Sept. 4 Issue

SOCCER GOALS Page 1B Sept. 4, 2014

Volume 83, Issue 3

www.FlorAla.net

Student newspaper of the University of North Alabama

CRIME

ACADEMICS

Reward offered for vandalĘźs identification Integrative Health gets JASMINE FLEMING 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ WVTQVM(NTWZITI VM\

Police are seeking the public’s help to identify the person responsible for spray paint damage to the new science building and equipment at the construction site, officials said.

The university released a statement Wednesday, Aug. 27 saying it would reward anyone who provides information leading to an arrest up to $1,000. “This reward is to encourage anyone who might have information or might have seen something to come forward and contact UNA Police Department,� said Vice President of Student Affairs David Shields. “This information could be very helpful in finding those responsible for the damage.�

UNA Police Chief Bob Pastula said the crime was photo by KATLYN SHANNON I Staff Photographer reported Tuesday, Aug. 26.

This is an example of one of the phrases vandals sprayed inside and outside the new science

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ROTC

Army: University programs need chance to improve ASHLEY REMKUS

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The future of the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps looks brighter now than it has in the last 10 months, officials said.

photo by BRENNA CLEMMONS I Student Photographer

ROTC Students practice shooting during a training exercise at Wildwood Park in Florence. Officials said the program will remain open a minimum of two years.

INSIDE

this week’s paper

NEWS . . . . . . . . 2A PHOTO ESSAY . . . 4A VIEWPOINTS . . . . 7A

The Army announced in October 2013 it would shut down 13 of its 273 programs, including UNA’s. The decision was reversed in November and UNA was placed on probationary status, requiring the program to undergo evaluation.

In April 2014, Lt. Col. Michael Snyder announced his retirement from the Army and his service to UNA ROTC. The program caught its first break when Major William Pruett was hired in July to lead the program as chair of the department. “He has a very aggressive recruiting strategy, and it’s very impressive,� said Interim President John Thornell. “I believe he will be able to get us where we need to be.�

The program caught another

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

break when the Army realized programs needed a chance to improve before receiving closure notices. “A closure announcement made last year was premature, and the Army owns up to that,�

Pruett said. “To correct (it), the army has instituted a specific system to help us figure out how we need to go forward in the future.�

Thornell said the Army’s closure announcement also negatively affected the program’s recruiting.

Pruett echoed Thornell’s concerns. “We have had a lot of people who still think UNA’s program is closing,� Pruett said. “Worst case scenario, we still have a minimum of two years.�

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slow start, officials look toward future ASHLEY REMKUS

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Campus officials anticipated a large number of Chinese students enrolling in the new Integrative Health graduate program this fall, but reality fell short of expectations.

Last year, a partnership between the university and Chinese businessman Zhang Zhiting was finalized, a new faculty member was hired, and Zhang expressed intent to recruit as many as a few hundred students to study integrative health at UNA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were depending on him,â&#x20AC;? said Interim University President John Thornell. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The problem is communication is lacking. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had no further discussion since February.â&#x20AC;?

When Zhang visited the Shoals in February, he purchased the 155-acre former Florence Golf and Country Club, located west of Alabama 20.

â&#x20AC;?

THE PROBLEM IS COMMUNICATION IS LACKING. WEĘźVE HAD NO FURTHER DISCUSSION SINCE

FEBRUARY.

JOHN THORNELL INTERIM UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT Zhang Zhiting also shared intentions to build an educational facility for the program and to build residence halls for the students, said Chunsheng Zhang, Senior Vice Provost for International Affairs.

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BELLY DANCING PROFESSOR ...5B

Please recycle your paper.

2A NEWS

Sept. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

FACILITIES

Lack of funding leads to ill-maintained department NATALIE BEE

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Students, professors and administrators agree art department facilities are in need of an update.

College of Arts and Sciences Dean Carmen Burkhalter acknowledged issues in the building, including poorly maintained bathrooms and outdated equipment.

“In my sixty days I’ve been here, I’ve taken a tour of all of the departments in the College of Arts and Sciences,” Burkhalter said. “I am aware that there are several issues related to restrooms and buildings.”

Professor of Art Wayne Sides said if the department is not renovated potential students interested in art will likely choose other universities over UNA. “If my son or daughter was thinking of going there and I saw the condition, I wouldn’t send them,” Sides said. “We’ve been losing students over the last few years, and I think that has something to do with it.”

Students enrolled in art classes expressed concerns with facilities located on the first three floors of the department.

“The second floor looks like something out of The Grudge,” said senior Stephanie Gile.

Senior Naomi Mongosa said she has noticed mold on the ceilings, water damage and outdated equipment throughout the building.

“There’s also a huge insect problem that happens every year that doesn’t seem well-maintained either,” Mongosa said.

She said if the university can provide new buildings to allow for university growth, the old ones should be renovated.

The cost is the main problem with improving the quality of the building, Burkhalter said.

Most of the needed updates and improvements in the art department are deferred maintenance issues, and in Alabama those costs fall on the

universities, she said.

“Deferred maintenance is funded strictly out of what the administration can afford out of the budget, and the state legislature has decreased the budget for higher education,” she said.

She said to receive funding from the state, the university would have to start from the ground up on a new building.

Then it would qualify for a bond issue to pay for the expenses.

Sides said, “I know they’re building lots of new buildings. Maybe we’re on the list.”

Burkhalter is currently working to identify the needs of each department in the College of Arts and Sciences, she said.

She said she plans to implement proactive methods to address such issues in the future opposed to ending up in “the reactive stage we are in now.”

A rusty nail protrudes from a piece of wood on a bench outside the fourth floor of the art department. Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Carmen Burkhalter said she is working to address maintenance issues in the department.

”T

HE SECOND FLOOR LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF ʻTHE GRUDGE.ʼ

STEPHANIE GILE SENIOR As far as building improvements go, she said, the art department is at the top of her list.

The art department will go through the accreditation process in 2016.

Burkhalter said this is a way for the university to be held accountable for properly maintaining equipment and facilities.

“I’m very excited about what the department of art is doing from an educational perspective and I don’t want our facility struggles to reflect any way, shape, or form on my commitment to that department,” Burkhalter said.

A vent on the ceiling of the University Art Gallery is covered with dust. Students identified the art gallery as a part of the building in need of an update.

Piping in the art department’s third-floor computer lab is exposed. This was one of the issues identified by students. photos by JOSHUA BROOKOVER I Staff Photographer

RACIAL ISSUES

Recognizing racial tensions key to moving forward ASHLEY REMKUS

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Junior Carlton Lewis remembers his dad’s words: Don’t ever have your hands in your pockets when you go in a store because people will think you are stealing.

