Vol. 79 No. 23

THE SIGNAL

VOLUME 79 | ISSUE 23 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012 WWW.GSUSIGNAL.COM

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TSPLOST would fund bridge replacement, MARTA ❚ SPoRTS Men’s tennis follows Valente’s lead to success

BRian CRoWe Staff Writer

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memory lane: through the walking tour of the 1906 Atlanta Race Riots p. 7

❚ neWS ▲ Chancellor Huckaby hopes to see funding restored to University System p. 3

❚ ONLINE EXCLUSIVE ▲ Significance and criticism of heritage months discussed

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UNDER INVESTIGATION Anonymous letter alleges hazing and illegal activity

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CHRiS SHaTTUCK news editor

An anonymous letter sent to the Dean of Students last month has sparked an investigation into the Delta Lambda chapter of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority for hazing and other illegal practices.

The letter alleges a variety of illegal sorority activities – such as underage binge drinking and marijuana use. However, it also includes sex toy parties and a total chapter retreat where “sisters were peer-pressured into taking their tops off and to get drunk.”

The letter also claims one member organized an “iPhone stealing and reselling ring” and implies that she embezzled group funds for a ski trip.

The Signal has been unable to independently verify many of the claims since many of the events listed in the letter appear to have occurred off campus, and further Open Records requests have been slow going.

Both the Chapter President Megan Lane and the university refused to comment while the investigation is ongoing. Repeated attempts at contact with over 60 present and former sorority members were unsuccessful.

The letter speaks on the consequences for whistleblowers, citing a previous example of when a sorority member reported other girls for “dirty rushing.”

“Those sisters plus their friends have made it a point to ignore her publicly and even defriend her on Facebook,” read the letter. “These same girls [REDACTED] brag about this accomplishment and warn about ‘going against the sisterhood.’”

The supervising officer Province President Dee Wallace also refused to comment on if the local chapter had conferred with her or if the university had contacted her about the allegations, although she confirmed that she only meets with the sorority about once a month and does not attend events.

“It depends on if it’s physical visits or phone visits,” Wallace said on when she meets with the group. “But I talk with them at least once a week and I meet with them less often than that.”

The last time she said she met with them was in mid-January, which would be just after the anonymous letter was sent to the Dean of Students on Jan. 12.

National President Keeley Riddle acknowledged that the Delta Lambda chapter was under investigation, although she said they have not confirmed the validity of any of the allegations in the letter.

Keeley also said Zeta Tau Alpha does not condone hazing, illegal drug use, underage drinking, excessive drinking or drinking on ZTA property or during chapter activities.

Last year the chapter was a Georgia State “Five Star Recipient,” which is the system by which the university awards outstanding Greek organizations.

The university has stated that it is working on preparing approximately 370 documents responsive to open records requests of all investigations into Greek organizations in the last year – many of which it says must be redacted to protect identifying information of students.

The university estimated the cost to retrieve, redact and copy these records at just over $407, although they warned costs might exceed their original estimate.

Documents that would irrevocably reveal student information and must be withheld, according to University Legal Affairs, include student statements, interview notes, student photos, student BANNER records and correspondence with students.

The entire redacted version of the anonymous letter may be found online at www.gsusignal.com.

Full disclosure: Signal Photo Editor Judy Kim was previously a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and has been questioned by the Dean of Students in regard to some of the allegations.

Voters will decide this summer on a new transportation tax, which would fund several projects near Georgia State’s campus.

The one-cent sales tax would fund the replacement of the Courtland Street bridge, repairs at nearby MARTA stations and the cost of connecting the Atlanta streetcar system to the Atlanta BeltLine.

The Courtland Street bridge, which the state workers repaired with concrete plugs, is slated to be replaced at a cost of $22 million. The Central Avenue bridge would also be replaced with funds from the Transportation Special Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST).

MARTA will receive $97.6 million from TSPLOST funds to repair its aging escalators and elevators if the tax is approved. The oldest stations on the original section of the blue line would receive scheduling priority, including the Georgia State station.

Construction and repairs could begin as soon as 2013.

Other, more complex projects would impact Georgia State in future years.

The BeltLine, the single largest Atlanta project, would receive approximately $600 million – including some for connection and expansion of the Atlanta Streetcar project, which is in the early stages of construction. Part of the streetcar route will traverse the Georgia State campus along Edgewood Avenue.

The one-cent tax would generate an estimated $7.2 billion, 85 percent of which is dedicated to regional projects, according to the Atlanta Regional Commission. The tax would be levied for ten years in the ten-county metro region, including Atlanta.

Revenues would be split almost evenly between transit and roads.

The TSPLOST vote is scheduled for July 31.

SPoRTS It’s the last game of the year.

Why we think every student shouldn’t miss this one.

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Chancellor is enthusiastic about budget requests CHRiS SHaTTUCK news editor

Chancellor Hank Huckaby expressed enthusiasm for Gov. Nathan Deal’s budget proposal that would restore funding for the University System of Georgia at a House subcommittee meeting Wednesday morning.

HUCKABY Years of cutbacks coupled with increased enrollment numbers have created challenges for the University System, including a backlog of renovation and state-funded infrastructure projects, according to Huckaby.

“The last several – three or four – years have been a real challenge for a lot of us,” Huckaby said.

However, Huckaby praised Gov. Deal’s proposed increases towards the University System and the Board of Regents.

“The recommendation from the governor will begin to hopefully build back a level of funding that will reflect the enrollment growth of the University System,” Huckaby said. “That money is very, very important to us.”

In addition to the $95 million slated to cover the costs of record enrollment growth, the budget requests $4.23 million to increase the number of health professionals through an expansion of the state’s residency training programs, according to the proposal.

Furthermore, $5 million would be allocated for cancer research at Georgia Health Sciences University.

Gov. Deal’s proposed budget would also allocate $235 million in bonds for new capital projects and major repairs and renovations, according to the FY2013 budget report.

However, members of the House Higher Education Appropriations subcommittee questioned Huckaby and the Board of Regents treasurer, John Brown, over a newly reinstated category of requests called smallcap projects, those costing comparatively $5 million or less.

Brown defended Huckaby’s decision to re-include the category.

“A few years ago, we used to have small cap projects that were under $5 million that gave some flexibility because often times you had some small projects trying to compete with these 30 or 40 million dollar projects,” Brown said.

Although Brown said an additional $100 million would help eliminate the pipeline of capital projects, he also said that Deal’s budget would provide funds for four of the six Board of Regents requested projects, including sites at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Georgia, Valdosta State University and the Georgia Medical College.

Lawmakers also questioned Brown on the need for additional residency programs when the state already offers similar programs at other hospitals.

Brown said that those programs were inadequate because they could only accept three to four more doctors maximum while additional programs would grant access to grant money for a wider range of hospitals.

ChriS ShaTTUCK | The Signal

Jeff Steinbook, the owner of Georgia State landmark Walter’s, says that students make up approximately 20 percent of his overall sales..

Universities bring billions to local economy aLeXiS SMiTH anD CHRiS SHaTTUCK Staff Writer and news editor

Georgia State poured over $1.5 billion into the local economy in 2010, according to a study from last year.

Developed by the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, the study analyzed the role colleges or universities play in shaping their surrounding community’s economy.

In 2010 the University System of Georgia directly accounted for 3.4 percent of all jobs in Georgia, in addition to the estimated 1.9 offcampus jobs each school created, according to the study.

The study also compared initial spending with output impact spending while estimating the total value and labor impact

of University System schools. The Georgia Institute of Technology had the greatest overall output impact into the economy at $2.1 billion, and the University of Georgia and Georgia State each contributed $2 billion and $1.5 billion respectively.

The study estimated that Georgia State created 13,660 jobs in 2010.

Local businesses like Walter’s, an Atlanta athletic clothing and footwear staple located in the middle of Georgia State’s campus, say they appreciate the student business as part of the downtown community.

“It’s important for businesses to maintain a good relationship with students because they make up the majority of downtown Atlanta,” Walter’s owner Jeff Steinbook, who estimates that Georgia State students make up to 20 percent of his total clientele, said.

Still, because customers come from around Atlanta to visit his store, Steinbook

says that it is important to maintain a good relationship with all parts of the community.

“The community is where our power of growth originally came from,” Steinbook said.

