The Back to School Issue: 1.63.

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63 | thebluebanner.net

page 1

The student voice of UNC Asheville | Established in 1945 | thebluebanner.net

“Wecome to University�

Comic series The Blue Banner goes to Pitchfork Music Festival (it was awesome) Upperclassman give advice

welcome home. the back to school issue

Thoughts on the First Republican Primary Debate, oh my!

Essential survival tips on every page

!

Best movies out now (to take your dreamy new classmate out to see)

find us digitally / @thebluebanner / www.thebluebanner.net / issuu.com/bluebanner / instagram.com/uncabluebanner

!

NEWS Love wins. page 2

BECCA ANDREWS News Staff Writer randrew1@unca.edu

On June 26, the Supreme Court decided by a 5-4 vote that same-sex marriage is a right guaranteed by the Constitution, nullifying individual state bans on gay and lesbian unions.

The news of the landmark decision was met by widespread celebration by those fighting for gay rights. UNC Asheville freshman Kari Lumsden, a Greensboro native, said she was happy about the decision.

“I heard it through friends, I believe. I was severely excited,” Lumsden said. “When I heard it fro m one friend I immediately was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s a turn of the century thing.

I’m going to tell all my other friends, I’m going to call each and every one of them.’”

The court’s decision grants

many rights to same sex couples that were previously unavailable. When Amendment One, a ban on same-sex marriage, was still in effect in North Carolina, classics professor Sophie Mills said she and her partner had to go to lawyers to have documents such as wills made to ensure certain rights that marriage now guarantees.

“It was a quite expensive thing to do. Now people will get all that without having to put down hundreds of dollars on a lawyer,” she said. “We were lucky that we had the resources to do it.”

Before the Supreme Court decision, Mills and her partner were not able to file taxes jointly, share health care, home owners insurance or benefit from one another’s Social Security.

Immigrating to the U.S. for work would have been much easier had she been able to get a green card through marriage,

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63 | thebluebanner.net

The Blue Banner Fall 2015 Editorial Board

find the vices that work for you.

- Larisa karr Editor-In-Chief Timbi Shepherd, jshephe3@unca.edu News Editor James Neal, jneal@unca.edu News Editor Emma Alexander, nalexand@unca.edu Sports Editor Harrison Slaughter, jslaught@unca.edu

said Mills.

“There’s a lot of intersections between immigration and LGBTQ issues,” Mills said.

“Now we can go through immigration together as family members, which we couldn’t before.”

Discrimination against samesex couples is still at large in several states, such as Texas and Alabama, in which some couples are being denied marriage licenses because it conflicts with the religious beliefs of the county clerk.

“I think a very good logical argument could be made about separation of church and state, and about following the law. Laws do change and they are, by law, obliged to do this thing,” Mills said. “If you were terrified of flying you wouldn’t become an airline pilot. We all make choices about what’s good for us and if they care that Read more on page 8

Arts & Features Editor Larisa Karr, lakarr@unca.edu Copy Desk Chief Tamsen Todisco, ttodisco@unca.edu Layout & Design Editor Makeda Sandford, msandfor@unca.edu Asst. Layout & Design Editor Jennifer Barnes, jbarnes1@unca.edu Multimedia Editor Maddie Stagnaro, mstagnar@unca.edu Social Media Editor Michael O’Hearn, mohearn@unca.edu Opinion Editor June Bunch, kbunch@unca.edu Photography Editor Blake Willis, bwillis2@unca.edu Copy Editors Devric Lefevre, dkiyota@unca.edu Kathryn Gambill, agambill@unca.edu Advertising Manager Amber Abunassar, aabunass@unca.edu Staff

Gordon Gellatly, Jason Perry, Matt McGregor, Phillip Wyatt, Curtis Ginn, Holden Mesk, Maddy Swims, Sam Shumate, Ashley Elder, Becca Andrews, Roan Farb, Johnny Condon, Jordyn Key, Meredith Bumgarner, and Carson Wall.

Follow Us:

@TheBlueBanner

The Blue Banner @thebluebanner

The debate on debates: What’s the point?

CARSON WALL

Opinion/News Staff Writer

cwall1@unca.edu

Commentary The Republican primary debate that occurred Aug. 6 served three primary purposes. First, it

Aug. 26 - Sept. 2

began the process that the debates serve, in which potential candidates are asked a variety of questions ranging from policy to personal background. In most cases, they are required to answer these questions and a deeper side to the candidate’s

ideology is seen, which allows a richer understanding by the public. Second, the debate also served as a reminder that, in a way, both the primary and presidential races can be compared to a popularity contest.

A contest in which the biggest

ego or bold presence is most well-liked, with some amusing results recently in the form of businessman Donald Trump.

However, the debate existed for the final purpose of reaffirming why debating and the viewing of debates is important no mat-

ter one’s personal opinion. Not only do they allow for the public to become more informed, there is also the opportunity to learn.

I am fairly liberal, specifically on social issues such as abor-

Reuter Center 102B 7 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

Open Mic Night Highsmith Union 143 - Grotto 8 p.m.

7:30 - 10 p.m.

September 1

August 30

World Affairs Council: Jon Elliston “Reconnecting with Cuba” Reuter Center 102 - The Manheimer Room 7:30 p.m.

Happenings August 26 Blue Ridge Orchestra Rehearsal

August 27

Room without a Roof Film Screening Carmichael Humanities Lecture Hall

August 28 Dive-In Movie Student Recreation Center Pool

The Autumn Players Readers Theatre Reuter Center 102A 2:30 - 5 p.m.

Read more on page 11

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63| thebluebanner.

page 3

Are you feeling the Bern?

PHILLIP WYATT A&F Staff Writer pwyatt@unca.edu

POLITICS \\\\Bernie Sanders, Democratic presidential candidate, spoke in front of a lively crowd at the TD Convention Center in Greenville, South Carolina last Friday. Over 2800 attendees flooded the center to hear the Vermont senator’s platform as he shared and addressed key aspects of his election campaign.

Two keynote speakers expressed their support before Sanders took the podium. Jayde Barton, a graduate of Furman University with a Bachelors of Science in political science with a minor in poverty studies, said she endorses Sanders based on his dedication to civil rights, even when it wasn’t popular.

“Every other campaign is dependent on super PACs funded by billionaires and millionaires. We do not have a super PAC, and do not want the money of corporate America,” said Deb Marrow, former democrat-

ic nominee for U.S. Congress (SC-4) and campaign volunteer Deb Marrow said.

The largest individual contribution so far for Sanders’ campaign is $400,000.00, compared to billions of dollars of donations received by other presidential candidates from large corporations, according to Marrow.The average of all contributions to the campaign is $31.30.

“This campaign is bringing people together, white, back, Hispanic, Native American, men and women, straight or gay,” Marrow said.

“When we stand together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.” Sanders was met with raucous applause and shouts of praise as he approached the microphone.

“People of this country understand in their gut that corporate greed is destroying our country,” Sanders began. “There is something profoundly wrong

comic by katelyn schubel | continued on pages 7 & 10

when one tenth of one percent owns as much wealth as the bottom 98 percent.”

“I have a message to billionaires- no more huge tax breaks while children in this country go hungry,” Sanders said.

In South Carolina, twenty-seven percent of children are living in poverty, according to

Sanders.

“Wages in America are just too damn low. Let’s be honest,” Sanders said. “The federal minimum wage of $7.75 is a starvation wage. It must become a living wage of $15.00 an hour or more. It’s not a radical idea, it’s an American idea.”

According to Sanders, today’s

Bernie Sanders holds rally in Greenville medium family income is $5,000.00 less than it was in 1999.

“That is not what the American economy should be,” Sanders said. “We need an economy that works for working families, not billionaires.”

“If a person works 40 hours per week, they should not be living in poverty,” he said.

Sanders stressed an end to institutional racism and private for-profit prisons, as well as a demilitarization of police.

Sanders spoke on rethinking the war on drugs.

“We have many young Americans with records for smoking marijuana, but not one billionaire for destroying the economy,” he said. Sanders mentioned he voted against the war in Iraq, noting Republicans forget 6700 soldiers died in Iraq and Afghanistan, while 500,000 suffer with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Sanders stressed military con-

trol of nuclear weapons in the Middle East.

“War should be used as a last resort,” Sanders said. “A great nation must do anything it can to maintain world peace.”

Sanders said he wishes to provide Medicare and Medicaid to all citizens, resolving the United States’ healthcare crisis.

“The Affordable Care Act is far from perfect,” he added. The United States of America today is the only major country on earth that does not guarantee healthcare to all its citizens.”

“I hope every man in this room stands with women,” Sanders said concerning women’s rights.

Sanders said he wants to close the pay gap between men and women in corporate America, stating women make 78 cents less than men, per dollar. “(Republicans) are telling women in America they cannot control their bodies, they’re not smart enough to purchase contraceptives they need,” Sanders said.

The candidate expressed his support of the LGBTQ movement, saying “our gay brothers and sisters Read more on page 5

it's getting hot in here

Overcrowding on campus causes discomfort

JOSH SHUFORD Staff Writer jshuford@unca.edu

A new semester is beginning for UNC Asheville students and not everyone will be taking the classes they intended. With 1,100 new incoming students, availability for classes is quickly drying up, and some students say they have to rethink their schedules.

