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Sept. 11, 2013 Editorially Independent
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3 NEWS 6 Sports 8 COVER STORY 10 FEATURES 12 A&E 16 OPINIONS
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Emily West >> Editor-in-chief
Amanda Gambill >> Managing editor Chris Bishop >> Online Director
Mamie Nash >> News Editor
Sinclaire Sparkman >> Assistant News Editor Daniel Jansouzian >> Assistant News Editor Bailey Robbins >> Features Editor
Kim Barker >> Assistant Features Editor
Claire Osburn >> A&E Editor
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Noel Heath >> Assistant A&E Editor Lauren Mandrell >> Assistant A&E Editor Sam Brown >> Sports Editor
Connor Grott >> Assistant Sports Editor Quint Qualls >> Opinions Editor Christine Craft >> Designer
Matt Masters >> Online Photo Editor Kyle Bates >> Print Photo Editor Leon Alligood >> Adviser
NEWS
Hook ups VS. First . . . ...... . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dates Mamie Nash // News Editor
Hook ups go with beer and parties. Dating goes with dinner and movie.
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That’s the gist of new studies by a Middle Tennessee State University that Gretchen Webber co-authored two papers on the subject with Julie Reid from the University of Southern Mississippi and Sinikka Elliott from North Carolina State University. One paper has been published in Gender & Society and another is under review.
According to the trio’s results, a large group of the surveyed students said it is acceptable to have casual sex at events such as parties, especially when alcohol is involved, but it is inappropriate to have sex on a first date, where a potential long-term relationship could blossom.
“In our teaching and involvement with students, we were hearing that hookups exist, but so do relationships, so we were interested in understanding students’ thinking about both hookups and dates in relation to each other,” Webber said. “As this research shows, the social context and setting is really important in guiding what behaviors are acceptable.”
very liberated.”
did from the 1988-1996 era.
Research seems to suggest this behavior isn’t based on biological expectations, either.
“I think one of the issues is that dating has been around for a long time and has developed traditions,” Reid said. “Even though hookups have always occurred, we conceptualize it as a newer phenomenon. I think its rules are more recent, moving with the times and developing as it’s happening.”
“As sociologists, we tend to veer away from biology. We focus on the social aspect. If we study gender, we find out that cultural rules keep us in place, not biological,” Reid said. “If behaviors follow traditional biological explanations, why are women engaging in hookups? The evidence supports the view that it’s societal and cultural.”
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Profs. study hook ups vs. first dates
The trio surveyed nearly 300 students at an undisclosed university on the socially accepted rules for casual sexual encounters and first-date behavior and found that those behaviors were vastly different.
“it is acceptable to have casual sex at events such as parties...but it is inappropriate to have sex on a first date”...
. . . . .. . . . . . . . “One of the things that our research found is that dating tends to stay more traditional,” Reid said. “Students show an acceptance that things can be different, but it seems to stay the same in practice, such as the man asking woman out the majority of the time. The dating scene doesn’t seem to be
Meanwhile, other research suggests that current students do not engage in more pre-marital sex than generations before it. Professors Michael Monto and Anna Carey from the University of Portland found that comparing behavior 20 years ago with that of today shows no significant difference in the number of casual sexual encounters experienced by students. Monto and Carey said that students from 2002-2010 did not report having more frequent sex or a greater number of sexual partners than undergraduates
While many students may see and act out similar norms surrouding hookups and dates, not all students engage in these activities. But they are likely aware of the “proper” expectations and roles associated with these settings. “Gender and sexuality norms are changing for both women and men, and the student accounts from our research tap into at least some of the sexual understandings of one unique cohort,” Webber said. The professors presented the research results in the second paper at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association on Aug. 9 in New York City. The paper has yet to be published.
