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, March 24, 2008Monday, March 24, 2008 Volume 82 Issue 8

News

A&E

Sports

Voices

Cameron University’s Center for Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies (CETES) wants to empower students to create their own destinies. CETES can provide students with internship opportunities and business development.

CETES’ executive director Dr. Peter Abramo wants Cameron students to know what CETES can do for them.

“We can really empower students and help guide them to create their own company—their own

As the semester approaches As the semester approaches its midpoint, members of its midpoint, members of the Student Government the Student Government Association are already busy Association are already busy preparing for the upcoming preparing for the upcoming elections that will determine elections that will determine the executive officers and the executive officers and senators for the 2008-2009 senators for the 2008-2009 academic year.academic year.

Some elections rules have Some elections rules have changed since last semester changed since last semester and the SGA constitution and the SGA constitution will provide the necessary will provide the necessary guidance to best meet the guidance to best meet the pressing demands of the pressing demands of the upcoming April elections.upcoming April elections.

According to former chair According to former chair of the election committee and of the election committee and current Student Government current Student Government Vice President, Tobias Kuhn, Vice President, Tobias Kuhn,

By John RobertsonCollegian Staff

With gas prices rising and new parking lot renovations underway, Cameron University students looking for relief from the grind of student parking may find it in Lawton’s public transportation system.

The Lawton Area Transit System, or LATS, serves the Lawton area with busses zigzagging all over the city. LATS boasts 10 different bus routes, and for those that don’t come directly to CU, a free transfer system is in place to help students reach their destination.

Bhupendra Acharya, a sophomore at CU and Computer Science major, said that the LATS system suits his needs perfectly.

“It’s convenient for me,” Acharya said. “I’m a full time student and use it for pretty much everything. I use it to run errands and get to my classes, and since I don’t have a car, I wouldn’t be able to do that otherwise.”

LATS routes are organized into color-coded paths, and upon request, riders will be given a free transfer pass that allows them to switch to another color route to arrive at their

destination. Although it might sound technical, Acharya said that it is easy to get used to.

“Once I got accustomed to it, it became part of my routine. It’s simple now,” Acharya said.

LATS busses come equipped with a number of gadgets to make life easier for its customers. Each bus has a bike rack for students who ride their bikes to campus, and busses also

are equipped with special seating for the handicapped that locks their wheelchairs in place. In addition, busses are properly heated and cooled to comfortable levels.

With winter slow to give way to spring, waiting for the bus may be the biggest problem, but students concerned with waiting around for the bus in chilly temperatures need not worry, Acharya noted.

“When it’s cold and I’m waiting for the bus, I just hang out in the lobby of the Student Activities Center for a few minutes,” Acharya said.

The greatest perks of the LATS system may be reliability and cost. With so many busses shuttling riders around with unpredictable stops, the system still functions like clockwork, and for a price that any CU student can afford.

Semester passes, which cover unlimited round-trips, cost $25, though students can still opt to pay as they go for 50 cents per ride, with a student ID.

See LATSPage 2

Transit system off ers cheap way to navigate townTransit system off ers cheap way to navigate town

the location for this year’s the location for this year’s election was one of many election was one of many modifications to the voting modifications to the voting process.process.

“Last year’s election was “Last year’s election was in the Student Activities in the Student Activities Building and now it will be Building and now it will be in the Student Union, in the in the Student Union, in the reading room,” Kuhn said. reading room,” Kuhn said.

The reason for the change The reason for the change of buildings is due to the of buildings is due to the number of students who number of students who participated in the election of participated in the election of SGA executive officers last SGA executive officers last spring. spring.

The lack of participation in The lack of participation in the Student Government from the Student Government from Cameron students resulted in Cameron students resulted in low ballot numbers and poor low ballot numbers and poor feedback from the student feedback from the student body.body.

“Last year, for the “Last year, for the presidential election, presidential election,

[approximately] 43 people [approximately] 43 people voted. I think it was because voted. I think it was because the election was in a building the election was in a building with low traffic,” Kuhn said.with low traffic,” Kuhn said.

The change in the building The change in the building location will give students who location will give students who frequent the Student Union frequent the Student Union on a daily basis the chance to on a daily basis the chance to vote. vote.

Current programs, such as Current programs, such as the Blood Drive, reserve and the Blood Drive, reserve and use the Reading Room for use the Reading Room for a set amount of hours. The a set amount of hours. The same would occur with the same would occur with the SGA elections.SGA elections.

In addition to changing In addition to changing the location, more people the location, more people are interested in running for are interested in running for office this year. office this year.

By Bira VidalCollegian Staff

See ELECTIONSPage 2

SGA prepares for upcoming election

destiny,” Dr. Abramo said.CETES can support students by connecting

them with resources and to people that will help them succeed.

“If there are a students who want to create something and they’re willing to put some energy into it, we can support them,” Dr. Abramo said. “We can connect them with the resources they need and the right people they need to know. We want them to succeed as much as they want to succeed.”

CETES reaches out to Cameron students, off ers career opportunitiesBy Donnalle MannNewswriting Student

See CETESPage 2

Photo by Joshua Rouse

Balancing the books: Game room attendant Reymunda Romeros adds up the day’s money from pool and ping pong games. This semester will be her last semester as game room attendant.

By Joshua RouseCollegian Staff

Student Union constant retiring after 18 years with Cameron

For nearly 10 years, students have come to know Reymunda Romeros as a friendly face at the game room in the Student Union.

At the end of this semester, she will close game room for the last time as an employee of Cameron University because in May, she’ll celebrate the first day of her retirement. Romeros has worked at Cameron for 18 years, eight of which were spent in the snack bar.

See ROMEROSPage 4

Photo by Jim Horinek

Will the presidential election bring an end to racism?

SEE PAGE 2

PAC to host egg hunt for CU students’ children.

SEE PAGE 8

Aggie tennis begins season with an ace.

SEE PAGE 7

Technology impacts face-to-face communication.

SEE PAGE 5

News2 March 24, 2008

Perhaps the one f law of the system lies not with LATS itself, but the unpredictable nature of college life. With unexpected class cancellations and early releases, students might find themselves finding ways to kill time until the bus arrives.

“The biggest problem I’ve had is with my own schedule,” Acharya said. “Sometimes my schedule falls through, and I just have to wait on the bus. It doesn’t happen often though, so I don’t even think about it.”

Students interested in giving LATS a try can purchase semester passes at City Hall, located at 4th and B Ave., the LATS office at 609 S.W. Bishop Rd., or the CU Administration Office (The One Stop) located in N. Shepler. For students wanting less commitment, normal bus fare runs one dollar.

LATS continued from page 1

A student with a sensible idea and a lot of enthusiasm can look to CETES for support.

“Finding people who are willing to put the time and energy into creating their own business with a decent idea is tough,” Dr. Abramo said, “but we have some good support if they are willing to do it.”

Dr. Abramo said that a lot of new Web sites are little businesses that have been run and created by young people.

