AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY
www.grubellringer.com
VOLUME 58, ISSUE 4
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
LUCIA CONKRIGHT | STAFF
Peter F. Buckley, dean of the Medical College of Georgia, addresses topics to Augusta University students in a student town hall meeting on Oct. 27 at the M.D. Education Commons on the Health Sciences campus.
Town Hall: By Lucia Conkright staff writer Issues such as rising tuition, student debt and the future of the Medical College of Georgia were discussed in the student town hall meeting on Oct. 27 at the M.D. Education Commons on the Health Sciences campus. President Brooks Keel and Peter F. Buckley, the dean of the Medical College, spoke at the meeting. The meeting was kicked off by Keel who expressed his appreciation of the opportunity to speak with students. “I don’t get to spend as much time with the students as I’d like to,” Keel said. “So any opportuni-
ty to get to spend time with those students I try to take advantage of.” The students were able to ask Keel a number of questions, such as how the name change would affect the relationship between the campuses. “The relationship between Augusta University and the Medical College of Georgia and you is absolutely no different in any way, shape, form or fashion than the relationship between Georgia Regents University and the Medical College of Georgia.” Keel went on to assure students that despite other changes to the name, MCG would still exist. “MCG, as you all know, has been around for 187 years, and there
Meeting covers student debt and name change is nothing that anybody is going to do, least of all me, to change that,” Keel said. “The name will always be here, and you will be a graduate of MCG.” One student brought up the cost of the name change. Keel was quick to reassure the students that the price would be nowhere near as high as rumored. “There is no way it’s going to cost $8 million,” Keel said. “As far as we can determine, the original changing of the name was probably in the ballpark of $3 to $4 million.” Keel went on to explain that so much of the name change’s original cost had resulted from the building of the brick structures around the signs, which had cost the university
more than the letters themselves. “It’s going to be far less than the original change we had to go through,” Keel said. “I expect the community will be chipping in to cover those expenses.” Keel had a positive outlook on the aid from the community. College helps bridge the distance, he said, and to build relationships with the community. Another student brought up the issue of the hospital and whether or not it would change names. “The short answer is yes,” Keel said. “The long answer is I don’t know when that’s going to be yet.” According to Keel, the health system is controlled by two separate boards with the authority to change
the names. They would be the ones to make the name change, he said, which would probably take a month or two. He then addressed another issue concerning students. “If you change the name,” Keel said. “You’re going be concerned about email and web addresses.” Keel said that while he had no concrete answer yet, the board was working with another company to make the transition as smooth and easy as possible. The change, he said, would likely be something very similar to the current email and web addresses. Buckley spoke of other recent developments and changes happensee TOWN HALL on PAGE 3
Georgia Literary Festival brings schools together By Inesha Howard staff writer The 14th Annual Georgia Literary Festival brought many schools together on Nov. 7. Some of the schools present were the University of South Carolina, the University of Georgia and the University of South Carolina, Aiken. Representatives from these schools were present for different reasons. Jordan Stepp, intellectual and copyrights manager for the UGA Press, said, “University of Georgia Press has a lot of authors here this year. This is my personal first literary festival, so I’m very excited to be here, but the press is usually always here for all the others.” Stepp said that she was most excited about seeing the people and seeing who was
“
It is a great opportunity for authors and readers to come together and have a good time. --Jeffery Jones
”
interested in the books and upcoming authors. She also said that it is always great to see new writers and what they are working on. Johnathan Haupt, director of the University of South Carolina Press, was present as a publisher. “We have two novelists presenting today and we are also here as an exhibit to sell books directly to the readers who are attending,” Haupt said. “This is the second time that the USC Press has been involved with the literary festival and it’s nice to be back.” Haupt said that the USC Press travels to
many southern book festivals to present their authors. He said that he looked forward to meeting readers and seeing what they had to say about the books. “Today is really all about meeting readers, so anybody that I meet for the first time or friends that I see again would be wonderful.” Not only were people there to show off their books, but some were there to show off their school magazines. Jude Jackson, visual arts editor for Broken Ink magazine at USCA, said that this was his first year working for the school magazine and his first year at the literary festival. “I’m really excited about being here today,” Jackson said. “We don’t get a lot of opportunities to talk to people and tell people about our magazine, so I’ve really enjoyed
this opportunity and I look forward to getting to know people and meeting some of the authors.” Jeffery Jones, a member of the steering committee for the literary festival, said that he was excited to be a part the festival for the second year. He said that the literary festival is every year, but it moves around from city to city. “I’m not sure where it (will) be next year,” Jones said. “It is a great opportunity for authors and readers to come together and have a good time. It’s a family event. They have things for children and for adults, and I really encourage people to go to the literary festival when it comes to their area.” Contact Inesha Howard at: icarruth@gru.edu.
Faculty recall professor’s vibrancy and influence on campus By Inesha Howard & Shellie Smitley staff writer and news editor
GRU WEBSITE
Associate Professor Ying Wang, who died suddenly in September, brought vibrancy to the Dept. of Mathematics.
Members of the Department of Mathematics share the sudden loss of a fellow faculty member. According to Neal Smith, interim chair of mathematics, Ying Wang was an associate professor of mathematics who began her employment at Georgia Regents University in 2004. Her research specialty was harmonic analysis.
She taught a variety of courses, including calculus, linear algebra, real variable and complex variables. Nakia Walden, administrative assistant, said Wang died in September. “She loved to teach and interact with her students,” Smith said. “She said more than once that teaching was the most important thing in her life.” Smith said Wang tended to be a private per-
son but that she was well-liked by her colleagues because of her lively personality and generosity. “More than one member of our department has said that the department is less vibrant with her passing,” Smith said. Along with bringing small gifts, she was known for sharing homemade food with other faculty members. Contact Inesha Howard at: icarruth@gru.edu and Shellie Smitley at: sbarb@gru.edu.
Faces on Campus What are your plans for Thanksgiving Break?
JAMIE SAPP | STAFF
JAMIE SAPP | STAFF
JAMIE SAPP | STAFF
“For Thanksgiving, I am going to Athens, hopefully spending time with family and not spending too much time studying,” said Adrienne Lester, a senior biology major.
