TODAY’S FORECAST

HI: 66o LOW: 48o

Chance of Rain: 20%

Raven Films is going to host a Houston filmaker on Wednesday in The Dan Rather Building room 210, at 6 p.m.

provided by raven films

Bolwling team wins first in Maryland tournament.P2 P5

P4

www.HoustonianOnline.comVolume 123 / Issue 2 Tuesday, January 21, 2013

New Mexico teen charged with shooting parents and three siblings A 15-year-old boy was charged with killing his parents and three siblings early Saturday. The teen had considered driving to a public place to gun down more people and die in a shootout with police. The teen was arrested after he called a friend who convinced him to meet at a church.

Prince Harry says he’s killedBritain’s Prince Harry said

he has killed members of the Taliban during his last tour of Afghanistan. Harry has been a member of an attack helicopter squad for the past four months. The total number of insurgents killed is not known.

Houston waiter defends special needs customerA waiter in a Houston restaurant defended the honor of a small boy with down’s syndrome after the child was ridiculed by another patron. Michael Garcia said he refused to serve a customer who spoke ill of five-year-old Milo, who Garcia says was just making noises “but not being bad”. The customer originally moved tables after being annoyed but kept talking down about the child before Garcia refused service to him.

Theives build tunnel right under bankSpokespeople for a German bank said a group of thieves built a vault 150-feet long and robbed the bank of its jewels and other valuable items. Members of a branch of Berliner Volksbank in the German capital discovered the tunnel starting from a nearby parking garage that had been constructed all the way to underneath the bank’s vault. Thieves had used the tunnel in a successful heist sometime early Monday according to police.

NATION & WORLD

Follow us today! @TheHoustonian

SGA’s new goals for the year include recruiting new members and to better represent the students

I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. President Barack Obama receives the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts with support from first lady Michelle Obama. After Obama was sworn in, Kelly Clarkson, Beyoncé and James Taylor performed. Obama then went to inaugural luncheon with the Biden’s at the capitol. Following lunch was the Inauguration Parade. The Obama’s went down Pennsylvania Ave. in a limo stopping once in a while to walk down the street. The parade led to the White House. Members of the parade included: several performing groups, marching bands and floats. There was one float that represented Martin Luther King Jr. and NASA had a float as well. The Inaugural Ball, held at the Washington Convention Center, was attended by the Obama and Biden families.

AP Photo/ Carolyn Kaster

Global center takes media training to Lebanon

Texas Senator introduces act to allow handguns on campus

BEIRUT – The idea of a free press has been well established for Western journalists. Ethics, writing style and developing the right sources are almost formulaic in the way American and other Western countries present the information written by the media.

However, in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions this concept is brand new to the media who are now finding more freedom after the Arab Spring. That is one of many reasons the SHSU Global Center for Journalism and Democracy co-hosted the Media Coverage of International Justice conference in Beirut, Lebanon, according to the GCJD executive director Kelli Arena.

“When you look at the whole concept of international justice, you see that it is a very new concept, especially in this region,” Arena said. “What happened in Libya, in Egypt, in Syria…it is very likely that some, we hope, will have to go before an international

court.”Ayman Mhanna, director of

the Samir Kassir Foundation and conference co-host, said

the conference was important, especially due to the upcoming Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

“It’s important to have a cache of

journalists from all over the Arab world who have the skills, the right terminology and the right

STEPHEN GREENEditor-in-Chief

Texas Senator Brian Birdwell introduced the Campus Personal Protection Act that explicitly allows a concealed handgun licensee to “carry a concealed handgun on or about the license holder’s person while the license holder is on the campus [of a college or university].”

Zach Giddens, a freshman criminal justice major, is leery about what the bill will make commonplace at Sam Houston.

“I would probably feel a tiny bit safer just about anywhere, but it’s not a necessity,” said Giddens. “If everyone had the ability to carry a gun on campus, and it became a common thing, then yes, I would carry a gun.”

The CPPA would allow any person with a CHL to openly carry on university property for personal protection. The bill states that individual university policy on guns cannot circumvent the Act, unless the school has support from the faculty, staff, and student

JAY R. JORDANSenior Reporter

PROTECTION. Senator Birdwell’s ACT will allow college students with concealed handgun liscences to cary guns on campus. This Act is a result of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary.

