NEWS

Web Site gives MSU Students face Time
John Mujica | For the Wichitan

“How much does a polar bear weigh?”
“Enough to break the ice. Hi my name is…”
Thanks to the online phenomenon known www.facebook.com, a directory connecting MSU students through social networks, all corny introductions can finally be put to rest.
Students now have an alternative way to interact with high school friends, meet people in their classes, or say hi to that secret crush with photos and creative personal profiles.
Facebook serves as a medium to post dates of upcoming parties, join groups tied to current events and write messages on an individual’s personal wall. The site is also a link between family members attending school in different locations. Students running for homecoming positions may even try to sway votes by asking their friends to vote for them through Facebook e-mail.
“It’s all pretty cool,” said freshman business major Justin Moon. “I can talk to my friends here and from high school without using all my cell phone minutes.”
Facebook allows any student across the land with an “edu” E-mail address to place his or her profile amongst others at more than 800 colleges and universities.
Launched on Feb. 4, 2004 by Harvard students Mark Zuckerburg, Dustin Moskovitz, Andrew McMollum and Chris Hughes, Facebook currently boasts more than 2.8 million users.
“It’s relatively new, and it’s what’s in right now,” junior kinesiology major Sam Alaniz said.
Alaniz has been a member since Sept. 15 and credits the Website as being a safe haven for students to be candid about themselves, without holding anything back.
“There is no need to impress  anyone,” Alaniz said. “People can read your profile and either love you or hate you.”
Facebook gives students a friendship option. By clicking on “poke,” a student being contacted can either accept or reject the invitation to become the other’s friend.
If you reject someone the site doesn’t let them know, and you don’t have to feel bad about hurting their feelings,” Alaniz said. “I like that.”
Freshman psychology major Meghan Thaggard has been a member since Aug. 30. She checks her account daily. Recently she found an old junior high friend at Texas State University.
“I went through a high school search for Holliday and I saw her picture,” Thaggard said. “I E-mailed her a message, and we exchanged numbers. Next time she is in town, we will probably hang out.”
Thaggard loves the site because it can be used “to socialize with new buddies and to reunite with old friends from the past.” She loves all its features, including reminders of friends’ birthdays.
“Now I won’t forget to wish all my friends a happy birthday,” Thaggard said. “I like the interaction. I was just recruited by Alpha Phi Sorority, and I have received many welcome messages from the girls signing my wall.
Marta Gorecka, senior international trade major, is a member of more than 20 groups, including “The OC is addicting,” “Brunettes are sexy.” “Toby’s,”  “The Student Center” and “I Hate Wichita Falls.”
“I like to join groups, and see who is available.” Gorecka said.
Sophmore marketing major Natalie Acosta was hit by a “sexy truck”
The message appears on a student’s wall if someone thinks that student is sexy. The rules are that once they’ve been hit they in return have to hit eight people. If that one student gets hit again, then they know they are truly sexy. If that student doesn’t play by the rules, they will be cursed with not being sexy for 10 years. There are also “beautiful trucks” and “beer trucks.”
“It’s weird,” Acosta said, “but it’s fun.”
By the sound of it, it seems Facebook is going ot be around for a while.
Don’t think so?
Visit a campus computer lab and count the number of computer screens logged onto Facebook.com.
Kendall Upchurch, freshman dental hygiene major, said she checks her account three times a day.
“There’s nothing to do and I’m always sitting in my dorm,” Upchurch said. “I’m addicted.”
She’s not the only one.


