The September 22, 2012 issue of the Niner TImes

OPINION

PRICE DIFFERENCES FESTIVAL IN THE PARK ON AND OFF CAMPUS See how prices in on campus stores differ from those that are off campus.

Are students paying way too much for products on campus?

One writer compares prices on campus with prices at Target. See just how different they are. p.9

p.7

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

FEATURES

NINERONLINE.COM

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See what the Office of International Programs does to help students on a day to day basis to make their experience better.

The breakdown of what being involved in the International Program entails and the steps the office had to go through to make it happen. p.10

NINERTIMES Thursday, September 22, 2011

Published twice weekly and online at www.nineronline.com

A product of Student Niner Media • The University of North Carolina at Charlotte • Partially funded by Student Fees • Breaking News? Email us at editor@nineronline.com or call 704.687.7148

New on NinerOnline.com: UNC Charlotte announces dual JD/MBA program with Charlotte School of Law.

Families takeover campus Ciera Choate NEWS EDITOR

In addition to the International Festival that will take place this weekend, UNC Charlotte’s Parent and Family Services will host Family Weekend from Friday, Sept.

23, 2011, until Saturday Sept. 24, 2011.

Check in will take place Friday from 5 until 8 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Student Union.

“It’s an opportunity for parents to come back to UNC Charlotte after SOAR. It shows the family members what UNC Charlotte has to offer,” said Kesha Williams, the assistant director for Parent and Family Services. “They can see on a day to day basis what the university is about.”

Parent and Family Services planned this weekend during the International Festival because of the many groups that come together, and so the parents can see what UNC Charlotte has in store for their children.

“It gets students and the community involved and let’s the parents see that,” said Williams.

Family Weekend, which is free of charge to all families, is held once a year, and began in 2009. There also will be a Family Day on Feb. 11, 2012 during Homecoming weekend.

Currently there are about 1,100 people registered, which is 400 to 500 families total. Parent and Family Services plans for this to be the most successful year they have ever had.

The following are some events taking place during Family Weekend: •Friday 4:30 – 8:30 p.m.: The UNC Charlotte Campus Police will host a walkthrough where students and their families can see their Mobile Incident Command Center and their mini Hummer. This event will be located in between the College of Health and Human Services and the College of Education.

•Friday 6 – 8 p.m.: There will be a meeting for parents and friends of lesbians and gays in the Student Union room 262. The group will exchange stories and discuss how to become a more supportive family.

•Friday 7 – 8 p.m.: The Friday Night Praise Festival will take place in McKnight Hall in the Cone Center. The Voices of Eden Gospel Choir of UNC Charlotte will perform at the event.

•Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Families are invited to pay $5 to try Venture’s High Team Challenge Course, located off of Toby Creek Road. There will be teams of two to four people where they will be from 4 feet to 35 feet above the ground. The course ends with a zip line.

•Saturday 9 – 11:30 a.m.: Brunch will be served at Atkins Library.

FAMILY p.3

Students come together to represent the cultural dances of Bosnia at last year’s International Festival. File photo

Coming together through diversity Representatives from over 50 nations come together for the 36th anniversary of the International Festival Eden Creamer, Sarah Obeid and Robin MacPherson A S S T. N E W S E D I T O R A N D R E P O R T E R S

UNC Charlotte has grown in diversity over the years. Many people inhabiting the Charlotte area are from various places around the globe. In addition, each school year the UNC Charlotte International Department hosts the International Festival.

The festival will be held in and around the Barnhardt Student Activity Center (SAC) on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The International Festival will be representing more than 50 nations

and cultures. Shortly after the international festival has ended, the UNC Charlotte Department of Music Spotlight Recital, which is free for all to attend, will begin at 7 p.m. at the Belk Theatre in Robinson Hall.

“This year, UNC Charlotte will be holding the 36th annual International Festival in order to recognize and celebrate ethnic and cultural diversity not only at UNC Charlotte but in the larger community,” said Marian Beane, Director of the International Student and Scholar Office.

“Since this is a free UNC Charlotte event, you never know how many people will show up. This year, we are expecting several thousand people to be a part of the

festival,” said Beane. In the past, around 10,000 people have attended the International Festival.

The following are events that will take place in and around the SAC during the International Festival:

Earth Balloon

A 20-foot diameter, high resolution, colored satellite image model of Earth will be located inside the main lobby from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. This exhibit seeks to provide a spotless depiction of the earth, giving attendees of the festival a whole new perspective of the planet.

IFEST p.3

FEATURES

OPINION

A&E

SPORTS

STEP INTO THEIR SHOES

FACE-OFF: GAY MARRIAGE

CULTURAL INFLUNCES

FOOTBALL PICKS

See what it’s like to be an international student and what they have to do to stay in the U.S.

With Amendment One on the ballot for North Carolina in May 2012, many people have differing opinions.

From visas to transitioning to personal issues see what each aspect of the international student’s life is like.

Two writers share their views and whether or not the amendment should be passed.

p.11

p.6

Television shows, movies and fashion trends are influenced by many different cultures.

The Office, the Ring and mosiac prints are all products of a diverse group of people.

Check it out in the A&E section.

p.8

See who the Niner Times staff picked to win this week’s football games in the NFL. The News Editor, Asst. Layout Editor and the Sports Editor go head-to-head to see who made the best predictions. p.15

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

NINERTIMES

NINERONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

FAMILY continued from p.1

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IFEST continued from p.1

•Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – UNC Charlotte’s Military Showcase will take place in the College of Health and Human Services building.

•Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Anyone who is interested in helping can come participate in Operation Sandwich, where the goal is to package 800 sandwiches for the Urban Ministry Center in uptown Charlotte.

•Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.: International Festival will be held in the Student Activities Center.

•Saturday 10 – 11 a.m.: The University Career Center will put on skits that will portray myths and realities in career exploration, the job market and UNC Charlotte resources.

•Saturday 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.: UNC Charlotte professor, Dr. Margaret Quinlan, who students voted to have speak at this event, will give a speech in the Student Union Movie Theatre.

•Saturday 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Alumni are invited to attend the Alumni Legacy Luncheon.

•Saturday noon – 1p.m.: The Education Abroad program will host a study abroad panel with students who have gone abroad before. The event will be held in Woodward Hall room 106.

•Saturday 5 – 6 p.m.: Chancellor Philip Dubois and his wife, Lisa Lewis-Dubois will host the 49er Mix and Mingle where they will provide appetizers, lemonade, wine and beer. It will take place in the Student Union Multipurpose Room.

•Saturday 5 – 7 p.m.: Free ballroom lessons will take place in the Lucas Room of the Cone Center. The Ballroom Dancing Club sponsors this event.

•Saturday 7 – 8 p.m.: UNC Charlotte students from the Music Department will put on the Spotlight Recital in Robinson Hall.

TOP COUNTRIES AT UNC CHARLOTTE IN SPRING 2011

Palestinian students showing off their national pride at the International Festival last year.

File photo

UNDERGRADUATE Face Painting and Mime Artist Show

Bahamas (15)

Located inside the SAC during the whole span of the event, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., the face painting stand will be geared towards families with young children. Guests can get something cultural painted on their faces or something as simple as a smiley face or a flower. The face paint designs are limitless. Another family oriented entertainment event is the Mime Artist Show.

The mime will be using hand gestures and body motions to illustrate stories.

Kuwait (24)

South Korea (24)

Saudi Arabia (121)

China (33)

International Food

GRADUATE Nigeria (3) South Korea (3) Vietnam (4)

Taiwan (3)

The International Festival will be have a wide selection of food from a variety of different ethnic groups which will be available for purchase inside and outside the SAC from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“30 different cultures will be providing food native to their country,” said Beane.

“Some of these countries include France, China, Iran, Italy, Malaysia, Pakistan and many others.”

Ethnic Booths

India (208)

China (35)

Over 50 countries will be putting on ethnic booth displays, located inside and outside the SAC from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Each booth display will provide details on what the country has to offer. These booths allow UNC Charlotte students to immerse themselves in cultural, social, historical and geographical information relating to different countries across the world.

Passport Project

The Passport Project, in the lobby of the SAC from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will track all the countries explored at the festival. People are welcomed to grab a passport and get it stamped by each country they visit. This is another family-oriented event available at the International Festival.

DOCTORATE

Musical Performances

India (62)

Iran (10)

South Korea (6) Turkey (6)

China (124)

Graphic by Ciera Choate

Loch Norman Pipe Band (Scottish music), the Alborada, (an Andean Music group), Steel Vibrations, (a Caribbean steel drums group), Robert Wilusz (accordion), Celtic Folk Band (an Irish Band) and Trabucos Latin Band (Afro-Cuban/Caribbean Music) will perform live.

Loch Norman Pipe Band will perform inside and outside from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m., Alborada will perform on the outside stage from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., Steel Vibrations will perform outside from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m., Robert Wilusz will perform inside and outside the SAC from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m., Celtic Folk Band will perform both inside and outside from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m., and Trabucos Latin Band will perform on the inside stage from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Obakunle Akinlana (African Folk Tales)

Obakunle Akinlana, a traditional African storyteller, will perform on the inside stage from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. Akinlana uses drums, along with other traditional instruments, to accent his folktales and engage his audiences.

Festival of Music and Dance

Leading into the Festival of Music and Dance event, which will be on the arena floor from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m. and again from 3:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m., Armenia, Bosnia, India, South Korea and many other nations will present all sorts of music and dances. Costumes from each country involved will be worn and an assortment of diverse instruments will be heard.

Corky Magic Show

Corky the Magician will perform twice inside the SAC, once from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. and again from 3 p.m. until 4 p.m.

Corky, another activity geared towards family, performs magic, does balloon sculpting and face painting, along with many other family-friendly activities.

Parade of Nations

From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., the March of the Nations, also known as the Parade of Nations, will occur on the arena floor of the SAC. People from 30 countries will be confidently marching around the arena.

“The Parade of Nations is a spontaneous event. It is basically a show where all the people are dressed up in their cultural garments dancing to music in a line formation,” said Beane.

