march 6, 2012
DESCRIPTION
The March 6 issue of the Houstonian.TRANSCRIPT
Vol 120 | Issue 14
Publishing since 1913 Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Viewpoints ....... pg. 2News .................. pg. 3
A&E ................... pg. 4Sports................. pg. 5
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Reward increased for missing student
5-Day Forecast
Tuesday, Mar. 6
HI: 75LOW: 63
The family and friends of missing Sam Houston State University student, Thomas “T.J.” Murray Jr., have doubled the reward to $20,000 for any information that can be given about the vanished young man.
Murray, 24, has been missing since Oct. 19, 2011. He was last seen leaving the On the Rocks sports bar located at 592 Sawdust Road in South Montgomery County, shortly after midnight on Oct. 19, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff ’s Office.
Anyone with information should contact Det. Keith Funderburk at (936) 760-5876, Montgomery County Sheriff ’s Office at (936) 760-5876 or the dispatcher at (936) 760-5800. If you wish to leave a tip without calling the Sheriff ’s department, you may call Anonymous Voicemail TipLine at (936) 755-3234.
She is one of nearly a dozen students crowding the rows of cages. The small store is packed with college students cuddling or playing with Beagles and Australian Shepherds.
Many students experience freedom for the first time in college and decide to buy or adopt a pet. But what happens once the new puppy or kitten becomes too much a responsibility?
“It’s easier for college kids to go impulse buy because at the mall the apartments don’t have to know and they don’t have to worry about getting the shots,” said Krystie Gervais, and SHSU alum and Community Enhancement Coordinator at the Brazos Animal Shelter. “The Puppy Store is definitely more appealing for a college kid. They can just go and get an $800 dog.”
A common misconception is that shelters are flooded with purebred animals in May and December once students
graduate. The reality is that just as many town people give up pets as students do. One out of three dogs or cats in the shelter is a purebred, according to Gervais.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that 86 percent of pets that are surrendered to shelters are given up due to the owner’s life situation, such as not being able to care for it anymore, graduation, or living in a place that does not allow pets.
“Students give up puppies because they do not understand the responsibility,” said Christina Noker, manager at The Puppy Store. “It is like having a child, and unfortunately many students do
not become aware of this until after they have purchased one.”
“I have no problem with students having pets if they can afford to take care of them properly, but most can’t afford to feed themselves much less pay for shots, good quality food, and heartworm medicine,” said Tamie Chavez, the office manager at the Schulenburg Veterinarian Clinic.
Pets are a lifetime commitment,
not one that lasts only as long as the semester. The dorms and most apartments have strict pet policies that some students bend by sneaking in their furry—or feathered friends.
“My roommate once had baby chicks in our dorm at Parkhill on campus,” said a female SHSU student who did not want to use
NICOLE GABLERContributing Reporter
Businesses, shelters warn students of purebred puppy ownership
The Foreign Language Department at SHSU may not be providing a fair environment for American Sign Language education in terms
of class size and scheduling, and this has led at least one ASL educator to make a formal grievance against the chair, according to former faculty and teaching assistants.
Robert Blair, Ph.D., a former full time faculty lecturer whose contract was allowed to expire after June 2011, filed the complaint with the Faculty Grievance Committee.
In the grievance letter, Blair alleges that Debra Andrist, Ph.D, chair of the Foreign Language Department, failed to ensure that scheduled classrooms for ASL were large enough for all students to see his sign language instruction.
“[Scheduling in small classrooms] happened repeatedly, semester after semester,” Blair stated in his letter to the Faculty Grievance Committee. “Any time I requested a new room, the request was neglected and put off and the students and I suffered tremendously.”
The problem would be solved for one semester, but then it returned to the unsatisfactory conditions, Blair and a teaching assistant said.
Andrist refused to comment about the specific grievance filed by Blair, but she did say that ASL classrooms are a priority.
“ASL classrooms have always been a special priority, as are all foreign language rooms that need special attention,” Andrist said. “[Dean John de Castro] makes sure that they are. All rooms are approved of by the professors for that reason before the class even starts.”
Blair also said that he had to battle with Andrist to keep class sizes at the amount recommended by the American Sign Language Teachers Association. The ASLTA recommends a maximum of 20 students in introductory classes.
The maximum enrollment at SHSU for all foreign language classrooms is 25.
“One language isn’t given any more students than another,” Andrist said.
Blair also wrote in the grievance letter that ASL classes at other universities are never taught in a 50-minute, three times per week format like some are at SHSU.
“A 50 minute class is not enough time for the students to comprehend the information and ask questions,” Blair said. “The students and teachers need the longer class periods to be able to sufficiently present the material. … Lamar University is the only university in Texas to offer a BA in ASL. None of the courses in the ASL programs are 50 minutes long.”
Since Blair’s contract was not renewed, the department has been unable to find a replacement with a Ph.D. in ASL.
