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Divestment forum attracts students Tuition and fees
forum brings proposed changes VALERIE McMURRAY vrmcmurr@unca.edu Asst. News Editor
Photo by A.V. Sherk - News Editor
Ashleigh Hillen presents to the audience of the divestment forum last Thursday.
Students address unethical university investments A.V. SHERK
asherk@unca.edu News Editor
Divestment, a strange mash-up of words combined, defined as a diversion of invested capital, time or resources, blossoms as a watchword for student organizations as far-reaching from Stanford University to the University of Vermont and most recently, to the campus of UNC Asheville. “Divestment is the tactic -- social justice is the goal,” said Alex Buckingham, a speaker at
the divestment forum last Thursday in Karpen Hall. The UNCA Divestment Coalition, a collection of student organizations with the shared goal of divesting university funds from businesses and corporations that do not align with UNCA’s ethics, hosted the forum. Universities remain profit-oriented businesses at their cores; they take the money allocated to them and invest it into businesses, seeking to boost their bottom-line, according to coalition members.
Without exception, UNCA’s International universities’ foremost in- Socialist Organization terests are their survival and SEC Eco Reps coand expansion; however, ordinator. “When I went students within the divest- to the People’s Climate ment movement question March, I was like, ‘Wow, the moral ethics of invest- we have to do something ing in companies, which about this right now.’” threaten the environment. Members of the UNCA “Over the summer I Divestment Coalition started hearing about Har- said they hope for greater vard’s divestment move- transparency and environment, and my friend, who mentally conscientious goes to Brown University, decisions from the UNC was part of a divestment Management Company movement there,” said Inc., which provides inCarolina Arias, member vestment services to the of UNCA’s Active Stu- UNC system of colleges. dents for a Healthy En“I want people to unvironment organization, SEE DIVESTMENT ON PAGE 2
Revenue from proposed tuition increases for 2015-17 will fund salary increases for faculty and staff, according to John Pierce, vice chancellor for finance and operations. Additional fee increases will allow for student wage raises, spreading Wi-Fi access to the quad and creating a women’s golf team, among other improvements. A committee discussed proposed tuition and fees at two panels last Wednesday and Thursday. The recommendation includes a five percent increase for both in-state and out-of-state tuition rates. Fees will increase for athletics and combined general fees, comprised of activity, health and transportation fees. “Over the last six years, we basically had about $10 million in cuts to our state appropriation, and a large part of the tuition increase has gone toward offsetting those state cuts. What that left us with, in terms of running the university, is not having any additional money for salaries,” Pierce said. Administration said they hope to prevent faculty and staff turnover by increasing wages. Pierce said salary benchmarks at UNC
Asheville have been way below the midpoint for both tenured and non-tenured members and turnover would hurt the quality of the school in the long term. Annual maximum tuition rate increase is five percent, mandated by the North Carolina General Assembly, down from 6.5 percent for the last four years. The increase translates to an $183 increase in annual tuition for full-time in-state students in the first year. For the following year, another $192 increase is planned. Outof-state students will pay an additional $926 in the upcoming year, followed by $991. The proposal would end the practice of linking revenue from tuition with need-based financial aid. In some previous years, Pierce said, 25 percent of those funds were allocated to needbased financial aid. The rate was never set as a standard and is based on guidelines from UNCA general administration. Currently, about 15 percent goes to needbased aid, the new maximum. The committee intends to maintain that rate, Pierce said. The increase would bring tuition to $4,041 per semester by 2017 for in-state students, without room and board. Out-ofstate students would pay SEE FEES ON PAGE 2
Local restaurant owner hosts athletics meet and greet JOHN ARMSTRONG jarmstro@unca.edu Staff Writer
In an effort to demonstrate the Asheville community’s support for its local college athletics, Mark Sternal, co-owner of Daugherty’s American Kitchen and Drink located in south Asheville, invited the athletic association and the men’s basketball team and staff to his restaurant last Monday. Sternal said that part of the mission of the restaurant is to support college athletics, especially since one of the founders, Brad Daugherty, played for UNC-Chapel Hill. “We just wanted to give back to the university and let them know that south Asheville is here for them,” Sternal said. Janet Cone, director of athletics at UNC Asheville, said the athletes try to be more involved the community. “We do these kinds of events occasionally at different places around town, but this is our first time in south Asheville,”
Cone said. Cone also said this is one of the steps taken toward getting more community involvement and members of the community will extend offers to help out because of their engagement. “We’re really engaged with the community and we meet a bunch of people and the owners extended the invitation to us,” Cone said Nick McDevitt, head coach for the men’s basketball team, spoke on behalf of the hard work the team put forth toward the season. McDevitt also said the team needs to work hard for the seniors, as their last opportunity for a championship title approaches. He said he wanted to let the community know where their investment goes when it comes to supporting the program. “It’s important to know what you’re investing in – your time, your efforts and your money. It’s going to a program and to these young men in the right ways,”
McDevitt said. In addition to thanking the supporters, McDevitt also spoke on behalf the students on scholarships and what is expected of them for it. “They understand the privilege of being a student athlete and being on scholarships and they do a lot of great work that everyone doesn’t know about,” McDevitt said. Bruce Goforth, chairman of the Board for Bulldog Athletic Association, has been working the past four years to provide these scholarships to the students. Goforth said one of the biggest fundraisers for the scholarships is the annual Bulldog Athletic Association golf tournament, which set a new record with more than $100,000 raised for the student-athlete scholarship fund. “I’ve been a supporter of scholarships for the last four years at UNCA, and I’m excited for what UNCA can be and all Photo by John Armstrong - Staff Writer these things are important for our com- Janet Cone discusses the importance of athlete community involvement. munity,” Goforth said.
