University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark.VOL. 104, NO. 1 | Single Issue Free

WWW.THETRAVELERONLINE.COM About you. For you. For 104 years.Page 1| WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009

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LifestylesWakarusa wows Arkansas music scenepage 9SportsUnderclassmen !y "rst class for Hogspage 13

Welcome to the Hill

Hog W.I.L.D.Welcome Weeks starts this Friday and will con-tinue through Sept. 5.

Run by the First Year Expe-rience office, Welcome Weeks

strives to “give students more information about involve-ment on campus, provide the opportunity to interact with fellow students, faculty and staff, help students get con-nected on campus and let stu-dents start the year the right way,” said Quincy Spencer, as-sociate director for First Year Experience.

It is open to all students, but because studies show that students who get involved in some type of group their first year have a higher retention

rate, there is a special focus on first-year students.

Each event brings some-thing different to the table, and each will give awareness to students about the many resources all over campus, Spencer said.

“It’s just a lot of fun,” said Scott Flanagin, direc-tor of communications and outreach for Student Affairs. “Students should really take part in Welcome Weeks, be-cause it’s a great way to get to know the campus and to meet

the people here to help the students succeed.”

The W.I.L.D. in Hog W.I.L.D. Welcome Weeks stands for Welcome, Involvement, Lead-ership and Diversity, which are the focuses of the activi-ties organized by various or-ganizations and departments across the campus.

One of the biggest events during Welcome Weeks is Ra-zorbash, which takes place 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug 26, on the Union Mall.

This event allows organi-

zations on campus and in the community to reach out to the student body, and it also gives students the opportunity to learn about the diverse range of available learning experi-ences in the Northwest Arkan-sas area.

For more information on Razorbash, check out the Aug. 26 issue of The Traveler for a complete chart of par-ticipating organizartions.

Lindsey PruittAssistant Lifestyles Editor

See CREDIT on Page 7

Obtaining a college edu-cation isn’t always easy – or cheap.

Just ask UA senior Christy Rudick, whose family is rely-ing on loans to see her through graduation. Rudick is pursu-ing an animal science degree and plans to attend graduate school, but money is tight; textbooks alone cost Rudick around $600 a semester.

“College is pretty expen-sive,” she said. “Everyone could use some help.”

Last week, Rudick found that aid in the form of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law earlier this year.

Under the American Op-portunity Tax Credit, Rudick – and other taxpayers funding higher education – can, for the next two years, receive a tax credit for certain textbook and course material expenses not already covered by schol-arships or grants.

The maximum annual credit is $2,500 a student – $700 more than what was offered by the Hope Credit, which the American Oppor-tunity Tax Credit effectively replaces.

According to the Inter-nal Revenue Service, the new credit modifies and expands upon the Hope Credit by of-fering its benefits to families with higher incomes and by

Tax credit could offer

up to $2,500 for students

Welcome Weeks activities encourage

students to get involved on campus

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff Photographer

Parents and students unload their cars at Pomfret Honors Quarters on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Many parents come to Fayetteville to help their children, especially incoming freshmen, move in to the residence halls.

Students, officials weigh benefits of football ticket voucher system

The new football ticket voucher system adds an extra step for students, but it also en-sures low student ticket prices and increases the likelihood of a packed house at home foot-ball games, Associated Student Government and Athletic De-partment representatives said.

Under the new system, which was introduced last spring and en-acted this fall, students buy vouch-ers and later redeem them for football tickets – but they still pay just $1 for each voucher they buy.

“That’s the cheapest ticket in America for students who go to a university that doesn’t have an Athletics student fee,” said Chris Wyrick, associate athletic director.

Still, students risk losing all the money they spend on tick-ets if they fail to validate their vouchers. If they don’t claim their ticket by 48 hours before a game, the Athletic Depart-ment might sell it to another fan.

Not that the Athletic De-partment wants to do that.

“We want nothing more than for students to fill every student seat in our stadium,” Wyrick said. “College athletics is students competing for students. The most important entity we can have

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff Photographer

Students stand in line at the Razorback Ticket Office at Baum Stadium on Tuesday. Changes to the athletic ticketing system are taking place starting with this academic year; students will now have to redeem vouchers to receive their tickets to foot-ball games a few days in advance, or their ticket will be forfeited.

Tina KorbeEditor

Kimber WenzelburgerManaging Editor

Still in print Wednesdays

Traveler to go daily onlineFor more than a century, The Arkansas

Traveler has run the gamut of formats. From tabloids to broadsheets, weekly to daily, black and white to full color, the newspaper’s 104 years have been chock full of experimentation and innovation.

In all likelihood, most UA students don’t remember when all photos were variations of gray or when newspaper Web sites didn’t even exist. They know The Traveler for its current broadsheet, thrice-weekly format and Web site.

But The Traveler is changing again, this time by expanding all facets of its content and format. Beginning with this issue, The Traveler will print an expanded edition – covering all angles of news, lifestyles, sports, opinion and everything in between – every Wednesday. And beginning this Monday, Aug. 24, the newspa-per will launch its new Web site – at UATrav.com – to be updated every day.

The Traveler’s transition to a daily multi-media news organization built off its flagship newspaper is aimed to increase coverage and better serve our readers – the UA community.

More might qualify under new act

in the stands is students. But here’s the deal, they don’t come.”

While the primary stu-dent section is nearly always jammed, the South end zone bleachers are rarely full, Wyrick said. Those bleachers cost the Athletic Department some $160,000 each year to construct.

To recoup the cost of the bleachers, the Athletic Depart-

ment considered three op-tions: remove the bleachers, raise student ticket prices or implement the voucher system.

With input from then-ASG of-ficers Carter Ford, Mitch McCui-stain and Blake Burckart, Athletic Department officials decided the voucher system would be most effective at filling seats – the Ath-letic Department’s first priority.

Ford still thinks Athletics of-ficials made the best decision.

“Students could have been paying $10 a ticket,” he said. “There’s a big difference between paying $5 and $50 a season.”

Students said they still regret the change.

See TICKETS on Page 5

Center hosts blood drives on campus

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks will host blood drives noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, in Humphreys Hall and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, in the Union Ballroom. For more information, contact donor recruiter Lora Johnson at 957-2764.

Exchange T-shirt for a Razorback tee

Hog T.E.E.s (T-shirt Exchange Extravaganza), an event where students may swap their gently used T-shirt for a Razorback shirt or purchase a shirt for $1, will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, on the Union Mall alongside Groovin’ on the Grass. All proceeds collected at the event will be donated to the Peace at Home Family Shelter.

Room décor available for UA students

The Poster Sale, organized by University Programs, will last 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, to Thursday, Aug. 27, in the Arkansas Union Connections Lounge. For more information, contact UP at upday@uark.edu.

‘Slumdog’ planned as next week’s outdoor movie

“Slumdog Millionaire” will play 9 to 10:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, at the Chi Omega Greek Theater as part of Uni-versity Programs’ outdoor movie series. Free popcorn and drinks will be served. For more information, contact the UP Cinematic Arts Committee at upcinema@uark.edu.

Friday Night Live goes ‘Hog Wild’

Friday Night Live will kick off 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, in the Arkansas Union with “Hog Wild.” Activities will include ka-raoke, craft projects, a sticky wall, a midnight movie, etc. For more information, contact Trisha Blau at tblau@uark.edu.

Alumni invites UA supporters to Ice Cream Social

The Ice Cream Social, an annual event sponsored by the NWA Alumni Chapter, will be 1 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, at the Janelle Y. Hembree Alumni House. The event is free and open to all UA alumni and supporters. Six students will be receiving scholarships at this event.

To submit items to appear in Briefly Speaking, e-mail Editor Tina Korbe at traveler@uark.edu with the time, date, place and description of the event.

BRIEFLYspeaking

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | www.thetraveleronline.comPage 2 |WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009 NEWS

CORRECTIONSThe Arkansas Traveler strives for accuracy in its reporting and will correct all matters of fact. If you believe the paper has printed an error, please notify the editor at 575.8455 or at trav-eler@uark.edu.

KIMBER WENZELBURGERManaging Editor

travmgr@uark.edu

JACLYN JOHNSONAssistant Managing

Editor for New Media

BAILEY MCBRIDENews Editor

travnews@uark.edu

LANA HAZELAsst. News Editor

TANIAH TUDORAssistant News Editor

for New Media

BRIAN WASHBURNLifestyles Editor

travlife@uark.edu

LINDSEY PRUITTAsst. Lifestyles Editor

MATT WATSONSports Editor

travsprt@uark.edu

HAROLD MCILVAINAssistant Sports Editor

JIMMY CARTERAssistant Sports Editor

for New Media

CHERI FREELAND Business Manager

freeland@uark.edu

EMILY HARBUCKMarketing Managertravad5@uark.edu

CANNON MCNAIRAdvertising Manager

travad@uark.edu

ROSALYN TAYLORCampus Advertising

Representativetravad4@uark.edu

TYLER BROWNtravad2@uark.eduBEN STARNES

travad6@uark.eduABBIE WEAVER

travad3@uark.eduAdvertising Account

Executives

KALEY POWELLJESSICA RAMIREZAdvertising Graphics

travart@uark.edu

CONTACT INFORMATION119 Kimpel Hall ! University of Arkansas ! Fayetteville, AR 72701

479.575.3406 [main line] ! 479.575.3306 [fax]traveler@uark.edu ! www.uatrav.com

The Arkansas Traveler, the student newspaper at the University of Arkansas, is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring academic sessions except during exam periods and university holidays.

Opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Traveler. The editorial that appears on the left side of the opinion page is the opinion of this newspaper.

The editor makes all final content decisions.

The Arkansas Traveler is a member of the Arkansas College Media Association,and the Associated Collegiate Press.

TINA KORBEEditor

traveler@uark.edu

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff Photographer

Jonathan Gibbs, a UA senior and recipient of an Americorps VISTA position, serenades cars with his guitar to gain attention on the corner of College Avenue and Mountain Street on Aug. 10. He, along with other UA students and Fayetteville natives, were protesting in front of Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s office as a part of national rallies to promote green jobs, clean energy and environmental action and to support the passing of the American Clean Energy and Security Act in the Senate. The theme for the protest was a “beach party,” with the goal of saying, “Hey, Congress, it’s getting hot out here!” There were rallies in Jonesboro and Little Rock at the same time, with the Fayetteville rally being the largest in the state.

PROTESTERS RALLY FOR CLEAN ENERGY

Huckabee slams Obama in a pro-settlement Israel visit

Former Republican presi-dential candidate Mike Hucka-bee slammed President Barack Obama’s policies toward Israel on Monday in a visit that un-derscored the tensions between the Obama administration and the Israeli government over Jewish settlements in what tra-ditionally have been Palestin-ian areas.

Huckabee criticized the Obama administration’s calls for ending such settlements and said Obama’s position had only encouraged the Palestinian government not to negotiate with Israel.

More important than Huck-abee’s words, however, was where he chose to deliver them: at several controversial Jew-ish enclaves in the mostly Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusa-lem, which both Israel and the

Palestinian Authority claim.“The policies are a dras-

tic change from previous ad-ministrations,” Huckabee said at Maale Zeitim, a 100-unit housing project at the foot of the Mount of Olives. “Halting peace talks until 20 families are moved out? Our focus should be on Iran, and not on where 20 Jewish families are moving.”