“We have absolutely struggled in finding a professor with his Ph.D. in ASL to teach here at Sam, and one that would want to live here in Huntsville,” Dean de Castro said, although he would not comment specifically about Blair’s grievance. “The deaf community in Huntsville isn’t very large, so most live in Houston, where there is a much more large deaf community.”
Blair said in an email that potential candidates who were interviewed by the department did not accept employment offers because the salary was not great.
“We had interview (sic) and tried to hire another PHD FT teacher four times and they all turned down due to the salary which seem (sic) to be insulting big time,” Blair said.
Andrist said the department tries hard to find qualified ASL faculty.
“We put print ads in newspapers, also include ads in specific deaf digest’s online,” Andrist said. “On top of that, we have sent out individual emails to each ASL professor in every university in the United States. We are doing all we can to find professors with their Ph.D.”
Andrist said she is completely committed to having an ASL program at SHSU.
“I am available to talk to anyone, and often hear from all students, of all languages, very frequently,” Andrist said.
Blair said two meetings with the Faculty Grievance Committee were cancelled in Fall 2011, and the committee has since not rescheduled a meeting.
The chair of the committee could not be reached by press time.
JESSICA LUNDSTROMContributing Reporter
Greivance: Foreign language dept. not providing fair learning environment
Wednesday, Mar. 7
HI: 76LOW: 68
Thursday, Mar. 8
HI: 77LOW: 58
Friday, Mar. 9
HI: 67LOW: 60
Saturday, Mar. 10
HI: 67LOW: 57
RUFF OWNERSHIP. Purebred puppies are available at many shelters. This, some say, can be dangerous as students aren’t always financially fit to own.
Nicole Gabler | The Houstonian
— PUPPIES, page 3
““I have no problem with students having pets if they can afford to take care of them properly, but most can’t afford to feed themselves... Tamie Chavez
Debra Andrist, Ph.D., is the chair of the foreign language department, and the center of the dispute over the American Sign Language program at Sam Houston State Univeristy.
Photo courtesy SHSU website.
Former faculty member says room sizes, class times harm ASL students education
MISTI JONESSenior Reporter
Page 2Tuesday, March 6, 2012Viewpoints
houstonianonline.com/viewpoints
Today in history:
March 51770 – Boston Massacre: Five Americans, including Crispus Attucks, and a boy, are killed by British troops in an event that would contribute to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War (also known as the American War of Independence) five years later. At a subsequent trial the soldiers are defended by John Adams.
1836 – Samuel Colt makes the first production-model revolver, the .34-caliber.
1970 – The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty goes into effect after ratification by 43 nations.
March 61820 – The Missouri Compromise is signed into law by President James Monroe. The compromise allows Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state, but makes the rest of the northern part of the Louisiana Purchase territory slavery-free.
1836 – Texas Revolution: Battle of the Alamo – After a thirteen day siege by an army of 3,000 Mexican troops, the 187 Texas volunteers, including frontiersman Davy Crockett and colonel Jim Bowie, defending the Alamo are killed and the fort is captured.
1857 – The Supreme Court of the United States rules in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case.
1899 – Bayer registers aspirin as a trademark.
1951 – The trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg begins.
1964 – Nation of Islam’s Elijah Muhammad officially gives boxing champion Cassius Clay the name Muhammad Ali.
1968 – The first of the East L.A. Walkouts take place at several high schools.
1970 – Blast at Weather Underground safe house in Greenwich Village kills three.
1975 – For the first time, ever, the Zapruder film of the assassination of John F. Kennedy is shown in motion to a national TV audience by Robert J. Groden and Dick Gregory.
1981 – After 19 years of presenting the CBS Evening News, Walter Cronkite signs off for the last time.
March 71876 – Alexander Graham Bell is granted a patent for an invention he calls the telephone.
1965 – Bloody Sunday: A group of 600 civil rights marchers are forcefully broken up in Selma, Alabama.
1989 – Iran and the United Kingdom break diplomatic relations after a row over Salman Rushdie and his controversial novel.
1994 – Copyright Law: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that parodies of an original work are generally covered by the doctrine of fair use.
2009 – The Kepler space observatory, designed to discover Earth-like planets orbiting other stars, is launched.
The individual opinions on the Viewpoints page are not necessarily affiliated with the view of The Houstonian or SHSU. The Houstonian is published semi-weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is a news publication of Sam Houston State University, a member of the Texas State University system, and is produced by students. It is self-supporting and welcomes all advertisers. Those interested in placing ads or classifieds should call 936-294-1495. The Houstonian is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.
Stephen GreenEditor-in-Chief
Searching for my lost shaker of saltBrenda Ouk shares cheap spring break tips
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Wouldn’t it be lovely to leave all the harrowing responsibilities of
school to jet-set to Cancun, the California coast, or Miami for a week of drinking fruity cocktails while overlooking white sands and crystal blue beaches? Lovely indeed but unless you’re rolling in Momma and Daddy’s dough, its not a likely scenario. Surprisingly, there are plenty of stresses when it comes to planning spring break. Here are some things to keep in mind when planning spring break on a college student’s budget:
LodgingResearching skills aren’t
exclusively for the classrooms.
