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Thursday, February 11, 2010Volume 95 | Issue 15

Snowy36° / 34°

Volume 95 | Issue 15

UNT president announces resignation

Interns petition for spring 2010 dead week comeback

UNT hires fundraising chair

BY MORGAN WALKER AND TIM MONZINGOSenior Staff Writer and Contributing Writer

Gretchen Bataille announced that she will be stepping down as president of UNT effective Feb. 28.

The Board of Regents will meet Fr iday to consider Bataille’s resignation as well as the processes for the appoint-ment of an interim president and the search for a new pres-ident.

“She has been an amazing president a nd has had a wonderful vision for the univer-sity,” said Karen Weiler, chair-woman of the Faculty Senate. “She was very faculty-, staff- and student-oriented, and she will be greatly missed.”

Bataille was named UNT president on Aug. 14, 2006, and was inaugurated as UNT’s first female president on April 13, 2007.

She also served as senior vice president of Academic Affairs for the University of North Carolina.

Dakota Carter, the Student Government Association pres-ident, said he would speak against Bataille’s removal at the 8 a.m. meeting Friday on the UNT Dallas campus at 7300 Houston School Road, room 262.

He said he wants to see students come to the meeting to show their support.

“I want the students to get on the agenda to speak on this issue,” he said. “UNT students

are within their rights to speak at the meeting.”

Carter added that Bataille has worked to make UNT’s c a m pu s m or e s t ude nt-friendly.

“For her to leave with two week’s notice seems fishy to me,” Carter said.

Those who wish to speak may e-mail the board secre-

tary, Julia Boyce, at Julia.Boyce@unt.edu to get a spot on the agenda.

Wendy Wilkins, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said she believes Bataille has moved the univer-sity in the right direction and that it should continue in that direction.

“I’ve been terrifically happy

working for UNT under her leadership, and I think all of my vice president colleagues have been,” Wilkins said. “I am sad. She is my friend as well as my boss.”

Trevor Neal, a music educa-tion junior, waited outside Bataille’s office Wednesday to hear more news about her resignation.

“I really wanted to tell her good luck with whatever she plans to do,” Neal said.

Neal said he met with Bataille several times, including the times he sang at the Emerald Eagle Ball, an event held to honor students in the Emerald Eagle Scholars program.

“She’s done fantastic things to the university, especially

considering the shape it was in before she came here,” Neal said.

Bataille sent a letter to the UNT community expressing her appreciation to the univer-sity and listing the extensive amount of objectives that UNT has accomplished.

“We have had many achieve-ments from increased enroll-ment and improved student success of a diverse student body to expanding the research funding over 60 percent in the past two years,” Bataille wrote in the e-mail.

Bataille had ambitions for UNT, set higher expectations for everyone associated with the university and brought a good deal of energy to her job as president, UNT Chancellor Lee Jackson said in a press release.

Brandon Morton, a biology senior and intern for the Office of Sustainability, said his concern is with sustainability because all of the new buildings on campus are LEED certified, something that’s been part of Bataille’s commitment.

He also encourages students to get involved with the Board of Regents and show their support for Bataille and to make it clear that sustainability and the environment are what UNT’s all about, he said.

“Anybody who cares about the environment at UNT should show concern for the presi-dent’s resignation because sustainability is a financial initiative at UNT,” he said.

NT DAILY STAFF/FILE PHOTO

PHOTO BY RYAN BIBB/PHOTOGRAPHER

UNT President Gretchen Bataille announced in an e-mail to the UNT community that she will resign Feb. 28.

The land on which the new stadium is to be built is being leveled. The new stadium is expected to be completed in 2011, and will be a LEED certi� ed building.

BY SHEA YARBOROUGHSenior Staff Writer

The Student Government A s s o c i at ion’s f r e s h m a n intern class is leading the way in an initiative to rein-state dead week for spring 2010.

T he f resh ma n i nter ns w i l l begin to ca nvas t he campus Tuesday in a month-long campaign col lecting signatures from students, said Andrew Robertson, a College of Arts and Sciences senator.

The interns will then take the signatures to the admin-ist rat ion i n a n at tempt to a f fect cha nge for t he students, he said.

“They want dead week back,” Robertson said.

Dead week was replaced last semester for a single reading day.

The initiative to restore b e g a n a f t e r s e v e r a l f resh ma n i nter ns hea rd what they were missing out on, he said.

“We are looking for at least 1,000 signatures,” Robertson said.

SGA is t he student-led g o v e r n m e nt a l b o d y o f UNT.

For Dev i n A x t ma n, a freshman intern, dead week is nothing but second-hand information he has heard from upper classmen. He said getting ready for finals w ith only a single day of preparation was difficult.

He was concer ned for his wavering health while juggling assignments that were due the week before finals and studying for final exams.

“There was no room for down time,” Axtman said. “It would be much easier if we had a week to prepare.”

Under the old dead week policy, professors were not al lowed to introduce new material, give quizzes or add to students’ academic load during the week leading into final exams.

S t u d e n t o r g a n i z a -t ions were a lso ba n ned from holding meetings or promoting activities.

The activities ban was not lifted when dead week was abolished, and Robertson sa id t he interns wa nt to know why.

“The professors can do

whatever t hey wa nt, but st udents ca n’t? T hat’s a contradiction,” Robertson said.

Jamaal Sanders, SGA vice president, said he feels his job is to look out for the best interest of the students.

