April 17 Issue

GO GREEN THIS EARTH DAY SPECIAL SECTION 1B

April 17, 2014

Volume 82, Issue 29

www.FlorAla.net

Student newspaper of the University of North Alabama

TOP 10 STORIES OF 2013-2014 2. Beloved professor, mentor dies

After battling stage-four Glioblastoma, beloved history professor, mentor and friend Larry Nelson died Jan. 14. While Nelson’s diagnosis in May 2013 shocked the campus community, many students, faculty and staff gathered together as a support system for the man who always supported them. Despite his rigorous treatment schedule, Nelson continued to teach at the university during the fall 2013 semester.

1. Cale announces resignation University President William Cale announced his resignation via an email to faculty and staff March 6.

While Cale will effectively resign July 1, the Board of Trustees voted to name him president emeritus until Dec. 31.

Cale will continue to oversee projects, such as the completion of the science building, during his time as president emeritus. He will also receive his current benefits and compensation through Dec. 31.

3. On-campus construction heats up 4. ROTC program closure overturned The 64-year-old ROTC program experienced an eventful year with a program closure announced Oct. 2. The closure was overturned the following month and the Department of the Army moved the ROTC program to a probationary process list Nov. 6.

The program will undergo another transition this year as current ROTC adviser Lt. Col. Michael Snyder retires from the Army and as a faculty member at UNA in May.

INSIDE

this week’s paper

NEWS................2A TOP 10.............5A VIEWPOINTS.........7A

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

Construction cranes, bulldozers and work crews were seen across campus throughout the fall 2013 and spring 2014 semesters.

After several weather delays, The Commons officially opened Feb. 24, as did the much anticipated Chick-fil-A, Starbucks and Frostbite franchises inside it.

The science building remains on track to open for the spring 2015 semester. The building will replace Floyd Science Building and will have more space for laboratories, faculty offices and research, said Paul Kittle, chair of the biology department.

for 5-10 see page 5A

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE SUPPORT RISES ...3A

Please recycle your paper.

2A NEWS

CRIME

Crime logs show steady decline in campus theft ANNA GRACE USERY 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ WVTQVM(NTWZITI VM\

Statistics for thefts at UNA have revealed a trend students might find interesting: campus thefts have been decreasing in number over the years.

From the 2010 to 2011 school year onward, incidents of theft-related crime on campus have been gradually decreasing, according to the UNA police crime logs.

The log is published on the university police’s website in order to increase awareness about security matters, according to the website.

THEFT AT A GLANCE • 2010-2011: 67 THEFT CRIMES WERE RECORDED IN THE LOGS. • 2011-2012: 49 THEFT CRIMES WERE RECORDED IN THE LOGS. • 2012-2013: 47 THEFT CRIMES WERE RECORDED IN THE LOGS. • 2013-2014: 40 THEFT CRIMES WERE RECORDED IN THE LOGS. THE ENTRY FOR MAY 2014 HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED. University Police Chief Bob Pastula believes the combination of safety awareness by SNAP, Residence Life, student conduct, The Flor-Ala and more frequent police presence has been the result of decreasing crime.

“I would like to see crime continue to decrease,” he said. “We will still continue to monitor the crime statistics and educate people about safety.”

Overall, Pastula and the force have been performing their normal duties to enforce safety on campus, he said.

“We look at the crime statistics frequently and try to place officers accordingly,” he said. “But with stealing crimes you just never know when it’s going to happen.”

Freshman Brittany Carter said there has been very little criminal activity in the dorm where she lives.

“I live in an all-girls dorm so I feel really safe,” she said. “We have student advisers that live on every floor who help control any craziness that could go on.

But if anything were to happen and an adviser can’t control it, we can call the university police department in our dorm —

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April 17, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

HEALTHCARE

Why should students still care about...

OBAMACARE? BLYTHE STEELMAN

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The enrollment deadline has come and gone, and President Barack Obama can breathe a sigh of relief.

Enrollees for the Affordable Care Act surpassed the seven million mark, a goal set by the Congressional Budget Office before the online healthcare marketplaces opened Oct. 1 of last year. Numbers were since revised to meet only six million enrollees, but former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius reported Thursday, April 10 that the White House exceeded its target and numbers are still growing after last-minute sign ups.

It is uncertain as to how many of the seven million enrollees fall into the 18 to 34-year-old bracket — a bracket Obama spent the final days of the enrollment pe-

riod trying to reach. Federal reports on March 1 indicated roughly 32 percent of the current enrollees were under the age of 34, according to Forbes.

Who cares if young Americans sign up for the Affordable Care Act?

Obama pushed a huge campaign to reach those under the age of 34 in the days leading up to the March 31 sign-up deadline. He tied healthcare sign-ups into March Madness, appeared on various talk shows and made a guest appearance on Zach Galifianakis’ “Between Two Ferns” Internet comedy series.