The images of being racially profiled are vivid in Lewis’s mind. His experiences growing up in Birmingham, Alabama are nothing short of prejudiced.

“I went to a store where typically a lot of black people don’t go,” he said. “It was one of those outdoor stores where

mostly they sell stuff for climbing and hiking and boxing and stuff like that.

They probably don’t usually see a lot of black guys in there, and I’m in there with my sister and my younger brother just looking at the shoes because we like stuff like that — the different tents they have and the hammocks and stuff. People kept asking us, ‘You guys need help finding anything?’ as if I couldn’t find something in the store.

“More people kept coming back asking over and over again. They probably asked at least four or five times if we needed help looking at shoes.

“I understand that’s their job and what

they do, but it was at that point where it wasn’t just their jobs. Or, people would be acting like they were putting up stuff, but really they were just watching us.

One girl kept following my sister.”

Professor of Sociology Andrea Hunt said experiences like this negatively affect the way people see the world.

“We are living in an increasingly diverse world, and when you’re dealing with people from diverse backgrounds, students need to be equipped to encounter people that are different from you,” Hunt said. “We often aren’t able to see those things other people might go through.”

Racial privilege does not necessarily

mean people are getting something others are not getting, said Professor of Sociology Alex Takeuchi.

“For example, Asian Americans who were born in California or Hawaii are often assumed to be foreigners and asked what country they are from based on appearance,” Takeuchi said. “If it is once or twice, it is not a big deal at all. But if you experience it constantly in your entire life, you really wish you had a ‘privilege’ to avoid the burden somehow.”

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NEWS 3A

Sept. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

TUITION

Out-of-state scholars qualify for in-state rates MARI WILLIAMS 4QNM -LQ\WZ TQNM(NTWZITI VM\

Out-of-state tuition

In-state vs. out-of-state tuition

photo by KATLYN SHANNON I Staff Photographer

Graffiti was sprayed on the inside walls of the new science building. Assistant Vice President of Facilities Administration and Planning Michael Gautney said the damage could cost as much as $50,000.

The culprit painted the construction contractors’ equipment, a nearby overpass and the inside and outside of the science building, said Assistant Vice President for Facilities Administration and Planning Michael Gautney.

If the paint can be removed, damages are expected to cost about $5,000 to $8,000, Gautney said.

He said if the painted areas and construction equipment, the cost could sky rocket.

“The estimate (the university) gave was $50,000,” he said. “We haven’t had it reviewed yet to get an official estimate.”

Any costs associated with removal or replacement of items and equipment will be absorbed by the contractor, B.L. Harbert, he said.

Gautney said the damage should not affect the opening of the new building.

Construction on the building should be completed by Feb. 2, and some departments will begin the move from Floyd Hall to the new facility in the spring.

The vandalism included the phrase “In God We Trust,” as well as a skull and expletives, Gautney said, adding there were no signs the graffiti is gangrelated.

“Some graffiti has artistic style,” Gautney said. “This looked like someone was just trying to do stick

Per fall and spring semesters

Per fall and spring semesters

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$7,249

In-state tuition

$4,321

Incoming out-of-state students will have the opportunity to attend UNA at the cost of in-state tuition beginning fall 2015.

“When we hit the travel road last fall, we started hearing about this House Bill 424,” said Kim Mauldin, director of the Office of Admission. “UNA has instituted part of it, with regards to veterans but we had not instituted the out-of-state part.”

The Alabama legislature passed House Bill 424 in May 2013.

“There were two different pieces in the legislation,” said Director of Student Financial Services Ben Baker. “Our board of trustees initially only approved that we would only adopt (veterans) portion that pertained to the military personnel. Then at our June 2014 board of trustees meeting we adopted the other portion.”

The second half of the bill allows incoming out-of-state students who receive an institutional scholarship to pay in-state tuition, he said.

“At the time the board did this in June, we were within two months away from being ready for fall 2014. We didn’t have time to advertise it, publicize it or try to recruit students,” he said.

The bill was created to directly benefit military personnel and out-ofstate students who want to attend a public university in Alabama, he said.

“It may take us a while to get the word out, but we think because of where we’re located in Alabama, it will open up numerous doors in Tennessee and it also has possibilities in Mississippi,” Mauldin said.

She said word-of-mouth will carry the bill more than anything else.

Sophomore Caroline Hudson, an Alabama native, said she is excited about the new enrollment opportunities the bill’s enactment will bring.

“It’s great more students will be able to come to school at UNA with the money issue being better dealt with,” Hudson said.

Current students can also qualify for the in-state tuition rate, but not as easily as new students, Baker said.

“It was a really tough process for me to get in-state (tuition),” said sophomore Carson Hagood. “I had to go through a lot of loops.”

Baker said current students must meet criteria including, but not limited to, being a registered voter in the state, having an Alabama driver’s license, having their cars registered in Alabama and paying state income taxes.

These figures, provided by the Business Office, are estimates based on 12 hours and are subject to change

art.”

Pastula said type of crime is unusual for UNA’s campus.

He also said the perpetrator will face charges of criminal mischief.

If the vandal is a student, “They’ll have to go through Student Conduct for it,” he said. “They would also be

”

THE ESTIMATE (THE UNIVERSITY) GAVE WAS $50,000. WE HAVENʼT HAD IT REVIEWED YET TO GET AN OFFICIAL ESTIMATE.

MICHAEL GAUTNEY VICE PRESIDENT OF FACILITIES ADMINISTRATION AND PLANNING charged criminally for it.”

Sophomore Brandy Loggins said the vandals should either have to clean the paint themselves or pay to have it fixed.

“You should always be responsible for the repercussions of your actions,” she said.

Anyone with information about the crime is encouraged to call the University Police Department at 256765-4357.

Editor’s note: Stick with The FlorAla as this story develops by checking www.florala.net for any updates.

4A IMAGES

Sept. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

Keeping it Cool ▶

Shady Amphitheatre Students talk, study and check their phones on the grounds between Collier Library and the Memorial Amphitheatre. Finding shade during the heat makes nature more bearable and, who knows, there may be squirrels.

Students seek shade, hydration ;\]LMV\ 8PW\WOZIXPMZ JKTMUUWV[(]VI ML]

I have lived in Alabama all of my life. More importantly, I have lived in the Shoals area all of my life. I would not have had it any other way. I love this area. That is one of the reasons I chose to attend UNA. However, the Alabama heat is nothing to mess with.

