March 13 Issue

MARCH MADNESS BRACKET

SPORTS 4B AND 5B Mar. 13, 2014

Volume 82, Issue 25

ADMINISTRATION

www.FlorAla.net

Student newspaper of the University of North Alabama

SGA

SPRING CONCERT ROUNDUP: WHO WILL IT BE?

University president announces resignation

Spring 2012 J. Cole

Spring 2013 Phillip Phillips and Mat Kearney

Spring 2014

BLYTHE STEELMAN

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University President William Cale announced his resignation from his position via email to all faculty and staff members Thursday, March 6.

“I will resign from the Presidency of UNA effective July 1, but I hope to remain active with the university for an additional six months after that as we move through this transition period,” Cale wrote in the email.

Director of Communications and Marketing Terry Pace has worked with Cale in several different roles, including his time as the former interim director of communications in 2007, he said.

“My official statement for the university essentially mirrors my personal one,” Pace said. “He is really the person who is most responsible for pulling me out of my own independent work and projects and back into full-time employment.”

”

IT IS EQUALLY TRUE THAT LEAVING ALL THAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED AND ESPECIALLY ALL THAT IS IN PROCESS IS VERY DIFFICULT.

WILLIAM CALE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT Cale’s management and leadership styles, as well as the way he “carefully considers each situation and listens to others” were all factors that influenced Pace’s decision to return to work under Cale’s supervision, he said.

Board of Trustees members

INSIDE

this week’s paper

file photos by CHRISTINA COVINGTON I Senior Staff Photographer

Artists J. Cole, Phillip Phillips and Mat Kearney perform in Flowers Hall and Norton Auditorium as previous spring concert entertainers.

This year’s spring concert is set for Tuesday, April 29. The artist has not yet been released.

Artist selection, announcement depend on timeline

WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CHANGE,

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?

BLYTHE STEELMAN

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Though the artist has not been announced, the University Program Council has planned their annual spring concert for Tuesday, April 29.

“We have an offer (for an artist) that’s been accepted,” said UPC adviser Tyler Thompson.

“We’re just waiting on the contracts, which are going through the signature channels as we speak.”

UPC members hope to announce the artist at the beginning of April, said Alonzo Dukes, chairperson of UPC’s live acts committee.

“The week after we come back from spring break is prob-

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

ably when we’ll announce (the artist),” Dukes said. “That way, we’ll have about one month to do public relations (for the concert).”

Signing an artist for this year’s concert has taken slightly longer than years past, Thompson said. However, he encourages UPC members to begin thinking about the concert as early as November.

Knowing which artists to pursue and securing funds for the concert are at the top of the list of things to do, Thompson said.

“There is a benefit to waiting (until later in the school year) to choose an artist,” Thompson said. “You’re more likely to get a huge artist who is between tour

SPORTS..............1B LIFE..................6B EXTRA................8B

dates, and you can get them at a benefit to the university.”

The live acts committee begins their search for the concert artist after their budget is set Oct. 1, Dukes said.

From his experience, Thompson said the timeline for securing an artist and planning the concert is about the same at other schools.

“There’s a process whenever you’re doing this,” Thompson said. “(Being behind) is nothing bad on their (UPC’s) part, and I don’t think it would have changed the outcome.”

While the annual student concert is held during the fall semester at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, Director of Student Activities Nichole

Goode said they usually announce their artist in early June.

“We hold our concert the Saturday after classes begin,” Goode said. “We begin looking at artists in early February and conduct a student poll (to choose an artist) around (the time of) spring break. We typically try to announce in early June, after the first or second orientation session.”

After looking at their budget, as well as which artists are available, Goode said her office usually offers anywhere from three to four artists students would really enjoy having on campus.

They also leave room for students to make suggestions each year.

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WELCOME TO THE LIONS DEN ...6A

Please recycle your paper.

2A NEWS REGULATIONS

Officials anticipate rise in Title IX investigations ASHLEY REMKUS

;\INN ?ZQ\MZ IZMUS][(]VI ML] The campus community can expect to see an increase in the number of Title IX investigations taking place in the near future. As early as fall 2014, students, faculty and staff will be required to begin training to learn more about Title IX. Title IX refers to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination based on sex or gender from any educational program, activity or institution that is federally funded, said Joan Williams, UNA’s Title IX officer.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw an increase in the number of investigations from an average of about five per year to about 30 to 40,” said Director of Student Conduct Kim Greenway.

Greenway said she expects to see this increase because Title IX investigations will now include cases of harassment, dating violence and victims being coerced or incapacitated because of alcohol consumption.

”

I WOULDNʼT BE SURPRISED IF WE SAW AN

INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INVESTIGATIONS FROM AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT FIVE PER YEAR TO ABOUT

March 13, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

INTERNATIONAL

Why should students care about...

Ukraine?

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Political tensions have increased significantly in past weeks, as coverage of political turmoil in Ukraine dominates news outlets.

Images of the burning cars, smoking buildings and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s and updates of the Crimea peninsula and Russia’s invasion have dominated news coverage. All of these are related to the current political crisis in Ukraine.

Tim Collins, professor of political science, believes it is important for students to be aware of this conflict and the impact it could have on the world. “(Awareness) is part of being a literate citizen of the world as well as a patriotic U.S. citizen,” Collins said.

What is happening in 30 OR 40. Ukraine?

KIM GREENWAY

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT CONDUCT These changes occurred after the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights released a Dear Colleague Letter in 2011. The letter gave Title IX jurisdiction over a larger variety of sexual crimes.

“Sexual harassment of students, which includes acts of sexual violence is a form of sexual discrimination,” the letter reads. “The requirements of Title IX pertaining to sexual harassment also cover sexual violence. Sexual violence refers to physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent.”

The letter also says a person is considered incapable to give consent if he or she is impaired by drugs alcohol or a disability.

The new stipulations in Title IX also mean that Title IX investigators on campus are taking on some of the workload that previously has fallen on other University entities.

“Up until this point, the University Police Department would do our investigation, send it to the District Attorney’s office and give a copy of the investigation to University Student Conduct,” said UNA Police Chief Bob Pastula. “Title IX encompasses just about everything on

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Russian forces are currently occupying an area of Ukraine called the Crimean Peninsula. Russian officials cite this military move as a police action to protect stability within the country.

However, a negative view of the situation would suggest that Russia’s actions might be an attempt to reclaim some of the territory they occupied as the Soviet Union, Collins said.

Why did Russia invade the Crimean Peninsula?

