CYAN
MAGENTA
YELLOW BLACK NEWS
February 17, 2012
In Sports:
Lady Bisons’ strong stampede through season.
Vol. 87 No. 12
2A
OPINIONS
3&4A
SPORTS
1&2B
FEATURES
3B
ENTERTAINMENT
4B
In Entertainment:
Aerial Whiting breaks out her “Some of the meaning behind the day is sweet. Love grading pen and gives a midterm SEE prevails ... all share their untold true feelings with loved report on the television shows of the Page 1b ones. But that is not the day we celebrate anymore.” new season. Chaney Mitchell gives her take on Valentines SEE Page 3a SEE Page 4b
5 weeks for Fight DMD: Student body raises money for cure by LEXI STUTZMAN news editor On Monday, Feb. 13, the Student Association kicked off “Fight DMD,” a five-week series of campus activities to raise money to research a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Fundraising events began on Valentine’s Day when the SA hosted a singles vs. taken donation contest and a blind-date setup. The SA and Campus Activities Board have also organized a basketball orange night, Disney movie week, Quidditch tournament and T-shirt sale throughout the month to raise money for Fight DMD according to SA Vice President Amanda Herren. Terry Marlin, founder of FightDMD.com, spoke in chapel on Monday about when he and his wife learned their two young sons, Jonah and Emory, have DMD. Marlin said he created FightDMD.com soon after his sons were diagnosed in 2008. According to FightDMD.com, DMD is a muscular disease that affects one out of every 3,600 male children. The website said that due to rapid muscular degernation kids with Duchenne will be confined to a wheelchair by age 12, and paralyzed by their late teens, and their life expectancy is in the mid-20s, with no cure. Marlin said in chapel that he started FightDMD.com because he was dissatisfied with the research being done to find a cure
photo by SAVANNAH LEE | The Bison Terry Marlin speaks in chapel Monday, Feb. 13, to kick off five weeks of events to support his organization, Fight DMD, which raises money for researching Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a muscular disease, in hopes of finding a cure. Pictured behind Marlin are his sons, Jonah (RIGHT) and Emory (LEFT), both of whom have been diagnosed with DMD. for the disease. Marlin said that the goal of the foundation is to raise $500,000 to start a DMD research department at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University and to increase awareness about the disease.
Junior Sarah Hoffman, who attends church with the Marlins in Tennessee, approached the SA last semester about getting involved with Fight DMD. Hoffman said she hopes the student body will be inspired and prompted
to take action, like she was, after hearing the Marlins’ story. “Unless a cure is found, the Marlins’ boys wont live to see their 30s,” Hoffman said. “That’s how fast the disease progresses. My little brothers can run around and do everything, but Jonah and Emory have problems walking up stairs. It doesn’t seem fair; everyone should get an equal shot at life. From that standpoint, I would understand if they were bitter people but they’re not — they’re so hopeful.” Hoffman said she wants Harding students to not only contribute money to help fight DMD, but say prayers. “That’s the best way to help anything,” Hoffman said. On March 17 Fight DMD will conclude with a 5K run and 3K walk and a celebration on the front lawn featuring performances by Belles and Beaux and Good News Singers, Hoffman said. SA Secretary Claire Walker said she and the SA would like to see the whole student body get behind Fight DMD and show up at the special events to support Fight DMD’s endeavor to find a cure for this currently incurable disease. “We just want them to get super-excited about the changes that can be made and to see that the student body can help do so much to help other people,” Walker said. “The research that is going to go on will help so many people, and it’s exciting that we can have a tiny bit of involvement.”
Board of Trustees uses Web for input
Snow Finally Strikes
by J.M. ADKISON editor-in-chief
photo by ASHEL PARSONS | The Bison After a long period of sunny skies and warm weather, Searcy’s winter was back to normal on Monday, Feb. 13, with a morning snowfall to greet students as they filed out of the Benson Auditorium. While there was not enough snow to warrant a day off from classes or a delay, most students still enjoyed the light powdering.