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Asheville scores spot on best world cities list CALLIE JENNINGS cjenning@unca.edu Staff Writer
World’s Best Cities: Celebrating 220 Great Destinations, a new book published by National Geographic, names Asheville as an up and coming city. “I feel that Asheville has appropriately been named one of the world’s greatest cities. I completely agree. I was born and raised here and couldn’t imagine anywhere better,” said Felicia Parker, 21. In the book, National Geographic describes Asheville as “a mecca of awesome mountain scenery, bohemian art and high southern cuisine. “It certainly has become exceptionally more popular in the previous few years, but I love to see my home appreciated publicly as much I appreciate it here,” Parker said. Some residents said they worry what changes the city might encounter
Photo by Grace Raper - Editor-in-Chief
Street art downtown attracts tourists to Asheville. with its growing popularity. Felicia Parker’s father, Randy Parker, 52, said he noticed the changes from within the city. “I have lived in the Asheville area my entire life of 52 years. I think that our city government is way too involved in micro-managing issues that they should not be concerned about at all. I think that there should be many people within the government at the city level that are willing to sup-
DIVESTMENT
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derstand that we have no idea what we’re invested in. I personally think we are invested in fossil fuels but we do not even know and we can’t make an argument based around information that we do not have,” said Ashleigh Hillen, president of ASHE and member of UNCA’s Divestment Coalition. The forum opened the floor to audience statements and was not without pragmatic critics. “I’m here for moral reasons, but unfortunately the fact is that we’re not investors. You’re acting as though we’re investors and that we have some kind of connection to this money that they’re then giving to a subsidiary,” said Benjamin Schoenberg, UNCA sophomore. “Not to say there’s anything wrong with the message. I’ve been a part of grass root movements and I think it’s a wonderful way to get people together, but getting people together doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to change anything. These companies don’t care about their moral stature in society.
FEES
Photo by A.V. Sherk Graffiti in the women’s groundfloor bathroom in Karpen Hall reminds students the hand dryers operate using coal.
They care about making money.” Arias countered with a smile and said universities cared about their reputation, which directly contributes to fundraising. “If we can find an economic way to get these companies together and make money by investing in renewables, as opposed to a moralistic way, we’ll be able to move them in the right direction,” Schoenberg said.
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$11,186 for tuition. The proposal also includes a $120 increase in three general student fees for 2015-16 and an $86 reduction in the debt service fee. Athletic fees would rise to $840 per year by 2017, increasing by $55 for two consecutive academic years. The increased price is still lower than the $1,000 average for a Big South Conference school, according to Janet Cone, athletics director. However, UNCA students pay more in athletic fees than most of their peers. UNC Chapel Hill students pay just $358 per year. Part of the revenues from the athletic fee increase, totalling $30,000, would go toward launching a women’s golf team, which would help the uni-
versity meet Title IX standards for gender equity. Another $100,000 would go toward increased membership fees, adding an additional full-time academic advisor for student athletes, transitioning part-time coaches to fulltime and improving the Student-Athlete Academic Life Skills Program, all mandated by Big South Conference guidelines. Athletic funding will also be spent on improved health care, domestic violence education and cost of attendance, Cone said. The $55 increase in the student activity fee would go to increasing student wages for some positions. The committee considered research suggesting that on-campus employment benefits students’ academic careers and future employability, according to
port Asheville’s growth and become a thriving metropolis, which we are seriously lacking now. If we continue to head that direction,” Randy said. Asheville was named as one of National Geographic’s Adventure Towns, showcasing places to eat, stay and escape into nature. This publicity, according to residents, is building Asheville’s name as a tourist trap. “I do feel that it is a tourist trap, but it doesn’t
seem to be too popular just yet. It has sustained major growth which has created thousands of jobs,” Randy said. “Asheville was a quiet, sleepy town when I was a child. It is definitely not that quaint city that I remember it as.” Other residents said they are only looking forward to what may come. “I’m ecstatic that Asheville has gained such a prestigious title. I am excited to watch the progression of Asheville over the next 10-20 years. I hope that our unique combination of different cultures do not diminish due to such progression,” said Brodie Allen, 20, an Asheville local. Allen said he agrees with National Geographic’s description of the city as well. “I would have to say hiking and taking long drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of my favorite things to do,” Allen said.
