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UNIVERSITY THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS OF UMKC Feb. 28, 2011 Vol. 78, Issue 23 UMKC relives 7the 80s 6 Funkhouser 8 ‘Oh What a Lovely 12 Women’s golf loses in primary War’ educates and preview election race entertains Photo by Mark Linville 2 NEWS Vol. 78, Issue 23 Local church screens Bradley‘The Turner Staff Writer Laramie“The Laramie Project,” which has been adapted into Project’ a full-length film by the same name, has been screened In fall 2010, gay teen suicides sparked national debate all over the country and was recently screened at a local over whether these injustices should be considered hate church. crimes. Last Tuesday from 7-9 p.m., high school youth However, this is not the first time anti-gay hate crimes at the All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church of have received national press. Kansas City along with members of the Lesbian and On Oct. 7, 1998, a 21-year-old student at the Gay Community Center of Kansas City (LGCCKC) University of Wyoming named Matthew Shepard hosted a benefit screening of Kaufman’s “The Laramie was beaten to death by Russell Henderson and Aaron Project.” These monthly screenings are open to the McKinney in the small town of Laramie, Wyo. public and, according to the All Souls webpage, www. Having met Henderson and McKinney at a local bar, allsoulskc.org, are intended to emphasize quality Shepard was offered a ride home. films with social justice themes that rarely make it to What seemed at first to be a chivalrous act, the favor conventional movie theaters. later turned into a horrible nightmare after the two men “We hope to raise awareness in the KC community learned of Shepard’s homosexuality. about the intolerance that youth can still face,” Scott Shepard was robbed, pistol-whipped and tortured, England, a member of the All Souls Church, said. tied to a fencepost and left to die. “We also hope to raise awareness in the larger KC Shepard fought for his life for almost an entire day community about Unitarian Universalism as a religious until he was discovered by a cyclist and sent to the option/spiritual community for [LGBT] folks.” hospital, but his injuries were too severe. Although admission was free, donations were Shepard passed away on Oct. 12, 1998, just five days asked to benefit The Trevor Project, which, according after the malicious attack. to the not-for-profit organization’s webpage, www. To help put a stop to these violent acts, Moisés thetrevorproject.org, is a national 24-hour, toll free Kaufman and other members of the Tectonic Theater confidential suicide hotline for gay and questioning Project in New York City traveled to Laramie only a few youth. Donations also went to help fund Passages, the weeks after Shepard’s death to begin working on the play only program in Kansas City dedicated to LGBT and titled “The Laramie Project.” The play is comprised of the allied youth. dialogues between Tectonic and the people of Laramie With the widespread popularity of “The Laramie through over 200 interviews that were conducted during Project” and the inclusion of sexual orientation under their visit. anti-hate crime legislation in 2009, there is much to be According to Tectonics’s webpage, www.tectonicthe- said for the progression of putting an end to gay-related aterproject.org, the play is a chronicle of the life of the hate crimes. town of Laramie in the year after the murder. [email protected] Hate crime laws by state* Courtesy Human Rights Campaign Cast members from ‘The Laramie Project’ from Tectonic Theater Project Photo courtesy Google Images Sexual orientation and gender Sexual orientation recognized for identity recognized in state hate data collection about hate crimes crimes law *On Oct. 22, 2009, Congress passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Sexual orientation recognized in State hate crimes law uninclusive Act, which added sexual orientation and gender identity to the federal hate crimes law. state hate crimes law of sexual orientation or gender identity Feb. 28, 2011 NEWS 3 Organization profile: Mortar Board works toward comeback Jacquelyn Hoermann Staff Writer The UMKC Delta Alpha Chapter of the Mortar Board National Honor Society is reclaiming its presence on campus by reaching out to students and giving back to the community. Mortar Board can be found across the country. Chapters are comprised of college juniors and seniors who demonstrate a commitment to scholarship, leadership and service. Since its founding in 1918, Mortar Board has sought out the nation’s best and brightest. Some famous figures who were Mortar Board members include: best-selling author Aron Ralston, professional football player Drew Brees, author Bruce Littlefield, and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Delta Alpha is