The drive for younger enrollees stems from early projections indicating a need for roughly 40 percent of people younger than 34 years old to enroll in healthcare plans to subsidize costs and keep premiums low-cost in upcoming years, reports from the White House show.

“I think for college students especial-

ly (healthcare) is more of a positive than a negative,” said graduate student Hannah Garmon. “I think people aren’t utilizing that resource because of religious ideology or fear of being looked down on for (using) a government subsidiary.”

What about staying on my parents’ insurance until I’m 26 years old?

Students have the option to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until they are 26 years old. Some, though, have to find other means of insurance or run the risk of staying uninsured.

Garmon, who turned 26 earlier this year, said she and her husband knew they would need to look into other healthcare options.

“It was something we just immediately looked into,” she said. “My husband’s individual Blue plan was going to go up

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GREEK LIFE

Minorities comprise 14 percent of Greek population PACE HOLDBROOKS 6M_[ -LQ\WZ VM_[(NTWZITI VM\

The topic of racial diversity is not foreign to this state. Recently, because of coverage on racial tensions in the Greek community at the University of Alabama, questions of the racial diversity of UNA’s Greek system have also emerged.

Currently the registration records of UNA’s Greek community indicate 97 of the 667 students involved are coded as races other than Caucasian. Sixteen of these students do not have a registered race in the system, said Julie Fletcher, assistant director of Student Engagement for Greek affairs.

Fletcher believes Greek chapters are called to excellence by the principles they follow, meaning race should not be a factor in recruiting a candidate, although this has been an issue at other schools.

“Before (incidents of racial discrimination in the Greek community at Alabama) even happened, we were looking at recruitment strategies,” Fletcher said.

“That was last year and PR and visibility are the primary focus for recruitment in 2014. That could possibly increase diverse students.”

Every chapter of Inter-Fraternity Council and National Panhellenic Conference at UNA has at least one minority member, Fletcher said.

“I have to commend NPC and IFC chapters on how every organization has diverse membership,” she said. “That’s great for them that they are opening their circle of membership.”

Records indicate 12 percent of IFC members are of a racial minority. This is the highest ratio of minorities within a council at UNA. NPC contains a 9 percent minority.

The National Pan-Hellenic Council currently features only African American members, with no other racial demographic being represented at this time, Fletcher said.

“I think (the numbers in all Greek chapters) could be better but it’s more about perception,” said senior Rachel Gandy, a member of a NPHC sorority.

“UNA is definitely a place where you can spread your wings wherever you want to go.”

Senior Brent Barnes, who is not a part of the Greek community, had never thought about diversity ratios in the chapters before.

“I think I’d like to see those numbers increase,” Barnes said. “I know there are a lot of historically black fraternities, and it’s always cool to know that we have those here.”

Junior Sarah Ann Keeter serves as the public relations chair of NPC and believes discrimination is not a factor in the council’s recruitment process, she said.

“I don’t think there is much of an emphasis in recruiting minorities, but I also don’t think there is an emphasis on not recruiting minorities,” Keeter said. “Speaking for NPC, we are open to all women who want to go through recruitment. We have minorities represented in all of our chapters currently.”

Senior Ty Whitson, the president of

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NEWS 3A

April 17, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

REGIONAL

Study’s findings suggest rise in Southern support for same-sex marriage 6M_[ -LQ\WZ VM_[(NTWZITI VM\

A common stereotype in the U.S. is the country’s political landscape constantly shifts and changes, that is, everywhere but in conservative regions like the South. Whether it be because of conservative values or religious leanings — sometimes a combination of both —the southern region of the U.S. has largely been associated with “traditional” values in regards to marriage.

However, the study “A Shifting Landscape: A Decade of Change in American Attitudes about Same-sex Marriage and LGBT Issues” by the Public Religion Research Institute indicates an increase in support for same-sex marriages from Southern Americans.

Although the study does not include a definition of Southern states, a graphic on the PRRI’s website indicates they are following the United States Census Bureau’s definition, which includes: Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas, according to the Bureau’s website.

“PRRI’s mission is to help journalists, opinion leaders, scholars, clergy and the general public better understand debates on public policy issues and the role of religion and values in American public life by conducting high quality public opinion surveys and qualitative research,” the report reads.

This page illustrates a small selec-

Percentage of Southern Population

100

tion from the report that may be relevant to students at UNA, who are considered part of the Millenial generation (whichcontains anyone ages 18 to 33, according to the report).

“Southerners on the whole are evenly divided on the issue of same-sex marriage (48 percent favor, 48 percent oppose), but there is also a significant generation gap among residents of this region,” the report reads. “Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of Millennial Southerners favor allowing gay and lesbian people to marry, compared to 28 percent of Southerners who are part of the Silent Generation.”