Lodging is where a majority of your budget will go to so start researching hotel deals through sites like expedia.com, orbitz.com or hotwire.com where rooms are discounted up to 50%.
Groupon is another nifty little website that offers limited packaged vacation deals. They also offer coupons for restaurants, bars, and for various businesses in certain areas; you may get lucky and find some awesome deals!
Big groups should also look into renting condos or beach houses. It may seem like a luxury but when the rental price is split between a group of 10-15 kiddos, it gets appealingly affordable. Maybe someone in your circle of friends
has a family beach house their parents will (reluctantly) let you all stay for a few days.
We all made fun of our mom for cutting out coupons but coupons really do come in handy for restaurants and bars. Don’t forget to ask about happy hour details- sometimes they have specials on meals as well as drinks. Again, researching results in successful findings.
Location“Anti-Spring Break” locations
are becoming quite popular. Ditch the bikinis and tanning
lotions for snow gear and snowboards for a fun ski trip up in the mountains. Popular winter vacation locations start giving out
discounts and special deals once spring and summer roll around.
Fulfill your Grey’s Anatomy obsession and book a trip to Seattle.
Visit your dream baseball park and make a road trip out of it.
If you’re from a major city, be a tourist in your own turf and discover new things to love about your hometown.
The website www.free-attractions.com has list of free things to do in all 50 states.
If you absolutely must experience the stereotypical college spring break, consider going to beaches within driving distance.
South Padre Island and
Galveston Island are swarming with college students with the same agenda: wake up, eat, party on the beach, party at the bar, nap, and repeat.
Jokes aside, Padre offers the beautiful Isla Blanca Park and Schlitterbahn Waterpark while Galveston is home to Moody Gardens, a lovely seawall, and historic district.
It takes a lot of planning to ensure a smooth vacation and a good time. Take advantage of smart phones and use them to research hotels and restaurants; reading reviews is always helpful. Happy vacationing!
- Brenda is a mass comm major.
All comics courtesy Creators.com
Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, M a s s a c h u s e t t e s , North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee,
Vermont, and Virginia; these states are going to be the most highly watched states of the 2012 GOP primary race. I say you don’t need to watch.
In fact, you may as well skip the rest of the primary season, Mitt Romney has won his way into the hearts of the average conservative voter.
Everyone loves a good fight. The media especially does. In 2008, we watched Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton fight for the Democratic nomination almost all the way to the finish line. John McCain sewed his campaign up a little earlier.
Then America watched the battle royale between Obama and McCain, we know the rest.
This time around, the primary season is suspenseful…but not really. The major media networks are creating a faux excitement and delivering many hypothetical situations to the viewer to make sure they get their ratings.
Romney has already begun his
humdrum march to the convention where he will undoubtedly be named the candidate of the GOP.
In case you have hope for the other candidates, here’s a few reasons they won’t make it.
To start off, Romney has his golden ticket, or golden PAC that is. Money buys elections. This also gives him the opportunity to campaign more because he doesn’t
have to stop to fundraise like the other candidates do.
Santorum has this issue where he keeps stepping on his own tongue and can’t seem to figure out how to remove himself. He has verbal self-control issues many voters don’t like.
Currently, third-place in the number of delegates is the good-doctor from Texas, Ron Paul. He doesn’t have the money, or the anger in his heart to take down any of the others.
Finally, Newt Gingrich…he’s just too far behind. While he can come back numerically, he’s lacking the publicity. No media outlet is talking about him because he has become a non-issue. If you can’t get the media talking about you, good or bad, it’s time to leave the campaign trail. Not to mention, Newt is running low on funds. He’s not going to get better.
Now go turn on a TV and watch Romney’s march to the win. More importantly, pay attention to both Romney and President Barack Obama, what they say now can set the pace for the rest of the campaign. This is going to be good.
Don’t know the reason, stayed here all seasonStephen Green discusses the primary season, what to
watch, or why not to watch at all
Page 3Tuesday, March 6, 2012 News
houstonianonline.com/news
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Bearkats put ‘all paws in’ the community
Bearkat All Paws In gave back to the community as 856 volunteers and 53 student organizations showed up to do work all over Huntsville on March 3.
“Because of service-learning opportunities such as ‘All Paws In’, we not only teach our students about the value of civic engagement, but we demonstrate to the Huntsville community that we are a partner with our home city, and we are here to assist any way we can,” Sam Houston State University President Dana Gibson
said.Volunteers worked at 28 sites.
They cleaned and sanitized Tomorrow’s Promise Montessori School, read and played games with the elderly at Ella Smither Geriatric Center, cleaned up Oakwood Cemetery, turned over products at New Life Resale Shop and helped out the Good Shepard Mission. The groups also worked at Hospitality House, Huntsville Health Center and YMCA.