Hula Carolina

On the inside stage from 3 p.m. until 4 p.m., Hula Carolina, a hula company based out of Shelby, N.C., will perform and teach audiences basic hula moves. Accompanied by a ukulele and other traditional instruments, Hula Carolina brings an authentic taste of Hawaii to audiences.

“The Office of International Programs, the Cone University Center, the Recreational Facilities Management, Student Activities and the Office of Business Affairs usually sponsor the International Festival,” said Beane. Campus Police, the Student Union and the Chartwell’s College and University Dining Services will also be sponsoring the festival.

The International Festival will be offering a lot to students and the general public, family and friends. The festival is here to consider diversity, to honor those people from other parts of the world and to foster understanding and appreciation of a variety of cultural backgrounds.

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NINERTIMES

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Army ROTC hosts gaming experience Ciera Choate NEWS EDITOR

UNC Charlotte students will have the chance to experience the North Carolina Army National Guard Interactive Game Experience Monday, Sept. 26, 2011 from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. in the Student Union room 340. This program is an opportunity for the N.C. Army National Guard to reach out to students that are interested in getting involved.

“The demographics that we are looking for are more interested in video games.

Getting them involved [with ROTC] keeps students in college and gets high school students interested in college,” said Sergeant 1st Class Gregg Crocker, who has worked for UNC Charlotte since 2005.

This is the second year that ROTC is hosting this event, and they hope to get at least 100 people to the event. Students that

attend will be asked to provide basic contact information, but will have a chance to opt out of further contact.

“We would really like to get about 1 percent of the student population out to the event, which would be about 1,000, but we would be happy with anything over 100,” said Crocker.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2011, Transformers: War for Cybertron, Iron Man 2, Skate 3, Red Dead Redemption, UFC Undisputed 2010, NCAA Football 11 and Madden NFL 11 will all be available for students to play.

There will be a Wii, a Playstation 3 and an Xbox 360 at the event, and a total of 17 game ports with 19-inch and 42-inch TVs. Three games will include tournaments where winners will receive prizes. UFC Undisputed 2010, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and Halo: Reach will all have tournaments.

Ghostly volunteering for Halloween

Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

Molly Mulhern R E P O RT E R

Last year’s Army National Guard Interactive Game Experience. Photo courtesy of Sydney Greenblatt

UNC Charlotte nominees for Employee of the Year Eden Creamer A S S T. N E W S E D I T O R

The 21 nominees for the 2011 UNC Charlotte Employee of the Year award have been announced.

Two staff members will receive awards, one Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) subject and the other FLSA exempt.

The FLSA subject nominees are: Theresa Butler, research and federal relations; Marcia Henderson, facilities management – administration; Cyndi Hovis, Psychology Department; Lee Jefferson, Atkins Library Administration; Warren Monk, facilities management grounds; Chris McKinney, facilities management, Zone 6; Michelle Marie Polidura, Middle, Secondary and K-12 Education; Denise Shropshire, Music Department; Robert Smith, facilities management, Zone 2; Eric Walcott, facilities management, Zone 5; and Mark Wisniewski, Department of University Advanced Operations.

The FLSA exempt nominees are: Kathy Boutin-Pasterz, facilities management, recycling; Juli Dwiggins, Chancellor’s Office; Cindy Edwards, human resources, employee relations; Chris Epting, Student Union, NinerTech Store; Jo Ann Fernald, Office of Disability Services; Brian Guns, facilities management, Housekeeping Administration; Michele Howard, Dean of Students Office; Julie Laytham, Human Resources, Employee Learning & Development; John Neilson, facilities management, Capital Construction; and Steve Sonderman, Information and Technology Services.

This year, the nomination process needed to be completed by Friday, Sept. 9, 2011.

Chancellor Dubois, Provost Lorden and the Vice Chancellors for each section ask staff members from their department to be part of the Employee of the Year Selection Committee for two years. “We have a total of 16 Committee members that make up the Employee of the Year Selection Committee,” said Barbara Greene, UNC Charlotte Staff

Recognition Program Coordinator.

Once all nominations have been submitted, the committee members go over each nomination without discussing the nominees. Committee members each select a faculty member from the nominees who they recommend to be awarded Employee of the year. Members are asked to keep their recommendations confidential.

“After all committee members have read the nominations and turned in their confidential recommendation, Jeanne Madorin and I tally the scores on an electronic spreadsheet,” said Greene. “Neither Jeanne or I score the nominees. We only total the scores provided by the Committee members.”

Scores are based on the number of nominees in each section. Lower scores are considered the best scores, according to Greene. After the sections are totaled, the Employee of the Year Selection Committee is informed of which two employees had the lowest scores. “The winners names are kept confidental until the awards presentation at the Staff Recognition Luncheon,” said Greene.

The Staff Awards Luncheon will be on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011 from noon until 2 p.m. The luncheon will take place in the multipurpose room of the Student Union, and all nominees will be in attendance.

At the luncheon, six Employee of the Year finalists will be seated with Chancellor Philip L. Dubois at his table, and will also receive an engraved 49ers statue. The awards presentation is set to begin at 1:15 p.m. for service awards and the Employee of the Year awards will begin at 1:30 p.m.

The final two employees will be chosen from these six, will be named the 2011 Employees of the Year and will each receive a plaque and a check for $2,000.

UNC Charlotte employees interested in attending the luncheon may get a registration form from Cindy Edwards or Barbara Greene. The form, and $10, must be returned to human resources.

With Labor Day over, Halloweenthemed venues begin to look for individuals willing to volunteer. There are numerous locations in the Charlotte area that UNC Charlotte students can volunteer at.

Halloween is associated with finding the perfect costume, parties and candy corn, but an alternative way to celebrate is to volunteer at a haunted house or ghost tour.

Latta Plantation, adjacent to the Catawba River, hosts some Halloween events annually. This year, they are seeking volunteers for their Ghost Tales in the Dark, Ghost Walk and All Hollow’s Eve events.

Volunteers are invited to dress up in character and play a number of different roles on the plantation. The scenery includes a haunted cemetery, haunted field hospitals and an old battlefield.

The Campground Massacre is a Charlotte area haunted playground that features a 2,400 sq. foot indoor haunted house called Mina’s Mansion, and is seeking crew members to join their team. In addition to working alongside the Impaler, a 13 foot prop that crouches, stands up and walks around, crew members here are coached on their acting abilities and makeup application techniques to give visitors the total experience.

BoogerWoods Howl-O-Ween Spooktackular is a haunted trail seeking volunteers to serve as guides. The trail features fog machines, strobe lights, total darkness and small enclosed spaces. All proceeds from BoogerWoods go to cystic fibrosis and 2011’s haunted trail will be BoogerWood’s 34th consecutive year of Halloween events.

Guides will escort groups of 10 through the trail and get them involved in every scene throughout the experience.

Carowinds is also seeking recruits for its SCarowinds Army of Darkness. The park needs Screamster Monsters, a costumed performance scare position that is located

in a maze or scare zone in the park. In addition to performer recruits, SCarowinds also needs behind the scenes help including blackout techs and support cast members to escort guests in and out of the SCarowinds attractions, make-up artists, hair stylists and costume designers. Students that are interested can apply through their website.

The Old Haunted School, a haunted house put on by the Bethany Volunteer Fire Department also needs volunteers to be monsters and demons that will venture out from the walls of the haunted school in search of victims. The haunted house last year featured characters in theatrical masks wielding chain saws.

The Hickory Grove Haunted Trail in Gastonia is also looking for volunteers to dress in their notorious scary clown costumes they call “Creatures of the Trail.” The trail is haunted by the clown-beasts with large heads, sharp teeth and destructivelooking claws. The trail has been in operation for 18 years and is one of the longest, darkest mazes in the state. It is settled in the backwoods of the South Fork River, which adds to its haunted theme.

Nightmare on Independence in Charlotte is hiring actors for their two haunted houses called the Mystery Mansion and the Dungeon of Doom. Both contain dark mazes, animated sets, Hollywood style special effects and a spinning tunnel. Actors here are taught “hardcore” scare tactics and use lots of props to scare visitors.

Some positions, such as SCarowinds Screamster Monsters, are paid, but the majority of the haunted houses just need volunteers. BoogerWoods, a nonprofit haunted trail donates all proceeds to cystic fibrosis research. For those interested in more behind the scenes work, many of the haunted houses need costume, makeup and hair styling assistance, as well as lighting and special effect help. Applications can be found on each haunted house’s website.

NINERONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Lamba Chi Alpha member gives back Olivia Stott INTERN

With the aftermath of the tornado, Tuscaloosa, Ala., many homes are still left in shambles with much rebuilding and clean up left to do. The Association of Fraternal Leadership and Values (AFLV) organizes trips of service, immersion and cultural exploration for leaders of fraternities from across the country. They recently have chosen Michael Kowalchyk, a UNC Charlotte student and member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, to be a part of an immersion trip scheduled to help rebuild Tuscaloosa, Ala. A senior majoring in marketing in the Belk College of Business, Kowalchyk has been a member of Lambda Chi Alpha since Fall 2008, and he is the Vice President of Public Relations for the Interfraternity Council, a student organization targeted at overseeing all the chapters of fraternities across campus.

Kowalchyk began his work with charitable organizations when he was a child working with the Ronald McDonald House in Albany, N.Y., with his family. He and his sister were young at the time, so they just focused on playing with the children there.

Kowalchyk said that he did not understand the extent of the impact that he was making on the children, but now he realizes that he in fact did make an impact on the children.

He believes that forming bonds and relationships with people shows that someone cares and makes a difference in the long run.

In high school Kowalchyk was involved with the World of Difference Club, which focused on awareness of conflicts, littleknow disasters and helping people to once again make a difference in their community in the long run.

Kowalchyk attended UNC Charlotte for all four years of his college career. Growing up in New York, he first came to UNC Charlotte as an out-of-state student before his family also moved to North Carolina.

He will be graduating this spring with a degree in marketing from the Belk College of Business.

During his college career at UNC Charlotte, Kowalchyk has been a key role in organizing blood drives on campus with the American Red Cross, and he has also been instrumental with outdoor activities with the YMCA camp in Greenville, S.C. On campus, he has been involved with a professor who teams with a church one Friday each month to house 16 to 20 homeless people and to provide them with a dinner and a meal to go. Kowalchyk has also worked with the Second Harvest Food Bank giving back his time to the community.