While it is hard to say, this invasion is part of a chain reaction that dates back to the Cold War. The more recent events begin in Kiev, Ukraine’s capital city, where protestors began protesting economic decisions made by former-Ukranian President Victor Yanukovych.

“The President rejected a trade deal

from the European Union, which would have improved trade relations between the EU and Ukraine,” Collins said. “In response to that, the Russians offered Ukraine a $15 billion bailout. Yanukovich rejected the EU’s offer and accepted the Russian offer.”

Yanukovych’s decision upset many within the Ukranian population, since it appeared to some that the President was acting as a puppet for the Russian government. To some citizens, accepting Russia’s bailout money draws Ukraine further into Russia’s sphere of influence, Collins said.

Adding to the tension is the division between Ukranian citizens, with some being pro-Russia and others disliking the idea of Russian control.

“The protestors are those who want Ukraine to be more westernized, more like Europe and have stronger ties to Europe rather than to Moscow,” Collins said. “(These dissenters) began to protest and the protest grew. They eventually toppled the statue of Lenin (in Kiev, which serves as a reminder of Ukraine’s history).”

How did the protests escalate?

The protests came to a head in February, when Yanukovych was removed from office and fled the country.

“In the mean time, the Russians argued that (this action) was a coup,” Collins said. “Soon after, the Russians took over the airports in the Crimean Peninsula. (Western governments) responded by banning the visas of those who had ordered the taking of the Crimean peninsula

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EDUCATION

Faculty Senate reviews evaluation process ANNA GRACE USERY 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ WVTQVM(NTWZITI VM\

Faculty Senate members are currently evaluating ways to make the teacher evaluation process more effective.

“The particular instrument we use here (at UNA) has not been proven effective at accurately measuring teacher evaluation,” said Faculty Senate President Lesley Peterson.

Peterson believes the process is important because students need to have a voice and be able to provide feedback on classroom experience, she said.

Sophomore Will Chaney does not believe the evaluations measure what they are intended to.

“I personally think that people rush to get them done because they see them as a nuisance,” Chaney said.

Teacher evaluations are used in conjunction with other sources of information to evaluate whether or not an instructor should be rehired or should receive promotions or tenure.

“We want to supplement the current

system, not abolish it,” Peterson said.

“Nobody wants to see it go away unless we can see something added to it.”

The research has shown there is no way of telling if the evaluations are measuring teacher effectiveness because the validity — measuring what we think we are measuring — is very low, said Assistant Professor of Psychology Gabriela Carrasco.

“Faculty Senate is suggesting the administration create a committee to look into this,” she said.

There are two different recommendations that will be set before Faculty Senate regarding the supplementation of evaluations, Peterson said.

“The first is to review the frequency on how individual faculty members are evaluated,” she said. “The other is to ask President Cale to appoint a committee to review the current system.”

Brandi McCravy, a junior, feels scantron sheets are not the best method of evaluation because most people just fill in all the bubbles without reading the questions, she said.

“I think it would be better to hand-

write responses to questions or maybe even interview a random selection of students to check teacher performances,” she said.

Junior Ryan Cole said the evaluations are a waste of his time.

“I don’t go to class to evaluate my professor — I go to learn,” he said. “You should be able to tell by my grade if I learned what I was supposed to or not.”

Peterson believes administrators, faculty and students all need to be included to discuss evaluations, she said.

“We know it needs to be fixed and we know faculty aren’t the ones who can solely make changes,” she said.

Faculty Senate will make a decision on what to recommend and that proposition will go to the Shared Governance Executive Committee, and in turn they will decide whom it goes to next, Peterson said.

The next Faculty Senate meeting will be Thursday, March 13 in Floyd Science Building room 102.

Editor’s note: Stick with The Flor-Ala as this story develops.

NEWS 3A

March 13, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

EDUCATION

University Success Center adjusts to new Commons location JASMINE FLEMING

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As the great migration into The Commons continues, the staff of the University Success Center continues to move programs into their new location. Students can expect to see the entire center under one roof shortly after spring break. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re waiting on some last-minute pieces,â&#x20AC;? said Robert Koch, director of the University Success Center. â&#x20AC;&#x153;None of the white boards have come in, but those have been ordered. As soon as we have everything taken care of, we can start moving in our student personnel and really kind of ramp up everything thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening.â&#x20AC;?

One issue with the move is it taking place in the middle of the semester, said Kathleen Richards, assistant director of the Center for Writing Excellence, which is part of the larger center. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only negative I see about moving to the new space is moving during the middle of the semester,â&#x20AC;? Richards said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This might be confusing to students. We will be sending out emails to everyone so they know whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on and where we will be located like financial services did.â&#x20AC;?

Once the University Success Center is completely moved in, students will see improvements in the physical space, Koch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had one-on-one tutorial spaces and we had study group spaces in the old Writing Center in Collier Library, but this gives us an entirely different level of un-

photo by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer

Amy Crews, director of University Advising, discusses the University Success Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new location with sophomores Alton Colvin and Ethan Feener, who are also employees of the center.

derstanding for those spaces,â&#x20AC;? Koch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;(The different programs) see each other now and work side by side.â&#x20AC;?

The centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new location also offers additional advantages, Richards said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m most excited about us being able to be interactive with other tutoring services on campus,â&#x20AC;? Richards said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will be more readily available to assist students and our hours will be a little

longer. We will be more connected with offices such as advising and financial services, and this will let us help students in the best possible way.â&#x20AC;?

The center now has multiple areas for students to work in including a larger computer lab, which can be used as a testing facility, and smaller computer labs, all equipped with programs like InDesign for communications or English classes.

Each room will be completely wireless, Koch said.

Junior Sarah Jane has been in the University Success Center to study with friends, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s super quiet, and I really appreciate that,â&#x20AC;? Jane said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of space and everything is clean and new.

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SGA

Senators table proposed bill for office hour requirement ASHLEY REMKUS

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The Senate branch of the Student Government Association opened the floor for discussion on a bill that would require all senators to hold one office hour per week beginning fall 2014.

The proposal sparked a lively discussion during Senateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s March 6 meeting.

Senator Jacob Ezell, co-author of the bill, believes the bill will help Senate achieve greater visibility on campus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If students can see us in the office, they can have a better opportunity to talk to us,â&#x20AC;? Ezell said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Students can know there is always someone in a set location (the SGA office) where they can talk to a senator.â&#x20AC;?

