March 21 Issue

LIONS FINALLY WIN AGAINST UAH SOCCER 1B March 21, 2013

Volume 81, Issue 25

www.FlorAla.net

Student newspaper of the University of North Alabama

CAMPUS CRIME

WANTING ANSWERS photo by JOSH SKAGGS I Executive Editor

UNA parent Chris Bell asks police and student affairs officials what they are going to do to improve the safety and security around campus. Officials told parents, students and employees they were listening to their concerns.

Community seeks answers on recent rapes

ALEX LINDLEY

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Chris Bell spent March 13 driving from Nashville to UNA, where his daughter is a student, but it wasn’t just to visit.

INSIDE

this week’s paper

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

The concerned parent was on his way to an open forum on campus safety issues in Towers Hall, which was announced by David Shields, UNA vice president for student affairs, the morning of March 13.

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

The forum was organized in response to recent campus security issues, including two alleged rapes, which deeply concerned Bell.

“As a parent, I’ve made a huge investment in my child’s life,” Bell said at the forum.

“When she started (at UNA), she was so excited. Then, it went from this plateau of excitement to her saying ‘I can’t leave my room.’”

More than 100 faculty, staff, students and community members attended the forum, said UNA Interim Communications Director Terry Pace. The crowd raised many questions to forum speakers UNA police Chief Bob Pastula, Assistant Director of Residence Life RJ Chittams and Shields.

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INTEGRATIVE HEALTH

Council OKs land purchase ALEX LINDLEY

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The Florence City Council unanimously approved the sale of the Florence Golf and Country Club to the Guizhou Shenqi Group at its meeting March 19. The group has partnered with UNA to build an integrative health center on the land.

The city of Florence will sell the land to the Guizhou Shenqi Group for $2.1 million. The land was originally purchased for $2.03 million, said Florence Mayor Mickey Haddock.

“We’re basically selling it for what we have invested in it,” he said.

Zhang Zhiting, chair of the group, will come to Florence to complete the transfer of the property, Haddock said.

“We don’t know for sure yet when Chairman Zhang is coming,” he said.

“We believe it will be within a matter of a few weeks, so we went ahead and approved this resolution so we don’t have to do it when he’s here.

“The transfer will occur soon, and then we’ll move forward.”

Councilman Barry Morris said he believes the sale of the golf and country club land will add significantly to the $280 million economic impact that UNA has on the community.

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STUDENT MEDIA

Flor-Ala wins top journalism awards BLYTHE STEELMAN 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ J[\MMTUIV(]VI ML]

The Flor-Ala won five Mark of Excellence awards from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) March 16.

The paper won first place in the Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper category. Executive Editor Josh Skaggs, alongside the rest of the staff, won first place in edi-

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WHAT TO DO IN YOUR 20S... 1B

2A NEWS

News Briefs

Students selected to present research at undergrad conference

March 21, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

FACILITIES

Wesleyan to receive renovations

The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) recently notified 10 UNA students from a math and computer science undergraduate research team that their research projects were accepted for presentation.

Cynthia Stenger, interim chair of the UNA math department, said the UNA students’ research projects were chosen from more than 3,500 submissions from more than 300 research universities for their contributions to their fields of study.

This will be the first year UNA will be represented at NCUR, Stenger said.

NCUR will take place at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., April 11 through April 13.

Distance Learning to host conference on campus April 4 The UNA Distance Learning Advisory Committee and Educational Technology Services will host a conference April 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in the GUC Performance Center to highlight the benefits of technology in education.

David Pogue, a New York Times technology columnist, will give the keynote address. The conference will address technology use in all courses — online, hybrid or traditional.

A student panel will also discuss student expectations of education technology, and another speaker will discuss exemplary design practices.

Email BJ Wilson at bhwilson@una. edu for more information or to make a reservation.

Email outage expected over spring break UNA Information Technology Services announced via email that starting March 22, UNA email services will be unavailable.

Email services will not be available in any form, according to the email.

Students, faculty and staff should refer to the UNA website and social media regarding the availability of campus email, according to the email sent by UNA IT. UNA community members with questions should contact helpdesk@una.edu for more information.

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

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

photo by MICHAEL REDDING I Staff Photographer

Many of the walls in Wesleyan Hall are showing signs of decay. Officials have approved the funding for renovations to the historic building. Director of Facilities Michael Gautney said the renovations are expected to cost approximately $600,000.

PACE HOLDBROOKS

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Wesleyan Hall, the home of offices and classrooms for several departments in the College of Arts and Sciences, is scheduled to receive needed renovations during the summer of 2013, according to university officials. The building, completed in 1856, is among the oldest on campus and is described as “the pride of the student body” on the university’s website.

“Wesleyan Hall was last renovated in

”

FOR SEVERAL SEMESTERS NOW, THERE HAVE BEEN MAJOR SIGNS OF MOLD, GUTTERS AND WINDOWS NOT WORKING PROPERLY — LEAKS,

ROTTING WOOD AND OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN NEEDING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.

CLAUDIA VANCE 1988, and there are issues that need to be addressed in order to preserve the integ-

rity of our historical building,” said Claudia Vance, chair of the foreign languages department at UNA. “For several semesters now, there have been major signs of mold, gutters and windows not working properly — leaks, rotting wood and other issues that have been needing immediate attention.”

Michael Gautney, director of facilities, said the renovations are expected to cost $600,000 and will be paid for by funds provided by the facilities fee.

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SGA

5.04 percent of students vote in SGA election BLYTHE STEELMAN 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ J[\MMTUIV(]VI ML]

The recent SGA officer election garnered 308 votes from the student body, 5.04 percent, a decrease from last year’s 488 votes, said David Petty, elections committee chair. The decrease follows a drop in voter turnout from 594 votes in 2011 to 488 votes in the 2012 election, said SGA adviser Tammy Jacques in a previous interview with The Flor-Ala. Petty said the organization did what it could to promote the election this year.

“We did our part, as far as PR goes,” he said. “And the candidates were great about getting the word out.”

Four of the five executive positions were uncontested, while two candidates sought the vice president of SGA Senate seat.

With 184 of 308 total votes, Nikki Messer was elected the new vice president of Senate March 13.

Messer said she is “truly honored” to be elected the next vice president of Senate.

“I’m really excited and happy that the students believe that I will represent them well,” she said.

Laura Giles was elected SGA president, Walter Hartley was elected vice president of UPC, KeKe Greer was elected secretary and Elizabeth Tyson was elected treasurer.

“Laura will do a fantastic job (as president),” said Will Riley, current SGA president. “She’s working alongside a terrific executive board, and I think she will exceed everyone’s expectations.”

Messer said she feels like the campaign process was fun and has afforded her many opportunities to connect with other students on campus.

“I definitely don’t want to let them down,” she said. “My slogan was ‘Make It Messer,’ and my campaign team worked hard to help me.”

She said she’s looking forward to the

upcoming year.

“I’m super excited for the other executive members that are coming on,” she said.

Greer, uncontested candidate for secretary, said she is also excited and hopes to keep the prestige of her position intact over the next year.

“The current secretary has done a good job,” she said. “I want to keep up the same work and make sure we’re following the Code of Laws.”

Messer said she and her opposing candidate, student senator Sarah Emerson, both ran clean campaigns and supported each other throughout the election period.

“I look forward to working with her in Senate next year,” she said. “She really is a great leader.”

Messer and the candidates elected to other SGA offices will assume their new roles later this semester.

