For information on the women’s volleyball team, see page 8
DAILY HELMSMAN Friday 10.18.13
The
Apps Are Not Just For Entertainment
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Vol. 81 No. 031
Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Memphis
Memphis 7 Madness Returns to ESPN
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Relaxation room alleviates stress for students Despite robbery, crime on the decline By Joey Kachel
news@dailyhelmsman.com
There’s no use denying it — college can be stressful. In addition to the obvious triggers like homework and tests, concerns about money, personal relationships, living arrangements and being away from parents cause students a considerable
amount of stress. There are a number of ways students can reduce stress on campus. The Relaxation Zone, across from room 214 in Wilder Tower, is the brainchild of Jasmine Bradley and Shawn Levstek, staff psychologists at the Center for Counseling, Learning and Testing. Stress, put simply, is when the body reacts to changes, called stress-
ors, in the environment. It can be divided into two categories — eustress and distress. Eustress is a reaction to stress that is positive, beneficial or motivating. Viewing stressors as challenges to be overcome rather than incoming threats is one way to generate eustress. On the other hand, distress occurs when a person cannot fully cope with their stressors, and as a result
their behavior and physiology reacts in a negative way — and there’s more to it than just feeling bad. If left unchecked, distress can lead to weight gain, sleeplessness, breathing problems and even heart conditions such as high blood pressure. The zone has been open for three semesters. In the first year of operation, students reported an average
see STRESS on page 6
Local food truck seeks to unite community with healthy alternatives
photo by robbie porter | staFF
Senior exercise science major, D’Ernest Rucker visits the Memphis Punch on Echles Street trailer before hitting the Student Recreation and Fitness Center on campus.
By Robbie Porter
news@dailyhelmsman.com For students who park in the Central Avenue parking lot, there’s a good chance that they’ve seen a large blue trailer pulled over on Echles Street. The trailer belongs to Memphis Punch, a food truck that makes healthy, plant-based drinks. “Ultimately, what we’re trying to do is make healthy choic-
es more affordable for people in the city,” Laney Strange, the co-founder of Memphis Punch, said. Since most of the food options available on campus do not necessarily offer the healthiest choices, Memphis Punch hopes to be a positive difference for students and the city as a whole, according Strange. Strange, an adjunct com-
The Daily Helmsman is a “designated public forum.” Students have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The Daily Helmsman is pleased to make a maximum of 10 copies of each issue available to a reader for free. Additional copies are $1. Partial printing and distribution costs are provided by an allocation from the Student Activity Fee.
puter science professor at the University of Memphis, has been working on the project since July when she moved to Memphis from San Francisco. “It’s not just about a food truck or smoothies. It’s about making better choices, and there’s a whole network of people within the community trying to do just that. We just want to help make these healthy alternatives more seamless for
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the community,” Strange said. The truck serves several different flavors of smoothies, but they are different from what one might get from Sonic. The smoothies that Memphis Punch serve are all plant-based and do not have ice cream or other fattening fillers in it. One flavor in particular, the Cherry Bomb, consists mainly of cher-
By Alexandra Pusateri news@dailyhelmsman.com
Students who walk around with headphones on, jamming out to music, may want to consider putting away their smartphones or iPods when they walk to their cars at night. Bruce Harber, director of police services, said students should be more aware of their surroundings when walking around campus at night, especially if they’re texting, talking or playing music on their phones. In the United States last year, one in three robberies involved some type of smartphone, Harber said. He said when people walk with headphones on, criminals assume they have a nice phone. The most recent robbery occurred at 9:30 p.m. on Monday. Chuang Gao, 38, and Lijia Wang, 24, were walking on Southern Avenue when a man with a handgun took items belonging to the two, according to a police report. According to the safety alert sent to all students, faculty and staff, the man described to police was in his mid- to late-20s, approximately 6 feet tall, with a slim to muscular build and medium complexion. He was also described as wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark running shorts. He was last seen running south on Patterson Street at Spottswood Avenue. A couple of years ago, some people were asking students to borrow their phones and then disappearing. Law enforcement is working with some phone companies to make it harder for thieves to steal valuable smartphones, according to Harber. On campus, no robberies have occurred this year, and the overall crime on the U of M campus is down by 8.9 percent, according to Harber. Simple theft is the biggest issue, where students leave items unattended and come back to find their
