Plans for Tarrant County College’s down-town campus have been in the works for yearsnow, but the college announced a major changein strategy over the summer. Rather than erect aset of buildings on the north and south sides ofthe Trinity River and a pedestrian bridge span-ning the river to connect the two, the college willhouse its new facility in Radio ShackCorporation’s former complex on the north sideof downtown.

TCC construction on the south bluff of theTrinity River downtown will continue as origi-nally planned. However, activity at the site northof the river will cease and the pedestrian bridgewill no longer be needed.

Opening the new campus quicker is just oneof the advantages of this purchase, TCCChancellor Dr. Leonardo de la Gaza told theFort Worth Star-Telegram over the summer.

“The combined costs of buying and renovat-ing the RadioShack Corporation complex andcompleting the facilities on the south side of theriver are the same cost as if we completed ourfacilities on the north and south sides of theriver,” said de la Gaza. “With this decision, weachieve cost certainty and gain over 300,000additional square feet and 1,700 additional park-ing spaces.”

Purchase price for the buildings and proper-ty equal $238 million.

The transaction was completed in cash, andwill not affect homeowners’ property taxes, theTCC reserve funds or extensive improvementplans for the four other TCC campuses.

Additionally, an $80 million renovationwithin the Radio Shack complex will beginimmediately. An estimated $170 million will bedevoted to the completion of the new structures,expected to reach completion in two years.

According to Chuck Nixon, the architectur-al consultant for Radio Shack facility study com-missioned by the College, the Radio Shack facil-ities are uniquely suited for a college campusdue to the state of the art technology and infra-structure already instated within the buildings.Nixon noted in TCC press release that many ofthese technological features existed in TCC’sinitial plans but were eliminated due to cost. TheRadio Shack headquarters opened in 2005, sotechnology is fairly recent.

Ironically, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Art andDesign Critic Gaile Robinson foreshadowed thebuildings’ destiny at the headquaters’ debut:

“On the outside, the new RadioShack head-quarters in downtown Fort Worth looks like thebig sister to a suburban college — an unremark-able, sprawling campus of glass, brick and lime-stone. The wow factor lies within, where it

September 10, 2008 Vol. 101, No. 2Fort Worth, Texas

The RamblerThe students’ voice since 1917

T E X A S W E S L E Y A N U N I V E R S I T Y

Wesleyan Sunday

Join the Wesleyan com-

munity for fun and fellow-

ship Sept. 28 at Poly UMC.

Dr. Robert Flowers will give

the message, and a reception

will follow immediately in

the parlor.

Are YOU ready for some

football?!

Football season is offi-

cially here; don’t miss out

on PigSkin Pick’em--

Wesleyan’s 14 week contest

picking game winners. See

Aaron Whaley in Student

Life for weekly schedules.

The winner at year’s end

will receive a $100 gift cer-

tificate!

Need academic assitance?

The Academic Resource

Center (ARC) offers stu-

dents the help they seek with

many tutors who specialize

in different fields. Visit the

ARC anytime during the

week and even on week-

ends.

Student Government

SGA meets most

Tuesdays during free period

in the Carter Conference

Room. They are currently

seeking out candidates for

class representative. Don’t

forget the Food Forum Sept.

23 and SGA serving stu-

dents Sept. 30 in the Mall.

Gay Straight Alliance

GSA will be having its first

meeting Sept. 17 at 5 p.m.

in the Academic Resource

Center. For more informa-

tion contact Joe Brown.

AMC offers movie passes

Beginning Sept. 11,

Wesleyan students will be

able to enjoy complimentary

movie passes every

Thursday at the AMC in

downtown Fort Worth by

showing student ID.

NEWS BRIEFS

See TCC, page 2

Trinity River Vision and TCC set forredevelopment project in Fort Worth

Politically motivatedWesleyan student stands out among thousands to presidential campaign leaders

It all started out one boring afternoon sittingaround doing what most college students do intheir free time: Facebook. For Heath Scott, how-ever, this mundane afternoon was to turn into theopportunity of a lifetime.

Scott, a junior political science major, wasbrowsing Facebook when he saw an advertise-ment saying, “Get Involved.” He clicked on thebanner and filled out the brief questionnaire,thinking it was probably a gimmick but that he’dgive it a try anyway.

Two days later, he received a phone call froma national field director with the CollegeRepublican National Committee wanting toknow more about this Wesleyan student. He wasbeing interviewed for a position as field rep withCollege Republican’s history-making FieldTeam.

An hour-long conversation ensued. Scott wasable to tell of his experience the past two yearsworking for Sen. Jane Nelson, a representative of

portions of Denton and Tarrant counties in theTexas Senate. Scott was also able to tell about hisexperience of being one of the youngest delegatesin this year’s state convention.

Heath was then instructed to submit a fivepage letter and give several references. Over thenext week every reference was called and thor-oughly questioned about Scott’s character andpast. A thorough background check was per-formed, and Scott passed with flying colors. Outof 2,000 applicants, the candidates were nar-rowed down to the top 60. This is where the funbegan.

Scott was still finding it hard to believe that aquick questionnaire on Facebook turned into suchan amazing opportunity.

“I really didn’t know what I was getting intountil I was offered an all expense paid trip toWashington, D.C.”

The 60 college students selected were winedand dined at the finest restaurants and were putup in extravagant hotels. The purpose of the tripwas to go through training at Google nationalCourtesy of Debbie Scott

KEVIN DOSKOCILSTAFF WRITER

TIARA NUGENTEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Did I get the job, Mr. Aitchar?

See Scott, page 4

Virtual Job Interview is here and ready to answer that question

Whether preparing for or actually taking partin a job interview, anyone would appreciategetting tips to land the job they want. TexasWesleyan University recognized this demandand added a mock interview program via theWeb. Through the West Library’s home page,the program trains the student to be successfulin job interviews.

In addition to the actual interview, VirtualJob Interview’s features provide tips andguidelines to practice as an interviewee. Afterentering a Wesleyan username and password,students reach the main page of the program,which consists of the following four sections:Preparation, The Day of the Interview, IllegalQuestions and Meet Mr. Aitchar.