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NEWS
Students share thoughts or lack thereof of Syrian conflict
SYRI A
Military intervention in Syria is not a solution for America, a number of students noted in man-on-the-street interviews. However, the feelings of students concur with trends found in multiple scientific surveys by several wellknown news groups. According to a poll by The Washington Post/ABC News, 59 percent of Americans opposed military action against Syria while 36 percent were in favor and 5 percent were unsure. Several other polls also indicated that the majority of Americans do not support taking military action against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. However, they do not condone the use of chemical weapons against Syrian civilians, allegedly on al-Assad’s orders. “I don’t believe we have a place in what they say or do. I’m not saying I disagree with the fact that we should do something. They are hurting their own people, and that’s wrong,” said
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Patrick Wesley, a freshman health sciences major. In contrast to the majority of student opinions, Joseph Belado, a freshman aerospace major from Smyrna, supports taking military action in Syria. “We are basically considered the world’s police, so why just sit back and let people get hurt?” he said. Belado doesn’t “see why [retaliatory consequences of American military action] should affect us — how Russia and all the other people are going to act towards it because we’re just helping people.” Sophomore Henry Bradley also agrees with military action, because “it’s the right thing to do, [and] also because America needs some peace of mind.” Of the many students who were against taking military action, several preferred peaceful alternative methods. “Talking is absolute paramount. We need a communication. We need a dialogue. But before anybody puts a finger on anybody, we need to be
clear where this could lead, and the American people need to know where it could lead,” said Rita Jones, a senior communications major from Savannah, Ga., and former Air Force pilot. A few students were not aware of the situation in Syria. When asked about his thoughts on Syria, one student responded jokingly, “I eat cereal for breakfast.” Jan Quarles, a college of mass communication professor who also teaches global studies, said she doesn’t believe many students are aware of the conflict in Syria. The fact that Syria is so far away from the United States seems to play a major role in the students’ lack of interest. Although the survey last week was not scientific, 17 out of 24 students opposed military action while two students simply said they didn’t care. “In Global News, we’re discussing the events in Syria almost every class period in some way,” Quarles said. “I don’t think many students know how complex the situation is.” Taylor Davis // Chelsea Newton Staff Writers Photos by Matt Masters // Photo Editor
NEWS
app ing
updates the app and brainstorms new ideas to add to it. They also take into consideration feedback from students. “It’s a real opportunity for the students to manage and design a product and deliver on it,� Petryshak said. “Also, the university gets an app. Win all around.� The app version 2.9, released in the spring semester, features Map It, which
Daniel Jansouzian Assistant News Editor The MTSU App can navigate around campus, check class schedules and track bus routes from a smartphone or tablet, providing students a tool for a more successful semester on campus. “The App was created by students for students,� said Bruce Petryshak, vice president for information technology. His office began to discuss the idea of a portable application in 2011 for students on the go. Petryshak gathered a team of computer science students to create the MTSU App for Android with a fall deadline. The first Apple version came out in January 2012. The student team constantly
out includes the new bus tracking system. This feature allows users to see how far away the buses are by showing its movements in real time. The app also allows students to confirm enrollment on their phones. Consequently, it notifies them if they are about to be purged from the university’s system. The team released version 3.0 for Android and a new version for Apple will be available soon. The application will also be available for Android tablets and the
iPad shortly. The new version has been completely revamped and includes several new components. “It’s faster, cleaner code and easier to maintain,� said Reid Wiggins, the team lead and a junior computer science major. One of the new features is the menu on the side that users can scroll down with their fingers. The home screen was updated to show campus weather, and a calendar is available which can be saved for up to two weeks. Students can now save their daily schedule to the home screen, which displays their next class without users having to log in. Once that class time ends, it disappears from the home screen. Wiggins said the course lookup feature received a complete overhaul. Students can look up classes on the go and add them to their Pipeline account later on. Some features of the app are also available without a Wi-Fi connection. Jericho Marsh, a freshmen basic and applied sciences major, said his student orientation assistant told his group about
the mapping features on the app at CUSTOMS. “It maps out my classes and pinpoints where I am in the GPS,� he said. Landy Tate, a mass communication student, remembers that the app helped her as a freshman last semester. “My schedule was portable on my phone,� she said. “No looking through binders and papers on the run. It’s very convenient.� Tate said that a lot of people know about the app, but they just don’t realize how many helpful features are on it.
cam pus “Even in my second year, I still use the app to navigate around campus,� Tate said. //
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sports
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Men and women’s tennis look to power opponents Tennis season kicks off with the 27th Annual Wally Tidwell Pro-Am at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center on Friday, Sept. 13. Head Men’s Tennis Coach Jimmy Borendame and Head Women’s Tennis Coach Shelley Godwin organized the event. Both teams enter the season with power players on their side of the net.