“I am hosting a dinner for my family and my parents and my brother’s family,” said Quentin Hartmann, an associate professor in the AU Department of Psychology.
“I plan on meeting with my parents, some uncles and aunts, and my brothers. We’re going to meet up (with) my grandparents in Thompson, Ga.,” said Chris Grant, a sophomore pre-cell and molecular biology major.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
OPINION www.grubellringer.com
editorial
The voice of
Augusta University EDITORIAL STAFF editor-in-chief SARAH CARTER scarte14@gru.edu arts & life and sports copy editor ERICA RUGGLES eruggles@gru.edu news and editorial copy editor AMY PERKINS aperkin4@gru.edu news editor SHELLIE SMITLEY sbarb@gru.edu arts & life editor JOSHUA ADAMS jadams35@gru.edu sports editor TIM HOWARD thowar20@gru.edu layout editors ANNA DRESSER adresser@gru.edu JAMIE SAPP jsapp270@gru.edu staff writers INESHA HOWARD icarruth@gru.edu TAYLOR MITCHELL tmitch22@gru.edu LUCIA CONKRIGHT lconkrig@gru.edu TAYLOR AWALT tawalt@gru.edu contributors CANDACE WAKEFIELD cwakefield@gru.edu BENJAMIN HAMMOND bhammon3@gru.edu DAVID BASH dbash@gru.edu LAUREN NORTHCUTT lnorthcu@gru.edu photographer SIDNEY FOWLER sfowler@gru.edu adviser RICK KENNEY rkenney@gru.edu Direct advertising inquiries to: scarte14@gru.edu Address all correspondence to: The Bell Ringer 2500 Walton Way Augusta, Ga 30904 706-737-1600 www.grubellringer.com
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The Ten Commandments of Time Management Even though midterms are behind us and we are nearing the end of the semester, finals week is only a few short weeks away. As we all have come to understand, this is the period of each school year that is accompanied by fearful anticipation, crying spells, and most importantly, time management disasters. From personal experience, I know that time management is one of the most difficult things for students to master
while in college. As a result, I would like to present each of the ten commandments of time management that I have come to know, love and practice on a daily basis during these last few years of my undergraduate career. Being a senior in college, it has not been hard for me to lose sight of my goals and the reasons why I decided to pursue a higher education in the first place. In order to keep me motivated and well organized as
a student, I have committed to memory the following list of time management tips. It is my hope that these ten commandments encourage each student at our university to both work hard and persevere throughout the remainder of this semester. I wish each and every student at Augusta University success and the best of luck as the conclusion of the semester draws near. Finish strong, Jaguars!
10 Tips on Time Management 1. Use a planner, whether paper-based or purely electronic. Instead of keeping important dates and events in one’s head, write them down to ensure that other commitments will not be scheduled during those times. 2. Perform “A Week at a Glance” ritual the Friday before each new week begins. This allows students to anticipate what the coming week has in store and encourages their minds to compartmentalize what assignments or activities they will need to prioritize for. This ritual also forces students to make macro-level decisions, such as if they have time to attend a school play or if they should begin an essay draft instead. 3. Allocate specific amounts of time for each activity and do not go over the initial time period allotted. After long periods of intense concentration, our minds will need time to recover and to recuperate from the mental exhaustion. It is important to think of our brains as muscles that need to be relaxed and rejuvenated on a daily basis. 4. Pamper yourself on occasion. Do not neglect personal needs, such as making time for physical activity or reading the newest issue of a favorite
magazine. Our minds require designated breaks to be both refreshed and reinvigorated. 5. Switch between different subjects. Study harder courses in the morning and lighter courses in the evening (ex: statistics homework in the morning and literature reading in the afternoon). Rotating between one’s hardest courses (ex: science or grammar) and one’s lighter courses (ex: literature or wellness) will allow the mind to actively exercise its two separate hemispheres. This specific activity increases memorization skills and promotes greater analytical or critical thinking abilities. 6. End the day on a positive note by studying favorite subject(s). Enough said. 7. Give big assignments up to ten minutes of work a day so that they do not have to be completed within a short time frame. I have found it much easier and a huge stress reliever to work on a long and detailed project one day at a time. Even if substantial sections of the project are not completed during one sitting, it is important to devote even a few minutes a day so that its completion does not become either overwhelming or unattain-
able during finals week. 8. Use different colors in your planner to designate different classes or activities (ex: dance rehearsals and class presentation dates). This will train your brain to associate different colors with different purposes, allowing you to both easily and quickly decide whether or not next Monday evening will consist of essay writing or a Netflix marathon with friends. 9. Complete your English assignments in the evening if you write better at night. If you think more critically or analytically during the morning hours, complete your online algebra homework or grammar exercises in the a.m. This is exactly how I complete my assignments. I think it is important to figure out how your own brain functions and to plan your study schedule accordingly. 10. Eat snacks that promote increased brain activity and general awareness, such as nuts, granola bars, scrambled eggs, guacamole and turkey wraps. If you want to put your best foot forward during finals season, I would recommend that these types of snacks are consumed every three to four hours. Not only do our bodies need fuel, but our minds need brain fuel as well.
Corrections for the last issue on Nov. 4, 2015: • For the “Crew gives students a scare” story, “she” is supposed to be “he” in Robert Davis’ quote. • For the same story, Brikkel Rucker said she hoped that the students were terrified, but also had a lot of fun. We sincerely apologize for these errors.
THE BELL RINGER
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NEWS www.grubellringer.com
News Briefs Professor invites students to meet the stars By Shellie Smitley news editor
LUCIA CONKRIGHT | STAFF
Writers Antonya Nelson (Right) and Frank X Walker (Left) answer students’ questions at the Sandhills Writers Series on Nov. 2 in the JSAC Coffeehouse.
