The Cameron University Collegian: September 21, 2009

COLLEGIAN Informing the Cameron Family Since 1926

T H E C A M E R O N U N I V E R S I T Y

Monday, September 21, 2009 Volume 84 Issue 4

News

A&E

Sports

Voices

SEE PAGE 3

Community Garden sees major growth.

Th e H1N1 virus, more commonly known as “swine fl u,” has reached the Cameron University campus, but offi cials do not want students to panic.

Jennifer Holland, Dean of Student Services, said medical outbreaks have been a key topic for higher education institutions for several years, and H1N1 is the latest threat in a long line.

“We have been preparing for four or fi ve years,” Holland said. “Th e Avian Flu outbreak several years ago put us on guard and we developed a pandemic fl u plan then.”

Prevention and education are the two best weapons to use against an H1N1 outbreak. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the best way to avoid catching H1N1, or any other form of the fl u, is to maintain good hygiene by washing hands regularly. Th e CDC also

CU History Book:Dr. Sarah Janda nearing completion of projectBy Joshua RouseCollegian Staff

Photo by Jim Horinek

By Joshua RouseCollegian Staff

Cameron University’s Financial Aid offi ce has a number of ways for students to receive fi nancial assistance. Th is semester alone, the offi ce has awarded $4,228,857 of scholarships and tuition waivers.

Students can apply for scholarships, grants, loans and student work-study positions, Interim Director of Financial Aid Carol Claiborne said.

Claiborne said that the number one thing students can do to help make getting fi nancial aid easier is to enroll early and apply early for everything.

“Enroll early for the spring semester, and that way your aid

By Megan CarothersCollegian Staff

Financial Aid offers several ways to reduce costs for studentswill be ready the week before school starts,” Claiborne said.

Claiborne also said that if a student has not fi lled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for this academic year, they need to do so immediately.

Students can start thinking about next year’s FAFSA after January 1, Claiborne said.

“After the fi rst of January after you have your taxes done, do your FAFSA for the school year 2010-2011, which is next academic year,” Claiborne said.

Claiborne said that there are added benefi ts to fi lling out your FAFSA early.

“For Oklahoma residents, if you get your FAFSA completed and submitted, and it is processed by the processor by the 30 of

April, then you get your name in for eligibility for OTAG, which is the Oklahoma grant,” Claiborne said.

Claiborne said that the FAFSA applications are available completely online now, saving paper and time.

Students have many questions when it comes to fi nancial aid, Claiborne said, but the most asked is “when will I get my money?”

Claiborne said that there is no simple answer, but the sooner a student gets their application in for fi nancial aid, the sooner they can receive their money.

Cameron University’s fi nancial aid Web site has added a new way for students to learn about fi nancial aid, which has been in

place around a year.Students can log on to www.

cameron.fi nancialaidtv.com and watch videos answering many frequently asked questions about fi nancial aid.

Claiborne said that sometimes students become overwhelmed and cannot fi nd answers about fi nancial aid on their own, but that is not a problem.

Students can call the Financial Aid offi ce and make an appointment with a fi nancial aid counselor to help with any problems a student may be having while fi lling out the FAFSA form.

For more information, students can contact the Financial Aid offi ce at (580) 581-2293 or visit their Web site at ://www.cameron.edu/fi nancial_aid.

Cameron’s century of history will soon be available for the world to see in Dr. Sarah Janda’s new book.

“I just sent the fi rst draft to the press in September,” she said. “We should fi nally have it ready to print some time in the early spring semester.”

“Pride of the Wichitas: A History of Cameron University” is the culmination of hundreds of hours worth of research. Janda was asked to start the project by several prominent members in the university administration including John McArthur, the Vice President of Academic Aff airs. When she was fi rst approached about the project, Janda, a history professor, didn’t know much about the university’s past.

“I learned a lot from the research I put into this book,” she said. “Th e reason it’s titled ‘Pride of the Wichitas’ is because early Cameron students considered it to be the pride of the Wichitas. Th ey came from all over the area, many from meager backgrounds, and this was a big deal to them.”

Th e book will cover Cameron’s entire history, from its humble beginnings in the basement of a bank to becoming a prominent university in Southwest Oklahoma. Janda said Cameron’s expansion over the past century is a testament to not only the faculty and staff , but to the students who continued to support it. While she said Cameron was a big thing in the area, it was comparatively bare.

“Th e fi rst dorm that was completed was the girl’s dorm,” Janda said. “Th e male students who stayed on campus had to sleep in tents. Even when the dorms were complete, there was an inadequate amount of rooms and students were sleeping in the halls, in barns or anywhere they could. And they were still happy to be at Cameron.”

H1N1 virus reaches campus, preparations in place

Final revisions: Dr. Sarah Janda looks over one of the fi nal drafts of “Pride of the Wichitas: The History of Cameron University.” The book will cover the entire history of Cameron and will include over 130 historic photos.

Photos Courtesy CDC.gov

See BOOK Page 2

suggests avoiding physical contact with anyone who is exhibiting fl u-like symptoms. In the event a possible infection is detected, the CDC advises staying home for at least 24 hours, to make sure the symptoms pass. Holland said following these simple guidelines should cut down on the chances of contracting the virus.

“Education is important when it comes to preventing this,” she said. “Th e more students know, the more they can do to avoid it.”

At least six cases have been reported in the Lawton Public Schools and two cases have been confi rmed at Cameron. Holland sent an e-mail to all faculty, staff and students Monday, confi rming that H1N1 has been reported on campus.

“Education is important when it comes to preventing this. The more students know, the more they can do to avoid it.”

Snapshots of Cameron history

1987 NAIA National Football Champions

Cameron Village Grand

Opening 2005

— Jennifer HollandDean of Student Services See H1N1

Page 2

Cameron hosts its fi rst Cross Country Meet.

SEE PAGE 6

Military wife deals with second deployment.

SEE PAGE 5

Summer documentary course sheds light on the world of Dirt Track Racing.

SEE PAGE 8

Photos courtesy CU Archives

News2 September 21, 2009

See page 4 for solutions.

Th e book will contain six chapters, with each one complimented by an essay from present Cameron history students. Janda tasked the students in one of her classes to write an essay about an aspect of Cameron’s history that appealed to them. She said they spent much time in the archives, researching the university’s history to come up with a topic that was relatable. She chose several of the best essays and added them into the book.

“I think the students were happy when they found out,” she said. “Th e great thing about the whole project was the students had a chance to go to the archive and have a real archival experience, which many history students don’t get.”

“Pride of the Wichitas” will contain more than 130 photographs from throughout Cameron’s history. Janda collaborated with students to restore the photos and prepare them for publication. She said the hardest part about

Student Success WorkshopsTime Management 9-21-09 7 p.m. in Centennial Room Contact: 581.2440Basic Relaxation 9-22-09 5:30 p.m. in Centennial Room Contact: 581.2402Personal Responsibility 9-28-09 2 p.m. in Centennial Room Contact: 581.2939

Every workshop is free and students are encouraged to attend.

