The Signal: 'Spruce up the Streets'

OCT. 11 - OCT. 18, 2016

VOL. 84 | NO. 8

The signal at georgia State University

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C fir hec st k o fo u ot t o ba ur ll v re ict ca or p o yo n f t Ge he o se rgia as S on ta . te’s

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spruce

up the streets Various artists gather in Marietta to express themselves at Chalktoberfest A&L | Page 9

PHOTO BY DAYNE FRANCIS | THE SIGNAL Executive Director of the Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art (MCMA) Sally Macaulay, envisions Chalktoberfest to be an event that will bring the community together through art. Artists are welcomed to come and express themselves through different art mediums.

Inside Looking for revenge

Halls are smokin’

It’s A tradition

Nutella Mayhem

Try these Nutella D.I.Y. recipes to spread the love and soothe those chocolate cravings.

Troy looks to defeat the Panthers this season after getting embarrassed in 2015.

News | Page 4

Opinions| Page 7

A&L | page 9

Sports | page 16

University RA’s told The Signal there’s a university-wide problem with marijuana.

Why Library Plaza is a crucial part of campus tradition that all students should experience.

DAILY NEWS AT WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM

News 3

Opinion 7

Arts & Living 9

Sports 15

2

NEWS Oct. 5

blotter

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

READ OUR ONLINE CONTENT

High on it

Visit us online anytime for daily news and updates.

Six Georgia State students arrested at T Parking Deck for possession of marijuana and repeat trespassing.

georgiastatesignal.com

Oct. 6

Oct. 3

All eyes on you

A Georgia State student reported their car stolen at Turner Field. The police are actively investigating the incident.

A non-Georgia State student witnessed another student being assaulted while walking at the intersection of Peachtree Street and Auburn Avenue. The case is under active investigation.

Oct. 4

Oct. 7

A Georgia State faculty member reported a sudden snatch of their wallet at SLICE on 85 Poplar St. The faculty gave chase and retrieved the wallet. The police are still looking for the offender.

Four Georgia State students were arrested for under-age possession of alcohol at the University Commons.

A non-Georgia State complainant reported the case with Georgia State staff present.

Tables have turned

Snatched

Common bust

CL

K!

!

CK CLI

ICK!

CLIC

PHOTO OF THE WEEK Georgia State students gather to form a prayer circle ignoring hateful speech from protesters behind them on Oct. 7.

PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

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NEWS

www.georgiastatesignal.com/news

OUT OF CLASS, LUCK AND CASH

Students dropped out of classes because of lack of financial aid

A Georgia State student enters the queue of people waiting to be seen by the financial aid advisers located in Sparks Hall.

CEMBERLI GRANT Staff Reporter

S

ome Georgia State students have reportedly been dropped from their classes because their financial aid information was not updated on time.

Based on data from the University System of Georgia, between 20,000 and 30,000 students are dropped from rolls throughout all of Georgia’s public universities as a result of unpaid of tuition and fees every year. State officials and community organizers are considering ways to help these students remain enrolled and earn their degrees.

Quin Parham, a Georgia State freshman said he experienced difficulties and said financial aid was only able to help him after his classes were already dropped.

“It took months for my FAFSA to be processed.

I went to financial aid at least seven times and they still were not telling me when my forms would go through or if I would be dropped from my classes.”

After trying and failing to learn more about his status, Parham waited until financial aid could tell him anything useful. Early in September, after the final drop deadline had passed, Parham was eventually given guidance as to what needed to be done in order to ensure his status as a student at Georgia State.

“They told me this after my classes were dropped, so I had to go back individually to add them which cost hundreds of dollars, around $300 per class, because they had to add them manually. So my student account balance went from around $1,500 to $2,800.”

The Signal reached out to the university’s financial department director, Louis Scott, but he did not respond to questions.

On Sept. 7, students enrolled in Georgia State’s freshman orientation course, GSU 1010, were given a presentation on financial literacy as a part of the mandatory class. The presentation was a part of Georgia State’s Financial Literacy Program, an initiative launched by the Office of Student

Financial Aid in 2012. The main speaking points focused on Georgia State and students’ financial futures here.

According to the presentation, students would be charged a fee after they added their dropped classes back onto their schedules.

Parham was one of the students in attendance. By the time the presentation was given, he had already paid the mandatory fees because the staff had to add his classes back to his schedule manually.

Looking for solutions

Getting dropped from classes isn’t a problem that only Georgia State students face.

Lesley Grady, a Georgia State alum and the senior vice president of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta said a priority is raising awareness about the number of students being dropped from their classes each year across the state. She said that the organization helps bring people together to campaign for a solution in order to decrease the number of Georgia public university students that are being dropped.

“The next step will be working all across the state and in Atlanta to provide this information on a local level. So that community members are aware, so that the schools themselves will look internally to create programs,” she said.

The community foundation’s main goal is to build awareness to campaign as well to create a team to begin lobbying to Georgia legislators to provide public funding to create a need-based scholarship.

Grady said that if legislation was passed for this cause, some the funding would be coming from the same state budget that helps with public school education and people with disabilities. “[The] Hope [scholarship] is all about merit which is very important,” Grady said. “But what do you do with the kids with a B- average who have a need and want to be educated but still cannot afford it?”

Grady said that many community members have so far supported the organization.

“Everyone has said ‘how do you lose that many students who want to make more of their lives and get their education for a small amount of money

that we know we can raise?’ whether it’s a CEO, a mother, or a non-profit, everybody has been very shocked and warm to the idea of let’s do something.”

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s plan is targeting students who cannot afford to remain in their classes, but other students claimed they were dropped because of the university’s failure to process their financial information before deadlines, much like Parham.

In preparation for the school year, some Georgia State students spent hours on hold while attempting to speak with a financial aid representative. Over the summer, students began voicing their concerns in the Facebook group “GSU Book Exchange” as well as the “GSU Class of 2020” page and have continued to do so.

According to Georgia State students’ posts, it was a grueling process getting in touch with financial aid, that had some major consequences on students’ classes.

Damini Adelaja, a Georgia State student, said she felt uncertain about her financial aid status even though she had already received scholarships to help cover her costs.

“It was showing that I had a pending balance even though my scholarships were supposed to cover it, and I kept getting emails saying that if I didn’t pay I would be dropped from my classes.

I kept calling and no one would answer and sometimes they hung up once they did answer,” Adelaja said.

Adelaja said she felt Georgia State’s financial aid department was unorganized and unable to cope with the university’s recent consolidation numbers.

“It made me feel like they were disorganized, and I feel like they didn’t care,” she said. “And of course I’m considering the fact that there’s thousands of students, but it still just didn’t look good on their part.”

But Adelaja is not alone. Students also complained about the long hold times with the financial aid office and the long lines to be seen in person at the Sparks Hall location.

Janellya Duffy said that she felt under pressure to get her financial aid in order before classes began, as

PHOTO BY DYLAN JONES | THE SIGNAL

“It took months for my FAFSA to be processed.

I went to financial aid at least seven times and they still were not telling me when my forms would go through or if I would be dropped from my classes.”

-Quin Parham, Georgia State freshman she would be informed about paperwork deadlines by the university just a few days before they were about to pass.

“They took forever to process my information.

They were asking too much about my mother’s marriage and that slowed down the process. You could tell they had an attitude whenever they picked up the phone,” she said.

Duffy was not notified that her financial information was updated until the end of September and her loans were not processed until October. After being dropped from her classes for 22 days, a fee was added to her student account.

Duffy was later told by the enrollment center to notify her professors and have them temporarily add her back into their classes until she could pay off the remaining balances. Her payment deadline was extended until Oct. 6.

NEWS

4

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

Georgia State dorms are smokin’

Resident Hall assistants claim there’s a university-wide problem

Arrests have been made at various Georgia State housing units after marijuana was found in multiple dorm rooms.

JAHMAIR STEWART Staff Reporter

R

olling a blunt has long been illegal in the state of Georgia, but six weeks into a new school year, students are claiming weed has been ever-present on the university campus.

Georgia State police told The Signal they receive at least one marijuana-related call every weekend.

On March. 21, Georgia State University Police Department (GSUPD) was called into investigate a shooting between a student and a non-Georgia State individual over marijuana. The Piedmont North shoot-out, which evolved after a drug deal gone wrong occurred at Piedmont North.

University Lofts resident Treshaun Hill believes police are doing their part, but also said that minor marijuana cases are sometimes overlooked by the university’s police department.

“I think police respond to extreme cases of marijuana, where students are just ignorant with it. For example, having the entire hallway smelling like weed,” he said.

Due to personal restraints, a resident assistant (RA) from Piedmont Central wished to remain anonymous, but told The Signal that the problem is within all residence halls, and not just a single dorm.

Police records show that the issue of marijuana from an arrest standpoint hasn’t been that paramount.

However, GSUPD Chief Carlton Mullis said, “Probably every weekend we get a call about marijuana.” He added that sometimes the call may turn out to be nothing, after searches are conducted.

GSUPD and RAs follow procedures and guidelines given to them by the university when tasked with finding illegal substances on campus.

University Lofts RA DeOndra Fletcher said RAs are only responsible for making sure they’re no illegal substances in plain sight.

“When doing student checks, a RA will do this task with a partner in case of student hostility, but were also not allowed to go through student belongings,” she said.

According to Fletcher, if an RA is able to even smell a scent of marijuana and can pinpoint the source of the odor being within the hallway, then they are told to call Georgia State police.

