The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 90, No. 10, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 12, 2003 Page: 1 of 8
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901 /o (c.s)
The
November 12, 2003
Fort Worth, Texas
Vol. 90, No. 10
News Briefs
Theater production
Wesleyan Theatre will
present Jane Martin's com-
edy Anton in Show Busi-
ness in the Thad Smoth-
erman Theatre in the Law
Sone Fine Arts Center at
7:30 p.m. on Nov. 13, 14,
15, 20, 21, 22 and at 2 p.m.
on Nov. 16.
General admission is $8
and admission for students
is $4.
For more information,
contact the box office at
(817) 531-4211.
Spring and May term
registration
Wesleyan seniors and
students enrolled in week-
end classes only may regis-
ter for classes in person at
the Office of Student
Records.
Juniors who have com-
pleted 61 to 90 credit hours
may register in person
beginning 8:30 a.m. on
Nov. 12.
Sophomores who have
completed 31 to 60 credit
hours may register in per-
son beginning at 8:30 a.m.
on Nov. 13.
Freshmen who have
completed 0 to 30 credit
hours may register in the
Academic Resource Center
(ARC) beginning at 8 a.m.
on Nov. 14.
Wesleyan Chapel
Chapel speakers for the
remainder of November in-
clude University President
Dr. Harold Jeffcoat on Nov.
18, and Wesleyan student
Joanne Oport on Nov. 28.
Chapel is on Tuesdays
from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45
p.m. at the Polytechnic
United Methodist Church.
Lunch is provided.
Jeffcoat discusses campus concerns with students
Alex Vorse
STAFF WRITER
When the Student Government
Association (SGA) hosted a Presidential
Forum Nov. 6 in Martin Hall during free
period, Dr. Harold Jeffcoat began by answer-
ing questions he had been hearing over the
past weeks.
The president said the proposal to cut
computer sciences came from Dr. Kirk-
patrick, Dean of the School of Arts and
Sciences, and science faculty, but —
although faculty are one of the largest cam-
pus constituencies — he does not have to
accept that proposal.
"We have to have more, not less, access
to mathematics and technology," he said.
"More and more careers require a basic com-
petency in these subjects." He also reminded
students of the necessity of mathematical
understanding for disciplines such as science
or economics.
Jeffcoat said that, on the evening of Oct.
31, the board unanimously accepted his rec-
ommendations that were later ratified by the
executive board. In that report, the president
said, "I did not accept, at all, the recommen-
dation to eliminate computer science." He
added that he hopes to see the program
expand to cover the more pragmatic field of
computer application.
Continuing to address recent campus
concerns, Jeffcoat turned to the issue of
budget cuts, a phrase he asked the press to
use carefully. "They're not cuts," he said.
"We are reallocating expenses, not cutting
the budget." He explained how
next year's budget is larger
than this year's, and he wants
to raise money not to balance
the budget, but for capital
improvements — such as new
buildings — and scholarships.
The future of arts pro-
grams is another student con-
cern. According to the presi-
dent, arts faculty met two
years ago to find ways to bet-
ter their departments and make
them more attractive to stu-
dents. Those meetings led to an arts propos-
al, a strategic plan, which the president said
he did not formally endorse. He-wanted,
however, to be clear in his intention for arts
programs at Wesleyan.
"The arts are not going away," he said.
"They are an essential aspect of what Texas
Wesleyan is all about." Jeffcoat said the
question is not whether the arts are cost-
effective but how much the university is
willing to invest in arts programs.
Harold
Jeffcoat
Not to forget campus improvements,
Jeffcoat enumerated recent building success-
es and plans for the future: the renovation of
Dan Waggoner Hall, the reopening of Martin
Hall, the new Education and Nurse Anes-
thesia buildings, the purchase of Polytechnic
United Methodist Church and plans to
renovate that building for classroom
space and plans for a new dorm.
Pati Alexander, vice president of
enrollment and student services, said
the executive board approved a new
resolution to build a 260-bed, turnkey
project, apartment-style dorm to open
July 2005.
