McMurry University, The War Whoop (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 80, No. 2, Ed. 1, Wednesday, October 1, 2003 Page: 1 of 6
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McMurry University
e War Whoop
1Y7 W:ItrM'py-l
In this
issue:
Streak Ends!
The football team finally
wins plus all the latest
on soccer volleyball and
cross country
Page 6
(
i
Homecoming
Here s a complete
look at all the
activities scheduled
for Homecoming
weekend
Page 5
Changes Made
The Wellness Center
has made some
changes to how it
operates
Page 4
Writer At
Work
McMurry students
participate in West
Texas Book and
Author Festival
Page 3
Cartoons &
Columns
Page 2
McMurry working to keep freshmen
it kim rmitoi'
i.ditor-in-Clilcr
1 he lrcslim.ui to sophomore
year Mention rate between the
2002 school year and the 2003
school year was 60" n
I he Ireshni.in to sophomore
retention rate is the one most
closely monitored at universi-
ties as most casualties in col-
lege occur uller the Ireshman
vear
This year's retention rate ol
60 is a decrease Irom the
2001-2002 rate ol 64 but an
increase Irom the 2000-2001
retention rate ol S8
I hese numbers are simpl)
not good enough said
President Russell
Our goal is to lue a stu-
dent retention rate ol 75." he
said ' but it will take us a lew
years to get there "
The university is tring sev-
eral new programs now to
increase its student retention
rate At the center ot the plan
said Russell in an interview last
year is the second McMurr)
core value personal relation-
ships as the catalst ol life
It involves making personal
contacts with students to help
M
ensure that each ol them
returned and the lacull) engag-
ing with students
Oneol the most important
programs lor Ireshman reten-
tion is VisionOuest the Iresh-
man orientation program
"VisionOuest
helps people
make Iriends
and leel com-
lortahlc m their
new surround
ings and cre-
ates a support
network lor
them while
Russell "" ;'" '"
said Karen
Slough Director ol Student
Activities and I reshmau
Programs
Students who attend 80 or
more ol VistonCJuest aetiv dies
have .in 18 higher retention
rate than those who do not.
Slough said
According to President
Kussell. in the past tail athletes
had not been able to participate
in VisionQucsl due to their
practice schedules This year.
VisionOuest stall worked with
coaching stall to en ible Iresh
man athletes to attend
Another program import Hit
to Ireshman retention is the
McMurrv 101 program a pro-
gram designed to help show
students more about the
resources thc can go to while
on campus and introduce them
to issues the) may lace during
college and help them to m ike
wise decisions while m
school ' said Slough
Other new retention pro-
grams include I .icing Nour
I ear I actor.' a scries ol stud)
stralegv seminars led by laeultv
members addressing tips on
how to sludv t ike notes and
piepare lor tests in their disci-
plines slid Rach lei Mem
Director ol Student Retention
and Academic I nriehment
I rcshman students were
united to attend seminars in
I nghsh. Math Science and the
Humanities each night in one
ol the Residence I lall lobbies
on Sept 16 17 and IS Stu-
dents who attended were each
given a ticket lor a tear lac-
tor" in Windiammcr's I ounge
President Russell was
impiesscd with the wav the lae-
ultv as a whole came out to
support this program To see
so many ol the laeultv give
then Iree time to helping the
students is a tribute to their
dedication to the University "
Other piograms include giv-
ing Ireshmen early leedbaek in
their eoursi-s so that students
can assess their perlorniance in
a given class sooner a study
skills program called "Road
Scholars designed to develop
leadership and increase aca-
demic success lor athletes and
encouraging them to use their
time on the road lor academic
purposes weckl athletic stud)
sessions which the coaches
attend and ' Making C ollege
( ount a nationally known ori-
entation program which will
be o lie red to Ireshmen as part
ol their McMurry 101 class on
Oct 16
Morale builders such as the
new resident hall lurmture in
Presidents Hall and the newly
conceived koisenko C up lor
most spirited organization also
add to the retention ellort
President Russell also took
pirt in a note writing campaign
to students and their parents
encouraging students to get
involved on campus and seek
help when they need it
Social club involvement also
helps to boost Ireshman reten-
tion Women's social clubs
boasted a ')8 retention rate
and men's sou il clubs boasted
a ')() retention rate according
to the Student Allairs Online
Newsletter
The overaiching key to stu-
dent retention is people
"McMurry laculty and stall
members want every student to
succeed and are willing to
help." said Hem
"It's that one special coach
that pushes the athlete to suc-
ceed." s ml Slough ' that one
prolessor who teaches the stu-
dent to think something that he
had never thought belore. that
right person in financial aid
who finds that scholarship that
keeps a student here or that
right tutor in the Al C "
"What would really satisfy
me." said President Russell in
an interview last year "is it
when the young men and
women with dreams begin to
Kilter that the McMurry com-
munitv puts its arms around
them and helps them '
Victory at Last!
