Vol. 79 No. 3

THE SIGNAL THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY SERVING THE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1933 VMA RECAP VOLUME 79 | ISSUE 3 TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

GSUSIGNAL.COM

Georgia State bars undocumented student TIFFANIE SMITH Staff Writer

CHRIS SHATTUCK | THE SIGNAL

Last year, student groups marched on the state capitol to protest education cuts and to show their support for federal immigration reform, such as the federal DREAM Act. If enacted, the bill would allow the children of some illegal immigrants to enroll into Georgia universities.

Starting this semester, students admitted to Georgia State were required to prove they were legal residents before enrolling in classes.

According to university spokesperson Andrea Jones, the university has barred one student from enrollment due to documentation problems.

Out of the more than 10,000 students granted preliminary acceptance to the five most academically competitive schools in Georgia, college officials were surprised that the number of students barred was not higher. They do not know whether the new Board of Regents rule deterred immigrants from applying or if they did not have plans to apply previously.

Adopted last October, the rule blocks illegal immigrants from enrolling in any of the 35 University System of Georgia schools that have turned away academically qualified students

in the past two years.

At Georgia Tech this spring,officials canceled applications from three illegal immigrants, spokesman Matt Nagel told the AJC. Admissions officers who were reviewing undergraduate applications learned the three academically qualified students were illegal immigrants and directed them to other colleges.

The University of Georgia, Georgia College & State University and Georgia Health Sciences University are the three other colleges affected by the rule that have yet to turn away potential students because of their immigration status.

“The numbers denied admission to the five institutions prohibited from admitting undocumented students speak for themselves,” Regents Chairman Ben Tarbutton told the AJC. Colleges cleared most of student’s legal residency through the Free ApSEE IMMIGRANTS PAGE 5

Legislators’ visits to Recreation Center sponsored by Alumni Association MIRANDA SAIN Editor-in-Chief Each legislative session, Georgia lawmakers can enjoy the use of the Student Recreation Center, compliments of the Georgia State Alumni Association.

However, Andrea Jones, Vice President for Communications at Georgia State, says that money spent by the Alumni Association on these sponsored visits is minimal.

“The Alumni Association pays for the legislators’ visits.

Fewer than five percent of lawmakers use the service and the total cost [to] the association is less than $1,000 annually,” said Jones.

In 2010, the Alumni Association sponsored visits for $831 in addition to $146.25 spent to cover parking costs for the legislators’ visits to the Student Recreation Center.

From January of this year

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to June, the sponsored visits have cost the Alumni Association $535.

Jones says the legislators are given “access only during the three month legislative session” which is January, February and March. However, lobbyist reports show that legislators have continued to receive Alumni Association sponsored visits into April, May and June as well.

While fewer than five percent of lawmakers use the service, some lawmakers use the Recreation Center frequently visited during this four-month period.

Since the end of the legislative session, the Alumni Association has sponsored 20 visits to the Recreation Center for Rep. Lynmore James (D – Montezuma) and 11 visits by Rep. Rahn Mayo (D – Decatur).

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JUDY KIM | SIGNAL

Each legislative session, the Alumni Association sponsors visits to the Recreation Center for legislators.

SEE PAGE 11 TO...

Find out where all the Georgia State Panthers will be on Sept. 2nd

INDEX

News...........................2 Opinions....................6 Sports.........................9 Entertainment.......13 Campus Life...........17

THE SIGNAL | TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

NEWS

EDITOR Chris Shattuck gsunews@gmail.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR OPEN

www.gsusignal.com/news

Many graduates struggle to find jobs JOCELYN CRAWLEY Staff Writer While graduation can be an exciting time for students, it can also be nerve-wracking. In addition to transitioning out of an educational setting, recent graduates are faced with the task of finding a job. In a market slowly recovering from high unemployment rates, attaining a position with a reputable company may be more challenging than ever.

According to the Labor Department, those with at least a bachelors degree tend to fair better in the search for jobs as their unemployment rate is only about 5 percent versus the national unemployment rate of 9.1 percent. In spite of this, many graduates still are deeply concerned about their future as they prepare to enter a sluggish job market.

Indeed, to increase the likelihood that they will get good jobs, many graduates are choosing to stay in school longer for the purpose of earning advanced degrees. Other students are researching which types of majors to pursue in order to in-

crease the likelihood that they will be hired. Finally, some students are using their networking skills to combat the challenges of a difficult market.

Currently, several Georgia State graduates belong to an entrepreneurial club that encourages members to start their own businesses.

For recent graduates like Jamie Bernhardt, finding a job applicable to his field of study has been extremely difficult. Amongst other things, Bernhardt stated that one of the challenges he continues to encounter takes place during interviews. For instance, Bernhardtfeels that the interviewers have butchered his name, cut him off at the beginning of his answers and asked loaded questions seemingly designed to justify their choosing another candidate. In summation, Bernhardtstated that he felt like he was merely a number meant to fill some sort of interview quota.

Just as students recognize that attaining a job can incorporate numerous challenges, colleges are becoming aware of the problems their alumni face when looking for positions. In order to help its former stu-

dents, Westwood College is currently offering up to $500 a month for six months to graduates who have not found a job.

Similarly, the Major Matters department of Georgia State allows student assistants to maintain their positions with the school up to six months after they graduate.

A program designed to help university undergraduates select a major by hosting information sessions and workshops, Major Matters also employs assistants called major guides who help undecided students select a major by talking about their personal and professional experiences at Georgia State.

In addition to this, the program’s Administrative Specialist,Rene Presti,provides these major guides with monthly task forms so that they can record their daily job duties. These forms can then be used as a reference for the major guides to cite the type of work experience they have when applying for a job.

Clearly, the Georgia State Major Matters program helps students combat the challenges of entering a difficult job market. By providing

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its student assistants with temporary employment after graduation as well as forms that can be used to reference their skill set, the program attempts to equip its employees with the knowledge necessary to compete in a perpetually changing market.

Like the Georgia State Major Matters program, University Career Services offers recent graduates many outlets that can assist them in finding a job. Services provided by the program include mock interviews, free resume and curriculum vitae reviews, career fairs and workshops. University Career Services also manages Panther Career Net, an online job placement site where employers post jobs that students can review and subsequently apply for.

In addition to Panther Career Net, Career Services connects professional and graduate school recruiters with Georgia State alumni seeking advanced educational opportunities. The organization works with all types of people and organizations, including employment recruiters from big corporations and small agencies.

All Georgia State alumni can maintain access to career fairs, showcases,

information sessions and job preparation workshops by attaining an alumni career services verification card. As made evident by the depth and scope of its resources, University Career Services is an ideal outlet for graduates to use when pursuing employment.

As made evident by news reports and personal accounts from students at Georgia State, attaining a job after graduation can be challenging. Despite this, students have many resources designed to help them overcome all obstacles they experience when looking for work. In addition to University Career Services and the Major Matters program, recent graduates can participate in social networking mediums such as Linked In and Facebook.

While the challenges of finding a job are real and potentially problematic, there are many resources that can provide graduates with the solutions they need. Although it may be tempting for frustrated students to become pessimistic, the aforementioned opportunities suggest that the glass is really half full.

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03

THE SIGNAL | NEWS | TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

How are your fees being spent?

BRITTANY KNOX Staff Writer For the past several months, the increase in mandatory fees has had many students up in arms.

Since the Board of Regents announced the increase back in April, the students have been feeling the sting from this change. What seems to be making these fees tougher on students’ pockets is the dynamic factors of changes in HOPE, which no longer cover student fees, and a tighter budget after many of the university’s additions and renovations. Many students have expressed their disapproval of rising fees by holding protests and starting petitions, hoping to encourage the rest of the student body to get involved with this change.

Since 2007, student mandatory fees have risen from $463 to $1064.

With mandatory fees more than doubling since 2007, many other students are left wondering where their money is going and how much more of an increase they may see in the future.

The athletic fee has nearly doubled, from $142 to $263. The International Education Fee has tripled, from $5 to $15. And though the numbers may not seem significant enough, it causes students to heed caution of future increases.

Dr. Douglass Covey, vice president for Student Affairs, provided reasoning behind the increase in student fees, stating that these decisions are responses to institutional needs. “Fee increases are used to address increased costs for maintaining institutional programs and to support the cost of providing new programs.”

Dr. Covey also explained that new initiatives such as starting a football

team are often made possible by increases in student fees.

As stated on the Dean of Students website, each of the fees that students must pay are used for several different purposes and allocated to numerous services and programs that benefit students.

The mandatory fee that is costing students the most is the University of Georgia Institution fee, ringing in at $404. “The USG Institutional Fee is a fee set by the Board of Regents,” says Dr. Covey, “which supplements tuition collected at each campus. The fee varies by the classification of the institution and is applied to the general operating budget.”

This fee is required to be paid by all students enrolled in the Georgia university system such as Georgia Tech and UGA, and is not exclusive to only GSU students.

The two fees that are paid to the Student Recreation Center are the recreation bond and recreation programming fees, combined for a total of $73.50. However, this fee is one of the few that has not gone up and has stayed the same since its opening in 2001.

Scott Levin, director of recreational services, explains just where students’ dollars are going in relevance to the recreation center.

“The $53 in bond fees is used to pay back the $33 million in bonds used to construct the gym facility, kind of like a mortgage,” Levin states. “The programming fee of $20.50 goes to all kinds of things. Through paying this fee, students are automatically members of the recreation center and can partake in the fitness classes that are offered for free.”

Student programming fees also pay to keep instructional clinics at the low cost for students, including martial

arts, dance and yoga classes.

“Those classes for eight weeks are $20. We’re able to offer those classes for that price because they are supplemented by student fees.”

By paying these fees, students are also automatically members of the Indian Creek Lodge, an off-campus recreation area.

However, Levin did state that recreation center expenses may exceed the projected revenue within the next few years, which may cause fees to increase.

But he sees it as a better alternative than eliminating services for students, as he wishes to continue to accommodate students’ recreational activities.

The technology fee is $85, coming in as the third highest-costing fee after the USG institution fee and the athletic fee. According to the breakdown listed on the Dean of Students website, these fees cover “computers, software, databases, networks and other services” that will aid students in their academic advancement. Some examples would be updates to computer hardware and software and making sure networks are maintained.

Students have been making it clear that they are not happy with these rises in fees. But some students who have noticed the increase in fees simply would like to know what exactly they’re paying for. Some students find themselves troubled of the future of student fees, such as Crystal Campanella, a sophomore studying Hospitality Administration. “[Fees] have increased at a rapid rate,” says Campanella, “so it only makes me dread the prices that may come in the upcoming years.”

The technology fee, USG Institution fee and Recreation Bond/Programming fees are just three of the listed mandatory fees that students are required to pay. The Signal will continue to explore and dive deeper into each fee’s individual breakdown and allocation. The itemized breakdown of student mandatory fees can be viewed on the Dean of Students website.

CAMPUS CRIME G Parking Deck

AUGUST 20

A report was filed for Motor Vehicle Theft. The complainant, a GSU faculty member stated, at 2:30 p.m. she noticed her vehicle was missing. The case is being handled by Investigations.

University Lofts

A report was filed for Odor of Marijuana. The complainants, two GSU staff members stated, at 5:15 p.m. they smelled an odor of marijuana.

Officers made contact with three GSU students and one non-GSU individual. Officers smelled marijuana and located other drug contraband. The non-GSU individual was issued a Criminal Trespass Warning and was escorted off campus without incident. The case is being handled by Housing and the Dean of Students Office.

AUGUST 21

John Wesley Dobbs/Piedmont Ave. Officers arrested two non-GSU individuals for Simple Battery. At 2:48 a.m., officers were advised that three non-GSU individuals were fighting. When officers arrived, they confirmed the victim had stabbed one of the suspects in self-defense. One of the suspects was arrested, processed and transported to Fulton County Jail. The other suspect was also arrested and was transported to Grady Hospital due to his injuries.

AUGUST 22

Decatur St./Piedmont Ave.

A report was filed for Criminal Attempt. The complainant, a GSU student, stated that at 11:20 a.m. two unknown black males attempted to snatch his iPod. The case is being handled by Investigations.

Library North

A report was filed for Theft. The complainant, a GSU faculty member, told police that at 2:30 p.m. he noticed his wallet containing various items was missing. The case is being handled by Investigations.

AUGUST 23

Courtland St./Gilmer St.

Officers issued a non-GSU individual a Criminal Trespass Warning. At 12:03 p.m. officers observed the individual ball up his fist as though he was going to strike an unaware individual. He was issued a C.T.W. and was escorted off campus without incident.

Science Annex

A report was filed for Theft. The complainant, a GSU faculty member stated that at 3:45 p.m. he left his office door unsecure and when he returned at 4:00 p.m. he noticed a GSU laptop computer was missing.

The case is being handled by Investigations.

Sparks Hall

Officers issued two Non-GSU individuals a Criminal Trespass Warning. At 7:53 p.m., officers observed the individuals roaming campus and watching students. Officers made contact with the individuals and confirmed they had no reason to be on campus. They were issued a C.T.W. and were escorted off campus without incident.

Peachtree St.

AUGUST 25

Officers arrested a non-GSU individual for Aggravated Assault and Simple Battery. At 4:29 p.m., a non-GSU individual advised officers an unknown individual rubbed his hand on her arms and legs. When she and another individual advised him to stop, he chased them with a brick. Officers made contact with the individual and he was arrested, processed and transported to Fulton County Jail.

All information was obtained from the Georgia State University Police Daily Crime Report.

