Western mourns loss

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Western mourns loss
Students, faculty
remember Berger’s
contributions
LaTonya Williams
Editor in Chief
ltw8295@mwsc.edu
The community of Missouri
Western has recently suffered a huge
loss. Robert Berger, director of financial aid, passed away after suffering
from an aortic aneurysm March 25.
Known as ‘Bob’ to many, Berger
touched the lives of many during his
31-year stay at Missouri Western.
Angela Beam, assistant director of
financial aid, said Berger had a major
impact on her life. Beam is a first generation college graduate in her family,
and she lost her mother at a young
age.
“He helped by encouraging me,”
Beam said. “He even found a workstudy job for me while I was in school.
My story is not unique; I know there
are many students he helped out this
way.”
Jennifer Montoya, a loan coordinator in the financial aid office, is one of
those students.
“I came to work as a part-time loan
coordinator,” Montoya said. “He let
me work around my class schedule.”
Berger also helped Montoya on a
personal note. She is the owner of a
farm and was having troubles with it.
“Many people had problems dealing
with a woman,” Montoya said. “He
sent me to friends of his. I have my
home because of him. There are a lot
of us that remember Mr. Berger as a
large part of their lives at Missouri
Western.”
Beam agrees fully with Montoya.
“It’s hard to get up in the morning
and come to work knowing he’s not
here,” Beam said. “He was more than
just a boss; for many of us, he was like
a father.”
In a statement sent to the Missouri
Western employees, President James
Scanlon expressed the grief of the loss
of Berger.
“Berger served Western with a professionalism that brought him respect
See Western mourns page 2
Regents approve plan to accommodate cuts
Leslie Hancock
Editor in Chief
lah3324@mwsc.edu
A moment of silence for late Bob
Berger began the momentous meeting
of the Board of Regents last week. The
issue at hand – the budget, tuition,
and room and board fees.
The Board of Regents approved a
core budget reduction of 10 percent, a
tuition increase, and a room and
board increase for fiscal year 20022003.
In the State of the State address in
January, Gov. Bob Holden announced
that all higher education institutions
would have to cut 10 percent of their
core budget, in addition to the traditional 3 percent withholding. This is because
the state of Missouri has to maintain a
balanced budget and higher education is
essentially lower on the agenda than
other Missouri departments.
The core reduction amounts to approximately $2.1 million for Western. The
college is anticipating $19 million in
state funding after the withholding.
With the core cut, state funding will be
at a level similar to that in fiscal year
1997.
Future
state
funding
may not reach the original fiscal
year 2002 level until fiscal year 2006 or
2007.
“The state has effectively placed more
of the cost of higher education on the student,” Scanlon said.
Members of the board mirrored
Budget cut causes tuition hike
fall.
For in-state students tuition will be
$120 per credit hour compared to the
$117 this spring. These charges are only
for up to 12 credit hours. From 13 to 15
credit hours, a discount is put into place
where those hours will cost $73, an
Aimee Pike
increase from $70 for in-state. Each
News Writer
credit hour beyond 15 will cost $120. On
average,
a student enrolled in 15 hours
Students of Missouri Western can
will
pay
a rate of $110.60 per credit
look forward to taking a little more out
hour.
of their pockets to pay for school after
Out-of-state students, however, will
the recent budget cuts in the state of
be
seeing a slightly higher increase
Missouri.
than
the in-state. For the 10 percent of
In January, Gov. Bob Holden proposed
out-of-state
enrollees, tuition will raise
to the Missouri General Assembly a 10
from
$201
to
$217 for the first 12 credit
percent budget cut for all institutions of
hours.
For
hours
13, 14 and 15, costs
higher education. For Western, that 10
will
be
$161
per
credit hour, and for
percent equals approximately $2.1 milhours
beyond
15,
it will be $217 per
lion.
credit
hour.
The
average
for an out-ofWith the 10 percent reduction,
state
student
enrolled
in 15 hours
Western developed a plan to accommowould
be
$205.80
per
credit
hour.
date for the budget cuts. Part of that
As
of
right
now,
only
four
other colplan was to raise tuition. This last
leges
have
announced
tuition
increases,
spring tuition was increased by a $10
surcharge per credit hour because of but many are expected to follow.
state withholdings. The Board of Truman, Lincoln, Southwest and the
Regents recently voted to raise tuition University of Missouri-Columbia have
another $3 per credit hour for in-state already figured that the only way to
students. Overall, with the state with- afford their facilities is by raising
holdings and increase in tuition, in- tuition. Based on in-state tuition, as
state students will pay $13 more per Western’s rate per credit hour increases
credit hour than what they paid last by $13, University of MissouriColumbia increases by
$11.90, Truman by $14,
Southwest by $17, and
Lincoln by $11.
The increase in tuition
might cause some to worry
Funding needed for 2003 fiscal year
about the affordability of
Western, however, even
Decreased revenue
with the cost of schools
remainder of state funding cut
$124,959
raising, Scanlon said
decrease in interest revenue
165,000
Western will stay among
the least expensive schools
in Missouri.
New/increased Expenses
“Even with the tuition
health insurance premiums
$300,000
increase, we would remain
property insurance premiums
140,000
among the most reasonpersonnel costs
100,000
able in the state,” Scanlon
operating costs
40,000
said.
Western is one of the
scholarship funding
310,000
most reasonable throughstrategic planning implementation
350,000
out the state compared to
the other schools who have
Fall tuition raises $3
per credit hour from
previous semester
T u i t i o n hike
Total
$1,529,956
See Budget cut page 3
Capital - $288,716
(14.44%)
Scanlon’s
sentiments. Pat Lilly, for instance, was
worried about the price of higher education and the amount of students being
able to obtain it.
“It’s beginning to look like getting an
See Regents page 3
$4,962
(34.20%)
Student Labor - $68,757
(3.44%)
(46.06%)
$5,280
$5,000
(2.04%)
Personnel - $288,716
Operating - $921,168
Room&Board comparison
$6,000
Travel - $40,829
How does Western’s
projected increases
compare
to other schools?
$4,926
$3,804
$4,000
$3,790
$3,000
Primari
leave tw
teams f
SGA le
Tana Wiles
News Editor
tlw6038@mwsc.edu
The time has come a
Missouri Western students
to step up and elect a new
the voice for the student b
Student Government Assoc
Primary elections for SG
and vice president were Ap
candidates for the prima
Olu Aregbe/Rachel Sir
Sevcik/Steve Allee and
Burns/Amber Bauer. Elim
the first round of vo
Burns/Bauer by a four-v
Now the race is on betwe
remaining teams.
Presidential candidate R
feels it is essential to
changes in the SGA. He i
utilizing SGA funds in a w
students see their money b
good use.
“One of my first action
would be to use SGA fe
things that students can s
said. “Students deserve a
witness their dues in use, a
like to show them how vita
are.”
Sevcik has received his
as a leader by participat
executive council as the
external affairs and as a
Residence Council. His run
Steve Allee, has also bee
with many on-campus
Allee has been associated
Presidential Service Progr
Strategic Planning Comm
has been a SGA senator.
Allee believes that, if elec
president, he and Sevcik
fresh ideas and new avenu
the SGA’s time and money.
“Ryan and I are determin
new ideas and visions to
while continuing to wor
solutions to older issues,” A
Opponent and curr
President Olu Aregbe is tr
the position for the third ti
hopes to focus on the gro
SGA.
“One of my goals for the
year is growing more leade
American and otherwis
said.
Running mate, Rachel S
to continue with her effo
rectify the parking situat
Missouri Western campus.
See Primar
$2,000
Inside Toda
$1,000
NEWS: Letter-writing cam
accumulates loud response
* data collected from BOR report 3/28/02 - Rick Gilmore
Cuts increase residential costs
Western raises dorm prices
4%, remains comparable to
other Missouri schools
Aimee Pike
News Writer
Students living in the residence halls
will see a slight increase in their living
expenses in the coming year.
With the recent 10 percent in budget
cuts of all higher education institutions,
Western has developed a plan to accommodate for the budget cuts. Besides cutbacks on spending and raising tuition,
the plan also calls for an increase in
room and board costs.
Even though the majority of Western
students live off-campus, a large number of students still will be affected by
the increase. According to President
James Scanlon’s budget planning
report for the recent Board of Regents
meeting, about 20 percent of Western
students live on-campus.
With the two different types of residence halls Western has to offer, rates
are different; however, both are increasing in cost. With the assumption of double occupancy along with a 20-meal
plan for the academic year (Fall and
Spring semester), suites will increase
$166, from $3,638 to $3,804. The
increase for the apartments with the
same meal plan and length of time will
be $190, from $4,126 to $4,316.
Other
institutions
also
have
increased their costs of room and board
because of the recent budget cuts.
Southeast, Southwest, Truman and
Lincoln are the only other schools that
have increased the cost in residential
living at this time. According to
Scanlon’s budget planning report, however, the increases of room and board
will have no affect on the affordability
of Western compared to other Missouri
schools.
“Even with the increases, room and
See Cuts increase page 2
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News
Page 2 • Tuesday, April 9, 2002
News Notes
Missouri House of Rep.
passes name change bill
The possible name change of Missouri
Western State College to Missouri
Western State University is continuing to
work its way through the Missouri
Legislature.
President James Scanlon said the
Missouri House of Representatives
recently approved the bill to change
Western’s name. He also said many of the
House of Representatives strongly support Western’s growth into a university.
These supporters come from both our
local legislation delegation and from
many others around the state.
The bill has passed in the House and is
currently at the hands of the Senate if it
is to become a reality.
This bill also requires the persons
appointed to the Board of Regents must
be residents of Buchanan County. Outside
the implications for Western, Missouri
Southern State College and Harris-Stowe
College would become universities under
the bill, with a main goal of renaming
Southwest Missouri State University to
Missouri State University.
Videoconference on
violence prevention to
air April 11 at Western
In support of our community, the
Regional Community Policing Institute
will host a live videoconference on April
11 at Missouri Western State College in
the Warren E. Hearnes Learning
Resource Center, room 102, entitled
School-wide Education for Violence
Prevention. This broadcast will air from
12:30-2 p.m. CST.
The Hamilton Fish Institute and its
partners in the Hamilton Fish
Consortium present the videoconference.
The videoconference will highlight several strategies for school-wide education
that have been used in programs the
Hamilton Fish Institute has determined
to be effective for violence prevention.
Pre-recorded presentations and members
of a live, interactive panel will discuss
elements of effective school-wide strategies. Some of the major categories of
strategies to be covered include: anger
management, conflict resolution, social
skills training, communications skills and
use of mediation, police and legal services.If you would like to participate in this
videoconference, please contact Cindy
Wigger at (816) 271-5601, or e-mail her at
wigger@mwsc.edu.
T H E
G R I F F O N
From Front
Western mourns
loss of Bob Berger
on campus and well beyond,” Scanlon said. “In
many ways, Bob Berger represented the best
that is in us at Western and in higher education generally.”
Born Dec. 23, 1939, in St. Joseph, he was a
1958 graduate of Central High School.
He received his bachelor of science in education from the University of Kansas in
Lawrence and a master’s degree in education
from Northwest Missouri State University in
Maryville, Mo.
