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The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
September 23, 2020
News Has VSU’s Diversity and Inclusion Department had an impact on campus? Bailey Storey
Staff Writer bastorey@valdosta.edu Since VSU’s Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion began in 2016, it has strived to make all students feel accepted on campus. “The purpose of the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion is to educate on diversity, enhance equity, and embrace inclusivity,” Director Sandra Y.G. Jones said. “We achieve that by working collaboratively with student organizations to plan and provide programming, special events, training and educational opportunities.” Some of these events include hosting Brave Spaces and Diversity Film Series, as well as events that are specific to different campus organizations, such as the Pink Out Festival for disability employment awareness month and breast cancer awareness. The department is also addressing the current state of our nation by holding Brave Spaces, and they have had special town hall meetings. “This year during the Evening of Worship, there was time carved out to acknowledge the lives of those lost due to police brutality,” Jones said. The department also hosted the Celebration of Diversity and Inclusion on Sept. 18, the anniversary of when VSU’s first two African American students entered the college in 1963. Starting this year, it will become an annual event. According to data provided by Jones, student attendance at Brave Space Dialogues has increased by 53%, and student engagement has increased from 2,393 to 2,899 since the 2018 academic year. “Each year we have seen substantial growth in our student engagement and expansion of collaborations with various areas and student organizations,” Jones said. She said the department also
BAILEY STOREY/THE SPECTATOR On the occasion that an incident is seen by the public, the department provides discussion spaces for students to address their concerns and give their opinions on an incident.
addresses personal student issues. “Racial bias and injustice is not new in our country, nor to our campus,” Jones said. “Generally, when such issues arise, my first priority is to ensure the individuals who were violated in whatever way receive the resources and services needed to ensure their well-being. After that, there is always a discussion on how the issue should be addressed.” According to Jones, many events of injustice or prejudice on campus are addressed and handled before they become public knowledge. “Balancing the responsibility of protecting the privacy of all students, as well as dealing with the collateral fallout of the offending student’s actions is a delicate balance,” she said. However, on the occasion that an incident is seen by the public, the department provides discussion spaces for students to address their concerns and give their opinions on an incident. Jones said allowing students
Harris believes that the department is heading in the right direction in its attempt to bring Blazer Nation together. “I definitely feel like they have been successful with promoting diversity and inclusion on campus,” Kaynal Davis, a resident assistant said. I think the march was a good way to kick off the semester and show that we as a university are trying to make everyone feel included.” The efforts are definitely working, he said. “Protecting diversity and inclusion on the other hand is really hard to do when you attend a university like this,” Davis said. “A lot of the people in power here are white men, from the officers, to the professors, to the faculty and staff. The Diversity and Inclusion Office can’t be there to help when someone feels like their voice is being silenced in a place like a classroom, but I think the Brave Space Dialogues they do is a good venue for those oppressed voices to talk.”
to gather and discuss their goes, it seemed as if you had to differences this way has always find those guiding lights to help been beneficial. push you. In saying that, I didn’t “It seems like they’re doing always feel that some people on a lot. It’s a very cool concept,” the campus had my best interest Hannah Thompson, a sophomore as part of their interest.” said. While Thompson has not been involved with events put on by the department, she said she appreciates the essential topics they address and believes they are helping students both in and off campus. “Being an older student, there were times I felt prejudices trying to build confidence from where I was in my BAILEY STOREY/THE SPECTATOR life,” Rocky Harris, The department also hosted the Celebration of Diversity and Inclusion on Sept. 18, the VSU alum said. “As anniversary of when VSU’s first two African American students entered the college in 1963. far as the campus
Column: Mail-in voting is the safer option Kilie Huckleby
Staff Writer kahuckleby@valdosta.edu
This election year isn’t just Trump vs. Biden, but it’s also mail-in voting vs. in-person voting due to the pandemic. 2020 has been a wild year for all of us between Kobe dying, COVID-19 blazing like a fire and this summer’s controversies, now we have to worry about voting in the election. I wish I could say that we don’t need the election, but we do. Things may get a little easier with the option of mail-in voting however, some want mailin voting to be 100%. I’ll admit, I was skeptical of mail-in voting for potential voting fraud however, after doing some research, I have found that mail-in voting fraud only takes up a minuscule part of votes. According to npr.org there have only been 143 criminal convictions within the past 20 years that are related to mail-in voting fraud. It averages to be about one case per state every six or seven years, which is a fraud rate of 0.00006%. I’ll be honest with you, that baffles me. I would
