You can pick up your free copy of the Scroll during X-period today in the courtyard outside Starbucks. It’s the area on the north side of Torreyson Library with the tables and the jumbotron.

The release of the new yearbook includes a party with free music and free food. Townsend and Brad Cash will be performing.

This year’s edition of the yearbook uses a “green” theme. Ten percent of the paper is made of recycled material and every six pages of the book includes a “how to go green” tip or fact. About 2,000 copies of the yearbook are available.

“Every student actually pays for a yearbook, maybe unknowingly, because it is included in our tuition in a $6.50 publication fee,” said Emily Gassman, editor-in-chief of the Scroll.

Students from Kazakhstan will share their traditions, including native songs, clothing and food. The event is free and everyone is invited.

The holiday is one of the most important of the year for the people in Kazakhstan and is always celebrated at the vernal equinox.

Ilyas Dyussengaliyev, president of the club, said this the first public event for the club since it was formed two semesters ago. The club has about 30 members now, he said.

“People don’t even know where Kazakhstan is,” he said. “This is a great chance to explain us more. I hope to make the club bigger and bigger.”

Megan Riley is the new editor of Vortex. Riley, a junior, is a creative writing major with a Spanish minor. She is replacing senior John Andrews. 

Alyx VanNess was selected as the Vortex’s associate editor. VanNess is a creative writing major and an anthropology minor. She replaces Amber Scott. Monda Strange Fason is the faculty adviser for the Vortex. 

Megan Riley

Davion Dotson is the new editor of the Scroll. Dotson, a sophomore, is a public relations major and a print journalism minor. He is replacing Emily Gassman. The faculty adviser for the Scroll is Polly Walter. 

The Student Publications Board interviewed and selected the editors. Last week, the board selected the new editors for The Echo.

The two were selected this week from three students interviewed by the student publication board. The vote was unanimous.  

Hartz, a senior, is the associate editor of the newspaper now. Lowery, a sophomore, is the campus life and entertainment editor. Both are journalism majors.   

Abby Hartz

All the candidates said they wanted to improve the paper’s Web presence. Hartz said she favored adding staff members with experience at Web design. Lowery said she wanted to make the newspaper’s Web site more interactive and work closer with other media outlets on campus, such as Channel 6 and The Fountain, to better cover campus events.   

Hartz said she was “very excited” about being the next editor of The Echo and making the paper “the best it can be.” Lowery said the selection process was “very nerve wrecking” but she was glad to be associate editor.

The association, which is based in North Little Rock, has teamed with the Conway Advertising & Promotion Commission to sponsor the series of events.

All events are open to alumni. Some events, such as tonight’s comedy and variety show, are open to the public.

Here is the schedule of weekend events:

Friday -

• 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. – Morning Yogerobics – Farris Center
• 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Registration – Student Center Ballroom
• 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Campus and Community Tour
• 1:30p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – Educational Workshop: What’s right and wrong with today’s educational system – Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center
• 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – Business Workshop: What’s The Biz – Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center
• 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. – Jay Lamont Comedy/Variety Show – Ida Waldran Auditorium – $15 admission. $10 with UCA ID
• 10 p.m. – Until – The Prelude: Afterparty – Michelangelo’s

Saturday -

• 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Registration – Student Center Lobby
• 8 a.m. -9 a.m. – Morning Yogaerobics – Farris Center
• 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – Golf Challenge – Arkansas Golf Center
• 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Chocolate Relax: Reunion Cookout & Grill – UCA Alumni Pavilion
• 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Social Networking – Brewer-Hegeman
• 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. – AAAA Scholorship / Awards Banquet – Brewer-Hegeman
• 10 p.m. – Until – The Interlude: Afterparty – Michelangelo’s

Sunday -

• 10:30 a.m. – Noon – Alumni Religious Service – True Holiness Saints Center

For more information about events, registration or sponsorship opportunities, contact Greg Hunt (Ghuntrealtor@sbcglobal.net), Oliver Lewis (olewis4537@aol.com) or Malikah Nelson (msnelson@memphis.edu).

Black Alumni Weekend

You can also follow this event on Twitter @ucabaw and Facebbok at “University of Central Arkansas Alumni Weekend 2010″

The observance is one of thousands at universities across the nation today. Hundreds of thousands of students vow to remain silent for the day to raise awareness of the bullying, name-calling and harassment of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered students.

PRISM, which stands for Pride, Raising awareness, Involvement, Support and Mentoring, focuses on serving the LGBTQQA (lebsian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, allied) community on campus including students, faculty, staff and alumni. The organization was formed in 1997 to promote awareness, equality and understanding between gay students and the rest of the student body.

The president of PRISM, Dylan Lueck, said he expects great things from the Day of Silence.

“There have been many hate crimes and bullying incidents that happen to people of the LGBTQQA community and we want to act instead of react,” Lueck said. “In being silent, we will hopefully create a serious statement that people will pay attention to.”

Everyone is welcome to participate in the event and PRISM membership is open to everyone. Meetings are held Tuesdays and Thursdays during X-period in Main Hall, Room 14.

The event will be in the Black Box student art gallery in the Schichtl art building. It will include readings, live music and artwork by students that has been featured in the print and online editions of the magazine. The door prize is an antique typewriter.

The event is free and open to everyone.

The Vortex, housed by the Department of Writing, compiles original student work into its magazine each year to promote the arts. This will be the Vortex’s 36th annual print edition.

The magazine has won dozens of awards. It won several awards at the Arkansas College Media Association awards earlier this month, including best magazine in the state.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. and lasts until midnight. There is a $5 cover charge at the door. All the money collected will be used to help sponsor the annual  UCA Film Festival on April 30.

The bands playing are:

• Midwest Caravan – This two-man band from Little Rock features a guitar and drum making what some describe as neo-art/garage rock music.
• Don’t Stop Please – Two of the five members of this Conway band will bring their unique style of Indie Rock.
• Damn Bullets - Paul Morphis, lead singer of this four-man Conway band, will sing his eclectic mix of rock ‘n’ roll, bluegrass, delta blues and folk music. You can hear a song from the band here.
  

  Paul Morphis

For more information, click here.

Livestock is a benefit concert sponsored by the Honors Council to raise money for the Heifer Project, a nonprofit, international aid organization based in Little Rock. Last year’s event at Juanita’s in Little Rock raised about $2,000.

This year’s event includes live performances by Oakland, Townsend, Cerro Gordo and Jerene Makia. All of the artists, except Townsend, are students in the Honors College.

Performances begin at 8 p.m. The $5 cover charge will be donated to the Heifer Project.

A gift from Heifer International

Melinda Wheeler, a member of the Honors Council, said the group plans to donate $10,000 to the Women in Livestock Development program this year. The program provides livestock to women in poverty to help them support their families.

The success fair, called “I Just Want to be Successful,” will include guest faculty and staff speakers who will discuss success in the areas of personal relationships, academics, health and work.

The i.d.e.a.l. Freshman Leadership Team raised money for the event last month at Zaxby’s restaurant on Dave Ward Drive. For four hours on March 3, Zaxby’s agreed to donate 10 percent of its sales to the program.

I.d.e.a.l. is a mentoring program designed to mold promising freshmen into campus leaders. Freshmen are chosen based on the principle of diversity in race, gender and background. They are taught advanced leadership skills, including ethics, communication, conflict resolution and networking.

The program was founded here about 10 years ago and is partially funded by the Student Government Association.

The fair will last until 6 p,m. It is free and everyone is invited to attend. Refreshments will be available and door prizes will be awarded.