BOOK continued from page 1

writing the book wasn’t getting the photos or piecing the history together, it was fi nding sources that dated back to Cameron’s beginnings.

“I spent countless hours in the archives trying to fi nd what I could,” she said. “We don’t have a lot of sources from early campus history. Th e fi rst yearbook we had wasn’t published until 1914. Th e newspaper wasn’t started until 1928. It was a challenge to get information from the early, formative years.”

Janda faced another challenge with keeping the book short enough that people would remain interested, but long enough that it would still entail the school’s long history. She feels she struck a happy balance between the two, making sure she maintained her focus on the students throughout the century.

“You’re dealing with a hundred years of history,” she said. “I tried to focus on broad things, especially with student life. Th e fact that this institution continues to remain the university of choice says a lot.”

“Two cases of the new H1N1 inf leunza virus have been identified among our campus community,” Holland said in the e-mail. “We expect that additional cases will occur, and we are carefully monitoring the f lu situation as it develops, and will keep you informed of any changes.”

With eight confirmed cases in the Lawton area, fears are beginning to rise.. Holland wants to quell those concerns. She said Cameron students are in no more danger than anyone else in the area of contracting the virus.

“We have had other individuals who have reported f lu-like symptoms, but the health department has told us that it’s not enough of a concern here to start worrying about f lu-like symptoms,” Holland said. “We’re not a major hub, so I don’t see us being as much at risk since only 10 percent of our campus lives in close

H1N1 continued from page 1

quarters. We’re not as at risk as some higher populated schools might be.

In the event of an H1N1 outbreak in campus housing, Holland said the administration has a plan. Any sick students will be isolated,

so they don’t have a chance to inadvertently infect any other students.

The spread of H1N1 is something the administration is following carefully and will react to accordingly.

“As the need arises, we’ll

incorporate different measures in our plan as we have to,” Holland said. “We have to continue business here and we will do so. But if there was an outbreak on campus, that would be a decision we would have to talk

about then. But most schools feel pretty confident about the plan in place. What we plan to do is take a rough outline and plan for what we know from there.”

In the meantime, hand sanitizer dispensers have

been placed at areas students frequent, like water fountains. Using a little sanitizer could go a long way to preventing any widespread infection. Each year, Cameron offers f lu shots for faculty and staff and Holland said the administration is talking with the Comanche County Health Department about offering f lu shots for students as well. There isn’t a vaccine for H1N1 yet, but the f lu shots will help inoculate students against the seasonal f lu, which is actually more deadly than H1N1.

“We want our prevention to be very visible,” Holland said. “We’re not very susceptible here, but we want people to know we’re helping. We want to make sure people have accurate and timely information.”

To help get the word out about any future reports on H1N1, the administration has set up a Web site at www.cameron.edu/f lu.

President Howell

The Agricultural College Years

Photos courtesy CU Archives

News 3September 21, 2009

CU plants fi rst Community GardenBy Melissa RogersCollegian Staff

IIn an effort to create a healthier atmosphere, and to educate n an effort to create a healthier atmosphere, and to educate public awareness on eating better, Cameron University has public awareness on eating better, Cameron University has

teamed with the Southwest Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition to teamed with the Southwest Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition to plant a community garden on campus. plant a community garden on campus.

The idea of a community garden was approved during the The idea of a community garden was approved during the winter of 2008 and broke ground with 60 plots. Cameron winter of 2008 and broke ground with 60 plots. Cameron partnered with Comanche County Memorial Hospital, as well as partnered with Comanche County Memorial Hospital, as well as with Dr. Micky Cooper and Dr. Legako assisting.with Dr. Micky Cooper and Dr. Legako assisting.

Six loads of compost were delivered from a donor in Six loads of compost were delivered from a donor in Chattanooga to go along with 3,000 pounds of chicken manure Chattanooga to go along with 3,000 pounds of chicken manure from a donor in Altus. Water is readily available on-site with from a donor in Altus. Water is readily available on-site with risers placed in the center of plots. Notices were posted inviting risers placed in the center of plots. Notices were posted inviting Cameron alumni, current and retired faculty and staff, students Cameron alumni, current and retired faculty and staff, students and Cameron donors to participate in the educational nature of and Cameron donors to participate in the educational nature of the garden. the garden.

Dr. Leon Fischer, Chair and Associate Professor of Agronomy, Dr. Leon Fischer, Chair and Associate Professor of Agronomy, wants to re-establish the connection of how food actually gets to wants to re-establish the connection of how food actually gets to your plate, which he says is an association that has diminished your plate, which he says is an association that has diminished in most in most households. households.

“We live in “We live in a generation a generation where being where being raised on a farm raised on a farm and growing and growing our own food is our own food is something our something our grandparents grandparents or great-or great-grandparents grandparents did. Our society did. Our society is constantly is constantly eating fast food,” eating fast food,” Dr. Fischer said. Dr. Fischer said. “My main goal “My main goal is to educate and is to educate and raise awareness raise awareness on eating on eating better.”better.”

With With Cameron committed to promoting a healthier campus it is Cameron committed to promoting a healthier campus it is also important to know that the garden is implemented and also important to know that the garden is implemented and maintained in accordance with organic practices. There are maintained in accordance with organic practices. There are currently 40 gardeners participating with room for many more. currently 40 gardeners participating with room for many more.

“I would like to see more students and student groups get “I would like to see more students and student groups get involved, with a future plan of expanding the plot area,” Fischer involved, with a future plan of expanding the plot area,” Fischer said. “I would also like to see how-to advice offered for those who said. “I would also like to see how-to advice offered for those who are inexperienced but want to learn.”are inexperienced but want to learn.”

Fischer hopes other communities in Lawton notice what is Fischer hopes other communities in Lawton notice what is going on at Cameron and start establishing other gardens around going on at Cameron and start establishing other gardens around town. town.

For more information on Cameron’s community garden and For more information on Cameron’s community garden and ways to begin a healthier eating habit, contact the Department of ways to begin a healthier eating habit, contact the Department of Agriculture in South Shepler Room 205 or call 581.2275. Agriculture in South Shepler Room 205 or call 581.2275.

Fresh picked: Krystal McCorgary, Women’s Hall Director, tends to her patch of okra. McCorgary teamed up with Pearl Nunley, a CU Public Saftey Offi cer, and planted several different vegetables in the fi rst annual Community Garden.

Photos by Jim HorinekCameron gold: A fl owering plant in the Community Garden shows its school spirit. The Community Garden is a plot of land located on the Western side of campus. The garden is open for students, faculty and staff.

“We live in a generation “We live in a generation where being raised on a farm where being raised on a farm and growing our own food is and growing our own food is something our grandparents something our grandparents or great-grandparents did. or great-grandparents did. Our society is constantly Our society is constantly eating fast food. My main eating fast food. My main goal is to educate and raise goal is to educate and raise awareness on eating better.”awareness on eating better.”

—Dr. Leon FischerAgriculture

Department Chair

News4 September 21, 2009

Students looking for a part-time job that fi ts in with their school schedule will soon have an opportunity to do just that.