He believes that giving back time and giving advice to people in vitally important no matter who you are, and his involvement in community service has definitely reflected this view.

Earlier this year, Kowalchyk attended a convention in St. Louis, Miss., for AFLV where they learned about different ways to

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Niners race for a cure Ciera Choate NEWS EDITOR

Michael Kowalchyk and his sister, who is a UNC Charlotte alumna. Photo courtesy of Michael

Kowalchyk

give back and developed leadership skills.

After attending the conference, he received newsletters and learned of the immersion trip targeted at rebuilding and cleaning up after the tornado in Tuscaloosa, Ala. “I felt like this was my time to give back and lend a hand especially with what the people of Tuscaloosa need during this time of giving,” said Kowalchyk.

Kowalchyk went through the application process where he had to describe his involvement as an undergraduate and explain how he has been involved on and off campus during his college career. A few weeks ago he received a call and was asked how this immersion trip would help Kowalchyk better help the community. He was then notified that he qualified to join the AFLC to go to Tuscaloosa in December.

Forty Greek leaders from around the country were chosen to go on this trip with plane tickets provided by Southwest Airlines to help out with cost. On the trip Kowalchyk and the team will work on rebuilding and cleaning up damage from the natural disaster in Tuscaloosa, Ala. They will be working on homes, on yards and building relationships with the people there. They will also be meeting with people in the Greek community there to get a taste of how they have coped with the disaster and how the community has dealt with it.

The Greek leaders going on the immer-

sion trip are eager to give back to those who have suffered and to see how someone else lives and how they have coped with such a disaster while providing a hand in reconstruction of the community in Tuscaloosa.

Kowalchyk is most excited about building relationships with the people there and getting insight on how the people have dealt with the tragedy. He believes that forming relationships is the key and the heart to serving others. He grew up in New York where he says there were not many of these types of natural disasters, so he is eager to learn about how they have overcome these obstacles. And this in turn will help Kowalchyk to better help his own community.

“I am interested to listen to what they have to say and what they have learned, and this will teach me a lot more than I could ever teach them,” said Kowalchyk.

Looking even past the immersion trip to Tuscaloosa, Kowalchyk’s main goal is to change previous notions that people have about the Greek community based on TV or other forms of media, which have given the Greek community a bad name. Last year, the Greek community on the UNC Charlotte campus provided more than 14,000 hours of community service, though this is a little know statistic. He wants to spread the word about what Greek life is really about, a life focused on serving others and giving back to the community.

Niners for the Cure, a UNC Charlotte student organization, will participate in the 15th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for their fifth time on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011. All students, faculty and staff are able to participate on the organization’s team, “UNC Charlotte Niners for the Cure,” for the event.

The competitive race begins at 7:15 a.m., and the non-competitive race begins at 7:50 in uptown Charlotte.

To sign up go to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Website, click existing teams and find the Niners for the Cure team. The organization will meet prior to the event at the tent on the corner of Graham Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

“It’s a great cause. It’s also a great way to show Niner support for this cause.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t know someone who has been affected by breast cancer,” said Joy McCully, a UNC Charlotte faculty member who has walked in the Susan G. Komen since it began 15 years ago and with Niners for the Cure every year that they have participated.

Last year more than 140 students, faculty and staff participated with the Niners for the Cure and their goal is to increase those numbers this year.

It costs $30 to participate, but it’s only $20 for children under 6-years-old and free for children 5-years-old or younger to participate in the event.

Nancy Brinker founded the Susan G. Komen organization as a result of the promise she made her sister, Susan Komen, that she would do anything in her power to put an end to breast cancer.

They have invested more than $1 billion since beginning in 1982, and they have a network of 122 local affliates throughout the U.S. The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure came to Charlotte Oct. 4, 1997, after the founder of the Charlotte Affliate, Penelope Wilson, lost her partner, Annie Wingo, to breast cancer in 1992. For the first race 2,300 people showed up, even though they only aimed for 1,000, and came together for the cause. Since the founding of the Charlotte affiliate, they have raised over $10 million.

The schedule for race day is as follows: •6 a.m. – Festivities begin and registration and packet pickup begins.

•6 – 7:15 a.m. – Team pictures.

•6:15 a.m. – Survivor breakfast begins.

•6:45 a.m. – Survivor group picture.

•7 – 9:15 a.m. – Kids FunZone •7:15 a.m. – Competitive 5k.

•7:50 a.m. – Recreational 5k.

•8:30 a.m. – One mile walk.

•9:30 a.m. – Survivor tribute.

PAGE 6

NINERTIMES

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

OPINION The fight for gay marriage ban In May, North Carolina voters will be making a decision about whether to add a constitutional amendment against gay marriage, these are two sides of the argument

NINERTIMES Volume 24, Number 8 A PRODUCT OF

FRESHMAN JORDAN MCSWAIN BRINGS THE CONSERVATIVE PERSPECTIVE OF THE ARGUMENT Jordan Mc Swain EDITORIALIST

This coming May, North Carolina citizens will have a vote for a hot topic issue.

Although same-sex marriage is illegal in North Carolina, there is nothing in our constitution that clearly states this. The vote will be for or against an amendment to ban homosexual marriages, and make it more complicated for future legislatures to repeal the ban.

At one point, the vote would have been a complete landslide in favor of the ban but now as North Carolina’s liberal population has grown, it will be a close race.

I, for one, know how I will vote. I do not agree with homosexual marriage or the lifestyle itself nor do I believe in the exclusion or harassment of homosexuals. Because of my Christian faith, I view homosexuality as a sin and a perversion of God’s plan; then again, so is lying and I’m guilty of that.

I stand firm in the belief that not only is

the gay lifestyle against my faith, but on a non-religious level it is against nature. The natural order of life is a male and female create new life. With homosexuality, it is impossible to procreate within a relationship.

The Christian love for gays is no different, and should be no different, than the same love we as Christians should have for everyone else. I do not agree with protesting at gay pride days, especially with signs claiming “God hates fags” and other terrible messages that just aren’t true.

God hates sin and loves people. Homosexuality is just the only sin that has a pride day, if you look at it from a religious stand point. If homosexual marriages were legalized, the effects on our society, both short and long term would be endless.

The adoption issue would rise, like the requirements and if homosexual couples were deemed fit to raise children in such an unorthodox home. Ethics would come into play regarding whether or not a child

raised in that home would feel pressure to be gay since that’s what the child’s parents are, as well as confusion regarding what a relationship is and how some people have heterosexual relationships while others have homosexual one. 0 Also if gay marriages were legalized, the law would be forcing a new definition of marriage. Once homosexuality is okay, what’s to stop polygamists from demanding rights or people who want to marry animals or inanimate objects?

Once the original meaning of marriage is deviated from, there is no way to stop the onslaught of new loopholes for which groups will arise and advocate. The bar for marriage has been set by nature and once it’s moved in the slightest, everyone is going to want it moved for their cause.

So, when I vote for the amendment to ban gay marriage, I’m voting against the distortion of the sanctity of marriage,w not against the people.

JUNIOR CHEYENNE OWENS TAKES THE MORE PROGRESSIVE POSITION ON THE ISSUE F E AT U R E S E D I T O R

Love is defined as a “strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personalities,” according to Webster Merriam. This definition does not define the agent who loves “another,” and limitations based on sexuality, gender or relationship are nonexistent.

Therefore, any person of any gender or sexuality is perfectly capable of loving another person of any gender or sexual orientation.

Unfortunately, not all people are as accepting and welcoming of others as I am.

Some people actually want to deny basic rights to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community rather than create a hospitable environment for all people everywhere.

The NC Values Coalition is pushing to add an anti-LGBT marriage amendment to N.C.’s constitution.

The amendment states, “Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State. This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts.”

I think this pursuit is blatant discrimination and would scar North Carolina’s founding document and future. Considering that same-sex marriages are already illegal in N.C., it’s entirely pointless to impregnate our founding document with the evil antics of homophobic representatives and citizens.

America has made significant strides to guarantee equality and rights for citizens, considering our past and conservative mindset. This progress is seen quite clearly in the election of President Barak Obama, New York’s legalization of same-sex marriages and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t

Tell.

Senior Josh Gardner also believes the state has advanced.

Gardner said, “N.C. has made sufficient leaps in the past decade to become a more progressive state, which is especially proven with the arrival of the Democratic National Convention next fall. To place an item on the ballot that flat out denies individuals of their human rights is pure bigotry.”

However, the approval of this ignorance inspired legislation to the N.C. constitution would hinder the state’s, and even America’s, ability to provide equal liberties and a friendly ambiance for all citizens.

The NC Values Coalition’s idea that “marriage in N.C. is under attack and needs protection” inspired their pursuit to alienate the LGBT community in the state.

This group is not satisfied with N.C. law defining marriage as a union between a woman and man; they worry that judges and future leaders will endeavor to legalize marriage for all lovers, regardless of sexual orientation.

Predictably, people of different statuses across the United States have spoken out against the amendment.

Democratic representative Henry M. Michaux does not support the amendment.

He suspects that passing the amendment would “forever stain the history of the state.” Michaux went as far to compare the amendment to the 3/5 Compromise in the United State’s Constitution. Even though this legislation is obviously inactive, it still appears in the US Constitution.

Michaux argues that the amendment would never be removed if tacked on to the Constitution, similar to the 3/5 Compromise.

Over 200 businesses have also declared opposition towards the amendment, including Bank of America and The Body Shop.

The N.C. State Conference of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement

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“Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State. This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts.”

- Proposed Amendment

Cheyenne Owens

LOCATED IN THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE STUDENT UNION

of Colored People) has also voiced profound disapproval of the amendment.

In a letter to North Carolinians, the conference declares, “A vote on the same sex marriage amendment has nothing to do with your personal opinion on same sex marriage but everything to do with whether or not you believe discrimination should be codified and legalized constitutionally.”

The N.C. State Conference of the NAACP encourages natives to vote against the amendment in their letter.

