SEPT. 4 - SEPT. 11, 2018
VOL. 86 | NO. 3
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It ' s real the win we needed SPORTS | PAGE 15 Transfer quarterback Dan Ellington leads Georgia State to its first opening day win since 2014 in nail-biting fashion.
PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL
THE END OF MARTA?
WE WANT YOU TO VOTE
#GSUFITWATCH
TOO-TURNT TAILGATING
With new leadership looming, MARTA and surrounding transit authorities may be forever changed.
Change isn’t a quick process. But with today’s politics, the easiest change you can make is voting.
An inside look at State students stuntin’ and stylin’ in Library Plaza.
If opening day is any indication, tailgating will only become a larger part of Georgia State sports.
NEWS | PAGE 5 GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
OPINION PAGE 8
News 3
ARTS & LIVING | PAGE 10
OPINION 7
Arts & Living 9
SPORTS | PAGE 18
Sports 15
NEWS
2
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
BLOTTER AUG. 28
Who do you know here?
A Georgia State student was reported for failure to leave campus or facility at Piedmont Central at 2:20 p.m.
Ever seen a blind man drive?
Someone not affiliated with Georgia State was arrested on Edgewood Avenue and Park Place SE at 10:24 a.m. for driving with ability impaired.
Stay in your lane
Someone reported a demented
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Daniel Varitek
person on John Wesley Dobbs and Piedmont Avenue at 12:47 p.m.
editor@georgiastatesignal.com executive editor (atlanta) Vacant executive editor (perimeter) Vacant
Editorial NEWS EDITOR Will Solomons
AUG. 30
news@georgiastatesignal.com
Reports of espresso shots fired
ASSociate NEWS EDITOR Natori Spence news2@georgiastatesignal.com OPINIONS EDITOR Vacant opinions@georgiastatesignal.com associate oPINIONS EDITOR Vacant opinions2@georgiastatesignal.com ARTS & LIVING EDITOR Sydney Bloeme
Someone reported a deceased person or fatality at Highland Bakery at 6:24 a.m.
Let us cry in peace!
living@georgiastatesignal.com
Someone reported a disturbed and emotional person on Peachtree Street and Auburn Avenue at 1:44 p.m.
ASSociate ARTS & Living EDITOr Samuel Puckett living2@georgiastatesignal.com SPORTS EDITOR Jerell Rushin sports@georgiastatesignal.com ASSociate SPORTS EDITOR Vacant sports2@georgiastatesignal.com copy editor Vacant copy@georgiastatesignal.com
Production production editor Devin Phillips
ILLUSTRATION BY EVAN STAMPS | THE SIGNAL
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PHOTOGRAPHY photo EDITOr (atlanta) Vanessa Johnson
photo@georgiastatesignal.com photo EDITOr (perimeter) Vacant photo2@georgiastatesignal.com Associate Photo editor Unique Rodriguez
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digital@georgiastatesignal.com ASSociate Online Editor Angel Nelson digital2@georgiastatesignal.com PODCAST EDITOR Caleb P. Smith
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Young Georgia State fan shows off his stuffed Pounce as the Panthers face off against Kennesaw State on Aug. 30, 2018.
PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ | THE SIGNAL
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COVER PHOTO CUTLINE
There were over 20,000 fans at Georgia State Stadium for the first home game of the 2018 season versus the Kennesaw State Owls.
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NEWS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
www.georgiastatesignal.com/news
The consequences of GroupMe cheating Biology department dissects Georgia State’s cheating problem NATORI SPENCE
Associate News Editor
E
ric Gaucher, the director of the biology department at Georgia State, and Jessica M. Parilla, the undergraduate director of the biology department, hope to create a culture where students strive to use technology for academically honest reasons. “I think we have seen an increase in the number of students who use digital platforms for academic dishonesty purposes. I think each one of those platforms is used differently, and I think each one of these platforms have completely legitimate purposes,” Parilla said.
“... everything is being recorded, there’s a digital record of everything that has everybody’s names on it” — JESSICA M. PARILLA, director of the biology department at Georgia State
Some of these digital platforms include GroupMe, Quizlet and Chegg. Parilla said that she thinks there are plenty of students who are using them “the right way,” but because students across the board are using them more often, the number of students who are using them inappropriately is growing as well. “I googled the name of my class and the first few things that came up were cheating websites that had my old exams published on them,” Parilla said. “I can imagine how most professors are unaware that if you just google the name of your class, the first things that come up are ways to cheat.” Quizlet actually has a long-standing policy prohibiting the posting and sharing of test banks and other cheating content. Their community guidelines specifically prohibit this behavior and their honor code details their approach to supporting academic integrity on Quizlet. “The misuse of our platform to develop bad habits, such as cheating or cutting corners on
assignments, is disappointing to us and we encourage any student or teacher who finds content on Quizlet that may violate our honor code to reach out to us through our dedicated portal for these requests,” Laura Oppenheimer, director of marketing at Quizlet, said. Quizlet’s community guidelines state that any student or educator who believes material on Quizlet is negatively affecting their course or curriculum should contact them so they can address the issue. “We have internal tools in place to identify and remove this material and are continually working on increasing our capacity to combat this issue proactively on a technical level,” Oppenheimer said. Parilla said that GroupMe has been its own special situation because students usually start with the best of intentions, but then one or two students begin using the platform as a means to cheat. “If we could just redirect the energy that students are putting into cheating and take that energy and spin it into actual studying, we’d be set,” Gaucher said. In the biology department, a group of students saw something they should not have seen in a GroupMe chat, and one person reported it. The witnesses were let off with a warning because it was discovered that students truly did not know the policy. “Because they don’t say anything about it, they are also violating the academic honesty policy because they have this stuff available to them, whether or not they use it, and they’re not reporting it,” Parilla said. Georgia State’s policy on academic honesty states, “Lack of knowledge of this policy is not an acceptable defense to any charge of academic dishonesty.” “In the college committee, one of the most often defenses that we get when students are brought to the petitions hearings is ‘I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong. I didn’t know that this was plagiarism,’” Parilla said. As a result, dozens of students are accomplices without really being aware of what’s happening. “We have to do a better job of getting students informed of the policy because there are some very important things that are going to change the way students view cheating at Georgia State,” Gaucher said. At academic petition hearings, an instructor only has to prove that it was more likely than not that the student was cheating, and the digital age we are in is making this a lot easier to do.
I WIL L NO T CH I WIL EAT L N I WIL OT C HEAT L NO TC I WIL L NO HEAT T CH EAT I WILL NOT C HEAT
“The burden of proof becomes a lot easier to establish because with digital platforms, everything is being recorded, there’s a digital record of everything that has everybody’s names on it,” Parilla said. And as it turns out, students are very unaware of this. “There’s a culture that exists where cheating is almost part of the game. There’s a cat and mouse game that takes place that is a lot more prevalent on this campus than other campuses. Nobody values the snitch,” Gaucher said. However, finding a way to capture every single student and make sure they know the policy remains difficult. “Our goal is not [to] punish students for this right off the bat. The goal is to get everybody aware of this so that once everybody is aware then we can start holding people accountable more severely,” Gaucher said. They both hope that this effort can shift student focus from abusing online platforms to actually utilizing the resources available to them at Georgia State. “A lot of times the answers that they give on Chegg, the expert help, is wrong. It’s terrible. I don’t know who they’re hiring but they are not experts. If they had just contacted somebody in the tutoring center or their teaching assistant or someone who actually knows how to help them, they would get such better help,” Parilla said. There have been reports of professors going
as far as banning the use of GroupMe entirely with the intention of closing all avenues to cheating. But, Gaucher and Parilla don’t see this as the right solution. “You don’t ban the technology when the technology can be used to enhance student learning. You put your effort and energy into changing the culture so that people have the right mentality to utilize that technology,” Gaucher said. Parilla said in the long run, cheating hurts students more than it helps them. “You get out in the field, and then what happens? You are completely unprepared for your career. It’s such a short-term strategy that ends up hurting them in the long run as well because they never actually prepare for this career path,” she said. Even though students may know this, a lot of them share the ideology that they are all in this together. “There’s an odd culture that exists here. Maybe people are a lot less individually competitive at Georgia State then they are at other places and they are more as a community,” Gaucher said. Gaucher and Parilla both said that raising awareness is only the start and is no way at all the solution to this issue. “We’re not trying to come down on students and … we’re just gonna nail everybody to the wall. We’re really committed to seeing our students succeed,” Parilla said.
Violating Quizlet’s Honor Code Includes All (but not limited to) Posting the answers to a test you just took and sharing them with others
GroupMe and Quizlet are being linked to cheating in colleges across the United States.
Searching Quizlet for answers and using them to cheat on a take-home test or assessment
Using Quizlet on your phone to copy answers during an in-class test
PAGE DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY AMBER KIRLEW | THE SIGNAL PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL
NEWS
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Brian Kemp is being accused of voter suppression amidst his bid for governor of Georgia.