In Preparation, highlighted is the viewthat one can make a first impression onlyonce. The program makes suggestions forknowing oneself, recognizing appropriate dressguidelines and being familiar with the employingorganization.

The Day of the Interview section adds on to

Preparation by providing tips such as being ontime, being confident and paying attention to bodylanguage. The viewer’s individual rights areemphasized in the Illegal Questions section. Theuser is warned of questions that the interviewer is

prohibited by law to ask, such as “Are you mar-ried?”

Lastly, Meet Mr. Aitchar (actually pronouncedlike “HR”) takes the participant to the real mockinterview with the interviewer, Mr. Aitchar. He

asks a variety of common interview questions tothe interviewee at the computer screen, and theprogram provides a variety of answer choices tochoose from.

Cindy Potter, library director, said feedbackon the program from the Wesleyan communi-ty is not available yet, but once the Virtual JobInterview has had some time on campus,Systems Librarian Sherri Parker may put out ashort survey evaluating its success. Potter seespotential.

“All the electronic resources we imple-ment, we feel are good and can serve of use tothe students,” she said.

Potter first discovered Virtual JobInterview through listserv, an organization ofcollege librarians and directors who shareinformation and insight.

Potter saw that the program had goodreviews and presented it for discussion withother library personnel. Following an oralpeer review and a viewing of testimonials

from other universities that use the program, WestLibrary brought the program on board and addedit to the library’s Web site.

See Aitchar, page 2

SHAMKEA HYATTSTAFF WRITER

Heath Scott travels the country making politicalconnections.

Photo by Katie Slaten

September 10, 2008 The Rambler 2

aspires to be the office worker’s idea of nirvana.”Classes are expected to commence downtown in September 2009. TCC will use one

of the former Radio Shack buildings, but the remaining two at the headquarters will beoccupied by Radio Shack for the next two years at no charge, per contract agreement.One will enter into TCC use in2011 and the last in 2013.

Using the old plans, TCC’sdowntown campus would nothave been functional until 2023.

“Our board works diligentlyto serve the Tarrant CountyCollege students, faculty and staffwhile also serving taxpayers andthe needs of our community,” saidLouise Appleman, president ofthe TCC board an interview withthe Star-Telegram.

“The decision to purchase RadioShack Corporation complex will allow us to educatemore students in better facilities sooner. The action is in keeping with our mission … andwill expand our presence in the Trinity River area.”

Critics disagree. They say the previous plans for the TCC campus was an integralpart of the Trinity River Vision, a redevelopment project that couples stimulating near-downtown development with ensuring flood control for the neighboring Trinity River.TRV officials claim civic plans for riverfront are being left in disarray by the college’schange of blueprints.

Allegedly, the Trinity Uptown project rests on the premise of attracting thousands ofnew residents and relies on those new residents having a walkway traveling around thecourthouse, Sundance Square and to other landmarks in order to succeed.

The pedestrian bridge, which was to connect the TCC campus when it was anticipat-ed to span the river, was also going to serve as the link between the near north side andthe central business district.

Architect Bing Thom proposed a design that delighted both TCC and TRV authori-ties. The sketch boasted a long walkway with a slope gradual enough to be handled by amother pushing a baby stroller. Decorative fountains accented the bridge’s aesthetic

TRV directors say no alternative is up on their drawing board. No other two pointswithin the desired locale can support a bridge and streets in the area are too steep to advo-cate a sidewalk route.

TCC, from page 1

“In case the student did not go to the Career Services homepage, the library’s Web sitecould have the Virtual Job Interview program to give guidance,” said Potter.

Potter assured the program stays current.“Out-of-date career information is not helpful to anybody,” said Potter. Subscribing along with Wesleyan to the Virtual Job Interview program is California State

University, Texas A&M University, Truman College and more than 100 other universitiesacross the nation. According to the testimonials provided by its consumers, the programadheres strongly to its goals of helping an individual “get the job they deserve” and “ensur-ing career success.”

Virtual Job Interview is part of West Library’s recent efforts to add to its electronicresources. New databases, such as the Latin American Experience, are available.

“We are striving to offer more resources for the new academic areas opening up atWesleyan, such as the doctoral education program,” said Potter.

Will you get hired, put on file or rejected on the spot? Check it out for yourself.

Career and Employment programsat Trinity River Campus:

Health Information Technology Long-Term Care

Physical Therapist Assistant Radiological Technology

Respiratory Care Sign Language Interpreting

Surgical Technology

Aitchar, from page 1

It started nearly 10 years ago, when members of Boy Scout Troop 14 decided they want-ed to help keep Dutch Branch Road litter-free. There was no formal program, but within afew years, 20 sections of roadway within the city limits had been “adopted” and were beingcleaned up several times a year by volunteers. Fraternities, sororities and other organizationsat Texas Wesleyan were among those volunteers.

Over the years, though, participation has diminished. The city of Fort Worth is lookingto rejuvenate the effort, which is now a joint program of the Code Compliance,Environmental Management, Transportation and Public Works, and Community Relationsdepartments. It is funded by North Central Texas Council of Governments’ TexasCommission on Environmental Quality.

Neighborhood associations, civic groups, schools, youth organizations, faith-basedorganizations, businesses and individuals interested in keeping their streets litter-free areinvited to join the Adopt-A-Street Program.

In addition to making Fort Worth a cleaner, more attractive city, there are many otheradvantages, such as:

*encouraging neighborhood pride *helping maintain and increase property values *encouraging people to stop littering *reducing roadway and waterway pollution *increasing environmental issue awareness *reducing litter removal costs*earning community service hours Adopting is easy. Just submit an adoption application to the Code Compliance

Department for a half-mile to two-mile stretch of roadway. Once the chosen stretch of road-way is approved, the adopter agrees to clean it least four times a year. The city provides freetrash bags, disposal vouchers and safety vests. All program participants must sign a waiverof liability.

