NOV. 7 - NOV. 14, 2017
VOL. 85 | NO. 12
/gsusignal
@gsusignal
O T Y D A E R N I P M U J
UE
ISS L L A B T E BASK
SPORTS |
PAGE 15
icks k n o s a ball se t e h new k t i s a w B d n es. eke p e o w h s d i h n off t ayers a l p , s e i strateg
Sophomore D’Marcus Simonds pushes through PHOTO BY JULIAN PINEDA & players, scoring consecutive baskets against DESIGN BY KHOA TRAN | THE SIGNAL Lees-McRae College on Nov. 2.
ILLEGALLY BOOTED
THE G-WORD
HARD-WORKING PANTHERS
DUAL BASKETBALL SUCCESS
Local law firms are claiming booting companies are not following procedures.
Urban sprawl and a bad transit system may be why we're left out of Amazon's list.
Read how these three students took their knowledge and creativity and built Vetek Consulting.
Head basketball coaches know how to bring in and grow talent.
NEWS | PAGE 4 WWW.GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
OPINION PAGE 8
News 3
ARTS & LIVING | PAGE 13
OPINION 7
SPORTS | PAGE 18
Arts & Living 9
Sports 15
NEWS
2
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
BLOTTER OCT. 31
under the influence.
A non-Georgia State person was arrested for trespassing in the B building of Clarkston campus.
Two Georgia State students were arrested at Georgia State Stadium Wednesday for distributing a ‘controlled substance.’
Get outta this place!
The atmosphere was charged...
Two students reported being victims to simple battery in Student Center West, around 6:30 p.m. The case is still active.
Gee, I wish I knew who dunnit
A Georgia State student reported having his belongings stolen from him on Clarkston’s G building. Police are still investigating the case.
Under control
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Christina Maxouris signaleditor@gmail.com
executive editor (atlanta) Open executive editor (perimeter) Open Editorial NEWS EDITOR Open
Wait a couple years, kid
signalnewseditor@gmail.com
Two students were arrested for possessing alcohol while under the age of 21. The two different incidents, one around 1:20 a.m. and the other around 5 a.m., both took place at Piedmont Central.
ASSociate NEWS EDITOR Noah Britton
signalassociatenews3@gmail.com OPINIONS EDITOR Open signalopinions@gmail.com ARTS & LIVING EDITOR Camille Bolos signalliving@gmail.com ASSociate ARTS & Living EDITOr Sophia Marchese signalassociateliving2@gmail.com SPORTS EDITOR Jerell Rushin signalsport1@gmail.com ASSociate SPORTS EDITOR D’Mitri Chin signalassociatesport1@gmail.com copy editors Alaa Elassar, Sydnie Cobb signalcopyeditor@gmail.com
NOV. 2
Something fishy!
NOV. 1
They see me rollin...
GSUPD arrested a non-Georgia State person driving down Piedmont Avenue
A Clarkston student reported suspicious behavior in Lot 3 of the Perimeter College campus. The case is still active.
Production production design editor Khoa Tran signalprod@gmail.com
ILLUSTRATION BY ERIK REID | THE SIGNAL
Associate production design editor Salinna Phon signalprod2@gmail.com
PHOTOGRAPHY photo EDITOr (atlanta) Vanessa Johnson signalphoto1@gmail.com
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
photo EDITOr (perimeter) Open signalphoto2@gmail.com
ASSociate photo editor Open signalphotoatl@gmail.com
“Donna J. Trump” stands with protesters at the 'Trump and Pence Must Go' protest sponsored by Refuse Fascism in Little Five Points. This demonstration was one of many protests Refuse Fascism conducted around the country on Nov. 4.
Digital online EDITOR Danny Varitek
signalmanaging@gmail.com ASSociate Online Editor Open PODCAST EDITORS Caleb P. Smith, Charles Wright
Marketing Marketing MANAGER Open
signalmarketing1@gmail.com promotions associate Open signalpromo1@gmail.com Research Associate Open
THE SIGNAL BUREAUS BUREAU CHIEF (CLARKSTON) Open BUREAU CHIEF (ALPHARETTA) Open BUREAU CHIEF (NEWTON) Open BUREAU CHIEF (DUNWOODY) Open BUREAU CHIEF (DECATUR) Open advertising ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Open
signaladvertisingco@gmail.com STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOR Bryce McNeil bmcneil1@gsu.edu business coordinator Wakesha Henley whenley@gsu.edu STUDENT MEDIA ADVISOr (perimeter) Alice Murray amurray25@gsu.edu
MISSION STATEMENT The Signal shall provide, in a fair and accurate manner, news of interest and significance to the Georgia State University community and serve as a forum for the expression of ideas of members of that community. Furthermore, The Signal shall provide an opportunity for students to pursue experience within a professional newspaper environment. The Signal shall also provide truthful and ethical advertising of interest to the Georgia State University community.
ADVERTISING
PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL
The deadline for all advertising is 5 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to the desired issue of publication. Ads must be print-ready and in PDF format; files must be delivered via e-mail at signaladvertisingco@ gmail.com. Please visit our website at www. georgiastatesignal.com/advertising for more information, including rates and payment methods.
COVERAGE REQUESTS
Requests for coverage and tips should be submitted to the Editor in Chief and/or the relevant section editor.
SUBMIT LETTER TO EDITOR
Letters must be submitted to the Opinions Editors via e-mail and must include the text of the letter in the body of the message. Letters should be 200400 words maximum. The Signal will allow longer letters, but only in rare circumstances. Letters must include the full name(s) of the writer(s) and include their year and major. If the writer is a faculty member, they must include their title and department. Letters will be fact-checked prior to publication. The writer may be obligated to make changes to the letter for publication. Letters will be edited for grammar, clarity, length, factual accuracy and adherence to The Signal’s policy. The Signal reserves the right to modify and/ or reject letters at the discretion of the editorial staff.
DISCLAIMER Opinions and Letters to the Editor expressed in The Signal are the opinions of the writers and readers. It does not reflect the opinions of The Signal.
OFFICE INFORMATION
COVER PHOTO TEASE CREDITS
NEWS
SPORTS
PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL
PHOTO BY JULIEANN TRAN | THE SIGNAL
The Signal Student Center West, Suite 250 P.O. Box 3968 Atlanta, GA 30303 Phone: 404-413-1620 Fax: 404-413-1622 Web: www.georgiastatesignal.com
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2017
The opioid epidemic in Atlanta
The nationwide concern has taken a toll on a local "triangle" MIRO GEORGIEV Staff Reporter
B
efore Tom Price resigned as Secretary of Health and Human Services, he gave the press a startling statistic to describe the extent of the nationwide opioid epidemic. “We lose a Vietnam War veteran” in which America lost 58,318 soldiers—“every single year to drug overdoses,” he said. And Georgia is fast becoming one of the most impacted states. The White House Commission on Combating Drug Addiction, a federal program established in March 2017 to advise the Trump administration on the best methods to combat the epidemic, recently released its final recommendations on Nov. 1. The report’s recommendations include an expanded system of drug courts, serving as alternatives to the traditional court system; tighter rules on prescribers, requiring them to renew their licenses more frequently; and a media campaign “addressing addiction stigma and the danger of opioids.” There is also a section dedicated to “Supporting Collegiate Recovery and Changing the Culture on College Campuses.”
THE LOCAL PROBLEM
According to an 11Alive investigation, there exists a triangular region—dubbed “The Triangle”—in Georgia, stretching from South Atlanta to Alpharetta and Dunwoody in the north which has seen a 4,000 percent increase in opioid overdose deaths over the last five years. Data from the Online Analytical Statistical Information System (OASIS), a Georgia Department of Public Health database, appears to back up those findings. Some of the most acutely affected regions in Georgia, according to OASIS data, include Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett and DeKalb counties. In 2016, 108 residents in Cobb County died of an opioid or heroin overdose. In Fulton County, that figure was 130. And Gwinnett and DeKalb saw 61 and 54 overdose deaths respectively. Five years ago, all four counties saw substantially smaller incidences of opioid or heroin overdoses (Cobb, 12; DeKalb, 35; Fulton, 60; and Gwinnett, 31.) The Signal spoke with Jeremy Campbell, the lead investigator of “The Triangle” findings, who said most of the victims are young people. “Opioids are killing people in our nation at a rate similar to the rate of lives lost in [9/11] every three months,” he said. But despite the young lives lost, he added this is a nationwide issue for all ages. “The CDC says 44 percent of overdoses are 45 [years old] and older.”
A TAXING HABIT
Georgia State University Police Department (GSUPD) Chief Joseph Spillane said the student body has not shown any warning signs, and police haven’t had to take measures to combat overdose cases. The department recently acquired antioverdose shots for such cases, but Spillane said they haven’t had to administer any of the agents for heroin or opioids. “We have not had to administer Narcan [one such anti-overdose agent] to Georgia State students,” he said. Narcan is administered either by injection into the muscle, like an insulin shot, or by spraying into the nose, like some cold or
Georgia is one of many states across the US experiencing an opioid usage problem.
allergy medications. Additionally, he told The Signal that it would be unlikely that Georgia State students would be affected because opioid addicts would either not be in school, since those drugs absorb their addicts’ lives completely, or, if they were, GSUPD officers would have already administered the anti-overdose agent and reported that information to the public.
“Opioids are killing people in our nation at a rate similar to the rate of lives lost in [9/11] every three months,” — JEREMY CAMPBELL, Lead investigator of “The Triangle” According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a whole host of symptoms characterize opioid addiction, including but not limited to a “strong desire for opioids, inability to control or reduce use” and “spending a great deal of time to obtain and use opioids.” And aside from the mental consequences, an opioid addiction can be financially paralyzing. A study published in the journal Medical Care estimated the total economic burden to be $78.5 billion for 2013, and that more than “one third of this amount is due to increased health care and substance abuse treatment costs ($28.9 billion).” Individually, some opioid and heroin addicts spend anywhere from $100 to $375 a day to satisfy their cravings, according to VICE magazine. In 2015, according to a Kaiser Family
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JULIEANN TRAN | THE SIGNAL
Foundation analysis of data collected by the CDC surveying opioid overdose deaths by age group, 11 percent in the state of Georgia were 0–24 years old, 29 percent were 25–34, 22 percent were 35–44, 20 percent were 45–54, and 18 percent were 55 or older.
