Collegian T he Cameron University
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Monday, April 20, 2015
Volume 92 Issue 9
Going green for sustainability Joel Frambes
way of reusing biodegradable waste for growing new life. Shultz grabbed the interest and attention of gardening Copy Editor pupils by sharing her personal experiences and expert @JoelPole12 advice while maintaining that gardening was a source of joy she wants everyone to practice. The Cameron University Biology and Botany Clubs “When I was growing up, my grandma’s husband was cultivated a new group of gardeners on April 10 when they a park ranger, and he was real big into gardening,” she hosted the Sustainable Gardening Workshop. The groups welcomed anyone interested in turning their explained. “We had three gardens every year, and we would go out and we would go to people that we knew. We would thumbs green and getting their hands dirty to the event get manure and bring it home. from 2-4 p.m. in the Science Complex. “We would prep the garden. And before the frost even Students, alumni and members of the community all lifted, we would be in the basement getting the seeds came out to learn about how to run a sustainable and ready,” Shultz recalled. “It was just a good, fun successful garden. family activity.” Senior biology major Misti Shultz, currently an officer While the groups designed the of both clubs and president-elect of Botany Club, ran the workshop for beginning gardeners, event, first instructing attendees of the workshop about many knowledgeable gardeners were ways to run a sustainable garden. in attendance. Addressing problems all Oklahoma gardeners face, the The informational section lesson featured discussion over waste water conservation, of the event satisfied both naturally sourced fertilization, efficient seedling parties, with basic ideas germination and artificial chemical limitation. and practices being Shultz introduced techniques for watering plants, taught to amateurs centering around the idea of not spraying water in the air and a question and over the plants, thus wasting water. answer portion The discussion also included composting, an effective
filled with advanced discussion between Shultz and the veteran gardeners.
See PLANTING, Page 2 Graphics by Charlene Belew
Photo by Joel Frambes
My green thumb: Junior Natalie Ruiz-Castillo works on replanting flowers at the Sustainable Gardening Workshop. The event was shaped around educating attendees on green methods and sustainability.
A seed, a tree makes a difference Charlene Belew
The inaugural tree donation consisted of two Red Oaks, and since 2010, the Lions have contributed Eastern Redbuds to the campus. @cbelew15 Allen Granger, president of the organization, said the Lions club looks forward to celebrating A two-time designated USA Tree Campus, Cameron University, along with Lawton locals, Earth Day with Aggies. “Many of our club members have ties to will celebrate Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22 with two events to help give back not only to Cameron; for example, Joe Wotring, a former member of the Cameron Military Science the University, but also to the planet. department, takes great pride in selecting our The first of the pair will begin at 11:15 a.m. trees each year,” Granger said in a press release. when the Lawton Northeast On-Line Lions Wotring will actually serve as this year’s Club hosts a tree planting at the Aggie Gym. The club which was founded in 2009 and has event chairman. The second event is just minutes after the donated trees to the Black and Gold community Lions’ donation and honors not only Earth since their inception.
Managing Editor
Day but also Arbor Day. At 11:30 a.m. in the Cameron Park, Biology Club members and Beta Beta Beta Honor Society students will observe both holidays during their planting of the tree. Dean of the School of Science and Technology Dr. Terry Conley is proud of the accomplishment Cameron University has earned with the two consecutive USA Tree Campus distinctions, awarded by the National Arbor Day Foundation. “The University has added more than 1,000 trees to campus n the past decade,” Conley
said. “We hope our annual Arbor Day observance inspires members of the community to become good stewards of the environment.” Conley said originally, the tree to be planted was a western soapberry, but complications with finding the right-sized specimen have led to planting a southern live oak instead.
What’s inside Beating the streets with CUPD
Art students finding ‘Identity’
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Page 7
Cameron hosts LSC tourney Page 8
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April 20, 2015
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Community initiative to help CU save Jacob Jardel
Assistant Managing Editor @JJardel_Writing
This spring, Cameron is turning to the university community to help save money. The CU Saves initiative, first introduced in the 2009-2010 academic year, calls for suggestions from the Cameron public on ways to reduce expenditures and improve efficiency. Submissions are due April 24, and those who submit the top suggestions will receive $250. Vice President of Business and Finance Glen Pinkston said that this approach is a new way to look at saving. “The whole idea is to reach out to everybody to give us ideas on what we can be doing differently to reduce our costs,” he said. “Instead of a topdown, it’s a bottom-up approach.” According to him, the use of this bottom-up approach will help incorporate ideas from across the spectrum. “That’s the whole purpose – to bring the collective thinking and power of that thinking from all employees and all students to help Cameron University be more efficient,” Pinkston said. While students and faculty are
encouraged to submit, they are not the only people who can give ideas. According to Pinkston, ideas from all sources are welcome. “Anybody can submit,” he said, “absolutely anybody. It can be a student, a faculty, an employee or a visitor. We don’t care. A good idea is a good idea, we don’t care where it comes from.” Members of the Cameron community, like graduate student Rebecca Selstad, think this program is a great way for everyonein the university community to get involved. “Feeling like you are a part of something bigger than yourself is always inspiring, and I’m excited to see what new innovations can be implemented here in the near future,” Selstad said. “I think everyone will benefit from this campaign.” Cameron alumna Shawna Horn agreed, adding that this allencompassing method would do well as a way to help the university be more efficient. “This is a higher learning institution with intelligent people that are excelling in their fields of study,” Horn said. “The students of Cameron University are diverse and each offer unique ways to solve problems.”
