed. She has truly impacted our program, her teammates, as well as myself and this university in a positive way,” Dudley said.
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February 18, 2015
Shotgun Rider puts on benefit concert for W2W Dallas Harbour Reporter
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est Texas A&M University’s Wine to Water Organization hosted Shotgun Rider for their first beneficiary concert last Friday, Feb. 6 in the Jack B. Kelley student center’s Legacy Hall. The performance lasted a duration of two hours, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Shotgun Rider preformed a variety of songs; songs from their new album, some of their hits from Seven Miles South and cover songs from multiple artists. An intermission was included halfway through the show that consisted of a Wine to Water presentation along with a short speech by Kendra Campbell, advisor for WT Wine to Water. “I really enjoyed the concert,
we had a good turn out and Shotgun Rider was awesome,” Amanda Torrez, sophomore and Wine to Water member, said. “We look forward to throwing another beneficiary concert around this time next year.” Wine to Water is a newly formed campus organization that is a branch of the international non-profit organization also known as Wine to Water. Alfredo Rosendo, a sophomore mechanical engineer major at WT, founded WT’s Wine to Water. Alfredo attained his inspiration after attending the leadership trip to Uganda last year. He was able to work alongside with Doc Hendley, writer and founder of the international program Wine to Water. “Being able to go to Uganda really opened my eyes to the water crisis around the world. It motivated me to continue Doc’s
work and try to inspire others to help make a difference.” Alfredo said. “We had a lot of fun, not everything went as smooth as we wanted, but it was a good learning experience for us. We were able to earn over $1200 in ticket sales, so we are extremely happy for these results.” The proceeds will help fund Wine to Water’s upcoming missionary trip to Colombia this spring break. This will be the first of many expected trips for WT’s new organization. Shotgun Rider, formally known as “Seven Miles South,” changed their name due to contract and legal reasons, and was excited to perform for the beneficiary concert. “We performed last year for homecoming as Seven Miles South, and we are excited to come back to perform as Shotgun Rider,” Anthony
Enriquez, lead guitarist and song writer, said. “We feel like this was a great opportunity to improve our fan base and help out a great organization.” Logan Samford of Nazareth, Texas and Anthony Enriquez of Dimmit, Texas make up the newly re-mastered band Shotgun Rider. Between the two of them, they have over 23 years of experience playing the guitar. Although they sing mostly Texas Country, they get most of their inspiration from alternative music. Some of their favorite bands include Coldplay, Matchbox 20 and The Eagles. Shotgun Rider is also hosting a CD release party on Feb. 21 at Austin’s Pub in Amarillo. “It will also be my 21 birthday so I welcome anyone to come down and have a good time with us,” Logan Samford, lead singer, said.
Dallas Harbour/The Prairie Shotgun Rider performs mostly Texas Country music.
King rejuvinates horror with release of ‘Revival’ Preston Thomas Reporter
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tephen King, the ever-prolific maestro of horror, has turned to one of the genre’s deepest and strangest roots for his latest piece, “Revival.” The story’s tone is set almost immediately by the dedication, in which King pays respect to the masters who, “built [his] house.” Amongst the names are Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, August Derleth and of course, the man to whom the book owes much, Howard Phillips Lovecraft. This influence is made all the more apparent on the very next page, which contains a couplet
straight from Lovecraft himself. “That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange eons, even death may die.” “Revival,” follows a man named Jamie Morton; starting in a small Maine Town, which really shouldn’t surprise any avid readers of King, in the year 1962 when the protagonist is only six years old. After the opening chapters the book goes through many time skips, following Jamie Morton through various periods of his life from adolescence to middle age in the present day. The windows into the various periods of his life open around Jamie’s interactions with the novel’s other primary character, Charles Jacobs. Jacobs
starts out as the young new pastor in Jamie’s hometown church, enthusiastic and energetic after arriving with his wife and toddler in that small New England town. Outside of his ministerial duties, Jacobs also has a hobby for tinkering with electricity and gadgets, bordering on an obsession. After a tragic accident causes Jacobs to lose his faith and deliver the Terrible Sermon, as Morton remembers it, he drops off the map for a few decades. Then, in 1992, a drugged out 36-year-old Morton runs into his old pastor again at the Tulsa State Fair and the novel’s plot of the strange and unknown truly takes hold. Those familiar with King will
also be unsurprised by the less than clean hobbies that Morton got into over the course of his early life. Morton fits firmly into King’s archetypal protagonist; an artist with substance abuse problems. In this case, Morton is a musician and his poison of choice is heroin, for a while anyway. In his second encounter with Jacobs, Morton finds that the former preacher’s hobby has developed far beyond simple novelties and begun delving into strange, unknown forces. Jacobs, and the story itself, follows another archetype, but not one of King’s. The duo of a man obsessed with mysteries and his unwitting assistant, whose duty is to survive witnessing horrible
