December 1, 2011

The Appalachian

TheAppalachianOnline.com

Vol. 86 No. 23

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Campus questions delayed notification after student-reported sexual assault

by REBECCA GITLEN Intern News Reporter

A

female student reported being raped near Raley Parking Lot Saturday, Nov. 12 at 3:41 p.m., according to a crime alert email sent by Appalachian State University Police Nov. 17.

Although it was not mentioned in the alert, the incident occurred as many on campus were tailgating for the Mountaineers’ final home game against Western Carolina.

Now, students are wondering why the report went out five days after the incident.

“We definitely have a right to know,” sophomore performance major Will Allen said. “Five days is a long time to hold on to that information, especially in Boone.”

When campus police contacted the Boone Police Department Monday after the incident, Boone Police asked them to hold off on sending an alert, ASU Police Chief Gunther Doerr

said.

“They asked us to hold off until they could confirm some information,” Doerr said.

But Boone Police Sergeant Matt Stevens said there was never “an official request.”

“That sounds more conversational to me,” Stevens said. “It’s up to ASU Police to send an alert out or not.”

Boone Police did not release their own Crimestoppers report because there was no description of the suspect and confidential preliminary investigations found there could be a connection between the victim and suspect, Stevens said.

ASU Police assumed it was safe to issue a crime alert email when they read about the alleged sexual assault in last Wednesday’s Watauga Democrat, Doerr said.

Doerr also said campus police were never obligated to send out an alert because the incident occurred on private property.

But many students aren’t satisfied

with the response.

“That time gap pulls importance away from the event itself. I feel like it’s not represented as a big deal,” said Tonya Lucas, a senior dance and psychology major who volunteers at the Women’s Center.

Junior journalism major Hannah Townsend said she felt that students had a right to know about the incident.

“Students deserve to know what the police know, even if it’s really basic information,” Townsend said.

The investigation is currently ongoing and lacks any major leads, Boone Police Captain Andy LeBeau said.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact Boone Police at (828)-268-6959.

(Left) A student reported that she was sexually assaulted off Howard street near Raley parking lot on Saturday, November 12. Emergency blue lights are located around campus to notify authorities when there is a dangerous situation.

Amy Birner | The Appalachian

Campus commemorates student’s life after death in Spain

by ANNE BUIE

Senior News Reporter

by ABBI PITTMAN Intern News Reporter

Appalachian State University student Landon Hill died Nov. 23 in Seville, Spain while studying abroad at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide.

Hill, a senior double majoring in public relations and Spanish, contracted bacterial meningitis and died about 24 hours after showing symptoms, his aunt Susan Carlson said.

“He was an extraordinary young man,” Carlson said. “His goals were to make a difference in this world. He wanted to do something, whether it’s great or small. He wanted to make an impact on this world. He wanted to change just something.”

Around 140 people attended a candlelight vigil at Sanford Mall on Wednesday to honor Hill. Another vigil was held earlier that day in Seville.

“It was very, very good, very very special to all of us,” Carlson said. “We got to meet some of the students that we would all hear him talk about and that’s what made it special.”

At the vigil, Dean of Students J.J. Brown announced that Appalachian has partnered with Hill’s parents to create the Landon Hill Study Abroad Memorial Scholarship for Appalachian students planning to study abroad.

In addition to the vigil, students and alumni across campus are honoring Hill in other ways.

The Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) is partnering with International Appalachian (INTAPP) to raise money to help bring Hill’s body back from Spain.

“He was a part of SAGA and in his honor, our club will be donating some money from our personal funds, as well as getting people to bring money to help us with our donation,” SAGA Vice President Taylor Bailey

said. “Our professional drag show is coming up this Saturday and we are taking some of our earnings from the show to also go to help get Landon home.”

Students, alumni and faculty who knew Hill are discussing their memories of the senior – who dreamed of interning at People’s Revolution and described himself as a coffee lover and a music addict on his blog, landonmhill.com.

Junior secondary math education major Ish Gomez met Hill his freshman year.

“He had always wanted to go to Spain,” Gomez said. “It was his dream place.”

Appalachian alumna Laura Tabor met Hill this fall in Spain, through a mutual friend.

“I believe his time in Seville was one of living in the moment and exploring Europe with people he loved dearly,” Tabor said.

Tabor said her immediate reaction to the news of Seville’s death was confusion.

“I couldn’t believe it was real, because I had talked with him the day before on the internet,” she said. “It felt like the world lost someone who could have been really influential and already had made so many people happier in his lifetime.”

“It saddens my heart any time we lose a student,” Brown said. “While I did not know Landon, I have learned that he touched many faculty, staff and fellow students. My deepest condolences go to his parents and sister as they navigate this difficult journey.

While Landon may not longer be physically with us, he is with us in spirit and will always be a Mountaineer.”

Edgar Felix, a student from Mexico, attended Appalachian through an exchange program in 2010. He said he was “blessed” to meet Hill.

“His charisma was incredible and his nobility can never be measured,” Felix said.

Felix said many international students at Appalachian felt attached to Hill.

“He made you feel like you were not in a foreign country,” he said.

Hill’s last tweet, written in Spanish, translated to “I need my parents…#iamsick.”

Jessica Schreck | The Appalachian

Students gathered on Sanford Mall yesterday, Nov. 30, to honor the life of senior public relations and Spanish double major Landon Hill. Hill died of bacterial meningitis Nov. 23 while studying abroad in Seville, Spain. Edgar Felix, a former Appalachian student and friend of Hill said, “His charisma was incredible and his nobility can never be measured”.

Severity, quantity of underage drinking incidents increase

by KELLI STRAKA Senior News Reporter

As Appalachian State University houses an increased number of students, some are noticing an alarming upward trend in severe underage drinking incidents on campus.

“We’ve had a lot of transporting to the hospital for alcohol this semester, more than we’ve typically had in the past,” University Housing Director Tom Kane said.

“It just seems pretty serious this year.”

Resident Assistant (RA) Council President Vonté McKenith agreed that the severity of underage drinking has increased.

“During my first year as an RA, it wasn’t as common to have an alcohol incident,” McKenith said. “Now, into my third year, I wouldn’t be surprised if I had an incident in the middle of the week.”

The amount of underage drinking incidents on campus also increased this year,

Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian

ASU Police referred 58 students to Student Conduct and have written 73 citations for violating state laws by the end of October.

though the percentages have remained about the same, Director of Student Conduct Judith Haas said.

By the end of October, ASU Police had referred 58 students to Student Conduct for alcohol violations and written 73 citations for vio-

lating state alcohol laws. Last year at that time, campus police had only referred 29 students to Student Conduct.

This year, 165 total arrests have been made for alcohol violations, compared to 100 last year at this time, ASU Police Chief Gunther Doerr

said.

“Most of those are probably underage drinking, but there’s probably a few that were other violations,” Doerr said.

Doerr said the biggest obstacle to fighting underage drinking is changing the

Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian

One hundred sixty-five total arrests have been made for alcohol violations this year as compared to last year when there were only 100.

mindset of students that it is okay to consume alcohol underage.

“That’s a real challenge and it takes more than just law enforcement to really tackle that,” he said.

McKenith said RAs are responding with educational

programs, hoping to inform residents about the effects of underage drinking.

“In the long run, they are going to have to understand that part of college student development is making correct, critical decisions,” McKenith said.

2

News

• December 1, 2011

Faculty adapt after difficult hits from statewide budget

by MADISON FISLER

by the budget, faculty in various departments have gone to extreme lengths Appalachian State Uni- to ensure that students can versity’s faculty and staff take the courses necessary have struggled with a ban for graduation. on pay T h e increases college of that took arts and “That is what I place earlisciences, feel the worst er this year, the larginfluenced est colabout - we are by cuts to lege on the UNC asking our faculty c ampus, system which to do more budget. offers 15 with less.”

“Facdegree ulty has p r o Glenda Treadaway received grams, Dean of the college of no pay inhas made fine and applied arts crease in extensive three years accomand staff modahave received no promo- tions in light of the budget tions,” said Glenda Tread- crunch. away, dean of the college Since funding for buildof fine and applied arts. ing renovations has run “Gas prices and grocery out, the department lacks prices are going up and we the space to accommodate haven’t even received cost- the size of its programs, of-living increases. That is said Anthony Calamai, what I feel the worst about dean of the college of arts – we are asking our faculty and sciences. to do more with less.”

This has led to douTo deal with cuts to bling-up labs: one instructhe course catalog caused tor teaches two separate Intern News Reporter

lab sections per term. And lab duration throughout the semester has been cut in half, in an attempt to fit more labs into the same amount of time.

The college has also started offering evening classes to help with class availability.

“The faculty that are picking up extra classes to teach are tenured faculty who have volunteered to take on the extra work,” Calamai said. “This shows the commitment of the faculty to the university and not just to themselves.”

Graduate assistantships have also been reduced, along with commensurate out-of-state tuition supplements for graduate students. Graduate assistants usually have their out-ofstate tuition waived for a year, but these concessions have been all but eliminated, Calamai said.

“We are no longer competitive with other schools to get graduate assistants into our programs,” he said.

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REI allocates $131,000 toward installation of solar thermal panels on student union addition

by CATHERINE HAITHCOCK News Reporter

A

ppalachian State University’s Renewable Energy Initiative (REI) has allocated $131,000 to install solar thermal panels in the new Center for Student Leadership, project manager Austin Westmoreland said.

The addition took place after cuts in the original budget included the removal of the panels from the blueprints, said Westmoreland, a junior building sciences major.

“The panels were originally in the budget, but the school had to make cuts and those were the easiest to go, along with the two green roofs,” Westmoreland said. “The projects were a large cost to the buildings, so since they were not necessary to function they were cut.”

REI has partnered with Appalachian and the contracted construction company, Balfour-Beatty, after the university construction office approached them with the project.

“There were three proposals to decide from: the solar-thermal or two individual green roofs on the annex and student union,” Westmoreland said. “When we talked about the three projects and everything involved,

REI’s current projects:

we really wanted to do something different than solar, but everyone realized that it was more beneficial to everyone to do the solar-thermal project. One green roof would cost almost twice as much.”

The money REI receives comes from student tuition and fees, REI Chair Ben Yoder said, and that funding allowed for the current project.

“REI gets $5 per student per semester, so we basically get $10 per student every year to put toward a renewable project of our choosing,” Yoder said. “Most of the time we come up with our own ideas and we implement them, but in this case, we decided to use our money to help a project that was already designed by administrators.”

Because the panels were already included in the original blueprints, this is a more streamlined project than REI’s usual initiatives, staff advisor Ged Moody said.

“Even though this was not our idea to begin with, we’re taking it on as if it were and will use this project to add to all of our other great projects on campus,” Westmoreland said.

As project manager, Westmoreland will stay in contact with project executive throughout the remainder of the construction, which is scheduled for completion in fall 2012.

REI’s completed projects:

• Solar “A” on Sofeild Indoor Practice Facility

• Biodiesel Collaborative Solar Thermal

• Solar Thermal System on New Residence Hall

• Kerr Scott Hall Photovoltaic Array

• Blackburn SD Farm, PV and Solar Thermal

• ASU & AppalCART Biodiesel Tank • Biodiesel Collaborative Photovoltaic Array

• Raley Photovoltaic Array • Broyhill Wind Turbine • PSU Solar Thermal System • E3 House Photovoltaic Rooftop Array • The Solar Homestead Solar Canopy

Source: REI.appstate.edu

• Solar Lab at State Farm

The Appalachian is now hiring:

• Lifestyles Reporters • Photographers • Videographers • Print Graphic Designers • Web Graphic Designers

Apply online at TheAppalachianOnline.com

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Did you know that the US gets about 8% of electricity from renewable sources. Appalachian State gets about 5.5% of its electricity from renewable forms of generation.

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Lifestyles The Appalachian

What did you do over Thanksgiving Break Check out the “Exposure” blog for an alternative idea at TheAppalachianOnline.com December 1, 2011 • 3

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

Alumnus, past faculty member honored during World AIDS Day commemoration Panel from national AIDS quilt on display

Nationally renowned and profane comedian Lewis Black is set to return to Appalachian State University Feb. 9 – upon his request.