The problem to be solved this year is the hole in the state budget for Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16). Pinkston said that one of the solutions to help solve the deficit is to cut from state institutions such as Cameron. “We will be lucky if we don’t get a cut in our state appropriation,” he said. “The reason we’re doing it is because we know FY16 is going to be a difficult budget year.” Because of the potential for a difficult year, Pinkston said they brought back this initiative for cost-reducing ideas. He said that he welcomes any idea to the table. “It can be related to infrastructure, it can be related to buying, it can be related to copy – it can be anything as long as somebody thinks that there’s a possibility that the idea will save money,” Pinkston said. He added that the administration look to implement as many ideas as they can that would work to benefit Cameron University. However, the timeline for making these ideas happen depends on the suggestions themselves. “Some of these ideas can be slamdunks done quickly,” Pinkston said. “Others require research or bidding from the public. Some of them might fall under the purview of a particular
Cameron committee.” Regardless of how long the ideas would take, Pinkston said that anything is on the table, provided that it helps make Cameron a more efficient campus that reduces cost. Because of this focus, he advised those wishing to submit to become more aware of what goes on around them on campus. “Think,” he said. “Think about conservation. Think about waste reduction. Observe. Look around you in the settings you’re familiar with. Ask the questions.” For more information on CU Saves, visit www.cameron. edu/cusaves. Turn in any suggestions at the Cashier’s Desk in the Administration Building or at the One Stop in the McMahon Centennial Complex.
Graphics by Jacob Jardel
PLANTING continued from Page 1 Once the discussion concluded, the participants made their way to the botany lab where pots of soil and a variety of flowers awaited. It wasn’t long before everyone had hands in dirt. Shultz instructed novices on how to transfer store-bought plants to larger pots that would allow the flowers to grow and flourish outside of the restrictive plastic containers.
Photo by Joel Frambes
While it was not a difficult task, especially for the experienced gardeners, it was an important one in growing the skills and confidence of the newcomers. Senior biology major Holden Rowe was one of the students who felt the benefits of the workshop, and he took good humor in learning that gardening wasn’t as daunting as he anticipated. “I don’t have a whole lot of experience with plants,” he said. “When I try to plant, I typically kill them. So now I have some information as to why that might be the case.” Another student who gained self-assurance from the workshop was senior biology major Saranah Isenberg who reflected on her past failed attempts at growing plants. “I’ve killed a cactus,” she admitted. “No, I don’t have a green thumb – more like a black arm – [but] I would like to plant herbs or garden vegetables.” This sentiment was popular among students who attended the event, and it was shared by Shultz. “I wanted to do herbs and things that we could eat,” she said, “but I somehow managed to get a fungus on all of the plants that I grew so we had to at the last minute go get the flowers.” Despite the vulnerability of homegrown plants to diseases
and the inability or lack of desire to use pesticides to control such blemishes on household plants, it is worth the effort to raise them in this manner, according to Shultz. “Gardening can be a lot of fun and it’s not as much work as it seems like,” she argued. “I grew up eating fresh grown fruits and vegetables and the quality that you get from that is far superior to what you would get at the supermarket. The tastes are just completely different.” The gardening workshop may be back next year by popular demand. Ronald Gaines, faculty sponsor of the Biology Club, is in favor of having Shultz organize a similar event next year along with many of the participants in this years workshop, including senior biology major Kathryn Parsley. “[Misti] should do this again next year even though we’re not going to have an academic festival for this next year,” she said. Shultz was excited to demonstrate her passion for gardening. “I just wanted to share something that I enjoy with other people,” she said, “and gardening is something that I have enjoyed since I was really little.”
In memoriam: acclaimed Aggie Harold Hackler Charlene Belew Managing Editor @cbelew15
An acclaimed Cameron Aggie and fierce Black and Gold supporter, Harold Ellison Hackler, age 89, passed away Sunday, March 30. Harold Hackler and his wife, Elizabeth Nichols Hackler, both of Duncan, attended Cameron University together in the early 90s. In spring 1993, both graduated with associate degrees. Harold graduated at the age of 67 and was the oldest individual who received a degree at Cameron in 1993. His wife, who continued on in her educational career, graduated in 1998 with her bachelor’s degree. She was also the oldest graduate of her class. Both Harold and Elizabeth established an Endowed Lectureship in Teaching Excellence at Cameron University in March 1996 to recognize teachers in their endeavor to provide students with a quality education. Cameron University President Dr. John McArthur said, to date, 28 Cameron University faculty members have received the Hackler Teaching Award. “Harold and Elizabeth Hackler have been students and supporters of Cameron University and particularly our Duncan campus since the 1990s,” McArthur said. “His unique combination of wit, wisdom and good cheer will be greatly missed.” Although Harold has passed, nominations for the 2015 Hackler award are still underway, and the award gives teachers an opportunity to enhance their professional capabilities inside and outside of the classroom. “One of his legacies will continue to be the Harold and Elizabeth Hackler Teaching Excellence Award at Cameron University,” McArthur said. “Through the Hacklers’ generous financial gift with additional support from the Halliburton
Photo by Charlene Belew
Hacklers awarding excellence: Dr. Edris Montalvo (left) and Dr. Mike Dunn (right) pose with their plaques after winning the Hackler Award for Teaching Excellence, named in part after the late Harold Hackler. The Cameron alumnus passed away on March 30. He was 89-years-old. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth. Foundation, the McCasland Foundation and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, an endowment has been created to recognize outstanding teaching in perpetuity.” The McCasland Foundation and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education matched the couple’s gift to create a pool of $100,000 for the lectureship endowment. The idea behind the lectureship came because the Hacklers were impressed with the teaching quality they observed during their time at Cameron University, according to an alumni newsletter. Harold also established the Harold E. Hackler Outstanding MBA Professor of the
Year award at the University of Oklahoma. Nominations for the 2015 Hackler Award are due by May 1. A nominated faculty member must be a full-time member of the Cameron University faculty for at least three years, including the current year, and have the rank of Assistant Professor or higher, according to a nomination solicitation. In addition to the stipend and professional development award, the Hackler winners also receive a plaque and have their names permanently recognized on the Hackler Lectureship honor roll plaque. To nominate a Cameron University professor for the distinction, visit www.
cameron.edu/academic_affairs/faculty-andstaff-awards. The Office of Academic Affairs will notify eligible nominees and ask each nominee to provide an up-to-date curriculum vitae, a summary of teaching evaluations, department chair and/or dean evaluations for the previous three years and a statement of teaching philosophy, to include descriptions of teaching innovations or techniques. Eligible nominee materials are due Aug. 21, 2015, to Administration Building room 250. Those with materials submitted at this time will receive consideration for earning the Hackler Award by the selection committee.