Fletcher said they’re told to do this, because they aren’t sure what might be behind that door or how the resident may react to them trying to police the situation. Prior to GSUPD involvement, the resident assistant is assigned the duty of making sure drug related rules are being followed.

“When the police arrive, even if we can’t pinpoint the smell but can generally assume where it’s coming from, then the police along with the RA and pro-staff duty will knock on the door, and the police will take it from there,” said Fletcher.

Once the situation is stabilized, the RA will take student IDs of everyone in the room while police search for any illegal substances.

“Generally, if we get a call about a smell of marijuana, whether it comes from the RA, somebody else in the hall, we show up and we start by knocking on the room’s door and see if the student inside will consent for the police to search,” Mullis said.

According to Mullis, Georgia State students have their Constitutional Fourth Amendment right to open the door or to keep it closed. He said that it’s more likely that the student will give consent and allow the officers to search.

If police are able to find any illegal substances,

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LAHAR SAMANTARAI | THE SIGNAL

whether hidden, or in plain sight, charges will be filed and the student will be arrested for possession of marijuana.

Justin Valentine, a resident at the Commons, said, “I believe students should push their fourth amendment right and any right for that matter.”

According to police records from Georgia State’s police department, there have been three marijuana- related arrests this year, which is five fewer arrests from a year ago to date.

Valentine said he believes this is a great step in the right direction.

“The fact that I still smell marijuana in my hallway shows there’s still a problem that needs to be solved, but solving the problem shouldn’t come at the expense of students losing their individual rights,” said Valentine.

Kazendi Simon, a University Lofts resident, said, “I understand the university’s fight against marijuana on our campus, but with marijuana being legalized in other states and loosely enforced in other areas within the city, then I side with the student keeping police officers out of their room without a warrant.”

Simon has lived on campus at Georgia State in previous semesters. He claims he’s come across the odor of marijuana within a residence hall on numerous occasions but doesn’t find it to be a personal problem for himself, or for anyone he knows.

Georgia State Law professor and lawyer, Yvonne McDowell says, “Smell is probable cause for police searches in the state of Georgia.”

Mullis said once a student is charged, the charges for possession go to city and then community court where the student will be assigned to a diversion program, and the incident will be written in their record.

Georgia State Marijuana Arrests August to September 2015

Piedmont North

3

Patton Hall

1

Greek Housing

0

Commons

1

University Lofts

1

Other Areas

2

Total:

8

August to September 2016

Piedmont North

1

Piedmont Central

0

Patton Hall

0

Greek Housing

0

Commons

0

University Lofts

0

Other Areas

1

Total:

3

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

5

NEWS

Students call for Becker, again Ted neighbors voice concerns over the university’s stadium plans

Last Week Local

More than 60 shots fired in Midtown

A shootout took place at the corner of Crescent Avenue and 13th Street with more than 60 shots fired and leaving over 20 vehicles damaged. The shootout took place Oct. 6, according to the AJC, and police said it was someone firing from the parking lot across the town’s popular restaurants. There had been reports earlier of someone entering a nearby parking deck with an AK47 and later, four guns were recovered by police in bushes around the area.

National

Two officers shot and killed in California

PHOTO BY SYRINA MERILAN | THE SIGNAL

Asma Elhuni (far right) asks Assistant to the President Ethel Brown to speak to President Becker. Brown responds by saying Becker is not in his office.

SYRINA MERILAN & CHRISTINA MAXOURIS

Staff Reporter & News Editor

T

urner Field neighbors marched to Georgia State University President Mark Becker’s office for the second time on Oct. 4. to protest his denial to meet with the community groups surrounding the former Braves stadium.

Dozens of students gathered in the building’s lobby demanding to see the university president but were told by faculty no one had seen him in office yet. While protesters began their sit-in, Georgia State police officers stood around, escorting visitors past the protesters.

“Today we want to send an even stronger message that students have solidarity with the residents. We’re going to hold space for one hour and we are going to sit-in and demand that the president does the right thing,” said Patricio Rojas, United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) member.

Steering committee member for the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the Turner Field Coalition Jane Ridley told The Signal she thinks the gentrification will take a total of five years. She said the community has met with Scott Taylor, the president of Carter real estate and partner of the university in the Turner Field sale.

“We have met with him before, but never with Becker,” she said. “[Taylor] told us that Georgia State is in charge of the deal, and that he won’t be able to negotiate with us until Becker does.”

And until today, President Becker has not met with any of the community groups voicing their concern on the stadium’s surrounding neighborhoods.

“He [Becker] has let us come here twice, and still hasn’t showed his face,” Ridley told the protesters.

Tim Franzen, leading member of Atlanta’s Housing Justice League, along with Aurelia Williams and Christopher Hollis, two student organizers of the protest led chants among the crowd and encouraged both students and residents of the Turner Field neighborhoods to share their stories.

“I have never seen so many community folks and students together,” Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, said in a brief speech during the protest.

Ridley spoke out against police standing by, saying she won’t feel safe for herself or her children surrounded by university police once they take over their community.

“The thing that worries me so bad, is that Georgia State police officers will be patrolling this area,” she said. “And they’re [acting like this] towards us. Why are they standing here? Who are we going to attack? I’m a senior citizen.”

The protesters occupied the lobby for about an hour, and then left vowing they’ll be back with sleeping tents.

The next step, according to Hollis would be to receive more support from the student population. Although the number of students had tripled from the previous rally, more are needed, he said.

“In terms of how to make a movement that is effective, I think it comes down to organizing more students,” Hollis said.

The day after the protest, the Political Awareness Club gathered to discuss the topic of gentrification in the Turner Field community, in hope to raise awareness of the issue among the student community. They hoped to inform the attendees by defining gentrification as the process of renovating urban areas, which causes an increase of property values and the displacement of lower income residents.

Protesters, led by Aurelia Williams and Christopher Hollis, chanted: “ Dr. Becker can’t you see What stadiums have done to me And if you redevelop now You better make the neighbors proud Dr. Becker can’t you see The students and community Demanding equity as one Despite administration’s shun.”

The organization encouraged Georgia State students to take a stand, because it is their tuition that is paying for the stadium that will inevitably displace these residents.

“It is their tuition that is paying for the new purchase of the Turner Field stadium and it is their unseen voices that President Becker will use to push people out,” said Athri Ranganathan, organizer with the Housing Justice League.

Rojas said that whatever the university does reflects back on the students, so when the community talks bad about Georgia State, it’s as if they are talking about him.

Two officers were shot and killed Saturday night while responding to a family disturbance call in a neighborhood of Palm Springs, California.

Police had surrounded the suspect, setting up cars and policemen all around the neighborhood’s perimeter, and instructing residents to stay in their house and not open the door to anyone.

The suspect had begun negotiating with officers since early Sunday morning at the entrance of the house when he unexpectedly shot two of them. According to The Guardian, there was a third officer which was wounded, but the police department has not yet released his name or his condition.

Global

Hurricane Matthew leaves more than 917 people dead in its deadly path

Hurricane Matthew has raised Haiti’s death toll to almost 900 and United States deaths to 17. According to the Telegraph, multiple cities in Haiti have been completely flattened by the storm, and over 1.6 million U.S. homes and businesses were without power Saturday. According to the island’s officials, many people in Haiti were cut off from getting help because of mudslides and flooding.

People were crushed by trees and buried under the dirt as the hurricane hit.

NEWS

6

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

‘Believers’ get physical Christians protest against all sinners EDEN GETACHEW & CHRISTINA MAXOURIS

Staff Reporter and News Editor

C

hristian protesters took over Unity Plaza again for the second day in a row, Oct. 7 gaining attention and angering students.

Protesters yelled at students that they’re all sinners, and one of them attacked a student that was arguing against their claims.

The student, Tobi Adeyemi*, pushed the protester back and police rushed to the site to prevent any further physical contact, setting up tables afterwards to separate the two crowds.

Edgar Orea, member of the protest group, said they were targeting the school because it’s full of Muslims.

“Muslims are going to hell. It’s full of people who are having sex before marriage,” he said.

“And it’s full of filthy, disgusting homosexuals.

Those are going to hell too.”

Orea refused to give the name of his church, and instead said he preferred they were referred to as “believers.”

A protester who identified himself as Brother JK, an organizer of the protest, said their intention was to present the truth to the students and doesn’t expect to sway them.

“The Bible says to preach the Bible to every creature,” he said. “We preach the word of God, the Holy Spirit convicts them, the rest is up to them.”

But that’s not the end of sins. Wearing yoga pants is also a sin, according to Pastor Eden** from southern Philadelphia.

“Modest is hottest,” he said. But not when you

cover your face, he added, as a lot of Muslim women choose to do. “God gave you a face for a reason.”

The group first made their appearance on the Atlanta campus Oct. 6, when Georgia State police had to escort them out of the Library Plaza, as it’s no longer a free speech area. The protest migrated to the Unity Plaza, in front of Student Center East.

Group members shouted about students’ sins and held signs reading things like “Homos are going to hell.” There was an outcry from students, refusing to accept their discrimination.

One of the many counter-protesters that spoke out against the group on Thursday was Sheena Lanier, a Georgia State student that said, “I normally ignore it, but this was disrespectful coming on campus,” Lanier said.

“This is a peaceful campus, we’re diverse, we’re tolerant on our campus and we don’t tolerate hatefulness on our campus.”

