GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY
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VOLUME 57, ISSUE 7
Soldiers learn to battle PTSD
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014
Smoking ban goes statewide By Amy Thorne arts & life editor Since Oct. 1, the University System of Georgia’s tobacco-free campus policy has gone into effect for all universities across the state, according to the Board of Regents Policy Manual on USG’s website. Like Georgia Regent University’s current policy, all schools within the system must also offer smoking cessation programs, according to the USG’s website.
Georgia Regents Chief of Police William McBride said students at Georgia Regents have been compliant with the policy over the past year. “My people have told me that they do occasionally see a kid hiding behind a dumpster and have a cigarette - but you know what, that’s not a felony,” he said. “Come on, man. We just say, ‘Listen dude, see SMOKING on PAGE 3
RICHARD ADAMS | STAFF
Veteran Stephen Lewandowski relies on his service dog, Gus. Read PTSD: SOLDIERS FIND BALANCE on PAGE 2 of News.
Charity home grows By Stephanie McCray staff writer
Originally opened in Augusta in1984, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta will be out with the old and in with a brand new house by the end of January. Betts Murdison, president and CEO of RMHCA, said the current house has 11 bedrooms and is more than a mile away from Children’s Hospital of Georgia. “We were turning away hundreds of families a year, and we are way too far from campus,” she said. “A lot of our families don’t have cars; they come in on Medicaid transport.” Due to lack of personal transportation, many families rely on the cab systems to travel, Murdison said. “At two in the morning when your child is sick, you don’t want to be waiting for a cab,” she said. “The current house is also not wheelchair-accessible, which is an improvement we made sure to add to the new house.”
Ebola:
HALEY HARRIS | STAFF
The Ronald McDonald House is located on the Health Sciences campus.
Murdison said finding land closer to the hospital was difficult until she ran into Dr. Ricardo Azziz, president of Georgia Regents University, at RMHCA’s annual Golf Ball in September 2012. During the event, Dr. Azziz promised to find the land and, in a matter of months, he delivered. “A lot of people don’t know
that,” she said. “The Board of Regents gave us a 60-year lease, which we needed for the financing work. We are so grateful to them and Dr. Azziz for their unwavering determination and dedication to finding land closer to the hospital for the new house.” Through various fundraising events and donations, RMHCA is rapidly approaching its goal of $5.8 million, Pat Goodwin, chair of the board of directors for RMHCA, said. “Each of the board members committed to a set amount of money they pledged individually, as well as helping to obtain pledges for the new house,” Goodwin said. The new house measures 28,500 square feet and will have 23 bedrooms that will include a private bath, Murdison said. Although the new house cannot accommodate every single family that requests a stay, Goodwin said, she is glad that it will have more rooms and provide greater public see MCDONALD on PAGE 3
Professionals offer advice for those who plan to travel over holiday break
By Jessica Sager copy editor While it is unlikely that Ebola will spread to Augusta, Georgia Regents University students, faculty and staff are being advised on how to travel safely this holiday season. Jasper Cooke, director of the Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response, said it was decided that the best course of action was to offer students, faculty and staff the best information to aid them in making travel decisions. “So we put together … a link on our website that shows the State Department’s do-not-travel list,” he said. “If your awareness is raised, then the probability that you do all the right things is raised.” Georgia has a high number of residents who are from, or have family in, West Africa, Cooke said. Also, Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, in Atlanta, is one of five airports in the United States where planes from certain parts of West Africa are landing. Passengers arriving in Atlanta
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We, as a society, understand, yes, there’s a risk, you know, it’s a virus that has over 50% mortality rate. --Joseph Webber
”
from affected areas who are known to have had direct exposure to Ebola are subject to quarantine, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Low-risk travelers sign a monitoring agreement, agreeing to check themselves for symptoms and take their temperatures twice a day, reporting daily to the department during Ebola’s 21day incubation period. “We, as a society, understand, yes, there’s a risk, you know, it’s a virus that has over 50% mortality rate,” said Joseph Webber, critical event preparedness and response coordinator. Someone who has been exposed to Ebola is not infectious until they have a fever, Dr. Chad Asplund said. “So, say you’re sitting on an
airplane in Atlanta and you’re flying to, I don’t know, San Francisco and someone connected from somewhere out of West Africa is in Atlanta and now you’re sitting next to them,” said Asplund, medical director of Student Health Services. “Unless they’re having a fever and they’re ill and they get body fluid on a part of your body that could then absorb that body fluid - so generally a mucus membrane, like an eye, a mouth, you know, any open skin, things like that - the likelihood that you would actually get Ebola with just routine travel is very minimal. ...Saliva is a body fluid that Ebola could travel through, and again, unless you’re kissing the person on the flight next to you, maybe that’s a good flight, I don’t know.…So most travel-related stuff, the risk is very, very low.” Eronini Egbujor, a professor in the department of English and foreign languages, is from Nigeria. “(I have friends) who have traveled home,” he said. “And it’s not really been much of a problem for traveling home.” jschucke@gru.edu
HALEY HARRIS | STAFF
A no-smoking sign is displayed on the outside of the entrance door to the JSAC.
Campus shares plans for future By Richard Adams editor-in-chief
The facilities services department at Georgia Regents University has been tasked with predicting the future. “The project, the master plan, is designed, on the academic and research side,” said Philip Howard, vice president of facilities services. “It’s a 10-year time horizon starting in 2013 through 2023. So, that’s the time period in which we’re analyzing and determining what we need.” A major part of the current phase, Howard said, is building accessment and looking at classroom size, as well as the technological capabilites of these classrooms. “A lot of it is on the academic side in particular,” he said. “You know, we have to validate enrollment projections, for instance, by college. Because each college has its own plan to grow.” Beth Brigdon, vice president of institutional effectiveness, said the Office of the Provost is communicating with each college in order to determine needs. “(We) ask all of the deans to start first with what does enrollment look like today, what did it look like last year, what does it look like the year before,” Brigdon said. “Then we projected forward based on factors that they felt comfortable predicting. We projected through fall 2023.” One possible scenario Howard said his department is currently considering is one in which technological advances and implementation challenge the traditional meaning of the classroom.
“It’s a balance between where we want to sit in that world of online teaching,” he said, stressing the flexibility inherent with adding more hybrid courses. Howard said the Education Commons on the Health Sciences campus is an exemplary model of state-of-the-art technology. “(The use of technological advances there) allows you to configure that building in almost any way you want from a central location in that building,” Howard said. “You can stream from classroom to classroom.” Jonathan Robertson, project manager with planning, design and construction, said one key design element in the J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Education Commons is its versatility. Technology is such an important element, Howard said, there is a whole master plan workgroup that’s just focused on it. “I can’t tell you physically what we’re going to look like,” Howard said. “Cause that could change dramatically from what we are now. But we intend to have more students. ... That doesn’t necessarily mean more students that are sitting in classrooms .” radams99@gru.edu
RICHARD ADAMS | STAFF The Education Commons exemplifies educational technology and flexibility.
Men’s Golf
Open Mic Night
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Medical Marijuana Page 3
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Students perform poems at event
Community fights for new treatments
Team prepares for spring semester
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NEWS
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014
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Georgia Regents University EDITORIAL STAFF adviser MATTHEW BOSISIO mbosisio@gru.edu editor-in-chief RICHARD ADAMS radams99@gru.edu copy editor JESSICA SAGER jschucke@gru.edu news editor HALEY HARRIS hharris9@gru.edu arts & life editor AMY THORNE athorne@gru.edu sports editor ANTHONY GARCIA agarci11@gru.edu chief reporter ASHLEY TRAWICK atrawick@gru.edu production manager JORDAN BARRY jbarry3@gru.edu production assistant REBECCA PERBETSKY rperbets@gru.edu staff writers FATIMA FRASHER ffrasher@gru.edu STEPHANIE MCCRAY smccray1@gru.edu TAYLOR MITCHELL tmitch22@gru.edu photographer SHELDONIA BESSENT sbessent@gru.edu JEAN-PAUL CASSAGNOL jcassagn@aug.edu columnist NEIL DAVENPORT cdavenp3@gru.edu cartoonist DAQUAN MIDDLETON dmiddle6@gru.edu advertising manager ASHLEY SHELTON ashelto9@gru.edu webmaster JACOB SCHARFF jscharff@gru.edu Direct advertising inquiries to: Ashley Shelton, Advertising Manager ashelto9@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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Police train to use force
Site offers study help By Ashley Trawick chief reporter Ever missed a day of class and had to ask another student for notes or what the teacher discussed? There is a new, free website that could already have that information: Course Hero. Students who have taken courses in previous academic years now have the option to upload and share their documents. Demetrius Lowery, a senior political science major, is an intern for the site. “I have to get notability and marketing,” he said. “I have to make sure students know it’s available.” Clarissa Chavez, a senior communications major said she discovered the site through Career Services. “We can upload our papers (and) our notes into this database, so that way the students that come behind us who are also taking (the class) or maybe taking a similar class at another university will be able to use our papers as kind of an inspiration,” she said. . For every 10 documents uploaded by a user, Chavez said, the organization donates books to children in Africa. “I think I’ve donated nine books,” Chavez said. “So that’s nine volunteer hours that I would be (able) to put on my resume.” Jaleesa Mitchell, a senior double majoring in English and anthropology, said that as an intern she has to upload 30 documents on a weekly basis Being an intern at Course Hero, she said, doesn’t just prepare the intern for a career, it is simultaneously making the intern a better student. atrawick@gru.edu
By Rebecca Perbetsky production assistant
ASHLEY TRAWICK | STAFF
Students volunteered Nov. 13 on campus to sort through trash and recycle togther.
