The Signal Vol. 82 No. 16

JAN. 20, 2015 - JAN. 26, 2015

Just a it's

VOL. 82 | NO. 16

e u s s i cial

Spe

Inside Artistic License

Bill Various legislations are on the table. We outline some topics for you: The HOPE scholarship, minimum wage and vehicular cell phone use in Georgia.

Sia’s new music video “Elastic Heart” hasn’t received much heart from some viewers after its release. How far can one’s artistic license go?

Opinions | 8

Here’s how you will be affected.

Auburn’s Awakening

NEWS | PAGES 3 - 5

In the wake of recent efforts to uplift Atlanta, Auburn Avenue has gotten a makeover.

A&L | 12

Bye-Bye Jaguars?

GPC’s Interim President Robert Watts gives no guarantee its athletics program will continue after the Georgia State consolidation.

Sports | 17 like us! facebook.com/gsusignal

follow us! twitter.com/gsusignal

PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

DAILY NEWS AT WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

News 3

Opinions 7

Arts & Living 9

Sports 17

2

NEWS

blotter

13 3. Jan. You’re going

A Criminal Trespass Warning (CTW) was filed after university police officers observed a female trying to illegally gain access into the University Commons parking deck. Officers ran a criminal history check and confirmed she was not affiliated with the school. She was issued the CTW and then escorted off of the premises.

Don’t forget about me

2.

reckless driving

Decatur Street Southeast

Commons Parking Deck

University Center

A report for theft was filed after a student said he left his book bag on the exterior of the bookstore unattended. When he returned he found his property stolen. The case is being handled by investigations.

4.

Theft

nowhere!

12 1. Jan. Escorted away

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015

CTW Intoxication

University officers arrested a non-GSU affiliate for driving on a suspended and revoked license, outstanding felony warrants and terroristic threats while stopped on a traffic violation. A criminal history check showed that he was wanted by Fort Valley Police Department for aggravated assault.

The person was then arrested, processed and transported to Fulton County Jail.

1.

13 4. Jan. How many criminal

incidents does it take?

Piedmont North

Georgia State police arrested four students for possessing alcohol under 21 years of age.

The students were arrested but with no further incident.

3.

2.

Photo of the week PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL A Georgia State student, who was one of many that rallied in the center of Library Plaza on Jan. 15, holds up a sign demanding support for Kendrick’s Law. The law, dedicated to the late Valdosta teen Kendrick Johnson, if passed, would require all coroners to be medically licensed.

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NEWS MINIMUM WAGE

across the country GEORGIA

$5.15

Possible

“ $15 MINIMUM

an hour NORTH CA ROLINA

WAGE r o f Georgia

$7.25

an hour

TEXAS

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Written by: Josh Ruby

MISSOURI

$7.65

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an hour

fter states such as Washington, Arkansas and Alaska approved higher wages for minimum-wage employees, eligible Georgia residents may also experience an increase in their paychecks after this legislative season.

House Bill 8 (HB 8), proposed to raise Georgia’s minimum-wage from an FLORIDA averaged $5.15 per hour to $15, was introduced on 13 and is being exan hour Jan. amined by the Georgia COLORADO House of Representatives.

The bill intends to an hour provide a higher minimum wage for eligible Georgia workers, according to the Georgia General Assembly’s webpage.

If HB8 is approved, the NEW YORK bill would go into effect Jan. 1, 2016.

Including this initial an hou increase in minimum wage, r the bill also aims to annually increase the minimum wage comparable to costs of living. Each year the Georgia Department of Labor would be required to measure the percentage increase in the cost of living and calculate an adjusted minimum wage for the next year, according to the Georgia General Assembly’s

$8.05

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website.

One of the HB8’s four sponsors, Representative Dewey McClain, said he hopes the bill will help working men and women attain a better standard of living.

“There has not been a wage increase since 2009, and $7.25 an hour is $15,000 a year... $15 an hour, you are still borderline poverty because you’re making $30,000 a year,” McClain said.

“My accomplishment is trying to get working men and women out of poverty. You work all day but you’re still in poverty,” he said.

McClain also said the bill would benefit employers as well as employees.

“If the employers are participating in this program it helps them by not having to retrain employees to take someone’s place. Instead of an employee getting up every morning looking for work — looking for better work — he or she will stay with an employer longer,” he said.

How businesses are affected

Jeff Steinbuck, owner of Walter’s Clothing, said he felt higher wages wouldn’t necessarily guarantee higher employee loyalty.

“If it’s $10 an hour versus $15 an hour it really doesn’t matter. It’s immaterial as long as everyone is getting paid the same WAS HING wage,” he TON said.

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$9.50

WASHING TON

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www.georgiastatesignal.com/news

I think that if this bill goes through, it could change people’s lives. I can’t believe something like this hasn’t been brought up already, honestly. As the cost of living goes up, then so should minimum wage.”

- Hillary Austin, Georgia State student

Steinbuck also felt it might be hard for many businesses to adjust to a possible wage increase.

“If it raises to $15 an hour I think that would be pretty hard for a lot of businesses to absorb that kind of increase,” he said.

Currently more than 90 percent of workers are covered under the federal minimum wage, leaving only 10 percent not provided for, according to Georgia State professor Bruce Kaufman.

However, Georgia’s current minimum wage, $5.15 an hour, is “almost irrelevant” as few employers offer such a low wage in the modern labor market, according to Kaufman.

Kaufman said an increase in the minimum wage would be helpful to those in need on the lower end of the job spectrum.

“The demand-supply situation in the low end of Georgia labor markets is pretty unbalanced because there are so many more job seekers than there are job openings. Thus, people can’t get a decent wage to live on and many also don’t get benefits,” Kaufman said.

“A rise in the minimum wage is a useful way to give these people a raise when excess labor supply makes it impossible for them to get it on their own.”

Kaufman also said raising the minimum wage might not have a severe impact on businesses and the overall economy.

“Evidence indicates a moderate increase in the minimum wage typically has a pretty small job loss effect, partly because firms raise prices to offset the labor cost increase and partly because they find offsetting economies elsewhere in their operations.”

An increase in Georgia’s minimum wage legislation would not be uncalled for nor the first of its kind, according to Kaufman.

“Of course, the benefits and costs change as you talk about an $8 vs. $12 vs. $15 minimum wage. Currently, the Georgia minimum wage is one of the lowest in the 50 states so giving it a hike is hardly radical. Note, for example, that people in four relatively conservative states voted last November to raise their state minimum wage,” Kaufman said.

However, Kaufman said he felt HB8’s proposed $15 an hour would be too great an increase and suggested raising the wages in increments.

“It needs to be done in increments so business firms can have more time to adjust,” Kaufman said.

How working students are affected

Georgia State student Hillary Austin said she believes HB 8 would be a

life-changing legislative move.

“I think that if this bill goes through it could change people’s lives. I can’t believe something like this hasn’t been brought up already, honestly. As the cost of living goes up, then so should minimum wage,” Austin said. “I could tell you how many people I know that have to work two or more jobs just to feed themselves and afford the basic essentials, but that would be an outrageously long list.”

Austin also said the bill could help students who are working to pay for tuition.

“For students who are taking a lot of credit hours, I think the increase would help limit how many hours they had to work during the school week, which could possibly improve their grades … it would give them more money to handle the costs of being full time students,” she said.

Neuroscience major Stephen Green said he felt raising minimum wage might be helpful, but it could have negative impacts.

“Maybe this would be a good step, but I’m not sure how you could raise the minimum wage and not keep everything else from inflating along with everything else. At this point there should be something done to help relieve stress on lower income families and even provide some minor luxuries,” he said.

Green also said raising the minimum wage could give smaller consumers more money to spend on regular goods in the economy.

“I think overall it would be good, getting money into small consumers’ hands — not people who buy yachts or Lamborghinis, but people who buy basic supplies — because they tend to spend out of necessity. So if they have more money in their hands, they’re going to be required to spend it anyway,” he said.

Amanda O’Kelley, a Georgia State student, said increasing the minimum wage to $15 might be unfair to those already working for higher wages.

“I wouldn’t be totally against it but I don’t see why you would want it to be $15 because then I feel like that would mean everyone else who is getting paid $15 now for their job and might have a degree of some sort would need to be paid more too and everything will have to increase,” she said.

O’Kelley also said she felt the bill could help working Georgia State students trying to afford living in the city.

“I do know that it costs a little more to live in the city so that may be a good thing for students who may have more money; then so they could put extra money toward school or the supplies for school,” she said.

4

NEWS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015

Local Government

Legislation proposed to include more students for HOPE financial aid MATTHEW WOLFF Staff Reporter

T

his legislative season the Georgia State House of Representatives will vote on a series of bills that could allow new demographics of students to qualify and benefit from the HOPE grant and HOPE scholarship.

If passed House bills 22 - 35 (HB 22 – 25) could extend the length of time students may claim HOPE benefits, extend scholarships to veterans and military family and provide full tuition to those pursuing a diploma or certificate program.

New student demographics

Seth Clark, Representative Evans’ chief of staff, said the proposed bills’ goals are to those with greater need. Clark said to make this possible HB 22 is ideal.

“In a perfect world the HOPE grant would pay for 100 percent of a student’s tuition,” Clark said.

He also said HB 23, HB 24 and HB 25 are smaller pieces of HB 22.

If they don’t pass bill HB 22, they will piece it together.

“If you pass the HOPE grant, the other ones become moot,” Clark said.

Cuts to the HOPE grants in 2011 resulted in a 25 percent decrease in enrollment in Georgia technical schools, according to Clark.

“We’re building increasing access to the technical college through the HOPE program,” he said. “Cuts to HOPE made it difficult to afford college for a community that is more price sensitive.”

Clark also said it is Representative Evans’ goal to make education available different demographics including veterans and single mothers.

Veterans who often have difficulty enrolling in college because of requirements they may not have met before leaving high school shouldn’t be barred from pursuing an education, according to Clark.

“Trades learned in the military allow them to become students,” Clark said.

He also said the voting periods for HB 22 - HB 25 is still yet to be determined and they have not been assigned to a committee.

“They will most likely be assigned to the higher education committee,” Clark said.

Students without HOPE

Junior chemistry major Shams Husseini said having the HOPE scholarship made him want to work hard to keep it, but his GPA has slipped slightly below the requirement for eligibility.

Husseini also said he regrets

PHOTO BY MATTHEW WOLFF | THE SIGNAL The Georgia State House of Representatives will vote on improvements to the HOPE scholarship that will extend benefits to veterans and families of military service members. any financial burden he has put onto his parents as a result of losing the HOPE scholarship. He looked back on what it was like to have the scholarship before losing it.

“I didn’t have to worry about it being a whole bunch of money on them,” he said. “I could get it myself.”

Santana Tooks, a junior at Georgia State who also recently lost his HOPE funding due to a drop in GPA, said it is urgent that he regains his eligibility this semester.

“Now that I don’t qualify for HOPE, I’m having to take out increasing loans. My subsidized and unsubsidized [loan] is bigger than it was when I first transferred in,” he said.