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Women’s Tennis The women’s team enters this season boasting four new players: Jesse Grace, a formal Lady Vol from Johannesburg, South Africa; Amanda Manns, a freshman from Stockholm, Sweden; Tiffany Okpoho-William, a junior from London, England; and Sarah Sediri, a Canadian freshman who won the Quebec Doubles U-18 Championship this year. With so many international players on the team, the women made familiarizing themselves with each other a priority this offseason. “Everyone on this team is from a different country, so communication is really important right now,” said Nayara Moraes, Brazilian junior. “We’re working more outside the court, trying to help each other and be friends, not just teammates.” Communication was an issue last season for Moraes and her doubles partner, Romanian sophomore Irina Constantinide. “It was my first year here,”
Constantinide said. “It was troubling a little bit at first, but we figured it out in the end.” The Lady Blue Raiders ended last season with a loss to Georgia State in the semifinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. This season will be the team’s first campaign as part of Conference USA. The conference move doesn’t affect the tennis team the same way it does other teams. Unlike football and basketball, a big change in conference play throughout the season won’t occur, but the season will end with the C-USA tournament. Godwin has high hopes for this year’s additions and aims to build a bond between the players and create a name for the team. “We’ve been trying to [form] an identity for our team,” Godwin said. “Who are we? What are we going to be? When other teams play us, what are they going to say? Important to us is toughness. That’s going to carry throughout the whole year. When the matches get tight, are we willing to tough it out?”
Ritchie Simmons // STAFF WRITER
Men’s Tennis The men’s team will showcase its experienced players this fall. “It’s the first time I’ve had a team where we’ve had more upperclassmen than underclassmen,” Borendame said. “I’m excited to see that, and I’m really looking forward to the leadership that’s going to come out of the older guys, as well as the younger guys.” Senior Ben Davis recently learned of a stress fracture in his wrist and will be sidelined for the entire fall season, so other players have the opportunity to step on the court to fill his shoes. Yet, the injury hasn’t stopped Davis’s drive. “In the meantime, there are a lot of things I can do to help the transition once it improves,” Davis said. “I’ve been doing a lot of work on lower body stuff and putting in extra work in the gym.” Borendame designed a challenging schedule for his players, featuring several ranked opponents. The Blue Raiders may face ranked competition in the C-USA championship at the end of
the season. “The conference change doesn’t really affect our psyche,” Davis said. “Every game is treated the same, whether they’re the number one school in the country or number 100. But it’ll be a good challenge because there are a few more ranked teams in there.” Sophomore David Fox looks forward to the season’s lineup. “We’ve got more matches at home,” Fox said. “We traveled a lot last semester.” The team traveled to North Carolina, Northwestern and Mississippi State, among other schools last season.
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“There are only seven guys on the roster, and I can honestly say any one of them could have a breakout year,” Borendame said. “They’re all guys that I recruited, and I expect a lot of them all. There’s a lot of potential in this group. It’s just going to be a matter of keeping them healthy. We’re expecting big things from this team, and I think people all across campus are as well.”
sports
“Last semester we only played 2 home matches, so it was tough to get people to come out and watch the matches,” Fox said. “If we can get more people out to the games this season, it will help the energy of the team, and hopefully we’ll build on that.” Despite the men leaving last season on a 4-3 loss to Georgia State in the Sun Belt Conference Championship finals, Borendame has high expectations this year. SIDELINES | Sept. 11, 2013 | www.mtsusidelines.com 7
COVER STORY
colors
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Natalie Shipley // Contributing writer
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Bailey Robbins // Features Editor
COVER STORY
// a colorful character for colors unseen //
Rick Rishaw prepares the exhibits for the Todd Art Gallery, but can’t differentiate the red and green hues that make up each piece. He is partially colorblind, but that does not hinder him as an artist or as preparator, the artworld title for the person who prepares art for exhibitions. As a fine arts painter, the tall, broad man struggles to distinguish the hues on a colorful palette. Instead of choosing a flesh-colored paint, he might accidentally dab his brush into a green paint, unintentionally creating aliens instead of humans.