Students recycle for good cause By Ashley Trawick chief reporter
In an effort to bring awareness to wastefulness, students gathered on the sports field at the Summerville campus Nov. 13, to separate recyclables from the trash for Recycling Day. Clarissa Chavez, senior communications major and chair of the Green Committee for the Student Government Association, said the idea of having a recycling day was first brought to her attention by an Augusta Technical College student. The former Augusta State University used to have a recycling day and she wanted to carry on the tradition, she said. “I just went online and I found out that America Recycles Day is Nov. 15,” she said. “I thought it
would be nice since it would be on a Saturday this year to have it during the week when students are going to be here. They’re going to see that it’s happening (and) they can get involved if they wanted to, but at least they can witness that SGA is doing something.” The committee was established after the ice storm in early February when students noticed the damaged trees alongside several driveways and on campus that hadn’t been properly disposed of yet, she said. “We thought that was a great way for SGA to make another impact on the campus,” Chavez said. “We were like, ‘Let’s replant all of the trees that had gotten torn down.’ From there, it (was) decided that we should have a committee that that see GREEN on PAGE 3
PTSD: Soldiers find balance By Richard Adams editor-in-chief Unanticipated and not always portrayed realistically, PTSD and recovery from it are not always easily understood. “One of the biggest problems is there’s a lot of misinformation about (PTSD),” said Dr. John Albrecht, a psychologist at Eisenhower Army Medical Center. “We have been trying to understand it for several decades, and the definition has changed as we’ve learned more.” Christopher Ham, military services coordinator with the Office of Military and Veterans Services at Georgia Regents University, did not immediately realize that his anxiety upon arriving home was a symptom of PTSD. “I did not realize I had PTSD when I came back,” Ham said. “It took my girlfriend at the time and my family, they were telling me, ‘Hey.’ I was freaking out - I thought it was normal. I thought it was natural, doing what I was doing.” Albrecht said this is actually the brain reacting in the way it has been trained to react, due to the constant stresses of war. “A different kind of a problem that a lot of people are coming back from these wars with is what we call ‘hypervigilance,’” Albrecht said. “They might be very uncomfortable in crowds. It just does not feel safe. We all have the capacity to scan our environment and detect things that are not safe; it’s an automatic process. You go to a war like this where they try to disguise things to look normal that might blow up, and you begin to look for things that are danger signals.” Only three months out of the military, Michael Krukowski, a
RICHARD ADAMS | STAFF
Michael Krukowski learns beneficial skills through the Veterans Curation Program.
former marine and now a lab technician with the Veterans Curation Program in Evans, Ga., said it helps being in a work environment with others who share his struggle. “There are certain things that I think of that the average civilian would never think of,” Krukowski said. “When I enter a room, I look at the safest way (out), if I had to escape or find protection.” It helps, he said, that his bosses are flexible with his schedule when he needs to visit his therapist; even something as simple as having someone check in on him and his progress can sometimes make a difference. Albrecht said one solution trauma victims often rely upon to cope with the overwhelming stress is “avoidance,” which is one of four major symptoms that comprise the unique profile of PTSD. “The most common solution is staying away from (a situation that causes stress),” he said. “Which works, as a short-term solution. Long-term, they never get used to
it. And so, we will have them just, ‘Live your life like you would have lived it anyway. Just out into these situations’ ... they will actually get used to it.” Ham said he has been in recovery from PTSD for seven years. Krukowski, who said he is still at an early stage in his recovery, knows the increased stress of facing his traumatic memories has, ultimately, been worth it. “It’s a tough road to recovery, cause to recover you have to go through it all again,” Krukowski said. “You have to go open up about what happened to you, so you have to relive it. You get to see that you are safe; you are around friends and family. And just because something may set you off, you’re way better here than you were when you started suffering...Yeah, I have a lot of stuff to look back at and think about it - but at the end of the day, none of it’s my fault, I didn’t cause any of it. I volunteered, which is a great thing.” radams99@gru.edu
The training process for Georgia Regents University public safety officers has been questioned multiple times, more so after the University Village shooting in February. The training starts after the application and selection process is finished, Chief of Police William McBride said, which is a lengthy process and includes a drug test, credit check and a polygraph test. “Eventually you get to go to the police academy, which is 11 weeks,” he said. “In there you have to learn how to shoot, you have to learn how to drive, there are like nine academic tests.” After graduating from the academy, the applicants are certified and once they are hired on as Georgia Regents public safety officers, McBride said, they get sworn in. After they are sworn in, the officers get put on a probation period along with a six-week training program, McBride said “The first six weeks you would not be by yourself,” he said. “During the first six weeks you would be coupled with another officer, and by my policy it is not the same officer for six weeks.” After the six weeks of training are completed, along with three written tests to get off of field training, McBride said the officers are fully available to go out and be a police officer in their own car. “You have to do 20 hours of post-certify training a year by post-certified instructors,” he said. “We do that training every month.” Lieutenant Derik Still, the department training officer, said the department is doing something roughly 12 months out of the year. “It goes from things such as weapon qualification all the way up to ethics training,” he said. Some of the training sessions are mandatory but not all, McBride said. One topic that Still said is a mandatory topic is the use of deadly force. “We do that,” he said. “It is mandated that we cover the use of deadly force. So it is covered every single year with officers.” When going through use of deadly force training, Officer Anthony Zizzamia said McBride teaches it and the officers listen to a lecture and then do group training. “We will go sit in a classroom and do a PowerPoint presentation,” he said. “We will give and take scenarios.” In order to qualify their weapons, McBride said, officers are required to shoot their gun twice a year, along with all of the other training sessions they are required to complete. rperbets@gru.edu
REBECCA PERBETSKY | STAFF
Jeffery Davis makes a turniquette on his arm during a training session for police.
THE BELL RINGER
PAGE 3
New type of library on campus soon
Veterans’ Day
By Jessica Sager copy editor
HALEY HARRIS | STAFF
Georgia Regents University celebrated Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11 by holding a barbeque in Washington Hall Towers. The event was hosted by the Office of Military and Veterans Services, and it offered free food and a raffle for the guests.
Smoking CONTINUED from PAGE 1
you really shouldn’t do that on campus. It’s a no-smoking environment, you need to leave campus to smoke, and I feel your pain, but you can’t do it on campus.’” He said students violating the smoking policy isn’t against the law, but it is against the school’s policy. If a student or faculty member gets caught multiple times, they will have to deal with the consequences. “If it’s a student (smoking), they’ll be reported to the student convict people,” McBride said. “If it’s an employee, they’ll be report-
Green
CONTINUED from PAGE 2
was the sole purpose of: to promote the green initiative and just an environmental awareness around our campus and our community.” Jeffrey Porterfield, a senior finance major and SGA treasurer, said that at the event students could’ve signed a petition demanding better, more frequently placed recycling cans throughout campus. “I see recycle bins in Allgood and things like that, but they’re usually behind a door or hidden,” he said. “They’re not really out in the public, so people don’t know how to really recycle. We definitely want to try to make it a better place for everybody.”
ed (to) HR. If it’s a faculty member, they’ll be reported to the faculty senate. Everybody gets put on their own, sort of, pathway. You know what the policy says is that it’s everybody’s responsibility to enforce the policy and just remind people that it’s a nonsmoking university.” Officials at the University of Georgia Police said they haven’t seen much student backlash at their campus, either. “We haven’t had any calls about the smoking or tobacco uses,” Jimmy Williamson, chief of police for the University of Georgia police department, said. “If there are people doing it, the university faculty and staff who address the issues, there’s a willingness to respond and
it looks like everyone seems to be following policy.” The University of Georgia hasn’t been the only school to go tobacco-free without much fight. Rachel Pocklington, communications and marketing manager at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said she hasn’t heard any complaints on her campus either. “Overall, I believe the response has been positive, although, we realize that this policy will take time to adopt throughout the campus community,” Pocklington said. “Students are embracing the policy. In fact, there is a student rally tomorrow in support of Tech now being a tobacco-free campus.”
Porterfield said he tries to recycle on a regular basis and tries to pick up trash. He said his dream is to work for a trash company. “There’s always trash, and there’s always a better place for it than where it is right now,” he said. “I think recycling is definitely a good thing. I try to recycle personally, just because I know plastic is really not the best thing for the world and litter and all that stuff is just not good.” Porterfield said he encourages others to recycle, because it makes the world a better, cleaner place. “There’s always better things than just throwing everything in just one trash can,” he said. “I think having the ability to recycle, (especially) with all this technology we can do today to reuse it.” Sabina Khoja, a senior finance
major and SGA senator, said she participated in the event because she thinks recycling is important. “I definitely think there is always room for improvement,” she said. “I think that all students need some sort of motivation, so I do it by (recycling with a friend).” She also said one way she tries to recycle on a regular basis is that, after each semester, she takes all of her books and recycles them. “I think GRU could greatly benefit and assist with improving our environment, especially with simple things,” Khoja said. “In the cafeteria, we can recycle aluminum cans, water bottles, plastic, paper that we don’t use or throw away after exams, notes that we don’t need anymore - I think (that) would greatly benefit our environment.”
athorne@gru.edu
The Summerville Writers Club, formerly the Creative Writing Club, is planning on establishing a lending library on campus next semester. Keaton Thurmond, a junior majoring in creative writing, is the vice president of the club. She said the idea for the lending library came from club president Aaron Stone. Stone, a sophomore majoring in creative writing, said he’d noticed how lending libraries affect the community. “Initially, when we open it, it’s going to be a place where all the writers contribute two books,” he said. “So everyone who helped out with the book and bake sale to raise the money for it, everyone’s going to put in two book suggestions. … The literature that is important to all the writers is going to be the first wave of books.” Lending libraries are a good way to get people to read books they might not usually read, Thurmond said. “With a lending library, those books are yours,” Stone said. “So if you bring a book to replace it, you can keep it, and those books obviously will be a part of your library at your house, and then the thing that you submit will be a part of somebody else’s library, at their house. So it’s sort of like a circulation of interests.” The club members have made a list of books that have influenced them as readers and writers, Thurmond said, and these will be the first books in the lending library. “I think (books) inspire writers in that there’s some sort of moment
of connection between the book’s author and the reader,” said Jared Hegwood, a professor in the English department and the club’s adviser. “(There is) some moment of recognition when the reader says, ‘I know what that’s like. I’ve felt that before. I’ve been hurt that way; I’ve been inspired that way.’ There’s a moment in which the author sort of awakens the imagination of the reader, and it’s a high, and for readers who get the most out of it, they want to try to recreate it. ... We hope that these books, the books that inspired us, do the same for others.” The library itself will resemble a magazine stand and have a weatherproof roof, Stone said. It will also be decorated. “We are hoping to put it in a central location in the middle of campus,” Thurmond said. “We have a few ideas in mind, but we haven’t got anything nailed down yet.” There will also be a creative writing project, Hegwood said. There will be an unfinished story or poem alongside the library that anyone can add to. “In some ways it’s kind of scary, sort of, you know, letting that go over to the public,” he said. “But at the same time I think that it may be an opportunity for people to express their creativity in new ways that they wouldn’t have (been able) to do so before.” Stone said he hopes the lending library will bring “more life” to campus. “There’s not a lot of student interactivity, I guess, with the physical campus,” he said. “And I think that would be cool to have a piece of the student population out there always, you know.” jschucke@gru.edu
atrawick@gru.edu
Bill to legalize treatment By Richard Adams editor-in-chief When Patricia McCall found out a new bill had been filed by State Rep. Allen Peake (R) proposing the legalization of the medical use of marijuana, she started spreading the word so this bill might pass the Georgia House of Representatives. Peake said he pre-filed House Bill 1 Nov. 17. On Nov. 12, McCall and her 16-year-old granddaughter, who has Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, traveled from their home in Effingham County, Ga., to Augusta to be at the hearing of the Joint Study on Prescription of Medical Cannabis for Serious Medical Conditions, held on the Summerville campus of Georgia Regents University During the hearing, state legislators questioned researchers at Georgia Regents about their proposed study to measure the effects of a seizure medication called Epidiolex. This drug, manufactured in Great Britain, contains cannabidiol, or CBD, as its active ingredient. Throughout the proceedings, McCall said, she estimated her granddaughter had between 10 and 15 seizures. The drug is only being tested on children with Dravet Syndrome,, McCall said, so her granddaughter is ineligible for potential treatment. Peake said the hearing results made him aware for the need of a “dual-track solution for medical cannabis in Georgia” that would provide treatment that was not only safe, but timely.