One obstacle the UNCA Divestment Coalition faces, along with other student activist groups, is making progress despite cycling out members as they graduate. “One solution is to have students participate across the years to continue the movement within the school. We try to recruit freshmen and sophomores who will stay with us through their years here. We need seniors with their experience – they know the school really well, they know administrators, they have contacts,” Arias said. “We’re hoping to build relations with alumni, because once they graduate we want them to have a sense of ownership and responsibility for the university.“ Buckingham, a student leader of the University of Vermont’s divestment campaign, said he thinks the divestment tactic should be of interest to anyone, regardless of which issues matter to them most. “If your issue is imperialism and Obama’s new wars in the Middle East, you should also care about fossil fuel campaign. If you’re going to choose racism, the fossil fuel industry has racist functions in so-
ciety. I’m a nurse. I know how to treat someone with exacerbated asthma, but how do you treat the problem that African-Americans are 50 percent more likely to have asthma and 200 percent more likely to be hospitalized by asthma? You treat that with a political movement which produces climate justice through a divestment campaign.” On a more local front, eco-friendly businesses, such as Semprius in Henderson, exist. According to Semprius Inc.’s website they have set a new record for commercial solar module efficiency at 35.5 percent. “If you were to attempt to move North Carolina toward divesting away from what they’re investing in right now, there are a lot of incumbent forces you would be working against,” said Stephen Holsenbeck, an audience member at the forum. “There’s a lot of chemical engineering which goes through Raleigh and NCSU, which is investing in mineral and oil companies.” The UNCA Divestment Coalition plans to meet with UNCMC and a sustainable investment firm in the spring of 2015, according to members.
Jill Moffitt, associate vice chancellor for student affairs. The education and technology fee would increase by $12 the first year, which would contribute to a project to spread Wi-Fi access to the outdoor quad, a student proposal. The $10 increase in the health fee will allow Health and Counseling Center to provide on-site physical therapy sessions one day per week during the school year. Jay Cutspec, director of the counseling center, said physical therapy is currently the most utilized off-campus referral service. Students frequently fail to complete off-campus physical therapy, most likely due to inconvenience, Cutspec said. The transportation fee, which currently stands at $69 per year, will not face increases. In the past, the fee has been raised to improve shuttle services and
fund the Reed Creek Greenway. The debt-service fee would be reduced by $86 to $251 per year. “Debt service fees are common to all campuses in the UNC system. They are used to pay the principal and interest on specific capital projects for the construction, renovation or purchase of nonacademic facilities designed for student use, such as student unions, dining halls, parking and recreation facilities,” Pierce said. The proposed increases would bring combined tuition, general student fees and debt service to $10,425 for full-time instate undergraduates and $23,116 for full-time, outof-state undergraduates for the 2015-16 academic year. Tuition, general student fees and debt service for the current academic year are $10,058 for fulltime, in-state students and $21,263 for full-time, outof-state students.
WEEKLY CALENDAR NOV. 12-17 Nov. 12 Hard 2 Recycle Event Quad 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. French lessons for middle school students Carmichael Hall 242B 3 - 4 p.m. Nov. 13 Hard 2 Recycle Event Quad 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Nov. 14 Hard 2 Recycle Event Quad 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Environmental Ethics Carmichael Humanities Hall 11:25 a.m. - 12:35 p.m. World War II and the Holocaust Lipinsky Hall 125 11:25 a.m. - 12:35 p.m. Nov. 15 Admissions Open House Sherrill Center 417 7 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Hard 2 Recycle Event Quad 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Art Bazaar Reuter Center 102 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Nov. 16 Senior Creative Writing Readings Karpen Hall 139 3 - 5 p.m. Reuter Center Singers Fall Concert Reuter Center 102 4 - 7 p.m. Nov. 17 Managing Performance Problems Highsmith Student Union 104 9 - 11:30 a.m. French lessons for elementary school students Carmichael Hall 242B 3 - 4 p.m.
