Commencement speaker chosen
Transcription
Commencement speaker chosen
C M Y K News 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% SGA elections underway Features Sports T u e s d a y, M a r c h . 2 7 , 2 0 0 1 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PA I D Evans takes over Alumni Association PERMIT NO. 32 St. JOSEPH, MO Ristic bring enthusiasm to tennis team M i s s o u r i W e s t e r n S t a t e C o l l e g e a t S t . h t t p : / / w w w. m w s c . e d u / ~ g r i ff y J o s e p h V o l. 7 9 No. 20 Commencement speaker chosen Room, board cost to raise Senator Carnahan next year Jon Sullivan News Writer Missouri Western residents should expect slightly thinner wallets next semester. Students gathered March 21 in Vaselakos basement to listen to Dean of Student Affairs Don Willis and President James Scanlon. The issue brought forth was the expected 4.66 percent increase in residents’ room and board next semester, which was approved at the Board of Regents the next evening. “We are not trying to compete with other schools and off camTotal pus living,” Willis increase said. “But comfor suites pared to other $81 schools, we’ll still have the lowfrom $1,378 to $1,819 est room and board in the state.” Total Willis and increase Scanlon told the for apts. students most of $92 the money will be from $1,971 going into the cafeto $2,063 teria and food court. The increase Total can also be blamed additional on the increase in revenue utility prices as well as the need $137,000 for another custodial person. “We are trying to keep the cost to the lowest level,” Scanlon said. The 4.66 percent increase would raise room rates by 4.62 percent and board rates by 4.71 percent. The total increase per semester for suites would be $81 and for apartments would be $92 bringing in an additional $137,000. The increase accommodates both housing and the 15-5 meal plan for students. In the March 22 Board of Regents meeting, Assistant Dean of Students for Residential Life and Housing John Comerford said that the increase would free up more budget money. “This will give us a chance to enhance service to our students and give more one-on-one.” The students wanted to know what changes in the cafeteria would take place because of this increase. “The cafeteria style is going to be done away with,” said Willis. The traditional style of standing in a line and picking up food is being abolished, which is going to take major renovations. “We’re going to go to a made-toorder and prepared-to-order format where it will take about 90 seconds per person,” Willis said. In order to achieve this, there will also be a need for new equipment. Not only will this new equipment make it easier and quicker to get the food to the customer, it will also improve the food’s quality. “One of the things the new operation will do is get new equipment to See Room, board page 2 Inside Today NURSING: Nursing students will be able to enroll in Perioperative Nursing. This class is a chance for students to do hands-on work with doctors at Heartland Regional Medical Center. Page 4. Accuweather.com weather Tuesday 3/27 High:46, Low:30 Brief showers Winds: NE 13mph Wednesday 3/28 Friday 3/30 High: 44, Low: 31 Cold and cloudy Winds:NE 8mph High: 52, Low: 26 Cloudy Winds:N 6mph Thursday 3/29 Saturday 3/31 High: 50, Low: 34 Possible showers Winds:N NE 3mph High: 49, Low: 26 Cloudy, Some Sun Winds:E 4mph index news 2, 3, 4 photo 8 opinion 6 entertain. features 7 sports 9 10, 11, 12 to speak at May commencement Beth Tuttle Opinion Editor @griffon.mwsc.edu This spring Missouri Western will be honored with the presence of Sen. Jean Carnahan, R-Mo., as the commencement speaker on May 12. The news was announced at the March 22 Board of Regents meeting by President James Scanlon. Carnahan was secured to be the speaker after Scanlon, Executive Vice President James McCarthy and Beth Wheeler, director of Extended Campus, sent letters to the senator requesting her attendance. Communication between these people and Carnahan’s office in Washington, D.C., made it possible. “We’re fortunate that Senator Carnahan can make time in her busy schedule to come here to Western,” Scanlon said. This sentiment can be found all over campus as students share their excitement in the senator’s appearance at such an important event in a college student’s life. Dixie Sullenger, graduating senior communications major, was among those showing enthusiasm towards the event. “She is coming to my graduation?” Sullenger said. “I am so honored that I will be able to hear her speak.” Dan Leistikow, spokesperson for Carnahan, said she shares the feelings of the students in looking forward to the event. “Senator Carnahan is excited to come to Missouri Western and speak to the students there,” Leistikow said. “Graduation is an important time in students’ lives when they are making transitions towards great things.” Wheeler said Carnahan is also looking forward to celebrating this time with students. “I have known Sen. Carnahan for several years, and she was pleased to come to Missouri Western and St. Joseph to be a part of what we’re doing to help prepare students and to help celebrate and recognize that at graduation,” Wheeler said. Carnahan’s commitment towards higher education in Missouri began long before her election in 2000. Throughout her husband, Mel Carnahan’s, time in office, she was a strong advocate for Missouri education. After her husband died in a plane crash on Oct. 16, 2000, she was given the opportunity to serve See Commencement page 4 BOR has eventful meeting Eric Jarvis News Writer New Aramark contract promises many changes Aramark Food Services 5-year bid is accepted by Missouri Western attractive signage to bring the students to us,” Pederson said. “The only major changes we propose are slight adjustments to the main dining halls.” Those proposed changes would involve an extension of the buffet lines that would put several new employees behind Josh Hall them to run what Willis has described as Entertainment Editor @griffon.mwsc.edu an “assembly line for students tastes.” “Let’s say you wanted a chicken fajita, The times, they are a-changing, but first you would tell the person behind the Missouri Western’s food service won’t be counter you wanted a shell, and they for at least five years. would get it,” Willis said. “Then you All of this came to pass at a recent could pick out fresh ingredients right in Board of Regents meeting where it was front of you, keep moving down the line decided that Aramark’s bid of five years to finish off your toppings, then pick out plus three one-year extensions would be a few side dishes made fresh before payaccepted. Though it may come as a sur- ing the final person at the end of the prise to some, it was not a shock to those line.” who sat on the food services committee, These proposed changes, coupled with including Dean of a new seasonal menu sysStudent Affairs Don tem, are designed to give I’d have to say Willis. students what Willis “I’d have to say that, described as “21st centuthat, given their given their circumry dining in a 21st centustances, Aramark has ry environment.” circumstances, done a tremendous job Willis said the dining these past eight years, halls Missouri Western Aramark has done has now and I can’t wait to see are somewhat what’s coming next.” behind the times. a tremendous job Willis said, who was “The dining halls we speaking in reference to have today remind me of these past eight proposed changes in not a mess hall,” Willis said. only the main food court “You get in line, have years and I can’t and dining hall but also them put food on your changes to the Evan R. wait to see what’s plate and then you head Agenstein Science and to the next spot in line. Math Building and coming next. Students don’t want that Frank Popplewell anymore. They want food Classroom and that’s fresh, hot, and -Don Willis Dean of Student Affairs Administration Building. made exactly to their From artist renderings specifications.” of the changes, it was shown that Beyond the taste factor, Pederson also Aramark plans a massive remodeling said he realizes that students quickly effort that will give all of the food service grow tired of the same food day in and stations on campus a much sleeker, mod- day out. ern look. Partially funded by campus “Students will go through an average money, these changes would begin tak- menu selection in three weeks. Once ing place in late summer and should be they’ve done that, they’ll quickly grow concluded by the end of the spring tired of what you offer and begin to look semester next year. elsewhere for something new. It’s up to In an attempt to lessen student fears of us to change that and begin offering more construction, Monty Pederson, sen- more items on a part-time, or seasonal ior director of business development at basis.” Aramark, was quick to point out that all That kind of a la carte system is the of these changes are purely cosmetic and same type in place at larger universities would require no shut-downs or delays in such as Northwest Missouri State service. University in Maryville, and it is the “For the most part, we will just be type of system that not only Willis but adding seating, better lighting, and more See New Aramark page 2 Importantinfo Proposed changes to Missouri Western’s dining facilities are expected to begin this summer and conclude by next spring. These changes, said to be cosmetic in nature, includes new warming plates and other kitchen improvements. Salad bars, grills, lighting, refrigeration and new signs are all on the “to do” list for the proposed projects which could reach a final price tag of over $300,000. Final arrangements for funding of this project are still undetermined. Cafeteria Deli-Made-to-order meals Splash-Refreshments Crisp-Salads, veggies, fruits Morning- Breakfast Dining Area Kitchen Food court Dining Area Kitchen The Board of Regents meeting on March 22 began with the presentation of a resolution from the Missouri House of Representative to President James Scanlon. Sue Robinson, administrative assistant to the executive vice president, presented the resolution to Scanlon to welcome him to Missouri Western and to send best wishes for continuing success. Scanlon thanked the campus community for the warm welcome given to him and his wife Lauren, since their arrival in St. Joseph. He outlined the strategic planning process, and said he would go into more detail on the plan at the next meeting. There was then a brief presentation of the “Greater St. Joseph Community Plan” by Lynn Snyder, director of institutional advancement that outlined Missouri Western’s role as one of seven partners in the plan. Scanlon said community involvement is extremely important. “There are very few areas in the community that Western can-James Scanlon not connect with,” MWSC President Scanlon said. “I really look forward to our community plan and meeting.” Aramark’s recent bid for the food service contract was approved. John Comerford, assistant dean of students for housing and residential life and chair of the College Food Service Committee, said the committee learned a lot throughout the process. “We did build into this new contract the means for allowing for student change,” Comerford said. A series of town hall meetings were held on March 7 and 8 allowed students, staff, and faculty to give their feedback. The committee was pleased with the planned renovation of the cafeteria and the deli, and also considered the ability to change food concepts from week to week. Comerford said students seemed impressed with the proposed cookedto-order concept that will be in place after the renovations, and he said other comments received were favorable towards the proposed changes. “Aramark went above and beyond and suggested more changes,” Comerford said. Room rate increases of 4.66 percent were proposed to the board for next year, however, students who register for their rooms on March 26, 28 and 29 will be getting their rooms next year at this year’s rate. The new plan will include free bathroom cleaning twice a month. The need for additional funds comes as a result of the renovations in the cafeteria with the Aramark contract, and the addition of a custodian and an assistant director of residential life to the staff. Dean of Student Affairs Don Willis said, “Students are still getting quite a bit more here than many schools have to offer and at a much better price.” News Page 2 • Tuesday, March 27, 2001 T H E News Notes Importantinfo. SGA Candidates Non-traditional scholarships announced by the college G R I FF O N SGA election primaries start Thursday Abbe Miller News Writer Olu Aregbe and Kim Buretta Missouri Western State College announced the 2001-2002 scholarships for non-traditional students Feb. 26. The scholarships include: Brookdale Presbyterian Church for Single Parents $1,000 scholarship; the Wilfred and Mary Kisker scholarship; the Ambassador $1,000 scholarships for 10 non-traditional students; the Eugene Juda Family scholarship and the Charlene McHugh PEO scholarship for one non-traditional female student, preferably majoring in music, with at least 12 completed hours and a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA. Deadline for the scholarship applications is March 30. For more information, contact Ellen Smither in the non-traditional student office at 271-4280. Chad Scheiter and Patrice Meyer Scott Widener and Zach Ramsay Primaries March 29 and 30 Final elections From front April 11 and 12 Room, board cost to raise next year keep food at the proper temperature,” Scanlon said. Willis wants to achieve a food-courttype setting in which all students, who live on or off campus, will enjoy eating at. “I’m envisioning all the glass opened up and people just come and go as they please,” Willis said. The food court setting could be what those students who leave campus to go for lunch are looking for. “My major goal is to get an increase in the flow of non-resident-hall students in the cafeteria,” Willis said. Overall, students seemed to be pleased with the ideas of where the money is going to go, but some students did not seem so eager. “The money should go to fixing up the dorms,” said Alyson May, one of the residents attending. The future of Missouri Western will be in the hands of the students once again March 29 and 30 when students will have the opportunity to vote in the primary presidential elections for the Student Government Association leaders. “The student body president is the chief executive of the SGA, whose main objective is to represent and be the voice for all MWSC students,” said current President Olu Aregbe. “The position of