”Student-created Web sites generate revenue buy selling ads.

“Th ose Web sites sell ad space like Google or they build up a community of people then they sell the Web site,” Dr. Abramo said.

Dr. Abramo believes that business ideas can be found here at

CETES continued from page 1

Cameron. “Th ese are all started by students

hanging around with ideas and you can’t tell me we don’t have people walking around here with ideas about something they can do that will make life easier. A business does not have to be a brick and mortar kind of place,” Dr. Abramo said.

Dr. Abramo wants to see more students solicit CETES for support.

“I want to see lots of students coming up here,” Dr. Abramo said, “actually we struggle because we are not part of an academic department so we have to ask how do we get students, how do we fi nd students, and how do we connect with them.”

CETES’ support includes internship opportunities with area businesses for Cameron students.

“We do strategic consulting with diff erent manufactures in the area and we are growing that role,” Dr. Abramo said, “and we have been able to create some internship opportunities for students that way.”

CETES’ has also worked with non profi t organization to help students receive internships.

“Under United Way there are a bunch of volunteer organizations and we have been able to get some students internships with them doing marketing and web site development,” he said.

CETES’ close relationship with business allows them to identify opportunities.

“We are able to fi nd some intern opportunities because we are out working with companies and we hear

what their needs are,” Dr. Abramo said, “and this pass semester we were able to get some money from outside the university to pay for an internship so that’s kind of neat.”

CETES’ Web site provides students with links to free software and other tools that will help students with college projects and research, when they click on the computer icon.

“If you click on the computer icon, ‘Web sites for students,’ there are dozens of links with little inscriptions for all kinds of things students can use to do projects, organize their life or do research,” Dr. Abramo said.

CETES’ does more than help students; it is generating more wealth in Southwest Oklahoma.

“Th e over all purpose of CETES is to allow Cameron University to work with companies and hopefully create more job opportunities in Southwest Oklahoma,” Dr. Abramo said.

Th ree years from now, Dr. Abramo sees CETES taking a great role in the economic development.

CETES’ reputation for economic development doesn’t just benefi t students, it benefi ts graduates looking for a job in Oklahoma.

“Cameron has a really good reputation in the state of Oklahoma because of what we are doing in economic development,” Dr. Abramo said, “and in the Oklahoma business community they know who we are, which is good for our school and for graduates.”

ELECTIONS continued from page 1

“Last year we just had one ticket,” Kuhn said. “[This year] we already have two tickets and one candidate. With the election of executive officers, current senators and students interested in SGA are encouraged to file for positions in the Student Activities office before 4 p.m. on March 26. The election of senators will be composed of

separate entrees divided by academic school.

As filing continues throughout the week, candidates are not supposed to start campaigning until the beginning of April. They will have the chance to campaign for a considerable period of time before elections.

When it comes time to choose the executive officers, students

will have the opportunity to vote for the one of the two complete tickets or to choose individual candidates. Also, students can vote for senators from the six CU academic schools.

Six senators represent each school and they have to follow the same filing procedures as the executive officer candidates. In the past years, the senate body

has had a shortage of members and there is constant demand for new senators.

According to Kuhn, the single fundamental characteristic of a successful SGA election is the participation of the whole student body.

By taking a few minutes to vote, students are able to interact and give their input in the

legislative process that takes place at Cameron.

“We want people to participate in the democracy,” Kuhn said. “First of all, the election has to be in a place where people will vote, and second there is a need for strong campaigning. Since we have more candidates running we hope to have very good participation.”

Race fast becoming factor in presidential electionBy Kai BeasleyMCT Campus

For most of American history, the political landscape was as white as snow and the morals were as slippery as ice. At the beginning of the race for the 2007 democratic presidential

nomination, blacks didn’t trust it, whites didn’t believe it, and America was questioning whether it was ready for it. But as the race wears on, it is becoming increasingly evident that it is possible for an African American to be President of the United States of America. Something in this

country has changed.Barack Obama’s 11-0 win streak

ended on March 4. Clinton was successful in maintaining her “fi re wall,” claiming victories in Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island. Obama claimed victory in Vermont. In total, Obama has more than 25 contests

since Super Tuesday and maintains the delegate lead over his rival. But win lose or draw, many would have thought that an African American candidate had no chance of becoming president in America, much remain more than competitive against a privileged white female.

Yet before Texas, Obama commanded 53 percent of white voters in Wisconsin, a demographic that Clinton could count on in previous contests. He also won 48 percent of Wisconsin’s female vote, a drastic improvement from the 41 percent he garnered on Super Tuesday.

Th e non-college-graduate vote, a demographic where Obama had previously struggled, was split 50-50 in Wisconsin, and he won close to half of the Catholic vote as opposed to the mere third he won three weeks ago.

So what does this mean? Why has Obama been able to attract every demographic, including whites, in America? Why can’t a white woman seem to catch a break? Is racism dead? Doubtful, the recent “Jena 6” case, a series of racial slurs uttered by various celebrities and the string of noose hangings across the country have proved that racism is alive and well.

Consider this: Racism has to be functional for it to work. It is a time-

tested and enormously successful tool that allows one group to maintain unfair advantage over another. But its functionality is its strength and its weakness. When racism is no longer benefi cial to the people that utilize it, is it discarded.

Case in point: As companies realize that the African American community has a buying power of more than $800 billion, they begin aggressively marketing to that demographic. To ignore that much potential profi t on account of racism represents a loss. Racism is not functional.

When professional sports realized the benefi t of the African American athlete, blacks were ushered in to play in all-white sports. Th e skills of the black athlete translated directly into wins, wins meant championships, and championships meant money. To ignore the benefi ts posed by the integration of sports because of racist ideals is downright dumb. Again, racism is not functional.

Th e defi nition of insanity is to continue to indulge in the same behavior and expect diff erent results. For the fi rst time since 1968, America understands this fact. Th is country is in desperate need of something new, something competent, something benefi cial.

Race is no longer the issue; survival is.

News 3March 24, 2008

News4 March 24, 2008

Photo by Joshua Rouse

Home away from home: The desk Reymunda Romeros has sat at for nearly 10 years will be taken over by someone else next semester. A replacement has yet to be found, but Romeros has confi dence the next game room attendant will be just as good.

Photo by Joshua Rouse

Clean break: Each afternoon, before she closes, Romeros wipes down the pool tables in preparation for the students who come in during the evening.

“I wish I had found out about this job when I was a lot younger and could work full time. It’s been really great to be here and work with the kids.”

— Reymunda RomerosGame Room Attendant

Photo by Joshua Rouse

Taking a needed break: Romeros watches on as a student lines up his shot during a casual game of pool. She said she likes playing games with students because it helps everyone pass the time.

ROMEROS continued from page 1

“I used to work as a hair stylist in my home and I had a friend working here who said there was an opening I could be interested in,” she said. “I applied for the job and they hired me soon after.”

When the game room attendant job opened, Romeros jumped on it. She said the only mistake she made was not applying for this job earlier in life.

