JAN. 27, 2015 - FEB. 2, 2015
VOL. 82 | NO. 17
Inside Drops in TRESPASSING
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records R.J. Hunter makes Georgia State history by becoming the Panthers’ all-time leading scorer.
Campus police attribute trespassing decline to security visibility on school grounds.
news | 8
Careerwoman or Housewife?
Read more inside.
SPORTS | PAGE 20
Why should society tell you which to choose, then expect you to pick up both roles?
Opinions | 9
Laughlanta This is no joke. Find out about some of the comedy clubs in Atlanta!
A&L | 12 - 13
Riding solo Georgia State’s cycling team has 12 members but only one of them is officially competing this year. Find out why.
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NEWS
blotter
Criminal Trespass Warning an unknown man hit him and ran. This resulted in a report being filed for battery. The case is being handled by investigations.
influence
Auburn Avenue Southeast
An individual was arrested and transported to Fulton County Jail for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana, driving under the influence and driving without valid tags.
Jan. 20
Snatch and run Marietta Street Northwest
A Georgia State student’s phone was snatched by an unknown male. He fled the scene and was eventually arrested by an Atlanta police officer and transported to Fulton County Jail. The cell phone was also recovered.
20 3. Jan. Sucker punch
A Georgia State student said
Student Recreation Center
A Georgia State student was arrested for disorderly conduct and obstruction after officers responded to a staff member stating he became angry with her. Campus police attempted to calm the student down, but then he became combative. The student also received a criminal trespass warning. The student was arrested, processed and transported to Fulton County Jail.
We have retracted an article published in The Signal Jan. 13 titled “Georgia State planning renovation for new media production center” due to a fabrication of quotes. Upon investigation, we found that the reporter, Rico Johnson, did not speak to Georgia State spokesperson Andrea Jones for quotes on the subject matter of the article. It is important to us that we report accurate, honest and fair information to our readers. We sincerely apologize for this incident, and we hope to continue bringing accurate information to our community. Further investigation on this reporter’s work is underway, and the reporter has been suspended from The Signal until further notice. We will be taking further steps to ensure future sources of information are honest and accurate. Thank you.
23 5. Jan. Illegal possession
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PHOTO BY NADIA DELJOU | THE SIGNAL Vendors supply a variety of beers on draft for anyone’s choosing at this year’s Atlanta Winter Beer Festival, taking place at The Masquerade on Jan. 24.
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PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL Tonia Nixon, a U.S. Army veteran, is also a student at Georgia State pursuing a Master’s of Social Work degree so she can assist homeless and female veterans.
When I came back I was really depressed. I was hurt; I was angry because I couldn’t understand how you could be treated so horribly in a governmental organization as a woman...”
A student veteran tells her story of the transition to civilian life after suffering discrimination, assault and post-traumatic stress disorder MATTHEW WOLFF Staff Reporter
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onia Nixon said her transition from serving in the U.S. Army to civilian life as a student has been a journey of adversity, revelation and determination. However, discrimination, abuse and a battle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were not experiences she expected to gain along the way. Nixon served in the Army as a medic for 16 years then moved on to becoming a student to obtain her Masters of Social Work degree at Georgia State. Nixon knew at a young age she desired to join the armed services and said she believed it was a way to escape an impoverished life. “I came from the projects and life wasn’t really the greatest. My mother was a drug addict and I grew up pretty much trying to fend for myself and my little brother,” she said. “The military could get me out of Baltimore and help with the rest.”
She also said she was eager to enlist and sought a military branch offering her the quickest chance to leave. “I got accepted to the Army and the Marines,” she said. “I didn’t care how I got out of there as long as I got out, but the Army gave me an earlier entry date. I was ready to go.” At 16, Nixon convinced her grandmother to co-sign her enlistment, and she finished high school a year later. “My recruiter was waiting for me when I came off the graduation stage, and I went right into boot camp,” she said.
Discrimination and Assault
While she was enlisted, Nixon got married and started a family. However, she said for someone that longed to serve in the military the experiences were bittersweet. “I appreciate the discipline. I appreciate some of the personalities and the attitudes. I do not appreciate
the discrimination that you face as a woman.” Nixon said women are less likely to make rank compared to men with less seniority, must achieve higher test scores, and don’t receive combat pay for going overseas. The overall treatment of women in the armed services is abhorrent, according to Nixon. “The men will tell you that the only reason you need to be there is for them. I had a first sergeant that told me he had two balls and a bat for me.” The treatment of women did not stop at offensive speech, according to Nixon. “Women are constantly assaulted,” she said. Combat wasn’t the only thing Nixon said she saw when she was stationed overseas in Afghanistan. During her deployment she was sexually assaulted by her superior officer. Nixon was stuck repeatedly in the face during the assault, severing nerves, which resulted in severe bilateral neuropathy. She credits this assault to being the most significant fac-
tor in her development of PTSD. “I started having dreams and nightmares about it,” she said. “I have issues with sleep. I have to take a sleeping pill and I take a dream suppressant to keep me from dreaming about it even now. I take anxiety pills to deal with anxiety. I also take medication for the neuropathy.” Nixon said she suffered further discrimination after reporting the incident to the Inspector General’s Office (IG). “The assault put me through a lot, and even with that I got in trouble and got an Article 15 for hitting my first sergeant to get him off of me because I hit a commanding officer,” she said. “They did nothing to him.” Nixon also said the majority of the troops she served with shunned her for filing the complaint against the first sergeant and they also accused her of trying to get him in trouble unjustly. “It caused a lot of isolation for me in my unit,” she said. “Although there were other women in the battalion, there were very few. So I tended to hang only with one particular com-
rade who had gone through the same thing with him [the first sergeant] but chose not to say anything because she saw how people ostracized you from watching another soldier go through it.” Nixon also said she suffered emotionally having to serve under the man who attacked her and applied to transfer to another unit. “I tried to get swapped out of the unit and he refused to allow me to. [He] denied my swap,” she said. “I came out having difficulty working with men because I was very angry, very disgruntled.” After 16 years in the Army, Nixon decided it was time to return to civilian life. She declined the next offer to renew her enlistment. “I was already stressed. I found myself crying all the time. I was in and out of sick call with upset stomachs from stress, and it was time to go. Then my children needed me.”
PTSD continued on page 4
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NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
PTSD continued from page 3 Living with PTSD
Adjusting to civilian life was not easy for Nixon. She continued suffering from PTSD. “When I came back I was really depressed. I was hurt; I was angry because I couldn’t understand how you could be treated so horribly in a governmental organization as a woman and devalued.” Her conditions put immense strain on her relationship with her husband. “He didn’t understand a lot of stuff. I could not talk to him about certain things. He certainly didn’t understand the PTSD and [me] waking up at night screaming. So we divorced.” To Nixon, it seemed her life was spiralling downward. “I had no support from family whatsoever at that time, and so it was very difficult for me.” Unable to find work, suffering from PTSD and feeling a lack of support from family, Nixon said she began to consider taking her own life. “I got to a point where I just didn’t want to be here. That’s one of the lowest points of my life,” she said. “So I took a bottle of sleeping pills, and I know a lot of people don’t believe in miracles, but I do because they were actually in the process of writing my death certificate when I started vomiting up what they pumped in my stomach.” At the lowest point in her life, Nixon said she found the inspiration to live from a high school friend who came to visit her in the hospital. Her friend was able to convince her that she wasn’t meant to die and that she still had something to offer to others.
Treatment and Veteran Affairs
Nixon said she still regularly attends counselling and takes a variety of medications for her conditions. “I go through cognitive behavioral therapy, and I do counseling sessions weekly,” she said. “I take antidepressants, anxiety meds, sleeping pills of course, and of course all my pain meds for the neuropathy,” she said. This regimen is necessary for her ongoing well being, according to Nixon. “They actually have helped me make it through. I don’t know that I could have done anything without the medication. They help me function,” she said. “I still have some things that struggle with but it’s a matter of will power and the fact that I look at myself as being more than just a veteran with PTSD.” She also said seeking help from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) for her conditions is constantly difficult because of missing paperwork or that some simply don’t care. “They will send your paperwork back telling you they have no noted documentation through the military records to show what you’re saying,” Nixon said. “But because I was in a medical unit, I took copies of my records with me so I was able to copy and highlight and send it back to them and tell them, ‘You’re full of crap.’”