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It hit me like a brick. If this was my child, that I would crawl over broken glass to make sure she had access to medicine... -- Rep. Allen Peake
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McCall said, if offered CBD, it would not be the first time she approved experimental medicine for her granddaughter’s seizures. “My concern is...keeping as much of her mental clarity and abilities intact by stopping the seizures with few side effects,” McCall said. “Tonight she’ll take five medicines, and they all have side effects.” Peake said he began to push legislation in this area after meeting a child in his district whose epilepsy did not respond to medication. “It hit me like a brick,” Peake said. “If this was my child, that I would crawl over broken glass to make sure that she had access to
medicine that could potentially stop the seizures that were doing damage to her brain every single day.” Peake said it is “insane” that marijuana is listed with heroin and LSD as a drug with no medicinal benefit whatsoever. He said the anecdotal evidence is overwhelming and should be addressed. Jason Cranford, a Boulder, Co., botanist who specializes in growing marijuana, said he was unable to produce the kind of specific clinical data the committee was requesting as to the effectiveness of using marijuana to treat various forms of childhood epilepsy. Peake said this lack of actual research is what he hopes the new house bill will address. McCall said the answer is simple for her and her granddaughter. “I think it’s the best chance for her future,” McCall said. “The best and only chance for a future.” radams99@gru.edu
RICHARD ADAMS | STAFF
State Rep. Allen Peake and State Sen. Renee Unterman co-chair joint committee.
STEPHANIE MCCRAY | STAFF
Betts Murdison, president and CEO of RMHCA, recieves donated children’s toys.
McDonald CONTINUED from PAGE 1
and private space for patients’ families. The larger facility will help to reduce the amount of time that families spend on the waiting list for a room at the Ronald McDonald House, she said. “I’m most excited about the special toy closet being built for the new house,” Murdison said. “It’s kids only, no adults. The doorway is child-sized, and every child that stays in the house can go in and pick a brand new toy.” The Junior League of Augusta was responsible for donating the first batch of toys, Kari Baker, past president and chairman of the board of directors for the Junior League of Augusta, said. Baker said that members of the Junior League did not stop with donating toys. They also contributed $20,000 to the building of a new
playroom. “Anyone staying in the house will be able to play in the play room,” she said. “It will be stocked with board games, puzzles and all sorts of toys for the parents and siblings of patients staying in the house.” Baker said she hopes the new house will help to further alleviate any financial and emotional stress experienced by patients and their family members. “When you have a child with an illness, who may stay in the hospital for two or three months, staying in a hotel is expensive, but it’s also emotionally draining,” she said. The new house will be located on Georgia Regents’ Health Sciences campus, approximately 150 yards away from Georgia Regents’ children’s hospital, according to the GReport. A ribbon-cutting ceremony has been scheduled for Jan. 8, at 5:30 p.m. at the new house, Murdison said. smccray1@gru.edu
THE BELL RINGER
OPINION
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014
www.grubellringer.com
editorial
Graditude is contagious W
hat does thankfulness look like? Taking a page right out of President Azziz’s book, we at The Bell Ringer would like to share with you what we are thankful for this holiday season. Unlike the president’s recent university-wide email, though, we hope you are used enough to our voice to know whether we’re being earnest or not. That said, the first thing on our list is our new printer, brought to us by the hard work and perservance of those in the communications department; this may be utterly trivial in the grand scheme of things, but just its presence alone is to enough to stop us in our tracks and reassess any complaints we might have. What other piece of office technology helps us produce The
Bell Ringer every other weekend? Our beloved coffee maker. Otherwise, we would probably owe our souls to Starbucks. Because this line of work is known sometimes to take a toll, especially after one has spent the weekend drinking one cup of coffee after another, we would also like to thank our friends and family for their understanding when we can’t attend religious services with them, or we end up talking about The Bell Ringer even when we aren’t working there. Our families are the ones who call to check in on us more than we sometimes wish on these long weekends, who send baked goods with us to the office, who offer us advice that maybe this newspaper racket isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Every time we see a copy of
The Bell Ringer in the hands of a reader, every time we hear some kind of feedback, whether it be encouragement or some form of critique, as long as its honest, it means a great deal to us and speeds us from one issue to the next. And that brings us to you: We are thankful for our readers. You are the ones for whom all this work is meant, and if you have achieved some level of understanding through reading our paper, laughed or gotten angry while reading, have had an opinion reformed due to it, or opened the page to share with a friend, then we want you to know how thankful we are to be your university newspaper. For all our sources out there, thank you for trusting us with your stories, your experiences and your opinions. One of the things which
In most cases, traditional marriage is an anti-gay term used by religious individuals who oppose same-sex marriage. While I believe that marriage is a sacred union and of highest regard in the sight of God, historically speaking it has been used to enforce gender roles within society and perpetuate misogyny and inequality. Carina Kolodny, senior editor at Huffington Post, wrote an open letter discussing marriage equality; there she equated the idea of traditional marriage to “coverture.” Coverture refers to a woman’s legal rights after marriage: Upon marriage, a woman’s legal rights are transferred from her father to her promised or arranged husband, according to English law. Coverture was practiced well into the 19th century. Traditional marriage is not exclusively associated with love or any mutual benefit, but instead perpetuated the assumption that women are commodities to be gained. “Traditional marriage” is a term used in the name of oppression. Marriage, or any type of union, should be uplifted, not merely a social standard. Marriage equality is just a small pawn in the war for equality; although a worthy issue, it is not a main concern. Love is. I’ve read many articles saying “play” or “laughter” are understood universally. But I’m certain that love is the most understood concept across cultures, generations and even religious beliefs. Love is what it does, and love encompasses all. Love brings clarity to misunderstanding. Love isn’t always understanding, but tolerant of differences. As we move toward accepting marriage for what it really is, a profession of mutual love and not just a joining of assets between a man and a woman, gender lines, misogyny and hate will begin to blur. Maybe not instantly but as the generations who fought to resist
the change of equality fade into the background, gender roles will become less defined. Men will no longer see women who push the lines of their social conventions as feminists, but as equals. Marriage equality is South Caroline is only a victory in the war of Love. Interracial couples fought for the same rights, all in the name of love. It’s a well-known solution that is rarely applied to issues. As a gay man and devote Christian who just happens to be gay, I am constantly forced to see the disconnect between the teachings Christianity is built on and actions of those who proclaim to be followers of said gospel. Christians are told that love is the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:36-40). Jesus, whose teachings Christianity is based faith on, was sent in the name of love (John 3:16). Jesus came not to condemn, but to demonstrate perfect love. Therefore, those who claim they oppose same-sex marriage because of their faith, their argument becomes invalid the moment they use their faith to condemn the actions of others. Love is all encompassing and covers a multitude of faults (1 Peter 4:8). Love is powerful, and everything done in the name of love succeeds. The idea of not allowing same-sex couples the same right as heterosexual couples is ludicrous. Everyone deserves to be with the one they love and have that love acknowledged. I firmly believe their endeavor for the right to marry will be the first of many triumphs of equality in the U.S. Civil rights are not solely about race, but equality. Once America finally eradicates the tyranny of the majority and acknowledges that our constitution was written to protect citizens’ right and not infringe upon them—then equality can be wide spread.
keeps The Bell Ringer alive is our conversations with one another about the amazing stories we’ve been able to cover – all because of you, your courage and kindness, as well as your patience as we learn our craft. To every employee at Georgia Regents University, we wish you to know that we are here for you. You keep our university beautiful, you teach our classes with passion and
vigor, you stretch our imaginations and you test our will. You drive us from campus to campus. You check in on us when we are ill. You are a smile in the morning when the day has not worked out quite so well. You are the administrators and the police officers, the ones fighting our battles and watching our backs. You are the support staff we sometimes take for granted – but thank you.
editorial policy Letters to the editor must be accompanied by the author’s email address. All columns and letters to the editor are the opinion of the author. The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily express those of The Bell Ringer, a designated public forum. Anything submitted to The Bell Ringer is open to be edited or rejected. However, The Bell Ringer staff gives all opinions a fair chance to be heard. All letters will be edited for grammar and style. If you would like to contribute a column or a letter to the editor, send an email to: bellringerproduction@gmail.com
Love is a civil right B
y ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court, South Carolina became the 35th state to legalize gay marriage, despite the request to block advancement of the case and a request for appeal from S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson. When issuing an official statement on the ruling, Chair of S.C. Equality Board of Directors, Jeff Ayers, said “We’re really thrilled.” For Jeff, this ruling meant more than DeVante Starks gays being allowed to marry. contributor It also validates the efforts of S.C. Equality’s 10 years of diligent education and advocacy, saying the decision coming from the Supreme Court acknowledges that these were their rights all along. U.S. District Judge Michelle Childs made a definitive comment pertaining to the court’s ruling of the gay marriage ban in S.C., saying, “The Court does not have any justification to continue the deprivation of plaintiffs’ constitutional rights.” This was mostly directed at Wilson’s efforts to deter the proceedings of the case. Wilson is not the only South Carolina official who opposes the ruling. Gov. Nikki Haley spoke at the S.C. Chamber of Commerce annual summit saying, “I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman. I took an oath to uphold the constitution which bans same-sex marriage.” In the defense of their stance against gay marriage, Wilson and Haley both argue the lifting of same-sex bans across the country is ruining traditional marriage. It is my personal opinion that in order for everyone to have civil rights and equality to be widespread, the mold and ideas of traditional marriage must be eliminated.
dstarks2@gru.edu
One tasty word sparks debate
I
tell my friends while we were sitting at the lunch table, “I can’t wait to get some pecan pie.” My friend looks over at me and tells me “That is not how you say pecan. Fatima, it is seriously pronounced ‘pe-cahn,’ not ‘pee-can.’” Of course, I had to prove my point, so I asked the rest of Fatima Frasher our friends their staff writer views. Surprisingly, the table was split down the middle. I knew this debate was never going to be solved, if I wouldn’t have taken matters into my own hands. So, I put myself on
a quest to find out the truth about this word “pecan.” I walked up and down the Allgood lobby stopping students, teachers and faculty, asking them how they pronounce the word pecan. I questioned 150 people. ‘Pee-can’ (in a southern accent) won, resulting in 90 people saying this is definitely how you pronounce the word. A total of 60 people said that the word was pronounced otherwise. I proudly told my friends, “It depends on where a person is from. It’s all based on your accent.” My friend just sat there shaking her head at me. I smiled like the Chesire Cat, grinning ear to ear and showing all my teeth. I knew I had won this debate hands down. After my last class I received
a phone call from my friend asking if I would go on a mission with her to Washington Road. The debate started all over again. That’s when I had had enough. I pulled out my smart phone and clicked on my Webster Dictionary app and typed in the word pecan. I told her I was going to prove her wrong one last time. Sad to say, I proved myself 90 other people wrong. The app pronounced the word using that awkward “ah” sound. My friend’s laugh bellowed throughout the car and echoed in my head. This story did, however, come with a moral: The moral is that, regardless of however many people agree on the wrong thing, it will always be wrong.
ffrasher@gru.edu
RICHARD ADAMS | STAFF In the old dye room, Billy Power reminisces and tells stories about life at Sibley Mill.