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April 20, 2015
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Aggies take sustainability to conference Kaley Patterson
Photo courtesy of Theresa Billiot
A&E Editor
@KaleyKayPatt Some of the world’s most famous talents performed on the glittering stages of infamous Las Vegas, such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and Wayne Newton. Now three students and one Cameron University professor can proudly say they had their moment under the spotlight. Senior business majors Felipe Anzaurt, Juan Martinez, Andrew Koracin and Assistant Professor of Business Theresa Billiot traveled to Las Vegas for the Marketing Educators Association (MEA) conference on April 15-17. The group presented their research paper over their study of customer reactions to green cleaning products. “We’re trying to figure out how people feel more attracted to green cleaning products,” Anzaurt said. “If it’s a positive contrast, a positive concrete or a positive abstract message... We’re seeing how framing the message could convince consumers to buy or not to buy the green cleaning product. We also look at how they act before and after seeing our advertising, if they
Taking it to Vegas: (From left) Senior business majors Felipe Anzaurt, Juan Martinez and Andrew Koracin take a break from their preparation for the Marketing Educators Association (MEA) conference from April 15-17 in Las Vegas. The trio attended the three-day conference with Assistant Professor of Business Dr. Theresa Billiot to present research on consumer reactions to green cleaning products. would buy or not.” Billiot recruited the three students to work on this project, which wasn’t for a class, but for the expanse of knowledge and a chance to act out with Cameron University’s Academic Festival: Sustainability. “The students wanted to play an integral role in Cameron’s Academic Festival
by conducting research focused on sustainability,” Billiot said. “So we studied sustainability research, and we wanted to conduct an experiment that would benefit marketers operating on a small budget to design an effective sustainability campaign.” The team generated most of their research from surveys,
reading about various forms of green cleaning products and studying different marketing strategies. But Billiot said none of this would have been possible without the Edward and Lenore Hamra, Edward Men’s Wear Endowed Lectureship in Retail Marketing. “This lectureship is allowing Felipe, Juan
and Andrew to test the effectiveness of framing sustainability messages on consumer behavior through four different online advertisements,” Billiot said. “Research can be quite expensive, and this lectureship provides students with a hands-on and valuable experience that goes beyond textbook reading by
allowing them to challenge theories, test hypotheses, collect and analyze primary data, make predictions and develop sound marketing decisions that will increase an organization’s top-line growth.” At the MEA conference, the students not only presented their research but learned about different teaching strategies used by marketing educators, scholarships that will further their education and they received the chance to network with domestic and international market professors. “This accomplishment shows how dedicated our students are to advancing their learning,” Billiot said. “By progressing their knowledge, these students will better demonstrate to employers that they went beyond memorizing concepts and terms while in college, but they understand systematic research and the importance of collecting and analyzing primary data to discover the underlying psychological, cultural and sociological factors that can impact consumer behavior. This accomplishment shows that these students will surpass our program’s expected student outcomes.”
Staff and faculty members recongized with awards Staff Awards
CU Public Affairs
CU Public Affairs (Left) President John McArthur, right, congratulates staff members (left to right) David Stone, Mandy Husak and Brandy Belew, recipients for the 2014-15 Cameron University Staff Awards. Recommendation of Cameron’s Staff Advisory Council led to the creation of the Cameron University Staff Awards in fall 2014. CU students, faculty and staff made these nominations. In order to be eligible, nominees must have been employed fulltime at Cameron for at least one year. “Cameron staff members have a tremendous impact on the success of our students,” McArthur said. “The new Staff Awards recognize outstanding contributions in key areas that demonstrate Cameron University’s commitment to the educational, cultural and economic advancement of the communities we serve.” Belew earned the Staff Award for Excellence in Student Success, while Husak received the Staff Award for Excellence in Campus Stewardship and Stone earned the Staff Award for Excellence in Service.
Faculty Awards CU Public Affairs
(Right) Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Ronna Vanderslice, left, and President John McArthur, right, congratulate the recipients of the 2014-15 Cameron University Faculty Awards. Honored with awards were (front) Dr. Lynda Robinson, (back, left to right) Donna Clopton, Amy Stockman, Dr. Ioannis Argyros and Dr. Michael Husak. These faculty members received the awards on Tuesday, April 14 to recognize their contributions to Cameron’s academic community. “It is gratifyig to reward members of Cameron’s dedicated faculty,” Vanderslice said. “They are truly representative of the many educators who provide top quality education to Cameron Students.” Argyros received the Bhattacharya Endowed Lectureship for Excellence in Research award. Husak received the Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentoring Student Research. Clopton earned the Adjunct Faculty Award for Excellence and innovation in teaching. Robinson earned the the Faculty Award for Excellence in Service. Stockman received the Faculty Award for Excellence and Innovation. About Us
The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Lawton Constitution. The first issue is provided for free. Each subsequent issue is $1.50.
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CU Public Affairs THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna
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The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. The unsigned editorial under the heading “Voices” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma.