Cameron University will be hosting the second annual part-time job fair from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m this Th ursday in the Shepler Ballroom.

“It will be companies that are looking for part-time workers,” Student Development Specialist Chase Massie said. “Th ey understand that students

are looking for jobs that will work with their class schedule, and this is a great way to help students fi nd work in the local area.”

Th e event will be comprised of nearly 30 companies looking to hire, up from 20 at last year’s job fair.

“With the economy the way it is right now, more companies are looking for part-time

By Rachel EngelCollegian Staff

Second annual part-time job fair brings opportunities to campusworkers,” Massie said. “Also, with enrollment increasing we tried to make more companies

aware of the event.”

Many diff erent types of vendors located in the community will be present.

“Th ere is such a diverse group

of companies participating this year,” Massie said. “Both hospitals, Stanley, Hastings, Verizon, JC Penney and many

more. It covers a lot of diff erent majors and there is something for everybody.”

By inviting local companies, students are able to fi nd employment in close proximity to CU.

“Say a student gets a job a Comanche County Memorial Hospital,” Massie said. “You can’t get much closer to the school than that.”

In preparation for the event, students are encouraged to go by the Student Development Center to receive help in resume building and to dress in business attire for the event.

Something we push students

to do is to have a resume with them when they attend the job-fair,” Massie said. “Some companies might just be taking applications, some might immediately hire a student on the spot and some might want to do an interview. Students should act as if they are walking into the company and asking for a job and that means dressing for success.”

Even students not looking for employment are encouraged to attend the event.

“Just talking to the diff erent companies might help fi nd a possible career opportunity,” Massie said.

Cameron University played host last Th ursday and Friday to representatives from several state universities.

Th e representative met for a two-day conference in the CETES Conference Center for a discussion on the Oklahoma State Board of Regents for Higher Education’s Reach Higher program, which makes it easier for adults to return to college and fi nish their degree.

Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Jari Askins was in attendance Th ursday as a guest speaker and told the representatives that the Reach Higher program will help Oklahoma’s economy weather the current storm.

“When we were recruiting businesses to come to our state, we had to convince them there would be employees able to fi ll those jobs,” Askins said. “What they would look at . . . college education, how many college degrees do we have? How many people have not stopped at high school? We know that business and industry leaders across the country are not just looking at what the state off ers for tax benefi ts...they are looking at a lot of diff erent quality of life issues, and quality of work issues.”

Th e Reach Higher program was formed in 2006 by the Oklahoma State Board of Regents for Higher Education. Tim McElroy, director of the statewide Reach Higher Program, said the program allows students who completed at least 72 hours to return to class and fi nish up their degree. Many of the courses are off ered online, to help program participants who might not be able to attend regular classes.

“Adults are out working and it’s hard for them to complete a college degree with families and jobs,” he said. “ We felt there was an opportunity in Oklahoma and we felt we needed to help the state with something like this.”

Each major class costs about $150 a credit hour, which is a fl at rate across the eight participating education institutions in the state. McElroy said a similar program has been off ered for some time by

CU hosts Reach Higher conferenceBy Joshua RouseCollegian Staff

By Rashmi Th apaliyaCollegian Staff

private institutions, but costs have always been a hurdle to widespread success.

“We thought state institutions could handle the program at a lower cost and that’s what we’ve been able to achieve,” McElroy said. “We want to keep costs as low as possible for the students.”

Th e Lt . Governor said she was thrilled when she fi rst heard about the plans for the Reach Higher program. She said there are many people in Oklahoma who reach the last leg of their college education at around 72 hours, and can’t quite make it. Th e Reach Higher program, she said, is their ticket to a better life.

“Th ere are a lot of people here that can make a big diff erence. Th is is about self confi dence to step out and apply for jobs that perhaps were always what they wanted, but they never had the confi dence to take that step,” Askins said. “Th ey knew that lack of degree would hold them back, or they thought it would. Th at lack of confi dence keeps them from reaching a little higher. Th ere are so many people you’ve helped through this program that have taken advantage of that degree completion.”

After her speech, Askins took a moment to explain how the program can help advance not only Cameron University, but Southwest Oklahoma as a region.

“Ultimately, that helps us recruit jobs, jobs that we hope will be high paying jobs and jobs that will certainly require college degrees,” she said. “Having more college graduates in this region signifi cantly changes the focus of the kinds of jobs we can try to recruit to this region.”

According to Lorrie Garrison, the Reach Higher program coordinator at Cameron, the university has pledged its full support since the program began in Spring 2007. Th e fi rst student to graduate under the Reach Higher program did so from Cameron. Since then, Garrison said more people have decided to return and fi nish their education.

“We had nine students graduate last spring and we’ll have another nine students this spring,” Garrison said. “Cameron actually continues to be one of the leaders of the pack with its student totals.”

Photos by Jim Horinek

Strong support: Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins speaks of the importance of the Reach Higher program. Askins expressed that Reach Higher can have a large impact on students’ lives.

The Director: TimMcElroy, director of the statewide Reach Higher Program

Vested interest: Askins speaks with a group of attendees of the conference.

If students have no idea what degree plan they want to seek, if they are uncertain about their current major, or if they are thinking about changing their major, then they can obtain important ideas, suggestions and all necessary information in the monthly sessions of the “Exploring the Major” series.

“Exploring the Major” is a series of meetings on-campus that take place once a month, three meetings every semester. Th is is a chance for students to learn about the diff erent

Exploring Majors Series works to help students make that tough decisionmajors available at Cameron University, allowing students with undecided majors to take advantage of the series to decide what major will be their best choice. At the meetings, they can discuss their interests with faculty members with the hope of fi nding the right major for each student.

Students who are in doubt about their current major can also fi nd the faculty to be a great help in determining what degree plan fi ts them best. For example, a student with a major in Business may wish to know about the job availability in that discipline after graduation. Th is student can attend the meeting

to discuss the matter with the faculty and fi nd out about the career opportunities in the fi eld of business, as opposed to other career fi elds.

“Exploring the Major” started in the fall of 2007, and there have been 13 sessions of the series since then. According to Chase Massie, Student Development Specialist, attendance in the meetings has been increasing continuously.

Th e discipline explored this month was Psychology. Th e major focus of the discussion included options for graduate school, the license Cameron has to off er and opportunities for Psychology

minors. Massie said Psychology is a broad major that includes elements of other disciplines, such as law enforcement and social work.

For the next month, Student Development is planning to talk about Business. Business being one of the major schools at Cameron, it has been a part of the series twice already. Th e meeting is scheduled to take place at noon on Oct. 3 in the Student Activities Building, and students will be provided free pizza during the meeting.

“Th is time, two local employers are also attending the meeting who are looking for capable employees,” Massie said.

At the end of every meeting, students are asked to fi ll out a survey, which helps the organizers get an idea of what the students would like to learn about in upcoming sessions.Massie said that they are planning to schedule the meetings in the later part of the afternoon this semester to take advantage of the new four-day-schedule on-campus.

Massie urged the students to use the resources available on campus.

