2005 sept.qxp - Our Lady of the Lake University

the
Lake Front
September 2005
VOLUME 15, ISSUE 6
Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio, Texas
OLLU aids Katrina victims, students
University gets
with the time(s)
Christina Barbee
Jesse Blanchard
EDITOR
LAKE REPORTER
Paperless being the new
vogue word, the university has
decided to scrap the time cards in
favor
of
the
Stromberg
Automated Timekeeping System.
Students, faculty, and staff
members on campus are now
asked to clock-in at one of the 23
biometric time clocks, which use
fingerprint recognition technology to identify each employee and
keep track of their hours.
"The university wanted to
offer direct deposit to all hourly
staff and students," said Angelia
DeBarros, director of finance and
services. "In order to offer direct
deposit the payroll office had to
achieve operating efficiency to
process the time cards."
For direct deposit to work
the bank needs the time cards to
be processed three days before
each pay date.
TIME 4
New faculty
get warm
reception
Jennifer Herrera
EDITOR
With the start of a new
semester, new students are found
wondering around aimlessly
through the halls, others with
scared expressions on their faces.
This same thought is not only
being felt by students but also by
new faculty members at OLLU.
Weeks before the fall
semester began two new additions were added to the OLLU
community. Robert Bisking,
PhD., serves as the interim dean
of the school of business and
Teresita Elena Aguilar, Ph.D.,
serves as dean of the school of
professional studies.
Although Bisking was a visiting professor in management at
OLLU, he still faces the same
challenges that Aguilar faces. But
both expressed that the administration personnel are working
very closely with each of them to
make the transition a little easier
for them to quickly begin work
within their designated schools.
Associate
provost
for
Academic Affairs Jacquelyn
Alexander, PhD, has nothing but
kind words to say of the two.
INTERIM 7
Inside
When Hurricane Katrina
struck the Gulf Coast Aug. 29,
many students in Louisiana
and Mississippi became displaced. OLLU, along with
other area universities, has
offered a helping hand to
those impacted.
“Of course we wanted to
help, it’s part of our mission,
to reach out, not only as a
Catholic university, but as an
institution of higher education,” said Dr. Mary Kay
Cooper, dean of enrollment
management.
Katrina reached a category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Scale just before
making landfall, according to
the
National
Hurricane
Center.
The complete and utter
devastation that has been
wrought upon the coast has
sent many fleeing to Texas
due to its proximity and willingness to help. According to
city reports, San Antonio can
expect to receive up to 25,000
evacuees from the New
Orleans Superdome to be
housed in both the Freeman
Coliseum and at Kelly Air
Force Base.
OLLU was one of the
first San Antonio universities
to offer aid to students in
need. The decision to enroll
students from the affected
universities came from the
OLLU President’s Council at
the highest level of the administration.
“Our primary objective is
to allow students into class as
soon as possible,” said
Cooper.
“They have had
enough tragedy, they don’t
need to worry about classes.”
The resolution was
made in order to allow students the opportunity to continue their educations. The
rebuilding of New Orleans
PHOTO BY RYAN MURRAY
“I am grateful for our community’s generous outpouring...especially the university taking on
students,” said Mimi Beck, assistant director of campus ministry.
will take months and as a
result, many students could
miss up to a year of school.
“We are doing this
because it’s the right thing to
do,” said Anne Gomez, assistant director of communications and marketing. “We
need to reach out to those
people and this is the unique
way that the university can
help.”
While The Lake will not
receive the notable numbers
the rest of the city is to expect,
it will still have its doors open
to those in need.
“As of now, we do not
know how many students to
expect, but since last night, I
have talked with a half-dozen
families,” said Cooper.
AID 4
U.S. News: OLLU a top-choice school
Alfredo Valenzuela
EDITOR IN CHIEF
In a recent study done by U.S.
News & World Report, OLLU was named
one of the best master’s-level universities
in the western region of the United
States.
“I think that’s good,” said freshman Dominique Ballesteros. “My brother came here and he said (OLLU) was a
good school.”
According to the America’s Best
Colleges report done by U.S. News,
LAKEAPALOOZA
Campus event gets
corporate sponsorship.
5
OLLU ranked 62 out of 65 schools in the
top tier. The judging criteria for this list
consisted of peer assessment, graduation
and retention rates, faculty resources,
student selectivity, financial resources,
and alumni giving.
As of August 2005, 271 students
were admitted into OLLU, this according
to Mary Cooper, admissions and advisement counselor. The unofficial retention
rate for freshmen was at 63 percent this
reported by Ricardo Anzaldua, director
of institutional research. The numbers,
when compared to 2004 figures, reveal
EMILY ROSE FALLS SHORT
Exorcism movie is full of
suspense and boredom.
that OLLU’s retention rate continues to
progress, this according to Anzaldua.
When news of the report done by
U.S. News broke, the OLLU community
had mixed emotions.
“This is a good thing. The ranking
will get OLLU’s name out there,” said
Amy Rodriguez, sophomore.
Sophomore Kathleen Becerra said,
“Our ranking is a good thing, however, it
still shows that there is room for
improvement.”
12
SCHOOL 3
LAB BRINGS NEW CLASS
Mac lab introduced to
OLLU art department.
6
editorial
Page 2
STAFF
editor in chief
Alfredo Valenzuela
uvalea
editor
Jennifer A. Herrera
uherrjen
Christina Barbee
uszumc
Melissa Gonzalez
ugonzmel
staff reporter
Jesse Blanchard
uszumc
Laura Arenas
uarel
Guinevere Guerrero
uarel
Marissa Cervantes
uarel
Valerie Reyes
uarel
layout and design
Chris Burrell
uburrc
photographers
Ryan Murry
umury
advertising
Vanessa Duran
udurav
contributors
Geraldo Alonso
adviser
Kay O’Donnell
odonm
press
San Antonio Press
The opinions published in The
Lake Front are not necessarily
those of The Lake Front staff
or the faculty, staff, administration or student body of Our
Lady of the Lake University.
The Lake Front publication
strives to inform, entertain and
communicate with The Lake
and its surrounding communities. Advertisement information
is available upon request.
Submission requirements:
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the Editor” is intended to
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community.
The Lake Front is published
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school year. The Lake Front
newsroom is located in the
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(UWAC) in Room 105.
Contact information:
The Lake Front
Student Publications
Our Lady of the Lake
University
411 S.W. 24th St.
San Antonio, TX 78207
(210) 434-6711, Ext. 2445
[email protected]
[email protected]
September 2005
Debt: the new face of reality
In the past the only thing to
fear was fear itself, however with
the rising cost of tuition here at
OLLU it seems as graduation nears
we should all prepare for a lifetime
of debt.
In a recent report done by
U.S. News & World Report, OLLU
ranked first among master’s level
universities whose students graduate with the highest amount of
debt. In 2004, on average each
graduating senior will leave OLLU
with a bill for $35,000 attached to
their diploma.
Who would have thought your
grade-school teachers were right
about college being a scary experience?
Remember how you were
always told there would be no
room for slackers in college and
that it would be the scariest thing
you would endure? Well for once,
your teachers were right.
Through the day-to-day lectures, monotonous lunches and
those dreadful exams, you pull
through and come out an educated
individual ready for the real
world.
The real world; just
another frightful experience
you did not anticipate.
Besides the worry of not
being able to find a job right
away, one also has to worry
about loan payments
kicking in six months
after graduation.
Yet, students
ILLUSTRATION
“I figured I would be in debt, but I hope to come out of
school with a good job which will allow me to pay off my
loans in about five to ten years.”
SOUNDING OFF
Do you think
OLLU has the
right to budget
your meal plans?
