October 8th, 2015
Volume LXXXV No. 7
IT’S W“ALL” GONE James Hoyle Staff Writer Over the past week, residents of Concord University’s North and South Towers have been disturbed by the sounds of cutting, drilling, and heavy lifting. A work crew has been clearing away the rubble of the wall outside of South Tower since the beginning of the semester. With a temporary railing in place, and subsequently removed, and with bulldozers bringing in sod, some were beginning to wonder how much longer it would take to repair the wall, considering that this project, according to the emails sent, was supposed to have been completed by early September. According to Vice President and Associate Dean of Students Rick Dillon, there were in fact two projects going on around South Tower and the whole confusion stems from a misunderstanding. “I need to take the lion’s share of the blame for that,” he said, “Really we’re talking about a two-separate process repair scenario. When walking down, we needed to do an immediate evacuation of the brick, but we also had to do an immedi-
Oct. 8-14
News:
on there, but that was a mistake on my part.” The email in question, sent to students directly after this interview took place, states that starting September 21 at 8:00 AM, the grounds and sidewalk
for two weeks as a safety precaution, and that no through traffic will occur on that road until this renovation is complete. “We discovered that when we were taking the wall down and putting up the temporary railing that [the wall that] had been put in before I had this job, slanted toward the building,” Dillon explained. He said that while the heavy winter wasn’t the only major factor in the wall’s eventual collapse, it helped and hastened the process. “It was more than an aesthetic piece,” he said, “It was a safety wall because the distance to the sidewalk to the ground was too high. It would have to have a railing. Instead of a railing in 1969, they put up a red brick wall. At any rate, it made that area safe. Even after the wall was gone, it would mean that all the water from the sidewalk would flow down to the building. We don’t want Workers block out Repass Street and continue work to enhance water going to the on a new sidewalk. base of the building in any way. Photo By: James Hoyle So we realized that we’d have to replace the sidewalk to make it found out today [September 29] around South Towers will be flat, or if anything, if it had a that you did not get, and by you demolished and then upgraded, I mean the student population. and that the road in front of SEE WALL, P. 3 The Faculty and Staff list has it South Tower will be blocked off This Week’s Local Forecast
Weather Trivia What is the name of the cloud from which a tornado descends?
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Precip Chance: 5%
Precip Chance: 60%
Precip Chance: 5%
Mostly Sunny Showers Likely Mostly Sunny 72/55 70/54 63/48
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Precip Chance: 5%
Precip Chance: 0%
Precip Chance: 0%
Precip Chance: 5%
Mostly Sunny 64/48
Sunny 63/49
Sunny 65/49
Mostly Sunny 68/51
?
Answer: Wall cloud.
Athens 7-Day Forecast
ate temporary railing. So the first email I sent out dealt only with removing the wall and a temporary railing. That project was completed in two days, like the email said. Now later, I sent out another email, which I just
This Edition
www.WhatsOurWeather.com
• It’s W“all” Gone • Think Pink During Breast Cancer Awareness Month • Waterline Washout Without Warning
Student Life: • Cafeteria Blues: an Interview with Aramark • CU Young Democrats Make Their Presence Known • Chi Omega Psi Hosts Charity Foam Party
Arts, Entertainment, & Community • Banned Books Week: The Library Strikes Back
Sports • Golden Eagles Swoop in for a Win Against the Mountain Lion Football Team • CU Womens’ Soccer Ties Nationally-ranked Wesleyan • Concord Mountain Lion Volleyball Falls to UVA-Wise
Millennial Beat Homecomiing 2015
Oct. 8th 2015, Page 2 The Concordian
News
THINK PINK DURING BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH Haley McCord
Staff Writer October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and while many are aware of the disease, some may forget to take the necessary steps in order to prevent or detect early signs of breast cancer. According to The National Breast Cancer Foundation or NBCF, “1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.” However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. NBCF also says, “When breast cancer is detected early, and is in the localized stage, the 5-year relative survival rate is 100%.” Everyone, men and women, can be diagnosed with breast cancer; therefore, everyone should know how to give themselves a breast exam. Before giving oneself a breast exam, it’s important to recognize what is normal for your own chest. Determine what is normal by pressing firmly and rotating in circles around your breast; note any typical lumps and remember their locations. For women, be sure to do the exam when you are not menstruating; Menstruation can skew the results due to swelling. The National Breast Cancer Foundation says “Most people who have breast cancer symptoms and signs will
initially notice only one or two, and the presence of these symptoms and signs do not automatically mean that you have breast cancer. By performing monthly breast self-exams, you will be able to more easily identify any changes in your breast. Be sure to talk to your healthcare professional if you notice anything unusual.” The foundation lists a few early signs and symptoms on their website: • “Nipple tenderness or a lump or thickening in or near the breast or underarm area • A change in the skin texture or an enlargement of pores in the skin of the breast (some describe this as similar to an orange peel’s texture) • A lump in the breast (It’s important to remember that all lumps should be investigated by a healthcare professional, but not all lumps are cancerous.) • Any unexplained change in the size or shape of the breast • Dimpling anywhere on the breast • Unexplained swelling of the breast (especially if on one side only) • Unexplained shrinkage of the breast (especially if on one side only) • Recent asymmetry of the breasts (Although it is common for women to have one breast that is slightly larger
