The Decree
since 1960 “of, by, and for the Wesleyan community.”
April 2, 2010
N o r t h C a r o l i n a W e s l e ya n C o l l e g e , R o c k y M o u n t, N o r t h C a r o l i n a 2 7 8 0 4
Musical ‘Children of Eden’
Showcases Wesleyan Talent
Trey Drake earned the USA South MVP award for his sterling play as he
led the Bishops to a regular season title and a chance at the tournament
championship. Presenting the award was USA South Commissioner
Rita Wiggs. And last week, the senior guard was named second team
All-American and first team All-South. See related story on page 3. SI Photo
Tuition & Fees to Exceed
$30K for NCWC Education
By Jarad Brown
Decree Editor
NCWC students have heard the talk of “Wesleyan becoming America’s next great college.”
Now as a new academic year approaches, those
same students will hear the cost of being “great.”
Wesleyan plans an increase in tuition of
5.6 percent, pushing the cost from $21,780 to
$23,000. Room rates will increase 2.99 percent
and board will rise 3.02 percent. The total cost
will rise 5.1 percent to a grand total of $30,914
per year, according to President James Gray.
“I would have liked very much to report
no increases in costs for our students and
their families,” Gray said. “But we believe
strongly that our investments in the future
will speed us on our way to being that kind of
educational leader that we all aspire to be.”
The increase comes at a time of high
employment. The U.S. Department of Labor
reported that as of February the unemployment
rate was at a steady 9.7 percent, which breaks
down to 14.9 million Americans without jobs.
The same department reported that North
Carolina ranked as the state with the ninth
highest unemployment rate (11.1 percent).
This means finding an extra $1,220 for
tuition alone might not be possible for all
NCWC students and their families.
“People are already struggling to pay their
bills at home,” sophomore Justin Lowe said.
“An increase in tuition is only going to push
students deeper in debt with loans. I mean, we
have to start paying that back six months after
graduation, so we’re starting off in a hole.”
Junior Mike Young agreed that the price
increase comes at a tough time. “I’m not going to struggle personally, but I know plenty
of people who will,” he said, adding, “I hope
we at least get better food out of the deal.”
Despite reaching the $30,000 mark, the overall
5.1 cost increase is the smallest in the past six years.
In contrast to older, more well-established
colleges and universities, it’s harder for
Wesleyan to dip into its endowment to
pay for operating expenses, not to mention
financial aid. Its endowment was about $8.6
million as of February, Gray said.
“We are on our way to reaching our potential as America’s next great college,” Gray
said. “Unfortunately, a college education gets
more costly each year. It is our duty—and
my personal commitment—to provide
greater value in return for that increase.”
President Gray included a laundry list
of explanations for the increase, ranging
from escalating costs in food and electricity
to enhanced security on campus and the
provision of a larger admissions staff.
Among other benefits, students will soon see
more programs and a larger staff in student
affairs, a new director of residence life as
well as more scholarship money for both
new and current students. The college hopes
to continue making improvements to the
campus and residence halls as well.
“I know it is challenging for our students
and their families to provide for a top-quality
education that Wesleyan provides,” Gray
said. “I want to emphasize that we believe
we are enhancing both the academics and
campus environments—giving our students
clear benefits from the increases.”
Included in the overall cost increase is a
$50-per-semester student activities fee, to be
given directly to student services. With the fee,
nearly $40,000 is expected to be available.
While President Gray wasn’t able to
completely define how the money would be
spent he did state “let me stress that it will all
be used to provide a more meaningful and
enjoyable campus life.”
Despite the benefits, some worry that the higher
costs will hurt Wesleyan in luring new students to
campus. While this is a valid concern, a peek into
the cost of competing schools should ease minds.
Greensboro College already charges
more than $30,000 per year for students, and
according to its official website, an expected
5.7 percent increase will be put into effect
for the 2010-2011 school year.
Likewise Methodist is raising its price tag.
Vice President for Enrollment Services Rick
Lowe said that MU expects an increase above
five percent. It currently includes charges to
students such as a $300 activities fee.
“We have done a thorough study of our costs
versus other schools with whom we compete for
students,” Gray said. “I’m pleased to say that we
are just a small amount above the average in both
the cost of matriculating at Wesleyan and the
increases from last year.”
Gray dismissed speculation that
Wesleyan’s price hike is connected to recent
problems in the financial aid office.
See FEES on pg 2
by Bristy Parker
Decree Staff Writer
“What’s that glowing on top of the
tree hill?” was the question that Eve
asked in the play “Children of Eden,”
Wesleyan’s spring musical.
Directed by Melvin Tunstall III,
the two-hour play gave us a version
of the book of Genesis in the Bible. It
ran March 8-10 in Minges Auditorium
and drew an estimated audience of
150 to each performance.
Eve’s curiosity was the theme of
act one of the play. In act one, the
Wesleyan Players portrayed the story
of Adam and Eve. In the beginning,
a chorus of talented storytellers
describes the beginning of the world.
Father (God), played by Tunstall, then
comes on stage and declares, "Let
there be…." as he builds the world
based on his dream. He creates Adam
and Eve and the perfect Garden of
Eden for them.
Eve (Sara Bergland) is like any
curious child who inquires about
many things. When she asks “What's
that glowing tree on top of the hill?”,
Father explains to them about the
tree of knowledge and that they must
never eat the fruit. As Adam and Eve
persist on asking why not, Father
redirects their attention by asking
them to name the animals.
The next day, Eve discovers the
tree of knowledge, which becomes
illuminated. She sings, "The Spark of
Creation," which was a contemporary
song about the spark of creativity
and exploration. By the applause,
it was clear the audience loved her
performance. For the following
number, "In Pursuit of Excellence,"
Brittany Richardson plays a conniving
snake and tells Eve to go ahead and
eat the fruit to obtain knowledge that
Students Headed in All
Directions for Break
By John Kostet
Decree Staff Writer
March Break, Spring Recession,
Study Week and even Reading Week
are all various names for what most
of us refer to as Spring Break. But
usually spring break includes anything
but reading, as students tend to leave
campus and head south for beaches and
parties.
“The best part of my break was to be
SGA Elections Set for April 5-7
By Melanie Rhodes
Decree Staff Writer
A new voter registration process has
been implemented as SGA gears up for
the election of the 2010-11 president and
executive board April 5-7.
Begun March 15, voter registration will
continue until Friday, April 2. Students may
register in the cafeteria from 11:30 a.m.
to 1:30 p.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m., in the
Hartness Student Center via sign-up sheet,
or by e-mailing SGA Vice President Juliana
Richardson at jr148954@my.ncwc.edu.
Two-term President Jacob Strickland
believes that implementing the voting
registration process will “help the students
become more informed politically.”
As vice president, Richardson is overseeing the voting registration process. She agrees
that it will “provide students with a real-world
process, will help cut down on random
voting, will simplify the voting process.”
Samantha House agrees that voting registration is good idea. “I like the idea of registering
to vote through e-mail because of the easy
access and it’s not too complicated,” she said.
SGA is enforcing existing eligibility
rules for candidates in each of the three
open positions––president, vice president
and treasurer. In order to run for office,
a student must have held voting rights
she says God is trying to keep from her
and Adam. The forbidden “apples,”
played by Rozelius Lousius and Hilary
Daniel, shared a sassy performance
along with Richardson. Their “Vegas”
style costumes complemented the act.