Huckabee’s fi nal appearance was to be a dinner at the Shep-herd Hotel, where an American Jewish entrepreneur plans on constructing 20 housing units for Jewish Israelis despite the neighborhood’s traditionally Arab character. Only last month, the State Department sum-moned Israel’s ambassador to call for canceling the project.

“It concerns me that some in the U.S. tell Israelis they can’t live where they want in their own country,” Huckabee said.

The United States has always opposed Israeli settlements in

Palestinian areas, but previous presidents rarely took action as Israel expanded its presence in the West Bank and East Jeru-salem. The Israeli government claims that it reached an un-derstanding with the George W. Bush administration that allowed limited settlement ex-pansion, but Obama offi cials deny that such an understand-ing exists.

Yitzhak Molcho, an adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Ne-tanyahu, is scheduled to meet this week with Obama’s Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, for more discussions on the issue. Netanyahu and Obama are to meet Aug. 26 in London, with settlements expected to be one of the main topics.

Huckabee’s visit was spon-sored by Ateret Cohanim, an or-ganization that buys land in Je-rusalem’s Arab neighborhoods and settles Jews there. According to a report published Monday in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz,

the tax-deductible funds raised by Ateret Cohanim in the United States for educational purposes are used instead to buy land.

Huckabee’s visit drew criti-cism from Israelis who oppose settlements. The group Ir Amim said that Huckabee “is hoping to gain political capital at the expense of Jerusalem’s stability and the future of the Israeli-Palestinian confl ict.”

Political analysts, however, said that Huckabee’s outsider status in the U.S. made it un-likely that he’d infl uence the discussion in Israel.

“We know that people who don’t have (political) positions can easily make statements that are more far-reaching,” said Yehuda Ben Meir, an analyst at the Institute of National Secu-rity Studies, an Israeli research center. “If it were a statement by the speaker of the House or a letter from 70 senators, we would take it seriously.”

Cliff ChurginMcClatchy Newspapers

The number of faculty and staff volunteers increased dur-ing this year’s move-in – which will wrap up Friday – and a concerted effort was made to make recycling a part of the process, a UA official said.

“For a couple of years now we’ve had cardboard recycling for move-in days – last year we recycled five tons of cardboard,” said Nick Brown, the executive assistant for sustainability at the UA.

About 24 green dump-sters meant for cardboard recyclables were scat-tered across campus for the move-in, Brown said.

Paper cups and large ther-moses of water have also been set up in place of the plastic

water bottles used last year, said Florence Johnson, di-rector of administrative ser-vices for University Housing.

And plastic, aluminum and mixed paper bins are available on each floor of the residence halls, said Felisha Perrodin, the assistant direc-tor for residential education.

Among other faculty and staff volunteers, Chan-cellor G. David Gearhart has helped with each day of the event, Johnson said.

About 215 faculty, staff, student organizations, com-munity groups and oth-er volunteers assisted in the move, Perrodin said.

“The process couldn’t hap-pen like it does without our volunteers,” Johnson said.

Volunteers unpacked cars brimming with boxes and re-packed the dorms with refrig-erators, lamps, books, ramen

noodles and other necessary dormitory accessories through-out the 12 residential halls.

Move-in times are between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., but an extra opportunity, nick-named the ‘retail time,’ was added between 2 and 3:30 p.m. so parents and students could unload extra last-min-ute purchases, Johnson said.

Other volunteers included members of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, Lead Hogs, several university de-partments and the Fayetteville High School band. The Ath-letic Department also helped students move in to the North-west Quad, Johnson said.

This is the first year the Chamber of Commerce has participated, she said. The FHS band came out for the unofficial move-in on Sun-day as part of a fundraiser.

It’s neat to see a lot

of people come together to help out and welcome students, Perrodin said.

One other addition to the student move-in this year is the presence of the Duncan Avenue Apartments and com-munity center. Though the apartments were open during the last school year, they have recently become the first Green Globe-certified apartments in the United States, Brown said.

The community center gained the status of hav-ing two Green Globes, and the apartments were given one, though they were just one point away from re-ceiving the second Green Globe award, Brown said.

UA officials are proud of the certification, and it’s an indication of the uni-versity’s direction for fu-ture construction, he said.

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | www.thetraveleronline.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009 | Page 3 NEWS

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Students run for residence hall

leadership positions

Students who want to take a more active role on campus during their first week at school can run for elected office in their residence hall or choose to become a member of the Residents’ Interhall Congress.

“Getting involved with stu-dent groups allows you to get the most of your experience here at the UA,” said Steve Clement, president of the RIC. “You will make so many more friends, de-velop all sorts of skills that you can use when you graduate, get connected with faculty and staff, and just have more fun.”

Hall government elections will occur during the first week of school in all of the residence halls on campus. Pomfret, Yocum, Humphreys, Gregson, Gibson, Holcombe and the Northwest Quad still operate under the traditional system of student government, with a senate comprised of repre-sentatives from each floor and an executive board comprised of a president, vice presi-dent, treasurer and secretary.

“The hall doesn’t just be-long to the coordinator or the resident assistants – it belongs to everyone. So when we want to create a community, we want to involve everyone in the creation of what the hall will look like,” said Kerri Smith, specialist for first-year initia-tives in University Housing.

Maple Hill East, West and South, Futrall, and Reid all op-erate under the newer system of in-hall government, which is the Student Interests and Activities Board. The board is comprised of three separate committees – Activities and Traditions, Meet-ings and Leadership, and Allo-cations – that meet every week

to make decisions for their halls. Each committee has a direc-

tor, so the system has shared leadership, with no one per-son in control over the sen-ate or the hall’s government.

“The SIAB system doesn’t let anyone down. Whereas in the traditional system, 30 people might run for positions and only 10 will get it and the rest will quit, the SIAB model al-lows for everyone who wants to be involved to find their place,” said Cameron Mus-sar, a sophomore resident as-sistant in Maple Hill South and the national communica-tions coordinator for the RIC.

“Hall senates are com-parable to student govern-ments or student councils in high school, so you do some programming, some legisla-tion on important issues, and basically just be the voice of the student body,” Smith said.

Once officials are elected in the halls, they have the op-portunity to go on retreat to Mount Sequoyah for the In-terhall Leadership Summit, which is an annual leadership retreat arranged by the RIC.

“Students can get a good start on being involved and making a difference on cam-pus and in their residence halls,” said Laura Wiederhaft, a sophomore international rela-tions major and the director of leadership development for the RIC. “It’s a great opportunity to spend time with and get to know the people you live with and will be working with all year. I know my hall really came together for the first time during ILS.”

Students attending the re-treat will be able to learn about their hall’s specific form of gov-ernment, set goals and plan pro-grams for the coming year, and talk with leaders in the other halls to gain insight and advice.

Bailey Elise McBrideNews Editor

LARRY ASHStaff Photographer

Chancellor G. David Gearart assists parents, students and Lead Hog volunteers with move-in Tuesday morning at Yocum Hall.

More faculty and staff volunteer to assist studentsPARKING LOT CLOSINGS FOR MOVE-IN WEEK

The following parking lots will be closed until 6

p.m. Friday, Aug. 21

Lot 30 – west of •

Futrall Hall and Holcombe Hall Lot 37 – north of •

Northwest Quad Lot 40 – north of •

Hotz HallLot 41 – north of •

Reid HallLot 50 – vicinity •

of Brough

Remember to check out UATrav.com for daily updates starting Monday, Aug. 24.OPINION

Phone: 575.8455 | E-mail: traveler@uark.eduPage 4 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009 Editor: Tina Korbe | Managing Editor: Kimber Wenzelburger

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

Fellow students,On behalf of the Associated Student Gov-

ernment, I am very excited to welcome you to the Razorback campus for the 2009-10 academic term.

To our newest faces, congratulations on making the decision to attend the Univer-sity of Arkansas: a nationally competitive, student-centered institution for higher education, with innumerable opportunities to cater to your interests as a student and as an individual. Collegiate life is quite differ-ent from that which you have experienced previously, but do not be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and take hold of all that it has to offer.

To our returning students, congratula-tions on the completion of another year. We often slight how lucky we are to be where we are today, to have the opportunity to receive a higher education and to have the multitude of opportunities that are afforded to us at this great institution. We may have previously taken for granted much that has been offered, either at the detriment of our educational career or our personal development. Let us refocus and challenge ourselves this year.

As this institution opens many doors for research, study abroad and instruction by the best and brightest professors in the world, I challenge you to take full advan-tage of the great educational experiences that are presented to you.

As there are more than 350 Registered Student Organizations of varying interest and pastimes on campus, I challenge you to find your niche.

As the administration under the direction of Chancellor G. David Gearhart

focuses on making this more of a “Students First” campus with every action that is taken, I challenge you to express your ideas, suggestions and even concerns for the bet-terment of your future alma mater.

As this is the 100-year anniversary of our mascot, I challenge you to express your Razorback spirit at athletic events, artistic events and even day by day walking across the beautiful nook in the middle of North-west Arkansas that we like to call the Hill!

As this is the start to another great, and possibly the greatest, year in Fayetteville, I challenge you to make the most of every opportunity that is afforded to you this academic term!

As you are the foundation of this cam-pus, I challenge myself to represent you and continually act in your best interest while striving for the advancement of this Razorback nation.

I am speaking on behalf of the entire Executive Committee of the Associated Student Government when I say that I am truly honored to have the chance to serve you and this campus throughout the next year. We have been working diligently this summer to prepare for the upcoming year,

and we invite you to check out our new Web site at Asg.uark.edu to see our progress and initiatives.

The focus of the ASG this year is repre-sentation. This may seem cliché, as we are, by definition, the representative body on campus. We acknowledge, however, that this role has not been utilized to its fullest potential in past years. We have made great strides, but there is still much progress to pursue. We want your input. We want your ideas. We even want your criticisms. Post on our blogs on the Web site, contact us via e-mail or phone, or visit us in the ASG Office (Arkansas Union A669 – on the left after you climb the black stairs in the living room in the Arkansas Union). We want to represent your voice!

Please stop by the ASG Welcome Week Cookout from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, to learn about the opportunities to get involved within the ASG this year, either in an official role or as an active constitu-ent. And, be looking to your e-mail for the Fall 2009 Student Poll to be released on Aug. 31! I understand that surveys come across each of our e-mail accounts every single day, but I urge you to think of your-self and consider completing this poll the best way that you can officially voice your opinion to us, as your representatives, and to the administration.

Thank you for allowing me to serve and represent you this year!

With pride in 100 past and future years of Razorback tradition,

Mattie M. BookhoutPresidentAssociated Student Government

Introducing a new Traveler

This year, The Arkansas Traveler will build on its 104-year history to become a more current, deeply analytical, multimedia news organization.

As those of you who have read the paper know – and as we invite those of you who are new to campus to discover – The Arkansas Traveler is a time-honored tradition at the University of Arkansas. More than a century old, The Traveler reflects the reality of living and working at the UA through its coverage of campus news, lifestyles and sports. That tradition of excellence provides The Traveler with a solid foundation to set a new and higher standard for student media. This year, we are prepared to do just that.

The changes we plan to make will be comprehensive in all but a couple of respects. Journalistic integrity will still be the backbone of the paper. And this campus will remain at the core of all coverage. In other words, the paper will still be “about you and for you.”

But the improvements will encompass a new publication schedule, staff restructuring, dramatically increased visual appeal, more – and more kinds of – content, special features and a palpable commitment to “connecting students with the story,” whether that means writing, tweeting, chatting or chalking the sidewalks!