Editor’s note: To read the full story, featuring opinions from UNA students and professors, visit www.florala.net

“HAS ALABAMA MOVED FORWARD ON THEIR OWN? THEY NEVER HAVE AND NEVER WILL. THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE THE COURT SHOULD MAKE THAT DECISION,” SAID REP. PATRICIA TODD (D), THE FIRST OPENLY GAY STATE SENATOR IN ALABAMA. A CONSERVATIVE RESPONSE:

“THE REASONING FOR RESTRICTING MARRIAGE TO BE BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN IS BECAUSE OF (THE WAY THEY READ THE BIBLE)...THAT YOUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS ARE NOT AN ADD ON TO YOUR LIFE ON THE WEEKEND. AS A LEGISLATOR, YOU WOULD STAND BY THOSE RULES,” SAID TIM COLLINS, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT

UNA.

How has Southern support for same-sex marriage changed in the past decade?

75

What do millenials in the South think?

35 percent 65 percent

A LIBERAL RESPONSE:

78%

50 48%

48%

25 22%

Support in Opp. in Support in ‘03 ‘13 ‘03

Opp. in ‘13

information provided by the Public Religion Research Institute, graphs created by News Editor Pace Holdbrooks

PACE HOLDBROOKS

Millenials who support Same-Sex Marriage Millenials who oppose Same-Sex Marriage information provided by the Public Religion Research Institute, graphs created by News Editor Pace Holdbrooks

4A IMAGES

April 17, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

A sea of tulips surrounds the statue of Leo and Una in front of Willingham Hall. The tulips are also planted in rows along the walkway to Willingham Hall.

Graduating senior reflects on seasonal changes SARAH HOLLIDAY

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Spring is upon us, but I’m sure everyone is completely aware of that fact by evidence of sniffy noses and watery eyes. While the pollen is certainly unpleasant right now, I still must admit my love for spring.

When I moved to Florence two years ago to attend UNA I never realized how attached I would become to this city and university. Now that I find myself less

A dogwood tree blooms in front of Collier Library.

than a month away from graduation, I cannot help but be reflective and slightly sentimental.

I have a passion for nature photography, and on those beautiful spring days when I can hear the great outdoors calling my name I love to visit Wilson Park and UNA’s campus.

Wilson Park’s roaring water fountain is one of its best features, but I also enjoy the lovely trees that bloom during the spring. Many people come to relax at the benches around the fountain in the park and it is refreshing to see others who en-

joy spending time there.

I would venture to say UNA’s campus is one of the most beautiful during springtime. The well-manicured lawn and flowers add to the appeal with the tulips being this year’s show stealer. The tulips in front of Willingham Hall are especially bright at this time.

I think one of the best times to visit UNA’s campus is on the weekends when hardly anyone is around. Just take a walk and enjoy the beauty of it all. I am so appreciative to be a Lion and Florence native — especially during springtime.

Water cascades from the fountain at Wilson Park in Downtown Florence. People often visit the park to relax around the fountain and enjoy the springtime weather.

April 17, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

5. How safe is fraternity row?

NEWS 5A

7. D-II championship moves

One of the more controversial stories The Flor-Ala published this year posed the question: “How safe After 28 years at Braly Stadium, the Division II National is fraternity row?” A series of alleged crimes, including theft, vandalism and an alleged sexual assault, took Championship game has moved to Kansas City, Mo. Kansas place at fraternity houses throughout the school year.

City will host the game from 2014 to 2017.

The city of Florence entered a bidding process in August 2013 to keep the game in the Shoals since their contract to maintain rights to the championship game expired at the end of 2013.

6. Integrative health program progresses University officials and Chairman Zhang Zhiting, owner of the Shenqi Company, reached an agreement August 15, 2013 to finalize the graduate studies Integrative Health Program. It features a concentration in a multitude of areas such as fitness, exercise science, nutrition, stress management and behavior modification. The program officially established the UNA U.S.-China International Institute. University officials have since hired a one-year visiting professor with the $150,000 allotted by the Shenqi Company.

8. Football, basketball win GSC

The Lions football team brought home their first GSC championship title since 2009 after defeating Florida Institute of Technology 55-28. The team ended their season 5-1 in the conference. The men’s basketball team took their first GSC tournament victory in 18 years after defeating Christian Brothers University 79-73 in Birmingham. The tournament win was also head coach Bobby Champagne’s first GSC title.

9. Officials reevaluate new housing project

10. SGA accomplishes goals

SGA began raising funds for their endowed scholarship project in 2010 and surpassed their $25,000 goal this year with help from the Office of Student Affairs. UPC announced early in April their spring concert artist would be Ludacris, while Two9 will open the show Tuesday, April 29. After setting a goal to reach 1,830 service hours this year, Freshman Forum has also surpassed their target.