04

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011 | NEWS | THE SIGNAL

University awaits nearing verdict in E-Reserves lawsuit SAMARIA SMITH Staff Writer The academic community is sitting front and center awaiting a verdict in a copyright infringement lawsuit filed in Atlanta in 2008 by academic publishers against Georgia State.

The plaintiffs —Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Inc. and Sage Publications, Inc., allege that several former Georgia State administrators, including President Carl Patton, provost Ron Henry and librarian Charlene Hurt, systematically encouraged faculty to use electronic copies of course readings made available to students to avoid paying royalty fees. As a result, the publishers are asking for an injunction from the court, which would require that Georgia State cease its distribution of electronic copies of course readings to students without paying for publishers permission.

The case, Cambridge University Press et al v. Patton et al, highlights the controversial practice of e-reserves, or electronic reserves, in which faculty can create a single digital copy of articles or chapters from a book and then place them on a server, such as uLearn, for widespread access by students. However, the seemingly practical approach that helps lower the enormous costs of text-

>>LEGISLATORS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 According to 2010 lobbyist records submitted by the Georgia State director of the Office of Government and Community Affairs Jim Flowers, Rep. J. Craig Gordon (D-Savannah) used the facility 11 times between January and April 2010. Rep. Keith Heard (D-Athens) used the facility 17 during this same period while Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle visited 8 times.

Included in the sponsorships, the Alumni Association provided former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue with semester passes to the Student Recreation Center for Spring, Summer, and Fall semester for $127 each.

Jones says that sponsored visits are used to introduce legislators to the Georgia State campus and “on occasion” used to discuss important educational issues.

“We offer the lawmakers access to help familiarize them with campus.

We give them access only during the… legislative session,” said Jones.

According to data recently collected by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, lobbyists for the University System of Georgia spent $2.5million last year on everything from dinner, football tickets and umbrellas.

USG officials say that the money for these incentives and gifts is fundraised by foundations like Georgia

WIKIPEDIA.COM A judge at the Elbert P. Tuttle U.S. Courthouse will decided the verdict.

books for students and libraries alike has come under fire by publishers who feel cheated out of potentially greater licensing fees. The popular practice has facilitated innovations such as distance learning and collaboration, both of which students and instructors have come to love.

The practice relies on the concept of fair use—a concept the publishers seek to have redefined in their favor by the courts. Fair use is an exception to federal copyright law that allows limited use of copyrighted material without acquiring permission from

State’s Alumni Association.

In some cases, even local officials receive incentives and gifts as well.

For example, the University of Georgia sometimes invites Athens-Clarke County Commissioners to home football games.

Patrick Allen, Director of Community Relations at UGA, emphasized that the money spent on lobbying is raised by the university foundation and not by the university system itself.

“Each commissioner is invited to be a guest for one game in a suite controlled and leased by the UGA Division of External Affairs,” explains Allen. “Expenses associated with this suite are paid by The University of Georgia Foundation. Therefore, no state nor USG dollars are used.”

Thomas Daniel, a university system official, says that these gifts and incentives are necessary to nab state funding and make a presence at the Capitol.

“It is not just about the budget, it is not just about legislation, it is about being part of the process,” said Daniel.

Allen expressed a similar sentiment in regards to the county commissioners.

“While the commissioners do not vote on our budget, they do make decisions on community issues that are important to the university…Therefore, it is important to have these relationships established,” said Allen.

the rights holders. Teaching for educational purposes is among several examples of fair use. The defendants have argued that the educational purpose of course packs distributed via e-reserves qualifies for fair use.

Therefore, permission for them generally is not sought, and thus permission fees are notpaid. Perhaps an efficient savings plan for students and libraries, the e-reserve practice has become significantly costly for publishers by slashing the sales they rely on. Finally fed up with the loose boundaries of e-reserves and fair use

denying them copyright claims, the publishers are seeking a monumental ruling that could redefine fair use as it is known.

In what is likely the final filings in the case, both parties have issued responses to each others proposed conclusions of law—responses mostly built on the original grounds the parties presented at trial. In their briefs, the plaintiffs remain adamant that evidence of a defective fair use checklist, paired with Georgia State’s failure to pay, budget for, or establish any procedures for securing permissions indicates an illegal plan to evade responsibility for copyright compliance. From the publishers’ standpoint, Georgia State systematically sought to use e-reserves as a cost effective replacement for traditional printed course packs. However in their response, attorneys for the defendants reiterate a defense that the court does not have jurisdiction under Ex parte Young, especially since and among other things, the publisher’s accusations in the case “relies solely on a theory of supervisory liability for the acts of Georgia State University employees.” Because the defendants are not personally involved in the alleged infringements, Ex parte Young does not apply.

For those unfamiliar with the legal lingo, Ex parte Young is a Supreme Court case that allows law-

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suits in federal courts against officials acting on behalf of states to go forth despite the state’s sovereign immunity in questions of constitutionality.

As a state institution, Georgia State cannot be sued in federal court under the protection of sovereign immunity—a doctrine of the Constitution that protects states from prosecution in federal courts. To get around the issue of state sovereign immunity, the publishers filed suit under the exception of Ex parte Young, singling out individual officials . Nevertheless, the issue of sovereign immunity plays a major role in the publishers’ limited request of an injunction from the court without monetary damages. And while Georgia State’s lawyers are standing on a premise that Ex parte Young has been misplaced, they are prepared to go the distance in the event that presiding federal Judge Orinda Evans decides to proceed under Ex parte Young.

In fact, Publishers Weekly has said that “Georgia State has fought the case strongly and appears to have put itself in position to defeat the suit.”

And if Evans in fact does agree that Ex parte Young has been misplaced, it is likely the case could be dismissed without a significant ruling on the fair use question.

In claiming fair use, the defendants argue that the rules of fair use are clear and precedent as set forth in such copyshop litigations as the case of Basic Books, Inc. v. Kinkos SEE LAWSUIT PAGE 5

05

THE SIGNAL | NEWS | TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

Freshmen break university records for number of students, diversity EVAN OWENS JR. Staff Writer

This year’s freshman class set university records for both the total number of students admitted and the diversity of its students.

According to the University Relations, approximately 2,800 freshmen students were enrolled for classes this fall semester. The class of 2015 is said to be seven percent larger than the class of 2014.

Not only is this class the largest in university history, Georgia State officials are saying that the class of 2015 is the university’s most diverse group of students.

According to University Relations, this year’s freshmen are approximately 41 percent white, 34 percent black, 16 percent Asian, and 9 percent Hispanic.

The diversity of this year’s freshman was the first thing David Camp, an undecided sophomore, noticed while he met various freshmen the first week of school as a volunteer

>>LAWSUIT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Graphics Corp.

In this case, the courts ruled that copyright infringement had occurred when course packets without permission were sold to students. However, what makes the ruling beneficial to Georgia State’s defense is that the defendants were selling course packs and acting outside of the nonprofit educational boundaries. In essence, the defendants’ argument about fair use is that the landmark copy shop cases were “largely evaluated from the position of the copy shops benefitting financially.” The defendants note that their own case is about fair use “wholly within the nonprofit educational environment.”

There is much at stake for both parties in this case that will largely impact the system of higher education. If the publishers see victory, e-

helping them move in to the dorms.

“They seem excited about starting their college careers,” said Camp.

“It’s definitely something I’m glad I get to experience,” says Lexie Ryder, a pre-nursing/nursing major, of her classmates and their record breaking feats. “But it’s also a little intimidating [because] I’ve never felt like a minority before.”

In total, Georgia State received 31,000 applications for the fall semster.

Associate provost for academic programs, Timothy Renick, attributes the large number of applications to Georgia State’s growing reputation.

“The extraordinary demand for admission into Georgia State is testimony to the success of our various academic and student initiatives,” said Renick.

Jalisa Mott, a freshman majoring in biology, says that enrolling at Georgia State was an easy decision for her because of the university’s reputation for academics and loca-

tion downtown.

“With a well-established program overall, I knew Georgia State would be a great institution to study biology and to have a great college life experience,” said Mott.

With the newest freshman class, Georgia State also raised average standards. The average high school GPA of the new class is 3.39 and the average SAT score is 1100.

“Both are records. In fact, over the past three years, average SAT scores for Georgia State freshman have increased by 29 points,” said Renick.

Georgia State also saw its largest transfer class with over 2,600 students.

“Georgia State is the place to be and our data show that we are increasingly the first choice of our applicants,” said Renick.

reserve policies will likely be restructured and lost revenue will probably be replenished. Perhaps more importantly, they will see a defining fair use ruling in their favor that will snatch back copyrights taken away from them under the dim exception. On the other hand, a victory for Georgia State will defeat the chance of an injunction and its e-reserves practice will live on.

In a case that has not gone over well in the academic community, it seems as though students will suffer yet again. Duke University scholarly communication officer Kevin Smith says that, “if publishers win an injunction, they would hope to get universities to pay for permissions more often, but the money just isn’t there.”

And from what we have witnessed lately in higher education—the hikes in tuition and fees, the disaster that is HOPE, and the already outrageous expenses for textbooks and materi-

als—it seems highly probable that Smith is right.

While it is fair to understand points made on behalf of both the publishers and Georgia State, looking at the biggest picture possible,everyone looses here. Pinching your partners for pennies will likely prove to be a loosing strategy.

After all, any result in this case will probably initiate toxic relationships between the publishers who need institutional support to cover their costs, faculty who need to publish for promotion and tenure, the public who needs to regain trust in the systemand students who simply cannot bare more escalating prices in higher education.

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Alexis Smith and Miranda Sain also assisted in the reporting of this story.

ANGEL R. WHITE | SIGNAL

Freshman Bianca Wood signs the official class of 2015 banner at the block party.

>>IMMIGRANTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 plication for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The program requires students to submit their social security number and about 90 percent of college students applied for this aid.

If students did not apply through this program, colleges instructed them to provide a certified copy of their birth certificate or other certified documentation.

Even though the negative effects of illegal immigrantion on the University System is relatively unknown, particularly following the Board of Regent’s new rule, some lawmakers like Rep. Tom Price (R) think that the rule is not enough.

Instead, he would have all illegal immigrants barred from public colleges and introduced legislation towards that goal this past secession, although it did not pass either

chamber of the legislature.

Georgia is not the only state to ban illegal immigrants from enrolling in public colleges. Alabama and South Carolina also ban illegal immigrants from enrolling in public universities.

Alejandro Galeano, a student at the University of Georgia, conducted a graduation ceremony of resistance on Aug. 23, as a protest against the Board of Regents’ decision to ban academically qualified students from attending Georgia’s top five public universities solely based on their immigration status.

“I am having to fight for my education now, and failure is not an option,” Galeano said. “This is the Athens community, not the Athenswhite, Athens-black or Athens-anything. It is Athens, and all the people here are equal. Once you start targeting a certain subgroup, such as the immigrant community, it becomes racism and prejudice.”

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THE SIGNAL | TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

OPINIONS

EDITOR SAVANNA KEO

signalIopinions@gmail.com

COPY EDITORS ALICIA JOHNSON MILES KEENLYSIDE

www.gsusignal.com/opinions

From the Editorial Board Another term of school has begun and along with the joys of paying tuition and purchasing textbooks, comes the pain of parking. Seeing as Georgia State enrolls more than 32,000 students and is located in the heart of one of the busiest cities in the county, parking and transportation has always been a major issue. It would seem that this year will be no different.

Turner Field is the only free lot offered at a first come, first, serve basis. Thus, it seems to be the most chaotic parking option of them all. Students are required to park in the “Blue Lot” which houses 1,600 parking space.

This makes up approximately 20 percent of the student population of Georgia State. As fees and tuition continue to increase, Turner Field is the best economic parking solution for most students.

It all boils down to if you want to battle with the morning and evening rush for free parking at Turner Field or pay $215 per semester to park at M Deck. As we saw from massive chaos that ensued a couple weeks ago as students vied for a convenanted M-Deck pass, parking continues to be a huge, unnecessary headache for Georgia State students.

It’s ultimately left in the hands of the student whether or not they want to endure the chaos and save money.

Auxiliary and Support Services needs to begin planning ways to remedy this situation for next year.

FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD reflects the majority opinion of the Editorial Board of The Signal, but not necessarily the opinions of individual editors

THE SIGNAL Editorial Board Miranda Sain, Editor in Chief • Mishall Rehman, Managing Editor • Chris Shattuck, News Editor • Angel White, Campus Life Editor • Saakib Zafrani, Sports Editor • D.J. Dunson, Associate Sports Editor • Brooke Marshall, Entertainment Editor • Bennett Greer, Production Editor •Aysha Johnson, Assistant Production Editor •Brittany Williams, Online Editor •Savannah Keo, Copy Editor • Miles Keenlyside, Copy Editor • Alicia Johnson, Copy Editor • Judy Kim, Photography Editor

University foundations should sponsor discussion,

not dinners or exercise MIRANDA SAIN Editor in Chief Last year, lobbyists for the University System of Georgia shelled out $2.5 million to woo Georgia’s politicians, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report.

The $2.5 million was spent on wining and dining, basketball and football tickets and promotional items like portfolios, umbrellas and candy dishes.

While university system officials remind us that the $2.5 million came from university foundations, neither the university system nor these foundation should have to woo politicians with fancy dinners or sporting events.

The University System of Georgia is a branch of the state government in that it receives a large portion of its funding from the state. Thus, all 35 institutions of the USG are public.

University system officials state that lobbying legislators is necessary to ensure that the system receives sizeable budgetary funding and is appropriately involved with legislative decisions that could impact the USG. Without a doubt, the university system should be involved in the legislative process when laws could potentially affect the USG. Legislators also have to include the USG in the decision-making process to ensure that laws and regulations are properly enforced and carried out.