has been a 21% increase after a twoweek decline. The state reopened in July, and I’m sure you have heard that there has been more COVID cases since school has opened. So, imagine going to the polls. Keeping a hopeful eye on the future is always great, but you have to realize the reality of things, too. If you go to Walmart or favorite restaurant, you will see a number of people walking around without their KAYLA POOL/THE SPECTATOR masks. You’ll also see According to npr.org there have only been 143 criminal convictions within the past 20 that there are a number years that are related to mail-in voting fraud. of people that aren’t keeping a 6-feet distance think that it would increase. I want to experience going to the from one another. Of course, with every election, polls and voting in-person, so I Imagine the risk going to the there will always be that risk of don’t think making mail-in voting polls. The Arizona Department fraud, but I think you just have 100% should happen. of Health Services has released a to look past that and vote for According to Kaiser Health pie chart called COVID-19 Risk who you think will be the best News, 20 states have seen a rise Index and it ranks the risks of candidate to be president for the of COVID-19 numbers since activities between low risk to high next four years. they have reopened. They even risk. One risk that it showed that However, as a first-time voter, mention Georgia, in which there going to events with 50 or more
“According to Kaiser Health News, 20 states have seen a rise of COVID-19 numbers since they have reopened.” people is a high-risk factor. If you were to go to these polls, you would be at more risk of getting the virus than if you were to mail in your votes and risk voting fraud. It’s a much safer option to do so, and I highly encourage it. Voting is a way of showing our beliefs, but we need to be safe. Go ahead and vote Trump vs. Biden, but make the decision now to mail in your vote and stay safe from COVID-19.
September 23, 2020
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
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Photos: VSU’s campus in light of COVID-19
When unable to wash hands, hand sanitizing stations are located in several spots across every building on campus.
Buildings on campus also now have sanitizing wipes which can be used to clean any surface that someone may wish to be cleaned.
When entering any building and when social distancing is not possible outside, masks must be worn.
The campus shuttles have a limit of people allowed on at one time. This is relevant to the size of the bus depending on how many seats are available.
Dorm hall lobbies have put limits on how close students can sit.
The Odum Library has accommodated the pandemic by spreading out work spaces.
Dots have been put in place to help regulate social distancing and to show what 6 feet apart looks like. The traditional desk setup has been altered to space out students by marking off every other seat to maintain social distance.
Every door on campus has been marked as an enter or exit to help the flow of people during busier times.
The tables now have signs on them to indicate whether they are clean or dirty.
The Student Union has classes in the third floor ballroom.
While teaching his EDUC 2110 class Dr. JT Cox, professor of English Language Arts Education, has moved from a classroom to teach in the Jennett Lecture Hall.
Photos by Gwen Friedman.
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
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September 23, 2020
Former VSU hoopster now pro in Kazakhstan Jeremiah Hill took to the court for VSU Men’s Basketball for three seasons before heading overseas to Kazakhstan Zach Edmondson
Sports Editor zmedmondson@valdosta.edu Many students here at VSU probably couldn’t tell you where Kazakhstan is on the map, but one former Blazer, in particular, is in the beginning of his professional career there. Jeremiah Hill had an excellent career with the Valdosta State University Men’s Basketball team, winning several awards. Now, he finds himself thousands of miles away from home, signed to a professional team in Kazakhstan and hitting the road to face teams from places like Russia and Poland. Hailing from Richmond Hill, a town of about 14,000 people and located 30 minutes from Savannah, Hill began his journey from little league sports to professional basketball overseas. Hill was a multi-sport athlete up until high school. He played baseball and basketball at Richmond Hill High School until he decided to let go of baseball and focus on basketball, the sport he felt he was better at. According to Hill, however, his mom thought he was better at baseball. It is safe to say that he made the right decision even though his height is listed at 6 feet 2 inches, which is on the shorter side for a professional basketball player. Once it was time to choose a college to commit to, Hill was pointed to VSU by a family friend, so Hill decided to go and check it out for himself. “I went and visited and had a great time,” he said. “That’s all there is to it…I don’t have any fancy story or anything. It was just that simple.” He was a standout at VSU, playing in 77 games and starting in 55 of them. Hill earned Gulf South Conference Player of the
