The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 83, No. 9, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 29, 2000 Page: 3 of 6
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The Kumbler March 29, 2000 3
Modular building annex completed
Wwto by Bob Wuwt*
Rambler editor in chief Dustin Fockler gives a "thumbs up" to photo/fea-
tures editor Ben Parker while sitting inside the newly completed Sony
Modular Building Annex during the afternoon of March 28. The annex was
built using Cardboard as a cost-effective measure and holds one student.
Bob Waw kf
VERY SPECIAL TO THE RAMBLER
In order to accommodate the growing
needs of students, professors and The Rambler,
Wesleyan recently constructed an addition to
the modular building on the comer of South
Collard Street and Avenue B, to be called the
Sony Modular Building Annex.
The annex, which \vas constructed in tive
minutes on March 25, measures 23 by 22 by 21
inches, and holds approximately one student—
or maybe two or three if you squeeze them in
real tight," said facilities worker Cletus Hicks.
Sony agreed to sponsor the cardboard
structure largely because the corporation s
name was already printed on its sides.
"We have had sneakier ways to promote
our products," said Sony in a March 28 press
release. "Did you see us on the back of Judge
Ito's laptop during the O.J. trial? That was
great!"
Members of the Wesleyan community have
expressed mixed feelings about the new addi-
tion to their campus:
"I know Wesleyan encourages an intimate
classroom setting, but this looks a little too inti-
mate," said junior biology major Emily Elkins.
"I think this is a great opportunity for the
university," said Provost and Senior Vice
President Thomas F. Armstrong.
"Hello'.' What kind of people do you take
us for? This is a cardboard box! " said senior
psychology major Jennifer Sevrens.
Although university officials have denied
u>ing a discarded cardboard box for the new
annex, an East Fort Worth panhandler claimed
the box belongs to him and someone heading
from the direction of the campus drove by and
"snatched" it from his "spot" on the-corner of
Rosedale Street and East Vickery Boulevard.
"They just up and took my house!" the pan-
handler muttered to himself repeatedly as he
walked back and forth between Polytechnic
High School and William James Middle
School.
Wesleyan denied any involvement with the
alleged theft of the alleged man's alleged for-
mer residence.
"Let's try to focus on the positive here,"
said university President Jake B. Schruin.
"We're expanding our campus in the most cost
effective way we can imagine. In thus wise, we
can have new dorms and a new. student center
by next week."
Although this week's forecast calls for
heavy thunderstorms, Schrum said he is not
concerned about any major damage being
inflicted upon the annex.
"As long ps the wind doesn't blow too
hard; we're in a good situation," he said;
Schrum also said if the Sony Modular
Building Annex is a success, similar annexes
will be added to the Art North and nurse anes-
thesia buildings on campus.
Entire university to go virtual
'Wesleyan 2001, A.D.' to replace instructors, buildings next year
Bob Wawee
. VERY SPECIAL TO THE RAMBLER
Due to the rising costs of facili-
ties upkeep, Wesleyan board
members and administrators, have
.elected to demolish the school's
existing buildings and replace them
with a virtual reality university, bun-
dled under the software package
"Wesleyan 2001, A.D."
The software, not to be con-
fused with the Wesleyan 2001
university development program, is
designed to supplement a college
learning environment, with the
added bonus that it can be accessed
from anywhere around the globe.
Cost for the software will be the
same as regular Wesleyan tuition,
and will also cover the price to
demolish all buildings on campus-
even the dormitories.
Through the use of special vir-
tual reality glasses and gloves,
"Wesleyan 2001, A.D" puts students
and staff in virtual classroom or
office, which through digital pho-
tography and animation, exactly
resemble their respective rooms at
the real-life campus.
Students will be taught be virtu-
al professors, such as "Virtual Dr.
Smith," who teaches marketing and
advertising with a subtle blend of
humor and magic tricks just like that
of Dr. Tom Smith, real-life professor
of marketing and mass communica-
tion.
The reason for that is Smith's
lectures have been pre-programmed
into his virtual classroom. Every
time a student accesses his lecture,
Smith gets a royalty paycheck near
the amount of his normal salary.
