April 10 Issue

DIG INTO OUR

SPECIAL SECTION FOOD 1B April 10, 2014

Volume 82, Issue 28

www.FlorAla.net

Student newspaper of the University of North Alabama

SGA

Proposed increase hikes activity fee to $50 ASHLEY REMKUS

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Students can expect to see a $23 increase in the Student Activity Fee by Spring 2016, pending approval by the Board of Trustees. Each student would be required to pay $50 instead of the current $27.

SGA senators unanimously voted in favor of raising the fee by $8 in the upcoming fall semester and by $5 in the proceeding three fall and spring semesters at the April 3 meeting.

The resolution has been sent to President William Cale and the university vice presidents for review. The Board of Trustees will vote on the increase at their next meeting Monday, June 9.

“My experience with all of this is that if the students ask for this specifically, the Board will probably say yes,” Cale said.

The Student Activity Fee provides funding

for University Programming Council to host events on campus and for the Budget Oversight Committee to allocate funds to student organizations to attend academic conferences and plan events, said Director of Student Engagement Tammy Jacques.

“With a gradual increase this could be very beneficial for our UNA students and student organizations to enhance their experience on campus,” Jacques said. “The increase could be very beneficial for UPC to improve quality and quantity of programs, such as spring concert and movie nights.”

The Budget Oversight Committee would see the greatest increase

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$5 1999

FALL

$10 2006

PAST STUDENT ACTIVITY FEES

$50

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UNA graduate and 1999 College of Business Promising Alumni Clinton Carter has been hired as the new Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs.

Officials have been looking to fill the position since former Vice President Steve Smith retired in December 2013.

$25

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$15

2007

2007

2008

2011

2016

HOUSING

University steps back from new housing endeavor BLYTHE STEELMAN

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After launching plans in December 2012 for new student housing, university officials are stepping back to reevaluate funding for the project.

The university has been in discussion with Capstone Development Partners since late July 2013 about the multiphase housing project, according to a timeline released at the March Board of Trustees meeting. At press time, the Board of Trustees has put negotiations for a land lease agreement on hold.

Board of Trustees members

this week’s paper

ITʼS HIS EXPERIENCE, HIS KNOWLEDGE OF ACCOUNTING — FEDERAL AND STATE — HOW TO GET PROJECTS DONE, BUILDINGS BUILT, REPORTS AND AUDITS COMPLETED — HE HAD ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

WILLIAM CALE

The current proposed increase will cap out at $50 after being increased incrementally over the 2014, 2015 and 2016 fall and spring semesters. The fee will increase incrementally by $8 in Fall 2014, $5 in Spring 2015, $5 in Fall 2015 and $5 in Spring 2015.

SPRING

INSIDE

Alumnus accepts new VP of Business Affairs job ASHLEY REMKUS

$27

$20

HIRING

met again Friday, April 4 and weighed the ins and outs of public funding or sticking with Capstone Development’s private funding through an equity firm.

Representatives from Joe Jolly and Co. were also present at the meeting and distributed a projected comparison of savings for the university over a 30-year period, depending on whether or not trustees vote to explore public funding options or continue under Capstone’s private-funding plans. The savings could be as much as $23 million if the university errs on the side of public funding, representatives said.

“Public financing seems

NEWS................2A PUZZLES.............5A VIEWPOINTS.........7A

like a good way to go with this thing,” said Trustee Joel Anderson.

Public financing is just one of the options laid out before Board members as they proceed with the housing project, though. University officials can borrow funds to be repaid with student tuition and fees, repay loans solely with housing fees or continue under private funding plans with Capstone.

“We need to revisit the charts from earlier in this process,” said Trustee Marty Abroms, head of the finance committee of the Board of Trustees.

University President William Cale took the idea of revis-

LIFE...............3B SPORTS...........5B EXTRA.............8B

iting earlier plans further, saying the Board needs to reexamine student-housing needs.

“We need to do more analysis,” Cale said.

Capstone’s initial plans in 2013 were limited to one new building with approximately 400 beds, but has since become two buildings with more than 760 beds. Cale said university officials need to determine exactly how many beds are needed, as well as how many beds would be needed to generate revenue.

UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT The decision was made in late March to hire Carter after a multi-phase screening process, said University President William Cale.

“It’s his experience, his knowledge of accounting — federal and state — how to get projects done, buildings built, reports and audits completed — he had all of those things,” Cale said. “He’s really got fantastic credentials.”

The only knowledge Carter lacked was direct experience in higher education. Because of his work at the state finance office in Montgomery, he has a lot of indirect experience with higher education, Cale said.

Carter has worked for var-

Editor’s Note: To read the rest of this story, visit www.florala.

UNA TO HIT RADIO WAVES ...3A

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Please recycle your paper.

2A NEWS SGA

Endowed scholarship funding exceeds SGA goal

April 10, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

CRIME

Wanted:: graffiti Tagger Wanted

Mystery artist defames walls of local structures ANNA GRACE USERY 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ WVTQVM(NTWZITI VM\

ASHLEY REMKUS

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Students will be eligible to begin receiving SGA Endowed Scholarships as early as fall 2015.

The scholarship fund will exceed the $25,000 required start-up balance and reach an estimated $40,000 when a contribution from Vice President of Student Affairs David Shields is added to the account, said SGA President Laura Giles.

The contribution will come from a leadership endowment scholarship discovered within the division of Student Affairs early in the year, Shields said.

”

IN THE 9 and a half years Iʼve been here, I have been so extraordinarily proud of the student body at UNA, how they (observe) the issues that the campus faces and respond affirmatively to whatever those issues are.

WILLIAM CALE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT “I didn’t know we had it, so we just kind of put it away,” Shields said. “About five or six weeks ago when I sat down with Laura, we were discussing the endowed scholarship and it triggered in my mind, wait a minute, we’ve got this other scholarship, so I said how about we combine the two.”

The combining of the two funds will utilize the money for its intended purpose and allow students to begin receiving scholarships sooner, he said “I was thrilled because now the money was going to be used as it was supposed to be used for leadership scholarships,” he said.

The student body at UNA has always looked for ways to improve the life of students in the future, said University President William Cale.

“In the 9 and a half years I’ve been here, I have been so extraordinarily proud of the student body at UNA, how they (observe) the issues that the campus faces and respond affirmatively to whatever those issues are,” Cale said. “The endowed scholarship is the most recent example of the students recognizing the importance — with the rising tuition and

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photo by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer

A blurry image of “Parks and Recreation” character Ron Swanson stares out from the wall of the third floor of the parking garage. Police are currently looking to catch this graffiti artist in the act, said UNA Chief of Police Bob Pastula.

“Parks and Recreation” character Ron Swanson has been spotted in Florence recently. No, not at a downtown bar or restaurant, but in the form of graffiti stencils.

UNA Police Chief Bob Pastula said while students may find this to be funny, graffiti is not in compliance with Alabama law.

“There have been two instances of graffiti on campus that the maintenance guys sent me a picture of,” he said. “One of those occurred over by the University Apartments.”

Senior Dylan Tucker spotted the infamous stencil-cut image of Ron Swanson at the back door entrance of the Zodiac Theatre on N. Court Street, he said.

“I consider it art in a way,” he said.

“It’s not obscene or destructive in any way.”