Everett Stamper
SOPHOMORE
in one way or another have
thought about the financial concerns related to higher education
prior to their enrollment.
“I figured I would be in debt,
but I hope to come out of school
with a good job which will allow
me to pay off my loans in about
five to ten years,” said sophomore
Everett Stamper.
With debt closely affecting
seniors, a couple voice their opinions.
“I am confident I will get a
job once I
graduate. If taking out a loan was
the only way I could attend school,
then I don’t regret my decision,”
said senior Mayra Murillo.
However, some students plan
ahead and apply for scholarships
like Daniel Farias, a senior here at
OLLU.
“My goal was to go to school
and not be in debt. Getting the
most out of an education and not
having to pay out of pocket was
important to me.”
So as you enter the real world,
be prepared to carry your check
book at all times, for being an
OLLU graduate has a hefty
price. But remember no one
can truly put a price on your
education.
And now it’s time for
you to clock out of OLLU.
Go- immerse yourself in
endless amounts of paperwork, countless headaches,
and several visits to your
psychiatrist for the stress
you will have to cope with
from leading a successful
career. But remember,
the payment is due on
the first of the month.
YOLOTL GARCIA
sophomore
"I don't have a meal plan,
but I'm glad I don't."
OLIVER DE LA GARZA
senior
"No, cause I'm old enough
to budget myself, it's my
money"
SONIA SANTA CRUZ
senior
"No, because it's my money
and I have the right to
decide how to spend it."
BY
JESSE BLANCHARD
KATHLEEN BECERRA
junior
"No, because it's our
money, we pay for it so why
should they decide for us?"
BABYPAN
comic by jesse blanchard
Wait.
Wait.
Walk... Sign...
is...
onnnnnn...
Hey babypan,
how’d you like
the new crosswalk?
Too
bossy.
September 2005
news/opinion
Page 3
OLLU grads ranked highest in debt
SCHOOL
CONTINUED
But what do studies such as the one done by U.S. News
truly mean for a school?
"Rankings don't tell the whole story; they leave out
important things about the school," said Dr. Leah Larson,
English department chair. "There are other things students
should look at; however it's good (OLLU) rated as high as it
did."
An article in The San Antonio Express-News on Aug. 19
also noted that OLLU ranked first among master's-level universities in the West with the highest amount of debt for
graduating students.
In 2004, graduating seniors walked across the stage
owing approximately $35,000, according to U.S. News &
World Report.
"We are a Catholic academic institution committed to
helping students embrace a higher education. In some
instances, it is counter-cultural among Hispanic families to
borrow money for anything - regardless of how necessary it
may be," said chief communications officer Susan Schleicher.
Students on the other hand have thought about paying
for their education.
"Knowing this shows how serious I should take my
studies. I need to commit myself, for in the long run, it will
only help me," said Roger Placido, freshman.
Sophomore Rodriguez said, "When you are in school
you work hard for something, yet you have to work harder
just to pay for your hard work. It's bittersweet."
PHOTO BY RYAN MURRAY
Consitution vs. personal views; new litmus test needed
Geraldo Alonso
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
We have recently witnessed the beginning of the
Senate’s confirmation hearings for President Bush’s latest nominee. This time the
nomination is to the Supreme
Court
following
Justice
Sandra Day O’Connor’s resignation over the summer.
Many of the President’s past
nominations have been hotly
contested by the Democrats
in the Senate because of ideological
differences
with
Republicans. The confirmation hearing of Judge John
Roberts will likely be as heated as Condoleezza Rice’s confirmation, because after all,
this nomination is to a lifetime appointment to the
nation’s highest court.
Both the Republicans
and the Democrats are
preparing for the questioning
of Roberts in order to find out
where he stands on various
ideological questions. For
instance, a likely ideological
question that Roberts will
have to answer is his stance
on abortion and whether or
not he would uphold or strike
down Roe v. Wade if given an
opportunity to do so.
However, a question
arises in my mind as to
whether or not the issue is
ideology or something much
deeper and consequently
much more important. The
question is the following:
Why is it that the Senate is
not more concerned with
whether or not Roberts can
uphold the Constitution
regardless of his own personal views on controversial
issues?
There should not be a litmus test on an individual’s
ideological leaning but rather
the test should see whether or
not a nominee can honestly
and rightfully uphold the law
of our land.
Regardless of your own
personal stance on political
issues justices such as Justice
Antonin Scalia should be
praised because he personally
sets aside his Conservative
ideology and looks to the
Constitution as his guide in
making rulings in the court.
This should be the main criterion when looking to fill
vacancies to all of the nation’s
courts.
If this test were followed
we would not have court rulings that allow state and local
governments to take private
lands from one individual to
give to another for business
expansions. Ergo, I believe it
is time that we follow new
guide lines because our collective freedom depends on it.
news
Page 4
September 2005
Paperless world makes transition into OLLU
TIME
CONTINUED
With about 700 hourly
employees (500 students, 200
staff), DeBarros said it would
be impossible to manually
process that many time cards
and have payroll ready to
transmit to each bank.
Employees will be limited
in which bank they may choose
to open a direct deposit
account. Initially, only Frost
and two other banks yet to be
named will be available, but
employees still have the option
of picking up their check in
person.
Before direct deposit can
be made available, however, a
few obstacles must be cleared.
“We have to make the system work first,” said DeBarros.
“Our first hurdle we passed,
making sure the hardware
worked. Next, we need to get
all the supervisors to approve
the cards by Monday at 10
a.m.”
The process took nearly a
year and $140,000 to complete, dating back to August
2004 when the time clocks
were first demonstrated.
Training for nearly 180 supervisors lasted throughout the
summer and started testing
payrolls on Aug. 6.
As of the second week of
school, there have been few
complaints.
Carmen Sauceda, who
works in enrollment, said that
it took too long to lookup each
of her student workers through
the computer. “It could've
been simpler,” she remarked.
A small poll of department supervisors showed little
negative feedback toward the
new time clocks, with most
saying the new system took
time to get use to, but was otherwise fine.
“It's a very efficient way to
keep record of student hours,”
said Adrienne Gomez, director
of campus recreation. “(It's) a
process that needed to happen
to help the university operate
better.”
Students likewise have
had little problems adjusting to
the new time clocks.
Rosemary
Mendoza,
director of student employment, reported that of the first
150 students enrolled in the
computer, only about five had
reported having troubles clocking in.
“I had to place my finger
three times before it recognized
me,”
said
Elvia
Hernandez, senior, who works
with health services.
Still, many of the students
questioned expressed relief to
finally be rid of keeping tabs on
their time sheets on a day-today basis.
“It's easier and very effi-
PHOTO BY ALFREDO VALENZUELA
New time clocks require fingerprint indentification for every student and staff member.
cient,” said Anthony Gomez,
junior, in his second year of
working for campus recreation.
“Now I don't have to
worry about losing track of my
schedule anymore.”
To keep an eye on their
hours, employees may regularly check EKiosk, one of the
new features of the Stromberg
system. Using their university
e-mail username and a password, students may log-on
and monitor their hours and
read comments left by their
supervisor.
This feature may be helpful, as payroll will not be
rounding up to the hour. Each
employee will be paid according to the exact number of minutes worked.
In addition, supervisors
will have the ability to compare
actual time worked to scheduled time for exception reporting.
“I think people like (the
new system),” said DeBarros.
“Some supervisors have taken
a little while to get use to it, but
they'll get there.”
Residence
halls prepare
for incoming
students
AID
CONTINUED
Each student is being
evaluated on a case-by-case
basis. Many are unable to
present transcripts due to the
damaging effects of the hurricane, however, The Lake is
offering to work with students
to place them in equivalent
courses for which they were
registered when the semester
began. This individualized
assistance will apply to financial aid as well.