“It’s important for us at Walter’s to connect with the local community on a personal level.

We welcome everyone with open arms.”

Students like Darius Sutton, a senior and philosophy major who sometimes shops at Walter’s, agrees that students play a large part in the downtown economy.

“Walter’s is so close to campus and it’s easy for us [students] to spend money at these places,” Sutton said.

“Students keep them in business by buying the latest shoes from them instead of going to other places,” said Cherie Johnson, a junior psychology major.

“If they didn’t have good customer service, then students wouldn’t care to buy anything from them,” Johnson said.

ONE organization talks activism and awareness SaMaRia SMiTH Staff Writer

ONE, a grassroots advocacy and campaigning organization that fights extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa, now holds a place at Georgia State.

Chartered on Georgia States’s campus by Anisa Palmer in October 2011, the ONE organization is in good company on a large scale with cofounders such as Bono and supporters such as Alicia Keys and Ben Affleck.

ONE promotes its cause by raising political awareness and pressuring political leaders to support smart and effective policies and programs that are saving lives, helping to put kids in school and improving futures, according to Palmer.

Palmer, who decided to charter the ONE organization at Georgia State after her transfer out of the military, said that stopping the spread of HIV was her initial inspiration to become a

ONE member and bring it to campus.

“I became a ONE member after a ONE commercial on TV I saw with Alicia Keys saying to stop the spread of HIV from mother to child by 2015 with pregnant women,” Palmer said.

The ONE club has started out on the small scale with its official member base, but the organization continues to grow.

“We currently have nine official student members with 1 faculty advisor member, but we keep a member base of over 100 students and faculty that assist in signing petitions to stop foreign aid cuts, writing letters and making phone calls to our senators,” Palmer said.

Georgia State’s ONE organization is gaining traction across the country, according to Palmer.

“We are in the top 25 ONE campuses of over 2000 across the nation----we went from being not at all included to top 25 in less than a year,” Palmer said.

As for their current projects, Palmer says that the ONE club is trying to increase commu-

nication for medics in Africa in order to improve medical efforts.

“Currently we are collecting old cell phones to help the medics in Africa save lives,” Palmer said. “We hope to collect 2000 from GSU and send at the beginning of March.”

We went from being not at all included to top 25 in less than a year.”

--Anisa Palmer

04

NEWS | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012

February 16

leah jordan | The Signal

Sgt. Robert Wex of the Georgia State University Police Department patrols the streets with two Signal staff writers.

Georgia State’s Finest

A ride-along with GSUPD

The following is a personal report from a staff writer’s ride-along with a sergeant in the Georgia State University Police Department.

Tiffanie Smith Staff Writer

After fifteen years on the force, Sgt. Robert Wex of the Georgia State police department has seen his fair share of crime on campus.

On a daily basis, he deals with everything from robberies to bicycle thefts to underage drinking.

Riding with him last week promised a first hand look at what it is like to be a Georgia State police officer.

While Sgt. Robert Wex drove, he explained the procedures the police officers go through everyday.

About halfway through our ridealong, a dispatcher issued a call saying a Georgia State student was caught smoking marijuana. While I was hoping to that we could rush to the scene COPS-style and observe the conflict, other officers responded to handle the situation.

However, Sgt. Wex did explain the procedure after they apprehend a student in this situation.

“We issue the student a citation, which is a copy of the charges,” Wex said. “From there, they are offered an 8-week program, which is a series of classes. If this is completed, they can have the charges dismissed.”

More serious calls require a different response. Although they are rare, Wex said calls about shootings or robberies can be scary and nervewracking to officers.

“If you go to a shots fired call, you really have no idea of what you’re going to encounter when you get there,” Wex said. “It’s not always pleasant, and it’s human nature to get scared.”

After that, Wex showed the areas each officer patrolled.

“They patrol three districts,” Wex said. There is the west district (down Decatur Street to the Natural Science

Center), the east district (the main buildings) and the residential zone (the dorms on campus).

Currently 10 police cars, four motorcycles and 20 bicycles service the Georgia State campus with at least 60 police officers on campus daily.

With crime increasing each month on campus, Georgia State police are taking new steps to make the campus safer for students. For example, one concern is students returning to their cars after classes.

The police are cooperating from Turner Field to turn the blue lot lights on earlier so students that get there early have a well-lit area.

University police have also created a new crime suppression unit with four officers to target high crime areas.

However, Sgt. Kristal Perkins of the Crime Prevention Unit said students should be cautious while on campus.

“Students should be aware of their surroundings,” Perkins said.

“They should also utilize the resources the police have to offer.”

After riding along for about 30 minutes, I started to wonder how officers felt about their job.

Sgt. Wex says he just enjoys being in the city area.

“I enjoy policing, and I’ve been with Georgia State for the last 15 years,” Wex said. “I’ve seen the university grow, and I enjoy being and working in the city.”

Sgt. Perkins said something similar.

“I love my job and it’s absolutely wonderful,” Perkins said. “I’ve always wanted to help people and prevent crime before it happens. It’s really an opportunity to educate the community.”

Leah jordan | The Signal

Over 60 officers police the campus daily.

Urban Life A report was filed for Theft of Lost or Mislaid Property.

The complainant, a GSU student stated, at 7:30 a.m. he left a bag containing various items unattended and when he returned at 8:09 a.m. he noticed the bag was missing.

The case is being handled by Investigations.

Turner Field Parking Lot A report was filed for Theft of Lost or Mislaid Property.

The complainant, a GSU student stated, at 8:00 a.m. she left her Motorola Tablet unattended on the Panther Shuttle Bus and when she returned at 8:15 a.m. she noticed it was missing. The case is being handled by Investigations.

Commons Parking Deck A report was filed for Damage to Property. The complainant, a GSU staff member stated, at 2:00 p.m. she noticed the card reader at the entrance of the deck was damaged. The case is being handled by Investigations.

Classroom South A report was filed for Theft of Lost or Mislaid Property.

The complainant, a GSU student stated, at 1:20 p.m. she left her wallet containing various items unattended and when she returned at 2:30 p.m. she noticed it was missing. The case is being handled by Investigations.

M Parking Deck A report was filed for Criminal Trespass. The complainant, a GSU student stated, at 7:00 p.m. he noticed ice cream and coke was poured on the roof of his vehicle. The case is being handled by Investigations.

Student Recreation Center A report was filed for Theft of Lost or Mislaid Property.

The complainant, a GSU student stated, at 4:15 p.m. he left various items in an unsecured locker and when he returned at 6:44 p.m. he noticed all of the items were missing. The case is being handled by Investigations.

February 15

Urban Life Officers arrested four GSU students for Possession of Marijuana Less than an Ounce. At 11:27 a.m. officers observed the individuals smoking marijuana. Officers also confirmed all four individuals were in possession of additional marijuana. They were all arrested, processed and released on a Copy of Charges.

M Parking Deck Officers arrested a Non-GSU individual for Loitering and Prowling and Possession of Tools for the Commission of a Crime. At 1:40 p.m. officers observed the individual walking up the ramp of the parking deck. Officers confirmed the individual did not have a vehicle in the parking deck and located various tools in a backpack.

He was arrested, processed and transported to Fulton County Jail.

Lanier Parking Lot A report was filed for Theft by Deception. The complainant, a Non-GSU individual stated, at 2:45 p.m. an unknown individual took money from her for parking and later confirmed he was not a parking employee. The case is being handled by Investigations.

Freshman Dormitory A report was filed for Odor of Marijuana. The complainant, a GSU staff member stated, at 7:15 p.m. she smelled an odor of marijuana. Officers made contact with three GSU students which were in the room and two of the students confirmed they were smoking marijuana. The case is being handled by Housing and the Dean of Students Office.

University Commons Officers issued a Non-GSU individual a Criminal Trespass Warning. At 7:50 p.m. officers were advised the individual was on the property refusing to show his identification. Officers made contact with the individual and he was issued a C.T.W. and was escorted off campus without incident.

Courtland Building A report was filed for Terroristic Threats. The complainant, a GSU staff member stated, at 7:33 p.m. he received a threatening phone message from a former employee. The case is being handled by Investigations.