and unknowable events and live to insist that he isn’t insane, is a pattern found in the eldritch fiction of Lovecraft. “Revival,” is more that just an homage to Lovecraft, it’s essentially a modern retelling of his fiction. Themes found throughout the ascetic New Englander’s short stories lurk darkly within King’s novel. Fear of the unknown, science revealing a little too much of the universe and the futility of human life. This macabre crew is all present for “Revival.” “Revival,” isn’t an action-packed thrill fest. There aren’t monsters waiting behind every page, there isn’t a triumphant final battle for survival and our protagonist definitely doesn’t get a happy ending.
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10 FEATURE FEATURE
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February 18, 2015
Yates remembered for dedication to his students
Alyssa Bonner Associate Editor
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uy P. Yates, professor emeritus of speech communication at West Texas A&M University and one of four inaugural members of WT’s Communication Hall of Fame, passed away on Feb. 3 at the age of 80. Yates, considered an icon in the field of speech and debate, built the speech team at WT. When the team first started, there was no budget, so they traveled on very limited funds. “I’m sure that a bunch of it actually came out of Guy’s pocket,” Connie McKee, Instructor of Communication Studies and Director of Forensics, said. “Eventually, he talked to student services and various deans and department heads, and they started getting funding.” Yates established WT’s annual summer speech camp, which is one of the oldest in the state, and the camp is named in his honor. McKee said it was speech camp before it was cool to have a speech camp. Students would do anything they could to attend. “Students would sell goats,” McKee said, “and the money they would get from selling their goats would be what they would come to camp on. They’ve made lots and lots of sacrifices to get to come to camp.” A United States Air Force veteran, Yates taught at Bowie Jr. High and Caprock High School before teaching at WT for 31 years, according to his obituary by Brooks Funeral Directors in Canyon. McKee said there is no way of telling how many students
he left his mark on. For Andy Justus, news anchor at KAMRTV, Yates is the reason he attended WT in the first place. Justus, who attended Yates’ speech camp every summer from his sophomore year in high school, planned on attending Wayland Baptist University in Plainview on a theatre and pastoral scholarship. One day while he was in the speech and theatre class at Boys Ranch High School, his teacher walked in and said he had a phone call. “It was Guy,” Justus said. “He said, ‘Andrew, this is Guy Paul Yates. I just want you to know I’m looking forward to you coming to WT and being on the forensics team.” Yates was very persistent in recruiting Justus, and by the fall, Justus was enrolled at WT. Yates talked him into it. Yates also played a huge role for McKee because she, like Justus, would not have come to WT if it weren’t for him. “He offered me a debate scholarship back in the days when we used to have debate,” McKee. “It’s really important to carry on the tradition. I think it becomes more important to me because he was my speech coach. This was my speech team, so I want to make sure that I keep it in his honor and keep his legacy.” Justus and McKee said Yates influenced so many lives. He truly loved people, and he went out of his way to take care of those he cared for, including his students. Justus and McKee, respectively, both recalled times in their lives when Yates was their rock. He helped McKee get through the death of both of her parents and even went with
her to Clovis, N.M. to the funeral to help her through it all. After graduating from WT in 1995, Justus found himself in St. Louis, Mo., facing a tough personal battle. Yates bought Justus a plane ticket to Amarillo because he knew he needed to be back home. “He knew I was hurting, and he flew me back,” Justus said. “We were at Ruby Tequila’s on Paramount eating fajitas. There were talks and tears, and Guy—he loved people. My life is forever changed because of Guy Paul Yates.” In the world of speech communication, Yates taught Justus to take control of the entire room, not just the stage, when competing, and that is something Justus continues to carry with him today in his professional career. As a first generation college student, Justus gives Yates all the credit and said he would not have graduated from WT if it weren’t for Guy P. Yates. McKee reflected on what she learned from Yates as a professor, and she hopes to continue to pass along his legacy to her students in and outside of the classroom. “I learned from Guy to always do what’s good for the students,” she said. “As a teacher, you put students first. Students count, and every student counts. Personally, Guy was always my rock. He was an interpersonal genius, and you just looked at Guy for all these interpersonal questions. If there was a problem, Guy could always solve [it].” She hopes to pass on the importance of the speech team to her students. She said it isn’t about winning. It’s
about communicating, having fun and growing as a person. For Justus, Yates’ legacy of loving others is something to carry on.