“It was a beautiful Saturday and the perfect opportunity to give back to Huntsville,” Kolby Flowers, Student Government Association BAPI Coordinator, said.
About 300 volunteers were dedicated to cleaning up the city. SGA BAPI Chief, Kendall Scudder, said their biggest project on Saturday was cleaning up Town Creek. He said the event was a success.
Scudder said, “I thought it was fantastic. We more than doubled the number of volunteers from last year. I was very proud of what we were able to put together. This was the best Bearkat All Paws In so far.”
MOLLY WADDELLMISTI JONESAssociate News EditorSenior Reporter
Members of the Huntsville area cametogetherto volunteer
CLEANING UP. Members of Phi Sigma Pi help clean up Town Creek, one of the bigger projects of BAPI. SHSU Pres. Dana Gibson cleans windows at the local YMCA. The BAPI team gets together before kicking off the day.
Photos by Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
Texas DOT increases awarness of drunk driving with interactive photo campaign
Several Texas college students will be getting a ‘Weekend P.A.S.S.’ from the Texas Department of Transportation with an interactive campaign to educate about drinking and driving.
Weekend P.A.S.S., or Person Appointed to Stay Sober, is TxDot’s 2012 campaign where students participate in an interactive photo booth, aimed at increasing awareness of the dangers of drunk driving.
Participants can take pictures with backgrounds like “the partier”, “the drunk driver in jail” and “the sober driver (the p.a.s.s)”as well as watch a video encouraging students to make sure they have a sober driver at the end of the night.
Students dressed up like prisoners in front of backgrounds such as a car with “Person Appointed to Stay Sober” with an arrow pointed to the p.a.s.s. saying “I’m da pass”.
Other backgrounds included a party with “Need a P.A.S.S. and jail cell with “Went from a bar to bars. Shoulda gotten a P.A.S.S.”
Photos are posted to the campaign’s Facebook page, Get a P.A.S.S. - Person Appointed to Stay Sober.
Though the interactive campaign seemed like fun and games, the statistics were nothing to play with.
According to the TxDot information and resources page,
“Alcohol-related crashes are highest among young adults: 54 percent of impaired drivers killed in crashes were between the ages of 18 and 34.”
Driving with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher is illegal in all 50 states, but some continue to drive, thinking that the person with the least alcohol intake is the safest.
“I would say that it is definitely beneficial to students and other participants,” Edward Gisemba, MPH Alcohol and Drug Abuse Initiative Coordinator at Sam Houston State University said. “Weekend P.A.S.S utilizes youth in the campaign which is a great addition that other drunk
driving prevention efforts lack. By simulating the entire night it also has the ability to be comprehensive. I think that this will be a good method to not only get people not to drink and drive, but also prompt friends and other peers not to allow their friends to.”
The Weekend P.A.S.S. campaign is an effort to let students and citizens alike know that the person who hasn’t had any alcohol is the safest to get behind the wheel.
“Too often, people choose the ‘least drunk’ person in their group to drive,” Carol T. Rawson, TxDOT’s Traffic Operations Division Director said.
“But, the best plan is one that includes a sober driver, a person that has had nothing to drink.”
Over a thousand deaths occured in 2010 as a result of over 25 thousand alcohol-related crashes.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that 20 percent of young adults have gotten behind the wheel at least 2 hours after drinking.
TxDot frequently encourages students to stay safe and be smart with their campaigns.
In 2011, they launched the “Talk. Text. Crash.-Distracted Driving Program”, emphasizing the dangers of texting and driving.
Weekend P.A.S.S. will be at several Texas colleges in the coming weeks.
Remember, if a you or a friend has been drinking, do not get behind the wheel.
GET YOUR PASS. The ‘know when to pass’ Facebook page promotes having a designated driver when going out drinking.
Photo provided by know when to pass Facebook page
JANISE RICHARDSONContributing Reporter
Togetherness one more timeThe people of Walker County
came together to celebrate Sam Houston’s 149 birthday and Texas Independence day on Mar. 2, 2012.
Participants of the all day long event included Sam Houston State University students and alumnus, descendants of Sam Houston, Walker County citizens, and people interested in history.
“This is what I call TOMT, togetherness one more time. God’s love will do it forever,” Poncho Roberts, fifth generation of Walker County, said. “My grandparents visited with the General and used to whittle and all that stuff.”
Groups such as the Huntsville Historical Society, Sam Houston Museum and the Huntsville Tourism Department came together to plan the event,
according to Lee Murrah, chair of the Huntsville Historical Society.
“This is the 31st renewal of the event in the modern era,” Murrah said. “It started in 1889 when students from Sam Houston Normal marched from campus with flags to Sam’s grave site. It stopped in the 60s or 70s then the historical society picked it up in 1981 with the museum and the city tourist department.”
This year the event started with a reception at the Sam Houston Statue and Visitors Center. Refreshments and breakfast foods were provided at the reception and it gave attendees a chance to meet each other and be introduced to the descendants that were in attendance. Three descendants attended including Sam Houston IV who comes every year, according to Jaime Matthews, Walker County History Commissioner.