Effectively, this means that we will produce content daily on our new Web site – UATrav.com, to be launched Monday, Aug. 24 – and will publish our flagship print edition once a week, on Wednesdays.

To fuel the Web site with varied and original content, four entirely new positions have been created on our staff. Headed by Jaclyn Johnson, whose background in design will ensure a visual-ly exciting site, the New Media team will update the news in real time, produce at least one multimedia feature each week - think video, audio and slide shows - and invite student input through Twitter and Facebook. Thanks to their efforts, campus news will be more immediate and more accessible than ever before.

If you let it, UATrav.com will become the campus watercooler - a place to catch up on whatever you missed while you were in class, to vent your frustrations with the stresses of student life, to celebrate common traditions and to synthesize new ideas.

But even as you allow the Web site to function as a water-cooler, we also hope that you will consider the Traveler print edi-tion to be the campus diary - a record of unflinching honesty and probing reflection, a collection of the student body’s inside jokes and highest aspirations.

To ensure the print edition is aggressively researched and compellingly written, the print staff - anchored by former Traveler editor Kimber Wenzelburger, who returns this year as managing editor - will assign thoughtful cover stories to guest authors and staff writers weeks in advance of publication, seek answers to students’ most pressing questions and present those answers in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Each week, the print edition will explore at least one trend-ing topic in depth. Look for stories about important subjects like health care, tuition, admissions, the economy, veterans, sex and relationships, sustainability and the emerging work world in the weeks to come.

Even as we strive to produce a serious paper, however, we also expect to have fun. Personal touches - like “The Traveler Top 5” in Lifestyles or “One-on-One with a Razorback” in Sports - will pepper the paper throughout the year - and give you a welcome distraction from the pressures of becoming an adult.

And so, we make these promises to you - to keep our vision of being a current, analytical and multimedia news organiza-tion constantly before us, to become increasingly credible and relevant, to make no excuses, but, instead, to produce results that speak for themselves.

But we ask something of you in return: Please be patient with us. Recognize that we are students who, like you, are often busy and always tired, who make mistakes, who misunderstand. We care about the truth and we want to tell it. Please believe us when we say we have no agenda except to be the best and most objec-tive source we can be. To do that, we must challenge newsmakers to uphold the standards they have set for themselves - and we will - but we need you to do that for us, as well.

Please follow the Traveler at Twitter.com/UATrav or become a Facebook fan at Bit.ly/5QtcZ and let us know how we’re doing. Now more than ever before, media consumers have a chance to shape the coverage they receive. Please use your influence with us to shape coverage in the direction of integrity and truth, by pointing us toward the topics that really matter to you - and we’ll look forward to making this a paper you really want to read.

Cheers,

Tina KorbeEditor

Students: challenge yourselves, your ASG representatives

The Arkansas Traveler welcomes letters to the editor from all interested readers. Letters should be at most 300 words and should include your name, student classification and major or title with the university and a day-time telephone number for verification. Letters should be sent to traveler@uark.edu. Letters appear in the order they were submitted as space permits. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse letters on the basis of length, accuracy, fairness, liability and sensibility.

EDITORIAL BOARD TINA KORBE | Editor KIMBER WENZELBURGER | Managing Editor BAILEY MCBRIDE | News Editor LANA HAZEL | Assistant News Editor

Welcome Address

MATTIE BOOKHOUTasgpres@uark.edu

We live in a time when seemingly no subject is taboo. People discuss, in excru-ciating detail, their weight, sex lives and bank accounts on reality TV. Kids tweet about their dates – in real time. And we happily blog away on our latest medical diagnosis. It is apparently no longer pos-sible to have Too Much Information.

Yet, there remains one subject Ameri-cans seem unable to talk about in an hon-est and rational way: the inevitable decline of old age. We see this fear in the frenzied controversy over whether Medicare should pay doctors for end-of-life consultations. And we see it in the unwillingness of Con-gress to confront those very real long-term care issues that are barely skirting the margins of the health reform debate.

No matter that 10 million Americans currently need some form of long-term care, either at home, in a nursing facility or in some other group setting. No matter that as many as 40 million of us are help-ing provide this help for family members and friends. It is as if those who need this assistance and their families have been Photoshopped out of the picture.

Mainstream media are terrified of frail old age. You’ll rarely hear about it on Oprah. Health reporters are regularly shot down when they propose stories on the subject. When I was looking for

a publisher for my book, “Caring for Our Parents,” I met with one editor who couldn’t have been more enthusiastic about the proposal. He called it powerful and important, just the kind of book his house would want. Yet, a few weeks later he passed. Why? It was killed by the mar-keting department. “We can’t sell it,” they told him. “Too depressing.”

People are more than happy to talk about what’s become known as the Third Age – those post-retirement years when relatively young and healthy elders travel, volunteer or find exciting new careers. Books such as Abigail Trafford’s “My Time,” or periodicals such as the AARP magazine, whose August cover boy was Bruce Springsteen, are hugely successful. Perhaps because they mostly disregard frail old age.

Two-thirds of those 65 and older will need some long-term care before they die, according to a 2005 study by Peter Kemper, Harriet Komisar and Lisa Alecxih. Yet we fail to plan for it, either as families or as a society. If we just shut our eyes and wish really hard, perhaps it will all go away. Denial, the old joke goes, isn’t just a river in Egypt.

It is a big reason financial advisers can’t sell long-term care insurance. One told me in despair, “I can’t get clients to think about retirement when it means golf and time-shares. How am I going to get them to think about paying for nursing

homes?”Politicians, not surprisingly, are no

different. For most, the battle over health reform is more than enough. Ask them about financing long-term care, or finding new ways to deliver community care, or improving the lot of front-line caregivers, and you’re likely to get a blank stare. If, say, the idea of a public health plan dies, it will be done in by powerful political opposition. But if long-term care issues fade, they will die of neglect. Much like the people these reforms are intended to help.

There is, of course, one aging issue in the health reform debate that has gener-ated plenty of attention: the bizarre fight over whether Medicare should pay for end-of-life counseling. A seemingly innocuous proposal for reimbursing doctors for their time has become, to some at least, a step toward government “death panels” that will decide whether our parents live or die.

It is easy enough to say this interpre-tation is built on ignorance or political demagoguery. But it resonates with much of the public. And, in part, that may be because it plays to this same reluctance of Americans to confront frail old age and inevitable death.

In the end it is about fear. Frail old age and death are unfamiliar, so they are ter-rifying. But any therapist will tell you the best way to deal with fear is to confront it. That’s just what we need to do with long-term care.

THE LAST TABOO TOPICHoward GleckmanKaiser Health News

A Letter from the Editor

LARRY ASH Staff Photographer

The ladies of Chi Omega Sorority welcome 50 potential new members into their home during the second recruitment party Tuesday. Those going through recruitment visit all the National Panhellenic Council sorority chapters during recruitment in the hope of determining where they belong.

RECRUITMENT PARTIES BEGIN

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | www.thetraveleronline.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009 | Page 5NEWS

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The Arkansas Alpha chap-ter of Pi Beta Phi Women’s Fraternity achieved national recognition for the third time in a row by winning the cov-eted Balfour Cup, the highest honor in its organization.

“Words cannot express how proud I am of our chapter for winning this prestigious award three years in a row,” said Ra-chel Hope, chapter president, in a press release. “It is so ex-citing to be a part of a group of women who have such a strong legacy of excellence.”

The Balfour Cup, which has been presented to outstanding chapters since 1921, is the highest honor a chapter can receive and denotes the best chapter internationally.

The award is presented to the most outstanding Pi Beta Phi chapter in the nation based on an evaluation of the chapter’s financial manage-ment, community service and philanthropic activities, schol-arship, risk management, and campus leadership and in-volvement.

Every year, a select num-ber of the 133 active chapters across the nation receive rec-ognition as “Chapters of Excel-lence,” from which the Balfour Cup recipient is selected. This year, there were nine “Chapters of Excellence,” among which the Arkansas Alpha chapter was selected as the winner.

“It’s an honor to be a part of this amazing experience,” said Lacie Lee Coburn, a junior member of Pi Beta Phi. “It’s crazy to talk to Pi Phis from other states and hear their reaction to us winning three times in a row. We worked re-ally hard for it, but it’s still unbelievable to think that we are No. 1.”

Members of the UA chapter of Pi Beta Phi discovered they were the winners for the third year in a row at their 67th bi-ennial convention this sum-mer in Grapevine, Texas.

This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the UA chapter, which was founded on Dec. 29, 1909, and was the 39th chapter nationally.

“Greek Life is truly pleased with Pi Beta Phi’s achieve-ments over the years,” said Pa-rice Bowser, director of Greek Life, in a press release. “This is a tremendous honor we will forever cherish as we continue to actively engage and build exemplary Greek men and women for life.”

Pi Beta Phi was founded at Monmouth College in Illinois on April 28, 1867, and was the first national secret college so-ciety of women to be modeled after the men’s Greek-letter fraternities. At a time when only a few women were admit-ted to colleges and universities, Pi Beta Phi united the pioneer-ing women and helped them make a place for the females in the college world, according

to the organization’s Web site.The mission of Pi Beta Phi

is “to promote friendship, de-velop women of intellect and integrity, cultivate leadership potential, and enrich lives through community service,” according to the Web site.

Bailey Elise McBrideNews Editor

“It’s just more unnecessary pressure on the students,” pre-med sophomore Katie Rowan said. “It’s going to be really an-noying to have to wait in a second long line to cash in my vouchers after I already waited to get them.”

Junior education major Beth-anne Crossett echoed Rowan.

“I just don’t think it’s a very good idea,” Crossett said. “It’s re-ally inconvenient to the students, and when we are trying to become more sustainable on campus, I think it’s dumb to print paper vouchers after we had switched to just scanning IDs last year.”

ASG President Mattie Book-hout sympathizes, she said, but she also recognizes the necessity of the program.

“Every ticket that’s not claimed, that’s a seat that’s opened up,” Bookhout said. “That’s an available seat for alumni, maybe even other stu-dents. The bottom line is, it’s go-ing to increase attendance. It’s sad that it’s adding that addition-al legwork, but what we should be fostering is athletic spirit.”

TICKETSfrom Page 1

Pi Beta Phi threepeatArkansas Alpha chapter wins award for third time in a row

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | www.thetraveleronline.comPage 6 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009 NEWS

FAYETTEVILLE518 W. DICKSON ~ 479.571.0600

BENTONVILLE805 S. WALTON ~ 479.254.6700

SPRINGDALE4276 W. SUNSET AVE. ~ 479.927.0399

ANYTHING THEY DELIVER

WE DELIVERFASTERWE DELIVER ANYTHING

FASTER

LARRY ASH Staff Photographer

Rachel Ryan (left), a sophomore social work major, and Courtney DeMoss, a sophomore nursing major, take time out from assisting students moving into Yocum Hall to enjoy a joke.

LEAD HOGS ASSIST WITH MOVE-IN

DURHAM, N.C. – In one English class this fall, Duke students will grade them-selves.

That’s the idea behind Cathy Davidson’s “This is Your Brain on the Internet” course, an exploration of thought in the rapidly changing age of digital technology.

“Do all the work, you get an A,” she writes on a blog explaining her course. “Don’t need an A? Don’t have time to do all the work? No problem. You can aim for and earn a B. There will be a chart. You do the assignment satisfactorily, you get the points. Add up the points, there’s your grade.”