Signs recognizing the organization’s cleanup efforts will be placed on the boundaries ofthe adopted roadway once the first clean-up has been completed. Adopters also will receivean official certificate of adoption, and at the end of the program year they will be recognized.

For more information or to submit an application, call (817) 392-6572.-Staff Report

Organizations needed to joinFort Worth Adopt-A-Street

News

Sophomore kinesiology major Harrison Law cringed as he recounts having racked up a $550bill this semester for his books. Law and other students feel the pinch of the necessary pur-chase this fall.

The RamblerWants You!

Get paid!Gain valuable experience!Work from home/school!

Write stories or take photos!Learn the ins and outs of TWU!

No required assignments!Write stories or snap photos twice a week

or twice a semester, it’s all up to you!

Meetings every Thursday - free period - Stella Russell Hall lobbywww.txwes.edu/ramblertwurambler@yahoo.com

Photo by Gasten Schoonover

Photo by Gasten Schoonover

How much did you pay for books?

OpinionsThe Rambler September 10, 2008 3

The RamblerFounded in 1917 as The Handout

Harold G. Jeffcoat, Publisher Kelli Lamers, adviser Martin Garcia, news editorTiara Nugent,editor-in-chief Bryce Wilks, sports editorRyan Authier, entertainment editor Ashely Oldham, advertising manager Gasten Schoonover, photo editor Rachel Horton, Web editor

Member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.Opinions expressed in The Rambler are those of the individual author only

and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas Wesleyan community as a whole. Letters to the editor: The Rambler, a weekly publication, welcomes all letters.

All submissions must have a full printed name, phone number and signature; however, confidentiality will be granted if requested. While every consideration is made to publish letters, publication is limited by time and space.

The editors reserve the right to edit all submissions for space, grammar, clarity and style. Letters to the editor may be subject to response from editors and students on the opinions page.

"We are not afraid to follow the truth...wherever it may lead." -Thomas Jefferson

Address all correspondence to:Texas Wesleyan University, The Rambler, 1201 Wesleyan St., Fort Worth, TX 76105.

Newsroom: 531-7552 Advertising: 531-7582 Fax: 531-4878 E-mail: twurambler@yahoo.com

Rambler RatingsThumbs up to all studentswho have gotten involved in acampus organization.

Thumbs up to the beginningof footbal season.

Thumbs down to the wet sandcovering portions of the sidewalk on the west side ofthe library.

Thumbs up to Student Life forpreparing a diverse list ofactivies for the fall semester.

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“Hurricane GustavMakes Landfall,

Weakens to Category 1Storm.”

So read the headline of aFOXNews report Sept. 7.While the estimated 2 mil-lion evacuees and all ofAmerica sighed in relief thata repeat of Katrina and evenRita was not going to makethe history books this time

around, mixed feelings surrounding the manda-tory evacuation of southern regions of Texas andLouisiana swelled. Some felt that panicky gov-ernment officialsover-reacted andjumped the gun; oth-ers didn’t bother try-ing to analyze prosand cons, theorizing“What happened,happened. Better tobe safe than sorry.”

No one can con-test that the decisionof whether to tellresidents whether totake the risks ofstaying home or toflee is an arduousone. Responsibilityfor human lives is aheavy weight andweather reportsevolve and change every second. Conducting amass exodus is no less an immense task.

I don’t think the majority of people livingoutside the hurricane danger zone grasp themagnitude of an evacuation. Having personalconnections to evacuees adds some detail to thepicture, but I know that that cannot impart thefull severity of the situation either. You have tolive the nightmare to understand.

I come from a close-knit family, both imme-diate and extended. Although my immediatefamily resides in the Metroplex, the entire rela-tives’ clan populates the Beaumont/Port Arthurarea down near the Gulf. Besides my twinuncles (who happen to both belong to the policeforce), all of my relations fled Rita and Gustav.My house has been a haven for many of them asthe torrential fury lashed out – or, in the case ofGustav, poked at – their homes. I have seenmuch through my family’s eyes.

Imagine the anxieties of hurricane season(ranging from June 1 – Nov. 30), and watchingthe formation of every storm with the uneasyfeeling that it could sweep your life away. Thedreaded day comes when a ferocious tempestwhirls over the waves in a beeline for yourhometown. Preparation for evacuation must nowcommence. Your life has been uprooted.

What are your most prized possessions? Doyou answer that question differently when askedin a situation that allows you to retain onlythose items most precious to you while the oth-ers perish? That is the position of evacuees.Those items crammed into the getaway car arethe only possessions guaranteed to exist afterthe storm. All else you must separate yourselffrom and prepare to lose if the winds and delugeshould so choose. Your domicile likely receivesa high-rating on your list of most-valued assets,but it, of course, must remain to weather thestorm.

All food in your refrigerator and freezers(down in the Gulf area most everyone has anextra freezer out in the garage) must be thrownout. Should the power go down for an extendedperiod during or after the storm, the stench ofrotted food will escalate to an insufferable level.Not to mention, who wants to be greeted homewith the task of cleaning out grotesque decay?And in a reeking house no less.

The escape route is likely by way of amotorized vehicle, meaning it’s a wise move to

acquire a full tank of gas before hitting the road.You and everyone’s brother need that fuel. Linesfor the pump get long, and as the undergroundgas tanks empty and time ticks by, peoplebecome more and more desperate. Folks in sur-vival mode frequently fail to act kind and civil.Fist fights break out at numerous stations. Surethere are some Good Samaritans still out there,but by and large, it’s every man for himself.

So far, the economic picture is none toooptimal. Emptying the contents of your deepfreezer plus your refrigerator is an outright cost-ly venture period, especially when factoring inthe inflated price of groceries. Road trips don’ttypify as cheap either. Neither does losing your

home and possessions.Who knows what theforces of nature willchoose to do to your placeof employment? Chancesare fair that you can’t takeevery vehicle in your house-hold. You must figure in how much gas wouldcost, and then consider the cost of living awayfrom home for an undefined amount of time tosee if your budget can withstand the brunt.

