CYAN
MAGENTA
YELLOW BLACK
2A
NEWS
August 31, 2012 Vol. 88 No. 1
In Sports: Football season is fast approaching. The team prepares with new turf and hard work. SEE Page 1b
“For Bison readers who are new to the area, let me explain why locals now take off their hats and weep ” uncontrollably whenever the phrase “One Stop” comes up in conversation.”
OPINIONS
3&4A
SPORTS
1&2B
FEATURES
3B
ENTERTAINMENT
4B
In Campus Life: The comprehensive and indispensable guide to freshman year. SEE Page 4b
Claxton celebrates Georgetown’s former hidden gem. SEE Page 4a
Omega Phi
Uplifted during Impact
New men’s social club makes campus debut by KASEY COBLE asst. copy editor
photo by ASHEL PARSONS | Student Publications Sophomore Harrison Waldron helps guide sophomore Morgan Smith through the air for the crowd’s entertainment during Student Impact’s ‘90s theme dinner. Theatron members, such as Smith, helped out by serving as the “Fun Police.”
Board of Trustees, Burks anticipate new president by LYNDSEY RUBLE editor-in-chief
The start of a new school year brings yet another camaraderie speech by President David B. Burks. This year was the last chance for students to correctly spell the word meaning “good-fellowship” or “brotherhood.” Burks will retire at the end of the 2012-13 school year, and the finality of it all is beginning to sink in for both Burks and the committee looking to replace him. “My role is to answer questions and give advice, when asked, but otherwise I am not keeping up with the process,” Burks said. “The decision is entirely that of the Board of Trustees and not one that I will make. That’s the way it should be.” According to Chair man of the Process Committee, Dr. John Simmons, applicants are currently responding to a series of questions on a number of issues regarding the presidential position. After that, the applicants will take a variety
of different psychological tests to further discern their personality traits and tendencies, values and leadership aptitude. They will then be interviewed individually before more elimination, culminating in the final questions and interviews that will decide who Harding’s next president will be. “Our belief is that God had prepared a person for this position, and our prayer is that He will lead us to that person and open our eyes to see that preparation,” Simmons said. Both Simmons and Burks expressed the need for prayer from the entire Harding community during this process. Burks said his main objective throughout this process is to ensure a smooth transition for the new president and prepare the university community for new leadership. To assist with the changes coming, Burks appointed a transition committee as well as a prayer committee. The transition committee will focus on communication as well as helping to plan events to
celebrate the past and future of the university, Burks said. Burks called the prayer committee “prayer warriors,” who are scattered across campus and praying for all aspects of the presidential process. Both committees consist of faculty, staff and students. Though Burks is not involved in the selection process, Simmons said Burks has been helpful in answering questions the Board has had without trying to promote any particular individual over another. Burks is also willing to advise whoever will be chosen for the job. “The most important advice is to just realize that God is faithful and that God has blessed this university in an enormous way over its 80-year history,” Burks said. “I am confident that God will continue to bless this university and, by relying on God, wonderful things will happen.” This year is Burks’ 26th year as president of the university. His successor will be named in January or February of 2013.
As we are getting back into the swing of things, social clubs are finalizing preparations to begin seeking out new members to join their clubs. For Omega Phi, the new men’s club on campus, it will be their first ever set of new members. The new club began forming in the spring, led by seniors Stephen Albers and Carter Wright and sophomore Austin Collum. The three men wanted to help accommodate the increasing number of freshman coming in each year. “We wanted to create a place where guys could come and be encouraged and grow and show that encouragement to others,” Albers said. “We also saw a need for more clubs on campus.” Albers and 30 other men brought their idea to Assistant Dean of Students Kara Abston after meeting the qualifications to begin a new club, which include having a core group of at least 10 upperclassmen who were formerly in social clubs, completing a constitution to be submitted to the Office of Student Life and using a name that is not affiliated with any national Greek letters. “I was approached by a group of men both in clubs and not in clubs that wanted to begin a new one,” Abston said. “If 25 plus people come to me to form a club, we are going to help them.” After choosing the name Omega Phi, which had been a club at Harding before but had dissolved, the men established their colors as gold and maroon and chose Proverbs 27:17 as their club verse, which states, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” As it shows through the club verse, Albers said that the goal of the club is to be Christ-focused. “We want to focus on Christ first and our brother-
hood second,” Albers said. “We want this to be a place where your faith can grow.” The club hopes to grow in size this year as well. With new member activities approaching quickly, the club could potentially double in size depending on student interest. Omega Phi is allowed to absorb as many members as they have, leaving them with the possibility to have close to 60 members by the time Club Week is finished.
