Daisy Chaparro Vice-President Sophomore political science and philosophy major Experience: • SGA senator since her freshman year • Member of the Administration, Fi- nance and Technol- ogy Committee where she helped launch the second annual “Go Green Week” • Member of the Governmental Affairs committee, became deputized and helped register students to vote in Bexar County elections • Attended the international Conference of Student Government Associations • Aims to create 24 hour study locations, im- prove food options and Wi-Fi connectivity Alexandra McCoy President Junior English major and business minor Experience: • SGA senator since her freshman year • Member of the appropriations com- mittee for two years • Chair of the Student Development Com- mittee, which has allowed her to work directly with the Board of Trustees for Stu- dent Development • Has organized events like Rattler tailgates, pub nights and Rattler Madness • Has helped establish two 24-hour quiet study lounges in the Outback • Shares Macias’ platform, also aims to im- prove science labs and SGA involvement Valerie Macias Vice-President Junior political science major Experience: • SGA senator since her freshman year • Member of the appropriations com- mittee where she helped allocate funds to RSOs • Former chair of the Enrollment manage- ment committee where she helped ad- ministration work on retaining students • Helped SGA become part of bearattler. com, a social networking site designed to help SGA answer students’ questions • Aims to find a late-night study location, increase number of security cameras and explore a book rental program Posters plastered all over campus, T-shirts with “vote for me” printed on them and stu- dents begging for votes usually sums up the competitive spirit of the Student Government As- sociation spring elections. But this year, most of the can- didates running are doing so unopposed. The only competi- tive race is for the Vice President position and is between sopho- more political science and phi- losophy major Daisy Chaparro and junior political science ma- jor Valerie Mancias. The presidential candidate, junior English major and busi- ness minor Alexandra McCoy, faces no opponent and will become the SGA president for 2010-2011 as long as she gets one vote and does not make three violations to the SGA elections regulations. McCoy and Macias are running mates. The current SGA president senior political science major Tania Ramirez said she sees this year’s elections as a direct re- flection of a lack of involvement in SGA. “I hope in the future SGA reaches out to students more during elections. It is sad to see the competitive race to only be for the vice president position,” Ramirez said. Ramirez wants students to know that whoever they vote for will be responsible for com- municating student concerns to the university’s faculty, admin- istration and Board of Trustees. “Most people do not know that we have the power to change things. We have a di- rect access to the administra- tion, and if you want something changed, that is the way to go,” Ramirez said. Under Ramirez and vice president senior political sci- ence major James Eades’ lead, this year’s SGA accomplished the following: a study abroad scholarship fund, pub nights, an expanded recycling pilot program, 24 hour quiet study areas in Adele and John Dono- hoo dorms, immigration pan- els, designated motorcycle parking areas and a revised SGA constitution. The Vice President of Internal affairs Valerie Cobos, a public administration graduate stu- dent, hopes that students see the importance of voting for a vice president. The vice president is mainly responsible for over- looking various committees that form to answer the concerns of the student body. However, Cobos is only expecting 300 students to vote in this year’s elections, 207 less than last year’s race which had three contenders for SGA president. All votes are counted through surveymonkey.com, which makes it possible for stu- dents to vote electronically. Vot- ing will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the UC atrium on Mon- day, Tuesday and Wednesday and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Quad on Monday and Tuesday. Winners will be announced 24 hours after all votes are counted as long as the elections are not contested or appealed. ratt l er the By Sarah Mills Editor-In-Chief A Guide to Fiesta 2010 Excited for Fiesta, but not sure which events to attend? Our handy Fiesta guide will help you decide where to go and what to expect. PG. 10 A St. Mary’s Student Publication since 1925 • Vol. 97 Issue 10 • April 12, 2010 • STMURATTLERNEWS.COM elections
Transcript
Daisy ChaparroVice-PresidentSophomore political science and philosophy majorExperience:• SGAsenatorsinceherfreshmanyear• Member of theAdministration, Fi-nance and Technol-
Alexandra McCoyPresidentJunior English major andbusiness minorExperience:• SGAsenatorsinceherfreshmanyear• Member of theappropriations com-mitteefortwoyears
• Chair of the Student Development Com-mittee, which has allowed her to workdirectlywiththeBoardofTrusteesforStu-dentDevelopment
• Has helped establish two 24-hour quietstudyloungesintheOutback
• Shares Macias’ platform, also aims to im-provesciencelabsandSGAinvolvement
Valerie MaciasVice-PresidentJunior political science majorExperience:• SGAsenatorsinceherfreshmanyear• Member of theappropriations com-mittee where shehelped allocate funds
toRSOs• Former chair of the Enrollment manage-
ment committee where she helped ad-ministrationworkonretainingstudents
• Helped SGA become part of bearattler.com,asocialnetworkingsitedesignedtohelpSGAanswerstudents’questions
• Aims to find a late-night study location,increasenumberofsecuritycamerasandexploreabookrentalprogram
Posters plastered all over campus, T-shirts with “vote for me” printed on them and stu-dents begging for votes usually sums up the competitive spirit of the Student Government As-sociation spring elections.
But this year, most of the can-didates running are doing so unopposed. The only competi-tive race is for the Vice President position and is between sopho-more political science and phi-losophy major Daisy Chaparro and junior political science ma-jor Valerie Mancias.
The presidential candidate, junior English major and busi-ness minor Alexandra McCoy, faces no opponent and will become the SGA president for
2010-2011 as long as she gets one vote and does not make three violations to the SGA elections regulations. McCoy
and Macias are running mates.The current SGA president
senior political science major Tania Ramirez said she sees this year’s elections as a direct re-flection of a lack of involvement in SGA.
“I hope in the future SGA reaches out to students more during elections. It is sad to see the competitive race to only be for the vice president position,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez wants students to know that whoever they vote for will be responsible for com-municating student concerns to the university’s faculty, admin-istration and Board of Trustees.
“Most people do not know
that we have the power to change things. We have a di-rect access to the administra-tion, and if you want something changed, that is the way to go,” Ramirez said.
Under Ramirez and vice president senior political sci-ence major James Eades’ lead, this year’s SGA accomplished the following: a study abroad scholarship fund, pub nights, an expanded recycling pilot program, 24 hour quiet study areas in Adele and John Dono-hoo dorms, immigration pan-els, designated motorcycle parking areas and a revised SGA constitution.
The Vice President of Internal affairs Valerie Cobos, a public administration graduate stu-dent, hopes that students see the importance of voting for a vice
president. The vice president is mainly responsible for over-looking various committees that form to answer the concerns of the student body.
However, Cobos is only expecting 300 students to vote in this year’s elections, 207 less than last year’s race which had three contenders for SGA president.
All votes are counted through surveymonkey.com, which makes it possible for stu-dents to vote electronically. Vot-ing will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the UC atrium on Mon-day, Tuesday and Wednesday and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Quad on Monday and Tuesday. Winners will be announced 24 hours after all votes are counted as long as the elections are not contested or appealed.
rattlerthe
By Sarah MillsEditor-In-Chief
A Guide to Fiesta 2010
ExcitedforFiesta,butnotsurewhicheventstoattend? Ourhandy Fiesta guide will help
Grammy award winning artist Terri Hendrix was honored at the President’s Peace Commission on April 1. She performed “If I Had a Daughter,” a lyric reads: “If I had a daughter, I’d teach her to hold her head high, strut through this world.” Photo by Analicia Perez
Police Blotter
IndexNewsCommentaryFeaturesEntertainmentSports
1-56-89-1415-1718-20
NEWS IN BRIEFSupreme Court Justice John Stevens retires
The State Department has changed its visa policy without media hype. The visa’s validity has changed from three to five years to just one year.
The E-2 and many other visas will now only be valid for one year, forcing many nationals to renew their visa every year. The only visas that are being affected are visas for business related usage.
Source: Mysanantonio.com
Justice John Paul Stevens is set to retire later this year, he is turn-ing 90 on April 20. He has resided over the Supreme Court for 35 years. President Barack Obama will choose his second Supreme Court nominee of his term. It is said that the Obama administra-tion has 10 potential candidates to replace Justice Stevens.
Source: CNN.com
Poland’s president killed in fatal plane crashPolish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife Maria, and 97 other top military and political officials died in a plane crash near Pechorsk, Russia, on Saturday. The plane was trying to land at a Western Russia airport, but it ran into trees causing the crash. Kaczynski was in Russia to honor the Polish prisoners of war in Katyn. Kaczynski was 60 years old.
Source: CNN.com
Oyster Bake tickets available at discounted price For faculty, staff and students, Oyster Bake tickets will be avail-able at a discounted pre-sale admission price of $13.
Students can only purchase up to four tickets. Alumni cannot purchase discounted tickets. Faculty, staff and students must have their current university ID when purchasing tickets.
Tickets will be sold in the UC atrium from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April 12 to April 15, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 16.
13-year-old to attempt to climb Mount EverestTo inspire more children to play outside, teenager Jordan Romero will climb 29,028 feet above sea level at Mount Everest.
Romero has already climbed five of the seven summits, the lat-est one being Mount Kilimanjaro (10,000 feet shorter than Ever-est). He would be known as the youngest person ever to climb Mount Everest.
Source: CNN.com
Ft. Hood suspect leaves San Antonio hospitalMaj. Nidal Hassan, the man who killed 13 people and injured 30 others at Fort Hood military base, left San Antonio’s Brooke Army Medical Center Friday morning. He was sent to Bell Coun-ty jail in Belton. He will not have contact with other inmates.
Source: Foxnews.com
U.S. visas for Mexican nationals change
Local masseuse arrested for prostitutionA masseuse at Ablaze Bodyworks was arrested for providing an extra illegal service for a $100 extra fee.
The north-central massage parlour employee was caught by an undercover cop, to who she offered sexual services for $100.
3/5/10 Theft at St. Louis Hall. Plumbing fixtures stolen from restrooms.
3/11/10Disturbance at St. Joseph’s Marianist House. Sus-pect tried to make unauthorized contact with spouse at work. Criminal Trespass warning issued and escorted off campus.
3/14/10Theft at Lower Lot J. Golf cart stolen from university staff and driven into tree.
3/24/10Fire alarm at Founders Hall. Fire alarm activated be-cause of steam from dorm bathroom. SAPD reacted to alarm. Building was cleared and searched with no trace of a fire.
3/27/10 Student handbook violation at Pecan Grove. Verbal altercation between students. One student had a knife in possession.
3/28/10Disturbance at Treadaway Hall. Non-students throwing containers off of third floor balcony. Cita-tions issued for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. Parent came to escort off campus.
3/28/10Criminal mischief at Lot C. Left, front, and rear tires slashed.
4/6/10Assisting other agency at Lot R. Motorist struck by student, SAPD handled incident.
San Antonio pediatricians are battling insurance companies to help cover the new Prevnar 13 vaccine, which helps protect small children and babies from meningitis.