than the other, if the onset of asymmetry is recent, it should be checked.) • Nipple that is turned slightly inward or inverted • Skin of the breast, areola, or nipple that becomes scaly, red, or swollen or may have ridges or pitting resembling the skin of an orange” The NBCF also provides an informative FAQ about breast cancer. Two of the most common questions are, “If I have some symptoms, is it likely to be cancer?” NBCP says, “Most often, these symptoms are not due to cancer, but any breast cancer symptom you notice should be investigated as soon as it is discovered. If you have any of these symptoms, you should tell your healthcare provider so that the problem can be diagnosed and treated” according to NBCF and “If I have no symptoms, should I assume I do not have cancer?” NBCF answers this question with “Although there’s no need to worry, regular screenings are always important. Your doctor can check for breast cancer before you have any noticeable symptoms. During your office visit, your doctor will ask about your personal and family medical history and perform a physical examination. In addition, your doctor may order one or more imaging tests,
such as a mammogram.” NBCF also provides a list of breast cancer myths and clears up any misconceptions. Breast cancer touches the lives of families worldwide and it’s impossible to determine who will or will not have these experiences. Just this week two sisters at the Campus Beautiful, Elizabeth and Shelby Daniel, both juniors, spoke about their mother’s experience with breast cancer. Elizabeth Daniel explains, “She was diagnosed a year ago and they had to remove one breast.” When asked how their mother had coped with the disease and if she’d worn wigs after hair loss, Shelby Daniel added that, “She bought a few wigs. Her and my dad went out one night and she wore the wig. He told her that she looked beautiful and she cried. She didn’t wear the wigs often, but now, a year later, her hair is finally growing back.” Certain groups on the Campus Beautiful are doing their part to aid in the fight against breast cancer. The Public Relations Workshop in the Fine Arts Division, spearheaded by Mrs. Lindsey Akers, is selling bright pink bracelets emblazoned with “CU Relay For Life” all month for one dollar a piece. Show support for those who have breast cancer
The Concordian has gone digital and mobile! Find us on the Issuu app for iOS and Android. It’s free! Just download the app and search for “Concordian” Or, check us out online at concordianonline.com
this month and wear pink! Local fraternity Chi Omega Psi, who recently adopted the American Cancer Society as their national philanthropy, are continuing their fundraising efforts through the month to support breast cancer awareness as well as the overall mission of the American Cancer Society. Most recently, they hosted a party at a local venue and donated all the proceeds from the event to cancer research. Also, donations can be made to the NBCF on their website or by making purchases in their shop. They sell mugs, t-shirts, hats, necklaces and many more; all accessories proudly display NBCF’s signature word – hope. Hope bundles are on sale exclusively throughout October and NBFC says “With every HOPE bundle purchased in October, NBCF will deliver an exclusive HOPE kit to a breast cancer patient at one of our partner hospitals. 100% of net proceeds from the NBCF shop support our mission of Helping Women Now.” For more information about breast cancer or NBCF visit www.nationalbreastcancer.org or NBCF’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ nationalbreastcancer.
Oct. 8th 2014, Page 3 The Concordian
News
WATERLINE WASHOUT WITHOUT WARNING Tyler Jackson Staff Writer Two weeks ago, the students of Concord University were suddenly told not to drink the water on campus or do laundry in it until a sediment had cleared through it. This sediment resulted in water around the Campus Beautiful to take on a brown, murky color. Many concerned students wondered why this was happening, and it turned out to be the city of Athens flushing the water system for an unknown reason. Some of the bigger questions surrounding this were why there was no warning days in advance and what could have been so important. Rick Dillon,
the Associate Dean of Students and Vice President of Administration, stated that the university itself was caught off guard by the sudden flushing of the water system “Failure to notify us in a timely manner was an oversight by the town,” he said. Despite this oversight, Dillon stated the town and Concord have a very good working relationship, emphasizing that “the Town of Athens maintenance staff, police and firemen are very competent. Mostly for this reason, the Concord maintenance department and public safety office have, over the years, established an excellent relationship with our counterparts from the town, and we are
very supportive of one another.” When the town was contacted, a representative stated the reason for flushing the hydrant was just usual maintenance. The hydrants need to be routinely flushed to make sure they can always be used in the event of a fire. Not only was Concord’s campus effected, but also all of Athens. The Athens Volunteer Fire Department was unavailable for comment, but Dillon reiterated that the department does not work for the town. Dillon also theorized that even though students are gone for the summer, which would at first glance make for the perfect opportunity conduct routine waterline maintenance, students may not be the only factor
that goes into the decision of when to flush the hydrants, “The Town of Athens probably grows non-student population during the summer months. Summer weather in Athens is very pleasant, so if you are an Athens resident wintering down south during the cold months, you would return home in May,” Dillon hypothesized. Despite the lack of notification, it would appear that there was nothing wrong with the water and the flush was routine, and that students were not in any danger from the water, but due to the uproar and suddenness of the flushing, a warning may be much more warranted from here on out.