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features Weeks after death, students mourn lost friend T H E B L U E B A N N E R I W E D N E S D AY, N O V. 1 2 , 2 0 1 4 I T H E B L U E B A N N E R . N E T
EDITOR: CORY A. THOMPSON I CORYETC@GMAIL.COM
CORY A. THOMPSON
Commentary
coryetc@gmail.com Features Editor
He wasn’t really there though. He was somewhere else. Maybe he was still in town, lying on a cold slab in some hospital basement. Or he was hanging out in a casket somewhere, maybe, on the way back to his hometown in Alabama. We didn’t know if he died accidentally, or if he killed himself. All we had was Vice Chancellor Bill Haggard’s day-late, dollar-short e-mail. “Sad news,” it read. But we all thought he killed himself. It made sense - he had his troubles. Besides, he went out on a Sunday. He was the kind of guy who would have wanted one more weekend. I could say it doesn’t matter how he died. I could say it only matters how he lived. That’s not true though. It gnaws at you, the uncertainty. “These are bitter words for my tongue,” says Ashleigh Hillen, 20, an environmental policy and management student from Mebane, North Carolina. “But I think he did it with pills. I can’t get the image out of my head.” Spritz disagrees. Nick was a literary soul with a flair for the dramatic. Spritz thinks he hung himself.
The night was heavy. The trees looked like they were holding up the sky. Maple pallbearers cradled pregnant clouds of snow. Even the seasons dressed up this year. This Halloween would be special, memorable. The air hung still – maybe out of respect. Leaf litter formed a red carpet for guests, and the decorations on the side of the house seemed sufficiently spooky - cobwebs, jack-o-lanterns and other such bulls**t. Talk of canceling the party had long since been laid to rest. Everything was here now - cheese plates, bottles of liquor, apple cider waited on the stove and music from the 1990s on a pink stereo. All his closest friends showed up. Everyone but him. He was there, in a way, his face trapped inside a picture frame. It was the one where he let Becca Spritz wear his glasses. He sat next to a hand-rolled cigarette and a 40 ounce bottle of malt liquor. “He would have liked this,” says Spritz, 21, a sociology student from Burlington, North Carolina. “He should have seen this.”
Photo by Ashleigh Hillen - Contributor
Becca Spritz, left, and friends gather to remember Nick Igou, pictured right. The conversation trails off. Someone coughs. Spritz was right. He hung himself. Haggard let it slip to faculty, and I heard through the grapevine. A perk, if you could call it that, of my job at the newspaper. I felt sick to my stomach. What does that leave us with? A sense of finality. A haunting image. Nothing close to closure.
We’ve had no memorial. No open casket or opportunity to dress in all black. The school offers counseling, but that’s not mourning. We need to cry in public. We need to hold each other. Hillen is the closest to being appropriately attired. She donned a nun costume for the party. “God bless him,” the chain-smoking nun says.
Spritz is parked next to her and says she’s dressed as “50 shades of color.” She admits she was lazy - too sad and stressed to change out of the outfit she’s been wearing for days. “Last time I saw him I was wearing this sweater, his sweater,” Spritz says. “I told him I needed it and he understood. I’m never taking it off.” Hillen nods and passes
Beat from the Street
her a cigarette. Zoey Ponder, 22, an international studies student from Rockwall, Texas, hurts the eyes a little bit. Tonight, she’s a neon dragon with yellow horns and purple hair. Her painted-on fangs steal attention from the tears in her eyes. “Nick was his own person,” Ponder says. “He would help me through my problems no matter how they were related to him. To me, he will always be the person that makes me want to struggle through the cold and be happy.” We pass the bottle. They call us the Founder’s family - the people who lived in the same residence hall at the same time freshman year. “I can still feel his presence, in a way,” Spritz says. “I don’t know what to feel. He always pops up. I feel like I might just see him again.” She trails off. More guests approach. Happy Halloween. A voice from the street calls out to us - high and cheerful. A man sidles towards us. Brown hair, glasses, thin, with a beanie. It could have been his twin. If this were a movie, it would have been him. Nick. But it wasn’t a movie. It wasn’t even a funeral.
By Larisa Karr - lakarr@unca.edu - Contributor
Many stories lurk throughout Asheville, whether they be behind the Vaudevillian jazz-folk played by buskers around Pritchard Park, the colorful businesses decorated with funky, hand-made crafts or the laughter echoing from a patio as locals and tourists alike enjoy delicious beer.