For example, when House Bill 87, a controversial bill targeted at illegal immigrants, was brought into the legislature last year, the Board of Regents announced that undocumented students would be barred from five of Georgia’s top college, which included Georgia State.

Some legislators have already been talking about tightening the restrictions even more. During the last legislative session, Rep. Tom Rice introduced a bill to bar undocumented students from all of Georgia’s public institutions. While Rice’s legislation did not pass during the last session, it is a topic that will likely be brought up again in the upcoming session as Georgia continues to wade through the controversy. In order to pass and implement such a policy, the Board of Regents and the USG will have to be behind the state

government.

Therefore, just as we need the legislators for funding, the legislators need the university system for the implementation of their laws and policies.

As a valuable, intricate part of the government system, universities should not have to feel obligated to pay for candy dishes or special luncheons.

The university system and Georgia’s politicians should have a professional working relationship that is equally beneficial. We should not have to bride politicians who compose our budget with football tickets to the next big football game. (Last year, Georgia State spent $614 on tickets for legislators to see our new football program in action.)

While playing politics does cost money, I’ve never been to a football game where I have discussed any important topic. After all, at a football game all you care about is whether your team is winning or losing not discussing some ground-breaking piece of legislation.

The Georgia State Alumni Association has taken initiative in finding ways to bring legislators onto our campus by sponsoring visits to the Recreation Center for a good workout. While the association or the university may attempt to use these visits as a way to occasionally discuss pending legislation, how much can you really discuss when you’re out of breath, running full pace on a treadmill?

The Alumni Association and other Georgia State university foundations should use these fundraised dollars to sponsor roundtable or panel discussions with university administrators.

Heck, I would be completely flattered and honored if these discussion where opened to students like me. That sure would’ve been nice when Gov. Nathan Deal and his henchmen were trying to fly their half-baked HOPE proposal through the gold dome.

To really benefit the university system and its more than 300,000 students, the money spent on sending legislators to football games and passing out candy dishes should be used to provide outlets and opportunities for a real conversation between students, university officials and legislators.

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07

THE SIGNAL | OPINIONS | TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

Education is not a right, but big business JUDY KIM Photography Editor Quite frankly speaking, I am really tired of seeing signs on campus that scream “Education is a Right.”

Yes, education and knowledge is a god-given right, which is why we had the first 13 years of our academic career for free -- though technically it was not completely free since our parents paid for our education through residential taxes.

Yet, the point is that we did not have to pay out of our own pocket for books, laboratory fees or even tuition for that matter.

Students have misunderstood the notion that a university is simply an academic school, the same kind of school we attended from K through 12th grade.

In reality, a university is a fullblown business entity of its own. In exchange for all the cash we hash out every semester, they give us a certified degree -- tangible proof that we are not all idiots and can actually do the job.

Many students sometimes choose to attend a private university for their degree, which can cost them up to $200,000 in student loans by the time they graduate. However, this is obviously a personal decision

and $200,000 is a monstrous number compared to $8,000 after graduation.

It is very possible for one to get a job and make a living without a college degree and for those of us who do choose to pursue one, we must un-

“The University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State are all brand names to your resume and an automatic raise if you become hired.”

derstand that it is not something that is supposed to be given.

A post-secondary degree is still a luxury. We have to work for it, and we have to prove that we are every bit capable of obtaining one through any means necessary.

If there is an increase in tuition, you best believe that the extra money will be put into good use. If it is not, well that’s a separate issue of its own.

It is truly a survival of the fittest phenomenon, and it’s hard for me to agree with someone complaining about the recent changes to HOPE while they are on Facebook.

Search for a damn scholarship.

Apply for many. Do some real work.

Many students from other states across the country do not even have such a scholarship like HOPE. No, HOPE should not be based on financial needs. There are more than plenty of scholarships out there for people who are from lower-income families and hardly any that are purely merit-based, and if you’re in the middle just bitching and complaining, from the bottom of my heart I do hope you fail out.

No, the government is not entitled to help you make more money.

That’s a personal life choice that the individual must fulfill on their own and by their own means.

Since when did we become such a socialist society? Last time I checked, the “American Dream” was all about the idea of getting somewhere in life through hard work and dedication. As scholars, athletes or other professionals know, it really does take some blood and sweat to make some gain.

As much as it does irk me to see these signs on campus, I can understand why many of these students feel frustrated or even angry, but I do not find their cases agreeable.

Post-secondary education is not a right, and the government by no means is obligated to provide this service.

We are allowed to drop out of high school at the age of 16. Whether we want to believe it or not, education is of high priority to our representatives especially since there are laws that keep young people in school for this long.

The school’s purpose is purely business, no matter what any of them tell you. The University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State are all brand names to your resume and an automatic raise if you become hired.

This is why schools boast of their statistics. They want to bring in more intelligent students along with more money. If they increase the reputation of the school, many more would want to apply and enroll.

May I remind our current students that prospective students must pay a $60 application fee? I wonder how much we make off our rejected students every year.

Please do not become some selfentitled prick that thinks it is cool or revolutionary to graffiti the campus or build large signs condemning the school. After 18 years, I would like to think we’re all grown enough to know that we work for what we want to earn and that nothing in life is ever really truly given.

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08

THE SIGNAL | OPINIONS | TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

Tea Party blocks progress for all, even themselves JOSHUA SEGALL

U. Arizona via UWIRE It’s no secret that the Tea Party we all hear so much about isn’t such a grand party after all.

Many popular news outlets make the Tea Party seem like a stubborn group of Americans that try to derail the supposed bipartisan support that exists in Washington D.C., and to some extent, they’re right. However, few realize the actual core values that the Tea Party stands for.

There is more to the party than simply a bunch of people who are “mad as hell.”

The Tea Party started as a grassroots campaign to restore common sense and small government in America. A simple glance at their mission statement outlines the three core values of the party: fiscal responsibility, limited government and free markets. Not surprisingly, these are values that most anyone can identify with. That’s how parties make themselves at-

tractive to voters -- reaching them on levels that most anyone can agree with.

While the Tea Party attempts to align itself with the Boston Tea Party we learned about in social studies, they seem to have missed the point. Somewhere along the way, many of the Tea Party’s members began to view the acts of the Boston Tea Party purely conducted out of stubbornness as opposed to an act of dissent aimed at a greater good.

It doesn’t help that the key figures of leadership in the party are less than desirable. Often considered the top figurehead of the Tea Party movement, former Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin has seen the shortcomings of her career far outweigh her successes. Although she was Alaska’s first female governor and was credited with helping to restructure Alaska’s fiscal policies, Palin has also notoriously butchered the English language and established herself as a vapid Republican vice presidential candidate who flip-flopped stances and had a blatant lack

of knowledge on popular issues. Not to mention her decision to be a reality TV star did not earn her any political clout either.

Along with Palin, 2012 Presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann is also creating public image problems for the Tea Party. Like her counterpart, she too has been credited with numerous verbal slip-ups very early in her campaign. Many of her speeches are filled with strong passion, but her delivery has made her an instant turn off to many. She constantly credits herself with things she has done and often lacks real solutions to the problems we face today.

With the 2012 Republican presidential race starting to pick up the pace, the Tea Party poses an imminent threat to the Republican Party’s election hopes. President Barack Obama won his 2008 election through an upsurge in young voters. Unfortunately, the Tea Party does not appeal to this demographic. To make things worse, many people from all age groups can’t

relate and generally disapprove of the party.

By rousing so much displeasure, the Tea Party is essentially aiding the re-election chances for President Obama.

The best thing the Tea Party could do is back away from being the center of attention.

The Tea Party is only serving to inadvertently aid the other side and worsen the chances for change in Washington, D.C. The Tea Party has a great underlying initiative to restore the values of the United States of America. The cold hard truth is that government has grown too large and we are fiscally irresponsible. While the Tea Party should be commended on their values, it is time that they take a step back from the spotlight. Time has come to part ways with their standoffish and anger-inducing behaviors. They must allow real change to happen.

Behind tradition lies the value BUTHEINA HAMDAH U. Toledo via UWIRE Currently, we are more than halfway through Ramadan. As a Muslim, I never want such a time to end, for there is no greater opportunity during which one can grow closer to Allah and gain good deeds.

This is done through more frequent prayer, Qur’an recitation, spending spiritual moments with loved ones and Muslims in the community, donating to the needy through zakah as a moral and spiritual investment (as well as a major pillar of Islam) and, of course, the essence of Ramadan: fasting.

Noor Najjar, a student blogger on the myUT homepage and a very dear friend of mine posted on the first day of Ramadan a reminder about one of the core concepts of fasting: “The best way to understand a person is to step in their shoes. What better way to understand what the hungry or deprived endure except than to step in their shoes for 30 days?”

Noor’s post re-instilled this highly relevant and ever true notion. In turn, I would like to expand on it in light of recent global developments. While the importance of fasting is first

SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

and foremost to exercise self-restraint and demonstrate discipline so that Muslims may become more righteous, there’s also a second benefit.

Ramadan provides an opportunity to sympathize with those struggling elsewhere in the world.

This could not be a more appropriate time considering the current crises going on worldwide. For instance, East Africa is currently enduring a humanitarian crisis as a result of the worst drought in 60 years. Two failed rain seasons led to crop shortages on top of the horn of Africa’s already vulnerable state. It is expected to affect more than 10 million people in countries including Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Djibouti.

According to reports by UNICEF, southern Somalia is suffering from lack of proper healthcare, insufficient food supply and lack of clean water. In addition, Somalia’s political instability is worsening to a critical condition, and hundreds of refugees flee to camps in Kenya. The country struggles to accommodate the influx of refugees. The images online and on television depicting the famine are beyond distressing.

Matters are expected to become worse with no rain forecast in sight. Spiking food pric-

es are making it increasingly difficult for the main agencies to afford emergency aid, so your help is crucial. You can help UNICEF meet these needs by texting “FOOD” to 864233 to donate $10 from the United States or visit their website at www.unicefusa.org to donate online.

You can also make a donation through numerous other agencies including Islamic Relief Worldwide by simply visiting their website at www.islamic-relief.com, which provides more information on their East Africa appeal.

Another life-threatening crisis overseas is Bashar Al-Assad’s government crackdown on the Syrian people’s protests for reform and civil rights. Al-Assad’s continued use of imprisonment, torture and outright killing of any who oppose him in Syria has made him one of the worst human rights offenders in the Middle East.

This Ramadan, I am not alone in remembering other struggling populations of the world. Every night at my local mosque, I join the prayer of my fellow Muslims in the Toledo community to make a special call (du’aa) on behalf of people in Somalia, Syria and elsewhere.

We pray for the relief of their struggles brought on by hunger, oppression or both. Even if you are not a Muslim observing Ramadan, it’s important to be aware of the dismal circum-

stances overseas as people fight and face threats of torture, death by their own armies or by malnutrition. The tumult in Africa and in the Middle East often frames our own concerns as quite trivial, especially when we have basic necessities and securities we should never overlook.

As a Muslim, I find acts through my faith as one of the most powerful reminders of such fundamental concepts. After such reflection, it is easy for me to discipline myself, to forget I have not had water since five o’clock in the morning. I can look forward to breaking my fast and sleeping comfortably at night once the sun sets, but I cannot speak on behalf of the millions of others globally who can not necessarily do so.

Living in a world that distracts and shuffles priorities, I find re-evaluating this world is most humanizing.

Try to live by a verse in the Qur’an that reads, “And what will explain to you what the steep path is? It is the freeing of a (slave) from bondage; or the giving of food in a day of famine to an orphan relative, or to a needy in distress.

Then will he be of those who believe, enjoin fortitude and encourage kindness and compassion.” [90: 12-17] Ramadan Mubarak to all.

The following guidelines must be followed when submitting a letter to the editor. Failure to follow them will result in your letter not being considered for publication.

Letters must be submitted to the Opinions Editors via email and must include the text of the letter in the body of the message. Letters should be 200-400 words maximum. The Signal will allow longer letters, but only in rare circumstances.

Letters must include the full name(s) of the writer(s) and include their year and major. If the writer is a faculty member, they must include their title and department. Letters will be fact-checked prior to publication. The writer may be obligated to make changes to the letter for publication. Letters will be edited for grammar, clarity, length, factual accuracy and adherence to Signal policy. The Signal reserves the right to modify and/or reject letters at the discretion of the editorial staff.

THE SIGNAL | TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

SPORTS

EDITOR Saakib Zafrani

ASSOCIATE EDITOR D.J. Dunson

www.gsusignal.com/sports

theisignalsport@gmail.com

dunsondj@gmail.com

SAAKIB ZAFRANI Sports Editor

Fall sports in full swing September 2nd

UGA Invitational SEPT. 3 GEORGIA STATE CROSS COUNTRY

Bishop, Ga. | UGA Equestrian Farm Men’s and Women’s Cross Country will start their season this weekend at the UGA invitational. Full story on page 11.

Battle of the Panthers SEPT. 2 GEORGIA STATE VS. CLARK FOOTBALL

Georgia Dome | Atlanta, Ga. 7:30 p.m.

Georgia State will kick off its second season in the Georgia Dome this Friday against Clark Atlanta at 7:30 p.m. Full story on page 11.

GSU Invitational SEPT. 2-3 GEORGIA STATE VOLLEYBALL

GSU Sports Arena | Atlanta, Ga. 1:00 p.m.

Volleyball looks to rebound at home after a tough loss in the final round of the Memphis Invitational last weekend. Full story on page 12.