NEWS 3A

March 21, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

SGA

Incoming President Giles seeks input PACE HOLDBROOKS

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file photo by KAYLA SLOAN I Chief Photographer

Incoming SGA President Laura Giles speaks at last year’s SGA debate. She was running unopposed for SGA treasurer at the time.

Laura Giles, who ran unopposed in the 2013-2014 Student Government Association’s officer elections, is the incoming SGA president. Giles said she sees student safety, the relationship between organizations on campus and the completion of the SGA endowed scholarship as important things she wants to develop during her term.

“I feel that the whole purpose of SGA is to be the voice of the students,” she said. “I know we always say that, but SGA needs to truly represent what the students want and need on this campus.

I feel like SGA has such an influence on (the college experience), but we take that for granted.”

She said she wants to see SGA working to get student input in order to set specific goals for the next year. This includes continuing to recruit a diverse group of people into SGA for next year.

“I know UNA and I know a lot of these students, but I don’t feel like I know what’s best for everyone,” she said. “We have to make sure that those 100 students (in SGA) are truly representing this campus and what everyone actually needs. I want (every student) to know someone in SGA who they can see and talk to (about their needs and desires).”

Giles said she encourages anyone who does not feel well represented to consider joining SGA. “If we have students on SGA from every walk of campus, you’re going to build upon every downfall that SGA currently has,” she said. “That’s what I want to see happen, but every member of SGA has to help me with that. We just assume that everyone knows who we are and what we do and why they should be involved, but they don’t know.”

Giles said she sees the completion of the SGA endowed scholarship as a personal goal because of the time she and

”

I FEEL THAT THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF SGA IS TO BE THE VOICE OF THE STUDENTS. I KNOW WE ALWAYS SAY THAT, BUT SGA NEEDS TO TRULY REPRESENT WHAT THE STUDENTS WANT AND NEED ON THIS CAMPUS. I FEEL LIKE

SGA HAS SUCH AN INFLUENCE ON (THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE), BUT WE TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.

LAURA GILES others in SGA have put in to giving back to the student body. Giles said she estimates $8,000 will be raised by the end of her current term as SGA treasurer, leaving $10,000 to be raised.

“It’s an endowed scholarship, so once we raise $25,000, the interest drawn off of that every year would be approximately $2500 that would be divided into five $500 scholarships per year,” she said. “I know how passionate I am about it and I don’t want it to be slacked off on. I would love to see SGA become the prestigious group that is respected on the campus by the students.”

Giles said that other than completing the scholarship, she wants to do whatever students see fit to improve their college experience. Giles said she would like to see new traditions that benefit students like Lion Night continue, although she would like to see SGA accomplish more within a term in the future.

“A lot of this year (in SGA senate) has been internal work and that’s always important; we’ve done a lot of changes to the code of laws,” she said. “That has taken up a lot of our time and hasn’t focused on what the students need and want. Sometimes that has to occur, but I feel like with that being behind us we can focus on new things that the students really need and that they desire to make that college experience better.”

STUDENT AMENITIES

Students, officials discuss puppy, nap rooms KAYLA SLOAN

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Imagine a room where you can wind down with a couple of puppies after that rigorous research paper you finally turned in. Or imagine a room on campus where you could sleep away your exam worries free from judging eyes and people tweeting about you. Sounds like the perfect stress relief, right?

Sadly, UNA has neither of these facilities yet, but other schools like Harvard University are quickly catching on to this trend to help out their students.

“In our research on students who make poor grades, lack of sleep was consistently mentioned as a cause of poor performance,” said Kenda Rusevlyan, testing coordinator and academic advisor for CAARS at UNA. Though napping is not a substitute for quality REM sleep, many students

rely on naps to recharge and get through particularly stressful times.

“During finals I’m up here (on campus) all the time; it would be nice to have a place to sleep on campus,” said Phillip Holcombe, UNA student.

Holcombe, like most UNA students, lives off campus.

“Many of our students commute quite a way to school each day,” Rusevlyan said. “It’s not possible for them to grab some Z’s before the next class or study group. This would be an asset especially to them.”

Schools like Harvard are currently working out the details like cleanliness and avoiding abuse of these facilities to make sure the space remains available to students.

Rusevlyan expressed concerns for people taking advantage of a facility like a nap room.

“The old saying ‘You give them an

inch and they’ll take a mile,’ comes to mind,” Rusevlyan said.

Another rising trend on college campuses are puppy rooms.

A puppy room is exactly what it sounds like.

Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the University of San Francisco are among many schools that have recently provided services like this to help their students unwind.

UNA student Liza Harrison said her dog is one of her main resources for stress relief.

“I was stressed out the other day and went home to my dog, and she made it all better,” Harrison said. “If I could bring her on campus, I totally would.”

UNA student Aleigh Pons said she would love and use a puppy room, but her main concern — as with the nap room — is cleanliness.

photo courtesy of MORGUEFILE

4A IMAGES

March 21, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

WORK OF ART

by Chief Photographer Kayla Sloan

If you haven’t heard, The Flor-Ala and the Diorama are pretty good at the awards game. This year has been fantastic for both publications, and I’m so proud to be a part of them.

I’m just proud of our staff in general for the work they do inside and outside of the office. We’ve got some talented folks.

Staff photographer Christina Covington’s first solo exhibit was this past Monday, March 18.

I have known Christina a little more than a year now and have worked with her for most of that at the paper and yearbook.

She is a talented lady. But what everyone sees on these pages weekly is not a complete reflection of Christina’s talent and work.

In her gallery there were no parking decks, no students with books and no SGA members in her photographs. It was just Christina. And that was refreshing to see.

It made me want to look at more of staff photographer Michael Redding’s personal work or something new Alli Ownby’s been working on just for herself. It’s exciting to see someone else’s work that they are excited about.

I could definitely see that in Christina’s work Monday night.

I urge any art lover out there to stop by Christina’s exhibit. It will be on display through Friday in the Visual Arts building.

Stop by and see what we do when we aren’t too busy winning awards.

NEWS 5A

March 21, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

Forum: Police, student affairs officials answer community questions

photo by JOSH SKAGGS I Executive Editor

Assistant Director of Residence Life RJ Chittams looks on as UNA police Chief Bob Pastula and Vice President for Student Affairs David Shields speak to students, faculty, staff and parents during a security forum March 13 in Towers Hall.

.7:=5 KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) Bell said officials need to ramp up UNA police presence and called for one officer in every residence hall, a sentiment echoed by many of the forum attendees.

“It might be that you need a bigger investment in the campus police,” he said.

“Maybe more patrols walking the halls. I think we need one officer in every dorm probably from dark until dawn.”

Pastula said financial constraints limit the police presence he can place in the

)?):,; KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) writing. Chief Photographer Kayla Sloan placed first in the photo illustration category. News/Managing Editor Alex Lindley and former Staff Writer Matt Wilson placed first in general news writing.

Lindley also placed second in general column writing.

“I’m honored that the hard work our staff puts into our publication was recognized by a professional organization,” Skaggs said.

4)6, KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) The group will own the entire 158 acres of property, Haddock said.

“The medical group will own the whole 158 acres,” he said. “We have a primary location there for our seniors,

in the parking deck or officers in every residence hall) will solve the problem,” he said. “What could solve the problem is if everyone would report things immediately to the police.”

Changing the dispatch system last year has been a big improvement to police response time, Shields said.

“We have dispatchers on duty 24/7,” he said. “And switching to radio contact has made a night-and-day difference. It’s amazing now how fast we can get things out.”

Some audience members raised concerns about safety specifically in the residence halls, specifically about the role of Community Advisers (CAs) as policy enforcers.