According to the UNCA website, the waitlist is an option to assist students when classes have reached the enrollment limit. Students join the waitlist and are notified should a spot in the class become available.

After that, it is the student’s responsibility to answer the notification within 24 hours. For some students, the waitlist was more a necessity for returning in the fall than an option for classes.

Business management sophomore Dean Arbuckle heard he would be placed on a waitlist at the end of the Spring 2015 semester before he was allowed to register.

“I had to wait until the last week in July before I heard if I got into any of my classes or not,” Arbuckle said. “I wasn’t able to register for my last class until the week before the semester started and was consid-

ering not returning if I couldn’t get in.”

UNCA’s large incoming class and the number of students returning for the semester quickly filled up classes by mid-summer, leaving some students uncertain on what their schedules would be.

The large number of students expecting to attend UNCA this semester has called for changes to classes. Pat McClellan, assistant provost of academic administration, said the waitlist is a tool to both gauge and attempt to meet the demand of students to take part in certain classes.

Read more on page 12

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63 | thebluebanner.

page 4

SPORTS Going the distance CROSS COUNTRY

JASON PERRY

A&F Staff Writer jperry1@unca.edu Soaked in sweat, the UNC Asheville men’s cross country team finishes up their workout with a series of hurdle drills and static stretches. The goal is to keep their muscles loose for the next day’s 11-mile run up and down the hills of the Pisgah National Forest. Standing over them, the new men’s distance coach watches, corrects form and gives suggestions to the freshmen.

“Cross country running is a beast on its own,” Coach Adam Puett explains. “You are going to have to come into each race and know that you are going to have to try harder, because each race will get more difficult as the season progresses.”

For the past five years, Puett has assisted head coach Jesse Norman during the cross country season. This year, Coach Norman has given the responsibility of men’s distance coach to Puett.

“The thought process was for me to take over the role of coaching the men’s distance team year around,” says Puett.

“So they didn’t have that transition period of Jesse writing the training program in the fall and then me writing it for the rest of the year. I was always in the background giving my

Aug. 26 - Sept. 2

calendar Aug. 26 Spin Class 5:30 p.m.

opinion to Jesse and we still do that, but now they will always have the same person to work with.”

Puett says that his new role will give Coach Norman more time to focus on fundraising as well as team and meet management.

Norman already works with 18 women on the women’s cross country team, as well as the track and field jumpers. Puett hopes to lighten the load for Norman. He says this transition has been in the making for a couple of years.

Coach Puett says he had a successful running career at Western Carolina University.

He was the 2005 Western Carolina Male Athlete of the year, 2006 Southern Conference outdoor performer of the year, three-time All SoCon in Cross Country, 10-time All SoCon in indoor and outdoor track, five-time Southern champion in indoor and outdoor track, and four-time NCAA outdoor regional qualifier in the 1500 meters. He won Southern Conference 1500 meters for three straight years.

Danel Slaydon, former High Point University runner, recalls watching Puett at the SoCon Indoor championship.

“The first thing that struck me was that I had never seen anybody race like him,” Slaydon says. “It was pure heart

Aug. 27 Women’s Soccer vs.

Western Carolina University Greenwood Field 7:00 p.m.

Aug. 28 Wake-Up Yoga

Coach Adam Puett

and very very gritty. He didn’t strike me as the fittest runner out there, but you could immediately tell that he was the toughest.”

Puett plans on making UNCA runners just as tough.

“You kind of have to have an approach of going out there and running hard,” Puett says. “You need to be able to focus internally, work on your mechanics and don’t overthink it. For ex-

ample, we were out on a disk golf course doing 200-meter hill repeats. It was tough. The grass was wet, there are hills, it’s rooty with tight turns. I didn’t know what a good time for those would be, but I can look at you and tell if you are running hard or not.”

Puett also wants to have more individual meetings with the athletes. He says he wants to do more than talk training but also

help with nutrition, race strategy and the psychological game of running.

Caleb Smith, current junior and co-captain of the UNCA cross country team, says he has experienced Puett’s one-on-one meetings ever since he was a freshman.

“He has always been there for me on and off the track,” Smith says. “I was really stressed out

Meditation Room 468 Sherrill Center 7 a.m.

Aug 30

Meditation Room 468 Sherrill Center 351

Aug. 29 Intramural Bubble Soccer On the Quad 5 p.m.

Men’s Soccer vs.

LIU Brooklyn Greenwood Field 1 p.m.

Aug. 31 Slow Flow Yin Yoga

Read more on page 13

Sept. 1 Abs Blast 12 p.m.

Sherrill Center 351

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63 | thebluebanner.

page 5

Excitement surrounds Asheville Tourists as they head to playoffs CHRIS JONES

Sports Editor jslaught@unca.edu The Asheville Tourists, minor league baseball team and Colorado Rockies Class-A affiliate are getting hot at the right time of the season, just two weeks out from heading into the playoffs. Confidence is the key to playing well and the Tourists seem to have it in droves to conclude the season.

In August, the Tourists have won series against the Rome Braves, Greenville Drive and the Kannapolis Intimidators twice. They tied a series against the West Virginia Power 2-2.

They lost a series against the South Atlantic League leader Savannah Sand Gnats and a series versus the Augusta GreenJackets.

The team has its share of fans, including Asheville resident and longtime Tourists fan Jake Matthews.

“I watch every game I can. I go to the stadium in Asheville mostly every home game and watch the road games online on my computer,” Matthews said. “I’m addicted to the Tourists and every game is exciting, especially when they mean so much. I wear my jersey every game I watch. It’s sort of my good luck charm.”

The Tourists’ season has been

backed by a strong offense.

Asheville is third in home runs, second in RBIs, second in hits, second in walks, third in batting average and lead the South Atlantic League in stolen bases. Asheville third baseman, Texas-born Shane Hoelscher, is one player who has had a great offensive season for the Tourists. He is sporting a .315 batting average, has 92 hits, launched 10 home runs and drove in 51 RBIs. Asheville center fielder, Venezuela native Omar Carrizales, has had a great season as well.

He has a serviceable .315 batting average, 105 hits, slugged seven home runs, 41 RBIs, stolen 23 bases and only has four errors on defense all season.

Baseball enthusiasts from all over the country recognize the Tourists’ talents this season.

One such fan is Belle Summers, a communication student at the University of Tampa.

“The team was very confident the whole time I was around them in the past month. They are playing great and having fun while doing it. I had a great experience interning with the Tourists this summer. I wish I could have stayed longer, but I had to go back to school,” Summers said. “They have great young players who are doing good on the baseball field and are impressing. I hope they can keep playing well and go far in

Bernie From page 3

should have the right to marry and enjoy federal benefits.”

Sanders brought attention to the student debt and loan issues afflicting millions of people.

“We live in a highly competitive (nation) with hundreds of thousands of bright and qualified young people who are wanting an education and can’t get (one),” Sanders said.

Sanders said he believes all public universities should be tuition free for students wishing to further their education after high school.

“This campaign isn’t just about Sanders, Clinton, and Trump,” Sanders said. “It’s about you, your kids and your parents.”

Sanders called for assistance

TheBLUEBANNER.NET

the playoffs and hopefully win the championship.”

The Tourists bullpen has been impressive as well this season in helping close out games and keeping the score close enough for the offense to capitalize on. Asheville leads the South Atlantic League in total saves with 41 saves. Former Baylor Bear and Tourist relief pitcher and closer, Josh Michalec, is responsible for a majority of those 41 saves, claiming 28 saves of his own. The 23 year old closer has pitched 55 innings, allowing only 60 hits, 26 earned runs, one home run, walking 18 and striking out 51 batters this season.

The fan base has backed the team all year and it seems to be helping move the Tourists closer to the playoffs and hopefully faring pretty well when they get there. In-game food and beverage server Mary Swimmer, a nursing student, said she supports the team wholeheartedly.

“You always want to go to a game and see a good game offensively, defensively, and pitching-wise, and this year you have had both. I’ve had a bunch of fun during the games.

I don’t get to actually sit and watch the games like a normal spectator would, because I am working at the stadium during the game, but the atmosphere around here is awesome and I love working here during the

from voters to remedy America’s financial and civil issues.

“This campaign can transform America. I can’t do it alone.

We have got to do it together.

That’s not just rhetoric, it is fact,” Sanders said.

Lori Theriault, instructor at The Village Potters in the River Arts District in Asheville, attended the rally in Greenville and expressed her gratitude for Sanders’ campaign.

“He has been what everyone sees today from day one. He is

season,” Swimmer said. “I believe the fans of Asheville are some of the best around. They are always cheering and supporting the team by coming to the games each and every night. We have a bunch of regulars that come to every home game and sit in the same seats wearing their Tourists jerseys and are screaming loud and applauding every great play.”

The Tourists have three series and two weeks left in the season to solidify themselves for the playoffs. They are currently sitting in second place in the South Atlantic League and are up 5 games on the third place

team in the Augusta GreenJackets. The way the playoffs work in the South Atlantic Division is the first half season best team in each of the two divisions gets a spot in the playoffs, then the second half season best team in each of the two divisions gets a spot in the playoffs. If the second half winner in either division is the same as the first half winner, the team with the next best overall record in that division will be chosen as the wild card team.