They said, “The NAACP strongly urges you to reject the so-called same sex amendment and any other present or future proposals of constitutional amendments that would permanently deprive any person in our great state of his or her inalienable rights.”

Equality North Carolina is an organization that aspires to secure equal rights and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender North Carolinians; they hope to end violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

This group is fighting back against the proposed amendment in hopes of dissuading representatives from passing the legislation. They’ve been rallying in Raleigh and encouraging citizens to send postcards expressing their disapproval to legislators.

A special session is scheduled to vote on the topic sometime this week. The amendment needs a simple majority vote to become a part of the N.C. constitution.

The amendment was passed in both the House and Senate last week; notably, not one democratic Senator voted in favor of the amendment.

Gardner said, “Thus it seems unfair to me that the voice being least heard is the minority who is being denied the privilege the majority already has.

Marriage should only be defined by one factor: love. I have faith in my fellow constituents of N.C. to vote NO on a measure that clearly restricts human beings from sharing their love with someone.”

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What’s your number?

It’s not unusual for the Naughty Niner to talk to students about all sorts of scandalous topics. From pornography to one-night stands, no topic is off limits. Recently several friends have asked me, how many sexual partners is too many? Honestly, it’s hard to say.

So without passing any judgments, I surveyed people in the Student Union, in hopes of understanding more about student’s opinions on their ‘number’. I thought it’d be really interesting to see how many individuals were willing to admit their real number, or better yet how many people wouldn’t be as willing to share.

1. Are you male or female?

2. How many sexual partners have you had?

3. Have they been male, female or both?

4. What’s your favorite sex position?

In all, sixty students were surveyed, and here are the results: Twenty-one of the individuals that completed the survey had not had any sexual partner which equals about 1/3 of people being virgins. And who’s to say everyone has the same definition of sex because some people consider a blow-job sex while others do not.

Meanwhile thirty-nine of the individuals that completed the survey said they had at least 1 sexual partner in their lifetime. Here are some more facts: thirteen percent of the people that took the survey stated that they had only been with one partner, while one in ten had been with at least two partners, 5/60 had been with three partners.

The trend continued downward until I got to ten partners and I’m not sure why. A few of the people that took the survey did mention they could remember and maybe ten seemed like a good round number. 8/60 individuals said that they had ten or more partners, twenty-three being the highest number of any survey. Although on many surveys, males claimed the most partners while female reported more modest numbers. Someone even wrote down “a lot” and “I really don’t know.”

A lot less people wanted to answer the second question; orientation tends to be an even touchier topic. Only one person said her partners had been women and only one man said he had been with both men and women. In giving out surveys I always try to target as many different people as possible on both gender and race.

When it comes to position there is no question doggie style won by a long shot. To be exact 17/40 individuals that had at least one sexual partner preferred doggie style. One girl who took the survey said, “All men like doggie style.” While this may be true, the same amount of males and females favored the position. While face-to-face missionary, came in second with 7/40.

Although I can’t say an exact number of how many partners are too many, it’s whatever you’re comfortable with.

If you want to save your virginity for marriage, then go for it. For those who are sexually active, remember to always use protection and get tested often. And as Marvin Gaye said it best, “Let’s get it on, baby... let’s get it on!”

- Naughty Niner A

42.5% of Charlotte students favor doggie style.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

PAGE 7

I have a dream...

The DREAM Act would provide Hispanic-Americans advcancement opportunities Sean Grier INTERN

There are so many misconceptions about what the Dream Act really does! This act has not changed much since it was first introduced in 1997. The Republicans and some of the Independents have failed to support this bill.

In order to benefit from the Dream Act, you must’ve entered the United States before age 16, have been continuously present in the United States for at least five years prior to the legislation’s enactment, have obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent, and are less than 35 years of age. If you meet these requirements then you qualify for conditional status. This means the individual will have the same traveling and working rights as an American. The conditional status last for up to 6 years and at the end of six years if the person has obtained a degree of higher education of at least 2 years in a Bachelor’s Degree Program or been active in the military for at least 2 years, you can apply for permanent citizenship.

To support this bill is to say hey, we were once in your position and we understand you want a better future. Another benefit to the government would be the fact that illegals do not pay taxes, so if you allow them the opportunity to become citizens; it will help alleviate the burden of taxes on those of us who do pay.

It makes no sense why Congress hasn’t passed this bill; it is simple and easy to comprehend. The excuse that they’ll take jobs from Americans will not suffice.

Right now, illegals work the jobs that more Americans consider undesirable.

We have to get off of the “excuse bus” and realize that they have the same right to be here as we do. It seems like we all forgot that we were once immigrants as well.

America has always been a safe haven and a place of prosperity, and it shouldn’t change because Hispanics are in the equation.

According to the Migration Policy Institute 2008, there are more than 2, 150, 000 illegal immigrants in the United States.

Because they are illegal, they are a burden. We end up paying for illegals when they enter our court system, sit in our jails, and transport them back to their native country.

Healthcare costs go up not only because illegals have the right to basic care too, and someone has to foot the bill, who better to pay for that than you?

From an economic point of view, it only makes sense to pass this legislation. The Dream Act would lead more immigrants graduating from high school and college.

It would also increase tax revenues and reduce government expenses.

The income and fiscal contribution of Dream Act students would increase revenues, and create an additional amount of

people in the skilled labor force due to their newly legalized immigration status and the consequent ability to work legally. Studies of the 1986 Reagan-era legalization program showed a dramatic improvement in income for the newly legalized population.

The cumulative impact of the Dream Act could amount to hundreds of billions of dollars. The Dream Act would make tens of thousands of young people eligible for work authorization and Social Security numbers, allowing them to work in the above-board workforce. Once legalized, Dream Act beneficiaries would be in a position to help fill some chronic long-term labor needs that economists predict will threaten our economy if not addressed in coming decades, including those for teachers, nurses, and service employees.

I urge you to support this bill and every illegal immigrant here. For some of them they had no say in the decision to come here.

At the time, a child could have been 3 years old when “mom & dad” decided America was the place to be. We should have learned by now that we need the labor, we need the economic relief, and we as a country need diversity.

Contact your Senators: Richard Burr & Kay Hagan and contact your Congressmen and let them know your views! The bill was introduced in 1997 and still hasn’t been passed; clearly Congress needs a nudge in a new direction.

Eating away at our money Students often spend outrageous amounts of money at Outtakes, but they could save their cash if they went to a grocery store off campus

Large Pringles Outtakes: $3.09 Target Price: $1.52 Olivia Stott

EDITORIALIST

One fact that basically generalizes the college student population is that we don’t have much money. Sure, there may be some exceptions to this, but college students are universally known for being tight on money. Ramen noodles, macaroni and cheese, the whole nine yards. But one thing does not line up here. If it is obvious that college students are short on money, why is everything on campus pricey?

Of course you can find some free things, but in general, the thing that college students buy the most of is expensive. Food.

College students are always hungry, and food is always expensive creates a sticky situation.

Take a look around campus and anyone can see that it is easy and very tempting to spend a large sum of money on food for the day. Step into Outtakes in the Student Union and everything is extremely higher

Cereal Outtakes: $6.09 Target Price: $2.75 priced than in a typical grocery store. In other places around campus like the café on the ground floor of the library and Crown Commons, meal options are equally expensive.

The campus is also full of places to get smoothies, milkshakes, Starbucks, etc., and college students are more than willing to pay for it despite the $4 price tag that quickly adds up. Just eating three basic meals each day on campus can be out of the question because of the price of even the options that are supposed to be economical.

For example, fast food. It is not as cheap as it used to be, and it is especially not cheap on campus. The Chick-fil-a in Prospector does not even hand out free cups of water causing students to have to purchase a drink.

The main problem here is that things add up in price quickly. A meal here, a meal there, a snack here, a smoothie there. It’s just not as cheap as it should be for college

Pens Outtakes: $6.48 Target Price: $4.29 students tight on money.

Prices are also incredibly high in the bookstore in the Student Union. You can find items there such as basic school supplies which are available places off campus, but the bookstore often charges twice the price.

It seems to be a terrible spiraling effect.

College students don’t have much money, we spend it on meals on campus, the price of dining on campus makes us have even less money, but we still find ways to purchase more pricey food. It is just the trap college students fall into so easily.

The solution? Be mindful of where you spend your money. Purchase some food off campus from a grocery store to fill in between pricey campus meals.

Stick to a budget for food, and be wise with your purchases! Everything sold on campus is pricey just so the university can make some money, and that is probably the way it will always be. All we can do is try to manage our money with wisdom.

PAGE 8

NINERTIMES

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

A&E

LIVE MUSIC:

Bassnectar Friday, September 23rd 8:00 p.m.

Memorial Stadium 310 North Kings Drive

ON CAMPUS:

Department of Music Student Spotlight Recital Saturday, September 24th 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Anne R. Belk Theater

NEW IN THEATERS: Abduction Dolphin Tale Killer Elite Moneyball Limited Release: Puncture

Inspirations from around the globe

Niner Times evaluates the cultural influences that appear in various television shows, fashion trends and movies

Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul during a filming of “The X Factor.”

Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

A “Navajo” printed scarf, a new trend for fall 2011. Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

Pokemon cards, which stemmed from Japanese anime. Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

Lee Pham

Haley Twist

Barry Falls

A S S T. A & E E D I T O R

A&E EDITOR

R E P O RT E R

As the melting pot of the world, the United States borrows ideas from every corner of the globe and revamps them to cater to Americans.

That is not to say we do not contribute our own share of innovations, but not every great idea can begin stateside.

Television is no exception.

Many successful foreign series have been adapted for the American audience.

The British, in particular, provide vast amounts of content for American television.

The eighth season of NBC’s “The Office” premieres Thursday, Sept. 22. The show is adapted from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) version of the same name.

“The Office” is a critically acclaimed “mockumentary” sitcom that starred Steve Carell (though Carell is not returning for the eighth season) and revolves around the office employees of a paper sales company.

“The Office” has won several awards, including three Emmys and one Golden Globe. However, not all American adaptations are successful.

Another originally British series remade for American television, “Skins,” bombed and faced cancellation after one season on MTV. The short-lived “Skins” explored extremely controversial issues in teenagers, such as abuse, drug use and sex.