Back to school
Nixon said the tragedies and frustrations she has suffered directly influenced her decision to enroll in school. She knew undoubtedly she wanted to help veterans that had the same feelings as her and decided to pursue a degree in social work. “They were deliberately lying to keep from doing what they needed to do. It made me angry and it made me decide someone had to stand up to them. And so that was what led me back to school into the social work field,” Nixon said. Nixon also said she the PTSD made her nervous about enrolling. “It took me a while to go back to school because I don’t like crowds. I have major issues with crowds,” she said. “I get really anxious and so I had to go through some therapy. I also still have a problem with being around a lot of men.” However, Nixon did enroll and began her education at Georgia Perimeter College (GPC) in 2009. Nixon said it was not an easy transition into the college experience. The staff at GPC was not supportive of her as a student veteran with PTSD, according to Nixon. “I left Georgia Perimeter without doing the associates in social work because of some of the feedback I got back from some of the staff,” she said. “I have to have accommodations because I have concentration issues from the PTSD and so ... one of the professors told me if I had to have accommodations then maybe I shouldn’t be in college.” Nixon decided their accommodations were unacceptable and transferred to Georgia State in 2011. She was prepared to encounter a similar mindset but found that the professors in the social work program at Georgia State were welcoming and understanding. “The staff here at Georgia State has been a great support system,” she said. “They are social workers so they understand the concept of how the social environment can play on a person’s life, and so they have always been supportive.” Despite doubting herself, Nixon said she has excelled at Georgia State. She is the recipient of the Wanda C. Caldwell Award and Chris Penn Memorial Scholarship. Nixon has also been a two-time recipient of the Service Award through the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. She is also the president of the Phi Alpha Society, an organization for highachieving students within the school of social work. Nixon graduated Magna Cum Laude with her Bachelor’s of Social Work from Georgia State in 2014 and will graduate with her master’s this semester. She intends to pursue a doctorate in social work, a degree not offered by Georgia State.
Resources for Georgia State student veterans
There are currently over 800 student veterans enrolled at Georgia State. They may have served their country, but they all come from a variety of backgrounds.
PHOTO BY MATTHEW WOLFF | THE SIGNAL Tonia Nixon conducts a planning meeting for an upcoming community awareness event in the university library. Mary McLaughlin, former social worker and member of the Military Outreach Committee at Georgia State, said the committee and the Students Veterans Association (SVA) are dedicated to making Georgia State more accessible for veterans and streamlining the process for student veterans to earn a degree. She also said the university assists veterans who need books when VA payments haven’t come in. The university also works with them in the career counseling center to identify jobs in veteran-friendly businesses and help them locate counselors and mentors. “If they want help, they want a clear road of where to get it,” McLaughlin said. In addition to these services Georgia State also offers priority registration to student veterans. It’s important for the university to provide student veterans with the proper structure in order for them to earn a degree with the least amount of roadblocks, according to McLaughlin. “The GI bill is time stamped so it’s really important for them to stay on track,” she said. “We want all students to progress through in a timely manner but for them it’s crucial.” McLaughlin also said the most important thing to understand is that all veterans are different and have had differents experiences. “Get to know them like you would get to know anybody else. They don’t like to be labeled in any direction,” she said. The VA offers the Post-9/11 GI Bill paying for the tuition and fees of veterans to attend a public education institution. Over 750,000 veterans benefited from $10 billion paid toward education by the GI Bill in 2013 and nearly 27,000 of those veteran attended school within the University System of Georgia (USG), according to an annual report. Georgia State also participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program that covers additional educational costs not covered by the GI Bill. The university offers additional veteran services to students such as Mental Health Services and the veteran’s legal center.
Moving Forward
Nixon said she intends on helping homeless veterans, particularly women, with her degrees in social work. She also said she is using her ongoing frustrating experience with the VA and her education in social work to help veterans navigate a system she views as broken. “That’s a problem for me because a lot of our veterans are extremely experienced and can’t get jobs. When they end up homeless, their families end up homeless, but society looks at them as nothing,” Nixon said. “These are the same people that fought for you to make sure you were safe.” Nixon also received her certificate as a real estate broker to help her in what she said is her ultimate goal. She said she is working to start a transitional living program for veterans. “My biggest goal as a social worker is to make the VA’s life a living hell.” The objective is to find private funding to buy bank foreclosed homes and rehab them to be lived in by veterans and their families, according to Nixon. “We’re looking for grant money that’s outside governmental because we don’t want you to tell us what to do with it,” she said. Nixon also said it is important to educate the families of veterans returning with PTSD. “PTSD doesn’t just affect the veteran. It affects everyone around, everyone they’re involved with and so we need to educate families about PTSD,” she said. “We need to educate them on how to deal with their family members that are going through it and learn how to accept them for who they are.” Today Nixon describes herself as someone determined to make a difference in the lives of veterans that have dealt with hardships similar to her own. “I am a motivated business-owner empowered to empower others, resilient, and more than a conqueror. I aim to increase the value of others’ lives so that they can feel the same way about themselves.”
figures U.S. VETERANS
Over 20 million
UNEMPLOYED VETERANS
722,000
HOMELESS VETERANS
49,933
VETERANS IN GEORGIA
752,882
Male - 662,501 Female - 90,382
STUDENT VETERANS IN GEORGIA
26,763
STUDENT VETERANS AT GEORGIA STATE
Over 800
5
NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
City
Looming over the Atlanta Streetcar: Lawsuit, lack of student ridership and expansion plans Associate News Editor
A
tlanta’s $92 million investment, the Atlanta Streetcar, is not only facing legal issues but also low response from some students at Georgia State. Despite these issues and concerns, the streetcar’s partners are seeking transportation expansion, according to Wilma Sothern, Vice President of Marketing at Central Atlanta Progress (CAP). Earlier this month AT&T filed a $5.8 million lawsuit against the City of Atlanta and MARTA for the cost of moving utilities for the construction of the streetcar’s lines in December, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC). The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office provided The Signal with their statement about the lawsuit: “The City has consistently maintained for over two years that AT&T is not entitled to any reimbursement from the City. The City will vigorously defend this position and remains confident that it will prevail in a court of law,” the Mayor’s Office said. AT&T said the city and MARTA need to comply with the MARTA Act of 1965 which states utility companies should be compensated for relocation costs. AT&T also said compensation could be paid with grants received by the Atlanta Streetcar, according to the AJC. CAP states the streetcar received millions in funding from five different grants and programs. The transportation’s operations also receive funding from farebox, advertising and federal grants.
To ride or not to ride? Since the streetcar began operations on Dec. 30 the preliminary estimate of riders is between 40,000 50,000, according to Sothern. “We’re impressed. We are getting great responses. You know there are still some critics out there,” she said. However, Rayetta Coleman, a junior criminal justice student at Georgia State, said she does not ride the streetcar because she hasn’t researched how the transit system is servicing metro Atlanta. She also said if she used the streetcar it would be to view attractions and historic sites with her family and friends. “I heard it was a very big hit for MLK day. So, I would definitely do it for that,” Coleman said. Student Steven Saunders said a busy schedule has prevented English Ph.D. from riding the streetcar. “I just get around by my car so much, I don’t really think about the streetcar. It’s probably good with tourism. It’s probably allowing them to connect,” he said.
Sophomore nursing student Drew Patterson said he rode the streetcar once from the Aderhold Learning Center to Greek Housing. He said he won’t be riding it again unless the system is expanded. “A couple of friends wanted to ride it. I mean the inside is really nice and heated when it’s cold and everything. But at the same time still the problem is the distance it travels,” Patterson said. “I would have gotten there faster walking than I would have riding the streetcar.” He said the streetcar should expand to locations such as Buckhead and Midtown. “But literally I think it covers about twelve blocks from start to finish. I think, roughly. That’s literally within walking distance,” Patterson said. “But if it expanded to where you had to drive somewhere or something, that would be a lot more convenient.”
PHOTO BY RALPH HERNANDEZ | THE SIGNAL Locals and visitors take a ride on the Atlanta Streetcar which has transformed transportation and commuting in the downtown area since its grand opening.
Streetcar’s future calls for expansion
Map of the Atlanta Streetcar route
Jenna Garland, the Mayor’s Office of Communications’ press secretary, said Mayor Reed has repeatedly mentioned he would like to expand the streetcar to connect with the Atlanta BeltLine. The streetcar will ultimately become a part of a new local and regional system of transportation, according to CAP. “Phase One offers last mile connectivity to the city center for MARTA, the Atlanta BeltLine and other transit options and additional phases will expand that service even further. The Atlanta Streetcar makes access easier within the city and it also functions as a metaphorical link between the city’s rich history with rail transportation and it’s evolution into a robust centerpiece of the New South and 21st century connectivity,” CAP stated. Atla It is projected that by Impr nta Down ovem 2030 over 8,800 new ent D town housing units would istric t be developed and 1,720 hotel rooms TIGER II Fe d would be created in Administrati erak Transit o n grant fund downtown Atlanta, s according to the Atlanta Streetcar Corridor DevelopCity of Atlanta Recovery Zone ment and Investment Guide. Bond funds and Deparment There is no set of Watershed Management deadline for when Clean Water program details will be determined for the streetcar’s expansion and the al decision is dependent on egion e R a t l n metro and regional-wide Atla ion Livab transportation planning, acative miss cording to Sothern. Com ters Initi ram Cen “It depends on a lot of differProg ent factors, basically again planning [and] the funding. We have to identify funding sources before we can do that,” she said.