Underneath his button-down shirt, a pink scar serves as a constant reminder of his good fortune. In February, he had triple bypass surgery from the result of a heart attack in October 2012. “I was very grateful to have a second chance,” Rishaw said cheerfully. The two women in his life were grateful as well.
// N.O.Y.F.B. // Through Sept. 19, the faculty and students have an exhibit, in which they collaborate to create art. Rishaw is in charge of the gallery. Seven two-dimensional pieces hang on a white wall in the Todd gallery. Beneath it, an orangecheckered tablecloth drapes over a quaint table setting where two chairs are neatly pushed underneath. Blue napkins with handwritten examples of small talk like “what church do you go to?” and “what does your dad do?” are placed on the table. The piece, “None of Your F–ing Business,” represents personal information most would find trivial, but helps classify character.
They are a creative trio, from the triple-threat preteen who writes fan fiction and draws, to his wife who is a former professional singer. Like his daughter, Rishaw began drawing at a young age. His passion for art accompanied him throughout high school, leading him to purse a degree in art. After graduation, this MTSU alum did not stray far from the university. For two decades, Rishaw has worked as the gallery preparator.
// A COLORFUL
A green plate holding a coffee cup clashes with the orange tablecloth that it rests upon, but Rishaw may not be able to discern the colors. The colors lacking from his world don’t affect his outlook on life.
PERSONALITY // Now, he has an additional title of woodshop supervisor.
Now, he avoids confusion in his artwork by labeling the watercolors in ice trays. One tray is labeled ‘‘skin,” one is labeled “hair,” the artist said, revealing his originality.
Back home in Bell Buckle, Tenn., Rishaw’s wife of 18 years, Tina, and 15-year-old daughter, Loretta, share his love for art.
// THE ARTISTIC TRIO //
Tucked away on the bottom floor of Todd Hall, Rishaw stands on a chair changing a light bulb. He is inside the woodshop, where he plays a much larger role than
simply supervising the use of tools and the lifespan of light bulbs. “If you have a question, never be afraid to ask, because he’s there to help,” art student Kari Siltz said. “He’s magical, he’s just a magical human being.” Sometimes one doesn’t have to ask for his help. A student popped her head inside Rishaw’s office with a pleasantly surprised look on her face. Unannounced, he built a booth for the students to spray paint pieces behind a curtain. “I like the work,” Rishaw said with an infectious grin. “I like the students. I like my coworkers. I think it’s a great job. I’m doing what I love to do. It’s an intellectual environment. I get to hang out with young, smart people all day. I get to install art exhibits and run the shop. You can’t beat it.” His genuine concern for students shines through the dustiest surface of the woodshop. Scanning the walls of his office, it is easy to note Rishaw’s love for younger generations. A poster of a trending, rap-rave band, Die Antwoord, hangs among the sticky notes and artwork from students. His vibrant personality paints a colorful illustration of compassion for the art department. Whether it is building a spray booth or making a pot of coffee for his students, Rishaw sees beyond the limitations of his color pallet. “Rick’s an institution in and of himself,” metalworker Stephen Levenhagen said. “The art department couldn’t run without him.”
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features
A MUSICAL MASTERMIND:
By Fernando Cintron-Ramos Staff writer
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features
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“Johnny Day,” a gay cowboy love song, it’s not hard to recognize how his music exposes his sexuality...
“
ith each piano key struck and guitar string strummed, Jonathon Gower creates music with a seamless blend of soulfulness and mindfulness. While Gower may seem like the typical grad student studying French by day, he moonlights as “Jonny Gowow,” a musician, who writes, produces and records his own pieces.
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The decision to create an eclectic mix of pop rock and folk is deliberate. He prides himself in the distinct sound he produces and strays away from a mainstream feel. “I use a lot of styles and influences that don’t appear in pop music every day,” the 26-year-old student said.
At first glance, one may simply see a man dressed in a white button-down and blue slacks held by suspenders, never considering the complexity that is Jonny Gowow. The Pleasant View native took his first steps toward his musical career at the age of six. Today, Gower, who holds degrees in French and music, composition is a master of guitar, clarinet, piano, accordion and bassoon. One can hear the melodies of the instruments being played from a couple speakers inside his living room that is adorned with a Charlie Chaplin portrait and a Salvador Dali calendar.
sity because of the gay themes in his music.
era,” will debut Nov. 15, at Wright Music Hall.