Tooks also said having HOPE as a source for financial aid was beneficial because it provided him a way to immediately purchase needed class materials.

“I didn’t have to wait until I came up with the money myself to buy books,” he said.

Tooks also credited his status with HOPE to his ability to be involved in Georgia State.

“It may sound superficial but my wardrobe was increased. Then I was able to buy business clothes. I could buy regular casual clothes, but I felt

like I could actually be a part of different organizations because I actually dressed the part,” he said.

While receiving HOPE, Tooks said he was also using the money to pay off other loans he had taken out to attend Georgia State.

Junior high school student Alex Cameli, who enrolled in Georgia State’s Accel dual enrollment program, said the university’s classes are paid for through the program.

However, he is also on track to graduate from Grady High School in 2016, meeting the requirements for both HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships.

Cameli said whether he decides to go out-of-state or remain in Georgia is most significantly influenced by money received through scholarships and financial aid.

“I don’t plan on paying too much. That’s why I like the HOPE scholarship,” he said. “The way I see it, it’s just about avoiding debt after college and I think that’s the most important part to me. So not necessarily that I would spend it on something different while I’m in college or that my family couldn’t find a way to pay for it but avoiding debt after college is pretty important to me. I feel like that gives me a pretty good head start.”

This year’s sponsored legislation HB 22 – Would pay all educational expenses for any Georgia residents attempting to earn a certificate or diploma from a technical college.

HB 23 – Would remove the limitation that students may only qualify for the HOPE scholarship within seven years of graduating high school.

HB 24 – Would allow students receiving a HOPE grant or scholarship to additionally receive eligibility for the Zell Miller Scholarship if they meet the requirements not met upon graduating high school.

HB 25 – Would make veterans and family of military service members eligible for tuition to be paid through Zell Miller Grant.

Representative Stacey Evans from Smyrna’s District 42 sponsors HB 22 – HB 25.

Additional information about HOPE bills this year can be found on the Georgia General Assembly website.

HOPE Scholarship v.

HOPE Grant HOPE Scholarship Awarded to students maintaining a 3.0 GPA while pursuing a four-year degree.

HOPE Grant Assists students enrolled in a diploma or certificate program. There are no requirements on graduating high school with a minimum GPA.

p

5

NEWS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015

Local GOvernment

Bill proposed to consider weighted GPAs for HOPE scholarship RICO JOHNSON Staff Reporter

D

uring the Georgia General Assembly’s 152nd meeting this year, a new bill will be proposed that could potentially change future freshman students’ GPAs. House Bill 6 (HB 6), a bill pertaining to students’ GPAs and eligibility for HOPE scholarship, was introduced to the Georgia General Assembly on Nov. 19 last year, according to District 93 House Representative Dar’shun Kendrick.

If the bill passes it would authorize the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) to provide a weighted GPA exceeding a 4.0 for International baccalaureate (IB), advanced placement (AP) and dual-credit coursework for incoming freshmen, according to Kendrick.

Kendrick said HB 6 was the only bill proposed and pre-filed out of the three bills she considered proposing last year.

HB 6’s purpose is to enable an act to modify Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia and to make slight changes to the Zell Miller Scholarship, according to Kendrick.

Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia states the procedure in which the GSFC is suppose to follow to determine eligibility of students seeking financial assistance, according to the website.

Kendrick said HB 6 will give an equal opportunity for advanced students to obtain all portions of HOPE scholarship.

“I’m calling it the HOPE Equality Bill,” she said. “In a nutshell what this bill does is it levels the playing field for people who are in AP, IB or college level classes.

So this would make it so students who graduate from non-eligible Zell Miller Scholarship schools have a chance to get every single part of the HOPE and scholarship benefits for excelling in their school advance class.”

Kedrick also said she believes students who take IB, AP or dual enrollment classes should get a higher GPA ranking due to their class difficulty.

“The Georgia Student Finance Commission calculates HOPE but even if a student has an A in one of these advance level classes the most they could get would be a 4.0, not a 4.5 they were entitled to because the coursework is harder,” she said.

This legislative season a total of 54 new bills will be presented

“

It’s a small change, but I think it’s an important [one] just to make sure to level the playing field regarding scholarships, grants and loans.”

to be voted on by the assembly.

Kendrick said the state’s constitution requires house and senate members only stay in session for 40 days.

“They don’t have to be consecutive but 40 days is the maximum we can be in session,” she said.

The 30th day is the last day for a bill to pass through the house or senate for the other party to review. Bills that don’t pass on this day will either roll over until next year’s session, according to Kendrick.

Kendrick said the benefit of the HOPE Equality Bill for AP, IB and dual enrollment students would create a more efficient GPA weighing system.

“If the bill passes then the GSFC will weigh GPA’s more thoroughly, thus rewarding Zell Miller

-Dar’shun Kendrick

District 93 House Representative and HOPE scholarships recipients more equally,” she said.

John Klippel, a junior philosophy major, said he is happy to see a bill concerning HOPE for AP students is going into legislation this year.

“I’m glad it’s being proposed at the Georgia General Assembly because I take AP classes and it’s frustrating to see that all your hard work in these advance classes is not being rewarded equally as to someone with the HOPE scholarship taking regular classes,” he said.

Kendrick said if the bill passes students currently using the form of financial aid will not be affected.

“Students who are currently on HOPE would not face any changes to their scholarship; they’ll still

be awarded,” she said. “If the bill passes, then it gives GSFC the opportunity to give IB, AP and dual enrollment students the full scholarship they deserve, as to [what] students who have a 3.0 would receive.”

Kendrick also said the HOPE Equality Bill will give more authority to the GSFC to award scholarships to students with GPAs higher than 4.0.

“It’s a small change, but I think it’s an important [one] just to make sure to level the playing field regarding scholarships, grants and loans. But I think this will be the first step in the right direction by giving them the authority to do it because right now the way the law is worded, the commission doesn’t even have the option to award over a 4.0,” she said.

Transportation

Georgia legislature may ban handheld phone calls while driving SAMUEL ROTH Staff Reporter

W

hile no U.S. state bans all types of cell phone use for drivers, House Bill 10 (HB 10) in this year’s state legislative season could change a portion of that for Georgia drivers.

If passed, HB 10, a bill proposed to ban all hand-held phone calls while driving, would make Georgia the 14th state in the nation to ban this cellular method of communicating, according to The National Conference for State Legislatures’ (NCSL) website.

Georgia Representative Rahn Mayo initially supported HB 10 and introduced it to the assembly on Jan. 15, according to the Georgia website. The following individuals are also listed as supporters of the bill: Margaret Kaiser, Karla Drenner, “Coach” Williams and Keisha Waites.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published a study in 2012 stating that 18 percent of fatal car crashes that year were caused by driver distraction. Cell phone use is listed as one of the activities that contribute to distracted driving.

However, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development reports there is a difficulty discerning any degree in the difference of distractions between hand-held calls and handsfree use, according to a study conducted by Helmut Schneider.

An additional NHTSA report states various technologies require some degree of the driver’s focus to change from driving to pressing buttons and setting up or answering phone calls.

“Although current hands-free interfaces allow drivers to communicate with their voice, there is a concern that they still allow and sometimes require handheld cell phone subtasks,” the report states.

“Drivers can and frequently do initiate hands-free calls, text/browse during hands-free calls and end hands-free calls with a handheld cell phone. Hands-free interfaces also require that drivers enable a Bluetooth connection, pair their cell phone and manually dial if their voice commands are not recognized.”

Jennifer Dupree, a non-traditional Georgia State student and mother who lived in Washington D.C. where a similar law is in effect, said she believes HB 10 is a good idea.

“There are so many distractions on the road and a lot of young people are dying because of devices like our cell phones.

It is a good idea to go wireless so that there are less distractions and drivers keep their eyes on the road.

I had one incident where I was on my phone and I almost had a car accident because of it, so I set my phone to driving mode,” she said.

HB 10 states subtasks of handsfree phone calls are not included in the ban just as long as the driver is not using his or her hands or is supporting wireless telecommunication devices with their heads and shoulders after engaging in communication has been initiated.

“Except for a hands-free telephone call, a driver shall not use a wireless telecommunications device to place or conduct a telephone call while operating a motor vehicle on the public roads or highways of this state,” HB 10 states.

Georgia State senior Isabelle Kapik said she does not support Representative Mayo’s bill and fears the negative effects the amendment could lead to.

“As a Georgia driver, I can personally vouch for the number of young and old drivers alike who blatantly ignore this statute multi-

ple times a day. I have not personally observed any decrease in the number of drivers on the road and their phone… Realistically, I think people will adhere to the bill for a month or two maximum,” she said.

Kapik also said she was concerned with how this bill might give officers another reason to target specific drivers.

“I see these ‘misdemeanor offenses’ as a way for state patrol to target and persecute select individuals at will. Like drug laws, the legislation is typically bent to align with the agenda of the prosecution. Based on their prerogative, they pull individuals over on the roadway at their own discretion,” Kapik said. “While I would like to believe all officers enforce the law with the same indiscretion as the law is blind, I know through fact and personal experience humans do not behave this way.”

Currently there are no federal laws entirely prohibiting cell phone use while driving. However the NCSL lists 37 states with laws prohibiting the hand-held use, according to the organization’s website.

Of all 50 states, Arizona and Montana are the only two with no laws against texting and driving, according to the NCSL.

HB 10 states the restrictions of drivers would not apply to drivers in the following situations: • A person reporting a medical emergency/ fire/road hazard/traffic accident • Reporting a potential crime/occurring crime • A public utility employee or contractor acting for their employment or responding to a public utility emergency • Public safety personnel responding to his or her official duties • A driver with more than six wheels or a commercial motor vehicle driver • A person using a wireless telecommunications service while parked

S

"

6

NEWS

City

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015

SGA ROUNd-up

Uber drivers form protest to Sebastian Parra appointed as SGA’s new executive vice president fight fare cuts CIARA FRISBIE & RICO JOHNSON News Editor Staff Reporter

G PHOTOS BY SAMUEL ROTH THE SIGNAL One Uber driver protests the rate cuts in the ride-hailing service Jan. 16 on 10th Street.

SEAN KEENAN & SAMUEL ROTH Staff Reporters

I

n protest to three fare cuts in the past year, dozens of Atlanta Uber drivers congregated to protest on 10th Street near Piedmont Park on Jan. 16.

The fare cuts issued by Uber, a transportation services company, totaled to approximately 50 or 60 percent, according to protesters.

The company announced it would cut rider fare costs in 48 cities within the U.S., according to The New York Times.

“Uber said the fare cuts would help drivers ‘beat the winter slump’ by generating business in the months after the busy holiday season,” The New York Times states. “The cuts will largely affect markets in which the company has a relatively small presence, like in Nashville or Milwaukee.”

Atlanta Uber drivers said they are striking the company’s decision by shutting off their phones from 5 p.m. on Jan. 16 until 3 a.m. on Jan. 17.

Brian Newell, a 14-month Atlanta Uber driver and leader of

the protest, said the company’s rates had made it difficult for him and other drivers to make a profit.