“I wish I had found out about this job when I was a lot younger and could work full time,” Romeros said. “It’s been really great to be here and work with the kids.”

When she originally took the job, Romeros was worried that her accent would be hard for many students to understand. For the first couple of weeks she was on the job she was nervous, but found things went more smoothly than expected.

“Everything just worked out perfectly,” she said. “The kids could understand me fine and there were no problems. Everyone here has been great.”

Cameron students are the reason Romeros has stayed for so long. She said she’s contemplated retirement for the past couple of years, but the students kept convincing her to stay.

“I’d tell some students I think I’m going to finally retire and they say, ‘no Miss Reyna, you can’t retire,’” she said. “And I’ve stuck around. But I’ve really enjoyed it here. I really can’t say anything bad about it.”

While working at Cameron has been a blast for Romeros for the past 18 years, she said she would not have second thoughts when she walks out the doors for the last time. Many members of her family have moved to Hawaii, so she has sunny beaches and coconuts on her mind.

“My husband is excited and ready to go,” Romeros said. “As soon as the semester is up, we’re packing our bags and

heading to Hawaii to spend some time with the kids and grandkids.”

After she returns from Hawaii, Romeros plans to spend a lot of time working in her garden and cleaning the house. She said she’ll miss Cameron a lot, mainly because of the constant line of friends that came by to play a game of cards or just talk.

“When I’m here, I get to talk to people and see how they’re doing,” she said. “After I’m gone, I won’t know how a lot of my friends are

doing and I won’t be able to socialize with a lot of them. It’s going to be hard for a while.”

Over the past 10 years, Romeros has been like a grandmother to many students and

employees that stopped by her desk. She always listened when people had problems and was quick to lend advice when it was needed.

“You know, I sit here and people want to talk and they find me very approachable and I like to listen,” Romeros said. “Everyone needs someone to talk to and someone to listen to them once in a while. It’s college, there is a lot of stress around here.”

The university hasn’t found a replacement for Romeros yet. She wished her replacement the best of luck in the upcoming semester and said she’d be thinking about the game room, even though she won’t be there.

“I’ve had a lot of great times here,” she said. “I really want to thank Debbie White for giving me this job and being so accommodating here. The next person to replace me is going to be working with a great bunch of people. It’s been fun.”

Voices 5March 24, 2008

Editorial BoardEditor-in-Chief - Jessica LaneNews Editor - Josh RouseAssistant News Editor - Jim HorinekA&E Editor - Amanda HerreraSports Editor - Kareem GuisteVariety Editor - Bira VidalAssistant Editor - David R. BublitzCopy Editor - Laura Batule

Newsroom Staff Ads Manager - Kelley BurtCartoonist - Th omas PruittFinancial Offi cer - Susan HillStaff Writers - Chris Allison, John Robertson, Alexis Del Ciello, Kerry Meyers, Brandi O’Daniel, Ashley Wilkerson

Faculty Adviser Dr. Christopher Keller

Newswriting StudentsJenifer Biles, Donnale Mann

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 collegian@cameron.edu, 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.

COLLEGIANFounded in 1926

veritas sempiterna

THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY

Expressing emotions used to be difficult for some people. These days, with computer-mediated communication, it seems as though everyone wears their heart on their sleeve. When it comes to face-to-face communication, people are becoming quieter and more drawn back.

I am not really referencing the Baby Boomer Generation or even Generation X (anyone born from 1960-1982). It is Generation Y, (those born between 1980 and 1995), that is changing the way that we communicate with each other in social settings.

If you have an account with Facebook, MySpace or any other social networking site, you may be aware of this subtle change and notice that people who have never spoken to you before want to be your friend. Before you know it, you seem to know everything about this person you just met, and they begin to learn everything about you as well. If you really want to know about someone, visit his or her MySpace page. You will probably learn more about that person by visiting that website than you would in a short conversation.

I think that people feel more comfortable expressing their feelings with computer mediated communication versus face-to-face communication because they can create the person that they want to be without conveying

their true personality. These social networking sites give people a false sense of anonymity — just because the website is called “MySpace,” it isn’t really your space. It’s Tom’s space. The

social networking site that you provide personal information

to owns everything that you post.

My true concern is for the generation of kids

born after 1995. For this group of people,

the Internet and the availability of

technology has always been a

reality. They have always listened

to music on CDs or

MP3s; many have been

exposed to cable television

all of their lives.

Not to mention, that most of them have their own cell phone by the age of 10. I am employed by a cellular phone store, and it seems as though most of the plans that I have sold to this younger generation (or their parents, rather) have been plans that included very few minutes and unlimited text messaging. These kids have no desire to talk to each other

or hear the tone or expression in voices.

When using computer-mediated communication, people lose the ability to view non-verbal cues about a person, such as eye contact or leaning in closely to someone as they talk to you. Some argue that the use of “emoticons,” which are punctuation marks and symbols, that when put together, can reveal a persons mood, and may take the place of a face-to-face interaction. I don’t think that is true. Too much use of computer-mediated communication can make a person lose their face-to-face communication skills. People need those skills to survive in society and to achieve a healthy sense of well-being.

Maybe this younger generation will be able to communicate better than the rest of us. They will have the “know how,” knowledge of language and rules of engagement that develop from these online social communities.

It seems the people in my generation and younger are growing up not knowing how to go check out a book from the library, but they can create their own full HTML MySpace page. It is important that this generation knows what society did to survive without technology, and that there was a time when cell phones and email

addresses did not exist. Communication and social

interactivity will be around until the end of time; the means that we use to communicate will always be changing. The fact is, that technology is here to stay, how we use it is up to us.

Kerry Myers

Technology requires adaptation

Do you do the right thing when no one is looking?

Last week, I was in a local membership store and had just waited for almost ten minutes to check out and then had to wait in line to exit the store. Pressed for time, I tried not to be irritated that the employee at the exit was having difficulty counting every item in some of the carts. The shopping carts in bulk warehouse stores like Sam’s and Costco are very large, and hold lots of items, some normal in size, like a gallon of milk, and some, like laundry detergent and cooking oil are available in the handy 20 gallon vat and toilet paper can be bought by the pallet. I thought the policy of counting items ludicrous as I watched this employee try to count at least 30 items in another

shopper’s cart. When all items were seemingly accounted for, receipt marked, the employee smiled at the customer and moved on to the next in line.

I had purchased six items that included fresh salmon and a music CD. The CD was pressed against the salmon and the young man at the checkout counter did not see it. It was only after I loaded my purchases in the car that I

realized I had not been charged for the CD. I am embarrassed to admit, I had a moment of hesitation as to whether to go back and pay for it. I was in a hurry. I didn’t make the mistake. I did everything right. Two seconds later, I walked back into the store with the salmon and the CD,

explained the situation to the entryway card checker, waited in line again, this time behind an elderly lady who wrote her check for the wrong amount and had to tear her first check to bits and then painstakingly write a second one. I felt like I was in a Seinfeld episode.