“Give the students what they want,” he said.

The question of why dead week was replaced has yet to be answered by admin-istration, but the beliefs are that the faculty members felt l imited and wanted more freedom with how they run their classrooms, Robertson said.

He then said SGA members have been told by t hei r constituents that they want dead week back.

“Personally, I l ike dead we ek ,” Rober t s on s a id . “It g ives more t ime than reading day.”

In other business, Sanders introduced an initiative to begin research on handicap accessibi l it y to bui ldings and walkways on campus.

He is a senior and said he doesn’t feel he will see the fruit of his labor, but his goal is to get the ball rolling.

“I want to plant the seed in hopes that someone will come along and water it,” Sanders said.

The SGA members a lso appointed a new senator. Patrick Hopkins, a political science and sociology soph-omore, assumed the seat as senator for the College of Community Service and Public Affairs.

“I love UNT, and I want to be a part of SGA,” Hopkins said.

ANDREW ROBERTSON

JAMAAL SANDERS

“I want to plant the seed in hopes

that someone will come along and water it.”

—Jamaal Sanders Student Government

Association vice president

BY ERIC JOHNSONSenior Staff Writer

As bulldozers chew up the ground to clear space for the new UNT football stadium, athletic director Rick Villarreal can watch from his office window as his vision comes to life.

Now focus shifts to fund-raising for the new stadium, and with half of the $78 million being paid by student fees, UNT will look to alumni to help stir up support and donations.

The bulk of the work will fall on the shoulders of Cooper Jones, UNT’s new chairman of advancement. Jones spent the last three years at the University of Louisville as assistant athletic director for major developments/gifts. He will take over as the Mean Green’s senior fundraiser Monday.

“The stadium will be a nice front porch for the university,” Jones said. “We are going to be aggressive and target alumni and non-alumni who are passionate about football, and these will be our key contributors.”

Jones has more than a decade of experience in fundraising, and

he will face high expectations at UNT.

“He will have a big job ahead of him,” UNT President Gretchen Bataille said. “Cooper will be expected to turn that trend around and increase donor gifts to a high level.”

UNT plans to bring in money from stadium-naming rights, club seats, concessions and alumni contributions.

“Our goal is to raise both private and corporate funds,” said Diane Crane, UNT’s campaign director for the Division of Advancement. “Visibility is a strong motivator, and with the project taking shape, excitement is starting to build, which will only help with our fund-raising efforts.”

The new stadium will replace Fouts Field, which was built in 1952. The stadium has deterio-rated during the last decade, with stands that are falling apart and patch-work grandstands in each end zone.

“During my time here it has become harder and harder to be proud of Fouts Field,” Bataille said. “There are three A’s of a

great university: academic, arts and athletics, and this is an opportunity for us to upgrade all three.”

The new stadium has already had an impact on the football team’s recruiting, with the Mean Green adding 22 new recruits on Feb. 3.

“I am not naive enough to believe that our win-loss record has not had an impact on recruiting, but the thought of a new stadium has definitely helped grab the attention of some of these recruits,” head football coach Todd Dodge said.

It was nearly nine years ago that Villarreal was hired, and one of his first statements was a promise that UNT would have a new stadium. That idea was discarded by most, because it had been said before but never accomplished.

“Everyone kind of laughed and said, ‘I will believe when I see it,’” Villarreal said. “Now it is actu-ally happening, and it is so satis-fying to be able to look outside and know that we were able to accomplish something no one thought we could.”

BY MORGAN WALKER Senior Staff Writer

Denton Main Street will cele-brate 20 years as a Texas Main Street City at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Campus Theatre.

The ceremony will include speeches from members of the Texas Historical Commission and first lady of Texas, Anita Perry.

“Denton is very well-situ-ated in North Texas between Oklahoma and the Metroplex, and it has the two universities,” said Howard Langner, archi-tect for the Texas Historical Commission. “And it has a very strong Main Street organiza-tion.”

Main Street programs provide several kinds of benefits to local residents, one of which is funding.

Over time, Texas Main Street communities have taken in $2 billion in economic rein-vestment, created more than 25,000 local jobs and expanded or created more than 6,400 businesses in their Main Street

districts, according to its Web site.

The Texas Main Street office’s focus is on educating the local managers and the boards, teaching them how to get grants or gain access to technical exper-tise to receive funding at a local level, Langner said.

The program began in 1981

and includes 86 Texas Main Street programs representing more than 2.6 million people.

Perry will present a rendering of the many events that occur in Denton and explain how that has brought so many people to downtown and contributed to the revitalization of Denton, said Julie Glover, Economic Development Program adminis-trator for the Denton Main Street

program. “I assist businesses that are

coming into the area that are looking for a place to buy and offer help if they need business plans,” Glover said.

There are many things that separate Denton Main Street from other programs, Glover said.

“We have residents down-town, and that’s growing. We have a residential project that’s going in on South Locust,” Glover said. “It all makes the area more vibrant, not only for the people who live down here, but it also gives a reason for the people south of town to come up here.”

The Denton program began in 1989 and was designed to

preserve and market the down-town area as a community trea-sure, according to its Web site.

Denton does not have a specific “Main Street.” However, the Main Street area includes Carroll Boulevard to Bell Avenue and University Drive to Eagle Drive.

A reception at Vigne’s Wine and Delicatessen will follow the ceremony.

Justin Bright, 26, is a bartender at the wine shop.