Sara Bareilles to return to Harding by LINDSEY SULLIVAN student writer Campus Activities Board will bring singer Sara Bareilles back to the Benson stage on April 20 as a part of this spring’s First Thaw. “We got her at a really great opportunity,” said Logan Light, director of campus life. “She’s in the middle of recording an album right now and we’re getting her on what they call a routing tour. She wanted to do some smaller college shows to build some anticipation for her new album, so that worked out really well for us.” Before Bareilles takes the stage, Light said three other unconfirmed bands will be opening for her. This will be the second time Bareilles has performed at Harding. The first time was in December of 2007. Elizabeth Harrell, a 2009 Harding graduate, said she had attended the previous Bareilles concert, where she fell in love with Bareilles’ music. “I am kind of an old soul, and my favorite setting for a concert is one where I can sit comfortably to enjoy the show,” Harrell said. “That was ... the feel of her
[Sara Bareilles] wanted to do some smaller college shows to build some anticipation for her new album, so that worked out really well for us. -Logan Light, director of campus life concert. It was in the Benson, and it was very laid-back music, so we were all seated and soaking up her beautiful sound. I only knew her hit ‘Love Song’ because it had been on the radio for a few weeks. Harrell also said after the concert she bought Bareilles’ album’s sheet music to play on the piano. “I vividly remember her singing ‘Gravity’ at that concert and getting chills all over,” Harrell said. “I loved every song she performed, but that was the song that made me become a true fan. Also, her voice was stunning. She can definitely sing live. I have loved watching her be a judge on NBC’s ‘The Sing-Off.’ She has stated many times that she was in an a capella group in college, and as a choral director myself, I appreciate her advocacy
for being involved in choir.” Harrell, who currently works as a choral director for Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn., said if her schedule allows her to, she will be coming back to Harding to see Bareilles perform. The concert will be open to the public and tickets will be available online. There will be a lower rate for students, which is unconfirmed as of right now and students with the CAB Pass. Since the Sara Bareilles concert will need lots of marketing, Light said CAB would be grateful for student volunteers to help promote the event. Light said he will also make an announcement in chapel on Thursday, March 1, to reveal more information on who will be opening for Bareilles and more details on First Thaw.
The Presidential Succession Process Committee launched a new website on Feb. 1 that allows users to give their input and recommendations on who should be Harding University’s next president. The Presidential Succession Process Committee consists of six members of Harding’s Board of Trustees and is chaired by Dr. John Simmons from Columbia, Tenn. “[Since the last search for Harding’s president] the technology has changed; people are much more connected now to electronic media of all different types. People want to have an opportunity to have input … about things and organizations they have passions about,” Simmons said. “We wanted this to be an open process for this type of input.” After Harding’s current president, Dr. David B. Burks, announced his plans to retire in June of 2013, Simmons said he asked the Board of Trustees to compose a list of qualities they wanted in the next president. He said they compiled a list of 200 desired characteristics and distilled the list down to nine major points. After they had the guidelines set for the kind of person they were looking for, Simmons said the Board decided to create the website to receive outside input. One of the initial decisions the Board had to make was whether to build a totally new website for the selection process or to incorporate it into Harding’s website, Simmons said.The Board chose the latter option and has made a link to a page where people can put their name, affiliation with the school, whether they would like to recommend a specific person, and comments about the qualities they would like to see in the next president or make general comments about the school without recommending a person. Simmons said the search process for a new president is usually a closed, private matter among the Board of
Trustees and allowing outside input through the Internet has never really been done before at Harding. As for who is able to access the Web page to make recommendations, Simmons said the website is open to anyone with Internet access and is interested, not just to the Harding community. He said the Board is also very interested to hear from citizens in Searcy. “Because the process is online, I believe we will have a large pool of applicants,” said Nathan Copeland, assistant to the president. “I’m certain the special committee of the Board in charge of this process will take every application seriously and through much prayer, discussion, research and thought will select the best person to lead Harding into the future.” Copeland also said he will continue to work in the president’s office after Burks retires but will take on a larger role within the College of Business Administration. “I think the website is a wonderful idea,” Burks said. “It is great that the Board is opening up to receive input from the Harding family.” While Simmons said the website has already been a success and the Board has received a significant amount of feedback. The Board is not yet looking at any one person specifically to succeed Burks as president. In order for a person to be considered a candidate to become the next president, he must apply by June 30 of this year, Simmons said. He said these applications will be handled within the Board with the highest level of confidentiality respecting the privacy of the applicants. Simmons said the name of Burks’ successor should be announced by February of next year. To access the website to make a recommendation or comment, go to www.harding. edu and click on “Presidential Succession Process.” Go to the bottom of the webpage to “Recommendations” to make comments or suggestions.