That practice, called contract grading, has been employed for decades. Here’s the twist: In Davidson’s class, students will decide whether the assignments are complet-ed satisfactorily.

Two students will lead each class, selecting read-ings and writing assignments and evaluating student work. There will be no exams or research papers, unless a student wants to write one, according to Davidson’s blog. Students will work together on a final multimedia project.

On her blog, Davidson explains why she’s eschew-ing traditional grading for this new method, known as “crowdsourcing,” in which a task usually done by one

person is instead done by a group.

“After returning to teach-ing after several years as an administrator, I found grad-ing to be the most outmoded, inconsequential, and irrele-vant feature of teaching. Thus for (this class), all students will receive the grade of A if they do all the work and their peers certify that they have done so in a satisfactory fash-ion,” she writes. “Everyone who chooses to do the work to the satisfaction of his or her collaborative peers in the course will receive an A, but no one is required to do all of the work or to earn an A.”

Davidson’s approach to this course is unusual, said Todd Zakrajsek executive

director of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Center for Faculty Excellence. Plenty of faculty members take issue with grading, and some surrender a portion of a class to student evaluation, Zakrajsek said. But Davidson is essentially giving students total control of grading.

Doing so, he says, poses a complicated question.

“If the real essence of a college education is to become a learned individual, grades really are inconse-quential,” he said. “But we’re also using an education to gauge who really is learning.”

And it also brings the professor’s role into question. Is Davidson’s job to simply give students information, or is she a manager, guiding students as they figure out things for themselves?

Zakrajsek doesn’t know Davidson, but read the course description on her blog and came away impressed with how thoroughly the course has been thought out. But he does wonder whether students are qualified to decide wheth-er class work is satisfactory.

“She’s not way out on the fringe,” Zakrajsek said. “She’s just adamant about the fact

that she doesn’t like grades. (But) I think students need real feedback to know how they’re doing in the class. Are students the best to make that determination?”

Zach Perret, a Duke senior studying biology and chemis-try, said the new class format may lead students to collabo-rate more and compete less.

“It’s a competitive place,” Perret said. Unfortunately, that culture leads to a little too much competition. It may make it a little more about learning.”

Lee D. Baker, dean of academic affairs for Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sci-ences, said faculty members are encouraged to try new ways of teaching.

“Cathy Davidson is a seasoned instructor and an innovative scholar,” Baker said. “And research suggests that the more students are engaged in each aspect of the class, the more learning takes place.”

The Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed, two trade publications read heavily in academia, have done stories on David-son’s new course.

Davidson, who has tenure,

was on vacation and dif-ficult to reach. She did leave voice mail for The News & Observer saying in part that she is pleasantly surprised by the attention her blog post about her new course has re-ceived. The comment section prompted some teachers to encourage her use of crowd-sourcing. Others saw value in professors grading.

In 2003, Alex Halavais used a similar approach for a communications course he taught at the State University of New York’s Buffalo campus. He likes the idea of having students evaluate each other’s work and believes they learn more from each other than from a professor.

But in his class of more than 100 students, students created teams and alliances, forging agreements with each other to drive up the grades of each member of a team while driving down the grades of students outside the clique.

“I had failed to anticipate how collaborative they would be,” said Halavais, now a communications professor at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. “Not to do good work, but to get good grades.”

PROFESSOR OPTS FOR ‘CROWDSOURCING’ OVER TRADITIONAL GRADINGEric Ferreri

McClatchy Newspapers

expanding the list of qualify-ing expenses.

The IRS notes that many eligible families will qualify for the maximum credit of $2,500, though Rudick said she doubts she’ll receive the full amount.

Still, she said, “anything will help,” as her family is often denied financial aid be-cause her parents’ incomes are above certain thresholds.

“I’m 100 percent for this,” Rudick said. “Obviously, not everyone’s in my situation, but I think it’ll really help out a lot of people.”

Ali Sadeghi, manager of the UA Bookstore, has recently worked with other bookstore officials to publicize the new tax credit – including through

an ARRA fact sheet, available at the bookstore’s location in

the Arkansas Union – to en-sure students and their fami-lies are aware of the possibil-ity for savings.

“It is a huge thing for par-ents and students,” Sadeghi said. “We’re obligated to bring to the attention of students and parents that this money is available and that they should take full advantage of it to lower the price of education.”

And to relieve students of the inconvenience of saving multiple receipts, the book-store logs all tax-creditable purchases through its cus-tomer loyalty program, which students can sign up for at the

store.“When students use their

ID card when they buy their books and supplies, our system will keep track of what they’re buying that’s tax creditable,” Sadeghi said. “We make it very simple and easy.”

Though the American Op-portunity Tax Credit is in-tended to extend benefits to more people than the Hope Credit did, some UA students, like Evreda Rice, still aren’t eligible.

Rice, a senior studying en-vironmental, soil and water science, doesn’t qualify for the tax credit because the money she receives in scholarships and government grants cov-ers her costs of textbooks and supplies.

However, she said, “If I did not have the benefit of these scholarships and grants, then it would be something … for which I’d apply.”

Even among those who do qualify, many might remain unaware of the credit. But, Sa-deghi said, it’s important that students and their families are informed and take advantage of the potential savings.

“I’ve talked to many stu-dents and parents, and ev-eryone I’ve talked to, to my knowledge, has signed up,” he said.

“It truly reduces the costs of supplies and books, so why not?”

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | www.thetraveleronline.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009 | Page 7NEWS

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ADULT Ballet Classes

Friday, August 21

FNL: HOG WILD/ 9 p.m./ Union/ Sponsored by Friday Night LiveHog Wild is a back-to-school event that provides activities, free food and T-shirts, said Trisha Blau, HEI program coordinator. Some activities available will be wax hands, craft projects, Dance Dance Revolution, Rock Band, karaoke and pictures taken in costume.

Saturday, August 22

REAL WORLD/ 9 a.m.- 5 p.m./ Multicultural Center/ Sponsored by Multicultural Center & Delta Sigma Theta Sorority“This is an event for minority students; they will be provided information relevant to their unique needs and challenges in transitioning to the UA,” said Veronikha Salazar, associate direc-tor of the Multicultural Center. “Workshops will be presented representing the different colleges. Information on involvement, scholarship opportunities, time management, career opportuni-ties and classroom expectations will also be available.”

KICK OFF THE SEASON/ Noon-5 p.m./ The Gardens Pavilion/ Sponsored by Alumni Association, NWA Razorback Club & Delta Sigma Theta SororityKick Off the Season is a tailgating event to get alumni, fans and students involved in tailgating for the 2009 football season, said Elizabeth Underwood, assistant director of the Alumni Associa-tion. Coach Bobby Petrino and the football team will be there signing autographs.

BACK TO SCHOOL COOKOUT & RAZORBACK FAN APPRE-CIATION DAY/ 2 p.m./ The Gardens Pavilion/ Sponsored by Multicultural Center, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority & Razorback AthleticsThe cookout is an annual way to welcome minority students, Salazar said. It will kick off the 2009 Razorback football season and will include a pep rally, a concert by a local band and free giveaways.

LUAU @ POMFRET/ 8 p.m. - 11 p.m./ Pomfret Great Room/ Sponsored by University Housing & RICThe Luau at Pomfret is a long-standing Welcome Weeks tradi-tion. It features a live deejay, a photo booth, plenty of pizza, dancing and a Hawaiian theme. All food and activities are free.

Welcome Weeks

CREDITfrom Page 1 DO YOU QUALIFY

FOR THE TAX CREDIT?Under the American Recovery

and Reinvestment Act, students can receive up to a $2,500 tax credit for their 2009 purchases of textbooks and school supplies if:

they’re an undergraduate student • enrolled in more than six credit hours during the fall or spring or more than three credit hours during the summer

they’re within their first four • years of post-secondary educa-tion

their modified gross income • doesn’t exceed $80,000 (or $160,000 for joint filers)

they purchase computers, calcu-• lators, paper, pens, videos, text-books and other course materials without the help of scholarships or grants

they have legible documentation • of their tax-creditable purchases in the form of receipts or book-store log

Sources: Internal Revenue Service, UA Bookstore

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff PhotographerSome students could be eligible for a $2,500 tax credit under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Students shopping at the UA Bookstore can receive a printout of their tax-creditable purchases.

See page 8 for more Welcome Weeks events.

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | www.thetraveleronline.comPage 8 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009 NEWS

Stand Out!

GO GREEK at the U OF A!

uagreeks.uark.edu

Recruitment Dates:

Panhellenic Council: August 17-22, 2009National Pan-Hellenic Council: NPHC Greek Week, September 1-6, 2009

Interfraternity Council: September 7-13, 2009

U of A Sororities

Alpha Delta PiAlpha Kappa AlphaAlpha Omicron PiChi OmegaDleta Delta DeltaDelta Sigma ThetaKappa DeltaKappa Kappa GammaPi Beta PhiZeta Phi BetaZeta Tau Alpha

U of A Fraternities

Alpha Gamma RhoAlpha Phi AlphaFarmhouseFIJIKappa Alpha PsiKappa SigmaLambda Chi AlphaOmega Psi PhiPhi Beta SigmaPhi Delta ThetaPhi Iota AlphaPi Kappa AlphaSigma Alpha EpsilonSigma ChiSigma Phi EpsilonSigma NuSigma Pi

Office of Greek Lifegogreek@uark.edu

479.575.5001

Friendship

Service

Tradition

Scholarship

Leadership

Sunday, August 23

ACADEMIC CONVOCATION/ 4 p.m. / Bud Walton Arena/ Sponsored by First Year ExperienceThis is the official university welcome in which students are greeted by the university chancellor, academic deans, administrators, staff and faculty, Spencer said. New students will receive a commemorative pin and are formally inducted into the student body with the recitation of the New Student Pledge.

BURGER BASH/ following Academic Convocation/ The Gar-dens Pavilion/ Sponsored by FYE and ChartwellsAfter the Academic Convocation, the Burger Bash welcomes students with food and entertainment.

Monday, August 24

HELP-A-HOG/ 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. / Campuswide/ Sponsored by FYEHelp-A-Hog volunteers come from all colleges and admin-istrative departments. They set up tables around campus in high traffic areas to assist students with questions about directions, building codes, services and other information. They help make the first few days easier, said Martin Kim, administrative assistant for FYE.

UP POSTER SALE/ 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. / Union Connections Lounge/ Sponsored by UP“UP Poster Sale is a time when students can view thousands of posters and purchase them at reasonable prices,” said Mary Coonley, director of student activities. Posters will help students decorate their residence hall rooms.

ASG COOKOUT/ 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. / Union Mall/ Sponsored by ASGThe purpose of the ASG Cookout is to provide students with free lunch on the first day of classes, allow them to meet their elected ASG representatives, find out what ASG does and find out ways to get involved in student government, ASG Vice President Andrew LeNarz said. Free hot dogs, chips and drinks will be available.

OUTDOOR MOVIE/ 9 p.m. / Chi Omega Greek Theater/ Sponsored by UPBring your blanket and come watch Slumdog Millionaire with your friends. There will be free popcorn and drinks.

Tuesday, August 25

NPHC INTEREST TEA/ 6 p.m. – 8 p.m./ Union 508/ Spon-sored by NPHC & Greek LifeThis event will provide insight regarding all predominately African-American Greek-lettered organization’s new mem-bership programs, said Parice Bowser, director of Greek Life.