AP Photo/Robert Ray

— GUNS, page 2

ROUGH ROAD GAME. Representatives from several international courts and tribunals including the; International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the Internatioal Criminal Court and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, were members of one of the many panels at the conference.

Stephen Green| The Houstonian

— BERUIT, page 2

Page 2houstonianonline.com/news

Tuesday, January 22, 2013News

Facebook.com/TheHoustonianSHSU

Earthquake kills one in Indonesia

A strong shallow earthquake killed a young girl in Indonesia. The earthquake had Jaua preliminary magnitude of 5.9 and hit Aceh province early Tuesday morning

Maryland armor manufacture develops bulletproof white boards

George Tunis, CEO and chairman of Pocomoke City-based Hardwire, created 18-by-20-inch, 3.75-pound white boards are meant to slip unobtrusively into the classroom as a teaching tool while being large enough to cover the head and torso. He created these in response to the Sandy Hook shooting. Tunis hopes this tool will buy students and teachers time until the police arive.

French take control of two Mali towns

The French military is helping Malian forces push Islamists militants out if their towns. The French took over Diabaly and Douentza, two key towns in Mali. “We are truly really grateful to the French who came in the nick of time,” said Gaoussou Kone, 34, the head of a local youth association. “Without the French, not only would there no longer be a Diabaly, there would soon no longer be a Mali. These people wanted to go all the way to Bamako.”

Gang rape trial in India begins Thursday

The five men accused of raping and killing a woman and injuring her male friend will face the courts on Thursday. The defense believes that there will be no delays with this trial, like there normally is in the Indian court system.

Foreign Minister Elias Jaua tweeted, “Viva Chavez.”

Jaua met with President Hugo Chavez, of Cuba, on Monday. Jaua says that he laughed and joked with president, even though he is recovering from a fourth cancer surgery.

NATION & WORLDSGA hopes to build relationships on campus, recruit new members

The Student Government Association at Sam Houston State University has a plan in motion to establish their purpose as a governing body and voice their opinion on political issues both locally and nationally.

This semester the SGA plans on holding several meetings to listen to the opinions and ideas of students as well as gain insight into important topics on campus. They also plan on tackling national topics such as higher education funding cuts and gun policies on campus.

SGA President Shane Rankin said, “The most important topics on this semester’s agenda is to build relationships on campus and recruit new members to join SGA.”

Rankin also said that if needed he is ready to represent SHSU in legislation on the political issues facing its students.

“SGA top priorities are to hear the opinions and ideas of students all around campus, I want SGA to be diverse both internally and externally,” Rankin said.

Rankin believes that if SGA is diverse it will help them better solve pressing issues locally and on campus.

SGA also faces elections this May and several of its members will be running for re-election. While several of its members will be returning

many of them are leaving due to graduation which will result in several openings in both the senate and executive committee.

SGA invites all students, faculty and staff to their meetings which are held every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in LSC room 320. Rankin said the

meetings are open to anyone that would like to join and would like to hear everyone ideas and opinions. You can also e-mail SGA at sga@shsu.edu with any comments, questions or concerns.

Rec Sports allows students to “demo” activities, free

SHSU discusses location for food pantry

The Sam Houston State University food pantry is one step closer to becoming a legitimate resource for students on campus. The planning committee had a meeting on Friday in which they discussed the search for a physical location and leadership for the program.

“We all have personal experiences with students who are food-insecure,” said Bernice Strauss, Director of Academic Support Programs. “Our next step is setting up an executive committee of students.”

The pantry is adopting a student organization model, which will allow students to be in charge of its actions and provisions.

Vice President for Student Services Frank Parker said the program has received support from both students and school faculty. Parker expressed support for the program in late December,

while the faculty senate has backed the pantry since its inception.

Eric Unfried, a freshman accounting major, said, “I’d definitely love to help out, even with something as simple as donating food would be awesome.”

Alongside the quest for bureaucracy is the search for a location to store the food and make it available for the students in need.

“Space on this campus is at a premium,” said Parker. “When we look at spaces, some of the issues that we think about are spaces that retain [a student’s] anonymity, spaces where students come and go and that are available and open on the weekend.”

While the committee talked about specific venues on campus for the pantry, they failed to comment on which facilities were in mind.

“I think it would be disrespectful to the people responsible for those sights to say anything more specific before we talk to them,”

said Parker.The pantry hopes to be available

to students by Fall 2013.