Writers, students and community reunite By Lucia Conkright staff writer Published visiting writers Frank X Walker and Antonya Nelson spoke at the Sandhills Writers Series at Augusta University on Nov. 2. The event began at 2:30 p.m. and it was held in the JSAC Coffeehouse. It was hosted by Jim Minick, an assistant professor in the Department of English and Foreign Languages. According to Minick, this year marked the 40th year the series was held at the university. “I was very pleased,” Minick said. “The students were obviously very interested, and they were curious.” Johnny O’Neill, a freshman at the university and one of Minick’s students who attended the event, said he enjoyed it. “I liked getting a firsthand experience about the process from writers, from like published authors,” O’Neill said. “It was very interesting and very informative.” Students were not the only ones who benefited from the event. According to Minick, he got something out of it as well.
“One is just inspiration, to keep doing it, that I’m not crazy to want to lock myself in a room and write,” Minick said. “And the power of literature and just the sense of the importance of community. Being part of a larger community. It is an isolating job, but at the same time there are many people.” Minick said that he had met both authors prior to the event. He said he has known Walker for about 15 years and met Nelson in the past year. According to Minick, Walker was fascinated with Augusta history and has considered writing about it. Though the writers had never actually met each other, Minick said he thought they handled the questions and played off each other well. “For me, Walker said, “poetry is about trying to communicate something to somebody else. Every single word on the page, every single stanza or paragraph is there on purpose.” According to Walker, his favorite subjects to write about are family, social justice, identity and history. “I really think that writing poetry in general is art, and that art can be a bridge,” Walker said.
Town Hall CONTINUED from PAGE 1
ing at the university. “What we’re trying to do is harness the potential of this new university, so that the university rises in the tide of this synergy,” Buckley said. “But also, quite frankly, (so that) our medical school gets better.” Buckley was optimistic of the university’s future under new leadership, particularly of the new image created for the medical college. “We’ve just reinvented our self as a progressive medical school with an incredible momentum,” Buckley said. Buckley also spoke of the attempts to market the university better. Although the university has been around for years, that was not the pitch they were aiming for, Buckley said.
“At least have a conversation, about the difficult stuff. Race is still the most difficult conversation to have.” In his answers, Walker focused on the importance of point of view in writing and how it could be used to convey a point. “There are two sides to every story and then there’s the truth,” Walker said. “And the truth is the sum total of both sides, otherwise what you get is one person. A lot of the things we accept as history are just one man’s point of view.” Many of Walker’s poems dealt with personal issues as well. This was a theme an audience member brought up. “It’s always personal for me, even when it’s about someone else,” Walker said. “I feel very purposeful about what I do. I never say I’m a poet. I say I’m a teacher.” Nelson’s short story focused more on the relationships between people and their families, which fit well with what she said she liked writing about most. “I love to write about families,” Nelson said. “I’m immensely fascinated by family dynamics and relationships within family, and I am from a large one, and it, as much as lit-
Buckley then outlined the pitch they were aiming for, hoping to unite the university’s history with the university today. “On the other hand, if you say we’ve been doing this for 187 years, we know what we’re doing, we turn out great doctors, then we’ve got a better pitch,” Buckley said. “But if you can marry old with new then you’ve got a really good market.” Buckley mentioned the relationship between Athens University and Augusta University, expressing his hope that the two universities would, “come together for the better of Georgia and better of healthcare.” Buckley also outlined a five-year strategic plan for MCG goals. According to Buckley, the board wanted to provide future-oriented learning experiences for physicians, generate outstanding research and create a diverse, inclusive environment that supports the needs of students, faculty and staff. “We will hopefully have more opportuni-
erature, has been a kind of religious practice for me. So I honor that by participating in it.” Nelson answered questions from students as well, several dealing with symbolism and the writing process in particular. “I think that for writers, maybe the best process is not to think so much about consciously making symbols but to write out the onus of what’s symbolic, what isn’t,” Nelson said. “The obligation of the artist is to start developing and refining that imagery, that material, to locate the potential symbolic value.” Audience members were given the chance to meet with the writers and purchase their books. “It made me feel better to know that they didn’t have it down pat…,” O’Neill said. “I guess when you’re a writer as a student you get this weird concept about what a writer is, that it’s some goal you somehow attain… it’s somehow like adulthood. You never really become an adult overnight, you just sort of grow, and you’re never perfect. So it’s good to be reminded of that, that there is no such thing as a perfect writer. Contact Lucia Conkright at: lconkrig@gru.edu.
ties that appeal to you as students,” Buckley said. “So that more of you will be able to stay in Georgia and have a career in Georgia.” Another student asked if plans regarding the expansion of the medical university to Columbia were true and how MCG and the residency program would play into that. Buckley replied that the rumors were true. According to Buckley, the university submitted an application about two years ago. The Columbia County Board of Commissioners, he said, had wanted its own hospital and had allocated funds for it. Buckley said that the university’s application was more academically oriented than the other applications. Buckley said that while they received the award, a series of appeals by competing institutions, such as University Hospital, had slowed the process. Despite the holdbacks, they remained cautiously optimistic that the path would be clear in the next few years.
The Department of Chemistry and Physics will host a Luna Event on Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. All students and members of the community are welcome to attend free of charge. “The Luna Event is a general outreach event,” Nathan Yanasak, assistant professor of radiology, said. “...To give people a tangible experience...if weather is permitting, we will set telescopes up in front of the Science Building and peer at objects that most people have not gotten to see in their lifetime...” Yanasak will begin the evening with a 30minute lecture in the Science Building, room W1002, and guests will have the opportunity to ask questions. “I will be giving a lecture about some of the cool things that NASA has been discovering about Pluto this year,” Yanasak said. “It’s been a fairly exciting year for space discovery...” He said Pluto is extremely faint and that is why it took until the 20th century to find it. “I think one of the reasons why I am talking about this mission, New Horizons, that went to Pluto and actually arrived in Pluto...in the middle of July, well it’s one of the last frontiers of discovery,” Yanasak said. “It’s the last major object in the solar system that we haven’t seen. This is really recent news...there is some really exciting stuff that we have observed.” Yanasak said that studying Pluto brings scientists closer to explaining how life may have originated on this planet. “We knew so little about the planet until this year,” Yanasak said. He said guests of the event will not be able to see Pluto but that the department has selected some interesting objects that will be up that night, including the galaxy Andromeda, Uranus and star clusters. Yanasak said studying space plays a key role in the development of technology and that for the bulk of modern existence entertainment and life events have evolved around the night sky. “...This is the sky that your grandfather saw, this is the sky your great grandfather saw.” Contact Shellie Smitley at: sbarb@gru.edu.