The Atlanta Streetcar’s funding sources
STREETCAR.ATLANTAGA.GOV
$6 m illion
$47.6 million
$32.6 million
on i l l i m $6.45
INFORMATION FROM CENTRAL ATLANTA PROGRESS
PHOTO BY RALPH HERNANDEZ | THE SIGNAL
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
university
Addressing concerns of GSU-GPC consolidation College presidents discuss the future of GPC students and curriculum MATTHEW WOLFF Staff Reporter
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espite concerns about structure, finances and athletic scholarships, the University System of Georgia is moving forward with the consolidation between Georgia Perimeter College (GPC) and Georgia State. The Board of Regents (BOR) approved a consolidation that will combine Georgia State and GPC in 2016. Georgia State President Mark Becker, GPC Interim President Rob Watts and the University System of Georgia (USG) Vice Chancellor Shelly Nickel held a Q&A town hall meeting at GPC and Georgia State on Jan. 13 to answer questions about the consolidation. Becker will serve as president and the consolidated institution will keep the name Georgia State University, according to Watts. A two-tiered system with the associate-degree students paying lower fees and tuition amounts is planned, according to the GPC release. “The USG Board of Regents and chancellor have continually stated their commitment to keeping college affordable,” the release states. To handle decisions regarding the consolidation, an implementation committee of students and faculty will be formed, according to a Georgia State release. “The first step is to form an implementation committee including students, faculty and staff from Georgia State and Georgia Perimeter who will spend the next year examining and working through all aspects of the consolidation,” the release states.“The work of the committee is to be submitted to the Board of Regents for its consideration in January 2016 with implementation finalized by the beginning of the fall semester in 2016.” Becker said in the release by joining the universities Georgia State will not only gain a larger national profile, but it will provide greater opportunities to students from both institutions. “With campuses throughout the metro-Atlanta region, the consolidated Georgia State University will have the flexibility to more readily deliver quality academic programs throughout the metro region,” he said. Becker also said in the release that Georgia State will continue to admit students into its degree programs. GPC will continue to admit students into its associate and certificate programs by standards consistent with its access mission. GPC will retain it’s access mission of being the college for people who wouldn’t normally have the means to pursue a degree, according to Watts.
Watts also said the associate programs should undergo minimal change. There likely will be two tiers of admission requirements, for associate-degree-seeking students at the access (GPC) campuses and for baccalaureate-degree-seeking students at the downtown campus, according to a GPC press release.
The universities’ finances
In 2012 it was publicized that GPC leadership’s over-spending and mismanagement of funds led the college to make $25 million budget cuts. Watts said during Georgia State’s town hall meeting that the school’s financial crisis had come to an end. “We weren’t two and a half years ago but we’re in very good financial shape right now. Our budget is balanced; we live within our means,” he said. “We have reserves, our last audit was perfect and we have no issues with SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools).” He also said GPC’s previous financial state will not affect Georgia State after the consolidation. “I don’t want anybody to think that Georgia Perimeter College is not well run financially,” he said. Some savings of the consolidated universities are already apparent, according to Watts. “The new institution won’t need two presidents and so there are some automatic savings there,” he said jokingly.
Athletics programs
Based on the uncertainty of scholarships and campuses GPC suspended all athletics recruitment on Jan. 12 and will likely not have any athletic teams next year, according to Interim President Rob Watts. “My office and the athletic directors office have been inundated with calls from parents saying your coach is out recruiting my son or daughter to play; can you guarantee for me there will be a team two years from now to play? And the answer is no; we can’t guarantee that,” Watts said. Watts said it’s important to be up-front with student athletes and their families so they are able to find other options to participate in college athletics. “We can’t look a parent in the eye; we can’t be honest with a parent or student and say you will absolutely get to play for the next two years,” Watts said. Watts also said the current student athletes most likely to be affected are the 86 GPC freshmen with athletic scholarships. “If you want to stay at GPC we will honor your scholarship as long as you are eligible,” he said. “However, if you want to move on and continue to play we will give you a release. You won’t have to sit out a
“
Honestly, I’m kind of in the middle when it comes to the merger. I think the merger should generate some good business. Business is good for the university, but we’ll see if it’s a good choice down the road ... The downside to me is that it will affect our public perception.” -Xavier Dicks Jr.
Georgia State student, junior business major year. You can move immediately on and play someplace else.” The athletics department at GPC predicts about 70 of these athletes will be recruited to play someplace else, according to Watts. Alfred Barney, GPC athletic director and men’s basketball coach made the decision to halt recruiting for GPC’s eight athletic divisions at GPC’s town hall meeting on Jan. 13, according to GPC’s release. The announcement came shortly after USG’s Jan. 6 decision to consolidate Georgia State with GPC. GPC will continue its regular spring season schedule for all spring sports, but that likely will be the last time GPC Jaguar teams play, according to Barney. “Athletes on scholarship will be given the opportunity to keep their scholarships through their eligibility if they choose to stay at GPC. If they choose to leave, they will get a release letter allowing them to play at another institution,” he said. Becker said there will be no change to the athletic recruitment programs at Georgia State and that the merger only increases the need for the university to acquire Turner Field for athletic purposes. “This leaves no changes for the Turner Field plan. We are continuing to pursue Turner Field. This means only more obvious the needs for Turner Field for our own facilities here downtown that will serve this metro region,” he said. “Those plans are only reinforced by this consolidation.”
Student Responses
Junior Xavier Dicks Jr., a business major, said he’s on the fence about the consolidation and believes it’s for business gains. “Honestly, I’m kind of in the middle when it comes to the merger. I think the merger should generate some good business. Business is good for the university, but we’ll see if it’s a good choice down the road,” Dicks said. “The downside to me is that it will affect our public perception.” Student Patrick Walter said he doesn’t see any benefits in the con-
solidation. “I think it’s the dumbest decision the university made along with Brightspace and the streetcar. I like Georgia State the way it is as a single, established institute in Georgia. This whole merger in my opinion is about money because tuition is down at an all-time high,” he said. Luvert Allen, a junior psychology major, said he doesn’t care because he doesn’t see any consequences with the decision. “It seems like a move to expand Georgia State’s influence and by bringing in the extra money that all of the perimeter schools gathered, they will be able to provide upgrades to the school and such,” he said.
Long-term goals
Becker said other four-year universities connected with two-year schools serve as a model to follow when building the new Georgia State. Emory, Penn State and the University of South Carolina are all associated with two-year associates or certificate programs He also said Georgia State and GPC have a long and successful history working together. Approximately 1,300 students every year transfer from GPC to Georgia State. “The students who transfer to Georgia State from GPC proceed and succeed at rates basically the same as those who start here as freshman. The quality is very high, this has worked very well and it’s been that way for almost fifty years,” Becker said. “This is a very successful model we’re building on and the question is by consolidating as one institution, how do we take the university still to a higher level.” The goal is not to enroll students but see them through to graduation, according to Becker. “Goal one is that we want to establish a national model demonstrating that students from all backgrounds can be successful at high rates,” he said. The Signal staff also contributed to this report.
