For the past ten months UW-O students and staff have been inconvenienced by renovations stretching from High St. to Algoma Blvd. Now that the new building is nearing completion a variety of new questions have arose: has it been worth it? Who will live there and should there be a priority given to any particular student group?
Taylor Hall is located across the street from the Kolf Sports Center on the UW-O campus. The newly refurbished residence hall will house 500 students year round. The improvements to the building include: air conditioning, a new kitchen, elevators and expanded recreation areas.
With all the new features this hall offers it is no wonder that many student, upper-classman and lower-classman alike, are vying for rooms in the hall when it opens next semester.
Throughout the course of the semester, many students have experienced troubles in relation to the construction. The sidewalk in front of the building has been torn up and the area around it fenced in.
More than one student have found themselves flying to the ground after tripping over a crack or catching their foot in the mud. “The sidewalk on the High Street side of the project isn’t there and we have gym class,” said Junior UW-O student Michelle Landgren, “drivers aren’t very courteous to us when we were running.”
While many other students have experienced annoyances, residents of Donner Hall, adjacent to the Taylor site, have had to contend with construction noise every morning.
Now that the construction is over and students are starting to see the result of the labors of the numerous state contractors, they finally have a chance to assess what their troubles have been worth.
“Was it worth it? No…well, I think it will be for the freshmen,” said Landgren.
Other students feel more strongly than Landgren: “It’s going to look awesome, but my tuition is going toward it and a parking ramp and classes…but we’re cutting our budget on tomatoes. I think their [the administration’s] priorities are a little screwed up,” said April Zwicky, a sophomore at the university.
Another issue arises on the question of who will be given priority consideration when it comes to these coveted rooms.
“If they [the athletes] are good, yes they should be given priority consideration,” said freshman student Olivia Navarro.
While Navarro may think that athletes should, many students feel differently, “No, I mean, they can walk just as far as anyone else can,” said Senior David Redding.
Students may be split on their opinions about student groups being given priority; the department of residence life is taking a hard line by saying that no student group is granted priority consideration when it comes to housing.
The true test of the value of a year of suffering will come when residents move into the newly renovated and completed building on September 6, 2005. Only when the sidewalks are repaired and the grass restored life will start to get back to normal for many students who walk by Taylor Hall on their way to class.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Enterprise Final
Project Success, UW-Oshkosh’s program for students with learning disabilities, has been a part of the university for 26 years but has a total graduation rate of only between 250 and 300 students since it’s inception in 1979.
This means that only about 10 students who are enrolled in the program graduate every year.
With these statistics, Project Success seems to be anything but a success.
Because it is such a complicated issue, there has been only minimal research on the success rate of learning disability programs in universities across the state. Although the numbers make Project Success look like a failure, reactions from students who are enrolled in the program tell a very positive story.
According to its Web site, Project Success assists over 300 students every year. Approximately 95 percent or more of these students suffer from language-based disabilities, especially dyslexia.
“This means that they have difficulties with reading words individually, reading rapidly, comprehending written language, difficulties with oral language, written expression and spelling,” Dr. William Kitz said.
About 20 percent of these students also have Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Kitz has been the director of Project Success for 24 years. According to him, UW-Oshkosh’s lower graduation rate comes with a legitimate reason.
“All universities have to offer more time for tests and provide readers during tests for students with disabilities,” Kitz said. “It’s the law. But Oshkosh actually teaches them ways to deal with their problem.”
Kitz also said that the learning disabled students at UW-Oshkosh are more vulnerable because they do not meet standards at other universities.
“We take in a more ‘at risk’ group,” he said. “It’s more about giving people a chance.”
If the admission standards at UW-Oshkosh mirrored those at other universities, “our graduation rate would be fabulously better,” Kitz said. “Many universities have such high admission standards that even students with learning disabilities can do well under almost any circumstance. They get all of the highest functioning people.”
However, many universities are not even keeping track of the graduation rates of their students with learning disabilities. UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee and UW-Stevens Point are a few examples of schools that hold almost zero information on this very complex topic.
“We don’t keep track of that because if disabled students have the same access to things as others do, they have the right to fail just like everyone else does,” a woman from UW-Green Bay’s Educational Support Services said.
UW-Whitewater’s Project Assist is the only program that comes close to Project Success in keeping score of the success of their students.
While it does not record an exact number of graduates per year, Project Assist has an idea of where it stands.
“Our students have a graduation rate of between 12 and 22 percent above the national average of students in learning disability programs,” said Assistant Director Jamie Leurquin. “In fact, students in Project Assist graduate at a rate that is 1 percent higher than their non-Project Assist peers at UW-Whitewater.”
The staff at Project Assist believes the success of their students comes from the services the program provides.
“We are successful because we have a more intensive, one-on-one type of interaction with the students,” Director of Project Assist Nancy Amacher said. “We also have a summer transition program that helps a lot of people adjust to college.”
Amacher said that Project Assist was one of only two UW campuses that offer a separate program with extra services for students.
“UW-Oshkosh’s Project Success is the other one,” she said.
One of the only differences between the two is that Project Assist charges students between $700 and $950 per semester based on the number of credits they have earned. Project Success services are free of charge for all students, regardless of their academic standing.
Another difference between Project Success and Project Assist is that, according to its Web site, Project Assist also requires tutors to “participate in an online training course, which teaches them effective strategies and study skills they can implement with their tutees.”
While its numbers look unimpressive, Project Success is still seen as a vital resource to students who are enrolled in the program.
“Project has been a huge help,” junior Kristin Keck said. “I actually help tutor people in Spanish now. I think that is something they are proud of—seeing their students grow to become able to help other students.”
“It’s a safe atmosphere and it’s the one place that I’ve never been afraid to ask for help,” junior Nichole McCallum said. “I’ve had teachers tell me that I shouldn’t even be in college and that is really discouraging. I just wish everyone knew more about it.”
This means that only about 10 students who are enrolled in the program graduate every year.
With these statistics, Project Success seems to be anything but a success.
Because it is such a complicated issue, there has been only minimal research on the success rate of learning disability programs in universities across the state. Although the numbers make Project Success look like a failure, reactions from students who are enrolled in the program tell a very positive story.
According to its Web site, Project Success assists over 300 students every year. Approximately 95 percent or more of these students suffer from language-based disabilities, especially dyslexia.
“This means that they have difficulties with reading words individually, reading rapidly, comprehending written language, difficulties with oral language, written expression and spelling,” Dr. William Kitz said.
About 20 percent of these students also have Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Kitz has been the director of Project Success for 24 years. According to him, UW-Oshkosh’s lower graduation rate comes with a legitimate reason.
“All universities have to offer more time for tests and provide readers during tests for students with disabilities,” Kitz said. “It’s the law. But Oshkosh actually teaches them ways to deal with their problem.”
Kitz also said that the learning disabled students at UW-Oshkosh are more vulnerable because they do not meet standards at other universities.
“We take in a more ‘at risk’ group,” he said. “It’s more about giving people a chance.”
If the admission standards at UW-Oshkosh mirrored those at other universities, “our graduation rate would be fabulously better,” Kitz said. “Many universities have such high admission standards that even students with learning disabilities can do well under almost any circumstance. They get all of the highest functioning people.”
However, many universities are not even keeping track of the graduation rates of their students with learning disabilities. UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee and UW-Stevens Point are a few examples of schools that hold almost zero information on this very complex topic.
“We don’t keep track of that because if disabled students have the same access to things as others do, they have the right to fail just like everyone else does,” a woman from UW-Green Bay’s Educational Support Services said.
UW-Whitewater’s Project Assist is the only program that comes close to Project Success in keeping score of the success of their students.
While it does not record an exact number of graduates per year, Project Assist has an idea of where it stands.
“Our students have a graduation rate of between 12 and 22 percent above the national average of students in learning disability programs,” said Assistant Director Jamie Leurquin. “In fact, students in Project Assist graduate at a rate that is 1 percent higher than their non-Project Assist peers at UW-Whitewater.”
The staff at Project Assist believes the success of their students comes from the services the program provides.
“We are successful because we have a more intensive, one-on-one type of interaction with the students,” Director of Project Assist Nancy Amacher said. “We also have a summer transition program that helps a lot of people adjust to college.”
Amacher said that Project Assist was one of only two UW campuses that offer a separate program with extra services for students.
“UW-Oshkosh’s Project Success is the other one,” she said.
One of the only differences between the two is that Project Assist charges students between $700 and $950 per semester based on the number of credits they have earned. Project Success services are free of charge for all students, regardless of their academic standing.
Another difference between Project Success and Project Assist is that, according to its Web site, Project Assist also requires tutors to “participate in an online training course, which teaches them effective strategies and study skills they can implement with their tutees.”
While its numbers look unimpressive, Project Success is still seen as a vital resource to students who are enrolled in the program.
“Project has been a huge help,” junior Kristin Keck said. “I actually help tutor people in Spanish now. I think that is something they are proud of—seeing their students grow to become able to help other students.”
“It’s a safe atmosphere and it’s the one place that I’ve never been afraid to ask for help,” junior Nichole McCallum said. “I’ve had teachers tell me that I shouldn’t even be in college and that is really discouraging. I just wish everyone knew more about it.”
Enterprise Article
After a night of partying on Prospect Avenue with her friends, Lisa Lefco, a former UW-Oshkosh student, was sexually assaulted in her residence hall room in Fletcher Hall during her sophomore year.
Lefco and the assailant were making out on the floor of her single room and fell asleep, while his two friends slept on the beds in the room.
“That’s all I remember,” Lefco said in an interview.
When she woke up, he was pulling out of her.
“I screamed, ‘what the hell,’ and he ran out of my room,” Lefco said. “I didn’t know what had happened. I cried and ran into my friends’ room and was lying in their room crying.”
In 2003, the same year of Lefco’s assault, the Dean of Student’s Office reported 10 sexual assaults occurred on campus. All of the assaults involved students, and in all cases the victim knew the assailant.
The University Police’s 2003 Uniform Crime Report had conflicting statistics, which said there were only four sexual assault cases on campus.
“The Uniform Crime Report we report to the FBI is combined with other reports here on campus,” said Lt. Dennis Nasci of the UP. “That could include the stuff that was reported to the Dean of Students Office or to the residence hall director. All of it is reportable, but we don’t have to put it in the Uniform Crime Report.”
According to the Clery Act, the law requires public and private colleges to publish a report annually with crime statistics.
According to an article written by Susan Nielsen in The Oregonian, “The sexual assault statistics are meant to show the number of alleged assaults reported to local police or campus safety officials, including deans of students.”
Nielsen said parts of the Clery Act are confusing.