Year honors in 2017 as well as National Association of Basketball Coaches All-America honors. According to Hill, basketball is truly a team sport despite awards honoring him as an individual player. “I can’t take all the credit,” he said. He is quick to clarify, however, that he felt he was “better than most people,” regarding the competition he faced throughout the 2016-17 season. “I didn’t set expectations for myself because when you do that, you’ll either blast threw them or fall short,” Hill said. “You’ll be devastated or become complacent.” In 2019, Hill competed with the Orlando Magic and played in all four games in an NBA Summer League—which he describes as a “big tryout”—in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was named Player of the Game by the Magic when the team faced the Brooklyn Nets and Hill led all scorers with 21 points. During the same summer in 2019, Hill signed with PBC Astana (Kazakhstan) of the VTB United League. When asked about this contract and how it came about, being that it is with a team so far away from where Hill calls home, Hill had just as much of an idea as anyone else did. “I’m not exactly sure how that happened, honestly,” he said. “I have an agent, so he kind of just set that up for me and presented the offer to me.” Now, Hill is in his second year with PBC Astana and is coming into his own as a professional basketball player in Kazakhstan. “I am very comfortable here, very comfortable with my guys,” Hill said. As for making the move to Kazakhstan, it is never easy adjusting to a new place, especially when that place is nearly 7,000 miles
away from home and overseas, but Hill is settling in quite nicely. “I know what to expect this time around—I know what kinds of food I like to eat and what kinds of things I like to do here now,” Hill said. “You just have to find what you like.” Hill is solely focused on basketball for the time being. A lot of athletes go into their professional careers with plans to play for a few years and then use the money they make to invest in business ventures outside of basketball. This is not the case for Hill. “I want to play for as long as I can and make the most money that I can,” he said. “A lot of people want to be in my position, so I feel like it would be disrespectful not to ride it out for as long as I can.” Hill is enjoying his time in Photo courtesy of VSU Kazakhstan, Jeremiah Hill drives through a North Alabama defender in the 2017 GSC Quarterfinal but is hopestay in one place forever,” Hill you have or what the future may ful he will get the opportunity to said. hold—anything can happen. Enmove around and experience all As our conversation came to an joy the time you have doing what kinds of places throughout his end, Hill had some advice for cur- you love. If you don’t enjoy it, basketball career. rent VSU student-athletes. don’t do it.” “You always want to go and see “Believe in yourself,” he said. new places, man; you can’t just “Nobody knows the plans that
Campus Life Free testing Locations Around Valdosta You Should Know About Kilie Huckleby
Staff Writer kahuckleby@valdosta.edu As college students, we are always worried about money, and now with the pandemic,. wWe are worried about contracting a life- threatening disease.; Hhowever, to ease that worry, there are free testing locations in Valdosta that students can get tested at for free. According to Georgia’s Health Department, Lowndes County currently has 3,848 positive COVID-19 cases and VSU students are concerned about how they could pay for a test.; Hhowever, with the knowledge of free testing locations, this could ease the mind of students. “These testing sites are important to college students because we need some type of security as we attend college during this crazy time, and knowing that we can get a free test gives us a little more comfort,” said Arianne Grant, freshman nursing major.
Jarred Bornman, a mathematics major at VSU, also believes that testing for COVID-19 is important and wants to feel safe while the campus is open during a pandemic. “I haven’t been tested for COVID yet, but I do believe it plays an important [role] to keeping the general public aware of this pandemic,” he said. “Many are forgetting that it still exists and push forward through like it never happened.,” he said. For those who are looking for free testing, Valdosta does offer three locations: 1.The CVS on 2205 N. Ashley St. This pharmacy offers free testing for anyone who does have insurance or are in a federal program for the uninsured. They are available every day of the week with an appointment. Patients have to be qualified to take the test, so CVS provides questions to see if they are qualified. Once they are qualified, the patient can make an appointment by filling out a registration form on MinuteClinic.com. It typically takes 2-3 days for the
patient to receive their results through the email or through a text message with a secured link. When you go to get your test done, they suggest to go alone to and to make sure you have proof of identification and your insurance. 2.The Lowndes County Health Department This health department also provides free testing Monday through Saturday between 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Civic Center on 2108 East Hill Avenue. They require patients to call (844) 955-1499 to get an appointment. 3. Walgreens on 1800 Baytree Rd. This location also does free testing with the same procedures as CVS. The pharmacy is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Monday to Friday. On Saturday, they are open from 9 a.m to 6 p.m., and on Sunday, it is open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Kilie Huckleby CVS is one of the many places that offer free COVID-19 testing.