An opportunity to try various activities for free at the Recreational Sports Center will be available Jan 22 through Jan. 26.

The RSC will be offering Sam Houston State University students a chance to sample their group fitness classes, including Zumba, cycling, and different types of yoga, clinics given by the Outdoor Recreation department, an Open House on Wednesday for students interested in learning more about Club Sports, and will have the rockwall available for free climbing.

According to the Fitness Director at Recreational Sports, Recreational Sports created Demo Days as a promotion to give students a chance to try everything for free before they make a commitment of time or money.

Hannah, an employee at Rec Sports urged students to take advantage of the trial period.

“I think it’s a great way to start of the semester,” Hannah said. “This way, you know exactly what

the classes are and which ones you would be interested in taking. It’s a good beginning to start getting healthy and fit.”

According to the Recreational Sports website, there are flyers available online for a schedule of the week’s events. For more information regarding Demo Days, contact Recreational Sports at 936-294-1985 or visit shsu.edu/recsports.

GETTING BIGGER. SGA not only hopes to expand their member base, but to expand the topics they tackle as well.

provided by SGA

CHEYENNE SIMPSONStaff Reporter

JAY R. JORDANSenior Reporter

HELPING HAND. SHSU is in the process of opening up their own food pantry on campus. This picture is of a food pantry in Illinoise.

AP Photo/Seth Perlman

Follow us today! @TheHoustonian

SOPHIE NELSONSenior Reporter

DEMO DAYS. Rec Sports is giving students a chance to try out paid activities for free.

provided by SHSU RecSports

body.Birdwell in a press release on

Thursday said, “For me, this isn’t just about the firearm. It’s about trusting citizens with their God-given, constitutional rights.”

The bill allows universities to make rules and regulations about the storage of a concealed handgun inside a university dormitory or residence. However, if such regulations were enacted, the university could be held liable if an incident involving a concealed handgun were to occur.

“I disagree that the school should be liable for making rules,” said Giddens. “If they don’t enforce them, that’s a mistake, but I don’t think that they should be legally liable.”

The essence of the bill has been introduced before, but failed to see itself become law.

Months prior to the Virginia Tech Massacre in which Seung-Hui Cho shot fifty-nine people, killing thirty-two of them, Virginia Delegate Todd Gilbert introduced a similar bill that said, “… No board of visitors or other governing body of an educational institution shall have the authority to establish rules or regulations limiting or abridging the ability of a student with a valid concealed handgun permit from lawfully carrying a concealed handgun.”

After the bill died in subcommittee, Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker said, “I’m sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly’s actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus.”

Although the Virginia bill

didn’t receive much support in 2005, the CPPA has received outstanding support by the National and Texas State Rifle Associations.

TSRA Legislative Director Alice Tripp calls the bill a “TSRA agenda issue” that is “strongly supported.”

The Act also gained the support of thirteen other Texas Senators and will be enacted in September 2013.

approach to convey to the general public what is happening in these courts,” Mhanna said. “The line up of speakers and trainers were impressive. These journalists were able to speak to other journalists covering the International Criminal Court (ICC) and experts about this subject.”

The tribunal will investigate the assassinations of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and other 22 others.

The conference offered three panels of international justice experts, including court spokespersons, lawyers and seasoned reporters on day one. The panels were followed by six workshops on the next two days.

Journalists from more than 15 countries speaking just as many languages attended the conference. More than 125 people attended the public opening session of the conference while 60 participated in the two day training.

SHSU professors Mitchel Roth, Ph.D., from the criminal justice department and Robin Johnson, Ph.D., from the mass communication department were two of the seven trainers flown in.

Other trainers included CNN photojournalist Khalil Abdallah, international defense attorney Abby Joules, and Marlise Simons, a writer for the New York Times Paris Bureau since 1989 who has covered the ICC trials.

“I was impressed with the attention paid by members of the audience and the questions they asked,” Simons said. “I felt very gratified that members of the audience asked relevant questions on how to access this and how to approach that. The more that is known about international justice, especially in relevant countries, I’m sure that it helped.”

“I think that if people walk away from this conference,” Simons said, “that if journalists learn they just report the facts of the trial…that they don’t have to take sides…if they understand we are there to tell the story of the trial. If they walk away with that knowledge, if they know they are there not to be the prosecutor, not to be the defense, not to be the judge. If that is clear to them, that is the single most valuable contribution from this conference.”

