AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY
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VOLUME 55, ISSUE 4
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NEWS | PAGE 2
Biology professor and students perform hands-on research off the coast of Georgia.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
ARTS & LIFE | PAGE 6
SPORTS | PAGE 12
Grammy-nominated band makes its way to downtown Augusta.
Dedicated volunteers help Augusta Ironman 70.3 go off without a hitch.
Local group tries to keep ‘Augusta’ in name of new merged university By RON HICKERSON chief reporter Augustans still refuse to accept the name of the merged universities without a fight as a group of local business owners formed a committee to “save the A” in the name of the new university. The First Tee of Augusta on Damascus Road housed the third official meeting of the Save the A Committee Tuesday, Sept. 25. After the meeting, which was closed to the press, John Hall, the marketing manager of the committee, said its members decided to release their names along with a list of supporters to all press outlets Tuesday. The committee is dedicated to trying to change the Board of Regents’ decision about the name of the merged Augusta State and Georgia Health Sciences universities, Hall said. When the BOR chose the name “Georgia Regents University” in August, Nick Evans, the committee chairman, said the committee members were forced to act. He said the BOR had chosen a bad name that had done poorly when it was polled in a survey that cost $45,000. In that same survey, the results showed that “University of Augusta” was the name that had the highest support. Evans maintained that if the two names were polled among community members now, University of Augusta would poll much higher. He estimated a margin of 95 percent to 5 percent. Because of the support and popularity of the name University of Augusta, the committee has decided to rally all of its efforts in advancing that name, Evans said. By choosing to omit the word “Augusta” in the name of the new university, Evans said the BOR ignored a “presti-
JILLIAN HOBDAY | STAFF
One “Save the A” sign stands across from the Walton Way entrance of Augusta State University; Nick Evans, the chairman of the committee, said these signs are available free-of-charge for community supporters of the name “University of Augusta.”
gious” and “established” brand. “We agree that a merger will add prestige to the school, and we support that,” Evans said. “Let’s just get the right name so we can all rally and support the merger under the right name.” Hall said the committee began raising support for its cause with both print and online petitions at savethea.com, savethea.net and savethea.org. As of Friday, the online petitions garnered more than 1,000 signatures. Along with their signatures, supporters can post comments about the name change. Evans said the committee plans to present this information to the BOR; Hank Huckaby, the chancellor of the BOR; and Governor Nathan Deal in order
to show them the magnitude of their community’s support, not just in Richmond County but also in the surrounding counties and throughout the country. The group will also have bumper stickers and yard signs available for people to pick up free-of-charge at Sprint convenience stores, BP convenience stores and WifeSaver restaurant locations to show their support for the cause. But Evans said the group does not want to come across as hostile. “This is not an angry mob,” he said. “These are real, caring citizens that want (the BOR) to do the right thing.” He said there are four parts to the Save the A campaign, which will
be a high-level and positive campaign: First, the committee thanks the BOR, Governor Nathan Deal and the Georgia Legislature for their “commitment to the students and the combined universities in Augusta.” Second, it calls for them to reconsider University of Augusta as the name of the universities because of the community’s overwhelming support. Third, it requests that they not spend taxpayer money on the lawsuit from Regent University in Virginia. Here, Evans said the lawsuit just helps the committee’s case, calling it a “waste of taxpayer funds.” “In my view it is something that see A on PAGE 2
Student gets conned online By RON HICKERSON chief reporter
Let the buyer beware. Lack of awareness cost one Augusta State University student $800 after falling for a scam on Craigslist. Jasper Cooke, the director of the Department of Public Safety and the chief of campus police, said that the student learned this lesson trying to buy a used car. “(The student) didn’t see the car, she didn’t have her hands on the car and she sent the money, and guess what happened,” Cooke said. “She didn’t get the car, and nobody will call her back.” Cooke said the seller was posing as a member of the military who was being deployed to Afghanistan and, as a result, wanted to sell his car quickly. Ted McNeal, the captain of the campus police, said the student told him the seller was asking $800 for the car. After receiving the money, he would transfer all of the paperwork over to her, and she would inherit the car’s remaining payments. McNeal said the student wired the money to a Texas address and would then pick up the car at Fort Gordon, where it was “in storage.” But when she did not receive the paperwork for the car and the seller refused to answer her messages, McNeal said the woman called Public Safety and reported the incident to Officer James Chrisman. Since then, Public Safety has been assisting the student through the process of investigating the case. McNeal said the student lived in Columbia County, so he put her into contact with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department, helping her with filing the report so it can find the seller and get the student’s money back. Staff Sgt. Trip Penn of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department said the department receives reports of different types of Craigslist scams at least once a week, saying that the most common scams include buying a car; responding to offers to work as a secret shopper; or receiving see CRAIGSLIST on PAGE 2
A Day Campaign succeeds despite New restaurant ‘steaks’ its claim in Augusta stagnant salaries, merger uncertainties By JILLIAN HOBDAY news editor In the face of a changing economy and wavering ideas about the merger, faculty, staff and surrounding community members have risen to the occasion once again for a profitable A Day Campaign. For 19 years, the campaign has been a benevolent fundraiser in which all monetary gifts go directly to funding students in some way, according to Clint Bryant, the A Day campus chair and director of athletics at Augusta State University. The overall goal this year was $555,000 and the campus goal was $150,000, Bryant said. As of Friday, the community campaign raised just under $400,000, said Rhonda Banks, the director of Alumni Relations and annual giving. According to both Banks and Bry-
ant, 88 percent of employees contributed, with 44 departments contributing 100 percent. The on-campus campaign raised $133,261.95, only 88.64 percent of the goal. “I think there are a number of factors that played in to (that percentage),” Bryant said. “I think consolidation had played in it, not the name change, but consolidation itself. I think having people for four years on campus not having a raise from the state made a significant difference. Also, you have people who gave significant amounts in the past who just couldn’t afford to this year.” General uncertainty about the merger has also affected the numbers but has more specifically affected the number of contributions from faculty and staff, Banks said. see A DAY on PAGE 3
SGA proposes resolution to amend BOR policy By LEIGH BEESON copy editor A senator from the Student Government Association is pushing a resolution to ask the Georgia Board of Regents to update its non-discrimination policy to extend protection to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Senator At-large José Lugo, a junior political science major, worked with SGA President Andrew Phillips to craft the resolution in an effort to better “reflect the equal opportunity values” within BOR policy. According to section 4.1.2 of the BOR Policy Manual, universities within the USG are prohibited from discriminating against students due to their “race, color, sex, religion, creed, national origin, age or handicap.”
Phillips said it has been decades since the BOR made any revisions to the policy. During the reworking of Augusta State University’s SGA constitution, Phillips said he thoroughly examined the BOR’s policy. “One of the things that the university, or at least the SGA, abided by was the Board of Regents’ non-discrimination policy,” Phillips said after Friday’s meeting. “And, of course, I looked that up and I found that it was not necessarily insufficient but not comprehensive enough to cover everything that we value today as far as diversity and things like that on campus.” The proposed resolution asks the BOR to amend its non-discrimination policy to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the specifically protected categories listed in the policy. see SGA on PAGE 2
JACQUELYN PABON | STAFF
The Steak ‘n Shake restaurant was packed wall-to-wall opening night, causing a wait time of more than two hours.
By KRISTIN HAWKINS arts & life editor A much-anticipated restaurant arrival shook things up during its grand opening Thursday. Columbia County Deputy Mark Smith was at Steak ‘n Shake in Augusta, Ga., on opening day with three other officers to help maintain traffic flow and make the grand opening of the highly-awaited restaurant pleasurable and safe for the community. “We have been out here since 10 a.m. and will be out here until 9 (p.m.) tonight,” said Smith, who has been with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department for nine years. “Friday and Saturday will be the same times.” Steak ‘n Shake requested that four deputies be at the restaurant for at least the first three days of the grand opening due to the massive amount of customers expected throughout the weekend, Smith said. He also said the deputies are trying to prevent any traffic dilemmas that could be caused by the massive influx of customers.
Manager Seddrick Brown said the restaurant’s staff is expecting to see several thousand customers each day during the opening weekend. “Today has been pretty steady,” Seddrick said on the opening day. “Earlier today we had about 40 or 50 people just waiting outside.” Not only was the wait for the dine-in long, but the drive-thru wait was quite extensive as well, Seddrick said. “We had the drive-thru (line) that was actually touching Belair-Frontage Road,” Seddrick explained. “It was wrapped around the building twice and then went to the road.” The three-month employee said the day opened with few complaints and mostly praise from the customers; however, there were a few exceptions. “We (had) a few people that are frustrated because we are not doing carry-out right now and they are on lunch and couldn’t stand in a 45-minute wait; it’s understandable,” Seddrick said. “For the most part the feedback had been good.” see STEAK ‘n SHAKE on PAGE 3
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 www.asubellringer.com
NEWS Research project documents fish species off Georgia coast By RON HICKERSON chief reporter
Augusta State University EDITORIAL STAFF adviser MATTHEW BOSISIO mbosisio@aug.edu editor-in-chief TRAVIS HIGHFIELD thighfie@aug.edu copy editor LEIGH BEESON kbeeson1@aug.edu news editor JILLIAN HOBDAY jhobday2@gmail.com arts & life editor KRISTIN HAWKINS khutchi2@aug.edu sports editor JOHN-MICHAEL GARNER jgarner6@aug.edu
CONTRIBUTED BY AMANDA HURST
Students aiding in research haul a seine back to the beach, eager to discover species caught in the net.
words, if for 10 years we’ve collected a certain species and all of a sudden it disappears, we need to know.” Their work on the island has been published in several articles, Saul said, but they are now working on a book about their findings. “We’ve been working on a submission with life histories and seasonality of these 124 species,” he said. “That’s the ultimate goal. There have been presentations and publications made already, and hopefully, the work will culminate in the book.” Amanda Hurst, a junior biology major and another student who has regularly visited the island for the past three years, is in charge of taking photos of all the
staff writers NIKKI SKINNER FARRELL BROWN contributors KAITLYN ALEXANDER JOSHUA COLE MEREDITH DAILEY GRACE WATERS circulation manager TREY UNDERWOOD zildjianman08@gmail.com
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is very unfortunate and unnecessary to think that we have to use taxpayer money to pay for that lawsuit,” Evans said. The fourth point the committee makes is that it will stand behind the BOR to make the merged universities a “premier comprehensive research university.” “We feel that everything (the) governor and the Regents and the chancellor are doing is great,” Hall said. “It’s fantastic. They’re expanding educational opportunities in this community, and that’s all wonderful. We just all want it to be done under the name ‘Augusta’ like it always has been.” As of Friday, John Millsaps, the spokesperson for the BOR, said while the board has received numerous responses from individuals expressing their opinions about the name, it has yet to receive communications from an organization such as the Save the A Committee.
rhickers@aug.edu
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A “Save the A” sign stands amongst other campaign signs along Walton Way.
Craigslist is published by
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whatever fish they’ve caught back to shore. Then they can document what species of fish were in the net and measure them in order to compare the sizes of fish in the St. Catherine’s area to fish that live along the coast. Some of the fish that are caught are released into the ocean while others are taken away for study. In trawling, Saul said the fish are caught with a net that is being dragged along the ocean floor by a boat much like catching shrimp. CJ Best, a senior biology major who has been accompanying Saul on these trips since May 2011, said he prefers trawling in deep water. “That’s where you get the
Students get paid now, teach later
chief reporter RON HICKERSON rhickers@aug.edu
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species of fish. “I still have 34 more to go unless we catch more,” she said. She said she began taking pictures of fish in the research field as a hobby and her photography shifted to necessity because it made the fish much easier to identify. She was then asked by Saul to take pictures for the book. She said she thinks that the book will probably serve as an identification guide. In order to catch the fish for research, Saul said they use a couple of different methods, the main ones being seining and trawling. In seining, students wade in the surf, dragging around big nets called seines. There, the students walk in a semicircle and drag
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a check for doing some work and being told to cash the check, keep a certain amount and send the remaining money to a third party. He said the No. 1 way to avoid these kinds of situations is by making sure whatever a person plans to buy on Craigslist actually exists, but doing research about the situation can do a lot to help someone avoid falling prey to these types of scams. “The other thing you can do is Google the people or the company that you’re dealing with and see if there’s any scams (associated with them) on the Internet,” he said. “A lot of these scams, if you just Google the information that you’ve got, it’ll tell you, on the Internet, from other people that have typed up their information that says they’ve been scammed. Or you can call your local law enforcement agency and see if they’re familiar with it.” Once the scam occurs, Cooke said the investigation process becomes very difficult.