“For Example, there is confusion over whether, or how, to include reports of crimes made confidentially by students. Some colleges don’t – which tends to keep their sexual assault numbers artificially low,” the article said.
Ann Malain, a staff psychologist for the university Counseling Center, said that they don’t have to report to the University Police the sexual assault incidents that are brought.
Malain said students can report sexual assault incidents to the Dean of Students Office and not the UP.
“They are both confidential sources, we don’t have to report it,” Malain said. “Some incidents off campus are not reported.”
Malain also said that they receive far fewer sexual assault cases than expected.
“We see probably anywhere between 10 and 20 people that seek services about sexual assault,” Malain said. “It’s probably 200 less than we expect.”
Malain said that according to a national study, 35 out of 100 women experience sexual assault, and there are probably around 200 to 210 students on campus who have experienced sexual assault.
“Unfortunately a lot of women don’t come forward because they blame themselves. A lot of women don’t identify it as a crime,” Malain said.
Lefco didn’t realize it was considered sexual assault until she was talking with some more of her friends the following weekend.
“I didn’t call the police because I didn’t know whether it was considered rape or not, because I didn’t know what happened,” Lefco said.
After one of her friends got into a confrontation with the man, who allegedly sexually assaulted Lefco, he punched the fire alarm and the cops were called.
“The police came, and I had to talk to them about it,” Lefco said. “A report was filed but nothing ever happened. They never called or anything. The police said they couldn’t find the guy because he signed in under a fake name, and that’s why nothing was done.”
Malain said 90 to 95 percent of the women who come forward have alcohol involved in the sexual assault and that most is just alcohol and not date rape drugs.
Nasci said that there may have been suspicion of someone using date rape drugs in 2003, but nothing has been documented.
“You may suspect but may not have actual documentation. It requires getting blood drawn early before it is metabolized through the system,” Nasci said.
Nasci said that he thinks people should be more aware of sexual assault on campus.
“The unfortunate thing is, the most vulnerable are freshman women in their first couple of months on campus,” Malain said.
Lefco agrees that students should be more aware of sexual assault on campus.
“Some people keep quiet because they are afraid,” Lefco said. “If people know they are not the only one, they will be more willing to talk about it.”
Lefco and the assailant were making out on the floor of her single room and fell asleep, while his two friends slept on the beds in the room.
“That’s all I remember,” Lefco said in an interview.
When she woke up, he was pulling out of her.
“I screamed, ‘what the hell,’ and he ran out of my room,” Lefco said. “I didn’t know what had happened. I cried and ran into my friends’ room and was lying in their room crying.”
In 2003, the same year of Lefco’s assault, the Dean of Student’s Office reported 10 sexual assaults occurred on campus. All of the assaults involved students, and in all cases the victim knew the assailant.
The University Police’s 2003 Uniform Crime Report had conflicting statistics, which said there were only four sexual assault cases on campus.
“The Uniform Crime Report we report to the FBI is combined with other reports here on campus,” said Lt. Dennis Nasci of the UP. “That could include the stuff that was reported to the Dean of Students Office or to the residence hall director. All of it is reportable, but we don’t have to put it in the Uniform Crime Report.”
According to the Clery Act, the law requires public and private colleges to publish a report annually with crime statistics.
According to an article written by Susan Nielsen in The Oregonian, “The sexual assault statistics are meant to show the number of alleged assaults reported to local police or campus safety officials, including deans of students.”
Nielsen said parts of the Clery Act are confusing.
“For Example, there is confusion over whether, or how, to include reports of crimes made confidentially by students. Some colleges don’t – which tends to keep their sexual assault numbers artificially low,” the article said.
Ann Malain, a staff psychologist for the university Counseling Center, said that they don’t have to report to the University Police the sexual assault incidents that are brought.
Malain said students can report sexual assault incidents to the Dean of Students Office and not the UP.
“They are both confidential sources, we don’t have to report it,” Malain said. “Some incidents off campus are not reported.”
Malain also said that they receive far fewer sexual assault cases than expected.
“We see probably anywhere between 10 and 20 people that seek services about sexual assault,” Malain said. “It’s probably 200 less than we expect.”
Malain said that according to a national study, 35 out of 100 women experience sexual assault, and there are probably around 200 to 210 students on campus who have experienced sexual assault.
“Unfortunately a lot of women don’t come forward because they blame themselves. A lot of women don’t identify it as a crime,” Malain said.
Lefco didn’t realize it was considered sexual assault until she was talking with some more of her friends the following weekend.
“I didn’t call the police because I didn’t know whether it was considered rape or not, because I didn’t know what happened,” Lefco said.
After one of her friends got into a confrontation with the man, who allegedly sexually assaulted Lefco, he punched the fire alarm and the cops were called.
“The police came, and I had to talk to them about it,” Lefco said. “A report was filed but nothing ever happened. They never called or anything. The police said they couldn’t find the guy because he signed in under a fake name, and that’s why nothing was done.”
Malain said 90 to 95 percent of the women who come forward have alcohol involved in the sexual assault and that most is just alcohol and not date rape drugs.
Nasci said that there may have been suspicion of someone using date rape drugs in 2003, but nothing has been documented.
“You may suspect but may not have actual documentation. It requires getting blood drawn early before it is metabolized through the system,” Nasci said.
Nasci said that he thinks people should be more aware of sexual assault on campus.
“The unfortunate thing is, the most vulnerable are freshman women in their first couple of months on campus,” Malain said.
Lefco agrees that students should be more aware of sexual assault on campus.
“Some people keep quiet because they are afraid,” Lefco said. “If people know they are not the only one, they will be more willing to talk about it.”
enterprize
It’s not easy to get into the film industry. It’s even harder to navigate anywhere once inside. However, one University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh student film may find its way onto the DVD of a feature-length documentary in the future.
“Artisan Bloodworking,” a student documentary short, is directed by senior Erik Cieslewicz, 23, who co-edited it with his cinematographer Tim Ziegler, also a student.
The film is mainly an interview with Tom Sullivan, who designed props and did gruesome visual effects for director Sam Raimi’s cult-classic “Evil Dead” films.
Cieslewicz was also proud that they got some “great footage” of Sullivan interacting with his fans.
The “Evil Dead” trilogy tells the story of Ash, played by Bruce Cambell, who, among other things, finds a book that releases evil forces into the world.
“There were a couple things we forgot to get in the interview that we'll need to cut around, making our lives a little harder,” Cieslewicz said. “Copyright may become an issue further down the road depending on how lax some people are about fair use and educational rights to copy written material.”
Richie Yates is in the process of making a feature-length documentary on Sullivan.
“I don't know much about the man myself,” said Cieslewicz about Yates. “Tom actually got the idea of getting our work into his hands. It's still very early in the communication stages right now for that, but I guess we'll see.”
Sullivan was in Oshkosh on April 30 visiting the House of Heroes comic shop. He displayed his “Evil Dead” museum, which contains props and stills, signed autographs and showed “The Evil Dead,” the trilogy’s first installment, complete with live commentary.
He also screened other shorts from the 1980s by Raimi’s usual gang of Scott Spiegel, Rob Tapert, Campbell and Josh Becker. One such film was “Within the Woods,” a film Raimi made to raise funds for “The Evil Dead.”
In the early ’80s, the film industry was looking for young directors with spunk who could connect with audiences, Sullivan explained.
The scene seems a tad rougher today.
“They don't usually get jobs in film,” said Al Folker, director of television services on campus, about Oshkosh radio/TV/film graduates who focus on film. “Most end up [in] TV. It's extremely tough to get into film.”
“I don't know of any in independent film,” he further said.
“Sadly, most film grads feel they have to go to LA to get work, and many do,” said lecturer Francis Perkins, who teaches the documentary class for which Cieslewicz and Ziegler made “Artisan Bloodworking.” “That leaves Wisconsin without homegrown creative talent.”
“It is better if the student has not just focused on film,” she said, “but focused on a particular aspect of film, like post production - then they can better attack the job market, zeroing in like a rifle instead of scattering like a shotgun.”
Cieslewicz hopes to take aim at a distinct market after he graduates in the spring of 2006.
“I'm applying to Southern Methodist University's Guildhall, which is a program geared towards getting a job in interactive media – the fancy way of saying video games.”
The Guildhall program, according to the program’s site at guildhall.smu.edu, is “an intense, 21-month (seven-term), professional development program for digital game developers.”
“I'm also looking into other graduate programs,” Cieslewicz said, “such as [University of South Carolina]'s graduate program in interactive media, as backup plans.”
He wants to go into writing and design and explained how last year the video game industry pulled in more money than movies did.
“As interactive media becomes a more closed-ended, aesthetically pleasing experience, writers are needed to give the game a narrative push,” Cieslewicz said.
Folker emphasized that broadcasting was a promising field, but there are, as Cieslewicz’s case indicates, other areas an RTF student can look into as well.
“Corporate videos are everywhere, in every state, even in the Fox Cities,” Perkins explained. “Commercials are less certain than a full-time job, but pay very well. I freelanced in New York on commercials and broadcast promos almost exclusively, and it's lucrative as well as having a low-time commitment. Not weeks and weeks like a feature film, more like a few days.
“But, you are always worried about where the next job is coming from when you are a freelancer, and a lot of people don't like that feeling. Also, Oshkosh is not in a market where you see freelance production people working all around you, like New York or LA, so [students] don't think of it as a viable option. Even Milwaukee and Madison have a very small pool of freelance producers and crew members - they are out there, but not very visible.”
“More and more, companies are finding that if you understand the moving image,” assistant professor Troy Perkins said, “you can be valuable in producing all types of visual media.” Troy is the husband of Francis and specializes in film and video production.
“I truly believe that the next great art form is video games,” Cieslewicz said. “With so much in the hands of the audience, the player, a new form of narrative is emerging that allows even more interpretation and exploration by the audience. Rather than just riding the rails of the writer/director/etc, the audience is invited to weave the narrative themselves and explore a whole new world of being.”
However, Cieslewicz and Ziegler still have some ideas for “Bloodworking Artisan,” such as putting it into short film festivals and competitions.
“We may still do a new edit for those types of venues,” Cieslewicz said.
“If it were easy, everyone would do it,” Frances Perkins said of filmmaking. “So you have to love it, love it beyond worrying about whether you'll make The Great American Movie or whether you'll pay your bills. You just know you can't do anything else.”
Troy Perkins said the most difficult things are “working long hours on film shoots, getting your foot in the door and being recognized by the people who can hire or the people who have the money to fund films.”
“Entry level pay is poor,” Folker said. “Hours are often not very attractive.”
