Vol. 81 | No. 23 March 4 - March 10

Mar 4 - Mar 10, 2014

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tournament time

Residence Recycling Not all students care about recycling. But how well is Georgia State promoting it?

news | 5

broad St. bites

The men’s and women’s basketball teams are ready to travel to the Big Easy to battle for a Sun Belt title

Food trucks on campus would benefit both hungry students and the city

Sports | 19-21

Opinions |8

Art-pop whims St. Vincent’s self-titled album creates pop melodies out of dazzling, delirious electrocacophony

A&l | 15

the 6th man The student section proves its loyalty by traveling to New Orleans for the Sun Belt Tournament

Sports | 19 DAily newS At www.geORgiAStAteSignAl.COm

news 3

Opinions 7

Arts & living 10

Sports 19

2

NEWS

s wee local

deferred action apply for licences

State data reveals that there are nearly 10,900 immigrants who have applied for Georgia driver’s permits and licenses since Obama’s 2012 program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival took effect last August, according to The Associated Press. Individuals with the deferred action status could enter the U.S. and stay for up to two years and are currently allowed to apply for diver’s licenses under Georgia’s law.

national

new planets mean possible life in space

NASA discovered 715 new planet by using data from the first two years of the Kepler telescope’s voyage, according to CNN. NASA claims that

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four of the new planets are in “habitable zones,” meaning that their makeups could possibly support life. CNN also said that only 1,000 planets had been identified in our galaxy, making NASA’s new discoveries the most planets to be unveiled at once.

global

european Parliament approves e-cigarette regulations

On Wednesday Feb. 26, the European Parliament met in Strasbourg, France and ruled that there would be bans on e-cigarette advertisements in 28 nations of the European Union by 2016, according to The New York Times. Other e-cigarette regulations would include childproof health warnings and limiting the amount of nicotine that turns into vapor to 20 milligrams per milliliter.

Feb. 24

Feb. 25

Officers arrested a non-Georgia State individual after observing the suspect chasing another man. Following the man’s apprehension, officers discovered that he had robbed an off-campus restaurant. The individual has been charged with armed robbery, terroristic threats, weapon violation and drugs.

Students continued to lose important items Feb 25 when a GSU student told police that he had lost his passport and green card at an unspecified time and location.

Broad St. NW

University Commons

An individual was arrested after attempting to return stolen property and was later transported to Fulton county jail.

University Commons

GSU police arrested a non-Georgia State individual for failing to heed prior trespass warnings. Officers found the individual loitering. He was arrested and taken to Fulton county jail.

Library South

Feb. 26

Student Center Responding to a sick or injured persons call, officers found a distressed Georgia State student. Medical units from Grady arrived to the scene and assisted the student. After running a criminal background check, officers found that a missing person’s report had been filed for the student.

University Commons

turned into a physical altercation.

No one was injured in the incident.

No reports have confirmed whether the two hugged following the altercation.

Feb. 27

Sparks Hall

GSU police officers were forced to arrest a student who thought urinating on the steps to the building was a good idea, charging him with disorderly conduct.

Credit Union

A GSU student told police that after leaving his laptop unattended inside his office, only to return and find it had been stolen. Police are currently handling the investigation.

Two Georgia State students declined to press criminal charges against one another after a verbal dispute

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NEWS

www.georgiastatesignal.com/news

CAMPUS CARRY BILL ADVANCES Safe Carry Protection Act seeks to change the penalty for carrying guns on campus

“

I think it will embolden those who have wanted to bring guns to school. I feel very much in danger because I know that someone could have one.” - Dr. Steve Anthony, lecturer

lauren Booker Staff Reporter

a

fter passing in the House of Representatives, Georgia’s HB 875, the Safe Carry Protection Act, has raised serious controversy within the Georgia State community.

HB 875 is a revised version of last year’s HB 29 that called for a removal of gun bans everywhere.

The current bill places the restrictions back on carrying a gun on campus, but lightens the penalty for getting caught with it.

The bill, introduced by Republican Representatives Rick Jasperse and Dustin Hightower, calls for changing the offense for carrying a gun from criminal to civil. If a person is caught with a gun on campus, he/she would pay a $100 fine.

Dr. Steve Anthony, lecturer for the Department of Political Science, said that he feels in danger if the bill gets passed. He said he would consider resigning.

“I think it will embolden those who have wanted to bring guns to school. I feel very much in danger, because I know that someone could have one,” Anthony said. “I might quit. So, will a lot of others. Plus people that are looking to come to Georgia State from other states for faculty position openings are not going to apply.”

He said teachers at Georgia State and campuses across Georgia are against the bill, along with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), the voice of faculty interests in state and federal legislatures and the Board of Regents, the policy creator for the University System of Georgia.

Other professors at Georgia State feel jeopardized by the potential consequences that the bill might have on Georgia State if it is passed.

Dr. Susanne Schorpp, assistant professor for the Department of Political Science, does not think the bill will enable more shootings to happen on campus. Schorpp believes the perceptions of teachers and students will be changed in a negative way.

“You have to worry about potential implications of having guns in your classrooms that will distract from the main mission of the teacher,” Schorpp said. “There are always instances in the lives of teachers where students get angry and are disappointed and I would not like to have to worry about the

potential consequences of me angering students.”

Dr. S. Rashid Naim, undergraduate director and senior lecturer for the Department of Political Science, feels that the passing of this bill would result in a change in classroom social dynamics by stifling discussions on controversial topics.

“We create what we call ‘Safe Classes,’ where they are safe not just physically but safe in the sense that I can say something here and not put myself in physical danger,” Naim said. “I cannot guarantee that if some kid in the class is sitting there with a gun.”

Naim said that he will not change his teaching style but suggested that teachers should get a pay increase. He said that the job of a teacher would become more dangerous if the bill is passed.

Ph.D political science student Michael Shea believes there is no need for lessened gun restrictions on Georgia State’s campus since Georgia State is under four different police force jurisdictions.

“We are an urban university and of course there is a degree of crime as there would be in any urban environment, but I don’t think that the level of crime has risen to the degree that it is feasible or desirable to have a situation where students are armed. We do have a university police force here. This area of Atlanta also falls under the jurisdiction of the Capitol police,

the Atlanta Police Department and the Georgia State patrol,” Shea said.

Ayap Lumseen, sophomore sociology major, said that the possibility of her classmates bringing guns to school is in the back of her mind.

“I feel in danger, but I have more faith in people’s sanity. I don’t think it would affect me that much,” Lumseen said.

On Tuesday, Feb. 25, the Georgia Chapter of Moms Demand Action went to the Georgia State Capitol to give senators “Common Sense Cookies” in exchange for an opportunity to talk to them about parts of the Safe Carry Protection Act. Piyali Cole, the Georgia chapter leader for Moms Demand Action, says that the group was started in response to the Sandy Hook incident. About 30% of their members are from Atlanta.

This bill hits home for her because her son was recently accepted to Georgia State.

“We’ve been concerned about gun violence for a long time,” Cole said. “If this bill passes it will bring a slap on the wrist to anyone that breaks the law. It’s going to bring more people and more guns onto our campuses.”

Georgia’s current law says that it is against the law for a person to have a gun on campus with a permit and that the closest a gun can be in proximity to a school is in a car in the parking lot. If someone has a gun on campus, the current criminal penalty for a license holder would be a misdemeanor and a felony for those without a license.

This is a follow-up on The Signal’s previous article about guns on campus. Visit http:// georgiastatesignal.com/gunson-campus-debated-in-thehouse/ to find out more.

timeline Georgia Campus Carry Act of 2013 (House Bill 29) Dec. 19 2012 House Prefiled Jan. 24 2013 House Hopper Jan. 29 2013 House First Readers Jan. 30 2013 House Second Readers Jan. 24 2014 Bill dropped

Safe Carry Protection Act (House Bill 875) Feb/19/2014 Senate Read and Referred Feb/18/2014 House Passed/ Jan/28/2014 House Hopper Adopted By Substitute Feb/18/2014 House Third Readers Feb/07/2014 House Committee Favorably Reported

By Substitute Feb/03/2014 House Second Readers Jan/31/2014 House First Readers

NEWS

4

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

city

city

Reed: Google Fiber could increase Atlanta jobs

Religious Freedom Act viewed poorly within the Georgia State community Jasmin Fields Staff Reporter

Lauren Booker Staff Reporter

A

tlanta Mayor Kasim Reed says Google Fiber has the potential to increase job opportunities and internet proficiency in the city’s communities.

Reed said ultra high speed internet service will strengthen economic development opportunities and set citizens up to succeed. He said Google Fiber also presents a great opportunity to bridge the digital divide that exists in some of our communities, allowing more people to compete on today’s high-tech playing field.

“I’m confident we’ll be able to show Google that the City of Atlanta is well worth the investment,” Reed said.

Kevin Lo, General Manager for Google Fiber, said communities with abundant high-speed Internet grow stronger because there’s greater potential to create jobs, drive economic growth, and help students and families get access to essential resources.

“City leaders like Mayor Kasim Reed are stepping up to see what they can do to make their cities ready for the fiber-optic networks that are the future,” Lo said.

However, Carlos Campos, Interim Director of Communications for the City of Atlanta, said this is not a done deal.

“Certainly, we are excited about the prospect of ultra-high speed internet access for the City of Atlanta, but nothing has been decided,” Lo said.

The first step is for Google to consult with the City of Atlanta about the factors that determine if Google Fiber can be brought to the streets, homes, and businesses of Atlanta. Google began working with Reed this week on making a list of what factors would affect construction and planning how to prepare cities in the coming months.

Google Fiber’s “Gigabit” Internet speed ranges up to 1,000 Megabits per second whereas the average broadband speed in the United States is 9.8 Megabits per second. They claim to be 100x faster than broadband Internet.

Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas City, Missouri, and Provo, Utah currently have Google Fiber installed.

In Kansas City and Provo the pricing plans include Gigabit Internet and TV for $120 a month, Gigabit Internet for $70 a month, and free internet for $0 a month with a $300 construction fee.

T

he preservation of the Religious Freedom Act, a bill currently making its way through the Georgia General Assembly, has stirred controversy for its potential to give business owners the ability to discriminate against individuals who do not adhere to their religious values.

Students of Georgia State’s diverse community have given their opinion on the bill.

“I think this bill undermines our rights as individuals... I think it’s a way for history to repeat itself and a different form of segregation all over again,” Shanakay Watson, a sophomore and Middle Education Major, said.

Ciara Ladson, another Georgia State student, also expressed her opinion on the bill.

“I think that the bill reflects the stereotype that the South is still, for the most part, intolerable of people that differ from the typical southern, conservative mindset,” Ladson said.

The bill protects a person who denies another individual of services, benefits or employment based on religious beliefs from lawsuits. A business owner would have the ability to refuse to hire a person whose lifestyle is deemed

unacceptable by their religion.

The bill states that the word ‘person’ means an individual, corporation, partnership, firm, business, joint-stock company, association, group or any businesses not a part of a corporation. These are all of the entities that the bill would protect.

“I think individuals who assert their right to refuse service because of the bill will be negatively impacted. The majority of people will look unkindly to blatant discrimination and that will more than likely impact the revenue of [a] business,” Ladson said, referring to the impact this bill could possibly have on businesses.

Watson believes the bill will affect every aspect of an individual’s life because they will not be able to live the way that they want to live nor be able to go the places that they want to go without being discriminated against.

Jessica Harden, a sophomore and early childhood education major, believes the bill will not promote equality but rather move the country backwards.

“If this bill is affecting people of the LGBT community, that’s one group being discriminated against but how long is it going to be before [it causes] women, black men, white female professionals [to be discriminated against]?” Harden said. “If we implement this now,

“

I think this bill undermines our rights as individuals... I think it’s a way for history to repeat itself and a different form of segregation all over again.”

-Ciara Ladson, Georgia State student

what are we telling our children?”

A similar bill in Arizona was vetoed on Feb. 26 by Gov. Brewer because of the controversy that the bill brought on.

Organizations and businesses have spoken out against the bill.

“HB 1023 and SB 377 must be stopped! This legislation would allow business owners in Georgia to refuse service and employment to gay and lesbian individuals based on religious beliefs. We strongly believe in the freedom of religion and fairness, but HB 1023 and SB 377 go too far. The language in this law is too broad and unclear and could open the door for serious and even harmful unintended consequences for all Georgians,” Georgia Equality, an LGBT advocacy group, stated on their website.

Coca-Cola released a statement on Feb. 27 stating “As a believer in an inclusive world, Coca-Cola

values and celebrates diversity.

We believe legislation that would allow a business to refuse service to an individual based on LGBT, or any other, status not only violates our Company’s core values, but would negatively affect our consumers, customers, suppliers, bottling partners and Associates.”

Delta Air Lines also spoke out about their opposition of the bill on their website.

“As a global values-based company, Delta Air Lines is proud of the diversity of its customers and employees. ...If passed into law, these proposals would cause significant harm to many people and will result in job losses. They would also violate Delta’s core values of mutual respect and dignity shared by our 80,000 employees worldwide and the 165 million customers we serve every year.”

university

Students: Cinefest loss would be “disconcerting” Cameron Washington Associate News Editor

B

efore the end of March, Spotlight representatives plan to make a decision on the future operational schedule of Georgia State’s studentrun movie theater, Cinefest.