Fun in the Sun Tournament SEPT. 2-4 GEORGIA STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER

Jacksonville, Fla. Head coach Domenic Martelli rejoins the sidelines after being red carded in the home opener against Villanova. Full story on page 10.

University of South Florida SEPT. 2 TAMPA, FLA. 7:30 P.M. MEN’S SOCCER

Men’s soccer will face a tough opponent in USF, and will have to fight to improve their 2-0 start to the season.

10

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011 | SPORTS | THE SIGNAL

Women’s soccer falls to Villanova

SAAKIB ZAFRANI | THE SIGNAL

The referee showed head coach Domenic Martelli a straight red card without any yellow for a warning.

SAAKIB ZAFRANI Sports Editor Women’s soccer battled back from a 2-0 deficit against Big East powerhouse Villanova Friday night, but came up short in the end: 3-2 in a game that saw head coach Domenic Martelli red-carded and senior goal keeper Kellianne Collins end up in the hospital.

Despite giving up an early goal at the 14-minute mark, Collins played a stellar first half and didn’t seem fazed by it. Four minutes remained on the clock and the Wildcats created another scoring opportunity

with Nova’s Colleen Lineweaver and Collins racing for a loose ball in the box. Collins arrived first and covered it up, but Lineweaver slid into her, studs-up. Collins was unable to get up on her own, and had to be assisted off the field. There was no foul given by the ref for a clear red card violation.

Sophomore Rebecca Ingram took Collins’s place for the remainder of the game, and was introduced to the burdens of a goalkeeper right from the start of the second half.

Three minutes in, the Panthers were unable to clear the ball from their box and Nova’s Channing Press

rifled it past Ingram. The score line read 2-0.

The Panthers pressed on and finally tasted their first bit of hope 67 minutes in, as last season’s leading scorer, Sarah Bennett, headed a beautiful corner from Alyssia Feronti up and over Nova’s goalkeeper. With 23 minutes left in the game, the Panthers came alive, and a favorable result became a possibility once more.

Shortly after that goal, the Panthers conceded a penalty and Nova’s Heidi Sabatura regained a 2-goal lead for the Wildcats.

It was only moments after this penalty that coach Martelli found

himself leaving the field after receiving a red card. Jewel Evans chased a ball to the touchline alongside a Nova defender, and the defender gave her a nudge and the two went end over end. The referee rushed to the scene, hand raised, as if to award Georgia State a free kick, but seemed to change his mind and gave Nova a goal kick.

Martelli asked repeatedly if the ref was originally going to award the kick, but the ref didn’t want to hear it. He marched to Martelli, flashed a red card and walked away. There was no warning with a yellow, only a straight red card.

Martelli had questioned the referee’s calls in the first half when he didn’t stop play immediately when two Panthers appeared seriously injured, including Collins’s injury, as well as for a penalty that wasn’t awarded on an apparent handball in the first half.

By halftime, the referee was livid on the sideline and repeatedly told his linesmen, “One more word and he’s gone. I don’t care if he asks me what time it is, one more word.”

“They’re my kids,” Martelli said. “I’m more loyal to them than any other part of my profession, and when my kids are going down, I’m very concerned.”

As the players watched their head coach walk off the field, a sudden intensity and liveliness overcame the team, and the Panthers fin-

ished very strong.

The game of soccer is a backand-forth one, and it only takes one moment of magic to turn a game on its head. That moment nearly came on a free kick in Nova’s defensive third. Sidney Miller met the kick with a clever back heel in the box and very nearly scored, but Nova’s keeper was on top of it before it crossed the line.

Determined to get back in the game, Evans found herself on a breakaway a few moments later and chased the ball to the touchline, where she was tripped by Nova’s goal keeper in the box. Penalty awarded.

Bennett slotted the shot home, and suddenly the match was in reach again.

The Panthers fought hard for the remainder of the game, but the equalizer proved unattainable, and the Wildcats went home with a 3-2 victory.

Since he was given a red card, Martelli also had to sit out the 1-0 loss to Mercer on Sunday. He will rejoin the team Friday, Sept. 2 at the Fun in the Sun Tournament in Jacksonville, Fla. Despite being sent off, Martelli is confident going forward. “When you play Georgia State, you’re in for a street fight, and we saw that in parts of the game, but we have to learn to go a full 12 rounds.”

Braves start to run away with wild card, health will be key to playoff run DYLAN RICE Staff Writer

The Atlanta Braves are playing some of their best baseball of the year as they enter the final stretch of the regular season, and they continue to add to their sizable lead in the Wild Card race, leading by just under 10 games.

As this lead increases, they are slowly gaining ground on the division leading Phillies. While overtaking them for the NL South title might still be a long shot, it’s not outside the realm of possibility.

This recent success can be attributed to an offense that has finally awoken after a subpar first half, a dominating young bullpen and a starting rotation that can compete with the best of them.

Another key to this offensive surge has been the addition of sparkplug centerfielder Michael Bourn, who was acquired from the Astros at the trade deadline.

Bourn’s high batting average and base running ability has provided balance to an uneven lineup that has lacked a true leadoff man for several seasons.

When Dan Uggla was added to the Braves in an offseason trade, fans and those in the organization thought they knew what they were getting.

In his career with the Florida

Marlins, Uggla was the model of consistency putting up around 30 homers and 90 RBIs year after year.

After a nightmare start in Atlanta, Uggla has finally been living up to these expectations.

Uggla recently treated Braves fans to an Atlanta record 33-game hitting streak, and he has shown he still has his old power by securing another 30-home run year.

With Uggla and Bourn in the lineup, as well as Rookie of the Year candidate Freddie Freeman, the still dangerous veteran Chipper Jones and the reliable Brain McCann; what seemed like the team’s initial weakness has turned into a strength.

Even Jason Heyward, who has a ferocious case of the sophomore slump, has contributed recently, hitting a grand slam in a recent win over the Chicago Cubs.

Fans can only hope this was the turning point in what has been a disappointing season for Heyward and his supporters.

The Braves were still collecting early wins despite their offensive deficiencies, largely because of their strong starting rotation.

But this offensive resurgence has come at the right time, as health has become a recent concern for the pitching staff.

With All-Star Jair Jurrjens recently returning from an injury and

Tommy Hanson on the disabled list, the Braves rotation suddenly lacks the consistency that fans had come to expect.

Tim Hudson has been the one stable presence on the staff since the All-Star break, pitching some of the

brilliance but suffered from inconsistency in his call-ups earlier this year, recently out-dueled two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum as he led the Braves to a 1-0 victory.

If Minor is able to continue to perform at this level and put his team

STREETER LECKA | GETTY IMAGES

Rookie closer, Craig Kimbrel, is the centerpiece of one of baseball’s most feared bullpens

best baseball of his career.

Veteran Derek Lowe has been experiencing a season-long struggle, and the Braves are looking to their farm system and the likes of Mike Minor to hold the rotation afloat while their young aces attempt to get healthy for the postseason.

Minor, who has shown signs of

in a position to win while the aces get healthy for the playoffs, the Braves seem to be in good shape.

But the starters do have one thing going for them, they know if they leave the game with the lead after six innings, they are pretty much guaranteed a victory. Thanks to the strongest aspect of the ball club, the

bullpen.

Throw in Eric O’Flaherty in the seventh, second-year setup man Jonny Venters and Rookie of the Year favorite Craig Kimbrel to close it out, and a victory is almost inevitable.

All three of these young pitchers are in possession of sub-two ERAs. Kimbrel has a fastball that can reach the 100 mph mark and a confidence about him that is unusual for a rookie.

He seems to thrive on pressure and goes right at hitters. This has contributed to his dominant rookie run in which he recently tied the rookie saves record of 40.

When looking to make a deep playoff run, it’s nice for a team to be able to look toward their bullpen and see these three arms waiting to attack the opposition.

The Braves have the potential to make a deep playoff run, and first year Braves skipper Fredi Gonzalez would love to win a ring and secure his place as the true successor to legendary Braves manager Bobby Cox, whose No. 6 was retired before a recent game against the Cubs.

Every aspect of the Braves seems to be improved when compared to last year’s club, who overachieved all season long. But if they want to avoid another Divisional Round elimination, their rotation has to get healthy and stay healthy.

11

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011 | SPORTS | THE SIGNAL

Battle of the Panthers: Georgia State and Clark Atlanta face off ZAKKIYYA ANDERSON Staff Writer

GEORGIA STATE SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS

Bo Schlechter will get his first collegiate start at quarterback in the season opener.

The Battle of the Panthers will kickoff Friday Sept. 2 when the Georgia State Panthers face off against the Clark Atlanta Panthers.

The CAU Panthers wrapped up last season at 4-6, with a conference record of 4-5 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while Georgia State completed its start-up season with a 6-5 record.

Statistically, Georgia State looks to be the better team on the offensive side of the ball.

CAU managed to rack 175 points last season with 213 scored against their defense.

The Georgia State Panthers outscored their opponents 302 to 286 in their first season.

Defensively, CAU seems to be a stronger unit.

The CAU Panthers sacked their opponents 27 times for a total of 154 yards lost, while Georgia State recorded 15 sacks on the season for a total loss of 97 yards.

But with newly added defensive weapons and a new strength and conditioning coach Ben Pollard, Georgia

State’s defense has been hard at work in the off-season.

Pollard, the man largely credited for the vast turnaround of the Texas Christian University football program, has been working hard to prepare the players for the new season.

Senior defensive standout Jake Muasau told reporters on media day that Pollard has exceeded expectations.

“With his help, I’ve been training everyday this summer,” Muasau said.

A leader on the defense for CAU is Harrison Porter, who recorded 70 tackles total last season.

Porter was also tied with two other CAU Panthers for second place in sacks.

With a new quarterback under center, Georgia State’s coaches won’t take Porter and the CAU defense lightly.

Starting under center for Georgia State will be Bo Schlechter.

Last season Schlechter wasn’t even listed as a quarterback on the roster, but rather as a punter. However, because of off-season mishaps by Drew Little and Kelton Hill, Schlechter will get his copportunity.

A heavily recruited quarterback out of Florida, Schlechter was bumped off the quarterbacks list when Star Jackson transferred in from Alabama last season.

Schlechter embraced the punting position to remain on the team, and was among the top punters in the nation with a 44.5 yards average.

“We expect him to pick it up where he left off as a punter and we expect him to pick it up enormously as a quarterback,” head coach Bill Curry said.

Directly behind Schlechter will be true freshman Ben McLane.

McLane was a top recruit for Curry and the Georgia State football staff after he finished his senior year at Brookwood High School as a Georgia AAAAA State champion.

McLane led his team to a state championship by passing for 2,346 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Ever since the announcement of the game, fans from both teams have been revved up for this downtown battle for bragging rights.

On Facebook, both Georgia State and CAU set up events to see who could get more students in attendance.

Once the game begins, student sections will compete to see who has the most school spirit.

Opening up the second season with a cross-town opponent was a strategic move by Director of Athletics Cheryl Levick.

Levick originally planned for the game to be on Sept. 1 to establish a tradition in Georgia State football with a Thursday night season opener.

Those plans were scrapped when it was discovered that a preseason game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Baltimore Ravens was to take place at the Dome on that same night.

“We wanted to build on our game against Shorter,” Levick told the Atlanta Journal–Constitution.

“And what better way to do it than to play a game with our neighbors in Atlanta.”

Attendance for the game might exceed the 30,237 mark set in the inaugural season opener.

Schlechter will lead this newlook Georgia State team onto the field against an aggressive CAU, and “The Battle of The Panthers” will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 2.

Cross Country 2011: Fall season preview TIFFANIE SMITH Staff Writer This season, the Georgia State cross country teams want to start off strong at the UGA Invitational on Sep. 3, and the Auburn Invitational on Sep. 9.

Coach Chris England has high expectations for his team this season.

“Last year, the team went through a transition,” England told Athletics, “They did everything I asked of them and more. This year will be about execution as we hope to build [on] last year’s strong foundation.”

The team is also looking to host two meets this season, the Georgia State Invitational on Sept. 17 and the Colonial Athletic Association championship on Oct. 29.

Both men’s and women’s teams posted victories in last year’s GSU Invitational, and freshman Anna Sinclair was awarded the women’s individual title.

“The GSU Invitational will be a good preview for the conference championship,” England told Athletics, “It won’t be an easy victory for the Georgia State team, but it will be a good benchmark as we head towards the conference championship meet.”

At last year’s CAA championship, the men and women’s team finished in eighth place. In 2010, the men’s team was mostly inexperienced. The team consisted of seven freshmen and just one upperclassman, senior Chris Harper.

In order to address this, England recently added three new male recruits to the team,

sophomore Valentin Poncelet, freshmen Austin Boetje and Pierre Brogniet. Sophomores Brandon Black, Julian Black, Shyam Kapadia, Chris Manning and Tyler Tomy return this season looking to improve.

Last season, Tomy was the team’s top finisher in five meets including the NCAA Regional and the CAA Championship. Tomy and Harper will serve as co-captains this season.

On the women’s team, there are ten returning runners and eight newcomers. England thinks that this will make a well-balanced and strong team.

“At the head of the pack is a strong duo,” England told Athletics. “Katherine Showalter and Anna Sinclair battled it out for the top spot last year and traded places practically every week. It was a nice intra-squad rivalry and I hope to see that continue.”

There were also two newcomers added to the women’s team in freshmen Sarah McCarthy and Hannah Stefanoff.

Stefanoff is a talented distance runner from Ohio and McCarthy is a six-time AllState honoree. Also added to the team were freshmen Zoila Escorza, Niamh Kearney, Lauren Taronji, Ansley Lawson, sophomore Betty Chow and senior track athlete Danyel Mitchell.

