Issue 2 | Vol. 64

IN THIS ISSUE:

FACULTY FACES: JOHN WOOD PG. 13

MAJOR PLAYER: CHATORI MAJOR PG. 6

SNOW SELFIES! PG. 5

T h e st u d en t vo i c e o f U N C As h ev i lle | t h row i n g st r ess ba lls s i n c e 1 9 82 | t h eb lu eba n n er.n et

There's snow way we're going to class.

Issue 2, Volume 64

TUESDAY, JAN. 26 HIGH 51 째 LOW 33 째

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NEWS mental health

THEBLUEBANNER.NET

2 JANUARY 26, 2016

awareness N E W S

Section Editor: Larisa Karr lakarr@unca.edu

Editor-In-Chief James Neal, jneal@unca.edu

Overall, more than 80 percent of college students felt overwhelmed by college life in the past year.

News Editor Larisa Karr, lakarr@unca.edu Sports Editor Harrison Slaughter, jslaught@unca.edu

H I G H L I G H T

Misinformation, stereotyping and misunderstanding: how students with mental health disorders face a plethora of daily struggles NEVE POLLARD News Staff Writer npollar1@unca.edu

For college students, the phrase “Don’t worry, be happy,” common in American culture, may be easier said than done.

According to the American Psychological Association’s website, the state of mental health on college campuses is a growing crisis. Common mental health issues seen on campus throughout the United States include depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, alcohol abuse, eating disorders and self-injury.

Mental health advocacy plays an important role on campus at UNC Asheville, said Jay Cutspec, director of the health and counseling center.

“I encourage students to be their own advocate concerning the well-being of their mental health,” Cutspec said. “Beyond

that, the counseling center offers outreach programs on campus in order to attract students to our resources.”

The center’s outreach programs bring a plethora of new students to the counseling center, Cutspec said, and in order to properly accommodate them, the counseling center has walkin hours allowing students to be seen the same day they visit the center.

Despite this, some students still struggle to access the center. Beck Martens, senior sociology and women, gender and sexuality studies student, said scheduling a meeting with the health and counseling center is difficult because of the center’s limited weekday hours.

“I don’t understand why the center is open only during class time,” Martens said. “It is inconvenient for busy students.”

Cutspec said the most com-

mon mental health issue seen on campus is anxiety. Common physical characteristics associated with anxiety are headaches and stomachaches. Because of this, he said the health and counseling aspects of the center are closely connected so mind and body can be treated at the same time.

The counseling center initially introduces students to stress reduction strategies such as deep breathing, meditation and relaxation exercises. Beyond this, it is up to the student to continue visiting the center, Cutspec said.

The counseling center offers several programs to students who seek to improve their mental health. Current programs include The Daring Way and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

“I would say everyone should go through DBT, because it teaches emotional regulation, Read more on page 14

America, 40 million American adults suffer from anxiety, 75 percent of which experienced their first bout of anxiety by age 22.

In addition, a 2011 survey by the National Institute of Mental Health found 30 percent of college students indicated that depression made functioning during the school year difficult.

Many students experience anxiety and depression due to major lifestyle changes, academic stress or difficulty sleeping, Mullert said. Freshman or transfer students are especially prone to feeling anxious or de-

FACT: 30 percent of college students indicated that depression made functioning during the school year difficult

National Institute of Mental Health

pressed due to the overwhelming nature of attending a new school.

Overall, more than 80 percent of college students felt overwhelmed by college life in the past year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Arts & Features Editor Phillip Wyatt, pwyatt@unca.edu Copy Desk Chief Barbie Byrd, bbyrd1@unca.edu Layout & Design Editor Makeda Sandford, msandfor@unca.edu Photography Editor Johnny Condon, jcondon@unca.edu Multimedia Editor Neve Pollard, npollar1@unca.edu Social Media Editor

Meredith Bumgarner, mbumgarn@unca.edu

Voice Editor John Mallow, jmallow@unca.edu Copy Editors Shanee Simhoni, ssimhoni@unca.edu Rebecca Andrews, randrew1@unca.edu Advertising Manager Amber Abunassar, aabunass@unca.edu Faculty Adviser Michael Gouge, mgouge@unca.edu Distribution Manager Carson Wall, cwall1@unca.edu Staff

Callie Jennings, Josh Alexander, Charles Heard, Eli Choplin, Bryce Alberghini, Drew Heinz, Lee Elliott, Will Quanstrom, Megan Authement, Erika Williams, Roan Farb, Ayneric Assemat, Calla Hinton, Nick Haseloff, Phillip Carwane, Emily Henderson, Joshua Shuford, Forest Lyons.

Photo by Neve Pollard Jay Cutspec, Director of Health and Counseling Center, in his offi​ce.

Depressed? Anxious? Surprise! You are not alone...

LEE ELLIOTT News Staff Writer lelliott2@unca.edu UNC Asheville students experience anxiety and depression at an alarming rate, according to campus health care professionals.

“We have been seeing a lot of cases of depression and anxiety,” said Kenda Mullert, health outreach coordinator for the UNCA Health and Counseling Center. “Our counselors have been seeing students back to back.”

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of

The Blue Banner Spring 2015 Editorial Board

“A lot of people also come in because they may be lonely, or feel like they don’t know anybody,” Mullert said. “They can quickly spiral into into habitual negative thinking, anxiety or depression because they feel isolated.”

Mullert said it is important to get connected with a club or group on campus to avoid isolation, adding there are many student organizations designed to help anxious or depressed students.

Mindfulness Club, a student organization, seeks to raise awareness of the way both acRead more on page 8

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Have a news tip?

Send to jneal@unca.edu 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 relationship to UNCA. Include a telephone number to aid in verification.

All articles are subject to editing.

THEBLUEBANNER.NET

jan. 19-26

happenings Tuesday, January 26th 9 am-6pm Drawing Discourse: 7th Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Drawing Where: Owen Hall 101 9am-9pm, All week Simultaneity 2016 Where: Owen Hall 201 Wednesday, January 27th Continuing all week 9 am-6pm Drawing Discourse: 7th Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Drawing Where: Owen Hall 101 Thursday, January 28th 9 am-6pm Drawing Discourse: 7th Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Drawing Where: Owen Hall 101 11:50am-1:05pm Starting the Conversation: A Keyword Session Where: Karpen Hall 139-Laurel Forum 8pm-11pm TBT:Pulp Fiction Where: Highsmith Union Grotto Friday, January 29th 11:30am-1:15pm Fab Friday Lecture: Roller Derby: From Spectacle to Sport Where: Reuter Center 102A 8pm-11pm FNF: Selma Where: Highsmith Union Grotto Saturday, January 30th 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (ET) Murder Mystery Dinner Highsmith University Union 143 Monday, February 1st 9am-9pm Simultaneity 2016 Where: Owen Hall 201

on the cover:

photo in the botanical gardens by brooklyn baker

JANUARY 26, 2016

campus life

3

Are you actually going somewhere with a liberal arts education?

ERIKA WILLIAMS News Staff Writer ewillia6@unca.edu

Using education to enact effective, hard-hitting social justice may stem from an oftentimes neglected, overlooked source: the liberal arts.

“A liberal arts education not only helps establish careers, but helps you listen to, and think critically toward, diverse opinions,” said Marquis McGee, assistant director of academic programs at UNC Asheville.