“You get a small-town feel, but with the colleges you get a whole lot of diversity,” Bright said. “I also like that it’s detached from the Metroplex.”

Bright will be bartending for the reception at the wine shop and said he is looking forward to seeing the amount of busi-ness it will bring.

The Campus Theatre has never hosted the annual Denton Main Street event.

“We’re excited and it’s an honor to be a part of the ceremony,” said Mike Barrow, managing director of the theater.

NewsPage 2

Scott McBride, Rebecca Hoeffner & Melissa Boughton, News Editors ntdailynews@gmail.com

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Foundation works toward new shelterBY CHARLIE RALLStaff Writer

The grounds around the Denton Animal Shelter have deteriorated, leaving volunteers and staff to walk dogs in pits of mud.

Several Denton residents formed the Denton Animal Shelter Foundation in 2006 and came to an agreement with the ity of Denton in 2007 to build a new facility.

The estimated cost of the new building is $7 million. The foundation agreed to raise $3.2 million in donations and spon-sorship, and the city will pay the remaining cost.

“The shelter is falling down around us,” said Robert Sprabeary, an animal control officer at the shelter.

The current shelter was built in 1979, and animals are cramped into kennels and left with few places to play and exercise.

“The building is significantly aged and doesn’t lend itself to modern technology,” said Scott Fletcher, an ex-officio member on the foundation’s board of direc-tors. “A report done with the city and an architect said that it would be far more economical build a new shelter than it would be to fix the current one.”

The city purchased six acres of land in 2009 for the new shelter to be built on. The design plans indi-cate that the new building will be more than three times larger than the current shelter and will house more than 250 animals.

The foundation’s $3.2 million contribution will go toward a proposed on-site veterinary

clinic, play areas, cat porch and grooming room.

“The number of kennels that we have is inadequate for the number of animals we can take. We have 33 kennels for the 100 dogs here. There are 24 cat kennels and during the peak season we will have 40 to 50 cats,” said Sprabeary.

Animals being kept in close quarters like this can lead to the spread of disease and be harmful to mental health.

The current shelter is often forced to euthanize animals because of the lack of space, Sprabeary said.

“Right now we are trying to only euthanize based on the animal’s temperament and health, but other times of the year, space is the biggest factor,” he said.

The new shelter will provide enough space for animals to reduce the number euthanized and provide more adoption facil-ities.

“We want to change the process and image of the shelter to one where we have enough space to keep animals, so we’re not eutha-nizing animals because of a lack of space,” said Fletcher.

Amy Pelzer, a volunteer at the shelter, said she is excited about the new shelter but sees it as a far-off prospective.

“Just getting more space is a huge addition,” she said. “They’re trying to get a vet on site. Right now, we get a ton of dogs that have been hit by cars, are starving or hurt, and we can’t always help them. Most of all it will give the animals more of a chance at finding a new home.”

Visit dentonanimalshelterfoundation.com/paypal.htmPledge• One-time gift• General contribution•

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TRIO programs bene� t 1st generation students

Denton earns award for development

BY KRYSTLE CANTUStaff Writer

First-generation college-bound students will get the chance to learn more about UNT on Friday through the TRIO Transfer Day.

The UNT Office of Admissions is hosting the event from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Silver Eagle Suite, on the third floor of the University Union.

Attendees will get a tour of the university and learn about services offered, careers and degree plans. There will also be a panel of students speaking that are directly involved with the UNT branch of the TRIO program.

“I think students have an opportunity to see a university

and to get in contact directly with an admissions officer, or with the TRIO program at the university,” said Jasiel Perez, the associate director of admissions.

“That way when they get to the university, they’ll have a support system. That’s why it’s a little more beneficial than just taking a campus tour.”

TRIO is a series of federally funded programs geared toward students with a low income who come from parents who do not have degrees. Neither parent can have a college degree for the student to qualify.

The programs help provide students with resources to find scholarships or other sources of financial aid. However, the

program does not pay students any money. They serve 800 to 900 thousand students across the U.S.

Students from similar back-grounds that participate in the college-level programs offered by TRIO are more than twice as likely to remain in college than those who do not, said Lethia White, assistant director to the Student Support Services Discovery Program.

“It helps students, if they take advantage of the program like they should,” she said. “It’s here. It’s free. It takes your time, but that’s what school is all about. You’ve got to study and learn study skills, but it’s very worth-while, I think.”

Armando Portillo, a rehabili-tation studies senior and TRIO member who also tutors for the program, said he likes the personal tutoring environment of the program.

“I just think they tried to provide that friendly environ-ment with everyone,” he said. “I think students feel more comfortable with that because they’re not as scared to ask ques-tions about certain things.”

The program has six levels starting with the middle-school level talent search to the college-level student support services, which serves around 250 students per year. Members are offered weekly free one-on-one tutoring sessions, as well as

counseling, mentoring and other forms of academic support.

There’s also a program for members who intend to get a doctoral degree, called the Ronald E. McNair Program.

Perez also said it’s a comfort for students in the program to meet other members already established here at UNT.

“They meet the people of the same group, and they feel closer to the campus,” he said.

White said students almost feel like a family when they connect to these programs.

“It’s big family of students and a big family of professionals,” she said. “We’re out there, and we’ve been around for awhile.”

Portillo said he likes how the program reaches out to students in need.

