Volume 21 Issue 23 March 12, 1999 |
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Contents:
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NEWS |
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Metro in national quarterfinals WAYNE, NEB - The last time the Metro men's basketball team played in the championship game of the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament, George Bush was president, the Denver Broncos were reeling from another Super Bowl loss and DeMarcos Anzures was still in grade school. Those are distant memories now
as the Roadrunners opened up a new chapter in their history books March
5-6. This was the fourth time this season Metro had beaten Nebraska-Kearney, and the most gratifying. "Numbing," was the way head coach Mike Dunlap described the thrill of victory. "It's good for the self-esteem, good for the school and for the program." Junior guard DeMarcos Anzures averaged 24.5 points for two contests and was named the North Central Region's Most Valuable Player. Along with Anzures, junior forward Lee Barlow was named to the All-Tournament team. Barlow averaged 13.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in two games in the tournament. The last time the two teams met was in the semi-finals of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament, a 102-79 Roadrunner win. "I'm pleased to go to the Elite eight and intend on continuing to win," Dunlap said. The game was not as close as it looked on paper. The Lopers opened up the game with the lead in the opening minutes of the game when they were up 7-5. It was also the last time they would hold a lead. Late in the second half, with Metro holding a comfortable 46-31 lead, the Lopers made a last comeback attempt. In a span of five minutes, Kearney out-scored Metro 9-0, cutting the Roadrunner lead to six, 46-40. That was as close as they would get to the Roadrunners lead. On Metro's next possession, senior guard David Adler drilled a three-pointer from the top of the arc to stop the Kearney comeback, extending the margin to nine points. Anzures overcame a bad shooting night against South Dakota in the semifinals against. He was 9-for-16 from the field, scoring 27 points to lead all scorers in the contest. Barlow recorded eight rebounds and scored 12 points. "I was comfortable playing Kearney," Barlow said. "I always play better against Kearney and I always have a better shooting game against them." In Metro's opening game of the tournament, March 5, the Roadrunners found themselves trailing 37-33 at the half to South Dakota. However, behind sophomore forward Rashawn Fulchers' career high 21-point night, the Roadrunners came back to defeat the Coyotes, 83-69. "It was fun," Fulcher said of his game against South Dakota. "The team knew that I was feeling it, and they kept feeding the ball to me in the post." Metro started off the first half shooting poorly as Anzures went 2-for-10 from the field. Barlow didn't shoot much better, going 2-for-7, with the team going 14-for-32 (43.8) from the field. "In the first half I was forcing a few shots," Anzures said. "Coach told me to keep shooting and follow my shots." Fulcher was the one bright spot that kept the Roadrunners close. He had the hot hand, going 4-for-4 from the field, scoring nine points. In the second half, Metro used a 6-2 run to tie the game at 39-39. For the next three minutes, the lead would change hands five times. The Roadrunners took the lead for good when a technical foul was called on Coyote coach Dave Boots with 13:37 left in the game for arguing a call. Anzures made both of the free throws to give Metro a 49-47 advantage. That would be the closest that South Dakota would get to Metro for the rest of the night. Metro used a 19-9 run to go ahead by as many as 13 points. The Roadrunners shot 60.6 percent from the field (20-for-33) in the second half and finished the game at 52.3 percent. |
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Governor plans education cuts A plan by Gov. Bill Owens and Auraria officials would slice $2.1 million out of funds to improve classroom technology on campus. Auraria would receive tax money for technology upgrades in 60 classrooms, rather than the 122 originally planned, said Dean Wolf, Auraria vice president. The governor's office proposed budget cuts in many state agencies to pay for a planned income tax cut and improvements to state highways. Colorado's 28 state-sponsored colleges will collectively take a $60 million hit to construction plans if Owens' proposal gets through the state legislature. The assembly's budget bill is expected to be introduced March 22. "They went through and cut quite a bit out from everybody; we have a tight situation on the state budget," Wolf said. Auraria officials originally requested $7.1 million in tax dollars from the legislature, Wolf said. Under the new plan, Auraria Campus asked lawmakers for $5 million during two fiscal years beginning July 1. That would pay for:
Representatives at Office of State Planning and Budget negotiated with officials from Auraria and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education to find ways to cut the technology budget, said Jeanne Adkins, director of capital assets at CCHE. "They were simply looking for ways to cut back on the obligation in capital construction, because you can't meet the obligation and have a balanced budget," Adkins said. But balancing a tight budget against the needs of college students isn't easy, said Anne Weiher, a Metro psychology professor. High-tech classrooms can enhance a student's learning experience, she said. Even now, Weiher said she would use more high-tech teaching tools in her classes if the equipment was available. "That's the way the future is going, and to cut back on something like that now seems a little like penny-wise and pound-foolish," Weiher said. "In a different kind of world, you should be able to learn without all these visual aids, but students expect them these days. I think it's one way to keep the students' attention." Even if the legislature approves the technology budget cut, Auraria officials will push for future technology upgrades in each of Auraria's 186 classrooms, Wolf said. |