“This allows you to share and contribute to the workforce, and society.”

McGee said he chose to leave his hometown of Charlotte to work for a liberal arts college because he had attended UNCA as a student. He said he appreciated his opportunity to learn about a wide variety of topics.

Liberal arts colleges have produced an array of successful graduates in a variety of fields, McGee said, such as Wiley Cash, a popular novelist, UNCA graduate and former student of McGee,

“The word liberal may scare some folks. They think liberal arts is not focused, and has an ‘anything goes’ mentality,” McGee said. “This is not the case.”

McGee worked in the banking industry before he looked to UNCA for employment. He said the nature of his education also helped him succeed in his banking career.

Joseph Hoitela, a recent management graduate of UNCA, said his liberal arts education was both helpful and detrimental to his career as an assistant portfolio analyst at the Wessel Investment Counsel in Asheville.

“People go to college to get jobs,” Hoitela said. “Though I got a job right out of college in my field, I could have done without some of the liberal arts requirements, and more credit hours toward my major.”

However, Hoitela said he became a more well-rounded person because of this type of education, which has contributed to his success in the corporate world.

“I would not have originally taken some of these classes required for liberal arts, if I had a say,” Hoitela said.

Taking diverse classes helped him think more critically and have a worldly view, Hoitela said, both useful skills in business.

“Your major and getting a job is just a piece of the puzzle,” McGee said. “Liberal arts is about the big picture.”

Lauren Christine Summers, a former UNCA student, said her liberal arts education taught her to focus on the big picture.

Now she protests against social injustice.

Summers, 20, supported protesters in downtown Asheville on controversies last year regarding police brutality. She attended and led demonstrations on several occasions. She said she expressed support for early demonstrators in Ferguson, Missouri, as well.

Access to the liberal arts education at UNCA definitely helped her become aware of, and concerned about, social is-

sues such as civil rights, Summers said.

Summers marched with protesters in Durham as early as December of 2014.

“I’ve been to three events pertaining to police violence; a peace rally, a candlelight vigil and march and a peaceful protest where we marched to Duke’s campus,” Summers said.

Summers said many other students from liberal arts universities participated in protests such as these across the state.

“It might be cliché, but I think the younger generation has a huge impact,” Summers said. “We are the ones with the greater advantages. We have more time here on this earth to change things.”

According to McGee, the variety of classes required of liberal arts students creates an awareness of social issues.

“Those that do not see the value in liberal arts education may not quite understand what it is,” McGee said.

health

Fitbits: fad gadget or fitness revolution?

JOHN MALLOW Voice Editor jmallow@unca.edu

If you own a fitness tracker or smart watch, chances are it is a Fitbit, which, in the third-quarter of 2015, commanded 20 percent of the market, according to IDC Research.

“The first time I got one for non-athletic purposes must have been when I was working at Ithaca College, so right after graduate school,” said Amy Lanou, department chair and associate professor of UNC Asheville’s health and wellness department. “I was working in another health promotion department with a bunch of fitness people.”

Lanou said fitness trackers started out as basic pedometers.

“The field has had them for a long time as step counters,” Lanou said.

Fitbit, according to its website, currently offers seven different models of fitness trackers, all with varying levels of features across different price ranges.

Lanou, a former cross-country and track athlete, said runners constantly focus on distance goals. Distance tracking is a key feature of these devices.

“I used to run as a high school student and in college, so of course we’re always interested in mileage,” Lanou, 52, said.

Ellen Garrison, a full-time lecturer in the health and wellness department, became familiar with fitness trackers through their incorporation into university programs.

“There’s been a pilot project using some technology and interfacing with Mission Hospital,” Garrison said. “It’s called

a Pebble, and it’s an accelerometer. It’s part of my healthy life program.”

Through using the Pebble smart watch as an instructional tool, Garrison became more familiar with fitness trackers and began enjoying the novelty of it.

“So, I was using the Pebble and I kind of got used to it. I like seeing the steps, I like having a goal, and I didn’t know I would like that,” Garrison said.

“I found it fun, and it can be a little bit of a competition among friends.”

Lanou, also familiar with the Pebble tracker, prefers her Fitbit Charge wristband.

“This one has been a lot better for me than that one because that one I had to remember to move it from shoe-to-shoe. Or sometimes you can wear it on

your bra and, whoops, it went in the washer,” Lanou said.

Garrison, 61, is also a Fitbit user who purchased her first one, a Charge HR model, in 2015.

“It was last year, I remeber because it was a basketball game and Verizon was handing out 20 percent discounts, which you almost never hear for a Fitbit,” Garrison said. “We got the coupons, and we took off to Verizon.”

Fitbit has a large portion of the fitness tracker market cornered but they are not the only option avail-

THEBLUEBANNER.NET

4 JANUARY 26, 2016

NEWS

Protecting the environment through cultural traditions Erika Williams & Ayneric Assemat A&F Staff Writers

Alison Ormsby said she aims to reveal the link between cultural traditions and environmental protection efforts using research and photography.

Photographs by the adjunct assistant professor of environmental studies can now be viewed in her exhibit entitled “Protecting the Environment through Cultural Traditions: Sacred Groves of Sierra Leone and India,” located in Blowers Gallery at UNC Asheville’s Ramsey Library Ormsby travelled to both countries to research alternative conservation efforts, specifically sacred groves.

“I brought these photographs here to open people up to a different culture and to show how respectful this culture is,” Ormsby said. “This respect is so important. It has kept these forests alive.”

The exhibit features images related to Ormsby’s studies until Feb. 26. Ormsby will give a lecture in the library’s Whitman Room at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 19, followed by a reception in the gallery.

“Sacred forests, often referred to as sacred groves, are sites that have cultural or spiritual significance for the people who live around them,” Ormsby wrote in her article published in “Conservation and Society.”

While working with the Peace Corps twenty years ago, in the Tonkolili District of Sierra Leone, Ormsby had her first encounter with a sacred grove.

“It looked untouched and not maintained,” Ormsby said. “I wondered what kind of land it was.”

When she returned years later, she became the first to carry out community research regarding this grove.

Sacred groves are preserved by community members and

serve as spaces for rituals or sometimes large festivals, according to Ormsby.

“Traditionally, each forest is thought to host the presence of different deities,” Ormsby said, “ None are used for individual recreation.”

Since the forests are protected by these communities, there is a great amount of biodiversity and plants found nowhere else in the world, Ormsby said.

In Sierra Leone, she was not permitted to enter the sacred grove due to secrecy and the deep spirituality of local peoples.

“They had three kinds of groves there, which only members of a society may enter,” Ormsby said. “One for men, one for women and one for chiefs.”

While the sacred groves in Sierra Leone were not accessible to Ormsby, she found the groves in Southern and Northeastern India more open to vis-

itors.

“You still had to be very respectful by bathing and making sure you were clean before entering,” she said.

The sacred groves of Northeastern India are larger and located in a less populated area than the smaller groves in the South. Preservation and use of every grove depends on the belief systems adopted by each community, “Each sacred grove has its own taboo, different rules and rituals,” Ormsby said.

Inside, she discovered some had temples hidden in the center, while others were used to perform rituals.

Ormsby said community conservation is not likely in the United States, because many people are focused on individual rights to own land freely.

“I do not think it is a result of religion that affects environmental efforts, but an attitude toward nature,” Ormsby said.