Brittany Strother Editor-in-Chief Sarah White Managing Editor Staff Writers: Briana Gunter James Hoyle Tyler Jackson Haley McCord Patrice Mitchell WebMaster Jonathan Collins Business Manager James Blankenship
WALL FROM PAGE 1
slight tilt to it to take the water away from it, it would have to go into the road. Not the other way. So we had to replace the sidewalk.” According to Dillon, even with replacing the sidewalk, it still did not eliminate the problem of the sidewalk being too high to the ground. If someone tripped at such a height, according to him, they are liable to be hurt. To that end, rather than replacing the railing, they decided to bring in dirt up to a level closer to the sidewalk, thus avoiding the need to have a railing at all, as well as having it slope away
The Concordian Staff
from the building to avoid rain water. This was the course of action they decided to take. Unfortunately, due to the weather, development of this project has been stalled, though Dillon said that once the rain clears will be completed in ten complete working days, and with the rain being as it has been the past week or so, it has been difficult to get a full working day in. “There is no prevailing wage in the state of West Virginia,” he said, “So there’s no sitting around collecting extra money because you’re getting paid prevailing wage, which is
more money than you’d usually get from doing a job. So they’re trying to get the job done as soon as possible.” Dillon also stated that funding for this project came through Concord University’s capital fund, which they use for unforeseen situations such as this. In addition, added that this repair is a foreshadowing of what’s to come during the renovation of The Towers. “We’re gonna have cranes. We’re gonna have bulldozers. We’re gonna have other equipment on campus all summer this summer, all academic year next year and the summer after that.
So this is a really small project compared to what’s coming. It’s gonna look great when it’s done [the Towers project], but students and community members will have to bear with us as we try to get these projects done on time.” Those with further questions and comments about the Towers project or the sidewalk project are urged to email Rick Dillon at rdillon@mycu.concord.edu.
Mrs. Lindsey Akers Advisor
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Oct. 8th 2015, Page 4 The Concordian
Student Life
CAFETERIA BLUES: AN INTERVIEW WITH ARAMARK Haley McCord
Staff Writer October has arrived and the Campus Beautiful will soon unveil its true colors and leaves of orange, red and yellow will flood the sidewalks. We all want to focus on the positive, but unfortunately, the Campus Beautiful is not so beautiful everywhere. Several Concord students have openly complained and expressed their concern for the cafeteria food. The Concordian Newspaper took these questions and concerns into consideration and passed them on to the Aramark representatives to get their side of the story. Some students have noticed that several foods are re-served in the cafeteria throughout the day and days after. For example: pancakes are frequently served during breakfast and then again as dessert in the evening. Many want to know the grace period for food. How many days is it appropriate to serve food before throwing it out? Aramark responded with, “Dining Services have many waste management practices in place including conducting waste audits and forecasting to ensure minimal waste in our program. In the event that we do have some leftovers during a meal period, we will re-serve or repurpose the item to avoid food waste. Leftovers are only reserved for one time and the appropriate steps for storage and reheating are followed.” Although controlling waste is an important part of management, an anonymous student observed one particular occasion where food was prepared days in advance and served more than once before
it was finally thrown out. Many students have also complained about the lack of diversity in the cafeteria. Students would almost prefer a fruit bar over a dessert bar because the desserts typically taste dry and stale. Is it possible to have a fruit bar or change the desserts? Aramark says, “Because we try our best to take everyone’s tastes and feedback into consideration, we rotate items, including our fruit and dessert selections, to provide a range of options. Fresh fruit is offered daily at breakfast and a rotating fruit option is available during lunch and dinner at the Panini station. Desserts are a staple in our menu so we will follow up our culinary team to ensure dessert recipes are being followed and that our dessert options are of the highest quality.” Although Aramark says that fruit is rotated daily at the Panini station, students claim that fruit is not always available. Another student posting on the anonymous social media app Yik Yak regretfully explains that “The cake is always dry and the chocolate desserts always taste weird.” Diversity is not only a problem with the cold-cut meats but also the vegetarian options. Kim Lowery, a Concord Junior and vegetarian of three years, says, “I wish there were more vegetarian options besides salad. It’s hard to find something I can eat every day; I’m typically forced to eat the same thing day after day unless the special that day is tofu. Unfortunately, the tofu never lives up to expectations either.” There was an uproar in the cafeteria last year concerning the lack of shredded cheese
Every day, hundreds of students gather in the cafeteria for their meals, and have questions for Aramark regarding food concerns. Photo By: Sarah White on the salad bar. Many were devastated to see this seemingly small but essential component removed from the bar; some have even mentioned the lack of shredded cheese at Student Government Association meetings with hopes that this can be changed. Students want to know why shredded cheese was removed from the salad bar’s line-up. Aramark says, “Swiss and American cheese are offered on the panini station along with American cheese on the salad bar. Parmesan cheese is offered daily at the pizza station.” This response neglected to address the issue of shredded cheese. Just because there are sliced cheese options does not mean the problem is solved; sliced sandwich cheeses are not desirable choices for soups and salads. There is also a lack of diversity in cold cut meats in the cafeteria, particularly at the sandwich station. Students wish there was
more variety instead of only turkey and ham. They want to know, is there a way to provide more variety like pepperoni, salami, chicken and bologna? Aramark says, “We track waste and movement of menu items in our forecasting process and bologna and roast beef, which were featured previously at the deli, were not popular with students and thus removed from the menu. We can consider rotating a specialty cold cut option in our normal rotation to increase variety.” Rotating a specialty cold cut option may make the Panini station more desirable for those who prefer sandwiches over the hot bar. However, many students complain that the Panini press never fully heats their sandwiches leaving them with a warm sandwich around the edges and still cold in the middle. Rumors have danced around campus this semester concerning new renovations of the