see PUNCH on page 3
index
Tiger Babble Campus Life
2 National 4 Sports
see ROBBERY on page 5 6 7
2 • Friday, October 18, 2013
The
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D AILY
H ELMSMAN Volume 81 Number 31
Editor-in-Chief Lisa Elaine Babb Managing Editor L. Taylor Smith Design Editors Faith Roane Hannah Verret Sports Editor Meagan Nichols General Manager Candy Justice
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“Dear campus police, stop parking in the middle of the road just to talk to each other and watch an empty frat house.” @carmeng33
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DOMINO’S PIZZA Across 1 Faux-antique décor 11 Nurses 15 Words next to many 22-Down 16 Malaysian Chinese shoe designer Jimmy 17 It’s hard to write with one 19 Cub games setting: Abbr. 20 Hidden Valley competitor 21 “Hah!” 22 Small-screen princess 23 Sing ballads, say 24 Word in a Le Pew address 26 Tab alternative 29 Foe of the fictional spy agency CONTROL 30 Pump parts 32 Authorizing 33 First-aid practitioner, briefly 34 In reality 36 Cutting remark 37 Don’t bother 39 Jardín occupant 40 They’re built on benches 41 Pretends 43 Yupik craft 45 Thomas who co-created “Free to Be ... You and Me” 46 Spanish autonomy Castile and __ 47 Astronomy Muse 49 Stick with a spring 50 Brief black-and-white flash? 53 Hunter’s companion 56 Singer of the children’s album “Camp Lisa” 57 Prevented from getting unruly 58 Minute 59 Biological cooler Down 1 What collaborators should be in 2 Garment feature that’s sometimes detachable 3 Family title 4 Like some news 5 Stock character? 6 Dweller on the Red Sea 7 Hutch contents
550 S. HIGHLAND
8 European trio in a Christmas song 9 Soc. Sec. supplement 10 Rogers __: Toronto stadium 11 Cheesy stuff 12 “Color me surprised!” 13 Shot glass 14 Bar supply available at the touch of a button 18 Pretentious 22 Check alternatives 23 “Welcome to the human network” tech giant 24 Desert mount 25 “GET FIRED UP!” candy 26 Passes out 27 Phil Jackson, for most of the ‘70s 28 Early birds?
323-3030
29 It may wash up onshore 31 Leaving for 34 Toots 35 2010 Western remake that garnered 10 Oscar nominations 38 Presently 40 Success on a mat 42 Haunted house sounds 44 Farm sound 46 Ton o’ 47 Jamaican hybrid fruit 48 Act like a pig, in a way 49 Star of Looney Tunes’ “for Scent-imental Reasons” 50 Fitness brand 51 Ivy League member 52 Cultivated 54 FF’s opposite 55 Bent piece
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S u d o k u
Complete the grid so that each row, column and 3-by3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.
The University of Memphis
Punch Page 1
ries, ice and pistachios. Other flavors include things like mango-pineapple and peanut butter and banana. They also plan on serving several seasonal flavors for the fall months. Since the program has only been around for a few weeks, the people behind Memphis Punch are still trying to figure out where they fit into the community, according to Bobby Bickett, the other founder of Memphis Punch. “It’s a laboratory on wheels,” Bickett said. “We’re innovation people. We both have backgrounds in innovative fields, so we’re basically trying to find out where the friction is in the market around town.” Bickett also moved to Memphis in July, and he has invested the majority of his time working with his Memphis Punch project. He has also spent a lot of time trying to figure out how the running and biking community interacts. Before taking on the food truck business, Bickett spent a lot of his time in the office environment, so this change in business mixed with the cultural change has been a humbling experience, according to Bickett. Memphis Punch has been in the works since Strange and Bickett arrived in Memphis in July, but they have been out in the street for about four weeks now. Bicket can be found all over the Greater Memphis area six days a week in the food truck, but he and Laney are usually at most health-related events in the area including bicycle and foot races. “We use smoothies as a way to get healthy,” Bickett said. “We don’t cook, we’re busy, and we’re on the run. Smoothies are easy, so we just want to use the easiness of smoothies to turn others on to eating healthy.” To find out where Memphis Punch is going to be next, visit memphispunch.com.