Graffiti tagging is an act of vandalism and the perpetrator could potentially be charged with a misdemeanor, although police have not determined what class of misdemeanor this crime would be, Pastula said.

A Class A misdemeanor fine is up to $6,000. A Class B fine is $3,000 and Class C $500, according to the Code of Alabama Law. Sophomore Elle Ann Claytor said she saw a spray painting of Ron Swanson on a pillar at the end of the bridge that connects the science building and the parking deck.

“Since it is destroying public property, I would consider it vandalism,” she said. “But I kind of like to think of it in the

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ROTC

ROTC adviser announces retirement VERONICA LEWIS ;\]LMV\ ?ZQ\MZ ^TM_Q[(]VI ML]

After braving the storm of potentially losing their program’s charter, students of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps are now facing a major staff change with the departure of Lt. Col. Michael Snyder. Snyder has announced that he will be retiring from the Army, including his service as faculty at UNA, in May. Snyder has served as chair of the Department of Military Service for the past four years, he said.

“In the past four years, he has really become kind of like a second father figure, especially to me and to my class,” said Cadet Command Sergeant Major Travis Green, senior. “ I trust the staff to take care of the guys and select a new (program director) that will do a great job. I’m not worried about it.”

A board from the U.S. Department of the Army has selected Major William Cochran Pruett as the new professor of mili-

tary science for Lion Battalion, Snyder said.

Pruett was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army as a Field Artillery officer in December of 1997 from Middle Tennessee State University ROTC. He has been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and completed Air Assault School, Joint Firepower Course and Combined General Staff College, according to a biography provided by Snyder.

Major Cochran has received a multitude of awards. Some include the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATO Medal, the Airborne Badge, the Air Assault Badge and the Combat Action Badge, the biography reads.

“I think it’s going to be a very different change,” said Sophomore Cadet Alyssa Primeau. “As for Colonel Snyder leaving, I hope all the best.”

Snyder expects Cochran to bring his own personality and perspective to the

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file photo by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer

Lt. Col. Michael Snyder directs students during a training program last fall.

NEWS 3A

April 10, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

DINING

Sodexo confirms 25 percent decrease in GUC revenue LAUREN TOBIN

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Sodexo may have dodged a bullet — by about 5 percent.

Although Sodexo originally predicted a 30 percent loss in revenue in the GUC, current figures show a drop of approximately 25 percent, said Alan Kinkead, general manager of Sodexo Dining Services.

“Overall revenues are not down, but you’re spreading revenues over cost,” Kinkead said.

This means Sodexo is not losing money, although less people are spending money in the GUC, Kinkead said.

Taylor Davis, a senior, spends most of his time in the music department and, while The Commons is closer, he usually goes to the GUC because of shorter wait times.

“I still go to the GUC because I like A&W and Pizza Hut,” Davis said.

When Davis and his friends have more time to spend, they go The Comfile photo by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer mons, he said.

A group of Starbucks employees receive training in The Commons’ new store. Together with Chick-fil-A and Frostbite, Star“I don’t want to be in the middle of bucks has caused a loss of 25 percent in revenue for the GUC, said Alan Kinkead, general manager of Sodexo at UNA. everything just to get food,” Davis said.

Commons, people will dine more at the Although business has been taken level out,” Kinkead said. “I think the hon- were in there forever,” she said. away from the GUC, it is slowly leveling eymoon is still going on at Starbucks and Cosby doesn’t think the “new” will GUC, as in previous times.

Regardless, UNA benefits from the back out, Kinkead said.

Chick-fil-A.” ever wear off of The Commons, and beEinstein Brothers Bagels seems to be Allison Cosby, a freshman, doesn’t cause of that, she chooses to go off cam- traffic as the new dining locations bring in more money to the university than just leveling out faster than other places in the go to either the GUC or The Commons pus to dine, she said.

Davis disagrees with this idea and beGUC. because of the wait times. ;MM :->-6=- XIOM ) “I think its (revenue) will somewhat “I went like once, and it was like we lieves when the “new” wears off of The

RADIO

Radio station hits campus airwaves in spring of ʻ15 LAKEADRA COFFEY ;\]LMV\ ?ZQ\MZ TKWNNMa(]VI ML]

After years of trying to bring a campus radio station to UNA, the dreams of two communications professors have come true.

Beginning in the spring of 2015, the newest radio station to hit the airwaves in the Shoals area will be housed in the Department of Communications. Department Chair Greg Pitts and Patricia Sanders, professor of communications, have pushed for this station since they began working for UNA. “I am excited that we are finally seeing a long-time dream of mine for the department come to fruition,” Sanders said. “I have petitioned for it ever since I arrived on campus, which is almost 15 years ago.”

The station may renew campus interest in radio, said Jasmine Gurley, a freshman.

“I think it will be cool for people majoring in music or communications,” Gurley said. “It will give students something to listen to on the radio.”

Pitts began working for UNA in 2008 and has petitioned for a campus station since he began.

“This has been a true labor of love and to finally see it come together is pretty neat,” Pitts said.

Considering how radio has changed over the past 20 years, Pitts intends for the station to follow a more traditional format.

“Radio has become much more about the popular culture and less about the public service need and news,” Pitts said.

“The stations fills in a much needed gap in radio.”

Although they are still assessing funding for the station, the professors will be repurposing equipment the university already owns and looking for grants to keep costs low, Pitts said.

The station will receive their frequency a low-power FM sector provided by the Federal Communications Commission, which will allow for a local broadcast range, he said.

“Since it is low-power, the radius that we hope it will cover will be 8 to 10 miles on 100 watts,” Pitts said. “You may be able to pick it up in the southern tip of Tennessee or in the eastern part of Mississippi, if you turn your dial right. It’s mainly going to cover the

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4A IMAGES

April 10, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

A SLICE OF ORIGINALITY Downtown pizza parlor offers unique pies, fun atmosphere ROGER WANG

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A few weeks ago I noticed there is a pizza restaurant in Downtown Florence. It is named The Pie Factory, and Customthis place knows how to make pizza ers can right. order a half I met one of the managers named and half pizza, Nate Vindervort. He told me The Pie like the pepperoni and Factory was established two days Tex-Mex pizza above. The Pie Factory offers a variety of unique before the Thanksgiving Festival in 2013. The managers are locals, and pizza flavors as well as a build-your-own-pizza they also own the bar next door named option.

On The Rocks.

There are 18 different kinds of pizza on the menu. One of the popular pizzas is called The Grilled Chicken.

It has olive oil glaze, grilled chicken,

A customer sits at the end of the bar in The Pie Factory. The establishment includes a full bar with craft beers and several different wines.

and feta and mozzarella cheeses. Another manger, named John Ledbetter, showed me a pizza with two different flavors. The first one was pepperoni and the other one was Tex-Mex flavor.

It is a Mexican flavor with cheese, onions and meats.

Most pizzas at The Pie Factory are bigger than ones served at other pizza restaurants. People can also build their own pizzas.

In my opinion, even though The Pie Factory is a fairly new restaurant in Downtown Florence, it has its own unique pizza culture.

I recommend this restaurant to any students. The Pie Factory is not only a place for people to have pizza, but also a nice place for people to chat with their friends and families.

A piece of “High Cotton” decor hangs on the wall of The Pie Factory.

