April 04 Issue

OBSESSED

WITH IMPERFECTION LIFE 1B

April 4, 2013

Volume 81, Issue 26

www.FlorAla.net

Student newspaper of the University of North Alabama

GOING PLASTIC Checking accounts to be added to Mane Card PACE HOLDBROOKS

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Students will potentially see a difference in their Mane Cards when they return this fall.

Newly designed Mane Cards could be released as early as May, pending contract agreements between UNA officials and Listerhill Credit Union, said Cindy Conlon, Director of Procurement at UNA. The new cards will be higher in quality and feature a second magnetic strip, which will allow individuals with accounts at Listerhill the option to use their new Mane Card as a debit card.

“We have not signed a contract yet because we have not been able to reach an agreement to move forward,” Conlon said. “It is our intent to do so and I believe it will happen, hopefully, this year. We’re hoping it will be an advantage to the students and make their life easier so they can carry around one card and use it.”

University officials intend to make replacing the current card with the new one mandatory to all students, faculty and staff, Conlon said.

Replacing the cards will not cost the

photo by KAYLA SLOAN I Chief Photographer

Pending agreement finalization, Listerhill Credit Union will provide debit card services via the UNA Mane Card to students with valid checking accounts through the credit union.

cardholders, and the price of replacing future cards will stay at $10, she said.

“Everyone will have to get a new card and take a new picture,” Conlon said. “The benefit to UNA is that Listerhill will be buying the cards. The biggest thing is that the quality of the cards will come up.”

Conlon said university officials have been researching what she called a “one-card system” for several years, since it is considered popular and convenient to students at other schools.

An account with Listerhill Credit Union is required to use the debit function of the new Mane Card, although this will not affect Lion Loot or Dining Dollars, she said.

“After drop and add and all that happens and the (refund) checks (were delivered to students), 2,000 students were depositing those at Listerhill,” Conlon said. “It only made sense to partner with someone who has a presence and can immediately benefit existing students.

For Listerhill, it’s a good situation because it can encourage students to open an account.”

Listerhill intends to announce a new account program for UNA students that

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ADMINISTRATION

Governor accepting applications for vacant board position CORINNE BECKINGER ;\INN ?ZQ\MZ KJMKSQVOMZ(]VI ML]

A little more than two months after his death, Harvey Robbins’ seat on the UNA Board of Trustees remains vacant; however, officials at the governor’s office in Montgomery and at the university are working to fill the seat quickly.

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and his office in Montgomery, according to Alabama law, appoint board members.

INSIDE

this week’s paper

The nomination is given final approval by the Alabama legislature, according to Alabama law.

Officials in Montgomery opened the formal process of applying for a trustee position in February and cannot determine an exact timeline as to when the position will be filled, officials in Bentley’s office said.

“We take self- and community-led nominations, but there is no time limit on the governor’s appointments,” said Bent-

NEWS................2A IMAGES..............4A VIEWPOINTS.........7A

LIFE...............1B SPORTS...........5B EXTRA.............8B

ley Press Secretary Jennifer Ardis.

Applicants can be self- or community-nominated and are encouraged to apply online through the governor’s office, Ardis said.

Candidates for the position are currently being considered by the governor’s office, but an exact number could not be released at present.

“There have been some appli-

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TO APPLY • VISIT

WWW.GOVERNOR.ALA-

BAMA.GOV

• CALL THE GOVERNORʼS OFFICE AT (334) 242-7100 • VISIT THE CONTACT SECTION ON THE GOVERNORʼS WEBSITE.

SPORTS HAPPENINGS DURING THE BREAK ...6B

2A NEWS

News Briefs

UNA hosts scholarship award competition for local students

April 4, 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

MONEY

$68,000 in dining dollars unspent last year

The UNA Department of History and Political Science and the Tennessee Valley Historical Society awarded scholarships to local high schoolers March 8.

The scholarships were awarded at the 29th annual TVHS Scholarship Competition at the GUC based on a written exam at the on-site competition, said Chris Maynard, UNA history and political science department chair, in a release.

Of the more than 140 students who competed in the competition, three students received awards. Raleigh Killen, of Rogers High School, received $750; Zeb Williams, of Lexington High School, received $500 and Allison Rieff, of Florence High School, received $250.

The competitors participated in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Big Brain,â&#x20AC;? a scholars-bowl style competition. Lexington High School student Ryan Truitt received the individual award, and Lexington High School received the team award.

Career Carnival to take place April 9 The 2013 Career Carnival, sponsored

by UNA Career Planning and Development, will take place in the GUC Atrium April 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The carnival will feature various employers who will speak with students about part-time jobs, internships, coops and full-time positions, according to UNAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website. Various campus departments will also counsel students on their majors and minors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This event serves to educate students on opportunities available and encourage students to think outside of the box when choosing a career,â&#x20AC;? according to the site.

The event has reached maximum capacity for employers to be present at the event, according to the website.

Student wins first-place state music award UNA student and French horn player Alexis Cote received the first place award at the orchestral brass competition at the Alabama Federation of Music Clubs (AFMC) Feb. 23 at the University of Alabama.

Cote received the award based on her performance of three concert selections.

AFMC awarded her both cash and an invitation to perform at the AFMC banquet in Gadsden in April.

As a state winner, Cote will move on to the national competition, sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs.

HAVE AN EVENT? News Briefs are compiled by News/Managing Editor Alex Lindley.

Email alindley@una.edu or call (256) 765-4296 to have your event featured in this section.

photo illustration by KAYLA SLOAN I Chief Photographer

Officials said approximately $68,000 in student dining dollars went unspent last year. Though dining dollars will roll over from the fall to spring semester, they cannot transfer from spring to fall, said Alan Kinkead, general manager of Sodexo.

ELISE COFIELD

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Those $105 dollars that make their way out of the bank accounts and onto the Mane Cards of UNA students have a way of getting forgotten until the end of the semester.

Luckily for students, any unspent funds roll over from the fall to spring semester. With the end of the semester approaching, Dining Services at UNA is encouraging students to â&#x20AC;&#x153;spend those dining dollarsâ&#x20AC;? because, once the spring semester comes to an end, they will not roll over to the fall.