“Well I wasn’t born in Texas
but I’m trying to learn about it and I wanted to learn about Sam Houston, so that’s why I came,” attendee Leland Pattner said.
Next was the march to Sam Houston’s grave. Several students, including the ROTC Color Guard bearing the colors, met at the Old Main Pit to walk together to the grave for the ceremony. People with the Historical Society also walked the students dressed in period wear.
“I came because I get extra credit for it, but I got my mom to come too,” Samantha Humphrey, freshman business marketing major said.
The ceremony occurred at Oakwood Cemetery and included several guest speakers. The ceremony began with a prayer and the pledge to America and Texas. Guest speakers included County Judge Robert. D. Pierce, Mayor Mac Woodward, SHSU President Dr. Dana Gibson, The
Alabama-Coushatta Indians Tribal Chief Clayton Sylestine, and Representative Dan Branch District 108, Dallas, Texas.
Branch was the Keynote speaker and spoke about the importance of education in today’s society.
“This is my fifth year coming to this and this is probably the best one I’ve been too,” Patricia Hale history graduate student said. “The speaker was very interesting. It’s always great to see all these students honor our namesake.”
A Luncheon at the Homestead followed the ceremony and was for people who had reserved a place in advance for $20.
“Toast to Texas” and the cutting of the birthday cake were held at the Wynne Home and was open to the public.
The celebratory day ended with a dedication and open house at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum Education Center.
MOLLY WADDELLAssociate News Editor
her name. “She found them on the side of the road and took them in. The RA’s never found them.”
Students have hidden cats, dogs, snakes, spiders, birds and even ferrets. One student hid her cat in a pet carrier in a closet.
“Most of the time students don’t
do a very good job of hiding the pet or we do a safety maintenance check,” said Wayne Bennett, the Discipline Coordinator for SHSU Residence Life. “There are all kinds of reasons we don’t allow pets: liability issues; we don’t want anyone to get hurt, and allergens. Especially with a central air system where the pet affects more
than just the owner.”Once students are caught or
realize that the Great Dane puppy is no longer the ideal pet for a tiny apartment, they either take it home to their family or to shelter.
“We do see where a student will adopt and graduate or stop going to school, and they figure what do we now? And they bring
it back,” said Marjolein Lemmon, Executive Director at the Rita B. Huff Human Society.
Instead of taking the big leap and becoming a parent of a four-legged friend, Rita B. Huff in Huntsville and the Brazos Animal Shelter offer volunteer opportunities. These include playing with puppies and cats,
walking dogs, and taking animals to nursing homes.
Check out your future best friend at Ritabhuffanimalshelter.org or brazosanimalshelter.org. “Adopt love. Don’t buy it.”- the Brazos Animal Shelter motto.
PUPPIES, page 1
MARCH TO REMEMBER. Sam Houston Students march to Sam’s grave.
Molly Waddell | The Houstonian
Students will get a glimpse into the stories of historic women this month as two university groups present the Women’s History Month Film Festival.
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences Women’s Caucus, along with Multicultural Student Services will present a series of four films this month. Each will highlight different women that have made important contributions toward women’s rights throughout history.
The series will begin at today at 6 p.m. with “Pray the Devil Back to Hell”, a documentary that tells the story of a group of Liberian women who came together in a silent protest to end a bloody civil war in 2003.
Tomorrow, the second film titled “Mountains that Take Wing: Angela Davis & Yuri Kochiyama A
Conversation on Life, Struggles & Liberation” will be shown at 4 p.m. It details the exchange between two women over the course of 22 years with a wide variety of topics such as Jim Crow laws, women’s and gay liberation and anti-war movements and Civil Rights.
One faculty member, who helped plan the festival, said it was important for students to gain another perspective into history.
“History tends to be written by dominant males,” Mary Ann Davis, Assistant Professor of Sociology said. “With that, you only have the white male perspective on things and you don’t really get the whole story.”
Davis, along with other members of the Women’s Caucus, started the Women’s History
Film Festival in 2008 and has continued it since then as a way to bring awareness of the impact of women in history to the university community.
The Festival will continue after Spring Break on March 21 at 6 p.m. with “License to Thrive: Title IX at 35”,that details the history behind the Title IX legislation and its impact among women over the past 35 years.
Lastly, the series will conclude with “Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority” on March 27 at 6 p.m.
The film tells the story of the first woman of color who held a seat in the United States Congress who later ran for the U.S. presidency. She was also the author of Title IX, a law that banned discrimination in higher education based on sex, opening the doors for women.
“Every female student here that plays a sport is affected by this law,” Davis said. “If it weren’t for Mink and the law, none of the sports they [female athletes] play would be available.”
According to Davis, the films will give students a chance to be exposed to another culture.
“It’s good [for students] to get outside their comfort zone and discuss some important issues instead of watching ‘How I Met Your Mother’.”