The president said he wants to
maintain Stella Russell and Elizabeth
Means Armstrong halls as dorms and
use O.C. Armstrong Hall — the most
""~ expensive dorm to renovate — for
Student Life, Greek Life, student organiza-
tions, scholarship dorms and housing for
non-traditional students.
After the construction of a new dorm —
which the president hopes will increase the
campus population by 30 to 40 percent —
the next step is a new dining facility, the
president said. "I don't want to tear Dora's
down," Jeffcoat said. "I want a cyber cafe."
The president said this cafe would be a place
See Forum, page 2
Wesleyan students help police apprehend theft suspects
Nici Sandberg
CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR
Campuswide break-ins have
been a serious problem for many
students at Texas Wesleyan dur-
ing this semester. At the start of
the semester, security assured
students that the problems would
be decreased with time and
patience.
The problem, however, has
only been getting worse. On Oct.
27, seven burglaries were report-
ed within a single hour.
A female student called
security and Michael Costen, a
campus security guard, reported
to the scene of the first break-in,
which was in front of the Dan
Waggoner building. Costen and
a student were able to apprehend
the first suspect, who appeared
to be about 13 or 14 years old.
and make him sit on a bench in
front of one of the art buildings
until Fort Worth Police arrived,
according to Facilities Director
Ken Dunson and senior theatre
major Chris Miller, who showed
up soon after the detainment of
the teenage suspect.
Miller and his friend. Jon
Mendoza, also a senior theatre
major, found another friend,
Brian Torres and decided to talk
to the suspect, "because [Torres]
likes this kind of thing." accord-
ing to Miller. He also said they
were just being "pompous and
curious" and wanted to find out
exactly what was going on.
Torres was munching on
popcorn as he casually
approached the suspect and
asked him why he was breaking
into cars, said Miller. The sus-
pect denied the crime and said
he was just waiting for his mom,
according to Miller.
Torres then asked which car
he was breaking into, and
Torres' vehicle was pointed out.
Torres then lost his leisurely,
snack-time attitude and began
cursing at the suspect, according
to Miller.
At the same time. Costen
spotted a group of three kids
running across the parking lot
and took off after them on foot,
reported Miller. Greg Beck,
another student and "noble guy"
who joined in the excitement,
got in the security cart and took
off after the fleeing suspects,
too, said Miller.
This left the first suspect
relatively unattended. A maroon
Buick Regal pulled up and start-
ed yelling at him, said both
Dunson and Miller.
Dunson said, "The car was
housing individuals involved in
the break-ins." Dunson said that
younger teens walk the streets
around the campus, breaking
windows and stealing property,
while the older kids drive around
in vehicles waiting for the
younger ones to throw the stolen
goods into the car.
The car and the suspect both
took off, but they were soon fol-
lowed by Wesleyan students.
Miller and Mendoza got into
Miller's car and chased the sus-
pects' vehicle. Torres dropped
his popcorn and followed the
first suspect on foot "down
Rosedale and through the ghet-
to," said Miller.
Miller and Mendoza flagged
down a police officer and gave
her the license plate number of
the vehicle they had been chas-
ing, said Miller.
They then found Torres,
who had been running after the
suspect on foot. He chased the
teen through traffic and almost
got hit by a number of cars but
stopped traffic by holding up his
wallet and yelling, "Stop!
Police!" said Miller.
Miller said that the vehicle
was stopped by police and the
suspects were arrested. The car
was filled with radios, equaliz-
ers, compact disc players and
more. However, the first suspect
got away.
While police were dealing
with the older suspects in the
car, Torres went to class, said
Miller. A description of the lost
suspect was given to police, who
identified him and found him
watching TV at his home, where
they arrested him. The police
then got Torres, who identified
the suspect, according to Miller.
Dunson said. "The cops
think it was gang-related and
that they were major players in
the large ring of break-ins." He
also said that he thinks this
should slow down or stop alto-
gether the break-ins for the time.
As of Nov. 7, no more burglaries
had been reported, Dunson said.
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Nettles, Marc. The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 90, No. 10, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 12, 2003, newspaper, November 12, 2003; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth253306/m1/1/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Wesleyan University.