“We have the whole idea of my yard, my house, my fence.”

Erin Walker, an environmental science student, said Ormsby’s exhibit reveals how cultures with different beliefs in India work collaboratively to protect the forests while allowing room for diverse traditions.

“In our country, a lot of our conservation of the environment is governmental. There are a lot of policies and laws,” Walker said. “Whereas those people are looking after the forest as a community, and there is a sense of pride behind it.”

Religious influence by missionaries on the peoples of this area changed the spiritual significance of some sacred groves, Ormsby said. As the Christian belief system became more prominent, community members began to forget some traditional rituals related to the groves . Despite a redirection in spirituality in this area, the Read more on page 8

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JANUARY 26, 2016

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THEBLUEBANNER.NET

6 JANUARY 26, 2016

SPORTS

Section Editor: Harrison Slaughter jslaught@unca.edu

student profile

Major Player: Chatori Major EMILY HENDERSON Sports Staff Writer

Chatori Major, junior guard position on the women’s basketball team leads the team in scoring.

UNC Asheville’s point guard, Chatori Major, dedicates her days to basketball with the intention of creating lasting memories.

“There’s so much more to college than there is to high school,” said Major, a junior health and wellness student-athlete. “There was a lot more freedom in high school and it was so much more easier. Work was easier in high school; basketball was easier in high school.”

After a day of classes, non-resident students clear the parking lots and head home, but athletes spend the next couple of hours practicing, traveling or attending a competition.

Regular practice runs daily from 4:30-6:30 p.m. with games expected every other Tuesday and Saturday.

“It’s gotten easier from my freshman year,” Major said. “I was so overwhelmed and stressed out, but after a couple years, you learn how to prioritize and get everything done that you need to get done.”

Military bred, Major spent 3 years in Japan before moving to Alabama to begin high school.

Before the end of her freshman year, her family relocated to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where she spent the next three years. She graduated with a varsity letter in track and field as well as basketball and volleyball.

Bulldogs complete Major comeback PHILLIP CARWANE Staff Sports Writer pcarwane@unca.edu

UNC Asheville’s women’s basketball team remains tied for first place after a hard-fought win Saturday on the road at High Point University. Chatori Major, UNCA junior guard, scored a game-high 25 points and carried the Bulldogs back from an early 14 point deficit.

Bad weather delayed the game and only High Point looked ready for the 4:30 p.m. tip off. The Bulldogs com-

mitted six turnovers, and the Panthers badly out-rebounded them in the first quarter. Major drove to the basket twice and Tianna Knuckles, junior guard, blocked a shot and got a steal to close the first half down 13-24.

The Bulldogs entered the second quarter energized and completed a 15-3 run to take the lead at 28-27. Major, Knuckles and freshman guard Jessica Wall hit 3-point shots during the run. UNCA finished the game shooting 36.8 percent from beyond the arc.

UNCA turnovers and High

Point’s 90 percent success rate from the free throw line kept the game close. At the half, High Point led by one 44-43. Major scored 17 of her 25 points in the first half.

In the third quarter, the Panthers pushed their lead to five.

Two quick fouls forced Major from the game. Freshman guard Senora Dengokl scored twice from the paint and Wall ripped a 3-pointer as UNCA retook the lead 54-52. UNCA center Bronaza Fitzgerald scored four of her 12 points before the Panthers surged to a five point lead

“Because she has moved so much, she’s really had to fight for herself a lot in situations, going to new schools, meeting new people,” said Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick, head coach of the UNCA women’s basketball team. “It’s made her independent to a certain degree.”

According to the outlook for the 2015-16 season, Major shows great versatility and will be a legitimate threat on both ends of the court. She holds the position of the fastest player on the roster and, as one of the best scorers in the league, Major leads UNCA in scoring.

Ja’Da Brayboy, a junior basketball player and close friend of Major, said her personality carries onto the court.

“She’s very competitive,” Brayboy said. “She’s also a really loving and caring person, if Chatori has it, you’ll have it also. That translates onto the court as well, she’s not a selfish player or anything like that.”

When making their academic schedule, Major said they register for classes with each other, enabling them to study together during their busy schedules .“We’re all like sisters. It’s a very close-knit family,” said Brayboy. “We’re really loving, really caring and I think it’s more than anything, a genuine relationship between everyone on the team.”

Kirkpatrick, a Read more on page 15

going into the final period.

Kaylah Keys, High Point junior guard, scored six of her 21 points in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter to keep the Panther lead at five.

A timeout gave coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick a chance to implement a full court press that caused a jump-ball but the possession arrow pointed to High Point, who led 76-71.

Knuckles and Major combined for ten of the Bulldogs’ last eleven points.

The final point came from Khaila Webb’s single success-

ful free throw, but it was the most important as the Bulldogs won 82-81.

UNCA struggled from the free throw line, only hitting 47.4 percent. The Bulldogs battled against a good Panther defense and earned 54.1 percent of field goals made.

UNCA advances to a 14-4 record, 7-2 in the Big South Conference. High Point falls to 6-12 and 5-4 in conference play. The Bulldogs face Presbyterian College at Kimmel Arena Tuesday in a matchup of first place teams.

THEBLUEBANNER.NET

JANUARY 26, 2016

BULLDOGS BEAT BLUE HOSE DREW HEINZ

Staff Sports Writer dheinz@unca.edu

UNC Asheville’s men’s basketball team led from the tip en route to a 67-55 victory over Presbyterian Blue Hose.

Their victory, along with High Point’s loss to Liberty University, kept UNCA in first place in the Big South Conference. The Bulldogs are now

halfway through their regular season.

“Being first at the halfway point feels good, but they don’t give out trophies at the halfway point,” said Nick McDevitt, coach of the men’s basketball team.

The Bulldogs came into the game with an aggressive offense. They had a 15-3 run at the beginning of the game and

at halftime, they led 37-30.

By the second half, the Blue Hoses almost caught up when Presbyterian’s Darius Moore sank a 3-pointer to bring the score to 46-45. The Bulldogs responded with a 17-2 run which led them to finish the game with a 12-point lead.

The defense set their focus on stopping DeSean Murray, one of the top shooters in the

NCAA. They were able to hold Murray to only eight points.

“We knew he was going to score, but we tried to make it as hard as we could.“ said Dwayne Sutton, who scored 15 points.

The defense also focused on forcing turnovers, allowing them to make 21 steals. Dylan Smith and Sam Hughes had four steals each.

The Bulldogs will be on the

Panthers trump Bulldogs with senior star PHILLIP CARWANE Staff Sports Writer pcarwane@unca.edu

The UNC Asheville Bulldogs men’s basketball team lost 69-73 to the High Point University Panthers Wednesday night. But it felt like they lost to one man, John Brown, High Point’s senior leader. Brown finished the game with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

The teams entered the night separated by one game in the Big South Conference, with UNCA alone at the top of the rankings.

Throughout the first half, the teams looked very similar. Both teams strug-

gled to find a rhythm and both turned the ball over often.

When Kevin Vannatta, UNCA sophomore guard, scored an old-fashioned 3-point play with six-and-a-half minutes left in the first half, he sent John Brown to the bench with two fouls.

UNCA finished the half only down three despite High Point earning 14 more rebounds than the Bulldogs.