“A CA is a young person in an authority position,” Bell said. “Not everyone can handle that correctly.”

CAs are held to strict rules and regulations, Chittams said.

“Our CAs should be following policy,” he said. “If not, we will be following up.”

Chittams said students should report any issues in the residence halls to police.

“All guests in residence halls must be escorted at all times,” he said. “We have a lot more residents than CAs, so if you’re concerned, dial UNA police or 911 and get our officers up there.”

Bell said his daughter’s safety is his chief concern.

“I want my child to be able to leave her room to go eat without fear of being attacked,” he said. “We need more policemen. You drive the speed limit because you know there are so many out on the roads. Fear of repercussions keeps everyone between the lines.”

In response to the audience’s concerns, Shields said he and other officials are working to make changes.

“We provide countless safety resources, but we still need to do more,” he said. “There is no silver bullet, no program, no one thing to stop it, but what we can do is pool our efforts and thinking to make some changes.”

residence halls but agreed to send any extra officers to Rivers Hall that night, where the most recent incident reportedly occurred.

Bell said financial feasibility should not be an issue.

“I think it needs to be brought to their attention that it doesn’t matter if it’s not financially feasible,” he said. “Someone’s life is very important. That’s a good investment. And there’s a huge liability issue. They could be sued for millions of dollars.”

Chittams informed the audience that campus security officials are reviewing every procedure and policy they have.

Students should immediately report any suspicious activity or concerns they have to campus police, Pastula said.

Both Shields and Pastula said that the key to preventing campus crime is collective thinking and communication.

“I could have a million officers and cameras, and that girl would have probably still been raped,” he said. “But if someone would have called, it might not have happened. We’ve got to have the help of everyone.”

Many people who witness suspicious activity often think someone else will report it to police, Pastula said.

“I don’t necessarily think (cameras

Sloan, who placed first for her photo illustration with the “Can you disconnect: Student goes on 24-hour media fast” story, said she worked for almost two hours on the illustration.

“I was running out of ideas,” she said. “I started gathering my Mac supplies, though, and realized I can’t let go of technology. So I wrapped him (Evan Sandy) up in cords and (computer) mice.”

Lindley, who placed second in general column writing, said the opinion page is a change of pace for student journalists.

“The opinions page is the only page where we, as student journalists, can express ourselves,” he said. “That’s why I like writing columns.”

The awards do a lot to show the hard work of the staff, said Student Media Adviser Rebecca Walker.

“I think, more than anything, these wins validate the amount of hard work that goes into The Flor-Ala,” she said.

“The students don’t work with an end goal to be recognized through competition, but this recognition among their peers in the profession certainly shows that they’re doing the work of true jour-

nalists.”

Lindley said he feels the same way.

“I’m proud of the staff,” he said. “It’s been a collective effort all year.”

The Flor-Ala submitted entries from editors and staff writers, as well as full issues of the paper, in the medium size (4,000-7,000 students) division of six categories of the SPJ Region 3 student journalism competition earlier this year.

Region 3 is comprised of schools from Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

and the group will be allowing us to use that 48-acre area for one year while we transfer some people out of there.”

The planned UNA Center for Integrative Health would train students in holistic mental, physical and spiritual medicine.

“I am looking forward to acquiring the property once the City Council ap-

proves its sale,” said Zhang in a press release Jan. 3. “The property is perfect for Shenqi and UNA to develop their join international Center for Integrative Health.”

The Alabama Commission on Higher Education approved a concentration in integrative health to be included as part of UNA’s master of science program last

September, according to the press release.

Officials expect that the center will receive its first group of approximately 50 to 100 students in fall 2014 and that it will eventually enroll mo

6A NEWS

March 21, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Officials recommend applying for internships early, often SIERRA KENNEDY ;\]LMV\ ?ZQ\MZ [SMVVMLa(]VI ML]

As summer approaches, many upper classmen at UNA are beginning to search for internships that pertain to their major.

Most majors at UNA require an internship, along with academic credit, in order to graduate.

UNA provides resources for students looking for an internship that suits their needs best. The Career Planning and Development office, in room 202 of the GUC, offers students one-on-one appointments with Heidi Tilenius, an employment development specialist.

“I recommend students start looking for an internship a semester before they want to intern,” she said.

By beginning to apply a semester before the actual internship, students can have more options in deciding what to apply for and help increase their chances of getting an internship.

UNA’s Lion Jobs website posts a variety of internships that are available to students who have a Lion Jobs account.

The Career Planning and Development staff reviews students’ resumes before they apply for jobs and internships and provide feedback on how to enhance their resumes.

“When an employer sends me a request for a job or an internship, I immediately post it onto Lion Jobs so anyone who is interested and meets the requirements can apply,” Tilenius said.

UNA senior and public relations major Dustin Varner used Lion Jobs to secure an integrated marketing internship with Listerhill Credit Union.

“I was sitting in my principles of marketing class with Professor (Jerome) Gafford when he announced if anyone would be interested in doing a paid internship with a company doing great things,” Varner said. “I applied through Lion Jobs and went through two interviews to land the internship.”

Not all majors at UNA require an internship in order to graduate. Kelsey Underwood, a finance major, wishes that all majors were required to have an internship in order to graduate.

“I wish that all majors made students have internships and get credit for it,” she said. “Since I’m an Accounting Scholar, I got to work at an accounting firm a few days a week and see what it was like to practicing accounting; otherwise, I wouldn’t have any experience.”

While internships help students by getting academic credit, they are also useful in gaining experience and connections in a student’s field of study. In 2012, 60 percent of college graduates who had worked in paid internships received at least one job offer, according to the National Association of College and Employers.

By utilizing on-campus resources like the Career Planning and Development office and Lion Jobs, UNA students have access to find an internship that suits their majors and interests best.

photo by MICHAEL REDDING I Staff Photographer

The ceiling of Wesleyan Hall shows signs of disrepair. Officials are planning to renovate the 158-year-old building this summer.

?-;4-A)6 KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) “There are some hazards with the carpet right now,” he said. “We are looking to restore the existing hardwood under the carpet in some of the rooms if possible. Otherwise we will have to replace the carpet.”

Larry Bates, UNA associate professor of psychology, teaches in the building and said he feels the new renovations will create a better environment for learning.

“Mainly it should eliminate some of the irritations that go along with older buildings,” Bates said. “I’m looking forward mostly to getting some wood floors.

It just seems like a building built in 1855 should have wood floors in the office.”

Romeo Gillyard, a graduate student at UNA, said he is looking forward to the

renovations as well.

“There (are three main problems in Wesleyan Hall): the paint, the air and the elevator,” he said. “I didn’t know it was going to be renovated. It needs it, though.”

Vance said faculty members teaching summer courses relocate during the renovations process, which is scheduled to end in August.

“The architectural team chosen for the renovation has been careful to stay true to the building’s history and has chosen interior colors that are authentic for the period in which it was built (in 1855),” Vance said. “This 158-year-old building housed soldiers on both sides of the Civil War and has a great deal of historical value. Knowing that UNA is maintaining it properly for present and future UNA students, faculty and staff is very satisfying to me.”

VIEWPOINTS 7A

March 21, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA

THE

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

Action needed in campus security

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.

JOSH SKAGGS

-`MK]\Q^M -LQ\WZ R[SIOO[(]VI ML]

If you haven’t read the newspaper or have had your head in a sandbox for the past few months, there have been three reported alleged sexual attacks on campus.

Three suspects were arrested last week for an alleged gang-style rape of a female in Rivers Hall. Just a few weeks ago, police responded to a report of another gang-style rape in a university apartment.

