October 24 Issue by gpc collegian

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OCTOBER 24, 2012 | VOLUME 26 NO. 6 | Visit online at www.collegiannews.com | THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF THE STUDENTS SINCE 1987

UNDEFEATED

Tug-O-Records The Collegian retains counsel over Freedom of Information Act dispute

Jaguars earn the top seed at regionals page 8

Petrified

page 3

Confessions of a witch

Spookiest haunted house in the Southeast

Student explains the difference between witchcraft and Wicca

page 4

page 3

Alpharetta

Clarkston

Decatur

Dunwoody

Newton

Student Government approves new club page 6

Political science professor predicts outcome of election page 6

Students learn to teach art at childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hospital page 6

Is your Transfer Admission Guaranteed? page 6

Art show in pictures page 7

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OCTOBER 24, 2012

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Student newspaper struggles with open records Student Press Law Center refers Suwanee lawyer to Collegian to help lower ‘excessive’ costs By David Schick Collegian Staff The Collegian has turned to a Suwanee lawyer for help in resolving an Open Records Act dispute with the Board of Regents. On Oct. 10, Daniel Levitas, an attorney with the law offices of Burdine & Brown, wrote a letter to the Board requesting a fee reduction for the Collegian’s Open Records Act request of July 18, 2012. “I am writing to you now to explore the possibility of compromise on this matter in the hopes of avoiding litigation, but suffice it to say that we do not believe the University System would be the prevailing party if we brought suit,” wrote Levitas. Initially, the Board’s charge to fulfill the Collegian’s Open Records Act request came to $2,963.39, which included 16 hours to search and extract the requested data by Information Technology Service system administrators. The Board also sought to charge the Collegian 27 hours by time spent in

review by the Chief Audit Officer, Executive Vice Chancellor, and Legal staff members “because of an open investigation.” The cost was reduced to $1,882.98 after the Board received a letter on Aug. 23 from Frank LoMonte, executive director of the Student Press Law Center (SPLC). LoMonte questioned several of the charges as “excessive,” stating, “the quoted figure of $1,610.16 for two ‘system administrators’ to retrieve archived documents, such as emails, plainly is excessive … The costs assessed include preproduction review of the documents by no fewer than three different University System administrators. This is excessive.” Prior to the July 18 Open Records Act request, the Board provided the Collegian with documents in response to three separate earlier Open Records Act requests entirely free of charge. The three Open Records Act requests resulted in 1,243 pages, which reportedly required 39 hours worth of labor. The Board’s reduced cost of $1,882.98 included the same charge for two Information Technology Service systems administrators at eight hours each for a total of $1,073.44. “To attempt to impose fees of $1882.98 now, and

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to incorporate into that estimate the cost of legal and administrative review not supported anywhere in the Open Records Act statute, seems arbitrary, capricious, and deliberately designed to obstruct access to public information of obvious critical concern,” wrote Levitas. Using technical specifications provided the Board, the Collegian sought the formal opinion of a computer expert regarding how long it should reasonably take to fulfill the Collegian’s July 18 Open Records Act request. That opinion was presented by Levitas to the Board in the form of a sworn affidavit accompanying his letter. The expert attested that it would take “no more than one hour” worth of effort to extract the data. “The Collegian is willing to pay $100 to USG to obtain the documents request,” wrote Levitas. “I sincerely hope we can arrive at a constructive resolution of this matter.” Levitas is representing the Collegian on a pro-bono basis as a participating attorney in the SPLC attorney referral network. As of press time, the Board of Regents was unavailable for comment.

Strange happenings of magick What you don’t know about Wicca and witchcraft By Katherine Kerfoot Collegian Contributor Being a Wiccan or a witch means having a basic respect for all life, human and environmental. There is a difference between Wiccan and witch. Wicca is a recognized religion that includes magick rites. Witch merely refers to a magick practitioner. The term ‘magick’ refers to causing change literally with one’s will, as opposed to stage magic. Strange things happen around me, sometimes. When I’m angry or very scared, electronics stop working the way they should. I’ve disrupted TV signals, my cell phone, and even a home security system before. I am studying to see if I am empathic; I sometimes get feelings of what people need to have said to them. I also recently pulled a fever out of my mother. The pentagram/pentacle (five-pointed star) is not a

Satanic symbol, but rather represents the five primary elements. Those elements are air, fire, water, earth, and spirit. Wiccans and witches can have familiars. Familiars are like a soul mate in animal form, someone to strengthen spells and give support in daily life. Familiars are frequently a Wiccan or witch’s pet. Wiccans and witches both believe people are given specific gifts. These gifts can include foresight, being empathic, and healing (others). Wiccans usually believe in law of attraction and the law of threes, which state what you put out into the universe comes back to you, typically times three, making good behavior rewarded while the universe seeks retribution for bad. Hindus and Buddhists see this as karma. There are many different Wiccan sects. All of them obey a primary Rede that states: ‘If it harm none, do what you will.’