student center and the possibility of adding a Chick-fil-A. Are there plans to bring Chick-fil-A to campus? Students want more choices in how they utilize their flex meal plan, and would love to have a new place to eat on campus. If these plans are in action, when can we expect to see changes? Aramark says, “There is limited space on campus for new renovations and construction so currently there are no plans for a Chickfil-A on campus, however there is a Chick-fil-A coming to Princeton, WV. A new restaurant is opening soon beside the Deli Mart in Athens.” When asked if Aramark thought students were satisfied with the options given in the cafeteria, they replied with “We do our best to meet the wants and needs of our students and the campus community. We SEE CAFETERIA, P. 5
Oct. 8th 2014, Page 5 The Concordian
Student Life
CAFETERIA FROM PAGE 4
value student feedback and that helps shape the program we provide. We are always soliciting student feedback via our online comment card and DiningStyles survey and always encourage students to speak with our management team in residential and retail if you have any comments or suggestions.” Many students have opinions and suggestions for cafeteria food and want to be heard but don’t know where to voice these concerns. When asked how students can give feedback, Aramark said, “YOURDININGVOICE.COM. Student feedback is extremely important to us as we work to provide a dining program that meets the needs of the campus community. We offer an online comment card at www.yourdiningvoice.com. This website can be used at any time for any of our locations to provide feedback on what we are doing right and what we can do better. This feedback comes directly to our management team and influences our menus and the programs on campus. In addition, we conduct a DiningStyles survey every year. This is a comprehensive survey that allows our team to get the most in depth feedback from the campus community on our program. This survey comes out in October so please be looking out for that. Also, feel free to speak with any of our management team to provide feedback; reach out to us when you are in our locations or our contact information is available on our Campusdish website at www.concord.campusdish. com.” All Concord students are strongly encouraged to visit
the sites mentioned and voice your opinion! Comment cards should always be available for pick-up inside the cafeteria, at Subway, Starbucks and Wingspan. It only takes a few minutes to complete the online survey and it would help Aramark to better the cafeteria for everyone. Be completely honest in the responses and Aramark can work to fix many of the problems that students have. Although the food may not excite and several students wish for more variety, the staff members greet every student that enters with a genuine smile and students love that about the cafeteria. Concord’s cafeteria has some wonderful staff members and it’s important to recognize them for all they do. The food may not always ignite the senses, but the people always warm the heart. Aramark was able to leave one last comment about the cafeteria and their services: “Again, we encourage students to provide feedback via the outlets we mentioned previously. We are always open to enhancing our program to meet the needs of the campus community.” For more information about Aramark, contact Randy Keaton, the Director of Dining Services, and he will forward any questions you may have to an Aramark representative.
Questions or concerns? Visit www.concord. campusdish.com
Oct. 8th 2015, Page 6 The Concordian
Student Life
CU YOUNG DEMOCRATS MAKE THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN Briana Gunter
for our state and community. been a Democratic tradition Staff Writer The Concord Young Democrats dating back decades that help to gained connections, knowledge, raise money for state and local While the next presiden- and a strong support system parties. tial election isn’t for another from this opportunity.” CUYD member Emily year, many people are already CUYD also attended Au- Hawkins recounted her experigearing up for the day at the polls. Many organizations have been hosting rallies and debate watches to educate the general public about the candidates and where they stand on the issues. Concord University Young Democrats (CUYD) have recently made a comeback and are currently working on becoming an official charter with the state’s Young Democrats club. According to the West Virginia Young Democrats (WVYD) website, WVYD is a broadbased, youth-led grassroots political organization. WVYD mobilizes young people under the age of 36 to participate in the electoral process, influence Members of CUYD are working to become an official charthe ideals of the Democratic ter of the West Virginia Young Democrats. Photo courtesy of Emily Hawkins Party and develop the skills of the youth generation to serve as leaders on a local, state, and national level. CUYD currently tumnfest and volunteered at ence at the dinner: “Listening have around 15 members and the Bernie Sanders information to President Bill Clinton speak are making way with hosting table. While there, they handed about WV was inspiring and and attending events all over out promotional material and reminded us about the great the state. educated those who came to things in our state but also Recently, CUYD attended them with questions about about the things that plague the Federation of Democratic Democratic Presidential candi- WV that we will hopefully be Women annual meeting in date Sanders. able to change.” Pipestem, WV. In attendance On Friday, October 2, She said the event opened up at the event was attorney Jaci members had the chance to many opportunities for CUYD: Gonzales-Martin, who worked attend the 2015 Jefferson-Jack- “It was nice to meet people our on the Obergefell v. Hodges son Dinner Celebration at the age who are interested in learnSupreme Court case that ruled Charleston Civic Center, where ing from our predecessors and that gay marriage was legal in they were able to hear former using that knowledge along all 50 states. CUYD member President Bill Clinton speak. with our new ideas and creativAshley Hawkins said, “It was According to a New York Times ity to make a difference in WV. a wonderful and empowering article written by Ashley South- We made connections with experience to be able to speak all in August of this year, the many people, young and old, to the women that do so much Jefferson-Jackson dinners have and to political science majors
and Young Democrats interested in getting more involved, these connections are priceless.” While CUYD have been attending a lot of events lately, they are also in the process of planning a lot of events. President Hunter Horton says “we are working on planning debate watches, voter registration drives and shortly we will be screening a documentary that was sent to us by the Southern Poverty Law Center that deals with voting rights, specifically the civil rights movement and how it affects us today.” He went on to add that they are planning on having a presence at many local events to promote their messages and the events they will be holding on campus. The first Democratic debate is set to air on Tuesday, October 13, at 9 PM on CNN. Anyone interested in viewing the debate on campus should look out for signs of CUYD hosting a debate watch where students will have the chance to discuss with others the issues that are brought up during the debate. Emily Hawkins says the group “encourages anyone interested in politics and getting democrats elected into local positions to join CUYD.” They meet weekly on Thursdays at 6 PM in the periodical room on the second floor of the library. For more information on how to join CUYD or to stay updated on their upcoming events, visit them on Facebook at facebook. com/cuyoungdems or contact President Hunter Horton by phone at 304-890-7640 or by email at hhorton02@gmail. com.
