he Forum is the official student newspaper at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The Forum is funded in part by the student activity fee; members of the UALR community are allowed one copy per edition. The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the staff and contributing writers and do not represent the official views of UALR. Advertising inquiries should be referred to The Forum’s advertising office and can be reached by calling 501-569-3319. The Forum is published 7 times in each of the fall and spring semesters. The Forum editor can be reached at 501-569-3265. All material published in this newspaper is copyrighted.
TORI TALKS
‘The final countdown’
By Victoria Hickey Executive Editor editor@ualr.edu
Happy Spring!
If you’re like me you’ve been counting down the days until summer since the first day of classes back in January. Although I’m getting more and more excited as the number of days continues to decrease, I know that the last month of the semester is not going to be easy.
I have a love/hate relationship with the last part of each semester. On one hand, it’s almost over and I’m ready for a breather. But on the other hand, I know this final month is going to be one of the craziest yet.
On top of final projects and tests for
CORRECTION
all my classes, there are also various events that will be going on in these last several weeks that will cause everyone to be wishing for more hours in the day.
Just remember, even though you may have a to-do list that never ends and things may seem like they are spiraling out of control, don’t give up! You’ve made it this far, you can make it to the end!
Here, based on my own experience, are a few suggestions to help you get through:
Take a walk! This is one thing that always relieves my stress. When the weather is good, I typically walk along Coleman Creek, often stopping on one of
the bridges to watch the fish swim in the water below. If it’s cold or rainy, walking through the DSC can also be a nice way to take a break.
Find a quiet spot to study or just to relax. I typically choose my office as I don’t have to worry about disturbing others with my music or pacing when I get frustrated. There are various spots on campus, from your dorm room to the library, that offer room for relaxation. Whatever your choice, it’s important to find a place where you can concentrate on your studies.
Good luck to everyone as we complete the final weeks of the semester!
An article was previously run with this title, and the subsequent correction in the following edition. Active Shooter preparedness is such an important topic to the University Police Department that The Forum has graciously extended me the opportunity to get the important information out to you—the students, faculty and staff.
The University Police Department partners with the Student Affairs Office during School Safety Week to present Active Shooter Preparedness. There is a training video to watch, which basically highlights the principles of “Run, Hide, Fight”; if you can get out, run; if you can’t get out, barricade yourself in your room and hide; if the shooter is coming in, fight with whatever you’ve got. After the video, we have breakout sessions and practice these scenarios. It gives some basic familiarity so that if it should ever happen, the students have something
they can fall back on after the initial “Oh crap!” moment. Because we are all going to have that moment, no matter how fleeting it may be.
Mental preparation is key, whether you’ve had the training or not. When police officers get dispatched to a call, we run mental scenarios on our way there. “If this happens, I’ll do that.” We can’t be prepared for every possibility, but having some possibilities worked out reduces hesitation. In your mind you’re saying: “OK, I prepared for this, I know what to do.” instead of, “Oh crap, what now?”
If you find yourself in an active shooter situation, get out of the area if you can safely do so. Keep in mind that Law Enforcement is converging to deal with the threat. The Police Department has officers in cars, on bikes, on Segways, and on foot. We can be anywhere on campus in one to two minutes. In the event of an active shooter, you can count on us getting there even quicker. If you encounter an officer, keep your hands raised. If an officer tells you to get on the ground, don’t argue with them. You may know you’re not the shooter, but we don’t. Arguing makes a tense situation worse, and delays us getting to the real bad guys. We’ll get it all worked out. Don’t worry.
Another resource UALR offers, is the RAVE Guardian app for iPhone and Android. You can set up people you want to designate as “guardians.” If you go out and expect to be back by a certain time, you can set a timer in the app. If you don’t disable the timer, the app will automatically call your designated guardians, and/or the police. The Police Department has a dedicated terminal in our Dispatch that will alert us to your alarm. In this event, we will try to contact you, and can even ping your phone. In the event of an emergency, there are panic buttons that will call University Police and 911. There is even a feature to send anonymous text messages and photos to the terminal if you want to make us aware of something but don’t want to get involved. So if a shooter enters the building, you can have a direct line to the Police Department, and if you happen to get a picture, you can send it to us so we know who to look for.
Departments and professors on campus have contacted our Department and Student Affairs to set up training sessions. If your group is interested, please don’t hesitate to contact Sgt. Jennifer Lusk at 569-3400, or Student Affairs at 569-3328.
THE UALR FORUM ON ISIS two sides, one issue
ISIS is not a normal enemy
Brian Gregory Sports Editor bjgregory@ualr.edu
Iam going to be honest, this is a very hard topic for me. On one hand, this group called ISIS is killing Christians, Yazidis and other ethnic groups. They are killing people by the thousands.
On the other hand, there are so many people that I know, whether they are friends or people in general, that do not represent anything that ISIS represents.
This notion that we can just kill all the terrorists and everything will as good as new is a stupid and idiotic idea.
Let’s get a couple of things
straight first. Number one is that ISIS is in the minority of Muslims.
While terrorism is a big threat, I am certainly not one to say that it is overblown, but many politicians and people in general act like every single Muslim on the planet is a terrorist.
This, again, is not true. ISIS is a group that thrives on hate, misinterpretation and fear. Republicans and Democrats feed into that fear, saying that we will kill every single terrorist.
This is not the way to go about trying to defeat an enemy. You cannot defeat terrorists by killing every single one of them. The only thing you will breed are more terrorists, and these terrorists will be more dangerous than ISIS, just like ISIS is more dangerous than Al-Qaeda. Violence only begets more vio-
lence.
I am not saying we take a completely peaceful approach either; there will have to be some type of military action involved.
I honestly don’t what that would be. It could be drone strikes, bombing campaigns, but it can’t be boots on the ground. Even then, that could be detrimental to peace in the Middle East.
What we need to do is provide these countries with the tools they need. Allow the countries to be deterministic, to forge their own destinies.
They are people just like we are and if we, as Americans, stop espousing hatred and hypocrisy maybe we could see a change in the Middle East. They are our fellow human beings and should be treated as such.
Military intervention against ISIS is working
Scott Foster Staff Writer snfoster1@ualr.edu
Aspecial debate in the field of U.S. foreign policy has been raging for many years through several presidential administrations: under what circumstances should our country use military intervention to further its security aims? In today’s environment where many different types of “terrorist” organizations exist, what criteria should be used in determining our policies? The answer to these questions largely determine the stance I decided to take on what should be done about the particular organization in question for this discussion: ISIS, or, the Islamic State.
The reason I favor military action against ISIS is because the organization’s deeds and beliefs meet the two criteria I see as crucial in determining whether we as a society decide to resort to violence. The first criterion involves whether or not the opposing country or terrorist organization can be classified as a “proven threat” to the safety and security of the United States, our allies, or their citizens abroad. By “proven threat” I mean that the country or organization has published a clear intent to initiate acts of violence or has already demonstrated their willingness to engage in them. It would seem reasonably safe to say that both of these are true in the case of ISIS, for their horrific exploits and threats have made worldwide news for many months.
The second test I apply has to do with the balance between the potential gains and losses to the country both during and after the proposed military action. In the case of Iraq, for example, our country spent much needed resources (in addition to the price paid in damaged bodies and psyches) for a very small return on that invest-
ment. Even if Sadaam Hussein had developed WMDs (the main reason we supposedly invaded), this technology was, at best, a relatively crude and unsophisticated type of weapon system that had never been used against an allied country and posed almost no threat to the United States. The price of the invasion and occupation of Iraq, however, were staggering to say the least. The Iraq war cost the U.S. between 1.7 and 2 trillion dollars in immediate costs, and much more importantly, lead to almost 4,500 casualties. This is a premier example of what happens when a cost analysis of any proposed military intervention is not thoroughly prepared and rigorously analyzed. The way we have dealt with ISIS, however, has been reasonably successful so far. The United States responded to a clear and present threat to the safety of American citizens and those of our allies around the world. The response has also been a measured one…we have not committed large amounts of ground troops yet, but we have succeeded in significantly weakening ISIS. This month, a study was published authored by expert defense analysts at IHS Janes looking at the progress of the Islamic State. The study found that ISIS had lost nearly a quarter of its territory in the last fifteen months, that the direct attacks on the oil production of ISIS was choking off its funding, and that the perception of its leadership may be eroding. Yet, the United States has not borne an enormous cost in treasure or blood to get these results, and has had what costs there are involved with the attacks lessened by the cooperation of allies like Great Britain. Military intervention works if it is used only against a clear threat, when our military has a clear mission, and when the correct amount of force is utilized to accomplish the mission…one that has been thoroughly analyzed and found to be absolutely necessary and cost efficient in dollars and blood.
Illustration by Byron Buslig
Trump and Clinton need not fear the ‘Ides of March’
Scott Foster Staff Writer snfoster1@ualr.edu
Shakespeare warned Julius Caesar to “beware the Ides of March”, but it didn’t apply to this election cycle’s Republican Caesar, Donald Trump. The New York businessman and television personality soundly defeated his opposition on “Super Tuesday 3” to take a commanding lead in the delegate count and knock the premier establishment candidate out of the race, Senator Marco
Rubio of Florida. According to the New York Times, Trump trounced Rubio in his home state (where he has served as both Speaker of the Florida House and as a federal Senator) by 19 points, 46% to 27% of the ballots cast. He then moved on to win Illinois, North Carolina, and probably Missouri, defeating Senator Ted Cruz of Texas by single digits in each of those three states.