Since January, members of Cinefest’s management have fought to prevent cuts to the student-run movie theater planned to go into effect in May. However, students across campus like communications major Deranta Santa have come out strongly against the changes.

“It’s really disconcerting to hear about this,” Santana said.

“The students at Georgia State really should utilize Cinefest because they pay to keep the theater running through student fees anyway.”

Since the theater will only be in operation three days out of the week, Spotlight and University Center representatives have been thinking of ways to use the theater during the other four days of the week.

According to Phillip Smith, a Spotlight adviser, one possibility is using the empty rooms for events such as open-mic and poetry nights.

“I think that using the theater for open-mic nights and poetry nights is somewhat pointless,” Santana said. “I know that last year Spotlight put on events like that in the Student Center Ballroom, so I don’t see why they would want to use Cinefest for that purpose.”

According to film major Marvin Johnson, one of the reasons Cinefest is being pushed to reduce its hours of operation is because the theater doesn’t advertise enough.

When asked about the changes facing Cinefest in the coming weeks, many students were not aware of the theater’s existence.

“This theater is one of the better kept secrets on our University’s campus,” Johnson said.

“The fact that cash-strapped college students are not taking advantage of free movies is mind-boggling.”

Cinefest manager Zach Hill said that he is aware of the lim-

ited visibility of Cinefest and the organization has plans to increase its visibility through advertising.

“We’ve been talking about getting these huge seven-foot stands similar to the ones Spotlight uses to advertise and placing them at different locations around campus,” Hill said.

Hill and other Cinefest staff members said they were blindsided by Spotlight and University Center representatives when they were informed of these potential changes in early January.

According to Hill, it seems like there’s been a break in the communication flow between Spotlight and CInefest.

Throughout his four years of working with Cinefest, he said that this is the first time he’s been told of issues with theater attendance.

Hill also expressed concern for the long-term sustainability of Cinefest after these changes are made.

“A couple years ago we were open during every day of the summer and now there are talks of closing Cinefest down during

the summer completely,” Hill said. “It just seems like a pattern has developed of Cinefest getting cut.”

Hill also noted that the goals of Spotlight and Cinefest are far different from one another.

“While Spotlight’s goal is to create social events and entertainment for the students at Georgia State, Cinefest is more focused on education,” Hill said. “With these changes looming, I believe that they’re going to have us do more events and things outside of the theater similar to the annual Screen on the Green event.”

Screen on the Green is an annual event put on by Cinefest staff where students can come to the Commons courtyard and watch a film out on the grass.

Cinefest’s staff is comprised of seven students, all of whom are pursuing an education in film. The theater is known for screening documentaries, international films and art films.

Also, during the Student Film Festival, Cinefest screens films made by Georgia State students in the theaters.

NEWS

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

5

VOX

Student Opinions How do you think Georgia State responds to recycling around campus?

Mykel Jones-Carson Major: Sociology “I think they are doing good because everytime you see a trash can, there is a recycling bin. However, students do not participate in recycling.”

Photo By Afi Cakpo | The Signal Some students have complained over the number of recycling bins in University Housing.

Students express concerns about recycling in University Housing Ciara Frisbie

Associate News Editor

S

tudents living on campus have expressed concern about the lack of recycling units available to them at their dorm halls and within the parking decks.

John M. Powell, a resident at The Lofts, feels the recycling efforts at Georgia State are not keeping up with the efforts that other universities such as Georgia Tech are making.

“I would like to see the University provide more options for accessible recycling around the campus. In doing this, the students would have to remember to put only recyclables in these bins,” Powell said.

Powell has heard complaints from many other residents when he speaks to them briefly in the elevators.

“Many students have told me that they didn’t know that we had recycling, and others that do want to recycle are saddened by the disappearance of the recycling bins at the Lofts,” Powell said. “I’ve always found it difficult to find recycling bins, especially in housing. They are usually in the parking garage, and I understand the logistics, but it would be nice to see something like the garbage shoot for recycling.”

President Julie Smith of The Sustainable Energy Tribe (S.E.T) at Georgia State knows students who set out recycling in their dorms.

“However, when it comes time to recycle the items, the students say that they don’t feel like walking down to the designated areas and end up putting them into the trash,”

Smith said.

Smith also said that the Green Team on campus is working towards greater recycling efforts but their results depend on the recycling department rather than their personal recommendations.

“They have to have the staff to move all of these recycling bins and sort all of them out. As much as we would like to get recycling out there, I feel like we need more student involvement,” Smith said. “They [students] need to pay more attention when they recycle. They need to volunteer and also help sort and pick up the recycling.”

Smith also said she thinks Georgia State is trying to become more sustainable as a University.

“I think they are trying and recycling is a part of that. The Office of Sustainability is proof of it but I think it’s just going to take a while because it’s taken so long to get something like this,” Smith said.

“We have had the recycling department for a while, but I’ve heard from someone that the facility on Edgewood is actually classified as temporary.”

Film student JR McCall, who lives at the University Commons on campus, said that he sees other students recycling from time to time.

“There are signs around the Commons and in garbage rooms to remind us to recycle but it doesn’t seem like it’s a serious issue at the Commons. The signs are just there that say ‘please recycle,’” McCall said.

McCall thinks if Georgia State wants to become a greener campus, it should put more emphasis and initiative into educating the students about the importance of recycling.

“

Ashlyn Bell Major: Journalism “Georgia State offers recycling bins around campus; however, they do not make it a top priority here at GSU.”

I’ve always found it difficult to find recycling bins, especially in housing.

-John M. Powell, residential student

“Atlanta is the 6th in the U.S. for particle pollution and I see lots of students littering or throwing things away that could be recycled,” McCall said. “Make the students care. I know it’s easier said than done but if Georgia State doesn’t make a move, neither will the student body.”

Laurene Hamilton, Georgia State’s new recycling coordinator, said the University wants to provide statistics and figures about recycling to inform people as well as to create a foundation for comparison to see how Georgia State has improved over the years.

“One of the things that is becoming very apparent is that the record keeping is not as great as it should be,” Hamilton said. “But with what we do have, I am trying to go over it and talk to them about what they’ve done already and see how we can get this into a readable format that makes sense.”

Hamilton also said that by collecting statistics, the University will be able to mobilize recycling better.

“There is data. It is not as comprehensive but there is room to grow and I am on staff to try and make sure that happens,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton is currently working with Lawrence (Larry) Uphoff, the associate director of operations of University Housing, on a grant from

Coca-Cola that would provide recycling bins for the dorms. Currently, Housing manages its recycling bin seperates from the Office of Sustainability.

Dr. Carrie Packwood Freeman is part of a green faculty group at Georgia State and also teaches an environmental journalism course, Communicating Environmental Issues.

Dr. Freeman’s research primarily focuses on analyzing the media’s representation of environmental and animal rights topics, as well as topics such as vegan advocacy.

Out of the six years Dr. Freeman has been at Georgia State, the University has always had a recycling program that seems to be more persuasive than other areas of Downtown and around campus where recycling bins are harder to find, Freeman said.

“Generally I think the campus recycling has been improving in terms of getting more recycling bins in some places, probably due to the Facilities department hiring a recycling coordinator position, which is definitely needed. I’m hoping that coordinator will help encourage a more visible, consistent, userfriendly and pervasive recycling system on campus,” Dr. Freeman said.

“Wherever we see a trashcan, we should see an even larger recycling

Chantice Clark Major: Criminal Justice “I think that recycling is not a big deal on campus. I think that we should all recycle, especially the residents.” bin next to it, as we should recycle more than we throw away–especially paper products, plastics, aluminum and glass.”

Dr. Freeman believes if students are expected to recycle, the University should make it easy for them and create a culture in which recycling is expected.

Dr. Freeman suggested labeling trash bins with the phrase “Waste for Landfill. No Recyclables,” which would remind people that they aren’t just throwing items away, but rather putting it elsewhere, such as a landfill, where it will remain if it’s not biodegradable.

“As much waste as we can divert from the landfill, we should. Even more important is to reduce our use of disposables so that we don’t even create as much need for recycling or trash in the first place. In the reduce, re-use, recycle mantra, reducing and reusing should be our first priority,” Dr. Freeman said.

Patti Stilson, director of facilities building services at Georgia State, denied request for information about recycling on campus.

NEWS

6

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

university

CURVE presents interactive learning Students and faculty will now have access to a technology-rich discovery space Becca Long Staff Reporter

T

he Collaborative University Research & Visualization Environment (CURVE), which is coming to Library South in fall 2014, will connect students and researchers through interactive and collaborative technology.

“The idea came from corporate offices, like Google, where people work in collaborative environments and in highly visual environments,” CURVE Project Director Bryan Sinclair said.

CURVE decided to use the library because the it provides many opportunities for students to share their research.

“In an age of visualization, analytics, and big data, CURVE will facilitate knowledge creation and transfer by connecting people, technology, data, and the latest display technologies in a shared collaborative space,” the project website says.

A focus of this research will be through the CURVE InteractWall, which is a part of the Interactive Visualization System.

The Interactive Visualization System allows groups to work on various CURVE platforms concur-

rently though the CineNet Collaborative Visualization Software. “[This software] will allow students and other researchers the ability to share visual information across the large touch-enabled visualization system and CURVE desktops,” the project website says.

Students will be able to collaborate on the InteractWall by utilizing 12 large, high resolution, interactive touch panels.

“If you really want to visualize on the large scale, the interactWall is great for that. You can touch the screens and move things around to further your understanding of the data,” Sinclair said.

Sinclair also said that this visualization of research is important.

“This is an age of visualization and we are presented with lots of data. If you can visualize this data it makes it more understandable,” Sinclair said.

Several research stations that will be located throughout the CURVE will help with visualization.

These areas are not to scale with the interactWall, but they will provide large monitors and equipment able to meet the needs of collaborative research.

The space will provide the latest display of technology, as well

“

This is an age of visualization and we are presented with lots of data. If you can visualize this data it makes it more understandable.”

-CURVE Project Director Bryan Sinclair

as provide students with consultations, workshops and presentations from Georgia State library and faculty personnel.

Through partnerships with the Library, IS&T, Honors College, URSA and academic departments, the CURVE will be able to host guest lectures as well as provide inclass instruction.

This space aims not only to motivate students and researchers to learn more about their field but also to learn more about the different opportunities that arise from the technology in the CURVE. Some of CURVE’s goals include teaching its users how to effectively choose software for a specific field and how to increase spatial literacy skills and human-computer interaction.

Although the technology will

be equipped for professional-level research, the CURVE will be available to all Georgia State students and faculty.

Sinclair said that the CURVE is open to undergraduate students as well as graduate students and researchers.

Six focus groups were conducted during the fall of 2013 that consisted of Georgia State faculty, staff and graduate students from different fields.

The CURVE focus groups discussed ways to ensure that this space will be as efficient and productive as possible.

Some of the feedback stated that most faculty and graduates students agree this space should be utilized by undergraduate students.

“It is important not to alienate undergraduates, particularly since

undergraduate research is growing,” a participant from one of the focus groups said.

Another participant said that it is important to promote interdisciplinary collaboration, including undergraduate researchers.

An additional topic discussed by the focus group was how CURVE will be regulated.

According to the project’s website, students and faculty will have access to this space by swiping their PantherCard.

As of now, the technology and spaces will not have to be reserved for use, but if the demand for access to the CURVE increases, this may have to be changed.

“We might have to have a system for regulating use if students are knocking down the walls to get in.

That’s a great challenge to have and maybe we will use the same system as booking for the study rooms,” Sinclair said.

The CURVE’s goal to provide a visualization technology rich space has started to spread throughout the library.

“In addition to the research stations having large monitors, we are adding larger screens to our study rooms throughout the library,” Sinclair said.

university

university

Mandatory fees may be lowered for graduate students

Recent CatChat Wi-Fi issues reinforce instability

Zoya Hasnain News Editor

A

fter student Arianna Tamvacakis and others took the initiative to get mandatory fees lowered for graduate students, the Graduate Student Fees subcommittee is proposing packages to lower fees.

Tamvacakis said that because many graduate students juggle teaching classes, working on research projects and taking classes of their own to obtain their degrees, any minor changes in mandatory fees that would save them money would be seen as encouragement from the University.

Vincent Rehder, member of the Graduate Student Fees Subcommittee in the University Senate, said that while stipends have remained the same, fees have gone up and graduate students have had to work part time to supplement funds.

Universities such as Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia (UGA) have mandatory fees similar to Georgia State—around $1,200.

However, they are composed differently, according to Rehder. For example, Georgia Tech’s athletics fee is about $59 dollars while Georgia State’s is about $258 dollars.

If certain fees such as activities, health and facilities are removed or reduced for graduate students who don’t use the programs or facilities, they would save money.

Rehder proposed a package fee waiver similar to the one UGA provides. Graduate students get certain fees waived from their mandatory fees once they near the end of their career and are working on dissertations, research and internships. This affects roughly 4.5 percent of students working to obtain a masters degree and 16.8 percent of students working to obtain a PhD. Rehder said the committee should consider implementing a similar waiver in order to increase Georgia State’s competitiveness with other universities in graduate school enrollment. According to Rehder, if it is cheaper to get a masters or PhD at Georgia State, more students will apply, bringing the University up to par in comparison with other schools.