“Which school a student is
from doesn't matter, we will try
to accommodate them in whatever way we can,” said Cooper.
OLLU will also be opening
its residence halls to students
who have had to evacuate their
own universities.
“We are doing room consolidation right now, but currently we are at 83 percent of
our maximum capacity of 636,
so there are some spaces available,” said Griselda Sanchez,
director of residence life.
There are more spaces
available to women than there
are to men, but the university is
trying to accommodate any
student who comes from one of
the affected universities.
“I wouldn't mind sharing
my (residence hall) with those
students. They have been
through a lot, and I feel bad for
them,” said Karla Salas, a
freshman living in Pacelli Hall.
Have an issue you need resolved?
A complaint you cannot handle?
Then let us know, we are here to voice your opinions. . .
The Lake Front
the voice of the students
news
September 2005
Page 5
Drama department: On with the show
Jennifer Herrera
EDITOR
In “Man of the Flesh,” a new twist to the Don
Juan story, which has been passed from generation to
generation, will be just one of the types of plays that
the drama department has in store for the 2005-2006
school year.
Many other productions will be occurring
throughout the fall and spring semesters, but this
school year will be a little different for the drama
department due to the return of the 24th Street
Experiment Theater, the semi-professional theater
company which was in residence at OLLU for 15 years.
The 24th Street Experiment Theater kicks off the
season for the drama department by presenting the
Athol Fugard play, “The Road to Mecca.”
The play focuses on Miss Helen, a widowed
woman who creates figurines, sculptures and other
odd art figures; she ultimately creates her own mecca.
Miss Helen befriends a teacher, who, with her help,
begins to see things from a different perspective and
ultimately inspires her to take charge of her life.
“The Road to Mecca” runs from Sept. 6-11; curtain is at 7 p.m., OLLU and the University of the
Incarnate Word students get in free with ID. Student
and faculty with ID tickets are $10 and regular admission is $20.
After a much-needed break, November has the
drama department in high gear beginning with “La
Calandria,” a performance by Rita Vidaurri with the
accompaniment of Mariachi OLLU. In the mid-1940s
Vidaurri was a highly sought-after performer in
Mexico, Central America and South America. The
event takes place on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. in Thiry
Auditorium.
The next major production is titled “Man of the
Flesh,” a student production of the classic Don Juan
story, but done from a new angle.
“This is a comic retelling of the Don Juan
story,” Assistant Professor of Drama Victor Trevino
said.
In the playwright and director Octavio Solis'
version of the Don Juan story, Don Juan is a landscape gardener; he falls in love with the young daughter of the family of the estate that he works for.
Humor, and of course mischief ensue. To make this
play even more interesting it takes place on the Day of
the Dead (Dia de los Muertos).
PHOTO BY RYAN MURRAY
The drama department trio of Ric Slocum, Vic Trevino and Roger Alvarez on the set of "Road to Mecca,"
which runs Sept. 6-11th in the 24th Street Theatre.
“There's a lot of work with masks and movement,” Trevino said.
Auditions will be held on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in
Room 101 of the Fine Arts Building and Sept. 8 at 6
p.m. in Thiry Auditorium. These are open auditions,
which means any student may try-out. Roles up for
grab consist of four men, four women and several supporting roles. Performances for “Man of the Flesh”
will occur during Nov. 8-13.
Also, in November, the drama department is
going to jazz things up a bit by hosting a Westside jazz
performance. The event takes place on Nov. 18, at 7
p.m. and will be held in Thiry Auditorium as part of
the Calle 24 series.
Most of the events that take place in November
will be accompanied with an exhibition of art work by
Miguel Covarrubias, a 20th century Mexican artist.
The exhibit will be put together by Humanities Texas
in the hallways of the Fine Arts and Humanities
Lakeapalooza gets corporate sponsorship
Valerie Reyes
LAKE REPORTER
Going on its fifth year,
Lakeapalooza will be offering something completely
different this time around.
This year's event will be
sponsored by the General
Motors
Acceptance
Corporation (GMAC) and
jam packed with extra goodies.
“GMAC picked two
(cities) out of the nation,
San Antonio and San Diego.
They visited the other colleges and universities and
decided to go with The
Lake,”
said
Catherine
Fragoso, assistant director
of campus activities leadership programming and student development.
Officially named Smart
Edge
Presents:
Lakeapalooza's
Latino
College Music Series, this
years event will feature
three musical acts, food,
games, prizes, and much
more.
Headlining
concert
stage will be none other than
Spanish sensation Juileta
Venegas. In April, Venegas
received an award from the
Billboard Awards De La
Musica Latina for Latin Pop
LAKEAPALOOZA
Friday, Sept. 30
2:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
UWAC Front Lawn
Album of the Year. Also hitting the stage will be Dragon
Fly and Grupo Metal.
Besides Venegas, the
University Programming
Council (UPC) will be sponsoring different events from
games to arts and crafts.
Not to mention a chance to
win a Chevrolet Cobalt or
two XM Satellite Radios,
along with a one year free
subscription, which GMAC
will be giving away.
Like the years before,
Lakeapalooza will be of no
cost but with one slight difference: there will be a cost
for food and beverages.
Tickets for food and drinks
will be sold the day of the
event.
For admission the only
tickets you will need are the
ones that will be given to
ensure the number of college students does not
exceed the limit. Tickets will
be available at campus activities from September 19-22
where you will need to show
your student ID. After that
the last day to retrieve your
ticket will be through the
GMAC booth on the 23rd.
Besides The Lake, the
huge musical event will be
open to college students
from UTSA, St. Mary's, the
Alamo Community College
District, the University of
the Incarnate Word and
select high school seniors.
“We expect to have a
crowd of 2,500 people show
up from area schools,” said
Rosuara
Molina,
UPC
Showcase.
Victor Salazar, UPC
President, mentioned at the
past two Lakeapalooza's the
event turned out better with
crafts in 2003 and 2004 it
seemed that there were
more people in attendance.
Salazar was very positive at
the possible turnout because
the event is being more publicized and more students
should hear about it.
“UPC will be faced with
something different that has
not been done before so
whether or not you've been
in the past, you should show
up and get a feel for it. It is a
free concert so come out and
enjoy it,” said Salazar.
(FAHU) building. Paintings and sculptures will be
displayed throughout the hallways.
“It's (Calle 24 series) designed to hold up the
artists from the West Side of San Antonio to San
Antonio in general and it's also been designed to build
an audience from the area surrounding OLLU and
develop real strong community relations between the
university and the surrounding community,”
Professor of Drama Ric Slocum said.
For the spring semester, the very popular
Valentine's Day Serenade by Mariachi Campanas de
America is scheduled. Held in Thiry Auditorium at 7
p.m. on Feb. 10 2006 at 7 p.m., the event last year
filled 1,400 seats.
Also in April, Carpa del Charco will be presented
by the Calle 24 series. Due to the increasing popularity of the event, it will be presented in Thiry
Auditorium. Carpa is “grown ups being silly, in a fun
way,” said Slocum.
Page 6
September 2005
news
September 2005
Page 7
Interim deans doing what’s expected of them
INTERIM
CONTINUED
“They both (Aguilar and
Bisking) have a passion for
their leadership roles and their
areas and they have new ideas,
good ideas, that should
strengthen the existing program and continue to build on
the foundation that was
already in place when they
came in,” Alexander said.
Bisking and Aguilar are
doing exactly what Alexander
expected of them, they are
finding new opportunities to
help better their students and
the department as a whole.