“We have an online site for the students called ‘Discover’ which is a self assessment test,” Massie said. “Th e program is very helpful for the students.”

Voices 5September 21, 2009

Editorial BoardEditor-in-Chief - Joshua RouseNews Editor - Jim HorinekA&E Editor - Rachel Engel Sports Editor - Bennett DewanCopy Editor - Justin CliburnBack Page Editor - Monica GarnerDigital Editor - Kyle Luetters

Newsroom Staff Financial Offi cer - Susan HillStaff Writers - Jeramy Edison, Saman Samii, Megan Carothers, Andrew Osbourne, Rashmi Th apaliya, Jacob Russell, Melissa Rogers.

Faculty Adviser Dr. Christopher Keller

Newswriting StudentsBrad Franks, Amanda Finch, Michael Faggett, Codye Watson, Rachel Engel, Amanda Phillips, Gabe Crawford, Alyssa Knerr, Nicole Grzecki, Anjana Prasain, Tammy Anderson, Hannah Muirhead, Tori Strecker, Taylor Th ompson, Osanife, Anthony Foreman, Jessica Martinez, Jennifer Knapp, Tanesha Wilson, Stacy Hill, Aduke Adesida.

About UsTh e offi cial student newspaper of Cameron University, Th e Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Letters PolicyLetters to the editor will be

printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis.

Th e Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks.

All letters from students should include fi rst and last names, classifi cation and major. No nicknames will be used. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verifi cation.

Letters can be sent by regular mail or e-mail to [email protected], or they may be dropped off at our offi ce - Nance Boyer 2060.

Our Views Th e opinions expressed in Th e Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. Th e unsigned editorial under the heading “Our Voice” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. Th e opinions expressed in Th e Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma.

Our student media are designated public forums, and free from censorship and advance approval of content. Because content and funding are unrelated, and because the role of adviser does not include advance review of content, student media are free to develop editorial policies and news coverage with the understanding that students and student organizations speak only for themselves. Administrators, faculty, staff or other agents shall not consider the student media’s content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.

COLLEGIAN

Founded in 1926veritas sempiterna

THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY

Two weeks ago I was a normal, stressed-out college kid—then my husband, Justin, left on a deployment to Kirkuk Air Base in Iraq.

Th is is his second tour, his fi rst being to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan in 2008.

I thought I was more prepared for this one since we had already been through a deployment before. Sure, a piece of cake.

I was wrong.Without my support system

and best friend, this semester has already proven to be a challenge. Going home to an empty house day after day gets old in a hurry, especially when you are used to being greeted at the door with a kiss. I still receive kisses at the front door, but these days they are from my Chihuahua/Pomeranian puppy, Oliver.

Th is is my fi rst semester at Cameron after transferring from Western Oklahoma State College in Altus, and the transition, along with the many changes in my routine since

Return to normalcy

A wife waits for her military husbandJustin deployed, are taking some

time to get used to. I have to remember that the dog needs food and water more than once a week, trash goes out on Monday and Th ursday nights and to lock the doors and shut the lights off before I go to bed—all things he used

to remember for me.Football season also doesn’t

seem to hold the allure without him here to yell for our beloved Dallas Cowboys together, and I miss arguing with him over the fact that I refuse to watch FOX News.

However, there are some perks to living alone. Th e remote is all mine, and hoarding all the covers onto my side of the bed is a treat. Groceries tend to stay in the cabinets a lot longer than if he was here, and I know that if the house is a mess it’s because of me.

Of course, this also means that all household chores fall to me, and as much as I like the house staying clean for longer, I’d rather live in a mess with him

than in a spotless house without him.

At 22-years-old, I resent the fact that I have to deal with all of this, and yet, at the same time, I am extremely proud of my husband. He enjoys knowing that he is serving his country, and that someday he will have a fi rsthand account of what is written in history books. Well, he might not have an account of all the exciting details, since, being an Airman, he is stuck on a base, to my delight. Nevertheless, he was there.

I have had many people thank me for sacrifi cing so much for our country, and while I understand the sentiment, I really don’t feel like I deserve the appreciation. I feel selfi sh because I wish he didn’t have to be where he is, because I want him home with me.

But, being a military spouse, I’ve learned that sometimes you have to just keep your head up and push past whatever you’re going through. Communication is less than stellar where he is, but I’ve written him letters

An ancient proverb wishes that we live in interesting times; well, mission accomplished. Th e times are, if nothing else, interesting . . . for better or for worse. Here are a few things that have me interested for the wrong reasons: selfi shness; lack of self-control and situational-awareness and, most of all, false apologies.

During the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Taylor Swift’s reaction to her victory for “Best Female Video” is exactly what people tune in to awards shows to see. She looked surprised, ecstatic and humbled. Kanye West’s reaction is exactly why I do not watch awards shows. West was petty, selfi sh and misguided as he stole the spotlight and declared that Beyonce Knowles should have won the award.

What West did is typical Kanye at this point, but it is galling nonetheless. West is one of the greatest hip-hop producers of the last decade, to be sure. His work on Jay-Z’s “Th e Blueprint” alone gave him the cred capital he needed to launch a solo career, and “Th e College Dropout” was an epic premiere for a truly talented individual. Th e longer Kanye is in the public eye, however, the more he appears to love nothing more than a spotlight, whether it is for good or bad. Everything revolves him in way that apparently made him oblivious to the enormity of the social gaff e he made when he cut short the acceptance speech of a young, breakout performer, like he once was.

Th e excuses made for Kanye West are vast but baseless. West grew up the affl uent son of two university professors. He knows what is socially acceptable and what is not, and yet he continues to act like a feral child with little to no socialization. About the only thing that West did with societal standards of respect in mind was to later off er an apology to Swift over the phone, one that I would not have accepted had I been in her shoes.

False apologies are the newest fad these days. People fi nd so many

Tune in next week to see more celebrities make fools of themselves

ways to apologize without truly apologizing that the act is now nothing more than a formality. Look at the apology issued by tennis superstar Serena Williams after she pitched a fi t at the U.S. Open and publicly threatened the line judge. Rather than simply apologize for the dreadful way she behaved, she prefaced the apology with declarations about her pride, love for the game and emotional personality in order to provide quasi-excuses for her behavior.

Th rough all of this, however, I remain a fan of Kanye West, and I respect Serena Williams as much as I can any athlete. Rude behavior sometimes happens. Dumb behavior happens. We can either own up to the mistakes and make a

sincere apology, or we can be honest when we do not believe the behavior to be either rude or stupid. Th ere really isn’t an in-between. For all

their mistakes over the past couple weeks, at least two public fi gures have chosen one of the two and moved on, saving us all the headache of another false apology.

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) infamously shouted “You lie!” at President Obama during the president’s Sept. 9 speech to a joint session

of Congress. Afterwards, Wilson apologized for his lack of civility. He did not apologize for believing that the president is a liar; he apologized for the time and manner in which he displayed his displeasure. Not long afterwards, Wilson said that he would no longer issue apologies and would move on. Well done.