University officials announced their intent to explore options for new student housing developments in December 2012. Since then the Board of Trustees and division of Student Affairs have worked closely to select a development firm and push forward with the project. The university has worked with Capstone Development Partners during the 2013-2014 school year but recently decided at a special Board of Trustees meeting to reevaluate funding options for the project. New residence halls, as well as the university’s freshman live-on mandate, could be active as early as spring 2016, officials said. photos by SARAH HOLLIDAY, ALLI OWNBY, KAYLA SLOAN, KEANU KIRKPATRICK and SHANNON WELLS I Staff Photographers, University Photographer

6A NEWS

April 17, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

VIEWPOINTS 7A

April 17, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

Prioritizing remains essential to student life 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

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 Copyright © 2013 The Flor-Ala All rights reserved.

First copy free.

Additional copies $1 each.

DALLAS MOORE

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We’ve all been there — every semester there is that class where one student decides the workload is too much. They decide they should let the professor know and do so in a public dispute during class, sometimes in jest, pulling helpless classmates to aid in the battle.

They might say, “I have a research project in one class, and a paper in another and I have to work as soon as I leave class…” hoping the professor will realize how tough that student’s life is that semester and make all mandatory coursework optional.

It’s understandable students sometimes have it rough.

I can say I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs just in

this semester alone. And sometimes those ups and downs require us to spend a little more time prioritizing our lives.

Working is often essential to keep food on the table and a roof over our heads.

What I don’t understand is expecting other people — specifically professors — to change everything or pull extra weight for you. I don’t understand students who think the professor is obligated to completely alter the syllabus just for them.

While professors should be responsive to students’ needs and the variety of ways in which students learn, part of the learning experience is scheduling time for classwork, prioritizing your life and taking responsibility for yourself when that plan goes awry.

That’s life.

It seems like students often put themselves and their troubles in a bubble. They think they are alone and the only one experiencing those issues.

And sometimes there are exceptions. Sometimes there are legitimate unplanned life situations that deserve greater

understanding and leniency.

Those are the times where the student should sit down with the professor and let them know they are struggling.

They should let the professor know they want to learn and find out what they can do to stay on track or pick back up.

But when students are stressed because they also have work, another class or have weekly meetings in a couple of organizations, those are responsibilities that come with being a student. Those are the responsibilities that could have been addressed at the beginning of the semester and planned for.

I can only imagine being a professor and getting an email from a student the night before an assignment is due asking questions that were answered in a class the student was not present in three weeks earlier.

I think I would be frustrated beyond belief if the answer to those questions were in the syllabus. I would try and be understanding about their predicament but that’s what it is — theirs.

While there is the occasional professor, or method

of teaching that I don’t agree with, I sympathize with those professors who are expected to take on the burdens of every student and change their own work to benefit someone who ‘just doesn’t have time for class.’

Those professors deserve respect. And when they do sympathize and offer extension or extra help, students should be appreciative.

“Well, I am paying their salary so I deserve oneon-one treatment” or “It’s not like it is more work for them. They probably won’t even look at the assignment anyway.” Those arguments aren’t grounds for expecting professors to create dozens of personalized plans for each student based on their current workload.

As I’ve said before, prioritizing and sometimes re-prioritizing should be the student’s main objective. How students deal with the challenges they are faced with, the difficulties that come with life — that is learning.

THIS IS OUR LAST SERIOUS ISSUE BUT STAY TUNED...

RELAX

THE FLOR-ALA AS WE PRESENT UNWIND ISSUE NEXT WEEK

WITH

OUR

Congratulations to our Writer and Photographer of the Week!

Veronica Lewis and Joshua Brookover

8A NEWS

April 17, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

+):- KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) each month and we couldn’t afford it as students.”

Garmon and her husband are both graduate students, and since enrolling for their healthcare plan she said they have not had any problems.

“I’ve been hospitalized since we enrolled, but we haven’t had any problems at all,” she said. “It’s actually better than the healthcare I had under my parents and (my husband’s) individual Blue plan.

We’ve saved money.”

Isn’t health insurance expensive?

Health insurance can be expensive, depending on what plan students choose to meet their individual needs. The government’s online marketplace — HealthCare.gov — is set up to help Americans choose plans and enroll in health insurance.

There are different types of plans, including catastrophic health plans for those under the age of 30. According to HealthCare.gov, these plans usually have lower monthly premiums but higher deductibles for subscribers and cover up to three primary care visits per year.

Senior Mitch Wright said he spent a lot of time reading over the numbers and different plans available to him before choosing an option.

“There were about six different policies I could choose from,” he said. “It wasn’t a simple process, but it wasn’t hard either. I had to call for assistance a couple of times, but the plan I ended up choosing is cheaper than the one they

D

were going to automatically roll me over to.”

What used to be a $300-per-month premium has dropped to $117, Wright said. He has been pleased with his coverage so far, which went into effect Jan. 1 of this year.