More successful graduates of the RTF program, as remembered by Folker and Troy Perkins, are Kim Cybulski, producer of “CSI”; Ralph Berge, vice president of Paramount Pictures; Don Smiley, Milwaukee Summerfest director; Kevin Wehrenberg, production manager of “Fear Factor” and Mike Bauman, a professional union gaffer working on Hollywood features.
“Luckily, the skills you learn in our industry and at Oshkosh specifically, meaning all three disciplines of Radio, TV and Film, mean that you can also work practically anywhere,” Frances Perkins said.
“[It was a few years ago and] I hadn't worked in a TV station in 10 years,” she said, “yet in three weeks I had a position as a writer/producer at the local ABC station in Milwaukee. If you're good at what you do, you'll always work.”
“The first and foremost goal of an artistic endeavor, for me, is to have fun,” said Cieslewicz. “And I think we've definitely been doing that so far as we work with the project. However this is a class project, so making a very good film that can get us a good grade is always a plus! I hope, more than anything, that we create something that is a little unique, and above all, utterly entertaining.”
“Artisan Bloodworking,” a student documentary short, is directed by senior Erik Cieslewicz, 23, who co-edited it with his cinematographer Tim Ziegler, also a student.
The film is mainly an interview with Tom Sullivan, who designed props and did gruesome visual effects for director Sam Raimi’s cult-classic “Evil Dead” films.
Cieslewicz was also proud that they got some “great footage” of Sullivan interacting with his fans.
The “Evil Dead” trilogy tells the story of Ash, played by Bruce Cambell, who, among other things, finds a book that releases evil forces into the world.
“There were a couple things we forgot to get in the interview that we'll need to cut around, making our lives a little harder,” Cieslewicz said. “Copyright may become an issue further down the road depending on how lax some people are about fair use and educational rights to copy written material.”
Richie Yates is in the process of making a feature-length documentary on Sullivan.
“I don't know much about the man myself,” said Cieslewicz about Yates. “Tom actually got the idea of getting our work into his hands. It's still very early in the communication stages right now for that, but I guess we'll see.”
Sullivan was in Oshkosh on April 30 visiting the House of Heroes comic shop. He displayed his “Evil Dead” museum, which contains props and stills, signed autographs and showed “The Evil Dead,” the trilogy’s first installment, complete with live commentary.
He also screened other shorts from the 1980s by Raimi’s usual gang of Scott Spiegel, Rob Tapert, Campbell and Josh Becker. One such film was “Within the Woods,” a film Raimi made to raise funds for “The Evil Dead.”
In the early ’80s, the film industry was looking for young directors with spunk who could connect with audiences, Sullivan explained.
The scene seems a tad rougher today.
“They don't usually get jobs in film,” said Al Folker, director of television services on campus, about Oshkosh radio/TV/film graduates who focus on film. “Most end up [in] TV. It's extremely tough to get into film.”
“I don't know of any in independent film,” he further said.
“Sadly, most film grads feel they have to go to LA to get work, and many do,” said lecturer Francis Perkins, who teaches the documentary class for which Cieslewicz and Ziegler made “Artisan Bloodworking.” “That leaves Wisconsin without homegrown creative talent.”
“It is better if the student has not just focused on film,” she said, “but focused on a particular aspect of film, like post production - then they can better attack the job market, zeroing in like a rifle instead of scattering like a shotgun.”
Cieslewicz hopes to take aim at a distinct market after he graduates in the spring of 2006.
“I'm applying to Southern Methodist University's Guildhall, which is a program geared towards getting a job in interactive media – the fancy way of saying video games.”
The Guildhall program, according to the program’s site at guildhall.smu.edu, is “an intense, 21-month (seven-term), professional development program for digital game developers.”
“I'm also looking into other graduate programs,” Cieslewicz said, “such as [University of South Carolina]'s graduate program in interactive media, as backup plans.”
He wants to go into writing and design and explained how last year the video game industry pulled in more money than movies did.
“As interactive media becomes a more closed-ended, aesthetically pleasing experience, writers are needed to give the game a narrative push,” Cieslewicz said.
Folker emphasized that broadcasting was a promising field, but there are, as Cieslewicz’s case indicates, other areas an RTF student can look into as well.
“Corporate videos are everywhere, in every state, even in the Fox Cities,” Perkins explained. “Commercials are less certain than a full-time job, but pay very well. I freelanced in New York on commercials and broadcast promos almost exclusively, and it's lucrative as well as having a low-time commitment. Not weeks and weeks like a feature film, more like a few days.
“But, you are always worried about where the next job is coming from when you are a freelancer, and a lot of people don't like that feeling. Also, Oshkosh is not in a market where you see freelance production people working all around you, like New York or LA, so [students] don't think of it as a viable option. Even Milwaukee and Madison have a very small pool of freelance producers and crew members - they are out there, but not very visible.”
“More and more, companies are finding that if you understand the moving image,” assistant professor Troy Perkins said, “you can be valuable in producing all types of visual media.” Troy is the husband of Francis and specializes in film and video production.
“I truly believe that the next great art form is video games,” Cieslewicz said. “With so much in the hands of the audience, the player, a new form of narrative is emerging that allows even more interpretation and exploration by the audience. Rather than just riding the rails of the writer/director/etc, the audience is invited to weave the narrative themselves and explore a whole new world of being.”
However, Cieslewicz and Ziegler still have some ideas for “Bloodworking Artisan,” such as putting it into short film festivals and competitions.
“We may still do a new edit for those types of venues,” Cieslewicz said.
“If it were easy, everyone would do it,” Frances Perkins said of filmmaking. “So you have to love it, love it beyond worrying about whether you'll make The Great American Movie or whether you'll pay your bills. You just know you can't do anything else.”
Troy Perkins said the most difficult things are “working long hours on film shoots, getting your foot in the door and being recognized by the people who can hire or the people who have the money to fund films.”
“Entry level pay is poor,” Folker said. “Hours are often not very attractive.”
More successful graduates of the RTF program, as remembered by Folker and Troy Perkins, are Kim Cybulski, producer of “CSI”; Ralph Berge, vice president of Paramount Pictures; Don Smiley, Milwaukee Summerfest director; Kevin Wehrenberg, production manager of “Fear Factor” and Mike Bauman, a professional union gaffer working on Hollywood features.
“Luckily, the skills you learn in our industry and at Oshkosh specifically, meaning all three disciplines of Radio, TV and Film, mean that you can also work practically anywhere,” Frances Perkins said.
“[It was a few years ago and] I hadn't worked in a TV station in 10 years,” she said, “yet in three weeks I had a position as a writer/producer at the local ABC station in Milwaukee. If you're good at what you do, you'll always work.”
“The first and foremost goal of an artistic endeavor, for me, is to have fun,” said Cieslewicz. “And I think we've definitely been doing that so far as we work with the project. However this is a class project, so making a very good film that can get us a good grade is always a plus! I hope, more than anything, that we create something that is a little unique, and above all, utterly entertaining.”
Enterprise Final
Phil Meyer knows what it is like to operate under a strict budget. In 2003, Meyer saw the completion of his dream house on the northwest side of Oshkosh. These days the UW-Oshkosh head football coach is trying to operate under even more of a crunch, this time imposed by the state.
Reassuring or not, Meyer is not the only head coach within the department of athletics feeling the crunch. However, that doesn’t mean that they are not trying to alleviate the problem.
What you see inside the department is a creative plan to avoid the doldrums of budgetary purgatory.
This plan is encompassed in three components; making small cuts within the budget, increasing fundraising dollars and adopting new forms of revenue while increasing the potential of old revenue forms
According to projected budget figures for 2005-2006 the department’s allocation from the state will be cut by four percent. The department primarily uses this money for staff salaries and benefits.
By tweaking the budget the department has operated under the past two years, Director of Athletics Al Ackerman feels the department can operate business as usual.
“We plan at operating under the same budget as before,” said Ackerman.
The most visible cut teams will see is the elimination of the money once budgeted for new or replacement uniforms. Teams needing to replace uniforms will be forced to do so themselves for the next two years.
With the department operating under a projected budget of $1.55 million for next year, fundraiser dollars will need to be increased to provide assurance that the department can function as it has in the past.
Last year the department raised approximately $400,000 dollars to be used in numerous areas.
The department of athletics receives its budgetary dollars from three sources; state dollars, operating dollars and fundraising.
Ackerman said that there is a plan to raise the money needed. For example, using athletes as quasi telemarketers, the department held a two week phone-a-thon to solicit money from a variety of boosters, including local citizens and businesses.
The athletic department also plans on using third party billing for the use of athletic trainers and their services by athletes to generate additional revenue.
Doing this the department would bill an individual’s insurance carrier for any legitimate bill such as first time evaluations, treatment of open wounds and all rehabilitation time.
According to Ackerman athletes will not encounter any additional costs from this plan.
Finally, Ackerman said that the department plans on raising ticket prices to all Titan home games for next year.
Although, teams within the department fundraise a large portion of the money they spend to operate their respective programs more will be needed to be done as a result of the projected cuts.
In the past month, Meyer has spearheaded a fundraiser with the help of his coaches and players to raise the additional funds for his program. Along with Varsity Gold, Meyer’s troops sold Papa Johns pizza cards for $15 throughout the community.
The results were great according by UWO Head Football Coach Phil Meyer
Still, using athletes to raise money for the program, taking time away from them to train or even study must be counterintuitive. Meyer said his players have responded well to the challenge.
“To put $5,000 in Joe’s memorial, to get travel sweats and be able to travel next year to Platteville and La Crosse, they know it is going back to them,” said Meyer.
With the state continuing to cut, it seems that the athletes can expect to put in more than just practice time in order to compete at the level that they are accustomed to.
Reassuring or not, Meyer is not the only head coach within the department of athletics feeling the crunch. However, that doesn’t mean that they are not trying to alleviate the problem.
What you see inside the department is a creative plan to avoid the doldrums of budgetary purgatory.
This plan is encompassed in three components; making small cuts within the budget, increasing fundraising dollars and adopting new forms of revenue while increasing the potential of old revenue forms
According to projected budget figures for 2005-2006 the department’s allocation from the state will be cut by four percent. The department primarily uses this money for staff salaries and benefits.
By tweaking the budget the department has operated under the past two years, Director of Athletics Al Ackerman feels the department can operate business as usual.
“We plan at operating under the same budget as before,” said Ackerman.
The most visible cut teams will see is the elimination of the money once budgeted for new or replacement uniforms. Teams needing to replace uniforms will be forced to do so themselves for the next two years.
With the department operating under a projected budget of $1.55 million for next year, fundraiser dollars will need to be increased to provide assurance that the department can function as it has in the past.
Last year the department raised approximately $400,000 dollars to be used in numerous areas.