“A lot of students who go through TRIO programs have often had hardships in their lives, and just have gone through

things that a lot of people don’t think about,” he said. “To just be provided with resources on how to find scholarships, they provide you with so many Web sites and so many people you can talk to help pay for college and help pay for books and maybe even help you find a job after-wards.”

Student members get to partic-ipate in events held throughout the year. The programs are free to join, as long as the require-ments are met.

TRIO also caters to students with disabilities.

TRIO center members at community colleges from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and other parts of Texas are attending.

Interested students can apply online at www.ivytech.edu/fortwayne/trio/faq.html or by picking up an application from the TRIO center at Wooten Hall 361.

Justin Bright, 26, will bartend at Vigne Wine Shop and Delicatessen for a reception following the Denton Main Street ceremony.PHOTO BY MORGAN WALKER/SENIOR STAFF WRITER

“We’re excited and it’s an honor to be a part of the ceremony.”

—Mike BarrowManaging director of the Campus Theatre

“When I get a chance to perform in front of an audience, I usually take it because it’s so fun for me,” Black said.

Mark Packer, chairperson of the Fine Art Series, said the committee members chose the comedian to speak at UNT because they thought students would respond to him and his comedy.

Because the program usually brings classical musicians, dance troupes and authors to the events, Packer said Black would be a good change of pace for the program.

“Michael Ian Black is one of the more contemporary artists that we’ve brought forward in the past two or three years,” Packer said. “I’m feeling like everyone else and really looking forward to his performance.”

Black is writing more books for his children to add to the two he has already published and has yet another humorous

personal book on its way.When asked about his tele-

vision career, Black said he would like to do more VH1 “I Love…” shows and hopes to do another season of, “Michael and Michael Have Issues.”

“If that gets picked up, we’ll do one of those, and if not, I’ll be looking for a custodial job in Denton,” he said.

A m a n d a R a v o t t i , a psychology freshman, said she is looking forward to going with a group of her friends to see Black speak tonight.

“Michael Ian Black is a pretty funny, quirky guy. I think he has a really different outlook on things,” Ravotti said.

AVATAR 3D |PG13 11:00AM | 2:30 | 6:15 | 9:45 DEAR JOHN |PG13 11:15AM | 2:00 | 4:45 | 7:30 | 10:15

THE WOLFMAN |R 12:30 | 3:45 | 7:00 | 10:00 |12:30AM VALENTINE’S DAY |PG13 12:00 | 3:15 | 6:30 | 9:30

Showtimes valid for Fri 2-12

The Jerkweekend

of 2/11

February is Mardi Gras month at

Public House! All new cajun menu

for the entire month of February!

Public House Now Delivers!

Drink Specials Every NightJoin us for Lunch from 11-3pm and

get 20% off your food purchase with Student I.D. (Dine-in Only.)

TEXT your order to (940) 257-5950,or CALL it in at (940) 323-9800

COME PARTY WITH THE PUBLIC HOUSE

THURSDAYTwo tons of Steel with High School Caesar @ The Boiler RoomBrandon Nerell, Phantom Caste @ Andy’s BarBruce Robinson, Charlie Shafter @ Dan’s SilverleafStoney LaRue LIVE! W/ Brandon Jenkins @ Rockin RodeoStew! , Drink To Victory, Captain Incredible @ Rubber GlovesCollege Nite w/ 11 Dollars @ The GarageThe Craziest Party In North Texas @ RBarSundown Theater, Texas First Lady Tour of Denton Square @ Hydrant CafeCollege Night @ Electric Cowboy

FRIDAYGrimy Styles / Hatch @ The Boiler RoomYoung Indian Outlaw, Aimee Bobruk (Austin, TX), Lindales @ Andy’s BarVic Chesnutt Tribute @ Dan’s SilverleafSeryn, Western giants, Baruch the Scribe, Mark Apel and The Ghosts @Hailey’s ClubGirls Night Out! @ Rockin RodeoJoe Jack Talcum (The Dead Milkmen), Lord Grunge (Grand Buffet), TheBassturd, Dj Jester The Filipino Fist @ Rubber GlovesJason Moore @ The GarageJoseph Veazie LIVE! W/ Joseph Somers-Morales & Dylan DeAnda @ RBarSundown Theater @ Hydrant CafeGirls Night Out! @ Electric Cowboy

SATURDAYJohn Cowan Band (former New Grass Revival) / Boxcar Bandits / A.M.Ramblers and more... @ The Boiler RoomCocky Americans, Lazy Native, Frankenfetus @ Andy’s BarPolly Maynard Valentine Show, Mingo Fishtrap @ Dan’s SilverleafSnarky Puppy @ Hailey’s ClubF#$@ Valentines Day - Its Mardi-Gras!!!/ The Stampede @ Rockin RodeoBroadcast Sea, Swedish Teens, Stymie, Last Of The Interceptors,Kanganomicon @ Rubber GlovesBen Cina @ The GarageSinful Saturday’s @ RBarSundown Theater, Chocolate Tasting! @ Hydrant CafeBiggest party in North Texas! @ Electric Cowboy

SUNDAYDJ Cupid @ Dan’s SilverleafRJD2, Kenan Bell, Happy Chichster @ Hailey’s ClubSundown Theater @ Hydrant CafeSing and Swing Night @ Electric Cowboy

MONDAYMovie Night @ Andy’s BarPaul Slavens @ Dan’s SilverleafKevin formerly of Evan’s Blue @ The Garage

TUESDAYFAT 2UESDAY 90’s Night @ Hailey’s CMike Eli Acoustic @ Rockin RodeoCollege Prayer @ Hydrant CafeKick Ass Karaoke! @ RBar

WEDNESDAY -XS- Too Much Is Never Enough @ Rockin Rodeo50 Cent wells w/11 Dollars @ The GarageGlen Farris & Stephen Gordon @ Hydrant CafeMid Week Madness @ Electric Cowboy

Entertainment Listings

Do you have a story idea?Call us today!