“What we intend to do is
stay connected with our external environment, we want to
stay connected with our current students, with our alumni,
and the business community,”
Bisking said.
Bisking is not new to management positions such as the
one he is currently in.
Previously Bisking was selfemployed as an organizational
development consultant and
while going through his doctoral program he intended to
downsize his consulting practice and go into teaching full
time, as a professor.
“Moving into this position
as interim dean was not necessarily on my radar scope, it
happened, it was a number of
things that pulled it together,”
Bisking said.
What Bisking plans to do
with the school of business is to
“put business back into the
school of business.” This is
unauthorized motto for the
school of business these days.
Alexander also went into detail
stating that OLLU is “trying to
revitalize the school of business in order to meet the competition.”
Aguilar, on the other
hand, is starting things off
completely from scratch. She
admits that she is still getting
the feel for the university, letting her name be known and
just observing the students,
faculty and administration.
As of late, she has been
meeting with the faculty.
Aguilar has been holding individual meetings with the faculty members to gain a better
understanding of their views.
“I’m using that (the meetings) to understand what people are doing in their programs,” Aguilar said.
After she has compiled
enough information based on
these meetings she will create a
vision that she plans on using
for the school of professional
studies.
According to Bisking, the
top three goals of the school of
business are to continue to stay
focused on the Association of
Collegiate Business Schools
100-year-old parlor
gets needed facelift
Laura B. Arenas
LAKE REPORTER
You may be wondering where all
the racket is coming from; it’s
OLLU's
historical
Renaissance
Parlor. Darrell Glasscock, supervisor
of OLLU's physical plant serves as
the Ty Pennington of the operation.
Since November 2004, the department has been working to restore the
over 100-year-old floor, ceiling and
walls.
“The parlor was not being used,”
Glasscock said. “With the nature of
space being as limited as it is here at
the university, we just don't have
room for unused space.”
While the renovation is taking
place, most of the furniture and
other artifacts are being stored in the
Moye basement as well as the fourth
floor of Main building. Most of the
relics will be put back, but due to the
objective of the parlor being publicly
utilized more often, some will have
to remain in storage for now.
By enhancing the area for the
furniture, paintings and other artifacts to be appreciated, Glasscock,
along with the Renaissance Parlor
Committee, hope it will be used for
various activities. The committee
was formed by President Tessa
Martinez Pollack just after the decision to renovate and is headed up by
alumni as well as Board of Trustee
member, Jennita Poston.
There are several members on
the committee; among them are
Carolyn Young, assistant director of
development and alumni relations
who discussed the parlor's past.
“The parlor started off as a place
for students, parents, friends, and
relatives could visit with each other,
but over the years ended up being
more of a look-but-don't-touch
place. We want the university at
large to be able to use it for committee meetings, officer installations for
organizations, small recitals…we
would like to have electronic
hookups in there.”
Rosemary Saenz, OLLU switchboard operator, reflected on the parlor's neglect as she has personally
witnessed it over her 23 years of
employment right in front of the
room.
“Alumni come back specifically
to see the parlor because they are
proud of it. I feel the renovation is a
great way to honor the founders and
give them something to be proud of.
The room really tells you a story.”
The parlor is expected to be
completed with most of the artifacts
back in their places by September,
just in time for Homecoming in
October. An unveiling by the committee is in the works. Upon completion, Glasscock estimates the total
cost of renovation to be about
$8,000 in which the funds from a
capital budget given to the department will be used.
Now here's a little history. The
origins of the Italian paintings and
furniture displayed in the Parlor
were from the Guseppi Fulloni Estate
in Rome but just before World War I,
they were shipped to San Francisco.
In the 1930's, Rock House Antique
Shop owner Jack Coffey of San
Antonio obtained the furniture from
an auction. Coffey's wife, Lorraine
and their daughter lent a helping
hand by arranging the furniture
using their own interior decorating
and craftsman abilities.
They were then given to a good
friend of Coffey's, Dr. John DeSalle
McMahon as a gift.
Upon receiving this generous
donation, McMahon felt they would
fit perfectly with the Lake's gothic
architecture. He felt the area in
which we now call the Renaissance
Parlor would be the best place to display the artifacts.
Glasscock and his workers still
have many tasks ahead of them; the
UWAC and Providence Hall dorm
rooms being top priority. So look for
to more hard work and renovations
to come.
and Programs (ACBSP) reaccredidation that is our “single
biggest initiative.” Next on the
list is “to make sure that our
strategic plan is implemented
and executed.” And lastly is to
review the content of the MBA
program to ensure it is relevant
and up to date with the needs
of the business community.
Another topic that will be
on the minds of many school of
business faculty members is
the Cyber Security Program;
the program has received a
national security agency certification. This program is one
that the department plans on
continuing to grow.
Aguilar’s main goal is to
make OLLU “very visible”
within the community as well
as outside the community. She
repeatedly states that OLLU is
an institution in which there is
an evident “student centered
leadership.” She strongly wants
to meet with the community
and become involved.
When speaking about
St. Martin’s Hall, she stated
that she has met with the
teachers and has offered to
bring her instruments to St.
Martin’s Hall and also to help
students with basic tennis lessons. She wants to interact
with every department that she
is under, regardless of what she
may have to endure.
“My responsibility is to
provide another perspective,”
Aguilar said.
Aguilar and Bisking are
still fairly new into their positions but are thinking ahead
and are looking at any way possible to help their students.
Alexander stated that she
hopes the two bring “a level of
commitment, passion and
expertise.” It seems as if they
have already completed that
mission.
news
Page 8
September 2005
Are you protected? Find out how
College students put themselves at risk everyday, are you
one of them?
Christina Barbee
EDITOR
According to the Center for
Disease Control and Prevention
(CDCP), 15 million Americans are
infected with sexually transmitted diseases (STD) each year and 63 percent
occur in people less than 25 years of
age.
With the beginning of a new academic year comes the possibility of STD
infections as new students leave the
shelter of home to experience a newfound freedom.
“It's easier to get away with more
when you're far away from home and
you don't have your parents around to
tell you what to do,” said senior Marisa
Rodriguez.
HEALTH SERVICES CALENDAR
STD week
April 3-7
For more information on this
events and many other events contact health services.
According to the Health Vibes calendar put out by OLLU Health Services,
STD week is scheduled for April 3-7,
therefore, there will not be an STD
awareness program scheduled by the
nurses' office until the spring semester.
However, students are encouraged
to become educated about these dangerous and even deadly infections as
soon as possible, According to OLLU
nurse Sarah Gormican.
“It is very important for students
to be informed about STD's,” said
Gormican. “We offer STD awareness
every year, and we have information in
the office in pamphlet form, and students can always talk to me confidentially.”
When visiting Health Services students can learn about the number of
different STD's that have become
prevalent in American society today.
According to the Medical Institute for
Sexual Health of Austin, Texas, there
are approximately 25 STD's currently in
existence.
Many students are unaware of the
many different forms and that sexually
transmitted diseases can have few to no
symptoms and if left untreated can
result in long-term negative effects on
the body.
“It is very important to me to be
protected because one experience can
change your life forever,” said
Rodriguez.
According to the CDCP, many
STD's can cause sterility in both men
and women; chlamydia and gonorrhea
are examples, and any sexually transmitted infection can be passed from a
mother to her child during childbirth.
In addition, STD's such as HIV and
syphilis can cause death.
There are a few ways for students
to stay protected against STD's. The
most obvious and most effective way is
abstinence. Students who are not
engaging in sexual activity are not putting themselves at risk.
