| Crime Check Include faculty in background study
Background checks on applicants for non-faculty staff positions have been conducted since June to ensure a safer campus community, said Director of Human Resources John Weis. Though they are looking for felony convictions, Weis said such a conviction does not automatically disqualify a job candidate. The nature of the offense and the duties of the job are taken into consideration before an applicant is dismissed. It's true, the university cannot be too cautious when dealing with issues of campus safety. Housekeepers, for example, have access to residence halls. Librarians have personal contact with students every day. It is important that students feel secure with this interaction. Likewise, it is important that students feel safe with faculty members, who are hired by committees through the individual schools and not by the university. Weis said there are no current plans for criminal background checks for faculty positions, but applicants can give a self-disclosure account if they want a part of their past to be known to the university. If background checks are being performed on non-faculty staff members, they should be performed on faculty members as well. Some students have just as much, if not more, contact with professors than they do with librarians and housekeepers. Not to be too dramatic, but Theodore Kaczynski - also known as the Unabomber - was a professor at the University of California at Berkeley until he unexpectedly resigned in 1969. Nine years later, the first bomb that federal authorities attribute to Kaczynski exploded at a university in Chicago. All university employees, regardless of whether or not they are on a tenure track, should have a criminal background check. After all, felony convictions are not limited to people who don't have a doctorate.
Simplicity crucial on movie dates
A social stigma has suddenly plagued the world. As evidenced by this summer's movies making more money than ever, people are turning more often to these two-hour flicks to take up their time. Less Putt-Putt, less dinner, less ice cream - more movies. In the state of such affairs, it is important that the degradation of our social graces not accompany this influx of social shut-ins, so there are some important things to keep in mind while in this setting. We're only talking about dates here; there are a lot of rules to obey when two guys go (sit with an empty sit in between - unless it really IS a date) or two girls go (don't go to the bathroom alone). The following are important to bear in mind when in the date setting and more importantly when anticipating future dates. Given that you should always be on time for a date, we'll talk about when first getting to the theater. Don't be scared to use your student discount. It is much better to risk being labeled as "cheap-but-smart" than give the wrong impression. If you can get away with it - maybe save this for the second or third movie date - bring food and drinks to the theater in a purse or bag. Remember, the rule is only "no visible outside food or drink," especially when the teenagers working there care more about their $5.35 an hour than how dutifully they do their job. Who wants a 10-gallon box of Junior Mints every time, anyway? The food you bring can even impress your date - a healthy granola bar and bottled water can make a statement against the junk provided by the theater and score definite points with the right person. Know the rules for holding hands for those more intimate dates. First of all - schematics. Don't put the soda in between you and your date. If at all possible, put it on the outside so you don't have to break contact or bend over in strange contortions every time you go for your straw. Also, know when to let the hand go. Nothing says, "I'm clingy," like insisting on holding the hand throughout the movie, not to mention it's uncomfortable. When you let go, don't immediately wipe the sweat off your hand like it's killer slime; let your hand aerate naturally or make a pretense of tying your shoes while you wipe it on the cuff of your pants or sock. Talking during a movie is always a big issue. The only time you should talk during a movie is when you're telling your date you're going to the bathroom or the concession stand. Everyone has that primal fear that their date is skipping out on them if they stay gone longer than 30 seconds, so tell them what you're doing if you leave. It's also important to talk about the movie afterwards; otherwise, you barely acknowledge you saw the movie, and it might be seen as a waste of time. When you do talk about the movie, try to criticize the movie in a humorous way if you didn't like it, or emphasize what values you identified with your life if you did like it. It's a great segue to let your date get to know more about you, and the more he or she knows about you, the more possibility he or she will become attached. Finally, as you leave the movies, take note of what your date wants to do. If they want to watch the credits, let them, and don't whine like a baby because you're not going to get out of the parking lot quickly. As much as you'd love to get to the aisle before the woman in the walker, if you leave your date stranded because he or she isn't quick enough, you don't score points. Perhaps these simple rules are not effective in all situations, but anyone who expects common courtesy should also try to give a little back. And at least you can go home withoutthinking your behavior might have turned him or her off if your date doesn't take these simple gestures to heart.