Senator Jensen Joiner believes all SGA members should be in support of the bill. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in the office, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an opportunity we missed to talk to a student,â&#x20AC;?

Joiner said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The purpose of this (legislation) is for us to be in the office to conduct SGA business. We havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t achieved all of the SGA goals yet this year, so this bill is not asking a lot.â&#x20AC;?

The bill was amended to require all SGA members, including University Program Council delegates and members of Freshman Forum and the judicial branch, to spend one hour per week in the SGA office. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only way this bill is going to pass

â&#x20AC;?

IF STUDENTS CAN SEE US IN THE OFFICE,

THEY HAVE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO TALK

BE IRRESISTIBLE.

TO US.

JACOB EZELL SGA SENATOR is if all members of SGA are required to be accountable, not just Senate,â&#x20AC;? said Senator Jordan Graham. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Senate uses state money, but UPC spends student money to plan events, so they should also be required to be accountable to students.â&#x20AC;?

Freshman Patrick Wilson thinks there should be someone in the SGA office at all times for students to talk to. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think an hour is not too much to ask,â&#x20AC;? Wilson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give up an hour, you might need to find another (organization to join). Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voluntary, but they should be able to spend an hour per week in the office.â&#x20AC;?

As long as there is someone in the office at all times during the day, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter if they all spend an hour each week in the office, said Seth Myrick, a freshman.

The bill was tabled until the March 13 meeting so it can be presented to members of the other SGA branches for feedback before a vote is taken.

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4A NEWS

March 13, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

SERVICE

One Can at a Time Campus food pantry expands, offers help to students TAELOR HOPWOOD

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The Feeding the Pride food pantry is looking to expand and have its own space in 2014.

The pantry, currently located in GUC 225 behind the Performance Center, shares its space with the Student Government Association.

A delay in opening for the spring semester was due to out-of-date food and a small expansion, said co-leader Kelsey White.

“We got two new shelves and were waiting on those to be put together,” White said. “We didn’t want it to look like a tornado went through there.”

They received two new cabinets to store food, but they are still in the process of searching for a new location, White said.

The food pantry has approximately 30 student volunteers who assist food pantry visitors, in addition to volunteering throughout the week with organization and donations, White said.

“It’s a student-led entity in its own,” said Ryan Melson, who leads the campus ministry Lion City.

There have been additional changes made to the application students must fill out before using the food pantry, too, White said.

“There were certain types of questions on there that just weren’t necessary,” said Coordinator of Leadership and Volunteerism Bethany Oliver. “So, we tried to simplify it.”

Students only have to turn in one application, which can be found on Orgsync. Students can also find paper copies outside the Office of Student Engagement, White said.

Once their application has been turned in, students can receive assistance from the food pantry once per week, White said.

The food pantry served 50 to 60 students consistently last semester, Oliver said.

“Having the food pantry on campus is a wonderful idea,” said junior Bonnie Bryztwa. “Not only is it convenient, but it truly helps those in need.”

The food pantry relies heavily on donations they receive from both the UNA and Florence communities. Anyone can donate, and some of the donations for the pantry came from non-profit organizations and churches, Melson said.

People interested in donating to Feeding the Pride can go online to the Orgsync Leadership and Volunteer page to see the list of recommended donations, as well as an address for monetary donations, Oliver said.

Freshman nursing student Sydney Jones said she believes the pantry is a great benefit to campus and she would volunteer if the pantry were open during times she could volunteer.

Student volunteer Katie Dansby said she volunteered because she wanted to give back to the community.

“I wanted to know that my time was being spent somewhere beneficial to other people,” Dansby said. “I wanted to know that there was at least one thing I was doing that was for selfless reasons.”

The pantry is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

file photo by KAYLA SLOAN I Senior Staff Photographer

Cans and boxes of food line the cabinet shelves of Feeding the Pride, the campus’ student-run food pantry. The pantry is located behind the performance center in room 225 of the Guillot University Center and is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday.

RSO

Military, veteran alliance finds home on campus LAUREN TOBIN

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After years of waiting, military and veteran students will soon have a place to call their own in the Guillot University Center. Due to recent space openings after The Commons’ debut, the Military and Veterans Alliance Center will be moving into a space in the GUC. The new space will consist of two rooms on the second floor of the GUC. The center’s leaders are waiting to move in, said retired Lt. Col. Wayne Bergeron, adviser for MVA. “I would hope that we could begin using the spaces by the end of the semester,” Bergeron said.

Bergeron hopes the space will be fully functional for veterans and ROTC students by the beginning of the fall semester, he said.

Senior Megan Thornton thinks the center is a good idea since it allows military and veteran students to meet each other.

“If they want their own spot, they

should have it,” she said. “I can’t believe there’s not already something like that (for veteran and military students).”

Students will primarily use the center, but other veteran organizations have mentioned visiting as well, Bergeron said.

“Mainly we’re looking for somewhere for students to congregate, (where they) can get some help with different issues,” he said.

These issues include helping veterans and military students with Veteran Affairs benefits and GI bills, Bergeron said.

Sophomore Shelby Boman is unaware of any services currently offered for veterans at UNA, she said.

“I think it’s useful for them (military students) to meet with other people and get things sorted out,” Boman said.

The center may also offer a support group for those suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. Bergeron does not want this to be perceived as a replacement for Student Health Services, though, he said.

The goal for the center is to provide military and veteran students a link to

file photo by CHELSEA PARRISH I Student Photographer

Vice President of Academic Affairs John Thornell, Student Government Association President Laura Giles and retired Lt. Col. Wayne Bergeron listen to Col. Carl Brook speak during the 2013 Veteran’s Day ceremony.

other veteran organizations on campus, as well as a quiet place with the appropriate resources, Bergeron said.

The center will also feature a computer bank, a study area, a television and a meeting place for benefits and disability issues, Bergeron said.

“We’re going to make it what the

military veteran students want it to be,” Bergeron said.

Bergeron is currently planning to meet with the military and veteran students who may be interested in helping decide what direction the center will go in. These students will also help as MVA leaders, he said.

March 13, 2014 • The Flor-Ala +)4- KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) will discuss the timeline and process for hiring a new president during the quarterly board meeting later this month, said Rodney Howard in a university press release. Howard currently serves as the president pro tempore of the Board of Trustees.

“We want to make the search process as transparent and thorough as possible,” Howard said in the press release. “I think we’re probably talking about a period of four to six months or longer. I would say it’s possible that we might be able to make a selection by the second semester of the 2014-15 school year.”