Trump’s only defeat of the night came at the hands of Governor John Kasich of Ohio, besting Trump’s vote total in his home state by 11 points, 47% to 36%. The Republican election results have left the Party establishment and
Keep me "ghosted"
Alexandra Vandiver Staff Writer aevandiver@ualr.edu
So here is the thing, in this day and age if you don’t know what ghosting is, then you are probably fooling yourself or you just live under a rock. Ghosting is just the modern definition for ‘hey I don’t really want to date you but am too scared to actually let you know’. Honestly, I hate this, because as a modern generation we are way better than this.
But the problem I have more than the act itself, is how much we let it get to us emotionally. When someone we were absolutely crazy about just vanishes, it messes with our head and confidence. In a time where apps like OK Cupid and Tinder make relationships disposable, we have to break the cycle.
That guy or gal you spent all that time on, dates, late night conversations, yeah remember them? They couldn’t even bother to send you a text, call you, Facebook you or heck even send a carrier pigeon your way. So do you actually really want to date somebody like this? Relationships are about communication and whoever you date should have the integrity and compassion to have the hard talks with you.
So when somebody “ghosts” you they just proved that they definitely can’t communicate with you or take on adult responsibility. No matter how well things were going, something clicked with them and they vanished. From firsthand experience of being one of the ghosted, you will literally question everything you ever did around them. Don’t beat yourself up about everything but do gain some selfawareness. Because what significant other is worth being around if they destroy your confidence and make you question yourself constantly?
People that do this aren’t in a good place, and if you are somebody that does this, shame on you. You don’t just drop off the face of the earth. Just say you aren’t interested politely. The adult dating world is full of confrontation and if you can’t handle it you are just making our generation look bad. With the growth of online dating, empathy has declined. In this day and age nobody likes to talk and it’s becoming a major problem.
So the next time you get ghosted, it’s okay to be upset. You were interested in somebody and they let you down. But they proved that they weren’t ready for a relationship. Just remember that you, don’t let it get to you. Move on and find somebody who is really worth your time.
elites in a very awkward position. Now that Rubio has suspended his campaign, the only candidate left in the race acceptable to the establishment is Kasich, but with a total delegate count of 143, there is no realistic path for him to win the nomination. This leaves the elites with a choice between supporting Trump or Cruz, both staunch antiestablishment candidates, who have together garnered the clear majority of the popular vote and the delegates. Although the Cruz campaign is publicly denouncing the possibility of a brokered Republican National Convention (where no one candidate has more
than 50% of the delegates), privately, according to CNN, the campaign is beginning to formulate strategies for that contingency.
On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton also delivered a dominating performance, defeating Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont by double digits in Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio and winning narrow victories in Illinois and Missouri. As a result, her lead in the nomination contest has increased to over 300 pledged delegates, which combined with her overwhelming lead in “super delegates” (party elites with automatic
votes at the Democratic National Convention) all but assures her the Party’s nomination. This is primarily due to Democratic Party rules requiring states to award delegates in approximate proportion to the votes they received, which effectively eliminates the possibility of using “winner-take-all” states as a means of mounting a comeback.
As the plot thickens in this unusual election year, keep asking questions and gathering information about the issues and candidates. The general election day is sure to provide voters with some pretty clear choices…and it will arrive sooner than you think.
Illustration by Byron Buslig
Persuading or understanding: choices in political discourse with friends
April Chatham-Carpenter Guest Writer axchathamca@ualr.edu
emotions than reason? The stakes are very high, both for our country and for our relationships.
tain our relationships in the midst of these types of discussions. We have choices such as the following.
With the presidential election rhetoric in full swing, and with Super Tuesday and the primaries in Arkansas behind us, we have an opportunity to practice difficult dialogues with people who disagree with us. But how do you do that when there is name calling, refusal to consider another person's point of view, and a tendency to be moved more by
What would it mean to listen, really listen, to what another person is saying, without trying to come up with arguments in your own mind about your candidate of choice? But what happens when you hear another person use arguments that you think are morally or ethically wrong? Do you have the obligation to correct them when they think your ideas are just as wrong?
These are all questions we have to confront if we want to main-
1. Avoid discussing the topics on which you disagree, and agree instead to disagree.
2. Try to persuade the other person to your side, with emotions perhaps getting hotter as persuasion attempts continue.
3. Listen to the other person, with a desire to learn where they are coming from.
A few days before the presidential primary in Arkansas, I found myself being unwilling to listen to people who disagreed with me. It
was very easy to do one of the first two strategies. But as we have moved on from the primaries here, I am realizing now that it would be good for me to take the time to sit across from friends and family members who disagree with me individually, looking them in the eye, with the only goal of understanding where they are coming from and hearing what they are saying. What result would that have? Would it be more likely for them to also listen to me and to my opinion, without either one of us automatically saying “you are wrong” or “I can’t believe you
would believe that.” Perhaps we would realize that we have more in common than our surface opinions originally indicated, and we could work together to help others who are polarized like we were to come to some common understandings.
It’s worth the try, I think, to create understanding rather than polarization between us. What do you think?
Dr. April Chatham-Carpenter is professor and department chair, Department of Speech Communication.
Police Beat
Sydney Bradshaw Staff Writer slbradshaw@ualr.edu
Theft at Law Library
On March 2, an officer was contacted about a person who had his phone stolen. The officer arrived at the Bowen Law School library and talked with the victim. The victim said that he was making a delivery for Jimmy John’s when a man approached him and asked if he could use his phone. The victim lent him his phone, and the suspect immediately began running towards MacArthur Park. The victim followed him, but eventually stopped. He also had his wallet stolen, which he believed happened while he was chasing the suspect. It was later confirmed that the wallet had not been dropped while the victim was running.
Smoking in University Village
On March 5, two officers arrived at University Village in response to a call about smoking. They met with the Village Housing Director, who told them that two RAs were having trouble with a group of four individuals that were smoking on the balcony. The RAs told the officers that, when they asked the individuals to put out their cigarettes, they were rude to the RAs. The officers informed the individuals that smoking on campus is against UALR policy and is a crime in the State of Arkansas. Three of the four individuals were not UALR students and were told to leave for the night and not return. If they did return that night, they would have been charged with Criminal Trespassing.
Visitors on Stabler Hall roof
On March 7, two officers were checking the roof of Stabler Hall when they heard talking and laughing. Upon inspection, they saw two people; one of which was trying to climb over a chain link fence on the roof. The officers informed the two suspects that they were not allowed to be in Stabler Hall after-hours or on top of the roof. Another officer arrived and warned them about the dangers of being on top of the roof. If they had fallen from the roof, it would have been a 90-foot drop with almost certain death. They were told that if they returned after hours they would be charged with criminal trespassing. Only one of the two suspects was a UALR student and issued a citation to appear before the dean of students.
This summer, the UALR department of Mathematics and Statistics is implementing an improved program for math remediation. They have completely redesigned the approach to developmental math, so that students can finish remediation quicker and have a better chance of passing their core math course.
Students that score too low in the math section of the ACT, SAT or COMPASS are placed in remediation before enrolling in either Quantitative Reasoning or College Algebra.
Currently in remediation, students are aided by tutors as they work in a self-paced software program called ALEKS.
Depending on their major, students can choose to enroll in Quantitative Reasoning after completing eight modules or College Algebra after ten modules.
If they do not complete their
required modules in one semester, they must continue each semester until they do. This model can have students in math remediation for up to four semesters.
In other words, that would be two years of college spent in a class that does not contribute to a degree plan or GPA.
With around 500 students enrolled in math remediation courses each semester, the program is a critical component of many UALR students’ educations. A core math course is required to graduate, but many are incapable of taking this course due to their performance in remediation.
In fact, only about 11 percent of students who started the current program in fall 2012 were eligible to continue on to College Algebra. This indicates a need for drastic modification.
The new model offers tracks for Quantitative Reasoning and College Algebra that not only reduces time spent in remediation, but also cuts costs for both the student and the University.
There will be new classes that are linked to a core math course
and provide an extra hour of remediation lab. These classes will be lecture based and offer more time for review.
Depending on their ACT scores, students could either be placed directly into the linked course or required to complete one semester of remediation first. Upon completion of the linked course, students earn their necessary math credit.
Assistant professor and PreCore Mathematics Coordinator, Ann Burns Childers initiated these new changes and has high hopes for the program.
“The statistics have shown that this new model works. This is really the direction that developmental math programs need to go. We took this into our hands and upgraded what we’re bringing to UALR for our new remediation,” she said. These linked courses have been shown to result in about five times the success rate of traditional remediation. UALR hopes to share the same success as this new practice is developed.
For more information, contact Ann Burns Childers at abchilders@ ualr.edu.
Illustration by Byron Buslig
McClellan serves as new Vice Chancellor of Finance
SZoë Harris Staff Writer zcharris@ualr.edu
teve McClellan is the new Vice Chancellor of Finance at UALR. He moved to the Natural State after spending the first 25 years of his degree in Cleveland Mississippi.
