Issuu

CYAN

MAGENTA

YELLOW BLACK

Dr. Mark Elrod gets the chance to see his old friend, the P-3C Orion. SEE PG. 2A

News

Opinions

Sports

Features

Variety Page

| Vol. 86 No. 13 | March 4, 2011 | thelink.harding.edu |

HIZ still in hearts of former students by J.M. ADKISON sports editor Every fall semester, a group of Harding students travels to the distant country of Zambia not simply to expand its horizons or learn about a different culture, but to forge relationships with the Zambian people and help those in need. And just because these students are back on Harding’s campus does not mean they have quit helping their faraway friends. On Saturday, March 25, the Harding in Zambia (HIZ) students from fall 2010 will be hosting a concert at the Underground coffeehouse to benefit their friends in Zambia. It has now become tradition for the returning HIZ students to host an event in the spring to raise money and awareness for the numerous outreach programs the students work with while overseas. These students who return from Zambia with a passion to still help those in need in Zambia join the organization of past HIZ students known as Hearts After HIZ. “Every spring the old [HIZ] group passes on [the responsibility to create an event] to

We want to show others how experiencing a different culture will change your life. -Zachary Daggett former HIZ student the returning group,” junior Sammi Clem said.Clem went to Zambia in the fall of 2009 and organized a photography gala last spring in the Administration building with the help of her fellow HIZ 2009 students. But now it is the HIZ 2010 students’ job to take the reins of Hearts After HIZ and help their Zambian friends in their own way. “The purpose of this concert is to raise awareness for the need in Zambia and show Zambia through the way we saw it,” junior Zachary Daggett said. Daggett said he and other HIZ 2010 students began preparing for the concert at the end

4.7 magnitude quake rocks Arkansas Annual disaster drill to focus on earthquake awareness, safety by SARAH KYLE editor in chief On Sunday, Feb. 27, a 4.7 magnitude earthquake originating from Greenbrier, Ark., became the largest to hit Arkansas in 35 years. The quake was one of more than 800 quakes originating from the Guy-Greenbrier area (approximately 40 miles north of Little Rock) since September. Senior Blake Riggle said he was at a friend’s house in Conway watching the Oscars when the earthquake hit, shaking the building for about three seconds. “Nothing fell off of the walls, but since it was my first time in an earthquake, I was pretty freaked out,” Riggle said. “After the quake was over it felt like the apartment was swaying. It was easily

one of the more interesting natural happenings I have ever been in.” Harding science professor David Cole said that while some have pointed to the area’s frequent oil drilling as a cause, direct causation is impossible to prove. “There are a lot of faults in this area; most are not very large and are buried beneath the surface,” Cole said. “Some think that deep well injection of waste may be lubricating the faults and allowing them to slip more readily. I believe there is an on-going project examining that possibility, but the results are not ready yet.” Cole said a similar earthquake “swarm” has hit Enola, Ark., since early 1982. “As with the current swarm in the Guy area, most were small earthquakes,” Cole said. “To my knowledge, no cor-

photo by KYLIE AKINS | The Bison Sophomore Kristin Hall and junior Katie Fouch sew crafts for the HIZ benefit concert on March 26. last fall, said the group will also be selling handbags, wallets, headbands and friendship bracelets for the Haven babies. “Everything is going to be made by hand,” Gomez said. Daggett said the money made by sales and donations will be donated to the Havens, a home for infants in need of care their families cannot give, and for Eric’s House, which is an outreach program for homeless boys.

of January and are hoping to draw in a big crowd. “The concert will consist of performers from Harding to draw students in, such as Some Different Animals, Christian Yoder, Amber Roe, The Jonesboro Boys and Josh and Caesar,” Daggett said. “We will also be selling V-neck T-shirts, artwork and photographs we took while in Zambia.” Junior Rose Gomez, who went to Zambia with Daggett

Harrison

(4.7magnitude) Greenbrier

Jonesboro

(0.7-1.4 magnitude)

Russellville

Searcy

Conway

Jacksonville

Little Rock

Hot Springs

Pine Bluff

Arkadelphia

Information gathered from the U.S. Geological Survey: www.usgs.gov relation has been established with the Enola swarm and any human activity.” In an earthquake, seismic waves or vibrations are sent from the origin, or epicenter, of the quake. “When the wave passes through the ground beneath us, that is what we feel and interpret as coming from an earthquake,” Cole said. “It is analogous to, but not exactly like, being in a boat when a wave in the water passes under the boat.” In light of recent seismic activity surrounding the New Madrid Fault, which runs through portions of

Missouri, Tennessee and Arkansas, Director of Public Safety Craig Russell said that the University Emergency Management Committee had decided before Sunday’s quake to give the university’s annual disaster drill an earthquake scenario. While most experts do not believe the fault will generate a dangerous quake after the recent tremors, Russell said the disaster drill will be an important facet of familiarizing students with earthquake safety procedures in future seismic activity. -SEE QUAKES PG. 2A