Since Savannah has the best record in the second half of the season in the South Atlantic

not pandering to a weary electorate looking for change. He is one of that weary electorate, but he believes change can and must come from the bottom up,” Theriault said.

Also a Vermont native, Theriault has followed Sanders throughout many of his campaigns..

“Seeing Bernie get into the race was a refreshing delight, and I’ve enjoyed watching people around me get to know him,” Theriault said.

“Brothers and sisters, if we do not allow them to divide us up, if we stand together, there is nothing, nothing, nothing we cannot accomplish, and I look forward to making that happen for you,” Sanders said Sanders currently sits in second place on the Democratic Party polls with an approval rating of 21 percent, according to the Huffington Post. Hillary Clinton secures the top spot with an approval rating of 49.6 percent.

Read more on page 13

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63 | thebluebanner.net

page6 Arts & Features

Arts & Features

The Banner goes to Pitchfork Music Festival

Commentary LARISA KARR Our Jazzy A&F Editor

lakarr@unca.edu

It began with a few hasty emails and a couple of hopeful wishes. Give and take a few days of despair, a few days of apathy and a few days of joy upon finally realizing we were on our way to the 2015 Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, and we had a solid plan for a brief but worthwhile adventure.

After receiving a photo pass for Pitchfork from a very generous PR company, it was agreed upon that Makeda Sandford would take the pass and snap the shots, while I would manage to scoop up a discounted ticket on (where

else?) Craigslist.

We then decided to take her car up on the winding, lonely drive through Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and finally, Chicago.

Aside from an absolutely terrifying situation staying in a Indianapolis motel which was undoubtedly the site of every conceivable crime, our drive to the city characterized by mobsters and deep-dish pizza had been relatively uneventful.

By the time we got there, however, we were hungry and neurotic, in desperate need of showers and just a little bit more sleep. But that didn’t matter. It was festival day.

Dropping off our possessions in Makeda’s cousin’s apartment in a ritzy area of the city, we drove across

the city to Union Park, not knowing what to expect or what we were going to see.

After much frustration dealing with the brusque Chicago drivers, we came upon a crowd of people walking along a partition that looked like they could be going to a festival, but definitely not Pitchfork.

I had imagined that the Pitchfork festival would attract the same type of fabulously-dressed, if not incredibly jaded, hipster that stalked their all-too-important website.

But no. These were people with fanny packs, sloppy pastel tank tops that did not fit well, Bermuda shorts, rainbow umbrella hats and visors. Of course, the banner on the partition behind them read, “Pitchfork Music Festival 2015.”

Incredulous, Makeda circled the perimeter of

the park and we proceeded to gape at how incredibly normcore and boring the crowd looked. What was happening? Who were these people? What Wal-Mart had flooded and dropped them off to surge into this supposed hipster paradise? What were we in for?

Of course, this is all just unnecessary melodrama.

The attendees of the festival, while deceptively average-looking at first, turned out to be a pleasant mix of all types of people in every age group. The young and old, the drunken frat brats and the wrinkled, joint-puffing hippies were all there. The strangest people I ended up seeing were two young hipsters carrying their nearly-naked baby near the beer booth.

Nevertheless, this welcoming atmosphere is

something that we both thought was specific to the festival itself. I was expecting it to be a lot bigger as well, but instead, Union Park is a fairly small-sized park, next to an unassuming church and housing project.

It was easy to navigate from the green stage, which featured a lot of rappers, to the blue stage, which featured chilled-out, jazzier artists, to the red stage, which primarily featured international performers. The number of people packed into the park was significant, but there was still breathing space (which is not the case at other festivals, based on what I’ve heard).

There were the merchants of food and band gear, including a man walking around with a box that had Read more on page 14

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63 | thebluebanner.net

Page 7Arts & Features

Establishing Good Rapport

TV Show Review

with Sonia Kapur MEREDITH BUMGARNE Social Media Specialist

Photo courtesy of Netflix

Unbreakable Obsession:

Netflix favorites SYDNEY NAZLOO Contributing Writer

Commentary The struggle to find a new show to binge on Netflix can be a daunting challenge. Hours can be spent scrolling through endless shows and movies before settling on something to watch. With thousands of titles to choose from, it’s not surprising that many high quality shows and movies slip through the cracks. Comedienne Tina Fey’s newest series, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, released on Netflix in March of this year, received a 94 percent fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes and is nominated for eight Primetime Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series.

Despite such high critical acclaim, many people have neither heard of the series nor watched it. Freshman Frankie Keller thinks this is because Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt isn’t talked about as much as other more popular shows.

“No one really talks about it,” Keller said. “Some shows have a lot of people that are really into them and they get talked about a lot, but I feel like this doesn’t get as much attention.”

Netflix has released many shows recently that have gained a lot of press. Netflix original series Orange is the New Black has become a cult favorite.

Netflix often releases its original series with little promotion or advertisement. This lack of fanfare could be one reason

why Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has not been accepted as widely as other shows within the same genre.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt follows the story of a young woman named Kimmy Schmidt who is a victim of cult leader John Wayne Gary Wayne. After being kept in a bunker for 15 years with three other women, Kimmy is released. She moves to New York City to start her life over.

Naïve and clueless about the modern world, Kimmy moves in with aspiring Broadway actor Titus Andromedon and their eccentric and misbehaved landlady, Lillian. Kimmy finds a job as a nanny for a wealthy family and befriends her employer, Jacqueline Voorhees.

Throughout the series, Kimmy takes on adventures that teach her about modern life and aid her transition from life in the bunker to life on the outside.

Kimmy sets out to better her life and the lives of those around her, getting her GED in “Kimmy Goes to School!,” or helping Mrs. Voorhees through a messy divorce with her adulterous husband in “Kimmy Rides a Bike!.”

Unbreakable is full of recognizable faces. Kimmy is played by Ellie Kemper, also known as Erin to fans of The Office. Ridiculous cult leader John Wayne Gary Wayne is portrayed by Jon Hamm of Mad Men fame. Timothy Blake Nelson, who many young people may recognize as Dr. Pendanski from the Read more on page 13

Sonia Kapur joins UNC Asheville for her second year as an Assistant Professor in International Studies. Professor Kapur offers the International Studies program and students a unique learning experience due to her diverse background.

“I joined UNCA in the fall of 2014. When I first read the job description, it almost felt like it was written for me,” Kapur said. “It fit in so well with my academic training and experiences. A factor that attracted me to join UNCA was its liberal arts focus that goes well with my degrees in sociology and public policy.”

Kapur completed her first doctorate degree in sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University in India. She went on to complete her second doctorate in public policy from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville in July 2014 before moving to Asheville and joining UNCA. “Before moving to UNCA I had taught specific disciplines.

Here I have been fortunate to teach the same subject matter but from a cross-disciplinary lens,” Kapur said.

“The responsibility of teaching courses in liberal arts core curriculum has given me an opportunity to learn and feel challenged.”

Agya Boakye-Boaten, director of international, interdisciplinary and Africana studies, said

Photo courtesy of Sonia Kapur.

he finds Professor Kapur to be introduces an extremely highly productive and notes important element of study,” that she makes herself very Boakye-Boaten said. “She has available to students. two Ph.D.s, one with a special “She is extremely hard-workfocus in public policy. She ing. She’s always on top of her covers the Indian subcontinent business and she’s just been a pretty much where you don’t wonderful colleague to work have much expertise.” with,” Boakye-Boeten said.

Often, first year faculty Boakye-Boaten said Kapur’s members struggle to become background brings a lot of plugged in and have a hard intellectual variety to UNCA. time finding good ways to do The service to the campus “Some of the best surprises university, can’t have have been the engagement of all while enough the students in the classroom. working to faculty They have many times surprised establish solid members and challenged me with their working founsimilar keenness to learn and creativity in dations with to Kapur applying their classroom learn- colleagues. as she ings to situations of the world Professor displays around them.” Kapur did not a strong this diSonia Kapur face passion for lemma during education her first year, and challenges her students. according to Brian Hook, “UNCA is extremely hapUNCA humanities director. py to have her because she Read more on page 13

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63

page 8 Arts & Features

Michael’s Top 5 Movies of 2015 MICHAEOL O’HEARN Social Media Editor

mohearn@unca.edu

Commentary

DISCLAIMER: I have not seen every movie that has come out this year, so you won’t see films that are being critically acclaimed, such as the recent Straight Outta Compton or January’s Selma, on this list. These are the top five best films I can remember released this year.

1. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION

In this day and age, it’s usually with the fifth film in the franchise that the series gets a much needed boost from a different director or a different actor coming to the series. By this time in a film series, it can become stale and overdone. For example, Fast Five actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson added a new level of testosterone to a film franchise already brimming with machismo. Here, director Christopher McQuarrie (Valkyrie and Jack Reacher) revitalizes the Mission Impossible series, taking it to new heights (literally, as seen in the first scene) and exhilarating lengths. Tom Cruise does not act as if he’s a day over 53 years old as he performs his own stunts (as he has since portraying an Air Force pilot in Top Gun) for this fifth entry in the franchise.