president can be considered the primary representative of the students’ needs and interests.” Aregbe, who is running for a second term, said the six presidential hopefuls will continue to actively seek election by adorning the hallways with campaign posters and speaking to campus clubs and organizations. These six candidates, who are From front New Aramark contract promises many changes also others such as John Comerford, assistant dean of students for residential life, would like to see here on campus. “Aramark has promised some pretty exciting things and I, for one, can’t wait to see these changes go into affect,” Comerford said. “What we’ll be looking at is a leap of 20 to 30 years in our dining arrangements. That level of change has to be for the better and it’s something I think the students will grow to look forward to as much as we are.” Willis echoed those sentiments by saying, “The main dining hall we have is still using a system that’s been outdated for probably 20 years. On any larger campus you’ll find all of the changes Aramark is talking about already in effect.” The system they speak of has been in use at Northwest Missouri State University for about eight years as of this date. However, The Griffon News was unable to speak with a Northwest representative to gain their opinion on the merits of these changes. Calender of Events Tuesday, March 27 •Spring Career Fair, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., SU 218-219 •“Success by Six: Early Childhood Education,” with Sally Coffman, sponsored by Psi Chi and Psychology Club for Psychology Awareness Week, 3 p.m., JGM 224 •The Rock, sponsored by the BSU, 7 p.m., MC 101 •Coffee and Conversation, All non-traditional students welcome, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., SS/C 202 Wednesday, March 28 •Psychology Display Area Trivia and Bake Sale, sponsored by Psi Chi and Psychology Club for Psychology Awareness Week, second floor, JGM •“Get A Room,” program, different room in the same hall, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., Housing Office •Griffon Baseball vs. NWMSU Bearcats, 1 p.m. Doubleheader, Phil Welch Stadium •Griffon Softball vs. Emporia State Hornets, 2 p.m. Doubleheader •America’s Funniest Hypnotist Dan LaRose, sponsored by Campus Activities Board, 7 p.m., MC 101 •“My Brother, Myself,” presentation by the Office of Unity Services, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., MC 214-216. •BINGO, sponsored by the Residence Council, 8 p.m., SU Cafeteria Thursday, March 29 •“Get A Room” program, any room available, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., Housing Office •Literacy Luncheon for Literacy Action Week, sponsored by the Literacy Coalition, 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m., SU 218 •Disney World Internship Presentation, Career Services, SS/C 202 •Fitness Workshop, 8 p.m., Leaverton Basement •Twilight Los Angeles 1992, presented by the Black Theatre Alliance and the Office of Unity Services, 8 p.m., MC 101 Friday, March 30 •Disney World Internship Interview Day, Career Services, SS/C 202 •Psychology and the Law, with Dr. Saul Kassin, sponsored by Psi Chi and Psychology Club for Psychology Awareness Week, 4 p.m., JGM 224 •Making the Most of Teaching, Learning & Duck...Duck ... 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Send story ideaS to [email protected] Technology in Higher Education, teleconference co-sponsored by Continuing Education, 12 p.m.-2 p.m., LRC 102 •Last Day to drop individual and complete classes, Registrar’s Office •Twilight Los Angeles 1992, presented by the Black Theatre Alliance and the Office of Unity Services, 8 p.m., MC 101 Saturday, March 31 •Griffon Baseball at TSU Bulldogs, 2 p.m. •Griffon Softball at UNO Tournament, TBA •13th Annual History Bowl, All day – No Charge, A 201 and A 205 •C-Base Examination, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., A 304 •Twilight Los Angeles 1992, presented by the Black Theatre Alliance and the Office of Unity Services, 8 p.m., MC 101 Sunday, April 1 •Griffon Softball at UNO Tournament, TBA •Deadline for Summer Graduation Applications •Twilight Los Angeles 1992, presented by MWSC Black Theatre Alliance and the Office of Unity Services, 4 p.m., MC 101 Fraternities * Sororities Clubs * Student Groups Earn $1,000-$2,000 this quarter with the easy Campusfundraiser.com three hour fundraiser event. No sales required. Fundraising dates are filling quickly, so call today! Contact Campusfundraiser.com at (888) 923-3238, or visit www.campusfundraiser.com. STILL CRAZY AFTER 23 YEARS ANYPRINTED ALL & CASSETTES (Pre-Owned &New) NOVELTIES POSTERS INCENSE SUNGLASSES (Over 1,000 designs) (Body Jewelry Also) Min. $6.00 Purchase Limit 1 Expires in 30 Days Record Wear House Belt &Mitchell Shop. Ctr. Min. $6.00 Purchase Limit 1 Expires in 30 Days Record Wear House Belt &Mitchell Shop. Ctr. Min. $6.00 Purchase Limit 1 Expires in 30 Days Record Wear House Belt &Mitchell Shop. Ctr. Min. $6.00 Purchase Limit 1 Expires in 30 Days Record Wear House Belt &Mitchell Shop. Ctr. COMPACT DISCS N E W S SHIRT BELT& MITCHELL SHOPPING CENTER JEWELRY running on three tickets comprised of a hopeful president and vice president, realize the primary elections are crucial to their success. Chad Scheiter and Patrice Meyer, Olu Aregbe and Kim Bretta, and Scott Widener and Zach Ramsay understand that after the votes have been tallied from Thursday and Friday’s election, the race will be narrowed down to just two tickets. After one of the pairs are eliminated at the primaries, the remaining two tickets will continue to campaign until the final elections, which will be held April 11 and 12. Here, students will also be voting on twenty senatorial seats, as well as referendum items, including a proposal to increase SGA fees. Student Affairs intern Dixie Sullenger said in order to be nominated, presidential hopefuls must secure petitions, containing 120 signatures, while senatorial hopefuls must be a full-time student and have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. “I think that these elections and Senate promote leadership, and leadership at college promotes a quality education,” Sullenger said. “And as students, we should strive to obtain that kind of education.” Students will be able to vote for their favorite candidates at all of Missouri Western’s registration terminals, which are located throughout the majority of campus buildings, said LaShandra Acklin, SGA projects director. “The voting process is all done on computers, which means it is automatically tallied at the end of the election period,” Acklin said. “Dean Willis and I are making sure that everything is accurate for elections.” After the polls have closed and the final count has been made, the candidate with the majority of votes will be sworn in two weeks later to become the new Missouri Western SGA president. Campus Crime Report West Campus 3 4 5 2 6 1 7 100 ft. Clockwise from top center: Spratt Stadium, Fitness Center. Halls: Logan, Beshears, Juda, Leaverton, Vaselakos. Buildings: SU, MC, LRC, SS/C, JGM, A, FA, PE, PS, S/M. 1. FRANK POPPLEWELL CLASSROOM & ADMINISTRATION BUILDING MARCH 8, 8:30 A.M. – LARCENY Corporal Bidding received information from a Missouri Western employee that a Panasonic VCR had been stolen. VCR valued at $325. Offense/Incident Report completed about the theft. 2. JANET GORMAN MURPHY ACADEMIC CENTER MARCH 8, 1:30 P.M. – HARASSMENT Officer Rucker was contacted by a female student who gave a written and verbal statement that she was being harassed by a male non-student. Rucker took a description of the male and completed an Offense/Incident Report about the harassment. 3. M.O. LOONEY HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION & RECREATION BUILDING MARCH 7, 6:55 P.M. – MEDICAL CALL Officer Elam responded to a call regarding a male who was having a seizure in the arena area. When Elam arrived, the male was unconscious and an ambulance was in transit. Victim was transported to the hospital and an Information Report was completed about the medical call. 4. FITNESS CENTER MARCH 8, 9:00 P.M. – LARCENY Officer Brown responded to a call from a male student regarding his wallet and a watch that had been stolen from the Fitness Center. The watch was valued at $25. Corporal Whittington had spoken previously that day with another male in the center regarding the same wallet, but produced no new evidence to its whereabouts. Student gave a written statement of the theft and reported its original larceny had taken place Feb. 21. Offense/Incident Report completed about the theft. 5. LOGAN HALL MARCH 5, 3:00 P.M. – STRANGE MESSAGE Officer Rucker responded to a call from a male student regarding a strange message that was left on his answering machine over the previous weekend. Message was copied and booked into evidence, and an Information Report was made about the message. MARCH 9, 7:20 P.M. – FOUND ITEMS Officer Brown responded to a call from Housing staff that reported finding two empty gun cases and a disassembled rifle. No ammunition was found and an Information Report was completed about the found items. 6. MISCELLANEOUS ON CAMPUS MARCH 4, 12:20 P.M. – DRUG SALE SOLICITATION Officer Elam was advised that a student had been approached regarding the purchase of marijuana on campus by another student willing to supply the illegal substance. Information Report completed about the solicitation and forwarded to the law enforcement authorities. 7. ROADS, DRIVES AND PARKING LOTS MARCH 5, 4:30 P.M. – 6:30 P.M. – VANDALISM Officer Elam responded to a call from a male student in Parking Lot F who reported that two right side tires had been slashed on his vehicle and a carbonated soda beverage had been poured on his windshield. No holes or cuts were found in the two right side flat tires. No witnesses or suspects were named. Victim completed a written statement and Elam completed an Offense/Incident Report about the vandalism. MARCH 6, 7:54 A.M. – TRAFFIC ACCIDENT Corporal Bidding responded to an accident involving three vehicles on Downs Drive in front of the Evan R. Agenstein Science & Math Building. Two of the vehicles had stopped to allow for pedestrian crossing when a third vehicle hit one of the vehicles, causing a chain-reaction that pushed it into the other stopped vehicle. Occupants in the first vehicle were transported and treated at Heartland Hospital. Summons for Careless Driving issued to the driver of the instigating vehicle, and Missouri Uniform Accident Report completed about the accident. MARCH 8, 1:20 A.M. – VEHICLE TOWED Officer Johnson observed a vehicle that had been parked in a 15-minutes space in front of the Leaverton Service Drive. The vehicle had been previously tagged as one to be towed if found illegally on campus again. When the tow service was contacted and arrived on campus, the vehicle driver would not cooperate with Johnson or the tow service employees. Vehicle was towed off campus and Information Report completed about the incident. MARCH 9, 7:45 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. – PROPERTY DAMAGE Officer Rucker spoke with a female who stated that the driver’s side rear window of her vehicle had been shattered while in Parking Lot H. Female stated that the damage had been done while she was in class. Offense/Incident Report completed about the vehicle damage. MARCH 12, 6:36 P.M. – TOW WARNING Officer Elam observed a vehicle in Parking Lot H that had expired plates, has a right rear tire missing and a car jack holding the rear-end off the ground, and does not belong to a residence hall resident or an enrolled Missouri Western student. The vehicle has been in this condition for two months. Information Report completed and a tow warning placed on the vehicle. MARCH 15, 7:25 A.M. – 5:10 P.M. – VANDALISM Officer Rucker responded to a call from a male student that his vehicle was damaged while it was in Parking Lot H. The vehicle had been keyed, leaving a seven inch scratch on the driver side rear quarter panel. Offense/Incident Report completed about the vandalism. News T H E G RI F F O N Tuesday, March 27, 2001• Page 3 N E W S Hazing mythology Iota Phi Theta in the making Greek hazing rumors prove unsubstantiated at Missouri Western LaTonya Williams News Editor [email protected] Within the Greek community there are many myths and rumors. A large rumor is that all fraternities and sororities engage in hazing acts as a form of initiation. Missouri Western Greeks strongly disagree. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, hazing is to harass by abusive and humiliating tricks. Ernie Stufflebean, assistant dean of student affairs and advisor to the Inter-Greek Council, said every individual chapter has a policy against hazing. “All student conduct rules apply to hazing,” Stufflebean said. “Many think that hazing is only physical abuse and that’s not true. For example, embarrassment, like carrying a paddle, can be considered hazing. It may be harmless fun, but it’s still -Ernie Stufflebean hazing.” Many Missouri Asst. dean of student affairs Western Greeks agree. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. sister LaShandra Ackin said hazing is looked down upon among her sisters. “A sorority is based on unity, community service, academics and above all, sisterhood,” Acklin said. “If your chapter is found guilty of hazing, you may lose your affiliation and your chapter could be dissolved.” Blum Desravins, president of Phi Beta Sigma would not risk losing his chapter over hazing. “We were just recognized in March of 1998,” the senior criminal justice major said. “We wouldn’t put our chapter in jeopardy.” Jay Muller, president of Tau Kappa Epsilon said things are often blown out of proportion in regards to labeling things as “hazing.” “Without the Missouri Western ‘rumor mill,’ these things would not even be topics of discussion,” Muller said. Muller said hazing is strictly against TKE’s bylaws. “Any active member found guilty of intentionally hazing any active or candidate is brought before our fraternity judicial system, and then dealt with accordingly,” Muller said. Stufflebean said many chapters everywhere do things that, by law, can be defined as hazing. “Sometimes students participate in acts willingly, like branding,” Stufflebean said. “That’s what makes enforcing policies difficult. Students must understand that hazing just isn’t tolerated here.” Another myth about hazing is black fraternities and sororities participate in hazing activities more than other Greek organizations. Alicia Byrd, member of Zeta Phi Beta, said if hazing occurs, it knows no color. “There are white fraternities that carry around paddles, have to steal street signs or embarrass themselves publicly,” Byrd said. “Also, I have heard they may be forced to consume large quantities of alcohol. These things all are hazing. There are just as many white Greek organizations that have lawsuits against them as black ones.” Stufflebean is in the process of trying to develop a set of policies for the Missouri Western Greek system. “I want to collect information on all chapters on campus,” Stufflebean said. “It’s easy to put something down in writing, but with things like hazing, there are a lot of gray areas. I want to fix that.” When it comes to hazing, Alpha Gamma Delta President Patrice Meyer said she sees things perfectly clear. “Alpha Gamma Delta has a very strict no-hazing policy,” Meyer said. “We follow the state guidelines, because it is the law, and it’s the right thing to do. I wouldn’t trade being a Greek for the world; we’re so much more than alleged hazing. I wouldn’t trade anything for the sisterhood I’ve gained in my college years.” Tyrone Gethers Jr. News Writer A new fraternity is in the process of surfacing on campus. Senior Kirk Proctor is in the process of establishing a chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. “I thought the ultimate challenge would be founding an organization that isn’t already here and making it last on campus,” Proctor said. Proctor has been a member of Iota Phi Theta since August of 2000. He has already begun to make his name and face known. “I couldn’t find anything within any organization that interested me,” Proctor said. The speech communications major is actively involved in student life. During Black History Month, he put up famous African-American quotes each week around campus. Proctor has also participated in his immediate community by being involved with his first resident bar- becue. “I’m trying to make others aware of my fraternity’s existence,” Proctor said. Many are happy to see a new Greek organization come to campus. Ernie Stufflebean, associate dean of students, said the new fraternity will bring new life to campus. “We are very supportive of any organization that tries to come on campus,” Stufflebean said. “The more Greeks, the stronger the Greek life.” Proctor said his fraternity has many unique qualities. “My fraternity stands out alone as being one of the last historically black fraternities established,” Proctor said. “We are different but we exist. We build character in young men.” The struggle is difficult, but Proctor is taking it day by day. By observing other fraternities, he is learning how they maneuver and what they have already accomplished. “By taking what I have learned from them, I’ll then do my own thing,” Proctor said. “I don’t want to mimic them. I’m just taking notes.” Other fraternities welcome the idea of having a new organization on campus. Alpha Phi Alpha member Roy King III said having a new black Greek organization on campus bring more African-American representation to Missouri Western. “I say, more power to the young man,” the commercial art major said. “It’s good to see that he’s taking the role and responsibility to establish something like this.” Proctor said once the colony of Iota Phi Theta expands, it will be well worth it. “It’s about what you possess within yourself,” Proctor said. “I was willing to accept the responsibilities that came with being a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc.” Rub a dub dub, a bunch of Greeks in a tub . . . Phi Mu sorority and Phi Delta Theta fraternity steamed it up out side the Nelle Blum Student Union last week while co-sponsor ing a Hot Tub-aThon that began at midnight, March 22, and lasted for three days. Pictured from left to right: Melissa Figg, Lori Whittle, Jenn Crossen, Brian Farwell, Adam Gillan Inter-Greek Council making plans to strengthen authority over all Greeks Stephanie Howard Editor in Chief [email protected] Under the direction of Ernie Stufflebean, associate dean of Student Affairs, the Greek system at Missouri Western is about to see a few changes. As Greek advisor, Stufflebean said he plans to give Inter-Greek Council more authority over all Greek organizations. “Greek organizations are relatively new on campus,” Stufflebean said. “They need some sort of governing structure.” Ideally, Stufflebean said, IGC would be such a governing body. In order for IGC to have this authority, however, they would need participation from 100 percent of the Greek organizations, said IGC President Patrice Meyer. “IGC will never be able to function fully without the support of every Greek organization and the administration,” Meyer said. “At the current time, we are supported by about three-fourths. It is not a bad thing, but it’s hard to communicate at times.” To solve that problem, Stufflebean had the suggestion of making involvement in IGC mandatory. Should any Greek organization refuse involvement, they would lose recognition. This is not a regulation that could happen overnight, though. “It’s an on-going process,” Stufflebean said. Regardless, Stufflebean said there is a need for the Greeks to be more organized and governed. In order to accomplish this goal, Stufflebean said they would need to create a new constitution with new guidelines. “There is already a constitution,” Stufflebean said. “It doesn’t meet the needs of what’s required to govern, though.” To begin with, Stufflebean said he plans to develop educational workshops about things such as risk management and hazing. He said he also plans to create policies about such topics. “It’s not an issue as to whether or not they’ve done anything wrong,” Stufflebean said. Stufflebean does not think any of the organizations would oppose his plan. Phi Sigma Kappa President Chad Scheiter said Stufflebean’s plans would benefit the Greek system. “We need a little bit of guidance,” Scheiter said. Meyer agreed with Scheiter and Stufflebean. “By mandating involvement in Broadmoor Apartments • 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units • 2 full baths in 2 and 3 bedroom units • Central A/C and heat • Washer/dryer hookups in 2 and 3 bedroom units • Water, sewer and trash included • 2 swimming pools/4 lighted tennis courts • Fully equipped laundry facility • Cable TV available • Emergency maintenance • Professionally managed Ask About Our Renovated Units! 3601 Gene Field Road St. Joseph, MO 64506 (816) 364-2421 Office Hours: M - F: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sat: 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. IGC, it doesn’t make it optional,” Meyer said. “That’s why Panhellenic runs so smoothly.” The National Panhellenic Association is a governance organization for sororities. Each of the four social sororities is required by their nationals to be part of Panhellenic. Panhellenic Vice President Aimeé Steger said it is more than a governing body. “It is an organized way to keeping the four sororities involved with each other,” Steger said. Panhellenic oversees the formal recruitment of each organization and provides an outlet for members to voice concerns. A similar organization, Panhellenic, is set up for the historically black sororities and fraternities, and all four of the recognized organizations are part of it. Another governance body, Inter- Fraternal Council, is an option for fraternities but has not been formed at Missouri Western. Stufflebean said the size of the Greek system, though, does not war rant IFC. “I’m a big advocate of IGC,” Stufflebean said. “We already have Panhellenic for the sororities and Panhellenic for the historically black organizations. Adding IFC would create a large hierarchy for such a small system. Stufflebean said he is more concerned about the system as a whole as opposed to individual aspects of it. “In my eyes, if it’s going to survive, it’s going to be as a whole, not as individuals,” Stufflebean said. “It’s kind of like ‘united you stand, divided you fall.’” TAN YOUR HIDE 232-2TAN 2401 N. Belt Hwy. St. Joseph, MO 64506 ????????????????????? ??????? Body piercing -Belly button only $35 -Call for an appointment Don’t know what classes to take next semester? Best Deal in Town!! -Unlimited tanning only $25 a month -Must show college ID Sign up for JOU 210, and you’ll never doubt again. ??????? News Page 4 • Tuesday, March 27, 2001 Students get hands-on experiences Jon Sullivan News Writer This year, some of Missouri Western’s nursing students will have a chance to get down to the real meat and bones of their work. For the first time, nursing students will be able to enroll Perioperative Nursing. This class is a chance for students to do hands-on work with doctors at Heartland Regional Medical Center during surgery. “It will help nursing students confirm their interest in a career in operating room nursing or nurse anesthesia,” said Roger Voelkel, the professor and designer of the course. The class is an elective course of 97 contact hours in which 78 will be spent outside of the classroom in actual clinical practice. The prerequisites are Nursing 340, 358 or a registered nursing license. “We have always felt a need to have more elective courses in the nursing specialty,” Voelkel said. Only 15 students will be allowed to enroll in the class. Students are already showing interest. “I want to get a kind of broader field of what the nursing career offers,” student Chad Huskamp said. Heartland has wanted to collaborate with the nursing program for awhile. Jay Hales, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist at Heartland wanted the nursing students to get more experience during actual surgery. “This class will help the students understand how the patient moves through the entire surgical procedure from beginning to end,” Hales said. After the 19 hours of actual classroom work, the nurses will have seven hours of lab work, then five hours of preoperative preparation. They will then go into normal nursing practice. Nurses will have to work in all three areas of nurse training. After six hours each of scrubbing, circulating and nurse anesthesia the student has the choice of doing 48 hours of whichever they prefer. Each student will have a Clinical Teaching Associate. So the students will have flexibility of times they can work as long as it is when their CTA is working. “By having hospital staff become Clinical Teaching Associates the students will be allowed to do hands on care with an instructor for the college being present,” said Hales. Students will get lab experience keeping things sterile, working with anesthetics and working with intravenous fluids. “The students enhanced training in IV fluid management, IV drug administration and sterile technique will make them more competent in those facets of nursing,” Voelkel said. “And they can apply that to any specialty or arena of practice.” From front Commencement speaker chosen in his place should he win the race posthumously. According to a biography found on http://carnahan.senate.gov/Bio.html, Missouri’s knowledge in her husband’s beliefs allowed her the chance to work in his place. “On election day the people of Missouri showed their faith in Mel Carnahan’s ideals and their confidence in her to continue his work on behalf of Missouri’s families, by giving Carnahan a 48,000 -Jean Carnahan vote plurality.” Missouri Senator As she carries on her husband’s work, she will bring her sense of the importance of education to Missouri Western when she speaks. It is also a coincidence that Carnahan speaking here on May 12, will be just four days short of a year after her husband spoke here on May 16, 2000. “It will be almost a year to the day that Governor Carnahan was at Missouri Western to announce the A+ agreement between Missouri Western and Hillyard Technical Center,” Wheeler said. This family commitment that the Governor Carnahan had towards higher education is also shared and welcome Carnahan to town," Wheeler said. T H E National News Shortage of nurses, nursing students hits Midwest Karen Schwartz Michigan Daily(U. Michigan) (U-WIRE) ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Nursing school enrollment has dropped nationally by 21 percent in the past five years, and the University of Michigan has nearly mirrored the trend with a 15 percent decline in undergraduates during the same period. This has implications for hospitals and other nursing centers as well as for the educational facilities the nurses attend. The issue, which first appeared on the East and West coasts, is now GR I F FO N N E W S also affecting the Midwest. University spokeswoman Sally Pobojewski said the number of job openings is up within the University Health System, which includes three hospitals as well as outpatient clinics. This year the average number of positions available has risen from a previous average of between 75 and 100 openings to 150 openings. “If we’re looking at a trend, we do have more openings now than we did before,” Pobojewski said. “It’s an issue we’re certainly taking very seriously here.” She attributed the problem to the high demand for highly qualified and skilled nurses, as many hospitals are looking to hire top candidates. “It’s taking longer to fill vacancies in specialty areas such as intensive care. All hospitals want to hire these people,” Pobojewski said. The University Health System currently has a 7 percent vacancy, with 153 out of 2,200 positions open. To recruit the best from the available pool and retain the current staff, Pobojewski said, the system is part of a program called “Becoming an Employer of Choice,” which is aimed at creating an environment in which people prefer to work. The health system’s recruitment team is keeping tabs on national market trends and looking for new ways to find and keep the most qualified possible employees, she said. School of Nursing Dean Ada Sue Hinshaw said she thinks the way to expand the applicant pool is to establish nursing as a profession open to both men and women with diverse backgrounds. “Then we’ll see more people coming in to the profession,” she said. “The major shortage issue for the school means a drop in enrollment and people who are going to be out there to take care of patients and families,” Hinshaw said. Hinshaw said women today have many career choices and are choosing to accept higher-paying jobs in fields like law, business and medicine instead. National statistics agree, she said, as research shows the number of young women choosing nursing has dropped 38 percent in the past 25 years. Hinshaw said the field should invite more male participation and that students as a whole don’t realize the opportunities nursing holds as a career. “They picture someone who takes care of a patient in a hospital,” Hinshaw said. “That’s