THE CAUSES
The Signal reached out to two professors of public health to touch on the possible causes of the opioid epidemic in Georgia. Dr. Colin K. Smith, a Clinical Assistant Professor of Health and Management Policy at the School of Public Health at Georgia State, said the problem has been growing with time. To Dr. Smith, the opioid epidemic is “the result of a system of standards of medical practice and care that has grown over the past 20 to 25 years.” “They are the result of the fact that we spent a lot of time from the early nineties on dealing with patients and medical populations in terms of treating the signs and symptoms, not curing the disease,” he said. “We have spent a lot of time in the healthcare system in the past 25 years worrying about pain management.” The pain management system served as the perfect breeding ground for a growing addiction. Smith explained that now, when
2015 Overdoses 11% in Georgia by age 18% According to Kaiser Family Foundation
patients run out of the ability to obtain those drugs legally, they turn towards illegal methods. “What happens from there is when it becomes increasingly difficult for them to obtain prescription drugs illegally, they then go to heroin,” he said. But heroin abuse as seen today is almost unprecedented. According to Smith, the last time the U.S. saw such a crisis was when war veterans were returning from Vietnam. Dr. Shanta Dube, an Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the School of Public Health at Georgia State, offered a different perspective. Her work in the Adverse Childhood Experience Study (ACES), a collaboration between the CDC and Kaiser Permanente, has led her to believe that one possible explanation for the opioid epidemic is adverse childhood experiences. An example she gave was that of two Lawrenceville childhood friends who both died from an opioid overdose on the same day. One of them—Joseph Abraham—went through an adverse childhood experience, losing two of his close friends in eighth grade, which compounded into him turning to drugs to cope with that loss. The other, Dustin Manning, was battling depression for years, turning to a litany of drugs before ending at heroin.
under the age of 24
20%
between 45 and 54
55 and older
22%
between 35 and 44
NEWS
4
A car is booted in a parking lot near the Georgia State dorms.
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL
Booting companies sued for extortion
Law firms claim the companies have not been following city procedures CAMERON LINEBERRY Staff Reporter
B
ooting in Atlanta might have been illegal all along if local law firms can prove unlawful behavior from companies. The Kevin Patrick Law Firm and the Werner Law Firm filed a lawsuit against Atlanta booting companies for alleged illegal activity. According to the Werner Law Firm’s lead counsel Matt Wetherington, the only way booting can be legal within a city is if the local government passes an ordinance. “Look at any sign in the city of Atlanta and compare it to the statute. Note that it doesn’t comply with the city of Atlanta ordinance. Both law firms leading the suit, filed against unnamed booting companies in Atlanta, are limited to the information they can give due to privacy and legality,” Wetherington said. The signs are stating who the contractors are but not who owns the parking lot. However, the booting companies are still booting even though the sign doesn’t state what the law says it’s supposed to state. “The goal,” Wetherington said, “is to get everyone who’s been booted their money back.” This suit, if won, will bring about new restrictions and guidelines for booting companies. The awareness of fake booting companies will increase and hopefully they can begin to be apprehended. The firms involved have stated that their clients have felt like it was predatory, illegal and an exploited practice. Wetherington said, “What they are doing is illegal. It’s false imprisonment. Booting is a form of false imprisonment and once that person has been falsely imprisoned and are forced to pay a fee, then that is extortion.” Wetherington said most, if not all, booting companies in Georgia don’t comply with the law. The lack of action in dealing with fixing the signs in the unauthorized areas will help the plaintiff ’s argument. This accusation insinuates that illegal activity has been happening in Atlanta for years without any action. The law firms involved stated that the suit is against a number of companies in Atlanta and the surrounding areas, however, the names of the involved companies cannot be disclosed.
Willy Ellis, the booting companies’ lead counsel, declined to comment to The Signal.
BOOTING IN THE CITY
Kevin Patrick Law Firm’s owner, Kevin Patrick, said he’s “concerned with booting tactics becoming predatory.“ “People have expressed concern about patronizing businesses and restaurants in Atlanta because of the fear of a booted vehicle,” he said. Both firms express their concern with the negative impact booting has caused and will continue to cause on the city’s growth and development. The city, which creates the ordinance to regulate booting, and the companies are allegedly not complying with the ordinances. However, booting isn’t the only questionable activity brought up by the suit. “The police aren’t doing a ton of enforcement involving fake companies,” said Patrick. Companies are required to cap their fees at $75 in the allowed areas. If the areas do not have ordinances, then the legality of booting companies comes into question. Sgt. John Chafee of Atlanta Police Department (APD) Public Affairs expressed that when officers respond to booting disputes, they check if the booter is in compliance with the guidelines of the law. If they are not in compliance, they could be issued a citation or arrested for violating the city ordinances. In regards to fake companies who boot cars and charge a raised price, citizens can check to ensure the booter is in compliance with the law by asking whether the booter has a permit, ensuring his vehicle is properly marked and checking if the parking lot has the proper signage.
GEORGIA STATE REGULATIONS
Chris Connelly, Director of Marketing and Operations, explained that Georgia State owns the parking decks and lots, however, the streets and everything not labeled as Georgia State belongs to the city. Connelly said if a student has received a ticket outside of Georgia State owned parking decks and lots, then the school is not involved. However, when the school does issue a boot in Georgia State parking areas, then Georgia State parking services sends someone to boot the vehicle. The maximum fee the school has allowed for booting on school property is $40.
Georgia State also requires either parking services or Georgia State Police Department to remove the boot from the vehicle. Georgia State student, Maggie Williams said she was booted in Midtown after having dinner at Noodle. She walked off of the parking lot to Sweet Hut and less than five minutes later, found a boot on her car. “I was so confused,” she said. “I only walked across the street for like five minutes, so they had to have watched me as I left the parking lot.” She explained how there was a sign but it wasn’t clear as to the guidelines of what would happen if she left the premises. She was charged $75.
HAVE YOU BEEN ILLEGALLY BOOTED IN ATLANTA? YOU WOULD KNOW IF: • You were fined more than $75. • The booter doesn’t have a permit. • The parking lot doesn’t have signs permitting booting or stating booting will happen if the vehicle is left. • The vehicle of the booter isn’t properly marked by the company employing the booter. • If any of these apply to you then you are entitled to compensation from the booting companies who have extorted money from you. Currently Atlanta law firms are combating booting companies to get everyone, illegally booted by these companies, their money back.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2017
NEWS
5
GSUPD talks new weed legislation
Officers will still have discretion to bring state charges
LOCAL
PATRICK PRICE Staff Reporter
DeKalb Commissioner guilty of sexual harassment
O
n Tuesday, Oct. 10, Mayor Kasim Reed signed an ordinance into law that reduces the penalty of possession of marijuana under an ounce in the city of Atlanta. That doesn’t make it legal, however. The new legislation merely reduces the penalty from jail time to a $75 fine. “Because marijuana use is still illegal in Atlanta, if a student is caught with it in the dorms or in housing, we usually refer them to either housing or the Dean of Students, Dr. Holloman, and he will then file a Code of Conduct violation on them,” said Georgia State University Police Department (GSUPD) Chief Joseph Spillane. According to University Housing Director Randy Brown, students need to be fully aware of the bill and its ramifications and take note that marijuana use is still illegal. “Marijuana will still be considered illegal in Atlanta, so the Housing Zero Tolerance policy for weapons and illegal drugs would still apply,” said Brown. But Spillane said a problem within the department is consistency when dealing with marijuana. “My only concern is that police officers still have discretion,” Spillane said. “Some officers could just write a ticket and let you walk, but some could take you into custody under state charges. That’s a fear I have, that an officer won’t see that somebody with a small amount of marijuana doesn’t deserve to go to jail.” Even though the legislation states that there’s no longer jail time or a $1,000 fine for marijuana possession under an ounce, state law still says that any amount of weed is illegal and is punishable. So, despite Atlanta’s attempt at reducing the penalty, anyone prosecuted for possession in Georgia can be charged under state law. It’s all at the discretion of the police officer to decide, even in city limits. “I personally feel like this is a form of progress,” Autumn Butler, a Georgia State sophomore, said. “Marijuana has been proven to have minimal
Last week, the Atlanta JournalConstitution reported that investigations had found DeKalb County Commissioner Greg Adams guilty of sexually harassing his district director, Ashlee Wright. Adams sent Wright late-night texts asking her to pose in a bikini and call him “big daddy,” also inviting himself to her room during a government conference, at around 3 a.m. Investigators have recommended sexual harassment training for the public official, but Wright’s layer is also helping her seek $750,000.
NATIONAL PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ | THE SIGNAL
negative effects, and its possession shouldn’t have such drastic punishments.” According to a study done by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Human Rights Watch, there were 13 percent more arrests made in relation to small amounts of weed possession in comparison to arrests made for violent crimes such as murder and rape. “I’m glad something is finally being done because, although it doesn’t legalize it, it removes the unnecessary harsh punishments that come
with having a drug that’s less harmful than tobacco products,” Butler said. Some feel that the new legislation is a form of progress and is a sign of future change for the city of Atlanta. “I feel like this is a step in the right direction for the city, because for the most part, if you look at the statistics, it’s young minorities who are being charged and locked up,” Spillane said. “We always say that policies need to change, but now something is actually being done.”
Atlanta on track for sustainability
City to use renewable sources for municipal building energy needs SAMUEL PUCKETT Staff Reporter
A
tlanta mayor Kasim Reed reaffirmed once again Atlanta’s commitment to green development, responding to the Trump administration’s Oct. 10 decision to repeal the Obama-era Clean Power Plan. The Clean Power Plan was a program proposed in 2014 by the Environmental Protection Agency. The plan aimed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electric energy production by 32 percent by 2030, from 2005 emissions levels. The mayor mentioned two main actions the city has taken towards a more sustainable Atlanta with the Better Buildings Challenge and recently passed city legislation proposing goals for city-wide clean energy. The new legislation introduced by city Councilman Kwanza Hall and passed last May commits to meeting all municipal building energy needs with renewable sources by 2025 and city-wide electric energy needs by 2035. This would make Atlanta “the first city in Georgia and the biggest southern city to commit to 100 percent clean, renewable energy,” according to the Sierra Club. Michael Paul Black, a neuroscience professor
NEWS BRIEFS
at Georgia State and the Faculty Associate for the Office of Sustainability, is optimistic about the city's contributions, but has his doubts. “Clean power initiatives alone will not fully combat climate change, but they are an effective first step,” Black said. “I’d like [the city’s timeline] to be sooner, but you need to set the goal at a point where it’s achievable, and then try to do better than the goal.” The Better Buildings Challenge presents its own solutions to the threats of carbon emissions. The program, introduced by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2011, aims to improve energy efficiency across the country. Atlanta was one of seven of the inaugural cities to join the program. When property developers in Atlanta opt-in to the program, they commit to reduce energy and water use in new and existing buildings by 20 percent by 2020. Christina Cruz-Benton, the press information officer for the Mayor's Office of Communications, says Atlanta incentivizes participation by helping property developers who opt into the program with “access to data management and analysis support provided by the Southface Energy Institute... the City’s technical partner on the ABBC initiative.” Despite the initial cost of investing in energy efficient building projects, Black argued net costs to the state decrease when you consider the growth sustainable development brings. For example, most jobs in the clean energy
economy cannot be outsourced. “Adding insulation, changing lights and adding solar panels can only be done by someone local. By lowering airborne pollutants, we increase public health and decrease emergency room visits due to asthma,” Black said. “Clean energy uses less water than other forms of energy, so the city conserves state water resources through energy conservation and cleaner forms of energy production like wind and solar. There are many co-benefits to transitioning to a clean economy.” There are also ways Georgia State has been saving energy in their dining halls. Black mentioned the impact of plant-based, locally-sourced food production, such as what has begun to be offered. In July 2016, the school began growing lettuce for use in its dining halls in a small hydroponic farm in a recycled freight container. PantherDining has received more attention recently, with Patton and Piedmont North both receiving three out of four stars from the Green Restaurant Association, making it the highest rated university dining hall in Georgia, in terms of sustainability. “By locally producing foods, we decrease the travel time and the fuel/energy spent to deliver those foods,” Black said. “The lettuce that comes from our Freight Farms hydroponic unit by Piedmont North is much more energy-efficient than lettuce trucked across the country from California to our plates.”