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Metro adopts new minor, deletes major Metro students will be able to declare a minor in Native American studies if a proposal passes the Trustees of the State Colleges in Colorado. The minor would be offered through the Political Science Department. "It would provide an area of study that has long been neglected and is fundamental to the American political system," said Norman Provizer, chairman of the Political Science Department. "It's an area that deserves close and careful examination." The minor would require 21 hours of classes such as Native American Politics and Land Use, Culture and Conflict. The classes required for the minor are already being taught at Metro. "It was a good example of seeing what resources we had at the college and to marshal the resources to benefit the students," Provizer said. "One of the reasons we did it is we had a number of students who were doing a contract minor in Native American Studies," said political science professor Oneida Meranto. "They're very popular courses." Meranto said the minor would help students by cutting out the paperwork required for students who design their own minor. "The paperwork can be very discouraging," she said. Provizer said the reason the minor would be offered through the Political Science Department is because "the Native American issue is a politically defined issue. Throughout history, the relationship between Native Americans and American society has been in political terms." Frieda Holley, interim associate vice president for academic affairs said, "The new minor could be very helpful to someone in anthropology, sociology or people who want to teach. "I can understand Native American students saying 'you have all these other programs, so why don't you have one in our area,'" she said. In addition to the new minor, Metro administrators proposed discontinuing the Technical and Industrial Administration major because of lack of enrollment. "The greatest number of majors we have had at any one time has been 35," said John Schmidt, director of industrial technology. "The program has been around for 15 years, and it has never really taken off. We haven't been accepting students for more than a year." Schmidt said Colorado Commission on Higher Education guidelines dictate certain number of students must graduate for a major to be continued. Schmidt said the major was unique because students had to have an associate's degree in a trade such as carpentry or waste water management to enter the program. "It was an interesting concept, but the problem was attracting students with the degree," he said. "I didn't think there was an opportunity to increase the enrollment." The Trustees of the State Colleges in Colorado will determine the addition of the Native American Studies minor and the deletion of the Technical and Industrial Administration major at its March 12 meeting. |
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College elections underway Candidates for next year's Student Government Assembly said they'll confront issues such as campus diversity, transportation and communication between students and the assembly in campaigns that began March 10. The 28 students are vying for 11 positions on student government. They would be elected for one-year terms. All but two positions include a $500 monthly paycheck. Five students are running for student government president. Ruth Burns said she will lobby next year for students to have a vote on the Board of Trustees for the State Colleges in Colorado, Metro's governing board. She and Lobat Asadi, who is running for vice president of communications, are part of a group of candidates called The Student Sword. Burns and Asadi are both taking a fencing class this semester, and that is how they came up with the idea for their ticket name, Burns said. "But also because of what the sword represents, and what it represents in my mind is honor," Burns said. Burns also said she would look into issues such as attendance, diversity, transportation and parking issues. "I think I can provide effective leadership," she said. Burns said she would try to create links with other colleges on campus to work together. "If students of all three institutions can work together, then there are some really important issues we can really try to wield some power on," Burns said. Student Voice is headed by presidential candidate Brendan Haymaker. Haymaker said he hasn't negotiated specific platform issues with others on the ticket yet, but he will soon. "I think the number one thing is a true student voice," he said. Haymaker said students' opinions should be heard and then taken back to the administration and professors. "I can do the best job for the student body, and keep a stability on the student government that is so desperately needed right now," Haymaker said. Another candidate for president is Jennifer Darnell. Her party, Students for Students, will encourage students to take an active role in campus affairs. The party would also work toward more student government involvement in new student orientation. "Everything we stand for, it all comes towards the common goal of student communication and being a true representative government," Darnell said. The Jesse Ventura-inspired party of Hoo-Ya, has Alfred Soto running for SGA president. "It's coming out of the whole spirit of Jesse Ventura and his success in Minnesota," Soto said, referring to the wrestler-turned-politician who recently became Minnesota's governor. "The people in Minnesota decided, 'We're not going to put up with status quo, we want something different, we want somebody who can do things.'" For SGA, Soto said he would encourage students to use computer technology. Soto said he would try to establish a cafe on campus where students could access the Internet. Soto also said he opposes increases in parking fees and tuition. He went on to say he supports student government members being more creative, more resourceful and problem solving. Angell Perez is another presidential candidate. "I want to represent the students as a whole," Perez said. "I need feedback from students, before establishing my platform." Perez also said she will represent student opinion to Metro officials. The presidential candidates will have a debate in two sessions. The first debate will take place on March 24, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Tivoli Multicultural Lounge. The second debate will be held on March 30, at 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. also in the Tivoli Multicultural Lounge. Student voting will be April 5-6, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and April 7 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