Last year, $68,000 in dining dollars

went unspent, said Alan Kinkead, general manager of Sodexo at UNA. That amounts to approximately 7 percent of the total fund. He said that in this situation, leftover funds are divided between the university and Sodexo. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want the students to spend the money,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s silly to have this and not spend it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve put ads in The Flor-Ala, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done advertisements through social media and emails, and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what else to do to get the word out.â&#x20AC;?

Kinkead said he and his staff recently sent emails to students who had not spent any of their Dining Dollars.

Kinkead said letting the Dining Dol-

AT A GLANCE â&#x20AC;˘ 7

PERCENT OF DINING DOLLARS

UNSPENT LAST YEAR

â&#x20AC;˘ DINING

DOLLARS FEE TO

INCREASE

$30

NEXT FALL BUT

WILL CAP AFTER THAT

lars roll over from spring to fall semesters is out of the question because that is not how dining services at other universities operate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It starts to become an

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SAFETY

Police revise sex assault investigation policy BLYTHE STEELMAN 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ J[\MMTUIV(]VI ML]

In light of recent alleged sexual assaults on campus, the UNA Police Department Policy and Procedures for Investigating Sexual Assaults was revised, said police Chief Bob Pastula. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The policies are changed to reflect the way we do things in the department,â&#x20AC;?

Pastula said.

The 32-page policy, revised March 7, covers procedures for each of the people involved in responding to an alleged sexual assault, including the dispatcher, onscene officers and investigating officers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The purpose of this policy is to provide officers and investigators with guidelines for responding to reports of

sexual assault, assisting victims, collaborating with local health and service agencies, and conducting interviews with victims, witnesses and suspects,â&#x20AC;? the policy states. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because of the special needs involved in sexual assault investigations, this policy is an all-inclusive document that covers first response, investigation, and prosecution. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Chief of Police shall be notified immediately by the University Communications Center and the First Responding Officer of any sexual assault case, so that a timely warning may be issued to the University Community if warranted.â&#x20AC;?

Vice President for Student Affairs David Shields said in a recent open forum with campus and community members that he and other officials are ex-

â&#x20AC;?

ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS

THAT HELP WOMEN AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULTS NEED TO WORK TOGETHER. THEY NEED TO COOPERATE INSTEAD OF COMPETE.

DAVID SHIELDS amining the process by which reported sexual assaults are handled. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All of the organizations and groups that help women after sexual assaults need to work together,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They need to cooperate instead of compete.â&#x20AC;?

Pastula said that when he first started as police chief at UNA, there were no

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NEWS 3A

April 4, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

CAMPUS EVENTS

Officials explored options before double headliner picks TRISTA IRVIN

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The University Program Council officially announced the performers for the Spring Concert May 1. Mat Kearney and Phillip Phillips will be the double-header for the show and Gin Wigmore, an up-andcoming artist, will be the opening act.

The process in choosing the artist to perform begins with the council looking at their annual budget. UPC has $75,000 to spend on live acts for a year.

“Out of our annual budget, we decided not to spend a dime over $60,000 for the Spring Concert,” said Aaron Lovelady, UPC live acts chairman. “Before we begin to look at talent, we decide between having it at either Flowers or Norton. UPC chose to host the concert at Norton Auditorium and that knocked off $8,000 for bringing in a stage if it was held in Flowers.”

UPC explored talent options with budget in mind and the venue reserved.

“UPC looks at how much we can spend on talent,” Lovelady said. “This year, that amount was between the $40,000 to $45,000 range. If you think about it, as far as how much talent costs on a scale of one to 10, it’s about a two and that’s what we have to work with.”

Some students have said that they would prefer one bigger artist over a double headliner, but incoming Vice President of UPC Walter Hartley said it’s difficult to please everyone.

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file photo by CHRISTINA COVINGTON I Staff Photographer

J. Cole performs at last year’s spring concert, hosted by UPC. Incoming Vice President of UPC Walter Hartley said complaints about last year’s single headliner show led UPC to seek a double headliner this year.

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8741+A KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM )

administrative nightmare when you do that, and it’s typically not the way that is done,” he said. “At some point, you just

policies in place for responding to or investigating sexual assaults.

“These are new policies that we’ve been writing and updating as we go along,” he said.

Policies and procedures are always reconsidered following any type of campus incident, Pastula said.

“When something happens, we go back and re-evaluate the policy and make changes as needed,” he said.

The policy outlines what constitutes a sexual assault, as well as responding to a number of different factors, including stranger or non-stranger assaults, collecting evidence and diagramming crime scenes.

”

WEʼVE PUT ADS IN THE FLOR-ALA, WEʼVE

DONE ADVERTISEMENTS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND EMAILS, AND I DONʼT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO TO GET THE WORD OUT.

ALAN KINKEAD have to say, ‘This is it’.”

A mandatory Dining Dollar fee went into effect in the fall of 2011 and has been in effect since.

The fee will increase by another $30 this fall, but Kinkead said the fee will cap once this increase goes into effect.

Based on a response from UNA student Katelyn Jarrell, the Dining Dollar fee is successful in getting students to shop on campus who would not normally do so.

She lives off campus and said eating on campus is not her first choice because of high prices, but she never has trouble spending her Dining Dollars.

“This year, mine was gone both semesters before midterms,” she said.

As could be expected, students are more likely to spend the Dining Dollars they voluntarily purchase. Kinkead said less than 1 percent of the Dining Dollars tied to a meal plan remained at the end of the spring 2012 semester.

4A IMAGES

April 4, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

BREAK FOR PARADISE

by Staff Photographer Christina Covington

Spring break. Two words every college student anticipates during the spring semester of school.

For me, spring break for the past three years have been to go to Panama City Beach, Fla., with my boyfriend and friends.

Now, I do work sometimes when I’m there, taking photographs for school or for The FlorAla. I wanted to do this issue for spring break in Panama City because for most colleges it is the place to go for that time of the year. I met people from other colleges all over the country, some from West Virginia, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Georgia, Ohio, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oregon and California. Others were from schools in our own state such as UAH, University of Alabama, Jacksonville State University and Alabama State University, Most stories people have heard from others

is that Panama City is no more than a city to just party in; this is a fact most of the time. People do party, but people also find entertainment in the city. There are activities such as rental scooters, like parasailing, playing putt-putt, going to theme parks, eating delicious seafood, fishing on the piers and shopping.

