Volume 55, Issue 6 by The Bell Ringer

AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY

www.asubellringer.com

VOLUME 55, ISSUE 6

NEWS | PAGE 2

Ronald McDonald and James Bond team up to help families of hospitalized children.

Student’s car broken into on campus

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2012

ARTS & LIFE | PAGE 8

SPORTS | PAGE 12

Mutts take over the Evans Towne Center to raise money for local animal rescue groups.

Augusta RiverHawks hoping for big things in 2012-13 as season gets underway.

Georgia Regents University Augusta Branding name announced at press conference

By RON HICKERSON chief reporter

burglary on campus left one student missing $1,600 worth of personal

property. Sometime between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. a student’s Macbook and computer case were stolen from her car, which was parked on the Augusta State University campus Wednesday, Oct. 17, said Joe Webber, lieutenant of the Department of Public Safety. After the student contacted Public Safety, further investigation showed no signs of forced entry into the vehicle but revealed that her driver’s side door was not locking properly, he said. “There was no way that anyone would’ve known that (the) vehicle had been entered until the person came back and realized that something she knew was there was not there any longer,” Webber said. The student, unaware that the lock was malfunctioning, left the door unlocked and the vehicle unsecured, making it easier for the person to take the computer, he said. As it stands now, Public Safety is currently investigating the crime, but Webber said this kind of crime does not happen very often at Augusta State. “On a lot of campuses, entering an auto is a big crime just because it’s like easy pickings, especially coming around the holidays,” Webber said. “People just take what’s not theirs. They see something in the cars they’ll just bust out the windows and take it.” Although the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department reported 261 burglaries and 505 incidents of theft in the county, Augusta State had only 16 burglaries on its main campus in the past four years, peaking in 2010 when eight burglaries occurred, according to Public Safety’s crime report. When asked why Augusta State has had such a low rate of these types of crimes, Webber attributed the lack of thefts to both students and officers on campus and the relationship between the two. “Our student population is not afraid to call us and let us know if there’s a suspicious person walking around,” he said. “I think it’s that relationship that we’ve built as a police department with the students and the people on campus that they feel that they’re comfortable enough to communicate with the police department.” Without the relationship between Public Safety and people on campus, there would be no communication and, to Webber, communication is the key, he said. So, in order to build that relationship, Public Safety officials have made it a point to give presentations in the ASU Orientation class as well as send out emails and other notifications to remind students of their presence on campus. But, as the merger between Augusta State and Georgia Health Sciences University begins to finalize, the GHSU campus has dealt with a lot of this type of crime. According to an update on Public Safety at GHSU’s website, there have been 18 incidents automobile break-ins since January this year. “It’s a big deal most campuses and we’re just fortunate,” Webber said. “I don’t invite (criminals) here by any means. We work hard to maintain the integrity of our campus and its security.” To avoid these types of crimes, Webber stressed the point that people should not leave valuables in their car, even if just for a short time. If a person insists on leaving his belongings in the car, he said to make sure to hide the belongings and remove them from plain sight. Because the crime is still under investigation, officers at Public Safety were not able to comment.

rhickers@aug.edu

CONTRIBUTED BY ASU OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Save the A members Barry Storey (from left) and Nick Evans, GHSU President Ricardo Azziz and Chancellor of the University System of Georgia address the media following the announcement that Georgia Regents University Augusta will be the name the university will use for marketing purposes.

By TAMIKA LAMPKIN senior reporter

he new university has a new name. Again. With the efforts of the Save the A campaign and the surrounding community, the new name for the two merging universities has changed. The name has gone from Georgia Regents University to Georgia Regents University Augusta, though only for marketing purposes. The decision was announced Thursday, in a press release by Christen Carter, the director of media relations at Georgia Health Sciences University. After the name selection by the Board of Regents on Aug. 7, students and faculty as well as the community at large all agreed that Augusta needed to be somewhere in the name for the “New U.” Ricardo Azziz, the president of GHSU, came together with Save the A members Nick Evans and Barry Storey to announce the compromise. “We are pleased to have reached

an agreement that enables us to prominently incorporate ‘Augusta’ in the official logo and branding of our new university,” Azziz said. “The agreement allows us to highlight the importance of the city in our academic, clinical, research and athletic programs, while ensuring the people of Georgia recognize the state-wide role.” The new university will include nine colleges, more than 650 acres of campus and nearly 150 buildings. The university will have 10,000 students; more than 1,000 full-time faculty; approximately 5,600 staff; an integrated health system and a growing intercollegiate athletics program. The question now is whether the new name satisfies the community. The Save the A campaign’s sole purpose was to ensure that Augusta remained a part of the university name. Social media sites came to life moments after the news of the new name was released to the public. Jessica Hanson, public relations major at Augusta State University, said she is happy that she will be graduating in December of this year with Augusta State University on her

diploma. As an avid supporter of Augusta State, she voiced her opinion of the new name on Facebook. “Georgia Regents University Augusta sounds worse than the other option,” Hanson said. “Sorry, but this is not a victory. The BOR still gets to stroke their egos and we still end up sounding like a cheap online school. So glad I graduate in December.” GHSU’s students are not enthused by the new name either. Courtney Young, a respiratory therapy major, said she has grown fond of the school she will be graduating from in May. She knows the change was inevitable but she said students should have had more control in the choosing the new name. “I still believe the voice of the people was not heard,” Young said. “Adding Augusta to the name is not efficient enough, and it seems as if this school will be throughout the state of Georgia. This is just the Augusta campus.” On the contrary, Save the A members said they believe they have helped make a significant impact on the way the community will view the

new university now that Augusta is included in the name. “Throughout this process, ensuring the recognition of this community in the name used for this new university has been our top priority,” Evans said. “Augusta’s new university now will have an official logo and look that recognizes our city, which will do much to ensure its national and global appeal.” Georgia Regents University will remain the legal name of the merged universities, however Georgia Regents University Augusta will be used as the official logo in its branding efforts following approval of the consolidation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, which could be as soon as January 2013.

tlampkin@aug.edu

Merger Concerns Forum

D. Douglas Barnard, Jr. Amphitheater Oct. 30 2:30 p.m.

Why voting is on Tuesday JSAC Fitness Center and why it hasn’t changed set to close by Fall 2013 Merger brings alterations to the JSAC by removing the Fitness Center and expanding the Game Room By JACOB SCHARFF contributor

JILLIAN HOBDAY I STAFF

Augustans take advantage of early voting at the Municipal Building on Saturday.

By JILLIAN HOBDAY news editor

oting on Tuesday is so 1800s. In 1845, Congress passed a law making the Tuesday after the first Monday in November the day for choosing presidential electors. But why? The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization Why Tuesday?, a group seeking to reform the voting system, said it’s all about the horse and

buggy. According to the group’s website, farmers needed three days to vote - one day to travel to the county seat, another day to vote, and another day to travel back to their agrarian lifestyle. All the while they had to find a time that didn’t interfere with the Holy weekend, leaving Tuesday and Wednesday. As it were, Wednesday was “market day” so Tuesday was left for the taking. Why Tuesday? wants to see VOTING on PAGE 3

f all the changes set to take place due to the upcoming merger, one of the more interesting ones is the decision to close the Fitness Center in the Jaguar Student Activities Center (JSAC). The JSAC opened in 2006, and with it came the Coffeehouse, the Game Room, TV rooms, massage chairs and the Fitness Center. Now, seven years later, the main changes to the JSAC have been to update its furniture and the Game Room’s catalogue, but with the merger on the horizon, the biggest change is yet to come. Last month, Eddie Howard Jr., the acting assistant vice president for student life, revealed during the Student Leader Workshop on Sept. 15 that the Fitness Center would close and the Game Room would be expanded into the space the gym currently occupies.

“The plan was always to move the Fitness Center out of the Student Center anyway,” Howard said. “But the consolidation changed some of that. My thought process is we could do more in the way of gaming and Game Room type facility and activities… if we had that space.” Before the merger, every student was charged a fee to create what Howard dubbed the Student Life Engagement Center. At the very least, since that time, the plan had been to move the Fitness Center out of the JSAC, he said. A recent revelation from the Center for Disease Control showed Augusta as the fifth fatest city in America as of September 2012. According to Howard, though, even if this list had come out sooner, it would not have affected this decision. Howard went on to say that with intramural play, Christenberry Fieldhouse and even the see FITNESS on PAGE 3

PAGE 2

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2012 www.asubellringer.com

NEWS

SGA to host forum to hear students’ concerns By LEIGH BEESON copy editor

The voice of

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 chief reporter RON HICKERSON rhickers@aug.edu production manager KELSEY DONNELLY kelseydonne@gmail.com production assistant JACQUELYN PABON jpabon@aug.edu senior reporters KARL FRAZIER TAMIKA LAMPKIN staff writers NIKKI SKINNER FARRELL BROWN contributors KATHERINE DYCHES KRISTIANA FERNANDEZ KAYLA KING LINDSEY LEVERETT JACOB SCHARFF JENNER STEVENSON JORDAN WILLIAMS correspondent MINDY A. WADLEY circulation manager TREY UNDERWOOD zildjianman08@gmail.com advertising manager HANNAH FOERSTER hannahrosefoerster@gmail.com web master SI-LONG CHEN schen1@aug.edu

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The Student Government Association wants to know students’ opinions about the impending merger so it can share concerns with the new administration. The Student Welfare Committee is organizing a forum Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. in the D. Douglas Barnard, Jr. Amphitheater for students to meet the SGA senators and air grievances or concerns about the upcoming merger of Augusta State and Georgia Health Sciences universities, said senator and committee member Demetrius Lowery. Lowery said he knows there may be questions or complaints about the new university’s branding name, Georgia Regents University Augusta, but emphasized that the forum is not specifically about the name, though he acknowledged that the topic may be brought up during the forum.

“Everybody’s going to have their opinion at the end of the day,” Lowery said. “So I know there’s going to be a lot of positive opinions, and I know there’s going to be a lot of negative opinions. What we’re here (to do) at SGA, we’re not here to join any side. We’re just here to hear their opinions and see what we can do for the students.” At the beginning of Friday’s SGA meeting, Vice President JoAnna Molina said she wanted to make one point clear before senators inevitably get questioned on the new name. “No, we (the SGA) weren’t part of adding the Augusta to Georgia Regents University Augusta,” Molina said. “No, there is no ‘at’ between Georgia Regents University Augusta. It’s just Georgia Regents University Augusta.” Addressing senators’ concerns about not being informed of the branding name change, SGA adviser and acting assistant vice president for student life Eddie Howard Jr. said stu-

Military-friendly campus expands amenities to uniformed students By KRISTIANA FERNANDEZ contributor The Office of Military and Veteran Services at Augusta State University is working to provide more efficient resources to active duty military, reservists, National Guard members and their families. The office opened its doors in July 2012 and began working with military members to ensure their easy transitions into college life. The staff members are dedicated to advocating for the military community, said Maggie Witherington, the office’s military service coordinator. In previous years, the process of obtaining tuition assistance, transferring credits and selecting a degree program placed a large burden on the military student, Witherington said. Now the office is working alongside other departments on campus to streamline the process. She said she desires to see the office become a “one-stop shop” for the academic needs of military students. “It used to be the soldier doing all the foot work to get everything done,” she said. “But here I try to handle it.” Deployed students can continue to take class while on-duty or have the option to take incompletes and finish their courses when they return home. Augusta State works diligently to ensure that when a student returns home credits are given for classes taken while away, Witherington said. The department also helps to fully utilize tuition assistance given to all military members. Many individuals are only given

a set amount of money per semester that covers solely tuition and not fees. Augusta State has begun to waive the institutional fee of $235 for military members to lessen the amount they have to pay out of pocket. Witherington said she and her staff strive to help these students in other ways as well. “If they have any trouble with admissions or anything, they can come to our office and we’ll guide them through on what they need to do or we’ll do it for them,” she said. “When they come in with certain classes that aren’t transferred in, we’ll go fight for those classes to transfer so they’ll have more credits coming into the institution.” Upon improving resources, Augusta State also plans to offer a full-service recreation area for service members and their families. This will allow for laptop checkouts when needed, study group areas and break areas. The members and families can use these amenities in between classes or whenever necessary, said Carol Giardina, the director of Military and Veteran Services. The department also hopes to begin a mentoring program in the fall of 2013. It will be open to both service members and their dependents. Giardina said the objective is to offer adjustment advice for incoming military students who are new to taking classes on campus. The program will assist students with any classroom or campus adjustment they need. “What we want to do is get successful students here who are military or veterans and faculty see MILITARY on PAGE 3

LEIGH BEESON | STAFF

Eddie Howard Jr. explains policies and procedures relating to the new university to the senators at Friday’s Student Goverrnment Association meeting,

dents need to understand that university decisions sometimes “need to be made, and they’re made” without much input from students. “The larger the university gets, the less you hear direct communication about things,” Howard said.