More than anything, Davis wants students to understand and appreciate what Women’s History Month is all about.
“I want them to have an appreciation for the women and the telling of their stories,” she said. “I want them to see that one person can make a difference.”
All the films will be shown in CHSS room 120.
The CHSS Women’s Caucus is funded by the office of
Multicultural Student Services. Their current projects include getting a minor for women’s studies and highlighting women’s research on campus.
GEORGE MATTINGLYArts & Entertainment Editor
Page 4Tuesday, March 6, 2012Arts & Entertainment
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Reverberating hollow beats echoed throughout the backroom of Crazywood Studio Gallery as Rattletree Marimba rejoiced traditional Zimbabwean music on March 1.
The concert was a follow up to the workshops given by director Joel Laviolette with music students earlier in the day, where students got a chance to learn about the Zimbabwean style of music that the band is known for.
The night opened with a soulful performance of the duo The Gypsy Daisies who are based around folk and southern blues roots. Next, Rattletree Marimba took the stage, each member barefoot,
and unleashed their spiritual composition with precision timing around each beat.
After an original piece, Rattletree Marimba performed an original Zimbabwean piece dated over 1,000 years old which created a mesmerizing effect for some audience members.
“It’s a trance,” Huntsville citizen Michael Harper said. “You feel it in your chest.”
The group covered songs such as “You Spin Me Around (Like a Record)” by Dead or Alive along with their original music and traditional Zimbabwean pieces, that aimed to get the audience moving.
“We want to make people go crazy,” band member Blake Brunson said.
In addition to music, the performance included a special video and light display by artist Jacquelin May, who does contemporary and gallery art in Austin. The display captivated the audience and lured your eyes to the band as it mimicked the beats of the marimbas to convey an aura for listeners.
“It’s a wall of sound; I try to be sensitive to what each song plays” May said. “It’s imagery that is promoting positivity in the world.”
The music had an uncontrollable effect on listeners as some danced on the vacant floor, swaying and moving in grace and falling in laughter. Many remained in the leather couches and
chairs meditating or air-drumming along with the music.
“It makes you feel alive,” Harper said as he enthusiastically bobbed his head and drummed to the music.
Laviolette concluded the concert with a solo performance of a meditative piece on his mbira, an instrument he called a “Zimbabwean thumb piano”.
His peaceful rendition of an ancient chant calmed the atmosphere as he escaped into the music. The rest of Rattletree Marimba quietly accompanied Laviolette, adding layers of
marimba and drums to his performance. The band and audience chanted along with Laviolette as he continued his song with chanting and clapping that quietly ended with each member on their knees.
Rattletree Marimba is made up of members Joel Laviolette, Blake Brunson, Daniel Mee, Marshall Johnsen and video artist Jacquelin May.
For more information on the group, visit www.rattletree.com for upcoming events and videos of past performances.
CONNOR HYDEContributing Reporter
Marimba group blends art with musical styles
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PEACEFUL BEATS: Joel Laviolette, who directs Rattletree Marimba, concluded the group’s performance on Thursday with a solo performance on his mbira, an instrument he called a“Zimbabwean thumb piano”.
Jessica Gomez| The Houstonian
Comedy earns standing ovationAudience applauds production for colorful cast, strong message MOLLY WADDELLAssociate News Editor
Laughter filled the theater this past weekend as the audience applauded the Sam Houston State University Theatre department for their production of “You Can’t Take it With You”.
The play started out in period, instead of a normal announcement over the speaker over the rules of the theatre, it was done as if it was playing through the radio that was part of the set.
Within the first few seconds of the play the audience could tell that this was not a normal family. The first clue was the smoke coming from the basement, but the rest of the identity of the family came from the props on set.
One piece that stood out is the old xylophone in Ed’s corner, not that many houses have a giant xylophone in the living room. This piece worked very well throughout the play because after serious moments it provided comedic relief when Ed, played by Danny Dyer, played it.
The other set piece that stood out was the tapestry of the whole entire home. It all matched but was still quirky enough to represent the Sycamore family. All of the table cloths had intricate fringe on it and the walls were just as complex. The decorations for this set did not seem to be an easy task.
The audience was immediately captivated by the smoke coming from the basement and the Sycamore family’s obliviousness to it all. This smoke continues throughout the performance as did the audience’s laughter to it.
The audience seemed to react most to Martin, otherwise known as Grandpa, played by Dayne Lathrop. He seemed to have a comment on everything and a general dislike of the government. Almost every time he said something the audience laughed. He either had a witty comeback, a snide remark or a statement that makes everyone crack up.
“The Grandpa was hilarious and played his character very well,” Hailey Townley, sophomore communications major, said.
Although Grandpa was the main source of comedic relief, he was also the source of the message of the play. He seamlessly taught the stuck up Wall Street man, Mr. Kirby, played by Bennett Schmidt, the meaning of life.
The title of the play, “You Can’t Take it With You,” ties in with Grandpa’s message to Mr. Kirby.