The GCJD is currently planning another conference involving reporting on oil and gas sectors. The Samir Kassir Foundation will soon be announcing their Samir Kassir Award through the United Nations for various journalistic works.

GUNS, page 1

BERUIT, page 1

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Students buy meal plans from $400 to almost $1,700 with the hope it will save them money in the long run, but ultimately it often costs them more. The unnecessary and inconvenient dining schedule results in more of the students’ money spent off campus and a good portion of their meal plan is simply wasted.

The so-called ‘unlimited food’ becomes very limited between Friday and Sunday because Old Main Market opens later and

closes earlier. Old Main’s varied weekend schedule starts with a 6:30 p.m. closure on Friday night instead of the normal 8 p.m. weekday hours. It then opens for an hour breakfast, three hour lunch, and a one and a half hour dinner on Saturday. Then on Sunday, the dining facility is only open for lunch and dinner.

Such odd hours leave students with small windows of opportunity to get food.

This is why meal plans also include Bearkat Bucks that students can use at Paw Print or South Paw when Old Main is closed. However, Paw Print and South Paw close at 4 p.m. on Friday. Then with the exception of Chick-fil-A, which is open for the three hours on Saturdays, Paw Print and South Paw are also closed Saturday through Sunday. Therefore, students are stuck moving their eating habits around for the weekend or spending money off campus.

While this is an inconvenience for all Bearkats, freshmen are

the ones who lose out the most because most Sam Houston students get the smaller meal plans with more Bearkat Bucks or no meal plan at all, but freshmen are required to have one of three most expensive meal plans with less Bearkat Bucks.

Freshmen are stuck paying from $1,500 to $1,700 for plans that are used maybe once or twice on the weekends and are also left spending more money on off campus food.

If students are going to be advertised meal plans as a means of saving money, then food should be easily accessible throughout a whole week not just four days. It makes sense for a slight change in Old Market’s schedule for the weekend, because not as many people are on campus or in town. Closing early on Friday, however, is unnecessary and inconvenient.

Also Old Main should be open for at least three hours for breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday.

Page 3houstonianonline.com/viewpoints

Tuesday, January 22, 2013Viewpoints

KAYLA STALLINGSContributor

MLK Day: A day on, not a day off

With the semester just beginning, it is nice to already have a day off and a break from classes; however, not many people take notice as to why students are given this day off or why this day truly matters.

Every third Monday in the month of January people recognize Martin Luther King Day, celebrating the life and achievements of the late civil rights leader. As most national holidays tend to go, most federal, state, and county workers do not have to go to work, and most schools and colleges are closed for the day giving students a day off.

Not only do students and many workers fail to realize why they are being given the day off, in turn they fail to actually celebrate the holiday as they would other national holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. While many people spend weeks beforehand preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas, MLK Day is almost completely overlooked except for having the day off.

The holiday itself is meant to be a celebration of Dr. King’s life and achievements; it is meant to remember the services Dr. King performed to make this country a

better place for everyone to live, and unfortunately, many people look at it as a paid day off from work or school. That is not the holiday’s intended purpose.

According to MLKDay.gov, the holiday is supposed to be viewed as a “day on, and not a day off,” meaning that the holiday is meant to be a celebration of the service that Dr. King did for our great nation, and in turn, citizens of the United States should perform an act of service to celebrate and honor Dr. King’s life.

MLK Day is a chance to start the year off right by making an impact in your community. There are many different ways to celebrate MLK day, from going out and performing a service project in

your community to watching a civil rights documentary and learning more about Dr. King’s life and his many great accomplishments.

According to a story posted on the Vibe.com, one user, Nicole Brown, suggested many different ways to celebrate the day; a few suggestions made by Brown included watching the presidential inauguration, completing a service project for your community, researching Dr. King’s life and watching a documentary on civil rights.

Martin Luther King Day is not simply a paid day off for workers or a free day from school for students; it is a day of merriment, celebrating the great life and work of the late Dr. King.

Before you decide to sit at home and have a lazy day off, remember why you have been given this day off and what it means. Dr. King believed in a nation of freedom and justice for all, and he strived to make this nation a better place to live for all citizens, so don’t just sit at home or go to a party and not celebrate Dr. King’s great achievements.

Get up and perform an act of service and celebrate the life and achievements of the late Dr. King.