“I thought our defense was good, we just didn’t get the job done on the glass,” said Nick McDevitt, UNCA’s men basketball coach.

Brown returned in the second half and sank 13 of High Point’s next 17 points as UNCA shared their scoring amongst Vannatta, Dylan Smith,

Raekwon Miller and Dwayne Sutton.

Hard work on defense and a Smith 3-pointer brought UNCA even with the Panthers at 46-46 with 12:30 left in the game.

Later, Brown received his third foul against Will Weeks who hit one of two free throws and tied the game again 52-52 at the eight-minute mark.

The Bulldogs trailed the rest of the game after Brown dunked on a follow up to a teammate’s miss, then immediately converted to defense and hustled back to block Sam Hughes’ shot.

High Point thwarted UNCA’s efforts on defense as Brown completed his own old fashioned 3-point play at the very end of the 30-second shot

7

Photo by

road for their next game against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Coastal Carolina leads the conference in defensive rebounds; however, the Bulldogs will be prepared.

“We are going to try to have everybody go to the board,” Sutton said. “We are going to make a big deal about rebounding and see what happens.”

clock and later the possession arrow gave the ball back to High Point following a jump ball.

UNCA caused three High Point turnovers in the final minute-and-ahalf but would miss two late 3-pointers, allowing the Panthers to stay ahead.

Dylan Smith led the Bulldogs with 19 points for the game, all of which he scored in the second half.

UNCA and High Point share the top spot in the Big South Conference with 6-2 records.

The Bulldogs drop to 13-7 overall and they return home to Kimmel Arena for a Saturday afternoon game against Presbyterian College.

8 JANUARY 26, 2016

SPORTS stats

By Harrison Slaughter, Sports Editor

men’s basketball Jan. 14 UNC Asheville High Point

Final 69 73

Jan. 16 Presbyterian UNC Asheville

Final 67 55

Women’s basketball Jan. 12 UNC Asheville High Point

Final 82 81

Jan. 16 Gardner-Webb UNC Asheville

Final 56 58

Jan. 26

Jan. 28

Jan. 27

Jan. 29

Women’s Basketball vs.

Presbyterian College Kimmel Arena 7 p.m.

jan. 26-30

calendar

Brazilian Jiu Jitzu Sherrill Center Room 306 6:30 p.m.

Anxiety tions and thoughts can impact an individual and those around them, according to their website.

Lia Curtis-Fine, Mindfulness Club president, said the group’s members learn skills and tools such as deep relaxation meditation, mindful eating, breathing techniques and different forms of yoga to help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression.

“I believe that incorporating any type of mindfulness practice into one's daily life is one of the best ways to combat depression or anxiety,” Curtis-Fine said. “Meditation alone can be a lifesaver for someone with anxiety.

From page 2

If you can notice the breath, you can slow the breath; if you can slow the breath, you can slow your heart rate; and if you can slow your heart rate, you can slow your mind and really evaluate the thoughts you are having.”

Other ways recommended by the ADAA to manage anxiety and depression include limiting caffeine or alcohol intake, watching a funny movie, taking a walk around campus and listening to music.

“One of the only ways I can really relax is watching movies, It just lets you forget about all of the things happening around you,” said Chloe

Environment communities continue to preserve the land.

“The reason for conservation efforts kind of evolve as belief systems change,” she said. She focuses on this correlation between culture and environmental conservation in her work.

“If this cultural respect for the forests doesn’t continue, they may be chopped down eventually,” she said.

Ormsby said she does not believe governmental protection of India’s sacred land to be the solution; rather, it will

Fit in 5 Sherrill Center Room 306 12:15 p.m.

Spin Express Student Recreation Center Room 213-B 11:30 a.m.

Bankson, a sophomore from Asheville.

Bankson typically watches light-hearted movies that uplift her mood and take her to a different time and place.

It is important to not self-medicate your anxiety or depression, Mullert said. Alcohol and drugs might provide temporary relief from symptoms, but they can lead to addiction.

“Find the root issue,” Mullert said. “Ask yourself why you are feeling so stressed, depressed or anxious. If it feels like you’re too intimidated to see a counselor, we have support groups on campus for students.”

From page 4

depend on individuals and communities.

Walker said she thinks we have a lot to learn from cultures that live in harmony with nature.

“They live in small communities, so it’s simpler for them to take care of those areas,” Walker said. “But we have spread out so much that we need laws in order to preserve the environment.”

Mariah Keogh, a psychology student at UNCA, said she wants to travel and discover places similar to those

Jan. 30

Men’s Basketball Longwood University Kimmel Arena 12 p.m.

Men’s Tennis vs.

Lenoir-Rhyne Asheville Racquet Club 3 p.m.

featured in the exhibit.

“My favorite photograph is ‘Grove and Clothesline,’ because the colors are beautiful and it shows how close they are to nature,” Keogh said. “I have not really thought about this connection between culture and environmental protection before, but I think they are more connected to nature and aware of their dependence on it than we are. We are not as immersed in it as they are, and I think that affects our attitudes toward it.”

Women’s Swimming vs.

NC A&T Justice Center Pool 4 p.m.

THEBLUEBANNER.NET

Arts & Features

JANUARY 26, 2016

9

Section Editor: Phillip Wyatt pwyatt@unca.edu

faculty faces

From Swan Lake to Stonehenge, Ann Dunn shares her wisdom ERIKA WILLIAMS News Staff Writer ewillia6@unca.edu

Ann Dunn, a UNC Asheville humanities lecturer with a background in ballet, points dancers in the right direction through choreography.

Dunn, who spent the majority of her childhood in Raleigh, said she leapt into the world of ballet at a young age.

“I was born dancing,” Dunn said. “I never stopped moving.

So, my parents and I knew I was a dancer from the start.”

Dunn said she had to decide between her passions for violin, dancing and academics.

“I chose dancing and academics,” she said.

Dunn serves as the CEO and artistic director of The Asheville Ballet Company, the oldest non-profit ballet company in North Carolina. She also facilitates the Asheville Academy of Ballet and Contemporary Dance.

The company started in the Leader building in downtown Asheville during the mid-80s.

“We lived upstairs and did pottery there, and held classes downstairs,” Dunn said.

Dunn’s dance career took off when she attended The School of American Ballet in New York City and danced in principal roles; however, her focus was divided, she said.

“I flunked out. I fell in love and the art scene was vibrant at this time. Artists like Bob Dylan were playing in the cafes and usually for free,” Dunn said. “All of the big French films started coming over, so my heart wasn’t in school at the time.”

Instead, Dunn got married and moved away from New York City, to Indiana. Later, she returned to her love of dance.

She studied with prestigious

schools and directors across the country.

“There was a time that I was traveling around to teach dance in public schools, to pay the bills, and I always took my kids with me,” Dunn said.

Dunn studied ballet and opened a dance theater in Indiana, where she also began writing poetry. Additionally, she founded the Indiana State Dance Alliance, a network for dance companies statewide.

Her desire to move to Asheville resulted from passing through town as a child on her way to visit family, Dunn said.

“This was before the major highways came to exist,” Dunn said. “Biltmore Avenue was full of mansions and dogwoods. It was beautiful.”

Dunn later received her interdisciplinary master's degree from UNCA. She is currently choreographing a ballet performance.

“The combination of music, movement and words is what it's all about,” Dunn said.