When Father finds out that Eve has
disobeyed him by eating the fruit, she is
exiled. Adam (BJ Collins) must choose
between staying in the garden and leaving with Eve. His "A World Without
You” was a beautiful, emotional song,
which received a lot of applause and
gave the audience a sense of warmth.
A while after they are kicked out of
the garden, the storytellers sing about
Adam and Eve's barren new environment in "The Wasteland." Eve gives
birth to two sons, Cain and Abel, played
by Benjamin Kruk and Anthony Battle.
As the boys grow older, they shadow
their parents’ actions and become curious about their own lives. Cain wants to
prove that they are not the only people
in the world and indicates that he wants
to be a part of a larger family. Abel
tries to get him to stay and be obedient,
but Cain kills him with a rock during
their brawl––an outstanding scene
between Battle and Kruk. Cain runs
away as Father appears before him, and
curses him in the song, "The Mark of
Cain." In this act, Dionne Luckett and
Greg Spence belted out awesome solo
performances.
During the song, "Children of Eden,"
Eve talks with Father, and sings of
coming back to the garden. She asks her
family "not to blame us, we were just
human," referring to her being exiled
from the garden with Adam and the
impact of one generation's experience
on their descendents.
Act two, the story of Noah and the
flood, begins with the storytellers sing-
and maintained regular attendance at the
biweekly meetings during the previous year.
The secretary position is open to all students.
For each of the four positions, candidates
must maintain a 3.0 GPA and meet other
criteria for their particular position.
As the election approaches, students
identified qualities that they would like
to see in the SGA President. House said
that she would like a president that has
the “ability to lead, provide guidance and
take initiative. The president should set a
good example, be understanding and fair
to all clubs and individuals.” It’s important,
she added, that SGA continue to “build
connections and relationships with every
student organization.”
Terrance Johnson said that the next
president should be a strong communicator.
“I would like to see a President who has
good communication skills and is willing to
listen to the student body,” he said.
Jaren Wilcox hopes that the new SGA
administration will provide more student
activities on campus, adding that the next
president should be “honest and trustworthy.”
The election will take place in the
school cafeteria and the new president and
executive board will be announced two
days later, on April 9.
away from the dorms and enjoy a new
environment, full of palm trees,” said
Anton Hysen who spent his break with
friends in Panama City, Fla. “I had an
awesome time at the beach, meeting
new people from all over U.S.”
Florida has for decades been one of
the classic spring break destinations for
college students and this year’s break
was certainly not an exception as many
of the Wesleyan students hit the road
down south.
Kristin Seidel and her boyfriend
Florian Schmedes flew down to
Miami and South Beach to enjoy the
sun a couple of days. “The weather
was amazing during the day with
temperatures around 70 Fahrenheit,”
Seidel said.
Seidel also said it was hard not to
be impressed by Ocean Drive, which
is a popular street known for its
surrounding design. “I loved walking
there during the nights, as the streets
were filled with all kinds of lights and
music,” she said.
Chynna Laws went down to Fort
Walton Beach, Fla. to both see her stepsisters and spend time on the beach
with her roommate, Tiara Joyner, and
her husband. “I had a great time even
though it was a bit chilly,” Laws said,
noting temperatures around the 60s.
The weather seems to play a major
role when the students choose their
destination, and it certainly did for
Manuel Lomba and Jorge Ventura who
took no risk of rain, flying down to
Guatemala to stay ten days at fellow
student Victor Wong’s house.
Lomba said they enjoyed the
weather every day, lying on the beach.
But during the nights it was all about
partying. “There were some incredible
See BREAK on pg 2
ing about who begat who thousands of
years later, in the song, “Generations.”
They follow the line of Adam to Noah
and his three sons Shem, Ham, and
Japheth. Cainen Hannah and Crystal
Marable accompany this scene with
great solo acts.
Father wants Noah (Matthew De
Abrew), to quickly finish building
the ark, so he can flood the world and
destroy the race of Cain. As the flood is
coming, youngest son Japheth (Battle)
is on a deadline to find a wife to bring
on the ark to be saved.
Japheth tries to bring his true love,
Yonah the servant girl (Rachel Radford)
to the table. But she has the mark of
Cain and this causes an uproar. Japeth
becomes angry and storms off while the
animals are being boarded on the ark.
Noah apologizes to Yonah for not
being able to take her with them. In the
song, “Stranger in the Rain,” Yonah
expresses how she is used to being an
outcast. Radford’s emotional performance was so natural and she really put
her heart into the song. Japeth comes
alongside her and reassures her they
will be together and plans on hiding
her in the ark. This dramatic scene
was complemented by the song, “In
Whatever Time,” because they did not
know how long they were going to live.
As the rain comes and floods the
land for forty days and forty nights, the
downpour still continues, which created
a food shortage and a life-threatening
situation. Yonah wonders if she is the
reason the rains have not ceased and
sends a dove to find land during the
song, "Sailor of the Skies." When
Shem (Andrew Herring) and Ham
(Kruk) find Yonah, an altercation breaks
out between Japeth and Ham, imitating
the Adam and Cain struggle of act one.
But this time, the murder is stopped by
Yonah standing in the way.
Mama Noah (Nicole Louisius) tells
Noah that Father no longer speaks to
him. She advises him to be the father
now and make his own choices, which
is reflected in the song, "The Hardest
Part of Love."
Noah calls everyone together to perform a ceremony. He makes the choice
of marrying Yonah and Japeth. The
dove returns with an olive branch and in
the upbeat song, "Ain't It Good,” Mama
Noah, joined by the others, celebrates
their hope for dry land and new life.
The scene was outstanding, highlighted
by the soulful voice of Louisius. The
audience was so involved, clapping to
the beat.
Tunstall did a remarkable job with
the choreography, costumes, stage and
musical direction. Roger Drake, associate professor of theatre, was in charge
of the creative production design. The
lighting, done by Kimla Brandt, and
sound, done by Jamie Anderson and
Melinda Batchelor, were excellent.
The Wesleyan community gathered
to remember senior Adam Larue,
following his unexpected death in
Rocky Mount during spring break.
See story page 4. Decree file photo
2
April 2, 2010
North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804
NEWS & OPINION
Viewpoint: Wesleyan Needs Comprehensive Recycling Plan
By Meghan Herd
Decree Staff Writer
On a daily basis, one can find stacks of
paper piled up in the computer labs and
numerous empty bottles in the trash cans.
If there was recycling at Wesleyan, it
would not only cut down on the waste but
it would create a more environmentally
friendly and more pleasant looking campus.
Many Wesleyan students and employees admit that they don’t recycle nor
do they feel that the lack of a recycling
program is a problem.
Freshman Amber Molock stated that she
never thought about the idea of having a recycling program on campus. Molock typically
throws all her papers in the garbage can.
“I don’t even think about what I’m
throwing away or how much paper I’m
wasting,” she said.
Assignments and old tests are just a few
items that senior Cliff Edmundson throws
in the garbage. He added that he has never
recycled when living at home and as a result
he feels there is no need to do so here.
“I don’t recycle and never have,” he
said. “It’s just not something my family
has ever done.”
Not all students feel the same way as
Molock and Edmundson about recycling.
Senior Carmera Thomas is aware of
the problem. At one point she took the
initiative to recycle, but then stopped after
it became too onerous.
“A few years ago,” she related, “I even
kept recyclable items under my bed until
I could take them to the recycling center,
because I hated to put them in the trash.