After about another 10 minutes, I exited the store with my newly purchased compact disc and felt pretty good for having done the right thing. With the Oklahoma wind gusting and the temperature rapidly dropping, I was just glad to get back in my car and be on my way.

As I backed up, I noticed a car across from me backing up much too fast to be cautious, defensive and safe. A moment later, I noticed something unusual; the driver seemed to be backing up in rapid bursts. I then looked beyond the car and noticed a runaway shopping cart. Remember, these are bigger than average carts. They carry lots of toilet paper, Tide and an occasional big screen

television. This cart was headed straight for his car. There was a woman in the front seat, but it was obvious that the cart was moving too fast and the car had little room to maneuver.

Without hesitation, I put my car in park, jumped out and grabbed the cart. The relief and appreciation on both their faces was palpable. I found myself laughing as I thought about the cart that seemed desperate to carom off anything or anyone in the parking lot.

How many times have you been in a situation where doing the right thing required thought, effort or an inconvenience on your part? A f lash drive forgotten in a computer or being given too much change requires a conscious effort to do the right thing. I left a f lash drive in a computer in one of the labs on campus. I spent days searching for it. It contained three semesters worth of work, most of which I had not backed up. I would have paid a reward to have that information back.

I called campus security and they told me they had a drawer full of f lash drives that students had turned in. Although mine was not one of them, it was nice to know that so many people did the right thing, even when no one was looking.

Each day presents us with decision-making opportunities. I was once told to stay on the moral high road, because on that principled highway there is less guilt, stress and traffic!

Ultimately, you will feel great about having done the right thing. Whether you deliberate doing the right thing or you do it without thought, just do it.

Life lessons from salmon and a CD

Laura Batule

Sports6 March 24, 2008

A snow storm may have put a damper in last weekend’s baseball game at McCord Field, but for one senior, he’s

taking it all in, come rain, snow or shine. Senior OF/P Brooks Pollard is enjoying his last year playing baseball

with the Cameron Aggies. Pollard, who graduated from Poteau High School and transferred to Cameron

from Carl Albert State Collage, knows what it is like to overcome adversity.

In 1998, Pollard was run-over by a dune buggy and broke his

right femur on the growth plate. Doctors warned Pollard and his family that he would have to

undergo major surgery to repair the femur. “The doctors were blunt and said

it was one of the worst breaks they’d ever seen and that I should hope to be

able to try and walk normal again and that running and playing sports might not be a realistic goal,” Pollard said.

Pollard proved them wrong and was back on the playing field five months after surgery. Continuing sports however, caused

more damage and Pollard would have to go back under the knife. Doctors discovered that his right leg was nearly one and a half inches shorter than his left. Pollard remembers vividly what the doctors told him.

“They told me, ‘if you don’t correct this now, you will need both back and hip replacement surgeries within the next 5 years,’” Pollard said.

After long consideration, Pollard and his family decided to have a procedure done where they would stretch his leg but the recovery process could take up to two years. Not wanting to give up, his doctor found a state-of-the-art procedure. The doctor went

in and re-broke his leg and then held the pieces together with screws. A magnet was also installed. With the assistance of

Pollard swings to the next phaseBy Ashley WilkersonCollegian Staff

a special machine, the magnet and screws would lengthen his leg bone. The recovery time was cut in half, and Pollard was able to get back to the diamond within one year.

Pollard attended Carl Albert State College after high school where he graduated with honors on and off the field. He received All-Region honors as a sophomore, as well as being a two-time Distinguished Academic All-American for maintaining a 4.0 G.P.A. While at Carl Albert State College, Pollard played baseball for his father, who was the head coach. Pollard says the experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity and he wouldn’t have had it any other way. Pollard wanted to continue playing baseball and thanks to Coach Holland he will finish up at Cameron. He says Cameron was the right fit for him.

“I love coming to the field everyday with the opportunity to be around a lot of really great guys,” Pollard said. “I think my teammates are so awesome and outside of our talent and skill, I believe our camaraderie will help us be successful and achieve all our goals this year.”

Pollard will graduate in May with a degree in Business Administration and would like to pursue his Masters in Sports Administration at Cameron University. Pollard would like to pursue a career where he can continue to be active in sports. He also enrolled in an intern program with the Houston Astros.

“It will be exciting to see how everything works, as for now, I want to try and enjoy each day as much as possible and not take anything for granted,” Pollard said.

The Aggies 2008 season is already in full swing. After four games, the Aggies record was 4-0. McCord field was recently upgraded and fans will enjoy new facilities that include a new fence, scoreboard and clubhouse.

The next game is at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 14 when Cameron will take on Northeastern at McCord Field. Baseball fans can get the Aggies game schedule online at http://goaggies.cameron.edu/baseball/schedule.

CU fi nishes 3rd, Svajlen wins eventTh e Aggie men’s golf team was

not able to hold onto their two-round tournament lead at this week’s Red River Intercollegiate golf tournament as they slipped to 3rd place overall. Cameron was in 1st place after the opening round, remained in 1st place after the second round, but simply could not hold on for the victory. CU fi nished with an overall team score of 883 (292-286-305).

“In the fi rst two rounds we played well and showed what are capable of,” Head Coach Jerry Hrnciar said. “We are getting better at hitting the ball consistently, but I think that this week we learned that we will have to shoot under par every day for a chance to win these tournaments.”

Th e Red River Intercollegiate was played at the WinStar Golf Club in Th ackerville, Oklahoma,

By Craig MartinSports Information Director

the same course where the Lone Star Conference Championship tournament will be held. Th is week’s tournament was established to give the LSC teams in participation a preview of what the LSC Championship may look like.

Eleven schools participated in the men’s bracket of the Red River Intercollegiate. A total of 60 golfers competed in the event. First round play was delayed a few hours early on Monday morning, resulting in a late night of golf. Tuesday’s play was not delayed and featured

beautiful weather. Cameron’s junior golfer Peter

Svajlen won the individual title with his 1st place fi nish. He shot a three-round score of 207 (70-66-71). Northeastern State University came from behind to win the tournament with an overall team

score of 865 (296-289-280). “Peter played very well,”

Coach Hrnciar said. “His play was something pretty special. We didn’t have too many bright spots this tournament but his play was

one of them.” Svajlen also recorded

the most birdies in the entire tournament with 16. Additionally he shot the best par-four scoring average (3.83, -5), the second-best par-three scoring average (3.00, E), and the third-best par-fi ve scoring average (4.67, -4).

“Our putters abandoned us in most cases; that was the biggest single thing,” Coach Hrnciar said. “Th e putting was horrendous, and that’s kind of the story across the board except for Peter.”

Sophomore Robbe Trout put in a solid tournament after fi nishing in a tie for 23rd place overall. His three-round score was 224 (72-73-79). Additionally, Trout recorded the fourth-most pars in the tournament with 37 total.