She previously created a production based on her book of poetry “Olde Women” in which the dancers of Asheville Ballet Company matched movements to the words she read over a microphone.

“I create the choreography in silence and some prominent musicians in Asheville watch the moves and compose music to match them,” Dunn said.

“Many people think it works the other way around, but that is not always the case.”

Dunn said she witnessed ballet transform over time.

“Ballet was swans,” she said.

“Influences of modern dance and World War II has changed this into a wider variety.”

Only a few big expressions are conveyed through classical

ballet such as sadness and love, she said.

“But there are so many more,” she said. “That is why I love theatrical and dramatic ballet.”

Dunn primarily creates these types of performances, which she tours with the dancers of Asheville Ballet about three times a year.

“Art is not a competition.

The heart of it lies in the use of technique to convey emotion,” Dunn said. “You can judge it for technique, sure, but it is all in the ability to express emotion.”

Lauren Tooley, 17, grew up in the Asheville area and has danced for eight years.

“I dance for multiple reasons. I get to express myself in a place where I feel accepted and not judged,” Tooley said.

“It also challenges me to push myself and has taught me so many valuable lessons like hard work, self-motivation, and discipline.”

She dances five days a week at the Ballet Conservatory of Asheville and has many friends that trained with Dunn.

“I think dance is an athletic art. Dancers use their bodies to create stories and try to make audiences feel emotions,” Tooley said. “I think classical ballet is very valuable because of the tradition it carries.”

She plans to attend college next year as a dance major and hopes to be a professional dancer before transferring to the administrative side of dance, she said.

“Dance is hard because there is a lot of competition between dancers, and often those dancers are your friends,” Tooley said. “You have to learn to accept that part of the art form and focus only on yourself and not others.”

Photo taken by Matt Rose Ann Dunn. Director of the Asheville Ballet and professor at UNC Asheville.

Jaimon Caceres, an interior designer from Burnsville, North Carolina, danced professionally with the Asheville Ballet Company.

“I think ballet should definitely get more recognition. There are people that truly appreciate it and I hope that it begins to grow,” Caceres said.

Caceres worked with Dunn for about three years and performed in many of her ballets including The Nutcracker and Carmen.

“She is amazing and I love

her so much,” Caceres said.

Now retired from dancing, Caceres said his ballet career helped him develop the creativity he now uses in interior design.

“Ann was my coach and she took me under her wing,” Caceres said. “I attribute all of my success to her.”

Dunn offers advice to students who have a wide variety of passions.

“Do the things that you love,” Dunn said, “and do them well.”

THEBLUEBANNER.NET

10 JANUARY 26, 2016

Arts & Features

Filmmaker Curtis Chin decries the SAT system in his latest documentary “Tested” BRYCE ALBERGHINI Contributor

As part of UNC Asheville’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Week, the university presented an exclusive screening of the documentary film “Tested” held in Alumni Hall at Highsmith Union on Wednesday.

The event was coordinated by the department of education and gave access to a film only available through private screenings, not online.

Students had the opportunity to gain insight into social equality and speak with Curtis Chin, a renowned TV writer and director of the film.

“Getting into filmmaking was kind of my way of giving back to my own community,” Chin said.

UNCA invited Chin to participate in Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Week for his coverage of social justice issues and the relevance of equal rights in today's education system.

The film focused on how standardized testing has become the deciding factor for many students’ educational future and examines the competitive nature of middle school placement tests in New York City for minority groups.

Chin grew up in a community similar to the environment portrayed in the film, making the production a personal venture.

“I was born in Detroit, New York bred.

Since my parents didn't go to college, I was thinking, ‘Why do I have to go?’” he said. “My mom didn't finish high school, but my dad did. He also attended one semester of college, but dropped out.”

Chin did not always intend to study filmmaking. His decision to attend college was not as definite as the students interviewed in the film.

“Truthfully, my goal as a high schooler was to literally just buy a Jeep and travel around the country,” Chin said. “I have gotten to travel a lot with this career though. I've been to about 32 states now.”

In Chin’s community, there was a lot of pressure to seek higher education and go to college.

“I actually didn't apply to school when my friends did. Everyone was getting early admission letters. When I realized I needed to go to college, fortunately, I had really good grades in school,” Chin said. “I attended the University of Mich-

​Curtis Chin, Director of the film “Tested.”

igan for creative writing and eventually became a writer for television.”

Chin wrote for networks such as ABC, Nickelodeon and Disney channel.

In more recent ventures, he said he explores social justice platforms for minority groups.

“We don't have to wait for the next victim to start making a difference in our community,” he said.

His 2009 documentary, “Vincent Who?,” covered the 1982 murder of Vincent Chin, a Chinese American from Detroit. This documentary was a segue for the filmmaker to explore some of the social injustices in America, with an emphasis on education.

“Tested” sheds light on the condition of the education system in New York City and some of the struggles minority children experience in order to reach a higher education.

“For the students in the film, there is a lot of anxiety and pressure, but what is the alternative?” Chin said. “I think about some of the kids I grew up with, and some wound up in jail before they were 20. That is one path for these kids, or they can take on the pressure of a higher education.”

Chin’s documentary raises many questions about how to provide students of every background equal opportunity to obtain an education.

“You ultimately have to think about fixing the system, because what about the tens of thousands of kids going to

Photo by Tiece Ruffin

really shitty schools?” Chin said. “For everyone to get a good education, we have to fix the definition of what a good education is.”

Chin said students in the midst of their education need to focus on what they enjoy and can excel in.

The middle school placement tests represent only one route to success for minority students.

“Some of these higher level schools are not for everybody,” Chin said. “New York has 1.2 million kids, and it's hard for kids to know what they want to do by middle school. But if you know you want to be a singer for example, why shouldn't you? You just have to be really good at what you like in life.”

Even with such a positive reception of “Tested,” Chin has undetermined plans for his next work.

“This is my second documentary, and I don't know if I want to make another documentary on education,” Chin said.

“A lot of people have asked me to, and I have had some interesting topics pitched to me. I think for me it has to be social justice because that's what I really care about.”

As an aspiring director, Chin has experienced what it takes to gain success as filmmaker.

“To make the decision to make a film is a big step. It becomes a huge chunk of your life,” Chin said. “Not only will you spend the next year or two shooting the film, but you will also spend the next

year or two promoting the film, and you have to be ready for that kind of commitment.”

The film presented students and members of the community attending the screening with an example of social injustice, a topic of growing concern among students.

Issues such as diversity access and high-stakes testing impact students nationwide, said Ashely Peltack, a literature and 9-12 education licensure student at UNCA. “As a future educator, I want to be a part of the motion towards equality of opportunity and excellence of education,” Peltack said. It's infuriating and saddening that access to knowledge is a privilege and not a right.”

The screening of “Tested” was sponsored by multiple departments on campus, including the department of education. Tiece Ruffin, a coordinator from the education department, invited Chin to participate in UNCA's Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration week.

“The film was selected because of its relation to education and the disparities in the institution of public schooling,” Ruffin said. “It seemed like a great connection to the civil rights movements of our time.”

Social justice has climbed into the spotlight in recent news with increasing violence and unrest among minority groups.

“We have disparaging reports about social justice, equality and inclusion.

We’re not seeing all groups given that equal playing field,” Ruffin said. “This is an American issue and in the spirit of Martin Luther King, if we want to move towards change, we need to look at the education system as the impetus to ignite change.”