Prominent donor campaigns against Trump
Billionaire, environmental activist and prominent Democrat donor Tom Steyer is urging elected officials to begin the process of removing Donald Trump from office. According to The Guardian, Steyer has launched an eight-figure campaign to convince lawmakers across the country to impeach the president, and has also said it is not unlikely that he will run for office himself in 2018.
GLOBAL Princes, government officials arrested in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia arrested members of the royal family, cabinet members and former family officials, according to The Washington Post. The move came as an effort to consolidate the kingdom, and eliminate critics and rivals of the country’s prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is expecting the throne from his father. In total, the 11 princes and government officials were ordered to be arrested by the prince, who had just been appointed by his father as head of a new anti-corruption committee.
NEWS
6
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
Students and staff crowd outside the Georgia State University Library in between class time.
PHOTO BY JULIEANN TRAN | THE SIGNAL
Accommodating a growing population
Georgia State’s staffing and housing goals to combat student demand COURTNEY JACKSON Staff Reporter
G
eorgia State’s Atlanta campus has enrolled its largest freshman class this school year, with 3,900 new students roaming around campus. In the 2017-2018 school year, Georgia State saw a 5 percent increase in first-year students compared to fall 2016. The number of freshmen enrolled has been the highest in Georgia State's enrollment history. This year, 32,800 were on the Atlanta campus. According to university spokeswoman Andrea Jones, this is just the beginning of the post-merge growth. “The university has capacity to continue to grow, with an eventual plan to get 40,000 students on the Atlanta campus and increased numbers on the Perimeter campuses,” she said. But freshman Kayode Babatunde said he wishes that Georgia State would increase their faculty to accommodate that growth.
STAFFING
“It took a long time trying to get in touch with the admission department. I waited almost 20 minutes, and sometimes the call would get disconnected so I would have to call back,” Babatunde said. “If that’s how it normally is, then [Georgia State]can use more staff in both housing and the office of admissions.” And while financial aid wait times have made the news in the past, Jones said the university’s different colleges have been hiring staff to meet the high demand. “We have been hiring more faculty to serve our students and will continue to examine where our highest demands are and hire faculty in those areas,” she said.
Student support services, Jones added, have been the departments to see some of the greatest staff increases. “Over the past nine months, Georgia State has added more than 70 new staff positions to financial aid, registration, academic advising and other student support services,” Jones said. The positions, she said, are dedicated to serving students and responding to the growing demand.
HOUSING
Ayodeji Alonge said he wishes for housing to better accommodate students. He is one of the students affected by the overflow plan. He currently hosts a second student in his room at the University Commons. “I feel as if we need more housing because the living space that [my roommate and I] share is really cramped,” Alonge said. “It’s a space issue as well. It’s not a lot of moving around, and we’re just crammed into a tiny space.” Alonge said his roommate doesn’t have anywhere to put his belongings. He still puts his clothes in the bins and suitcases that he came with. And while University Housing Director Randy Brown said they would soon look into building more housing, there are other things to consider first. “We will [build more housing], but I think [we will wait] until we resolve the difference in students who express interest with staying with us and actual number of students that are staying with us. We need to make sure that we are ultimately able to fill the beds that we have,” Brown said. Brown said that while Housing received 6,500 applications for the fall, only 6,320 ended up living in university spaces. “That’s a big gap between students who show interest and
students who actually stay with us,” he said. As far as the overflow, Brown said it’s what allowed all interested students to stay on campus. Without accommodating as many students as they did, Brown said they would have once again had vacant beds. “And some students we ended up wait listing, and they decided not to stay with us, but we resolved many students who were interested in staying with us, which is why we pulled together the overflow plan in the beginning of the school year,” Brown said. “Without that, I think we would have had some vacant beds in housing.” Brown said that the decision to increase faculty and staff depends on how many students are living in housing. Brown said their department is also doing their best to meet students’ needs when it comes to staffing. “As we increase students, we increase staff to accommodate student needs. So, if we add a new hall, then it depends on what community the hall services. We try to keep it around 30 students per [resident assistant],” Brown said.
QUICK FACTS • The student-faculty ratio at Georgia State University is 19:1 • The school has 20.8 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. According to U.S. News and World Report
SCAN HERE TO JOIN US! Interested in design, photography or video? Apply at georgiastatesignal.com
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2017
In today’s fast news cycle, we don’t have time for Trump’s tweets
T
PETER TILLY Staff Reporter
Peter Tilly is a writer for the Georgia State Signal. He plays trumpet for the Georgia State Panther Band and is the dedicated secretary of the PA Crew.
Tweet PETER! @pgtilly
oday’s political news cycle is so fast, chaotic and hard to follow that it can sometimes be easier to give up and pretend that nothing is going on. Conversely, it’s just as easy to get swept up into the storm. To follow every twitch of the Trump administration, faux pas from the Clinton family, revelation from the Mueller investigation or any other scandal, newsworthy event is an addictively timeconsuming task. While often done in good faith, this strategy is nearly impossible. There is so much going on that there is no possible way to be informed about every important event. There are stories that undoubtedly pass through the public eyes without being scrutinized by the people that need to see them. This is a problem. Whether you are shutting yourself out of the news storm or attempting to stay on top of every story that gets reported on, there are plenty stories we are bound to miss.
WHAT IS BEING MISSED?
There are plenty of important examples of nearly missed stories that haven’t gotten their 15 minutes of fame. Examples include the defeat of a rule that “would have ensured consumers had the right to sue financial institutions” or the further delay of a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) federal air pollution regulation that even the organization itself “believes that the environmental health or safety risk addressed by this action may have a disproportionate effect on children.” Or the removal of the Borrower Defense Rule, which made it “simpler for students at colleges found to be fraudulent to get their loans forgiven” by the Senate. If it hadn’t been for other events going on at the time, all these stories likely would have been front page stories, allowing these less than helpful policies to receive the outrage they deserve.
WHAT ARE WE SEEING INSTEAD?
Major news events aren’t getting the coverage they deserve because of the chaotic nature defining today’s news cycle. A news cycle is so bloated with newsworthy events and major happenings that, for every report, multiple stories are getting left in the dust. It’s even worse when important events get bumped out of the cycle by something trivial, like, let’s say, the grumpy ramblings of a 71-year-old man, with wispy blonde hair and unnaturally orange skin. On Oct. 24, when the Senate defeated a rule that would’ve allowed consumers to sue financial institutions, Donald Trump, our President, ranted on Twitter about Sen. Bob Corker and bragged about how high the stock market had gotten. When the EPA delayed a rule that would help fix a safety risk that disproportionately affects children, Trump instead congratulated the Clemson football team on their National Championship victory and celebrated the opening of a coal mine in Pennsylvania. These examples are just a few of many. They’re small examples of a massive problem that Trump has. The office of the President has many constitutional powers that are officially stated in the Constitution: Commander-in-Chief, Head of the Cabinet, and the power to veto, to name a few. But most of the office’s power comes from ideas not specifically stated in the constitution, but are the responsibility of the office nonetheless. These powers include being the Head of
Foreign policy; moving troops around the globe; and acting as the bully pulpit, a term coined by the (capital B) bully himself Theodore Roosevelt. The bully pulpit is when you’re in a position of power where if you speak, people will listen. The President has this power 24/7. The bully pulpit is one of the powers that gives the President the power to shape national policy; however, as Uncle Ben might say, “With great power comes great responsibility.” However, Donald Trump is not a responsible person. Instead of the bully pulpit being used as a force for good, such as Abraham Lincoln using it to push for reunification of the Union and end slavery, Trump uses it with no clear goal in sight, treating his power like a child might treat a hammer. They know how to use it, and what it is used for, but once you leave them alone, it is much more likely you’ll find broken windows than anything constructive. While Trump may or may not have a malicious intent with his incessant tweeting, we know it isn’t doing any good for the country. Every time he tweets, a news story gets forgotten in the dust as the public’s eye moves to watch his very public outrage. The tweeting distracts from policies from all over the political spectrum, from Bernie Sander’s Single-Payer healthcare to Paul Ryan’s attempt to repeal
the Affordable Care Act. Whichever side of the aisle you are on, the President’s distraction of the public harms your agenda. But luckily, we are in a position of power here to do something collectively.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
PAGE DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTOPHER WINLEY | THE SIGNAL
We must focus on policy initiatives and federal changes. When we go to search for the news, we must dig through the fluff of Trump’s outrages or the inconclusive Russia investigation and look for the events that will affect us. We must be looking for stories and call for meaningful scrutiny policies that will change how we live our lives. Policies like the FCC’s repeated attempts to destroy Net Neutrality, new gun control attempts, the removal of 52 environmental policies (25 went, 19 in progress, eight in limbo), and the legalization of workplace discrimination against the Transgender community. All these things have gone under the radar during the Trump administration, and there will be countless others unless we, as the public in a free democracy, change. Like it or not, the public can dictate what goes mainstream. We choose what to share on Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter. We choose what to listen to, watch and read. Stay informed, and stay active. Look for meaningful news.
