The lines were long but that wasn’t stopping thousands of Razorback students from flocking to Sept. 19’s Fayetteville home opener against Georgia.
Even though Arkansas was coming off a dismal 5-7 season in the second year of head coach Bobby Petrino’s reign, the anticipation and excitement for Razorback football still remained.
One thing that differed this season, however, was the way in which UA students received their tickets.
Instead of just purchasing a ticket that would be taken to the game along with scanning their ID card, students were required to buy vouchers that would be redeemed the week heading up to the game.
University officials said that the reasoning behind the change in administering the tickets was a trend that had developed in the previous couple of seasons.
Arkansas won a SEC Western Division title in 2006 and had Heisman Trophy hopeful Darren McFadden return in 2007, but students weren’t filling up the section they are given despite the team’s success.
With a change in both the head football coach and director of athletics, a serious look was taken on how to increase the efficiency of ticket sales and get students in the seats.
The athletic department figured that if the students weren’t going to fill up the section, that they could sell the unused tickets just like a ticket in a different section of the stadium and make more money.
It seems like a viable solution to pouring money into athletics and getting the stadium to capacity on game days, but it’s not necessarily popular with all students.
“It’s dumb,” said UA sophomore Chelsey Humble. “It’s just a hassle.”
Other UA students have not liked the fact that they have to go down to the ticket office or other locations on campus to redeem their vouchers.
They’ve cited long lines and only having Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to complete the objective as major drawbacks to having the voucher system.
“It’s a bit of a hassle, but if they fill up [the stadium], then I guess it’s alright,” UA sophomore Collin Sanders said.
Sanders is a former walk-on football player for Arkansas who now watches from the student section. He said he noticed a definite increase in the quality of the section and the passion of the students who came out in droves to the Georgia game.
Some students, though, feel that the change is doing a lot of good for not just the students, but rather the entire fan base of 74,000 that attend Arkansas home games.
“I think it’s a good idea,” UA junior Drew Marshall said. “It allows people who actually want to go to the game to go, and helps us fill up the student section which we never could before.”
Fortunately for Arkansas students, the ticket price remained the same.
The economy may be in a recession, but it still only costs $1 to get into the games.
Whereas at other Southeastern Conference schools, it costs the same, if not more, as normal game tickets for students to watch their fellow student-athletes perform.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Revised Profile
BY DEREK OXFORD
FAYETTEVILLE—Steve Percival had no idea what he was running himself into in 1993 when he and a group of Fayetteville school administrators met to develop a mission for a fledgling school district.
“About 30 of us spent three days on the top of Mt. Sequoyah talking, debating, compromising, and agreeing on what the district mission should be,” Percival said.
But the three-day Mount Sequoyah summit in March of that year and the vision that was finally settled on paved the way for the Fayetteville School District to become one of the premier educational systems in the United States.
“The mission that was formed during those three days has stood the test of time,” Percival said. “It still exists today.”
The district’s website, http://www.fayar.net, describes the district’s mission as being that “every student will leave with a full understanding of his or her potential and the skills necessary to be successful in an ever-changing, global society.”
Percival, who has served on the district’s school board since 1995 and was president for several years, describes the time he’s put in on the board as “tremendously rewarding.”
“I still can’t believe I was that lucky,” Percival said. “To be able to be associated with outstanding teachers, dedicated administrators, and focused school board members, has been one of the highlights of my life, outside of my family.”
The vision statement is the mission that Percival and his colleagues drew up in order to cater to a fast –growing student population that was aggressively testing the limits of what high school students normally accomplished.
So the 1993 excursion took care of that, revitalizing the curriculum while providing for the students’ needs as they appeared.
Needed improvements were made to the high school and other schools in the district, elementary and middle schools were built to facilitate growth, and technological innovations were implemented to keep Fayetteville ahead of the curve.
At the time, however, Percival and the rest of the administration did not realize that down the line, the facilities that the students were utilizing were going to need more than just a touch up.
Now with 2009 inching closer to its conclusion, the community is in serious debate about what is to be done with building a state-of-the-art new high school.
“The new high school is an investment in our children and our future,” Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan says. “We must be bold in securing that future and prepared to make the commitment now.”
With students’ getting their athletic and scholastic expectations met, however, some members of the community might wonder why a new high school needs to be built.
The answer?
“This is Fayetteville,” Percival said.
“Fayetteville is a community that is well known for its population and their diverse interests and beliefs about what’s best for the town. That’s one of the things that make Fayetteville a great place to live. People care about where they live, are passionate about what they believe, and become interested and engaged in the things they hold dear.”
The difference here though is that the issue of a new Fayetteville High School is colossal compared to what has been dealt with in the past, as noted by UA Journalism and International Relations professor Hoyt Purvis.