McClellan is an alumnus from Delta State University, where he has earned his Master’s MBA.
Before becoming Vice Chancellor, McClellan served as the Associate Vice Chancellor at UALR. He then moved back to his home state to take care of his parents, hoping to be able to come back as Vice Chancellor.
McClellan recently moved back to UALR after finishing up business back home, and got the job position that he hoped for.
As McClellan takes on his new
Former UALR English professor passed away in early March
Aformer UALR English professor, known for his great sense of humor and fun nature, died on Wednesday, March 2.
Brandon Lambert, 33, was a World Literature teacher while employed at UALR. From fall 2009 to fall 2015, he worked at UALR’s Benton campus. In addition to UALR, he also worked at College of the Ouachitas in Malvern and National Park Community College in Hot Springs.
Several of Lambert’s former students were asked what they will remember him for:
“Mr. Lambert was a very quirky, down-to-earth professor, and it always showed in the bow ties he wore. He would allow such creativity in his assignments, and he made learning fun for all of his students. I always recommended him to everyone . . . He will always be remembered as the professor whose class I would never leave without a smile on my face. Here’s to you, Mr. Lambert.” Alumna Michaela Tingley said.
role as Vice Chancellor of Finance, he plans on making it his goal to enhance transparency and communication.
McClellan believes that communication is key to a successful business and will be needed to keep the balance between students, faculty and finances.
McClellan takes pride in his ability to be an effective communicator and be able to fully explain things.
He realizes that students and faculty often have questions when it comes to finances, and he wants to continue building a team capable of getting and relaying steadfast answers.
Although accounting was his major, McClellan has always had a passion for teaching.
“I like working with students; I love seeing the light bulb come on when they learn something new that interests them,” McClellan said.
When first starting off,
McClellan was applying for a teaching position. There happened to be no teaching position available, which in turn landed him a job in accounting.
That was in 1984 when McClellan started off as an entry level accountant, now putting him at over 30 years in the business.
“I plan on seeking out a teaching position after retirement,” said McClellan.
One of the biggest challenges he faces as the Vice Chancellor of Finance is enrollment and retention in finance.
McClellan hopes to solve this problem in whatever way he can. In order to do that, he plans on starting with the root and working outwards.
“Out of all of my responsibilities, my main job is to provide leadership for the areas under me and keep things together,” McClellan said.
“He was such a great professor! I will remember how knowledgeable he was and how great he was with relating to his students. He learned all his students’ first names when I had him for History of Civilizations. He will be forever missed!” junior, marketing student Sarah Stranczek said.
“He was my World Lit teacher. I remember him always sitting on his desk Indian-style and drinking coffee,” junior, social work student Jordan Hass said.
A memorial was held for Lambert on March 6. He is survived by his mother, Jacqueline Henson; stepfather, Terry Henson; brother, Blake Lambert; wife, Brenesha, stepbrother, Eric Henson; stepsister, Mallery Henson; grandfather, Arthur Sandoval; step-grandparents, Orville and Janie Henson; uncle, Michael Lambert; aunt, Ramona Schneider and cousins, Jacob and Lauren Lambert and Nicole Schneider .
Anybody wishing to honor Lambert can make a book donation to a school or library, or donate to a cat rescue group.
he Office of the Provost and the UALR Faculty Senate will present an upcoming Student Outcomes Symposium which aims to discuss unique aspects of students’ learning experiences and how those experiences can be captured through student learning outcomes and various methods of assessment.
The symposium will occur on April 8 from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. There will be faculty discussion panels, and the speaker at this event is Gloria Rogers from the University of Colorado at Boulder, an expert in the field of student outcomes.
Student outcomes sound more intimidating than they actually are. According to Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost, Zulma Toro, a few examples of student outcomes include the ability to communicate effectively, both
orally and in writing, the ability to make professional presentations, and the ability to think critically.
Toro continued to say, “every academic program has a student outcome that is related to general education, but also that is very specifically related to the field.”
Student outcomes help play to students’ strengths as well as their interests. They will help students “not only transition to their first job, but it will help them for life,” Toro said.
The concept and identification of student outcomes is a relatively new concept. “For many years, it was a theoretical concept. Since about 15 years ago, people started, through engineering programs, applying it,” Toro said.
Rogers is the former Vice President of Institutional Research at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a private engineering and business college in Indiana. Rogers has conducted 11 national symposia on “Best Assessment Processes” and is a national expert on the matter.
Elton Tevebaugh
Courtesy of Regency Funeral Home
“Out of all of my responsibilities, my main job is to provide leadership for the areas under me and keep things together,” McClellan said.
Courtesy of ualr.edu
Brandon Lambert, a former UALR English professor, known for his great sense of humor and fun nature, died on Wednesday, March 2.
Greek Life hosts anual shows Major Spotlight
Information Science
Christopher Gardner Staff Writer cagardner@ualr.edu
The Information Science
Major at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock makes sense of the data that people gather through information technology. The programs that are in the Department of Information Science focus on the transformation of data to information and knowledge, to intelligence and application and on the technologies and systems that store and access the data in ways that reveal its meaning.
Lyndsay Eddy, a senior at UALR, said “I originally chose computer systems as my major, but by talking with some previous ambassadors, I became interested in Information Science.”
After the interest was sparked in Information Science, she declared it as her major. Eddy has built strong relationships with her instructors, as well as her peers, and says that they have empowered her to be the best that she can be.
“My peers have challenged me and helped me along the way. There are so many professors that have been super helpful and I
know that if I have any questions or issues, I can email any of them to help me answer it,” Eddy said.
While Eddy has built strong connections on campus through majoring in information sciences, she said “I have had several opportunities to network with recruiters in my field so that I can have a job laid out for me once I graduate college.”
Eddy also stated, “With my major, I have so many different career paths that I could take. I would love to work with databases or web design after I graduate, but I am willing to dabble in everything in order to find my niche.”
The Department Information Science is dedicated to educating students in the knowledge, skills, and technologies needed to design and develop systems for better storage, retrieval, and usage of information. The department also is dedicated to offering degree and certification programs that prepare students to pursue successful careers and to continue lifelong learning in Information Science. Another dedication of the department is to conduct research to advance the field of Information Science through innovative applications of information technologies.
Destinee Lewis Staff Writer ddlewis2@ualr.edu
The month of March has been a pretty busy month for many of the greeks at UALR.
The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated introduced a new line of members with their neophyte presentation on Sunday, March 13. They initiated five new members to their brotherhood with Dominique Thomas as their Dean of Pledge.
The new members of Alpha Phi Alpha put in hard work and countless hours of training for their presentation.
The Kappa Psi chapter of Alpha
Phi Alpha also put in a lot of work within the past month. Along with their neophyte presentation, they also recently hosted their 19th annual Renaissance Greek show, where greeks from all over came and performed in the show with the chance of winning money for their organization.
The men of Alpha Phi Alpha were not the only ones busy preparing for a new group of members this month. The ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated initiated five new members to their sisterhood on Monday, March 14.
Nora Bouzihay, who is a graduate of UALR, was the Dean of Pledge for the Spring 2016 TORCH line. She took control of the line, and managed to balance it along with her graduate school schedule.
“The new TORCH class of Sigma Gamma Rho has worked hard on their neophyte presentation, the purpose of these presentations is to reveal the new initiates of the sorority or fraternity. The entire intake process is very sacred. This allows for the initiated members to be presented,” Bouzihay states.
“We were also happy that the Little Rock Kappa League were able to be apart of our show!”
Admission to the probate was a two dollar donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, or a canned good donation could be made to the UALR food pantry. Bouzihay was grateful for those who came out the support the new members, and for the money and canned goods donated to their organization.
The Sigma Gamma Rho Neophytes stand at attention while their Dean of Pledge Nora Bouzihay goes to get props for their next stroll.
Photo by Destinee Lewis
Illustration by Byron Buslig
Campus
“I’m a first-generation college graduate, just like many of the students that come here and that’s why I chose to come to UALR; because it reminded me of the type of student I was,” Lillian Wichinsky said.
S G A
March 9 Student Government Senate Meeting: “Sorry that was an incredibly long answer...” - Jacob
Lann
During the March 9 meeting of Student Government Association, the discussion of bills and upcoming were just a few parts of the busy agenda that filled the entire hour without a second of downtime.
After the approval of two sets of minutes from previous meet-
Lela-Tamara Fluker Staff Writer
ldfluker@ualr.edu
ings Senate went on to select Chief Justice Rick Dierenfeldt as Leader of the Week for hosting Candidate Orientation sessions for those interested in running for an executive position in SGA next year. 25-30 people have signed up for SGA positions for the 2016-2017 academic year.
“Give yourselves a pat on the back because this all starts and ends with you.” said Dierenfeldt as
Lela-Tamara Fluker Staff Writer ldfluker@ualr.edu
South Florida native Lillian Wichinsky has made her mark at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
An associate professor of social work, Wichinsky is interim executive director of the Community Connection Center, which fosters campus and community engagement through such programs as Children International, service-learning and Cooperative Education Internships.