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
PHOTO BY CHRIS YOUNG | THE SIGNAL
Brian Kemp: Candidate, Secretary of State
Data exposure, federal lawsuits and accusations of voter suppression ADA WOOD Staff Reporter
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head of this fall’s election for governor of Georgia, one candidate has been highlighted in the news, and not just for his role as the Republican nominee. Brian Kemp has faced accusations of lack of election security and voter suppression with his current position as Secretary of State of Georgia. Kemp has served in this position since 2010 and, according to the office’s website, “is responsible for the administration of secure, accessible and fair elections.” Election security has been highlighted nationally, with many advocates holding election officials accountable. Ten months after the 2016 election, the Department of Homeland Security informed 21 states that they were targeted for Russian activity. Georgia was not one of these targeted states, which has been used to support the notion that Georgia’s systems are sufficiently secure. However, a discovery by independent researcher Logan Lamb exposed 6.7 million voter registration records, accessible by anyone. This data was available through the website for the state Center for Election Systems at Kennesaw State University. AP News reports the data included social security numbers, party affiliation and passwords to access election management files. Lamb first brought attention to vulnerabilities in Georgia election systems in August 2016. Following this discovery, a federal lawsuit was launched against Georgia election officials, including Kemp, for failing to secure the state’s voting system and allowing the breach. AP News reported that just after the lawsuit was filed, a computer server that was crucial to the case was wiped clean. “First, don’t panic yet,” Richard Baskerville said. Baskerville is a security expert in information systems and regent’s professor at Georgia State. “In cybersecurity, ‘exposures’ is a technical term. It means that it was possible to access the system.” He highlighted two main errors that resulted in Lamb’s discovery: poor maintenance and poor configuration. “In the first instance updates and patches for the content management software were not performed, in the second instance more secure access was created, but the unsecure access was not deleted,” he said. “Both of these problems relate more to human behavior than technology.” “In terms of policies, it is similar to credit card data. If an
organization decides to process credit cards, the payment card industry (PCI) imposes a whole raft of cybersecurity policies,” he said.
“Kemp does not have a strong record of protecting the access to the ballot of voters, in particular minority voters. And many Democrats fear he will use his position as overseer of elections to unduly influence the vote in November.” — DR. JEFFREY LAZARUS, an associate professor of political science at Georgia State He gave direction to the Georgia State Technology website for information on how Georgia State handles security assessments and PCI. “The fix? Better state policies, more rigid imposition of the policies, and assessment to ensure the policies are followed,” Baskerville said. The lawsuit has brought in a new debate, with the request for the state government to abandon all electronic voting machines and switch to paper ballots. According to Verified Voting, Georgia is one of only five states that rely entirely on electronic voting machines and one of 14 with no paper ballot backup. Kemp has remained a staunch opponent of paper ballots for eight years but has finally changed his position, agreeing to replace electronic systems with paper ballots, according to The Washington Post. However, Kemp says it’s not possible for the upcoming Nov. 6 election and will need to be enforced by the 2020 election instead. Those behind the lawsuit have raised questions on Kemp’s desire to preserve voter integrity, because without a paper ballot trail there would be no way to audit and verify vote tally. Another situation under scrutiny of Kemp as Secretary of
State ahead of the election involves a proposal made by a rural Georgia county to close seven of its nine polling locations. Randolph county, located in south-west Georgia, has a population of 7,000, the majority of which (61 percent) are black. The proposal was turned down by Georgia lawmakers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 30 percent of the population are in poverty, compared to the state average of 16 percent. The county has also traditionally voted Democrat, voting for Obama in 2008 and 2012 and Clinton in 2016. Dr. Jeffrey Lazarus is an associate professor of political science at Georgia State who explained the situation and the public’s reaction. “The county government recently hired a consultant to suggest ways they could cut costs, and one of his suggestions was to close voting precincts that serve a small number of voters,” Lazarus said. Lazarus outlined Kemp’s role as being in charge of administering elections. “Kemp does not have a strong record of protecting the access to the ballot of voters, in particular minority voters,” he said. “And many Democrats fear he will use his position as overseer of elections to unduly influence the vote in November.” For Lazarus, the initial reaction and connection to voter suppression is part of a larger trend. “Nationally, the Republican party has similarly advocated for policies which disproportionately affect minorities’ ability to vote,” he said. “So when news readers saw the situation in Randolph county, already previously aware of what’s going on at the state and national levels, they assumed the worst.” The reason for closure is due to a lack of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), despite being open a month before for the runoff election for Republican governor. Aside from the topic of voter suppression, Lazarus said, “If the polling locations close it’s unlikely to influence statewide election results, because the county is so small.” Associate Professor Daniel Franklin teaches political science at Georgia State and identified one factor that is likely to influence statewide election results. “Failure to register to vote reduces the turnout of eligible voters in the United States by about 10% compared to the voter turnout in other industrialized democracies,” Franklin said. For those interested in participating in this fall’s election for governor, Franklin directs them to register online through the Secretary of State’s system. He said, “Students should know the deadline to register to vote is October 9. You can’t just go to the polls in November without registering first.”
NEWS
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
5
NEWS BRIEFS LOCAL Voting precincts closed across Georgia since election oversight lifted
A C.T. Martin Rec. Center MARTA forum attendee questions expansion objectives on Aug. 23.
PHOTO BY ZACH SALLING | THE SIGNAL
The future (or end) of MARTA
ATL transit plan overshadows MARTA’s expansion ZACH SALLING Staff Reporter
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tlanta City Council members Andrea L. Boone (District 10) and Michael Julian Bone (Post 1 At-Large) hosted More MARTA’s fourth, and final, community forum at the C.T. Martin Recreation Center. Nearly all chairs were occupied, estimating around 50 seats. MARTA will spend $2.5 billion over the next 40 years and the council, along with their represented districts, have iterated concerns at the forums and by survey. “It’s still early, but we’ve [collected] about 2,300 surveys,” Ehren Bingaman, More MARTA’s deputy program manager, said. “Things we’ve heard: increased investment all over the BeltLine and [BeltLine] rail.” According to earlier project proposition surveys, commuters’ opinions fail to sway. During the forum, commuters urged immediate attention to basic detail. “Can I get a clean bus?” a More MARTA forum attendee asked. “[Commuters] consistently focus on more fixed transit like longer hours of operation, increased reliability, safety and cleanliness,” Bingaman said. Bus rail transit (BRT) improvements have immediately gone into effect. “We have 365 additional hours of service every day of the year on average moving forward, so that’s a lot of extra service we’re putting on the street,” Kyle Keahey, the More MARTA program manager, said. “That also means we have 80 new jobs we created associated with extra service.” MARTA can expedite bus rail transit expansion, but focusing primarily on BRT could provide setbacks with new rail investment. “It doesn’t take us long to implement BRT, build ridership and transition to light rail transit [LRT],” Keahey said. “But, the construction period, three or four years, disrupts the opportunity from the public and council members. We are rethinking that and making just one investment.” Some attendees shared Keahey’s sentiment. Joy Dixon, a MARTA commuter, said, “[There are] too many buses, and they’re not really
servicing where they need to be.” Southeast and northwest areas lack transit based on the current proposal. “Southeast side folks want their needs met better [in addition to the] northwest side,” Bingaman said. Lacking expansion in the southeast and northwest while providing transit to neighborhoods outside Atlanta confounded some attendees. “We agreed to pay [the] sales tax. Two years ago, Emory [and the northside] was not a part of Atlanta. Does MARTA really think the people of Atlanta voted to pay transit to a section of a town that was not a part of Atlanta?” a More MARTA forum attendee asked. In response, Keahey said, “It is more of a policy decision.” Despite attendee concerns, Bingaman boasted “overwhelming support [for the expansion]: 70 percent.” Yet, 70 percent approval begs the question: approval from whom? “How can you estimate that [the proposal] will actually be serving people opposed to what we see on Auburn Avenue,” a More MARTA forum attendee said. “I think we’re going to have this very negative impact on [low-income] citizens because they’re not able to afford it .” Large-scale, urban development projects typically result in higher land and housing costs, making it difficult for low-income citizens to sustain their living situation. Gentrification has increased displacement of low-income residents, increasing their poverty in Old Fourth Ward and on Auburn Avenue, a historical African-American neighborhood. Regarding gentrification, Keahey said, “We are expecting city policy to see where [economic] growth is going to occur.” And the growth will outsize MARTA within five years. The Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority (ATLtransit), the organization overseeing MARTA, the Atlanta streetcar, Gwinnett Xpress and all other metro Atlanta transit platforms will fold into The ATL by March of 2023. The Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) goal has been to increase mobility across county lines and other jurisdictions. With The ATL lurking behind MARTA, some
commuters questioned why they should focus on MARTA at all. “My concern is that we are not focusing on the key mass transit power brokers,” Jonathon Williams, a More MARTA forum attendee, said. “So when we’re talking about $2.5 billion spread over [the years], The ATL is going to be overseeing MARTA, so we need to know who The ATL is, what their intentions are, which areas of governance they are going to oversee and what types of checks and balances exist for The ATL.” On March 29, the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation that creates the funding framework for The ATL, a regional transit governing system for metro Atlanta’s entirety. The ATL will plan transit across 13 metro counties, utilizing existing transit such as CobbLinc, Gwinnett County Transit, GRTA’s Xpress service and MARTA. “We are privileged to learn what The ATL is going to be. It’s going to have an impact on how we do business at MARTA, as well as how we look at transit throughout the entire region,” Keahey said. Doug Hooker, the ARC executive director, said, “The passage of regional transit legislation is a major milestone for our region that will expand transportation options and better connect communities, improving quality of life for metro Atlanta residents … The establishment of a coordinated, regional transit network is critical to the region’s future and will help ensure our longterm economic competitiveness.” Though, the ARC’s lack of community outreach creates skepticism among some commuters. “We need the ARC to be visible, transparent, accountable and doing what [MARTA] is doing, being articulate. And not having MARTA do the hard work while the [ARC] has all their meetings in the shadows,” Williams said. The ARC has not held forums alongside More MARTA, but Keahey said, “We are very well integrated with the ARC, so they are involved with the process.” The ARC will oversee metro Atlanta’s long-term transportation plan. “We’re chasing MARTA, but not chasing The ATL while they make huge decisions. We think it’s all in MARTA’s hands and it’s not,” Williams said. The 16-member board for The ATL will be named by Dec. 1 and will serve a four-year term
Two hundred and fourteen precincts across the state have been closed since 2012, according to an analysis by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2013 removed requirements under the Voting Rights Act for some local governments to receive federal approval before making changes to voting practices, such as closing precincts. Voting rights activists see this as an attempt to suppress turnout by AfricanAmerican voters.
