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UMKC wins big at Missouri college newspaper contest

April 29th, 2013 | Add a Comment

Ten U-News staffers piled up 19 individual and overall awards at the annual Missouri College Media Awards banquet Saturday night at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin. Competing in Division I, which includes universities with the highest enrollments, the U-News also finished third in the prestigious Sweepstakes category, which ranks newspapers according to overall honors . The U-News received three awards for first place, four for second place, eight for third place and three for honorable mention. With two staffers sharing each of two honorable mention awards and receipt of the Sweepstakes award, the U-News came home with 21 award certificates. “I see the awards as an affirmation of the immense progress U-News has made in the past year,” Editor-in-Chief Nathan Zoschke said. “This is the first time we have won a … Read entire article »

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Text books: Could college mainstay go the way of the dinosaur?

April 27th, 2013 | Add a Comment

Colleges and universities across the country are being confronted with a major challenge: the World Wide Web and social media are changing the way classrooms operate. According to David Tsouvalas, Editor-in-Chief of StudentAdvisor, an online site dedicated to advising students, “Social media has revolutionized how colleges communicate.” How has UMKC dealt with this issue? Every professor is different. “Do I assign books to read and will I continue? Absolutely,” said Judith Ancel, an Economics professor who specializes in labor issues. For Ancel, however, there is a caveat: the professor favors articles which are posted onto Blackboard from library databases, underscoring the ways in which technology is changing the way classrooms operate. Peter Morello, Associate Professor of journalism and mass communications, has textbooks for his classes registered through the UMKC Bookstore. Whether his lectures follow the textbook depends … Read entire article »

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film 2012 And the nominees are…

January 28th, 2013 | Add a Comment

This past year has been a year unlike many others. The Academy Award contenders began rolling out as early as June, very much unlike the past years. Audiences laughed and cried and succumbed to the wonderful power of film. The same joy and tears were shed when the Academy Award nominees were released just a few weeks ago. There were few surprises as always, but overall the nominees were given to the most deserving films.  Although not all of the following films were nominated for best picture, they all were nominated for at least one award and therefore are part of the best films of 2012. Django Unchained Quentin Tarantino shows off his directorial talent once more in this brilliant film intentionally made for Oscar season. Jamie Foxx stars as a slave turned … Read entire article »

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Mass shootings revisit gun control debate

January 27th, 2013 | Add a Comment

Mass killings in the U.S. were committed once every two weeks between 2006 and 2010—the last year for which FBI data is available. Recent mass shootings at schools, theaters, shopping malls and workplaces have revived the gun control debate in America. A Mother Jones analysis of 62 mass shootings in the U.S. since 1982 found that 2012 was particularly lethal—a finding consistent with other publications. Together, the Aurora, Colo., movie theater rampage and Sandy Hook Elementary massacre claimed 40 of the 72 fatalities of 2012’s seven mass shootings. All seven shootings involved semiautomatic handguns and high-capacity magazines that had been purchased legally, and all seven suspects had shown prior signs of mental illness. Barack Obama is among those who suggest lax gun regulations are partly to blame. This week, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, … Read entire article »

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Play offers something for everyone

December 5th, 2012 | Add a Comment

The Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s 32nd annual production of “A Christmas Carol” continues to be lively and fresh. Since the first show 33 years ago, including a break from the show in 2009, the production has become a Kansas City tradition causing children, teens and adults to shiver in their boots one moment and bust a gut laughing the next. Based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel “A Christmas Carol,” the Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s adaptation by Barbara Field is true to the original. The play begins on Christmas Eve and unfolds the life of an older businessman, Ebenezer Scrooge working in his office. Scrooge is a miserly man with a hardened heart and despises the words “Merry Christmas.” He complains Christmas only comes so he can have his “pockets picked” each year. While … Read entire article »

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“A Christmas Carol”: A Kansas City tradition for 32 years continues

December 5th, 2012 | Add a Comment

Keeping it fresh: A director’s approach to continued success For the 30th anniversary in 2010, the KC Rep revamped the entire show and proved its astounding ability to entertain. Scenic Designer and UMKC Professor John Ezell worked with Hatley to create something more magical: a rotating stage. After difficulties with an elevator stage to raise and lower sets for different scenes, Hatley knew he needed a better method for transitions. “The elevator was unreliable. It would on occasion and without warning just not work, leaving the actors and the show in a moment of unsolvable chaos in front of 600 people,” Hatley said. The introduction of the turntable stage allowed magical moments to be even more magical and more reliable. The stage operates much like a record spinning on a turntable. Hatley said he and … Read entire article »

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Going for the high grade: Illicit use of prescription stimulants raises a red flag

November 27th, 2012 | Add a Comment

n the night before her chemistry exam, Jane* popped a 20 milligram Adderall. She said the medication, obtained illegally from a friend for $5, helps her combat drowsiness so she can pull all-nighters in order to complete last-minute assignments or cram for exams. Seven million Americans over the age of 12 took prescription drugs for non-medical reasons in 2010, trailing only marijuana in illicit drug use popularity, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Jane said she only takes her “study pills” when “academically necessary,” so she may not recognize the potential negative side effects both on her health and on her criminal record. Medical research has found that abuse of prescription stimulants can cause elevated blood pressure, anxiety, depression, heart irregularities, acute exhaustion or even psychosis during withdrawal. The most common … Read entire article »

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Surabhi Event brings a taste of India’s Diwali festival to UMKC

November 12th, 2012 | Add a Comment

India is a land of diversity. Its 28 states and seven territories each have a unique culture. More than 1,000 languages are spoken. Festivals play an important part in showcasing the customs of each state, but one festival, Diwali, is celebrated throughout India In English, Diwali is called the “festival of lights.” During the festival, oil-filled clay lamps are displayed in each household and public spaces to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. Firecrackers are set off to drive off evil spirits. On Sunday, UMKC’s Indian Student Association (ISA) kicked off Diwali two days early with a customary celebration of Surabhi, a cultural fest at the Student Union Theater. Surabhi is anticipated by both Indian students and others on campus who appreciate its cultural flair, colorful traditional attire, music and dance. Many students consider Surabhi … Read entire article »

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Word On Campus

November 5th, 2012 | Add a Comment

David Scott Senior David Scott, a psychology and sociology double major, said he is concerned about the distribution of wealth in the U.S.: “The top 1 percent controlling the majority of the wealth in this country is alarming. The unemployment rate is also a big issue.” Marriage equality is another important issue for him. Shontel Moore Junior psychology major Shontel Moore said she has not decided which candidate will receive her vote on Tuesday. “Job security is really important to me because of the current state the economy is in,” she said. Moore feels health care should be a right only for some. “People with drug problems who contract illnesses should not be entitled to government-funded health care,” she said. “It should be reserved for those who need it to treat genetic illnesses like heart disease.” “Same-sex marriage should … Read entire article »

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Students rough the campaign trail

November 5th, 2012 | Add a Comment

Now that election week has finally arrived, it’s safe to say that many are ready for the campaign season to end. This is especially true for students who have blazed the campaign trail for weeks now, anxious to see if their  hard work paid off. Caleb-Michael Files and Babajide Ajisafe, both juniors at UMKC, have juggled school and contributing to this year’s presidential election with diligence and planning. Files is the Western Missouri Organizer for the Vote Mob coalition, an organization working with President Obama’s campaign. During the past three weeks, Files said he has put in roughly 40-50 hours per week. “Although our organization works with the president, I just want to see people vote,” Files said. “I most enjoy registering people who haven’t voted before and seeing their eagerness to vote for … Read entire article »

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