Blue Cross Shield of Texas is the health insurance company that refuses to pay the full cost of the Prevnar 13 vaccine. Doctors urge that the vaccine is essential for children.
Source: WOAI.com
The Dow Industrials closed near 11,000 on Friday. This is another sign that the recession is nearing an end. The Dow has not closed this high since September 2008, which was known as the begin-ning of the worst part of the economic crisis. Stocks boosted be-cause of positive statements from Greece’s financial minister.
Source: MSNBC.com
33 states need funds for unemployment benefits 33 different states have borrowed $38.7 billion from the federal government because their unemployment benefits funds have been flushed. California has borrowed the most, $8.4 billion. The national unemployment rate in March 2010 was 9.7 percent.
Source: Money.CNN.com
Wheels are in motion toward aca-demic change at the university. The implementation process the univer-sity’s new core curriculum begins fall 2010. Unaware of the changes, incom-ing freshman will experience the new core line-up.
Current students who have not taken Experience to Meaning: Criti-cal Theory as Quest and Practice (PL 1310) or Theological Foundations: Religious Experience, Tradition and Commitment (TH 2301) will instead have to take Foundations of Reflec-tion: Self (SMC 1311W) and Founda-tions of Reflection: God (SMC 1313) in replacement of each. A campus wide e-mail has been sent from the Office of Academic Advising to inform current students of the new change.
Dr. Daniel Speed Thompson, the-ology department chair and chair of the Core Curriculum Revision Com-mittee (CCRC), described the changes as ways to “balance the recognition of the school’s heritage” and “to adapt to new situations.” Rather than a core curriculum that reflects a dis-unifica-tion of classes spread across multiple departments, the new core classes will bear the acronym SMC.
The new core is split into two parts: SMC and the School Specific Core (SSC). SMC contains 10 new courses, a total of 30 hours, and SSC differ between schools. The good news for students is that the new core
curriculum has reduced the number of required core credits for everyone. The students of the School of Humani-ties and Social Sciences will have 60 hours of total core to complete, while students of the Schools of Business and Science, Engineering and Tech-nology will have 51 hours.
The developmental process be-gan in 2001. Although a draft was produced in 2005, problems arose, preventing new curriculum to take ef-fect. The President’s Office requested a conclusion for the 2001 changes. Thompson provided insight into the process: the committee produced the changes, the changes were then sent to the Academic Council, then to the Executive Council and finally to the Board of Trustees, “who have the final word.”
The CCRC was appointed April 3, 2009 by President Charles Cotrell to create a core that keeps “with the values of the Catholic liberal arts tra-dition while being innovative and responsive to the educational needs of today’s students and society” and “to achieve a vibrant core…” that meets the schools “commitment to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.”
As a result, the changes have encouraged student introspection, knowledge of historical human consciousness and civic engage-ment while maintaining a unique attractiveness to the university’s academic prowess.
Most college students know what it is like to have loans pil-ing on their backs, but future students might get to carry a lesser load due to President Barack Obama’s recently final-ized health care legislation. The Health Care and Educa-tion Reconciliation Act not only aims to make health care more affordable, but also changes how student loans will be distributed and increases the amount of money available for Pell Grants.
“Today, we mark an impor-tant milestone on the road to health insurance reform and higher education reform,” Obama said at Northern Vir-ginia Community College .
Within Obama’s plan there are several ways in which col-lege students will start seeing the perks of federal funding for education.
Benefits include more money for Pell Grants, which are usually awarded to low-income students. This will be made possible through an ex-tra $40 billion invested in Pell Grants, which will increase the maximum award from $5,550 to $5,975 during 2013 through 2017 and will allow an
estimated 820,000 additional Pell Grants to be given by 2021, according to whitehouse.gov.
The act also allows young adults who are considered “de-pendents” of their parents, to remain eligible to be covered until the age of 26. For students who are about to graduate this spring, the new plan provides new insurance policies which will cover the individual’s health care between the time they graduate until they can find a job.
Under the bill, new loans will be distributed by the gov-ernment rather than by banks or other financial institutions. Students will be allowed to re-trieve money directly from the government. This plan cuts out the bank, acting as a middle man, and allows easier access for students to get loans.
In the long run, the new leg-islation will save approximate-ly $68 billion in the advantage of college students, according to the New York Times.
Community colleges and minority serving institutions will also be receiving billions of dollars. The act includes $2 billion over four years for com-munity colleges and $2.55 bil-lion for historically black col-leges and universities and mi-nority serving institutions.
The House of Representa-tives passed the bill by a vote of 220-207 after several changes were made, a situation that has some upset.
Junior psychology major Derek Loebecke said in op-position of the health care leg-islation, “The back door way in which the bill was passed seemed out of the American way of democracy. I feel that the standard of practicing in the medical field has been low-ered because of the bill, and it eventually will make the value of medical services decrease.”
Many remain optimistic. Dr. Roy Robbins, assistant profes-sor and chair of the economics department, said, “I think [the health care legislation] is good, and I respect the people that worked on the new health care plan. It will plug up the do-nut hole in our government’s health care,” he said.
“I think the government will be able to handle it despite the deficit that we are in. We have to remember the business and government are two separate things. There is no motive in the government that wants to reap profit from this plan, only to benefit its citizens.”
News The Rattler 3April 12, 2010www.stmurattlernews.com
Only four more sessions of the Great Deci-sions Symposium, an event intended to help students gain understanding of current foreign policy issues, remain for the semester.
The program promotes campus involvement for international relations majors as well as for those who are not. The speaker series are a way to learn about the world and to develop opin-ions about issues affecting other countries. Jose Ybanez, a freshman international relations major, said that the program “makes me more aware of what is going on in the world.”
“It is a real-world experience, a professional environment that you do not get in a sit-down [lecture] class,” Villareal said.
The eight speaker series is a nationally spon-sored event of the Foreign Policy Association in
New York and is the longest-running civic edu-cational program in the U.S. that is dedicated to empowering people to discuss global issues shaping U.S. foreign policy and the world. Re-maining topics for the series are: “The U.S. and The Persian Gulf,” “Russia and Its Neighbors,” “China Security Relations,” and “Global Crime.”
Mariah Villareal, a freshman international re-lations major, is hosting “The U.S. and The Per-sian Gulf” session. “Great Decisions promotes understanding and discussion of different cur-rent events. It’s a way to gain different perspec-tives because you can read and watch the news, but it makes it more real listening to someone who is an expert on the topic.”
International relations major or not, all are encouraged to attend because the varying per-spectives on major global issues presented at the lectures can enlighten and broaden the mind.
Discussions center on foreign policyBy Azhmir Acosta Staff Writer
New act reforms financial aid
By Clayton BilladeauStaff Writer
Curriculum undergoes changes
After much debate, President Barack Obama signed H.R. 4872. Courtesy of Commons.wikimedia.org
By Karl HayesStaff Writer
New core classes will begin in Fall 2010.
NewsThe Rattler4 April 12, 2010www.stmurattlernews.com
For the first time, Student Health101, a nation-wide online student health emaga-zine, has assigned two students as cam-pus correspondents.
Junior information systems manage-ment major Victoria Reyes and sophomore entrepreneurial studies major William Gonzaba are the first Student Health101 correspondents in the nation and are now responsible for creating video segments of students on campus to add to each of the magazine’s monthly issues.
Each month, the segments are meant to correspond with the articles written in the magazine, Reyes explained, and the cor-respondents have already created video segments for the March and April issues. The March issue covered spring break, and the April issue is about students and their summer plans.
“It was interesting to hear stories about what students were going to do during spring break,” Reyes said, “and asking them how they plan to stay healthy is probably not something they are com-monly asked.”
The university subscribes to the on-line magazine, along with Trinity Uni-versity, the University of Incarnate Word, Our Lady of The Lake University and Northwest Vista. Each university receives monthly issues which include articles on health topics and other relevant material for college students. All the articles are student-written and overlooked by a pan-el of health officials to verify the informa-tion’s accuracy, said Dr. Sandra Vasquez,
director of the student health center.Universities that subscribe to Student
Health101 are also assigned custom pag-es where a particular topic of interest to
their student body can be exclusively pub-lished for the rest of their campus to read. Students are also able to leave comments and blog about articles that are featured.
With the newly recruited campus cor-respondents, not only will the university have custom pages, but students will also have access to innovative videos which will be linked to the university’s Student Health101 monthly issue.
Vasquez said she is hopeful that this new assignment will help students feel more comfortable communicating with each other about health topics and that more students will look forward to read-ing the magazine because they may be featured in it. Vasquez also said that in-tegrating our Catholic beliefs into the featured health topics will give the video segments a unique quality that will set St. Mary’s apart from other universities who may participate in this in the future.
Gonzaba said this new position allows him to report on health topics that are “based on what students have to say,” and in turn, students will find this information more relatable.
“Every time a student goes through the issue, I hope there is something that sticks with them, whether or not it is something we write, as long as it helps them stay healthy,” Gonzaba said.
Students can access the Student Health101 issues through the student health center Web site, and links for the video segments will be posted with each current issue. The video segments consist of five to 10 clips and students can scroll over images to listen to interviews.
“Everyone is connected on some level through events and topics, but we are all connected through health,” Reyes said. “You really can stay healthy if you use all the resources that are available to you here on campus.”
With their experience working with the student health center to customize pages for the emagazine, Reyes and Gonzaba are currently planning their third video seg-ment for the May issue. Within the next couple of weeks they will be interviewing students about how to prepare for finals.
Health in a new medium By Denice HernandezManaging Editor
Correspondents Victoria Reyes (left) and William Gonzaba (right). Photo by Analicia Perez
Dr. Melanie M. Morey speaks about the Catholic culture on April 8.Photo by Miriam Cruz
Catholic students are more likely to binge drink and have casual sex, accord-ing to surveys done by Dr. Melanie M. Morey who gave a lecture as part of the 7th annual Catholic Intellectual Tradition Lecture Series. Mo-rey also discussed her con-cerns involving Catholic in-stitutions and what adminis-trators need to do to improve the Catholic culture.
As the author of “Catholic Higher Education: A Culture in Crisis,” Morey has been researching and conducting many surveys on Catholic colleges and universities. The surveys have found as-tonishing results that have shocked many Catholic col-lege administrators around the country. Morey has found that “binge drinking is more prevalent on Catho-lic college campuses than it is at public universities.”
“Many students do not know that drinking is a sin. Many do not know that los-ing your sense of rationality and sensibility is a sin,” said Morey. “They would have
never guessed that drinking is a sin.”
Morey also showed con-cern about sexual activity on a Catholic university’s campus. She found that at-tending a Catholic affili-ated university increases the odds of a college student participating in casual sex. She also found that women in Catholic colleges are four times as likely to be partici-pating in these sexual activi-ties compared to their public university counterparts.
“We know that there are all these problems. We have a sense that [the students] do not want to know about these problems but they do want to know about these problems,” said Morey.