A group of customers sits at the bar while they wait on their food. The restuarant offers appetizers, salads, calzones and desserts in addition to pizza.

April 10, 2014 • The Flor-Ala .-- KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) in funds under the proposed fee hike.

The committee’s funding for student organizations would raise from $133,350 to $236,544 per year, according to the new breakdown of the fee.

Budget Oversight Committee Chairperson Jordan Graham, a co-author of the resolution, said the proposed increase has not come without extensive research.

The committee has been looking at the fees of other Division II schools and Division I schools in the Ohio Valley Conference, where UNA hopes to land in the future, Graham said.

“We are actually on the low end,” he

+):<-: KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) ious financial institutions since 2001 and spent the last four years working as the Alabama Department of Finance Deputy Officer.

“My boss is the Chief Financial Officer for the state,” Carter said. “The CFO designs the budget for the governor, who makes recommendations to the legislature. The final budget is the responsibility of the legislature, but I’ve played a big role in that process.”

Darrell Dye, a senior, thinks Carter’s experience in government will benefit the university, he said.

“He has a lot of experience, so he should have the knowledge of how to manage money,” Dye said.

Because the Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs is responsible for overseeing the university’s overall operating budget, he also plays a role in combating the rising cost of tuition.

One way Carter would like to increase university revenue while avoiding a tuition hike is by working to get UNA more state funding, he said.

Carter made the decision to return home to Florence and come to work for UNA because he has always had a special sense of pride for the university and the city of Florence, he said.

“My wife and I are both very thrilled and excited to be coming back home,” he said. “We are both alumni of the university, so we are thankful for the opportunity to give back.”

Carter holds students, staff, faculty and their respective needs in high regards, he said

NEWS 5A

said. “Most school’s fees are a lot higher than ours. For us to have better programming and be able to fund student organizations, we need more money in our budget.”

Senior Hannah Williams questions the need for increasing the fee.

“Honestly, I think they had enough money before. I just don’t think it was necessary to increase it,” Williams said.

“I can kind of understand why they would do it, but I don’t think that should have to come out of our tuition.”

Since the Student Activity Fee was established in 1999, it has fulfilled its purpose, said Vice President for Student Affairs David Shields.

“It has provided opportunities for clubs and organizations for funding that they didn’t have before so we have had

a record number of activities from student organizations based on funding that comes from that fee,” Shields said.

UPC would receive $236,544, instead of the current $146,050 per year, Leadership and Volunteerism would receive $48,384 and Miss UNA would receive $16,128, according to the new fee breakdown presented by the Budget Oversight Committee.

There has been a significant need from student organizations for more funding, Jacques said.

“Expanding this funding could be a way to enhance the success of our student organizations by allowing them to participate in academic conferences to present their research and network with professionals in their fields,” she said.

Kyle Enloe, an SGA senator, said he

voted in favor of the increase because students he talked to were in favor.

“The overall assessment of student opinion I’ve made is this is totally worth it,” Enloe said. “The entire student body is going to benefit through the programming put on by SGA that will foster diversity, that will foster recruitment and that will foster a lot of things positively for UNA.” Junior Haden Hipp thinks it is beneficial to increase the fee for campus organizations.

“I think it’s OK if they bump it up to get more money to organizations,” Hipp said. “It’s a good idea as long as it can benefit everyone on campus.”

“The lifeblood of any university is its staff. They are there day in and day out,” he said. “However, just as important to the university is the student body. They all have their own passions and desires for their lives.”

Carter said he hopes the university will leave a lasting impression on the lives of students like it did his because students play a vital role in the success or failure of the university.

Because every person, department, student, administrator and staff member has different needs and concerns, he will always have an open door policy and be open to discussion with any member of the UNA community, Carter said.

“I’ll be on campus all over the place,” he said. “I’ll probably eat at the new Chick-fil-A and Starbucks a lot, so students can probably catch me there. I’ll never say no to someone to talk whether it’s in the Starbucks line or just walking across campus.”

Being successful in a leadership role requires a person to promote success and happiness in those they work around, he said.

“Good leaders foster the development of the people around them,” Carter said. “If the people you work with are happy, they’re more likely to work hard and strive to cut university costs.”

Carter said he is looking forward to working with UNA staff, from whom he can learn substantially.

“There are some really, really bright, experienced people working in the department, who have a lot of experience,” he said. “I’ll rely very heavily on their areas of experience and expertise.”

The expertise of the current staff plus the experience Carter brings with him

from prior positions will ensure a successful team, Carter said.

“I won’t pretend to be the expert on all things university related, but I do think I have a significant head start as an alum of UNA and as an employee of the state.”

Carter will begin his term starting May 15, Cale said.

”

GOOD LEADERS FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM.

CLINTON CARTER

VP OF BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS

See your ad in this space!

Sponsor The Flor-Ala crossword for as little as $40 a week.

Find out how: businessteam@florala.net or 256-765-4427

6A NEWS

April 10, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

VIEWPOINTS 7A

April 10, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

Involvement exemplifies academic skills STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA

THE

CORINNE BECKINGER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF BLYTHE STEELMAN MANAGING EDITOR PACE HOLDBROOKS NEWS EDITOR KALI DANIEL LIFE EDITOR DALLAS MOORE SPORTS EDITOR ANNA GRACE USERY ONLINE EDITOR LAURA IVIE BUSINESS MANAGER KEVEN RIVERA-ORTIZ GRAPHIC DESIGNER LELA AARON-VICENTE CIRCULATION MANAGER KAYLA STINNETT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE JOSH BROOKOVER SARAH HOLLIDAY DALLAS MOORE ROGER WANG STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

ANNA GRACE USERY 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ WVTQVM(NTWZITI VM\

Parents are always a plethora of knowledge. If you think about it, they know us better than we do.

However I recently had a conversation with my mother I found to be inaccurate, to which I called her out.

I grew up in small town, rural USA and graduated high

Copyright © 2013 The Flor-Ala All rights reserved.

First copy free.

Additional copies $1 each.

away the best piece of advice he gave me was to never allow classes to get in the way of my education. But isn’t going to class the main objective of getting an education? Professors teach you everything, right?

Wrong.

As I got involved with The Flor-Ala I realized while professors can set good foundations for learning, nothing compares with real-world experiences. In my journalism classes we are taught how to find sources, what questions are the best to ask and how to formulate articles from gathered information. After my first “real” interview, I knew the thousands of multiple choice questions and fill-inthe-blank answers I jotted down was no match for the actual situations.

Aside from my dad, my mom believes grades are an accurate representation of lessons learned. Yes, mom. There is some truth to that. But I can say with 100 percent certainty that I have learned more from my trial-and-error journalism at The Flor-Ala than in any of my communication classes.

With that being said, take your nose out of a book, converse with an actual human being outside of technology, join a group that pertains to you and your newly-found friend’s career choice and get involved to better yourself as a professional.

Let your grades dip and your social life exhilarate because not only do involvement and accomplishments look better to an employer, a degree is simply just a piece of paper.

Administration should take part in journalism process

Letters Policy The Flor-Ala welcomes and encourages Letters to the Editor.

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

• Letters must not exceed 400 words.

• Letters must be accompanied by the writerʼs name, mailing address, phone number and email.

• 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.