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9th Street Park to receive facelift Repairs to Ninth Street Park buildings will begin in April because of a $386,000 grant from the Colorado Historical Society. Project members will hold a block party and briefing at the Faculty Club, 1041 Ninth Street Park, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. March 23, to explain the specifics of the two-year renovation project. Last summer, repairs to the drainage system began and an excavation revealed some turn-of-the-century artifacts, including bottles, dinner plate chips and chunks of glass. The antiques will be displayed at the party. According to a report from Andrews and Anderson Architects, which has been working on the project for two years, the park needs $750,000 in repairs. The grant from the Historical Society plus $350,000 from a state fund used for upkeep of public buildings will pay for the repairs, which includes roof replacements and window frame and exterior door repairs. "The paint on some of the buildings has been built up over years and years, with several coats of paint," said Nan Andrews, an architect working on the project. "All that paint has trapped moisture in, and it's pulling the brick face off." Andrews said her company will begin stripping the paint off three houses at the southeast corner of the park and continue working down the park for the next two years. The company will also replace the glass in the windows with modern insulating glass. |
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Auraria parking police keep
up ticketing pace Despite evaporating parking space, the number of parking tickets given on Auraria Campus has remained steady, compared with the past years at Auraria, a campus official said. About 2,000 parking tickets are given on Auraria Campus monthly, said Mark Gallagher, director of parking. The places where people are most frequently ticketed are at loading zones and parking meters, Gallagher said. "Less than 2 percent of all cars on campus receive parking citations in an entire year," Gallagher said. About 98 percent of the 5,800 spaces on Auraria are in use daily, he said. There are about 10,000 cars on campus each day. "I pay more than $100 for parking a month," Naomi Malek, a Metro student, said. "There needs to be a lot more parking available." With the construction of the new performing arts building, 275 parking spaces were lost, said Gallagher. Motorists who receive a citation can either pay the citation fee or take the citation through an appeals process. There, a parking referee has the final say on parking tickets. Drivers frequently lose track of time when they're on campus, and that's what leads to most parking tickets, Gallagher said. "I've had three (tickets)," said Brad Nagle, a Metro student. "I was illegally parked behind the library." Tickets double in price after 30 days. Ignoring three citations results in a "red tag notice," which puts the driver at risk of their car being towed. On average about 40 red tag notices are given each month. The most expensive ticket on campus is a citation for being illegally parked in a handicapped parking space: $50. Ticket amounts range from $10-$50, with the usual amount being $15. "The bulk of citations are from students," Gallagher said. Two to three student employees are out a day, giving out 99 percent of the parking citations. The money acquired from tickets goes in to general revenue, which is dispensed into salaries, debt services, maintenance, and general operations. |
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Fans finally finding way to Metro sports Just as the Metro basketball season came to a close, attendance at home games began to rise. By Metro standards, the attendance at games was tremendous. Larry McGill, coordinator of marketing and promotions for Metro's Intercollegiate Athletics Department, said about 800-1,000 people attended the last couple of games to support the men's and women's basketball teams. Fans from Metro and eight other colleges made their way to the Auraria Events Center for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament Feb. 23-27. On Feb. 26, 600 attended the women's semi-final game against the University of Nebraska-Kearney. A crowd of 1,600 showed up to see the men face the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers the same night, and they made plenty of noise to support Metro. On championship night, Feb. 27, about 1,700 looked on as Metro beat Mesa
State to become the RMAC champs. "We have a winning team that generates publicity," McGill said. "The more places you hear about something, the more likely you will remember it and act on it." A group of students conducted a survey of 111 Metro students last fall and found 16.2 percent had attended any Metro sporting event. The survey, conducted by students in a Consumer Behavior Marketing class, found that of the same students, half described themselves as a college sports fan. Many students who participated in the survey were also unaware of some perks offered to bring students to games. The study found that only 17.1 percent of Metro students knew that parking is free for Friday and Saturday night games. It found 37.8 percent of students surveyed knew there was no admission charge to attend a Metro home game. McGill said the winning teams have generated increased coverage in Denver's daily papers. That, combined with McGill's efforts at promoting the team, have brought in the crowds, he said. McGill's dream is to sell out the Auraria Events Center's 3,000 seats for a game. "I don't know how realistic it is," McGill said. "But I don't see why we couldn't get that many people here to see such great teams." |
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COMMENTARY |
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New SGA — here's hoping News: Metro's annual student government campaigns are under way. Views: The current student