Jeremy Hoekstra is a junior computer science and math major from Burleson. Living for today Friend's death prompts self-reflection My doctor died last week. We talked on the telephone at 2 p.m. that day. By 5:30 p.m., his colleagues were doing an autopsy on him. This man was my confidant, my advisor and my friend. He died young at 43, near my age. It was a frightening wake-up call. The next day Doc had planned to take his son to college to begin his son's freshman year. Can you imagine your father dying the day before you leave for college? Rabbi Harold Kushner relates a similar story in his book, "When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough." In his book, a worker in a large office dies over the weekend of a heart attack. There is a funeral and some remembrances, and within two weeks, the deceased individual is replaced at work. The sun comes up the next morning and life moves on. Kushner's book startled me, but its message is profound. He muses how our time on earth passes quickly so humans need to make each day count. Kushner says most people never think about dying, but many fear not living a full life. Searching for meaning in our lives is the great fun in the journey. Is it success that matters? We must find meaning and fulfillment in a balanced life. If we earn a great amount of money or gain a great title, what does it mean if we do not enjoy the work? A balance of spiritual, vocational, social and personal goals adds objectivity to our lives. Balance the pleasure. Kushner points out we can overindulge in just about anything. Too much food, sex, money, beer or even Nintendo can numb our motivation to work. Humans must exercise self-control and find a balance in life. The Byrds sang a song taken directly from the Bible. "Turn, Turn, Turn" is from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and says there is a season for everything in our lives. Sometimes life is a pleasure; sometimes life is painful. We must live just for today. Kushner ends his book by encouraging readers to seek both tranquility and delight in life. It is not a good idea to become a recluse to avoid hurt, heartache and sadness. Pain is good. Kushner encourages us to "be a fully living human being and (be) willing to accept the pain because it opens (us) to joy." God created many small miracles in our lives. Humans must take particular delight in the small pleasures of each day. I relied on Kushner's teaching recently as I grieved for my doctor friend. I know he enjoyed his work because he performed 3,000 surgeries a year, many without pay. I believe each of us is seeking joy, knowing that today is a gift. God has given us one more day. Enjoy.
David Becker is a graduate student at Brite Divinity School from Pueblo, Colo. Letters to the editor Fans deserve chance to keep dry What is going on at Amon Carter Stadium? Attention Coach Franchione and staff: I think the ticket office is out to get you! We read in the paper that you are disappointed that only 30,000 were expected for the Arizona game. I tell my wife that we are going RAIN or shine and she agrees. Sure enough, for the first time in 57 days, the gates of Heaven open up and it starts to pour. We drive carefully from Hurst, Texas, in a blinding rain, park our car and struggle toward the north gate. Remember, it's pouring. I take out my season Family Pack and give the lady my tickets and she says, "Sir, you can't bring the umbrellas into the game!" I look through the gate and hundreds of people are walking under their umbrellas. A Fort Worth police officer was leaning on the rail shaking his head. He called me over and said we would have to go to the main gate and he guaranteed we would get through. The coach and the team want a big crowd and my friends have been working hard all summer to sell tickets to corporations all over the city. But people who take tickets at the north gate said we couldn't come in with our umbrellas. Coach, you should send scouts to the ticket office instead of San Jose State. With this kind of support right under your nose, you won't need scouts to help you win. You need scouts right here at home to keep you from losing fans at the gate. Larry E. Small former TCU student Peers insulted by rowdy TCU fans While standing in the rain at the TCU-Arizona game, several thoughts came to mind: First and foremost, I was proud of our football team and their attempt to upset the game. Secondly, though, I became amazed at how many idiots resided in the TCU Student Section. To the student who insisted on speaking profanity during Rev. John Butler's Invocation, you insult me as a Christian. To the students who drunkenly butchered the National Anthem, you insult me and every other American citizen within earshot. To the students who chanted profanities at the opposing team, my favorite of which was a particularly obscene four-letter word followed by "Arizona", you insult me as a civilized student of a school with "Christian" in its title. To the student that decided the game was boring, and decided to take it upon himself to liven up the game by throwing regulation-sized rubber footballs at unsuspecting TCU Marching Band members or shooting spitballs at unsuspecting spectators, you insult me as a mature being. Grow up. Speaking as a graduating Horned Frog and lover of college football, do us a favor and leave the bottles of rum at home. If you want to kill brain cells, do it after the game where we will not have to see your idiotic reign in full swing. To the police officer that came in the third quarter to put an end to the idiots' reign, thank you. I'm sure we'll see you next time. Jeff Reed Senior radioTVfilm major |
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