February 14

If you go to a shots fired call ... It’s not always pleasant” --Sgt. Robert Wex

B Lot A report was filed for Damage to Property. The complainant, a Non-GSU individual stated, at 2:26 p.m. the parking gate arm struck his vehicle and damaged the tailgate. The case is being handled by Investigations.

Dahlberg Hall Officers issued a Non-GSU individual a Criminal Trespass Warning. At 4:33 p.m. officers were advised the individual was loitering in the Welcome Center. He was issued a C.T.W. and was escorted off campus without incident.

OPINIONS

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Falcons’ move good for Georgia State?

The Atlanta Falcons have begun making motions to build a potential $700 million open-air stadium just over a half-mile north of the Georgia Dome at the intersection of Northside Drive and Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard.

Expecting to send out a formal request for proposals by the end of November, the Falcons could be out of the Georgia Dome and in their new stadium by 2017, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

When the Falcons vacate the Georgia Dome, we would not be surprised if Georgia State tried to move in on the property for its new football team. After all, it might be a smart move financially.

It costs Georgia State hundreds of thousands of dollars to rent the Georgia Dome for each football game. Since the first kickoff on Sept. 1, 2010, the stadium has become the beloved “concrete jungle” home of our Panthers football team. Without any real future plans for building a separate new stadium just for the Panthers, it seems only natural that Georgia State should make a bid to get in the stadium.

Georgia State also rents out the Georgia Dome as the venue for its graduation commencement ceremonies.

Much to the dismay of many students, the university recently canceled its future Fall Commencement ceremonies because of budgetary constraints. If Georgia State purchased the Georgia Dome or came into a partnership with the property owner, the finances would no longer be a problem for the graduation ceremonies.

The move to bid for the stadium is not out of the question. The Georgia Dome is owned and operated by the state of Georgia as a part of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. Seeing as Georgia State is a public university funded by the state, it shouldn’t be hard for the two to come up with a reasonable agreement.

Plus, it would provide some revenue for the university as well as the state as a convention center and being able to host other sporting events and concerts.

If these thoughts haven’t been crossing through the minds of the administration and the Athletics, it should be right away. Elbow nudge, anyone?

FRoM THe eDiToRiaL BoaRD reflects the majority opinion of the Editorial Board of The Signal, but not necessarily the opinions of individual editors

The Tweet Locker JaMeS MCDoUGaL Columnist

H

azma Kashgari, a 23year old blogger and journalist who was arrested this past week for “incendiary” tweets he made during a fictitious dialogue with the Prophet Mohammad.

Attempting to seek asylum in New Zealand, he was arrested in Malaysia and returned to Saudi Arabia to face charges of apostasy, a charge that carries the death penalty.

So, what is “apostasy?” Simply put, it is when one turns their back on their own religion (or political platform). If you were raised Catholic and now call yourself “recovering,” you are practicing apostasy.

So, what did Mr. Kashgari do to find himself accused of such a mundane offense? He tweeted. He made a series of tweets, talking to Mohammed.

I will attempt to quote Mr. Kashgari from a non-judgmental, subjective perspective: “I have loved things about you [Mickey Mouse] and I have hated things about you [Mickey Mouse] and there is a lot I don’t understand about you [Mickey Mouse]. I will not pray for you [Mickey Mouse].”

Was that really so bad? This young man was without a doubt grabbing a tiger by its tail, but is that worth the possibility of a public execution?

Is this the worth of a human life?

After his tweets were posted and public outcry began yammering for his head, Mr. Kashgari did what any

sensible person would, flee. He boarded a plane for New Zealand by way of Malaysia. It was in Malaysia where he would be detained for “allegedly insulting the Prophet Mohammed.”

Malaysia held him for five days before extraditing him back to Saudi Arabia to face the death penalty. I feel I should reiterate “possibly,” because deep down inside I hope cooler heads will prevail and a 23-year old man won’t be executed over 140 characters.

But Malaysia, a left-leaning (read moderate) Islamic country, delivered this man back into Saudi custody, knowing the “possible” repercussions.

In general terms, Kashgari’s return to Saudi Arabia would be referred to as an “extradition.” As in, “sir, you’ve been accused of robbing banks in the U.S., and here we find you on this sunny Caribbean beach. You had a good run, but we’re gonna take you back.”

We’ll attempt to compare this to an “extreme rendition,” which traditionally takes the form of someone breaking into your home, putting a bag over your head and taking you to a prison outside the United States to spend your days being water-boarded and your nights piled in a naked pyramid.

In summation: in the U.S., if you are accused of being a terrorist, you will disappear and the U.S. will in effect give you a reason to hate America; in Saudi Arabia they’ll kill you for disagreeing with the status quo.

This is the part of the movie where the villain traditionally says, “We’re not so different, you and I.” It’s easy to keep pointing fingers: Mr. Kashgari should’ve known better; Malaysia should have given him asylum; the US and her colonial cousins shouldn’t have rattled the middle east as hard as they have, for as long as they

have.

But this is not about religion or the death penalty; these avenues of thought are clear derailments from Mr. Kashgari’s situation.

This is about Saudi Arabia’s traditional impotence in defending what they hold sacred. This is about all the women killed under suspicion witchcraft and of all the fatwas placed against thinkers and writers; this is about a cycle of violence that will not stop until humanity changes.

This is about Malaysia playing politics to keep their allies happy. This is about America not even following a story like this on the news.

This is a sad, stupid thing, and I am sick thinking not only about how it’s going to end, but how few people even knew it started.

“

This is about a cycle of violence that will not stop until humanity changes.”

Zell Miller Scholarship needs to leave out SAT requirement MiRanDa Sain editor in Chief

A

ccording to research done by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, the Zell Miller Scholarship favors students from the metro area’s most affluent suburbs – like Alpharetta, Marietta and Lawrenceville.

To state it bluntly, those who could afford to attend college without financial help are those benefiting most from the full scholarship.

Meanwhile, those from low-income homes are not especially those who are first in their families to attend college.

Georgia State itself presents validation for these findings. According to the study, approximately 1/3 of students are first generation college students and about half come from low-income families to qualify for the federal grant program. However, only one percent of Georgia State students receive the Zell Miller Scholarship.

Unfortunately, I can’t say these results are surprising in the least. When Deal implemented the Zell Miller Scholarship last year, he in-

troduced a new requirement besides a GPA to receive the scholarship – at least a 1200 SAT score.

Numerous studies in recent years have proven that the SAT is not a fair standardized test for some groups. According to a study by Inside Higher Education, the SAT promotes racial and economic disparities. Therefore, those from lower income households do not perform as well on the SAT like their affluent counterparts. This fact is echoed in the statistic above about Georgia State.

To further emphasize this point, about 20 percent of Georgia Tech and University of Georgia students are Zell Miller scholarship recipients. As previously stated, only one percent of Georgia State students are. However, Georgia State enrolls more low-income, first generation college students than the other two institutions, according to the study.

In the AJC article, our own Tim Renick, associate provost for academic programs at Georgia State, made an excellent point. He stated that the SAT was a better predictor of the student’s home ZIP code than of their potential college success. As for Georgia State, he says that a student’s high school transcript is more emphasized for this reason.

By incorporating the SAT score as a requirement, Gov. Deal excluded many students – both

upcoming and current – from earned and necessary scholarship money. When the changes to the HOPE Scholarship were made and the Zell Miller Scholarship was created, current students benefiting from the HOPE were not grandfathered in.

For example, when the changes took place, I was in my last semester as a junior here at Georgia State. I had a GPA well above the 3.3 college GPA required by the Zell Miller Scholarship. I also graduated high school with a GPA above the 3.7 requirement. However, I was denied the full Zell Miller Scholarship for my senior year of college because I was a mere 40 points shy on the SAT that I had taken three years prior.

In my opinion, my college GPA is more creditable and a better measurement of my aptitude as a college student than my SAT score was.

Grandfathering in current students was a poor choice.

The SAT requirement for the Zell Miller Scholarship needs to be seriously reconsidered.

It is limiting capable and deserving students based on both race and their income. In my book, that is discrimination.

The HOPE scholarship was originally designed by former Georgia Governor Zell Miller to help these lower income students achieve their dream of attending college. However, the

Zell Miller scholarship is doing precisely the opposite.