Of course, that is also assuming enough gasis available for more than one vehicle andyou’re willing to risk getting split up from yourfamily and friends in the chaotic mass flight.

You take one final look at your home, andpull out of the driveway. Every exit route isbacked up as far ahead and behind you as youreye can see.

My cousins live a mere five and a halfhours away from my abode. They left the daybefore the mandatory evacuation and it tookthem almost 10 hours to cover the distancebetween our homes. That traffic time didn’tseem too frustrating at all when days later thejourney home days required over 12 hours.That’s a lot of extra fuel consumed.

My aunt commented that while authoritiesimproved evacuation procedures with schemessuch as mandating both sides of the highway fornorthbound traffic, they’ve yet to perfect“reverse-evacuation” plans. Even those whoattempted traveling in the middle of the nightcouldn’t avoid the crawling “movement” on thehighways.

Despite those long hours on the road – unit-ed with the other inconveniences and sacrifices– gratefulness reared its tender head as Gustavevacuees recalled the horrors of their last exo-dus. The Rita evacuation was a living, terrifyingnightmare. Katrina’s ruthless devastation inject-ed Gulf region inhabitants with acute fear.Hometown streets became eerily deserted as res-idents overwhelmed the freeways. Traffic stoodat a stand-still in the August heat for hours onend, creeping a few feet forward here and there.Cars overheated. Water was scarce at best. Gasran out. There were no bathrooms. Babies andchildren cried in discomfort. Those with healthissues greatly suffered, as well as many a preg-nant woman and the elderly. Hours and hours. Astandstill.

Speaking of health concerns, contemplatethe plight of hospitals and nursing homes. Whatdo you do with patients in ICU or those justcoming out of serious surgery? What aboutthose who need serious surgery but can’t have itat the moment they need it? Any patient unableto sit up for an extended period of time must betransported out by way of ambulance. Hospitalpersonnel painstakingly labor to ensure the bestcare to patients (mostly at the expense of tend-ing to their own affairs, including possessionsand family), but the rigors of transportationfilches a cruel toll from many.

Once evacuees break clear of the dangerzone, the issue of where to go must be faced.

Some, like my family, are fortu-nate enough to have family tiesor friend connections to putthem up for a few days. Othersface forking out hundreds to ahotel or lodging in a public shel-ter ranging in style from churchgymnasiums, to an old WalMartbuilding, to civic centers.

Though indeed free, theseplaces of refuge are often over-crowded; one Louisiana shelterhoused over 1,400 refugees in asingle building. Privacy is notanywhere to be found. Despitevolunteers’ hardest efforts, thelarger shelters often lack ade-quate showers and encountertrouble in delivering meals.

Once the hurricane haswreaked its destruction, any powerissues are resolved and the strenu-ous return home is complete, youarrive back in town anxious to knowwhether you’re returning to a trashheap or an intact home merely need-

ing repair. I accompanied my grand-parents home after Rita ensued; the disaster wasmuch more severe when viewed in first-personvs. TV. The three houses across the street frommy grandparents’ were reduced to three debrispiles and a lone erect chimney. Their homeneeded a new roof, but other damage was minorin comparison to what I saw around the block.

As people re-populate hurricane-visited ter-ritory, grocery store shelves’ supplies deplete ina snap. All cold items had been lost in thestorm, making for an automatic reduction ofavailable food to re-stock depleted familypantries. Some stores rationed the amount offood you could purchase at once, while othersleft it at a first come, first serve basis. Walkingthrough a grocery store bustling with careworn,grim faces and bare shelves isn’t what youexpect to see in America.

Given all these hurdles that roundabout 2million confronted for Gustav (who lost hisferocity before land collision), was evacuationworth it? It’s a tough question. I think manywere ready to flee this time around because thescars of Rita and Katrina are still fresh on peo-ple’s minds. I hope that this false alarm does notcause anyone to let down their guard, although Iam all for sheer diplomacy in choosing whetherto go or to stay.

I was grateful my loved ones were safe,come what may. My grandmother voiced whatmany of the coastline’s populace are feeling –exhaustion. People have grown tired of thestrain cause by the hurricane hype and trauma ofthe past couple years. They are tired of dying tothe innate desire of holding a secure existence.

Still, human life tops every value chart.The destination and potency of Ike is in

question yet, and many more storms could fol-low between now and Nov. 30th. PerhapsGustav could be looked upon as a sort of “firedrill” in its own order. Living on the coast, younever know when a monsoonal disaster maystrike.

TIARANUGENT

Courtesy of Google Images

Life in the eye:Gulf residents faceuncharted tempests.

Tiara Nugent is a senior writing major and is editor-in-chief for The Rambler.

College Life The Rambler 4September 10, 2008

headquarters, meet with the director of GoogleElections and to strategize for the upcomingelection season.

Out of the 60 selected students, most wereassigned to a region with partners. Scott was oneof three applicants chosen to run his own state.He was assigned to Washington state and a fewdays later found himself on the road to Seattlealong with a new video camera and laptop todocument his journey.

The trip took an interesting twist when a stopwas made in Denver, which hosted theDemocratic National Convention.

“There was a group of about 35 of us thatwore McCain T-shirts and walked downtownthrough the crowds of Democrats,” Heath saidlaughingly. “You should have seen the expres-sions on all the people’s faces.”

Things got really interesting, hesaid, when the McCain campaignhosted a “Hillary HappyHour” in a local restaurant.Republicans andDemocrats cametogether to sharetheir views onBarack Obama.

After arrivingin Seattle, Scottsettled in hisoffice and beganhis duties helpingcoordinate threeraces for the U.S.House ofRepresentative andone gubernatorialcampaign, as well as thenational presidential cam-paign for John McCain.

“The first week was spentmeeting with each campaign and lay-ing out strategy. I am responsible for reachingthe college vote and raising awareness on cam-puses across the state,” said Scott.

“First I had to decide which colleges toreach, when to visit and what events to plan oneach campus that would help attract voters. Thebottom line is we need college kids to get to thepolls.”