“That’s going to be one of the inherent inherited things that we’re going to get as a result of becoming a larger university: Information doesn’t flow as easily as it flows on a smaller campus.”

kbeeson1@aug.edu

Christianity on campus On-campus community wants students to know God and one another By LEIGH BEESON copy editor An on-campus organization wants to set students on fire – spiritually. Recently reestablished on Augusta State University’s campus, CRU is a Christian organization that tries to bring students closer to God and their classmates through weekly Bible studies and social events, CRU staff member Ron Jones said. Jones reactivated the group at the university after discovering that the Augusta State offshoot of CRU had already been founded years earlier but had since become an inactive student group. “We’re a Christian community on (a) mission,” Jones explained. “What that means is we’re interested in both helping people that get involved with CRU build relationships with one another and grow in their faith in Jesus Christ. That’s the community part. The mission part is to serve and minister to the campus. There are two pieces to that: to serve the campus, make the campus a better place for students, and also to provide opportunities for students to explore what it means to know God personally through Jesus Christ.” CRU was once known as Campus Crusade for Christ; the name had some negative connotations, and Jones said the name CRU was more open-ended. “It doesn’t (stand for anything); it’s kind of like Starbucks,” Jones said. “What does Starbucks stand for? It doesn’t stand for any-

thing, but we all associate it with coffee or Kinko’s or something like that. With CRU, not many people on this campus, very few, know what CRU is. What we’re hoping is, as time goes on, when students see the title of the group, that they will associate that with the idea of us being a Christian community on mission. It’s just a title we hope to fill with meaning as people get to know us better.” Jones said his personal experience with CRU during his years at Clemson University prompted him to join the staff of the organization, and he spent 12 years establishing CRUs at various North Carolina colleges. “When you go off to college, even at Augusta State, which is a unique place, you’re still at that age group (when) you’re making a lot of big choices in your life,” Jones said. “(Decisions) as far as maybe who you’re going to marry, (and) what are you going to do for a vocation. But you also are exploring your faith, what you believe spiritually, what you believe about God.” Jones currently serves as lead pastor of The Hill Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga., but said CRU is strictly non-denominational, meaning the student group is not associated with a particular church or a particular denomination of the Christian faith. “Everybody’s welcome to come,” Jones said. “You don’t have to be a Christian to come,” Jones said. “You don’t have to be a Christian to come to it, even though we want people to be able to exsee CRU on PAGE 3

McDonald, Ronald McDonald

Local organization hosts benefit for families of sick children By KATHERINE DYCHES contributor The Augusta Red Shoe Society will be holding its inaugural benefit, From Augusta with Love, a James Bond-themed event complete with martinis and black ties, to support the Ronald McDonald House of Augusta, Ga. The Red Shoe Society, named after Ronald McDonald’s iconic red shoes, serves as the junior board of the Augusta Ronald McDonald House. Its goal is to provide an outlet for young professionals, ages 21 to 45, to get involved with the community in a positive way, said Amanda Andrews, the external events co-chair for the Red Shoe Society and Alpha Delta Pi alumni. “We really want people our age to get motivated and involved with the community,” she said. “Through events like From Augusta with Love, we’re hoping to raise awareness for the Ronald McDonald House and give young people a fun way to give back to the community.” The Ronald McDonald House is a nonprofit organization that provides a “home away from home” for families of seriously or chronically ill children, ranging in age from newborns to 21 year olds, who must travel away from home

JILLIAN HOBDAY | STAFF

Ronald McDonald sits on the porch of the 10-bedroom home on Greene Street, which houses the families of ill children.

to receive specialized medical treatment, according to the organization’s website. The Augusta house is a 10-bedroom home, located in downtown Augusta on Greene Street, a close distance to multiple area hospitals. While at the house, families receive room and board with a private bathroom, phone and TV, as well as nightly hot dinners donated by volunteers. While families are asked to pay $20 a night to stay at the house, no family is ever turned away due to an inability to pay. “This place serves as a place of love and support for the families of sick children,” said Liz Hill, a news anchor for NBC Augusta 26 and the president of the Red Shoe Society. “When they’re here, they’re not alone. There are other families here going through the same thing. It provides a great support system for the children and

the families during this incredibly difficult time in their lives.” Since it’s opening in 1984, the Augusta Ronald McDonald House has served more than 13,000 families. In addition to caring for families at the house, they also provide 20 scholarships to local area high school seniors to assist in paying for their college educations. The Ronald McDonald House inspires many young professionals, like Hill, to become active within the organization. “You can’t help but want to get involved when you see the amazing impact this house has on people’s lives,” Hill said. “You can see exactly what the time and the money is going to, and that what you’re doing really is making a difference to these families.” Friday, the Red Shoe Society will be hosting its first annual signature event, From Augusta with

Love. The James Bond-themed benefit will be held at the Marbury Center on Jones Street in downtown Augusta from 7 to 11 p.m. The event will feature music by DJ Kris Fisher, dancing, heavy hors d’oeuvres, an open bar and an auction. Tickets are $50 a piece or $90 per couple and can be purchased online or at the door the night of the event. Ronald McDonald House is the national philanthropy for the Alpha Delta Pi sorority. Several sisters from the Augusta State University chapter will be serving as “Bond Girls” for From Augusta with Love. “A lot of young people go out on the weekends,” Andrews said. “Why not put that money towards a good cause and have a great time too?”

kdyches@aug.edu

THE BELL RINGER

PAGE 3 www.asubellringer.com

Fitness CONTINUED from PAGE 1

grassy fields outside the JSAC, students who want to workout will get up and do so even if there’s not one place specifically dedicated to working out. It seems, despite Howard’s insistence that this has always been the plan, this decision was being kept from some people at the very heart of this matter, Fitness Center employees. Emmanuel Finney, an employee at the Fitness Center since August 2008 and a kinesiology major, said he did not know the Fitness Center was closing. “Wow; I was not aware,” Finney said. “I was thinking that we were just going to have two fitness centers for the students to use and

GHSU FITNESS

ASU FITNESS

$70 per semester $30 for summer semester

$45 in fees per semester which includes more than just the fitness center

two game rooms for the students to use,” Finney said. “Closing down the Fitness Center, I know that’s a big hassle on students because even now students have been complaining about they don’t want to go all the way down to GHSU’s campus when they can workout here. (If) they have a two-hour break here, they can workout here and then go to class or come back and finish their workout.” On the other side of the counter, Stanley Esaw, a sophomore television and cinema major and a Game Room employee, also said he did not know about the change. “That’s funny because I work there and I have no idea,” Esaw

BREA BOUTWELL | CONTRIBUTOR

The GHSU Wellness Center offers an indoor track and 12,000 pounds of free weights.

said. “I don’t necessarily agree with that decision, but if that’s what’s to happen, I think it would be somewhat of a shame because I know a

Helping the disabled Voting become able and active

CONTINUED from PAGE 1

KARL FRAZIER | STAFF

The Wounded Transition Battalion group, that works with Champions Made for Adversity, exercises at the Ft. Gordon Fitness Center.

“

Every day and every month and every year we make more strides to reach more people.

By KARL FRAZIER senior reporter A local organization is determined to make a difference in the lives of those who suffer from disabilities. Jeff Snover, the chairman and executive director at Champions Made From Adversity (CMFA), said the organization was founded because of a lack of activities in the area for disabled people. “There were no established programs here in the Augusta area,” Snover said. “There was (just) the basketball team, a golf program and a tennis program.” Snover said he and Scott Winkler, a co-founder of CMFA, wanted to provide more available adaptive sports and activities for people who suffer from disabilities. Snover said he became disabled after an accident that happened while he was serving in the army. “I was injured in 2003 by a tree falling on me in Tennessee, and Scott Winkler was injured in Iraq after falling off the back of a truck,” Snover said. “He and I were both at the Augusta VA (Veterans Affairs) Spinal Cord Injury Center.” Snover said he was impressed with how the VA treated him, and in 2004 he moved his family from Fort Bliss, Texas, to Augusta, Ga. Snover said he and Winkler became friends after meeting at the hospital. After going to an event in 2006, Snover said he saw all of the activities a disabled person could do. “I went to a U.S. Paralympic military sports camp,” Snover said. “I was introduced to a whole bunch of different adaptive sports that I did not know were available to me as a person with a disability.” After the event, Snover said he joined the local wheelchair basketball team while Scott went to a camp in Colorado Springs, Colo. Both wanted to expand their knowledge of other sports to the rest of the commu-

Military CONTINUED from PAGE 2

and staff who have been military or veterans to become a core of individuals who would be mentors to new students,” she said. “And what we hope is to retain students at the very beginning of their program.” The Office of Military and Veteran Services will continue to work with individuals and departments such as Lieutenant Colonel Keith Cantrell of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) to improve on resources and outreach programs for the

”

nity, and in August 2007, Snover and Winkler founded CMFA. While now in an office building, Snover said that wasn’t the case in the beginning. “We would meet Sundays at my kitchen table,” he said. “My wife would sit in and some of the other program providers in the area would sit in and we would talk about our mission and what our goals would be.” Snover said the nonprofit organization’s mission is to advance the lives of people with physical disabilities and their families through sport and leisure activities. “It is a great organization,” said Kelly Garcia, the office manager for CMFA. “Every day and every month and every year we make more strides to reach more people.” While the program is open to everyone, Snover said the organization focuses on people who have physical disabilities. However, he said they help some people with cognitive disabilities, which could be a mental or physical disability. The organization has three current ongoing programs: wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and cycling. Snover said the organization has a hand in other activities as well, such as archery, shooting, and strength and conditioning at Ft. Gordon. Jacob Carlsson, who is pursing a master’s in business administration at Augusta State, volunteers with CMFA. “The experience has been great,” Carlsson said. “For me, to have my own learning experience just to see what they can do with people with learning disabilities and how they learn I think is great.” The main objective of the CMFA is to teach life skills to the disabled through sport and leisure activities. Snover said the group is constantly looking for new volunteers and new sponsors to continue to build the organization.

kfrazie9@aug.edu

military community. “The number of people that we’re serving continues to grow,” Giardina said. “It’s not just a few people who would benefit from us devoting these resources; it’s a larger and larger number of people.” Augusta State, named the 2013 military friendly school, will celebrate Veteran’s Day with its annual barbecue to show appreciation to military service members and their families.

kfernand@aug.edu

change election day to the weekend, making it more convenient for voters to participate with the hope of increasing voter participation. Despite progression toward early voting, absentee ballots and other methods of voting, there are voters in 15 states whose only option to vote is at their assigned polling place on a Tuesday in November. “You can’t just go to the closest (precinct) on your way to work, and that’s something that I’m dealing with,” said Martha Ginn, an assistant professor of political science. “In South Carolina, we don’t have early voting. You can get absentee ballots, but you have to have justification to get one. I don’t have a justification other than Nov. 6 is going to be a really busy day for me. I am more predisposed to vote than 99 percent of citizens, and this is really inconvenient.” The question is will changing election day from Tuesday to a Saturday increase voter turnout? Empirically, the answer is mostly no, said Kathleen Searles, an assistant professor of political science. “The traditional argument is that if we had it on a weekend or if it were a holiday more people would turn out,” Searles said. “Obviously it would be easier for people to turn out. I think that’s probably true, but in other countries when they have done that we don’t see a huge shift in the amount of people that voted... It’s so statistically insignificantly that it doesn’t really change the numbers.” Searles said she thinks the amount of people affected by Tuesday voting is minor, but those who are may have a skewed view of American government. For example, an individual who works two or three jobs or someone with kids

lot of people enjoy that facility.” Esaw said he disagrees with Howard’s view that people who want to workout will regardless of

may not be able to get to the polls on election day. “What people don’t know about the enfranchisement in this country, the right to vote, is it’s always been limited,” Searles said. “When we were founded, the idea was that this group of people (white male property owners) would be vested; they would hold the keys and they would vote. That hasn’t changed. Still the highest group to turn out is white males who are in the higher socioeconomic status.” The United States, be it because of Tuesday or other factors, is low on the scale for voter turnout in democratized nations. African nations and even Iraq have higher voter participation than the U.S., Searles said. Ginn said she thinks the reason isn’t just Tuesday but a combination of factors. “In the U.S., if you want to vote then you have to take the effort, and ultimately it depends on the individual to go out and register to vote,” she said. “The other thing is, it is an option to register to vote in the United States, whereas in other countries it is a compulsory thing and even sometimes you have to participate in the process. And this goes back to ‘If you want to do it, great. If you don’t, we don’t really care.’ No one is forcing you to participate, and all that factors in before thinking, ‘What day should it be on?’” Brandon Rose, a junior political science major, said he thinks changing election day to the weekend may make getting to the polls easier but that it won’t help those responsible for the low participation status - nonvoters. “I feel that, because it’s been Tuesday for so long, that changing it would make it hard for people to adjust,” he said. “Sure, there probably would be less people working on Saturday, and it could potentially make it easier, but honestly to change it would take so much more. And people who already

plore Christianity and we will have a Bible study at our Monday meetings. But everybody’s welcome. There are no dues or anything like that; you don’t sign anything. You just come and hang out.” Sarah Putnam, a CONTINUED from PAGE 2 sophomore occupational therapy major and also Jones’ cousin, said CRU’s mission is to be a welcoming environment for students to learn more about God but also to get to know other Augusta State students. “When you come to us, we’re going to go talk to you,” Putnam said. “We’re not going to make you come talk to us. We want everyone to think that we are good people and that we’re not just your average Christian that’s going to judge you. We’re not going to judge you if you don’t believe in God because that’s your opinion. We’re not going to try to beat it over your head that you have to be a Christian.” Jennifer Adams, CRU’s president and a senior social work major, said the group’s weekly meetings average around 25 people. The organization provides a free lunch

having no place on campus dedicated to do so. “Certain people I’ve talked to, if it wasn’t for that facility, they wouldn’t even be working out,” Esaw said. “GHSU, it’s close, but it’s somewhat out of the way. And for some people, some people come up here early in the morning and the only time they have is right before or after their classes; they don’t have time for that drive.” But the decision has already been made, Howard said. The Fitness Center will officially close by Fall 2013, Howard said.

jscharff@aug.edu vote traditionally continue to vote, and I don’t think changing the date will get those who aren’t voting right now to vote.” So if changing Tuesday is not the answer, what is? The method of voting in the U.S. is outdated, Ginn said. States make decisions about early voting and absentee ballots and individual counties finance these decisions. Not to mention, the U.S. is still using paper. “Look back at the 2000 election and all the things that went wrong with that and now we’re back to the same standard,” she said. “If we really want to maximize voter participation and every vote should count, then there are definitely more sophisticated technological ways to make voting more convenient. A lot of it honestly comes down to politics and certain sides thinking that they wouldn’t fare well if the process were changed.” The truth is, changing election day to a weekend would make it easier, but election reform is nowhere in the near future. If Barack Obama wins the electoral college vote but loses the popular vote, similar to the events of the 2000 election, Searles said she thinks there may be a push towards a reform, but unless something dramatic happens, the likelihood is slim. “Other than historical tradition, there is no more need for it to be a Tuesday in November,” she said. “It could be moved to a weekend or we could make it a holiday. If we wanted that then that could happen, but you need leadership for that to happen and no one is really invested in changing the system that rapidly.” The U.S. may not be a horse and buggy society anymore, but voters will still have to vote on the Tuesday after the first Monday this November to cast their ballots for yet another presidential election.

jhobday2@gmail.com

to students at the meetings, a major draw for college students, according to both Adams and Jones. Putnam said, in addition to the meetings, CRU also organizes other events for students, frequently scheduling restaurant outings and worship events. Recently, CRU had an outdoor, acoustic worship service in the amphitheatre, an event Putnam described as being highly spiritual. “When you call the Holy Spirit to be with you, he’s there and you can feel it,” Putnam said. “It was just a bunch of young people worshiping God and singing his songs, and you could just feel God there with you… It just feels so good to be with other people that believe in God and feel the Holy Spirit with you.” Adams said the goal of CRU is to give college students opportunities like the outdoor service to worship with people their own age and fully experience what it is like to have a close relationship with God. “I want to see it grow and reach out to ASU and have a really bonded fellowship,” Adams said. “I want to see our name on campus; I want people to know what CRU is and what we do because I feel like not a lot of people know about it right now because it is just starting out. I also want to see people on fire for Christ on this campus.”

kbeeson1@aug.edu

PAGE 4

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2012 www.asubellringer.com

the opinion pages: editorial

Watch out for our reptilian friends “To me, there is nothing more inexcusable than running over a turtle – any kind of turtle.”