Ruffin selected the films for the past four Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebrations. Each film relates to education because many believe racial inequality begins in schools, Ruffin said.

“Our current education system is further enlarging the achievement gap, social stratification. Dr. King's works call for justice, liberty, and equality, and there are still cracks in the system,” said Ruffin. “I see UNCA as a cradle of intellects and young people with the capacity to become activists in our own community to propel our nation for change.”

THEBLUEBANNER.NET

JANUARY 26, 2016

11

FAR FROM HOME AYMERIC ASSEMAT A&F Staff Writer

I step into the plane, leaving my beloved country, my friends and family behind. It is August 12, 2015. After a day of traveling between excitement and sadness, I finally arrived in Asheville, my new home for the next 10 months.

I spent two years preparing for this project, this year abroad, and here am I, in my empty small double bedroom of Governors Hall. My huge suitcases on the ground, I look at the white walls, not really knowing what to do. I had traveled before, but living almost a year in a foreign country is different. I feel like an ant that a child separated from its group. I have lost my marks.

The first two weeks were the hardest part. I thought I spoke

English, but you need more than what you learn at school and a couple episodes of “Game of Thrones” in original version to be able to have a conversation without deeply concentrating.

You need time, and practice.

Since I can remember, I always wanted to speak English.

Not because I like the language, but because of the opportunities offered to you when you speak English. The language is a license to travel and work all over the world.

Of course in France they teach us English at school, but if you don’t really want to learn, it’s not enough. You learn to comment on a painting or an article, but having a conversation is completely different; you can’t learn that in a classroom.

My trip to Canada was a real breakthrough in my learning

Photo taken by Aurelia Bassinot Aymeric Assemat standing on a cliff over Casis, a city in the south of France. June, 2015.

of the language. Spending two months with native English speakers, I didn’t have that much choice. I needed to speak

English. Two months in Canada were definitely more valuable than three years in high school, even if now I sound weird to

you when I say “about”.

Having a group of international students struggling together with the language helped me a lot in the process.

It’s always comforting to see you’re not the only one having issues. It’s maybe the part I like the most about being an international student — having a small international community, sharing experience with people from all over the world.

After a couple of weeks, everything became easier. I started having a rhythm in my life. Waking up, going to class, eating at Brown Hall twice a day and meeting the other international students. Studying abroad became that great experience I always dreamed about.

Since I was young, I always wanted to travel, see the world and meet people from other

Local band River Whyless receives national recognition WILL QUANSTROM A&F Staff Writer

River Whyless, an Asheville-based band, received national attention from performing on National Public Radio’s “Tiny Desk” series this year.

The band didn’t win last year’s “Tiny Desk” contest with the video they submitted, but their sound did catch the ear of Bob Boilen, NPR’s “All Songs Considered” host.

“It was kind of serendipitous and super exciting,” said Alex McWalters, drummer and percussionist.

River Whyless’ members met in school at Appalachian State University before starting their band and moving to Asheville.

Their current lineup has been together for four years.

McWalters says he doesn’t know what to tell people when

they ask what kind of music River Whyless plays, but he says they’re folk-influenced.

“English trad-folk sounds are the band’s obvious touchstones,” according to the band’s biography on their publicity agent’s website.

Hanna Zalesky, an Asheville resident, said she saw the band play a couple years ago.

“I was impressed,” Zalesky said. “I did look them up on Spotify after.”

“Tiny Desk” is not the first time the band’s music has been sought after. Explore Asheville, a tourism resource website, chose River Whyless’ music for their promotional campaign and commercial.

“It’s kind of a love-hate thing for us to be promoting tourism, but our view on that is like, we’d rather have it be a local band

trying to represent Asheville the best way we can,” McWalters said. “We were flattered to say the least.”

River Whyless will be playing at Austin’s South By Southwest music festival this year.

Although they’ve played there for many years, this is their first year on the official roster.

McWalters said the band enjoys participating in the festival.

“It’s kind of crazy but it’s always fun. You never know what to expect,” McWalters said.

River Whyless’ new album is set to be mixed in April. The band is hoping for a fall release date.

Their next local show will be in May at LEAF festival in Black Mountain.

To listen to the band and for more information go to: www.riverwhyless.com

Photo courtesy of River Whyless Halli Anderson, Ryan O’Keefe, Daniel Shearin and Alex McWalters.

THEBLUEBANNER.NET

12 JANUARY 26, 2016

Arts & Features beat from the Street

cris halverson Alan Rose, 74, retired hotelier from Miami, Florida

How would you describe your outfit?

“Well, we are going to Lex 18 tonight for a Downton Abbey dinner. So, everybody’s gotta come black-tie or white tails or dressed in period. It’s a five-course meal with wine and then, at some point, we break and watch this week’s episode. I can’t even tell you much about it, but I’m with my wife, who watches it religiously.”

So, how long have you been in Asheville?

“We live actually in the Carolinas, one foot in North and one foot in South on US 25 at the state line. So, it’s about 40 minutes from here and we’ve been here since ‘02.”

What made you want to move here?

“Uh, four seasons and golf and we ski at Sug-

By Larisa Karr | Features Editor | lakarr@unca.edu

Many stories lurk throughout Asheville, whether they are 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.

Cris Halverson, 52, cook from Minneapolis

What are you doing in Asheville? Just hanging out?

“Well, right now I’m going to look for something to eat but I’ve been, I escaped Minnesota in a van. I’m just looking for someplace warm and I haven’t found it yet because it’s snowing. I was in Chattanooga last night, made it up over the hills and here I am. I heard that Asheville was a cool place to hang out, so I’d check it. So I’ll probably be here for a day or so.

So are you moving from Minneapolis or...?

“Probably, I’m looking for a place to sit down.

I’m headed probably over the coast down to Savannah and my brother lives in Tampa, so, at least that’s kind of half a goal for now.

Just travelling all over?

“Yeah.”

How would you describe your style? The shoes and the leather jacket...was this coordinated?

“No. This is my favorite scarf. Yeah, I would normally wear boots. This was just what I brought along. It’s what I got. Keep it simple. I always wear leather all the time.

Is there any particular reason?

“I wear the gloves because I drive. It’s easy, you know, and you can smoke. Nah, I just love the jacket. I used to ride back home, so…”

That’s awesome. So you own a motorcycle?

“Yeah, a motorcab.”

Okay, cool. What would you say in terms of artistic inspirations, like music, film, anything creative really, what would you cite as inspiring

to you?

“I am more of a visual artist, painter. I taught myself Photoshop and, god, I’m inspired by so many, so many things. More, what can I say? I guess I’ve done a lot of my works and had a lot of big shows on Alice in Wonderland. So, Alice has been a pretty motivating factor for me, you know…

Is there any particular reason why Alice in Wonderland?

“Because, several reasons. At one point in everybody’s life, at least once, you find yourself in a world that does not make sense, going from puberty to adulthood or starting a new school or something like that, almost, and it’s like, oh my god, the world is fucking crazy. I thought I was the only one that was sane, you know?”

Yeah.

“So there’s a lot of people, a lot of my friends are social outcasts, handicap, lot of minority. I don’t know too many straight, white guys. I’m probably the only one. My best friend is trans, I just, all the people on the fringe, they’re all Alice.”

