Logo for Byte Magazine at Ball State University

Byte Reviews


First black fraternity turns 100

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a week of events at Ball State University. Alpha Phi Alpha was the first collegiate Greek letter fraternity established for blacks. Theta Xi, the Ball State chapter of the fraternity, is known for its leadership and service.



Ellie and Marianne premieres at Muncie Civic Theatre, 7 p.m. Thursday

Web surfers, movie goers and classical literature fanatics can all find something to pique their interests with the Department of Telecommunication's student film scheduled to premiere Thursday night. More than 100 Ball State University telecommunications students are using recently developed online marketing to advertise a film they produced, Rich Swingley, digital audio professor and project adviser, said.


Plan B available at Health Center

Students who wish to purchase the morning-after pill without a prescription can do so at the Amelia T. Wood Health Center at Ball State University. Plan B, taken after sex to prevent pregnancy, has been available for three weeks, medical director Kent Bullis said.


MEN'S BASKETBALL: Cardinals visit ranked Bulldogs

When the Ball State University's men's basketball team heads to Indianapolis to take on No. 14 Butler University tonight, it will be without the team's second tallest player. The athletic communications office announced Tuesday that freshman Zack Garcia had left the team.


THE O REPORT: Attendance rests on student shoulders

Recently there has been a trend among public school systems to reward students for attending class. In the hope of boosting the enrollment average, a Wyoming school decided to give away a vehicle for outstanding attendance. To qualify for the drawing, students were only allowed one excused absence for the entire year.



Celebrity police officers sworn in, prepare to begin duty

Muncie Police Department officers said they are confident in the newest members of their force, the stars of "Armed & Famous," and are looking forward to working with them. Celebrities Jason "Wee Man" Acu+â-¦a, Erik Estrada, La Toya Jackson, Jack Osbourne and Trish Stratus were sworn in as officers by Mayor Dan Canan in front of about 200 crew members, producers, community members and fans.


'PHIL'OSOPHY: Ohio State - Florida a mismatch

Urban Meyer is more than just the University of Florida football coach. It appears he has political aspirations after his performance the past two weeks. His lobbying evidently tugged at the hearts of the voters in the USA Today Coaches and the Harris Interactive polls, as both vaulted the Gators from fourth to second.


'PHIL' OSOPHY OF LOVE: College singles find hope in Match.com

In hindsight, I shouldn't have started with eHarmony.com. eHarmony is specifically designed for older people looking for marriage, although one could make the argument I'm awfully close to that point at 26. If one is looking for college students closer to his age and not marriage at this point, Match.


Litchfield shown the door

Randy Litchfield is the latest Ball State University coach to find himself without a job. Litchfield, the women's volleyball coach at Ball State for the past 18 seasons, did not get his contract renewed by Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Collins Monday.



Campus crime statistics misleading

High-profile crimes, such as the shootings at Windermere Place Apartments, armed robberies at Marsh Street and burglaries at Kensington Apartments have raised the question of whether crime has increased at Ball State University. Yearly statistics are gathered by all universities and colleges for on-campus crime, but all of the above crimes occurred off-campus and are not counted.


Art students sell ceramic gifts

Samantha Zilai n Chief Reporter Ball State University students in search of holiday gifts can purchase one-of-a-kind student and faculty ceramic creations next to the staircase in the Atrium Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Ball State Department of Art's ceramics students will sell between 400 and 500 pieces of artwork to students and community members with a large portion of proceeds going back to the student artists, Ted Neal, assistant professor of art, said.


OUR VIEW: Coaches beware

It's clear no coach in the athletic department has a safe tenure under the leadership of athletic director Tom Collins. The message doesn't appear to be about the number of games won. It's also not about the number of athletes coaches lead to high standards in the classroom.


LIVING THE COLLEGE LIFE: Christmas appears earlier each year

Christmas is just around the corner, and all we have to do is get through those pesky exams and we will be free to party. But I wonder what are we looking more forward to, Christmas break or the holiday itself? All I know is that I love to see those twinkling lights on dorm room windows and Christmas trees in the lobby.



JUST LISTEN: Good films are often overlooked

July Lam's column last Friday, "Americans Hold A Negative View on Death," discussed our nation's fear of dying and aging. She elucidates on the youth-obsessed culture where old age is something to struggle against and is looked at with a sense of repugnance.


THE BOGEYMAN: Problem of Iraq reduces to sunk costs

How anyone can be sane and continue to believe that Iraq is not in the midst of civil war is beyond me. Well, I suppose one could truthfully assert that there is no civil war: The country is on the other side of civil war - into chaos. A little over a week ago, a series of car bombs exploded in Baghdad's "Sadr City," a slum named after the belligerent Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr.


Recent robberies might be related

Police are unsure if Friday's armed robbery on Marsh Street, where robbers claimed to be police, is related to an incident a few weeks ago when a man was killed after people entered his home claiming to be drug task force members, Muncie Detective Lt. Al Williams said.


Thompson recruit leaves team

Zack Garcia is no longer a member of Ball State University's men's basketball team, Ball State Athletics announced today.


Life with you

When Ball State University student Jessica Miles signed a lease to share a bedroom with her boyfriend, Corey Wagoner, she didn't foresee the complications that would arise. "Ultimately, it was the demise of our relationship," Miles said. "It brought in finances and responsibilities.


Students to tour Asian countries during break

Ball State University students and faculty are preparing to spend the holidays exploring the cultures of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam as part of the Rinker Center for International Programs' Southeast Asia field trip. "Christmas and New Year's comes every year and this opportunity won't," senior Cara Reiter said.


SWIMMING AND DIVING: Swimmers make history, win HOC meet

Swimming their way into history for Ball State University, Brittany Sayler, Adam Konopka and Addison Del Rio were all members of the last U.S. Open competition for the USA Swimming organization, which was held in West Lafayette this weekend. According to the USA Swimming Web site, the U.