Finally my roommate told me that it was
starting to get too overbearing. And it was
an inconvenience to go to the recycling
center because it was hard to find time.
It got to be too much, so I had to stop. It
became easier just to throw recyclables
in the garbage can that was right in the
hallway of my residence hall.”
As of today Wesleyan College has
taken only modest steps toward a comprehensive recycling program.
A survey of campus facilities revealed
the following: There is a Waste Industries
paper recycling bin in Braswell office
services, one in the library, and one in the
admissions building. Last week a new can
recycling receptacle was spotted along the
sidewalk behind Braswell.
But staff reported no paper bins in the
Bellemonte House, college store, Hartness
Center, IS building, student affairs office and
Taylor Center.
Campus-wide there are six residence
halls, each of which lacks recycling bins,
accounting for much of the waste. The
problem is especially severe at the end of
the semester when students get rid of a
lot of paper. Instead of being recycled, it
goes straight into the garbage.
“Every semester I get rid of old notes,
tests and papers that I just don’t need
anymore,” Thomas said. “I feel so bad
throwing it all away.”
Resident Assistant Desmond Joyner has
witnessed the excessive amount of wasted
paper and bottles that go in the garbage.
“During my rounds, especially in the
evenings, I see a lot of paper waste in the
garbage,” he said. “That waste could be
easily recycled if there was a separate
recycling bin available.”
Although there is talk about making this
campus more environmentally-friendly,
not enough has been done about recycling.
One positive step has been that
President James Gray recently created a
committee whose focus is to develop a
working recycling plan.
According to President Gray, the committee consists of two faculty members,
one staff member and one student. He said
the committee has been in contact with
Steve Raper from the City of Rocky Mount
to help establish the college’s program.
John Williamson, the student representative on the new committee, expressed his
goals for the college. Not only would he like
to bring recycling to campus, but Williamson
wants to reduce the college’s carbon footprint
by expanding into more “green” programs.
Dr. Erica Kosal, another committee
member, underscored the importance
of recycling and the plan to make our
campus more environmentally friendly.
Noting that certain steps should be
taken, Dr. Kosal said that there need to be
bins campus-wide to make it more convenient for the Wesleyan community to
dispose of their paper and plastic bottles
as well as other recyclable materials such
as glass and cardboard. “We need to make
it easy to recycle,” she emphasized.
Dr. Kosal noted that with this recycling
program must come education.
“I think an education campaign could
go a long way,” she said, “and putting up
flyers with ‘facts’ on what we’re doing
compared to other colleges would be helpful. I think if people were better educated
in general, they would be more inclined to
invest” in a coordinated program.
Sophomore Quentin Pittman agrees that there
is a lack of education about recycling on campus.
“I see a lot of waste, especially when it
comes to people printing paper,” he said.
“I think that the real problem is that no
one cares or even realizes what they are
doing to the environment.”
On other college campuses of a
similar size, like Greensboro College and
Meredith College, there are recycling
programs. Meredith recently adopted its
program, educating students about what
and what not to recycle and where the
recycling bins are located.
And at Greensboro, a student-led
recycling program educates and informs
the student body about the recycling
containers and recyclable items.
Many members of the Wesleyan community now do their own recycling.
The Decree
since 1960 “of, by, and for the Wesleyan community.”
Editor
s ta f f Cartoonist
Jarad Brown
Lorenzo Whitley
Staff Photographers
Joyce Collins
James Randolph
Raishael Tanner
Claudricia Thomas
Lorenzo Whitley
Staff Writers
Special Contributors
Senior Staff Writers
Jacqie Flynn, Amanda Frimpong,
Leila Heinonen, Meghan Herd,
Rodney Holley, Lorane Johnson,
John Kostet, Alyson Matarazzo,
Ashley Meadows, Josh Meeks,
Bristy Parker, Kathleen Penrod,
Melanie Rhodes, Juliana Richardson,
Makeda Rose, Gregory Spence,
Jacob Strickland, Jesse Tamez
Joshua Cain
Matthew Esterline
Richie Fender
Grace Wallace
Faculty Advisor
Dr. William Grattan
171 Braswell • Phone: 985-5336
Email: WJGrattan@ncwc.edu
The Decree office is on the first floor of the Hartness Center.
Copyright Policy
Submissions
The Decree holds the copyright of every article
and graphic for one-time and future
publication at the discretion of the editorial
board. Submission implies agreement with this
policy.
To suggest an article, or submit an opinion
piece or letter to the editor, send an email
attachment (Microsoft Word) to: WJGrattan@ncwc.edu. Note that the Decree staff
checks all submissions for accuracy and
edits in accordance with acceptable grammar
and punctuation as well as AP Style.
Editorial Statement
Commentary/opinion and letters to the editor
represent the individual author’s views, and
not necessarily those of North Carolina
Wesleyan College, the Decree
staff or the Decree advisor.
Corrections
The Decree corrects mistakes of substance.
If you would like to request a correction, send
an email to WJGrattan@ncwc.edu,
or call 985-5336
Deborah White, a housekeeping
supervisor, acknowledged that she and
her staff often empty office and hallway
trash cans that contain both garbage as
well as recyclable items such as paper
and plastic bottles.
But she said that many staff and
faculty now separate their trash, using
boxes and other improvised containers
to store recyclables.
During her seven years here, White said
she has noticed an increase in the number of
faculty and staff who recycle on their own.
“I personally will take paper boxes
and put paper in the larger recycling bin”
in office services, she said, but stated that
her staff is not trained to separate trash or
take paper to the office services bin. Staff
and faculty must dispose of their own
bottles and cans.
Noting that she had seen a growing
amount of wasted paper in the Pearsall
computer labs, White said that she placed
a crude box in each lab and labeled them
“Recycling,” in the hopes that “students
would respond.” A recent inspection
indicated that many students do drop paper
into the boxes, but that many others leave
paper in the printer, among other places.
Other members of the community have
done their part to help in the effort.
Dr. Jeff Perry, director of the NCWC
Writing Center, is one who believes the
Wesleyan community needs to look into
the paperless movement.
“Paper has been eliminated in my
classes and the writing lab. Unless a
student brings in a hard copy, we do
everything online,” he said, noting that
educational documents and other materials can be found on the center’s website.
Likewise Jessie Warren, director of
NCWC Internships & Career Services,
has made use of digital technology in an
effort to limit printing and save paper.
“All of the job postings are available
solely online rather than on a printed
bulletin board,” she said, adding that
flyers and materials are printed in small
quantities to avoid waste.
When she does print out paper, she
tries to reuse it.
“I keep a box full of papers with
outdated content, so that I can re-use the
backsides,” she said.
Both President Gray and the members of
the recycling committee expressed eagerness
to start a formal program on campus, but feel
that there is a lot of work still to be done.
“If we do have this program, it
will take a lot of work to get people
involved.” He added that the effort will
need an education component and the
support of student organizations like the
Science Cub. “And we’ll need time.”
According to Dr. Kosal, for years
Wesleyan has tried unsuccessfully to
initiate recycling programs on campus,
By Jarad Brown
Decree Editor
The sun gleams in through the
window and reflects off the five-inch
piece of metal that reads “Integrity,
Vigilance, Helpfulness.”
That piece of metal engraved with
those words is the badge worn by all
officers of the security staff at NCWC.
Head of campus security Jack
Crociata agreed to speak to The Decree
about recent legal issues on campus as
well as actions taken by Wesleyan’s
administration to combat crime.