Board members will talk about Cale’s resignation further at the meeting on Monday, March 17 at 11 a.m.

In his email, Cale thanked faculty and staff members for their support during his tenure. He said his hope is that he can continue to assist with ongoing univer-

+76+-:< KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) “There are lots of things to consider,” Goode said. “We like to rotate the genres from year to year, and you can’t please everyone, but we typically do a good job of choosing artists that the students like and keeping those things in mind.”

Tim Barrington, faculty adviser for the Student Activities Council at the University of Tennessee at Martin, said the council begins planning their annual concert at the beginning of the calendar year.

The concert is held each fall during the town’s Soybean Festival, which falls on Labor Day weekend.

The SAC at UTM partners with the town to sponsor a Student Night at the Festival, where their annual concert is held. The council funds the entire concert, Barrington said.

“We have several acts booked already for the festival,” Barrington said. “We don’t announce the artist until it is con-

sity projects, pending Board of Trustees members’ approval.

“While it is true that I am looking forward to this change, it is equally true that leaving all that has been accomplished and especially all that is in process is very difficult,” Cale said. “I very much look forward, pending approval from our Board, to have the opportunity to continue to focus on a few university projects where I can be helpful.”

Cale has been crucial to furthering each of the components and facets of the university, Pace said.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with him on so many projects,” Pace said.

“He has been the key to all of the pieces of the puzzle that have fit together to make everything better for the University of North Alabama.”

NEWS 5A

Editor’s note: Due to travel circumstances, President William Cale could not be reached for comment before press time. file photo by DALLAS MOORE I Sports Editor

tractually agreed upon, but we usually always announce it at least three months in advance.”

While they might be behind schedule this year, Dukes said UPC members have extended offers to artists who either did not work out or did not accept or deny the offer in a timely manner.

“We’ve had people back out or have been unable to accommodate (certain artists),” Dukes said.

Having a concert each spring is not a “sacred cow,” Thompson said.

“I try to hold (UPC members) to certain timelines and expectations (for the concert),” Thompson said. “But they’re not guaranteed to have a spring concert if they can’t meet those expectations.”

Editor’s note: Troy University, University of South Alabama, University of West Georgia, Samford University, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Georgia Southern University were also contacted but could not be reached for comment on their annual student concerts.

Your campus. Your news. www.florala.net

Board of Trustee member Rodney Howard and University President William Cale take a moment for discussion during the Dec. 10, 2013 Board of Trustee meeting. Cale announced his resignation from his position via email Thursday, March 6. A search for a new president will be discussed during the quarterly board meeting later this month, said Rodney Howard in a university press release.

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6A NEWS WhatĘźs the BIG deal?

March 13, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

ENTERTAINMENT

photo by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer

Students play video games at the Lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Den, the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game room. Kayla Wade, an attendant, said many of the students who come are regulars.

Students discuss game roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appeal JASMINE FLEMING

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The Lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Den: a thriving hot spot within the Guillot University Center where any student can go unwind in a calm environment full of video game consoles and other recreational outlets. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I come here all the time,â&#x20AC;? said freshman Austin Byrd. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in here five days a week. I usually stay for about an hour and a half.â&#x20AC;?

The atmosphere in the game room makes it a place students want to be, Byrd said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like to come in between classes and at lunch time,â&#x20AC;? Byrd said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I also can come in here to meet new people because the people in here are always friendly â&#x20AC;&#x201D; especially the workers.â&#x20AC;?

Kayla Wade, an attendant for the game room, finds most of the people who come to the Lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Den are regulars. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The people at the computers come every day, the people at the Xbox come every day and the people on the PS4 come mostly every day,â&#x20AC;? Wade said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know people by first names, last names, and I could flip them around and look at their feet and still tell who they are. Pretty much every single person here comes here every day.â&#x20AC;?

Wadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job description includes assisting students as well as keeping the equipment safe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I check people in, and I make sure they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have holds placed on their cards because if they do we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let them in because we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t trust them with our equipment,â&#x20AC;? Wade said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a game they want to play, I give them the game.â&#x20AC;?

Student behavior is important for maintaining a fun and safe environment, Wade said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If they get too rowdy we have to make people leave,â&#x20AC;? Wade said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There have been a couple of times that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been intimidating just because there are people that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t very nice about things. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve

actually had to do it two times, but one time I had my boss with me so it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so bad.â&#x20AC;?

Freshman James Gasque considers himself a dedicated regular. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I play Smash Bros. with (friends) or sometimes I just play games on my handheld,â&#x20AC;? Gasque said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I do homework a lot in here too. (The game room) has everything that I like: computers, video games and music.â&#x20AC;?

The game room also seems less crowded than other parts of campus,

V Visit any of our Lauderdale County locations: s .ORTH 7OOD !VENUE &LORENCE s (IGHWAY %AST 2OGERSVILLE s #OX #REEK 0ARKWAY &LORENCE s (IGHWAY %AST +ILLEN s #LOVERDALE 2OAD &LORENCE s &LORENCE "OULEVARD &LORENCE

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Junior Kamiliah Abernathy plays Halo with friends while unwinding in the Lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Den on Thursday, March 6.

Gasque said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as many people in here as there are out there,â&#x20AC;? Gasque said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little bit more calm. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really a better place to hang out, and all my friends come in here too.â&#x20AC;?

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: To read the rest of this story, visit www.florala.net

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March 13, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

Optimism remains key to job hunt 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 ALLI OWNBY SARAH HOLLIDAY ROGER WANG

JOSHUA BROOKOVER STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

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Four years ago when I came to UNA as freshman, I remember constantly wondering why the seniors looked twitchy. Why when you asked them if they were excited about graduation, their eyes got as round as saucers and they croaked a noncommittal answer in response, then cleared their throats and looked you dead in the eye with an affirmative, “yes.”

I am that senior now, and I understand how seniors can manage to look haggard, fidg-

ety and determined at the same time.

Four years went by in the blink of an eye, and college graduation doesn’t seem nearly as exciting as high school graduation.

Sure, there’s the thrill of purchasing the cap and gown and looking forward to the next chapter of your life, but this next chapter of my life puts a whole new spin on the word “independent.”

It involves mountains of bills, uncertainty and consequences, and frankly, I would much rather sit in the habitat with Leo and Una to talk it out than face it head on.

That’s not really a feasible option, though, and digging my heels into the ground won’t allow me to excel.

I’m twitchy because while all my college classes have had set instructions for each assignment, there isn’t a guidebook laying around for “Job Hunting

101.”