Did you know? • Nearly 1,500 Georgia Perimeter College (GPC) students annually transfer to Georgia State. Those that transfer from GPC have performed at an academic level equivalent to students who began their four-year program at Georgia State. Georgia State’s nationally recognized and continuing work on programs aimed at ensuring student success will have a significant impact on improving graduation rates at both institutions. Overall, the number of students who earn their undergraduate degrees is expected to increase significantly. - Georgia State’s Q&A release with President Mark Becker • Georgia State has been recognized as the 6thranked “Up and Coming National University.” -U.S. News and World Report • Georgia State was the 17th-ranked university in the nation for return on investment for students. -Best Value Schools • Georgia State was also the 10th-ranked university in the nation for graduationrate performance. -Eduventures • A decrease in the number of jobs will likely occur, but until details are worked out it is not possible to know how many or which ones. Certain administrative functions will be combined, resulting in the need for fewer positions over time. -USG Board of Regents
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NEWS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
crime
Georgia State Police Department reports drop in criminal trespassing SAMUEL ROTH & JOSH RUBY Staff Reporters
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lthough there have been multiple trespassing incidents reported by Georgia State police this past semester, the department said there’s also been a decrease in the crime over the past two years. In Jan. 2013, nine Criminal Trespassing Warnings (CTWs) were issued and two arrests were made. Comparatively in Jan. 2014, 10 CTWs were issued and two arrests were made. So far this month 12 CTWs were issued, according to the university police’s online daily reports. Two of these cases involved individuals found asleep on Georgia State property. On Jan. 12 there was an attempted break-in at the University Commons’ parking deck by a non-affiliated Georgia State individual, according to the report. Georgia State’s University Commons resident Chika Iloegbunam said he isn’t afraid of other people sneaking into the dorms but understands the need for security. “When people are caught sneaking in, sometimes this heightens security measures in unnecessary ways. Also,
this sneaking is dangerous since the outsiders could pose as a threat,” he said. However, Georgia State’s Crime Prevention specialist, Sergeant Sharon Ware, said the drop in criminal trespassings in the last two years is a result of increased security visibility of campus police since July 2013. She also said these reductions are due to shift changes within the Georgia State police department. “Within this year and last year we have seen a decrease with criminal trespassing. We changed our hours of operation for patrol. We have given the officers 10-hour shifts, which gives us more officers on a shift, which actually almost doubles the numbers that we have, which helps to increase visibility [and] also presence. And we have seen a decline since we switched to that,” she said. Although there has been a decrease in the last year, the winter months have seen a rise in criminal trespassing, according to Ware. “Individuals that may not have anywhere else to go or individuals that may come here to commit criminal activity increase during the winter months,” she said. Ware, who has spent 14 years in with Georgia State’s police department, said the officers are properly trained to
watch out for suspicious activity. “We are responsible after we come out of the academy to receive 20 hours of training per year. But here at our department we get anywhere from 80 to 150 hours of training per year in regards to criminal trespassing, in regards to safety, shooting at a firing range and keeping up the police status,” she said. Ware also said when approaching individuals suspected of loitering or trespassing, Georgia State police follow procedure by asking for university identification. If the individual cannot produce proper identification or reason for being there, they are then cited for trespassing and escorted off property. Repeat offenses result in the arrest of the individual, according to Ware. “[A Criminal Trespassing Warning] acts as a buffer for our university… If [the chief] feels as though they still don’t have any type of business, she would let [the warning] stand and then advise that the individual that if they came back [without Georgia State-related business] they would be arrested for trespassing,” she said. Ware also said despite some people’s belief that the homeless population are repeat trespassers, they are not typically the ones to commit the crime on campus.
“We really don’t have a large number of homeless people that come here trying to criminal trespass. Every once in a while, you get somebody that is homeless that criminally trespasses, but they pretty much know that we don’t allow people to just come on our campus like that,” she said. Sophomore Jesus Hernandez said Georgia State’s reputation from being located Downtown is viewed negatively despite ample security options. “Most families already have a preconceived idea that Georgia State being downtown isn’t safe for their child … Whether it’s calling an escort or the constant cops circling campus on car or bike, it’s more so the reputation of downtown and not so much the school itself,” he said. However, Ware also said most homeless trespassers are usually new to the area. “Normally it is individuals that may have came to this particular area and it’s our first time making contact with them. Then, after we educate them about not coming to Georgia State or if they don’t have any type of business here, to stay off our property or what have you, then that normally helps. Every once in a will get somebody that tries to come back and then we have to arrest them,” she said.
City
Atlanta’s fire department reaching out to LGBT community SEAN KEENAN Staff Reporter
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n the wake of Chief Kelvin Cochran’s recent dismissal* for the distribution of his Christian selfhelp book, Interim Fire Chief Joel Baker, a Georgia State alum, and his executive staff are finding ways to strengthen the fire department’s relationship with the LGBT community. Deputy Chief Randall Slaughter of the fire department’s Office of Field Operations said he does not feel the department has an issue with cultural awareness but is keeping an eye out for issues in regards to Cochran’s actions. “We’ve always been very open, transparent and approachable with all of the community. In light of what has happened, Chief Baker has put forth a new initiative to engage the LGBT community,” he said. However, Baker said he didn’t want the former chief’s behavior to represent the entire organization, although he sees plenty of room for improvement. “We have not done enough to let people know that we are a welcoming community for employment. At the end of the day those firefighters out there with boots on the ground; they don’t care if you’re black, white, gay, straight, lesbian, Hispanic or Asian,” he said. “When that alarm bell rings, can you pull the fire hose? Can you start the IV? Can you drive the fire truck? … Can you do the job of a firefighter? That’s all that matters at the end of the day.” Baker also said his intentions are to extend further than LGBT community and he wants the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department to be the most welcoming organization it can be. “At the beginning of the day we need to let the members of this very diverse community know that we can help you do your job without coming to work fearing sexism, racism and other types of -isms. We want to make sure our members know that we are an -ismfree organization,” he said.
In efforts to engage LGBT communities around Atlanta, Baker said he has teamed up with Robin Shahar, Mayor Reed’s LGBT community liaison. “We’re getting a lot of support from the mayor’s office. It’s a big deal that Mayor Reed has assigned LGBT Liaison Robin Shahar to work with us … for her to reach out and make sure we have everything we need; that’s big,” he said. Shahar said she looks forward to further collaborating with Baker in the pursuit of diversifying the workplace and the city. “I’m excited to work with Chief Baker because his commitment to having an -ism-free department is so exciting,” she said. Shahar also said the initiative is still in the preliminary stages but she and Baker are gathering facts and listening to the people. “Mayor Reed is sincerely committed to a workforce where discrimination does not exist. He is committed to nondiscrimination across the city,” she said. “I work with him as his advisor on LGBT matters and without fail, when I talk to him about issues that come up, his position is always that we need to take immediate steps to ensure these environments are free from discrimination.” The department also has support to establish a community outreach from Stephen Borders of the International Association of Firefighters and Terrance Simon, President of the Atlanta Progressive Firefighter Organization, according to Baker. Baker said the fire department also plans to consult the Atlanta Police Department for help developing a LGBT liaison. “They have a very proactive LGBT liaison community outreach, so we’ll seek guidance from them regarding what approach to take,” he said. Baker also said he and Shahar had not yet reached out to student LGBT organizations because they are first trying to solidify a direction in which
PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL Interim Fire Chief Joel Baker discusses upcoming improvements with Lieutenant Chatman as he plans on enhancing the Atlanta Fire Rescue department. they are going. However, Baker said he is open to suggestions and cooperation from all members of the Atlanta community. “If they [members of the LGBT community] ever have any questions, comments or concerns they should feel free to reach out to me. I want them to feel free to send me an email or contact the Fire Department. I along with my executive staff [are] willing to go to any LGBT community to talk about strategies and plans to enhance our relationships and make the Fire Department staff as accessible as possible,” he said. Jamaury Crosby, a member of Georgia State’s Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity organization, said he is thrilled that the new chief is taking the time to engage the LGBT community. “We’re looking forward to working with [Chief Baker] because he seems to have a genuine interest in this and that gets us excited,” he said. Slaughter said the fire department intends to put a fire truck in the next Pride Festival parade and said he urges
LGBT organizations to contact the department with future plans and ideas. Baker said he looks forward the festival and intends to be there riding along in support of the men and women of the department. He said this includes anyone struggling with cultural adversity. “I will be on that truck with them. Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care,” Baker said. He also said he does not expect the community outreach efforts to face much resistance. “If I’m facing any opposition, I don’t know about it. I’m not naive to think that everyone is blowing up balloons and shooting fireworks and saying ‘hip hip hooray,’ but so far I’ve received a lot of positive feedback,” he said.
For more on Cochran’s dismissal, visit www.georgiastatesignal.com [Key search terms: Atlanta Fire Department, chief, fired]
last week Local
Bomb threats posted on Twitter
Bomb threats targeting two flights traveling to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport were posted to Twitter on Jan. 24, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC). The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) deployed military fighter jets to escort the planes into Atlanta. Nothing was found after the FBI, Atlanta Police Bomb Squad and bomb-sniffing dogs searched the planes, checked passengers and luggage. FBI officials said they were interviewing passengers. Nu Wexler, a representative from Twitter, said they do work with law enforcement on emergency requests showing immediate danger.
National
4-year-old hero becomes big sister
Four-year-old Calise Manning from Kalamazoo, Michigan called 911 when her pregnant mother collapsed with an epileptic seizure on Jan. 21, according to CNN. Centerria Manning, the girl’s mother, said because she’s epileptic she had practiced with Calise what to do in an emergency. She had previously taught her daughter her full name, address and how to call 911. The mother was nine-months pregnant at the time and gave birth to a boy, TJ, two days after collapsing. The 911 operator that took the call said she is recommending Calise receive an award for how she handled herself during the emergency.