A lot of families also come down to Panama City during spring break, so that is not uncommon to see. Also I have noticed the law enforcement over time has become stricter and more stern with the public around spring break time. There are at least two cops in each mile of the main strip in Panama City. For the past few years thankfully it has become a “safer” place.

Panama City Beach isn’t a bad place to go, but it’s also not everyone’s cup of tea. If you want a fun time and a “get away” during that break week, I recommend Florida.

EXTRA 5A

April 4, 2013 • The Flor-Ala ,-*1< KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) should be released once the contract is signed, Conlon said.

“They’ve got pretty good programs now, but UNA students will be offered an even better program that should be re-

<:=;<-- KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) cants, but we cannot release names at this time,” Ardis said.

The process has been ongoing since Robbins’ death Jan. 30. Robbins was a member of the board for approximately 9 years starting in February of 2004. He

leased once we get this contract signed,” she said. “We were interested in creating a partnership where our students would have absolutely no banking fees. UNA will not be selling Listerhill, but if this makes it easier for the students, then great.”

Conlon said she hopes this agreement will eventually lead to the university being able to directly deposit refund checks

to students. Conlon said the new cards could be printed as early as May, and she hopes they will be distributed from the first SOAR camp onward.

“I’ve thought for a while that it would convenient if I could buy things with my Mane Card,” said Sarah Simpson, a sophomore at UNA. “I just wished more people accepted Lion Loot. I think it’s a cool idea, but I don’t have Listerhill, so I

don’t see how it would benefit me.”

Jacob Hale, a senior at UNA and Listerhill account holder, said he will not be inconvenienced by the card replacement.

“I think the new Mane Card is a cool idea,” Hale said. “It will better integrate UNA and local businesses and encourage students to bank at Listerhill and invest more in the community here in Florence.”

regularly donated to the university and the Shoals area, officials said.

Shortly before his death, Robbins donated $1 million toward an endowed scholarship for students who graduated from Deshler High School in Tuscumbia.

Robbins was a graduate of the high school.

The Board of Trustees recently approved funding for the construction of a new workout facility for university athletes March 11 in addition to initiating

a proposal to begin construction on new student housing.

Although the trustees work to promote and aid the university in its development, university officials are not asked to request or endorse potential applicants to the governor’s office, officials said.

“This is something that the governor’s office does,” said UNA President Bill Cale. “We are not invited to recommend or invite campus feedback.”

Cale does not believe the vacant seat

will have any effect on future plans the university has.

Currently, the UNA Board of Trustees has eight official members. The board has trustees from areas around the state including the Shoals, Montgomery and Huntsville. The replacement trustee will fill the ninth and final seat on the board.

Stay with The Flor-Ala as this story develops.

WANT MORE?

CHECK OUT WWW.FLORALA.NET. FOR MORE PHOTOS, VIDEOS AND BREAKING NEWS.

6A NEWS

April 4, 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

ACADEMICS

UNA Certified Family Life Educator certification approved BLYTHE STEELMAN 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ J[\MMTUIV(]VI ML]

UNA can now add another certificate program to its list, with the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) recently approving the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposed program to become a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE). â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a national certification that is awarded and recognized, and that sets it apart from other certifications available at UNA,â&#x20AC;? said Jerri Bullard, chair of the sociology and family studies department.

The certification would give students the opportunity to work across many different fields, said Amber Paulk, assistant professor of sociology and family studies and human environmental sciences. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So many of our students want to help people, but they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what that means for them yet,â&#x20AC;? Paulk said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be teachers, or they

would be in the education department.

They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be social workers, or they would be in that program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A CFLE is perfect for them. They want to encourage people in their identity, social and emotional development, primarily in a preventative role.â&#x20AC;?

A CFLE can find work in a number of areas, ranging from clinics and hospitals to social security offices, Paulk said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It all depends on the personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interests and what they want to do,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Family life education focuses on healthy family functioning within a family systems perspective, mainly through preventive and educational approaches, Paulk said during a recent presentation she gave about the program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The goal of family life education is to teach and foster this knowledge and these skills to enable individuals and families to function optimally,â&#x20AC;? she said.

The curriculum, housed under the

Department of Sociology and Family Studies, consists of 10 courses from a variety of disciplines, Paulk said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was a whole department, a whole campus, effort,â&#x20AC;? Paulk said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is very much an interdisciplinary program. There are courses from up to six different fields that students can choose from. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an awesome collaboration.â&#x20AC;?

Paulk said the curriculum stemmed from the existing family studies minor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We looked at the minor and decided to expand it into a larger certificate,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was really for the options it would open up for students.â&#x20AC;?

In order for the program to gain approval, NCFR had to make sure the courses offered would meet the criteria and content expectations across 10 specific areas, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We added a couple of classes, as well as the Family Life Education introductory course and the required intern-

ship,â&#x20AC;? Paulk said.

The required internship could take place with a number of different agencies, organizations or programs in the community and will bridge the gap between theory and practice before certification, Paulk said during her presentation.

Paulk also emphasized that this certificate is not for students with any specific major. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a major; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an addition,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You can major in anything and get this certificate, as long you fulfill the requirements.â&#x20AC;?

She said at least one student will graduate with the certificate next fall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is a lot of student interest in this program,â&#x20AC;? Paulk said.

She said that as people hear more about CFLE, she feels like there will be a large number of individuals joining the program.

SENATE

SGA tables bill to restrict IFC bidding process BLYTHE STEELMAN 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ J[\MMTUIV(]VI ML]

Senate has tabled Bill 13-20, which aims to help grow Interfraternity Council (IFC) formal recruitment by restricting the open bidding process in the fall semesters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Right now, IFC has a 365-day open bidding process,â&#x20AC;? said Taylor Marks, senator and author of the bill. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In order to restrict this process, we have to trump the National Interfraternity Council (NIC) policy and add these restrictions to the handbook for it to take effect.â&#x20AC;?

Marksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bill outlines the specific times of restriction, were the policy change to take place.

+76+-:< KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the past, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve brought in one big artist for the concert and groups of students complained,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bringing two and different groups are complaining that we should only have one. This is a perfect example of how you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t please everyone.â&#x20AC;?

Finding two smaller artists is easier than bringing one larger artist, said incoming SGA President Laura Giles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the big artists, you have to consider everything â&#x20AC;&#x201D; touring, location, costs,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult to bring a huge artist here. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have that in our budget. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier sometimes to find two artists who want to work together for one set cost.â&#x20AC;?