We want to focus on Christ first and our brotherhood second. We want this to be a place where your faith can grow. -Stephen Albers, senior Like any other social club on campus, Omega Phi plans to have two service projects, a retreat and two functions every semester. They already have two faculty sponsors on campus as well: Jake Brownfield, director of academic advising, and Ken Bissell, a regional director of advancement. The members of Omega Phi are looking forward to forming relationships with other clubs as much as possible. “We hope to reach out and get involved with as many clubs as we can,” Albers said. “We want to create a community with all clubs.” Dean Abston is also looking forward to seeing what Omega Phi will do in the future. “I’m very excited about a new men’s club,” Abston said. “This is a group of outstanding young men coming together to form this. Our office supports them.” Omega Phi will begin recruitment with the other social clubs at the Officer Open House on Sept. 1 at 1 p.m. in the GAC.
CAB announces “Passports,” bands for fall concerts by HOLLY BOHNETT co-director of CAB class writer
While hundreds of students get their passports stamped as they travel overseas this fall, thousands of students are left behind in Searcy. Fortunately, the Campus Activities Board released a new version of the PASS, called “Passport,” as well as announcing the bands that will perform on campus this fall. The Campus Passport, a new version of the PASS, allows access to all events on campus as well as discounts and benefits at local businesses. Among the many concerts students can attend with the Campus.Passport, Pentatonix is expected to draw the largest crowd. Pentatonix, an a capella
group that won last year’s third and final season of The SingOff, will visit Harding’s campus on Oct. 23. “Students have been really excited about it to the point where I’m considering changing venues because we have so many people that want to go,” said Logan Light, director of the Campus Activities Board. The show was originally scheduled to take place in the Administration Auditorium, but may be changed to the Benson as a result of excessive interest. “I’m looking forward to Pentatonix, not just because of their sound, but to see how Harding reacts,” said junior Reid Belew, a public relations assistant for CAB. “A lot of students here grew up on acapella music, and this is an incredible new approach
to the genre.” In addition to Pentatonix, Ben Rector will return to campus on Oct. 11, and Eric Hutchinson on Nov. 30. This semester, CAB has intentionally booked several shows that will fit into a smaller venue rather than packing the Benson with a well-known name that might attract a larger yet more specific demographic. “We have so many different types of people here at Harding,” Light said. “I want to make sure every one of them feels like they have an option to be entertained and it’s harder to please more people with one big show than it is with several smaller shows.” While a large concert may attract a greater number of people, several smaller shows engage students consistently throughout the year and appeal to people with wide
varieties of personalities and interests. “Some of my favorite CAB concerts were ones I never expected to enjoy, like The Belle Brigade last fall,” junior Breana Josephson said. “So I’m looking forward to hearing some new music and attending more concerts throughout the semester instead of one big concert.” The Campus Passport will also reward students for attending events such as movies, plays, musicals, Spring Sing and more. Students who purchase the Passport will receive a stamp at each event they attend, with the ultimate goal of reaching the third of three tiers. Once you get 30, 60 and 100 stamps, you reach the first, second and third tiers, respectively. A Campus Passport holder
will always receive benefits no matter what level they have reached, Light said. By reaching the first tier, students can earn discounts at several local businesses. “The Campus Passport is an incentive-based program that hopefully is encouraging students to attend events ... by giving them the opportunity to earn discounts at local businesses,” Light said. In addition, once students reach the last tier, they are entered in a drawing to receive entry into a free international program. “The prize is priceless,” Belew said. “The prize for the winner of the drawing gets a life-altering three months, and all you have to do is walk a few hundred feet out of your dorm.”