U.S. High schools are denying students first amendment rights

03/28/12 13:04 PM

By Charles Scott, clscott@smu.edu  Just when you thought this wired world couldn’t get any weirder, it did when employers started asking potential employees for their Facebook login information. And now, other aspects of Social Media are getting people angry. The administration at Garrett High School in Garrett, Indiana, just expelled Austin Carroll months before his graduation for tweeting the F-bomb at 2:30 a.m. from his home computer. His tweet, according to IndianasNewsCenter.com: “f****** is one of those f****** words you can f****** put anywhere in a f****** sentence and it still f****** makes sense'. Couldn’t have said it better myself.  But Garrett High School officials called it inappropriate and claimed that he made the tweet from a school...

Graduation Guru: How long will recruiters look at your résumé? (The answer’s faster than you’d think

03/27/12 23:52 PM

By Meghan Sikkel, msikkel@smu.edu  Résumé tips — we’ve all heard ‘em. “Always highlight your strengths, never let a typo go undetected and whatever you do, don’t ever tell a lie.” Sure, those suggestions are valid, but they’re also common sense. The real question is this: What happens after you hand off your résumé to a potential employer? (Other than crossing your fingers.) How long do employers really look at your résumé, and what exactly do they look at? The answer may be discouraging, but it’s useful. On average, employers will peruse your life’s work in less than seven seconds before determining your fate as a potential employee. That’s right, seven. (That’s less time than it probably took to print it!) Forbes reported Monday that employers spend an...

Mustang Sports Weekly: History's role in sports

03/27/12 21:54 PM

By Brooke Williamson, kbwilliamson@smu.edu   This past weekend I had the opportunity of seeing first hand, and hands on, how game operations works at the new Cowboys Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. As we walked around and took in countless facts we humbly admired the enormity of the stadium. As I took in all in it occurred to me what makes sports special, and what keeps them going at such a powerful rate. History. Sports thrive off of its history, creating generations of fans and traditions, but they must also have a drive to create more history, history in the making if you will. Upon stepping foot into the stadium it is apparent the barrier breaking technology and designs, however it is brought to life by the constant reminders of their history from ...

Shillings and Sen$e: Apartment hunting season has arrived

03/26/12 22:59 PM

By Mark Agnew, magnew@smu.edu  Finding the perfect off-campus pad is one of the first major decisions college students make aside from choosing a major. Given that SMU only guarantees housing for first-year students (at least for the time being), most students are forced to venture elsewhere to find shelter. Condos, apartments, houses — Oh my! It can be a daunting process at first, but unless you want to end up on the streets it’s got to be done. Establish a budget. Knowing how much you are willing to spend on rent is the first step to narrowing your search. This figure will vary greatly based on proximity to campus and features like hardwood floors, etc. Be sure to estimate electricity, water, cable and other costs. If you decide to have a roommate (which most people...

Graduation Guru: Job hunters beware — Employers may ask for your Facebook password

03/25/12 16:58 PM

By Meghan Sikkel, msikkel@smu.edu   Think behind-the-scenes content on Facebook like private messages and “hidden” photos are safe from the prying eyes of potential employers? Think again. Since my last post, things have gotten more complicated in the whole companies-using-Facebook-to-assess-candidates situation, as employers are now asking applicants to provide Facebook usernames and passwords, The Associated Press reported Tuesday. To bypass the security measures that many of us job hunters have wisely taken to conceal our less-than-professional Facebook pages, some companies are requesting direct access to applicants’ profiles to do a little snooping around. This means increased privacy settings and unsearchable profile “names” will no longer suffice. ...

Mustang Sports Weekly: Where Emotion Fits

03/25/12 16:55 PM

By Brooke Williamson, kbwilliamson@smu.edu  This week’s sports headlines are filled with news about Peyton Manning and where Tim Tebow will be traded- it seems every time you turn to your favorite sports media website or TV channel something new has revolved. Yet, one topic has been at the forefront a majority of the time — emotional decisions. Since March 7, when Manning was released from the Indianapolis Colts, conversations have surrounded on how the Colts could release Manning after fourteen years in which he helped aid in a Super Bowl championship among many other feats. Most recently, this week when it was finalized that Manning will be joining the Denver Broncos, causing the newly famed and idolized Tim Tebow to be traded. The events, countless news stories...

Election 2012: Are viral videos influencing voters?

03/20/12 00:04 AM

By Charles Scott, clscott@smu.edu  During the 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama and his team carved a path to the White House with the help of a tool never before used in American politics: Social media. The 2008 presidential election was dubbed the first Youtube election, marked by the ability of people to put videos of a candidate on Youtube.com. Memorable videos from the time included Obama Girl and I Feel Pretty. Social media is driving the 2012 presidential election even more than before. It’s “influencing not only the voters but influencing the media,” according to Carolyn Barta, a journalism professor at SMU. She said that in 2008, Will I Am’s “Yes We Can,” video, which put Obama’s vision to lyrics, gained him...

Shillings and Sen$e: Use FreeFile, save on tax prep costs

03/20/12 00:00 AM

By Mark Agnew, magnew@smu.edu  The deadline to file income taxes, April 17, is less than a month away. If you haven’t filed your income tax return, it’s time to stop procrastinating and get with it. The IRS offers FreeFile, a free service to file your taxes online for individuals with adjusted gross income of $57,000 or less. For many individuals, income won’t come close to the $57,000 AGI limit. By now you should have all the paperwork you need to prepare the return. Gather your W2 forms and other paperwork now to get that return filed. The sooner you file, the soon you can get that potential refund. You can choose from a variety of software options included in the Free File Alliance, but each company has certain criteria to use their software so...

Graduation Guru: How Facebook Timeline can make (or break) your job search

03/08/12 22:34 PM

Meghan Sikkel, msikkel@smu.edu  Now that you’ve chosen your career path, it’s time to take action. But before you start applying for your dream job, some spring-cleaning is in order. No, I don’t mean that kind of cleaning. I mean online spring-cleaning. Employers are relying on the Web now more than ever for the application process, which is why it’s important to clean up your online profile before embarking on the job hunt. The most obvious place to start is Facebook, where job seekers have become especially vulnerable with the implementation of Timeline (no longer optional in a few weeks). And with the new layout come new rules. Deleting incriminating pictures and removing obscene content from Facebook is not enough to keep employers happy with the...

Mustang Sports: The importance of championships

03/06/12 18:29 PM

Brooke Williamson, kbwilliamson@smu.edu   It is championship season, in basketball that is. A season when Sports Center Top 10 is lit up with the most outstanding plays from what some consider the most important time of a season-championship season. Teams have worked through holidays, traveled to tournaments, suffered through tough losses and celebrated the most poignant wins. In our own backyard, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams will make their appearance at the Conference USA Championship in Memphis, Tenn. The teams will board a plane to Memphis, Tenn. taking with them the regular season lessons learned from team meetings, practices and games. Championships are played at the end of a season for a reason. This may seem almost obsolete to...