Yeah. They’re where the more interesting people are for sure. So if you had a personal motto that you have on a day-to-day basis, when you wake up in the morning, something you say to yourself, what would you cite?

“My, uh, I do have something I live by, and that is, ‘The one with most experiences wins.’

That’s great.

“That’s what I’m doing.”

Thank you so much.

“Not a problem.”

Photos by Makeda Sandford ar and we like the mountains and we can get to the shore when we want to, so…”

Yeah, everything’s accessible.

“Asheville, Greenville, even Atlanta or Charlotte if you want to push it a little” What would you say inspires you in terms of art, literature, music, just things you enjoy?

“I like history. I like to read history. Art, I’m not a big, I mean, I like to see it. I go to the Biltmore. I like concerts and...But, real inspiration?

Nothing. My wife. The fact that I’m 74 and I’m still kicking so all is good.”

If you were to say you had a motto that you lived by every day, what would you say it would be?

“Smile.”

alan rose

THEBLUEBANNER.NET page 13

13 JANUARY 26, 2016 faculty faces

Indiana John: Dairy farmer, highschool dropout, ethnographer, professor, journalist MEGAN AUTHEMENT Layout & Design Staff

John Wood, sociology and anthropology professor at UNC Asheville, watched as a herd of camels ran down to the well. Some headed straight toward the water source, while others lagged behind to inspect the new face.

Wood, living abroad in Africa as a volunteer teacher, found himself surrounded by a herd of camels. Because of the animals’ dangerous reputation, he did not know what to think when the camels approached him.

Wood began his career in an untraditional manner. In high school, he said he decided school did not fit him best. Instead, he dropped out of school, embraced the “hippie” lifestyle, and hitchhiked around the country.

At 17-years-old, Wood said he worked on a dairy farm for a year, and it taught him how to work hard. After moving to North Carolina, Wood started school at Davidson College, later graduating from Warren Wilson College.

As an undergraduate, Wood said he became interested in journalism.

"The thing that had really excited me about the world at that point was telling stories about it and being a writer," Wood said. "So I decided, when I was about 18, that I was going to be a writer."

Wood worked as a news reporter in Florida for The New York Times Regional Newspapers.

During this time, he and his wife decided to teach abroad in Africa.

There, Wood said he found himself remembering his work on the dairy farm as he studied the Gabra, camel-herding nomads known for dairy farming in northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia.

After returning from his first trip to Africa, Wood said he knew he wanted to go back, but as an anthropologist rather than a journalist.

This prompted a career switch, and Wood attended graduate school at Emory University to study anthropology. He then received grants to go back to Africa for a two-year period, and summers afterward.

When he returned to Africa with his wife, Wood studied the institution of manhood among the Gabra, where men live as women for a significant period of their lives. This study of gender sparked an interest in ethnicity he continues to study today.

Wood said he needed to be in Africa for his

John Woods reading at Malaprops.

Photo courtesy of Eric Howard.

“This is where life becomes rich — when we recognize that you look at the world differently from the way I look at the world, and that’s not a problem, that’s something to appreciate.”

work, but his wife, Carol, had a different experience.

Although the relocation proved troublesome for the couple's relationship, Carol remained by his side.

"I reached a time when I had to make a choice,” Wood said, “and I chose her.”

After studying in Africa, Wood found another outlook of ethnography in teaching. He said he teaches anthropology to help students grasp the importance of understanding others, and to promote the issue of human relativity resulting from orientation based on one’s location.

"This is where life becomes rich — when we recognize that you look at the world differently from the way I look at the world, and that’s not a problem, that’s something to appreciate,” Wood said.

Neil Savage, junior history student, said that Wood teaches students how to see things from a different perspective.

"He has a way of unpacking things, stimulating conversation, and getting you talking and thinking

about the world in a way that is very unique," said Savage.

Wood’s experience with the camels provided some perspective. Although he heard the camels were dangerous, Wood discovered the true nature of the animals during his first confrontation with the herd.

When one camel approached Wood, he said he realized they were not a threat. They were actually rather friendly.

“I remember that camel rubbing its cheek against my cheek,” Wood said. “I thought, ‘Wow, that’s so sweet.’”

Wood continues his anthropological work by studying the issue of racism in modern-day society.

"The more we can be in contact with others, whether they're on the other side of an ocean, or whether they're right here in our hometown, that's travel," Wood said. "Travel just means encountering difference. That encounter with difference is what makes us human."

THEBLUEBANNER.NET

14 JANUARY 26, 2016

Mental Health

life skills, and coping mechanisms,” said Cutspec. “It helps with stress management.”

James Posedel, certified Daring Way facilitator at UNCA, said the program helps students create authentic personal connections. The program is based on research by Brene Brown that shows the way human connection is found through vulnerability. Posedel said the group meets twice a week for eight weeks and attempts to address how fear and shame affect human relationships and how to overcome it. Less than ten students comprise the group each semester.

A student with a mental health diagnosis in need of academic accommodations should contact the Office of Academic Accessibility at UNCA, Cutspec said.

The OAA counts mental health diagnoses as a form of disability for which students can receive accommodations.

“The biggest disabling factor for people with disabilities, whether it’s a mental disability or not, is the misconceptions and preconceived notions of others,” said Joshua Kaufman, Director of the OAA. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 defines disability as a physical or mental impairment substantially limiting one or more life activities

From page 2

Photo by Neve Pollard - Staff News Writer Joshua Kaufman, Director of Office of Academic Accessibility, in his office.

of an individual. Kaufman said the reauthorization of the act two decades later allowed the government to more thoroughly define what a ‘major life activity’ is. According to the ADA, a ‘major life activity’ is defined as major bodily functions as well as functional activities such as learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating and working.

The ADA prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities and transpor-

FitBit able.

Kathryn Gambill, a UNCA student, wears a Polar FT7 fitness watch.

Gambill, who bought her first fitness watch this past year, said fitness trackers are relatively new to her.

“Yeah, this is my first one.

I’ve been using it since December,” Gambill said. “I do a specific workout program that a lot of other girls do, and so a lot of them wear this. Seeing them using it and finding out about how

tation. Kaufman said the ADA, combined with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, creates the guidelines of the OAA. Section 504, a civil rights statute, prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities and ensures their right to a fair educational opportunity.

In order to receive accommodations through the OAA, Kaufman said students should first establish a relationship with a clinician who can provide documentation of functional limitations. He said the student should meet with the same clinician at least three times before moving forward with the OAA.

If a student doesn’t know where to start, Kaufman says the OAA and Counseling Center offer clinician referral lists.

“Generally I use the term clinician because that covers medical doctors, psychiatrists, mental health professionals, learning specialists, psychologists, family physicians — any sort of professional in the field,” Kaufman said.

After establishing a relationship with a clinician, the student can move forward with the process, Kaufman said. Instructions and required documents for registration can be accessed on the OAA website.

The next step would be an intake interview, Kaufman said, when a student meets with an OAA member to discuss what functional limitations are present and what accommodations are available for the student based on their situation.

“Testing accommodations, such as extended time for tests, testing in a smaller setting, priority registration and the ability to record lectures or have a note taker are common examples,” Kaufman said. “Occasional leniency for class absences and the ability to excuse oneself for a few minutes from the classroom are common accommodations for students with mental health diagnoses.”