Changes to road limit access By Shellie Smitley news editor From Nov. 9 through late January, drivers will have limited access to the Health Sciences campus. “Vehicles will not be able to access Laney-Walker via 15th Street, only via R.A. Dent Boulevard, with the exception of those parking in the Student Center lot. Access to Student Health and the Kelly Administration Building will remain, but only via R.A. Dent Boulevard,” according to an Oct. 27 news release posted on Jagwire. Contact Shellie Smitley at: sbarb@gru.edu.
“That will influence our training,” Buckley said. “And really provide great opportunities for the people of Columbia County.” The final issue brought up by a student dealt with the increase in tuition and how that would be handled by the university. “We’ve tried to be diligent about raising tuition,” Buckley said. “But in a way that’s not price-gouging or too burdensome on any one class.” Buckley said that the university was working on creating a better financial aid system, particularly for the Health Sciences campus. The university had consolidated money from all campuses, Buckley said, in order to aggregate the scholarships and make it a more meaningful effort. “When you look up the debt of our students compared to other students nationally, we’re to the very low end of debt,” Buckley said. Contact Lucia Conkright at: lconkrig@gru.edu.
Daily Crime Log for October 22 - November 2, 2015 Incident (Classification)
Case Number
Theft by Taking DUI Theft by Taking Criminal Trespass (Damaged Property) DUI No Driver’s License No Driver’s License Simple Battery No Driver’s License Trespassing on a Campus Poss. of Marijuana Theft by Taking
15-0324 15-0325 15-0326 15-0327
Date/Time Reported 10/22/15 – 11:25 10/23/15 – 00:29 10/23/15 – 11:11 10/23/15 – 11:57
Date/Time Occurred 10/22/15 – 11:25 10/23/15 – 00:29 10/23/15 – 11:11 10/23/15 – 11:57
Location Occurred Science Hall Walton Way Annex II Lot 15, Summerville campus
Disposition Active Arrest Active Arrest
15-0328 15-0332 15-0330 15-0331 15-0332 15-0333 15-0334 15-0335
10/24/15 – 02:22 10/26/15 – 03:10 10/24/15 – 21:34 10/25/15 – 16:50 10/26/15 – 03:10 10/27/15 – 07:28 10/31/15 – 02:17 11/02/15 – 08:33
10/24/15 – 02:22 10/26/15 – 03:10 10/24/15 – 21:34 10/25/15 – 16:50 10/26/15 – 03:10 10/27/15 – 07:28 10/31/15 – 02:17 11/02/15 – 08:33
Wrightsboro Rd. RA Dent Blvd. No Driver’s License GR Medical Center RA Dent Blvd GR Medical Center 15th Street GR Medical Center
Arrest Arrest Arrest Active Arrest Arrest Arrest Active
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
ARTS & LIFE www.grubellringer.com
The Miller Theater: A History By Joshua Adams arts & life editor
After a 30-year coma, the Miller Theater has opened her dusty eyes. The theater, located on the 700 block of Broad Street, is in her very own dressing room, getting renovated for her long awaited return. The theater was donated to the Symphony of Augusta by Peter Knox in 2008. Since then, there has been a quiet campaign to raise the funds needed to revitalize the building and in turn, Augusta’s theater district. The campaign has raised $17 million, roughly 80 percent of the $21 million needed to complete renovations. It is easy to notice the marquis, but most people do not realize that beyond her narrow façade lies a grand theater, rich in history, the chairman of the Miller Project, Levi Hill IV, said. “It opened in February of 1940 with a show called ‘A Night at The Moulin Rouge,’” Hill said. “Frank Miller was the proprietor of The Miller Theater. He had three or four partners. They were called the Augusta Amusements. They were the entertainment figures in Augusta at that time. They owned and operated five theaters: the Imperial, the Modjeska, the Rialto, Dreamland and the Miller. He died four years after the Miller opened.” In the mid-1800s, the Miller was a funeral home and furniture store, a part of a building named after J.P. King. Throughout 40 years of business, the Miller became known mostly as a movie theater. Hill said that people would dress up to the Miller for a fancy night out on the town. Patrons would line up in the theater’s arcade, where they would get their tickets torn and find posters advertising upcoming showings. They would then walk through silver doors into the theater’s narrow hallway of a lobby. The floor is made of Italian marble, with quarter circles that directed audiences towards the theater on the right side and towards the exit on the left. The lines of people were separated by red velvet ropes. Before entering the door, under a large no smoking sign, to the audience chamber, patrons would pass by popcorn machines and soda vendors. “The Miller was noted to be one of the South’s finest theaters,” Hill said. “It had all
JOSHUA ADAMS | STAFF
the state-of-the-art, from the air conditioning units to the neon lighting. The style is called Art Moderne, a post-depression form of art deco otherwise known as streamline. You’ll notice the vertical and horizontal lines as you go through the theater. It reminds [me] of cars and boats from the 40’s and 50’s.” She was designed by a Floridian theater architect named Roy Benjamin, a prominent theater architect at the time. Hill said the building
was well-designed and that the quality of its natural features are surprising. For example, a wall was planned to be built to separate the hallway from the audience chamber. The natural acoustics are so great that the plans were dismissed. Bobby Moretz, a dentist with an office in Montezuma, Ga. grew up going to the Miller with Jack Miller, Frank Miller’s son, for popcorn and movies. Moretz recently went on a tour of the theater and said he felt his life had
been augmented. His memories were revisited. “The sound was so clear,” Moretz said. “The curtains would open and there would be a news reel followed by a movie and ended with a cartoon.” Moretz was delighted to take a tour of the theater he remembers from his boyhood. He was able to see rooms that he had not seen besee MILLER on PAGE 5
Students raise awareness Team embraces for domestic violence African heritage By Taylor Awalt staff writer Augusta University’s student ceramic organization, the Mad Potters, partnered with Tire City Potters to raise awareness about domestic violence for the SafeHomes Survivor’s Walk held on campus Oct. 29. The Mad Potter’s Organization (MPO) and Tire City Potters worked closely with the local program SafeHomes, which houses domestic abuse survivors, to show their support for the community. Together, MPO students, SafeHomes clients and Tire City employees engaged in a creative experience to create “forever pumpkins” made out of terracotta clay for Halloween. “I didn’t realize how much of an impact it would have. I mean they didn’t want to leave. They wanted to keep carving pumpkins and we had plenty of pumpkins for them to carve,” said Carey Mogianesi, an apprentice at Tire City Potters and a member of the MPO. A showcase of their work was displayed at the Survivor’s Walk on campus on the 29. Candles were placed in the pumpkins that evening and a few clients of SafeHomes were there to share their stories. Sapphire “Cookie” Hopkins, another MPO member, said that the “forever pumpkins” gave the survivors a chance to come together and receive cathartic relief. “They’ll have these pumpkins, these self-expressive bits of themselves, but they’ll also have that moment, that experience,” Hopkins said. “This partnership really brings out that the art department isn’t just there, we’re actually doing something in the community,” Mogianesi said. This communal ideal is the reason why another project involving SafeHomes, Tire City Potters and the MPO will be conducted during the holidays to make Christmas or-
ANNA DRESSER | STAFF
Various customer-made Forever Pumpkins were on display at Tire City Potters.