As a result, I have spent more time researching and applying for jobs than I have on any homework assignment this semester — because it feels like that’s the only assignment that really matters. I have refined my Wix online portfolio more times than I can count, and there are some days when I spend more time on LinkedIn than Facebook.

I am restless because there doesn’t seem to be a set answer from anyone. I have had professors tell me I should be going straight to graduate school while others have told me to take a year and figure it out. I have even had one administrator look me in the eye and tell me I may just need to settle on waitressing.

When I look at other seniors on campus who have the same frantic look in their eyes, I can’t blame them. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, and we’re run-

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First copy free.

Additional copies $1 each.

ning head first into the thick of it.

Searching for a job, balancing one or two current jobs, and acing classes is not easy — it’s downright stressful. But through every Starbucks therapy run and every late night job hunt session, I have come to realize more and more how critical it is that I found a major, and a profession, I really do enjoy.

The only thing I can do is keep trying and pushing forward. I will apply to as many companies as it takes to be successful, and I’ll also take some time to relish in my last few weeks as a University of North Alabama college student.

There’s an employer out there who will appreciate the hard work and effort I’ve put into my college career, and, five years from now I feel confident I’ll look back on this stressful, whirlwind of a semester with a smile.

Congratulations to our Writer and Photographer of the Week!

Ashley Remkus and Chelsea Parrish

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8A NEWS <1<4- 1@ KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) campus nowadays,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is investigated just like any other crime on campus.â&#x20AC;?

Now there will be more investigators on campus to report to the Title IX Officer and decrease the workload put on Student Conduct, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A part of the expanded guidelines also says that we have to educate so whereas some people had maybe never heard of Title IX before or maybe didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand what would go under a title

=3:)16- KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) and froze the assets of those who are involved.â&#x20AC;?

In response, Putin threatened to suspend nuclear inspections and halt gas supplies to the Ukraine. Members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, who inspect and act as observers in these situations, have been turned away in the region.

Senior Morgan Massey believes that

+-6<-: KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll go up there and just have coffee by the window and read because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great area for that too,â&#x20AC;? Jane said.

There are group study rooms, individual study areas and a lecture hall with everything on wheels that can be configured for any purpose. Every room will be fully

March 13, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala IX case, the whole campus will be educated,â&#x20AC;? Williams said.

Educating students will also contribute to the increased number of investigations on campus, Williams said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because of the heightened awareness and education, I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to make the reporting go up,â&#x20AC;? Williams said.

Freshman Claire Clark thinks educating everybody on campus will be a difficult task to complete. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a necessity, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to take a lot of time and a lot of resources to complete,â&#x20AC;? Clark said.

Freshman Hallie Brown thinks students need to know more about what falls

under Title IX. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very confusing,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to get everybody on campus to understand it. There are going to be some people who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay attention and learn anything.â&#x20AC;?

The university has hired a consultant to develop a plan for educating campus and implementing Title IX procedures, Williams said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know educating everyone is going to be a multi-prong approach,â&#x20AC;? Williams said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know exactly how we are going to do it yet, but we want students to be engaged and interactive in this process.â&#x20AC;?

Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actions are unfair toward the human rights of Ukrainian citizens. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Someone trying to infringe upon the rights of someone else is not fair,â&#x20AC;?

Massey said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to deal with stuff like this all of the time but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to fight for your rights.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

The Russian government has recently denied initial offers to sit down with Ukrainian officials in a mediated environment.

While a nightmare scenario would be the escalation of this conflict into a larger global conflict, there are other possible outcomes, such as the Russian government backing down quietly, Collins said.

What the Russian government will choose, we will have to wait and see.

What does our government say about Ukraine? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The way the (Obama) administration has approached it is to say that Putin has acted kind of rashly and that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s looking for a graceful way out, kind of like an off ramp,â&#x20AC;? Collins said. stocked with the necessary tools to teach and learn, Koch said.

Another new aspect to the University Success Center will be new software called Beacon. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What Beacon does is it helps us see where students are in terms of (if) they are at risk of not succeeding in college,â&#x20AC;?

Koch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have students do a survey that gives us information, then weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll add to that (with) grades and attendance records

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: To read the rest of this story, visit www.florala.net throughout the semester. That will help us prioritize who we reach out to and how we reach out to them.â&#x20AC;?

Koch wants to create a warmer atmosphere by adding artwork to the University Success Center. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working with Dr. Chen in the Art Department,â&#x20AC;? Koch said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hoping to get some student projects in here.â&#x20AC;?

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: To read the rest of this story, visit www.florala.net

SGA

IN

REVIEW

â&#x20AC;˘ SENATE - PASSED LEGISLATION REQUIRING SENATORS TO POST ALL BILLS THAT INVOLVE

$200 OR MORE FOR STUDENT VIEWING. BEGINNING FALL 2014 ALL BILLS MUST BE POSTED 48 HOURS PRIOR TO A VOTE. SPENDING

â&#x20AC;˘ SENATE - DISCUSSED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE ALL SGA MEMBERS TO HOLD ONE OFFICE HOUR PER WEEK. â&#x20AC;˘ UPC - VOTED TO PURCHASE T-SHIRTS TO BE GIVEN TO STUDENTS AT ALPHA TAU OMEGAĘźS CAFFEINE HIGH FOR $747.40. THE T-SHIRTS ARE BEING PROVIDED AS PART OF SGAĘźS RECYCLING INITIATIVE. â&#x20AC;˘ FRESHMAN FORUM MEMBERS CONTINUED PURSUING THEIR SERVICE HOUR GOAL

BY VOLUNTEERING AT A LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER.

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

SPORTS SCOREBOARD March 4 - March 10 Wednesday, March 5 BASEBALL

UNA vs. Maryville (DH) Win 6-5 Win 10-3

Thursday, March 6 TENNIS

UNA vs. Alabama A&M Win 9-0

SECTION B

BASKETBALL

IONS WI L GSC TOURNAMENTN Lions snatch first GSC victory in 18 years DUSTIN POLLARD

;\]LMV\ ?ZQ\MZ LXWTTIZL(]VI ML]

Friday, March 7 SOFTBALL

UNA vs. Southwest Minnesota State Win 8-3 Win 10-0

Saturday, March 8 BASEBALL

UNA vs. Valdosta State (DH) Loss 10-5 Loss 3-1

TENNIS

UNA @ University of Alabama - Huntsville Men - Loss 6-3 Women - Win 5-4

SOFTBALL

UNA vs. Valdosta State (DH) Win 3-0 Win 4-2

The menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball team defeated Christian Brothers 7973 to win their first Gulf South Conference Tournament in 18 years Sunday afternoon in Birmingham.