Senior Cane Shumaker was Cameron’s only other golfer to fi nish in the top thirty as he took home a 26th place fi nish. Shumaker ended the event with a

three-round total of 225 (76-73-76). He also recorded seventh-most birdies with 9 in all.

Sophomores Michael Lee and Brett Leavell rounded out the Cameron scores with a 231 (76-74-81) and a 233 (74-80-79), respectively. Lee fi nished the event in a tie for 37th place, while Leavell fi nished in a tie for 43rd place.

“When we come back here in April (for the LSC Championship) we are going to have to be thinking low,” Coach Hrnciar said. “We will have to shoot under par. We can’t go around shooting anything more than that and expect to win.”

Th e Aggies are off this weekend and will next travel to Edmond , Oklahoma , from March 24-25 to take part in the Kickingbird Classic tournament. Th e event is hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma and will be played at the Kickingbird Golf Club.

Peter Svajlen

Th e weather turned out beauti-fully for today’s second and fi nal round of the Red River Intercol-legiate golf tournament hosted by the East Central University Tigers. Th e Cameron Aggie women’s golf team fi nished the event in 7th place with an overall team score of 687 (353-334). First round play was delayed a few hours on Monday, but the second round went off without a hitch. Th e Aggies knocked 26 strokes off of their fi nal score from last weekend’s tournament.

“We played better today and were able to pick up nineteen shots in the second round,” Head Coach Rick Goodwin said. “I’m only pleased to a point though. Th e

weather was perfect today and our short games were better. Th e condi-tions were a lot better and we played a lot better.”

Th e Red River Intercollegiate was played at the WinStar Golf Club in Th ackerville , Oklahoma , the same course where the Lone Star Conference Championship tournament will be held. Th is week’s tournament was established to give the LSC teams in participa-tion a preview of what the LSC Championship may look like.

Lubbock Christian University won the event with an overall team score of 638 (323-315). Aymara Villarroel of Lon Morris Com-munity College won the individual title with a two-round score of 151 (76-76). A total of 8 teams and 43 golfers took part in the event.

Junior golfer Renee Breeze led the Aggie women with an outstand-ing 5th place fi nish. Her two-round score was 159 (78-81) and was CU’s only score in the top twenty golfers. For the tournament, Breeze recorded the fi fth-most birdies with 3, and the second-most pars with 20. She also fi nished with the third-best par-three scoring average (3.00, E), the third-best par-four scoring average (4.55, +11), and the fi fth-best par-fi ve scoring average (5.50, +4).

Sophomore Marrik Wooten fi nished the event in 21st place with a two-round score of 172 (91-81). She cut an amazing ten strokes off of her fi rst round score and tied with Breeze for CU’s best second round score.

“Some of our younger golfers

made some good shots,” Coach Goodwin said. “Overall I’m pleased with our progress. Every time we go out we are trying to get better. We did get bet-ter in today’s second round and I’m happy about that.”

Sophomore Anna Hataway and freshman Blaze Petty both fi nished in a tie for 26th place overall as they each shot a two-round score of 178. Hataway scored a 91-87 while Petty shot a 93-85.

Freshman Tori McCollom re-corded a 186 (94-92) for the tourna-ment. She fi nished the RRI in a tie for 37th place overall.

Competing as an indi-vidual medalist, freshman Megan Whan fi nished in 41st place with a two-round score of

192 (94-98). “Hopefully we can keep pro-

gressing and get better,” Coach Goodwin said. “We’ll work

on our short game all week; because that’s where we are losing it is in the short game.

When we face adversity that’s when we run into

problems, but we did do a lot better today.”

Th e Aggies hit the road again next week for the Texas A&M University-Commerce Invitational. Th e event will kick off on Monday, March 17, and will be played at the Tanglewood Resort in Pottsboro, Texas.

CU women take 7th in LSC PreviewBy Ashley WilkersonCollegian Staff

Sports 7March 24, 2008

Aggies show perfect form at startAggie women’s tennis served up

an ace during the March 8 match against Southeastern Oklahoma State University at CU’s Tennis Center.

“Th e nationally ranked #30 Cameron Aggie women’s tennis team easily dispatched of the Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm in a Lone Star Conference battle at the CU Tennis Center,” CU’s Sports Information Director, Craig Martin said. “Th e Aggies swept the Storm across the board, winning the match 9-0.”

Th ough the match against Southeastern proved to be a great win for the women’s tennis team, Head Coach James Helvey is making sure his players stay focused.

“I’m really proud of how they played. Now we need to keep playing at this high level,” Helvey said.

Martin said the men’s team got off to a great start for the season being ranked the highest in CU’s tennis history.

“On the men’s side it’s really gotten off to a great start. Th e guys started off the season ranked number 12 in the nation, the highest they have ever been under Coach Helvey,” Martin said. “Th ey played the University of Texas at Arlington early in the season. Th at is always a tough school. Th ey lost to them. Other than that, the season has been pretty fl awless. Our team is ranked so highly.”

Sometimes losses come, but it makes the victories even better. CU’s tennis teams are turning the spin on to make sure the upcoming challenges are just another practice before nationals later in the season.

“It is not like we are playing a bunch of cupcake teams. Th ey are playing somebody in the top 25 it seems every week,” Martin said. “Th ey are coming home with victory after victory. On the men’s side they are doing a great job. On the women’s side they have had a couple of really close matches, but they have also been doing really

well.”Martin said the Aggie tennis

teams headed to Pensacola, Fla. on March 13 to take part in the West Florida Invitational Tournament.

With the Florida tournament underway, it will not be long before the Aggies are on the road again facing the Sooners in Norman.

“Th en when they come back, within just a few days, they go up to Norman and take on OU,” Martin said. “OU is a Division I school, and any Division I school is going to be tough to play. When we go play somebody that close and especially when they [OU] have such a good tennis program. It is going to be tough for us.”

Looking ahead to nationals, the CU tennis teams are keeping in mind the much deserved men’s win over Abilene Christian early in the season.

“Both our men’s and women’s teams lost to Abilene Christian in the national tournament last year, but our men beat Abilene Christian for the fi rst time on March 9, since Helvey has been head coach at CU,” Martin said. “Th at was a huge win, especially when they have knocked us out of the national tournament year after year. It kind of gives them some insight, when they will probably play them, when it comes to the [national] tournament later this season.”

After defeating Abilene Christian, the possibilities are endless when it comes to the tough matches ahead.

“I am so excited to see how well they have been doing. Th ey have already accomplished so much and they are only eight matches into the season with more than half their schedule to go,” Martin said. “I am ready to see what happens towards the end of the season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Cameron ranked in the top fi ve and maybe even go into the fi nal four of the national tournament.”

To see more action on the courts, watch CU tennis in action at 1 p.m. this Wednesday, March 26 when the women’s team hosts the Patriots of Dallas Baptist University at CU’s Tennis Center.

By Alexis Del CielloCollegian Staff

Photo by Bennett Dewan

Far reach: Lady Aggie Carolina Mullor focuses on the ball. So far the women’s tennis team has performed well this season, winning at home against Southeastern Oklahoma State Univerisity.