Berger was a member of the Missouri
Association of Student Financial Aid
Primaries leave
two teams for
SGA lead
“I have been serving on the vehicle committee, and I am dedicated to help find a
solution for the problem,” Siron said. “I plan
on continuing to serve on the committee and
getting students’ views. It has been an
obstacle for some time now, and we need a
solution. Students deserve a response and
with the help of the committee, I hope we
can give it to them.”
With only 332 students voting in the pri-
Cuts increase
residential costs
maries, the candidates were disenchanted
with the extremely low number.
“I wish more students would get out and
vote,” Siron said. “The SGAis in charge of so
much that affects the students, and it is so
important that we get feedback from those
we serve. In a sense, they are electing a
person to have a voice for them. We are acting as a liaison between students and officials. It is impossible to get a clear consensus without the votes of students.”
Siron feels it is imperative to promote the
elections more and to better inform students how, when and where to vote.
“Possibly we need to better publicize the
elections and inform students on the way to
vote, because many students don’t know
that you vote on the registration terminals,”
Siron said.
board rates at Western will also remain among
the most affordable,” Scanlon said.
While Western’s suites cost $3,804 with the
increase for the academic year, Southeast costs
$5,280, Southwest costs $4,962, and Truman
costs $4,962, and Truman costs $4,926. Lincoln
is the only school with lower costs of living compared to Western at $3,790.
With all this talk about increases in the costs
of living on-campus, it has been questioned what
affect it will have on the number of students
looking to live in the residence halls. This last
year, Western faced problems of a greater number of students wanting beds than there were to
offer. According to the Sept. 4 issue of The
Griffon News article “No vacancy, big problems
for students,” by mid-June of last year, the 1,045
beds in the residence halls were full.
John Comerford, assistant dean of students for
residential life, said that a large part of that was
in success of the Get a Room program which
encouraged students to sign up early.
“Students who turned in their housing contracts by June were pretty much guaranteed a
room,” Comerford said.
For this coming year, Western is looking at
even larger numbers of students requesting
housing. Don Willis, dean of student affairs, said
there is quite a bit of an increase in students
compared to last year.
“We’re ahead of last year’s pace when we had a
waiting list,” Willis said. “We’re probably at least
20 percent ahead of last year. We’ve seen a significant increase of numbers. The returning students alone was up almost 25 percent. It’s well
over 50 percent for incoming students. That’s at
the same point as it was last year.”
Even though the budget cuts are causing
Western to increase the costs in room and board,
Willis said that the cuts will not have any affect
on the number of students wanting rooms.
Taria Harris
and Calvin
Harris take
advantage
of the
bumper
cars, one of
the many
activities
sponsored
by Campus
Activities
Board last
week.
Campus Crime Report
West Campus
101, at 9 a.m.
• W/SBL, at Missouri Southern, doubleheader.
• Golf, William Jewell Invitational.
Wednesday, April 10, 2002
• W/SBL, at Truman State University,
double header.
• M/BSBL, at Emporia State, doubleheader.
• Criminal Justice Day, in the Nelle Blum
Student Union, rooms 218-19, from 8:30
a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 13, 2002
• W/SBL, at Pittsburg State.
• M/BSBL, vs. Missouri Southern, doubleheader.
• Tennis, at Nebraska-Omaha.
• AIC Exam, Truman E. Wilson
Professional Studies Building, room 188.
• Exit Exams Frank Popplewell
Classroom & Administration Building,
rooms 101,102,104.
is on the
Medal award from the late Gov. Mel Carnahan
in 1995, the Alan W. Purdy Distinguished
Service Award in 1992 and the Missouri Award
in 1980.
A scholarship is being set up in the memory
of Berger.
“We like to think of this scholarship as the
‘good kid’ scholarship,” Beam said. “There’s
scholarships for the outstanding scholars and
the low-income scholar, but what about the
middle income students? That’s who this scholarship is for. Also, the State Association is
working on a way to honor Bob, like a Bob
Berger Lifetime Achievement award, naming a
new professional award after him or renaming
a state scholarship after him. That’s how much
he was loved.”
From Front
Students, start your engines...
Tuesday, April 9, 2002
• Walt Disney Internship Presentation, in
the Fred Eder Student Services/Classroom
Building, room 208, at 6 p.m.
Friday, April 12, 2002
• VIP Visit Day, in the Leah Spratt
Multipurpose Classroom Building, room
Personnel, where he served on the executive
council from 1973-78 and served as president
in 1976-77. He was a member of Midwest
Association of Financial Aid Administrators
where he was a delegate-at-large from 1980-83
and a member of National Association of
Financial Aid Administrators where he served
as assistant director of the national training
project in 1976. His other activities include
being involved with the Optimist Club, the
Missouri Western Alumni Association as a past
president and a current board member, past
chairman of the United Way, Missouri Higher
Education Loan Association and Avenue City
School Board as past president. Berger also
coached one year of wrestling at Missouri
Western and served as a state wrestling official.
Berger received the rare Conspicuous Service
From Front
Calendar of Events
Thursday, April 11, 2002
• Golf, William Jewell Invitational
Business Convocation, in the Leah Spratt
Multipurpose Building, room 214-16.
• Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexis
Herman will speak in the Leah Spratt
Multipurpose Building, room 101.
N E W S
Sunday, April 14, 2002
• M/BSBL, vs. Missouri Southern.
• Tennis, vs. South Dakota State.
Monday, April 15, 2002
• Golf, Ironhorse Country Club, District
V Qualifier.
• COMP, in the Warren E. Hearnes
Learning Resources Center, room 102.
1
4
100 ft.
4
2
3
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. LARCENY
April 1, 2002, PS building
Victim stated she left her purse in a room while training. The room was secured until the student returned. The victim stated she had two $100 bills in her purse, and one of them had been
taken.
2. DAMAGED PROPERTY
April 2, 2002, inner campus
Officer reported damage to a tent owned by Missouri Western. The tent was being used by a fraternity, and several cuts were made in the tent wall. It was stated that the wind blew the stakes
out of the ground that held the wall in place. The tent wall started flapping, causing the stake to
cut the wall of the tent.
3. UNCOOPERATIVE STUDENT
April 3 2002, North doors of SU
A member of the Security Department was entering the Student Union as a male and female
student walked by. The male said something to the Security person and then starting laughing
with the other student. After being asked to repeat what he said, he was asked if he was a student and to present his student ID card. He refused to turn over his ID card or to give his name.
He jerked away and headed towards the Science and Math Building. He was asked several times
to stop and jerked away in an offensive manner. He kept up the offensive language and was
escorted to the Security department. At that point, he did pull his ID out of his billfold and stated he was leaving. For the third time he jerked away in ha very aggressive manner. An attempt
was made to explain the College policy, but he kept insulting the person. His attitude and
actions were observed by a member of the dean of Students Affairs staff. The case was closed
and turned over to the dean of Student Affairs.
@
h t t p : / / w w w. m w s c . e d u / g r i ff o n n e w s
4. ITEMS FOUND
April 4, 2002, JGM building
Cell phone found.
April 4, 2002, FA building
Cell phone found.
News
Page 4 • Tuesday, April 9, 2002
T H E
GR I F FO N
N E W S
Search continues for second VP
Gilmore, Olinger
meet with campus
officials to campaign
for financial VP
Michael Milbourn
News Editor
mem5578@mwsc.edu
Michael Milbourn
News Editor
mem5578@mwsc.edu
Two candidates for the vice president for
financial planning and administration met
with campus officials last Wednesday and
Thursday in a search called ‘The role of the
Vice President for Financial Planning and
Administration in creating the future for
Missouri Western.’
Richard Gilmore, a St. Joseph native, was
the first candidate to present himself last
week. Gilmore currently serves as the interim vice president of administration for
Missouri Western. He began his career at
the college as the director of accounting
services in 1986 and has also served as controller for the college.
"Change is not easy," Gilmore said. "Many
resist it for reasons such as anxiety, complacency and apathy, but it’s inevitable and
will be driven by several factors, including
technology, economic
conditions,
student
demographics
and
Western’s
strategic
plan."
Gilmore said several
new policies would be
implemented under his
leadership including a
new
travel
policy,
-Rick Gilmore
recruiting
students
candidate
for VPof
from other countries
financial planning
and cultures, a repair
fund for the technology
in the classrooms and a fund to take care of
the buildings on campus.
The second candidate, Ron Olinger, has
recently served as a vice president at
Research Seeds, Inc., a subsidiary of Land
Second round of
registrar search
now underway
Ron Olinger, one candidate for the vice presidential position, greets the community last Thursday dur ing his presentation.
O’ Lakes, Inc., in St. Joseph. As a member
of the senior leadership team of Research
Seeds, he led the financial and strategic
planning and managed the administrative
activities of the company. Olinger has
worked for Land O’ Lakes, Inc., in various
administrative positions since 1978.
Olinger earned his bachelor of science in
accounting
from
Minnesota
State
University – Mankato, and a master of
business administration/finance, from the
University of St. Thomas.
Olinger said Missouri Western needs to
put itself on the same level as the best
schools in its peer group.
"Missouri Western must benchmark itself
against the other schools," Olinger said.
"Not just the state schools, but the best
schools in its class."
Gilmore earned a bachelor of business
administration from Western and an executive master of business administration from
Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan.
"An earned EMBA combined with 15
years of experience in higher education
administration have enabled me to develop
the leadership skills necessary to lead the
business component of Western into the
future," Gilmore said. "My commitment to
student development, community involvement, and employee empowerment will
benefit Western in the implementation of
its strategic plan."
Quoting the late Ewing Marion
Kauffman, Gilmore cites the following principles as being critical to the success of any
organization: Treat others as you would
want to be treated, share the wealth with
those who helped create it and set high
standards of performance and ethics.
"I enjoy working hard at my job and have
a strong commitment to meeting goals set
for the organization,” Olinger said. “Some of
my strengths include: a strong ability to
analyze difficult and complicated issues
and to communicate the essence in layman’s language, leadership skills that have
allowed me to effectively create change
where needed within organizations and
engendering a desire for new concepts,
technologies and innovation."
A third candidate from Michigan is supposed to arrive Monday to be reviewed by
the Missouri Western search committee.
The only candidate for Missouri Western’s second
round of registrar search presented himself Friday
afternoon.
Kevin Ferguson’s presentation was attended by a
group of about 20 faculty, staff and administration
that wanted to review the registrar nominee.
Ferguson said he was very self-driven, and it
shows in his sense of competitiveness.
"I hold up standards higher for myself than I
think I hold up standards for others," Ferguson
said. "I’m more competitive with myself than I am
with other people. I have a strong sense of personal and professional integrity. I care about what I do
and whom I’m with.”
Ferguson said he tries to make the registrar at
whatever institution he’s working at, so he’s not the
guy in the black hat.
“The registrar should be known as someone who
gives everyone a fair dealing,” Ferguson said.
He also said he likes to finish what he starts and
is able to do this with his humor.
“The registrar position can be dull, stressful, boring, you name it,” Ferguson said. “I have some
humor to bring wherever I’m at.”
Kathyrne Mueller, administrative associate to
the vice president for academic affairs and interim
registrar, said Ferguson’s visit is just the first step
in the search process.
"Whether or not he is the exact fit for Missouri
Western is another question, and that’s why he has
to have meetings with so many different people,"
Mueller said.