Morey said that Catho-lic students do not have a strong outlook on morality.
“The Millennial genera-tion has a relative outlook on morality. This is something that Catholics do not under-stand,” said Morey.
Morey encourages Catho-lic administrators to provide a stricter curriculum that fo-cuses more on the Catholic doctrine; she even suggested that students take a course about Catholicism as it
relates to their major. Morey criticized how most Catho-lic universities only require three core courses on phi-losophy and two core cours-es on theology, which also happens to be the minimum requirement for St. Mary’s students. Morey believes that this makes the Catholic academia “quite thin.”
She encouraged admin-istrators to conduct surveys to figure out what students know about Catholicism and how it relates to their cur-rent behaviors. During the question and answer forum, Vice President of Student Development Kathy Sisoian expressed her concern that conducting the surveys and making them public would not change student behav-ior. Morey explained that people “do not want to talk about [these issues]. But we need to work hard to find out what is really going on to move things forward.”
Morey’s lecture, “Manag-ing the Mission in Catholic Colleges and Universities,” on April 8 was the last of the series. The Rev. Rudy Vela, S.M., already has two speak-ers planned for the 2010-2011 line-up.
By Austin W. Newton News Editor
Researcher finds risky behavior
3330 Culebra Rd. San Antonio, TX 78228 210.431.7715
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FridayThai Fishw/salad, choice of rice
$6 Lunch Specials (includes tea)
Daily Dinner Special16 oz T-Bone Steakw/salad, choice of rice & tea $11
Delivery to Campus!
just call in to order.
NEW Appetizer!Thai Fried Mushrooms $2
The Rattler 5April 12, 2010 Newswww.stmurattlernews.com
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Fiesta Oyster Bake profits fund more than scholarships
A portion of proceeds from Fiesta Oyster Bake help maintain scholarship funds, however, the Alumni Association decides what amount of money goes directly to scholarships for current students.
Stephen Rosenauer, executive director of Fiesta Oyster Bake and the associate director of alumni relations, said that every year the Alumni Association puts some money into the endowment fund which totals about $6 million and that there is a certain percentage of that money that helps fund student scholarships.
“We do an alumni membership drive and we do a Homecoming Baby Bake, so we [Alumni Association] take all this profit that we have and we try to determine how much we want to give to the scholarship endowment fund,” Rosenauer said.
According to Rosenauer, the money “funds about 70 or so students every year.”
The Alumni Association also uses proceeds to pay for security, bands and a percentage of carnival costs.
“To fund the event it is about $600,000.
It takes about $1.4 million in expenses,” Rosenauer said.
The Oyster Bake Committee also receives about $200,000 in sponsorships.
Rosenauer explained that, “the goal [for Oyster Bake] is to gross $2 million and have a net of $600,000.”
Money raised from the annual event is also used for campus renovations and to support academic departments.
The Alumni Association got done paying off the pledge for the Convocation Center two years ago with Oyster Bake profits earned from about 10 years ago, said Rosenauer.
“If we are going to donate money, we want to make sure it goes back to help and support the students and the university so the convocation really helped benefit all the students,” said Rosenauer.
Some funds from Oyster Bake are also geared toward Access St. Mary’s, an effort to help students who have excelled in high school and who have high financial need attend St. Mary’s with all of their tuition paid.
“In addition to the money we are putting into the endowment fund for scholarships,
the Alumni Association made a commitment of $800,000 for the next four years to go toward access St. Mary’s,” said Rosenauer.
In addition, $4,000 is donated to each academic dean in the university to help with the designated department.
By Matthew RodriguezStaff Writer
Profits from the Oyster Bake help fun scholarships for students, academic departments and funds to make campus renovations and additions. Photo by Analica Perez
The Rattler6 April 12, 2010www.stmurattlernews.com
rattlerthe
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Contact UsThe Rattler St. Mary’s UniversityOne Camino Santa Maria Box 83San Antonio, TX 78228210-436-3401 / 210-431-4307 (fax)[email protected]
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Commentary
It has been said that an institution does not consist of the brick and mortar that makes the building, but rather, it is created wherever like-minded peers work together toward a similar goal. Though I will miss the bell tower with its annoying 6 a.m. bell and the skyline of St. Louis Hall at dusk, what I will miss the most is the people I have come to view as composing the institution of St. Mary’s.
As an incoming freshman and even as a sophomore, I hated St. Mary’s with a passion, due mainly to Residence Life confusion and feeling trapped in a major
I loathed. I was faced with the choice of being stagnant and letting others make all the decisions, or becoming involved and being the change I wanted to see happen.
I chose to become involved in The Rattler newspaper and an active member in the community. I urge each student to get involved and meet his or her peers and professors. Each experience we have is only as bad or as good as we allow it to be. Thanks to close friends and amazing supportive professors, I found the strength to make my college experience a pleasant, memorable one I will look back on and smile.
I would like to give a special thanks to my mentors Dr. Abney, Dr. Colton, Dr. Lopez, Dr. Guzman, Dr. Skipper, Professor Mangum, Dr. Theisen, Maria Flores, Brother Dennis, Patricia Garcia, Dr. Hardin and Deidra Coleman. I appreciate all the support I have received and I have taken away something unique from every relationship I have been fortunate to forge with you. I would like to thank my best friends and closest confidantes Gina Buffaloe, Chris Flores, Amber Fly, Manny Vasquez, Mark Sanchez and Sarah Jane Mills for always giving me what I needed even if it was not what I wanted. Lastly, thank you Rattler staff. You all have been my closest friends, my strongest support system and I will miss each one of you.
Katie O’Donnell
My St. Mary’s experience has been interesting. I fled the cornfields of Nebraska after spending only one year as a Husker to be back in the city where I grew up. I chose to go to St. Mary’s for reasons I cannot seem to recall, and yet it is one of the best decisions I have ever made. This school has given me so many growing opportunities. Some of them I embraced and others… I did not.
Of all the things I have done during college, my time at The Rattler has been the most rewarding. Of course, there is the obvious perks of seeing my work
published; first it was just a few photos here and there, then after becoming layout and design manager I was able to see my influence on the look of the entire paper.
Most importantly, however, was the camaraderie that the staff formed with each other. When it is all said and done, it may be my name under the title of layout and design manager, but it takes the entire team to create what you see on the cover and in the center of each and every issue.
I was lucky enough to work with a team that not only contributed amazing ideas, but also made every press weekend enjoyable. For those of you who do not realize the significance of that, allow me put it into perspective. Before each issue hits newsstands, the staff is holed up in the newsroom all day, all weekend, until the issue is ready to be printed. Sharing that amount of time with others is typically unbearable, let alone enjoyable, and for that I am so thankful to The Rattler staff for creating a fun environment for all of us to work in.
To all the readers, I urge you to find an activity on campus where you can develop your skills, give back to the school and have fun. The Rattler did that for me, and I will cherish the experiences I have had long after I have graduated.
Upperclassmen question Outback tripling measureLiving in the Outback
means more freedom, more space, less noise and fewer restrictions. The rooms are newer, more comfortable, have more living room and ultimately allow students to have a more independent feel while
living on campus. However, for many students, in particular those that will be returning for the upcoming school year, these freedoms will be limited.
After this semester’s room selection,
many students were shocked to discover that they will be forced to have a third roommate if they plan to live in the Outback for the 2010-2011 academic year, rather than just having one roommate like current Outback residents have this semester.
On a personal note, when I went to sign up for room selection, I had no idea that tripling in the Outback was mandatory for every dorm, and began wondering what could be done to prevent this from happening again. One change that could take place next semester is to accept less freshmen, especially when there is not
enough dorm space for them to live on campus. It would also be feasible to use the dorm space that is already available in a better, more efficient way; it might even be a good idea to expand on the buildings already in the Outback, in order to accommodate more students in a comfortable manner.
Upperclassmen should not have to triple in the Outback, especially when freshmen get to have a brand new dorm in which they do not have to triple. The Outback has traditionally been a place for more independence and space, so it should be able to stay that way.
Karl Hayes
STAFF EDITORIAL
Senior staff members reflect pre-graduation
Amanda Rodriguez
The Rattler 7April 12, 2010www.stmurattlernews.com
OPPOSING VIEWS
President Obama’s recently signed health care bill agrees to not directly use federal dollars to fund abortion. Many people believe this is not enough and abortion should be banned.
Abortion unaddressed? Women should have a place to perform a safe abortion if they
choose to do so.
The cantankerous debate continues be-tween those who support and oppose The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was passed on March 23 as a piece of the new health care bill. Of the
many arguments surrounding the bill, a particularly sore subject for anti-abortion activists concerned the prospect of further restricting both federal funding for abortions or an outright ban on abortion. The bill stipulates that the Hyde Amendment, which bars particular federal funds for abortion, be upheld and little else. The lack of stricter lan-guage against abortion riled many who regard themselves as pro-life.
It seems that both the bill and President Barack Obama’s executive order indicating that the Hyde Amendment would be followed should be enough to satiate these peo-ple. The executive order issued is extremely clear, uphold-ing the Hyde Amendment while also laying out the various agencies that enforce the restrictions in place. Seemingly, to the layman’s eye, there is no wiggle room even if the gov-ernment did want to start “government-sanctioned abor-tion,” as the fear goes. It is a pretty boring executive order.
Additionally, why is it viewed as necessary to bog down a bill initially perceived as being excessively long and complicated? Some members of Congress openly re-belled against the bill for being such an impressive volume of political language. It seems opportune, then, to perhaps add more political language into the document detailing a complicated process of restrictions and bans on abortion. That, I suppose, would increase the user friendliness of this document. Is it not hypocritical to criticize a document for its length and complexity only to propose significant addi-tions for your political goals?
The idea of using this piece of legislation to ban abor-tion is a bit comical. The scope of America’s health care problems, whether you are for or against this bill, requires a level of action that should not be distracted by the abor-tion debate. There is a distinct separateness to these issues that cannot be ignored. Though there is a similar level of contention and complexity to these issues, the time and effort expended to reform health care should be mirrored similarly for changes to abortion.
Finally, there are freedoms and opportunities consid-ered by our system of government that require an objec-tive view. Subjectively, it is true that many of us, myself included, would personally oppose someone close to us getting an abortion. However, I consider it equally true that there will be others who wish to get an abortion. The gov-ernment should never completely ban abortion from the U.S. The option for a woman to have a clean, secure and private place to have an abortion should be presented even if you or I would never want to know someone who took that option. The point is that in a country blessed by many freedoms we, too, will make this freedom available for the others who may wish to take it.
There are many who disagree with this interpretation of abortion law. I must reiterate that, through our demo-cratic processes, it is imperative we muck through all the partisanship, all the back-and-forth rhetoric, and all the months. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act went through such a process. There is a pragmatic and stern assurance that federal funds will continue to be re-stricted from funding abortions except in cases where the mother is threatened. The case is closed and the deed done.