Also, having sex with only one
uninfected partner with whom there is
good communication is an effective way
to stay safe. According to the CDCP it is
important to talk to your partner about
past partners and needle drug use.
Students should be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of STD
and be tested regularly. If treatment is
necessary, other partners should be
informed and those infected should
abstain from sex until treatment is
completed.
New school year brings new SGA voices
Guinevere Guerrero
LAKE REPORTER
The Student Government Association (SGA)
serves as the source for student voices to provide a
means of addressing campus wide issues. As the new
school year kicks off, SGA welcomes its new students
into office.
With new student leaders, OLLU can plan to see
new ideas and new goals as SGA leads the way in networking the student body and faculty.
The SGA office is still located in the UWAC but
new changes are taking place behind closed doors.
Officer transitions started with Amanda Concha passing the gavel over to the new SGA president,
Christopher Cavazos.
Erica Alatorre serves as vice-president, director
of records and finance is Joshua Check, La'Twanna
Taylor is the director of leadership development, and
Anthony Gomez fills the director of marketing position.
The Upper Class Representatives are Ernesto
Gomez, Cesar Roman, and Jose Saenz while the
Sophomore Class Representatives are Delilah Loredo,
Katrina Stone, and Lorina Valdez. The freshman representatives are Patricia Bedoya, Jasmyn Dexter, and
Eddy Hernandez.
Cavazos has his agenda book set and is ready to
put into place the goals of SGA.
“This year I have a lot of initiatives,” said
Cavazos. “Recruitment and retention is a big item on
the agenda.”
Cavazos hopes that general council meetings will
influence freshmen and other students to become
more active on campus.
“For general council meetings we want RSOs and
organizations to wear their shirts to show the different
types of clubs on campus and we want to call it SGA
Day,” said Cavazos.
In order to support recognized student organizations (RSOs), SGA has proposed a student fee referendum. Last year it did not pass and SGA is hoping this
year student will realize the benefits of this proposal.
PHOTO BY RYAN MURRAY
SGA members hold meeting for students to voice
opinions, concerns.
A $5 student fee added to the total tuition cost
for each semester would increase budget allocations
for student organizations and programs. SGA feels
this referendum will benefit the entire student body
and urges the students to vote “yes” on future ballots.
Freshmen representatives can look forward
to being treated with special care by SGA. Erica
Alatorre, SGA vice president, knows that keeping
freshmen involved in campus activities is important.
“We want to take care of our freshmen representatives because they will fill our shoes when we're
gone,” said Alatorre.
This year's freshmen will experience the revolving meal plan and might be able to provide a solution
or a temporary program that suits everyone.
The new meal plan changes proposed last year
and voted on by the general council took effect this
semester. However, the changes made were not what
the general council had in mind.
“We approved the meal plan change because we
had a different understanding of it. The new addition
to the café was going to be made so we came to this
compromise, but this is not what was first proposed to
us,” said Erica Alatorre.
Upper Class Representative Cesar Roman agrees
with the student body in that the new meal plan is a
major concern right now.
“Nobody likes the meal plan, but luckily, Reggie,
(director of food service), will be at the general council meeting to discuss this,” said Roman.
The general council meeting was be held Aug. 24.
in PWSR. This was the first scheduled event for the
semester.
Following the general council meetings, SGA will
host the first open forum of the semester on Tuesday,
Oct. 4 at 4 p.m. in PWSR. The open forum offers an
opportunity for students to voice their opinions, ask
questions, and receive the answers directly from the
right source. However, the SGA open forum is not the
only way for students to voice their concerns.
“The door is always open and we are constantly
checking the email account,” Alatorre said.
SGA wants the student body to be and stay connected.
Outside of campus, Cavazos plans to unite student councils around the San Antonio area with a conference hosted by OLLU.
“I would like to get guest speakers such as Julian
Castro or Patti Radle to give their input,” said
Cavazos. “I'm just looking for the budget to provide
the money for this idea.”
This is a new way to get student government
councils on college campus on the same page and
aiming for similar goals.
Students might wonder whether the new leadership will forget about old issues. However, to reassure
students SGA will continue providing the OLLU campus with outlets to wrestle and pin new issues affecting the campus as well as finding resolutions to existing questions and problems.
OLLU to receive two new federal grants
Jesse Blanchard
LAKE REPORTER
As college expesnes rise at a rate
perhaps only exceeded by today’s gas
prices, relief is in sight for a few students as Our Lady of the Lake
announced the addition of two new
Federal Grants.
The university received two major
grants, the US ED CAMP (College
Assistance Migrants Program) grant,
and the US ED TQE-R (Teacher Quality
Enhancement-Recruitment Program)
grant. Both will help to provide incoming students with scholarships and support.
“I never thought that I could afford
going to school until I recieved assistance from the grant program,” said
Bertha Ibarra, a junior and former
member of the CAMP program.
The CAMP program (five years,
$1.3 million) provides scholarships and
support to freshman migrant students
who may otherwise not have had the
opportunity
to
attend
college.
Incoming migrant freshman in the program attend orientations aimed at creating habits neccessary to succeed in
college. CAMP students also receive
their first year of tuition free of loans or
other charges.
“We try to build a solid foundation
in academics their first year so they can
continue into their second and subsequent years successfully,” said Maria
Gonzalez, Program Director of CAMP.
The US ED TQE-R program (three
years, $2.7 million) provides stipends
and scholarships for in-service and preservice teachers. The grant is a threeyear plan to recruit, prepare and retain
highly qualified teachers in critical
shortage areas in San Antonio.
“We’re very excited about how this
will benefit students,” said Dr. Jerrie
Jackson, Project Director of TQE-R.
“There will be some funds available so
that para-professionals (teacher assistants) can come to school full-time and
finish.”
news
September 2005
Page 9
Art department goes through changes, innovations
Marissa Cervantes
LAKE REPORTER
The summer offered
many changes to the art
department at OLLU. From
the renovation of the walls to
make for better art displays to
a new Macintosh computer lab
for students to create digital
and visual media.
The order for the Mac
computers was requested in
the spring and over the summer, they were set up. It took
the help of many IT techs on
campus to get this lab up and
running.
“We should really remember and thank all these people
who helped because without
them this would not have been
possible. It’s all really important to add them when saying
how we got these computers,”
said art department chair April
Atkinson.
Atkinson had to do continuous research to figure out
which hardware would be the
best to use for art. Through
her research, Atkinson discovered that the Mac is the industry standard computer for
visual and digital art. These
new computers can incorpo-
rate the old with the new and
will offer students an innovative way to look at art.
“Most of the programs
used for media projects dealing
with computers are Mac
based,” said Lacey Griffith,
junior.
The computers in the lab
are G5 Apple computers.
According to apple.com, the
G5s are the newest and fastest
computers available. They
have better graphics, more
memory, and run programs
almost two times faster than a
Pentium 4 based processor,
found in personal computers
(PCs).
“This is the first Mac lab
on campus. I’m really excited
about that,” Atkinson says.
The Mac computers will
also present an opportunity for
a new art and media curriculum. Students will soon have
the opportunity to take courses
in a certain field. In the following years, students will have to
take a prerequisite course to
learn how to use these programs.
The
computers
are
equipped with Adobe Creative
Suite,
which
includes
Photoshop, InDesign, and
POLICE BEAT
PHOTO BY RYAN MURRAY
New Mac computer lab allows students to learn industry-standard software and view art in a different way.
Illustrator.
According to
adobe.com, this is a unified
design environment combining full new versions of
Adobe’s professional tools,
through Adobe Bridge. This is
done to create integration in
this innovative software.
These are only a few of the
programs that these computers
have. The art department
hopes to acquire new programs
such as Final Cut which is a
movie making program, and a
few animation programs.