Lesley Reid, a professor and director of graduate studies in the sociology department, said the money students would save from the package waiver was a small sum.

However, Tamvacakis said the goal is less about making huge cuts in mandatory fees and more

about boosting student morale.

She said saving graduate students any amount of money would make them happy, and happy students would work harder and give more to the University.

Rehder said that while working with the graduate students, he found they were not looking for major changes. One aspect they sought help in was parking. While professors can go in and out of the parking decks during the day, graduate students who also teach classes are currently limited and must pay to park each time they enter a parking deck.

“Even small help goes a long way,” Rehder said.

Rehder also suggested the implementation of a graduate student association at par with the Student Government Association (SGA).

He said because undergraduate students make up the majority of SGA, graduate student voices often go unheard. A graduate student association would give these students the ability to voice their concerns.

Tamvacakis and her peers have been working on getting mandatory student fees lowered for graduate students for the past two years.

“I’m happy that the senate budget committee is moving forward with this,” she said.

Cameron Washington Associate News Editor

S

ince coming back from the second snow storm of the 2014 spring semester, Georgia State students have had problems using and connecting to the CatChat Wi-Fi networks on campus.

“In my statistics class last Wednesday no one could log on to MyStatlab to complete our assignments,” Alecia Tyler, a Junior math major, said. “Because CatChat wasn’t allowing us to log in, our teacher had to change all of her plans for class that day.”

More students encountered problems on Friday in the University Center last week.

According to sophomore journalism major Sam Gordon, he and his friends were having trouble finishing up a project in the Panther Place Lounge because of their phone’s limited connectivity.

“It was really strange,” Gordon said. “Five of us were working on a project for our film class and we needed to use our iPhones online to complete the tasks. Every time we signed in to CatChat, we would be disconnected after about fifteen

seconds. Strangely enough, Adrea, the one person who has an Android, was having no problems connecting to the network.”

According to Keith Campbell, Georgia State’s Technology Engineering Supervisor, last week was problematic for the University’s IT department.

“Thursday was the worst day of the week,” Campbell said. “Starting at 9 a.m. there was a five hour window where no one was able to connect to CatChat. Early that morning, one of our authentication servers locked up and we had to shut the whole network down to fix the problem.”

Campbell says that IT representatives are fully aware of the imperfections of CatChat. Over the past year, the department has been replacing the entire system with entirely new vendors.

“We have no plans to make any more drastic changes to the network after the the past year’s overhaul,” Campbell said. “We have increased the number of monitors on staff and we respond to student’s connectivity issues as they are reported to us.”

Students can find information about the network, including any updates at status.gsu.edu.

opINIoNS WALKING THE STACKS

www.georgiastatesignal.com/opinions

yOuR VOiCe • yOuR OpiniOnS Do you go to the campus library? If so, for what purpose?

Why campus libraries should thrive in our technology-immersed society

T

aMi dudley Opinions Editor

Ami is a senior English major and published flash fiction writer.

“I’ve constructed my premier works on coffee napkins.”

Follow her @amidudley

here’s been tiresome but necessary debate over the future of printed textbooks in our growing digital age. In an attempt to save money and time, more students than ever are choosing digital versions of textbooks over printed copies. Because of this, the presence of physical libraries is debatable. But the extinction of physical libraries, especially campus libraries, will prove more harmful than we know. I discovered this in a trip to a largely unknown place on our campus, hidden on the eighth floor of Library South: Special Collections and Archives.

I first set out to talk for a few moments with our library’s staff. When the staff members at the front desk learned about my topic, they directed me to the eighth floor of Library South. The eighth floor, I thought.

Who ever goes there? I’d never been to the eighth floor of Library South, or any floor past the third in the entire University Library for that matter. So, a fog of mystery seemed to permeate the atmosphere on my journey there.

The proceeding half hour would alter even my perception of our library.

The fog of mystery only seemed to grow when I opened the fragile wooden doors to Special Collections and Archives. Upon entering, I was met with portrait-filled walls and glass-encased valuables. The space could be likened to a museum and the feeling I had could easily be likened to that of a tourist in foreign lands.

I met with archival associate Hilary J. Morrish.

“Sometimes, I feel like nobody knows that we’re here,” she began. And she was right. Following the interview, I asked several fellow friends if they had been aware of Special Collections and Archives and I received an unanimous no. I followed her cry with an inquiry about their purpose. Special Collections and Archives is home to primary sources which are original materials, some dating back for centuries.

“We have essential documents, one of a kind!” she said. “Yes, we have rare books, but we also have oneof-a-kind primary materials like people’s papers and they’re not duplicated. Nobody else has them.”

And she was right. The archival space held things that couldn’t be found anywhere else in the nation, ranging from original papers of women activists during ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) to original, 20th century LPs.

Now hiring

columnists

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Sometimes, I feel like nobody knows that we’re here.”

- Hilary J. Morrish, archival associate

Along with several other documents, Morrish shared with me an original letter from Civil Rights leader and U.S. representative John Lewis. Although generations apart, I never felt more connected to the Civil Rights Movement. “That connectivity is very exciting to me.” she said.

These primary sources offer more than a sentimental connection between student and past however.

They are vital to our research and, subsequently, a more informed knowledge of things. Morrish made this evident when she informed me that a students may get an opinion on a subject matter from other people’s books but, with a primary source, they’re getting it “straight from the horse’s mouth.” And as a research university, these unfiltered sources are key. “Every great research university has a great research library. And that’s what we are. We are the heart of the university,” she said.

But with the growing push for the digitization of printed pieces, I wondered what would come of Special Collections and Archives. Surprisingly, Morrish was in favor of digitization and for good reason.

“I think digitization is wonderful. What’s wonderful about it is we can protect the original documents.

But we need the originals.” Morrish said.

It is this cooperative outlook on this controversial issue that will help preserve the library.

Ultimately, however, the preservation of our campus library relies on our acknowledgement of its value.

Many of us, like myself, were not aware of the treasure that sits unburied on the eighth floor. Upon discovering this we, as students, are obligated to spread the word. We have an obligation not only to the to the past which informs the future but to ourselves as keepers of the future.

william bamaca

major: Chemistry When I go, I usually go to do homework and that’s it. Oh, and take a nap.

biju ezeknwuka major: Japanese

I use to work in the library. I don’t think it’s open long enough, to be honest. It closes way too early. Other than that, it’s great. My favorite part is the rental service. You can rent so many things: laptop for up to a week, iPads, android and iPhone chargers.

Ashish patel major: physics

I usually go to study on the third floor. I’m usually in there about four hours a day.

David paduraru major: physics

I love the library. They have such a variety of books. I go there to study. So, I’m always there and browsing the some of the books in the science section which is the biggest I’ve ever seen.

You’ve got the opinion.

We’ve got the soapbox.

To be a guest columnist, send in your thoughts to signalopinions@gmail.com. To be a (paid) staff columnist, download an application from georgiastatesignal.com/employment and turn it in to Dr. Bryce McNeil at 405 University Center

8

opINIoNS

TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

Dollars and sense with mitch

Food Trucks downtown...pretty please with profits on top?

O

MiTchell oliver Columnist Mitch is a junior finance major and student financial advisor.

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

Leave your questions for him online at georgiastatesignal.com

Follow him @madmoneyATL

n a campus with 32,000+ enrolled students in the heart of downtown Atlanta, I am puzzled each day around 12 p.m. when the streets are alive and everyone is out to get a bite to eat. I’m puzzled because with all of the restaurants and assortment of eateries, the demand is still much higher than the supply. Downtown needs fast, unique, cheap food that doesn’t involve a complete restaurant overhaul. It’s time to bring food trucks to downtown Atlanta for lunch.

Street food and food trucks have been a growing trend across cities in America over the last few years.

With huge variety, new twists on old classics, and reasonable prices, food trucks thrive in city environments with heavy foot traffic. One might be curious, then, as to why downtown Atlanta is devoid of any and all food trucks during peak lunch hours.

I looked into why and found out, not surprisingly, it is all due to laws and regulations that keep food trucks from being able to operate in the city.

According to the Georgia Food Service website’s food truck FAQ, “restaurants and food trucks must have a physical location where the food is cooked so that proper health inspections can be performed.”

This means that these food trucks must cook out of a “home base” restaurant, so raising funds becomes more difficult when you need not only a fully functioning kitchen on wheels, but a stationary brick and mortar location as well.

To further add to the headache, Atlanta city laws prohibit food trucks from setting up anywhere they want. To combat this, food truck vendors have made some progress by being able to set up at Underground Atlanta on Wednesdays from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

This is nice and all, but why can’t they do this Monday through Friday?

Better yet, why can’t the entire downtown area be

“

It’s a great idea to keep the food trucks together in one area, but what’s the point if you have to drive all the way there and find parking?

open to allowing food trucks to set up? Just imagine Broad Street being lined with five to six food trucks each afternoon. It’s not like the road is ever busy with motor vehicle traffic, anyways. This would help the area in numerous ways. Not only would it provide hungry students and office workers more variety, but it would decrease the time it takes to get lunch, as well. If you need proof that Broad Street needs more eating options, just look through the window of every restaurant at noon. Lines are often out the door and waiting could take up most––if not all––of people’s lunch breaks.

Beyond the benefit to the consumer, the city as a whole would benefit from these food trucks. Fees and licenses related to operating the trucks could go directly to the city and there could be a “pay to park” plan for the trucks to essentially pay rent for the hour or two they are parked. The demand is extremely high for more quick, cheap food options in Atlanta, and food trucks are the best option.

It is a shame that food trucks in Atlanta are currently pigeonholed into certain areas of the city on certain days. Just take the Howell Mill food truck park located right off of I-75. It’s a great idea to keep the food trucks together in one area, but what’s the point if you have to drive all the way there and find

parking? If the city could have a food truck park somewhere in the heart of downtown, everyone in the city would rejoice and come in droves to grab lunch there.

Unfortunately, this ideal food truck park may not become a reality for a few years. Although food trucks are rising in popularity around the country, local city governments are slow to adapt their laws to allow these businesses to thrive in a fast-paced and unique business environment. When the laws change or become more lax, food trucks will be sure to take full advantage of the opportunity. Food trucks are the new frontier of city restaurant business and there is a lot of money to be made. The issue is the fact that the city laws are holding the businesses back from making it!

We just need to make sure these food trucks don’t get too comfortable where they are. Bring food trucks to downtown by supporting the current Atlanta food truck movement taking place each and every day at their numerous locations from Atlantic Station to Underground to Howell Mill. When you vote with your wallet for food trucks over the lackluster spots around campus, the movement will grow until there is finally more options for the everhungry consumer.

From the editorial board

CatChat failures demand attention

W

ith more than $1.5 million spent on Wi-Fi infrastructure upgrades in the past three years, it’s high time CatChat functioned properlyTwo years ago, Georgia State’s Information Systems and Technology department spent approximately $1.5 million of student fee money in an effort to upgrade the school’s wireless network.

With more than 700 new access points in 22 additional buildings, “ChatChat2x” was supposed to provide a more reliable connection than its predecessor. In theory, users would only have to sign in a single time for each of their devices until forced to change their password later. By targeting high-traffic areas on campus, IS&T’s goal was to limit downtime and respond to complaints of inadequate wireless coverage, The Signal reported in late 2011.

However, in recent months, students across campus have again reported increased difficulty connecting to the Internet on campus.

Just two weeks ago, for example, IS&T had to reboot the whole network to fix a technical problem with their servers that resulted in more than five hours of down-

time. A similar connectivity issue occurred in January.

And on a more regular basis, certain high-traffic areas like Langdale Hall and University Center seem to suffer regularly from dropped connections, even with the upgrades.

Of course, occasional hiccups can sometimes be expected, but for a major research university like Georgia State, these kinds of outages have serious consequences.

Innumerable campus offices rely on reliable and speedy Internet connections to simply function throughout the day. Researchers also use it to access to the school’s libraries and data reserves online. And, most importantly, students often require wireless service for classroom instruction and often use CatChat as their primary Internet conduit to conduct business throughout the day.

Indeed, Internet connectivity has become so important that a study released last week found that more Americans would go choose Internet access over their televisions or cellphones. And, in recent years, a growing number of countries have even recognized Internet

access as a basic human right.

Therefore, frequent disconnections like the kind Georgia State has recently experienced can be quite frustrating, especially for students who have footed the bill for the upgrades. After all, we pay more than $80 a semester in technology fees with the understanding that necessities like CatChat will be available when we need them.

Because if the Internet goes out while trying to submit a report or communicate with a group for an assignment, our jobs as students become that much more difficult to manage. If it were AT&T or Comcast plaguing us at home, we wouldn’t put up with this kind of service and we shouldn’t have to put up with it here After paying more than a million dollars to improve the system, our laptops should be able to connect anywhere on campus.

Period.

Even if things have gotten better over all, recent failures demand renewed attention to the issue. We’ve waited more than three years for improvements already, and it’s it’s high time CatChat functioned reliably.