Both scholarships are based on merit, not need. The scholarships should stay merit-based as they encourage a reward for hard work and an avenue for advancement which may be outside of their families’ means. HOPE is not an entitlement. HOPE is something to be earned.

However, we should not place limits on the program for those that have earned it.

It is not lost on me though that some kind of change needs to occur to the scholarship program in order to keep it alive. Therefore, instead of having the installed SAT requirement, there should be another GPA requirement for the Zell Miller Scholarship in its place.

For example, the 3.0 GPA requirement can stay in order to receive the HOPE scholarship.

However to obtain the Zell Miller Scholarship, the GPA requirement could stay at 3.3 GPA or even be raised to 3.5 if a higher standard was seen as appropriate.

Underneath it all, it seems that SAT requirement was placed in the Zell Miller Scholarship to further weed out possible recipients.

However, it inadvertently weeded out the low income students that needed the scholarship the most. For this reason, Gov. Nathan Deal and the General Assembly need to look into revising the program immediately.

06

OPINIONS | THE SIGNAL

Frats aren’t gangs, stop acting like they are The Georgia state legislature is about to propose a bill that would ban any student convicted of hazing from attending any public university in the state of Georgia. Is this something you would support or do you think Greek life communities should be able to practice hazing?

“I definitely support it because I have an excoworker who was actually hazed. They put him in a little cage and they put him in the back of someone’s truck and went up 75-85 North at around 80 miles per hour. They hazed him pretty bad, and this was a guy who always dressed in suits, always nice to others and they did this to him. And he actually told the police and there are some people that are not speaking out, and people can die from this just from being in an organization.”

“Well they definitely shouldn’t be allowed to practice hazing, but as far as making a law to ban them from all public universities, then that prevents the student from getting help and then being able to finish their education. Then they are just a bully that is uneducated out in the world, and what does that say about our society?”

Megan Hicks – Nursing

Kenyetta Rhodes – Journalism

MiLeS KeenLySiDe opinions editor

U

niversities are organizations that we enter with the intent of bettering ourselves and becoming upstanding and contributing members of society. It is supposed to be a safe environment where students can develop and grow into the people that they want to become. Many students choose to become part of a student organization in order to meet up with people of similar interest or to network and gain connections to use in your professional life. Perhaps you would like to gain some practical experience helping people in and around your community and have something on your resume. Many students turn to Greek life in order to get this experience.

Greek life at collegiate institutions dates back hundreds of years, with many famous people rising from the ranks of fraternities and sororities. Typically, Greek life offers students good college experience and connections to use later on in life, but sometimes there is a dark side.

Recently, Georgia State hazing rituals have become a topic of conversation and particularly how brutal they can be. There is a lot of myth surrounding hazing, among circles of people who know little to nothing about Greek life, but it’s not all legend. Of course we’ve seen the movies like “Animal House” and “Old School” that portray students going through

trials and tribulations in order to prove themselves and their devotion to the organization and having a wacky fun time the whole way through.

Sometimes those trials are terrible trials and the people aren’t having any fun at all. Young men suffering horrible beatings at the hands of those who they wish to join as brothers. Only then to be expected to cough up the money needed to be in the organization and maybe then a few teeth and some blood. Often the victims don’t come forward about this violence. This is a university; our organizations should be places of learning and development, not violent semi-secret societies. If you want to get beat up to gain some friends, why don’t you join a gang? That way, instead of spending thousands on fees, you can make thousands shooting people and selling drugs. Let me ask something to everyone: Fraternities are not street gangs, so why should we let some act like it?

Some people might cite tradition, but I say if that’s the case, it’s a tradition that has no place on a college campus and is terrible tradition that should be stopped. The Georgia State Legislature’s House Bill 659 would do just that. Get convicted of hazing, and you get banned from every single public university. This sort of violent thuggish style of hazing needs to be eradicated, and I hope HB 659 will do that.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012

THE SIGNAL editorial Department

eDiToR in CHieF

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ARTS&LIVING

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anTonio roSaleS | The Signal

People gather in front of the historic TriBeCa on the Atlanta Race Riot tour.

atlanta Race Riot A journey through the city’s history

THaDDeUS MoRGan associate Living editor

It was the turn of the twentieth century. Crowds gathered on the streets of downtown in fall. Tensions ran high as racial problems came to a boiling point, leading to the once bloodsoaked streets that we now use to guide our way through campus daily. The 1906 Atlanta Race Riot marked an event in the past that changed the dynamics of racial relationships in the south, with the history of the riot a part of each student’s stomping ground in the university.

Professor Cliff Kuhn led a walking tour of the 1906 Atlanta Race Riot, which took place from Sept. 22 to Sept. 24, 1906, to show the hidden historical gems that are right under our noses on campus. The tour had a large turnout, with students from other universities even coming to out to attend, each with their own ideas with what they hoped to gain from the tour.

“I’ve done walking tours in New York, and I really just wanted to find out the history,” Brittany McAuley, a senior from Emory University, said.

“I wanted to learn a little bit of history. Of what really happened,” Jovan King, also a senior at Emory University, said.

“I didn’t know the race riots happened here so I’m ready to learn.”

The tour started in Woodruff Park, where Kuhn handed out packets, containing pictures of areas that were a part of the race riots during that time, to everyone on the tour. He began to set the atmosphere for the city in the early 1900’s.

“This was really the heart of downtown, Five Points,” Kuhn said. “In Atlanta there were people whose presence often times constituted a threat to other Atlantans of the day.

Atlanta had a large population, relatively speaking of educated and affluent African-Americans.”

These people included the well-known W.E.B. DuBois and the lesser-known Alonzo Herndon, successful barber and Atlanta’s first black millionaire. Herndon’s financial accomplishments came partially through his founding of an insurance company but also through his extravagant barbershop on 66 Peachtree St., which is now the empty lot that used to be TriBeCa. Herndon’s barbershop was filled with knickknacks that presented it as the height of luxury. The shop was about a block long and chandeliers suspended from the ceiling. It was also one of the most deluxe barbershops in the southeast, according to Kuhn, which only increased the bitterness between the races that had already developed between black and white barbers.

“At this time we’re talking about in 1906, there was a fair amount of competition between black and white barbers.

There was a lot of resentment of black barbers,” Kuhn said.

“But there was also resentment because black barbers cut the hair of white women and children.”

On the evening of the race riot, Herndon let his barbers out early because, at that point, Atlanta was at the brink of erupting into chaos and everyone knew it, Kuhn explained. Still, by the next morning the glass of the barbershop was shattered and destroyed.

Further down, Decatur Street was fenced with a string of theaters, pawn shops and saloons, covering ground that now includes Walters shoe store and the Sports Arena. This whiskey-drenched area of the city was called “the melting pot of Dixie” by The Atlanta Journal at the time, adding fuel to the growing threat that presented itself with the crossing of racial lines drawn in the sand.

And it wasn’t long before crowds gathered on Decatur Street to break into hardware stores and pawn shops for weapons and demolishing the saloons and shops that had once garnished the street.

Marietta Street, between the MARTA station and the Aderhold Learning Center, along with the Forsyth Bridge, were also sites of destruction from the spreading flame that overtook Atlanta during the race riot.

“There was a young African-American man, Frank Smith, that was a telegraph boy for the Western Union telegraph company and he was taken off a street car and taken on to what was then the Forsyth Bridge, where he was carved to death by a butcher,” Kuhn said. “Somebody else jumped off that bridge to escape the mob. Someone else was thrown off that bridge.”

After the mob reached another barbershop on Forsyth Street, which is now around the same location as the McDonalds, two barbers were murdered along with Henry Welch, a crippled shoe shine boy that worked there. Their corpses were taken to the very same Henry W. Grady monument that stands in Marietta Street today and left there.

Walter White, a 13-year-old boy at the time of the riot, lived about a block away from the dorms on campus, according to Kuhn. It was on the night of the riot that he and his father picked up an African-American woman running from the mob. The morning after, the mob came into his neighborhood, looking for his father, when residents of the neighborhood used weapons for self-defense.

These same streets and bridges still exist today. Every day, a student may step over what could have been the resting place of someone who was victim of past hate. And with all these landmarks covering campus, you never know what history has tucked away under the surface.

08

Arts & living| THE SIGNAL

The Princess The tale of “The Princess and the Goblin” was created in 1872 as a children’s fantasy novel written by George MacDonald. Last weekend, choreographer and director Twyla Tharp brought the tale to the world of ballet.