Over the next 10 weeks, Scott will visitmore than 30 campuses, some of which areGonzaga, Washington State, EasternWashington University, University ofWashington, Western Washington and manycommunity colleges.

Scott has his own budget to throw events forthe Republican chapters at each university withthe goal of gaining student interest. He regularlyspeaks at rallies and coordinates functions thatnot only get young people involved in the politi-cal process, but also strengthen each campus’Republican Chapter. In his most recent stint atWashington State University, Heath recruitedmore than 100 new college Republicans in a two-day period.

Scott is missing a semester of full-timeschool but believes it’s worth it.

“I am 20 years old, and this is a once in alifetime opportunity. I am so glad I was blessed

with this opportunity and withbeing able to work with

college students andgetting them

involved in poli-tics early on in

their lives,”he said.“The factthat I ammis s ings c h o o ld o e s n ’ tb o t h e rm e

because Ifeel that I

am doings o m e t h i n g

bigger thanmyself.”

This fall, Scottwill be receiving six

political science credit hoursat Wesleyan via two independent studies

courses.Scott’s adventure will last through mid-

November and is being chronicled atwww.youtube.com/crncwa. Scott is uploadingweekly videos to the site and will soon launch ablog at www.lifeinthefield.com.

Wrangler: a revolutionary line of western wear or one of the most popular off-road vehicles made in America. That’s what Wrangler might mean to you, but it hasa whole new meaning at the 1200 block of Wesleyan Street.

The office of alumni relations has continued its inventiveness and recentlylaunched a new program known as the Ram Wranglers. In this venture, the univer-sity recruits former students to assist in its efforts to promote what Texas Wesleyanhas to offer. Wesleyan’s local billboards and advertisements promote that excellenceis within reach; former Texas Wesleyan Rams are stepping up to the plate and mak-ing this possible for prospective students.

Ram Wranglers, according to those in charge, creates the missing link betweenthe past and the future, the established and the potential.

“There is no limit to the number of members for the Ram Wranglers recruitingprogram,” said Gina Phillips, director of development and alumni relations.

Texas Wesleyan University is a close-knit community that sees students, bothlocal and national, walk its grounds and graduate with honor as a Ram. As it entersinto an age of innovation and renovation, it’s important for Wesleyan to keep inter-est at its peak for up and coming students, administrators say, and Ram Wranglersis here to do just that.

The distinctive program wants all interested alumni “to have the opportunity topromote Texas Wesleyan.” Phillips also said that alumni stretching from New York,to Atlanta, to the Metroplex have all expressed interest.

Together with the office of alumni relations, the Wranglers are here to serve andto protect tradition by motivating and inspiring individuals to make their collegiatedreams come true as a Ram. Involvement is easy. If you graduated from TexasWesleyan and enjoy recounting all the wonderful memories that made your dreampossible, this is the opportunity for you. Ram Wranglers welcomes all alumni to reg-ister for involvement.

Former Rams have the best first-hand experience to tell of the luxuries and ben-efits of being a member in the Wesleyan community, Phillips said.

“It’s a great way to have alumni reconnect to the university,” she said. Wesleyan’s population is a growing one, and the Wranglers are here to contin-

ue lassoing students in. The group’s visibility is growing as they have now reacheduniversity fliers, e-mails, Wesleyan magazine and even The President’s Review.

Gina Phillips and Holly Kiser, director of admissions, represent the backbone ofthe groundbreaking organization. Following the footsteps of other schools nation-wide, they have initiated the program and made it a reality at Wesleyan.

So far, the Wranglers are still in the promotional process as the group gets itsfeet wet. Phillips and Kiser are handling the “training, scheduling, volunteering andfunding” for the program. According to Phillips, one of the most effective recruit-ment tools has been “working with alumni at volunteer events and utilizing the inter-ested ones for recruiting purposes.”

The Wrangler program is built on the idea that Texas Wesleyan University hasbuilt its reputation on name, tradition and belief—a belief that the student creates hisor her own destiny with help and guidance from one who has been there.

Financially hanging out on the edge?

Earn extra cash. Write for The Rambler.twurambler@yahoo.com.

MARTIN GARCIANEWS EDITOR

Wranglers on DutyAlumni saddle up for Wesleyan recruitment

Flash yourskills.

RamblerPhotographers

wanted.

twurambler@yahoo.com

Facts & friesPhoto by Gasten Schoonover

Week three of the semester finds students engaging in study groups over lunch in the SUB.

Scott, from page 1

UWIRE, the leading aggregator ofstudent-generated content, todayannounced the launch of YOUTHVOTE ‘08, a blog dedicated to cover-ing the upcoming presidential electionfrom the perspective of young votersacross the United States. JoiningUWIRE in this media initiative arewashingtonpost.com and CBS News,two of the most respected names inthe arena of political coverage.Through this partnership, users canaccess YOUTH VOTE ‘08 on bothwashingtonpost.com andcbsnews.com.

“There are a tremendous number

of first-time voters who will be crucialin this election, and YOUTH VOTE‘08 will provide direct insight into theissues they are facing along with theirmindset,” said Ben French, VP andGeneral Manager of UWIRE.

“UWIRE is obviously thrilled tobe teaming up withwashingtonpost.com and CBS News,two of the biggest names in politicalcoverage. Both of their respective Websites provide ideal platforms for this

blog.”YOUTH VOTE ‘08 will provide

best-of political coverage fromUWIRE, including original reportingand commentary from more than 50talented young correspondents rangingfrom video, columnists, editorial car-toonists, photographers and newsreporters. By using young journaliststo cover young voters, YOUTH VOTE‘08 will provide a fresh and uniqueperspective on a group of voters that iswidely expected to make a big impacton Election Day.

“The reporting and commentaryfrom UWIRE’s diverse selection of

young journalists offers a unique com-plement to washingtonpost.com’s elec-tion coverage,” said Elizabeth Spayd,editor of washingtonpost.com. “Theblog gives readers a go-to channel tounderstand how young voters arethinking about this monumental elec-tion season.”