“I hope to get a better
understanding of some of the
new programs like Illustrator,
since I am looking in to many
career fields dealing with that
program. It would be useful to
have the background knowledge,” said Lacey Griffith.
Atkinson also mentioned
that this lab will be the beginning of an art program that will
provide all students with a firm
grasp of possibilities for art
making in the 21st century. In
addition, she hopes that this
to pick up his daughter who is a part
of the National Cheerleading
pants and put them back on. Association. The officer gathered
Sueltenfuss Library
San Antonio Park Police arrived at the suspect’s information. Nothing
May 6
location and had the suspect exit further reported.
Found Property
the lake. The OLLU officer issued
An officer was dispatched the suspect a criminal trespass Northbound Bridge
to the Library to recover a found warning. Nothing further reported. June 24
knife by a complainant. The knife
Incident Report
was discovered underneath a com- UWAC
An officer was dispatched
puter desk. No witnesses or owners May 20
to the North bound part of the 24th
have come forward to claim the Sick/Ill Person Report
street bridge for a report of a fire.
knife. It is secured in the police
An officer was dispatched Upon arrival the officer discovered
department’s evidence locker. to the UWAC for an injured person
the source of the fire was an abanNothing further reported.
report. Upon arrival the officer met don mattress. SAFD was notified.
with Health Services who stated the Nothing further reported.
Providence Road
complainant sprained his ankle
May 10
while playing basketball. The com- Maintenance Shop
Information Report
plainant refused EMS. The com- July 6
An officer was dispatched plainant was treated by Health
Graffiti
to the Mall Area for two individuals Services. Nothing further reported.
An order was dispatched to
arguing. The two individuals were
West Road to generate a report for
arguing over a set of spare keys to a Main Building
graffiti. Upon arrival the officer
vehicle. Both parties agreed to have June 7
observed markings across the yield
the keys dropped off at the police Injured Person Report
sign. Photos were taken of the grafdepartment in order to avoid further
An officer was dispatched fiti. Maintenance was notified.
confrontation with each other. No to the Main building to generate a
Nothing further
signs of physical violence. Nothing report for an injured person. Upon
reported.
further reported.
arrival the officer made contact
with the complainant, Residence
Providence
Life staff member, who stated she
May 13
missed her step outside of Main and
Criminal Trespass on School fell on both knees. The comProperty
plainant was tested and released
An officer was dispatched by Health Services. Nothing
to investigate an individual swim- further reported.
ming in the lake adjacent to
Providence Road. Upon arrival the Lot D
officer met with the suspect who June 16
stated he was cooling off in the lake Suspicious Person
and he lost his clothes. The suspect
An officer was disstated he had been drinking alcohol patched to Lot D for a report of
and used drugs prior to entering the a suspicious person. Upon
lake. San Antonio Park Police was arrival the officer met with the
notified. The suspect found his suspect who stated he was there
lab will prove as a model for a
much larger Mac lab to benefit
the students.
“This has been a complete
learning experience for me and
I hope the students will feel the
same way with this new opportunity that is being presented
to them,” said Atkinson.
If anyone has any suggestions in which would be some
good programs to add to these
computers, you can e-mail
Atkinson
at
[email protected].
515 SW 39th St.
July 8
Minor Traffic Accident
An officer met with a complainant, a visitor, who stated while
she was parking her vehicle she
failed to observe a cement drain
and struck it causing several
scratches on her vehicle and the
bumper slightly disengaged from
the body of the vehicle. Nothing
further reported.
Bookstore
July 23
Investigate Intrusion Alarm
An officer while on bike
patrol heard an alarm coming from
the Bookstore. Upon arrival the
officer met with the Bookstore
Cashier who stated she accidentally
set off the alarm. The officer made
a sweep of the Bookstore and found
no discrepancies. The alarm was
reset. Nothing further reported.
PHOTO BY
ALFREDO VALENZUELA
entertainment
Page 10
September 2005
‘Empty Room’ full
of sound on Veda's
latest album
(U-WIRWE) LAWRENCE, Kan. Veda is lead by the powerful vocals of
Kristen May. Her voice is an immediate
selling point as most people are blown
away by the sheer power of it. The
musical side is led by guitarist, Brian
Little.
His guitar leads mirror those of
Coldplay and Kansas City's own,
Elevator Division. Add in thunderous
drums and bass lines and you have
Veda, an indie rock band set to take one
listener at a time.
“The Weight Of An Empty Room”
has several standout tracks including
“It's All Happening On Broadway” and
“Song For A Friend” -- with its added
piano part and acoustic-driven bridge.
The bonus track on the CD, an acoustic
version of “Lover's Lie,” might be the
best one. Its simple acoustic part lends
itself perfectly to Kristen's soaring
voice.
The albums only weakness is the
fact that the band rarely goes more
than five seconds without having a
vocal part. The vocal parts are good, but
the album lacks instrumental prowess.
And although May's voice is incredible,
it sometimes seems overused.
Overall, this album has incredible
vocals, smart lyrics and interesting lead
lines will help put Veda on the forefront
of the Kansas City, indie-rock scene. If
you'd like to see them, they're playing
at El Torreon in Kansas City on Aug. 29
with MeWithoutYou and Dredg. Find
their album in most local CD stores.
Chris Brower
U. Kansas
PHOTO COURTESY OF ATLANTIC RECORDS
Death Cab makes tentative ‘Plans’
(U-WIRE) TUCSON, Ariz. Thanks to “The O.C.” culture and the
Postal Service, Death Cab For Cutie
signed to major label Atlantic Records
before recording its fifth full-length
album, “Plans.”
When a band signs to a major
label, the band usually assures its fan
base that nothing will change, except
more money will be spent on marketing. That's hardly ever the case, of
course. Undoubtedly, a band will
change its sound, be encouraged to
write a “hit” and find a new fan base full
of MTV-adoring teens.
Death Cab For Cutie said it
wouldn't change.
You have to wonder if they lied, or
-- like George W. with the WMDs in
Iraq -- were just mistaken.
While “Plans” is not completely
devoid of decent music, it's a big step
backward for Death Cab. Their last
album, “Transatlanticism,” showed
songwriter Ben Gibbard in top form,
and electronic side project the Postal
Service's debut LP was equally impressive.
Plans sees the boys using less
guitar and more keyboards, perhaps
trying to emulate what helped the
Postal Service sell more than any Death
Cab record ever has. But for Death Cab,
less guitar means too many ballads and
a sound that always seems too
restrained.
While Death Cab certainly doesn't rock that “hard,” the best moments
they have are when Gibbard and his
mates play with a little ferocity (see the
buildups in “Styrofoam Plates,” “We
Looked
Like
Giants”
and
“Transatlanticism”). There's not a point
on this record where you hear Gibbard
shouting into his microphone or drummer Jason McGerr more than tapping
his kit.
Guitarist Chris Walla once again
controls the boards and has proven
himself adept at making Death Cab
albums more layered with each subsequent disc. This time he has also
penned a song, “Brothers In a Hotel
Bed,” which -- with its long, slow piano
intro -- turns out to be one of the better
songs on the record.
Other highlights include the first
single, “Soul Meets Body,” which has
three different catchy melodies working for it, and the folksy acoustic number, “I Will Follow You Into The Dark.”
Lyrically, the song comes incredibly close to being too precious, as
Gibbard's songs often do. While the
song is certainly romantic, it's tough to
get any more serious than lines like,
“Love of mine / Someday you will die /
But I'll be close behind.”
While it's heavy on the cheese,
the sparse arrangement helps the song
work, and I'm sure it will be a constant
presence on couples' mix CDs for years
to come.