Tharp has choreographed more than one hundred and thirty-five dances, five Hollywood movies, directed and choreographed four Broadway shows since 1963.

Not only did she bring a huge amount of experience to the production, but she also offered up wisdom to the dancers, according to Atlanta Ballet Company dancer Jackie Nash. “Anytime she comes into the studio it’s a different kind of energy,” Nash said, although she admits the dancers were all “intimidated at first” by working with such a seasoned choreographer.

“She has a lot of respect for dancers,” Nash said.

Tharp’s respect for dance and dancers shone through in the world premiere of her ballet, “The Princess and the Goblin.”

The tale itself is old, but the message of the story is timeless. “The Princess and the Goblin” is a tale about the potential of innocents to redeem those who have lost their own innocence.

In order to represent the contrast between children and adults who have lost their way, the ballet featured several child dancers, who brought a certain playfulness and naivety to the performance.

“They certainly lightened the mood,” Nash said, who performed in the ensemble of “The Princess and the Goblin,” “they were a constant source of entertainment.”

Nash also added, though, that the children

and

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012

the

were incredibly respectful to the professional dancers in rehearsals and performances.

The story begins at the king’s party, where his daughter, Princess Irene, witnesses goblins stealing children from the kingdom. No one else seems to notice the goblins, so Princess Irene begins her efforts to save the children herself.

Princess Irene, played by dancer Alessa Rogers, is not the average shy princess that is featured in most fairy tales. She is the courageous heroine of the story. Throughout the performance she shows her incredible bravery as she ventures into the forest to confront the goblin king and save the stolen children. Rogers captured the essence of the Princess Irene completely, blending her acting and dancing talents to create a relatable onstage character. The goblin king, played by John Welker, also showed a remarkable amount of acting skills. The outstanding acting skills of the dancers made it much easier for the audience to follow the story.

Although some key aspects of “The Princess and the Goblin” were very different from the average fairy tale, Princess Irene does have a ghostly sidekick and a best friend to help her save the children from her kingdom. Her GreatGreat Grandmother (and namesake) Irene comes to the rescue, gently guiding Princess Irene’s actions. Princess Irene’s best friend, Curdie, also accompanies her on her mission to save the missing children.

Nash said her favorite parts of the story are the “forgiveness you see in the father of Irene” and the “transformation that Irene goes through with Curdie, it’s a growing up kind of thing.”

“

Goblin

The tale itself is old, but the message of the story is timeless.

photos by Graham Robson | The Signal

The Atlanta Ballet brings fantasy to the stage through dance.

09

ARTS & LIVING | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012

Books and Bears and a lot of Heart

Brian Crowe Staff Writer

Arielle Wiltshire-Scott believes she was born to be a philanthropist. She may be right.

Webster’s defines a philanthropist as “one who makes an active effort to promote human welfare.”

Wiltshire-Scott is living up to that definition. She launched a new charitable venture, one that made the recent Valentine’s Day holiday a happier one for some of the metro area’s neediest children.

Wiltshire-Scott, 22, created the “Books and Bears” program, a charity designed to brighten the lives of children in shelters.

In conjunction with her fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, she collected gently used books and stuffed animals to donate to at-risk children and teenagers.

For some time, Wiltshire-Scott knew she wanted to do something different with community outreach through her fraternity. She just wasn’t sure what that something different would be.

“I really enjoy being around kids. I knew I wanted to do something for them.”

When she was trying to think of a way to help children, inspiration came from her own home.

“I looked around at all the stuffed animals and children’s books I still had. I was a lucky

child,” Wiltshire-Scott said.

Wiltshire-Scott realized other children were not so lucky. She decided to create “Books and Bears” as a way of sharing with those less fortunate than she had been as a child.

She pitched the idea to Alpha Kappa Psi in November of last

year. After receiving approval, she began collecting books and stuffed animals on Jan. 16 for donation on Valentine’s Day. Sixty books and stuffed animals were donated to the Calvary Children’s Home.

“Atlanta has a lot of problems with homelessness, but sometimes people forget a lot of them

are children,” Wiltshire-Scott said. “Also, people tend to donate stuff around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Nobody thinks of these kids on Valentine’s Day.” Wiltshire-Scott, a senior, is working toward a double major in finance and marketing. She already earned her marketing degree after

leah jordan | The Signal

Arielle Wiltshire-Scott works to bring happiness and comfort to children in need.

the fall semester and will receive her finance degree in May. “I enjoy finance. I like helping people with their finances.

But marketing is my passion,” Wiltshire-Scott said. She said she hopes one day to design print advertising campaigns.

She also hopes to expand her “Books and Bears” program, perhaps making it a citywide donation drive.

“Next time, I’d like to get local businesses involved along with some of the connections I’ve made through Alpha Kappa Psi,” Wiltshire-Scott said. “I’d like to set up donation collections at restaurants and other local businesses.”

She is also planning now to donate to more shelters next year.

“I’d like it to be an Atlanta program, then maybe national,” Wiltshire-Scott said.

Wiltshire-Scott credits Alpha Kappa Psi with helping her launch her first philanthropic venture.

“A lot of people don’t know that it’s the oldest business fraternity in the country. But it’s not just for business and finance majors. Any student can join,” Wiltshire-Scott said.

Those who would like to donate to “Books and Bears” now may still do so by bringing stuffed animals and books to the chapter room of Alpha Kappa Psi, located in room 448 of the University Center.

Question Bridge connects art and social consciousness Courtney Boyd Staff Writer

sarah woods | The Signal

Question Bridge video installation brings history to the Chastian Arts Center.

Towering oak trees line the trail from West Wieuca Road to the big, red front door of the City Gallery at Chastain Arts Center. Inside the door is a video installation that exhibits the collective work of photo conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas, photographer Chris Johnson, arts educator Bayeté Ross Smith and Atlanta-based artist and producer Kamal Sinclair.

Question Bridge: Black Males is a transmedia, or multi-platform, art project that explores W.E.B. DuBois’ psycho-social theory of double consciousness in a contemporary context. Through videomediated question and answer exchange, its creators attempt to bridge the dichotomies between members of a particular demographic.

“Who are you? What is your purpose?” Malik Seneferu asks as his face appears projected on the back wall of the studio. Suddenly, two other faces are projected on either side of Senefuru’s, while the one to his right begins to answer. The man on his left stares attentively at the camera.

Deceptively simple in its design, Question Bridge is a process made of basic principles. First, developers identify a demographic and consider the significant, clearly defined divisions that exist within the demographic. Next, they create a setting where members on one side of the demographic feel comfortable to ask sincere, poignant questions and those on the opposing side are free to answer those questions.

Finally, developers assemble the questions and responses in a form that both parties can witness, much like a faux conversation.

The exhibit is designed in a similar way. White walls and grainy wood floors create an open atmosphere that encourages reflection. Yet black and white still portraits, lighting treatments and clever-

ly placed furniture pieces add depth to the setting.

City Gallery’s current display of Question Bridge is a revival of Johnson’s original concept, which emerged in 1996. He was commissioned by the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego to create a piece relating to race for the Republican convention that year.

“As an artist growing up in New York I realized that one of the key issues for the Black community was the division between those whose lifestyles have them focused primarily within the community … and those who’ve really moved into the mainstream, White world,” Chris Johnson said in a Skype interview with Savona Bailey-McClain, executive director and chief curator of the West Harlem Art Fund, Inc. “I tried to come up with a strategy for connecting those two disparate groups of African Americans. That’s how the project began.”

Though moderately successful, the first Question Bridge never made it farther than the Museum of Photographic Arts. Then, in 2007, an eager artist named Hank Willis Thomas breathed new life into Johnson’s idea.

Thomas had been invited to apply for a grant from the Tribeca Film Institute and chose to revamp Question Bridge for his submission. He also decided to use black males for the subject of the film, which had previously included both men and women. When Thomas extended an opportunity to collaborate and reinvent the project, Johnson obliged.

“At the same time that a Black man could become President of the United States, Black men who make up six percent of our population, make up 62 percent of those in our prisons,” Chris wrote on his blog. He saw working with Hank as a way to facilitate dialogue and confront stereotypes between those in the “most opaque and misunderstood demographic in our culture.”