She said the next stop would be speaking with
Vice President of Academic Affairs James Roever.
The school must follow a matter of standard procedure, although they have already done a background check.
“Dr. Roever likes to personally call contacts and
find out about the candidate, vice president to vice
president,” Mueller said.
Ferguson received his master of arts from the
University of Michigan and his master of science
from Virginia Commonwealth.
Ferguson is the fifth candidate to be reviewed by
Missouri Western, and the only one out of a second
round of searching.
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T H E
G R I F F O N
N E W S
Tuesday, April 9, 2002 • Page 5
Alpha Phi Alpha brothers stand up, step out
Tiffany Embry
News Writer
Missouri Western’s men of Alpha
Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., put on a
fantastic, as well as entertaining,
week of events April 1-7.
The kickoff for the events was a
canned-good car wash, which
allowed anyone a free car wash with
the donation of four canned goods.
The canned-good car wash was a success for the Alphas, as well as several students who left with squeakyclean cars. Later on that evening, the
Alphas welcomed three new brothers
into their fraternity. This was a great
start for the Alpha’s week, and it was
just that, a start.
On April 2, the brothers hosted a
’70s party that was open to all
Missouri Western students. Andrew
Hersey, president of Alpha Phi
Alpha, said that the ’70s party was a
new idea to bring something new for
students to enjoy.
“The crowd that is here is enjoying
themselves, and that’s the ultimate
goal,” Hersey said.
Some of the most interestingly
dressed people, naming themselves
Pimps and Pimpettes, strutted their
way into the colorful atmosphere. A
contest was held, and recognition
was given to the best Pimp and
Pimpette.
On April 3, the Alphas hosted a
safe sex talk, allowing students to
come and ask questions or concerns,
or just listen in on ways to stay STD
free.
The Alphas put on a talent show,
April 4, in the Leah Spratt
Multipurpose Classroom Building,
room 101. The show was for all
Missouri Western students, staff and
family and friends of those performing. The talent ranged anywhere
from gospel singing to street dance.
Those that entertained well were
applauded. Missouri Western’s Sand
Woman moved those who did not do
so well off of the stage. Very few acts
were called off the stage. The event
was well-attended.
On April 5, the Alphas hosted the
first Greek step show at Missouri
Western. The Alphas prepared for
the show by putting out a lot of publicity. Seven groups participated:
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., from
Lincoln University; Omega Si Phi
Fraternity, Inc., from Missouri
Western; Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Inc., from Missouri
Western; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity
from Missouri Western; Zeta Phi
Beta Sorority, Inc., from Missouri
Western; Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority, Inc., from Missouri Western
and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.,
from Lincoln University.
Price for the step show was $10,
and the room was full from front to
the back. The variety of different acts
gave the audience a unique and universal look at what different sororities and fraternities can offer, involving their stepping experience.
The finale for Alpha week was the
Miss Black and Gold Pageant, which
was
held
in
Leah
Spratt
Multipurpose Classroom Building,
room 101, on April 6. The pageant
was hosted by Author Ballad, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha and co-host
Chermona Smith. The ceremony
began with Cara Humphrey singing
the African-American National
Anthem,
“Lift
Every
Voice.”
Afterwards, the contestants were
introduced by dance. The nine ladies
presented were all unique in character. MisChelle Moore, Taria Harris,
Shay Martin, Tiffany Williams,
Kiara Grant, Rashouna Harris,
Tasha Trice, Rashawnda Walker and
Frezsha Nolden all competed for the
honor. There was a business portion,
swim wear, talent and question and
answer portion.
Throughout each segment, each
person portrayed her own uniqueness and beauty. The talent included
poetry reading, songs, dances and
skits. When each segment was over,
one question still remained. Who
would be Miss Black and Gold 2002?
Shay Martin was announced second runner up, and the honor of
being first runner up was given to
Rashawnda Walker.
The audience sat in anticipation as
everyone awaited the announcement
of the winner. Kiara Grant won the
honor of Miss Black and Gold, 2002.
After the announcement, hugs were
given and tears were shed. A reception for family and friends was held
afterwards. An after party was held
in the gym.
Alpha Phi Alpha week ended with
a pool party in the arena on Sunday
night.
Missouri Western African-American Greek organizations celebrate Alpha Phi Alpha Week with events such as a step show and
their annual Miss Black and Gold Pageant. From top clockwise: Tiffany Williams and her partner perform; Kiara Grant is crowned
Miss Black and Gold, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. performs in the stepshow; the Lincoln University chapter of Zeta Phi Beta
Sorority, Inc., performs; Kiara Grant performs in the pageant with Asa Barnes accompanying her and the brothers of Omega Psi
Phi show off for the camera.
News
Page 6 • Tuesday, April 9, 2002
T H E
GR I F FO N
N E W S
Greek Week events invade campus this week
Misty Musselman
News Writer
Let the competitions begin! Many of the
sororities and fraternities on campus are celebrating the pride of being in a Greek social
organization this week (April 7-12) through
constructive competition to claim the title of
Greek Week champions of the year.
Kevin Callaway, president of Inter-Greek
Council, is looking forward to this celebration.
“I’m excited,” Callaway said. “I think we’re
going to have a really good year this year.
There’s a lot more organizations involved.”
According to a news release, the InterGreek Council (IGC) of Missouri Western is
sponsoring these events and will be playing
off the television show MTV Diaries in their
own Greek Diaries theme: You Think You
Know, But You Don’t Really Know, for their
competitions at various locations around
Western’s campus.
The opening ceremonies began on April 7
in the courtyard of the residence halls.
During this ceremony, the candidates for
Greek Man and Woman of the Year were
introduced, along with the Goofy Greek candidates. The candidates for Greek Man are:
Jason Buss, Mike Kellam, John Fabsits,
Shaun Agnew, Zach Ramsay, Asa Barnes and
Phil
Holquist.
For
Greek Woman, the candidates are: Sarah Hill,
Amber
Wood,
Jen
Croson, Kim Buretta,
Rachel Siron, Sally
Ridder, Beth Tuttle and
Patrice Meyer.
Yesterday afternoon,
Greeks played football
on the intramural field,
-Kevin Callaway
and that evening, they
participated in bowling
president of
Inter-Greek Council
at Belt Bowl.
Today’s event will be
3-on-3 basketball on the courtyard from 5
p.m. to 10 p.m.
Callaway feels that celebrating Greek
Week is very important.
“It’s important for all the Greek organizations to get together to celebrate being
Greek,” Callaway said. “In doing talents,
skits and various other activities, we get to
Just dip your hands in!
display our individual chapters, as well as
the Greek community as a whole.”
Zach Ramsay, social chair of Inter-Greek
Council, feels this is a good time for chapter
unity.
“It can be one of the most triumphant
times and one of the best times for chapter
unity,” Ramsay said. “It really inspires members to work hard as a team together, and
that’s something every good sisterhood or
brotherhood of members strives to do anyway.”
Those who win will get bragging rights
that come with the titles that will help during recruitment of new members next year.
Ramsay said that along with gaining bragging rights, winning Greek Week encourages
more people to join a social organization.
“It gives you bragging rights for next year
during recruitment,” Ramsay said. “It shows
that you have achieved the highest academic standing of any Greek organization.”
The Greek Fraternity and Sorority and
Greek Man and Woman of the Year will be
decided throughout the week by a judging
panel and then awarded during Friday’s
final ceremony and awards presentation.
News Writer
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“Be there to be Aware”
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• April 10 – Talent Show at
the Fine Arts Theatre from 6
p.m. to 11 p.m.
• April 11 – Greek Volleyball
in the Old Gym from 7 p.m.
to 12 a.m.
• April 12 – Closing
Ceremonies in MC 101 from
4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Career Fair offers options for seniors
Tiffany Embry
Aaron Latimore of Wax Concepts fires up wax beads for candle
making. ‘Wax Hands’ was one of the many events sponsored by
Campus Activities Board last week.
Greek Week
Activities
Missouri Western‚ Career Services and
Alpha Kappa Psi, hosted another successful job fair, March 28, in the Nelle
Blum Student Union, rooms 218-219,
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
There were several participating companies. Some of those in attendance
were The Army Reserves, Walgreens,
Altec, Fed Ex, Worlds of Fun and many
more. The participating companies
enjoyed the fair just as much as the students did.
“I love the people, and the food is
great,” Sgt. Reynolds said, who was at
the fair recruiting students to join the
reserves.
Debra Wagner, camp director for the
Girl Scouts, enjoys attending the job
fairs, because she likes finding new people.
“You never know who you’ll find,”
Wagner said.
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ing the fair had a more determined attitude about helping students get the job.
“My mission is to give individuals the
information they need to get a successful job, said Karen Kerr, human
resources manager of the department of
administration. Kerr enjoyed watching
the interaction between students.
Many Missouri Western students
enjoyed the fair, as well.
“This was my first fair, and it was a
great opportunity with a lot of different
choices,” said student Shanae Edwards.
“I suggest people to come, because it
helps students see what careers are
actually out there.”
“I think it’s very beneficial for all
majors; I’ve already had several call
backs,” said Shanese Sheilds, another
Missouri Western student, said.
Many companies that attended the
fair said they would definitely be at next
year’s fair. For students who want to get
a great idea on careers and maybe even
some job offers, the career fair is an
excellent opportunity to do so.
Senior Daryl Williams inquires about
employment opportunities with the Federal
Bureau of Investigation.
News
T H E
G R I F F O N
Tuesday, April 9, 2002 • Page 7
N E W S
More students ‘Get a Room’ St. Joseph receives new mayor
Residence hall
numbers raise from
368 to 445; suites
add 72 more beds
John Fabsits
News Writer
Get a room or move out. Late last month the
department of residential life held its annual
room signup for next fall.
Students are given the chance to pick where
they want to live. Residential Life offered
three days of signing up for a room. The first
day was same building/same room, the second
night same building and the third night was
anywhere in the residence halls.
“I think it went pretty well,” Danni Jones,
head resident of Juda, said. “The first and second night were a little
confusing because people
didn’t understand that
the first night was to stay
in the same room and the
second night was to stay
in the same building.
When people came to get
in their same room, it
was already taken. It
was a first come, first
serve process, but overall
-John Comerford
it went well. I think we
assistant dean of
students
publicized it very well;
we had signs up everywhere explaining what to do.”
This year, Get-A-Room signed up 445 students, compared to last year’s 368 students.
In order to fill the increase of all the new residents, Residential Life is temporarily tripling
all C rooms in the suites. That will add 72
additional beds. This is only temporary, and
those students will be moved as other beds
become available on campus. That brings the
total number of beds to 1,117 beds.
Patrice Meyer, head resident of Leaverton
Hall, said, “I think it went a lot smoother than
I thought, but it was a little hectic over in the
apartments because everyone wanted to move
there.”
“I think it went really well; there wasn’t a
lot of confusion on how the process went, and
students were calling regularly with questions so the information was out there early
enough,” Kristi Schulte, assistant director of
Housing and Residential Life, said. “Overall, I
was very happy with the way the process
went.”
Schulte’s job this year was to create a room
process where they had a table set up to tell
students about leadership opportunities in
the residence halls through Residence
Council, Judicial Board, employment opportunities and new this year, a welcoming committee to welcome students and help them
move in the fall.