• Priority is given to letters critical of The Flor-Ala, or written in direct response to an editorial, a column, or a news story.

• 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

school with a class of a mere 82 people. I made good grades, played first base on our varsity softball team and was a member of almost every club and organization offered. And to be completely honest, nothing is accomplished in those organizations.

Goals are set, plans are laid out and still not one single objective is met. So when I went to college I found out I had been a big fish in a small pond.

College classes were difficult and finding friends did not come as easily as planned.

I spent my freshman and sophomore years shacked up in my dorm room studying and making good grades to appease my parents when in hindsight I can tell it was my biggest mistake.

Before my dad passed

KALI DANIEL

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I remember when I first began writing international student stories as a staff writer in the 2012-2013 school year as a freshman. Members of the international affairs administration were always asking me to write stories, cover events and shed light on the on-goings of

international students.

In late February of this year, I decided I wanted to work on a story describing the trials and tribulations international students face during their time at UNA. I wanted to focus on testing, classes, the switch to academic classes and the large amounts of paperwork throughout.

I reached out to as many people on staff as I could — the administrative assistant, the coordinator of international services, the executive assistant and a handful of instructors.

They proceeded to ignore me, offer up that they were “very busy” and redirect me to each other for a total of one month.

As a journalist, I understand how difficult it can be to track down a source. That dif-

ficulty changes entirely when you have been, on multiple occasions, asked to cover more of a certain topic, then said people do not give up their time to help make that coverage happen.

If anyone has an event they have asked our paper to cover and we deem it appropriate for the student body to learn about, engage us. Don’t drop it into our laps and expect us to utilize our resources when you are our resources.

Our international student community is of vital importance. They encourage us to learn about their culture and often provide incomparable friendships that last long past graduation. To refuse to speak on the subject of their education for an entire month, claim-

ing constant hustle and bustle, is outlandish.

As a part-time reporter and full-time student, if I can find the time in my day to ask for education on our campus, it is not unreasonable to ask a faculty or staff member to offer up 10 minutes of his or her time to indulge those questions, particularly at their convenience of phone, person or email.

I was able to publish a decent story in the April 3 issue on the front page of the Life section, with many thanks to ESL adjunct instructor Brian Mulack and Arabic instructor Ali AlNasar as well as ESL student Ye Bojie. I send out my deepest thanks and gratitude for those offering campus involvement because without you, this paper is irrelevant.

Congratulations to our Writer and Photographer of the Week!

Ashley Remkus and Alli Ownby

8A NEWS

-6,7?-, KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM )

reduced state funding â&#x20AC;&#x201D; of providing assistance to future students. I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s phenomenal.â&#x20AC;?

Because endowed scholarships are funded by placing money in an account where it can draw interest, the number of scholarships awarded and the amount given will depend on the amount of interest incurred by the fund, said Director of Endowed Scholarships Melissa Pettus.

The criteria for scholarship recipients to meet are currently being mapped out, Giles said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are in the planning phase,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since we finished the scholarship earlier than we expected, we can use this time to get it structured because we still need an application process and people who are going to choose the recipients.â&#x20AC;?

:),17 KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) campus and immediate metro.â&#x20AC;?

The station is going to be open to anyone who wants to participate, Pitts said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just not limited to communications students,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open to anyone who wants to learn about radio. You may say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hey I want to be on the radio,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; or have an idea for a show. You can do that here, and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be pres-

/:)..1<1 KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) way that now that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s already done, it canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be fixed. So, we might as well enjoy it.â&#x20AC;?

Assistant Director for Facilities Administration and Planning Mike Thompson said they are usually able to make repairs without replacing building pieces or concrete. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Often times the spray paint can be eradicated by repainting over the surface, especially if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concrete,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;How-

:7<+ KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) role, while maintaining and improving upon the preexisting program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;His approach to leadership may be different, not that one is better than the other, but he will bring his own experiences, his own perspective on how to develop leaders, his own skill sets and traits,â&#x20AC;? Snyder said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is the best of the bestâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;top 20 percent of our army. He is the right person at the right time.â&#x20AC;?

Cochran will be working to continue Lion Battalionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current recruitment efforts, Snyder said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are moving forward, but that does not mean we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have work to

:->-6=- KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s included in tuition, Kinkead said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sales from non-dining are more than Dining Dollars,â&#x20AC;? Kinkead said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have seen people from the community and faculty going over there (The Commons) and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important.â&#x20AC;?

Davis wonders if the GUC will lower

April 10, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala As a starting point for recipient requirements, applicants must be returning sophomores, juniors or seniors with a 3.0 GPA, who are involved in at least two organizations on campus, although final details have not been determined, she said.

The selection committee will probably be formed within SGA and would ideally consist of a group of students under the leadership of faculty or staff advisers, Giles said.

SGA began raising money to fund the endowed scholarship in 2010 with a requirement of raising $25,000 within five years, said SGA Treasurer Elizabeth Tyson.

Events like the Annual SGA Fountain 5K have contributed to the fund, Tyson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even though we have reached our goal of $25,000 earlier than we expected, we arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to stop raising money for the scholarship,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to

encourage SGA to keep putting money toward it even after my term as treasurer is over.â&#x20AC;?

The more money the fund accumulates, the more students will benefit from the hard work SGA has done so far, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was so excited when Laura was able to announce the scholarship was finished,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It put a smile on our faces to know that we are students helping students pay for college, when they may not have been able to afford it otherwise.â&#x20AC;?

SGA is not only raising money for scholarships that will help further studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; education, but also helping relieve stress the average college student faces, said Lauren Springer, a junior. â&#x20AC;&#x153;SGA is helping to give back to their fellow classmates,â&#x20AC;? Springer said.

ent. We can pre-record your shows and program them in. We want people who are willing to host and are committed.â&#x20AC;?

Sanders believes the radio station will be a great opportunity for students to learn the ins and outs of radio. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This will give students an opportunity to develop skills in operations, management, sales, production, promotions and on-air announcing,â&#x20AC;? Sanders said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is nothing like practical application when it comes to learning about radio.â&#x20AC;?

The radio station will also be used as a classroom and will count towards credit for Communications Practicum. It will also serve as a training ground for students majoring in radio, television, and interactive media but will not be used as an internship credit opportunity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think it will be a better way of advertising campus events to those in the community who may not know about things on campus,â&#x20AC;? said David Hughes, a sophomore.

â&#x20AC;˘ UPC - WILL SCREEN â&#x20AC;&#x153;AMERICAN HUSTLEâ&#x20AC;? AT THE FINAL MOVIE NIGHT OF THE SEMESTER AT 7 P.M. FRIDAY, APRIL 11 AT AMPHITHEATER.

ever, if the surface is vinyl siding, it usually has to be replaced if we arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t able to restore its original look with paint.â&#x20AC;?

The last reported incident of graffiti tagging occurred May 9, 2013 at Twin Oaks Apartments, according to the UNA crime log.

Thompson described graffiti as an eyesore, especially to such a historic campus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really keep up with the number of instances but we usually have vandalism like this occur three to five times a year,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Pastula confirmed there are currently

no leads as to who the alleged graffiti artist is. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hopefully we (university police) will be able to catch them in the act soon,â&#x20AC;? he said.