Although the ADA passed 25

years ago, Students with mental health disorders still face a significant amount of misinformation, misunderstanding and stereotyping, Kaufman said.

The OAA strives to help the UNCA community understand the disabling element is not in the student, but in the environment in which the student interacts, Kaufman said. He said he promotes social accessibility so students feel comfortable in their classroom environments.

Oliver Richards, a junior classics and sociology student from Raleigh, North Carolina, said he didn’t learn about the OAA until he became an employee for UNCA. “I had no idea about the OAA until Josh gave a presentation on it,” he said. “Raising awareness of the OAA for students would be great because I am not sure if many students know about it.”

Cutspec said the health and counseling center and the OAA work together to help students in need of assistance.

“I’d say at some point in everyone’s life they need counseling, and counseling serves to help people function better and to think about things differently,” he said. “I encourage students who are experiencing mental health issues to take advantage of these available resources.”

From page 3

well it works and how cool it is to be able to track your progress in numbers made me want to get one too.”

Gambill said she began working out consistently over the past year after becoming motivated by some of her friends who are UNCA athletes.

“A lot of my friends are on the track team,” Gambill said.

“Seeing them being really active and watching how that impacted their lives, it was just such an overall positive thing.

There weren’t any negatives to it.”

Garrison said she agrees that fitness trackers encourage and enable users to maintain an active lifestyle.

“I think the studies do prove that some support and accountability helps increase more consistent, sustainable exercise,” Garrison said.

Gambill also said that using a fitness watch has impacted her motivation to maintain consistency in her workouts.

“One thing I noticed is that I think last week I did maybe one or two less workouts than I normally do. It was kind of shocking to see how much that threw off my weekly summaries and see how fewer calories I burned,” Gambill said.

Lanou, on the other hand, does not see her Fitbit as a motivational tool.

“For me it’s not particularly motivational, it’s more like I already have the motivation, and this helps me figure out if

I am meeting my goals,” Lanou said.

Gambill said she plans to continue maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle and eventually wants to run a marathon.

“Just to continue getting in shape and being healthy and making it even more of a habit.

I’d like to tell myself I’ll run a marathon someday,” Gambill said. “It looks kind of painful so I don’t really know, but we’ll see.”

THEBLUEBANNER.NET

JANUARY 26, 2016

Chatori Major former women’s basketball player at Wake Forest University, understands the demands of a student athlete and uses her experience to help her players stay motivated, play for the team and be there for each other.

“The basis of our team culture is ‘for each other,’ so everything we do, whether it be on or off the court, is ‘for each other’ or for someone else, for a greater purpose,” Kirkpatrick said “If we’re not motivated in that way, then we’re not going to be able to achieve what we want to achieve,” Kirkpatrick said, “which is winning a conference championship.”

Major said her family was a driving force toward her participation in college basketball.

She describes herself as a little tomboy, following around her older brother, who played college basketball himself.

15

From page 14

“I talk to my dad before every game,” Major said fondly about her Marine father. “He just tells me, like, things I need to focus on and I guess that really helps.

I love talking to my dad, he’s a great guy.”

Her father told her to commit to UNCA, knowing it would be a good fit for Major after meeting the coaches and learning about the academic programs offered.

Major said being a student athlete has advantages.

“You come to college and you already have friends here and you don’t have to really make friends,” Major said. “I love my teammates, I really do.”

While Major spends most of her current free time convincing her friends to practice or exercise with her at crazy hours of the night, she still enjoys Netflix on a regular basis and hopes to see more of the Asheville

area before graduation.

Kirkpatrick said she preaches balance when it comes to the students. She acts as a second adviser to help create a healthy schedule in order to ensure athletes do well academically and personally.

“I want their college experience to be the greatest four years of their lives,” Kirkpatrick said. “I really want them to look back on that college experience with fondness and creating memories, and those come from relationships.”

Kirkpatrick said looking back on winning championships can be a big part of those memories; however, eleven teams play in UNCA’s league and only one will hang a banner.

“It’s hard; it’s not going to be easy,” Major said to future college athletes, “but it’ll be worth it in the end.”

Far From Home places and cultures. I couldn’t just stay in my hometown in the south of France while so many places were unknown to me. Since my first day at university, I have been preparing to study abroad, learning English, working hard to save money and finding a university overseas.

The choice of going to the U.S. to study was obvious to me. I wanted to go to an English speaking country to improve mastery of the language. My options were the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and the United States. The U.K. is really close to France, so I decided to not apply there. Neither in Canada because I already traveled all across that country. I applied to some universities in the U.S. and Australia, and left the decision to chance.

Before my year at UNCA, I went to the United States twice — once in Alaska and once in New York City. Asheville is very different. Some people said to me Asheville is an exception. In a way, it’s true. The city is completely different than what I saw in the rest of the U.S. To me, the best thing about Asheville is its open mind. You’re not judged, whatever

​ oach ‘Mock’ Kirkpatrick hugs Chatori and displays her fondness C for her third year student athlete.

From page 11

you do. It brings strange people, but that makes the city interesting. But to me, the city still feels really American.

When you visit a city in Europe you will get lost. A European city is an accumulation of small streets. If you take the map of my hometown, you will see it as a labyrinth, whereas American cities have been designed with a ruler. I think I prefer the labyrinth version. Getting lost in a new city is always an adventure and a good way to visit it, but I will admit that your cities are more convenient.

A thing all the exchange students said about the U.S is everything is bigger — your roads, your cars, your grocery stores and your food portions. My hometown population is around 300,000 residents whereas Asheville is around 80,000, yet Asheville is twice larger than my city.

It’s really something that changes your habits. I’m used to walking to everywhere at home, but here it’s really different. It seems that American cities are built around cars.

Studying at UNCA is really different than what I’m used to. At home I spent two years studying a major called infor-

mation and communication. It’s pretty much a mix between mass communication and new media. Montpellier, my hometown, counts 70,000 students separated between three universities inside the city. When you go to a lecture, you share a big auditorium with 300 to 500 students. You are anonymous and don’t really get to know your professors.

Another major difference is the way our degree is made. There is no minor, and we have to choose our major before going to college. Then you follow a fixed program for three years to get your license degree. If you fail during a year, you have to do it again. When I started college we had around 1,000 students in my major. By the third year, only about 300 remain. You have a course only once a week, but they are longer, lasting about three hours for a total of 30 hours a week, but we have less homework.

I can’t tell which system is better.

I like that in the U.S. you get time to choose your major, and also you get to choose your classes and have more flexibility. I also like that your professors know you and are really helping if

you need it, whereas in France you don’t get a lot of help.

It’s tough but you learn how to stand on your own.

Studying abroad is an amazing experience, and I will recommend Aymeric Assematt it to everyone.

This year is not focusing on my scholarship, it focuses on who I am. Travelling makes you grow. You meet new people who had different experiences than you.

You exchange with them, you learn from them and you teach them. I will not return to my country the same as I was when I came here.

I still have a semester left to enjoy this amazing experience.

CORRECTIONS: “Protecting the environment through cultural traditions”, formerly attributed to Emily Henderson, is being reprinted with the actual authors, Aymeric Assemat and Erika Williams. Photos in “Beat from the street”, by Erika Williams, were unattributed in last week’s issue. take Zena Zangwill off class staff. The Blue Banner apologizes for these mistakes.

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