government produced a mixed bag. New candidates should set reasonable goals. That's how much Metro students paid to have a Student Government Assembly since this time last year. What did students get for it? Ask President Andy Nicholas and he'll say they got two extra days of fall vacation. Online access to two years of student evaluations of professors, which he said will be available by the end of April. And improved online access to student information. We're glad for those things, although we suspect Metro's online upgrades would have happened without SGA influence. But the group deserves credit for the improved access to evaluations and the longer fall break. However, student government members also set several goals they could not, or would not, reach. Conveniently, when candidates on the Student Power Initiative ticket set out an agenda last year, they said they would "address" certain issues, rather than promising to effect real change. That left an easy backdoor in case of failure. And they did fail on several fronts. They said they wanted to extend fall break to a full week. It didn't happen. What about the promise to represent student opinion on a potential change to plus-minus grading? Because that topic didn't come up in Metro's Faculty Senate, assembly members left it alone, Nicholas said. It's the same story with their promise to improve retention and graduation rates. Nothing happened. The members said they would work for "a more effective parking system" on campus. Parking lots are at 98 percent capacity most of the school day, and new construction absorbed hundreds of parking spaces. That doesn't seem more effective to us. The assembly suffered from the usual rash of quitters, too, plus plenty of infighting and juvenile power plays. It's no wonder Nicholas won't be running for another term as president. "Working through the system can take a long time, and one year is not enough time to get a lot of stuff done," he said. Metro students are better off with a student government than without one, simply because they are a direct connection from average students to often-aloof Metro officials. But we're still dreaming of a day when student representatives will set reasonable goals and keep their word. Because most candidates for student government this year haven't announced a specific agenda, here are a few suggestions:
Those things would make SGA worth another $90,385. |
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RTD pass benefits everybody It's a beautiful spring morning. You're on your way to school, happy because you managed to get out of bed at a reasonable time. You'll make it to class with time to spare, or so you think. You're in the home stretch, sipping your coffee, but wait, what's that? The coffee suddenly turns to acid as you are stopped at the very end of a line of cars that seems to go on for miles, strung out of the parking garage. And every parking lot has one of those blue and white "Lot Full" signs! Dammit! You're whole day is out of whack because now you have to spend 45 minutes to an hour in line. God help you if you work off campus and have a very tight schedule to get to school and back again! Knuckles white on the steering wheel you have to restrain yourself from losing control, screaming and beating your head against the dashboard until all of your hard work studying runs out in a torrent of grey matter. Pretty scary, eh? That's what could happen if some students who oppose the bus pass get their way. Here are the facts:
Those who oppose the pass say students who don't use the bus shouldn't have to subsidize those who do. That's a shortsighted view. If the bus pass were not subsidized by all students, it would cost approximately $320 per semester for the same services. If students have to pay that kind of cash to ride the bus, most would probably chose to just drive instead. If you think parking on campus is difficult now, wait until you're competing with an additional 3,000-4,500 students per day. Matt Johnson is a Metro student and a representative to the Student Advisory Committee to the Auraria Board. His e-mail address is johmatth@mscd.edu. |
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The Savior about to leave the building "This is not a basketball factory." Is too. Metro men's basketball coach Mike Dunlap has led his team to a berth in the "Elite Eight" tournament in Louisville, Ky., beginning with an 11:30 a.m. game on Wednesday, March 17. With two victories, Metro will play for the national championship in Division II basketball on Saturday, March 20, in front of a national television audience on CBS. Enjoy the success while it lasts. When Dunlap arrived at Metro two years ago, I began referring to him in this space as The Savior. Why? The Savior requires that his disciples go to class and be good citizens. The teams' grade point average has increased to more than 3.0 for God's sake. Things were considerably worse before his arrival. The decision to hire Dunlap has proven to be an excellent one. Administrators who are normally bagged on here deserve some credit for a change. Now you can start looking for Dunlap's replacement. Yes, it's true. The Savior will be leaving us soon. Bet on it. He told me he has been asked to apply for two other jobs this year by other schools seeking his services. The Savior said he turned down both offers and is happy where he's at. He said he's not real interested in uprooting his wife and three young children for the second time in 24 months. He said he is not a candidate for any positions and is not pursuing anything except a national title with the Roadrunners. "I'm very happy here," Dunlap said. But? "I think it's incumbent on me to listen to everybody." He told me the same thing a year ago when I asked if he would entertain other job offers. In fact, he nearly left last year when he was a finalist for the head coaching job at the University of California-Santa Barbara. It might not happen immediately. He might stay one more year. Eleven of 13 members of the team return next year, including all the starters. He knows next year's team will be good, which keeps him at the top of the most-wanted lists. But then he's gone, probably to the first Division I school in southern California that calls. Coincidently, that school might just be Loyola-Marymount where former Metro coach and Dunlap predecessor Charles Bradley is struggling. The Savior played and coached at Loyola-Marymount and the word is he was a finalist there when Bradley was hired. Oops. Metro's best hope of keeping him — and it's not much of one — would be to offer The Savior a long-term contract. The General Assembly passed a law allowing Colorado colleges to sign a limited amount of such deals last year. Metro vice president of administration and finance, Joe Arcese, said that could be an option. "The state colleges haven't decided if they're going to give those
to coaches or administrators or what," Arcese said. "If they do
make that decision, I'll immediately recommend that he be one to get one
of those contracts." |