(940) 565-2851

Two Tons of Steel

Grimmy Styles John Cowan

Band

ThursdayFebruary 11

FridayFebruary 12

SaturdayFebruary 13

CINEMARK AT DENTON - SHOWING FRIDAY

*Adult Evening $8.00 *Adult Fri/Sat $8.25 *Child/Senior $6.25 *Adult matinee before 6 p.m. $6.25 *Student w/ID $6.50

CRAZY HEART - CinéArts (R: I.D. Required)

11:55am 2:45pm 5:25pm 8:05pm 10:45pm

PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF

(PG) 11:30am 1:00pm 2:30pm 4:00pm 5:30pm 7:00pm 8:30pm 10:00pm

THE WOLFMAN (R: I.D. Required)

12:05pm 1:25pm 2:50pm 4:05pm 5:20pm 6:50pm 8:00pm 9:25pm 10:40pm

VALENTINE’S DAY (PG-13)

11:35am 1:10pm 2:40pm 4:10pm 5:40pm 7:10pm 8:40pm 10:05pm

AVATAR - REAL D 3D (PG-13)

11:45am 3:15pm 6:40pm 10:10pm

DEAR JOHN (PG-13)

11:20am 2:05pm 4:40pm 7:20pm 10:15pm

EDGE OF DARKNESS (R: I.D. Required)4:20pm 10:35pm

FROM PARIS WITH LOV E (R: I.D. Required)

11:25am 1:50pm 4:15pm 6:55pm 9:30pm

LEGION (R: I.D. Required)

10:20pm

THE BLIND SIDE (PG-13)

1:15pm 7:25pm

THE BOOK OF ELI (R: I.D. Required)4:25pm 10:30pm

THE LOVELY BONES (PG-13)

1:05pm 7:30pm

TOOTH FAIRY (PG)

11:40am 2:15pm 4:45pm 7:35pm

WHEN IN ROME (PG-13)

11:50am 2:35pm 5:05pm 7:50pm 10:25pm

Arts & Life Page 3

Amber Arnold, Arts & Life Editor ntdailylife@gmail.com

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Comedian, actor to bring the laughs to UNTBY GRACIELA RAZOSenior Staff Writer

With a straight face, pop-culture jabs and dry humor, comedian and actor Michael Ian Black is bringing his stand-up comedy to UNT.

The Comedy Central and VH1 comedian will give students a chance to sit back and take a break from the stress of school. Black will perform at 8 p.m. tonight in Winspear Hall as part of the Fine Arts Series.

Black began his career in comedy when he helped launch the comedy sketch troupe “The State” during his time studying acting at New York University. The troupe went on to become a TV show by the same name and aired on MTV for two years. However, Black said the tran-sition from acting student to television personality did not come easily.

“A lot of t imes, I think comedy doesn’t suit me. I don’t

think comedy comes naturally to me,” Black said. “I couldn’t tell people how to be funny because I don’t really know myself how to be funny most of the time.”

The comedian is widely known for appearing on VH1’s “I Love …” decade shows where he provides commentary about past decades’ most popular music, movies and pop culture phenomena.

Black and Michael Showalter, his college friend and fellow comedian also wrapped up the first season of their Comedy Central show, “Michael and Michael Have Issues,” and are waiting to see if it will be picked up again.

But no matter what the project is, Black keeps his signa-ture straight face while giving all of his punch lines.

“For me, personally, I guess I just don’t like when comedians laugh at their own jokes, so it’s

Comedian, actor, and writer Michael Ian Black will be performing in Winspear Hall at the Murchison Performing Arts Center tonight at 8 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH SCHRECKENGAUST

a creative, aesthetic decision more than anything else,” Black said. “I don’t find myself partic-ularly amusing, so it’s not hard to keep a straight face.”

Black does not frequent comedy clubs or tour often, so

he began doing campus tours to reach a different group of fans.

He said it is usually harder to make student audiences laugh because they are not always on his side from the beginning.

To read the Q-and-A with Michael Ian Bl ack , pick up Friday’s issue of the NT Daily to read the ‘Scene.’

ViewsPage 4 Thursday, February 11, 2010

Josh Pherigo, Views Editor ntdailyviews@gmail.com

A few years back, as states started getting nervous about No Child Left Behind holding them responsible for their students meeting their states’ educational standards, offi-cials started f iddling with their collars and asking for more breathing room, even a weakening of standards.

Now comes the Obama administration, and Education Secretar y Arne Duncan is f loating the idea of giving up on the law’s goal of seeing how many students in each school are making significant progress each year. He also has suggested Congress give up the goal of children being proficient in their subjects by 2014, calling it “utopian.”

If the administration has its way with these two changes, let’s be honest: Our nation will be giving up on kids, espe-cial ly the many poor and minority children stuck in failing schools.

We will be saying, “We don’t think you can learn at grade level, and we don’t think we should ask you to achieve at an academic rate that will

prepare you for a complicated world.”