Managing Editor - Charlene Belew Asst. Managing Editor - Jacob Jardel A&E Editor - Kaley Patterson Sports Editor - Krista Pylant Student Life Editor - Vicky Smith Copy Editor - Joel Frambes Aggie Central Editor- Jereme Cobb
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Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - Marie Bagwell, Hafsa Farah, Haley Swinford Circulation Manager - Charlene Belew Advertising Managers - Charlene Belew, Kaley Patterson Faculty Adviser - Mr. David Bublitz
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Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks. All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. No nicknames will be used. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification. Letters can be sent by regular mail, by e-mail to aggiecentral@cameron. edu or they may be dropped off at our office - Academic Commons 101 or at www.aggiecentral.com.
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April 20, 2015
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A day in the life: Aggie safety 24/7
the perimeter of Cameron campus. “Cameron police officers are state certified,” he said. “There’s a memorandum of understanding between us and the city of Lawton. That means if need be, we can enforce city ordinance or state statutes outside of Cameron, or they can come onto campus and enforce laws on campus.” Although their jurisdiction is broad, Parsons said their primary jurisdiction and focus is Cameron campus, where officers are always present. “Most generally,” he said, “everybody on the Cameron Police Department has 20 years or plus law enforcement experience...We have 12 total full-time [officers], one reserve, and we have a director who’s a chief of police for our department. “We have three shifts with three officers on each shift – 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” Because the officers are available at all times, students can call for help at any time. While on campus, Parsons said students can take wise measures to protect themselves from danger. “At night,” he said, “you stay on the Aggie Mile. You can stay on the sidewalk, and all around campus, there’s those call boxes – the white Photo by Vicky Smith columns …The call boxes are for a communication system. It’s for Striving to keep Cameron campus safe: (Left to Right) The Cameron Department of Safety Officers Ralph Parsons, Robert assistance, emergencies, directions, Bishop, Ray Ortiz and Lieutenant Charles Whitis are members of the 12-person police squad whose job focus is the safety of students. and once they hit the button, it automatically goes to our radio. “Throughout the shift,” he said, they don’t know who else to turn to, transportation, so the officers have an Vicky Smith “If they feel frightened, or they “we have calls for service. It may be so why not? We’ r e here [as] public opportunity to help them. Student Life Editor feel unsure or unsafe, they can stop public assistance with jump starts, safety to assist … Just call us. If we “They’ r e in a foreign country in a @pinkwritinglady and hit a call box and go, ‘Hey, I just unlock[ing] vehicles, changing tires, can help them, we’ll help them.” foreign environment,” he said, “and Daily dressed in full uniform with and there may be some offense feel kind of afraid to walk back to my As Parsons fulfills his daily duties, sometimes they don’t really know a gold badge that reads “Cameron dorm. Can someone come over here?’ reports, whether criminal incidences he finds joy in talking to people. who to turn to. It may be simple as University Police,” Ralph Parsons and we’ll come over there.” on campus or … reports for “My favorite part [of the job] is a question as, ‘How does Wal-Mart strives to keep the Aggies and their Parsons said he is grateful for informational purposes.” just really all the different people work?’ or something that we take for campus environment safe. every day the Aggies remain safe. Parsons said sometimes, students that you run into daily [in] different granted. So, they call us. We’re kind Parsons, who has worked in law “What we look forward to is, every simply need someone to help them situations,” he said. of like their parents away from home.” enforcement for about 27 years, day, having a good day on campus,” he resolve relational conflicts with other Because he interacts with a wide According to Parsons, in some has served as a Cameron University said. “We keep the students safe, and students. range of students, he not only has international students’ home Department of Public Safety officer they go to class every day, and there’s “They sometimes just need acquaintances, but he also has many countries, police officers are not for over two years. no issues. a mediator to coach along the friends. respected and are actually feared, Prior to his position at Cameron, “We don’t want to run out there conversation because if we’re sharing “As you see them [students] at the so helping an international student Parsons’ law enforcement involvement a dorm room together, and I’m mad and make a whole bunch of arrests first of the year,” he said, “they’re kind may change his or her perception of extends beyond the borders of the every day. We don’t want to go write at you because you used my shampoo, of standoffish, and then later as the officers in America. United States. a bunch of tickets. We would just that’s not a reason to call public safety. school year progresses, they may have “Sometimes we’ve taken them to He’s a 22-year retired lieutenant But, if it turns into an argument … to call public safety for something. Wal-Mart,” he said, “... then they start rather have a nice, quiet day with no with the Lawton Police Department, and you guys can’t communicate that property damage, no injuries. That’s a “There’s actually a little friendship sharing family experiences and stuff and he spent three years overseas as good day.” out, then you call us.” that starts to develop, and they in their country, so it’s fun to learn.” an international police advisor. For more information about the Regardless of how “silly” a trust you. They say ‘hi’ to you in Although friendships are built, Working for Cameron, Parsons situation or problem may seem, the hallway, and they say ‘hi’ to you Parsons said the law remains enforced Cameron Department of Public said he and his fellow officers perform Parsons said he and the officers are Safety, stop by the Office of Public outside … [It] is pretty nice to see, to all students; he and the officers a range of duties every day, from Safety, located on the first floor of here to help. especially [with] the international follow state statute, city ordinance locking and unlocking buildings to South Shelper, or visit cameron.edu. “Don’t hesitate to call us,” he said. students.” and Cameron policy. ensuring people off campus do not In the case of an emergency or needed “That’s why we’re here. Sometimes, Parsons said some international Furthermore, he and the officers’ harass Cameron students on campus. they [students] are embarrassed, or students do not even have a form of permission to enforce the law crosses assistance, call 580-581-2911.
Dear Aggie: when seasons of life and weather change Dear Aggie,
SGA weekly
Dear Aggie,
My friend thinks Earth Day doesn’t matter and Graduation is almost here, but I’m still not sure climate change is a lie. What are your thoughts? what I’m going to do after. Help!