Zac Zachary Alabama native
Christopher Clearwater Philadelphia native
What do you do? “That’s a good question. I’m still figuring that out. For 13 years, I’ve been a Nazarite priest, which is an Old Testament religion with a New Testament theme.”
What do you do? “I’m a retired chaplain, teacher, therapist, antique dealer, opera singer and storyteller I became a civil rights activist at the age of 11 in Alabama when the Freedom Riders bus was burned in my hometown in 1961. “I am turning 65 on Tuesday, Veteran’s Day, so I’ve been celebrating since Wednesday. I’ve
had a full life.” Tell me a bit about your style. “I dress in linens mostly and I came into this style over the years. When I was around 20 I became a vegetarian and began to frequent health food stores when I was in school in Atlanta. “East African dress clothes began to appeal
to me. “The purple is of royalty and highness and privilege.” How do you like Asheville? “I retired here 10 years ago and have loved it. I don’t do anything here but live. My dad taught me that – where you live, you live and you go to play other places.”
Tell me a little bit about your style: “Do you remember in the New Testament when Jesus says to the disciples that he will make them fishers of men? “That is what all this fishing bait on my hat is for, as I’m just a fishing lure, trying to catch men and women. “I carry my dagger symbolically. It’s a little half-inch blade. “I tell people, ‘If you’re walking the streets of Asheville, carry a knife with you in your pocket. As long as it’s a closed blade, it’s legal, but if you’re going to have an open blade like I do, you have to display it or it’s a concealed weapon.’”
if inherits the entire earth and loses his soul?’ This is a cursed Earth.”
What inspires you? “Going home. I don’t really want to be here. “The Scriptures said, ‘What does a man gain
What do you think about Asheville? “I think Asheville used to be a really great town for free speech, but now
Photos by Larisa Karr
it’s a town of speech for money. “The yuppies, tourists and wannabes came down there, saw the kids and bought their style. “They killed it. “That’s why Lexington’s now a joke.”
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Photo by Marine Raynard
Pack’s Square serves as a long-standing gathering place for locals and tourists alike. The history of the plaza dates back to the founding of the city.
Looking back: drama surrounds historic Asheville square AVERY RIGGS
ariggs@unca.edu Contributor
Livestock freely meander the public square. Train horns reverberate, bouncing off the Blue Ridge Mountains where Asheville is nestled. The echoes settle in the heart of downtown. How times have changed since the 18th century. Still, one thing remains the same. Pack Square has been Asheville’s centerpiece since the town’s creation. Denise Legendre, a Gray Line Trolley tour guide, recounts the square’s history for tourists daily. “This is where the action starts,” she says. Lying at the intersection of an old Cherokee footpath and the city’s old drover route, the property for the public square encompassed existing buildings of the town, thus establishing a focal point for Asheville’s future growth, according to the National
Park Service’s register of historic places. First called Market Square, then Public Square and later Court Square, Asheville’s city square was not named Pack Square until 1903, in honor of downtown Asheville benefactor, George W. Pack. Lumber baron and philanthropist, Pack donated the land to create a “park for the people,” according to the Pack Square Conservancy. Pack’s donation hinged upon the county’s agreement to permanently dedicate the square as a public park. Following Pack’s wishes for 111 years and counting, Asheville’s city officials continue to support and maintain Pack Square as a public park, Legendre says. The square served as a haven for locals but in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, an influx of tourists added another dimension to the park. Kathe Schmidt, a Gray Line Trolley ticket salesperson, expands on why this influx of people in the
late 1880s occurred. While Pack was credited for cleaning up downtown, he was initially drawn to Asheville’s fresh air and mountain breeze for a different reason, as were others, she says. “In the 1920s, before the stock market crash, there was a boom and everybody was building,” Schmidt says. “It was very popular because the railroad came in 1880 and people were coming for their cure.” If Asheville inhabitants weren’t looking for a cure, they were looking for a good time. “During Prohibition, because Asheville was in the lap of moonshine country, it was a big party destination,” Schmidt says. “They never felt Prohibition.” In fact, Asheville is home to its own speakeasy, Pack’s Tavern, which dates back to that era, Schmidt says. An underground tunnel connected Pack’s Tavern to the police department next door. The police department would confiscate