That’s the hard, cold reality. So if we decide to go down that road, let’s be realistic about what we are doing.

Now, that said, there are certainly ways and places to improve No Child Left Behind, which was passed nine years ago with overwhelming bipar-tisan majorities in both houses of Congress. No law is sacred, and there are ways to improve this one.

Here are a few:Allow states to show prog-

ress with their students, even if not all are proficient. In short, let them distinguish between the improving ones and the terrible ones.

That’s called “differenti-ated consequences,” and it’s a concept that former President George W. Bush’s Education Secretary Margaret Spellings used to let states show they were making progress, just not enough. The idea allows schools to keep working with struggling students without being put on a black list.

Make sure each state’s stan-

dards prepare kids to grad-uate from high school with the skills for either a good trade job or college. Duncan talks about college and career readiness being a new goal, so pursue it, as Texas did in adopting a new school accountability system in 2009.

But let’s be specific about what these terms mean and what we expect kids to do to earn t hat recognit ion. Fuzziness will not help them compete in a world where other nations are rushing to become the next global economic powers.

Give states more money to improve low-performing campuses. This is a no-brainer, as long as the concept is more money and strong standards. If it is more money and less accountability, this reform will make no sense.

Extend the date that states must have t heir students learning at grade level. The 2014 goal was good because it let states take their entering kindergarteners in 2002, when the law kicked in, and get them to grade level by the time they

walked across the stage to collect high school diplomas in 2014.

If Duncan and Congress believe that’s too difficult, kick it back a few years. Just don’t give up on it.

Duncan talked about some of these changes in a recent New York Times article, but he offered few details. Evidently, he thinks that’s something he and Congress will work on over the next few months.

W hat we need to hea r are those details. This isn’t about No Child per se, but the concepts in the landmark bill.

If there’s a way to build on the idea of measuring students annually and seeing whether they are being left behind, let’s do it. But if that’s not what’s going on here, let’s be honest with the students in Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago and everyplace else.

William McKenzie is an editorial columnist for The Dallas Morning News. He can be reached at wmckenzie@dallasnews.com.

The Editorial Board includes: Shaina Zucker, Josh Pherigo, Rebecca Hoeffner, T.S. McBride, Melissa Boughton, Amber Arnold, Kip Mooney, Abigail Allen, Sydnie Summers, Brianne Tolj, Clinton Lynch, Justin Umberson, and David Williams.

Want to be heard?The NT Daily does not necessari-ly endorse, promote or agree with the viewpoints of the columnists on this page. The content of the columns is strictly the opinion of the writers and in no way re-flects the belief of the NT Daily.

The NT Daily is proud to present a variety of ideas and opinions from readers in its Views section. As such, we would like to hear from as many NT readers as possible. We invite readers of all creeds and back-grounds to write about whichever issue excites them, whether concerning politics, local issues,

ethical questions, philosophy, sports and, of course, anything exciting or controversial.Take this opportunity to make your voice heard in a widely read publication. To inquire about column ideas, submit columns or letters to the editor, send an e-mail to ntdailyviews@gmail.com

Note to Our Readers

NT Daily Editorial Board

Bataille resignation puzzles UNT community

Beliefs come from life experience

Editorial

{{

Campus ChatWhy did you decide to come to

UNT?

“It’s close to home.”

“I’m a master’s student and there’s only nine programs in the nation for my major,

and it was the closest to home.”

UNT President Gretchen Bataille announced her resig-nation Wednesday evening, in an email addressed to the “UNT community.”

In the letter, Bataille stated her desire to directly commu-nicate with the people she said she viewed as her “friends and colleagues” during her three-and-a-half-year tenure. She said she expected the Board of Regents to accept her letter of resignation and that it will then go into effect Feb. 28.

It gave no explanation as to the reasoning behind her sudden mid-semester departure — a departure that, given her enthusiastic and successful tenure thus far, can be char-acterized as highly unusual.

If the Board of Regents accepts her resignation Friday, a puzzled campus will then begin the search for a new person to take the reins.

In her relatively short time at UNT, Bataille has made a positive and widespread impact on a university she said she hoped she could help “take to new heights.”

The editorial board believes she has done just that. The University of North Texas became a better institution

under the leadership of Bataille, and her departure leaves a noticeable void.

As its first female president, Bataille ambitiously drove UNT to reach achievements that set it on the path to become more than a regional university.

Enrollment has continued to increase each of the past three years, and more importantly, so have retention rates. More transfer students, military veterans and graduate students are flocking to Denton than ever before.

Outside research award funding has risen by 60 percent since she took office and her Undergraduate Research Initiative will help bring national prominence to UNT as it strives to become a Tier One research institution.

Her commitment to sustainability embodies the spirit of the university’s environmentally friendly atmosphere. The Mean Green football team will soon play games in a stadium that reflects that commitment to green living. At the urging of Bataille, the stadium will be built under an initiative that is designed to meet the highest standards of LEED Gold certification.

Throughout the countless other infrastructure expansion projects and added programs, there have been no signs to suggest that Bataille’s leadership has done anything but improve the quality of education at this university.

On Friday, the Board of Regents will consider her resigna-tion. Until then, students are left to wonder why a promising and innovative leader’s term was cut so drastically short. Take Action

Student Government President Dakota Carter said he urges students wishing to express their opinions to speak about this issue at the Friday meeting.