a very important part of what we do but there are also many other opportunities.” Other options in the nursing field include working with schools or community health, going to graduate school and providing primary care as a nurse practitioner, doing clinical research or starting a business. She added that jobs are offering incentives from bonuses to flexible work schedules to higher pay rates for people interested in nursing and that now is a good time to get into the field. “These grads are being wooed by major agencies around the country and that gives them lots of opportunities of where they want to go and what they want to do when they finish. You can pretty much name your own spot,” Hinshaw said. Residents catch ‘Zs’ in Leaverton Hall Sleep program brings education, tranquil bedtime to students Jon Sullivan News Writer Resident students of Missouri Western will be sleeping better than ever after being recently invited to an insomnia workshop in the basement of Leaverton Hall. “The initial intent was to inform students living on campus of sleeping disorders and ways that they can get sleep to make them more productive students,” said Resident Assistant Leslie Miller. The workshop had three speakers talking about the affects of insomnia. Along with Miller, David Ishmael and Zac Coughlin also spoke. “The reason we did this program is because I have to live with insomnia,” Coughlin said. Coughlin has experience with sleepless nights and knows it can affect student life. Tips were given to students on how to avoid insomnia such as what to eat and what not to eat before going to bed were mentioned. Students were also told not to work out in the evening because it is harder to sleep when the blood is flowing. “I’ve worked out before I’ve went to bed and not been able to sleep, now I know why,” resident Amy Kerling said. Students got the opportunity to practice meditation, which was a series of breathing and stretching. Besides the meditation, a few more tips were given out for a good night’s rest. “If you want weird dreams, eat bologna and hot dogs before you go to sleep,” Ishmael said. Students who attended that suffer from insomnia may be better off now from participating while those who thought they might have had a problem got a better understanding of the disorder. “I don’t have a sleeping disorder, I think I do the wrong things before going to sleep,” Kerling said. After the presentation, prizes were given out including blankets, pillows, and a portable CD player. Warning signs of Insomnia ZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZ •Trouble falling asleep •Waking up frequently during the night •Waking up and having trouble going back to sleep •Trouble sleeping well without medication •Excessive thinking or worrying in bed •Worrying about 'not sleeping' •Light sleep, poor quality sleep, nonrestorative sleep •Irregular or erratic sleep •Insomnia associated with chronic pain •Other similar sleeping disorders or sleep problems Sigma Lambda sponsors coming out night Ruth Doornink Sports Editor [email protected] Fear was the overall sentiment shared by students, graduates, parents and professors who participated in A Night of Coming Out Stories, sponsored by Sigma Lambda, on March 21 in the LRC Little Theater. Rich Fine, co-founder of Sigma Lambda and Missouri Western graduate, spoke of the fear he felt as a Christian gay man. “I grew up in a very religious family and we went to church at least twice a week,” Fine said. “Because of that I was forced to make a decision as a child. Should I lie to myself or should I be true to myself? I chose to lie to myself because I felt God wouldn’t accept me.” The turning point for Fine came at the pride festival in Kansas City. While there, he was invited to see Mel White, a ghostwriter for Colin Powell and Jerry Falwell, speak. At that event, several members of the clergy from area churches came forward and asked the crowds’ forgiveness and he took communion for the first time as a gay man. “That’s when I felt for the first time that God didn’t hate me,” Fine said. Tim Baylor, associate professor of sociology at Missouri Western also related his story with the audience. Instead of being afraid of the religious implications that being gay had, Baylor’s fear rested closer to home. His fear came with com- Barb Centeno speaks about the familiy difficulties involved with being gay at A Night of Coming Out Stories on March 21. ing out to his parents. On his 25th birthday, Baylor received a card from his parents saying that he was an individual and that they loved him for who he was. In reading this, Baylor thought his parents had an idea that he was gay. He responded to their card with a letter stating he was gay, and he knew the idea might need time to sink in. Baylor didn’t get a reply from them initially, but when he did they were less than impressed with the news. Although Baylor was saddened by their response, he felt relieved to have finally been honest with his parents. “I’m not sorry, sad or ashamed of what I am,” Baylor said. “A famous person once said, ‘It is 233-6663 SHIRTS - CAPS - JACKETS - UNIFORMS - BAGS BANNERS - BOOSTER CLB ITEMS - MUGS CUPS - SIGNS - VEHICLE GRAPHICS BELCHER’S BOOKKEEPING & TAX SERVICE ELECTRONIC FILIING. FAST REFUNDS, AS LITTLE AS 1 TO 3 DAYS!! 2512 Pear Street St. Joseph, MO 64503 Tel: (816)-233-7389 - Fax: 238-7139 Mon-Fri: 9a.m.-9p.m. & Sat: 9a.m.-4p.m. SAME LOCATION FOR 31 YEARS better to be hated for what you are instead of being loved for what you aren’t.’” According to Sigma Lambda President Barb Centeno, the purpose of the event was aimed at sharing stories that people in the audience might have experienced, or ones they might experience when they decide to come out. “We’re trying to prevent isolation for the gay students,” Centeno said. “But it’s also the fear that keeps people away.” So far Sigma Lambda has sponsored three events similar to this, but instead of the attendance increasing through awareness, attendance has steadily decreased. “I think people have a stigma when Sigma Lambda is mentioned, a sort of guilt by association thing,” Centeno said. “We get good response during and between classes, but not at organized functions.” Fine agreed with Centeno’s statement. “I think it’s everyone’s goal to one day not use forum discussions, but have unscheduled people share their stories,” Fine said. Since Centeno graduates this year, the organization is looking for a new group of people to take over the duties of Sigma Lambda. “Whoever decides to take over gets the opportunity to begin and run the organization the way they want to since it’s new,” Fine said. Those interested in becoming involved with Sigma Lambda may contact Barb Centeno, Rich Fine, or advisers Tim Baylor and Stacia Bensyl. is on the @ h t t p : / / w w w. m w s c . e d u / ~ g r i ff y LOCATION * LOCATION * LOCATION 279-1071 Paid: Sewer, Water, & Trash Tenants Pay Lights Laundry room, Pool, & No Pets 1 and 2 bedroom apartments Advertising T H E GR I F FO N N E W S Tuesday, March 27, 2001 • Page 5 *Pr e s i de n t & Vic e Pr es i d e n t E l ec t i on s -Primary Elections: March 28th & 29th -Final Elections: April 11th & 12th *Student Senator Elections -Sign up in the Dean of Student Affairs Office SU 228 Deadline: March 29th at 4:30 p.m. -Elections: April 11th & 12th *Residence Council Elections -Sign up in the housing office-Logan Hall Deadline: April 6th at 4:30 p.m. -Primary Elections: April 12th & 13th -Final Elections: April 19th & 20th. Also on the Ballot on April 11th & 12th -Vote on SGA fee increases -Vote on the proposed changes to the SGA Constitution Vote for better student services and programs Vote in favor of the SGA fee increases For more information, contact the Dean of Student Affairs Office in SU 228 Opinion Page 6 • Tuesday, March 27, 2001 T H E G R I F F O N NE W S Editorial SGA elections: proceed with caution After the United States presidential election of 2000, Missouri Western is sure to be filled with unease and hesitation towards the approach of the 2001 Student Government Association elections. With all of the possibilities of voting wrong, having recounts, having more recounts and having an extremely close presidential race, sighs resound the halls as all the fellow students hope that this election will result in having the best candidates win with the least trouble possible. With this hope comes the encouragement that all Missouri Western students get out and vote. Without the input of the majority of students in this widely diverse campus, the winner may not have what it takes to fulfill his or her duties to the desires of this majority. With voters that have gained an adequate knowledge of each running team’s goals and backgrounds, it should be easy to elect an SGA president and vice president that will suit the direction that the students at Missouri Western want to take. Along with the responsibility voters have to show up to the poll, but vote with an educated viewpoint. There is also a responsibility the candidates should accept. This responsibility is a race that focuses on what really matters. Let’s not have any mudslinging or accusations throughout the race or voting periods. With a clean race before them, voters will be able to vote for the best candidates without the haze of mud altering their vision. In every presidential election held at Missouri Western since 1998, mudslinging has been a popular trend. Accusations of ballot stuffing presided over last year’s election, and no one will soon forget the dirty campaigning accusations from the spring of 1998. Candidates should focus on their individual strengths as opposed to the weaknesses of the other tickets. While each ticket may have shortcomings, each ticket has characteristics vital to the positions. Students do not want reasons not to vote for another candidate. They want reasons why they should vote for one party. It is not up to the candidates to tell students how to vote. It is their duty to show why they are qualified for the position. If everyone at Missouri Western shows consideration for the seriousness of this election they will be most certainly be pleased with the results. In order to make the SGA presidential election process simpler for stu dents, the school pur chased new computer software from Florida for this year’s election. No longer do candidates have to accuse one another of stuffing ballots or over shadowing the voting boxes to get their win. Community involvement goes both ways A fresh voice Beth Tuttle Opinion Editor [email protected] I have always enjoyed attending Missouri Western. The atmosphere here is great, and everywhere you look there are professors and students who exhibit enthusiasm towards earning an education. More than once I have heard Missouri Western referred to as the “high school on the hill,” saying this school is no more important than a high school and should not be given the credit it deserves. While many disagree with this opinion, others share it or seem to show it through their actions. This is said because, at times, it does not feel as though St. Joseph really promotes Missouri Western or uses it as a claim to fame like other college towns do with their schools. Support from people in the community would emphasize the positive about attending college here. This support should not be hard to get. Students that attend Missouri Western add a lot to the community of St. Joseph and to the businesses and welfare of the town. At the Board of Regents meeting on March 22, a program was presented about the plan the St. Joseph community was adapting to help improve the quality of life in St. Joseph. Fortunately, in this plan, Missouri Western’s ties to the community will strengthen, as students are able to participate in many aspects of community life ranging from musical performances to art shows at area museums. This plan could be the perfect opportunity to help St. Joseph and Missouri Western both grow to be better than ever. This all sounds great, doesn’t it? While all of the planning is in the works, there is still one thing that will impede the success of everything if absent. This absence would be the students. If Missouri Western wants the community to take pride in the school, and then the school must take pride in the community. This could mean more community service projects by student organizations or just a more active role in the community by students in general. Each year, St. Joseph has many festivals, parades and concerts that are open to anyone who wants to attend. Through these events a greater feeling of satisfaction with the community and people that live within it is given a chance to prosper. Understandably, this involvement may be difficult for students. With so much already going on it is going to be hard for students to drop their studies in order to attend a festival or parade. That is why St. Joseph is also going to have to reach out to the students more. At the Board of Regents meeting, making sure there are at least three concerts in town each year that would cater to differing interests was discussed in the plan. Maybe one of these concerts could be held at the school or possibly Missouri Western could try to sponsor more events that would attract non-students from the area. These events would help bring the community and the students of Missouri Western closer. Too many students live here nine months out of the year, but will not call it home. It is not reasonable for St. Joseph to expect all of the students here to think of it as their hometown, but it is the town in which they spend most of their time and it would be nice if the students felt welcome. Whether or not they feel this welcome now would be different for every person, but it should be understood that there is always room for improvement. During the month of April, Missouri Western is going to be making its own plans for the future. In those plans, the idea of how this school and the community can interact will be addressed and it will be beneficial for as many students to have input on this as possible. If the students show the same interest that the community is showing even greater things can happen in St. Joseph. For more information on the community’s plan go to www.GreatThingsHappen.org Spring break brings many lessons A fresh outlook Stephanie Howard Editor in Chief [email protected] Waiting in the airport for five hours would seem to hinder most students’ spring break. For us, though, it only added to the excitement of the week to come. Spring Break in Cancun...what could be better? Most people would say nothing, and I would have to agree. It was the perfect spring break, but I wish someone