NATIONAL America says goodbye to Senator John McCain
Republican Senator John McCain died on Aug. 25 at age 81. McCain’s family announced on Aug. 24 that he would no longer receive treatment for his brain cancer. He passed the next day with his wife and family beside him at his home in Cornville, Arizona. McCain was known and honored for his military service. During the Vietnam War, he was a prisoner of war until 1973 where he experienced episodes of torture that left him with lifelong physical disabilities.
GLOBAL Brazil sends troops to Venezuela border
CNN reported that Brazil is sending troops to Venezuela to “guarantee law and order” amid an ongoing crisis involving thousands of Venezuelans attempting to cross into neighboring countries. Brazilian President Michel Temer signed a decree to deploy the armed forces to the state of Roraima. In a series of tweets following the decree, he cited the “terrible living conditions” endured by Venezuelans as reason for the migrant crisis and Brazil’s reaction.
NEWS
6
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
Senators convene for brief first meeting
Student Government sees lightweight legislation and desultory dialogue WILL SOLOMONS News Editor
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ast Thursday, Georgia State’s Student Government Association (SGA) gathered in a corner of Georgia State Stadium before the university’s opening game to kickoff a game plan of their own. At the meeting, SGA adopted a seating bill that allowed two liaisons, Rachel Disanto and Vivian Chew, to be sworn in as representatives from the College of Law. They were sworn in by Chief Justice for the Student Judicial Board for the Atlanta Campus Gavin Hall. Former Speaker of the Senate Anthony Jones was also sworn in as a senator for the College of Arts and Sciences, effectively retiring from his position as speaker. SGA voted to appoint Spencer Bivins as its representative for the Panther Community Activities Coalition whose primary purpose is to encourage voter registration and voter turnout on campus. The gathering of senators also passed a bill to re-establish the ad hoc safety advisory committee, which was chaired by now-President Franklin Patterson last semester. No senator was nominated and voted as a chair, so the discussion was tabled until the next meeting. The safety advisory committee is responsible for acting as a liaison between SGA and the Georgia State University Police Department (GSUPD). On Sept. 26, a campus safety walk between SGA and GSUPD will take place from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. beginning at Piedmont North. The walk, which is a result of the safety advisory committee partnership, is intended to identify safety concerns on campus. The university’s transportation department will be meeting with SGA on Sept. 5 to discuss the frequent crowds of students waiting to board Panther Express shuttles in front of Langdale Hall. SGA wants to optimize transportation on campus and has requested that students send in photos of the crowds. A meal plan for commuter students is also in development, according to SGA Senator Jessica Siemer. “It would be a meal plan for students that are on campus three times a week or something like that and you’d be able to use it in retail spaces,” Siemer said. While nothing concrete about the plan was mentioned at the meeting, Siemer did have an idea for how it might work. “It will most likely be a mixture of PantherCash with potentially meal swipes or some variation of that. So what’ll happen is we are going to send a report for what we found and
College of Arts and Sciences Senator Kaelen Thomas introduces a concern about smoking on campus.
proposed structures for the meal plan in the end of September to get some feasibility feedback from that, then we’re going to ask for some student feedback,” she said. Siemer said the Board of Regents will have the final say on whether or not the plan can be implemented. “The aim is to get it to the Board of Regents by March so it will be implemented by next year,” she said. Senator Kaelen Thomas sparked discussion of a long-debated
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN SANCHEZ FOR GSTV
topic on campus: smoking in Library Plaza. While Thomas made an acknowledgement towards students who do choose to smoke, he was clear in his position on the matter. “Maybe now, as lawmakers and the voice of the student body, we need to take a stand on this issue because the health and wellbeing of many of our students are at risk along with the apathy of the rules of our institution,” Thomas said.
Academic probation may affect students’ behavior How public praise and academic probation influence student success ASHARI HANKERSON Staff Reporter
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Georgia State study found that students who are placed on the dean’s list or academic probation are equally likely to experience behavioral or strategic changes in academics. Nicholas Wright, the economist who conducted the study, said, “[I] examined the academic records of undergraduate students across all majors in the social sciences and the pure, applied and medical sciences. The result is an average impact across students enrolled in majors in these broad categories.” Wright focused more on first semester students who did not typically have scholarships. “The study uses data from a large publicly funded university in Jamaica. The dean’s list is the primary measure of public recognition at this institution.” Wright said. “There is no reason to expect the results not to apply to students receiving other forms of public recognition, such as the presidential list or other merit-based awards.” Assistant Dean of Academic Success John Medlock provided insight on student success in correlation with
academic probation. “The primary purpose of academic warning is to identify students who need extra support and to work with them to get the help they need,” Medlock said. In this sense, probation is not a punishment but rather just a wake-up call for the student. Georgia State dean’s list student MacKea Bean said, “It’s a bit of both,” when addressing whether strategy or hard work is utilized more in classes. Wright noticed in his study that students who were exposed to the academic probation policy were 9 percent more likely to switch their major. Through this change, students use strategy to heighten their academic performance. “It suggests students are continuously optimizing their behavior and the match between their skills and the major they are enrolled in. As such, academic probation provides new information to the student about their ability, and they must then decide how to best continue if they choose to continue,” Wright said. The use of this strategy does not solely pertain to students on academic probation, according to Wright. “I do find that both policies [probation and public praise] caused students to engage in strategic course-taking behavior. Students exposed to each policy are employing different strategies
based on what they are trying to accomplish,” Wright said. Medlock confirmed these findings concerning students’ strategies when placed on academic probation. “Those who are having academic difficulties—particularly with specific required courses—often must ask themselves if their chosen major and/or career path is right for them. Changing majors is not necessarily a bad thing, particularly if the student makes a change before taking a lot of classes and if the choice of a new major is well thought out,” Medlock said. Wright said, “While there is no evidence that either policy [has] resulted in any long-run negative outcomes, the results suggests that the positive gains to student academic performance may not be solely driven by increased effort.” The results of Wright’s study established its purpose as examining the extent to which college students are incentivized to change their behavior when they receive administrative feedback that either reprimands or rewards them for their past academic performance. “These results do suggest that students are selecting courses that are easier to maintain their dean’s list status,” Wright said in the conclusion of the study. The results indicate that a university administrator’s actions of reprimanding or rewarding students for their past academic performance may induce important behavioral changes by creating unique strategies to ensure academic success.
OPINIONS
8
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
EDITORIAL Why you should vote Democracy only works if you do
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e aren’t going to convince you to vote. The news is enough to convince you. Instead, we’re going to explain why voting is absolutely necessary. Democracy gives power to the people—the majority of people, in particular—to vote on who represents them within the government and its many courts and processes. But money is a big factor in deciding who is in charge, even if it’s not in the majority’s best interest. In this way, people who rise to power, stay in power. And in some cases, it might not even be the specific individual, but rather those who work for them (think Dmitry Medvedev taking presidential power of Russia after Vladimir Putin was term limited in 2008). In this way, thanks to powerful lobbyists and shady endorsements, politicians can reap the financial benefits of political power and will often do whatever it takes to maintain said rewards. This happens, of course, regardless of the communities’ or country’s best interests. Corruption has existed for as long as government has. But we as a nation planned for this corruption. Our founding fathers installed a system of checks and balances, incorporating three branches of government, with the intention of evenly distributing power. We maintain the freedom of the press to freely display information, especially with the intent of making transparent our system of governance. And,
we have given power to the people to decide and influence who is elected. That power is the power to vote. Recently, the freedom of the press has been barraged by the executive branch, and not enough people are watching and standing up to this attack. Because our power of the people and our freedom of the press aren’t working in conjunction, politicians are able to operate unchecked, electing corrupted, likeminded representatives into dangerously powerful positions. This leads to heavy authoritarianism and a suppression of basic human rights. While there are ways to combat authoritarian rule, these methods are drastic. After a certain point, public unrest—such as riots and revolts to overthrow a government—is the only option to regain societal order. But before we even consider that path, we must work together to make civil change. Consider the fact that small change now can and will lead to considerable change in the future. The Civil Rights Acts of the past century fundamentally changed how our country rules and what it considers to be citizenship. Most people from the early and mid1900s likely couldn’t have dreamt that we could change something so deeply ingrained in our society, but we did. We banded together as people—as citizens with a common interest in our country’s future—and took a stand against hate using marches, petitions
and boycotts. In essence, we are more powerful in numbers. But some people feel distanced from the government; often our only direct interaction with the government is the taxes taken from our paychecks. But consider that these taxes are still your money, going to purchase and invest in things for you to use. The government works for you. You pay for its services. If you see something you don’t like, or if you need something, make it happen. You pay the police to protect you. You pay the fire department to extinguish houses. The government is for your benefit. Need more money towards education? Elect people who will invest in it. Start a petition. Rally together. We are the only way to make change. We can work together to change whatever we desire. That’s the beauty of it. It’s in our constitution to be able to mend and change our laws. Our defense against fascism and authoritarianism is our freedoms, our ability to vote and our ability to have a free media. When all of these things are lost, the only other way to change the government is through massive action, be it peaceful or not. Will our political unrest require protests and riots? We hope not. The first step: vote. It’s up to us to spark change, and that change starts with you.