Most students have heard about
the arrests that occurred in Petteway
residence hall on March 17, though the
details of the incident had only been
speculated upon.
Two students were discovered in
their dorm room with an undisclosed
quantity of marijuana being dried
underneath heat lamps, Crociata said.
Upon further inspection of the room,
an additional two bags of marijuana
were found along with measuring
scales, a stem grinder and plastic bags.
The amount of marijuana confiscated
was determined to be enough for a
major felony charge, Crociata said.
Crociata noted that security came
upon the illegal narcotic while executing
a building search, upon request of the
resident director, for a stolen television.
According to Crociata, both students
were expelled from NCWC, charged
with possession with intent to distribute, arrested, and released on bail. They
currently await a trial date, he said.
Little known to most students is
the fact that three weeks prior to the
Petteway incident, a single student
was caught smoking cannabis outside
of Nash residence hall. An extended
search of the student’s room turned up
marijuana seeds as well as additional
amounts of marijuana, Crociata said.
Crociata related that the student, already
expelled from Wesleyan, was convicted in a
court of law and given a sentence of probation.
The quick response times and swift
decision to expel students involved in
drug possession came as part of an effort
by Dean of Students Randy Williams
and campus security to “crack down” on
law breakers. This is a direct response
to the break-ins and vandalism that was
rampant on campus during fall semester.
“The security force has been beefed
up with several additional officers,”
Crociata said. “More officers allowed for
more cruising of campus, especially late
at night. Now you hardly hear of a case
of vandalism, much less a break-in.”
Crociata also noted that a majority of
the fall’s theft cases were a direct result
of students leaving doors unlocked.
Because of this, Williams commenced
a check of all dorms and any room
that was found to be unlocked and
unattended was given a fine.
Another change made due to the fall’s
crime spree included the placement of
security cameras in Petteway residence
hall, a measure that has paid off already.
In a television theft incident in
Petteway, the culprit was caught due to
the security cameras, Crociata said.
Petteway Pot Bust Made,
Camera Catches Thief
FEES from pg 1
“Late last fall we discovered fraud being
perpetrated by our director of financial
aid and we immediately notified both the
federal and state financial aid agencies,” the
president said. “We believe the fraud was not
perpetrated by anyone else at Wesleyan and
that not one student lost a dime of scholarship money that he or she deserved.”
The college launched an immediate
investigation and due to its findings
terminated the director. A national search
was commenced to fill the position, and according to President Gray “the new director
will be visible on campus within weeks.”
While Wesleyan’s goal for the future is
becoming “America’s next great college”
and a price increase is, according to Gray,
a necessity toward that goal, some students
are still concerned about the hike. “I’m
already struggling to have the money to be
here now,” junior Ashley Meadows said. “It
would really suck to get to my senior year
here and not be able to afford it anymore.”
See CRIME on pg 4
but there have always been obstacles in
the way. “Recycling has been an issue
for many years,” she said. “I am very
optimistic that this time will be our time.”
President Gray and others agree that
as Wesleyan continues to beautify its
campus, we must keep in mind that this
includes recycling.
“My hope is that people will get on
board,” he said. “And I hope that people
remember that every great school has a
great-looking campus.”
BREAK from pg 1
parties with gorgeous girls everywhere.
You know, those Latino girls with
beautiful green eyes,” Lomba said with
a smile.
But Lomba also ensured they
experienced the more cultivated side
of Guatemala, as they visited the Tikal
National Park with historical Tikal
Temples built during the Pre-Columbian Maya Civilization.
Emelie Lundgren said she had a
bit less cultivated week, as she rested
her tennis racquet to get a taste of the
spring break n Panama City. “All and
all, it was quite expensive,” she said.
“But since I was so eager to experience an American spring break it was
definitely worth it.”
Lundgren and a few other Wesleyan
students, including Bradley Myles,
booked their hotel through StudentCity.
com, an agency which helps millions
of college students to organize their
trips every year. “I think Student City
charged way more than needed,” Myles
said, as he had heard of other students
paying only half the amount for the
same hotel.
Panama City is one of the main
resorts for many of the student agencies and every year the city turns into
a spring break paradise. “I felt like the
whole city was built for students, such
a good atmosphere,” Lundgren said.
“With hotels, clubs and bars full of
students ready to have a good time, it
was hard not to have fun.”
Even though Myles felt deceived, he
admits he had a good time. “Well, from
what I remember I had a blast,” he said.
But Myles promises he will not repeat
his mistake next year, as he intends to
do the planning and booking by himself.
“Next year I will try to go outside the
country somewhere and definitely not
use StudentCity.com,” he said.
Junior Bioh went home to Manassas,
Va.. to see his friends before he and his
girlfriend traveled to Myrtle Beach.
“We stayed at a nice hotel right on the
beach with a wonderful view,” Bioh
said. “The best thing was to just relax
and play some soccer in the sand.”
But spring break does not necessarily have to be all about beaches and
parties. Some students just relaxed
from schoolwork, while others took the
chance to earn extra money. Barbara
DeRatt worked some hours at Craft
Technologies. “And I finally got the
chance to run all those errands I had
put off for so long,” she said.
There were also a lot of students
who took the opportunity to go home
and catch up with their friends and
family, especially students from out of
state that cannot go home that often.
Heather Freudenberg flew home to
see her family in New York. “I finally
got to see my niece and nephew who I
haven’t seen in a long time,” she said.
Another student who went home
to see his family was Tyler Murray of
Greensboro. Since Murray has been
busy during the basketball season, the
opportunities to go home have been
limited. “I hadn’t seen my family since
Christmas, and then only for a week.
So I appreciated the time,” he said.
As most of the students left Rocky
Mount, many athletes stayed in the
area. Among them was softball player
Kacie Brandes, whose team won games
against York College and Old Westbury
College. “I’m so glad we won our two
opening games,” Brandes said.
Dane Anderson, a member of the
Wesleyan golf team, prepared for
upcoming tournaments by playing a
few rounds with his brother in Raleigh.
“I beat my brother pretty bad, so it was
a good break,” Anderson said.
April 2, 2010
North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804
SPORTS
3
Brackett Transitions to One Sport
By Bristy Parker
Decree Staff Writer
Freshman Emelie Lundgren has led the Bishops women to an improved
record (3-1) so far in 2010. The men’s team has been dominant, winning seven
of its first eight, including a thrilling 5-4 win over #7 Williams College. Look for
more tennis coverage in the next Decree.
SI Photo.
“It couldn’t have worked out any
better. Coaching two sports for almost 20
years, I just think it was a situation where
they wanted to split my position and it
worked out for everybody,” said softball
coach John Brackett, as he discussed the
switch from coaching two sports to one
and shared his thoughts about this season,
his players and ambitions.
Brackett had been coaching
women’s basketball and softball, but
with his recent switch to just softball, he
explained that he is still the same coach,
with the same style. He indicated that
coaching two sports had been difficult for
one person, with recruitment and other
responsibilities. “It’s good to put all your
energy into one sport and put everything
you have into your players, recruiting and
upkeep of the field,” Brackett said.
Although he enjoyed coaching
two sports, Brackett was glad to turn
Men’s Hoops Team Upset after
Regular Season USA South Title
By Decree Sports Staff
The Wesleyan men’s basketball team
did not qualify for the NCAA Division III
playoffs following its loss to host Christopher Newport University in the USA South
tournament finals in late February.