“The only downfall was choosing a doctor,” he said. “Some weren’t accepting new patients so I had to go through the list to find someone.”

Can I still sign up for healthcare?

The enrollment marketplaces have officially closed for the time being. March 31 was the final day to sign up for a healthcare plan, unless someone is approved for special circumstances.

The marketplaces will reopen for enrollment Nov. 15 of this year, according to White House reports.

“I’ve heard a lot of horror stories about healthcare, but I would encourage other college students to look into Obamacare,” Wright said.

Garmon agrees and said she hopes more people take the time to learn about the new healthcare plans.

“I hope more people see it’s not all bad,” she said.

;-/:-/)<176 KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) a NPHC fraternity, is not troubled by the various percentages.

“I honestly feel at UNA the numbers are actually really good,” he said. “With the university being such a small community compared to bigger universities such as Alabama and Auburn, the fact that we

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Towers Trivia Night 5-6:30 at Towers Dining Hall

# ( UNA NA)fraid )fraid id

<0-.< KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) they always have someone there.”

While Carter has not yet witnessed any of her personal items stolen, she has heard horror stories from her dorm mates.

“You have to lock your door whenever you leave and don’t walk off and leave expensive things sitting around where people can get to them,” she said.

Campus feels about the same safetywise, said junior Taylor Davis.

“I will say that I have seen more UNA Police around making their presence known so that has obviously helped some,” he said. “I spend all of my time secluded to the music building area of campus so I don’t really see many other parts.”

Sophomore Lee Mayhall said he feels good about the way crime is decreasing on campus and would like to see it continue.

“I like the fact that the Lion Alerts haven’t been a common thing this year like it was last year with all the stuff that was going on in the parking deck,” he said. actually have diversity in any council is good. I don’t think there is a push at UNA to have racially diverse councils and chapters but it is accepted.”

NPHC has also had more diversity in its chapters in the past and are not opposed to it, Whitson said.

“I feel like people just ‘get in where they are comfortable’ and honestly, there’s nothing wrong with it,” he said.

SGA

IN

REVIEW

• SENATE - CHANGED THE STUDENT ALLOCATION FUNDING POLICY TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY RSOʼS CAN REQUEST TO BUY PRIZES FOR EVENTS TO

$500. POLICY STATES THAT STUDENTS ON UNIVERSITY TRAVEL WHO MAKE ADDITIONAL CHARGES AT HOTEL ROOMS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAYING THE COST.

UPCOMING EVENTS • SPRING FLING - NOON TO 3:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 AT THE AMPHITHEATER • SPRING CONCERT - FEATURING LUDACRIS TUESDAY, APRIL 29 AT 8 P.M. AT NORTON AUDITORIUM • GLOW PARTY - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 AT 7 P.M. IN THE GUC PERFORMANCE CENTER • SGA FOUNTAIN 5K - SATURDAY, APRIL 26 AT 7 P.M. REGISTRATION - 5:45 P.M. FOR MEETING BRIEFS AND UPDATES ON THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION, PLEASE VISIT WWW.FLORALA.NET

GOING GREEN

SECTION B

April 17, 2014• The Flor-Ala

Green for the Shoals, Green for the World IN THIS SECTION SHAKE UP THE SHOALS...2B CARBON FOOTPRINT...2B RECYCLING CRAFTS...7B photo courtesy of Morguefile

IN THIS SECTION

LIFE

SPORTS Lions improve as tournament approaches See page 4B

Mexican bingo welcomes cultural diversity See page 5B

2B GOING GREEN

April 17, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

LOCAL

ʻBeautifulʼ organization emphasizes recycling KEANU KIRKPATRICK

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Keep the Shoals Beautiful has been working to inform residents around the Shoals about the importance of recycling with the help of Leadership Coordinator Judy Keenum.

Keep the Shoals Beautiful was established in 2007 by the Chamber of Commerce to bring awareness and promote litter prevention, advocating a clean community. Keenum’s work with Keep the Shoals Beautiful includes coordinating events in schools to educate and bring awareness about the importance of litter prevention to children.

“We get stories all the time about children saying to their parents or grandparents ‘don’t put that newspaper in the trash bin that ccan be recycled’ so young ones can learn, learn,” Keenum said.

Keep the t Shoals Beautiful is great because it he helps keep the campus healthy for both the people and animals, said junior p Jordan Edgerly.

Ed “On any a day we have trash bins and we supply suppl bags for recycling bins for events,” K Keenum said.

The organization’s main mission is to or empower the Shoals area to take action in protecting and enhancing their environment, acc according to their website.

Keenum’s efforts have reached UNA’s Keenu campus w with recycling bins and many cigarette ccontainers around campus.

“The litter prevention part is great,” said saaiid d senior sen enio ior Reggie R gg Re ggiee Phillips.