Sincerely, Climate Conscious
Sincerely, What’s Next
Dear Conscious,
Dear What’s Next
It can be hard to wrap your head around the vast theories of science like climate change, but the evidence for it is overwhelming. By studying prehistoric rock formations, scientists have discovered that the Earth has gone through natural periods of heating and cooling, such as the Ice Age. However, the contemporary issue we face with climate change started when humans exponentially increased the amount of greenhouse gasses since the Industrial Revolution, accelerating natural climate change at an alarming rate. This brings up the point of Earth Day. Each year, we commit to reversing our impact on the environment and to preserving its natural beauty for generations to come. So, take your friend on a walk around campus. Show him or her the Tree Tour and explain even though one tree might not be much, Earth Day is an international project. Everyone wants the world to be a better place, and this is a way to go about it.
This is a time in life filled with change and uncertainty, from graduating to finding out your identity as an adult. It can be scary to look into the crystal ball and have the glass fog up on you. When it comes to figuring out what to do next, there is going to be a lot of soul searching going on. Ask your friends, ask your parents, ask your professors and ask yourself one question: “What feels right for me?” There may not be one easy answer to this question. It requires a lot of thought and a lot of planning. But, with the help of those close to you and a lot of introspection, you can at least put yourself on the right place on the roadmap. You may not know the route now, but sometimes you need to find a place to go before you take a step down the road you need to go down. It may take a while, but when you find a destination, your trip becomes that much easier.
Sincerely, Aggie
Courtesy of Cameron.edu
Sincerely, Aggie Dear Aggie responses are generated in house by Collegian editorial members and do not represent professional opinion or advice. Tweet to @DearAggieCU.
Kaley Patterson A&E Editor
@KaleyKayPatt On April 13 the Cameron University Student Government discussed Cameron’s future budget, recognized the 2015-2016 officers and passed Resolution 3114009. Cameron University Vice President Glen Pinkston spoke to the governing body about the university’s impending budget. The Oklahoma Legislature has not drafted this term’s budget, but Pinkston informed the body that there is $611 million hole in the Oklahoma budget. The state budget equals around $7 billion and higher education takes up $1 billion which puts Cameron at 14 percent of that budget. Pinkston did not announce whether Cameron would be receiving a budget cut like it has the past couple of years, which resulted in increased tuition and fees. Currently, Cameron students receiving an undergraduate degree pay $178 per credit
hour. But the executives of Cameron do have a course of action in case of cuts. “The way we are going to deal with a budget cut is to first look at services that could be reduced,” Pinkston said. “Second, if the cut is big enough, we will look at tuition and fees... Right now, we don’t know what the cut will be... While we might have to raise tuition and fees, our intent is not to.” The governing body celebrated the election of the new 2015-2016 CU SGA executive officers: President Nikki Kirk, Vice President Kelly High and Treasurer Lacey Flaig. The new elects will take over beginning with the last meeting of this semester. Representatives Flaig and Victoria Boudiette took questions from the governing body during second reading and questioning of their bill, Resolution 3114009. The legislation calls “for the establishment of a pre-professional committee for advising students interested in professional field careers.” Student representatives and senators expressed concern that the bill did not benefit other majors besides the sciences. Flaig and Boudiette spoke to other departments about a possible preprofessional committee and found most of them thought one would be helpful to their students. The committee would consist of volunteers made up faculty, alumni and community members who are experts in the fields of studies students are interested in pursuing. The members would help students prepare for admissions applications, tests and would provide recommendation letters if need be. Resolution 3114009 passed with 18 in the yes, zero in the no and zero in abstention.
April 20, 2015
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Student Life
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Students elect new CUSGA officers Vicky Smith
She said the want them to use us position as president for that. Student Life Editor is not only important “If they have @pinkwritinglady to SGA as an something that they From 9 a.m. on April 10 until 7 p.m. on organization, but want changed about April 11, Cameron students voted for the it is also important campus, really do, I 2015-16 Student Government Association to the university at would love to talk to (SGA) officers. The results are in, and large. them and help get Aggies elected Nikki Kirk as president, “We’re a their ideas moving.” Kelly High as vice president and Lacey combination of Third of all, Flaig as treasurer. every school, every Kirk would like to Sophomore chemistry major Kirk, organization on offer students an sophomore history major High and senior campus,” she said. incentive, such as a biology major Flaig have been active in SGA “We’re fully a stipend or prize, to prior to stepping into their new positions. representation of the participate in the Kirk began as an SGA representative student body, and legislation process. the fall of her sophomore year, and then I think that’s why “In recent she became treasurer, until she took the it’s so important. years,” she said, position of vice president, which she has We branch out “people haven’t been been fulfilling this year. everywhere. We super pumped to Kirk said she is honored to be elected as touch everyone, and write legislation SGA president. I think that’s great.” because it is kind of “I am really excited,” she said. “A lot of As president daunting in addition what I plan to do as president is only going of SGA, she will to all their other to kind of heighten that responsibility [of take on a variety assignments...I want the position]. I want to take on a lot, and of responsibilities, the members to be Courtesy of Nikki Kirk that makes me nervous because I want including making excited and willing to do a good job…but I’m confident too. agendas for to write legislation SGA Officer: Sophomore chemistry I watched Kevin [Steib] as president; I meetings, because it is a major Nikki Kirk steps up