10

ArTS & LIvING| THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012

RECORD REVIEWS 01 Organismo Adron Say, View, Create, Shadow Leads 02 Dreams Dustin Wong Traits 03 Natural Ernest Gonzales

04

Kitsuné Parisien II Various Artists

the Void 05 Be Dr. Dog to the Wall 06 Onwards A Place to Bury Strangers Some Faith in Magic 07 Have Errors of Satellites Remixed 08 City Various Artists Voyage Dans La Lune 09 Le Air Stalks 10 Paralytic Of Montreal

11

Lineage Shigeto

Tonk Medusa 12 Honky Donovan Quinn the Hedge 13 By Minks On Time 14 Back Plug Sweetheartstammers 15 They Pigeons

16 Weekends pacificUV Smart Black Boy | The Sonic Inception 17 A blctxt contxt

18 Tramp Sharon Van Etten 19 Hospitality Hospitality & Champagne 20 Lilacs Lilacs & Champagne

21 Ester Trailer Trash Tracys Scott Heron Tribute 22 Gil Amin PaYne

23 Cyrk Cate Le Bon Times Xpress IV 24 Rad Black Bananas

25 Maraqopa Damien Jurado Sleep & Forgetting 26 A Islands On Blood 27 Yes Mallard High School 28 Planet Mux Mool the Yard 29 In Neal Morgan & Old 30 Young Tennis

Van Halen, A Different Kind of Truth ZaCK KRaiMeR associate arts editor

Throughout their career, Van Halen has remained remarkably consistent in their sound. Their new release, A Different Kind of Truth, makes it clear that little has changed in that regard.

Many of these tracks sound like they could have been Van Halen B-sides—most aren’t good enough to qualify as hits, but they’re all unmistakably Van Halen. The record kicks off with its single, “Tattoo,” and it brings forth the same distorted, high-octane rock that they’ve always been known for. “She’s the Woman” is the same way, as is “Outta Space.” “Honeybabysweetiedoll” is spacey, strange and utterly out of character, but the rest of the record keeps in line with the first few.

If this record proves anything, it’s that Eddie Van Halen is an unstoppable guitarist. His machine-gun leads and soaring squeals are no different from the band’s heyday in tone, passion and fury, even after his recent hand surgery. It’s a good thing Eddie’s the real star, because he’s the least changed of any of the members.

This is Eddie’s son Wolfgang’s first recorded effort with the group, and he fills the void left by Michael Anthony with ease. His chops are pretty outstanding, especially for someone who’s still in high school, but it’s hardly surprising given his dad’s legendary skills.

David Lee Roth is the most audibly aged of the group—his voice has a gruffness about it that wasn’t there in the past, and it’s a little off-putting at times. He certainly doesn’t have the range that he used to, but there are moments on the record that reassure us that he’s not totally burned out.

Van Halen enthusiasts will rejoice with the release of A Different Kind of Truth, but even non-fans should respect the musical prowess that the band brings to the table.

Seal, Soul 2 yUTi JoSHi Staff Writer

The British vocalist Seal brought in a beautiful setting of music from the ‘70s with his new album Soul 2. Filled with complete nostalgia, this album is the sequel to his 2008 album Soul, which was another inspirational compilation depicting the ‘60s.

The album contains 11 songs, each one of them having very sentimental values as well as emotions. Within the tracks, Seal brings in soul songs from these earlier eras from celebrated artists like Al Green and Teddy Pendergrass. Seal’s passion for this music is very well reflected in these songs as he adds his own zest of style.

The first song “Wishing on a star” is a great album opener as Seal tries to interpret his feelings towards a lost love. Seal gets passionate on a beautiful incinerate song called “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore,” in which you can hear his despair through his vocals. The singer also brought Bill Wither’s ever-famous hymn of friendship “Lean On Me” to us through his new album. However, it lacked the signature gospel hand claps that one would hear in the church. The album ended with “Oh Girl” in which Seal used The Chi-Lites to express feelings about his sorrows in his love life.

Some of the albums shining moments are “Love TKO” and “Backstabbers.” Seal knew that by selecting ineradicable hits from soul’s golden era and infusing them with his own style and a contemporary polish, he would be crafting an album that not only respects its heritage but also is an imagination of the classics they once were. The great thing about these songs is that they never supersede the originals, but they hardly suffer in comparison because they have passion and soul written all over them.

Seal’s voice and revelatory skills make the tracks sound smooth thus making them go hand in hand with the original composition.

REEL REVIEWS The Vow

“The Vow,” which was released the Friday before Valentine’s Day, appeared to be another cliché chick flick, comLaURa aPPeRSon plete with both Channing Tatum (“Dear Copy editor John”) and Rachel McAdams (“The Notebook”).

Unfortunately, the film lived up to its expectations. Tatum and McAdams play a young married couple, Leo and Paige, who get into a car accident on their way home from a date. The film opens with the pair goofing off and flirting as they stop at a stop sign. They pause to share a kiss and Paige, who was not wearing her seat belt (safety first, everyone), flies through the window after a truck rear ends their car, driving it into a pole. Paige ends up in the hospital with a coma. When she wakes up, she learns that the last five years of her life has been completely erased from her memory and she has no idea who her husband is and no memory of marrying him. The couple begins on a journey of waiting for Paige to get her memory back - if she ever does.

Tatum and McAdams actually have a nice onscreen chemistry

Safe House

If you’re looking for an exhilarating thriller to attend and keep you on the edge of your seat, “Safe niCoLe HoLMan House” may be just the movie for Staff Writer you. Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington and Hollywood heartthrob Ryan Reynolds team up in this highly anticipated action film.

The movie follows Matt Weston (Reynolds), a safe house guard for the CIA in Cape Town, South Africa who wishes to move up the totem pole in his career. After turning himself in at a U.S. Consulate and being brought to the Weston’s safe house, rogue CIA agent and world’s most wanted criminal, Tobin Frost (Washington), meets his soon to be mentee. While in the middle of an intense interrogation, gangsters break into the safe house looking for Frost and the top secret CIA file in his possession. During the break-in, Weston takes the time as an opportunity to kidnap Frost which later turns into cat-andmouse chase between the two while trying to escape CIA agents.

and their acting is pretty good. However, the storyline is very bland, as is the writing. The dialogue is extremely uninteresting and gives no room for the characters, who all had extremely rich personalities, to really shine. Both the plot and the writing seemed to put the characters in a box. I also wanted to know more about Paige and Leo’s friends (who were called their “family” at one point in the film), who only appeared in the movie to give Leo advice a couple of times.

After Paige realizes she has no memory of the past five years, she goes home to temporarily live with her parents, who she doesn’t remember fighting with. Leo and Paige fight constantly, which is unusual for a madly in love couple. These two events are the only real driving forces of the plot, and while Paige is trying to rediscover who she really is, Leo is frustrated and discouraged. This friction makes viewers tense the entire movie, and while that can sometimes be a good thing, the ending was completely unsatisfying.

If this movie had better script writing and a richer plot it would have been an excellent film. However, because of its flaws, it can only be deemed mediocre.

This film definitely caters to the action lovers with its constant explosions, shot wounds to the head and lingering suspense and intensity. Washington fits perfectly for the role of Frost, never failing to bring audiences that smooth and effortless bad guy. Reynolds also does a pretty decent job here, as he is taken out of his common role of lover in a romantic comedy and is being carefully watched next to the pro of action movies.

Overall, the film does well in keeping the audience guessing about Frost’s next move and what’s to come next. The editing is superb and the hazy glow and reddish undertones compliment the story’s intensity. But the film may drag in scenes that do not include Frost and towards the end you may be aching for the movie to get to the point.

Also, it is never crystal clear why Frost decided to turn against the CIA. Despite its minor flaws, it is still an enjoyable story. This may be no “Law Abiding Citizen” for those seeking mystery and thrill or “Training Day” for those drawn to Washington’s acting style, but it’s money decently spent.

Editor’s note: Promote your event in this calendar! Contact Alicia Johnson at signalliving@gmail.com with the event name, time, date, location and a brief description.

February 21

Intercultural Relations Goes 3-D: Dinner, Diversity, and Dialogue Diversity

In collaboration with the Department of Political Science, this 3-D event will focus on diversity issues relating to the 2012 Presidential Election.