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Swim team deserves better coverage Editor: I am writing to The Metropolitan paper and its staff to express my feelings on your coverage of the men's and women's swimming team at Metro. The swim and dive team of Metro has just returned to Colorado after spending four days in Long Beach, Calif. This was our last real meet of the season. This was our conference championship. If you do not qualify for Division II NCAA nationals, then this meet is it for you. We swam as hard as we possibly could all year to prepare for this meet. We have tapered for a month straight, and we shaved every hair on our body that is not covered by a Speedo. Now that you know that, let me also tell you some things about what happened at this meet. Our men's team was ranked 19th in the country before this meet, and is now ranked 10th in the United States for Division II. Moreover, our team was one of the smallest teams at this meet, and we had outstanding swims that left some of the larger teams in our wake. Swims by Kristen Schweissing, Sarah Lane and Nancy Rowell were some of the swims that did this. One swimmer stands out farther than the others: Kaan Berberoglu. Kaan had performances at this meet that topped the times he swam at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta! Yes, two of our swimmers have been to the Olympics! Kaan swam times that most Division I schools pray for. We had more people qualify for nationals than ever before. We had Number 2- and Number 3-ranked men's divers there, and the same for the women's divers. And we had a medley relay team so powerful that we qualified for nationals and placed first in the morning and then turned around at night with two new members who did not swim in the morning and took first again and qualified for nationals again! And this was all done under the coaching of Jim Richey, who has not even spent a year on the team, and not to mention the diving coach, Brian Kennedy, who won coach of the year for both boys and girls. We swam out of our minds. Now to my point. I picked up the paper today to see the most pathetic coverage of our team I have ever seen. No disrespect to sports editor Tom Viskocil, who in the space provided did his best. I was outraged to see that you had articles of such little significance in front of ours. Did you know we have a nationally ranked girl on our team who is 25 and has two children? So a girl basketball player who is returning after having a child warrants two full pages of coverage? Above our article is a huge picture of a baseball player putting on his shoes. Is this really more important than our championship meet? I am used to seeing the basketball team take up most of the sports portion of your paper, but this is not even close to proper coverage. Two head shots? Those were the best pictures you could come up with for our season ender? I am truly disappointed. Not just ours, but other teams are just thrown to the wind as well. I know that the soccer team deserves more than it receives. There are more sports at Metro than just basketball and baseball. Please do not take this as an attack on your integrity as writers, it was not intended for that reason at all. This letter is just to let you know that sometimes there are more things going on at this school than basketball games. Jess Schwartzkopf |
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Hate crime laws are a threat to freedom Editor: Regarding Kyle Ringo's column of Feb. 12, I must say that I agree 100 percent. In my opinion, those who favor hate crime legislation have good intent, but execution of the legislation is insane. Sure, we want to really sock it to the Klansman who assaults someone, but regardless of his motivation, it is still just a beating. The theory that people use is that it's terrible when someone is beaten, killed, etc. (and it is terrible), but it's worse if they are beaten or killed because of some belief held by the perpetrator. It is without a doubt a punishment doled out based on someone's belief. Here at Western Kentucky University, the Lambda Society has also propped up Matthew Shepard's corpse and made him the posterboy for hate crime legislation. Shepard was the unfortunate victim of sick, twisted sub-humans. To say that his murder is somehow worse than the dozens of murders committed in our country on a daily basis is a slap in the face to the families of the victims. They're saying, "Yes, the murder of your son in a robbery is terrible, but Matthew's murder was much more tragic." It disgusts me that they can't respect the memory of Matthew in another manner as opposed to making him their posterboy. Let the guy rest in peace and let his killers fry in the chair. I just hope that some day these people realize that they, little by little, are attempting to step on the freedoms of others. Todd H. |
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FEATURES |
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On the Metro design fast
track The Light Rail isn't the only thing on the fast track on the south end of campus. Metro's industrial design program has been quiet, but that's about to change. Ashlar, Inc., a leading provider of 3-D modeling software, donated $1,106,000 in software and services to five leading edge design schools on Jan. 26. Metro's industrial design program got roughly $487,500 of the donation that includes Vellum 3-D, Vellum Solids and Priority 1 service contacts. "This donation is an excellent investment in designers who will shape the future of the ID industry," said John Thornborrow, Ashlar's president. Spatial Technology of Boulder Co. joined Ashlar and donated their ASCI kernel which is the core of more than 175 modeling applications. Ashlar was looking for a school that could be committed to piloting the software. Metro fit the bill. The industrial design program is the only industrial design program in Colorado that is affiliated with the Industrial Designers Society of America. Metro professor Bill Lane, one of the first industrial design graduates from the University of Ottawa in Ontario in 1976, was instrumental in building a working relationship with Ashlar. Lane kept weekly contact and wrote the proposal for the software. "This program is capable of producing world-class stuff," Lane said. Troy Starkey, an industrial design senior, has already used the new software to get the attention of Ashlar's president who has expressed interest in using the images for the company's website. "They seemed really excited