EDITORIAL
8
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
editorial Before we tackle Amazon’s new headquarters... We might want to look at our transportation and combat the G-word
S
tep outside on any street of Atlanta and you’re likely to find a new development that wasn’t there a month ago. Cranes are as common as towers in our skyline, and ducking under scaffolding has become second-nature to Atlanta residents. It seems these days buildings pop up just like weeds in our red Georgia clay. But this unyielding growth in almost every district of Atlanta causes ongoing controversy for its effect on our livelihood. While Atlanta is busy chasing million-dollar investments, like the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the BeltLine, Summerhill developments, or the new Amazon headquarters, small businesses are being squashed and long-time residents are being shoved to the curb. Many chalk this up as a necessary path for a modern city’s growth and development. Others fight for the residents being chewed up by moneyhungry developers that swear they are committed to diversity and affordable housing. Say what you want, but gentrification has a hold on Atlanta, and is maybe one of the most representative terms of the city’s history. Where the city has fallen short, private developers have tried to step in. Ryan Gravel, father of the BeltLine, originally promised Atlanta 5,600 affordable housing units along the 22-mile
city loop. Atlanta Beltline Inc. has so far built a whopping 785 units— missing their goal by a mere 4,815 affordable living spaces. But perhaps we already knew that would happen. In Gravel’s book, Where We Want to Live: Reclaiming Infrastructure for a New Generation of Cities, gentrification is mentioned only 14 times in its more than 4,000 pages. Gravel is admittedly more concerned with transportation and connecting a sprawling Atlanta. Additionally, BeltLine’s CEO, Paul Morris also resigned from the BeltLine last year amid concerns that affordable housing funding was not enough to fund once looked-upon promises. The BeltLine, which once was a beacon for hope in Atlanta’s fight for equality in development, is now one of the largest contributing factors to gentrification. A Georgia Tech study reported that from 2011 and 2015, “values rose between 17.9 percent and 26.6 percent more for homes within a half-mile of the BeltLine than elsewhere.” And you might remember, last year, Georgia State’s acquisition of ex-Turner Field, now Georgia State stadium, stirred up protests around campus, and later on a Tent City outside the field, by students and residents fearful of the big G-word. Residents expressed concerns about the lack of transportation possibilities in their existing neighborhoods, and an
even bigger lack of transit stations in the areas they were being pushed towards. And that might be a wake-up call for City Hall, along with the sombering news that ATL isn’t favored by Amazon. In a recent Atlanta Business Chronicle article, Atlanta didn’t even make a possible top 25 for Amazon’s new headquarters. Why? Poor transportation and living costs. Simply put, not enough businesses (and especially the city government) are putting money into effective mass transit (like the Atlanta Streetcar, which saw ridership plummet 50 percent in 2016) and affordable housing (like the BeltLine). If the Amazon headquarters falls from Atlanta’s hands, we hope Atlanta will take it as a learned lesson. It’s time for Atlanta’s businesses and government to step up and address gentrification, but then again, it’s been time for a long time. If larger projects and conglomerates aren’t willing to sacrifice millions by incorporating affordable living units, then maybe it’s the city’s job to create legislation that would requrie them to. Let’s put more time and effort into cultivating an inclusive, equal city — one that allows businesses and residents to prosper. And for God’s sake, let’s fix our transit system.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2017
Holiday reads that are the Bees Knees AUTUMN BOEKELOO Staff Reporter
W
inter break is approaching and the consistent chilly air calls for a cup of chamomile tea, a pair of fuzzy socks and an intriguing book. The Signal took the time to do a little research for you on the best books that have recently been released, and the ones that are almost here. These four books will allow you to shake off the fall semester and leave finals week behind you—heck, even leave Georgia State behind if you’re graduating this December! If you are lacking a bit of relaxation or contentedness within yourself, each book proposes a message that will bring your mind back to peace. Cuddle up with one (or two!) of these short must reads and set the mood for a cozy holiday season.
TOP 4 BOOKS TO READ THIS HOLIDAY BREAK: The Sun and Her Flowers Author: Rupi Kaur “The Sun and Her Flowers,” released on Oct. 3, is the perfect lazy Sunday morning book. Just like her previous bestselling book, “Milk and Honey,” Kaur impacts the poetry world with her lyrical rhymes and political insight on current issues in the world. Similar to “Milk and Honey,” Kaur’s new book has an aesthetically pleasing front cover, making it a common photo for poetryenthusiasts to add to their Instagram or Twitter feed. “The Sun and Her Flowers” is also gaining popularity by being a candidate for the 2017 “Goodreads Choice Awards” for Best Poetry, among other renowned titles. The book is a simplistic read with a variety of different poetry entries written by Kaur focusing on inequality and the choice to cleanse your soul of past toxicity. Luckily, if you have a busy holiday season, this book is easy to put down and come back to later. Unlike the other must reads, the book is not a continuous storyline but a compilation of writings. While some readers have complained that Kaur’s poetry is uncomfortably similar to quotes from other writers, the
overall feedback for this book has been primarily positive. Goodreads, with currently 5,122 ratings, awards the book with 4.3 stars, while Amazon and Barnes and Noble rate the book higher with 4.5 and 5 stars. If you are looking for a light read this November, “The Sun and Her Flowers” is a beautifully constructed choice. F*cked: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That's Screwed Author: Krystyna Hutchinson and Corinne Fisher “F*cked: Being Sexually Explorative and Self-Confident in a World That's Screwed,” released on Oct. 24, is a book dedicated to the women who are exploited for embracing their sexuality. The popular authors Krystyna Hutchinson and Corinne Fisher are well-known for their relatable and blunt podcast Guys We F*cked regarding slut-shaming and sex from a woman’s perspective. The podcast has been nominated for a Shorty Award and is a finalist for best podcast. The book, which stems from the podcast, explains the hardships women face daily regarding abuse, sex and broken relationships. While the topics Hutchinson and Fisher mention are not normally publicly spoken about because they are “inappropriate” or “not lady like,” readers applaud their brutal honesty about the ongoing silenced issues. “F*cked” does address some sensitive subjects, but also leaves female readers feeling a sense of belonging and power in a world that’s still seemingly ruled by men. However, the book is not just for women. Several reviews from men on Amazon have stated it made them understand what women feel emotionally and physically in sexual situations. If you are searching for a book you cannot put down this Thanksgiving break, I highly recommend picking up a copy of “F*cked.” You're Not That Great: (but neither is anyone else) Author: Elan Gale “You're Not That Great: (but neither is anyone else)” is a short, self-help book to be released on Dec. 5 that is about using the world’s negativity to better yourself. Gale is a realistic author who recognizes that forcing positivity on yourself can only go so far in such an adverse world. Unlike typical self-help books that try to identify the reader’s issues and pound their head with ways to fix the problem, Gale thinks differently. He explains that struggles in everyday life are inevitable, so living with an optimistic
mindset is pointless. Gale believes you never achieve the happiness you strive for, so you should make the most of the life you actually have rather than living in denial. This book showcases the truth behind the “unreal” mindset we all hope to obtain sometime in life. While this book may be out of readers' comfort zones by proposing an alternate angle about positivity, it is the ideal book for winter break to reevaluate yourself for the spring semester. Who knows, after reading this book, you might surprise yourself by adopting a new view on the world. Make Your Mind Up By: Bethany Mota “Make Your Mind Up,” written by the inspirational YouTuber Bethany Mota, was released this past summer on June 3. Mota takes subscribers through the relatable story of her bullying experiences, overcoming anxiety and her tips to living life to the fullest. The internet sensation shows readers the benefits of viewing life with a girl-boss mindset, despite the hardships of her past. The book is quite lengthy, but each page includes only a few short paragraphs and photos. Mota relives her difficulties of childhood into adulthood throughout the book, and provides tips on issues she encountered growing up. Mota gives readers struggling with being themselves insight on how to take control of unwanted situations. These topics range from how to find yourself through fashion and how to make healthy recipes to improve your eating habits. While I do recommend this book, if you have previously read “Brunette Ambition” by Lea Michele, or “My Life as Eva” by Eva Gutowski, you will see a strong resemblance between the outer shell, the construction of the chapters and the “girl next door becomes famous” storyline. However, despite the similarities, fans of Mota since the beginning of her Youtube career will definitely enjoy “Make Your Mind Up.” All of the following books are available for an inexpensive price on Amazon. However, if you prefer to purchase books without the wait, Barnes and Noble locations also have the books offered for purchase. Keep in mind these newly released titles are leaving the bookshelves fast, so calling ahead, or pre-ordering will guarantee you a copy. ILLUSTRATION BY TYPHANIE HALL | THE SIGNAL
BARNES AND NOBLE LOCATIONS: Nearest locations to Georgia State: 48 5th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30308 1217 Caroline St NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 However, if you prefer to support local business owners, the Charis Books and More bookstore location sells all four books for a similar price to Barnes and Noble. LOCAL MOM AND POP BOOKSTORES LOCATIONS: Charis Books and More: 1189 Euclid Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
How gentrification is reshaping housing and displacing residents in Atlanta VICTOR SLEDGE Staff Reporter
A
tlanta has always been a city of movers and shakers, pushing new ideas and projects throughout the city. But what happens when it’s their neighborhoods that are being moved and shook? With the mayoral race raging over the past year, candidates addressed the question of how to maintain affordable housing in Atlanta and how gentrification would affect traditional workingclass neighborhoods. While the process of gentrification may add value to some Atlanta districts, citizens are recognizing some of the underlined implications of the process.
what is it?
Gentrification is defined as the process of renovating or improving a district to raise its value to middle-class standards. Notice the word “process” there. Gentrification is not an overnight occurrence that happens quickly. It takes intricate planning and even the execution takes years to complete. In fact, Atlanta has slowly been undergoing the process since the 1970’s. Things didn’t really heat up until the 1996 summer Olympics were held here, bringing a level of diversity, economics and a sheer population density that Atlanta embraced with open arms. Although the purpose of gentrification has positive intentions on the surface (to make living here more attractive to that new influx of people), a deeper look at it reveals some of the questionable outcomes of the process.
outcomes of gentrification
The reality is that the results of gentrification work greatly in the favor of some. For real estate companies, raising the value of their property is their main goal. Gentrification allows them to reap the benefits of new architecture or a new trendy atmosphere for their target buyers. They want to pump in middle class families to help keep their companies lucrative. Statistically, people in the same income range are going to tend to live in the same neighborhoods. So once a few middle-class families move into a gentrified district and begin to shape that local economy and urban culture to their liking, more middleclass families are sure to follow suit. Next thing you know, the real estate companies are paid and a large number of middle class families have just found new homes. However, the issue arises from the families that were living in those neighborhoods before those benefactors started that process. As the property values rise in the eyes of buyers, they also rise in the wallets of buyers. Real estate companies are able to hike up the prices of the attractive revamped areas. Eventually, whether
their specific property has been renovated or not, just by being in vicinity of a gentrified area raises rent for those families. At that point, lower-income families will be displaced because they cannot afford to keep up with increasing costs of living in newly gentrified areas. Even if affordable housing was still available, the prices of goods and services in those areas will also be inflated to account for the wealthier population and to help step up their businesses to meet the trends of the area. This would also be a burden on lower-income families. As the process is underway and the original residents begin to mix with the new residents, tensions can begin to rise from the conflict of interests. While the original residents were satisfied with their neighborhood’s value and how it accommodated their finances, the middle class moving in is pushy about the change they want to see happen in the area despite how it will affect the original residents. Considering all of these potential negative outcomes, gentrification seems a bit more trouble than it leads on.