I am sure I am not the only student at UNA with this love/hate relationship with the weather.

August is always the worst month out of the year when it comes to the scorching heat. This is also the most exciting and dreaded month. In the middle of August, when the heat is at its worst, school begins. There is excitement for the new semester — seeing old friends and making new ones. There is dread for all the work coming

our way — classwork, homework and real work (jobs). But the most dreaded part of August is the heat.

All across campus students do their best to find shade from the heat. We plan our routes across campus trying to stay in the shade as much as humanly possible. We wear shorts and tanks, and don’t leave anything in our vehicles because it could melt (or explode). I have personal knowledge of ink pens and unopened soda cans exploding in hot cars.

As we trek across our beautiful campus, keep in mind our Alabama weather and our changing seasons. We have warm, hot, even hotter, one day of snow and then more heat. And please remember to stay hydrated. Drinking water is always a good idea. I always have a bottle of water with me, regardless of the weather.

▶

Find the Shade Students find shady spaces across campus to check texts, study and enjoy YouTube clips in front of the GUC, Bibb Graves and Collier.

Hydrate in the Heat An ROTC student fills up on water while a fellow member stands guard. ▶

BRENNA CLEMMONS

NEWS 5A

Sept. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

INTERNSHIPS

Student explains summer experience, expenses EMILY JONES

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Sarah Emerson, a senior studying Human Resource Management said while her summer internship at the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington D.C. was one of the best experiences of her life, it was also one of the most expensive ones.

The cost of her internship totaled approximately $2,150, including roundtrip airfare, housing, transportation around the city and every-day living expenses such as food and entertainment.

Melissa Medlin, director of Career Planning and Development, stresses the importance of internships, paid and unpaid.

“Having a little bit of experience, even if it’s unpaid, is better than having no experience at all,” Medlin said.

Medlin said the issue with unpaid internships is employers who take advantage of interns and receive “free labor.”

According to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, employers should not receive “immediate advantage” because of work completed by the intern.

“The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern and the intern does not displace regular employees but works under close supervision of existing staff,”

:7<+ KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) ROTC programs will now be evaluated each year during the summer.

Any decisions made regarding the programs’ status come directly from the Secretary of the Army, Pruett said.

When UNA was evaluated this summer, the Army Secretary deemed the program was running smoothly, he said.

Pruett said the programs are critiqued based on three criteria: academic representation, geographic representation and increasing production.

Academic representation and geographic representation include the program area’s population, growth, whether the institution is in a core market, and whether it is the last program in the state. Increasing production means graduating more cadets as lieutenants each year, he said.

“It is the third criteria that I am focusing all the energy I can focus on,” Pruett said. “And, we have seen in the short time I’ve been here some progress.”

Thornell said his outlook for the program’s future is positive.

“I feel a lot better now than I did,” he said. “That first decision was fairly arbitrary. They were just going around naming programs they could close.”

Pruett said UNA is scheduled for its next review summer 2015.

“We will then receive an influx of resources from the Army that could include assistance in recruiting or marketing,” he said. “Then we would be

according to the Act. Medlin said to help cut costs for student interns, the university informs companies that to receive three credit hours, students pay $732 to the university.

”

HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE, EVEN IF ITʼS UNPAID, IS BETTER THAN HAVING NO EXPERIENCE AT

Emerson’s Internship Expenses Round-trip airfare: $450 Housing: $1,000 Transportation: $200

ALL.

MELISSA MEDLIN DIRECTOR OF CAREER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT This is to encourage employers who do not pay their interns to at least pay the cost of the credit hours, making it ideal for interns and the employers, she said.

If a student has the opportunity to be paid for their work as an intern, they should always take it, Medlin said.

The question of whether or not unpaid internships are ‘worth it’ is often debated among students.

Emerson said she would not trade the real-world experiences she had during her internship for anything. evaluated again in 2016.”

He said the important thing to remember is there is no set timeline.

“It’s all just a tentative annual process,” he said. “Each year just means another decision point for the Secretary of the Army.”

He said he does not expect a negative decision from the Army as his “overall outlook is actually positive.”

The annual review process was put in place to assist in reducing the Army’s budget, he said.

“The Army is seeking ways to reduce the financial overhead and trying to figure out how we can accomplish all missions we need to with fewer resources,” he said.

photo by BRENNA CLEMMONS I Sudent Photographer

As other students look on, freshman Dustin Sutton practices shooting during a recent training activity at Wildwood Park in Florence.

Food: $300 Souvenirs and entertainment:$200

Total: $2,150 Editors Note: These estimated figures are based solely on Sarah Emerson’s internship experience in Washington D.C. during the month of July.

0-)4<0 KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) Thornell said if Zhang Zhiting “really wants to see program get off the ground, he’s going to have to be here on a more regular basis or he’s going to have to appoint somebody here to take the lead.”

The program got its start in August with four graduate students, two courses and a new faculty member.

“The idea of the integrative health program is we introduce students to non-traditional approaches to health,” said Thomas Coates, chair of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, which houses the program.

Thornell said the program is primarily targeted at international students, particularly the Chinese, because the topics of study include approaches to medicine that have not yet gained much popularity in the U.S. “There is currently not a structure within the medical community for domestic students,” he said. “It has not made its way into the mainstream of American medicine.”

Coates said the non-traditional approaches to health and fitness, including herbal treatment, yoga and acupuncture are gaining popularity in the U.S. slowly but surely.

“The program is not limited to Chinese or foreign students. U.S.

students can enroll as well,” he said.

He said the program is ideal for students who obtain an undergraduate degree in some type of health-related major.

“The curriculum has been ready for three years—we’ve just been waiting on the students to arrive,” he said. “Now the problem is getting the word out.”

Thornell and Coates said they are hopeful about the program’s future.

Thornell said a meeting between Zhang Zhiting and university officials is set for later this month.

“This meeting is going to be very important to be clear on where he is heading and how we can help him,” he said. “We should have a better picture of how we can help him as we’re going forward.”

Coates said the interest in the program he has seen is a good sign.

“I’ve had quite a few inquiries about the program from people in the area that are interested, but that has to translate into people enrolled in the university and enrolled in those courses.”

Senior Shelby Keeton said she thinks the new program will benefit the university by bringing more students to campus.

“It will definitely bring more money to the university,” Keeton said.

6A NEWS

Sept. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

CHARITY

Students discuss ice bucket challenge OLIVIA HARTUNG

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Many students around campus are pouring ice water over their heads — A.K.A., the Ice Bucket Challenge.