9

opINIoNS

TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

Why dropping out may the be the only way out for some students Mia Mcdonald Columnist Mia does amateur photoshoots, maintains the title of bookworm and hands out with friends and family.

Follow her @MiaMore09

D

iversity on this campus isn’t exclusive to race, religion and major; there’s also the non-traditional student, fifth––sometimes sixth––year senior, and the dropout. As a fifth year college student, I can honestly attest to the cliché that college isn’t for everyone.

I’m almost always under stress, worried about maintaining a decent GPA, worried about how I’m going to pay my tuition, so on and so forth. The list is never ending.

Unless you’re going into a profession that requires certain credentials and a set of alphabet that follows your name, I’m not opposed to skipping over college.

Midterms are right around the corner and some of you are feeling less than confident about your performance thus far this semester. You spent the term majoring in Procrastination with a minor in Turnin’ Up and as you prepare to bubble in that first circle, you think to yourself, ‘what am I doing here?’ Suddenly you’re sure decision about college becomes questionable, and that thought of dropping out seems more appeasing.

Sometimes, it can be.

Not having a degree doesn’t mean you aren’t triumphant. Keep in mind attending college isn’t the

“

only way to be successful and not all success stories include college.

Let’s be honest, almost every person at some point in their collegiate career has contemplated their choice of higher learning; whether you’ve received your last D allowed for graduation, maxed out your student loans or simply enrolled in classes that are unfulfilling to your needs, you’ve thought about it.

see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out.”

The story of the late Steve Jobs isn’t the only successful college dropout story: there’s Michael Dell, CEO and founder of Dell Inc. (dropped out at 19); Henry Ford, owner of Ford Motor Company (never graduated high school); Bill Gates, Forbes magazine named him “The Richest Person in the World” (took a two year absence and eventually dropped out); film director and writer Steven Spielberg and Mark Zuckerberg, founder of social media site Facebook, just to name a few.

However, keep in mind that dropping out does require work, too. If you do choose to drop out be smart, be realistic and know that you need to have a plan. Steve Jobs was a college dropout, but was “…dropping in on the [classes] that looked interesting.”

Understand that you might have to put in just as much effort and time that may equal to the minimum four years you would’ve spent in college.

I’m in no way, shape or form encouraging all of us to band together and live out Kanye West’s debut album “College Dropout.” Just be sure that an institution of higher learning is truly where you want to be.

It’s a gamble either way. If you’re not passionate about it or if it doesn’t drive you, don’t do it. Save yourself the time and money.

Not having a degree doesn’t mean you aren’t triumphant.”

Some of you may be thinking what’s the alternative, sitting at home filling out applications to a job you’d be just as unhappy doing? Take Steve Jobs for example. In his 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University Jobs talks about his short lived college experience. He says that after 6 months he dropped out. “…and all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition…I couldn’t

photo of the week

Photo By mike eden | the SignAl The Atlanta Rollergirls are not only sugar, spice, and everything nice, but are also tough as nails.

ARTS & LIVING

www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving

The rebel with a cause

Naja Mcgowan Staff Reporter

U

northodox. That is the simplest term to describe Georgia State student/filmmaker/DJ Zachary Timms and his winding trek to graduation.

“Zack has always been a thinker, a dreamer and a bit of a rebel, so it was natural that he would not take an orthodox path,” said Braeden Fields, Timms’ longtime friend and co-founder of their nonprofit, Homage to Humanity.

This May, after seven years as an undergraduate, Timms will receive degrees in both political science and film. Self proclaimed as “GSU’s Van Wilder,” Timms’ intricate expedition weaves everywhere from Australia’s mass coral reef to stages in front of hundreds of screeching fans.

in the Southwest on the radio, and that’s when the show started to blow up,” Timms said.

In the program’s two-month stint on the air, the 2-hour set averaged about 150-200 callers and over 50,000 eager listeners. Catapulted into local dubstep celebrity, Timms began taking gigs in Atlanta’s growing rave scene.

At the height of the show’s success, Timms was put on probation for having an unauthorized guest into the studio. While on probation he aired a questionable prerecorded sound effect called “Babbling

and growing reputation as a DJ to land a job at Unique Squared, a growing professional audio e-tailer.

“I joined Unique Squared to produce videos for their DJ equipment. I ended up going on tour with a bunch of awesome bands, meeting a bunch of famous people and filming just some of the coolest stuff,” Timms said.

His position as a multimedia producer put him in charge of not only managing the company’s media content but also producing hundreds of videos for huge artist like Avicci, Kaskade and Nervo.

Next Chapter

The Journey Begins Timms discovered his passion for film early, working professionally at just 17.

He graduated high school with a clear vision for the future, but lacked the academic standing to make it happen.

“Honestly, I wanted to be a Georgia State film student from the beginning, but I never really got good grades in high school,” Timms said.

Timms went to a community college for a semester and then transferred to UGA as a transient student.

Over the next few years, Timms found himself at a string of universities, studying everything from business to forestry. For the next few years he bounced back and forth from colleges in the Athens area to study abroad programs in New England and Australia. By the time returned from Australia in 2009, his diverse transcript made up for his academic downfalls.

“By the time I finished, I’d gone to Gainesville State, University of Georgia, Lincoln College, Christ Church Polytechnic in New Zealand and James Cook University in Australia. When I went back to Athens I had this awesome transcript, so I used that to apply to Georgia State and they snapped me right up.”

Extensive knowledge of shrubbery and native conservation tactics weren’t the only thing he brought back from his Australian travels. While down under, he fell in love with the high energy electronic dance music (EDM) culture, which lead to the next chapter in his saga.

Local Celebrity “I had my mind blown by electronic music in Australia, so when I came back, I became evangelical about promoting electronic music,” Timms explained.

In an effort to bring the EDM culture to Atlanta, Timms took up an opportunity to work on WRAS. He eventually took over the Subterranean Drum and Bass show under the moniker DJ Zack “Rocket.” The show gained traction when he began to play the newest electronic genre dubstep, which in 2009 was virtually unheard of.

“I was the first person to play dubstep

wanted more,” Timms said.

Timms felt that he hit a wall in income level, and that the only way to pass it was to finish up his degree. He returned to Georgia State, but found himself unable to take upper-level film classes because of his poor GPA. “The only time I got really good grades was when I was in a political science course, and I started to think maybe I should just take more of these. By the time I got my grades back up to finish my film degree, I had enough for a political science major,” Timms explained.

Raven schley | The Signal Brook with Man Coughing,” which he now admits was a bong rip. This airing sealed his fate at the radio station.

Tour Life After losing the gig at WRAS, surfacing family issues lead to the loss financial support of his parents, forcing him to quit school.

Rather than picking up a dead-end job, he used his previous experience at WRAS

With wide-eyed nostalgia, he recalls his exploits traveling on Unique Squared’s mobile studio, taking the stage before acts to the hundreds or screeching fans and eating lunch next to EDM legends Swedish House Mafia. But he soon found himself wanting more.

“Unique Squared parlayed my Djing into bigger events, and that’s how I got to play in places like Miami and the Brooklyn hip hop festival. Things were going really well, and I realized I’d hit a wall and that I

After two and a half years back in school, feeling the pressure of impending graduation, Timms secured a promising job as a social media manager.

“This job was a huge career move, and it was good until I realized that the company had internal policies that I fundamentally and morally disagreed with, so I resigned,” Timms said.

The sour experience in the private sector politicized Timms, who went back to work on a full-time on project called Homage to Humanity.

“Since we were kids, Zack and I have always wanted to do something. The need is best described as a burden of empathy,” Fields said.

“We saw global issues being framed in ways that we found disingenuous and saw need to crowd source media content and kind of serve as a soapbox to those who were experiencing adversity.”

Fields had already nurtured the social media activist platform to 32,000 Twitter followers, and with Timms’ previous experience, the team were ready to use those numbers to push their message forward.

“Zack is an expert in social media, and we vibrate on the same wavelength,” Fields said.

“He does a lot the networking with targeting with social media because he has a lot more experience in that area, and he is quite motivator.”

Homage to Humanity has grown significantly in the last few months. The organization’s first project is a crowd-funding campaign called Helmets 4 Humanity, which will raise money for Kevlar helmets to send to unprotected protesters in countries like Keiv and Venezuela.

“Our goal is to get the investments to travel the world and do a mini documentary series highlighting human right issues,” Fields explained.

“We’d really like to use a series of crowd-funding campaigns to fill needs as we see them arise.”

Despite Timms’ position at growing a non-profit and diverse experiences around the world, he is still as uncertain as any student about his next move.

“I guess I’m just trying leverage my experience to get a job that will make me money and allow me to still work with Homage 2 Humanity. I just know I want to dedicate my life to peace and human rights.”

11

Arts & Living

Tuesday, March 4, 2013

A talk with the cast of ‘Need for Speed’ Endia Mathews Staff Writer

A

aron Paul (“Breaking Bad”) stars in director Scott Waugh’s latest film “Need for Speed.” Paul’s character Tobey Marshall is a blue-collar auto-shop owner and underground car racer falsely sentenced to prison and looking to clear his name no matter the cost. Scott Mescudi (rapper Kid Cudi), plays Benny the Army Reserve pilot in the film.

Based off the popular car racing video game of the same name, “Need for Speed” is more than just another action-packed car film. Filled with a strong story that pays homage to the classic and authentic American car culture, Waugh delivers a movie that he describes as a “human, heartfelt story in a crazy, action world.”

The Signal sat down with Paul and Mescudi to talk about their roles in the film.

will they end the genre. Our director [Waugh], his whole pitch to me when I first talked to him was he wanted to do a throwback to the classic films that really kind of started this sort of genre, such as “Bullet,” “Vanishing Point,” “The Blues Brothers,” “Smokey and the Bandit,”—all of those great, classic car movies where they actually did do all of the driving. That’s why all of these stunts were all practical.

they won’t make that comparison.

It’s two separate films. Immediately people aren’t going to be like, “race car film, another race car film.”

On learning how to drive and fly for the film, and doing stunts PAUL: I have been on tracks be-

to shoot across the entire country.

A majority of the time was spent in Georgia. The first part of Georgia was in Macon, Ga., and we all just kind of fell in love with that small town vibe—loved the love of jazz and blues there and we just took over that town. It was nothing but night shoots and we just left as many skid marks as we could.

On being compared to the “The Fast and the Furious” film franchise PAUL: “Fast and the Furious” and

“Need for Speed” hits theaters on March 14.

this film are just completely different movies. “The Fast and the Furious” didn’t start the genre, nor

MESCUDI: You have no choice.

When you have Scott Waugh in your face, it’s like, “Yo bro, you doing it for real bro.” I was like, “What?” But I was actually asking Scott (for the sequel) to get me in a car for just a second, to let me drive down the block to the store or something.

MESCUDI: When people see it,

fore [where] it was just like one day on the track, two days on the track— but nothing like this. But that was the thing: [Waugh] was like, “If you want to do this movie, I’m going to need you to be in the driver seat. I don’t want to lie to the audience; I want the audience to know that you’re actually the one driving,” and with that said I drove a lot but I definitely didn’t do all of my driving.

We had the best stuntmen in the world doing the driving. Jumping over the lanes of traffic—that was not me. Driving off the cliff and being caught by [Mescudi’s] helicopter—that was not me. That was the

On filming in Georgia PAUL: We were fortunate enough

thing, [Waugh] was like, “I need you to learn how to drive,” so there were a lot of long days spent on the track.

On growing as actors MESCUDI: Aaron’s been doing

this for way longer than me, so I’m still learning, working with people that I’m learning from. Like every day on set, when I’m in a scene with Aaron, I’m learning. Can’t say

it wasn’t intimidating being in a scene with this guy. It was awesome, though. It was all a learning experience and I’m still growing. I do okay.

I’m glad people liked the film and some of the stuff I did.

because those were the only people who would have me, but I started [Need For Speed] literally the day after the final day of shooting [Breaking Bad].

PAUL: And how phenomenal was he? He’s such a natural and just so fun to watch and so fun to be around, but same thing with me: Still lots of growing. I’m still growing.

Being a part of “Breaking Bad,” I was lucky it was kind of just a fluid, easy transition into film, and I’ve been doing film and TV for a very long time. I’ve never really been a part of a huge action film before. I was doing the show for six years.

With film I always gravitated towards the smaller, low budget independent films and maybe that’s

On why people should see the movie PAUL: It’s just a fun, crazy, wild,

real ride. We’re not lying to the audience. Everything that happened on the screen actually happened, and there is a great story behind it all that I think people will be very surprised with and have a lot of fun with. And this guy is in it (points to Mescudi).

MESCUDI:

awesome. Period.

And it’s fucking

photo credit: DreamWorks Design by maddie Richardson | The Signal

AT L Roller Girls By: Kaylyn Hinz

O

n the track, they are aggressive, competitive and, at times, brutal. Off the track, they are mothers, teachers and comedians.

These women are the Atlanta Rollergirls.

Six days out of the week, the roller girls are practicing and gaining new skills on a practice track in Norcross, Ga.

mike eden | the SignAl Katherine Adair (#118) blocks for the Demin Demons during a scrimmage at one of their daily practices.

Katherine Adair Rollergirl Name:

RAven SChley | the SignAl Barbara Tushbant (white helmet) blocks against four members of the opposing team during practice.