“During Prohibition, because Asheville was in the lap of moonshine country, it was a big party destination,” Schmidt says. “They never felt Prohibition.” moonshine and deliver it to Pack’s Tavern via the tunnel. The tavern then sold the alcohol and the police department collected the profits, Legendre says. Other buildings around Pack Square have a more macabre history. The Jackson Building, a neo-Gothic style skyscraper completed in the late 1920s, was the tallest building in Western North Carolina for many years, standing at 114 feet tall. Because of its towering height, it was also the site of 17 suicide jumps during the stock market crash. “It hit us hard,” Legendre says with a grin. Not many Asheville locals are aware of the building’s history, but there is an indication of its grim past
on its front entrance pavement. “A city planner with a sick sense of humor snuck in a bull’s-eye,” Legendre says. That was not the first crime scene in Pack Square. Two decades prior to the stock market crash, a mass murder took place in Asheville’s downtown and surrounding outskirts. “In 1906 was the murder spree of Will Harris,” says Matt Wilson, a tour manager with the Gray Line Trolley. Harris was an escaped felon from a Charlotte prison who traveled to Asheville in search of his ex-girlfriend. He bought a gun, bullets, a bottle of whiskey and a new suit
from Finkelstein’s, which still exists in Asheville today, Wilson says. Harris went to his ex-girlfriend’s sister’s house where he beat her, trying to get the location of his ex. She heard of his arrival and went into hiding. He wandered into Pack Square, where he gunned down two policemen and three civilians and wounded many more. “He hightailed towards Fletcher and came to Burney Mountain,” Wilson says. A posse of about 100 men tracked Harris. When they found him, they emptied their guns into the bushes where he was hiding. “One of the policemen he shot was standing right there in front of the [Vance] monument, and it went through the roof of his mouth, broke a tooth and chipped off part of the monument,” Wilson says. “Some people say you can still see the chip.” And it all started in Pack Square.
TATTOO CORNER By Tina Langford - clangfor@unca.edu - Staff Writer
As body art dominates the Asheville scene, every tattoo expresses its own story. If you are interested in sharing your tattoo story, email clangfor@unca.edu with a picture and small blurb.
Paige Carter Senior at UNCA
Paige Carter, a senior at UNCA, has two mirroring tattoos on each of her forearms. “The sun is our closest connection to birthing ability of the universe and is our prime source of life on Earth. This concept is even more poignant due to the 80th birthday anniversary of Carl Sagan,‘We are made of star dust.’ “I find that exception-
ally comforting when we have to live with the consequences of our own progress in technology. Technology gave me the ability to get a tattoo – it’s the source of our ability to view the stars, the vehicle of connection and isolation through cell phones and the cause of our current ecological destruction of the only planet we call home.”
Follow us on Twitter!
@TheBlueBanner Photo by Paige Carter - Contributor
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EDITOR: ASHIKA RAVAL I ARAVAL@UNCA.EDU
Marcus Neely, a rising sophomore, gains possession of the ball during the exhibition game against Brevard College.
Photo by Max Carter - Staff Writer
Men’s basketball tops Brevard in exhibition game MAX CARTER
jcarter1@unca.edu Staff Writer
The UNC Asheville men’s basketball team took to the court for the first time this season on Saturday, capturing the win from Brevard College in an exhibition game, 8158. “I think we finally started doing the job defensively about midway through the first half,” said Nick McDdevitt, head coach. “Early in the game I think we were giving them too many easy looks at the basket.” Brevard had a 14-18 lead eight minutes into the first half and coaches and players were frustrated with the early deficit to their mismatched opponent. Then the Bulldogs defense began to come together, freezing Brevard’s shooting as UNCA went on an 18-0 run. With just five minutes left to play in the half, Brevard knocked down its first basket in nearly seven minutes of gameplay — a 3-pointer that brought the score to 32-21. “Brevard has several guys who can shoot the basketball and I thought
we were giving them a couple easy looks there at the beginning and we finally started taking away some catch-and-shoot three’s by them,” McDevitt said. “I told our team, ‘If you get into a horse competition with a team full of shooters, it could be a long night.” “We revved it up defensively and that’s when the game started turning in our favor.” Brevard’s Darius Moose scored the final points of the half, driving through the lane for a layup with six seconds left on the clock. UNCA headed to the locker room in front, 3929. After the break Brevard crept back into contention, narrowing UNCA’s lead to six with 13 minutes left to play, but UNCA slipped out of reach after going on a 22-2 run. “I think we looked really good,” Andrew Rowsey, sophomore point guard, said regarding the team’s performance. “We started out a little slow but we really turned it on them. We turned on our defense and that’s what helped the offense.”
Photo by Max Carter - Staff Writer
Kevin Vannatta, a freshman, looks to pass the ball.