Photo by Bennett Dewan

The back hand: Aggie men Daniel Pazos gets ready to return one at the Aggie tennis complex. The men’s team has continued their good run of form from last season’s individual campaign.

2008 squad shows signs of changing times

Chances are, every time Aggies fans go to McCord Field, they will see Aggies hitting home runs and stealing bases. Th e Aggies are on course to hit over 70 home runs and steal over 45 bases during the 2008 season.

Th e 2008 Aggies are defi nitely the most exciting CU squad to watch in recent memory. Every Aggie batter is a consistent threat on off ense. Homers are coming from 10 players throughout the Aggies roster with eight Aggies sending multiple shots over the fence in the LSC.

When it comes to home runs, the Aggies are hitting nearly twice as many as their LSC opponents. In the fi rst 24 games, the Aggies

have gone deep 30 times. Only the SOSU Savage Storm has hit more home runs (34) at this point of the season in the LSC.

However, playing head-to-head, the Aggies crushed the Savage Storm in a home-run-derby racking up 10 homers to 4 for the Storm in front of the Savage Storm’s home crowd. Th ree of the Aggies’ homers in that series came from Cameron’s current deep attack leader, Chris Caves. Th ree more long balls in the series came off of Michael Levi’s bat, while three other Aggies, Mathiesen (2), Calamia (1), and Nichols (1), also homered in Week 7.

Th e Aggies roster is fi lled with consistently disciplined batters who are tough at the plate and aggressive, intelligent base runners. Sophomore prodigy Blake Watson

is following his stellar freshman year with another off ensive barrage for the 2008 Aggies. Watson leads the Aggies in many off ensive categories including batting average and RBIs. Additionally, Watson has fi ve home runs of his own this season, second only to Chris Caves’ eight, giving the Aggies off ense a consistently deep, threatening attack.

When it comes to stealing bases, no team in the LSC does it as effi ciently as the Aggies. Th e Aggies have stolen 19 bases in 20 attempts thus far, leading the LSC in stolen base success per attempts.

Master-thief Charlie Calamia leads the Aggies with six stolen bases in six attempts and appears impossible for opposing teams to catch. Eight other Aggies players have stolen into scoring position

By David L. BublitzCollegian Staff

Photo by Bennett Dewan

And a swing: A Cameron Aggie batsman swings to the pitch at the McCord playing fi eld. The Aggie squad has been consistent so far in their quest for gold this season.

with only one getting busted in the attempt. CU fans can expect the Aggies to continue their successful diamond larceny in the LSC as the season progresses.

Th e LSC may soon come to be known as the black and blue conference of NCAA Division II baseball. With two LSC teams ranked in the top 25 nationally, seven out of the twelve teams currently have winning records with four teams at .500. Th e Aggies have split most of their conference series thus far, hovering at just under .500 after seven weeks of play in an overwhelmingly tough conference. But, the Aggies are defi nitely in position to dominate the remainder of their games in the second half of the season.

Th e Aggies’ domination could begin following the Spring Break

weekend, during which the Aggies swung away at their arch-rivals, the UCO Broncos. Th e Broncos also have 30 home runs through Week 7 and steal a lot of bases. Th e Broncos are currently ranked 18th nationally in the NCAA Division II and tops in the LSC North division standings. However, the Aggies are within striking distance of the division leader at mid-season.

At every game, Cameron fans can feel the unmistakable, overwhelming sense that the Aggies are poised to break LSC baseball wide open. Th ere is no doubt in the minds of the Aggies players and fans that the 2008 squad can beat anyone in Division II’s toughest conference, and that the Aggies have the sticks to go deep into the LSC playoff s and steal the conference championship in May.

A&E8 March 24, 2008

PAC to host Easter Bunny on campus

Ole’ Kim won’t be the only larger-than-life character on campus this Easter holiday — the Easter Bunny is coming to Cameron University.

Spring is in the air and the Student Activities Lawn soon will be transformed into a colorful bunny trail worthy of Peter Cottontail for PAC’s annual Easter Egg Hunt.

Since Easter comes at the “tail end” of Spring Break this year, the event will be held two days after Easter.

Cameron has been a stop on the Easter Bunny’s trail for more than 10 years now, and Zeak Naifeh, Student Activities Director said the hunt is sure to run smoothly.

“It’s for children up to 12 years old and we are breaking them into three categories so the 10-year-olds aren’t hunting in the same area as the two-year-olds,” he said. “We

want it to be fair.”More than 500 plastic eggs are

being stuff ed and polished for the big event that is open to children who are escorted by Cameron students, faculty and staff . Naifeh said the Easter Egg Hunt is a family aff air.

“We want to have something you can bring your children to that’s in a safe environment,” he said.

Although the event is really about the little ones, for the adults, there also will be food, music and

entertainment.Th e event will kick

off around 5:30 p.m. on March 25, at the Student Activities Lawn. Naifeh said the hunts will begin around 5:45 p.m., and little hunters also can have their picture taken with the Easter Bunny.

Th e annual PAC Easter Egg Hunt is free and open to all, and Naifeh said PAC is always looking for volunteers to help out. For more information on the event or to register to be a volunteer, call the Student Activities main offi ce at 581.2217.

• According to folklore, the Easter Bunny fi gure is derived from a story about Eostre, the pagan goddess of spring, who saved a bird whose wings had frozen by turning it into a rabbit. However, the bird-turned-rabbit could still lay eggs.

• Th e tradition of “Osterhas,” a German holiday was said to arrive in the U.S in the 18th century. German children were told stories of an egg-laying hare that would bring gifts and colored eggs only to good children. Th e goodies would be placed into nests the children made as well as bonnets and caps before Easter.

By Amanda Herrera Collegian Staff

MCT Campus

MCT Campus

Our Place at the Table:Cameron Library features display of Native American art By Bira Vidal Collegian Staff

“Th e world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live.”

Th is statement is from the pen of Joy Harjo in her poem, “Perhaps the World Ends Here.” Th e same statement guided the exhibit “Our Place at the Table,” sponsored by the Cameron University Art Department, held March 13 at the Cameron Library.

According to Art Department Chair, Edna McMillan, the exhibit was only possible through the generous collaboration of Dr. Clodus and Pauline Smith and it opened doors to the expansion of Native American culture in the community.

“Th e purpose of the Dr. Clodus

R. and Mrs. Pauline Smith Endowed Lectureship in American Indian Studies is to facilitate a greater understanding of American history and appreciation of the Native American history and culture,” McMillan said.

Th e exhibit focused on the lives and traditions of 11 Native American women who came together to share their culture and knowledge through table displays. Each artist presented their personal point of view about Native American heritage according to their tribe.

“[Th e exhibit] had to be something that would perpetrate the Native American history and knowledge. We can all relate to that place at the table, it’s universal for its meaning,” McMillan said.