Additionally, last September a female was reportedly attacked in the parking deck and raped by an unknown suspect.

In my opinion, one rape (or sexual assault) is too many.

Many students, faculty and staff are calling for more campus policing, additional security measures and a re-evaluation of residence hall policies.

All of these are excellent places to start, but we need to

do something as a community.

We need to call for action. We need solid answers.

We, as UNA community members, should band together to put an end to the sexual violence that has been exhibited on our campus. This is our campus, and we have to take ownership of it.

During a recent open forum on campus, officials from Student Affairs and the university police department discussed the latest reports of rape on campus. Although the attendees asked great questions, I feel as though their questions were not answered and their concerns were not addressed.

Yes, the university police department added reserve officers, trained a female officer to investigate rapes and beefed up patrols after September’s reported rape, but I don’t think it’s enough.

The Flor-Ala reported in September that the university police department was shopping for cameras to be placed in the parking deck, but I have yet to see the first crew putting these cameras up in the deck.

Action must be taken to prevent these types of crimes from happening on our campus.

Sure, all college campuses

are going to have their occasional burglaries and robberies.

Hell, they all typically have occasional cases of alcohol and drug violations, but UNA is not known for rapes and sexual assaults happening this often.

Campus security needs to be stepped up even more. I may be speaking too soon, but I would be willing to pay more in tuition to be safe on campus.

We already pay a good deal of tuition, but if I was charged $200 more a semester so that additional officers could be hired and cameras could be placed around campus, I would write a check tomorrow.

Students on this campus get in an uproar over The Flor-Ala running an article on sex but don’t react when we have to run stories each week on sexual assaults happening quite often.

The response to incidents like this should be of a nurturing nature and make the victim feel like people are standing beside them to help the campus and victim get back to a sense of normalcy.

The UNA community needs to unite against sexual violence and especially violence against women. No longer should it be seen as OK to be violent toward other human beings.

Interested in writing or taking photos for The Flor-Ala? Come to our writers meeting every Monday at 6 p.m or photographer meeting Monday at 8 p.m. Take a story, shoot a photo and get involved.

To the UNA Community, In the wake of a 1970 tragic airplane crash that took many lives from its community, Marshall University united under the call, “We are Marshall.”

37 years later, Virginia Tech responded to a violent shooting spree on its campus with the call, “We are Virginia Tech.”

Recent acts of sexual violence against students at UNA should remind us that like Marshall and Virginia Tech, we are a community, and to attack one of us is to attack us all. And like Marshall and Virginia Tech, to go forward with strength against those people or circumstances that might challenge us, we must stand together with the resolute call, “We are UNA.” Just one week ago, the most recent rape of a UNA student was reported to the campus.

Since then, various groups within the campus community have met seeking ways to protect themselves and their neighbors. In each of these discussions, enhancing physical safety has taken priority. It is natural and right that our first concern should be to proactively protect the community, but our efforts must not stop there.

We must begin to challenge the deeply embedded ideas that lead us to speak of rape as an “alleged” event or qualify its severity by the degree to which the victim was intoxicated. We must begin to challenge the even more deeply embedded ideas that make us publically mourn the lost future of an athlete perpetrator but ignore the greater tragedy of a victim who will never fully recover from the violence done to her.

We must begin to challenge the cultural ideas that lead to such thinking and seek to discover instead what it should mean to be a man or a woman in any place at any time.

To UNA students, understand that the faculty and staff know your fears and pain, and we are actively working to ease them. But to make our community strong again, the entire community must participate in its healing, so we encourage you to take part in the various discussions taking place on campus. One of those opportunities involves a large group of faculty and staff members and students who will be meeting weekly for brown-bag lunch conversations, and we welcome you to join. We also encourage you to call upon us when needed, whether it is just to talk about your concerns or to escort you to your cars or dormitory after classes. We know that you are the heart of our community, and when the heart is broken, we all experience the pain, because “We are UNA.” Cynthia Burkhead Faculty and Staff for a Safe UNA

8A NEWS Student Employee of Year finalists selected March 21, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

RECOGNITIONS

TRISTA IRVIN

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The Student Employee Recognition Committee has selected the top three finalists for UNA Student Employee of the Year. The finalists are Gavin Best, Amber Bodiford and Bailey Ellis.

Each supervisor on campus nominated one or two of their student employees whom they believe exhibited the criteria for the award, including reliability, quality of work, initiative, attitude, professionalism and their uniqueness of their job. Along with the three finalists, six other nominees received honorable mention for interviewing for the award: Amanda Abernathy, James Beaver, Cayla Buttram, Madeleine Frankford, Noelle Ingle and David Johnson.

UNA will host Student Employment Week April 7 through 13. The 2013 Stu-

dent Employee of the Year will be recognized and awarded with a $500 book scholarship at the UNA Awards Gala April 11. The winner will be submitted to the Regional National Student Employment Association Organization.

Gavin Best, a senior accounting major from Birmingham, works in the Student Recreation Center as assistant to the coordinator of fitness. Best graduates in May and plans to attend graduate school afterward, where he will complete the CPA exam and attain a master’s of accountancy. Best would like to work either in Nashville or Atlanta after graduate school. He said his commitment to leadership and dependability enabled him to be nominated for the award.

“Gavin knows the job so well and he knows what I need,” said Glenda Richey, fitness coordinator. “I don’t have to go back and double-check his work because

he knows what he needs to do and he does it.”

Amber Bodiford, a senior computer information systems major from Foley, works in Student Conduct and Student Affairs Assessment. She is the first point of contact and does general secretary duties in the office. Bodiford graduates in July and wants to pursue a career with the FBI’s Cyber Security Division or work as a bomb technician. Bodiford feels that her work ethic in conjunction with being in tune with students enabled her to be nominated.

“To be nominated for this award is awesome and a blessing in its own,” she said. “Even if I don’t win, to be nominated is an honor to me.”

Bailey Ellis, a senior secondary education and English major from Ozark, works at Business and Financial Affairs.

Ellis is a documents specialist working

in Financial Affairs and the Controller’s office. Ellis graduates in the fall after her internship and plans to teach in inner city schools. She said her assertiveness, charisma and ability to work well with others enabled her to be nominated.

The UNA Student Employee of the Year is a relatively new tradition that began three years ago by student employment coordinator Stephanie Smith.

“Student employees bring so much value to this university,” she said. “I would not be able to accomplish most of my tasks throughout the day without having a student employee. They are very vital to this campus community. It’s very important not only for them to gain skills that they’ll take into the workplace but also for us as the supervisors to groom and train the upcoming workforce.”

EVENTS

Writersʼ Series brings Nikki Giovanni, Trudier Harris to campus ALEX LINDLEY

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Acclaimed poet Nikki Giovanni and African-American literature scholar Trudier Harris read and spoke on campus March 13 and 14 as part of the UNA Writers’ Series.

Harris read poetry and a work in progress March 14 at 9:30 a.m., and Giovanni read her poetry March 14 at 11 a.m. in

the GUC Performance Center.

Giovanni, author of more than 30 books, is an internationally known poet, commentator, activist and educator. She currently teaches at Virginia Tech University.

Several of her books have been nominated for NAACP awards, and her autobiography “Gemini” was nominated for the National Book Award.

Harris has written several books on African-American literature. The native Alabamian is a professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and currently teaches at the University of Alabama.