Even newcomer Rebecca Ferguson surprised me as the femme fatale double agent against Cruise’s Ethan Hunt as

he searches for the mysterious Syndicate terrorist organization. Blending action and humor, this film is exactly what the MI franchise needed to not run out of steam.

(9.7/10)

2. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

This summer proved to be one oversaturated with CGI-heavy films, like The Avengers: Age of Ultron. It was clever of Hollywood to release both the Avengers sequel and Mad Max: Fury Road on back-toback weekends, as Fury Road showcases how successful a film with practical effects and minimal dialogue can be in opposition to the big and bloated superhero film that came before it early in May. Director George Miller returns to the franchise he began in the 1970s to tell the story of Max (Tom Hardy) as he is tasked with freeing the slaves held captive by tyrannical Immortan Joe. Charlize Theron brings her A-game to the role of Furiosa, proving she is an action heroine in her own right.

I would not mind seeing a spinoff in the future telling her story. The entire film is a car chase shot in the desert but it’s done so skillfully by Miller and company that you are on the edge of your seat as you see each car enter the chase.

Even seeing the designs of each car as they were built by the different factions of this

post-apocalyptic world is a treat. (9.5/10)

3. KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE

Director Matthew Vaughn must have sat down to rewatch Quentin Tarantino films before diving into this over-the-top and highly stylized spy thriller that bends genre rules to create a massively entertaining action film complete with a cheesy, but lovable, villain played by Samuel L. Jackson. This film was designed as the middle finger to the James Bond spy films of the 1960s, sending young Eggsy on his quest to become one of the greatest secret spy organizations, the Kingsmen. Dire Strait’s “Money For Nothing” playing in the background of a desert in the first scene brilliantly set the tone for the rest of the film.

This was one of the best action sequences that I have ever seen on film. Science fiction fans will even get a kick out of one cast member who makes an appearance early in the film. I won’t spoil that surprise.

(9.3/10)

4. INSIDE OUT

What would this list be without an entry from Disney-Pixar? Over the last few years, Pixar has had some misses with Brave and Cars 2 and fans like myself were beginning to think Pixar had finally

kicked the can, letting films like Frozen take over popular culture. This year, Pixar came back in full force with this film. As we watch the young girl protagonist move with her family to San Francisco, we see her emotions personified. It is so a clever, I’m surprised no one thought of it sooner.

The casting of each emotion was spoton, with Lewis Black as Anger and Amy Poehler voicing Joy, for example. At first, I didn’t think the film would be geared towards me as a college student. Again, I was wrong, as the film played on my memories of being a kid living a world filled with endless imagination and possibilities. Pixar can rightfully declare this as one of their classic films alongside Toy Story and Monsters Inc. Now, who’s excited for The Incredibles 2?

I’m on board with that as long as Pixar continues to make quality entertainment. (9/10)

5. ANT-MAN

Taking a break from the bigger group of Marvel heroes known as the Avengers, the superhero film company transitions to one of their really obscure characters, the Ant-Man. Using a suit that can either shrink him or make him big again, Ant-Man (played with instant likability by Paul Rudd) uses his powers for good to pull off a heist that, if unsuccessful, means the utter destruction of the world through a form of

This could be you but you're playin'!

buy an ad today

email amber abunassar at aabunass@unca.edu

technology that is in the wrong hands. This film is a decidedly smaller film because of the nature of the protagonist hero.

It’s also one of only two of Marvel’s self-contained films (Guardians of the Galaxy being the pinnacle of that category) with just a few brief references to Age of Ultron coming out a mere two and a half months before it. You’re not going to get the impending threat of Thanos or the looming Civil War occurring in this film. This is like a behind-thescenes look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe, detailing the story of a minor hero who will eventually become crucial to the events moving forward in phase three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Fans of the comic books know AntMan as one of the original founding members of the Avengers, but even that is pushed aside as Marvel Studios tinkered with the origin story s through many years of production hell, dating back as far as 2007, even before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was born.

With stellar performances from Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, Evangeline Lilly as his daughter Hope and Michael Pena as Scott Lang’s best friend, this film doesn’t slam the door shut on phase two of the Cinematic Universe.

Instead, it quietly bookends the second round of superhero films prior to the uproar caused in the beginning of phase three when Captain America: Civil War arrives in theaters May 2016.

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63 |

page 9 Arts & Features

beat from the Street

By Larisa Karr | Features Editor | lakarr@unca.edu Many stories lurk throughout Asheville, whether they are behind the Vaudelvillian jazz-folk played by buskers around Pritchard Park, the colorful businesses decorated with funky, hand-made crats or the laughter echoing from a patio as locals and tourists alike enjoy delicious beer.

Photographs by Blake Willis, Photography Editor

allowed.

I don’t believe that a man in a suit should be able to tell me what I can and cannot wear.”

How did you go about organizing this?

Sandra Meares, civil rights activist originally from Decatur, Alabama Why did you choose to participate in this?

“I fight for women’s equal rights all the way across the board. I’m hosting the topless rally here in Pritchard Park and I do this in places like Key West, Ohio, and New Orleans. I believe that a woman should be able to make her own choices. If she wants to take off her top, I believe it should be

“Me and Jeff Johnson went to WWNC and paid for the radio ads. We paid for everything. We don’t ever accept any donations, no money. We just aired it on the radio for a week.”

When you first started organizing this, were you nervous or scared?

“No, no. I’m a cancer survivor and I believe that I ought to be able to express myself. In my hometown, we have a problem right now where women are being asked to cover up or leave certain parks or doctor’s offices if they’re breastfeeding

their babies and I don’t feel that that’s right.”

“If a man can take off his shirt off, then I should be able to take my shirt off.

As long as I’m not being lewd and lascivious, you know. The kids don’t notice.”

Marie Nunalee, employee at Spiritex, originally from Wilmington

Of all the places that you’ve organized and rallied, where would say that you’ve had the most negative reception and the most positive reception?

“It would have to be Asheville. When I first started this, I got detained by the police and asked to put on my shirt. But then we went in full force and were just determined to make this work. Now, we’re accepted. People don’t honk their horns.

They don’t care. There aren’t as many people taking pictures as there used to be. You’re going to get good and bad everywhere you go. But, some people just don’t agree. They get brought up not to agree.”

How would you describe your style?

“I tend to wear a lot of work boots because I’m on my feet 10 hours a day and I have to have supportive shoes. I always go with brown belts, which are a longtime habit. I’m definitely a minimalist and I keep it pretty clean.”

If you were to describe How would you say your style in three words, the overall women’s lib what would you say? movement is going? “I “That’s a tough one. think it’s more positive. I guess minimal and There are 32 states where androgynous, more or topless is allowed.” less.”

If you were to say three things or people that inspire you, what/who would you choose? “I would say most definitely Jeff Johnson, the host of the rally. I would also say my girls (the other activists) and my mom.”

What do you think about Asheville? “I’ve lived here for about two years and I like what it has to offer because you can pretty much be yourself here. I find that the people who treat you like you are in a fishbowl are

the people who don’t live here. They’re our bread and butter in this town.

You can’t forget that, on the other hand. So you just have to say to them, ‘Congratulations, you’re here. I hope you enjoy the time you have here.

Spend your money here.

Yes, I’m not happy about the rent.’ There are a lot of other factors beyond that besides the tourism, though.”

In terms of creativity, what inspires you, whether it be movies, books, or a person?

“Well, I’m a writer and I tend to write prose poetry. Lydia Davis is a huge favorite of mine along with Mary Gaitskill.

Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of Mary Oliver. She writes a lot of nature poetry. I’m also a huge fan of Annie Dillard. It’s tough because there’s so much inspiration to draw, like St. Vincent and Siouxsie Sioux.”

Kelly’e West, employee at Ritz-Carlton hotel, furniture builder and upholsterer, originally from Asheville Where did you move?

“I moved to Atlanta for college and then to L.A. and then back to Atlanta, where I’m currently a resident. I definitely realized how much a product of my hometown I am.

When I tell people that I’m from here, they will usually say, ‘Well, that explains a lot.’ Asheville is definitely an impression.”

If you were to describe your style, what words would you use? “I don’t know. I’ve always been more attracted to punk style. I like to invest in quality pieces too but on-sale quality pieces. It’s eclectic. I’ve always had a really hard time describing my style because it’s never consistent. The only thing that’s consistent is just being inconsistent, really.”

If you were to cite a creative inspirations, what/ who would it be? “I have a tattoo of a quote from one of my favorite poets, Arthur Rimbaud: ‘Everything became shadow and ardent aquarium.’

That line is stuck with me forever. I’m inspired by my hometown and by so many different things and places. Like everybody does, I draw inspiration from all over.

I like Matisse, artist-wise. He’s one of my favorites.”

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63 | thebluebanner.net

page10Arts & Features

Study Abroad program introduces UNC Asheville students to South Korea Mechatronics ASHLEY ELDER

News Staff Writer aelder@unca.edu Eastern culture came to life for a small group of students, including senior Marley Moreno, who studied abroad in Daejeon, South Korea this summer.