HU defends choice to block website by SARAH KYLE editor in chief In chapel Thursday morning, President David B. Burks defended Harding University’s decision to censor an underground student website, citing his personal feelings and a formal statement by the university. Harding came under scrutiny by several blogs and social media sites Wednesday afternoon after deciding to block the website, HUQueerPress.com. The e-zine, which was also distributed to several students in the dormitories in the form of a pamphlet, detailed the anonymous experiences of gay and lesbian students at Harding. HUQueerPress.com was blocked at about 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. The

Sexual immorality in any form will result in suspension from the university. -Harding University Student Handbook, pg. 11 site included testimonials from current and former students, some of which included explicit sexual detail and offensive language. In his speech Thursday morning, Burks reminded students that sexual immorality of any kind, whether heterosexual or homosexual, was prohibited at Harding, citing pg. 11 of the Harding University Student Handbook. “Harding University holds to the biblical principle that sexual relationships are unacceptable to God outside the context of marriage,” Burks quoted. “Sexual immorality in any form will

result in suspension from the university.” In spite of the university’s regulations, several students, former students and the national LGBT community have protested the actions, declaring them unconstitutional. On Wednesday afternoon, shortly after Harding blocked the site due to “objectionable material,” a petition was posted on Change.org to “Tell Harding University: Don’t Silence LGBT Students.” By Thursday morning, the site had more than 200 signatures from Harding students and LGBT advocates. -SEE WEBSITE PG. 2A

But the event is about much more than money. “We want to show others how experiencing a different culture will change your life, especially one more impoverished than your own,” Daggett said. “This is very important to us,” Gomez said. “This helps us cope with the transition between here and there, and honestly, we did a lot of work over there, hanging out with students, going to the clinic,

and church outreaches every weekend or go visit the hospital every Tuesday or Thursday. … And when we get back here it is hard to get back into being an American where you are busy all the time. This is from us who have been there and just got back. We want to still help them.” Students will be able start buying items at 6 p.m. and the concerts will begin later in the evening, ending at 10 p.m.

HU to host music festival for Heifer by SARAH KYLE editor in chief by STACY HALL student writer Harding University will host the inaugural First Thaw Music Festival April 1 and 2, combining music, art and a whole lot of animals to make what planners are calling the “Lollapalooza of Harding.” The event will benefit Heifer International, a nonprofit based out of Little Rock that works with international communities to end hunger by donating livestock to families in need. Corey McEntyre, director of Campus Life, said he has admired Heifer’s commitment to sustaining agricultural growth in communities. When looking for a cause First Thaw could benefit, McEntyre said Heifer was first on the list. “I want to put our name behind organizations that are doing good,” McEntyre said. “Places that are actually serving needs.” Festival coordinator senior Alan Elrod said First Thaw is meant to embody the “reciprocal nature of musical experience.” “We want something that works as an exchange — of ideas, of gifts, of goods,” Elrod said. “We want to share what Heifer is doing with people. We want people to contribute time and resources to such a worthy cause. We want artists to leave aspiring students inspired and to be inspired by the zeal and goodwill they encounter.” Headlining the festival is The Avett Brothers, a North Carolina-based band that appeared on this year’s Grammy’s with Bob Dylan and Mumford and Sons. McEntyre said the event is one-of-a-kind, as the band no longer performs on college campuses due to increasing popularity. Other bands inc lude Langhorne Slim, Green River

I feel as though Harding wants something epic. -Corey McEntyre director of campus life Ordinance, Andy Davis, The Non-Commissioned Officers, The Sherrifs of Nottingham, The Kernal, Cheyenne and Priscilla Medders, and Some Different Animals. “Some of the bands complement each other, some don’t,” McEntyre said. “We want to hit a wide variety of musical styles while bringing artists that support our cause.” With the bands showcased in the Rhodes Field House, art, food, games and a Heifer village will overtake “Vendor City,”also known as the Benson parking lot, McEntyre said. “Be ready to hurl pies at your professors or dunk them into a huge tank,” McEntyre said. “Also for$2 each, we will have a Harding appropriate kissing booth.” McEntyre said the event has been advertised to campuses all over Arkansas, including University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix University, Arkansas State University and Arkansas Tech University. All things considered, McEntyre said he feels First Thaw will encompass the ultimate Harding experience. “I feel as though Harding wants something epic,” McEntyre said. “Well, here it is, put together right here on campus. This is the weekend event you’ve waited for during your whole Harding experience.” Tickets went on sale Monday, Feb. 21, with more than 700 sold in the first hour. Student weekend passes are $35 or $10 with the Pass; public weekend passes are $50 and can be purchased at www.hardingcabtickets.com.