Friday, October 18, 2013 • 3
1.8 million-year-old skull gives glimpse of evolution By Seth Borenstein and Sophiko Megrelidze Associated Press
DMANISI, Georgia (AP) — The discovery of a 1.8-millionyear-old skull of a human ancestor buried under a medieval Georgian village provides a vivid picture of early evolution and indicates our family tree may have fewer branches than some believe, scientists say. The fossil is the most complete pre-human skull uncovered. With other partial remains previously found at the rural site, it gives researchers the earliest evidence of human ancestors moving out of Africa and spreading north to the rest of the world, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Science. The skull and other remains offer a glimpse of a population of pre-humans of various sizes living at the same time — something that scientists had not seen before for such an ancient era. This diversity bolsters one of two competing theories about the way our early ancestors evolved, spreading out more like a tree than a bush. Nearly all of the previous pre-human discoveries have been fragmented bones, scattered over time and locations
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CARRIE (R) 2:30 - 5:15 - 7:40 RUNNER RUNNER (R) 2:30 - 5:25 - 7:45 RUSH (PG 13) 2:15 - 5:15 - 7:45 BATTLE OF THE YEAR 3-D (PG 13) 2:00 BATTLE OF THE YEAR 2-D (PG 13) 5:00 - 7:20 BAGGAGE CLAIM (PG 13) 2:15 - 5:15 - 7:30 CLOUD CLOUDY MEATBALLS 2 2-D (PG) 2:00 - 5:00 - 7:10 CLOUDY MEATBALLS 2 3-D (PG) 2:30 - 5:30 - 7:40 INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 (PG 13) 2:15 - 5:00 - 7:30 RIDDICK (R) 2:30 - 5:00 - 7:30 THE BUTLER (PG 13) 2:15 - 5:00 - 7:30
— like a smattering of random tweets of our evolutionary history. The findings at Dmanisi are more complete, weaving more of a short story. Before the site was found, the movement from Africa was put at about 1 million years ago. When examined with the earlier Georgian finds, the skull “shows that this special immigration out of Africa happened much earlier than we thought and a much more primitive group did it,” said study lead author David Lordkipanidze, director of the Georgia National Museum. “This is important to understanding human evolution.” For years, some scientists have said humans evolved from only one or two species, much like a tree branches out from a trunk, while others say the process was more like a bush with several offshoots that went nowhere. Even bush-favoring scientists say these findings show one single species nearly 2 million years ago at the former Soviet republic site. But they disagree that the same conclusion can be said for bones found elsewhere, such as Africa. However, Lordkipanidze and colleagues point out that the skulls found in Georgia are different sizes but are considered to
be the same species. So, they reason, it’s likely the various skulls found in different places and times in Africa may not be different species, but variations in one species. To see how a species can vary, just look in the mirror, they said. “Danny DeVito, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal are the same species,” Lordkipanidze said. The adult male skull found wasn’t from our species, Homo sapiens. It was from an ancestral species — in the same genus or class called Homo — that led to modern humans. Scientists say the Dmanisi population is likely an early part of our long-lived primary ancestral species, Homo erectus. Tim White of the University of California, Berkeley, wasn’t part of the study but praised it as “the first good evidence of what these expanding hominids looked like and what they were doing.” Fred Spoor at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, a competitor and proponent of a busy family tree with many species disagreed with the study’s overall conclusion, but he lauded the Georgia skull discovery as critical and even beautiful. “It really shows the process of evolution in action,” he said.
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Spoor said it seems to have captured a crucial point in the evolutionary process where our ancestors transitioned from Homo habilis to Homo erectus — although the study authors said that depiction is going a bit too far. The researchers found the first part of the skull, a large jaw, below a medieval fortress in 2000. Five years later — on Lordkipanidze’s 42nd birthday — they unearthed the well-preserved skull, gingerly extracted it, putting it into a cloth-lined case and popped champagne. It matched the jaw perfectly. They were probably separated when our ancestor lost a fight with a hungry carnivore, which pulled apart his skull and jaw bones, Lordkipanidze said. The skull was from an adult male just shy of 5 feet (1.5 meters) with a massive jaw and big teeth, but a small brain, implying limited thinking capability, said study coauthor Marcia Ponce de Leon of the University of Zurich. It also seems to be the point where legs are getting longer, for walking upright, and smaller hips, she said. “This is a strange combination of features that we didn’t know before in early Homo,” Ponce de Leon said.