Students Heather Brady, Emmett De Jong and Ladarius Prince met with The Flor-Ala to discuss what it means to them.

Q: ED:

HB:

What do you think of the Ice Bucket Challenge?

I think it’s great getting the word out about Lou Gehrig’s Disease or ALS. It’s a great thing for publicity, I will give them that. But just the way the challenge is — it doesn’t really let people know exactly what the cause is. It just challenges people to pour ice on each other now.

Q: Did you take the challenge?

I don’t agree with some of HB: No. the research they do.

LP:

ED: Q:

Yes. I was trying to figure out ‘what am I exactly doing this for again?’ So I just thought that we use the ice in the bucket and pour it on you. Then I finally realized what the cause was for and was like, ‘oh, I get it now.’ I challenged others, but they didn’t want to do it at all because they didn’t know what it was for.

Yes. The fact that now I know it’s for Lou Gehrig’s Disease, I have a little more knowledge about it than getting to someone who would like to donate.

Did you donate?

LP: I know college students don’t to pay $100. They really ED: want can’t afford it.

No. I didn’t even know what it was for.

No matter the difference in opinions, the students agreed ALS is a tragic disease that affects many people. They also agreed promoting awareness is important.

What is ALS?

ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that eventually results in the death of muscles, including the brain. The disease is fatal in every case.

• BEGINNING STAGE

Muscles are stiff with cramping, twitching, and atrophy. The person may find themselves fatigued, slurring words or tripping frequently.

• INTERMEDIATE STAGE

Symptoms occur all over the body and muscles become paralyzed. Joints can deform and the person is no longer able to drive. Swallowing and breathing become difficult.

• ADVANCED STAGE

Voluntary muscles are paralyzed. The muscles in the lungs are borderline completely dysfunctional. The person needs constant care and cannot eat, drink, stand or sit up on their own. Speech is impossible and respiratory failure leads to pneumonia susceptibility.

• FINAL STAGE

Death is typically the result of complete respiratory failure. Malnutrition, pulmonary embolism, cardiac arrhythmia and pneumonia are also common causes of death.

photo by ASHLEY REMKUS I News Editor

SGA in Review • UPC - No meeting in observance of Labor Day Holiday • UPC - Reopened applications for the council on the SGA website • Senate - Allocated funds totaling $1,741.50 to purchase SGA swag items for recruitment.

• Senate - Reopened applications for Senate on the SGA website.

Meetings of the Student Government Association are held in Room 200 of the GUC. Senate meets Thursdays at 3:30 p.m.

UPC meets Mondays at 3:30 p.m.

Students Heather Brady, Emmett De Jong and Ladarius Prince meet at Starbucks to discuss the ALS ice bucket challenge with The Flor-Ala student writer Olivia Hartung. Each of the students shared different views of the challenge.

8:1>14-/- KWV\QV]ML NZWU XIOM ) Racial privilege can mean a certain race does not have to deal with issues another group faces, he said.

Hunt said not every member of a group enjoys those privileges, but, historically certain groups that have had more positions of power and more rights than other groups.

To explain racial privilege she used examples of gender privilege.

She said males have historically held more positions of power than women, and certain racial groups have held

more power than others. But, sometimes women have held higher positions than men just like minorities have held higher positions than other races, she said.

“Racial privilege concerns everyone, especially in this area because of the history of the region,” Takeuchi said.

“Unfortunately we’ve historically had racial tensions.”

Hunt said she sees racial privilege present in her own life.

“I don’t have to teach them to live in a world where they’re going to be questioned about their skin tone everyday, so I have that privilege of not having to (address that) like some parents do,” she said. “Having white privilege, I

don’t have to explain why I’m at certain places, I don’t have to think about people following me in a store — those things just don’t happen, but other people have those experiences on a daily basis.”

Recognizing these issues exist and openly discussing them is the key to moving past our history, she said.

“People assume we live in a colorblind society and that these things don’t happen anymore,” she said. “We have to have conversations about these things, and I’ve found students want to and are ready to engage in those discussions, but they need a safe place to really talk about those things.”

She said a culture change will occur

when students take things they learn back to their home communities and share their experiences with others.

The most important thing is remembering, “people are people, no matter what they look like,” Takeuchi said.

Lewis said he ignores the way people have treated him in the past because he knows what other people think is not what matters.

“I know they don’t know who I really am,” Lewis said. “My reaction to it is basically I know I’m going to be judged.”

I just make sure that I just maintain my character.”

VIEWPOINTS 7A

Sept. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

Social media hiatus yields cleansed outlook EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ANNA GRACE USERY MANAGING EDITOR KALI DANIEL NEWS EDITOR ASHLEY REMKUS LIFE EDITOR MARI WILLIAMS SPORTS EDITOR DUSTIN POLLARD ONLINE EDITOR JASMINE FLEMING BUSINESS MANAGER UNDREA RANDOLPH II GRAPHIC DESIGNERS JOHN BAVIS SHILO CUPPLES JORDAN FERRELL CIRCULATION MANAGER LORI BLANKENSOPP ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE KAYLA STINNETT CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER DALLAS MOORE STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JOSHUA BROOKOVER DEANNA KAMPMEYER KATLYN SHANNON

MARI WILLIAMS 4QNM -LQ\WZ TQNM(NTWZITI VM\

What would you do if you could not use Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for an entire week? The simple answer is, you would not get on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for a week. But I came to a more interesting conclusion when I took a self-imposed, brief, but necessary hiatus from the Internet.

Toward the end of the summer, I started to get anxious and feel left out as I scrolled through my timelines.

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

time basing our self-worth off the opinions of others? These are the questions I struggled with before finally deciding to cut off the ties from the apps holding me down to my phone like an anchor.

I promised myself I would take a big step away from social media until I no longer felt the need to scroll through it when I was bored. At first I could not count the number of times I opened my phone thinking I would scroll through Twitter while I had five extra minutes, only to remember the app was no longer installed on my phone.

Frankly, I never really did stop reaching for my phone.

Though after a few days I found myself only fighting the urge to scroll through social media before I went to bed, a routine I had practiced before my time away. As it turns out I achieved much more than I set

out to during my social cleanse.

Aside from almost eliminating a need to share every part of my life, I inspired a few of my friends to find entertainment outside of their phones as well.

I even ignited a conversation about why we label our value as human beings on the number of ‘likes’ we receive on a selfie. This conversation in turn sparked a story found in Section B of this paper.

So, all in all, get up and go outside. Put that genius hunk of metal down and breathe in the clean southern air. A person’s value is not based on numerals and their worth is not defined by anyone but themselves. If you are up to it, the next time you want to take a photograph of the beautiful day, take it.