Other than that, this is the first
Death Cab record where most of the
songs are utterly forgettable. Maybe it's
not directly because they're now on a
major label, but Ben Gibbard's songwriting here is so safe, it's boring.
Let's hope he's just saving the
good melodies for the next Postal
Service record.
Nate Buchik
U. Arizona
First full album shows
Arcade Fire's potential
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROUGH TRADE RECORDS
(U-WIRE) SOUTH BEND, Ind. “Funeral,” the first full-length album from the
Montreal indie rock band Arcade Fire, reveals
the unusual sound that has won the band a
huge following around the world.
The innovative band uses a variety of
instruments and a large number of multi-talented members to make songs that fuse many
different types of music. The album is varied,
interesting and unexpected, and it, unlike
many albums, gets more enjoyable the more
that you listen to it.
The title of the album comes from the
fact that several band members experienced
the loss of family members while making the
album. The themes of loss, love and redemption are prevalent in songs like “Une annee
sans lumiere” and “In the Backseat.” The
album's information is even set up to look like
the program from a funeral.
Arcade Fire manages to make the somber
themes that pervade their album sound hopeful and uplifting while still providing a vivid
sense of the emotions about which they sing.
Songs like “Rebellion (Lies),” “Crown of
Love” and “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)”
reveal the soaring choruses, diversity of
instruments and building crescendos that
makes Arcade Fire stand out from other
bands.
Some of the songs are fantastic, but others still sound a little rough and seem as
though they might be better suited for live
performances. Even with a few weak songs,
the album as a whole is still enjoyable and
shows a huge amount of potential and enthusiasm.
“Funeral” was released in September
2004, and has slowly grown in popularity
thanks to word of mouth and Internet downloads. While not entirely embraced by the
mainstream, Arcade Fire have managed to
break out and gain a loyal following. The band
has even had the video for their song
“Rebellion (Lies)” appear on MTV2 and were
also a featured band on the station's Web site.
Fans can get more information about the band
from their Web site, www.arcadefire.com,
which features lyrics, photos, biographical
information and tour dates.
Arcade Fire formed around married couple Win Butler (guitar, vocals, bass guitar,
keyboard) and Regine Chaussagne (keyboard,
accordion, xylophone, vocals, drums) and
they eventually solidified their current lineup
in 2004. The band grew to include Richard
Parry (guitar, percussion, upright bass, keyboards), Tim Kingsbury (guitar, bass), Will
Butler (percussion, guitar, bass guitar), Sarah
Neufeld (violin) and Jeremy Gara (guitar,
drums).
The band uses a wide variety of instruments, and they frequently switch playing
duties while performing. They are known for
their innovative use of percussion during live
shows and use helmets and other unusual
objects to achieve a unique sound.
Arcade Fire have toured around the
world, and the band was recently invited by
U2 to open their November shows in
Montreal.
Overall, “Funeral” is much livelier and
more optimistic than the title would lead you
to believe, and it reveals a great depth of feeling and passion within the band.
The album gets better after repeated listenings, and it reveals the huge potential that
Arcade Fire has for future success.
entertainment
September 2005
Good seat, dirt cheap; local
venues host talent daily
Melissa Gonzalez
EDITOR
Although mainstream music might
draw the most listeners, do not overlook the
power of independent acts; they all had to
start somewhere.
With the dramatic increase of ticket
prices for many mainstream acts, music
devotees often fail to notice that there is no
need to pay $50 to see “true” musicians.
From rookie garage bands to your
local regular bar bands, the underground
artists are still clawing their way to the top
and waiting for their big break putting them
entirely in a league of their own.
No glitz or glamour, not even a dressing room; local artists do not carry the
excess baggage of fame and fortune, they
just stick to the music.
Bands across the country are entertaining music-goers for less then the price
of a movie. Surprisingly, their local fan base
is what keeps them going strong. San
Antonio especially holds true to this musical
ideal. The Alamo City has seen its share of
bands arrive, conquer, and move on to bigger or better pursuits; from bands such as
The Union Underground to up-and-comers
like Girl in a Coma.
The Sanctuary, a local hot spot, is
definitely seeing its bigger share of crowds
and acts alike. Although they have hosted a
few big-ticket performances, such as
Mudvayne, The Sanctuary still adheres primarily to local/underground musicians.
The months of September and
October for local clubs are going to be an
independent label artists' stomping ground.
For instance, Sanctuary is proud to be hosting Go Betty Go and American Eyes with
special guests, Girl in a Coma, Kevin Goes 2
College, and Magnolia Electric Co on Sept.
21.
In spite of having a strong rockmusic following, San Antonio music enthusiasts display just as much diversity as the
city. San Antonio's legendary rock venue,
The White Rabbit, has been generously
lending its facilities to local “ravers” in their
back room every Friday night until 5 a.m.
Their next big event will be Sept. 16, an electronic music concert series, “For the Love of
Dance.”
San Antonio's own version of the
famed club CBGB, The White Rabbit continues to usher in some of the best local
music the city has to offer for the price of
$6. Stop by Thursday through Saturday
and take in some live rock 'n' roll at one of
the cities most nostalgic of venues.
Seeing bands not your thing? Every
third Tuesday of the month Casbeers Bar
and Grill hosts a free open jam session from
8-11 p.m. where you can be the entertainment. Bring an instrument or just yourself
and take advantage of the opportunity to
take the stage with fellow San Antonio
musicians, exhibiting their vocal talents as
well as their instrumental abilities.
As the price of gas continues to fluctuate, keep in mind that you can still find
entertainment a stone's throw away. All of
the featured venues are located in northcentral San Antonio (The College District) a
mere 15 minute drive from OLLU. Students
and San Antonians alike can take the time
to explore the city's underground music
scene and see what it has to offer.
EVENTS CALENDAR
September
October
4
4
5
17
20
21
23
24
As Cities Burn
White Rabbit
"Disney Live! Winnie The
Pooh"
Majestic Theatre
Wayne Shorter
Jazz 'SAlive
Therion
The Sanctuary
Journey
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Chevelle
Sunset Station
Alkaline Trio
My Chemical Romance
Reggie & The Full Effect
Sunset Station
5
6
9
13
16
From Autumn To Ashes
White Rabbit
B.B. King
Sunset Station
Santana
SBC Center
Neil Diamond
SBC Center
Luis Miguel
SBC Center
Death From Above 1979
Nine Inch Nails
Queens Of The Stone Age
SBC Center
Page 11
‘Fixation’ fails to
deliver hits,
misleads listeners
Melissa Gonzalez
EDITOR
With a much-anticipated release, Shakira, Colombia's
hottest export since Juan Valdez Coffee, dropped her fourth
studio album titled, “Fijación Oral Vol. 1.” The Latin songstress
who wooed fans with her English crossover album, “Laundry
Service,” four years ago is back. She is literally looking to shake
things up, not only in the industry but her personal assets as
well.
With a career that includes 25 million albums sold, three
Grammys and a 13-time platinum-selling album, Shakira has
certainly upped the ante for her latest creation.
She personally wrote, produced and recorded every track
for “Fijación Oral Vol. 1” herself, but she did not do it alone.
Shakira contracted executive producer extraordinaire, Rick
Rubin of Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Slayer fame,
for some assistance as well as renowned guest rapper,
Alejandro Sanz, to lend a lyrical helping hand in the smash hit,
“La Tortura,” the first single released in June.
The all- Spanish album exhibits the more private side of
Shakira as well as her reclamation of her Latin roots. Her
album consists of 12 tracks comprised from the depths of
Shakira's inner-most thoughts and feelings, including her insecurities.