The Writers’ Series was underwritten in part by grants from the Alabama Humanities Foundation and the Alabama State Council on the Arts. photo by SHANNON WELLS I University Photographer

LIFE

SECTION B

March 21, 2013• The Flor-Ala • Life Editor: Ann Harkey 256-765-5233

What are your 20s for?

Students discuss college years BLYTHE STEELMAN

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Parties, education, marriage, starting a family, finding yourself – there’s really no right answer when it comes to the question “What are your 20s for?”

Sarah Jessica Parker’s character Carrie Bradshaw on the popular movie “Sex and the City: The Movie” said they’re for enjoyment.

“Enjoy yourself- that’s what your 20s are for,” she said. “Your 30s are to learn the lessons. And your 40s are to pay for the drinks!”

While Parker’s character may have been right, some UNA students said they don’t feel the same.

Junior business major Carleigh Brown said she stays away from the party scene, choosing to use her 20s to develop and cultivate relationships with those around her.

“I’m really using these years to invest in other people and learn about them,” she said. “I’m striving toward a career and lasting friendships.”

Meg Jay, clinical assistant professor at the University of Virginia, recently gave a TED Talk o n making the most of your 20s.

“You meet people in their 30s and 40s who still don’t know what they want,” he said. “It’s easier sometimes to find out what you don’t want, rather than determining what you want 20 years from now.”

Jay explained during her presentation that many 20-somethings are too relaxed about what they do during their 20s. She said they develop intimate relationships without meaning, take on jobs unrelated to careers they wish to pursue later in life and they garner the wrong message from the media, looking at their 20s as an “extended adolescence.”

“When a lot has been pushed to your 30s, there is enormous 30-something pressure to start a family, have your career, pick a city,” she said.

“Many of these things are incompatible to do all at once.”

Mulack said he thinks your 20s are also open to change and anything could happen.

“You make plans, but you never know — things happen and they change,” he said.

Using your 20s to “own your adulthood” and invest in “identity capital” that will make you who you want to be later in life is a key part to making the most of your 20s, Jay said. She also said allowing for opportunity or change is important.

“Claiming your 20s is one of the simplest things you can do for work, happiness, love, maybe even for the world,” she said during the talk. “We know your brain caps off its second and last growth spurt in your 20s as it rewires itself for adulthood. Which means whatever you want to change, now is the time to change it.”

While changing things and discovery of one’s self could be a theme of your 20s, one UNA student said he has a different outlook on the decade.

“Your 20s are about discovering who you won’t be,” said Brian Mulack, a 28-year-old graduate student.

Figuring out what you don’t want out of life or the type of person you don’t want to be is sometimes easier than the alternatives, he said. photo illustration by CHRISTINA COVINGTON I Staff Photographer

2B LIFE

March 21, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

MOVIE REVIEW

ʻOz the Great and Powerfulʼ not so great PACE HOLDBROOKS

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A star-studded cast and high-end visual effects accompany an interesting new prequel to a classic story that reveals the man behind the curtain in Disney’s “Oz the Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi. The movie stars James Franco as Oscar Diggs, a magician and con artist who, after being trapped in a hot air balloon during a tornado in Kansas, finds himself transported to smack dab in the middle of the merry ol’ land of Oz. Shortly after a crash landing, Oscar (also known as “Oz”) meets a lovely young witch named Theodora, played

by Mila Kunis, who believes Oscar is actually the fulfillment of a prophecy that anticipates the arrival of a powerful wizard who will save the land of Oz from impending doom. Oscar, always quick with the slight of hand, lies and schemes his way into the hearts of Theodora and various other characters (including a talking monkey who can fly, voiced by Zach Braff of “Scrubs” fame) until he seems to convince even himself that he is the wizard.

The plot thickens when the young witch guides Oz to the Emerald City to

meet her sister, Evanora (Rachel Weisz), who acts as the kingdom’s steward until the rightful heir to the throne (the wizard from the prophecy), can appear and kill the Wicked Witch that terrorizes the land. Evanora tells Oz he must find this witch (who we learn is named Glenda, played by Michelle Williams) and break her wand.

It is during Oz’s confrontation with Glenda that true intentions are revealed, and the con artist realizes he is in way over his head. The ensuing story is one of heartbreak, hope, destiny and the art of getting over yourself.

Or at least, that’s what Disney wants you to think. The truth is, there’s nothing that great or powerful about this movie, unless you’re under the age of five (in which case you’re easily bored by things anyway; so, the movie’s effect will be about the same).

It’s not that “Oz” isn’t entertaining; it’s just that I’d be more entertained watching afternoon soap operas with my grandmother (although, the plot would lead you to believe the movie is a soap w opera, especially when trying to explain how the Wicked Witch of the West became so wicked).

The special effects in this movie do for the land of Oz what Tim Burton did to Wonderland in 2010; that is, create a place of magic and mystery that is made overly epic and too fantastical to look good on screen (to put it simply, the CGI moves from spectacular to horrible in a matter of moments).

What’s amazing is that some of the best acting in the movie comes from computer generated, supporting characters, such as the talking monkey, Finley, who steals the show with comic relief and warm-hearted lines of ooey-gooey sweetness.

What’s even more amazing is how mediocre Franco and Kunis are as two of the main characters. Oz the wizard goes from being cheesy and sneaky, to being cheesy and sneaky with a little more character; while, Kunis’ Theodora is unconvincing and ... well, you’d have to watch the movie.

To put it simply, picture a really good high school play where the most attractive kids are cast in the big roles.

Then, give that play a $300 million budget and you’ll have this movie. Honestly, I’d pay more to see a high school play of just about any caliber before I’d pay to see this one again. It’s not the worst — and there are some great moments for 3D audiences — but at best, I’d recommend waiting to just rent it.

AT

THE

BOX OFFICE

• GROSSED $144.1 MILLION DOMESTICALLY

• CURRENTLY NO. 1 MOVIE IN U.S. • 62 PERCENT ON ROTTEN TOMATOESʼ TOMATOMETER • PRODUCTION

COSTS

APPROXIMATELY

$325

MILLION

March 21, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Café 106 adds variety to downtown ANNA GRACE USERY ;\]LMV\ ?ZQ\MZ I][MZa(]VI ML]

A creative spunk of a new restaurant, Café 106 has teamed with On the Rocks to add a splash of big city livin’ to downtown Florence.

With a friendly staff and bohemian treats raging in New York pomp, this not-so-classic eatery welcomes metropolitan and rural guests.

Perfectly squeezed between On the Rocks and Mefford’s Jewelry, Café 106 is the new inhabitant to the ambiance and vivacity of the downtown area.

With my foot in the door, I observed the elongated coffee bar stretching the length of the room, filled with beans and grinds that would shame the almighty Starbucks. With a slogan like “We appreciate your addiction,” it’s obvious the place has prime character and charisma.

I spoke to Jedidiah Perry, cook extraordinaire, who told me the café was about to experience some changes in different areas.

“The menu is solid, but I know these guys (the owners of On the Rocks) are looking to create some new things,” Perry said. “Customers can begin to see some more seating and possibly some new signs to spice up the venue.”

The menu includes various sandwiches, soups, salads, bagels and scones to satisfy each meat, veggie and bread lover. Available daily from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., classic ham and sausage biscuits are freshly made. The café easily appeals to the early bird crowd seeking a cup of Joe and a side of dough.

After feeling how the lively atmosphere jolted my interest, I couldn’t wait to eat. I scanned the menu, tossing choices here and there as if it were a multiple choice assessment. Finally, my instinct told me to pursue the “Cadillac Club,” which ended up ranking in the top 10 of my positive life choices.