Global
Doomsday clock moves ahead two minutes
The Doomsday clock was moved forward to three minutes to midnight by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientist’s Science and Security Board on Jan. 22, according to NPR. The imaginary clock was created in 1947 to serve as a degree of warning against threats against humanity. Representatives from the board said the clock has been moved ahead because of increasing threats to human existence including climate change and a modern arsenals of nuclear weapons. The closest the clock ever was to midnight was after the first test of the hydrogen bomb in 1953.
OPINIONS
www.georgiastatesignal.com/opinions
a t n a l t A n i g Bicyclin
It’s everybody’s roads so share them ANTONIO GARCIA Columnist
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here is something liberating about riding a bicycle. I won’t say it is just the absolute best thing ever, but there is nothing quite like it — it is very rewarding. However, unless someone is riding on a trail like the Atlanta BeltLine, it can be pretty dangerous to commute via bicycle no matter where you are. Georgia ranks the 26th most bike-friendly state by the League of American bicyclists. The most bike-friendly communities in Georgia are (in order) AthensClarke County, Decatur, Jekyll
Island, Milledgeville, Peachtree City, Roswell, Savannah and Tybee Island. I live about a mile off campus and I almost always bike to my classes. People are usually surprised to hear this and talk about how afraid they would be of cars. “There are just too many cars for me to bike” is something I frequently hear. But I have heard and witnessed far more horror stories from rural bicycling than I have urban cycling. I grew up in a rural town of North Georgia, one with rich and beautiful wooded back country
roads. Bartow County is a fairly popular place for cycling in Georgia. With just enough hills and clean air, it really is a great place to ride. That is until an angry Rottweiler, pit-bull or pack of other various mutts begin to chase you while you are in the midst of a steep hill. The serene ride quickly turns from an appreciation of nature to the running of the bulls. But it’s just you and a pack of bloodthirsty dogs in the middle of nowhere — not my idea of a fun weekend. The only way to avoid such an encounter is to stick to more of the main roads. That means more people, and more people unfortunately mean more cars. In rural communities like Bartow, the simple mention of a bike lane is heresy. It is difficult to enjoy a simple bike ride when cars scrape by you at 60 miles per hour and (if you’re lucky) all but run you into the ditch. I won’t even get into the “good ol’ boys” in their pickup trucks whipping cyclists in the back with towels. Now, Atlanta is far from a perfect place to bicycle, but I feel way more comfortable dodging
potholes then I do a violent dog’s teeth. As a whole, Atlanta has been making improvements to become more pedestrian friendly and so has Georgia State. But bicycling seems to be the odd form of transportation stuck in between foot and car traffic. There are enough designated bike lanes to get around campus safely, and as long as you avoid the bigger roads such as Courtland Street and Piedmont Avenue, they are usually packed with cars and the sidewalks are even more packed with students. One thing that has been on people’s minds lately is the new Atlanta Streetcar. I’m a bit biased. I think having a streetcar is awesome even though the locations it travels to are rather pointless. However, the streetcar isn’t much of a concern to cyclists. The rails for the streetcar on the other hand present a rather dangerous obstacle. Since the rails have been there since I started cycling to campus, I had to plan my routes to and from campus around them. There is a bike lane opposite the rails on both Auburn and Edgewood
Avenue. The rails are of minimal concern until you have to turn left. Making a left turn is stressful enough on a bicycle while in traffic and having to cross over those rails just makes it worse. So far, two of my friends have had their wheels caught by the tracks trying to avoid careless drivers and have been thrown over their handlebars and into oncoming traffic. Thankfully, I have yet to shout profanities at the city of Atlanta while I am thrown off my bike (excuse me as I knock on wood). While I ride my bike to class, I occasionally have beautiful dreams where the streets intersecting the downtown campus are motor vehicle free. Students, faculty and staff are all able to walk and bike freely without the fear of being hit. But then I am snapped out of my daydream by a car slamming on its brakes in order to not hit someone jaywalking. Biking is a good way to get around campus quickly and parking is convenient and free. Just be sure to wear a helmet, unless you really want to become an organ donor early.
Housewife or career-woman: The standard of having it all
T NICOLE MOTAHARI Opinions Editor Nicole is a double major in biology and English. When she’s not writing, she enjoys listening to musical theater and watching British TV with her family.
Tweet her @SignalOpinions
he other week we were doing introductions in one of my English classes. You know, the routine getting to know you questions: Name, major, winter break activity, social security number and career goal. Everyone went around and answered the questions. Some people said they wanted to be a PR representative, writer, professor — routine English major stuff. Then one girl took me completely by surprise when she said her dream job was to become a housewife and a mother. There was a noticeable pause in the rhythm and flow of the monotone when everyone simultaneously cocked their head as if to say “I can’t believe she said that out loud.” Nowadays women are expected to manage it all. Receiving a top-notch education that lands them a dream career, a husband that works yet is always there to sympathize and help with housework, the
children who behave perfectly and a spit spot home, not to mention having to be fantastic between the sheets. I have to confess — I’m hoping to have it all one day and I’m sure many other girls my age do as well. I’m a bit more career-focused at the moment since I’m at the young age of 21 and I feel that weddings and babies and all that ‘grown-up stuff ’ is still a bit away. However, with graduation barely a year away, I’m definitely focusing on the career portion of my life. I carefully select my extracurricular activities, I make useful connections at work and I strive to create a strong portfolio that will come to help with future employment. But the concept of being a housewife was once a very common, expected idea. And honestly, why shouldn’t it be? If that’s what you want to do, you should be able to say that you want to be a wife and
mother without having someone judging your choices. My mother stayed at home with my sister and me. Incessantly, she mends broken hearts, cooks fantastic meals, tutors on subjects that we’re struggling in and keeps the house from looking like a disaster zone. She had to give up her career goals when I was born simply because no one can raise your children like you can and in the early ‘90s, the idea of a working mom was still a relatively new phenomenon. But, you know what? She worked 10 times as hard as any working mom I know to make sure I had a perfect childhood. Now, I am not saying that working moms can’t do that. I think it’s fantastic to balance family life with having a career. With modern technology helping to keep tabs on everything from baby fevers to the stock trends of baby boomers, it’s become expected of wom-
en to be super-mom, all while managing a strong career. If you’re not looking into having a career, you’re looked at differently, as though you’re this weird anomaly. The general trend of thought seems to be that the desire to be a wife and mother is very 1950s and anti-feminist. Why does it have to be like that? The career mom/wife and the stay at home mom/wife each have their own challenges and triumphs. It does not make you any less a woman if you choose to work and it shouldn’t make you any less of a feminist if you want to stay at home and run a household. While working the other day, I had an elderly gentleman call me over and he told me “I hope you don’t mind me saying this and I know it’s taking a liberty, but I wanted to tell you that you’re going to make some man very happy one day. You’re intelligent, very kind and have a lovely personality. You’re going to be
a great wife and whoever gets to marry you is lucky.” I thanked him and came away from that conversation with mixed emotions. I felt complimented, but I still had to take a moment to justify feeling good about a compliment about being a good wife. After thinking on it, I thought why shouldn’t it make me feel good? I mean, I certainly hope I’ll be a good wife and not a bad one and I definitely want to have a great career. No one should feel obligated to be pushed in either direction. In the end, it all comes down to what’s right for you and which path you want to take. Some women want careers, others want a family and others want both. No one should tell you what to do- after all, it’s YOUR life! Go out there and conquer it in a frilly apron, a sharp cut business suit or whatever the heck you feel like wearing while rocking your life!
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OPINIONS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
Editorial
Dollars and sense with Mitch
Apocalypse when? Why the latest employee mandate isn’t the end of the world as we know it
O MITCHELL OLIVER Columnist
Mitch is a senior finance major and student financial advisor. “My goal is to have more college students financially literate.” Leave your questions for him online at georgiastatesignal.com Follow him @madmoneyATL
ne of the most controversial provisions of the Affordable Care Act, the employer mandate has been set in motion recently. Many Americans across the country are up in arms over whether this will cause companies to fire workers, cut their hours or shut down completely. Yes, these are real fears, and yes, they are completely ridiculous. Summing up the mandate as briefly as possible, the law requires all businesses with 50 or more full-time employees to provide health insurance to 95 percent of employees or else subjected to a fee (up to $2,000 per employee not covered). But here’s the thing that makes all of the debates and criticism seem kind of silly: according to the U.S. Treasury, only 4 percent of businesses in the US meet the requirement of having more than 50 full-time employees. According to Obamacarefacts, What’s more, of that 4 percent that qualify, a large majority of those companies already provide sufficient, affordable healthcare to their employees. So basically this employee mandate was set in motion to help nudge large companies who don’t feel providing basic healthcare to their employees is important or in the budget. While premiums are rising for a large majority of American companies, this is separate from the implementation of the mandate, which again will only affect a small handful of businesses in Georgia. Investors.com has compiled a database of businesses affected by the AFA as a means to help give both supporters and critics an informed opinion. On the list, there were 13 recorded companies in Georgia (10 of those being public entities such as county governments) that have had to cut hours or cap their part-time workers hours. According to Georgia. org, there are 667,712 registered businesses in Georgia and 95 percent of those employ less than 50 people. So lets crunch some numbers for fun. In all fairness, I’m going to assume more than the 13 companies listed have been affected in Georgia.
