The Spectator Print Edition 9-20-12

September 20, 2012

W W W. V S U S P e C TAT O R . C O M

VOLUMe 84 iSSUe 5

On the Web

Inside This Issue Activist speaks out

- OPiNiONS: “Budget cuts threaten history ” - FeATUReS: “ten ways to treat your parents this weekend”

See page 6 for details.

- SPORTS: “Blazers host tigers Saturday”

Today at VSU Vote for Your Life - By the front lawn water foutain, at 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Candidate information and registration available.

Graduate schooL? - attending Graduate School Workshop at 4 p.m. in Career Services, Powell hall West, second floor. Call Career Services at 333-5942 24 hours in advance to register or for more questions.

henna BodY desiGns - CaB is sponsoring washable ink henna tattoos are available in the Student union rotunda 5 to 9 p.m. free giveaways also available. caBin in the Woods - natural high hosts free movie night of “Cabin in the Woods” at 8 p.m. in the library auditorium.

Snacks provided. Call 259-5111 for more information. naacP Voter driVe - Voter registration drive, hosted by naaCP on the Pedestrian Mall from 12 to 3 p.m. Candidate information and registration available. distinGuished Women of exceLLence meetinG - first annual meet-and-greet at 7 p.m. in Student union Ballroom a.

Music, food, presentations, forum and open-panel discussion. attire is business casual.

reaLtaLk - XChange Ministries meeting at 8 p.m. in Bailey Science auditorium 1011.

Contemporary worship, bible study, fellowship activities, a speaker and group participation. science seminar - from 4 to 5 p.m. in Powell hall, Dr. Cy Mott will speak on why “species are the way they are.”

Weather Today Partly Cloudy

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Friday Mostly Sunny

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News analysis:

Economy drives votes Joe Adgie M u lt i M e D i a e D i t o r jmadgie@valdosta.edu

according to a video that was leaked this week, Mitt romney isn’t worrying about 47 percent of the country, but could it cost romney the election? “there are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what,” romney said in the video, which was filmed in May at a $50,000-perplate fundraising dinner. “there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who are entitled to health care, to food, to housing… and they will vote for this president no matter what,” he said.

Von Kennedy a S S t . f e at u r e S eDitor vtkennedy@valdosta.edu

VSu police arrested a suspect in connection with a robbery of a student on the multi-purpose trail behind Sustella Parking Deck on around 5:15 p.m. on friday.

Matty hogan, a junior theatre major, and his roommate were reportedly robbed by three men on bikes who asked to use his cell phone as he and his roommate walked. “i gave one of the guys my phone to use being the nice person i am and another one of his friends punched me in the face,” hogan said. hogan said that the perpetra-

jlgleason@valdosta.edu

88 H 66 L

Question of the week What are you and your parents doing this weekend?

A. Going to Wild Adventures.

B. Watching the Blazers game.

C. Absolutely nothing.

Vote online at www.vsuspectator.com!

Last Week Poll Results Do you feel safe on campus?

In certain areas

50%

Yes

38%

No

12%

Only in my dorm room

0%

tors cornered him against a gate where one assailant patted him down in order to find anything of value in his pockets. his roommate, who witnessed the incident, was not harmed during the attack. the men, who allegedly stole $200 and hogan’s cell phone, escaped on bikes after the crime.

Subsequently, one of the alleged offenders was arrested by VSu police officer Juan arzayus, according to the police report. only $100 of the $200 was recovered upon the arrest. “the police caught one of the guys a little bit later,” hogan said. “they returned my money, but i never got my cell phone back.”

the other two suspects remain at large. hogan believes campus police is doing a great job in responding to crimes on campus. “the police responded really quickly, within five minutes or so,” hogan said.

Police attributed their fast response and arrest of the suspect to the fast response of hogan and his roommate. a campus-wide text message was sent when the police responded to the initial scene. the suspect who was arrested was transported to the lowndes County Jail and booked under a host of charges including simple battery and robbery, which is a felony in the state of Georgia, according to the police report.

Savoie named interim Honors College dean ManaGinG eDitor

Mostly Sunny

scheduled for oct. 3. on the bright side for the governor, the first half of the debate is tentatively scheduled to be about the economy, according to debate moderator Jim lehrer, in an article on Bloomberg Businessweek from Wednesday. this is an issue in which voters rate romney higher than obama, according to a poll from rasmussen.

Gov. romney has two figures working in his favor, the first being $16,025,485,261,267.37. that is the uS national Debt as of press time. the second figure is 8.3 percent. that is the unemployment figure for the uS, and one of the republican battle cries has been that obama’s policies would have kept that figure below 8 percent. this could help voters forget about “47 percent.”

Student robbed near Sustella Parking Deck

Jennifer Gleason

Saturday

“these are people who pay no income tax,” romney said. “So our message of low taxes doesn’t connect, so he’ll be out there talking about tax cuts for the rich. and so my job is not to worry about these people,” he said. “i’ll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.” this is a pretty bad misstep for Gov. romney, and it is easy to compare it to President Barack obama’s “you didn’t build that” incident from July. however, while obama was presently able to recover from “you didn’t build that,” currently holding a one-point lead in the latest Gallup poll, the chances of romney recovering from this gaffe depends largely on how he performs in the debates, and romney will need a very strong performance in the first debate,

the VSu honors Program has transitioned from a program to an honors College, and Mike Savoie, professor in the College of the arts, has taken the position as interim dean.

Prior to Savoie’s acceptance of the position, an unsuccessful search went out for a permanent dean for the college.

When the honors College was still a program in fall 2006, Dr. ofelia nikolova held the position as director. over the summer she stepped-down from the position. “i like Dr. nikolova very much, and i think she did wonderful work,” Savoie said. “She was absolutely awesome with the students, and if you could talk to any one of those students that studied under her […] she was very engaged with [them].”

Savoie hopes to carry forward what Dr. nikolova was doing with the students until a permanent dean can be found. “i was very scared because they were very close to Dr. nikolova,” Savoie said. “i am an outsider, and even though i like all the people involved—and i think they’re coming to accept me, and we’re starting to build a good relationship and rapport— that’s a slow, gradual thing.”

“[Dr. nikolova] believed [honors students] were autonomous students,” Savoie said. “[She believed] that [they could lead].” according to Savoie, Dr. nikolova’s theory was right-the honors College has students willing and ready to lead.

Savoie believes his main concern is “[building] facilities to help people succeed,” even if he is still nervous about taking the position. “it’s something that i obviously have to learn a lot about,” Savoie said. “i couldn’t [have been] an honors student, or got a scholarship […] My aCt wasn’t good, my Gre—twice—neither one of them were good […]”

Despite his personal luck with schooling before becoming an educator, Savoie is still positive about the learning experience and what VSu can offer students.

Savoie and the honors College went on a retreat with 23 students, where they had lunch and a four-hour discussion about what can be done to improve the college and move it forward with the new change.

“We got this long list of things from the students, and they just blew me away […] with their comments, because the students have such a vision for their education, and what these programs should be should be,” Savoie said. “and not just honors, but

Savoie

academic programs.”

Savoie regards himself as an educator first, and, as such, wants to help students continue with their education. “there are students that are just under the threshold [of getting sufficient financial help], and they’re exceptional,” Savoie said. “and when you ask, you know, ‘if we can’t get you financial support what’s going to happen?’ and the student says, ‘i can’t come back next semester’… Your heart sort of’ sinks […] that’s the depressing part.”

Savoie wants to work with the honors College, and the students invested in it, to make it something great for current and prospective students. “i’m incredibly honored to carry on [Dr. nikolova’s] legacy,” Savoie said. “She deserves recognition—a great deal of recognition—for what she did in honors.”

w w w. v s u s p e c ta t o r. c o m

Check out Daniel Young’s coverage of South Georgia Pride on the WebSpectator!

Campus safety lighting assesed

Michael Fontaine, occupational health and safety coordinator, finds an exposed electrical line on North Oak Street during a walkthrough that VSU officials and the SGA took to access the adequacy of campus lighting Wednesday night.

VSU Foundation Board member dies Tuesday Amber Smith eDitor-in-Chief amsmith@valdosta.edu

Sixty-four-year-old VSu foundation Board of trustees member, larry Colson, died tuesday night.

Colson was also a member of the Board of the VState Club, formerly known as the Blazer Boosters, and a prominent member of the Valdosta community. he was present at the VState Club’s second monthly meeting tuesday night in the university Center Magnolia room. these meetings are open to all members of the VState Club.

Members are invited to dinner and to hear VSu athletes and coaching staff speak. according to thressea Boyd, assistant to the president for communication, emergency medical services (eMS) were called to the university Center between 8 and 9 p.m. according to Boyd, eMS responded to a call that one of the meetings attendees, of which there were 50 to 65, became ill and that eMS transported him to South Georgia Medical Center.

Boyd could not release any information regarding Colson’s time or cause of death.

John Crawford, VSu foundation Ceo, sent an email to members of the foundation Board Wednesday morning extending his sympathy that Colson had passed and asking that his family be kept in the members’ prayers. according to his obituary on http://mcclanefuneralservices.co

m, Colson was a lifelong member of the Valdosta community. he was born in Valdosta on february 2, 1948.

Colson graduated from Valdosta high School in 1966 and earned his Bachelor of Business administration from Valdosta State College. he founded, and owned, Colson Business Systems and was the co-owner of Splash Zone, a Valdosta car wash. “he loved his community, and served in various capacities,” the obituary reads. “larry served on the Guardian Bank Board, South Georgia Medical Center foundation Board Member, and the Board of trustees for Valdosta State university.”

Colson was also a florida Gator Booster. he played in the at&t Pebble Beach Proam as an amateur with Paul azinger, his close friend, for over ten years and was an active member of Park avenue united Methodist Church, where he served as an usher.

Colson is survived by his wife and three children. Survivors also include his mother, brother, sister-in-law, and nephews, as well as several great nieces and nephews.

Visitation will take place today from 6 to 8 p.m. at Carson Mclane funeral home. Services will be held on friday at 11 p.m. at Park avenue united Methodist Church with reverends hale Bishop and randy Mosley officiating. interment will be at Sunset hill Cemetery immediately following.

Whatley in recovery after bicycle accident Amanda Usher Photo eDitor amusher@valdosta.edu

Dr. Mark Whatley, associate psychology professor, was recently released from Shand’s hospital, after surgery in Gainesville, fla., and is currently in recovery.

“We are told he is getting better and he is well enough to sit up among other things,” Dr. Deborah Briihl, professor of psychology, said. the date of his return to Valdosta is unknown.there’s a card for everyone to sign for him lo-

cated in the psychology department. on Sept. 10, Dr. Whatley was riding his bicycle down inner Perimeter rd. near Jaycee Shack rd. at 6:30 a.m. when he was struck from behind by a ford explorer. after the driver fled the scene, VPD later found the car at 1810 e. Park ave.

Dr. Whatley’s classes have been taken over by Dr. Jackson rainer, head of the psychology and counseling department, for the rest of the semester. no calls to either party involved had been returned at press time.

News

PAge 2 | vsusPecTATor.com

LASA features Mayan calendar for Hispanic Heritage Month Autumn Sullivan S ta F F W r i t e r acsullivan@valdosta.edu

Christmas will come early for conspiracy buffs—or maybe not at all, according to the Mayan Calendar. this october, students will be able to explore the apocalypse theory of the Mayan calendar for Hispanic Heritage Month through various aspects, ranging from mathematics to astronomy. this month-long exploration of the Mayan calendar will be kicked off on Sept. 27 by the latin american Student association (laSa) at the gazebo on the corner of Nevins Hall. the organization will give out items and information about Hispanic Heritage Month. the first week of the event will feature a panel discussion at

7 p.m. on oct. 2 in the Bailey Science Center, and will feature various professors, including dr. amy aronson and dr. John Woodruff of the modern and classical languages department, dr. owen Jones from the history department and dr. iwan elstak from the math and computer science department. during this discussion the Mayan prophecy will be looked at as a myth, as religion and in context with the Mayan culture. “this year we are privileged to be able to feature the Mayan prophecy concerning the end of the world,” dr. ana Soady, professor and department head of modern and classical languages, said. oct. 4 will feature the showing of the documentary “Cracking the Maya Code” at the uni-

versity Center from 7 to 9 p.m. “the Mayans have a very complex mathematical calendar,” Patricia Saunders, administrative secretary for the department of modern and classical languages, said. “they were wonderful astronomers because they understood the sky and how its cycles related to everything that happened on earth. their calendar comes to an end dec. 21, 2012.” this final date on the calendar is the hypothesized end of the world, according to the Mayans. their culture is more relevant than people think, Saunders said. “if they want to learn more about end of world prophecies such as this, we have a full schedule of a month of activities—most of which are focused on the Mayans and this whole idea,” dr. Soady said.

sePTemBer 20, 2012

Upcoming events Sept. 21-22, 8 p.m.; Sept. 23, 3 p.m. “the avengers.” Free to all VSu students with valid id.

Student Union Theater Sept. 24-27, noon Mandatory Student organization Make-up Meetings Student Union Meeting Room 1 any student organization that missed the original meeting must be present at one make-up meeting.

Sept. 26, 7 p.m.

Spring Networking Mixer Student Union Ballrooms A & B executive members and members of student organizations encouraged to come. attire is business casual. rSVP to doel Parrilla at daparilla@valdosta.edu.

McKinney invites students to Q&A at SGA meeting dry done.

Joe Adgie M u lt i M e d i a e d i t o r jmadgie@valdosta.edu

dr. William McKinney, VSu president, told SGa Monday night that he intends to take a closer look at parking, and changes could be on the horizon. dr. McKinney took questions on topics such as parking, construction and housing maintenance among other things.

“When was the last time VSu did a detailed traffic and parking study?” McKinney said. “it’s been at least five years … We need to get the numbers. We need to get the analysis of our full traffic flow situation, [and] our full parking situation.” one senator noted that it was hard to get to Georgia Hall, and that construction was making the campus look like an eyesore. “there’s a silver lining,” McKinney said in response. “the construction that’s all around ashley Hall is going to be disappearing very soon, because there’s going to be a ribbon cutting for ashley Hall in the month of November.” another senator, lorraine dawkins, expressed frustration with laundry in the on-campus dorms, and the maintenance of the laundry machines.

“We can spend like ten dollars on clothes that should take two dollars to do,” dawkins said. “i would much rather go to a coin laundry place--which is sad.” dawkins also mentioned that Converse Hall doesn’t have a laundry area at all, and those living in that hall have to walk across campus to get their laun-

“ The construction

that’s all around Ashley Hall is going to be disappearing very soon [...] ” - Dr. William mcKinney, VSU preSiDent

another senator mentioned that a washing machine in lowndes Hall flooded, and that a work order that had been filed before the start of the school year, had just been fulfilled the previous day. McKinney request-

ed that the work order be sent to him.

SGa President ryan Baerwalde mentioned that dr. McKinney is hoping to do these same question-and-answer sessions with the entire university.

“He did it as a provost back at indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne, except he just did it with faculty, and they got stuff done,” Baerwalde said. “Having all these different minds throwing ideas at you, something’s bound to click, and actually start working.” the question-and-answer sessions, referred to as “Campus Conversations”, do not have a set date, but is being seriously considered.

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submitted in a sealed envelope at the time the ad is placed. ads must be accompanied by the name and phone number of the person submitting the ad. ads must be resubmitted each week, as necessary. The Spectator address is: 1500 n. patterson St.,Valdosta, Ga 31698 spec@valdosta.edu.

The Spectator reserves the right to reject any classified ad. all ads are subject to standard editing procedures.The Spectator is

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Bach’s recital has bark and bite Ben Skender S ta f f W r i t e r btskender@valdosta.edu

Canines, costumes and cash for scholarships are all expected for Sunday’s 3 p.m. premiering of the PDQ Bach recital in the Whitehead auditorium. this satirical concert is a fundraising effort to raise money for students in the music department. it is free with iD for VSU students. for anyone else interested in watching this musical, the tickets are available at the door for $10. according to a press release emailed by Dr. Susan eischeid, professor of music, this recital will unveil faculty and student performers from the music department, the university and special guests from the community. there will be a few surprises for the guests.

“We will see some surprise animal performances to unusual concert ethic and attire,” tyler Johnson, bassoonist, said. the song that the concert follows is called the “Octoot.”

Bach’s piece, the Wachet auf will become the “Wachet arf” as it is to be sung by dogs. Other such acts in the concert will be singing a brass quintent and a

Photo contributed by: Dr. Susan J. Eischeid

The performers for PDQ Bach woodwind octet. there will also be an interpretive dance spoof and some surprise instruments being played by guests of prominence from the Valdosta community.

get in the spirit of the satirical Nancy Warren says that she and the other guest will be playing the “banned” instruments, which refers to unorthodox instruments not often played in concerts like the kazoo.

recital--the recital will make fun “the concert should be a hilarious musical event that results in laughter and scholarships for students,” she says. the concert itself was made by a twentieth century musical

of faculty and students. satirist by the name of Peter Schickle and is the fictional work of the Baroque era composer Bach’s fictional son.

Police Briefs Sept. 18 a suspicious male was reportedly entering and exiting the female side of Patterson Hall without signing in and out. the identity of the individual is unknown at this time.

Sept. 17 Vending machines were broken into in Nevins Hall. a broken window was reported in the Continuing education Building. No safety hazards were present and a maintenance request was submitted. a theft was reported in Centennial Hall. a minor car accident occurred in the Oak Street Parking Deck.

No injuries were reported. a student was transported to SGMC by eMS from the Oak

Street Parking Lot. Sept. 16 VSUPD and VPD investigated a possible burglary at the College Station apartments. an officer found several security issues in the fine arts Building and a maintenance request was submitted. a student was turned over to Housing and residence Life after he was reported exiting the female side of Patterson Hall and could not remember which room he had spent the night in. a bike theft occurred on the south side of Nevins Hall. an officer was flagged-down by three students on toombs Street saying that a male approached them and asked for their names. the officer then

made contact with the male and his healthcare taker. a theft was reported in the Georgia Hall lobby.

Sept. 15 Officer responded to Hopper Hall to investigate an odor resembling marijuana coming from a residents’ room. the resdients admitted they do smoke marijuana, but none was found.

Drug-related items were found at the scene.

VSUPD and VPD officers searched the area for a wanted suspect and later found them.

Sept. 14 a bike theft was reported at an Odum Library bicycle rack. an officer discovered part of the athletics fieldhouse to be

unsecure along with an interior computer lab. Nothing unusual was found.

Suspicious activity was reported at Langdale Hall near the south entrance, but no one was found when the officer arrived.

Drug-related objects were found in nearby bushes. a student had vomited and was found unconscious in Georgia Hall. the student was sent to SGMC and issued a citation for underage possession of alcohol.

Sept. 13 an alarm went off in Palms Dining hall, but nothing unusual was found when the facility was checked. an alarm went off in the P.e.

Complex, but nothing unusual was found when the facility was

checked. an intoxicated student in Brown Hall was disrupting the peace. the student was issued a citation for underage possession of alcohol. a car accident occurred in the Sustella Parking Lot. No injuries were reported. a theft was reported around the Hopper Hall fountain. a theft was reported around Hopper Hall.

Officer responded to Patterson Hall to investigate an odor resembling marijuana coming from a residents’ room, but an officer could not find any on scene. it was later reported that the suspected residents had smoked marijuana earlier in the day.

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page 4 | vSuSpectator.com

September 20, 2012

Our point of view...

Budget cuts threaten history Campus has been buzzing this week with the news of one of the biggest tragedies our state has seen in the recent economic crisis. secretary of state, Brian Kemp, released a statement to the press declaring that beginning nov. 1, the Georgia state Archives would no longer be open to the public. to access them, one would need to make an appointment with the archives department and visit the facility in Morrow, Ga., in person.

You might think this doesn’t have anything to do with you--but think again. History and political science majors use the state archives for quite a bit of their schooling, and they aren’t the only ones to do so. Law students have to know not only the current laws in their state of jurisdiction, but past laws

and past political action as well. How effective can a lawyer be if he or she cannot obtain the historical records necessary to make their case? should they make an appointment, this unnecessary link in the chain would slow down the state judicial system immensely. Journalism students use the state records to view and learn from past Georgia publications. the archives hold the state’s maps and land diagrams, plus the definitive record of state, county and city boundaries. if you live in the state of Georgia, these records should be important to you. the state archive website offers digital copies of most archive records accessible from anywhere with internet access. the physical building houses manuscripts and microfilm

containing precious historical information. Most important, the state archives are the home of Georgia’s disaster preparedness recommendations. it tells you what to do in case of a flood, hurricane evacuation or other natural disasters. if your family records or valuable media are not housed in the archives, then that’s where you find tips on how to take care of your fragile documents on your own. is this the kind of information we want restricted--only viewable by the elite? this is our state. if we live here, we deserve access to the information that tells us who we are. Without that information, we might as well consider ourselves orphans. if this were to pass, Georgia would be the only state in the entire country to restrict access to

state archives. students, stand up for your history! don’t let the state decide whether you have the ability to know who you are or where you come from. We are all Georgia residents, and we should be proud of it. We give this state our work, our tax money and our love. it’s only fair that the state respond fairly and give us our history.

Fortunately, Governor nathan deal announced yesterday that the archives would not be closed, due to the massive response from those in Georgia passionate about keeping their history. this time it was just a warning, but next time, we need to be ready.

Keep tabs on what is happening in your state government and don’t let them take away the history that is yours.

Photo Illustration by Stephen Cavallaro

This editorial was written by Rebecka McAleer (rmmcaleer@valdosta.edu) and it expresses the general opinion of the editorial staff.

Issue of the Week: Education Politics

School yourself on candidates Stephen Cavallaro A s s t. O p i n i O n s EditOr sjcavallaro@valdosta.edu

As we move towards the presidential election, the constant display of the ‘issues’ by the leading political candidates can cause more confusion than clarity. topics are thrown at us from all directions: on television, the internet and even on campus. to fully understand the candidates we need to ask ourselves a rather simple question: how do the issues pertain to us? As students, education is fundamental, and each political party views the subject in a different light.

Education is the most important economic issue to the democrats. the democratic party focuses on the affordability and quality of education. they accomplish this task by expanding financial aid programs and supplying teachers with more professional support and resources. in addition, emphasis is placed on providing skilled workers with necessary training and increasing the number of students who complete college programs. “president Obama’s plans for educational reform have the potential to eventually enable some of my contemporaries to be able to afford college and reduce their post-graduation debt,” Kameron Copeland, a mass media major, said.

Copeland, who has volunteered at the south Georgia headquarters for Obama for America since 2008, believes that standardized test linking, a part of Obama’s educational improvement program race to the

top, may eventually help teachers consider more effective methods of teaching that will empower students. [in recent years,] democrats have also doubled investments in pell Grant scholarships. “the new American Opportunity tax Credit provides up to $10,000 over the course of 4 years,” president of the College democrats of VsU, sydney Haire, said. the republican party firmly believes in maintaining a worldclass system of education with high standards.

“Jobs exist, but the education system is not fully preparing people for such jobs,” nolen Cox, chairman of the Lowndes County republican party, said. republicans emphasize the need to compete on a global scale and demand for quality teachers. therefore, higher standards on the secondary education level are necessary.”

Cox argues that oppressive taxes drive inflation and inflation increases the cost of education so that people can no longer afford it. republicans want to make college more accessible and affordable. in addition, they feel a major tenet of education should be the ability of parents to choose where they send their children to receive an education.

Essentially, both sides of the political spectrum would agree that the American education-system needs to be altered.

Both democrats and republicans encourage quality education; but how the system should provide this education and how the student should achieve such education is where the two conflict. republicans take an individual

“i think they should put more lights in Oak street. there are only a few there and they are all burned out.”

Destiny Aighobahi junior biology major

MCT

approach, emphasizing the student’s effort to immerse themselves academically. democrats focus on collective responsibility by focusing on the institutions role in supplying the education. student have a right to academic success. Hardwork and determination should be rewarded and encouraged. the government has no right to inconvenience the student; yet, we are inconvenienced through ridiculous tuition rates. the high cost of tuition keeps people from pursuing a postsecondary education. With less government influence, we are granted the ability to choose our own paths.

On all levels of education, instructors should only be those who are completely qualified. students should not be subjected

to poor-quality education at rising prices. if a teacher cannot satisfactorily carry out his or her obligations then he or she must simply be removed from their position.

We must expend no more energy to maintain a crumbling system. despite the rigid economic state of the nation, jobs exist.

Yet; the skills needed to claim such jobs have taken a shift. students need to wake up and face reality. they must take control of their futures and relinquish themselves from government dependency and robbery from the institutions. the first step: students should evaluate the pros and cons of both political parties in relation to their personal goals before heading to the voting booth in november.

“it’s not that much light by the strip behind the education building.”

Joe Pyles junior nursing major “i haven’t felt unsafe yet.”

Lynnette Jones sophomore criminal justice major “i feel like the area around Oak street parking where the bridge is and the area by sustella parking deck.”

Rant of Rants of the the Week Week

Cheryl Chadwick junior nursing major “i feel like that strip by Oak street parking deck next to the bridge by the Education building needs more lighting.”

“We need cheaper dining options; Mcdonalds and submarina! [in addition,] speed up the Forensic science minor.”

Eljah Reeves, senior, criminal justice major

Interested in showing off your artistic side?

The Spectator is looking for a new editorial cartoonist who can submit cartoons each week that illustrate our opinions.

Email Daniel Young at: jdyoung@valdosta.edu

“We need more parking spots at the University Center.”

Gregory Swars, senior, criminal justice major “i hate that we pay the same amount for Chick-fil-a and nathan’s as we do for palms and Hopper.”

Shalonda Martin, senior, mass media and communications major “i don’t like that there was a fence around the quad for two years and when they finally moved it they left a pile of dirt.”

Dallas Evans, Business Management Major, Senior

Sports Editor: Eric Jackson Photo Editor: Amanda Usher Multimedia Editor: Joe Adgie Web Designer: rebecka McAleer Copy Editor: shambree Wartel Cartoonist: Garrison Muelhausen Development Editor: Chad stone Faculty Advisers: dr. pat Miller, dr. ted Geltner, Keith

KeAndrea Rivers sophomore early childhood education major “i feel like everywhere on campus could use more lighting.”

Contacting Us

Spectator Staff Editor-in-Chief: Amber smith Managing Editor: Jennifer Gleason Business Manager: Brandon Mainer Advertising Manager: Aimee napier Circulation Manager: Morgan McFarland Opinions Editor: J. daniel Young Features Editor: Ariel Felton

Should there be more lighting on campus?

Ashley White senior criminal justice major

Raves of the week “i took three tests last week and i got them back this week and i made all A’s” Juliet Jones, junior, communication disorders major

People Poll:

Warburg Reporters/Photographers: LaBrit Bulluck, stephen Cavallaro, Veronica dominicis, Ashley Emanuel, Allison Ericson, Andrew Espenshied, tristan Flagg, William Garrett, Ariel Hairston, ryan Hendrix, Jessica ingram, Maya Kellam, Von Kennedy, david Lacy, Anthony pope, Kellen rhone, taylor stone, Autumn sullivan, ritsuki Miyazaki, Julie Yates.

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Online at www.vsuspectator.com Opinions expressed in the spectator other than editorials are the opinions of the writers of signed columns and not necessarily those of the spectator and its staff. All rights reserved. reprints by permission of the editors. Views in this newspaper are not necessarily those of the Valdosta state University administration, faculty and staff.

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Bynes ignores Lohan’s shady tweets H ello World—anthony here. as usual it’s time to wrap up everything that had us talking in celebrity news. in “ the pot calling the kettle black news,� twitter was abuzz on Sunday when former (insert big question mark) hard partying actress Lindsay Lohan threw some serious shade at troubled actress amanda Bynes. referring to Bynes recent run ins with the law, on Sunday, Lohan tweeted, “Why did i get put in jail and a nickelodeon star has had NO punishment(s) so far?�

She then continued by saying, “these are the moments that i appreciate my life experiences, living without regrets and Disney for supporting me as an actress-night all.�

Shake my head-- Someone please tell Lindsay to have a seat.

Let it be known that Lohan has been arrested multiple times

for charges ranging from D.U.i., to cocaine possession and driving with a suspended license.

Bynes has yet to issue a rebuttal.

Pop Addict Anthony Pope

in another episode of “the British monarchy can’t keep their clothes on,� the royal family was rocked by scandal when a french tabloid published photos of a topless Kate Middleton sunbathing with husband Prince William in france.

Both William and Kate have subsequently filed a lawsuit against the tabloid and any other publication that chooses to run the photos. this incident comes a mere

month after William’s brother, Prince Harry, was caught on camera drunkenly running around his Vegas hotel room in the nude. that sound you here is the sound of Princess Diana turning in her grave. the moment that everyone was waiting for finally arrived last thursday.

Britney Spears and Demi Lovato made their debut on the judges’ panel of X factor.

Both having somewhat troubled pasts, many were wondering if they would go all “Girl interrupted and have a total meltdown on national television. those worries were quickly put to rest when it was time for them to critique talent. the show went smoothly with both Lovato and Spears offering constructive criticism to the superstar hopefuls.

Now if only we could get Simon Cowell to wear looser

shirts. right on the heels of X factor, american idol revealed the judges panel for the upcoming twelfth season. Joining randy Jackson, the only remaining judge from previous seasons, will be Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban.

While the colorful, and somewhat random, mix of judges is sure to bring attention to the sinking ship that is american idol, time will only tell whether the show will produce a true talent with staying power in the music industry.

Maybe Mariah’s Lambs and Mina’s Barbz can draw in some good talent and restore the show’s credibility. as always tune into Pop addict next week to catch up on the latest celebrity news and gossip.

Until next time my fellow pop culture enthusiasts!

Slang Dictionary to throw shade (v.): to act in a jealous manner Lambs (n.): die-hard fans of Mariah Carey Barbz (n.): die-hard fans of Nicki Minaj

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Mixed media exhibit inspires students VSUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fine Arts Gallery hosts a mixed media exhibit with art by Linda Mitchell.

Erin Ellis S ta f f W r i t e r eellis@valdosta.edu

the fine arts Gallery at VSU is going wild. â&#x20AC;&#x153;truth in animals,â&#x20AC;? a mixedmedia art exhibit by Linda Mitchell, opened this week to positive reception. the exhibition will run until Oct. 5 in the fine arts Gallery. artists are voted on by a committee of faculty members from the art department. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[the] faculty felt that students and [the] community could learn a lot from Linda Mitchellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work,â&#x20AC;? Julie Bowland, director of the fine arts gallery, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a super interesting show.â&#x20AC;?

Before the exhibition, an artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gallery talk was held on Monday that allowed students and faculty to talk to Mitchell

about the process she goes through for her artwork. â&#x20AC;&#x153;the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk was very informative,â&#x20AC;? tommy Crane, assistant professor of interior design, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She talked about her process, and it was very helpful. itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great show. Well worth seeing.â&#x20AC;?

Mitchell uses mixed media in the forms of repurposed fabric and wood, digital photography, and acrylic paint. â&#x20AC;&#x153;[Her art] is very whimsical,â&#x20AC;?

Jannae Bryant, a senior art major, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;i really enjoyed the colors that she used and each piece has a unique process. the mixed media that she uses makes you not only wonder about the story of the picture but the whole building process to get the finished work.â&#x20AC;?

Some students found Mitchellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work very inspiring. â&#x20AC;&#x153;it was really neat,â&#x20AC;? erron

Smith, a freshman art major, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;i liked hearing the artist talk and her process. i might try to experiment with mixed media; sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definitely interested me in that.â&#x20AC;?

Mitchell uses animals in her artwork to convey emotions and tell the stories of her lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experiences. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One thing i like about animal figures is they are really pretty honest,â&#x20AC;? Mitchell said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;animals donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pretend emotion. if you use an animal youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going with authenticity.â&#x20AC;?

Mitchell creates each painting with different elements she finds beautiful and connects them to make the artwork seamless; giving the artwork its own voice. the â&#x20AC;&#x153;truth in animalsâ&#x20AC;? exhibit holds experiences and emotions that we can find a relation to. this exhibit is one to experi-

Ten ways to treat your parents this weekend Allison Ericson S ta f f W r i t e r abericson@valdosta.edu

Get ready students! friday marks the first day of the 2012 Parents Weekend, so be prepared to make this weekend one that your parents will enjoy. to avoid watching tV this weekend, show your parents the perks of Valdosta with this list of 10 things to do: 1. Give your stomach a break from campus dining and take your parents to downtown Valdosta for some delicious eats. for a great view of downtown and enjoyable food items, Steel Magnolias rooftop restaurant and bar is the place to go. Guests receive the chance to view historic North Patterson Street and its activities while enjoying a delectable meal.

2. if looking for live entertainment, Bleu Pub is a venue for great music and local talent from blue grass bands to stand-up comedians.

While youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re there, you have to try one of their specialty burgers. after eating at one of these downtown destinations, relax at one more with a cup of tea or coffee at Hildegards.

3. for some outdoor fun, challenge your parents to a game of frisbee golf in freedom Park. the park has a well-designed frisbee golf course with easy to hard levels. You can also take

advantage of VSUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s front lawn and throw your own frisbee or football.

Not only is the front lawn a great place to relieve some energy, the VSU tennis courts are, as well. remind your parents to bring their old tennis rackets and enjoy one of VSUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tennis courts.

4. Now that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fall, Grand Bay Wildlife Management area is the place to go. Grand Bay has a .5 mile walkway over the swamp bay area. the end of the walkway has a large lookout tower, which makes for great photos and a view.

5. Show your Blazer pride Saturday when the VSU Blazers play the West alabama tigers.

Before the game, take part in the Blazer Walk at 5:30. this event allows students and parents to walk the length of Williams Street while cheering on the players.

6. Students and parents can buy tickets to Wild adventures amusement Park for only $29.99. this amusement park has more than10 rollercoasters to loosen up your parents after their long car ride. the Gospel feast event will entice you, as well. this event will host an all you can eat buffet and inspirational music for $10. On the menu is fried chicken, smoked ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, collard greens and corn.

Gallery hours: Mon.-Thur.: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Friday: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

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The Fine Arts Gallery is on the first floor of the Fine Arts Building.

ence with your eyes, mind, and heart. â&#x20AC;&#x153;i want students to enjoy making art the way they want to,â&#x20AC;?

Mitchell said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do what makes you happy and not limit yourself.â&#x20AC;?

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to go online to check out even more features!

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7. Movies can be pricey these days, but convince your parents to take you to Valdosta Stadium 16, Valdostaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local movie theatre. take them to a free movie night in the Student Union. the avengers will be playing at 9 p.m.

8. if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to sit still through a movie, you can always enjoy a bowling game at Jacs Bowling alley. tell your roommate or friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family to join and have a head-to-head bowling match. the winners can buy ice cream.

9. another on-campus event is free Game room Night, which allows you to test your parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pool, air hockey and Ping-Pong abilities. this will be friday 610 p.m.

10. You have wandered the halls of VSU for a few weeks now, but learn more about the familiar territory by visiting the 4th floor of Odum Library. the 4th floor is home to the VSU archives where you can appreciate the history behind your residence halls and classrooms. if history is something that interests you, look beyond VSU and visit Lowndes County Historical Society and Museum to explore the history of Valdosta. to see more events, visit the VSU website at https://www.valdosta.edu/stulife/events.shtml.

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Art After Darkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; displays variety of local artists Veronica Dominicis S ta f f W r i t e r vmdominicis@valdosta.edu

Downtown Valdosta is hosting its monthly "art after Dark" event friday in hopes to bring awareness to local artists. the event is held every third friday of the month from 6-9 p.m. everyone is welcome to experience the transformation of downtown Valdosta into a col-

lection of amazing indoor and outdoor galleries.

Local artists will be selling their work as well as doing demonstrations. Poetry, Ceramics, Oil based painting, photography and drawing are all mediums that will be presented friday evening. "art after Dark is similar to downtownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monthly first friday event with one key differenceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it puts greater emphasis on the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visual arts and artists,â&#x20AC;? ellen Hill, program co-

ordinator for downtown Valdosta, said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;art after Dark focuses on our regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wealth of talent in the visual arts in addition to showcasing our great downtown businesses."

Many shops as well as restaurants will be open during the event and those who attend are encouraged to experience the rest of downtown.

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Gay rights activist visits South Ga. Pride “ I said to myself,

Ariel Felton F E AT U R E S E D I T O R

‘Why am I here?

Why did I do this?’

Then I thought, ‘Please don’t let my mom find out I went to jail.’”

arfelton@valdosta.edu

“I am somebody.”

This was the chant of Evelyn Thomas and 12 other veterans as they stood handcuffed to the gates of the White House on Nov. 15, 2010, protesting the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

As Thomas was arrested and carried away by police, she kept chanting, “I am somebody.”

- Cpl. EvElyn Thomas

the time,” Thomas’ said. “As the first in my family to go to college, I was immediately concerned about losing my teaching career. I decided to go, but not handcuff myself to the fence.”

honorably Discharged Cpl. Evelyn Thomas joined the Army National Guard on May 17, 1986, at the age of 17.

She was transferred from the National Guard to the U.S. Marine Corps in Camp Pendleton, Calif., but was honorably discharged in 1991 after a fellow Marine turned in a letter from Thomas’ mother.

In the letter, Thomas’ mother asked her about a woman she was dating.

“When they asked me if I’m a homosexual--I literally began to shake in my boots because I thought, ‘How did they find out?’” Thomas said in an interview with Color Lines Action News. “As I’m standing there shaking, my commanding officer and my supervisor began to laugh, because they thought it was funny.”

Creating a sanctuary Before Thomas got involved in the protest of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, she founded The Sanctuary Project, a nondenominational ministry.

“We’re a ministry of works,” Thomas said. “Not just words.”

The Sanctuary Project was established after the death of African-American Seaman August Provost, who was murdered in June 2009 while on active duty.

Provost was bound and gagged, then shot and burned to death. It was widely rumored that his death was a consequence of being openly gay.

“My first thought after telling

making a Choice

Erin Ellis / The Spectator Above: Evelyn Thomas attended the South GA Pride festival last Saturday in honor of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.Thomas was one of the orginial protestors of the policy.

my wife was, ‘They are going to kill us all, until there are none of us left,’” Thomas said. “Then I decided to create a safe place-- a sanctuary.”

The Sanctuary Project soon grew to provide not only a safe place for those serving under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, but also everything from emotional support, to rides to hospitals.

The Sanctuary Project also took up the task of informing family members of the death of a service member if the military should fail to recognize a person’s partner as a family member.

“Seaman August Provost was gay and was in a relationship,” Thomas said. “His department of

the Navy didn’t notify his partner of his death, and the way he found out was a reporter calling his house and asking, ‘How do you feel about your boyfriend’s death?’”

heading to Washington After Thomas’ Sanctuary Project grew and gained recognition, she was contacted by Get Equal, an organization dedicated to full legal and social equality for LGBTQ community, about the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell protest at the White House.

Initially Thomas had her doubts about participating in the protest.

“I was a high school teacher at

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But once the group arrived in Washington, Thomas experienced a change of heart.

“In the media surrounding Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, you saw a lot of Caucasian males, but the largest population impacted by the policy were women of color,” Thomas said.

“I saw them practicing how to conceal the handcuffs, and how to walk up to the fence, pretending like they were tourists, just taking a picture, and I knew I had to get the face of the women affected out into the media. I did it at the last minute, without any sort of discussion with my wife.”

The group included Lt. Daniel Choi, Petty Officer Autumn Sandeen and Former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Miriam BenShalom, the first LGBT service member reinstated to her position in the U.S. Military by a U.S. Federal District Court.

“While I was standing there, I was really nervous,” Thomas said. “There were cameras directly in our faces.”

paying the price After several members of the group gave speeches and chanted, the police began cutting the handcuffs and arresting the protestors.

Thomas continued chanting while being carried to a police van.

While sitting in her cell that night, Thomas began to doubt her decision to participate in the protest.

“While I was sitting there, I saw a cockroach crawling on the wall towards me,” Thomas said. “I said to myself, ‘Why am I here? Why did I do this?’

Then I thought, ‘Please don’t let my mom find out I went to jail.’”

Before deciding that her actions were not worth their consequences, Thomas remembered the words of two of her greatest inspirations, Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “They said ‘You have to do this. You’re not doing this for yourself. You’re doing it for the men and women who have to serve in silence,’” Thomas said.

“After that, I was at peace.

Women were screaming in cells on both sides of me, but I was at peace.”

proving Worthwhile Today, Thomas is a free woman with plenty to smile about.

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was repealed Sept. 20, 2011 and Thomas was able to meet President Obama and witness the repeal of the policy.

“If you watch the video of Obama signing the repeal, you can hear in the background, ‘President Obama, you rock!’”

Thomas said. “That was me! Afterwards, he came right down to us. I thanked him for signing the repeal and I gave him a big bear hug!”

Thomas has been legally married to her wife Linda Sanders for four years and both are still active members of The Sanctuary Project.

Both Thomas and Sanders were present at this year’s South Georgia Pride festival, held Saturday at John W. Saunders Memorial Park. The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell prompted the festival’s theme, Serving with Pride.

Thomas sat at a booth representing The Sanctuary Project and also gave the festival’s open-

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South GA Pride Music. Food. Drag.

South Georgia Pride, which began in 2008 as a venture of VSU’s Gay-Straight Alliance, held its annual festival from noon to 7 p.m., hosting vendors such as House of Joy, Smokin’ Aces, SAMS Club and Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), a national non-profit organization.

This year’s festival was given the theme “Serving with Pride” in honor of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

While people browsed booths and participated in events, entertainers such as Julie Schurr, a folk-rock musician from Missouri, local drag king, Tricky Ricky and drag queen Spikey Van Dykey, from Orlando, took turns performing.

Speakers inculded Evelyn Thomas and Elke Kennedy, founder of the Sean’s Last Wish foundation.

Local drag queens, the Ladies of Glo, ended the festival.

Be sure to check out all of the photos from the festival at vsuspectator.com! ing speech, starting with the same lines she chanted at the White House protest, “I am somebody.”

Thomas was excited about the festival ever since meeting Raynae’ Williams, South Georgia Pride’s assistant executive director, and being offered to speak at the opening ceremony.

“I can’t explain it,” Thomas said. “All the challenges that every activist, and every ally went through was worth it.”

Looking back on all her experiences since joining the military, Thomas regrets nothing.

“Helping others is all I want to do in life,” Thomas said. That’s why I became a teacher—an open LGBT educator. I wanted to be a role model and demonstrate to them that despite the hate in the world, there are people that care and love us. We can survive this.”

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Blazer football host Tigers Saturday Ryan Hendrix s p o rt s

Writer

rthendrix@valdosta.edu

rivalry week is here. the #16 Valdosta state football team is fired up to take on #23 ranked West Alabama under the lights saturday night at 7 p.m. in Bazemore-Hyder stadium. â&#x20AC;&#x153;this is the best team in the Gulf south Conference and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to have to play them that way,â&#x20AC;? Coach David Dean, Blazer head coach, said. saturday will be the Blazersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; chance to prove they deserve the preseason vote of confidence to win the conference. emotions will play a large part in this game as Coach Dean has been having full contact practices with a lot of intensity to stop West Alabama running back Matt Willis. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just on a different level

than these guys,â&#x20AC;? Dean said. the tigers have certainly proved their skill as they rushed for 353 yards last game and had both of their dual threat quarterbacks, Gary Johnston and Kyle Caldwell, run for two tDs. With their run first, pass second mentality the tigers rely heavily on their power backs to move the ball. â&#x20AC;&#x153;if we can stop the run and force them to throw then we can definitely have the advantage,â&#x20AC;? ryan smith, Blazers senior linebackers, said. the Blazers do not want to repeat the same performance where they lost the last three games of the season. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of mistakes were made last year and that was our fault because we werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t prepared,â&#x20AC;? smith said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;this year i feel like the coaches came up with a good game plan and i feel we cannot have the same incident we did last year.â&#x20AC;?

Dean has emphasized good hard tackling. the Blazer offense is just as loaded however, rushing for 683 yards this season, and averaging 227 rushing yards per game.

Quarterback Cayden Cochran, has not thrown a single interception this whole season. the junior looks like he has fully recovered from his seperated shoulder recording 173 passing yards and two touchdowns in last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s win over AsU. Cochran has been focusing on being more calm and patient with the ball in his hands and watching last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 22-21 win over UWA is speeds up the preparation process. â&#x20AC;&#x153;iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been watching film of that game all week trying to improve on some of those mistakes,â&#x20AC;? Cochran said.

Get ready for a three yard in a cloud of dust game, as this one will be a knockout brawl to the end.

AFCA Divison II Top 25 Ranking 1.Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 2.Minnesota-Duluth 3.Colorado St.-Pueblo 4.Grand Valley St. (Mich.)

5.Winston-Salem St. (NC) 6.California (Pa.) 7.Missouri Western St. 8.New Haven (Conn.)

9.Washburn (Kan.) 10.Humboldt St. (Calif.)

11.Bloomsburg (Pa.) 12.Northwest Missouri St. 13.Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 14. Indiana (Pa.) 15. Midwestern St. (Texas) 16.Valdosta St. (Ga.) 17.Ashland (Ohio) 18.Colorado School of Mines 19.Abilene Christian (Texas) 20.Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)

21.Wayne St. (Mich.)

22.Minnesota St.-Mankato 23.West Alabama 24.Henderson St. (Ark.) 25.West Texas A&M

September 20, 2012

Follow us on

@Blazersports

Twitter for scores and updates

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September 20, 2012

Men’s Lacrosse team building towards future Eric Jackson s p o rt s

editor

epjackson@valdosta.edu

the men’s lacrosse team is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing clubs at VsU. With the combination of more opponents joining the schedule and an abundance of the new enthusiastic players, the club team has plenty to look forward to in upcoming years. “i think that’s always awesome,” team advisor, dr. Nelson, said. “sometimes you get students down here that probably played lacrosse or maybe people that just want to try it. i think that’s the one thing about college trying different activities and sports. the good about the club system is you can go out and try.” this spring, the Blazers are expecting to be competing against schools like Georgia southern, Georgia state & College, Georgia state, Florida Atlantic, and reinhart College.

After having inconsistent members in the previous years of the club’s existence, the lacrosse team is at an all-time high with 23 players on the roster. the team size increased thanks to the fairly large group of eight new players that recently joined the club.

“obviously with the exception of the first year, that’s our biggest incoming class yet,” club vice president,scott Fritzsche, said.

Fritzsche,who understands the tough task of organizing club guidelines, makes an effort to keep everyone committed. “everybody (other lacrosse teams) just use the fall to get their schedules ready, once spring comes around everybody for the most part drops work and actually devotes to playing,” Fritzsche said.

“I met the team, saw them play in a tournament, saw the school and I was sold. ” - Zack Boone

the group of newcomers will give the club a competitive edge --especially the several players who arrived to VsU with prior experience like transfer Zack Boone.

Boone, who comes to Valdosta after playing collegially in pittsburgh, never thought he would ever find his newly loved “lax bros.”

“He (Mike) told me about it and talked me into coming down to visit,” Boone said. “i met the team, saw them play in a tournament, saw the school and i was sold. i came from up north where it’s really big, to come down here to find a school where people so similar, have a love for the game-- i was excited because i didn’t think that iwould be down here.”

Both the men’s and women’s club lacrosse teams bring opportunities to get involved with a sport that isn’t popular in south Georgia. the men’s team will play the majority of its games next semester, but are expected to play at least one game this fall.

Club president Mike McGuire is trying to get the club in the same discussion as other established lacrosse teams around, and he agrees that getting rid of their “backstreet, sandlot style” equipment will be the huge step.

“When the new helmets come next week, i think that’s when people are going to be like i want a matching set of gloves,” he said. “Me personally i haven’t had new gloves since ninth grade so i need new gloves. We usually play teams that are official like that. i think that will just unite our team and bring us together a little more.”

Daniel Young/ The Spectator Matthew Pigg catches a pass during practice at the North Campus field Thursday night. The lacrosse team is scheduled to attend at least 2 of the 3 practices a week.

VSU soccer prepared to host top ranked UNA Ace Espenshied s p o rt s

Writer

acespenshied@valdosta.edu

A 5-0 undefeated Lady Blazer squad faces off against Gulf south Conference defending champion North Alabama Friday at 5 p.m. this will be one of the Lady Blazers toughest games of the season as North Alabama was voted to repeat as Conference Champions and is ranked 22nd in the country. the Lions will enter Friday’s game coming off a loss to West Florida. At 4-1 on the season the loss only caused them to drop one spot in the national rankings.

they have out-scored their opponents 16-5 led by two-time GsC player of the week Chloe roberts. in their inaugural season last year, the Blazers defeated North Alabama 1-0 in regular season play but would lose to the Lions in the Conference semi-Finals 53. the last three games the Blazers have needed late goals to finish off their opponents including two overtime wins. Falling behind on Friday would pose a huge threat to the teams shot at 6-0.

With a young team before a pivotal game, Coach Melissa Heinz treats it just like any other

week.

“We try to stick to the same game plan,” Heinz said. “if you try to change up things for different teams it will cause more stress on our own players.”

A major key to the Blazer’s game plan will be capitalizing on their scoring opportunities. they have put more shots on goal then four of their five opponents this season, but all five of their games have been one-goal games. Making the most of one or two possessions could be the difference.

As it is the only match-up between these two teams in the regular season, it could be a preview of a showdown in the con-

ference tournament this November. North Alabama and VsU look to be two of the top teams in the GsC. Win or lose, the Lady Blazers should learn a lot about their team afterwards. “i think like every game, we will learn what we need to keep working at and what we need to encourage our players to do more of,” Heinz said. “stay on the positives and work on the weaknesses.”

VsU encourages all fans to wear red as apart of the “red out” for Friday night’s game.

Gulf South Conference Standings 1.West Florida (2-0)(6-0) 2.Valdosta State (2-0)(5-0) 3.West Georgia(2-0) (2-3-1) 4.North Alabama(1-1)(4-1) 5.Christian Bros. (1-2)(3-3) 6.Delta State (1-2)(2-3) 7.Union* (0-1-1)(2-2-1) 8.West Alabama(0-1-1)(2-3) 9.Alabama-Huntsville (4-3) 10.Shorter* (0-2) (1-5) *results count against league standing but arent eligible for post season play

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Gulf South Conference Statistic Leaders Goals 1. Chloe Roberts (UNA) - 8 Nicki Gears (UWA) - 8 3. Lydia Sutcliffe (UWA)- 6

Shutouts 1.Olivia Mills (VSU) - 3 2.Schyler Arnold (UWA)- 2.1 3.Iris Gunnarsdottir(UAH)-2