had advised me on a few things. • When waking up in the mornings, you should let your eyes adjust before trying to admire the view from your room overlooking the beach. • Bring hair clips because the lack of moisture in the air does crazy things to your hair. • Bring a deck of cards. Laying on the beach all day is fun, but having something to do makes the time go by more quickly. • Don’t use last year’s sunblock. It may say SPF 50, but you will still get burnt. • When visiting the Mayan ruins, take the temple a little at a time. Your legs will thank you the next day. • If a visit to Fat Tuesdays, MTV’s Spring Break Headquarters, is in the mix, be sure to get there early. They may say VIP treatment, but getting pushed under a fence is not true VIP treatment. • If a street vendor offers to sell you a statue for your watch, make sure you have others at home. • Everyone will seem to be from Wisconsin or New York. Most of them will be drunk, and most of them will forget who they’ve met the next day. • The exchange rate may be 9 pesos for $1, but most “entrepreneurs” charge 10 pesos per dollar. • Wearing flip-flops to XCaret is a bad idea. Your feet will hurt, and you can’t wear socks unless you want an unsightly tan line, and swimming in the underground river only relieves it for a moment. • Finally, if you’re planning to stay in a fourstar resort, make sure you bring someone who will make sure the hotel doesn't take advantage of you. This way you won’t end up in the smelly room with a broken toilet, an ugly com- forter and a walkway that doesn’t go anywhere. If you bring someone who isn’t afraid to make people mad, you will end up on the fifth floor with a room overlooking the whole ocean, the swimming pool and the beach. Yes, spring break in Cancun still had its little glitches, like the plane being delayed three hours and not getting back to St. Louis until 2 a.m., but it was completely worth it. Each of us brought back our own experiences and each of us brought our own images of paradise. The image of the sky disappearing into the ocean is one I will remember forever. The lights glowed all around us until there was one hole where you couldn’t see where the ocean stopped and the sky started. We did the typical club thing. Just a word of advice: if you are not a big drinker, don’t order the fruity drinks. They don’t taste like KoolAid in Mexico. We got to eat at Señor Frogs and Carlos N Charlie’s. We even made a trip to McDonald’s on a bus in the middle of rush hour. Some of us experimented with body art. Other followed the trends and got their hair braided. Some couldn’t walk because the sun burns were so harsh, and others just wanted one of those bracelets from the clubs. It was the best vacation ever. Letter to Editor In response to: “Students should ask when uncertain” I am responding to the editorial, “Students should always ask when uncertain,” in the Feb. 27 issue. That premise is true: everyone-students included-should speak up about a situation they do not understand. In the incident cited, a student’s business office account was charged with an overdue book of which the student said she had no knowledge. Not knowing the student’s identity nor the due date of the book, it is difficult to reconstruct this incident. However, to clarify procedures, the library sends overdue notices approximately every four weeks to students’ local addresses. Materials not returned by the end of each regular semester are declared lost and replacement costs are forwarded to the business office to be placed on the students’ accounts. Shelves are checked regularly for overdue books. In this case, the book may have found its way to the shelves (even bypassing the circulation desk) after the billing information was sent to the business office. There are few instances of human or machine error in library circulation records. We have no control over inaccurate addresses or postal errors and regret any problems that occur. Please contact Ms. Phillips, Circulation Coordinator or myself for further clarification of circulation policies. Julia T. Schneider Library Director Stephanie Howard Editor-in-Chief Leslie Hancock LaTonya Williams Beth Tuttle Andy Brown Sheila Thiele Josh Hall Ruth Doornink Brad Harbold Brian Hunt Aaron Tebrinke Nick Brown Heather Cox Aubrey Maguire Bob Bergland STAFFERS News: Abbe Miller Crystal Norris Tana Wiles Tyrone Gethers Jr. Eric Jarvis Features: Sandra Walsh Molly Watts Misty Musselman Entertainment: Amanda Housewirth Sports: Ben Garrett LaMont White Audra Marquez Michael Milbourn Photo/Graphics: Brad Redmond Hilary Smith Daniel Grover Advertising: Jon Sullivan Printer: Wathena Times MIND Copy/Assistant Editor News Editor Opinion Editor Features Editor Asst. Features/Copy Editor Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Graphics Editor Asst. Graphics Photo Editor Asst. Photographer Business Manager Asst. Business Manager Faculty Adviser The Griffon News is written and published by students of Missouri Western State College on Tuesdays during the fall and spring semesters. Content of this paper is developed independently of the Student Government Association, faculty and administration. Readers are encour aged to submit story ideas, information and advertising to The Griffon News office, SS/C 204, 4525 Downs Drive, St. Joseph, Mo. 64507, or by phoning (816)271-4460(news room) or (816) 271-4412 (advertising). Copy, classified submissions and advertising must be received by noon Wednesday, the week prior to publication. Guidelines for letters to the editor: • All letters to the editor must be typed and double spaced. Letters must be no longer than 200 words and guest columns no longer than 500 words. Letters and columns will be edited for style. • All letters must include signature and identity verification infor mation, such as phone number. The Griffon News reserves the right to edit all letters for length and Associated Press style. • The Griffon News will not withhold names under any circumstances. Anonymously submitted letters will not be published. • Views expressed on the opinion pages are not necessarily those of The Griffon News staff or Missouri Western State College. Website: http://www.mwsc.edu/~griffy Email: [email protected] Features T H E G R I F F O N N E W S Tuesday, March 27, 2001• Page 7 Stufflebean’s the Name New associate dean of student affairs plans to share ideas and experience with students Molly Watts Feature Writer Evans, Alumni Board of Directors excited about new appointment Misty Musselman Feature Writer The Alumni Board of Directors met Feb. 13 and voted unanimously to appoint Peggy Evans as the new director of Alumni Affairs for Missouri Western. As the new Alumni Affairs Director, Evans will be responsible for managing the alumni annual fund, planning and executing alumni special events and establishing alumni chapters. She will also serve as a member of the Missouri Western Foundation/Development Team, where she will help raise funds for the team, alumni, student scholarships and equipment for the college. “I look forward to working with alumni board members and the association as we continue to grow and develop,” Evans said. “As a Missouri Western alumna, I understand the importance of alumni participation and the support they provide to the institution.” Lynn Snyder, who was formerly responsible for alumni affairs, is pleased to have Evans on board. “It’s an exciting position to be in because there are so many possibilities for the alumni board and association,” Snyder -Peggy Evans said. “I’m extremely Director of Alumni Affairs encouraged to have Peggy on board. I feel extremely confident in Peggy, who has proved herself to be a talented and effective alumni director.” Dan Kellogg, president of the alumni association board of directors, is also pleased to have Evans on board. “Peggy has a real talent for working with Missouri Western’s alumni,” Kellogg said. “She has proven herself to be dedicated to taking the alumni association to another level.” The board is encouraged by Evans’ new ideas and fresh approach for the alumni association. “We are excited about the possibilities and opportunities inherent in having a full-time alumni director at Missouri Western,” Kellogg said. “Our alumni base is increasing yearly which warrants a fresh approach to establishing and maintaining alumni relationships and Peggy already has come forward with new ideas and alumni projects for the board to pursue.” Before working with Missouri Western, Evans was the Home Services/Rehab Marketing Coordinator with Heartland Health System from 1995 to 1999. She began working with Missouri Western in September 1999 as the administrative assistant to the director of institutional advancement, working with alumni, the telefund, media news releases, helping with other alumni events and supervising students and interns. Evans graduated from Missouri Western with a bachelor ’s degree in English with an emphasis in writing and journalism. She recently completed her master’s degree in Health Services Administration through Central Michigan University. I look forward to working with alumni board members and the association as we continue to grow and develop. and we aren’t helping them by putting on too many programs.” SGA President Olu Aregbe works closely with Stufflebean. “He has experiences from a lot of places,” Aregbe said. “It’s easy to bounce ideas off each other and it feels good to be able to do that. We relate to each other because of these great ideas.” Aside from Stufflebean’s involvement with Missouri Western, he also enjoys being an active part in the McMurry United M e t h o d i s t Church, where he has taught a Sunday school class f o r three years. His wife, whom he married in 1994, is also an alumnus of Missouri Western, and they have a 2-year-old daughter. Stufflebean’s philosophy on life is a simple one. “Have fun and enjoy it because you only do it once,” he said. “It’s hard to believe that I get paid for what I do because I enjoy it so much. I just enjoy working with people.” When most students graduate and become alumnae, the last thing they want to do is go back to college. But that is just what Ernie Stufflebean, the new associate dean of student affairs, decided to do. “I have pretty strong ties to this institution,” Stufflebean said. “There are people here when I was a student that are still here working. It is a positive, family-type working environment.” Stufflebean graduated from Missouri Western in 1993 with a Criminal Justice degree. But he had so much fun as a student, it made him want to keep working in a school/student setting. “My favorite part of the job is the interaction with students,” Stufflebean said. “I don’t ever want to take a position where I don’t work with students.” Stufflebean received his Master’s degree for higher education and administration from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He then began his career at Highland Community College where he worked as Coordinator of Student Life. He returned to UMKC to be the Coordinator of Student Services. Stufflebean feels it was the right decision to come back to Missouri Western because it is important for him to be in a place that is growing. “It’s not a small school, but it’s not a big school either,” he said. “At a big school you tend to lose contact. But here, you get the best of both worlds.” As associate dean, Stufflebean has contributed greatly to the campus in a variety of ways. He is supervisor of the Unity Center, Recreation Services and Intramural programs, as well as the Griffon Edge freshman orientation program and scheduling of campus-wide facilities. Since he has only been working here for a short while, he feels it is best to experience how individual organizations and proHilary Smith, photographer grams have worked in the Former student and new Associate Dean of Student Affairs Ernie Stufflebean returned to Missouri Western to over past before making any see numerous activities, including Campus Activities Board, Inter-Greek Council and Griffon Edge freshman orienta changes. He is impressed tion program. Stufflebean hopes to bring several innovative ideas to Missouri Western activities. with the solidity of the Griffon Edge orientation program and is interested in modeling it to other institutions so that students everywhere can feel as welcomed as Missouri Western students do. Cindie Murphy, administrative assistant for Scheduling and Student Affairs, feels the transition from Don Willis to Stufflebean is going smoothly. “He’s familiar with campus even though there have been a lot of changes,” Murphy said. “He is a great asset to the Student Affairs team, and I feel very privileged to work with him.” As if it did not sound like he already had enough to do, he is also the advisor of the Campus Activities Board and all social Greek organizations. Stufflebean is intent on bringing his expertise with student activities into the light. For instance, his take on Greek life is different since he was not Greek himself during his collegiate years. “I think I have a unique perspective on Greek life because I was not Greek,” Stufflebean said. “Greek affairs has its own little niche and it definitely has a place on this campus. I think it’s wonderful, the friendships that are made, but we need to work on the Greek system as a whole, not just one chapter.” Stufflebean also sees programming going in a different direction when it comes to CAB and even came up with his own 20/80 percent concept. “Students should spend 20 percent of their time planning the program and 80 percent of their time marketing that program,” Stufflebean said. “Anyone can come up with the best ideas, but no one will see them if they don’t know about them.” “My big goal is to give direction to the quality vs. quantity approach. We need to start programming with intention and reason,” he added. “Students are so busy Entertainment Page 8 • Tuesday, March 27, 2001 T H E G R I F F O N N E W S movies Pepsi, why hath thou forsaken us? Joshua Hall Entertainment Editor Through the twisted and cavernous tomes of history there are many great and wonderful secrets lost to the mists of time. How did the Romans manufacture such good concrete? What did the library of Alexandria truly hold? Wherefore art thou Crystal Pepsi? Crystal-what, you ask? Crystal Pepsi! Passed down by ancient soda makers this delightful concoction debuted in 1992 as part of Pepsi’s attempt to gain a foothold in the rapidly expanding clear beverage market. Tasting like an ambrosial blend of Pepsi and Mountain Dew this unique citrus flavored beverage took the market by storm and was quickly christened the next big thing by media