After relocating, one of the protesters continued his spiel by saying “we’re here to tell you that unless you repent, you’re going to burn, burn, burn. Because I look out here and all I see is a bunch of slaves. You’re all slaves. You are slaves to your flesh. You don’t decide where you go and when you do it. Your body and what’s in between your legs decides what you wear.”

Protesters were asked by police to remain in the grass, and students were told to stand on the concrete to avoid conflict.

A member of the Christian group who identified as Dianna O, claimed this is the most efficient and effective way to spread their message, because it is the same format they used to get people to repent in the Bible.

“People don’t like what we say cause it’s hard.

PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

Georgia State police place tables in between protesters and students to avoid anymore physical conflict.

This is a hard word. People don’t want to hear about their sins and many people will reject them,” she said.

As the crowd of students grew they joined to support each other and argue the group’s claims. “There’s nothing wrong with spreading a message, but not if that message is hate.

Everybody had a right to their opinion, but what they’re spreading is actually hate,” said student Albert Baglietto.

Christian member Edgar Orea viewed their message as anything but hate. “Love,” he said.

“We love sinners and we don’t want them to go to hell. So we bring a loving message to them.

They need to repent, if not, they’re going to end up in hell.”

“Some people make mistakes that is true, but that is when God’s grace and mercy comes in and helps us repent. Not this crap, this is not okay,” Georgia State student Mirra Jones said.

The Christian group and students dispersed after more than two hours of protesting, but the possibility of their return is very likely. Orea explains they will continue giving the truth to sinners until they repent. Giving the truth was done through judgment. “The word of God is judge them, and we’re using the word of God as a measure,” she said.

Sean Keenan contributed to this story. *Tobi Adeyemi works with The Signal but was not on assignment during the time of the protest.

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OPINION

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MAKE PLAZA GREAT AGAIN TOBI ADEYEMI Staff Reporter Tobi Adeyemi is a junior Journalism major. He focuses on sports and music primarily, but also writes creatively and opinionated pieces. His favorite artist is Drake and his favorite athlete is LeBron James. For more of his work follow him on Twitter: @_WhyToby and check out his blog, WhyToby?

PHOTO BY DAYNE FRANCIS | THE SIGNAL

Georgia State shouldn’t take away a part of our history

E What was your favorite memory of Library Plaza ?

Vanessa Sanchez

“Plaza made GSU feel like an HBCU.”

Ariel Alaba

“When Hot 107.9 came.”

very Tuesday and Thursday outside the Library from 12:15 - 1 p.m. used to be Library Plaza. Library Plaza is somewhere I went to faithfully ever since I started college, and it has been a part of Georgia State’s history long before I even stepped foot on this campus.

Just make sure you are in the library area Tuesday and Thursday by 12.

I was told this by a student assistant at Georgia State the day I moved into Piedmont North for Summer Success Academy, which also happened to be the first day of my new college life.

That’s my first memory of Library Plaza, and even though my first visit to Plaza Tuesdays and Thursdays would not take place until nearly two months later, that quote is still what I remember the most vividly. For the next two months, I would wonder why Plaza was such a big deal, and then the first Tuesday of the fall semester finally arrived.

I was shocked. I had never been in an environment like that in my life. It was so many people and so much going on. The music was blaring, people were talking, Phi Beta Sigma were strolling and Jovan Paige was blowing his notable whistle. A sound I would hear quite often for the next two years. There I was, a wideeyed freshman, soaking it all in and very happy I followed the advice I received two months prior.

Now two years later, nearly halfway through the first semester of my junior year, Plaza as I once knew it is gone. Library Plaza or what I like to call now “OG Plaza” is now over in favor of a new plaza, Unity Plaza. Ironically, the reason I was so fascinated by OG Plaza is also the reason it met its demise.

According to an article published by The Signal on Sept. 27, Georgia State University Police Department Chief (GSUPD) Carlton Mullis spoke on the dangers of all the new students flooding Georgia State’s central campus

and how having all these people in one place at one time could become a problem.

“Library Plaza has historically been dedicated as a free speech area and a performance area,” he said. “The problem is, if you go down there at noon, it’s too crowded to try to fit anything that would attract a crowd.”

He also elaborated on the possibility of a potentially dangerous scenario if an emergency was ever to take place.

“We’ve had issues where there’s some speech going on out in the plaza, and if we had a fire alarm or some emergency situation, we couldn’t get those people out,” Mullis said in the article.

Yes, safety was the main reason, particularly fire safety, but does that warrant ending a massive piece of Georgia State’s history?

Especially when that kind of issue has never happened before, and there is a very faint possibility of it ever? I don’t believe so, too much history and too many memories have taken place in OG Plaza.

Memories

Plaza was an event; the campus break turned into campus party. It was a place where you were sure to run into your friends and other familiar faces and meet new people at the same time. It was a place where you would see some of the dopest outfits. What made it such a spectacle was no two plazas were the same. If it wasn’t a Georgia State sponsored Plaza, such as Homecoming or Panther Palooza, it could have been hosted by a student organization.

OG Plaza’s music was always fire, and that was because of our incredible wealth of DJs. Plaza featured Georgia State’s best on the 1s and 2s and they always kept plaza entertaining.

Whether it was DJ John J, DJ Marc B, or one of the newest campus DJs, the hottest tunes were always blasted at OG Plaza.

Why isn’t the new Plaza working?

One of the biggest reasons for the failure of the new format of Plaza is that a lot of people

do not know where it truly is. Unity Plaza in front of the Student Center East is supposed to be the new official location of Plaza, but every Tuesday and Thursday, I hear people confused on whether to go there or Hurt Park. There have been times this year when both locations have hosted events at the same time. There was never any confusion with Library Plaza. There is also the fact that ending Library Plaza has not made that area any less crowded. Students still go there to hang out, meet their friends, or even just to pass the time until their next class. If ending Library Plaza was supposed to reduce the risk from overcrowding and it hasn’t done that, what was the point of it all then?

Georgia State has made a mess of one of its best traditions, and that’s not fair to anybody.

So how can we make a change?

First and foremost we have to come together as a school, and the petition to bring Plaza back was a great start. A fellow student started the petition on ipetition.com and set a goal of 1000 signatures for the cause of bringing OG Plaza back. The petition got halfway to its goal of 560 signatures* and 79 comments from students giving reasons why it should be back. I was very pleased to see someone take the initiative and start the petition, but I was also disappointed in the turnout.

With more than 32,000 students that attend the Atlanta campus, there is no excuse for why the petition did not reach 1000 signatures. If Georgia State really wants Library Plaza back, they need to support movements like the petition, and make sure the next one reaches its goal.

Georgia State made a terrible decision taking away Library Plaza. They pulled the plug on a tradition that current and former students loved, and they are taking away the opportunity for future students to experience that tradition. All the memories and history from OG Plaza can never be replicated at Unity Plaza or Hurt Park. * As of October 10 , 2016

EDITORIAL

8

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

EDITORIAL

Where’s our new version of ‘We are the World’ video?

Haiti didn’t receive the attention it should have gotten after hurricane

H

ILLUSTRATION BY DARIAN MATHEWS | THE SIGNAL

ere’s to everyone who said there’s no problems with today’s media, and the United States’ ever-growing care bubble.

Over the weekend, Hurricane Matthew rolled through the Caribbean, later hitting the southeast coast of the country, running homes to the ground and leaving entire towns with no power. We got continuous live coverage of the natural disaster as it climbed from Florida, to Georgia, to the Carolinas. And if you looked real closely, at the little letters sliding through the bottom of the screen, you might have gotten a snippet of Haiti’s current situation.

Close to 900 dead. More than 350,000 injured, in need of aid, according to BBC. Thousands of homes are nothing but debris, and cholera has been an eminent threat the island’s water supplies. Crops have

been destroyed, according to The Wall Street Journal, more than 60,000 were displaced from their homes.

CNN International Correspondent Shasta Darlington said aid is taking longer to reach the hardest-hit regions because the roads have been damaged and no one can get through. People are refugees in their own country, living in run-down schools because their homes have been wiped out, collecting rain water, and getting attacked by bandits at night. Yet the only sneak peak we get into all this seems almost typical. Short stories summarizing the going-on’s.

And sure, maybe that’s how news would have dealt with the situation if it took place anywhere else in the world.

Except, not really.

If there was a disaster of such magnitude in Paris, Berlin, or London, this wouldn’t be something you’d have to ask your friends whether they knew

about it or not. Everyone would be busy changing their profile picture filter.

But Facebook, where’s our Pray for Haiti filter option?

The filter-lovers around the world have been asking Facebook why there hasn’t been a Pray for Haiti filter, just like there was one when there were 137 terrorism victims in Paris, and one when there were 50 dead in an Orlando club shooting. Unless Facebook is working on a priority system we’re not aware of, there definitely seems something wrong here.

Why are we consistently turning the blind eye to disasters happening in countries we can’t relate to, just because the media is guiding us to do so? Are “We are the World” videos really all we can do to raise awareness about these countries?

GOT AN opinion?

We want to hear it! Submit your guest columns to signalopinions@gmail.com

ARTS & LIVING

CHALK way

www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving

this

A chalk artist at Chalktoberfest recreates a painting on the street, Oct. 8.

PHOTO BY DAYNE FRANCIS | THE SIGNAL

Marietta Brightens up Sidewalks with Chalk ArT CATRINA DYGERT Staff Reporter

M

arietta Square was transformed into a giant canvas this weekend in celebration of the city’s annual Chalktoberfest. With three streets of chalk artists and an entire street of craft beer, as well as live music, visitors had plenty to enjoy over the weekend.