The department of athletics receives its budgetary dollars from three sources; state dollars, operating dollars and fundraising.
Ackerman said that there is a plan to raise the money needed. For example, using athletes as quasi telemarketers, the department held a two week phone-a-thon to solicit money from a variety of boosters, including local citizens and businesses.
The athletic department also plans on using third party billing for the use of athletic trainers and their services by athletes to generate additional revenue.
Doing this the department would bill an individual’s insurance carrier for any legitimate bill such as first time evaluations, treatment of open wounds and all rehabilitation time.
According to Ackerman athletes will not encounter any additional costs from this plan.
Finally, Ackerman said that the department plans on raising ticket prices to all Titan home games for next year.
Although, teams within the department fundraise a large portion of the money they spend to operate their respective programs more will be needed to be done as a result of the projected cuts.
In the past month, Meyer has spearheaded a fundraiser with the help of his coaches and players to raise the additional funds for his program. Along with Varsity Gold, Meyer’s troops sold Papa Johns pizza cards for $15 throughout the community.
The results were great according by UWO Head Football Coach Phil Meyer
Still, using athletes to raise money for the program, taking time away from them to train or even study must be counterintuitive. Meyer said his players have responded well to the challenge.
“To put $5,000 in Joe’s memorial, to get travel sweats and be able to travel next year to Platteville and La Crosse, they know it is going back to them,” said Meyer.
With the state continuing to cut, it seems that the athletes can expect to put in more than just practice time in order to compete at the level that they are accustomed to.
Enterprise Article
In its 33 year existence, the UW Oshkosh Model United Nations team has carved out a distinctive nook and has produced some outstanding alumni. Rising to the top of this list is an extremely unique and extraordinary alumnus.
“I’ll match our students against anybody,” said Model UN faculty member Kenneth Grieb. “There is still a good work ethic in this state and it shows in the students.”
Some of the best Model United Nations teams across the U.S. have highly involved faculty.
Beth Klosinski, ‘01-’04, “Dr. Grieb’s persistence and drive in Model UN helped shape me into who I am today.
According to Alex Adriano, Advisor of the International Studies Program, in 1972, the University Wisconsin Oshkosh Alumni Association created the Outstanding Young Alumni program as a means of recognizing accomplishments and promise of alumni who are recent graduates of the University.
Perhaps the most outstanding alumnus has been Carolyn Hansen. She in one of the original founders of the Model UN team, received a NATO fellowship, owns her own law firm in Taiwan and has translated several books into Chinese.
Hansen received the UW Oshkosh Outstanding Award in 1976.
Model UN has affected many of its alumni in a strikingly similar way.
James Hwang-King, ‘85-’90, is currently part owner in a sales/marketing in the Rocky Mountain States.
Bret Bergst, member from ’95-’99, is now a program Officer with The World Conservation Union (IUCN).
My current job requires me to rely on all my skills that I got as a student in the program. Working in an organization that is truly global, my job requires all of that knowledge and skills,” Bergst said.
Bergst continued to work with Model UN after his graduation. “He has served on staff at the Midwest and National Model UN conferences and has been a presenter for the annual United Nations Association of the United States (UNA-USA) Model UN Summit. Only accomplished student delegates are invited to volunteer for these positions after graduation,” said Adriano.
Kyle Wilson, ’98-’01, said that Model UN was the focal point in his college education and attributes much of his current success with the skills acquired at UW-Oshkosh.
Deborah Aragao, ’01-’03, works for an international environmental organization non-governmental organization (NGO), Conservation International.
“In summary, I perform financial management, donor reporting compliance, develop and maintain communication materials, research and overall fund wide support,” Aragao said.
Model UN and the amount of work put in explain the rapid development in careers and life of these alumni. Their speaking and writing skills are superior, and what is necessary to deal with any mass of information.
“In college football, there’s Notre Dame and everybody else. We’re the Notre Dame of Model UN,” Grieb said.
“I’ll match our students against anybody,” said Model UN faculty member Kenneth Grieb. “There is still a good work ethic in this state and it shows in the students.”
Some of the best Model United Nations teams across the U.S. have highly involved faculty.
Beth Klosinski, ‘01-’04, “Dr. Grieb’s persistence and drive in Model UN helped shape me into who I am today.
According to Alex Adriano, Advisor of the International Studies Program, in 1972, the University Wisconsin Oshkosh Alumni Association created the Outstanding Young Alumni program as a means of recognizing accomplishments and promise of alumni who are recent graduates of the University.
Perhaps the most outstanding alumnus has been Carolyn Hansen. She in one of the original founders of the Model UN team, received a NATO fellowship, owns her own law firm in Taiwan and has translated several books into Chinese.
Hansen received the UW Oshkosh Outstanding Award in 1976.
Model UN has affected many of its alumni in a strikingly similar way.
James Hwang-King, ‘85-’90, is currently part owner in a sales/marketing in the Rocky Mountain States.
Bret Bergst, member from ’95-’99, is now a program Officer with The World Conservation Union (IUCN).
My current job requires me to rely on all my skills that I got as a student in the program. Working in an organization that is truly global, my job requires all of that knowledge and skills,” Bergst said.
Bergst continued to work with Model UN after his graduation. “He has served on staff at the Midwest and National Model UN conferences and has been a presenter for the annual United Nations Association of the United States (UNA-USA) Model UN Summit. Only accomplished student delegates are invited to volunteer for these positions after graduation,” said Adriano.
Kyle Wilson, ’98-’01, said that Model UN was the focal point in his college education and attributes much of his current success with the skills acquired at UW-Oshkosh.
Deborah Aragao, ’01-’03, works for an international environmental organization non-governmental organization (NGO), Conservation International.
“In summary, I perform financial management, donor reporting compliance, develop and maintain communication materials, research and overall fund wide support,” Aragao said.
Model UN and the amount of work put in explain the rapid development in careers and life of these alumni. Their speaking and writing skills are superior, and what is necessary to deal with any mass of information.
“In college football, there’s Notre Dame and everybody else. We’re the Notre Dame of Model UN,” Grieb said.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Enterprise article
Possible university funding for the men’s volleyball program will be put on hold until more female athletes represent UW-Oshkosh athletics.
According to a Federal law introduced in the mid 1970’s called title IX, the men’s volleyball program at Oshkosh will have to wait until the more of the women athletes represent the campus’ athletics.
Title IX describes how the discrimination of genders should be prohibited: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
“In general, title IX was a law that I felt was good and bad,” said head coach Brian Schaefer. “Being a head coach of a college level women’s volleyball team has shown me how far women’s sports have come from past years and given them more opportunities to feel equal to men’s athletics. On the reverse side, it has taken away from great men’s athletic programs that deserve recognition.”
The UW-Oshkosh men’s volleyball program competes in tournaments all over the Midwest and most recently, in Las Vegas, NV. The funding for all of these trips comes from hard work and dedication from each individual athlete who serves on average, 10-15 hours a week fundraising.
Certain fundraising that the Titans have done include officiating Junior Olympic volleyball tournaments as well as concessions and apparel sales, parking cars for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletics Association basketball tournaments, magazine subscriptions, finding area sponsorships and more.
“Some of the things that we do to raise money for the team takes a lot of time and an extremely high level of dedication,” said senior outside hitter Tim Weis. “It’s really hard to always have to give up every single weekend you have for four months just to raise money.”
All of the funds raised by the team pays for tournament entry fees which can range anywhere from $500-$1200, rentals of university vehicles for travel, new equipment and uniforms, food for the concession sales and hotel rooms for weekend tournaments.
“A lot of the things that we do go unnoticed,” said senior setter Andrew Sederberg. “The women’s team gets everything they need for free, coach bus rides, free uniforms and shoes and even spending money for weekend tournaments. We just work that much harder to be able to get the things that we want.”
According to Director of Athletics Allen Ackerman, title IX has given the women’s team at Oshkosh an even shot at all aspects of athletics. Ackerman believes that title IX plays a huge role as to why the men’s volleyball program will not advance to the NCAA level of competition.
“The proportion of women athletes here isn’t where it needs to be in order for the program to get to the next level,” said Ackerman. “It needs a 60 to 40 percent ratio of women athlete to men athlete representation before we could add any men’s club sport to the budget.”
The current percentage of women athletes at Oshkosh is 43 percent. Schaefer states that it would take a lot longer than necessary for it to change in his favor.
“I think that title IX has enabled me and my sister to play sports that we loved playing while we were little in high school,” said junior setter Amanda Chart. “While it has helped a lot of girl’s sports, I feel bad for the men’s team because they have the potential to be great and play at a higher level.”
According to a Federal law introduced in the mid 1970’s called title IX, the men’s volleyball program at Oshkosh will have to wait until the more of the women athletes represent the campus’ athletics.
Title IX describes how the discrimination of genders should be prohibited: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
“In general, title IX was a law that I felt was good and bad,” said head coach Brian Schaefer. “Being a head coach of a college level women’s volleyball team has shown me how far women’s sports have come from past years and given them more opportunities to feel equal to men’s athletics. On the reverse side, it has taken away from great men’s athletic programs that deserve recognition.”
The UW-Oshkosh men’s volleyball program competes in tournaments all over the Midwest and most recently, in Las Vegas, NV. The funding for all of these trips comes from hard work and dedication from each individual athlete who serves on average, 10-15 hours a week fundraising.
Certain fundraising that the Titans have done include officiating Junior Olympic volleyball tournaments as well as concessions and apparel sales, parking cars for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletics Association basketball tournaments, magazine subscriptions, finding area sponsorships and more.
“Some of the things that we do to raise money for the team takes a lot of time and an extremely high level of dedication,” said senior outside hitter Tim Weis. “It’s really hard to always have to give up every single weekend you have for four months just to raise money.”
All of the funds raised by the team pays for tournament entry fees which can range anywhere from $500-$1200, rentals of university vehicles for travel, new equipment and uniforms, food for the concession sales and hotel rooms for weekend tournaments.
“A lot of the things that we do go unnoticed,” said senior setter Andrew Sederberg. “The women’s team gets everything they need for free, coach bus rides, free uniforms and shoes and even spending money for weekend tournaments. We just work that much harder to be able to get the things that we want.”
According to Director of Athletics Allen Ackerman, title IX has given the women’s team at Oshkosh an even shot at all aspects of athletics. Ackerman believes that title IX plays a huge role as to why the men’s volleyball program will not advance to the NCAA level of competition.
“The proportion of women athletes here isn’t where it needs to be in order for the program to get to the next level,” said Ackerman. “It needs a 60 to 40 percent ratio of women athlete to men athlete representation before we could add any men’s club sport to the budget.”