headed by President Allison Meyer, a senior studying Chemistry and Spanish. Meyer described the organization as a well- respected society that has not reached its full potential on campus. Though Mortar Board has been available to students for nearly five decades, in recent years Mortar Board Alpha Delta chapter’s fall 2010 ‘Reading Learning’ project. Photo courtesy Allison Meyer has its member enrollment and participation rates have declined. meetings. the organization is only accepting students with a chapters from across the country helped to Delta Alpha has set out to win a nationally- With a membership application deadline of GPA of 3.2 or higher. raise money to promote literacy in their local coveted title of most Improved Mortar Board Feb. 21, 2011, Meyer had expected at least 30 “Our members are in fraternities and communities. Chapter. applications to come in, but only 15 students will sororities, and span almost all schools, except the For instance, Delta Alpha raised $400 for Meyer’s plan to improve the UMKC Chapter make the cut. conservatory,” Meyer said. Operation Breakthrough, placing it in the top 30 is spreading awareness about Mortar Board In order to qualify for consideration, applicants Meyer had her own reason for applying for of 228 national chapters. and implementing strategies for greater rates of must meet three criterion: academic-credit status, Mortar Board. Many of the children in Operation member retention. commitment potential to an honors society and “I did not want to pay money and not Breakthrough’s care will be able to order a book of According to Meyer, member retention is one GPA. participate in an organization. People want to their choice and keep it. of the most difficult aspects of maintaining any Applicants must have an academic credit status participate if they’re going to spend their money,” On March 7, Delta Alpha members will visit organization. of at least 70 credit hours or at the junior or senior Meyer said. the Operation Breakthrough facility to read the When Meyer joined the organization, Delta level. Mortar Board’s next service project will occur children’s books to them. Alpha had only retained five active members, The application materials submitted must on National Reading Day, March 2. Meyer continues to work toward winning the which has changed over the past year. show that the applicant would be committed The members will be reading to students title of Most Improved. With new leadership in the organization, to involvement in Mortar Board activities at Operation Breakthrough, which provides Meyer was inspired to work toward this Meyer and her fellow society members have been throughout the rest of his or her undergraduate childcare services to children who are not of goal after attending Mortar Board’s National able to increase membership and participation career. school age and live below the poverty line. Conference in July 2009. rates. Lastly, applicants must maintain a GPA of 3.0 “The reason we’re so focused on literacy is “My goal this year is to leave this organization Currently, Delta Alpha has 20 active members. or higher. because our national focus is on literacy. Mortar better than I found it,” Meyer said. To be an active member, one must participate However, the UMKC chapter has become Board’s saying is, ‘reading is leading,’” Meyer said. [email protected] in every service project and attend all but three more stringent. In Nov. 2010, Delta Alpha took part in a In an effort to win the Most Improved title, National Mortar Board Society activity in which Academic journal emits academia on every page Matt Davis Staff Writer annual issues. by at least three students, and they judge them The papers must be accompanied by an entry The featured articles stem from the work of on factors such as clarity, organization and the form from the Honors Program website and In 2005, the undergraduate peer-reviewed students researching the sciences, social sciences effectiveness of the arguments presented. cannot contain their name or the name of their academic journal “Lucerna” debuted at UMKC. and humanities. An editorial board of students facilitates each professor on the actual work so it can be read by The first editor-in-chief, Joshua Earlenbaugh, The most recent issue includes work as varied issue’s organization and design. other students anonymously. explained the reasoning for naming the as Nick Ball’s article on Fibonacci’s method for “The research presented in [‘Lucerna’] The articles must be between 2,000 and 6,000 publication “Lucerna,” which is Latin for light. finding the square root of integers to Jennifer provides a very inspiring and informative words and must be original work that has been “Light has often been used as a metaphor for Garnett’s work on tattoos. collection of papers. I am very humbled by the completed at UMKC.