“We can’t cover our insurance and we have to be out from 12 to 15 hours a day to make $100,” he said.

Kwame Atakora, another protest organizer, said he wanted Uber to work towards making rates more profitable for their employees.

“Uber is not talking to us and people don’t like that. They call us partners … [but] we sent them a letter and wanted to sit down and talk to them. Then they decided to turn our app off,” he said. “[They say price cuts] will drum up a lot of business for us. Well so far I don’t see it. And even if I see it, how am I gonna to operate with that money?”

Along with rate drops, Uber claims a $1 rider’s fee per transport.

This is in addition to 20 percent of the fare also claimed by the company, according to drivers at the protest. If the drivers’ concerns are not addressed by the company, the protests will continue every Friday, according to Atakora.

“I’m passionate about this job,” he said. “I left my company and I bought a vehicle. I love [the concept] of Uber but you cannot operate like this.”

eorgia State’s Student Government Association (SGA) swore Sebastian Parra in as its newest executive vice president (EVP) during the organization’s Jan. 15 General Senate Body meeting.

Parra, SGA’s former vice president of Academic Affairs, replaced Osato A. Uzamere who was the organizations former EVP. Uzamere announced she would be leaving her position due to an early fall graduation on Oct. 16.

The vice president of Academic Affairs’ position will remain vacant until there are Senate board member nominations, according to SGA President Lanier Henson.

“We’ll see by the next Senate meeting [about nominations],” he said. “We’re hoping that the interview process will be done for the new VP for Academic Affairs and we can actually have them converge on the Senate next Senate meeting…”

Henson also said this is to ensure SGA won’t have an empty vacancy and lack of leadership in the role for too long.

Director of Student Center Operations and SGA Advisor Boyd Beckwith said the process of Henson nominating senators and those individuals being confirmed by other existing senators is a critical mandate through the organization’s constitution.

“They will have to run for full election in the spring to keep those seats if they want to continue for the next academic year. So they’re actually filling in for the remainder of this term and so those are just appointed,” he said.

Other topics discussed at the meeting:

• Parra announced that he and Henson would be a part of a committee to discuss Georgia State’s recent consolidation with Georgia Perimeter College (GPC).

• Parra announced this year’s team of election commision participants. Nyomi Haynes was named as the election commission’s chairperson. Other members include: Brionne Tripp, Kaelen White, John Adeleye and Olayeni Odumosu.

Haynes said she and the other

last week

Local

Modern Bonnie and Clyde

Runaway Kentucky teens Dalton Hayes, 18, and Cheyenne Phillips, 13, were last seen in Henry County, Georgia, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC). Police suspect the teens abandoned their stolen pickup truck for a new vehicle allegedly carrying several firearms on Jan. 14. Hayes is wanted on charges of custodial interference and luring a minor. The stolen truck in Henry County is the most recent event in the crime spree which has

lead the teens through Kentucky, North Carolina and South Carolina. The teens are suspects in multiple home burglaries and have reportedly forged checks.

National

An alligator for a pet

The Mattson family of Los Angeles kept Jaxson, an alligator, as a pet for 37 years before Animal Control officers seized her Jan. 14, according to CNN. Two dead cats were found in a box in the backyard where the family kept the animal. Officials are asking members

PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL Formerly known as the Vice President of Academic Affairs, Sebastian Parra is sworn in as the new Executive Vice President at SGA General Senate Body Meeting Jan. 15. members will implement several practices to engage and increase the student body’s participation in this year’s upcoming SGA elections. This will include SGA position seekers submitting 30-second.

• Senator Justin Brightharp announced Jan. 15 as the official launch date for the Panther Mentorship program which is to improve the quality of students’ degrees.

Vice President of Public Relations Camryn Bradley drafted the bill along with Parra and Brightharp.

Brightharp said he and Bradley will be attending Plaza days to inform the student body of the program.

• Corey Sams, vice president of Budget & Finance, announced that SGA has used approximately $35,328.47 of its yearly budget. Henson said about $25,000 has been allocated to 18 organizations on campus. Sams said Bradley has used over 98 percent of his budget on SGA-related public relations tasks and has under $200 left in funds. Under 4 percent of the budget has been used on cosponsorships, according to Henson.

• Vice president of Student Services Teara Mayfield announced she and her committee would create a programming and events survey for the student body to complete about services on campus. Mayfield also said the Dean of Libraries is considering creating more stress-relief programs such as painting and animal interaction exercises for students during finals week. of the community to report if they had any small pets that may have disappeared in the last several decades. The Mattson family denies having ever fed any animals to Jaxson and claim they had been searching for a new home for the reptile. Jaxson is currently being held in the Los Angeles Zoo.

Global

Niger targeted

Churches and Christian-owned business were targeted for looting and fires in Niger on Jan. 17. The actions

• This week’s ‘Senator of the Week’ was Christina Migles-Schmitt of the College of Public Health.

‘Senator of the Week’ would be a new announcement to be made each General Senate Body meeting, according to Parra.

• Senator vacancies: two positions in the College of Arts & Sciences and one position in the College of Law.

Upcoming SGA events Jan. 24: Revision of SGA bylaws and constitution 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

All students and members are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served.

Jan. 29: SGA’s second General Senate Body meeting of Spring 2015 7 p.m.

University Center, Room 445

Feb. 5: Town Hall meeting SGA will hold a town hall meeting for members and students to have the opportunity to interact and ask questions, according to Henson. The location of the event is still unknown, but the organizations said they will announce the information soon.

followed as part of Muslim protests against the latest edition of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, according to BBC. In response to the attack that left 12 members of their staff dead, Charlie Hebdo published images of Muhammad on this week’s cover, triggering the riots in the former French colony. The French embassy asked that nationals living in the country stay indoors. Before the attack at Charlie Hebdo, the magazine had a circulation of 60,000 copies. To meet the demand for this week’s edition, 7 million copies are being printed.

OPINIONS

www.georgiastatesignal.com/opinions

Feature column

Life under Miss Liberty

Traversing the jungle that is the Georgia General Assembly

ZACH ITZKOVITZ Columnist

I

f you travel south through Georgia State’s campus, you will see a dome under a pediment, both of which are supported by a structure that’s a bit odd considering its surroundings. The authoritarian vibe can probably be traced to the building’s neoclassicism — it was designed to be reminiscent of ancient Greek and Roman infrastructure.

This is the Georgia State capitol building, home of the Georgia General Assembly, our bicameral legislature. Like the U.S. Congress, Georgia’s legislature consists of a senate with 56 seats and a House

of Representatives with 180 seats. Few would be shocked to find that both houses have a Republican majority, mirroring the federal legislature.

The Georgia House of Representatives is assigned the task of creating appropriations bills while the Georgia Senate either confirms or rejects Gubernatorial appointments.

That’s a lot of power for 236 Southerners under one roof. Like many Georgians, I’m interested in these people — where they come from, how they were raised, what they believe in, what they don’t. They are often overshadowed by their federal counterparts who make national headlines with their reckless procrastination and petty litigations.

a group of disgruntled Democrats away from the apparent liberalism.

This affected the entire political landscape of the South — the same landscape that gave birth to our current General Assembly which is about 67 percent Republican. An interesting feature of Georgia partisanship is the concentration of voters. If you looked at a red and blue map of our great state, Atlanta would be a blue island in a red sea. How did this polar distribution develop?

Metropolitan Atlanta is the most diverse area in Georgia. This implies a correlation between diversity and Democratic voters. It’s generally understood that the social services and egalitarianism in Democratic ideology is attractive to minorities. When we can understand this, we can understand the political divide. The GOP platform in Georgia consists of a distaste for the legislative influence that President Barack Obama has used.

Southern pride Georgia is a blatantly Republican state and has been for some time. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 drove a stake in the Democratic Party, causing Strom Thurmond, a Senator from South Carolina, to lead

Given the GOP majority of our legislature, it would seem they face an interesting future with progressive legislation gaining traction across the country. Conservative Georgians will continue to elect conservative representatives who will continue to reject recent legal changes such as same-sex marriage and cannabis legalization. It will come to a point at which our legislature will isolate us in complacency.

Topics to address The name “Nan Orrock” probably doesn’t ring a bell.

Neither does Simone Bell. But for Georgia State proper, they are the Senator and Representative, respectfully. Orrock is one of 18 Democrats in the Senate and focuses on social issues e.g., poverty, women’s rights, health policy, etc. Bell also finds herself in the minority in more ways than one. She is one of four openly gay members of the General Assembly.

It’s a bit ironic that four homosexuals serve in the legislature of a state that would consider their marriage illegitimate. Bell is a sign of growing acceptance and advocacy of the LGBTQIQA community — at least in metropolitan Atlanta. Unfortunately for them, Georgia doesn’t protect employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Under Georgia law, it is perfectly legal to refuse to hire someone because of their sexual orientation; however, an amendment to Title 41 of Georgia State Code was introduced last year and will be effective April 8 of this year. The amendment protects potential employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation. Victims of this discrimination will have to wait around three months for their state to protect them.

Another pressing issue for this legislative year is the legality of medicinal marijuana. Rep. Allen Peake is the champion and sole sponsor of House Bill 1, also known

as Haleigh’s Hope Act. Its purpose is to legalize marijuana as a treatment for patients of qualifying conditions. Many families have left Georgia because medicinal cannabis continues to be illegal. Peake’s bill would allow them to come home and have access to the medicine they need.

A general consensus exists in the medical community that marijuana has beneficial effects on certain patients.

Currently, discrimination based on sexual orientation is legal in Georgia. The cannabis debate is a matter of empirical study — is it beneficial or not?

The equal protection debate has aspects of empirical understanding: How do we explain discrepancies in sexual orientation? More prominently, it’s an ethical debate. The conclusive question becomes: Should law be based in dry empirical logic or flaky notions of right and wrong?

I side with the former. Evidently, so do a minority of voters in Georgia, who are tightly concentrated and diverse.

Dollars and sense with Mitch

9 to 5? Try 5 to 9.

Why the 40-hour work week needs to go the way of the dinosaur

T

MITCHELL OLIVER Columnist

Mitch is a senior finance major and student financial advisor.

“My goal is to have more college students financially literate.”

Leave your questions for him online at georgiastatesignal.com Follow him @madmoneyATL

he greatest geniuses sometimes accomplish more when they work less.

Leonardo Da Vinci is credited with this statement. After being asked to work harder during work on his masterpiece, “The Last Supper,” he replied with what I feel to be a great reflection on modern work in our society.

Fast forward to today and we see that unfortunately not many people agree with the laid-back lifestyle of Da Vinci.

The House of Representatives recently passed a bill that states that under Obamacare, a “full-time” job is now defined as a 40-hour work week (as opposed to the previous definition set at 30 hours). While this might seem like an arbitrary change to some, it brings to light a big issue: employees getting their hours cut so that they don’t qualify for health care. I’ll touch on this topic another time.