Finding the voice of a place
A
s I go about my job as a journalist, I am continually struck by an almost unanimous recognition of Augusta as a city with a special sense of place. One of my favorite things about being a journalist is the constant motivation to pay attention to and be aware of the people whose Richard Adams stories I tell. editor-in-chief During the process of collecting information and interviews in the Harrisburg-West End district, I have come across some unbelievable opportunities. Built in the 1880s, the Sibley Mill was planned as a crowning achievement for Southern engineering during the years of Reconstruction in the hopes of reinvigorating a stunted economy. It also employed my grandparents. Not only did it convert to fabric whole bales of raw cottonr; it drew to Augusta my grandfather from the lumber industry in Gibson and my grandmother from England. Environments are places that shape a people. Slowly, imperceptibly, those people begin, in turn, to
shape the environment until, eventually, the people and place become indicative of one another. Billy Power is the manager of the hydroelectric plant at the Sibley Mill, which generates electricity from the millions of gallons of water which pass through it daily. Power was born in Harrisburg, and has worked in the mills for most of his life. He knows the place so well that he doesn’t have to use a flashlight as he navigates through its miles of unlit corridors. When we met, I noted something familiar about him – but I couldn’t be exactly sure what it was. I finally realized it was the cadence of his speech. Power’s accent and the way he inflected words were exactly the same way my aunt and uncle spoke. Until this moment of realization, I had never noted the uniqueness of that particular accent: a slow swaggering saunter that can quickly become a rollicking gallop of words. It had simply been a sound of speaking I had grown up around the majority of my life. That a place, here a single neighborhood, alone could influence the way a person creates language, for me, is an incredible thing. Each new word becomes a contribution to the whole.
radams99@aug.edu
The Bell Ringer is hiring We need a new
Production Assistant for Spring Semester Qualifications: •
Available every-other weekend starting after January 6 • Available every Wednesday from 5 to 6 p.m. • Eye for detail • Fast learner Experience with Ado-
be Photoshop and Adobe In-Design is a plus If you are interested please contact Richard Adams, editor-in-chief.
Cell: (706) 231-6650 Email: radams99@gru.edu
THE BELL RINGER
PAGE 5
Sharing safe holiday shopping tips D
uring the holidays, many people are thinking about family or great sales. One thing many people don’t consider is safety. I have observed that during the holidays there is an increase in theft. I can attest to this: Last year my laptop was stolen from the trunk of my car in the Augusta Mall parking lot. The year before that my digital camera was stolen from under my seat.
I now take special precautions that many should consider adopting this holiday season. One, do not leave anything valuable in your car, even if it is in the trunk. When my laptop Stephanie McCray was stolen, it staff writer had been in the trunk before I arrived to the mall.
Criminals know it is common for people to leave their valuables either in the trunk or underneath seats. To ensure that you don’t lose anything, don’t bring anything. Two, do not leave your receipt in the bag. Consider this: In the unfortunate event that you misplace your purchase, someone could find your merchandise and easily return it for money or store credit because they have your receipt. The third tip is for anyone that carries a purse or bag that contains
car keys or a cellphone:When walking through a parking lot, especially at night, keep your phone in your pocket and your keys in your hand. That way if someone tries to snatch your bag or purse, you will at least be able to get into your car and call for help. The fourth tip is to be aware of your surroundings and report suspicious activity. Criminals will walk around the mall parking lot to watch and wait to see if you look like someone they could possibly
victimize. If I had told mall security, I might still have that laptop. Lastly, there is power in numbers. Never go shopping by yourself. Bring a buddy. You’re less likely to be targeted and in the event that you are and the thief is apprehended, you will also have a witness. This holiday season I hope that you enjoy time with your family and getting great deals but most importantly, stay safe.
smccray1@gru.edu
Humanity for homeless
W
hen you walk down the street or on your way to work and see someone without a home, you have seen someone’s relative: Someone who at one time was held in someone’s arms, rocked to sleep or was asked in school what they wanted to be when they grew up. They had dreams, ambitions and desires. Shirley Suarez But as you contributor walk down the street today, do you see them or do you just pass by and pretend they don’t exist? It’s that mom with the seven children (one of them a newborn) who is staying in the shelter, or the young man just dropped from foster care because he turned 18 and has nowhere to go, or the middle age man who lost his job and turned to drugs to alleviate his sorrow. It’s the elderly gentleman who has no family, no one to care and found stripped and cold by the canal. They were and are someone’s relative, someone’s child, someone’s brother or sister. The plight of the homeless is not new and will not go away, but what can be done to help reduce the stigmatism, help reduce the lack of compassion, and help reduce the number left on the street in the cold, rain or heat of the summer day? Some say, “So what, they brought it on themselves.” Have you seen their faces? Have you talked with them? Do you know why they are there? Having come through home-
lessness myself many years ago, I have discovered there are so many reasons why people find themselves in difficult situations, without a job, without a place to lay their head and without hope (it may seem). The reasons are numerous – lost job, low paying job, economic downfall, mental illness, misconceptions, dysfunctional upbringing, substance abuse, distraught veteran … and the list goes on. When I started this ministry over 40 years ago our shelters were mainly filled with your typical hobo (showing my age) who came in from the railroad and just wanted that way of life; but now we see more families, more young people, more elderly with sorrow in their eyes, lack of hope and filled with despair. Our shelter here in Augusta shelters 37 women and children (we had 42 last week, 18 of them children), 52 men (had 55 the other cold snap) along with 30 participants in our residential substance abuse center and 12 in our skills training center. That’s 131 human beings from all walks of life – one a retired professor, another a nursing graduate and yet another fleeing from domestic violence. But we are not the only shelter in town or homeless service provider. The Continuum of Care is made up of numerous agencies concerned with the homeless here in Augusta. All of these homeless individuals had dreams and ambitions, and all of them were loved by someone at some point in their lives. It could be you, your classmate, your neighbor who ends up eating in our soup kitchen tomorrow or laying on a mat (because the beds are full) on a cold win-
ter night. This does not include those displaced or on the verge of homelessness, living with others or spending the night from hotel to hotel. The plight of the homeless is everyone’s responsibility. “Why?” you ask. Because we are human – it’s as simple as that. If human beings forget to care for one another, then what kind of society will be produced? Do you know where your next meal is going to come from? Many we work with do not – they depend on the generosity of others. Many just need that extra “hands up” in order to move up and back out into society. They need someone to care, treat them with dignity and respect, and to let them know there is hope, there is compassion, there is light at the end of the tunnel. It doesn’t matter what their religious preference is, what their political views or what choices they have made in life that may differ from ours. What matters is that they are human beings with the same dreams, ambitions and desires as you to live in peace, be respected and be loved … just because … no conditions attached. At age 11 someone reached out to my family, showed us a different way and pointed us toward the hope that has sustained me through my journey with all the ups and downs and will continue to guide me as the journey continues, and as I do my small part to treat everyone as I would want to be treated. Blessings!
Major Shirley Suarez Director of Social Services, The Salvation Army Augusta Area Command Shirley_Suarez@uss.salvation. army.org
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MARCELLUS BUCKLEY | CONTRIBUTOR Marcellus Buckley (Right) takes a photo with actor Danny Glover (Left) in St. Louis.
THE FERGUSON POET: poetry amidst the anger By Marcellus Buckley contributor
T
he day that Michael Brown, Jr., was murdered I was playing basketball at a neighboring park called Larimore about 5 miles from Canfield in a county called Spanish Lake. I remember after talking about the looting going on around the city, I told the guys I would bring peace with poetry and that after that day I was going to recite poetry on ground zero - and their reaction was only laughs. The next day I decided to head out, not with violence but with words of peace, love, unity and, of course, pain; but all expressed through my heart, mind and soul. I was headed to West Florissant and Canfield, riding my bike five miles just to get there. And as I arrived, the spirit of the people had been ignited. We were ready to keep this up, not knowing we were the face of a new generational movement. I started reciting my poetry over and over. The people wouldn’t allow me to stop. Sometimes a listener would pull me by the arm, forcing me to recite in front of a camera. After a couple of days of observing and writing I became known as The Ferguson Poet. As we marched on with the protesting, I came across some of the most amazing, most beautiful but different individuals from all walks of life. I’ve met people from India. From California to Hong
Kong to Palestine, but the people that left a mark on me the most was the people of my own community. I remember it had to be like the middle of August when I met a number of people from pastor Michael McBride and brother Ben McBride and the team members of Hands Up United, as well as other organizations like the Don’t Shoot Coalition, Dream Defenders, Tribe X. Then you have Lost Voices and Found Voices, a group of kids who dedicated their lives to the movement. By doing so, they spent every night outside in tents fighting for justice and peace. I can recall a time when the KKK left a lynch rope outside the tents of the Lost Voices camp site. This was the least of our worries. By day, the police were basically monitoring our every movement, not only serving as a watch dogs but actually provoking the people to get a reaction to cause harm to our people in the community. They didn’t mind harassing our moms, fathers, some visitors, organizers - even media. But mostly, it was the youth, the kids, ranging in their 20s. No one in Ferguson is safe except the oppressors. Protest after protest, the oppressors made it hard for us to keep this up - using gas grenades, rubber bullets, making us walk to make the elders and clergy tire out. They even went as far as shutting McDonald’s down at 4 p.m., knowing we would get hungry. I must ask, ‘Is this a symbol of humanity?’ marcellus_buckley@yahoo.com
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014
ARTS & LIFE www.grubellringer.com
Exhibition explores the mind By Haley Harris news editor
Can your mind really tell you what is real and what is fake? The Mary S. Byrd Gallery of Art at Georgia Regents University offered this question to the public during its reception for a new exhibit. Three artists held an artist talk Nov. 20 with a series of lectures on their specific concentrations and the exhibit’s theme was “The Creative Space Between Reality and Delusion,” according to the gallery’s event website. Liselott Johnsson, gallery director of the Mary S. Byrd Gallery, introduced the three artists and gave biographies of each. Michael Schwartz, professor of art history and humanities, spoke about Bernini’s Cathedra Petri with a lecture titled “Trinitarian Mystery and Theological Politics,” Johnsson said. Schwartz said that the piece could be dissected and looked at through the concept of delusion. “Delusion can actually be something that seems delusive, but actually isn’t; it’s just somehow not aligned with what seems to be norms of health and unhealth,” Schwartz said. “This is actually a brilliant work of art, because it’s not modern. It’s historical to med-
itate on these kinds of themes of what is reality for us, what’s reality for them: this historical horizon. Is this a delusion, is it merely an excess? I think these are the questions I would want to pose in the concept of this that I can’t answer.” Angelica Brown, a student from Georgia Southern University, was visiting the campus to see her sister and said she was interested in art and when she heard about the exhibit she wanted to check it out. “I am an art major at Southern, and enjoy the time frame of the piece that the first artist talked about during the lecture,” Brown said. “It obviously struck my curiosity to want to (experience) the exhibit for myself.” Jorge Armenteros, an author of novels about mental illness, spoke about the medical conditions of schizophrenia and autism in his lecture titled “Exploring the Rooms of the Mind Through Fiction: A psychiatrist’s intimate look at schizophrenia and autism,” Johnsson said. Armenteros said his goal with his books is to take a concept, such as schizophrenia, and present it in a way that is available for people to enjoy, and, ideally, it becomes an exercise of exploring the rooms inside people’s heads through fiction. “(Hollywood) has characters that are crazier than crazy people really are,” Armenteros said. “And
HALEY HARRIS | STAFF
Michael Schwartz, Jorge Armenteros and Craig Drennen use art to rectify the misrepresentations of mental illness in the media.