Marketing name misses mark With the announcement of the branding name for the New U Thursday, it is clear that Ricardo Azziz, the Board of Regents and the Save the A committee have missed the point entirely. Unless you have been under a rock for the past week, you might have heard that the marketing name for the new university will be “Georgia Regents University Augusta.” Yes, you read that correctly. Rather than rid us of the abomination that is the name Georgia Regents University, Azziz, the BOR and Save the A managed to reach a “compromise” by tacking on our beloved city’s name to the end. Though we didn’t think that they could come up with a worse name than Georgia Regents, they somehow managed to do so. Contrary to what they may think, this is in no way a compromise; we are still being named after the BOR, and we still will have the official name of Georgia Regents University. We thought the message was rather clear that our main gripe with the name was the fact “Regents” was part of it. On a side note, we are still waiting for someone to tell us, the students, what exactly the name means. And while we have written an

editorial or two expressing our discontent with the name of the merging universities, we never thought we would have to address the Save the A committee, the group we originally thought had our best interest at heart, on how it let us down following the announcement of the “compromise.” What we find especially troubling is the petition that the committee was begging us to sign asked for Governor Nathan Deal and the BOR’s support for changing the name of the New U to the University of Augusta. At no point in the petition did it sound like the committee was seeking to compromise with the BOR on the name Georgia Regents University. Simply put, the committee campaigned for signatures under what now seems like false pretenses. The truth is there are no winners following this announcement. It’s as if nothing has changed at all. Degrees will read Georgia Regents University, and employers will be scratching their heads trying to figure out where our university is located and wondering if it’s even accredited. We can’t wait 10 to 20 years for the name of the New U to carry prestige. We have to find jobs now. It’s time to go back to the drawing board.

LEIGH BEESON copy editor kbeeson1@aug.edu day.

I’d had a very frustrating

It was close to the end of summer, classes were about to start and I had just spent close to an hour in a store with nothing to show for it. In short, I was irritated. As I sped home, I noticed a little circular-shaped creature in the middle of the street, lunging at passing cars as if challenging them to a fight. I immediately pulled over, grabbed the little guy before he knew what was hitting him and placed him on a cushion of pine needles on the side of the road. Was this turtle grateful? No, the baby snapping turtle hissed and leapt at my hand in a desperate attempt to chomp off a chunk of my flesh. But his lack of appreciation ultimately did not matter to me. I had done the right thing by relocating the tiny turtle before a passing car with an inattentive driver could flatten him into a turtle pancake. And, despite his unpleasantness, he bright-

ened my whole day. To me, there is nothing more inexcusable than running over a turtle – any kind of turtle. Turtles don’t dart out from the bushes like squirrels, and they don’t fall over and play dead like opossums. There are only two reasons people hit turtles: They aren’t paying attention to where they’re driving or they hit them on purpose. Case in point, in the past six months, I have seen two trashcan lid-sized snapping turtles squished on Furys Ferry Road. These prehistoriclooking creatures are gargantuan; there is simply no way the drivers didn’t see them. So either they were too busy fiddling with the radio or texting on their Smartphones to pay attention to where they were driving or they saw the animals and said, “Hey, let’s spill some guts on the roadway this morning.” What I simply cannot abide is when people intentionally squish turtles because the egotistical jerks think it’s fun or that turtles’

lives simply don’t matter. I will never forget waiting on the side of the road for a car to pass so I could move a box turtle that was stranded on the pavement only to have the driver of the SUV notice me and intentionally swerve to kill the innocent reptile I was hoping to rescue. There is no sound in the world quite as horrifying as the pop of a turtle’s shell as the animal is crushed under the tires of a vehicle, and it is a sound I know I will never be able to forget. Now I don’t wait for cars to pass. I dart out into traffic to rescue turtles, and I also escort their reptilian brethren (snakes) across the road. I don’t care if you think I’m nuts. I won’t let another person intentionally end the life of a helpless animal if I can help it. I truly believe that being bigger than something doesn’t give you the right to bully it or, in the turtle’s case, callously murder it.

Save the A can kiss my A Bowties , bowties and more bowties: My latest love affair “This could be the most pathetic excuse for an advocacy group I have ever set my sights on.”

“I have to admit, I always love learning a new skill, especially quirky ones that really serve little to no purpose ”

KRISTIN HAWKINS arts & life editor khutchi2@aug.edu I waited for and anticipated the final outcome of the efforts of the Save the A committee. The signs, bumper stickers and billboards gave me hope that our beloved university would end up with a respectable name, one that we could all be proud of. Much to my dismay, an announcement was made, an announcement that I am still having trouble comprehending. Georgia Regents University... Augusta. This could be the most pathetic excuse for an advocacy group I have ever set my sights on. I stood behind a group I assumed was on the same side as the rest of us. I didn’t realize this group of “determined” individuals would roll over to the pressures of the schoolyard bully. It was my understanding that everyone loathed the name Georgia Regents University. I thought the point of this whole campaign was to get the name changed completely. And in case everyone didn’t understand the announcement, the name is still LEGALLY the same. In my opinion, all efforts have been com-

pletely lost. Perhaps we should’ve been smarter. I mean, after all, half of this group’s members weren’t even willing to say who they were. How trustworthy could they really be? Here is how I see it: We all rocked the bumper stickers, put up signs and signed petitions just to get deceived yet again. All of us who stood behind Save the A look dumber than we did in the beginning. We trusted a bunch of entitled individuals who, I assume, think they had the right to make a major decision for the masses. I can’t sit here and pretend I know all of the things that happened behind the scenes, but I do know that if people can’t be forthright about the whole situation, then there is probably something going on that someone should be ashamed of. And yes, Save the A, you should be very ashamed. The only thing you accomplished is that you pissed off more people than Ricardo Azziz did. What happened to all of the money that people raised? Who was consult-

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

ed? Did you ask students, professors or faculty what they we thought about your decision? In case you weren’t aware, you were the voice of thousands of angry Augustans who held high standards for you. Let’s be honest, Save the A has washed its hands of the situation at this point. The minute the group stood beside Azziz at that press conference and agreed that they came to a “compromise,” the committee was done. You’d think big businessmen and political figures would have more fight in them than that. I guess nothing should surprise me anymore. Now we are left looking like Hester Prynne, bearing the red “A” of shame. Instead of A standing for Augusta or, in Hester’s case, adultery, to me it represents the abomination of Save the A. The group’s deceit is enraging, and it’s time to react. Perhaps it’s time to resort to pitchforks and torches and beat down the door of the Board of Regents as an angry mob and demand that we have our name changed.

Keep up with Jaguar sports online at: www.asubellringer.com

RON HICKERSON chief reporter rhickers@aug.edu Bowties are cool. In light of my colleagues writing about their love for turtles and Microsoft on these two pages, I figured I would follow suit and try to write more than 500 words about one of my new favorite things: bowties. And how could I resist? With bowties worn by the likes of Winston Churchill, Bill Nye the Science Guy and Huckleberry Hound, it was only a matter of time before I succumbed to the massive peer pressure from these influential figures of my youth. But this recent development was rekindled when I decided to attend a Halloween party dressed as the 11th Doctor from the BBC series “Doctor Who,” played by Matt Smith. I figured it would be a cheap costume. After all, I only needed a new dress shirt and a bowtie in order to pull the costume together. After searching around town for a cheap bowtie, I finally settled on a Penguin blue, striped bowtie from Marshalls for a bank-breaking total of $12. Securing my bounty,

you

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I immediately ran home to learn how to tie the funny piece of fabric. But it proved to be much more difficult than I was expecting. The whole process involved a mirror, a diagram, growing frustration and, inevitably, a metric ton of YouTube tutorials. After about an hour and a half, I proudly sported the tied bowtie, although it admittedly did look a little silly with the T-shirt I was wearing. I have to admit, I always love learning a new skill, especially quirky ones that really serve little to no purpose and that I’ll probably never use. Call it self-centeredness, albeit some strange form, but I love it when I’m able to tell people, “Why yes, I can spin plates” or “Why yes, I do have an award-winning chili recipe.” Understandably, these skills do not really show up in normal conversation. But once I learned this new skill, I threw on the dress shirt, slacks, suspenders and suit coat to complete my costume for the Halloween party, and I looked pretty classy, according to my wife. I was so enamored with the bowtie

that I told her, “You know, I might actually wear this thing again.” She responded to this statement with an excited squeal. Apparently, she also shared my new affinity for bowties. All dolled up, we left the house to go to the party: The Haunted Eye Ball at the Ballroom Dance Center (yes, I can dance but only hustle). There I stood amidst the masqueraders, zombies, videogame heroes and vampires waltzing on the dance floor, but out of the 100-plus dancers, only four people recognized who I was. Well, I guess I should have expected as much. After all, 100 to four is about the ratio of people I talk to that actually know what “Doctor Who” actually is. But unrecognizable costume aside, after purchasing my first bow tie and learning how to properly tie it, I’ve gained a new appreciation for the classy piece of fabric. Now I am even starting to make excuses to wear my bowtie and possibly even buy more discount bowties.

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PAGE 5 www.asubellringer.com

a public forum Professors break their own rules College food makes me think I’m “If you are the one enforcing not getting my money’s worth the rules, then I believe you should be consistent when you are enforcing them. ”

“ When I spend my money on something, I want to know that the product is worth the price.”

NIKKI SKINNER staff writer nskinner@aug.edu Having been a college student for a few years now, it still baffles me the way some professors conduct their classrooms. The first day of class, professors generally go over their syllabi, clearly stating the rules within their classrooms and what they will be expecting from each student throughout the semester. Many of the rules are just common courtesy. Others are things pertaining to the department or campus in general. In the end, they are asking for you to respect them and their position as well as the class as a whole, though sometimes they forget respect goes both ways. For example, being on time is a pet peeve for many professors. They expect you to be on time, which is a common courtesy not only to them but also to the rest of the class, as being late can be a distraction to the rest of the class. I think if you are asking your students to be on time then, as the professor, you should be on time as well. Yet, we still have

those professors who find it OK to be 20 to 30 minutes late on a weekly basis, and they expect you to wait on them to grace you with their presence. Then, the first time a student shows up late, the professor wants to call them out on being late for their class. Where do you get off calling them out on being late when you have caused the class to wait outside in the hallway numerous times because you were late for class? They were probably only late because you tend to show up 15 minutes late all the time, so they felt like they were on time being a few minutes late. The only thing that could be worse is the professor who believes in double standards or playing favorites; it’s unprofessional. For example, if the rules state no electronics in class, clearly there should be no electronics. However, there are people in the class using their iPads, laptops and cellphones. Instead of addressing the whole class and restating that no elec-

tronics are allowed to be used, the professor usually singles out only one of the students using a cellphone and reprimands that person in front of the entire class as an example. It isn’t fair because that person was not the only student breaking the rules, but you treat him as if he was. There are still several other students breaking the rules in class, yet the professor lets them slide. I know once rules are set in place people are either going to follow them or break them. That is just how society works. If you are the one enforcing the rules, then I believe you should be consistent when you are enforcing them. Otherwise, how are people supposed to take you seriously? In the end, I don’t know why the professors spend all of this time going over the rules and making sure you understand them. Apparently, they are not as important as you made them out to be on the first day of class.

KARL FRAZIER senior reporter kfrazie9@aug.edu I‘ve learned that you can be ripped off in ways other than tuition and books in college. A couple of weeks ago, I went to the vending machine to get myself something to drink. I put $1.25 in the machine and selected a Powerade. I quickly realized that it was only a 16 oz. bottle and could not understand how a bottle that small cost that much could cost that much. I could march my way down to the corner store and get a 32 oz. Powerade for $1.69. After that incident, I began to wonder why food costs so much more in college than it would in a regular store. The next week, I bought a pack of Skittles from Allgood Café, and it cost $1.27. Had I gone to Wal-Mart instead, I could have bought a box for $1. It was then I realized I was being ripped off. During my first two years at Augusta State University, I would put

money on my JagCard so that I could eat at school when I needed to. Soon, I realized that was not going to work because I would be out of money before the month was over with. At first I was wondering how my money would be gone so quickly, but then I began to add up the costs. It would cost me more than $6 for two slices of pizza and a drink at Augusta State, yet I could go to Little Caesar’s and purchase a whole pizza for just $5. It just doesn’t add up. Of course, the school will tell you that its intention is not to shortchange anybody, and it is trying to make a profit. But, if most students think like me, the university couldn’t possibly believe that to be true. When I spend my money on something, I want to know that the product is worth the price; I believe that is how society works in general.