The bigger question should be why in the world are we working 40-hour weeks? How

many of those 40 hours are actually spent working? Why don’t we have the 15-hour work week that famous economist John Maynard Keynes predicted would be the norm by the year 2000?

There are lots of questions and unfortunately not many answers. A 15-hour work week (3-4 hours a day) seems like some futuristic utopia that you might see in a science fiction novel. But with all of our technological advances and breakthroughs in labor efficiency, why does the average American work 46.7 hours per week?

To help begin to tackle these questions, let’s take a quick look back at the most American invention since burgers and fries: the 40-hour work week. In the roaring ‘20s, factory owners pushed their employees to the brink of exhaustion with 10-16 hour work days.

Enter Henry Ford who sees overworked employees as a liability not for their safety but for his sales. His rationale

was that if there were a 5-day work week, people would have more time off and in turn more time to — you’ll never believe this — realize they needed to go out and buy stuff. In Ford’s own words, “Leisure is an indispensable ingredient in a growing consumer market because working people need to have enough free time to find uses for consumer products, including automobiles.”

So in some strange turn of deceptively dastardly events, the work week as we know it was invented to give us more time to go consume and spend the money we worked all week to earn. And that’s exactly what we do! But that’s yet another topic on personal finance and delayed gratification for another time, my friends. We’ve got issues at hand!

The 40-hour work week has been commonplace since its inception, but I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to stay that way! Studies have shown that we all have a 24-hour sleep cycle and some are more

“night owls” and some are “early risers.” While everyone assumes night owls just need to get over it and work a 9-5 job, tests prove some workers are more efficient and produce more when working a later work schedule.

A University of Brussels study showed that participants who woke up at noon opposed to the early birds at 6 a.m. had less mental fatigue and higher attention spans 10 hours after waking up. So we have a little science to help denounce the 40-hour work week, but it’s more than just feeling alert or not — there’s a lot of emotion and mental fatigue of being overworked week in and week out.

But there’s hope yet. A web company named Quirky has begun to shut down their company for a four week block during the year. In an e-mail to employees, CEO Ben Kaufman wanted his employees to have time to just unplug for a while.

“Time for us to explore other creative interests. Relax with-

out worrying about what we’re missing.”

Or take Cristian Rennella, the owner of a Latin American search engine, who grew his company over 200 percent after allowing all employees to take fridays off. I love ideas like these and I hope other companies try other experiments with the work week in the future.

While I know drastic changes won’t happen anytime soon, I am in full support of any and all small businesses who are taking unique approaches to the work week.

Many entrepreneurs are realizing that the best way to productive, alert, happy employees is through alternative work weeks and unique vacation plans.

Hopefully more and more will get on board in the years to come. Until then, as the great Dolly Parton once said, “Workin’ 9 to 5, what a way to make a living. Barely getting by, it’s all taking and no giving.”

8

OPINIONS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015

Editorial

Will you check ‘yes’ or ‘no’?

It’s only normal that we will have gender-inclusive dorms

D

eciding on where to live on campus will not be the only thing residents of Georgia State will have to worry about in the near future.

In this week’s issue of The Signal, we covered University Housing’s new initiative to have more gender inclusive Housing (see pages 10-11). Under the new initiative, incoming residents would have the opportunity to have roommates or suitemates of any gender. All residents would be picked from a pool of students who checked off to volunteer to be included in the gender-inclusive selection process.

This has seemed like the next obvious step for University Housing for a while now. The housing plans we have now are already considered “co-ed” because the dorms already have male and female suites combined on one floor.

There is already so much other support for gender-inclusive facilities as well. In spring 2013, the Student Government Association passed a resolution to rename existing unisex bathrooms to gender-neutral restrooms. New gender neutral restrooms have not yet been put in place, but by having gender-inclusive dorms, the voices of LGBT supporters are beginning to grow louder.

Last fall semester we also examined

the festering apathy on maintaining common areas for student residents in campus housing. In the published editorial, we also said while these maintenance issues need to be addressed, University Housing has also shown to be proactive in keeping campus life active. In this way, University Housing seems to be gauging trends happening with students often.

University Housing’s initiative to have gender inclusive dorms for students shows they do listen to student voices.

In the article on the new dorm option, students also said they have chosen to not live on campus due to the lack of gender-inclusive dorms. According to some of these students, they faced much psychological and physical harm because of their gender identity.

CDC research shows that in schools with LGBT support groups and policies, students are less likely to suffer psychological distress due than schools without LGBT support groups.

Despite the approval of the new option for residents, there are still other factors in play.

There will be varying perceptions of the new dorming option. Some will support it and some will be very anxious.

Parents, fellow peers and other

adults may question if some students have a “good maturity level” for coed suites. Many students who sign up for on-campus housing are freshmen (Patton Hall itself houses up to 325 freshmen residents).

For a lot of these students, rooming with a stranger on campus will be one of their first times encountering a “real world” situation. As nerve-wracking as it may be to think of your child rooming with someone of another gender or if you’re feeling nerve-wracked from the possibility of the thought, University Housing Director Marilyn De La Roche says they will be providing much information on the gender-inclusive housing. They will be making sure people feel respected and comfortable in their living situation.

And at the end of the day, the gender-inclusive housing option is a choice.

Just simply having choices is a good practice in navigating life. Not only that, but it allows fellow peers to learn about diverse identities on Georgia State campus. Atlanta is ranked 4th in the largest densely-populated amount of LGBT-affiliated individuals, according to national statistics.

It’s about time we have gender-inclusive housing options on campus. So tell us: To room or not to room?

NICOLE MOTAHARI Opinions Editor Nicole is a double major in biology and English. When she’s not writing, she enjoys listening to musical theater and watching British TV with her family.

Tweet her @SignalOpinions

Art or pedophelia: You make the choice

S

ia’s video for “Elastic Heart” featuring Shia LaBeouf and Maddie Ziegle went viral soon after its release. Within minutes, people were pointing fingers and shouting pedophilia in regards to the age difference between Ziegler, 12 and LaBeouf, 28.

In the video, Ziegler is clad in a flesh toned leotard and blonde wig, reprising her role as Sia’s inner self from “Chandelier.” The public starts getting nasty when LaBeouf comes in the picture, wearing nothing but a pair of flesh toned boy shorts, rolling on the ground and crawling around.

When I first heard these remarks, like the other half of the world who had not seen the music video, I ran online and YouTubed the sensational work.

Upon watching it though, I was irritated and disappointed in the ridiculous media and the public, who time and again take something beautiful and warp it sexually, twisting it until they are satisfied with the carnage.

“Elastic Heart” is a deep, fantastic representation of two opposing sides of the mind, soul and heart. Sia herself called it a portrayal of “the two sides of Sia.” Yes, the dancers are wearing nude dance clothing, but that’s because any brightly colored costumes or loose fitting clothes would simply not fit the situation. This is a video about Sia once her outer shield and defenses are stripped away. This is about the very core of being.

We see the two dancers battling it out in a cage, trapped by conventions and inhibitions.

These two sides — the mind and the heart — for instance, are torn. Innately connected, yet going in different directions, one manages to slip out of that cage.

The one who slips out desperately tries to pull her other half through, standing there helpless as she watches him fade.

Honestly, all this over-sexualizing is getting on my nerves.

This is art — something beautiful. If y’all had a problem with

Maddie Ziegler’s flesh toned leotard, why did I hear no complaints when “Chandelier” came out?

The only difference this time is that there is a man involved, which of course automatically means that sexy stuff might be going on, right? Wrong. Too often is the male-female relationship relegated to sexual attraction. In “Elastic Heart,” it’s about the two sides of Sia and the relationship between them is raw, animalistic and primitive in nature.

The girl is a wild animal almost, and she slips in and out of the cage easily, running around and chasing the man with childlike pleasure. He tries taming her, holding his hand out for her to sniff like one would when trying to gain the trust of a dog.

The two fight, claw, climb and hit each other, battling it out. She brings him to his knees. Cunning and clever, she plays dead for a moment before she’s up and at it again, hitting him — even as he holds her.

There is an undeniable connection and spark of chemistry between Ziegler and LaBeouf, but if you are familiar at all with dance, you know that you must have chemistry with your partner or the choreography falls flat.

The chemistry between the two is more fraternal, as she mounts his back and he cradles her, even as she hits him. The tenderness he has towards her shows the emotional connection between those two warring sides and that even while you strive to separate those two sides, they are innately bound, no matter what.

Honestly, there are so few pieces of really deep fantastic artwork out there. People should stop over-sexualizing, overanalyzing, over-thinking and just enjoy the sensation of the work washing over them. Seriously y’all, you want pedophelia?

Take a flashback to the ‘80s and listen to the lyrics of George Michael’s “Father Figure” next time you want to gripe about “Elastic Heart.”

ARTS & LIVING

www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving

Make a mark with your art: How to get your art in a gallery

Whitespace, a gallery off Edgewood Avenue, is an open environment which permits freedom of expression and interpretation.

B

SYDNEY CUNNINGHAM Staff Reporter

Being a working artist, the money is uncertain, hard to come by, and for a lot of creatives, nonexistent.

“Starving artist’ is a understood phrase for this very reason.

Whitespace is a contemporary gallery off of Edgewood Avenue that seeks to foster an immersive environment of free expression and dialogue. One of the most coveted goals for a struggling artist is to get their work up in a gallery. Susan Bridges, the director and owner of Atlanta’s Whitespace art gallery, offers guidance and a reality check.

According to their mission statement, “Whitespace and the artists it houses continue to inspire all who attend through thoughtful examinations of the world around us, allowing viewers a new mode of seeing beyond meaning.”

If the artist strikes luck with their paintings, photography, art installations or sculptures, they will be allowed into a gallery exhibition. Afterwards, the profits

vary. Gallery representation usually is a copasetic process with earnings being shared among the artist and the gallery.

Choosing life as an artist is a difficult one. With galleries saying no and fighting for a yes, making your work is as important as any other career is difficult.

While money can be made, it’s still not enough for most.

“First the artist has to have passion for their work, it needs to be as important as eating,” Bridges said. “Secondly, he had better think about a day job that will not suck the life out of him so that he can continue to make work. Many artists lose their desire to work after three or four years.”

Some artists, no matter how much they love their art, are not built for the life of uncertainty.

Some drift into more of a structured field, like design.

“Design takes an educated eye so even if you aren’t making work then you are doing something creative,” Bridges said. “Maybe art will become a hobby [and] not a vocation. Not everyone is going to MoMA, [the Museum of Modern Art].”

Bridges shares tips on how to survive as a gallery artist.

PHOTO BY BRITTANY GUERIN | THE SIGNAL

Fight pessimism You are working, you are looking for stability and you have no idea what to do. Bridges has tips to better your quality of life and mind.

1

Share work for free

Pride may keep you from giving away art for free, but that’s the best way to get peoples attention.

“After graduation, I would advise young artists to find as many group shows as possible,” Bridges said. “Just get out there and put the work up. Someone will see it and

maybe that someone will buy it.”

2

Stay motivated

Even if you are feeling down about your direction, the best thing an artist can do is continue to create.