Having earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, a master’s from California State University, and a Ph.D. at Florida International University School of Social Work, Wichinsky is putting her many years of experience and education to use at UALR, where she came to work in 2008.
praise to current members of SGA for all their hard work throughout the year and helping to grab the attention of those running for positions.
Senate went on to pass Senate Bill S003-2016: Rock n’ Roar Sponsorship. SGA was to spend up to $400 to sponsor 20 two-person teams to participate in the first event of the Rock n’ Roar Rivalry series. At the March 15 game at Gary Hogan Baseball Field a Bats n’ Bags Baggo Tournament was held. “It will promote engagement on campus, it will get students involved and working with one another to promote a friendly, competitive thing between UALR and UCA. Our students went to school with, grew up with and are from the same families as their students. I think [students] can really buy into it but we just have to give them a little nudge. That’s what this bill is all about,” said President Jacob Lann when speaking about the benefits of the rivalry series.
becoming a community-engaged research university, Wichinsky was immediately inspired and offered her help to make that happen. She began to serve on multiple committees and eventually applied for and was hired at the Community Connection Center.
This year, Wichinsky began working alongside Betsy Hart, the center’s assistant director, to organize and build the UALR Food Pantry, which is open to students, faculty and staff. Hart is now in charge of the pantry.
“I’m a first-generation college graduate, just like many of the students that come here and that’s why I chose to come to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; because it reminded me of the type of student I was,” Wichinsky said.
Wichinsky started her career in social work as a welfare worker, then went back to school to get her master’s in community practice social work. After years of practice, she attained her Ph.D. Her resume includes many positions, including crisis counselor, assistant community coordinator and evaluation consultant. Wichinsky also has presentations and publications under her belt.
While having held many leadership roles, over all Wichinsky sees herself as a social worker. “That’s the thing I’m most proud of, the fact that I am a community practice social worker,” she said.
After hearing a speech by Provost Zulma Toro at a Faculty Senate meeting in 2012 about UALR
Senator Noah Asher introduced Senate Bill S004-2016: SGA Student/Voter Appreciation Day which would have allocated senate funds in order to pay for cake and ice cream to be given out during election days as reward for voting. The bill was removed from consideration and the group opted to use a different source of funding for the items.
March 17 Student Government Senate Meeting: There’s Strength in Numbers
One of the quickest meetings of Student Government Association thus far, but still packed with business and discussion, the March 17 meeting of SGA helped to prove that we’re all human and our lives get busy and stressful.
Straight to business, the group passed Bill S005-2016- Bone Marrow Donor Drive introduced by Senators Noah Asher and Shayna Underwood. The bill helps in one of the groups commitments, this one being to promote and support
After a meeting at the Arkansas Foodbank to hear about food insecurities on college campuses, Wichinsky and Hart gained the support of Brad Patterson, then the interim vice provost for student affairs and dean of students, to help decide what the campus needed regarding hunger and food shortages. (Patterson has since been named to the position full time.)
A survey sent out to the campus revealed that about 50 percent of staff and students were going without food at certain times. After receiving approval from the chancellor and provost, they went forward and brought in student organizations to build the pantry. She noted that many were involved in establishing the pantry, “we just happened to be the ones who organized it.” Wichinsky added, “I’m making these connections between the needs of the community and our campus. That’s going to grow, that’s what’s cool.”
disease awareness. SGA will appropriate $600 in senate funds to help purchase t-shirts for the upcoming Be-The-Match Bone Marrow Drive.
Senator Noah Asher and Vice President Connor Donovan were selected as Leaders of the Week for their work with assisting with the Bone Marrow Drive and the drafting of Bill S005-2016.
The Rock n’ Roar Sponsorship was also announced to be cancelled due to undisclosed difficulties. The Rock n’ Roar Rivalry was intended to build rivalry between UALR and UCA (University of Central Arkansas) athletics, draw in more attention to Central Arkansas sports, increase attendance at sporting events and school spirit at the two schools.
With the year coming to an end, senators were advised to complete their office/event hours and make note of the remaining senate budget to help them to work on more initiatives to use the remaining funds on.
Photo courtesy of Lillian Wichinsky
Student Government Association
Student organization spotlight: Trojan Talk
ARenea Goddard Staff Writer rbgoddard@ualr.edu
growing student organization, Trojan Talk, seeks to improve the overall health of students by educating and assisting them in finding alternatives to high-risk activities. It’s no secret that some of the greatest rates of high risk behavior occurs among teenagers and young adults. For many students, college represents a newfound freedom and independence---but with this freedom also comes the choice to participate in activities that may be dangerous or unhealthy.
“Our goal is to provide a support group that can identify with the many needs of a student,” says Vanessa Lewis, Trojan Talk’s adviser. “We build communication skills that can bridge the gap between lack of knowledge, perceptions and misconceptions about various student health related issues.” These issues include sexual health, emotional health, and mental health, Lewis says, and Trojan Talk plans to improve these by addressing issues such as drug and alcohol use, as well as sex and STIs.
Trojan Talk meetings involve discussions of heavy topics, HIV/ AIDS awareness and sexual violence to name a few. However, the sensitivity of these subjects pose no problem, according to Lewis. “We are an open minded, nonjudgmental group, and we want to discuss any topic that can lead to a revelatory action or positive change.”
In a state that primarily implements “abstinence-only” sex education in high school, an organization that is truly catered to individual students’ sexual needs and concerns is sorely needed. Trojan Talk also offers confidential, oneon-one sessions for students who prefer not to talk to counseling services.
Their presence on campus is hard to miss---they plan to host activities for Trojan Fest on April 29. Trojan Talk meets at 7 p.m. every Tuesday in the lower lobby of West Hall.
Trojan Talk invited the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity to host the talk during Que Week in early March.
Photo by Destinee Lewis
Student spotlight: Kari Payton–a visionary for women’s empowerment
“One shouldn’t be afraid to do something that people don’t do or something that is crazy,” Kari Payton explains. “If you think you are doing the right thing... just go ahead.”
NAbdul Mohammed Staff Writer ggmohammed@ualr.edu
othing is impossible in life once you have made up your mind to achieve it; UALR senior Kari Payton knows this first hand. Originally from Bastrop, Texas, she came to UALR in 2011.
Payton received a basketball scholarship offer from the university and made the decision to study here. Payton chose to pursue a dual major in systems engineering and sociology. A combination in which systems engineering helped her work on her technological skills and sociology helped her understand people better.
She has achieved a lot in her time at the university. With guidance, she became the Engineering and Information Technology (EIT) Ambassador for UALR. She also served for the Student Government Association, where she worked on budgeting for the association.
She did not know where to stop and kept going ahead, grabbing each opportunity in her way.
Payton said, “One shouldn’t be afraid to do something that people don’t do or something that is crazy. If you think you are doing the right thing; just go ahead.”
She has also spent time as a legionnaire for the university, welcoming the visitors to the campus. Her duties as a legionnaire also
included being a point of contact for visitors and being a representative at events.
Being here gave her the opportunity to go on several mission trips, which included a visit to Africa. She is also going to visit Kenya in December.
Payton describes herself as a very down to earth person and believes strongly that “service to mankind is service to god.” She loves to cook, fly drones, play guitar and ride bikes.
In 10 years she sees herself married, with kids and having a great engineering job. She would like to teach people the importance of STEM and is going to serve the country by being a guide to the under privileged.
Her dreams are about having a simple life. Payton has a different view about the American dream. To her it’s all about living a simple and peaceful life with everyone around her rather than living a lavish life that would be far away from reality.
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Photo by Jeff Ridgle
Trojan's Trending Topics
by Brady Jackson
How are you
Photo Editor bajackson4@ualr.edu
preparing for the end of the semester?
“I prepare for the end of the semester by making sure that everything I have to turn in is finished so I don’t have
“I’m keeping up with everything I need to get done so that when the time comes, I can have as easy of a finals week as possible. “
Fit tip: fruits and veggies...as snacks
Lela-Tamara Fluker Staff Writer ldfluker@ualr.edu
Fun Fact-Banana trees are not actually trees, but the banana plant is in fact a giant herb.
We've all been guilty of indulging in something not-so-good as a snack.
Salty chips, sugary cookies, fizzy drinks – the whole nine yards –and these snacks probably haven't been filling or kept you satisfied for long. Eventually, you'll deal with a sugar crash that isn't very nice. There are, however, many healthier alternatives that can help you fill up and feel great.
Lauren Govern Senior Molecular Biotechnology Major
“Studying, spending some time with friends, and doing my best to get at least some sleep.”
An APPLE a day can keep the doctor away- Firm, fresh, smoothskinned apples are a good alternate snack for their nutritional benefits. They are fat-free and provide lots of dietary fiber among other things.
Monkey Pickles a.k.a BananasBananas are great on-the-go and even come with their own packaging. These everyday fruits come with a good supply of vitamin C, potassium and fiber. Fiber is great at helping to achieve and maintain a HEALTHY weight.
"When you think of fiber, chances are your weight isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But recent studies show the more fiber you eat, the less you tend to weigh. The reason: Part of it lies in satiety, or feeling full. Fiber moves through your body more slowly than highly processed foods, making you feel full faster and satisfied longer. Most of us are only getting about half the recommended 25 grams of the filler-upper a day, though. Doubling up could cut 100 calories from your day—over a year, that adds up to 10 pounds," according to Health Magazine.