Abortion should be explicitly banned on health care bill,
carries moral threat.Amidst the tension raised from one
of the nation’s most controversial issues, the legality of abortion, President Barack Obama signed the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 on March 30. While the primary goal of the
bill was to change the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which reforms health care as government-run, it puts no explicit ban on abortion funding. States will have the choice to opt out of funding via the taxpayer’s money, whereas taxpayer’s money in states that do not opt out will go to abortion. The reconciliation bill also demands that at least one state contain abortion funding.
As of now, abortions that will require the money of taxpayers in states that do not opt out are those involving women victim to rape, incest or danger to their life due to pregnancy. Included in the bill is the Mikulski amendment, which could allow the Obama administration to later interpret all abortions as preventative care and force insurance plans to extend coverage to fund them.
Obama’s signing of the bill is creating a divide in our country on an extremely important issue. The bill acknowledges that states should have a choice in deciding if abortions will be funded. Because of this, and a lack of leadership among our executive branch and Congress to push abortion beyond states’ rights, our taxpayers’ money could be in jeopardy despite an already tough recession that has drained the wallets of many. On a state-to-state basis, I cannot fully support the reconciliation bill.
Abortion is an intensely moral dilemma that has become highly politicized. Even pro-choice advocates believe abortions carry with them a moral threat. An outright ban on abortion funding coupled with single women who may not have money to pay for them can coerce them to pursue an illegal and potentially life-endangering abortion that contrasts her very reason for doing it: protection. In the spirit of Sir Thomas More, I cannot support a nation that believes in making outlaws of its citizens and then punishes them for it. In this sense alone can I argue that women should have a right to choice regarding the matter.
In the frame of Roe v. Wade (1973) where the woman’s right to an abortion is dependent on her trimester, the average taxpayer should not be forced to pay for abortions through the state if they do not wish so. Ultimately, the burden of coverage should not be placed on the taxpayer due to their location. This is an unfortunate consequence of government-run health care where the money of the taxpayer ideally holds more substance.
Geographic location calls in question the price tag attached to abortions. Will states that choose to fund abortion contain medical facilities that charge less on abortions due to tax money that previously was not there? If so, we are back to square one on women’s right to choice. They would go where the money goes, if finance played a role in their decision to an abortion.
The reconciliation bill was not provided to address abortion funding. However, Obama’s failure to recognize the bill’s faults on this issue will certainly leave the doors wide open for attack. Whether the signing of the bill is representative of Obama’s urge for fair-play politics, or a cop-out mounted on a national stage remains unclear. My faith is not lost in Obama, but his leadership skills are needed now more than ever. The times are tough for our president.
KennethHowell Alex Salinas
Commentary
Cartoon by Oscar Maguregui
The Rattler April 12, 2010
www.stmurattlernews.com
P r e s i d e n t Barack Obama’s administrat ion r e c e n t l y presented a new defense policy that will reduce the amount of situations in which the U.S.
is able to use nuclear weapons. The agreement, which comes as a replacement for the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that expired in December, commits Russia and the U.S. to reduce its nuclear warheads count.
The U.S. has ruled out the possibility of responding with nuclear weapons in the scenario of a biological, chemical or conventional attack. This is only the case if countries agree and abide by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which does not include Iran and North Korea. The document also states that the U.S. is committed to only using nuclear weapons in extreme circumstances and there should be no development of any new nuclear warheads.
Obama’s vision of a world without nuclear weapons was part of the reason why he won the Nobel Peace Prize last year. After having received a lot of criticism for lack of accomplishments, Obama seems to have reassured his commitment to the country and the rest of the world. Even though having these nuclear warhead reductions and limitations in place may seem threatening and dangerous to many, it is a positive step toward setting the example for other countries to follow. It might also eventually pressure countries such as Iran and China to cease the development of their nuclear programs.
By having this new treaty in place, Obama can go into the nuclear non-proliferation summit, occurring this week, with a newly established pledge to significantly reduce the existence and use of nuclear weapons around the world. The White House has announced that Obama is scheduled to speak with his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, about China’s nuclear weapon situation and what could be done to reduce the number of warheads it has and the further development of other nuclear weapons.
Being that the U.S. and Russia control more than 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons, this new treaty is a very important step in assuring that these weapons are not used if possible, especially by terrorists. The world needs assurance that the amount of nuclear weapons present is slowly, but surely, being reduced.
Nuclear Weapons Treaty: U.S. & Russia
Lorna Cruz
EDITORIAL CARTOON
H u m a n beings are capable of c o m m i t t i n g terrible acts — theft, adultery, murder and rape to name a few. Suppose that you can play a
video game that allows you to play a character who commits one of these acts? Sadly, such a game exists. In the video game “RapeLay,” you can take control of a man on his journey to rape a woman and her two daughters.
Upon learning the purpose to the game, I simply cannot imagine playing something so morally disgusting. This game is attempting to teach players that coercing women into sexual activities is acceptable and that women are weak.
What would be terrible is if these players end up taking these ideas and acting out behavior from “RapeLay” in the real world. Unlike the video game, the women are real and there is no off switch.
Reading about this video game reminds me of the reason why the
“Tomb Raider” games and the “Metroid” games are immensely popular: because both franchises feature strong female characters. I believe this is how video games can be both successful and even educational when they showcase strong willed characters that fight on the side of good. I understand that both Lara Croft and Samus Aran resort to violence in their respective games but what matters is their courage and heroism.
Perhaps that is why gamers, including myself, enjoy popping discs in the PS3 or XBox 360; we want to be as strong willed, courageous and cool as the characters they play.
The rapist in “RapeLay,” on the other hand, resembles a weak-minded character who is controlled by his addictions and is not aware of the physical and psychological scars he is
leaving behind. So the questions we need to
ask ourselves, and hopefully have no difficulty answering, is “Do we need to play the part of this weak character? Do we need to be like him?”
Rape might be the goal to reach the next level in “RapeLay” but in the real world, it leaves emotional scars that take a longer time to heal than physical injuries.
The video game is only a painful reminder of the ugliness that exists in the world. Simply, “RapeLay” deserves to be taken off the shelves.
Japanese video game presents sexual assault as goal
Euro zone threatened by Greek financial problems
8
The recent financial problems of Greece will have an impact on the future of the European Union’s common currency, the Euro, and the European Union as a whole. Before we look at what might happen in the future, it is important to examine how the people of Greece have
come to this point. When Greece initially joined the euro zone
and adopted the Euro as it currency, it had to meet certain obligations. Greece, like other countries that assumed the Euro, was required to have a debt-to-GDP ratio of 60 percent in order to be accepted into the common currency. To help achieve this requirement, Greece utilized a financial instrument known as a credit default swap (CDS).
An article written by The Wall Street Journal editorial board stated that Greece swapped dollar and yen denominated debt for euros at below market exchange rates. By engaging in this deal, Greece was able to raise
enough funds to join the Euro. However, this had the effect of prolonging the payment of the original debt.
Fast forward to the global recession of 2008 when Greece, among others, saw tax revenue dwindle drastically and faced problems meeting its financial obligations.
Greece’s problems were accelerated in October 2009 when their bond rating was downgraded, which raised their cost of capital even further.
That brings us to today and the problems that not only Greece, but the entire Euro zone face in dealing with the possible default of a member state.
The way that I see it, there are only three possible outcomes to this situation. The differences between these scenarios are stark, to say the least.
The first scenario is for Greece to dramatically cut spending, balance its budget, and use any surpluses to pay down their debt. Although Greek Prime Minister Papandreou is taking steps to do this, it seems that he does not have the political will to succeed. But it is
also the shortsightedness of the Greek people that will not enable him to achieve this goal.
The next chain of events that may transpire is that Greece defaults on its debt. However, this probably will not be allowed to happen by the other members of state. This is due to the fact that if this were to happen, the value of the Euro would plummet and damage all of the other members.
The final scenario, and the most likely, is that Greece and other states that cannot meet their obligations are expelled from the currency. That would be good for the Euro in that its valuation would immediately rise. Conversely, it would be near catastrophic for Greece. They would have to re-implement the Drachma which would cost them a great deal. Worse still, Greece would face rampant inflation and perhaps even a period of hyperinflation.
Whichever scenario takes place, it is important to learn that a reckless and cavalier attitude by the government towards spending will eventually lead to disaster. I wonder if Washington is paying attention.
Cartoon by Oscar Maguregui
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Commentary
Chris Medina “The harm is when these
games promote and nor-malize sexual violence, and the perpetuation of gender stereotypes of women and girls that lead to violence and discrimination.”
- Taina Bien-Aime Executive Director of
Equality Now
Let us know what you think: Should games like this be allowed in the market?
www.stmurattlernews.com
April 12, 2010 Features The Rattler 9
Culture Calendar
News of the Weird
Compiled by: Katie O’Donnell
Compiled by: Caitlin Skelton
www.stmurattlernews.com
Lunch with Maya Angelou April 14Visit the Grand Hyatt Hotel for an annual luncheon featuring celebrated poet, author, actress and civil-rights activist Maya Angelou. Proceeds from the event will go towards the Planned Parenthood Trust.
Incognito: Fiesta's Masked BallApril 16This 30 year San Antonio tradition, located at La Vil-lita Assembly Hall, combines unique artworks, mu-sic, movement and media to celebrate Fiesta styles.
CornyationApril 20Located at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, this official Fiesta event pokes fun at politicians and pop culture and prides itself in being the "raunchi-est, cheapest event of Fiesta."
Fiesta Pooch ParadeApril 24The Delta Society of San Antonio invites dog lovers from the San Antonio area to this event which ben-efits more than 80 health care facilities.
Living on campus for a whole se-mester can leave a college student feel-ing drawn to the independence and freedom of dorm life. Whether out at a party, dancing at Cowboys Dance Hall, heading out for midnight snacks or stay-ing at a friend’s to study, most college students get used to being out late and not having to answer to anyone. As the semester comes to an end, some stu-dents find themselves concerned about going home. So how do you deal with moving back into your parents place for the summer?
“The biggest issue when I start living with my dad again is that I am going to have to tell him every single detail; I got used to going and doing my own thing here in college,” said freshmen English major Julia Dickens.
Dicken’s father, Edwin Dickens said, “It will be good to know where she is go-ing, whereas in college I am much more concerned about her safety.”
Dicken’s said she understands, but it will not be easy to adjust.
“I am my dad’s girl but it will get annoying having to answer to someone
[about] small things when I have not done so in a while,” Dickens said.
Hayden Edwards, sophomore mar-keting and international business major, said his newly formed habits will be a problem once back at home.
“My parents definitely look down on me and my brother when we come and go all hours of the night, which we can do on campus,” Edwards said. “Also, since we have moved away for college, we will have to change our schedules from being selfish-need-based to em-phasizing on family time.”