4 • Friday, October 18, 2013
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Campus Life
Students get free late-night breakfast close to campus By Tyler Byrd
Special to The Daily Helmsman University of Memphis students can eat a late-night breakfast for free at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry from 9 p.m. until midnight on Monday. Late Night Appetite, which the ministry hosts the third Monday of every month, gives students the opportunity to get a free meal and hang out with friends or study. “Someone on our outreach team pointed out that there is very little dining options on campus at night,” said Tyler Heston, a junior
religion in society major and cooutreach coordinator at the ministry. “We brainstormed some ideas and we figured, ‘Why not provide free food for people late at night?’ We are broke and hungry college students and that is a bad combination. We just wanted to do something for students who need a little extra boost.” This event normally provides many different food and drink options in a buffet style for students, such as bacon, pancakes, scrambled eggs, juice, milk and coffee. Also, at 11 p.m. Gibson’s Donuts
will be offered to the students free of charge. “Every month, there is something different that we will offer just to break away from the stereotypical breakfast,” said Becca Gardner, senior non-profit management major and co-outreach coordinator. “We normally go through about 200 pancakes, 11 dozen eggs and 400 pieces of bacon.” “We are surprised by how many new people come that don’t normally come to any of our other events,” Heston said. “Last time we had this event about 150 people
Apps are not just for entertainment By Courtney Smith
news@dailyhelmsman.com On typical college students’ smart phones, there are application icons for Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep them entertained, but they may not realize there are many apps they can use to get ahead in the classroom. Lynn AlJafan, a sophomore nursing major, uses an app to access the periodic table whenever she needs. “It’s like you click on it, and it explains each element of the table,” AlJafan, 19, said. Hana Kayali, a freshman biology major, uses Wolfram Alpha, which is $2.99 in the app store, to help her with her math work. “You put in the problem and it solves it for you,” Kayali, 18, said. Wolfram Alpha can be used for a variety of mathematics fields from elementary math to algebra to discrete math. Although there’s a price on the mobile application, Wolfram Alpha can be accessed online for free.
Solutions
Quizlet can help students learn words a lot easier than reading through a dictionary. Not only English words are available on the app, Spanish words are also available and could be useful for students taking a Spanish course. This makes for an easier way to study for a test or quiz and eliminates the usage of paper. While using the app, audio is available through 18 languages and no Internet connection is needed to use the app. InClass can help college students survive a brutal class schedule. It helps students keep track of their` courses when there’s a test, quiz or assignment due. The app allows students to take notes with video, audio and photo. Whether you have an iPad, iPhone or Android, inClass does the job without the student having to buy any other school supplies. Gadafi Ali, a computer engineering major, uses the Dropbox app, which is free, for all of his files. “I use Dropbox, because I can access my files anywhere in the world,” Ali said. “You can get it and
showed up. We almost run out of food every month.” Brittany Stigall, associate director of the group, said they do the event to reach out to campus. “There are no strings attached, we are not trying to trick you into hearing someone preach all night,” Stigall said. “We want students to feel comfortable and free to hang out so any student can come and go as they please to prepare for midterms, or maybe take a break from life. This is a ministry to us, and it gives our students a way to meet new people and reach out to the campus.”
The ministry also sponsors Free Food Friday, a lunch provided to students free of charge every Friday at noon, and Focus, a weekly worship service every Thursday at 8 p.m. The ministry is also open during the day to hang out, play billiards or ping-pong or just to sit and talk to friends in between classes. The ministry is located at 469 Patterson St. and is on the corner of Patterson Street and Midland Avenue. This month, the group will have pancakes, over 10 different varieties of cereal, and of course, Gibson’s Donuts.
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expand 500 megabytes to 5 gigabytes of space and access your files. I still have 8 gigabytes of space unused.” Although some professors are opposed to electronics in the classroom, some professors are embracing the usefulness of apps. Katie Lang, a psychology professor and graduate student, said she’s comfortable with students using their laptops, tablets and smart phones to take notes. She recommends that students download calendar or agenda apps to keep track of assignments. “Those apps will send you reminders of when things are due, when tests are and how far in advance they are,” Lang said. She also advises students to get the YouTube app on their phones so they can look up educational videos to help them understand the material. “I do show a lot of YouTube videos, so if they have like a YouTube app or are able to go to look up different videos relating to class, that might be helpful,” Lang said.
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Tigers’ Ta es “I show up to classes everyday.”
Stephanie Burcham, Education sophomore
“I wear Tiger stuff and go to sporting events.”
Ryan Estes, Computer Science freshman
“I like to say ‘Go Tigers!’ when I see people wearing Tigers stuff in public.”