Anything with the name “Cadillac” is bound to be top of the line, hideyour-wife-hide-your-kids, eye candy, wipe-the-drool-off-your-face kind of good, right? That’s how I envisioned my lunch to be.

Speaking of Cadillac, my stomach groaned louder than the old, beat-up and barely running DeVille my mother drove when I was a kid. And yet, as grill master Perry brought out the panini stacked higher than the Sears Tower with ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, and bacon and drizzled lavishly with honey mustard, all I could think was, “I am about to devour.” The panini, paired with a heaping cup of Greek pasta salad infused with flavorful chunks of feta cheeses, sent me into a realm of satisfaction.

Without a doubt in my mind, I give Café 106 a thumbs up.

LIFE 3B

Look be nd you

hi

photo illustration by KAYLA SLOAN I Chief Photographer

Stalking is considered a crime in all 50 states because nearly 6.6 million people are stalked every year in the U.S.

Stalking more common than rape CORINNE BECKINGER ;\INN ?ZQ\MZ KJMKSQVOMZ(]VI ML]

A crime that often goes unnoticed or unwarranted as one that deserves immediate attention is stalking. Stalking is considered a crime in all 50 states because nearly 6.6 million people are stalked every year in the U.S. “Stalking is unwanted attention in an overabundance of attention that one individual places on another,” said Wayne Bergeron, interim chair and instructor of criminal justice. “It becomes a problem when the object of that attention be-

comes uncomfortable.”

According to Safe Horizon, women are three times more likely to be stalked than raped. Coincidentally, like rape victims, three out of four stalking victims previously know their stalkers.

These reports are true when looked at through UNA freshman Elizabeth Higgins. Higgins was stalked her first semester of college at work by a former high school classmate. Her stalker followed her to work to sit and stare at her while she was working. The stalking ended when Higgins’ coworkers noticed the situation and warned her.

“I was kind of scared to go out to my

car after that,” she said.

Higgins said the boy had exhibited the same sort of behavior while the two went to school together.

“He would turn around in class and just stare at me the entire period,” she said.

Bergeron said stalking can occur in relationships, at the workplace or among family members. He said what defines stalking is the behavior.

Stalking can be classified in various degrees for law enforcers.

According to Alabama’s Stalking

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4B LIFE

March 21, 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

CAMPUS

Self-defense workshop teaches techniques to escape violence

photo by COURTNEY WATKINS I Student Photographer

Senior Lauren Fulmer teaches a class of women how to break a neck hold from behind with partner Vanessa Gerig

KALI DANIEL

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The Center for Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Studies hosted a self-defense workshop March 14 for the campus community in order to teach what to do in a compromised situation.

Lauren Fulmer, a senior health, physical education and recreation major, led the workshop for 30 girls interested in be-

ing able to rescue themselves in the case of burglary, assault or sexual violence.

She began the workshop with packets of information including The RAPE Strategy (remain calm, alternatives, plan of action and escape) and prevention techniques that seemed redundant to most. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a reason you hear the same things over and over again (regarding safety),â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because they work.â&#x20AC;?

Fulmer went through numerous sce-

narios involving chokeholds and arm grabs, discussing what to notice and how to get out of the positions as quickly as possible. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hope no one has to go through these situations,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I also hope that if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in them, you can get away.

This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Hollywood â&#x20AC;&#x201D; this is Florence and the good guy doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always win.â&#x20AC;?

A mass email sent to all students on campus caught the attention of many of the girls who brought expectations that were both met and raised. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I came expecting that I would learn moves and gain confidence,â&#x20AC;? said Katie Dansby, a junior. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now I know that I can defend myself against someone bigger than me.â&#x20AC;?

The students were given opportunities to practice scenarios with each other.

Fulmer encouraged students to practice in the daytime. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Normally the situations youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re put in occur at night, such as getting a flat tire,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So pick a sunny day to go outside and practice changing a tire normally so that when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in a bad situation, you know what to do.â&#x20AC;?

These self-defense classes do not excuse men from committing heinous crimes against women but instead give females a sense of ability to defend themselves. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The reason that we do these kinds of events is because weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working on changing the attitudes of men toward women,â&#x20AC;? said Emily Kelley, Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center coordinator.

Sexual assaults occurring on campus impacted numerous students who attended the workshop. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would have gone even if those events hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t occurred,â&#x20AC;? Dansby said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The fact that they did happen definitely affected my decision to come.â&#x20AC;?

Other students were not fazed by the events and were simply interested in the idea of self-defense. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As far as I know, all of the assaults

â&#x20AC;?

I HOPE NO ONE HAS TO GO THROUGH THESE SITUATIONS. BUT I ALSO HOPE THAT IF YOUĘźRE IN THEM, YOU CAN GET AWAY.

LAUREN FULMER on campus have been alleged,â&#x20AC;? said Emily McCann, senior attendee of the workshop. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean much to me.

Not to downplay what has happened, but there is no hard evidence. The bottom line is that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your life and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in your hands. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to you to get away â&#x20AC;&#x201D; women should know how to defend themselves.â&#x20AC;?

Men as well as women could learn techniques from the workshops led by Fulmer, who frequently used â&#x20AC;&#x153;him or herâ&#x20AC;? to refer to a potential assaulter rather than just â&#x20AC;&#x153;him.â&#x20AC;? Many of her examples could be uniformly applied between the sexes.

STUDENT PROFILE

SGA secretary mixes it up, starts own DJ business BLYTHE STEELMAN

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Sophomore KeKe Greer, better known to some as DJ KG, has spent the last two years establishing herself as a leader and friendly face on UNAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I came to UNA, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know anyone,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;UNA wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t my first choice. I had a scholarship to a school about seven hours away from home. I came to SOAR, though, and I just fell in love.â&#x20AC;?

Already an active member of SGA, Residence Life, LaGrange Society and Phi Mu, Greer can also add DJ to the list. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the things that people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know is the DJing started in high school,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Music has always been a part of my life.â&#x20AC;?

Greer said she first became interested in DJing after exploring a computer pro-

;<)4316/ KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM * Resource Center, stalking in the first degree is considered a Class C felony and the most punishable of the various degrees. Stalking in the first degree involves a person who â&#x20AC;&#x153;intentionally and repeatedly follows or harasses another

gram at a church youth function in high school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Music is my get-down,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People can care about what you do and be excited for you, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re your own biggest fan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;DJing puts me on a different level.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about the high you get from doing something you love.â&#x20AC;?

After buying her own equipment and learning more, she started DJing several parties and campus events. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just me,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have a huge support team. And God is number one. I do have the skills and talent, but without him, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not possible. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What people didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see was the year I spent shadowing other DJs and asking questions. It all happened before the equipment and programs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The team of people around me keep me going. The circle isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t huge at all, and DJing doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen overnight. They helped me get here.â&#x20AC;?

A marketing major, Greer said sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s often asked why she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t major in something more closely related to music or DJing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I try to keep my DJ life and my personal life separate,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to be happy, and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to come to hate what I love as a hobby.â&#x20AC;?

Greer said her campus involvement has contributed a lot to the person sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s become since starting at UNA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You get what you put in,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I always recommend living on campus, because then you get the community feeling. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As far as Phi Mu goes, it blew my mind. It was spring 2012, and I got talked into going to a skate party during spring recruitment. They say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;When you know, you know.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I knew.â&#x20AC;?

She said the rest of her undergraduate experience has just been up from that point.

person and who makes a threat, either expressed or implied, with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily harm.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of people like to stereotype that stalkers are these closet geeks, but what we find is that both men and women are as likely to be victims as they are to be stalkers,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Generally, you have to look at what the behavior is and what the characteristics and relationship is to tell what stalking is.â&#x20AC;?