Sally Macaulay, the Executive Director of the Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art (MCMA), said she was “pretty excited” about this year’s festival, which is also the first international festival. This year, the team brought in “88 professional artists from all over the world,” according to Macaulay.

“We had four or five artists from Mexico and one from Canada,” Macauley said.

Within the festival

The chalk artists were all housed between Church and Cherokee Street, and also included work from husband and wife duo Dave and Laurie Conley, Ever Galvez and local artists like Katie Bush, an Atlanta native, and the Chalk Twins, Devon & Lexi Fulmer.

“We had probably about six to 10 local artists,” Macaulay said. “There were several from Florida, and we’ve got [some] from California, New York and Ohio. Really just from all over.”

Visitors at Chalktoberfest also had plenty of food and drinks to choose from thanks to the food trucks lined up on Atlanta Street. All of the restaurants in the square were also open for the festivities.

“We’ve got everything as far as restaurants,” said Macaulay. “We’ve got pizza and Taqueria Tsunami has all kinds of fresh guacamole, chips and burritos.

Then we’ve got Shillings on the Square. There was food all over.”

It was also easy enough to pop on over to the Craft Beer Festival on Cherokee Street. Tickets

started at $35 online and raised to $45 at the festival, but visitors definitely got a buzz for their buck. There were over 120 different craft beers available for tasting, with support from local breweries, like Terrapin Beer Co. from out of Athens, Georgia. Guests who bought a VIP pass to the beer festival also got a commemorative pint glass to remember their trip.

goers were also treated to two days of live music, courtesy of several local artists, including Marietta oldies Time Bandits. There was also an “All-Star Jam Session,” for all the bands to come out and play together, and a performance by A1A: The Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band.

This year’s People’s Choice winners from the event is available on the Chalktoberfest website.

Art takeover

How Chalktoberfest got its name

On Oct. 9, the beer festival packed up and left, making way for an entire street of children’s arts and crafts.

“They could come in and make all kinds of things,” Macauley said. “Our education director [Allison Frink] handled that, and she had great plans for it, where you just buy a ticket and you could get your face painted. She had all kinds of different things the kids can make, or they could try their hand at chalking. She had a whole section for them to chalk, as well.”

Amateur artists could also try their hand at chalking at one of the non-professional competitions held Sunday, according to Macaulay.

“We had all these schools participating in the competition,” Macauley said. “We had a youth division and we had a college division. I think SCAD and KSU brought in some of their students to compete, and then we had a non-professional section. So each age could come in and chalk.”

Prizes were also awarded for the top-ranking artists in the professional and non-professional competitions.

“They [received] gift cards…I think they were mainly gift cards. Our education director decided on the prizes for the non-professional student section. For the professional section, which is what I handled, we had a people’s choice award and they won cash prizes. With the non-professional student section, they got gift cards from The School Box or food gift cards,” Macauley said.

If food and prizes weren’t exciting enough, fest-

There’s a story behind every good name and Chalktoberfest’s is a few years in the making. It all started when Macaulay was introduced to the Sarasota Chalk Festival by a co-worker.

“Originally I had a board member whose parents lived in Sarasota, and he just said ‘Sally, you need to go to this chalk festival in Sarasota. They do this huge festival and it’s really kind of cool.’ So I looked it up online and thought, ‘Oh God, this is great,’” Macauley said.

Macaulay talked with the director of the Sarasota festival and borrowed two of their chalk artists for a special chalk section at Marietta’s Art in the Park celebration, held every Labor Day. That year proved to be rainy, though, with hurricane warnings for the area, which forced the artists to work on canvas inside the MCMA. The next year, the event more than doubled, with Macauley bringing in 20 artists to participate in Art in the Park again. The second year was no more forgiving than the first, however.

“It all got washed away on Sunday afternoon, and it was hot because it was Labor Day weekend.

I just thought, ‘You know what I’m moving this to October,’ and I started a chalk festival.”

It opened as the Marietta Chalk Festival until, one fateful night, Macaulay woke up inspired.

“I thought this is like the perfect fit because Oktoberfest is a German beer festival, Macaulay said. “And then one day, I think it was 2 o’clock in the morning, I woke up and said, ‘Oktoberfest.

Chalk festival...Chalktoberfest.’”

Plan your visit to the MCMA Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art 30 Atlanta Street SE Marietta, GA 30060 Hours: Monday: Closed ​Tuesday - Friday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. ​Saturday: 11 a.m. - 4p.m. ​Sunday: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Admission: Adults: $8 Students (6-18 or with ID): $5 Seniors (65+): $5 Members: Free Children (Under 6): Free Current Exhibitions: Ali Cavanaugh, “Modern Frescoes” Sept. 24 - Dec. 18 A collection of watercolor on kaolin clay, “Modern Frescoes” captures Cavanaugh’s desire to capture the unseen and understand the deeper parts of a human soul.

Edward Kellogg, “Down to Earth” Kellogg builds his paintings up layer by layer to capture every day scenes, from realistic landscapes to worn out tires. Kellogg’s style was inspired by modern abstract painters.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS ONLINE

georgiastatesignal.com

Relaxing Embr A better life through professional cuddling CHANTE FOSTER Staff Reporter

A

simple hug is powerful enough to ease the tensions caused by life’s daily obstacles.

An Atlanta cuddling business, A Southern Touch, embraces human contact as a form of therapy for clients.

Professional cuddling quickly makes its ways to Atlanta as a service that goes beyond the limitations of social boundaries. Cuddling is a fairly new concept that uses platonic touch as a form of therapy to releases endorphins, boost the immune system, relieves stress, ease tension and provide relaxation.

Making a Business

An innovative student was looking for a way to generate income while pursuing higher education approximately two years go. Shayla Tumbling has a masters in mental health counseling, and while finishing a doctoral program, the cuddler needed a flexible job that allowed her to balance school and work. With school being a number one priority, the professional cuddler, heard about the business through social media.

As the Co-owner and founder of A Southern Touch, Tumbling wanted to create an environment where platonic feel and touch could be used to heal others. By combining the enjoyment of cuddling and a passion for helping others, Tumbling filled a void with a service that focuses on holistic healing.

“I like cuddling, and it’s definitely a service that can be beneficial to other people,” Tumbling said. “This is a really great service and people need to have access to [cuddling outside] intimate relationships.”

While researching the concept, Tumbling realized that touch therapy could be used to combat emotional pain and social dissociation. The professional cuddler was intrigued by an article featuring a woman who started an entire business centered around platonic touch. Taking the time to slow down, connect and experience safe touch is a powerful experience, according to Tumbling, by allowing people to have better experiences throughout their lives.

Tumbling and her business partner Brandi Norwood-Hambrick, currently work the new business, by performing services at the client’s home. Everything is based in the client’s comfort level, and for each person the professional cuddlers use different positions. Sometimes a simple touch like holding hands, hugging or full embraces are all the body needs to help clients find the root of their anxiety.

A Southern Touch would like to continue providing positive and platonic touch experiences for their clients. In the future the cuddling service would like to host cuddling events once a week, and have a business space that is equipped with comfy couches, floor mates, essential oils and more.

Q&A Shayla Tumbling

Physical Touch and Mental Health With various terms and categories for touch therapy, how would you define cuddling, in relation to the way your business operates?

Tumbling: I think of it as healing platonic

touch. It can range from holding hands to full body touching. [It’s] different for [everyone depending] on the client’s preference and comfort with touch. Everyone is not comfortable with receiving touch in the same way. It’s a matter of figuring out to see where they are with their comfort and then working from that space.

They might be comfortable with just holding hands, sitting side by side, having an arm around their shoulder or they might just be comfortable with just touching you or embracing you.

Based on your professional experience, what is the social science and health benefits behind cuddling?

It helps to improve connections to others, we are social beings and we are interdependent beings. We operate and work best in social environments. The physical connections helps to release certain hormones that help boost immune systems and alleviate or relieve certain symptoms that comes from disconnection. For instance, depression, when certain hormones are released from two people touching it helps to put that other person in a better place.

If personal space dictates the way people interact with one another, how does limited human-to-human contact or touch effect people?

A lot of us don’t realize what we’re not receiving until we’re in an environment to receive it. There have been people who I’ve hugged before who have just been moving in life, getting everything

in their life done; we’ve taken a moment to be present each other, and we’ve hugged and they’ve almost come to tears, saying ‘I haven’t been touched or hugged in so long and I didn’t realize that was something I needed.’

How does cuddling allow people to release any negative energy created by stress?

Our bodies store memory, and a lot of us don’t have the healthiest experience in our lives. So, while we are also being reliant and are able to process things and move on, there may be lots of things that we have not dealt with or have not released that become trapped within ourselves and within our bodies. In general, with the physiologic things that happen to our bodies when we connect with another person, in a way, we are able to relax and feel safe. You can just relax here, and there are not a lot of places in life where people can feel like, ‘I can just relax and I can completely let go.

I’m safe in this place, and not confined or worried about what this person is thinking about me.’

Are there any social constraints that affect the way people in our society interact with one another, if so, how do those ideologies affect people’s perspective on cuddling?