Barbara Tushbant Rollergirl Name:

Helga G. Pa-SMACK-i

Elle Beaux

Team:

Team:

Denim Demons

The movie “Whip It” is what inspired rollergirl Katherine Adair.

After seeing what roller derby was all about, Adair knew she wanted to get involved. When she got home from the movie, she started to Google everything roller derby, and the Atlanta Rollergirls popped up.

Known as being a “stereotypical bookworm,” Adair was worried that she would not be athletic enough to join.

“I was a hot mess. Every new skill that I’ve learned, I’ve had to fight to the nail for that.”

Why does one join roller derby?

Everyone is different and everyone has a different story. Some join because they have a mutual friend, others because of the movie “Whip It.” For rollergirl Missy Stocks, it all started from being a competitive inline skater from age nine to 15. Since she grew up on roller skates, it was a natural transition for her.

Sake Tuyas

When Adair tried out for the first time, she didn’t make it––but that did not mean she gave up.

Going to school at Georgia State, she would commute from Atlanta to Athens in order to practice and get ready for upcoming tryouts.

After her third time trying out, she finally got drafted. This upcoming season will be her second as an Atlanta Rollergirl.

“I love that it’s a really aggressive sport. You can come in and not be athletic and you can work up to it. It’s something you can start as an adult.”

deSign By mAddie RiChARdSon | the SignAl

In 2005, one of Tushbant’s friends came up to her and asked if she had ever tried roller derby. After she replied with a “No dog, I haven’t roller-skated since I was eight,” she immediately said yes to trying it out.

“I got addicted and almost ten years later, and I’m still here.”

Though she works at Georgia State’s Personal Relations Department acting and doing improv, Adair makes time each week for practices.

“I’ll admit it, there are times when I don’t want to go work-

out, and I don’t want to go to practice, so when that happens I listen to usher.”

She is what they consider a “brick in a wall”—a blocker; her job is to make sure the jammer on the opposing team does not pass the team.

Most people do not believe that Tushbant is a rollergirl because of her personality and the fact that she is a comedian.

“It definitely doesn’t matter how nice you are—if you don’t think you’re built for it, there’s a place for you. Just jump in, have fun and keep working at it.”

Draf ting

The drafting process to be a rollergirl is strenuous and takes hard work. It all begins with the tryouts, and after that the rollergirl has to pass four assessments. Once that is accomplished, they are drafted and put into one of four home teams: Apocalypstix, Denim Demons, Sake Tuyas or the Toxic Shocks.

Aside from the home teams,

there are also traveling teams: Dirty South Derby Girls (ATeam), Rumble B’s (B-team), and the Jukes of Hazzard. Dirty South Derby Girls are currently ranked tenth in the world.

“People are pretty attached to their home teams. It’s nice to have a group of girls that you can constantly interact with, cheer with and build relationships with,” Stocks said.

=Team A Blocker =Team B Blocker =Team A Jammer =Team B Jammer

The Game

The rules of roller derby change every year, but a couple of things stay the same and that is how the game is played.

Each team has five people out on the track, four blockers and one jammer. The jammers are the ones who score points, and are known to be the fastest women on the team. They start out in the back, and their goal is to get through the blockers. When they pass the opposing blockers for the second time, the

jammer scores her team a point. Every opposing player passed equals a point.

Jammers are set to be small and fast, while blockers are more muscularly built.

“Rebel, is a blocker. She is incredibly agile, but she has a muscular build, takes up more space,” Stocks said.

“Skully is a jammer. She’s very fast, she’s very small— she’s like a greased pig. She’s very wiggly; It’s impossible to hold her.”

Injuries

Injuries on the track are commonplace. The Atlanta Rollergirls have to ensure that everyone stays safe and if they do fall, they know what they are doing.

Every month, sponsored team chiropractor Dr. Cohen comes and gives the rollergirls free adjustments. Going to doctors and orthopedics comes with the sport.

“Within the first six months I skated, I broke my wrist and my right shoulder,” Stocks said. “My orthopedist loves me. I’m put-

ting his children through college.”

Being a Rollergirl takes up a lot of time, so being dedicated is almost like a requirement. But though one must be aggressive on the track, they do not have to be aggressive outside of roller derby.

“A lot of women have preconceived notions on what they can and cannot do, and it’s really nice to challenge those notions sometimes,” Stocks explained.

Rollergirl Names

After a rollergirl is drafted, traditionally their rollergirl name is decided. It typically shows off their personality or something that relates to them.

Thanks to her husband, Feral Brady is Stocks’ rollergirl name.

“The Brady Bunch is a blended family, and she’s a stay at home mom, and I’m a stay at home mom, and I have a blended family; I’m re-married,” Stocks explained.

If the player is having trouble coming up with a name, their teams have no problem helping them out. The polite thing to do is to not take a name that is already taken. Every rollergirl name is registered at twoevils. org, so it is easy to find out if a name is already being used or was used.

“Your name is a very sacred thing. Most people won’t give up their name,” Stocks said.

RAven SChley | the SignAl Dr. Cohen provides his chriopractic expertise for the players when they are feeling sore during practice.

mike eden | the SignAl

mike eden | the SignAl The Sake Tuyas showed that girls know how to get down and dirty as they elbowed and shoved each other during their scrimmage.

Arts & Living

14

Tuesday, March 4 2014

Lessen the effects of stress with the Counseling and Testing Center Jewel Wicker

Associate Arts & Living Editor

T

hrough the Counseling and Testing Center, students can learn healthy and beneficial ways cope with the stress that comes along with being a college student.

It’s an appointment that can prove extremely beneficial in the long run, and it won’t cost a thing. Students have already paid for all of the services through their mandatory fees.

Dr. Jill Lee-Barber, director of the Counseling and Testing Center, said many students come into the center as a preventative measure when they are feeling stressed, depressed or dealing with tough issues.

Lee-Barber explained the body uses pain as a signal that change is needed. She used the classic reaction to fire as an example.

“Pain informs you that something needs to change. Emotional pain is no different.”

Mind-Body clinic

On any given day, Delores Williams and Dr. Kofi Kondwani are sitting in La-Z Boy-styled chairs with their eyes closed and the lights off.

A student is sitting next to them doing the same. It would appear they’re

sleeping. After all, many students can appreciate a good daytime nap. They are actually consciously resting.

Williams and Kondwani believe through Consciously Resting Meditation they can improve student’s quality of life. According to CRM, students who clear their minds for 20 minutes twice a day are able to perform better, improve concentration and, when the time comes, have a deeper, more productive rest.

After students are taught the CRM techniques in individual sessions, Williams and Kondwani offer group sessions for students that need some fine-tuning.

The clinic also offers stress management consultations, which are also geared towards helping students increase their concentration and sleep quality through stress reduction.

While they are taking care of their minds, students can also schedule an appointment to see to Patti Garrett, registered dietitian, to work on their bodies. Garrett consults with students and, based on their desires, helps them to form reasonable eating goals and plans of actions. In a follow-up, students are able to meet with Garrett again and discuss their progress.

“Sometimes it’s just information about how to eat healthier,

how to shop healthier. Some of the students are living on their own for the first time and nobody’s cooking for them,” Garrett said. “We try to meet each student where they are so that we can help them make healthy choices based on what their living situation is.”

Through a series of questions, Garrett makes suggestions to students about their eating habits, suggesting recipes and more based on allergies, food restrictions, budget restrictions and preparation limitations, such as living in a place without stove access.

Lee-Barber said the nutritionist consultations that are a part of the mind-body clinic are different than the nutrition services that are offered through the rec center for a fee. “[It’s] more connected to mindbody health.”

Garrett agreed. She said eating better can also help students to improve concentration and reduce stress.

“By eating healthier, it’s helping you take care of your whole self.”

Students also have access to a massage chair through the clinic.

Lee-Barber says anyone with a Panther ID can use the chair, although they may want to reserve a time slot during busy times like midterms and finals.

Performance enhancement center

Jeana Griffith and Angela Bethea were both brought onto the Counseling and Testing Center team because they specialize in sports psychology, but they don’t just see athletes.

“They apply principles from sports psychology to other areas,” Lee-Barber said.

Charged with getting students “in the zone,” the psychologists help students who suffer from performance anxiety in areas like testing, public speaking, music, sports, interviews, presentations and more.

The performance track includes consultations with the psychologists and access to the biofeedback room. Once in the room, students connect to a machine and play a series of games aimed towards decreasing their stress. One game shows a black and white garden that comes into color as students learn to regulate their breathing and decrease their anxiety.

Many students participate in activities that require them to constantly be on edge, but this is one game that allows them to “win” simply by doing nothing but sitting back and relaxing.

Counseling services

Lee-Barber said the employees at the clinic realize there is a stigma regarding going to therapy for many students, so they offer walk-in clinics for students to start off.

“Students don’t have to commit to therapy. All they have to want to do is talk to someone and see what’s needed.”

Lee-Barber explained many students don’t need multiple counseling sessions; they just need someone to talk to once to help them solve a hard problem. But for those students who do need short or long-term counseling, or psychology, those services are available, too.

The center offers individual and couples counseling, in addition to support groups. The support groups include sessions with undergraduates, graduates, students who have been through traumatic experiences like sexual assault, African-American women and co-ed groups.

“Groups are an awesome way for students to connect and really learn from each other,” Lee-Barber said of the sessions, which also include a therapist.

She said couples really seem to benefit from couples counseling, and the Center even offers a relationship boot camp that lasts for about a month.

reviews

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

15

Album Review

St. Vincent just made your new favorite album 1 2 3

Release Date: Feb. 24, 2014 Grade: A+ Verdict: Blending these kinds Various Artists ‘Mandala Vol. 1 & 2’ Tara Jane O’Neil ‘Where Shine New Lights’ Warpaint ‘Warpaint’

4 5

Angel Olsen ‘Burn Your Fire For No Witnesss’

6 7 8

Illum Sphere ‘Ghosts of Then and Now’ Twin Studies ‘Precious Places EP’

9

Sacco Sacco

10

of crazy ideas over the course of a weird sounding art-pop album shouldn’t work, but damned if St. Vincent doesn’t find a way to make your new, new favorite album.

Eagulls ‘Eagulls’

Gardens & Villa Dunes

Temples Sun Structures

Mahad mousse Staff Reviewer

F

our albums strong into Annie Erin Clark’s career and I think it’s now safe to dismiss all notions that Clark’s (better known by her stage name St. Vincent) amazing success has been simply one fortune fluke after another.

Even more remarkable, she has yet to release an album that even hinted at playing it safe or sounding like a step backwards.

St. Vincent started off not hearkening to any one sound or trend and she shows no signs of stopping that wonderful run here on her latest release. On paper, it sounds like an easy enough formula to describe: a continuation of those same electric, bizarre, yet catchy electropop/ rock experimentations that borrow liberally from jazz, blues, baroque pop and progressive rock.

Okay, so in hindsight, maybe not so formulaic, nor all that easy to explain, but whatever it is, it’s safe to say it’s been working. And it continues to work on ‘St. Vincent.’

The mood of the album is a manic rollercoaster from start to finish, alternating from the dizzying, glitchy highs of album opener “Rattlesnake,” to the slowed down, spaced-out bluesy jams of “Henry Newton” and “I Prefer Your Love,” the former sounding like what could only be adequately described as “electric Vegas cocktail lounge in space meets jazz;” and the latter sounding more like a straightforward, beautiful ballad.

From all the dazzling, delirious electro-cacophony, St. Vincent crafts surprisingly accessible pop melodies. Each track is layered and simply loaded to the nines with a plethora of ideas—take the glitch-filled mania paired expertly with a crunchy guitar hook in “Birth in Reverse,” or the electronic swing-band-meetsdisco groove she pieces together on the catchy “Digital Witness,” for example.

The greatest trick ‘St. Vincent’ pulls, however, is its seemingly inconspicuous double act.

On initial listen, the pop melodies stand out first and foremost, and you’re perfectly welcome to simply enjoy a catchy sounding album. From the highs to the lows, Ms. Clark knows what she’s doing when it comes to basic songwriting, and navigates listener’s expectations accordingly.

But it’s the second listen that brings out those hidden depths she’s woven into the music, rewarding all who dare with a challenging, complex art-pop album buried beneath. The mood and music of the album is manipulated expertly, keeping you on your toes for the abrupt shifts, and starts and stops, accompanied by drones, beeps, bells, glitches, guitars, grooves and whatever other whims St. Vincent felt were called for.

In the hands of less-talented musicians, following every artistic impulse could have lead to an unlistenable, multi-directional mess. But if St. Vincent’s managed to finally prove anything with this latest album, it’s that she works best at the heart of the chaotic and unconventional.

now playing at

Movie Review

Cinefest

‘About Last Night’ is well worth the price of admission Rating: R Running time: 100 mins.

Grade: BVerdict: This adaptation of David Mamet’s “Sexual Perversity in Chicago” will definitely make you burst out laughing Pedro Alvarado Staff Reviewer

“ Synopsis: Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone - tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness.

Showtimes: Weekdays: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Weekend: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 91 minutes

A

bout Last Night,” adapted from the play “Sexual Perversity in Chicago”

by David Mamet, is a hysterical movie about dysfunctional people in dysfunctional relationships.