Phi h llllip ips. s.. “They Th T hey y ddo o a

good job at making the mainly traveled areas of the Shoals look great.”

Keep the Shoals Beautiful’s focus is to bring about awareness regarding stewardship for litter prevention, Keenum said.

“It damages your economy if the area is not clean,” she said.

Statistically, it has been proven that an area’s value drops if not cleaned, Keenum said.

Litter is similar to going to a store that is junky compared to a store that is clean, Keenum said. You are more likely to go back to the store that is clean than the one that is junky, and that is the same with landmarks. If UNA’s fountain is full of litter, it ruins the beauty, she said.

As an advocate for litter prevention, Keenum gives the example of littering with a simple paper cup. The cup might disintegrate, but a cigarette butt takes akes up to twenty years before it goes away. y.

Keenum’s efforts with Keep ep the Shoals Beautiful include giving away decals for cars and perennials, which hich are flowers that bloom every year.

Keenum and many other volunteers unteers have participated in the Helen Keller ler Festival and Handy Festival in June to o assist in clean up during the events.

“It’s amazing just to think I can an pick up one piece of paper,” Keenum said. aid. “If we can all just pick up one piece itt would be pretty easy to keep it clean.”

Along with the trash bins that they hey offer, they also have “litter getters,” people who wear vests and pick up litter around the Shoals. thhe Sh S hoa oals oa ls.

CAMPUS

Healthy habits to benefit campus DALLAS MOORE

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Bottled Water Although it’s been said six to eight glasses of water a day is necessary, this depends on the person. Either way, six to eight disposable bottles a day for the average student is a lot of plastic.

Skip the cases of bottled water and get a reusable bottle. Nalgene is a great brand for all occasions, but non-disposable water bottles are available for purchase in most places.

Take advantage of the filters added to campus water fountains this past year to make refilling water bottles easy.

Shoot hoops to save trees Make recycling fun as an incentive to do it more often. The recycling trailer found in the middle of campus was available for students to free-throw their recyclables into, after all.

Even without a recycling hoop at home, all you need is another trash bin.

Carpooling Lots of students who live off-campus have roommates who also take classes here. Scheduling similar class times may not always be an option, but you can try to catch rides together on days that work for each of you.

In addition to carpooling, taking advantage of the campus buses is a great way to cut costs personally and for the environment, especially with the current increase in gas prices.

Water Break While brushing your teeth or washing your hands, cut off the faucet as soon as you can to save on water. Even if it’s a small amount, multiply that by the number of people living in the dorms and using campus facilities and the savings could be enormous.

Paper Recycling The various newspaper kiosks now located across campus include built-in recycling bins. When finished reading the paper, students can drop the paper back off.

SPORTS 3B

April 17, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

SCOREBOARD April 8 - 14 Tuesday, April 8 BASEBALL

UNA @ University of Alabama - A&M Loss 9-7

REVIEW

KEEPING SCORE

Lions face another year protecting the pride

Saturday, April 12 BASEBALL

UNA @ Lee University Win 15-1 Loss 7-1

SOFTBALL

DALLAS MOORE

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Over the past year, The Flor-Ala has covered many games in many different forms.

We’ve posted briefs online, printed features on players, coaches and

UNA @ Lee University Loss 3-2 UNA @ Lee University Win 8-5

2012 - 2013 SEASONS 56%

BASEBALL

UNA vs. Stillman University 10:30 a.m.

BASEBALL

UNA vs. Lander University 5:30 p.m.

2013 - 2014 SEASONS

42%

2%

14%

44%

42%

68%

32%

65%

35%

70%

30%

WOMENʼS BASKETBALL 47%

53%

77%

23%

FOOTBALL 50%

50%

MENʼS TENNIS 20%

39%

80%

55%

6%

WOMENʼS TENNIS

TENNIS

GSC Tournament Montgomery, Ala. April 18-19

SCHEDULED

MENʼS BASKETBALL

UNA @ Lee University Loss 12-4

Friday, April 18

TIE

BASEBALL

SOFTBALL

Upcoming Games

LOSS

Editor’s Note: This list does not include all sports, due to limited information available at press time.

BASEBALL

UNA @ Lee University Loss 4-3

WIN

WINS AND LOSSES BY SPORT AND SEASON (%)

SOFTBALL

Sunday, April 13

KEY staff, taken many photos and tweeted directly from the stands.

Below we’ve broken down wins and losses by sport, comparing this year with last.

37%

50%

63%

45%

5%

44%

12%

SOCCER

Saturday, April 19

65%

30% 5%

67%

33%

44%

TRACK SOFTBALL

Sewanee Invitational Sewanee, Tenn.

BASEBALL

UNA vs. Lander University 1 p.m.