According to Chad Stephens, an assistant professor of organic chemistry, many students are not drawn to the program because of the obligaIf you have ever considered a career in edu- tions they have to fulfill after graduation. “For every year that a student receives the cation, now is the time to pursue it. Augusta State University’s Education De- grant they have to give back two years of teachpartment offers an award for future educators, ing to a high-needs school,” Stephens said. “This scares many potential applicants away from the ensuring more than just tuition. On Aug. 1, 2010, the department received program.” Both Page and Stephens agree this critical Prestige (Program of Recruiting and Educating STEM Teachers with Integrated Graduate Enrol- aspect of the grant tends to discourage potential ment), a $1.1 million grant to increase the num- applicants, but Stephens said in actuality the prober of STEM (Science, Technology, Enginering gram ensures students a job when they complete and Mathematics) teachers in the areas of biol- their degree program. “Most ogy, chemistry, likely the job physics and students acmath. Steven There is nothing better than getting quire after Page, a histhey graduate tory professor paid for something you love to do. will be at high and education - Chris Cutler needs schools student adviwhere jobs sor, said it is a teacher education program funded by the Na- are needed and available,” Stephens said. “Really the program is just requiring students to get tional Science Foundation. “The grant is intended for 18 students at Au- a job.” Though there are some reservations about gusta State,” he said. “It is offered to each student for three years. In that time, each student will be the program, but there are success stories as well. Chris Cutler, a senior majoring in physics, said he granted around $45,000 total.” Upon acceptance into the program, students is taking full advantage of this opportunity. “I’m getting a bachelor’s and a master’s deenter the Integration of Masters of Arts in Teaching (I-MAT) program. Page said this gives stu- gree while participating in this program,” Cutler dents the opportunity to earn both a bachelor’s said. “Essentially, I am getting done in five years degree in their major and a Masters of Arts degree what normally takes eight.” He said the great thing about this program in teaching in a matter of five years after entering is that most schools need more math and science their junior year of college. “There are seven students that are at Augusta teachers. The best part is you can move anywhere State that have accepted the program,” Page said. in the United States while fulfilling your commitPage said with such a great degree one would ment of teaching at a high-needs school at any be surprised that every education major is not school of your choice. Cutler said he never had a reservation about knocking down his door for a chance to receive the award.
“We’re trying to identify the person that actually defrauded the student out of the money,” Cooke said. “And when you’re dealing with folks over the Internet, you know how hard that can be.” These types of investigations are also difficult because they span across different investigative jurisdictions, Penn said. In this instance, the student was defrauded in Columbia County and sent money to a seller in Texas, so the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department has to rely on the local law enforcement agencies in that area to aid in its investigation. Both Cooke and McNeal said they wished the student would have contacted Public Safety before sending the
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see PRESTIGE on PAGE 3
seller the money so they could have advised her against it. “Always ask questions,” McNeal said. “If we can’t help (our students), we’ll point them to the people that can help them.” Cooke agreed, saying that students need to be careful when buying things online. “The lesson to be learned is nothing is free,” Cooke said. “If you’re going to buy something over the Internet at least buy from a reputable site through somebody who has an established profile with the site, and if you go buy a car, I think I would want to go look at the car and run it and make sure it really existed (before I gave) anybody money.”
rhickers@aug.edu
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For an Augusta State University biology professor, fish have always been an interesting topic of research. Bruce Saul has been chasing this interest at St. Catherine’s Island off the coast of Georgia. He said he first visited the island in 1992 and was struck by the environment, describing it as a “pristine” location for research untouched by human activity. He has visited the island every month since 1996 to study the populations of fish species, bringing a group of eight students with him to help with the research. “What we’ve primarily been working on is the different type of fish located in freshwater and saltwater habitats on and around the island,” Saul said. “We document what’s there compared to what was there in earlier publications for the American Museum of Natural History in New York.” Saul said the primary focus of the study is to document what species of fish live in the area. For the past 16 years, researchers have visited the island and discovered 124 different species of fish, Saul said. “(Whether) daily, monthly, seasonally (or) annually, we need to know what is there so any changes can be studied for cause and effect,” he said. “In other
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SGA
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Lugo said the resolution will have widespread implications within the University System of Georgia if passed by Augusta State’s SGA and adopted by the BOR. “We are trying to change a policy that will affect other universities,” Lugo explained. “So we don’t want to be the only university doing it. We want to make sure other universities are onboard, as many universities as we can get.” Phillips echoed the senator’s sentiment, saying he plans to promote the resolution at an upcoming student advisory council in November, which all the SGA presidents in the USG will attend. Although it will not be voted on until Friday’s SGA meeting, several officers expressed their support for the resolution, including Parliamentarian Nancy Powell. “It’s shocking to me that they haven’t done anything (like this) as a whole,” Powell said. “But I think that it is a great idea to include this… I’m thinking this would be a great move that GHSU and ourselves have taken the initiative to move forward on this and (will) be the first university to take initiative for this.”
kbeeson1@aug.edu
Corrections:
The Bell Ringer staff woud like to address mistakes made in the Sept. 18 issue: - We mistakenly reported that James Brady was a professor of communications. He is a full-time temporary instructor in the Department of Communications and Professional Writing. - The headline of Leigh Beeson’s column erroneously referred to “uniformed” peers instead of “uninformed” peers. There was no intention to offend military personnel.
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Phones dot ASU campus for emergency access to Public Safety The flags represent Code Blue emergency posts scattered around campus. The phones dial directly to Public Safety in case of an emergency.
Steak ‘n Shake CONTINUED from PAGE 1
For now, the restaurant will be open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m everyday, but Seddrick said the diner-style establishment will be open 24-hours a day, seven days a week in 90 days. It will also start serving breakfast at that time. Kerry Blackston, a Steak ‘n Shake customer, said she was very happy to see the chain restaurant come to Augusta. “I grew up in Orlando, and this was somewhere my parents and my sister and I went almost every week,” Blackston said. “In every town I travel to, there is always a Steak ‘n Shake and I always stop.” The avid Steak ‘n Shake restaurantgoer said she often wondered why Augusta had never brought the diner to town. “Several years ago in Greenville, I asked if I could buy a coffee mug and (the server) said, ‘I’m sorry we don’t sell those,’” Blackston said. “I asked if I could
A Day CONTINUED from PAGE 1
ILLUSTRATION BY KELSEY DONNELLY | STAFF
By RON HICKERSON chief reporter In case of emergency, press the blue button. By pressing that button, students contact the Department of Public Safety from one of its 14 Code Blue Emergency telephones that dot the Augusta State University campus. The phones, housed in long, black cylinders with “Emergency” printed in white along the sides, wire directly to Public Safety’s dispatch desk where students can report suspicious behavior or an emergency, said Joe Webber, the lieutenant of the campus police. Once a student reports his emergency, Public Safety will send out an officer to investigate the area in order to ensure the safety of Augusta State’s students. Jasper Cooke, the director of Public Safety and the chief of campus police, said the phones call the dispatch desk on a special incoming telephone line in order to ensure that the call goes through. “It shows up on the Caller ID display that it’s coming from a Code Blue phone and which phone it’s coming from,” he said. “They are routed to a special number that’s used for incoming calls only.” Cooke said there are two of these lines that connect to dispatch so that if a student tried to call Public Safety on one of these phones, he would not receive a busy signal but instead get the help he needs. There are 14 phones on campus, he said. And in order to make sure that each phone is properly functioning, the phones require regular maintenance. Officer Thomas Beck is in charge of checking on the phones and making sure they are working properly. Beck said he checks on each phone every month to see if there are any problems. Cooke said Public Safety was having trouble
recently with two of the Code Blue phones: one by the Alumni House and the other by the history walk area near Washington Hall. The phone at Alumni House was giving Public Safety trouble by causing power surges, blowing the transformers in the area. “Every time we’ve put a phone in there and it blows (and it takes about two or three days), it costs us $500 to replace the phone,” he said. “So it’s just safer for us to keep it out of order until we resolve the issue instead of keep spending money that we really don’t need to when we know it’s going to fry.” Beck said the phone by the Alumni House was fixed Tuesday, Sept. 18, after the phone company came out and fixed the problem with the phone line. He said Public Safety relies on the phones’ service providers, AT&T and Georgia Power, to fix problems with power connections and phone service. The department also has to wait, in some instances, on its insurance company to see how many costs for repair the insurance will cover before a technician can be sent to fix the problem. Yet the emergency phones can also suffer from other problems besides technical ones. Although the phones’ presence on campus can be reassuring, Webber said the phones see a lot of abuse standing out in the elements, having the potential to be damaged by rain water getting inside the phones. As it stands now, Beck said the only phone still out of order is by Washington Hall after the area was struck by lightning, destroying the phone. “It was about $4,000 damage,” Cooke said. “We’re waiting to see how much the insurance is going to cover… because the whole thing’s going to have to be replaced.”
rhickers@aug.edu
“With the consolidation, people are not 100 percent on what their job might be afterward,” she said. “It might be better; it might be (worse). There is some uncertainty to what consolidation will bring. It’s not a ‘We’re angry about it.’ It’s just an uncertainty.” The money collected by the campaign goes directly to the Augusta State Foundation and will not be “intermingled” with the funds of Georgia Health Sciences University, Banks said, which might clear some of the uncertainty. In January, Augusta State will merge with GHSU to become Georgia Regents University, making this year the last official year of the Augusta State A Day Campaign. For that reason, Bryant and his team decided to make the campaign about the “Jaguar Nation.” Considering the numbers and circumstances, Bryant said he is amazed by the people on campus who chose to donate. “These past few years, people have been stepping up to the plate knowing they didn’t have a raise,” he said. “And knowing that an institution like ours is going to take another hit, 3 percent then 2 percent, I think close to $1.2 million over the next year from the state, only again shows and allows our people to help our students. That’s why we made it about the Jaguar Nation - providing opportunities to help our students at Augusta College, and Augusta State University, and I’m sure it will continue
speak to his manager. He came over, and I explained it’s just sentimental and I have to have a Steak ‘n Shake coffee mug.” To her, the coffee mug held sentimental value because of her childhood experiences with the restaurant. Blackston said after explaining her love of Steak ‘n Shake to the manager, he then assured her that if there was not one in Augusta yet, he was sure one would open soon. “I’m just tickled it’s (finally) here,” Blackston said.
khutchi2@aug.edu
on in the future to help students at Georgia Regents University.” During the 19 years of the A Day campaign, employees on campus have contributed more than $2.1 million back to the university, according to Wes Zamzow, the director of Major Gifts for Alumni Relations. A Day is not unique to Augusta State in that many universities have their own forms of A Day. However, Augusta State’s campaign is unique as far as numbers go. “If you look at other schools, it’s very rare to see the percentage of giving that we do here,” Banks said. “I think there is just a great sense of family on this campus, and I think the culture of this institution over the years is to take care of its own.” More important than the numbers is the idea of misconceptions. Bryant, Banks and Zamzow all agree that the importance of this year’s campaign is the Jaguar Nation and its students. “We will remain Jaguars at the new university, and I think people on campus can rally behind that,” Bryant said. “We are still right now Augusta State and will be until the consolidation is finalized in January. So there is nothing different in this campaign than the previous 18 campaigns... As long as we stay focused on the main goal - investment in students - the Jaguar Nation wins.” Students, faculty and staff can still contribute to the campaign at the campaign’s culmination barbecue on Friday, Oct. 12. For $8, students, faculty and community members can enjoy dinner, music and fireworks while also donating to the campaign.