The loss, 67-63, ended an 11-game
win streak by the Bishops, who had
earned the top seeding in the tournament
by seizing the regular season title with
an 11-1 record. After an opening-round
bye, Wesleyan vanquished the fourth
seed, Averett, 90-70, in the semi-finals.
CNU was the only conference
team to beat the Bishops in the regular
season, winning 89-79 on January 13 in
Newport News. Last year the Bishops
were 4-8 in the conference and lost in the
tournament’s first round to Shenandoah.
NCWC’s 16-10 over all record represents
an improvement of two wins over 2009.
The conference championship marked
the final game for the team’s three leading
scorers: league MVP Trey Drake (19.2 ppg,
114 assists, 44 steals), Jarmel Arrington
14.2 ppg) and Lamont Stokes (12.0 ppg).
Other graduating seniors include Alphonzo
Frazier (6 ppg, 5.2 rbg), Ivan Butler and
Tyler Murray.
John Thompson, the 2010 USA
South Conference Coach of the Year,
Lax Team Gets
First Victory
LaGrange, GA––Sarah Matulich
scored six goals to lead the Bishops to
9-8 victory over LaGrange College on
March 15, earning second-year Coach
Ramona Walters her first career win.
In the first half the Bishops built a
4-2 lead before the Panthers mounted
a comeback, scoring three unanswered
goals in the final ten minutes.
LaGrange upped its lead to 6-4 just
35 seconds into the second half before
goals by Matulich and Alyssa Balzano
tied the score at 6-6.
The Panthers' Crystal Colvin
scored the second of her three goals
in the 34th minute to give LaGrange
a 7-6 advantage, but it was then that
Matulich took control, reeling off three
straight goals for the Bishops, who
held on for the win behind goalkeeper
Sacejewia Evans, who made five saves
in the match en route to her first win.
The Bishops then lost their next two
matches, 24-5 to Centenary College,
and 12-3 to Lancaster Bible College.
Their conference record stands at 1-3
while their overall mark is 1-7.
Matulich, a native of western New
York and a defender on the soccer
team, has paced the offense through
the first half of the season, tallying 17
goals—an average of more than two
per match––on 38 shots. Lauren Young
is second on the team in goals with 7.
Overall team defense has been a
problem for Wesleyan as, through the
first eight matches, it has yield 132
goals, or more than 16 per contest.
(Article courtesy of Sports Information)
looked back on a successful season and
to the future in a recent email interview
with The Decree:
Q. Think back to the end of the CNU
game: what was running through your
mind? What were you feeling?
A. I thought we were playing pretty
well. We were simply struggling to make
shots. Our shot selection was good. I
really felt we would knock a couple
down to help us pull it out, but it just did
not happen.
Spring is
Baseball
By Josh Meeks
Decree Sports Writer
Spring is a symbol of starting over again.
The trees and flowers come back to life as
the birds fly back from a long journey to the
south. And around America, there’s the crack
of the bat, the smell of freshly cut grass, and
the irresistible urge to eat sunflower seeds.
Yes, spring means it’s time for baseball.
In spring, every team is given a
clean slate and feels a sense of optimism for the coming season. Even the
Washington Nationals have shown pep
in their step. Early-season chatter has
focused on rookie right-handed pitcher
Stephen Strasburg, seen as the savior
for baseball in Washington as the team
seeks its first winning season since
the move from Montreal in 2005. The
Nationals hope to combine Strasburg
with an improved John Lannan to
create a solid 1-2 punch at the top of
the rotation. All-Star Ryan Zimmerman
(3B) provides power in the Nats lineup.
You cannot talk about baseball,
though, without talking about the
reigning World Series Champion New
York Yankees, who have continued to
add to their roster. With an already stacked
lineup boasting A-Rod, Teixeira and Jeter,
the Yankees traded for Curtis Granderson
to roam centerfield. Granderson can get
on base and hit for power, but will be
seen more as a defensive upgrade for the
weak-armed Johnny Damon. The Yankees
added Javier Vasquez to bolster an
already strong pitching rotation with C.C.
Sabathia, Andy Petitte and AJ Burnett.
Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes will
fight for the final spot in the rotation as the
other will set up the great closer Mariano
Rivera. Look for the Yankees to continue
to dominate the American League on a
quest for their 28th World Series title.
This season’s dark horses have to be
the Seattle Mariners and the Cincinnati
Reds. Both teams are looking to stop the
monopoly the Angels and Cardinals have
had on their respective divisions. They
seem to be going about it the same way:
through pitching. The Mariners now
have the best top of the rotation in the
majors after adding Cliff Lee from the
Phillies to team with King Felix. With a
healthy Erick Bedard and leadership
See SPRING on pg 4
Q. What was the atmosphere like during
the game? Did it feel like an away game?
A. I thought the atmosphere was
great. It was a tournament championship
atmosphere.
Q. What made the difference?
A. As I said, we just could not make
shots. We shot 35% from the field and
were 7-13 at the foul line. And CNU also
played a fine game.
Q. After you got a little distance from the
final game, what was your reaction to both
the CNU game and the season as a whole?
A. Great disappointment after the loss,
of course. The season comes to an abrupt
ending, we do not continue on into the
NCAA Tournament, and most importantly,
it was the last time I was going to coach
six tremendous guys, our senior class.
Q. What was the high point of last
season? What will you remember about
this season 10 years down the road?
A. The high point was winning the
USA South Championship. What I will remember, always, about this team and this
season, is the hard work and dedication,
the belief and commitment, the obstacles
we overcame and the outstanding way
that Wesleyan was represented.
Q. Congrats on the coaching award,
but I imagine you’d trade it, and Trey
Drake would trade his MVP, for a trip to
the NCAAs. What was needed (recordwise) to qualify as an at-large team?
A. We probably needed 19-20 wins at
a minimum to get an at-large berth. And
yes we would trade all the individual
accolades to get there.
Q. You’re losing a nice bunch of seniors. Characterize the specific challenges
you face in replacing them and fielding a
competitive team next year.
A. Every team every year is different.
You lose some seniors, you add new ones
and the personality, dynamics, skills, and
strengths of your team change. Clearly,
we lose some outstanding players, but
they are also outstanding people. We have
a huge task in front of us to fill the void
left by our seniors. The good news is that
we have nine very fine players returning.
We have five players, Alex Murray,
Matt Dougherty, Justin Griffith, Devin
Nichols, and Domarius Thomas, who all
started multiple games for us this year.
Now we must add some important pieces
to our puzzle through recruiting.
Q. What’s your philosophy in recruiting?
Do you look for best available player or do
look for particular positions to fill certain holes.
A. Both. Our basic philosophy is to look
for the best players we can recruit, who are
also good students and good people. We will
always look at a player who has the ability
to help us get better, but we also must look
to fill positions that become open.
Q. Why should Bishops fans be
optimistic about next year’s team?
A. I believe our fans should always be
optimistic. We have a program that is solid
and represents the college and our fans
in a first-class manner. We have the nine
returnees and, what I believe will be, a very
good recruiting class, that together will be a
new but exciting team for them to follow.
basketball over to one of his former
players, Artina Trader.
Coach Brackett is a former athlete at
Wesleyan, having played basketball for
four years. After his playing career, he
still followed NCWC’s athletics program.
When the women’s basketball coach
position opened, he expressed interest
and felt fortunate to get the job at a young
age with little experience.
