Of Labs and Laptops Features 4
Office of Student Advocacy: Interview with Nicole Phillips Lifestyle 8
Humans vs. Zombies Sports 11
KSU STUDENT LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE // APRIL 2016 // KSUSTING.COM
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STUDENTS. BY THE
STUDENTS. The Sting is Kennesaw State University’s monthly student lifestyle magazine, and a part of KSU Student Media (KSUSM). As a student lifestyle publication we take the responsibility in engaging in conversations that build student engagement as part a community, and not just a university.
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Sports
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ebonza@kennesaw.edu 2jgreene3@kennesaw.edu KSUSTING.COM / AUGUST 25, 2015
Features 4
Office of Student Advocacy: Interview with Nicole Phillips Lifestyle 8
Board Games Round 2 Games & Tech 10
Humans vs. Zombies Sports 11
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Of Labs and Laptops
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Inside the Issue
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FEATURES
Of Labs and Laptops: An Engineering Story by Gerron Green
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“C
hange” has been the name of the game for former Southern Polytechnic students over the past year. Things that had been taken for granted by many have gone away, and things that others thought were an integral part of their majors have been changed. This is bound to happen whenever a big transition occurs, and things are sometimes expected to go back to normal, but there are two topics that have become the talk
of the Q Building: the removal of lab time for students and the rumor that on-campus labs will be phased out in favor of students purchasing their own laptops. To address the issue, the rumors need to first be put to rest - they’re both true, but not hyperbolically as some believe. Since the beginning of the semester, students have had their time in the labs reduced due to
safety concerns. Prior to this semester, if you were in a project class and needed to get into a lab they simply had to find a lab technician and verify why you needed access to the lab. Now students must schedule lab time with a professor to perform extra work. While this policy may make sense to the administration as a whole, it’s far from popular with students and
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Umi Naqvi, Electrical Engineering Technology I would prefer to have the labs open, at least in the daytime, and have people in the tech shop open it for us. That way they have the names of who’s in the lab for security purposes.
Robert Young, Computer Engineering Technology It just doesn’t make sense to me, there’s a lot of software that you’ll have to work around. You could try cloud-based, but for some [software] it just doesn’t make sense.
Chance Beaver, Electrical Engineering Technology My computer is not compatible with the instrumentation in our labs, and I feel reducing lab time will reduce the quality of my projects.
Anish Patel, Computer Engineering Technology I hate the laptop and lab situation.
faculty, mainly because they do not see their labs as dangerous. Personally, as a senior in the computer engineering technology program, I can say that there is no way to harm yourself in one of our labs that can’t be done in the hallway outside of the lab. This is the main issue many have with the policy. Students and some faculty believe different things will work for different departments, and some faculty have taken the issue into their own hands. They have proposed a new type of space that would allow students to work on their projects during the day, and my understanding is that this would be similar to the current project rooms but with updated equipment and more space to move around in. The other issue regarding the laptop requirement and the phasing out of computer labs entirely has been a tad overblown, but it is a proposed plan by the college. After speaking with Renee Butler, the Assistant Dean for Operations of the Southern Polytechnic College offices, I discovered that no student currently enrolled at KSU will be required to buy a laptop; future students, however, will fall under the new policy. As for
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the labs being removed, the plan would be for them to be phased out as they become obsolete. Several of the labs on Q, M, and L were recently updated and won’t be going away for another four to five years. Though this topic is new to KSU, the removal of computer labs on other campuses in the country has been done in the past. The University of Virginia, for instance, successfully removed individual labs from campus while requiring students to own their own computers. If the policy is implemented here, instruction computer labs won’t go away. The extra ones, however, such as the ones that exist on the second floor of the Q Building, will be removed. That being said, a major issue that still exists is the availability of software needed for certain majors. I spoke with several students and professors in the ECET department and many of them had the same concern: will the software used for the major be made available for students? For example, Multisim is a simulation software used by the ECET department. Currently, students do
these simulations in the Q Building labs I just mentioned. The proposed idea by the department is to use cloud computing to deliver software to the upcoming students, but this software (and other software needed) isn’t available for academic and cloud use. The fear is that the department will have to use an inferior software rather than the industry standard, which may result in students who are less prepared for the industry. Though many professors expressed understanding as to why the school was doing this, the fear remains for whether or not it would be done the correct way in order to keep the quality of education high and allow students to have the time they need to produce the quality work Southern Polytechnic State University was known for.
So, what does this mean for you?
I feel that this could be better addressed with more open communication between the administration and students. A walk around the Q Building revealed that there was no lack of student opinion on the topic (all of which were negative). Others had suggestions on how things could be improved when implemented.