naments. The partnership between Tire City Potters and the MPO was formed years ago and has turned into a long-term friendship between the owner of Tire City Potters and the faculty adviser of the MPO. The owner, Shishir Chokshi, founded the MPO back when Augusta University was known as Augusta State. Raoul Pacheco, faculty adviser and head of the ceramics department, joined a few semesters after Chokshi and another student formed the organization. Pacheco quickly became friends with Chokshi and together they worked to raise awareness about the ceramics department. After graduation, Chokshi and Pacheco needed a place to produce work, so they worked together to buy a garage that was once used to repair tires, hence the name of the pottery shop at 210 B 10th St. in downtown Augusta. Pacheco still does projects with Chokshi, but no longer produces his own work out of the shop. Pacheco said that the Department of Art “(views) Tire City as an art alumni business. We want to promote our alums and want to stay connected with our alums and kind of create and support that creative community idea.” Aside from supporting domestic violence survivors, the “forever
pumpkin” project with SafeHomes will be part of MPO’s digital presentation titled Hands Across the Table 2016, which promotes socially engaged ceramics. Hands Across the Table will be presented at the National Council for the Education of Ceramics Arts (NCECA). On March 16, Pacheco will be bringing 12 students, the largest number of student ambassadors ever, to Kansas City, Ark., for the four-day conference. This conference would then give Augusta University a presence at a national level. “It’s a huge conference where professionals, educators, students, amazing artists, thinkers and critics come together and share ideas within the ceramics world,” Pacheco said. Moreover, the Survivor’s Walk and the NCECA conference are not the only events that the MPO are working on. From Nov. 18 to 20, the MPO will be hosting their biannual ceramics sale. This sale will be held during the afternoon near the amphitheater. Fifteen percent of the sale’s proceeds go to the MPO in order to fund artist talks at the Mary S. Byrd Gallery in Washington Hall. Pacheco said that he really depends on this sale in order to give students a chance to hear different perspectives and ideas. The rest of the sale’s proceeds then go to the students who produced the work, aside from supporting the Department of Art. The Department of Art is really evolving and enjoying a bigger presence in our local community, thanks to the new art chair Scott Thorp. Like Mogianesi said of the department, “there’s definitely a really big future for us.” Contact Taylor tawalt@gru.edu.
Awalt
at:
By Taylor Mitchell staff writer
performances have created a large Step Afrika family that come and go back and forth from on-the-road Step Afrika took the stage to performances to regular “civilian” perform for Augusta University stu- life. dents on Sept. 22. “I used to step in high school “Never in the time that I’ve but it was nothing like this,” Carroll been here have I seen something so Young, freshman dental hygiene cool,” Nick Moore, junior biology major, said. “They just really blew major, said. “I’ve been here for a me out of the water. Everything second and I didn’t even think they here is kind of boring, but this just did stuff like this here. Usually I see really turned campus up, to me. I a lot of advertisements for concerts really hope they don’t stop doing and the music department but this things like this here because they was amazing. I wasn’t even going really had the crowd hyped and we to come but I’m so glad I did.” were all grooving right along with The Afrithem. By far my can-inspired step favorite event.” troupe is comIt’s something I’m The show prised of members passionate about, and i n c o r p o r a t e d of five Historical- it’s something you real- several differly Black Greek ly can’t teach. You either ent segments, Letter Organiza- have it or you don’t. such as crowd tions (HBGLO): --Danielle Dubois participation, a Omega Psi Phi Glover guys versus girls Fraternity, Inc., dance battle, the Delta Sigma TheAfrican Gum ta Sorority, Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Boot Dance and Ode to the MotherFraternity, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha land. The segments were high-enerSorority, Inc., and Phi Beta Sigma gy and, on some level, involved the Fraternity, Inc. crowd’s call and response to add to Together, they use a mixture an interactive show environment. of African stepping, ballet, hip-hop “I’m not as young as I used to and jazz to create high energy beats be but I still get my legs up there and rhythm. and keep up with the rest of them,” “Well, first there’s a casting Danielle Dubois Glover, Step Africall, then we do call backs and ka member, said. “I’m just trying from there you’re a part of the fam- to keep up. I love what I do and ily. It’s not as complicated as you I’ve been dancing my whole life. I might think,” Reginald “Jeeda” don’t want to do anything else and Barrington, member of Step Afrika, I’m going to keep going until these said. “It’s not hard to get here but knees say ‘no more.’” it’s not easy to stay at all, and, you As a member of a HBGLO and know, we all have lives so if at any former member of the Dallas Black time you have to take a step back Dance Theater, Glover says that her and devote more attention here or dance background helps her keep there, you can definitely do that. up and the stepping comes naturalThere’s always an open door poli- ly. cy and we all love each other like “Show me where to be and I’ll brother and sister, so your well-be- be there, show me where to move ing is always most important be- and I’ll go,” Glover said. “It’s somecause this does take a toll on you.” thing I’m passionate about, and it’s Barrington said the high ener- something you really can’t teach. gy and fast-paced practice rounds You either have it or you don’t.” cause wear and tear on the body. Contact Taylor Mitchell at: Long days, long nights and longer tmitch22@gru.edu.