The current percentage of women athletes at Oshkosh is 43 percent. Schaefer states that it would take a lot longer than necessary for it to change in his favor.
“I think that title IX has enabled me and my sister to play sports that we loved playing while we were little in high school,” said junior setter Amanda Chart. “While it has helped a lot of girl’s sports, I feel bad for the men’s team because they have the potential to be great and play at a higher level.”
Monday, May 09, 2005
Other assignment
Despite what most people think about people who work on a sports desk, i.e., that their job is really easy, documenting what happened in the world of sports in a single section and presenting that on deadline is often a difficult task.
John Casper,24, is prep-sports editor for the Oshkosh Northwestern. He has also reported sports for the Marquette University newspaper and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“What people don't realize is the extreme deadline pressure that sports people have to deal with each night,” said Casper.
An Oshkosh Northwestern sports page is mainly comprised of wire stories. Most sporting events end late in the afternoon meaning that stories about them typically don't appear on the Associated Press wire until late at night.
“Most of the time we have a pretty good idea where a certain event is going to go on the page, regardless of outcome,” Casper said. “But sometimes unexpected things happen. I've worked in the newsroom until 3 a.m. before.”
Casper said that one of the many misconceptions about the sports desk is the way that people perceive reporters.
Like many 24-year-olds, Casper likes to watch tv, go out to the bars, and listen to music. He is also an avid reader.
“Just because I'm a sports reporter doesn't mean that I only know sports,” Casper said. “I'm a well-read person, and I keep up on world events, like the pope and the tsunami and stuff like that.”
Casper said thinks that most people believe the sports reporters get many perks, when really they do not.
“Contrary to popular belief, we don't get free tickets, and we aren't best friends with the athletes that we report on,” Casper said. “I have no interest in receiving things like that and creating a bias, it's unnecessary.”
Mike Krumrei is an agett file clerk at the Oshkosh Northwestern. An agett is a box-score that summarizes, through the use of numbers and statistics, the outcome of a sporting event. Agett reporters are regarded as the lowest ranking individuals on the sports desk.
“Nobody likes laying out agett as a job but you have to start somewhere,” Krumrei said.
As an agett reporter, Krumrei waits until game round-ups are sent to him so he can then lay them out on the page. When coaches sent game-round ups and statistics he talks with the coach and double checks that facts are right. Other sporting event statistics are taken from the Associated Press wire.
“On Tuesday and Thursday, when most of the high school sporting events happen in Oshkosh I am so busy I don't have time to take a break,” Krumrei said. “The phone rings non-stop and I have so much work to do.”
Krumrei said that he thinks that agett reporting is relatively boring but finds his job to be altogether rewarding.
“I'm learning so much right now,” Krumrei said. “I'm learning how a sports desk functions, how to write stories better and how to deal with parents.”
Casper was also a former agett reporter. Before coming to Oshkosh, he worked on the agett desk at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and was given less opportunity for work than Krumrei does that the Northwestern.
“Everybody has to start somewhere,” Casper said. “At the Journal Sentinel I didn't do round-ups or anything like that so he [Krumrei] has much more opportunity here.”
Krumrei also writes stories for the KidsPlay section of the Oshkosh Northwestern. The section runs on the Neighbors page in ever Sunday edition.
“I've seen so many odd things at sporting events,” Krumrei said. “Most of the time it's a parent yelling at their kid or something but sometimes it's overwhelming.”
Since high school sports are such a large part of a local sports page, parents are often involved with the sports desk.
“I think that high school people take us as a service instead of being reporters,”
Casper said. “Parents think that we should write a story on their kid just because he or she made it to finals or something but most of the time nobody except grandma cares.”
Casper said that he credits complains from parents and their constant antagonizing as something beneficial to the sports desk though.
“I'd rather have on complain than 20 compliments,” Casper said. “It keeps my job in check.”
John Casper,24, is prep-sports editor for the Oshkosh Northwestern. He has also reported sports for the Marquette University newspaper and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“What people don't realize is the extreme deadline pressure that sports people have to deal with each night,” said Casper.
An Oshkosh Northwestern sports page is mainly comprised of wire stories. Most sporting events end late in the afternoon meaning that stories about them typically don't appear on the Associated Press wire until late at night.
“Most of the time we have a pretty good idea where a certain event is going to go on the page, regardless of outcome,” Casper said. “But sometimes unexpected things happen. I've worked in the newsroom until 3 a.m. before.”
Casper said that one of the many misconceptions about the sports desk is the way that people perceive reporters.
Like many 24-year-olds, Casper likes to watch tv, go out to the bars, and listen to music. He is also an avid reader.
“Just because I'm a sports reporter doesn't mean that I only know sports,” Casper said. “I'm a well-read person, and I keep up on world events, like the pope and the tsunami and stuff like that.”
Casper said thinks that most people believe the sports reporters get many perks, when really they do not.
“Contrary to popular belief, we don't get free tickets, and we aren't best friends with the athletes that we report on,” Casper said. “I have no interest in receiving things like that and creating a bias, it's unnecessary.”
Mike Krumrei is an agett file clerk at the Oshkosh Northwestern. An agett is a box-score that summarizes, through the use of numbers and statistics, the outcome of a sporting event. Agett reporters are regarded as the lowest ranking individuals on the sports desk.
“Nobody likes laying out agett as a job but you have to start somewhere,” Krumrei said.
As an agett reporter, Krumrei waits until game round-ups are sent to him so he can then lay them out on the page. When coaches sent game-round ups and statistics he talks with the coach and double checks that facts are right. Other sporting event statistics are taken from the Associated Press wire.
“On Tuesday and Thursday, when most of the high school sporting events happen in Oshkosh I am so busy I don't have time to take a break,” Krumrei said. “The phone rings non-stop and I have so much work to do.”
Krumrei said that he thinks that agett reporting is relatively boring but finds his job to be altogether rewarding.
“I'm learning so much right now,” Krumrei said. “I'm learning how a sports desk functions, how to write stories better and how to deal with parents.”
Casper was also a former agett reporter. Before coming to Oshkosh, he worked on the agett desk at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and was given less opportunity for work than Krumrei does that the Northwestern.
“Everybody has to start somewhere,” Casper said. “At the Journal Sentinel I didn't do round-ups or anything like that so he [Krumrei] has much more opportunity here.”
Krumrei also writes stories for the KidsPlay section of the Oshkosh Northwestern. The section runs on the Neighbors page in ever Sunday edition.
“I've seen so many odd things at sporting events,” Krumrei said. “Most of the time it's a parent yelling at their kid or something but sometimes it's overwhelming.”
Since high school sports are such a large part of a local sports page, parents are often involved with the sports desk.
“I think that high school people take us as a service instead of being reporters,”
Casper said. “Parents think that we should write a story on their kid just because he or she made it to finals or something but most of the time nobody except grandma cares.”
Casper said that he credits complains from parents and their constant antagonizing as something beneficial to the sports desk though.
“I'd rather have on complain than 20 compliments,” Casper said. “It keeps my job in check.”
The Other Assignment
Nathan Kragh
Dr. Miles Maguire
Reporting on the Other
5-9-05
Where have all the boys gone? This is something that is asked when thinking about the resident female Japanese students.
The presence of Japanese male students is somewhat lacking this year on the UW Oshkosh campus. “Women in Japan learn English more than men,” said Chie Tateno.
Tateno, 20 and currently junior, comes from a family of seven. Back in Japan she lives in Nagasaki with her great grandmother, grand parents, parents and two younger brothers. Tateno came to America to study Psychology. She has also studied, in addition to English, Chinese and Spanish.
“Once Japan opened its doors during the Meiji Era to the west, around 1868, women had a chance to travel abroad,” added Tateno.
Staying in America has done little to improve Tateno’s English reading and writing skills, since more emphasis is placed on speaking properly. Alternatively, her communication skills have enhanced. Communication between her and her American friends has sometimes been easier. “The things we think are more similar than my Japanese friends back home,” she remarked.
For Natsue Kariya, 21 and also a junior, has found that her grammar as well communication skills have improved a lot.
“I think on average, Japanese men spend more time studying math and science, and women, foreign languages,” said Kariya.
She, like Tateno, lives with her family back in Japan, in Gifu. “It is much cheaper to stay at home than live independently,” Kariya exclaimed.
Tateno does so for added reason – the commute. While her home is in Nagasaki, she travels four hours a day to college in Siebold. The commute she says would be too expensive is she lived by herself.
Mayumi Yamasaki, 22, is the oldest of the trio. She has come to America to study English. Yamasaki has a family of four, but lived independently from them in Okayama Prefecture. To support herself she worked many different jobs, once a cashier in a convenience store and then a butcher. Yamasaki studied the Chinese language as well, but emphasized that she could not speak.
“Young women like traveling. They appreciate it more. Men don’t care as much in Japan,” expressed Yamasaki.
In America, these Japanese students do not have to travel as far living on campus. This has led to some alterations in their habits. Here, they say that they are less busy and have more time for leisure.
Kariya said staying so close to school has led to her to gain more weight than she wanted, and that she takes more naps. Tateno agreed. All three women said they study less being in America.
“Being in America is comfortable,” said Yamasaki.
Etiquette is stressed much more in Japan. The way that you sit in public is more proper for instance, than the way in one’s home. “Here in America people are nicer and care less about formality,” said Yamasaki.
“Men are gentlemen here,” Yamasaki blushed. “Men in Japan typically enter buildings before women.”
All of them agree that Wisconsin is too cold.
Returning home, Kariya and Yamasaki plan to graduate the next spring, while Tateno has another year to go.
Dr. Miles Maguire
Reporting on the Other
5-9-05
Where have all the boys gone? This is something that is asked when thinking about the resident female Japanese students.
The presence of Japanese male students is somewhat lacking this year on the UW Oshkosh campus. “Women in Japan learn English more than men,” said Chie Tateno.
Tateno, 20 and currently junior, comes from a family of seven. Back in Japan she lives in Nagasaki with her great grandmother, grand parents, parents and two younger brothers. Tateno came to America to study Psychology. She has also studied, in addition to English, Chinese and Spanish.
“Once Japan opened its doors during the Meiji Era to the west, around 1868, women had a chance to travel abroad,” added Tateno.
Staying in America has done little to improve Tateno’s English reading and writing skills, since more emphasis is placed on speaking properly. Alternatively, her communication skills have enhanced. Communication between her and her American friends has sometimes been easier. “The things we think are more similar than my Japanese friends back home,” she remarked.
For Natsue Kariya, 21 and also a junior, has found that her grammar as well communication skills have improved a lot.
“I think on average, Japanese men spend more time studying math and science, and women, foreign languages,” said Kariya.