People want to know and feel like they are getting the best for their dollar. People will spend more for a product if they think the product satisfies their needs. However, when a person feels cheated, they will stop buying the product and the company will eventually fail. Since that time, I have tried not to spend money on food from the school. I usually bring some food with me from the house. Once I started this trend, I saw how much money I was saving per week. It makes no sense to overspend on food at school when I have food at my house for free. I also began to save money by going to school activities that offer free food. Besides, any food tastes good when it doesn’t cost you a penny. My parents said kids change their spending habits once they have to pay for things themselves. I am a witness to that theory.

Don’t forget, Microsoft started it all Don’t judge my music unless you “In my opinion, Microsoft is a are actually qualified to do so life-affecting company.”

“I honestly believe that people should not discuss music in a negative way unless they have proper training to do so.”

SI-LONG CHEN web master schen1@aug.edu Think about it: What would you do without Microsoft? Established in 1975, Microsoft has what I believe to be the world’s finest engineers, technicians and designers to develop its business. Microsoft’s CEO, Bill Gates, also happened to be the wealthiest American and second-wealthiest person in the world in 2011. In my opinion, Microsoft is a life-affecting company. Think about it: What would you do without Microsoft? Just think of how terrible your life would be without Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher and the Xbox 360. Microsoft has been crucial to my life. Growing up, I’ve always used Windows PCs, and I’ve never had a job that doesn’t require me to use Microsoft software. Most recently, I have been involved with the Microsoft’s Campus Entertainment, LLC, or CE. “Campus Entertainment is a full service national college engagement agency with unique access to millions of college students across the U.S.,” according to the CE’s website. “CE has an exclusive partnership with the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA), which gives our clients an unmatched level of access to trendsetters, leaders, connectors, and influencers on campus. As a college marketing engagement agency, 100 percent of our focus is connecting brands with the

elusive college student in an authentic and powerful way.” Through this program, I have become the first Microsoft representative at Augusta State University, and I will continue to represent at the school even after the merger with Georgia Health Science University. However, I do not sell, buy, provide discounts or receive a commission. My main goal for this job is to create awareness, promote and introduce the latest Microsoft products to my peers. Working with Microsoft has been the best job I’ve ever had in my life. CE provides me with upto-date Microsoft products, software and many step-bystep trainings. I have done hundreds of demonstrations of Windows 8 to my peers and have collected more than 200 surveys from my

attendees. On a side note, Windows 8 was released on Oct. 26, as well as the Windows Surface, Microsoft’s answer to the growing tablet market. Though I have been heavily involved with Microsoft, I have an equal amount of respect for their greatest competitor, Apple. I have no grudge against Apple, even after I started working for Microsoft. The products are awesome, and Apple made a great impact on the world just like Microsoft did. Microsoft also competes with the likes of Google, Linux and many others. They are competitors but also teachers and vice versa. I’m honored to work for Microsoft and to be a part of the competition between these companies, their workers, supporters and buyers.

SI-LONG CHEN | STAFF

JACQUELYN PABON production assistant jpabon@aug.edu Few words make my blood boil when it comes to music. I was sitting at my desk in a science class one Tuesday evening quickly reviewing my homework from the night before. The door creaked as a student walked in with whom I had never really spoken. As she walked up to me, she caught me eying her black, 1460, eight-eye Dr. Marten boots she was wearing. Oddly enough, I own a pair and have been wearing them for more than a year. And because my eyes bulged with excitement, I decided I would pay her a compliment for bringing back the ‘90s grunge look I adore so much. After complementing her outfit by striking up a discussion about her boots, she asked me if I listened to “hardcore” music. I responded with a simple yes because I knew in the back of my mind, to the uneducated, hardcore can mean a multitude of different types of music. “So, I assume that means you are going to the For Today and the Hundredth show,” she said. My stomach cringed at the thought of someone roping those bands into the same category as the music I know and love.

But out of respect for her musical preference, I knew that my best bet was to move on. “I don’t really listen to those bands,” I said. With a puzzled face, the girl then asked for some of the bands I do listen to. “I listen to bands like No Warning (and) Terror, and I have just recently gotten into a band called Rotting Out,” I said. Her response to this statement was one of the biggest insults I have ever taken; she responded with two of the most hurtful words you could ever hear in the music industry. “That’s generic,” she said. Flustered and quivering with adrenaline, I ended the conversation by turning my gaze back to my books. Growing up listening to many different kinds of music, I’ve learned there is a certain etiquette when discussing music with people who like or dislike the music you are interested in. Music lovers, like myself, can see the superiority complex bubbling to the surface when statements like “this music is generic” are made. To a musician, the word “generic” refers to typical, cookie-cutter bands that produce music in order to make money and have no artistic talent

whatsoever. I honestly believe that people should not discuss music in a negative way unless they have proper training to do so. If you have never read a sheet of music nor played or understood a rhythm in your life, then you should have nothing but gratitude for the fact that you have the option of musical choices. Music is a different language in and of itself. It might take talent to read music, but it also takes tremendous talent to compose a tune. And, well, if you call a musician or a musical group generic, you might as well say you’re better than they are at what they do. Bashing other people’s musical interest gets you nowhere. I understand it probably makes you feel “cool” to be accepted as part of a group of people who are interested in the same music. But if you are not open to different styles of music, then don’t put your ignorant superiority complex into the mixture. Good luck to you when the times change and the pendulum of music popularity swings the other way. Your band will be on the outskirts with nothing new for you to listen to.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2012

PAGE 6 www.asubellringer.com

ARTS & LIFE

Summerville campus home to paranormal activity By TRAVIS HIGHFIELD editor-in-chief

muffled whimper echoed throughout the second floor of Rains Hall on what appeared to be a normal workday. Hearing the sound, John Jenkins, the publications coordinator in the Office of Public Relations, decided to check on a co-worker in the adjacent office, preparing to console her. However, when he stepped in the door, he found her working as if nothing was wrong. Confused, Jenkins then visited the office on the other side of his only to find the occupants typing away just like any normal day. “Everyone was doing exactly what they were supposed to be doing,” he said. “But (it) still sounded just like a woman crying.” No one in the office was able to explain the noises they heard that day, but Jenkins said the crying woman incident is only one of several unexplained events that have occurred to him and his co-workers. “Catching things out of the corner of your eye has been a big thing,” he said. “A lot of it I can blame on bad peripheral vision, obviously.” In one instance, Jenkins said he was reclining in his chair when some-

thing in the hallway caught his attention. “There is a vase sitting here right outside this door,” said Jenkins as he motioned to the door leading into his office. “It’s always been there. But I could have sworn that I looked around the corner before and saw a guy bending down right here near the door.” Startled, Jenkins got up and looked out the door only to find the vase in the hallway. Though Jenkins’ experiences were largely limited to the building he works out of, Rains Hall, rumors of paranormal activities span the entire Summerville campus of Augusta State University. Kathy Schofe, the director of public relations and publications at Augusta State, said she believes the campus could have eight to nine unique ghosts, depending on who you ask. “There are three in (Rains Hall),” she said. “Two of them have been physical sightings. (There are) two in the Benet House. There’s one in Bellevue (Hall). There is one in Boykin Wright (Hall). There is at least one in Washington Hall, and there is the Confederate soldier. The most documented has been the Confederate soldier.” The solider, Schofe said, is one of the first sightings that has been reported at the university and is usually spotted walking toward one of the campus’s two cemeteries. Three people have also claimed to see the solider inside Rains Hall. “The most recent sighting was by one of our staff, and it was in the afternoon,” she said. “It was not in the evening like you traditionally

TRAVIS HIGHFIELD | STAFF

Augusta State staff report sightings of Boykin Wright in his former residence, which now houses the Career Center.

expect to hear and see these sorts of things.” When the employee was leaving to go home for the day, she encountered the solider after rounding the corner. Schofe said the employee described the figure as having undefined facial features but definitely the appearance of a military officer. “It wasn’t wispy,” Schofe added. “It was just like a man standing there.” Just a short walk away from Rains Hall, Bellevue Hall has its own share of hauntings. Employees report that they have seen the apparition of its former resident, Emily Galt. Galt was rumored to have killed herself by jumping from the second floor of the building after learning about the death of her fiancé. A brief investigation by the Office of Public Relations, however, found that Galt may have died in a mental institution in Virginia. Gina Thurman, the acting vice president for student services at Augusta State, has worked in Bellevue Hall for several years and said she often hears unexplained voices and footsteps when in the building. Having been acclimated to the footsteps of her coworkers, Thurman said the unidentified footsteps she would hear were distinctly slow and deliberate. “From my office upstairs, it would sound as if the person turned and went to the other side of the building,” she said. “And the person who was in the office on the other side of the building would say that she heard it and it sounded like it

TRAVIS HIGHFIELD | STAFF

Bellevue Hall, the only building on campus predating the arsenal, is believed to be haunted by Emily Galt’s ghost.

was coming to my side of the building. Of course, we would go look and nobody will be there.” Despite the rumors, Thurman said she has yet to see any apparitions in Bellevue Hall.The former housekeeper would report seeing a younger woman in a long white gown ascend the stairs when she unlocked the building in the morning, she said. Galt’s spirit is also believed to be interested in technology, Thurman said. One particular incident involved a former employee who was having trouble with her computer. When Information Technology Services remotely accessed the desktop, an employee found a file on the hard drive that wasn’t there before. “(The ITS technician) asked, ‘What’s this file on your hard drive that’s called Emily?’” she said. “So they opened it, and it was like writings from the 1800s. (The employee) freaked out and told them to delete it.” Thurman said she never believed in ghosts prior to working at Augusta State, but that all changed when she saw her first apparition in the window of Boykin Wright Hall. At this point in her life, Thurman said she is no longer scared about any run-ins with spirits on campus. “I don’t think of them in terms of the ghosts that you see in the movies where the person is out to get you,” she said. “My husband does think I’m crazy, but over the years he has learned that I believe what I’ve seen and heard.”

thighfie@aug.edu

TRAVIS HIGHFIELD | STAFF

Home to the office of the university’s president, Rains Hall is rumored to be home to three seperate ghosts.

Trolley drives Augustans back in time Late-night eatery feeds bar crowd By TAMIKA LAMPKIN senior reporter

By JORDAN WILLIAMS contributor

here is a new way to revisit history while riding in style in Augusta, Ga. All aboard Lady Liberty, Augusta’s SouthStar Trolley. According to the company’s website, Lady Liberty made her debut in Augusta in 2010. Jim Adkins, the owner of the SouthStar Emergency Medical Service, said he wanted to design a trolley that would emphasize the classical way that people moved around the Augusta metro area in the early 20th century. Gene Burke, SouthStar Trolley’s tour guide, said the tour gives visitors as well as the citizens of Augusta a fresh look at the history found downtown. He said the tour sheds light on a lot of places that people ride past every day without knowing its historical value. “I believe that the trolley is informative and critical for a town so rich with history,” Burke said. “It is important because it gets the history out to people who any other way may not have known existed.” There are approximately 40 stops and historical findings along the way. Many of the historical places are easily spotted whether you are a visitor or a citizen of the city. One of the stops include James Brown’s statue, which is located across from the August Common. “There is something about his statue that many people do not know,” Burke said. “This city of Augusta wanted to place James Brown on a pedestal when he was first given the statue. He insisted that his statue be ground level and life-size so that he could be one with the people.” Burke said that after Brown died the city of Augusta decided his life’s work warranted placing the statue on a pedestal, and the statue was raised. The city added something new to the sight so that people could still relate to the Godfather of Soul. “The statue has a special component to it (now),” Burke said. “The statue has a way that people can dial a phone number and the number will take a photo of you with James Brown’s statue and send it directly to your handheld device.” While on the ride, Burke pointed out historical facts about the city that many find interesting. For instance, he said that Augusta is a city of many names. One of them being the city of seconds because it is the second oldest city in Georgia. It is also the second largest city in the state, and it boasts the second largest street in the U.S. That street is Broad Street, which acquired its name because of its breadth. The largest street is Canal Street in New Orleans. The tour is guided down Greene Street and through Old Towne, known as the Pinch Gut District. Burke said peo-

TAMIKA LAMPKIN | STAFF

Tourists listen as tour guide Gene Burke gives a detailed account of Augusta’s History.

ple called it this because women would walk along the streets all dressed up in tight corsets that pinched their guts. There is a stop at the old University Hospital, which was later renamed the Old Widow’s Home. This home was established for widows of the Civil War or what they called “The Cause.” Tommy Jordan, the driver of the SouthStar Trolley, wove through the city’s streets with precision. He ensured that each person aboard the tour had a chance to visit everything historic in Augusta’s downtown. He said the tour offers a lot to learn. “I’m still learning things about Augusta on these tours,” Jordan said. “I will be 56 in November, grew up in Old Towne and still do not know everything there is to learn about the area.” Many people were fascinated by the tour’s end. Of the people who were impressed was Teresa McInvale, of Sebring, Fla., who was in town for the Iron Man Competition. “I learned that Augusta is rich in history,” McInvale said. “Before today, the only thing I knew about the city was the Medical College of Georgia.” At the end of the tour, everyone exited the trolley and was offered an opportunity to visit the Augusta Museum of History. The museum offered more facts about places that were not visited, including the Augusta National’s Golf Course.