gentrification in atlanta
Atlanta has had an interesting relationship with gentrification. There has been a major shift in demographic populations in the city that have sensitized long-time residents to the signs of gentrification even more than the financial aspect of it has. In 1990, Atlanta was 67 percent African-American, 1.7 percent Hispanic and 31 percent white. As of 2016, those numbers changed significantly with African-Americans dropping to 54 percent, Hispanics rising to 5 percent, and whites meeting 38 percent. Many of the lower-income neighborhoods that are being gentrified here in Atlanta are also home to minorities. The people that have been living there also notice the fact that it is largely a white population that is buying into gentrified property, offsetting their housing situation that they established specifically to fit their financial constraints. For example, between 2000 and 2010, the U.S. Census reports that the white population in Atlanta as a whole grew by over 22,800. During the same timespan, the African-American population dropped by a mass of over 30,300. While this had the potential to be a way to diversify certain neighborhoods and help bring different income brackets into economically stagnant areas, the minorities are often displaced from their homes because of the drastic results gentrification brings. Some Atlanta neighborhoods that have experienced these effects of gentrification are Kirkwood, Edgewood and the Old Fourth Ward. Atlanta Magazine explored the how gentrification was changing the Kirkwood area last year. They reported that in 1990, only one percent of Kirkwood’s population was white. However, by 2010, the African-American population made up less than half of Kirkwood’s population. Creative Loafing reported last year that in Edgewood the
median price for a home was around $100,000 just 5 years ago, but by 2016, that number had nearly tripled. If you ever drive through the neighborhoods, you can even see clearly some older neglected housing that is in the shadows of large, newly constructed apartments just steps away. The Old Fourth Ward is quite possibly the most disheartening example of gentrification in Atlanta. Once home to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other affluent residents, the neighborhood is full of history for Atlanta in general, but especially for the African-American community. Now, African-American residents make up a little less than half of the population. This is another area where gentrification faces opposition. Not only are residents being pressed financially, but gentrified neighborhoods are also paving over history with every new apartment built for the middle-class families. For example, the David T. Howard building where Dr. King attended elementary school has been vacant and ignored by new residents for close to 20 years.
Kwanza for wor inner ci are una Housin 20,000 n Aman p inclusio City Norwoo inner ci contrib Bottom assist re may exp protect propert housing
politics of affordable housing
wh of
There is also a political side to gentrification that considers the racial, economic and ethical layers of the gentrification onion. As the mayoral race comes to a head today, remember some of the candidates’ thoughts on affordable housing in Atlanta. Some of those thoughts were shared at a mayoral forum back in September. All of the candidates were actually in agreement that affordable housing was a major concern of theirs. City Council President Ceasar Mitchell even asserted that affordable housing has to be the most pertinent issue in Atlanta. He aims to make 30,000 new affordable housing options through what he calls his “blight to light” program. Peter Aman, who remarked “we have people who built Atlanta being forced out of Atlanta,” agreed with City Councilman
As so housing their m who pla in Atlan Just s how un begins t are goin best are This earlier, over a s after gra
rough median housing prices
a Hall that road congestion is also an issue 7 rking class citizens who have to travel to the ity from home because the properties here affordable. Kwanza would like to use Atlanta ng Authority properties to create a projected new affordable housing units in the city. proposes a committee specifically to work on onary zoning for more affordable housing. According to Trulia Real Estates Councilwomen Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mary od push for efforts to protect long-time residents of the ity against displacement as gentrification takes place. To bute to what she refers to as “displacement-free zones,” ms helped create an Anti-Displacement Fund that will esidents near the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium who perience elevated property taxes. Norwood wants to $190,000 senior homeowners especially and offer tax abatement to ty owners in exchange for renovating their lower-income $150,000 g.
hat does all this mean?
ome of Georgia State’s students lie in their dorm bed, the g market could very possibly be the furthest thing from minds. Even so, this will soon become important to anyone ans to break out of dorm-living at any point in time to live nta. scraping the tip of the iceberg of gentrification can expose npredictable our housing rates can be here. As Atlanta to grow and accept new residents, real estate companies ng to recognize that since they will be searching for the eas to live in. means, just like in some of the neighborhoods mentioned your property value and rent are liable to fluctuate greatly short period of time. Your housing might be affordable aduating this December starting at the entry position of
$343,000 $364,000
$289,000
$263,000
$325,000 $272,000 $261,000
$217,000
old fourth ward
$190,000
edgewood
$136,000
2012
2013
2014
your dream job, but five years from now, as middle-class buyers pour into your trendy neighborhood, your pockets may start to feel a little light. Not to mention the ethical decisions that come into play with housing. People need places to live, and at the end of the day housing is, in fact, a business. Nevertheless, is it reasonable to knowingly push out people from the neighborhoods they have raised families in their whole lives? Is it understandable to inflate the economy of a neighborhood that those residents have fueled for decades? Is it acceptable to neglect decrepit apartment complexes to fund new complexes that look a little more
2015
2016
2017
contemporary? These are all questions someone in the market for a house or apartment have to ask themselves. Gentrification is inevitable because in order for that business to boom, they have to stay competitive. But, with a city as large as Atlanta, maybe there is a better way to raise our real estate value for newcomers without hurting our Atlanta natives that have contributed so much to the growth. And more alarming than the state of gentrification now is that we have to answer those questions as soon as possible because the big “G” monster is not going to stop and wait for us to figure it out.
PAGE DESIGN & ILLUSTRAT ION BY SALINNA PHON | THE SIGNAL
ARTS & LIVING
12
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
JALEN JENKINS Student Reporter
L
ast year we saw many legendary music artists pass away. George Michael, singer of WHAM (followed by a successful solo career); David Bowie, the illustrious songwriter and brain behind Ziggy Stardust; and Prince, the Purple One, all left us behind. The death of these hugely influential stars brings up a lot of emotions and questions. What is to come now that these icons have passed away? Who is the next big influence on the world? Did they have any material that didn’t make it out before they died? Will we ever find out? After the death of the artist, the direct control that they had over their material is lost. The label who owns the copyrighted songs can put them in a new compilation, a new album of demos, b-sides, etc. It sounds wrong, and morally it may be, but believe it or not, it is completely legal. Copyright possessions included in a will work just like a bike would. If you own the bike, you get to choose what happens with the bike after you die and who will be its new owner at that point. This bike is yours to decide what to do with until your last breath, and then it becomes someone else’s bike. At this point, you are dead, and this bike could be rented out, painted, destroyed, etc. based on the wishes of the new owner, regardless if it had all your favorite stickers on it and is reminiscent of your characteristics. You, the former bike owner, have made the decision to pass this bike to them, and whatever they do with it is completely up to their discretion. Copyrighted songs and how they are passed on is pretty easy to understand if you think of them as any other piece of owned property (such as a bike). Of course it gets complicated when factoring in money made from the owned property. If the artist is under contract at the time of death, the monetary benefits can be signed over to whomever the artist wants; but the freedom to continually release songs even after death is up to the label. This way the label and whoever is signed over the money from these songs are both still profiting, though the label has the power to make even more money from whatever they decide to put out
posthumously. One way copyright owners distribute songs is putting them on streaming services like Spotify. This happens even posthumously, such as the scenario with Prince. Prince was an incredibly vocal artist in favor of fair pay for work. He went to great lengths to protect what he thought was the amount of money he should be paid for his work, including eradicating every uploaded song of his on YouTube with an impressive effort. The only versions of Prince songs on YouTube before his death were poorly recorded live versions and covers. This is an artist who changed his name in order to release music outside of a contract he thought treated him poorly. He developed his own label under the distribution of Warner Brothers so that he could sign other artists. Shortly after his death, all of his songs were found on Spotify. Songs that were previously unreleased started to emerge in spurts thanks to Warner Brothers, who he resigned with in 2014. Warner Brothers says that the re-releases and distribution of his songs are “committed to upholding Prince’s high creative standards.” If they are committed to that high standard, then why would these songs not have been out already? Should Prince’s wishes before his death be honored? Or should record labels bastardize someone’s art to continuously monetize? There is a serious moral dilemma here with the money that could be made from the songs of dead artists. Michael Jackson, who passed in 2009, earned $75 million in the last year, according to Forbes, and that is just from songs that have already been released and are streamed continuously. Prince has 400+ songs of completely unreleased material locked in a vault at his estate, and he only died a year ago. Prince’s family continues to make plenty of money off his released songs, but for labels to capitalize off of songs he did not release on his own seems a bit fishy. There are some individuals that believe artists’
work should not be loosely crafted into b-side and demo albums just to make a buck. In 2015, demos for Amy Winehouse’s third LP were destroyed by her label Universal Music U.K. so that they could not be used for something in the future that Winehouse may not have wanted. Cited as an act of morality, this rare moment of compassion from a record label exemplifies respect for the artist after death. Amy Winehouse’s two LP run is all that will be heard from the artist, but those outputs are albums from the mind of Winehouse, approved by Winehouse and a true representation of herself. The emergence of streaming services like Spotify gives labels an easy way to make money. They no longer have to make physical copies to make money off unreleased music. They can throw together random musical thoughts and put them on as tracks, throw a cover on it, upload it to Spotify. The label starts to make money from it immediately with little to no effort because it is unheard and unreleased, which is like a dinner bell to the ears of die hard fans. The idea of solidified existence of an artist is almost lost in the digital age. There is no definite end to a legacy if artists’ music continues to emerge in new albums after death. A legacy is less tangible if there is no point where the art stops. There needs to be time to reflect on these passed icons so that they may become icons. The absolute absence of art is fertile soil for inspiration and creativity.
2017 net worth of dead musicians Michael Jackson - $75 Million Elvis Presley - $35 Million Bob Marley - $23 Million Tom Petty - $20 Million Prince - $18 Million David Bowie - $9.5 Million According to Forbes
ILLUSTRATIONS AND PAGE DESIGN BY KAREN KOSASI | THE SIGNAL
ARTS & LIVING
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2017
13
Entrepreneurial Panthers Business is good at Vetek Consulting SAVANNAH ELDER Staff Reporter
M
atteo Santavicca, Viraj Shah and Solo Arnett found purpose in their jobs before graduating from Georgia State. Say hello to their business: Vetek Consulting, a software-driven consultation company dedicated to creating effective business strategies for startups in the metro-Atlanta area. Vetek has even been able to hire another Georgia State student, Phillip Kinney, as their intern since their start in March 2017. While Santavicca is in control of most of the business affairs, Shah and Arnett build applications, websites and digital tools which are used by their clients and their clients’ clientele. Five days a week, many times including after classes, the team gets together to work at their home-office. Call it what you want; good luck or good timing, Santavicca would argue that it takes a few other things to create a business. He allots dedication, desire and time to the startup’s successes and credits the three characteristics for allowing the Georgia State students to harness their individual entrepreneurial spirits and extend it into their friendship-turned-business. The Signal sat down with Santavicca to discuss Vetek Consulting and Georgia State’s role in the making of these students’ opportunities.