Daejeon is the fifth-largest metropolis in South Korea and is considered the Silicon Valley of Korea. According to Tiece Ruffin, assistant professor for the department of education and Diversity Outreach coordinator, Samsung and LG headquarters are located there, along with various private and public research institutes.

When not attending lectures on Korean culture and language at Hannam University, Moreno and her group took field trips to Seoul, the Demilitarized Zone and even a Hyundai car plant.

Moreno, an art student with a K-12 teaching license, said two days of hearing people speak Korean was tough, but fun to listen to.

“Korea was so obnoxiously safe,” she said. “I could leave my bag places.”

Moreno taught a fifth-grade class about American culture through a lesson about foot-

ball. She showed the students videos of players tackling each other and led a game of Simon Says to demonstrate juking, where players quickly hustle back and forth as fast as they can. She said 30 white sneakers going back and forth from side to side was the highlight of her trip.

“Everyone is the same everywhere, just different on the surface,” Moreno said.

Moreno said she has every intention of going back to Korea.

She said her re-entry into the U.S. went much more smoothly than her first time abroad in Ghana two years ago.

Though it was not all sunshine and happiness, she said she handled it very well.

“If you have the opportunity, just do it,” she said. “It’s so important.”

She said she grew a lot as a person when she ended her trip with a five-day stint in Japan, visiting Tokyo and Kyoto on her own.

“I realized that I am a brave and independent lady,” she said.

Moreno said the education system in Korea made her want to take her schooling more seriously this year.

“This trip got me excited about

German corner

By Jana Mader, Professor of German, Department of Modern Languages and Literature Folge 13: Erstsemester In Deutschland beginnt das Herbstsemester erst im Oktober und nicht im August. Deutsche Studenten haben also noch fast zwei Monate „vorlesungsfreie Zeit“, wie die Sommerferien da eigentlich heißen. Denn für viele Studenten sind es keine Ferien: Arbeit, Praktikum, Lernen, Lesen, Schreiben. In Deutschland gibt es etwa 430 Hochschulen, davon mehr als 100 Universitäten. Die älteste Universität ist in Heidelberg und wurde 1386 gegründet. Wer an der Uni neu ist, wird „Erstsemester“ genannt. Momentan gibt es in Deutschland ungefähr 500.000 Erstsemester. In diesem Sinne: Willkommen in deinem ersten Semester! Und an alle anderen: Willkommen zurück!

# 13: Erstsemester In Germany the fall semester begins in October and not in August. Thus German students have still almost two more months of “lecture-free time” as the summer break is actually called there since for many students it’s not a break: work, internship, learning, reading, writing. In Germany there are about 430 colleges, among them more than 100 universities.

The oldest university is in Heidelberg and was founded in 1386. Whoever is new at a university is called “Erstsemster.” Currently there are about 500,000 freshmen in Germany. In this sense: Welcome to your first semester! And to everyone else: Welcome back!

Madness New Concentration sparks craze on campus

MATT MCGREGOR

Photo by Tiece Ruffin - Contributor

Marley Moreno teaches South Korean students about American football.

teaching again,” she said.

Moreno left the U.S. without a concept for her senior show.

She said the experience she had in Korea and Japan lit a fire and after returning she now has a clear direction.

“My future was dim, I had no

motivation, and now I do,” Moreno said.

Ruffin led the trip, which gave students the opportunity to earn six credits and teach English to Korean students at Seowon Elementary School.

“Hannam University’s Korean

A&F Staff Writer mmcgrego@unca.edu Artificial Intelligence and liberal arts combine to form the mechatronics department at UNCA. Rebecca Bruce, professor in the mechatronics and computer science departments at UNC Asheville, says technologists are getting closer to developing artificial intelligence.

“I really believe that as we get closer to mapping the brain with our huge processing capabilities and our huge memory, we will be able to imitate human behavior,” Bruce says.

Bruce describes the Turing Test, based on the work of Alan Turing, developer of the Turing Machine, a quintessential model of the computer, and father of artificial intelligence.

“Turing proposed a test for A.I. which involved having people on one side of a curtain and potentially people or a machine on the other side.

They would speak by way of keyboard and if the person could not tell whether or not he or she were speaking with a machine or a person, then A.I. passed the Turing Test,” Bruce says. “Since then, many programs have passed the test.”

She says there have been endless philosophical arguments on whether or not a machine can think, such as the Chinese Room argument, a thought experiment created by philosRead more on page 15

page11 Arts & Features

Debates

tion, because I am pro-choice.

Due to my viewpoints, there is contention between myself and the Republican Party due to our conflicting beliefs. That being said, I watched the first primary debate knowing there would be points in time that I would be shaking my head at the screen in dissent. Personally, I abide by my father’s teaching that you have to consider and listen to both sides, even though I do not agree with that ideology.

Without listening to both sides, you are not fully informed and there is insight that can be found in any situation.

A record number of people for any primary debate in history tuned in to watch the GOP debate and it is likely that at least some assumed that the event would be a circus with a rich ringleader in the spotlight.

Honestly, I expected the same in some respects considering the unorthodox procedures used by Trump so far. That being said, I found the debate to be good and enjoyable. Yes, some of the heated moments were interesting and the talking points well delivered, yet I had more respect for the responses that occurred when the candidates were asked a personal question. One example is Jeb

Love Wins much, they should step out of the marriage business altogether.”

The ruling in favor of marriage equality is seen as a step forward in a long road for gay rights. UNCA Alliance president, Val Cruchon, said Alliance members are thrilled about the progress made, but there are still issues to deal with.

“I think the next step needs to be us looking at homeless youth.

The sort of things that need attention now,” said Cruchon, a senior women’s, gender and sexuality studies major from Autryville. “I’m happy, I’m excited, but when we have 10-to-

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63 | thebluebanner.net

From page 2

Bush and his stance on ISIS, considering the impact his family had on the region in which the group resides. His speech was halted in his response and it was not the best response he could have given. To his credit, that is one of the weakest points in his campaign. It was a good question the moderators asked, as it was relevant to the people of the United States and the candidate himself. The reason I preferred those types of questions to a yelling match between Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie over the National Security Administration’s reach of power is because it reaches a point that you cannot hear either one of the candidates.

There is also a level of precise unpredictability when one candidate answers a question nearly designed for them. In a sense, the Trump version was of a possible third-party run and his sexist comments. Some statements in the debate were better than others, some fell flat, and some did not even answer the question. Yet in consideration for the context of the responses, that is a situation where talking points and highlight-reel-worthy zingers are highly scripted, From page 2

16-year-old kids on the street with no family, no shelter, no food. Where are our priorities?

That sort of thing needs to be at the top of the list. You have kids who have been kicked out of their homes, kids who are abused and have run away from home, but 40 percent of youth that are homeless are LGBTQ identified. That’s an astounding percentage. There shouldn’t be any youth on the streets.”

Creating a safe, supportive environment for the people of the community, where they can ask for help, is a possible solution, Cruchon said. UNCA Alliance often works with Youth Outright, an organization dedicated

and there is a level of impromptu thinking we should all have that occurs when candidates are asked questioned on varying topics. This level of quick thinking and critical construction of a statement that has to be delivered within a short period of time, only a minute within the debate rules, is quite impressive.

The factor of motives must be taken into account, because not only did the candidates have to formulate a response in a small window of time, but they also had to speak knowing that it could and likely would reflect upon their candidacy. The men on stage were trying to communicate platform points and convince voters that they were the best candidate out of the other nine on stage, at the same time rebuffing arguments from their opponents. Everyone, no matter their ideology, can and should learn from the behavior presented by the public speakers on stage. Absolute imitation is not necessary, however watching impromptu conversations that occur in debates can be beneficial. Debates should be valued as they give the opportunity to see a politician and a person in a context where anything goes, unless you violate a rule such as running over time or interrupting the moder-

ator.

These scenarios are important because they promote critical analysis for what is being asked, the swift forming of understandable responses, and the ability to listen closely enough to be able to refute an opponent.

While the Republican debate might not have been the best example of these qualities, as there are plenty of high school and college debate teams who could likely do better, it was highly available to the general public. Not only did this debate show itself to be the place to learn more about the candidates and see how they did when in the same room together, but it was a popular event where critical thinking and public speaking were prevalent.

A part of higher education, especially at UNC Asheville, is learning and practicing focused, critical analysis and the creation of well reasoned arguments in response. These skills are also highly valued internationally, as it shows the ability to reflect on given information and be able to state a personal opinion connected to that topic.

Not only do debates show different physical behaviors, such as speaking styles or hand motions, they are representative of mental processes that would be beneficial to everyone. Learn-

ing to quickly process and reply to a topic, particularly a policy or academic one in nature is not always the best choice, however it is relieving to be able to do so when having an in-class discussion, or when an interview goes in a direction that was not expected.

All in all, I enjoyed the debate as it was well-moderated and there were good amounts of information about the candidates, with some of whom I was not familiar. The moderators controlled the venue well, targeting specific weak points for the Republican nominee candidates.