about what I was able to do," Starkey said. "Industrial design is designing for mass production," said Tony Troxell, a Metro industrial design major. Faculty and students in the program seem to agree that the department needs greater visibility. Many students stumble upon this major. "We have students that six months ago didn't know about this program that are now transferring into it,"Lane said. Jodi Oas, a junior industrial design major, said, "I was an art major, I had no idea this program was here, I was actually wowed this program had all the classes I wanted." She said she plans to own a furniture design company some day. Derrick Glodava transferred from the Colorado School of Mines to study graphic arts before finding the major in the catalog. Likewise, Kenneth Ryckeley found out about the program while he was an interdisciplinary student at the University of Texas. The industrial design major is found under Industrial and Technical Studies in the school of professional studies. The industrial design major has been around for 15 years. The major was originally shared with the art department. This was the first time one major was shared between two departments, said John Scmidt, director of the industrial design department. "Six years ago the technology department assumed control of the program, since then enrollment has doubled," Scmidt said. There are about 70 students in the program now and Scmidt expects the enrollment to double in the next five years. He also said the trend from art-based design to more technical aspects like material and manufacturing processes are attracting more students. The outlook for designers is good, approximately 2.5 jobs for every graduate. There is an expanse of job opportunities from large corporations to contract work. There is a sense of optimism that the program is rising. There is an industrial design club to create awareness, generate new ideas and do community service. The next milestone is to get accredited by North American Schools of Art and Design, which in the past required joint accreditation with art departments. The students are featuring their work at a student design show at the St. Francis Center, May 6-7. For more information, catch them on the web at http://clem.mscd.edu/~idclub/. |
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Titanic star is on a sinking ship —and life couldn't be better Liz McConahay remembers sitting on the lawn of the Colorado State capitol building listening to the groovy tunes of John Denver. It was more than 10 years ago; McConahay lived in Boulder. She now resides in the Big Apple and is touring in the national company of Titanic, in Denver through March 21. She laughs and her red hair flirtingly bounces on her shoulders. Over dinner at the Avenue Grill, she is in between performances on March 6. It's hard to believe this sassy girl was born in Evanston, Ill. It's hard to believe her youthful agenda is 27 years old. It's hard to believe her spring rolls taste so good. She sips more water and is talking about everything from the French-Canadian Cirque du Soleil to Peter Rabbit. "I would love to do Cirque du Soleil," she said with a contagious grin. McConahay saw Cirque's Quidam in New York and it changed the way she looked at her body and its movement. "I could see myself doing that," she said. "I do a lot of physical comedy, and I have to have that control over the audience. It's all in the timing." As for Peter Rabbit, that's another story to be told after finishing the vegetarian pasta. The 27-year-old is sitting pretty. She's been in New York for less than two years, but isn't an out-of-work-and-dirt-poor artist. She did an off-Broadway show for a bit before starting rehearsals for Titanic in November of 1998. Rehearsals moved from New York to Los Angeles, where the show opened, and McConahay didn't miss the wintry eastern climate one bit. "It was so nice out there in LA — the warmth. I felt even more creative while I was out there ... I wanted to do more writing." The actress might end up in LA if and when she chooses to pursue film or TV. For now, theater is where it's at for McConahay. She enjoys doing straight, non-musical shows as much as she does musicals as there is always the alluring trait of immediacy in live theater that film can't touch. "When I go out there tonight I have one shot at getting it right." Is the move to TV in your immediate future? "Last year I had a really close call with a sitcom. That made me say, 'Well, maybe.' ... But I want to do things that are more challenging. I want to do my own material." Are you a playwright? "Sure, let's call me a playwright." Are you related to Matthew McConaughey? "Not yet." Her wit catches you off guard. This quick soprano's mind darts from topic to unrelated topic with a sense of calming continuity. Her red hair is pulsing under the dinner lights — the same hair that helps her get the roles she likes. "People see (my hair) and think, 'Slapstick, musical comedy!'" Even in Titanic, her Alice Beane's red wig was modeled after McConahay's own locks. Beane is a hilarious 2nd Classer who yearns to be a class up, but her husband only owns a hardware store. In her tongue-tripping song, 1st Class Roster, she ventures to give short and quick biographies on most people aboard the ill-fated ship — and ends up out of breath (especially at Denver's altitude). The pre-Titanic McConahay was also in the theater. She tells the story of her elementary school's production of Peter Rabbit like it happened yesterday. As a first grader, she already knew she had starpower, only her teacher failed to see it. "I got cast as fucking Cottontail. I was like, 'Drink your tea, Peter Rabbit.'" She is enjoying her return to Denver. She had already partied at the Soiled Dove and Pacific Star three days into her stay. Her nightclubbing plans brighten up her face with talks of swing dancing and parties, but the conversation sways to her Colorado memoirs. She remembers tubing down Boulder Creek with her family. Her artsy memories consist of the "flying saucers disks" that bounce the acoustics in Boettcher Concert Hall. Wearing a flowery shirt she just bought at the Tabor Center, she tells that her affinity for Colorado is rooted in her love of the outdoors. "If I could do what I do here, I would. But in this business you have two choices." Titanic runs through March 21. Call (303) 893-4100. |
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A winged alumnus A Metro graduate wanted to become a captain and fly airplanes. In 1996 he achieved his goal after being offered a job as a captain with United Airlines. The alumnus, Jeff Rodden, says that dedication and hard work were the building blocks of his career. Passion, however is the key to his success. "What is life without passion," he said. Rodden graduated from Metro in 1980 with a degree in Airline Management. He began flying at the age of 16 and worked as a flight instructor during his time at Metro. |