it all becomes like a circus and that’s really what we do not want. It may be wonderful for entertainment, but I don’t think it’s fair. So many times, what we’re trying to do really is write a novel and dismantle stereotypes.” Craig Drennen, a visual artist from Atlanta, spoke about his project titled “Timon of Athens.” Drennen said he pulled from Shakespeare’s play “Timon of Ath-
ens” and focused on the characters in the play and then created pieces of art of what he saw the characters to be. He said that the entire collection is not complete and only a few pieces are displayed in the gallery. “I’m anticipating another 10 years, but it might be 12, it might be 15,” Drennen said. “I don’t know. But I’m going to do it until it’s completely finished and I’ve
covered every character. There will come a time when people are doing a Google search and type in ‘Timon of Athens,’ my name will pop up instead of Shakespeare.” Johnsson said at the end of the artist talk that the gallery would be open to the public. The next Artist Talk will feature Ben Sloat’s “The One in The Center Cannot See the Whole” Jan 22. hharris9@gru.edu
Trip to see last frontier By Ashley Trawick chief reporter
JEAN-PAUL CASSAGNOL | STAFF
Kitana Owens sings a poem to an audience in the JSAC ballroom during “Mic Check” Wednesday. The student organization The Initiative hosted the poetry slam.
Students show off skills at slam By Fatima Frasher staff writer A new organization named The Initiative at Georgia Regents University presented Open Mic Night Wednesday. “We’ve been active since 2013 in March,” said Dominique Bond, a junior social work major. “We became official through the organization at GRU in February of 2014. We do a lot of GME service and volunteer projects (that) are focused around the youth.” Chad James, Bridgestone employee and rapper, performed at The Initiative’s Open Mic Night. He said that he likes to try to include various styles in his craft to please the crowd’s appetite for entertainment. “I’m going to, like, perform three songs that I have,” James said. “I might sprinkle some comedy in there just as well. I like to bring something different along with my performances. A lot of people just get on stage and they just try to rap, and try and interact with the crowd. I actually like to get a response from the crowd.” James said he did not want the crowd to take him too literally, but to embrace his talent. He said that there were certain themes he hopes to use in his music to paint mental pictures for the crowd. “The songs that I will actually be performing are all true stories,” James said. “One of the songs I will be performing, I will be discussing dealing my mother. She had left when like my brother was two and I was four years old. I have (another) song titled ‘Am I Famous,’ which, actually, I won local artist of the year and song of the year with that
song last year.” Sabiyah Broderick, a sophomore respiratory therapy major, said she was very excited to see the performances. “I really just like to see people express their feelings in front of everyone honestly,” Broderick said. “I’m just hoping that it will be really deep. You know, like when people like really express themselves and stuff. It’s not going to be like corny, but like actually legit.” Another audience member was happy to see one of her friends perform. Bryaunna Barrera, a freshman biology major, said when her friend told her about the performance in the JSAC ballroom, she had no other choice but to come out to support her. “My friend Kitana Owens is in here, so I came to support her,” Barrera said. “She is going to be singing a poem. I expect to gain more knowledge about just poems in general. I saw all of the art pieces in the back, and I just want to connect. I feel like this is a good way to connect with people and their emotions and to see what they are feeling on the inside. It is just a nice way to hang out and come and support the people of GRU.” Lunden Williams, a junior social work major and member of The Iniative, said she was very proud of her organization and the great job it did in hosting its event. “I think the performances tonight were great,” Williams said. “Everyone did a great job. I’m so proud of our organization, The Initiative, and everybody who was behind it. It shows that with hard work and dedication, you can have a great turn out.” ffrasher@gru.edu
A new study abroad program will send biology professors and students on a two-week trip to Alaska next summer. Jessica Reichmuth and Amy Abdulovic-Cui, two assistant professors of biology, will be teaching two courses that will focus on the state’s ecosystems and its natural history, Reichmuth said . “So the first three cities that we’re visiting, which are Juno, Anchorage and Seward, are based on a trip that I went (on) when I went as a grad student,” she said. “Alaska is very moving as an ecologist, because it’s one of the last places where it’s basically untouchabl. Talkeetna is the gateway to the Denali area, and then we’re going to go to the Denali State Park.” Reichmuth said the courses will discuss biological interactions
that shape the biological community and competition when it comes to determining an organism’s role in the environment, especially with untouched land . “Anchorage is almost desert-like because of where it is in the state, so you get to see a variety of environments and how t h e commun i ties are shaped i n that sense,” s h e said. “Then (with) ecosystems, (we’ll) talk about how the communities function as a whole in terms of properties like nutrient cycling and energy flow, and those usually offer some type of ecosystem service to humans.” Abdulovic-Cui said her course “Genetics of Alaska” will focus on
Twin Peaks: New eatery opens its doors By Haley Harris news editor A new restaurant chain opening its doors to Augusta Dec. 10 is trying to catch the eye of the public with its billboard on Deans Bridge Road and its advertising makes clear that what matters at Twin Peaks is all about appearances. “You had to go in and fill out the application, and then if they liked what you said or liked how you were, they asked you to try on the uniform and took pictures of you,” said Marissa Zahra, of Augusta, who applied and received a job offer. “And then they either offered you the job or said they’d call you back. But if they say they’ll call you back, then that means they won’t, and you didn’t get the job.” According to the Twin Peaks webpage, the wait staff is all female, “Twin Peaks girls.” The restaurant offers comfort foods, draft beer, a multitude of televisions that will play sports and, in reference to the wait staff, “scenic views (are) guaranteed.” According to the site, prospective applicants do not send in an application; they are directed to come in-person and are supposed to “grab your favorite outfit, glam up your hair and makeup and visit
us today.” Zahra said that the uniform consists of khaki shorts and a little red and black tied crop top. During the interview process, which Zahra said was on the spot when she walked in, the management asked a range of questions. “They ask you normal questions about yourself,” Zahra said. “On the application there was a question that asked what’s the biggest fish you’ve ever caught in pounds, and you answer so that they can see your personality.” A former CEO of the Hooters franchise created the Twin Peaks franchise in 2011, according to an article The Augusta Chronicle ran in September. Alyssa McNair, a waitress at the Augusta Hooters, said the application process of Twin Peaks was similar to Hooters. “You want them to think you’re pretty,” McNair said. “Obviously that’s the point. Hooters girls are pretty.” Zahra said that she agreed the restaurant made it clear that appearances and personality played a big role in whether they hired an applicant or not. Tiffany Smith, of Augusta, said she applied and was shocked with the process of how applicants are
the migration history and genetics of Native Alaskans. She said students will also examine how DNA is used when a species is endangered in trying to help with conservation and possibly bringing back that species. Adrienne Kambouris, a junior double majoring in biology and chemistry, said she’s currently taking Abdulovic-Cui’s genetics course. Some material they have covered is population genetics and how phenotypes are expressed across the population, which immediately caught her attention, she said. While the Alaska trip has reached its full capacity in students who are attending, Abdulovic-Cui said getting involved in study abroad gives a student the chance to get out of Augusta, get on a plane and to see the world in a different light. atrawick@gru.edu
judged. “The clothes sizes (of the uniform) are ridiculous,” Smith said. “I felt self-conscious, which isn’t like me, as I was going inside to fill out the application. But when they asked if I’d be willing to try on the uniform, I was like, ‘Why?’ I thought I had given a good interview and had plenty of restaurant experience. I thought that maybe once you got hired you could request your size and go from there. Nope. You tried it on then and there, so they could determine how well it fit.” Smith said she applied to Twin Peaks on the possibility of receiving better tips than where she currently works, but after realizing that the waitresses go under “harder scrutinizing,” she changed her mind. hharris9@gru.edu
HALEY HARRIS | STAFF
Local restaurant Twin Peaks is hiring women who offer a playful personality.
THE BELL RINGER
PAGE 7
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PAGE 8
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014
ARTS & LIFE
JORDAN BARRY | STAFF
(Top Left) Banner displays painted hand prints of students and members of THE CREW, (Bottom Left) Anam Cara performs traditional Irish folk music in the JSAC Ballroom, (Right) Participants spin the ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ provided by the Career Center, to learn about international business and a chance at a prize.
Festival fosters cultures By Jordan Barry production manager Nigerian musical stylings filled the ballroom of the Jaguar Student Activities Center on Wednesday at the opening of the annual International Festival. Taylor Rodriguez, the vice president of
THE CREW, said Oluwatomisin Osunkoya, a student and Nigerian singer, was the first of two live music acts at the event. Anam Cara, an Irish band made up of students and faculty, followed Osunkoya’s performance, Rodriquez said. Brianna Hardy, the cultural chair of THE CREW, said she helped plan the event, and
WWE2K15 Game falls flat By Jacob Scharff webmaster I can admit when I’m wrong. I was very excited for WWE 2K15, because when game studio 2K took over last year it kept things going in a positive direction for the WWE video game line. The inclusion of fan favorite Sting was also something I was looking forward to. Unfortunately, in this new title, 2K has taken many steps backwards and it’s, overall, a very disappointing title. Let’s start with the thing that’s a problem every year: the roster. There are always baffling exclusions from each year’s roster, and this one is no exception. Of course, part of the roster’s problem comes from having to be set fairly early on in the development phase. That creates paradoxes of its own though; for example, in the game the Shield is still a strong three-man unit, whereas in real life it’s been dissolved since June.