YOUTH VOTE ‘08 is located athttp://youthvote.washingtonpost.comor http://www.youthvoteblog.com

-- Staff Report

National political blog launchedfor the students, by the students

YOUTH VOTE,a national blog,will provide stu-dents fromacross the U.S.to share infor-mation, debateand discuss elec-tion-related top-ics such as can-didate plat-forms, campaignstrategies, candi-dates’ speechesand overallstrengths andweaknesses.

SportsThe Rambler September 10, 2008 5

Log on to:www.ramsports.netfor the latest game

information andprofiles of your

favorite WesleyanTeams and Athletes

Quick Quotes"Football is a mistake. Itcombines the two worstelements of Americanlife. Violence and com-mittee meetings.”

- George WillWashington Post Columnist

Sep. 122 p.m. Volleyball @ DoaneCollege

8 p.m. Volleyball @Hastings College

Sep. 13Noon Volleyball @ DordtCollege

4 p.m. Volleyball @Bellevue University

*5:30 p.m. Women’sSoccer vs. ConcordiaUniversity

*7:30 p.m. Men’s Soccervs. Concordia University

Sep. 165 p.m. Women’s Socer @Oklahoma City University

*5:30 p.m. Men’s Soccervs. Northwood University

*denotes home game

Upcoming Events

Sports BriefsRams beat No. 21BenedictineSep. 6Leo Cubrilo led the waywith two goals as the men’ssoccer team beatBenedictine 4-3 in doubleovertime. Wesleyan playedtwo-men down due to injuryon two occasions, andJoakim Soderbaum cameup with five of his eightsaves in the second half.

Softball team set for fallseasonSep. 5The softball team has beenpraticing for fall tourna-ments that will preparethem for the 2009 springseason. The teamwill travelto Durant, Okla., Sep. 13 fora tournament atSoutheastern OklahomaState. Their fall season willwrap up Sep. 27 in BossierCity, La. when they com-pete in the Bossier ParishCC Tournament. The LadyRams finished the 2008season with a 17-7 confer-ence record.

Rams sweep weekly soc-cer awardsSep. 2Adis Druzanovic andJoakim Soderbaum cap-tured offensive and defen-sive conference player ofthe week awards. BrittanyO’Brien earned the defen-sive award for women’ssoccer after recording herseventh career shutout ver-sus McMurray.

Romig named RRAClibero of the weekSep. 2Freshman volleyball playerKatlynn Romig was namedconference libero of theweek after compiling 80digs against SouthernNazarene and St.Gregory’s.

Texas Wesleyan's newest assistant base-ball coach had player's full attention as headdressed them at the first fall meeting.Most of them grew up watching him on tel-evision or at the Ballpark in Arlington anddidn't want to miss what he had to say.

"The first thing he said was that he'sintense, but that he would make us better asplayers," junior outfielder Ryan Jacobi said.

Baseball fans won't be surprised that thecoach is former TexasRangers outfielder RustyGreer. His intensity was evi-dent during his playing daysand is sure to make him avaluable coaching commodi-ty for the baseball program.

"I expect perfection fromthe guys during practice.Errors happen during games,and that's understandable,but practice should be perfectbecause we should focuseveryday like it's a realgame," Greer said.

After finding out thatGreer was available thissummer, head coach and fellow formerRanger Mike Jeffcoat gave him a call togauge his interest, many years after thecoaching tandems' first encounter.

"Mike plunked me with a pitch duringmy first spring training at-bat," Greer said. "Igive him a hard time about it, but when heasked if I wanted to come out and coach, ofcourse I was excited about the opportunity."

Jeffcoat's errant pitch didn't injure Greer,but it was a precursor of the beating that theleft fielder would take during his nine-yearmajor league career, eventually forcing himto retire.

"I had nine surgeries in a relatively shortperiod of time. The procedures ranged froma scope to Tommy John surgery and every-thing in between."

When Greer was healthy for theRangers, he produced offensive numbersthat few in the organization's history have.

The four year span from 1996-99 show-

cased Greer's capabilities as a player andcoincided with three playoff appearances forthe team.

His average stat line for that period,according to baseballreference.com, was asfollows: 150 games played, .314 battingaverage, 106 runs scored, 20 home runs and99 runs batted in (100 or more three times).

Greer's accomplishments culminatedwith his induction into the Texas RangersHall of Fame on Aug. 11, 2007.

Greer had opportunities to prolong hisplaying career after the Rangers contract

expired, but for his family'ssake (not to mention the"back of his baseball card")he retired with the Rangers.

"I went from draft day toretirement with one organi-zation. Not too many guyscan say that in today's age offree agency," he said.

2005 marked the end ofGreer's playing days, and itdidn't take long for him tojump into the coachingranks. He managed theColleyville Lonestars of theTexas Collegiate SummerLeague in 2007 and recently

directed at the 17 and under division of theDallas Baseball Academy of Texas. He hasalso made appearances at several baseballcamps and given lessons to individual play-ers.

"All of these opportunities have beenlearning experiences for me as I try to even-tually become a head coach,” Greer said.“The goal here [at Wesleyan] is to get somemore experience and help Coach Jeffcoatwith a little bit of everything so he can con-centrate on sharing his expertise with thepitchers."

Greer grew up in Alabama and attendedthe University of Montevallo but claimsDallas-Fort Worth as his home now. Even ifother coaching opportunities arise, he wouldlike to remain in the area.

"I have three kids at home that I have tothink about and not be moving them all overthe place," he said. "I would love to stayaround here and teach baseball for as long as

Out of Left Field

BRYCE WILKSSPORTS EDITOR

Rusty Greer makes collegiatecoaching debut with Wesleyan

10 years later...The conclusion of this baseball season will

mark 10 seasons since Rusty Greer helped last leadthe Rangers to the playoffs in 1999. Here’s an

update on some notable players from that belovedRangers team, nearly 10 years after the fact.

Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez: Played for Tigers andnow Yankees in 2008. Currently batting .281 with 7

home runs.