There was good debate on policy points and critiques on the current administration, with some parts swinging far right to please the extremes of the party, a move crucial for success in the primary. I will likely watch the Democratic debate as well and enjoy it more, considering there will be more indepth questions due to fewer candidates in comparison to the current GOP field. Either type of debate is fine and can be favored by different individuals, but the creation of impromptu organized thought in the face of a live audience and limited timeline is a skill that should be practiced by all -- not only for college, but for life.

to empowering and providing resources for LGBTQ youth of ages 14-23 in western North Carolina. Providing education about the community and issues within it, especially pertaining to trans-rights, is another goal of UNCA Alliance.

“For me, I hate going to the doctor’s. We need to get that training for more health providers on how to work with Trans people and their particular situation,” Cruchon said. “I’ve met doctors who are like, ‘I don’t understand what is that? What do you mean hormone replacement therapy?’ Shouldn’t you know this sort of thing?”

Trans rights are sometimes disputed even within the LGBTQ community. The fight for marriage equality often overshad-

owed other aspects of the community, Cruchon said.

“They think if we get this then it will be fine because then everyone will be okay with the whole community. But then we see backlash with Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox. It’s just sad because it’s the same people you see that say ‘Yay, marriage equality’ that say ‘Ew, Caitlyn Jenner.’ You would think that in the LGBTQ community they would understand wanting of the same rights, the same playing field, wanting to be seen as just another person.”

Nevertheless, lifting the ban on same-sex marriages is seen as a step in the right direction. The next generations, having grown up with legal gay marriage will see it as normal, part of the fab-

ric of society, Mills said.

Cruchon agrees that the next generations will be more progressive and provide some advice to those questioning who they are in light of the recent law changes.

“Be OK with yourself. Be prepared to not necessarily like what you find out about yourself. Give yourself time to work with yourself,” Cruchon said.

“Don’t restrict yourself to a certain label. Don’t worry about what anyone says. You don’t have to tell anyone, you don’t have to come out. As long as you, yourself can work through your own identity and come to a consensus of who you are and want to be, who cares what anyone else thinks?”

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63

page 12

OPINION

United States of

STAGNATION It’s one year after #Ferguson - Has anything changed?

ROAN FARB

Opinion Staff Writer

rfarb@unca.edu

Three hundred seventy-nine days have passed since the death of Michael Brown.

This was a tragedy in which a young, unarmed black man was shot and killed by a police officer, on his way to visit his grandmother in a suburb of St. Louis, in Ferguson, Missouri.

Brown’s death reinvigorated a trend on social media, #BlackLivesMatter, that stemmed from the results of George Zimmerman shooting and killing Trayvon Martin in 2012. The Black Lives Matter movement is a campaign against police brutality toward black Americans.

Brown’s death brought more attention to the way police officers handle their interactions with minorities. In the last year, we have seen a concerning rise in how many citizens feel the need to film their interactions with officers of the law.

Recent findings involving the July 13 death of Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old black woman found dead in her jail cell while being held on charges of assaulting a public servant, brought to light a dark side of our country’s justice system.

Upon further

investigation of Bland’s death, foul play was discovered to be involved in her premature death. Witnesses of Bland’s apprehension said officers slammed Bland’s head into the ground, and they heard Bland say she couldn’t hear at all at the time of her arrest. Medical examiners discovered scrapes on Bland’s back originating from someone applying pressure, using their knees, to Bland’s back. A leaf was found in one of the cuts, supporting the assertion that the wounds were likely fresh.

On the evening of June 17, 2015, Dylann Storm Roof was apprehended on the suspicions of committing a mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Roof allegedly murdered nine black Americans, including the church’s senior pastor, and state senator, Clementa C. Pinckney. Three days after the shooting, investigators discovered that Roof owned a website titled The Last Rhodesian, full of photos of him posing with numerous symbols associated with neo-Nazis and white supremacists.

The Last Rhodesian contained a manifesto outlining Roof’s viewpoints on blacks in general, among other minority

groups, Roof claimed to have adopted white-supremacist views after reading research on the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin.

police brutality facts from copcrisis.com

Cops are indicted in less than 1% of killings, but the indictment rate for Citizens is 90%.

Roof is charged with nine counts of murder, three attempted murders and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, in addition to federal hate-crime charges. His trial begins July 11, 2016.

Many Americans were outraged that Roof was not shot

at, or handled with lethal force, during his arrest, which police handled in a surprisingly non-violent manner.

I happened to be staying with a friend two minutes from Emanuel AME Church on the night Roof shot and killed nine people while they prayed and gathered in a place of worship.

It’s horrible for me to imagine my own parents never returning from a night of prayer at their church in our hometown of Waxhaw, North Carolina.

You’d never let your mind jump to such a grim conclusion. You’d never guess that a gun would ever be in the same place as God. It’s a power-stripping feeling to think of someone murdering you on an evening you decided to spend in church.

How is a person of color supposed to feel safe anywhere after hearing about what Roof did to nine individual human beings?

In the tail-end of July, a group of fully-grown adults decided it would be a great idea to crash a black child’s birthday in Douglasville, Georgia, yelling death threats and racial slurs at the children as they drove in on pickup trucks.

The party crashers went as far as to yell the N-word at the children. Partygoers claim the men held knives, guns, and tire irons in their hands.

The local police department refused to comment on the situation.

Thankfully, a few partygoers were able to record cell phone videos of the racists, and they will hopefully one day be brought to justice.

So it’s been a whole year since Ferguson. I was asked to write an article on what’s changed in America since the death of Mike Brown, and all I can say, I don’t think anything substantial has.

Just two days ago, Jamyla Bolden, a 9-year-old girl, was shot to death in her own home. The shooting happened just blocks from the very spot where Mike Brown was murdered.

Though the Black Lives Matter movement continues to gain strength and support, I believe we’re a long way from seeing any real justice for African Americans in our country.

African Americans everywhere are still rightfully scared for their lives, unsafe under incarceration, and struggling to survive in a justice system that is built to prey on minority incarceration. So what’s different about the world since the death of Mike Brown?

As Nelson Mandela once said, “Where you stand depends on where you sit.”

page 13

Overcrowding

“I really don’t like the luck factor of trying to get into classes, where one student would make it because they had been refreshing their computer,” McClellan said. “To try and meet the demand, we increased class sizes and opened new sections of classes by hiring part time faculty.”

New sections of classes in the language and humanities departments opened over the summer. McClellan said the administration sent 3,000 emails informing students of

Puett my first two years, and there would be a lot of times where he would come up to me and ask me how I was doing. He wouldn’t ask a single question about running, just more about my personal well being and making sure I was adjusting to college well. That really meant a lot.”

Netflix

2003 film Holes, portrays Kimmy’s stepfather Randy.

Show creator and executive producer Tina Fey even makes a cameo as incompetent attor-

Sonia Kapur “I think Sonia has really been a model,” Hook said. “Over the first two to three years, we learn more and more. In my experience she’s been good, a quick study.”

Those thinking about taking a course with her may find upon meeting her that initially she may be reserved but also incredibly kind, according to Hook.

Tourists League, that means the team with the second best record in the season will get the wild card, and that team right now is the Asheville Tourists.

From page 3

these vital classes.

“We really tried hard when we opened a new section to notify the students,” McClellan said.

“The large incoming class size combined with the returning students left administrators unable to handle the demand put on classes.”

According to McClellan, the waitlist purge the morning Aug. 18 happened only with students who were late to register or other special cases allowing professors to manually add students to their classes.

From page 4

Standards have been set high this year for the men’s cross country team. UNCA was ranked fourth in the conference in the preseason rankings, which is the highest it’s been in the past few years. The schedule includes some big meets including pre-nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, where they From page 2

ney Marcia defending Kimmy and her fellow captives.

Unbreakable is an outlier in the world of sitcoms for the sole reason that it is unapol-

From page 7

“She’s brilliant. Great listener.

I noticed that immediately. She asks great questions. Great colleague,” Hook said. “I haven’t seen her in the classroom but I know from her students that they find those qualities to be true as well.”

Kapur enjoys challenging her students and making their learning experience the most that it can be. She said she also From page 5

As long as the Tourists can close out the season strong, they will make the playoffs.

That is easier said than done, because this week they are

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63

“We wanted to be as equitable as possible for students who hadn’t been allowed into classes,” McClellan said. “We wanted faculty to be given the ability to give open seats to the students who show up on the first day of classes over those who either don’t show up or drop early,” While the waitlist process is new to both faculty and students, McClellan said it is something the university will continue to explore.

“In the future we want to keep registration open during the summer to allow students to add and drop classes that best

fit their schedules while only closing it in the winter the week grades are due for the fall semester,” the assistant provost said.

McClellan said she wants to close the waitlist at 8 a.m.

Sunday before classes begin to allow faculty the ability to do closed overrides for students attempting to get into classes at 8 a.m. the next day.

Although not a part of the waitlist for this semester, UNCA new media student Andrew Que said he feels it comes with both positives and negatives.

“Students might become more cautious when signing up for

classes. There will definitely be more competition during registration, just to avoid being put on the waitlist,” Que said. “Because everyone here is choosing their classes because they need them for requirements and if you have students worrying about that, they may not want to attend.”