Kathleen Bray, Education freshman
Friday, October 18, 2013 • 5
How do you show your Tiger pride? By Brandon Caradine
“I wear this hoodie.”
Maddie Dunfield, Undecided freshman
“I wear Tiger blue on more days than just Fridays.”
Molly Coltane, Biology freshman
Robbery Page 1
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belongings stolen. “There’s always room for improvement until we get that number to zero,” he said. Projects have been implemented to make the campus safer, including the increase of lighting in the Central Avenue and Southern Avenue parking lots. The 600 cameras around campus also helped apprehend someone involved with a robbery last year, according to Harber. Students can also utilize Tiger Escort, a service the University provides to drive students to different locations around campus at night. If escorts cannot drive students to their car, they will walk with them. Anyone with information about the most recent robbery should contact University Police atWWW 901-678-4357. As soon .as the .FREETHEHELMSMAN COM suspect is identified, a TigerText WWW.FREETHEHELMSMAN.COM will be sent out to cancel the alert WWW.FREETHEHELMSMAN.COM previously sent. WWW.FREETHEHELMSMAN.COM
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6 • Friday, October 18, 2013
Stress Page 1
reduction in stress of 50 percent. The center averages 20 to 25 students a week, but because the zone accepts walk-ins, the exact number is hard to determine. The zone is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students can make appointments, but walk-ins are also welcome. Sessions last around 20 to 30 minutes, but if no one is around, students can stay longer if they wish. The psychologists running the zone ask that students give feedback after their session is concluded. The sessions are free of charge. The zone offers a number of ways for students to reduce their stress, such as a small zen garden and a few massage chairs. There’s even an object called a “singing bowl,” a small metal bowl that vibrates and hums when a wooden instrument is run around its edge. Students can listen to the relaxing sounds the bowl makes and feel the vibrations. Even the room itself is designed to lull students into relaxation — it’s dark, quiet and painted in a soothing color. One of the most intriguing features of the Relaxation Zone is the biofeedback station. Using emWave software developed by HeartMath, the station provides information about a student’s body in an effort to help them attain coherence — a state in which heart rhythms, brain waves and breathing rates are in alignment. The program promotes coherence by displaying a student’s heart rate in the form of a graph and teaching them how to control their heart rate and relax using calming breaths — four to five seconds in, four to five seconds out. Levstek, staff psychologist and one of the counselors in charge of the Relaxation Zone, promotes the principle of coherence as a way to reduce anxiety and improve the digestive and immune systems. “It’s teaching you what you are thinking or doing that’s making you stressful,” Dr. Levstek said. “It’s a learned skill for relaxing that the program teaches you to improve.” For students who are overwhelmed by the graphs and charts, a number of games are available to simplify the process. One of them depicts a hot-air balloon flying across the world. As the student’s level of coherence increases, the balloon flies faster. It provides the same feedback as the chart, but in an easier to digest fashion. It’s not just work-weary students who can benefit from the zone’s stressreduction techniques — athletes can also stand to gain from a few sessions in the zone. The effects of stress and anxiety aren’t just mental; they can be physical as well. Constant pressure to perform well can, ironically, lead to a reduction in athletic ability. Levstek promotes the zone as a way for athletes to get on the ball, so to speak. “This is one of the ways to get in ‘the zone’,” Levstek said. If the Relaxation Zone is unavailable, there are yoga and meditation available on campus, and Jasmine Bradley offers a class on stress reduction on Fridays from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Student Health Services lists 12 ways for students to reduce stress, including time management, healthy diet and exercise, getting enough sleep and avoiding drugs and alcohol.