“It’s hard to make work when no one is standing over you to do so,” Bridges said.

3

Still try getting work accepted

“For the dedicated artist, just stay the course,” Bridges said.

“It’s best if you can find a gallery who can take on the work. Galleries are important as we have contacts, working relationships with collectors and many people in many locations.”

4

Advertise online

For artists who are internet savvy, share artwork on Tumblr and social media or offer it for a price on sites such as Etsy. It’s a different and effective avenue to get your work noticed.

Approaching an art gallery The way an artist is allowed into Whitespace isn’t as complicated as it is a moment of serendipity.

1

Test the waters with previous work

Before you start with a well established gallery, begin in smaller circles and build up a presence.

“An artist is either recommended to me or I have seen previous work during a group show, etc.

Sometimes, an artist will approach me by cold calling. This is usually not good,” Bridges said. “I respond

to art on an emotional level which is not always best if you are trying to make a living in the dog eat dog art world. I cannot consider work that I don’t respond to in a visceral way.”

2

Don’t let that dissuade you from trying

Just because something is hard doesn’t mean it won’t have a pay off in the end.

“If I see work that I like and I think the artist is credible then I will give them a chance,” Bridges said. “I

have a project room for other artists as well. It’s a good mechanism for testing the audience.”

3

Have a relationship with the community

Instead of focusing solely on your work, establish a presence in the art community. Go to art galleries, introduce yourself to fellow artists, the director and feel inspired by the collective. “If I think we can work together beneficially, I will schedule an exhibition in the gallery.” Bridges said.

10

ARTS &

BREAKING BOUNDARIES Georgia State will implement genderinclusive housing in Fall 2015

Written by Lauren Booker, Associate News Editor & Taylor Josey, Staff Reporter

A

ssociate professor Allen Fromherz has heard various stories of students being attacked because of their sexuality or gender identity.

Fromherz said some even inflicted self harm due to the condemnation they faced.

After prospective study abroad students deterred from

studying at Georgia State because of its lack of gender-inclusive housing, Fromherz began to advocate for change.

Now, University Housing will lead a new initiative in fall 2015 to provide gender-inclusive dorms.

Marilyn De LaRoche, director of University Housing, said vari-

THE INITIATIVE’S BEGINNINGS Georgia State was prompted to offer gender-inclusive housing because students expressed their need for it, according to De LaRoche.

“We have a diverse group of students and with our current policy it was not inclusive of those who are looking for a different type of housing program. So that prompted us to look into what are offering and how we are meeting the needs of our students,” she said.

She also said University Housing’s goal for gender inclusiveness is to meet the needs of students and to offer additional accomodations.

“We are looking to enact poli-

cies and practices consistent with the university’s diversity statement which honors federally protected statuses and goes beyond them to include gender identity, expression and the socio-economical class. So, we’re looking to be totally inclusive,” she said.

Darryl Holloman, assistant vice president for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, also said the initiative is to create inclusive housing options for Georgia State’s student body.

“This decision was made after consultation with various University constituents, which included the voices of various student groups,” he said.

PROPOSERS OF THE PLAN Matthew Williams, Justice for the Student Judicial Board and Advocacy Chairperson at the university’s Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity, said he was one of the individuals who approached Holloman about having genderinclusive dorms.

Williams also said he was advocating for his friends and something he believed in.

“This is not something that would necessarily profit me or do me any good because I don’t live on campus. But there are so many people around campus that have approached me about this,” he said.

Fromherz said after approaching Holloman last fall, he was shocked to learn that Georgia

State did not offer gender-neutral housing on campus.

“I have had several students in my class who have told me their desire for gender-neutral housing. Some of these students were in transition between genders or simply sympathetic to the idea,” he said.

He also said he worked with Georgia State’s LGBT group to advocate for change through Holloman.

“He said things would take some time,” Fromherz said. “However, I’m pleased that they have actually set up something quite quickly. It is a good sign. But there is still much work to be done for LGBT students.”

ous genders and sexes will have the opportunity to share the same apartment, suite or room based on a resident’s request.

“It is a choice. We are not forcing it on anyone,” she said.

“We are not changing everything so everybody will have to wonder if I am going to be put in gender-inclusive housing. No.

If you are not interested, it’s something you don’t have to be involved in.”

Students who want to live in gender-inclusive housing would check a box in the housing application. An agreement form would then be sent to the person’s email. After agreeing to the terms, students would then be

able to search for a roommate who also wants to live in genderinclusive housing in the online roommate matching system, according to De LaRoche.

Gender-inclusive housing is limited to space availability and the ability for housing to meet the accommodation requests of students.

MOVEMENT FOR GENDER INCLUSIVENESS Fromherz said he created a LGBT safety committee at Georgia State after some students were attacked because of their sexuality or gender identity.

“Tragically, some take their own lives or harm themselves due to struggles with social perceptions and internalized homophobia,” he said. “Having a safe and welcoming residential space is an essential step for providing an environment of security and acceptance on campus. The other main reason is to create an even deeper sense of community, a real home for LGBTQIA students and allies.”

Williams said he has heard about students being bashed in their dorms because of their sexuality. The students were also made to feel uncomfortable for the same reason.

“People that need this genderneutral housing have been living off campus and those people haven’t been able to go to the study abroad program,” he said. “Like it’s been a barrier.”

Williams said as a gay man he would prefer to not room with heterosexual males.

“I would feel uncomfortable with [that] and I have a feeling that they would too,” he said. “Many of the incidents that happen have been where straight guys or girls feel uncomfortable around the LGBT community.”

De LaRoche said residents should notify residence hall staff if they feel uncomfortable while living in University Housing.

“We [will] look to see if we can find other alternative housing for them on campus,” she said.

Maturity level is important for gender neutral housing as well as an understanding of boundaries, Williams said.

“As far as our community, — the LGBT community — I don’t see an issue arising as from that,” he said.

“The only issue I see arising is privacy, but you know if the paperwork is done, and compatibilities are matched up right on those floors, there shouldn’t be any issues.”

PHOTO BY RUTH PANNILL | THE SIGNAL Matthew Williams, a chairperson of the Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity, advocated for gender-inclusive dorms at Georgia State.

11

& LIVING

STUDENT VOX Kayla Maxwell, Senior

How will gender-inclusive housing affect you?

It won’t effect me that much because I’m a graduating senior but as an RA it would have better helped evaluate students and help their experience during college.

What do you see as an outcome of gender-inclusive housing?

I see benefits definitely. I think there would be less conflicts in the rooms as people are getting to chose better living situations if they identify as LGBT. The only obstacles I see is this making them a target in the dorms.

How will this affect the Georgia State community?

I think it will such a good thing. It shows that Georgia State is capable of truly being diverse.

Do you think this was a necessary step in progression at Georgia State?

Well, [] I personally didn’t see big complaints about it, but I know it is a good thing for Georgia State.

What other steps do you think Georgia State should take to progress in diversity?

I feel like we are right there in line with how the world is changing. Going forward, I want to see Georgia State match where the world is going in diversity.

Wilson Akomas, Freshman

How will gender-inclusive housing affect you?

I was actually going to room with my sister since I didn’t know anyone at Georgia state before I came but I couldn’t and now I can room with her or whoever I choose.

What benefits do you see as an outcome?

I know people will feel more free to room with the sex they do identify with regardless of standard rules.

How do you think this will affect the Georgia State community?

It will definitely open up doors to people who didn’t feel right with their living situation.

It will push us as a college.

What else would you like to see done in Georgia State Housing?

Expansion. There’s not enough room for even half of the student population to live on campus.

Over 100 colleges throughout the United States offer gender neutral housing. Some colleges with gender neutral housing include Dartmouth College, Brown University, Harvard University, New York University, Stanford University and Yale, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

PAGE DESIGN BY JAMAAL HICKS | THE SIGNAL

Diana Milien, Junior

How will gender-inclusive housing affect you?

It will affect not only my friends but many students at Georgia State. In past experiences I have seen people shun their roommate from the LGBT community. So this will hopefully give the LGBT community an opportunity to be themselves.

What benefits or obstacles do you see as an outcome?

I only see benefits. People will be happy with a roommate who accepts them for who they are.

Do you think this was a necessary change in diversity progression at Georgia State?

Yeah, definitely. It will open up so many opportunities for people. Now even more people from other states and countries will come to Georgia State when they find out they can have a comfortable living arrangement. It will open up even more doors for diversity at Georgia State.

PHOTOS BY RUTH PANNILL | THE SIGNAL

12

ARTS & LIVING

One shop at a time,

Auburn Avenue invigorates Georgia State

by Inga Masic

ModernTribe

This store is laced from headto-toe in Jewish artifacts and decorations. It is owned by people who are very passionate about their unique findings. They offer 10 percent off for all Georgia State students with a valid student

I.D. So take a trip over to the cultural wonderland when walking back from class; you won’t be disappointed.

Jennie Rivlin Roberts lends her expertise on the new Auburn Avenue shop additions.

Arden’s Garden

Arden’s Garden is a place where you are able to find healthy ways to live your life. They offer smoothies, salads and a lot of other products. Their main goal is for their customers to learn all

they can about the ways to a clean lifestyle.

Paul Ywise, project manager for Arden’s Garden, lends his expertise on the new Auburn Avenue shop additions.

Just Add Honey

Q: A:

Describe your establishment. When did you open?

ModernTribe grew out of our love for Hanukkah and the invention of No Limit Texas Dreidel.

Season after Hanukkah season we would search, hopeful to find cool, new Hanukkah decorations at the local Judaica shop.

We love Hanukkah because burning the candles in the window means more than just taking pride in our Judaism — it is symbolic of our freedom.

We took our friends’ advice in 2007 and manufactured “No Limit Texas Dreidel.” Then we searched high and low in America, Israel and Europe and found Jewish stuff and Judaica with a modern design aesthetic that are truly well-designed, clever and beautiful.

Our Atlanta store opened in June

Q: A:

of 2014 as part of the Central Atlanta progress Pop Up Shop Project. We are excited to be a part of the Sweet Auburn community and have decided to stay!

Q: What is unique about your establishment?

A: ModernTribe brings you meaningful Judaica and Jewish gifts that fit your personal style, help you express your Jewishness your way and proudly share traditions with friends and loved ones. Our aesthetic is modern, clean, timeless and beautiful. We provide a shopping experience like none of the other more traditional Judaica stores.

Q: What do you believe is beneficial about your location?

A: Because we have been online for seven years, ModernTribe has a national presence. Being right on the

uct to our stores every day. We don’t add anything extra to it; everything on the label is what’s in it.

We are hoping to be open in a month or a month and a half. Arden’s Garden [has been] around for over 20 years; it was started by Arden Inn. We are getting ready to open a store in athens, which is our first store outside of Atlanta. We are excited about our Auburn Avenue store because it is in a historical building. Our mission is to promote health and wellness and part of that is making a good, simple product at a reasonable price.

Q: What do you believe is beneficial about your location?

Q: What is unique about your establishment?