In the fi nal moments of the Sept.

14 Monday Night Football game in Foxboro, Mass, Buff alo Bills defensive back Leodis McKelvin waited in his own endzone to fi eld a kick from the New England Patriots, who were losing 24-19. With a fi ve-point lead, McKelvin fi elded the kick two yards deep in his endzone and returned the ball beyond the 30-yard-line before fumbling and giving New England an opportunity to come back and win the game.

Buff alo fans were incensed, and NFL fans were perplexed as to why he chose to return the kick out of the endzone with a fi ve-point lead. Still, McKelvin has not made an apology for the decision. He merely stated that that is how he plays the game, and he would do it again if given the opportunity. While I disagree with the decision, I respect the man for sticking to his guns and resisting the urge to satisfy the public with an apology that isn’t sincere.

Awkward moments, rude outbursts and dumb decisions will happen as long as humans still populate the Earth; it’s what we do. False apologies and wishy-washy excuses, however, don’t have to.

Justin Cliburn

Rachel Engel

and have sent him copies of the newspaper to show him what I have been doing while he is away. I try not to let him see how hard it is for me being alone, because that is added stress he doesn’t need.

While he’s gone, I continue to go on with life — working towards my goals and keeping things up and running the home front. Every evening before I go to bed, I cross another date off the calendar. Each day we are a little bit closer to normalcy and being together again.

Sports6 September 21, 2009

Cross Country wins fi rst ‘Aggie Showdown’

By Jeramy EidsonCollegian Staff

In the first ever Aggie Showdown, the number 8 Aggies cross-country team came away victorious in a downpour that smothered the city of Lawton.

The rain, which lasted for hours and was quite chilly, did not stop the Aggies from what they set out to accomplish.

“We run through anything, as long as there’s not lightning,” Head Coach Matt Aguero said.

Despite the rain, the turnout was better than expected. Also participating in the run were many local teams, including Lawton High School and Cache High School.

The Aggies, in hosting their first ever cross-country meet, defeated the Midwestern State University Mustangs and the East Central University Tigers.

“I was so proud of our guys today. They came out, ran hard in the rain, and took care of business. It felt great to be able to host a meet; we are already looking forward to next year’s Cameron Aggie Showdown,” Aguero said.

Cameron had three runners finish in the top five as sophomore Julius Korir was the first runner to cross the line followed by fellow Aggie Senior Josh Stewart. Following Stewart, fifth overall and third for the Aggies, was Junior Mohamed Khelalfa.

Julius Korir also finished first in the race at the Midwestern State Mustang Stampede. However, his place did not count as he ran the race unattached.

Cameron had not yet received his final paperwork from the NCAA Clearinghouse, according to Aguero. Had Cameron had Korir cleared to run, Cameron would’ve placed much better than five out of

seven.“He didn’t count for us. Not

having Julius run officially took about 50 points off of our score. We would’ve finished second or third probably,” Aguero said.

Cameron has run well in its first two meets thus far, and they do not plan on slowing down as they head into Stillwater.

On Oct. 3, Cameron, along with 30 other teams, will participate in the Oklahoma State Cowboy Jamboree. OSU is ranked nationally in the top five collectively as a cross-country team.

“There are two divisions, one for bigger universities and the other for smaller universities. I haven’t decided yet which one we’ll run in but I’m leaning towards the smaller university run. If we run in the bigger division we’ll most likely finish in the middle of the pack. If we run in the smaller division we’ll most likely win,” Aguero said.

Cameron will also see itself at another big meet, the University of Arkansas Chile Pepper Festival. Cameron will travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas to compete against the best cross-country teams in the nation. Many teams there will be Division-I schools.

Arkansas, host of the meet, is ranked 5 nationally among men’s cross-country.

Following the meet in Fayetteville, the number 8 Aggies will compete in the Lone Star Conference Championship meet in Canyon, TX. If the Aggies advance, they will qualify for the Regional Championships in Abilene, TX for a chance to advance to the National Championships to be held in Evansville, IN.

With the exceptional runs so far by the Cameron cross-country team, the national championships are just around the corner.

First is the fastest: Sophomore Julius Korir holds up the first place trophy after outpacing his competition in a race contested almost entirely in the rain

Feelin’ the burn: Cameron Senior Josh Stewart, trailed by Junior Mohamad Khelalfa, enters the second of three laps during the inaugural Aggie Showdown at the Big Green Soccer Complex. Stewart, who ran near the front for most of the race, fi nished in second place. With strong fi nishes from all of it’s runners, Cameron secured the overall win.

Photos by Bennett Dewan

No slowing down for Volleyball teamBy Saman SamiiCollegian Staff

The Cameron University Aggie volleyball team continues to play well. The weekend of Sept. 11, the Aggies traveled to Omaha, Neb. to participate in the 2009 Maverick Volleyball Classic Tournament hosted by University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO). The ladies finished the tournament with three victories and one loss. Head Coach Brianne Smedley said she was extremely pleased with the results.

“We played great this weekend and I am proud to see that the girls are able to play as a team at all times,” Smedley said. “They are really showing maturity which has been the key to our success so far.”

The Aggies opened up the tournament by taking on the Dragons of Minnesota State University-Moorhead on Fri Sep. 11. After a rough start to the match and losing the first set, the Aggies were unable to overcome the early mistakes as the Dragons proved to be the stronger team that day.

“We didn’t start the match that well and they kept their level of intensity up,” Smedley said. “However, I was pleased to see how well the girls fought considering the outcome of the match.”

The Aggies bounced back immediately, however, as they crushed Southern Indiana University in the tournament’s second match. The final score was 25-19, 25-17, 25-21.

“We came out and wanted revenge from our earlier loss that day, and we stuck to our game plan,” Smedley said.

“The girls fought hard, and everybody contributed to the outcome of this match.”

On Sat Sep. 12, the Aggies opened up by taking on the Panthers of Drury University. Like many times earlier this season, the Aggies were able to bounce back from an early-set loss to capture the match 3-1 in

sets. The final score was 18-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-23. Smedley said this was a dramatic match.

“We started out a little slow, but we were able to fight back and win the match which was huge for us,” Smedley said. “Drury is known for their great volleyball program, so this was a very emotional win for us.”

In the final match of the tournament, the Aggie women faced Missouri S&T University. This match went the distance, and Cameron picked up the win in a deciding fifth set. The final score was 25-19, 25-21, 19-25, 25-27, 17-15.

“This was definitely the most emotional match of the weekend,” Smedley said. “The girls fought extremely well, and I was pleased to see us coming out on top in the end. This was a battle, and a lot of emotions were mixed in which made this victory even more important. Everyone contributed once again, and I was pleased to see how well the girls can play.”

Cameron currently sits on an impressive 10-2 winning record for the season. For the past three weekends, the Aggies have been playing teams outside of the Lone Star Conference (LSC). Many of the upcoming matches are going to be against LSC opponents, something that Smedley said they are ready to do.

“I think these past three tournaments have really helped us prepare for conference play,“ Smedley said. “We just need to continue working hard on and off the volleyball court. If we keep up the work from these tournaments, things will definitely go our way.”