as president. watched Sidney [McCormick] as president. leading meetings, process. They have I have awesome advisors and Zeak [Naifeh] representing SGA in certain committees to do research. They have to make sure it’s and Leslie [Cothren].” and representing the university at good quality.” conferences. Student Activities Specialist Leslie Kirk said she has specific ideas that she Cothren, who is co-advisor of SGA, said wants to transform into accomplished goals legislation is an example of how SGA is the in the fall. voice of the student body. “First of all,” she said, “I want there “One of the legislations they passed this to be a better understanding about what year was to continue to have the ban on student government is and what we weapons on campus,” she said. “It’s a great actually do across campus. I don’t think way to get a large group of students from all the constituents, as in all the students, lots of different backgrounds with lots understand what the purpose of student of different involvement, lots of different government is.” ages to come together and say, ‘No we’re all According to Kirk, students need to going to agree on this.’” understand SGA’s purpose because it According to Cothren, in addition to affects them all. giving students a voice, SGA benefits “Student government passed the students by giving them information about legislation that banned smoking on the university. Students can attend the campus,” she said. “Of course, Governor weekly meetings that are held at 5:15 p.m. Fallin passed the legislation that made it a on Mondays in the conference room of the law that we couldn’t have it, but preceding Business building. that, SGA passed its own legislation to “They’re opened to anybody,” she said. implement that policy. Things like that “There’s plenty of room for people to come really do impact everybody.” [to the meetings]. It’s a great way to see Secondly, Kirk would like students to what’s happening on campus, and that’s voice their opinions regarding what can be good to know if you have a concern or an improved, added or changed at Cameron. issue or a policy you’d like to see changed … Courtesy of Lacey Flaig “I just want them to realize what we’re It’s a great place to ask questions.” [SGA’s] here for,” she said. “We’re here Furthermore, SGA benefits students SGA Officer: Senior biology major to help them get the absolute best college who would like to enrich their resumes. “It helps whoever is hiring to look and Lacey Flaig is in the position of treasurer. experience that they can get at Cameron. I
see, ‘Hey you can work with other people, you kind of know some basic rules of how to run a meeting, you know how to work within a system,” Cothren said. For students active in campus organizations, Cothren said they can receive funding for their events through SGA. “If your representative has been at the meetings,” she said, “and they’ve been coming, and they’ve been active, you can apply for money to help with your event. So, if you’re doing an all-campus event, you can come to SGA and say, ‘Hey, we’d like a little more money to help with this.’ SGA has money that their finance committee can offer to help.” Like Kirk, Cothren said not all students are aware of what SGA can do, so informing them about SGA might encourage them to be more involved. “If people want to run for senator positions,” she said, “they totally should. We have a lot of options available, and it’s a really good way to get involved … Either run for a position or see if you are the one who’s going to be selected from an organization to be a representative.” For more information about SGA, students can visit Cameron. edu, send an email to cusga@cameron.edu, stop by the SGA office on the second f loor of the MCC or call 580-581-2444.
Courtesy of Kelly High
SGA Officer: Sophomore history major Kelly High takes of the role of VP.
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A&E
April 20, 2015
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Cameron presents new music at festival Derick Acheampong Staff Writer
Cameron’s 39th annual New Music Festival took place on April 6 and 7 in McCutcheon Recital Hall. The event brought composers throughout the state of Oklahoma to campus in order to showcase the most recent music in the area. Interim Chair of the Music Department Dr. Greg Hoepfner was the coordinator of the New Music Festival. He said the event has done a good job of exposing campus listeners to music from Oklahoma. “We’ve had many fine composers visit our campus,” he said. Music major Peter Macias, a student worker in the music department, said that this event strives to showcase what Oklahomans have to offer musically. “We want to celebrate our composers who are born in this state, live in this state and compose in this state,” Macias said. “Not to take away from other states, but we are very proud of our citizens for what they do.” The event featured guest Dr. Joel Love, CU music faculty members Dr. Andrew Stonerock and Dr. Carolyn Keyes, the CU
Concert Choir, senior music major Alyson Hayes and guest soprano Amelia Ciskey. The second day featured guest performer Dr. Joel Love, whose works have been performed across the country with numerous ensembles. Hoepfner said meeting Love and seeing him perform was the best part of the festival – especially with the different skills he brought to the table. “This year was different because we brought in a composer and played many different styles of music including vocal, saxophone, f lute and even goblets,” Hoepfner said. The Cameron New music Festival ended with Cameron Music students performing with their nice suites and gown. “It was lovely,” Love said. Hoepfner said the event is planned a year before its premier with donations from the Lectures and Concerts committee. “There is a lot of coordination of dates, times and the works that are to be performed, sometimes with our help. It’s a juggling act with a really nice outcome. “It’s always nice to hear wonderful performances of composers from the past, but it is equally as important and wonderful to hear what is being written now – in a way, to hear the possible future.”
Photos by Derick Acheampong
Strike the band: Students and faculty from the Cameron Music Department celebrated their appreciation of music at the 39th annual New Music Festival April 6 and 7 in the McCutcheon Recital Hall.
Next on stage, ‘110 in the Shade’ Photos by Marie Bagwell
Joel Frambes Copy Editor
@JoelPole12
Rainmaker: The cast of “110 in the Shade” portrays ambitous and sly characters stuck in a drought stricken town in southwest Oklahoma. Opening night will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, in the Cameron University theatre and will perform a matinee show at 2 p.m. on April 26.