WW Photo Tyler Harrell
The members of the McMurry University football team celebrate a long awaited victory at Saturday's game against
Austin College ending a 22-game losing streak the school and conference record McMurry's last win was
against Sul Ross State during the 2000 football season
Decreased enrollment due to economy
Much ol this increase is attributed to
the overall increase in graduate enroll-
ment I liree-hundrcd and sixty -three ol
these students are enrolled in graduate
programs an increase ol 7 over last
year's enrollment according to the Sept
lJlh issue ol the llardin-Simmons faculty
and stall newsletter loin l(i
ccordmg to the IbiUiii. Kixiihi-
i in the Abilene campus ol C isco
lunioi C ollege h id enrollment ol 2484
students n increase ol 220 over last
year's enrollment
'W h it we're seeing here." s ml
Kussell "is typical ol a faltering econo-
my (iraduate enrollment increases as
does community or technical college
cniollment while undergraduate enroll-
ment decreases "
Totem to make return to campus semester bill
Ity KIM TUIKOU
Iditor-iii-Chief
Overall enrollment at McMurry
decreased from the 2002-2003 school
year
Student count for the 2003-2004
school year includes 1 162 full tune stu-
dents and 214 part lime students lor a
total of 1376 students
University enrollment is down by 43
students Traditional Ireshman enroll-
ment is also down this year
However transler enrollment and part
time enrollment at McMurry has
increased during the 2003 school year
said McMurry President John Russell
"Typically the transfer students and
the part time students are more learned
since they have prior education or tend
to be working adults" s ml Russell
"what intrigues me is th it the more
experienced and knowledgeable students
are coming to McMurry in larger num-
bers "
These trends are not unlike other area
universities
I he Ahikiu Ihpoilu-Sius reported
overall enrollment at Abilene C hristun
University decreased by two students to
a total enrollment ol 467s
AC U's graduate enrollment increased
by filly-seven students while undergrad-
uate enrollment decreased by filly -nine
students
llardin-Simmons overall enrollment is
al 2333 students an increase in overall
enrollment ol 42 during the 2002-200?
school year
IJy SHANNON SIOVAIX
SUIT Writer
hi the past the falun McMurry's
yearbook was a representation ol the
McMurry University campus its laculty
stall and students It leatured everything
from Class I avonles to clubs and organ-
izations sports and student hie
However the Totem has not produced
a volume in over four years now a fact
that the current stalT is trying to amend
Over the past few TotemAuss years
students have still been charged Tor
yearbook at the beginning of the year a
laetor that the stall is also taking into
consideration
They arc currently finishing the 2000
Totem and then they will move forward
working on each until they have been
completed and the students that paid lor
one have received it
"We are going to finish all ol the
Taunts and then begin on the current
year" promises Rick Richardson ol Vice-
President ol University Relations
McMurry has contracted with Stan
West a photographer with Photo Image
to take the pictures that will appear in
this year's lotcin
In addition to club lunclions games
and other campus-related acliv dies that
he will be attending and capturing on
film there will also he a "photo tune"
where students that choose to can have
(heir picture taken for the student pages
These photos will be Iree of charge-
but the students can choose to buy a
package il they wish
Due to the late notification ol their
plans lor the yearbook the University
Relations Office has made the decision
to charge SS() to each lull-time student's
account for the 2003-2004 Totuu and
the charge will show up on the student's
Sept 2 S bill
Students have mixed feelings about
the mandatory chaige
' I led like I'm gambling either way I
go" said junior Chelsie Pry or "I don't
mind paying lor it if I know I'll get a
hook but I hate to pay lor it if I'm never
going to get it "
I he charge is optional II a student
does not want to purchase a lotan they
must contact the business office by
November I and ask th it the charge be
removed
Joint Inter-
club shows
team ideal
hv LAUItA IIOMXN
C (intiihulinu liter
The first omt meeting ol the Men's
and Women's Inlcrelub C ouncils was
held lluirsday. September 18 m the
Village Market meeting room to dis-
cuss compiling their efforts in the lorm
ol improvement committees
It is important that the McMurry
community understand that Men's and
Women's Inlerclub are still operating as
sepirate entities in every aspect
including constitution rush and as judi-
cial bodies
The purpose ol oint meetings is to
compound the ellorts ol mterclub in
order to improve a id promote social
clubs on campus and support the
important role they play at McMurry
In attendance at the meeting were
Interelub Representatives Irom each ol
the Men's and Women's social clubs.
Interelub Sponsors C herisse 1 lanagan
Cniu Ramirez and I dgar Reed the
Dean ol Students I ecia Hughes and
McMurry President. Dr John Russell
During the meeting three main ideas
lor improvement were discussed and
committees were lornicd to develop
and implement these ideas
Piomotioii Committee This com-
mittee will be charged with planning
and coordinating a "pre-rush" event
such as a mixer tor I reshmen and
Sophomore "loose" students T hey will
also work cooperatively to promote
social clubs on campus
Self-Study Committee- I his com-
mittee will evaluate the current men
and women's constitutions with partic-
ular emphasis on the effectiveness and
consistency ol the interelub judicial
processes
r.uellcncc Designation Committee
-This committee will be charged with
creating a new system ol excellence lor
the men and women's social organiza-
tions that locus on the McMurry core
values Models Irom other universities
will be studied and recommendations
will be made to the Dean ol Students
and Interelub Councils lor a new sys-
tem ol excellence
"My hope is that through working
together the groups maximize their
resources and increase their member-
ship." said I lanagan
"I want the clubs to stand out and be
proud ol their accomplishments there-
by being recognized lor their contribu-
tions to the McMurry community"
stated I dgar Reed
Interelub Representatives who
attended the meeting were asked how
they lelt about the omt ellorts ol
Men's and Women's Interelub and the
ideas that were presented at the meet-
ing "I like the idea about the excellence
awards lor clubs" stated I andry
Gilbert ol KIVA
"I think it's a good idea tor men and
women's clubs to grow We're going
to try and get our name out there and
get new members lor every club" said
Randi Reed ol 1 IP who is also serv ing
on the Sell Study committee
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McMurry University, The War Whoop (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 80, No. 2, Ed. 1, Wednesday, October 1, 2003, newspaper, October 1, 2003; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth104663/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting McMurry University Library.