The gameplay has seen many tweaks. There’s a new chain wrestling system designed to try to make the start of the match feel more realistic. There’s also a new stamina bar that doesn’t work nearly as well. You only get three bars of stamina. Once the first two are gone, they stay gone. This makes a chain of uninterrupted moves very hard to pull off. I can say that a bright spot of the game is its graphics. Running at a smooth 60 FPS and always crisp and clean, at least where the PS4 version is concerned, this means it is certainly the best looking WWE title to date. In titles like WWE2K15, though, which will undoubtedly be followed in late 2015 by WWE 2K16, the improvements are generally few and far between. A good game stays good; mediocre games tend to stay mediocre, only rising to good after a few years’ worth of improvements. jscharff@gru.edu
her favorite part was the food. The event featured vendors from Taj of India, Buona Caffe, Diablo’s Southwest Grill and Laziza’s food truck. “Maybe because (I have a) student point of view, (my favorite part of planning was) the food part because I was trying to have it where students could taste Indian food, this
ANTHONY GARCIA | STAFF
Nicholas LaBon plays Mario Kart on the Super Nintendo during the Electronic Gaming Club’s Mario Kart GeneRACEions tournament on Washington Hall’s fourth floor.
Gaming club revs its engines By Anthony Garcia sports editor
The Electronic Gaming Club hosted its third Mario Kart tournament Nov. 13 for club members to compete in for Nintendo-themed prizes. Georgia Regents University’s gaming club brought together all five console-based Mario Kart games and their respective Nintendo consoles for the tournament, from the Super Nintendo Entertain-
Artist-in-residence settles in By Ashley Trawick chief reporter Wycliffe Gordon has slowly been acclimating to his new position as artist-in-residence for the department of music at Georgia Regents University. Robert Foster, a professor of music, said he had been asking about Gordon for years because he thought he would really benefit the department. With the assistance of the department chair Angela Morgan and the administration, his request was finally granted. “Our dean was supportive of it,” Foster said. “(He had been) presenting to the people downtown who really makes the big decisions now. (They) thought it was a good idea.” Morgan said the process started in 2012, but in October of last year, the department invited Gordon to perform as a gala concert artist. “It was such a rousing success,” she said. “(I was) approached with the idea that he really want(ed) to kind of move his operation out of New York. … He wants to put his
base down here. He’s a big touring musician, obviously, but we want to build our jazz program and build our music program. Having a big headliner name like Wycliffe Gordon is really quite exciting. He’s just an amazing musician.” Students in the music program have been responding well to Gordon’s presence on campus, Morgan said, adding that everyone who attended the Nov. 11 installment of the “Jazz at the G” series, which featured Gordon and the GRU Jazz Ensemble, seemed to really enjoy the music and the atmosphere. “He’s a wonderful, unifying force in this department and makes it special and stand out,” Morgan said. “One of the things that we’ve always prided ourselves in the music department is that we kind of have a more family atmosphere … and because we don’t have huge classes, we’re really able to have that personal attention. And also part of music instruction is applied lesson – that’s one-on-one. And so, the kids really feel like somebody truly, truly cares about how well they’re doing. ” Gordon, who was born in
type of food and Hispanic food,” Hardy said. “I was just really excited about thinking of vendors that were here.” Megan Pierce, a sophomore marketing major who waited in line to get a Henna tattoo, said she went to the International Festival last fall, but she found out about this year’s event in an interesting way. As she was leaving the JSAC on Tuesday, she saw members of THE CREW making a sign for the event. There were various booths at the festival, including one from the Spanish club, the Career Center and food vendors. Pierce said her favorite was the study abroad table. “I love other countries and I don’t know why,” Pierce said. “It interests me to go different places.” Another booth that drew a lot of attention on Wednesday was the Career Center’s table. Melissa Hall, a Career Center adviser, said she believed this was due to a new addition, the “wheel of fortune.” In the past, Hall said, the Career Center’s table has been very generic, but this year it added a trivia game to mix things up. Roberto Franco, a graduate student and treasurer for the Spanish club, said he noticed the festival was smaller this year. “It’s definitely a lot smaller,” Franco said. “When I did it with the French club, I think it was 2011, we had it in the amphitheater, and it was just rows and rows and rows of tables. So, it’s definitely a lot smaller.” Franco also said he really values the annual event. “I think the International Festival is important, because people should be aware there’s more than one culture,” Franco said. “I mean, here in the U.S., it’s a melting pot. It’s pretty much a big blend of cultures, and it’s good to acknowledge these cultures, see where they’re coming from.”
Waynesboro, Ga., but attended school in Augusta, said his first semester as an artist-in-residence has been great. He said he has ideas and plans for the school and the community. “I haven’t really truly started activities that artist-in-residences do,” he said. “I’ve been visiting the classrooms and just kind of assessing things. So, I want to implement programs such as a lecture series, maybe a film series and also (another) concert series. … I plan to bring in artists that don’t just perform but also does master class lectures and workshops so that the students and the community can benefit from the artists that will come.” Another goal Gordon said he has in mind is to show that jazz is an important genre of music. He said some schools still think jazz is not serious music. “It was developed right here in the U.S.,” he said. “(It) has caught on in a couple of places ... but we still have some work to do.” The response to Gordon’s presence has been a very positive experience, Foster said. atrawick@gru.edu
ment System and the original Mario Kart to the Wii U and Mario Kart 8, said sophomore English and education major Lora Golden. The tournament was organized in bracketed competition style, she said. Participants were randomly put into pairs via a dice toss to compete against each other, playing the selected video game, which also was determined by a roll of the dice. Quardarious Bell, a freshman criminal justice major, has been a member of the EGC for two years,
jbarry3@gru.edu
and said he took part in a Mario Kart tournament the club held last year. “I didn’t get very far in the last tournament, and I thought, since this time we’re doing every Mario Kart, this’d be interesting - wanted to see how far I’d get,” he said. “I just gave the Wii U one a try; it took some getting used to.” Golden said she played the Mario Kart franchise growing up, and though she originally enjoyed the SNES version of the arcade franchise, she came to prefer the Wii version over time. “It’s been a great tournament,” she said. “I’d like to see similar tournaments done later, like Mario Party. Might have a shot at that.” Jessica Faust, a junior creative writing major and secretary of the club, said the most challenging part of organizing events like these, outside coordinating with the Jaguars Student Activity Center, is getting the resources together in one place. The tournament is open for anyone, Faust said, but club members who’ve paid dues enter it free. The first tournament that Faust was involved in had less than eight participants, which she said was an issue of late advertising; for the last tournament the club held, 18 showed. agarci11@gru.edu
Let’s go out Nov. 28-30
Dec. 4
Dance Augusta: The Nutcracker in the Imperial Theatre. Visit website for more information.
Annual Holiday Tree Lighting on the Summerville campus at 6 p.m.
Dec. 5
Dec. 6
Columbia County Ballet: The Nutcracker at 7 p.m. in the Imperial Theatre. All ages; cost $15 -29
Christmas in the Park at the Evans Towne Center Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Advance tickets are $8, $10 at the gate day of.
Dec. 6
Dec. 6
Christmas Light up Spectacular featuring 12 Bands of Christmas in the Augusta Commons at 12 p.m.
2014 Christmas Fantasy Parade in downtown Augusta at 2 p.m.
Dec. 7
Dec. 12
Martinez-Evans Christmas Parade in Evans, Ga., at 2 p.m.
Singing Christmas Tree at Abilene Baptist Church starts at 7 p.m.
THE BELL RINGER
comics
PAGE 9
Happy Holidays
ACROSS: (3) Gold, (5) Romans, (8) Julius, (13) Official, (14) Dedication, (15) Trees, (17) African, (18) Dreidel DOWN: (1) Shamash, (2) Persians, (4) Doughnuts, (6) Mesopotamia,(7) Norweigan,(9) Principles, (10) Years, (11) Yule, (12) Goose, (16) Cards
Down 1. Throughout Hanukkah, each menorah burns through 44 candles, adding one candle each night, plus the ________, the extra helper candle. 2. Ancient ________ gave New Year’s gifts of eggs, which symbolized productivity. 4. Around 17.5 million oily ________ are eaten in Israel during Hanukkah. 6. The earliest known New Year celebrations were in ___________ and date back to 2000 B.C. 7. _________ scientists have hypothesized that Rudolph’s red nose is probably the result of a parasitic infection of his respiratory system. 9. Each day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to one of the seven __________. 10. Christmas trees usually grow for about 15 _____ before they are sold. 11. The Christmas tree is also known as the ____tree. 12. Germans made the first artificial Christmas trees out of dyed _____ feathers. 16. Each year, more than three billion Christmas _____ are sent in the U.S.
Across 3. The menorah in the Holy Temple was made of ____. 5. The ancient ______ used March 1 as New Year’s Day. 8. In A.D. 350, Pope ______ I, Bishop of Rome, proclaimed Dec. 25 the official celebration date for the birthday of Christ. 13. Christmas wasn’t declared an ________ holiday in the United States until June 26, 1870. 14. The word Hanukkah means __________. 15. Christmas _____ have been sold in the U.S. since 1850. 17. Kwanzaa is based on traditional _______ harvest festivals. 18. Spinning the _______ was originally done by students illegally studying the Torah.
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sports
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014
www.grubellringer.com
Dancers fundraise for children’s hospitals
The Rookie Report Anthony Garcia sports editor
The rise of eSports
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SHELDONIA BESSENT | STAFF
(Top left) Runners of the Dance Dash 5K in Augusta leave the starting line, and (right) a dancer leads runners and participants into a flash mob (bottom left) outside the Children’s Hospital of Georgia. Hosted by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, the fundraiser run combines running and dancing, and raises funds for children’s hospitals.
