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VALDOSTA STATE UnIVErSITy’S InDEPEnDEnT STUDEnT nEWSPAPEr
Thursday 9, February January 2012 19, 2012
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Inside This Issue
OnWeb the Web On the
Check page 6 for the new sports column: Stonewalled with Chad Stone.
- OPInIOnS: “Cut the Net, Cut our freedom” - FEATUrES: “program improves literacy in kids” - SPOrTS: “Mistakes fueling losing streak”
VOLUME VOLUME 83 83 ISSUE ISSUE 17 20
w.tvosr.ucsopme c ta t o r. c o m w w w. v s u s pw ew c ta Check out the web for this week’s SGA meeting, to find out the V-State Experience tour and Pop Addict. Follow @BlazerSports on Twitter for live scores and updates! Check out page 6
Search narrowed to final four Jennifer Gleason A S S T . f e AT U R e S e D I T o R
jlgleason@valdosta.edu
After months of nationwide searching, VSU has found four presidential candidates to potentially take Dr. Louis Levy’s place in July. The VSU presidential Search and Screen Committee will spend the duration of february interviewing the four finalists to become the ninth University president. A search began on Sept. 8, some months after Dr. patrick Schloss resigned to take the position of the University System of Georgia’s Assistant to executive Vice Chancellor. Since Schloss’ resignation, Dr. Louis Levy has been serving as the university’s Interim president. “[The search] is a process of announcing the vacancy in as many places as possible, soliciting applications and evaluating against our criteria which are posted in the position description,” phyllis Holland, professor and Head of the Department of Management, said. After the Search and Screen Committee reviewed the applicants, the campaign narrowed to the four finalists. The candidates will visit VSU within the next
Dr. Michael Lane Dr. Bill McKinney Dr. Cheryl Norton Dr. Ray Alden Prior Credentials 2000 – 2005 Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Mansfield University
2005 – 2006 Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs/Provost University of Arkansas – Fort Smith
2006 – 2011 President Emporia State University
Public Campus Visit: Monday, February 13, 9:00 to 10:00 AM
Prior Credentials
Prior Credentials
Prior Credentials
1993 – 2001
2004 – 2010
1982 – 1997
Chairperson, Department of Philosophy and Religion Southeast Missouri State University
President Southern Connecticut State University
Director, Applied Marine Research Laboratory Old Dominion University
2001 – 2008
2010 – 2011
1997 – 2006
Slippery Rock University
Sabbatical/Administrative Leave K-12 Education Reform and the Changing Needs for Teacher Preparation
Dean, College of Sciences / Executive Vice President and Provost University of Nevada
2008 – Present
2011 – 2012
2006 – Present
Dean, College of the Humanities, Fine, and Performing Arts
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne
Senior Fellow American Association of State Colleges and Universities
Executive Vice President and Provost Northern Illinois University
Public Campus Visit: Tuesday, February 14 1:30 to 2:30 PM
Public Campus Visit: Thursday, February 16 9:00 to 10:00 AM
Public Campus Visit: Monday, February 20 9:00 to 10:00 AM
Graphic by Jacob McWhorter/The SPECTATOR
couple of weeks so the university community may meet and interview each nominee. one candidate, Dr. Michael Lane, was the president of
emporia State University from 2006 to 2011. While president, he worked hard to reach out to the student body on a personable level and connect with other
universities, according to his resumé. Dr. Lane plans to visit VSU on feb. 13. He will speak and answer questions from 9 to
10 a.m.in the Student Union Theatre. Another candidate, Dr. Bill McKinney, has served as Vice
Chancellor of Academic Affairs at Indiana University – purdue University fort Wayne since 2008. Dr. McKinney will visit VSU and take questions from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Student Union Theatre on feb. 14. Candidate Dr. Cheryl Norton worked at several universities and educational associations. Dr. Norton served as president of Southern Connecticut State University from 2004 to 2010. She will speak and answer questions at VSU from 9 to10 a.m. in the Student Union Theatre on feb. 16. Dr. Ray Alden worked at several universities, holding numerous positions and is the executive Vice president and provost of Northern Illinois University, a position he has held since 2006. Dr. Alden has a long list of professional service to both education and environmental studies and preservation. Dr. Alden will visit the campus on feb. 20, from 9 to10 a.m. in the Student Union Ballroom A. After the campus interviews, the Search and Screen Committee will recommend candidates to the Special Regent’s Search Committee, which will then begin the second phase of the process. The committee hopes to have a new president by July 1.
Coffee shop gets spiked Hall flood Starbuck’s Coffee stores in cities such as Atlanta will be adding alcohol to its menu later this year. Megan Harris
Students were moved to Hopper Hall after a pipe burst in Langdale Hall Saturday.
S TA f f W R I T e R megharris@valdosta.edu
Jacob McWhorter/THE SPECTATOR Students posted a sign wishing Dr. Larry Etling their best wishes on his office door. He is in stable condition at Shand’s Hospital.
Professor injured, admitted to Shand’s Amanda Usher A S S T. o p I N I o N S e D I T o R amusher@valdosta.edu
Dr. Larry etling, associate professor of mass media, is in serious but stable condition at a Shands hospital in Gainesville, fla., after being injured in a head-on collision Saturday near his home. etling was airlifted and admitted into Shands after being briefly treated at South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta. everyone was asked to not contact the hospital for any information. Mass media assistant professor Brian Day, Mass Media instructor Michael Taylor, Speech Communication assistant professor for David Nelson and Mass Media head frank Barnas are covering Dr. etling’s classes while he is out. “each of these faculty members has either taught the course before or has extensive knowledge about the subject matter,” Barnas and Dr. Carl Cates, head of Communication Arts, said in
an e-mail. The course outlines will still follow the timelines that etling created. Christine Jones, senior mass media major, and Christi Holliday, IT student technician and senior mass media major, sent an email Monday asking everyone to place letters including words of encouragement or support on etling’s office door. Cards are also appreciated. Travis Colwell, a junior mass media major, expressed his emotions concerning this incident. "Right now, I don't have him for any classes, but he is my adviser and he knew what he was doing,” Colwell said. “To be honest, I really don't know what's going to happen at this point.” etling spent the beginning of his career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CBC News. He is what his colleagues call a “pioneer in radio studies.” His book “Radio in the Movies: A History and filmography, 1926-2010,” was released by Mcfarland & Company last year.
Question of the Week What do you plan on doing for Valentine’s Day? A. Going out on the town with my man/woman B. Eating candy-the best part C. I don’t believe in commerical holidays.
Starbucks Coffee Company will sell beer and wine in Atlanta, Southern California, Chicago and pacific Northwest area stores later this year. Customers expressed a desire to have more options for relaxing in an evening setting. “We recognize the importance of continuously evolving with our customers’ interests, lifestyles and values in order to stay relevant over the long term,” a company spokesperson said. “our customers have told us that this is a natural extension to our coffee menu and our third place experience.” The company targeted stores where it is relevant to create an atmosphere that lets customers relax with a friend, have a small bite to eat and a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. “As our customers transition from work to home, many are looking for a warm and inviting place to unwind and connect with the people they care about,” Clarice Turner, senior vice president of Starbucks Coffee Company, said. The option for alcoholic beverages along with a new premium food menu and the incorporation of flexible seating to accommodate individuals and larger parties will all serve to enhance the company’s evening-setting atmosphere. Despite all the changes, topnotch coffee will remain the focus of the Starbucks’ experience. “As we introduce new expressions of the Starbucks experience, we’ve stayed true to our original vision and values, with
Shambree Wartel Copy eDIToR
snwartel@valdosta.edu J. Daniel Young/THE SPECTATOR While Starbuck’s locations in places such as Atlanta will sell alcohol, the VSU location in the Student Union will not.
the same commitment to premium quality coffee, passionate partners and a rich customer experience,” a company spokesperson said. As expected, concerns have risen over the mainstream coffee company’s ability to ensure that only safe and legal consumption of alcohol will take place in their stores. However, according to Starbucks’ media relations, all of the partners who work in those store locations serving wine and beer will be at least 21 years of age and will be trained to spot and assess customers who may have had too much to drink. Service will be refused to anyone who is visibly intoxicated. “partners are trained to call law enforcement as situations arise,” said Starbucks’ media relations. “We continuously review our procedures and we will continue to work closely with law enforcement to be sure our stores continue to provide a welcoming atmosphere for all customers.” VSU’s on-campus Starbuck’s will not be serving beer or wine, according to Chris Valdas, student union manager.
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"We did receive word on this; however, it is against our policy to sell alcohol on campus in a university setting,” he said. Students have conflicting views on whether the change will have a positive or negative influence on their Starbucks experience. Some students, like Jonathan Landrum, senior accounting major, don’t believe alcohol belongs in a coffee shop. “It doesn’t really go with the whole coffee thing. you can go to the gas station and get beer,” Landrum said. “I don’t want to go to Starbucks and take out my laptop to do homework around drunk people.” other students, like Stuart Taylor, english graduate student, are more open to the idea and are excited to see Starbucks evolving and keeping up with the times. “I think it’s definitely a good idea to try and see what happens,” he said. “There’s definitely a market for it and in this economy any business really needs to try new things to keep old customers coming and gain new ones.”
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Approximately 45 students were relocated to Hopper Hall late Saturday night after a rupture in a hot water pipe on the 5th floor C Wing caused them to be flooded out of their rooms in Langdale Hall. Dean of Student Affairs, Russell Mast, was there to quickly assess the situation. “The majority of the damage was done to the fifth and first floors,” Mast said. “We are still assessing interior walls and pipes to see if there are any other damages that we are not aware of.” Sophomore, undecided major Nicki Burrell remembered being confused the night of the flood. “I had just walked in and I didn’t know what was happening, but my hall mate called me and told me the hall and the rooms closest to the bathroom were flooded,” Burrell said. “I didn’t know if it was any of my stuff, but I went to check just in case.” Students, including Kimberly Roney, were not happy with the aftermath. “Books, clothes, shoes, and other stuff was ruined,” Roney said. “Nobody has even said anything yet, they’re just moving people to temporary rooms.”