“I guess the music is just so good,” Gower said laughingly.
In May 2015, he will release his album.
With his accompanying band, the Japanese Cowboys, he will play an October show at the Short Mountain Distillery in Woodbury. Gower, however, is no one trick pony. This musician has composed a symphony piece from one of his original songs. The composition, “Theme from an Australian Soap Op-
As for future aspirations, this virtuoso plans to use his foreign language influences to craft a CD for “pedagogical purposes in French, like a really simple work of French songs to accompany a 1010 or 1020 class.”
//Amanda Gambill and Bailey Robbins contributed to this report.//
When listening to his songs, fans will notice the lyrics are not as traditional as the sandals on his feet. With songs titled, “Bottom Boy” – which is “exactly what it sounds like,” he said with an impish grin – and “Johnny Day,” a gay cowboy love song, it’s not hard to recognize how his music exposes his sexuality. Yet, he explained that his sexual orientation is “not a top priority in [his] life,” and it is not the reason he is making music. He hasn’t faced adver-
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A&E
DC Comics Villians Month Look out, heroes: DC Comics is honoring its roster of villains throughout September with “Villains Month.”
For the entire month, readers’ favorite New 52 titles will be “taken over” by the nefarious villains of the DC universe. The vilified issues will replace the regular, once-a-month title for the series involved. These titles will be a mixture of original stories and origin tales for the infamous of DC’s comic book world. A majority of recognizable villains from the DC multi-verse, such as The Joker and Lex Luthor, will be
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featured in a one-shot issue, providing an amazing insight into the inner workings of those who fight our favorite heroes. Last month’s reveal of the Reverse Flash makes his one-shot much more interesting, and it directly ties into the ongoing plot of the Flash. The same can be said of Green Lantern newcomer Relic and his mysterious past. Also released in September is “Forever Evil,” a mini-series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by David Finch. The series will follow up the end of the recent “Trinity War” event and will follow the activities of the “Crime Syndicate” after the
defeat of the three Justice Leagues. The Secret Society, the group that brought about the Crime Syndicate, is also the subject of a Villains’ Month special that will tell their origin story. Special versions of each book will be released featuring a 3-D cover for $3.99. For those not interested in the special edition, a normal cover variant will be released for $2.99. Other series not receiving a villain takeover will be on hold until October. Logan Barnes // John Mueller >>Staff writers
A&E
An acclaimed country singer from Murfreesboro, Chris Young releases his new album A.M. on Sept. 17.
Chris Young
Listeners have already had a taste of his twangy chords in upbeat party single, “Aw Naw,” which is climbing the Billboard charts. Young has made a lot of progress since winning the televised singing competition “Nashville Star” in 2006, releasing four top 10 albums and achieving five No. 1 singles
Murfreesboro musician releases fourth album
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A&E
thing over and over. People will “get“Youboredcanwitht doit.theIsame did some stuff different production wise ’
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. on this record and had a little fun with it.”
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While his new album promises fun tracks, he’s not fully abandoning his reputation for ballads. “The biggest difference between this album and the first couple I made is just that there’s more up-tempo stuff on this one,” Young said. “I did that on purpose. I wanted it to be pointed at having more party songs as well. People are still going [to] get the ballads, the love songs, the stuff that they’ve come to expect from me, but I just wanted to do something a little bit different. You can’t do the same thing over and over. People will get bored with it. I did some stuff different production wise on this record and had a little fun with it.” The 28-year-old singer most looks forward to his fans hearing one of the album’s love songs, “Goodbye.” “Without going too much into it, it’s one of those songs that’s about a crossroad point in a relationship. The girl’s asking how much longer she can do this,” he
explained. Listeners will love the lyrical harmony of the hook, “We’re too good for goodbye.” Young had a different kind of experience with goodbye last month, when he had to miss several tour dates because of a bacterial infection caused from a small cut on his leg. After flying from Nashville to play in Dallas, he was placed in the intensive care unit. He wouldn’t stay down and out. He made a full recovery to join Brad Paisley’s “Beat This Summer” Tour in time and to meet the legendary John Fogerty, who made a special appearance at the tour’s stop in Mountain View, Calif. Young has his share of meeting big names in the industry, such as when he collaborated with Willie Nelson on the 2006 duet, “Rose in Paradise.” “You know, it’s still a little weird, but it’s pretty cool,” he said of working with
country music legends. “The stranger part for me is when I ask somebody like Willie Nelson to do something, and they don’t say no.” Young hopes to claim headliner status one day like the artists he has met and worked with. “That’s where everybody wants to be. Having your own shows and selling more and more tickets and being bigger and better,” he said. While A.M. might just be the ticket to that success, Young is focusing on building his fan base and never forgetting his roots. “It’s my fourth record on RCA. If you would have asked me eight years ago when I signed, that I’d get the chance to make four records, I would have said, ‘I don’t know, man. That’s hard to do,’” he said. “I’m pretty lucky and pretty happy that this one’s coming out.”