UPC takes that price and works with a middle agent to contact artists who fit the price and the schedule. The list is narrowed down to three and put to a vote in UPC. After the decision is made, UPC tries to work with the artist of choice and negotiate price and scheduling. From the list of three were Phillips and Kearney. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After we started working with Phillip Phillips a little, Mat Kearney was interested in performing as well,â&#x20AC;? Love-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Open bidding will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on the Thursday prior to Residence Hall move-in day of the fall semester, at which point open bidding will be closed,â&#x20AC;? the bill states. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The open bidding process will reopen 10 days after the IFC formal Bid Day.â&#x20AC;?

Austin Smith, member of Alpha Tau Omega and student senator, spoke briefly about the role the NIC has. â&#x20AC;&#x153;IFC is governed by the NIC,â&#x20AC;? Smith said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They do state that recruitment should be year-round, but the loophole is having a university policy that disagrees with that. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Personally, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t support this because I feel like NIC policies govern the IFC policies for a reason.â&#x20AC;?

Marks said the proposed policy change is in no way meant to dismiss the NIC policy, though. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just looking to restrict it for a four to five week period,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Marks said he does not believe this change would be in place for fall 2013 formal recruitment, but that it could benefit future recruitments.

Will Nash, senate pro-tempore, said he agrees. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This will benefit the guys who are looking at going Greek when they get to UNA,â&#x20AC;? Nash said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It could force them to go through formal recruitment and the process.â&#x20AC;?

Nash and Marks said the policy change has been voted on twice by the

IFC now. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Six out of seven fraternities voted for this during the IFC meeting,â&#x20AC;? Marks said.

IFC President and Sigma Chi member Alex Gouin said he thinks incorporating this restriction will improve the number of guys who go through formal recruitment each fall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I went through recruitment in fall of 2009, there were 90 or so guys,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just been declining ever since.

I think there were only around 16 guys who did formal recruitment last year.â&#x20AC;?

Marks said he agreed that formal recruitment numbers are not where they

lady said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kearney worked well with us on the price, and he and Phillips merged very well to perform a double-header for us. Their music isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too contrasting, and I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be very smooth and seamless.â&#x20AC;?

Since the announcement has been made, several students have voiced their opinions about the choices for performers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I look forward to every Spring Concert,â&#x20AC;? said Bethany Downs, UNA student. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like a variety of artists, so I anticipate seeing what UPC chooses each time.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;As an American Idol fan, I am very excited to see Phillip Phillips at the Spring Concert,â&#x20AC;? said Kayla Caruso, UNA student. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not a big fan of American Idol or Phillip Phillips, so I will not be attending this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spring Concert,â&#x20AC;? said Amecia Smith, UNA student. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I do feel that UNA could do better with the Spring Concert choices and maybe have a choice of artists for the whole student body to vote on.â&#x20AC;?

Mikeil Jones, a pre-engineering major, said he had not heard of Phillips until UNA revealed he would be performing. Jones feels that UNA should choose someone more popular to the students.

Lovelady commented on the proposal

of voting as a student body and said that UPC tried to poll students last year and it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work out because there were troubles with the artist. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We pick a variety of diverse students to try and represent the voice of the student body in UPC,â&#x20AC;? Lovelady said.

UPC will be selling a limited number of T-shirts for $5. These T-shirts will be used in a Twitter contest for a chance to win one of three meet-and-greet tickets.

Any student wearing one of the T-shirts can take a picture and Tweet it using #UNASpringConcert2013.

There are still free tickets available by showing a student ID at the Student Engagement Office in the GUC. Lovelady added that UPC meetings are open and students are welcome to sit in and offer opinions every Monday afternoon at 3:30 in the upstairs conference room of the GUC.

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VIEWPOINTS 7A

April 4, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA

THE

JOSH SKAGGS EXECUTIVE EDITOR ALEX LINDLEY NEWS/MANAGING EDITOR ANN HARKEY LIFE EDITOR MALISA MCCLURE SPORTS EDITOR JARED MCCOY COPY/OPINION EDITOR BLYTHE STEELMAN ONLINE EDITOR LAURA IVIE BUSINESS MANAGER CORTNEY OLIVER GRAPHIC DESIGNER ALEX GOUIN AD REPRESENTATIVE MATTHEW WILSON CIRCULATION MANAGER KAYLA SLOAN CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER CHRISTINA COVINGTON MICHAEL REDDING ALLI OWNBY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS REBECCA WALKER ADVISER

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• The deadline for submitting letters is 10 a.m. Monday, the week of publication.

• Letters must not exceed 400 words.

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• The Flor-Ala prefers to publish your letters exactly as written, but reserves the right to reject slanderous or libelous material.

• The publication of any letter is left to the discretion of the Editorial Board.

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• When the editors deem it necessary for ease of understanding or to clarify facts, an Editorʼs Note may accompany a letter.

• Address correspondence to The Flor-Ala. UNA Box 5300, Florence, AL 35632.

Email: florala@una.edu.

• Phone: 256-765-4364 Copyright © 2013 The Flor-Ala All rights reserved.

First copy free.

Additional copies $1 each.

Research needs to take precedent before debate JARED MCCOY

+WXa -LQ\WZ RUKKWa(]VI ML]

There’s a great line in William Butler Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming” that boldly labels the general modern population: “The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity.”

I won’t fall into the easy fallacy of defining this best/ worst split by declaring myself the best and condemning the reader to bear my enlightened judgment. In fact, I’m not really certain what he means in his assessment of the best kind of people, but I definitely agree about the worst.

That’s not to say that self-

confidence is some immoral disease. It’s just as easily a positive character quality. The problem, however, is unfounded self-confidence that demands attention without actually deserving it.

I had the displeasure of sitting in an Easter sermon this weekend where the pastor informed the audience, after spouting a long list of scientifically inaccurate statements to “prove” a theological point and then proudly proclaiming “I’m not some kind of super-intellectual,” that I shouldn’t try to analyze his statements because I clearly knew deep down that he was right.

This isn’t meant to be an attack on Christian teaching or religion. I merely use this example because it’s still on my mind and because it deeply disturbed me as a Christian who has long held a stance that faith and rationality do not cancel each other out.