A: What’s great about our juice products in the store is they haven’t been pasteurized. We distribute fresh prod-

Q: A:

Q: Describe your establishment. When did you open?

Q: What is unique about your establishment?

A: Just Add Honey Tea Company is unique because we combine flavors

A: A chance to give college students something healthy [because] we know when they are at school they don’t always take the best care of ourselves.

We have a product called a “Grand Slam” and they are four one ounce shots that you drink. It’s a one ounce shot of wheatgrass, a one ounce shot of lemon juice, and a one ounce shot of cranberry juice, and a one ounce shot of ginger and its really good for your digestive system.

Q: Why would Georgia State students enjoy visiting your establishment?

from around the world with organic and local ingredients to offer the perfect cup of tea. And we have great music and awesome customer service.

Q: Why would Georgia State students enjoy visiting your establishment?

A: Just Add Honey Tea Company offers free WiFi, a quiet place to get work done, modern environment to meet a friend and cool events happen every week.

PHOTOS BY BRITTANY GUERIN | THE SIGNAL Your Friend Fridays” where you buy one pastry and get the second one half off.

The Just Add Honey Tea Company lends their expertise on the new Auburn Avenue shop additions.

our desolate trek around Georgia State campus is about to become a bit more engaging with the new shops that have been popping up on Auburn Avenue. These shops include ModernTribe, Arden’s Garden and Just Add Honey. The arrivals of these places is bound to generate a community-like vibe in the air surrounding Georgia State.

Q: Describe your establishment? When did you open?

We are a loose leaf tea company. We offer a large variety of teas and accessories.

We also carry locally roasted coffee.

We opened June 2014.

Its a quaint little place on Auburn Avenue that carry all things tea! They also have pastries to go along with [your] favorite herb beverage. If you are a Georgia State student, you get 10 percent off. Also, they have “Bring

Y

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015

new streetcar line gives us an opportunity to interface with our customers from all over the country. We value being in a bustling area with Georgia State students, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, who are curious and interested in learning about our culture, our heritage and our shop.

Q: What do you think about Georgia State campus becoming more of a community by having more businesses open in the area?

A: A campus should be a live, study, work, play community. Having local shops nearby helps students to feel a part of their community. It is a symbiotic relationship in which the shops exist to provide services for the students and to provide an enhanced social and cultural experience, and the students have a chance to support the local economy.

A: [It is] a great place to come in and do something fun like a “Grand Slam.”

It’s a great pace to get info about eating healthier and being healthier. We have some great salads that we also make. We have books and cds in the store. So it’s a place where you can get information in improving your life.

Q: What do you think about Georgia State campus becoming more of a community by having more businesses open in the area?

A: The great thing about Atlanta is that it’s the little neighborhoods that make it up, so having a store in that area helps students feel like there are small businesses that want to invest in a community. It add[s] a personal flavor to it compared to just have a bunch of chain restaurants.

Q: What do you think about Georgia State campus becoming more of a community by having more businesses open in the area?

A: I think it’s great. It offers students the ability to explore and try new things that Atlanta has to offer without traveling too far. It’s a plus for the staff also. They are able to shop, run errands, etc. with a convenience before work, during lunch and after work.

These places will convert Georgia State campus into a home. Students will start to visit the establishments more frequently because they each have a unique aura. With more and more small businesses opening in the area, the barron street of Auburn Avenue will become vibrant and alive!

Lifestyle column

13

ARTS & LIVING

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015

Washed, wrung and

broke as S#!T

NICHOLE PLACE Columnist

Nichole is a sophomore journalism major writing for the Arts & Living section of The Signal.

Follow her @GSUSignalAandL

U

nless you are a sassy 13-year-old, you have probably learned by now that money does not grow on trees.

With all the money sucked out of our pockets, there is rarely any left over to allow us to spend it on the clothes that are falling apart.

We are forced to make the clothes given to us over the holidays last until the next giving season rolls around. So here are a few tips to save your ruined clothes and your wallets.

1

Yellow Pits:

Everyone sweats. It is gross but true. And no matter how much clinical strength deodorant you layer on, chances are you will end up with horrifying yellow stains on your white shirts. An easy fix for this is scrubbing the stains with a mixture of water and lemon juice or water and baking soda.

2

Smelly and 21:

Washing clothes is hard.

You have to get up and do stuff when you could easily not do anything at all. Unfortunately, after going a while without using a washer and dryer your clothes start to reek.

So for everyone who is 21, grab a bottle of vodka and a spray bottle.

The vodka will kill odor-causing bacteria and take the smell away as it dries.

3

Greased up, but not the good kind:

Grease is hard to avoid when eating most of the time. With pizza, burgers and all kinds of fried foods, there is no escaping the high chance of getting grease stains that seem impossible to remove. Luckily, with just a dab of dish soap and a good rub, the stain will easily disappear.

4

Stuck:

We have all had our fight with the zipper from hell.

It’ll either keep you out of your favorite clothes or keep you in. To save yourself from the hassle of a stuck zipper use a little petroleum jelly to unstick it.

The jelly will act as a lubricant for your zipper. You can also try olive oil or a bar of soap.

5

Fuzz balls:

It’s sweater season, everyone! Which means it is also the season of buying tons of lint rollers that don’t work, losing them, and then buying more. So instead of wasting money on sticky paper, try using your razor to shave off those pesky fuzz balls. Trust me, they are a lot more aggravating than actual hair.

6

Lip stain:

For all the girls who rock lip stick and all the guys sneaking around, here is a tip to help get rid of lipstick stains. Try to use hair spray on the spot and then wash the clothing item.

7

Wash and ruin:

Many times I am way too scared of ruining my clothes by washing them.

Whether it is a shirt shrinking or colors running, the washer and dryer are held responsible. So it is always important to read the washing label on the tag to avoid ruining your new clothes.

Just because money doesn’t grow on trees doesn’t mean you always have to have an empty wallet. Save your clothes from being ruined and spend your precious earnings on something else.

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reviews

15

ALBUM REVIEW

Death Grips: ‘Fashion Week’ ALEX KUGACZEWSKI

Staff Reviewer

Grade: B Verdict: “Fashion Week” is yet another solid, if unexpected, addition to Death Grips’ discography.

L

ike a feverish rash refusing to subside, Sacramento-based experimental hip-hop duo Death Grips just won’t die. Admittedly, the thought of a world without Death Grips is a hard pill to swallow, because like them or not, the band has firmly established itself as a considerable cult force in the underground music world.

The insanity of MC Ride’s manic, unintelligible gibberish has become an unmistakable trademark just as much as Zach Hill’s chaotic, full-

frontal assault style of production. In other words, Death Grips is a band without peer. The band’s farewell note, delivered via napkin scribbles advising their loyal fans to “stay legend” came at the expense of pretty much everyone; fans, artists and concert venues across the United States felt the blow as every concert date scheduled for the remainder of the year was promptly cancelled. Suffice it to say, then, that not everyone stands likely to celebrate a Death Grips resurrection, especially given the band’s talent for neglecting to appear onstage and using erect penises for album covers.

Even so, “Fashion Week” just might be the Death Grips album for listeners who hate Death Grips.

Right from the start, it’s immediately apparent that this is a critical departure from the group’s previous studio recordings, as evidenced by the complete absence of MC Ride’s incessant verbal sewage. Divorced from the lunacy of its frontman’s ramblings, Death Grips’ first full-instrumental album allows for Zach Hill and the production team to truly pour them-

selves into the music of Death Grips.

Track after track, “Fashion Week” finds the group at an instrumental creative peak. Not only are a number of these compositions surprisingly subdued for a group so thoroughly defined by sonic terrorism, but many of these tracks are remarkably melodic as well – something nearly unthinkable given the band’s previous history. “Runway J,” the album’s opening cut, sports a jagged but eerily memorable stomp as it confidently weaves and rumble through its fourminute runtime. It’s a track that, on paper sure, seems like a traditional Death Grips cut but whose immediacy and relative accessibility mark a new frontier for the band.

Despite these departures, “Fashion Week” still manages to sport many of the band’s habitualized quirks. “Runway H,” for instance, sports the band’s traditional abrasive electric spasms panning left to right as a plodding, methodical beat drives the cacophony forward. Under ordinary circumstances, the group’s failure to commit to its newfound sanity might seem like a counterpoint

against such a solid, forward-thinking release, but the familiarity of these throwbacks actually works in Death Grips’ favor, anchoring “Fashion Week” in something tangible for veteran listeners and breaking any potential monotony from a wholly consistent musical experience.

Regardless of the music though, “Fashion Week,” is nothing if not a surprise. It’s an album with one foot in the pool from a band who supposedly had both in the grave. By all accounts, this record shouldn’t even exist but, by some miracle (or by some vicious curse from the powers that b), threatens to tear down the walls. Ultimately, whatever listeners think of Death Grips’ “Fashion Week” will likely depend on existing biases for or against the band’s particular flavor of aural anarchy. For whatever its worth, though, the duo seem to be branching out from their traditional “leave-no-ear-unbled” approach. The majority of listeners aren’t likely to find much value here, but that’s okay because at the end of the day Death Grips won’t care. They never do.

FILM REVIEW

‘Selma’

I

Staff Reviewer

t is not uncommon to see the history of important personalities on the silver screen. These movies are generally long and unfocused as it is difficult to fit an entire life within two hours.

Luckily, “Selma” does not suffer from this issue. The movie shines in several aspects, including the screenplay, well focused on one moment of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and directing, featuring powerful shots that often speak to the audience without the need of dialogue or music.

Director Ava DuVernay never over dramatizes her shots. With beautiful cinematography and a cast delivering unforgettable performances, DuVernay does what best director of a narrative feature can do: let the story come across the screen with simple and straightforward editing.

The movie tells the story of the march Dr. King led from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery. The march took place in 1965 and was met with violence by state troopers on Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. This violence led to President Lyndon B. Johnson passing the crucial Voting

Rights Act of that year.

The movie shows Dr. King’s fight to get the march underway and to convince President Johnson to pass the act allowing all people to vote without barriers such as the poll tax.

The short time span the movie covers allows the DuVernay to portray Dr. King in his intimacy and not just as the American hero he became.

These personal scenes add depth to his character. Instead of portraying him as just an idol, DuVernay makes him a real man who struggles with the relationship with his wife and his own goals and dreams.

The movie begins as Dr. King chooses a tie for the reception of his Nobel prize. Unsure about his choice, he asks his wife, Coretta, for help. As the two talk, the conversation evolves into their own dreams about the future: a quiet life in a small Southern town with King as a church pastor and college professor, giving a few speeches here and there. The common, daily decision of what tie to wear and these simple dreams, similar to the dreams of millions of others, humanize the movie.

Dr. King is, first of all, a man just like all others. This portrait is one of the features that sets “Selma” apart from other biopics where the human side of these persons is overlooked, mak-

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Grade: A Verdict: Inspiring and uplifting, “Selma” avoids the mistakes of other biopics and is the movie to watch during this week of celebration for the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. FERNANDO MATTOS

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Cinefest ing these films into historical essays.