MORGAN MEARSStaff Reporter

Morgan Mears says citizens should spend holiday to celebrate King and give back

Old Main needs new hours

PAWS DOWN

PAWS DOWN to flu season. We do not miss you one bit

PAWS DOWN to inconsistent Texas weather. For once we

would like to wear pants and a jacket all day long

PAWS DOWN to giving up on New Year’s resolutions.

Make specific goals for yourself and achieve them

PAWS UP to a three day weekend and MLK Day

PAWS UP

PAWS UP to the movie business for producing such wonderful films within the

past two months

PAWS UP to a beautiful inauguration ceremony with awesome performances by Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson and

other artists

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Ways to achieve a successful semester

A new semester is upon us, which means a fresh set of classes, new faces, and another chance to do everything you said you were going to do last year. Maybe you want to make a 4.0 GPA, or get in shape to wear that bikini you’ve been eyeing, but you have to make a plan of action to reach your goals (or New Year’s Resolutions).

Step one is to plan ahead. I live through my planner, and it is constantly saving me from missing important events or that quiz that might have slipped my mind. If your professor says a date, write it down immediately. Feeling prepared to ace a test is a great feeling and is much better than pulling an all-nighter for a test in your hardest class. If you are in an organization, putting meeting dates in your calendar also helps you plan around events that you can’t miss. Being in multiple organizations can be crazy and most students have jobs on top of that. Just remember to stay organized.

If you have a resolution to get in better shape or to make better grades, give yourself a time limit on when to achieve those goals. Give yourself two months to lose five pounds or plan ahead study times and keep track of your progress along the way. Write it down, and I guarantee your success.

Step two is to manage your time. Time is a precious thing, and it seems like in college we just don’t have enough of it. I like to spend some time at the beginning of each week to sit down and think about everything I have going on that week and how many days I have to prepare.

Have a big test on Thursday? Spend an hour or two each day studying, that way you aren’t overwhelmed and can make time for hanging out with friends or going to see that new movie. Set aside time for yourself too such as going on your daily run, taking a nap or whatever you do to unwind. Burn out is common for students, especially when you spend too much time on one thing. The key is knowing how much time you need to spend on each specific task and you can make your life less hectic. People will wonder how you can handle it all.

Step three is very important: do what makes you happy. They say college is the best time of your life, so why should you spend it being stressed out? It definitely isn’t easy, but it shouldn’t make you miserable. Do the things that make you happy, whether it is having a night on the town with your friends, driving around with the music up and windows down or just doing absolutely nothing for a day.

Take risks, try new things and don’t be afraid. That’s what college is all about, right?

ASHLEY PRCHLIKContributor

PAWS UP to having new people on the Houstonian staff. We welcome you all

with open arms

Business StaffEditorial StaffMolly Waddell

A&E Editor

mwaddell@houstonianonline.com

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Connor HydeSports Reporterchyde@houstonianonline.com

Paty MasonBusiness Manager936-294-1500pmason@houstonianonline.com

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Steve Sears

George Mattingly

News Editor

Misti JonesViewpoints Editor

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gmattingly@houstonianonline.com

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mjones@houstonianonline.com

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013Arts&Entertainment

Director to share experiences, involvement in film communityRaven films to host Houston filmmaker

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Excitement runs high at the beginning of the semester with new classes, professors, and ways to get involved on campus at Sam Houston State University. However, for theater students, every semester brings a new set of challenges as they crowd the halls of the Performing Arts Center going over in preparation for a season full of performances that starts with the auditions.

The long process starts as students prepare for weeks leading up to auditions and are given just two minutes to make an impression with the hope of landing a role. For students preparing to audition, it’s not just about the acting, but also about knowing their character.

“First I would research the show I was auditioning for to see what characters I could play and what kind of style the show is,” junior Adrienne Whitaker said. “From there I would look for other shows in the same style or other shows by the same playwright to get a monologue from. I would do the same thing to find a song.

Then I would memorize them and practice them as much as possible.”

For other students, along with the time limit come other challenges that add to the pressure of auditions.

“It is a feeling of not knowing what the outcome is going to be,” junior Brett M o u r g l i a said. “Other than doing what you c o n s i d e r good, there is virtually n o t h i n g you can do beyond that.”

But no matter how much preparation, a lot of what happens in an audition depends on the show and the director. Some directors ask actors to memorize two contrasting monologues and simply perform them. Other directors have the actors read straight from the script, which is referred to as “cold reading.”