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CONTRIBUTED BY AMANDA HURST
A striped burrfish waits to be taken back to the ocean after students finish their research.
human population affects wildlife. The three islands provide a scale in which St. Catherine’s Island has the least amount of human impact and Tybee Island has the greatest amount. “We’ve definitely found more diversity on St. Catherine’s Island than we’ve found on the other two islands,” Best said. “And between Hunting and Tybee Island we found sheepshead fish (that) eat barnacles. We’ve never gotten sheepshead fish seining on St. Catherine’s.” When asked what he loves most about the trips to St Catherine’s Island,
jhobday2@aug.edu
Prestige
Saul coolest stuff,” he said. “There are more interesting things out there.” The island hosts a variety of interesting fish, Saul said. One species that has stood out to him was a fish called a stargazer. The fish has both eyes on one side of its head, and it lies on the ocean floor waiting for a fish to swim by. “It looks straight up and when something gets close enough it can (electrically) shock it, stun it and eat it,” he said. “If it’s big enough, the students can get shocked by it, but most of the ones we see are really small. It’s a really interesting fish. One time, one of the students read that if you put your tongue between the eyes of the fish, you’ll get a shock. One student did that and they said they felt a tingle.” Saul said the work on St. Catherine’s Island has also spawned other research trips. Jessica Reichmuth, an assistant professor of biology, has started taking students to study the fish species at Hunting and Tybee islands off the coast of South Carolina. Best, who also takes part in these research trips, said the three islands show the impact that humans have on their environment. Comparing their finding’s to Saul’s, they can see how
JACQUELYN PABON | STAFF
Saul said he loves exposing students to the research on the island, saying that he has brought eight students with him every month for the past 16 years. Hurst said she didn’t know anything about fish when she first started studying at Augusta State as a pre-veterinary major but was introduced to the trip and began going. “I wasn’t very active in school,” she said. “I was really shy and quiet and not really outgoing and it got me active in research and I just fell in love with it.”
rhickers@aug.edu
having to teach at a high-needs school after graduation. In fact, the idea never crossed his mind. He always wanted to be a teacher and help children, no matter what type of school or class setting. “Once you are in the classroom and you know that you want to teach, you will love the program,” Cutler said. “Seeing the kids trying and wanting to learn will change your mind.” Students complete their fieldwork at high-needs schools so that they can get a feeling of what it would be like to work at one after their graduate studies are complete. Cutler not only gained a grant to help pay for his schooling but said he has also reaped many fruitful benefits within his last year being a part of the program. “I have paid off a great number of my credit cards and went on a honeymoon all with the money I have received from the program,” Cutler said. “There is nothing better than getting paid for something you
love to do than to get paid before you even begin actually doing it.” Cutler said he works hard to continue to be a part of the program. Even though it is not a cake walk, it is well worth it, he said. Requirements for the program include being a STEM major, retaining a GPA of 2.75 and having a faculty member complete a recommendation form. Also, applicants must compose a two-page essay on a given topic and complete an acceptance interview. The competition is only between Augusta State students. Stephens said members of the department are working on ways to better get the word across to students. “I wish there (was) a program like this for myself when I was an undergraduate in college,” Page said. “Students should know that my door is always open to potential candidates for the program.”
tlampkin@aug.edu
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 www.asubellringer.com
the opinion pages: editorial
Fall is coming quickly “I am so excited for the fall festivities that come along with the season.”
No need to label us It appears that there is no shortage of ridiculous ideas when it comes to the merging of Augusta State and Georgia Health Sciences universities. Following an Augusta State faculty meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 25, word got out that faculty, staff and students on the Summerville campus will be required to wear some sort of identification that has been collectively referred to as a “name tag,” starting in the Fall 2013 semester. Well, when we said we wanted to preserve the identity of the Summerville campus, we didn’t mean we wanted to wear it around our necks. While we see no problem with requiring students to have JagCards on them at all times, for what reason should we require that they have to be visible for everyone else to see? We are a college campus, not a corporate park. The rumor is that visible name tags will increase safety on campus, as it will be easy to spot who belongs there and who does not. However, we just recently finished the history walk with the understanding that it would attract individuals in the community to our beautiful campus. Do we start chasing down our neighbors who want to walk their dogs around Augusta State because those people don’t have visible credentials? Though Augusta State is landlocked by the surrounding community, we wouldn’t consider ourselves that much of an urban campus. To that end, Georgia State University, which is sprawled out over downtown Atlanta, doesn’t have any policy to our knowledge that requires students to wear credentials around their necks or on their shirts.
Keep in mind that their campus is in a very high-traffic area that sees all walks of life. And while visible credentials may be the protocol at GHSU, it just doesn’t mesh well with the culture here at Augusta State. We are all for getting to know each other personally and value learning the names of our colleagues over reading from some form of identification. It’s a novel concept, we know, but it really helps to improve the experience of all the students on this campus. The idea calls to mind an episode of “Seinfeld” in which Elaine suggests to her boyfriend, an adviser to then-Mayor of New York City David Dinkins, that the mayor require everyone in the city wear a name tag. Dinkins incorporates the idea into his campaign platform, a decision that proves so unpopular that it costs the adviser his job and costs Dinkins his election against Rudy Giuliani. Though humorous and fictional, this example provides some insight into what the administration at the “New U” should expect if it thinks it will choose to act on such a plan. Furthermore, if the administration thinks that the students won’t react too strongly to this proposal, just wait until the news gets out that a new fee will be introduced to cover the costs. We, the students of this university, are not luggage. We don’t need to be tagged. If everyone involved on this campus spent a little more time getting to know each other, we’re sure that we would all find this name tag idea to be nothing more than a costly gimmick.
Dear Editor,
TAMIKA LAMPKIN senior reporter tlampkin@aug.edu I love this time of year. After such a long, hot summer in the Georgia heat, fall is right around the corner. Don’t get me wrong; I can appreciate all of the seasons, and summer has a lot to offer. But this time of year is more my cup of tea. The leaves are beginning to turn outside my window. The morning breeze is getting cooler and the nights are too. The one thing I will not miss about this past summer is, on some days, it was just as hot at night as it was during the day. It seemed as if you could not escape the heat. I am appreciating the gas that I have saved the past few weeks by just letting my windows down and enjoying the outside air, rather than turning on the air conditioning. I am so excited for the fall festivities that come along with the season: all of the carnivals, festivals and the county fairs! Fairs, to me, are an indication that fall has arrived. I love everything about them, the rides, games, shows and foods that are only around once a year. When fall is near it is like you can begin to smell the fair food in the air. The funnel cakes, turkey legs, cotton candy and deep fried everything else. Fall brings football to the forefront. Although I cannot tell you much about the sport, the one thing that is sure to be said is that it is popular amongst people and a big hit in the South. Everywhere you turn, someone is talking about foot-
ball. They talk about it at school, at work, in the doctor’s office, the grocery store line, even at parties they have the game going in the background. My favorite part about football is tailgating and homecomings. I enjoy the barbeques, the chants and cheers, and the colors that indicate team and school spirit. Even though my school does not have a football team, I have attended a lot of football homecomings, and I can tell you that it is amazing how the school comes together as a whole to represent their school and show team pride. Most of all, as a single parent, the best thing about fall is the weather. I am not an outdoor type of person, yet I have a son who loves to play outside. No matter how hot or cold, he does not seem to be affected by the weather the same way that I am. It is something unique about kids that I just do not understand. The weather is not a factor to their playtime. Now I can enjoy riding bikes, going to the park and taking walks during the day with my little man. On a personal note, I am happy that the electric bill can finally begin to dwindle. All summer long I have paid more than $200 just to remain cool in the summer. Now that fall is near, the bill will begin to lower and free up a lot of money for me. So grab your fall gear because, before you know it, fall will be here.
Dear Editor,
A few days ago, we lost five friends at Augusta State University. Those friends were tall, slender pine trees that had graced the south side of our campus for the past 60 years. The trees were killed because they were reportedly becoming a nuisance, sending their pine needles into the adjacent cooling tower and threatening underground pipes with their roots. One remaining pine still stands at the site, but is it now under a death watch? I wonder, this being the 21st century, if there was not a modern way to have avoided this event that many of us in the community consider an unnecessary tragedy. Screening for the cooling tower, for instance, might have redirected falling needles, and a few feet of PVC pipe could have deflected insistent roots. Thanks to Augusta State tradition and policy, the death of these five trees means new trees will be planted somewhere on campus. But those replacements will not reach their glory for decades, a glory these pines had already attained. If as a new university we intend to nurture and promote green space, as planners have indicated, let us begin by thinking of creative options to chopping down magnificent, healthy trees. Let’s think of alternatives first and leave the chain saw in the garage until later. Matthew Bosisio Associate Professor Department of Communications & Professional Writing
The University Police Department would like to thank The Bell Ringer for opening the discussion on threats facing campuses across the nation including our own. The Augusta State University Police Department continuously strives to meet the needs of our university with ever increasing professionalism and efficiency. We welcome the opportunity to discuss the concerns of the citizens we serve. In last week’s edition of The Bell Ringer, an editorial piece was published citing concern over the response from the Police Department regarding a report of a possible gunshot on campus. The consensus of the article was the response from the University Police Department was slow and underwhelming. To address the concerns of the author directly, the University Police Department did respond to the scene and was unable to verify the report of a gunshot. The response of the University Police Department to various calls is based on many factors and having a uniform (standard) response to all calls, including those calls which indicate possible violent behavior, would be problematic on many levels. Regarding this specific call, the response from the Police Department was sufficient based on the information and number of reports concerning the possible criminal activity. If subsequent investigation revealed information requiring additional police resources or the need to initiate our mass notification system (JagAlert), then those steps would have definitely been taken immediately. The University Police Department urges everyone within the university community to take the time and sign-up for JagAlert. If you have signed up in the past, please take a minute to verify that your information is correct. JagAlert is a means utilized by the University Police Department to relay important information to our community ranging from weather updates to acts of violence. The system is only activated when needed in order for the system to maintain its relevance. If the mass notification system were to be used frequently, then people would not pay as much attention to the life-safety issues that it is meant to disseminate. The university covers all fees associated with JagAlert, and it is 100% free to the users. This conversation is great in that it provides an opportunity to encourage members of our university community to be aware of their surroundings, and if they encounter suspicious elements to call the University Police Department. If we all work together and adhere to the “if you see something, say something” mindset then we are more likely to continue enjoying an environment which is safe and conducive to learning. We all have a stake in protecting our university and the Police Department welcomes the opportunity to have more communication with everyone in the university community.
CONTRIBUTED BY MATTHEW BOSISIO
Five 60-year-old pine trees were laid to rest Sept. 13 on the southside of campus.
Jasper Cooke University Police Chief
THE BELL RINGER
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a public forum My unhealthy obsession: A few reasons for wanting I am coo coo for CoCo to become a new father “I believe my infatuation has turned into an obsession, and it’s time to own up.”
“I’ve always wanted to do something bigger than myself, and I know that parenthood will be just that.”
KRISTIN HAWKINS arts & life editor khutchi2@aug.edu
RON HICKERSON chief reporter rhickers@aug.edu
Everyone has celebrity crushes; there is no denying that. Most people would go wild if they ever saw someone like Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp or anyone of that magnitude. I’m not saying I wouldn’t be excited to see either of those men, but there is only one man that would potentially make me burst into hysterics: Conan O’Brien. I believe my infatuation has turned into an obsession, and it’s time to own up. I, Kristin Hawkins, am in love with Conan Christopher O’Brien. That is correct, the ginger-headed bean pole who graces our television screens each week night. The man that Jay Leno screwed over. The 6-foot-4-inch Irish man from New England has taken my heart and I don’t care who knows it. It was approximately 10 years ago that my obsession with the funny man began. A friend of mine made me sit down and watch an episode of “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” and it was then and there that I became quite smitten with him. His mannerisms, his sense of humor, his very essence captivated me, and I never knew how strongly I could feel toward a man I didn’t even know. Each episode I watched made me have a better appreciation of the comedian. I would stay up late just to watch his show and quietly laugh so that I wouldn’t get in trouble with my mom for staying up so late. As the years passed, my love for the comedian matured, and I got very emotionally involved. The Jay Leno-Conan O’Brien-Tonight Show debacle really took a toll on me. Like any good woman, I stood by and supported
my man, Conan. Not only was it sad seeing my favorite funny man get screwed over, but I feared that I wouldn’t see him again. As the fate of my dear Coco lay in the balance, I intently watched his final days as “Tonight Show” host and showed my support through the internet and social media. The time passed and the decision was made that Leno would take back over “The Tonight Show.” My heart shattered not knowing what would become of a Conan show. The fact that his face wasn’t even allowed on television for months was such punch in the stomach. Alas, Conan announced a comedy tour and the last date of the tour was set in none other than Atlanta. I thought it must’ve been a joke; something so wonderful couldn’t possibly be true, but it was. He was coming less than three hours from my hometown, and I knew I had to go. I was ridiculously excited at the thought of seeing him live. Unfortunately, life had other plans and I was unable to go. It was one of the biggest disappointments to ever happen in my life, and I mean that whole-heartedly. When that realization hit, so did the realization that I had an unhealthy obsession with a celebrity. I had always heard about people obsessing over celebrities and I never really understood that. Now here I am, almost 25 years old, and thinking about Conan O’Brien gets me giddy as a schoolgirl. I even have a painting of him above my TV. I know it may not be healthy, but I can’t help it. I accept it, and I don’t care anymore. Conan is an amazing man, and I will not die happy unless I am graced with his presence before I die.