FOR MEETING BRIEFS AND UPDATES ON THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION, PLEASE VISIT WWW.FLORALA.NET

do,â&#x20AC;? Snyder said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are reaching out to increase visits to the high schools hours in the GUC answering questions, and visits to the community colleges.â&#x20AC;?

The Army is going to continue to expect the ROTC program to recruit more cadets for Lion Battalion, said Snyder. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have averaged 11 to 12 commissions in the past three years,â&#x20AC;? Snyder said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The University made a commitment and increased our scholarship monies, which are monies used as incentive for academic leadership by $20,000. This was approved about two weeks ago and the Army matched what the university has committed forth.â&#x20AC;?

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: Major Cochran was unavailable for comment at this time. prices, but he isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure if even that would help the revenue loss, he said.

If the revenue trend continues, Sodexo may consider different hours of operations for restaurants in the GUC. Students can play a part in making sure this doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen, Kinkead said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just keep supporting retail on campus,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need the support. Let us know what we can do to make it better for you.â&#x20AC;?

SGA

IN

REVIEW

â&#x20AC;˘ FRESHMAN FORUM - ALLOCATED $100 TO FUND AN APPRECIATION BREAKFAST FOR LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND

UNA CUSTODIANS.

â&#x20AC;˘ SENATE - WILL HOST A SPRING FLING EVENT APRIL 30 FROM NOON UNTIL 3:30 P.M. AT THE AMPHITHEATER. â&#x20AC;˘ SENATE - VOTED DOWN A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOCATE $3,362.51 TO PURCHASE 8,000 COWBELLS FOR USE AT HOME FOOTBALL GAMES.

â&#x20AC;˘ UPC - ALLOCATED $400 TO PURCHASE A CORN HOLE SET FOR STUDENT USE AT TAILGATING EVENTS.

FOOD

SECTION B

HEALTH

DINING

Psychologist spells out motivations leading to ‘stress eating’

Hungover in Florence map courtesy of Google Maps

Staffer imparts wisdom for top hangover meals

LAUREN TOBIN

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As finals approach, students may practice certain eating habits to help them from getting stressed. However, psychological studies indicate “stress eating” may be more of an excuse than a real thing.

When a person is stressed, the nervous system is affected in the same way as if the person were excited, which actually suppresses the appetite, said Larry Bates, professor of psychology.

“It’s counter-intuitive for us to eat when we’re stressed,” Bates said.

If a person is stressed, blood will leave the stomach and digestion is inhibited, he said.

People interpret this feeling differently. Some interpret the feeling as nausea and do not want to eat, and some interpret it as hunger and feel like they need to eat, Bates said.

Stress drives the body two ways: It leads to anxiety, which hypes the body up, or it leads to depression. Depression has no norm concerning appetite because some people eat more when they are depressed and some do not want to eat at all, Bates said.

Although it is not a naturally occurring physiological phenomenon, stress eating may come from a desire to return to a happy place. This link between food and desires has been the push behind much psychological research, Bates said.

“What we know mostly about learning, we know from experiments with food,” Bates said.

This is related to the experiment concerning classical conditioning, in which Ivan Pavlov would feed a dog and ring a bell after each time. Eventually, the dog began to associate the bell with food and would salivate as

;MM ;<:-;; XIOM *

IN THIS SECTION

April 10, 2014• The Flor-Ala

ANNA GRACE USERY 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ WVTQVM(NTWZITI VM\

It is 2 p.m. on Sunday and you just woke up to five missed calls and several texts from your mother demanding you get to church or else. You are still wearing the outfit from last night.

You know, the one that smells of menthol cigarettes and cheap draft beer you spilled down the front of your shirt after the guy hit the pool ball too hard, landing in your lap.

Church is over, your head is pounding and nausea has set in.

Your cell phone begins to buzz and on a whim you look down to see your best friend is calling.

“Hey, you okay?” they ask.

“Yeah, just hungover,” you say.

The conversation continues but your mind wanders to another place — a fried food heaven with lots of bread, meat and cheese. You decide it is time to indulge in a meal of epic proportions fit for those with an alcohol-induced stupor. Check out these five eateries Florence has to offer for a cure-all, therapeutic remedy to clear the alcohol from your blood.

Tennessee Street Billiards and Grill

Eat: The cheeseburger and fries This hole-in-the-wall used to be a popular dance joint but now serves the juiciest burger in town. An all-beef patty soaking up the grease from 50 burgers past on a truck-stop style grill is a sure-fire cure for mild to severe

photo courtesy of KAYLA STINNETT I Student Photographer

A breast of fried chicken steams alongside bowls of corn, macaroni and cheese, potato casserole and a slice of fresh corn bread at Garden Gate Cafe.

Riverside Diner

hangovers.

Cracker Barrel

Eat: Home style fried chicken Only available on Sundays, the home style fried chicken is the closest to how grandma used to make it. The crunchy bird has a melt-in-your-mouth texture with several spices and juices to please any all-American. Order water and this meal is a $10 cure for that nasty hangover.

Garden Gate Cafe

Eat: Anything — literally Garden Gate is a plethora of fruits and veggies freshly picked from the garden, mixed with homemade desserts and a mean glass of sweet tea. I would recommend the fried chicken breast with mashed potatoes (brown gravy, of course), macaroni and cheese and fried okra. And the desserts? Do not tell your momma she has been defeated.

Eat: The turkey club sandwich and fries This restaurant is a truck stop diner without the truck stop parking. As with all greasy foods, a little dab’ll do ya. Riverside is open 24 hours on the weekends — prime eating time for the daydrinker and night owl alike.

Stagg’s Deli

Eat: Chocolate gravy and biscuits Located by The House of Vacuums, this old-fashioned deli serves up chocolate gravy and biscuits on Friday mornings only. Just remember: You snooze, you lose. Wake up early for this Southern treat because they sell out quickly.

Now, the combination may sound like something short of delicious, but picture heaven.

Now, picture heaven in your mouth. There you have it.

HUNGOVER? A.G. RECOMMENDS: • TENNESSEE STREET BILLIARDS AND GRILLʼS CHEESEBURGER AND FRIES.

• CRACKER BARRELʼS HOME STYLE FRIED CHICKEN

• GARDEN GATE CAFEʼS ENTIRE MENU. • RIVERSIDE DINERʼS TURKEY CLUB SANDWICH AND FRIES

• STAGGʼS DELIʼS CHOCOLATE GRAVY AND BISCUITS

SPORTS

LIFE Forks of Cypress Plantation See page 3B

Student-directed plays offer entertainment See page 4B

2014 - 2015 football staff prepares for season

Department recognizes director for contributions

See page 5B

See page 6B

2B FOOD

April 10, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

REVIEW

Restaurant offers gourmet food on budget

;<:-;; KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM *

fancy Southern food. My cheeseburger was very well done (as I ordered), and there was not a spot of pink in sight. My â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;garbage plateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; friend raved about how delicious her food was and demanded we come back. So I would say even with the unnecessarily long wait, the food was still well worth the wait.

It is important to me that I receive quality food and that I do not leave a restaurant hungry, but what matters most is that I can easily achieve all of this on a broke college student budget. So despite the wait, I was able to complete all of my goals. The servers were friendly and the restaurant was comfortably modern.