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THE BELL RINGER
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ARTS & LIFE www.grubellringer.com
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fore, as well as recall memories of the now dusty seats and rusted stairwell. The theater closed in 1984 with a live performance of the musical, “Regina.” Hill said the trending “flight to the suburbs” caused the Miller to go out of business. “It was a time when cities across the country were essentially abandoned,” Hill said. “People went to places with more land and a sense of freedom, as cities became more populated and dirty. Now they’re coming back to the cities. Across the country, you’ll see cities being revitalized.” In 2005, Peter Knox bought the Miller because he wanted to bring her back to life, Hill said. “He hated to see a building asleep for 30 years in downtown Augusta,” Hill said. “Peter’s such a philanthropist and has such an interest in the history of buildings like this. He’s done it before. His mark is downtown, in a number of buildings. Thankfully, we have folks like Peter that want to save old structures like this and do something with them.” In 2008, Knox donated the theater to the Symphony of Augusta. “He thought well to offer it to the Symphony as a place for the performing arts and home for the symphony,” Hill said. “The SOA hasn’t had a permanent home in its 60 years of existence.” The Symphony of Augusta has since organized a campaign to bring the Miller back to life. Hill said the Miller campaign is a huge project. “This particular project involves not only renovating the Miller Theater, but also the adjacent building that the Miller LLC acquired,” Hill said. “So we’ve got about 20 thousand square feet of space over there that will house restrooms, a founder’s room, a music institute on the second floor and dressing rooms for performers.” Hill said the core structure of the building has endured the test of time and weather, but there is quite a lot of work to be done. Hundreds of exposed wires hang from walls of decaying paint and plaster. Many windows have been broken. Signs of vandalism litter the theater, including a “666” on the windows of the projection room. Parts of the ceiling have caved in. Aside from these largely cosmetic problems, the Miller needs to be updated for the people of today.
JOSHUA ADAMS | STAFF
The original backstage door still stands underneath the stage.
There are many pieces of the theater’s history scattered throughout the building. There are two statues just before a stairwell, which have been defaced with anarchist symbols. The old stage lights now sit on the floor of the stage with sandbags that were once used to weigh down the curtains. Underneath the stage, there are dressing rooms with old, broken mirrors. On a power box under the stage, sits a Barbie doll, which Hill says has been there since the 80s. “For modern day occupancy, it requires updates for code compliance, such as handicap accessibility and fire code,” Hill
said. “We’re going to make the stage bigger. It’ll be deeper and wider so we can hold different types of events, not just the symphony, but ballet, plays, comedy and any kind of music.” Even though the Miller will go through a great amount of change, most of its iconic features will remain. The two nude paintings on the sides of the stage, which have been there since the Miller’s opening, won’t be going anywhere. The Italian marble floors and flashy, silver doors lit by neon lights will still be the first things you see when you walk into the theater. The two blocks surrounding the Miller are what used to be known as Augusta’s theater district. The Miller’s reanimation is hoped to bring that district back to life. Although many groups are pushing for this goal, Hill said the Symphony of Augusta and the Miller campaign are some of the leading organizations pushing to revitalize the art scene. He said there are similar things happening across the country. “In Newbury, SC, there is a theater called the Newbury Opera House that was restored in a similar fashion,” Hill said. “Since the restoration of the Opera House, property values have gone up five thousand percent in the Newbury downtown area. Bringing an arts district back makes a lot of sense in regards to the economy and quality of life in an area.” Ansley Easterlin, the Miller campaign’s development director, said she views the Miller as an anxious actress about to go on stage. “There’s a lot of anxiousness,” Easterlin said. “[The Miller was saying] ‘Am I going to trip?’ or ‘Is this going to work out?’ And now she’s like, ‘alright, this is happening.’” One of her favorite features of the Miller is the secret apartment on the third floor. The apartment is right above the arcade and has about four rooms. In these rooms are dusty old chairs and a broken down organ, which was last used for performance in the 1980s. One bathroom was renovated, although it does not work. In an effort to spread excitement about the Miller, Levi Hill wrote a children’s book about a family of mice that live in the third floor “secret” apartment. The mice would go down into the theater and venture through its many vacant rooms. Hill said the theater has become like a person to him, as well. “She has a lot of personality,” he said. “She wants to come back to life. I’ve argued with her. I have thanked her a couple of times.” The Miller has plans to open her doors to the public by the fall of 2017. Contact Joshua Adams at: jadams35@gru.edu.
Greeks step in competition
CANDACE WAKEFIELD | CONTRIBUTOR
LAUREN NORTHCUTT | CONTRIBUTOR
DAVID BASH | CONTRIBUTOR
BENJAMIN HAMMOND | CONTRIBUTOR
Fraternities and sororities participated in a step show hosted by AU’s Greek Council on Nov. 6 at the Lee Auditorium. Delta Chi Fraternity and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (top right) won the competition.