“So, when are you and your wife gonna start having kids?” This is the No. 1 question that pops up in conversations after my fellow classmates learn – or rather when they believe – I am married. Because it’s becoming such a frequent occurrence, I have my response memorized: “We’re waiting at least another year after I graduate from college.” After all, that is the most reasonable answer. By then, I’ll have my diploma, which will lead me to find a career and support my family – well, at least according to the American Dream. But I’ll admit, when I first got married two years ago, the question absolutely terrified me. “I’m only 20!” I would say. “Give me some time before I have to start THINKING of that stuff.” Now, I’m 23 years old, and the idea of having a small human being depend on me in order to survive is still a little daunting – especially when I can barely even keep my yard under control. And for that reason, I greatly admire students who are currently balancing their parental and collegiate duties. But, as I’ve had time to calculate my timeframe for having kids, I’ve also had time to ponder the reasons for why I would want to bring another human into this world. I’m still discovering new reasons, and they’re always revealing something new about myself.
Here are my top three reasons for why I want to be a dad: First, being a dad will be a great adventure. From my friends who have kids, I know that parenthood is by no means easy and is not always fun, but it’s never boring. I’m looking forward to this new step in my life with my wife by my side, and I know I won’t be alone in this journey. Next, being a dad is one of the most important things I’ll ever do with my life. I’ve always wanted to do something bigger than myself, and I know that parenthood will be just that. The thought of raising and shaping a person who will one day do the same thing, passing along my heritage, is absolutely incredible and almost unfathomable to me. Third (and most personally), I believe being a dad will help me fully come to terms with my relationship with my dad, who killed himself when I was 7 years old. I think fatherhood might help me step into his shoes and give me a little more perspective about what was going on in his mind before he left and lead to reconciliation between the two of us. So those are the top three reasons I plan on becoming a dad and the list grows every day. Now, as for the answer to the next question that always inevitably pops up in this same conversation: “How many kids do you and your wife want?” Only time will tell.
From Taiwan to America: In defense of Apple products Coping with my differences “I would never hold someone’s choice of computer against that person.” JOHN-MICHAEL GARNER sports editor jgarner6@aug.edu Last week’s release of the longanticipated iPhone 5 stirred a new wave of anti-Apple invective. “It’s an evil corporation!” some shrieked. “The phones are nothing but slick packaging!” others bellowed. “Macs are just overpriced Facebook machines!” still more people loudly proclaimed. These criticisms are not unique, but they are reset every time Apple releases a product, serving as a veritable wet blanket on those enthused over their new toy. For as many Apple lovers as there are, there are roughly an equivalent number of Apple haters. While I’m not an apologist trying to sweep the company’s ethical or technological shortcomings under the rug, I would like to try to clarify to the detractors why so many of us opt for Apple. First, let me make it clear that I’m not the most technologically-savvy person in the world. That’s probably why Apple’s products are appealing to me. They’re refreshingly simplistic and user-friendly. The late founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, once said you could put an iPhone or iPad in front of someone who’s never seen one before and that person would be able to figure it out within minutes. I can already hear the Apple detractors snickering at that last paragraph. They would argue that the kind of simplicity Jobs touted is due to the fact that the company sells stripped-down products. There might be some truth to this assertion. Having owned PCs and Macs, I can say that the PCs do
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offer a more robust set of features, creating a more customizable and deeper computing experience. But this does not necessarily equate to a better experience. For some of us, having complete control over our computers just isn’t that important. We just want to surf the Internet, write a paper or download music without any headaches, and doing these activities on a Mac is simply a joy (OK, except for the writing papers part). There is also the not-so-small concern of virus protection, and from this standpoint, Macs clearly have the edge over PCs. I have spent days of my life nursing my Dell laptop back to health after nefarious outsiders infected it. This is something I never had to worry about with my old Apple PowerBook. These things being said, I understand Macs might not suit the needs of a certain type of consumer. That’s fine. I would just like to see everyone on both sides of the aisle concede that there are valid reasons why people choose PC and equally logical explanations for why others go with Apple. This whole debate is one I find to be incredibly nonsensical. I would never hold someone’s choice of computer against that person. I guess it’s just my philosophy, but I can’t understand why someone would be begrudged for using something that gives him enjoyment. Live and let live. That’s always the way to go.
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“Individuals have to undergo changes in their lives.” SI-LONG CHEN web master schen1@aug.edu
I was born in Taipei, Taiwan, Aug. 26, 1991. My sister, mother and I lived in an apartment in Hsinchu Science and Industrial Park (HSIP), where companies and manufacturers like Acer and Asus were headquartered. Growing up in a single-parent family where my mom worked most of the time, I barely had any restrictions on what I could do; “wild” was the best word to describe me. In addition to my free-spirited living style, I was also the most infamous, untamed tomboy. Before electronics became popular, outside was my paradise. Things started to change when I reached puberty. I attended a magnet school called National Experimental High School (NEHS), which provided education from kindergarten to high school for the children whose parents work in the HSIP. I became known by the children in the area, and by many parents, who eventually told their children to stay away from me. “Why doesn’t anyone play with me anymore? Why can’t I find a partner for my science project? What happened to Peter Pan’s Neverland? Where can I get Captain Hook to fight me?” I thought. I wrote gloomy things back then but never found an answer to what I was looking for. Because of my failure to compete academically and socially, I moved to the United States July 27, 2006, to live in Evans, Ga., with my aunt and uncle while attending Lakeside High School.
This Christian country was more openminded, less judgmental and, to put it simply, friendlier. “I am no longer different,” I thought, scratching out all the sad stories in my diary. I started to write happier things. Despite the huge difference in language and my deficiency in grammar, I loved to write. After coming to Augusta State University, I decided to major in communications, with a concentration in professional writing. To my surprise, it was my cockiness that blinded me. Many peers made fun of me; I laughed along as they joked around, but I was hurt on the inside. “Why is an Asian immigrant studying English in the U.S.? Why aren’t you a math major? Are you really good at English? Why are you different?” I went through a lot of painful moments, feeling different from Americans, even from my fellow Taiwanese. I started to finally face my life in a philosophical way. It took me a while before I began to break out of my shell and let my thoughts collapse thoroughly and rebuild again. The world changes, and everything in it changes as well. If everything stays the same, then the whole world would be dull and insane. Individuals have to undergo changes in their lives. After all, the world would cease to exist if nobody were ever there to make a difference.
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
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
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ARTS & LIFE www.asubellringer.com
“Friends with Benefits’ takes on new meaning
fits, Menk said Friends with Benefits is growing by the day. He said he got involved with the organization because he saw the need to help the music scene in Augusta. “It is more of a movement than an organization,” Menk said. “Our last concert at Sky City was the Mississippi All stars was the exact same turn out as Athens (Ga.), which says a lot; 3,500 undergraduates came out. Both shows were pretty successful.” Local music venue owners help the organization in hopes that it will ultimately help bring more music to the downtown area. Coco Rubio, the co-owner of local music venues Sky City and Soul Bar, said it has definitely impacted the music scene. “I think they have helped as far as the promotional end of putting on concerts,” Rubio said. “They seem to have a good pulse on the crowd who want to come see good, live music. To me, they are doing a lot to help promote live music. Because I have a venue like this, I want to help them bring as much live music as possible to Augusta.”
jpabon@aug.edu
JACQUELYN PABON | STAFF
Moon Taxi, a band from Nashville, Tenn., performs at Sky City Thursday, Sept. 20. Friends with Benefits plans to bring Moon Taxi back for future shows.
By JACQUELYN PABON production assistant
O
ne local organization is looking to revive entertainment in the downtown music scene while also helping the community. Friends with Benefits, a local music promotional company books four major events in the Augusta area per year-one for each season-with a focus of bringing music back to downtown Augusta while simultaneously raising money for local organizations and charities. George Claussen, the founder and CEO of Friends with Benefits, said he got the idea of reviving the music scene from a discussion with a friend from out of town. “Basically, it all kind of started with my buddy who has a New Year’s party every year in Charleston (S.C.),” Claussen said. “He said, ‘Hey man, you need to throw a Master’s (golf tournament) party. I bet you can’t make as much money as I made off of my New Year’s party.’ I said, ‘Dude, Master’s will crush a Charleston New Year’s party.’” With the idea in mind, Claussen said he traveled up to New York to attend an event
called The Church Party, which raised more than $100,000 for charity. Claussen said the organization of 15 people sparked his interested in raising money for local organizations in need. He said he decided to gather some of his friends and create Birdies and Bogies, an annual benefit that raises money for several local charities. “We were able to raise about $18,000 for our first event for Press On, honoring Brennan Simkins, the Elaine Clark center and the William Weston IV fund,” Claussen said. “After tax from selling golf carts at the event, we were able to give them a total of about $11,295.” The success of the Birdies and Bogies benefit grabbed the attention of the local political campaign of Scott Peebles, who was running for sheriff of Richmond County at the time. Friends with Benefits then decided to host its second event. “I didn’t know anything about Scott or the sheriffs’ race at all,” said Claussen. “We weren’t really familiar with any of the politics that are going on. Scott sat us down and asked if we could get a lot of the young people together for something for (him). I said, ‘Yeah, I think we can do something.’ So, we started the first po-
litical campaign concert in Augusta’s history. It was called Rockin’ for Peebles. (About) 350 to 400 people showed up.” To Claussen, the success the events allowed for him and his friends to put together an official organization. Today, the organization is comprised of Claussen, the CEO; Peter Menk, the chief financial officer; and a board of their peers who are from all over the CSRA. With the foundation established, the next step was creating a name for it, Claussen said. “We had a lot of people that helped us out in the previous events,” Claussen said. “A lot of girls we grew up with, a lot of guys I am good friends with. So we decided to call it Friends with Benefits, just as a play on words. It’s a catchy name, kind of sexual, kind of cool.” To get its name out, Friends with Benefits also books shows in local music venues that are not included in the four main events that raise money. These shows included bands such as Moon Taxi, which played at Sky City Sept. 20, and the North Mississippi All Stars, which performed Sept. 25. With a multitude of shows coming to Augusta because of Friends with Bene-
JACQUELYN PABON | STAFF
Lead singer Trevor Terndrup of Moon Taxi plays at Sky City Sept 20. The show was booked by Friends with Benefits.
North Mississippi Allstars light up downtown Augusta
KRISTIN HAWKINS | STAFF
Anthony Krizan, a freelance musician, performs solo .
By KRISTIN HAWKINS arts & life editor
T
hree-time Grammy nominated group North Mississippi Allstars graced the stage of a local bar Sept. 25. Luther Dickinson, the lead guitarist and lead vocalist for the North Mississippi Allstars, and his brother Cody Dickinson, the band’s drummer, played with long-time friend Lightnin Malcolm for a night of Southern rock and blues collaboration at Sky City in Augusta, Ga. Luther Dickinson said Malcolm has been with the group for a month and is substituting for the band’s original bassist Chris Chew while he is recovering from an illness. The group is touring with the Missing Cats, which includes Sherman Ewing and Widespread Panic’s John “Jojo” Hermann.