We’re on social media too! Check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/ theconcordian1 Or on Twitter @ CUConcordian
Oct. 8th 2014, Page 7 The Concordian
Student Life
CHI OMEGA PSI HOSTS CHARITY FOAM PARTY Brittany Strother Editor-in-Chief The brothers of local fraternity Chi Omega Psi hosted a whole new kind of fundraiser on Thursday, October 1. They rang in Breast Cancer Awareness Month by hosting a foam party at Rock Ridge Bar and Grill, with all proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society. “The idea came from the owners [of Rock Ridge], Nick and Teshea Blankenship. They were wanting to host a Foam Party for a while but needed the right crowd to have one, and college kids fulfilled that crowd,” explained Jordan Adkins, Philanthropy Chair for Chi Omega Psi. Together with the Blankenships, the brothers organized a party open to anyone, provided they were over the age of 18. They brought in Josh Boggs to DJ the event. Boggs is a representative of the Jägermeister company. Boggs not only provided the entertainment for the party, but he and his company also sponsored another enticing fundraising endeavor. In the week leading up to the Foam Party, Chi Omega Psi sold raffle tickets to students on campus for the chance to win a luxury vacation to Cancun, Mexico.. Jägermeister generously sponsored both of these trips. Mikaela Shaver was the lucky winner of the tropical vacation. Even with food and drink specials, a nationally-known DJ, and incredible prizes, the star of the event was still, undisputedly, the foam pit. It was essentially a big inflatable pool with a canon that shot out soap suds while party-goers danced
and laughed in the slippery mess. Concord University student Kristin Osborne, who was a first time foam-partier, commended the brothers for their unique choice in fundraisers. “I really do think it was a great idea! There were a lot of people there, especially as the night went on, and it was really entertaining and really different. I’ve never been to a foam party before!” she said. After paying party costs, the combined total profit Chi Omega Psi raised from ticket sales and raffle sales was well over $200, which will go directly to the American Cancer Society. Although they raised a nice donation for the American Cancer Society, Adkins was somewhat disappointed in the turnout, saying “Due to the circumstances of homecoming and Concord having their only Thursday football game that day, I would not call it a complete success. I would have definitely liked more people to come out, but this was our first try.” However, some party-goers disagree with this assessment, claiming that the turnout was good especially for a weekday event with lots of other activities going on. “I think it was a great turnout, I think it was a huge success, and I hope they reached the goals they were looking for!” said Osborne. After students seemed to really enjoy the foam party, the brothers have more fundraising endeavors coming up in the near future. “We will be hosting more parties with Josh and Jagermeister in the future.
We are looking at a paint party next February to go along with Relay For Life’s theme of Paint the World Purple,” explained Adkins. In observance of Breast Cancer Awareness month, the brothers of Chi Omega Psi are going to be hosting other philanthropic events to benefit the American Cancer Society and Relay For Life of Concord University. “As for Relay For Life, we’re looking at holding a Bra Pong Tournament later this month,” said Adkins. Stay on the lookout for more fun and charity from Chi Omega Psi! For more information on Relay For Life or to get involved with Concord University’s very own Relay, visit relayforlife.org/cuwv. Top: Party goers, most of whom had never seen a foam pit before, laughed and danced the night away in the soapy mess. Middle: Chi Omega Psi paired an unlikely duo, a Jägermeister DJ and a horde of bubbles, to throw a spectacular fundraising event. Bottom: A bubble cannon shoots foam at rowdy partiers. Photos courtesy of Chi Omega Psi Foam Party event Facebook page
Oct. 8th 2015, Page 8 The Concordian
Arts, Entertainment, & Community
BANNED BOOKS WEEK: THE LIBRARY STRIKES BACK James Hoyle Staff Writer From September 28 October 1, Concord University participated in national Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week is an event sponsored every year by the American Library Association to promote the reading of challenged and banned material across America. According to the event’s official website, the event is designed to celebrate the free and open access to information. It is designed to bring all kinds of people, from readers to teachers to publishers to librarians to journalists, together in support of the right to express thoughts and ideas, no matter how unorthodox or unpopular they might be. Censorship and banning of books remains an issue that many Americans face, and over the years, many books have been banned in this country for one reason or another. According to the website, the most widely banned book in the United States last year was The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Books such
as this are promoted during Banned Books Week to encourage the sharing of ideas rather than stifling them. In the past, Concord University’s library has celebrated Banned Books Week with a certain amount of gusto. This year was no exception, though
library was decorated accordingly. Star Wars memorabilia decorated the front desk, which included a life size cardboard cutouts of an Imperial Storm Trooper and the character Boba Fett. In addition to the décor, there were poster board graphs with information about some of