"I've always taught that com-
puters would change the consumer
environment, and since I also teach
that students are consumers of edu-
cation, this virtual situation is no
different," said Smith.
In "Wesleyan 2001, A.D," stu-
dents may choose what their virtual
student will resemble, and can
include a virtual SAT score and vir-
tual GPA in their character's profile.
For example, a student can
chose from a Laura Croft-like or
Sonic the Hedgehog-like character
and include a 1350 SAT score and a
3.95 GPA in his or her profile.
"Even though I got a 980 on my
SAT and had a 1.7 GPA in the fall,
my Super Mario persona lets, me
have a 4.0 and a 1600!" said fresh-
man Bubba T. White Jr.
Even the virtual Wesleyan cam-
pus is computer-enhanced to
resemble perfection.
"The building's match, they
aren't, falling apart and they smell
like my mom's fresh-baked banana
nut bread!" said junior early child-
hood education major Victoria
Johnson.
"This is a great advance for
Texas Wesleyan. I look for it to
bump up enrollment to the millions
when it becomes available to the
world this fall. I may want to stick
around for this," said university
President Jake B. Schrum.
"Oooo! Pretty!" said Provost
and Senior Vice President Thomas
F. Armstrong as he tried on the vir-
tual glasses. Armstrong was then
told the virtual program was not on.
"As a professor of computer
science, I must say I am very
impressed. I only wish I had thought
of the program first. Now I'm out of
a job. Oh, well," said Dr. Stephen
Yuan.
No Parking? No Problem!
mmm
Photo not bv J «i McKctv;c
A row of cars parked in the middle of the Quadrangle stand as a protest of the lack of adequate park-
ing on the VVeslovan campus. Vlthough the Quad is not designated for parking, more than half a
do/en students parked in the area when they discovered the main parking lot was full before 9 a.m.
March 28, "The Quad is a huge space. I mean, a whole building used to be here!" said one student.
"It's just going to waste as it is, and we needed to get to class on time, so me and the people driving
behind me decided this was the logical place to park. So then
Security Report
3:42 a.m. The tire ahum
at Elizabeth Hall sounded
No smoke or fire were
found Residents reported
"tired," "cold." and "with
out makeup."
March 2fe
12:01 p.m.: An Avenue C
resident reported loud
music coming from pass-
ing cars, asked traffic to
be rerouted. Security
monitored the area.
reported no problems
1:1! p.m.: O.C Hall resi-
dents report disturbances
by roosters crowing on
Avenue D. Fort Worth
Police, animal control
contacted.
previous report a mistake,
saying car broken into last
.week
7:05 p.ra.: Visitor reports
being lost oo way to
swimming pool Told pool
closed five minutes ago.
is;
MA&ULii
3:17 p.m.: Student
theft of
cle.
3:18 p.m.: Student reports
6:15 p.m.: Distress call
from <e\cral students
spotting tornado touching
down west of campus.
Students told not to drive
toward storm
6:48 p.m.: Call from
Rambler staffer asking if
modular building still
intact.
11:32 p.m.: Call from
Rambler staff asking if it's
safe to return to modular
building.
11:38 p.m.: Modular
building reported stolen.
. ' •••>
Photo pixelated on purpose
A computer-generated character stands in the Armstrong-Mabee portal of "Wesleyan 2001, A.D." The
Laura Croft-like character is one of the many characters students may choose as their virtual personae in
the software replacement for the actual Wesleyan campus, which was demolished once school officials
approved the launch of the software in Fall 2000.
immrn
: .
|iP«
:V.^V
...all kicked out
with the help
of kids like me.
-Billy, age 15
wF
Everybody loves to trash teenagers, right
Maybe they don't realise that we do care
That we can make a difference.
Get involved in Crime Prevention.
Clean up parks. Teach younger kids.
Call Toll Free
1-800-722-teens
www.weprevent.org
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Pfaffengut, James. The Rambler (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 83, No. 9, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 29, 2000, newspaper, March 29, 2000; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth287752/m1/3/?q=%22news%22: accessed May 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Wesleyan University.