America is dysfunctional when it comes to touch. We’ve mostly been conditioned to only view touch as being appropriate in certain situations and certain relationships. We don’t have a very clear understanding of intimacy. We compartmentalize a lot of things and put borders on a lot of things, and we think that in doing that, in ways, is protecting ourselves. Everything is interdependent and one thing impacts another. We think intimacy is a sexual expression and I think that’s part of the dysfunction that we’ve been taught.

race Cuddling Positions

There are countless diagrams and pictures online that illustrate endless positions for cuddling. A few of those positions come with wacky names, but they all serve the same purpose, which is to provide relaxation for the client.

•

•

•

Spooning: One of the most common

and widely used positions that requires two people to perform full body embrace.

There are two parts to this position, one person will be the big spoon and the other person is the little spoon. Partners will lay on the side of their body, and the person who is the big spoon will lay behind the little spoon.

A Chest Embrace: Another comfortable position where one person lays their head on their partner’s chest. As each person embraces one another, the sound of steady breathing becomes relaxing. A chest embrace also provides the two people with a warm and soft feeling.

The Spinal Embrace: Similar to the comfort of having a nap with a partner as the pillow. While sitting down, one person will have their back facing their partner, while the other person is open and ready to embrace their partner as they lay back.

This position is comfortable on a couch.

The pricing for a cuddle session with A Southern Touch varies based on time. A basic session starts at one hour and can change to fit the client’s needs. The professional cuddlers can create custom packages, organize a cuddling event and more.

For more information about A Southern Touch or to request a consultation, visit the business’s Facebook account, which can be found by searching their name. Potential clients can also reach the cuddlers by email at atlantasoutherntouch@gmail.com or call (404)-500-6173.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The professional cuddling service is not sexual. There are certain dress codes and no touch areas to ensure a safe and relaxing environment.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL

Co-Owner and Founder of A Southern Touch Shayla Tumbling uses touch and cuddling as a therapeutic tool. This type of therapy can help those who suffer with depression or to improve connections with others among other benefits.

ARTS & LIVING

12

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

Experimenting with the hazelnut & chocolate combo INGA MASIC

Arts & Living Editor

Ingredients needed

I

f the rest of the world is anything like me, then Nutella is a magical creation to them. I grew up in Germany, and the creamy spread was part of every meal possible when I was over there. Whether it’s the hazelnut taste or the creamy chocolate texture, something about Nutella makes glorious sense.

There is always an option to just eat the goodness right out of the jar with a spoon, which I may or may not be guilty of. However, if you are not like me and want to hold onto some dignity when bringing the masterpiece that is Nutella, then here are some quick and easy Nutella recipes.

3-ingredient Nutella Truffles

Truffles are desired by most humans, or they very well should be. They are small goodies that always have a new surprise ingredient inside, who doesn’t see the fun in that? Well, these truffles will feature something especially delectable inside, Nutella.

Ingredients needed • • • •

drinking a good cup of hot chocolate. This isn’t any hot chocolate, however, it’s Nutella hot chocolate.

Nutella (5 tablespoons) Melting Chocolate (6 ounces) Sprinkles (as much as desired) Oreo Cookies (20)

Let’s Begin

1. Take the oreos and the Nutella and place them into a food processor, and mix the combo until it is smooth. Wait for a ball to start forming with the mixture.

2. Start rolling smaller balls from the mixture, about one tablespoon for each ball.

3. Once the balls are created, place each individual ball on a baking sheet covered with wax paper.

4. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for at least an hour.

5. Take whatever melting chocolate you purchased and melt it according to the directions on the back, some good brands are Candiquik or almond bark.

6. After the chocolate has melted, give it a good stir.

7. Take the truffles out of the fridge and dunk each truffle into the melted chocolate. Place the dunked truffles back onto the cooking sheet and cover with sprinkles if desired.

8. Place the baking sheet back in the fridge to let the truffles set. These truffles can stay in the fridge for up to five days.

Nutella Hot Chocolate

The chilly weather is slowly approaching and the holidays are right around the corner, so what better way to get in the “sweater weather” feels than

• • • • •

Nutella (2 tablespoons, but honestly be as generous as possible) Unsweetened cocoa powder (2 tablespoons) Sweetener/sugar (2 tablespoons) Skim milk (4 cups) Toppings: Marshmallows, hazelnuts, chocolate chips

Let’s Begin

1. Heat the skim milk in a medium-sized saucepan on medium-high until beginning to warm and steam.

2. Add the Nutella spread, cocoa powder and sugar into the saucepan.

3. Mix until the components are broken up within the hot chocolate.

4. Bring it into a gentle simmer while continually stirring and then take off heat.

5. Pour the hot chocolate into a mug and add the toppings if desired.

Nutella and Banana Stuffed Crescent Rolls

We all love the way fluffy crescent rolls taste when biting into them, but imagine biting into the pastry and having warm banana and Nutella seep out. That what you get when making this delicious pastry. This is a very easy recipe to follow, and takes no more than 15 minutes. That way you can get to the good part of scarfing it down a lot faster.

Ingredients needed • • • • •

1-2 bananas Nutella (tablespoon scoop for each roll) Cinnamon (1 tablespoon) Sugar (one-third cup) Can of crescent rolls (1)

Let’s Begin

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Spray a baking sheet with Pam or butter spray.

3. Open up the crescent roll can and unroll the dough.

4. Spread the scoop of Nutella onto the thicker end of each dough cut-out.

5. Grab the banana and cut it into eight small slices.

6. Put a slice of banana on top of the Nutella and then roll the crescent up.

7. Make sure to close up the sides of the crescent so the Nutella doesn’t seep out the sides.

8. Pour the cinnamon and the sugar together in a bowl and mix the two together.

9. Roll each one of the crescent rolls in the cinnamon/sugar mix, make sure to really coat the roll.

10. Place the individual rolls onto the baking sheet and place into oven.

11. Bake for 12 minutes and make sure to eat it while it’s hot (don’t burn your tongue though), but it really is the best when coming out of the oven!

Nutella Crepes The crepe is a pretty popular pastry, and can be eaten with any kind of spread, like fruit preserves, whip cream and strawberries and, of course, Nutella.

When covering the crepe with Nutella from end to end, the likelihood that you will end up with a smile on your face when eating it is high.

Ingredients needed Eggs (3) Flour (3 cups) Sparkling water (half cup: for extra fluffiness) Salt (sprinkle a little between the fingers) Milk (1 cup)

Let’s Begin 1. Grab a giant mixing bowl.

2. Pour the cups of flour into the bowl and the little bit of salt, and then crack the eggs over the flour.

3. Use either a stirring utensil or whatever mixer you have (handheld or regular) to mix those together.

4. While those are mixing, pour in the milk and let that mix together.

5. Then while that is mixing, slowly pour in the sparkling water, little by little.

6. Mix everything together until it is a runny texture.

7. Then grab a pan and pour a small amount of vegetable oil or olive oil into the pan.

8. Grab a ladle and scoop the mixture with it, then pour it into the middle of the pan. Make sure to hold the pan handle with the other hand so that you can move it around, making the mixture spread around the entire pan.

9. Wait about one to two minutes and then grab the handle of pan (using a cloth or glove) and shake the pan a little, loosening up the crepe.

This part might take some practice: Pop the pan enough for the crepe to flip over into the other side and wait for one minute for that side to cook also.

10. The mixture will make up to 20 crepes.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DAYNE FRANCIS | THE SIGNAL

These recipes are a great way to incorporate nutella into staple dishes.

13

ARTS & LIVING

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

FILM REVIEW

Thriller but makes you wonder

Surprisingly scary but with some questionable moments mixed in ALEX GRAHAM Staff Reviewer

M

any of you, dear readers, may have heard about “that scene” in “Don’t Breathe.”

You know. The one. The one that everybody wants to talk about. It’s an important thing to discuss, I guess, and I’ll get to it in a minute, but first let’s talk about “Don’t Breathe” without it.

Rocky (Jane Levy), her boyfriend Money (Daniel Zovatto) and Alex (played by everyone’s favorite Josh Hutcherson stand-in, Dylan Minette) are petty young thieves in Detroit. Alex uses his dad’s home security business to gain access to the houses they burgle and worries about grand larceny a lot, Rocky’s trying to save herself and her sister from their careless mother’s abusive grasp, looking for enough money to get them out of town, and Money’s just interested in jerking off on rich people’s stuff.

They decide to do one final big heist for a bunch of cash when Money learns about a blind vet sitting on several hundred thousand dollars he received after his daughter was killed in a car accident. But it turns out the blind man is lethally protective of the [spoilers omitted] in his basement.

There’s no real character here, which is a non-issue for me. The kids are dumb and shallow, but the focus is on fun scary stuff here; the movie’s still effective without multidimensional characters. The blind man’s a little more complex but not in a particularly compelling way— we’ll get to him when we get to “that scene.”

But shave off the bookends— the shallow characters and a lame ending that seems to be trying to set up an unearned sequel— and “Don’t Breathe” is a fun, well-crafted thriller.

Its pacing is consistently perfect, every event given plenty of time to build tension. We’re taken slowly through each part of the break in, from giving the dog a sleeping pill to trying all the entrances, while our first journey through the house sets up all our obvious but effective Chekhov’s guns, the hammers and doors and pieces of glass that will eventually come into play. It takes awhile for us to get to the stuff in the trailer but the build up is wonderful, allowing the tension to simmer.

Not everything is perfect and it’s pretty easy to guess your way through, but it’s still fun and full of wonderful moments. Director Fede Alvarez structured the first half so that new information and horrible tasks come at just the right moment,

not too infrequently but not at a dizzying, tension-minimizing pace.