created and released a YouTube video depicting the staff of the library in typical movie trailer fashion fighting with lightsabers and encouraging the viewer to defy the will of the Empire, join the Rebellion, and read a banned book. According to Doug Moore, I.T Specialist and the one who came up with this year’s theme, they decided on a Star Wars theme to mix it up a little more fun. “It’s easily accessible,” he said, “For several years we’ve done a more serious tone with banned books. We did a George Orwell theme a few years ago, and last year we incorporated the campus police with the mugshot board and everything, and I actually got some hate mail about how I was trampling on people’s First Amendment rights to speak because they thought that we were really banning books! They didn’t really read the These are not the books you’re looking for! entire email where we say that Photo By: James Hoyle these things happen, this what goes on across the country, and they took it too literal. So we had the theme used this time was the most frequently challenged people sneaking by with their quite different. The theme this books in the country. If all of cellphones taking pictures of year was Star Wars, and the that wasn’t enough, the library the cage I’ve got and things like
that. This is more for you guys as a celebration of your right to read. By and large all over the country, this happens. Books are challenged and some are successfully banned in school districts and counties. In 2010, they even had a county in California ban the Webster’s Dictionary 10th Edition because it had a sexual definition or something in it. It was returned, but for two or three months, it was effectively banned. I tried to put together a few things about some of the most commonly challenged books and even why you should read it.” According to him, Star Wars is just an easy way to get people to realize that books can be banned rather than making it look like they are being banned. Anyone that would like to know more about Banned Books Week and to learn more about American’s right to read and the challenges to that right is encouraged to visit The American Library Association’s official website.
Attention Concord organizations! Do you have an upcoming event? We offer advertising free of charge to organizations on campus! Contact us at concordian@concord.edu!
Oct. 8th 2014, Page 9 The Concordian
Sports
GOLDEN EAGLES SWOOP IN FOR A WIN AGAINST THE MOUNTAIN LION FOOTBALL TEAM Tyler Jackson
Staff Writer When it rains it pours, and it rained on the Concord University Football team’s hopes of a return to the playoffs as they dropped a Thursday night road game against the University of Charleston in the state’s capitol this past week. The visiting Concord Mountain Lions were looking to rack up another dominating win against a conference opponent after routing West Virginia Wesleyan last week, but could not overcome a dominating start from Charleston Golden Eagles. Charleston quarterback Jeremy Johnson had three
touchdown runs of 10, 75, and 12 yards, respectively, to lead the Golden Eagles to a 20-0 lead at the 10:04 mark in the second quarter. Concord would respond with a 12 yard touchdown catch by TJ Smith to cut the deficit to 13 points, but a 16 yard UC touchdown pass from Johnson and a last second field goal gave the Golden Eagles a 29-7 halftime lead. The Concord defense would not allow another Charleston point, as the offense scored two second half touchdowns to cut the deficit to 29-21, but a pass out of a fake field goal attempt formation was broken up and killed the momentum of the Mountain Lion offense.
Charleston would go on to chew time off of the clock and ultimately secure a 29-21 win. The win dropped Concord to 3-2, the same record they have in Mountain East Conference play and 1-2 on the road after a season opening loss at West Liberty, while Charleston improved to 4-1 in the conference and overall. Concord senior running back Calvinaugh Jones had his best rushing performance of the year against Charleston, rushing for 125 yards while Charleston quarterback Johnson had a game high 184 yards rushing to go along with 109 yards passing. As mentioned earlier, the Mountain Lion’s chances at a
return to the playoffs become even more unlikely after another loss. It is not impossible as the Mountain East Conference has earned access, which allows the winner of the conference to automatically receive a playoff berth if they are ranked In the top eight in their respective region, but regional rankings are not released until later in the season and Concord may need some help, as four teams in the conference currently sit ahead of them in the rankings. Those teams in order of first to fourth are Shepherd, Charleston, Glenville State, and West Liberty. Concord has yet to play Shepherd and Glenville State but have already lost to West
Liberty and Charleston. The best case scenario would be for Charleston to lose two more times, West Liberty to lose one more time, and Shepherd to lose to Concord and one other team before the end of the regular season, and of course Concord would have to win out, but even that doesn’t secure a playoff berth. It has been a turbulent season thus far, but there is still a lot of football to be played. Concord will return to Callaghan Stadium this Saturday for a homecoming weekend that will be full of festivities and a crowd of alumni ready to watch their alma mater win.