Both groups are touring together for a three-week stint, according to Luther Dickinson. The North Mississippi Allstars got together in 1996 with the influence of Jim Dickinson, who was a musician and music producer. The Dickinson brothers grew up around music and wanted to make it part of their own lives, Luther Dickinson said. “(My father) and his friends all played music, and we kind of fell into playing music,” Luther Dickinson said. “It’s what I wanted to do.” Malcolm said music has always been a big part of his life as well. He has been playing for about 20 years, and although he generally plays alone, he does collaborate with other musicians. “Well, (I) mostly just (play) on my own,” Malcolm said. “I’ve played some with a lot of old blues artist and stuff, well the ones that are still living.” Both Luther Dickinson and Malcolm said they were influenced by the music they grew up with, which was generally blues and Southern rock. Luther Dickinson said he also played the guitar for The Black Crowes for about three years. As for the North Mississippi Allstars, he said he and Cody Dickinson both write songs and the latter does a lot of the producing. Luther Dickinson added that both are capable of playing multiple instruments when neces-
sary. On top of the three Grammy nominations the band has been nominated for, Luther Dickinson said he personally has been nominated for a Grammy. When asked about his favorite experience, Luther Dickinson said there was not one particular moment he could recall that stood out.
“(It’s) the whole experience of being so fortunate and being able to have a band and traveling the world and making records, it’s been my dream,” he said. “That’s been my favorite experience.” Malcolm agreed that the experience is like no other.
khutchi2@aug.edu
KRISTIN HAWKINS | STAFF
Lead singer Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars joins the Missing Cats onstage before performing with his own band. Both bands will be on tour together for three weeks.
Westobou Festival celebrates its fifth year of art appreciation By JOSHUA COLE contributor
A
s October begins, so does the five-day event called the Westobou Festival. The Westobou Festival is an event that has been in Augusta, Ga., since the fall of 2008. The festival takes place in several different locations throughout the city, opening Wednesday and ending Sunday. The event showcases five different art forms, including visual, music, film, dance and words, said Mary Hull Palmer, the marketing and events coordinator of the event. The first day of the festival focuses on visual arts. It will be located at the Old Academy of Richmond County in downtown Augusta. The exhibition runs the length of the festival, Palmer said.
The Center for Arts and Heritage, located in North Augusta, S.C., will also host a visual arts display, beginning on the opening day of the festival and lasting until Saturday. These exhibitions will feature contemporary artists displaying their paintings, sculptures and photography. Palmer said the festival will also feature a loop artist, Julia Easterlin, who makes music with her body and then sings along with it. “It’s open to the public, and it’s free from about 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.,” Palmer explained. Music is next in the lineup, and it will be the focus of the second day of the festival. Exhibitions in the Parade Grounds of the Old Academy of Richmond County will highlight artists such as headliner and Grammy nominated Janelle Monáe along with other contributing artists including Funk You, Fred Wesley, the New JB’s and more, Palmer said. In this year’s lineup, the Westobou committee decided it wanted to pay homage to James Brown by prominently show-
casing funk bands, in an effort to “take us back to our funky roots,” Palmer said. Friday focuses on filmography, with special guest speaker Philippe Petit, the star of the documentary “Man on a Wire.” The film will be shown in Augusta State University’s University Hall with free admission, and Petit will speak at the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre later that evening. “The Westobou Festival is a chance to see really top-class art and music and dance and, you know, everything that is really aesthetic about an art festival,” said Gaye Ortiz, a lecturer of communications at Augusta State. She said the film is a “very interesting documentary about a quirky person, and it really looks at his, Philippe Petit, preparations in 1974 for a high-wire walk across the twin towers.” De Trace, a parkour group, will be free form running through downtown Augusta Saturday, Palmer said.
Later that night the festival will show the parkour-focused documentary “My Playground.” At the same time, there will be a performance from the group LA Dance Project, Palmer said. “The LA Dance Project was created and choreographed by Benjamin Millepied,” Palmer explained. “He choreographed the Academy Award-winning ‘Black Swan,’ and he is famously married to Natalie Portman.” Finally, on the final night of the festival, there will be an exhibition featuring the words portion of the event, Palmer said. This part, held on Sunday, will feature children’s book author Jarett Krosoczka; the Kovacs brothers, winemakers and authors who will host a wine tasting event; and artist Sarah Hobbs. Although some of the events charge admission fees, many of the events, including the art shows, are free to the public.
jcole8@aug.edu
THE BELL RINGER
PAGE 7 www.asubellringer.com
Graphics company puts motto in motion By GRACE WATERS contributor
W
ith eclectic, energizing music playing in the background, the partners of Wier/Stewart sit in an open loft space overlooking Broad Street in downtown Augusta, Ga., and share their business philosophy. It is straightforward and simple: Find happiness in your work. Alex Wier and Daniel Stewart, the brains behind this graphics company, said they find inspiration in the designs they create, which translates to a renewed sense of vigor for their clientele. When meeting with clients, they focus on what is effective in brand and on strategy, they said.
“We like to think of ourselves as their creative-strategy partners,” Stewart said. “I get a lot of enjoyment out of thinking of a creative process that they can implement either internally or as a campaign to their customers that makes a real difference in their business. After all, we are trying to put more cash in people’s register.” Wier expanded, saying a lot goes into the rebranding process. “When we re-do somebody’s brand, and we go through a process with people, they are psyched about their own business,” Wier said. “Because they had not thought about it this particular way and you are identifying when they do, they get a new brand and get pumped about it.” The close relationship between the two is apparent as they bounce ideas and words between them to capture the essence of their motto. “We try to have an atmosphere where everyone can collaborate and discuss things, and we are all on the trust tree,” Stewart said. “So we produce good work and (are) happy doing it.” The Westobou logo is a prime example of the collaboration of talent. Wier was toying with the initial idea but was still deciding the best expression for the festival. Working side by side at a gi-
ant, open desk, Stewart said he saw the logo and confirmed the legitimacy of the work. Spurred on, they added to it and then passed it to the team of workers, who contributed their own unique touches and the signature was born. “We make deliberate effort to be positive, especially in terms of the work we are doing with each other,” Wier said. “You don’t criticize something in a way that is negative.” Stewart and design team member Hannah Elliot agreed, saying all feedback should include some kind of solution. “Working with other designers, you get constructive criticism,” Elliot said. “And I feel I am a much better designer now than when I started.” Project manager Sarah Burt said the open environment at Wier/Stewart fosters an atmosphere that leads to “creativity and teamwork” among the staff. Such an atmosphere benefits the client because the designers push each other to the limits of their capabilities, said senior designer Jason Craig. “I get to work with cool people and do cool stuff,” said designer and artist Leonard Zimmerman, summing up the group’s camaraderie. “We all really, legitimately, truly like each other.” Craig replied wryly.“Or we fake it really good,” he said. The team and its accomplishments show in many of its logos, including ones for Media Ocean, Flywheel, and Stafford Nut and Bolt. Each one takes on the individual brand of the client, addressing specific goals, Stewart said. “We believe that a good relationship with your agency is based on liking people,” he explained. “Creative is suggestive, and you have to be honest and have a lot of trust when you hire someone to do this work for you.” Wier agreed. “It’s honesty and transparency and being up front when sitting down with somebody,” he said. With regard to their clients, the purpose is to provide what “suits them and what’s going to make their audience either pay attention, or purchase or remember,” Stewart said. “It depends on what the goals of the communication are, but there’s always a purpose for design in advertising,” he said. “The overall point is to inspire or provoke or make someone think.” In the end, the team brings ideas into the tangible world and translates the client’s objectives into a brand that stands out in the land of commerce, he said.
sholbroo@aug.edu
Around Town Festival’s features worth the wait By COCO RUBIO contributor
O
ctober is here, and it’s easily my favorite time of the year. Football is in full swing, the Braves are back in the playoffs and the weather has finally cooled off. It’s also time for the 2012 Westobou Festival, which takes place this year from Wednesday through Sunday. The Westobou Festival focuses on five artistic disciplines: dance, film, music, spoken words and visual arts. With my background in booking and promoting live music, I’ve been able to help the festival bring in great acts over the last few years, such as The Avett Brothers; Al Green; Dean & Britta; Mac McCaughan from Superchunk; and, last year, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings. This year, the Westobou Festival kicks off with an amazing vocalist and loop specialist, Julia Eastlerin, who just so happens to be an Augusta native (and Davidson Fine Arts alum) and has completed her studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and has performed all over the world, including a spot in last year’s Lollapaloza festival in Chicago. Eastlerin will be performing at the old parade grounds of the old Augusta Museum at 540 Telfair St. with a small musical combo and will also be collaborating with Bean Worley, an Atlanta-based visual artist, who will be creating experimental digital video overlays on a screen onstage during the performance. Did I mention that this opening night concert is also FREE? That’s right; it’s FREE. So there are no excuses not to attend this unique concert that showcases the type of artistic work that the Westobou Festival brings to Augusta. On the following night, Thursday, the musical portion of the festival kicks in with a funky tribute to the
JACQUELYN PABON | STAFF
Coco Rubio, the co-owner of Sky City and Soul Bar stands in his soundbooth at Sky City.
Godfather of Soul, James Brown. In fact, two of his former legendary horn players, Maceo Parker (sax) and Fred Wesley (trombone), will be performing with their own respective bands, and opening up the show will be the James Brown Academy of Music Pupils (JAMP) Band, as well as the popular local band Funk You. Headlining the event will be Grammy-Award nominee songstress Janelle Monae, who most of us may know from her vocal parts on the smash top-40 hit “We Are Young,” by the band Fun. This funky diva has also worked with Big Boi from Outkast and has also just been on tour with the one and only Prince. She’s got a huge buzz around her and her live shows have been getting rave reviews. It’s awesome that she’s coming here to pay her respects to the city that brought James Brown to the world. Gates will open at 5 p.m. on Thursday and advance tickets are $30 and $40 at the gate. For more information on this show and all the other events taking place during the week, check out the website at www.westoboufestival. com. Support the arts in Augusta by attending as many events as you can during Westobou and also throughout the rest of the year! See ya downtown!
Logos created by Wier/Stewart
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There’s strong. Then there’s Army Strong. Enroll in Army ROTC at Augusta State University to complement your education with the training, experience and skills needed to make you a leader. Army ROTC also offers an opportunity to compete for scholarships that can pay up to full-tuition and a monthly stipend to help pay for your education. And when you graduate, you will have an edge in life as an Army Officer and a leader. All it takes is enrolling in MSL101. To get started, contact us at (855) 276-9516.
ASK ABOUT OUR LEADERSHIP AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES! For more information, contact James Sherrill at jsherrill@aug.edu, (706) 667-4795, (855) 276-9516 or visit us on campus in Galloway Hall. ©2008. Paid for by the united States Army. All rights reserved.