Heart: Senior Right Side Hit-ter Lindsay Paziuk goes for a kill at the Aggie gym last season. Paziuk led the team in kills last season.

Soul: Senior Setter Laura Ellerbrock sets up the teams offense last season. Ellerbrock has already been named LSC Setter of the Week.

Backbone: Sophomore Outside Hitter Malyssa Acton slams home a spike in 2008. Acton is the reigning LSC Player of the Week.

Photos by Bennett Dewan

Sports 7September 21, 2009

Aggies Tennis wins tough home openerBy Saman SamiiCollegian Staff

Th e Aggie men and women’s tennis teams offi cially started their season this past week. Th ings could have not started better for the Aggies after both teams captured two straight victories to open up their seasons.

Both tennis teams took on the Bison of Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU). Th is particular dual match had a unique set up where both teams played one match in the morning following with another one in the afternoon. Head men’s and women’s tennis coach James Helvey said this was a great way to start the season.

“We had some good matches out there and it was a nice way to start our season,” Helvey said. “It was a great experience for our new players. I am already looking forward to the ITA-Regional tournaments in October.”

Th e women opened up the day by winning their fi rst dual match by the score of 7-2 in matches. Th e ladies started strong and swept all the doubles matches and saw themselves to a quick 3-0 lead in the dual match. In singles play, Swedish newcomer Amanda Moberg recorded her fi rst-ever college tennis win when she defeated OBU’s Paola Costa by the score of 6-2, 6-4.

Assistant women’s coach Agustin Criado said he was pleased to see how well everybody played considering it was the opening match of the season.

“Th e girls played well and they

got things done,” Criado said. “I was pleased to see how well we played in doubles which is always a key factor in college tennis.”

Th e men started strong as well, getting out to a quick 2-1 lead after doubles play. In singles, sophomore Th omas

Peixoto won his fi rst match of the season at the #1 spot after defeating OBU’s Sergey Babic in a well-played match. At the no. 4 and no. 5 spots, freshmen Manuel Barroetavena and Jorge Gerosi both won their fi rst-ever collegiate tennis matches

after two solid performances. Barroetavena defeated Gustavo Schaefer in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1 and Gerosi beat Connor Tebow, 6-2, 6-0.

Cameron’s only loss in singles play came at the #2 position where CU’s Daniel Bonamigo

lost to Bruno Scacalossi, 6-0, 6-1. Men’s Assistant Coach Ignacio Murgier said he was glad the season start off with solid eff orts.

“We played well today, but I think we can do even better,” Murgier said. “First matches of the season are always tough so I think that we handled it well. Th e guys took care of business which was nice to see.”

In the afternoon, both teams switched up their lineups to try things out. Once again, both Aggie teams came out on top as the men won the match by the score of 7-2 and the women 5-4. Th e women repeated their tough doubles play and won all three matches to position themselves in the driver’s seat once again.

In singles play, the Bison gave the Aggies a battle. Moberg kept her momentum from her earlier win and took care of business with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Camber Robinett. Th e men stepped up and once again and got a 2-1 lead after the doubles matches.

In singles, the Aggie men won fi ve out of the six matches played. Like earlier in the day, Barroetavena and Gerosi played solid and recorded their second wins for the season. CU’s only loss in the afternoon came at the #2 spot where Peixoto lost to Scacalossi in a tough match. Th e fi nal score was 7-5, 6-3. Helvey said he was pleased overall with today’s outcome.

“I feel that everybody played good tennis and contributed to the team,” Helvey said. “We need to continue working hard and the results will come.”

College tennis, no problem: Freshman Amanda Moberg hits a backhand shot down the line during her fi rst match-play as an Aggie. Moberg, who had won her fi rst doubles match earlier in the day, went on to win in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.

Working out the jitters: Freshman Manuel Barroetavena returns a serve as he competes in his fi rst match as a collegiate athlete. Barroetavena went on to win his fi rst ever singles match. The Aggies went on to sweep OBU 7-2.

Cameron Athletics expands digital presence

By Jacob RussellCollegian Staff

The Cameron University sports information department has grown to global proportions. On Aug. 28, the CU sports information department rolled out a new social communications campaign.

As a result of this campaign, aggie fans can now get their fix worldwide through Facebook or Twitter. In addition to the previously mentioned accounts, each of the 11 athletics programs will be keeping a weekly blog.

Over the past year, the number of fans nationwide following the goaggies.cameron.edu webpage continued to grow. Naturally, sports information director Craig Martin sought out to find a way to reach the growing audience.

“You know I really don’t understand why, but Twitter and Facebook is the norm these days,” Martin said. “The technology is always changing, and we have to keep up with the times. Plus, it allows us to reach a larger fan base.”

The department as a whole has aspirations of making goaggies.cameron.edu not only the best home page in the Lone Star Conference, but in the NCAA as a whole.

The page will contain video of current Cameron athletic events including interviews with coaches and players. The website will also house links to each of the 11 blogs updated weekly by each athletic team.

Martin said the transition has been an easy one, and there is a positive attitude regarding the globalization of the GoAggie network.

“It’s been a great atmosphere so far, everyone

has been looking forward to everything,” said Martin. “I think the part everybody is most excited about and ready to check out is the blog.”

Each link to the blogs contains a clever title and a picture of the coach for the corresponding blog. The coaches will be the ones

updating the blogs for every team except one: women’s golf.

“Women’s golf chose to do things a little different; they will have

a player in charge of the weekly blogging, Marrick Wooten,” explained Martin. “Wooten will do a great job in her role, and you will still see blogs from time to time from head coach Rick Goodwin.”

This movement to become more tech-savvy was partially

inspired by the success of a coach’s personal blog last season.

“Our head women’s basketball coach, Tom Webb, had a blog last season that he updated weekly,” explained Martin. “We noticed that a lot of people were following it and knew it was something that we all could do. It gives us another extension out to the fans to be a part of Cameron University athletics and we are ready to get things going.”

The Aggies did not have to wait long to get started. Cameron hosted its first cross-country meet on Sept. 12,

and the GoAggies team, consisting of Craig Martin and interns Stacy Carden and Clint Gee, was at the race to get video and

interviews to post on the website.

“Stacy and Clint did a great job of shooting the video and editing it on the f ly,” Martin said. “This was their first time really doing these kinds of things, and I could not be happier with the way things turned out.”

The cross-country meet was the first of many events that will be covered for the revamped GoAggies homepage located at goaggies.cameron.edu.

The “Aggie Communication 2.0” campaign is aiming to be a major milestone in CU’s reach to be accessible to alumni and fans all over the world.

Screenshots from Facebook and TwitterLogos courtesy Twitter, Facebook and Go Aggies

Reaching out to the masses: Cameron Universities Facebook and Twitter pages which will bring updates and insights into the inner-workings of the Athletic Dept. The sites feature current news and thoughts from Dept. faculty, coaches and players as well as links to coaches blogs and press releases. The overseer the project is Sports Information Director Craig Martin.