hot at the right time and pitching. The Blue Jays have the best pitching in the AL and have the best record in baseball since the All-Star break in July. Toronto is my pick to win the AL, over the Kansas City Royals, who I do believe will struggle with their matchup whether it’s the Yankees or Astros. I believe they’ll win, but they’ll cut it close, and afterwards they will lose to the Blue Jays in six games, you heard it here first. Looking into the National League, I feel like viewers are being cheated. The Cubs and Pirates matchup could be one of the best postseason match-
ups we see all year with Gerritt Cole and Jake Arietta take the mound for their respective teams. Both pitchers are candidates for the Cy Young award, and it would be an amazing seven game series, but unfortunately because of seeding rules and division winners receiving an automatic berth we will only get to see these teams face each other once in a sudden death game. Right now, I’m taking the Pirates, a team that’s been in the postseason before so they can ultimately win with that, but I
THE HOT CORNER Tyler Jackson Staff Writer It’s a refreshing feeling each Fall when football season rolls around, but that feeling can turn into a stressful one in just a few weeks as it has for me. As a Concord fan, a WVU fan, and a Philadelphia Eagles fan, I can say that football season so far has been stressful for me, but you have to stick with those teams through the good and the bad. That being said, hope isn’t completely dead. As mentioned in another article in this edition, the Mountain Lion football team can still
salvage a playoff spot, but they no longer control their own fate, and a home playoff game would probably be out of the question after we were treated to two of them last year. Things don’t look much better for WVU as they lost in Oklahoma this past weekend and have a schedule throughout the rest of the month of October that’s scarier than any Halloween movie you’ll watch this month. After falling to 15th ranked Oklahoma, the Mountaineers face ranked Oklahoma State this weekend followed by road games against Baylor and TCU, both of which are cur-
rently ranked in the top 5! Moving out of college and into pro sports, it was a big week in baseball. Three NL Central division teams, the Cardinals, Pirates, and Cubs secured a playoff berth by each winning 97 games a piece! In the American League, the Yankees and Rangers returned to the playoffs for the first time in a few years. When the Rangers open the American League Division Series in Toronto today I fully expect them to take the series to five games and but ultimately lose. The two keys to winning in the MLB playoffs are getting
SEE CORNER, P. 10
Oct. 8th 2015, Page 10 The Concordian
Sports
CORNER FROM PAGE 9
believe they fall to the Cardinals in the NLDS. My pick in the Mets/ Dodgers series is hands down the Dodgers. I just mentioned that pitching wins postseason games, well the best one-two punch in the game resides in LA with Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw who has historically struggled in the playoffs will turn it on this year, he has been on fire since the AllStar break, give me the Dodgers
to finally breakthrough and beat the Cardinals in the NLCS to give us a Blue Jays/Dodgers World Series. That’s it for my MLB postseason predictions, I’ll address how they turn out in the upcoming weeks in my future columns. What would this column be if I didn’t touch on the NFL even in just the slightest way? The Bengals, Packers, Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, and Patriots are the only remaining un-
beaten teams and I’m only sold on two as legitimate contenders. The Panthers have too many deficiencies to maintain their roll, and it’s nothing that’s their own fault, injuries have set in and their winning is unsustainable, but the guys who have stepped up have done so in a huge way. By the time the season ends, Josh Norman will be considered a top five cornerback, mark my words. I will not believe in the Bengals until they actually win
a postseason game, but they have the most talented roster in the NFL, so I will give them that. The Falcons are a team that could slip into the NFC Championship game, but we’ll see how that unfolds as they start to play more legitimate teams, the best in the league, so to say. The Broncos just keep winning with their defense, but can that carry them in the postseason along with an aging Peyton Manning who may be
on his last leg? I’ve always said defense wins championships, but can they get something out of Peyton when they need it in the playoffs? Only time will tell. I’ll stick by a Packers/Patriots Superbowl, but my surprise upset would be Denver’s defense propelling them. Once again only time will tell, but don’t rule it out.
CU WOMENS’ SOCCER TIES NATIONALLY-RANKED WESLEYAN Sports Information
Press Release WVWC (9-0-2, 7-0-2 MEC) entered the matchup as the number 13 team in the nation. However, strong goalkeeping from freshman Emily Simpkins and relentless backline defense
by freshman Alison Backel, sophomore Carley Graves, junior Olivia Reilly and senior Samantha Wood along with freshman Katelyn Gibbs off the bench, the Mountain Lions (3-4-4, 2-4-3 MEC) kept the Bobcats off the scoreboard and earned a crucial point with the
tie. Simpkins recorded her second straight game with double-digit saves as she turned aside all 10 shots on goal that West Virginia Wesleyan registered. After CU was able to hold steady with the Bobcats for 90 minutes, Concord had its
best chance to break the scoreless game in the first overtime as senior forward Kari Simon pushed a potential game-winning goal wide of the net and had another shot saved. Freshman forward Pilar Elias and Reilly also tallied shots on goal.
The Mountain Lions were outshot in the game 26-8 and 10-3 on shots on goal. Concord travels to Urbana 1:00 p.m. Friday.
CONCORD MOUNTAIN LION VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO UVA-WISE Sports Information
Press Release The Concord University volleyball team lost a road Mountain East Conference match to UVa.-Wise (19-25, 25-21, 13-25, 23-25) Tuesday night at the Prior Center. After dropping the first set, the Mountain Lions (2-18, 1-3 MEC) stormed out to a 10-4 lead
in the second set as sophomore outside hitter Lisette Roldan recorded four of her eight kills during the spurt. UVa.-Wise (8-7, 4-0 MEC) was able to pull within 22-20 of the Concord lead, but CU scored three of the next four points that included a kill each from freshman middle hitter Brooke Heck and freshman outside hitter Alexi Pranckus.