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Activist brings cheers to Auraria You've heard it before: "Get involved" and "be someone." These were the rally cries of the women's movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Shirley Chisholm, a former congresswoman and presidential candidate, repeated those words in a speech on Auraria Campus March 4. Her enthusiasm and conviction brought cheers from the predominately female audience. But her message brought to the table the real agenda. It was a message of concern. "We made a great deal of progress in the '60s and '70s," Chisholm said to a packed house in the Tivoli Turnhalle. "Today something has happened. Women are not as involved and one can't continue to make gains like we have unless we become involved." Chisholm was one of the first women to get involved in an area she says can make the most difference: politics. She was the first black woman elected to Congress, has been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and, considered a "hero" by Denver's first lady Wilma Webb, who introduced her. But the women's movement has stalled, and women should get involved in any way they can, Chisholm said. "Women have yet to learn the appropriate role in the decision-making process," she said. "That is what we need." Women should not be content to make small dents in the male-dominated power structure, Chisholm said. They have become complacent since the early feminist movement, but she said they still need to fight for greater power. The struggle for power and equality continues for women, but the white males, who she says still dominate the power structure, have had to bend a little. There were 17 women in the U.S. Congress in 1979. Today there are 62. "If we have the courage of our conviction, we will stand up and be counted," she said. "Looking to no man walking this earth for approval." Chisholm said this nation still has vestiges of racial discrimination as well as sexist values. The problem resides in our culture, which still holds that women, by their nature, are inferior and can only judge their success by the success of their husbands. Chisholm said the stereotyping of women begins with school counselors, who steer women away from traditionally male jobs. They offer little encouragement or stimulation toward other careers, and it goes all the way to Congress, where they still are not sensitive to the discrimination all women face. Chisholm encourages women to run for of office and "invade the premises." Chisholm called for individualism for women, saying they don't have to be like men to survive in the corporate or political world. Women have a special contribution to make in the political world and their contributions will bring about the best in everyone because they have endured sexual discrimination. They tend to be more patient, more tolerant and persevere, she said. Chisholm hopes the day will come while she is still alive when women will no longer have to rely on men for acceptance or dependence. I look to an America where women are accepted as women and not men with missing parts," she said. "I look to an America where the deep set fears we feel...are no longer justified. I look to an America where a women is not one man away from welfare but where her welfare is assured by the respect of her husband, friends, employer and her government." Chisholm said the future of America is in the feminization of America in terms of peace and equality. She believes if every woman contributes, these goals can be attained. The women of America owe it to the memories of their often oppressed mothers and grandmothers as well as themselves, their daughters and their granddaughters. While we're living on this planet called earth, we have a responsibility to do everything that is within our power to make this planet called earth a better place to live," she said. |
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SPORTS |
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On top of the region WAYNE, Neb. - Nine years ago, before the Mike Dunlap era, and even before junior guard DeMarcos Anzures was a Roadrunner, the Metro men's basketball team won a record 28 games (28-4) and made its first appearance in the Sweet 16 where they lost to North Dakota, 85-80. Six years later, in 1995, Anzures was in his first year at Metro but wasn't able to play basketball. His grades weren't good enough to clear the NCAA Clearinghouse standards, so he had to sit out his freshman year. Anzures finally got his chance to play ball a year later, starting in 19 games, but putting up sub-par numbers. The team finished at .500 (13-13) and lost in the first round of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament to Nebraska-Kearney, 92-83. After the 1996 season, then head coach Charles Bradley left Metro to become the head coach at Loyola Marymount in California. Enter Mike Dunlap, who had coached the Adelaide 36ers, an NBA-like team in Australia, for the past three years. Dunlap brought with him a philosophy that stressed individual character first, how to win second, and self-sacrafice for the good of the team third. Along with his philosophy, Dunlap believes that education should be on the top of the players' list of priorities. With the philosophies that Dunlap instilled in his players, the team was winning both on and off the court. In his first season, Dunlap guided Metro to a 25-5 record and the Roadrunners got back to the NCAA Tournament. However, they lost in the Sweet 16 to South Dakota State, 93-79. In his second year, Dunlap and the Roadrunners have improved again. The team is 26-5, RMAC regular season and tournament champs, and for the first time in the school history, North Central Regional champions. Metro is heading to Louisville, Ky., during spring break to compete for a national title. "I never expected any of this," Anzures said of the change in the past two years. "This is the complete opposite of two years ago. This is a drastic change for me and for this team." The change has people around the country taking notice. The Roadrunners can now consider themselves one of the top teams in the country and have all five starters back for next year. "Hopefully, we can keep on winning," Anzures said. Dunlap is also in shock. He didn't expect his team to rise to the top so soon but knew it would eventually happen. "We believe in taking slow steps," Dunlap said. "We were in no rush in establishing ourselves. We didn't go out and get people that we could not coach. They (players) work hard to win. Players win games, not coaches." |