“A subject such as this has stirred considerable public interest and involvement,” Purvis said. “Fayetteville is also a community that highly values education, and as a result of that and the proximity to the university, the high school will always receive lots of attention.”
With the dreams of the Mount Sequoyah meeting fulfilled, along with expectations for learning not only met but surpassed, Percival says that in order to continue have a great school system, there must be great employees and great facilities.
“We will have both [with the new high school],” Percival said.
Percival obviously knows the ramifications of the actions the administration is taking. It’s not the first time he and his colleagues on the school board and subsequent committees met and discussed the future concerning the district.
His arrival in Fayetteville back in 1989 from his hometown state of Ohio to accept a job at Washington Regional Medical Center was his first foray into a community brimming with potential.
The potential, over a span of twenty years, has become reality to Percival.
“When I applied for the job at Washington Regional, I didn’t even know where Fayetteville, Arkansas was,” Percival said. “Now I can’t imagine raising a family anywhere else.”
FAYETTEVILLE—Steve Percival had no idea what he was running himself into in 1993 when he and a group of Fayetteville school administrators met to develop a mission for a fledgling school district.
“About 30 of us spent three days on the top of Mt. Sequoyah talking, debating, compromising, and agreeing on what the district mission should be,” Percival said.
But the three-day Mount Sequoyah summit in March of that year and the vision that was finally settled on paved the way for the Fayetteville School District to become one of the premier educational systems in the United States.
“The mission that was formed during those three days has stood the test of time,” Percival said. “It still exists today.”
The district’s website, http://www.fayar.net, describes the district’s mission as being that “every student will leave with a full understanding of his or her potential and the skills necessary to be successful in an ever-changing, global society.”
Percival, who has served on the district’s school board since 1995 and was president for several years, describes the time he’s put in on the board as “tremendously rewarding.”
“I still can’t believe I was that lucky,” Percival said. “To be able to be associated with outstanding teachers, dedicated administrators, and focused school board members, has been one of the highlights of my life, outside of my family.”
The vision statement is the mission that Percival and his colleagues drew up in order to cater to a fast –growing student population that was aggressively testing the limits of what high school students normally accomplished.
So the 1993 excursion took care of that, revitalizing the curriculum while providing for the students’ needs as they appeared.
Needed improvements were made to the high school and other schools in the district, elementary and middle schools were built to facilitate growth, and technological innovations were implemented to keep Fayetteville ahead of the curve.
At the time, however, Percival and the rest of the administration did not realize that down the line, the facilities that the students were utilizing were going to need more than just a touch up.
Now with 2009 inching closer to its conclusion, the community is in serious debate about what is to be done with building a state-of-the-art new high school.
“The new high school is an investment in our children and our future,” Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan says. “We must be bold in securing that future and prepared to make the commitment now.”
With students’ getting their athletic and scholastic expectations met, however, some members of the community might wonder why a new high school needs to be built.
The answer?
“This is Fayetteville,” Percival said.
“Fayetteville is a community that is well known for its population and their diverse interests and beliefs about what’s best for the town. That’s one of the things that make Fayetteville a great place to live. People care about where they live, are passionate about what they believe, and become interested and engaged in the things they hold dear.”
The difference here though is that the issue of a new Fayetteville High School is colossal compared to what has been dealt with in the past, as noted by UA Journalism and International Relations professor Hoyt Purvis.
“A subject such as this has stirred considerable public interest and involvement,” Purvis said. “Fayetteville is also a community that highly values education, and as a result of that and the proximity to the university, the high school will always receive lots of attention.”
With the dreams of the Mount Sequoyah meeting fulfilled, along with expectations for learning not only met but surpassed, Percival says that in order to continue have a great school system, there must be great employees and great facilities.
“We will have both [with the new high school],” Percival said.
Percival obviously knows the ramifications of the actions the administration is taking. It’s not the first time he and his colleagues on the school board and subsequent committees met and discussed the future concerning the district.
His arrival in Fayetteville back in 1989 from his hometown state of Ohio to accept a job at Washington Regional Medical Center was his first foray into a community brimming with potential.
The potential, over a span of twenty years, has become reality to Percival.
“When I applied for the job at Washington Regional, I didn’t even know where Fayetteville, Arkansas was,” Percival said. “Now I can’t imagine raising a family anywhere else.”
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Profile
BY DEREK OXFORD
FAYETTEVILLE—Who would have thought that a three-day summit on the top of Mount Sequoyah in March 1993 of a group of 30 administrators would set the stage for a school district that has since catapulted itself into being not one of the state’s, but the nation’s best?
No one, probably, unless you were crazy.