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012
PAGE 8
Forgotten but not lost: Chronicling Augusta State’s history
Two campus cemeteries keep family history living on By FARRELL BROWN staff writer
A
s the merger inches closer, Augusta State University faces the possibility of losing its identity; to prevent that, students can remember the university’s history. “If you’re interested in history, it’s fascinating stuff,” said Chris Murphy, a retired Augusta State anthropology professor and a current volunteer at the Archaeology Lab. Parts of the long history are the two cemeteries located on campus, Murphy said. One cemetery is the Walker family cemetery, a private cemetery mostly housing members of the Walker family. The second one is the Augusta Arsenal Cemetery, which was created for fallen soldiers and their families. Kathy Schofe, the director of public relations and publications at Augusta State, said there were
KRISTIN HAWKINS | STAFF
The Walker family is memorialized in its on-campus cemetery.
five exceptions in which nonfamily members were buried in the Walker family cemetery. Two commanders , Major N.H. Baden in 1836 and Col. G.W. Talcott in 1854, as well as three other soldiers, one of whom was a Confed-
erate soldier, were buried in the Walker family cemetery because the Arsenal cemetery had not yet been constructed. The Walker cemetery also contains the remains of four Walkers who died in the war, including Col. Valintina Walker and Major General W.H.T. Walker, CSA. The land that Augusta State stands on came from Freeman Walker, Schofe said. Walker was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives and the United States Senate. He was also the mayor of Augusta multiple times. The Augusta State plot was originally a 72-acre family estate that was sold to Walker by his brother. In 1826, Walker sold the land to the U.S. government for $6,000, with the exception of the one acre that held the family cemetery. The Augusta Arsenal served as a military fort in Augusta, Ga., Murphy said. Established in 1816 and initially located on the
Georgia banks of the Savannah River in 1819, the arsenal was moved to the former Belle Vue estate, the name of the Walker family compound, in the Summerville neighborhood in 1827 due to health concerns after several fever epidemics caused by mosquitoes. The Augusta Arsenal played a valuable role in the SpanishAmerican War, World War I and World War II. The building that served as the headquarters of the arsenal is currently the university’s Payne Hall, Murphy added. The home of Freeman Walker now serves as administrative offices for Augusta State. The Bellevue Cottage is now the Benet House. The former junior officers' quarters for the post are now known as Rains Hall. The Arsenal's steam-powered pumper fire engine is now known as the Chateau. “There are 76 graves,” Schofe said. “Most of them are the children and wives. Of course, there
are soldiers. There are Confederate soldiers, and there is at least one sailor that’s buried there.” Schofe said the Arsenal Cemetery also includes the remains of three black soldiers, which is significant as African American soldiers were not as common in the times when the cemetery was active. There are also multiple gravesites with tombstones that are marked as unknown. These are believed to be the remains of Indians. The last Arsenal Cemetery burial took place in 1949, according to records, while the Walker family cemetery remains open for members of the family. The arsenal closed in 1955. Most of the land was given to the Georgia Board of Education, and in 1957, it was made into the Junior College of Georgia, which was later renamed Augusta College and eventually became Augusta State University.
fbrown19@aug.edu
Film Series brings Improv group produces laughs silver screen to campus By RON HICKERSON chief reporter
O
n Monday evenings, a variety of Augusta State University students and members of the community gather together in room 170 of University Hall for one purpose: to watch movies. Around 7 p.m., Gaye Ortiz, a lecturer of communications at Augusta State, introduces the Fall Film Series, thanking everyone for making it out to the film. She then goes on to describe the night’s film and previews upcoming films in the series. After she finishes her preview, the lights dim and the projector lights up, allowing movie-goers to escape in the
COURTESY OF FILM SERIES COMMITTEE
story on the big screen. Ortiz said the film series has been running for more than 40 years. This year, the series seeks to usher people into new worlds with titles such as “The Artist,” “The Lady,” “Melancholia,” “The Skin I Live In,” and many more. “It’s a very popular thing for both the community and the college,” she said. “It’s one of the longest town and gown events that we do.” Ortiz, the chair of the film series committee since 2008, said she loves the series because it gives students and community members a chance to see films they would not otherwise see in town. “We bring films to the university that you won’t usually see at the multiplexes around here,” said Rick Pukis, an associate professor of communications at Augusta State. Ortiz agreed. “We have a lot of independent films – a lot of world cinema and documentaries,” she said. “I think it’s important to know the breadth of film across the world. Film is such an important way that we can experience other cultures, learn things that we didn’t know and also be entertained. Film takes you out of yourself, and we need that kind of escape in our world.” Ortiz said the films shown in the series are chosen by a committee made up of faculty from various departments as well as students. The series tries to address a wide range of interests in order to attract as many people as possible. Members of the committee present recommendations for films they have recently seen or heard a lot about, and
from those suggestions, nine films are chosen. Pukis said the committee tries to show the most current releases as possible. There have been many changes in the 40 years that the film series has been around. The most recent change the series faces is the change in its home university. At this year’s first film showing, Monday, Sept. 17, Ortiz said this series is unique because it will be the last time it will be known as the ASU Fall Film Series as the series faces a new future in the midst of the merger between Augusta State and Georgia Health Sciences University. The series has also seen a lot of technological changes. Pukis said he has been a member of the film series committee since 1991, and since then it has worked with the university in order to obtain a professional movie projector system for the film series that run movies from hard drives rather than from discs. But over time, he said, his favorite thing is watching the films on 36-millimeter prints from an actual film projector. “My favorite thing is still seeing a celluloid print on the big screen because I believe there is a difference between electronic projection versus projecting a celluloid print,” Pukis said. “I think the saturation of colors and the resolution is still better looking at a 35 mm print. It’s different. It’s more aesthetically pleasing.” Showing the year’s first film, “The Artist,” also involved new technology: The film was shown on BluRay. Ortiz said this was the first time the series had used BluRay to show one of its films. With all of the changes the series has undergone, it still remains a popular event on the Augusta State campus. Movie-goers fought against the elements the first night of this year’s series, traveling in a rain storm to come watch the film. “Because there’s so much access on Netflix and online you would think that there wouldn’t be that much of a call for people to come together and watch movies, but it’s a really neat thing to do,” Ortiz said. “There’s a lot that you can get out of a film when you’re watching it with a group of people.” After the film, movie-goers talked to one another and discussed what they thought about the film, sharing their likes and dislikes. The film series still continues to attract new people. “This was our first time,” one audience member said. “But it won’t be our last time.” Frequent movie-goer and senior nursing student Daniel Texidor said he looks forward to the series every semester. “I just like getting away from the crazy life of being a student and going to another world,” he said.
NIKKI SKINNER | STAFF
Schrodinger’s Cat, the in-house comedy group at La Chat Noir, improvises a skit in which an actor must improvise gestures for another actor by pantomining movements with her hands.
By NIKKI SKINNER staff writer
T
here is barely any standing room on First Friday at Le Chat Noir. People line the theater waiting to see a new type of comedy in the greater Augusta, Ga., area. Le Chat Noir, an Off-Broadway-style theater located downtown, presents its in-house improvisation group every First Friday. On Sept. 7, the atmosphere was relaxed as patrons grabbed drinks while waiting for Schrodinger’s Cat, the in-house comedy group, to perform. Other fans congregated around the bar in hopes of snagging one last ticket for the sold-out show. The curtain call was at 8 p.m. The lights dimmed as people searched for their seats and settled in for the show. “When they come they should expect things to start off like any other show,” said Kerri Bridges, the director of eXtreme Theater Games. “We have some announcements and then we introduce the host and an introduction. To the unsuspecting viewer, it’s normal theater. Then our teams come out and our judges come out. ” To Dana Cheshire, a member of the Ensemble Improv Group, most theater shows are not as relaxed as those of Le Chat. She said there is always that distinguishing barrier between what’s happening onstage and the audience. “The style of an improv show is more laidback than other theater shows,” Cheshire said. “What makes the show so unique is the ability of the audience to get involved. At times, the actors may even ask the audience for ideas.” In this type of show, anything can happen, Bridges said. At any moment, a member of the audience can get brought onstage or an actor can go out into the audience.
“People come to improv shows with the expectation of things to be witty, loud and (with) some outlandish behavior,” said Doug Holley, the creative director of Schrodinger’s Cat. “What the viewer is not expecting is the real moments that sometimes happen onstage. When you actually get to see (it), gritty, real theater begins to come out.” Bridges and Holley both said they agreed that the shows are very fast paced, and everything is made up on the spot. “It’s like extreme acting,” Cheshire said. “I have been in theater for a long time, and improv is an actor’s worst nightmare come to life. You are thrown onstage with no script and expected to make people laugh. It is such an adrenaline rush.” The name originated from the Schrodinger’s Cat theory, which states that a cat placed in a box with a radioactive element can be either dead or alive while still enclosed in the box. Like the improv group, things are always up to chance in the comedy act. To Holley, improv comedy never happens as planned, and he said the actors must prepare for any abrupt change in their act. “Improv can be alive or dead at any moment,” Bridges said. “The show can be extremely funny one second and then it could die, but we are not afraid of failure.” After three years of production, the group said it is still together because of its strong foundation. Cheshire said the group started off with members who really cared about this field of theater. After its next show Friday, the group will continue to expand by adding new members and working on a new show called “Cat Tails,” which will be directed by Nicole Davis . Bridges said the group is looking to take its act to the Jabez S. Hardin Performing Arts Theater at the Evans, Ga., library.
nskinner@aug.edu
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The host of Schrodinger’s Cat, Ed Janostak, announces the winner of one of the show’s competitions.
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comics: In this Issue...
entertain yourself
What’s Your Sign?
4
3 5
6
2
Libra
1
Contributed by Kaitlyn Alexander
(September 23- October 22) 7
9
8
10
ACROSS
DOWN
1. The A-Day Campaign is trying to do _________. 5. Wier/Stewart is an advertising agency and creative firm that creates _____ for businesses. 6. Steak N’ _____ has taken the Augusta area by storm. 7. An ASU student was fooled by a Craigslist ____. 8. The ___________ Festival showcases different forms of art in the Augusta area. 10. Every ______ night, the ASU Film Series shows a film in UH 170.
1. Bruce Saul, with the help of some of his students, is writing a book about ____. 2. A 5K run was recently ran by runners in their _______. 3. The ________ scholarship is given to students who want to be STEM high school teachers. 4. The emergency ________ posts are scattered around campus. 9. On Sept. 30, Augusta hosted an _________, in which triathletes run, swim and bike.
Be
Draw comics in your free time?
a
part
of
Y O U R n
e w s p a p e and send your drawings to
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r
Libra is one of the relationship signs (along with Scorpio), so it’s no surprise you’ll feel even more of a push to form a bond with someone special this month. If you’re already in a relationship, you’ll be focused on deepening the bond you already have. If you’re single, you may find yourself in an elated mood when it comes to love. You find yourself looking at the world through rosecolored glasses. Keep in mind that Venus, your ruling planet, is in obscure areas this month, so although everything might appear “perfect” when you meet someone new, the potential of this match actually working out is not so great. When it comes to your career and finances, you’ll be feeling even more optimistic about the future once Saturn leaves Libra at the end of October. Overall, this month opens up great opportunities for learning and renewal in all areas of your life if you just put yourself out there, Libra!
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SPORTS
Cross country teams look to repeat success at home event By FARRELL BROWN staff writer
The Augusta State men and women’s cross country teams will end their regular seasons with the annual Jaguar Invitational this week. “It’s a chance for us to kind of bring some teams to Augusta (Ga.) and highlight our university, highlight our athletes,” said head coach Adam Ward. The Jaguar Invitational is the last of the teams’ four regular season races. It will feature at least two Division I teams (Georgia State and South Carolina State) that, according to coach Ward, requested to be a part of the race. The race will also feature Augusta State’s conference rivals, including the newly added Young Harris teams. “Folks will get a chance to see what cross country is, what we re-
ally do, how hard these athletes really work,” Ward added. Ward also emphasized that home-track advantage will double as a way to expose more of the students and the community to the cross country teams. Ward said he moved this year’s event to 5:15 p.m. on a Friday evening instead of the usual early-morning start time in order to increase the chances of audience growth. He also pointed out that this is a way for people to get to know the team as, due to the way the races are held, any and all supporters will have the chance to “interact directly with the runners both during and after the races.” Both Augusta State teams are looking to keep up the winning culture they’ve had involving the Jaguar Invitational. Last season, the men’s team won the event while the women finished second to Georgia State. The squads are also looking to impress home fans as well as
other teams, Ward said. “You always want to defend home court so to speak,” he said. “Our expectations are we want to go, we want to do well and we want to win.” Ward said the Jaguar Invitational starts the process of transitioning into the teams’ postseason training. The men’s team ranked third in the NCAA Southeast Region, according to a regular season poll released Sept. 25 by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Sept. 18 edition of the same poll also has the women’s team ranked eighth in the Southeastern Region. When asked who were the players to watch in the Jaguar Invitational, Ward listed Jessica Carpenter and Alicia Connolly for the women’s team and Jaiden Brandt and record-setting Dustin Ross for the men’s team.