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Veterans are flocking to college as wars wind down By Kevin Freking Associated Press
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Adam Fisher isn’t your typical college freshman. At 25, he’s older than most of his classmates. He’s married, too. And while most of his fellow students spent the past couple years in high school, Fisher was dodging bullets and roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now a civilian, Fisher is trying to make the transition from the battlefields to the classrooms of the University of Toledo. About two months into a new mission, he is far from alone. Some 1 million veterans and their dependents have enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities over the past four years, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. This influx of veterans has come with the drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and more generous financial incentives that generally cover a veteran’s tuition, housing and books. Many veterans face an array of challenges in making the transition to college life. Some are medical. Fisher, who heard the screams of a soldier burning to death and had a buddy die in his arms, participates in group therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. He also has some hearing loss. “It’s hard for me to be around so many people,” he said. “I don’t like it. It makes me feel very uncomfortable.” Other challenges are academic. Veterans often have to sharpen their math, reading and study skills after being away from school for so long. They face cultural hurdles, too. While many other freshmen are testing their independence after moving away from home for the first time,
some of the veterans back in school are supporting a family, working evenings and weekends. Veterans also must navigate the VA bureaucracy to ensure that their tuition and other aid, such as housing or disability benefits, are paid on time. Now, increasing numbers of colleges and universities are taking concrete steps to help them make the transition, the University of Toledo among them. Nearly 400 veterans, including Fisher, are attending class this fall at the school. The president, Lloyd Jacobs, a former Marine, said they “bring strength to our culture, bring strength to our university that’s unparalleled.” The American Council on Education says about 71 percent of some 700 colleges and universities responding to a recent survey had an office or department dedicated exclusively to serving veterans. Before the Post-9/11 GI Bill kicked in, a 2009 survey put that percentage at 49 percent. About two-thirds had clubs or organizations composed of veterans, double from the 2009 survey. Student Veterans of America, a coalition of student veterans on college campuses around the world, has branched out from fewer than 20 campuses to more than 880 in recent years. Michael Dakduk, the group’s outgoing executive director, said colleges have adjusted to the wave of veterans by hiring people exclusively to serve them and their dependents. Schools also are establishing peer mentoring and tutoring programs. The extra resources give veterans the sense they don’t have to face the challenges of college life on their own, he said. The VA has placed counselors on 92 college campuses. The counselors connect students to local VA medical care and help them apply for other benefits. About 500 veterans attend school at
Florida State University, an increase of about 40 percent from the previous fall. The school offers a class just for veterans called “strategies for veteran success.” It’s designed to boost their confidence and allows them to meet other veterans. The university holds a job fair for all students, but opens it up a day early for veterans on campus. It also allows students to defer many expenses, such as their books and meal plan, because of the time it takes to get VA payments processed. Officials at Florida State and Toledo say they hope other students will learn from the veterans. “They bring life experiences, they bring leadership skills, they bring discipline, they bring a maturity to the campus,” said Reinhart Lerch, communications director for Florida State’s student veterans center, which opened in 2011. Toledo also opened its veterans’ center in 2011. It’s basically a onestop clearinghouse for veterans or their dependents. At Toledo, they have a go-to person in military liaison Haraz Ghanbari, a lieutenant in the Navy Reserve. When Mick Grantham, 43, enrolled at Toledo after back and neck problems forced him out of the Army, he plowed through his savings waiting for his disability benefits to kick in. Ghanbari, a former photographer for The Associated Press, arranged for the local American Legion to provide Grantham with a $500 grant. He pointed Grantham to a job opening with the university’s grounds crew. He also nominated Grantham to be honored as the hero of the game at a recent Toledo football game. Grantham is an example of the age and cultural divide that some student veterans face. He strongly believes his time in Afghanistan served an impor-
tant purpose, and it has bothered him to hear some of the younger students criticize the war during his government studies class. “I told them, ‘You know, I lost nine friends. I’ve lost two since I’ve been home. Those guys didn’t complain. We did our job. You can’t tell me there’s no reason for us to be there.’” The VA is working with Student Veterans of America to study how well veterans fare upon returning to college. To date, there is little data on the issue. One study, conducted in 2009, just before the Post 9/11 GI Bill kicked in, found that veterans entering college in the 2003-04 school year were more likely to have left school without getting their degree or certificate. But the difference was narrow — 39.5 percent for veterans versus 35 percent for nonveterans. Veterans at Toledo said the transition always involves some adjustment. John McCarter, 33, a former staff sergeant in the Army who left with a medical discharge after serving 13 years, said that memory loss is a problem. He has a traumatic brain injury and wears a hearing aid as a result of a roadside bomb that exploded under a vehicle he was riding in. “I usually have to write things down. If I don’t write them down, I’m probably not going to remember it,” said McCarter, who hopes to become a sports journalist. While there are adjustments they’ve had to make, many veterans also believe their military service gives them an edge in the classroom. “I work 10 times harder than what I did in high school,” said Fisher, who wants to get into the medical profession, perhaps as a pediatric nurse. “The Army gave me a sense of self-respect and confidence, and they really show you hard work does pay off.”