I would definitely recommend Odetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lunch menu to anyone who is looking to eat gourmet food on a budget. I would also encourage you to try a meal you cannot pronounce.

soon as he heard the bell ring Humans can perform the same type of conditioned practices. They eat food that remind them of happy times, regardless of the type of food they are eating, Bates said.

Rachel Crane, a nursing major, said she knows she tends to eat more when sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stressed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was studying and came to Chick-filA at 9 p.m.â&#x20AC;? Crane said.

Crane prefers salty food, like French fries, when sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stressed, which may be a conditioned response, she said.

Lauren Pacetti, a nursing major, said she eats because she feels like sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rewarding herself for studying. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sweets are more my thing,â&#x20AC;? Pacetti said.

She said she usually wants chocolate when sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stressed out.

Jasmine Frazier, a junior, experiences hunger in a way that is in line with Batesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; explanation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m stressed, I actually eat less because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m always thinking about something else to do,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Tyia Wilson, a freshman, said she also does not like to eat when she is stressed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like eating, I just sleep,â&#x20AC;? Wilson said.

Deedee Barfield, a freshman, said when sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a good mood, her appetite isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t affected.

MARI WILLIAMS

;\INN ?ZQ\MZ U_QTTQIU[ (]VI ML]

Just a few hours before heading off to spring break, myself and two friends stopped by Odette to try their lunch menu for the first time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Odette is a neighborhood eatery and shop in historic Downtown Florence, Ala., serving elevated American fare with Southern and international influences,â&#x20AC;? according to Odetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home page. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our menu features locally and sustainably-sourced ingredients in a contemporary, inviting and comfortable atmosphere.â&#x20AC;?

We arrived toward the end of lunch and were greeted very nicely by a hostess and seated as soon as we walked in.

I can say as a first-time visitor I was surprised by Odetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dĂŠcor. It is home to one of the most modern interior designs in Downtown Florence. The restaurant felt exceptionally homey, while still be-

ing the epitome of a modern eatery (by Florence standards).

As my friends and I looked down at our menus, none of us realized what we had gotten ourselves into. Quinoa and white bean salad? Veggie tartine? The list of foods we could not pronounce seemed never-ending. I felt poor just reading those big swanky names.

I finally settled on what sounded most familiar, a house ground local beef cheeseburger. One of my friends ordered chili cheese fries, baked beans and macaroni and cheese. If you are from the Northeast you might enjoy her order most. She blathered (this is normal for her) on about how the meal was similar to a â&#x20AC;&#x153;garbage plate,â&#x20AC;? a New York specialty.

Once we had put in our orders, all that was left to do was wait and wait and wait some more. I cannot tell you how many times we caught ourselves twirling the miniature wooden spoon around in the sea salt bowl. Mind you there were no more than three parties there at the time, including us. I am not one to complain about slow service but when there are only eight customers and a plethora of servers just hanging out at the bar, I start to question what (if any) work is getting done.

When our food arrived, we were more than ready to scarf down some

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LIFE 3B

April 10, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

LOCAL

photo by JOSHUA BROOKOVER I Staff Photographer

Community members gather to hear the history of Forks of Cypress Plantation and Cemetery. Irish immigrant James Jackson built the plantation in the early 1820s to raise thoroughbred horses. Florence could have been the equivalent of Kentucky for horse racing if not for the outbreak of the Civil War, said tour guide Harry Wallace.

Local history tours spark community interest CORINNE BECKINGER -LQ\WZ QV +PQMN MLQ\WZ(NTWZITI VM\

Forks of Cypress Plantation is not merely ruins of an old house with a cemetery, rather a testament to the tie between local and national history. A record breaking 200-plus people from across the North Alabama area gathered at the site of Forks of Cypress Plantation for a walking tour provided by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Saturday, April 5.

“When I taught history at Coffee and I teach the local history class at UNA, I always try to tie in, or I did try to tie in, what was happening in the nation’s history to what was happening here,” said Harry Wallace, a tour guide with Florence-Lauderdale Tourism.

“There is a local connection to almost every local place to our

national heritage. This one is really steep. We have a lot of history here that people don’t realize.”

James Jackson, an immigrant from Ireland who loved horses, built Forks of Cypress Plantation in the early 1820s.

With a large wraparound porch and 24 pillars surrounding the home, it is believed to be one of the first homes in America and Alabama to use peristyle architecture.

Jackson used the home to raise thoroughbred horses and included a racetrack and stables nearby.

If it had not been for the outbreak of the Civil War, Florence could have been the equivalent of Kentucky for horse racing and breeding, Wallace said.

Wallace grew up on the Forks of Cypress Plantation. He remembers hiding in the root cellar as a child and running to

the house when lightning struck it on June 6, 1966, burning the entire house to the ground. All that remains are 23 of the 24 stone pillars.

Wallace, a retired history teacher from Colbert County High School, teaches a continuing education course at UNA called “History of the Shoals.”

“I think personally you either like history when you’re growing up or you like history when you get older,” Wallace said. “And for me, I was born into it. I’ve liked this site and the history of this site since I was a child. I used to encourage my students to read as much as they could and visit as much as they could so they would understand a whole lot more about not only where they came from but how important it is nationally.”

UNA students are probably the one group that is missing

from most of the tours, said Assistant Director of FlorenceLauderdale Tourism Allison Stanfield.

“We always end up with a lot young children whose families, whose parents, whose grandparents want them to learn the history, but probably the college age student is the one we’re missing,” she said.

“So many college students, and I know when I was in college I felt the same way, don’t really have that connection to your community. You don’t really know what it’s about it and learning about the history, it gives you some fascinating things about your community.”

Sophomore geography and history student Madison Green toured Forks of Cypress as part of a cartography project. She is mapping out historical places around the Florence community that potential visitors may

”

I ALWAYS TRY TO TIE IN...WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE NATIONʼS HISTORY AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING HERE.

HARRY WALLACE

FLORENCE-LAUDERDALE TOURISM TOUR GUIDE want to visit.

A native of Florence, Green chose the topic hoping to benefit the Florence community and educate fellow classmates, she said.

“I think they should care about Florence,” she said. “It is a very interesting place and it’s some place where most people have grown up in their whole lives. When they leave Florence, they’ll have to go and talk about it or explain it, and they’ll need to explain how interesting all of our history is.”

4B LIFE

April 10, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

THEATER

Student-directed One Acts offer variety of entertainment MARI WILLIAMS

;\INN ?ZQ\MZ U_QTTQIU[ (]VI ML]

Three theatre students will each present a one act play of their choosing they will direct for their Directing Two class.

The performances will be April 26-27 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The performances will include: Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer and directed by Summer Akers, a comedy staged under a reverse lighting scheme, Dog Sees God Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead

by Bert V. Royal, a seriocomedy that brings back childhood characters, and Elephants by Paul Bovino, a darker seriocomedy with a small cast.

“Spring of even years we have a directing two class, advance directing essentially, and students within that class, as a part of their assignment direct a one act and we put them all together into the evenings of one acts,” said David Ruebhausen, associate professor of theatre.

Every aspect of the one act plays is prepared by students.

“This is a production of peers put on by students who are peers,” Shelton said.

“It’s cool to go and see and say ‘Hey these are people my age that I have class with who have done this.’”

There was a total of 16 students to audition for the one acts, she said.