The audience learns that you can’t take the material things from life with you when you die, but you can take all the memories and joy you had during life.
Grandpa was not the only character on stage that brought laughter from the audience. Every character had their moments of humor and they all had great
chemistry on stage. “All of the characters had
their own personality and they fit very well,” Townley said. “The characters made the play.”
The next theater production will be “Some Girls” from March 28-31. For more information, visit http://www.shsu.edu/~drm_www/.
Film festival to highlight historic women
““It’s good [for students] to get outside their confort zone and discuss some important issues instead of watching ‘How I Met Your Mother.’” -Mary Ann Davis, Ph.D.
SURPRISE WELCOME: Alice’s family walks in on the wrong night to meet the Sycamores and is welcomed with singing and a drunk actress named Gay, played by Christina Brinkley, passed out on the floor.
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
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In a literal “win or go home” game, the Bearkat men’s basketball team was able to fight off Texas State on Saturday 63-61, clinching a seat in the Southland Conference (SLC) tournament.
On top of the post season implications, the game against the Bobcats was also the last time that both teams would meet in conference play. Texas State is among three teams in the SLC (UTSA and UTA) that will be leaving to join the Western Athletic Conference in July.
Kats junior point guard Konner Tucker led both teams in scoring with 17 points, including a three pointer that would end up being the game winner.
The Bearkats were also able to crash the boards and out-rebound
the Bobcats, 41-33. SHSU forward Steven Werner
and Marcus James, alongside guard Demarcus Gatlin each had 8 rebounds in the contest. Junior guard Darius Gatson added 7 boards of his own.
Early in the game, SHSU struggled and Texas State jumped out to a 34-26 lead in the first half. But the Kats fought back and pulled within four, down 34-30 at halftime.
The second half would be a back and forth contest and the Kats tied it at 47 with 11:36 left to go in the contest. Sixteen seconds later, SHSU took the lead 49-47.
With the score tied at 59, Tucker hit the three to give the Bearkats the lead for good. Texas State would have opportunities at the end, but couldn’t seal the deal and SHSU hung on for the victory.
“We had a bunch of
heartbreakers this year and we deserved to win like this,” SHSU head coach Jason Hooten said in a post-game interview. “We definitely could have made it a little easier on ourselves. When we needed to make a play, we did.”
With the win, SHSU clinches the number seven seed in this year’s conference tournament which is set to begin on Wednesday when the Bearkats take on rival Stephen F. Austin.
“We are just going to line up and play as hard as we can,” Hooten said. “I told our guys at the beginning of the year that we aren’t guaranteed a post season, but when you get there, it’s a totally new season. We are 0-0 and so is everybody else that is going to be there.”
Game time is set for 12 p.m. at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas.
It’s raining threes. At least that’s what Texas State might have been thinking when they came to Johnson Coliseum to face the Bearkats Saturday afternoon.
Looking to avenge the loss when they faced the Bobcats in San Marcos, the Bearkats came out on fire dominating 68-54.
In the first five minutes of the game the Kats hit three three-point shots and jumped out to a 17-5 lead.
The Kats had a phenomenal 14 assists in the first half and only five turnovers, a considerable improvement for the team from only a few games ago. They also only gave up two points off of those five turnovers.
The Bearkats shot 45.7 percent (16-35) from the field in the first half and 50.0 percent (5-10) from beyond the arc.
Junior Britni Martin had 13 points and eight assists in the first half alone and junior Sequeena Thomas, limited by foul trouble early on, had six points and 12 boards.
Senior Devin Wombles went 4-4 from the line as the Kats shot 71.4 percent (5-7) from the line.
Going into the locker room at halftime with a commanding lead of 42-28, the Kats started a little sluggish, however, they never let the Bobcats come closer than 47-
37 at the 15:28 mark. Their largest lead came at 7:57 when senior Khamra Echols hit the second of two free throw shots.
The Kats were able to limit the top scorer for the Bobcats, junior Diamond Ford, to three points and five rebounds.
“We stopped their leading scorer,” Martin said. “I think our defense has really picked up and that’s what’s carried us over.”
Martin finished the game with 20 points and 11 assists.
Thomas added five to her 12 first half rebounds and finished with 17 points and two blocks.
Freshman Angela Beadle had four blocks and she and freshman
Jazmin Wiley had eight boards apiece.
Echols, at 5’6”, was the third leading rebounder with six, also contributing three assists to the team’s 24 total.
“I love doing things that people don’t expect,” Echols said. “Going in there with the threes, that’s just one of those things that fires me up.”
The Kats had 53 total rebounds (17 offense, 36 defense) to the Bobcats 42 (10-32).
The Bearkats start Southland Conference post-season action in Katy, 2:30 p.m. today.
They will face Texas State once again in this first round match-up.
“It’s exciting knowing how we just beat them and how well we played; I hope we play with the same intensity and come out strong,” Martin said.