“The most important thing I learned from Guy,” Justus said, “is if you love people, truly love people above all else, it is such an investment.”
“My life is forever changed because of Guy Paul Yates.” -Andy Justus
Photo courtesy of the West Texas A&M University Communication Hall of Fame.
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11 OPINION OPINION
Letter from the editor: Plus-sized means normal Megan Moore Editor
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ports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition model announcement was made on Feb. 5 and it made national news not because it’s a highly anticipated edition but because the first “plus-sized” model made the cut. As a woman I highly respect models, especially ones who have the confidence to model in a swimsuit. I’m no expert on the modeling or fashion world but I know that there has to be some sort of constant critique that comes with that line of work whether it is from professionals or not. But I have even more respect for Robin Lawley, who has
been put in the limelight because of her size, a U.S. size 12. The average American woman is a size 14, so the thing that’s baffling me is why the plussize label is even being placed on these women who represent the average woman across America. It seems to me like these women are the ones who young teenagers should strive to look like since they aim to look like celebrities and models anyway, and because quite frankly these models are the definition of a normal body type. For Lawley in particular, it’s more than just a body type or being labeled a plus-sized model. It’s about helping other women. She said in an interview with Time, “I don’t know if
I consider myself as a plussize model or not. I just consider myself a model because I’m trying to help women in general accept their bodies.” The argument that comes with this is the photo manipulation of the images. Yes, there’s the common knowledge that all models are heavily photoshopped. There’s a stigma that’s come with the modeling world, but the truth of the matter is we eat it up. Women look at these models and see flawless skin and remarkably white teeth. They see perfection. But bringing a model who is close to the average American woman size to the forefront of Sports Illustrated is a major step in the right direction and
it’s one that many companies have been taking. Dove, for instance, has had major success with its Real Beauty campaign. We are a society that is driven by the media and the media have finally taken notice that women want to be portrayed differently. They want to be seen as having beautiful bodies and being successful whether that is in the career field, in motherhood or anything else. There’s more of a focus on self-confidence rather than perfection and that’s what younger generations need to see. They need to see that women of all ages, sizes and skin colors are beautiful, confident and successful and Lawley is making headway. In the swimsuit edition she’s modeling a swimsuit from her very own clothing line. And this isn’t the only instance
that she’s been successful. She’s claimed the title of first plussized model to take the front cover of Madison, an Australian fashion magazine, and according to Lawley’s website, the first plus-size model to appear in an editorial specifically produced for Vogue Australia in the magazine’s 52-year history. There’s hope for women when a model who has a normal body type makes a major publication. Instead of focusing on her size ,I think the important issue here is what we are showing younger generations. Normal body types are beautiful. My hope is that people will demand to see more “plus-sized” models and will appreciate the beauty of all body types instead of focusing on a disillusioned idea of what a woman should look like.
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February 18, 2015
Summer Camp Fair
The Summer Camp Fair was held in the Classroom Center on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Students were able to talk with representatives from various camps about working for them during the summer. Carlos Ojeda Jr. is an educator, motivator, communicator and great poet.
Natalia Molina / The Prairie