Often, calling attention to the issue will help to end stalking, Bergeron said.

Putting notice on the strange behavior Higginsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stalker exhibited helped to promptly end the situation. When coworkers called attention to the young man at work, he disappeared and has yet to reappear at work.

Higgins, however, said she wishes she had gone to an authority figure on her own but appreciates that others close to her looked out for her.

photo courtesy of ALLYSON BERRY

Greer performs at the Dance Marathon in the GUC Banquet Hall March 4.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;You need to be watching out for other people because I would have never know about it if my co-workers hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t told me,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Students who feel they are being stalked on campus can report the behavior to university police or to the Office of Student Conduct and Assessment. In both instances, the stalker can be identified and put on notice and allow for more serious actions to be taken.

SPORTS 5B

March 21, 2013• The Flor-Ala

BASKETBALL

BASKETBALL

Men, women drop regional tournament

Fowler receives conference coaching award

MALISA MCCLURE

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Both the men’s and women’s Lions basketball teams got knocked out of the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament in the opening rounds March 15-16.

The women’s team fell 51-41 to Delta State March 15.

In the game, the women committed 25 turnovers. The Statesman, who shot at only 27 percent from the floor, took 18 more shots than the Lions, getting most attempts off turnovers and offensive rebounds.

At the half, the Lions had 14 turnovers and trailed 23-15.

“We started a little slow, but I thought we were in good shape at the half,” said UNA head coach Terry Fowler in a March 15 press release. “We scored first in the second half, then just couldn’t get things going.”

In the second half, the Lions would not come closer than five points behind Delta State.

;MM 47;;-; XIOM *

MALISA MCCLURE

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photo by MALISA MCCLURE I Sports Editor

Mekena Randle is fouled during the UAH game earlier in the 2013 season. The Lions made it to the first round of the NCAA Division II tournament before ending their seasons 20-11 (women) and 19-9 (men).

UNA women’s basketball head coach Terry Fowler was named the 2012-13 Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year March 6.

This season, Fowler led the UNA women to a final record of 20-11 and two tournament appearances.

Fowler has led the Lions to the Gulf South Conference for seven years in a row, including an appearance in the semi-final round of the tournament in 2011.

After the 2012-13 season, Fowler holds an overall record of 115-87 at UNA. This is the second time in three seasons Fowler has recieved the award, the first time being in 2011 after UNA advanced to the NCAA Division II tournament.

BASEBALL

Lions take two of three against Chargers MATT WILSON

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The Lions took two of three against the UA-Huntsville Chargers over the weekend in a conference series that saw the Lions’ bats come alive.

UNA opened Saturday’s doubleheader with an 8-6 win behind Chad Boughner on the mound. Boughner went 8 1/3 innings in the opener to get the win, despite giving up 12 hits. The win brought Boughner’s career win tally to 28.

The Lions went down early to the Chargers in game one, falling behind 3-0 in the second inning. UNA’s bats woke up slowly, getting a run back in the bottom of the second and another in the third.

UNA took the lead during a huge four-run fourth inning with all the runs coming with two outs. Jake Ward’s triple brought in Josh Carpenter to start the lead-taking rally. Big hits from Dylan Boston and Andrew Almon polished off an important inning for the Lions. Another RBI by Boston in the sixth and a run scored on an UAH error in the eighth put UNA up 8-3 before having to fend off a seventh inning charge by UAH. The three runs plated by the Chargers included a two-run homerun before Boughner was able to get himself out of trouble.

Third baseman Almon said the team knew it was going to be an important weekend.

“Coming in, we knew we were going to have our hands full,” Almon said.

“UAH was leading the conference in hitting. I think they were batting around .350. But we had been working hard on our hitting, and the weekend before against Delta State and this past weekend against UAH, it came together for us.”

The second game Saturday turned into a pitcher’s duel. A far cry from the opener, game two saw Michael Watkins pitch a 1-0 shutout. Matthew Tittle was brought home on a Bradley Noland double in the second inning to set up a tense seven-inning battle from the mounds.

Watkins not only had some of his best pitching working for him, but he also combined with first baseman Josh Cyr and Almon on a couple of big defensive plays to get himself out of a jam. Right fielder Josh Doyle also made a sliding catch in the sixth inning to preserve the one-run lead.

“We expected the second game to be kind of like the first with both teams swinging the bats well,” Almon said. “Watkins had

his best stuff on Saturday, and we all played well on defense to keep it going.”

After scoring the first run early in the game, Almon said it began to get a bit tenser as the innings wore on.

“There are always some nerves in a game like that,” he said. “We just wanted to play good defense and try and help our pitcher out.”

The series finale did not pan out the way the Lions would have liked as they dropped game three 10-8 after having an 8-1 lead in the sixth inning. The Lions gave up nine runs on 14 hits to the visitors over the last four innings, during which both dugouts made their dissatisfaction with the

umpires known.

“Over the course of the whole weekend I would say the calls weren’t very consistent,” Almon said. “It’s frustrating when he calls it a ball at one at bat and then calls the same pitch strike three at the next at bat.

“We know we can’t let up, and losing a game like that is tough for us, but we have another huge weekend series coming up down at West Florida.”

The two wins over the weekend bring the Lions up to 5-4 in the GSC and 13-10 overall.

UNA faces West Florida away this weekend.

West Florida is 6-3 in conference play and currently third behind UAH and Delta State.

photo by MICHAEL REDDING I Staff Photographer

Outfielder Jake Ward narrowly makes it back to first base against UAH March 16.

6B SPORTS

March 21, 2013 • The Flor-Ala

FOOTBALL

UNA hosts inaugural ProGrass Bowl JAMES DUBUISSON ;\INN ?ZQ\MZ RL]J]Q[[WV(]VI ML]

The first ProGrass International Scout Bowl was held at UNA’s Braly Stadium March 15, with the South team winning 26-14.

FINAL SCORE SOUTH - 26 NORTH - 14 The ProGrass motto was “The Road to Pro Football: A Second Chance at a First Impression.”

The all-star game included Division I and some Division II players who were trying to show out for NFL scouts before the draft in April.

70 athletes were divided into North and South teams, each with a coaching staff of prominent figures of NFL and NCAA D-I football.

”

IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING ALL-STAR GAMES I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN. BOTH TEAMS GAVE GREAT EFFORT ON D.

JOHNY MAJORS The ProGrass International Scout Bowl was a success, according to Majors. Players from the University of South Carolina, University of Florida, Purdue University, University of Colorado, Rutgers University, University of South Florida, University of Pittsburgh, Villanova University, Clemson University, University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama participated in this all-star game.

Legendary Tennessee Volunteers coach Johnny Majors coached the South team.

“It was one of the most interesting all-star games I have been involved in,” he said. “Both teams gave great effort on

photo by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer

St. Xavier quarterback James Coy III, playing for the South team, looks downfield in the ProGrass International Scout Bowl in Braly stadium on March 15. The ProGrass Bowl featured top players from NCAA Divisions I and II as well as players from around the world.

D.” The South side went up 13-0 at the end of the first half, but the North fought back in the third by scoring two straight touchdowns to go up 14-13.

“Both teams fought hard,” he said.

“They had great attitudes.”

The South scored the last two touchdowns of the game to get the win. Mike Gottfried and Rey Dempsey were assistant coaches on the South team.

47;;-; KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM * The loss to DSU broke a two-game winning streak against the Statesmen and ended the women’s season with a 20-11 record.