Although some students do have to readjust to being back at home, it is understandable that parents will enforce rules.
“I have to respect my parents’ house and not get home too late, as well as contribute financially if I get a job,” said junior marketing major Marcos Perez. “Other than that, my parents under-stand that I have grown up and know they do not have to be on my case 24/7. I am not really bothered by it because I just [have to] adjust to the way things were before I left.”
A different concern for some students is not so much going home, but being away from their friends.
Freshman accounting major, Shane Loza, said not having her friends around is her biggest concern.
“I am so used to calling one of my brothers up or one of my friends and just walking to their dorm, once I am back at home it will not be like that anymore,” Loza said.
Interestingly, junior biology major, Andrea Pena, said she has no adjust-ments to make when going back home for the summer.
“I go out more so when I am at home then when I am here. If I go out, I tell my mom the truth about where I am go-ing and what I’m going to do, as long as I get home safely, it is okay,” Pena said. “She[mom] wants me to have fun while I am young because it is something she never had an opportunity to do.”
For those who are weary about living a different lifestyle with their parents at home, Pena advises, “Always be truth-ful, lying is not going to get you any-where. That [honesty] is what parents look for and it [lying] is only going to ruin communication between you even more and that basically means less go-ing out.”
By Amanda CanoStaff Writer
Michigan Community College raises the stakesSoaring unemployment rates have led Lansing Community College in Michigan to make an unusu-al guarantee. The “Get a skill, Get a Job” program is a drastic effort to re-energize the floundering Michi-gan job economy. The program takes an intensive six weeks and was developed with the help of local business owners. If within a year of completing the training the students do not get a job, despite good faith efforts, then the school will reimburse the cost of tuition. Aol.com
Woman, 101, draws attention because of hornIn China, a 101-year-old grandma has been mak-ing headlines due to a large horn growing out of her forehead. Despite offers to surgically remove the horn, the woman has grown attached to it and is in fact thrilled to have a matching horn growing on the other side of her forehead. The horn, though shocking upon first glance, is medically harmless and is made of the same material as fingernails. Aol.com
Smoke me out ElmoRonald Washington of Uniontown, Penn., packed more than lunch for his elementary school son. He called the school to say he would be going to re-trieve something from his child’s backpack, but the suspicious phone call led school officials to search the kindergartners Elmo backpack. The backpack was found to be holding four ounces of marijuana. Washington failed to make bail and is currently in jail.Msnbc.com
Cigarette break leads to jail breakHenry Jackson must have really been craving a cigarette when he broke out of his cell in Camben County Jail to return to the exercise yard where he had left contraband cigarettes. The smokes were no longer there so Jackson scaled the jail yard fence, broke into a local convenience store, stole 14 packs of cigarettes and then returned to jail. Jackson was arrested upon his arrival and was charged with bur-glary, escape and driving with a suspended license. Msnbc.com
Students discuss the transition of moving back in with parents for the summer.
PARENTALCONTROL
Photo by Nicholas Alfaro
The Rattler10
Making themost of
Oyster BakeARRRRIBA!!! Get ready to see the campus
transformed from a quiet, educational institution to an outrageous party ground. For an interest-ing experience, check out the Fiesta Oyster Bake, which has been a tradition at St. Mary’s since 1929.
Every year, more than 10,000 people attend the event craving chicken on a stick and the fa-mous oyster shots. There is live entertainment set up all around campus and this year’s lineup in-cludes Puddle Of Mud and Tejano favorite, Bobby Pulido.
Friday nights are family friendly with smaller crowds and a firework show at 10 p.m. Carnival rides and games are located on the Alumni Ath-letic and Convocation Center parking lot and is a definite thrill for people of all ages. Saturdays tend to be the most crowded day of the event, so be prepared to have little elbow-room.
If you want to kick off Fiesta 2010 the right way, spend some time eating, socializing, and making memories.
Fiesta RoyaltyNIOSA
Night In Old San Antonio (NIOSA, pronounced Nye-oh-sah to natives) is one of the most popular Fiesta events to take place during the 10-day celebration. The reason being is that it has the most food than any other Fiesta event. NIOSA is a food and drink festival held at the La Villita historic arts village, directly across from the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
San Antonio is known to showcase its Mexican heritage during Fiesta, but NIOSA presents foods from all over the world. You can eat anything from a French crepe, Bavarian kreme, to good ol’ calf fries. This year, NIOSA has set up 15 unique culture areas to choose from. Some areas have been designated as Chinatown, French Quarter, Irish Flat, Sauerkraut Bend and Mexican Market.
NIOSA is held April 20 to 23, with Thursday designated as College Night. If you decide to go on Wednesday or Thursday, prepare to fight huge crowds and to try to avoid beer spillage all over your clothes. Bring an old T-shirt to wipe your hands with and prepare for world-class tasty treats.
Oyster Bake: April 16, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.April 17, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The Queen’s Coronation:April 21, 8:00 p.m.“A Royal Garden”:April 15-August 22
NIOSA:April 20-23, 5:30 p.m.
Prepare for 10 long days of fun because Fiesta is on its
way! Read our guide to learn more about various events.
The Fiesta royalty offers an elegant twist on Fi-esta. Duchesses, kings and queens make up the royalty; the highest king is King Antonio, who is selected by the Texas Cavaliers as the king of Fi-esta. El Rey Feo, “The Ugly King,” is also known as the Peoples’ King and is selected by the League of United Latin American Citizens council. Both kings tour the city during fiesta, visiting local schools, hospitals and nursing homes.
In addition to the two kings, the Order of the Alamo Royalty chooses a queen, a princess, and 12 in-town and 12 out-of-town duchesses ─ an order known for their extravagant gowns and crowns which can take over a year to create. The court is presented at the queen’s coronation at 8 p.m. on April 21 at the Municipal Auditorium; ad-mission is $12 to $44.
Other fiesta royalty includes the Queen of Soul, Miss Fiesta, the Queen of the San Antonio Charro Association, Miss Fiesta Teen Queen and Reina de la Feria de las Flores (Like Rey Feo, but for women).
The Witte Museum runs an annual exhibit which features gowns from previous courts of the Order of Alamo Coronations. This year’s event is called “A Royal Garden.” Each gown is heavily adorned with beaded and sequined flowers, trees, lily pads or birds.
The Rattler 11
Graphic Illustration by Amanda Rodriguez
ParadesThe Fiesta Battle of Flowers Parade is expected
to attract a crowd of more than 350,000 on April 23. This 100-year-old San Antonio tradition began as a commemoration to the heroes of Battle of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. It showcases a series of flower-covered floats, giant helium balloons and numerous military, college and high school bands from around the U.S.
The 2010 parade theme, “¡Somos San Antonio!,”, will exhibit the best of San Antonio’s past and present and expectations for its future. Though there is space for personal seating available on a first-come-first-serve basis (attend early!), front row bleachers and seats are sold for $12-$18 at the Fiesta Centralized Ticket Sales Center at the Fiesta Store on 2611 Broadway. The parade begins at 12:45 p.m. on Broadway and will travel through the heart of downtown to Martin Street at approximately 4:00 p.m.
For those who prefer to avoid the sunny weath-er, be sure to attend America’s largest night pa-rade, the Fiesta Flambeau Parade on April 24 from 7:45-11:00 p.m. The 62nd Annual Fiesta Flambeau Parade will commemorate “Legends in Music” and will travel the same 2.6 mile route as the Battle of Flowers Parade. Spectators can en-joy the thousands of lights used to adorn floats, dancers, bands, cars and carriages.
Battle of the Bands
One of Fiesta’s lesser-known events is the Battle of Flowers Band Festival, otherwise known as the Battle of the Bands. This event, held on April 22, is beloved by many San Antonians who were members of their high school’s marching band. Over 30 high schools from the area participate in the band festival. All of the bands perform specially prepared songs, showcasing their talents in front of the crowd at Alamo Stadium, a San Antonio landmark in its own right.
The grand finale brings together over 3,000 band members on the field for a powerful performance. This year’s theme, “¡Somos San Antonio!,” or “We are San Antonio,” is sure to provide plenty of opportunity for the bands to wow the crowd. If you are looking for a Fiesta event where you can sit back and enjoy a show, head to Alamo Stadium for the Battle of the Bands Festival.
King WilliamFair
Kicking off the King William Fair is a humor-ous and out-of-the-ordinary parade. Spectators can expect political parodies, dogs and their own-ers parading in costume, senior marching bands and even belly dancing! The parade route is a mile and a half long and runs through the historic King William district.
After the parade, the fun continues with a block-long arts and crafts fair, carnival games and rides, live music on multiple stages, historic reenactments, a variety of foods and an area for children’s activities, such as storytelling.
The first fair was held in 1968, hosted by the King William Association. Proceeds from the fair go to funds for the arts, education and commu-nity improvements. The parade will be held on South Alamo Street and free public parking will be available on the corner of South Alamo Street and South Flores.
Battle of Flowers Parade: April 23, 12:45 p.m.Fiesta Flambeau Parade:April 24, 7:45 p.m.
Battle of Flowers Band Festival:April 22, 7 p.m.
King William Fair: April 24, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Photos by Analicia PerezCompiled by The Rattler editorial staff
A fun-filled park made worldwide history by be-ing the first of its kind to offer amenities for physi-cally and mentally disabled children. Since April 10, 2010, children, adults and their families now have opportunities for fun that have not been previously provided.
Morgan’s Wonderland is specially made for in-dividuals who cannot play at standard parks due to their physical and mental limitations. The new park features wheelchair swings, a sensory village, soft pallet grounds, sea-saws for multiple riders with ex-tra support, a fishing pond and much more.
The park’s initiator, Gordon Hartman, says he was inspired to build Morgan’s Wonderland three and half years ago when he was able to spend more time with his daughter Morgan, and realized she and her friends did not have the same utilities af-forded to her as other children.
“I started to realize that Morgan’s friends who were in wheelchairs did not have the same opportu-nities as her and that Morgan was not comfortable at [standard] parks,” Hartman said.
For Julie Golden and her daughter Jana, Mor-gan’s Wonderland is worth the trip all the way from Atlanta, Georgia.
"I think it's beautiful. It's wonderful for someone to have the vision and take the initiative to do some-thing like this," Golden said.
As publicity of Morgan’s Wonderland grows, Hartman hopes the park will inspire others.
“The interest about Morgan’s Wonderland has been absolutely incredible. People are very interest-ed in the park not just here but worldwide, so what I think will come of this park will be many more parks,” Hartman said.
"Jana and I are thrilled to support Morgan and Gordon. [They are] our heroes" Golden said.
Morgan’s Wonderland has set a new standard and has raised the bar for providing children and
adults with special needs a place to experience fun, as well as the chance to play with other children.
“I think probably the most important thing is that it is a park that ensures inclusion; that those with special needs and those who do not have special needs can play together,” Hartman said.
"Gordon will never know the lives he'll touch" Golden said.