The quiet lifestyles community is a community of residents living together on the back
wall of Logan so these rooms will get together
to pick what they think are appropriate noise
levels.
“Again, this is another trial run, and we are
hoping that it will be well-received; we have
already had good feedback so far,” Schulte
said.
With staffing changes, the department eliminated two of the head resident positions and
changed them to assistant coordinators.
Instead of five head residents, they will have
three; one over the apartments, one over
suites and one over desk operations. With
that, they created two learning assistant positions, like RAs, but they will not work office
hours. They will work with the Student
Success office, do programs that are academic-based and will also be trained as peer advisers to assist students.
Starting next semester, residential life is
having a committee to welcome students to
the residence halls.
“Our goal is to bring school spirit back in to
the residence halls, so our welcoming committee will be working this spring to be creating
decorations for our fall opening,” Schulte said.
Also, next year’s residents will have to
adapt to a few new changes that might be
mandatory if the Board of Regents passes it
later this month.
Immunization records require all students
in the residence halls to have certain shots.
This is something Residence Council has been
looking in to along with Residence Life. Before
it can become mandatory though, it must go
through the Board of Regents for passing. The
shots that will be required if passed are:
measles/mumps/rubella, tuberculosis test,
tetanus and meningitis.
Health services will offer all the shots at a
cheaper price than your personal physician.
Residents will have until Sept. 2 to get their
shots.
In addition, next year, all residence halls
will be smoke-free, although students can still
smoke on the balconies of the suites.
Students will also be able to see certain
changes in appearance starting next fall.
Each summer, Residential Life looks at every
room and suite and decides which 15 are in
the worst shape. They then re-carpet those.
“We are adding lounges to the second floor
of each apartment building,” John Comerford,
assistant dean of students, said. “We are going
to add a carpeted area with a TV, couches and
coffee tables. This will be a social area for residents.”
Comerford said, “We are looking into the
possibility of a new residence hall now. It’s
going to be a matter of money if we can afford
it.”
If a residence hall were to be built, it would
not come out of the normal college budget. It
would come from the auxiliary budget. The
Student Union, Fitness Center, and the track
are being paid for in this matter.
The different options in building new residence halls would be a new freshman center,
Greek housing or an upperclassman living
area like an apartment complex.
Jones defeats Montee in
the election, Western
hosts mayoral forum for
questions from students
Kara McKinny
News Writer
St. Joseph has recently received a new
mayor with the election of David Jones over
his opponent James Montee.
Both candidates were present at a Mayoral
Forum held recently at Missouri Western
State College. The candidates were confronted with questions of students from Missouri
Western, along with citizens of the St. Joseph
community.
Montee, whose slogan was, “United For
Change”, felt the voters should look at who is
the better leader and who has the better
vision for the community of St. Joseph.
“I have been a businessman and I am a
lawyer,” Montee said. “People need to look at
who is the better leader and who has the better vision. You need education and a better
background.”
On the other hand, Jones doesn’t feel St.
Joseph needs to change; he feels that St.
Joseph needs to improve.
“Change means to start over,” Jones said.
“We don’t need to change; we need to
improve. I feel we can improve St. Joseph by
raising the medium income, the infrastructure, and by pumping money back into the
economy.”
Jones feels that the
reason St. Joseph isn’t a
college town has to do
with the non-traditional
student ratio.
“Missouri Western has
one of the highest nontraditional
student
ratios,” Jones said. “We
need more younger people. I feel we can do this
-David Jones
by getting better jobs for
St. Joseph mayor elect
the young people.”
Jonathan Euchner, a
professor at Missouri Western, feels that
with a younger mayor, Missouri Western
might get paid attention to more.
“With a younger mayor, he might look more
to the college,” Euchner said.
In an interview done with KQ2 after the
results had been announced, Jones felt that
age and experience had helped him in the
end.
“The voters knew what they were getting
with me,” Jones said. “The voters had faith in
the young candidate.”
Members of the panel for the mayoral debate discuss questions. After a close election, David Jones
was elected mayor for the city of St. Joseph.
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Lifestyles
Page 8 • Tuesday, April 9, 2002
T H E
G R I F FO N
L a u r e t t e
Sheena Kelley
Lifestyles Writer
When her voice catches the ear of anyone, the first
thing they ask is “Where are you from?” This is something that freshman Laurette Scarlett, speech communication major with an emphasis in video production/performance, hears a lot because of her deep
East Coast accent. Scarlett is from the Bronx, N.Y.,
but is a native West Indian, born in Westmoreland,
Jamaica. Scarlett says she had never heard of St.
Joseph, until she was doing an Internet search for an
out-of-state college.
“I wanted to go to a school out of state because I
wasn’t content with my college in New York,” Scarlett
said.
Arriving in America at the tender age of five,
Scarlett does not even remember learning English –
it just came naturally to her. She never forgot her
native language, either. In fact, you can still catch her
speaking Jamaican from time to time.
Coming from a large, busy city and trying to adjust
to a small town like St. Joseph is weird for Scarlett,
but she has visited the bigger areas of Missouri, like
Kansas City and St. Louis, which makes the change
easier.
“They differ a lot because St. Joseph is so small and
is very slow. The only thing about Kansas City and
St. Louis is they don’t have subways and their bus
stations are so different. The transportation in New
York is so convenient, whereas I would need a car in
Missouri – but I don’t need one where I live [on-campus],” Scarlett said.
N E W S
...A long way from
home and loving it
Before coming to St. Joseph, Scarlett never really
had any stereotypes about how it was going to be, but
people she knew told her that there was a lot of
racism in Missouri.
“Even though I was told about the racism, I still
came,” Scarlett said. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve faced
one incident in particular where some guys driving
past in a truck called me and my friends the N-word.
That was really weird for me because New York is so
diverse. I really haven’t experienced that before I
came here.”
Traveling from thousands of miles away to attend
school where you don’t have a single friend can be
tough, but Scarlett copes with this well and has a lot
of support.
“I try hard,” Scarlett said. “I call my friends and
family. I also have four very good friends that make
me feel welcome and at home.”
She says the reason why she misses home so much
is just the college experience itself, because of the distance. Even the little things make her miss home.
“When I hear people talking about New York or I
see it on T.V., I miss it and I appreciate being there
more,” Scarlett said,.“But when I was there I wanted
to get off the East Coast so bad.”
Although she has had a “very good” experience at
Missouri Western and will return next fall, she wasn’t so certain in the beginning.
“When I first came in the fall, I was certain I would
not even be here in the spring, but my friends made
me stay; plus, I want to further my education here
and get to know Missouri better,” Scarlett said.
Scarlett relates a typical day here to a typical day
Back in Black
in New York and finds her life
in both places has a lot in
common.
“A typical day here for
me is class, in my room
playing music and talking
loud with my friends,”
Scarlett said. “A typical
day in New York is somewhat similar; I just
hang out with my
friends. Then at night,
we go to Coney Island or
Brooklyn.”
Scarlett compares the
transitions she has
made throughout her
years from Jamaica to
New York to St. Joseph.
“All the places I’ve
lived are so much different from each other,
meaning the music, styles,
and the way people talk,”
Scarlett said. “Jamaica is
different from New York, and
St. Joe is different from them
both.”
“Miss N.Y.,” as most people call
her, deals with the fact that she will
be far away from her family very well
and plans to continue her success here
at Missouri Western.
Snipes returns as Blade to take a bite out of crime
Melissa Waddell
Lifestyles Writer
Wesley Snipes is back in Blade II as the day-walking vampire
that we all got to know and love in the first movie. In Blade II,
directed by Guillermo del Toro (as opposed to Stephen
Norrington, director of the original), Blade comes back 20
years later with a hatred for vampires stronger than ever.
Some old friends, along with some new ones, join him in the
fight, complete with a new and improved bad guy to fight
against. Of course, he couldn’t fight these evil vampires without a few fresh moves and some new fun toys to help him out.
Since we last left him, Blade has been doing well, staying on
his anti-feeding serum and traveling around the world killing
vampires while searching for a friend. Who is this friend? Well,
I can’t tell you because that would spoil the surprise; all I can
say is that he definitely makes a surprising comeback – a pretty unbelievable return in fact, which of course really doesn’t
matter considering the fact that the movie is filled with blood
sucking vampires, right? Anyway, Blade finds his friend pretty early in the movie, and with both of them back in action,
they have the vampires running scared. That is, until they
come across a new breed of vampires being led by Nomak,
played by Luke Goss, who is the baddest of them all. Blade
then forms an alliance with his enemies in order to defeat this
new villain. Of course, to add to the many faces of Blade, we
see into his soft side when he develops a friendship with one of
the vampires that he has devoted his life to killing.
After watching the first 10 minutes of this movie, the mood
for the next hour and 48 minutes is pretty much set. Right
away, we see a vampire get his dinner, and then we see Blade
ruin the dessert. In other words, there was one minute of talking, including Blade’s forever clever remarks, and about nine
minutes of fighting. I do have to admit, though, the special
effects in this movie are awesome. They were able to make the
fact that a vampire crawls on walls and burns up like a cigarette when the light hits it look real. Then, of course, there was
the Matrix-style fighting that takes place, and the costumes
and special effects used to make the vampires look scarier
than ever. These are what gave the movie a kind of raunchy
side. There is a dissection of one of these
new bad guys, and
the tearing of flesh
right and left made
the movie extra special.
So, to wrap it all up,
I think that Blade II
has all the elements
to be one of the all
time top 10 stereotypical guy movies. Guts,
gore and a lot of
kickin’ butt.
So,
depending on your
preference for movies,
this may be the movie
for you, or it may be
the movie that you’ll
want to miss.
in theaters now
Cast: Wesley Snipes, Norman Reedus, Luke Goss
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Rated: R for pervasive violence and language, some drug use and
sexual content
Length: 1 hour 58 minutes
out of five stars
Don Lillie : a Gypsy with someplace to call home
Kellen Perry
Lifestyles Writer
On paper, Donald E. Lillie is a tenured assistant professor of
theatre at MWSC, an artist who has designed and executed
roughly 200 professional scenic designs to date.
In person, Lillie is a live wire of creative energy, a passionate
professional with pale, electric eyes and punctuated features,
an eccentric man sparking with ideas and inspiration, a diligent yet lighthearted taskman, and most certainly a man with
specific goals and refreshingly clear visions. Lillie’s spirited
love for his profession is evident in his manic bouts of storytelling, with rapid, engaging anecdotes and intense declarations coloring his speech.
I tagged along with Lillie one afternoon while he ran some
errands, and we discussed his history, his place at MWSC, the
theatre department and his ambitious plans to give something
back to the city of St. Joseph.
Griffon News: So, you received your bachelor’s and master’s
in communication studies at Morehead State...
Don Lillie: Yeah, it’s a little-bitty school in Appalachia, but
what’s fun about it is that just about everybody I went through
school with is still in the business – for 30 years now. Being a
graduate student there, I had the chance to teach students, and
now they’re colleagues of mine.
GN: What brought you to this region?
DL: The job. I had been in the business for 15 years before
coming here, and I realized that I had a family to support, so I
knew it would take me longer to go where I wanted to go, which
was teaching on a college level. I knew that I had to approach
it as a professional - I freelanced as a designer for 15 years and
built my résumé.