The idea of an always-open form of registration is something that Que said he thinks will give students more freedom when choosing classes.

“We’re really learning as we go along, open registration is the universal way schools operate,” McClellan said.

will be racing the top teams in the country.

Andy Thornburg, senior and co-captain, says he is optimistic for the upcoming season.

His goal is to be a top-10 conference performer.

“It’s been pretty clear from our team meetings that the goal is to win a championship,” Thornburg says. “I feel like my responsibility as team captain is to keep everyone confident

that it is a plausible goal and to keep the team positive.”

Puett says he is excited to take on the role as the men’s distance coach, and he is looking forward to the responsibility.

“I think it’s a good responsibility to take over,” Puett says.

“For the long term, some day it is one of my goals to have a whole program to myself and be able to inch along and take over more responsibil-

ity. It is just fun to be able to have that responsibility. It gives you something to wake up in the morning and to know that you have more things to do. It makes it fun to be there with the guys all the time, “I love it.”

UNCA runners will continue to sweat and work hard for the rest of the season, all under their watchful coach determined to win a championship.

ogetically positive. Kimmy’s horrible past haunts her, but she chooses not to be seen as a victim and to instead move forward and make her life better. Kimmy faces difficult decisions that she must make in order to make her life her enjoys finding herself challenged by her students from time to time.

“Some of the best surprises have been the engagement of the students in the classroom. They have many times surprised and challenged me with their keenness to learn and creativity in applying their classroom learnings to situations of the world around them,” Kapur said.

The research she conducts and her experience in the nonprofit

own, and she makes them keeping in mind the things that are important to her.

Unbreakable also empowers women. The sisterhood and interdependence that Kimmy and her fellow captives developed during the 15 years they sector add to the service components and fit in well with the values and mission of UNCA, according to Kapur.

“I have been working on intersectional research related to individual, organizational and policy aspects of domestic violence among the Asian Indian community in the US,” Kapur said. “Additionally, I have also been fortunate to work on other areas of my interest such as religious nationalism and gender issues, refugee studies

spent in the bunker is depicted as an important part of Kimmy’s development as a woman in the outside world. You may never have heard of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, but it’s never too late to learn.

hosting a four-game home series at McCormick Field versus the Savannah Sand Gnats.

Savannah has the best winning streak in the conference, riding an 18-game winning streak and are coming to Asheville to try to continue that streak. Good

news for the Tourists is that the last five games of the season are a series at home versus last place Greensboro Grasshoppers, so if they have a bad series versus the Sand Gnats, they could possibly make it back up against the Grasshoppers.

and stratification.”

When Kapur isn’t teaching or conducting research, she said she spends her free time enjoying her hobbies.

“I try to spend some of my free time keeping myself fit, so I make sure I am regular with my exercise,” Kapur said. “I also love watching Bollywood movies, and of course I never like to miss the opportunity to travel and spend time with family and friends.”

“I hope they can finish the season off and stay in their current standing so they can make the playoffs and so that I can go to a few more games,” Matthews said. “I just don’t want the season to end, its been a great one.”

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63

page 14

Pitchfork

From page 6

the words “free kittens” on the outside. It turned out, naturally, that there were no kittens inside the box, just info about his band.

Clever.

The performances we saw on the first day were exceptionally good.

This was my first “festival” festival (wannabe “hippie gatherings” in the woods of upstate New York do not count) and I wasn’t sure if some of the artists were going to be enthusiastic and others listless, some angry and others jovial, etc.

Ilovemakonnen, the first act, was enthusiastic and spirited, as was most definitely the chain-smoking and very entertaining Mac DeMarco. There was the simply unforgettable Tobias Jesso Jr., who is like a modern-day incarnation of John Lennon, except he looks like, and probably is, a skateboarder.

Jesso had brought a small symphony with him to Pitchfork, and was very upset when his set ended up getting cut short due to sound-system issues.

“This piano sounds like shit! It sounds like shit,” Jesso shouted halfway through a song as he angrily pressed his fingers against the keys. “I mean, it sounds fucking rad! It’s the best piano I’ve ever played!”

I think my favorite act of the day had to be the British synth-pop band Chvrches. Graced by the fiercely beautiful and talented Lauren Mayberry, Chvrches bewitched the crowd quickly and smoothly. It was also very funny when Mayberry freaked out at finding DeMarco’s leftover cigarette butts.

“That’s disgusting,” Mayberry said. “Cigarettes are bad for you guys!”

Rounding out the evening was Wilco, a band that has gathered a large fan base based on their unique blending of rock, country and folk. It was almost a religious experience, as I was squished in between people who knew the words to every song and were singing them reverently. It was not, however, a bad experience. The music Wilco played was perfect as the sun went down, as it allowed all the stress and

freneticism of the day to melt into the night.

The second day will forever be characterized as the day of the storm. The windy city turned into the really-freaking-rainy city as a gentle gray cloud hanging overhead grew darker and darker until unleashing its fury onto the swarm of people below. I was running alongside Makeda as security pushed everybody out into the street, and ended up clomping up the stairs into a nearby train station. From there, I sat in frenzied silence as I watched person after person clambering up the stairs, some shielded with ponchos, others not. Still, everybody wore the same expression of uncomfortable agony.

They reopened the festival in 30 minutes after the storm finally departed. The shitty aspect of this was dealing with the mud and ruining one of my favorite pairs of shoes.

Nevertheless, the lineup was worth suffering for, and this was probably my favorite day of the festival.

A series of strange sets earlier in the day

by Ariel Pink and Future Brown were balanced by an absolutely wonderful set by garage punk collective Parquet Courts, whose fury and excitement appeared to be balanced by the blistering, hot sun that rose to the occasion shortly after the storm.

A trash can crowd-surfed throughout rapper A$AP Ferg’s rowdy performance, while disco-pop superstar Shamir ended up doing the same thing while smoking a cigarette during his set. Shamir’s ridiculously delightful, bouncy beats and impressive falsetto were fun to listen and dance to, and I would have to say he stole my heart as the best act of the festival.

The final performance of the evening, and the most hyped, belonged to the amazing riot grrrl

fall asleep in your car due to exreme exhaustion.

group Sleater-Kinney. They are truly a force, especially when lead singer Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein face each other off in guitar duets. A sad but comical moment during their set was when a short, older woman, who would certainly have been in her prime during the riot grrrl era, was forced out from the barrier in front of the stage, where she had jumped.

“Please! Please may I get closer?” she shouted later in the set, hoping to get close to the band who were probably her heroes. A tall, lanky man turned around and snootily shook his head as she dejectedly resigned herself to being just within eyesight of the group. Oh, the irony.

The final day went by smoother than the last one, as there was a) no storm and b) no storm. We knew where to go and what to do. I had worked out a system of winding around to the front right

side of the audience and creeping forward to where I ended up in the front row of people standing.

Makeda would take her photos and would exit on the same side, joining me in watching the performance.

This day, however, was special, because I had arranged to conduct a five-minute interview with the post-rock garage band Viet Cong.

Having been up late the night before watching prior interviews with the Canadian group, I mentally flipped through questions to ask all day up until we attended their set on the red stage. Based on what I had seen, they seemed incredibly funny and easy to talk to, so I was fairly excited. Seeing the band’s voracious intensity on stage, in which they managed

to weave their songs together into one big, 30-minute song, was incredible. Guitarist Scott Munro resembled some type of Sasquatch-creature, as he let his coarse brown hair fall in front of his face and stay there for the entire performance.

Next, we caught the Philly-based indie-daze band Waxahatchee.

Named after a creek in Alabama, Waxahatchee is the brainchild of Katie Crutchfield, who was clad in a tangerine dress and, with short bangs and tattoos, looked very much like she could have been a part of the riot grrrl era. Overall, their set was good. They didn’t engage with the audience as much as the other performers, however, and were just focused on clicking through their chosen tunes.

We weren’t able to watch much of rapper/hip-hop artist Freddie Gibbs’ set on the red stage because our interview with Viet Cong was scheduled to happen around the same time.

Nonetheless, we did catch a few minutes of Gibbs’ performance, which up until that point had been very outspoken and raw.

Now, the shitty part -- Viet Cong stood us up.

They were supposed to be in the media tent at 3:40, and they never came. I’m not sure whether it was the fault of the publicist who arranged the interview, or because they simply forgot, but we stood around for over 20 minutes scouring the crowd for Sasquatch man and his cohorts. Hrump.

The rest of the day, however, was pretty awesome. Perfume Genius, a pop musician I had been looking forward to seeing, was vulnerable but strong in his unguarded, melancholy performance. Jamie XX was simply amazing. His set was, along with Sleater-Kinney and Shamir, probably my favorite set of the show. He just manages

take out your rage by tipping someone over who is lounging in a hammock

to weave so many different types of music together, such as soul and motown blended with synth and house. So good!

Around 6 p.m., Dan Snaith, also known as Caribou, was filling the green stage with his synthy dreamscape tunes, but at this point, I decided I was going to grab a beer and chill. Nursing both that and an unusual flavor of lemon sorbet at the same time, I sat at the edge of a partition letting the melody-heavy electronic beats pulse their way into my ears. Later on, I moved into the crowd to soak in the extended instrumental refrain that was waning in perfect conjunction with the pinks of the setting sun.