69%

25% 6%

VOLLEYBALL 40%

60%

24%

76%

4B SPORTS

April 17, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

TENNIS

Lions prepare for GSC tournament despite pressure DUSTIN POLLARD

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After having an up and down regular season, the tennis team is looking to establish consistency heading into the Gulf South Conference Tournament.

The tournament starts Friday, April 19 with the No. 4 seed men taking on Valdosta State University and the No. 3 seed women facing Delta State University. The women’s team defeated the Statesmen 5-3 in their only meeting in the regular season.

“It’s difficult to beat a good team the first time so I don’t see us having a big advantage,” said coach Brice Bishop. “It still comes down to being able to handle the pressure of this one-and-done format.”

”

THIS TOURNAMENT DOES MEAN A LOT. THIS IS MY SENIOR YEAR AND I DONʼT WANT MY LAST YEAR TO JUST BE OK.

BRUNA VIEIRA SENIOR Senior Bruna Vieira says she tries not to think about the opponent, instead she focuses on the play of her own game.

“If I worry about who we’re playing

then I end up making mistakes and playing worse,” she said.

The men’s team will play a top 20-ranked opponent in the Blazers, a team that has already beat the Lions 9-0 earlier this year.

“Valdosta State is a really good team, but it wouldn’t shock me if we beat them,” Bishop said. “There’s not a lot of difference in the two (seed) through six in this conference.”

Both tennis teams have showed their inconsistencies and showed a lack of focus at times this year, but against University of West Alabama this past weekend they showed improvements, he said.

“I wanted to see us with more focus on the doubles and we did,” Bishop said. “We’ve been trying to do too many things in the past but we did a better job of simplifying the game.”

Being a slow-starting team this season has been an issue, but going into the tournament the Lions have done a better job of starting off, he said.

Injuries have plagued the Lions all season and could be a reason why both teams have struggled at times.

“We have to get healthy, but I like where we’re at,” Bishop said. “I think we’ve been playing well.”

Players, especially the seniors who hope to leave on a high note, are hoping to keep showing the improvements.

“This tournament does mean a lot,” Vieira said. “This is my senior year, and I don’t want my last year to just be OK.”

STAYING ACTIVE AT UNA 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

17

3:30 p.m. - Ab Attack

THURSDAY

19

3 p.m. - 7 p.m. - SRC Open

21

MONDAY

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

file photo by SARAH HOLLIDAY I Staff Photographer

18

20

4 p.m. - Ab Attack

SUNDAY

12 p.m. - TRX 22 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. - Earth Day Garden Clinic hosted by the OAC TUESDAY

23

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

photo by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer

Senior Madison Patey rests between a set during a spring 2014 match.

FRIDAY

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

photo by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer

Freshman Ali Murad serves the ball during a spring 2014 match.

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

LIFE 5B

B I NG O April 17, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

EVENT

EVENT

Mexican bingo shares student diversity

Bingo night benefits local philanthropy

MARI WILLIAMS

KALI DANIEL

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Vera Bradley bags and a variety of other goods will be offered April 21 courtesy of National Panhellenic Council. The event will benefit Sidney’s Safe! Foundation and the Pack Them With Love program, which give children meals over the weekend.

“The women in Panhellenic wanted to keep the money donated in the area,” said Assistant Director of Student Engagement for Greek Affairs Julie Fletcher. “They wanted to have a philanthropy event for something that is local.”

All prizes are donations courtesy of the four chapters involved, Fletcher said. Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Gamma Delta, Phi Mu and Zeta Tau Alpha sororities will be present at the event.

“It’s a bingo event because it can reach a wide variety of individuals, moms, daughters, grandmothers,” Fletcher said. “It’s not just a female event either.”

There will be plenty of items males can win, said Hailey Holke, Panhellenic Council vice president of philanthropy and scholarship.

“As far as men go, we’ll have two bowties and some Southern Prep T-shirts,” Holke said.

The event is a result of collaboration between the Panhellenic sororities focusing on local philanthropies, she said.

“We didn’t want to choose national philanthropies because we didn’t want to seem biased toward any one sorority,” Holke said. “This gives our council a chance to o reach into the community and be more involved.”

Sidney’s Safe founder Sarah Thompson will be speakaking at the event, Holke said. A slideshow containing images of Sidney’s Safe events will also be playing at the event.

“I want it to be a fun event, but I don’t want people to just show up thinking that it’s not for a purpose,” Holke said. “I don’t want people coming to the event not knowing what we’re actually doing this for.”

Tickets for the event can be purchased from the Office of Student Engagement or from Panhellenic members.

“The ticket is $10, but Vera Bradley bags are over $50 so if you win you’ve really done well with the $10 investstment,” Fletcher said.

Everyone who comes will leave with something, even if it’s from the candy bar, Holke said.

“This is the first year for the event so we’re excited,” Fletcher said. “We hope it can be annual and we will be assessing how to make it better for the future. ” Editor’s Note: Editor-in-Chief and member of Greek Life Corinne Beckinger did not contribute to this report.