Strawberries- Shiny, bright, firm strawberries are the way to go. Providing folate (vitamin B9), cholesterol-free and free from saturated fats, they would be great paired with other food.
Veggies- We've all been told to eat our vegetables so that we can grow! Choose vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, leafy greens, olives, and others to add a variety of nutrtional benefits to your snack or lunch.
Illustration by Jacy Andrews
UALR Department of Music introduces spring performances
As spring arrives at UALR, the Department of Music will feature a number of events that showcase student talent and effort. There will be plenty of opportunities to witness what there is in store and the wide variety of performances offers something for everyone.
On Friday, April 1, there will be an All-Spanish Music Concert titled Iberia Thrives! at 7:30 p.m. Following that, on April 3 Artspree presents the Mark Boling Trio in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall. This is an opportunity to come out and enjoy the work of talented jazz musicians free of charge for UALR students and faculty.
Further support is welcome at the Student Showcase on Friday, April 8, at Pulaski Heights Methodist Church. The event, hosted by Little Rock Musical Coterie, will feature Stephanie Donovan Staff Writer smdonovan1@ualr.edu
Assistant Professor of Piano, Naoki Hakutani, and UALR music students as they perform different genres and styles.
The Songwriter’s Showcase, held each semester by Professor of Music, Robert Boury, will take place Tuesday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. Student composers and guest artist, Jacqueline Schwab, will be performing songs. Fellow students and guests can take this chance to encourage potential artists to continue making progress and refining their skills.
There will also be an opera production of Shakespeare’s Enchantment on April 22 and April 24.
Later dates include performances by the Wind Ensemble on April 26, Guitar Ensemble on April 27, and Percussion Ensemble on April 28.
Each of these productions is a result of the UALR Department of Music’s hard work and dedication to the arts. For more show dates and times, visit http://ualr.edu/ music/concert-schedule/.
Science says: old yawner
Victoria Mugambi Staff Writer vnmugambi@ualr.edu
University of Tokyo have found that dogs are more likely to reciprocate a yawn from their owner than from a stranger.
Contagious yawning has always been a slight annoyance among humans. You’ll be at work, going into hour six, and you and your coworker will be exchanging jaw-breaking yawns back and forth until it’s time to call it a day.
Studies in the past have shown that this contagious yawning is a sign of empathy in humans. However, contagious yawning is seen not only in our species, but in some primates and dogs as well. Recently, researchers have set out to determine whether this contagious yawning can occur between two different species as well.
Studies conducted by the
The researchers had 25 dogs and their owners participate in the study. The dogs were fashioned with a heart rate monitor in order to ensure that the dogs’ yawns were responding out of empathy, not stress or anxiety.
The results of the study found that the majority of dogs were more likely to yawn in response to their owners than they were to strangers. More importantly, the researchers found that the dogs could differentiate between a real yawn and a fake yawn in their owners.
When the participants were instructed to give a fake yawn, and to give a genuine yawn, their canine companion was more likely to respond to the genuine yawn than the fake yawn.
This is big news for the scientific community for two reasons.
First, this is the first time con-
tagious yawning has occurred between different species which indicates that the social attachment between dog-owners and their pets is profound.
Second, the findings of the study also conclude that dogs can feel some level of empathy for their owners, proving (to some extent) that dogs can feel our emotions.
So the next time you’re cleaning up your dog’s “accident” while they look on, just know that they empathize with your feelings of annoyance and frustration and are either really sorry or just jerks.
Illustration by Jacy Andrews
Illustration by Byron Buslig
three reasons to hate cell phones
Caitlyn Sample
Arts and Leisure Editor casample@ualr.edu
Iam probably one of few 20-somethings to say this, but some days I hate cell phones. Living in a world where people practically live on their cell phones, the struggle is real.
Sure, this is a love-hate relationship. I love the convenience that cell phones provide us. I love having a camera with me wherever I go. I love always being connected to my friends and loved ones. I love having that security, knowing that if I am ever in an emergency situation, I can call someone in a moment’s notice. I love having access to any information that I can possibly think of in my pocket (thank you, smartphones).
However, I think, just like with everything great, people abuse this privilege.
Here are three reasons to hate cell phones:
1) Rudeness: Whether it’s watching a movie or having a conversation, people can’t stay off their phones.
Despite the numerous warnings to stay off your phone before a movie, there will still be a little blue screen lit or a ringtone going off during the movie. I have actually seen someone recording the movie on their phone (including the warning not to record the movie on your phone). I love going to the movies and tickets are expensive!
I am going there to “escape” into a movie. I am not paying that money to be disrupted by someone rudely on their phone.
I have also had (several times this year, in fact) people completely disengage from me during a conversation. I am not much of a talker; I am actually pretty quiet. I will listen attentively to you, while you are talking to me. When I talk back, I expect you to return the same courtesy. Numerous times, however, I have had someone look down and start reading something on their phone in the middle of my conversation. Nothing gets under my skin more!
2) Dangerous: Not putting your phone down can be dangerous also.
A pet peeve of mine is when people are on their cell phone while driving. You may not think you are distracted, but you are! I can always spot who is too. They are either driving 10 miles under the speed limit waving their free hand around and holding the phone to their ear with the other or they are serving all over the place their head frantically jerking up and down between each word of their text. This is not just annoying but it is very dangerous. According to Huffington Post, nine Americans are killed daily due to distracted driving.
It is not just dangerous while driving, but while walking or taking a selfie as well. According to CBS News, numerous deaths have occurred because people were trying to capture a selfie. These deaths include people posing with guns or
other weapons or in front of wild and dangerous animals. According to ABC News, pedestrian related accidents due to cell phones have increased 15 percent since 2009.
3) Accountability: Thanks to the convenience cell phones provide, you are now expected to answer a phone call, text, e-mail, social media post, etc. almost immedi-
ately. This is probably the reason we can’t stay off of them.
I can understand answering phone calls immediately or when convenient, if you are driving. I can also understand answering a text within a reasonable amount of time. It is just considerate.
I do not like that you can’t have the freedom from your phone though. I would like to just put my
phone down, like during a movie, and forget about my responsibilities every once and awhile without that pressure.
Cell phones are a wonderful thing! But there is a world beyond the tiny screen in your pocket. I hope this serves as a reminder, to myself as well, to be respectful and put the phone away every now and then.
A new company called Helix plans to develop an app store that files and stores consumers’ genetic information. Genome sequencing has advanced to the point where it is now getting progressively cheaper to be tested. This presents many opportunities to make a profit off of this technology.
Helix’s idea is to have customers send in a saliva sample and then Helix will release the sequenced genome data through purchasable apps.
While people can send in saliva samples each time they purchase a genome app, Helix simplifies things by offering a one-time sequencing option that holds the information on file.
If someone wants to know if they are predisposed for a certain illness, they could buy the app that sequenced for that illness.
This, however, is not necessarily cheap yet. Genome sequencing costs over $100, and with Helix it would be $100 plus the money spent on the apps.
The cost is not the only problem, though. Having biological information on file introduces some ethical issues. Businesses like Helix have the ability to sell information to insurance companies, making it easier for them to discriminate against people based on the results of their genetic information.
Also, releasing this information in the form of apps eliminates the use of a medical professional.
While some people may be predisposed to have a certain condition based on their genes, it is not certain that those people will actually have it. In other words, people may purchase an app and misunderstand the results which can have detrimental results.
For example, a person may drastically change their outlook on life after finding out they are predisposed to an illness that significantly shortens their life when in reality, there is a good chance they do not have the illness at all.
While it is convenient to always have “an app for that,” it may not always be beneficial when it is referring to your DNA.
What’s happenin’ in
4th Annual Jazz in the Park-Every Wednesday in April
Sponsored by the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau and the River Market, Jazz in the Park is starting its fourth season in the downtown Little Rock area. Jazz in the Park is a family-friendly jazz concert that is split into two parts beginning in April.
Some of the performers this year include; Acoustix with Rod, Off the Cuff and SynRG. The proceeds from the event go towards the benefit for the Art Porter Music Education scholarship fund. For the first set the shows will be every Wednesday night from 6-8 p.m., starting April 2 and ending April 27.
The event is free and located in the History Pavilion downtown. Adult beverages and soft drinks will be sold during the show and coolers will not be allowed. There will also be limited seating in the pavilion but there will be plenty of room for lawn chairs and blankets.
Alexandra Vandiver Staff Writer aevandiver@ualr.edu
The Clinton Library is going for gold- March 12 - Sept. 11
Starting in March, “American Champions: The Quest for Olympic Glory” will be on display at the Clinton Library. This exhibit is set against the backdrop of the up and coming summer games in Rio de Janeiro as well as 20 years after the centennial Olympic Games that took place in Atlanta, Georgia.
The purpose of the exhibit is to tell the stories of American athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic games. With two floors displaying summer and winter games separately, photographs, films and memorabilia will be included as well as materials related to Presidents in office during the games.