Lyrically, “Fijación Oral Vol. 1” is comparable to folk
singer/songwriter Jewel's 1995 chart-topper, “Pieces of You.”
This album gives listeners a candid look into Shakira's musical
ups and downs, tackling the perplexing subject of love.
She captivates listeners with sultry love ballads but
attempts to stick to her musical persona of being a true rock 'n'
roll girl at heart; this is especially apparent in the song
“Escondite Ingles” with its No Doubt-like drum beats complementing strong female vocals.
Shakira spared no expense when obtaining a variety of
musical instruments to accompany her enchanting melodic
voice. Some of the most exotic instruments used were flugelhorns, metales, baterias and bajo sextos, which typically are
associated with Mexican or norteño music.
Though “Fijación Oral Vol. 1” is predominately Latinsounding, a few tracks stray from this or at the very least add a
new spin. In “La Pared,” a captivating keyboard drifts in and
out of the chorus reminding listeners of a neo-classical style
much like super-band, Coldplay.
Shakira has already set a release date of Nov. 15 for her
English follow-up CD titled, “Oral Fixation Vol. 2”.
Whether you're an old fan, a new one or not one at all,
Shakira's “Fijación Oral Vol. 1” is definitely a unique album
that's worth giving a fair listen to. The album seems somewhat
inclined for more mellow, music
enthusiasts but it still embodies
individuality; something that is
not apparent in pop charts at
the moment.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHAKIRA.COM
Page 12
entertainment
September 2005
A thrill ride that 'Rose'
and never came down
Alfredo Valenzuela
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Screen Gems latest thriller yearns to tell the story
of a 19-year-old girl who becomes possessed by six
demons during her freshman year in college.
However, “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” raises
some questions. Some of you rely on belief while others
need proof in order to consider an issue factual, but
what do you do when the
only facts you have are
your beliefs?
Based on a true
story, “Emily Rose”
has its share of suspense and excitement for about the
first 45 minutes.
From the day of
possession
to the day
of
her
death, the
first
45
minutes will
have you on the
Hollywood hunks fail to
thrill in ‘Brothers Grimm’
OXFORD, Miss. - Matt Damon
and Heath Ledger have to be two of
the most popular actors out there
right now.
After all, their movies are good,
and the girls absolutely love them.
But maybe they should stick to
drama and chick flicks.
At least that way they can still get
voted hot guys in various women's
magazines.
The duo's latest project, “The
Brothers Grimm,” from Dimension
films, proves to be an uncanny mix of
every fairy tale we've all heard as children, but it's also been found wanting,
if not for acting talent, then maybe for
a decent choice in script ideas.
The only thing I found interesting about this one is how Damon and
Ledger illustrated that popped collars
were popular even in the late 1700s.
So here's the plot: Damon and
Ledger are brothers under the name
Grimm. Thus the name “The Brothers
Grimm.”
Basically, they're con men who
are wandering around French-occupied Germany.
All of this is set at the end of the
18th century.
They pretend to destroy various
ghosts in small, superstitious towns.
After a close encounter with certain French officials, they find themselves out and fighting a real witch
who is a mix of every evil form in storybooks.
Though the beginning of this
film is relatively entertaining, I'm
afraid after about 30 minutes, it only
sinks.
There is just not enough at stake
in the movie.
The plot leaves you constantly
waiting for the climax, then you think
to yourself, “maybe it's already happened.”
The movie's built up with great
visuals and other special effects, as if
they alone were enough to keep the
viewer conscious.
It's as if the writers spent so
much time trying to incorporate fairy
tales into a two-hour story that the
creators forgot there is something
more important than being artsy:
writing a good script.
Certain gore elements definitely
keep this one from being a children's
film.
The overly fantastic nature of the
movie kind of distracts more mature
audiences.
It's not a good date movie (I can
personally vouch for that one), and if
you and your buddies go out to see
this one, then you may leave halfway
through.
I guess the only audience I recommend this to is one that enjoys
movie viewing under certain controlled substances.
Don't waste your money on
this one.
Andrew Abernathy
(U. Mississippi)
Rating:
edge of your seat. The rest of the movie will have you on
the edge of your seat – ready to exit the theater.
“Emily Rose” is a combination of the original exorcist and Law & Order episodes. Since the movie is based
on the actual events of a case the plot line drives of the
trial of father Richard Moore. An audio taped recording
of the exorcism played during the trial is a crucial role in
the court case.
After what seems like an eternity, the trial is over
and the jury is sent to deliberate. Delivering a verdict of
guilty the jury sentences father Moore to time served
while the filmmakers offer up an hour and 54 minutes of
a plot lacking stimuli. “Emily Rose” could be used as a
teaching tool for future filmmakers on what not to do
when filming a movie.
The court scenes in this movie drag so much they
would have made the 9-11 hearings an exciting event to
have to sit through.
Overall, “Emily Rose” is a decent movie. However,
for those of you expecting a great movie, you should go
see the “40-year-old Virgin,” because “Emily Rose is not
one of those movies. If you have nothing better to do,
and have already seen Steve Carell make a fool of him
self, then you should consider “Emily Rose.”
Rating:
‘Virgin’ proves Carell a star
TUCSON, Ariz. - With
Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell and
the Wilson brothers flooding the market for the last
couple of years, it was about
time we saw a new face carrying a comedy. The only
thing that puzzles me is why
it took so long to get Steve
Carell a starring role.
Carell had memorable
turns in “Anchorman” and
“Bruce Almighty,” but made
his biggest splash in his
years as a correspondent on
“The Daily Show.” Given
that it's his first lead role in
“The 40-Year-Old Virgin,”
he is nothing short of brilliant.
Carell plays Andy
Sitzer, a middle-aged man
who rides his bike to his job
in the stock room at Smart
Tech (think Circuit City),
lives in a one-bedroom
apartment with his action
figure collection, watches
“Survivor” with his neighbors ... and has never had
sex.
His
co-workers
befriend him when they
find out that he's a virgin,
instantly creating a nice
ensemble cast with Paul
Rudd (“Anchorman”), Seth
Rogen (“Freaks and Geeks”)
and newcomer Romany
Malco. Each guy has a different strategy to help Andy
find a girl, and we watch as
Andy follows everyone's ter-
rible advice.
While he goes out to
bars and is encouraged to
hit on everything that
breathes, Andy actually
meets Trish (Catherine
Keener) right across the
street at the “We Sell Your
Stuff on eBay Store.” Trish
is divorced with three kids,
and while Andy likes her,
he's nervous about making
a fool of himself his first
time.
Their relationship is
chronicled, as are the lives
and relationships of Andy's
newfound friends.
While it is fairly long
for a comedy, the movie has
several pretty hysterical
scenes and a plot that doesn't get stale. Andy's character, seemingly unrealistic
on paper, is completely likeable and dynamic thanks to
writing that is much
smarter than most run-ofthe-mill comedies.
The film continues a
long line of successes for co-
writer and director Judd
Apatow, who created television shows like “Freaks and
Geeks” and “Undeclared,”
and
produced
“Anchorman.”
But Carell steals the
show here, as those who
used to watch him on “The
Daily Show” knew he
would. He's one of the funniest actors in Hollywood,
and is more than a one-trick
pony like Ferrell or Jack
Black.
So dedicated to his
craft that he actually had his
chest waxed during one
fateful scene, Carell goes all
out for laughs and provides
something fresh in a year
that hasn't seen many big
laughs.
Here's hoping Carell
will be making us laugh for
years to come.
Nate Buchik
(U. Arizona)
Rating:
RATING SCALE
Do Not Bother
Mediocre
Decent
Worth Your $
Classic