“The technology is always changing, and we have to keep up with the times. Plus, it allows us to reach a larger fan base.”

— Craig MartinSports Information

A&E8 September 21, 2009

Th e lights have been shut off , the cameras have stopped rolling, but the action is still ongoing for much of the fi lm crew of “One Dream: Dirt Track Racing.”

“We’ve had two screenings so far,” said ‘One Dream’ producer Kyle Luetters. “One in Knoxville, Iowa, on the fi nal day of the Knoxville Nationals at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. We also premiered at the Ellis County, Kan. Fairgrounds a few hours before a United Rebel Spring Series. And so far, the reactions have exceeded my expectations.”

Production of the documentary began during the fi nal weeks of the spring semester as part of Dr. Matt Jenkins’ “Filming the Documentary” summer class. Luetters approached Dr. Jenkins about fi lming a documentary on dirt track racing, which has become a popular sport not only in Oklahoma, but also across the country. Dr. Jenkins liked the idea and a crew was assembled. From there, the documentary has taken on a feel of its own.

“Th ere was an enormous amount of travel on this documentary,” said Dr. Jenkins, Filming the Documentary class professor and “One Dream” executive producer. “Certainly the production process has its high moments and low moments, but overall the production process for the summer documentary went as well as any professional production could.”

Th e goal of the class was to fi lm, produce and premier a professional documentary within eight weeks. Dr. Jenkins said the class succeeded, which was extremely important. “One Dream” premiered on July 23 in the Cameron Th eatre with standing room only. Luetters said he was nervous throughout

the premier because he didn’t know how people would react.

“I was standing in the back, paying attention to reactions, as well as making notes of what I needed to change, add or cut,” he said. “It’s very nerve racking to put your fi lm at the mercy of an audience for the fi rst time.”

Th e premier was an intense night for the entire fi lm crew. A rough cut was screened to the crew the Tuesday before and Luetters said it needed much work. He and Cecilio Ramirez, the “One Dream” director, took turns in the editing room Wednesday and Th ursday, making sure the fi nal cut would

be satisfactory. When Luetters left Th ursday afternoon to prepare for the premier, he found his truck missing from the parking lot.

“Come to fi nd out, my truck had been stolen while I had been working inside,” he said. “Two hours later,

it was found and I barely made it back in time for the start of the festivities.”

Red Dirt band Arbuckle Xpress opened the evening with a concert that primed the audience. After the concert was completed, Dr. Jenkins took the stage and introduced some of the fi lm crew before the documentary was screened.

“Th e university premier was a success,” Dr. Jenkins said. “However, it was not without its problems. Th ere was a problem copying the documentary from the editor to a videotape so it could be showed. In the end, it was copied, but halfway through, people’s mouths and voices were not in the proper sync. Th is, of course, had to be fi xed. But it turned out well.”

Since the premier, Luetters and other members of the fi lm crew ironed out minor fl aws in the fi nal cut. Luetters said there is still a lot of interest in “One Dream,” with people e-mailing the documentary’s offi cial e-mail account for DVD copies. Other screenings are being discussed

Documentary crew enjoys success

and the documentary will be screened weekly at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa. Luetters said he’s been overwhelmed at the support the documentary has received.

“We were at the screening in Knoxville, and people were laughing and crying,” he said. “It was a very wide range of emotional responses that were very amazing to see. It still gets me to this day to see these emotions play out. Seeing how much this means to some people is often the most gratifying part of the entire process.”

Luetters always dreamed of

being a racecar driver and grew up idolizing many of the drivers featured in the documentary. He said having the chance to meet many of his childhood heroes and talk to them face-to-face was amazing.

“It was pretty much like a dream project,” Luetters said. “Any time you get to meet your heroes, it’s an amazing feeling. But to get to tell their story as well? It’s a feeling that you get deep down inside your gut that makes you feel great all over.”

“One Dream: Dirt Track Racing” will be screened Saturday in Garden City, Kan., Luetters’ hometown. He said

he’s nervous about screening the documentary where he grew up, but is still looking forward to it. Looking back on the production, Luetters said there were tough times, but he thinks it brought everyone involved closer together.

“Th e project turned into something much larger than I ever anticipated,” he said. “I wondered to myself, ‘will I ever get this done?’ Fortunately, I had a great crew around me who all pitched and helped get us to the fi nish line. I took this class and learned a whole lot, and almost none of it was about how to make a video.”

By Joshua RouseCollegian Staff

Take two: Documentary crew members Kyle Luetters, Alexis Del Ciello, and Director Ashley Del Ciello meet after a night of fi lming at Lawton Speedway.

Photos by Jim Horinek

“Seeing how much this means to some people is often the most gratifying part of the entire process.”

— Kyle LuettersProducer

Strapped in: ‘One Dream’ Director Cecillo Ramirez attaches an in-car camera to a racecar at State Fair Speedway in Oklahoma City.

Road Rage: A modifi ed race car takes the track at Lawton Speedway to help with track prepa-rations.

Buckle up: Driver Joseph Horn climbs into his car before a heat race.

Up close: Crew members Kyle Luetters and Cecillo Ramirez discuss a fi lm shot.

A&E 9September 21, 2009

Film club garners student interestBy Kyle LuettersCollegian Staff

Campus literary journal open to Cameron students

In today’s global world, the ability to adapt to and understand many diff erent cultures is quickly becoming an important tool for college students. Food, styles of dress and language are just some of the ways that cultures diff er from others. A new club on campus is hoping to help raise awareness about other cultures through a popular way: fi lm.

“Cameron University is a very diverse place and what could be more fun for the students and faculty to learn about all these diff erent cultures and languages than getting together and watching a fi lm,” Marie-Ginette Baillargeon, Assistant Professor and Director of the Language Learning Center, said.

Th e International Film Club started out as a small screening that Baillaergeon put on last year. While the attendance for the fi rst fi lm was scarce, the second fi lm attracted over 20 people.

“It was interesting to see the people linger after the movie and

share their thoughts on the fi lm,” Baillaergeon said. “I could tell that this was something people could enjoy a great deal, gathering and sharing idea’s and thoughts about fi lms.”

Th is semester has already seen one meeting where interest was strong enough to merit a second meeting to elect club offi cials. Ultimately, Baillargeon would like to see the students take over the management of the club.

“I am completely fi ne with being a sponsor and just enjoying the fi lms with everyone else,” Baillar-geon said.

Student involvement will be key as the club has planned to show eight fi lms through out the course of the year. Th e fi rst screening will be held on Sept. 24 with the Span-ish fi lm “Pan’s Labyrinth” as the movie of choice.

“We have a diff erent fi lm for each culture and language,” gradu-ate student Juliana Bucher said. “Representing as many languages and cultures as we can is one of the main things we want to achieve.”

Th e fi lms will be shown at the lounge in the Student Activities

Building on Th ursday evenings. Th e decision to place the events on Th ursday nights was partially done because of people’s hectic schedules.

