Ashley Miller
Assistant Editor

Intramural Softball/Flag Football Four-plex ( Estimated $7.0 – $7.9 million)

• Allows for continued growth of intramural softball and flag football
• Provides space for large campus events

Recreation, Leisure and Parking ( Estimated $1.5 – $1.8 million)

• Includes outdoor basetball and sand volleyball courts, running trails, excercise equipment, gazebo, performing arts amphittheater, park and cookout areas, Frisbee golf, restrooms and open green space
• The complex also includes additional parking areas

Track & Field Stadium/Football Practice Field ( Estimated $3.0 – $4.1 million)

• Meets the needs of the new WT Track & Field program, scheduled to begin full completion in the fall or spring of 2009
• Serves as the practice field for football and the WT marching band
• Seating for 1200 – 1500
• Artificial surface eliminates need for two football practice fields

Baseball Stadium ( Estimated $2.0 – $2.7 million)

• Seating for 800 – 1000
• Allows the WT baseball team to pracitce and play on campus
• Can also be used for outdoor concerts, flag football and soccer

Softball Stadium ( Estimated $1.5 – $1.9 million)

• Seating for 800 – 1000
• Lighting for evening activities

Soccer Complex ( Estimated $2.5 – $3.2 million)

• Two fields for the men’s and women’s soccer teams
• Seating for 800
• Allows Recreational sports to add intramural soccer

Proposed Two-Step Increase

STEP ONE:
Add $5 per SCH on the Intercollegiate Athletics Fee, capped at 12 hours per semester, beginning of 2009 – 2010

• $60 MORE PER SEMESTER

STEP TWO:
An additional $5 increase per SCH, capped at 12 hours per semester, beginning in the fall or spring of 2010

• $60 MORE PER SEMESTER

Total increase over two years:

• $120 PER SEMESTER

Proposed Student Center Complex Fee

• $6 per SCH
• $72 MORE PER SEMESTER

The Recreational Sports Complex Referendum and Jack B. Kelly expansion will have WTAMU students paying an additional $132 per semester in Intercollegiate Athletics Fee and the Student Center Complex Fee and $408 over the course of two years.
WT students can vote for the proposed two-step increase next Tuesday, Nov. 18 and Wednesday, Nov. 19.

A Town Hall Meeting will be held Thursday, Nov. 13 at 11:30 a.m. in the JBK Commons to discuss the proposed fees.

“I love the proposed sports complex because the current football facilities are sub-par for our University and those upgrades will greatly increase the talent of our recruiting classes making us more successful on the field,” Michael Zoch, sophomore mechanical engineering major and WT offensive linesman said.

The Intercollegiate Athletic Fee was originally aimed to tack on another $120 per semester, but was then broken down to the proposed two-step increase.

Step one will add $5 per semester credit hour on the Intercollegiate Athletic Fee beginning in either fall or spring of 2009, making it $60 more a semester for students taking 12 credit hours.

Step two is exactly the same idea except that it will be begin in either fall or spring of 2010.

“The complex acts as a product to sale to prospective athletes entering the stage of their lives about making a college or university decision,” Zoch said. “ It would also improve the appearance of our campus, making it more modern and attractive to the eyes.”

Kirstin Wandling, junior elementary education major, said that the new complex will help the future of the University and there will definitely be more students that start coming to WT.

The projected cost for the Recreational Sports Complex Referendum is $21.6 million.

“It will definitely allow people to improve their quality of life through various physical activities and making it open to the community gives everyone a right to enjoy the facilities,” Zoch said. “It would also increase the level of people or students participating in recreational sports.”

The University also has plans for a new Athletics Fieldhouse, which is not included in the Recreational Sports Complex Referendum.

The Athletics Fieldhouse will replace the old North Physical Education building and will hold a weight room, training room, locker rooms, meeting rooms and other services for intercollegiate athletics.

Estimated at $15 million, the Athletics Fieldhouse is not a part of this upcoming fee proposal.

Though many students have high hopes for the new sports facility, some think it is unnecessary.

“I think that the new complex will raise tuition too much and I don’t think we need it,” Shawn Renaud, junior mechanical engineering major, said. “I’m sure it will be cool, but I don’t know if it’s necessary.”

The Recreational Sports Complex will provide WT students with more intramural sports and outdoor events opportunities.

The new facility will also be comprised of park areas, running trails, outdoor basketball and volleyball courts and lighted open fields.

All of the open green areas and fields will be artificial turf, which reduces injuries and saves up to 20 million gallons of water per year.

Renaud said that once the new complex is complete that he would not use it because there are already parts of the current athletics facility that he does not use.

Wandling disagrees.

“I don’t think Canyon has a place like this that has running trails,Wandling said. “It will be a great benefit to the community.”

The other fee that students will vote on is the Student Center Complex Fee that will increase to $6 per semester hour.