Conveying his positive outlook for
the current softball season, he noted
that the team is stocked with veteran
infielders and pitchers, who helped lead
the Bishops to a “tremendous run” and
a third-place finish in the conference
tournament after earning a low tournament seeding in 2009. “We have a lot
of experience from last year, and we’ve
showed some good mental toughness at
times,” he said. “I think our leadership
has been strong.”
Most changes have taken place in the
outfield, where sophomore Carla Pridgen
is a key returner. Jessica Poindexter, an
infielder, may be shifted to strengthen the
outfield. “She’s a very versatile player
and a natural athlete,” Brackett said,
adding that he’s excited about his new
catcher, freshman Tony Richardson.
Mindful that competition will be tough
in the USA South Conference, he cited
Christopher Newport as the pre-season
favororite, and “and deservedly so.”
But the competition will not scare away
the Bishops. “You’ve got to come to
play every day. Anybody can knock off
anybody,” the coach said.
Through March 23, the Bishops
sported a 10-7 overall record, 3-3 in the
conference. “We play in a very strong
conference, so any win is a big win,”
Brackett said. “If you’re winning conference games, that’s going to give you a lot
of confidence. If you lose a couple, you
have to bounce back, and I feel our team
has done that pretty well.”
The coach has been pleased so far with
all phases of his team’s game—pitching,
defense and hitting. Ashley Driver (4
wins, 2.98 ERA) and Kacie Brandes (6,
3.20) have anchored the pitching staff,
while the team’s balanced offense has
been led by Brittany Nichols (.458 avg.,
2 homers, 18 RBIs) and Meredith Mills
(.306, 2, 15).
Although the season is going well,
Brackett said, there is still room for
improvement. “We need to do a little better job when he have runners in scoring
position. We have left too many on base.”
Brackett hopes that improved play will
allow his team to earn a higher seeding
and a higher finish in the tournament.
Baseball Team Seeks
Consistency, Stronger D
By Decree Sports Staff
Update: The Bishops edged
Lynchburg College, 9-8, on March 24,
before dropping one to Tufts, 11-4, the
next afternoon. And last weekend the
team split a pair with Methodist.
The Wesleyan baseball team swept
two games from Greensboro on the road
March 19-20, as it sought consistency in
the wake of 1-6 spring break road trip.
The Bishops took the Saturday game
against The Pride, 16-9, and completed
the sweep on Sunday with a 5-2 win in
11 innings. Sunday’s victory raised the
team’s USA South Conference record to
4-2 and its overall mark to 10-12.
NCWC’s Zach Alexander was the
offensive catalyst in the two-game set, as
he went 7 for 11, bashing two homers and
driving in 10 runs.
The junior first baseman raised his
team-leading average to .347 and RBI
total to 20, a rate of almost one per game.
Other RBI leaders include Justin Rahm
(19), Brian Allen (16), JJ Allen (15) and
Patrick Laffin (14).
The Greensboro wins represented the
second two-game sweep in conference action for the Bishops, who beat top-ranked
Shenandoah (now 15-4 overall) at home
in late February by scores of 4-2 and 11-7.
Together with earlier wins against
Emory and Cortland State, the Shenandoah
sweep had given the Bishops a four-game
streak and a 5-3 record through February.
Then came the seven-game trip to Florida
and Georgia during the first week of March.
Facing tough competition, the Bishops lost
the first six contests before defeating Ohio’s
Dennison University in the final game of the
Piedmont College Tournament.
“We were really confident after beating
Shenandoah,” said JJ Allen, a freshman
right-fielder, “and had high hopes for the
Florida trip. We knew we were facing
some good competition so we had to
play well to beat them. We put too much
pressure on ourselves to make every play
possible and win the game in one swing
of the bat.”
During the week, the team yielded 60
runs over seven games. It scored 20 runs
in the first six games, before exploding
for 11 against Dennison.
Laffin blamed fatigue and a sudden
case of shaky confidence for the team’s
poor performance during the road trip.
Right after the second SU game, he noted,
the Bishops drove 13 hours to Florida,
where it lost to John Carroll the next day.
“We lost against a bad team, and
everyone was really down,” Laffin said.
“It was a huge blow to our confidence” to
lose to inferior team. It “stuck with us the
whole road trip.”
Both Laffin and Allen said shoddy
defense has hurt the team. “It struggled
a bit in Florida and Georgia,” Laffin
acknowledged.
Allen said that team needs to make
more of the routine plays, noting that errors in the field, combined with a lack of
timely hitting, were costly during the road
trip. “We handed a lot of games away
with errors,” he said, pointing out that
the team has tried different combinations
in the middle infield. “It seems like the
middle of the infield is cursed.”
Through the first 22 games, the
Bishops racked up 55 errors for a team
fielding percentage of .934, .24 less than
in 2009. Rahm, a junior middle infielder,
has committed 17 errors, one year after
he made only 12 in 44 games.
Allen said that defense will be a key to
the team’s success in the second half. “If
we can cut down on the errors, hit the ball
and throw strikes, there’s not a game on
our schedule that we can’t win,” he said.
“If we play bad, there’s not a game on the
schedule we can’t lose.”
Since returning from spring break, the
team’s play has continued to be inconsistent. In the first game back, Wesleyan beat
Albertus Magnus, 8-5, but dropped two to
Christopher Newport, 12-8 and 9-4.
“CNU happened to be the better team
both days. But when we face them again in
the conference tournament, the results will
be different,” said Laffin, who underscored
the difficulty of winning on the road in the
ultra-competitive USA South.
The Bishops then split two home
contests, a 13-4 drubbing of Arcadia and
an 8-4 loss to Virginian Wesleyan before
the sweep in Greensboro.
In trying to pinpoint a cause for
the team’s inconsistency, Laffin noted
injuries to one of the team’s top pitchers,
Justin Diener, and centerfield Daniel
Moore, “the team’s best contact hitter.”
And he suggested that the relative
youthfulness of the Bishops may be a
contributing factor.
In the VWU game, for example, the
Bishops started four freshmen (JJ Allen,
Jake Alexander, Tyler Clark, plus pitcher
Jimmy Martin) and three sophomores
(SS Mark Buchanan, LF Zach Moore and
DH Laffin). The only senior was CF Joel
Creef. Other seniors include John Child
and Greg Viggiani.
By contrast, last year’s team was led
by 10 seniors, who, Laffin pointed out,
had been to the College World Series in
2006. That experience helped the Bishops
rebound from a 4-10 start last season.
With the two wins at Greensboro and
plenty of baseball still to play, the team
remains upbeat about its chances of
repeating as conference champs.
“I’m really confident that we can repeat,”
Allen said. “Our conference is one of the best
in the nation so that means teams beat up on
each other. If we start playing to our potential,
we can win the conference.”
Laffin agreed. “Unlike other sports,
Baseball is a long season with many
games,” he said. “It’s important to keep
that in perspective when, as a team,
you aren’t playing well. Baseball is a
marathon, not a sprint, and it’s all about
how you’re playing as a team at the end
of the season rather than the beginning.”
Laffin added that the road trip and
other early-season struggles may, in the
end, prove beneficial to the team.
“It forced us to stick together and pull
for each other,” he said. “To be a championship team, you need to battle through
the ups and downs of the season while
staying together and staying positive.”