ARTS & LIVING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving
Dragon Pros and Cons
The weekend away, so close to campus
SAMUEL PUCKETT
Associate Arts & Living Editor
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very year, Dragon Con takes over the hotels and crosswalks of Downtown Atlanta. The multi-genre nerd-fest began in 1987 and has paraded across Downtown half-naked ever since. The much-loved event sends fantasy, sci-fi and anime fans colliding with whatever sports fans are just trying to find the football game. But how do students feel about the sci-fi and fantasy convention in their own backyard? Olivia Cambern is a Georgia State student who has been a Dragon Con regular for four years. She’s been going to Dragon Con since before coming to college. Among many other nerdy interests (and we mean that in the best way), it was the opportunity to see cosplay that attracted her to the event. “I just wanted to be in a place that had tons and tons of costumes,” Cambern said. “Now I’m mostly here for the environment.” And what an environment it is. Fans spilling out into Peachtree Street, trains packed like a dance hall—even the skywalks give no respite from the crowds. But the thrum of a crowd can be just as exciting as it is stressful. And considering the price of admission, the convention better deliver on excitement. But don’t take it from us. Sloane Hardin is a Georgia State student going to Dragon Con for her second year. For her, the excitement of the event comes from the convenience. When there’s a photo op, panel or workshop every 30 minutes, she never felt at a loss for stuff to do—no matter how late. “There’s stuff that goes on
‘till like 3 a.m. and it starts back up at 8 a.m.,” Hardin said. Kat Hueber is a professional cosplayer and student at Georgia Tech. Cosplay took her to places she never expected at conventions, including leading panels, getting brand endorsements and thousands of followers. She gets paid for appearances and photoshoots, as well as her own photography and photo editing she does for others in the cosplaying scene. “It’s sort of a chicken or the egg thing,” Hueber said. “Did I improve at cosplay because I got more involved or did I get more involved because I got better at cosplay?” Her success came from a recognizable brand and fan interactions on her social media. Social media can be a toxic place, but somehow Hueber has always managed to keep her interactions positive. “People are always surprised by how well I have kept out of drama for how long I’ve been cosplaying,” Hueber said.
STAYING SAFE
There are a variety of dangers an all-day event and large crowds can present. Cambern has been going for long enough that she knows the essential ways to stay prepared, hydrated and safe. “Just make sure you’re not going anywhere alone. Make sure you have phones and water and a charger,” Cambern said. Using the buddy system can be difficult. You need clear communication and compromise. When you and your friend want to go to two different events, it is tempting to split up. Don’t. “Once you split up, you’re never finding them again,” Hardin said. “There’s five hotels and thousands of people.”
TRAVEL
Not everyone has the luxury of living on a campus so close to the convention. Luckily, the Peachtree
PAGE DESIGN BY DIANA TAVERA AND DEVIN PHILLIPS | THE SIGNAL
Center MARTA station is right around the corner from the event. When Cambern was living with her parents outside the perimeter, Dragon Con meant a 40-minute commute, not to mention the stress of parking. Now, living on campus, Dragon Con and events like it are more accessible. “Now that I’m going to State it’s so much easier to just walk directly from campus,” Cambern said. Unfortunately, a party for some is an inconvenience for others. If you were taking the Georgia State busses to and from class Thursday or Friday, the large crowds blocked traffic at certain times. “I had a friend whose bus was literally stopped at the corner by the Sheraton for like 15 minutes just from people in the way,” Hardin said. Marcia is a Dragon Con fan from Florence, South Carolina. She has been going to a variety of fantasy and anime conventions for eight years. Dragon Con is closer for her than San Diego Comic-Con, but Marcia appreciates Dragon Con because of its friendly atmosphere and distinctly fan-led approach. “Dragon Con is more fan based,” she said. “Everything is fan run.”
MEETING PEOPLE
Dragon Con brought over 80,000 people Downtown for Labor Day Weekend in 2017. Conventions can be a great weekend away from the stresses of school (that is, unless you’re a reporter for the school newspaper). And it can be a great way to meet new friends, among other things. Be warned, though: all the people you nerd out with this weekend may not want to see you once you’re out of your fursuit. “I make a lot of friends at Dragon Con but I never follow up with them after,” Hardin said. “They’re a blast for four days.” There can definitely be a sense of comradery between students who “con,” though. “I end up meeting a lot of people in classes before Dragon Con, because people are getting ready,” Cambern said.
Dragon Con Checklist WATER BOTTLE. You gotta stay hydrated. SONIC SCREWDRIVER. For all the locked doors and broken elevators. CASH. It gets you through the registration line faster and while everyone else is swiping their cards, you’re retro. WAND. You will need the refilling spell on that iced coffee you got. CHARGER/BATTERY PACK. You will be checking the Dragon Con app a lot. You might need to top off your phone. COMBADGE. For getting beamed up to the enterprise (or just a Lyft) and keeping in communication with your friends.
This Dragon Con fan spent over $400 and the better part of a year on this colorful goat ensemble. PHOTOS BY JULIAN PINEDA | THE SIGNAL
An inside look at the fashionable students of Georgia State
Wylin’ and Stylin’ SAM PUCKETT
Associate Arts & Living Editor
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eorgia State crawls with stylish students. With just a brisk walk through Library Plaza, you’ll see many, many Insta-worthy fits. The Signal stopped to ask stylish and stuntin’ students a few questions about how and why they dress so well. Here’s what they had to say.
Challenging Gender
Fashion has frequently been the medium of choice for those seeking to challenge gender roles. Pop culture is filled with examples. Jaden Smith wears dresses and Louis Vuitton’s women’s sneakers. Icon, Young Thug famously said, “Swag has no gender.” Vanders Lewis is a Georgia State student on instagram as @8gnorant. As a visual artist, he loves to dress differently. And men’s clothing doesn’t offer him the variety he needs to do that. “[Women’s clothing] fits me, and ultimately fit is the most important thing to me.” Lewis said. “Womens clothing offers a lot more variety, from cut to fabric and texture.” He pulled out a pair of brilliant aquamarine sunglasses. The large frame was made bolder by sharply-cut square beveling around the lenses. Gold text, “Celine” was debossed into the temples. “Especially with sunglasses, men’s sunglasses are all the same, it’s all aviators or wayfarers” Lewis said. “My favorite pair is women’s, by Celine.” Kai Thibodeaux is a Georgia State student on instagram as @whotfiskai. He gets fashion inspiration from a diverse array of sources but said that he loves to see people who don’t limit
themselves with gender. “I like to see people who do things differently, mix masculinity and femininity,” Thibodeaux said.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rihanna!
Trends in clothing come and go, and for Georgia State students, it is on trend to shop second hand. There are several reasons. Thrift stores are a cheap way to get basic items, an accessible entry into vintage or retro fashion and a creative way to recycle. Go with a group of friends and it’s just plain fun. Thibodeaux said he buys second hand as a challenge to designer labels and fast-fashion companies. His thrifted T-shirts are cuffed with social responsibility. “There’s so many clothes on Earth, we really don’t need to make any more,” Thibodeaux said. Ever since eBay began, there was anxiety over fake merch. You can authenticate things yourself if you do your own research and ask for quality pictures. That can be a time consuming process. Ebay savant Vanders Lewis has a few tricks for identifying vintage pieces. “T-shirt manufacturers switched from single to double stitching in the mid 1980’s,” Lewis said. “That’s how you tell.”