GN: What about MWSC appeals to you?
DL: I like it. I’m allowed to take chances here.
GN: Without the pressures of a larger university?
DL: Somewhat - there’s always pressure when you take risks
creatively. I get to continue my freelance work here at Missouri
Western, which keeps me in the professional world. I get to take
risks - I don’t think I’ve really failed since I arrived 12 years
ago.
GN: So you received tenure in 1995...
DL: Yeah, which was nice. We’re called Gypsies - Gypsies of
the theatre, going from job to job - that’s the nature of the business. I always said that wherever I bought a couch, I’d be there
to stay. I bought my couch in St. Joseph.
GN: How does MWSC compare to larger universities - jobwise?
DL: At a state university, I’d end up doing one show a year -
I’d only get to work with students on a production once a year.
I’m a designer; it’s what I do - if I could only work on one show
a year, I’d shoot myself in the foot...
GN: You have to keep working.
DL: Yeah. I started out at a small school, which gave me certain opportunities. I was a non-trad student who didn’t have a
home - theatre gave me a home. Every place has a land of misfit toys: smaller schools allow you the opportunity to find and
work with those gems that a larger school might brush over the
top of. So, Missouri Western is just the right size.
GN: Ideally, what are your long-term goals? Both personally
and for the theatre department.
DL: Personally, I’ve gone into writing now. I’ve written a
Pony Express play, Saga of the Pony Express - it’s a musical
that I would love to see performed in a permanent, professional company for the city of St. Joseph. I want to give something
back to the community. We’re seeped in tradition, and it has
been neglected long enough. St. Joseph is currently a day-trip
- spend a day in town, see the sights, then go home. With a
night performance that will draw in the tourists, we’ll be putting “heads in beds,” giving tourists a reason to stay overnight.
St. Joseph will see a revolving dollar between hotels, restaurants, attractions, and the theatre. It’s fun, it’s for the families,
and it celebrates our personal traditions.
GN: Where do you see it being performed?
DL: I’d love to revive Krug Park’s amphitheater. It’s a beautiful location.
GN: What about long-term goals for the MWSC theatre
department?
DL: I’d like to see Saga under the umbrella of MWSC, tying
the community and the college together. If it takes off, both
could gain national or even international recognition - the Pony
Express story is known and celebrated worldwide. I’d love to
see our theatre major come back. It’s a slow process.
Academically, the department is currently the strongest it has
ever been. When I do finally retire, I can walk away with a good
20 years at MWSC - I’ll kick and scream into that good night,
but I’ll have something to look back on with pride.
Lifestyles
T H E
G R I F F O N
Tuesday, April 9, 2002 • Page 9
N E W S
Fast times with local bands
Full Feature, Fatal Candy Machine and Shotgun Jenny rock out The Bone
unplanned occurrences, Tripp was there keeping everyone on
the same page. Case in point, the drummer’s girlfriend called
near the end and that brought out a huge roar from the rabblerousers as the crowd was invited to say hello.
Saturday, March 30 saw local act Fatal Candy Machine
All in all, these guys are a promising band that could begin
share the stage with Kansas City natives Shotgun Jenny and to make some noise in the next couple of years. Their sound
Full Feature. On a night that the weather finally lightened up, has obvious influences, but they acknowledge those acts and
these three acts came out with a blend of guitar rock, sunny are beginning to build on that sound instead of just copying it.
pop, and polished slop.
The time is right for this brand of rock, and for an opening act,
Shotgun Jenny was first out of the gates. Blending a three- they played as if the concert would end when their set was
guitar assault with muted drumming, the quartet broke out complete.
some tricky instrument work and smooth vocals that played
They’ve got some room to grow, but they’re on the right path
out like a bizarre Green Day meets Weezer. What is that, three and a year of life will probably add a sharp edge to their work.
Weezer references this year? Oh well, I can live with three A good, almost great, set from people that appreciated the fans
Weezer bands in the area.
and left everything out there for them.
Tripp Kirby, Brady Joe Ritter, Eric Sokol and Andy Cantrell
Next up were St. Joe locals Fatal Candy Machine. Jessyca
are the men behind the music. And in a band that behaved Faris, Josh Kirkland, Jeremy Davis, Ben Constable and Josh
more like a weird family with instruments than nameless Thompson are the gumballs in the orb, so to speak. Blending a
musicians, Tripp was the outgoing handshake; between songs, So-Cal sound with power punk instrumental, The Machine had
he’d chat with the crowd and playfully put down his band a little problem with their vocals volume, but besides that,
mates. Whatever came to mind came out of his mouth, and it delivered a solid set of rock.
gave some spontaneity as well as honesty to everything the
This was by far the most energetic band of the night. Their
band did.
songs were energetic and fun to listen to, as they seemed to
Anytime there was a dead space in the sound or a moment of only get stronger with each song they went into. Faris’s vocals
were great; they had an innocence
and almost flirtatious nature within them. She played the crowd like
a pro, and as the rest of the band
began turning up the stakes with
their instruments, she was able to
meet them on each level of rock
they pursued.
Ben Constable and Josh
Kirkland make a great team on the
guitars, as has been proven from
their earlier collaborations together. Riff after riff bounced between
the two of them, and Kirkland as
always was just fun to watch; the
guy’s like having your own cartoon
to hang out with, and that comes
out every time I see him on stage.
Ben has always been the more
“soulful” of the two, and tonight
was no exception. Sometimes, it’s
hard to tell if it’s joy or pain he
plays with, but it always makes for
good listening, and the two veterans combined guitar work turned
what could have been hollow
happy music into a joycoaster of
sound.
Jeremy Davis’s bass work was
In lieu of photos, which were forgotten once again, The Griffon News employed their expert courtroom
sketch artists Joshua Hall and Aaron Tebrinke. Above is Mr. Hall’s rendition of Fatal Candy Machine rock - good if a little hard to hear and Josh
ing out, and above right, you can see the fabled Assman doing what Assmen do best, rock out on the Thompson is an obviously talented
drummer who could really break
axe, courtesy of Aaron Tebrinke.
out when he wanted to but kept his
Joshua Hall
Lifestyles Editor
jth9345@mwsc.edu
own
sound
where it needed
to be and never
overrode what
everyone else
was doing. The
whole band can
really unleash
a barrage of
riffs when they
wanted to but
never gave in to
the temptation
to indulge their
talents at the
expense of the
overall experience.
And finally, after a night that had already featured two
uniquely different sounds of rock, Full Feature came out to
close up the night. Originally from Lawrence, Kan., Full
Feature has been part of the KC scene for a while now, but this
was their first excursion into the land known as Joetown.
Eddie, C. Loo, Schwen, Boyd and Assman are already a lock
to rock because of Assman. See, since his name IS Assman, I
can put Assman in this review and no one can stop me as long
as it has to do with him and his performance that night.
Observe: Assman was great on the guitar. Assman was an integral part of the band. Assman showed up to play. Assman
spelled backwards is Namssa. It’s the best thing since that
Bitch and Animal CD I got to review.
These guys are polished. They play a trip-hop slop style
that’s reminiscent of pre-Californication Chili Peppers with an
infusion of bass and drum that almost deposits the term
anthem rock on a band that goes a mile a minute on stage. But,
through all that action and supposed chaos, there emerges a
methodical and dominating rhythm.
Everyone fits inside of the collective so well that it’s obvious
these guys have played together for a while. Seamless integration, flowing from one song to the next, this was like listening
to a CD, not a concert. Smart-man rock is one way to describe
how lead singer Eddie works personal messages into his lyrics
whenever he can.
Another way could be angry stand up comedy; they are never
afraid to be blunt or self-depreciating and their songs can be
explorative and amusingly informative. Pointless foreign language is awesome when done right. Those lyrics also come out
at you at the same breakneck pace, but that same rhythm
emerges. It all just flows so damn well together.
A good helping of funk rock from a band that closed out a
really solid concert Saturday night. Top to bottom this was a
strong show that’s helped erase the ugly memories of Moaning
Lisa a few weeks back. Fatal Candy Machine is a lock to be
playing locally again so be sure to check them out. But let’s
hope that Full Feature can make it back soon because they’re
probably the best regional act to come to St. Joe yet. That also
means they probably won’t be regional for long, though.
The Beautiful People
Lacy Breckenridge
Lifestyles Writer
The media plagues us each day with images
of the “ideal body” plastered on magazine covers, billboards and television. It is obvious that
the pressure to be perfect is ruining our selfesteem.
Pick up any women’s magazine today and it
is not astonishing to see a half-starved, makeup-plastered, air brushed model that silently
mocks the average woman. Despite the fact
that women today are well aware that these
images are incongruent with a normal female
body, they still continue to torture themselves.
Elaine Arvin Andrews, who is currently an
adjunct instructor for the English department,
believes that women are so influenced by the
media presents because their images are simply impossible to hide from.
“I think that women are influenced by these
images because, first of all, these images are
everywhere and, second of all, because these
images represent a fantasy, a way to escape
everyday life. The problem with buying into
this fantasy for most women is that it means
doubting yourself, especially if they don’t conform to the “consensus” out there for what is
beautiful.”
She believes that these images also pose a
problem for women who simply cannot conform to the “All-American” look of blue eyes
and blonde hair.
“Right now, we all know that the ideal
American beauty is thin and fair-skinned.
What does this mean for African American,
Hispanic, or Asian women?”
Andrews also sees that the fine line between
fantasy and reality for women and the images
that they are exposed to is rather blurry.
“People forget that fantasy is not reality. The
fact that the ideal beauty changes so drastical-
ly from era to era proves that the fantasy is not
always the same in every culture. For example, in the Victorian period, a beautiful woman
had the characteristics of both a mother and a
child. Rosy cheeks and “rosebud” lips were in
favor, but so was a plump, womanly body that
looked like it could bear many children.”
It is quite obvious that standards of beauty
change throughout the years, and hopefully,
some women are beginning to realize that, but
why do we still continue to be drawn to the
“beautiful people,” and why is it that magazines and television rarely show women of
average proportions?
Andrews feels that the answer is simple.
“I think that the media has long known that
sex and beauty sells. I think that their rationale is “Who would want to buy a magazine
with an ‘average’ or ‘different’ woman on the
cover?” I think that all in all, they underestimate the public, and that’s everybody’s loss.”
Images of beauty and the pressure to be perfect are deteriorating the way that young
women feel about themselves. It is becoming
more and more difficult for them
to accept their bodies and
their features because they
are constantly comparing
them to images that the
media presents. A short
interview that I conducted
with a classmate, who
wished to remain anonymous, only reinforced these
facts.
“Do you think that guys prefer
a skinny, blonde, model type
woman over an average
woman?” Yes. That is all
anyone sees in T.V. or anywhere else. It is what little
girls are taught to look
like. I don’t think that
Can You Believe It?
90% of all girls ages 3-11 have a Barbie doll, an early role
model with a figure that is unattainable in real life. (If a real
woman were to have Barbie’s proportions, she wouldn’t be
able to stand upright.)
69% of television actresses are thin and only 5% are overweight.
The average person sees between 400 and 600 ads per
day, and one out of every 10 commercials has a direct message about beauty.