The Lions were led by the tournamentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Outstanding Player Rashaun Claiborne, who put up 28 points and had eight rebounds for the game. He averaged 21.7 points per game while shooting a scorching 67 percent from the field. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This means a lot because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my first championship,â&#x20AC;?

Claiborne said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I never won one in high school so this is big for me.â&#x20AC;?

The victory also gave head coach Bobby Champagne his first GSC tournament win.

UNA vs. Valdosta State 5-4 Loss

SOFTBALL

UNA vs. Delta State 66-58 Loss

Monday, March 10 TENNIS

UNA vs. University of Western Kentucky 4-3 Win

IN THIS SECTION

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just happy for our guys to win a conference championship and go to the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years,â&#x20AC;?

Champagne said.

After leading 39-26 at halftime, CBU cut UNAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lead to two with less than two minutes left to cap off a 17-7 run by the Buccaneers. The Lions responded with a jumper from forward Bruce Adams and did not look back. â&#x20AC;&#x153;(In the) first half I thought we did a great job of guarding them, other than keeping them off the glass,â&#x20AC;? Champagne said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;(In the) second half they did a really good job of getting open and knocking down shots.â&#x20AC;?

The Lions shot 50 percent from the floor for the game and made 25 free throws compared to the Buccaneersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 13. This game marks the third time this season UNA has defeated CBU. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everybody thought we

were going to run over them but we knew it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be easy,â&#x20AC;?

Claiborne said.

Guard Nathan Spehr and forward Jere Vucica had nine and eight points respectively.

Guard Devin McNeal came off the bench to hit two first half three-pointers and finished with six points.

The Lions came into the conference tournament as a No. 3 seed and defeated the University of West Georgia 84-69 and Valdosta State University 88-79 to advance to the championship game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everybodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s confidence is high,â&#x20AC;? Adams said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everybody (plans on) winning the GSC.â&#x20AC;?

UNA has continued their surge in the second half of the season by winning 12 of their last 13 games. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had expectations to win it all even when we did go through the slump at midsea-

OUTDOOR

son,â&#x20AC;? Adams said.

With the win the Lions landed the No. 4 seed of the NCAA South Region tournament and will play Tampa in the opening round on Saturday in Lakeland, Fla. This will be the first time UNA has gone to the tournament in back-to-back years since 1995 and 1996. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask for anything better than this right now,â&#x20AC;? Adams said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be locked in and ready to go for Saturday, for sure.â&#x20AC;?

The womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball team beat Christian Brothers University 62-54 on Saturday in the first round of the tournament. They ultimately fell to Delta State University on Sunday with a final score of 66-58, ending their season.

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: To read more about the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game versus Delta State, visit florala.net

SOFTBALL

Students pledge to ĘťShare the RoadĘź Lions lose JASMINE FLEMING

full series sweep

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

Sunday, March 9 BASEBALL

March 13, 2014â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala â&#x20AC;˘ Sports Editor: Dallas Moore 256-765-5098

The Outdoor Adventure Center held its second annual Share the Road Campaign March 3 through 7 in the Guillot University Center. The weeklong campaign is meant to spread awareness for the rules of the road concerning motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The reason why this came about is when I was in graduate school I had a friend who was struck by a car and actually killed,â&#x20AC;? said McKenzie Martin, coordinator of the OAC. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She was doing all the right things, and the motorist was texting and driving and not paying attention. We even have a profes-

DUSTIN POLLARD

;\]LMV\ ?ZQ\MZ LXWTTIZL(]VI ML]

photo by JACOB DAWSON I Student Photographer

Bobby Coble rides across campus with other students in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Share the Roadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on-campus bicycle parade.

sor in the geography department who was struck by a car last May and her leg was completely shattered.â&#x20AC;?

See page 2B

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: To read the rest of this story visit florala.net

LIFE

SPORTS Who will win March Madness?

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: To read the rest of this story visit florala.net

After winning both games in a double-header Saturday versus Valdosta State, the Lions gave up a grand slam in the first inning Sunday afternoon and were unable to recover, losing 9-5.

The loss in the third game put an end to a season high eight-game winning streak for UNA.

Student sitss down for Q&A withh Coach gne Champagne See page e 3B

Rape kit turn-around time ĘťtraumatizesĘź

Couple competes in BBQ championships

See page 6B

See page 7B

2B SPORTS

March 13, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

MAN ON THE STREET

Who do you think will win

SNAPSHOTS OF THE WEEK

March Madness?

WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY

”

NOBODY HAS BEATEN THEM YET.

MATT MEGEHEE FRESHMAN photo by JACOB DAWSON I Student Photographer

”

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

UNA’s Max Druppel returns a shot from Justin Abston of University of Alabama A&M.

photo by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer

Junior BreeAnna Blevins winds up for the pitch at Friday’s game versus Southwest Minnesota State.

IʼM FROM NORTH CAROLINA AND I BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO BE THEIR YEAR.

CATHERINE BORDEAUX FRESHMAN

”

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN I LIKE ROLLING WITH THE UNDERDOGS.

JOSHUA LEWIS FRESHMAN

”

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

THEIR 2-3 ZONE IS TOUGH TO PENETRATE AND I THINK THAT, ALONG WITH THEIR ATHLETIC OFFENSE, WILL BE TOO MUCH FOR ANYONE TO OVERCOME.

photo by SARAH HOLLIDAY I Staff Photographer

Third baseman Dylan Boston smiles as he walks up to bat during the game against Valdosta State University Saturday.

STAYING

ACTIVE AT

13 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 THURSDAY 15

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

UNA

3:30 p.m. - Ab Attack

SOPHOMORE photos by ALLI OWNBY I Staff Photographer

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

17

MONDAY

FRIDAY

16

4 p.m. - Ab Attack

SUNDAY

12 p.m. - TRX 18 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. - Movie Night at the OAC **3-Point & Free Throw contests registration deadline ***Registration deadline for March 21st Skeet Shooting with OAC TUESDAY

3:30 p.m. - TRX and Ab Attack 6 p.m. - Yoga 4 p.m. - Zumba, XFit 7 p.m. - Tabata **3-Point and Free Throw Contests at the SRC OAC = Outdoor Adventure Center *Weekly pre-trip meetings for the OAC weekend outings are Tuesdays at 5 p.m.