A reception with the full display of the table came fi rst in the program. Th e public had the opportunity to contemplate the table and their meanings to each woman during the reception. Following the reception, each artist lectured about the relationship of the tables with their lives experiences.

“Th ey wanted to use their table

settings to express who they are today based on the lives of their mothers and grandmothers and the lessons they got through intimate conversation with them,” McMillan said. “We wanted to use a circle [because] it represents unity.”

To Ekayah Rosette, Cameron American Indian Student Association president, the exhibit shows to the community and to Cameron students how rich the Native culture is.

“I think its great that the latest exhibit will be featuring a Native theme,” she said. “Oklahoma and this region in particular represent the homeland of many tribes and I think it’s an opportunity to pay homage and tribute to some of the renown talented local artists and historical fi gures of the area.”

Th e “Our Place At the Table” exhibition had a direct correlation with Oklahoma’s statehood and with March, which is Women’s History Month. According to Arlene Caesar, a featured artist and member of the Kiowa tribe, the traditions passed from mother to daughter maintain the native culture as part of their lives.

“Our rich native heritage has

bestowed a gift to me and my family that we try to share with all we meet,” Caesar said. “Th e women in my family have all been involved in art and craftwork somehow; now myself and my daughters are carrying on the legacy.”

Artist and Otoe-Missouria tribe member Rhonda Williams explains

the importance of the exhibit to her life and to the memories she collected throughout the years.

“Th is project gave me the chance to refl ect on my past and to remember the treasures I have been given that will live on with me and hopefully to be able to pass on to my children,” Williams said.

Women sharing art: Spectators at the “Our Place at the Table” exhibit take in the Native American art. The exhibit was held March 12 at the CU Library.

Photos by Bira Vidal

A&E 9March 24, 2008

Cameron University Choir to give spring performanceBy Brandi O’DanielCollegian Staff

MCT Campus

Cameron students, faculty and staff will only have to travel as far as the CU Th eatre for a fi rst-rate concert Th ursday, March 27, when the Cameron University Choir will performs their Spring Choral Concert.

Concert Director for Choir and Opera Ensemble, Earl Logan, will lead the choir through a number of pieces and styles of music. Logan, who has been with Cameron and directed CU’s Choir Ensemble for almost 21 years, directs two choir performances each semester each with a diff erent theme to bring a wide range of musical styles to his students and audience members.

Th e choir performance was originally set to feature music from the composer Robert Schumann, however Logan felt that his students needed to be familiar with an assortment of pieces in order to be well rounded in their future music careers.

Logan said, “Most of the music students will go into teaching and performing and it is my responsibility to make sure they know certain repertoire.”

Th is spring’s concert will open with music from the Renaissance period and also feature pieces that are purely a cappella. Th e music will then follow with the Cameron singers and include French and English elements. Th e choir performance will conclude with a celebration of Robert Schumann and his music and each of the three sections will feature student accompanists, Jonathan Phelps, Stephanie Cox and Emily Amos.

Th e ensemble, consisting of a unique group of students with a variety of musical backgrounds, currently practices three days a week for an hour each day to prepare for the two concerts each semester.

Logan said that while he has the fi nal say in the pieces that make it into the concert program, his student’s suggestions and input of what they would like to perform for the fall and spring concerts are always welcome.

Logan said, “Students can make suggestions and sometimes pick and even conduct pieces for the concert.”

Logan said that currently there is only one choir concert group consisting of 45 students and 15

Cameron singers that range from music majors to non-music majors. Next year, he hopes to divide the choir into two smaller groups, to separate those students majoring in music from those that are majoring in other areas. Th e music majors will be required to have a certain background of experience within the music department and the non-majors will have a diff erent set of obligations to meet in order to be involved in the music and choir performances.

“Because we have so many voice majors we’re going to divide it next year into two groups,” Logan said. “Th ere will be the Cameron Choir, which will be made up of all music majors and the other will be the Cameron Centennial for anyone in college who wants to join.”

Logan said that he believes it is essential for college students to be a part of the choir and musical experience so that they can have an overall understanding and appreciation for variety of areas.

“I think it is important for college students to attend and hear outstanding music,” Logan said. “Th is performance is going to literally be spectacular.”

Th e Spring Choir Concert performance is at 9:30 p.m. on March 27, at the Cameron University Th eatre and is free for all Cameron students with CU ID.

For more information on the

choir concert and all other events contact the Music Department at 581.2440 or visit their Web site at www.cameron.edu/music.

CU students interested in joining the CU Choir can audition throughout the year, regardless of their major or musical background. Auditions for the choir are held in the spring and fall semesters for all students interested. For information on tryouts contact Earl Logan at 581.2802.

Many of us have idealistic dreams and wish we had the courage to live them.“Into the Wild,” which was released on DVD, March 4, is based on the true and tragic story of

Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch). McCandless ran away from home after graduating from college, hitchhiked across America, eventually reaching the Alaskan wilderness.

McCandless is tired of what he perceives as a false sense of being. Th is perception is brought on, in part, by his parents’ (William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden) rocky marriage. McCandless fl ees, burns all of his money, abandons his car in an Arizona desert and hoofs it around the country. He also changes his name to the pseudonym, “Alexander Supertramp.”

In his two-year travel across America, he meets all kinds of interesting characters that infl uence him on his journey. A hippie couple (one of them played by Catherine Keener), recovering from the emotional pain and upheaval of a runaway son, a rancher (Vince Vaughn), who employs McCandless for a while and an elderly widower (Hal Holbrook), who provides wise advice to McCandless.

McCandless kayaks down the Colorado River into Mexico and returns to the United States illegally. He never stays in one place for long periods of time and tries to avoid permanent relationships with the people he meets.

It was H.W. Th oreau who advocated going back to nature in a search of truth. Th is modern day pilgrim succeeds in living the philosophical life plan outlined by Th oreau. McCandless dreams of living off the land in the wilderness of Alaska, where he hopes to fi nd the truth about himself and life. His journal and the production of this fi lm have made it possible for viewers to examine whether or not his path was worth the sacrifi ces.

McCandless fi nds his answer, but at his deathbed. He writes down the words “happiness only real when shared,” in one of his books. In my opinion, these fi ve words are the theme of this story. McCandless shrugged off all connections to others in order to pursue his goal of living in isolation in Alaska.

Believing he could fi nd salvation and happiness alone, without the burden of other humans, McCandless found out that real happiness is genuine only when it is shared with the people in our lives, whether it be family, friends or signifi cant others.

Th e cinematography is gorgeous in this fi lm. I also enjoyed the music by Eddie Vedder, whose songs stay with the theme of the picture.

I’m usually not a fan of the fi lms Sean Penn directs, but I think this is easily his most polished and refi ned fi lm to date. It manages to pay homage to fi lms of the late 1960s and 1970s such as “Easy Rider” and “Jeremiah Johnson.”

Hal Holbrook was great in his small role as widower and retiree Ron Franz. He gives a very moving performance in “Wild” as the last person McCandless befriends on the way to Alaska.