Flexing and Luxury
It feels really good to let people know you got “it.” No matter what your “it” is, it can get expensive. For the 20-something college student, so much of our money is gone as soon as the direct deposit hits. Textbooks, tuition, rent and cover charges add up and some of us are even crazy enough to pay for our own Netflix. Online retail spaces made luxury clothing and once-exclusive items more accessible than ever. Online marketplaces like Grailed and StockX found success by vetting second-hand
tanya bedi @tana.aa
products before they reach consumers. Luxury Boutiques have also cleverly adapted to the digital age. Menswear retailers Stadium Goods and Mr. Porter generate buzz with original content. Stadium Goods hosts Complex Media’s Sneaker Shopping series. Mr. Porter publishes a periodical magazine and online articles. While these sites may not be affordable, they sure are entertaining. Evin Liu is a Georgia State student on Instagram as @not_evin. His typical style is very much in the streetwear genre, with technical pants and maxed out shoes. For Evin, when you go out, there’s only one way to go. “My sister bought me an all Off-White fit,” Liu said. “That’s my flexing fit for when I go out.”
Student, Media and Fashion
There is a constant conversation in fashion and media. A movie, song or tweet could inspire the next fashion trend. Celine Lagrange is a Georgia State student on instagram as @celinelagrange. A lot of her fashion inspiration comes from social media. She has a very active Instagram herself and said she feels pressure to be stylish online. In her experience, posting fit pics can lead to networking and other opportunities. “I look at Instagram baddies, Pixietang, Barbiegutz, people like that,” Lagrange said. Thibodeaux said contemporary media can play an important role in documenting the history of fashion. Fashion magazines get critiqued for their ephemerality and wavering eye, but they serve as primary sources for looking at the past. Thibodeaux appreciates the graceful way Victoria and David Beckham have remained relevant and contemporary in their style throughout decades of their public life, while complimenting and supporting each other’s looks. “Media spreads what’s current and exposes you to what’s already been done,” Thibodeaux said. Leslie Rivera is a Georgia State student on Instagram as @lesriverv. She gets inspired by movies and TV; she tries to match outfits to the aesthetic of certain shows. Some of her favorites are the movies of Quentin Tarantino and Stranger Things. A staple in Rivera’s style is the classic white T-shirt. The jersey cloth crewneck began as military issue undershirt in World War II but saw its rise to mainstream popularity following post-war cinema, like “Rebel Without a Cause” and “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Rivera picked up the habit after watching a jeans commercial. “I first saw it in a Levi’s commercial,” Rivera said. “They were all wearing white and I realised that is just so versatile.”
Kai Thibodeaux @whotfiskai
My sister bought me an all Off-White fit. That’s my flexing fit for when I go out.
@not_evin
“
“
Evin Liu
- Evan Liu
Celine Lagrange @celinelagrange
Vanders Lewis @8gnorant PHOTOS BY VANESSA JOHNSON & PAGE DESIGN BY DEVIN PHILLIPS | THE SIGNAL
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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
Leggings as a feminist symbol
Are leggings considered pants? We have the inseam scoop. SARA ABDULLA Staff Reporter
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hey lurk in the gym, in classrooms and while running errands—some are even showing up on fancy outings like dinner parties and in the workplace. Leggings are the new pants and there’s no end in sight. Yet, only recently did cutthroat debates over the controversial garb take over. Headlines read: “Leggings Are Not Pants: An Essay” and “Please Let’s Stop Wearing Leggings as Pants.” YouTube gurus even claimed fame with rants on the obscenity of wearing the innocuous article of clothing. In spite of the outrage directed at leggings, they have firmly entered the mainstream, as evidenced by students and workers on campus alike sporting them this back-to-school season. Indeed, it seems the pushback against leggings did little to stop the trend. Leggings have become a symbol for women’s liberation: far more comfortable than jeans, work trousers or tight dresses. They allow women the physical flexibility to exercise, run and picket with ease while showing off as much of their body, when pairing the bottoms with a sports bra or bandeau, or as little of their body, when pairing them with a long tunic, as they please. Leggings have been around since the 14th century, originally designed for men. Fast forward five centuries to the 1970s, a time when an “anything goes” attitude prevailed and icons like Olivia Newton-John and Jane Birkin donned colorful, shiny versions of the garment. In the mysterious era of the 1990s, celebrities and models wore leggings under oversized shirts and miniskirts, before “athleisure” took over and people began wearing stretchy, comfortable clothing everywhere. Fashion is a part of culture, and what is deemed appropriate to wear has progressed with time. It was only a couple of
decades ago that pants in general were considered improper for women to wear, while they’re now practically a standard. It’s insufficient to claim that leggings are “too revealing” to wear alone or to appeal to a tradition of women (and men) wearing leggings under longer clothing. “Times change as does fashion. You could say the same about shorts in the 50’s. They’ve become more popular and have evolved with fashion,” Jazmin Mejia, a Georgia State student, said about leggings. Backlash against leggings has two evident causes: for one, people claim they look unseemly and thus, aren’t suitable for work and school. “Leggings aren’t very professional or appropriate,” Georgia Zdanowicz, a senior at Georgia State, said. Zdanowicz compared leggings to low-cut blouses, in that while others shouldn’t ogle women’s breasts even if they’re wearing revealing clothing, it can be in “poor taste” to wear them in professional and educational settings. Second, many question whether they are excessively provocative: bloggers abound claim that a woman or man wearing leggings is essentially naked, because the clothing is tight. “Leggings and yoga pants completely cover the skin of the wearer and by no means should they make the wearer appear to be [so] ‘sexy’ or so ‘attractive’ that it distracts boys and men from their studies and jobs,” Amy Andrelchik, a student at Georgia State, said. Indeed, there doesn’t seem to be a salient difference between leggings and short-shorts, mini-skirts or other clothing that is less contentious. While most “revealing” clothing is banned in children’s educational institutions and white-collar workplaces, some women find fault in this rule in general. “Telling girls that they have to wear pants in 85+ degree heat is cruel. Boys are often allowed to wear shorts because their shorts are knee length. But girls and women don’t have that option because the fashion industry only creates ‘short’ shorts, so they automatically violate the dress code,” Andrelchik said.
Leggings can be argued as a new symbol for women’s liberation: far more comfortable than jeans, work trousers or tight dresses.
Banning leggings and women’s clothing is a serious feminist issue to some women. In 2016, Mejia and her female classmates in high school coordinated a protest to all wear leggings on the same day. Mejia said they put up signs around the school criticizing the idea that women shouldn’t wear clothes for the boys’ and men’s sake. After the protest, the principal lifted the leggings ban. “It was the first instance of feminism I experienced in my life and changed my course of thought, without a doubt,” Mejia said. Supporters of women’s and girls’ dress codes claim it is important to uphold professionalism and modesty in educational, work and social settings. Yet, there is an obvious disconnect between said “professionalism” and settings dictating what women wear. The same secondary schools that ban leggings or women’s shorts may require women to wear spandex short-shorts for gym classes or sports, going so far as to penalize them for wanting to dress more conservatively. There are several instances of Muslim students, for example, being forced to sit out of sporting events at school because they refused to wear the shorts in the gym uniforms, or other students being required to provide proof of a “religious exemption” when they don’t want to wear the mini-skirts or shorts required by the school. Workplaces, like United Airlines, may prohibit employees and their relatives from donning leggings, shorts or mini-skirts when boarding their airplanes, while using women who wear tights and crop tops in their advertisements or as spokespeople for their products and services. In this situation, it might be wise to question whether it’s the clothing itself that is the problem, or if the women wearing the clothing is to someone else’s benefit. In spite of these disagreements, wearing leggings to run errands, attend classes and go to work is a trend that has firmly entered the mainstream. Some schools and workplaces continue to ban the clothing, but only time will tell how this prohibition affects women’s and girls’ affinity to leggings.
PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ | THE SIGNAL
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
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Rosalia Parra: student by day, chef by night Her food’s delicious smells do the heavy lifting TIFFANY RIGBY Staff Reporter
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osalia Parra is a student who is making her culinary dream come true and balancing school at the same time. Parra is a vegan, Latin-American fusion chef. Her company is named Maiz y Canela (Corn and Cinnamon). She got her start in the industry when a bunch of her friends went to a music show that another friend was hosting. The friend hired a food truck to sell tacos but the cooks for the truck never showed up, leaving him in desperate need of someone to serve food for seven hours and enough of it to feed all the attendees. Parra stepped up right away. Even without any experience in catering, she was up for the challenge. She just had to let her friend know that if she was going to do this, she was going to do it her way—all the food would be both Latin and vegan. But this was easy for Parra as she had always loved cooking. “I remember telling my dad when I was younger, ‘Dad, I want to be a chef,’” Parra said. Parra is a finance major and a transfer student at Georgia State, and for the past two years she has been vegan. While many might consider being vegan to be difficult, she disagrees, especially with the notion that Latin food can’t be made vegan. “It has been really simple to make Latin vegan food because a lot of the ingredients are already vegan”, Parra said. For example, some of her favorite menu items include Enchiladas de Frijol (rolled corn tortillas filled with black beans and topped with salsa verde) and Postre de Chocolate (chocolate pie). Parra is still able to incorporate common Latin foods such as chorizo, a spicy pork sausage, in her dishes. She just prepares the soy version, and her customers are none the wiser. All the ingredients she uses for each meal are fresh—even the sauces. She tries to keep her menu interesting by switching up what she cooks at her pop-ups. These pop-ups are where she cooks her food at different venues and restaurants, just like where she first got her start. Parra recently served her food at Ria’s Bluebird across from Oakland Cemetery. For Parra, pop-ups are a great way to introduce people to vegan food and she doesn’t need her own restaurant to do it. She just makes the food, sets it out and the delicious smells
Georgia State student Rosalia Parra is an entrepreneur and a chef, providing a new twist to traditional Latin food.
sell themselves. Parra had no idea that one night helping a friend would grow her into a savvy, successful businesswoman. So successful, in fact, that at one of her recent pop-ups, she had to place customers on a waiting list. And the food is so loved, she doesn’t have to advertise. Much of her success is thanks to word of mouth, with many of her friends and even strangers posting her flyers all over group chats and on social media.