The men lost 90-84 to Florida Southern March 16.

After leading by four at the half, the Lions opened the half with a threepointer from Rashaun Claiborne.

The Mocs, however, responded with the 14-2 run, including 10 straight points.

The Mocs led by as many as 11 points late in the game before the Lions made one last push. Behind 79-68, UNA used an 11-3 run to cut the deficit to just three points in the final 2:04 of play.

Claiborne scored 10 points during the run, but the Lions could get no

closer than 82-79 after his jumper at the 2:04 mark.

A 12-1 run by the Mocs brought about the final score of 94-80.

“I kept being aggressive and kept shooting the ball,” Claiborne said. “My shots were falling.”

The loss ended the men’s season with a record of 19-9.

“I am extremely proud of this team,” said head coach Bobby Champagne in a March 16 press release.

“All year long, they have played hard. We were picked to finished fifth in our conference, and to make the NCAA Tournament is a tremendous accomplishment for us. We have a lot of guys coming back and are excited about the future.”

Gottfried, Dempsey and Majors have known each other for many years.

“It was extra special to see (Gottfried) and (Dempsey) again,” Majors said. “We have been friends for a long time. We had a lot of laughs.”

Khiry Robinson from West Texas A&M had 101 yards on the ground on 17 carries for the South team. The North team was led by Purdue University receiver Antavian Edison. He returned a

punt 90 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter that put the North side up.

His one reception was for 36 yards.

Khiry Robinson is ranked 48 out of the 192 running backs in the 2013 NFL Draft Class, according to nfldraftscout. com.

“Khiry Robinson and Antavian Edison could play for any team I coach,” Majors said.

SPORTS 7B

March 21, 2013• The Flor-Ala

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT

Rogers devoted to golf, classroom BRANDON ANERSON ;\]LMV\ ?ZQ\MZ [IVLMZ[WV (]VI ML]

Mason Rogers is a sophomore at UNA who plays for the golf team.

Rogers developed a love for golf as a child and became more competitive when he was 10. He showed his talent and his passion for golf through the golf team at Boaz High School under coach Eric Whaley.

“It’s really challenging,” Rogers said. “You’re not always good and not always bad.”

He was given an offer to play for Auburn University but turned it down to be a part of a smaller community. UNA was able to provide that for him along with a better scholarship.

At UNA, some of his great accomplishments include tying for fifth in the TVA Credit Union Invitational, 11th at the Kiawah Island Invitational in South Carolina and 12th in the AFLAC/Cougar Invitational.

Rogers pledged to Kappa Sigma and is studying sports management. Outside of class, he is devoted to golf.

“I’m either on the golf course or on campus,” Rogers said.

Rogers works at the Turtle Point Country Club, the No. 2 private golf course in the state. Rogers is confident the job will bring him to a great future career, stating that “it will look good on offers.” He works for a master professional at the course.

Rogers’ goals include working as a swing instructor at a teaching facility where he can teach rising golfers the fundamentals of the sport, and playing on a professional level as well.

“I always concentrated on golf because that’s what I want to do in the future,” Rogers said.

;\INN ?ZQ\MZ RL]J]Q[[WV(]VI ML]

photo courtesy of Sports Information

Mason Rogers, a sophomore at UNA, is devoted to being a golf player, a student, and a member of Kappa Sigma.

Paleo diet dangerous for athletes, restrictive ;\]LMV\ ?ZQ\MZ TUMKKTM[\WV(]VI ML]

With celebrities like Megan Fox, Jessica Biel and Matthew McConaughey following a paleolithic diet, people may wonder if it is a good lifestyle for themselves as well.

The paleo diet, also referred to as the caveman diet, is similar to how it sounds. When following a paleo lifestyle, people aim to eat the way human ancestors ate during the Paleolithic era before the Agricultural Revolution. This means eating a diet of grass-fed meats, seafood, nuts, vegetables, eggs, healthy oils (such as olive or coconut oil) and fruits, while eliminating dairy, grains, processed foods, salt, potatoes, refined sugar and refined vegetable oils, according to thepaleodiet.com.

Jill Englett, UNA human environmental science instructor, said that while she likes how the paleo diet encourages more fruits and vegetables, she would question any diet that cuts out an entire

Purple defeats White in UNA spring game JAMES DUBUISSON

LIFESTYLE

LYNN ECCLESTON

FOOTBALL

food group.

“Any time a diet leaves a food group out, you’re going to miss vital nutrients,” she said.

Stephanie Holmes, a personal trainer, said the paleo diet is healthy if you are not an athlete or extremely active person.

“Athletes need more of the simple carbohydrates that we get from our processed grains and sugars, so if you are an athlete that would like to commit to the paleo diet, you would need to make some modifications to the diet such as bringing in starchy tubers, like sweet potatoes,” Holmes said.

Because modern people do not live the same lifestyle as Paleolithic ancestors, the paleo diet takes careful planning. For example, very few people today have wild game availability, and even produce is processed when it is picked and shipped, Englett said.

UNA student Demarcus Anderson said he is too used to eating dairy products and grains to live a paleo lifestyle.

“The only way I could see myself trying to do something like that is if someone was offering me some good money, because eating like that’s a challenge,” he said.

For people wondering whether the paleo diet is right for them, Holmes said to begin by cutting out prepackaged foods and to shop only around the perimeter of the grocery store, avoiding the middle aisles.

“Grocery stores are set up so that if you were to shop only on the outside walls you can get everything your body really needs,” she said.

The best way to lose weight is to make small, sustainable changes, Englett said. Losing more than one to two pounds per week begins breaking into lean body mass (a metabolic driver), which will slow the metabolism.

For more information on healthy eating, Englett suggests going to the website choosemyplate.gov and entering your information for a personalized plan.

The UNA Lions football team split up into two squads to play in the spring game March 16. The Purple squad defeated the White squad 17-7.

The seniors picked the teams earlier in the week.

“I can’t remember ever at West Alabama or here being able to divide up into two teams and two good teams,” said Bobby Wallace, head coach.

The game was free for fans and students and it appeared as if everyone enjoyed themselves.

“We had a lot of enthusiasm and we had a lot of fun,” Wallace said.

Wallace spoke about his first impressions for the team to come.

“My first impressions are that we have good depth, not at all positions, but at some positions,” he said.

The receiver position is the major concern for the coaches.

“We need more depth behind the three guys,” Wallace said. “I really didn’t see anything today that was to the point where I was excited.”

Offensive coordinator Cody Gross agreed with Wallace about the depth at receiver.

“We still have to have some folks step up at receiver,” he said.

Depth at running back is the exact opposite as four players can play.

“We all know what LaMonta Thomspon and Chris Coffey can do,” Wallace said. “Diamond Simmons is an outstanding player.”

Wallace and Gross were impressed by Will Minor’s performance.

“Will Minor made some really good runs,” Gross said.

“I thought Will Minor had some pretty good runs in the second half,” Wallace said.

There were no serious injuries during the game.

“The biggest win of the day was that we did not have anybody seriously hurt,” Wallace said.

Gross enjoyed the unusual situation of being able to go for the defense.

“It was good to root for the defense, because during the spring, you never get to do that,” he said.

Gross said the team needs to work on turnovers and its mentality before its game against Miles College at the start of the fall season.

“We have to do a better job of taking care of the ball,” he said. “We have to get mentally tougher.”

Wallace is looking forward to the fall season.

“I am excited; we had an excellent spring,” he said.

8B EXTRA

March 21, 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

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