“We run from one event to another it seems like,” Baillaergeon said. “We realized that by showing the fi lms on Th ursday night, we might be able to get more people to stay as opposed to having them come by and then be on their way to another event.”

While getting the club up and running is the top priority, Bail-laergon and Bucher also have other aspirations for international fi lms on campus. Plans are under way to turn a portion of the Language Learning Center into a Paris style café. Inside the café area, students will have a collection of internation-al fi lms at their disposal to watch and enjoy in a leisurely setting. Th ere will also be refreshments for the students to enjoy as well.

“Our Language Lab has come a very long way in just a short amount of time and it is really being seen as a resource now,” Baillaergeon said. “It will be very helpful to have all of these fi lms available to the students to watch and learn from on their

own time.”With 243 international students

living on campus for the school year, a touch of home is sometimes a wel-come relief to the rigors of adjusting to life in a new country. While the schedule doesn’t permit the club to show a fi lm for every culture, Bail-laergeon and Bucher feel as though the schedule covers a wide variety of languages and cultures. Also, the fans of the fi lms may not always

be those from another country or culture.

“I used to live in Los Angeles and there were four theater houses within walking distance of my apartment, two of which showed foreign fi lms,” Bulcher said. “We don’t really have that here in Law-ton and it is my hope that this club can become an outlet for fans of foreign fi lm to come and enjoy these fi lms with us.”

Movie Night: Ofelia, played by Ivana Baquero, consults the Pale Man, played by Doug Jones in the movie ‘Pan’s Labyrinth,’ the fi rst movie to be screened by the International Film Club on Sept. 24.

MCT Campus

By Bennett DewanCollegian Staff

For years the faculty of the English department encouraged students to submit their original works for publication far outside the walls of Cameron University. Th at was until Dr. Hardy Jones created a publication meant to exhibit the best work of Cameron students.

“Th is publication is for students to gain exposure and to have an outlet for publication,” Dr. Jones said.

Publication is more than a simple resume builder; it is the mark of a professional in the arts.

“Being published gives students a track record. It is a true acknowledgement of talent,” Dr. Jones said.

In his desire to give students an

input into the process of creating a print publication, as well as critical editing experience, Jones has created an editorial staff to oversee the selection of pieces and design.

“I wanted to help students when they apply for masters programs or for editing positions so they can have real-world practical

experience,” Dr. Jones said.If it’s all in a name then Dr.

Jones and his editorial staff are taking their time to select a fi tting moniker. While the journal has yet to be offi cially named, the genres that will be published within its pages has been fi nalized.

“We will be accepting

submissions in fi ction, non-fi ction, poetry, one act plays, art and photography,” Dr. Jones said.

Th e project does not have confi rmed dates as of yet, but that has not stopped editorial staff from setting up a tentative schedule.

“I hope the fi rst journal will be out by next April,” Dr. Jones said. “Th en I want to focus on making the journal a part of the Cameron culture.”

Th e requirements for submission, such as fi le type, applicant deadlines and a maximum word count are still being discussed. Who may submit

their work was determined long ago. Dr. Jones has always intended

that the journal be inclusive of all Cameron students who are producing publishable works in their discipline.

“You can be a fi rst semester freshman with a good poem and have an equal chance of making it in the journal as a Senior,” Jones said.

Interested students should watch for the call for submissions with details on the criteria for entries to Cameron University’s fi rst publication made up entirely of student’s works in the creative arts.

“Being published gives students a track record. It is a true acknowledgement of talent.”

— Dr. Hardy JonesAssistant Professor

MCT Campus

By Joshua RouseCollegian Staff

“Halo” has always been a special breed of video game.

Ever since “Halo Combat Evolved” launched with the original Xbox in 2001, the franchise has become a f lagship for Microsoft’s gaming ambitions. No other game, short of “Grand Theft Auto,” gets gamers as excited as the next Bungie “Halo” title and “Halo 3: ODST” is no exception.

“ODST” treads new ground for the “Halo” franchise, which has centered around the Master Chief, a cybernetic-enhanced super soldier who fights for the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) against an alliance of fanatical aliens known as the Covenant. This time, gamers will get a chance to play as someone a little less super. The Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODST) are seen throughout “Halo 2” and “Halo 3” as adept allies of the Chief. The ODSTs are akin to special forces operatives, but have not been genetically enhanced in any way.

“ODST” takes place between the events of “Halo 2” and “Halo 3.” During the “Halo 2” campaign, the Prophet of Regret invaded Earth, but quickly retreated because he didn’t know humans were on the planet. His exit all but destroyed the fictional African city of New Mombassa. After

Regret leaves, a squad of ODSTs are dropped into the city to eliminate remaining Covenant forces.

Gamers will get to play as the Rookie, an unnamed ODST who just joined the squad. The drop goes horribly wrong and he’s stuck alone at night in New Mombassa. The game follows the Rookie as he navigates the city, looking for clues to the whereabouts of his fellow squad mates. Each time he happens onto a piece of evidence, a f lashback occurs where players take control of the other ODSTs to find out what happened.

“ODST” started out as a three to five hour expansion pack to “Halo 3.” It was planned as a stop-gap between “Halo 3” and Bungie’s next full “Halo” title, “Halo

Reach.” But over time, the game has evolved and is now a full title with a campaign estimated to take up to 10 hours to complete, making it longer than “Halo 3.”

The gameplay varies slightly from “Halo 3.”

This time, gamers aren’t playing as the Master Chief, which puts them at a slight disadvantage. Fall damage is back, which means if a player jumps from too high of a distance, they’ll die. The Rookie runs slower than his Spartan ally

and can’t dual wield weapons either.

Instead, he carries a silenced

sub-machine gun, which is used

for stealth. He also has a night vision view mode that allows him to see enemies and assess their danger without getting into direct combat.

“ODST” is still a “Halo” title, but it will play a little slower compared to the rest of the games in the original trilogy.

The changes are welcome after

“Halo 3” was obviously becoming

very stale. The

noir style used for the game’s visuals and music are also a welcome change. “ODST” is much darker compared to the other games and has a more relatable cast compared to a faceless soldier and a wise-cracking sergeant.

The campaign isn’t the only thing offered in the “ODST” package. “Gears of War 2” players will no doubt recognize similarities to the latest “Halo” gameplay mode, Firefight. Up to four players fight waves of incoming Covenant enemies on 10 different maps. Each wave is capped with the arrival of several Brute Chieftans. If you thought they were tough in “Halo 3,” imagine fighting them as a weaker ODST.

“ODST” will also come with a second disc featuring “Halo 3” multiplayer. Every map Bungie has made for the game, along with three never-before-released maps, will be included in the package. For anyone who hasn’t bought the maps on Xbox LIVE, this is the perfect opportunity to get back into the multiplayer.

“ODST” looks to be a departure from the “Halo” formula and a welcome one. It may be considered an “expansion pack,” but it has enough content to warrant its $60 price tag. “Halo 3 ODST” drops at midnight tonight. It is rated M for Mature by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board and is available exclusively on the Xbox 360.

New hero prepares to dropNew hero prepares to drop

Variety10 September 21, 2009