A student outside of the school of engineering shouldn’t need to worry: if the laptop requirement comes to all departments at KSU, current students will omitted from this requirement. The next generation, however, will pay either the same tuition or more if the cost of tuition climbs, but receive less in the way of education resources.
Photos by: Alain Santos
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LIFESTYLE
Short-Term & Long-Term Goals As of right now, Ms. Phillips is trying to engage in discussions with students about what they think in relation to topics like civility, empowerment, social justice, and bias. It is also important to gather information from students about “day to day concerns that students have. What are the things as an institution that we are doing well?… [How do we] determine if there’s really a flaw or if there’s a disconnect and how do we help make sense of KSU?”
Office of Student Advocacy: Interview with Nicole Phillips by Brittany Rosario
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n January 2016, the Office of Student Advocacy was founded, in the words of President Papp, in order to “address student concerns regarding campus civility, student welfare and other issues that may compromise the culture of belonging at KSU.” The purpose of the Office of Student Advocacy is to serve as a critical component in upholding values of the institutional mission. The office is a space where students can come to share concerns and
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matters that are important to them and find resources available to them for making a change. I decided to interview Nicole Phillips, the head of the office. Ms. Phillips plays the part of an impartial party who listens to students, gives them advice and honest feedback based on the situations that affect them, and makes informal inquiries to provide referrals and service to students. If you haven’t already had
the pleasure of meeting her, she has worked at KSU for 12 years in the Department for Student Development as the assistant director of the multicultural student retention services, and as the associate and interim director of student development. Among her most notable contributions to KSU is her and started the African American Male Initiative Program at KSU in 2005.
Photo by: Brittany Rosario
The long-term goal that Nicole Phillips is working on is to make sure that the mission and values of KSU’s student culture are clear, so that people understand what is tolerated and what is not. “A lot of college students have a commonly known creed, or a code of civility. So that’s something I’m looking at exploring more so with the student body: looking at what exists right now that truly reflects the study body and where our thoughts are.”
Communication Through Student Avocacy As we take into consideration technology and the way people communicate today, we must also take notice of potential situations for disaster. On social media and the internet, students are becoming more micro-aggressive or saying things “on the slick” to offend others. However, this causes gaps in communication and hurts people’s feelings. During my conversation, Ms. Phillips and I discussed the current state of student activism on college campuses, much of which stems from movements like #BlackLivesMatter and incidents at the University of
Missouri (Mizzou). I learned about http://www.thedemands.org/, a website where student activists from a various colleges and universities throughout the country have posted their demands for their respective college administrations. KSU is among the many institutions present on that website.
Current Issues & Situations for Changes Students are the heart and soul of a thriving university. However, some of the issues that students see may not be noticed by the faculty and staff, even though we look to them for guidance. So how do we get the perspectives of mind (faculty and staff) and heart (students) to see the same issues and create impact and change for the body of the university? Some of the things that Nicole has noticed in her interactions with students is that they want to have more quality relationships with their faculty members outside of the classroom, that the financing of education is always an issue, and that there is a difference between the values and community feel between the two campuses. It is also importance of paying attention to social media and the news as it relates to diversity and social justice to understand the trends and current issues in society. As member of the university, whether you’re a student, faculty, or staff, it is key that we stay on top of trending topics and know what is happening in our society that could affect the culture of our campus.
What About Bias?
ences as a woman of color and size. “I have to transcend those things, be aware of it, but also hear the whole [situation]. It’s not my job to play judge and jury to anything but to really hear what is happening, consider all the pieces and players, and consider the resources.” A significant part of the goals that Nicole Phillips has within the office of student advocacy is to get others to be aware of their bias, to know them, and accept them but to be able to also listen and try to understand the opinions of others.
Diversity is welcome There are several ways to get involved with the Office of Student Advocacy for Fall 2016-Spring 2017 like the CivOWLity groups on both campuses. The application to join is on Owl Life under the “forms” tab on the Office of Student Advocacy page. The deadline is September 2, 2016. ALL students are eligible to apply.
For more information or to contact Nicole Phillips: Office Phone: 470-578-3546 Email: nphill10@kennesaw.edu or ksuadvocate@kennesaw.edu Office Location: Marietta Campus, Wilson Student Center, Suite 230 Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/ksuadvocacy/ Owl Life page: https://owllife. kennesaw.edu/organization/ studentadvocacy
Now, when it comes to handling sensitive situations and sharing our opinions on those trending topics we all have bias. Bias stems from our background, our gender, our beliefs, ethical values, and our personal life experiences. Ms. Phillips admits that she has bias related to her experi-
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SPORTS
GAMES & TECH
Board Games Round 2: The Broadening by Matthew Dinoff
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t’s time to grab your friends again for another round of board games - not bored games.