As the characters grope their way through all this horror, so do we.

And now, the “twist.” A spoiler from here. If you’re interested in seeing the movie and not reading on, just be warned: TRIGGERS. Sexual assault is a tough thing to talk about in any context, and there’s been plenty written about rape in this movie and others out there in the googlesphere. I don’t have anything interesting to add to the convo around “Don’t Breathe” because it’s pretty cut and dry: lazy rapey sublot is lazy. Obviously movies should engage with rape and it’s not a total no-go to work with, but, ya know, be classy. Alvarez uses it as a throw away shock trick connected to the blind guy’s daughter’s death (you can read his comments on it here— they’re gross.) It’s supposed to make him more twisted and broken but only serves to make the writers look dumb, especially because there’s a turkey baster involved and the blind guy says “I’m not a rapist.” Uhm, OK, not buying it.

That said, this is a lame-brain horror movie we’re talking about. Yeah, it’s tightly crafted, but don’t expect it to be a hold-out of deep progressive values.

Just let it be dumb and fun.

SYNOPSIS: Rocky, Alex and Money are three Detroit thieves who get their kicks by breaking into the houses of wealthy people. Money gets word about a blind veteran who won a major cash settlement. Figuring he’s an easy target, the trio invades the man’s secluded home in an abandoned neighborhood. Finding themselves trapped inside, the young intruders must fight for their lives after making a shocking discovery about their supposedly helpless victim.

GRADE: B VERDICT: “Don’t Breathe” is often remarkably crafted and eerie, but gets more bone-headed as the movie progresses.

1

PIONAL WHEN LOVE HURTS

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APOLLO BROWN & SKYZOO THE EASY TRUTH

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DEVENDRA BANHART APE IN PINK MARBLE

4

EZTV HIGH IN PLACE

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FLYYING COLOURS MINDFULNESS

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FUDGE LADY PARTS

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MACHINEDRUM HUMAN ENERGY

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PUFF! LIVING IN THE PARTYZONE

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WAREHOUSE SUPER LOW

Album Review

Travis Scott gives a similar formula with ‘BITTSM TOBI ADEYEMI Staff Reporter

E

ver since Travis Scott released his debut album, “Rodeo,” the follow up to it has been much anticipated. The wait finally ends a year later with Scott delivering “Birds In the Trap Sing McKnight.” His latest drop plays to his strengths that made “Rodeo” a Gold certified album; excellent production, a lot of features and popular singles.

One place where Travis Scott never fails is in his production.

Production has been Scott’s calling card and “BITTSM” is no different; he leaves his signature sound all over the album. The hard-hittingdeep-bass-trap Scott we are used to hearing are on display on songs like “Outside” and “Coordinate,” while we see a more upbeat Scott on cuts like “Guidance.”

I also love how the album is filled with features, and almost all of them are good. My favorite feature of the album, hands down, goes to Canadian newcomer, Nav.

Nav, features on Biebs In The Trap, which is a track about a night on drugs, primarily cocaine, or what Nav likes to refer to as “cocoa.” Nav isn’t the only strong feature either; Kendrick Lamar delivers a strong verse on “Goosebumps,” and Kid Cudi’s beautiful artistry is on full display on both of his guest features.

Bryson Tiller finally comes out of musical hiding with his verse on “First Take” and 21 Savage showcases the aggressive rap style that has made him one of the most popular out.

In total, 11 of the 14 songs on the album have guest appearances, and that includes the album’s singles that helped create the hysteria.

“Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight” was so anticipated partly due to the success Scott had with the album’s singles. The first single released was “Wonderful” featuring The Weeknd. He and Scott’s chemistry is undeniable, as The Weeknd is singing and Scott is harmonizing, they complement each other perfectly.

“Pick up The Phone” is the true smash hit of the album. The Young Thug and Quavo-assisted track turns out

to be the much-needed radio song every album should have; Travis Scott handles chorus duties, while Thug delivers two hot verses and Quavo closes it out with the strongest verse of all.

While Travis gave us more of the same good material, he also showcased the same struggles he has shown in the past. Similar to his last album, Scott’s lyricism just doesn’t match up to his production abilities.

The verses Scott raps on the album leave much to be desired, particularly from a rapper of his stature, but maybe that explains Scott’s need for a multitude of features, especially when you consider nine out of the eleven features are from rappers.

All in All, “Birds In the Trap Sing McKnight” proved everything we know about Travis Scott to be correct.

He lacks in the lyrical department, but his excellent production skills help make up for that. He makes his best music with collaborators, which is why his projects are always so feature-heavy, and just like with “Rodeo,” he uses the strength of his singles to help push his album.

TOP TRACKS: “First Take”, “Biebs In The Trap”, “Wonderful”, and “Pick Up the Phone” GRADE: B + VERDICT: Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight might have the best production of any album in 2016.

Travis Scott knows his lane in the music world and he knows what his fans like, which will make “BITTSM” very successful. I already know this album will go Gold, let see if Scott can reach the next step and secure his first Platinum album.

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14

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

Campus & Downtown Events

Tuesday

Wednesday

SCARECROWS IN THE GARDEN

Oct. 11 Location: Atlanta Botanical Garden

Breast Cancer Awareness Day

The Garden is stuffed with fall fun!

Enjoy more than 100 spooky, handcrafted creative scarecrows and you’ll have the chance to create your own.

Oct. 12 Location: Unity Plaza

Students can sign up for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and also get information about breast cancer and self-examination.

Thursday LGBTQIQA History Month Celebration Oct. 13

This event will celebrate the LGBTQIQA month, so come out and show the love. For location info, email Christina Wan at cwan@gsu.edu.

Friday Justin Emerich, trumpet

Oct. 14 Location: Aderhold Learning Center 40

Justin Emerich is a nationally renowned trumpeter, who has traveled nationally and internationally performing and teaching the art.

Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Doggie Birthday Bash

Amy Schumer

Oct. 15 Location: Phillips Arena

Oct. 16 Location: Dog park on Loring Drive

America’s most beloved funny girl is coming to Atlanta, so get ready to laugh until your stomach hurts. Hurry up and get tickets before they sell out Panthers!

Octubafest

Bring your furry friend to Bosley’s Birthday Bash to support rescue dogs and to enjoy music, BBQ, drinks and games.

Oct. 17 Location: Kopleff Recital Hall The GSU euphonium and tuba faculty join to create enchanting chamber and solo music performances.

More events and info at georgiastatesignal.com

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GEORGIA STATE

ILLUSTRATION BY ERIK REID | THE SIGNAL

Panthers Knowing the consequences, several Panthers would indeed side with Kaepernick

CHRISTIAN CRITTENDEN Staff Reporter

D

uring the summer, there were protests in the city of Atlanta following the deaths of Philandro Castile and Alton Sterling. Current Georgia State football players Penny Hart, Aaron Winchester, Bryan Williams and Taz Bateman took to the streets to not only protest the deaths of Castile, and Sterling, but also all of the injustices that African-Americans face on a daily basis.

“It was amazing to be able to see how passionate everybody was about what was going on, and how everyone really just needed to grieve over the situation because a lot of people are tired from everything that’s going on, and that it could happen to us was really eye-opening to see how many people cared,” Hart said.

On Aug. 26, in a game against the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided to sit down during the national anthem, and a week later he decided to take knee.

In an interview with NFL media after the game, Kaepernick explained why he decided to protest.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses people of color,” Kaepernick said. “To me, this is

bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people are getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Kaepernick changed his protest to taking a knee during the national anthem instead of actually sitting down. Many people were up in arms about this and the backlash that he faced has in a way justified his peaceful protest. Kaepernick has said on multiple occasions that he has received death threats, according to CNN. The story hits home with the Georgia State football team as well.

Hart mentioned it could very well happen to him, and he is in full support of Kaepernick.

“I really feel like he’s doing something that he truly believes in, and that’s great to see,” Hart said.

“You know him making strides peacefully in a movement that collectively gets other people to peacefully protest, and get other people to understand what is going on right now, so I appreciate everything that he’s doing because it’s opening a lot of eyes.”

Hart said that he would be in support of the on growing movement, but he is aware of the backlash that could soon follow from previous experience.

“I took a lot of backlash during the protest. People were saying that my cause was completely different from

what other people may be, and not even knowing what I was trying to do a lot of people were trying to criticize me for what I was doing and my teammates,” Hart said. “People who weren’t aware and don’t understand the situation, they see it as disrespect to their country, and a disruption to everything that is going on and if you aren’t aware or aren’t knowledgeable of the situation then that is how you are going to see it.”

Williams does support Kaepernick and respects his right to protest, but would not do it the same way.

“Personally, I don’t think I would do this because I feel like the people in our service are owed some type of respect, but if he believes in it, I support his idea,” Williams said. “I don’t see it as disrespectful because obviously it’s a free country that we live in, he can exercise his rights, it’s just something that I wouldn’t do.”

One player who did not participate in the march, but does support Kaepernick, is tight end Keith Rucker.

Rucker is biracial, and he said it’s a hard balance sometimes with situations like this. Not all situations involve race, but a lot of them do.

“I hate when I’m trying to take one side and they tell me that I can’t. So I mainly sit in the middle and try to observe,” Rucker said.

Cam Newton, who was once very vocal on issues in the black community, has since said America “We’re beyond that as a nation,”

according to his interview in GQ magazine. Players are even losing endorsements over this issue. Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall lost two of his endorsement deals for taking a knee in the season opening game against Newton’s Panthers.