Great nations think alike... By Daylan Arean El Naamani

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF David Schick EXECUTIVE EDITOR Breanna Wimby ASSOCIATE EDITORS Erin Cotter Alan Simpson ALPHARETTA CAMPUS Managing editor: Veronica Gruta CLARKSTON CAMPUS Managing editor: Ashley Oglesby Photo editor: James Pennie DECATUR CAMPUS Managing editor: Kierra Johnson News editor: Kaila Thompson DUNWOODY CAMPUS Managing editor: Tammy Woolcock News editor: Leslie Mele NEWTON CAMPUS Photo editor: Jahret Rainey COLLEGEWIDE Sports Editor: Rachel Millin

The Collegian is the student newspaper of Georgia Perimeter College, and is a designated public forum for students, faculty and staff to share their opinions. Comments and views expressed herein are those of the individual writers, and not those of the college or the Collegian as a whole. We strongly encourage students to submit articles and artwork for publication. Single copies are free. More than three copies per person are $.50 each. Editors reserve the right to edit for grammar, space, appropriateness and length. Not all submissions will be published. To speak with a staff member, please call 678-8913382 or e-mail us at gpc.collegian@gmail. com.

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OCTOBER 24, 2012

Features

Scare tactics Netherworld haunted house masters the art of fear By Madeline Lee Collegian Contributor Netherworld haunted house is the number one haunted house in the United States, according to USA Today. The scare tactics start with monsters ready to greet you in the parking lot. “Don’t let them see your fear while in the lot or they will try to scare you, don’t run or they will

chase you, don’t scream or they will swarm you,” said a perennial haunted house goer. Netherworld is divided up into two different haunted houses, the Banshee and the Hive. Both are set up with special effects and employees dressed in monster costumes. The durations and purposes of each section vary. The Hive is about 15 to 20 minutes long

Chicken on a Bun

and the Banshee is longer by about 5 or 10 minutes. Banshee is set up for sheer horror while the Hive is more gory. Warning signs are posted for those with health problems such as asthma and those prone to fainting. There are signs that also tell you not to touch anything, including the monsters. If anyone hits a monster they are promptly thrown out of the park. Tom Trainor, a five year employee said “This is an around the year job, working on new ideas for the haunted house making sure each year is better than the last.” Trainor, the monsters and the rest of the staff agreed that this is the best year for Netherworld. Netherworld was created in 1997. The haunted house opens near the end of September and closes on Nov. 3. For more information please visit www.fearworld.com.

A first timer’s experience By Azziza Joi Robinson Collegian Contributor

$3.49

I pulled into the parking lot of Netherworld’s haunted house and the first thing I saw was a girl being chased by a ghoulish clown with sparks flying out of his shoes. I wanted to leave right then and there, but my obsessive need to be frightened was just too much - I had to go in. As I stepped out into the parking lot the sounds of scratchy music, screams of ticket-holders, and flashes of strobe lights was a complete sensory overload. About five minutes after I got my ticket, a dark, winged demon-like creature crept up behind me and started growling in my ear. I screamed my lungs out. And of course, my screams attracted about nine other different monsters that started running straight toward me. I almost started crying. As I made my way to the entrance, I encountered a creepy ghoul who warned us off. “If you go inside here, we’re

going to take your soul, and you’re probably going to die,” he said with a haunting smile. I was clutching my friend’s hand while holding on to the jacket of a man, whom I did not know, walking in front of me. All around us there were monsters: screeching and yelping, touching and staring. I screamed once every five seconds. There were low lights, thick fog and people screaming at every turn. There were also about six emergency exit signs, and with each one we passed I wanted to run through and never look back. I felt like I was in Hell, I was really terrified. After 20 minutes of walking past hanging limbs and dead corpses from the ceiling, we were out. As soon as I stepped out of the haunted house, I was chased by two crazy guys with chainsaws. But then I realized: I did it. I made it through the most terrifying thing I had ever experienced. Netherworld was a good scare a little too good for me. I will probably go again, but next time with about 10 more friends and in five more years.