But do not post it. Keep the memory between the people you were lucky enough to enjoy it with.

Experience needed to compete in job market

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

From my view, everyone was having these exciting adventures and getting in their last hurrah before the school year began. And there I was — at home doing none of the above.

I could feel myself caring more and more about maintaining my “online persona”. It is something everyone has. Essentially, it is the persona a person would like the world to think they are, when in reality no one is as cool as the number of Instagram followers they have.

Even the most confident can receive a bruised ego when a status or a photo posted does not get as many likes as the person had hoped. But, why?

Why as a society of free willed young adults, do we prize our self-confidence around friends or followers who we are hardly even acquaintances with?

Why are we spending so much

JASMINE FLEMING 7VTQVM -LQ\WZ WVTQVM(NTWZITI VM\

College is a time when students are expected to balance classes, time with loved ones and commitments to RSOs and jobs. But college can also be a starting point for a career.

Thinking back to last year, my first year in college, I can remember wondering what I would do with an English degree. I knew I

wanted to be a writer, but I had no clue what came next.

After sorting through Google results for “how to get a job after college,” I learned that graduates need experience in their chosen fields if they ever want to find employment in the “real world.”

My frenzied searches, however, are not the only evidence showing college students need practical experience to impress employers.

According to a fall 2013 study by Chegg, a leader in textbook rentals and homework help, only 39 percent of hiring managers in the U.S. felt recent grads had the skills, based on interviews and resumes, to work at their establishments.

Because of information like this, I began writing for

The Flor-Ala last year. I did not know anything about journalism, but I felt like any experience as a writer would be better than none.

A year later, I do not regret that decision. I have learned so much about a field I never even considered in high school, and I am learning more and more each day through my successes and my mistakes about how to act like a professional, trust my judgment and commit myself to a publication that focuses on the needs of so many.

This is something I hope all students will do with their college years as well. From freshmen to seniors, everyone all need to look at the resources at our disposal.

Every time a student goes to class, he or she comes faceto-face with a subject matter

expert who likely has the means to suggest — if not offer connections to — internships, relevant campus organizations and even jobs for a student’s chosen field. There is also an Office of Career Planning and Development that offers career counseling, help with resumes, interview practice and even career fairs.

There are so many opportunities on this campus to take steps toward a career, and all we have to do is take them. I plan to search high and low for more experiences to expand my writing, and I highly encourage every other student on campus to secure a successful future later by gaining more experience now.

Congratulations to our Writer and JOIN OUR WEEKLY WRITERS MEETINGS SUNDAYS AT 4 P.M. Photographer of the IN THE STUDENT PUBLICATIONS OFFICE Week!

BEHIND WILLINGHAM HALL Dallas Moore and 643 N. WOOD AVE.

INTERESTED IN WRITING? Copyright © 2013 The Flor-Ala All rights reserved.

First copy free.

Additional copies $1 each.

Melissa Parker

8A NEWS

Sept. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

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SPORTS

SECTION B

Sept. 4, 2014• The Flor-Ala

TEAM GOALS CLUB SPORTS

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Menʼs club soccer team becomes first-time RSO DUSTIN POLLARD

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For the first time at UNA a men’s club soccer team will be a Recognized Student Organization this fall.

There may not be an official men’s soccer team at UNA, but the club team is in a league called the Southeast Collegiate Soccer Alliance.

The team is in the Gulf Coast Division, which features seven other schools including the University of Alabama and Auburn University.

“We’ve never officially been an RSO, and we’ve never officially been in a league and now we’re in both of those,” said team captain Brandon Brown.

The team has six games on its schedule including three home games before the regional tournament. However, the team does not officially have a home field to play their games.

“We’re still looking for a place to play (home games),” Brown said. “We’ve asked the city; we’ve asked to use the practice field at UNA, but no luck so far.”

There is not much time to find a home field as the first home game is Sept. 19

Soccer team eager to meet goals this season

against Mississippi State University.

Despite the issue, it will not alter the team’s goals this year, Brown said.

“Our first goal is to stay together and be official, we’re in a league now and we want to be competitive,” he said. “Our second goal is to support the women’s team and promote their home games for people to come. We also want to do a clinic later on for all the youth kids in Florence.”

The team’s coach, freshman international student from Saudi Arabia, Majed Al-Majed, said he wants to help promote the game of soccer as a whole on campus.

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

DUSTIN POLLARD

;XWZ\[ -LQ\WZ [XWZ\[(NTWZITI VM\

The women’s soccer team officially kicks off the 2014 season today at 7 p.m. against McKendree University.

The Lions defeated Trevecca Nazarene 4-0 in an exhibition game Saturday.

After going 8-8-2 (5-4-2 GSC) last year, the Lions are eager to avenge last season’s average record. UNA finished fifth in the Gulf South Conference last season and is picked to finish fifth again this year in a preseason poll by the league’s head coaches.

“We had six games that were decided by one goal, so 8-8-2 could’ve really

PRACTICES

GAME DATES

• MONDAY 8 P.M. AT HOME GAMES INTRAMURAL FIELD • SEPT. 4 VS. MCKENDREE • WEDNESDAY 6 P.M. AT YMCA • SEPT. 8 VS. TENNESSEE • FRIDAY 6 P.M. AT NORTH WESLEYAN FLORENCE PARK • SEPT. 24 VS. SHORTER • OCT. 3 VS. VALDOSTA STATE

LIFE

SPORTS

IN THIS SECTION

been totally different on the nicer side,” said coach Chris Walker. “We have high expectations this year, but we’ll know a lot more after the first weeks of the season of how good we’re going to be.”

The Lions finished last season with a four-game winning streak before losing to GSC foe West Alabama 2-0 in the season finale. The way the season ended leaves reason for optimism for UNA this year.

“We want to start off this year the way we finished last season,” Walker said. “It started to come together towards the end last year.”

UNA lost its top two scorers from last year, Jennifer Osmond and Abby Fannin, but is returning eight starters from last year’s squad. One of the returners, senior midfielder Abbey Hellum, said this team has the potential to be great.

“With the new girls and girls we have coming back, we know we can do better this year,” she said. “Our goal is no doubt to win the GSC and take it as far as we can.”

UNA won the GSC title three years ago, and senior midfielder Danielle Scanlon said there is no reason the team cannot do it this year.