tlampkin@aug.edu

t’s the little hole in the wall that caters to the late night downtown crowd. More than a year and a half ago, Joshua Detchemendy saw an opportunity to serve late night food to bar hoppers. His idea was to start Knuckle Sandwiches, a small business operation tucked in between Colonial Finance Loans and Firehouse Cocktails in downtown Augusta, Ga. KnuckleSandwichescanbebestdescribedas a “drinker’s paradise,” customer Jamin Roy said. “For those that are down here drinking, there here ’til last call and they (Knuckle Sandwiches) are open after last call,” Roy said. “So versus going somewhere like IHOP or whatnot, you’ve got this place.” Knuckle Sandwiches operates during unique hours because the restaurant’s target audience is the bar crowd. It serves only Wednesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. during lunch and reopens later those same evenings from 9 p.m. until 3 a.m., restaurant manager Lauryn Sprouse said. “When people get out of the bars, sometimes they need some food to sober up, so we’re here to help them do that,” Sprouse said. It’s the only place open after 2 a.m. downtown, making it very popular among late-night partygoers. Although, many people of different ages come to Knuckle Sandwiches after leaving music venues, the restaurant’s main demographic is college students, Sprouse said. The customers found sitting at the tables outside could be heard raving about the food. The most popular menu item amongst them, almost unanimously, was the PBR-B-Q Sandwich. Toasted on a hoagie bun, the PBR-B-Q comes with homemade bull pork, a slice of Swiss cheese, and the house-made barbecue sauce, employee Andrew Dognan explained. “Everything they cook here is awe-

some, and it’s like the perfect bar food,” regular customer Justin Bowman said. “When you’re out at night drinking and you eat here, it helps clear your head up a little bit.” Knuckle Sandwiches not only serves sandwiches but also wings, sausage dogs and vegetarian items like the garden burger. However, if you’re looking for a change of pace, there is a new special every week that is not on the regular menu, Sprouse said. The walls are decorated with pictures of people such as Muhammad Ali, Sonny Liston and John Sullivan, which support the boxing theme. The name comes from the old saying, “I’m going to give you a knuckle sandwich.” There are also abstract paintings on the walls that were donated from local Augusta artists for those who enjoy art, Sprouse said. Along with its artsy decorations is a strong family atmosphere. Employee Stanford Dorsey said they have many customers who come once or twice a week. “We have a ton of regulars,” he said. “There are certain people that come in and I know there orders as soon as they walk through the door and exactly how they want it.” Dognan said he really loves his job, and, according to customers, his devotion is reflected in the great service. Everything is cooked fresh to order, so the food is always hot. “This is definitely one of the most fun jobs I’ve had,” Dognan said. “It can get stressful because of how busy it gets late night, but for the most part its really cool working down here. You get to meet a lot of people.” Everything made by Knuckle Sandwiches is authentic, and urbanspoon.com has a 95 percent approval rating for the restaurant. The only complaint customers gave is the desire felt for a knuckle sandwich after the restaurant closes, Bowman explained. “I found myself craving it all the time,” he said. “I dream about it.”

jwill143@aug.edu

BREA BOUTWELL | CONTRIBUTOR

Knuckle Sandwiches, a local sandwich shop that serves lunch and late-night meals, targets bar-goers with its unique display of menus and store hours on the wall.

THE BELL RINGER

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Forgotten but not lost: Chronicling Augusta State’s history

The Benet House preserves the university’s heritage By NIKKI SKINNER staff writer

he Admissions Office is housed in one of two original living quarters from when Augusta State Universty’s campus was an arsenal. The Benet House, constructed between 1827 and 1892, was named for Colonel Jay Walker Benet, who was the arsenal commandant shortly before World War I. He was involved in much of the buildup in preparation for the war, said Kathy Schofe, the director of public relations and publications. “It wasn’t always the home of the commandant,” Schofe said. “He moved over to the Benet House sometime in the early 1800s. While the commandant lived there, the officer’s mess was in the basement.” J. Walker Benet’s son, Stephen Vincent Benet, moved into the Benet House towards the end of

1911. While living there, he became engrossed in his writing in 1913. By the summer of 1915, he had finished his first book entitled “Five Men and Pompev,” a book that contained a series of monologues in verse. In 1962, he wrote “John Brown’s Body,” a bold patriotic narrative of the Civil War considered a ballad of America’s greatness. The book won him the Pulitzer Prize in 1929. According to the National Register of Historic Places, after the deactivation of the Augusta Arsenal in 1955, the property was turned over to the Richmond County Board of Education. In 1958, it became part of the state university system, and ownership was transferred to the state of Georgia, where it became the home of the president of the college. “The arsenal was not something that was acquired overnight,” Schofe said. “It was something that took place over a period of time.” Over the years, with the change of ownership, there have been several changes to the structure. The National Register of Historic Places

PIG OUT

KRISTIN HAWKINS | STAFF

The current home of the admissions office holds the history of Colonel Jay Walker Benet.

mentioned a redecoration that was done in 1971 but made no structural changes. The redecoration team made sure to keep the furnishings and décor closely related to the characteristics of the house. “When you look at the floor plans for the Benet House, in the first floor and the second floor, there

By TAMIKA LAMPKIN senior reporter

JACQUELYN PABON | STAFF

Gavin Hamilton, the lead singer of Funk you performed at the Douglas D. Douglas Barnard Ampitheatre Oct. 17 for Augusta State’s Pig Out festivities. Students were able to endulge in free hotdogs and hamburgers at the event.

TAMIKA LAMPKIN | STAFF

Mock spirit tells tales of the of the dead in Magnolia Cemetery during the history walk.

JACQUELYN PABON | STAFF

nskinner@aug.edu

Walking with the dead ugusta, Ga., has a supernatural twist on guided tours. The Magnolia Cemetery, located in the heart of downtown Augusta, added a new tourist attraction to the list of events offered in October. The cemetery came up with a tour called “A Walk with the Spirits.”It offers a 45-minute guided tour with impersonators of the prominent spirits buried there along the way.

Palmer Owens, the bongo player of the band Funk You beats his drums to the rhythm of their most popular songs from around town at this year’s Pig Out. More than 100 students gathered in the university’s ampitheatre to watch the band.

were back rooms that were possibly servant quarters,” said Christopher Murphy, a professor emeritus of anthropology. “We are not clear as to when these rooms were taken off; the foundation is probably somewhere underground.” Steve Zimmerman, the assistant director of the physical plant,

said the most recent renovations were made this past year. The repairs involved some minor work taking up the carpet, refinishing the floors and painting. Everything has not been restored, though, and there is still electrical work that needs to be done, he said. According to the document, the Benet House is an extant structure, which is most significantly associated with the career of Stephen Vincent Benet. It is also important to the early 19th-century military post. “The building is on the National Registry for History Places,” Schofe said. “It is the only building on the registry. This campus has eight markers listed in the registry, with the Benet House being the only building listed. This is because Stephen Vincent Benet lived there as a boy and later became a Pulitzer Prize winner.” Like many other original arsenal houses on campus, it holds years of history. As time has pro-

According to Historic Augusta Incorported, the cemetery began as a plantation owned by Nicholas Delegal, a successful planter and slave owner in the South during the 1800s. It was sold to the Academy of Richmond County in 1817, for the equivalent of $800 today, and the city later acquired two blocks of the land for burial purposes. Willie Mae Walker, of Au-

gusta, said the cemetery was a big hit back in her great-grandparents’ days. She explained that she heard stories of her family coming to the graveyard on Sundays to enjoy picnics and to clean and nurture their family plots. “Families took pride in their plots back in the day,” Walker said. “Life is so fast now, but there was a time when the life of the deceased was celebrated on the regular. The better shape their final resting place was in, the better the shape of the family unit they left behind.” Now in her early 90s, Walker said she loves to take historic tours of Augusta to keep the stories alive and the memories fresh. The first spirit that is encountered on the tour is that of Anne Clanton Vason. Vason’s impersonator was Sallie Metzel, of Augusta, who performs her role dressed in decorative clothing of the antebellum period. Metzel said she was the daughter of a slave owner who owned cotton fields in Georgia and Alabama. He became rich off of the “white gold” and shared his wealth with his family during this Antebellum Planter’s Class era. “The way Vason’s family plot is structured is a sign of the wealth they had,” Metzel said. “As I understand it, in that period, just as in this one, the bigger and more elaborate the plot, the richer the families. And her daddy was rich.” John Harrison, of Augusta, said he saw the sign for the tour while trying to find parking for the Augusta Richmond County Fair, located on the next corner and decided it might be interesting. “I looked up the information that was on the sign on my phone and decided that it would be something cool to try,” Harrison

said. “I am so glad that I tried it out. Who would have known that little old Augusta held so much history inside of a cemetery?” Along with many other Southern spirit encounters, the guide explained that the cemetery is the resting place of seven Confederate generals, numerous widows of soldiers lost during the war, a Greek cemetery, Catholic cemeteries, Baptist cemeteries and many family plots. There is also a section on the south end dedicated to the Confederate soldiers who lost their lives in Augusta as well. One notable fact about the cemetery is that it was originally segregated when it was built. Only white men and women and their families were buried in the Magnolia Cemetery. Located directly across the street was Cedar Grove, the historical African American cemetery of Augusta. To this day, no African American has been buried in Magnolia Cemetery, and Cedar Grove houses no white graves. Jessica Smith, of Augusta, said she began to see a pattern after a few gravesites. “I began to wonder where the slaves and African Americans were buried or if they were even granted the right to burial,” Smith said. “The tour was so insightful, and it shows how far the South has come from then until now.” Smith said she would love to have a tour of Cedar Grove and get more historical facts about the African Americans buried there. “In all, I had an enjoyable experience,” Smith said. “I would recommend the tour to anyone young or old.”

tlampkin @aug.edu

Food truck drives its way into the restaurant industry By MINDY WADLEY correspondent

he Brown Bag, a longstanding lunch and late-night favorite in Augusta, Ga., in the form of its food truck, is now serving breakfast and lunch options at its new downtown medical district location. The Brown Bag Cafe, which opened Sept. 11, is the result of Brown Bag food truck owner Enrique Romero's efforts to bring the food truck on the campus of Georgia Health Sciences University. Romero said the university's food services offered them the opportunity to utilize a permanent space the former food vendor was vacating. Within a matter of three weeks, the cafe was fully operational. Romero and his business partner appointed Ross McDaniel, a senior marketing major at Augusta State University, as the cafe's general manager, and together they created a brand new menu suited to the needs and capabilities of the cafe, Romero said. The cafe, which is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, serves all Boar's Head meats and cheeses in combinations, which Romero describes as “experiential” dining. Lunch fare includes salads and sandwiches, as well as food truck favorites Angus beef and pulled pork sliders. Romero recommended his wife's homemade chicken salad recipe as one of his favorite options. “I was never a chicken salad kind of

MINDY WADLEY | CONTRIBUTOR

The Brown Bag food truck finds a new location as a breakfast and lunch cafe in the downtown medical district.

guy, and I wish I could take credit for this recipe,” Romero said. “It's all whitemeat chicken, Granny Smith apples, celery, salt and pepper, and pecans.” McDaniel, who is also the stepson of Romero, said his past experience working in restaurants as well as his marketing education at Augusta State have been instrumental in his role as the general manager of both the cafe and the business's catering services. “It has been phenomenal,” McDaniel said. “Economics, basic accounting, basic management, human resource management - in two weeks I've applied all those things. My marketing [education] has really come to play in all of that, in designing the menu

and designing all of the literature.” McDaniel also said the business's logo, which was designed by Romero, features McDaniel's dog, Marley. Despite the creativity employed in the business's branding; however, the cafe opened its doors with minimal advertising, relying on word of mouth and foot traffic to bring in the customers. “It's been a steady increase each day: doctors, nurses and students, and then several patients here and there,” McDaniel said. “Most of the students only get 30 minutes for lunch anyway, so they're in and out really quick, and we get a lot of them on this side of campus.” Sabrina Landers and Reginald Jiles were having lunch at the Brown Bag Cafe

while their son was at Medical College of Georgia Children's Medical Center having surgery. They said they enjoyed the Baja sandwich and Angus sliders. “We didn't want McDonald's or the cafeteria,” Landers said. “I would come back. I think it's healthy. It's not greasy.” The cafe plans on utilizing its downtown location and connection to the university to offer special events showcasing student musicians and student artwork. McDaniel said they would like to have evening hours on certain dates, offering a special menu with live entertainment on the Harper Street terrace. The cafe is also seeking art from Augusta State students to hang on its walls, with the opportunity for student artists to sell their work to cafe patrons. Eventually, McDaniel said, the cafe would also like to offer student discounts for students of GHSU and Augusta State. For now, Romero said his focus is on getting the cafe up and running, but he hopes to have the food truck back on the roads of Augusta within the next few weeks. While the process of establishing a new restaurant is tedious, he said the goal of his enterprise is for customers to enjoy the experience of eating. “On the side of my food truck, it says, 'You'll be surprised by the explosion of flavors,' and that's really the goal of my food,” Romero said. “When you put it in your mouth, it's like a grenade going off.”

mindyawadley@gmail.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2012

PAGE 8 www.asubellringer.com

Around Town

Mutts strutt their stuff By LEIGH BEESON copy editor

A Brawler video games are down for the count By CLAYTON PALMER contributor

anding out digital beatdowns isn’t what it used to be. Between the late ’80s and mid ’90s, a golden age of video games existed that’s rarely seen on today’s consoles. This missing genre, known as “beat ’em ups” or “brawlers,” is characterized by 2-D characters walking from left to right while clobbering enemies onscreen with hands, feet, headbutts, body slams, pipes, trash cans or anything else the game provided the player. F o r some reason, throwing someone through a table or kicking someone off of a dirt bike was incredibly gratifying. The genre really took off in the late ’80s with games like River City Ransom and Double Dragon for the Nintendo Entertainment System. However, the genre reached its pinnacle on the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo with games like Final Fight, Streets of Rage, Comix Zone, Battletoads and many other installments. Even movies and television shows had awesome brawlers like The Simpsons Arcade Game, TMNT: Turtles in Time and The Power Rangers. No video game bad guy was safe from getting a knuckle sandwich from some of the biggest stars in fictional history. Although the stories in the games were less than stellar and the game play was very simple, they offered hours of entertainment that didn’t require a lot of brainpower. Do you really need any other motivation to throw one ninja into another ninja’s face other than “My girlfriend was kidnapped” or “This evil guy is trying to take

over the city”? Didn’t think so. The genre lost steam after the 3-D consoles like the Sony Playstation came into play. Although developers tried to keep the genre alive, they failed miserably. There are a few noteworthy games that were released on the systems that came after the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, but they never really hit the mark. Now some gamers will say that games like the God of War series or the Devil May Cry franchise should be considered brawlers, but those games have major differences that set them apart from games of the ’90s, such as camera angles and weapon involvement. Sure, you could pick up a pipe or a 2-by-4 wooden plank and beat the life out of enemies, but 90 percent of the games from the g o l d e n age utilized only bare fists. So why haven’t we seen a decent number of brawlers in the last 15 years? With first-person shooters, RPGs (role-playing games), action platformers and even games that make you dance. Those games aren’t necessarily bad, but the world would get along just fine without another Call of Duty installment. One place where the genre still has a heartbeat is in the hands of indie-game developers and the marketplaces of Xbox Live and the Playstation Network. With titles like Castle Crashers, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Double Dragon Neon available, there still seems to be a small glimmer of hope for brawler fans. The fact that this genre is dead saddens a lot of gamers because sometimes you just want to come home after a long day, pick up an in-game lead pipe and smash faces with your buddies like you did when you were an innocent 12 year old.