The American versions of “Skins” premiered last January, but due to controversial subject matters and low viewership, MTV announced that they would not renew the drama for a second season.

According to the network, “‘Skins’ is a global television phenomenon that, unfortunately, didn’t connect with a U.S. audience as much as we had hoped.”

Although the American version was not a success, the British version is widely acclaimed and won the 2011 NME Award for Best TV Show.

Most recently, the U.K.’s “The X Factor” has crossed the Atlantic to our homes. The show is a reality singing competition. Created by “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell, “The X Factor” has produced several successful recording artists, most notably Leona Lewis.

The United States show will follow a similar format, in which the judges will mentor contestants. Cowell will be a judge alongside of former “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul.

Former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and Grammy Award-winning record producer L.A. Reid are also judges.

The United States version premiered last night, Sept.

21, on FOX.

One of the things that have been inspired most by the coming-together of different cultural trends is fashion.

Many style trends today are made from certain pieces and looks from other cultures and countries mixed with American trends.

Whether they are prints, fabrics, jewelry or anything else, culturally-inspired fashion is everywhere right now.

One example seen is in jewelry, primarily necklaces.

There are all kinds of African-inspired necklaces currently on the market, many of which are animal based. Colorful necklaces with animals such as elephants on them are sold in stores like Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters.

There are even ones that appear to have plastic elephant tusks on them, which have been all over campus and in popular fashion magazines in the past year.

Another trend that has clearly taken some ideas from another culture is mosaic patterns. Seeming to be taken from Native American trends, mosaic patterns have been seen on shirts, skirts, dresses, purses, jewelry and even on some cardigans, shoes and scarves recently released for fall 2011 trends.

In Forever 21, shirts that have this pattern on them are referred to as “tribal tops” and “Navajo prints,” alluding to the inspiration for the garments as being taken from other cultures.

One way that mosaic patterns look less Americanized is the presence of them on leather items. Some patterns are seen stitched into leather handbags, leather bracelets and even on leather moccasins, another culturally-inspired trend that UNC Charlotte students seem to wear mostly in the fall and winter.

Another big shoe trend currently is the Oxford-style shoe, originally seen in Scotland and Ireland, and also originally on men. The shoe style has made its way to the United States, and while succeeding as a popular dress shoe for men, it has also been transformed into a stylish woman’s shoe.

Even TOMS shoes, worn by many UNC Charlotte students around campus, are based on the Argentine alpargata design, which consists of a canvas or cotton fabric upper and a sole made of rope or rubber material made to look like rope.

TOMS is now an American charity with an innovative business model called “One for One,” which donates one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair that is purchased.

Because fashion is such a free industry, allowing people to create looks however they please, it is only natural for many inspirations to come from some of the defining looks from many cultures all over the world.

Since the turn of the twentieth century when the first motion picture narratives were beginning to be produced, America cinema has been influenced by Japanese films and vice versa.

Beginning in the 1950s, Japanese samurai films have been very popular in America, just as American westerns have been popular in Japan.

Because of this shared cultural admiration, both American and Japanese film-makers have had a tremendous amount of influences on each other’s films.

Ranked number one in Empire Magazine’s “The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema,” Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai” tells the story of a poor village that hires seven unemployed samurais to defend their community against a group of bandits. Replacing the samurai warriors with American gunmen, American film-director John Sturges adapted “Seven Samurai” into the highly influential western “The Magnificent Seven.”

More recently, Japanese horror (or J-Horror) films have begun to crack their way into American mainstream films. Based on the J-Horror films “Ringu” and “Ju-on,” both “The Ring” and “The Grudge” were respectively wellreceived by American movie fans, according to box office revenue.

Many American horror films have touched up on themes involving ghosts, poltergeists, and different aspects of religion such as procession and precognition, though none have been able to match the dark eeriness of the Japanese folklore that most J-Horror films are based on.

Through the use of dark makeup, stop-motion-photography and computer-generated graphics, Japanese filmmakers have used visual effects to re-create nightmarelike experiences.

While several American adaptations of Japanese horror films have been very successful from both a critical and a financial perspective, the heyday of American adaptations of Japanese films seems to have passed.

Hollywood producers began trying to cash out on the new cinematic fad with films like “One Missed Call” and “Pulse,” which caused demand for more adaptations to slowly die off.

One Japanese-rooted American film genre is anime. A lot of people probably still remember a video game/ television/ film series based on a Japanese franchise called “Pokemon.”

And most of those people probably remember hearing adults relentlessly insist that the franchise was just a fad.

Every few years a new movie or game will be released to an increasingly eager audience.

NINERONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Celebrate culture at Festival in the Park Freedom Park’s hosting of Festival in the Park promotes interest in art and culture

PAGE 9

All-stars

Tyra Banks, host of America’s Next Top Model Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

Scarlett Newman INTERN

Guests sample foods from other cultures at a previous Festival at the Park. Photo courtesy of Festival in the Park.

Barry Falls REPORTER

“We believe that our event is probably the most inclusive cultural event in Charlotte. No matter what your cultural background or heritage, there is something at this event for you that you will probably enjoy,” board chairman of Festival in the Park, David Dalton, recently explained to the Niner Times.

Festival in the Park is an outdoor celebration at Freedom Park in Charlotte that has continually promoted interest in the arts since 1964 and plans to do so again from Sept. 23 - Sept. 25.

Featuring over 150 artists from the surrounding area, Festival in the Park has always hosted a wide variety of artists such as painters, musicians, culinary artists, sculptors and more.

Some of these artists include the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra who will take the main stage Sunday afternoon, performing music from Beethoven, Brahams, Dvorak, Kachaturian and Copland.

Featuring musicians aged nine to 18, Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra has continued to perform classical music events throughout the Charlotte area. They

will also have a tent set up at the festival.

Another participating organization is the Authentic North Carolina Red Dirt Shirts. This Carolinian group uses 100 percent cotton shirts dyed with North Carolina dirt, which contains iron oxide, a natural dying agent.

While people can also purchase a North Carolina Red Dirt shirt on the group’s website, attendees of Festival in the Park will also be able to purchase these cultural novelty shirts directly from the group, as well as learn more about the product and process of creating it.

Other cultural groups scheduled to be at this year’s Festival in the Park include the work of David French, a NoDa-based painter whose art centers on Charlotte hotspots.

The Oh Wow! Group that makes all-natural, vegan lip balm will also be featured.

Additionally, Elizabeth Ashe and Bill Hollingsworth of Earth Spirits Masks will also be showing off and selling their handsculpted masks, which depict nature spirits, faeries and animal devas.

With 30 percent more art this year than in past years, Festival in the Park has recently been selected by Southeast Tourism Society’s top 20 events of this month.

Festival in the Park has won numerous

awards since it originated and typically exceeds 100,000 visitors each year. Interest in the festival’s cultural impact on the community continues to be on the rise.

The festival’s attendees are encouraged to bring some money for food and for parking and transportation needs as well as to support the festival’s cultural artists.

Festival in the Park is also going to continue their “Friends of the Festival” program, which is a unique way for donors to the festival to be given distinctive benefits.

These benefits range from tangible souvenirs like t-shirts and posters to exclusive festival experiences, such as invitations to the artist’s talk and a behind-the-scenes tour of the event.

Festival in the Park is free to everyone, so much of the resources available for attendees of this event are fueled by the generosity of the festival’s donors.

With the active support of various organizations including Children’s Theater of Charlotte, Carolina Raptor Center, the Carolina Clowns, the Magicians Stage, the Charlotte Folk Society, the Actors Crib, the Jazz Arts Initiative and Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, the growing momentum of this three-day event is predicted to make this year’s Festival in the Park the best yet.

Calling all street artists!

Lee Pham A S S T. A & E E D I T O R

UNC Charlotte’s campus is ideal for street artists. It is easily accessible, deserted at night and passed through by thousands during the day--the perfect canvas.

Street art, the result of a post-graffiti movement, incorporates more mediums than just spray paint. Popular forms include flash mobs, video projection and stencil graffiti. The latter can be found around campus on sidewalks, roads, dumpsters and buildings.

As stencil graffiti is generally conceived under the cover of darkness, it is difficult to catch a stencil artist in the act. It is even more difficult to catch an artist and obtain an interview, which is the reason Niner Times is asking for your help.

We are seeking to interview artists who have created stencil graffiti and or other street art on UNC Charlotte’s campus. We will not print your name or reveal your identity without permission. Please email Haley Twist at ae@nineronline.com.

A mysterious stencil of Pee-wee Herman on the sidewalk next to Pine Hall. Photo by Sarah Fricke

The popular modeling competition, “America’s Next Top Model” (ANTM), premiered on the CW last week.

For those not familiar with this reality show, 14 aspiring female models are chosen to be placed in a house together and each week compete in challenges and pose in themed photo shoots.

The ladies are judged by five people each week, including the host, creator and former top model Tyra Banks, Vogue magazine’s editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley, world- renowned photographer Nigel Barker, “runway coach/diva extraordinaire” Miss Jay Alexander and a guest host that is alternated each week.

The judges eliminate the competitor with the weakest performance each week, and eventually the last girl standing takes the title of ‘America’s Next Top Model’.

For the current cycle of the show Tyra Banks has chosen fan favorites from the past cycles which include: Shannon Stewart (cycle 1), Camille McDonald (cycle 2), Brittany Brower (cycle 4), Bre Scullark (cycle 5), Lisa D’Amato (cycle 5), Bianca Golden (cycle 9), Dominique Reighard (cycle 10), Isis King (cycle 11), Sheena Sakai (cycle 11), Allison Harvard (cycle 12), Laura Kirkpatrick (cycle 13), Angelea Preston (cycle 14), Kayla Ferrel (cycle 15) and Alexandria Everrett (cycle 16).

Like in past seasons, the girls will be judged based on how well they perform in their photo shoots, but unlike past seasons they will be judged in front of a live audience, so their personality and how the crowd responds to them plays a big part in whether they stay or whether they go.