The feeling of excitement ran throughout the team, from coaches to players, as they loaded up the bus to Katy on Monday.
“We’re all excited, clearly, and we’re a little antsy,” graduate assistant coach Lauren Tippet said. “I think the coaches are a little more nervous than the girls honestly. I was like a kid on Christmas morning; I couldn’t sleep last night.”
Beadle, a starter, had another reason to be nervous.
“I am excited to be playing in my first conference tournament,” Beadle said. “A little bummed about missing a week of school, though. I don’t want to fall behind.”
Though Beadle is worried about school, she is focused on the game at hand.
If the Bearkats defeat Texas State in the first round they will face the winner of McNeese and Southeastern Louisiana at 12:05 p.m. on Thursday.
Fans can watch the tournament for free online at southland.org.
SHSU students can also get in free to the Merrell Center when they present their student ID.
The Sam Houston State baseball team took a three-game series from the University of California-Riverside this weekend.
The Bearkats took game one of the series with a 9-4 win on Friday night. After losing 10-1 on Saturday afternoon, they bounced right back with a close 4-3 victory on Sunday.
The result was the Bearkats’ second series win of the season and a play by Luke Plucheck on ESPN Monday morning.
Sam Houston (6-5) was able to roll over the Highlanders (4-7) on Friday night as they took advantage of their four errors and were able to total 11 hits on the night.
Shortstop Corey Toups went three for three from the plate and had a sacrifice fly-out. He had two RBIs and scored one run. Third baseman Kevin Miller also
thrived at the plate, going three for four with an impressive four RBI.
SHSU starting pitcher Cody Dickson picked up his first victory of the season. He pitched seven innings, giving up two runs of five hits.
Head coach David Pierce said that he felt Dickson grew a little bit as a player after this game.
“I thought where he grew up was when he had first and third with nobody out,” Pierce said. “He really didn’t panic.”
After a nice win on Friday, Saturday was not a good day for the Bearkats. The 10 runs that the Highlanders scored were the most by an opponent at Don Sanders Stadium this season.
UC-Riverside pitcher Eddie Orozco got the win as he pitched eight innings, giving up only one run on seven hits. SHSU’s Justin Jackson, who started the season 2-0, took the loss for the Kats.
The only Bearkat run in this
game came off an eighth inning leadoff triple by Corey Toups. He was driven in by Kevin Miller.
“Yesterday was embarrassing for us,” Plucheck said to Gobearkats.com on Sunday. “That’s not the type of team that we are.”
When Sunday came, it looked like it could have been anyone’s series. But Luke Plucheck made sure the Bearkats did not lose their second straight three-game series. With the game tied at three in the bottom of the eighth inning, Plucheck hit a triple and scored the game-winning run off of a single by catcher Anthony Azar.
Half an inning later, he made an outstanding diving catch in left center field to help Allen Scott get his second save of the year. It also ended up on ESPN’s Top Ten Plays, landing in the number eight slot.
“When a pitcher is up there, giving it his all to try and win
the game, position players have to come through for him sometimes,” Plucheck said. “I’m glad I was able to do that for Allen.”
Plucheck also expressed his excitement about being on ESPN’s Top Ten Plays.
“Sports Center has always been my favorite show and as an athlete, all you want is to have that one play that can make the top ten for millions of people to see,” he said.
Pitcher Caleb Smith started for Sam Houston and took the no decision as Michael Oros claimed his second win of the season in relief. Brandon Bergen also pitched.
UC-Riverside pitcher Trevor Frank lasted seven and one third innings for the Highlanders, but was taken out after Azar drove Plucheck in during the eighth inning.
“Championships are won on Sunday,” Plucheck said.
“Obviously this was not a championship series…but you have to have that mentality no matter what weekend it is. We showed our true colors today. Coming back and pulling out a win like that as a team…it’s really great.”
The Bearkats will play Houston Baptist at home on Tuesday and then play host to rival Stephen F. Austin.
First pitch on Tuesday is set for 6:30 p.m.
Page 5Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Sportshoustonianonline.com/sports twitter.com/HoustonianSport
Plucheck helps baseball team get series win over UC-Riverside
Basketball is Katy bound
The season continues!Men’s team gets ‘must win’ at Texas State, lands number 7 seed in SLC tournament
KARMEN KINGViewpoints Editor
CODY LEWIS Sports Reporter
Women’s team defeats Texas State, clinch No. 3 seed in SLC tournament
ZACH BIRDSONGSports Editor
STREAKING AT THE RIGHT TIME. Senior guard Khamra Echols (11) attempts to get inside the lane against Texas State on Saturday. Echols finished with two points in six rebounds as the Bearkats defeated the Bobcats, 68-54. As a team SHSU shot 37 percent from the field, including 47 percent in the first half.
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
BATTLING IT OUT ON THE ROAD. Junior Darius Gatson (1) gets to the hoop against Texas State. The Bearkats defeated the Bobcats on Saturday, 63-61.
Jessica Gomez | The Houstonian
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