She, like Tateno, lives with her family back in Japan, in Gifu. “It is much cheaper to stay at home than live independently,” Kariya exclaimed.
Tateno does so for added reason – the commute. While her home is in Nagasaki, she travels four hours a day to college in Siebold. The commute she says would be too expensive is she lived by herself.
Mayumi Yamasaki, 22, is the oldest of the trio. She has come to America to study English. Yamasaki has a family of four, but lived independently from them in Okayama Prefecture. To support herself she worked many different jobs, once a cashier in a convenience store and then a butcher. Yamasaki studied the Chinese language as well, but emphasized that she could not speak.
“Young women like traveling. They appreciate it more. Men don’t care as much in Japan,” expressed Yamasaki.
In America, these Japanese students do not have to travel as far living on campus. This has led to some alterations in their habits. Here, they say that they are less busy and have more time for leisure.
Kariya said staying so close to school has led to her to gain more weight than she wanted, and that she takes more naps. Tateno agreed. All three women said they study less being in America.
“Being in America is comfortable,” said Yamasaki.
Etiquette is stressed much more in Japan. The way that you sit in public is more proper for instance, than the way in one’s home. “Here in America people are nicer and care less about formality,” said Yamasaki.
“Men are gentlemen here,” Yamasaki blushed. “Men in Japan typically enter buildings before women.”
All of them agree that Wisconsin is too cold.
Returning home, Kariya and Yamasaki plan to graduate the next spring, while Tateno has another year to go.
other final
Daniel Gostas-Sims, a 21-year-old senior at UW-Oshkosh said it was hard growing up in an all white town, where he attended private schools all of his life before coming to UW-Oshkosh.
"It was hard when I was a kid being around all white people," Sims said.
He said he loved putting bandages on his hand, and when he took them off his skin would look white.
"What I would do was ask my mom to bandage up my whole body so I could look like a white person," Sims said. "Now I associate with more black people that I do white."
Sims said he been around white people all his life, so he's use to being the minority.
Three different men, who come from different backgrounds, said there was at least on time that they felt uncomfortable when race was brought up in a class.
Sims said he would feel like a minority on any UW campus.
Sims is a black man, who grew up in Milwaukee with his mother until she died of breast cancer when he was 10.
He later moved to Sun Prairie to live with his dad, stepmom and stepbrother. Two years ago his family moved to Castaic, Calif.
Sims said his stepbrother is still a "gangbanger" at the age of 33.
He said he doesn't feel like there's enough cultural things availabe on the Oshkosh's campus, and if there was he would definitely take advantage of them.
"They're trying to close down the multiculture center. That's the last place a nigger can go," Sims said.
Although Sims isn't bothered by being on a campus of mostly white people, he is bothered by attending classes, where he is the only black person.
"I don't like being in all white classes," Sims said. "Can we get some diversity so I can have someone I can relate to? There's been times when I felt singled out and wanted to get up and walk out of class."
Kareem Jackson, a 19-year-old sophomore at UW-Oshksoh says he also feels uncomfortable in all white classes when race is brought up.
“I feel uncomfortable because it seems like there only talking like that when I’m there. If I wasn’t there it would be different,” Jackson said.
Jackson said he experienced that feeling in his Speech Communication Class.
“It didn’t seem natural for them to talk the way they were. They weren’t being themselves, that makes me feel more uncomfortable than anything,” Jackson said.
Jackson grew up in Kenosha, Wis. with his two brothers and sisters and his parents. His mom runs her own daycare and his father works at a factory in Chicago.
Jackson said he lives in a diverse neighborhood, so he never felt like he was different from other people. He said he doesn’t feel uncomfortable living on a campus, where the majority of the students are white.
“It doesn’t bother me that the campus is all white, what bothers me is that people are ignorant,” Jackson said. “I can be sitting around and people don’t know I’m there and start to say racial stuff. When they realize I had been there the whole time they start to appologize.”
Floyde Waite, a 27-year-old Jamaican, who is a senior at UW-Oshkosh, said that he never experienced racism until he came to the United States.
“Race is a big issue in the United States. Living here it becomes an issue. I never had that kind of problem in Jamaica,” Waite said. “I never felt uncomfortable, but I’m more aware of my color living here.”
Floyd came to the United States three years ago from Montego Bay, Jamaica, to obtain a college degree. He left behind his father, who owns his own furniture store and three sisters. His mother died when he was 14.
Waite said that coming to school was a lot different because of the different cultures.
“When you get to know everyone you start to fit in,” Waite said.
Waite also feel that there should be more cultural things on the campus.
“There isn’t enough stuff on campus, you don’t feel at home,” Waite said. “There should be more cultural things. That’s one of the biggest things. I lost a lot of weight when I came here, because I couldn’t find food from my culture.”
"It was hard when I was a kid being around all white people," Sims said.
He said he loved putting bandages on his hand, and when he took them off his skin would look white.
"What I would do was ask my mom to bandage up my whole body so I could look like a white person," Sims said. "Now I associate with more black people that I do white."
Sims said he been around white people all his life, so he's use to being the minority.
Three different men, who come from different backgrounds, said there was at least on time that they felt uncomfortable when race was brought up in a class.
Sims said he would feel like a minority on any UW campus.
Sims is a black man, who grew up in Milwaukee with his mother until she died of breast cancer when he was 10.
He later moved to Sun Prairie to live with his dad, stepmom and stepbrother. Two years ago his family moved to Castaic, Calif.
Sims said his stepbrother is still a "gangbanger" at the age of 33.
He said he doesn't feel like there's enough cultural things availabe on the Oshkosh's campus, and if there was he would definitely take advantage of them.
"They're trying to close down the multiculture center. That's the last place a nigger can go," Sims said.
Although Sims isn't bothered by being on a campus of mostly white people, he is bothered by attending classes, where he is the only black person.
"I don't like being in all white classes," Sims said. "Can we get some diversity so I can have someone I can relate to? There's been times when I felt singled out and wanted to get up and walk out of class."
Kareem Jackson, a 19-year-old sophomore at UW-Oshksoh says he also feels uncomfortable in all white classes when race is brought up.
“I feel uncomfortable because it seems like there only talking like that when I’m there. If I wasn’t there it would be different,” Jackson said.
Jackson said he experienced that feeling in his Speech Communication Class.
“It didn’t seem natural for them to talk the way they were. They weren’t being themselves, that makes me feel more uncomfortable than anything,” Jackson said.
Jackson grew up in Kenosha, Wis. with his two brothers and sisters and his parents. His mom runs her own daycare and his father works at a factory in Chicago.
Jackson said he lives in a diverse neighborhood, so he never felt like he was different from other people. He said he doesn’t feel uncomfortable living on a campus, where the majority of the students are white.
“It doesn’t bother me that the campus is all white, what bothers me is that people are ignorant,” Jackson said. “I can be sitting around and people don’t know I’m there and start to say racial stuff. When they realize I had been there the whole time they start to appologize.”
Floyde Waite, a 27-year-old Jamaican, who is a senior at UW-Oshkosh, said that he never experienced racism until he came to the United States.
“Race is a big issue in the United States. Living here it becomes an issue. I never had that kind of problem in Jamaica,” Waite said. “I never felt uncomfortable, but I’m more aware of my color living here.”
Floyd came to the United States three years ago from Montego Bay, Jamaica, to obtain a college degree. He left behind his father, who owns his own furniture store and three sisters. His mother died when he was 14.
Waite said that coming to school was a lot different because of the different cultures.
“When you get to know everyone you start to fit in,” Waite said.
Waite also feel that there should be more cultural things on the campus.
“There isn’t enough stuff on campus, you don’t feel at home,” Waite said. “There should be more cultural things. That’s one of the biggest things. I lost a lot of weight when I came here, because I couldn’t find food from my culture.”
The Other Final: The LARPers
Armor, check; sword, check; cape, check. This isn’t the typical checklist for a Sunday picnic, but for a splinter group of the Oshkosh Gaming Society it’s the standard start to a great afternoon.
That’s because they are Live Action Role Playing gamers or LARPers. These brave men and women dress up in costumes to pursue their passion of role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons.
While this pastime has made them targets for ridicule by their peers, LARPing is actually a big part of childhood development and was the foundation of the first role-playing games (RPGs). Many boys and girls, when they are young, partake in games like Cowboy’s & Indians or Cops & Robbers, which is essentially the same thing that the LARPs are doing.
“It is an escape,” said college sophomore Rob Mavshall, who has been gaming since he was 14-years-old, “from the mundane reality of life. It’s a chance to be someone who you would otherwise never be.”
Besides their age, another difference between the LARPers and millions of boys and girls across the nation is that they have better toys. They bring their homemade swords and shields, axes and armor to their gatherings and they use them.
These weapons are created from PVC piping covered in foam rubber and electrical tape, which holds the pieces together.
RPGs were developed into a finer form in the mid-1970’s by a company called TSR, who created Dungeons & Dragons. At first many people were apprehensive about letting their children take on the roles of sorcerers and monks to fight make-believe devils and in some cases angels. In fact many of the first RPGs were banned by religious action groups, driving those who played them underground.
Many contemporary child-development psychologists believe that role-playing games are safe, saying that they teach children and teens about real world consequences in a safe setting.
“I think it teaches kids creativity and problem solving skills,” said Junior UW-O student Justin Fowler, who has role-played for the past year-and-a-half. “It may even help with public speaking since players have to get up and speak to their peers.”
Despite the fact that there are research studies in favor of role-playing games, many groups still believe that dressing up in a costume and pretending to fight each other with foam rubber swords, is a path straight to hell.
“A fantasy role-playing game which uses demonology, witchcraft, voodoo, murder, rape, blasphemy, suicide, assassination, insanity, sex perversion, homosexuality, prostitution, satanic type rituals, gambling, barbarism, cannibalism, sadism, desecration, demon summoning, necromantics, divination and other teachings,“ the Reverend Fred Nile once said of Dungeons & Dragons.
Reverend Nile’s opinion was common of people in the mid-1980’s, but despite the popularity of this movement to ban gaming, RPG’s have seen huge success.
After the RPG revolution, a three-year period in the mid-1990’s where more than 20 new games were introduced on a monthly basis, a game was introduced which would create a whole new world of possibilities for LARPers: Vampire the Masquerade. This game offered people a chance to step into a world one-step removed from their own and take part in a game of politics, war and blood.
Despite the opposition to these games, LARPing is likely to be around in future years.
The shall continue to fight their cardboard cut out monsters, with their fake swords, helmets and shields. “When will I stop gaming?” Said Mavshall, “Probably when I die. There will be breaks in there, but I’ll never completely stop.”