One of Franz’ most memorable scenes in the fi lm is his fi nal scene. Franz stops McCandless before he leaves and asks his permission to adopt him as a grandson. For Franz, this is his chance to save his family name, but McCandless postpones his answer till after his Alaska trip.

You can see Franz’ heartbreak by this rejection. He fears that this will be the last time he ever sees McCandless. Holbrook could very well have pulled a surprise win as Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars if a certain serial killer with an air gun had not been in the running.

Th e biggest revelation of this fi lm is the phenomenal breakout performance of Emile Hirsch. Hirsch does a great job “becoming” this character. He lost a lot of weight during the fi lming of this movie and I believe Hirsch should have been given an Oscar nomination. When the nominees were announced, the absence of “Into the Wild” from virtually every category except supporting actor and fi lm editing shocked the critics and Hollywood reporters.

I later found out on the web that some of the Academy members perceived the fi lm as nothing more special than a lesser remake of “Easy Rider.” I admit “Wild” has a similar story and themes, but it is more emotional.

Th is fi lm will forever remain in the Academy’s long hall of undeserved, shameful snubs.

‘Into the Wild’ portrays real-life story of man who hitchhiked to

Alaska to chase dreams

with Chris Allison, Collegian Staff DVD Corner

Gamers Guide: Elusive white console remains highly soughtBy Joshua RouseCollegian Staff

Where bii the Wiis?It’s been more than a year and

a half since the Nintendo Wii

launched and you still can’t fi nd one in the stores. I had to drive to Wichita Falls to fi nd mine. Others have been relegated to spending $300-$400 through scalpers on eBay. It’s like the Wii has become

the elusive white whale for gamers.Th e amusing thing about the

whole situation is how the Wii still manages to sell more than its competitors each month, according to the NPD group. Despite severe

post-holiday shortages, the Wii sold 274,000 consoles in January, which was 5,000 more than the Playstation 3, which is regularly in stock everywhere.

On the gaming message board NeoGAF, many users proclaimed, “you can walk into a store on launch day and buy a Wii.” After the failure of the Gamecube in the eyes of all but the most hard core of Nintendo fans, the Big N seemed to be on its last legs. Many analysts, including Michael Pachter, an analyst for Wedbush Morgan, predicted a Sega-style third-party shift for Nintendo.

How times have changed in the last 15 months. What do you have to do to snag the elusive console? Nintendo is averaging 300-400,000 consoles sold each month, so someone is hitting the jackpot and fi nding them.

But how? Th at question is just as hard to

answer as “what is the meaning of life?”

Th e best way you can even attempt to stumble across a Wii is to continue calling stores each day and harassing managers, hoping that they’ll cough up shipping information. Don’t believe them when they say they have no idea when a shipment will come in. Gamestop and other gaming specialty stores have regularly-scheduled ship dates for their merchandise.

Th e second best way to snag

the Wii is to check the weekly sales fl yers for stores like K-Mart, Wal-Mart and other retailers. If you have enough money to spend on gas, check the sales fl yers for Best Buy and Circuit City. When these stores advertise Wiis in stock, they’ll be on the store fl oor when the stores open on Sunday morning, but there’s no guarantee they’re going to be there for long.

Th ere are Web sites like www.wiitracker.com that keep a constantly updating database of the latest Wii availability. Th e only problem with most of the Web sites Wiitracker covers are only off ering insanely overpriced bundles. You can buy these, but you’ll be paying $500-$600 for the system and a bunch of accessories and games you’d probably never touch otherwise. But if fi nding a Wii is that important, this is going to be your easiest and most convenient way, though it’ll be the most expensive.

Don’t keep crossing your fi ngers and toes for an infl ux of systems either. Reggie Fils-Aime with Nintendo of America predicted this summer would be the earliest there would likely be a reverse in the current shortages.

With new games like “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” and “Mario Kart Wii” already out or on the horizon, the systems are going to continue to be in demand for a long time. Prepare for the scavenger hunt.

Variety10 March 24, 2008

Story by Bira VidalPhotos by Bira Vidal & Jim Horinek

Photo Collage by Bira Vidal

rospective Cameron students and parents had the opportunity to attend “CU Saturday,” on March 8 at the Cameron Th eatre. Th e event brought together high school junior and seniors who are considering Cameron University as their university of choice in southwest Oklahoma.

“CU Saturday” is an event that occurs every spring. Following its fall precursor, “Sneak Peak,” “CU Saturday” gives students the chance to learn about Cameron’s academic programs, student organizations and the common expectations in college.

Kara Morris, one of Cameron’s admission counselors, stated, “‘CU Saturday’ is a great recruiting tool used by recruitment when drawing high school soon to be graduates to CU.”

“‘CU Saturday’s’ goal is just to

“CU Saturday” gives Aggie perspective toprospective students

let [high school] junior and seniors to know what Cameron has to off er,” Morris said. “Th ey can get a feel of what college is going to be like.”

Students and parents at the event were able to come meet one of Cameron’s alumnus, Lindsay Hunt, who graduated from Cameron in 2005 with a degree in Communication. According to Hunt, Cameron has everything to off er a prospective student.

“Cameron University has one of the best one-on-one [professor-student] interaction,” Hunt said. “Cameron has a lot of diff erent activities and ways to get involved. It’s a fun college experience.”

Students also learned how to apply for fi nancial assistance and the costs of attending Cameron. Carol Claiborne, Interim Financial Assistance Director, explained

the steps and procedures required to apply for

certain scholarships available for fi rst time freshmen.

Claiborne said: “[Financial Aid] is a very important part of the [college] process. ‘Cameron Gold’ works in conjunction with OLAP. ‘Cameron Gold’ is a scholarship that makes sure you graduate from Cameron with all your main expenditure taken care of.”

According to Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Dr. Lance Janda, the decision of selecting a university can prove to be exhausting, but “CU Saturday” can alleviate the pressure for high school students of getting to know how college works.

“Choosing a college can be a tough decision for students and parents,” Dr. Janda said. “‘CU Saturday’ allows them an opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about the University’s numerous programs, majors and activities.”

Also, Dr. Janda explained that a degree at Cameron or at any other university would never lose its value over time. He encouraged students to think about the experiences and choices they would have while in college.

“A college degree will always open doors for you. You’ll need that degree to be there for you,” Dr. Janda said. “You can have experiences that you’d never have outside of college.”

Following the presentations from the Financial Assistance and Admissions directors, students had the opportunity to visit with diff erent academic departments and campus organizations in a browsing fair.

Aggie Ambassadors assisted with “CU Saturday” and gave tours of campus to students right after the event.

Smiling with Ole Kim: High School students pose with Ole Kim. Prospective students attended the annual “CU Saturday” that occurs every spring.

Lending a helping hand: Financial Assistance counselors answer some student questions about paying for a higher education.

Dr. Danny McGuire explains the Chemistry degree to a student. All academic departments were present at CU Saturday.

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