The tendency to compare oneself with models increases
with age.
anyone could like me for the way I look
because I don’t look like I should.
“Why do you think that average sized women
aren’t shown much in movies or magazines?”
Because it is not what people want to see. Even
the “ugly” people on TV are usually beautiful
and if they are really ugly then they are
always they bad guy or evil. It is also a misconception that if you are big, you are not
healthy. People actually believe that big people
are lazy and don’t try to look good.
“When you pick up a magazine like
Cosmopolitan, how do you feel?” I feel like I am
not good enough and will never be. I feel like
no one will ever treat me well because I don’t
look like the people in those magazines.
This young lady is only one of many that feel
this way. It’s alarming to think that the media
can twist our minds into believing that we are
not good enough, skinny enough or pretty
enough. They make us feel insecure and angry
with our bodies because we aren’t up to par
with the standards of beauty that THEY
have constructed.
Rather than the
curvy, voluptuous, hourglass figure that was
adored in the fifties,
women are now
urged to have a
body frighteningly
similar to that of
an
adolescent
boy. As the years
progress, models
become thinner and
thinner and the
average woman is
seen as fat. The
lack of hips, thighs, butts, and breasts are seen
as being sexy now. A site that reinforces this
way of thinking is www.anorexic-rec.com. This
site glorifies anorexia by showing starved
women showing off their lack of flesh. The site
also found that vomiting was very sexy and
had many pages devoted to the topic.
Nothing is shocking anymore. Our culture
has become shallow. We place higher value on
physical beauty than inner beauty. We are
brainwashed each day by the media and have
begun to believe that we are inadequate if we
have a bit of meat on our bones or we don’t
wear the right hue of lipstick.
Andrews advises those who feel oppressed by
these images of “beauty” to look deeper into
their souls.
“My advice for young women would be to get
to know who you are first, and to recognize
that fantasy aspect of advertising more.
Everyone likes to look nice, but women should
stop attaching who they are
(and how they feel
about themselves)
to what they
look like.”
Opinion
Page 10 • Tuesday, April 9, 2002
T HE
G R I F F ON
N E W S
Editorial
Gone, but not forgotten
A vital part of the Missouri Western State
College family recently passed away on Monday,
March 25. Bob Berger, the director of financial
aid and native of St. Joseph, Mo., suffered from
the effects of an aneurysm on his way to work
that morning.
We at The Griffon News feel Berger was an
inspirational individual who will be surely and
dearly missed. Berger has been an aid to many
students in the pursuit of financial assistance as
well as other important needs. On countless
occasions, he would go the extra mile to make
sure that whoever came across his path had their
needs met. He was always on the side of students
when it came to their financial needs. Berger
opened a lot of doors for people who came to seek
his help.
The campus has endured a mighty blow. We
feel this institution can heal by not mourning
over the loss, but remembering the good things
that Berger did for this campus. Never forget that
he was always deeply into the conversation; that
he cared about whoever was sitting in his chair,
whether it be the president of the college or an
incoming freshman he had just met. Also keep in
mind that he had a great sense of humor. It
seemed as if he had the right thing to say about
any situation. His kind words were a ray of sun-
shine through anyone’s personal storm. On top of
that, Berger had a smile that could win anyone
over to happiness.
We at The Griffon News think everyone should
keep the family and friends of Bob Berger in their
prayers and thoughts. They are definitely in ours.
Yes, we are in a mourning state, however we need
to reflect and move on into a positive direction.
Berger was a very joyful and happy person. We do
not think that he would want us to mourn his
death, but to celebrate his life. He is in a better
place where there is not anymore pain, suffering
and death.
We feel that the inhabitants of this institute of
higher education should go the extra mile for
Berger as he did for many of us. We should let his
family, friends and those who were close to him
know that we are in this together and that we are
continuing to pray for them through this time.
As a people, we need to realize that life is a precious gift from God. We need to be thankful and
live life to its fullest positive potential. Let us not
neglect the good things that Berger brought to
the table of this institute of higher education.
Even though Berger is gone, his love for the student body lives on through hearts of those with
whom he touched. May his memory forever live
in our minds as well as our hearts.
Bob Berger was a man who touched many people’s
lives. Mere words cannot express the depth of the
emptiness his leaving this world has created in
our hearts. We have so many wonderful memories.
Memories of his captivating way of telling stories of
friends, family and co-workers. The smile and laugh that
was contagious, uplifting and always entertaining.
Mr. ‘B’ was not only a boss. He was our friend, teacher,
mentor, a true gentleman and, to many of us, a surrogate
father. He watched over us and taught us the old-fashioned
values of honesty, patience, accountability and sincerity.
His cheery, always positive disposition is what made
coming to work every morning the best part of the day.
No matter how busy he was, he would always make time
for just one more student or one more phone call. He took
a sincere interest in getting to know students and
colleagues. He created an environment that fostered
learning and success and helped so many individuals
reach their goals and complete their education.
Bob was the kindest, gentlest man we’ve ever known and
we are honored to have been able to work with him and
to have known him. We love him and will miss him greatly.
A piece of Bob will live on forever in each of us.
He will never be forgotten.
From the MWSC Financial Aid Staff
Letter to the editor
Student attempts to set record straight about racism
racism? Does anyone really know? Let’s look it
up. In Webster’s Dictionary, they say racism is
"Athought or belief that one race is better than
another race." So now that we know this, was
Josh Hall being racist? I don’t think so.
Insensitive…maybe.
First, I would like to thank LaTonya
Williams for her thoughts. I found her to be
consistent, equitable, and intelligent. I totally
agree that Mr. Hall’s thoughts should be
heard. He has a right to free speech just as
any of us do. If she would have prevented this
article from being printed, then I would have
serious doubts about the true integrity of this
Peter McDavitt
newspaper.
News Writer
In reading through this series of articles, I
They say there are three things that you noticed the other authors were guilty of one
should never bring up in casual conversation-- thing…letting their own hate and racial consex, politics, and religion. I would like to add flicts fuel their attack on Mr. Hall. We’ve all
racism to that list. What is the definition of heard so many times that name-calling and
fighting is not the answer.
Well, maybe we need to be
reminded of this again.
The words that I read in
each article, I believe to
be offensive in nature.
Let’s list some of them in
order of appearance:
Leslie Hancock & LaTonya Williams
IGNORANT,
UNEDUEditors-in-Chief
CATED RACIST, IGNORANT (again), IGNORANT
(again), ILLNESS,
Tana Wiles
News Editor
STUPIDITY,
IGNORANT
Michael Milbourn
News Editor
(again),
FOOLISH,
Tyrone Gethers Jr.
Opinion Editor
APPALLING, GARBAGE,
Josh Hall
Lifestyles Editor
UNACCEPTABLE, MISKathy McKnight
Lifestyles Editor
GUIDED, UNEDUCATBen Garrett
Sports Editor
ED (again), STUPID,
This letter was written in
response to editorials written
about a column by Josh Hall
titled ‘Editor asks program to
find fun in celebrating month of
diversity’ that ran in the Feb. 26
issue of The Griffon News
Bradley Redmond
Aaron Tebrinke
Angela Pasley
Bradley Redmond
Bob Bergland
Graphics/Web Editor
Photo Editor
Copy Editor
Business Manager
Faculty Adviser
INSENSITIVE, IGNORANCE (again), IGNORANCE (again), IRRESPONSIBLE, INFLAMMATORY, IGNORANCE (again). I find it disconcerting that many of these hateful words
came from the assistant dean of students and
director of Unity Services. But, still, I think
each person had the right to say what he/she
did. Would Mr. Hall be dreaming if you ever
extended him that same right? Also, I’ll give
Ms. Smith some advice, and it’s up to her
whether she takes it. By using the phrase
"uneducated racist," I assume that she pulled
Mr. Hall’s transcript to make sure her GPA
was higher. His intelligence and beliefs are not
necessarily linked, so don’t place a stereotype
when you don’t know if it fits.
I do agree that many of these terms may
describe what Mr. Hall wrote; however, I
strongly disagree with the response to his
remarks. If you believe Mr. Hall is ignorant,
point your finger right at him; then, turn the
finger around and point it at yourself. They
say that true racists are those who choose to
use that word to describe another’s beliefs.
The fight against racism is not about putting
down those we tend not to agree with. It is
about handling those people who make us all
feel cheated and offended with the utmost
amount of sensitivity and respect. Why? If we
insult them, then we just gave them another
reason to hate. Every single word I listed
above contained some small or large portion of
hate. Try to imagine each one as a brick added
to the wall of racism that Mr. Hall himself was
helping to build. Do you feel good after adding
your own bricks to the wall?
I found Mr. Hall’s remarks incoherent and
offensive. I’m white, if it matters. By calling
Staffer shares view of faceless few
STAFF CONTRIBUTORS
News:
Eddie Acree
Lucas Chisam
Tiffany Embry
John Fabsits
Monet Lucien
Kara McKinny
Misty Musselman
Aimee Pike
Lifestyles:
Lacy Breckenridge
Erika Conway
Amanda
Housewirth
Sheena Kelly
Kellen Perry
Melissa Waddell
Sports:
Andy Brown
Jenn Ehrhardt
Dusty Yungeberg
Photographers:
Nick Brown
Ryan Faul
Mark Seek
Daniel Grover
Graphics/Web
Advertising:
Alicia Jacobs
John Head
Jessie Holeman
Jacarra Hooks
Brian Hunt
Printer:
Wathena Times
The Griffon News is written and published by students of Missouri Western State
College on Tuesdays during the fall and spring semesters. The first copy of each issue is
free, additional copies are 50 cents. Content of this paper is developed independently of the
faculty and administration.or other campus organization or office. Readers are encouraged
to submit story ideas, information and advertising to The Griffon News office, SS/C 221,
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 information, 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/griffonnews
Email: griffonnews@mwsc.edu
his remarks offensive and incoherent, I simply
mean that I do not agree with him, and I don’t
see the connection with his article a year ago
and the Soul Food dinner. I think that the dinner was a great idea and a perfect educational
opportunity. This is the kind of thing I would
like to see more often on our campus. One comment made by Ms. Osborn was that she sees
only minority students at events sponsored by
minority organizations. First, may I remind
everyone of that incident last year with the
comedian hired to emcee the talent show? As I
recall, the racial slurs were running rampant,
and not to black, but to whites. That’s what
they call "reverse discrimination." I know
many who were offended by this, black and
white both, if it matters. Maybe the Office of
Unity Services needs to be a little more careful
deciding what to do with our money. I know I
don’t want to pay to be insulted. I can get that
for free just about anywhere. Would you go to
another event sponsored by that organization,
Ms. Osborn? If you can honestly say you
would, then I consider you the better person
between you and I.
We should all step back and remember that
equality is not about making up for lost time or
past atrocities, but about bringing everyone
together and reducing discrimination based on
something we cannot control. If Mr. Hall
chooses to know nothing about Black history
and displays his lack of knowledge on that subject, that’s fine! If you think this makes him a
racist, then I have a question for you. How
much do you know about Irish history, Russian
history, Mexican history or Chinese history?
Please reconsider your thoughts on what
racism really is.