Guest hosts this season include Nicki Minaj, Coco Rocha, The Kardashians, Kathy Griffin, Kristin Cavallari, Latoya Jackson, Ashlee Simpson, Tyson Beckford and The Game.

ANTM airs every Wednesday at 9 p.m. on the CW.

PAGE 10

NINERTIMES

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

FEATURES

The second floor of the College of Health and Human Services building (CHHS) houses the Office of International Programs and the individual departments within it. Photos by Tasnuva Zaman

Office of International Programs advocates cultural exchange Tasnuva Zaman INTERN

The city of Charlotte has experienced a 35.2 percent increase in diversity, greatly altering the composition of the population of the city, according to the 2010 United States Census and the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. Mecklenburg County, currently the largest county in the state of North Carolina, is comprised of a population that is more than 50 percent minority.

It is no wonder that the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, an urban research university in the largest metropolitan area in the state of North Carolina, is primed to serve as a strategic hub for diversity and opportunity for the campus and surrounding community.

Nestled within the second floor of the brick laden and spacious College of Health and Human Services building is the Office of International Programs, which serves as the leader of comprehensive international programs. An over arching goal of the Office of International Programs is to integrate international and domestic students alike in the context of both the campus community and the city of Charlotte.

Mary Zink, an administrative professional in the office says, “We hope that every student here has the opportunity one way or another to interact with international students.

We would like everybody to meet.”

In order to achieve this goal of integration, international students are made to feel comfortable and are given the tools to build confidence in their language and acclimation skills as they embark on their education at UNC Charlotte.

To make this happen, the Office of International Programs is segmented into four major offices with distinct functions in order to accomplish this task. These four offices are: The Office of Education Abroad, English Language Training Institute, Intercultural Outreach Program and the International Student/Scholar Office.

The Office of Education Abroad provides students with a variety of options through which they can explore the world. One of the main goals is to provide opportunities for study abroad to the community of students at UNC Charlotte.

When asked to describe what makes the Office of Education Abroad unique, Brad Sekulich, the director of the Office of Education Abroad said, “… we provide students an opportunity to learn, explore and augment their education in ways not possible on campus at UNC Charlotte. The personal and academic growth study abroad offers a student continue to manifest itself throughout the remainder of their academic experience and far into their careers.”

International students are encouraged to speak English on campus.

One of the main ways this office contributes to the mindset of the university is by sending interested students abroad and generating an “international mindset” among the campus community.

The English Language Training Institute, among other things, offers seven levels of English language learning training classes.

A jar with the words “Caught Speaking English” is one of the first things visible upon entering the glass lined office. Students are encouraged to speak in English as often as they can for practice.

Once a student is observed expressing themselves in English, the teacher provides a ticket that is added to the jar for a drawing at the end of the month.

Aside from these learning techniques to constantly encourage students to improve their English skills, the office focuses on strengthening listening, reading and writing skills.

“ELTI Talks” is one of the activities that assemble international students of varying levels to converse with one another to improve these three skills.

Jingjing Zhao, a sophomore math and finance major with a minor in Spanish who is from China said ELTI has

helped her be more involved with her classmates and has allowed for opportunities to interact with American students and international students alike.

The Intercultural Outreach Program is committed to extending the international mission of the university to the surrounding community, city and state. The unique thing about this office is that it offers faculty and staff customizable programs for business professionals, health care educators, bankers and other professionals opportunities for language immersion programs.

The programs allow for the integration of undergraduate, graduate and mid-level professionals to interact under one mission allowing for diversity of thought.

Aside from providing custom designed training objectives, these opportunities also provide valuable networking opportunities among the students as well as internship and leadership skill preparation.

The International Student/Scholar Office mainly focuses on international students, faculty and scholars while promoting cultural diversity among the campus community.

One of the programs this office hosts is the International Coffee Hour which occurs every first and third Thursday of each month from 4-6 p.m. in the Faculty/Staff Dining Room of Prospector. The purpose of this free event is to integrate international and American students as well as the faculty and staff to foster cultural diversity.

Another program sponsored by this office is the Friendship & Cultural Exchange program, which matches an international student with an American student to share ideas and learn from one another about their respective culture and customs.

The Classroom Presentation program allows for panels of international students to attend various classes upon teachers’ requests and provide a cross cultural perspective on issues from health care to criminal justice.

Probably one of the most anticipated international events which occurs annually at UNC Charlotte is the International Festival (IFEST). IFEST serves as a celebration of the diversity of life. This event showcases food, arts, crafts, costume, dance and music representing over 50 nations from both within the university and in the surrounding communities.

The Office of International Programs promotes diversity on campus as they present students with countless opportunities to meet and learn about people from other cultures.

NINERONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

PAGE 11

International students discuss their experiences at UNC Charlotte Students from Brazil and China elaborate on why they chose this university and what they like most about their time here so far

“It’s pretty organized (at the university) and the teachers are really interested in what they’re doing.”

Paula Diniz

Rosemary Kahihu INTERN

By simply walking around the campus of UNC Charlotte, it is evident that there is great diversity among our students.

In 2010, UNC Charlotte had a little over 1,000 students from over 90 different countries on student visas, according to data from the Office of International Students and Scholars Office. Indian students made up the largest share of international students, following by Chinese students and then Sudanese students coming in as the third largest portion of international students on campus.

The majority of these international students tend to major in the sciences, engineering, computer science, information technology and business. They come to UNC Charlotte for various reasons. Some come because they are attracted to the programs offered here, others receive funding, many take advantage of the affordability and some students have relatives in the area.

Three different students, two females from Brazil and one male from China, provided insight about what attracts international students to UNC Charlotte and what they enjoy most about being here.

Paula Diniz and Janine Rangel, both from Brazil, are here with the same study abroad program for the fall semester. Sent by the coordinator of their university, these two students came to UNC Charlotte to study under the Africana studies department. Back in Brazil, however, Diniz is an education major and Rangel is an economics major.

Paula Diniz Diniz was directed to UNC Charlotte because her coordinator felt it would be a good match for her.

When asked what she likes most about UNC Charlotte thus far, Diniz said that she likes how “it’s pretty organized and the teachers are really interested in what they are doing.”

Diniz also enjoys the diversity amongst our student population.

Diniz shared she loves that “there are people from all over the world and you can meet friends from different cultures in one place.”

“The environment is very attractive” around campus.

“People are really nice and I wasn’t expecting that.”

Janine Rangel

Diniz has also enjoyed the food that she has discovered here.

Although these goodies can be found back in Brazil, the excess of brownies, cookies, hamburgers and french fries never gets old for her; however, Diniz also stated that she has to go on a diet because she is gaining weight.

The program that Diniz and Rangel traveled to UNC Charlotte on offers Brazilian students the opportunity to study here at the university or Winston Salem State University.

Janine Rangel Rangel was one of few Brazilian students who were actually permitted to choose between the two schools herself.

Rangel decided on UNC Charlotte because she likes “more of the city and the college.”

Rangel also thought that our economics program would be better than what Winston Salem State would have to offer, although she was unable to get into any of our economics classes.

Rangel is enjoying her experience at UNC Charlotte so far.

She said, “people are really nice and I wasn’t expecting that.”

Due to all the press and coverage on strict United States immigration laws, especially focused on Mexican immigration, Rangel assumed she wouldn’t be liked because people would associate her with being Mexican. Rangel’s initial thoughts were proven wrong.

Rangel highly enjoys eating fruit salad, especially peaches, and prefers American peaches opposed to the ones found in Brazil. Like Diniz, she has also enjoyed the excess amount of junk food calling America “the paradise of junk food.”

In Brazil her favorite food is BBQ, similar to the type made here in the south. Rangel finds our BBQ sweeter than that of Brazil’s which is saltier.

After Rangel’s first experience with southern BBQ, she said “I was just imagining you putting sugar, it was so sweet.”

Rangel also shared that people in Brazil like to put ketchup on their pizza and that she does not understand why people here find that so weird.

Tao Sheng Photos by Rosemary Kahihu

Both Diniz and Rangel feel that the UNC Charlotte and the greater Charlotte area in general have surpassed their expectations. They were surprised by southern hospitality and how polite they feel people have been towards them.

Although they have not had much of a chance to travel yet, they hope to tour New York City and Washington D.C. through their program.

Tao Sheng Tao Sheng is pursuing a PhD in optical science and engineering. On a student visa from China, he plans to stay in Charlotte for the next four years. He was attracted to UNC Charlotte because of the program that was offered here and the fact that he already had contacts with some of the professors.

Optical science and engineering also offers research that fit his interests, as well as teaching assistance opportunities. Sheng also commented that the beauty of the campus attracted him to the university.

Sheng said, “The environment is very attractive.”

Sheng is currently trying to learn how to cook for himself, since he did not do much of that back in China. He has, however, enjoyed eating Mexican food, tortillas in particular. He also likes to eat Chinese dumplings.

Some aspects of American life are better than what Sheng expected and other parts are not so great. Sheng was surprised by the high level of security and the effort put into campus safety.

While aware that the American economy was failing, he did not anticipate how bad it actually is and Sheng foresees that he will endure financial burdens in terms of supporting himself.

Although Sheng has not had much of a chance to travel yet, he is optimistic about getting to tour the state and the country during his time here and he is looking forward to visiting state parks and seeing as much as he can.

With such positive feedback about UNC Charlotte and campus life, it is no wonder our school continues to attract an overwhelming influx of international students.

Diniz, Rangel and Sheng believe UNC Charlotte has a lot to offer different individuals, which makes the university appealing to international students and creates an environment capable of and welcoming to cultural exchange.

PAGE 12

NINERTIMES

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Step into the shoes of international students Mitchell Harper REPORTER

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in another country? Many people hear about international students on a regular basis, but may not understand the complicated processes or struggles international students encounter when traveling to a foreign land to study at the university level.

Deneil James and Jess Pope recount their transitions from their homelands to UNC Charlotte and the obstacles they had to overcome to get here.

Deneil James is a sophomore sociology major and international student residing on the first floor of Witherspoon Hall. As a native of Jamaica, she lived in Cascade, Hanover until she moved to the United States in 2003.

The word “visa” typically comes to mind when someone thinks about an international student, but how long does it take to acquire one?