“He loved the audience, loved the staff at Farthing and he said it was one of the smoothestrun gigs he had done and he told us that night he definitely planned on coming back,” programs manager Special to The Appalachian Randy Kelly said.

“We just didn’t realize that he would miss us so badly and come back at a time that was so favorable to us.”

In addition to the hospitable crowd and community, Black particularly enjoyed one High Country favorite. Blowing Rock’s Woodlands Barbecue Restaurant was another factor in Black’s return, Kelly said.

“He took bottles of sauce on his bus back to Chapel Hill,” general manager Mark Mann said.

“They packed the leftover food, too.”

Last year, Black restricted show attendance to college students. But this time around, the show will be open to everyone.

“He realized that by excluding the community, there were a lot of hurt feelings in the community,” Kelly said. “He said, ‘Let me come back and do one that’s open to everybody.’”

Appalachian Popular Programming Society (APPS) President Tyler Thomas ran hospitality for last year’s show. He said he’s looking forward to Black’s return to the High Country.

“It was sold out and everybody had a good time and apparently he had a good time himself, so “He was honestly I think that’s a compliment to everything I thought APPS,” he said. he would be.”

Senior public relations major Josh Elliot Josh Elliot saw Senior public relations major Black’s show last year and plans to go back in February.

“He was honestly everything I thought he would be,” Elliot said.

Elliot said seeing the comedian in person was better than seeing him on television.

“You get that personal connection,” he said.

“You’re in the crowd and he’s right there and he’s talking specifically to you.”

Both Thomas and Elliot said they were impressed with Black’s fusion of irreverent comedy and politics.

“I think we need someone to call us out,” Elliot said. “He does a lot of political stuff…I think he’s spot-on.”

Tickets went on sale Nov. 30 and are $15 for students and $25 for others. Tickets can be purchased at the Farthing Auditorium box office or at pas.appstate.edu.

These six Appalachian students committed to a month free of razors, shaving cream and smooth faces to celebrate No Shave November.

Each stuck it out for the full four weeks - check out the before and after bearded results here.

Before photos (right) and after photos (below).

Madelyn Rindal, Meghan Frick, Nathan Cullitan | The Appalachian

Will Jones

Lifestyles Editor

No Shave November: before & after

Phil Hicks

by MICHAEL BRAGG

Madelyn Rindal | The Appalachian

Students and staff help hang a panel from the National AIDS Quilt, a tribute to those who have died after fighting HIV/AIDS. The quilt will be on display for the LGBT centersponsored World AIDS Day event Monday, Nov. 28 at 7:00 p.m.

Devin Neil

Black is back: APPS lands another show

individuals is still alive today and keeps in contact with Geiger on occasion.

Junior human resources major and LGBT ally Jeremy Billow spoke at the ceremony about his uncle, who passed away from AIDS over a decade ago when Billow was just eight or nine years old.

“When he was being lowered into the ground, there was a monarch butterfly that was just flying out that followed our procession back to our cars,” Billow said. “We left and my brother, he said that it was Uncle Doug’s spirit just following us.”

While there is still no cure for AIDS, Coons said communities need to work together to fight it.

“This can’t be a touchy subject anymore,” he said.

“So many people are affected by it and the only way that people will stop being affected by it is if we raise awareness.”

The quilt will stay on display in the Multicultural Center, along with information about HIV/ AIDS, until Friday.

Justin Leary

A

ppalachian State University’s LGBT Center began its commemoration of Thursday’s World AIDS Day early this week, with the display of a panel from the National AIDS Quilt in the Multicultural Center in Plemmons Student Union.

“There was some sort of personal meaning about AIDS and HIV that motivated a lot of students to get involved and after that, I thought to bring up the quilt,” LGBT Center Graduate Assistant Mark Rasdorf said. “I hadn’t heard of the quilt in years.”

The AIDS quilt was born in 1987, created by a small group of strangers in San Francisco, according to aidsquilt.org. Each panel on the quilt memorializes a life lost to AIDS. LGBT Center volunteer Matthew Coons said he’d never heard of the quilt before it came to Appalachian.

“It just brings up how you hear all the time, AIDS is

an awful thing, but then it really has just put things in perspective – how awful it really is and how many people it has affected and how many people it affects today,” Coons said.

The panel section, which was brought from the current quilt headquarters in Atlanta, features an Appalachian alumnus and former faculty member, O. Mell Busbin, who died due to complications from AIDS in the 1990s.

A ceremony was held in honor of World AIDS Day Monday and was organized and conducted by Coons.

A variety of representatives from across campus spoke at the ceremony, including Dr. Patricia Geiger, a staff physician at Mary S. Shook Student Health Services.

Geiger is in her 25th year at Appalachian and recalls seeing 18 male students with AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s.

“I did work with at least a handful of students who ultimately ended up withdrawing from school and dying,” she said.

However, one of those

Max Plott

Lifestyles Editor

Dylan Scaringelli

by MICHAEL BRAGG

Max Plott

Devin Neil

Will Jones

Dylan Scaringelli

Justin Leary

Phil Hicks

Students embrace non-partisan politics through Americans Elect

by JOSIE WOOD

Intern News Reporter

As election year approaches, some students are looking for alternatives to the bipartisan election process.

Junior economics major Blake Wright is promoting Americans Elect, an organization that seeks to successfully nominate and elect the first non-partisan presidential candidate in the upcoming election.

“A lot of people vote for the lesser of two evils, but Americans Elect seeks to nominate a candidate with whom citizens share principle beliefs,” Wright said.

The organization is currently meeting on campus but is not yet recognized by Club Council.

Wright said he hopes the organization will gain official

recognition within the next year.

He said modern technology should make the nominating process more democratic.

“Youth have a large part in elections,” he said. “This is our political revolution. We have useful technology that should play a part in nominating our candidate.”

The organization’s nomination process is conducted through its website, americanselect.org.

Participants answer questions about their beliefs and are paired with a candidate chosen by the website.

The organization’s “only mission is to let the American people directly nominate their choice for president using our newest technologies,” according to americanselect.org.

Junior music performance major Dru Richardson said Americans

Elect will make more appearances on campus.

“We hope to recruit more people to try the Americans Elect system and decide for themselves if Americans Elect is a nomination process that can work for our country,” Richardson said.

“Our generation is reaching a time of change and our generation needs to step up and issue a solution to the problem that is our broken political process.”

Americans Elect was launched in June 2011 with the goal of putting its chosen candidate on each state’s ballot for the 2012 election, according to americanselect.org. The organization currently has over 2 million signatures, over half as many as needed to nominate a candidate.

To sign up as a delegate, visit americanselect.org/appstate.edu.

4

Lifestyles

• December 1, 2011

The Appalachian

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Jones House Christmas enters 20th year

by RYAN NAGY Senior Lifestyles Reporter

Complete with five real Christmas trees, 23 natural wreaths, four artificial wreaths and countless holiday adornments, the Jones House Cultural and Community Center on King Street is open for the public to view its holiday decorations for the 20th year in a row.

Senior psychology major Lizzie Burgoyne lives next to the Jones House in the Daniel Boone Condominiums. She said the decorated Jones House gives her a break from the everyday bustle of Boone.

“It’s so pretty, I love it,” Burgoyne said.

“It just really feels like Christmas. It kind of makes me feel like I’m not in Boone – it’s a nice break from all the shops and traffic downtown.”

The 103-year-old house has been decorated extensively since 1992, when Appalachian alumnus Cherry Johnson was hired as executive director of the Jones House and the Watauga Arts Council.

“When Christmastime rolled around, all we found in the attic was a sad little tree with equally sad little ornaments,” Johnson said about her first Christmas at the house.

“I wanted to bring something lively to the town since we are, in fact, a community center.”

Now Jones House staff decorates each of the house’s 11 rooms, along with the stairwells, hallways, porches and front lawn with lights, hollies, ribbons and bows.

They also offer free cookies and hot apple cider throughout the holiday season.

Johnson said the Christmas decorations are the biggest thing the center does all year. Of the $1,200 holiday budget the center receives from the town of Boone

Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian

The 103-year-old Jones House has been annually decorated since 1992 when ASU alumnus Cherry Johnson became executive director. Staff adorn all 11 rooms of the house with lights, hollies, ribbons and bows. Decorations will remain up until December 22.

each year, around $850 is used for the Christmas season.

Several business owners on King Street have found that being close to the Jones House helps brighten up their own holiday season.

“It looks awesome every year and we always look forward to it kicking off the holiday season,” Our Daily Bread owner Sean Parker said. “And it’s right in front of my business, which is great.”

Multicultural Development hosts annual holiday fair

by CASEY SUGLIA Intern Lifestyles Reporter

Between the snow, the last few days of classes and studying for exams, it might seem like there’s not a light at the end of the tunnel.

But with the end of exams come the holiday season – a time of year kickstarted at Appalachian State University by the annual Find Yosef a Holiday fair.

The Office of Multicultural Development will host the fair Friday, from 5 to 7 p.m. in Plemmons Student Union’s Blue Ridge Ballroom.

Featuring 25 winter holidays sponsored by various clubs, the festival features food, entertainment and interaction and allows students to explore alternative holiday options.

“Find Yosef a Holiday is a great event where you can learn about holidays all around the world, which is always really neat and informative,” said Jessi Hustace, senior sustainable development major and president of the Appalachian Nerd Network.

In addition to more traditional holidays, less well-known cultural celebrations are featured as well.

One of those holidays is Wintereenmas, the table Hustace is running this year.

“We explain Wintereenmas as a holiday celebrated by the gaming community, during which we try to take time to really enjoy the games that we play, particularly the releases that come out during the winter season,” Hustace said.

The fair also helps students connect with more traditional holidays, like Chanukah, at a table sponsored by Hillel.

Some celebrations featured at Find Yosef a Holiday:

Winter Solstice Chanukah Thaipusam Christmas St. Nicholas Day Chinese New Year Holi Junkanoo Diwali Saturnalia Boxing Day Waitangi Day Moravian Love Feast International Women’s Day Source: Jeffrey Cross, graduate assistant for the Multicultural Center and Find Yosef a Holiday coordinator

“The diversity and culture in the room is incredible and the opportunity to teach and learn about these holidays is one that I haven’t forgotten, Hillel President Lauren Fine said.

Artwalk owner Leigh Jacobs said she loves having a business directly across the street from the historic house.

“They take an old house and create it like Christmas should be,” Jacobs said. “I love them. It really gets you in the holiday spirit.”

The process of decorating the house begins the day after Thanksgiving. Around 20 staffers and volunteers come together for two and a half weeks to garnish the

house with holiday spirit.

Johnson said the most important goal, from her perspective, is making the house a focal point for the community.

“That’s really important for me,” she said.

“Now, it is a tradition for people to come here for the parade or to see the lights or even to have their family portraits taken.”

The Jones House will close from Thursday, Dec. 22 to Wednesday, Jan. 4 for the removal of the decorations.

Declining balance system makes budgeting necessary

by KELLI STRAKA

Senior News Reporter

Each year, Appalachian State University freshmen learn to budget their meal plans in order to have money by the end of the semester.

“We find that students – freshmen, primarily – run out of money that first semester they’re here,” Food Services Director Art Kessler said.

“By first spring semester, they learn to budget better.”

Freshman criminal justice major Seth Shelton said he ran out of money his first semester because he didn’t know how costly on-campus food would be.

Eventually, Shelton asked his parents to load more money on his AppCard.

“I didn’t realize I was going to have to budget with the meal plan,” Shelton said. “I guess what my mom would make, I would eat that much, but that doesn’t work.

Next semester I’m going to do way better. I’m going to eat a lot less food.”

Sophomore political science major Keiko RoyCarey ran out of money three weeks before the end of her first semester at Appalachian.

“When I came for orientation, I was told that the standard meal plan would be enough and I

Erika Barnett | The Appalachian

Freshman environmental science major Grainger Coughtrey-Davenport eats a meal in Central Dining Hall. All freshmen are required to purchase a meal plan and many find budgeting more difficult than they had anticipated.

would actually have some left over because it’s so much,” Roy-Carey said. “But my experience proved otherwise.