The world would get along just fine without another Call of Duty installment.

palmerclayton@ymail.com

local organization is determined to lick the homeless pet crisis. Diamonds in the Ruff, a nonprofit based out of Columbia County, Ga., is an organization dedicated to raising funds to help rescue organizations and animal shelters find homes for stray and unwanted pets. Beverly Hixon, who founded Diamonds in the Ruff, said the goals of her organization are to educate the public on petrelated issues and assist struggling rescue groups. “Hopefully, we’re going to get the county behind us and maybe have an ASPCA here or some no-kill shelter that’s large enough to handle the amount of animals that we need to house,” Hixon said. “Working closely with the Columbia County Animal Services Board, I’m actually on the advisory board for the county with animal services. We’re working on microchipping, which is very important, spay and neuter programs, just anyway to help the animals that are rescued find forever homes.” The nonprofit’s second annual Mutt Strutt, held Saturday at Evans Towne Center Park, featured vendors, food, games, $10 microchips, a pet walk and a pet costume contest, Hixon said. Several rescue organizations also set up stations where fairgoers could learn more about the groups’ efforts and meet some of the dogs available for adoption. One booth housed Friends of Columbia County Animal Services, a nonprofit recently founded by Karen Gross, who said her work as a librarian well-acquainted her with the monetary issues faced by government-run entities. “It’s hard times,” Gross said. “Governments are looking to make sure that the basics are covered. Like with the libraries – I was a librarian in different places for 27 years – in most places I worked, money was always an issue.” After the realization that libraries rarely get all the funding they need to cover added expenses, Gross founded Friends of the Columbia County

LEIGH BEESON | STAFF

Stuart patiently waits on his human in his spaghetti and meatballs costume at the festival.

Libraries, a group designed to assist libraries by funding extra programs and purchasing additional books. After becoming a member of the Columbia County Animal Services Advisory Committee, Gross said she noticed that Animal Services was similar to a library in that neither receives enough funding to go beyond providing simple necessities. “The Friends provide some of the extra things (for libraries) besides the electricity bill and that kind of stuff….,” she explained. “I thought, ‘Gee, that’s a really good idea, but why couldn’t it work for other county agencies like Animal Services?’ I’m on the board for animal services, and so we decided this would work.” With the help of Hixon and another Diamonds in the Ruff worker, Gross said she was able to create an organization that could improve the lives of animals, with the goal of giving them the extras that

LEIGH BEESON | STAFF

Mikey, a rescue dog up for adoption, dons a mohawk at the second-annual Mutt Strutt.

can make shelter life a little less stressful for dogs. “We have a new (Animal Services building) out in Columbia County that’s only been open for a year or so, so it’s really nice,” Gross said. “But the runs that the dogs are in have concrete floors. Some of the dogs they get in are older and maybe have a little arthritis or something, and if you’re arthritic, you wouldn’t want to be on a cement floor that could get a little cold. So one of the things that we have found are these beds that are vinyl, so they’re easily cleaned and they can’t get soiled permanently, and they’re (a few inches) high up off the floor. So we would like to raise money to buy some beds like that for in the kennels.” Events like the Mutt Strutt provide an important opportunity for organizations like Gross’s to recruit volunteers or sponsors, she said. Friends of Columbia County Animal Services and Diamonds in the Ruff rely heavily on volunteers. The Mutt Strutt also required financial support from local sponsors, but Hixon said it isn’t too difficult to recruit animal lovers to further the cause. One such volunteer is Timothy Tjia, a junior industrial engineering major from Georgia Institute of Technology. Tjia said he is interning with an Augusta, Ga., medical supplies company and “was looking for something to do (during) boring nights” when he found Hixon’s organization. “A year and a half ago, I was helping out with a nonprofit organization that was helping out families with children with disabilities,” he said. “I just like helping out (nonprofits).” Like Hixon’s other volunteers, Tjia said he is an animal lover and that love of animals drove his involvement with Diamonds in the Ruff, though he largely provides the organization with technical assistance such as maintaining the group’s website and social media platform. Hixon emphasized that the Mutt Strutt isn’t the only event Diamonds in the Ruff holds during the year. “This is (only) one of the fundraisers we’ll be having,” Hixon said. “We’ll be having a 5K sometime in the spring; we have not secured a date yet. We’ll also be doing a golf tournament in the late spring (or) early summer. And we hold pet adoptions every weekend at Petco, Saturdays 11 to 4 (and) Sundays 1 to 4.”

kbeeson1@aug.edu

Kackleberry Farm provides education as well as enjoyment

NIKKI SKINNER | STAFF

Kackleberry Farm visitors zip across the attraction’s corn fields.

By LINDSEY LEVERETT contributor

ach year, hundreds of visitors gather in Louisville, Ga., to enjoy fall festivities at Kackleberry Farm, a local family-friendly attraction created with the vision of giving back to the community.

Kackleberry Farm opened in 2007 with the hope of combining education and agriculture to teach children about farm life. Mitch and Lisa Vaughn, along with their children, said they envisioned the idea of Kackleberry Farm and eventually were able to turn their dream into a reality making Kackleberry Farm the first corn maze in the CSRA. Mitch Vaughn said people travel from all over the world to see what Kackleberry Farm is all about. With a number of unique activities for visitors of all ages, the local attraction is a national hit. He said the family brings something new to the farm each year in order to attract new audiences. Returning families continue to choose Kackleberry Farm because of the family-friendly atmosphere the Vaughn’s provide for their guests. As a former youth pastor, Vaughn said he hopes his family can minster to the families that visit the farm. “ My family and I come here every year because it’s a place where we can all have fun,” said Sean Murphy, a returning guest. “The girls play with the animals while the boys zip line.” Visitors can choose to participate in hay jumps, ziplines, duck races, campfires, pony rides and the most well-known attraction of all: the corn maze. Vaugn said, the 8-acre corn maze is maintained and patrolled by a local farmer along with the family, and it contributes to the food provided to the farm animals. “The reason I come to Kackleberry Farm is because this corn maze is bigger (than others), and they offer fun activities,” said Crystal Atkins, an Augusta State University graduate student. Kackleberry Farm also focuses on providing fun and educational activities to schools and churches. Kackleberry Farm hosts a variety of field trips that give students the opportunity to learn about life on the farm. Whether it be educating the students on the different animals that can be found on the farm or teaching groups how corn is grown, Vaughn said the goal is to make the experience fun for everyone. Not only is Kackleberry Farm a place to have fun but Vaugn said it is also a way to give back to local charities. “Kackleberry Farm utilizes a lot of labor from Bridges of Hope, a local rehabilitation place for men,” he explained. “A lot of those men that

come here are talented as far and gifted in construction and electrical work. We pay the workers a small portion of the wage and donate the rest to Bridges of Hope for the labor they provide us.” Along with Bridges of Hope, Kackleberry Farm also donates to organizations and causes like Georgia Health Sciences Children’s Medical Center, 4-H and breast cancer awareness initiatives. Vaugh said the

NIKKI SKINNER | STAFF

The cast and film crew of “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” made an appearance at Kackleberry Farm of Louisville, Ga.,Sunday, Oct. 22.

farm dedicates specific weekends to various charities by raising money through special events and donating a portion of ticket sales back to the charity. Vaughn said he and his family continue to make their dream a reality as they offer new opportunities for education, contribute to the local community and strive to remain open for visitors throughout the entire year.

lleveret@aug.edu

THE BELL RINGER

PAGE 9 www.asubellringer.com

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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.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2012

PAGE 10 www.asubellringer.com

comics: entertain

In this Issue... 1

yourself

2 3 5

DOWN 1. Sophomore on Augusta State men’s cross country team 2. The movie theme of the Ronald McDonald benefit. 3. The BOR’s compromise to appease Save the A. 4. This historical tour travels around Augusta.

coats. 9. Augusta State’s rowing team, along with other rowing teams from the area, meet here to practice. 10. These 2D videogames from the 1980’s and 90’s are making a comeback.

Be n

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SPORTS Head basketball coaches see reasons for New Peach Belt optimism after first two weeks of practice member making By JOHN-MICHAEL GARNER sports editor The Augusta State basketball teams will enter the 2012-13 seasons with high expectations, but in order to meet their lofty goals, they will first have to jell during fall practice. Men’s basketball coach Dip Metress said his team’s improved depth was evident in the first days of practice, which began Oct. 15. The Jaguars finished 17-11 last year and narrowly missed qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for a sixth straight season. “I think we’ve upgraded our talent since last year,” Metress said. “We’re physically bigger and stronger. I’ve been pleased with everyone’s ability to try to learn.” Metress said the team’s best new player is Ryan Weems, a transfer from Broward who Metress said could be in the starting lineup when the Jaguars open their season Nov. 20 against Bowie State at Christenberry Fieldhouse. Perhaps the Jags’ most anticipated newcomer is another transfer: Chad July, formerly of Flagler. Metress praised July’s rebounding ability and said he’s been a model teammate. Though July’s offensive production hasn’t quite matched his performance on the boards during practice, Metress believes the 6-foot-9 forward will become a solid offensive contributor as he becomes more comfortable with Jags’ offense. July averaged 11.0 points per game for the Saints last season. Metress also said sophomore swingman Roman Hill has bounced back and had an impressive run in fall practice after redshirting in 2011-12. As for the three freshmen Metress signed this offseason, the coach said they are simply

DAVID WICKER | CONTRIBUTOR

Women’s basketball coach Nate Teymer watches as Jemimah Ashby looks for an open teammate during a game against UNC Pembroke on Jan. 25.

trying to learn what’s going on. It seems unlikely this year’s freshman class will have the same impact as last year’s group, which was led by point guard D’Angelo Boyce, shooting guard Devonte Thomas and power forward Devon Wright-Nelson, who was named the Peach Belt Freshman of the Year. Metress said he hopes to see the “Three D’s” take another step forward as sophomores. “D’Angelo did something to his knee, but he should be back at full strength soon,” Metress

said. “But he hasn’t really practiced. Devon’s been doing well, and hopefully he’ll continue to get better. As for Devonte, he’s shown an ability to make shots for us, and hopefully he’ll develop an ability to make big shots for us late in the game. We need him to have confidence to shoot it late in the game.” The women’s basketball team is also looking to improve with the arrival of a new season. Head coach Nate Teymer presides over a program that has slowly been building momentum

jagswag plans to branch out By FARRELL BROWN staff writer JagSwag is one of Augusta State’s newest student organizations, meaning it has officers and dues, but at the end of the day the group is simply a collection of the university’s most dedicated sports fans. “We have a certain swag,” said junior James Sterett, the vice president of JagSwag. “We wanted to permeate the entire school with it.” Three years ago, Sterett said a group of eight freshmen went to an Augusta State basketball game and decided to sit in the student section. Eventually they would become the leaders of the student section, which gave them the name JagSwag. They have turned the student section into more than just a group of screaming students and give Augusta State teams an undeniable home-court advantage at Christenberry Fieldhouse. Last year, the Jaguar Activities Board helped JagSwag become an officially chartered campus organization. The organization’s president, Chris Nabholz, said members are dedicated to filling the new Augusta State student section at every basketball game. Nabholz also said the group is actively looking for sponsors. They already have a deal in place with Bank of America. “We have goals set for basketball season,” Sterett said. “When those goals are met, we’ll know we can move on to other sports.” JagSwag eventually plans to spread to all Augusta State sports, Sterett said. They attended a few of the

“We have a certain swag. We wanted to permeate the entire school with it.”