1. The Red Dragon Inn Have you ever wanted to know what happens in the downtime between dungeon raids, saving the world, and the relentless travelling a hero endures? Then come grab your friends and buy them a drink or two at The Red Dragon Inn. Your party spends time drinking and betting as you try to outlast your party mates. Choose which character you like the best between the barbarian, the tinkerer or even the bunny from a magician’s hat! If you drink too much too fast, or run out of money, you lose! The Red Dragon Inn by Slugfest Games is a 2 to 4 player game available on Amazon.com for $30, but don’t forget about the many expansions!
2. Munchkin Have you ever wanted to be the most overpowered character ever? Then you are a munchkin! Munchkin is a card game where players are at the mercy of the cards for their character, race and equipment! Kick down the door, fight monsters by looking for trouble, or loot the room and collect all the goodies. Grab your friends and race to level ten, as the first one to do so wins! The original Munchkin by Steve Jackson Games, as well as its many expansions, are available on Amazon.com for around $20.
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Source: GameTracker
Humans vs. Zombies: Origins and Controversy
3. Cranium
by Jordan Alexander
Are you good at knowing things? Or maybe singing songs or acting? What about drawing or sculpting? Or are words your forte? Put these skills to the test as you team up with your friends to see who is the best. A maximum of four players per team will work together to run around the board to Cranium Central to win the game! The new version of Cranium by Hasbro comes to shelves on March 28th.
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4. Betrayal at House on the Hill “Rumors say that the House on the Hill is full of treasures. Some say it’s haunted, and others say nasty experiments have been conducted there. Why don’t we go find out?” Grab your friends and hold onto your sanity as you enter the fabled house on the hill. Explore the house, tile by tile, and find Omens that can either help you or seal your death. Don’t forget about your companions, as one of them could have tricked you into coming here. With nearly 50 different endings, Betrayal at House on the Hill by Avalon Hill and Wizards of the Coast is a great game for 3 to 6 players and available on Amazon.com for $35.
SP
Source: FamilyGameNight
Source: FamilyGameNight
n only a decade, a live-action game that started at Goucher College has become a nationwide phenomenon on college campuses. “Humans vs. Zombies,” or HvZ, has become a collegiate tradition in which students compete to survive an impending zombie invasion. Like most games, there are certain rules and regulations that are in play, and everything is dictated by whoever is moderating the game. For example, the Marietta campus has allowed the use of Nerf guns as weapons in this year’s “Humans vs. Zombies” competition. Since originating at Baltimore’s Goucher College in 2005, the game has spread from coast to coast and even extends to different continents. People are naturally drawn to the hypotheticals of a zombie apocalypse. It’s oxymoronic to think that people fantasize about a dystopia, but due to the acute interest in the zombie apocalypse genre it has become “fun” and “exciting” to be put in situations where life and death can hang in the balance. The adrenaline rush of running from a horde of zombies or stopping a zombie dead in its tracks (with a Nerf gun, of course) has inspired many other campuses, as well as other organizations such
Photo by: Alain Santos
as military bases and camps, to indulge in this game. Recently, shows such as The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead have dramatically added to the popularity of the game. The Walking Dead is currently airing its sixth season on AMC and has amassed a cult following; the show is so popular that a one-hour analysis show called Talking Dead runs immediately afterwards to further break down the ins and outs of the plot. There is also a spin-off show, Fear the Walking Dead, which is a prequel to the events of The Walking Dead. The popularity of this genre has had a direct effect on the popularity of HvZ as well. It would seem that this game, which has its own rules and regulations, its own website with FAQs and additional information, and the practically harmless methods of stopping zombies, this would be the perfect game, right? As it turns out, college campuses nationwide have started to ban the playing of “Humans vs. Zombies” due to concerns of gun violence. Because of the tragic events that occurred at Virginia Tech in 2007, college campuses
have become increasingly wary of gun violence, as well as actions and activities which simulate gun violence. This is a humongous problem that college campuses face today, as gun violence is still a hot topic and a primary concern to student safety. The moderator on the Marietta campus has given players the go-ahead to use Nerf weaponry to fend off hordes of zombies and, so far, there have been no incidents, accidents, or injuries within the game on that campus. Gun control and gun violence are very sensitive subjects within the United States, and because of the gun violence that is perpetuated and glamorized in The Walking Dead and similar programs within this genre, there is still ongoing skepticism about the “Humans Vs. Zombies” game. It would be wrong to just erase a part of culture that young adults and teens have gravitated towards, but in another light the game simulates violence and the “shooting” or “killing” of zombies. The morality of this game and its culture are shrouded in ambiguity, and the increase in gun violence on school campuses has cloaked this game in controversy.
KSUSTING.COM / APRIL 2016 11
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