The Board of Regents February meeting will be held at 8 a.m. Friday on the UNT Dallas Campus at 7300 Houston School Road., Room 262. Those who wish to speak should e-mail the board secretary, Julia Boyce, to get a spot on the agenda. Her e-mail is Julia.Boyce@unt.edu.

Every individual has his or her own set of beliefs, moral code and values. This country affords us the freedom to choose our own religion, and while I am devout in my beliefs, I do feel that a person should be allowed that choice. I do not force my beliefs on others and do not judge others for theirs.

Religion is a topic that often leads to disagreement and debate, so before those disagreements lead to angry words and hate, let me clarify my point: I wanted to take an opportunity to try to build understanding and accep-tance.

I am often asked by non-believers, how do I know God exists? While I will not debate the majority who only wish to insult the most important

thing in my life, I would like to share my story to help build a better understanding of my beliefs.

Non-believers will often make the argument that as Christians we are conditioned to believe by our parents and that we have no real reason to believe. I have always believed in God, but I was not taken to church as a child and my parents never spoke to me about God.

My parents divorced when I was 18-months-old, and while I was supposed to see my father every other weekend, he rarely made the effort. My mother was a narcissistic alcoholic. She was a verbally, emotion-ally and physically abusive person.

When I was 8, my father

committed suicide. After he selfishly took his own life, my grandfather became the most important person in my life, but he died of cancer a little more than a year later. I will not pretend to have the worst child-hood ever, because I am sure that I had it good compared to some, but my relationship with God got me through the hardest days.

So, how do I know that God exists?

Because I am still breathing, because I am still functioning, because I am happy, and because I understand how to love others and put their inter-ests above my own. I have a wife and son of my own now, and what I went through helped teach me how to be a great husband and father.

When I was all alone, when I was lost and afraid, when I was at my weakest, God found me and he saved my life.

Eric Johnson is a journalism senior and a sports writer for the North Texas Daily. He can be reached at EricJohnson3@my.unt.edu.

Jonathan CramerSociology senior

Lakiesha Henderson Gerontology grad student

Fix No Child Left Behind, don’t end it

{“I just wanted new scenery because I’m from Austin.”

Sara Sonstein Social work sophomore

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SportsPage 6 Thursday, February 11, 2010

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� e Script: Mean Green basketball players become aware of their roles

BY SEAN GORMANSenior Staff Writer

After starting eight different lineups over the course of this season, it seems like the UNT men’s basketball team has finally found a starting five with the chemistry and cohe-sion it needs to win.

With head coach Johnny Jones staying with the same g roup in UNT’s last f ive games, the Mean Green has responded well, winning four of those contests against some of the Sun Belt Conference’s best teams.

The process of f inding an identity for your team is always difficult, but the Mean Green players have started to understand and embrace their roles as the conference tournament sits less than a month away.

“We’ve had some growing pains this year because of injuries and new additions,” senior forward Eric Tramiel said. “With all the new guys we’ve added it took some time to figure out where we’d all fit in, but I think we are more familiar with our roles now.”

Junior guards Josh White,

Tristan Thompson a n d S h a n n o n Shorter continue to play better with one another while s en ior f or w a r d Eric Tramiel and j u n i o r c e n t e r George Odufuwa are threats to post a double-double every night.

The best indi-cation of the first team beginning to gel came when the starters provided all the Mean Green points in a surprising over-t ime w in against Western Kentucky.

“Personally, I’ve become more comfortable as the year has gone on,” Shorter said. “I think the same can be said for a lot of my teammates.”

As White has focused on distributing the ball with 3.8 assists per game, Thompson has thrived, scoring in double figures in 15-straight games and averaging 19 points per game against Sun Belt compe-tition.

Shor ter cont r ibutes on all ends with 6.6 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game while Tramiel has aver-aged over 15 points per game since returning from a wrist injury.

“T here a re plenty of goals I have for this tea m for t he next couple of years,” Shorter s a id . “I f w e continue to play as well with one another, there’s a good chance that they could happen.”

It has been an outstanding

year for Odufuwa, who leads the Sun Belt Conference with 10.4 rebounds per game while providing offense with 11.4 points per game.

“ I ’ v e r e a l l y e n j o y e d competing with the guys that are around me,” Odufuwa said. “They give me an oppor-tunity to play my best every game.”

Hav ing four of the f ive starters score in double figures every night makes the Mean Green give enough balance to cause matchup problems with any opponent.

As the starters have found their place, the bench players have been just as crit ical, bailing out the Mean Green on several occasions.

“This is the deepest bench I have ever played with in my career,” White said. “Our

bench players can come in and there really is no drop off.”

The reserve players showed their merit last week against Florida Atlantic when they were able to end a 17-6 run after Jones replaced all five starters with them.

Players like junior guards Richard Thomas and Collin Ma ng r u m have cont r ib-uted after getting chances to start earlier in the year and freshmen Alzee Williams and Jacob Holman have honed their talents as the season has gone on.

While defensive specialists Mangrum and Williams harass players around the perimeter, Thomas and Holman can be counted on to score and junior forward Cameron Spencer is able to eat up minutes when replacing the sometimes foul-prone Tramiel.

The successful Mean Green basketball teams of the past used a handful of players off its deep bench along with its starting five to help hurt the opponent in a myriad of ways.

Now having more stability in the starting lineup and off the bench, UNT has the talent to be one of those triumphant teams that Mean Green fans remember.