Ndhlovu runs for gold By Haley Harris news editor
“Coach P” is what most people call him, but this 27-year-old Zimbabwean is also a student, athlete and, quite possibly, a runner in 2016 Olympic games. Pardon Ndhlovu, the assistant coach for the GRU Augusta cross-country teams, is going on his second year at Georgia Regents University, and said that though he has been running since he was young, his country is not well-known for its runners. “A lot of people really don’t know where Zimbabwe is,” he said. “Because when you talk about distance running, pretty much most people know about Kenya and Ethiopia, and most of, like, colleges and stuff recruit from Kenya.” When he was a teenager, he began reaching out to coaches from the United States in hopes of getting accepted into one of their programs in order to pursue his dreams, he said, even taking the SATs five times to get the scores he wanted. “I was ready to get out,” Ndhlovu said. “The most exciting part was I get to run with a team, because when I was back home, usually I train by myself, and now you run cross-country again and (with) better resources than where I was.” After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, N.C., he said he accepted his current position at Georgia Regents. Head Coach Adam Ward said he appreciates the addition Ndhlovu has been to the team and stands behind him on his journey to enter the
2016 Olympics. “Based on what I’ve seen and what he and I have been able to kind of work together, I think he has a phenomenal chance at making the Olympics,” Ward said. “I definitely think that bigger, better things are on the horizon for him, and the Olympics is definitely something he can do.” Ndhlovu said that the idea of competing in the 2016 Olympics came up in 2012 when he was a sophomore at Pembroke and decided it would be his goal and he would represent Zimbabwe. “I run a fast 10K,” Ndhlovu said. “Not really fast, like world-standard or anything - but that kind of opened my eyes, so I was like, you know what, let me train, let me try for the marathon. This is a great idea when you’re talking about it, but you’re not thinking about the distance that you’re going to run, and, oh, it was a great horrible experience. It left me hungry to try again for 2016. I think I’ve come to embrace the distance.” Matthew Johnson, a senior at Georgia Regents and former member of the men’s cross-country team, has competed with Ndhlovu, as well as trained under him, and said he thinks Ndhlovu will succeed in achieving his dreams. “He’s definitely been an inspiration to me and all of us,” he said. “Kind of an inspiration, I guess, just to never give up on your dreams, and it’s just been a really cool thought, just to see him persistently chasing after his dream. There’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll be watching him on (the) Olympics one day.” Ndhlovu said he is willing to sacrifice smaller things in order to achieve success in the future.
“I’m getting faster,” he said. “I think everything is going well so far. It can be hard sometimes because school needs to be done, there’s work that needs to be done and there’s time for running that you need for yourself, so balancing that sometimes, and getting enough rest as you need is kind of hard, but it can be done.” hharris9@gru.edu
Track teams finish season
Sierra
CONTINUED from PAGE 12
the public. If we’re going to use canoes, the participants have to either provide a canoe, or borrow a canoe or rent a canoe, so they cover their own expenses, but we will lead an outing at no expense to anybody.” Outings leaders must receive training to learn what they need to “before you go traipsing off into the woods,” Dillenbeck said. Another type of outing Savannah River Group does is camping in the North Carolina mountains, cochair Judith Gordon said. “(The North Carolina mountains) are closer than the wilderness there is for Georgia,” she said. “We used to do moonlight cruises on the Augusta Canal. … We had a couple new members come on who were very interested in bicycling, and so they’ve been volunteering, after they got training, of course, for being an outings leader.” The Sierra Club has a state chapter in each state, Gordon said. Within Georgia, there are four chapters in Atlanta, one in Savannah, and the Savannah River Group
RICHARD ADAMS | STAFF
Assistant cross-country coach Pardon Ndhlovu trains his body in order to possibly qualify for the Olympics.
By Richard Adams & Anthony Garcia editor-in-chief sports editor
COURTESY OF SIERRA CLUB WEBSITE
The Sierra Club invites members to join in outdoor activities, including camping.
in Augusta. The group’s first meeting, Gordon said, took place at a library in downtown Augusta and had six or seven people attend. “Right now we have about, oh, I’d say we have about 340 members, and at any given meeting we have anywhere between 20 and 30 people come to monthly meetings,” Gordon said. The Sierra Club’s primary goal is “to encourage being friendly to the environment,” Dillenbeck said. jschucke@gru.edu
The GRU Augusta cross-country teams placed eighth at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Championships Saturday at Montevallo, Ala. No members from either team will be progressing toward the national championships Dec. 6, Head Coach Adam Ward said. “We didn’t get exactly what we wanted,” he said. “But I think when we get a chance to remove ourselves from the situation, look back, we’ll see that, okay, this was a really successful season. And I think that, for the most part, we’ll grow. We’re very, very young.” While this marks the end of the season for the teams, Ward said he’s still very proud of the teams’ progress, especially the women’s team, which he said took 15th at last
year’s Southeast Regionals. Freshman Dylan Forester was second behind sophomore Nicholas Del Guercio for the men’s team during the 10K race at the Montevallo cross-country course, and said this was a more demanding course. “Not only do you have an extra 1.2 miles added to your race that you’re used to, but there were six hills added to the race, which may not sound like a lot, but after six miles it definitely was a (strength-testing) race,” Forester said. Freshman Amber Palermo ran in the women’s 6K portion of the women’s race, and said this was, likewise, a more challenging race. “There was a lot of girls, and everybody was giving it their all,” she said. “The competition was really high just because (of) qualifying for nationals.” radams99@gru.edu agarci11@gru.edu
t’s a strange feeling. The United States recently recognized the League of Legends Championship Series as a sport, with professional athletes and event visas, just like with the NFL and the NBA. Video games, the hobby I grew up with, and which are often looked down upon by mainstream media, are being celebrated more by that same mainstream media. Electronic sports, or eSports, are organized video game championships, and their relation to the sports we know isn’t far from comparison: two or more teams, made up of professional players, competing against one another, watched by thousands of fans, and organized by sponsors. The video games themselves are of that competitive, team-versus-team nature. The most common games associated with eSports are real-time strategy games, fighting games and first-person shooters. While eSports have been around since the 1990s, with the rise in livestream broadcasting and more strategic games, the popularity of these types of competitions has been growing fast. Last year, the League of Legends Season 3 World Championship attracted 32 million viewers, more than 5 million more than the NBA Finals. Every eSport championship also has a major prize pool for the winning team. The Call of Duty eSports awarded $400,000 last year. The International, a championship played with Dota 2, will be awarding $10 million for the winning team, the largest cash prize pool in eSports history. This is the part that I found strange. Recently at a conference, ESPN president John Skipper declared that eSports are not sports. “It’s a competition,” Skipper said. “Chess is a competition. Checkers is a competition. Mostly, I’m interested in doing real sports.” Despite my enthusiasm, to an extent, I agree with him. If you look at the core definition, sports are physical activities. These are different games. These are mental games. They require reflexes, focus and strategy. I, personally, don’t think eSports should be put side by side with traditional sports like baseball, basketball, or football. But I do think eSports should be recognized the same way as sports in respect to them being an entertaining pastime, where the everyday gamer competes down the bracket against other gamers, and every move and score gets increasingly intense reactions from thousands of spectators. agarci11@gru.edu
THE BELL RINGER
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Men’s golf recaps 2014 season By Jessica Sager copy editor
After five tournaments this semester, the GRU Augusta men’s golf team is looking to improve for the spring semester and the rest of the golf season. “Golf season is played yearround,” Head Coach Jack O’Keefe said. “We play half of our events in the fall semester, so we played five events in the fall semester, which is September, October and then just into the first week of November, and then in the spring we start in March and run through hopefully June, which is when the NCAA championships are... So we’re considered a spring sport, but we do play in the fall. And the fall tournaments count toward our ranking and standings in the country.” The grade he would give the team for the first half of the season, O’Keefe said, is a B. “We played okay, but I know we’re capable of playing better,” he said. “So with stats and results from the fall, I’ve already had meetings with each player as far as some key areas to work on some things.” One thing the team needs, O’Keefe said, is more consistency in the fifth spot. “Some of the teams that are ranked really high, they get really solid, good play out of their fifth
JESSICA SAGER | STAFF
Sophomore player Viktor Edin practices on his swinging techniques at the golf course behind the J. Fleming Norvell Golf House.
position, so we need our fifth man to contribute a little bit more, and we’ve got six guys capable of doing that,” he said. “We just haven’t had anybody step up yet. So I told them, a few of them, it’s up to them, because golf’s an individual sport, you know. You’re out there by yourself, playing for your team, but you don’t have another person to pass the ball to or another person to sub-
stitute for you, either.” It is important to schedule the right tournaments for the team, O’Keefe said. This semester, the team played in a tournament each week for three weeks in a row. Next semester’s schedule will be better suited to the players’ academic lives. “I mean, we were just about gone for a month straight, and then
we were also qualifying in between those as well,” team member Jackson Stroup said. “So I mean it was pretty much golf 24/7, which can be good because it can get you into a flow and get you into a rhythm, but it’s, I think it’s beneficial to have some type of gapping in. Next semester we’ll have a little easier layout, a little easier schedule, and I think that’ll benefit us.”
The team has learned that it needs to work harder on its short game, O’Keefe said. It also needs to play better on the final day of tournaments. “The final day of the tournament, we’ve just played mediocre to poor at times, and I don’t know if they’re pushing too hard the first two days or what,” he said. “So I think that’s one thing that they’ve got to get better at that we’ve kind of identified a little bit.” John Yi, a freshman majoring in accounting, said he played his first collegiate-level game this semester at Kiawah. “It was definitely a new experience,” he said. “The course was pretty tough and tight, and it was really windy the majority of days and kind of cold... I kind of played a little better the second, third day.” Stroup said he thinks the team members get along “exceptionally well,” especially compared to other teams he’s heard about. “I think it’s an interesting dynamic to have, where you’re trying to beat the guy. … But you want him to come in second, kind of, you know, you’re pulling for him, but you also are competing against him,” he said. No new players will be joining the team for the spring semester, O’Keefe said. jschucke@gru.edu
Trot to aid homeless By Fatima Frasher staff writer
ANTHONY GARCIA | STAFF
Junior guard Kayla Roberts defends the ball at a home game against Limestone.