HYPE NIGHT/ 6 p.m. – 7 p.m./ HPER/ Sponsored by Intra-mural & Recreational SportsHYPE night is an event for students to explore HPER facili-ties, programs and services, said Katie Helms, assistant director of Intramural/Recreational Sports. Participants will receive an event T-shirt and be eligible for an iPod drawing. Refreshments will be provided.

Wednesday, August 26

WAKE UP COFFEE & DONUTS/ 8:30 a.m. / Union Commuter Lounge/ Sponsored by Student Activities This breakfast is held every Wednesday of the school year for students who commute to and from school, said Susan Stiers, associate director of Off Campus Connections.

RAZORBASH/ 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. / Union Mall/ Sponsored by Student Activities

At Razorbash, students can talk with members of clubs, orga-nizations, departments and local stores, Coonley said. There will be 130 booths available and free pizza and drinks.

COMEDIANS DAN CUMMINS & CHAD DANIELS/ 7 p.m. / Union Ballroom/ Sponsored by UP“Come out and have a good laugh,” Coonley said. Cummins is currently taping his first comedy central special and Dan-iels was a finalist in Comedy Central’s Riots competition.

Thursday, August 27

GROOVIN’ ON THE GRASS/ 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. / Union Mall/ Sponsored by UPGroovin’ on the Grass is a daytime outdoor event with Boom Kinetic playing and free food and prizes available, Coonley said. The Hog T.E.E.’s T-Shirt Exchange Extravaganza and the Student Affairs Ice Cream Party will be going on while the band plays.

WELCOME BACK “WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE?”/ 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. / Union Red Lounge & Multicultural Center/ Spon-sored by CDC, MC & JB HuntThis is an informal meet-and-greet for students to meet with J.B. Hunt recruiters, as well as career coaches, mentors, men-tees, faculty and staff to discuss transitioning to college and career development opportunities, Salazar said. Pizza, wings, games and music will be provided.

IFC RECRUITMENT ORIENTATION/ 5:30 p.m./Union Ball-room/ Sponsored by IFC & Greek LifeFraternity chapters will show potential new members a video and will be on hand to answer questions about recruitment, Bowser said.

FRESHMAN PEP RALLY/ 9 p.m. / Chi Omega Greek Theater/ Sponsored by University ProgramsThe Freshman Pep Rally is a longstanding tradition where first-year students come to learn the fight song and calling the Hogs, Coonley said. The first-year pom squad, cheer-leaders and football players will be there and there will be a spirit competition.

Friday, August 28

FNL: JOURNEY TO JAPAN/ 9 p.m. / Union/ Sponsored by Friday Night LiveJourney to Japan is co-sponsored with the Japanese Student Association. There will be cultural performances, origami, a fashion show, traditional Japanese games, calligraphy and an opportunity to take pictures in traditional Japanese clothing, Blau said. Free T-shirts and cotton candy will be provided.

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff Photographer

Students begin moving in to Reid Hall a week before school starts. After move-in, students have numerous Welcome Weeks activities to choose from.

Welcome Weeks Calendar, Aug. 23 to Aug. 28

To submit events and activities to appear on the Traveler calendar online and in print, e-mail the time, date, place, description and contact information to travelercalendar@gmail.com.

MORE WAKARUSA PHOTOSMonday on UATrav.com

E-mail: travlife@uark.edu|Phone: 575.7540 Page 9 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009Lifestyles Editor: Brian Washburn | Assistant Lifestyles Editor: Lindsey PruittLIFESTYLESTHE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

wows Arkansas music sceneWakarusa

Hippies, young adults, jam bands, precise musicianship, no showers, self-indulgent vices and more than 12,000 people parked into specific areas. This could have been a semi-description for the most epic festival of all time (Woodstock ‘69), but it’s not.

No, it wasn’t even near a big city, and it didn’t feature some of the epic bands that performed at the original Woodstock. But Wa-karusa invading Mulberry Moun-tain in Arkansas is the closest-to-home epic concert (yes, epic) this generation will ever see, as many witnessed June 4 to June 7.

I don’t know how Wakarusa was organized in Lawrence, Kan., the past few years. I do know that at Mulberry Mountain, it opened the eyes of those who doubted the festival and those, like me, who had never experienced such an event.

The campgrounds were split into the VIPs (mostly RVs and other fancy vehicles for those who didn’t want the full camping experience – they were probably the smartest in the long run) and the primitive campers (those who set up camp right next to their car). Entering the campgrounds did not take long Thursday morn-ing, although the word through the grapevine is that it took a bit longer if you arrived Wednesday night or early Thursday morn-ing.

Vendors sold everything from novelty items to delicious food. The hot days were followed by cool nights. The campers came from as far away as New Hamp-

shire, Illinois and Oregon. But Wakarusa was not about the camping. No, it was all about the party and the music.

Most artists are well-known in Northwest Arkansas, mainly because they have played at George’s Majestic Lounge. The first day featured bluegrass, virtu-oso, electro-jam, techno-hip hop and country rock. Electro-jam band Perpetual Groove, a favorite of many in NWA, took the stage around 5 p.m. Thursday. The band jammed to the crowd on the main stage with their unique (in the mainstream sense) blend of funk guitars, bass and electro beats. About 30 minutes of this instrumental jamfest was enough – then ADD set in and another event called.

The first night of music fea-tured two of the best sets of the entire event. Buckhead (clad in his eerily creepy attire of a blank white mask, a dark blue jumpsuit and, yes, a bucket on his head) wowed the crowd with his phe-nomenal guitar expertise. The guitarist, who once played with Axl Rose in one of the reincarna-tions of Guns N’ Roses, showcased his experimental guitar work - and jaws dropped.

The second highlight - hip-hop technicians Pretty Lights - played on the smallest stage and packed the crowd to the max. It was well worth the lack of arm and leg room. Pretty Lights offers about the same versatility that Perpetual Groove does – the beats and dancing endured by those in attendance definitely kept the at-tention of all involved for at least an hour, which is pretty good considering the usual attention

span of the Wakarusa attendees. There was very little sleep.

Those who attempted to get more than five hours were often inter-rupted, as raves usually lasted un-til about 7 a.m. in the morning. But the festival only lasted four days, so who really needs sleep?

The second day showcased a few more national acts. Jewish reggae rapper Matisyahu im-pressed the crowd with his un-usual blend of vocals, which can only be described as Hebrew hip-hop. Matisyahu was entertaining for about an hour before every song started sounding the same, which is not to say bad, just the same.

One of the festival’s most loved acts, Soundtribe Sector 9, entranced the Wakarusa crowd. Many danced and hula hooped through the entire STS9 set. The music blurred together in the first half of the set before gaining mo-mentum and getting better in the second half.

The final full day of mu-sic featured some of the most well-known artists at Wakarusa, including The Black Crowes. Be-fore The Black Crowes, G. Love and Special Sauce, which have many fans in NWA, got the crowd bumping with their blend of rock, blues and funk.

But G. Love’s versatility didn’t get the crowd going as much as The Black Crowes. Chris Robinson and company grooved their way through a two-hour set filled with jam tracks, southern rock songs and a few of the hits that made the band popular in the ‘90s. By far, The Black Crowes offered one of the best sets at Wakarusa.

Brian WashburnLifestyles Editor

Quote of the week

“Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You’ll never remember class time, but you’ll always remember time you wasted

hanging out with your friends. So stay out late. Spend money you don’t have. Drink ‘til sun-rise. The work never ends, but

college does....”— Tom Petty

It might not be officially fall yet, but summer is definitely over, at least for students. Though the summer offered plenty of festivals and big-name tours, the fall will also offer those returning to their college campuses the chance to see big names and local favorites and wait for the release of the next great album of the year.

For Fayetteville, a variety of concerts and events are already on the calendar. The biggest so far will take place at George’s Ma-jestic Lounge Monday, Sept. 21, when up-and-coming indie rock-ers Silversun Pickups will perform alongside rising stars Manchester

Orchestra and Cage the Elephant. Even though this concert will be a highlight for those inside of the in-die music scene, the biggest event of the year in Northwest Arkansas will also take place in September.

Bikes, Blues & BBQ will roll into town Wednesday, Sept. 23, and it will offer attendees some blues and good old southern rock, which those in NWA have become accustomed to over the past few years.

While last year featured the Allman Brothers Band and an ar-ray of different local and national acts, this year will feature a few more big names because of a new partnership formed between the festival and the Arkansas Music Pavilion. Thursday night will host

classic rockers Molly Hatchet and Blackfoot, while Friday night will see performances by southern rockers the Marshall Tucker Band and Oreo Experience, a tribute to Jimi Hendrix and Steve Pryor.

However, these are not the only shows for those living in the NWA area. September will also feature sets performed by techno act and local favorite BoomBox (Sept. 18 and 19 at George’s), rockers Fram-ing Hanley (Sept. 10 at George’s), Ghostland Observatory (Sept. 4 at the AMP), Cross Canadian Rag-weed and Lucero (Sept. 12 at the AMP), and Brandi Carlile and Amy Ray (Oct. 12 at the Fayetteville

Big names and local favorites coming this fallBrian WashburnLifestyles Editor

See FALL MUSIC on Page 10

STEPHEN IRONSIDE STAFF Photographer

Native to Arkansas, folk singer-songwriter Joe Purdy played at the “Backwoods Stage” with band members he met that week. He has recorded and released ten albums in eight years; according to his Web site, “Joe is an independent musician. His records are self-released and he likes it that way.”

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff Photographer

G. Love & Special Sauce, one of the festival’s headlining bands, stole the crowd’s attention with radiant guitar, harmonica, stringed bass, drum and saxophone solos. G. Love has played in Fayetteville multiple times, at both George’s and the AMP, and plays in Tulsa regularly.

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff Photographer

Festival patrons douse themselves with water at a free station to help relieve themselves from the dangerous heat. Many people ran out of water by the end of the festival and had to rely on the water stations for their needs.

See WAKARUSA on Page 11

COURTESY PHOTOSilversun Pickups will perform Sept. 21 at George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville.

MUSIC

LIFESTYLES THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | www.thetraveleronline.com Page 10 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009

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Could anyone plausibly dis-like this record? One might whine that France’s Phoenix is coasting on a wave of ‘80s reviv-alism or that the production is too glossy, but these objections buckle within the first listen of the joyfully dynamic Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

This is a maddeningly like-able record, as evidenced by the endless acclaim of buyers and critics alike.

From “Lisztomania,” maybe the most immediate opener since Boxer’s “Fake Empire,” through the two-part climb of “Love Like A Sunset,” Side A is surprisingly diverse. Each song glows in neon, painted in a 1980s sound pal-ette (think tense, muted guitars and expensive synths). Thomas Mars’ lovely melodies are double-tracked and the rhythms are al-ways danceable.

The cocky title, the singer’s romance with Sofia Coppola and the name checks of Grizzly Bear and Steve Reich are all hallmarks of an outfit that wears its affluent intellectuality on its sleeve. But, honestly, it’s not as contrived as it sounds.

The most classical quality of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is its expert use of dynamics, its ob-session with tension and release (“1901” and “Rome,” especially).

It’s perfect pop, dressed up and having fun with a classi-cal motif, an ambition at which Coldplay continues to fail.

Phoenix was always the least arresting of their Versailles breth-ren (fellow synth abusers Daft Punk and Air), but after 10 years, the quartet has outshined them all, producing the most complex and realized work of their ca-reers.

Who’s sparkling now?

Town Center). This fall, the UA will also of-

fer its fall edition of the Headliner Concerts Series. While bands have not been finalized, it is certain that committee members will lock down a musician popular with the

UA campus, as they have done in the past.

