Fall Semester
By: Roy Ryder
Dr. Mortvedt's lasers are powerful but harmless.
While most people are content to enjoy the four dimensions we all enjoy, people like Dr. Nancy Mortvedt want more. Dr. Mortvedt is a visiting professor from the University of Vienna and is currently teaching upper-level classes in the ETU Physics Department. Students may not know her, but most have seen part of her latest experiment in the multiple green laser beams aimed at the sky each night from the Physics building.
“Most people know me as the one who makes the light show each night,” laughs Dr. Mortvedt. “The lasers are pretty, but they have a purpose.”
Dr. Mortvedt is the leading proponent of a radical theory among astrophysicists that postulates that the universe is not consistent, but instead has areas where the standard rules do not apply. These areas, both large and small, are locations where different dimensions are “bulging” into our own. The effect of a “bulge” is theoretically undetectable, but Dr. Mortvedt believes she can identify them.
“The lasers measure the tiny dimensional variances in the atmosphere. Once we gain an understanding of how the space-time fabric is warped in our local area, we can possibly begin to manipulate it to create new and exciting sources of energy. The beams are not just a pretty show for the marijuana smokers in the nearby dorms. This is serious science.”
Posted in Campus News, Local News, Senior | No Comments »
Fall Semester
By: Roy Ryder
The Martha Patterson Annex will host a showing of the work of Ethan Schrader from July 6th through the 10th in the Keppler Memorial Gallery. Schrader is one of ETU’s most famous alumni, graduating with an MFA in 1979. His conceptual art has appeared in galleries around the world, including the New York Museum of Fine Art and Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, and he has been acclaimed as one of the top 20 artists in America. His paintings and sculpture focus on macabre themes and have been called “daring and chilling” by Art Now magazine.
“It’s a thrill to come back to ETU and be recognized after thirty years,” Schrader said in an interview. “I fell like I’m returning to where it all began. Pinebox was the inspiration for so much of my work. ETU is a special place where creativity and passion can be let loose and nurtured without fear.”
Not all members of the community are pleased with the showing of Schrader’s work. Owen North of the Pinebox Community Protection League has announced plans to protest the gallery on opening night. “I was at ETU in 1979 and saw his foul creations then and I’m glad to be here to denounce his ungodly works now. The man is a menace to the town and a lousy painter,” said Owen when asked about the protest.
Posted in Campus News, Junior, Local News | No Comments »
Fall Semester
By: Colleen Parker
“The Hawk-Mobile” has become a campus fixture, but last Friday the owner of everyone’s favorite little beverage cart was told he could no longer operate on campus–or anywhere. According to Health Department officials, Talbot Hawkins has been selling his frozen fruit juice concoctions on campus for nearly a decade without a license. “Hawk’s” cart could often be found in the busy Quad area between classes, and there was almost always a line for his cool drinks. Hawk gave his drinks wacky names like “Soul Juice”, “Mind Jolt”, and “Dinosaur Extract”, to name just a few. Nobody knows what makes Hawk’s drinks so delicious, which is eventually what led to his current problems.
Biochemistry grad student Jason Mayor started analyzing the ingredients of Hawk’s drinks so that he could make them for himself at home. However, many of the drinks have ingredients he or his professors were unable to identify. “I got concerned. I mean, I love those drinks as much as anybody, but just what are they made of? We never see Hawk make them. He just pulls them out of his little freezer pre-made.”
Mayor says he debated whether to bring the matter to the city Health Department, but in the end decided to err on the side of caution. That’s when Hawk’s real trouble began. The Health Department discovered that they had no permit on file for Hawkins’ beverage cart. Friday afternoon Pinebox and ETU campus police served notice that the Hawk Mobile must remain closed until the proper permits are filed.
Hawkins was unavailable for comment before the filing of this story.
Tags: beverage, health, safety
Posted in Campus News, Sophomore | No Comments »
Fall Semester
By: Colleen Parker
Among other weekly announcements from the President’s Office yesterday, Dr. Hewlitt Cooper was named as the new department head of the Geology Department. Dr. Cooper has been Acting Department Head since late last Fall when Dr. Layne Johnson took a sabbatical.
“Dr. Cooper has led the Geology department ably over the last year and a half. By making his position permanent, we can bring stability to a department that has faced uncertainty for some time.”
Dr. Johnson asked for, and received, permission to take a one year research sabbatical to Mongolia to research findings that he had discovered on satellite. Dr. Johnson’s return is more than six months overdue, and nobody at ETU has heard from him since early last year.
“I have great respect for Dr. Johnson, and he will most certainly have a place here in the Geology Department when or if he decides to return to ETU,” said Dr. Cooper.
Tags: administration, Geology Department
Posted in Campus News, Freshmen | No Comments »
Fall Semester
By: Steve May
photo by: Jake Miller
East Texas University is beginning a new Teaching program in conjunction with Pinebox Middle School. “This is a great pilot program that enables our teaching majors to get classroom experience and log hours for their graduation requirements, and assists our local school district that is consistently short of qualified substitute teachers,” said Associate Dean Linda Taylor of the ETU Education department.
“I think its a great opportunity for us,” said Sophomore education major, Lita Davis. “I love the idea of molding young minds and helping them to realize what is truly important in life.”
Pinebox Middle School suffered greatly earlier this year when three students and a teacher went missing following an afternoon tutorial session. None of which have since been found and the investigation is still ongoing. Since then, the school has had a very difficult time finding qualified substitutes willing to work in the district.
“The truth is, people are scared. But , honestly, we have beefed up security, added cameras, and we believe we have a safe, educational environment here in Pinebox,” said Superintendent of Schools, Mat Lowery.
The new program is ready to be implemented in August of 2009 and involves student educators co-teaching with experienced teachers for a month, then becoming long-term substitutes for the remainder of the school year. The students are paid as substitutes and receive four hours of course work for their efforts.
Tags: juniors, Middle schools
Posted in Campus News, Sophomore | No Comments »
Fall Semester
By: Colleen Parker
photo by: Sara Marshall
Campus police are reminding students this week to avoid wild animals that may wander onto campus. This on the heels of a freak alligator attack outside the Lady Athlete’s Dorm. Simone Hawthorn was sent on a Life-flight helicopter ride to Houston’s Medical Center after a she was found unconscious, bleeding profusely, and missing her left leg from below the knee. The quick thinking of a Residence Adviser slowed the bleeding enough to save Hawthorn’s life.
“Safety is really a big deal here,” said RA LaTrisha White. “Every month the Student Life office makes all RAs go through crisis training. It’s come in handy more than once.”
Campus police blame Hawthorn’s injury on an alligator driven onto campus in search of water.
“As you know, most of Texas is entering the Summer already in a state of severe drought. These alligators who used to be fat and happy in a little bayou or creek up in the Thicket are finding their habitats drying up. Unfortunately, sometimes they wander onto campus and a tragedy like this happens,” said Game Warden Jim Seavers.
So far, authorities have been unable to locate the alligator that attacked Hawthorn.
Tags: alligator, safety
Posted in Campus News, Junior | No Comments »