“Our women’s team was already deep, now we’re just padding that.” England told Athletics. “These freshmen come from very successful high school back grounds so they are already used to the pressure to perform.

We expect them to give an immediate contribution.”

JASON BRAVERMAN

Tyler Tomy led men’s cross country in five meets last season and will serve as a co-captain this year along side Chris Harper.

12

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011 | SPORTS | THE SIGNAL

Volleyball finishes second at Memphis Invitational ZAKKIYYA ANDERSON Staff Writer

STREETER LECKA | GETTY IMAGES

Manny Atkins #25 averaged 24.6 points per game and led Tucker High School to a state championship in his senior season

Hunter adds four in first recruiting class

D.J. DUNSON Associate Sports Editor Before his first season as Georgia State’s men’s basketball coach, Ron Hunter spent the summer on the recruiting trail seeking to bolster the roster.

The Panthers originally had one scholarship available until the unexpected departures of Javonte Maynor and Harold Doby from the program. Hunter and his staff eventually rounded out their first recruiting class by adding four perimeter players, including one walk-on.

“I think every coach would love to have eight or nine scholarships when we come in but I like the kids that we have here,” Hunter said of his first recruiting class. “In a short period of time we were able to get a good mix.”

Tony Kimbro Jr., a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Louisville, Kentucky is the most highly touted member of Hunter’s first recruiting haul. He was also the first signee of Hunter’s Georgia State tenure and was on Hunter’s radar since he was head coach at IUPUI. Hunter joked that despite recruiting Kimbro while at IUPUI, Kimbro never even took a campus visit until Hunter accepted

the Georgia State job.

Hunter believes Kimbro has to improve his jump shooting but praised his passing and finishing ability.

Assistant coach Everick Sullivan, who joined the staff after serving as an assistant at Eastern Kentucky, was pivotal in Kimbro’s recruitment after playing at Louisville in the mid80’s with Tony Kimbro Sr.. Hunter’s inroad into recruiting in Kentucky, a state rich in basketball talent, is not an aberration.

“We’re going to recruit the Midwest as well as recruit Atlanta,” Hunter said of his recruiting pipeline. “It’s just a little harder now because when you first walk in the door, just like any place you have to go in there and prove yourself.”

In late August, the men’s basketball team also added Kevin Shaw, a 6-foot-2 combo guard, who averaged 22 points per game in his senior season at Seneca High School in Louisville. Coach Sullivan also recruited Shaw while he was an assistant at Eastern Kentucky.

Hunter also added 6-foot-7 junior small forward Manny Atkins, who will not be eligible to play until 2012 because of NCAA transfer rules.

Before Atkins took his talents to Vir-

This weekend, the Georgia State volleyball team (3-1) finished second overall at the Memphis Invitational.

The Memphis Tigers (4-0) handed the Panthers their only loss of the tournament in a 3-1 victory.

The Panthers opened up the tournament on Friday, Aug. 26 with a win over the University of Arkansas Little Rock Trojans (1-2). The match was a battle of grit between the two teams and went to five games, with Georgia State coming out on top 3-2.

The sets were all relatively close scores (25-20, 23,25,27-25,21-25,15-5) save the final game in which Georgia State outscored the Trojans by a tenpoint margin.

The star of the game for the Panthers was 6-foot-1 freshman Andrea Noe. Noe served the Trojans up with 18 kills, two aces, and 17 digs. Vineece Verdun, the CAA Preseason Player of the Year recorded 18 kills on the night in a stellar performance.

The Panthers edged out the win against the Trojans with strength on the front line with a total of nine team blocks, and a tenacious defense with 76 total team digs.

Riding off their earlier victory, Georgia State shutout Southeast Missouri State 3-0 in the evening match.

In their second match up the Panthers took out the Redhawks (0-4) 25-18, 25-20 and 25-17.

Muki Kangwa demonstrated her offensive skills in the second match on Friday with a volleyball clinic by recording 17 kills, 12 digs, and three blocks. Verdun and Noe finished second with seven kills each.

The impressive match wrapped up the day for the Panthers and sent them into Saturday with enough momentum to defeat Alabama A&M (13) in a second consecutive 3-0 sweep.

The Panthers jumped out to a 14-2 lead in the first game and never took their foot off the gas as they won the opening frame, 25-10.

Ultimately, Georgia State swept Alabama A&M 25-10, 25-18 and 25-19.

Andrea Ezell, freshman middle, led Georgia State defensively with three blocks.

The senior Panthers stole the show in the third game of the tournament. Kangwa recorded 10 kills and four digs, while Verdun finished with ginia Tech, he averaged 24.6 points and 11.5 rebounds per game and led Tucker High School to a second state championship in his senior season.

Atkins averaged 4.9 points in 13 minutes per game during his sophomore season.

One of Hunter’s final additions was walk-on freshman guard Tyler Gamble. The 6-foot-2 Gamble averaged 14 points and seven assists per game as a senior at Commerce High School.

Hunter remarked that the Panthers’ mediocre shooting numbers from last season were behind his

GEORGIA STATE SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS

Sophomore setter Kaylee McGrew had 141 assists at the Memphis Invitational

12 kills and three digs in the victory.

The Panthers undefeated streak was short lived as Memphis also came into the championship match seeking to maintain their undefeated season.

Georgia State fought hard for the title in four sets (22-25, 26-24, 2325, 22-25).

In the first set the Panthers had the Tigers at 14 all, but a few costly mental mistakes allowed Memphis to take the first game.

Georgia State took back the momentum in the second set, where Verdun rattled the Tiger defense with six kills, and gave Georgia State the win in an overtime battle. The Tigers squeaked out a win in the third set again due to critical errors com-

mitted by the Panthers.

Ultimately, those errors would cost Georgia State first place in the tournament. The Tigers capitalized on the nine service errors committed by the Panthers. The team never relented and even overcame a 10-2 run

by Memphis but it was not enough as the Tigers took the fourth and final set, 25-22.

Georgia State will resume play in their home season opener in the GSU Invitational on Friday, Sept.

2. Teams competing at the Sports Arena will be Jacksonville State, The College of Charleston, and Harvard.

The Panthers will face Jacksonville State at 3 p.m. on Friday.

reasons for recruiting Gamble and Atkins.

“We’ve got good shooters but we want great shooters,” said Hunter.

This spring, the Panthers also earned their first commitment for the 2012 class from another great shooter. R.J. Hunter, the head coach’s son spurned offers from Virginia Tech, Iowa and Wake Forest to play for his father in 2012. The lanky, 6-foot-5 swingman is considered one of the best shooters in the state of Indiana and will remain there for his senior year of high school.

Hunter has another philosophy

in regards to the type of players he recruits.

“As long as I’m at Georgia State, you’ll hear me say this a lot. I want kids who know how to play and understand the game,” Hunter said.

“We’re far from where we want to be but we’re definitely headed in the right direction.”

The Panthers will find out what direction that is on Nov. 15 when their regular season begins in Seattle, Wash. at the Basketball Travelers Invitational.

THE SIGNAL | TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

EDITOR Brooke Marshall

signalentertainment@gmail.com

ENTERTAINMENT www.gsusignal.com/entertainment

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Paul DeMerritt

The Help successfully nails the power of sisterhood SAMARIA SMITH Staff Writer

DREAMWORKS PICTURES

The Help takes a good, hard look at the issues of race and female solidarity in the Jim Crow South.

Set in the Jim Crow South, just at the rise of the Civil Rights Movement, The Help reveals the long and dark lines once drawn between blacks and whites. And although these lines do indeed run deep, three women in Mississippi take an unprecedented approach to change when they decide that, just maybe, some lines are meant to be crossed.

The movie is centered around and carried by an African-American maid named Aibileen (Viola Davis, Eat Pray Love), whose accomplishments far exceed the responsibilities of her job title. In her opening narrative, Aibileen not only reveals that her job as a “maid” has involved caring for virtually every need (and want) of prominent white families, but that she has also raised 17 white children — making her more like a surrogate mother and wife.

Minny (Octavia Spencer, Being John Malkovich), also an AfricanAmerican maid, is both Aibileen’s best friend and complete opposite: sassy and rebellious, whereas Aibileen is demure. Together, Aibileen and Minny struggle with closed mouths (and in Minny’s case, with clenching teeth) as they endure mistreatment, racism and down-

right disrespect at the hands of the prominent white women who employ them.

Then there is Skeeter (Emma Stone, Easy A), the Southern society white girl returning home from college who, with a name like Skeeter, you can almost guess is a firecracker.

Recently graduated and driven toward building herself an exciting career in writing, she manages instead to secure a lessthan-thrilling gig writing a cleaning column for a local newspaper.

And to top it off, Skeeter knows absolutely nothing about housework, and so seeks out the assistance of Aibileen in writing the column. Aibileen’s employer, a childhood pal of Skeeter’s who has designated her duties of being a mother to Aibileen, allows her to assist Skeeter, adding that she may only do so if she finishes all her work — reminiscent of Cinderella’s stepmother giving her the go-ahead (not) to meet Prince Charming.

Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard, The Village), also a villain in the film, is another of Skeeter’s childhood cohorts whom Skeeter has obviously outgrown. Hilly becomes Minny’s boss after her mom moves in with her and demands that Minny come with. However, Hilly is quite a piece of prissy work, and comes in a 20-something form

of the high school mean girl we all love to hate. She eventually fires Minny after untruthfully alleging that she had stolen some silver.

Meanwhile, Skeeter, in constant conflict with her own mother about why the maid who had raised her had been fired, and also while witnessing the racist injustices issued out to Aibileen and the other black maids, orchestrates and embarks on a task that would receive monumental attention and give her Mississippi hometown quite a shake. Collectively, Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny come together to tell a risk-taking story about the good old white folk — and let’s just say it ain’t a story about shining no silverware.

In their scandalously delicious tell-all testimonials, Aibileen, Minny and several other maids deliver a powerful message about their lives working for some of the most prominent white families in Mississippi. Perhaps the icing on the cake in the tale is when Minny reveals her recipe for the sweetest and most well-deserved revenge that she had served up to none other than the H.B.I.C. herself — Hilly Holbrook.

The Help is a wonderfully written and acted movie that is sure to take you on an emotional SEE HELP PAGE 16

Lady Gaga, LEDs light up stage at VMAs NICOLE HOLMAN Staff Writer From Britney Spears and Lady Gaga almost sharing a kiss to Beyonce’s big announcement, the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards did not disappoint.

This year’s show featured epic performances by music’s most popular artists: Adele, Chris Brown, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Kanye West and Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne, to name a few. The show also paid tribute to pop princess Britney Spears and the late Amy Winehouse.

Twitter was on fire before the show officially started. #Whatwillgagawear became the No. 1 trending topic of the night as little monsters tried to guess what mother monster’s ensemble would be. Surprisingly, Gaga left the outrageous outfits to Nicki Minaj, who won Best Hip-Hop Video for “Super Bass.”

Gaga never fails to surprise, and she opened up the show with her song “You and I” and became her alter ego, Joe Calderone. She stayed in character throughout the entire show, even when accepting Gaga’s awards for Best Female Video and Best Song With a Message for her single “Born This Way.” With the most nominations of the night, the sweet and bubbly Katy Perry

took home the award for Best Collaboration for “E.T” featuring Kanye West.

Katy and Kanye took the stage to accept their award, where she almost insulted the rapper by asking if he had won a moon man before. Was she was poking fun at his temper tantrums during award acceptances? Only the teenage dream could tell you the answer to that.

Despite the awkward moment, she also snagged the night’s most respected award, Video of the Year, for her No. 1 hit “Firework.” After recently topping the charts with her newest single “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F),” Perry tied Michael Jackson’s record of releasing five No. 1 chart toppers from a single album on the Billboard Hot 100.

Pop icon Britney Spears humbly accepted the Michael Jackson Vanguard Award during her tribute. She and Calderone almost shared a steamy smooch, but Joe backed out. Spears also took home the Best Pop Video Award at the beginning of the program.

Although Beyoncé was not nominated for many awards this time around, she still managed to steal the show. The Queen B is known far and wide for illuminating the stage with her perfor-

ERIC JOHNSON | MTV.COM

SEE VMAS PAGE 16

Lady Gaga has made a career out of tight pop, outlandish outfits and crazy antics. At the 2011 VMAs, she stayed in character as Joe Calderone the entire night.

14

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011 | ENTERTAINMENT | THE SIGNAL

COURTESY OF AKRAM RAJWANI

Straight out of Georgia State, So So Desi and PathiK blends hip-hop with traditional Indian musical traditions.

Student band defies genres JOCELYN CRAWLEY Staff Writer

Some students use the library to study, do research or brave the moldy nozzles in Saxby’s for a cup of joe.

Akram Rajwani and Pathik Desai use it for jam sessions.

The Georgia State students make up two-thirds of So So Desi & PathiK, a group that blends rap with traditional Indian influences. Their first jam session took place in one of the rooms in Library South. It went so well that they decided to go ahead and record a track together.

The group consists of Desai on vocals, with Rajwani handling production and rapping alongside Altamash Bhaidani, who studies education at Emory University.

“Akram and Altamish came to the U.S. around the same time,” Pathik said. “They pretty much grew up together from then on, and one day just decided to make a song randomly, and got a lot of good feedback on it. Since then they never looked back. Then, last year Akram and I met randomly through a common friend at GSU.” The group hasn’t been around long, but the origins of the name “So So Desi” go back to Bhaidani and Rajwani’s high school days.