and masses alike. So great was the pomp surrounding its arrival that there were even special “commercials” dedicated to it’s coming on the beloved Channel One, an educational program in our nations high schools. The entire beverage industry was in frenzy over this new untapped market niche. Legend has it that beer makers such as Busch and Miller were even mulling over the benefits of a crystal clear beer in every Americans hand. What, then, went so terribly wrong as to deprive us of this blessing in our lives? Through anonymous sources it has been learned that the main culprit behind the disappearance of Crystal Pepsi is some faceless entity known only as “Consumer Demand.” Who this person is and what his or her goals are remains a mystery. However, the awful hand print that has been left upon our es muy asi-asi Amanda Housewirth Entertainment Writer Brad Pitt plays Jerry Welback, a guy who has to go on an adventure to, you guessed it, Mexico! And down in Mexico he has to retrieve a legendary gun known as The Mexican. His fed up girlfriend, Samantha (Julia Roberts) wants to start a new life instead and heads for Las Vegas. To make sure Jerry gets the job done right, a hit man by the name of Leroy (James Gandolfini, The Sopranos) is hired to hold Samantha hostage. The deal: if Jerry gets the gun Sam will live. If he doesn’t, well, you know the rest. Among all of this quirky chaos, Sam bonds with her sensitive hostage taker only to find out that they both share bad luck when it comes to love, and Leroy even confides in Sam about a secret that he has never really discussed before. Meanwhile, just about anything that could go wrong for Jerry does. His car is high-jacked, he gets the gun, he loses the gun, etc. Audiences enjoy watching Roberts with her gorgeous smile and red ringlets. Pitt looks just as good with his Californian highlights and bedroom eyes. With these two hot Hollywood actors on screen, it is sure that there would never be a dull moment. At some points the film is funny in a weird way. At other times, it seems like the plot is just dragging on without there really being any point. It seems like screenwriter J.H. Wyman was just stalling for time. If they had actually cut out the stalling around, the movie would probably end up being only an hour long. Gandolfini is an awesome actor. Much like his character in the emmy award winning HBO hit series The Sopranos, he plays a killer with a conscience. His presence on screen is so dynamic, you can’t take your eyes off of him. Gandolfini seems like the kind of guy that if he were to walk into a room full of people, everyone would want to be near him; he’s that charismatic. The Mexican really isn’t one of the best films I’ve seen all year, but it isn’t the worst. If you really want to see this film, it would probably be best to wait until it comes out on rental. That way, you won’t feel like you wasted your money if you start to feel bored. in theaters now Cast: Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini Screenwriter: Henry Selick Rated: PG-13 Cast Away PG-13 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon PG See Spot Run PG-13 Down to Earth PG-13 Heartbreakers PG-13 The Wedding Planner 15 minutes Get Over It PG-13 The Brothers R Twilight to fall on Western PG-13 Traffic PG-13 O Brother, Where Art Thou G Recess: School’s Out PG-13 Save the Last Dance R The Mexican R Hannibal R Exit Wounds Saving Silverman PG-13 Say it isn’t So R Opening Friday March 30 Joshua Hall Keep The River R Entertainment Editor Beginning March 29 Missouri Western will relive the 1992 Los Angeles riots in the Julia Spratt Multipurpose Classroom stage. The play Twilight Los Angeles 1992 written by Anna Deavere Smith is based on interviews conducted by the author following the riots is an almost documentary style approach to one of the more sensitive incidents in recent American history. Presented by the Black Theatre Alliance and the Office of Unity Services this production will take place in the Kemper Recital Hall Tickets are two dollars for members of the community and students may attend for $1 with a valid college I.D. Someone Like You PG-13 Spy Kids PG R The Tailor of Panama R Tomcats The show is scheduled to run March 29, 30 and 31 at 8 p.m. with a matinee scheduled for April 1 at 4 p.m. For questions or information email Jim Buglewicz at [email protected] or call 271-4441. What’s Your Sign? March 21 to April 20 Colors: Blue, Jauquil Stones: Sapphire, diamond Notables: Russell Crowe, Eddie Murphy, John Madden, Emma Thompson, Steven Seagal Josh Hall • Entertainment Editor You’ve got a tough balancing act between what you want and what you need this week. Don’t be afraid to splurge a little, but not too much. Much like the fabled spy character from General Hospital, your fortunes are covered under a veil of secrecy. The information on Tad and Dixie you hold may be the key to a great understanding. Gemini • May 22 to June 21 As the haze of spring break begins to lift from your mind, you’re reminded of all the fond memories this year ’s festivities brought. However, you may be getting a call from someone who claims to know you “intimately.” Don’t take chances, my friend, order those blood tests today! Cancer • June 22 to July 22 The economies going south but you have sure fire money schemes that will save the day and your bank balance. in theaters now Leo • July 23 to Aug. 23 Cast: Jason Biggs, Amanda Peet, Steve Zahn, Jack Black Director: Dennis Dugan Rated: PG-13 her. Yes, Neil Diamond graces Saving Silverman with his presence. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket) also shows up as the friends’ old high school football coach. Ermey plays the ex-football coach who is slightly erratic and homicidal very well. Some of Saving Silverman’s jokes are predictable but are funny enough that you still laugh. Director Dennis Dugan, who directed Happy Gilmore and Big Daddy returns with another hilarious comedy. Thus establishing him as one of the better comedic directors of today. Scorpio • Oct. 23 to Nov. 21 Your kind and giving nature is obvious to all as you once again go above and beyond the call of duty for those around you. Beware of a love interest taking advantage of this though as you soon find your credit cards maxed and your heart on the mend. A night of meditation will show you the secrets of the universe long believed lost. Soon you will be known as the one who can tell the masses “how they cram all that gram.” Have you ever had a friend going out with someone you just knew was wrong for them? Did you let them know? This is the problem confronting Wayne and J.D. in Columbia Pictures’ Saving Silverman. Darren Silverman (Jason Biggs, American Pie) thinks he has all he wants in a woman with Judith (Amanda Peet, The Whole Nine Yards), but his friends and Neil Diamond cover band mates Wayne (Steve Zahn, Happy, Texas) and J.D. (Jack Black, High Fidelity) are being pushed aside because Judith hates them. So the battle between Judith and the two men ensues when Darren’s old flame Sandy (Amanda Detmer, Final Destination) comes back to town. Wayne and J.D. finally have to kidnap Judith so Darren and Sandy can get hooked up. There is only a couple of problems: kidnapping is illegal, Judith can put up a pretty good fight and Sandy is training to become a nun. Saving Silverman keeps you laughing and laughing hard. Black and Zahn both give good performances and work well with one another. The comedy duos’ performance ranks up there with Jeff Daniel and Jim Carrey’s work together in Dumb and Dumber. Zahn really delivers throughout the film and his performance alone makes the film worthy of watching. Peet does such a good job of playing the evil Judith that it is hard not to sympathize with the movies bumbling kidnappers. Judith is so bad that not even Neil Diamond can resist helping Wayne and J.D. separate Silverman from PG-13 R Taurus • April 21 to May 21 News Writer Enemy at the Gates R Happy Birthday Aries silverman iS gold Jon Sullivan Chocolat PG-13 country shall never be forgotten. This is a call to arms for those fellow collegians that are dedicated to good tasting cola and the memories of a happier, more innocent time. Let not the machinations of evil men come to pass, know now that the fruits of our future were planted long, long ago! Also, to learn more about the legend and lore of Crystal Pepsi hit the web and type in “http://members.tripod.com/~ reepah/CCP.html” to find yourself at just one of the many havens for Crystal Pepsi aficionados out there. Remember, you are not alone! The lion is caged this week as you find the obligations of life romance monopolizing your already hectic schedule. Take a step back and regain control before someone else does. Virgo • Aug. 24 to Sept. 22 nehW dleh pu ot a rorrim siht enutrof slaever uoy ot deen ecnadiug morf a rorrim dna a repapswen. yrT gnillor ruoy eugnot rof doog kcul! Libra • Sept. 23 to Oct. 22 Libra in spanish is Libre, so much like our south-of-the-border cousins, you too should be free this week. Toss those cumbersome garments on the floor and start spring off with a week of nudity. Sagittarius • Nov. 22 to Dec. 21 Capricorn • Dec. 22 to Jan. 20 Mullets are far more than a haircut, they’re a lifestyle unto their own. Don’t be ashamed to let your own mullet fly free, for as the masses stare in wonder, so shall they also come to understand. Aquarius • Jan. 21 to Feb. 19 The water that is your sign’s namesake has been spiting you all these years. Take a stab back at your vile antagonist and quit taking baths today. Your friends may not understand but that’s just because the bathtub gnomes haven’t come for them yet. Pisces Feb. 20 to March 20 Take flight in life this week as you find your spirit refreshed from a week away from the hassles of college. Your energy and enthusiasm can overcome anything this week. “What’s your sign” is provided for entertainment purposes only. El Collegio Del Rio-- By Joshua Hall and Brian Hunt Whoa Chad! The facial hair is looking a mite uneven, and I could swear your hat logo isn’t exactly in the center of your head. I’m rushing man! I haven’t slept in over two weeks! Last night, I had to carry a 20-pound bucket of pudding on my head for 20 miles! I don’t get it. You’re miserable; you’re suffering. Everyone can see that you’re a wreck. Why are you doing this to yourself?! The memories man! Uh oh! here comes a brother. Oh no! My watch is on the wrong wrist! Dear lord what's the goat for! Photo T H E Tana Wiles News Writer Alpha Gamma Delta sorority sponsored the fourth annual Mr. MWSC pageant last Wednesday night and sent nine Missouri Western men chasing after the 2001 title. With nearly 250 people in attendance, excitement ran high in the packed auditorium of the Leah Spratt Multipurpose Classroom Building. Junior Spanish major Stan Pearson II walked away with the crown and a smile after he dazzled the judges with his talent performance. Sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha, Pearson performed a short step performance and an original love song acappela, which he dedicated to his family and friends. For his question, he was asked what advice he could give incoming freshman to prepare them for life at Missouri Western. “Students don’t realize that peer pressure is out there, and they don’t think that it’s going to affect them until it already has,” Pearson said. “The first thing I would tell them is to be yourself. If someone can’t love you for being yourself, then what love is there?” Pearson believes that all dreams can come true for anyone who is willing to strive to make them reality. Pearson’s motto is: “Anything the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” The contest consisted of four different categories: swimwear, talent, formal wear and question response. Three judges critiqued the men on all aspects of their performance. Talent performances ranged from theatrical interpretations to cooking for the judges. Other awards were given to the men for outstanding qualities or performance. Phi Delta Theta’s Justin Lemos received the Best Formal Attire Award and also the Spirit Award by raising the most money for Alpha Gamma Delta’s philanthropy, Juvenile Diabetes. Taking home the Best Swimwear Award was Phi Sigma Kappa’s Nate Smith G R I F F O N Tuesday, March 27, 2001• Page 9 NE W S who stunned the judges with his revealing swimwear. Matt Reschly, nominated by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, won the Talent Award with an original composition. The Best Question Response Award went to Steve Allee, sponsored by the Inter-Greek Council, for his outlook on what the world needs to change. “I would change our overall attitudes towards each other,” Allee said. “There’s a lot of hate floating around, and in my fraternity we stress three cardinal principles: friendship, sound learning and moral rectitude, friendship being the most important. If we can’t get along, then we can’t get anything accomplished.” Other pageant contestants were Josh Kay, sponsored by the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority, Quinton Howard, sponsored by Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, Steve Stevenson, sponsored by the Inter-Greek Council, and Justin Bayless, sponsored by the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. SWIMWEAR KING Stan Pearson of Alpha Phi Alpha was the overall winner of Mr. MWSC show. Pearson reflected the respect and admiration of the audience with a cool and down-to-earth attitude throughout the entire show. All photos by Nick Brown and Brad Redmond TALENT FORMAL WEAR Sports Page 10 • Tuesday, March 27, 2001 T H E G R I F F O N N E W S NFL draft predictions, full of surprises “It’s alright ‘cause I’m saved by the bell!” Ben Garrett Sports Writer Let the games begin! This April, the face of the NFL will drastically change. Teams will draft players who will be expected to come in and make an immediate impact. In some places, these players will go on to become heroes, in other places they will grow to be jokes, a constant reminder of how meticulous a process drafting is. With every draft there will be firsts. I predict that players previously unheard of will be selected, early and often. With that I submit to you, the reader and my adoring fans, my version of how this year’s draft will unfold. Oh yeah, one final thought…San Dimas High School football rules! 