With the match level at one set a piece, the Cavaliers won the third set 25-13 to take a 2-1 lead in the match. The Mountain Lions led throughout the fourth set, and held their biggest lead of four points on multiple occasions, including 23-19. However, UVa.-Wise scored the final six points of the set and the match to take the set 25-23 and the
match 3-1. home stand 5:00 p.m. Friday Heck tallied 12 kills and a against West Virginia Wesleyan. hitting percentage of .409 in 22 chances. Sophomore middle hitter Alexis Elliott notched 11 Check out schedules, kills and 12 digs for her third double-double of the season. rosters, and pictures Freshman setter Jayden Jacobs for all CU sports at dished out 26 assists while sophomore setter Casey Mancumountainlions.com! deville handed out 14 assists. CU opens up a five-game
Oct. 8th 2014, Page 11 The Concordian
Millennial Beat
SHOULD PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO DIE? Patrice Mitchell
Patrice Mitchell is the columnist for the Millennial Beat. She is a senior Broadcast Communications major with a Journalism minor. After transferring from Marshall University, she has spent the past three years on the Concordian Newspaper staff and also as a WMLT Reporter staff. “I love writing and I’ve grown to have an appreciation for politics; which is why I choose to have a political style Beat this semester. I choose this topic because I want to learn more about politics and also encourage my generation to do the same.”
in Vermont, Montana, WashColumnist/Staff Writer ington, Oregon, and now California, and now Right to Die In 1999, Dr. Jack Kervorkian encompasses those that choose was sentenced to 25 years in to die on their own terms rather prison for medically assisted than by a slow painful death suicide. He helped dozens of from a terminal disease. This is terminally ill people end their also referred to as “dying with lives through medication. In dignity.” the article by Keith Schneider of Although the laws differ in the New York Times, “Dr. Jack each state, the premise is the Kevorkian Dies at 83; A Doctor same. In each state, patients Who Helped End Lives,” Ker- must meet certain requirements vorkian is described as an ad- to be considered under the revocate for allowing people with spective laws. In each state, the terminal illnesses to have the applicant must either already be right to choose how they die. a resident or establish residency. “He spent eight years in According to the Dying with prison after being convicted of Dignity national web center, “A second-degree murder in the patient must provide the attenddeath of the last of about 130 ing physician proof of residency ailing patients whose lives he according to the states’ laws. had helped end, beginning in There isn’t a timetable associat1990.” ed with establishing residency. On October 5, 2015, Cali- Proof can include a state issued fornia became the fifth sate ID such as a driver’s license, to allow terminally ill citizens documents showing the patient to take their own lives using rents or owns property in the doctor prescribed medication. state, state voter registration, or The “Right to Die” is an offi- a recent state tax return. The atcial medical term and is defined tending physician must decide in the medical dictionary as whether the patient has adpertaining to, expressing, or equately established residency.” advocating the right to refuse There are very strict guideextraordinary measures intend- lines for applying for the life ed to prolong someone’s life terminating process. In adwhen they are terminally ill or dition to having to establish comatose. However the Right to residency, the applicant must Die acts that have been adapted also be over 18, have oral and
written request provided by two doctors, be physically and mentally able to make the decision to consent for themselves, and have a terminal, debilitating illness. Today, all over the country, Right to Die and Dying with Dignity Acts are being presented before state congressional sessions. Many pieces are introduced every year, but tend to fail for lack of support. Critics to these laws argue that it is just a form of glorified suicide. Sue Williams, head of the local Right to Life Group, states “I don’t think you can have a dignified death when you chose to kill yourself.” As could be assumed, the religious community has spoken out against this practice as well. Some religions believe that life and death are in the hands of God, or the creator the religion recognizes. Much like the abortion debate, the issue of morality remains at the center. In my opinion, Dying with Dignity is not the same as committing suicide. Suicide is a serious issue in this country. It is an issue that brought upon individuals by depression and mental illness. People that commit suicide see no hope and commit suicide to end their suffering. People that would choose to Die with Dignity are going to
die a slow, in most cases painful, death due to a long debilitating disease that also deteriorates the quality of life of the patient. People who would choose this method would be doing so in order to spare their families and friends, as well as themselves, a slow and painful death. I believe it is a compassionate act. Also, this process would not be ideal for every family, but a choice for those who want to consider it. The millennial generation will face many issues that the generations before us did not, or at least not on the same magnitude. Whether or not medically assisted life termination will be legally accessible for the terminally ill will depend on how millennials choose to vote. Although I believe it to be a civil right, that is to be determined by the courts of the states, and possibly on the federal level. There isn’t a positive to this, because either way, a life is still lost. However, carefully crafted laws and legislation can allow those who qualify and desire medical assisted deaths to die by their own standards and not by deterioration and disease, allowing themselves one final act of control over their own lives, bodies, and wellbeing.
Don’t forget about Concord Color Fridays! Show your pride with favorite your maroon and gray gear! Take a selfie, post it on social media with the hashtag #ConcordColorFridays, and let the world hear your digital roar!
Oct. 8th 2015, Page 12 The Concordian
HOMECOMING 2015 Voting for 2015 Homecoming Royalty will take place in the Student Center from October 7-9. Homecoming Royalty will be Crowned during Halftime of the Homecoming game at Callaghan Stadium on October 10th.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CLUB & PHI DELTA PI MEGA & JUWAN
Photos Courtesy of Concord University’s Alumni Association Facebook. ALPHA SIGMA
DELTA ZETA
ALPHA & CHI
& TAU KAPPA
OMEGA PSI KAT & NOAH
SIGMA SIGMA SIGMA & PHI SIGMA PHI AMANDA & CHRIS
EPSILON CARLI & TYLER
ALPHA SIGMA TAU & SIGMA TAU GAMMA ANDREA & JACOB