And I don’t eat that much, so that says a lot.”

Kessler said he thinks the declining-balance system is more true-to-life.

“Once the students leave here, it’s kind of like they don’t have to shift from one meal program and then go out,” he said. “It’s like the

real world.”

The system also allows for the variety of options currently offered by Appalachian Food Services.

“We’re constantly looking to expand on that variety,” Kessler said. “When we renovate Trivette Hall, we’re not going to mirror anything that’s on the east side of campus on the west side.

We want it to be another destination.”

Crossroads Coffee House opens stage to aspiring entertainers

by HALEY CAHILL

Intern Lifestyles Reporter

When he’s not hauling football equipment, helping at Appalachian State University football practices and games and cleaning up afterwards, freshman Daniel L. Edwards is pursuing his passion of music and performing at Open Mic Night at Crossroads Coffee House in Plemmons Student Union.

“Sitting here and listening to myself play is a gift and I want to share that with other people,” Edwards said.

Junior interdisciplinary studies major and Crossroads Coffee House entertainment coordinator Marlowe Crews said Open Mic Night is beneficial for students because it allows them the opportunity to gain experience.

“Students often don’t get a chance to practice performing and that’s a great deal of what music is about,” she said.

Crews said each Open Mic Night has a unique atmosphere with every genre of entertainment, from hip-hop and country music to harmonica-playing and stand up comedy.

“It’s always a constant surprise,” Crews said.

Though his major is undecided, Edwards said he’s leaning toward music because it’s such a big part of his life, especially country music.

“It’s in my blood,” Edwards said. “When you’re a third or fourth generation guitar player it’s got to be in your DNA somewhere.”

Edwards said he has loved music and wanted to pursue it since the first time he heard Billy Ray Cyrus’s “Achy Breaky Heart” on the radio.

But the road to learning to play guitar and performing was not so easy, Edwards said.

When he was younger, he always struggled to stay on task. He had no rhythm or coordination and his fingers were too small to play the guitar, Edwards said.

He recalled the day he decided to overcome these obstacles. Edwards said he looked at his guitar and said, “I ain’t going to let you beat me no more. I’m going to learn to play you and you’re going to like it.”

“It’s the greatest feeling in the world when you finally accomplish something,” he said.

Erika Barnett | The Appalachian

Crossroads hosts Jazz Night every Sunday from 8 to 10 p.m. Students get a chance to experience performing in front of live audience.

Edwards has been performing at events in his community and his church for five years and plans to continue performing at Crossroads and hopes to write songs in the future.

He said he expects to gain inspiration by building his next guitar himself.

“Each piece would

represent a piece of that journey I’ve been on the past five years,” he said.

Edwards is just one of the many regulars at Crossroads’ Open Mic Night.

Open Mic Night is every other Wednesday from 7 to 10 p.m. at Crossroads, said Jonathan Tate, senior manager of Crossroads. The

alternating Wednesdays are Acoustic Night.

Students can sign up to perform at the Appalachian Popular Programming Society office in the student union, Tate said.

Crossroads also hosts Jazz Night every Sunday from 8 to 10 p.m. Performances are done by a rotating ensemble

of students studying jazz at the Hayes School of Music, Tate said.

“It’s not old people jazz,” he said. “It’s young people jazz.”

For more information about Open Mic Night and Jazz Night, visit Crossroads Coffee House in the student union.

Opinion

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ASSOCIATE EDITOR, EDITORIAL CONTENT

JASON SHARPE

HANK SHELL

ASSOCIATE EDITOR, PRODUCTION OPERATIONS

ZACH DRECHSLER

Staff Opinion

SOPA anti-piracy bill goes too far

NEWS EDITOR

MICHAEL BRAGG

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

LIFESTYLES EDITOR

NATHAN CULLITAN

JAKE AMBERG SPORTS EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Contact EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (828) 262-6149 BUSINESS OFFICE (828) 262-2157 FAX LINE (828) 262-6256 Associated Collegiate Press

Our Mission The Appalachian, a student-run publication at Appalachian State University, strives to provide fair and accurate news for the campus community; to inform, entertain and create a forum for ideas; to provide an outlet for reader's opinions; to be a champion for student, faculty, staff, and community interests; and to remain independent, exercise and insure its First Amendment rights.

Letters to the Editor

Jake Amberg If the U.S. House of Representatives and the entertainment industry are to be believed, persistent internet piracy is crippling thousands of American small businesses.

Overall, it’s hard to disagree. Pirates of content - including many students here at Appalachian State - are definitely violating American copyright law.

But Congress seems to be willing to go far beyond the reach of its power to solve this problem.

Under the recentlyproposed Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), the Department of Justice would have the ability to persuade advertisers to cease funding for websites that specialize in downloadable

copyrighted content.

This legislation would apply not just to foreign sites like Swedish Pirate Bay, but perhaps to domestic sites like YouTube and Hulu as well.

This step to stop piracy is entirely too drastic.

The proposed bill, which was introduced with strong bipartisan support, has been criticized openly by members of Congress and by heavy-hitters in the technology industry, like Google and the Business Software Alliance.

But Hollywood is convinced it’s the internet’s fault that they’re losing money.

That’s a claim that has been disputed by many and, frankly, it’s pathetic.

Both Hollywood and the music industry need to take a long, hard look at their business models.

Instead of pointing fingers and blaming potential customers, they should accept the fact that what worked 30 years ago just doesn’t in 2011.

There’s evidence that people are probably consuming just as much content as they were in 1993; they’re just doing it in smarter ways. Blu-Ray DVDs can run up to $35 apiece. Netflix costs $7 a month. Sure, you miss out on the quality, but it’s a much cheaper way to engage with pop culture.

Besides, the broader implications of SOPA are completely ambiguous.

Copyrighted content is everywhere on the internet.

Unless Congress wants to pull the plug on Google, it isn’t going anywhere.

The bill fundamentally challenges the openness of information and freedom of speech guaranteed by the United States Constitution.

And allowing it to come to the forefront of our public agenda is just a silly over-exertion of lobbyists’ power.

The entertainment industry is clearly scared.

They’ve apparently assessed the commercial landscape and noticed that people

aren’t buying the products that fatten their bottom line.

They can’t undercut Netflix, Blockbuster and Red Box, because they’d isolate the people who are clearly still trying to pay for content. But bit torrenters?

They’ll throw the book at them. And if they take down YouTube while they’re at it? Whatever. Doesn’t hurt them.

Entertainment providers shouldn’t feel entitled to our payment. The industry needs to work to corner the market in different ways.

That 16-year-old kid who just found out he never has to pay for another Kanye West song again? They need to show him that shelling out funds is actually the best investment.

Right now, it’s not. And threatening to decimate the internet to force us back into payment certainly isn’t a step in the right direction.

Amberg, a senior journalism major from Greensboro, is the sports editor.

Editorial Cartoon

The Appalachian welcomes Letters to the Editor. Letters should be 250 words or less and include the author’s name, ASU Box, phone number, classification and campus affiliation, if any. The Appalachian reserves the right to decline publication of any letter and to edit letters for the purpose of clarity and space. Although we are unable to acknowledge those letters we cannot publish, we appreciate the interest and value the views of those who take the time to send us their comments.

Letters should be submitted electronically via our Web site or e-mail. Letters may also be mailed to “Letter to the Editor,” The Appalachian, ASU Box 9025, Boone, N.C. 28608. Letters may also be brought to the newsroom, located on the second floor of Plemmons Student Union.

Letters

University Librarian responds to editorial I value The Appalachian and its great reporting and editorials.

In response to the Nov. 14 editorial, I probably did not make clear in interviews with reporters that the library’s budget cut of $1.9 million was all in the library’s operating budget, which is the fund we use to purchase print and electronic books and journals, computers for student use and to support student employees and security guards.

However, I am supportive of the university’s overall goal of not eliminating faculty and staff positions because the people in these positions teach students, provide research help and support all other campus services.

We have been in the new Belk Library and Information Commons for more than six years and I have been a strong advocate of providing 24/5 hours for students.

I look forward to better budget times when 24/5 can be reinstated.

In the meantime, maybe we could find alternative sources of funding, such as those provided at UNC Chapel Hill from the Educational Foundation (also known as the Rams Club).

Mary Reichel University Librarian

Students should cut phantom power

Appalachian students should be proud.

In 2004 and again in 2007, they voted to increase student fees by $5 a semester to create the Renewable Energy Initiative (REI). This money has gone to fund the development of photovoltaic systems around campus, the Broyhill Wind Turbine and many solarthermal systems.

Over the last five years, REI projects have produced more than 260,000 kilowatt hours of electricity.

We’ve come a long way, but we’ve got a long way to go.

Appalachian purchased over 65 million kilowatt hours of electricity in 2010.

About half of that electricity is generated by nuclear power plants, with the rest coming from coal and a small portion from natural gas and hydro.

Last year, the campus spent about $14 million on utility bills.

As students, it doesn’t seem like we pay campus utility bills, but we do - through tuition and housing fees.

When we reduce our energy use, we’re reducing our environmental footprint and saving money that comes back to us through lower tuition and housing costs.

An easy way to reduce electric use is eliminating phantom loads, energy pockets created by devices left plugged in when they’re not being used. Even in “off ” mode, plugged-in devices still use small amounts of power.

It adds up over time.

Phantom power loads account for up to 10 percent of an average home’s electric use. By unplugging devices when they’re not in use, or plugging devices into power strips which can be switched off, phantom loads can be eliminated.

If students living in Frank Residence Hall cut back on electric use by five percent, they could save 4,500 kilowatt hours of electricity in less than a semester.

For more information about energy use on campus, visit sustain.appstate.edu.

Chris Pike Technology graduate student

Aaron Fairbanks | Editorial Cartoonist

Staff Opinion

Saturday Reading Day a welcome change, efficient for university budget

Megan Wrappe When I looked at this semester’s exam schedule and noticed that Reading Day was on a Saturday, I was shocked.

I initially wondered who in the world made that awful decision.

After talking with a few of my friends, I found out I wasn’t the only one slightly miffed. Some complained that it cut into a day that’s reserved for relaxing and thinking about anything but schoolwork.

But I soon found out that we’re the ones who are slightly behind.

The exam schedule for this semester has been available since April 1, 2010. People complaining now, when they had the opportunity to actually do something about it a year ago, are being ridiculous.

“When we make the schedule for the year, it is planned at least two years in advance,” Senior Associate Registrar Jenny Prim said.

“A committee made up of students and faculty approves the suggested plan and then it is passed on to the provost. This semester’s schedule passed unanimously.”

At first glance, I was skeptical about the new changes. What’s hidden, though, are the advantages gained by students.

Instead of having just 24 hours of studying before their first exam, students no have 48. The fact that Reading Day is over the

weekend also allows the university to keep costs down, since facilities will run on a limited schedule.

Considering the economy we’re currently experiencing, the changes make perfect sense.

Teachers and students may be disgruntled, but Appalachian State University is doing the best it can.

“When we are trying to be fiscally responsible, we asked what we could do to save money,” Prim said. “This seemed like one solution.”

There are other benefits as well. For one, students will spend one week taking exams rather than carrying over two weekends and having Saturday exams.

Some students are still unhappy with the university for designating Saturday as a day of studying.

Students who were here

two years ago should have taken the initiative and voiced their opinions when they were able to, instead of waiting until exams were just two weeks away.

And if students are severely put out by the changes – they’re not permanent. Each year is different, which means there’s a new schedule.

When Student Government Association representatives post the 2013 schedule in January, students need to take advantage of it.

If there’s a problem with the schedule, students need to voice their opinions then, instead of sitting idle and complaining about how they didn’t have the opportunity two years later.

Wrappe, a sophomore journalism major from Winston-Salem, is an intern lifestyles reporter.