We follow two relationships in the film: Danny and Debbie, and Bernie and Joan; and there are also two best friend relationships: Danny and Bernie, and Debbie and Joan. Three of these pairings soar, while the fourth just maintains a low-flying altitude.

The relationship that most makes the movie work is the Bernie/Joan relationship.

Both of these characters have deep-seeded and unresolved issues that cause their relationship to be hilariously volatile in a completely normal and believable kind of way. What makes the relationship seem so naturally realistic are the performances of both Kevin Hart and Regina Hall.

Right now, Kevin Hart is the undisputed king of comedy, but Regina Hall is no slouch herself.

Not only does she hold her own with the comedy giant, in many scenes she gets a one-up on him.

Their on-screen chemistry is nothing short of perfection.

The other relationship that really makes the film work is the Debbie/Joan friendship. These besties are reminiscent of young golden girls.

Debbie (Joy Bryant) and Joan have the kind of relationship where they can call each other a bitch and mean it in a good way and a bad way at the same time.

Because their relationship with each other is never at stake, they can be completely honest with each other, both brutally and lovingly, and never have to worry about whether or not the other one has ulterior motives.

It is also good to see a relationship between female characters that is neither one-sided nor two-faced, and where the two women have each other’s backs unconditionally.

Similarly, Danny (Michael Ealy) and Bernie have an honesty-based relationship, but theirs is more juvenile. They have to joke their way through serious conversations in order to ease themselves into expressing what they’re really feeling.

Unfortunately, the relationship that is the least interesting is the Danny/Debbie relationship.

But what makes the relationship unremarkable is not the performance of the actors, which are phenomenal, but the film’s editing.

Most of the scenes that are designed to explore Danny and Debbie’s relationship feel rushed. It’s almost as if the director (Steve Pink) wanted to hurry through the depth of the primary relationship to give the secondary relationship more screen time in order to justify Kevin Hart getting top billing.

A perfect example of this is how much of the Danny/Debbie relationship is shown using montage. While this is a perfectly useful way to

condense eight weeks of training for a boxing match into a few minutes, it is a highly impractical way to develop a relationship.

“About Last Night” takes place in Los Angeles, but “Sexual Perversity in Chicago” takes place in…you guessed it, Chicago. While this may seem like a triviality, the complexity of Danny and Debbie’s relationship is rooted in the character of the city of Chicago.

And while Los Angeles is an awesome city, it doesn’t have the same charisma of Chicago. Chitown is as much a character in the story as the people are, and moving the story to Los Angeles is, in a very real way, changing a major character.

Nevertheless, if for nothing but the laughs, “About Last Night” is well worth the price of admission.

s

16

music column

Blood Circus: The Grunge forefathers nobody wanted

Columnist

Follow him @PaulDeMerritt

S

ometimes, lost in between the pages of history books, our forefathers wade in obscurity. Like sleeping giants, they lumber on in silence while the histories they authored ignore their creators. Blood Circus is grunge’s sleeping giant.

Born and raised in the same city that not only spawned a subculture, Blood Circus sowed the seeds of legends.

They formed in Seattle during the great flannel explosion of the late 80s, where the ferocious foursome gained notoriety when Sub Pop released their debut single “Six Foot Under” and “Two Way Street,” one of the then-fledgling label’s first records ever pressed.

Blood Circus was initially poised for certain stardom.

Nirvana and Mudhoney first honed their multi-million dollar riffs while opening for them at Seattle’s Vogue Cafe in 1988. Sub Pop then released the first (and last) Blood Circus record entitled “Primal Rock Therapy,” which propelled them to embark on their first (and last) tour.

Critical reception of “Primal Rock Therapy” was at once unanimous and deeply divided. Everyone agreed that they were bad, but only some celebrated them for the same reason. Fueled by negative press and personal tensions, Blood Circus fled from the spotlight in 1989, months before Nirvana was thrust to the forefront of the American music scene.

Blood Circus’s complete commercial failure remains confusing. “Primal Rock Therapy” was a proto-grunge template, its tracks fueled by low, growling bass lines,

working-class alienation, and grueling riffs—all traits that propelled grunge bands into subculture legends.

Rolling Stone perfectly captured the essence of Blood Circus’ struggle in their 1993 review of the Nirvana compilation “Incesticide”: “’Incesticide’ and Blood Circus’s “Primal Rock Therapy” freeze fragments of a creative process that four years later miraculously caught the world’s fancy.

One band made it, one didn’t, but the roles could as easily have been reversed.”

Perhaps the most voracious criticism comes from the band themselves. On their own webpage they proudly declare themselves, “the worst selling (and possibly the worst ever) band in Sub Pop’s stable.” Now that’s the kind of brutal self-deprecation grunge heroes are made out of.

Even though history robbed Blood Circus of well-deserved success, they have become cemented into grunge lore as the definitive test of any fan’s devotion to the genre.

In the liner notes to “Primal Rock Therapy,” Sub Pop cofounder Johnathan Poneman declared, “There are a bunch of you who have scored your Soundgarden, Mudhoney and Nirvana records and think you have the grunge creed covered. No chance. ‘Primal Rock Therapy’ is the acid test.”

Now the sun has fallen on grunge as its heroes have succumbed to speedballs, sweaty beer guts, and the realization that self-deprecation can be co-opted by younger, hipper bands. Yet in the darkness, Blood Circus endures, honoring their legacy as the last survivors of a breed that was meant to die.

Sex column

I got caught: My lesson on public indecency

T

rachel kingsley Columnist

Rachel believes even though society has become more open about sex, it’s still a highly taboo subject.

To become more open and accepting, she believes we need to start with education. Rachel shares her experiences.

Follow her @rachelkingsley

Study abroad column

The ghosts of American consumerism haunt my study abroad experiences

I

Paul deMerriTT

Paul DeMerritt is a freelance journalist and musician with extensive experience reporting on the music and culture of Atlanta and the globe.

TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

here is something so fundamentally naughty about having sex in a public place. It’s so taboo, but when it happens, it’s a lot of fun. The usual areas for sexual public displays are in a car or a movie theatre. I’ve had this public fetish for a few years now.

The possibility of being caught was a huge turn-on for me, until...well...I got caught.

I was dating a guy a couple of years ago who shared my same fetish for public sex. Although he was tepid in everyday life, he was bold when it came to having sex in public.

We were on a road trip one night and we were in the mood. We weren’t familiar with the town we were in, so we thought the safest thing would be to stay in the car. We pulled into an abandoned parking lot and got to it.

A few minutes later there was a knock on the glass window, and there stood a rural police man with a flashlight in our faces. I was as naked and as scared as a baby blue jay. He told us to get out of the car. I asked if we could put our clothes on first and he nodded. We got out of the car and stood next to each other and looked at our feet.

The policeman started asking us questions, and

“

He gave us a speech about finding Jesus and having morals in “his” small town, and then, for reasons unknown to me, he let us off with a warning.”

we told him we were coming from Atlanta and were on our way to a family reunion. He could obviously tell we were worried. He gave us a speech about finding Jesus and having morals in “his” small town, and then, for reasons unknown to me, he let us off with a warning. Maybe it was the fact that we were young, or obviously terrified and embarrassed by the situation.

As we got into the car to finish our trip to the reunion, I realized that although having sex in public places was incredibly hot to me, it wasn’t worth going through that situation again. I was very lucky to not have a record of indecency and I vowed I could keep it that way. So, now, I only have sex in the privacy of my––or someone else’s––home.

t’s not exactly a revolutionary idea to suggest that American culture is, in many ways, defined by our consumer-driven economy based caleB roBerTson on branding and marketing, but it’s Columnist not very often that you get to experiCaleb Robertson is an ence it firsthand.

English major at Georgia I had my first State. His golf cart’s name personal insight is Roxanne. Caleb spends into this phenomhis free time rock climbing and playing video games enon when I visand is a strong supporter ited America for a of Batman’s war on couple of days this crime. He is currently past weekend. studying abroad at Mainz Well, it’s techUniversity in Mainz, nically America, Germany. but in actuality I visited a U.S. miliFollow him tary base located @CJRobertson10 just outside of Wiesbaden. A friend of mine is currently stationed there, and a group of us went to the base to hang out with him, watch “The Lego Movie” (which was fantastic, by the way) and buy some American goods from the exchange.

It was here, standing in the front door of the small exchange, that we fell prey to some of the most devious practitioners of exploitative marketing: tiny, mousey-voiced girl scouts selling their famous cookies. I bought two boxes of Tagalongs.

I didn’t realize how much I missed certain products until I was surrounded by them. I found myself gasping with nostalgia at the Maruchan Top Ramen, Kraft Mac and Cheese and Double-Stuf Oreos (they only have single-stuf here).

It was strange, though. I’m a person who normally tries to ignore advertisements and marketing. But here I was, bowing before the alter of brand-named, processed foods.

Part of the study abroad experience is realizing that some assumptions you make aren’t the hard and fast truths you thought they were. Instead, these “truths” are culturally programmed into us. Experiencing life in another culture exposes some of the source code that makes up our cultural world views.

Especially important in today’s consumer-driven society is to understand your instinctual reliance on brand names and marketing, even when it comes to answering the most basic question humanity has always faced: “What am I going to eat today?”

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word bank BASKETBALL

CIRCUS

PANTHERS

catchat roller guns dude derby easy food circus recycle speed cinefest trucks BIG COUNSELING PREDICTIONS championship big predictions tournament panthers basketball counseling braketology bill

BILL

DERBY

RECYCLE

BRAKETOLOGY

DUDE

ROLLER

CATCHAT

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EASY

SPEED

CHAMPIONSHIP

FOOD

TRUCKS

CINEFEST

GUNS

TOURNAMENT

TO APPLY: www.silverleafresorts.com/careers

er

18

Campus events

Downtown events Once

March 4-9 Fox Theatre This popular Broadway musical won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2012 and now it’s coming to The Fabulous Fox Theatre for this week only!

patrick Feaster

Faust

March 8, 11, 14 and 16 The Atlanta Opera Noah Stewart will star as Faust when the popular opera comes to The Atlanta Opera for four days this month. For tickets visit www.

AtlantaOpera.org

turning point: the american civil wa

2014 SeC women’s basketball tournament

Through May 3 Atlanta History Center

March 5-9 The Arena at Gwinnett Center This year’s SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament will take place over five days at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Visit GwinnettCenter.com for more information and tickets.

michael mcDonald

March 6-8 Atlanta Improv Comedy Club & Dinner Theatre Popular actor and comedian Michael McDonald will appear at the Atlanta Improv Comedy Club & Dinner Theatre. If you’re a fan of his MadTV sketch show or Cougar Town, which he directs and produces, you won’t want to miss this!

TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

Come enjoy this Civil War exhibition and view over 1,500 Union and Confederate artifacts!

best of broadway

March 9 Brewman Jewish Heritage & Holocaust Museum Come out to the final concert in the Best of Broadway series and enjoy performances from two singers and a pianist from the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, including works from Rogers and Hammerstein and Steven Sondheim.

March 6 3-4:30 p.m.

Troy Moore Library Langdale Hall Stop by and chat with Patrick Feaster, a two-time Grammy nominee who has made some of the world’s oldest sound recordings audible. His new book, Pictures of Sound: One Thousand Years of Educed Audio: 980-1980, highlights the relationship between historic audio and sound art.

Campus movieFest Finale March 6 6:30 p.m.

Speaker’s Auditorium, University Center

Join fellow students for a screening of the top 16 student films at CMF 2014’s exciting finale! The best films will move on to the national CMF competition in Los Angeles this June. Don’t forget to tweet @campusmoviefest and #CMFatGSU

Distinguished Speaker Series: Jungle Jack hanna April 28 3 p.m.

Student Center Ballroom Jack Hanna has been rescheduled! Hanna, an animal expert and former zookeeper, will bring his knowledge of exotic and endangered animals to Georgia State. He and his

team will also bring animals to the event!

panther X Change

April 10 Time and place TBA Check out some original Panther-made goods at the second annual Panther X Change, where entrepreneurs will display, sell and trade their art, clothing, shoes and more.

If interested in becoming a vendor, please pick up and turn in a registration form at Spotlight’s office (University Center suite 380) no later than March 14!

Concerts/Shows touche Amore and mewithoutyou March 5 at 6:30 p.m.

Masquerade (Heaven)

bring me the horizon March 6 at 7 p.m.

The Tabernacle

Choose a major that leads to one of the hottest careers in healthcare!

Check out the undergraduate clinical health informatics degree.

One of the top fields available to college graduates, our clinical informatics track offered as a bachelor of interdisciplinary studies (B.I.S.) focuses on the interaction between clinical healthcare providers and technical data managers.

Learn more about this growing field at an information session: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 Room 839, Urban Life Building or

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 Virtual Session Visit us on the web at: snhp.gsu.edu/clinicalhealthinformatics Offered by The Lewis School in collaboration with the Robinson College of Business.

black lips and Deerhunter March 7 at 8:30 p.m.

Variety Playhouse

Audra mcDonald

March 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Atlanta Symphony Hall

St. Vincent

March 8 at 8 p.m.