These are just a few of the acts to be performing around the area this fall. Several local acts will per-form, release music and attempt to break through the NWA scene into a bigger national spotlight. Bands that will be hitting the lo-cal stage include SilverStone, The Good Fight, Kory Montgomery, Boom Kinetic and Benjamin Del

Shreve. However, this is not to say that new bands in the local music scene will not pop up and have in-stant success this fall.

And concerts are not the only musical aspect to be new this se-mester. Several different bands are releasing albums this fall that might prove to be some of the year’s best. Releases in September alone include Shwayze, The Used, Brand New, Paramore, Madonna,

Muse and Jay-Z. The summer might be over

and school might be starting, but that doesn’t mean the celebration of music has to stop. Fall 2009 is looking to be a step up in the mu-sic industry, and not just nation-ally, but in the NWA area, as well. It’s only a matter of time until Fayetteville is on the list of the na-tion’s big-name tour stops.

PHOENIX RELEASE NEAR FLAWLESS RECORDBrady Tackett

Assistant Lifestyles Editor for New Media

COURTESY PHOTOS

FALL MUSICfrom Page 9

CD REVIEW

COURTESY PHOTOClassic rock band, Molly Hatchet will perform Sept. 24 at the Arkansas Music Pavilion as part of Bikes, Blues & BBQ.

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | www.thetraveleronline.com WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009 |Page 11LIFESTYLES

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COURTESY PHOTOS

Make fall a feast for your eyes

Lindsey PruittAsst. Lifestyles Editor

Although it would seem 2009 already spit out the best of its cinema for the year with highly anticipated movies like “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” “Up,” “X-men,” “Taken” and “The Hangover,” this fall might have the fi rst half of 2009 in a literal run for its money, as several high-ranked movies for 2009 are set to open this fall.

“District 9” and “The Time Traveler’s Wife” – both just out – are two movies that have al-ready generated some interest-ing buzz.

“‘District 9’ is about an alien race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth for nearly 30 years without any contact from others of their kind. While nations argue over what to do with them, a private company becomes interested in their advanced alien weaponry and biotechnology that causes a fi eld operative’s DNA to mu-tate. Tensions between the aliens and humans intensify, making the operative the most wanted man on the planet, and District 9 his only place to hide,” according to Imdb.com.

This science fi ction thriller got a 100 percent on Rottento-matoes.com, a common rank-ing site for movies. It was also called “madly original, cheek-ily political and altogether exciting,” in Entertainment Weekly. “It is a genuinely origi-

nal science fi ction fi lm that grabs you,” Hollywood reporter Kirk Honeycutt said.

To accompany this rough and tough action movie is the romantic drama “The Time Traveler’s Wife” that has been “rising in popularity this week,” according to Imdb.com. Starring every girl’s favorite romance actress Rachel McAd-ams and the hunky Eric Bana, this movie is based on the best-selling book by author Audrey Niffenegger.

“In it, a Chicago librarian suffers from a rare genetic dis-order that sends him hurtling through time whenever he is under extreme duress. Still, he manages to build a relation-ship with a beautiful young heiress he loves, and the movie refl ects their struggles to build a life together,” according to Imdb.com. The Web site Cin-emablend.com gives “The Time Traveler’s Wife” a four out of fi ve on the Excit-o-meter and Box Offi ce Magazine calls it a “fi rst-rate, spell-binding drama.”

Female students said they are especially geared up for this one.

“It’s a different kind of love story, so I am really excited to see it,” junior Jill Ridley said.

The less delightful, but more insightful movie, “In-glorious Basterds” is sure to raise an eyebrow. Rated No. 10 on the “50 Biggest Movies of 2009” by Timesonline.com, this movie takes place during

World War II when the Nazis occupied France.

“It features Brad Pitt in a Quentin Tarantino fi lm about a group of Jewish-American sol-diers known as ‘The Basterds’ that were chosen specifi cally to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis,” accord-ing to Imdb.com. Another site, Moviefone.com, rated it as one of the “Best Movies of 2009.”

“There is plenty to be ex-cited about when Quentin Tarantino has Pitt gruesomely killing Nazis,” according to the site. “Inglorious Basterds” opens Aug. 21.

The next big movie for fall is “Shutter Island,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Leo plays a U.S. marshal sent to investigate the disap-pearance of a patient from a mental hospital on Boston’s Shutter Island. As he is solving the case, he wonders if hospi-tal doctors brought him to the island as part of a conspiracy to trap him. As a hurricane cuts off communication and more dangerous criminals es-cape in the confusion, he be-gins to doubt everything, “even his own sanity,” according to Imdb.com. This interesting thriller was rated under the “Ten Best of 2009” by Movier-etriever.com.

Critics from this site said, “It will succeed because the last times director Martin Scorsese paired with Leonardo DiCaprio, the Oscar winners,

‘Gangs of New York,’ ’The Avia-tor’ and ‘The Departed’ were born.” “Shutter Island” opens Oct. 2.

To escape from the thrillers, try the fun-loving romantic comedy “Couples Retreat.”

“The storyline is centered on four couples who settle into a tropical-island resort for a vacation. While one of the cou-ples is there to work on their marriage, the others fail to re-alize that participation in the resort’s therapy sessions is not optional, creating some pretty hilarious scenarios,” according to Imdb.com.

Critics from Screenrant.com gave it four and a half stars. “It features a star-studded cast of talent,” according to the Web site. “The potential is terrifi c because we get to see some of the funniest comedic actors in Hollywood riff off of each other for 100 minutes.” These funny comedic actors include Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman and Jon Favreau. “Couples Retreat” will open Oct. 9.

It isn’t until November that the real cinema starts to unfold, ending with the popular holi-day season movies, and that’s when local theaters will really start gearing up for guests.

“I don’t expect very high attendance until November when ‘2012’ and ‘New Moon’ come out,” said Jason Friddle, assistant manager of the Fiesta Square Theater.

Sci-fi enthusiasts and histo-rians have been throwing out rumors that the world might end in 2012 based upon Mayan beliefs. Because 2012 is quickly approaching, director Roland Emmerich, who also directed

“Independence Day” and “The Day After Tomorrow,” has given movie watchers a third look at the end of the world, according to www.rottentoma-toes.com.

“The movie is an epic ad-venture about the end of the world and the heroic struggle of the survivors,” according to Imdb.com.

“It’s going to be interesting to see how they depict the end of the world,” freshman Josh Martine said.“According to an ancient Mayan prophecy, the world will end in 2012, so ex-pect fl oods, molten lava and mass hysteria,” critics from Moviefone.com said. The fi lm opens Nov. 13.

The last big movie for fall and perhaps the most an-ticipated overall is the second

movie in the Twilight saga, “New Moon.” Rated under Ya-hoomovies.com as one of the “Most Anticipated Movies of 2009,” this vampire romance should have no trouble in the-aters.

“’New Moon’ features the main character Bella devastat-ed by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cul-len, but her spirit is rekindled by her growing friendship with Jacob Black. Suddenly she fi nds herself drawn into a world of the werewolves, ancestral en-emies of vampires and fi nds her loyalties tested,” according to Imdb.com.

Last year, the Razorback Malco Theatre sold out of eight screens for opening night of the fi rst “Twilight” movie, As-sistant Manager Karlye Mat-thews said.

“It was mostly teen girls with their boyfriends and moms,” he said. Matthews ad-mitted that most of the time the theater isn’t sure how suc-cessful movies will be, but with “New Moon” there is no doubt.

“The intricate storyline should give the Twilight fran-chise a new bite,” critics from Moviefone.com said. “New Moon” opens Nov. 20.

MOVIES

Other notables: Gov’t Mule, who entertained what seemed to be about half the festival Thurs-day night, and Yonder Mountain String Band, whose early Friday morning encore could only be described as the hoedown from hell.

The festival featured some great music, but the sets could have been shorter and more art-ists could have been added to the lineup. However, this event de-serves to be at Mulberry Mountain and is a festival not to be missed. It can only be appreciated by those who take the time, money and live-free attitude to be there.

WAKARUSAfrom Page 9

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff Photographer

Hiking down to a swimming hole by the Mulberry River provided much needed relief from the summer heat. The hike up was not so pleasant, and the trails were closed by the end of the festival because of individuals harming themselves by hiking while intoxicated.

DOWNTIME THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER | www.thetraveleronline.com Page 12 |WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009

BLISS | Harry Bliss HOROSCOPES | Linda Black

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ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) Loved ones may this week openly express their feelings, idea or plans. For many Aries natives social expectations will now increase: expect friends and romantic partners to ask for fi rm com-mitments, provide detailed opinions or outline surprising emotional goals.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) Property contracts, legal documents and major investments may now re-quire careful consideration. Long-term promises or fi nancial adjustments will eventually work in your favor. At pres-ent, however, confusing numbers may be problematic.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 21) Love affairs and new relationships are now highly favored. Previously reluctant or distant romantic partners may this week ask for greater emotional involve-ment in your life. For many Geminis several months of family confl ict and social doubt are now ending. Don’t look back.

CANCER (JUNE 22-JULY 22) Business proposals, although controver-sial, may bring remarkable opportuni-ties. Group investments, long-term fi nancial planning and legal agreements are now highlighted. Remain quietly dedicated. Patient refl ection and timed decisions may be key.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) Insights and sudden hunches may be unusually revealing this week. Some Leos will soon be offered a powerful glimpse into their own romantic future. Areas affected are repeated family patterns, reversed social loyalties and shared home or fi nancial goals between friends.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) Older relatives or long-term friends may this week require delicate fi nancial advice. Business disruptions, changing income sources or new job offers may soon cause concern. Fast progress will be unavoidable.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) Recently reserved offi cials may this week express controversial opinions. Workplace habits, employee commu-nications or leadership duties may be on the agenda. Closely follow all new instructions. Attentiveness and respect for authority are now vital.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21)A trusted friend may now need to dis-cuss cancelled family plans or a recent social dispute. Offer a clear description of your feelings and watch for fast deci-sions. In the coming weeks, successful relationships will be expressive and openly affectionate: stay open to new proposals.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) Written documents and fi nancial partnerships are accented over the next six days. Property agreements, leases and large purchases will soon captivate the time and attention of loved ones. Offer detailed suggestions and reliable practical advice.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) Friends or colleagues may now adopt a renewed attitude of group involvement. Before mid-week social enthusiasm will be high. Encourage all such expan-sion and watch for vital changes in temperament, romantic confi dence and self-awareness.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) Social innuendo and romantic speculation are compelling this week. Surprising information concerning new friends may now initiate intense gossip. Enjoy light-hearted group involvement but avoid probing for personal details.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) Social innuendo and romantic speculation are compelling this week. Surprising information concerning new friends may now initiate intense gossip. Enjoy light-hearted group involvement but avoid probing for personal details.

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SPORTSManning the LineRazorbacks try to replace Rimington Trophy winner LuigsWednesday in Sports

Phone: 575.7051 | E-mail: travsprt@uark.edu WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009 | Page 13Sports Editor: Matt Watson | Assistant Sports Editor: Harold McIlvain II

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELER

FOOTBALL

Underclassmen fly first class for Hogs

Need for speed: Check.When Arkansas running back Dennis John-

son recorded a blazing 4.3 40-yard dash follow-ing winter workouts, he earned the title of fastest Razorback on the football team. Coach Bobby Pe-trino said no one came close to Johnson’s time.