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Duvall named Metro volleyball coach For just the fourth time in school history, the Metro Roadrunner volleyball team has a new head coach. Jenelle Duvall was named as the new coach March 8, replacing Joan McDermott, who resigned to become Metro's Athletic Director last December. "We're excited to get a top-notch coach like Jenelle," McDermott said. "She has all the ingredients to become a successful head coach." Duvall was chosen for the job from nearly 50 applicants. Before getting the job at Metro, she was the top assistant for the past two years at Northern Arizona University. She also has four years experience as an assistant at Northern Illinois and two years as an assistant at the University of Pittsburgh. Duvall knew when she was coaching at Northern Illinois that becoming a head coach was a goal of hers. Now she will have to make the adjustment from assistant to being in charge. "My strength has been as a liason between players and coaches, and I don't see that changing," she said. "I know my role will change, but I'm a people-person and a good communicator. I have good relationships with my players, and that leads to a successful program." Duvall plans to start her new job March 22, just in time for spring practice. She has yet to decide who will be her assistant coaches. Duvall has always been associated with winning programs. The teams she has been with have recorded a 132-61 record, won two conference titles and has made it to the NCAA Tournament on two occasions. Her collegiate playing days were at the University of Pittsburgh, where she was an honorable mention All-American. She earned Big East Player-of-the-Year honors in 1989 and 1990. After college, she played professional beach volleyball during the summers in Chicago and California from 1991-97. Volleyball is a family affair for Duvall. Her sister is an assistant volleyball coach at Texas A&M and her parents run a scouting service in California. A native of San Diego, Duvall and her husband have a one-year-old daughter, Kayla. |
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Watch the bouncing ball The time has come for the Metro tennis team to face some tough competition. It hasn't happened before but the men's tennis team is ready to face the challenge of a tough schedule. This season, 10 of the 20 matches Metro will compete in will be against regionally and nationally ranked teams. Assistant coach Buu Le said the difficult schedule was set up so team members could have an opportunity to get to the regionals and nationals. The top 13 ranked players in each of the six singles spots, as well as the 13 top ranked doubles teams will receive a berth to the regional tournament. Le says this year, Metro has the talent to make it that far. "We've never had the opportunity or the chance," he said. "This year we have the team to do it. This program is starting to move up and get recognized." The men's team was ranked 12th in the region at the start of the season, Feb. 13. They have already defeated 7th-ranked Cameron, 6-3, and shutout 14th-ranked Southwest Baptist, 9-0. Metro is 3-1 on the year in dual matches. Le said that the strength of the team is its depth. The top four singles players are practically interchangeable. "No one person can win for us," Le said. "You have to do it as a team. Sometimes you forget that because you're out there as an individual." The team concept is important this season because individual players won't make it to regionals. Only teams can qualify but Le thinks the Roadrunners can consistantly win this season. Heading the team is No. 1 singles player Peter Lantz who is from Sweden. Considered by Le to be one of the toughest players in school history, Lantz was recruited in 1996-97 and was ranked 200 in Sweden at the time. After playing one season at Metro, Lantz transfered to Division I James Madison University, where he was the No. 1 singles player. He decided to return to Metro and had to sit out last year. "Mentally, he is really strong on the court," Le said. "He consistantly wins and that's why he's No. 1." Michael Judd is listed as the No. 2 singles player. Judd has international experience. He has been on the Davis Cup team for his native country, Botswana. Judd also has Division I experience, playing at South Carolina State. Last Fall, Judd was ranked 19th in the region. He will be partnered up with Lantz as Metro's No. 1 doubles team. David Marquina (No. 3 singles) and Bruce Dicker (No. 4 singles) will be paired up as the No. 2 doubles team. Dicker is considered a "freshman sensation" by Le and can play at any position. "These are the guys the team can look to for strength when they are off their game," Le said. The team has an international flavor to it. Eight of the 10 players are from countries other than the United States. |
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Baseball team takes two from Panhandle The Metro baseball team shouldn't ever leave the confines of Auraria Field. The Roadrunners traveled to Texas for four games against West Texas A&M, March 6-7, and came home with four losses. Metro dropped games of 5-4, 7-4, 5-1 and 12-4. But once the Roadrunners came home, their winning ways returned. Metro swept a doubleheader from Panhandle State, March 10, to improve its record to 10-6 on the year. The Roadrunners were led by shortstop Jason Klatt in the first game against Panhandle State. The senior smashed his third homer of the season and had three RBI in an 11-4 win. The Roadrunners pounded out 17 hits in the game as senior Kevin Watson won his third game of the year. Matt Jerebker was 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI. The Roadrunners took an early lead in the nightcap and junior Will Tavis made it stand up. Tavis went the distance for the win, allowing four hits, one run and striking out five in a 3-1 victory. Dana Reicher supplied all the runs Metro would need. He hit his sixth home run of the season in the second inning to give Metro a 2-0 lead. The Roadrunners are 0-5 when they play on the road and 10-1 when they play at home. Metro will go back on the road for spring break. They travel to California to face California State Stanislaus, San Francisco State and a team to be determined. They return home March 20 to face Colorado School of Mines and Mesa State before coming back to Auraria Field for a home game against Northern Colorado March 30. — The Metropolitan staff |
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