Student Center, Lanier Suite // 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

CALENDAr would eventually move on and explore new musical horizons on his own both as a composer and bandleader—even experimenting with the harpsichord and celeste in his work. Some 80 albums later, he’s still a leading light of the jazz universe. Now, his Trio returns to the Rialto with a special guest, Grammy-Award winning post-bop jazz saxophonist and composer Joe Lovano, whose long and storied career has seen him play alongside the likes of Chet Baker, Woody Herman, and Abbey Lincoln.

Rialto Theater // 8:00 p.m.

February 26

Black Tusk, Chairleg, Lazer/Wulf Are you metal enough to handle Black Tusk, Chairleg, and Lazer/ Wulf in Purgatory? There’s only one way to find out. Only attend if you have an affinity for sonic brutality.

Masquerade [Purgatory] // 7:00 p.m. // $10

February 27

Agent Orange, Burns Like Fire, El Caminos, Bullets Are Good Food

Punk rock legends Agent Orange return for another night of fast-

Campus MovieFest Finale

GSU students had 5 days to write, direct, shoot, and edit a short film. Now we reveal the best of the best. Come to this red-carpet finale event, dressed in your best style. Top winners will be announced from Georgia State University and they will advance to the CMF Grand Finale in Hollywood, CA, in June 2012.

This event is a collaborative effort between Campus Events, Spotlight Programs Board, GSTV, SGA, the Residence Hall Association (RHA) and the Rialto Center for the Arts.

Rialto Theater // 7:30 p.m.

paced, aging-rebel splendor. Make sure to bring your obligatory Doc Martens and studded leather vest.

Masquerade [Hell] // 7:00 p.m. // $10

March 1

Dexter Romweber Duo, Orbo & the Longshots

If he’s good enough for Jack White to call him a major influence, he’s good enough for you, too. Make sure to check out the original brother-sister rock duo when they rattle the E.A.R.L. with their electrifying live show.

The E.A.R.L // 8:30 p.m. // $10

John Lewis

U. S . C O N G R E S S M A N

February 23

Portlandia: The Tour @ Variety Playhouse

If you like the show on IFC, you won’t want to miss their live tour when it stops at Variety Playhouse.

SNL’s Fred Armisen and SleaterKinney’s Carrie Brownstein make a great comic duo, and the program should translate well to the stage.

1099 Euclid Ave // 10:30 p.m. // $30

February 24

Manchester Orchestra, Chris Staples

Local favorites Manchester Orchestra haven’t shown their faces around town since their Thanksgiving bash, The Stuffing, so you’ll want to be there when they do it all over again at the E.A.R.L.

The E.A.R.L. // 9:00 p.m. // $18 February 25

McCoy Tyner & his Trio

RSVP: 404/413-5128 gerontology gsu.edu

@

Shamora Live in Concert 2012

First Thursday Downtown Arts Walk

This globally renowned producer, artist and songwriter is coming to the Rialto to play some of the songs that helped launch her career. She’s written for Jennifer Lopez and Blu Cantrell, so if you’re fans of theirs you won’t want to miss this.

March 2

One Sunday Morning

On the first Thursday of every month, visitors can take a selfguided tour through art venues in downtown Atlanta. There’s no ticket needed, so come on down and start walking!

Heartless Bastards, the Fling, Tiger! Tiger!

Often described as a “power trio” (whatever that means), Heartless Bastards return to Atlanta for one of their renowned live shows. It’s a Friday night, live a little.

LECTURESHIP IN GERONTOLOGY

Distinguished Lecture Series: Exploring Predictors of Spoken Language Development in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Jazz pianist McCoy Tyner bears a pedigree few musicians today can match. As a member of the John Coltrane Quartet, Tyner played alongside the master on original recordings of “My Favorite Things” and “A Love Supreme,” to name just a few, and changed the sound of jazz in the process. Tyner

The E.A.R.L. // 9:00 p.m. // $15

BA R BA R A P I TTA RD PAYNE

February 22 Language & Literacy

A reception will follow the presentation by Dr. Helen TagerFlusberg from Boston University.

1199 Urban Life Building // 1:00 p.m.

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ArTS & LIvING | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012

March 3

This musical details a family’s struggle with the loss of a member, a man who is also the pastor at his local church. There are two showings, so there’s no excuse for not catching one.

SPOrTS

❚ Get your daily dose of gamers on the Web

www.gsusignal.com/sports

Why YOU should go to THE LAST JeReL MaRSHaLL Sports editor

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This Wednesday, the Panthers are set to take on Old Dominion at 7 p.m. in the Sports Arena. Here are a few reasons why this is a game that no Georgia State student should miss.

Cheap food: $1 slices of pizza. $1 hot dogs. $1 bottles of soda.

Everything is $1!

You can’t beat that.

GAME OF THE

YEAR

Coach Hunter says: It’s your team and your team is winning. So why not?

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Free Stuff: The only thing better than cheap stuff is free stuff. Georgia State will be giving away 500 red tshirts and 200 concessions coupons.

If you sow up early, you have a great chance at walking away with some free Georgia State goodies.

Tournament implications: Coach Hunter said that he would make sure that Georgia State was involved in basketball games with meaning. Since joining the Colonial Athletic Association in 2005, Georgia State hasn’t been much a factor in the conference. The Panthers are on track to earn their best seed in the CAA tournament and the outcome of this game could have a big impact on Georgia State’s seeding.

Tradition: Georgia State isn’t exactly a school that is rich in tradition. Since coach Hunter has arrived he has done his best to change that.

He told The Signal that no matter what happens in Wednesday night’s contest, he plans on joining the student section to sing the school fight song after the game as a way to show his appreciation for their support. This could be the start of something special. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

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It’s better than TV: Watching the new episode of “Survivor” is important but that’s why they invented TiVo. You won’t get a chance to experience the raucous atmosphere of college basketball via a Hulu stream. “American Idol” can wait.

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Pounce the Panther: Some seasons Pounce keeps it pretty simple. He walks around fist pumping and giving students dap.

This year, he has been noticeably more entertaining. There is something about the way Pounce “beefs it up” or does Lil B’s cooking dance that makes games just a little bit more fun. If only the basketball band knew how to play “Wonton Soup.”

phoToS by graham robSon | The Signal

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Timeout Games: Watching fellow students run full speed in that bulky Airtan airplane costume never gets old. Where else do you get to cheer your friend on as they struggle to find Pounce while blindfolded? And, who knows, maybe at this game you will get your shot to roll like a Willy’s burrito. Let’s just hope all the action stays cleaner than last week’s hotdog eating contest.

School pride: There is no feeling like cheering your team on to victory—especially teams like Georgia State (19-9, 10-6 CAA) that have played way above expectations. Whether you scream your head off in the standing-only section or just chime in during the periodic chants of “defense,” you’re bound to have a good time.

Last home game of the season: The Sports Arena has played host to a bunch of great basketball games this year. Old Dominion (18-11, 12-4 CAA) is a tough team and this match up has thriller written all over it. To add to the drama, this will be the last time six of Georgia State’s seniors will step foot on Charles “Lefty” Driesell Court. This will be a great opportunity to give players like Jihad Ali and James Fields a “Senior Night” to remember.

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You pay for it: Have you seen that athletic fee?!

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SPOrTS | THE SIGNAL

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012

Valente, Panthers hungry for more success VaLenTina Lee Staff Writer

Georgia State men’s tennis team has a hunger for the top. With a current record of 5-2, the team has no expectations to have another loss anytime soon.

Victor Valente, who is ranked No. 14 in the Southeast region in singles, has been the leading factor for Georgia State’s victories. With his exceptional skill level and experience, he has been the tone-setter of the team this past season. “[Valente] is our best player and he’s ranked,” head coach Chase Hodges said.

“He’s the number one spot who sets the tone for the rest of the team and we always feel we have a shot at winning with him. Overall, I’m pleased.”

As the No. 1 singles seat, Valente has a record of 5-2. His only losses have been against University of South Carolina and Georgia Institute of Technology, who are both ranked in the top 25. He gave both teams a good run, but fell a little short at the end. The losses have not stopped his competitive drive. Instead, Valente has been practicing at extreme levels to make sure he reaches his goals.