Unfortunately, this benchpressing contest sort of attitude seems to be all the rage in the public forum.

My Facebook feed has become nothing but (occasionally) funny pictures and heated arguments. Notice, I said “arguments” and not “debates.”

There is a definite distinction between the two.

Over the last year, there have been a slew of comment threads about politics, sexual assault, marriage equality and whatever else, each with upwards of 50 replies from people who have essays’ worth to say about the issues.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the fact that the discussion of current events and their importance is at an all-time high, as far as ease of accessibility and transmission goes. I just hate the fact that false information and mindless yammer that takes no consideration of replies and rebuttals can spread

Interested in writing or taking photos for The Flor-Ala? Come to our writers meeting every Monday at 6 p.m or photographer meeting Tuesday at 5 p.m. Take a story, shoot a photo and get involved.

just as easily.

The debate process has become less of a presentation of well-supported positions relevant to the topic of discussion and more of a contest over who can mean their position more loudly and emotionally with that “passionate intensity” Yeats wrote about, relevance be damned.

The only piece of advice I have to give on this issue is to make beyond sure you know what you’re talking about and that you’re actually listening to what respondents have to say.

If you can’t say that you surely know the topic or you’re just repeating an argument that has been made a thousand times, please do some reading and research first, even if it’s as little as checking Snopes.com.

The argumentative mentality of “Put up or shut up” needs to go away — or at the very least be amended. Study up or shut up.

FOR THE RECORD...

We strive to get it right the first time, but when we donʼt, we are happy to set the record straight.

•

In the March 21 issue, the letter to the editor was collectively authored by Faculty and Staff for a Safe UNA.

8A NEWS

April 4, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

SCHOLARSHIP

Students chosen to present research PACE HOLDBROOKS

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A research team of computer science and math majors from UNA were recently chosen from from more 3,500 submissions to present their projects at the 2013 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). The conference will take place April 11-13 at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis. “This is a nationally recognized undergraduate research conference where our students will present their work to faculty and peers from over 300 universities and colleges from around the globe,” said Cynthia Stenger, interim chair of the UNA department of mathematics. “This experience will change their perception of the discipline and what they can contribute to it. We are also going to represent UNA and Alabama in a positive way.”

The team set out last fall to teach on projectile motion through a computer simulation and a model rocket launch.

The students will now have an opportunity to present their work and publish a research paper, Stenger said.

“At this point, the Math/CS research teams are writing up their results in papers and preparing their LaTeX Beamer presentations,” she said. “There have been a lot of bumps in the road, but anything worth accomplishing is going to be difficult. The reward of seeing our stu-

dents immersed in a mathematics or CS problem is worth any of the challenges we have faced.”

James Jerkins, instructor of computer science, said learning to conduct research without the constant guidance of an instructor is a difficult but necessary challenge for the team to become a community of scholars. Finding money to support the conferences has also been a challenge, Stenger said.

“When we started, we didn’t expect to have such a large team in the first year,” she said. “Without the support of UNA administration, we could not have had 12 students present last fall and could not have these 10 presenting this spring.”

Stenger said she expects students to be inspired by the success and hard work of the current team.

“We expect that new projects will come from this exchange of ideas,” she said. “The most exciting part for me is seeing the students start to delve deeply into a mathematical concept, to see them take ownership of the mathematical idea and use it in new and innovative applications. I know it sounds corny, but that is what excites a teacher.”

Patrick Lindsay, a senior who writes the team’s computer simulation, said he has learned a lot about his field of study for later in life. He said he has also been able to use his participation in the research as his capstone project for the Honors Program.

”

WHEN WE STARTED, WE DIDNʼT EXPECT TO HAVE SUCH A LARGE TEAM IN THE FIRST YEAR. WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE UNA ADMINISTRATION, WE COULD NOT HAVE HAD 12 STUDENTS PRESENT LAST FALL AND COULD NOT HAVE THESE

10 PRESENTING THIS SPRING.

CYNTHIA STENGER “This is the first time I’ve been to a real academic conference, so I’m pretty excited about it,” he said. “We’re going to take this to Florence High School and teach a few lessons with it to see if a lesson based around the simulation is more effective than a standard lecture. I’m pretty confident it will be, but I’m looking forward to seeing some results.”

Atticus Wright, also a senior honors student, said he works on both the education and rocket sides of the project to build a custom flight computer that will help collect data for the lesson and presentation.

“When it comes to the research, we try and split teaching the lesson so that each of us plays a part,” Wright said.

“Education fascinates me because it plays such a crucial and profound role in shaping who we become. Through our efforts, we hope to make undergraduate research a bigger emphasis at UNA.”

;-6)<- KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) should be.

“The numbers have been really low at this university during formal recruitment and rush over the last few years,” he said.

Gouin said this restriction was put in place last year before formal recruitment, and the organization saw a rise in the number of males registered for formal recruitment. However, he said the NIC informed the IFC that they were not allowed to have this restriction without first having it in place through the university.

“As soon as open bidding came back after we found out, the numbers for formal recruitment went way down,” he said.

Current SGA adviser Kim Greenway said she would recommend waiting before taking further action with the bill.

“If it doesn’t hurt the timeline any, I would recommend tabling it,” she said.

Bill 13-20 is currently tabled, but will be discussed again before the end of the semester.

Senate also discussed Bill 13-19, submitted by Nash and Senator Sarah Emerson. The bill, which failed in Senate, sought to amend the current Code of Laws Chapters 204 and 403, regarding elections and duties of both the Senate and UPC Pro-Tempores.

An update on the upcoming Lion Night, planned for Thursday, April 18, has the Local Saints, Band O’ Brothers and Hunter Jackson booked to provide music and entertainment at the event, while 16 businesses downtown will be offering discounts or deals, according to the March 14 meeting minutes.

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SECTION B

April 4, 2013• The Flor-Ala • Life Editor: Ann Harkey 256-765-5233

mp e rf ec ti on

BodyI

LIFE

Student health encouraged over physique KALI DANIEL

;\INN ?ZQ\MZ SLIVQMT (]VI ML]

photo by KAYLA SLOAN I Chief Photographer

Many students suffer from poor body image, whether it be a certain part of their body or their overall appearance. While current college students are referred to as a more cynical generation, many feel the media conveys a pressure and desire for conformity to ideals.