FeaturesThe Rattler12www.stmurattlernews.com
Style Stalker nnnn
With the end of the year ap-proaching fast, I thought it would be best to touch on something that a lot of people seem to be doing less and less of. A fast, fading art that was once common is now be-ing pushed aside as a more niche hobby – the art of Do-It-Yourself.
Have you ever been to a cloth-ing store or boutique and seen an item that made you think to your-self “They want how much for this?! I could make this myself!” Well, have you ever tried? I have been guilty of doing this multiple times while shopping online and only recently have I had the guts to try to make these things myself.
Some of my past projects in-clude making a replica of a Naco Paris tote bag with the phrase “Karl Who?” on it. Why spend $90 on a tote bag that looked like it could be made for $6? While bags are the only accessory I have tried, actual clothing took a lot more ef-fort. Shredded t-shirts were popu-lar last year among high fashion outerwear. These tees could often add an excellent effect to an out-fit if layered correctly but would sometimes cost up to $100 for a
single piece. I made my own using a standard Hanes white tee and a $1.50 seam ripper from Walmart
My most recent project was a homemade pair of “waxed” denim jeans. Waxed denim is often used to create a more modern look and can make denim last a lot longer. The process, however, is long and tedious as it requires using actual beeswax and careful coating. I was able to create the same stiff, coat-ed, glossy effect using a cocktail of about 65:35 black acrylic paint and medium gloss, respectively. I was able to transform some old $20 jeans I despised into something I love wearing now. I found the “wax” D.I.Y. online and just imple-mented it myself.
Sophomore international re-lations major Ali Meyer makes her own accessories too. The two flowers on her outfit are actually a handmade pin and brooch while the locket around her neck is a heirloom pocket watch given to her by her mother. They are sim-ply stunning up close and just go to show what some time and imag-ination can produce!
Until next time, may your clos-et be full and your mirror full of smiles.
See you! Style Stalker
Ali Meyer styles her outfit with her own self-made accessories. Photos by Analicia Perez
By Joe GuerraStaff Writer
Flower Clips Self-made
Sugar Brand Flats $10
Pocketwatch heirloom
Forever 21 Chain$5
By Robin JohnsonSenior Staff Writer
April 12, 2010
Children were all smiles at the park's grand open-ing. Photo by Robin Johnson
Wonderland brings lots of joySwings with wheelchair accessibility are one of the unique aspects of this park. Photo by Robin Johnson
The Rattler 13Featureswww.stmurattlernews.com
InspirationBy: Amanda SotoSenior English major
The mind –dormant like a tree in winterWaiting for inspiration to S
T
R
I
K
E
like lightning on a dead tree
quick and hotthe tree ignites
consumed
the tree is swallowed up
1- the “I” in Roy G. Biv3- produces frequen-cies below 125Hz4- ancient Ro-man combatant 5- dead epidermis at the base of a flat, translucent body part6- to be amazed at 7- to inflect a verb11- tenor of the oboe family13- container that distributes14- May 8, 2010 celebration16- insatiable greed18- experience secondhand
2- 26-mile foot race8- Apple’s newest gadget9- Peter and Lois’s dog10- the “O” in SOA12- Japan and New Zealand are examples15- ____ State, star-ring Zach Braff17- small Creta-cious carnivore20- foolish, unintelligent22- container for burning coal23- collect into assembly24- a helical spring25- Pacman character
ACROSS
DOWN
Compiled by: Annie Swenson
The College Crossword
www.stmurattlernews.com Check it out!
For the answers to our previous crossword puzzle, visit our web site.
April 12, 2010
AT T E N T I O N S T U D E N T S
5555 NW Loop 410 210-684-15716209 Grissom Road 210-684-64479120 Grissom Road 210-256-0133 9610 W Loop 1604 N 210-688-6655
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19- atmospheric H2O21- Spice Girl Melanie C.
How prevalent is cheating on campus? You may be surprised. Many of us have heard stories of students plagiarizing, copying answers or looking at exams from an instructor’s previous students, and some have even seen the act committed first hand, but most students are unaware of the magnitude of cheating.
According to St. Mary’s psychology professor Dr. Jennifer Zwahr-Castro, 60 to 70 percent of students have cheated in the past, and those numbers are increasing.
Last semester, I had a class where the instructor left the room for just a short time during a test. I was amazed at how willing the students were to exchange answers with each other, with no regard for morals. As I sat there, I looked up at the crucifix on the wall. These students, who attend a Catholic university, just deceived their peers, their school, their family and themselves, without any second thoughts at all.
Perhaps they did it because there were no obvious repercussions, they probably felt “we will not be caught,” and maybe they thought, “well everyone else is doing it, I do not want to fail.”
But even in these situations, cheating comes with a heavy short term risk. What if the instructor found out? What if they compared the an-swers and found some sort of correlation?
Senior political science major Sandra Rodriguez said that she does not commit academic fraud because it is “not worth the risk of getting expelled.”
And that is true, according to the student handbook, “any form of
academic dishonesty is considered a serious matter,” and will result in proceedings before the Academic Council.
When we develop a habit of cheating, it can lead to devastating real world consequences. Just ask Albert Flores, the former chief meteorolo-gist for KENS5-TV, who was caught in a plagiarism scandal.
In 2002, it was discovered that Flores plagiarized in his San Antonio Express-News column, and as a result was fired from his position at KENS, which he had held for 30 years.
So how can cheating be stopped? Zwahr-Castro listed four ways for professors to reduce cheating in classrooms.
“Make students self-aware of what they are doing, activate stu-dents’ attitudes that cheating is wrong, stimulate intrinsic motivation for education, [and] structure classroom instruction to focus on effort, improvement and mastery of topics rather than on correctness and social comparison.”
As for students, senior international relations major Vincent Astu-dillo offered the following suggestion: “Be independent when it comes to school work and understand that there is a difference in classmates helping each other by studying together and asking a classmate for a previous exam.”
FeaturesThe Rattler14www.stmurattlernews.com
The Flip SideT h e
thought of facing gradu-ation terrifies me more than the thought of staying for a brand new s e m e s t e r . Since enter-
ing the pressurized realm of April, my stomach has been in constant knots. My anxiety and nervousness has gone higher than the stock on Wall Street. To top it off, some of my pants are a lot tighter than they were in December!
Do not get me wrong; I am very excited to be facing the prospect of crossing the stage. It is an accomplishment of five long years in the making. But there is something quietly ter-rifying about realizing that this is finally it. There is no coming back in the fall. No more rac-ing to register before classes close. There is simply the fin-ish line out ahead, waiting to be crossed. And then what?
The unknown scares me in a way nothing else has in a long time. What next? Where do I go? My mother, chief support-er of listing, would be happy to know that I have started a list. She would be even hap-pier to know that graduate school is on that list. I have a plan, but plans can change. At least while in school, when plans changed for me, I was usually the cause. Now there are many more factors at play. Anything can happen.
I want to believe I am ready for it. Time as an undergradu-ate has taught me things I might not have learned about myself, the way I am sure it teaches most who pass through college. For example, I have learned my default reac-tion stress involves either eat-ing or sobbing. I have learned that "Wheels" is a much cooler nickname than "Speedy;” and that some English majors grow up to be rock stars. I have learned that poets and coffee-houses go together for a really good reason.
Perhaps most importantly, I have learned that I am a story-teller. And I have learned that, if you have a loud voice and a mind full of ideas, someone might just give you the means through which to use them. There really is no greater hon-or than that.
Now it is time to see what the world beyond One Cami-no Santa Maria has to offer. I await, terrified, but also eager.
Compiled by:Felix Arroyo and Caitlin Skelton
SAYwhat?Why do you think people cheat?
“Fear of what other people will think if they fail.”
Two St. Mary’s writers and English pro-fessors, Cyra S. Dumitru and Diane Gonzales Bertrand, have been awarded VIA’s Poetry on the Move contest, which will showcase their winning poems on VIA buses citywide.
VIA’s contest allows poets to submit no more than three poems, each poem a maxi-mum of eight lines, including the title. Indi-viduals from all walks of life were encour-aged to participate and 10 would be selected as winners.
Both professors are published authors of various works in poetry, young adult novels, memoir and children’s fiction. While both have been awarded this great honor, their selected poems and inspirations were drawn from diverse situations.
Dumitru is passionate about writing po-etry and her Haiku titled, “Night Rose” will now be seen by many local citizens.
“I think poetry is a natural expression of daily life,” said Dumitru. “It is a natural ex-pression so I urge [people] to read and write poetry every day.”
Bertrand’s poem, "Sitting at the San Antonio Airport," is also one of the contest winners.
“I wanted a poem that had a message for people who come to San Antonio. I wanted to express what I feel is San Antonio and I actu-ally was inspired sitting at the airport watch-ing the tourist buy various things thinking that it was true San Antonio.”
Both authors practice writing in note-books and journals, having them nearby most of the time. There is great diversity in personal reflection as well as free-verse with all ten poems selected to be featured on the sides of VIA buses.
“I saw a VIA bus go by and I thought ‘oh there are all these poems on it right now’ it makes me very happy. I feel honored by it and I wonder who is reading them, what they’re thinking, [and] what they’re getting to see and remember,” Dumitru said. Ber-trand’s response was similar as both profes-sors brought up the excitement at consider-ing the variety of people who will read their poems, and the thrill of what their words could inspire in each reader.
“My selection was a big honor for me be-cause even if no one had ever read one of my books, they will have this representation of me. I think the variety makes this selection for me a very big honor. Whenever the city recognizes its own citizen’s...it is a cause of celebration.”
Professors win VIA contestBy Nancy PerezStaff Writer
Instant results of cheating not worth future outcome
The editors wish to thank all of the writers who submitted work for consideration. Submissions for the next issue will be accepted during the Spring 2011 semester.
Congrats!
Let The Rattler know!Go to our Web site and view this story or others like it! Post your opinion and check out other exclusive content that you will only see online!
As spring celebrates another victory over winter, trees grow their leaves back, flowers begin to flourish and the birds begin to sing. Texas has never looked more beautiful. Which is why staying in school these last weekends of the semester and during the summer (for those taking summer classes) is not an option. Only 45 minutes from school, down Highway I-35 which is lined with blooming bluebonnets, primroses and bitter weed flowers, is a small town called Gruene (pronounced ‘green’). A small and charming picturesque town nestled within the hill country right on the Guadalupe river which is vaguely reminiscent to the little town of Seabrook in “The Notebook,” Gruene is the ideal place to go with friends on lazy afternoons to enjoy a delicious lunch or some refreshments.
Though Gruene boasts several restaurants to choose from, “Gruene River Grill” is the best choice for any college student. With its casual dining environ-ment, the restaurant is located in a rustic looking building covered in vines. Inside one can smell the aroma of the place’s nostalgia as well as the delicious meals cooking in the kitchen. Guests can choose to eat outside in the shade of a wooden roof while watching lazy tubers float down the river or inside the cool rustic building.