James said “the visa process can take forever.” Cultural differences are major obstacles that international students face.

James said, “The culture here is very different compared to Jamaica’s.” She continued, “In Jamaica they are much stricter but here everything is more diverse. However, there are more family related communities in Jamaica.”

When questioned about her transition to the United States, James said “one thing that bothered me was my strong accent. It was hard for people to understand me and I was homesick for a while, too. I felt more accepted in Jamaica because I had family there.”

James was also asked to elaborate about some native activities or dishes that she enjoyed in Jamaica.

She said “I loved this traditional dish called ackee and saltfish. The ackee grows

on trees. I also like nesberry; it’s a native fruit of Jamaica.”

Jess Pope is also an international student receiving an education here at UNC Charlotte.

She is a sophomore psychology major who lives on the second floor of Witherspoon Hall. Originally born in Bristol, England, she lived in London until she moved here this year.

Pope discussed her decision to attend UNC Charlotte.

Pope said, “It was a long process. First I applied to my university and they corresponded with UNC Charlotte…The universities here are more self-contained and much larger here than in England.” She also stated, “And there’s a lot more work involved here.”

Before Pope could travel to UNC Charlotte, she had to get a visa.

Pope describes her agonizing visa process, saying, “When I went to apply for my visa, it was in early May. I had to wait until June for my appointment. When I got my interview, it took 20 minutes and I was the last one of 400 there. Within five days of the interview, I received my visa.”

Pope tackles homesickness differently than James.

“I was homesick for probably about 5 days, and that was because I was all alone in my dorm room; my suitemates had not moved in yet.”

There are certain aspects of England that Pope definitely misses, one being the festivals.

Pope said “I miss the festivals. They do festivals down here too, but it’s not the same. One of my favorites is the Glastlnburg. I also miss drinking. The legal drinking age in England is 18 so when I came here and it was 21… yeah, it sucks.”

Denise Medeiros is the assistant director of the International Student/Scholar Office. Having held the position for almost

nine years, Medeiros has observed what many international students go through as they transition from their homeland to America. Her office is located on the second floor of the College of Health and Human Services building.

“The process varies from country to country,” said Medeiros, “but all of our international students have to go through the admissions process just like you would.

There’s just more involved.”

UNC Charlotte has over 1,000 international students culminated from over 90 different countries. Approximately 50 students only take 1-2 semesters of exchange.

“Some of the problems that international students face is collecting all of the documents necessary,” said Medeiros, “then the strain of proving they are financially stable to the U.S. government just crashes down on them.”

Not only do international students have cultural differences and social standing to worry about, they have to obtain temporary student visas. These visas are provided by United States government only if the student proves their intention to return to their homeland.

According to Medeiros, the admission process under the International Admissions Unit works similarly to that of a native. However, each international student must take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) to measure their

English comprehension in an academic setting. Then, the student must receive an I-20, also known as an F-1 visa. These visas are for non-immigrant full-time students that are pursuing education in the United States.

“Just so you have an idea at the amount of students we direct, the admission process for incoming transfer and international students for the next semester in January has already started – the process is very long,” said Medeiros.

Many people do not understand how complex the transition to another country is. From the general consensus, the visa process appears to be a slow and agonizing one that can take months to complete.

Homesickness, social standing and cultural differences are all obstacles that international students may tackle on an everyday basis. So the next time you see a person struggling with the complexity of our westernized culture, take a stand and lend a helping hand.

Graphic by Christian Billings

NINERONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

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DOWNTIME 22

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My Paddle Is Not My Weapon 7pm - 9pm Student Union 340F

Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latin Sorority, Inc. is hosting a program to discuss hazing and antihazing policies.

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Family Weekend September 23 - 25 12am - 5pm

UNC Charlotte invites parents and families of students to visit campus this weekend to spend time with their son and daughter.

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International Festival

Carolina Hurricanes Trip

Mayday! Mayday!

I’m Stressed!

Let’s Talk About It: Language

UNC Charlotte hosts their 36th Annual International Festival celebrating sights, sounds, dances, foods, and cultures of the world.

Students will be provided with a ticket and transportation. Students can find out more at now.uncc.edu

UCAE provides a workshop where students can learn why they are streesed and how to minimize stresses in their lives.

The Multicultural Resource Center will lead a discussion on how words can have multiple meanings in cultures as part of their “Let’s Talk It Discussion Series.”

10am - 6pm Barnhardt Student Activity Center

5pm Time Warner Cable Arena

2pm - 3pm Fretwell 310

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FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 3, 2011

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

See the answer to the sudoku puzzle by scanning the code with your smartphone.

The answers:

Get the answers at www.nineronline.com/downtime

September 27, 2001 UNC Charlotte students participate in an anti-war rally on campus. The participating students believed that war was not the correct response to the Sept. 11 attacks.

September 25, 2007 A textbook rental system began development at UNC Charlotte. The program began at the university Barnes and Noble in the Fall 2010 semester.

September 25, 1986 Behind other universities, already offering communications programs, UNC Charlotte began offering a communications minor to students.

September 27, 2007 Students debated how a newly approved, “Green Fee” should be spent on campus. Students still pay a “Green Fee” that funds the Charlotte Green Initiative.

ACROSS 1 What ice cream does in the sun 6 Mythical weeper 11 With it 14 “Terrific!”

15 Play-of-color gems 16 Bambi’s aunt 17 “Get a grip!”

19 Albums kept in jewel boxes, briefly 20 Dogpatch dad 21 Eat like a bird 23 Anti-alcohol types 25 Greenish-blue hue 28 Room for Renée 29 Stubbed extremity 30 Internet company 32 Bear’s advice 33 Screen partner 35 Folded Mexican snacks 37 Crafts technique for an oldfashioned look 42 More than fumed 43 Trifled (with) 45 Green eggs and ham lover __-am 48 Scrape, to a tot 51 __ culpa 52 Pizza’s outer edge 54 Scissors sound 55 With competence 56 Cardinal’s headgear 58 Film idol Greta 60 Connector that completes the phrase made from the starts of the three longest across answers 61 Get the front of one’s bike off the ground 66 Bro 67 Muse for Browning 68 Super Bowl hoverer 69 Opposite of NNW 70 Spread widely 71 Big name in foil DOWN 1 Brit. sports cars 2 West ender?

3 When presidential elections occur

10/3/11

By Janie Smulyan

4 Noshes in Nuevo Laredo 5 Passenger pickup point 6 Reply to “Is it soup?”

7 Wall St. headline 8 Clumsy sort 9 Radar screen spot 10 Colorado’s __ Park 11 Badger at the comedy club 12 Ultimate goal 13 Muted, as colors 18 With 62-Down, at a satisfactory level 22 Othello’s lieutenant 23 Sot’s woe, briefly 24 Military prep org.

26 Did something about, as an informant’s tip 27 Bread unit 30 Ten: Pref.

31 Former telecom firm 34 Overly ornate 36 Aware of 38 CIA Cold War counterpart

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

(c)2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

39 Some summer births, astrologically 40 Like some gestures or logic 41 Cad 44 Week segment 45 Collage materials 46 Convention sites 47 Work clumsily (through) 49 “I’m so not impressed” event

10/3/11

50 Exotic sushi fish 53 Carton sealers 55 “Does this ring __?”

57 Legal wrong 59 McEntire of country 62 See 18-Down 63 Put away at dinnertime 64 Texter’s “Here’s what I think” 65 Clean air org.

PAGE 14

NINERTIMES

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

SPORTS

SPORTS SCHEDULE

Women’s Soccer vs High Point Sat. 7pm, Charlotte, NC

Men’s Soccer @ Maryland

Men’s Soccer vs. Campbell

Tues. 7:30 pm, College Park, MD

Fri. 7 pm., Charlotte, NC

Volleyball @ Saint Louis Fri. 8pm, Saint Louis, MO

XC @ Roy Grink Invitational Sat. TBA, Charlotte, NC

Tyler Gibson A-10 player of week Ed Niser S P O RT S E D I T O R

Sophomore midfielder Tyler Gibson took home Atlantic 10 Player of the Week for his stellar performance in Charlotte’s ovetime win at No. 10 ranked Virginia.

Gibson joins Evan James as the second 49er to receive player of the week honors.

Gibson earned midfielder and Rookie of the Year honors last season, scored the equalizer in the overtime win against the Cavaliers Saturday on a penalty kick with 25 seconds remaining in regulation, if that wasn’t enough he assisted on the game winner by Issac Caughran which landed in the net just 42 seconds into the overtime period.

The 49ers have moved up to No.15 in the latest college soccer polls as they get set to take on Campbell at home this Saturday at 7 p.m.

Campbell comes into Saturday’s match with a 4-2-1 record at the time of publication, their leading scorer is J.J. Elder with five goals and two game winners this season.

Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium will open it’s gates to the public for fall practice this week. File Photo

Come on in, Baseball is on its way The Charlotte 49ers Baseball team opens it’s doors to allow fans watch the team prepare the for the upcoming season Ed Niser SPORTS EDITOR

The Charlotte 49ers baseball team realized that if they want to make it back to the postseason they must get back to work well in advance of the season.

Fans were invited to walk into the gates of Robert and Mariam Hayes Field and watch the defending Atlantic 10 conference champions prepare for the 2012 campaign earlier in the week.

Charlotte returns 24 players from a year ago along with a slew of new faces. Coach Lorin Hibbs and his staff are in search of their fifth A-10 title since becoming a member of the conference six seasons ago.

The 49ers concluded their season last year with a 43-16 finish, taking one game in Tempe, A.Z. regional round of the NCAA tournament last year.

Charlotte has announced the dates for the fall Niner World Series. The two teams, have yet to be announced at the start of the fall practice season. The Niner World Series consist of five games to be played over two weekends. The first pair of games will be played the weekend of October 1416, with the final two games being held on October 21 and 22. Times have yet to be released, admission is free to everyone.

Charlotte graduated three seasons from their 2011 conference champion team last spring, in second baseman Corey Shaylor,

center fielder Cory Tilton and first baseman Kevin Gillespie.