Cinema Series continues to bring variation By Tim Howard sports editor Matthew Buzzell, assistant professor of communications at Augusta University, is a critically acclaimed filmmaker with many films and video productions under his belt. While that might sound like a hackneyed line straight from a press release, it is true, as Buzzell has worked for decades on many projects with individuals as disparate as Sacha Baron Cohen and Elvis Costello. Aside from his filmmaking work and his day-to-day job as a professor, Buzzell also is head of the Cinema Series at Augusta University, a free-to-the-public series that screens films that cannot be seen in area theaters. He said that his goal with the Cinema Series was “to screen fantastic films, as many as I possibly can within the confines of our budget, and to try to create a smattering of an event.” On Nov. 9, the Cinema Series screened John Ford’s “The Quiet Man” from 1952, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara at 7 p.m. in the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre. Buzzell spoke highly of the film as well
as the restored version that was shown. “It’s a beautiful film, it’s one of John Ford’s greatest achievements,” Buzzell said. “It’s also a very atypical performance for John Wayne. It’s a lovely film, and we’re going to be screening a beautiful restoration that really makes the technicolor sing. It’s just a gorgeous-looking restoration.” Coincidentally, O’Hara recently passed away, so the event also served as a way to honor the late actress. “In an odd twist of fate, the star of that film, Maureen O’Hara, passed away (a few weeks ago), so it’s rather timely that we are going to be screening that film,” Buzzell said. “And I guess if there’s something good to come out of the passing of Maureen O’Hara, it would be that we paid tribute to her on the ninth.” Buzzell further expanded on the “atypical performance” of John Wayne in the film. “When most people think of John Wayne, they think of John Wayne in a western, or John Wayne in a war film, and this is neither,” Buzzell said. “Yes, he is still a man’s man in this film, the John Wayne that we all know, but it’s also a man who’s a little more contemplative. I’m not going to say his other films don’t con-
tain thoughtful characters, but I think this, in many ways, might be a character who’s much more easy to relate to.” Buzzell spoke highly of the chance to see the classic film in a true theatre. “This is a great opportunity to see a beautiful restoration of a classic film on the big screen with an audience,” Buzzell said. Debra van Tuyll, professor of communications at Augusta University, partnered with Buzzell for a fundraising event for the university’s study abroad program that is organizing a trip to Ireland in summer 2016. Traditional Irish music was performed both before and after the film, which fittingly takes place in Ireland. The idea to combine the two events came at the suggestion of Rick Kenney, chair of the Department of Communications at Augusta University, said van Tuyll. “Matthew Buzzell had done something similar last year with his Japan trip, and it had been pretty successful with its fundraising, and we were looking to get more students involved,” van Tuyll said. “And one of the things that frightens students about study abroad is the cost, so we are always looking for ways to do fundraising. We’ve done sev-
eral others, but this is one that Dr. Kenney suggested, and I was very grateful.” Van Tuyll’s band – named De Ceadaoin, which is Irish for Wednesday – performed songs from “The Quiet Man” and traditional Irish songs. Along with the band’s usual lineup, a few students performed with the band, which van Tuyll says is a way to get the students involved. In addition to the post-film music and donations, a table was set up in the lobby of the theatre with Irish desserts for guests to sample. During the same week, on Nov. 12, Buzzell will host a tribute to filmmaker Orson Welles to celebrate the centenary of Welles’ birth. One of the things Buzzell said that he most enjoyed about the Cinema Series was hanging around after films to see and hear people discussing the film that had just been screened. “I love to see people standing around after our films chit-chatting, talking about the film,” Buzzell said. “That really gets me excited, that gets me going.” Contact Tim Howard at: thowar20@gru.edu.
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SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
www.grubellringer.com
The Hot Corner Tim Howard sports editor
Let’s fill up the student section
TIM HOWARD | STAFF
(Top and bottom left) Quarles draws up a play for the two practice squads during a timeout. (Right) Quarles encourages players during shooting drills.
Quarles coaches hometown team By Tim Howard sports editor
Jamie Quarles is a rare find; he is an assistant coach with national championship experience under his belt as a player. Unlike many former college basketball players, he is lucky enough to have done so while playing in his hometown. Quarles was the second Jaguar to sign for Augusta State after head coach Dip Metress took the reins in May 2004. In recruiting Quarles, Metress was impressed by his love of basketball and his willingness and “desire to learn the game.” After graduating, Quarles had options, but was unsure of where he should go next, so Metress advised him to leave Augusta and branch out to make contacts and ensure that he wanted to become a coach. His first stop was as head coach of the red varsity team at Oak Hill Academy, a well-known prep school with former players including NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Rajon Rondo. “I worked at Oak Hill Academy for two years, and spent a year at King College, which was my first college job,” Quarles said. “I worked for coach George Pitts, and I really enjoyed it. I will be forever grateful to him because he gave me my first crack at the college ranks. After a year there, former assistant coach Robbie McKinlay decided to pursue some other opportunities, and coach (Metress) gave me a call. I had a chance to work here, where I was born and raised, to be a part of one of the best Divi-
sion II programs in the country, and get my master’s, and I couldn’t pass it up.” Quarles said that the time he has spent at Oak Hill, King and Augusta has given him great coaching experience and taught him a lot about himself. “I learned a lot about myself personally, because they were both very rural areas,” Quarles said. “Being from here – I went to middle school, high school, college here – it was a lot different living in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, and living a mile away from Bristol Motor Speedway. Those were some different experiences. “And I really got a chance to see how other people run a program. I think that was very valuable. I got to run my own program at Oak Hill, and when I was at Bristol, I got a chance to work for a legendary guy in high school coaching who had just moved to college in George Pitts, who was very respected and very well known around the state. I think all three jobs that I’ve had have prepared me for where I am today.” Junior point guard Keshun Sherrill, one of the first players that Quarles helped recruit after he returned to Augusta State in 2011, described his relationship with his assistant coach as “a great experience.” “The relationship that I’ve developed with those two (Quarles and Metress) has been nothing but tremendous,” Sherrill said. “You can talk to them as a coach like you’re supposed to, but then there’s some times where you can talk to coach Quarles as a friend. I slip up sometimes and call
him Jamie, or call him J, because I see him as an adult, but sometimes I see him as a friend, so I can talk to him, ‘hey Jamie, I got something going on,’ and he won’t look at me differently.” Metress feels that Quarles will soon be able to move up to a higher position because of his coaching choices. “Career-wise, if he wants to become a head coach, he probably needs to, in a positive sense, be able to move on and be a Division I assistant,” Metress said. It’s better pay, and I hope I don’t lose him, but the reality is that that’s what happens.” Sherrill, who said that he “loves and appreciates” Quarles for everything he has done, said that leaving Augusta will be hard for the assistant. “It’s always tough to leave a place that has shown you so much love, especially since he’s from here,” Sherrill said. “He grew up around here, maybe not too far from here, so it’ll be hard to leave here. But if he gets a job that, you know, can put him in a better position to pursue his future, then I say go for it.” Quarles knows that one day he will have to leave his hometown, so he is not taking his time here for granted. “Eventually, I hope to move up, so when that day comes where I can take the next step in my professional career, leaving this place will be one of the hardest things I have had to do,” Quarles said. “I try to enjoy every day, work as hard as I can, and enjoy it while I’m here.” Contact Tim Howard at: thowar20@gru.edu.