14

*Sign up for weekend trips hosted by the Outdoor Center

SATURDAY

KERRI-LYNN LETSON information compiled by MATT SULESKI I Staff Writer

photo by ROGER WANG I Staff Photographer

Infielder Harlie Barkley takes a swing at the ball during Sunday’s game versus Valdosta State University

19 WEDNESDAY

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

March 13, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

Q&A

WHO IS

BOBBY

SPORTS 3B

CHAMPAGNE?

Head basketball coach talks life, sports

MATT SULESKI

;\INN ?ZQ\MZ UU[]TM[SQ(]VI ML]

Anyone who has attended a men’s basketball game in the last 11 years may have seen head coach Bobby Champagne pacing the sidelines in Flowers Hall.

Some would say there is more action on the sidelines than on the court when watching the Lions play.

Champagne has brought the Lions basketball program back to relevance at the Division-II level. UNA basketball had not seen a birth in the NCAA tournament in seven years prior to Champagne’s arrival in Florence.

Under the guidance of Champagne, the Lions have appeared in the NCAA tournament on three occasions. In the 2007-2008 campaign, Champagne led the Lions to the Elite Eight after winning the regional finals.

Coach Champagne answered some questions from a coaches point of view after being in the business for 25 years.

Q:

You have been coaching at UNA for 11 years now. Is this where you would like to retire?

A: A dream job would be at The University of North Carolina, but I think the clock’s ticking for me on that one. I like

it here at UNA and this has been a great place to raise my family. Hopefully I can win enough games here so they’ll let me hang around a little longer. I’ve got to put four kids through school so I don’t plan on retiring until I’m about 80.

Q: What is your greatest and toughest memory you have experienced as a head coach?

A: The 2008 season was special — we got to the Elite Eight and that was really special. All the losses are tough, but probably the game where we had an 11-point lead at home to Harding with a minute left and found a way to lose it. I don’t sleep well to begin with, but that night made it even tougher.

Q: What has been the craziest moment you have experienced as a head coach?

A: I don’t know. Maybe my first job as an assistant at South Alabama when Jeff Hodges hit the game-winning shot at The Omni to beat Alabama. I don’t know if that is the craziest, but it’s all I can think of right now.

Q: After being a coach for 25 years, what is your drive to get up and do what you do in what many people regard as a high-pressure job?

A: I just like it. If I ever dread going to work, I’ll find something else to do.

I have no idea what that would be, but I love coming to work. I was an assistant at the University of Texas at El Paso one year and we won six games and that was tough, but I still liked going to work and I still worked on trying to get better. Winning always helps, but I love what I do and I’m very fortunate to be able to coach.

Seeing young men go on to be successful in life is the most gratifying part.

After four years most all (of them) are go-

ing to stop dribbling a basketball. These guys going out and helping in their community is what is most important.

Q: Will you feel you have had a successful career if you never win a national championship?

A: Yes and no. Every year you want to win it all, but there are many great coaches that have never won it all. I think many people focus more on the destination than the process of the journey. I hope I’m still pacing the sidelines when they raise the third national championship banner here at UNA. Q: How do you feel about the fan support for basketball at UNA? Why or why not is it up to par for your standard?

A: I think our support is good. I would like to see more students at all our athletic events, but our community supports us well. They say winning games helps, but our record could be 12-1 or 5-7 and our attendance numbers do not change much.

Q: If you could change one thing about your coaching career, what would it be?

A: I don’t know if I would change anything to be honest. I don’t live with a lot of regret about my coaching career.

Q: When we have special event games such as “Shooting for a Cure” to promote breast cancer and you wear bright pink pants instead of something more common such as a pink shirt or tie, do you do that to excite the crowd or do you personally like to get a little outside the box?

A: I ask the fans to get involved in games and dress up and show school spirit, so I feel that I should do the same thing. I also like that Loudmouth Golf sends me gear because I’ll wear clothing that’s unique. I think I like to be creative, too. You have to mix things up a little bit sometimes.

Enter the code VIBE2014 for $5 off the registratioon fee!

SUPPORTING A LOCAL CHARITY! tupelo.net

4B SPORTS

Second Round March 20-21

Third Round March 22-23

Sweet 16 March 27-28

Elite 8 March 29-30

Final Four April 5

National Championship April 7

First Round March 18-19

Final Four April 5

Elite 8 March 29-30

Sweet 16 March 27-28

Third Round March 22-23 First Round March 18-19

(1)

(1)

(16)

(16)

(8)

(8)

(9)

(9)

(5)

(5)

(12)

(12)

(4)

(4)

(13)

(13)

(6)

(6)

(11)

(11)

(3)

(3)

(14)

(14)

(7)

(7)

(10) (2) (15)

AT&T Stadium North Texas April 7

(10) (2) (15)

(1)

(1)

(16)

(16)

(8)

CHAMPION

(8)

(9)

(9)

(5)

(5)

(12)

(12)

(4)

(4)

(13)

(13)

(6)

(6)

(11)

(11)

(3)

(3)

(14)

(14)

(7)

(7)

(10)

(10)

(2)

(2)

(15)

(15)

SPORTS 5B

Second Round March 20-21

6B LIFE

March 13, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

LOCAL

O NE T INY B OX Delayed rape kit returns ‘traumatize victims’ MARI WILLIAMS

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Recently states across the country have been receiving backlash for the large numbers of untested rape kits in their possession, but the issue in Alabama is the prolonged time it takes to return tested rape kits.

Rape kits can take as long as 18 to 22 months to come back from the forensic labs, said Kathy Connolly, executive director of Rape Response.

“It really unnecessarily traumatizes victims,” Connolly said.

“For a lot of people it is too much like digging all of that up.

It’s the long delays that are as big a problem (as), if not bigger than, some not being tested.”

The long delays in getting rape kits tested are a product of state budget cutting.

“The state budget is such that they have cut funding to some of the forensics and so we need more people doing these tests not fewer,” Connolly said. “It is something that grows geometrically. If everything’s slow and we’re having more reporting it just becomes a bigger mess.

“We (Rape Response) don’t keep track by city — we keep track by county. There were 112

reported rapes in Lauderdale County in 2013. Approximately 20 to 25 (rape kits submitted in the county). It’s possible some were done that we don’t know about. We only survey (age) 14 and up, kits are done on people who are younger.”

Rape Response is a non-profit organization and is dedicated to the reduction of sexual violence, according to shoalscrisiscenter.org.