A

December 1, 46 •4• December 1, 2011 2011 • December 1, 2011

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The Appalachian TheAppalachianOnline.com The Appalachian The Appalachian|| theappalachianonline.com | theappalachianonline.co

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Official University News && Announcements Official University News Announcements

Meeting Meeting Notes MeetingNotes Notes

Send copy totoDavid W. Director Student Publications, Center for Student Involvement and and Leadership, Send copy David W. Freeman, Freeman, Director of of Student Publications, Center forCenter Student and Leadership, Send copy to David W. Freeman, Director of Student Publications, forInvolvement Student Involvement Leadership, second floor, Plemmons Student Union, or e-mail: freemandw@appstate.edu. second Plemmons Student Union, or e-mail: freemandw@appstate.edu. second floor,floor, Plemmons Student Union, or e-mail: freemandw@appstate.edu

AA Service ofofthethe Service A Service of the Division ofofStudent Development Division Student Development

Division of Student Development

Cross-discipline programs proving popular with Appalachian State’s diverse student body Cross-discipline programs proving popular with Appalachian State’s diverse student body Cross-discipline programs proving popular with Appalachian State’s diverse student body

Appalachian Appalachianranks ranksthird thirdininU.S. U.S.for forstudy studyabroad abroad

becoming popular withwith Appalachian students.

A War in oneone of its institutions abroad.”

Throw a dart at aatworld mapmap andand chances are are youyou will will through becoming popular Appalachian students.

A War through ofpartner its partner institutions abroad.”

Throw a dart a world chances Europe program integrates Appalachian’s general eduhit ahitcountry where Appalachian State University has had, Europe program integrates Appalachian’s general ed a country where Appalachian State University has had, curriculum for freshmen andand sophomores through currently has,has, or will have a study abroad program.

FiveFive years ago,ago, the the College of Arts andand Sciences, Walkcation curriculum for freshmen sophomores throu currently or will have a study abroad program. years College of Arts Sciences, Walk-cation academic areas of history andand sociology, for example. er College of Business andand the the College of Find andand Ap-Ap-the the academic areas of history sociology, for examp er College of Business College of Find Other interdisciplinary programs have paired geography plied Arts generated the majority of overseas programs.

Other interdisciplinary programs have paired geograp Appalachian ranks third in the nation among master’splied Arts generated the majority of overseas programs.

Appalachian ranks third in the nation among master’sbiology, andand art, art, music andand global studies. nownow have programs offered by each andand every col-col-andand biology, music global studies. degree granting institutions for for the the number of students have programs offered by each every degree granting institutions number of students “We“We at Appalachian,” saidsaid MegMeg Marck-Kennedy, director of of whowho studied abroad on short-term faculty-led programs of of legelege at Appalachian,” Marck-Kennedy, director studied abroad on short-term faculty-led programs “If you study abroad, youyou will will have an international expeOIED’s Appalachian Overseas Education Programs. eight weeks or less.

The university ranks fourth nationally “If you study abroad, have an international exp OIED’s Appalachian Overseas Education Programs. eight weeks or less. The university ranks fourth nationally rience, learn about a different culture, be challenged anda among the the master’s-degree granting institutions for the to- torience, learn about a different culture, be challenged among master’s-degree granting institutions for the are are going to know more about yourself,” Gomis said. tal number of students whowho participated in ainstudy abroad d’Arc Gomis helps direct OIED’s semester andandyouyou going to know more about yourself,” Gomis sa tal number of students participated a study abroad Jeanne Jeanne d’Arc Gomis helps direct OIED’s semester cancan readread books andand study history, but but thatthat doesn’t program, short-term as well as semester andand year-long study abroad programs offered at partner uni-uni-“You “You books study history, does program, short-term as well as semester year-long yearlong yearlong study abroad programs offered at partner withwith youyou as much as experiencing a foreign country programs. versities, assists incoming exchange students, andand is isstaystay as much as experiencing a foreign coun programs. versities, assists incoming exchange students, yourself.” oneone of several staff members who counsels students on yourself.” of several staff members who counsels students on abroad opportunities.

“With growth in our departThat’s according to the 2011 Open Doors report recently study abroad opportunities.

“With growth in our departThat’s according to the 2011 Open Doors report recently study Europe remains a popular destination, Central we we are are better ableable to accommodate students whowho While released by the Institute of International Education.

TheThe ment, While Europe remains a popular destination, Cent ment, better to accommodate students released by the Institute of International Education. and South America and South Africa are areas of growing seek information about our study abroad programs,” she report is based on data submitted by colleges and uniand South America and South Africa are areas of grow seek information about our study abroad programs,” she report is based on data submitted by colleges and unito students, including programs in Chile, Ecuador, OIED’s outreach to students includes presentations versities for the 2009-10 academic year.

Appalachian hadhad said. interest to students, including programs in Chile, Ecuad said.

OIED’s outreach to students includes presentationsinterest versities for the 2009-10 academic year.

Appalachian Nicaragua, Senegal, Malawi and Zambia. at freshman, transfer student and parent orientations, and 828828 students participate in either a short-term, semester Nicaragua, Senegal, Malawi and Zambia. at freshman, transfer student and parent orientations, and students participate in either a short-term, semester houses heldheld by the Office of Admissions, andand at at or year-long study abroad program thatthat year.

TheThe numat open houses by the Office of Admissions, or year-long study abroad program year. num- at open evening meetings of student clubs andand organizations, as as It’s It’s all part of the OEID’s strategic initiatives to broadbersbers for 2010-11 are are even higher at 1,006 students. evening meetings of student clubs organizations, all part of the OEID’s strategic initiatives to broa for 2010-11 even higher at 1,006 students. wellwell as weekly study abroad information sessions.

“We“We are areen the university’s offerings.

“In the pastpast when we we talked as weekly study abroad information sessions. en the university’s offerings.

“In the when talk the the fruitfruit of our efforts,” sheshe said. about Asia, we we talked onlyonly about China,” Marck-Kennedy TheThe numbers are are expected to continue to increase seeing of our efforts,” said. about Asia, talked about China,” Marck-Kenne numbers expected to continue to increase seeing said.

“Now we have (programs in) Vietnam, Thailand, Tai-T thanks to an increased awareness among students of of said.

“Now we have (programs in) Vietnam, Thailand, thanks to an increased awareness among students andand India.”

Encouraging freshmen andand sophomores to study abroad education abroad opportunities offered

by Appalachian.

India.”

Encouraging freshmen sophomores to study abroadwanwan education abroad opportunities offered

by Appalachian. is aisfocus of the Office of International Education andand De-Dea focus of the Office of International Education velopment in partnership with University College and the the “In all ways, international education at Appala“Numbers tell but one part of the story, however,” said velopment in partnership with University College and “In of allthese of these ways, international education at Appa “Numbers tell but one part of the story, however,” said of General Education.

“We“We have found thatthat students complements andand supplements students’ academic KenKen Lewandoski, executive director andand director of interOffice of General Education. have found studentschian chian complements supplements students’ academ Lewandoski, executive director director of inter- Office participate in study abroad early in their academic ca- ca-andand personal growth.

It isItboth central to and an enhancenational student exchange andand study abroad in the Of- Of- whowho participate in study abroad early in their academic personal growth. is both central to and an enhanc national student exchange study abroad in the tendtend to participate in other study abroad programs,” of their college experience,” saidsaid Lewandoski. ficefice of International Education andand Development (OIED). to participate in other study abroad programs,”ment ment of their college experience,” Lewandoski. of International Education Development (OIED). reerreer “And if you get get them early, theythey often re- re“What distinguishes Appalachian’s international education Marck-Kennedy.

“And if you them early, often “What distinguishes Appalachian’s international education Marck-Kennedy. the the importance of having foreign language skills.”

TheThe Open Door report is available fromfrom http://www.iie. programs is the geographic andand academic breadth of ofimportance of having foreign language skills.”

Open Door report is available http://www. programs is the geographic academic breadth of of- alizealize org/.org/.

Information about Appalachian’s international educaferings and,and, especially, the the factfact thatthat a large majority of of Information about Appalachian’s international educ ferings especially, a large majority programs thatthat cross academic disciplines are aretiontion andand outreach is online at http://international.appstate. study abroad students taketake partpart in opportunities directly Overseas programs cross academic disciplines outreach is online at http://international.appsta study abroad students in opportunities directly Overseas edu/. sponsored by the university—designed by its or or edu/. sponsored by the university—designed by faculty its faculty

SDR helps you with involvement SDR helps you with involvement

to pay more attention to our present experiences.

ActiviCommunity Relations, andand the Student Legal Clinic to pay more attention to our present experiences.

Activi-Campus Campus Community Relations, the Student Legal Cli tiesties in this group will will helphelp participants cultivate a mindful have partnered to help explain the the process andand timeline by in this group participants cultivate a mindful have partnered to help explain process timeline Each student at Appalachian State University hashas an official Each student at Appalachian State University an officialapproach to their lives, which cancan decrease stress, create a 60-minute program called “Find YourYour Match!” to approach to their lives, which decrease stress, createoffering offering a 60-minute program called “Find Match!” co-curricular transcript.

Involvement, leadership positions, co-curricular transcript.

Involvement, leadership positions,emotional balance, andand allow a person to take actions more walkwalk students through the the process of exploring housing op- o emotional balance, allow a person to take actions more students through process of exploring housing on-campus employment, awards, leadership programs etc.etc.in line with their values. Thursdays 3:30-5:00 (Contact Chris tions and securing housing for Fall 2012. The program will on-campus employment, awards, leadership programs in line with their values. Thursdays 3:30-5:00 (Contact Chris tions and securing housing for Fall 2012. The program w cancan be listed on the transcript.

VisitVisit www.sdr.appstate.edu be listed on the transcript. www.sdr.appstate.eduHogan: 262-3180 or hogancj@appstate.edu). include issues related to both on- onandand off-campus housing, Hogan: 262-3180 or hogancj@appstate.edu). include issues related to both off-campus housin to see what youryour options are are for involvement.

Start building to see what options for involvement.

Start building including timelines and procedures for obtaining housing, including timelines and procedures for obtaining To get started with a Counseling Center group, come to the youryour experiences today.

To get started with a Counseling Center group, come to thecost, location, utilities, contracts, roommate choices,housin experiences today. etc.e Counseling Center during Walk-In Clinic, call call 262-3180 or or cost, location, utilities, contracts, roommate choices, Counseling Center during Walk-In Clinic, 262-3180 To register for “Find YourYour Match,” go to www.offcampus.

To register for “Find Match,” go to www.offcamp visitvisit the the website for more information at www.counseling. website for more information at www.counseling.appstate.edu. All programs take place in the Watauga River appstate.edu. All programs take place in the Watauga Riv If you are are interested in group but but these times TheThe Center for Student Involvement andand Leadership is availappstate.edu.

If you interested in group these timesRoom Center for Student Involvement Leadership is avail-appstate.edu. in Plemmons Student Union, fromfrom Noon to 1to p.m. on in Plemmons Student Union, Noon 1 p.m. work for you, please get get in touch withwith Chris Carden ableable for advising appointments.

Schedule a time today to talk do not work for you, please in touch Chris Cardenthe Room for advising appointments.

Schedule a time today to talkdo not following dates: Dec. 1, Jan. 18, 19, 23, 24, Feb. 1 and the following dates: Dec. 1, Jan. 18, 19, 23, 24, Feb. 1 a or cardendc@appstate.edu. withwith a professional in the office to determine youryour bestbest planplanat 262-3180 at 262-3180 or cardendc@appstate.edu. a professional in the office to determine 3. For more information about on-campus housing, contact 3. For more information about on-campus housing, cont of action.

GetGet out,out, meet people andand make a difference.

CallCall of action. meet people make a difference.

University Housing at 828-262-6111 or visit housing.appUniversity Housing at 828-262-6111 or visit housing.ap 262-6252, or visit the CSIL website at www.csil.appstate.

262-6252, or visit the CSIL website at www.csil.appstate.

For For more information about off-campus housing state.edu. more information about off-campus hous Come explore the the resources on campus herehere to assist youyoustate.edu. edu,edu, dropdrop

by Room #219 for more information.

Come explore resources on campus to assist

by Room #219 for more information. resources, contact the the Office of Off-Campus Community resources, contact Office of Off-Campus Commun withwith youryour career planning and job searching needs.