The food at “Gruene River Grill” is delicious and certainly worth the drive. The cleverly conjured menu serves truly Texan food. From country fried steak and German lemon chicken schnitzel to the savory fish tacos, Gruene River Grill has it all. To start off, the spicy and creamy jalapeno crawfish chowder and the juicy shrimp wontons filled with bacon, serrano peppers and cheese are a perfect way to start the meal. A strongly recommended dish is the chicken Guadalupe. A very tasteful dish of marinated chicken covered with roasted salsa topped with bacon and buried under tortilla strips, freshly sliced avo-cado, cheese and Pico de Gallo is also a good choice.
Sacrilege comes short to having a perfect meal on the river without dessert. The crème brulée or the New York style cheesecake will surely hit the spot. The hill country is also well known for serving some of Texas’s best fudge so you will not go wrong by choosing the fudge nut brownie. But as far as fudge is concerned, The General Store down the street would be your best bet.
This little general store was first built in 1878 by Henry D. Gruene for the families working on his cotton farms. The store would sell food, clothing and household goods and served as a post office and a stop for stage coaches. In 1904, the store moved to its present location and little has changed. Inside one will enter a world of home-style preserves, candy and of course, fudge!
The general store offers a wide variety of fudges. From jalapeno fudge to “sucrose-free chocolate nut” fudge, the eccentric tastes require some courage to send your taste buds on this fudge odyssey. The young lady behind the counter will gladly give free samples of the fudge of your choice. Gruene’s general store also has a small soda fountain that serves ice cream cones and refreshments to customers of all ages. It is very likely that you will encounter locals here passing time and chatting with visitors.
After strolling around Gruene on a satisfied tummy and visiting its antique stores, a walk along the river or just laying on the grass beside it is the best way to enjoy this quaint little town since it is the river itself that gives Gruene so much personality. On hot days, the nearby Gruene River Company will rent tubes and rafts to anyone who would like to float down the river under the Texas sun.
There is no reason why students should not visit Gruene these coming months since it is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and it is only a 45 minute drive. For a delicious meal and a pleasant time with friends, family or loved ones, Gruene is undoubtedly a perfect place to spend some time. With the nostalgia of old Texas, the shade of the trees and the perfume of the blooming flowers, students will indulge in a slow stress-free environment which is ideal before, maybe during, and after finals.
By Luis Miguel MacíasEntertainment Editor
The Back-up Plan 4/23
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse 6/30
Sources: rottentomatoes.com
Robin Hood 5/14
Despicable Me 7/9
Gruene
First three photos from top to bottom: The Gruene River Grill Last three photos : The General Store Photos by Luis Miguel Macías
EntertainmentThe Rattler16 April 12, 2010www.stmurattlernews.com
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“Date Night” premiered on April 9 and earned $9.3 million on its first night. It is a sure barrel of laughs for audiences. Source: rottentomatoes.com
Boring couple + bad date = night full of good laughs“Date Night” Directed by Sean LevyStarring Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg and James Franco
Caitlin SkeltonStaff Writer
In this movie, a “boring married couple” goes out on their regularly scheduled date night, only to find themselves thrown into a whirlwind of adventure. It has everything from high speed chases to a guy who just cannot seem to put on a shirt. This remind-ed me of a certain vampire movie.
The Fosters, Claire (Tina Fey) and Phil (Steve Carell), are out on the town for an ordinary dinner at a fancy restaurant, when
they find they cannot get a table due to lack of reservations. Not the one to give up with-out a fight, Phil Foster takes the reservations of an unknown couple, the “Tripplehorns,” who later turn out to be James Franco and Mila Kunis. This seemingly innocent, if not rude, decision flips their world upside down into chaos, adventure and really bad pole dancing. In the end, they find the meaning behind their marriage, and are not the predictable, boring married couple any longer.
The masterful acting of comedic genius Steve Carell and queen of laughs Tina Fey made the audience explode with laughter time and time again. They not only brought comedy but also romantic chemistry as proof that they are not just outstanding
comedians. They showed that they could be serious actors at times during the mov-ie, and that was a great feat for the both of them. The chemistry between them was just amazing and their onscreen relationship seemed so natural that I would not be sur-prised if they were actually married.
The laughs just kept coming, and there was not a single dull point throughout the movie. This may also be due to the reoccur-rence of the gorgeous and well-built Mark Wahlberg, who not once during the entire movie was wearing a shirt. James Franco and Mila Kunis took on their roles as a stripper/wannabe thug couple who could not keep their hands off of each other, and Carell’s standoff with Franco was one of the most hilarious parts of the entire movie. The
nerdy audience out there might also enjoy the fact that Olivia Munn from “Attack of the Show” on G4 had a role in the movie as well and was looking very good.
My overall impression of this movie was an instant classic that I would be happy to watch over and over again. It also was not a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy because there was definitely more comedy than any “awww” moments. So men, do not shy away from this apparent chick flick. There are more laughs than should be humanly possible in this movie and it is great for couples or friends to watch. The ending also gives a nice message without being too gooey-cheesy romantic, which was the best part. It was definitely one of the best movies I have seen in a while.
Entertainment The Rattler 17April 12, 2010www.stmurattlernews.com
Indie ReviewA LOOK AT ARTSY FILMS“Greenburg”Directed by Noah BaumbachStarring: Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Koby Rouviere
Robin Johnson
An ex-mental patient struggles with his extreme p e s s i m i s m and neurotic behavior in trying to re-establish old relationships
in “Greenburg.” Roger Greenburg (Ben
Stiller) suffers a nervous breakdown that lands him in Los Angles to housesit for his brother who hopes the responsibility will encourage Greenburg to do something with his life.
But a new attitude and a determination to “do noth-ing” creates strained rela-tionships with his friends and family who feel he puts no effort in life but complains profusely.
Writer/director Noah Ba-umbach uses Greenburg’s one-of-kind outlook on life and spins the film into a clev-er dry comedy.
This Providence defies adversity for fansJasmine MondenizadehStaff Writer
Watching movies for less is just simply common cents
Several years after This Providence formed, the band finally headed out for the “Bout’ Damn Time Tour,” their first headlining tour.
This Providence put on a show on April 2 at The White Rabbit that fans have been waiting to see for a while now, but they also brought along a lot of musical entertainment from other bands. Artist vs. Poet, The Bigger Lights, Anar-bor and The Audition also made an appearance at The White Rabbit that night.
Artist vs. Poet took the stage first as the opening set. The band came out with only three of the five band members since the other two stayed in Arizona fixing their van since the transmission blew out the day before. How-ever, the three band members Tarcy Thomason, Craig Calloway and Joe Kirkland came out determined to play a great acoustic set. They were very lively and they got great feedback from many of the fans, especially when they
played acoustic. Lead singer, Tarcy Thomason, said that his
parents taught him how to sing when he was 8 years old; musicians like Stevie Wonder and the band Earth, Wind and Fire have been his big-gest musical influences.
Thomason said he hopes the band can one day tour the world.
“We just want to get out to as many kids as possible and share what we write with every-one,” Thomason said.
Next in the line up was The Bigger Lights. Their pop-rock sound really had the crowd moving and the lead singer leaned into the crowd as they started to pull him in, but gained control again after stepping away from the crowd. The band ended their set with one of their biggest hits “When Did We Lose Ourselves?”
The third band was Anarbor. This Arizona band started the vibes for jumping and crowd surfing as soon as they came out on stage. Soon after, The Audition completely tore up
the crowd. They have been around for a while and a majority of the people that were there to see them have been loyal fans since the band formed, which was in 2003. They played many of their older songs and the lead singer, Danny Stevens, kept the mood up with his energy and crazy dance moves. They ended their set with their two biggest songs “Warm Me Up” and “Don’t Be So Hard.”
This Providence was the final act. They played their entire new CD “Who are you now?” which was a 22-song set list. They played their old songs too, but only the ones that fans had requested before the venue opened that night. Their performance went really well and despite the fact that the lead singer said he was losing his voice did not really matter, the entire crowd was singing with him. This Providence ended the set after an encore by their fans. They played a great show and have worked hard to get where they have. It was great to be a part of their first headlining tour, meet some new bands and listen to some great music.
Seeing a movie in San Antonio can be a very expensive luxury that the average college student cannot indulge in often. Since certain movie theatres like the quarry market have the audacity to charge up to $10 to go see a bunch of talking shadows on a screen. Popcorn and refreshments can be ridiculously expensive as well but at Cinemark Movies 16, located at 5063 Highway northwest loop 410 close to La Mi-choacana Meat Market and Sams Club, tickets
are only $1 on Mondays, and only $0.75 if you attend with your family. Every other day of the week, admission is $1.50.
The only catch is that movies shown at Cine-mark Movies 16 are up to three or more months older so it is not the best place to go look for a newly released film. Despite the fact that the tickets are so cheap and the movies are old, the theatre is in very good condition and is kept quite clean. It is the best place to go see cheesy romantic-comedy movies or bad action flicks you would otherwise be embarrassed to pay $10 to go see at your usual movie theatre.
Movies that are currently showing at the Cinemark Movies10 are “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus,” “Valentine’s Day,” “Dear John,” “Edge of Darkness,” “Legion,” “Old Dogs,” “The Preacher’s Kid,” “Sherlock Holmes,” “The Blind Side,” “The Book of Eli,” “The Prin-cess and the Frog,” “The Spy Next Door,” “The Wolfman,” and “A Single Man.”
Cinemark Movies 16 is the best option for anyone looking to save some extra bucks while at the same time looking for a movie in a theatre of good quality.
By Luis Miguel MacíasEntertainment Editor
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April 12, 2010
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CalendarWomen’s Softball4/14 Angelo State 4 p.m.4/17 St.Edward’s(DH) 12p.m.4/18 St.Edward’s(DH) 12p.m.4/23 Texas A&M International 4 p.m.4/24 Texas A&M International 12 p.m.4/29 HeartlandConference All-day
Men’s Baseball4/14 Incarnate Word (DH) 2 p.m.4/15 Incarnate Word (DH) 2 p.m.4/23 Lincoln (DH) 2 p.m.4/24 Lincoln (DH) 12 p.m.4/30 TexasA&MInternational 4p.m.5/6 HeartlandConference All-day
Ohio State University’s Evan Turner is the 2010recipientof theJohnR.WoodenAward.Turner’sother awards this year include: The AssociatedPress player of the year award and the NaismithAward.Despiteallthis,TurnerhasdecidedtonotreturntoOhioStateforhissenioryeartoentertheNBAdraft.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
NBA:
After months of speculation the San AntonioSpurshaveextendedArgentinianManu Ginobili a three-year, $39 million contract. Officials hadreasontobelievethatGinobili,whoispushing32yearsofage,maynotbeanimpactplayerifaskedtorejointheSpursnextseason.However, GinobilihasplayedhisabsolutebestleadingtheSpursto17victoriesinthepast24games.