Currently, students are paying $30 for this fee, but with the new JBK site plan students would pay $72 per semester.

The University also wants the JBK to be equipped with more meeting rooms, a student lounge, lobby, multi-purpose room, catering kitchen and patio.

“I’m not as excited about the JBK as much as I am on the sports center,” Wandling said. “They haven’t even finished the Classroom Center and I think we already have a multi-purpose room that doesn’t seem to get that much use.”

The proposed multi-purpose room will accommodate 300 people and hold various events and meetings such as concerts, receptions, lectures, career fairs and many other programs.

The proposed JBK expansion will cost roughly $5.7 million and be a 22,700 square-foot development.

“I think it will look good as an upgrade to the campus, but I’m not sure how useful it will be,” Zoch said.

On top of the estimated $5.7 million for construction, the JBK will also need $351,650 for furnishing and equipment.

When the two proposals are added together it is estimated at $27,651,650 in total construction and furnishing costs.

“Students are already paying five figures for school a year so what’s another $132 bucks a semester,” Zoch said.

Considerable amounts for funding will come from outside donors, but the funding will primarily be through student fees.

“The student fees don’t bother me,” Wandling said. “Over the grand scheme of things it will benefit the University and will be a place to say I’m proud of.”

In a place of higher education, educators are being formed.

The College of Education and Social Sciences is broken up into three academic departments.

Those departments are the department of education, the department of political science and criminal justice and the department of psychology, sociology and social work.

“My students can expect to be prepared to teach hands-on, minds-on science for all children,” Dr. Ashley Campbell said. “They will explore teaching methods and strategies from selected topics in life science, physical science, earth science and space science guided by the most current research in science education.”

According to the WTAMU web site, the College of Education and Social Sciences is committed to ensuring students with opportunities to succeed in their academic, extracurricular, social and civic endeavors.

“This college has helped me to make sure I get my priorities straight and focus on my degree,” Lauren Mackey, junior special education major said. “It has me thinking long-term.”

With 2,111 students, the college also offers 67 baccalaureate programs and 18 masters’ programs.

The Department of Education offers a teacher education program which is designed to prepare students to become educators.

“We give them lots of opportunities and teaching skills,” Campbell said. “This also prepares them for student teaching.”

Student teaching is where students get to implement and practice educational theories and gain hands-on experience.
After completion of a bachelor’s degree, students can gain their teaching certificate.

“The college benefits the University by being educators and investing in the future of the Panhandle,” Campbell said. “Our faculty is so willing to go the extra mile to invest in our students.”

The College of Education and Social Sciences also offers extracurricular activities.

Among those are the Future Educators Society, advised by Dr. Amy Anderson and the National Science Teacher’s Association, advised by Campbell.

The NSTA recently had a guest speaker from Wildcat Bluff.

It is important that students know how to utilize the resources, Campbell said.

The college has adopted a “Go Global” initiative as a service-learning module.

Go Global is open to both undergraduate and graduate students who want to experience international opportunities and broaden their horizons.

Students typically travel for two weeks over the summer and enhance their awareness.

“I like how the teachers really care about the students,” Mackey said. “The professors are very personable and look for the best in us.”

The College of Education and Social Sciences continues to strive each day.

“I have wonderful colleagues and our students are great,” Campbell said. “The day to day interaction is very motivating.”

The WTAMU Graduate School is designed to help students further their education.

“The Graduate school is a dynamic and ever-growing enterprise intent on meeting the needs of students and the region,” Dr. Timothy Atchison, interim dean of the graduate school and research, said.

There are currently 52 graduate programs and one Ph.D. in systems agriculture.

Most of these programs run between 36-42 hours beyond the undergraduate degree.

“There’s a lot of variety,” Atchison said. “You get to see a little of how things work together and also what we’re providing for the students.”

The programs range from professional to more science or research based.

“Whether it’s animal science looking at better ways to manage herd cattle or whether it’s wildlife biology looking at the population of animals in the region, these programs are exciting things,” Atchison said. “In many of these programs, students are going to go on to the Ph.D. or are looking at getting professional degrees.”

Some of these programs have more than one track or emphasis area.

“Graduate students participate in various research projects and a certain amount of them are the lead person.” Atchison said. “They’re the ones taking the lead and are going to be the ones that run the projects.”

In order to become involved with the WT graduate school, you must apply for admission.

According to the WT Web site, applicants must either take the appropriate standardized test, which is known as the Graduate Record Exam or the Graduate Management Assessment test or have a confirmation number to take the test before enrolling in any graduate courses.

If the GRE or the GMAT score exceeds the 50th percentile in one or more categories and a student has an undergraduate GPA between 3.0 – 4.0, that student will be granted admission.

“I would recommend taking the GRE or GMAT before applying,” Atchison said. “It helps out and becomes much more beneficial to the application process.”