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So let’s say that 100 companies will be impacted from the AFA’s employee mandate. That would still only be less than 0.01 percent of companies affected in Georgia. To put this in perspective, your business has a slightly higher chance of getting struck by lightning than being negatively being affected by Obamacare this year. And that’s why I get perturbed when I hear doomsday level fearmongering from the talking heads in the media about this issue. This can be said about a handful of issues in our country today, but blowing issues out of proportion seems to be the new hot thing to do. The sad part is, it usually works. Outraged citizens make for much better headlines and stories than satisfied citizens and their stories make for much more interesting political fodder for the upcoming election season (which will be starting up this summer…). The media onslaught of trepidation from both the left and right is commonplace in modern politics, but I urge everyone to not let these distractions negatively impact you. The best remedy for avoiding the bias and slant is to become as informed as possible on the topics. So before I leave you, I’ll drop some essential facts you should know. According to the study, “Delaying the Employer Mandate” by Carter Price and Evan Saltzman, with the mandate in full effect, $251.1 million Americans will have health coverage by 2016. If there were no mandate, that number would drop to $250.9 million. However, in doing so, there would be no revenue from penalties for companies not joining the mandate. In the same study, that lost revenue was estimated to be $46 billion over a ten-year period. Statistics are very powerful and in-depth studies are very informative. Basing your opinion on a segment of the O’Reilly Factor or an Op-Ed in the New York Times, however, is a quick way of becoming biased and left with shallow information. So get out there, get informed and don’t let fear cloud your judgement!
The 2015 Atlanta Hawks are the 2014 Georgia State men’s basketball team
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here our men’s team was last year, Hawks are this year. We are traditionally a basketball school in terms of our own athletics teams here at Georgia State. But for the most part, the men’s basketball team has not lived up to the lofty expectations put on them at the beginning of the year. Some of that is the team’s fault and some of it is not. Meanwhile, another well-known Atlanta hoops squad has not only lived up to expectations, they have surpassed. Those would be the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks — you may have heard of them. The Hawks, at 35-8 this season, have been the story of Atlanta sports this year. It is not necessarily a team with any superstars that stand out like LeBron James in Cleveland or Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City. But all they do nowadays is win. Somewhat like our men’s team did a lot of in 2014. Again, as the basketball school that we are, we are anything but fair-weather when it comes to our Panthers taking the court. But the outstanding play of the Hawks has become a major story both inside and outside metro-Atlanta, a city where sports has not always been the source of happy headlines. A basketball team coming out of nowhere to play great as a team to steal the hearts of a fan base and a city. Sound familiar? Maybe this year’s Hawks team was inspired by last year’s Panthers. Georgia State is not a school that consistently garners national headlines for sports given that we are in one of the non-Power Five conferences. The 25-9 season along with a 17-1 mark in the Sun Belt that the men’s team was able to pull off in 2013-14 had students, fans and alumni buzzing with excitement. This was so much that the media, even outside of those that are neckdeep in covering the basketball team began to take notice. Last season, Panthers head coach Ron Hunter did numerous interviews with local media, including with WZGC-FM 92.9 The Game. Ultimately, the ending was not good for the team last year as they barely lost in the conference championship game, but last season was a special season as the team received
both local and national attention for its captivating play. One can say that this year’s Hawks team has parallels to last year’s Georgia State men’s basketball team. Of course, one is an NCAA team and the other competes at the highest level of professional basketball. Let’s get that out of the way. But, we would know the parallels between this year’s Atlanta Hawks team and last year’s Georgia State men’s basketball team given how closely we follow both teams. Last season, Georgia State was one of these teams that flew under the college basketball radar only to make major waves within the NCAA. In the NBA, everyone and their mothers picked the Cavaliers to win the Eastern Conference. Now, the local and national media is buzzing with Hawks banter and are now being pegged as the team that is being picked to potentially win the East and maybe bring an NBA championship to a title-starved city. On the Georgia State side of things, this year they are still a good team but not the world-beaters they were (and still are) supposed to be. What the Hawks have done is definitely noteworthy and has made anyone who is a fan of Atlanta basketball proud. What was at first a story of a good basketball team is now a story of a great basketball team that has reinvigorated interest in a team whose recent memory has been littered with first-round exits from the NBA playoffs. The primary thing that still has some people a bit skeptical is the history of Atlanta sports. We live in a city that is much maligned by the national media for having fair-weather fans, but we also live in a city that is honeycombed with sports disappointments. As the Hawks win more games, they also won more believers as our men’s team did last season. They are under more of a consistent national microscope given they are an NBA team, but they are now in the NBA where Georgia State should be in the Sun Belt this season. There is still plenty of time for the Panthers to turn it around and perhaps they will begin to live up to expectations. But as of now, at least everyone in basketball circles is still talking about “us.”
You’ve got the opinion. We’ve got the soapbox. To be a guest columnist, send in your thoughts to signalopinions@gmail.com. To be a (paid) staff columnist, download an application from georgiastatesignal.com/ employment and turn it in to Dr. Bryce McNeil at 405 University Center.
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ARTS & LIVING
www.georgiastatesignal.com/artsandliving
Live, Laugh, Leave a Good Tip Written by Inga Masic, Associate Arts & Living Editor
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As the saying goes, “laughter is contagious.” That is sure to be true about the chuckles heard throughout Atlanta with the number of comedy clubs seen here such as The Laugh-
ing Skull, The Punchline and Uptown Comedy Corner. Each one of these raving places have their own origin and stories that will provide incentive to follow each trail of laughter.
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The Laughing Skull Skulls will be rolling with laughter! Conveniently located inside Atlanta’s famous restaurant, The Vortex, The Laughing Skull features open mic nights. They also offer comedy classes, comedy festivals and comedy roasts. “It is much smaller than traditional clubs which makes it a much more intimate and welcoming environment for comedy,” Andrew George, Manager of The Laughing Skull, said. The club was conceptualized and created by current owner, Marshall Chiles. The Laughing Skull opened up in 2009 and strives to create the best experience for visitors. They want to see you leave their establishment with tears of laughter
streaming down your face. “It’s the perfect date spot. You can laugh with your boo without having to talk to them! Plus, we’re inside of the best burger place in Atlanta,” George said. Like most comedy clubs that focus on having the quality comedy rave through the wall, The Laughing Skull follows a process when choosing which people can perform on stage. For them, it’s pretty simple: are the comedians funny and can the business afford them? The club allows comedians to bring their own material on open mic night, creating a free zone for comedic expression. “It’s a 100 percent open house. As long as nobody is
actively trying to fight you because of what you’re saying, we’ll allow it. By signing up for our open mic nights, if you’re funny there, you’ll get invited back!” George said. The Laughing Skull has had many legends come and lay down their epic jokes for audiences. Some of these comedians include the late Robin Williams, Bobcat Goldthwait, Pete Holmes, Jen Kirkman and Lyle Kinane. With these comedy gods leaving numerous iconic acts behind in the memories for those who were fortunate enough to witness them, The Laughing Skull is a haven for those who want to make a name for themselves in the comedic world.
PHOTO BY RUTH PANNILL | THE SIGNAL
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A H H A A H HA HA HA The PunchLine “Everyone should enjoy laughing,” Jamie Bendall, owner of The Punchline comedy club, said. This historic club seems to have no issues with getting to the punchline of a joke. The Punchline first opened in February of 1982 during what can be described as the “waning days of the Urban Cowboy craze that followed the death of disco.” As the oldest comedy club in Atlanta, The Punchline has had the pleasure of countless comedy greats perform at their venue. They have an endless amount of memories to be shared with those who pay a visit. “We are the only stage that all the greats of the modern comedy era has performed on. We’ve had more than 10,000 shows and over 5,000 performances seen by more than 1 million guests over the years. The Punchline is the crown
jewel of Atlanta comedy. Our shows are terrific and our performers are the best at what they do,” Bendall said. Like most comedy clubs, they want to add as much diversity as possible to the mix. Comedy is an entertainment piece that works the best when new jokes and scenarios are incorporated. The Punchline wants comedians who have their name out there. To decide who gets a shot at the stage, The Punchline wants to make sure that the comedian in question has some experience under their belt. Along with — of course — an open mic night weekly. “Because we are the preferred room for the majority of comedians, we generally start from the proposition that we want the best comedians that are working comedy clubs at that time. We want the best. Period,” Bendall said. “Bill
Hicks, Daniel Tosh, Seinfeld, Amy Schumer and Steve Harvey have all been performers at The Punchline. We have a great cross-section of comedians and among our customers. We want funny.” Their main goal is to create the best experience for their guests. They want to see the audience leaving with smiles permanently stuck on their faces and they are attempting to achieve that goal with continuously having a fantastic lineup of comedians. For instance, the comedians who will perform in the upcoming shows will be Chris Tucker, Jeff Foxworthy, Dave Attell and so many more. “The audiences at The Punchline get a great show each and every time. I can’t tell you how many times I shake hands at the back of the club and people want to tell you how much fun they had laughing at our club,” Bendall said.