“We have no way of knowing that (rape kits were not tested),” Connolly said. “Law enforcement takes the kits and they submit them to the forensic examiners. Forensic examiners know how many they haven’t tested yet and the police know if they didn’t get any in.”

Lieutenant Mike Holt of the Criminal Investigations Division for the Florence Police Department said most Florence rape kits have been processed and returned.

“In 2013, 24 rapes and 15 sex offenses were reported in the city of Florence,” Holt said. “Out of nine rape kits that were submitted to labs in 2013, eight have been processed and returned.”

Though other states are having issues with rape kits not being tested, Alabama’s most imperative issue is not returning

tested rape kits to victims in a timely manner, Connolly said.

“It’s also really critical that they (forensic examiners) test (rape kits) faster,” Connolly said.

“The big problem in Alabama is that it takes many months (to get a rape kit back). Even a urine sample now is taking six months just to get back if there were drugs in someone’s system.”

Connolly thinks the state budget needs to be reevaluated to make rape kit testing of high importance.

“The money in the state budget has not been prioritized for that (forensic testing),” Connolly said. “I think the testing of rape kits, while not the most important issue in a state budget needs to move up the ladder and be seen as more important and therefore given larger funding.”

At the end of the day it comes down to not having enough money allocated to perform the tests quickly enough, she said.

“You hate to say it’s money but that’s the primary problem,” Connolly said. “It is a lengthy procedure, and it is trained people who have to do it and if you don’t have enough people and you don’t have enough labs — this is the inevitable result. It is simply investing (money in) the labs and the people.”

LIFE 7B

March 13, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

STAFF

Couple competes in BBQ competitions, enjoy camaraderie MARI WILLIAMS

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photo courtesy of TAMMY JACQUES

Director of Student Engagement Tammy Jacques and her husband, Director of Residence Life Kevin, compete in barbecuing as sport, competing in both grand and world championships.

Though some may know Kevin and Tammy Jacques as university staff members, their friends and fans in the barbecuing world know them as the EGGseQutive Council.

At first glance the Jacques’ do not give off the appearance of barbecuing experts, but do not be deceived — the EGGseQutive Council competes yearround across the country, rain or shine.

“Tammy and Kevin’s barbecue tastes like heaven,” said senior Kaylie Watts. “I think it’s interesting and neat that they do something so different, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they won every single time.”

The Jacques’ first barbecued competitively on a team but eventually decided to go off on their own after buying their first grill as a married couple.

“When we first got married Kevin wanted to get a grill and we ended up stumbling on this Big Green Egg,” said Tammy. “We got a Big Green Egg smoker and then we really got serious about it.

We ended up getting a trailer and started competing and started winning.”

Though it is a team effort, Tammy

said Kevin is the mastermind behind all of the recipes and meat.

“It is usually about a week’s worth (of preparation) before a contest,” said Kevin. “Whether it’s trimming meats, making sauces or making glazes, every night is a couple of hours doing something. And that’s not including finding the meat and getting the meat as well.”

To fund their hobby the Jacques often seek or accept sponsorship from companies.

“Sometimes people will approach you and sometimes you have to approach people,” Kevin said. “For us, we only took on sponsorships and products that we used all the time and that we believed in, because we didn’t think it would be right and ethical to take a sponsor’s money or product and truly not use it in what we do. Everything we did we used consistently.”

The Jacques’ pay each competition entry fee, along with the meat, sauces, spices and the travel costs to get to said competition. All of these components can quickly add up, Tammy said.

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

ENTERTAINMENT

Kyle Eastwood performance benefits Christmas for Kids KELSEY WHITE

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Son of actor Clint Eastwood, jazz bassist Kyle Eastwood will be performing in Norton Auditorium March 19 at 7 p.m.

A percentage of ticket sales will assist the Christmas for Kids program.

Founded by Florence resident Debbie Dixon, the program gives gifts to children with incarcerated parents, according to Alabama Women’s Resource Network.

While Eastwood is the son of a famous actor, his musical talent has helped him forge his own creative path, he said.

Living in Paris, France for the past seven years has influenced his musical style.

“There are a lot of different musicians from all over the world,” Eastwood said. “Musical culture melts together in Europe.”

A deep respect for music is everpresent in his life.

“I have always loved all kinds of music,” Eastwood said. “It doesn’t matter what genre it is or what label is on it. If it’s musical and it moves you, I like it and I listen to it.”

Junior entertainment industry major and local musician T.J. Bender said past experience with jazz has given him more respect for such musicians.

“Jazz is a very difficult style to play,” Bender said. “You gain more respect for other musicians when you get outside of your comfort zone.”

Experience in the film industry has created an outlet for Eastwood’s musical compositions.

“The one I am most proud of was for a film my father made called ‘Letters from Iwo Jima,’” Eastwood said. “The scene was very strong, and I am happy with how the music fit the film.”

In response to the usual solo work of composing film scores, he said he appreciates every opportunity for collaboration.

“I have always enjoyed writing music with other people,” he said. “It sort of opens you up to approaching and making music differently. It makes one think outside of the box.”

Dixon is credited with requesting Eastwood. Her company, Debbie D, is assisting SKB Productions in organizing the concert.

“This is the birthplace of W.C. Handy, so there is a lot of jazz here,” Dixon said.

“There is a lot about this place that we should all be proud of. We are tickled to death that he is coming to Florence.”

Eastwood said he is anticipating travelling to a region well-known for its musical prowess.

“It will be my first time, but hopefully not the last,” he said. “I have always loved traveling and hearing music from different cultures and different parts of the world or even different parts of the United States.”

Bender said he encourages others to attend the event and such an experience will create a more open mind.

“Each performance is unique in its own way, because nothing is ever done

the same way twice,” Bender said. “Live concerts tend to make people appreciate music more. It creates a feeling that you can only get from being in that environment.”

Eastwood hopes to send a strong message with his music, one that benefits programs such as Christmas for Kids and inspires communication around the world.

“Music is the universal language,” Eastwood said. “It makes everybody feel something. I can’t imagine life without music.”

To hear Eastwood’s work and view his complete discography and scores for films, visit kyleeastwood.com.

FILMS FEATURING EASTWOODʼS MUSIC • • • • • • • • •

INVICTUS GRAN TORINO CHANGELING RAILS & TIES FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA MILLION DOLLAR BABY MYSTIC RIVER THE ROOKIE

8B EXTRA

March 13, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

Tweets of the week

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