“Akram and I were in high school and thought we could use our talents to make some music on our own,” Bhaidani said. “So So Def was the popular hip-hop group at the moment and we were inspired by them. Since there was also a high school joke about how we are so Desi and are making rap music, we decided to call ourselves So So Desi, and

the name stuck. Then when Pathik joined us we figured we’d make it So So Desi & PathiK, because it had a nice little ring to it.”

The group takes its sound from hip-hop and Indian cultural traditions. Track “Meri Jann” embodies the best of both worlds with a combination of rapid-fire lyrics and soulful speculation. Desai said the lyrics are used as a vehicle for telling stories that listeners can relate to.

“All of us sit together and figure out the melody, then the rappers come up with their unique flow that suits the song, and finally we add depth by trying to either tell one story or bring together three different stories in the song,” Desai said. “We believe that if we can get our viewers to relate to our song, we’ve made a successful track.”

Although the group has yet to cut an EP, they share their music through a YouTube channel (search So So Desi and PathiK), and have performed live at Emory.

“It was our first performance, and the response from the audience was amazing,” Rajwani said. “We were inspired by the support and, according to the audience, they were inspired by our performance too.”

Rajwani also said the band is working on writing songs, with the goal of releasing a mix-tape or an EP. “We prefer to stay independent and build on our own, but we would definitely love to look into any offers we get from record labels,” he said.

Until then, would-be fans can check out their YouTube channel, or see them perform at Center Stage Sept. 10, where they will open for The Bilz and Kashif.

KENDALL HARRIS | THE SIGNAL

Just like Mom used to make: Sack Lunch Co. serves brown-bag lunches, complete with Fruit Roll-Ups and motherly advice.

Sack Lunch Co. breathes new life into a familiar tradition

KENDALL HARRIS Staff Writer

Think back to elementary school, back to the lunchroom and that quintessential lunchtime tradition: the snack swap. You could barter a couple Chips Ahoy for someone’s Fruit Roll-Up, a Snack Pack might buy you a few Gushers, and some poor kid would spend the entire time trying to unload his apple and carrot sticks for some processed sugar.

Thanks to Sack Lunch Co., those days don’t have to be over.

On Aug. 26, the Georgia State campus gained a new addition: Sack Lunch Co., a booth that sells brownbag lunches reminiscent of what Mom used to make you back in your elementary school days.

Each order even comes with a note from Mom. According to owner Adam D’eramo, each note features a unique motherism — reminding you

to wash your hands before eating, perhaps, or asking if you remembered to wear clean underwear today.

“Aside from the humor and the nostalgia, you can get a really balanced meal at a really good price,” D’eramo said.

Customers can buy a brown-bag lunch, including a drink, sandwich, two side items and a dessert, for $5.

Sack Lunch Co. also offers a frequent buyer card that students can purchase for $100, allowing them to get a bag lunch every day for a month.

Although mothers packing lunches for their kids is the main inspiration for Sack Lunch Co., D’eramo said he more recently got the idea because of his wife. When she got tired of him always skipping lunch, she started making him his own brown-bag lunches every day.

“When I started eating them at work,” D’eramo said, “when I’d pull out that Fruit Roll-Up or cookies or

little carrot sticks in a bag, everyone would kind of look at me with envy and jealousy.”

So D’eramo decided to bring the bag lunch to everyone by creating Sack Lunch Co. The menu includes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Capri Sun drinks, granola bars, fruit cups and other food items reminiscent of grade school lunch.

Desserts also showcase everyone’s childhood favorites: Fruit RollUps, Gushers and Shark Bites.

The booth sells other nostalgic items as well — sharpened pencils, tin lunch boxes and other elementary school memorabilia — as well as a few things that might actually come in handy, like Scantron sheets and blue books.

Located on Broad St. by the Aderhold Learning Center, Sack Lunch Co. is perfect for any student feeling homesick, nostalgic or just looking for a nutritious lunch.

Atlanta, in burger form JAMILA DEWITT Staff Writer To celebrate the opening of its sixth franchise in Atlanta, 5 Napkin Burger is issuing a challenge to Atlanta denizens: build a burger that represents your fair city.

The “Build the Atlanta Burger Challenge” gives participants a chance to win $1,000 in Burger Bucks — not to mention bragging rights. Here’s how it works: brainstorm the perfect Atlanta burger, complete with ingredients that JAMILA DEWITT | THE SIGNAL showcase the city, be they peaches or The newest burger joint in Atlanta, Midtown’s own 5 Napkin Burger, offers a new spin pecans. Next, submit your recipe via on America’s favorite sandwich — as well as a chance to win $1,000 in Burger Bucks. photo, recipe, sketch or video at 5nap-

kinburger.com/AtlantaContest.

The winning burger will be chosen by executive chef Andy D’Amico and announced Sept. 9 on 5 Napkin Burger’s Facebook and Twitter feeds.

It will also be added to the menu, where it will stay as a specialty item as long as there is a demand for it.

The original 5 Napkin Burger was a menu item at Nice Matin, a French/ Mediterranean restaurant in Manhattan. It was so popular that in 2008, D’Amico partnered with Simon Oren and Robert Guarino to open a restaurant dedicated to the burger in Hell’s Kitchen. The Atlanta location opened Aug. 15 in Midtown.

The restaurant has a fun, cool vibe and is a great place to dine for a business lunch, a first date or even a break from classes. The menu is diverse, featuring a wide range of offerings for every palate. It’s also walletfriendly, particularly the Happy Hour.

From 4 to 7 p.m., diners can enjoy $2 sliders, 50-cent wings and 50-cent pork taquitos.

The restaurant’s staple, the 5 Napkin Burger, is a 10-ounce burger of ground chuck blend, rosemary aioli, caramelized onions and gruyere cheese, all on a soft white roll. It comes with fries that can be substituted for any other side menu item.

15

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2011 | ENTERTAINMENT | THE SIGNAL

& Pieces Vol. 1 01 Beatz Gramatik (Pretty Lights Music) Electric 02 Celestial AM & Shawn Lee (ESL)

03 West Wooden Shjips (Thrill Jockey)

The debut LP of this Pretty Lights prodigy takes a soulful spin on trip-hop with classy beats that promise to keep heads bobbing.

School EP 04 Schnunday ill.Gates (False Profit Record)

Various Artists The Green Album

Shared Rainbow 05 A Low in the Sky (Pattern Based)

06 Widowspeak Widowspeak (Captured Tracks) Ambient 07 Slave The War on Drugs (Secretly Canadian) Dots 08 Joining Planes (Lab Beat)

09

Ritual Union

Walt Disney Records Brooklyn outfit Widowspeak craft a sunny album of gleeful lo-fi garage rock sure to please those who have worn out their Best Coast CDs.

Little Dragon (Peacefrog Records)

Ornament 10 The Gold Leaves (Hardly Art)

11

Slow Down

Hyde and Beast (Tailfeather Records)

Books & Mark McGuire 12 Trouble Trouble Books & Mark McGuire (Bark and Hiss)

13 Tripper Fruit Bats (Sub Pop) Freedom 14 Weird Little Gold (Loud Baby)

15

Out of Love

Mister Heavenly (Sub Pop)

Canyons 16 Blasted Blasted Canyons (Castle Face Records)

17 Yucca Milk Maid (Fatcat Records)

A side project of Woods’ songwriter Christian DeRoeck, Little Gold embraces chilled out Americana that’s poised to soundtrack road trips everywhere.

Cave 18 Freak Voyageurs (Self Released) the Mountain in the Cloud 19 In Portugal. The Man (Atlantic) Solla 20 Solla Ilaiyaraaja (Finders Keepers)

21 Prom Grooms (Kanine Records) Chambers 22 13 Fungi Girls (Hozac Records) Easy Magic 23 Some Colourmusic (Memphis Industries) Get Past the Lips 24 Can’t Broncho (CQ Records)

On Grooms’s second release, they manage to blend incessant drone with simple melodies that make noise rock appear surprisingly listenable.

Spirit 25 Gentle Jonathan Wilson (Bella Union) Velvet Snow Ball 26 Red Pepper Rabbit (Kanine Records) of Arms 27 Garden Peter Wolf Crier (Jagjaguar) 91 28 Program Razika (Smalltown 12) Bag 29 Sleeping Sleeping Bag (Joyful Noise) Traffic 30 Mirror Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks (Matador)

a casual Muppets fan, you’ll get exactly what you’re looking for out of a Muppets cover album, which is to say some pretty great bands covering some pretty great songs. For anyone more deeply invested in the Muppets, however, you’ll want to take a few precautions.

—Michael Rabalais, Staff Writer

Indie poppers Pepper Rabbit layer hazy synths over lavish orchestral arrangements that bounce around with a cheerful ease.

It’s hard to remember the Muppets with anything but fondness.

Whether it was gained from The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, Labyrinth, Muppet Babies or any of the countless Muppet movies, there will always be something incredibly special about Kermit and the gang.

There’s a new Muppet movie due out in November, and in what seems like really early preparation, Walt Disney records has hired a crack squad of musicians, including the likes of OK Go and My Morning Jacket, to pay homage to classic Muppet songs.

And for the most part they’ve succeeded. As much as I’m wont to spit yang about Weezer, specifically everything past their own green album, they really hit it out of the park.

Weezer’s cover of “The Rainbow Connection” emphasizes everything good about The Green Album. Singer Rivers Cuomo captures the scope of the original while adding just enough of his own spin. The result is something new, yet completely familiar.

Subsequently nailing the Muppet spirit on their contributions are The Fray with “Mahna Mahna,” Sondre Lerche with his cover of “Mr. Bassman” and Andrew Bird, who covers “Bein’ Green” masterfully.

If I’m honest, it’s a relief to say that these songs are covered well, since they’re probably the Muppet songs you’re most familiar with, “Mr. Bassman” excluded.

It’s such a bummer then, that so many artists completely miss the point of singing Muppet songs. Although Weezer’s half of “The Rainbow Connection” is emotional and delicate, Paramore’s Hayley Williams crashes the song halfway through, transmuting emotion to melodrama.

Contributing to the buzz kill is OK Go, with its lifeless cover of “The Muppet Show Theme,” and a listless version of “Halfway Down the Stairs,” by Evanescence’s Amy Lee that couldn’t seem more out of place.

The worst offender of the bunch is “Night Life” from Brandon Saller and Billy Martin, of Atreyu and Good Charlotte, respectively. There’s a necessary goofiness that’s implied with a project such as The Green Album, and Saller and Martin’s self-serious, “hard rock is serious business” cover couldn’t miss the point more.

It comes down to this: If you’re

Thursday The Weeknd

minimalist approach is what definitively removes Tesfaye from the typical autotuned artists who choke the Top 40.

Melodically, Thursday rarely lets up in its innovation and gloomy grandeur, but lyrically the whole mixtape is a juvenile mess. Opener “Lonely Star” sets the theme for the rest of the tracks with lines like “Maybe I could be your best friend / and baby I could f--k you right” that reveal Tesafye’s incessant idolization of sex and his fumbling mask of confidence that cracks in its complete lack of authenticity. Thankfully, the sheer depth of his voice has the ability to overpower the spoiled ramblings of his lyricism, yet his intentions prevent Thursday from becoming the kind of achievement it deserves to be.

—Paul DeMerritt, Associate Entertainment Editor

XO

Sex isn’t anything new to R&B. It’s been decades since Marvin Gaye first crooned about sexual healing, and the genre still retains an almost perpetual (and occasionally embarrassing) fascination with sex.

Certainly even the most highbrow music can be said to revolve around the conquest of sex, yet no genre has approached the topic with the unabashed frankness of R&B. Although the days of Luther Vandross and Freddie Jackson are far behind us, their romantic triumphs and frustrations still wail through the soulful blips of Abel Tesfaye’s lustful counterpart, The Weeknd. It has been less then a year since tracks first leaked under the mysterious moniker, but Tesfaye has garnered more fame in that meager time span than most do in entire careers. Earlier in the year, he released his debut mixtape, House of Balloons, which gained near-universal acclaim and was even shortlisted for the distinguished Polaris Music Prize, a contest typically reserved for indie rock.

On his sophomore mixtape, Thursday, Tesfaye furthers his growing popularity with contributions from fellow R&B heavyweight Drake, one of his earliest fans. The production of Thursday follows a new trend in hip-hop that trades off the norm of repetitious 808s for the sort of moody, down-tempo electronic that has made Lil B such a notable outlier among modern rappers. Doc McKinney & Illangelo handle production duties and touch the entire mixtape with a style of sparse percussion that leaves just the right amount of space for Tesfaye’s voice to flourish and expand.

Thursday can almost be viewed as a musical opponent to the glamorous production of Kanye West and Jay-Z. Watch The Throne is like an ego-driven competition to see how grandiose and flashy the beats can get, whereas Tesfaye relies on the expanse of his harmonies rather than a clutter of accompaniment. This

Lil Wayne The Carter IV Cash Money

There’s no denying that Lil Wayne — aka Birdman Jr., Lil Tunechi, etc. — has reached the top of the rap ladder, becoming a recognizable face and name seemingly overnight.

Despite the diverse crowd of listeners Lil Wayne — formerly known as Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. — continues to bring in, alongside his almost instant popularity with mainstream media, fans who have been listening since his early years will probably all agree on one thing: He certainly deserves the success he has earned.

Lil Wayne’s ninth studio album, Tha Carter IV, delivers nothing short of the constant usage of simile, metaphor and general wordplay fans have come to expect, with clever punch lines placed on top of exceptionally produced beats. However, the general flow of the album doesn’t follow any distinguishable storyline or concept, and as a whole, it lacks lyrical depth. Lil Wayne can’t seem to break free from his signature habit of adding punch lines on every track.