“I think there’s too much pressure on people to conform to the group and society in general, rather than to just be themselves,” said freshman Tyler Yasaka.

Other students acknowledge that conformity and ideals may be a result of individuality and a method of bettering oneself.

“Not everybody nit-picks because they feel like they have to fit a mold but simply because they want to constantly reach their highest potential,” said Forrest MacArthur, sophomore. “However, there is a fine line. Sometimes people can get

;MM *7,A XIOM *

2B LIFE

April 4, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

Talk

Dirty Rice

to me

photos by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer

Regie Cabico (above) and J.T. Bullock (below) perform at the UNA Performance Center March 21. Cabico and Bullock paired with SAFE and Boxcar Voices.

Poetry duo performs at UNA ANNA GRACE USERY ;\INN ?ZQ\MZ I][MZa(]VI ML]

The dynamic poetry slam duo Dirty Rice made a triumphant return to UNA March 21 to present their show entitled “Real Poems. Real Dirty.”

The UNA Student Alliance for Equality (SAFE) and Boxcar Voices joined together to bring poets Regie Cabico and J.T. Bullock to UNA for the second time.

Cabico is an HBO Def Jam poet and National Poetry Slam champion.

“If it were up to me, I would come four times a year,” Cabico said. “I’ve fallen in love with Florence.”

Bullock is a UNA alumnus who is a nationally acclaimed poet and storyteller.

Cabico and Bullock were warmly welcomed back to UNA, they said.

“We’re called Dirty Rice because we’re dirty and he’s (Cabico), you know, Asian,” Bullock said.

Bullock said he misses all the perks Florence has to offer now that he lives in Maryland.

“The music and the food stick out in my mind,” he said. “But you can get pretty good Korean food in Baltimore.”

Cabico and Bullock hosted poetry workshops where they shared writing tips and listened to students perform their original work. Students used their tips to construct poems they read during the main performance in the GUC. Co-founder of Boxcar Voices Andy Thigpen brought the duo to UNA last fall.

“This would not have been possible without SAFE,” Thigpen said. “Bringing in artists like Regie and J.T. and Shadowboxers Anonymous is just another way UNA can practice what it preaches about promoting diversity on campus and in the community.”

Thigpen also said he thinks Cabico and Bullock bring an extremely unique energy that Boxcar Voices has been trying to cultivate for two years now.

“Having such a powerful voice in the slam poetry and spoken word world come to an area where that has been a pretty limited art form is exciting to watch and be a part of,” Thigpen said.

The main performance began Thursday in the GUC Performance Center with

an open mic for all who wanted to come and share their poems. Next, Bullock took the stage with his intro poem “Stardust.”

Following Bullock, Cabico wowed the crowd with his opening life-like Tina Turner impersonation. Cabico said his inspiration comes from several ideas such as loneliness, falling in love, music, fantasies and Barbra Streisand films.

“I try to listen to the crowd when I’m performing,” he said. “It’s all about giving people the gospel truth.”

Audience member Jennifer Cravens said she thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“I thought it was a wonderful performance that showcased art and culture not usually seen on campus,” she said.

Cabico and Bullock said they will return again next year. Cabico currently lives in Washington, D.C., while Bullock lives in Baltimore.

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LIFE 3B

April 4, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

Juice to Lose Juice diet may cause fast weight loss, health conflicts KALI DANIEL

;\INN ?ZQ\MZ SLIVQMT (]VI ML]

Many people are turning to the Juice Diet for successful weight loss with minimal lifestyle change.

As described by The Huffington Post, the Juice Diet holds the theory that “unpasteurized, highly concentrated juice holds more nutrients, antioxidants and disease-fighting compounds than either bottled, pasteurized juices or the whole fruit or vegetable itself.”

The Juice Diet consists of various fruits and vegetables which are placed in a juicer and consumed by the recipient as determined by their diet plan. Some people substitute one juice for one meal, while others may substitute for every meal for a given period of time.

Sophomore Jacob Anderson lost 20 pounds on the Juice Diet without exercise or other lifestyle changes.

“In January I started replacing two meals a day with 16-20 ounces of juice,” he said. “It worked beautifully. The reason it worked, though, is because I ate about 1700 calories or less daily. I would

recommend the diet, but it gets monotonous after a while.”

While some students have already experienced the diet firsthand, others are concerned with possible health conflicts that could occur. p people p p “I definitely think it helps re not reallyy lose weight because you’re er, a eating,” said Katie Fowler, ent.. first-year nursing student. ’s “But it’s also unhealthy. It’s effective but dangerous.”

The Juice Diet creates health controversies among professionals, despite the diet detox crazee he that has surged since the 90s. While many people feel more energized, the sourcee of said feelings is conflicting.

“Studies on starvation show the longer you fast, the more lethargic and less focused you become,” said Dr. Susan Moores to NBC News. “While people can lose 5 to 10 percent of their weight in the first few months of (a detox) diet, up to two-thirds of people regain even more weight than they lost within four or five

years.”

The diet rejects basic instincts the body desires, creating a chemical imbalance within the body itself that may lead to weight loss.

“Psychologically there’s a dissatis, said Marilyn Lee, a nursing profaction,” f ssor at UN fe fessor UNA. “Chewing and swall wing they provide a certain lo lowing, s ti sa satisfaction.

While I drink c ca carrot juice, I don’t think I c could always drink carrot j juice rather than having t crunch of a real carthe r rot.”

Celebrities such as Gw Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelin Jolie have attributed gelina los to the Juice Diet, while weight loss still other celebrities acknowledge that while the diet works, it is temporary.

“I needed to lose (weight) really quick,” said Beyoncé Knowles in an interview with People. “I put the weight back on as soon as I finished, so I am no smaller or bigger than I’ve always been.

It was strictly for the movie.”

Still, a properly implemented diet

with a physician’s recommendation could lead to a healthy jump start to an improved lifestyle.

“Like with the vegetarian and vegan diets, you have to know what you’re doing,” Lee said. “You have to make sure you’re getting your proteins and proper nutrients and listening to what experts are saying. You have to do your research.”

JUICE DIET INGREDIENTS •2

GRANNY SMITH

APPLES

• 1 BUNCH KALE • 1 CUCUMBER • 2-4 CELERY STALKS • LEMON JUICE • GINGER ROOT TO TASTE

What would you do differently at UNA?