That’s because they are Live Action Role Playing gamers or LARPers. These brave men and women dress up in costumes to pursue their passion of role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons.
While this pastime has made them targets for ridicule by their peers, LARPing is actually a big part of childhood development and was the foundation of the first role-playing games (RPGs). Many boys and girls, when they are young, partake in games like Cowboy’s & Indians or Cops & Robbers, which is essentially the same thing that the LARPs are doing.
“It is an escape,” said college sophomore Rob Mavshall, who has been gaming since he was 14-years-old, “from the mundane reality of life. It’s a chance to be someone who you would otherwise never be.”
Besides their age, another difference between the LARPers and millions of boys and girls across the nation is that they have better toys. They bring their homemade swords and shields, axes and armor to their gatherings and they use them.
These weapons are created from PVC piping covered in foam rubber and electrical tape, which holds the pieces together.
RPGs were developed into a finer form in the mid-1970’s by a company called TSR, who created Dungeons & Dragons. At first many people were apprehensive about letting their children take on the roles of sorcerers and monks to fight make-believe devils and in some cases angels. In fact many of the first RPGs were banned by religious action groups, driving those who played them underground.
Many contemporary child-development psychologists believe that role-playing games are safe, saying that they teach children and teens about real world consequences in a safe setting.
“I think it teaches kids creativity and problem solving skills,” said Junior UW-O student Justin Fowler, who has role-played for the past year-and-a-half. “It may even help with public speaking since players have to get up and speak to their peers.”
Despite the fact that there are research studies in favor of role-playing games, many groups still believe that dressing up in a costume and pretending to fight each other with foam rubber swords, is a path straight to hell.
“A fantasy role-playing game which uses demonology, witchcraft, voodoo, murder, rape, blasphemy, suicide, assassination, insanity, sex perversion, homosexuality, prostitution, satanic type rituals, gambling, barbarism, cannibalism, sadism, desecration, demon summoning, necromantics, divination and other teachings,“ the Reverend Fred Nile once said of Dungeons & Dragons.
Reverend Nile’s opinion was common of people in the mid-1980’s, but despite the popularity of this movement to ban gaming, RPG’s have seen huge success.
After the RPG revolution, a three-year period in the mid-1990’s where more than 20 new games were introduced on a monthly basis, a game was introduced which would create a whole new world of possibilities for LARPers: Vampire the Masquerade. This game offered people a chance to step into a world one-step removed from their own and take part in a game of politics, war and blood.
Despite the opposition to these games, LARPing is likely to be around in future years.
The shall continue to fight their cardboard cut out monsters, with their fake swords, helmets and shields. “When will I stop gaming?” Said Mavshall, “Probably when I die. There will be breaks in there, but I’ll never completely stop.”
Friday, May 06, 2005
blog assignment for the other
I read “The Hurt Between the Lines” (about race relations and the Acron Beacon Journal)
1. I find words funny. I think that’s one insight I got from reading this. How words can relate to things in our minds is crazy – like we’re constantly playing a word-association game in our heads – a Rorschach test of ancient symbols. Niggardly and nigger – they’re different words, yet similar sounding. One word had the power to tear down the alliance between Chancellor and Dyer.
2. Well, liked this quote a bit: "I always thought, even well before that series, that people in the newsroom considered themselves enlightened, which was sort of debunked when we did the focus group," he said recently. "You know, we were like any other part of society. We didn't have a clue."
3. A series of short anecdotes caught my attention, which summed up that race doesn’t often seem an issue in the newsroom. The first was about a white reporter and editor playfully shooting rubber bands at a black reporter. The second was about a sick black woman being visited by members of both races. The third was about a black photographer returning from Africa, who got a chance to write about his experiences.
4. The reporter did well. The author was exceptional at illustrating the newsroom and the tension within. I could understand what was going on and also the thought processes of the people he interviewed, due to quotes and his explanation of the environment.
1. I find words funny. I think that’s one insight I got from reading this. How words can relate to things in our minds is crazy – like we’re constantly playing a word-association game in our heads – a Rorschach test of ancient symbols. Niggardly and nigger – they’re different words, yet similar sounding. One word had the power to tear down the alliance between Chancellor and Dyer.
2. Well, liked this quote a bit: "I always thought, even well before that series, that people in the newsroom considered themselves enlightened, which was sort of debunked when we did the focus group," he said recently. "You know, we were like any other part of society. We didn't have a clue."
3. A series of short anecdotes caught my attention, which summed up that race doesn’t often seem an issue in the newsroom. The first was about a white reporter and editor playfully shooting rubber bands at a black reporter. The second was about a sick black woman being visited by members of both races. The third was about a black photographer returning from Africa, who got a chance to write about his experiences.
4. The reporter did well. The author was exceptional at illustrating the newsroom and the tension within. I could understand what was going on and also the thought processes of the people he interviewed, due to quotes and his explanation of the environment.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
other rough draft
I can't meet with the other two black people I'm using for my assignment until tomorrow.
Daniel Gostas-Sims, a 21-year-old senior at UW-Oshkosh, said he would feel like a minority on any UW campus.
Sims is a milato (don't know what to use for half black, half white), who grew up in Milwaukee with his mother until she died of breast cancer when he was 10.
He later moved to Sun Prairie to live with his dad, stepmom and stepbrother, and two years ago moved to Castaic, Calif.
Sims said his stepbrother is still a "gangbanger" at the age of 33.
Sims said it was hard growing up in an all white town, where he attended private schools all of his life before coming to UW-Oshkosh.
"It was hard when I was a kid being around all white people," Sims said.
He said he loved putting bandages on his hand, and when he took them off his skin would look white.
"What I would do was ask my mom to bandage up my whole body so I could look like a white person," Sims said. "Now I associate with more black people that I do white."
Sims said he been around white people all his life, so he's use to being the minority.
He said he doesn't feel like there's enough cultural things availabe on the Oshkosh's campus, and if there was he would definitely take advantage of them.
"They're trying to close down the multiculture center. That's the last place a nigger can go," Sims said.
Although Sims isn't bothered by being on a campus of mostly white people, he is bothered by attending classes, where he is the only black person.
"I don't like being in all white classes," Sims said. "Can we get some diversity so I can have someone I can relate to. There's been times when I fell singled out and wanted to get up and walk out of class."
Daniel Gostas-Sims, a 21-year-old senior at UW-Oshkosh, said he would feel like a minority on any UW campus.
Sims is a milato (don't know what to use for half black, half white), who grew up in Milwaukee with his mother until she died of breast cancer when he was 10.
He later moved to Sun Prairie to live with his dad, stepmom and stepbrother, and two years ago moved to Castaic, Calif.
Sims said his stepbrother is still a "gangbanger" at the age of 33.
Sims said it was hard growing up in an all white town, where he attended private schools all of his life before coming to UW-Oshkosh.
"It was hard when I was a kid being around all white people," Sims said.
He said he loved putting bandages on his hand, and when he took them off his skin would look white.
"What I would do was ask my mom to bandage up my whole body so I could look like a white person," Sims said. "Now I associate with more black people that I do white."
Sims said he been around white people all his life, so he's use to being the minority.
He said he doesn't feel like there's enough cultural things availabe on the Oshkosh's campus, and if there was he would definitely take advantage of them.
"They're trying to close down the multiculture center. That's the last place a nigger can go," Sims said.
Although Sims isn't bothered by being on a campus of mostly white people, he is bothered by attending classes, where he is the only black person.
"I don't like being in all white classes," Sims said. "Can we get some diversity so I can have someone I can relate to. There's been times when I fell singled out and wanted to get up and walk out of class."
Other homework.
I guess I didn’t know that it was so rare for Blacks to be successful in Web entrepreneurship.
A memorable detail would be how Mr. Cobb refused to fail because he thought it would discourage other blacks from trying.
I thought it was kind of funny and an interesting antidote that he advised his white friend how to dress. Especially “Drink British, Think Yedish.”
Monday, May 02, 2005
Who Gets to Tell a Black Story
This article focuses on racial issues in dealing with Hollywood production and entertainment. The article takes perspectives that Hollywood is a white-man's world and that black people are sometimes just along for the ride. The article also talks about the problems dealing with the production of a HBO mini-series called the Corner and the issues centered on its production.
A memorable detail from the article is one that was pointed out early in the story. I thought it was very interesting that Simon, who is white, was in a situation where he needed to find a writing partner. The HBO executives leaned toward the a writing candidate, mostly because he was black.
An interesting anecdote is that the director of the mini-series, Charles Dutton, recieved much of his education while in prision.
I think the writer of this article did a pretty good job at relaying different people's perspectives on certain issues, especially the views of Dutton. Though I think the writer did a good job at getting people's opinions across, I think he/she could have done a better job at presenting a more concise problem and a more concise conclusion. This story isn't as intriguing as I thought it was going to be when I first started reading it.
A memorable detail from the article is one that was pointed out early in the story. I thought it was very interesting that Simon, who is white, was in a situation where he needed to find a writing partner. The HBO executives leaned toward the a writing candidate, mostly because he was black.
An interesting anecdote is that the director of the mini-series, Charles Dutton, recieved much of his education while in prision.
I think the writer of this article did a pretty good job at relaying different people's perspectives on certain issues, especially the views of Dutton. Though I think the writer did a good job at getting people's opinions across, I think he/she could have done a better job at presenting a more concise problem and a more concise conclusion. This story isn't as intriguing as I thought it was going to be when I first started reading it.
Other assignment
At a Slaughterhouse,
Some Things Never Die
I have worked in a foundry before, so I can relate the mind-numbing work that is involved. However, I was unaware the amount of money that is paid to the pork factory workers was so little. The amount of segregation, discrimination, and turnover was appalling.
The most memorable detail is the way that the pigs are slaughtered and the blank faces on the workers as they do this.
I thought the anecdote about Billy Harwood was interesting and sad, how his expectations kind of fell through the roof and the way that he was treated by his new supervisor.
I thought that the reporter was successful in bringing a new situation about an old topic of racism and segregation into view. By the sound of it, the reporter went undercover and was able to get the necessary information that was needed to write the article. I don’t feel however, that there was new insight. I think that there was just added insight.
Some Things Never Die
I have worked in a foundry before, so I can relate the mind-numbing work that is involved. However, I was unaware the amount of money that is paid to the pork factory workers was so little. The amount of segregation, discrimination, and turnover was appalling.
The most memorable detail is the way that the pigs are slaughtered and the blank faces on the workers as they do this.
I thought the anecdote about Billy Harwood was interesting and sad, how his expectations kind of fell through the roof and the way that he was treated by his new supervisor.