However disappointing Tha Carter IV may be lyrically, this isn’t to say there aren’t any tracks that don’t stand out as potentially memorable and reminiscent of the man before the massive fame and fortune. “Presidential Track” showcases the Lil Wayne fans remember from previous albums, such as Tha Carter III, in which listeners witnessed the more SEE ALBUM PAGE 16

16

THE SIGNAL | ENTERTAINMENT | TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

Atlanta Events TUESDAY, AUG. 30

The Hold Steady, Donkeys

The Hold Steady’s alt-indie brand of heartland rock tells the kinds of stories usually reserved for “Intervention” — think sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll, and redemption — and the Donkeys play the kind of sundrenched psychedel-ish rock that could only come out of So-Cal. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave NE // 7 p.m. // $18, all ages

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 31

Palaces, Iron Whip, Dyess

Dollar Taco Monday and Tuesday may be another week away, but you can still come out to Blue Frog for a good time. In lieu of stuffing your face with cheap and delicious tacos, you can rock your face off with the shoegaze/hardcore sound of Palaces, the metal stylings of Iron Whip and Dyess’s heavy post-punk stylings.

Palaces plays a blend of shoegaze and hardcore Blue Frog Cantina, 469 Flat Shoals Ave. // 9 p.m. // $5, 18+

>>ALBUM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 poetic side of a man who now exclaims that “real G’s move in silence like lasagna.”

Don’t get me wrong — I’m not criticizing Lil Wayne’s simile abilities (on “Megaman” he raps, “I’m a diamond in the rough, like a baby in the trash”). I’m just wondering how long his unique plays on words will suffice.

Although no track in particular stands out as a classic, Tha Carter IV is a signature Lil Wayne album, packed with similes and metaphors that have the ability to either make you laugh or make you raise an eyebrow. Even if the album isn’t Lil Wayne functioning at his full potential as a lyricist, it’s worth the listen.

— Alexis Smith, Staff Writer

Man or Astro-Man?, The Purkinjie Shift

Because surf rock never stops being cool.

The Earl, 488 Flat Shoals Ave. // 8:30 p.m. // $15, 21+

THURSDAY, SEPT. 1

Feautureless Ghost, C Powers, CH-Rom, Erno Inferno

Free all-night dance party. I’m not sure a better combination of words exists.

529, 529 Flat Shoals Ave. // 9 p.m. // Free, 21+

FRIDAY, SEPT. 2

Dragon*Con

It’s Dragon*Con. Need we say more?

Downtown // Runs through Sept. 5 // $30-$50 (day pass), $120 (four-day pass), all ages

PLF at Octane

Artist Peter Ferrari is debuting a series of aerosol panels. Although this show will be at Octane for a month, it’s definitely worth coming out on opening night.

Octane Coffee, 1009 Marietta St. NW // 7 p.m.-Midnight // Free, all ages

SATURDAY, SEPT. 3

So So Death, Dead, Unstoppable Death Machines, Tree Creature

One of these things is not like the others! Seriously, house shows are awesome, especially if you’re not into all that Dragon*Con nonsense.

Beatlanta House, 197 Howell Dr. SE // 9 p.m. // $3, all ages

Dragon*Con Night at the Georgia Aquarium

For all those who are into all that Dragon*Con nonsense, a question: What’s cooler than the Georgia Aquarium? The Georgia Aquarium when it’s packed with Stormtroopers and Klingons. There will be live entertainment, but honestly, the costumes will be entertaining enough on their own.

Georgia Aquarium, 225 Baker St. NW // 7 p.m. - 11. p.m. // $18, $20 after Aug. 31, all ages

SUNDAY, SEPT. 4

Groove Stain, Wade in the Rhythm, I.R.E., Beauregard, Dre

It’s a night of jammy, reggae-influenced rock.

The Five Spot, 1123 Euclid Ave. // 6 p.m. // $8 advance, $10 at the door, 18+

MONDAY, SEPT. 5

Atlanta Caribfest

A day-long festival celebrating everything remotely Caribbean, mon.

Silverbacks Stadium, 3200 Atlanta Silverbacks Way // Noon-8 p.m. // $10, all ages

Want to see an event in this space? Contact Brooke Marshall at signalentertainment@gmail.com with the event name, time, date, location and a brief description.

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks Mirror Traffic Matador/Domino

>>VMAS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 mances, but on Sunday she had a special glow while performing her song “Love on Top.” The singer made a big announcement at the end of the song by tossing her microphone, opening her purple, sequined tuxedo jacket and rubbing her baby bump. Fans cheered ecstatically. Even daddy-tobe Jay-Z couldn’t contain his enthusiasm. Later she ended up taking home the award for Best Choreography for her “Run The World (Girls)” video.

Following Beyoncé, a tribute to Amy Winehouse was given by Russell Brand and Tony Bennett. Bennett showed a clip of Amy singing with him in the studio, just a few months before her death in July. Then Bruno Mars took the stage to pay his respects serenading everyone with his version of her song, “Valerie.”

Fan favorite Adele also soulfully crooned to her single “Someone Like You.” She went on to take home the awards for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Editing for her “Rolling in the Deep” video. >>HELP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 roller coaster. Filled with tear-jerking moments, some that will anger you and others that will leave you bursting with laughter, this movie proves to be two hours and $10 well spent. The entire cast does a phenomenal job and is sure to be racking up some Oscar nominations and just as likely some wins. And although there has been some criticism that the movie merely grazes the issue of a very tumultuous and

Hype is dangerous in the record industry — too much or too little can destroy an album before it even has a chance at success. In the fortunate case of Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, however, the anticipation behind Mirror Traffic has proven justified.

This Beck-produced gem leaves little room for disappointment.

It’s reminiscent enough of Pavement (his recently reunited indie outfit) to leave his earlier fans content while at once modernized for a new generation of listeners. Although Mirror Traffic is an exciting listen, it’s not for the Top-40 devotee, nor is it casual enough for a bedtime playlist.

It’s intelligent and unpredictable in all the right places, somehow blending lyrical sarcasm and earnestness to create a truly dynamic final product.

Malkmus is almost spastic in his draw of influences — grunge and pop blend seamlessly with indie and punk rock sneer, remaining cohesive against all odds.

The sentiments behind these genres are present, but his songwriting is anything but conventional. You won’t find a single “verse-chorusverse” track on this record, which works to its advantage.

Mirror Traffic is a thinker’s album. Key and time signature changes abound, often in unexpected places and for drastically short periods.

Anyone but Malkmus would have sounded abrupt and sloppy in these experimental pursuits; the group

sounds practiced and comfortable for the duration.

The Jicks sound tight despite several loose grooves, and they’re often heavy and light in the same track.

These playful contradictions make for an intriguing record that’s anything but a late-career attempt at salvation.

Each track is unique while still strung along by the album’s central themes.

Fuzzy uptempo rockers like “Spazz” and “Senator” evoke the Dead Kennedys in their reckless fury and lyrical wit. Later on, the wistful slide guitar of “Long Hard Book” and the rich melancholy of “Share the Red” provide some texture (and a rest from the heavy fuzzbox use).

Many of these tracks are genuinely poppy, but none are pop songs.

Mirror Traffic is proudly indie, made clear by the emotive “No One Is (As I Are Be).” “I can’t even do one sit-up / sit-ups are so bourgeoisie,” he admits.

Malkmus’s purposefully cryptic lyrics make the listener spend nearly as much time deciphering as actually listening, but at least he makes it fun.

Beck’s presence is felt on Mirror Traffic, but it’s hard to tell if the record sounds like Beck or if Beck simply owes a stylistic debt to Malkmus. Regardless, these kindred spirits work together like old pals. Their partnership brings out the best in both, and they would do well to plan future projects together.

— Zack Kraimer, Staff Writer

Another performer who gave life to the fans was Chris Brown. Despite his ups and downs, he managed to leave viewers in a state of shock with his high-energy dance moves and psychedelic time machine theme. He may have seemed to be lip synching, but you couldn’t help but enjoy his too-cool-for-school dance moves to “Yeah 3x,” “Protect Ya Neck,” “Teen Spirit” and “Beautiful People.” Young the Giant also performed its hit, “My Body.” Sameer Gahdia, the lead singer of the band, crowd surfed like a true rock star and brought the house down. Lastly, rapper-turned-rocker Lil Wayne closed the VMAs by performing his singles “How to Love” and a rock version of “John.”

Other awardees included heartthrob Justin Bieber receiving Best Male Video for his song, “U Smile,” and the Foo Fighters winning their first VMA, Best Rock Video, for their song, “Walk.” Tyler the Creator also picked up the highly anticipated Best New Artist Award this year for his skin-crawling video, “Yonkers,” after many fans submitted their votes for their favorite artist via text message.

Beyonce’s baby bump was just one of the highlights of the 2011 VMAs.

impactful time in American history, the criticism is misplaced, in that the true meaning of this film does not rest on the high school history lesson of African-American racism that we all know so well. Instead, it seems to shed light on an even less recognized minority: women.

The Help successfully nails the meaning behind the power of the bonds of sisterhood and friendship. The film reveals the strengths and weaknesses of all women as it deals with racism and discrimination issued from women to women.

It shows women in charge, tough women, smart women, powerful women, beautiful women, hard women, strong women, battered women, wise women and courageous women.

The minor emphasis and focus on men in the movie, particularly during the given time period, proves that this film is about girl power (both good and bad), while smoothly delivering the message that no matter what color we are, we are still our own minority and going the distance for our causes.

GETTY IMAGES | MTV.COM

THE SIGNAL | TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

CAMPUS LIFE

EDITOR Angel R. White

ASSOCIATE EDITOR OPEN

www.gsusignal.com/campuslife

signalliving@gmail.com

Students brave the heat for Panther Welcome Block Party SUCHI SAJJA Staff Writer

Georgia State’s annual Panther Welcome Block Party kicked off the 2011 Fall semester on Aug. 21. Following the Freshman Convocation, hundreds of students and their parents participated in the

many festivities in Hurt Park.

With Atlanta’s heat breaking records all summer long Sunday was no exception.

Students, staff, and volunteers braved the over ninety-degree weather to make the Block Party a success.

David Yokobonis said, “I had a great time at the block

party, it was so great to see everyone come out and enjoy each other’s company. I enjoyed seeing my friends from last year as well as making new ones. Though it was hot out, the Block Party was the place to be.”

Representatives from Red Bull, NAS, and ZipCar

stood for their respective companies as well as Georgia State organizations, such as the Student Alumni Association. Inflatable activities were set up for students, and for the adventurous types, a mechanical bull, slingshot, and rock wall were available.

“I had a lot of fun vol-

ANGEL R. WHITE | SIGNAL

unteering at the party and recruiting new members for Student Alumni Association.

It was way better than the Block Party has been for the past two years.” said Miranda Giddens, a senior.

Athletes from various sports such as football, soccer, cross-country, track and volleyball lined the streets meeting students and signing autographs.

“I had a really good time at the Block Party this year. I am a Pantherette, so the most exciting part for me was performing. It was the first time the student body got to see us,” said psychology major Alexis Avery. “I also thought it was cool that the football players got to speak because they usually have representatives. The signing was fun because we got to interact with the players and it was very personal. The DJ could have been a little better, but overall, it was great.”

The afternoon included a performance by the Pantherettes Dance team, as well as Georgia State’s drum line and marching band, along with speeches from various coaches and athletes.

As students checked in, they were given food tickets, one for lunch and one for sweets. A wide variety of food included an Atlanta favorite: popsicles from King of Pops.

Also available were wings, snow cones, hot dogs, chips and water for students.

Junior and Nursing major Mari Emory said, “I had a really great time. As a volunteer, I had the opportunity to talk to some awesome people.

The environment was positive—everyone was happy and excited to start the semester. It was great seeing all of the athletes from different sports out there together. I wish we had more food tickets because it was so good.”

Imani Gay, a sophomore, said, “The Block Party was really fun. I spent most of my time volunteering. I especially enjoyed the wings and King of Pops. It was great seeing all the new students and freshmen and was definitely a great way to start off the new semester.”

For more information on other Panther Welcome event, feel free to visit www.gsu.edu/ pantherwelcome.

Students are introduced to different organizations and departments on campus.

Student gains experience through CHCI internship JOCELYN CRAWLEY Staff Writer Amongst the many educational opportunities afforded to Georgia State students, great internships seem to be one of the most valued and sought after. Ranging from the sciences to the arts, internships give students the ability to gain skills and experience that contribute to career development. While many Georgia State students have had the opportunity to participate in challenging and rewarding internships, Maria Regina Franco found an exceptional opportunity with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). A nonprofit and nonpartisan organization designed to increase opportunities for Hispanics in the policy-making process, CHCI has contributed to the personal and professional success of many students. By providing everything from scholarships to financial literacy skills, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute works to bring the promise of the American Dream to the next generation of Latinos.

In light of CHCI’s reputation for molding young scholars into leaders prepared to play an active role in their communities, Maria Regina Franco gained the opportunity to intern with the organization. In addition to pursuing a degree in psychology at Georgia State, her professional goals include using public policy to represent underprivileged people.

In discussing her experience with CHCI, Franco said “I feel a renowned appreciation for higher education and the importance of being politically and civically engaged.

Furthermore, I feel this experience empowered me to become an active leader in my community and has rekindled a desire to become an agent of change.” SInce Franco has maintained a strong interest in using the field of public policy to advocate for those in need, the opportunity to work within the government successful was invaluable.

Describing this aspect of her internship, Franco said “…having the opportunity to witness the legislative process first hand has granted me a much deeper understanding of what

our current congress is doing to solve some of the nation’s toughest national calls.” She went on to note that the knowledge she gained has sparked an interest in foreign policy and international relations.