Photo by Max Carter - Staff Writer
Raekwon Miller, a freshman, goes for the layup. Rowsey finished the game with 18 points, making six of his 16 shots from the field. “I didn’t shoot the ball well, but I tried to make it up in other areas. Defense
and getting assists — stuff like that,” Rowsey said. Rowsey had four assists and two steals to go alongside his scoring. The exhibition game was also a chance to unveil
the freshmen added to the team. Freshman Alec Wnuk scored 4 points during his 12 minutes on the court, two of which came off a two-handed, break-away dunk. Freshman Kem Ubaru finished with 7 points and two steals and Raekwon Miller had one score and an assist. It was Kevin Vannatta, freshman guard, with the standout performance, by tying with Rowsey for a team-high 18 points, hitting 70 percent of his shots from the field.
“I was just trying to go out there and do my job. My teammates put me in good spots,” Vannatta said. With senior centers Jaleel Roberts sitting out and Chudier Pal only on the floor for three minutes, Giacomo Zilli, a 6’9” forward, took over as UNCA’s big man. In 21 minutes of play, Zilli recorded 6 points, two blocks, a steal and an assist, providing the inside threat for UNCA on both sides of the court. “Overall it was a good win,” McDevitt said.
Women’s basketball defeats Brevard during exhibition HARRISON SLAUGHTER
jslaught@unca.edu Staff Writer
K.J. Weaver and Tianna Knuckles both scored in double figures to help the UNC Asheville women’s basketball team overcome a slow start to pick up a 76-56 win against Brevard College in their first and only exhibition game. “It’s an exhibition game, so obviously it’s a great experience and time for our kids to play in front of the fans for the first time and
for us to be able to try different combinations with our kids,” said Brenda Kirkpatrick, head coach of the UNCA women’s basketball team. “We did scout Brevard and treat this like a regular game.” To overcome the slow start, the Bulldogs had to continue being aggressive, but be smart aggressive, said Shonese Jones, a senior UNCA guard. “We had to put our foot down on defense and execute on offense and do the little things we weren’t doing,” she said.
Photo by Max Carter - Staff Writer
Shonese Jones, a senior, shoots the ball. The Bulldogs got the first bucket of the game, but quickly found them-
selves in a small hole early. A layup by Weaver and a 3-pointer by Knuckles
sparked a 14-0 run by the Bulldogs that saw them build a lead they would not surrender for the rest of the night. “We were prepared for some of their attacks, although you couldn’t tell by the way we were playing defense some of the time. I thought they did a pretty good job of attacking the rim and the referees were calling it super tight,” Kirkpatrick said. “We were ready for that. We know we have to do a better job of keeping them off the free throw line and
protecting the paint. Pretty much, it was what we expected.” Weaver, center for the UNCA women’s basketball team, had a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. “First off, I’d like to shout out my teammate K.J. Weaver. She was 7 for 7 from the field – 100 percent, which is phenomenal. Getting the ball to her was our game plan, or it was, after we realized how good she was doing. She was a huge turnaround SEE WIN ON PAGE 6
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for us,” said Paige Love, a junior guard. “We kept going to her and we kept staying together. We kept overcoming some adversity with the refs and we pushed through.” Going into halftime, the Bulldogs led 35-27. The Tornadoes hung within about 10 points for most of the second half, but by the end UNCA pulled away to win by 20. UNCA outscored Brevard 22-3 in bench points and had a 14-8 advantage
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in second chance points as well. According to Kirkpatrick, defense is something they will look to work on. Brevard scored too many points from the free throw line and too many in the paint. “We really want to live and die by our defense,” Kirkpatrick said, “I’m happy we scored 76 points. That’s great, but we really have to hold teams.”