Shortly after the game, CenturyLink issued a statement explaining the termination of Marshall’s endorsement deal.

“We completely respect Brandon Marshall’s personal decision and right to take an action to support something in which he strongly believes. America is anchored in the right of individuals to express their beliefs. While we acknowledge Brandon’s rights, we also believe that whatever issues we face we also occasionally must stand together to show our allegiance to our common bond as a nation. In our, the national anthem is one of those moments. For this reason, while we wish Brandon the best this season, we are politely terminating our agreement with him,” according to CenturyLink’s website.

A youth football team in Texas, comprised of 11-and -12 year old middle schoolers have received death threats, according to the Bleacher Report. The Beaumont Bulls senior still persevered despite the death threats, and having their coach being suspended for the season still continued to take a knee in protest.

PROTESTING BREAKDOWN JULY 8 : Georgia State football players join Atlanta protest.

AUG. 26: Colin Kaepernick sits during the national anthem.

SEPT. 1: Kaepernick and

teammate Eric Reid, take a knee during the national anthem.

SEPT. 9: Brandon Marshall takes a knee during the national anthem, loses sponsorships.

SEPT. 11: Seattle Seahawk players link arms during the national anthem. Several players around them took a knee, and some hold a fist in solidarity.

SPORTS

16

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

Last season’s loss to Georgia State Troy Trojan Head Coach Neal Brown: ‘The worst taste I’ve had after any game.’

WOODY BASS Staff Reporter

T

roy is 4-1 under second-year Head Coach Neal Brown so far this season and already matched their win total from a season ago where they finished with 8 losses.

This isn’t 2015 and the Trojans are sending a strong message this season that they intend to contend for the Sun Belt title.

In 2015, Troy was averaging about 28 points per game and allowing as many defensively.

However, in their 8 losses they only averaged about 18 points with 315 yards per game.

On the other side of the ball, they allowed an average of almost 36 points and allowing over 400 yards in each loss including the 31-21 loss to Georgia State. The Panthers lit the Trojans up in the Georgia Dome with 519 total yards of offense. The most yards that the Troy defense gave up in any of their losses last year.

Five games into the season and the Trojans have completely flipped the script. In 2016, Troy has proven to be a force to be reckoned with.

Offensively, they are averaging 45 points and 494 yards per game. They are vastly improved on defense where they are only allowing an average less than 20 points per game and 367 yards.

Nearly continuing a theme of shocking the college football world started by Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, Troy nearly upset the playoff apple cart with a narrow 30-24 loss to the No. 2 team in the country, the Clemson

Tigers. Brandon Silvers completed 24 passes for 233 yards on their visit to ACC country. Eleven of those receptions were gifted to sophomore wide receiver Deondre Douglas for 93 yards.

The Trojan defense held the Tigers to 3.8 yards per carry and had 5 tackles for a loss. On the last play of the game, with Clemson leading 30-17, Silvers drove the Trojans for 68 yards on 8 plays scoring on a 1-yard touchdown pass to Douglas. Nearly ruining the season and likely any playoff hopes for Clemson wasn’t enough for Coach Brown.

“Never okay to lose. That was my message to our football team, and I mean that. I mean that to our fan base,” Troy Head Coach Neal Brown said following the loss. “We played the No. 2 team in the country and gave them everything they wanted. We didn’t play our best in any phase, offensively, defensively or special teams.

We did not play our best.”

Troy already had some great success against Sun Belt opponents this season. They have averaged 43 points offensively and allowed less than 10 points so far this season versus New Mexico State and Idaho. That is an improvement of almost two touchdowns and allowing one less touchdown in contrast to 2015. The Trojans average point spread in conference play was seven points compared to the 33.5 points so far this season. It should be noted that the vast majority of that drastic improvement is this season was due to an absolute 52-6 beat down over New Mexico State.

“I really feel like they are one of the best offensive team in the league if not the best,” Brown said regarding New Mexico State

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following the game. While his defense gave up nearly 500 yards to the Aggies they were opportunistic. “We did a lot of bending. What we say here is that ‘the program is the ball.’ I think tonight was a good indication of that, we took the ball away from them five times, we didn’t turn it over and that was the difference in the game.”

When the Trojans rode their horse to Atlanta a year ago it was the Panthers that dominated the battle with a 17- minute time of possession advantage. In the 38 minutes, the Panther offense was on the field, former quarterback Nick Arbuckle passed for 368 yards. Then junior tight end Keith Rucker was Arbuckle’s No. 1 target with 10 receptions for a total of 154 yards, followed by Robert Davis with 88 yards. The Panthers ground game did find some room to run for a total of 151 yards, led by Glenn Smith with 87 yards on 19 carries.

Coach Brown was less than thrilled with his team’s performance following the loss to the Panthers a season ago.

“Not real excited about what we put on the field today,” he said. The head Trojan felt that there was plenty of room but could never get their ground game going. “We just didn’t make plays offensively. I don’t know how many drops we had. We had several.”

Troy had one of the best turn around margins in the number of penalties committed until their trip to the Georgia Dome. The Trojans committed a total of 12 penalties for 117 yards. Something the head coach likely will not let his team soon forget when the Panthers come to visit this year.

“The worst taste [in my mouth] I’ve had after

any game after any point this season.”

The Panthers came away with the third win of their four-game winning streak that eventually launched them into their first bowl game in program history. Georgia State dominated in every phase of the game including 75 more yards passing and 70 more yards on the ground last season.

Georgia State will be traveling to the southern portion of Alabama without star sophomore wide receiver Penny Hart. Hart suffered a broken foot in the loss to Appalachian State and is out for the season.

After a week off The Trojans are rested and ready to host Georgia State at 3:30 p.m.

The game will air live on ESPN3.

Follow @GSUSignalSports for live updates.

17

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

Lone senior Kamoe Tarani Kamoe’s overwhelming transition

Georgia State Women’s Tennis player Tarani Kamoe prepares to volley a ball during the NCAA Regionals, May 13, 2015.

DEVONE SLAPPY Staff Reporter

A

fter losing two seniors, the Georgia State women’s tennis team only has one lone senior on the squad, Tarani Kamoe.

Kamoe understands her role as the oldest and knows what comes with being in that senior leadership role.

“It feels like I have more responsibility to lead a team and step up,” Kamoe said. “There’s a bit of pressure for me to lead, but also a good feeling knowing I can be a leader. I just feel like I need to step up and lead a team.”

Kamoe looks to take that leadership role head on after helping last year’s seniors leave on a high note with a Sun Belt Conference Championship.

“Felt awesome and it was a great feeling and a great atmosphere to be in,” Kamoe said about winning the Sun Belt last year. “The two seniors wanted it really bad and that [energy] went down to us. We all worked as a team to do it for everyone and each other.”

One of the seniors the Panthers lost was Linn Timmermann, who was Kamoe’s teammate at the doubles No. 1 slot. It will be a difficult task for the senior to be playing her final season with a different teammate in doubles. Still, Kamoe has no problem with the challenge.

“It’s nothing new, I don’t mind being partners with anyone,” Kamoe said. “I’m okay with anything, but at the time I don’t know who my partner is. I just want to go out there and have some fun, play competitive tennis and do my best.”

The Panthers brought in three freshmen to the team to replace the two seniors they lost.

Kamoe will more than likely play with one of the juniors or sophomores on the team, but

there’s always a possibility that she will play with one of the new freshmen teammates. It doesn’t bother Kamoe because she likes and gets along well with all of her teammates, including the new ones.

“They’re great, I like them and they’re really fun,” Kamoe said about her new teammates.

“They’re all coming from different countries, so it’s interesting to hear what their backgrounds are like. It’s only been like two months, so there is still a lot to know about them.”

In fact, one of the freshmen actually reminds Kamoe of herself when she was a freshman here at Georgia State.

“Damira Muminovic kind of reminded me of myself when I first came in,” Kamoe said. “She’s quite overwhelmed like I was with everything being in a big city, a new type of school system and coming into the program late. She came in a week late kind of like me.”

Winning back to back Sun Belt titles will not be easy for the Panthers with three freshman and Kamoe being the only senior. Still, Kamoe knows her leadership will be key in helping the Panthers repeat, and knows exactly what the team needs to do in order to go back to back.

“With three new freshman it all comes down to chemistry and that mindset to want it all again,” Kamoe said. “We have to keep getting better each day at practice, on and off the court.”

Transition to Georgia State

Growing up in Fiji is the complete opposite of living here in Atlanta in the city according to Kamoe. It was overwhelming for her, the transition from Fiji to Georgia State.

“Growing up in Fiji is very very very different than living here in Atlanta,” Kamoe said. “The city is very dense with a lot of really really tall buildings. Compared to back home, it’s just

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

“

basic open space with more green. I really wasn’t expecting a really dense city.

It was just overwhelming.”

Although it was overwhelming at first for Kamoe, she found a way to overcome it and play well her freshman year at Georgia State. She went 5-6 in singles and went 9-3 in doubles at the No. 2 slot and even advanced to ITA Regional semifinals. Kamoe quickly found her game and role on the team, which was playing at the doubles position over singles.

“I’ve always enjoyed doubles because it’s more fun, it’s quicker tennis and more variety of quick movements,” Kamoe said. “There’s always someone beside you, rather than playing singles where you are alone. Playing with a partner motivates me. You get a pump up if your partner’s pumped and that energy goes back and forth.”