fbrown19@aug.edu
Siler’s journey brings him to Chinese league By MEREDITH DAILEY contributor Garret Siler may be playing for the Jiangsu Dragons this season, but he’s still an Augusta State Jaguar as he finishes up online classes to earn his bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science. When he arrived at Augusta State in 2004, Siler was provided with an opportunity that most athletes would only dream of: a scholarship in a sport he had only been playing one year. “I went to a fine arts school,” Siler said. “And my asthma had always been bad growing up, so I could never play.” Once Siler was 16 years old, he transferred to the Academy of Richmond County High School in Augusta, Ga., where he got the first taste of the sport he now loves. “I’ve been in the coaching business 25 years, and I’ve never recruited a kid that started playing basketball at 16,” said Dip Metress, the head coach of the Augusta State’s men’s basketball team. “And I probably never will again.” While Siler said he most remembers the brotherhood shared during his time at Augusta State, his coach remembers the improvements he made during his five years on the team. “I’m proud of him because this is hard to do, and there are very few people at Augusta State that remember how bad he was,” Metress said. “If you had asked me eight years ago when I met him if he would be playing basketball in China, I would have told you ‘Absolutely not.’” Jamie Quarles, who played basketball with Siler at Richmond Academy and Augusta State, remembers Siler from the beginning. “His asthma was really bad, he was really big and he couldn’t remember the plays,” Quarles said. “People used to say, ‘You’ve got that big kid sitting on the bench,’ but they didn’t realize how bad he really was.” After leaving Augusta State and acquiring an agent, Siler signed a contract with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, which he describes as a defining moment in his life. “When everything starts clicking and you have a good game, you’re on cloud
Despite the constant struggles that come with limited mobility, one local athlete refuses to allow his disease to hinder him. Lantz Lamback, a native of Augusta, Ga., said he started participating in swimming events at the Paralympics when he was 15 years old. Lamback was introduced to the sport of swimming by one of his biggest supporters: his father. “I was swimming out at Fort Gordon in a triathalon club out there and they had a swim team,” Fred Lamback said. “Lantz and his other two siblings started participating in it. He just progressed from there. He was on the swim team, and he was always fast at swim meets.” This year, Lamback participated in his third straight Paralympics, which were held in London. According to the Paralympic Education website, the Paralympics were
Call me, ESPN By FARRELL BROWN staff writer
MEREDITH DAILY | CONTRIBUTOR
Former Augusta State All-American and current professional Garret Siler (black hooded sweatshirt) competes with current Augusta State players to prepare for the upcoming season.
nine,” Siler said. After the Suns released Siler Jan. 2, he returned to Augusta. Over the summer he traveled to Vegas to train with the Washington Wizards. From there, Siler went to Florida’s IMG Academy, where many NBA players train. Siler soon faced a tough decision: sign with the Washington Wizards or the Jiangsu Dragons. “I decided to stick with China this year,” Siler said. “They offered me more money; it’s a shorter season; and as soon as I get done in March, I can go back to the Wizards.” The Dragons are based in a town an hour outside of Shanghai and are affiliated with NBA teams, setting up future opportunities for Siler. “Because I didn’t get to play that much when I was over in Phoenix, it’s better for me to get playing time,” Siler said. He said he could possibly be the only American on the team this season, making playing more difficult with a language barrier. “Sign language plays into it a lot,” Siler said. “You learn yes and no, their little cues, and they learn your words and what you do.” Although Siler doesn’t know what his future holds once he returns from China, he said he hopes to continue playing and one
day follow in the footsteps of Augusta State’s Clint Bryant and become the athletic director of a university. “A lot of people have a lot of faith in me,” Siler said. “They think that I can do great things. And when people say that, you can’t help but be confident in your abilities.” Despite the fame that he’s encountered, Siler keeps a humble attitude with his life motto, “Work hard, stay humble and stay hungry.” His old coach has noticed how he has stuck to this creed. “He has not changed one bit,” Metress said. “He just makes a little more money and dresses a little better, but he hasn’t changed a bit.”
mld090189@gmail.com
“Because I didn’t get
to play that much in Phoenix, it’s better for me to get playing time.” - Garrett Siler on his decision to sign with the Jiangsu Dragons
Local swimmer triumphs over cerebral palsy By KARL FRAZIER senior reporter
FARRELL BROWN | STAFF
Augusta State’s Adam Aldridge, one of five returning Jaguars who placed in the top 12 of the 2011 Jaguar Invitational, strides toward the finish line during last year’s event at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Ga.
envisioned by Ludwig Guttmann, a doctor from England. Guttmann’s dream was to create a worldwide sports competition for people with disabilities that would be held every four years like the Olympic Games. In 1960, the first Paralympics were held in Rome. Since participating in 2004, Lamback has built up his medal count. Lamback said he has a total of eight career medals including this year’s Paralympics. “(This year), I got a gold medal in the 50-meter freestyle and the bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle,” he said. “I have two bronze medals from Athens (in 2004); I have gold, two silvers and a bronze medal from Beijing (in 2008) and the two medals from London.” At Beijing, Lamback set a world record in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1 minute, 12.09 seconds. Fred Lamback said he has been to each of Lantz’s Paralympic events and has tried to attend
his son’s other swim meets as well. Like all other Paralympic athletes, Lamback suffers from a disability. He has cerebral palsy. “Cerebral palsy is like having a stroke,” Lamback said. “At birth, you have a damaged sector of the brain, you have a blood vessel that burst, and the effect of cerebral palsy depends on the severity of the damage.” Lamback’s left side is affected by the disease. However, he said he has learned to live with the disability. Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that can involve the brain and the nervous system. The condition can be caused by brain infections, bleeding to the brain or a head injury during a mother’s pregnancy. While there is no cure for it, the disorder does not affect life expectancy, Lantz Lamback said. Fred Lamback said he and his wife have always tried to encourage their son. “The attitude his mother
and I took was, ‘You (Lantz) can do it,’” he said. “‘You might not be able to do it as fast (as others), but you can do it.’ We had to be positive. It is one of those situations where all you can do is to help him succeed where he is in life.” While Lamback has accomplished a lot in the pool, he has other goals he wants to reach. Since 2006, Lantz has been an off and on student at Augusta State. At 26, Lantz said he is halfway through getting his degree and wants to eventually complete it. Currently, Lamback lives in Colorado Springs, Colo., and has been training at the Olympic Training Center there. He has lived there the past 2 ½ years and plans to fill out an application for the next resident program in January 2013. Lantz said he will return to Augusta Oct. 10 to prepare for a disabled swim meet that will be held Oct. 20-21.
kfrazie9@aug.edu
The NFL season is fully underway, and soon everyone will be talking about his postseason predictions. I figured why not start putting mine out there early? Before the season started, I watched an episode of ESPN’s “First Take” and wrote down a few predictions for the postseason because I’m one of those people who likes to watch the show and play along at home. I’m going to start with the AFC because it’s the easier to predict of the two conferences. In the AFC North, I’m picking the Baltimore Ravens to win the division. They are, in my opinion, the best team in football and definitely the most complete in every facet of the game. In the AFC South, I pick the Houston Texans. With the exception of the Colts, who I’ll talk about in a minute, no other team in that division has a chance to make a statement this year. In the AFC West, I pick… anyone in the division. Someone has to win the division, but the problem is no team stands out as a threat to do so. In the AFC East, I pick the New England Patriots by a longshot. Their competition is a team that’s just bad, a team that cut or traded away most of its good players, and a team that’s still struggling to figure out if it wants to be good or not. Each conference also sends two wildcard teams to the playoffs, along with the four division winners. This year, I’m looking at the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts, two teams with a lot of young players with plenty of potential. Now let’s look at the NFC. In the NFC North, I like the Green Bay Packers, which have the reigning league MVP, Aaron Rodgers, leading arguably the league’s most high-powered yet one-dimensional offense. In the NFC South, I’m picking the Atlanta Falcons. On paper, this is one of the most stacked teams in the NFL. With the Saints franchise in controversy, this leaves a huge chance for the Falcons to sneak in and take the division. In the NFC West, I’m taking the San Francisco 49ers in another longshot. No other team is close to touching them, and this is hands down the scariest defense in football today. The hardest division to decipher in the NFL is the NFC East, and I’m picking the New York Giants, a team that’s playing as well as any other right now. They do, however, have bad luck with injuries. This could be a good thing though; the Giants are usually a team that finishes the regular season strong and heads into the playoffs with a lot of momentum. If they can get healthy by the end of the season, they pose a big threat to repeat as Super Bowl champions. My two wildcard teams for the NFC are the Seattle Seahawks and the Philadelphia Eagles. OK, stop before you start writing emails; I’m not going to read about how wrong I am. Just listen: I know they have a terrible offensive line and a quarterback who’s forced to play hurt because of it, a lack of a possession receiver, an iffy defense, and way too many turnovers. However, they also, statistically, have the league’s fifth best offense. The Seahawks are also a team that kind of seems out of place being in playoff discussions, but they quietly have the league’s fourth-ranked defense that can make up for their less than impressive offense. Also they have a rookie at quarterback and a new receiving core, so there’s plenty of time for them to get used to each other and make it work. As far as ranking both conferences, my top six teams in the AFC, in order, are the Ravens, the Patriots, the Texans, an AFC West participant, the Bengals and the Colts. In the NFC my top six teams, in order, are the 49ers, the Packers, the Giants, the Falcons, the Eagles and the Seahawks.
fbrown19@aug.edu
THE BELL RINGER
PAGE 11 www.asubellringer.com
Men’s basketball reinforces roster with six new players By JOHN-MICHAEL GARNER sports editor
The men’s basketball team missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in five years this spring, but a deep recruiting class could have the Jaguars set to make a quick return to the national spotlight. Augusta State head coach Dip Metress added six players to this program this offseason, and five of them will enter practice this month with a chance to work their way into the playing rotation. The class is highlighted by Flagler transfer Chad July, a 6-foot-9, 245-pounder who Metress said could bolster an interior that had its share of struggles last year. “Inability to rebound was what got us a lot last year,” Metress said. “(July) has averaged 8 rebounds a game in our league. Hopefully, he can provide some of that for us and some low-post scoring as well.” July’s 8.5 rebounds per game placed him fourth in the Peach Belt Conference in 2011-12, and he also chipped in 11.0 points per contest. He racked up these numbers despite averaging slightly less than 25 minutes on the floor for Augusta State’s conference rivals. In addition to July, Metress landed another transfer in Ryan Weems, who comes to Augusta State by way of Broward, a junior college in Miramar, Fla. Weems earned a reputation as a lethal long-range shooter at Broward, knocking down 43 percent of his 3-point attempts as a sophomore. Metress said his deft touch from beyond the arc fills a need for his team, which lost two of its top 3-point marksmen with the graduations of guards of O’Neal Armstrong and Tye Beal.
upcoming schedule men’s golf Oct. 5-7, Brickyard Collegiate Championship at The Brickyard at Riverside (Macon, Ga.)
women’s golf Oct. 8-9, Lady Pirate Intercollegiate at Greenville Country Club (Greenville, N.C.)
men’s & women’s tennis Oct. 12-14, at Clemson Invitational
volleyball Oct. 3 at Queens (N.C.) Oct. 6 Lander Oct. 12 at UNC Pembroke Oct. 13 at Francis Marion
men’s & women’s cross country Oct. 5, Jaguar Invitational at Blanchard Woods Park (Evans, Ga.)