“You audition for all three directors at once and we take notes and mark who we’re interested in and then afterwards we thank everyone for coming and then

the directors will go and we will discuss who wants who,” Shelton said. “We may have to barter for people just about, you can have this person if I can have this we person and then we decided the cast from there.”

The preparation time for the one acts varies with each show.

Akers realized her show was more work than she had originally thought, she said.

“I personally picked a one act that has a lot of different elements to it,” Akers said. “There’s a lot of moving on and off of furniture and a lot of physical comedy and technical stuff that I thought about but now that I’m really getting into rehearsal and thinking this is going to take a lot more rehearsal time than I had hoped.”

The hardest part for St. John was sitting down and doing the work, he said.

“I had a closer idea of what was involved with what I needed to do so that everything is set into plan,” St. John said. “We just started rehearsals and created schedules and everything to make life easier for the actor so that they can just focus on creating that character and memorizing those lines.”

Though the plays are in April, Akers and St. John found their one acts years before, they said.

“I had heard of mine before and thought it was an interesting concept,” Akers said. “I thought it would be a good challenge for me to do as a director for my final project. I like pforming comedy

REVIEW

Divergent movie adaptation surpasses fan expectations

MARI WILLIAMS

;\INN ?ZQ\MZ U_QTTQIU[ (]VI ML]

Witnessing a film adaption rival its novel is a gift we receive very few times in our lives. But the makers of the film “Divergent” have managed to render the most die-hard analytical Divergent fans speechless with a movie that not only surpasses fans’ laundry list of expectations but simultaneously presents itself to be a genuinely good film.

Divergent fans will be relieved to know every essential event and detail from the book is adapted into the movie in some way, which I would say is the film’s greatest success. The filmmakers were able to fit in every important bit of information the audience needed to understand Divergent’s vastly complex setting of post-war dystopian Chicago.

Unfortunately the film’s attention to

detail came with a price — a two hour and 20 minute run time. This is a small price to pay for accuracy that I’m sure fans were more than willing to pay.

I will stress if you have not read the book, the movie will seem to drag on much longer than necessary, but for fans of the book it will be a great film experience.

The casting was almost perfect.

Shailene Woodly being cast as the movie’s heroine Tris worked in the movie’s favor. Appearance wise she was not the first person I would have picked but the casting directors redeemed themselves with Woodly’s acting chops. Woodly naturally brings to the table a great performance of Tris, forcing us all to remember the martyr in ourselves.

The casting of the widely unknown Theo James as ‘Four’ was one of the big highs of the film. James looked just like the Four I conjured in my head —voice like warm butter and the tough love attitude that fans were hoping for. In my opinion since the film’s release, James has gained a large fan base and made millions of girls drool.

Editor’s Note: To read the rest of this story, visit florala.net.

myself so I thought it would be good to direct it and see what it’s like from the other end of it.”

The seniors encourage students to come out and support their one acts because of the variety of shows presented.

“Each one of them has something else to offer,” St. John said.

photos courtesy of SHILOH SHELTON and ADAM ST. JOHN

Shiloh Shelton and Adam St. John are two student directors of April’s One Act plays held April 26 to 27. “It’s cool to go and see and say ‘Hey these are people my age that I have class with who have done this’,” Shelton said.

CAREER CARNIVAL

SPORTS 5B

April 10, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

SCOREBOARD April 1 - April 7 Monday, March 31 Tuesday, April 1 GOLF

Argonaut Invitational Placed 2 of 10

Wednesday, April 2 BASEBALL

UNA vs. Stillman University Win 6-4

Thursday, April 3 MENʼS TENNIS

UNA vs. Delta State University Loss 5-4

WOMENʼS TENNIS

UNA vs. Delta State University Win 5-3

Friday, April 4 BASEBALL

UNA vs. University of West Georgia Loss 5-2

Saturday, April 5

FOOTBALL

Seasoned staff prepares for upcoming school year DUSTIN POLLARD

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Eight coaches will be bringing more than a combined 98 years of coaching experience to the staff for the 2014-2015 football season.

The Flor-Ala sat down to find out a bit more about each of these coaches and what experience they bring to the football field.

Editor’s note: To read the rest of the story, visit www.florala.net Some of Bobby Wallace’s achievements include winning three straight Division II National Championships (1993 to 1995), four Gulf South Conference championships, seven playoff appearances, the first coach in college football history to win 40 games in three seasons, threetime GSC Coach of the Year and three-time Division II National Coach of the Year. Wallace started his head-coaching career at UNA in 1988. After 10 years he left to coach at Division I school Temple University for eight seasons. In 2006, Wallace was named the head coach of conference foe University of West Alabama and in his first season brought the Tigers to their first winning season in 14 years. He

photo by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer

Linebacker Tavarius Wilson breaks away from the offense during the Sept. 14, 2013 game against Jacksonville State University.

BOBBY WALLACE HEAD COACH

• FIRST

COACH IN COLLEGE

FOOTBALL HISTORY TO WIN

40

GAMES IN THREE

SEASONS photo by SHANNON WELLS I University Photographer

retired from coaching following the 2010 season, only to return to UNA in 2012. In his second season back at UNA he led the Lions to a GSC championship with a 10-3 record.

Head coaching record: 142-

145-1 overall (97-44-1 at UNA) Wallace, on his second stint with UNA: “Not a lot of difference actually, facilities are slowly improving but as far as coaching and getting the team prepared, it’s still the same.”

BASEBALL

UNA vs. University of West Georgia Win 6-2 Win 2-1

SOFTBALL

UNA vs. University of West Georgia Win 7-2

SOFTBALL

UNA vs. University of West Georgia Win 6-0

Sunday, April 6 SOFTBALL

UNA vs. University of West Georgia Win 5-4

F OLLOW U S FLORALA.NET/SPORTS @F L O R A L A S P O R T S

As a player at UNA, Gross led the Lions to three national titles (1993 to 1995) as the quarterback. He had a 41-2 record as a starter and was responsible for 65 total touchdowns. He was chosen as the GSC Offensive Player of the Year in 1995. He has been inducted into the Lauderdale County Sports Hall of Fame, the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame and the Division II Hall of Fame. This is Gross’s second stint as an assistant coach at UNA and he previously coached from 1998 to 2000 for the Lions.

After coaching at several high schools in the state of Alabama,

Willis will be entering his 13th year as a member of the coaching staff. Prior to his time here, he was an assistant at his alma mater Delta State University. In 2000, the Statesmen won the Division II National Championship. UNA’s 2013 defense ranked first in the conference in scoring defense (19.8 ppg) and in interceptions with 26.

CODY GROSS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

• 1995 GSC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

photo by SHANNON WELLS I University Photographer

Gross returned to UNA with the hiring of head coach Bobby Wallace. This past season UNA was

first in rushing touchdowns and second in overall touchdowns in the conference.

CHRIS WILLIS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

• 13 YEARS ON STAFF • DELTA STATE ALUMNI

photo by SHANNON WELLS I University Photographer

BASEBALL

Lions defeat Wolves in weekend stretch MATT WILSON

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The Lions took two of three games in a home weekend series against the University of West Georgia to improve their season record to 20-19, moving above the .500 mark for the first time this season.