But now that a freshman class that includes four highly touted high school sprinters has ar-rived, it is a safe bet to say that the sophomore wouldn’t lack competition in the event of an im-promptu dash.

“We haven’t raced,” freshman speedster Da-vid Gordon said. “There’s been people that are definitely trying to race, but not yet.”

While Johnson currently holds the title of fast-est player, Gordon may be the odds-on favorite to win a race based on his illustrious high school track career. The Tulsa East Central product was one of the country’s elite prep sprinters, clocking a 10.16-second 100-meter dash and posting the top 200-meter time in the country for his grade. He last ran a 40-yard dash in eighth grade and posted a 4.5.

Gordon plans on running track at Arkansas in addition to playing football. Petrino said there was debate among the coaching staff on whether his speed would be most valuable on offense or defense.

“The defensive coaches have convinced me that he’s not too fast (to play defense),” Petrino said. “He’s going to play corner. He’s got a chance to be a special player before it’s over with. Maybe as he gets older he’ll have a chance to pop over on offense and at least scare the defensive backs a little bit. He’ll definitely have an opportunity to return kickoffs.”

There’s no doubt as to where Cobi Hamilton

will be lining up this fall. The 6-foot-3, 209-pounder from Texarkana, Texas, is already vy-ing for playing time at a wide receiver position stocked with talent and upperclassmen.

Hamilton was crowned the Texas 5A state champion with a 21.33 mark in the 200-meter dash and spurred his team to the 4x200-relay state championship by making up 10 meters as the anchor leg for a come-from-behind victory. Despite his speed, Hamilton said Razorback fans can expect to see more than just a deep threat.

“(I resemble) Terrell Owens,” Hamilton said. “Big guy, a long strider, pretty good hands. I’m here to play. I want to start as fast as I can.”

Running back Ronnie Wingo is another high school track standout but, unlike Gordon and Hamilton, running track collegiately likely won’t be in Wingo’s future.

“Wingo had some pretty good (track) times, but he’s going to outgrow track,” Petrino said. “We’re going to make sure he outgrows track.”

Petrino said work ethic and picking up the system are the keys for Wingo and Hamilton to see early playing time.

“They work hard to get reps. They have to study their playbook so they’re ready for the next day. If they’re mature enough to do that, they’re both talented enough to play. They are excep-tional talent out there,” Petrino said.

Wingo still figures to use his speed to carve up defenses on Saturdays, though. The St. Louis-native won the Missouri state championship in both the 100- and 200-meter events with times of 10.50 and 21.30 and was rated the fourth-fastest athlete in the country by Rivals.com.

Highly-rated freshman cornerback Darius Winston is another high school track athlete. Winston possesses a sub-4.4 40-time, and Rivals

Jimmy CarterAssistant Sports Editor

While you were busy soaking up rays on the beach this summer – or soaking wet in your own sweat from working so hard in summer school, at a summer job or on a summer mission – various Ra-zorback athletic teams were just as busy competing, pouring out their own sweat for individual and institutional glory. As senior graduation and summer vacation empty Fayetteville each May, the school’s spring sports are just getting warmed up. In the summer of 2009, Arkansas athletic teams, and a few Razorback alum, heated up just as the weather did – with one team literally coming within inches of a national title.

Arkansas owns 42 national champi-onships in team sports – 40 from track coaching icon John McDonnell, another from the recently celebrated 1994 Hog hoops team and the last from the unde-feated ’64 football team. The Razorbacks came close to adding two more this summer, and made several memorable moments along the way.

10. Five Diamond Hogs sign pro-fessional contracts.

The Razorback baseball team made a lot of noise this summer, prompting the most exciting trip to Nebraska anyone around here has made in quite some-time. Five members of that team signed pro contracts after being drafted by Major League teams in June, with Dallas Keuchel (7th round) going to the Hous-ton Astros, Stephen Richards (8th) sign-ing with the Florida Marlins, Scott Lyons (15th) and Ben Tschepikow (17th) both inking with the Kansas City Royals, and Ryan Cisterna (34th) with the Los Ange-

les Angels. Lyons and Tschepikow could both be back in Northwest Arkansas soon with the Royals Double-A affiliate, the Naturals, in Springdale, while Cisterna would play in North Little Rock for the Angels’ affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers.

9. Jess Todd makes Major League debut with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Former Razorback pitcher Jess Todd cemented his name into Arkansas lore when he piled up a school-record 17 strikeouts in an SEC Tournament game in 2007. Just 25 months later he made it to the big leagues, pitching for the Cardinals on June 5. That’s as far as the feel-good story goes, as he gave up two runs and a home run in 1.2 innings that night, and was later included in a trade to the struggling Cleveland Indians in late July.

8. Two Razorbacks tennis greats end careers in semifinals and quar-terfinals of NCAA singles tourney.

Aurelija Miseviciute reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA women’s singles tournament in May and wrapped up her career as the winningest athlete

in Razorback tennis history. Miseviciute went out as the No. 2 ranked player in the country and two-time All-American. Blake Strode made it to the semifinals on the men’s side, earning his first All-American honors and wrapping up his Razorback career with 97 victories, fifth-best in school history and a No. 13 national ranking.

7. Drew Smyly’s near no-hitter in Regional against No. 9 OU leads Hogs to Super Regional berth.

Redshirt freshman Drew Smyly turned a lot of heads in the Razorbacks’ second regional win against the No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners, getting 25 outs before giving up a hit in the Hogs 11-0 shutout. Smyly struck out 12 Sooners and didn’t give up a hit until the ninth inning and Andy Wilkins went 5-for-5 with a pair of home runs to help Arkansas cruise to its third Super Regional in school history.

6. Arkansas sweeps Florida State to advance to College World Series.

The Razorbacks beat the heavily favored No. 5 Florida State Seminoles on back-to-back days to earn a trip to the College World Series, the Hogs’ first since 2004, with a dramatic walkoff win in Tallahassee, Fla. Senior Andrew Darr got four hits, including a home run and the winning RBI-double. Arkansas overcame a four-run deficit in the game, blew a ninth-inning lead and then came back in the bottom of the ninth for a come-from-behind victory.

5. Tyson Gay sets American record in 100-meter dash.

Former Razorback Tyson Gay shat-tered his own American record in the 100-meters last week, even though he lost the race to world-record holder Usain Bolt. Usain ran an insane 9.58, while Gay’s 9.71-second finish was nothing to scoff at either. But let’s forget the Jamai-can sensation for a second. The Arkansas great ran faster than any American has ever run, ever. Too bad he didn’t play wide receiver too.

4. Razorback golf knocks out No. 1 Georgia to advance to national championship.

The No. 10 Arkansas men’s golf team upset fifth-seed Washington and top-ranked Georgia all in one Friday in May to advance to a title match with Texas A&M. Arkansas only lost one of the five individual matches while taking down the Bulldogs in the semifinal match, and David Lingmerth hit a 200-yard hole-in-one in his match.

3. Dorian Ulrey is one of four Americans in 1,500-meter semifinals at Track World Championships.

Senior Dorian Ulrey made his mark on SEC track last season, earning four All-American honors and leading the Ra-zorbacks to top 10 finishes at both the in-door and outdoor NCAA championships. Ulrey took the next step over the summer, trading his Arkansas cardinal-and-white for red-white-and-blue of the United State at the IAFF World Championships. Ulrey made is all the way to the semifinals of the 1,500-meters, one of four Americans to advance that far in Berlin.

2. Arkansas wins two College World Series games.

The Diamond Hogs’ Cinderella story continued in Omaha, where the Hogs were all but counted out by everyone, facing the vaunted (and mustache-clad) Cal State-Fullerton Titans in their first matchup. But Arkansas toppled the Titans, 10-6, for its first CWS win in two decades. The Razorbacks lost their next game to LSU, but beat Virginia in 12 innings to avoid elimination thanks to a ninth-inning home run by Brett Eibner and another walkoff RBI-double from Andrew Darr. Arkansas was then defeated again by LSU, which went on to win its sixth national title on the diamond.

1. Razorback golf team finishes inches short of a national title.

The Arkansas golf team’s national title bid came down to the final green of the final hole in the final round of the NCAA Championships. Andrew Landry came back from four matches down to tie his pivotal matchup with Texas A&M’s top golfer, Bronson Burgoon. Burgoon hit his approach shot from the rough within inches of the pin, birdying the final hole and forcing Landry to make a 45-foot putt to keep the Hogs alive. The Razorback senior’s putt came about a foot short of the hole, ending Arkansas’ storybook bid at the program’s first title.

Not a bad summer vacation at all.

Matt Watson is the sports editor of The Arkansas Traveler. His column ap-pears every Wednesday.

Recounting the Hogs’ Super Summer SpectacularCOMMENTARY

Swinging for the Fences

MATT WATSONmrwatson@uark.edu

FILE PHOTO

Sophomore running back Dennis Johnson ran a 4.3-second 40-yard dash last winter, fastest on the Razorback football team.

FOOTBALL

When their high school playing days at Rickards High School in Tallahassee, Fla., ended, teammates Michael Smith and Rudell Crim turned to different schools to continue playing football.

While Smith went to Arkansas, Crim attended Butler County Community College.

But after Crim played cornerback for two na-tional championship teams and Smith put a 1,000-yard rushing season in the books, the two are on the same team again.

After deciding to transfer, Crim said he looked at Arkansas and couldn’t pass up the opportunities and the chance to play with a former teammate.

“I’ve known Michael Smith for a while,” Crim said. “We always talked about maybe playing to-

gether again. But now we are playing together. We are both pretty excited about it.”

Crim, who has been practicing as a second-team cornerback, was ranked by many publications as a top-10 junior college cornerback.

But that wasn’t the only position he played in high school.

Both Smith and Crim shared time at running back and sometimes would find each other on the field at the same time.

“We used each other as a decoy sometimes to get open,” Crim said. “The coaches had some dif-ferent packages for us. It was an exiting experience to play running back with Michael.”

But now that sharing the ball with Smith is over, Crim will look to get him back the ball on defense

Out with the old and in with the new.The Arkansas women’s soccer squad is set to

usher in a new era with new coach Erin Aubry at the helm when they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to kick off the season against the Michigan Wolver-ines on Friday.

Aubry inherits a team that finished 11-8 (4-7 Southeastern Conference) in 2008 under former coach Gordon Henderson. Henderson resigned af-ter compiling a 41-49-5 record in his five years in Fayetteville.

Aubry will attempt to mold a 2009 Razorbacks unit that returns four seniors and junior Kelly O’Connor, Arkansas’ leading returning scorer with five goals and 12 points registered in 2008.

“This preseason has not been perfect, but it’s been perfectly progressed through,” Aubry said. “We’re ready to open up against Michigan in Wol-verine territory. (We) believe we’re going to have a big fan base there so we’re very excited.”

Aubry takes the reins of the Arkansas program after going 28-39-9 in four seasons at Morehead State, including the school’s lone NCAA Tourna-ment berth in 2008. Aubry will look to imprint her aggressive, high-scoring style of play on the Razor-back program.

“The philosophy of our coaching style is cer-tainly offensive-minded,” Aubry said. “We are go-ing to have a more aggressive mentality and more courage to go to goal, take chances, take people

SOCCER

Former high school teammates reunite on the gridiron

Women’s soccer set to kick off season, new era

Harold McIlvain IIAssistant Sports Editor Jimmy Carter

Assistant Sports Editor

See CRIM on Page 15 See SOCCER on Page 14

See SPEEDSTERS on Page 15

Did you know?Michael Smith needs 1,335 yards this

season to pass Felix Jones for !fth place in Arkansas career rushing yards.