“We’re going to put the best players out there to help us win games.” - Augusta State men’s basketball coach Dip Metress Augusta State signed three freshmen this offseason, including Michael Graham, a 6-foot-4 forward from Maryland’s Largo High School. Lewis Howard, Graham’s former coach at Largo, said the forward has a high ceiling for growth and should improve rapidly at the collegiate level. Metress said Graham possesses solid athleticism and rebounding skills in addition to showing a willingness to listen to his coaches’ instructions. Two other freshmen, Keshun Sherrill and Josh Samuels, should reinforce the Augusta State backcourt, which returns sophomore starters Devonte Thomas and D’Angelo Boyce but will be looking for depth with the losses of Armstrong, Beal and Kyle Armour, Metress said. “They’re both small guards, but they’re different types of players,” he said. “Keshun’s a true point guard; Josh is more of a scoring point guard. They’ll both have a chance to play this year, no doubt about that.” The final piece to the Jags’ recruiting class is Sherrill’s older brother K.J. Sherrill, who will redshirt this season after playing three years at Division I Charlotte. The elder Sherrill was beset
by injuries during his career with the 49ers and is still in the process of recovering from a knee injury. Though he would likely be healthy enough to return to the court at some point this season, Metress said he wanted to save his final year of eligibility for 2013-14, when he will be able to play a full season. Last season, Thomas, Boyce and forward Devon Wright-Nelson combined to make 56 starts as freshmen. Despite Augusta State bringing back all five starters from last year’s roster, the coach said his returnees know they will face competition from the newcomers. “We’re going to put the best players out there to help us win us games,” Metress said. “We had some weaknesses last year, and I think we tried to address those weaknesses (with this class). The key thing was finding guys who are good enough to play, because if they’re not good enough to play as freshmen, then they’ll never play in their careers here.” The Jags’ newcomers will get to make their opening cases for playing time when the team opens practice Oct. 15.
jgarner6@aug.edu
DAVID WICKER | CONTRIBUTOR
Men’s basketball coach Dip Metress, who signed three transfers and three freshmen this offseason, protests a controversial call during a game against UNC Pembroke on Jan. 25.
Locals race in comfort to benefit cancer research By RON HICKERSON chief reporter Hundreds of runners turned out on a sunny Saturday morning at the Lake Olmstead Stadium wearing unusual running attire: their pajamas. The runners were participating in the first 5K Pajama Run, held Sept. 22. The event, which was sponsored by Knology, raised awareness for cancers below the waist, such as colon cancer, testicular cancer and cervical cancer. Naomi Williams, the family support coordinator at Georgia Health Sciences University and the event coordinator, said all the funds the runners raised will go to benefit cancer research at the Georgia Health Sciences Cancer Center. There, the funds will be used to research specifically these types of cancer that are usually more embarrassing to talk about. “Unfortunately, we’re in a sex-driven society, but we don’t want to talk about our body parts and anatomy, which I really don’t understand,” Williams said. “But I think it does at least get the conversation started. Even though it may be embarrassing to talk about having your colon checked or having a rectal exam or having a yearly Pap (smear), having these types of exams and having the necessary screenings, it can potentially save your life. So if people running in their PJs won’t get a conversation started, I don’t know what else we can do.” Williams said Daron Ferris, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at GHSU and the director of the Gynecological Prevention Cancer Center, was named the physician champion of the event and was responsible for raising awareness around GHSU and the cancer center. His research focuses on cervical cancer, and, this year, most of the funds will go to benefit cervical cancer research. Ferris said GHSU plans to make this an annual event and will highlight a different type of cancer below the waist each year. “It’s a great honor and privilege to be a recipient of these funds,” he said. “And GHSU is very appreciative of the community supporting the cause. We’re so excited (that) we had such a great turnout this inaugural year.” Williams said the goal was to have 300 runners attend the 5K, and that goal was exceeded. For some runners, the appeal was to come and run the race on a certified course. “We had (the course) certified, which means that a company actually comes out and measures it, and it goes on the USA Track and Field website as a certified course, and it stays certified for 10 years,” Williams said. “That means they go out and measure the distance three times with a calibrated bike to make sure that the distance is accurate. So for people who are avid runners, keep up with their mileage, keep up with their times and try to break personal records, it’s important to them to run on a certified course.” Yet, for others at the event, the race was much more personal. Caroline Cox, one woman at the race, said she wanted to participate in honor of her husband, Barry Cox, who died Aug. 2 from rectal cancer at 49 years old. She heard about the race from her husband’s doctor and decided to join the event. She wore a white shirt honoring her husband with the dates of his birth and death written on the back. “I thought it would be a great way to raise awareness of a horrible disease,” she said. “It makes people talk, and the more people talk, the more people learn and maybe they’ll listen. There are too many people with cancer.” She said the funds raised can go to preventive research, saying that by being screened doctors can find polyps and remove them before they
RON HICKERSON | STAFF
Participants in the inaugural 5K Pajama Run, which was held Sept. 22 at Lake Olmstead Stadium, race to raise funds for the cancer center at Georgia Health Sciences University.
become cancerous. “It doesn’t have to become a cancer,” Cox said. “It can be prevented, and a little bit of prevention can go a long way.” Rohe Kuhar, the family support coordinator at GHSU, said she thought the race’s cause was the reason so many people turned out. “(These kinds of cancers) are nondescript,” she said. “It could hit anyone. It could hit any woman and even children.” Ferris agreed, cit- Prior to the Pajama ing the case of the late the entrance of Lake actress Farrah Fawcett who died in 2009 from anal cancer. “People don’t talk about it much, but it happens,” he said. The race attracted a huge variety of people, from serious runners to whole families. The event was packed with children who came to run the course (or ride it in their strollers) with their parents. Runners also ran with their dogs. One group of friends even came to run in the 5K as part of a bachelorette party. But this first Pajama Run was not unique to Augusta, Ga. Kayla Droney, one of the other event coordinators, said the event first started in Charleston, S.C., which, come November, will host its fifth-annual pajama run. Since its first year, the race has spread to Denver; Long Beach, Calif.; and Charlotte, N.C. Williams said she and her son participated in one of the races in Charleston and, from then on, wanted to host one in Augusta. She said she thought Augusta would be a great fit because of its strong running community and the presence of a cancer center. “The biggest thing is that the funds are staying local,” said Williams about the event’s appeal. “It’s community driven, and the funds are being pumped right back into the same community… I can say, for the Pajama Run, wherever the Pajama Run happens, (the funds) go right back into that community, back into a cancer center.”
rhickers@aug.edu
RON HICKERSON | STAFF
Run, attendants of the event gather outside Olmstead Stadium in anticipation of the race.
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PAGE 12
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2012 www.asubellringer.com
SPORTS IRONMAN AUGUSTA KRISTIN HAWKINS | STAFF
Local volunteers make Ironman competition possible By KRISTIN HAWKINS arts & life editor With more than 3,400 participants, volunteers are a vital asset to the Ironman competition. Carly Kobasiar, the sales and marking manager for The Augusta Sports Council, has helped with the volunteer coordination for the Ironman event since it began in Augusta, Ga., four years ago. Kobasiar said one of the biggest jobs she has prior to the event is finding volunteers, figuring out how many volunteers are needed and calculating the best approach to making the event all possible. “The volunteers are absolutely crucial; there is no way we could present this race without the support of our volunteers,” Kobasiar said. “We use a little over a thousand volunteers for all aspects of the race, passing out water and checking people in, even some of the technical things.” Kobasiar said she believes having local volunteers gives a good “local face” to the whole event. “It’s great to have those smiling faces that are here welcoming the event to our community,” Kobasiar said. “They are putting on the face of Augusta for us.” Since the competition has been held in Augusta for the past four years, Kobasiar explained that some volunteers come back to help each year, but even with
KRISTIN HAWKINS | STAFF
KRISTIN HAWKINS | STAFF
2012 Augusta Ironman 70.3 Maxim Kriat of the Ukraine won his second men’s Augusta Half Ironman in three years, recording a time of 3 hours, 49 minutes and 14 seconds. Australian Melissa Hauschildt, with a time of 4:06:56, claimed the women’s title in her first appearance in the city. the multi-year volunteers, the Sports Council always faces difficulties finding people to help. “It is always a little bit slow starting,” she said. “Usually the last couple of weeks leading up to the event there is a huge surge.” Kobasiar added that local groups are a big part of the volunteer staff during the event. “We’ve got a lot of community groups that we work with, so we reach out to those groups,” she said. “They can bring in 30 to 40 people collectively as a
group to come and help out.” Matt Keck, a volunteer at last year’s Ironman competition, got involved with the event through the Augusta Rugby Club. The Sport’s Council contacted the team because it was looking for volunteers, Keck said. “(It) ended up that all 30 people helped out,” he said. “It was pretty fun.” Keck said the experience was beneficial to both the team and the participating triathletes. “The Ironman Foundation provides an opportunity for
KRISTIN HAWKINS | STAFF
some of these nonprofit organizations to receive a grant,” Kobasiar said. “They can apply for a grant as they would any other grant they might apply for.” Ironman donated around
European golfers at home in Augusta By KARL FRAZIER senior reporter International golfers have found the opportunity of a lifetime in Augusta, Ga. Jack Heasman, a native of London and a sophomore finance major at Augusta State, said he came to the university after hearing about its golf program. “I heard about Augusta State because Augusta is known worldwide in the golf world,” Heasman said. “When I looked through the rankings, Augusta State was No. 6 in the country. I talked to the players on the team and decided to come here.” Heasman said he has adjusted to Augusta State without any major problems. But for other players, the move to Augusta has come with some setbacks. Julia Stalbro, a native of Kolstad, Sweden, and a senior member of the women’s golf team at Augusta State, said that sometimes it is difficult when you are sick or struggling with school in a foreign country. However, talking with her parents helps ease her homesickness. “I talked to them several times a week,” Stalbro said. “I still keep in touch with them so it is no problem.” Although Augusta is a long distance from her home, Stalbro said this is not her first time leaving her parents. When she was 16, she moved away from home to go to high school,
which was six hours from her house. Because of this experience, Stalbro said it was easier for her to move to Augusta despite the struggles she encounters. Marit Bjerke, a native of Lommendalen, Norway, and another senior on the women’s team, said she has had to adjust to the cultural difference in America. “Everything is just so big in America compared to back home,” Bjerke said. “You see like the food, I mean, everything is just big here.” However, Bjerke said she loves it here and sees a lot of similarities to her hometown. She said she grew up in a small town, and Augusta is similar to what she is used to. She also said she loves the climate because she can play golf all year round. She said she loves the way people treat her here and how everyone is friendly. The players said they want to contribute and make his team better. The Lady Jaguars first tournament was Sept. 18 at the Dale McNamara Invitational in Oklahoma. They finished with a score of 304 and moved to 10th place out of a 15-team field. They are now in their second season under coach Kory Thompson. The men’s golf team season opener was Sept. 8 at the Northern Intercollegiate in Sugar Grove, Ill. This is the team’s second year under coach Kevin McPherson. It posted its best round on Sunday with
$1,000 to the Augusta Rugby Club for helping out during last years competition, Keck said.
khutchi2@aug.edu
The Bell Ringer’s College Football Top 10 1. Alabama (5-0) Got a rare challenge at home from Ole Miss. 2. Oregon (5-0) De’Anthony Thomas is emerging as a serious Heisman contender.
KARL FRAZIER | STAFF
Senior Julia Stalbro, one of four European players on the women’s golf team, watches the flight of her shot while practicing at the Augusta State athletic complex Sept. 25.
“Everything is just so big in America compared to back home.” - Augusta State golfer Marit Bjerke
a 307 after struggling on Saturday. The Jaguars finished in 10th place out of an 11-team field. Heasman said he has high hopes for the team this year. “We did not have a good start, but I think it is only going to get better from here,” Heasman said. “The eventual goal is to be a top 25 in the country program ranked at the end of the year. I think that is quite attainable.” Besides loving golf, the players also enjoy going to Augusta State for academic reasons. Stalbro loves that the classrooms are smaller because she
gets to know her teachers one-on-one. She said she would be lost if she went to a bigger school. While they don’t know what will happen once they graduate, the players are keeping their options open. “It all depends on whether I want to do my master’s here or go back home,” Bjerke said. “We will see. I still have two more years in school, and after I will see if I will go home and finish school or stay here and get my master’s.”
kfrazie9@aug.edu
3. Florida State (5-0) Survived a potential trap at South Florida. 4. LSU (5-0) Vaunted defense showing without Tyrann Mathieu. 5. Georgia (5-0) Record-setting offense underachieving defense.
cracks
obscures
6. South Carolina (5-0) Struggled in the first half before burying Kentucky. 7. Texas (4-0) Offense is playing at its highest level since Colt McCoy era. 8. Kansas State (4-0) Still basking in the glow of huge road win at Oklahoma two weeks ago. 9. Florida (4-0) Readying for a huge showdown in the Swamp versus LSU. 10. West Virginia (4-0) Geno Smith is the Heisman favorite, but defense is nonexistent.