WHAT IMPACT HAS GEORGIA STATE HAD ON YOU PERSONALLY AND, SPECIFICALLY, VETEK CONSULTING?
One of the things about being a business major is that the university courses will teach what people need to know and do so a company is sound, but applying it into a startup field is extremely uncertain. Georgia State offers free startup consultations through the Launch GSU program, which let me to participate in the Startup Exchange. It’s a 10-week session on campus that walks through business models and processes. It showcases fundamental lessons for prospective or current entrepreneurs at Georgia State.
CONSIDERING THAT VETEK IS A START-
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY VETEK CONSULTING | THE SIGNAL
UP COMPANY SUPPORTING OTHER STARTUP BUSINESSES, HOW DO YOU APPROACH GROUND-LEVEL DEVELOPMENTS FOR YOUR CLIENTS?
We will have the first consultation with a client where we plan the architecture of our client’s envisioned application or website. From there, we consider the viability of their idea. We don’t want to deter anyone from their own personal idea, but we take the opportunity to accentuate what they give to us. The goal is to mold their idea into something compatible with a software platform that we create, but also responds to their given clientele. What we like to do is do everything in sprints or phases, which means the client can participate in the course of development with us by simply monitoring each phase. This ensures that we are always on the same page and we can cater to them easier.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR STUDENTS LOOKING TO TAKE ON AN ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITY LIKE STARTING A BUSINESS WHILE STILL ENROLLED IN CLASSES?
I would recommend to not be deterred from your idea, but always do a bunch of research. Whatever business you’re looking to get into, you have to see what else is out there. The successful services and projects that similar companies have created are what you want to emulate. Networking and word of mouth is what will put you in front of the things you are looking for. Come up with your idea. Know your idea inside and out. Go to networking events. Try to imagine how your business would exist from all sorts of different facets. Conduct as much research as possible, and even if it has been done, how has it been done because there’s another way it hasn’t, so really executing your idea is the way you’ll differentiate your company. Whenever thinking of your idea, you need to think about all of your marketing, financing and even organizational structure has to be examined. Looking into the future is one of the biggest things because you have to see where your company will be and how you will get there.
Read the full interview on our website: georgiastatesignal.com.
Be mindful of your buds in (and out of) Atlanta SAVANNAH ELDER Staff Reporter
O
n Oct. 2, the Atlanta City Council took to Twitter to announce their unanimous decision on the most hopeful pro-marijuana legislation to date: penalties lowered for marijuana possession of under an ounce. Marijuana advocates rejoiced when Mayor Kasim Reed backed the legislation following its announcement, but the standing implications of the state's marijuana laws were apparent against the City of Atlanta’s ordinance. Those laws require law enforcement to incarcerate individuals found with marijuana and confiscate their possessions as seen fit to the incident of arrest. The penalty of carrying less than one ounce of marijuana is decided by judges, reaching a maximum fine of $1,000 and up to six months in jail.
JAILHOUSE BLUE (DREAMIN’)
Atlanta Municipal Courts mirrored that even after the Oct. 2 decision, and despite severely reduced fines, people are still going to go to jail for possessing marijuana even under an ounce. So, what exactly does the new city legislation mean? • It does not make possessing marijuana legal. • Selling or possessing any amount of marijuana is still against the law everywhere.
•
Under the new city ordinance, a municipal judge has one option for punishment: a $75 fine and no jail time, rather than Georgia’s max fine of $1,000 and up to six months in jail. • Individuals can still go to jail at the time of the incident. In most cases, at least until law enforcement gets used to it, people will still go to jail, get bonded out and only then will they receive a ticket of $75 at their court hearing. Basically, it’s up to an officer to decide if you go to jail or not for possessing or smoking marijuana. From there, the judge deems the penalties for you to endure which are now on a scale of minimum to maximum when compared to the looming of Georgia’s state law over Atlanta’s. If it seems backwards, that’s understandable, but the new city ordinance isn’t so that people can smoke pot in public or outwardly possess it—that’s what legalization will bring.
NOT WORTH THE HUFFS AND PUFFS
So, please, don’t be reckless. You can still get jail time or a higher fine if you’re caught smoking anywhere in Atlanta. The best thing you can do as a cannabis user is to educate yourself and others. If you outright exploit or take advantage of this before anyone can actually reap the benefits of the legislation, then you’re damaging something bigger than yourself. Marijuana’s approval has shifted demographics dramatically as resistance fades. According to Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan publisher, “57 percent of U.S. adults say the use of marijuana should be made legal, while 37 percent say it should be illegal. A decade ago, opinion on legalizing marijuana was
nearly the reverse—just 32 percent favored legalization, while 60 percent were opposed.” From incarceration to drug abuse, it’s ironic to some, but nowadays, marijuana is a solution and not the problem. There’s still a long way to go for the marijuana legislation in the state of Georgia, and even just Atlanta, but I’m surprised at the rapid amount of legislation that is being set forth throughout the state (this means you “Out of the Perimeter” peeps.) Despite the reserve that’s constantly observed in our state’s legislation, work is being done for medicinal patients and that’s a hopeful start.
HIGH HOPES
It’s a little unreal to think that other Georgia cities will immediately follow in Atlanta’s footsteps, but hopefully other municipal courts will recognize the benefits of the minimized penalties for individuals. In the meantime, familiarize yourself with the laws in the area that you live in and try to discover what’s being done in your community. (Check out the Georgia Campaign for Access, Reform and Education (CARE) Project in the full article online.) Big change starts small, but there’s always a place to start. Following the passing of the legislation, Councilman Kwanza Hall tweeted, “Let me be clear. Jail is a gateway, not possession of marijuana.” So, as ATLiens we can rejoice for our community’s step in the right direction. Find your part on the greener side.
Read the full interview on our website: georgiastatesignal.com.
ARTS & LIVING
14
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
things you don’t want to miss Wednesday
More events and info at georgiastatesignal.com
Friday
Thursday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Queer Creatives
Jazzy at State
Booze and Grooves
What’s Poppin’
Kate’s Club
Clinton Unveiled
Get Symphonic
November 8
November 9
November 10
November 11
November 12
November 13
November 14
Ponce City Market is hosting a panel on ‘How to make it as a queer creative in Atlanta’ from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. It is hosted by Rigel Gemini and one of the panelists is Atlanta’s best drag queen, Brigitte Bidet.
Our Jazz band is uniting with Ed Neumeister who has been at the forefront of Jazz for over 40 years. If jazz is your thing, don’t miss it. Head on down to catch the performance at the Rialto Center for the Arts.
The Mask Center is holding a BYOB Flamenco class at 7 p.m. Get your friends, some fringe and the beverage of your choice to dance the night away flamenco style! Dress up, flair up and get in the spirit!
King of Pops is having a field day to thank us, and the community, for all the support! Free games, pops, music and more will be at their headquarters on Elizabeth Street and at Old Fourth Ward Park!
Join in on the sixth annual Memory Walk at Piedmont Park. This raises awareness to the one in every 20 children and teens who have lost a parent or a sibling. Stick around after for lunch and activities!
Hillary Clinton will be at the Fox Theatre sharing her personal, totally raw and surprisingly funny and detailed story. This is her telling of resilience, how to fall down and get back up and how we can look ahead.
Dr. Robert J. Ambrose leads Georgia State's Symphonic Wind Ensemble, which is recognized as one of the finest in the region. They will perform at the Florence Kopleff Recital Hall and admission is free.
games
SuD0KU
easy
medium
WORD SEARCH
Word List: Halloween Gentrification Vetek Marijuana Rupi
Opioids Underground Booting Streaming Downtown Guyswefcked Oldfourthward
Kingofpops Symphonic Groovy Flamenco Fall Autumn Books
HARD
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2017
Men’s basketball season preview:
primed and ready for a stellar 2017-2018 Panthers are ready to take the next step forward
The Panthers won an exhibition game on Nov. 2 against Lees-McRae College.
D’MITRI CHIN
Associate Sports Editor
T
he Georgia State Panthers men’s basketball team is back on the prowl as head coach Ron Hunter aims at another 20-win season. This year, Hunter will look to continue his impressive three-year streak of winning 20 or more games and advancing to the postseason with many new faces. He will also have a plethora of returning players that contributed significantly to the team’s success last year. Nonetheless, the Panthers recently battled against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the ‘A-Town Showdown For Hurricane Relief,’ on Oct. 28 and secured a 65-58 victory to begin exhibition play — it was the first time since 2008 that the two teams met on the hardwood. Coach Hunter eluded to the fact that although beating Tech “was almost like a bucket list thing”, he wants his team to move forward and continue to perform high-level for the remainder of the season. “I don’t really worry about expectations about what the media says or what we’re ranked. At the end of the day, I’ve always told these guys that it’s not how you start the race, it’s how you finish,” Hunter said. Hunter is optimistic that his team will indeed start the season on the right foot. However, picking up where the Panthers left off last season will be somewhat challenging given the fact that they lost players Jeremy Hollowell, Isaiah Dennis and Willie Clayton.
ONCE A PANTHER, ALWAYS A PANTHER
Hollowell, a transfer from Indiana University, made a name for himself right away at Georgia State, especially during his senior year. Although Hollowell was a streaky shooter, he proved that he could score buckets from anywhere on the court. Last year, Hollowell averaged 15.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He also surpassed 1,000 career points. As a Panther, he finished 23rd on the all-time scoring list. Dennis was considerably the Panthers’ spark plug — igniting
PHOTOS BY JULIEANN TRAN AND JULIAN PINEDA & PAGE DESIGN BY DEVIN PHILLIPS | THE SIGNAL
the crowd with explosive, mind-boggling dunks. Aside from occasionally converting on freakishly athletic plays at the rim, Dennis provided leadership in the backcourt for the Panthers, being that he was part of 86 wins during his four-year career. Clayton was undoubtedly the Panthers’ bruiser on the low block. Clayton played just one year for the Panthers, but made his presence felt by contributing 6.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
“We [are trying] to bring that freshman of the year back to Georgia State,” Linder said as to what his personal goal is for himself this year. Hunter announced that he would keep both freshmen in the eight or nine-man rotation so Linder will have an opportunity to prove why he deserves to be the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year.
WELCOME TO THE PANTHER FAMILY
The Panthers are riding high after a dominating performance against the Yellow Jackets, and it all started with their most coveted player, Simonds. While Simonds is undoubtedly talented, the reigning Sun Belt Conference Freshman of The Year has more convincing to do as he is tabbed to the All-Sun Belt Preseason Second Team. He is determined to prove that he is the best player in the conference. “I’m [going to] win [Sun Belt’s] player of the year [award], no doubt,” Simonds said. “I’m the best player in the conference. They got me on the second team in the preseason polls, but that doesn’t really mean nothing, so I’m definitely gonna take home that player of the year award.” Last year, Simonds averaged 13.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Simonds scored 30 points against Georgia Tech during the exhibition game, and last year, during the Cancun Challenge Tournament, he was named the MVP after leading Georgia State to the title. He scored 39 points on 17-of24 shooting in the Mexico event. Presumably, the secret weapon for this Panthers team is Malik Benlevi. Benlevi averaged 8.5 points and 4.2 rebounds last year and proved to be a reliable defender the Panthers. “I gotta take it up another notch — in the preseason ranking I’m still not on anyone’s All-Sun Belt team, but I’m not even worried about myself right now — I’m focused on winning this championship.” The Panthers will need Benlevi’s production this year to reach their pinnacle. The Panthers’ first regular season game is Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Georgia State Sports Arena, when they match up against Carver Bible College.