Kamoe found her place at the doubles position and the dedication to her doubles plays paid off her sophomore year. In the fall of 2014, she posted the team’s best record in doubles going 11-2. Then in the spring, she went 9-7 in doubles playing at the No. 1 slot for the first time.

Last season was Kamoe’s best season of her Georgia State career. She went 14-4 at the No. 1 Slot in doubles and even went on a fivegame winning streak at one point. In addition, Kamoe and Timmerman beat the top pair of South Alabama in doubles to help lead the team to their second Sun Belt Conference title in three seasons. Now comes Kamoe’s final season here at Georgia State.

“It felt like it was just a year (ago), freshman to senior was so fast,” Kamoe said. “It feels like I have seniorities and I feel like doing nothing ,

There’s a bit of

pressure for me to lead,

but also a good feeling

knowing I can be a leader.

I just feel like I need to

step up and

lead a team

”

-Tarani Kamoe

Georgia State Women’s Tennis

haha. However, it really feels like I have more responsibility to lead a team.”

With it being Kamoe’s last season, she is going to miss a lot of things once she graduates.

“I’m going to miss my teammates, my friends and the whole atmosphere of being in college and living that lifestyle,” Kamoe said.

After graduating, Kamoe will have a lot on her plate, but she’s just taking it day by day.

“I’m gonna be independent with more things to worry about because school is taking care of everything and once that’s over I’m on my own,” Kamoe said. “I only have a visa while I’m in school and so once that’s over with, I will have to apply for a new one which takes time, money and all sorts of things. Hopefully, I can find some sponsors and get a job. We’ll see how things go but at the moment just taking things day by day.”

SPORTS

18

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

International flavors of Georgia State Diversity in the athletic program reflects overall population in the university TOBI ADEYEMI Staff Reporter

P

eople of all races, colors, religions and backgrounds walk through the campus to class every day. What is less known though is the diversity of our athletic program, and the number of international athletes in it.

Athletes come from all over the world, with at least one person hailing from every habitable continent except Africa. Even with the lack of hometown Africans, there are Africans apart of the athletic program. Two men’s soccer players, Rashid Alarape and Junior Akande, are Nigerian. Akande was born in Liverpool, England making him one of the international athletes at Georgia State. Alarape is from Georgia, but his parents were born in Nigeria, which gave him the opportunity to train with the Nigerian Olympic team, something that made his family euphoric.

“My parents were very proud,” Alarape said. “It was a big deal for both of them, especially my dad. He used to play soccer when he was a youth international.”

Outside the United States, soccer is the most popular sport in the world, so it is no surprise that the Georgia State team with the most international athletes is the men’s soccer team. They have a total of 13 players from outside the US with athletes coming from England, Germany, Lebanon, and Jamaica.

England is represented the most with nine out of the 13 hailing from there, including midfielder Max Hemmings who feels Georgia State is now a

home away from home.

“All the coaching staff and all the people here make you feel at home and get you comfortable; it’s a great place to be.”

For Hemmings, it was an easy transition moving not only countries but also continents, but he explained coming to Georgia State was the reason it was easy.

“I think it’s made easy coming to a place like this,” Hemmings said. “The people behind me, the ones backing me, made it very easy.”

So why is Georgia State so appealing? Why out of all the schools in America are so many international student-athletes coming to Georgia State? Georgia State associate athletic director Mike Holmes weighed in on what that might be.

“If you ask a lot of these studentathletes, I think most of them will tell you that the appeal of Georgia State is that Atlanta is known internationally,” Holmes said.

Being in Atlanta, Georgia State also offers a lot of things many other larger institutions can not.

“When these athletes are living in Europe or South Korea, they look at Atlanta, and the first thing they see is a major international airport so that they can get in and out easy,” Holmes explained. “Also Atlanta as a city has a name recognition that schools like UGA in Athens or University of Auburn in Auburn, Alabama do not. It ends up being a very major recruiting tool, that and our diversity.”

Georgia State’s diversity is another major attraction for these international student athletes. The fact that they can leave their country and meet and see people just like them is a major plus. Senior Jooeun

Bae is from South Korea. She plays on the women’s golf team and the diversity of Georgia State helped her fall in love with Atlanta.

“The greatest thing about being in Atlanta is the fact that it’s really diverse and in South Korea, it isn’t diverse at all,” Bae said.

On the women’s golf team, six out of the eight golfers are from overseas while the tennis team is the only all international roster in the entire athletic program. Head coach of the women’s golf team Cathy Mant shed some light on the recruiting process and how they find players to bring to Georgia State.

“I go overseas to look at prospective student-athletes once a summer. It is a unique process because most of the time I only get to see these players once, and off that one visit I have to decide if they are good enough to play at a D-I level,” Mant explained. “It is a unique process, but one I truly enjoy.”

Fans of Georgia State have good reason to enjoy the athletes that come here as well. A lot of these internationals have gone on to become great names in our athletic program like JJ Grey from England, who graduated last year.

“JJ Grey is arguably one of our top two or three golfers of all time,” Holmes said. “He was an AllAmerican and won four tournaments while here, the whole nine yards.”

Jooeun Bae summed up her experience as an international student-athlete the best as her final year at Georgia State draws to a close.

“There isn’t anything I don’t like about here; I just love Atlanta.”

WHO ARE THEY?

WHERE ARE THEY FROM?

Photos by Georgia State Athletics

Rashid Alarape Men’s Soccer

Family from Nigeria

Junior Akande Men’s Soccer

Liverpool, England

Max Hemmings Men’s Soccer

Wokingham, England

Jooeun Bae Women’s Golf

Seoul, South Korea

PANTHER OF THE WEEK

19

SPORTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

SPORTS CALENDAR

SPORTS EDITOR’S NCAAF PREDICTIONS

*CONFERENCE GAME

RASHAD MILLIGAN | THE SIGNAL

VOLLEYBALL Friday, Oct. 14 GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

Brooke Shank Women’s Soccer The freshman forward and defender scored both goals that led Georgia State to a 2-1 win over Georgia Southern on Oct. 7. The win gave the Panthers the first point of the year in the Georgia Southern rivalry series. Shank was a four-year letterwinner at Vista Ridge High School in Cedar Park, Texas. She was named to the All District First-Team and Academic All District teams in 2013 and 2014.

2016 District 25 Offensive MVP and All District Team Offensive MVP.

South Alabama

at Mobile, Alabama 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 16

Troy*

at Troy, Alabama 1 p.m.

Howard*

at Washington, D.C. 2 p.m.

WOMEN’S SOCCER Friday Oct. 14 Little Rock*

at Little Rock 8 p.m.

SOFTBALL Sunday, Oct, 12 at Heck Softball Complex 1 p.m.

FOOTBALL

Standings

MEN’S SOCCER Friday, Oct. 14

Georgia State Georgia State vs. Troy PANTHER OF App StateTHE vs. WEEK UL Lafayette UL Lafayette Alabama vs.

Alabama Tennessee Miami vs.

Miami North Carolina Ole Miss vs.

Arkansas

Ole Miss

CORRECTIONS

Sunday Oct. 16 Arkansas State*

at Jonesboro Arkansas 7 p.m.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

10.4 Issue - Mac Miller Album Review Incorrect byline, story written by Tobi Adeymi not Catrina Dygert.

MEN’S SOCCER

VOLLEYBALL EAST DIVISION

1st

Troy 2-0 | Overall: 4-1

Coastal Carolina 5-1 | Overall: 8-4

Appalachian State 1-0 | Overall: 4-5

Coastal Carolina 4-1 | Overall: 13-4

2nd

Appalachian State 1-0 | Overall: 3-2

South Alabama 4-1 | Overall: 9-3

Coastal Carolina 0-1 | Overall: 4-5

South Alabama 3-1 | Overall: 10-9

3rd

Arkansas State 1-0 | Overall: 1-4

Texas State 3-2 | Overall: 6-6

Georgia State 0-1 | Overall: 7-6

Georgia State 3-3 | Overall: 7-10

4th

Georgia Southern 2-1 | Overall: 3-2

Georgia State 2-1 | Overall: 5-3

Georgia Southern 1-0 | Overall: 5-5

South Alabama 1-4 | Overall: 10-8

5th

Idaho 1-1 | Overall: 3-3

Little Rock 3-3 | Overall: 8-6

Hartwick 1-0 | Overall: 7-1

Troy 0-5 | Overall: 6-15

6th

New Mexico State 1-1 | Overall: 3-3

UL Monroe 3-3 | Overall: 6-7

Howard 0-1 | Overall: 1-10

Appalachian State 0-5 | Overall: 2-16

7th 8th 9th 10th 11th

WEST DIVISION

UL Lafayette 1-1 | Overall: 2-3

Troy 2-2 | Overall: 6-6

n/a

Arkansas State 5-1 | Overall: 13-7

Georgia State 1-1 | Overall: 1-4

UL Lafayette 2-3 | Overall: 6-7

n/a

Texas State 5-1 | Overall: 12-9

Texas State 0-1 | Overall: 2-3

Arkansas State 2-4 | Overall: 4-6

n/a

UT Arlington 4-2 | Overall: 10-11

South Alabama 0-2 | Overall: 3-2

Georgia Southern 2-5 | Overall: 5-8

n/a

UL Lafayette 3-2 | Overall: 7-13

UL Monroe 0-2 | Overall: 1-4

Appalachian State 1-4 | Overall: 6-7

n/a

UL Monroe 2-3 | Overall: 8-15

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