Football practice stays hot

Leading rusher ready for big year

Belly Dancing with ʻpassionʼ

See page 2B

See page 3B

See page 5B

LGBT in Church See page 6B

2B SPORTS

Sept. 4, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ The Flor-Ala

PRACTICE

Temperatures remain high at preseason practice MATT SULESKI

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

photo by DEANNA KAMPMEYER I Staff Photographer

Junior running back Lamonte Thompson takes a water break during practice Aug. 26.

Football season is heating up, literally.

With temperatures in the mid-90s last week, the UNA football team continues to prepare for its season opener. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fortunately not one player has passed out or had any issue with the heat,â&#x20AC;? said coach Bobby Wallace. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had to get a little treatment, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not in as good of shape as they are.â&#x20AC;?

The Lions will take the field for the first time this season when they travel to Jackson, Mississippi to face Mississippi College Sept. 13.

The team is preparing for the heat as much as they are preparing for their opponent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve let the (players) know how important it is to hydrate,â&#x20AC;? said Head Athletic Trainer Josh Penny. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They have all come into camp in pretty good shape, and that helps to keep conditioning issues

under control.â&#x20AC;?

The team practices on an artificial turf, which can heat up pretty fast under the sun, Wallace said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hotter down here on this turf than it is anywhere else out here,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But our guys are hungry (for the season to start) and getting ready so it has had little effect on them.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;?

PREPARING IN THIS HEAT MAKES A 6 P.M. GAME LATER IN THE YEAR NOTHING TO DEAL WITH.

HAYDEN HENDERSON

FULLBACK

Because of such a late start to the season, the Lions decided not to have two-a-day practices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier to stay hydrated when you practice once a day as opposed to twice a

day,â&#x20AC;? Penny said.

The athletic training team holds meetings with the team on how to eat and how to hydrate, as well as the influence it has on overall health and performance, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve met with the players and told them how to take care of themselves,â&#x20AC;?

Penny said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to them what they do when they leave the facility.â&#x20AC;?

He also mentioned how important it would be when the temperatures start to drop. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Preparing in this heat makes a 6 p.m. game later in the year nothing to deal with,â&#x20AC;? said sophomore fullback Hayden Henderson.

With the fall season approaching temperatures should begin to drop. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll continue to monitor them and make sure they are healthy and ready to go,â&#x20AC;? Wallace said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The season is still a few weeks away but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re getting prepared and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be ready to play.â&#x20AC;?

PROFILE

Senior volleyball player produces stats for team AUBREE WHITE

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She aces, she digs, she blocks, she kills and she assists.

Megan Gorey, a sociology major, finished last season with a total of 352 kills and 126 digs, earning her a SecondTeam All-Gulf South Conference selection.

She made a team-high of 3.09 kills per set, led the team with 64 blocks on the year, hit .218 for the season and was the only player to start all 33 matches.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to work hard to be named the GSC Player of the Year this season,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Gorey was the lone UNA player named to the GSC Preseason ALL-GSC Team, selected by the conferenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head coaches.

She said this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team has many players who are able to play multiple positions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a great group of girls who have a lot of heart,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Freshman outside hitter Lexie Bradley said Gorey is the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best allaround player.

Last season she showed off her versatility as a player by finishing the year with eight assists and 24 service aces.

She was named Gulf South Conference Player of the Week Oct. 7 and reached double-figures in kills 20 times, including a 20-kill performance against Christian Brothers University where she led the Lions to a 3-1 win at home.

She also clenched a double-double (scoring at least 10 in two of the five categories: aces, kills, blocks, digs or assists) against Shorter University with 11 kills and 11 digs.

Gorey said she definitely wants the team to work toward winning the conference. She also said she wants the team to play hard against University of Alabama Huntsville and University of West Florida, the Lionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; top rivals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think our team can go far this year,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With players like Shantelle (Federick) and Natasha (Fomina) who play with so much heart, we can go far.â&#x20AC;?

UNA will open its season at the USI Dunn Hospitality Invitational Sept. 5-6 in Evansville, Indiana. The first home game is Sept. 9 against Christian Brothers University.

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photo by KATLYN SHANNON I Staff Photographer

Senior outside/middle hitter Megan Gorey passes the ball during practice Aug. 28. Gorey received preseason All-GSC team honors.

SPORTS

Sept. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

PROFILE

3B

Lamonte Thompson

Lions running back makes big time plays

Class: Junior Height: 5’8” Weight: 175 lbs.

Position: Running Back Hometown: Florence, Alabama

DARIEN PIPPENS

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UNA’s leading, returning rusher may be small in stature compared to most running backs, but that does not stop him from making big plays.

Junior running back Lamonte Thompson, a 5-foot-8, 175-pound running back has earned a spot on the Second-Team All-Gulf Conference team the last two years.

His playmaking skills have been on display since coming to UNA, and the nation had a chance to see it when was featured in ESPN’s SportCenter top 10 plays after last year’s season opener.

He has also led the team in rushing for the last two years, with a breakout performance in the season opener last season vs. Miles College, where he put up 189 yards and two touchdowns off just 14 carries.

Overall, Thompson posted 801 yards on 115 carries with seven touchdowns last season. He helped guide the Lions rushing attack to third best in the GSC. Thompson is one of two players to have been at UNA all four years, and because of that, the leadership that he displays is very important to the younger players on the team.

“He is a hard worker and a leader —

a quiet leader,” said head coach Bobby Wallace.

Thompson said he knows the value of being a good leader to the younger players because of the leadership he saw from former fullback Chris Coffey.

“He was a great leader, always did what he was supposed to do,” he said.

“He practiced hard and played hard as well.”

He feels like he is prepared to fill the void of leadership that will be missing with the departure of Coffey.

Starting quarterback Luke Wingo said that Thompson’s skill set has made his job easier.

“He is an awesome running back and has awesome talent. He’s by far the best running back I have been around,” he said.

Wingo said he sees the hard work mentally that Chris Coffey had trickle down to Thompson.

Offensive Coordinator Cody Gross said that Thompson is an all-around back by being able to catch passes out of the backfield and a great blocker.