Rafael Palmeiro: Amassed over 500 home runs and3,000 hits, but hasn’t played since 2005 after alle-

gations of steroid use and a failed test.

Juan Gonzalez: Injuries derailed this slugger’scareer recently, but he is still in baseball. Currently

on inactive list for the St. Louis Cardinals.

- Bryce Wilks

Rusty Greer posessed a batting stroke that made him a life-time .305 hitter in the major leagues. Now, he’ll be passing hisknowledge along to Wesleyan hitters as an integral part ofhead coach Mike Jeffcoat’s staff.

Courtesy of Brad Newton/Texas Rangers

Photo by Josh Lacy

Texas Wesleyan hitting coachfor 2008-09, Rusty Greer.

Are you bored on campusand your looking for some-thing to be involved in orsomething to just kill sometime? Maybe you need toexercise … your body or yourbrain.

Aaron Whaley, assis-tant dean of students forcampus involvement,may have the solu-tion for you. TexasW e s l e y a nUniversity has aton of studentevents, leagues andintramurals availablefor its students.

One of the notableevents that will be starting oncampus this month is the 3-on-3 basketball league. Thiswill take place in the SportCourt, the outdoor basketballcourt next to Stella RussellHall, every Tuesday nightfrom 6 p.m.-9 p.m. It is freeof charge.

Another activity that willbe new to the campus thismonth is the Texas WesleyanBowling League and Club.The price is $6 per week andis every Wednesday eveningat Brunswick Lanes located

off of Interstate 35 on AltaMesa.

Flag football chalks upthe most rigorous activityoffered by Student Life andteams from around campusare sure to participate in thesaturday morning league.

If you're looking to dosomething that will makesome cash instead of costingyou, look into the PigSkinPick'em event. Each weekparticipants will pick whowill win NFL football games.At the end of the year, whoev-er has the most correct pickswill win $100.

Also making a return tocampus this semester is theTexas Wesleyan Poker

League and Club. This takesplace every Monday at 6 p.m.in Stella with a $200 grandprize given at the end of theTournament of Champions.

If you're looking for afree vacation, check out theWesleyan Fit Club. StudentLife is offering a trip for twoto the Barton Creek Resort/

Spa in Austin for the win-ner. The program con-

ducts classes and isbased on a pointsystem thatincludes pointsfor lap walking,boot camp, plyo-

metrics, cardioand abdominal

work. You must reg-ister and pay $25 in the

nurse's office to participate. Also new to Wesleyan is

the AMC Movie Night.Starting Sept. 11, TexasWesleyan students will beable to enjoy a new movieshown each Thursday indowntown Fort Worth free ofcharge with your student ID.

Several more intramuralleagues and events are avail-able to students. For moreinformation, contact StudentLife at their office next to thebook store in the SUB.

Flag football and poker highlight slate ofstudent activities planned for fall semester

Satisfy Sporting Starvation

ANDY CANCHOLACONTRIBUTING WRITER

The NEWGY Texas Wesleyan Open Tournament tookplace in Sid Richardson Gym Sept. 6. Freshman businessadministration major Oliviu Vasilca (above), ranked thirdon the champion table tennis team, served his way into thelate rounds before bowing out of the tournament.

Photo by Gasten Schoonover Photo by Gasten Schoonover

Pounding thePaddles

Though you can’t tell from thesweltering heat, fall is right aroundthe cor-ner. Itwill soonbe time,o n c eagain, tobreak outthe hood-ies, toheat upthe cocoaand toe n j o ys o m eT e x a sWesleyantheater.

T h i ssemester,the the-a t e rd e p a r t -ment hasa diversefall line-up featur-ing theAgnes ofGod, written by John Pielmeier anddirected by senior theater majorAlfredo Martinez. This dark mur-der mystery employs more than“just the facts” to solve the case, asthe chain-smoking atheist psychol-ogist and the Mother Superior Nunwith a shady past debate about reli-

gion, sin and loyalty while the plotunfolds and the mystery isrevealed.

Naomi Siegel of the New YorkTimes called the play “Part classic

‘who-done-it,’ part enigmatic forayinto the mysteries of Catholic doc-trine.”

Agnes of God runs September25 and 27, as well as Oct. 3 and 5.

Stones in His Pockets by MarieJones, directed by senior theatremajor Dillon Maroney, is a

comedic play dealing with tragicevents. This interestingly cast playfeatures two actors playing theparts of 15 different characters inan energetic, whirlwind perform-

ance. It’s the story of a small Irish

town overtaken by an unsympa-thetic Hollywood movie crew.Small town sensibilities are chal-lenged by the egocentric, one-sid-edness of the movie producersrevealing interesting perspectives

on subjects such as the plastic shal-lowness of Hollywood, life anddeath and perseverance over failureto achieve one’s dreams. Showdates are Sept. 26 and 28 and Oct.

2 and 4.The final performance for the

fall season isdirected byConnie Whitt-Lambert, chairof the theaterdepartment. TheM e n a e c h m u sTwins, writtenby ancientRoman play-wright TitusM a c c i u sPlautus, is acomedy aboutthe mistakenidentity of twotwin brothers.

Quick wit,sarcastic dia-logue and theinevitable may-hem that goesalong with mis-taken identity allcome together in a verySeinfeldesque manner, revealing

that humor hasn’t changed much inthe last two thousand years or so.Plautus’ work has influenced manystories, plays and playwrights overthe centuries, including WilliamShakespeare.

As Professor William Harris ofMiddlebury College stated,

“Plautine plots furnished the basisfor over five hundred comedies inevery European language.”Performances are Nov. 13-15 and20-23.

Show times for all Thursday,Friday and Saturday shows are at

7:30 p.m. AllSunday showsare at 2 p.m.Ticket pricesfor all showsare $8 forg e n e r a ladmission, $6for Wesleyanfaculty andstaff and $4for all stu-dents withvalid schoolI.D. – includ-ing studentsfrom otheruniversities.