Is chooscareer planning and job searching needs. Is choos-Relations at 828-262-8284 or visit offcampus.appstate.edu. ing ing a major causing youyou stress?

TheThe Peer Career Center a major causing stress?

Peer Career Center Relations at 828-262-8284 or visit offcampus.appstate.e help!

Choosing a major is one of the decisions youyou TheThe Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series is iscancan help!

Choosing a major is one of many the many decisions Hughlene Bostian Frank Visiting Writers Series have to make during youryour college career.

Do not taketake it it named in honor of Hughlene Bostian Frank, class of 1968, have to make during college career.

Do not named in honor of Hughlene Bostian Frank, class of 1968,will will TheThe W. H. Leadership Medallion, named in honor W.Plemmons H. Plemmons Leadership Medallion, named in hon TheThe average person spends 86,000 hours working trustee andand generous supporter of Appalachian State lightly. average person spends 86,000 hours workingof Dr. trustee generous supporter of Appalachian Statelightly.

William H. Plemmons who served as the second presiof Dr. William H. Plemmons who served as the second pre in his/her lifetime.

How many hours are you going to spend University.

Admission to all events is free.

For further inUniversity. Admission to all events is free. For further in- in his/her lifetime. How many hours are you going to spenddent of the University from 1955 to 1969, was established dent of the University from 1955 to 1969, was establish choosing your career?

We offer assistance in finding a major formation on the Fall season, call 262-2871 or see www. choosing your career?

We offer assistance in finding a major formation on the Fall season, call 262-2871 or see www. of the Appalachian State University Board of by action an action of the Appalachian State University Board career thatthat matches youryour interests, abilities, values andandby an visitingwriters.appstate.edu.

To receive Appalachian’s “This career matches interests, abilities, values visitingwriters.appstate.edu.

To receive Appalachian’s “Thisandand Trustees in 1996.

The award was created to recognize the Trustees in 1996.

The award was created to recognize t CallCall 262-2029 to schedule an appointment or or Week in the announcements by email, please contact experiences.

262-2029 to schedule an appointment Week in Arts” the Arts” announcements by email, please contactexperiences. time, energy, skills, and commitment of students, faculty, time, energy, skills, and commitment of students, facu by our office located on the 2nd2nd floorfloor of the Student arts-events@appstate.edu.

Writers scheduled are:are: Novelist by our office located on the of the Studentstudent development educators and staff who exceed their arts-events@appstate.edu.

Writers scheduled Novelistdropdrop student development educators and staff who exceed th beside McAllister’s Deli.Deli.

VisitVisit us at Mary Doria Russell, “The“The Sparrow,” “A Thread of Grace,” andandUnion, Union, beside McAllister’s uswww.peercareer. at www.peercareer.peers Mary Doria Russell, Sparrow,” “A Thread of Grace,” in providing leadership thatthat enriches the quality of stuin providing leadership enriches the quality of s TheThe Career Development Center offers many “Doc,” will will speak at 7:30 p.m.p.m.

Thursday in the Table Rock appstate.edu.

Career Development Center offers manydentpeers “Doc,” speak at 7:30 Thursday in the Table Rockappstate.edu. life and advances the the education of students.

Students dent life and advances education of students.

Stude resources to assist you in your job and internship search Room of Plemmons Student Union.

A Craft Talk: Writing Room of Plemmons Student Union. A Craft Talk: Writing resources to assist you in your job and internship searchand university employees are invited to nominate a student and university employees are invited to nominate a stude Career Counselors will will helphelp youyou build a professional Historical Fiction will will be held fromfrom 3:303:30 untiluntil 4:454:45 p.m.p.m. in inskills. skills.

Career Counselors build a professionalor university Historical Fiction be held employee for for thisthis award.

Nominations maym or university employee award.

Nominations resume, cover letter, and help develop your interviewing the the Table Rock Room. resume, cover letter, and help develop your interviewingbe made Table Rock Room. in the following categories: A student leader whow made in the following categories: A student leader skills.

Students cancan utilize Career Gear, (careergear.apskills.

Students utilize Career Gear, (careergear.ap-hasbe provided distinguished leadership above that of other has provided distinguished leadership above that of oth pstate.edu), our our newnew andand improved career management pstate.edu), improved career managementstudent leaders; a Student Development Educator within the student leaders; a Student Development Educator within Understanding Self and Others Group: Issues commonly system, to schedule career counseling appointments, post Understanding Self and Others Group: Issues commonly system, to schedule career counseling appointments, postDivision of Student Development for meritorious leadership t Division of Student Development for meritorious leaders addressed varyvary fromfrom depression, anxiety, relationship con-con-resumes, search for jobs andand internships, signsign up for addressed depression, anxiety, relationship resumes, search for jobs internships, up on for onin his or her work to enrich the the quality of student life life anda in his or her work to enrich quality of student cerns, self-esteem, issues of family conflict or abuse, etc. campus interviews, research employers, identify employer cerns, self-esteem, issues of family conflict or abuse, etc. campus interviews, research employers, identify employerlearning; a member of the faculty who has provided meritorilearning; a member of the faculty who has provided merito Students whowho want to resolve specific concerns as well as asmentors andand staystay up to withwith career center events andand Students want to resolve specific concerns as well mentors update to date career center events leadership through his or work withwith student clubs or leadership through hisher or her work student clubs those seeking personal growth are are welcome.

ThisThis cancan be befairs.

Learn about all of great resources in the CDC at atousous those seeking personal growth welcome. fairs.

Learn about allthe of the great resources in the CDC organizations, or work that enriches the quality of student organizations, or work that enriches the quality of stude a good timetime to get peers’ perspectives on various issues, a good to get peers’ perspectives on various issues,careers.appstate.edu. careers.appstate.edu. life life andand learning outside the the classroom; andand an employee learning outside classroom; an employ andand to recognize thatthat youyou are are not not alone.

FourFour groups are are to recognize alone. groups of Appalachian State University whowho hashas provided meritoof Appalachian State University provided meri available: Mondays 1:00-2:30; Tuesdays 2:00-3:30; Tuesavailable: Mondays 1:00-2:30; Tuesdays 2:00-3:30; Tuesrious leadership that has significantly enriched the quality rious leadership that has significantly enriched the qua attorney is available to answer youryour questions, days 2-3:30 (Freshmen/Transfer Students only) Tuesdays A licensed attorney is available to answer questions,of student life and learning outside of the classroom. days 2-3:30 (Freshmen/Transfer Students only) TuesdaysA licensed TheT of student life and learning outside of the classroom. provide advice, and make referrals.

This service is offered 3:30-5:00; Wednesdays 3:00-4:30. provide advice, and make referrals. This service is offeredprocess for selecting recipients will be as follows: A seven 3:30-5:00; Wednesdays 3:00-4:30. for selecting recipients will be as follows: A sev freefree of charge to any Appalachian State University student. of charge to any Appalachian State University student. process Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Therapy Group: This group will committee appointed by the Chancellor will will solicit Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Therapy Group: This group willContact the Student Legal Clinic if you have a traffic ticket, person person committee appointed by the Chancellor sol Contact the Student Legal Clinic if you have a traffic ticket, present an opportunity for gay, lesbian, andand bisexual in- inandand review nominations andand recommend recipients of the W. present an opportunity for gay, lesbian, bisexual review nominations recommend recipients of the a minor criminal charge, a question about your lease or a minor criminal charge, a question about your lease or dividuals to explore life life challenges.

It will provide a safe Leadership Medallion to the Chancellor whow dividuals to explore challenges.

It will provide a safethe conditions in your off-campus apartment -- or any other H. Plemmons Plemmons Leadership Medallion to the Chancellor the conditions in your off-campus apartment -- or any other H. environment in which to address a variety of issues (e.g., submit the the recommendations to the Board of Trustees environment in which to address a variety of issues (e.g.,issue or problem that you need legal help with. The Stu- will will submit recommendations to the Board of Truste coming out,out, spirituality, family relationships, depression, self-self- issue or problem that you need legal help with. The Stu-for for theirtheir review andand approval; the the committee will will screen coming spirituality, family relationships, depression, review approval; committee scre dentdent Legal Clinis is located in Room 221of the the Plemmons Legal Clinis is located in Room 221of Plemmons esteem, abuse, etc.).

Goals of the group include: reducing nominations andand seek relevant supporting information esteem, abuse, etc.). Goals of the group include: reducingStudent Union. Call (828) 262-2704 for an appointment. the the nominations seek relevant supporting informat Student Union.

Call (828) 262-2704 for an appointment. isolation, finding support andand making changes.

TwoTwo groups nominees chosen for further consideration; thist isolation, finding support making changes. groupsIt’s fast and easy! Appointments can usually be scheduled concerning concerning nominees chosen for further consideration; It’s fast and easy! Appointments can usually be scheduledprocess are are available: Time/Day to be (Contact Carol will will taketake place annually andand leadership medallions available: Time/Day to determined be determined (Contact Carolwithin a few days. process place annually leadership medallio within a few days.

O’Saben or Sheri Clark: 262-3180 or osabencl@appstate. will will be awarded during the the FallFall Semester Convocation.

It O’Saben or Sheri Clark: 262-3180 or osabencl@appstate. be awarded during Semester Convocation eduedu or clarksl@appstate.edu). is understood thatthat the the medallion is intended to recognize or clarksl@appstate.edu). is understood medallion is intended to recogn leadership andand maymay not not be be awarded each andand students withwith financial aid aid questions are are en- en-meritorious meritorious leadership awarded ea Painful Pasts, Promising Futures Group: ThisThis group is isParents Parents students financial questions Painful Pasts, Promising Futures Group: group year; nominations for this award will be accepted through to visit our our website at financialaid.appstate.edu designed for those whowho have experienced traumatic events couraged to visit website at financialaid.appstate.edu year; nominations for this award will be accepted throu designed for those have experienced traumatic eventscouraged Wednesday, Dec. 14, by the Office of the Vice Chancellor theirtheir AppalNet account.

TheThe Office of Student Financial in their liveslives or who come fromfrom backgrounds in which theytheyandand AppalNet account.

Office of Student Financial Wednesday, Dec. 14, by the Office of the Vice Chance in their or who come backgrounds in which for Student Development.

Nominations should be submitted Aid is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., except for Unifor Student Development.

Nominations should be submit did not feel safe.

Members will learn how their past experiAid is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., except for Unidid not feel safe. Members will learn how their past experielectronically by using thisthis link link http://plemmonsmedallion. versity observed holidays. electronically by using http://plemmonsmedallio ences and their biology are affecting their lives now.

More ences and their biology are affecting their lives now. More versity observed holidays. appstate.edu/index.php?module=plm.

For For additional inforappstate.edu/index.php?module=plm. additional inf importantly, theythey will will learn what to do it! Members will will importantly, learn what toabout do about it! Members mation, please contact Dino DiBernardi, Chair of the W. mation, please contact Dino DiBernardi, Chair of the H. W. learn important insights about theirtheir patterns in relationships learn important insights about patterns in relationships Medallion Committee, at 262-2060 or visit our o timetime to Find Yosef A Holiday!

TheThe Office of MultiPlemmons Medallion Committee, at 262-2060 or visit andand skills to better manage theirtheir emotions andand relationships.

It’s almost to Find Yosef A Holiday!

Office of Multi-Plemmons skills to better manage emotions relationships.It’s almost at www.plemmonsmedallion.appstate.edu.

Student Development invites youyou to once again joinjoinwebsite website at www.plemmonsmedallion.appstate.edu.

Thursdays 3:30-5:00.

(Contact Amber Lyda for more inforcultural Student Development invites to once again Thursdays 3:30-5:00.

(Contact Amber Lyda for more infor-cultural in celebrating the the many cultural traditions thatthat are are observed mation: lydaam@appstate.edu). in celebrating many cultural traditions observed mation: lydaam@appstate.edu). around the the world during the the winter season.

To sign up as around world during winter season.

To sign upaas a Transgender Therapy Group: This group is similar to the ASUASU Summer in Spain is seeking applicants for its Transgender Therapy Group: This group is similar to theholiday sponsor, please complete andand submit the the registraSummer in Spain is seeking applicants for 2012 its 20 holiday sponsor, please complete submit registra“Understanding SelfSelf andand Others” group in that a variety of oftion form by Friday. Go to http://multicultural.appstate.edu/ Program.