”

IT WAS A GOOD DECISION

TO LIVE IN THE DORMS AND RUSH A FRATERNITY, BECAUSE IT HELPED ME GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS.

”

I WOULD

TELL FRESHMEN TO TAKE A FULL COURSE LOAD EVEN FIRST SEMESTER.

TAYLOR MARKS

MEGAN ELIZABETH KINGSLEY

”

”

BE OPEN TO MEET-

I WISH I WOULD

”

”

”

MAJOR.

PHYSICS.

ASIDE FROM SEEING YOUR ADVISER, DO THE CLASS SCHEDULE YOURSELF.

BRANDON TRUSSEL

JARED COX

DEAN ARNOLD

DO MORE RESEARCH

BEFORE YOU JUMP INTO A

”

ITʼS OK TO NOT

”

I WISH I WOULD HAVE MINORED IN

I WOULD

”

GO AHEAD AND

HAVE STARTED OUT WITH

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

DOING NEW THINGS.

THE CORRECT MAJOR.

YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT.

SCHOOL YEARS IN COLLEGE.

LIKE IT.

NATHAN FLIPPO

TOM WEBB

JESSICA COLYER

JEREMY JACKSON

JESSIE POLLARD

ING NEW PEOPLE AND

TELL FRESHMEN NOT TO

TAKE AN INTRO CLASS IN

TRY TO RELIVE THEIR HIGH

YOUR FIELD TO SEE IF YOU

Information by STEPHANIE FITZGERALD

4B LIFE *7,A KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM * to the point where they are never happy with how they look.”

Though the media portrays thinness as a dominating physical feature, in actuality thinness is unrelated to a person’s health.

“Marilyn Monroe wasn’t stick thin and neither was Twiggy,” said Dr. Marilyn Lee, professor of nursing at UNA. “Back then, curves and the hourglass figure were the ideal — clothes were made to emphasize them. Bigger was sexy. Now, if you have any wrinkles or you have a BMI higher than 25, no one wants to be with you.

“Being overweight has nothing to do with health, though. There is research to show that you can still be healthy as long as you engage in physical activity.”

Many students wonder why thinness is conveyed as an ideal by the media if so many people disagree with said ideals, on top of the research to determine that thin is not always better.

“Our standard of beauty becomes an impossible standard,” said Larry Bates, associate professor of psychology at UNA. “But we don’t realize, or we forget, that magazine covers are often faked renditions of the people. We have to ask, ‘Is the media creating this or just giving us what we want and that somewhere deeper in us resides some core of dissatisfaction?’ And we don’t have the answer to that.”

Not only does the media influence

April 4, 2013 • The Flor-Ala desires for physical perfection, but occasionally individuals encounter health problems due to material aspirations.

“Sometimes people complain about weight because they have a mental illness, namely an eating disorder such as bulimia nervosa or anorexia nervosa, or body dysmorphic disorder,” Bates said.

“People with these disorders often have a distorted view of their own body and how other people view them.”

If the media has such influence, students may question whether petitions should be organized to remove these discriminatory ideals.

“Removing ideals might help, but the reason the media has so much influence is because we give it to them,” Yasaka said. “We need to encourage people to start thinking for themselves rather than relying on the media to tell them how to live.”

BMI INDEX NORMAL 18.5-24.9 OVERWEIGHT 25-29.9 OBESE 30-100

SPORTS 5B

April 4, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

GRANTS

Athletics gets $150,000 for facility MALISA MCCLURE

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The UNA athletics department has secured funds to build a new weight training facility to replace the current weight room located in Flowers Hall.

At the March 12 Board of Trustees meeting, the board approved $150,000 in university funding for the project. The

WEIGHT FACILITY • CURRENT

FACILITY IS

1,500

SQUARE FEET.

• HAS LATE

• NEW

NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE

ʻ90S FACILITY WILL BE

5,000

SQUARE FEET.

• BUILDING THE FACILITY WILL COST $150,000 • ATHLETICS WORKING WITH COMPANIES TO FIGURE OUT EQUIPMENT COSTS, NEEDS

athletics department will repay this money over a five-year period, said Bill Cale, UNA president.

The project is expected to cost $440,000, according to an earlier article in The Flor-Ala. The new facility will be located behind Hal Self Field House and to the west, near Circular Road. The building will be approximately 5,000 square feet.

The current weight room is 1,500 square feet.

“It’s about the size of a racquetball

photo by MALISA MCCLURE I Sports Editor

Members of the UNA golf team and Coach Stuart Clark work out in the weight room located in Flowers Hall. The UNA board of trustees approved $150,000 in university funds for the athletics department to build a new weight facility behind Hal Self Field House.

court,” said Mark Linder, athletics director.

This causes a problem, Linder said, for the 250 UNA athletes having to share the small facility and is particularly troublesome for the larger teams such as football and baseball.

“Football and baseball can’t work out together; they are having to split up into six, seven, or eight workout groups,” Linder said.

This has a negative effect on overall team chemistry, Linder said, and a larger facility would help with that.

“If you have the whole team working out together, that assists in team chemistry,” said Linder.

The athletics department has already

;MM .)+141<A XIOM *

MEMORIAL

Hall of Famer Harlon Hill dies at age 80 MALISA MCCLURE

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Harlon Hill, a former football AllAmerican at UNA, passed away March 28 at the age of 80.

Hill, for whom the Harlon Hill Trophy (Division II College Footbal Player of the Year award) is named, graduated from UNA with a B.S. in Education in 1955.

“He was a legend and an inspiration to so many,” said Assistant Athletic Director Jeff Hodges in a press release.

“In our 27-year relationship with the Hill Trophy, Harlon was always very gracious and humbled that his story and legacy could be used to inspire new generations of student-athletes to excel and dream of what they could accomplish.”

Hill was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 1954 NFL Draft and earned

Rookie of the Year honors in 1954 after catching 45 passes for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns.

In 1955 he became the first recipient of the Jim Thorpe Trophy as the NFL Most Valuable Player.

Hill played nine seasons in the NFL (1954-62) with the Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions.

In 1986 he became the namesake for the Harlon Hill Trophy. The award has been presented for the last 27 years.