- JagSwag Vice President James Sterett

baseball games last season, and this year JagSwag members do commentary for the Augusta State volleyball games. “The last thing that the ASU fans have to hold on to is going to be the sports program,” Sterett said. With JagSwag being one of the last remnants of Augusta State after the upcoming merger with Georgia Health Sciences University in January, member Deewoine Davis said the group plans to “go out with a bang.” However, the group does plan to incorporate things that will bring GHSU students into the student section. Davis said JagSwag has spent the majority of its offseason planning for the upcoming basketball season. One of the main things they are looking into is tailgating, which will offer beer for students 21 or older. JagSwag has monthly meetings and weekly activities to keep everyone on the same page and welcome new members to the group. The only requirement to join the group is a $3 fee, which goes helps pay for the T-shirt and paint budget, Davis said. The group will also hold a three-on-three basketball tournament later in the school year. “We give you the same atmosphere any Division I basketball game gives you,”

Davis said. JagSwag has chant practices held by Sterett, who decides all the details of the group’s antics. He said he picks who gets painted, what chants are performed and when those chants are performed. He is also in charge of themes such as Smurf Night, Greek Nights and a brand new gimmick that will be referred to as “Braveheart.” The group’s website also features the group’s own theme song. Another goal of JagSwag is to give everyone a chance to be a member, meet new people and make new friends. Member Audrey Crane said the group offers opportunities for those who feel that “ASU has nothing to do” to get out and find new fun activities to participate in. “If you want to get the optimal, the greatest experience you could possibly get at a basketball game, involve yourself with JagSwag,” Sterett said. “Let us help you have a great time.” The JagSwag website says the organization’s mission is “to increase student fan attendance and participation at home and away games, promoting an energetic atmosphere in the student section during all basketball games and cooperating with other student organizations.”

fbrown19@aug.edu

over the last two years. When Teymer arrived before the 201011 season, the Lady Jaguars were coming off a disastrous 1-26 campaign. The team made modest gains in Teymer’s first year, posting an 8-18 mark. Last season, the Lady Jags qualified for the Peach Belt Tournament for the first time since 2008, finishing 12-15. Teymer said he has sensed an enthusiasm around the team in practice. “It’s been your typical (start) to practice, where it’s a lot of learning, trying to get your concepts down and trying blend in returners and new people,” Teymer said. “But overall I think it’s been going well. We’re just trying to build off what we’ve done the last couple of years, and I think there’s a little bit of excitement in the air.” The Lady Jags’ roster heading into the 2012-13 campaign looks similar to the one that ended last season, with one notable addition. Teymer added 5-foot-1 point guard Tanchelle Hollingsworth, who played two years at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan., to the program in April. Hollingsworth has been battling through a hamstring injury in practice, and Teymer estimated she’s only been playing at about 75 to 80 percent strength. But the coach said she brings an ability to push the pace and break the press. Another new face for the Lady Jags this year is assistant coach Courtney Boyd, who helped lead Grand View to a 30-5 record last season and won a national championship as a player at Kirkwood Community College in 2007. Teymer said she has been a benefit to him in the first couple of weeks of practice. “She has a firm understanding of the game of basketball,” see BASKETBALL on PAGE 12

The Bell Ringer’s College Football Top 10 1. Alabama (8-0) Tide have not been challenged all year; that could change this week in LSU. 2. Kansas State (8-0) Wildcats have thrashed every ranked team they’ve played. 3. Oregon (8-0) Pac-12 defenses stand no chance against Ducks’ dynamic offense. 4. Notre Dame (8-0) Breakthrough win at Oklahoma established the Irish as legit. 5. Ohio State (9-0) Buckeyes could finish undefeated but are ineligible for a bowl game. 6. LSU (7-1) Could steal the SEC West with an upset over Alabama. 7. Georgia (7-1) Suddenly in the SEC East driver’s seat after knocking off Florida. 8. Florida State (8-1) Seminoles slapped feel-good Duke back to reality with blowout win. 9. Florida (7-1) Gators need Ole Miss or Auburn to upset Georgia to win SEC East. 10. Clemson (7-1) Tigers avoided patented letdown by smoking Wake Forest on the road.

impact in year one By JOHN-MICHAEL GARNER sports editor

The Peach Belt Conference got Young over the summer. Located in the Appalachian Mountains of northeast Georgia, the Young Harris Mountain Lions officially became the Peach Belt’s 14th member on July 1. Prior to this date, the Mountain Lions participated in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association as part of National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association (NJCAA). The college’s athletic director, Randy Dunn, said the school’s move up to the National Collegiate Athletic Association and into the Peach Belt has been long coming. “The decision to seek membership in the NCAA was actually made a couple years before I became the AD at YHC,” Dunn said. “The administration and trustees felt like that the philosophy and mission of the NCAA was a good fit with the mission of YHC. As the former AD at North Georgia, I encouraged the administration and trustees to seriously consider the PBC because of the quality of institutions in the conference and commitment to excellence of the conference office.”

Gaining full active membership in the NCAA takes two years, and Young Harris is currently in the latter year of the process. Dunn said coaches at the college are adjusting to having to recruit highercaliber athletes in order to be competitive in the new league. “I knew the level of commitment that institutions have made to competing at a national level and the quality of coaches and student athletes in the conference,” he said. “I have tried to express to our coaches and student athletes the level of athletic ability they will face when competing in the PBC in all sports.” Despite the step up in competition, there have been some highlights for the Young Harris teams in their first go-round in the Peach Belt. The men’s soccer team has enjoyed the most early success in the conference, posting a 5-3-1 record in league games and a 13-4-1 mark overall. The men’s cross-country team has also proved it is ready to compete in the Peach Belt, finishing third in Augusta State’s Jaguar Invitational and sixth at the conference championships in Montevallo, Ala. In addition to these sports, the Mountain Lions have 10 other athletic teams, including men’s basketball. This squad is coached by Pete Hermann, who has past served as the head coach at Navy – where he coached NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson – and Georgia. Hermann was hired in 2009 to rebuild a program that had not competed in the sport in four decades and said he has enjoyed building the team from scratch. After going just 5-21 in his first year with the program, Hermann led Young Harris to a major breakthrough last year, as the team went 22-4. Included in that record was a 1-1 mark against Peach Belt foes. The Mountain Lions defeated North Georgia 96-83 and were defeated by Lander by a 89-74 score. Augusta State men’s head basketball coach Dip Metress’s only exposure to the Young Harris program was seeing them on tape against an opponent Metress was game-planning for two years ago, but he said it’s possible the Mountain Lions could make a successful leap into the conference in their first season. “Georgia Southwestern did it a few years ago, and they were able to make a pretty smooth transition their first year because they had a lot of good players already in their program,” Metress said. “I don’t know much about Young Harris yet, but if they have some older, talented guys with some size they’ll be fine. If they don’t, then it’s going to be struggle.” While the basketball program looks to continue its upward trajectory, other athletic programs at Young Harris are just getting started. In addition to a competitive cheerleading program, the college also added men’s and women’s lacrosse to its list of offerings for student athletes, Dunn said. “Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the state and country,” he said. “We felt by adding lacrosse we could provide these student athletes with an opportunity to continue to participate at a high level and reach their academic and athletic goals. It was also an opportunity to recruit student athletes from other regions of the country, mainly the Northeast.” As these programs grow, Dunn said he hopes his college’s profile will grow along with them. “If we are successful athletically in the PBC, I feel YHC will gain positive exposure throughout the state, regionally and nationally,” he said.

jgarner6@aug.edu

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2012

PAGE 12 www.asubellringer.com

Augusta RiverHawks prepare for the 2012-20-13 season on and off the ice By MINDY A. WALEY contributor The Augusta RiverHawks, Augusta’s Southern Professional Hockey League club, began their training camp Oct. 15 in preparation for the 2012-2013 season, which began Oct. 26 as the Hawks faced off against the Mississippi RiverKings. The team had nine returning players attend the camp, with 26 total players vying for spots on the team’s roster. With a new coach this year, all 18 spots on the team were potentially up for grabs. Head coach and director of hockey operations Rob Miller is new to the Southern Professional Hockey League. He said he had coached previously in Brooklyn, N.Y., and was eager to fill the void left by former coach Brad Ralph. Miller said he is optimistic for the new season. “I think right now we have some good hockey players,” Miller said. “Right now we’ve got a team that can certainly win hockey games, but I want to make it even better.” Miller went on to explain

that the coach’s responsibility for recruiting players is never finalized. “There’s injuries,” Miller said. “There’s situations where we’re not playing well, and we need to adjust to that and get new players in here.” The pool of potential players is even larger this year than in years past, due to the NHL lockout. As pro hockey hopefuls search for a team to call home, returning players Matt Auffrey and Jason Price said they are looking forward to integrating new players into the Hawks’ mix. Auffrey, a team captain and forward for the RiverHawks, is ready to resume his leadership role on the team. He said he’s already been impressed with Miller’s coaching style. “The difference between coaches is if they push the team and stay on them (and) don’t let guys slack,” Auffrey said. “Our coach has already proven to us that he’s not gonna take guys playing soft.” Price, a defenseman, was already icing an injury to his foot after only three days of training see RIVERHAWKS on PAGE 13

JACQUELYN PABON | STAFF

Players hoping to earn a spot on the Augusta RiverHawks roster practiced showing off their skills to first-year head coach and director of hockey operations Rob Miller during training camp at the James Brown Arena on Oct. 17.

Rowing team seeking recognition Ross grows with cross country team

KRISTIN HAWKINS | STAFF

Rowers glide through the Savannah River, where the Head of the South will be held on Nov. 11.

By KARL FRAZIER senior reporter The Augusta State rowing team is focused on getting its program up to speed. Brad Scammon, a sophomore physics major at Augusta State and the assistant coach of the rowing team, said the rowing team is relatively unknown to the university’s student body. “The team itself is something a lot of people have never heard of on campus,” Scammon said. “Currently, I guess we have 25 or 30 students participating in it.” Scammon said the rowing program has been around since 1992. By the 2000s, the program had disappeared. Since being at Augusta State, Scammon said he has relentlessly tried to rebuild the program. “I have really put a lot of effort in making sure we recruit more people,” Scammon said. “I try to get the word out there as much as possible to build (the rowing team) back

up to what it used to be 20 years ago.” The rowing team has also gotten a boost from the growing number of students at Augusta State. Benjamin Hammond, a sophomore biology pre-med student at Augusta State and treasurer of the rowing team, said because of the influx of students, the rowing team has been able to recruit more people to the program. One particular stereotype about rowing stands out in Hammond’s mind. “I think that a lot of people think that if you are going to be a rower, you have to be 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds of rock-solid muscle,” Hammond said. “The truth is (rowing) is all about technique. It is all about being flexible and being able to put your whole heart into it.” Hammond said the rowing team has programs to teach people how to row, and it is willing to take anyone who wants to learn. The team usually focuses on team rowing with four to eight people to a boat. Since joining the rowing program, Scammon said the team has made tremendous improvement since last semester. The team recently participated in the Tail of the Tiger regatta in Clemson, S.C., and came away with a couple of souvenirs. “We won silver medals and (a) bronze medal,” Scammon said. “We competed against Clemson, Georgia Tech, Duke and other Division I colleges.” Scammon said it was the first time Augusta State had medaled in a rowing event in many years. Unlike many other students, Scammon said he is looking forward to the merger and that the merged university may start a new varsity program that would involve rowing, track-and-field and soccer. He said the rowing team already has a leg up on the competition. see ROWING on PAGE 13

Sophomore runner helps lead the third-year men’s cross country program to another strong campaign as 2012 winds down By JENNER STEVENSON contributor Star sophomore Dustin Ross has helped lead the men’s cross country team to the top of the Peach Belt Conference in short order. Ross, from Rifle, Colo., is a sophomore majoring in kinesiology and sports science. The last two years have been wildly successful for the men’s cross country team given that there wasn’t even a team until the start of the 2010-11 academic year, Ross said. The team won the conference championship a year ago and placed second this season. Ross said he thought coming to Augusta, Ga., would be a great chance to start something new and had heard from a former Augusta State women’s runner, Holly Keeper, that the coach really cares and is very dedicated. “I told him about the team because there was a good chance that he could really make an impact with the new cross country (and) track team,” Keeper said. “I knew that he was really committed to running, and I knew that is one of the things coach likes.” This wasn’t Ross’s first time helping to build a program. In high school, when he started on the team, there were only two guys; when he was graduating four years later, there were almost 20, he said. “He is very focused on his goals,” Keeper said. “I thought that he would have a positive effect on his teammates because of it, encouraging them toward have the same kind of drive.”

Last year was a breakthrough for Ross. He broke a school track record at South Carolina State that had been in place for more than a decade. The previous record was four minutes, and Ross broke it by three seconds with a time of 3:57. Already the team’s No. 1 runner, Ross is very focused on what he wants to accomplish in the future, said Adam Ward, the men’s and women’s cross country coach at Augusta State. “Having someone like Dustin on the team is huge,” Ward said. “He just has such a competitive fire and nature in terms of what he wants to accomplish now and in the future.” Ross won the race in Montevallo, Ala., earlier this year and placed sixth at Augusta State’s home event, the Jaguar Invitational, Oct. 5. “Dustin had a good season so far, but we have had some ups-and-downs with him being sick,” Ward said. “Now that he is fresh and healthy, it’s quite amazing to see how fast he really is and the damage that he can do.” Making it to nationals is the ultimate goal for Ross and the team, the sophomore said. The Jags are currently ranked No. 4 in the NCAA Southeast Region and will have to finish in the top three at regionals Nov. 3 in Charlotte to earn a bid to nationals. When Ross graduates and is finished running, he said wants to become a cross country or track coach and maybe coach some basketball, which is one of his favorite sports and hobbies.

csteven3@aug.edu

As 2012 season comes to a close, volleyball team finds its stride Basketball By KARL FRAZIER senior reporter With the Peach Belt Conference Tournament just a couple of weeks away, the Augusta State women’s volleyball team is playing at its highest level of the season at an opportune time. The Lady Jaguars have won nine out of their last 11 matches and improved to a 16-11 overall record. “It feels amazing,” said Andria Tagarelli, a junior business management major at Augusta State. “In the beginning of the season, we had so many new players and we had to regroup.” Because of the adjustments, the team went through a losing streak last month. After starting the season with a 7-3 record, the Lady Jags lost six straight matches. Since then, Tagarelli said the teammates have connected with one another and are playing well together. After playing just four of their first 22 matches at Christenberry Fieldhouse, the Lady Jaguars took advantage of some long-awaited home cooking by sweeping all three of their matches during the Jaguar Invitational Oct. 19 and 20. During the first day of the Invitational, the Lady Jags played a doubleheader against Clark-Atlanta and Queens. Augusta State started its game against Clark-Atlanta behind 2-0 in the first set but quickly regrouped and finished the match with