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Clarkston

OCTOBER 24, 2012

Campus News

Emory professor predicts next president By Troi Charity and Breanna Wimby Collegian Staff Alan Abramowitz, professor of political science at Emory, has been successfully predicting the popular vote for presidential elections since 1988. On October 15, Abramowitz presented his presidential election prediction at GPC’s Cole Auditorium on Clarkston campus hours before President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney would have their second presidential debate. Abramowitz predicted on July 27 this election will be close with a one percent difference between them, long before any debates or party conventions occurred. Abramowitz explained how he prediction method by calculating the current presidents

net approval rating mid-year, growth rate of GDP in second quarter of election year, and first term incumbency advantage modified by effect of partisan polarization. “It isn’t rocket science, it’s political science,” said Abramowitz in regards to his formula. The campaign trail is a different matter considering the amount of money being spent. Abramowitz touched on the millions of dollars that each candidate has received from various corporations, Political Action Committees (PAC) and individual donations. On average millions of dollars would be spent on commercials attacking the opposite party. Abramowitz said that “even though money isn’t a factor it is still used for negative campaigning.”

Slides of Alan Abramowitz predictions. Breanna Wimby/Collegian Staff

Dunwoody

Decatur

Students educate patients TAG: is your school still it? Professor takes class to Egleston Children’s Hospital to learn peer mentorship By Perry Standrige and Ashley Montia Collegian Contributor The GPC Decatur campus 2D Art class decided to host a seven week art program with Egleston Children’s Hospital at Emory University that aids in teaching kids art. This program, started Sept 20, was inspired by Phillip Mosier, an art instructor at Decatur Campus, wanting his students to give back to the community through art. “Whether the art is for therapy or for emotion, I let the students teach and help the patients make art.” “This environment that we create for studio art students at Decatur Campus is one that allows each student the possibility and the potential to fluctuate within the context of the realm of where they already put themselves.” The whole idea of this program is to give his students an understanding of not taking things for granted. That not only to appreciate what we have in life, but to share what we have to give to others. “So that they can grow as a person, because that growth and that processing of that way in which each one of us live our life, will ultimately come back to all of us in life!” Mosier said expressing himself about his goal for his students, how he wants them to reach that goal, and how he wants them to obtain it. Mosier and his 2D art students meet every Thursday at Egleston Children’s Hospital at Emory University teaching art to kids. The kids are not only put in a learning environment but they are set in an environment where they can be a kid. “Everything I do in all my classes is enabling my students to process and come out with something they understand for themselves that is greater and more than they think they already know.” The students have been going on this program for three weeks now, helping the patients express themselves through different forms of art like painting, origami, drawing, abstract art, and crafts. “It’s a general positive experience and it allows in a unique way, for education

to develop. It’s a chance for all students participating to open themselves to new things, new experiences in a different setting than they would be used to” said Tony Cintron, one of the art students who leads the program alongside with Mr. Mosier. “We’re not just building relationships with the kids that are there, we’re building relationships with the patients. They’re more than just people at a hospital they have lives outside of that place. It’s important for us to make them feel welcome, so that they know we generally care about them. Some of the kids we may not see the next week, but it’s really great to know that you might have impacted their lives that day” said Kelsey Dees, another art student who also helps lead the program. The main goal of this program set by Mr. Mosier is for his students to evolve further as artists from where they are, and to be a positive role model to the younger generation. Another more recent program Mr. Mosier has done with his previous art students, is that last year, he got in touch with WABE 90.1 FM and had them broadcast his students artwork that was hidden in the community. The first person that could find that artwork, from looking at WABE’s website, could have that artwork. Mr. Mosier hopes that his students will learn about celebrating the small things in life, to cherish every moment that we have, and to share that with everyone. That life is not just about living, it’s about leaving an impression on someone’s life, and that’s the goal for his art students. “People all ages young and old don’t appreciate what they have like they should and we all take what we have for granted. And when you go to a place like Egleston Children’s Hospital, you see right away that there a lot of children especially in that environment that don’t. And hopefully what that does for the students and everybody that is participating, humbles us in a way that not only we can appreciate what we have and value what we have, but share what we have with others... because that’s what life is about, and for me that is what art’s about.”