4
North Carolina Wesleyan College, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804
CAMPUS LIFE
NCWC Community Remembers
John Adam Larue (1989-2010)
By Jacqie Flynn
Decree Staff Writer
Adam Larue was a well-known
figure around the North Carolina
Wesleyan College campus and in the
community. Many called him friend,
classmate, student; and many will
miss him terribly. If you were one of
the lucky ones who knew Adam, it is
impossible to walk around campus
and not notice his absence from the
school. Quite a few Wesleyan students
and staff attended his funeral but many
were unable to go to that service. A
memorial service was held for him in
Russell Chapel March 9 after students
came back from spring break.
More than 100 attended the service
held in Adam’s honor. The Voices of
Triumph honored Adam at the beginning of the ceremony with a song
called “Always in Your Heart.” One
of the lyrics says: “sad you’re gone
but not forgotten, you’re still here
with me, you’re in my heart…” The
song managed to bring tears to the
eyes of many in the assembled group.
Then students Juliana Richardson and
John Williamson were invited up to
lead prayers, and Theresa Hurley led
in a recitation of Psalm 23.
The main speaker was Reverend
Barry Drum. When Reverend Drum
came to the podium, he put a post-it
note on the front, showing a dash. For
all of us, he said, there will eventually
be a dash between two sets of numbers.
The dash signifies not just the time
one spent on Earth, but holds “all your
accomplishments from the first set
of numbers to the second,” he said.
Though short, Adam’s life was filled
with wonderful achievements, said
Reverend Drum, who noted that Adam
was described as a genius, whose sense
of humor often brought a smile to the
faces of friends and acquaintances.
Reverend Drum summed it well when
he stated that “Adam was a bright,
special young man.”
During the course of the service, the
gathered crowd was told about planting
a tree in front of the local Habitat for
Humanity store, in memory of a young
man who dedicated much of his time
to that community organization. That
ceremony will be on April 10, and
will be followed by a day of volunteer
service in Adam’s memory.
President Gray announced that Adam,
an honors student who was supposed
to graduate in May, will still receive his
business degree, posthumously.
Students Reflect during
Black History Month
By Rodney Holley
Decree Staff Write
Black History month has come and
gone, allowing African-American
students to reflect on their history.
Multiple student organizations held
events throughout February as a way
to highlight African-American history.
Programs ranged from “Black History
Bingo Night,” sponsored by the Black
Student Association on February 2,
to a one-man dramatic performance
sponsored by AKA sorority on February 4. Titled “And then We came to
Memphis,” it focused on the life of Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Among the other events was “Who
Am I?” on February 8. It consisted of
two five-member teams, one male, one
female. Based on a description offered
by a team, the audience was given one
minute to identify an African American
historical figure.
On February 17, BSA and the
Sociology Club led a presentation on
the origins of Black History Month,
which, according to BSA President
Chardae Smallwood began as “Black
History Week.”
The program featured NCWC’s
Gospel Choir and the musical group
Chivalry while other performers recited poetry, danced or sung. Between
individual performances, the event
organizers offered a “Did you know?”
fact related to black history
Students took pride in recognizing
the month.
“Black history month means that as
African Americans, we have a whole
month to ourselves to celebrate and
teach others about the legacies of those
who put forth their lives to give the
next generation a better chance at life,”
said Destiny Pinckney.
Lorenzo Whitley said that the month
offers a chance to celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans.
“And it reminds me of the struggles
that African Americans have had to
overcome,” he said.
Anthony Tyus agreed with Whitley.
“Black history month is a chance to
reflect on the past tragedies of African
Americans and serves as motivation for
me to be successful as a black male.”
Eddie Arrington said that the month
“gives me a chance to learn about the
lesser known people and facts that
aren’t highly publicized.”
Gregory Spence exclaimed that
the month is overwhelming. “But in a
positive way because it reminds you
of the good that African Americans
have done not only with civil rights,
but in the field of entertainment,” said
Spence, a Wesleyan student thespian,
citing the actors Don Cheadle and Will
Smith as examples.
SPRING from pg 3
from future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey
Jr., the Mariners may unseat the Angels.
The Reds feature a bunch of young
guns on the mound. Edison Volquez is
healthy and looks to return to All-Star
form, Homer Bailey was 6-1 with a
1.70 ERA over the last six weeks of
the season and then there’s defector
Aroldis Chapman. The 6’4’’ Cuban’s
fastball has been clocked at 102 mph
and he’s said to have the best slider
from the left side since Randy Johnson.
But will he maintain arm stamina and
control over the long season?
One of the biggest question marks
is in Queens. Last year the Mets were
expected to be among the World Series
favorites, but then suffered through a
70-92 season, even without their usual
September collapse. Many expect the
team not to contend in the NL East, but
once Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes
become healthy, David Wright finds
his power, and newly added Jason Bay
becomes comfortable at Citi Field, the
Mets may reach the playoffs.
The 2010 season is looking to be
one of the best in recent memory, with
many storylines for fans to follow. Will
Roy Holliday dominate the National
League? Will Mark McGwire save face
as the hitting coach in St. Louis? And
will the Red Sox slow down the force
that is the Bronx Bombers?
With all the changes and expectations,
I am almost giddy for Opening Day.
There are uncertainties throughout the
league, but at last it’s time to play ball.
April 2, 2010
When Reverend Drum opened the
floor for comments from the audience,
Leslie Veach praised him and ended with
“I feel so blessed to have known him.”
A Personal Memory
By Jade Johnson
The last few weeks have been so difficult for those of us that were fortunate
enough to be able to call John Adam
Larue “friend.”
I can’t exactly remember the first
time I met Adam, but I’m positive that
he must have greeted me with the same
wide grin and kind heart that he always
displayed. Adam and I had several
classes together but we got to know
each other best when we worked for
the 21st Century After-school Program
at a local elementary school. After our
classes each afternoon, we would make
the trek to downtown Rocky Mount
to begin our tutoring sessions. The
greatest memories I have of those times
were when the kids would have recess.
Adam, Brad Wolford and I would be
playing our hearts out on the basketball
court, and a lot of the time we would
let the kids stay out a little longer, just
so WE could play!
Since Adam’s passing, I often find
myself smiling at the thought of his
laugh or the little inside jokes our
group of friends would share. I only
had the opportunity to be in his presence for a few years, but I can say that
I was truly honored and blessed to have
such a remarkable person in my life.
Mims Galley will exhibit “Ann Harwell: Visionary Quilts” (pictured)
from March 26-April 25. Beginning April 8, the Civic Gallery will show
drawings by Wesleyan senior Edgar Zaldivar.
Film Review: ‘Alice
in Wonderland’
tions her dream state versus her conscious
Alyson Matarazzo
Decree Staff Writer
Directed by Tim Burton. Cast: Mia Wasikowska
(Alice), Johnny Depp (The Mad Hatter), Anne
Hathaway (White Queen), Helena Bonham Carter
(Red Queen), Matt Lucas (TweedleDee/TweedleDum) and Alan Rickman (Blue Caterpillar)
In this new Tim Burton film, “Alice in
Wonderland 3-D,” Alice is all grown up.
Instead of having a little girl fall down
the rabbit hole, the movie shows Alice
returning to Wonderland, or Underland as
it is called in this version, as an adult and
the White Queen’s reluctant champion.