Enjoy Madrid, oneone of the most vibrant European “Understanding Others” group in that a variety Program.

Enjoy Madrid, of the most vibrant Europe tion form by Friday.

Go to http://multicultural.appstate.edu/ issues will will be explored in ainsafe andand supportive environcities, while studying the Spanish language and culture. issues be explored a safe supportive environ-events-programs/multicultural-events/find-yosef-holiday-fair events-programs/multicultural-events/find-yosef-holiday-fair cities, while studying the Spanish language and cultu ment.

Some of the issues will be unique to gender-variant Travel throughout Spain from May 29 to June 28, and earn ment. Some of the issues will be unique to gender-variantto find the registration form.

Classes, clubs, athletic teams, to find the registration form. Classes, clubs, athletic teams, Travel throughout Spain from May 29 to June 28, and ea students.

Goals of the group include: reducing isolation, 6 ASU credits. It is time to think about Summer! It is not students.

Goals of the group include: reducing isolation,offices, andand departments are are all eligible andand invited to submit offices, departments all eligible invited to submit 6 ASU credits. It is time to think about Summer! It is n finding support andand making changes.

Time/Day to be to early too join us! The program includes a wide range of finding support making changes.

Time/Day todeterbe deter-forms.

This can be an excellent way to enhance multiculforms. This can be an excellent way to enhance multicul- to early too join us! The program includes a wide range mined (Contact Sheri Clark for more information: 262-3180 activities for students to explore the the contrasts of the country mined (Contact Sheri Clark for more information: 262-3180turaltural awareness or inspire those in your liveslives to spread activities for students to explore contrasts of the coun awareness or inspire those in your to spread or clarksl@appstate.edu). andand its cultures withwith the the support of Spanish hosthost families, or clarksl@appstate.edu). theirtheir holiday cheer with others.

The Find Yosef a Holiday its cultures support of Spanish famili holiday cheer with others. The Find Yosef a Holiday ASU and local professors. We offer morning classes, orgais Dec. 2 in2the BlueBlue Ridge Ballroom of Plemmons WISE Women, Image, & Self Esteem: ThisThis group is isFestival Festival is Dec. in the Ridge Ballroom of Plemmons ASU and local professors. We offer morning classes, org WISE Women, Image, & Self Esteem: group nized andand individual evenings activities, dayday andand weekend Student Union, 5-7 p.m. nized individual evenings activities, weeke designed for any woman interested in changing howhow sheshe Student Union, 5-7 p.m. designed for any woman interested in changing tripstrips (Toledo, Segovia, Córdoba…), an extensive excursion (Toledo, Segovia, Córdoba…), an extensive excurs values herself.

If you’d like to feel better about yourself and values herself. If you’d like to feel better about yourself and to northern mountainous region of León…

Came to an to northern mountainous region of León…

Came to inan lessless controlled by appearance, foodfood andand what others think, controlled by appearance, what others think, formation meeting at 6 p.m.

Dec. 6, in Room 505 Sanford Did you know that most students begin considering their formation meeting at 6 p.m.

Dec. 6, in Room 505 Sanfo thisthis group may be for you.

Thursdays 1-2:30 p.m.

(Contact group may be for you. Thursdays 1-2:30 p.m. (Contact Did you know that most students begin considering their For For details go to options NOW for Fall 2012 housing?

In order to get youryourHall.Hall. details gointernational.appstate.edu/education/ to international.appstate.edu/educati Denise Lovin: 262-3180 or lovindm@appstate.edu). options NOW for Fall 2012 housing?

In order to get Denise Lovin: 262-3180 or lovindm@appstate.edu). aoep/Spain_DFLL_S12 or contact Dr. Dr. Benito del del Pliego preferences (location, cost, roommates, amenities, etc.) you aoep/Spain_DFLL_S12 or contact Benito Plie preferences (location, cost, roommates, amenities, etc.) you An An Introduction to Mindfulness Group: Mindfulness Introduction to Mindfulness Group: Mindfulnessshould at delpliegob@appstate.edu; (828) 262262 2306; office 525,52 begin now,now, too.too.

University Housing, the Office of Offat delpliegob@appstate.edu; (828) 2306; office should begin University Housing, the Office of Offinvolves stepping out out of “auto-pilot” reactions andand learning involves stepping of “auto-pilot” reactions learning Sanford Hall.Hall.

Sanford

Need help getting involved?

Need help getting involved?

Career resources available at at ASU Career resources available ASU

Visiting Writers sets schedule Visiting Writers sets schedule

Plemmons nominations sought Plemmons nominations sought

2011 Counseling Center groups 2011 Counseling Center groups

Free, confidential legal advice Free, confidential legal advice

Financial Aid questions?

Financial Aid questions?

Find Yosef A Holiday!

Find Yosef A Holiday!

Summer in in Spain forfor ASU credit Summer Spain ASU credit

Get ready forfor 2012 fallfall housing Get ready 2012 housing

The Appalachian

December 1, 2011 • 7

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

Apps open postseason with Maine (8-3), (6-2)

vs.

THE BREAKDOWN with Chris Williams

(8-3), (6-2)

Kidd Brewer Stadium Boone, N.C. 2:00 p.m.

Adam Jennings | The Appalachian

ASU’s Mountaineer’s vs.

Maine’s Black Bears

Senior running back Travaris Cadet leaves a Western Carolina player in the dust during the Mountaineers’ last home game.

The matchup Though the Mountaineers’ bid for a seventhstraight conference title is over, ASU is in the playoffs and will host northern foe Maine in the first round.

The Black Bears enter the game with an 8-3 record and are currently ranked 14th in the country.

Coach Jerry Moore will lead his 8th-ranked Mountaineer team into the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, looking for his fourth national title.

Having lost two of their last three games, Maine must now travel over 1,000 miles to Kidd Brewer Stadium and attempt to knock off a favored ASU team.

It will be no easy feat bringing down the Mountaineers, as ASU quarterback Jamal Jackson continues to develop into a methodical pocket passer.

After leading his team to a second half victory at Elon, Jackson appears ready for the postseason push. Maine will face the task of stopping the number one ASU playmaker, Brian Quick, who can solidify his pro-prospect status with another big game.

How ASU can win Appalachian State has the benefit of facing two similar offenses in backto-back games. Like Elon, Maine relies heavily on the passing game and will look to exploit the ASU defense through the air. The adjustments ASU made in the Elon game will prove important in this matchup and will hopefully lead to the same outcome.

If the Mountaineer defense can hold Maine under 20 points, it will be difficult for the Black Bears to overcome the relentless attack of the ASU offense.

How Maine can win Maine quarterback Warren Smith is the catalyst behind the talented UM offense and his team has scored more than 23 points in every game this season. His number one target, Mauri McDonald, averages 65 yards per game and will look to stretch the field against a developing ASU secondary.

If Smith is given time to stand in the pocket and hit his receivers in stride, we may be looking at a shootout where the Black Bears emerge on top.

Nathan Cullitan | The Appalachian

Sophomore quarterback Jamal Jackson walks onto the field at the Nov. 12 game against Western Carolina. Jackson will likely show the same poise and skill against Maine that he has demonstrated all-season.

Mountaineers face Maine Black Bears in first round of playoffs

by JAKE AMBERG Sports Editor

A

ppalachian State will open its playoff run Saturday, against the University of Maine-Orono.

And at this point in the season, the Mountaineers are already accustomed to playing in singleelimination football games.

Following a loss to Furman, another loss could have sunk Appalachian’s playoff chances. But head coach Jerry Moore announced that the team was officially in playoff mode, starting with the Nov. 12 game against Western Carolina.

The Mountaineers appeared to respond well to Moore’s ultimatum.

ASU blew out the Catamounts and rallied against Elon the following

week, earning its seventhconsecutive home playoff game.

Although playoff time brings more attention and pressure to the team, starting quarterback Jamal Jackson doesn’t expect much of a difference Saturday.

“I just treat it like the rest of the regular season games even though there’s more to it,” Jackson said.

Coincidentally, Maine is the last team to have bested ASU in a home playoff opener, back in 2002.

“We don’t know much about them,” Coach Moore said. “They’re a team that doesn’t have very many or any [weaknesses] to speak of.

They’re just a very solid football team. They have a good throwing game and a good rushing game.”

Statistically, Maine appears weak on defense, allowing 23 points per game and 158 rushing yards per

game. The Black Bears have lost their last two of three, to fellow playoff teams Towson and New Hampshire.

The Mountaineers expect to exploit Maine with a fully healthy rushing attack, utilizing former starting running back Cedric Baker-Boney and right guard Matt Ruff.

Baker-Boney hasn’t played since breaking his scapula against the Citadel earlier in the season.

“I’m expecting to have a pretty big role,” Baker-Boney said. “I want to hit the ground running. I don’t want the offense to have to hold off.”

Baker-Boney will be a key factor in a rushing attack that will have to be strong. As the weather gets colder, receivers have a harder time holding onto balls, forcing a greater

emphasis on running the football.

After rushing for 229 yards against Samford Oct. 22, Appalachian has only rushed for over 100 yards in a game once, against Western Carolina.

The team’s leading rusher, Travaris Cadet, believes the declined rushing production is a team problem that can be fixed with increased effort from all members.

“I’ve got to run harder and we have to do a better job blocking up front,” Cadet said. “It’s a whole team thing, as a whole. It’s both parts – both the offensive line and me and Steve [Miller] and Ced [Baker-Boney] hitting the holes a little harder.”

Appalachian will host Maine at 2 p.m. in Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Coverage will be streamed online through ESPN3.

Athletics offers students free tickets for football playoffs

by JAKE AMBERG Sports Editor

This year, Appalachian State will attempt to rectify dropping postseason attendance by offering free student tickets to playoff football games, as opposed to the $5 ticket price charged in the past.

Despite the importance of playoff games, attendance for ASU’s postseason games has plummeted over the last six playoff appearances, with average attendance declining by nearly 10,000 fans per season.

In the NCAA, non-seeded teams have to promise to meet a minimum ticket threshold.

To meet the threshold this year, Athletic Director Charlie Cobb proposed footing the bill for student playoff tickets.

“At the end of the day, what can we do to help drive attendance?” Cobb said. “All of us

recognized that students are a big part of our fan base. This will be the first year that it’s done…it’s been something debated for us and I was glad to be able to put it out there.”

Last season, Appalachian State totaled 29,028 fans cumulative for both playoff games.

Meanwhile, this season’s rivalry matchup against Western Carolina drew 30,622 fans alone.

Why then, when the games mean more, do fewer fans attend?

Cobb said typically, earlier game starts and busier holiday schedules are contributing factors.

“The last few years, when ESPN does our games and typically at home, they’ve been at 12 noon and that’s not an ideal time for us to play,” Cobb said. “Over 80 percent of our crowd comes from off the mountain and we’ve found the metric that 3:30 p.m. works.”

Pigskin Pick’em

Amy Johnson is a senior communication studies major and a member of the Student Yosef Club. She thinks Appalachian State could fill the student section this year, thanks to the new ticket rules.

“Without having a ticket cost, there will probably be more students in attendance – as long as there’s no snow on the field,” she said. “The decision to absorb the costs for postseason games will allow students who have to watch their budgets to go to The Rock.”

Cobb said the move was a “show of respect” to the students – one that comes at a cost of nearly $25,000 to the athletic department.

The ticket process for students will work normally, like any other regular season home game. Students will simply need to present their AppCard to gain admittance to Saturday’s game.

Student guest tickets are on sale for $15.

FCS Media Poll Week 13

Week 13 Dec. 3 Jake Amberg

Sports Editor The Appalachian (39-16)

The bottom line

Maine

It is common knowledge in sports that the most important postseason factor is experience. And if experience is a necessity, the Mountaineers have what it takes.