The Tabernacle

kindred the Family Soul March 8 at 9 p.m.

Center Stage Theater

SpoRTS

THE 6TH MAN

www.georgiastatesignal.com/sports

Georgia State’s student section books its ticket for the Sun Belt championship akieM BailuM Staff Reporter

G

eorgia State’s men’s and women’s basketball teams have been the talk of the town. After last season, where the teams were ineligible to play in a conference championship, the patience of fans and students alike has been rewarded.

The men’s team is outright Sun Belt champions, earning them the No. 1 seed in the tournament, while the women’s team is one win away from clinching the tournament in New Orleans.

“I’m definitely looking forward to our first conference tournament in the Sun Belt,” Daniel Wilson said, better known to Georgia State students and fans as “Blue Man.” Georgia State’s athletic teams were ineligible to participate in the conference tournaments in the 2012-13 season as a condition of its move out of the Colonial Athletic Association.

Now, in its first season back in the Sun Belt Conference, teams and opposing fans alike have been reintroduced to Georgia State in a big way.

“This is very different from last year because last year we couldn’t compete for a conference title,” Wilson said. “So, for us to do what we’ve done in our first year in a new conference is simply awesome.”

Wilson will be going to The Big Easy along with an array of others seen with regularity in the student section, including Nick Bray.

Both Wilson and he are seniors that hope to graduate in December of 2014, according to Wilson.

When it came to organizing the students to make the trip to New Orleans, Wilson said that everything goes through Bray.

“Nick’s the man. He’s been the main one that has been setting everything up for us to go the tournament,” Wilson said. “In fact, we’ve even connected a few others as well, so that’s good as well.”

Georgia State’s athletic department said its corporate sponsors have allowed for it to fill two buses full of 53 students each to make the trip to New Orleans, with a waiting list of about 15. A bus is also being made available for the band, spirit squads and any additional fans.

“We want as many that are part of Panther Nation to come as possible,” said Wilson.

This year’s tournament will

“

We want as many that are part of Panther to come as possible.”

- Daniel Wilson, “Blue Man”

be held at the Lakefront Arena on the campus of the University of New Orleans. The venue is approximately five miles north of Downtown New Orleans, where the Sun Belt Conference is headquartered.

In addition to the team and its Sixth Man, the spirit squads are also planning for the trip.

“Considering that I’ve never been to New Orleans, I’m definitely looking forward to heading down there, supporting the teams and getting the experience of the city,” said Brian Cleveland, a member of the Georgia State band.

The band is not the only portion of Georgia State’s spirit squad that will make the trip to the Crescent City.

The cheerleaders and Pantherettes will travel to New Orleans adding to the Panthers’ caravan.

“The fact that we’ll be performing there too and supporting our Panthers definitely helps

us too,” said Sarah Oliver of the cheerleading squad.

Oliver is one of 27 members of Georgia State’s co-ed cheerleading squad. In addition to students and fans, school spirit for the Panthers will be in full effect in the Crescent City.

“Our teams will certainly have the support of our fans and our spirit squads,” Oliver said.

Sarah Oliver is confident about this season leading to bigger things for the Panthers.

New Orleans is where those big things could begin. Since Georgia State is playing in a midmajor conference, they most likely have to win the Sun Belt Tournament in order to advance to the NCAA Tournament.

“As long as we play our game and don’t get tripped up by lower seeds, we should be fine,” Wilson said. “I’m hopeful that we’ll win the Sun Belt and move on to the NCAA Tournament.”

W

elcome to March. The

Signal wanted to be the first to welcome you to the month of madness by getting the brackets going early. This is one of the most

BRACKE

WOMEN’S BRACKET OPENING ROUND THURSDAY, MARCH 12

recent basketball history, and with both the men’s and

QUARTERFINALS FRIDAY, MARCH 14

12 p.m. (CT)

No. 8 Louisiana-Lafayette

No. 4 Texas State

12 p.m. (CT) Sun Belt Network

2:30 p.m. (CT)

No. 5 Georgia State

women’s teams traveling to New

tournament win and

decided to bring you Georgia States’

CHAMPION

6 p.m. (CT)

No. 7 Louisiana Monroe

a chance to join the madness, The Signal

8:30 p.m. (CT) ESPN3

No. 2 WKU

Orleans to compete for a conference

FINALS SATURDAY, MARCH 15

No.1 Arkansas State

exciting year’s in Georgia State’s

(March 12-15 Lakefront Arena)

No. 3 UALR

2:30 p.m. (CT) Sun Belt Network

8:30 p.m. (CT)

No. 6 Troy

roads to success.

The Signal projected two brackets based on the rest of the teams’ regularseason schedules and how we believe they will play out.

The seeds are unofficial and may change before the tournaments begin.

Written by Alec McQuade, Sports Editor Designed by Anna Yang, Production Design Editor

No. 1 Arkansas State and No. 8 Louisiana-Lafayette

Arkansas State is 12-4 in conference play, with one of their losses coming to Georgia State.

Arkansas State ranks No. 2 in the Sun Belt in field goal percentage, making more than 43 percent of their shots. They are led by Andrea Gamble, who scores an average of 18 points per game and shoots just under 50 percent on the season. Arkansas State struggles somewhat defensively, giving up the highest opponent field goal percentage in the conference. This is the team to beat in the women’s bracket, but the Red Wolves must watch out for offensive powerhouses in the bracket that have killed them before, such as Troy or Louisiana-Lafayette. The Ragin’ Cajuns have had a mediocre season, currently at 13-13 overall, 6-9 in the Sun Belt. After an eightgame losing streak stretching from January to February, Louisiana-Lafayette is finding some late momentum, winning three-consecutive including over No. 1 Arkansas State.

No. 5 Georgia State and No. 4 Texas State

Georgia State went on a fivegame winning streak in January, taking down conference No. 1 Arkansas State and moving up to No. 2 to the conference. The Panthers had a chance to tie for first in the conference with a win over Texas-Arlington but fell to the last place team, snapping the streak. Kendra Long leads the teams in points per game (13.4) and is seventh in the conference.

The Panthers are ninth in scoring defense, allowing 73.7 points per game despite Brittany Logan grabbing the third most rebounds in the conference. Inconsistency has been a struggle for the Panthers all season, inferior opponents stooping down to their levels in games. The Panthers will have to push out all distractions if they hope to make the long-run in the tournament.

They’ll likely start with No. 4 Texas State who they have won and lost to this season. Texas State is on a downward slope, losing three of its last five games.

No. 2 WKU and No. 7 Louisiana-Monroe

Western Kentucky has two AllAmerican candidates with Alexis Govan and Chastity Gooch, who are both averaging more than 18 points per game. The Hilltoppers have the best field goal percentage defense in the conference, holding opponents to under 40 percent.

This has helped them maintain the best-scoring margin average this season, just under doublefigures. That should help them get passed their first round against No. 8 LouisianaMonroe, who averages a little more than 70 points per game.

No. 6 Troy and No. 3 UALR

The Troy Trojans have the highest scoring offense in the conference, averaging 80.2 per game. Joanna Harden is averaging 25.4 points per game, the fourth best in the country, and has 1,143 career points. Harden is a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award that goes to the best guard in Division-I women’s basketball.

Troy is projected to face the bestscoring defense in the conference of Arkansas-Little Rock in the first round, as of Sunday. ArkansasLittle Rock has held teams from scoring less than 60 points on average.

Hannah Fohne holds the school’s record for blocks with 107 in her career.

TOLOGY MEN’S BRACKET OPENING ROUND THURSDAY, MARCH 13

(March 13-16; Lakefront Arena)

QUARTERFINALS FRIDAY, MARCH 14

SEMIFINALS SATURDAY, MARCH 15

CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY, MARCH 16

No. 5 UTA 12 p.m. (CT)

No. 8 Troy

12 p.m. (CT) Sun Belt Network

No. 4 Arkansas State

12 p.m. (CT) Sun Belt Network

No. 1 Georgia State

12 p.m. (CT) ESPN3

CHAMPION

No. 2 WKU No. 3 Louisiana-Lafayette

No. 6 UALR

12 p.m. (CT) Sun Belt Network

12 p.m. (CT) Sun Belt Network

8:30 p.m. (CT)

No. 7 Louisiana-Monroe

No. 1 Georgia State

Georgia State defeated just about every team in the Sun Belt twice except for Troy, who spoiled the Panthers’ fun, ending its record-winning streak at 14 games.

Georgia State has four starters with more than 1,000-career points and are one of three schools currently to have that many. Georgia State, in its first year in the Sun Belt, has a target on its back being the team to beat. Georgia State is an offensive powerhouse, but defense has been inconsistent, which lead to games being closer than they ever should be. If Georgia State battles for rebounds and learns to play a defensively sound first half without getting into foul trouble, Georgia State will have an easy road to the March tournament.

No. 2 WKU

Western Kentucky was picked in the Sun Belt coaches’ preseason poll to win the conference, but has maintained a No. 2 spot for majority of the season. Georgia State spoiled the Hilltoppers’ fun when they defeated them at Western Kentucky in a blowout game that shocked much of the conference. It’s likely the Sun Belt Championship game will feature Western Kentucky and Georgia State, but first, both teams’ play each other to end each’s regular season, which will be a factor in determining the tone going into the tournament.

No. 3 Louisiana-Lafayette

Louisiana-Lafayette is a dangerous team. The Ragin’ Cajuns have the best scoring offense in the conference, averaging 81.1 points per game. Shawn Long and Elfrid Payton are No. 2 and 3 in the conference in points per game, averaging 19.5 each. In addition to offense, the Ragin’ Cajuns have stellar individual defenders as Long leads the conference in rebounds and Payton in steals.

However, as a team, LouisianaLafayette is ninth in scoring defense, allowing more than 74 points per game. Much like Georgia State, ample offense has kept them alive in most games, and if they show the defense that they did in the first half against Georgia State on Feb. 22, everyone better watch out.

No. 4 Arkansas State

Arkansas State has the best 3-point shooting percentage in the Sun Belt, hitting more than 39 percent from beyond the arc. The team also leads in assists with 14.1 per game. The Red Wolves have won six of its last seven games. In the team’s recent success, the Red Wolves have had a scoring margin of +12 points. Kirk Van Slyke is the Red Wolves’ main threat as he averages almost 15 points per game.

No. 6 UALR and No. 7 Louisiana-Monroe

Arkansas-Little Rock appeared to be a threat early on in conference play, but have mellowed out, losing five of its last seven games. Will Neighbour, a native of Grayshott, England, is the only Trojans player to score at least 30 points in a game. The same can be said for LouisianaMonroe’s Amos Olatayo, who is also the only one on its team to score at least 30 points in a game.

No. 5 UTA No. 8 Troy

Texas-Arlington is in its first year in the Sun Belt, and the Maverick’s Reger Dowell leads the conference in points per game, averaging 19.9 per game. The Mavericks struggle defensively, sitting last in scoring defense and allowing more than 77 points per game on average. The Mavericks may be lucky to have their firstround game against the Troy Trojans. The Trojans have had a disappointing season to say the least but are the only ones in the conference to defeat Georgia State so far. Troy’s Tevin Calhoun is the only Trojan this year who has had a 30-point game when he scored 35 against Arkansas-State.

Sports

22

By The Numbers Weekly

Rhett Lewis Staff Reporter

Men’s Basketball

March brings familiar feelings to Ryan Harrow Jeremy Johnson Staff Reporter

176

Number of days, as of Tuesday, until GSU opens the 2014 football season. The Panthers will host Abeline Christian on Wednesday, Aug. 27; one day before any other FBS teams take the field.

72.2

The men’s basketball team’s second half field goal percentage on Saturday versus Texas State. The hot shooting propelled GSU to a 66-55 victory, which cinched the team’s first outright regular season crown since the 20002001 season.

47

Points scored by the women’s basketball team on Saturday versus Texas State. The output was the lowest of the season as the Panthers were defeated by a score of 54-47.

1

Member of the sand volleyball team, Kaitlynn Hufstetler, hailing from Georgia.

Hufstetler and the rest of her teammates open their season on March 8 in the UNF Tournament in St. Augustine, Fla.

18

Number of stolen bases by the softball team through 12 games. The Panthers have only been caught stealing once and currently sport a 7-5 record.

Shortstop Taylor Anderson leads the team with 4 thefts.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

W

hen the Sun Belt Conference Tournament rolls around later this month, Georgia State guard Ryan Harrow will be getting a familiar feeling going into another conference tournament with his third team.

Harrow has participated in the Southeastern Conference Tournament with Kentucky, where he witnessed a national championship run and the Atlantic Coastal Conference Tournament with North Carolina State his freshman season.

However, from team to team, Harrow’s role has evolved as he made his journey to Georgia State after transferring at the end of last year.

“I know a lot more,” Harrow said, comparing his game now to when his collegiate career began.

As a freshman, Harrow averaged 9.3 points per game and 3.3 assists per game in 29 games that included 10 starts at North Carolina State.

“I was only a freshman, but I still got some pretty good minutes, and I was a little nervous at the time,” Harrow said of his time in Raleigh, N.C. “I still thought scoring was the most important thing, so I would try to score a lot,” Harrow said about his mentality at North Caro-

lina State while developing into a collegiate athlete.