1. San Diego- Countless publications and their so-called experts believe that with the first selection in the draft the Chargers just can’t pass on quarterback Michael Vick of Virginia Tech. I believe otherwise because these are, well, the Chargers. The Ryan Leaf experience has scared them and they will pass on Vick, who I believe will become an even greater bust than Leaf was. Newly acquired offensive coordinator Norv Turner will make a push to get Vick, but general manager John Butler is so smitten with Doug Flutie that he will hand the keys over to the mullet and let him take control of the offense. To build this team the Chargers will start on the offensive line and select offensive tackle Ian Jennings. The 7th grade football legend has the size, speed and savvy needed to become a cornerstone of that offensive line for years to come, but most importantly I believe that he will change the way that the tackle position is played. Most of you have probably never heard of him, but I can attest to the skills that this elite prospect possesses. 2. Arizona - The Cardinals, surprised by the fact that Vick is still available, will consider taking him but instead pass to select wide receiver David Terrell of Michigan. In the deepest wide receiver group in years, Terrell stands above his peers, and with good times in the 40-yard dash, has silenced the critics who were afraid of a stress fracture revealed during the combine. He is a playmaker who will help resurrect the once promising career of quarterback Jake Plummer. 3. Cleveland - As the Butch Davis era begins in Cleveland the Browns will attempt to fill one of their many holes. Although this draft does not have any highly touted running backs, it is clear that Deuce McAllister out of Mississippi will be the first running back chosen and the Browns will choose him. The addition of McAllister will immediately reap rewards, as Davis would like to duplicate the triple threat that Indianapolis has with Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison. His version, with Tim Couch, McAllister and Kevin Johnson will in time strike the same type of fear that the Colts trio has. 4. Cincinnati - The Bengals will not mess around with their pick. They will choose Mario Lopez to fill one of their many needs. Now you may remember him as A.C. Slater from the famed series Saved by the Bell. The Bengals looked over some footage and they believe that he could step in and contribute right away. Slater garnered fame while leading Bayside to victories over hated rival Valley, and he will do the same for this storied franchise. 5. Atlanta - The Falcons will not have to worry about trading up to acquire Vick. He will fall to them at the 5th spot. Many scouts feel that Vick could be the leader in the new generation NFL quarterback; a player able to throw the ball with power and accuracy, and if he needed to could scramble to pick up yardage. Vick is undoubtedly not ready to start right away, and I believe that his throwing is suspect. The Falcons will get their man, but they will most likely still suck like only they can. 6. New England - The Patriots need to solidify their defensive line and hope to do so when they pick defensive tackle Gerard Warren from Florida. A devastating run stopper, Warren has the skills required to come in and make an immediate impact. 7. Seattle (from Dallas) Now that coach Mike Holmgren has acquired quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, he will look to the wide receiver position. Grateful that wide receiver Koren Robinson is still available, the Seahawks will select him hoping that he will bring back the big play ability they lost with the departure of Joey Galloway. Robinson is right up there with Terrell, but some character issues will diminish his stock. 8. Chicago - The Bears addressed defense with last year’s selection of linebacker Brian Urlacher, and they will continue to do so this year. Andre Carter, a defensive end from California will be their first selection. Throughout the season he consistently graded out as one of the top players at his position. 9. San Francisco - Last season the 49ers went through their growing pains while their young defense took their lumps. Defense is still where improvement needs to be made so they will take defensive end Justin Smith from Missouri. His workouts have made a lasting impression on scouts and he will move ahead of Jamal Reynolds. 10. Green Bay (from Seattle) - The Packers moved up seven spots in the draft by dealing Matt Hasselbeck to the Seahawks. Brett Favre will get help when Freddie Mitchell comes to town. The former Bruin has seen a meteoric rise in his stock after the Indianapolis combine, and the Packers can’t miss when drafting him. 11. Carolina - Now that coach George Seifert has released popular quarterback Steve Beuerlein, the Panthers are at the beginning stages of rebuilding. Seifert will take a long look at Drew Brees, but wisely not use this high of a pick on someone who may drop to the end of the first round or go in the early second. Texas Christian running back LaDainian Tomlinson will be asked to come in and be the centerpiece of the overhaul. He will surely take his lumps during his rookie year, but I feel that he is a steal at the 11th slot. 12. Kansas City - After the Chiefs released popular veteran James Hasty, their secondary became a major concern. Quarterback and running back are the other pressing needs for this team, but cornerback Fred Smoot from Mississippi State is the best available player at his position and coach Dick Vermeil will select him. He plays similar to Charles Woodson, and absolutely relishes playing the other team’s top receiver. 13. Jacksonville - The NFL will witness the first ever player to bypass college and be selected by an NFL team. Eighteen-year-old Scott Menke, a playground legend from his days at North Platte High School, will come in and do for the Jaguars what Donovan McNabb did for the Eagles. Utilizing his deceptive elusiveness and speed, and coupled with a tremendous understanding of the game, this versatile athlete can play any of the skill positions, whether it be quarterback, running back or wide receiver. Don’t let his 5’11”, 150-lb. frame fool you; he will be gone at this point in the draft. Part of the reason the Jaguars are so enamored of Menke, is that at his age his potential is seemingly limitless. 14. Buffalo - The second Florida Gator to be chosen will be offensive tackle Kenyatta Walker and he will be chosen by the Bills. One of the premier lineman in college football, he will adjust nicely to the pro game with his solid ability to either run or pass block. While playing for coach Spurrier in Florida, Walker mostly operated from the right tackle position, but with the right coaching he could play the even more important left side. 15. Washington - Former Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer has been asked to turn around this underachieving Redskins team and he will fail to do so, at least initially. Now that Brad Johnson has signed with Tampa Bay, Jeff George is the man in our nation’s capital and he will get help with the versatile Steve Hutchinson. While he played guard at Michigan, he is a player capable of playing any of the positions on that line. 16. Pittsburgh - The Steelers main offensive need is quarterback and in a weak quarterback class Drew Brees stands tall. The former Purdue Boilermaker doesn’t fit the much clamored after 6’5” height that NFL teams love in quarterbacks, but Pittsburgh will take a chance on him. The past couple of years they have had weak first round selections, and I see no reason why that won’t continue. 17. Seattle (from Green Bay) - After adding Robinson with their first pick, the Seahawks will look to further protect Hasselbeck with Leonard Davis. A huge tackle from Texas, Davis is a player that should have gone higher than 17th, but he will nonetheless fit in nicely in the great northwest. Seattle will also consider the defensive line, but with the recent addition of John Randle, that doesn’t appear to be as much of a concern as the offensive line. 18. Detroit - This inconsistent team will look to defense for their first pick and take defensive tackle Marcus Stroud from Georgia. He had his ups and downs and could have gone much higher, but his inconsistent play caused him to drop this low. 19. New York Jets - This season the Jets have only one first round pick as opposed to an unprecedented four from a year ago. The Jets have a new coach in former Tampa Bay assistant Herman Edwards and will take cornerback Will Allen from Syracuse. He is seen as the second best corner in the draft, and the Jets need him to play right away. 20. St. Louis - The Rams have one problem and that is defense. Their offense is the NFL’s best with Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, but their defense is what cost them last season in what could have been a repeat championship. After releasing Mike Jones, St. Louis is thin at linebacker and will take Dan Morgan from Miami. Also, look for a possible draft day trade with the Chiefs. Trent Green could go to Kansas City in exchange for the 12th selection. 21. Tampa Bay - The Buccaneers were a stark contrast to the Rams. Their defense was capable of winning a championship, but their offense let them down. They filled a need at quarterback with the signing of Brad Johnson, and they will take wide receiver Santana Moss from Miami. Moss will give Johnson a sure handed target who, with his sub 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash and jumping ability will upgrade the Buccaneer aerial attack. 22. Indianapolis - With their offense in place, Indianapolis will look to defense to improve on their wild card loss from last season. Defensive tackle Damione Lewis out of Miami can help the Colts’ cause and he will dominate for years to come. 23. New Orleans - The Saints may have been the most pleasant surprise in the NFL last year. Coach Jim Haslett has nowhere to go but up and the Saints should contend to be one of the NFC’s best teams. With the 23rd overall pick, New Orleans will choose Missouri Western’s own Andy Menke. Many people were surprised to hear that Menke had declared his eligibility for the draft, but those representing him believe that he will be a sleeper pick. While he may not have actually played for the Griffons, he sure tore it up on Saturday pick-up games. He has the size, 6’2”, and the ability to make the big play that the Saints will count on. He leaves the Camden Point recreational league as the all time leading receiver in receptions, yards and touchdowns. 24. Denver Coach Shanahan likes defensive end Jamal Reynolds from Florida State, and will choose him to improve that defense. The Broncos were horrible against the run and Reynolds is a good run stopper, just what Denver needs. He also has the ability to get to the outside and disrupt opposing quarterbacks. Reynolds is somewhat of a disappointment because most teams had him pegged as a possible top 5 pick when the season began. 25. Philadelphia - The Eagles need another playmaker, someone who can take some of the focus away from Donovan McNabb. To accomplish that Michael Bennett from Wisconsin will be selected. He is an explosive running back who can run with power or speed, and catch the ball out of the backfield. Great individual workouts will raise his stock even more. 26. Miami - The Dolphins will take Chad Johnson from Oregon State. As a junior college transfer, he was relatively unknown when the season began, but has risen to first round material. As with Koren Robinson, character issues may prevent him from going higher. Miami needs help on offense; namely wide receiver and Johnson will certainly address that need. 27. Minnesota - Coach Dennis Green seems to always select impact players with his first pick and this year that player will be cornerback Jamar Fletcher from Wisconsin. The Vikings were left vulnerable at running back when Robert Smith unexpectedly retired, but Fletcher is too good to pass up. 28. Oakland - Rickey Dudley’s time in Oakland is apparently up, so the Raiders will look to tight end to help quarter back Rich Gannon. Todd Heap from Arizona State is far and away the only tight end with first round potential in this draft. 29. Tennessee - Wide receiver Rod Gardner from Clemson will be asked to improve a very weak aerial attack. The Titans thought they had addressed that key position with the recent acquisitions of Yancey Thigpen, and Carl Pickens, but they have turned out to be busts. 30. New York - The defending NFC champion Giants need a speedy cornerback after being burned in the Super Bowl. Nate Clements from Ohio State will play opposite Jason Sehorn. Clements has the potential to develop into a quality cornerback, but only time will tell with this pick. 31. Baltimore - The Ravens passed on quarterback Trent Dilfer, and wound up signing former Chief Elvis Grbac. The defending champs also acquired Leon Searcy from Jacksonville to protect Grbac, and have made their already strong team even stronger. They seem poised for a repeat and will most likely continue to upgrade the receiving corps. The defense is sound and the offense has some promising players. Kansas State Wildcat Quincy Morgan will be the final selection of the first round. He is a big body that the Ravens would love to build their passing game around. Sports T H E GR I F FO N Tuesday, March 27, 2001 • Page 11 N E W S Griffon tennis falls 7-2 Ben Garrett Sports Writer Winona State University’s rackets proved to be mightier than those of Missouri Western when the two schools faced off March 6 at the St. Joseph Tennis and Swim Club. Of the nine total matches, Winona State was able to achieve victory in four singles matches, and gain a clean sweep in the doubles matches, winning all three contests, finishing the day at 7-2. In the first doubles match, freshmen Sara Batchelor and Liz Beeson faced off against Kelly Schenck and Karin Darveaux, eventually falling 8-4. The second doubles match pitted freshman Anna Ristic and sophomore Kim Redmon against Beth Voels and Brea Bruggeman in a close contest. Ristic and Redmon kept it close, but Winona State proved too much as Voels and Bruggeman edged out an 8-6 victory. The final doubles match was also close as junior Cindy Lewis and senior Sarah Clark fell to Suzanne Bohn and Lori Wienke, 8-6. Missouri Western had better luck during the singles matches as both Kim Redmon and Cindy Lewis were able to defeat their opponents. Batchelor played in spot one falling in two sets to Schenck. Schenck achieved victory, winning 6-0, 6-1. Ristic occupied court two as she faced Darveaux. Ristic fell in the first set 6-2 and wasn’t able to come back losing the second set 6-1. The first three set matches of the day occurred when Redmon defeated Voels 6-3, 26, (10-7). Redmon stormed off to the opening set victory, and eventually showed her will, winning the tie-breaking final set. “I just