Coach Moore and many of the Mountaineer players have been in this position before and usually know how to answer. The Black Bears will merely be a speed bump in the road as ASU gears up for a late December run.

at

ASU 31 Maine 20

Nathan Cullitan | The Appalachian

Junior running back Steven Miller tries to avoid Western Carolina defensive back Bret Allen late in the Nov. 12 game at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Appalachian Wofford at Northern Iowa Old Dominion at Georgia Southern Oklahoma at Oklahoma State Wisconsin at Michigan State

Adam Jennings Photographer

The Appalachian

(41-14)

Justin Herberger

Lauren Estes

Kenneth Peacock

The Appalachian

Student Government

Appalachian State

(41-14)

(42-13)

Editor-In-Chief

SGA President

ASU Chancellor (43-12)

1. Sam Houston State 2. Ga. Southern* 3. Northern Iowa 4. North Dakota State 5. Montana 6. Lehigh 7. Montana State 8. Appalachian State* 9. Towson 10. Old Dominion 11. Wofford* 12. New Hampshire 13. Maine 14. Harvard 15. Central Arkansas 16. Delaware 17. Illinois State 18. Jackson State 19. James Madison 20. Tennessee Tech 21. North Dakota 22. Norfolk State 23. Liberty 24. South Dakota 25. San Diego *SoCon Member Source: soconsports.com

winter S ports

in the High Country

Page 2...

Students who embrace winter

Page 4...

Winter club teams gear up for another season

Page 5...

What to expect at local winter resorts

Page 7...

Winter weather observations by the experts

Page 8...

Where to shop for your winter gear

2

Winter Sports

• December 1, 2011

The Appalachian

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

WINTER SPORTS: A way of life

by MEGAN WRAPPE

Intern Lifestyles Reporter

S

tudents choose Appalachian State University for a variety of reasons.

Some come for the academics, the area or the football team. Others, however, come for the skiing and snowboarding opportunities.

“I’ve been skiing since I was two, so I really don’t remember not knowing how,” said Teagan Miller, a junior health promotions

major who is co-captain of Appalachian’s club ski team. “Two of my sisters went to App. One knew people on the ski team; the other was on it. I came to visit when I was in high school and went to a football game, then found out how close the skiing was and that was it for me.”

Sophomore education major Jenna Green, on the other hand, fell into snowboarding when the weather got rough her freshman year.

“I’m originally from Boone, so I know

how brutal the winters can get,” Green said.

“When I got to App, I had to find something that was enjoyable to do to get me through the winter and I picked snowboarding.”

For junior communication disorders major Lauren Easter, winter sports were a huge factor in the college decision process.

“I wanted to go to App five years before I got here,” Easter said. “I knew it was a good school, was cold and was close to snowboarding resorts, which was perfect.

Boarding is my favorite thing to do in the

world. I can’t really explain to someone how it is until they do it.”

For many, snowboarding is more than an occasional, recreational activity – it’s what gets them through the week.

“There are only two things I’ll set aside homework for and that’s drawing and snowboarding,” Green said. “I’m always doing two things at a time. What I love about boarding is that it forces me to do nothing but board and give myself a night off.

Meet three students who came to Appalachian to participate in winter sports.

Teagan Miller

Lauren Easter

Jenna Green

Hometown: Boone Sport: Snowboarding Jenna Green was originally a surfer.

Upon coming to Appalachian, though, she decided to take up snowboarding as a way to pass time during the winter.

“My dad was born in Hawaii,” she said. “He was the kind of guy that would surf before class or skip class to go surfing.”

Picking up a new sport was a quick process for Green.

“The first time I went snowboarding, I went with the guys from work and I got so good so fast, because I followed them,” she said.

Making the transition from surfing to snowboarding wasn’t difficult, Green said.

“I think surfing is harder,” she said. “With surfing, you get sore, but with snowboarding your butt is going to hurt a lot more after you’re done.”

Photo courtesy of Jenna Green

Hometown: Clemmons Sport: Snowboarding

Hometown: Cary Sport: Skiing

Lauren Easter has been a boarder since her junior year of high school.

She took up the sport after her brother started school at Appalachian and fell in love with it.

“My brother had boarded a little bit and I wanted to try it out,” Easter said. “I started boarding my junior year of high school and then took the snowboarding class here my freshman year.”

Easter said she loves getting other people out on the slopes.

“I’ve taken a few people with me and some of them loved it,” she said. “I may not be the best boarder in the world, but I’m passionate about it.”

Teagan Miller has been a skier since he was two years old. His parents met at Ski Liberty, a resort in Carroll County, Pa. “My dad has been working at Liberty since 1969, before it was even Ski Liberty,” Miller said. “My parents met there and they both still work there. I can remember piling into our 15-passenger van as a kid and driving all the way to the mountain, which was just our typical family weekend activity.”

Miller said his goal after graduation is to ski at major resorts all over the world.

“I basically want to be skiing until the day I die,” he said.

Photo courtesy of Lauren Easter

Photo courtesy of Jameson Evans

2FOR1

The Appalachian

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

Winter Sports

December 1, 2011 •

THAT’S RIGHT! TWO FOR ONE SKI & BOARD RENTALS!

PLUS, GET 10% OFF PURCHASES, ALL WINTER LONG!!

(WITH ASU STUDENT I.D.)

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3

4

• December 1, 2011

Winter Sports

The Appalachian

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

Ski, snowboard club teams ready to hit the slopes for 2012 season

by LEIGH ROBERTS

Senior Sports Reporter

F

or over 15 years, Appalachian State University has two athletic options unique among North Carolina universities – a club ski team and club snowboarding team.

For nearly ten years, the teams functioned as one club and raced together in the Southeastern division of the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA). Then, six years ago, they split into separate ski and snowboard teams.

Since then, the two teams consistently complete exceptional seasons – partly because of their ready access to the slopes and a passion for the sport.

For some students on each team, winter sports were a huge factor in their decision to attend Appalachian. For others, it was a welcome surprise.

“I always told people I wanted to go to a school where I could go skiing every afternoon,” said Tommy Penick, ski team president. “Places throughout the south where you could go skiing every day are kind of few and far between.”

Senior Chad Strickland, the president of the snowboarding team, said he came to App strictly for the winter sports and now dedicates most of the year to the team, in one capacity or another.

“In the off-season, we get together and do a lot of team bonding,” Strickland said.

“We’ve found that the less awkward everyone is when the season it’s, it’s a much easier transition.”

Junior Rosie Hewitt, the ski team’s secretary, said the region was a factor in her decision to enroll at Appalachian as well – but the ski team was a surprise.

“I was definitely looking at coming to App for the skiing and the mountains, but I didn’t even know there was a ski team until I got here,” Hewitt said.

And for senior Laurel Hall, the snowboarding team’s secretary, the mountains weren’t a draw at all.

“I had only been snowboarding a couple times before I came here, because I’m from the coast,” Hall said. “I just got into it really fast.”

For now – until the snow falls – each team is practicing a few times a week, using dry land exercises.

“As soon as the snow hits the ground, we are out there informally practicing,” Penick said. “We’re not running gates, but we’re

Photo courtesy of Jameson Evans

(L) Tommy Penick of the alpine ski team competes in a salom event last season. This year’s team will race across North Carolina and Virginia ski events, culminating in the national event held in Maine in March. (R) The 2011 snowboard team poses with their gold medals after finishing first in an event last season.

training with our coach.”

The first snowfall usually coincides with the exam period, so the team typically comes together at full speed as the full semester starts.

“Starting a week prior to when we get back, we essentially have a training camp here in the High Country,” Penick said.

After that, the team jumps in head first, with practices all week, traveling on Friday, and races on the weekends.

Each team will kick off the season with two races at home, one at Beech Mountain and the other at Sugar – and they’re ready for an exciting winter.

“I’m expecting a bunch of Ws out of Rosie,” Penick said. “I’m excited to see [sophomore] Taylor Jones kill it this year too, for the guys.”

Snowboarding’s Hall said the team’s experienced senior class – many with three years of experience – may secure a trip to nationals.

Strickland, the team’s president, agreed.

“This is our year,” he said. “We have a really strong returning group and we have almost 30 new people coming in and we were pushing for first last year when we were all juniors. You can pretty much just be watching out for our entire senior class.”

The first race of the season for each team will take place at Sugar Mountain Jan. 15 at 9 a.m.

Photo courtesy of Dustin Barton

2012 Club Teams Schedules SKI

SNOWBOARD

Sunday January 15, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Saturday January 28, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Sugar Mountain, NC Bryce Resort, VA Monday January 16, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Sugar Mountain, NC Sunday January 29, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Saturday January 21, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Bryce Resort, VA Beech Mountain, NC Sunday January 22, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Saturday February 4, 2012 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Beech Mountain, NC Bryce Resort, VA Saturday January 28, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Bryce Resort, VA Saturday February 11, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Saturday January 28, 2012 3:00 p.m - 4:00 p.m. Snowshoe Mountain, WV Bryce Resort, VA Sunday January 29, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Sunday February 12, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Bryce Resort, VA Snowshoe Mountain, WV Saturday February 4, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Bryce Resort, VA Mid-Atlantic Regionals Sunday February 5, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Thursday February 16 All Day Bryce Resort, VA Friday February 17 All Day Saturday February 11, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Saturday February 18 All Day Snowshoe Mountain, WV Wintergreen Resort, VA Sunday February 12, 2012 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Snowshoe Mountain, WV USCSA Nationals: Mid-Atlantic Regionals (Skiing & Snowboarding) Thursday February 23, 2012 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Monday March 5, 2012 All Day Wintergreen Resort, VA Sunday River, ME Friday February 24, 2012 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Tuesday March 6, 2012 All Day Wintergreen Resort, VA Sunday River, ME Friday February 24, 2012 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Wednesday March 7, 2012 All Day Wintergreen Resort, VA Sunday River, ME Saturday February 25, 2012 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Thursday March 8, 2012 All Day Wintergreen Resort, VA Sunday River, ME Source: uscsasoutheast.com

The Appalachian

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

Winter Sports

SKI, SLIDE, SHRED

5

by KATARINA GRUSS Intern Lifestyles Reporter

by EMMALEE ZUPO Lifestyles Reporter

Beech Mountain expects repeat of ‘perfect’ conditions

Photo courtesy of Appalachian Ski Mountain

Appalachian Ski Mountain ideal for ‘fine-tuning’ skills

Appalachian Ski Mountain – usually referred to as App Ski – is a smaller resort three miles from campus.

“I really liked skiing at App Ski because it wasn’t a huge place,” sophomore elementary education major Natasha Lyons said. “I was able to learn the basic skills without being run over by people.”

This summer, App Ski added a third PistenBully snow-grooming machine and upgraded 12 of the fan guns that lay fresh snow on the slopes.

“We’re always striving to make improvements in the summer months to make the skiing and snowboarding experience the best it can be in the winter,” marketing director Drew Stanley said.

“We can’t control everything that happens with the weather. If we get a thaw, we can always create fresh snow.”

These days, the resort focuses on skiing and snowboarding – but up until 10

years ago, App Ski offered sled dogs. The sport was discontinued because the dogs couldn’t be used in temperatures over 40 degrees – the boots and flat skis they wore wouldn’t slide down melting snow.

For those not interested in hitting the slopes, App Ski offers a Zamboni-maintained ice rink.

“It’s the only one in the area and you can tell the difference when you skate on it,” Stanley said.

The resort offers various student rates, which are detailed on appskimtn.com, and a class that can be taken for physical education credit at Appalachian State University.

“I would recommend App Ski for beginners or people who need to fine-tune their skills,” Lyons said. “App Ski is smaller than other mountains, but it was perfect to learn how to snowboard on. For college students, it’s closer and cheaper.”

Tubing, zip lining the focus at Hawksnest Resort

Hawksnest no longer hosts skiing or snowboarding, but it’s the largest snowtubing park on the east coast.

The resort provides over 20 lanes for tubing and four areas allotted for the sport.

Lengths vary from 350 to 1,000 feet long.

The resort also offers a zip line.

“The zip line is really for all ages because there is a lot of thrill involved in that,” said Lenny Cottom, general manager and owner. “We

December 1, 2011 •

haven’t had anybody come through who hasn’t enjoyed themselves.”

The line features 19 different cables with two singing bridges, with two different tours.