As a little girl Alice was haunted by a
recurring nightmare and feared she was
losing her mind. Her father, a brilliant
businessman, comforted her. She grew
into a woman with a serious habit of
questioning the status quo. But was the
nightmare really a nightmare? Or, was
it in fact a reality that was turned into a
dream? While in Wonderland, Alice ques-
Dorm Room Selection
To Take Place April 20
By Decree Staff
The Office of Residence Life will
conduct the room-selection process on April
20 in the Hartness Center.
Next year will see the integration
of more upper-class male students in
Petteway Hall, which has predominantly
been a freshmen residence. It will stay an
all-male hall. “Most of our halls are already
integrated among classes,” said Randy
Williams, vice president for student affairs.
“Next year will just be a more intentional
approach to assist freshmen in becoming
acclimated to Wesleyan quicker. This
model will create stronger bonds among
the classes and cultivate a stronger sense of
campus community.”
The new arrangement comes in the wake of a
fall semester when Petteway experienced a rash of
mischief, including a series of false fire alarms.
Other residence halls will remain co-ed,
except for Edgecombe, which will house
only females, with a mix of first-year and
upper-class women.
Room selection numbers will be based on
a formula that weighs credit hours earned and
a student’s GPA, according to Deborah Drye,
assistant director of residence life. So, in
general, students have got a better chance of
securing a desired room if they’ve maintained
a high GPA and earned a high number of
credit hours.
Drye reminds students that they must
be registered for fall classes in order to
participate in the room-selection process.
“Late registrations will result in assignments made on a space-available basis
after all new students have been accommodated,” she said.
On April 5, housing applications will
be sent to the campus mailbox of students,
Students participated in a recent yoga class organized by the
Psychology Club. Photo by C. Thomas
who must indicate their intent to live on
campus by submitting the paperwork
to their RA or RD by April 12 at 5 p.m.
Between April 17-19, students will receive
their room selection number and instructions on when to appear at the Hartness
Center on the 20th.
Upcoming Activities
April 5
—Mix-tape Monday featuring the Cash Cube. How much can
you grab in 20 seconds? Enjoy music and win lots of fabulous
prizes. 1-5 p.m., Hartness Patio. Sponsored by CAB.
April 7
—Spring Fashion Show. Time TBA, Minges Auditorium. Sponsored by V.O.B.
April 8
—SGA meeting, open to student body. Note: All student organizations
must send a representative. 8 p.m., school cafeteria.
April 9
—Wesleyan Cinemas––“The Spy Next Door,” 8 p.m.,
Powers Recital Hall. Sponsored by CAB.
April 12
—Mix-tape Monday. Music, fun, and Build a Bear.
1-5 p.m., Hartness Patio. Sponsored by CAB.
April 14
—Powderpuff Football Championship. 5 p.m., Edgecombe Field.
Sponsored by the Office of Student Activities & Intramural Sports.
—Ice Cream Social & S’Mores Night. 7 p.m., Hartness Patio.
Sponsored by Psychology Club.
April 15
—LipSync Competition. 7 p.m. Hartness Center. Sponsored by CAB.
April 16
—“Red Light Special” Spring Formal: Food, drinks, gifts, and
dancing. $5 for singles; $7 for couples. 9 p.m., Garner Lobby,
Dunn Center. Sponsored by CAB, Spectrum Club, and FAA.
April 17
—Road Trippin’ to Virginia Beach. Enjoy a day at the beach
with your friends. Sign up in the Office of Student Activities
beginning on April 5. The trip is free, but seats are limited.
—Midnight Lounge: Enjoy an upscale late night of fun, games,
music, food, and mocktails. A game night with a twist. Admission
is free. 10 p.m.-1 a.m., Hartness Center. Sponsored by CAB.
April 19
—Mixtape Monday featuring Wax Hands. Make a wax mold of
your hand using any shape and color combination. 1-5 p.m.,
Hartness Patio. Sponsored by CAB.
—Awards Banquet. 6 p.m., Garner Lobby. Sponsored by the
Office of Student Activities.
April 21
—Spades Tournament. 7 p.m. Hartness. Sponsored by CAB.
CRIME from pg 2
Security had an idea of which student committed the crime and used the
video footage to prove their suspicions
true. The student and an accomplice
were both expelled, Crociata said.
Incidents such as that are why
Crociata is an advocate for even more
security cameras on campus. “Anything
to make students, especially females,
feel safer in their own dorms,” he said.
Crociata said that security has
continued to investigate the bookstore
theft case from last fall, noting recent
developments. He said one student
has been expelled for involvement
and three more will soon go before the
college judicial board to face charges.
“It was really just good police work,”
Crociata said. “Randy Williams and security
worked closely together, tracking tips until
we found what and who we needed.”
Another recent case involved a small
fire in the Hartness Center on January
state of mind.
She follows the White Rabbit into the
hole and while he and other “Underland”
creatures watch, they wonder if this is
the right Alice that White Rabbit brought
back. Even though the White Rabbit said
he was almost certain she was the right
one, even Alice didn’t remember being
there when she was younger. She was told
that it was a dream all her life so she stood
there and denied the reality of this with all
her heart. When she was a little girl, her
father told her that, to wake from a dream,
all she had to do was pinch herself. So, she
pinched herself but was unable to awake
from this dream.
They take her to the blue caterpillar,
who has the magic scroll which tells of
past and future events. In this scroll it
is said that Alice will face off with the
Jabberwocky—a powerful dragon-like
creature who is controlled by the Red
Queen. Alice again denies this reality and
tells them that this is just her imagination
running off in her dream.
There is a creature that is sent to
capture the White Rabbit and TweedleDee
and TweedleDum. As they run for their
lives, Alice is on her own, only to meet up
with the Cheshire Cat who said he could
lead the way to the Mad Hatter, but only
that and nothing else.
The Mad Hatter sees Alice and is thrilled
to have her back. He and Alice have a
sibling-like bond. When the Mad Hatter is
kidnapped by the Red Queen’s cohorts, Alice
goes into the castle and poses as a made-up
person, “Um” from Umbridge. Alice, or
should we say Um, sits next to the Red
Queen as she brings out TweedleDee and
TweedleDum. The Red Queen sees them
and says, “I love my fat boys. Entertain us.”
Later that night, Alice searches for the sword
that was taken from the White Queen which
will help defeat the Jabberwocky.
This fast-paced movie was filled with
imagination. The make-up and costumes were
amazing and well thought out. The set was
darkly colorful. Burton has a knack for doing
movies with dark comedy and compelling
characters and this was not a let down. I
enjoyed the adult Alice having to find her way
back to herself throughout the movie and in the
end standing for what she believes in and not
conforming to what others think she should do.
This is a comedy for all ages. Kids and
adults alike should enjoy the drama which is
brought on screen by these characters. Four
stars for the cast and its director. This movie is a
laugh riot if you actually listen to the dialogue.
11. In describing the incident, Crociata
said that a pair of officers making their
routine building checks encountered
three students running from the Hartness Center. Upon entry, the officers
discovered that a banner had been set
on fire. The officers put out the fire and
then apprehended the students.
Crociata reported that all three students
were sent in front of the campus judicial
board and received punishment, though
that punishment was not disclosed.
“I really have to commend Randy,”
Crociata said. “He’s kept his finger on the
pulse. He’s even ridden with security as late
as 3 a.m. just to see what we’re up against.”
Crociata expressed the hope that
students hearing about the punishment
given to law-breakers will help deter
future crimes on campus.
“I’m doing the best I can,” Crociata
said. “I feel the rest of the staff does
the same. We’re here to be friendly and
helpful, but at the same time firm.”