However, Harrow’s mentality shifted to the importance of defense.

“I always seem to focus a lot more on the defensive end because the defense is kind of confusing,” Harrow said. “So, when we’re focusing on defense, I really just tell everybody to buckle down, lets work on this, cause we don’t really have to worry about our offense too much.”

Anyone who watches the Panthers knows Harrow as a calm, quiet, but exciting player, making cuts left and right fooling guards.

However, that wasn’t always the case, according to Harrow.

“I let too many things affect me, on the court especially when I was a freshman,” Harrow said. “I look at things a lot differently now, and I try to always stay positive Photo by Chris Shattuck | and don’t get to down on myself the Signal because it can affect you a lot.”

Ryan Harrow will play in his Once Harrow reached Kenthird conference tournament tucky, his playing style changed on account of having to redshirt with his third school. a year. This gave him an opportunity to learn from watching his lina State in 24 starts last season at teammates on his championship Kentucky.

Once Harrow decided to make team.

“The year that I did play there, the return to his home state and I was more so trying to get every- attend Georgia State, his producbody involved and be an extension tion and style of play exploded like never before. of the coach,” Harrow said.

Harrow is mister do-it-all for Harrow averaged 9.9 points per game along with 2.8 assists per the Panthers. He currently avergame, which was down from his ages 17.3 points per game, fifth in freshman season at North Caro- the Sun Belt, along with 7.3 assists

per game, third in the Sun Belt.

“I’m scoring a lot, and I’m getting everybody involved,” Harrow said. “I’m just trying to do anything I can to win.

Harrow’s journey to Georgia State has made him a leader, which is critical for a point guard to have in order for a team to be successful in postseason play. Harrow doesn’t see himself as a vocal leader, but he said he tries to lead by just playing hard.

“Sometimes when we’re playing, I’ll do a move or something, and it’ll get everybody excited and then all of a sudden it just starts clicking like R.J. [Hunter] starts hitting shots Manny [Atkins] starts hitting shots and then we just start rolling,” Harrow said.

It also makes Harrow’s job easier to have such good players around him to whom he can feed the ball. Harrow has grown to trust his teammates as the season has progressed, according to Head Coach Ron Hunter.

This was evident in the 80-77 victory over University of Louisiana at Lafayette when Harrow had the chance to take it all in his hands and force a last second shot, but he instead kicked the ball out to Atkins who nailed the game winner with .8 seconds remaining.

Harrow may be the silent leader for the Panthers, but his production has spoken loud and clear.

The third team could be the charm for Harrow to finally carry a team to The Big Dance.

ColumN: woMen’s Basketball

Was one win too much to ask for?

David A. Norwood II Staff Reporter

T

he Sun Belt Conference tournament is less than two weeks away, and the Georgia State women’s basketball team blew two opportunities this past week to clinch a berth, losing to both UT-Arlington and Texas State on the road.

Luckily, the Panthers were able to clinch a spot in the tournament Sunday because No. 9 South Alabama lost eliminating itself from the tournament.

The Panthers, once again, could not win the games that count. The Panthers not being able to win big games has been a problem all season.

It started early in the season when they choked away their lead against then-No. 22 Georgia in the championship game of the GSU Invitational in December.

The Panthers had an opportunity to redeem themselves on Feb. 8, when they were ranked second in the conference, facing No. 1 Arkansas State at home. The game could have provided a tie-breaking advantage

for the Panthers at the end of season.

However, Georgia State couldn’t win the big game once again as the Red Wolves pulled away with a 8075 win and clinched the berth in the conference tournament after defeating South Alabama in the following game.

Georgia State had until next Saturday to win a game to clinch a spot in the tournament or for one of three other teams chasing to get in the tournament to to lose to earn its spot. No. 9 South Alabama was kind enough to give up its spot.

All Georgia State had to do was a win one game, but they have yet to win a game since Feb. 19 against Louisiana-Monroe.

Maybe, the Sun Belt has finally caught up on to the “giant killers.”

Earlier this season, the Panthers captured upset wins against the Sun Belt elite, including No. 1 Arkansas State on the road on Jan. 14 and then-No. 2 Texas State at home on Feb. 17.

At the beginning of the season, Georgia State was picked to finish eighth in a preseason poll by Sun Belt coaches, which showed there was no

confidence from fellow conference members that Georgia State could compete for the conference title.

For a while, it looked like Georgia State had proven everyone wrong becoming the “giant killers,” but perhaps the coaches were right about the Panthers––they’re good enough to barely make the tournament but not good enough to make some noise in March.

Early on, Georgia State began to prove doubters wrong when they started conference play, even going on a five-game winning streak in January.

The streak abruptly ended with the Panthers’ loss to last-place TexasArlington.

It’s one thing to lose to the worst team in the conference, but they lost to the Mavericks twice. UT-Arlington has only three wins, two of which are victories against Georgia State.

Ending the streak should have brought the best of the women’s team, like it did for the men’s team, since they would no longer have to contend with the pressure of preserving the streak.

Unfortunately, it seems like it’s bringing out the worst in the Panthers.

The late-January snowstorm could be looked at as the root of the Panthers’ problems as it delayed games. The snow storm also caused them to go on a stretch of playing three games in less than a week in February, which brought fatigue.

Georgia State got run out the gym by Troy on Feb. 15, but managed to upset then-No. 2 Texas State in the following game followed by Louisiana-Monroe.

The race to the tournament is getting tight, and everybody’s banged up and tired at this point of the year.

Fatigue, injuries and chemistry can no longer be used as an excuse for Georgia State.

Can the Panthers put together some mental strength and make a run, or will they be like the conference coaches said: good enough to make the tournament but not enough to make some noise in March.

Only time will tell.

the Scoreboard

StAFF pReDiCtiOnS

pAntheR Of the week

guest pick of the week

national

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL March 8 North Carolina (19) vs.

Duke (6) √ √ √ √

GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS

kenny AnDeRSOn bASetbAll

Left-handed pitcher Kenny Anderson allowed one earned run in seven innings on the mound in a 3-2 win over the University of Georgia Bulldogs Wednesday.

Anderson recorded his first win as a Panther against Georgia as he allowed just two runs on six hits and struck out four hitters and walked two.

His first earned run came early in the first inning, but overcame the early deficit by his defense completing a double play.

Anderson then threw five scoreless innings before another run crossed in the seventh inning.

The Panthers had recorded one road win over a Southeastern Conference opponent this season before facing the bulldogs.

The Panthers had not won at Foley Field since 2001, but the Panthers win snapped the losing streak.

Anderson, from Loganville, Ga., is a transfer from Gordon State where he pitched for two seasons and compiled a 8-6 record.

23 19

SpoRTS

Tuesday, March deceMBer 4, 2014 10, 2013

Kentucky (17) √ vs.

Florida (1) √ √ √

Guest Picker: Amanda Scott Georgia State Class of 2004 On picking UNC: “They are streaking and ready to compete for the ACC title.

They show up when it counts.”

On picking GSU men: “We defend our home court well. And, an NCAA bid is at the forefront of their minds.”

On picking WKU: “Expect to be close. WKU is a strong rebounding team and has a top scorer in TJ Price.

WKU leads the series between the two and I expect them to clinch the No. 2 seed.”

STAFF: √ Rhett

√

David

Men’s Basketball

georgia State √

√

Sun belt

MEN’S BASKETBALL March 8 WKU vs.

Georgia State √ √ √ √ √ WOMEN’S BASKETBALL March 4 Georgia State vs.

UALR √ √

√√√

MEN’S BASKETBALL March 6 UL Lafayette √ vs.

WKU √ √ √ √

Jeremy

√

Akiem

Women’s Basketball The women’s basketball team lost 54-47 to Texas State on Saturday.

Center Brittany Logan led the team in scoring with 12 points.

The Panthers also lost 85-72 to UT Arlington on Wednesday.

Logan and guard Ashley Watson both led the team in scoring with 17 points each.

Baseball

MEN’S BASEBALL UT Arlington vs Texas A&M (23) √ √ √ √ √

√

The men’s basketball team captured the Sun Belt Conference regular season title and clinched the No. 1 seed in the Sun Belt Conference tournament after defeating Texas State 66-55 on Saturday.

Sophomore guard R.J. Hunter led the Panthers in scoring with 18 points.

It’s Georgia State’s first since the 2000-01 season.

On Thursday, the Panthers defeated UT-Arlington 77-49.

Fifth-year senior forward Manny Atkins led the team in scoring, while tying a career-high with 27 points.

GUEST: √ Amanda Scott

The Panthers played Northern Kentucky in a weekend series at home. In the first game against the Norses, they lost 6-5 on Friday.

Fifth-year senior outfielder Chase Raffield scored his first home run of the season in this game.

They lost the second game in the series, 4-3 on Saturday. Senior infielder Nic Wilson scored his first homer of the season in this game.

Sun Belt Standings STANDiNG

MEN’S BASKETBALL

WoMEN’S BASKETBALL

1st

Georgia State 15-1 | Overall: 22-7

Arkansas State 12-4 | Overall: 18-10

2nd

WKU 11-5 | Overall: 19-10

WKU 11-5 | Overall: 19-8

3rd

UL Lafatette 9-6 | Overall: 18-10

UALR 10-6 | Overall: 15-11

4th

Arkansas State 9-6 | Overall: 17-10

Texas State 10-6 | Overall: 13-14

5th

UT Arlington 9-8 | Overall: 14-15

Georgia State 8-8 | Overall: 12-16

6th

UALR 8-8 | Overall: 13-15

UL Lafayette 7-9| | Overall: 14-13

7th

UL Monroe 6-9 | Overall: 10-14

Troy 7-9 | | Overall: 11-16

8th

Troy 4-11 | Overall: 9-19

UL Monroe 7-9 | Overall: 11-17

9th

Texas State 4-12 | Overall: 8-21

South Alabama 5-11 | Overall: 7-19

10th

South Alabama 3-12 | Overall: 9-19

UT Arlington 3-13 | Overall: 4-23

What’s

Supported by Student Activity Fees

Happening

To request disability accommodations at this event, please contact the University Events Management at 404-413-1377 / events@gsu.edu. Please provide your name, event name, date and sponsor when making your request.

March 2014 Monday Tuesday Campus Events Applications Available

3

370 Student Center See details below.

Wednesday

Courtyard Music Series: Joshua Drew

Ron Hunter (Men’s Basketball) Radio Show

10

12-1 p.m.

Live from Courtyard Stage, Student Center

Campus Movie Fest Finale 7-10 p.m.

Speaker’s Auditorium See details below.

4

12-1 p.m.

Courtyard Stage Student Center

5

Courtyard Music Series: Epitome–Jazz/R&B 12-1 p.m.

Courtyard Stage Student Center

Student Media Leadership Applications Available

12

studentmedia.gsu.edu Due: March 24, 5:15 p.m.

Campus Events studentevents.gsu.edu

Cinefest Film Theater spotlight.gsu.edu/cinefest

Spotlight Programs Board spotlight.gsu.edu

Student Government Association sga.gsu.edu

Student Media studentmedia.gsu.edu

Student*University Center studentcenter.gsu.edu

FINALE

THE TOP FILMS FROM

GEORGIA STATE

Thursday March 6 7 p.m.

Speaker’s Auditorium Student Center

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Campus Events Director Applications Applications Posted: March 3

Film Theater

FREE for GSU students, faculty & staff with ID. Guests $3 before 5 p.m. & $5 at 5 p.m. & after.

Applications Due: April 7 Interviews: April 17 & 18 Applications Available at studentevents.gsu.edu Director Positions Available:

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8&9

Gall Transfo ery Lounge rmative Exhibit 7JTJU UIF (BMMFS

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13

15 & 16

Gravity, March 3-9

M-F: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m.

S-S: 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m.

The Great Beauty, March10-16

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Atlanta Philosophy Film Festival, March14-15 ' Q N t 4BU Q N

NIKKI GIOVANNI DISTINGUISHED

SPEAKER 8-11 p.m.

Apply for a job!

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8-11 p.m.

Student Center Ballroom See details below.

The Distinguished Speaker Series: Nikki Giovanni (in collaboration with 6th Biennial Cultural Competency Conference)

WATCH GSU’S BEST FILMMAKERS PRESENT THEIR MOVIES ON THE BIG SCREEN

COME AND SEE

6

THE

CMF

GSU Best Dance Crew

12:30-1 p.m.

Library Plaza

Cinefest

Sat-Sun

Friday

Spotlight Plaza

7 p.m.

Student Center Ballroom See details below.

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For event details, visit our websites:

Thursday

#Whoisit?

Artist Announcement Coming Soon!

Follow Facebook Fanpage GSUPANTHERPALOOZA

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SERIES

ThursDAy, March 13 FREE ZLWK *68 ,' Student Center Ballroom

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Nikki Giovanni is a world-renowned poet, writer, commentator, DFWLYLVW DQG HGXFDWRU +HU IRFXV LV RQ WKH LQGLYLGXDO VSHFLĂ€FDOO\ on the power one has to make a difference in oneself, and thus, in the lives of others. Over more than three decades of publishing and lecturing, Giovanni has come to be called a “National Treasureâ€?

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studentevents.gsu.edu

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