The hawk tour, a 10-cable tour that’s around 1.5 miles long, is $65 per person. The eagle tour, a 9-cable tour at around three miles long, is $75 per person.

Sophomore Bryant Rogers works as a zip line guide at Hawksnest.

“It’s beautiful and it’s a great way to take advantage of the place you live in,” he said. “Especially for people at other schools, they’d have to drive hours to take a zip line tour, so try to take advantage of the mountains and the place that we live in.”

Hawksnest doesn’t offer student discounts for tubing or zip lining, but regular rates are $25 during the week and $30 on holidays and weekends.

Beech Mountain Resort, located just over 26 miles from campus, is known for its skiing and snowboarding options.

Ten years ago, though, another sport was offered on the mountain.

“At one point in time, we did offer snow tubing to customers,” said Gill Adams, director of skier services. “We decided we weren’t utilizing the land to its full potential, so we stopped offering.”

Beech refocused on its two main sports, and the land once used for tubing is now an area to take skiing lessons.

The resort uses the traditional symbols to categorize trail difficulty: green circles

are easiest, orange ovals are freestyle terrain, blue squares are more difficult and black diamonds are most difficult.

“My favorite slope at Beech is the Oz run, a blue square,” freshman undecided major Andrew Tyson said. “For me, it’s fun and challenging. You do have to take a chairlift back to the top of the mountain, but you can pick another trail once you get to the top.”

Opening day at each High Country ski resort varies. Last year, Beech was open from Dec. 5 until its closing day 100 days later.

“Once we began, we were at a record snowfall,” Adams said. “Conditions were perfect and we didn’t lose

any days. We expect to have similar conditions this year with the way the forecast is looking now.”

[Leave graf for opening day – we’ll check at the last minute before this goes into production] Beech does not offer a student discount, but does offer a 30/20 deal. Anyone can purchase a $30 day or twilight ticket Monday through Friday, a $20 halfday ticket Monday through Friday, or a $20 night ticket Monday through Thursday during non-holiday times.

“Beech is a good place to ski or snowboard and it’s high on my list compared to other ski resorts,” Tyson said. “I’m planning on going several times this winter.”

Nathan Cullitan | The Appalachian

Sugar Mountain hosts ski team, offers varied winter sports Sugar Mountain offers up its slopes for a variety of winter activities – skiing, snowboarding, tubing, snowshoeing and skating on its 10,000-square foot outdoor rink.

The resort has a summit elevation of 5,300 feet with a vertical drop of 1,200 feet.

It’s North Carolina’s largest skiing area: one of its runs is “expert,” two are “most difficult,” nine are “more difficult” and seven are “easiest.”

Senior technical photography major Tommy Penick is president of Appalachian State University’s club ski team. He said the team trains at Sugar because the resort has the perfect terrain for the team.

“It basically comes down to the numbers,” Penick said. “It’s close, it’s got good verticals,

they usually have the most skiable days and the race program is pretty good.”

Sugar Mountain attempts to update its equipment regularly throughout each winter season, marketing director Kim Jochl said.

“We’re always trying to be innovative and sure that we have the newest technology for snowmaking and snow grooming and give our customers the best experience possible,” Jochl said.

Sugar’s discounted rates for students vary from $25 to $31 for full day and twilight tickets and $19 to $22 for half day and night tickets. Discounts only apply to students attending universities in North Carolina and Tennessee.

6

• December 1, 2011

Winter Sports

The Appalachian

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

Check out Multimedia coverage of winter sports TheAppalachianOnline.com

Compare ski resorts in the area and hear what students think about the late snow fall

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The Appalachian

Winter Sports

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

December 1, 2011 •

7

Mountain of winter weather uncertainties for 2011-12

by MICHAEL BRAGG Lifestyles Editor

T

he college town of Boone is placed at over 3,000 feet in elevation above sea level, in a valley between several high mountain peaks and is in the vicinity of an array of winter sports.

“I think if you’re a winter sports enthusiast, it’s an awesome place to live, to say the least,” Talia Freeman, director of marketing for Beech Mountain Resort, said.

Freeman is a Boone native who has grown up skiing and took up snowboarding in the last few years.

“Boone is home,” she said. “I like bringing people to Boone and share with them why I fell in love with the area. I think it’s a great industry and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Evidently, snow is a crucial ingredient to Freeman’s lifestyle and career.

“Anytime you have natural snowfall, you’re going to spark the interest of not only people in the High Florida & South Country, but also people off the mountain,” she Atlantic Coast: said. “Everyone kind of gets the jitterbug, they drier than average, with want to play in the snow an equal chance for and they want to go above, near or belowskiing.” normal temperatures.

Last year’s winter Above normal wildfire weather produced conditions. above average snowfall, said Beech Mountain’s weather service employee at Fred’s General Mercantile John Hoffman.

“Last year, we got 132 inches of snow [at Beech] and 136 the year before that,” Hoffman said. “Eighty inches is normal.”

Even though it is located in the notoriously humid southeastern region of the United States, Boone is a special case when it comes to winter weather conditions.

“Boone is just a fascinating place,” Baker Perry, assistant professor of geography, said.

Perry said that Boone lies between the higher points of Howards Knob and Rich Mountain to the north and others to the south.

Madelyn Rindal | The Appalachian

Assistant professor of geography and planning Baker Perry discusses potential weather patterns for the winter.

“You have this low point, so you have a lot of wind coming through here as well,” he said. “That’s certainly one of the characteristics that many students and many residents in Boone recognize. The weather is in your face here.”

Perry is an official National Weather Service cooperator and observer and has received grants from NASA and the Natural Science Foundation in his time here at Appalachian State University.

“Last winter was kind of the winter that favored for enhanced snowfall across the southeast and colder outbreaks across the southeast,” John L’Heureux, Appalachian alumnus and North Carolina State University graduate student, said.

“It was literally a melting pot for all these favorable phases to enhance one another, to build upon one another and give us a very strong anomaly across the southeast that favored this very cold weather and snowfall.”

L’Heureux hosts the Facebook page L’Heureux’s Weather, which predicts and tracks weather conditions for the High Country area and he is currently working on his masters for meteorology and geographic information science at N.C. State.

Hoffman, Perry and L’Heureux said that the things that affect the weather aren’t just based on Boone’s and the winter resorts’ elevations, but on weather oscillations.

The High Country winters are affected by La Nina and El Nino weather patterns, as well as the Arctic Oscillation (AO).

Boone's Winter Weather

Averages of 2009-2010

64.75° Low: 12.75° Snowfall: 83 inches High:

Average Temperatures November- Feburary

46.5° Low: 24.75° High:

Last Winter’s Averages

59.25° Low: 13.25° Snowfall: 56 inches High:

Average Snowfall: 42.35inches

While the La Nina season typically brings mild, dry winters to the area, Perry said the AO is “very hard to predict and is not exceptionally well understood in what causes these tremendous variations.”

“That combined with an active La Nina can both produce above normal snowfall here in our area,” he said.

The La Nina pattern usually brings warm, dry weather to the southeast region, according to noaa.gov.

L’Heureux said he thinks he knows how this winter will play out.

“The first third, very good for snow lovers, very good if you love cold weather,” he said.

“It would essentially be a very slightly weakened version of how last winter started. The last two thirds – unlike last winter where we into an abrupt warm phase that didn’t favor snowfall – I think we’ll get a weakened version of that as well.”

L’Heureux said he sees a near normal to above average amount of snowfall for Boone and the Ohio & Tennessee surrounding areas.

Hoffman said he Valleys: thinks the conditions at Beech Mountain wetter than average with will be a little closer to equal chances for above, normal. near or below-average “It’s going to be a temperatures. Potential later, colder and drier for ncreased storminess winter,” he said. and flooding.

Hoffman predicts Beech Mountain will get about 90 inches of snowfall this season.

Perry, however, said he doesn’t think the winter weathers can be predicted.

“If I could tell you that, I wouldn’t be in this and job I’d be making a whole lot more money somewhere else; I’ll leave it at that,” he said.

“If you can predict the future, there’s a lot of people willing to pay big bucks for that.”

Away from the weather experts that rely mostly on their instruments and training, Freeman is going with her gut on the weather this winter.

“My gut instinct: I think that winter is going to start a bit later for us.”

Graphic by Allison Hill | The Appalachian

What’s Expected This Winter?

Cooler than average temperatures Snowfall around the average at about 48 inches Relatively colder in November, December, January but relatively mild in February, March, and April Sources: Weather.com, Ray’s Weather TheAppalachianOnline.com

8

• December 1, 2011

Winter Sports

The Appalachian

| TheAppalachianOnline.com

High Country snow shops driven by passion

Recess time is snowboarding time

by RYAN NAGY

Senior Lifestyles Reporter

Olivia Wilkes | The Appalachian

Senior marketing major and 1st Tracks and Fatty's Snowboards employee James Neville (right) discusses snowboarding boots and bindings with local Brian Hayes.

First Tracks helps students make tracks of their own

by RYAN NAGY Senior Lifestyles Reporter

F

or some stores in Boone, it’s about more than business – it’s about passion. The owners and employees of Recess Skate and Snow and First Tracks, both located off U.S. Hwy 105, use their love of winter sports to connect with students involved in snowboarding and skiing.

Jeff Kattner’s passion for the outdoors helps him do his job well.

“I moved up here for the mountains,” said Kattner, the general manager of First Tracks. “I’ve always loved skiing and when I was a kid living in Salisbury, my family would always take a lot of ski trips.”

In the 1990s, Kattner switched from skiing to snowboarding. He said he enjoys snowboarding more, but is better at skiing.

Kattner said First Tracks is unique to the area because it offers a complete service, including retail, rentals and repairs.

“As far as a total shop, nobody offers

the services we do,” he said. “We can do repairs in here that nobody else in town can do.”

Senior marketing major James Neville has been a First Tracks employee for three years. He said being truly excited about the products in the store helps beginners respond to the sport.

“If you get a customer stoked about a product, they’ll be more willing to pay for it,” Neville said. “A positive attitude is contagious. If you’re super stoked and happy to be here, people will respond better to you.”

Neville, who hopes to open his own snow shop out west in the future, said it’s impossible to work in the winter sports industry and not be excited about your job.

Both Kattner and Neville are waiting for the snow to start falling regularly and anxious to get out on the mountain.

“The first day of winter is on December 22,” Kattner said. “Everything else is just a bonus.”

J.P. Pardy, the owner of Recess Skate and Snow, said his enthusiasm for snowboarding is beneficial for customers who come in with questions.

“I think my passion for the sport really helps them out,” he said. “Actually doing it and being involved with it really stands out.”

The store’s specific focus on snowboarding sets it apart from the average winter shop, Pardy said. Recess isn’t a ski shop that happens to sell snowboards on the side – it’s a board shop.

“This is what we know,” Pardy said. “We aren’t trying to sell stuff we don’t know.”

Throughout the season, Recess stays involved with the community through a series of snowboard and ski contests at Appalachian Ski Mountain.

Contestants in the “Shred for the Cup” competition can walk away with anything from free gear to hard cash. Last year, the store gave out somewhere around $1,500, with first place walking away with over $600, Pardy said.

The event offers three competitions to snowboarders and skiiers: big air, rail jam and slope-style. It’s also split between skill levels with sections in beginner, intermediate and advanced.

This year’s competition will be held Jan. 22.

Recess also hosts video premieres when new snowboarding videos are released.

Three professional snowboarders – Scott Stevens, Cale Zima, and T.J. Schneider – have attended in the past, Pardy said.

Pardy said his favorite thing about running the shop is getting people set up with the right products so they’ll enjoy their snowboarding experience.

“It’s sick to go out on the hill and see someone we sold something to and they’re psyched about it and love it,” he said.

When sophomore recreation management major Seth Sloan started snowboarding last year, he visited Recess for new gear and snowboarding tips.

“They were all really helpful and super nice,” Sloan said. “They know what you need, whether you’re a beginner or an expert.”

Jessica Schreck | The Appalachian

Recess owner JP Pardy, left, and employee Ashley Beamer. Recess is a ski/skate shop located in Boone on Hwy 105.