“I like cold reads when you get to read with other people auditioning because you get to have fun with the text and

you don’t have to worry about memorizing,” junior Adrienne Whitaker said.

Other directors will ask actors to merely improvise something. An actor can prepare as much as possible before an audition, but a director might ask them to perform it differently.

After preliminary auditions, students are called back for another audition if they are being considered for a role, adding another layer of nervousness for students. However, once the hours of rehearsing lines, waiting

and auditioning are over, many breathe a sigh of relief and see the process as a learning experience to grow as an actor.

“First off it is a relief to not have to worry about prepping, waiting and nerves anymore,” Whitaker said. “I mostly feel the sense of accomplishment for getting through them and growing and learning throughout each audition,” Whitaker said.

The campus community at Sam Houston State University will have a chance to gain unique insight into the film industry when a Houston filmmaker heads to campus on Wednesday.

Hosted by Raven Films, Michelle Mower will be on campus to discuss her experiences throughout her career as a filmmaker from starting out to making a feature film and remaining involved in the film community.

Mower will also discuss her debut feature film, “The Preacher’s Daughter”, which tells the story of a young woman who is forced to confront her troubled past and relationship with her father after being arrested. The film debuted on the Lifetime Movie Network in August.

According to SHSU film professor Tom Garret, Mower’s presence is an opportunity for students to network and gain real-world insight into starting out in the film industry, which is crucial for students to hear.

“Having media professionals come share their stories and career [trajectories] with students I find as one of the most inspiring forms of engaging aspiring student, so that they can hear we all started at the same place they are at,” Garrett said. “I also find that many opportunities come out of speakers and student engagements like professional networking, internships and the like. It’s all about engagement with career paths and community.”

Some of Mower’s more recent projects include a new feature film titled “Dreamer” that is currently in post-production. She also just signed on to produce her first animated project titled “A Pumpkin’s Halloween” and is producing a feature-length documentary about the rare muscular/heart disease Friedreich’s Ataxia. She also has two more feature films in development.

In addition to her career as a director, producer and writer, Mower will also discuss how to stay actively involved in the film community, an aspect of the industry of which she has firsthand

experience. Mower serves several roles in

the Texas film community. She is on the board of the Texas Motion Pictures Alliance, and the Women in Film and Television. After graduating from the University of Houston in 2000 with a B.A. in Radio and Television, she worked as a producer for an NBC affiliate station. She also has worked for Southwest Alternate Media Project, a non-profit media arts organization in Houston, to organize workshops, youth programs, film screenings and special events.

Garret says getting and staying involved is also an important part of being a part of the film industry.

“I hope students hear there [are] ways to break in through passion, focus, discipline and hard work,” Garret said. “[I hope students see] the importance to get involved now in your respected majors student groups, and to reach out to the community.”

The event will be held at 6 p.m. in Dan Rather Building room 125 and is free for anyone to attend.

GEORGE MATTINGLYArts & Entertainment Editor

LIFETIME SUCCESS: Michelle Mower’s debut feature film “The Preacher’s Daughter” premiered on the Lifetime Movie Network on August 31, 2012 and earned the highst ratings of any movie for the network in 2012.

Photo provided by Tom Garrett

Theater students go behind the scenes of auditions

George Mattingly| The Houstonian

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I need an o�ce assistance to work for me in my company, Part time or full time, if you are interested kindly contact me on this email scotmoore969@yahoo.com the payment is very attractive.

““I mostly feel the sense of accomplishment for getting through them and growing and learning throughout each audition.

-Adrienne Whitaker, junior

STAR-SPANGLED INAUGURATION: Singer Beyonce Knowles was among the stars who drew cheers and smiles for the large crowd at the ceremonial swearing-in for President Barack Obama at the U.S. Captiol on Monday. She performed an emotional rendition of the National Anthem to conclude the celebration. Along with Knowles were Kelly Clarkson, who sang “My Country Tis of Thee” with the U.S. Marine band after Obama’s inaugural address, and James Taylor who, with guitar in hand, performed “America the Beautiful”. Later Monday night, Jennifer Hudson was one of the stars who took the stage for the inaugural ball along with Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys.