Hill was inducted into the Lauderdale County Sports Hall of Fame, the University of North Alabama Athletic Hall of Fame, the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

More than 50 years after his playing career ended in Chicago, Hill still holds records on the team.

photo courtesy of Sports Information

Harlon Hill, who played for the Lions in the 1950s, passed away March 28.

6B SPORTS

April 4, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

SPORTS BRIEFS

UNA teams compete during spring break JAMES DUBUISSON ;\INN ?ZQ\MZ RL]J]Q[[WV(]VI ML]

TENNIS The women’s tennis team continued to struggle during spring break as they lost both of their matches. They are now 5-9 on the season after losing four out

their successful season during the break as they went 5-1.

The Lions swept West Alabama in a two-game series March 25, split a series with UA-Huntsville March 26 and swept Valdosta State March 29.

The Lions had a batting average of

.398 during the break, up from their season batting average of .343. That high batting average resulted in 42 runs driven in over the six-game stretch.

The pitchers were just as effective as the hitters. In the five victories, the Lions’ ERA was 2.94, as they only allowed

14 earned runs in the games UNA won.

The softball team was scheduled to play West Florida in a GSC conference series, but inclement weather caused the games to be cancelled. The games are currently not going to be rescheduled, according to roarlions.com.

of their last five matches.

GOLF The golf team participated in the Jim Bishop Toyota Classic March 25-26.

After finishing tied for seventh place after the opening round, the Lions fought back to finish tied for third.

Ricky Stimets made the all-tournament team for the Lions, finishing the tournament in 145 strokes.

BASEBALL The Lions baseball team went on a roll during the break, winning six straight games after losing their first two games of the week.

The Lions outscored the six teams 3217 while improving their record to 19-13 (9-6) on the season. UNA is ranked No.

4 in the GSC with 13 games left in the season.

SOFTBALL The UNA softball team continued

photo by MICHAEL REDDINGI Staff Photographer

Eric Wilson pitches in the first game of a doubleheader against Union University Friday March 29 at Mike Lane Field.

.)+141<A KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM * raised $290,000 in in-kind contributions for the project.

Linder said the building itself, which he hopes will be completed by fall 2013, will cost $150,000. Linder will be working with Director of Facilities Administration and Planning Michael Gautney in the coming weeks to come up with a plan for the construction.

The athletics department is currently working with companies to determine what equipment they will purchase for the

facility and how much it will cost. Linder said the plan is to have free-weight and Olympic equipment.

“We wanted to make sure we’d be able to secure funding for the building itself first, and now we’re talking to companies about equipment,” he said.

Linder said the facility has not been updated in a long time.

“I believe the last time we updated the weight facility was during Bobby Wallace’s first tenure here,” said Linder.

DIVISION I

Southern Conference not interested in D-II MALISA MCCLURE

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The Southern Conference, which will have two spots to fill after Appalachian State and Georgia Southern leave it for Sun Belt Conference, has announced that it will not be considering Division II schools in its search for replacements.

That leaves UNA, which had expressed interest in the Southern Conference, out of the mix.

“I think that’s good to know; it allows us to know what the landscape is,” said Mark Linder, UNA athletics director. “I don’t see that as that big of a negative.”

Linder pointed out that, while the

Southern Conference may not be looking to D-II schools for replacements, whatever decision is made will create a “ripple effect” on the overall landscape of D-I and D-II schools.

“We just have to remain committed and not get rattled and see where this ripple effect goes,” Linder said.

The Ohio Valley Conference, which decided last fall not to expand, is still of interest to UNA. Linder said another conference that UNA could end up in is the Atlantic Sun Conference.

The ASC does not currently sponsor football but may be adding the sport, according to collegesportsinfo.com.

SPORTS 7B

April 4, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

L OOKING TO WIN IT ALL UNA catcher Steadman earns Player of the Week CORINNE BECKINGER ;\INN ?ZQ\MZ KJMKSQVOMZ(]VI ML]

UNA sophomore Callie Steadman was named the Gulf South Conference Player of the Week after leading the Lions softball team to victory against West

Georgia March 14.

“I personally don’t think I did great that week, but I guess other people did,” Steadman said.

The award is granted to a different player within the GSC division each week during the regular season. This was

the first time Steadman had received the award during her collegiate career.

“She has been a starter all year and has been very tough out at the plate,” said Jason Anderson, UNA softball coach.

“She had batted a .429 that week.”

Steadman began playing for the Li-

photo by CHRISTINA COVINGTON I Staff Photographer

Sophomore Callie Steadman is the starting catcher for the Lions softball team. Steadman earned GSC Player of the Week honors March 12.

ons after being spotted at a tournament in Florence her senior year of high school.

She said she played a different position in the outfield for each game during her first season at UNA. In total, Steadman started in 45 games her freshman year and led the team with a .333 batting average. She currently plays left field and bats third in the line-up for the Lions.

“I caught throughout high school and had played outfield a little bit, but I didn’t really know how to play — I just knew you needed to catch the play and throw it,” she said. “My first year here, they taught me all the things that I really needed to know, and I have improved a lot in the field.”

Anderson said Steadman’s improvement and leadership is evident on and off the field.

“She is a very high academic, and for a fairly young team, she is taking a role model position on the team,” he said.

“She brings a lot of personality.”

The “role model position” she has assumed does not surprise Steadman’s friend and teammate Danielle Colwill, a sophomore who plays right field for the Lions.

“Callie is a very outgoing person and can always find a way to make you laugh,” Colwill said. “I am from Arizona, so I didn’t know many people when I first moved here, but once Callie and I hung out, we became great friends.”

Steadman, who is also applying for the UNA nursing program this spring, said balancing her softball schedule with her studies can be a little tough but said her teammates help motivate her to continue and reach all her goals. She said she hopes to be a role model for young girls who want to pursue softball as well.

“My No. 1 goal is to win it all, but a few smaller goals are to hit every ball at bat and to catch every ball that is hit to me,” she said. “It all pays off in the end and you meet girls that turn into best friends and then into sisters. No matter what, they will always be there for you and they won’t let you down.”

8B EXTRA

April 4, 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

Tweets of the week

Located at the corner of N. Court and Tuscaloosa St. 256-766-1568

Florence First Friday Wine Tasting this Week!

5:30-7:30 p.m.

This Friday April 5th Taste s ome great wines and en joy Spring in the Shoals !

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