Basketball team opens with losses By Richard Adams editor-in-chief GRU Augusta women’s basketball head coach Nathan Teymer composed this season’s team almost wholly from new cloth, pulling in both talented transfers and high school star athletes to add to the team’s one starting senior. “Hopefully, that blend of players can give us a new experience,” Teymer said. “And, also, with the three (seniors we have in leadership and mentor roles), hopefully, being around for four years, will give us a little more stability.” While the Lady Jags are 0-3, the most recent loss was by one point after facing off against West Georgia Saturday. Staying neckand-neck throughout much of the competition, the Jags ended the away game 56-55. The season opener against Benedict College was lost in overtime 93-82. “I mean, it’s still one of those things, when you have a bunch of new people coming together, it’s trying to get them to be on the same page,” Teymer said. “And right now sometimes, people zig when they’re supposed to zag. And so it’s still a process, even though they’re coming from really good programs. You know, their program built some continuity and consistency, and that’s what we’re trying to do here, as well.” Senior forward Kelsey Fynaardt said she agreed that while the majority of the team is not used to the ferocity of competition at the Division II-level, she also felt the team was already coming together and star players were starting to shine. “A couple girls are junior college transfers, so they’ve had at least one or two years of college-level, but just not Division II-level,” Fynaardt said. “And we’ve had a couple freshmen who have stepped up and whatnot. So, it’s been an OK transition, with a couple girls who
WJBF News Channel 6 has teamed up with the Salvation Army to host the annual Turkey Trot Race Nov. 29. John Sebby, director of development for the Salvation Army in Augusta, said the event will be hosted at the old Academy of Richmond County building. “It has become an annual event that’s a 10K, 5K and a one-mile family fun run, and we have our Mascot Invitational race competing for the Gravy Bowl,” he said. “Now, of course, the 5K and 10K races are going to be fun races through your downtown Augusta and the Mascot Invitational is just fun as could be.” He said that the runners would receive a T-shirt, a goody bag and a partici-
pant credit. “The Turkey Trot originally started back in the 80s,” Sebby said. “We have an 80s costume contest, so flashback and get your totally rad costumes and a lot of the runners are dressed in their wild 80s costume. Then, we do have a 1st (and) 2nd place for our costume contest, as well.” Late registration fees are $40 for the 5K race, 10K race, and 10K wheelchair race. There is a $15 entry fee per person for the one-mile family fun run, according to the Eventbrite website. “It’s a benefit,” Sebby said. “The proceeds for the Turkey Trot stay here in Augusta to help our homeless shelter. Especially with this cold weather, we’re going to be really full tonight. We are full almost every night; we house homeless men, women and children. We also have a soup kitchen here where we serve a meal every day for anybody in need of a meal. Anybody
who is hungry, no questions asked, just come down at 5:30 p.m. and get a good hot meal. We’ve been serving that since we started in 1891 here in Augusta.” Carson Brown, marketing and PR manager for the Salvation Army in Augusta said more than 300 people are already registered for the Turkey Trot race, and there would probably be an influx of more than 100 people before the actual day of the run. “We have inflatables, face painting for children, those kinds of activities for them to partake in, while their parents or guardians or the adults they are with are running,” Brown said. “I know Monkey Joe’s, the bounce facility in Martinez, they are bringing two of their (mascots) and some of the schools are doing the same.” Brown said that a lot of advertising went into ensuring this event was a success. ffrasher@gru.edu
Hula hooping: a viable sport?
I
ANTHONY GARCIA | STAFF
Sophomore guard Tavia Sykes dribbles the ball at the second set of the game.
have that experience and freshmen stepping up.” During the season opener against Benedict, freshman guard Joshlyn Belcher said, she was able to pull off one of the game’s key plays by finding her rhythm with the new team and gaining assistance from junior transfer Kayla Roberts. “The last play, I was just like, ‘I hadn’t hit a three all day, and I really, really need to hit this,’” Belcher said, referencing her game-tying three-pointer that pushed the game into overtime. “And so I just put my mind to it, got myself set up for Kayla to come. She drove it, passed it and I hit it down. It was exciting; we had a couple more seconds, and I had the little high school in me where I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah.’ But I had to realize: ‘Get back on defense.’” Belcher said she needs to conserve her shots, taking only the best ones, a tactic Teymer is stressing this year in order to cut down on the high turnover rate. The team will be looking for its first win of the season when it faces Claflin in Orangeburg, S.C., at 5:30 p.m Dec. 1. radams99@gru.edu
f someone were to tell you that they love to “hoop,” your first instinct might be to think they are talking about basketball. However, when I tell people that in my spare time I hoop every chance I get, I’m talking about hula hooping. I first learned about the art behind hula hooping, also known as hoop dance, Stephanie McCray from one of staff writer my friends. At first I thought she must’ve been crazy to actually practice and record herself hula hooping, but when she finally hula hooped for me, I was amazed. Naturally, when you think of hula hooping, you’d imagine someone doing it just around her waist. Instead, she would start at her waist and then effortlessly use her body to move the hoop to her legs and back up again. She’d then move the hoop to her chest and bring her arms in and out of the hoop while rotating the hoop with her shoulders. It’s hard to describe, but amazing to see. From there, she showed me how to make my own hula hoops using flexible PVC pipes, which you can pick up at any home improvement store, and duct tape. I learned the importance of using a hula hoop that was actually measured to fit my body. I also learned that different sized hoops are good for different things. For instance, smaller hoops are
good for off-the-body tricks, and larger hula hoops can be used both on and off your body depending on how large they are. Also, the thickness of the hula hoop affects the speed at which the hula hoop rotates around your body. To my surprise, hula hooping was more popular than I initially thought. After watching countless videos of hula hoopers on YouTube, I discovered a group on Facebook for hula hoopers in Augusta and the surrounding area. When I joined this group, I discovered that there is a hula hooping class in Martinez, Ga., at ShoFusion Dance Studio. I attended the class and learned a lot of new tricks and techniques that helped improve my hula hooping skills. After enough practice I even developed what’s known as a “flow” in the hula hooping community. “You get your flow from practicing,” said Ashley Bowman, graduate of Georgia Regents University and fellow hula hooper. “It’s where your brain doesn’t have to stop and think about what you’re doing. You just naturally and fluidly move the hoop where you want it to go.” The only issue I have with hula hooping is the fact that it is not acknowledged as a sport. According to the Oxford dictionary, a sport is defined as “an activity involving physical exertion and
skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” Hula hooping definitely involves physical exertion and it also requires skill. It is entertaining to watch and there are several contests sponsored by a variety of hula hooping advocates that rank hula hoopers based on their skills. One such contest is “Hooping Idol,” which is hosted by Philo Hagan, cofounder and managing editor of Hooping.org. It’s just like “American Idol,” but instead of performers showcasing their vocal talents, hula hoopers display their hula hooping abilities. Rachel Lust, who was named female hooper of the year by Hooping.org, has performed her hula hooping skills on a variety of popular shows that range from “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” to “The Queen Latifah Show.” Recently she
performed at the halftime performance for the Houston Rockets. This proves that hula hooping is entertaining and growing in recognition. By definition hula hooping fits the criteria of a sport, and with its growing popularity, I hope it will be considered one soon.
smccray1@gru.edu
PAGE 12
sports
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014
www.grubellringer.com
ANTHONY GARCIA | STAFF
The GRU Augusta men’s basketball team play their fourth game of the season, with sophomore forward Henry McCarthy missing his shot at scoring during the first period of the home game against Coastal Georgia.
Men’s basketball scores
By Taylor Mitchell staff writer
With the season heating up, the GRU Augusta men’s basketball team starts off the season undefeated as it prepares for a new year of promise and victory. With last year’s 24-8 results, the men’s basketball team is starting this season off exceptionally well, according to jaguarsroar.com. The 2014 season started off Nov. 9, with a 111-67 win against Fort Gordon. The team won the follow-
ing three games, as well; the team’s latest victory was its 79-59 win over the College of Coastal Georgia. The next game will be against the Valdosta State Blazers Nov. 26. Fun activities during the school year are little to none, said Kimberly Olden, a sophomore kinesiology major. Due to the lack of excitement, the approaching basketball season is what the campus has been waiting for, she said. “I’m so freaking excited,” she said. “I go to all of their games with my friends, and it’s honestly what I
look forward to. Hanging out in the stands, cheering for my friends on the team, and chatting with others around me and, of course, watch the game. There’s not really much to do here in Augusta, so school spirit is really all we have.” The scarce number of school spirit-enhancing activities has opened the gateway to an increase in school spirit, Olden said. “I want to take it all the way this season,” said Keshun Sherrill, a sophomore communications major who is serving as a point-guard this
season. “I really feel like we can do it. With this team of guys we have, and the enthusiasm and the spirit on our team, I know we can do it. I have some really high hopes for us; ain’t nothing stopping us. We have some really dedicated boys this year. We got a bit of a revamp, and if everyone’s heads are in the game, and if we are focused over time, we get out there, we got this.” Teamwork is key, and, win or lose, the atmosphere has consumed the court, Michael Graham, a sophomore criminal justice major and
forward for the team, said. “I’m ready, me and my boys are really about to turn it up,” he said. “We aren’t taking any losses this year. We have some new additions this year, some new attitudes and some new strategies on how to work better as a team. We are going to go out, do what we have to do, and that’s it. I have faith in my team; these boys have really been working hard. With the team we have this year, we can’t do any wrong.” tmitch22@gru.edu
Volleyball team sets record despite losses
By Amy Thorne arts & life editor
Even though the GRU Augusta volleyball team concluded its season with a 3-1 loss against Wingate University, the Lady Jags have won definite bragging rights. With an overall season of 27 wins, this is the best season in the team’s history. Paige Elliott, a freshman pre-dentistry major and middle blocker for the team, said it is a big deal to be in the top 64 out of 300 teams in the nation in Division II. “I mean, we only have 11 strong, but that’s all that we really needed,” she said. “I think that we’ve worked really hard this season with five new players, and trying to mesh with the other six. It definitely wasn’t an easy task. But you know, we all get along really well, and have really adapted to each other and have become a really strong team.”
“
This is what you practice for, play for, prepare for, to get to this part of the journey. --Sharon Quarles, volleyball head coach
”
Having versatile players and a strong team dynamic has propelled the team toward success this season, Elliott said. “We have back row attacks,” she said. “We hit from all sides. We can go in the middle. Our setters are strong; they can attack if they need to. We definitely play a lot smarter.” Catherine DeSilvester, a sophomore political science major and libero for the team, said it’s an honor to make it this far as a team. “We were freaking out,” she said. “None of us have really ever been in this situation. A lot of us weren’t this high up. Even in high school, never really went to state.”
Head Coach Sharon Quarles, who has been the head volleyball coach for six years, said this is her first team to go to the NCAA Division II tournaments. “(The Jags) have never been there before, so it’s always a new thing for us,” she said. “It’s a very exciting situation for, not only the program, but also the school, to be one of 64 teams still playing. This is what you practice for, play for, prepare for, to get to this part of the journey.” Making it into the NCAA tournament has given the team a new sense of excitement, DeSilvester said. “We’ve added five new players that help compliment the six returners, and they all understand that it’s about delivering,” Quarles said. “You’ve got to step up and deliver, whether it’s a pass, serve, a spike or walking. The sky’s the limit if you can do and execute.” athorne@gru.edu
Seirra Club hikes the outdoors of Georgia
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2014
2015
NCAA SOUTHEAST REGIONAL FINAL RESULTS
VOLLEYBALL FINAL RESULTS
AMY THORNE | STAFF
Senior Maggie Darling spikes the ball during practice at Christenberry Fieldhouse.
MEN & WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY
L, 3-1
MEN’S RESULTS
PBC STANDING
WOMEN’S RESULTS
3rd
8th
8th
By Jessica Sager copy editor The Sierra Club has been represented in Augusta by Savannah River Group for more than 30 years and has engaged in a variety of activities. Outings that the Savannah River Group has had recently include a hike at Mistletoe State Park and a trip to Congaree National
Park in South Carolina, outings leader Richard Dillenbeck said. “We take members of the public, as well as members of our own organization, out on outings, whether they be a local hike or canoeing or backpacking,” said Sam Booher, co-chair of Savannah River Group. “And we do this at no cost to our members or no cost to see SIERRA on PAGE 10