On April 23, the Cameron University Department of Theatre Arts will raise the curtain for their production of the musical “110 in the Shade”. Tom Jones musically adapted the show from the play “The Rainmaker” by N. Richard Nash. “110 in the Shade” originally debuted on Broadway in 1963. The theatre department is producing the 2007 revised version of “110 in the Shade” with their own original spin. Senior performance theatre major Mark Branson believes the big name musical will translate well to the local stage. “There’s automatically something attached to that [name] that most people are aware of,” Branson said. “It’s nice to have positive expectations from the potential audience.” In an American town in the southwest, which the theatre department changed to be a small town in southwest Oklahoma, Lizzie Curry, an unmarried ranch owner played by sophomore music education major Reagan Williams, faces a severe drought alongside her fellow townsfolk. Senior performance theatre major Byron Phillips plays charming con artist Bill Starbuck, who is hired by Sheriff File for $100 as a rainmaker. File, played by Branson, is a divorcee
interested in Lizzie, who refuses to settle down with someone until she becomes a victim to the charm of Starbuck. In order to portray the slick attitude of Starbuck, Phillips understood the character’s ability to appeal to everyone he meets. “I’m trying to personally emphasize the snake oil salesman shift to the role,” he said in reference to his character’s promise of rain within 24 hours of his arrival. Starbuck continues to woo Lizzie, whose love for the con man blossoms from his sincere encouragement
of her desire to follow her dreams. Even when the sheriff discovers his troubled past, Lizzie continues to defend Starbuck and tries to help him come clean and give up a life of lies. There’s a lot to look forward to with this student produced musical according to Williams. “The show is going to be great,” she said. “We’ve been working really hard.” The production debuts at 7:30 p.m. this Thursday with showings on Friday and Saturday at the same time and a final run at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
April 20, 2015
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A&E
Senior artists to showcase ‘Identity’ Kaley Patterson
took a part in planning and preparing the exhibition. A&E Editor “The show allows us to @KaleyKayPatt get experience hanging a Nine senior art students show,” Houlahan said, “as well as getting our work out will display their talents to the Lawton community, at the annual senior art so we can be seen by them, show during the opening and also some community reception at 6 p.m. on May members who invest in 2 at the Leslie Powell Art the school can also see Gallery. where their money is going The Annual Senior towards and how well the Art Exhibition will run students are doing. It also until May 11. Art will shines a light on the artistic showcase unique styles by community of Lawton.” Amanda Coates, Sarah The exhibition will Darling, Kyndal Dunn, display a multitude of works Christopher Houlahan, Beverly Layton, Jager Lively, the students produced James Martinez, Faamasani throughout their college career and some from this Puletasi and Heather Shea past semester. Morefield. But the subjects of Every student in the the artists’ pieces do not show expresses themselves have to be similar to their through multiple forms of classmates. Each artist art: paintings, drawings, prints, digital work, graphic has their own theme, design and sculpture. Their some being psychology, evolution, multiple sciences, different styles gave them the universe, eroticism, the idea to title the show mental disabilities, personal “Identity”. heritage, narratives, “We chose ‘Identity’ spirituality or a variety of because that’s what represents artist as a whole,” different things. “Everyone’s body of Coates said. “Like, our work represents us; it’s who work is different from the others,” Dunn said. “It’s we are. It’s what we do, so that’s how we came up with kind of like whatever you’re ‘Identity’, because our art is our identity.” As a part of their capstone class, each student
Courtsey of Cameron Senior Art Students
“Joker” by Christopher Houlahan
“Cosmos” by Sarah Darling
sort of interested in.” The students all nodded their heads in agreement when they expressed the stress that has come along with the organization of their exhibition. But through it all they have become a team who has supported each other through their initiation of sorts into the real art world. “For most of us, this is our first really big art show,” Dunn said. “We had to prepare press releases and stuff like that. We’ve really gained first-hand experience.” Although the students prepared this show for their final grade, the opportunity to show their peers, the Lawton community and many others their talents is what all nine of them are looking forward to. “I think it’s really exciting for people we know to come see our whole body of work together and framed,” Layton said. “We’ve all put it on Facebook and shared it with all of our friends, but nobody has seen it in the context that it’s going to be in.”
“CK” by Jager Lively
“John” by Beverly Layton
“Dr. Draize” by Heather Shae Morefield
“What’s The First Thing You See” by Kyndal Dunn
The Annual Senior Art Exhibition ‘Identity’ will open at 6 p.m. on May 2 at the Leslie Powell Art Gallery.
Hardy Jones publishes ‘People of the Good God’ Kaley Patterson
he was in his twenties. “I went to the University of Iowa for a A&E Editor writing conference after I got my B.A. from @KaleyKayPatt LSU [Louisiana State University],” Jones The offices of Cameron English said. “While I was there everyone else was professors situate themselves in a bayoufrom the midwest or the northeast, and so type maze on the southwest side of Nance they were asking me, ‘So if you come from Boyer. Assistant Professor of English Louisiana, are you Cajun?’ And I said, Hardy Jones is familiar with the twist and ‘Well, I think I am, now that you ask.’” turns of the actual Louisiana swamp and The book opens with a scene in Iowa the Cajun heritage, which he discusses in City. his new book “People of the Good God”. Jones said, “That’s sort of the impetus “It’s a personal essay collection, sort of me spending the next two years of, slash memoir,” Jones said. “The way I doing research and traveling around wrote it is each chapter is its own personal Louisiana talking to family members and essay. So you can read each chapter without predominantly older Cajuns that I could having to read the others; they kind of find to talk to – ones who had been in their stand by themselves. And if you look at French-only world in the early twentieth the book as a whole, then it becomes a century and how they had to change as memoir.” English in America kind of moved in Jones grew up in Pensacola, Florida around them. until he was 14 when his family moved to “That leads the narrative arc; talking Louisiana, which allowed him to live across to them and comparing their lives and the Gulf Coast until he went to graduate experiences with like French first, English school in Tennessee. Jones began writing second to my life with English first and “People of the Good God” for his master’s French second.” thesis around 1999 or 2000. In the first half of his book, Jones “People of the Good God” centers on his focuses on his experiences and encounters discovery that since his mom is Cajun, that with some family members, and the middle makes him Cajun, too, which he laughs chapters to the end are his interviews with about because he didn’t put it together until other Cajun people and comparing their
lives to his. Jones looks into the history, culture and language of his Cajun heritage, which is where the book title comes from. “The term in our French for ‘God’ is ‘la Bon Dieu’,” Jones said casually sliding in and out of English and French. “We always say, ‘the good God,’ and so I thought that makes us the people of the good God.” If anyone is interested in purchasing Jones’ new book “The People of the Good God”, they can visit his website hardyjoneswriting. com.