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one-on-one because that’s what makes it fun.”

Senior midfielder Kathleen Paulsen said the changes in re-gimes has been very evident and has energized the squad with a fresh start.

“There’s been a tremendous shift in attitude, mentality, work ethic,” Paulsen said. “I think ev-erything’s changed. I think this year you’ll see a completely dif-ferent team on the field.

“(We’re) much more aggres-sive. Almost an explosive offense, which I felt we might not have before. We’re throwing all num-bers forward and trying to beat people and that’s something we hadn’t really done in the past.”

Junior midfielder Kelly O’Connor said the team’s confi-dence is at an all-time high.

“Confidence is so much bet-ter this year than it has been any other and it’s because we have a belief,” O’Connor said. “(The coaches) came in with an idea, but it took all of us to believe in it and buy into it.”

The level of physicality in practice has increased during the offseason.

“In training we don’t take it easy on each other anymore,” O’Connor said. “We slide tackle, we foul, we hit each other hard in practice than we get hit in games.”

Arkansas welcomes nine new-comers, including four transfers that Aubry said could make an immediate impact on the pro-gram. Kelsey Allison and Laurel Pastor are both junior transfers capable of making a big impact

early.“The transfers that have

come in have fit right in,” Aubry said. “All of the newcomers are going to impact our team in very positive ways throughout the course of this season. Something that makes us very, very special with our program is that we are very deep.

“We aren’t afraid to make subs. The beauty of this team is that we have so many to contrib-ute on the field.”

Aubry will be faced with the challenge of trying to guide the Razorbacks to their first SEC Tournament ap-pearance in nine years. The Razorbacks finished a half-game out of the final eighth qualifying spot in 2008.

“Any given year you look at those teams that are in the SEC Tourna-ment and probably six of those eight are going on to the NCAA Tournament,” Aubry said. “We want a solid spot in the SEC Tournament that’s going to have us in the NCAA Tournament.

“There is no reason that this program can’t (reach the NCAA Tournament). The talent is here. The brains are here. The leader-ship is here, which is the biggest factor in a team being successful. We have all the tools, we’ve just got to put it together, organize it and motive it.”

Reaching the SEC Tourna-ment and beyond is the team’s biggest goal, O’Connor said.

“It’s what we all dream about at night,” Paulsen said. “That’s what you work so hard for all year long. For us now I wouldn’t say its SECs but we’re aiming (to reach) NCAAs. We want to dream

big and I think we can get there this year.”

The Razorbacks lost an exhi-bition match 1-0 at Oklahoma in double overtime last Friday. Aubry said she was encouraged by the team’s defense in the pre-season contest, but said the of-fense is still a work in progress.

“We really haven’t focused too much on our runs in the box, which I think is what killed us the most against our scoring opportunities,” Aubry said. “We had a lot of opportunities. We doubled on corner kicks over

Oklahoma. That’s usu-ally a pretty good sta-tistic to look at with a team that’s generating offense.

“We just weren’t able to connect in the box. That’s what we’re focusing on this week in training and we’ll be

ready for against Michigan.”Connor said the scrimmage

did provide the team a valu-able opportunity to work out the kinks in the new system against another team.

“We’re trying to learn a new system still and I think we defi-nitely got a better feel for that (in the scrimmage),” Paulsen said. “Definitely a lot of the kinks got worked out. (Defense) really just did a great job back there. I thought we had some good looks and a lot of it was understand-ing new roles and new positions a lot of us are playing, trying to figure out where we’re going to be this year.”

Following the trip to Michi-gan the Razorbacks will host Air Force in their home-opener on August 28.

SOCCERfrom Page 13

FILE PHOTO

Senior midfielder Kathleen Paulsen (right) scored four goals and recorded an assist for Arkansas in 2008, starting all 19 games for the Razorbacks.

Erin Aubry

with turnovers.“I’m on the other side of the

ball now,” Crim said.While watching Smith in

practice, Crim said he has no-ticed the improvements the se-nior running back has made since high school.

“He has always been a great running back,” Crim said. “He is the fastest person on the fi eld and is very shifty. But now that he has gone through college, he has gotten stronger and takes hits. In high school, he didn’t like to get touched. He would do anything to shake you or outrun you.”

It’s that same ability to take hits that allowed Smith to gain a combined 1,370 rushing and receiving yards and 10 touch-downs in his fi rst year as starting tailback at Arkansas.

Defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said he can see tell Crim and Smith have been friends for a while.

“I see a lot of similarities with Crim and Michael Smith,” Robinson said. “I see the exact same personality and character. Football is very meaningful to these young men. They were best friends growing up.”

But Robinson has also no-ticed the playing ability of Crim.

“In the short time I have seen him, he is very special,” Robin-son said. “He has very quick feet and is picking things up ex-tremely fast. He is a very mature young man and will be a leader on our defense at some point in his career.”

Crim admitted that the play-book is quite bigger than the one at his former school, but he said the players around him have helped in the learning process.

“The (cornerbacks) have been really open with me,” Crim said. “They understand that this is a lot thicker playbook. They do their best and help some of the new guys while still playing at a high level.”

Crim will look to provide depth to a defensive unit that ranked tenth in the Southeast-ern Conference in passing yards allowed with 204.4 a game.

“The defense was young last year,” Crim said. “But they have a year under their belt. With me coming in to compete with these guys, it just makes us all better. With this situation, only the best can happen for the defense.”

The cornerback could be asked to contribute a little sooner than expected because of a season-ending knee injury sustained by starting cornerback Isaac Madison on Saturday.

But Crim is looking forward to the challenge of making an

impact and bonding with his fel-low defenders.

“Once we learn to play to-gether as one unit, I really think we can be one of the top schools in the SEC,” Crim said. “The na-tional championships (at Butler County Community College) all came down to team chemistry. It is very important to winning. And I can see the same thing here.”

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It is safe to say senior defensive lineman Malcolm Sheppard is ready for football.

A year removed from lead-ing the Razorback defense in sacks and tackles for losses, Sheppard was held out of practice last week because of poor practice habits.

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino said the two-time team captain was pun-ished because he was going a little too full speed against his teammates, putting them at risk for a potential injury.

Sheppard returned to prac-tice humbled.

But the attitude will be welcomed once the Arkansas defense takes the field hoping for improvement after posting the team’s worst national rank in scoring defense in eight seasons and its worst to-tal yards allowed since 2004.

Sheppard said the summer was well spent adjusting to a new playing weight.

“It’s one of the most progressive summers I’ve ever had,” Sheppard said. “My fundamentals are getting bet-ter. It’s a little different at this weight, but I’m ready to play.”

Sheppard said being named a team captain again for the second year isn’t something he takes lightly.

“It’s a position I love to have,” Sheppard said. “I accept it with full authority. I like being a leader for the young guys and showing them how the system goes. I do my best to work hard every day to not let them down.”

But after having a down year defensively, Sheppard said the unit is ready to show the improvements made from last year.

A combination of a new

scheme under defensive coordinator Willy Robinson and a youthful core didn’t fit well at times last year for the rebuilding unit.

But with a year of experi-ence and offseason workouts, defensive coordinator Willy Robinson is noticing a very different defense shaping up on the practice field.

“We look remarkably dif-ferent out there physically,” Robinson said. “We are bigger and haven’t lost our speed. Our first unit is playing fast and have a lot of confidence in the scheme we are run-ning.”

And that wasn’t necessarily the case last year for a team that was learning a pro-style defense that has a thick playbook.

Sheppard said at times it was difficult for the defense to play to its potential while still learning.

“Last year we were just all out there with a new system,” Sheppard said. “We were basi-cally trying to learn on the run. But guys know what to do now.”

Robinson said the depth of the defense has grown tremendously with new talent after several freshmen started last year.

“We are very deep,” Rob-inson said. “It’s no longer a

one-deep and hope someone doesn’t get hurt. We are com-petitive at every position.”

But Robinson isn’t the only one noticing a change in the defense. Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said the players are playing at a high level with noticeable improvement.

Senior wide receiver Lucas Miller said the defense has shown it can make big plays in practice.

“It wasn’t easy for those guys last year learning that defense,” Miller said. “That is a very difficult defense to learn. I think those guys will show they have improved greatly from last year.”

Sheppard said the little things the team faced and learned from last year will help the defense have an improved season.

“Everyone knows now how to prepare for the competi-tion we are going to face,” Sheppard said. “We have been working hard, especially with the chemistry. I think it is go-ing to pay off.”

Sheppard said the defen-sive line needs to provide the secondary with more help by pressuring the quarterback.

“I think my position great-ly affects the guys behind us,” Sheppard said. “I don’t think we did a really good job of getting the quarterback off their game. We need to help our guys more this year.”

And he can’t wait for that opportunity.

Harold McIlvain II is the assistant sports editor of The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every other Wednesday.

Sheppard, defense ready to show improvement

named him the third-fastest athlete in the country.

Defensive coordinator Wil-lie Robinson said speed alone won’t guarantee playing time for Winston and Gordon, while taking time to gain knowledge of the new system “certainly could” hold the duo back.

“We’re not going to line a guy up because he can run 4.3,” Robinson said. “Our older kids have gained speed throughout our program, too. The other thing that’s going to hold the freshmen back is technique. Technique is what wins.”

“We’ve got to have guys that have the speed, the skill and the technique.”

One thing is certain. Gor-don, Hamilton, Wingo and Winston have the speed.

SPEEDSTERSfrom Page 13

CRIMfrom Page 13

COMMENTARY

Deuces Wild

HAROLD MCILVAIN IIhmcilvai@uark.edu

FILE PHOTO

The Razorback defense surrendered 31.2 points and 375.2 yards per game last season.

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Traveler sports editor Matt Watson sat down with sophomore receiver Joe Adams. The Little Rock-native (Central Arkansas Christian HS) played in all 12 games for the Razorbacks as a true freshman and caught 31 passes for 377 yards.

What’s it like catching passes from quarterback Ryan Mallet?The ball gets on you a lot quicker. It’s not too much of a difference, because we run the same routes, but sometimes the ball gets there a little quicker.

What’s your individual goal for this season?I want to have a way better year than last season as a freshman and help put us in a good position to get in a big bowl game.

How much does a year of SEC play under your belt help going into this year?I’m more comfortable this year than last year, playing as a true freshman right out of high school, in the SEC. I’ve settled down a little bit and now I can just play my game.

What’s the one thing you need to work on most?I need to work on blocking more. I’ve been working out more so I can do some more blocking.

What kind of food keeps Joe Adams going?I like a lot of soul food. I love Thanksgiving food.

What kind of car do you drive?A Chevy Tahoe.

Which one of your tattoos is your favorite?The big cross on my left arm.

If you could be any superhero, who would you be?Sub-Zero. Even though he’s a villain from Mortal Combat, I’d be Sub-Zero.(Editor’s note: According to Wikipedia, Sub-Zero is a “blue-garbed assassin” who froze his opponents with a “variety of ice-based special moves.”)

What’s the best fl avor of Gatorade?Cascade Crash (Frost). The blue one.

What’s the ringtone on your phone right now?Lil Boosie featuring Young Jeezy, “Better Believe It.”

One-on-Onewith a Razorback

FILE PHOTO

STEPHEN IRONSIDE Staff PhotographerBackground Photo: