The Appalachian 05.01.14 Appalachian State University’s student news source since 1934
Vol. 88, No.149
A YEAR IN NEWS 2013-14 Cottages lawsuit - Sept. 20
During the summer, 23 inches of rain caused construction delays for The Cottages of Boone. The move-in date for tenants was moved from Aug. 15 to Aug. 18, 2013, citing safety reasons caused by the delays. During that time, the 360 affected residents were given two options: they could either not pay rent and find a place to live while the units were completed, or they could pay rent and live in a hotel provided by The Cottages and receive a $15 per diem credit for food. In the original lease agreement, tenants would be able to opt out of their lease if no housing was provided within 30 days. The Cottages sent an addendum July 25, which removed that paragraph from the original lease. Three students filed a class action lawsuit Sept. 20 against Capstone Properties and Capstone Collegiate Communities Boone, the companies that own The Cottages of Boone. The charges in the suit claimed unlawful collection fees, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and failure to provide fit and habitable rental units, obtain certificates of occupancy and deliver the agreed housing in the manner and timing agreed to in the lease.
Raley renamed Peacock Sept. 27
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The Appalachian State University Board of Trustees voted Sept. 27 to rename Thelma C. Raley Hall to Kenneth E. Peacock Hall, after the university’s current chancellor. The building will be renamed in June 2014 after the Campaign for Appalachian is completed. Peacock said while the name change is an honor, it’s not what he wants his legacy to be. “I hope this won’t be my legacy,” he said. “I want my legacy to be more than a name on a side of a building. I want to be remembered as touching the lives of young people on campus.”
Logo change Dec. 1
Gun law changes - Oct. 1
North Carolina General Assembly House Bill 937, called An Act to sz State Firearm Laws, allowed those with a concealed carry permit to keep a gun inside a closed, locked motor vehicle on state property, which includes all the campuses of the UNC system. The change took effect Oct. 1, 2013.
Former student elected mayor - Nov. 5
Changes to the logo for Appalachian State University Athletics went into effect Dec. 1, 2013. The changes revolve mostly around introducing the “Vintage Yosef ” logo as the university’s official secondary logo, according to a press release from the Athletics Department. The university’s primary logo will remain as the Block A. Appalachian announced changes to its athletic logos Nov. 27 in a press release via appstatesports.com. The “Vintage Yosef ” logo, which was reintroduced in 2012 as a throwback logo, has received strong support from Appalachian students, alumni and fans and offers an important historical meaning. It was renamed “Victory Yosef ” and is featured on Appalachian merchandise in regional outlets, as well as the University Bookstore.
Former town councilman and former Appalachian State University student Andy Ball was elected mayor of Boone on Nov. 5, 2013 with almost 60 percent of the votes. Immediately following his election, Ball named improved communications between the town and university among his top priorities, according to an article in The Appalachian. Ball was sworn in Dec. 18 alongside town council members Quint David, Jennifer Peña and Rennie Brantz, who all ran on progressive platforms. Ball said he would be working with the town council to ensure that a spot is available on each of the 14 town committees for a student to serve a one-year term and attempting to give students opportunities for internships.
2014-15 student fees increase Dec. 13
Appalachian State University Board of Trustees increased fees for the coming 2014-15 school year at their quarterly meeting Dec. 13, 2013. The Board ruled that student fees will increase $531, or 4.1 percent per semester for in-state, on-campus students, taking effect fall 2014. The increase includes changes in room and board costs, additional AppalCART routes and hours, increases in technology and education, additional seating for students at football games and further athletic team travel, said Dylan Russell, Appalachian’s Student Government Association president and a member of the Board of Trustees.
One of the worst colleges for free speech Dec. 27
Appalachian State University was listed on the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s list of “The 10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2013” for the handling of a professor’s appeal to the university Board of Trustees. Appalachian received international attention after tenured sociology professor Jammie Price was placed on administrative leave March 16, 2012, following complaints from students claiming Price had caused a hostile environment in the classroom. The students said Price strayed from her syllabus, criticized the university and administration and showed a documentary about the effects of pornography, “The Price of Pleasure,” without warning, according to a May 3, 2012 article in The Appalachian. Price was eventually reinstated under two years worth of conditions that included professional development with College of Arts and Sciences Dean Neva Specht, random peer reviews and a teaching adviser, according to a May 1, 2012 article in The Appalachian. Price appealed all conditions, with no change from the university. Peter Bonilla, director of FIRE’s Individual Rights and Defense Program, said the incident at Appalachian made it onto the list of the worst cases for free speech because of the “thoroughness and the severity of the threats to academic freedom and free speech” from Appalachian’s administration during the case.
Program consolidation and elimination March 4
Appalachian State University Chancellor Kenneth Peacock and Provost Lori Gonzalez informed university faculty and staff March 4 of their final decision concerning the program prioritization plan. Peacock and Gonzalez announced in an email the elimination of five academic programs: the Master of Arts in Music Education, Master of Arts in Gerontology, Master of Arts in History and Education, Master of Arts in Child Development: Birth through Kindergarten and Master of Sciences in Criminal Justice and Criminology. Both the Master of Arts in Music Education and Master of Arts in Gerontology were recommended for elimination in the Prioritization Final Report published Dec. 16, 2013. The Academic Policies and Procedures Committee further supported those recommendations at its Feb.19 meeting.
Noren Everts named Appalachian’s first female chancellor - March 19
Sheri Noren Everts was selected as the next chancellor of Appalachian State University by the UNC Board of Governors and system President Tom Ross on March 19 in Chapel Hill. The chancellor search began April 2013, shortly following Chancellor Kenneth Peacock’s announcement of his resignation. Although Ross initially said the search would be open, according to an article in The Appalachian, the chancellor search committee decided Oct. 15 to conduct a closed, confidential search. Noren Everts worked as vice president for academic affairs and provost at Illinois State University prior to accepting the position at Appalachian. She will become the first female chancellor in Appalachian’s history. Noren Everts will assume the duties of chancellor effective July 1, succeeding Kenneth Peacock, who announced his resignation in April 2013.
Campus denied early voting site - March 5
The Watauga County Board of Elections voted March 5 that Appalachian State University will not have an on-campus one-stop voting site for the upcoming May 2014 primary election. In a 2-1 vote, the Board of Elections voted to have one-stop sites at the Watauga County Administration Building, the Western Watauga Community Center in Sugar Grove, the Blowing Rock Town Hall, the Deep Gap Fire Department and the Meat Camp Fire Department. BOE Chairman Luke Eggers and Secretary Bill Aceto, who proposed the plan, were the two members of the board that voted for the sites mentioned. BOE Member Kathleen Campbell voted against, proposing a site in Boone Town Hall/Police Department rather than Deep Gap’s Fire Department and an additional site in Plemmons Student Union. Campbell urged students to find ways to vote regardless of the situation at hand.
Fox named new basketball coach - April 8 Jim Fox, former Davidson associate head basketball coach, was named the 16th head coach of Appalachian State University’s men’s basketball program. In 13 seasons with the Wildcats, Fox helped the team win six Southern Conference championships while the team went 288-130 overall. During his time at Davidson, Fox coached 27 all-conference players, six conference players of the year, three league freshmen of the year and four All-Americans. Davidson made NCAA Tournament appearances in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013 and made an Elite Eight run in the 2008 tournament. Fox coached two-time All-American and current NBA player Stephen Curry from 2006-09. He also coached De’Mon Brooks, who was an honorable mention All-American in 2012 and 2014.
Rich/Tassitino win SGA election - March 26 Carson Rich and Daniel Tassitino were elected to serve as president and vice president of the Student Government Association for the 201415 school year after receiving just more than 50 percent of the total vote. Rich, a sophomore advertising major, and Tassitino, a sophomore international business major, received 1,156 of 2,286 votes. The duo finished ahead of Adam Ezell and Patrick Sullivan, who received 32 percent of the vote, and Matthew Norman and Nicholas Smith, who received 17 percent of the vote. Rich and Tassitino’s platform includes diversity training for faculty and staff, ensuring Appalachian students continue to receive pell grants, incorporating more extensive SGA cabinet training and bringing a Center for Social Justice to campus.
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Colin Moore
Sam Lineberger
A&E Editor
A&E Reporter
Cloud Nothings, “Here and Nowhere Else” The space between the opening guitar strums on “Here and Nowhere Else” and its final, cathartic chorus is only half-an-hour. The album’s breakneck pace is a straightforward adrenaline rush on first pass, but Cloud Nothings’ fourth record is an immensely rewarding collection of songs. The album’s opening duo of pop songs suddenly ratchets up into a core of intense, raging rock which peaks with the visceral “No Thoughts.” All that acts as just the prelude for the corrosive guitar jam “Pattern Walks” and closing single “I’m Not Part of Me,” one of the best pop-punk tunes this side of golden-era Green Day. Combined with Dylan Baldi’s maturing lyrical content and gripping vocal delivery, John Congleton’s live-sounding production, and some seriously incredible drumming, “Here and Nowhere Else” is a garage-rock record you won’t want to miss.
Mac Demarco, “Salad Days” With his second full-length album and third overall release “Salad Days,” Canadian singer-songwriter and prankster Mac DeMarco has become the foremost figure in slacker-rock. Here he’s whipped up a collection of tunes that lie somewhere in between Kurt Vile and The Beatles circa “Sgt. Pepper.” But don’t get too caught up in the 23-yearold Canadian’s freeloading sheen. Cuts like “Chamber of Reflection” and “Brother” are plotted intuitively and develop over multiple listens.
Anne Carson, “Red Doc>” The Canadian poet, essayist and classicist Anne Carson’s newest work serves more or less as a sequel to her captivating 1998 effort, “Autobiography of Red: A Novel In Verse.” “Autobiography of Red” was loosely based on the Greek lyric poet Stesichoros’ account of Herakles’ tenth labor, which required the famous hero to steal the monster Geyron’s cattle. “Autobiography of Red” re-appropriates Geryon, or at least a modern version of the monster, as its protagonist. In “Red Doc>,” Geyron is referred to as only “G,” and the book follows his adventures into adult life. Carson’s uncanny word crafting materializes as poetry, fragmentary and striking as what the ancient Greek writer left us.
“Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey”
Casey Suglia Intern A&E Reporter
A YEA
T R IN HE
S ART
Fox’s “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” is somewhat inexplicable. Remaking Carl Sagan’s stone-cold classic 1980 series “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage” with modern computer graphics seems akin to scrawling poorly-done CGI over the original “Star Wars” films. Thankfully, the update is always tasteful and absorbing, while host and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson does a commendable job following in Sagan’s footsteps. The series revisits “Cosmos” tropes like the Cosmic Calendar and the Ship of the Imagination while incorporating up-to-date research to strengthen the show’s scientific backbone. Sequences such as Episode 2’s recap of the evolution of the eye are up to the original show’s standard of outstanding educational television.
Lovey Cooper Senior A&E Reporter
Future Islands, “Singles” North Carolina natives Future Islands rocketed to relative stardom with their raucous performance on “Late Show With David Letterman” in March. Their spirited rendition of “Seasons (Waiting On You)” actually became the show’s most viewed musical segment online, and is the lead single off of the aptly-named “Singles,” which was released around the same time. The album is the band’s fourth, and arguably their best yet. Lovey-dovey lyrics punctuated with heavy metal screams are underlined with perfectly bouncy synth-pop, in a more mature and musical way than past albums. “Singles” provides listeners with a satisfying melodrama without feeling too over-the-top. Almost two months later on constant repeat, these songs have not worn out yet.
Someday Rumble, “Dark Old War” This March, Boone-based grunge blues duo Someday Rumble released their EP “Dark Old War” for free on Bandcamp. The five songs, recorded on local label Wet Bandit Audio, are a great representation of their emotionally moving live show, currently on tour across the state. The band is overwhelmingly loud and powerful for their size, and that shows through in this lo-fi record with dark post-hardcore vocals, hammering drums and the occasional driving blues riff. Though Someday Rumble has only been around for about a year, this recording shows their potential for growth and is an auspicious release for local music.
Chance the Rapper, “Acid Rap” “Acid Rap” was the soundtrack to my summer and I thought it wouldn’t carry over into the following months. To my amazement, it did. “Acid Rap” followed me from my dorm room to parties where Chance the Rapper formed a bond between me and strangers. It was my feel good music when walking to class. It was my chill out music on the weekends. The music, the lyrics and the ad-libs all contribute to a solid, well-rounded album that will serve as a soundtrack for summers to come.
“Frances Ha” “Frances Ha,” directed by Noah Baumbach, has been perhaps one of the most underrated films of the last year. Shot in black and white and with strong parallels to classic Woody Allen films, “Frances Ha” is more than just some pretentious film about a 20-something in Brooklyn. The film follows Frances, in a phenomenal performance by Greta Gerwig, to her different addresses spent in her twenties. It’s a saga about keeping post-graduate friendships, finding a post-graduate job and dealing with post-graduate relationships. But, the film isn’t too self-indulgent and doesn’t try to make itself something it’s not. It’s about the journey of one character and how in a post-graduate mess of a life, things just might turn out all right.
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Lessons learned outside of the classroom
Seniors, we’re graduating - can you even believe it? After my four years in Boone I can confidently say this place has shaped all of us into great people. I’m proud to say I’ll soon be an Appalachian State University alumna. This school means so much to me and everyone here. The Blue Ridge Mountains have an effect on us and there’s togetherness here, more than any place I’ve ever encountered. From cheering together at our first Mountaineer football game to hammocking on Sanford Mall, we’re all connected by something bigger than the name Appalachian State University. This place has such a sense of home, and although a lot of us are moving away after graduation, we’re Boonies for life. We’ve learned so much in our four years here, inside and
outside of the classroom. I’m so grateful for my education and the people who have taught me so much. I want to thank my journalism professors for pushing me to write pieces that I’m proud of. I want to especially thank my Media
Studies professor, Jeff Goodman for inspiring me creatively and for teaching me some of the most important lessons I’ve learned thus far. Your classes have taught me to look at life in a wholesome way, and you’ve helped me be a more positive, loving person.
Find something you’re passionate about and pursue it. Whether it’s your major or a hobby, finding your niche is so important. Videography and photography have taught me to be curious and creative in everything I do. At Appalachian, I’ve learned the ins and outs of journalism and how to produce videos, skills that I love and am proud of. But the most important thing that I’ve learned is that my relationships with the people around me are the most important things in life. Take an interest in other humans and make an effort to learn about them. This school has introduced me to my beautiful family of friends. To all of you, I can’t wait to grow old together and keep our community strong, no matter where we end up. So if you’re new to Boone, find friends who you can be yourself
around. Surround yourself with people who love and respect you and your passions. This town is special, take advantage of it. You can feel it walking down King Street during Art Crawl, hiking on the parkway, swimming at Hebron, going to Legends or simply walking through campus on a beautiful Boone day through a sea of friendly faces. App State is a place to find yourself, to find a passion, to find a family and a community. Am I excited to graduate? Definitely. Am I going to miss this place? Absolutely. As I said before, once a Boonie, always a Boonie. This place is my home and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ana Norwood, a senior journalism major from Chapel Hill, is a videographer.
Cox, a senior studio art major from Pfafftown, is an editorial cartoonist.
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In college and life, taking risks is worth it Just eight weeks after beginning my college journey, I made the decision to transfer from a small, liberal arts college to study journalism at a much larger university. I chose Appalachian State University, and I committed. I didn’t know very many people, and I wasn’t even sure I wanted to be a journalist. I’ve not always felt incredibly attached to Appalachian, and I’ve wondered how things might be different if I had taken a different path – but I don’t think I’d change it. As I prepare to look at Boone from my rear-view mirror, I’m glad I made those choices. I wandered into Plemmons 217 in March 2011 looking for work as a photographer. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of working at The Appalachian in many different capacities. I’m proud of the work my colleagues and I have done. I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built. I’m even proud of some of the jokes I’ve made. It took me almost two years to discover my honest passion for journalism, and there are a few lessons I’ve learned along the way. It’s OK to be lost. It’s OK to feel challenged and doubtful and nervous. You don’t need all the answers to life to find real success. It is often life’s mysteries that make it most exciting. Focus on learning more about yourself. Second, everyone has a story to tell, and those stories are worth hearing. Listen attentively. I promise you can live without your phone for a few minutes.
Contrary to society’s deep-seated belief, things still happen even if they’re not documented with social media. Don’t be afraid to chase your dreams. It might mean taking a risk or putting yourself outside your comfort zone, but don’t be scared to do what’s right for you. Journalism reminds me to look at the world in new, innovative ways. Whether or not you’re a reporter, we should all seek to see things through new sets of eyes. To my parents, friends, family and loved ones: Thank you. Thank you for your love and endless encouragement. To the Appalachian student body: Keep making this community a better place. Hold your student media accountable. It exists to inform and serve you. To the staff of The Appalachian: Remember that everyone’s voice deserves to be heard. Pursue the unusual, do good work and recognize that what you’re doing matters, even when people say otherwise. I owe many thanks to my journalism professors Calvin Hall, Carolyn Edy and Lynette Holman for inspiring and training me. Don’t be afraid to put on your boots and explore. You never know what’s out there until you see it for yourself.
Alexander McCall, a senior journalism major from Statesville, is the social media manager. He was the A&E editor from May 2013 to January 2014.
College is for learning more than just facts At the end of three and a half years of full course loads, extracurriculars and too many all-nighters, it is not the diploma in-hand that represents all I have learned. My personal growth during my time here at Appalachian State University encompasses more learning than one degree ever could. As a graduate of this amazing university, I am a product of many hours spent working, studying, stressing out and embracing the full college experience. I am also a product of success, disappointment, love and self-reflection. I arrived as a freshman with an open mind and willingness to make the most out of my academic experience. To my surprise, the
most important lessons did not come from lectures. Ultimately, I learned that having a degree isn’t a rite of passage into adulthood, but rather knowing how to positively navigate through this world. Without a few very amazing people, I wouldn’t be who I am today. These individuals deserve as much pomp and circumstance as a diploma, if not more. First, to Casey - thank you for being my best friend. Your passion for life and friendship means more to me than I can say. Thank you to Christine for helping me realize that I can balance academics and an enjoyable social life. You are one of the strongest and loveliest people I know. Thank you to Emily for being
a supportive and loving sister. I couldn’t ask for someone better to be genetically bound to for life. And of course, an enormous thank you to my parents and family for fully supporting me through this incredible journey. Thank you to everyone I have had the pleasure of knowing in my years here. You’re all wonderful in so many ways. I could not ask for a better group of people to surround myself with. I love you all. As I say goodbye to Appalachian, I hope that these ideas resonate: Be kind and respectful to everyone, including yourself. Surround yourself with close friends and good people. Know what you need to be happy. Follow your passions. Get involved. Go the the
Listening Post on Tuesdays. But most of all, don’t stress out. Life isn’t meant to be lived in constant worry. Looking forward to graduate school and life’s next chapter, I can’t help but reflect on all that has passed. Appalachian has
prepared me for success in this life, and while I am excited to graduate and see what’s next, I will miss it immensely.
Lindsey Chandler, a senior psychology and Spanish major from Cary, is the opinion copy editor.
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Mistakes happen, just be sure to correct them Appalachian State University has been my home for quite some time. I love it here, and I cherish the majority of the memories. But these six years have been quite a drag. That’s right, six years. I’m not just a super senior. I’m a super-duper-senior. With an unnecessary amount of experience under my belt, I can bestow sound advice to help those that are already here or are thinking about coming here. Let me first start by mentioning the elephant in the room. Why was I here for six years? When I first entered Appalachian, I had the overlyoptimistic idea that I was going to become a doctor. This was because my parents thought it was the only safe way of making money, because I felt the pressure from my 11 doctor cousins and because I lied to myself into thinking that I could do something I didn’t enjoy. You can’t pick your family, but you can pick your major. Enter something that is truly enjoyable. After three years of hell in pre-med chemistry, I switched over to the fascinating world of journalism, and I’ve had nothing but a mixture of enjoyment, satisfaction and stress-inducing deadlines since. I really wished that I was honest with myself earlier and saved three years of now-useless tuition charges. But the path I took wasn’t all flowers and rainbows. My parents, of course, were not pleased. There were constant talks about “We are so disappointed,” “Where did we go wrong?”
and “Get out of our house.” Was it really that bad? Yes. But time does a great job of easing many pains, including the pain of knowing that your child isn’t going to be the doctor you always wanted them to be. Now my parents have almost-sort-of-nearly accepted that I’m journalism major, and, for the first time in a long time, I’m happy. With that out of the way, let’s move on to some things to keep in mind. The more clubs you join, the better a resume becomes. A degree is great, but a resume is what employers want to see. Always carry an umbrella. Rain and snow can appear quickly in Boone, and the hope that weather will cancel an important test or project is just that: a hope. Fast food is lame and unhealthy. The amount of local eateries in Boone is astronomical. Start exploring the area and always be ready to experiment with somewhere new. And, finally, make plenty of friends. People are social animals, and they need to find others to vent with, waste time with and do stupid things with. Coffee fills all these roles, in case anyone is wondering. Thanks to those who have been friends with me throughout these years. Thanks to the great professors who truly enjoy teaching their craft. Thanks to the me of three years ago for making the jump. And thanks to coffee for always being there.
Khai Hoang, a senior journalism major from Roanoke Rapids, is a graphic designer and the sports copy editor.
To all the friends I’ve made, you’ll always be with me
It’s come time for me to pronounce farewells. Like it or not, Commencement is a mere handful of cursory assignments away. Looking back, I was always aware that this time would come—mostly due to perpetual reminders from well-meaning family members. Unfortunately, I had a difficult time avoiding this kind of premature nostalgia these past four years.
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Much at this collegiate stage is made of what will be rather than what is; the prevailing thought is that school serves first and foremost as career preparation. I now know better. Nothing has meant as much to me as the times in which I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Although rare, a few come immediately to mind, including this spring’s Atlanta ASE
trip, seeing the Grand Canyon with my best friend, Nathan Hauke’s class which totally changed how I approach literature, all the Parkway trips, all the freshman nights pacing around campus under a clear Boone sky and getting my first poem published. I find gratitude in all the friendships I’ve stumbled into, whether spanning all four years, a semester or an evening. Friends, after all, are what have made it all worthwhile. Without all of you—whether or not we’ll remember each other’s names in X amount of years—I would not have grown the way I have. I know that this comes off as a low-risk statement because change is inevitable, but that doesn’t make it any easier. I want to especially recognize those who challenged me. Agreement is only indicative of surface compatibility; the bravery to challenge a friend or acquaintance is what I even more powerfully long for and have received. This is the part where I’m supposed to say that Appalachian State University is the greatest school in the world. That’s just silly, but what I am prepared to account for is the satisfaction I’ve found in this community.
There are so many passionate student leaders on this campus that it’s difficult for me to wrap my head around. I initially chose to come to Appalachian because it’s the school that my family attends: my brother Ben and I are fourthgeneration Mountaineers. Our Great Mawmaw graduated in the 1920s. If I’m grateful for anything, then it’s that a cookie-cutter decision turned out much more substantial than I could have expected. No matter what you’re into, chances are there are fellow enthusiasts around waiting to be found. They were right in telling me that college was a prime place to try new things and find new passions. And you know what, I did. Of course there are regrets - too much time wasted here or there, not enough effort elsewhere. Regardless, the pervading sense is that I’m much closer to finding what I want. I’m still broke, but I’m getting better at finding out who I need to be. My love goes out to all.
Sam Lineberger, a senior English major from Charlotte, is an A&E reporter.
Opportunities present themselves once in a lifetime
Everyone goes to college to learn more and find their place in this world. We learn new things in lectures and in practice, about ourselves as we live on our own for the first time and are responsible for our well-being, and what kind of path we want to take after college. I found all of this at The Appalachian, and it all started my freshman year in October 2010 when I stepped into Room 217 of Plemmons Student Union for the first time. Four years later, after hundreds of bylines, hours upon hours spent in a windowless newsroom, ungodly amounts of coffee consumed and finding my place at Appalachian State University, my time at The Appalachian has come to a close. I still have one more semester of classes left at the university, but after four years - with three of them as a member of the editorial board - it’s time for me to step
back and let others take charge of this nearly 80-year-old student organization. I have full faith and complete confidence that Joshua Farmer will be an incredible leader next year as the editorin-chief. With the help of his editorial board and staff, they will accomplish work as journalists that I will be proud to see from the viewpoint of a reader. I want to thank my editors that believed in a freshman still trying to find his niche at Appalachian, who showed up to the newsroom four years ago just wanting to become involved, and to all the members of the first editorial board I was a part of sophomore year. To the journalism faculty at this university, thank you so much for the time you have committed to workshops, critiques and conversations to staff, editors and myself over the last few years. To David Freeman, our former adviser,
thank you for believing in me when I took over as editor-in-chief in 2012 and teaching me what you have learned in your expansive journalism career. Without your help and advice last year, I would not be the journalist or person I am today. To Allison Dyche, our current adviser, thank you for all the time and effort you have put into your first year at The Appalachian. This news organization could not have gained a better adviser to help lead The Appalachian and its staff to bigger and better things in the everchanging state of the media. And of course to the staff and editors of The Appalachian, thank you for all the hard work and dedication you have put into the newspaper and website this past year. Although this job is stressful and beyond hectic at times, I cannot think of a day where I did not want to be anywhere
other than a part of this amazing group of people. And while this is my final byline as a member of The Appalachian, I’d like to leave with the hope that I made decisions and put trust in the right people that created something informative, accurate and entertaining. I can only hope that in my time as reporter, section editor and editor-in-chief that I will leave this place with the belief that I fulfilled my role as a student journalist, no matter what job title I had. And I will always remember the first time I walked into Room 217 in fall 2010 and how I made the most important decision of my entire college career.
Michael Bragg, a senior journalism and public relations major from Lillington, was the editor-in-chief from October 2012 to May 2014.
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Shins frontman and Danger Mouse release their second, more electronic album as “indie-rock” duo Broken Bells.
Six players on the App State women’s basketball team were selected to the academic honor roll.
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HIGH ON THE LIST App State ranks among top 50 colleges with most on-campus alcohol- and drug-related arrests
by Nicole Caporaso News Reporter
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by Laney Ruckstuhl
ppalachian State University makes lists for both the top 50 universities with the most on-campus drug and on-campus alcohol arrests per 1,000 students, according to an article by Business Insider. Appalachian is listed as 11th for number of on-campus drug arrests and 28th for on-campus alcohol arrests. No other North Carolina school made either list. The information was determined by the Department of Education’s
“Boone elects next mayor” 23.9 percent
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“MLK Challenge” 20.9 percent
“App State gets Rich” 17.2 percent
“High Country Bass” 16.4 percent
“Putin walking over diplomacy” 29.1 percent
“The Bible Belt (of equality)” 27.8 percent
“March Madness” 22.8 percent
“Transparency Hall” 11.4 percent
“Snowden” 8.9 percent
“Achievements by Jerry Moore” 46 percent
“Meet Sheri Noren Everts” 21 percent
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“Londry-Jackson vs. Bryant” 8 percent
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Education by tracking campus crime reports. “‘A lot of drug- or alcohol-related arrests on campus’ would not be the correct wording, but they are frequent,” said ASU Police Capt. Todd Corley. “When you look at our numbers compared to other UNC schools, they tend to be a little high, but that has to do with our aggressive enforcement on campus.” For the 2012 calen-
Intern News Reporter
Paul Heckert | The Appalachian
An evidence bag containing marijuana collected from a pending 2012 incident rests on a desk at the ASU Police Department. Appalachian ranked 11th for number of on-campus drug arrests and 28th for on-campus alcohol arrests, according to Business Insider.
“High on the list” dar year, there were 168 alcohol-related and 133 drug-related violations on Appalachian’s campus, Corley said. Numbers for the 2013 year are not yet available. “If you strictly enforce drug and alcohol laws on campus, aggressive enforcement of viola-
on campus because it makes it look like a drug problem, but there can be the same problem on another campus and that university might choose to just do a referral to student conduct,”
30.9 percent
SEE RANKING PAGE 3
“High on the list” 47.4 percent
“Homeless student” 26.7 percent
“New chancellor announced” 13.3 percent
“Condom delivery service” 8.9 percent
“Mayoral candidates” 3.7 percent
A&E “Chaco Boone’s glass slipper” 45.5 percent
“Food blogging” 18.2 percent
“Alumna Designer” 16.9 percent
“Lady Gaga ‘ARTPOP’ Review” 10.4 percent
“Wet Bandit Studio” 9.1 percent
Opinion “Being gay is okay” 38.2 percent
“Open chancellor search request” 36.8 percent
“Snowden” 11.8 percent
“Drones in N.C.” 6.6 percent
“Chancellor selection trend” 6.6 percent
pp State
On-Campus Arrests
11th in drugs 28th in alcohol source: Business Insider
The Student Government Association wrote a resolution regarding Appalachian State University’s proposed mission statement to send to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. SGA Senate Bill 147019, written by SGA’s Academic Affairs Committee, passed Tuesday, which approved the resolution to be sent to the BOG effective immediately. The resolution states: “[T]he Student Government Association of Appalachian State University supports; and be it further that the mission statement amendment changes from: ‘…intermediate programs and the doctorate in Education’ to ‘…intermediate programs and various doctoral degrees.’” This sentence of the mission statement has been debated back and forth between the BOG and Chancellor Kenneth
SEE SGA PAGE 2
Alumna organizes forum regarding program changes
County “Open chancellor Watauga search NAACP branchrequest”
App State signs 27 recruits by Cory Spiers
these student athletes,” head coach Scott ing job battling a lot of bigger schools that we have to play against in this conference and other schools in our state.”
24.7 percent
Sports Editor
Appalachian State University football cruiting class Wednesday on National Signing Day.
“Get rocked”
currently enrolled at App State and 22 players who signed National Letters of Intent to play for the Mountaineers in its inaugural Sun Belt Conference season. The class consists of 12 players from
challenge for his staff. “High school guys that are playing football dream to play at the highest level they can possibly play at, so the FBS is “That’s going to get us in the door for a lot of these guys.”
21 percent
from North Carolina, three from Florida and three from Tennessee. “Our staff and everybody here at App State did an awesome job of recruiting
the prospects could help with the rigors SEE SIGNING DAY PAGE 2
applies for national chapter acceptance by Gerrit Van Genderen
News Reporter
tion for the Advancement of Colored People branch in Watauga County, said Marg McKinney, the chapter’s temporary president. McKinney said the branch applied for charter in early December. The application was sent to the
A panel forum to discuss program prioritization at Appalachian State University was held Monday in Belk Library. Approximately 50 students, faculty and community members attended the forum. The event, titled “Healing the Divide: Academic Engagement and Best Practices in the 21st Century,” was meant to address the impacts that program prioritization can have both positively and negatively regarding students, faculty and the community, said 2013 alumna Amanda Moore, who organized the event. The panel consisted of Professor of Anthropology Gregory Reck and Professor of Government and Justice Studies Matthew Robinson, Special Assistant to the Provost Mary Reichel, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education
weeks. The requirements for applying to become an ofmembers and to list why the hopeful branch thought it was a good idea to be located where it is. “We had to make a list of the problems we identi-
17.3 percent
could address,” McKinney said. Those problems for Watauga County included instances of discrimination, the poverty and disparity in wages, some bullying in schools, a lack of diversity and voter suppression, she said. McKinney said that the hopeful branch is also very concerned about the polarization of the community and the town. “In town, there is a lingering resentment that the students are deciding who governs us,” McKinney said. “That is not true. We have to educate folks to realize that even though students may be here for four years, a lot of them are putting their heart and soul into the community.” She said that she wants students to realize that it is not them against the town, either. McKinney said that she does not believe any Appalachian State University students were members of the branch yet, but hopes that will change. “We have not really gone and talked to the student associations, but we do have a new member who is very interested in doing that,” McKinney said. “We are going to encourage the students to join our large group because once they do that and reach 25 members, they can have their own student chapter.” Black Student Association President Candace Mollison said that while the BSA had not helped
“High Country Bass” 6.2 percent
Cara Croom | The Appalachian
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by Gerrit Van Genderen
News Reporter
“Chancellor announced”
coming 2014 football season.
News
Vol. 88, No. 31
SGA writes resolution concering mission statement
SEE NAACP PAGE 3
Reck said everyone must unite against the program prioritization issue. “The pressure to produce prioritization is part of a national attack on public higher education,” Reck said. “We need to recognize that this is part of that attack that is coming along with reduction SEE FORUM PAGE 3
Sports “Jerry Moore Hall of Fame” 43.7 percent
“Column: Sportsmanship” 18.3 percent
“The end of an era” 15.5 percent
“Obacha shoe drive” 12.7 percent
“Get rocked” 9.9 percent
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BEST PHOTOS
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OF THE YEAR
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$1 APPS Films Presents:
Greer SuperCinema 5/1-5/3 7 & 9:30 pm
Greenbriar Theater 4/30 & 5/2 Cartoons 6:30 Showing at 7pm
$1 apps.appstate.edu films.appstate.edu apps@appstate.edu
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32 FOR 32 Chronicling 32 weeks of sports in 2013-14
Justin Perry
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Cory Spiers
Kaitlyn Thruston
Jess Lyons
Bryant Barbery
Katherine Glassman
Sports Editor
Senior Sports Reporter
Sports Reporter
Intern Sports Reporter
Intern Sports Reporter
Justin Perry
Football slowed by tough season start Overall record: 4-8 SoCon: 4-4 For Appalachian State football, the first two months of the season served as a true test for the squad in its final season in the Southern Conference. The Mountaineers notched only one win in its first seven contests of the season, defeating Elon 31-21 on the road Sept. 7. While App State was defeated handily by Montana 30-6 in the first game of the season and beaten 34-10 by Samford during the homecoming game Oct. 12, three of the team’s first seven losses came by three points. App State notched its first home win of the season Oct. 26, throttling Georgia Southern 38-14 and earning head coach Scott Satterfield his first career win in Boone. Despite dropping contests to Chattanooga and SEC foe Georgia, the Mountaineers righted the ship and won three of its last five games to close out the season, including back-to-back Southern Conference wins over Wofford and Western Carolina in the final two weeks of the season. Freshman running back Marcus Cox was one of the brightest spots for App State as he ran for 1,299 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging
104.2 yards per contest. Cox was given all-Southern Conference recognition and was named first-team all-conference by the league’s media. He was also the conference’s leading rusher and posted the third-highest rushing total by a freshman in league history. Sophomore quarterback Kameron Bryant had a solid year offensively, as well, completing 71.2 percent of his passes for 2,713 yards and 14 touchdowns, starting eight games down the stretch for the Mountaineers in relief of senior quarterback Jamal Jackson, who faced injury issues early in the season. Leading the wide receivers was senior Tony Washington, who hauled in 64 passes for 939 yards and four touchdowns. The receiver position was especially magnified after former first-team All-American wide out Sean Price was arrested after the first three games of the season. The App State defense was led by junior inside linebacker Karl Anderson, who started all 12 games for the Mountaineers, compiling a team-high 113 tackles, intercepting two passes and recovering one fumble. App State added 27 new recruits in February. The most addressed positions were wide receivers (six), offensive linemen (four), linebackers (three) and defensive linemen (three).
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Men’s Basketball struggles in SoCon, ends Capel era Overall record: 9-21 SoCon: 5-11 Appalachian State men’s basketball struggled mightily away from home, which led the squad to a single-digit win total and a final mark of 9-21 on the season. The Mountaineers notched only two wins on the road, going 2-13 away from Boone on the season. The team defeated The Citadel and Samford on the road Jan. 23 and Feb. 27, respectively. The Mountaineers were led in scoring by junior guard Tab Hamilton who averaged 12.7 points per game. Senior forward Tommy Spagnolo averaged 8.5 points per game and junior guard Mike Neal averaged 9.7 points per game. Sophomore forward Michael Obacha, who started a shoe drive for Nigerian children at the beginning of the season, also contributed a team-high 8.7 rebounds per game while averaging 5.4 points per game. As of April 11, Obacha’s shoe drive had received 700 pairs of athletic shoes and $4,300 in monetary donations to cover shipping costs. Former head coach Jason Capel’s contract was not renewed following the disappointing regular season mark and App State’s early exit in the conference tournament at the hands of Samford by a final mark of 70-56. On April 8, App State hired former Davidson associate head coach Jim Fox as the 16th head coach in program history. Fox was part of a Wildcats team that won 10 Southern Conference regular season championships and made an elite eight run in the 2008 NCAA tournament. Fox rounded out his coaching staff April 24 by announcing the hiring of Jason Allison, Bryan Lentz and Mantoris Robinson as assistants. Allison comes as a former assistant at the Virginia Military Institute, Lentz as a former assistant at the University of Texas and Robinson brings coaching experience from Fairmont State University. The Mountaineers lost two seniors to graduation in the form of two forwards - Tevin Baskin and Tommy Spagnolo.
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Paul Heckert
Women’s Basketball finishes the season strong Overall record: 13-16 SoCon: 10-8 App State women’s basketball added five freshmen heading into the 2013-14 season and the Mountaineers ended its season with a record of 13-16 and a Southern Conference record of 10-8. After two losses to start the season, the Mountaineers won their first game against LeesMcRae on Nov. 15 before falling into a five-game losing streak. Before the Southern Conference games began, the team took a total of three victories against Radford, UNC Wilmington and Lees-McRae. The victories were overshadowed by the eight losses the team also suffered early in the season. The Mountaineers turned the season around with the start of conference games. During conference play, the team took 10 more wins and only seven losses before the conference tournament began. The Mountaineers took revenge on Elon University, Western Carolina University and Furman University, who had defeated App State earlier in the season, by beating all three teams during the respective rematches during conference play. The team also managed season sweeps over UNC Greensboro, Davidson and Wofford. Despite leadership from junior forward Maryah Sydnor and junior guard Katie Mallow, App State was defeated by Elon in its first game of the Southern Conference tournament. App State battled to the end of their last match against Elon but lost 56-59 after Sydnor’s desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer was no good. App State’s roster moving into the Sun Belt Conference will look similar as the team is losing only two seniors, Jessica Barrios and Michelle Taylor. With so much improvement shown by the team as the year’s season progressed, the success is expected to continue from the much more experienced team in the 2014-15 season.