Each floor features items ranging from outfits worn by medal winners to even a replica of Team Night Train’s USA Team bobsled. No matter what generation, gender or race, the exhibit proves to celebrate athletic and personal achievement and American diversity. This exhibition will run from March 12 until Sept. 11.
Elton Tevebaugh Staff Writer ewtevebaugh@ualr.edu
“Spotlight” had tough competition during this year’s Oscars. It was nominated for Best Picture against hits like “The Revenant,” “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “The Big Short.” Despite the crowded field, “Spotlight” emerged victorious with the Oscar for Best Picture. It also won Best Original Screenplay.
The film’s success is due to a couple of factors. Firstly, the type of story involved is uncommon in film. Secondly, the casting was brilliant.
Movies about investigative journalists confronting the Catholic Church, specifically in Boston, aren’t too common. The fact that it’s based off of a true story makes “Spotlight” all the more unique.
The events in “Spotlight” take place in 2001 and 2002, and feature a small group of journalists who work for the Boston Globe. Under the group name Spotlight, they cover various stories at their discretion, taking months to over a year to get their stories.
When a new editor-in-chief is hired to the paper, he begins to make some changes. One of these changes is the suggestion that the Spotlight group pursue a case about child molestation within the Catholic Church.
It had been covered before, but brushed aside after the records were sealed. The new boss pushes for the team to reopen the case by pursuing legal action against the Catholic Church.
As the investigation progresses, more information is unearthed about the gross practices within the church. This is more dramatic due in part to a majority of the Boston Globe’s readers being Catholic, as is pointed out in the film.
The story builds as more and more information about the pedophilia and child molestation within the Catholic Church is gathered. Things get even more interesting whenever the cover-up within the church is revealed.
There is a scene with a victim in which he reveals a collection of information regarding the pedophilia and child molestation within the Catholic Church. It was a very dramatic scene, and was acted out superbly.
While watching, you can feel the tension. The scene almost seems too real and full of raw emotion,
bringing the issues of pedophilia, child molestation and the following cover-ups within the Catholic Church to the forefront.
Finally, “Spotlight” was superbly cast. The leader of “Spotlight,” Walter ‘Robby’ Robinson, is played by Michael Keaton (“Birdman”). The rest of the group is Mark Ruffalo (“Foxcatcher”), Rachel McAdams (“Midnight in Paris”), Brian d’Arcy James (“Smash”) and John Slattery (“Mad Men”). The new boss is portrayed by Liev Schreiber (“Lee Daniels’ The Butler”), and another notable performance is given by Neal Huff (“The Grand Budapest Hotel”) as a survivor.
Two more noteworthy additions to the cast play significantly smaller roles than the aforementioned. Stanley Tucci (“The Lovely Bones”) plays Mitchell Garabedian, a lawyer who had worked in cases against Catholic priests involving child molestation. Billy Crudup (“Big Fish”) plays Eric MacLeish, another lawyer who has worked similar cases.
The reality and gravity of the child molestation and pedophilia within the Catholic Church was once again brought to public attention with “Spotlight.” Despite facing considerable competition, the film is well executed on every front and is worthy of its Oscars.
Photo courtesy of Open Road Films
A classic alternative: the power of journalism
Tanner Newton
Entertainment Editor tgnewton@ualr.edu
If “Spotlight” sounds interesting then you can look up the films that precede it.
“All the President’s Men” is the natural predecessor to “Spotlight.” The 1976 film shows the investigation into the Watergate scandal by Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein.
The scandal happened after five men broke into the Watergate hotel with the intention of stealing information. The Democratic Party Headquarters were located in the building and that was the target.
This is a fascinating film full of memorable performances. The best part of the film is Hal Holbrook’s performance as Deep Throat. The man is a creepy enigma; always hiding in the shadows, knowing more than anybody else.
Robert Redford plays Woodward and Dustin Hoffman plays Bernstein. They do a fine job as small, unknown journalists who are hungry for a good story. This is a big difference between “All the President’s Men” and “Spotlight.”
The people in “Spotlight” are compelled to bring justice to the morally corrupt Catholic Church. While Deep Throat has a similar conscience, the two journalists in “All the President’s Men” do not have this same feelings. They just see this story as an excuse to get their name out there.
Regardless of the reasons Woodward and Bernstein persisted with the story, there is no denying that what they uncovered was hugely important and had a lasting impact on the world.
The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, but it lost to “Rocky.” While “All the President’s Men” is not on the list of Best Picture winners, 1947’s “Gentleman’s Agreement” is.
“Gentleman’s Agreement” tells the story of a journalist with an assignment about antisemitism.
Gregory Peck plays Phil Green and he decides to approach the subject via gonzo journalism.
Gonzo journalism is a type of journalism where the reporter inhabits the role of the articles subject. This type of reporting would later become famous due to Hunter S. Thompson’s use of it.
So Phil Green becomes Phil Greenberg.
Greenberg lives with his mother and one day she has a heart attack. She is put on bed rest at their home.
Eat beat: Skinny J’s
Whitney Bryson Staff Writer wxbryson@ualr.edu
Usually when people go downtown, they stay on the Little Rock side because there are more options to choose from. Well I am here to let everyone know that downtown North Little Rock has several family friendly places to eat, including Skinny J’s.
Skinny J’s has a very diverse menu which made it a little hard for me to order at first. The food ranges from about $7-$30.
Skinny J’s
Price Rating: $$-$$$$
$ = $5 or less
$$ = $6 - $15
$$$ = $16 - $25
$$$$ = $26 - $35
$$$$$ = $36 +
that I would be too full to try anything else but I managed to try one of Skinny J’s burgers, “Old Flame,” and I had the choice of either fries or chips to go along with it.
I ended up choosing the fries to accompany my juicy burger because I already had chips with the queso, so giving the fries a try only seemed right.
The burger came with pepper jack cheese, bacon, sautéed onions and fried jalapenos with chipotle ranch and sriracha mayo on the side.
The doctor that checks in on her is very friendly until he discovers that his patients are Jewish, at which point he awkwardly leaves their house, never to be seen again.
These situations continually happen to Greenberg. A mailman gets angry when he has to deliver to a Jew. A very nice hotel is about to give him a room until he announces that he is Jewish. After that, the hotel suddenly has no vacancies.
“Gentleman’s Agreement” is almost a wonderful film. Unfortunately, it has a tacked on love story that severely slows down the film. Every time things get heated, Greenberg’s girlfriend shows up to stop the movie in its tracks.
Filmmakers can’t resist adding a love interest or a comic relief character. An early draft of “All the President’s Men” actually had a subplot about Woodward and Bernstein trying to get girlfriends. Thankfully, Redford, also producer of the film, cut those scenes out of the movie. I wish somebody had done the same with “Gentleman’s Agreement.”
Even with the unnecessary love story, “Gentleman’s Agreement” is still a wonderful movie.
Both these films did what “Spotlight” is doing now; they look at an injustice in the world and demand its end.
So to begin, I tried three of the appetizers which included: quesohouse-made white cheese dip with tortilla chips, Avocado Fries- beer battered with chipotle ranch, and lastly Artichoke Dip- spinach, artichoke, mushrooms with wontons.
Each appetizer stood out with its own signature taste. I was delighted that each serving came out very hot and large in portion.
The queso was made to perfection. It was very smooth and cheesy, leaving my mouth watering and wanting more!
The avocado fries were also surprisingly really good. They were a mixture of crunchy and fresh. I was a little skeptical to try them at first because I’ve never been too big on avocado. Also, the chipotle ranch that went along with it set off all of the flavors.
Lastly, the artichoke dip was very creamy and smooth. It was different for me because they used the wontons to dip into the artichoke. Using the wontons brought more texture to the appetizer and also made the artichoke dip even more desirable by how nice and crispy they were.
Since the appetizers were so large in portion, I was almost afraid
When the burger came out, it was fresh, hot and perfectly tender. And the fries were also hot, fresh and seasoned well.
In addition to the great food served at Skinny J’s, there was also great customer service.
The waiter’s and waitress’ that work there are very friendly and helpful when it came to answering questions and being interactive with customers.
The only downfall was that at times the food/drinks were not brought out in a timely manner because of the waitress’ forgetfulness.
Overall, Skinny J’s is not your average steak and burger joint and if I had to rate Skinny J’s as a whole, I would give them 4.5 stars. They have an amazing atmosphere and is definitely a great place for entertainment with its bar, televisions and stage for live music.
Skinny J’s is open every day Monday-Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday’s from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
This Skinny J’s is located downtown on 314 Main St. Chef James Best started Skinny J’s in 2009 in Cash, Arkansas and he has two other Skinny J’s located in Jonesboro and Paragould.
Photo courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox from the movie, “Gentleman’s Agreement”
‘Fuller House’ is what ‘Full House’ fans were waiting for
Caitlyn Sample Arts and Leisure Editor casample@ualr.edu
“Fuller House” accomplishes what fans of their favorite TV show hope for in a revival.
“Fuller House” takes place 20 years after the conclusion of “Full House.” It stars all grown-up D.J. Tanner-Fuller (Candace Cameron Bure), Stephanie Tanner (Jodie Sweetin) and Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber).