The Panthers were active during the offseason and added five new players to this year’s team (Damon Wilson, Denis Alibegovic, Matt Chism, Kane Williams and Josh Linder). Wilson is a redshirt junior who transferred to Georgia State from Pittsburgh, and due to NCAA transfer rules, he will have to wait until next year to suit up for the Panthers. As for the freshmen, Coach Hunter is content with what he has seen from his guys, and mentioned that they wouldn’t be pressured to learn his system as promptly as D’Marcus Simonds had to last year. “I really like our freshmen. The difference of our freshmen this year is that they don’t have to be great for us to win,” Hunter said. “Last year, D’Marcus had to be great for us to make sure we had a chance to win a championship. We’re gonna bring them along slowly — they’re gonna be integral parts of what we do this year — they’re very talented.” As for Kane Williams, the 6-foot-three-inch 185-pound combo guard from Douglasville, Georgia, Coach Hunter said he’s “going to be a really good guard in this program”. Williams definitely feels as if he can contribute instantly given he has the support of the coaching staff. “Just making sure I slow the game down and not rush into things and turn the ball over and just adjusting to the game and reading the defense being patient on offense and using all my time,” Williams said regarding the many things the coaching staff has helped him with thus far. Linder, the 6-foot-9-inch, 215-pound forward said he has big plans for himself this year and is looking to add accolades to his freshman resume.
THEY’RE BACK AND HUNGRY FOR MORE
SPORTS
16
A transfer student from Italy, forward Francesca Minali, gives a high-five to a teammate at the women’s basketball practice Nov. 1.
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
PHOTO BY KAREN O’DONNELL | THE SIGNAL
New Panthers will be shooting hoops CHRISTIAN CRITTENDEN Staff Reporter
C
hange is a part of life, whether we want to accept it or not. Good or bad, sometimes change is needed for the better. The same goes to sports. Sometimes a coaching or personnel change is needed for a team, and that exact thing happened to the Georgia State Women’s basketball team. This year’s team will look completely different from last year’s, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. For the Panthers, it’s a complete 180 degrees, fresh turn for this season. The Panthers will have 10 new players on their roster to start this season, eight of those players come via transfer. The Panthers also have two new assistant coaches this year Tron Griffin and Jasmine Young. Georgia State had huge shoes to fill with the mass exodus which took place during the offseason. They lost nine players from last year’s team. Five of those nine players were seniors, and the other four left for other reasons. But no matter how you slice it, the Panthers had to make some changes, and they did by adding 10 new players. Unfortunately for the Panthers, only five of those players who transferred in will be available this season. Janessa Murphy, Victoria Middlebrooks, Juliet James, Francesca Milani and Shaliaya Fluker will all have different roles to play this season, but they are all key to the team’s success going forward. Murphy is a transfer student from Tallahassee Community College, but she is a native of McDonough, Georgia where she was named Henry County’s Player of the Year in 2015 at Dutchtown High School. Murphy decided to go to a Junior College (JUCO) where she had success, totaling over 500 career points. For Murphy, making the decision to come back home and play was an easy one — not only is she surrounded by her family and friends, but Georgia State really made her feel at home. Georgia State is a school where Murphy envisioned herself playing because she took visits to the school before. Now that she’s at Georgia State, Murphy says the biggest adjustment that she’ s had to make since coming here is a
position switch. “Coach B [Baldwin] made me feel really comfortable, and I had to switch my position from playing the two-guard to the point guard, but she’s made me feel comfortable, and she’s working with me,” Murphy said. “So the comfortability that the coaches were giving me really helped me make the decision to come here.” The players who have had to make the biggest adjustments though are Milani and James. Both of them come from from a foreign country. They have been in America for some time, but leaving your homeland is a big difference. Milani is originally from Stezzano, Italy. While in Italy, she played for several different organizations before moving to America to live out her dream of playing college basketball. Milani played one year at Northeast Community College in Nebraska. Milani has been at Georgia State for two years now, but she wasn’t eligible to play last year because of the college redshirt rule. And after sitting out for a year, she is ready to make an impact. “I was a redshirt last year so I had time to work on my defense,” Milani said. “So last year being able to see the players play my role, it really helped me out.” Being so far away from home can be tough because you are alone in a sense, but luckily for Milani, she has friends from Italy who live in Atlanta to help her feel at home. James is a native of Kaduna, Nigeria and she moved to America when she was 17 years old. “It was hard because I came when I was 17, so leaving my family, friends and food was really, really hard. But, I was able to adjust because the family I was with helped me throughout the situation because they know how hard it is leaving your country and your family at 17,” James said. James started playing basketball in the seventh grade at a church convention just to have fun, and her love for the game took off from there. James moved from Nigeria to New Jersey, where she would go on to attend Paterson Eastside High School. From there on, she went to play at Northwest Tech Community College. The transition for James to Georgia State was a bit overwhelming for her at the start but she is starting to make the adjustments with the help of her coaches and teammates. She
FUN FACTS • Fluker broke a 31-year Walters State record with 614 points. • All five transfers come from a JUCO. • Murphy shot 80 percent from the free throw line at Tallahassee Community College. • James started playing basketball in 7th grade.
also notices some differences between JUCO and Division I. “Here they are not trying to change from how you are used to playing, they just try and help you get better,” James said. “What I’m used to doing at my JUCO is more intense, it’s faster and you have to be willing to think fast and be quick.” Middlebrooks and Fluker both come from JUCO programs and will be ready to play right away. Fluker was ranked as one of the top JUCO recruits last season and deservedly so, she really lit up the scoreboard. While in high school, she scored over 1,600 points, which set a new school record. At Walters State Community College, Fluker broke a 31year scoring record with 614 points in a single season. She was named to the NJCAA All-American, and named the TCCAA player of the year. Middlebrooks previously played at Southwest Tennessee Community College, where she was named to the All-TCCAA team after averaging 11.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game last season. While there were some surprises, and a fast pace here at Georgia State, overall she loves the school. The Panthers will open up their season on Nov. 11 when they square off against the Florida Gators. Afterwards, they face a tough task in the national championship runner-ups, Mississippi State. Despite the many changes in the offseason the Panthers still remain upbeat, and continue to work hard everyday in practice.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2017
SPORTS
17
Wide receiver Penny Hart makes the game winning catch against Georgia Southern, bringing the score to 21-17.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS
Georgia State the real #GSU, third year in a row Panthers win 21-17 against Georgia Southern and own 5-3 record JERELL RUSHIN Sports Editor
G
eorgia State (5-3, 3-1) traveled to Statesboro, Georgia and defeated Georgia Southern (0-8, 0-4) in comeback fashion 21-17. The win against ‘That Team Down South’ is the Panthers’ third consecutive win in the rivalry series and stretches their all-time record against them to 3-1. Wide receiver Penny Hart rode a second half explosion to finish with eight receptions, 191 yards and one touchdown after a quiet first half from the offense. “To be able to say that I’ve never lost to Georgia Southern, that's huge,” said Hart. “Playing for a Sun Belt Championship, that's huge. Being able to play in November and say that means something, it’s huge for this program because it’s never been done.”
HOT STARTS
On the game’s very first offensive play, cornerback Chandon Sullivan recovered a Myles Campbell fumble forced by James Traylor and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown. During the following possession, the Eagles nearly went three and out, but an extended 17-yard scramble from quarterback Shai Werts kept the drive alive. Surprisingly, Georgia Southern heavily used Werts’ arm on the possession, throwing five times for four completions. Four more third down conversions gave Georgia Southern a opportunity to score. Campbell took a short catch 12 yards for a touchdown with 6:40 remaining in the first quarter, tying the game at seven apiece. Georgia Southern drained seven minutes and 56 seconds off the clock.
DRY SPELL
The Panthers and Eagles quickly turned an enticing beginning of the first half into a snoozer. Seven of the next 11 drives resulted in three and outs, and just four first downs were made. With just over a minute remaining in the half and with no momentum brewing, Georgia Southern received the spark they needed in Wesley Fields III’s 25-yard punt return, setting his team up shop at their own 49-yard line. Four short completions by Werts later, Tyler Bass drilled a 48-yard field down the middle, and Georgia Southern headed into halftime with a 10-7 lead.
CHANGE MUST COME
Head Coach Shawn Elliott dubbed the offense’s scoreless first half as “real vanilla” and said his team needed to take more shots. Elliott went straight to the source during halftime to nip the problem in the bud. “It would’ve been real easy for me to go in there and chew on their [players] butts and do a lot of yelling and screaming, but I went in there and got on the coaches a little bit more than I got on those players. I called them up and I said ‘listen we’re playing 30 more minutes. Let’s do something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives’,” said Elliott. Though they didn’t score on the opening drive in the second half, the Panthers executed a well-designed double reverse, which was tossed back to Conner Manning, who hit a wide open Roger Carter for a gain of 17 yards. The gutsy play calling was a remnant, and Conner Manning hit Penny Hart for 17 yards on fourth and 11 inside of Georgia Southern territory. However, after a great first half of punting, Wright missed a 32-yard field goal attempt a few minutes later. Georgia Southern responded with a drive spanning over seven minutes. Werts’ five-yard touchdown scamper brought the score to 17-7 and was the Eagles’ last score. After a good start to the third quarter for Hart, he reeled in a 72-yard bomb on the first play of the next possession. Two plays later, Manning found Carter for a four-yard touchdown and his fourth reception of the game.
THE FINAL STRETCH
Georgia Southern entered the fourth quarter with a 3-point lead but struggled mightily on offense. The result of their next four drives played out in the respective order; punt, punt, lost fumble and lost fumble. Georgia State did not have a hot start to the final quarter as well. Their first three possessions resulted in two punts, an interception and a fumble. Desperately needing the ball, linebacker, Michael Shaw forced a timely fumble for the Panthers. James Traylor who forced a fumble early in the game recovered the ball with less than four minutes on the game clock. Next, Georgia State did what they needed to. Manning threw a pinpoint accurate ball to the back of the endzone, and Hart came down with it on a well-run corner route. As Manning’s toss to Hart which made the score 21-17 was in the air, Hart knew three things.