“He is tough, elusive and has really improved as a pass catcher and blocker,” he said.

photo by DEANNA KAMPMEYER I Staff Photographer

Lamonte Thompson Stats:

Rushes

Yards

Touchdowns

2012:

130

690

5

2013:

115

801

7

Career: 245

1491

12

Stats:

Yards

Catches

Touchdowns

2012:

9

30

0

2013:

12

112

1

Career:

21

142

1

4B SPORTS STAYING STAYING IIVVE E A AATCCTTUNA AT UNA CYCLING

In this revolutionary cycling 12:30 class, youp.m. willtrxexperience a 3:30ofp.m ab attack variety cycling including hill 4 p.m. Zumba Xfit and cycling climbs, fast flats and 7pm tabata exhilarating 6:30 Kayak polofinishes. at flowers hall

Sep. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala 12:30 p.m. trx 3:30 p.m ab attack 4 p.m. Zumba Xfit and cycling 7pm tabata 12:30 p.m. trx 3:30 p.m ab attack 4 p.m. Zumba Xfit and cycling 7pm tabata 6:30 Kayak polo at flowers hall

NEW GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES Dance Fit p.m. trxT25 Focus Tu 12:30 3:30 p.m ab attack Zumba Xfit and cycling HIIT4 p.m. (high-intensity 7pm tabata interval 6:30 Kayaktraining) polo at flowers hall

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Sept. 13 at Mississippi College

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Sept. 27 vs. Valdosta State

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3 p.m. - 7 p.m. - Farming Clinic hosted by the OAC Aug. vs. Trevecca Nazarene 3:1530p.m.

- Ab Attack 4 p.m. - Zumba (Exhibition) 5 p.m. - Cycling Sept.

4 vs.- HIIT McKendree 7 p.m.

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STAYING ACTIVE LION SPORTS

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Sept. 8 vs. Tennessee Wesleyan

Nov. at West 3:1513p.m.

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Flow State Oct. 3 vs. -Valdosta Oct. 12 vs. West Florida

WEDNESDAY

Oct. 21 vs. Union

OAC = Outdoor Adventure Center *Weekly pre-trip meetings are Tuesdays at 5 p.m. To check for last-minute availability

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LIFE 5B

Sept. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

FACULTY

GET IN THE GROOVE Professor finds peace in art of belly dance KAYLA LUTRELL

;\]LMV\ ?ZQ\MZ ST]\ZMTT(]VI ML]

Belly dancing. When you hear something the term, does your brain fill with an idea for leisure of exotic bombshells performing a dance of — something seduction for an audience of male suitors? Naturally, extracurricular,” this is the most common stereotype surrounding the Williams said. dance. Inside the basement of Willingham Hall, Yaschica The skills she acquired from Williams, chair of the criminal justice department and avid belly dance carried over into belly dancer, describes how she exudes a passion for both her art her career. and profession.

“I’m naturally a reserved There are numerous misconceptions about the art of belly person, an introvert,” she said. dancing, she said. Misconceptions Williams herself admits to “When I started dancing I think once having about the style of dance when she first took up it helped me to become more the art form in 2002, she said. outgoing and more interactive with Williams explained belly dancing is often misconstrued individuals.” as sexual in nature. To her, belly dancing is used as a Williams practices with her way to entertain friends and family — not a means troupe regularly and said she uses her of seduction, she said. time belly dancing as a retreat.

“Belly dance is a type of dance “There are core movements that’s about movement,” Williams that go along with belly WHEN I STARTED DANCING I dance that develop muscle said. “It’s about becoming one with the music.”

THINK IT HELPED ME TO BECOME MORE memory,” she said. “So when you Williams has performed hear a song come on it’s like your at festivals and benefits like OUTGOING AND MORE INTERACTIVE WITH muscles automatically go toward that INDIVIDUALS. movement.” the Alabama Renaissance Fair and currently practices with Williams she finds solidarity with her troupe the Rainbow Dancers, a belly ASCHICA ILLIAMS and her fellow dancers. dance troupe in Florence. enjoy the sisterhood among dancers – it’s CHAIR OF “I “Since coming to our area like a community,” she said.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENT Aday said she shares the sense of camaraderie and joining our troupe, Yaschica has made us better and more beautiful,” said among dancers with Williams.

Rainbow Dancers troupe member Ellen Aday. “When “She is my sister in dance, and I greatly admire her,” Aday said. she performs, she moves with such grace and energy you Williams said her favorite part of belly dancing is the way it helps can’t take your eyes off of her.” people become more comfortable in their own skin.

Born in Tuscaloosa, Williams’s studies took her to Michigan Williams’s advice for anyone interested in belly dancing is where she took up the style of belly dance while in search of simple. something to fill her leisure time.

“Look in a phone book and see if there is a “I decided to go to graduate school in Kalamazoo, belly dance instructor or group in Michigan, and my first semester there I your area,” she said. decided I wanted to do

Y

W

6B LIFE

Sept. 4, 2014• The Flor-Ala

SELF-DEFENSE

m r a eceives low atten r g o r p g in in a r t RAD dance MELISSA PARKER

;\]LMV\ ?ZQ\MZ UXIZSMZ!(]VI ML]

Though UNA’s campus has had a number of sexual assaults in the past few years, the annual self-defense training course has not seen an increase in attendance.

“The mission of the R.A.D. Systems is to establish an accessible, constantly improving and internationally respected alliance of dedicated instructors,” according to the program’s website.

Rape Aggression Defense or R.A.D., training is a national standard selfdefense program, specifically for women, that provides the skills and confidence to avoid and confront individuals who may attempt to hurt them, said Bob Pastula, chief of police.

“I just thought it was something we could use — a program where the women could learn how to defend themselves against male attackers,” Pastula said.

“It’s a national standard program.”

Officer Shequanda Jenkins, sexual assault investigator and R.A.D. instructor, said the likelihood of women being attacked or assaulted goes down after completing the R.A.D. training.

“The program is geared toward anybody that’s interested in self-defense as long as they’re female,” Jenkins said.

“My youngest student has been 15, my oldest student was 86.”

The police department also offers trainings for different groups on campus.

“We give special (classes) to special groups,” Pastula said. “We give it to the residence halls as part of their regular training. We’ve even offered them key chains with pepper spray on it.”

Attendance for the training program has been very low since the course was implemented in 2011, Pastula said.

Jenkins conducted her training at the University of Florida when Pastula created the program.

“The attendance is very, very low,” Jenkins said. “We usually have 16-25 people sign up every class and then we get to the class and we may have six to eight.”

Attendance is higher among community members than students, Pastula said.

“I’d like to have all the females at the university attend it — faculty, staff, students — everybody,” Pastula said.

Jenkins said she thinks one reason most students do not attend the course is because of the length of the class.

“I think it’s hard for people to commit to the time to do the program,” Jenkins said. “I think that’s the biggest thing.”

Sophomore Kaydee Jones said she would consider taking the class if the hours were shorter.

“I work part-time so there’s no time I could do a whole eight hours,” Jones said. “I would be more likely to take the four-hour, but still, that’s an extremely long amount of time.”

Jenkins said she is open to suggestions from students.