The University of Memphis
Friday, October 18, 2013 • 7
Sports
Tigers tasked with stopping yet another furious offense By Hunter Field
sports@dailyhelmsman.com The University of Memphis football team (1-4) begins a three-game home stand against Southern Methodist University (1-4) on Saturday with kickoff slated for 11 a.m. at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The Tigers want to rebound following a hard-fought loss to the University of Houston last Saturday. The U of M fumbled the ball five times against the Cougars, and head Memphis football coach Justin Fuente said he knows they can not give SMU’s electric offense the ball off turnovers. “We’re going to go play a team that throws it all over the yard,” Fuente said in his weekly media luncheon. “Coach (June) Jones is well documented as a proponent of the forward pass. He brought in Hal Mumme who knows a thing or two about throwing it around as well — great challenge for us defensively.” The Mustangs come off a bye week. They lost their last game 55-52 in triple overtime against Rutgers. Although they are 1-4, their record may be deceiving. They played two top-25 teams in Texas A&M and Texas Tech. Mustang quarterback Garret Gilbert, who ranks second in the country in completions — 36.2 per game — leads a deadly SMU air attack, they rank seventh nationally with 361.2 yards per
game through the air. Wide receiver James Johnson averages the second most receptions per game in the nation with 10.4 each game. Fuente said he likes Gilbert’s game and said the Tigers cannot underestimate his athleticism. “He’s a much better athlete, I think, than anybody else ever really talks about,” Fuente said. “I know he’s thrown for a bunch of yards, and I don’t know what his actual rushing numbers are with a few sacks thrown in there. He’s a big, strong kid that moves around pretty well.” The Mustang defense has not enjoyed the same success as its offense. They allow 446 yards per game. The struggling SMU defense presents the struggling Tiger offense with a perfect opportunity to get back on track. The U of M has struggled as a whole on offense. They failed to score a touchdown on three trips inside Houston’s red zone, and they rank seventh in the American Athletic Conference in yards. Fuente said the Tigers have to make their trips to the red zone count and said he wants better execution and the elimination of little mistakes. “The biggest thing about the game last week was we didn’t score touchdowns in the red zone,” he said. “It comes back to some pretty fundamental things — execution and ability to run the ball in the right gap when that opportunity presents itself.”
Jake Elliot, Memphis’ freshman kicker, has shined all season. Out of 10 attempted field goals, Elliot nailed each one. He scored all 15 of the Tigers’ points last week, highlighted by a career best,
50-yard bomb. The American honored Elliot for his performance by naming him the American Athletic Conference’s special teams player of the week. Fuente said he wishes Elliot would
not have to shoulder so much of the offensive burden. “I’m awfully happy that Jake (Elliott) is knocking them through, but I would prefer that he kick PATs,” Fuente said.
women’s basketball teams, but because Memphis was invited to be part of the ESPN Midnight Madness special, the event was scheduled two weeks later. “The ESPN show is scheduled for Oct. 18, and the schools who are participating have committed to hold their Madness events on that night,” said Ryan Bradley, the associate athletic director for marketing and strategic communica-
tions. “This is a great marketing opportunity for Memphis that we didn’t want to pass up.” Both Tiger teams will be introduced to the fans Friday night, including six new freshmen and two transfers on the men’s team. Players will compete in various basketball competitions throughout the event. “Entertainment will run from
approximately 7 to 9 p.m. and will include introductions of both teams, unveiling of the new court, a dunk contest, a short men’s scrimmage, fan prizes and contests and a few surprises,” Bradley said. In past years, Memphis scheduled entertainers, such as rappers Yo Gotti and Rick Ross, to perform at the Memphis Madness event.
“There will be a non-basketball entertainment feature to this year’s event,” Bradley said. “However, we are keeping the details under wraps until the day of the event.” Another major part of the evening is recruiting. Memphis coaches have set up many recruitment visits to revolve around this event in previous years, including last year’s visit from current Memphis freshman Austin Nichols. This year, power forward Cliff Alexander, rated No. 3 in ESPN’s top 100 for the 2014 recruiting class, will be in attendance at the Madness. “Memphis Madness has evolved into one of the biggest recruiting opportunities of the year for our basketball program,” Bradley said. A live DJ will begin playing in the outdoor plaza outside the Forum at 4:30 p.m. Spectators will be allowed into the stadium at 6:30 p.m. Students are required to bring their student ID to be admitted into the student section on a first come, first serve basis. Spectators who do not have a student ID can try to grab one of the remaining free tickets at the FedExForum box office at 5 p.m. Tickets are limited to one per person. This is the first time fans are required to pick up a free ticket to be admitted into the annual event. “Crowds were so great at the last four Memphis Madness events, they had to turn people away,” said Lamar Chance, the athletics communications assistant director for men’s basketball. “This gives the Forum the ability to track how full they get.”