The Lions dropped the first game of the series 5-2 after tying the game in the third inning and again in the fourth. UNA third baseman Dylan Boston led the Lions with three hits, but four UNA pitchers surrendered 12 hits to the Wolves and lost the lead in a three-run seventh inning.

Lions’ left fielder Bradley Noland said West Georgia’s pitching was on point Friday and the Lions made too many mistakes.

“Friday they had a really tough pitcher out there,” Noland said. “He really had his stuff working and we weren’t able to take advantage of enough opportunities to come away with the win.”

The doubleheader on April 5 was a different story for the Lions.

“We came out Saturday and really played well,” Noland said. “It was nice to play the way we know we can and win the series.”

The Lions took the first game 6-2 behind a strong hitting performance that saw UNA tally 11 hits, just the 10th time this season the Lions have reached double-digit hits in a game. UNA pitcher Riley Sanderson got his fifth win of the season.

“I think the guys are seeing the ball a lot better at this point in the season,” Sanderson said.

“I think you can tell that we are hitting the ball a lot more consistent and they are more comfortable up there now.”

The second game was tight after a back-and-forth opening three innings that saw West Georgia take a 1-0 lead in the opening frame. The Lions tied it in the second inning and took the lead for good in the third.

Strong pitching from UNA junior Kyle Conkle kept the Lions ahead and earned Conkle his third win of the season.

With the wins the Lions move their record to 20-19 on the season and 10-14 in conference.

Editor’s Note: To read the rest of this story, visit www.florala. net

6B SPORTS

April 10, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

PROFILE

Athletic department houses more than athletes, coaches

Sports Information Director Jeff Hodges

JASMINE FLEMING

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Jeff Hodges, sports information director for the Athletics Department, has been working at his alma mater for 31 years. During his time here he has facilitated all elements of media relations and promotions for the Athletics Department.

In recognition for how well Hodges has done he was inducted into the College Sports Information Directors of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hall of Fame, said Shane Her-

photo by ROGER WANG | Staff Photographer

rmann, assistant sports information director. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He got inducted in 1997, and at the time, he was the youngest person ever to be inducted,â&#x20AC;? Herrmann said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the secretary of that organization so he serves on the committee, and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wellrespected across the country.â&#x20AC;?

Being inducted into the COSIDA Hall of Fame was an interesting experience, Hodges said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was strange for me, because at that point I had only been in the profession for 14 years and I had always thought of a hall of fame as sort of an end-of-your-

THURSDAY

3 p.m. - 7 p.m. - SRC Open 9 a.m. - Cypress Creek Service Project with the OAC

12

14

MONDAY

3:30 p.m. - TRX and Ab Attack 4 p.m. - Zumba, XFit

DUSTIN POLLARD

FRIDAY

13

4 p.m. - Ab Attack

SATURDAY

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Slacklining in front of Coby Hall 3:30 p.m. - TRX and Ab Attack 4 p.m. - Zumba, XFit 6 p.m. - Yoga 7 p.m. - Tabata

Games offer recreation for non-athletes

11

3:30 p.m. - Ab Attack

SUNDAY

12 p.m. - TRX 15 3:30 p.m. - Ab Attack 4 p.m. - Zumba, XFit and Cycling 6 p.m. - Muscle Works 7 p.m. - Tabata 7 p.m. - Scuba Clinic hosted by the OAC TUESDAY

16

6 p.m. - Yoga 7 p.m. - Tabata

WEDNESDAY OAC = Outdoor Adventure Center *Weekly pre-trip meetings are Tuesdays at 5 p.m. To check for last-minute availability e-mail mlmartin2@una.edu

SRC = Student Recreation Center All exercise classes held at the SRC.

athlon cross country skiing teams,â&#x20AC;?

Hodges said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was actually a member of the U.S. Olympic team and got to open ceremonies and things. It was the exact same thing I do every day, but on a much larger scale.â&#x20AC;?

As the sports information director, Hodges has had to deal with negative press for the Athletics Department as well as positive, said Mark Linder, director of athletics. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In my seven years here, Jeff has been really involved in a few of the situations where a student athlete makes a bad decision off the playing field,â&#x20AC;? Linder said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Obviously we have to look at all the information around the case and come up with the best decision for the university.

I rely heavily on Jeffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expertise and this wisdom to make sure we make the right decisions.â&#x20AC;?

Hodgesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; personality is a big reason for his success, Linder said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the best thing you can say about a person is talk about their character and integrity,â&#x20AC;? Linder said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Personally, Jeff is a man of character and a really great person. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great sports information director and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great assistant director for communications, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an even better person.â&#x20AC;?

INTRAMURALS

STAYING ACTIVE AT UNA 10 12 p.m. - TRX 3:30 p.m. - Ab Attack 4 p.m. - Zumba, XFit and Cycling 6 p.m. - Muscle Works 7 p.m. - Tabata

career thing,â&#x20AC;? Hodges said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was 36 and I thought, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;What do I do now?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

In 2013 Hodges was also inducted into the UNA Sports Hall of Fame, which he created, said Todd Vardaman, assistant athletic director of compliance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jeff created it to recognize people who had an outstanding career, an impact during their time at UNA and who continue to advocate for the university,â&#x20AC;? Vardaman said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He fits all those criteria. He should have been in it a long time ago, but he finally allowed himself to be on the ballot and obviously was voted in.â&#x20AC;?

The Harlan Hill Trophy, which is similar to the Heisman Trophy for Division II athletics, was also created by Hodges, Vardaman said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He created the trophy as a way to acknowledge Division II student athletes in conjunction with the university and the community championship game,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of it has to do with Jeffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work ethic. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always looking for a way to recognize student athletes and their accomplishments.â&#x20AC;?

Hodges has also had the opportunity to work with the media relations side of the Olympics on many occasions, including the 1994 Winter Olympics, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When the 1994 Winter Olympics came along they asked me to go work in Lillehammer, Norway with the U.S. Team, and I was responsible for the bi-

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While dodgeball and soccer intramurals were postponed at the beginning of the week due to weather, billiards and Ping-Pong are set to start Wednesday, April 16.

SRC Coordinator of Intramural Sports Ryan Putnam said he hopes to end this semesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intramural sports on the right note. He also said he strongly encourages people to come out and enjoy friendly competition. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would definitely recommend all students to come out and play intramural sports,â&#x20AC;? Putnam said.

Putnam said while there have been about 500 participants in intramurals this semester there is room for more students.

Intramurals are a great way for students to get exercise during the semester.

Junior Austin Harrison said he has been playing intramural sports since he came to UNA and likes the competitiveness of it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I really enjoy the intramurals because you get to participate in sports you played in high school,â&#x20AC;? Harrison said.

Intramural sports this semester have also included basketball and badminton.

Basketball consists of individual competition such as the three-point and free throw contests. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After each semester I evaluate our sports programs and see what works well and what doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t,â&#x20AC;? Putnam said.

Putnam said he is always looking at adding or taking away different things for intramurals on campus to offer a better experience for students.

FOOD 7B

April 10, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

SEASONAL

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8B EXTRA

April 10, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

Tweets of the week

DISCLAIMER: The tweets below are public tweets found on Twitter by searching hashtags and keywords involving UNA, Florence, Shoals and other university-related topics. Want to see yours on here? Be sure to hashtag UNA and Shoals in your tweets.

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