AP Photo| Evan Vucci/ Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Stars wow audiences with emotional in presidential inauguration ceremony

Spring 2013 Theater Season

Erica Starr Theatre

Our Town by Thorton Wilder Directed by Tom PriorFebruary 27, 2013 2013-March 2, 2013

The Pirates of Panzance by Gilbert and SullivanDirected by Penny HasekoesterApril 24-27, 2013

Showcase Theatre

Waiting for Godot by Samuel BecketDirected Hannah HuertaFebruary 13-16, 2013

Dying for It by Moira BuffiniDirected by Dave McTierApril 3-6, 2013

CARIAN PARKERStaff Reporter

Page 5Tuesday, January 22, 2013Sports

houstonianonline.com/sports

Bearkats defeat conference rivals Central Arkansas, fall to Oral Roberts 65-61 in OT

Administration makes it possible for alumni, other organizations to travel with football team

Sam Houston State football became familiar with travel this season playing eight of their 11 season games on the road. Even with long travel hours, Bearkat fans quickly adapted to long road stretches to see their favorite team play.

During the Division I FCS playoffs, SHSU President Dr. Dana Gibson collaborated with the athletic department to ensure alumni had an opportunity to travel to see the football team compete.

According to the president’s office selected donors and alumni, invited by Dr. Gibson, were allowed to travel on charter planes with the school to Montana and Washington, and were encouraged to make generous donations to SHSU and the athletic department.

“I think it all kind of started with Dr. Gibson wanting to make sure the band and the cheerleaders and

Orange Pride and some fans that could go,” SHSU Athletic Director Bobby Williams said. “We kind of put together that extra plane.”

Jim Ferris, SHSU graduate of 1969 and former Sigma Chi, claimed he started following Bearkat football after seeing similarities with the 1964 team compared to Coach Willie Fritz’s squad.

“I started getting really interested in Sam Houston three or four years ago and I started watching the football team,” Ferris said. “It looked like the ‘64 team.”

Accompanied by his wife Tonya, Ferris traveled to Montana courtesy of the school and flew privately to Washington. According to Ferris, traveling with the band and Dr. Gibson was, although tiring, exciting to be a part of the football experience.

“It was honestly fun. [Dana Gibson] is full of energy. She’s a part of it. Her heart is in that school,” Ferris said.

As a former cheerleader for

SHSU, Ferris claimed that traveling to games and the fan base has grown substantially since his time in Huntsville.

“When I was a student there, there weren’t that many kids. As a cheerleader we traveled with the team. It was nothing like it is now,” Ferris said.

SHSU currently has 110,000 active alumni with 60,000 in Houston and 16,000 in Montgomery County, according to Associate Athletic Director for External Operations David Paitson. During the football season, SHSU partners with four radio stations including 101.7 KSAM, 99.7 K-Star in Huntsville, and 610 and 790 on the a.m. dial in Houston to extend to the alumni. SHSU also buys spots through Comcast and Suddenlink to direct promotions to alumni in Houston and Montgomery County.

Although the Bearkats battled their way through conference for a consecutive appearance in the FCS

playoffs, no direct advertisements on the radio or television was to promote the playoffs.

“We wouldn’t advertise anything unless it’s coming back to [Huntsville],” Paitson said. “Our focus was completely on our three home games.”

But, despite the small numbers of fans that traveled to Montana and Washington, there was a positive reinforcement towards the football team that helped them return to Frisco.

“If you have the visiting team behind you at a game like Montana State [and Eastern Washington] it can affect you; especially some of the things that can be commented at you,” Williams said. “I think there was a lot of good positive energy. Just being on the sideline you get a little anxious in that moment but the fans were still positive and the players were still positive.”

Fritz and company returned to Frisco looking to overcome

North Dakota State in their second matchup for the FCS title. NDSU fans outnumbered SHSU fans in FCS Dallas Stadium and still had close to 7,000 fans without tickets that filled local bars and restaurants in Frisco to watch their Bison play.

“I think the more we do that and the more playoffs we can go to and get our fans used to that, the more we can build on that,” Williams said. “I think our fans are growing. They’re getting used to what it takes to play home playoff games and road playoff games.”

Despite the loss, and despite being outnumbered, Ferris, a Bayton resident, remains positive for next season and is ready for a third consecutive visit to Frisco.

“We covered the United States. We went from one tip to the other tip,” Ferris said. “Sam Houston spirit is just like it always was. It’s a great school. I love the school.”

CONNOR HYDESports Reporter

The Sam Houston State men’s basketball team stretched their winning streak Thursday with a 63-52 win against Central Arkansas but came to a halt with a 65-61 loss in overtime against conference-ranked Oral Roberts Saturday at Johnson Coliseum.