Housing comes Together for Hurricane Relief
David LaPell Jn. | Staff Reporter

Early September, New Orleans and the surrounding areas were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. In the wake of the destruction, the people of the United States have come together to help the victims.
Millions of people were relocated to many areas in Texas including the Astrodome and places throughout Dallas and Lubbock. Also, various organizations throughout the country have done with they can to raise funds to assist in the relief effort.
One of many organizations that assisted was the Office of Housing and Residence Life at MSU. The question was tossed around for a while on what to do o help with the relief effort. The housing staff then decided to do several things.
The first place they devoted their attention was to the immediate needs of the victims. Families were left homeless and without food, clothes, diapers and other needed items.  Donation boxes were placed throughout the Pierce, Killingsworth, McCullough Trigg, Marchman halls and in the Sunwatcher apartment complex.
Residents came together and donated items ranging from canned goods to clothes. The items were collected at the main offices in the different residence hall offices and they were donated to Compassion House.
“We are really happy with the results of the drive. Students have been very supportive in this combined effort to help. I believe we have been successful, and I hope we are able to bring in more for the relief effort,” said Graduate Hall Director Richard Whatcott.
After several weeks of collection, the drive is now wrapping up. The donation boxes should be up for another week or two, and students are encouraged to help in any way they can. Students living on campus aren’t the only ones allowed to donate. The resident assistant staff says any student is more than welcome to make a donation for the cause in any of the residence halls.
The donation drive is not the only thing housing has been doing to help with the relief effort. The resident assistants in Pierce Hall recently held a fund raiser of their own. They held a program called, “Pie the R.A.”
As the name suggests, residents had an open shot to pie the resident assistant of their choice. There was one catch, however. To have the chance to pie  their R.A., they had to pay the price. Residents could either pay $1 per pie or donated canned goods.
Each R.A. worked in shifts of an hour each for three hours on Thursday, Sept. 29. each R.A. got at least two or three whipped cream pies to the face during the course of the afternoon. However, the big money-maker was junior music major Gralin Vinning.
Vinning alone raised approximately $30 within 45 minutes.
“A lot of the guys have been waiting all day for this.  However, I don’t know why they hose to just all come after me,” Vinning joked. “It was fun and the money went to a good cause. But I am hoping we have a pie the resident day and I will get them all back.”
Pierce Hall raised around $60, which was donated to the university relief account.
Shortly after events of pie the R.A., many of the R.A.’s also helped the university in putting together the temporary shelter for victims of Hurricane Rita. The shelter was set up in D. Ligon Coliseum. It was prepped and readied for at least 300 people; 46 people used the shelter.
MSU housing has done quite a bit to help with the relief effort.
“We are trying to help in every way we can. There is still mor ewe can do, and we are very happy with the students and our staff with all they have done so far,” Whatcott said.
The Office of Housing and Residence Life aren’t the only ones assisting in the relief effort. Many other organizations are also preparing projects and fundraisers to help with the effort.
Kappa Delta Pi, an education honor society, has met to make pillows and stuff bags with children’s books. In addition, the Roteract Club of MSU is working with other on-campus organizations to set up a cookout for Nov. 9 in Sunwatcher Plaza. The proceeds from the cookout will be dispersed to the American Red Cross.
Students are genuinely concerned about all those affected by the hurricanes. With the continued support of the student body, there is no limit to what part MSU can play in helping restore victims’ lives and allow them the chance to see the proverbial dawn of a new  day.

Remember all of the fun of those classic tests of spelling prowess? The ones that tested just how well students could do under the pressure of competition, and correctly spell the words presented?
To many these tests are called nerve wracking, but they are also called spelling bees.
Spelling bees are staples of students’ grade-school years. Children step to the front of the class, and they have to spell out the given word to move on at the risk of being told to go back to their seat. However, contrary to what most may think, spelling bees are not just for the little kids in grade school. This is competition, taken to heart by many adults and college students.
Every year, the Wichita Adult Literacy Council holds their annual spelling bee to raise money for the operations of the organization. These operations include being able to pay full-time workers for the council, supplies and other necessary parts needed for the organization’s existence.
The primary goal of the fundraiser is to allow the Wichita Adult Literacy Council to continue to help lower the 23-percent illiteracy rate in Wichita Falls.
 This year the MSU Media Club will be participating in this competition for the third time in a row. The story of how Media Club first became involved in the competition has an interesting twist.
Mass Communications Chair Dr. Jim Sernoe, said the council wanted some students to be tutors for the literacy programs.
“The council liked to have students be tutors, but it required a great deal of time. There was 11 hours needed for training and then they had to spend two to five hours a with students,” Sernoe explained. “The council asked if Media Club would be interested in tutoring, however there were many time constraints with the students. Media Club wanted to help in some way with the council, so they decided to enter the annual spelling bee.”
To enter the competition, the Media Club had to earn the $500 entry fee, which is a donation to the council and its programs. Most of the teams entering have corporate sponsorship of some form. These sponsors ranged from the Times Record News to Patterson Auto Center. Media Club has no sponsorship.
To raise the money, they decided to carhop at the Sonic Drive-In located on Kemp Boulevard. The Media Club members worked in shifts during the morning and the afternoon bringing food and good services to the customers. By car hopping they earned a large percentage of the money needed for the entrance fee in tips.
They also set up a table outside Wal-Mart to take donations. After the fundraisers they earned the money to enter.
“The spelling bee is a lot of fun, and the students really enjoy the opportunity to compete and give to a good cause,” Sernoe said. “Last year I actually had to compete against some of my own students.”
MSU fields a team of professors to compete in the competition, and last year there were not enough professors on the team. Sernoe was asked to step up and fill the empty space.
“It was really ironic. The word we missed was embarrassment,” Sernoe said. The next morning Sernoe walked into his classroom to see ‘what an embarrassment’ written on the chalkboard.
“I knew I was in for that one, but it was fun,” said Sernoe.
The first year Media Club lasted until the third round and until the fourth round at last year’s competition. This year, they are hoping to win it all.
The competition will be held on Nov. 9 at the Wichita Falls Women’s Forum. There are several teams consisting of three people who compete in the spelling bee.