PHOTO BY VANESSA JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL
With all of this, Parra was able to quit her job and pursue her vegan dream. She does not have her own location yet but in the next five years she sees herself graduating with her degree in finance and hopefully having a restaurant or a stable pop-up residency in a coffee shop. Parra attributes her success to the strong women in her family who support her business and ultimately want to see her thrive.
“Hey! Are you registered to vote?” Stop lying to them. It’s not as scary as you think. SYDNEY BLOEME Arts & Living Editor
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e’ve all been harrassed by the people around campus holding clipboards asking if we’re “registered to vote.” Voting can often feel intimidating, but this election cycle, instead of shrugging it off, show up and make your voice heard. It feels like a small thing to do but democracy only works if you do.
FIRST, REGISTER:
You are able to register by mail with an application found online, in person at the Department of Driver Services (DDS) and online with a government-issued ID. If you are without a government-issued ID, you can register by mail or in person with your social security number. Save time and register to vote the next time you’re at the DDS receiving or renewing a driver’s license or ID card. Make sure the address on file is your current residence and update it every time you move.
REQUIREMENTS TO REGISTER INCLUDE: • • • •
Being a citizen Being a legal resident Being at least 17 ½ years old Not being found mentally incompetent by a judge
For those recently imprisoned: In Georgia, people released from prison must re-register to vote after they are finished with parole and probation.
NEXT, VOTING:
ID: You must provide a government-issued ID at your polling place. Acceptable IDs include a government-issued ID, a Georgia Driver’s License, a government employee ID, a U.S. Passport, a military photo ID or a tribal photo ID. If you don’t have one of these IDs, you can apply for a Georgia Voter ID Card. To do this, you must provide a document with your photo, full legal name, proof of date of birth, proof that you’ve registered to vote and documentation of your current residence. Find a polling place near you. Be sure to check beforehand, as Georgia purged more than half a million voters last year, removing voters who had not had any contact with local election officials in at least the past three years. Bring a book and a snack, and take a larger chunk out of your schedule than you might expect as these places can often get crowded with lines of people waiting to use the polling machines. For the students who work: It is legally required that an employer give its employees two hours off to vote if the polling place isn’t open for at least two hours before the employee’s shift begins or ends. Is voting an excused absence from class? Georgia State does not offer voting as an excused absence in the Student Code of Conduct. While most professors are understanding, send them
an email first to be sure. Voting for those in the military and out-of-state: Absentee ballots are provided for Georgia residents who are out of the state during voting, whether it be for the military or out-of-state college enrollment. This application is to be printed, completed and mailed back. During the election, you will receive a ballot in the mail to send back once completed. Check out sos.ga.gov/elections to see the full schedule of the upcoming elections. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Election Day.
UNCOMING ELECTIONS
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
ELECTION DAY
General Election/ Special Election
Oct. 9
Nov. 6
General Election/ Special Election
Oct. 9
Dec. 4
General election runoff date for federal races
Dec. 10
Jan. 8
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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM More events and info at georgiastatesignal.com
things you don’t want to miss thursday
wednesday
tuesday
saturday
friday
monday
sunday
PodClub Happy Hour
Game Night!
Women Supporting Women
Off the Grid Adventures
Early Run in the Park
Fall Art Market
Shoutout to Every Mom
September 4
September 5
September 6
September 7
September 8
September 9
September 10
“Like a book club, but for podcasts.” This group meets up at Fado’s Midtown Irish Pub from 6 to 8 p.m. Gather for drinks and discussion on their favorite podcasts. Just guys being dudes, am I right?
Meet up at My Parents’ Basement for board games, just like in high school! Meet at the Avondale bar starting at 6 p.m. Games are provided, but feel free to bring your own.
Women Who Code, an online social group, plan a monthly lunch for noon at the Central Food Hall. This is an inviting space for women in STEM. Sure, it’s in Ponce City Market, but hey, if you’ve got the money.
Head over to the Dahlonega Trails for a stunning Appalachian Hiking Festival. From 4 to 6 p.m., the festival is open to all ages and anyone who celebrates the outdoors.
Running is more fun when motivated by a group! Get social and active outside Caribou Coffee for an early morning run. The group also prepares for the Peachtree Road Race.
Indie Craft Experience will host a craft and arts market. Starting at the Yarab Temple on Ponce from 11 a.m., the market will host over 60 vintage vendors, local food and artist stalls.
Moms need to take care of themselves and each other! This Postnatal Yoga encourages new mothers to restore and rejuvenate their bodies. Of course, your slimy precious darlings are welcome, too.
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this week’s theme: Netflix’s “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before”
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This week’s theme was inspired by our love of the movie “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.” This puzzle is dedicated to Peter Kavinsky and all of the “whoa whoa whoas.” We hope you enjoy!
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To suggest a topic, email us: signalprod@gmail.com
across 2. What does Lara Jean’s dad give her before the ski trip? 5. What sport does Peter Kavinsky play? 7. In what grade did Lara Jean have her first kiss? 8. How many letters did Lara Jean write? 11. What accessory does Gen take from Lara Jean? 12. What is Lara Jean’s drink of choice at the diner? 14. What is the waitress at the cafe’s name? 15. What color are the specks in Peter’s eyes?
18. What is Peter Kavinsky’s signature catchphrase? 19. Who does Lara Jean sit with on the way to the ski lodge? 20. What animal does Chris say she has a tail like? 21. What snack gets Lara Jean kicked out of the library? 23. What food did Peter drive across town to get? 24. Who mails Lara Jean’s letters?
DOWN
1. What does Peter save during the movie?
3. What is Josh’s favorite drink? 4. What does Peter drink at the party? 6. What color is Peter’s Jeep? 9. What is Greg’s nickname for Lara Jean? 10. What is the name of the local restaurant? 11. What was the last rule in the contract? 13. What magazine did Dr. Covey buy for Margot? 16. Who does Lara Jean dance with at homecoming? 17. Who is Lara Jean’s older sister? 22. What shoes did Gen wear on the first day of school?
SPORTS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
www.georgiastatesignal.com/sports
Comeback defeat has fanbase ecstatic Panthers lifted to first opening win since 2014; NC State next on docket
Georgia State football wins against Kennesaw State in the first game of the season with a score of 24-20.
JERELL RUSHIN Sports Editor
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eorgia State is unscathed and 1-0 after coming back to defeat Kennesaw State 24-20 behind a last-minute, game-winning touchdown pass from new starting quarterback Dan Ellington to Diondre Champaigne. The highlight of opening night was Ellington’s guts and determination, landing the Panthers in the best place to win in Ellington’s first Division I football game ever. He finished passing 20-28 for 187 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for a game-high 77 yards in front of a hostile, 23,088-person Georgia State Stadium crowd. Head coach Shawn Elliott named Ellington the team’s starter just two days before the game, and the junior college transfer played with high poise and comfortability. Trailing 14-0 with under a minute to go in the second half, the Panthers were in bad shape but found a way to score two wellneeded touchdowns before halftime. The team is a young bunch, led by a quarterback who’s calm under pressure and made the plays that mattered. “What a gutsy performance. When I say guts, I mean he laid it on the line. He did everything in his power. He willed himself to make plays, he willed that football team to move down offensively to get that winning score. There were times he took a couple of hits and he got up and just fueled his fire even more,” head coach Shawn Elliott said of Ellington.
Although Ellington shined brightest, the Georgia State defense held Kennesaw State to just two field goals in the final 39 minutes of regulation. Ellington threw a perfectly placed ball for the 6’3 Champaigne to grab over a shorter cornerback with 41 seconds remaining in the game. Penny Hart and freshman Christian Owens also caught touchdown passes from Ellington. This win snapped Georgia State’s three-game opening day losing streak, with the last such victory being 38-37 over Abilene Christian in 2014. That was the only win for that team, but this Georgia State team may have an identity that is hard to deal with for future opponents. The Panthers showed grit, discipline and trust in one another. In the postgame press conference, Ellington mentioned that the team regularly practices the two-minute drill and it seems to have given the offense poise and confidence down the stretch. “To address the fans, I’m never going to give up. I’m never gonna stop playing. I’m going to fight to the end,” Ellington said. Ellington said he led three or four comeback drives at Itawamba Community College last season. This comeback may not have been possible without a forced fumble by Terry Thomas under seven minutes to go while Kennesaw State was inside the redzone with a 20-14 lead. It didn’t lead to points, but they bent and didn’t break, the key to the victory.