I thought that the reporter was successful in bringing a new situation about an old topic of racism and segregation into view. By the sound of it, the reporter went undercover and was able to get the necessary information that was needed to write the article. I don’t feel however, that there was new insight. I think that there was just added insight.
Others
1. my insight is seen in my comments to #4. I just see more what minorities must feel in a situation where they are an EXTREME minority, such as UWO. I think this article puts a white reader into a situation where they haven't been in often, the minority.
2. I think a part of the article that showed detail, i don't know if it is memorable was this pasage "The shirtless blond 19-year-old in shorts stained with sweat kept dropping back to pass, his hands at times so wet it was hard to grip the ball. He was throwing to a friend, working "up the ladder," as it is called, starting with short passes and ending long. "
3. I thought that this detail was very interesting to someone who may not know much about schools like Southern or Grambling State and thier history, a very black dominated history.
"Marcus Jacoby was unaware that if he accepted the scholarship, he would be the first white to play quarterback for Southern University.
And he would be the first white to start at quarterback in the 76-year history of the black Southwestern Athletic Conference. "
4. You often see a story of an athlete who is a minority entering an arena dominated by whites. However, rarely do we here of a story where a white man is the minority. In this case you have a man who not only will attend a black university but be the leader of one of the most respected teams on the campus. This is the same campus where only 5% make up minorities (whites being a minority). I think it offers insight into the struggles and uncomfort blacks feel at times and relates it to a person who has not gone through that, someone who is white. Very compelling.
2. I think a part of the article that showed detail, i don't know if it is memorable was this pasage "The shirtless blond 19-year-old in shorts stained with sweat kept dropping back to pass, his hands at times so wet it was hard to grip the ball. He was throwing to a friend, working "up the ladder," as it is called, starting with short passes and ending long. "
3. I thought that this detail was very interesting to someone who may not know much about schools like Southern or Grambling State and thier history, a very black dominated history.
"Marcus Jacoby was unaware that if he accepted the scholarship, he would be the first white to play quarterback for Southern University.
And he would be the first white to start at quarterback in the 76-year history of the black Southwestern Athletic Conference. "
4. You often see a story of an athlete who is a minority entering an arena dominated by whites. However, rarely do we here of a story where a white man is the minority. In this case you have a man who not only will attend a black university but be the leader of one of the most respected teams on the campus. This is the same campus where only 5% make up minorities (whites being a minority). I think it offers insight into the struggles and uncomfort blacks feel at times and relates it to a person who has not gone through that, someone who is white. Very compelling.
Problems
The biggest problem that I have found is getting an interview when it is convenient for the person being interviewed. Most of the time when the person realizes that you are not working for a real publication, they tend to get snobby and take you less seriously.
"Other " Article
I read the article "The Minority Quarterback". The insight that I realized in the beginning of the article is the amount of prejudece between whites and black. I am part of the "minority"( meaning white, epecially in Wisconsin) I am not exposed to persecution whether it be between blacks or whites. Where I grew up there were no blacks and once I left my hometown and met blacks and became friends with them, it never really effected me. This article makes me wonder if my presence effected them. Also, my friend and I were recently talking about the South and how prejudece is so prevelent there, even today. Black history to me is apart of American history.
The most memorable detail that I took from the article was Mo Morgan's son, Jahari, who was so innocent to the fact that a white quaterback was on the football team. His father, in my mind who is bitter, seemed to be little his son because he didn't get worked up about Jacoby. It was like his father, a supposedly intelligent man, was trying to coax his son into discriminating against white people.
An interesting story that I found was when Jacoby quit the team and later returned to see the starting quarterback get pulled in the homecoming game. Jacoby had realized that he was not benched to please the crowd, but because of his poor performance. Jacoby started off the story a hero and ended up a quitter. Not the fact that he quit a football team, just that he let the very thing that kept him strong hurt him. But I couldn't imagine the intense pressure he and the millions of black Americans face when they are placed in a situation where they are the clear minority.
I thought the reporter did a great job portraying Jacoby. It is very unlikey you hear of a white person being racially prosecuted and playing the part of the minority. It was great reporting how they showed the very courageous yet sometimes bitter side of the quarterback. The position also makes a great story because the quarterback calls the plays on the field. He is in some regard the leader or caption. You have to trust you leader, which many players did not. The lack of self-confidence led to the dismantling of Jacoby's team and his position. Story proves that even "pride" can be over-rated.
The most memorable detail that I took from the article was Mo Morgan's son, Jahari, who was so innocent to the fact that a white quaterback was on the football team. His father, in my mind who is bitter, seemed to be little his son because he didn't get worked up about Jacoby. It was like his father, a supposedly intelligent man, was trying to coax his son into discriminating against white people.
An interesting story that I found was when Jacoby quit the team and later returned to see the starting quarterback get pulled in the homecoming game. Jacoby had realized that he was not benched to please the crowd, but because of his poor performance. Jacoby started off the story a hero and ended up a quitter. Not the fact that he quit a football team, just that he let the very thing that kept him strong hurt him. But I couldn't imagine the intense pressure he and the millions of black Americans face when they are placed in a situation where they are the clear minority.
I thought the reporter did a great job portraying Jacoby. It is very unlikey you hear of a white person being racially prosecuted and playing the part of the minority. It was great reporting how they showed the very courageous yet sometimes bitter side of the quarterback. The position also makes a great story because the quarterback calls the plays on the field. He is in some regard the leader or caption. You have to trust you leader, which many players did not. The lack of self-confidence led to the dismantling of Jacoby's team and his position. Story proves that even "pride" can be over-rated.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Other Blog
"Why Harlem drug cops don't discuss race"
1) Summarize that new insight or observation (and finish reading that particular article).
This article gave insight on the racial divide between the white people on a police department, to minorities on the department. Although, many know there are or were racial feelings in the Diallo case, no one said anything. The article also talked about approaching an African American or Dominican on the street and having to ask "Who's working," a lot of cops do it from racial profiling, just being lazy.
2. From the article you read, give an example of a memorable detail that the reporter included.
The undercover detectives who are african american or black and are working on the streets, are sometimes afraid that a cop may not know they are a detective and shoot at him. (Like in the Diallo case)
3. Summarize an interesting anecdote or example that the reporter included in the article you read.
Two black undercovers were sitting outside of one of their homes in Brooklyn drinking a beer, when another undercover cop came up to them and asked, "Who's working." The two never explained to the cop that they were also cops, and felt that it happened because they were black
4. In your view how successful was the reporter in gleaning information and portraying that information in a way that provided new insights to the reader? Explain.
I thought that the reporter was very successful in giving information, through stories and quotes from the cops, so you could see what was actually going on in the department and how cops of minorities feel. When the reporter used anecdotes, it was a lot easier to see what they were talking about. Rather than stating so and so felt this way, and so on. It gives you a glimpse into what it takes to be an undercover detective, even how much racial stereotyping goes on in police departments and undercover work.
1) Summarize that new insight or observation (and finish reading that particular article).
This article gave insight on the racial divide between the white people on a police department, to minorities on the department. Although, many know there are or were racial feelings in the Diallo case, no one said anything. The article also talked about approaching an African American or Dominican on the street and having to ask "Who's working," a lot of cops do it from racial profiling, just being lazy.
2. From the article you read, give an example of a memorable detail that the reporter included.
The undercover detectives who are african american or black and are working on the streets, are sometimes afraid that a cop may not know they are a detective and shoot at him. (Like in the Diallo case)
3. Summarize an interesting anecdote or example that the reporter included in the article you read.
Two black undercovers were sitting outside of one of their homes in Brooklyn drinking a beer, when another undercover cop came up to them and asked, "Who's working." The two never explained to the cop that they were also cops, and felt that it happened because they were black
4. In your view how successful was the reporter in gleaning information and portraying that information in a way that provided new insights to the reader? Explain.
I thought that the reporter was very successful in giving information, through stories and quotes from the cops, so you could see what was actually going on in the department and how cops of minorities feel. When the reporter used anecdotes, it was a lot easier to see what they were talking about. Rather than stating so and so felt this way, and so on. It gives you a glimpse into what it takes to be an undercover detective, even how much racial stereotyping goes on in police departments and undercover work.
assignment-ny times articles
- I started reading "The Minority Quarterback" article. In this article, I found that Marcus Jacoby had never even seen the "other" side of the city before attempting to enter into Southern University. I found this to be very interesting. It reminded me of some cousin's of mine in Louisiana that live in a black neighborhood but have hardly traveled outside of them to do things with other people. It is sad that some people like to be totally surrounded by people of the same race all the time.
2. A memorable detail example from this article was when Jacoby found out that he would get a full-ride scholarship as a quaterback to Southern but that he would be the first white person to be a quarterback in the 76-year history of the black Southwestern Athletic Conference.
3. One interesting story that the reporter included was how Jacoby was being hit late so often and roughly in the first game they lost, that he had to be hospitalized.
4. In my eyes, the reporter did a great job portraying information about how a white kid from Baton Rouge being a quarterback at Southern University could be a minority. The reporter included several anecdotes, quotes and details to support this case. Overall, this article makes me feel for Jacoby and his situation of being singled out on field by his teammates and other players from opposing teams. That is a problem that no one should have to face but some people still do to this day.
"other" blog
1. The author brings up the idea that for two friends of different races, skin color is what defines them and either allows them to be friends or enemies. The two men are portrayed as living in two different worlds yet the live only a few miles from one another. I think that this information provides a lot of personal information about the men and inspires a new insight into their worlds.
2. A very memorable detail is created in the description of Mr. Ruiz as the author describes him as having skin the color of "chocolate milk."
3. The author also provides and anecdote about the way the men met as children while riding on a city bus. The anecdote is used to describe their backgrounds and differing childhoods and to further show how close the men were before racial issues got in the way.
4. The reporter's story was a wonderful representation of a personality profile that illustrates the concept the "other." Ojito provided a lot of description and was able to show how the men differculturally and economically and yet still have a tie to eachother through their friendship. The author also describes Ruiz and Valdez and spends a "day in the life" of each of them so readers gain insight into their routines, jobs, family and home life.
2. A very memorable detail is created in the description of Mr. Ruiz as the author describes him as having skin the color of "chocolate milk."
3. The author also provides and anecdote about the way the men met as children while riding on a city bus. The anecdote is used to describe their backgrounds and differing childhoods and to further show how close the men were before racial issues got in the way.
4. The reporter's story was a wonderful representation of a personality profile that illustrates the concept the "other." Ojito provided a lot of description and was able to show how the men differculturally and economically and yet still have a tie to eachother through their friendship. The author also describes Ruiz and Valdez and spends a "day in the life" of each of them so readers gain insight into their routines, jobs, family and home life.
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