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The Blue Banner’s View
#ElectionDay2014 serves as prediction for political spending in 2016
GRACE RAPER
graper@unca.edu Editor-in-Chief
Election Day resulted in a bruised and battered Democratic Party when the dust cleared and votes tallied, but the Nov. 5 election should serve as a canary in a democratic coal mine for the 2016 presidential elections. Obama, who continues to put on the facade of making progress despite the opposition in Congress, now faces the very
real possibility of becoming a lame duck president. Many posted to Facebook they voted against Obama, which by extension meant voting for the Republican candidates in most cases. It seems that voting against the entire Democratic Party simply to give Obama the proverbial middle finger equates to setting yourself on fire to keep warm on a cold night. Yet the true winner on election night did not come down to Republicans or Democrats, but instead came in the form of big money spending. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled money as speech and with that decision, opened the floodgates for spending to dominate the political arena. The name Koch is now prevalent in most discussions of the election result and leads to the pressing question: Can the wealthiest minority buy their govern-
ment? If these election results say anything, it’s a resounding yes. Many political commentators later pointed out the fact of Democratic Party spending being on par with the Republicans, but the total amount isn’t necessarily the most important factor. As The Washington Post put it, “What about the fact that, without the Koch brothers, the GOP would probably have been badly outspent? Just because the GOP didn’t have much more money doesn’t mean money didn’t matter. If nothing else, the Kochs were responsible for a parity, without which Republicans might not have gained as many seats.” The scariest part of this entire ordeal comes with looking ahead into 2016 and the options for presidential candidates. The time for vague comments neither confirming nor denying candidacy has passed. Now comes the time for those individuals to step into the light and reveal
Cartoon by Erich Reinhart - Contributor
Between the Signs
Write for The Blue Banner! The Blue Banner accepts letters to the editor, contributions and story ideas. Email graper@unca.edu
The Blue Banner
A.V. SHERK
asherk@unca.edu News Editor
Aries March 21 - April 20 Ambition and dedication will lead to stellar achievements for you this week. Work smarter, not harder, and watch as the pieces fall neatly into place. Taurus April 21 - May 21 While comfort and stability may be your cornerstones, there is a time to wait and a time for action. Go forth and conquer! Don’t be afraid to take that leap of faith. Gemini May 22 - June 21 You’re irresistible this week, but don’t push the envelope into the dark tactics of manipulation. Enjoy this time of passionate energy. Keep your eyes open for ways to become healthier. Cancer June 22 - July 22 Your desire for greater security -- financially as well as emotionally -- is a natural and healthy instinct. Beware of temper flares and be sure to get all the facts before reacting this week.
Leo July 23 - Aug. 22 Gauge your health and energy levels this week. If you feel like you’re headed for a crash landing, evaluate whether you’re getting enough proper nourishment, sleep and relaxation. Virgo Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 Your professional life may see a boost this week, but watch out for power-trips on the way up. Possessiveness and jealousy may be recurring themes in the days to come. Libra Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 Your sensitivity to the underlying emotional issues of those around you may become overwhelming in the week ahead. Create a safe, neutral space for you to clear your head. Scorpio Oct. 23 - Nov. 22 Use your influence for positive measures. As a leader, you’ll be able to recruit and create conducive atmospheres for a potentially monumental meeting of the minds.
Karpen Hall 019
Sagittarius Nov. 23 - Dec. 21 Don’t be afraid to aim higher and be ambitious in the days to come. Consider the gap between where you are, where you want to be and what it takes to get there. Capricorn Dec. 22 - Jan. 20 The path toward accomplishing your dream or mission clarifies with intensity this week. Don’t wait for approval -- independent action will be instantaneously rewarded. Aquarius Jan. 21 - Feb. 19 For the rest of the week, levelheadedness will bring about much needed perspective for your romantic life and social circles. Don’t be afraid to address the deeper issues. Pisces Feb. 20 - March 20 Speak up! Your renegade spirit may lead you to address unpopular ideas, but the minority opinions deserve a voice too. Watch as those around you appreciate your uniqueness.
themselves and their interests. Of course, two big names are Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush in recent days. Clinton faced a rough blow when Barack Obama scored the Democratic Party’s nomination instead of her in the 2008 elections, and Bush has the family name to both boost and hinder his prospects in the next elections. The 2014 election season came with an enormous price tag attached -- costing nearly $3.87 billion. So, moving forward to the 2016 presidential race, it seems the only chance of becoming president goes to the highest bidder. Americans should exercise caution when deciding whether to vote for or against an entire party or they’ll find themselves living in a gridlock of such wealthy and out-of-touch politicians that being represented by their elected officials will be a thing of the past.
Editorial Board (828)251-6586
www.thebluebanner.net
Grace Raper, Editor-in-Chief graper@unca.edu
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Tim Barrett, Co-Business Manager tbarrett@unca.edu
Ashika Raval, Sports Editor araval@unca.edu
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The Blue Banner is UNC Asheville’s student newspaper. We publish each Wednesday except during summer sessions, finals week and holiday breaks. Our office is located in Karpen Hall 019. The Blue Banner is a designated forum for free speech and welcomes letters to the editor, considering them on basis of interest, space and timeliness. Letters and articles should be emailed to the editor-in-chief or the appropriate section editor. Letters should include the writer’s name, year in school and major or other relationshiop to UNCA. Include a telephone number to aid in verification. All articles are subject to editing.