But Steve Percival was at that Mount Sequoyah summit, and his vision, along with the others involved, paved the way for the Fayetteville School District to become arguably one of the premier educational programs in the United States.
“The mission that was formed during those three days has stood the test of time,” Percival said. “It still exists today.”
Percival, who has served on the district’s school board since 1995 and was president for several years, describes the time he’s put in on the board as “tremendously rewarding.”
“I still can’t believe I was that lucky,” Percival said. “To be able to be associated with outstanding teachers, dedicated administrators, and focused school board members, has been one of the highlights of my life, outside of my family.”
The district’s website, www.fayar.net, describes the district’s mission as being that “every student will leave with a full understanding of his or her potential and the skills necessary to be successful in an ever-changing, global society.”
That vision statement is the mission that Percival and his colleagues drew up in order to cater to a fast –growing student population that was aggressively testing the limits of what high school students normally accomplished.
So the 1993 excursion took care of that, revitalizing the curriculum while providing for the students’ needs as they appeared.
At the time, however, Percival and the rest of the administration did not realize that down the line, the facilities that the students were utilizing were going to need a significant upgrade.
Now with 2009 inching closer to its conclusion, all anyone converses about is what to be done about building a new high school.
“The new high school is an investment in our children and our future,” Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan says. “We must be bold in securing that future and prepared to make the commitment now.”
With students’ getting their athletic and scholastic expectations met, however, some members of the community might wonder why a new high school needs to be built.
The answer?
“This is Fayetteville,” Percival said.
Translation: that this college town tucked away in the northwest corner of Arkansas is fueled by constant debate and relentless discussion whenever an issue creeps up.
“Fayetteville is a community that is well known for its population and their diverse interests and beliefs about what’s best for the town,” Percival said. “That’s one of the things that make Fayetteville a great place to live. People care about where they live, are passionate about what they believe, and become interested and engaged in the things they hold dear.”
The difference here though is that the issue of a new Fayetteville High School is colossal compared to what has been dealt with in the past, as noted by UA journalism and international relations professor Hoyt Purvis.
“A subject such as this has stirred considerable public interest and involvement,” Purvis said. “Fayetteville is also a community that highly values education, and as a result of that and the proximity to the university, the high school will always receive lots of attention.”
With the dreams of the Mount Sequoyah meeting fulfilled, along with expectations for learning not only met but surpassed, Percival says that in order to continue have a great school system, there must be great employees and great facilities.
“We will have both [with the new high school],” Percival said.
Percival obviously knows the ramifications of the actions the administration is taking. It’s not the first time they’ve met and discussed the future concerning the district.
His arrival in Fayetteville back in 1989 to accept a job at Washington Regional Medical Center was his first foray into a community brimming with potential.
The potential, over a span of twenty years, has become reality to Percival.
“When I applied for the job at Washington Regional, I didn’t even know where Fayetteville, Arkansas was,” Percival said. “Now I can’t imagine raising a family anywhere else.”
FAYETTEVILLE—Who would have thought that a three-day summit on the top of Mount Sequoyah in March 1993 of a group of 30 administrators would set the stage for a school district that has since catapulted itself into being not one of the state’s, but the nation’s best?
No one, probably, unless you were crazy.
But Steve Percival was at that Mount Sequoyah summit, and his vision, along with the others involved, paved the way for the Fayetteville School District to become arguably one of the premier educational programs in the United States.
“The mission that was formed during those three days has stood the test of time,” Percival said. “It still exists today.”
Percival, who has served on the district’s school board since 1995 and was president for several years, describes the time he’s put in on the board as “tremendously rewarding.”
“I still can’t believe I was that lucky,” Percival said. “To be able to be associated with outstanding teachers, dedicated administrators, and focused school board members, has been one of the highlights of my life, outside of my family.”
The district’s website, www.fayar.net, describes the district’s mission as being that “every student will leave with a full understanding of his or her potential and the skills necessary to be successful in an ever-changing, global society.”
That vision statement is the mission that Percival and his colleagues drew up in order to cater to a fast –growing student population that was aggressively testing the limits of what high school students normally accomplished.
So the 1993 excursion took care of that, revitalizing the curriculum while providing for the students’ needs as they appeared.
At the time, however, Percival and the rest of the administration did not realize that down the line, the facilities that the students were utilizing were going to need a significant upgrade.
Now with 2009 inching closer to its conclusion, all anyone converses about is what to be done about building a new high school.
“The new high school is an investment in our children and our future,” Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan says. “We must be bold in securing that future and prepared to make the commitment now.”
With students’ getting their athletic and scholastic expectations met, however, some members of the community might wonder why a new high school needs to be built.
The answer?
“This is Fayetteville,” Percival said.