By Leslie Mele Collegian Staff The number of four-year colleges and universities accepting GPCs Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) agreements appears to be dwindling. Created and implemented by Dr. Anthony Tricoli, former GPC president, the TAG agreements have enabled many GPC students the opportunity to smoothly transition to fouryear institutions within the University System of Georgia. Guaranteed admission to a four year institution by meeting requirements while attending a two year college make TAG particularly appealing, and it is one of the major selling points many students. To many, it is the main incentive to enroll at GPC. “TAG and joint enrollment are two of the

best things about this school,” said former GPC student, Shawna Boyd. However, there are concerns that TAG choices may be decreasing. In Jan. of this year, GPC offered TAG agreements with 49 four-year institutions, which has since dwindled down to 36 colleges according GPCs web site. While TAG agreements are available for a large number of schools from the USG, it is notable that some universities are no longer on the list. Among the notable schools are the University of Georgia and Savannah State University. These two universities were implemented as TAG partners in 2007. Any student is interested in transferring to a four-year institution through the TAG program should speak to an advisor about the specific transfer requirements to their school of choice.

Alpharetta

New club open for business By Veronica Gruta Collegian Staff The Student Government Association (SGA) welcomed a new club last October 2, 2012. The Business and Economics Club was given a motion to approve the club, Tuesday morning. After signing the paper work, India Myers, director for student life for Alpharetta, declared it as an “official registered club.” Dr. Richard Kirk, Alpharetta’s very own Economics professor, spearheads the club

after founding it in September. Although, Dr. Kirk is active in the organization, they said that the club is run by the students and for the students. The majority of the club members selected the club’s officers to govern the organization. The club’s mission is to increase the knowledge of GPC students in Alpharetta about business, economics and entrepreneurship. According to the club’s president, Charles Schafer, the next public meeting will be a discussion of the presidential elections.

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Note: Poems, lyrics, and short fiction must be typed and submitted as Word attachments or on a CD (contact your campus CL faculty advisor for preference). All artwork and photography must be submitted as a high resolution attachment or CD. One Entry/Release form must be submitted with up to four allowable entries from each category. All entries must be received by your campus CL faculty advisor by 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 12, 2012. Your campus CL faculty advisor will have more information about details and preferences: for the GPC Alpharetta Campus: Katherine.Perry@gpc.edu; for Clarkston: Shellie.Welch@gpc.edu or Amber.Brooks@gpc.edu; for Decatur: Tracienne.Ravita@gpc.edu or Phillip.Mosier@gpc.edu; for Dunwoody: Richard.Diguette@gpc.edu; for Newton and all online students college-wide: Deborah.Byrd@gpc.edu; Again, all art and photography must be high resolution, and a hard copy of your signed Entry/Release form is mandatory for all entries.

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OCTOBER 24, 2012 COLLEGIANNEWS.COM

Campus News

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Sports

OCTOBER 24, 2012

Jaguars take perfect record to regionals By Alan Simpson Collegian Staff After reeling off 15 consecutive wins, GPC women’s soccer heads to Albany, Ga. as the top seed in the GCAA tournament. The Jaguars secured their second straight undefeated regular season and a first-round bye in the regional tournament, hosted by conference rival Darton. GPC earned a ticket to the conference semifinals Oct. 26, where the Jaguars await the winner of the first round matchup between Abraham Baldwin and Middle Georgia. The Jaguars appear to be on a collision course with second seed Darton, who handed GPC its only loss last season in the regional finals. GPC won both regular season matchups with the Cavaliers, but Darton will enjoy home field advantage throughout the tournament.

The Jaguars won the regular season finale Oct. 17 at Clarkston’s Hallford Stadium 2-0 over South Georgia, powered by second-half goals from Emily May and Erin Baker. May’s shot from 25 yards squeaked in just under the crossbar early in the second half, ending 52 minutes of scoreless play despite GPC’s dominance. Baker put it out of reach in the 88th minute. Vanessa Alexander assisted both goals. Alexander leads the team with 11 assists on the season. First-year forwards Kacey McInerney and Rachael Schmidt lead the Jaguars in offensive production. McInerney has 21 goals and two assists on the season. Schmidt has scored 13 times and has five assists. GPC has outscored its opponents 65-10 on the season. If the Jaguars make it through the GCAA tournament, they will earn a spot in the national tournament, being held Nov. 12-17 in Melbourne, Fla.

Men host tournament game By Alan Simpson Collegian Staff

Kacey McInerney passes the ball. Alan Simpson/Collegian Staff

The GPC men’s soccer team hosts a GCAA tournament first round game in Dunwoody Oct. 24 at 1 p.m. against Andrew College. A win will send GPC to the semifinals in Albany, Ga. to play second seed South Georgia, ranked 18th nationally.

The third seed Jaguars finished 6-4 in conference play this season. Should the Jaguars make it through the GCAA tournament, they won’t have far to go for the NJCAA tourney. Darton, ranked first in the nation, hosts both the regional and national tournaments this season.

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