Charlotte’s 2012 schedule features a home series with super regional qualifier Dallas Baptist in a return trip, and home games against ACC foes Duke and Wake Forest.

The home schedule according to Charlotte Sports Information will have nomore than five teams that have never visited Charlotte and a home-and-home series against regional opponents High Point and Winthrop.

Charlotte begins their season against Saint Peter’s on February 17 at 4 p.m.

Upcoming Home Soccer Sat. Sept 24 vs Campbell at 7 pm Fri. Oct 14 vs Saint Bona at 7 pm Sun. Oct 16 vs Duquesne at 1 pm Fri. Oct 28 vs Xavier at 7 pm Sun. Oct 30 vs Dayton at 1 pm

Women’s Volleyball looks to take on the Former 49er in Saint Louis Billikens this Friday Pan AM games Brian Chan REPORTER

The Saint Louis Billikens have had major success against the Charlotte 49ers women’s volleyball team, winning in their past eight meetings. Charlotte last beat Saint Louis in 2004 in a huge comeback, taking a 2-0 set deficit and winning in five sets, back when both teams were in the Conference USA. Last year, Saint Louis held on five sets in the Atlantic-10 Tournament match against Charlotte, before falling to the Xavier Musketeers in the semifinals. The Billikens are expected to compete for a postseason spot, projected to finish fourth in the preseason poll.

Saint Louis, a two-time A-10 Tournament champion, brought in Head Coach Kent Miller, who previously served as an assistant coach with the Illinois Fighting Illini and contributed to the team’s strong finish as they reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last year and ended the season ranked ninth in the nation. Miller comes to Saint Louis, a strong A-10 volleyball program, as a highly regarded coach.

The Billikens have lost five of their past six matches, but they remain a favorite heading into Friday’s showdown with the

Niners. The team was 11-4 in the conference last year. Although Saint Louis is 4-1 when matches go beyond three sets, the Billikens have lost the opening set in eight of their 10 matches.

The Billikens are led by 2010 All-A-10 second team senior outside hitter/right side Alyssa Deno, who leads the team with 110 kills, averaging 2.97 per set this year, and is second on the team with 102 digs.

Deno is one of the top servers in the A-10, recording 0.32 service aces per set.

Last season, Deno was third in the A-10 with 3.37 kills per set and second with 0.34 aces per game.

Deno, who owns 46 career kills and a .222 attack percentage in four matches against Charlotte, sparked the Billikens in their 3-2 win over the Niners in the A-10 Tournament last year with a match-high 17 kills.

Junior defensive specialist/libero Ashley Gaillot was another weapon on the Saint Louis team, collecting 31 digs in the tournament win, the most by a Saint Louis player since 2003. Gaillot has 125 digs so far this season, averaging 3.38 per set.

Sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter Andrea Beaty, the 2010 A-10 Freshman of the Year, posted a teamleading 107 blocks while finishing second with 342 kills. Beaty was very effective in

conference play as she recorded a .266 attack percentage against conference opponents. Beaty has 94 kills, 2.54 per set, and a .211 attack percentage this year.

Bianca Rouse and the Niners get set to open up conference play. Photo by Michael Stennett

Ed Niser S P O RT S E D I T O R

Former Charlotte cross country and Track and Field star Cassie (Ficken) Slade has been picked to represent USA in the upcoming Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Slade is making her first appearance on the national level and will compete in the 10,000-meters. She is just one of two women who will compete in the 10,000-meter race for USA during the weeks of Oct. 14-30.

Slade is no stranger to qualifying at the national level as she qualified at the U.S. Olympic trials. Slade will compete in the marathon trials in Houston, T.X. this January and the 10,000-meters in hopes of making the 2012 London Olympics USA team.

At Charlotte, Slade shattered records on the track, winning eight conference titles , two All-Region honors, qualifying for four national events and she captured the first women’s All-America honor in Charlotte track and field history.

Slade still is the fastest runner in the 3000 meters, which she set during in the 2005 indoor season.

NINERONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

PAGE 15

Discount tickets available for students and faculty at the Carolina Panthers game this weekend Ed Niser S P O RT S E D I T O R

The Carolina Panthers are offering a discount for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

University students and faculty can purchase a ticket originally valued at $52 for the special rate of $22. Enter the special code UNCC2011 when going through the prompts.

When you log onto the website click on the ticket link on the Carolina Panthers homepage.

The University of North Florida ran a similar program for the Jacksonville Jaguars and brought over 1,000 people through the gates.

“This is a great opportunity to get more involved around the greater city of Charlotte and bond as fellow 49ers. Said Mohit Nigam, SGA secretary of athletic affairs.

Charlotte 49ers head football coach, Brad Lambert and his staff will be on hand at the game Sunday afternoon to meet and greet fans in their special Charlotte 49ers tent, last weekend they brought Bojangles, so you better get there early.

Cam Newton is under center for the Panthers, he has compiled 848 yards in two games, tossing three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Newton is 52-of-83 in completions on the season and has stifled any critics about his off the field issues while he was a student at Auburn University.

Comparing Newton’s performance as a senior at Auburn last year to his first two starts as a rookie, he has greatly surpassed his two game total of 181 yards to start the season.

Newton, has done a great job of embracing the media from the moment he stepped foot in the Queen City.

Those fan’s who bought Jimmy Clausen’s jersey last year when they thought he would be the number one on the depth chart, will probably be making a drive to the Goodwill store, because he won’t me making the start anytime soon.

One area of concern is the linebacking core; most recently Carolina lost Thomas Davis as he went down in the Green Bay game with an anterior cruciate ligament strain.

The most chilling twist to the injury is that at the start of Sunday’s game, Davis held John Beason’s jersey, Beason went down in the opener against the Cardinals with a torn Achilles tendon.

Davis led Carolina with seven tackles in the opener and five in Sunday’s loss to the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay. Davis, was named captain by is teammates at the opener and was selected in the first round by Carolina in 2005.

Carolina head coach Ron Rivera said to Carolinapanthers.com, that it will most

Men and Women’s Tennis kickoffed the season away Ed Niser Sports Editor Charlotte’s men’s tennis team took to the courts at the RobertaAllison Invitational hosted by UNC Wilmington this past weekend.

Four 49ers enjoyed a singles victory, especially Nate Shanok as he won the singles Flight C consolation bracket.

Charlotte head coach Billy Boynkin spoke to Charlotte Sports Information following his teams outing this past weekend; “ Overall, this was a good start to the fall for us,” said Boykin, the schools represented at the event all have quality tennis programs and are competitive at the national level. Our guys showed some good stuff on the courts over the weekend and I was pleased with our efforts collectively.

That said, there are definitely some things that we have to work on and we will hit the practice courts hard these next two weeks in preparation for the Jeff Frank Invitational at Davidson College on Sept. 30.”

Shanok fell in his opening match, but came back in resounding fashion taking the next three wrapping up the weekend with a 3-6,6-4, 10-8 decision in the Flight C consolation bracket.

Freshmen Paul Cisti out of Paris France and Alex Calott, also secured wins in singles play in Flight A, as did junior Krzystof Kwasniewicz took a match in Flight B play.

On the doubles side of the court, Kwasniewicz and senior partner Anthony Davison took their opening match in Flight A and moved into the quarter finals after winning by a margin of 8-6.

They went on and took the consolation match as well by an 8-6 margin.

Following the tournament at Davidson, the 49ers will stray away from tournament play when the men and women host a duo of October doubleheaders.

Charlotte opens the home season against Milligan and Mars Hill on Friday, October 7 and Johnson C. Smith and Winston Salem State that Sunday.

Charlotte’s womens tennis team competed in the College of Charleston Invitational over the weekend. Rain came through in the morning hours of the tournament, but the majority of the matches were played in order to start the tournament season.

In singles competition, Charlotte’a only vicotor was fresman Natsuro Takayanagi, who advanced to the quarterfinal round in the A2 flight, but would go on to take fifth place in straight sets, 6-4,6-4.

Takayanagi continued her success in the doubles bracket along with her partner Dominca Nemec.

Charlotte wasn’t very successive in doubles play, Nemec and Takaynagi won the consolation math in the A2 flight, the lone Charlotte win in doubles competition.

likely be linebacking by committee come Sunday; there will not be any set starters.

He has been injury plagued since he became a Carolina Panther, at the start of the NFL season Carolina inked the linebacker for a five year extension.

What can fans expect to see from the Carolina Panthers this weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars?

Newton will continue playing well at the quarterback position, but the major factor for the Panthers will be their dormant running game.

If Carolina can get the running game going, the Panthers may be on the up and up this weekend.

The Jacksonville Jaguarsww are probably going to go with rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert following Luke McCown’s poor performance, where he registered an abysmal 1.8 quarterback rating.

Jacksonville has been riding the strong legs of Maurice Jones Drew following rushing for a combined 185 yds. through two games this season, it is the most Jones Drew has had over a two game span in his entire career.

The Jaguars come into Sunday’s action with a 1-1 record following losing to the New York Jets 32-3 this past weekend.

CHRISTIAN BILLINGS

CIERA CHOATE

Texans

Saints

Texans

ED NISER

SPORTS EDITOR

LAYOUT EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

SAINTS VS TEXANS EAGLES VS GIANTS PANTHERS VS JAGUARS BILLS VS PATRIOTS BROWNS VS DOLPHINS

Eagles

Eagles

Eagles

Panthers

Panthers

Panthers

Patriots

Patriots

Patriots

Miami

Miami

Miami

TITANS VS BRONCOS

Broncos

Broncos

Titans

Lions

Lions

Lions

Rams

Ravens

Ravens

Jets

Jets

Raiders

Chargers

Chargers

Chargers

Cardinals

Cardinals

Seahawks

Falcons

Falcons

Falcons

Packers

Packers

Packers

Steelers

Steelers

Steelers

Cowboys

Cowboys

Cowboys

VIKINGS VS LIONS RAMS VS RAVENS RAIDERS VS JETS CHARGERS VS CHIEFS SEAHWAKS VS CARDINALS BUCS VS FALCONS BEARS VS PACKERS COLTS VS STEELERS COWBOYS REDSKINS

VS

Denotes Upset Pick of the Week

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

NINERTIMES