The cast in “Selma” only elevates this powerful story. David Oyelowo’s performance as Dr. King is inspiring and never overdone. Leading the march to Montgomery, Oyelowo plays Dr. King, the hero as the world saw him. In a powerful moment, he kneels down at Edmund Pettus Bridge and spends seconds in silent prayer before leading the marchers back to Selma away from danger. Heroes also need their own reflection and quiet time. The scene is silent as words are not needed.

The rest of the cast also never fails to deliver. Carmen Ejogo does great work in her role as Coretta Scott King, Dr. King’s wife. Her powerful expressions often say more than her words. When reading a letter from Dr. King at the moment they become temporarily separated, Ejogo’s face reveals love, sadness and understanding at the same time. It is not easy to love a national leader and to keep a marriage together while King is often not present at home and risking his life. All these elements are present in Ejogo’s performance and these opposing forces shape her fascinating character. More screen time on her character could have improved an already good film.

DuVernay shows her style in di-

recting in scenes such as when the march begins. The beautiful shots of the united marchers are accompanied by soft music. DuVernay never lets this music dictate the scene for the images hold power on their own.

It is great to witness this type of directorial control where the cinematography, not the musical score, tells the story.

She accomplishes a similar effect early on in the film when portraying the bombing in a church in Birmingham that killed four African American girls. Although here the slow motion effect seems clichéd — a Hollywood convention — the next shot captures the four bodies amidst the destruction in a powerful image.

In this shot, without the slow motion, DuVernay’s shows the beauty of her directing and her potential for a bright future behind the camera.

It is difficult to give any recent film an ‘A’. While “Selma” can certainly be capable of that grade, only time can tell whether it will be remembered for years to come. Selma certainly is, however, an achievement. Figures like Dr. King are already immortal. It is only right and appropriate that their stories are told through a medium that preserves forever stars that should never stop shining.

Dumb and Dumber To Synopsis: Twenty years since their first adventure, Lloyd and Harry go on a road trip to find Harry’s newly discovered daughter, who was given up for adoption.

Showtimes: Wednesday - Friday 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 7 p.m.

Rated: PG-13 Running time: 110 minutes

16

Campus & Downtown Events

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Atlanta Game Fest

Who knew I could earn money, save lives, and get free wi-fi at the same time?

Jan. 22 - Jan. 25 Holiday Inn Atlanta Perimeter The Atlanta Game Fest is a chance for board game fans from across the Southeast to gather for four days of fun and games. There will be hundreds of the world’s best board games available for play as well as friendly folks who can help with the rules. Memberships for all four days are $45 each, $75 per couple and $85 per family. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. You can also pay for your membership at the door.

Dick Gregory: Distinguished Speakers Series

Jan. 22 4 p.m. - 6 p.m Student Center Ballroom Human rights activist and comedian Dick Gregory will speak at the MLK Commemoration this Thursday.

Gregory was known for his stand-up comedy with Chicago’s Playboy Club in the ‘50s. In addition to comedy, Gregory supported multiple causes with the civil rights movement, economic reform, anti-drug rallies and many more. The event he will be speaking at is free and open to the public.

Sips Under the Sea

Jan. 23 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Georgia Aquarium Sips Under the Sea is a unique cocktail party for adults to enjoy Georgia Aquarium after hours with your family, friends or significant other. Imagine having the entire aquarium to yourself while enjoying cocktails, tapas and live music. Your ticket includes all-access admission to the entire Aquarium including whale sharks, manta rays, penguins, beluga whales, bottlenose dolphins and more.

Atlanta Streetcar Adventure

Jan. 24 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Various Locations Come on a tour of Atlanta historic districts of Edgewood Avenue, Fairlie Poplar District and Centennial Park Area with the new Atlanta Streetcar. Tickets include pass for Streetcar, 5 comp shot/drinks along the tour, food and drink specials and much more. Participating bars and restaurants: Park Bar, Noni’s Deli, Sidebar, Corner Tavern, Pizza Vesuvius. Registration will be in two areas: One by Centennial Park at Park Bar and one on Edgewood Avenue at Pizza Vesuvius 1 - 5 p.m.

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SPORTS

www.georgiastatesignal.com/sports

PHASING

OUT

Watts: No guarantee GPC Athletics will continue, all recruiting suspended AKIEM BAILUM Sports Editor

A

s a caveat of the much-ballyhooed merger between Georgia State and Georgia Perimeter College (GPC), GPC Interim President Rob Watts said there would be no guarantee that GPC’s athletics programs would continue.

“We can’t look a parent in the eye or be honest with a parent or student and say, ‘You will absolutely get to play for the next two years,’” Watts said at a town hall meeting held at the Georgia State Student Center Jan. 13.

Watts also disclosed that Georgia Perimeter College has suspended all recruiting activities and scholarships for its athletics programs for next season.

A GPC spokesperson told The Signal that the move on GPC’s part was made the Monday before the town hall meeting. The decision was made after a meeting with Alfred Barney, GPC’s Director of Athletics, as well as members of GPC’s senior staff.

Barney also serves as GPC’s head coach for its men’s basketball team.

Georgia State President Mark Becker also said that the merger between the university and Georgia Perimeter College will not affect the plan to purchase Turner Field. Said plans include a renovation of Turner Field into a football stadium, the building of a new baseball stadium, as well as expanded parking, private housing and retail space.

“This makes only more obvious the needs for Turner Field, for our own facilities and large enough facilities here in Downtown that will serve this metro region,” Becker said. “Those plans are only reinforced by this consolidation and we are no way backtracking or changing direction.”

Neither Watts nor Becker specifically mentioned Panthersville, which currently serves as home to Georgia State’s softball, soccer and baseball teams. Panthersville is located less than a minute away from Georgia Perimeter’s Decatur campus in south DeKalb County.

PHOTO BY MATTHEW WOLFF | THE SIGNAL Georgia Perimeter College Interim President Robb Watts, Georgia State President Mark Becker and University System of Georgia’s Vice Chancellor for Planning and Implementation Shelly Nickel answered questions regarding the Georgia State-Georgia Perimeter consolidation at the town hall meeting Jan. 13. to be fair to the students and that it gives them the “maximum chance” to play sports elsewhere if they choose to do so or finish their associate’s degrees at GPC. According to Watts, Barney predicts approximately 70 of the 86 freshmen student-athletes will be recruited to play elsewhere. He also mentioned that some may be even recruited by the Panthers and can be competitive for Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs like Georgia State.

“If you saw the Georgia State-Troy men’s basketball game the other night, one of the Troy players was a former GPC player who only scored 31 points,” Watts said.

The player Watts mentioned is current senior Troy point guard Musa Abdul-Aleem who actually scored 33 points in a 77-72 loss to the Panthers on Jan. 10. Another GPC athlete who will transfer is sophomore baseball player Devin Vainer who signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Georgia State in 2016 after he graduates this year.

Tuesday’s Town Hall

In addition to Watts and Becker, the University System of Georgia’s Vice Chancellor for Plan-

ning and Implementation Shelly Nickel, who will oversee the consolidation, was also present.

The three university executives fielded questions from the audience on hand as well as through emails and social media, using the hashtag #GSUTownHall. They included concerns over tuition, enrollment, undocumented students and how the Georgia State-Georgia Perimeter consolidation compares and contrasts with others overseen by USG. A question concerning how it will affect athletics was posed to Watts and Becker midway through the town hall meeting.

Watts said his phone, as well as Barney’s, received a flood of phone calls from concerned parents of prospective recruits since the announcement of the Georgia State-Georgia Perimeter consolidation.

“My office and our athletic director’s office has been inundated with calls from parents saying ‘Your coach is out recruiting my son or daughter to play. Can you guarantee for me there’ll be a team two years from now?’ And the answer is no,” Watts said.

GPC’s athletic program comprises of softball and baseball teams as well as basketball, soccer and tennis teams for both women and men.

Effect on Georgia State Athletics

After Watts shared his remarks on how the merger will affect Athletics, Becker shared his thoughts from the Georgia State side of the issue. Along with his remarks about Turner Field, he said that the university will continue to field an intercollegiate athletics program that competes at the FBS level of the NCAA. “There’s no change in the athletics program here fundamentally in terms of the offerings,” Becker said. “Our coaches have the opportunity to look at the young men and women who will be transferring as they do every year.”

Becker and Watts reiterated similar comments regarding the future of GPC and Georgia State athletics at another town hall meeting at Georgia Perimeter’s Dunwoody campus earlier that same day.

Jaggy, the GPC Jaguars mascot, will also be phased out. The mascot for the consolidated Georgia State will continue to be Pounce the Panther.

The consolidation is slated to be complete by Fall of 2016.

Athletes with ties to both Georgia State and GPC

To Stay or to Transfer?

GPC, a two-year college, has 47 sophomore athletes under scholarship who will graduate in May as well as 86 freshman athletes under scholarship. Watts said the 86 will receive a letter from him this week outlining their options in terms of if they want to stay at GPC or transfer someplace else.

“If they want to stay at GPC, we will honor your scholarship as long as you’re eligible if you want to stay and finish your degree,” Watts said.

“However, if you want to move on and continue to play, we will give you a release. You won’t have to sit out a year. You can move immediately on and play someplace else.”

When it was Becker’s turn to speak, he compared the releases GPC athletes would be receiving to those that were given to football players at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, which also discontinued its football program. The Panthers have already landed two former UAB football players in runningback Demarcus Kirk and defensive back Bobby Baker.

Watts claims the decision was made in order

PHOTO CREDIT POLKEAGLES.COM

Devin Vainer Baseball

The sophomore pitcher from Sandy Springs, Georgia graduated from Riverwood High School in 2013. Last year, he compiled a 6-4 record with 20 strikeouts in 18 appearances. After graduating from Georgia Perimeter College in May of this year, he will play for Georgia State in 2016 as he has signed a National Letter of Intent.

PHOTO CREDIT GEORGIA STATE SPORTS

Niriantsa Rasolomalala Women’s Tennis

Rasolomalala was born in 1992 in Madagascar and played high school tennis in Africa. She would later transfer to Georgia Perimeter College and lead the Jaguars to their highest ever ranking last spring. In the fall of 2013, she won the NJCAA national championship while with GPC.

PHOTO CREDIT GEORGIA STATE SPORTS

Brittany Logan

Women’s Basketball

After playing her final two years at J.L. Mann Academy in Greenville, South Carolina, Logan transferred to GPC. In her first year for the Jaguars, 2011-2012, they finished 31-3 and won the NJCAA Championship. As a sophomore, Logan averaged 13.5 points and 10.3 rebounds. Her 10.3 rebounds placed her at 14th in the NJCAA that year. She did not play basketball in 2012-13 at GPC to complete degree requirements before transferring to Georgia State for the 2013 season.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013 18

SPORTS SPORTS

Men’s lacrosse club returns to league play

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2015

Basketball column

The Panthers’ road struggles may not be that bad JARED OLIVER Staff Reporter

G

eorgia State men’s basketball is 2-6 this season in games played away from the Sports Arena. But things may not be as bad as the record may indicate on the road.