Opinion

Sean Gorman

Delta Devils are Mean Green so� ball team’s � rst test

UNT outlasts Privateers, ends losing streak

Freshman Ravven Brown works against South Alabama’s defense earlier this season. UNT defeated New Orleans 70-64 last night on the road.

PHOTO BY RYAN BIBB/PHOTOGRAPHER

BY FELICIA ALBAStaff Writer

The UNT softball team’s season swings into action today at 4 p.m.today in Itta Bena, Miss., against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils.

The Delta Devils have won the Southwestern Athletic Conference six-consecutive years, while the Mean Green posted a 26-28 record in 2009.

“We are definitely prepared for them offensively,” head coach T.J. Hubbard said. “It should be a good game, [MVS has] a quality ball program.”

The Delta Devils also have four members who were named to the SWAC preseason confer-ence team.

However Hubbard said he isn’t fazed by the many acco-lades of the other team and is confident in his team’s abili-ties.

The Mean Green was picked by the coaches to finish fifth

of the nine teams in the Sun Belt.

Junior inf ielder Mallor y

Cantler and junior outfielder Mariza Martinez were both named to the 2010 preseason

All-Sun Belt team. These two selections are the most the program has ever had.

“It’s nice to have people think that of you,” Cantler said. “I want to live up to those expectations and not off them.”

Ca nt ler a nd Ma r t i nez were pivotal members of last season’s team, with Cantler breaking the school’s batting average record and Martinez performing equally well by being named to the Louisville Slugger/NFC A A l l-Centra l Region First Team, a first in school history.

Hubbard said he is looking forward to this season and expects the team to take a step up from last year because of the experience the players are bringing back

“We have a bit of a different approach this season, and this time we expect to be in the conference championship game,” Hubbard said.

Adding to the mix of this year’s team are newcomers,

who include two new pitchers who Hubbard describes as talented.

With this new addition, the team is up to five pitchers, making the offensive game strong.

Senior utility player Rebecca Wa t e r s , a not he r pl a y e r Hubbard said he expects a lot of, is excited for the first game and season.

“We have been preparing for this,” Waters said. “We are excited to do our best,”

Setting the bar for the rest of the season, the Mean Green scheduled its opening against a team that has an experienced coaching staff who has won in the postseason.

Despite what the Delta Devils have accomplished in the past, the Mean Green players do not lack confi-dence.

“We are fired up and ready to go,” Cantler said.

PHOTO BY RYAN BIBB/FILE

Junior Mallory Cantler connects with a pitch against Northern Oklahoma College. UNT begins its season tonight.

BY BEN BABYStaff Writer

In what turned out to be a slugfest to the end, the UNT women’s basketba l l tea m na r row ly defeated the New Orleans Privateers 70-64 Wednesday night at the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans.

The v ictor y against the Privateers (9-16, 3-11) snaps the Mean Green’s (7-18, 4-10) four-game losing streak, and it is the second road victory for the team this season.

“I thought we had improved performance,” head coach Shanice Stephens said. “I thought we got off to a great start. We were just a little bit nonchalant when we got there. I want them to be intense and be able to demolish teams.”

Freshman forward Jasmine Godbolt held the torch for the Mean Green. Godbolt tied her career high in points with 19. She also added eight

rebounds. Godbolt, who fouled out late in the second half, is one rebound shy of tying the school’s freshman record of 202, set by Talicia Sanders in 2004-2005.

The Mean Green stormed out of the locker room, scoring the game’s first 12 points. But the team went cold, scoring 15 points in the final 16 minutes of the first half. UNO used a 23-4 run to not only get back in the game, but also to take a one-point lead at halftime.

After both teams made big runs early in the second half, the two squads went bucket-for-bucket down the stretch. In the final three minutes of the game, the Mean Green outscored the Lady Privateers 8-2. Defensively, the Mean Green was solid toward the end, forcing three crit ical Privateer turnovers.

“The game was close the whole game,” senior guard Brittany James said. “We

started off really good, but kind of let them come back.”

The team had a choice to make, she said.

“We had t wo opt ions : We could either give up or keep pushing and try to get the win,” James said. “We never try to give up. We just kept pushing, kept tr y ing to execute, stepped up our defense, and it paid off.”

Coming into the game, free-throw shooting was a hand-icap for the Mean Green, shooting 62 percent from the free-throw line.

St e ph e n s’ s q u a d w a s solid against the Privateers, shooting 75 percent for the entire game. In the final 20 minutes, the Mean Green was superb in that category, going 21-23 from the line, or 91 percent.

Freshman guard Rav ven Brown was inserted into the starting lineup with freshman guard Caitlin Hawkins moving

to the shooting guard position. It was the fourth time that Brown has been in the starting lineup, with her last start on Dec. 28 against Missouri.

Brown, who was battling a stomach virus, scored seven points but was clutch down the stretch, going 3-4 from the free-throw-line. Brown also forced a steal in the closing seconds that put the game away.

“That steal she had at the end of the game was huge because it was a give-or-take game right then, and when she stole they had to foul us,” Stephens said. “I thought she played really inspired and played well for us at the point guard.”

The Mean Green will try to carry the momentum from New Orleans to Denton, when it will have a tough three-game home stretch that starts at 5 p.m. Saturday against Denver on the road.

To view a Mean Green Sports chat with the North Texas Daily sports section, visit ntdaily.com.