NC STATE PREVIEW (SEPT. 8, 12:30 P.M., RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA)
Georgia State’s next test is a road matchup
PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ | THE SIGNAL
against the Atlantic Coast Conference’s North Carolina State, their lone Power 5 opponent of the season. The Wolfpack defeated the 2017 FCS national champion runner-up, James Madison, 24-13 last Saturday to start the year 1-0. The Wolfpack did not blow past their FCS opponent just as Georgia State wasn’t able to do. In fact, James Madison scored first, shut out North Carolina State in the first quarter and never trailed until 9:39 left in the second quarter. North Carolina State has four of their top five receiving weapons from 2017. Throwing to them will be Ryan Finley, who is on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, an award given to the college football player of the year. One of the biggest question marks on the Panthers’ roster entering the season was the secondary because they lost 2017 starters Chandon Sullivan, Bryan Williams, B.J. Clay and Antreal Allen. This year’s unit had a respectable performance against Kennesaw State and Chandler Burks, one of the FCS’s top notch quarterbacks. However, Finley’s arm and weapons are a far more challenging task to deal with for the secondary that doesn’t have much game experience starting together. Georgia State’s top cornerback Jerome Smith may be tasked with guarding Jakobi Meyers, who had 161 yards on 14 catches, two career highs against James Madison. The strength of James Madison is their running game, and the Wolfpack held it in check to the tune of 163 yards. Georgia State’s leading rusher is Ellington, but next on the list is Tra Barnett, who had 18 yards and a 1.8 average per carry.
The Wolfpack were projected to finish third in the ACC and even received two first-place votes for the Atlantic Division in the ACC’s preseason poll. In its eight completed seasons, Georgia State has never beaten a Power 5 team. The Panthers came close in 2016 when they led No. 9 Wisconsin 17-13 with under eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. The North Carolina State game will be broadcast on the Fox Regional Sports Networks and is the first road test for the Panthers this season.
GAME TIDBITS Georgia State has never beaten a Power 5 opponent NC State is the Panthers’ first ACC opponent ever Both teams look to move to 2-0 NC State quarterback Ryan Finley is on the Maxwell Award watch list
SPORTS
16
Lotte Meyberg runs in the JSU Foothills Invitational on Sept. 9, 2017, taking first place.
GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS
Cross country chasing down the national radar Both Lotte Meyberg and coach England expect big jumps CHRISTIAN CRITTENDEN Staff Reporter
T
he Georgia State cross country team is set to kick off another season, one where the team has set higher expectations for itself. The Signal sat down with Lotte Meyberg, the team’s top runner, to talk about her sophomore campaign and the things that make her such a good runner. Last year at the Sun Belt Conference Championships she placed seventh and made the all-conference team. Head coach Chris England is set to begin his ninth season at Georgia State, and he believes that this is one of his best groups yet. The Signal: How has your time been so far here at Georgia State? Meyberg: It’s been really great. I feel like I’ve developed continuously and have improved my times. In Germany, you don’t really have a cross country season; it’s not as big of a sport there. So, last year was actually my first real cross country season, and I really enjoyed that, and I feel it’s something that I’m good at. The Signal: What one word would you use to describe your abilities as a runner, and why? Meyberg: I’d say ‘perseverance’ because I think everyone has bad days and sometimes it’s tough, and it’s never easy, but if you want to achieve something or you have a goal in mind you just have to keep going because at some point you will reach what you plan to do. The Signal: What accomplishment are you most proud of? Meyberg: Last season, I was very proud that I won one of the races. It wasn’t a big race, but heading into the race, I wasn’t thinking about winning. With 800 meters to go I just gave it all I got. I was so surprised that I won the race and that was something
that just gave me a lot of confidence for the other races. The Signal: How did it feel last year when you made the AllSun Belt Conference Team? Meyberg: Great! Honestly, before the race, I didn’t even know that you could win a trophy for seventh place. So I was like, ‘That’s awesome!’ I didn’t even think about placement before going into the race. I just ran and did my best, and the best was good on this day, so I was really surprised, but I was also of course very happy and pleased with my performance on that day. The Signal: What does it take to be a good cross country runner? Meyberg: Perseverance, motivation, a good team and a coach—a coach that you can trust. It can get tough, it hurts to run as hard as you can for 20 minutes, but if you want to do it you just need perseverance and a good team who can carry you on. If you have teammates that you look up to help you and motivate you then it’s very easy. The Signal: Do you have superstitious pre-race routines? Meyberg: I eat the same breakfast: a banana with peanut butter, maybe some oatmeal and a cup of coffee. Some people say it’s weird that I drink coffee before a race, but I need it to get me going. And I have a lucky charm which is a stuffed unicorn that I always bring with me before the races. The Signal: How did that start? Meyberg: I don’t even know how it started, but there was a unicorn hype, and I just took a liking to them. It’s pretty awkward, but I have a lot of things with a unicorn on them. My friends tease me about it, but it’s a funny thing.
COACH ENGLAND
The Signal: What’s the overall outlook for the team this year? England: The outlook is great. We have a very strong team of
returners; we have five newcomers that are also very promising. So, a very deep team, which is something we haven’t had for a few years. We’ve always had a few very fast runners, but not many fast runners. So I’m very excited to have numerous cross country runners who can contribute to the team. The Signal: What are some of the goals for the team this year? England: Our goal every year is to perform the best at the Sun Belt Conference Championship, and that’s at the very end of the season. Of course, we have a whole schedule of competitions so those are for the runners to get stronger and faster and more mentally prepared. Those are just our running goals, but of course, our team has outstanding academics, so we want to continue that trend. Previously, the team has won the Sun Belt academic award for highest GPA and the award for highest GPA inside Georgia State Athletics. We also want to continue to be a presence in the community as well. The Signal: You mentioned the goals for this season, but what are the expectations? England: They set high expectations for themselves. I have my own expectations, but I don’t share those with the team. I let them figure it out amongst themselves. And when you have a group of 13 runners who are all very good, they figure out what they want to do. They’re all very competitive so they push each other and it makes my job easy because they want to succeed as a group, so I don’t have to share my expectations because their expectations sometimes exceed mine. The Signal: What were some of the things you wanted your runners to work on during the summer? England: Just to have fun. Once cross country season is over in November, this same team runs track from January through May. They basically compete from August through May, so it’s a long year for them. They really don’t have an offseason until then, so I tell them to have fun because when school begins, it’s nonstop until May.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
SPORTS
17
Hannes handles business: a player profile How the senior midfielder from Germany made Atlanta his home JOSHUA FIFE Staff Reporter
F
rom a small rural town in the northern tip of Germany to one of America’s busiest cities, Hannes Burmeister’s transition has been nothing short of amazing. Burmeister started playing soccer around the age of five, and eventually finished as a runner up in the U-19 soccer competition in Germany in 2013. After graduating from CJD Christophorrus Rostock Gymnasium in Rostock, Germany, Burmeister was heavily recruited by universities across the globe. “Georgia State was one of the universities that contacted me quite late. I was already talking to other schools before. But I don’t know, as soon as GSU contacted me, I was just impressed by everything when I looked it up. From day one, when they contacted me, I knew I wanted to go here,” Burmeister said. Burmeister was instantly drawn to the location of the campus, plotted right in the center of Atlanta, one of the world’s busiest cities. He enrolled at Georgia State in 2015 but had to sit out the first five games of the season while awaiting clearance from the NCAA. As soon as he able to hit the field, he made an immediate impact. The German native made the All-Sun Belt Conference First Team his freshman year, earning nine points in only 13 games played with four goals and an assist. However, being so far from his homeland was tough for the 19-year-old and his family. Burmeister talked about the burden of adjusting to life 4,600 miles from home. ”It was tough, especially for my mom because I had never been that far before. But at the end of the day they knew that I had to do what’s best for me and I felt that I had to take this opportunity and this chance, so they always supported me, in everything, no matter how tough,” Burmeister said. His family did have the chance to visit him once during his freshman year and watch an exhibition match during spring workouts, an experience that meant a lot to him.
CHALLENGES
Before 2015, he had never before left Germany, and learning English proved to be a hurdle for him in the states. “I give massive props to the guy because when he first came to the team he didn’t know a lot of English. That acted as a barrier for him socially, but he put himself out there and continued to improve his English and get along with the guys,” said former teammate Jad Elkhalil. From the very beginning, Burmeister realized that everything was going to be very different from what he was accustomed to back home. “I was struggling with the language a little bit. I often didn’t really know what was going on. And I’ve never been in such a big city. Right when they picked me up from the airport I was just impressed by the size of everything. In terms of the people, the mentality was also different. Everyone was really openminded and came forward trying to help me out and support me, so that was quite different,” Burmeister said. Bentwisch, Germany is a small industrial town and is within one of the least densely populated states in Germany, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The entire city has about 3,000 inhabitants. Compare that to Georgia State, which has a student population of over 51,000. By his sophomore year, Burmeister had become more adjusted to the language and began to emerge as a superstar. In his second season as a Panther he played in 19 of 20 matches and scored 11 goals, the highest on the team and in the conference. He also won awards for both the Sun Belt player and offensive player of the year. He became the first Georgia State player in history to score multiple hat tricks in a single season. After stating that his sophomore season was probably his favorite, Burmeister added that he wasn’t “totally satisfied with any season” in his career so far. Georgia State has made it to the
conference finals every year for the past three seasons, and they’ve lost all three matches. Head coach Brett Surrency believes the experience of his older players combined with the energy from the younger guys may deliver different results this year. “This team is unique. We’ve never had a team with so many influential returners back and this big of a freshman class. The freshmen bring your youthful exuberance and returners bring some of that experience, and our challenge is to try and blend the two together and get the best version of us,” Surrency said. Coach Surrency also went on to comment on his senior midfielder. “The last three years he’s been a big time goal scorer for us,” Surrency said. “He goes about it a little bit differently. He’s not a big strong vocal type player, he just goes out there and does his job. But, when he’s confident and believing in himself, he’s tough to stop,” Surrency said. Burmeister displays selflessness and what it means to be a true team player. His goals for this season are simply to win the Sun Belt Championship Tournament and help his team be successful in whatever ways he can. “We definitely want to make it to nationals this year. We are good enough as a team, and we all know it. We just have to prove it, finally. And for me personally, it’s my last season here so I’m trying to do everything I can to achieve that with the team and do my part, whatever my part is. If I score goals, I’ll be happy if I can help the team with that. Or, if I don’t score goals but we still make it I’ll be just as happy with that too,” said Burmeister.