Uptown Comedy Corner There is no getting closer to the real roots of Atlanta than visiting Uptown Comedy Corner. Uptown Comedy Corner reflects the indie history of Atlanta, reliving the classic comedy club style by offering multiple comedic formats. “We have open mics on Thursday and Sunday, but we usually have an open liner that plays Thursday through Sunday. Sometimes we will have bigger names come through on typically Wednesday. However, generally speaking we are only open Thursday through Sunday. Its a typical comedy club where you have a host, an opening act, a feature act and a headliner,” Craig Wilson, one of the owners of Uptown Comedy Corner, said. Uptown Comedy Corner is also one of — if not the biggest — comedy clubs in Atlanta. Seating 378 people, Uptown Comedy Corner first opened in 1992 located under Houston’s restaurant and across from Benihana. However, that location ended up closing in 1998 - 99 and reopened seven years later. The most unique characteristic about Uptown Comedy Corner is that they view themselves as the “only African American centric club” in the Southeast as far comedy clubs go. The audience can experience several different themes
when watching the comedians up on the stage. “You see a lot of experiential comedy like ‘When I was growing up…,’ ‘Man, my grandmother was mean…,’ or ‘My girlfriend did such and such…’ You see a lot of political comedy like things about Obama or Baner. You see a lot of commentary on current events,” Wilson said. Another feature that allows more interaction between the people there is that Uptown Comedy Corner offers open mic nights as well. They want to establish a place where comedy is the main focus and the only aspect that should be addressed. “There is a sign up sheet; you try to get there as early as possible and hope you get up. Sometimes you do and sometimes you don’t. It’s sort of a first come, first serve kind of process. However, there is the politics of comedy. Depends on who is hosting and whether you offended them last week, all the underground hater stuff,” Wilson said. The Uptown Comedy Corner has a long list of big name acts who have stepped foot onto their stage. Due to the comedians who have graced their presence, a common theme of urban comedy has been created and continues to flow in that direction.
“Everybody has been through. Richard Pryor came to the club as a member of the audience a while back. Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Earthquake, Mike Epps, John Witherspoon and Paul Mooney have all been performers here,” Wilson said. Uptown Comedy Corner has a long list of upcoming comedians that will be sure to draw Atlanta residents to their front — for those who are 21 and up, of course. The method to retrieve big name comedians is extremely tactical. “Bill Bellamy is coming in the upcoming week. The whole thing varies though; it’s a game of if the big names are playing theaters when they can because they make more money,” Wilson said. “So if you want someone to perform you have to get them between theatres or on their off season. It a consist game of trying to figure out how the puzzle goes together.” Each one of these comedy clubs have a theme about them that makes them unique from one another. One strives to connect with the audience within their intimate setting; another club is the Grandfather of them all who continues to bring in an eccentric crowd; and the final club thrives off Atlanta’s old urban lifestyle as their guiding light.
PAGE DESIGN BY TAMMY HUYNH | THE SIGNAL
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
23 days of peace The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival: Coming to a theater near you Written by Zach Itzkovitz, Associate Arts & Living Editor
E Did you know? Roughly 120,000 Jews call Atlanta home. Because of the nature of Jewish identity, defining one as a Jew is difficult. So accurate figures are hard to gather. Pilcher joined the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival as a graphic designer and has garnered more responsibilities over the years. As he explains, the job of assistant director
has a list of duties that are intimidating to say the least. “Back in late 2007, I was originally hired to do the program guide for the festival,” Pilcher recounted. “Each year since then, I have had more responsibilities. I am involved in research, communications, operational logistics and programming.”
PHOTOS BY RALPH HERNANDEZ | THE SIGNAL With the Jewish Film Festival coming soon to Atlanta, Atlantic Station’s Regal Cinema will be one of several locations screening the festival’s films.
ver been to a film festival? Ever been to a synagogue? In response to the first question, some students would say yes. In response to the second, some students would also say yes albeit fewer affirmatives. Both attractions appeal to niche markets: Film aficionados and Jews. The annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival combines the relative obscurity of Judaism with the hipster coolness of vintage shopping. It would seem to follow that patrons of the festival are doubly specialized and half as numerous. Brad Pilcher, Assistant Director of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, explains that this isn’t the case. “We are expecting roughly 31,000 people this year,” Pilcher said. “Surprisingly, a quarter of people who come are not Jewish. It’s a diverse group — you will get your share of young people and cinephiles, but our turn out usually skews older. There’s always people who come to see films that are a little bit different.”
Did you know? The 15th Atlanta Jewish Film Festival: 65 films, 50 feature-length, 15 shorts. The schedule and a list of this year’s films can be found on the festival’s website. Tickets are $10 for students with a valid student I.D. The festival opens on Jan. 28th at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. “In any niche festival, there are fewer films being raw submitted,”
revealed Pilcher. “An average festival would have five or six times as many films. We do a lot of active research to find films — we don’t generate much revenue from submission fees. Only about 15 - 20 percent of our films are blind submissions. This is good and bad; on average, our films are of a higher quality, but it takes more time and research to find them.
Atlanta and the world
From the people, for the people
The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival was humble at its birth and has since become an internationally known Jewish film festival. As Pilcher explains, the festival screens films from all over the world. “The festival started in 2000, so this is the 15th annual festival,” Pilcher said. “The first festival had around 5,000 people attend and was virtually unknown. After this, the festival just blew up — it grew astronomically from there. Now we are expecting more than 31,000 people and it’s the second largest Jewish film festival
The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival has a fundamentally different relationship with its patrons. As mentioned, the staff of the festival exhausts extensive research and effort to finding films. This practice is expensive, but they do it because they care about the viewer experience. It also fosters a highly dedicated group of annual attendees. Many festivals with a limited staff and imposing financial constraints would cut some corners. Pilcher is adamant about producing the best possible experience for viewers, no matter the sacrifice.
in the world.” The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival selects films to screen in an active and lengthy process. “We evaluate 550 to 600 films a year,” said Pilcher. “The committee members really have three questions to answer about a film before it is selected.” According to Pilcher, the questions asked are: 1) “What is the quality — is it a good film?” 2) “Would it be relevant to a Jewish film festival?” and 3) “Would you recommend the film for the festival?” “It needs to communicate... [an] aspect of the
Jewish experience in a creative way,” Pilcher said. “If the film is of quality, displays some aspect of the Jewish experience and is recommended by the evaluation committee, we will screen it.” The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is abnormal in its selection process. Whereas most film festivals will receive submissions and accept some of them, the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival takes an active role in seeking films to show. It’s a difficult and lengthy research process, according to Pilcher.
“We have six full-time staff and more that come during different periods,” Pilcher said. “During winter, we focus on logistics and preparation, but during summer, we do a lot of film evaluation and viewings.” Pilcher says many film festivals try to cram as many screenings in one day as they can. It’s more cost-effective this way. The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival chooses not to do this. They spread out the festival to last 24 days with only a few showings each day. This way it is easier for people to work the festival into their schedules. “We wanted to spread it
out for two reasons,” Pilcher explained. “We’re a local festival. We realize that people work and have lives of their own — we don’t expect them to block off their schedules just for the festival. We have venues all over Atlanta to make it easier for people to see the films.” This year, there are 65 films, 50 of which are feature-length, leaving 15 short films. The schedule and a list of this year’s films can be found on the festival’s website. Tickets are $10 for students with a valid student I.D. The festival opens on Jan. 28 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
Studio No.
PHOTOS BY BRITTANY GUERIN | THE SIGNAL Studio No. 7 lounge and art gallery is located on Marietta Street. Visitors can not only drink and socialize, but read and study at the lounge as well.
A gathering place for creatives S
tudio No. 7 discreetly stands next to a hair salon on Marietta Street. There is no sign — only the words ‘Studio No. 7’ written in chalk on the door. Inside there is a gallery with large-scale pieces, a lounge, a disc jockey booth, and a bar with a kitchen. “It’s a cool place if you want to hang out in a place that’s not Library North or sitting in the hallway or the cafeteria,” Earl Adams, co-owner of Studio No. 7 and Georgia State graduate, said. “It’s a great place to hang out [and] sit down with your laptop. Order something that is definitely within a college student’s budget and good. It’s a feel-good kind of spot.”