John Coulston // Staff writer
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it's not easy whEN anyone dies
opinions
why you shouldn't judge suicide This week is National Suicide Prevention week, ironically following after the suicide of rapist and kidnapper, Ariel Castro. Choruses of he “took the easy way out” rang after it was reported he hanged himself in his jail cell. While I agree wholeheartedly that Castro was a horrible individual who deserves some sort of punishment, I’m hesitant to describe his action as “easy” because that discounts every other suicide victim.
about nearly 30,000 Americans who commit suicide every year. Saying suicide is the “easy way out” implies those who kill themselves are cowards, and it brushes off the impact of a death. It’s just another label people want to use to feel better about a “taboo” subject. It makes it easier for people to deal with it because we live in a society uncomfortable with the facts: people kill themselves.
Constantly hearing this sentiment about a high profile suicide allowed people to show their true colors on this issue.
Instead of devaluing a person’s choice to commit suicide, we need to truly look at why a person feels that is their only option. That’s the problem. They aren’t cowards.
But this isn’t about Castro — this is
We live in a buttoned up society
where we can’t talk about sex, we can’t talk about death, we can’t talk about politics or religions because we’re afraid everyone won’t agree. We aren’t cookie cutter people who all deal with the same issues in the same way. You’re wrong if you think you’re better than those who have killed themselves. And not only are you devaluing that person’s legacy, you’re pretty much insulting those they left behind. Suicide victims aren’t pariahs, they aren’t all horrible people and they aren’t locked in a room where you can’t see them.
Amanda Gambill // Managing Editor They’re most likely suffering from depression, putting on a brave face because you’ll judge them otherwise: before or after their life ends.
i think your smoking ban ignited that tree, MTSU on the harmful effects of that.
Rumor is that a lit cigarette caused the tree-fire outside the Keathley University Center. You can take this as an indictment of smoking or an indicator that the school’s “smoke-free campus” policy has been found wanting. I’m thinking the latter. If the university had designated smoking areas and ashtrays around the campus, maybe this meandering arsonist wouldn’t have lit that tree on fire. But who knows? We live in a strange world where all sorts of outcomes are possible — think the Schrödinger’s cat experiment where the possibility of existence and non-existence coexisted.
I am a reformed smoker, but not because of the school’s smoking ban. I would smoke freely in front of buildings throughout the day. I quit during the summer because, well, because I got bored, and it was expensive. The only real effect of the ban, as I see it, is an influx of litter due to a lack of disposals and a segregation of nearly 20 percent of the student body (a university health promotion survey, conducted one year prior to the ban, found that nearly 1 in 5 students smoked cigarettes). I think secondhand smoke was a factor as well, but the jury isn’t quite out
Maybe some MTSU officials have a genuine interest in the well-being of its students, but the people who actually make these decisions, the financiers and high-echelon administrators, probably don’t. They’re focused on the money received from federal grants to nonsmoking colleges. They like to tout to parents visiting the campus that their children won’t be subjected to the toxic fumes — mostly from tobacco — which are often associated with college campuses. They’ve essentially jumped on the bandwagon that’s trending with public universities right now. Hey, this is America – people should
Quint Qualls // Opinions Editor have the right to pay large corporations to kill them slowly. Unless our administration decides to hire a dedicated force for policing the policy, I really don’t think anything is going to change. And someone please put an ashtray by that poor tree.