After D.J.’s husband passes away and her family moves away, her sister, Stephanie, and best friend, Kimmy, move in to help her raise her three boys (that’s right Kimmy Gibbler finally moves into the Tanner house).
The full original cast, except for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, appears in the first episode.
This includes Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, John Stamos, Lori Loughlin, Blake and Dylan TuomyWilhoit, Scott Weinger and even the ancestor of the beloved golden retriever.
This cast, except Blake and Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit, appear separately throughout the season. The only cast to not return at all was Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who played the youngest Tanner.
“Fuller House” also has new characters. D.J.’s children are Jackson (Michael Campion), Max (Elias Harger) and Tommy Fuller Jr. (Dashiell and Fox Messitt). Kimmy Gibbler has a daughter, Ramona (Soni Bringas). Juan Pablo Di Pace plays Kimmy’s on-again/ off-again husband, Fernando. John Brotherton plays D.J.’s coworker, Matt Harmon.
Like the original, it is produced by Jeff Franklin. It takes place in the same house in San Francisco as the original series. The house is decorated in modern décor with some recognizable “Full House” props.
The success of “Fuller House” depends on how much you like the original series. The new series stays true to the themes and characters of the original, such as the cheesy humor and iconic catch phrases. The show is also filled with “Full House” and ‘90s nostalgia that warm the hearts of many.
The show does this while also staying modern and fresh. Part of the fun is searching for all the “Full
House” references. Some references slap you in the face, while others are hidden like Easter eggs.
Reappearing throughout the season are blunt jokes directed towards Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
In the first episode, Stephanie asks about Michelle’s whereabouts.
Danny replies with, “(She) sends her love but she is busy in New York running her fashion empire.” After he says this, everyone in the room turns and stares into the camera.
This line from Danny is the exact explanation the Olsen twins gave production for their lack of partici-
pation in the new series.
Jokes like these repeat several times throughout the season. Although they are funny, they could have been a little more subtle and less frequent.
Despite not having the Olsens, “Fuller House” succeeds.
It was renewed for a second season before the first season was even a week old. According to Tech Times, the series had 14 million views the first weekend, with 5.5 million views on the first day.
As a fan of “Full House,” I love “Fuller House.” However, I don’t see how outsiders could enjoy the
show.
It is written in a way that only “Full House” fans could enjoy it. People new to this world would be lost and not understand most of the jokes.
For those of you interested in watching “Fuller House,” try a few episodes of the original (maybe buy a few boxsets) before giving the new show a try.
“Fuller House” also misses an opportunity to add depth to the show by badly squeezing modernday issues into five-minute emotional scenes.
The show is very light-heart-
ed (which it should be, it’s a sitcom). But part of the appeal of “Full House” was its ability to relate to issues that families in the “real world” dealt with and seeing how the “Full House” family would always prevail. “Fuller House” misses this and in turn has not received many positive reviews. All in all, “Fuller House” is what fans have been waiting for. It warms their hearts and leaves them with a smile on their face. For newcomers to the “Full House” world, this show may be a missed opportunity. You can stream all 13 episodes of “Fuller House” now on Netflix.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
‘Cash Your Investment’ gives post-grad perspective
Jack A. Webb Staff Writer jawebb@ualr.edu
The lessons and knowledge that we as college students obtain during our undergraduate careers should all be assembling together to score our dream job. Our ideas of that dream job are likely to vary, but the steps to achieving it shouldn’t be all that different.
Obtaining your post-college career is a huge investment of not only your time, but money as well, and the first book by S.A. Eberwein, “Cash Your Investment: How to Leverage Your College Degree into a Great First Job,” attempts to capitalize on the uncertainty of postgrad anxiety.
Eberwein, a former Wall Street banker, left his dream job in the “City That Never Sleeps” to share his first-hand knowledge that he gained on his journey to landing a coveted position at a reputable investment banking firm. His journey to the banking firm began well before the pomp and circumstance of graduation day.
In “Cash Your Investment,” there are several key points that
Eberwein breaks into five chapters to maximize a positive outcome for the investment of your future and land that top-shelf job: mastering your mind, utilizing a mentor, conducting an exhaustive job search, interviewing effectively and crafting a superior resume.
An underlying theme of this book is the necessity to adopt an A-1 attitude that reflects not only who are now, but also who you want to become when you are gainfully employed and have access to the “upper end of the white-collar domain.”
Eberwein also cites that your mental approach is the “critical factor in determining whether or not you ultimately succeed in obtaining a top-shelf, post-graduation job.”
I learned that you’re not alone when it comes to your future. You should build a strong network of peers and professionals that have your best interest in mind.
The value of a mentor could not be more important when trying to open up doors into the industry in which you aspire to be. This person should be someone that is trustworthy but also fair with constructive criticism. Don’t be afraid to mess up along the way; you’re not alone!
This book is well thought out with empirical reflection from the
author of his time leading up to college graduation and beyond. It is a beyond personal account of some trials that current and previous college students should be able to appreciate.
“Cash Your Investment” is so personal at times, I question whether the information being given would be better supported from industry professionals, for the sake of validity. What the book lacks in outside sources, it makes up for with details and anecdotes--almost overwhelmingly so at times.
My takeaway from the book is that every job search is a critical moment for you as an employee to showcase your knowledge and expertise to a world in which you’ve worked so hard over the past four years and prior to be a part of.
Eberwein questions, “Why invest appreciable sums of money, time, and personal exertion into the higher educational experience only to fumble in translating your investment into a rewarding postcollege career?”
With the tips in this book, you’re bound to be better off than you were before. My suggestion is to give it a look over and utilize the things that make the most sense to you and consider the rest. The payout of your investment is within your reach!
The Donaghey Student Center
YOUR NEWS YOUR WAY
Hot Corner
Warriors and Spurs: the only option for NBA Champion
Brian Gregory Sports Editor bjgregory@ualr.edu
The National Basketball Association is the best sport in the world to me. While it may not have as many fans as the National Football League or college football, or it may not capture America’s heart like NCAA Basketball does, but at the end of the day it’s about who can be consistently good over a gauntlet that is an 82 game season. I love the NBA; it is my favorite thing to watch. In all my years watching the NBA I have never seen two teams as dominant as the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs. I will tell you right now that if any other team wins the tournament besides these two teams it is a major fluke and one of those teams choked.
The Golden State Warriors led by the maestro that is Stephen Curry are the fastest team to 60 wins. They have the best offense in the league and a top-five defense. This is a team that is a supreme juggernaut. When you beat Golden State, you have to catch them on an off night. The worse teams in the league are the only ones who seem to do that because they have only lost to these teams: Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Portland Trailblazers, and the Los Angeles Lakers. The San Antonio Spurs are just as good, if not a little bit better than the Warriors. While the Spurs are not the offensive force they are still a top-10
March Madness 2016: a tournament unlike any other
Brian Gregory Sports Editor bjgregory@ualr.edu
Mteam, and they also have the best defense in all of the NBA. They are 57-10, and it seems everyday they are just pushing the Warriors to new heights. The Spurs led by the brilliant Kawhi Leonard, are running roughshod over the NBA.
Who is the best team in the NBA? I honestly could not tell you. Some days I think it’s the Golden State Warriors and other days I think it’s the Spurs of San Antonio. I can tell you who it’s not though. It’s not the Oklahoma City Thunder who have lost 12 games when leading in the fourth quarter even though they have the two of the top-five basketball players in the world. Other than that they don’t really have a team. The Clippers can’t beat the Cavaliers much less the Warriors or the Spurs. The Cavaliers the only team in the East that might have any credibility winning comes to having the ability to win the championship, and that is only because of LeBron James. The Cavs are not a team that has neither the defense to compete with the Spurs nor the offense to compete with the Warriors. If only there were no conferences and we could see the two best teams in the NBA face off in the Finals.
However, we can only hope for the Warriors and Spurs to meet in the Western Conference Finals to fulfill every basketball fan’s greatest desires.
arch Madness has finally arrived and it has captured the hearts and minds of people all across the globe. Millions of people have filled out brackets; sometimes multiple ones knowing that there hopes will more than likely be dashed and they will never achieve the perfect bracket are slim to none. (The actual numbers are less than one in 9.2 quintillion.) This is just isn’t for kicks however, it’s to see the joy of those teams you picked right and to see just how bad a pick was. Nothing is worse than seeing one of your final four teams lose in the first round as many did with the Michigan State Spartans. Nothing is sweeter than seeing an underdog that you picked for no reason entirely other than you just have feeling. We experienced that with our own Little Rock Trojans. Josh Hagins and head coach Chris Beard became household names in there own right. It is even reported that our coach might be leaving to go coach the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels, when you are a great coach of midmajor in the tournament these things tend to happen. We wish him the best of luck.
Let’s talk about the Final Four teams: Villanova Wildcats, Oklahoma Sooners, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Syracuse Orange. You have three teams that were in the national title talk all season. Villanova and North Carolina have to contrasting styles but are cut from the same cloth. Both are veteran-teams a rarity in college basketball these days. Senior point guards lead both of these teams, Ryan Arcidiacono for the Wildcats and Marcus Paige for the Tar Heels. However, the strength of Villanova is their spectacular shooting from guards Kris Jenkins and Josh Hart along
with their lone inside presence in Daniel Ochefu. North Carolina has Brice Johnson a breakout star and Kennedy Meeks on the front line to cause problems for any team in the country.