The USA Soccer team will be playing England inthe first game of theWorld Cup on June 12. It iscrucialthattheUSAwinsthisfirstmatchbecausethefourtimetheyhavelosttheiropeningmatch,theywerelatereliminatedatthegroupstagelevel.
Source: espn.go.com
Highlight Reel
Themen’sbaseballteamhas won the last twogames in a row takingthis season’s record to27-11thusfar.
Women’s Softball Men’s Baseball Men’s Golf
Game Results
April7:TarletonStateLOSTscore8-10
April9:UniversityofIncarnateWordGame1WINscore7-3
April9:NewmanGame1WINscore15-10
April9:NewmanGame2WINscore9-6
March29:DallasBap-tistGolfClassicthirdplace
April5:BuccaneerInvitationalsixthplace
SportsThe Rattler18
Freshmen try to bring rugby to campus
With the combined efforts of several students, the university might have a competing men’s rugby team on campus in the fall of 2010.
Freshmen Brandon McGuire, Larry Villalobos and Justin Quiroz are currently in the process of making rugby an official campus sport, but in August 2009, they also began the process of getting the team to become a registered student organization.
Rugby can be described as a combination of football and soccer with no pads and no breaks, according to the three founders of the team. McGuire said that “rugby is not a game for the faint of heart.”
The three freshmen became friends because of their love for the sport. They had been playing rugby for a few years prior to attending St. Mary’s and decided that it had been “too long since St. Mary’s had a real contact sport and it was long overdue for one.”
Rugby is played on a pitch, or field, and has two 40-minute halves with a five minute halftime. Each team has 15 players
on the pitch at all times and their jersey numbers signify their positions. Scoring is very similar to the scoring process of football, the team just has to get the ball to their goal line. Also, rugby is a worldwide sport that is played by both men and women.
McGuire, Villalobos and Quiroz all agree that the best thing about playing rugby is “the brotherhood and the excitement.”
Rugby is such a fast-paced game that
there is hardly time to rest, and according to Villalobos it is a great stress reliever.
Though the team is not allowed to practice on campus just yet, if the team becomes recognized, then practices will be held twice a week every Tuesday and Thursday at the intramural fields from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
A team meeting will be held on April 15 in the first floor conference room in Founders Hall at 9:30 p.m. and is open for any interested students.
By Veronica MartinezSports Editor
Freshman earns spot on Mexican national team
Freshman center fullback Annia Oilvares has earned herself a spot in the U-20 Mexican Women’s National Team. With the help of the St. Mary’s coaching staff, Olivares grabbed the attention of Mexican head coach Roberto Medina.
“I sent in my résumé and I talked to the head coach and he e-mailed me back saying that they were really interested,” Olivares said.
After obtaining her dual citizenship, Olivares will be able to play for the Mexican National Team under FIFA regulations.
“I am in [the squad], it is just a matter of
training to make it final,” Olivares added.
Being presented with such a rare and monumental opportunity, it is easy for one to become eager to experience it.
“It is an opportunity for me that I am not going to pass up,” Olivares said, “I am grateful for it… it is a blessing to be privileged, to have this opportunity.”
The pressure this new challenge might bring is not distracting Olivares from the Rattler team. She understands her university team commitments and stays faithful to them, Olivares said.
“My priority is here… I love it here; I would not trade it for the world. The girls I play with, they are like my sisters,”
Olivares said. The Rattler women’s soccer
team finished last season with a 4-14-1 record.
The upcoming season looks to be a promising one with the team’s abundance of young talent. Olivares said she is excited for next season.
Even with this great accomplishment, Olivares is not only excelling in soccer, but she is also succeeding in academics as well. Throughout her first semester, the pre-med freshman maintained a GPA above 3.5. Olivares said it is not always easy but it is all about time management.
In the next few months, Olivares will head to Mexico to train with U-20 Mexican Women’s National Team. She will be training with girls
who play for Ivy League and NCAA D-1 schools. If all goes well, the university can expect to see Olivares playing for the national team in the U-20 Women’s World Cup during the summer, in Germany.
By Daniel AguilarStaff Writer
“Rugby is not a game for the faint of heart.”
- Brandon McGuire
Freshman philosophy and biology major Larry Villalobos passes the ball to a team mate during a practice. PhotobyRobinJohnson.
Freshman Annia Olivares Courtesyofstmarytx.edu
The Rattler 19April 12, 2010
www.stmurattlernews.com
Sports
Golf teams swing into conference
The women’s and men’s golf teams have been preparing themselves for the Heartland Conference championship for weeks. Members of the team and their coach, Wes Skidmore, are all confident that the Rattler teams will guarantee their spot at regionals.
At the collegiate level, the “Super” Regional competition consists of 20 teams. The teams that win their conference get an automatic bid to regionals and the NCAA Golf Committee chooses seven other teams based on previous tournaments and scores.
The Rattler’s competition for the Heartland Conference title includes St. Edward’s University, Dallas Baptist University and the University of Newman. Newcomer, junior Guy Goodspeed, is confident in himself and his teammates on the men’s golf team.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we will win the conference, everyone has trust in each other to make the right decisions out on the course,” Goodspeed said. “We have a great team and great chemistry going for us right now.
Coach Skidmore agrees that the team has amazing chemistry and said, “The team concept is something we all work on. It is not what is best for each individual player, but what is best for the team.”
Goodspeed agreed, and said the team puts in a lot of practice in for preparation. The team has been focusing on their “short-game” which includes putting, chipping and sand shots, according to Skidmore. The Rattler golf teams practice every Thursday and Friday at off-campus golf courses including the Dominion, the Republic and Northern Hills. Tournaments are usually on Monday and Tuesday giving the members Wednesday and weekends off.
The men’s team won two out of 10 tournaments this semester
and placed second in two of those tournaments. The women’s team placed second in two tournaments.
The Rattlers are currently ranked third in their conference. Coach Skidmore said that team members who have shown the most improvement and effort this semester have been juniors Matthew Vela and Jeff Rein, and sophomore Sam Jernigan.
The Heartland Conference will be held April 18-20 in Edmond, Okla., and the regional tournament will be May 2 -5 in Duncan, Okla.
By Veronica MartinezSports Editor
NFL 2010 draft picks
After another exciting NFL season, it is time to start everything over again with the annual NFL Draft of standout college athletes.
Coming off their one win season, the St. Louis Rams hope to bring the franchise back to their winning ways. Experts think that the Rams will draft Sam Bradford, Oklahoma quaterback, first-pick overall in order to revive the struggling franchise. All signs seem to point to Bradford going first overall, after St. Louis released veteran quarterback Marc Bulger.
The second pick is the great debate between Ndamukong Suh from Nebraska and Gerald McCoy from Oklahoma. Both defensive tackles dominated during their college careers, but I
think that the Detroit Lions, with the second pick, will take Suh to help anchor their defensive line.
The Dallas Cowboys have released veteran offesensive tackle Flozell Adams and safety Ken Hamlin, possibly to make room for their draft picks. In the first-round, the Cowboys own the twenty-seventh pick; I think the team will address their need at the safety position with Taylor Mays, from the University of Southern California.
For the rest of the draft, the Cowboys need to get help in the offensive tackle position, defensive end and need to get a kicker. If the Cowboys can draft the right players this off-season, it will help them get closer to the Super Bowl.
The NFL Draft will be aired live April 22 to April 24 on ESPN. The first-round will air on April 22 at 6:30 p.m CT.
By Paul SaldanaStaff Writer
Men’s and women’s golf coach, Wes Skidmore talks about how well this year’s team is doing as they prepare for the Heartland Conference Tour-nament in Edmond, Okla. PhotobyFelixArroyo.
SPORTS COMMENTARY
While there may be posters advertising Rattler Athletics games all over campus, there are lesser known teams practicing on the same turf. These smaller teams, aka intramurals, are made up of ordinary students who join together to play their favorite sports just for the fun of it.
The university offers intramural sports in both the fall and spring semesters. Sports offered include basketball, flag football, sand volleyball, and softball in the fall, and soccer, volleyball and tennis in the spring.
Volleyball is the only intramural that is currently in season and teams play in the Bill Greehey Arena every Monday through Thursday night. A team consists of six players on the court at a time, and the rules for intramural volleyball and regular volleyball
are the same. A set in volleyball is won once one of the teams reaches 25 points and is ahead at least two points.
Intramural co-ed soccer recently finished its season. For a soccer team to be considered co-ed there must be at least four male and four female members on the field at all times. Other rules that are unique to co-ed intramural soccer is that when a girl on one of the teams makes a goal, then the team she belongs to gets two points instead of just one.
The soccer season ended with a final match between the co-ed teams of the Renegades and Nothin’ But Net. The game started off slow, but sophomore Jeff Campbell made the first goal for the Nothin’ But Net team. The first foul of the game went to Nothin’ But Net as well giving the Renegades the first indirect kick of the game, which they missed.
Close to the end of the first half of the game, junior Krystal Tillotson fell and injured
her knee keeping her out of the rest of the game, leaving Nothin’ But Net playing at a disadvantage with only seven players on the field.
The Renegades came back in the second half, resulting in a tied score of 3-3. To break the tie, the teams play a six-point shootout. In the case of a shootout, each team chooses six members who make one shot each. If a shot is made, then that team receives a point, if not then no points are rewarded.
Tilloston, who had gotten an injury earlier in the game, made a comeback by making the first shootout goal for Nothin’ But Net. Her effort was not enough and her team only made two of the six shots while the Renegades made three of the six shots. The game finally ended with a 6-5 victory for the Renegades.
How long have you been involved in cheerleading?“Ijustcompletedmysixthyear.”
Why did you start cheerleading?“There was no gymnastics team atmyhighschool.”
What is your favorite thing about being a Rattler cheerleader?“Thepeopleonthesquad.Thegirlson the team are really supportiveand I have grown really close tothem.Theyare likemyfamilyawayfromhome.”
What other activities or groups are you involved in on campus?“I am a business representativefor the Student GovernmentAssociation, a member of DeltaZeta,PhiAlphaDeltaandaStudentOrientationAssistant.”
How has being involved on campus effected your stay at StMU?“IthashelpedalotbecauseIgettomeeta lotofpeopleand it is likeafamily away from home. It reallyhelps in the adjusting process andI suggest all freshman get involvedbecauseitisveryimportant.”
What plans do you have after graduating?“I want to attend either St. Marysor University of Texas at AustinLawSchool.”
CompiledbyVeronicaMartinez
Above: The Renegades won the intramural co-ed soccer tournament. Bottom left: Senior Ressa Cerna plays the field for the Renegades running for the ball beside junior Ivonne Aguilar for Nothin’ But Net. Bottom right: Marcey Morales runs for Nothin’ But Net’s goal ahead of the Renegades. PhotosbyAnaliciaPerez
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