Translation: that this college town tucked away in the northwest corner of Arkansas is fueled by constant debate and relentless discussion whenever an issue creeps up.
“Fayetteville is a community that is well known for its population and their diverse interests and beliefs about what’s best for the town,” Percival said. “That’s one of the things that make Fayetteville a great place to live. People care about where they live, are passionate about what they believe, and become interested and engaged in the things they hold dear.”
The difference here though is that the issue of a new Fayetteville High School is colossal compared to what has been dealt with in the past, as noted by UA journalism and international relations professor Hoyt Purvis.
“A subject such as this has stirred considerable public interest and involvement,” Purvis said. “Fayetteville is also a community that highly values education, and as a result of that and the proximity to the university, the high school will always receive lots of attention.”
With the dreams of the Mount Sequoyah meeting fulfilled, along with expectations for learning not only met but surpassed, Percival says that in order to continue have a great school system, there must be great employees and great facilities.
“We will have both [with the new high school],” Percival said.
Percival obviously knows the ramifications of the actions the administration is taking. It’s not the first time they’ve met and discussed the future concerning the district.
His arrival in Fayetteville back in 1989 to accept a job at Washington Regional Medical Center was his first foray into a community brimming with potential.
The potential, over a span of twenty years, has become reality to Percival.
“When I applied for the job at Washington Regional, I didn’t even know where Fayetteville, Arkansas was,” Percival said. “Now I can’t imagine raising a family anywhere else.”
Profile
BY DEREK OXFORD
FAYETTEVILLE—Who would have thought that a three-day summit on the top of Mount Sequoyah in March 1993 of a group of 30 administrators would set the stage for a school district that has since catapulted itself into being not one of the state’s, but the nation’s best?
No one, probably, unless you were crazy.
But Steve Percival was at that Mount Sequoyah summit, and his vision, along with the others involved, paved the way for the Fayetteville School District to become arguably one of the premier educational programs in the United States.
“The mission that was formed during those three days has stood the test of time,” Percival said. “It still exists today.”
Percival, who has served on the district’s school board since 1995 and was president for several years, describes the time he’s put in on the board as “tremendously rewarding.”
“I still can’t believe I was that lucky,” Percival said. “To be able to be associated with outstanding teachers, dedicated administrators, and focused school board members, has been one of the highlights of my life, outside of my family.”
The district’s website, www.fayar.net, describes the district’s mission as being that “every student will leave with a full understanding of his or her potential and the skills necessary to be successful in an ever-changing, global society.”
That vision statement is the mission that Percival and his colleagues drew up in order to cater to a fast –growing student population that was aggressively testing the limits of what high school students normally accomplished.
So the 1993 excursion took care of that, revitalizing the curriculum while providing for the students’ needs as they appeared.
At the time, however, Percival and the rest of the administration did not realize that down the line, the facilities that the students were utilizing were going to need a significant upgrade.
Now with 2009 inching closer to its conclusion, all anyone converses about is what to be done about building a new high school.
“The new high school is an investment in our children and our future,” Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan says. “We must be bold in securing that future and prepared to make the commitment now.”
With students’ getting their athletic and scholastic expectations met, however, some members of the community might wonder why a new high school needs to be built.
The answer?
“This is Fayetteville,” Percival said.
Translation: that this college town tucked away in the northwest corner of Arkansas is fueled by constant debate and relentless discussion whenever an issue creeps up.
“Fayetteville is a community that is well known for its population and their diverse interests and beliefs about what’s best for the town,” Percival said. “That’s one of the things that make Fayetteville a great place to live. People care about where they live, are passionate about what they believe, and become interested and engaged in the things they hold dear.”
The difference here though is that the issue of a new Fayetteville High School is colossal compared to what has been dealt with in the past, as noted by UA journalism and international relations professor Hoyt Purvis.
“A subject such as this has stirred considerable public interest and involvement,” Purvis said. “Fayetteville is also a community that highly values education, and as a result of that and the proximity to the university, the high school will always receive lots of attention.”
With the dreams of the Mount Sequoyah meeting fulfilled, along with expectations for learning not only met but surpassed, Percival says that in order to continue have a great school system, there must be great employees and great facilities.
“We will have both [with the new high school],” Percival said.
Percival obviously knows the ramifications of the actions the administration is taking. It’s not the first time they’ve met and discussed the future concerning the district.
His arrival in Fayetteville back in 1989 to accept a job at Washington Regional Medical Center was his first foray into a community brimming with potential.
The potential, over a span of twenty years, has become reality to Percival.
“When I applied for the job at Washington Regional, I didn’t even know where Fayetteville, Arkansas was,” Percival said. “Now I can’t imagine raising a family anywhere else.”
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