Features: Off-campus houses profiled for students A&E: Editor predicts Oscar winners Opinions: Professor com- ments on the pres- ident's State of the HE CHO Union address TFEBRUARY 2, 2007 ET AYLOR U NIVERSI T Y SINCE 1915 - VOLUME 94, NO. 15 Spencer trial to switch counties Students minister around BY ROBIN SNYDER County, when finding a ven- County who are involved the globe for Lighthouse STAFF WRITER ue for the trial scheduled to with the case. begin April 30. “In court, I don’t think it Trucker Robert Spencer's Johnson decided on seven will make any difference at trial must be moved outside possible locations for Spen- all,” Luttrull said. “We be- Grant County and the sur- cer's trial. Grant County lieve the evidence proves Mr. rounding area, Grant County prosecuting attorney James Spencer guilty. He will have Superior Court II Judge Ran- Luttrull and defense attor- his day in court in which he dall Johnson said in an order ney Joe Keith Lewis will take will be presumed innocent filed Jan. 24. turns eliminating counties of the charges and a jury Spencer’s semitrailer col- from the list. Each will have will decide.” lided with a Taylor Uni- the opportunity to cross Although Johnson filed an versity van April 26, 2006, off three locations, and the order for a venue change, he killing four Taylor students remaining county will host has not yet ruled on a motion and one employee. He was the trial. for Spencer’s attorney Joe charged in September with The final decision must be Keith Lewis to be removed five counts of reckless homi- made by Feb. 14. from the case. cide and four counts of crimi- Although the venue will According to a Jan. 12 As- nal recklessness. change, Luttrull and his sociated Press report, Lewis “Because of the tremen- office will still prosecute said he could no longer rep- dous volume and reach of the the case. resent Spencer because of a coverage, the court finds that “I knew the venue change conflict of interest: A man there is a reasonable prob- was a distinct possibility,” Lewis once represented had ability that the jury pool in Luttrull said. “I am disap- attempted to become an in- this county would be preju- pointed but understand and formant against Spencer. diced,” the order said. respect the ruling.” “The main impact if … The document specified Luttrull believes the [Lewis] … withdraws would Photo provided by Chris Kirk areas the court will attempt change in venue won’t af- be a delay in the proceed- to avoid, such as Allen Coun- fect the outcome of the case, ings,” Luttrull said. Junior Chris Kirk, sophomore Amy Hickey, senior Ashley Donnell, and juniors Dan Basinger and ty, Marion County and coun- but will be a travel incon- * Some information compiled from www. Whitney Ramsland play with children at a private orphanage in Trinidad. This group of students ties east and south of Grant venience for those in Grant chronicle-tribune.com also traveled to Tobago to minister to the people there. See more photos on page two. Taylor authorizes men's volleyball club BY CHRISSIE THOMPSON a team that would be a also have sort of a unique Daniels said some team men’s height and strength to compete in tournaments. ASSOCIATE EDITOR little more in-depth than way for students from Taylor members have practiced makes for a faster-paced Smith would then most likely intramurals.” together since last year, game than when the wom- turn over coaching responsi- Fifteen Taylor men want Daniels, who played varsi- but practices have become en play, resulting in differ- bilities to someone who could to challenge the regional as- ty men’s volleyball at South more formal as the club ent strategy and a taller net. dedicate more time than she sumption that volleyball is Pasadena High School in A bunch of us last approached authorization. Most technique, however, can in a volunteer position. mostly a girls’ sport. The Pasadena, Calif., said vol- year who'd played Between six and 14 players remains the same, and the The men’s volleyball club Community Life Committee leyball is not as popular with volleyball in the past with all levels of experience men usually give the wom- joins Taylor’s three other approved a men’s volleyball men in the Midwest as it is in ... wanted to start a attended biweekly practices en a competitive scrimmage. club sports: men’s and wom- club team yesterday, moving his home state. team that would be a during January, Smith said. “Our passing is kind of en’s lacrosse and the eques- these Taylor men one step “People here, since volley- little more in-depth Smith said she enjoys bad right now,” Daniels said. trian team. closer to their goal. ball is not a