From my
side of
the lens
Jessie Holeman
Graphics/Web staff
jmh7858@mwsc.edu
I have recently come to realize that
my enthusiasm towards Missouri
Western facilities has degenerated
enormously since my ascent into the
institution. A proud freshman has
transformed into a bitter junior. I have
lived on-campus for three years now. I
go to classes, have a couple of jobs on
campus, and am a mild participant in
student activities. I feel as though I am
a pretty average student with valid concerns pertaining to the administration
at Missouri Western.
Recently, the decision was made that,
as of next semester, the bottom floor
residents of Vaselakos will be removed
to make room for freshmen FIG groups.
However, in the past, students were not
allowed to apply for rooms in the apartments until the end of their sophomore
year. This was, once again, a decision
made by the powers that be. They notified residents within their usual timely
manner, which was a week or two before
room sign up was scheduled. They have
also decided to triple up two bedrooms
in all the suites. And, of course with
budget cuts come tuition increases and
an increase in campus living expenses.
In short, they are requiring students to
pay more for less space. The repercussions of these decisions could force some
students to move off-campus, work more
hours at their jobs, or even quit school.
As a result, there could be dwindling
participation in student activities.
Incoming freshmen would be able to see
this negativity and therefore decide
against enrolling at our college. They
are discussing building a new residence
hall to accommodate the intense
increase in enrollment and on-campus
residents. But, with the negative atmosphere that is being produced by frustrated students, it may not be needed.
I am truly tired of last minute decisions being made by a handful of people
without faces. What is the point of having a Student Government and
Residence Council when they are not
even notified of changes until the last
minute and do not get a chance to represent the students’ opinions? I understand that there are always those situations when a decision must be made
with no time to seek representation. I
just have a problem with the administration choosing some poor person as
the patsy that answers for all their last
minute, better for the school, decision.
My suggestion is that the faceless few
should make sure that all facts are
given to the proper fall guy, so when
questions are asked, they can give
answers that are not so vague. A written
notification containing facts and reasons to all students would be appreciated, if at all possible, as soon as these
decisions that affect our money and our
lives are made. This may cut down on
future sit-ins, written complaints,
phone calls, etc. I think we all understand that you will continue to be the
puppet masters of our environment.
But, if you care one inkling about the
people who pay your salary and will
someday be on your alumni phone list,
you will consider how your last minute
“don’t ask why” decisions affect the current student body.
Sports
T H E
G R I F F O N
Tuesday, April 9, 2002 • Page 11
N E W S
Western golfers in the swing of things, storm to third
Griffons rebound
from opening-day
323, to shoot a 303 in
the second-round
Jeanette Kragel
Guest Writer
The Griffon golfers came
back from an opening round
ninth-place standing to finish
third in the Missouri Western
Invitational at Fairview Golf
Course in St. Joseph on April
2.
The Griffons fielded their
full team in the two-round
event that began on April 1.
The first team of five was comprised of John Perry, Louis
Kaser, Scott Crose, Ryan
Butler and Randy Hughes.
Hughes broke his putter in
anger late Monday. He continued to use the broken putter in
violation of the rules, resulting
in disqualification of his
round-one score.
They brought in a disappointing 323 from the opening
round but capped off the event
with the low total for day two,
a 303, for a team score of 626.
The Griffons were bested in
the team results by Missouri
Southern, who won the tournament with a 606. Second
place went to Central Missouri
State with a team total 609.
Mickey Carpenter of Missouri
Southern took medal honors in
the individual race, shooting
75 both days for a 150 total.
Mike Habermehl, Missouri
Western golf coordinator and
Fairview club pro, talked
about the difference in the two
days.
“Our guys are playing today
like they know every inch of
this course,” Habermehl said.
“Yesterday, they played like it
was their first time here.”
The weather conditions certainly didn’t explain the
change. The round on Monday
was played in windy but
unseasonably warm weather
with near record highs. On
Tuesday, the winds switched
around to the northeast, and
the 16-team field finished the
event in cold, gusty winds.
Hughes shot the low score
for the entire field in the cold
on day two. It was an even par,
72, his only score for the event
that would count.
The team carried on without
Hughes’ first-round numbers
and mounted a charge on the
second day to move from ninth
place to third. Western was
helped by Butler, who shaved
seven strokes off his day-one
score, and Perry, whose score
dropped by five.
Perry, who finished in a tie
for fifth in the individual
event, led the Western first
team with a two-day total of
153. He shot 79 the first day
and closed with a 74. Perry
scored two eagles during his
round, on holes one and 10.
“I hit a sand wedge real close
on number one and tapped in
for eagle,” Perry said. “On
number 10, I chipped in.”
Griffon Head Coach Jim
Perry was pleased with the
day-two performances. He said
the young team showed some
nerves on the first day and dug
a hole too deep to climb out.
“We had a pretty good fall
term,” Perry said. “Yesterday
showed us we just have to
work a little harder.”
Perry said there was plenty
of work to do before the next
tournament.
“We go to Washburn next
Monday,” Perry said. “We’ll be
working on chipping and putting, and some of the kids have
some swing problems we’ll
take a look at, too.”
The Missouri Western second team does not travel to
all of the tournaments, so the
event at Fairview was their
best chance to show what
they could do. Team two
included Jason Cross, Jeff
Woody, Matt Smith and Chad
Sullenger.
In his first collegiate tournament, Cross led all the
Missouri Western men on
day one with an opening
round of 76. His two-day
total came in at 155, which
was second lowest for the
Griffons and in a tie for 14th
in the individual event. Team
two finished 14th overall.
The remaining three weeks
on the Griffon golf schedule
are important.
April 11-12, Western will
appear at the William Jewell
Invitational -- the final tuneup before the district qualifiers.
The District V Qualifier is
scheduled for the following
weekend, April 22-23.
Western finishes the golf
season, April 29-30, at the
MIAA Tournament. The tournament will be held at the
Country Club of Blue
Springs.
Western tennis drops fifth straight
Ben Garrett
Sports Editor
bag5624@mwsc.edu
The struggles continued for
Griffon
tennis,
as
Lincoln
University defeated Missouri
Western 5-4, continuing a Griffon
slide which has now reached five
straight losses.
Western is now 2-9 after a 1-1
start, last winning at MIAA rival
Emporia State March 10. Every
Griffon has been affected during
the streak – no Western player has
posted a better singles record than
Kim Redmond, who is 5-9.
“There’s a big difference,” freshman Lori Larson said of the adjustment from high school to college.
“The competition is better. We all
agree that we could be playing better, but we’re trying our absolute
hardest. It’s the most frustrating
when we lost against teams that
we know we should beat.”
In singles play, Lincoln posted
victories in its top three spots.
Western won the final three games,
with Pam Le, Kim Redmond and
Liz Beeson each breezing to victories in the four, five and six spots.
Freshman Pam Le defeated
Valerie Cavitt 6-0, 6-0, to improve
her record to 3-5. All of her games
have been played from the four
spot.
Kim Redmond beat Kim Harvey
6-3, 6-2, and Liz Beeson defeated
Ashley Armour in three sets, 4-6, 61 and 6-0. Beeson is now 4-10.
Sophomore Sara Batchelor, playing No. 1 for Missouri Western, fell
to Darya Chernova, 3-6 and 0-6.
Batchelor jumped out to a 2-0 lead
in the first set, and it was tied at 33, before Chernova stormed to win
the final three points.
“She’s an all around great hitter,”
Batchelor said of the more experienced Chernova. “I started out hitting everything, but she started figuring out my game.”
Larson, playing No. 2, lost 3-6, 16 to Anastasia Shevchenko. The
experience of the European player
showed as the match went on and
Larson’s struggles continued.
“I wasn’t at the top of my game,
and unfortunately, it has been that
way lately,” Larson said. “I’m in a
slump right now. I’m just frustrated. They’re strong players, but on a
good day, I feel like I could have
taken her. I’ve just never not been
able to fix my struggles.”
Sophomore Anna Ristic lost the
third Griffon singles match 3-6, 1-6
to Carolina Rodriguez. Ristic,
Batchelor and Larson all own 4-10
records.
Batchelor and Beeson were the
only Griffon doubles team to come
away with a victory. The duo
defeated Cavitt and Armour, 8-3, to
improve to 2-4 on the season. The
two are back together after a failed
experiment with Beeson and Le,
who were 0-4.
“I see conference as totally different than the regular season,”
Batchelor said. “Our conference is
so tough that it’s hard to win a lot
of matches. I don’t think our record
does us justice for as hard as we
work.”
Western looks to wipe the slate
clean on the rest of its schedule,
beginning April 9, at William
Jewell.
Griffon pitcher throws 6 2/3 hitless innings
Southwest then turned to Geoff
Crisp to see if he could bail them
out. Crisp did not fare much better
allowing four more runs before the
Anyone who missed the bottom of
inning was over. The Griffons went
the first inning of the Griffons
into the second inning with a 9-0
baseball game Friday night against
lead.
Southwest Baptist, may have
Anthony Auckland led Western’s
thought they missed the most
offense in the first. With the
important part of the game.
Griffons leading by a score of 2-0
That was far from the truth —
and two men on, Auckland hit a
the real excitement was when Sean
triple to put the game at 4-0.
Harvey was on the mound.
Auckland promptly scored on a sinHarvey had a no hitter going
gle by Ryan Donaldson. He felt it
through 6 2/3 innings. He was one
was a team effort.
out from throwing a no hitter,
“We had a chance to put them
when Bearcats second baseman
away early, and we did it,”
Cody Bales sent a soft single
Auckland said.
between third and the shortstop to
The Griffon bats cooled off after
break it up.
the first, but their gloves heated
After the game, Harvey admitted
up. The next four innings were all
that he was being a little too picky
about defense and keeping
with his pitches trying to get the no
Harvey’s no hitter intact.
hitter.
“We all wanted to play great
defense for Sean (Harvey),”
Auckland said.
In the bottom of the fifth inning,
Western decided to remove what
was left of Crisp’s edge. Crisp
quickly loaded the bases and
allowed six runs, making the score
17-0 in favor of Western. Crisp was
then replaced in favor of Josh
Berry.
Berry finished the game for
Southwest by not allowing a run in
his two innings of work.
Despite the chilly evening,
Western fans stayed to watch
Harvey try to achieve something
that no Western pitcher had ever
done before.
“The defense played a great game
for me,” Harvey said.
Harvey went the distance for
Senior outfielder Troy Gustafson connects with a pitch during Friday night’s 17-0 vic - Missouri Western, allowing one hit
tory over Southwest Baptist. Gustafson is batting .376, and he leads the team in total and striking out nine.
Dusty Yungeberg
Sports Writer
at bats with 101.
“I left that pitch over the plate
too much, and he put it into left
field,” Harvey said.
Coach Buzz Verduzco was
pleased with his pitcher’s performance.
“Sean was unbelievable tonight
for us,” Verduzco said. “He has
been really consistent for us all
season. He set the tone for us
tonight.”
Harvey was unhittable early and
often by not allowing the Bearcats
anything in the top of the first
inning. He received plenty of offensive support from his teammates in
the bottom of the first.
Southwest Baptist starting pitcher David Luster must have left his
luster in Bolivar, because he didn’t
bring it with him to the game
Friday night. He allowed five runs
in 1/3 of an inning of work.
Western erased an opening day ninth-place standing, to finish in third
place at the Missouri Western Invitational, held at the Fairview Golf
Course. The District V Qualifiers will be held April 22-23.