“We could break it down,” Jenkins said. “If we get enough people together, and we have 10 people committed, we can break it down to two-hour classes, three-hour classes, whatever will work for someone’s schedule.”

By offering a half-credit hour, changing how the class is done, and keeping the class free, Jenkins is hopeful attendance will rise, she said.

Though it’s a class only for women, junior Michael Fitzsimmons said he thinks the class is a good idea.

“I believe it’s a good step toward helping women be able to think of a situation that could happen and be able to think of a way to get out of it,” Fitzsimmons said.

UPCOMING R.A.D. COURSES

• SEPT. 16 & 18 6 P.M. - 10 P.M.

• OCT. 11 8 A.M. - 4 P.M. TO SIGN UP FOR A

R.A.D.

TRAINING CLASS

VISIT UNA.EDU/POLICE

RELIGION

Churches cross social barrier to welcome LGBT community ALEX RICHEY

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The church has long had an uneasy past with the LGBT community filled with controversy and turmoil, but the sentiments the groups have towards each other may be starting to change.

The Student Alliance for Equality has a very active gay community, said Jay Liles, president of SAFE. The majority of the members also identify themselves as a person of faith in a particular religion, he said.

Liles, who identifies as gay and Christian, said he recalls life while coming out to his friends and family at a time heavily centered around the church, and has since remained faithful.

Stories like this are not uncommon among other gay men and women, yet still some feel pushed away from the church by the actions of a few individuals, Liles said.

When senior Mac Pylant began telling people he was gay, the reaction from some individuals came with abuse, he said.

“When I came out I remember being literally hit with a Bible by someone trying to pray the gay out of me,” he said.

Pylant said the closed-mindedness of people within the church turned him

away from it.

“But (being gay) is one of the things that will always be a part of me and sometimes people just won’t understand that,” he said. “That is one of the reasons that turned me off of going to church.”

There are some denominations within Christianity that are becoming more acclimated to differing sexual orientations.

While the Episcopal Church is on the forefront of the inclusion of LGBT members nationally, it varies by region, said Callie Plunket-Brewton, associate rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in Florence.

“The church is very accepting and welcoming of everyone, including those in the gay community,” Plunket-Brewton said. “All people are equal in the eyes of the Lord and should feel welcomed to worship together.”

Although support is growing for the gay community, few believe being gay fits within the Christian doctrine.

“I know this is unpopular, but I believe (being gay) is a sin,” said senior Ashley White. “I also believe all sin is equal, so just in the way I sin and I need worship, the gay community needs worship. So, if that desire to worship is there — then worship. Worship does bring forth change.”

photo by LAUREN HORNE I Student Photographer

Trinity Episcopal Church is located at 410 N. Pine Street in Florence. The church welcomes all people of faith regardless of their sexual orientation.

LIFE 7B

Sept. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

SOCIAL MEDIA

Worth more than a Like Monday Sanderson msanderson2@una.edu

Student Writer

Following

Glee and Power Rangers lover. Reader of Stephen King and reciter of poetry. Listener of all music. #una18 photo by KATYLN SHANNON I Staff Photographer

Students, professors discuss power of an Instagram Like Remember the time you posted that ‘cool’ photo on your social media accounts expecting all of your followers to like it, yet hardly any did?

Though Facebook and Instagram are completely different social media platforms, they both have one main concept in common: the “like” feature.

Most Instagram users, young and old, have one goal in mind when they post a picture online — get ‘likes.’ But why, as a society, do we place so much emphasis on how many likes a picture receives?

“You get to immediately see more context (on Instagram) than just words,” said Andrea Hunt, assistant professor of the sociology department. “Pictures give you a completely different feel of the experience people are having.”

Hunt said people posting on social networks look to find acceptance in the

form of a like.

“It is a way to seek approval from others that we are important and our lives are meaningful,” she said. “We might measure our popularity in this way. Sometimes our sense of self and selfworth can get wrapped up in what others think and we measure this by the likes.”

Sophomore Mia Adams said she thinks the main reason people join Instagram is because other people are joining the website.

“It’s the popular thing to do now,”

Adams said.

The question of why society places so much emphasis on the number of people who like their photos or statuses remains.

People feel popular when they receive a large amount of likes, said freshman Patrick Lee. “When I receive only two likes, I feel bad,” Lee said. “But then I just upload another picture.”

Adams said she feels slightly different.

“When I don’t receive a lot of likes,

I really don’t care,” Adams said.

People put so much weight on how many people like their photos because it makes them seem popular, she said.

No matter how addicting social media is, it can also be stressful.

Some users of social media stress over if they have taken the right picture or how people will react to something they posted, Hunt said.

“We need to take a step back sometimes and realize that social media is not always a reflection of reality,” Hunt said. “A person’s health should matter more than how they look on Instagram. Taking a step back from all social media is a good idea.”

Despite the stress that can be caused by social media, there are still some positives, she said.

REVIEW

ʻThe Giverʼ defies previous movie adaptation standards

PAIGE MCCAY

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For anyone who has read Lois Lowry’s best-selling novel “The Giver”, the recently released an on-screen rendition does come with its changes, but it is no less mesmerizing than the book.

Like most avid readers, I had my concerns and doubts about how the filmmakers would be able to portray certain parts on the big screen I had already designed so flawlessly in my mind. However, the makers of this film exceeded

Excellent: Worth multiple viewings

every one of my expectations.

They kept true to the story, yet managed to change small pieces and then reincorporate them in unexpected, creative ways. These small changes, in unison with larger alterations to the core of the story, give the audience more relatable characters and enhance the story line.

The director made a brave move by placing an unknown and rather young cast as the most essential roles in the

story. A newer face to the big screen, Brenton Thwaites, who plays the leading role of Jonas, has potential to acquire a prominent standing in the hearts of many fan-girls.

Thwaites, along with the rest of the cast, did a wonderful job of bringing this story to life. No movie would be complete without its classic cast members such as Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges, who did not break their streak of impressive acting in this film.

Truth to novel storyline

Good: Worth the price of one ticket Acting

Fair: Wait until Redbox Bad: A waste of time and money

Cinematography

If you are up for a daring, beautiful, soul-awakening film then I encourage you to go and watch this movie.

When I first encountered the story, it reminded me of the beauty of humanity and of the simplicity of life which we so often take for granted. Like the characters themselves, this film dares to defy all standards put against it and stands to bring true honor to the dystopian book it parallels.

This film

overall

8B EXTRA

Sep. 4, 2014 • The Flor-Ala

SOCIAL MEDIA OF THE WEEK

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