big thing, have the than intramurals. coaching the men because “Once we get that increased, Upon reaching club sta- The committee, comprised inclination to think we’re go- they want to learn and com- we’ll be able to at least tus, team members will pay of faculty and students, ing to wear stretch pants,” he ~Ryan Daniels~ pete, some of them for the hang with [the women’s for expenses, including uni- unanimously echoed the said. “I’m like, ‘Not really.’” first time on an official team], I think.” forms and tournament entry previous approval of the Brittany Smith, head co- men’s team. The club team is open to fees, although they can ap- Student Senate, allowing the ach of the varsity women’s “Not many of them have any male student who wants ply for club funding from the men to compete with other volleyball team, serves as to interact with other univer- had the opportunity to play to play, but Smith said the Student Senate. men’s club teams from the club team’s coach. The sities in a setting that has not in structured settings,” she team may need to hold try- Smith said she hoped even- around the nation. two teams scrimmage once been offered in the past by said. “It’s great to see how outs in coming years if more tually to see a women’s club “When guys play, it can a week. the university.” much they can improve students express interest. or junior varsity team at Tay- get pretty crazy,” senior Ryan “It’s a unique hybrid be- Heydlauff, a junior, said the when they have that oppor- According to Smith, Tay- lor, which would give more Daniels, the club’s president, tween the club sport and Taylor authorization allows tunity and how excited they lor may eventually have two women opportunities to play said. “A bunch of us last year between our athletic teams,” the club to enter tournam- are when they are presented teams: one for men who just competitive volleyball. who’d played volleyball in Student Senate Chairman ents and possibly host one with that opportunity.” want to practice together the past … wanted to start Mark Heydlauff said. “We at Taylor. According to Smith, the and one for men who want AEC introduces new software Students perform Peruvian opera BY JESSICA MArtINI that tutor,” Welch said. tie James, having a tutor is CONTRIBUTOR Students can now log into important for receiving as- the myTAYLOR portal, se- sistance and encouragement The Academic Enrich- lect the Academics tab, and when frustration mounts. ment Center has responded click on the AEC tutoring “I decided to get a tutor for to the growing number of link under “Quick Links.” Cell Biology and Life Span students and classes and the Once logged in under his or because they were classes need to link individu- her username and password, that I found to be very diffi- als to a personal tutor by the student can perform a tu- cult,” James said. “Once I had implementing new software: tor search, which brings up [my tutors] help me with my TutorTrac, produced by Red available tutors' schedules. homework, I saw my grades Rock Software. The student can immedi- go up exponentially ... I was The new program makes ately make an appointment able to ask questions when I it easier for students to avail by clicking on a time, and got stuck. ” themselves of the AEC's free both the student and the Tutoring is available to all tutoring services. tutor will receive an e-mail students and is a valuable Formerly, students were confirming the appointment. option for challenging or un- required to fill out tutor re- “It fundamentally changes familiar class subjects. quest forms. Upon receiving the way in which a student The AEC is located in the forms, the AEC would requests a tutor,” Welch said. Zondervan library and avail- contact potential tutors and “The student is more in con- able to students who need wait for one to agree to tu- trol of the process.” academic support. tor the student. According to AEC staff members re- Apart from tutoring help, Edwin Welch, coordinator of quest patience from students the center helps students at- academic support services, in this first launch of this tain learning skills, such as this process would take up to new software package. They how to manage time, study two weeks. Now, the process anticipate some glitches, but for exams and effectively Photo by Ellen Koch will be faster. are confident about the effect use textbooks. “With the new system, a it will have on students. For more information ab- Students anticipate the start of their rehearsal of La Périchole, an opera loosely based on student will search for the “It will benefit all students out tutoring, contact Edwin a Peruvian folk tale.