knew I needed to get refocused because I’d won the first set and then I’d lost the second set, and she had the momentum going,” Redmon said. “She’d won quite a few games in a row, but I knew I needed to get right back on track, and I started off by winning the first few points.” The fourth match, between Missouri Western’s Beeson and Bruggeman was won by Bruggeman of Winona State 6-2, 6-2. Missouri Western’s other singles victory occurred in court five when Lewis defeated Bohn 6-2, 2-6, (10-8). She took the first set with ease and remained calm after Bohn forced her way back into the match. Ice flowed through her veins winning the all-important final set. The final match of the day took place between Laura Wallick and Leigha Gergen. Gergen was able to defeat Wallick 6-1, 6-2. “I think our doubles teams all played closely, and they came away from the doubles feeling pretty good,” said Missouri Western coach Patsy Smith. She felt the scores were not an accurate reflection of how well they played, and was encouraged by their effort. “We’ve got a pretty young team, and we’re going to get better as the season goes on,” Smith said. Kim Redmon makes short work of carrying balls dur ing practice last week. Redmon recorded one of the two victories against Winona State. Freshman Anna Ristic practices with her team dur ing the warm weather last week. At the No. 2 posi tion, she is one of four freshmen in the top six. Ristic brings enthusiasm, confidence to tennis team Michael Milbourn Sports Writer Hailing from Vermillion, South Dakota, freshman tennis player Anna Ristic took third in state competition as a senior in high school. From that she expects to get to nationals in her collegiate career. “She’s all excited about thinking about that,” said Missouri Western Tennis Coach Patsy Smith. Smith said the team lacks nothing but experience to get into the NCAA nationals. “It’s going to be a tough year for her, going from high school to college is a whole new game,” Smith said. This year will be a learning experience for her, but Smith feels she has a lot of potential. One of Ristic’s strong points is her ability to be coachable. “She does exactly what I ask. If I tell her she needs to work on this stroke, she goes out and does it,” Smith said. Smith feels this is one of the keys for a freshman starter to becoming very prolific in her tenure at Missouri Western. Anna’s strongest technical ability is ball placement. Her placement can create many points as she can get players to take shots they’re not good at. “She does a really good job of moving the players around, she has a lot of control of where she places the ball, getting them out of position for a score,” Smith said. Ristic is part of a youth movement in the Griffon Tennis team. Sarah Batchelor, Kim Redmon, and Liz Beeson all join her as underclassmen playing spots one through four. Anna is playing at the No. 2 tennis spot as a freshman, and a lot of adversity is expected. She played in three matches last fall and is getting comfortable in playing highly seeded upperclassmen in a very tough MIAA conference. Ristic’s optimism seems boundless. “From last season, I feel we have improved so much,” Ristic said. “I’ve been getting up to the net more and my doubles partner is great, she’s so encouraging. Whenever we’re down in a match, she’s there to pump me up. As we play throughout the season we’re going to get better and better. My teammates are amazing, we’re all encouraging,” Ristic said. Coach Smith agrees. “I think over the next few years, these girls will get better and better, because these girls are really nice players,” Smith said. Ristic’s last win was against Southwest Baptist as she won her match 6-1, 6-3. Ristic is very involved with on-campus activities as she is a part of the Barbara Sprong Leadership Challenge, Student Judiciary Board, the Ebony Collegians, and works with the housing office. “The team has become good friends. They eat together. They hang out together. Anna can, at times, be the most serious one. She’s very intense. She works really hard on things,” Smith said. The outlook for the team is positive for Ristic. “We have a good team. We’re very young, and we’re very good players. We have the ability to get up there and place top of our conference. I love tennis. It’s my passion and I’m glad I’m here to play. I’m determined to get up there and make it to nationals.” Freshman Anna Ristic plays the No. 2 position for the Griffons during the spring season. Highland transfer leads softball team Lamont White Sports Writer The Missouri Western softball team got a jewel from Highland Community College two years ago when they got Jaime Florance. She is now a senior and a real leader. This is the same girl that did not want to play softball after high school. In high school she was a drum major in the band for two years. Florance is from Overbrook, Kan., and the only reason she continued playing is because of the interest of a coach at Highland. “I wasn’t actually planning to play softball after high school,” Florance said. I talked to the softball coach from Highland and she just kept calling and sounded interested.” Florance has been playing softball since she was about five years old and has been supported by her family heavily. Her mom and dad both played slow pitch and her two brothers were also involved in baseball at some time in their life. When Florance arrived at Missouri Western two years ago, she had some adapting to do but has adjusted very well. “It was kind of overwhelming,” Florance said. It (St. Joseph) was just so big, and when you come from a town that was just about 1,000 people, it is just different.” Not only has she had to adapt to a bigger city, but she also had to adapt to a different number. “My first number at junior college was 15, and I still claim it,” Florance said. “When I got here someone had already had it and I ended up with number three.” She also has enjoyed all of the teams that she has been associated with in her softball career. “I’ve been really lucky because the girls on the team are really fun and easy to get along with,” Florance said. Florance’s batting average is .370, which is extremely good, but she also is a great fielder, playing both the infield and the outfield. “I prefer infield over outfield because there is a lot more action that goes on in the infield,” Florance said. “I’m not as comfortable in the outfield but I don’t lack confidence out there either.” In her spare time she enjoys hanging out with teammates and baseball play- ers. She also enjoys shooting around the basketball every now and then. Florance also has different rituals that she used to do, like sleeping with her bat and glove at night. “I used to sleep with my glove because it made me feel closer to the game,” Florance said. She is a computer programming major and plans to graduate after next year. As for her team, they are now struggling with a 1-8 overall record but a confident Florance believes that a turnaround is coming. “I don’t think that we have put everything together yet, but were going to have everything put together against Avila,” Florance said. Although she’s only been a Griffon for two seasons, Florance sets the bar high for underclassmen. Left: Florance’s shirt reflects her attitude on the field. C M Y K 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Sports Page 12 • Tuesday, March 27, 2001 T H E G R I F F O N h t t p : / / w w w. m w s c . e d u / ~ g r i ff y N E W S Griffons defeat Bearcats in double header Ben Garrett Sports Writer KEARNEY, Mo--On a cold, blustery day, Missouri Western easily subdued rival Northwest Missouri State University in both games of a doubleheader. The Griffons, who improved to 10-6 overall including an MIAA record of 3-1, looked focused from the start securing early leads. Northwest Missouri State was never able to establish their offense, and all game long they were plagued by errors falling to 6-12 on the season and 1-3 in MIAA action. Game one of the doubleheader was dominated by the Missouri Western pitching staff, allowing just four hits over seven innings. Junior Kyle Mills improved his record to 4-0 on the season, and had the Bearcats fooled from the start, including four strikeouts. While Mills didn’t seem to be affected by the cold winds, Northwest Missouri State pitcher Travis Ashman was. Ashman was pulled after two innings in favor of Brent White after having given up eight hits and four runs. Missouri Western scored two runs in each of the first two innings, and added an insurance run in the fifth. Second baseman T.J. Collins was 2-4, scoring one run and driving in another. Shortstop Dustin Worrell had a nice game hitting 3-4 with one RBI. The 5-0 victory proved to be the first time that the Bearcats have been shut out this season. Griffon coach Buzz Verduzco felt the team played well, contributing the victory, in part, to focus. “I think our focus from right when we got to the field was there. I think that was the biggest thing,” Verduzco said. “Our focus from pitch one, all the way to the start of stretching, to the seriousness we had when we started the doubleheader. I think that was the biggest thing.” The second game of the afternoon played out completely different than the first one. In an offensive outburst, Missouri Western scored nine runs on 11 hits, while Northwest Missouri State could only muster four runs while equaling the hit total of the Griffons. The Bearcats were also plagued by errors, committing four in the game, which allowed a few extra runs to score. “I think we came out with good intensity, and we wanted to take it to them because they’re our rival,” left fielder Troy Gustufson said. Missouri Western jumped out early, scoring three runs in the first inning to the Bearcats one. The Griffons were able to add runs in the third, fourth, fifth, and seventh innings, not allowing Northwest the chance for a comeback. Freshman Kip Watkins was credited with the win, improving his season record to 3-1. Third baseman John Dano was 1-2 with two RBI’s, and left fielder Troy Gustufson drove in one run on 2-4 hitting. Bearcat pitchers struggled once again in this game. J.R. Servatius allowed six hits over four innings, but those six hits were converted into five runs. His relief was provided by Eric Bartine, but he wasn’t able to do any better allowing five hits and four runs over three innings. With the two game sweep, the stage has been set for the rest of the season, and Missouri Western is in good position for a successful run. This is the right time of the season to assert one’s dominance, because the heart of the MIAA schedule is just upon them. Top: Junior pitcher Kyle Mills pitches during Game 1 of the double-header. Bottom: Heath Craig slides into second to avoid the tag during Saturday’s double-header. Left: Freshman pitcher Kip Watkins pitches for the win to increase his record to 3-1. Golfers take fourth at Heart of America tourney Ruth Doornink Sports Editor [email protected] Brad Nurski tees off at the first hole at Pertle Springs. Top right: Justin Fallein holds the flag after finishing the 18th hole. Fallein had the best Griffon score on Saturday but finished with a 156 overall. Bottom right: Nick Saccaro putts to finish up the 15th hole. Saccaro played at No. 5 for the Griffons and fin ished with a 166 on the weekend. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% WARRENSBURG, Mo—The 40degree weather and gusting winds did what they could to slow down the 12 teams that competed in the Central Missouri State Invitational last weekend at the Pertle Springs Golf Course. “The cold was bad enough, but then when the wind starts blowing knowing where to hit becomes a problem,” Griffon golfer Justin Fallein said. Despite the inclimate weather the Griffons finished Saturday in third place with 310 behind CMSU #1 and Indian Hills who were tied for first with a team score of 308. Each school was allowed to enter their top five golfers in the team competition. After all 18 holes, the top four scores out of each team were tabulated. “This is the best first day we’ve played all year,” Coach Mike Habermehl said. “This time we actually put ourselves in the position to do something with it.” The Griffons shot consistently across the board. At the No. 1 position Brad Nurski finished with a four over par 75. Although the score left him in good position for Sunday, Nurski wasn’t happy with his finish. Earlier in the season he individually won the Deerfield Classic and is currently the highest ranked individual, not going to districts with a team, in the district. Missouri Western’s district extends from the eastern Texas border northward to Minnesota. “The weather didn’t make today easy,” Nurski said. “The greens were small too which makes them hard to hit and makes us have to chip more.” Chris Riley finished the first round with an 84; Fallein finished with a 74, the lowest Griffon score of the day. Scott Crose posted an 80 and Nick Saccaro finished with 81 to round out the tope five for the Griffons. The Griffons expected the Mules to hold down the first position following Day 1, but they also expected the gap between the teams to be much larger. “I knew they would be ahead at the end of the day,” Saccaro said. “I just thought we would be losing to them by 10 shots, but they’ll play better tomorrow. This field is actually pretty small and there are teams here that we usually never play.” The weather didn’t cut any more slack on Sunday. The Griffons finished Day 2 with a 313, good enough for a fourth place finish overall. Nurski placed second in the individual competition after improving to a one over par 72 for a two-day total of 147. This is the best first day we’ve played all year. This time we actually put ourselves in the position to do something with it. -Mike Habermehl Griffon golf coach “The cold didn’t make anything easy, but the wind is what really hurt us,” Nurski said. It was hard to line things up. The greens were small too, which made them hard to hit and made us have to chip a lot more.” Although the Griffons dropped from a second position finish after the first day to a final finish of fourth, the Griffons are satisfied with the performance. “We’re never going to be happy with anything except a win,” Habelmehl said. “But we’ll work on things this week in practice, and hopefully we’ll be ready to go to Southern next weekend.” The Griffons travel to Joplin and Kansas City before hosting their own 15-school invitational on April 15-17. “I think we would all like to win our own tournament,” Nurski said. “That would be our first win this year and we need it.” C M Y K
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