April 3, 2015 Vol. 90, No. 18
LIFESTYLE
@HUStudentPubs April 25,The 2014 Facebook: Link Vol. 89, No. 18
SPRING SING NEWS
@HUStudentPubs Facebook: The Link
online at thelink.harding.edu
1- 4C2A
OPINIONS
3&4A
SPORTS
1&2B
FEATURES
3B
CAMPUS LIFE
4B
Searcy, Ark., 72149
Spring Sing
special section, pages 1C-4C
top: LINDA FERELLE | bottom left: EMILY EASON | bottom right: GRANT SCHOL
Delta Gamma Rho, Omega Phi and friends’ Star Wars-themed show features classic movie characters at dress rehearsal on Tuesday, March 31. TNT, Zeta Rho and friends’ show takes a twist on “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” as “Charlie and the Chocolate Tragedy” with senior Ben Hansen as Willy Wonka. Junior Claire Heffley performs in the ensemble’s ’80s-style dance number. Shows began Thursday night and go through Saturday.
Festivals incorporate Meeting sparks transparency cultures’ food, attire By Taylor Gleaves Student Writer
Students can experience a wide variety of cultures through entertainment, refreshments mden -- Henry and more at various cultural festivals happening on campus. Smiles For Christ is hosting Latin Fest, where students can find food and music inspired by Latin American countries and a talent show. “People will experience a taste of Latin culture,” junior Kristhel Vargas said. “We want people to feel like ‘mi casa es tu casa.’ (We want) to make people feel welcome in our culture and ‘in our home.’” Latin Fest takes place today from 3-6 p.m. in the McInteer Rotunda. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the event. Spring Culture Fest will take place on Saturday, April 18. The Multicultural Student Action Committee (MSAC) will host the event on the front lawn from noon-3 p.m. Junior Aundrey Flewellen, president of MSAC, said that he loves this event because it incorporates traveling, exploring new places, tasting new foods and meeting new people. “It inspired the thought of experiencing ‘all of the world’ at one time,” Flewellen said. “The purpose of this event would be to give students the chance to step outside their comfort zone and share a fun experience together that is new and unique that will last beyond graduation.” Senior Doris Fuentes said she wants to see others learn about the different cultures, try delicious foods, enjoy fun music and broaden their worldviews.
“Being away from home can sometimes be hard and this is a way to feel closer to home,”Fuentes said.“We enjoy practicing our traditions like cooking meals from our different countries and traditional dances, while proudly representing where we come from.” According to junior Dorothee Garcia, there has not been a big scale event that celebrates the diversity of all cultures represented on campus. “I think the Culture Fest is a great way for students and members of Harding’s community to learn so much about other cultures in a fun environment, where they not only learn, but experience everything,” Garcia said. “As an international student, I love running into other foreign students and learning about their culture, and I’m sure other students do too.” For Garcia, she said having the chance to showcase a number of countries and cultures in one location gives her the chance to share her passion for culture and her story as an international student. Garcia serves as the PR manager for MSAC and said this event will take all the groups of people that are involved with other events such as the Latin Fest, A Night in Africa and the Chinese Moon Festival and place them all into a larger scale event. Admission is $5 before the event and $7 the day of the event. A portion of the funds will go to Lighthouse Children’s Home, a non-profit organization that provides shelter for abandoned orphans in Rwanda.
Branding Show, page 2A
By Phoebe Cunningham Editorial Asst.
Students, administrators and campus officials discussed various topics such as sexual assault, alcohol policies, parking and dress code at a town hall meeting in Cone Chapel. The Student Association held the meeting on Tuesday to spark conversation between students and campus leadership. “The purpose of the town hall meeting was to create an opportunity for students to talk to administrators about issues from different parts of campus, and allow the administrators to hear about those issues that they might not have heard before or to explain why certain rules are in place,”
sophomore SA representative Cody Stubblefield said. Stubblefield represented Aramark on the panel due to his experience working with the SA dining services committee. Other panel members included director of public safety Craig Russell, deputy director of parking and transportation Wayne Westerholm, President Dr. Bruce McLarty, executive vice president David Collins, director of academic advising Jake Brownfield, director of residence life Kathy Allen, SA president senior Philip Habegger, dean of student life Zach Neal and director of campus life Logan Light. Common concerns expressed during the meeting included
the alcohol policy, open dorm opportunities, dining plan options and chapel. Junior Zach Abney expressed his concern about the reduction of parking due to upcoming campus renovations. Russell said there is adequate parking to answer for the parking spots being reduced,even though they are not as close to the central buildings as students would like. In regards to adding more parking in closer proximity to buildings, McLarty said there was a decision to keep the center of campus for pedestrians and make the outside of campus for parking. Junior Dawson Yates used the forum as an opportunity to thank the administration for
LINDA FERELLE | The Bison
Students, staff and faculty participate in an open forum Town Hall meeting put on by the Student Association on Tuesday, March 31.
First politician announces 2016 presidential candidacy By Jordan Doyle Student Writer
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz was the first politician to formally declare his candidacy for the 2016 presidential nomination on March 22.
Some people have said this is too early for anyone to announce anything officially. Others, like associate professor of political science Dr. Steven Breezeel, said there are positives to announcing at a time like this.
New Basketball Coach, page 1B
World Race, page 3B
Lady Bisons basketball is losing assistant coach David Walker but gaining former player Weston Jameson.
Two students will go on mission trips around the world for nearly a year starting in the fall.
their hard work and existing policies. As a transfer student, he praised the administration for being one of the best in the country and said Harding has the best parking of any university in the state. Yates said he hopes the morale of students will change after the meeting. Yates said as students “we all signed up for this” and students should be understanding in regards to tough decisions administrators face each day. Stubblefield said he was pleased with the discussion and that the attendance of about 75 students exceeded his expectations. He said the questions asked were great and that the responses gave students an opportunity to further the discussion. “I think this has opened the eyes and ears of the administration to kind of see different problems that maybe they haven’t even thought about,” Stubblefield said. “I think a big change that I hope to see come is communication between students and administration.” John Stone, assistant professor of business, attended the meeting to show his support for student concerns. “I think students just need to know that no matter who it is that is working for the university that the staff and faculty are on their side,” Stone said.
“I think Cruz is trying to capture attention,” Breezeel said. “By being the first one to announce, you capture a news cycle. You get some publicity and get a chance to maybe move up in those trial polls they keep running. But I don’t know how far it’s going to take him. It’s pretty early.” SEE PRESIDENCY, PAGE 2A
Mi Ranchito Express, page 4B