Hannes is a Handful All-Sun Belt Conference First Team (2015, 2016, 2017) 2016 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year 2016 Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year
PHOTO BY CHRIS YOUNG | THE SIGNAL
SPORTS
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GEORGIASTATESIGNAL.COM
Tailgating rises in Georgia State football
Electric opening day tailgating may have set season’s tone CHRISTIAN CRITTENDEN Staff Reporter
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ollege football is back. One of the best sports in the world has returned, which means the Georgia State football team will be playing on Saturdays. The college football gameday experience is one that rivals no other with its hours of tailgating fun before and after the game. Tailgating sets the mood for the entire game, and a successful one can carry over into the stadium. Such was the case this past week at Georgia State Stadium. The Panthers took on in-state foe Kennesaw State, and with the two schools being in such close proximity to each other, many Owls fans made the trip down. “Its close by and it’s our first FBS opponent, so it’s kind of a challenge as far as the program is and the nice thing is that it’s close by so all of our fans can get here and hopefully start an instate rivalry,” Kennesaw State student Daniel Brooks said. Fans are such an integral part of the game, and both fan bases were on display before kickoff. Georgia State played its first football game in 2010, but the tailgating has picked up in the past few years. “I’ve been doing it about five years now,” alumni Kenneth Ashley said. “You get to meet a lot of people. When I was going to school back in the 70s, there was hardly any camaraderie with the students and with the school, so this is bringing everyone to school. I just—I love it. There are people that I never knew went to Georgia State now that I can talk to.” A good tailgate requires several things: food, fun and people. “A grill, good music and good drinks,” Brooks said. “If you have good drinks you can make games.” Greek life plays an important role on the Georgia State and Kennesaw State campuses. The Zeta Theta chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated and the Zeta Mu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated hosted joint tailgates with their Kennesaw State brothers. “We’re brothers at the end of the day, but that’s how you hold yourself to a higher standard by rivaling with your brother and trying to do better than him. That’s how you set the bar high and surpass it everytime,” Kadeem Hunter, a member of the Zeta Theta chapter, said. This particular tailgate was unique for many because it was their first, and that was the case for Georgia State freshman Daniel Solorzano. Solorzano is a freshman from Venezuela, where American football isn’t popular, but soccer is. Even with the soccer culture in Venezuela, Solorzano still hadn’t experienced anything like this. “It’s a very nice experience, this is American Culture,” Solorzano said. “We’ve never done this before, we’ve never stood before the game or after the game in the parking lot, having fun, having conversations with people.” This past game day, the tailgate’s atmosphere carried into the stadium and helped the Panthers to a victory. The crowd of 23,088 was loud from start to finish, and for the first time in
Tailgating is a tradition in football history. The Zeta Theta chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated joins in outside of Georgia State Stadium for the first game of the season.
the short Georgia State Stadium history, it felt like an intense college football experience. “I thought our crowd was really good,” head coach Shawn Elliott said after the game. “It felt like … a big-time atmosphere right there before the half, the energy—I could feel it. I’m an emotional guy. I fuel myself off of excitement from players,
PHOTO BY UNIQUE RODRIGUEZ | THE SIGNAL
crowds and I know people say you shouldn’t do that, but I do, and I could feel it.” Tailgating is a memorable part of every college football experience. And if the Panthers’ first game was any indication, Georgia State’s tailgating atmosphere will only continue improving.
Chandon Sullivan secures practice squad spot New member joins NFL Panthers contingent JOSHUA FIFE Staff Reporter
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hree Panthers made NFL training camps this summer: Chandon Sullivan, B.J Clay and MacKendy Cheridor, but just one made a roster.
CHANDON SULLIVAN - PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
With three tackles, one pass deflection and an interception in the preseason, Sullivan secured himself a spot on the team’s practice squad roster. Sullivan was signed by the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles as an undrafted free agent and spent the summer competing with them. Sullivan learned a lot from the experience and will be able to continue improving as the year goes on. “I get out here everyday and it’s competition. It’s not like
college, everybody out here is good so it keeps me on my toes,” Sullivan told reporters. “Challenging older guys and vets like Nelson [Agholor], you know, it gives me confidence to keep pushing and continue to get better at what I do.” Despite not performing his best at the combine, Sullivan bounced back and made an impression on the coaching staff this summer in Philadelphia. The rookie battled a hamstring injury during the combine and recorded a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash. He performed well in other areas, especially the high jump, with his 40 ½ inch leap being the highest among cornerbacks. This was enough to move head coach Doug Pederson and former Georgia State football head coach, Trent Miles. Miles coached the defensive backs for two seasons at Georgia State and now works with the Eagles as an offensive assistant.
B.J CLAY - LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Clay’s solid performance at Georgia State’s pro day helped him get picked up by the Los Angeles Chargers as a free agent,
but he didn’t make the 53-man team or practice roster. Clay recorded an impressive 4.35 in the 40-yard dash during pro day but the Chargers were already flooded at the cornerback position with eight other defensive backs competing for the same spot.
MACKENDY CHERIDOR - ATLANTA FALCONS
Cheridor joined 36 other players who were waived by the Falcons last Saturday. Atlanta decided to go with a 52-man roster, likely saving space for a future pickup, and they didn’t sign him to the practice squad. At the age of five, Cheridor arrived in Atlanta from Haiti with his mother and older brother. He grew up in Gwinnett County before committing to Georgia State in 2013. He was a four year starter for the defense and currently holds the school records for career sacks (10.5) and forced fumbles (6). Cheridor worked out with the Falcons this summer as an undrafted free agent.
SPORTS
TUESDAY, SEPTEMEBR 4, 2018
19
SPORTS CALENDAR SOCCER
FOOTBALL
SEPT. 7
SEPT. 4
SEPT. 8 NC STATE
Raleigh, North Carolina
SCAN HERE TO JOIN US!
VOLLEYBALL
12:30 P.M.
UNC ASHEVILLE
GSU Soccer Complex
SAM HOUSTON STATE
7 P.M.
WINTHROP
Rock Hill, South Carolina
men’s golf ALL DAY
CHICAGO STATE
ATLANTA SPORTS
SEPT. 7 GEORGIA
CROSS COUNTRY SEPT. 8
GSU Soccer Complex
SEPT. 4 7 P.M.
9:15 A.M.
atlanta braves BOSTON
7:35 P.M.
SunTrust Park
SEPT. 9
SEPT. 6
women’s soccer
UGA BULLDOG INVITATIONAL
12 P.M.
7 P.M.
women’s soccer
Kiawah Island, South Carolina
VANDERBILT
GSU Soccer Complex
Athens, Georgia
6:30 P.M.
GSU Sports Arena
men’s soccer
SEPT. 9-11
GSU Sports Arena
SEPT. 8
SEPT. 8
GOLF THE INVITATIONAL, HOST: THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
men’s soccer
1 P.M.
atlanta falcons PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
8:20 P.M.
SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL STANDINGS
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EAST DIVISION
JERELL RUSHIN
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Sports Editor
Opponent
GEORGIA SOUTHERN
1-0
UMASS
GEORGIA STATE
1-0
NC STATE
APPALACHIAN STATE
0-1
CHARLOTTE
COASTAL CAROLINA
0-1
UAB
TROY
0-1
FLORIDA A&M
WEST DIVISION school
overall
GEORGIA STATE V. NC STATE
NC STATE
GEORGIA V. SOUTH CAROLINA
GEORGIA
MEMPHIS V. NAVY
MEMPHIS
IOWA STATE V. IOWA
IOWA
CLEMSON V. TEXAS A&M
CLEMSON
PITTSBURGH V. PENN STATE
PENN STATE
USC V. STANFORD
STANFORD
Opponent
ARKANSAS STATE
1-0
ALABAMA
LOUISIANA
1-0
OPEN
ULM
1-0
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI
SOUTH ALABAMA
0-1
OKLAHOMA STATE
TEXAS STATE
0-1
TEXAS SOUTHERN
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