Rap duo Run the Jewels were the second to last performer of the festival, and it was a bit of a change from Caribou. In short, I’m just not a fan of trap music.

Thus, when Makeda suggested that we leave early in their set to go snag good places for Chance the Rapper, I was eager to do so.

Chance’s set was the perfect concluding set for the festival. Originally from Chicago, Chancelor Bennett is an incredible entertainer, adept at bringing the crowd together with melodic tunes. He defies description really, because, while he is a rapper, he is not confined to that genre. He also sings while incorporating pop, jazz and soul into his beats in a clever and enjoyable way.

An interesting juxtaposition of moods took place throughout his set, as there were people in the crowd making out and others who were about to beat the shit out of each other. It was quite baffling.

Ultimately, the message of love prevailed, and Chance bid his home city a heartfelt adieu.

It felt way too soon to leave an interesting city like Chicago after only three days, but the experience, which was apparently one of the better ones according to Makeda, a seasoned festival-attendee, was certainly worth it. As we looked down at our mudstained clothing and I bemoaned the destruction of my spiky flats, I thought about how it sucked. But then again, it probably wouldn’t have been a festival if everything had been perfect.

change your major 3 times.

- Larisa karr

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63

page 1 5

Mechatronics opher John Searle.

“If you are in a room and you have a written set of instructions in English on how to respond to questions in Chinese,” Bruce says, “though you yourself do not know Chinese, and you take the Chinese written input and pass back as output, following the assigned rules in English, without independent thought, did that room think? Is that room a thinking thing?” *** Fiona Popp, a student majoring in mechatronics, plans to graduate in May 2018. She says her fascination with how electrical impulses interact with the human mind steered toward her interest in robotic prosthetics.

“I love the idea that robots can help people do things that we never imagined they could do,” Popp says. “I want to be able to improve the lives of others.”

Freshmen in the mechatronics program learn how to design and build robots that play games and Sumo wrestle, Popp says.

“The first project must direct billiard balls into certain buckets and lift a ping pong ball into a hoop. This robot is controlled with a remote. The other project is a Sumo Bot where the robots are autonomous and try to survive in a ring against another robot,” Popp says. *** Donald Diefenbach, chair of the mass communication department and science fiction theorist, describes the possibility of intelligence created artificially.

“All we are as humans are a

Study abroad Summer Studies program and Teaching Practicum is phenomenal,” Ruffin said.

Prior to teaching, Hannam University provides a tour of the elementary school, meeting

From page 10

collection of chemicals put together in a certain way that utilizes electricity to make it all work,” Diefenbach says.

Diefenbach says science fiction often accurately predicts certain aspects of the future, such as Georges Melies’ 1902 film Voyage to the Moon, which reveals a rocket and launching method similar to the one used by NASA 59 years later. Diefenbach also references Blade Runner and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

“Kubrick shows us this computer intelligence, Hal, and how it evolves, becoming truly intelligent and more emotional than humans,” Diefenbach says. “Hal has an eye and a voice, and he can control things that are electronically hooked up to him, but he doesn’t have the human range of movement, whereas in Blade Runner there are the replicants who are created in labs and are virtually indistinguishable from other people.

In fact they are biological, not mechanical.”

Diefenbach postulates on the possibility of these cinematic concepts occurring, saying it would be difficult, but not impossible.

“Theoretically, if someone, as in the case with the replicants in Blade Runner, could assemble those elements in just the right way, there is no reason intelligence could not be created artificially,” Diefenbach says. “The evolutionary biological model suggests we are intelligence created accidentally.”

Keya Maitra, chair and associate professor of the philosophy department, says some philosophical-based religions From page 10

with English education faculty, and review of curriculum materials and methods for teaching English in the Korean context.

Ruffin said participation in

imply a collective intelligence already in existence.

“My hunch is that consciousness is shared. It’s not just a human phenomenon,” Maitra says. “The religious view of Jainism is that everything already has sentience.”

Maitra also discussed a view proposed by some philosophers called panpsychism.

Unlike Dualism, the western philosophy proposing body and consciousness are two different things. Maitra says panpsychism proposes everything is made out of consciousness.

“So instead of saying everything is made out of matter, why couldn’t one say everything is made out of consciousness,” Maitra asks. “There are lots of different theories about consciousness. The one most defendable to me is that consciousness is an ability to represent the world.”

Bruce says she cannot reject Ray Kurzweil’s Singularity Theory, which postulates a future in which technological intelligence surpasses human intelligence, drawing the line between Maitra’s theory of representation and actual consciousness.

“All bets are off when technology advances to the point in which machines can learn and think independently,” Bruce says. “That’s the singularity.

What happens then? What about a robot that makes the appropriate facial responses, acting sad and happy in a way that you can’t tell the difference? When does the imitation become so good that you can’t tell?” *** The mechatronics major increased by .25 percent since 2009. While mass communication decreased in majors by 15.6 percent and literature

remained the same in the recent six years, mechatronics’ 300 percent increase in majors suggests a growing trend of interest in a field that could be the major of the future.

“It’s engineering education geared toward helping students understand computer control of electromechanical systems. We are a combination if electrical, mechanical and computer engineering,” says Dave Erb, instructor in the mechatronics department.

“The easiest way to think of this is with robots. A robot is an electromechanical system you can control with a computer. Everything is built with a robot these days. Even civil engineers use robotics, sensor and active control systems that can apply a vibration in just the right way that can counter the effect of an earthquake on bridges.”

Rose Anderson came from Durham School of the Arts where she studied sculpture.

From sculpture to mechatronics, Anderson says the creativity of design still applies.

“There is a freedom to get as creative as you want,” Anderson says. “When I graduate I hope to work in design or manufacturing. I would be interested in working at a car company designing cars that drive themselves, or break on their own when an object obstructs its path.”

Erb says the creative aspect of the mechatronics department exemplifies in their work with the art department on a fountain controlled by motion sensors responding to hand motion.

“You could control the fountain by waving your hands like a conductor, and the fountain would respond to the motion of your hands with sensors and

would squirt water where you wave your hands,” Erb says.

“It was built from the sensor platform of an Xbox Kinect.”

Erb says the department formed in response to the growing demand from local industries such as Thermo Fisher, GE Aviation and Meritor, who needed local engineering graduates in Western North Carolina.

“People in this major have a 100 percent chance of getting a job,” Erb says.

Casey Chesson, a sophomore in the program, says the combination of liberal arts and engineering works well together.

“It can be difficult because the engineering curriculum is rigorous, so it can be hard to dedicate enough time to the liberal arts classes, but I enjoy having engineering classes broken up with humanities classes, which takes me from engineering to the human side of things,” Chesson says. “We have to fulfill all the N.C. State engineering requirements, which is a vast majority of the degree. Being also UNCA students, we have to fulfill the UNCA liberal arts requirements, being four humanities classes, a foreign language, diversity intensive, and art intensive.”

Chesson says he gravitates more to the electrical aspects of the program.

“I’m interested in the design of consumer goods, such as appliances,” Chesson says.

However, Chesson refrains from limiting himself. With two years left in the program, he says more fields of interests have yet to be discovered.

“There is a broad spectrum of engineering topics in this program,” Chesson says. “There are just so many possibilities.”

this program provided students with an opportunity to develop and hone their critical thinking skills and to develop cultural and global competency.

Study Abroad Director Bonnie Parker receives feedback on the trips students take throughout the year.

“Students who go abroad don’t realize that coming back is harder a lot of times than actually leaving their own culture,” she said, “which can be really significant because they change in so many ways.”

Parker said beyond graduation, employers are understanding

the importance of studying abroad.

“There are a lot of benefits study abroad gives, like to think outside the box, think critically, solve problems, be put out of their comfort zones and be successful,” she said.

August 26, 2015. | Issue 1, Volume 63

page 1 6

WE SURVIVED....

YOU CAN TOO!

Upperclassmen share tools of wisdom. #BestCollege

Drew Proctor, left, computer science junior from Burlington, N.C. “If you have issues, talk to your professors. Go to their office hours, it’s a great resource. Do homework whether is is required or not, and do it on time as well.”

Thomas Carter, right, music technology junior from Shreveport, L.A. “If you attend classes, you are at least guaranteed a B. I will stand by that.”

Benjamin Jarrel, history senior from Charlotte

“Take advantage of the liberal arts, the makeup of the school.

The classes are small and professors are very willing to develop relationships with you. Sit down and use them as mentors.

Go to class because your attendance goes a long way. You’ll be surprised at how much you pick up even if your mind doesn’t feel like it’s there.”

Have a news tip?

Send to jshephe3@unca.edu

Angel Lewis, molecular and cellular biology senior from Asheville “Take advantage of talking to your professors and take really good notes.”

Hanna Capps, mathematics and german senior from Asheville “Do the best you can to stay connected, however that may be for you. Either with your professors or with other students in some fashion. If you don’t live on campus try to do something that keeps you mentally in this community. I feel that’s the value of coming to school here. It’s not necessarily the degree it’s the connections you make.”

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.