If one uses their eyes to only see the stats and the end results of the six games the Panthers dropped, they will miss some of the story that has Georgia State remaining optimistic about what they can accomplish this season.

The Panthers have faced some of their toughest opponents on the road this season, which was the intent of Head Coach Ron Hunter.

COMPETITION

PHOTO BY MARC VALLE | THE SIGNAL The men’s lacrosse club prepares for the Southeastern Lacrosse Conference (SELC) where they will compete in 12 games.

BRYAN JOHNSON Staff Reporter

T

he Georgia State men’s lacrosse club will resume league play this season for the first time in four years.

The road back for the club has been rocky at best.

The men’s lacrosse club, which is a student organization under the umbrellas of the Office of Student Activities and the Department of Recreational Services, has recently been readmitted into the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) to play in the Southeastern Lacrosse Conference (SELC).

The MCLA is a national organization for men’s lacrosse teams that compete a step below the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

It hosts over 200 universities in two divisions organized into 10 different regional conferences, according to the MCLA website.

The last season the men’s lacrosse club played in the MCLA was in Spring 2010.

Current fifth-year senior and club president Barry Bean was a freshman during that season and talked about some of the reasons why the club left the league, which included issues at the league and club levels.

“We dropped out the following year in 2011 because someone in the SELC was embezzling money. It’s still a topic they’re discussing, just trying to account for all the lost money, who they owe, that stuff,” he said. “It really affected us and we weren’t going to be able to

play if we owed money,” Bean said.

The issue was not only at the league level though. The club experienced big issues with both recruiting and retaining members, something Bean says greatly affected the club’s ability to perform competitively.

“The ultimate reason we dropped out was because we weren’t really organized as a club. We had dwindling numbers. We were having a strong issue with recruiting, and we thought it would be a better move on our part instead of staying in the league struggling and looking bad,” Bean said.

Bean explains that the club dropping out at the time would also give it a chance to put itself in a position to return.

“We decided to be responsible and tell the league we wanted to drop out and rebuild.

We wanted to use that time to rebuild our program and see where we were at in a few years then try and rejoin,” Bean said.

Working their way back

The club kicked off a massive recruitment drive, going from 12 - 15 active members at their lowest point to a full roster of 30 - 40 players this year, according to Bean. The Department of Recreational Services was instrumental in helping the club rebuild.

“Ty Verdin [Coordinator for Georgia State Sports Clubs] and the Student Rec Center are always trying to help us out with that and they have recruitment fairs that they do at the beginning of each semester and they give the clubs a table where we can market ourselves to students. We did that in the

fall and we’ve done it for many years now,” Bean said.

Georgia State currently operates 23 different sports clubs which all are overseen by Verdin and the Department of Recreational Services. Verdin is quick to emphasize these organizations as completely student-run that operate under the supervision of the Department of Recreational Services with each organization being responsible for their own management, organization and financial matters.

“I’m the professional staff member that has been charged with the duties of overseeing the sports club program, the 23 charter student organizations that are considered sports clubs,” Verdin said. “They are student-run organizations, they do marketing for themselves, have control of budgeting and scheduling games, look to travel to and from games, so all these different aspects of the organization, they are going to take the lead on.”

Return to the league and expectations

The men’s lacrosse club traveled to the annual MCLA national conference meeting this past September to seek reinstatement in the league, a process that involved a presentation to representatives from every team in the league and a vote for reinstatement.

“We made a presentation which we had in front of the entire conference, which was really nerve-wracking,” Bean said. “There were a lot of people. There’s a whole board of executives, grown men who have other jobs. Basically, we got voted back. We’re officially

back in.”

The men’s lacrosse club will compete in Division II of the MCLA in the SELC conference with its league play beginning this spring semester. Bean is quietly confident of the team’s prospects their first year back in the league but also wants to temper expectations.

“We have a lot of guys with a ton of experience on offense, we have good team chemistry and we work well together. We have some big guys, some really physical guys on defense.

We have a great goalie. I really think we want to get a winning season, I think that’s my expectation. I hope we blast out of the water and win all these games ideally, but we’ll probably end up with a winning record,” Bean said.

Verdin sees the men’s lacrosse club as an example of what the Department of Recreational Services looks for in a sports club in terms of responsibility and leadership. He was happy to sponsor the club’s league dues in full.

“Lacrosse, they were in this league several years ago and we’re not able to stay in the league. They had some forfeits.

They went a couple years just playing an independent game schedule. They were able to get back in good faith with this league for this year. With them taking the extra steps and being more responsible and getting more committed members, we were able to do our part and financially back them to be a part of this league,” Verdin said.

The men’s lacrosse club at Georgia State is excited to rejoin the league and start to proudly represent as Panthers on the field once again.

The road slate started off with Iowa State which was the 14th ranked team in the nation at the time. Georgia State fell to the Cyclones 8158 in that game. But even the score is deceiving when looking at how competitive the Panthers were in a hostile environment against a toptier opponent. The Panthers held a 21-20 lead in the first half against Iowa State before a second half run blew the game open.

The next road test came against Colorado State, a team that is currently 15-2 this season and could very well be on the way to an NCAA tournament berth themselves. This too was a deceiving loss for the Panthers. Georgia State held a 20-9 lead early in the first half. They also had a lead late before Colorado State sparked off a 14-0 run to all but close the game.

The third road loss came to the 13-2 Old Dominion Monarchs in overtime. The Panthers played another toptier opponent to a very close game and just came up short.

Similar can be said about losses to Green Bay, a team the Panthers defeated handily at home by a final of 72-48, and conference rival Louisiana-Lafayette.

These losses all have one thing in common: Georgia State played well for stretches but came up just a little short even though they had leads.

The Panthers are still trying to figure out how to close out games. But they are confident in their ability to figure it out in time for March and the Sun Belt Tournament.

“It’s more focus and we play the first 10 minutes and we’re on. And then it’s just like we get tired or we lose fo-

cus. So I think once we figure that 40 minutes out we’ll be unbeatable,” junior guard R.J. Hunter said of his team’s close road losses.

TIMING

The Panthers also have time on their side. The tough competition and road tests are getting them ready for the big prize at the end of the season.

Georgia State is also taking a game-by-game approach to the season and simply getting themselves on track.

“You just take everything game-by-game and minuteby-minute. You don’t worry about that. Anything that happens, that’s for everybody else to talk about. We just want to worry about the next game. Don’t worry if it’s home or road. You just want to worry about winning the next one. If you start thinking about other stuff, then you’re already defeated,” Head Coach Ron Hunter said of the team’s approach to the upcoming schedule.

The season is only really getting kicked off as it is just right at the halfway mark of the season.

BUILDING A CRESCENDO

The Panthers were dominant for most of last season as they won 25 games and finished 17-1 in the Sun Belt. Ultimately, they fell short in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game and missed the NCAA tournament.

Georgia State is hungry for the conference championship as well as that automatic NCAA tournament berth and want to be sure they are ready when the time comes for them to really be ready to claim their prize.

“Really, we’re just concerned about finishing games.

You don’t have to be good at that until March. We’re still trying to figure it out. But it’s a long season. I think last season we probably figured it out too early so it’s all a process,” R.J. Hunter said.

The road tests have provided the Panthers with some solid experiences as to how to react in certain type of atmospheres. Georgia State has now seen almost every type of environment college basketball can offer and that gives them confidence for later that they have been there and done that.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 201510, 2013 TUESDAY, DECEMBER

PANTHER OF THE WEEK

1923

SPORTS

SPORTS CALENDAR

*conference games

Thursday, Jan. 29 UT Arlington* Arlington, Texas 8:15 p.m.

1340 The Fan 3, ESPN 3

GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

Taina Anglade Women’s Soccer

On Jan. 16, history was made within the ranks of Georgia State women’s soccer when freshman Taina Anglade was invited to train with the Haitian National Team in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Anglade is the first women’s soccer player from Georgia State invited to train with a national squad.

Anglade was born in New Jersey but now calls Milton, Georgia home. She played soccer for Alpharetta High as well as Cambridge High in Milton. Along with having the chance to play for various traveling teams in Georgia, she also was part of the Georgia Olympic Development Program in 2012 and 2013.

Last April, she signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Georgia State in 2014. As a true freshman with the Panthers, she started all 20 games and contributed on the defensive side to six Georgia State shutouts.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Saturday, Jan. 24

Presbyterian Atlanta Athletic Club 5 p.m.

UL Lafayette* (Letterman’s Day) Sports Arena noon

Sunday, Jan. 25 Gardner-Webb Atlanta Athletic Club 6:30 p.m.

ESPN 3

Thursday, Jan. 29 UT Arlington* Arlington, Texas 6 p.m.

ESPN 3

MEN’S BASKETBALL Saturday, Jan. 24 UL Lafayette* Dome 2 p.m.

1340 The Fan 3, ESPN 3

MEN’S TENNIS Saturday, Jan. 24

WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Friday, Jan. 23

WOMEN’S TENNIS Saturday, Jan. 24

UAB Vulcan Invitational

First Round ITA Kickoff

at Birmingham, Alabama All day

Gainesville, Florida TBA

Saturday, Jan. 24

Sunday, Jan. 25

UAB Green and Gold Invitational

Second Round ITA Kickoff

at Birmingham Alabama All day

Gainesville, Florida TBA

THE FINAL SCORE Men’s Basketball

In a shocking result from Boone, N.C., the Panthers were upset at the hands of the Appalachian State Mountaineers by a final of 74-69. Appalachian State came into its matchup with Georgia State as the last place team in the Sun Belt.

The Panthers had a 40-30 lead at the half, but offensive rebounding and three-point shooting by the Mountaineers allowed them to come back, contributing to Georgia State’s third Sun Belt loss.

Women’s Basketball

Prior to the tip of the men’s game from Boone, the women’s team had better fortunes against App State.

Georgia State achieved a balanced scoring effort to a 76-71 victory over the Mountaineers.

Brittany Logan led the Panthers with 17 points. Alisha Andrews contributed 16 points. Kayla Nolan had 13 points and Morgan Jackson finished with 11.

Men’s Tennis

The season for the Panthers’ men’s tennis team began in inauspicious fashion as Georgia State was swept by the Vanderbilt Commodores 7-0 in Nashville, Tennessee.

It was the collegiate debut of Georgia State’s Andrei Andrukhou, who managed a win in his first set against Vanderbilt’s Daniel Valent but lost the final two sets, 6-2 and 6-0. The Panthers will return to the hardcourt on Jan. 24 vs. Presbyterian.

32nd Annual

MLK COMMEMORATION SPEAKER SERIES

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22 STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM

FREE EVENT!

studentevents.gsu.edu

IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MULTICULTURAL CENTER, BLACK STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT & DISABILITY SERVICES

Human Rights Activist & Comedian

studentevents.gsu.edu Supported by Student Fees | studentaffairs.gsu.edu To request disability accommodations at this event, please contact Disability Services at 404-413-1560. Please provide your name and the event name, date, time, location and sponsor when making your request.