This is in comparison to two totally different teams. Nova will be facing off against the Oklahoma Sooners and the team I thought had a chance to win it all from the start of the season. The Sooners mainly known for their football team has great guard play from both Jordan Woodard and Isaiah Cousins. Ryan Spangler is their scorer down the middle. But it wouldn’t be anything without their one name superstar. Buddy. Buddy Hield a name that has trended plenty of times throughout this season on Twitter. A name that first entered our national consciousness when he scored 30 against the Memphis Tigers, and who became a household
name and the national player of the year front-runner when he dropped 46 points against the Kansas Jayhawks in a triple overtime loss, in what yours truly called the greatest college basketball game in history. While one player can’t win it by himself, Buddy can is the type of player who can elevate a team like Oklahoma to the final four.
Syracuse is a team nobody expected to make the tournament, much less the final four. A team that was saddled by postseason sanctions last year, is now the first ten-seed to make it to the Final Four. This team with Michael Gbinje and Malachi Richardson is only here because Jim Boeheim is a Hall of Famer and is on a vengeance tour against the NCAA. After being suspended for nine games this year, Boeheim willed this team to their victories late in the season Syracuse is here and are as deserving
Illustration by Byron Buslig
Intramural volleyball season ends
Lauren Humphrey Campus Life Editor lehumphrey@ualr.edu
tied for first place with a record of 3-1 in the regular season.
In the mens playoffs, many games were forfeited or defaulted. On March 17, The Punishers beat Pike 3-0, winning the playoff tournament.
Playoffsfor the intramural volleyball seasons ended Thursday, March 17.
Because many players participated, the playoffs lasted four days with more than six games being played each night. Games were played in the DSC gym.
In the womens division, One Hit Wonders and Red Hot Chios tied for first place, each having a record of 2-2 in the regular season. On The last night if the playoffs, Red Hot Chios forfeited to Prestige. Then, in the final game, The one Hit Wonders beat the Prestige 3-1.
One Hit Wonders won the womens volleyball playoff tournement.
In the men’s A division, Kappa Sig was in first place with an undefeated record of 4-0 and D-Chi was in second place with a 2-2 record during the regular season. In the B division, QATIF and the Punishers
In the Co-Ed A division, Digs and Chicks were in first place with an undefeated record of 4-0 and the Village People were in second with a record of 3-1 during the regular season. In the B division, Pikes and Ladies had an undefeated record of 4-0 and the Village People were in second with a record of 3-1.
On the last night of the co-ed playoffs, the Village People beat Pikes and Ladies with a score of 3-0 at 5:30. The Straight Up Ball Slappers beat Digs and Chicks 3-2 at 6:15. In the last game, the Village people beat The Straight Up Ball Slappers 3-0 at 7:45. The Village People won the Co-Rec playoff tournament.
Only a few more seasons of intramural sports remain in the spring semester; however, registration is closed. Ultimate Frisbee, Indoor Soccer and Tennis will be played in April.
Hayden Martin looks to play inspired baseball
Analee Jones Staff Writer aejones4@ualr.edu
HaydenMartin is a senior infielder for the Little Rock Trojans baseball team. Martin hails from Murphy, Texas were his dreams of being a baseball player were first formed. Martin’s inspiration comes from playing ball with his father. His father was
a college baseball player so baseball was in the household.
Hayden Martin says that he didn’t really have a huge backstory but, in his previous days he played for his high school and was named the secondteam all-conference player.
How Martin prepares for the game is eating. He said, “I normally eat a Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich.” Which he laughed about because it was weird thing to say. However, as game time approaches its all business. The players file into
the locker room and Coach Curry enters in to give them the pointers for the day. Martin says he tries to tell the freshman and the new kids to calm down and try to focus on the game. Martin tells all the guys to, “Trust their work.” Each game is new battle to them but they don’t try to get worked up. Martin then explains that one of his weaknesses is that he gets worked up and too aggressive by wrapping himself in the moment, which is a very understandable thing.
Hayden Martin’s achievements include being named to the Sun Belt Conference Commissioner’s List for achieving a GPA of 3.5 or higher during 2014-2015 academic year. His success has made him a role model on the team. Martin said that his strong suit is, “that I try to be as consistent throughout the games and keep a calm manner throughout the game.” Hayden Martin had a few words to say to the incoming walk-on’s or freshman. His advice was to “make sure you
know where you came from and not to be a big shot when coming to play at a new college”
In the playoffs, the teammate set the ball for the other players so that they could spike the ball. this was a common tactic for most teams.
Photo by Lauren Humphrey
Little Rock men complete historic season with SBC tourney title
Brian Gregory
Sports Editor
bjgregory@ualr.edu
The Little Rock Trojans finished their historic season with a regular season conference championship, and now they have captured the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. This appearance is now their fifth appearance all-time and first since 2011. It is also their second conference tournament title. The Trojans received a 12 seed from the NCAA selection committee and faced the 5-seeded Purdue Boilermakers in Denver Colorado. Little Rock fin-
ished the season with a school record 29 wins and are tied with the least amount of losses in the country with the Kansas Jayhawks who were the number one overall seed in the tournament.
The Trojans had their first tournament game against the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. Little Rock started off strong in the first half outscoring the Ragin’ Cajuns by ten. The team eventually warmed after starting 1 of 6 from the field to shoot 50% from the field and from the three-point line. Marcus Johnson, Jr., scored 11 straight points to give the Trojans the lead for good during the first half. In the second half, Louisiana began to strike back scoring 42 points and tying the game twice, which made the Trojans sweat just a little bit. But their spectacular shooting
allowed for them to retain the lead and make it to the title game.
The title game featured the Trojans facing off against the second-best team in the conference in the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks. During the regular season, the Warhawks beat the Trojans in Louisiana which was one of the very few loses they had during the season. Lousiana-Monroe played like a team that was not afraid of the Trojans. They jumped out to a halftime lead of 33-28, but after a 13-2 run the Trojans ended up keeping the lead for good. Roger Woods was named tournament MVP. Little Rock was one of only seven number seeds in the country to win their conference tournament. They established a record for wins, conference wins and road wins in a season.
Little Rock defeated Georgia State 57-49 on Feb. 18.
Photo by Lauren Humphrey
Sun Belt basketball standings
COMMENTARY
Forum basketball power rankings
1. Golden State Warriors 66-7
2. San Antonio Spurs 61-12
3. Oklahoma City Thunder 51-22
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 52-21
5. Toronto Raptors 49-23
6. Atlanta Hawks 44-30
7. Los Angeles Clippers 45-27
8. Boston Celtics 43-30
9. Miami Heat 42-30
10. Charlotte Hornets 42-31 11. Memphis Grizzlies 41-32
12. Indiana Pacers 39-34
13. Detroit Pistons 39-35
14. Utah Jazz 36-37
15. Portland Trailblazers 38-36
16. Chicago Bulls 36-36
17. Washington Wizards 36-37
18. Houston Rockets 36-38
19. Dallas Mavericks 35-38
20. Denver Nuggets 31-43
21. New York Knicks 30-44
22. Orlando Magic 30-43
23. Milwaukee Bucks 30-44
24. Sacramento Kings 29-44
25. New Orleans Pelicans 26-46
26. Minnesota Timberwolves 24-49
27. Brooklyn Nets 21-51
28. Phoenix Suns 20-53
29. Los Angeles Lakers 15-58
30. Philadelphia 76ers 9-65
* As of Monday, March 28, 2016 from ESPN.com
7
Never-ending and convoluted tale about English servicemen (7)
8 Taking first appearances, Karajan used largely to resemble another maestro (7)
10 American gets nicked going outside – not the first to mess up (6)
11 Where to get loaded or rolling? (8)
12 Tree – its content, you said, should be rejected (4)
13 Romantic piano works to include second item from Pyotr Ilyich perhaps (10)
14 Two vehicles block a view, we’re told, in place for holidaymakers (7,4)
19 Girl working as stripper has to keep quiet – it involves working with others (3,7)
22 Potato curry’s not very Indian (4)
23 Maureen’s lost part of her log-in details (8)
24 Billy No-Mates drops round, then starts to harass unfortunate holy man (6)
25 What good subjects show the monarchy when leader changes? (7)
26 Amazon, for example, leads in world as really reliable international online retailer (7)
DOWN
1 Bad-tempered agent drinks wine up (7)
2 Plant somehow has to obtain energy – a lot of water’s the answer (5,3)
3 Sounds like girl’s out of bed and got her face on (4,2)
4 One-off riotous frolicking in which party’s held in the open air (8)
5 Close attention given to book appearing in New Year (6)
6 Apparatus for shock treatment’s stripped in Scottish town (7)
9 New German translator is eclipsed by Welshman and rendered ineffective (11)
15 US city’s home to a legendary runner (8)
16 Notorious bad driver cops nicked initially for weaving this way and that (2,3,3)
17 Dancers getting endlessly bloody-minded about nothing (7)
18 Accumulated bets on pirate captain being one to maintain position of vessel under fire? On the contrary (7)