Bearkat Guard Paul Baxter headed the SHSU offensive stretch shooting for 19 points against the Bears and seven points against the Golden Eagles.

Head Coach James Hooten remains pleased with his hoop squad after falling short to ORU in overtime.

“I think the team we played [Saturday] is a lot like we are,” Hooten said. “They’re a grinded out defensive team and normally if you score 65, 66, 67 points either one of us is pretty happy.”

SHSU committed 25 fouls against the golden eagles, which, in turn, shot for 84 percent at the line for a total of 31 points. Bearkat fans challenged the referees calling the matchup for questionable shooting fouls Saturday afternoon. When asked about the numerous penalties, Hooten declined to comment.

The Bearkats were unable to stay consistent at the free-throw line Saturday but according to Hooten it’s where his Bearkats have improved the most throughout the season.

“We’ve really improved in that category this year,” Hooten said. “We’ve gotten all the way up to 66 percent as a team but on the flip side they shoot about 77 percent as a team and they made their’s [Saturday] and we didn’t.”

Earlier in week Baxter led the Bearkats to outshoot UCA, known for their high scoring games, Thursday night at the coliseum.

Bearkat Center Michael Holyfield ignited the stands with an opening dunk against the Bears on Thursday, giving the Bearkats early momentum to go into halftime with a seven point lead (31-24). Holyfield would close out against UCA shooting for only two points and fighting for four rebounds.

For his team to remain top ranked in the Southland Conference, Hooten believes offensive execution will be the key.

“I think we got to make more shots and sink more shots and execute a little better offensively and defensively.” Hooten said. “Our game plan was great and we did a good job.”

SHSU (11-7, 4-2 SLC) will travel to Hammonds, La. to face conference rival Southeastern Louisiana Thursday at 7:15 p.m. The men will then hit the road to Thibodaux, La. to square off against conference rivals Nicholls State at 4 p.m. For more information and access to full schedules and roster, visit www.gobearkats.com. ONE UP ONE DOWN: Before losing to Oral Roberts in overtime on Saturday, Michael Holyfield (above) and the

Bearkats defeated Central Arkansas to improve their conference record.

Lizeth de la Garza | The Houstonian

CONNOR HYDESports Reporter

Men

Bearkat Basketball Southland Conference Standings

Stephen F. Austin

Oral Roberts

Northwestern State

Sam Houston State

Southeastern Louisiana

Nicholls State

McNeese State

Central Arkansas

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Lamar

7-05-15-24-23-33-32-41-51-50-6

Southland Conference Men’s basketball standings

Cody Lewis | The Houstonian

Bowling takes first in Maryland

The number four-ranked Sam Houston State women’s bowling team took first place at the Frederick Underwood Classic in Laurel, Maryland this weekend. The tournament was held at the AMF Laurel Bowling Center and was hosted by Bowie State University.

The finals on Sunday consisted of a best-of-seven bracket. The Bearkats defeated No. 19 Bethune-Cookmen 4-3, Chowan 4-0 and North Carolina A&T 4-0 to take first place in the tournament.

Sam Houston State completed the tournament with a record of 11-2,

losing by only a total of 35 points in their two losses.

On Friday, the Bearkats started with a 900-781 win over Alabama-Birmingham. The women of Sam Houston then defeated Coppin State 850-500 and Salem International 740-535 before falling to host Bowie State 770-762.

The Kats continued to dominate on Saturday. They defeated Howard 1,046-882, Lincoln University 898-637, Chowan 1,019-688 and Virginia Union 1,011-755. They were handed their second loss of the weekend from North Carolina Central 970-943.

“Today was an important day for us not only from a competitive stand point but more mental,” head coach

Brad Hagen said to Gobearkats.com. “We need to make shots, manage the emotions, and gear down. Everyone had a piece of today’s success, and despite a few silly losses a lot of good came out of this weekend.”

In dual match play this season, Sam Houston holds a 63-19 record.

The Bearkats have competed in seven tournaments since the beginning of the Fall 2012 semester and will contend in four more this semester.

The next tournament the Bearkats will be competing in is the Southern Classic, held in Arlington. For more information on the Sam Houston bowling team, including statistics and schedule, visit Gobearkats.com.

CODY LEWISSports Editor

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