5-3 is Georgia State’s best FBS-start in history. Lead all-time series against Georgia Southern 3-1. Penny Hart game averages: 7.6 rec, 109.5 yds and 1 td. Panthers defeated Texas State 41-21, 2-2 all-time. “That adrenaline is rushing. That’s routine. We work on those plays, passes like that all the time,” said Hart. Georgia Southern made things interesting as they took the ball to the edge of the redzone. With no timeouts remaining, a scrambling Werts was tackled by Trey Payne on the 17-yard line and the game clock ran out. “The way that thing came down was exactly what that game should have came down-- that defense having to make a great stop,” Elliott said.
UP NEXT
The Panthers can clinch bowl eligibility for just the second time in program history this Saturday, when they go on the road to face Texas State (2-7, 1-4). Texas State’s lone conference win came against FBS first-year squad, Coastal Carolina. The Bobcats own the conference’s worst pass offense and second-worst pass defense. Kickoff is at 3:00 P.M. and can be viewed on ESPN3.
SPORTS
18
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
The special sophomore
D’Marcus Simonds is only a sophomore, but he’s already the star this team needs TOBI ADEYEMI Staff Reporter
S
econd-year, men’s basketball player D’Marcus Simonds had an impressive freshman season and has the potential for a great sophomore season. “You don’t know how long these special players will be here.” That’s what Coach Hunter said about reigning Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year, D’Marcus Simonds. And special he is. As a true freshman, he shocked Georgia State and the entire Sun Belt by averaging 13.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. He quickly established himself as not only Georgia State’s best player, but one of the best players in the Sun Belt — his Preseason Second Team AllSun Belt selection is testament to that. But to Simonds, that’s still a slight. “I don’t care what they say, no one is better than me in the conference, and there is no doubt in my mind,” said Simonds. “I am the best player in the Sun Belt.” And based on how he started the season, Simonds may have an argument. In the first exhibition of the season, Simonds went across town and dropped 30 on last season’s National Invitational Tournament (NIT) finalist, Georgia Tech, showing a sneak peek of what to expect this season. “Yeah honestly, that’s around where my average is going to be this season,” said Simonds. It wouldn’t surprise Coach Ron Hunter either. He’s expecting “a very special season” from Simonds this year. “With D’Marcus, you got a really talented player, who the game has slowed down for, and he’s extremely confident right now,” said Coach Hunter. “When you put
those three things together, it’s unbelievable.” Confidence. That may be the biggest thing about Simonds — if he lacks anything, it definitely isn’t confidence. It didn’t take long for him to build it on the college level either. "I’ll say that confidence got to me about five or six games in last year,” said Simonds. “I realized I was one of the best players on the court every night and that I can take over games when needed.” His teammates are just as confident in him too. They know how important he is to this team. “We just try to keep his confidence up and keep him aggressive,” said Jordan Sessions. “I tell him all the time go ahead and go, we’ll live with the result. We can make up for his mistakes” His teammates are huge to Simonds’ success, and he’s very appreciative of that. “My teammates save me every night,” said Simonds. “If I’m off, I know they’ll hit the open threes. If I miss an assignment on defense, I know Sesh (Jordan Sessions) will be there or Jeff [Thomas] will be there.” Simonds has it all this season: a great team around him, supreme confidence and years’ worth of experience under his belt. His expectations are also crystal clear this season. “The Sun Belt Championship and Sun Belt Player of the Year,” said Simonds. “I’m going to take and lead this team to a Sun Belt Championship, in all aspects of the game.” And he said that with the utmost confidence. He knows what he’s capable of and the entire team does too. Coach Hunter said it best. “He’s a very special basketball player, who I think is going to have a very special year.”
PHOTO BY JULIAN PINEDA | THE SIGNAL Although only a sophomore, Simonds proves to be an asset to Georgia State’s men’s basketball team as he expects to achieve Sun Belt’s Player of The Year award.
Great prospects come with great leaders Coaches Ron Hunter and Sharon Baldwin will bring simultaneous achievement JERELL RUSHIN Sports Editor
I
n an already impressive fall season for sports at Georgia State, more achievement is in store as the men’s and women’s basketball teams jump into action. But how can Georgia State’s basketball programs improve upon a fall where a cross country athlete won two of the five regular season meets she competed in, a men’s golfer , the football team is off to their best start in Sun Belt Conference history and the men’s soccer team clinched a first-round bye in the Sun Belt tournament? Head coaches Ron Hunter and Sharon Baldwin debunked the answer this offseason—now Panther Nation waits to see them execute.
MEN’S TEAM
Ron Hunter turned Georgia State into a perennial top flight team in the Sun Belt. But this season they can become the Sun Belt’s perennial NCAA qualifier. Hunter made plenty of national news when he coached from his chair in the 2015 NCAA tournament upset win over Baylor. This season Hunter will make headlines for coaching a team that has heart, desire, and works together as well as any he’s coached at Georgia State. Most of the attention will stem from a sophomore stud at guard — D’Marcus Simonds. Simonds said he knew he was one of the best player on the court less than seven games into his freshman season. It takes a deep understanding of the game to make a statement like that, and Simonds’ nature is a reason he feel that way. Simonds plays with a killer instinct, bravado, and enjoys attention. The bright lights and big names will not scare him, come time to show up in the postseason.
Hunter will navigate Georgia State to familiar heights using the leadership from Simonds and nurtured talent from players who have worked their tails off this summer. Malik Benlevi and Jeff Thomas have become the exact type of player Hunter loves—an athlete who is versatile and attention to detail on defense. When the pieces are there for Hunter, he guides Georgia State to success.
WOMEN’S TEAM
Baldwin’s roster didn’t return a rising senior for the upcoming year, but gained tons of experience this summer. The highly touted Janessa Murphy, Victoria Middlebrooks, Juliet James, Francesca Milani and Shaliaya Fluker all transferred to Georgia State. Despite the rankings that the big names bring to Atlanta, the return of Madison Newby is the piece that will bring the Panthers their best season yet under Baldwin. Newby, the 2015-16 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year missed the entire Sun Belt slate last season with a lower body injury. Newby returns with a lot more talent than she worked a Sun Belt high 5 assists per game average. It will be fascinating to watch Baldwin formulate different lineups to maximize the potential on the court. In addition to the athletes that didn’t play Sun Belt games last season, the 2016-2017 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, Jada Lewis is still one of the best scorers in the conference. The combination of Lewis and Newby in the backcourt will make for a memorable duo and the best in the conference. Often, two outstanding players clash when they have to work together, but Baldwin recruited them for a reason and eventually knew the time would come. The women’s basketball team will take Georgia State to new heights in the Sun Belt era. A deep run into the Sun Belt Conference tournament is in the works, and a title would not be surprising.
PHOTO BY JULIEANN TRAN | THE SIGNAL Head coach Ron Hunter yells from the sidelines at the exhibition game against Lees-McRae College.
SPORTS
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2017
panther of the week
19
STANDINGS
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS
SUN BELT FOOTBALL
JERELL RUSHIN
school
PHOTO BY GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS
penny hart
FOOTBALL Wide receiver, Penny Hart, showed why he is one the best players in the Sun Belt Conference in the Panthers’ 21-17 victory over rival, Georgia Southern. Hart racked up eight receptions, 191 yards and one touchdown. After a slow first half of one catch for 11 yards, Hart caught fire and rejuvenated the offense late in the third quarter with a 70-yard reception. Hart lit up the Eagles secondary again with a 53yard reception midway through the fourth quarter. His gamewinning touchdown quieted the Statesboro crowd for good, leaving just 2:31 in the game. Hart leads the conference in receptions per game, yards per game, and ypc (7.6, 109.5 and 14.4).
SPORTS BRIEFS men's golf — Finished 11th out of 11th at The Battle at Stono Ferry after shooting rounds of 295 and 289, their first last place finish of the season. — Nick Budd shot a 72 in both rounds, finishing even at par and tied for 25th.
ARKANSAS STATE
4-0
5-2
W4
TROY
4-1
7-3
W3
GEORGIA STATE
4-1
5-3
W2
APPALACHIAN STATE
3-1
5-4
L2
LOUISIANA
3-2
4-4
W1
LOUISIANA-MONROE
4-3
4-5
W1
NEW MEXICO STATE
2-3
4-5
W1
IDAHO
2-3
3-6
L1
SOUTH ALABAMA
2-3
3-6
L2
TEXAS STATE
1-4
2-7
L1
COASTAL CAROLINA
0-5
1-8
L8
GEORGIA SOUTHERN
0-4
0-8
L8
— Routed Lees-McRae 100-64 in the Panthers’ second exhibition match. — Jeff Thomas led the team with 25 points and five threepointers. — D’Marcus Simonds scored 19 points on 7-9 shooting.
— Lost to Coastal Carolina 3-1 in the regular season finale. — As the second-seed, they have a a first-round bye in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. — They take on the winner of the No. 3 (Georgia Southern) v. No. 6 (Appalachian State) Nov.
WASHINGTON
Alabama vs. Mississippi State
ALABAMA
Michigan State vs. Ohio State
OHIO STATE
Georgia vs. Auburn
GEORGIA
TCU vs. Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA
Notre Dame vs. Miami
NOTRE DAME
SOCCER
BASKETBALL NOV. 10 7 P.M.
Atlanta, Georgia
woMEN'S tennis TBA
FLORIDA
4 P.M.
UGA TOURNAMENT, DAY TWO
TBA
Athens, Georgia
TBA
NOV. 12
Conway, South Carolina
VOLLEYBALL
TBA
woMEN'S tennis
MEN'S soccer SUN BELT CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
UGA TOURNAMENT, DAY ONE
Athens, Georgia
NOV. 11
NOV. 12
Gainesville, Florida
woMEN'S tennis
NOV. 8 6:30 P.M.
NOV. 11 GEORGIA SOUTHERN
SUN BELT CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
Conway, South Carolina
NOV. 11
Atlanta, Georgia
NOV. 10
MEN'S soccer
CARVER BIBLE COLLEGE
GEORGIA SOUTHERN
TENNIS
NOV. 10
MEN'S basketball
Statesboro, Georgia
men’s soccer
Washington vs. Stanford
SPORTS CALENDAR
woMEN'S basketball
men's basketball
Sports Editor
Conference Overall streak
UGA TOURNAMENT, DAY THREE
CROSS COUNTRY
Athens, Georgia
FOOTBALL
NOV. 11 woMEN'S cross country
6 P.M.
NCAA D-I SOUTH REIGON XC CHAMPIONSHIP
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
TBA
TBA
NOV. 11 TEXAS STATE
San Marcos, Texas
6 P.M.
Fill out an application to report what’s going on weekly with Georgia State sports at georgiastatesignal.com!
BAM! NA NA
IF THIS GOT YOUR ATTENTION, THAT MEANS THIS SPOT WORKS.
ADVERTISE WITH US! CONTACT US: 404-413-1618 signaladvertisingco@gmail.com