If you happened to walk by the BCM the night of April 10 you may have heard students and members of the Hispanic Culture Organization yelling Spanish words and numbers at Loteria.

Loteria is a Mexican game similar to bingo.

“We thought about it last semester when we were planning Latin Dance Night,” said Jhoana Patlan, president of HCO. “It’s kind of one of the most popular games that we play so we just thought that it was something that we wanted to share with UNA too.”

When Loteria began there were many open seats, but as the night went on the room quickly filled up.

“I didn’t think that people would get as involved as they are now,” said junior Katie Bagwell, a member of HCO. Though Patlan liked the turn out she thought HCO could have promoted the event more beforehand.

“I think we could have had more people but we didn’t do as much promoting as we could have, but I’m really excited from what we did promote,” Patlan said.

Students who did attend were prompted to participate in pronouncing the items on the bingo sheet.

“It was interesting to dive into some of the basics of the Spanish language,” said sophomore Richard Stubbs. “It reminded me a lot about when I took it in high school.”

HCO also focused on providing authentic Mexican food for Loteria.

“At certain events you can go buy the food, but for us it’s more of making the food,” Patlan said. “It’s not something that you can just go buy at the grocery store.

We put a lot of effort into finding chicharones (pork rinds).”

HCO strives to bring diversity to all of their events, Patlan said.

“Our biggest thing is diversity — that’s what we want to put out there,” Patlan said. “UNA is a very diverse campus, and we have people from all around the world. This is bingo, but it is also a different way that it can be played, a different style, everything is different.”

Stubbs agrees it is important to look at other students’ cultures, he said.

“There is a lot of people from other countries that are here and it wouldn’t be fair to make them get used to our culture without being willing to learn more about theirs,” Stubbs said. “It’s a two-way street.”

With the success of Loteria, HCO plans on continuing some of the same events they planned this year. photos courtesy of MorgueFile and Zontik Games

6B LIFE

April 17, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

GOING GREEN 7B

April 17, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

DIY

10 ways to upcycle everyday items

1 2

TIN

CAN LANTERNS

What you need: Empty tin cans of assort-

ed sizes, drill, drill bit

Directions: On your empty tin can, draw

out the design you would like to use. Using a sharp drill bit, drill your design into the tin can. Place a candle inside the can and use for parties, outdoor events, etc.

BATH

MAT

What you need: Shadow box (without

glass), two to three sheets of cork board, enough wine bottle corks to fill in shadow box

Directions: Remove the glass from the

6

3 4 5

JAR LID COASTERS

What you need: Mason jar lids, adhesive

cork board, stamps or paint

Directions: Turn lids upside down and

cut circles from adhesive corkboard to fit lid width. Secure to bottom of lid. Use stamps or paint to decorate.

PAINT

SWATCH ORGANIZERS

What you need: Paint swatches (make

sure theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the same sizes), needle, thread

Directions: Turn lids upside down and

7 8

cut circles from adhesive corkboard to fit lid width. Secure to bottom of lid. Use stamps or paint to decorate.

SCARF

WATCHBAND

What you need: Old scarves, watch face Directions: Weave scarf through bands on

old watch face and wrap around wrist like a bracelet.

Crafts 100% upcycled

by Managing Editor

Blythe Steelman managingeditor@florala.net

POTHOLDERS

What you need: Old pairs of blue jeans, cotton fabric, wool batting, thread, needle, scissors Directions: Cut two 10-inch squares in

jeans around back pockets. Cut fabric to match denim squares. For the insulation layer, use two layers of wool batting or several pieces of denim. For each potholder, assemble the fabrics in this order: denim, insulation, fabric.

Stitch sides together with a half-inch seam.

shadow box and place the sheets of corkboard in the bottom of the box. Stand wine bottle corks inside shadow box and fill in until corks are snugly fit into box.

MASON

DENIM

9

10

POP

TAB ART

What you need: Canvas, paint, soda pop

tabs, craft glue

Directions: Paint or design your canvas however you would like. Use craft glue to secure pop tabs in whatever design you choose.

CEREAL

BOX MAGAZINE HOLDER

What you need: Empty cereal box, duct

tape, scissors

Directions: Cut the front half of an emp-

ty cereal box off. Cover box with duct tape (choose whatever design you would like). Fill with magazines.

WINE

BOTTLE VASES

What you need: Empty wine bottles

(varying sizes), spray paint

Directions: Place your wine bottles on newspaper and spray paint them in whatever color you choose. Fill with flowers, branches, etc.

T-SHIRT

BRACELETS

What you need: Old T-shirts, plain bangle

bracelets

Directions: Cut T-shirts into strips and weave or braid around bangles. Knot at the end to secure strips.

8B EXTRA

April 17, 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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