Due to the time and dedication they often require, many students may find themselves wondering whether internships are valuable or necessary for career development.

Franco’s experience with CHCI seems to suggest that the skills acquired through internships can contribute to future job preparation. In listing some of her duties, Franco stated that she was responsible for careful note taking during discussions at Democratic Caucus meetings that included leaders from around the nation. These discussions centered on pending legislation.

In addition to note taking, Franco’s role as an intern included working with the Communications’ director and other staff members with research, proofing and editing projects to be made available to other Democratic leaders’ staff. The internship also included intensive

development training that encouraged growth in leadership, networking and public speaking skills. As an individual interested in the public policy sector—one where research and communication skills are both necessary and advantageous—Franco’s duties throughout her internship have prepared her to enter the world of government action.

Upon summarizing her experience with CHCI, Franco stated that the biggest lesson she learned came from the Director of the Women’s Bureau at the Department of Labor.

In offering advice, Sara ManzanoDiaz stated, “Be proud of yourself for all you have accomplished. Ground everything you do in love and honor the struggles of those who came before you. Most importantly, dream big and be fearless.”

In addition to interacting with distinguished public figures such as Manzano-Diaz, Franco’s internship afforded her the opportunity to meet President Obama’s Western Hemisphere Advisor, Dan Restrepo. In reflecting on the experiences she has had through CHCI, Franco stated

MARIA FRANCO

Maria Franco interned with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute this past summer.

that she would definitely recommend the internship to any individual seeking personal growth and professional challenges.

For more information on the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, please visit www.chci.org.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011 | CAMPUS LIFE | THE SIGNAL

Campus Events AUGUST 30, 2011

Student Organization Street Fair

Want to get involved in student life? Come to the Student Organization Street Fair and find out about the more than 300 chartered student organizations at Georgia State.

Hurt Park // 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Atlanta Vendor Fair

Would you like information about helpful services or opportunities in the Atlanta area? Come find out about the many specials and incentives that Atlanta vendors offer to new and returning Georgia State students!

Gilmer Street // 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

6th Annual Georgia State Idol

Georgia State is hosting its own version of the mega TV hit, American Idol! Come and see our talented contestants (chosen at the August 25 auditions) as they sing for the coveted title of Georgia State Idol!

Rialto Center for the Arts // 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

AUGUST 31, 2011

Back to School Internship & Part-time Job Fair

Looking for an internship or a part-time job? Then attend the Back to School Internship & Part-time Job Fair. Meet with GSU and off-campus employers who are looking to hire you!

Dahlberg Hall // 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Casino Night

Come play your favorite casino-style games. It’s free to play and you might win some prizes! For more information, contact the Student Recreation Center.

Student Recreation Center Lobby // 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Meet the Greeks PanHellenic & Interfraternity Councils “Meet the Greeks” is an opportunity to learn more about fraternity and sorority life at Georgia State University. This program is designed to provide interested students information about Panhellenic Council sororities and Interfraternity Council fraternities including membership recruitment opportunities and overall purpose of Greek Life.

Student Center Ballroom // 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

JUDY KIM | SIGNAL

Derrick Logan II and Shanel Little dance to a Kinetics gaming system during Panther Prowl.

Every month the Spotlight Programs Board plans Panther Prowl, the on-campus event planned to enhance student life and relations, building spirit and cultivating a form of unity amongst the university’s diverse student body.

The Spotlight Programs Board is an organization formed solely by the students of Georgia State, who cater to the unique needs of students

at an urban college and strive to fulfill these needs by planning social events. They are also in the Division of Student Affairs, alongside Campus Events, an organization similar to Spotlight except the school controls the staff’s Campus Events.

For this year’s first Panther Prowl on Friday, August 26, the Student Center hit full capacity. As T:5.81 in a large crowd waited outside the

building for entry, the livelihood inside was filled with new attractions such as a recording studio, where participants were given their own CD after recording themselves sing.

Other new attractions included a laser tag room, Xbox and other gaming systems, crafting tables and the SEE PANTHER PROWL PAGE 19

SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

Cinema Under the Stars: Thor

A one-night only special event where we take the movie-going experience from the theater to the great outdoors. Students will be able to purchase popcorn and a drink for $1. This event is free for all Georgia State University students. Bring your blankets, chairs and friends and enjoy the show.

Urban Life Plaza // 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

First Thursday Downtown Arts Walk

Come join us on the First Thursday of each month on a self-guided tour and experience the magnificent art being featured at various venues in historic Downtown Atlanta. The Rialto Visual Art Series transforms the Rialto lobby and mezzanine into an exhibition space for projects organized by Comer Art Advisory.

Rialto Center for the Arts // 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

New and returning students alike - get the skills to help manage your busy life and accomplish your goals! Topics covered will include stress management; overcoming procrastination; nutrition, sleep and physical wellness; effective study habits and note taking; even managing relationships and multiple commitments.

Student Center- Golden Key // 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

InDesign: Absolute Beginner’s

InDesign is a publishing tool used for everything from fancy posters to full magazines and books. The Absolute Beginners class features the basic skills like how to import pictures and texts, and how to apply these skills for a brochure.

Classroom South room 403 // 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Want to see your event in this space? Contact Angel White at signalliving@gmail.com with your event’s name, time, date, location and a brief description of the event. All events listed in the Campus Events calendar must either take place on campus or be produced by a Georgia State-affiliated organization.

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SEPTEMBER 2, 2011

A Crash Course in College Survival

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011 | CAMPUS LIFE | THE SIGNAL

JUDY KIM | SIGNAL

Gabriel Iglesias entertains a packed house on Saturday, August 27, at Georgia State’s Sports Arena.

Gabriel Iglesias brings a full house of laughter JUDY KIM Photography Editor On April 10, 1997, a man named Albert physically pushed his friend Gabriel up on stage at the Golden Sails in Long Beach, California. From there, Fluffy was born, and Gabriel Iglesias threw his stand-up comedy career into full throttle.

He describes his inspiration and jokes with “real life, actual experiences.”

“My comedy is embellished truths,” said Iglesias. “Animating it [my experiences], being real excited about the story gets others excited.”

Fast-forward 14 years, 4 months and 17 days—Iglesias takes the Georgia State stage and brings in a full house.

Every corner of the Sports Arena becomes packed, filled with fans of the man who calls himself “Fluffy.”

Doors opened at 6:30 p.m., but at 6 p.m. a long line of fans started forming in front of the escalator entrance. A few even brought desserts for Iglesias, signing their names and phone numbers on

>>PANTHER PROWL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 infamous and very popular Karaoke station.

Outside, there were several carnival games and inflatable attractions for students to enjoy. Snow cones were given out constantly as well as hot dogs popcorn and other snacks.

Food is served in the first few hours of the Panther Prowl, which started at 8 p.m. The event continued into the late hours of 2 a.m., and a dance party is typically held in the Student Ballroom starting at midnight.

People of all ages came out and took part in the festivities. There was even a tug-of-war tournament, where each graduating classes battled each other out for the winning title.

the boxes of vegan chocolate cakes and tiramisus.

Promptly at 7:47 p.m., Alfred Robles stepped on stage to start his opening act and pep up the audience. Robles met Iglesias at a comedy club called the Wild Coyote Club, which originated from Montebello, California. Little did the audience know, that Iglesias sat behind the doors to listen to Robles perform and both are very good friends..

“After I got kicked out of the police academy, I knew I’d be doing this [stand-up comedy],” Robles said.

Robles’ jokes were amusing, witty and truthful. Throughout his act, Robles consistently referred to his ethnicity and religion as a Mexican Catholic. He joked about gender roles in society and made several jokes referring to the social standard of dating and fidelity.

The full house responded well to Robles’ show, and when he began to introduce Iglesias, the crowd went absolutely wild.

Fans stood on their chairs and pulled out their cameras, it was literally

“I had fun—especially during the tug of war. The seniors shut it down in the battle of the classes,” said finance and marketing major Khiry Peterson.

Tari Wimbley, Spotlight Advisor and Assistant Director of Programs, has worked for Georgia State for more than 5 years, and last week’s Panther Prowl was her last one. Current and alumni students from past Spotlight Programs executive boards gathered to send her off by participating in a popular dance together. Wimbley will be relocating to California State University-San Bernardino.

Panther Prowls are held once a month. Georgia State students are free and are allowed two invited guests.

For more information on Spotlight and upcoming events, please visit www2.gsu.edu/~wwwspb.

like a 5-second movie scene as Iglesias made his way to the stage.

“That’s a lot of stairs, man,” Iglesias said.

Iglesias’s act became an hour-long show, and he made several references to his weight, the politics and issues surrounding illegal immigration—specifically of his trip to Phoenix, Arizona. He

also made references to his son Frankie and a trip to the Middle East, where he performed for a 20-year-old prince in Saudi Arabia.

The show consisted of both new and past jokes, but Iglesias kept the crowd going. There was nearly never a silent moment inside the large auditorium. On three occasions Iglesias was

asked to make more jokes before he left—a true standing ovation to say the least.

Before Iglesias made his leave, he announced a new television show that he will be premiering on Comedy Central. Its debut is in the first week of October.

Be a health care professional!

Georgia State University’s newest school, the Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in: l l l

Nursing Nutrition Respiratory Therapy

Scan this QR code with your smartphone to go to our web site.

Also, available: l l

Doctor of Physical Therapy* (*Prerequisite - bachelor of science degree) Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing.

For more information on our school and our degree programs, visit http://snhp.gsu.edu.

Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions

Leadership Development

http://www.gsu.edu/studentcenter Styles

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT www2.gsu.edu/leadership The Fresh Start

Thursday, September 1, 6:30-8 p.m.

Student Center Ballroom Ready to jumpstart your first year of college?

Join your fellow freshmen for an evening of mix and mingle capped off with a dynamic keynote presentation

by Justin Jones-Fosu. You wonʼt want to miss this opportunity to learn about the secrets of a successful college career.

Supported by Student Activity Fees

The Power of a Promise

Tuesday, September 6, 11 a.m.-Noon Student Center, Lucerne Suite Often we find ourselves saying yes to too many opportunities, only to back out later. This session will focus on the promises we make as leaders and the importance of following through.

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Leadership in a Changing World

SPOTLIGHT PROGRAMS BOARD

Wednesday, September 7, Noon-1 p.m.

Student Center, Lucerne Suite What does it mean to be a leader? Can anyone be a leader?

Discover a new way of thinking about leadership and the role you can play in making a positive change in the world.

www.gsu.edu/spotlight

Cinema Under the Stars: Thor

Thursday, September 1, 8:30 p.m.

Urban Life Plaza Bring a blanket and arrive early for best seating to watch the movie Thor.

Play trivia, win prizes and enjoy free popcorn. Drinks and candy may be purchased for $1 to $2.

SAVE THE DATE! Homecoming 2011 October 17-22 Homecoming 2011 Royal Court Applications Coming Soon

Applications will be available Thursday, September 1, in 380 Student Center.

For more information, call Spotlight at 404/413-1610.

http://www.gsu.edu/cinefest

Georgia State University uLearn

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SAVE THE DATE FOR LEADERSHIP CONCLAVE! Saturday, October 15, Student Center

MEET & GREET Campus Events & Spotlight Programs Board

Wednesday, August 31, 6 p.m.

Student Center, Senate Salon Looking for ways to get involved on campus?

Come discover the many opportunities available through Spotlight Programs Board and Campus Events. Sign up as a volunteer or committee member to develop leadership and professional skills, gain networking opportunities and become involved in creating campus programs for students.

Light refreshments will be served.

Campus Events

Cinefest Film Theatre

cinefest movie times

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Hanna, August 29–September 4 Monday-Friday: 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday: 1 p.m., 5 p.m.

Miral, August 29–September 4 Monday-Friday: 1 p.m., 5 p.m., 9 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday: 3 p.m., 7 p.m.

All shows free for GSU students, faculty & staff with ID. Guests $3 before 5 p.m. and $5 at 5 p.m. and after.

FALL LOCKER RENTALS

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Student Organizations Fair

Tuesday, August 30 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Hurt Park and Upper Gilmer Street

Ready to get involved on campus?

Check out the student organizations promoting at the annual fair. For more information, call 404/413-1580 or visit http://gsu.orgsync.com.

Fall semester rental of lockers in the Student Center, University Center, Urban Life Building and General Classroom Building is now available in 360 Student Center on a first-come, firstserved basis. The rental period will end Dec. 9.

Fees for first-time rentals are $20 per semester plus $10 for a lock.

After a lock has been purchased, fees are $20 per semester.

For more information, visit www.gsu.edu/studentcenter or call 404/413-1860.

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www.gsu.edu/studentevents

New this Fall:

Student Concert Series!

Kickoff Concert: Wesley Cook Band

Thursday, September 1, 12:15-1 p.m.

Unity Plaza

Campus Events is bringing you new lunchtime concerts of local bands this fall. Enjoy a different band of Georgia State students every other Thursday in such outdoor venues as Hurt Park and Unity Plaza outside the Student Center.

Come have a good time and support your fellow GSU students!

College Night at the High Museum

Saturday, September 10, 7 p.m.-Midnight

Campus Events is providing free shuttles from the Student Center and the Commons to and from the High Museum.

Shuttles begin at 6:15 p.m.

The last shuttle leaves the museum at 12:15 a.m.

Purchase tickets at the Student Center Information Desk.

Advance Student Tickets: $5 (Student Center Information Desk Only)

General Admission for Students with ID: $7 General Admission for Non-Students: $18 For more information, call 404/413-1857.