Can anything stop the Tide? By Tim Howard sports editor Before I start heaping praise on Alabama football, let us have a round of applause for the Kansas City Royals on winning their first World Series in 30 years, and one more for the New York Mets, who had a great season. I was one of several million people who tuned in to watch the LSU-Alabama game last weekend, and I bet that many of those people were as surprised by the result as I was. Was not Alabama supposed to be dead? I mean, they lost to Ole Miss at home. But sure enough, Alabama is reminding people that it is the same team that has been so dominant in recent years. I was brutally reminded of this when I watched Alabama throttle my Georgia Bulldogs back on Oct. 3. For the first time since the 2009 SEC Championship
Game against Florida, Alabama this team has done against elite was picked as a slight underdog competition this season. by many Las Vegas casinos. Before the LSU game, The result was the same: Tigers running back Leonard Alabama rolled to a big win on Fournette was the leading cannational television and showed didate for the Heisman Trophy. people that it had something to He had been averaging almost prove. 200 yards This was per game and supposed to If Alabama plays was LSU’s be the game the way it played main offenwhere Georagainst Georgia and sive weapon. gia officially LSU, those teams His stats knocked Alwon’t stand much of a for the Alaabama from chance. bama game the top of the were anemic: SEC perch, 19 carries for where sophomore running back 31 yards and a touchdown. Nick Chubb was supposed to In its two games against have his Heisman moment. top ten competition in GeorInstead, Chubb could not gia and LSU, the Alabama deget it going, and Georgia had fense has held those offenses quarterback issues that persist- to a total of 26 points and has ed for the month of October. shut down both teams’ primary This is not supposed to be running backs, holding Chubb an exercise in heaping praise and Fournette to a combined upon the Crimson Tide. 177 yards on 39 carries and 2 In fact, I am not a fan by touchdowns. any stretch of the imagination. Those numbers are not terBut I cannot get over what rible for either of those running
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backs to have on their own, but for two Heisman candidates to combine for that says a lot about the Alabama defense. Alabama still has a few games left to play, including road games against Mississippi State and rival Auburn, but if it plays the way it played against Georgia and LSU, those teams will not stand much of a chance. Should Alabama win out, it will play SEC Eastern Division champion Florida in the SEC Championship Game, a rematch of many past SEC title games, including the 2008 and 2009 contests. Winning the SEC championship virtually assures Alabama a second straight appearance in the College Football Playoff. Given the way that it is played for most of this season, it is not too difficult to see Alabama hoisting the national championship in Arizona on Jan. 11. Contact Tim Howard at: thowar20@gru.edu.
When was the last time you saw a section of people at an NBA game do a mass flop like Iowa State’s student section did back in 2014 to mock Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart? When was the last time you saw an NFL crowd rave to Darude’s “Sandstorm” like South Carolina’s student section does before kickoff every home game? Part of the experience of college athletics is the students. They make games more interesting, more fun and more intimidating for opponents. It is not exactly the same here at Augusta University. Sure, we do not have a football team, and we probably will not be getting one, if President Brooks Keel is correct with his prediction. But we have got a great young basketball team led by All-American point guard Keshun Sherrill and one of the most energetic coaches in the country, Dip Metress. Why cannot we fill up the student section at Christenberry Fieldhouse? I understand that it is tough to make it to every home game, with tests, lab practicals and other various assignments due around the clock. But do not the athletes on the court – or on the field or course, for outdoor sports – have to do homework and go to class just like we do? Cost is not an issue, as carpooling can cut the cost of driving to and from the event, be it from University Village or from the Health Sciences campus. Remember, there is no charge to get into an Augusta University athletic event. All you have to do is bring your JagCard. I have seen some great basketball players come through Christenberry Fieldhouse – like A.J. Bowman, Ben Madgen and Garret Siler, to name a few. All three of those players played in front of large crowds during Augusta State’s three consecutive Elite Eight appearances from 2008 to 2010. All three of those players also played in front of their fellow students who came out to support their classmates. I know that basketball is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it is a great entry point to Jaguar athletics. All home games are indoors, so there is no risk of getting rained on. Christenberry Fieldhouse is one of the finest Division II facilities in the country, with plenty of seats that are close to the action. Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams feed off of the crowd, and while a crowd of Augusta citizens is great, nothing beats a few hundred college students yelling for a few hours. It is great when everyone waves their arms back and forth while an opposing player shoots a free throw. It is hilarious when a mysterious person in a trenchcoat stands up among the students and exposes himself, clad in only a Speedo, to distract the player. I will not advocate that last one, nor reveal the identity of that mysterious person, because he was one of the most passionate Jaguar fans and did so much to cheer on our team and mess with the opponents. I have traveled to all but two Peach Belt schools for basketball games, and for the most part, student involvement is low. On the rare occasion when there are students, they do not make noise. I would love to have a huge student section at every home game, one that makes opposing teams dread having to play at Augusta University. Student involvement is not going to change overnight, but it can start by going to a few basketball games. Other athletic teams come to basketball games, and if they see you cheering, they might ask you to come to their game or match. Baseball is a sport that also deserves to see more student turnout. The games are not played on campus, but they are played at Lake Olmstead Stadium, a great stadium for a Division II program, and there is plenty of parking there. We are lucky that we have the regular fans who show up to games like they do. Would not it be so much more exciting if we had a great student section to go along with that? Contact Tim Howard at: thowar20@gru.edu.