“In the beginning of the season, we had so many new players and we had to regroup.” - Augusta State left blocker Andria Tagarelli its highest hitting percentage of the season at .349. The Jaguars finished the Panthers in three straight sets. Kristin Koch, a sophomore from Niceville, Fla., led the team with 15 kills while Tagarelli led with 17 digs and Krystin Wahlig added 25 assists. The second game against Queens would not be such a breeze. The Royals pushed the Jaguars to a five-set game. While the Lady Jaguars beat them handily in the first set, 25-16, the next three sets ended with scores of 25-23, with Queens claiming two of the sets. The Lady Jaguars were able to pull away in the last set winning 15-9. Sharon Bonaventure, the head coach of the women’s volleyball team at Augusta State, said she is happy her team was able to beat a ranked opponent in Queens. “It is a great feeling,” Bonaventure said. “Right now, they are regionally ranked. So to knock them off a second time is only a feather in our cap kind of thing.” The Lady Jags wrapped up the Invitational by easily dispatching Erskine in three sets. Bonaventure said the team is starting to hit its stride. She credits

the momentum shift with the team’s offensive switch. Instead of running a 6-2 system where the team has two setters, Bonaventure said the team now uses a 5-1 system, where the setter runs the entire net. By making this change, Bonaventure said it opens up a lot more hitters. Bonaventure also credits senior Wahlig’s leadership as being instrumental in the team’s turnaround. “We lead very well,” said Wahlig, referring to herself and the team’s two other seniors, Mandy Irizarry and Meredith Berce. “I lead the team in a way where everybody listens and everyone respects me. When I get respect, I show respect.” Wahlig said players are having fun, and it shows in the way they are playing. She said the team hopes to eventually make it to the regional tournament. Bonaventure said she believes the team can get it done. “It is very doable because (in the Peach Belt Conference) it is Flagler, Armstrong and everyone else,” Bonaventure said. “We have had our moments of bumps and bruises along the way early on, but I think we have worked through that

and we are only stronger now.” Though the Lady Jags are just 4-6 in the Peach Belt, they have rebounded to pull into fifth place in the conference after dropping their first four league games. After a dominant three-set road win over Lander on Oct. 26, Augusta State pulled to within one game of the Bearcats for the fourth spot in the Peach Belt. Along with a winning attitude, the team’s resiliency is something Bonaventure said she loves. Even when the team is down a few points, the coach said she is unfazed because her players keep their composure and know they are in control because they have the hitters, the blockers and the defense to pull through. Bonaventure said she knows she must keep the team grounded in order to keep the success going. “We have to have to stay focus and take it one day, one match and one serve at a time,” Bonaventure said. “We (have) to try to break (the game) down to the finer points, not getting too far ahead of ourselves.”

kfrazie9@aug.edu

CONTINUED from PAGE 11

he said. “She’s been through it as a player and the last couple of years as a coach, so she understands what it takes and she can really relate to the girls and communicate in maybe a different way from me. When I’m barking at them, she can translate that for them and make it easier for them to understand.” The Lady Jags will boast a very experienced corps of players this season, with six returning seniors. Teymer said there are positives and negatives to having so many veteran players. “They understand what I like and what I don’t like, so it helps to have more people that know what’s going on,” he said. “(But) sometimes you got to keep their focus with not getting bored with things and still doing the little things so they can continue to get better.” Teymer said there haven’t been any big surprises in practice so far, but he did cite junior Jemimah Ashby as a player who has elevated her game to a more consistent level in practice. Ashby led the Lady Jags in scoring last year, averaging 9.7 points per contest. The women’s coach summed up the outlook for both basketball programs as the start of their respective seasons looms next month. “We’re done rebuilding,” Teymer said. “Now we want to start building.”

jgarner6@aug.edu

THE BELL RINGER

PAGE 13 www.asubellringer.com

JOHN-MICHAEL GARNER sports editor

Augusta hosts Southeast’s first Paralympics By RON HICKERSON chief reporter

Merged university needs to make football a priority

Paine gets football; why not us? At long last, college football is coming to Augusta, Ga., but not at the city’s flagship university. Last week, it was announced that Paine would be reinstating its football program in 2014. When I heard the Lions would be bringing back the team after a 50-year hiatus, I was excited but also a little bit confounded. Paine? The college that in June was revealed to be in danger of losing its accreditation for mismanaging its finances? That school is getting a football team? It remains to be seen whether it’s a sound business decision for Paine to commit to building the most expensive of all athletic programs, but if a college that is in that much financial disarray can have a football team, then it begs the question: Why can’t Augusta State? It’s patently absurd that the biggest university in the second-largest city in pigskin-crazed Georgia does not have a college football team. Augusta may be considered a golf town, but if you took a poll of local residents, I would bet a shiny nickel that college football would come out on top as the most popular sport. Georgia, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Clemson, Alabama, Auburn and Georgia Southern all enjoy significant fan support in the Garden City. For years, there have been murmurs around town about the conspicuous lack of football at Augusta State. Those whispers have been amplified since January, when it was announced that the university would be merging with Georgia Health Sciences University. This city wants college football and is willing to support it. That is the belief that Paine is banking on, and it’s a belief that this university should also bank on. I have spent my whole life rooting for the Georgia Bulldogs, but it’s just not the same pulling for a different school. As much as I love football season, I always feel a twinge of disappointment every fall knowing that my university does not have a team. There’s nothing like the pageantry and excitement of a college football Saturday, and I’m jealous of students at other schools who get to experience that. Some will scoff and say the school should have higher priorities than starting a football program, and that’s true. But the impact a football program can have on a university’s image is undeniable. When you think of the University of Alabama, you don’t think of the fact that they have produced 32 Rhodes Scholars or boast one of the country’s best psychology departments. You think of the Crimson Tide football team. That may bother some people, but it’s a fact of life. If the administration at the “New U” is really serious about uniting the school’s student body, then it should do everything it can, within reason, to bring a football program to the university. Let’s face it, the whole naming debacle has a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of people. A football program would do a lot to change that, and it would bring people together and change their perceptions about those leading this university. Those of us who want to see football at the school soon to be known as Georgia Regents University Augusta should become big Paine football fans. If its program is successful on the field and at the ticket booth, then the likelihood of seeing Jaguar football becomes substantially greater. Of course, finances and logistics do have to be considered, even if Paine might seem to be defying that notion. But Paine’s path to a football program is a little easier than GRU Augusta’s would be because the Lions will able to play their home games at Laney High School’s football stadium. The issue of where the Jaguars would play would be perhaps the biggest roadblock to getting a program. Georgia Regents football fans would also have to understand that there’s a very real difference between starting a football program and building a successful football program. One only has to look at how mightily Georgia State has struggled in its third year of existence. The Panthers are 1-8, with six of their losses coming by margins of at least 21 points. But the local talent base is strong enough to sustain two college teams. College rosters in the Southeast are peppered with players from the CSRA, and the area has produced a slew of current and former NFL players, such as Carlos Rogers, Garrison Hearst, Kendrell Bell, Deon Grant, Corey Chavous, William “The Refrigerator” Perry, and Ray Guy. Combine the fertile recruiting grounds with what would be enthusiastic support from the local community, and there’s no reason a Georgia Regents football program couldn’t be successful. I look around and see schools similar in size and funding to our school that have football teams, and I just can’t believe that whatever obstacles exist that have kept us from getting a team can’t be overcome. It’s past time to make it happen.

jgarner6@aug.edu

Deviating from the norm, the Augusta Aquatic Center hosted a swim meet unlike any it has hosted before. The center held the Paralympics, a competition that caters to disabled athletes, Saturday, Oct. 20, and Sunday morning, Oct. 21, becoming the first meeting location in the Southeast. Roger Wexler, the manager of the center, said this was his first experience with the Paralympics. “I’ve never seen an event like this,” Wexler said. “It’s the first time we’ve ever had it here, so I’m kind of interested to see how it’s run and how it’s set up. Typically, we just have a lot of swim teams coming here and they participate here because we do have two year-round swim teams.” Wexler said his main involvement in the event was providing the venue after the AikenAugusta Swim League (ASL) got involved in coordinating the event and asked the center to host the games, but he said he thought the meet would provide a good change of pace for Augusta, Ga. “I think it’s going to be a positive thing for Augusta to hold a different event here,” he said. Tim Troutman, the meet director of the event, said this is the first time there has been a meet location in the Southeast. “The International Paralympics Committee (IPC) wanted to have a meet in the Southeast, and there are not very many of these in the United States because a lot of folks don’t want to host them,” he said. “So they contacted Georgia Swimming, which is a part of USA Swimming, and Georgia Swimming asked the AikenAugusta Swim League if they’d be willing to host this disability meet.”

RON HICKERSON | STAFF

Participants in the inaugural Southeast Paralympics event, held in Augusta, Ga., at the Augusta Aquatics Center on Damascus Road Oct 20-21, dive into a swimming pool at the facility as a race gets underway.

He said the ASL accepted the offer and began coordinating the meet, but the competition wasn’t limited to just the Southeastern United States. Troutman said the meet attracted swimmers from states like New Jersey, Illinois and Indiana, creating a more national scope to the meet. He said 61 swimmers signed up for the event, which was a huge thing because these events generally tend to have around 40 competitors. Yet each athlete differs in disabilities and needs to be classified, which the IPC handled. “The IPC actually sends people here to do the classifications on the swimmers,” Troutman said. “Different disabilities get different classifications.” Coordinating this kind of event for the first time, Troutman said this has been his first encounter with the Paralympics, but in meeting with the competitors, he said he knew the work for this event would be rewarding. “They’re athletes,” he said, describing the people who signed up for the event. “They have a physical or mental impairment, but they’re still athletes, and part of this event, if you saw any of

“They have a physical or mental impairment, but they’re still athletes.” - Tim Troutman, Paralympics meet director

the Paralympic Games, you find that these folks are overcoming something.” Troutman said when he was planning the event, a mother of one of the athletes called him. Her 11-year-old daughter was blinded by a disease in her eyes, and this was the first meet where her daughter was able to compete with people with similar disabilities. “I thought, just for that one athlete, this is worth it,” he said. That Saturday and Sunday, the center was packed to the gills with 61 swimmers of all ages, sizes and disabilities. They clamored along the pool, waiting for their events, and when the time came, they would discard their prosthetic limbs, hoist themselves out of their wheelchairs and get into the water. Sandy Peppersack, another athlete’s mother, said she and her 13-year-old son, Joseph, love

the atmosphere of these kinds of events. “It’s friendlier, not quite so cut-throat,” she said. Originally hailing from Richmond, Va., Joseph usually competes in normal swim meets against able-bodied swimmers, and his mother said they found out about this event from one of their contacts in Virginia and decided to come. Troutman said the IPC hopes the ASL and the Aquatic Center will be able to host this event on an annual basis, which he said he thought would be a good thing. “It’s good for the athletes,” he said. “And it’s good for the city. It’s not such a big financial boost for the city, but it’s good exposure for the city. In the national ranks, we’re on the IPC website as hosting this meet, little old Augusta, Ga.”

rhickers@aug.edu

Rowing

RiverHawks

CONTINUED from PAGE 12

KARL FRAZIER | STAFF

Members of the Augusta State rowing team practice on the Savannah River.

“We are one of the few colleges that live right next to a river,” Scammon said. “My point of view is that we have the lowest startup cost, and we already have the facilities.” Because of these advantages, Scammon said it would be a waste for the university not to capitalize on it. Augusta State has the perfect setup to compete against other Division I schools, and he said he wants to get the rowing team more exposure and more sponsors so that it can keep the boathouse downtown.

Scammon said the rowing team only competes in two regattas during the fall semester because the races are longer in the fall than they are in the spring. He is going to keep working to improve the program and hopes the rowing team can one day make it on the national stage. The team’s next regatta will be Head of the South in Augusta, Ga., Nov. 11.

kfrazie9@aug.edu

upcoming schedule women’s basketball men’s golf

volleyball

Nov. 10 at North Greenville

Oct. 30 at Royal Oaks Intercollegiate, Royal Oaks Country Club (Dallas)

Nov. 2 Flagler Nov. 3 Armstrong Atlantic State Nov. 6 Francis Marion Nov. 9 UNC Pembroke (Senior Night)

JACQUELYN PABON | STAFF

Right winger Dennis Sicard goes through a practice drill at the James Brown Arena.

camp. He said the training camp is harder on players than regular-season play. “You’re skating a lot more, it’s a bit quicker, and (the) young guys are trying to prove themselves,” Price said. “They’re playing hard.” One newcomer who stood out during the training camp to the coach as well as the returning players was Chad Ziegler, a left wing from Yale, who scored one of the RiverHawks’ three goals in the Oct. 19 exhibition game against the Columbus Cottonmouths. The Hawks won that game 3-2 but came up short against the Fayetteville FireAntz Oct. 20, losing 6-3. The RiverHawks will face the FireAntz again in their home opener Nov. 2 at the James Brown Arena. Following two season-opening losses to the Mississippi RiverKings, both the players and Miller said they are looking forward to a competitive season, with matches against the Pensacola Ice Flyers and the Knoxville Ice Bears as some of the team’s most anticipated rivalry games. To boost the excitement of the upcoming season, the RiverHawks have various events in the planning phases. Ken Vezina, the vice president of business operations for the RiverHawks, said the team plans to host a ladies’ night bachelor auction of team members on Nov. 3, with proceeds going to benefit Augusta Safe Homes. He also said they are planning a “zombie takeover” on Dec. 21, which will include a blood drive, as well as “Throw-Em Back Thursdays” featuring discounts on drinks all season long.

mindyawaley@gmail.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2012

PAGE 14 www.asubellringer.com

Attention! Check this concert off your Humanities course requirements!

Christopher Houlihan critically acclaimed young organist

Thursday, Nov. 8 7:30 p.m. Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church 2261 Walton Way Augusta, Ga. It’s that big brick church building with the tall steeple on the corner of Walton Way and Johns Rd. next to that big yellow house named Alan Fuqua Center — you can’t miss it!

Admission is Free Paid for by John G. Schaeffer* Organ Concert Fund ($35 value) *Augusta State University professor of music 1969-1996

Arrive early for best seating Free food following concert Don’t make us come and get you.

Visit www.reidchurchaugusta.org for more information