Courtsey of Hardy Jones
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Sports
April 20, 2015
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Photo by Krista Pylant
Cameron sweeps OPSU in double-header
just like game one as Daino drove a ball over the left field fence to give CU the early 3-0 lead. After a scoreless second inning, the OPSU Aggies struck for their first runs of game two in the top of the third on a two run homer. batters Cameron bounced back in later, Sonora Zukerman helped the bottom of the inning as Daino hit her second homer out her cause by of the game and put CU up hitting a two-run homer to center, giving Cameron a 5-2. A pair of singles from 6-2 lead. Zukerman and DeLong In the next at-bat, Chelsea DeLong hit a homer brought Ingrum hit her The Cameron over the left field wall to give second homer of the year to add to the Aggie lead. CU back-to-back homers Aggie softball A few batters later, and three runs in the inning. team powered out Allerheiligen came in to Hits from Carly eight homers in their score on a groundout to first double-header sweep of Allerheiligen and McKay gave CU their eighth run of by Tara Martini, giving the Oklahoma Panhandle Aggies a 9-2 lead after three. the ballgame, and a bases State, winning 12-3 Cameron put another run and 10-3 on April 15 at loaded walk put them up on the board in the bottom 9-2. McMahon Field. of the fourth as Ingrum hit Zukerman then drove in Lauren Renneker, her second homer of the day two runs on a bases-loaded Paige Daino and Jessie for a solo shot, making it single and Daino scored on Ingrum each had two 10-2. Kelsey Watson pitched a wild pitch to give CU the homerun games as scoreless fourth and fifth 12-2 lead after three. CU moves to 31-12 on the innings to secure the five After a scoreless fourth season. inning run-rule. inning, the Aggies gave up Cameron got off to a Katelyn Craker went quick start in game number just one more run in the three innings and got her one as Renneker hit a three fifth and closed out game seventh win of the season, one by run-rule. run homer to left field in Zukerman got her ninth giving up two runs on five the bottom of the first hits with two strikeouts. inning, driving in Macy win of the season, going all CU had 10 hits in game five innings and giving up McKay and Breezy two as Daino went 2-5 with just two earned runs on five McComas. two runs scored and five hits with three strikeouts. After OPSU She also went 3-3 with four RBI, and Ingrum went 2-2 struck for two RBI and a run scored at the with two runs and four RBI. runs on a homer Cameron will hit the road plate. of their own in for their next series as they Cameron had 11 hits in the top of the third, take on Midwestern State game one as Renneker was Renneker kicked off 2-2 with four RBI and three for a four game series on the Aggies nine run third April 17-18 in Wichita Falls, runs scored. inning with her second Texas. Game two started out homer of the day. Two
By CU Sports Information
Graphic by Krista Pylant
Quite a catch: Junior Chelsea DeLong reaches for a high pitch. Cameron swept Oklahoma Panhandle State on April 15 in McMahon Field.
Cameron set to host conference tourney Krista Pylant
the tournament is usually located at a neutral site Sports Editor that houses over 20 courts @KristaPylant8 compared to Streich-Henry’s eight, but with only four Cameron University teams remaining in the will host the Lone Star conference, Cameron was a Conference Tennis perfect fit. tournament on April 24Helvey, who has been at 25 at the Streich-Henry the helm of CU tennis for Tennis Complex. 22 years, said the familiarity Cameron, Texas A&Mwill play into the Black Kingsville, Tarleton State and Gold’s home court and Midwestern State advantage. are the four women’s “We always play well teams competing in the at home,” Helvey said. “It tournament. keeps us kind of in control The 2014-15 season of what we’re doing. The is Cameron’s first time music is playing on our to host the tournament despite limited court space. courts when we’re warming up. Although we do like to According to Cameron travel, it’s just nice to be able head coach James Helvey,
Photo by Krista Pylant
to hold this event.” The tournament begins on April 24 with two semi-final matches and picks back up the following day on April 25 for the championship match. Post-season play will be single elimination and whichever team clinches five points first wins the match. Because regular season play is ongoing, tournament seeding will not be determined until conference play is completed. With a win against Tarleton State and losses to Texas A&M- Kingsville and Midwestern State, the Aggies sit third in conference standings with
a record of 1-2. Last year’s conference champion, Midwestern State, is undefeated at 3-0. For Helvey, the doubles lineup for Cameron will be the biggest challenge going into the tournament, but he is confident in CU’s singles pairings. “We’ve been changing our doubles lineup around quite a bit,”
Helvey said, “so it’s hard for me to get a read on what we’re doing. I don’t know what I’m going to do yet in two weeks [with doubles lineup], but singles have been really solid. I’m real proud of our girls in any spot.” The CU squad consists of six players: junior Angie Torres, sophomores Paula Gutierrez, Magdalena Kovinic and Samantha Wood and two freshmen Dejana Veljic and Eugenia Sanchez. Going into the tournament, Helvey gave a breakdown of the Aggies to watch. “Paula’s been
playing great at one and Angie’s been doing pretty goo d at two,”Helvey said. “Sam’s got the best record on the team at three. I think she’s only lost maybe two matches the entire season. “Magdalena’s got a pretty good record at four, and Eugenia and Dejana at five and six. Dejana’s been struggling down there, but as a freshman, she’s starting to come around and her tennis is getting better.” With only two matches remaining in regular season play, the Aggies hold a 12-7 overall record, are 4-3 at home, 7-2 away and 1-2 at neutral sites.