Paul Heckert
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Joshua Kincaid
Baseball steadies after tough opening schedule Overall record: 16-26 SoCon: 9-8 (As of May 1)
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Appalachian State baseball started the season boasting the ninthhardest schedule in NCAA Division I baseball. App State head coach Billy Jones’s second season at the helm featured seven of the first eight games pitting the Mountaineers against nationally ranked foes in No.25 Arkansas and No.6 N.C. State. The Mountaineers also faced No.14 Clemson, No.22 UNC-Chapel Hill and the No. 1 team at the time in South Carolina. Despite the intimidating schedule, 13 of App State’s 23 losses came by two runs or less. Four of Appalachian State’s nine one-run losses came at the hands of top 25 opponents (7-6 at No.25 Arkansas, 6-5 at No.6 N.C. State, 2-1 at No.14 Clemson and 2-1 at No.1 South Carolina). The 2014 season saw the return of fifth-year senior infielder/ outfielder Tyler Zupcic, who sat out last season after sustaining a
severe lower leg/knee injury during a game against Oklahoma in the 2012 Charlottesville Regional. Sixth-year starting pitcher Tyler Moore found his place in the starting lineup this season as well and has been impressive going 8-3 on the season, tied for seventh nationally. The freshman class of 2014 has not disappointed as outfielder Matt Brill emerged as a key leader for the team in batting, holding the longest hitting streak on the team at 15. Pitcher Sean Mason pitched an 11-0 shut out at Virginia Tech and allowed only two hits in the game. The Mountaineers participated in the prestigious Irish Baseball Classic in Cary at the USA Baseball Complex earlier this season, going 1-2 at the tournament. The Mountaineers are currently 16-26 on the season overall and 9-8 in Southern Conference play, which is good for sixth place. App State will wrap up the season with a home series against Furman May 15-17 before heading to Charleston, S.C., for the Southern Conference tournament that begins May 20.
Cara Croom
Softball works to repeat last season’s success Overall record: 17-29 SoCon: 5-12 (As of May1) Appalachian State softball entered the 2013-14 season after winning the Southern Conference Championship for the first time in program history last season. Looking for more success, the Mountaineers hit the road in a series of tournaments across the country to start the season. The road swing posed some challenges for the Mountaineers who won just seven out of 21 games between Feb. 6 and March 9. Facing their last Southern Conference season the Mountaineers had high expectations going into conference play, but haven’t been able to obtain the same momentum as last season. The Mountaineers are in last place in the Southern Conference with a 5-12 conference record and 17-29 overall mark. Despite its standings in the Southern Conference, App State has
excelled in certain areas of the game, such as pitching and batting. Junior pitcher Alissa Schoelkopf was named the North Carolina Education Lottery Southern Conference Student-Athlete of the Week for the week of April 2. Schoelkopf set a season-high for strikeouts in a game with 10 in her most recent start on the road at conference foe Samford on March 29. The junior pitched a season-high 7.1 innings, allowing just five hits and three runs to go along with her season-high strikeout total. Additionally, the Mountaineers rank fourth in the conference for team batting posting a .264 average, tallying more than 323 hits so far this season. The Mountaineers also have four players (Dani Heichen, Sarah Warnock, Cynthia Gomez and Cara Parker) in the top 20 of the conference for individual batting performance. Heichen is third in the conference in stolen bases, completing 17-20 steals. The Mountaineers finish its season on the road in a three game series at conference rival Furman before heading to Greensboro for the Southern Conference tournament that is set to begin May 7.
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Paul Heckert
Closing out an era never felt so promising As exams beckon and the memories of another academic year begin to fade, so too do the memories of the past year of Appalachian State athletics. In the final year of play in the Southern Conference, many of the high profile App State sports yielded disappointing results. But thankfully, there were more positives to this year than some may realize. In the fall, the university’s commitment to producing hard working scholar athletes was affirmed with the announcement that 254 students were named to the Athletic Department academic honor roll for the fall semester. This news came after a tough
year for the Mountaineers’ football team, which showed tremendous resolve by winning three of its last five games in a season in which the team could not qualify for postseason play due to their impending conference move. I was encouraged by both the resilience of the football team as well as the academic performance of the athletes that represent our university. But the good feelings didn’t stop there. When basketball season began in January, it was announced that sophomore forward Michael Obacha would be working on a shoe drive for children from his home country of Nigeria - a
satisfying reminder that athletes often think about more than just themselves. Obacha’s drive raised 700 pairs of shoes and more than $4,000 to cover shipping costs. This is a testament both Obacha’s kindness and to the loyalty of App State’s community of sports fans. The basketball season came and went as both the men’s and women’s teams were eliminated in their first games of the conference tournament in Asheville. Refreshingly, neither head coach seemed defeated, but rather pointed out the positives of the respective games. Similarly, the baseball and
softball teams have stayed the course despite difficult earlyseason schedules and tough results. Essentially, the character and fight that the Mountaineer student-athletes have shown since the beginning of this year makes me very excited. As the Sun Belt era begins, athletes and coaches can expect more scrutiny, more criticism and overall more attention. If this year proved anything it was that, beyond tangible results, the Mountaineers are ready for that attention. App State is ready for the Sun Belt. Cory Spiers, Sports Editor
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