T h eT h e a t r eWesleyan boxoffice is openT u e s d a yt h r o u g h

Friday from 1:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.on the week of the performance,and one hour before curtain.Tickets are also available onlinethrough the Theatre Wesleyan Website. The box office is located in thelobby of the Law Sone Fine ArtsBuilding at the Thad SmothermanTheatre on the corner of Binkleyand Ave. E.

As the eighth seasonof American Idolcreeps up on

Americans, viewers areanxiously awaiting forwhat will be another yearof terrible auditions, surlycritiques and eventually anewly crowned idol. Butwe also have somethingnew to ponder this year.

For the last sevenseasons, America has grown to know, and attimes even love, Idol’s three judges, Paula,Simon and Randy. However, this year, afresh-face has been added to the AmericanIdol panel. Grammy- nominated songwriterKara DioGuardi, known for working withsuperstars Britney Spears, Christina Aguilaraand Avril Lavigne, will join the cast of famil-iar faces.

She will join the trio of regulars late inthe season when the show hits San FranciscoJuly 17.

Paula has expressed concerns in the com-plications a new judge might create; howev-er, all judges are said to have welcomed herinto their family, including Simon. The con-cern, however, isn’t whether or not the showis ready for a change, but whether the worldis ready.

The cast of American Idol has been wel-comed into the households of many acrossAmerica since the show first began. Adding afourth judge is a drastic change and couldpotentially be a deal-breaker for the show.

Americans are not inclined to love

change, so seeing a new faceon their favorite show couldhave them searching for a newcast to familiarize themselveswith.

“It will add a little differ-ence, but I like three judgesbecause it’s two against one,”said sophomore AustonClanton.

Kasey Cantrell, a sopho-more, sees it differently.

“I think it will equal it out,it’s not an odd number ofjudges,” he said.

The only hope forAmerican Idol is that America will like thischange. It is possible that more Americanswill tune in just to see how this new judgefits in.

I wonder why American Idol is changingtheir show after so many years of the samething. Is American Idol beginning to loseviewers to some of the new reality shows,such as Dancing with the Stars?

Although the show has maintained strongratings over its seven seasons, producerscould simply be trying to revamp the show.

“It will be interesting,” said sophomoreJillian Jones. “I think it will make the show alittle better.”

We can hope. After all, America seems tobe very curious about the lives of other peo-ple, and a new judge might lure the noseynation in. DioGuardi might bring America infor this season, but by season nine the showwill be getting a little redundant.

American Idol cannot keep adding judgesjust to keep viewers interested. In time theshow will have to cancel. It was interestingthe first season, and then the next few theauditions were funny, but now it is gettingold.

We’ve reached the point where the onlyauditions shown are those of the horrendoussingers. It’s nice to actually see the goodsingers auditioning, but that is a rare treat.Soon the world will tire of laughing at theridiculous and rude comments of Simon andmove on to a new show with a new set ofjudges.

The new face of Kara DioGuardi mightkeep viewers in now, but soon it is possiblethat American Idol will need to throw in thetowel.

Entertainment6 September 10, 2008 The Rambler

AALLOOKOOK

AHEADAHEAD

On Campus:

*Baptist Student Ministry: SidRichardson Building, noon,free lunch served

Off Campus:

* The Eagles: AmericanAirlines Center, 8 p.m.

Off Campus:

* Mama Mia: Casa MananaTheater, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Off Campus:

* Stillness In Time: TeresaHubbard and AlexanderBirchler: Modern ArtMuseum of Fort Worth.

On Campus:

* Chapel Service: PolytechnicUMC, 12:15 p.m.

Off Campus:

Weekly DVD Releases:The Love Guru, Made ofHonor, Speed Racer, SnowAngels

10

To submit an event forthe calender, e-mail

twurambler@yahoo.com.

Wednesday

On Campus:

*The Rambler staff meeting:Stella Russell Hall lobby,12:15 p.m.

Off Campus:

September Song: TCU EdLanderth Auditorium, 7 p.m.

11Thursday

OffCampus:

Weekly Movie Releases:Women, Righteous Kill,Burn After Reading, TheDamily that Preys

12Friday

16Tuesday1413 SundaySaturday 15Monday

FFoouurr’’ss CCoommppaannyy

Theatre Wesleyan set to raise curtainCHUCK FAINSTAFF WRITER

September’sSong Series

On the seventh anniversary of theSeptember 11th tragedy, thousands ofmusicians will fill the skies across thecountry and the world with music as partof the Annual September Song, a musicfestival launched in 2002 to bring com-munities together, to reaffirm our hope forpeace and to celebrate life and our univer-sal humanity.

Choirs from Texas ChristianUniversity, Texas Wesleyan University, aduet from our sister city Budapest,Hungary, Fort Worth Japanese SocietySakura singers and others representing theculture of our seven sister cities will per-form at TCU Ed Landerth Auditoriumfrom 7 p.m.-9 p.m. in contribution to theSeptember Concert's mission of unitingpeople around the globe through music.

"September Song is an opportunityfor Fort Worth citizens to be united to pro-mote peace and celebrate our universalhumanity," Kenneth Barr, chairman of theboard, said. "What could be more appro-priate on September 11 than a message ofpeace, unity, and understanding? Thismessage is one Fort Worth Sister Citiesembraces on a daily basis."

September Song is a free musicalevent held every year to commemoratewhat happened on this historic date andfocus on bringing all communities togeth-er, reaffirming our hope for world peaceand celebrating life through the power ofmusic.

-Staff Report

ZAYLEGRIFFIN

Top: The Honorable Benjamin Franklin, performed in spring 2007

Clockwise from top: Senior theatermajors Dillon Maroney, MichaelKreitzinger, Ben Phillips and alumnaErica Maroney.Photo courtesy of Texas Wesleyan Theater

Photo courtesy of Texas Wesleyan Theater

Zayle Griffin is a senior junior mass communica-tion major and is a contributing writer for TheRambler.

American Idol adds fourth judge to trio of regulars

Photo provided by google.com

Grammy-nominated DioGuardi will join the American Idoljudges for season 8, beginning in January 2009.

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