“I expect [Valente] to have 22 wins in the number one spot,” Coach Hodges said. “That was our goal, if he can surpass that great, were taking that one match at a time.”

The No. 1 doubles team, Valente and freshman Matias Hatem, has been a little short on having a successful season

together. Hatem has been playing at a higher level that has helped them learn to cope with their small size, but it still halted them on being consistently triumphant. Both players have been using their different abilities at an intense pace to give other teams a hard time.

However, there is still quite a bit of room for improvement, as they hold a record of 3-3. Valente still feels they have a little more work to do to become better. “[Hatem] and I need to learn to relax more, keep our control, and not fall to pressure,” Valente said.

Hodges said he has been working the team hard to prepare for the rest of the season. For the past few weeks, the team has conditioned at 7 a.m. for two to three days each week. Also, the team has a strict weight training regiment and the regularly hit the courts to work on their mechanics.

Coach Hodges said he is only a little pleased with the team as a whole so far this season. He craves for more out of each player.

“All in all were shaping up in terms of having a good season,” Coach Hodges said. “We just have a couple of guys that need to start playing better, some win, and some don’t and we need them to step up.”

“We’ve been practicing like crazy.

I’m feeling pretty confident,” Valente said.

graham robSon | The Signal

Georgia State baseball imports big arm from Germany in pitcher Max Schmitz DyLan RiCe associate Sports editor

Georgia State baseball’s pitching rotation will look to get a big boost from overseas with the addition of 6’7 freshman right-hander Max Schmitz, who hails from Bonn, Germany.

Georgia State head coach Greg Frady was Schmitz’s coach when he played for Germany’s national team, and he was impressed enough by his talent to offer him a scholarship to play in the States.

“When I first played for the German national team I tried out at a big tournament in the Netherlands. He saw me pitch and he offered me a scholarship, and that’s when I first considered going to college over here in America,” Schmitz said.

Schmitz lived in Seattle, Washington for two years as a young child but couldn’t remember much about that time. But he was excited to return to America to pursue a chemistry degree while helping out the ball club in the process.

Although he’s only been in Atlanta for about a month, the differences both on the diamond and in the classroom when compared to home have already become apparent.

“In Germany it’s an amateur

georgia STaTe SporTS CommUniCaTionS

Schmitz is no stranger to Frady’s coaching style, as the two got acquainted while competing on the German national team.

sport,” Schmitz said. “If you attend college here and play a sport it’s professional. You go out every day.

You get a routine in what you do, and oh man it’s so much faster. The pace of the game. The understanding of the game. Everybody knows

what to do.”

In the classroom Schmitz loves the fact that he can sit down one on one with a tutor or professor and get extra help. This is something that wasn’t ever available to him in Germany. That being said he

wishes he could dive right into his chemistry courses and not have to take care of his core requirements first.

When it comes to his personal performance athletically, Schmitz has tried to stick structurally to

what he did to get noticed by Frady in the first place.

“I didn’t change my style of pitching,” Schmitz said. “I didn’t change really much of my mechanics or something. I was just concentrating on pounding the strike zone, throwing strikes, getting my breaking stuff back again and trying to be aggressive on the mound.”

But strategically he’s realized he’ll have to adjust his approach if he wants to be a quality pitcher while facing college-level talent.

“I was a power pitcher in Germany, but that’s because I was throwing way harder than everybody else over there. Here it’s kind of like there’s guys throwing faster than me and I’m surrounded by all other pitchers over here. So I have to figure out how to pitch to college guys,” Schmitz said.

Schmitz said the staff and his teammates have been a great help in making these transitions, both athletically, academically and culturally.

Schmitz is focused not on any personal statistic, but on team results and having a good time living out a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“There is no certain number or any statistic or something,” Schmitz said. “I just want to have fun when I’m out there. And I just want to compete. Play good baseball. Fun it’s all about fun.”

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2012

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SPOrTS | THE SIGNAL

Georgia State Womenʼs Soccer wants to start from scratch ToM TeRRy iii Staff Writer

After having an unsatisfactory season that resulted in Coach Domenic Martelli being fired, the Panthers are ready to start on a clean slate with a new coaching staff.

Georgia State’s first-year head coach Derek Leader believes that in spite of having a disappointing season and finishing ninth in the standings, the team has a lot of potential to be a winning team.

Leader is very different from Martelli. Leader wants his team to be more structured. He is a lot more demanding and wants things to be done in certain way and Jewel Evans agrees.

“They’re very different. Coach Derek was more strict with structure he wants a lot of order.

Coach Martelli was more like go with the flow and things will work out,” Evans said.

Evans believes that one of biggest lesson learned from last season is to be more attentive.

“We’re trying to be more focused on doing what we have to get done, so I think there were a lot of distractions, a lot things going on last season with our coach’s job on the line,” Evan said.

“This season we’re just trying to get focused.”

Last season, eight of Georgia State’s dozen losses were decided by just one goal, so Leader will be tasked with figuring out a way to help the Panthers to close out soccer games.

“We learn to play to the very end because a lot times we would get be up one goal and we would get comfortable and then the other team would come back in the last second of the game,” said Evans, “I think we learn to play until the last minute of the game.”

Coach Leader wants to be more organized and prepare his team to play their opponents, which includes paying close attention to health and nutrition.

“Basically sustaining a level of fitness to perform two weekend matches is vitally important to me,” Leader said. “I learned a lot about nutrition and hydration. I learned how to really take

and treat the athletes very well.”

Although Leader’s attitude towards nutrition might be different from what many players are used to, the Panthers seem to be embracing the new culture. Senior Sarah Bennett believes that nutrition can make the team better.

“Eating was more of a privilege with [Martelli] rather than a responsibility,” Bennett said. “With Derek it’s pretty much performance based on the nutrition you put in your body, so it’s very regimented and very serious and very health conscious.”

“We want to make sure to recover the athlete, so we can perform in the next day or training session,” Leader said. “We want to make sure that from a health and eating standpoint that they’re prepared.”

The Panthers did not put together the season they had hoped for last year with an overall record of 7-12-1 and 4-3-1 in CAA conference play.

Coach Leader believes that his coaching style can make a difference.

“We’re dealing with accountability we’re holding the athletes to a higher standard,” Leader said. “We’re trying to make the athletes accountable to themselves and to their teammates and we’ll get the soccer later. Right now, we’re trying to make sure self-interest isn’t greater than the team interest.”

The Panthers have set a goal to win the conference. Overall, Leader believes his team is coming together quite well and his players realize that the team is the most important thing.

“The team has worked hard in an effort to build morale and camaraderie but they’re learning how to do it without self-interest,” Leader said. “That’s how we’re going to be successful and until that point we won’t find success.”

The Panthers will get to test their new and improved training methods in this year’s spring exhibition season. The team will take on programs such as Davidson and Ole Miss. graham robSon | The Signal

The full Spring schedule can be found online at The women’s soccer team got their first taste of spring action this Saturday in a friendly match against the men’s club soccer team. www.georgiastatesports.com.

GSU Sports Scoreboard: Try FASTING with us for a day and for each person, local sponsors will donate $1 to Project Hope, a refugee assistance effort in Clarkston, GA (ProjectHopeAtlanta.org) SIGN UP & fast from sunrise to sunset then join us for FREE DINNER at 5:00pm Tuesday, March 6, 2012 Student Center Ballroom For details or to REGISTER TODAY Visit GSUMSA.com

Women’s Basketball 2/16 @ Northeastern L 51-76 2/19 @ George Mason L 68-70 Men’s Basketball 2/14 vs. James Madison W 67-64 2/18 vs. UTSA W 82-71 Men’s Tennis 2/19 vs. Austin Peay W 7-0 Women’s Tennis 2/19 @ Winthrop Canceled

Softball 2/15 @ Georgia Southern W 1-0 2/15 @Georgia Southern L 1-4 2/18 vs. Chattanooga W 5-1 2/19 vs. Eastern Illinois W 7-0 2/19 vs. IUPUI W 1-0 Baseball 2/17 vs. Western Illinois L 5-7 2/17 vs. Western Illinois W 7-0 2/18 vs. Western Illinois W 11-9 2/19 vs. Western Illinois W 9-4 Women’s Golf 2/14 @ UCF Challenge placed 17th of 18