photo by chris evans | Special to the daily helmsman
The University of Memphis football team returns to the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium this weekend to play the Mustangs of Southern Methodist University at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
Memphis Madness returns to ESPN
By J.T. Mullen
Special to The Daily Helmsman Tiger basketball’s annual Memphis Madness will once again be featured in the ESPN Midnight Madness coverage on Friday at the FedExForum. Memphis Madness typically tips off the start of practice for both the men and
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8 • Friday, October 18, 2013
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Sports Volleyball attempts to end skid at a glance Basketball
Event: Memphis Madness Date: Oct. 18 Location: FedExForum Time: Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Cross country
Event: Pre-NCAA Championship Date: Oct. 19 Location: Terre Haute, Ind. Time: 11 a.m.
Football
Event: Memphis vs. SMU Date: Oct. 19 Location: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Time: 11 a.m.
Women’s Golf
Event: FIU Pat Bradley Invitational Date: Oct. 20 to 22 Location: Lakewood Ranch, Fla. Time: All Day
Men’s Soccer
Event: Memphis vs. Temple Date: Oct. 19 Location: Philadelphia, Pa. Time: noon
Women’s Soccer
Event: Memphis vs. USF Date: Oct. 18 Location: Tampa, Fla. Time: 6:30 p.m. Event: Memphis vs. UCF Date: Oct. 20 Location: Orlando, Fla. Time: noon
Men’s Tennis
Event: Player’s Choice Open Date: Oct. 17 to 24 Location: Birmingham, Ala. Time: All Day
Women’s Tennis
Event: USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional Date: Oct. 18 to 22 Location: The Racquet Club of Memphis Time: All Day
photo By Joe Murphy | special to the daily helmsman
The University of Memphis volleyball team plays at home this weekend at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. The Tigers will face conference foes, Rutgers and UConn.
By Meagan Nichols
sports@dailyhelmsman.com The University of Memphis volleyball team wraps up their five-match home stand Friday and Sunday at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. The Tigers (9-10) faces two conference opponents this weekend, the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers (4-15) and the Huskies of UConn (10-10). The Memphis squad dropped their last four games. Head Tiger volleyball coach April Jauregui said her young team is obviously frustrated over the losses, but
Event: Memphis vs. Uconn Date: Oct. 20 Location: Elma Roane Fieldhouse Time: 1 p.m.
The Scarlet Knights’ most recent loss was served to them by the Huskies. UConn won their last two games but will make a stop in the City of Brotherly Love to battle Temple on Friday, before making their way to the Bluff City. Prior to their recent wins, the Huskies dropped four games. “We are in similar situations,” Jauregui said. “These games are big as far as battling, so it is important we come out and play well.” Fans are encouraged to wear pink to Sunday’s game as part of the Dig Pink event to raise money for breast cancer research through the Virginia based nonprofit, The
Side-Out Foundation. Dig Pink is the trademark name for The Side-Out Foundation events. Donations will be accepted at both Friday and Sunday’s games. The first 100 fans on Sunday will receive a free mini-pink volleyball. Jauregui said she recognizes Friday is Memphis Madness but still hopes to see a strong fan turnout. The Tigers step on the court Friday at 7 p.m. and return to action Sunday at 1 p.m. “We want to thank the fans,” Jauregui said. “We had a great crowd on Friday, and the atmosphere was amazing.”
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Volleyball
Event: Memphis vs. Rutgers Date: Oct. 18 Location: Elma Roane Fieldhouse Time: 7 p.m.
they were just a few key points away from feeling completely different, a reference to their recent close-scoring games. “We’ve had some offensive lapses,” she said. “We’ve had some injuries last weekend, so we had players playing positions they don’t normally, so there were some new faces out there.” Jauregui said the team continues to look strong with their blocking and defensive game but needs to focus on offense, maintaining perspective and building momentum. When Rutgers steps into the Fieldhouse Friday, they will carry with them a five game losing streak.
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