SportsShorts
Western softball ready to return home
A heavily traveled Missouri Western softball team will get its chance to finish the season with a winning record, as 10 of its final 14 games are at home.
That is a far cry from a schedule which has seen the team on the road virtually the entire season. Western is now 10-15 and has a legitimate shot of
reaching its preseason goal of a winning record.
The Griffons began the season 8-5, but a 10 game slide left the team at 8-15
at the season’s midway point. Since that time, Western defeated South Dakota
State and South Dakota at the Augustana Tournament, to improve its record
to 10-15.
Western begins the meat of its conference schedule with a home doubleheader scheduled for April 10 against Truman.
The team is led by Trina Denison and Valerie Curtis — both players are
either No. 1 or 2 in most of the major offensive categories.
Grunhard to speak at honors banquet
The Missouri Western athletic department has announced its third annual
student-athlete honors banquet and selected former Chief Tim Grunhard to
appear as the keynote speaker.
The banquet, sponsored by the St. Joseph News-Press, will be held April 25,
at 7 p.m., in the Downtown Holiday Inn. Since retiring one year ago, Grunhard
has joined the broadcasting ranks. He currently hosts Crunchtime on 810
WHB AM with Frank Boal and Bill Maas.
Individual tickets have gone on sale and are priced at $30 each.
Griffon football releases fall schedule
Western football just concluded its spring practices, and the team looks to
improve on back-to-back eight win seasons — the recently released schedule
shows some familiar foes.
The Griffons are set to appear at Spratt Stadium five times, including the
season opener Aug. 29 against Winona State University. Western last faced
Winona State in the 2000 Mineral Water Bowl, falling in a triple overtime
thriller, 43-41.
September begins with a trip to South Dakota, which last defeated Missouri
Western 17-13 in 2000.
The remaining nine games are against MIAAteams. Homecoming is Oct. 19,
against Southwest Baptist. This year, Northwest comes to St. Joseph — the
two schools will face off Nov. 9.
NFL receiver spotted at spring practice
New Orleans Saints Pro Bowl wide receiver Joe Horn was spotted at
Saturday’s spring football practice.
The former Kansas City Chief was at Missouri Western to watch his younger
brother, freshman defensive lineman Scorpio Horn.
The elder Horn exploded onto the NFL scene two years ago after signing a
large contract with New Orleans as a free agent. He became the first player in
Saints history to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in consecutive seasons.
Western pitchers on a roll
Griffon baseball is off to an impressive start, and the pitching staff is more
than doing its part.
The staff as a whole is much-improved from last year, and the numbers show
it; five pitchers have held the opponents’ batting average under .254, and Sean
Harvey neared the first ever Missouri Western no hitter before surrendering a
single Friday night.
Harvey leads the staff in wins with four, while Sean Donlin leads the team
in strikeouts with 26.
Western begins an important week as it looks to improve on its 17-9 record.
The Griffons face Emporia State for a doubleheader April 10 and will face
Missouri Southern for three games April 13 and 14.
Western bats explode against Southwest Baptist
Missouri Western gave Southwest Baptist 53 reasons to return home -- or
rather -- 53 runs unleashed on the Bearcat pitching staff.
Western scored a combined 36 runs in its doubleheader Saturday, easily pacing the team to two victories. The Griffons took the first game 14-5, and the
second 22-0.
On Friday, Western shut out the Bearcats 17-0. The three wins put the team
eight games over .500, and the team’s largest scoring output of the season.
Western’s previous game high had been 16 runs -- something the team
reached twice during the season.
The Griffons need just four wins to equal last season’s mark of 21 wins. The
team finished 21-23 in Head Coach Buzz Verduzco’s second season at the helm.
Sports
Page 12 • Tuesday, April 9, 2002
T H E
G R I F F O N
N E W S
Western’s West Coast pipeline to success
Dusty Yungeberg
Sports Writer
I t
would not be a
surprise to find out
that Missouri Western
has players from Missouri,
Kansas or Iowa, but it may surprise some to find out that more
than half of the team hails from the
West Coast.
So how did Western end up with such a
high percentage of players from out of the region?
Coach Buzz Verduzco came to Missouri Western from
Washington State University where he was an assistant coach. When he came to Missouri
Western two seasons ago, he decided to
bring players from the Northwest with
him.
“Coach Verduzco recruited
me to Washington
State when he
was
there,”
Pitcher Sean
H a r v e y
Missouri Western has seen an
influx of West Coast players since
the arrival of Head Coach Buzz
Verduzco. Verduzco, a native of
Washington, has a recruiting
resource in the region that no other
MIAA team can make a claim to.
Eight players hail from the state of
Washington, while several others
were recruited from Oregon,
California and British Columbia.
said. “When he came to Missouri Western, he called me
and told me that he had a place for me.”
Verduzco has kept going back to the Northwest to recruit
because he feels that there are a lot of talented players in
the area who are passed over.
“There are a lot of good players in the Northwest,”
Verduzco said. “A lot of players from the area are overlooked. We are having success with our guys from the
area, and we are going to stick with it.”
Verduzco uses a network of coaches that he used to work
with at Washington State to notify him of talented
prospects in the area.
“When you are there for 10 years, you develop relationships over the years with coaches,” Verduzco said. “You get
to know the coaches, and you stick with them.”
Besides trusting the judgment of his former colleagues,
Verduzco still makes a couple of trips to the area a year to
scout players.
“We usually go twice a year,” Verduzco said. “Usually once
in the fall and again in the middle of May to watch the
Northwest Junior College Tournament.”
No matter how many coaches he trusts, Verduzco feels
that his players are the best recruiters of all.
“Our players are our best recruiters without question,”
Verduzco said. “They tell their friends back home what we
are doing here, and they want to be a part of it.”
With many of the players coming from the same area, it’s
easier to adjust to being so far from home when there
are so many of them.
“It’s good to have over half of the team
from the West Coast,” Harvey said.
Centerfielder Anthony Auckland transferred to Missouri Western from Washington
State University. Much to his delight, he says
that Verduzco has delivered on all of his promises.
“Everything that he said would happen
has happened,” Auckland said. “I couldn’t be
happier with how it has worked out.”
Of the 24 players on Missouri Western’s
roster, 14 are from the Northwest with eight of the
14 being from the state of Washington.
Western football player expelled from Leaverton Hall
Ben Garrett
Sports Editor
bag5624@mwsc.edu
A Missouri Western football player charged
with third-degree assault has been notified of
his permanent expulsion from the residence
halls by a formal hearing panel, and a second
player is scheduled for an informal disposition
this week.
The hearing panel, which consisted of students, faculty and staff members, presented its
decision to Chris Eads, a sophomore linebacker on April 3, finding him in violation of
five rules and regulations as outlined in the
student handbook (see sidebar).
The decision stemmed from an assault during the early morning hours of Feb. 24 in
Leaverton Hall. According to a campus security report, Eads and Jay Courtney, a freshman
offensive lineman, attacked Theador Otto in
their residence hall. Otto was found semi-conscious outside of the room, in a pool of his own
blood. Witnesses later stated that Otto had
been causing a disturbance at Grubs
Steakhouse before his encounter with Eads
and Courtney. Otto could not be reached for
comment.
In a letter to Eads issued by the office of the
dean of student affairs, the college hearing
panel also notified Eads that, “You will be on
disciplinary
probation for
the rest of
your time at
MWSC. You
will
seek
mandatory
counseling
until released
by
the
Counseling
Center. You
will
be
assigned 50
hours
of
- Jay Courtney
community
Western football player
s e r v i c e
working
with Mark
Linder in programs to be presented to both college and high school student athletes in areas
of alcohol use and anger management.”
As of press time Sunday, Eads had not yet
appealed the decision. He had five days – until
April 8 - to file his appeal with the college
appellate panel.
While Eads’ case was immediately referred
to the formal college hearing panel, Don Willis,
dean of student affairs, will give Courtney an
informal disposition. Courtney, who was also
charged with
third-degree
assault, will
meet
with
Willis, and at
that
time,
the two will
reach agreement on the
rules
that
were violated
and the punishment that
is to be doled
out.
If
- Chris Eads
Courtney
chooses to
Western football player
appeal the
informal
disposition,
he must do so in writing within two school
days. At that time, his case would be referred
to the college hearing panel for further review.
“The situation in the charges for Chris was
much more severe,” Willis said of his decision
to refer Eads’ case to the hearing panel. “It was
a situation where I determined that it needed
to be heard in front of a hearing panel.
“I delegated this to the hearing panel based
on my investigation and the information that I
gathered. I have the luxury of waiting to see
what the hearing panel does for one student,
before I make the informal disposition with
another student.”
Failure to comply with any of the components of probation may be considered cause for
immediate suspension from Missouri Western.
Both Eads and Courtney refused Griffon News
interview requests.
According to Josh Bauroth, Missouri
Western apartment residence coordinator, an
expulsion order from the residence halls is a
rare occurrence. He was not aware of any
expulsions during the past year.
“It’s a pretty quiet residence hall system that
we’ve got,” Bauroth said. “When certain events
happen, you take notice because it’s so unusual.”
Bauroth said that most instances of fighting
in the dorms go unreported, and before they
can be examined, a formal complaint must be
filed with his office.
“We do our own judicial processing,” Bauroth
said. “Oftentimes, it requires a complaint. The
law is defined by the person who sees himself
as being harmed.”
Head football coach Jerry Partridge
declined to comment on the specifics
of the case, citing an athletic
department policy to not comment
until the adjudication process has
been finalized. Partridge has full
discretion when doling out punishment, and according to athletic
department guidelines, may do so
after a guilty plea has been entered, or
after a guilty verdict has been rendered.
“The hearing panel heard the facts and made
their decision based on those facts,” Partridge
said. “It’s very sensitive for all parties
involved, so I won’t make comments until the
adjudication process is completed.”
Eads and Courtney must still appear for
trial at the Buchanan County Circuit Court.
Courtney is scheduled to appear April 10,
while Eads is scheduled to appear April 24.
The sanctions imposed on Eads were
released by the college as a result of 1998
changes to the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act.
Prior to 1998, any disciplinary hearings
involving incidents of violence and non-forcible
sex offenses were considered a private part of
a student’s educational record. However, under
the Missouri Sunshine Law, provisions have
been made which allow for the release of this
information.
“Assault or threaten to assault any person, to engage in any
unwelcome physical contact (which includes, but is not limited to, unwanted touching, even between acquaintances)
with any person, to make unwelcome advances, or to engage
in conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety
of any person.”
“Engage in disorderly conduct or expression, a breach of
peace or aid or incite another to a breach of the peace. Such
conduct includes, but is not limited to, unwelcome physical
contact, hazing and boisterous conduct or threatening conduct which is unreasonable for the area, time or manner in
which it occurs.”
“Exhibit such behavior or engage in activities which
endanger the safety of oneself or others. This includes, but
is not limited to, destructive behavior by individuals and/or
groups and self-destructive behavior.”
The five violations that
the college hearing
panel found Eads in
violation of
“Commit any act which is a violation of a criminal law
of the United States, the State of Missouri or a municipal
ordinance.”
“Conduct oneself in such a manner so as to reflect unfavorably upon the individual student or the college community.”