THE
VISION
Shannon Evans, Howard University graduate, wanted to open her own photography studio. After the first day it opened, the unexpected happened: A fire destroyed the venue. The renovations were scheduled to get the studio reopened within two months, but it took longer than expected.
“It was supposed to be reopen[ed] in two months. Then two months turned into six, then nine, then 24,” Adams said. Evans saw the need for a new lounge in the downtown area that would connect people. She soon found a venue that was once a club and she turned it into her ideal lounge. “I wanted something without the hype of a club, not as stuffy as a lounge and not rowdy like bar. Somewhere you could just chill.” Two years later, Studio No. 7 is open 6 days a week, featuring unique events geared towards the creative individual.
SCENE &
THE
S TAYLOR JOSEY Staff Reporter
HOW IT WORKS
Located between Georgia Tech and Georgia State, the studio is reminiscent of a New York City loft with its exposed brick and high ceilings. Evans said every aspect of the studio is meticulously chosen to promote an ideal atmosphere for interaction. “Everything we carry is for a reason even down to our spirits. You won’t find Ciroc here. The way it’s set up allows people to sit down and talk to their neighbors,” Evans said. They have collaborated with local
organizations including Vain, The Influencers and You’ve Been Noted. “Right now we have a partnership with The Mayor’s Office of Film and so every Wednesday they host their Creative Class networking event Entertainment,” Evans said. Their members are an assembly of different individuals in various fields who meet and create inside of the studio. “All of our members are creatives on some level. Everyone here are artists down to our chefs. They create food that not only tastes great but it looks beautiful as well,” Evans said. Aside from their collaborative events, they have their own themed hang outs throughout the week with names that draw people in. Adams said it’s all in the name. “We’re big on names because they’re fun. Names kind of tell the story. So it’s the initial thing that connects you,” Evans said. Some of their events have included Whisky and Warhol, Gin and Comics and The Artsy, Boozy, Bluesy Brunch. One of their newest events is Study Hall where students can come in, chill and receive a discount on food and beer with their college ID. When it comes to networking, Evans says it happens organically. They get to meet new people everyday and connect them with others. “We’re always looking to make connections with people,”Evans said.
“The way the space is set up it forces people to talk to each so a lot of relationship are formed that way, organically.” The two agreed that social media is great and so are business cards, but it’s personal connections that make networking work. “Your network works once you build it over time,” Evans said. “So to be in a city of so many people and never meet and connect is really a disservice. So that’s kind of what our goal is. We’re in the center of [Georgia] Tech, Georgia State, Clark Atlanta. All of these colleges and we want to have days where people can get here on a certain day and make those relationships.”
MOVING FORWARD
Evans and Adams both appreciate where they are with Studio No. 7 and the changes it took to get there. “We definitely have a lot more work to do. We faced a series of challenges trying to get open and even within our first couple of months of being open, there was a time when nobody knew who we were,” Evans said. “Now our phone rings all the time, people contact-
ing us about events, people talking about us on campuses and they are actually coming in and hanging out. So we’ve grown so much and we are very grateful for that.” Evans and Adams say they don’t want to become a mainstream studio. They want to keep an underground and organic reputation that will last years from now, where the people that truly love it continue to show up and talk about it. “That’s why we don’t have a sign and we don’t really advertise much. We’ve grown just because people like it and talk about it. It’s all we’ve really done,” Evans said. “We want to create an experience here that people are connected to, one that isn’t that hollywood scene.” “We want everyone to feel welcome and go ‘I can just hang out there regardless of who I am,’” Adams said. Studio No. 7 will continue to push the idea that people can come in not only to drink or socialize but to read and study as well. “We’re just working towards getting people to break out of that Atlanta norm of solely going to an event for the namesake instead of being able to come and hang out,” Evans said. “We want people to know you can come in here to read or do some homework, hang with friends and just chill with good vibes.”
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ARTS & LIVING
NICHOLE PLACE Columnist
Nichole is a sophomore journalism major writing for the Arts & Living section of The Signal. Follow her
@GSUSignalAandL
Deep in Boredom
Knee
Lifestyle column
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
W
e live in the smaller city that never sleeps — the Big Peach — and yet we always run out of things to do. We get stuck in the same old weekend rut of homework, TV and “recreational activities.” Luckily, Hotlanta is constantly popping with new and nontraditional places to go and people to see. So this weekend, get off your Cheetos dust-covered couch and try something new.
1
Jeni’s Splendid Ice cream:
It should be unlawful to not like ice cream. What senator do I need to talk to about making this official? And since you should never break the law, I guess you have to go out for ice cream. Even though you can pick it up at the nearest gas station, why not make it an ice cream adventure? Jeni’s Ice Cream is a shop that has traditional and unique ice cream flavors. On a normal weekend would you ever try sweet cream biscuits and peach jam or wild berry lavender ice cream? I’ll answer that for you: No, you wouldn’t. So go on and be adventurous; try not only ice cream that is outside of the box but also from somewhere that doesn’t also sell car oil and Lunchables.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream locations: • 1198 Howell Mill Road Atlanta, Georgia 30318 (Westside Provisions) • 99 Krog St. Northeast Atlanta, Georgia 30307 (Krog Street Market) • 545 North McDonough St. Decatur,, Georgia 30030 (Decatur Square)
2
The Avalon:
American Threads, Anthropology, J. Crew, Free People, Columbia. If reading those few words didn’t make your wallet scream with excitement then you might need to get your life in order. The Avalon is a new outdoor shopping plaza in Alpharetta. Not only are there amazing places to shop but there are also several restaurant including Marlow’s Tavern, Bocado Burger and more. And if you haven’t spent enough money shopping and eating, you can also pick up some groceries at Whole Foods Market; because nothing goes better with a shopping bag then a grocery store bag. Not only is the Avalon a great place to shop, but there is also a Regal Cinemas movie theater, so you can catch the newest film. Why spend your weekend driving around to these different places when you can get all that you’re looking for at The Avalon?
Avalon location: • 2200 Avalon Blvd, Alpharetta, Georgia 30009
ANDREW YOUNG SCHOOL OF POLICY STUDIES
Learn. Live. Become…
3
LIPS:
Wearing dresses is not everyone’s cup of tea. But watching men sing and dance in dresses should be everyone’s. LIPS is a drag show and dinner in Atlanta. This is the most out of the box experience that everyone should see at least once. Why would you want to sit at home when you can eat dinner and party with some of the most fabulous men in town? We are in college for crying out loud, in one of the most diverse cities; this is the time to go out and experience things you don’t get to see or do every Joe Schmoe day. I will warn everyone that this show is fairly crude, but if your little baby ears can’t take it then I suggest staying home.
LIPS location: • 3011 Buford Hwy, Northeast Atlanta, Georgia 30329
We are no longer in 6th grade getting rides from our parents. As college students we get the opportunity to spend our weekends exploring. So I will ask you, do you really want to stay in your no fun rut anymore?
A Top 25 School of Public Affairs that is “Changing the world – one student at a time, one idea at a time.” ~ AMBASSADOR AN DREW YOUN G
the Legacy.
Located in the heart of downtown Atlanta where the history of social justice inspires the advancement of economic opportunity. G R A D U AT E P R O G R A M S
Image Courtesy of the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center
• • • • •
M.S. or Ph.D. in Criminal Justice & Criminology M.A. or Ph.D. in Economics Master of Public Administration M.A. or Ph.D. in Public Policy Master of Social Work
aysps.gsu.edu/admissions Priority Application Deadline – February 15th
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ARTS & LIVING
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
entertainment column
Oscars haven’t been this ‘white male’ in 19 years SYDNEY CUNNINGHAM Columnist
E
very year, the nominations for the Oscars released by The Academy are criticized and debated. However, this year it was hard not to miss the lack of diversity causing fans of cinema and social justice to speak up, sparking the viral hashtag #OscarsSoWhite. Not only were the nominations unbearably white, they were incredibly male as well, which is hard to do with there being two categories dedicated solely to women. Amongst a media that is dedicated to stories — ones that represent voices — its utter lack of diversity seems contradictory. Since the 1995 Academy Awards, the Oscars haven’t been this exclusive. Every nominated actor in the Leading and Supporting categories, 20 awards in total, are white. With “Selma,” Ava DuVernay broke history being the first female black director to have a film in the running for an Oscar. While the movie was nominated for Best Picture and Best Song, DuVernay was
not nominated. “Beyond the Lights,” “Dear White People” and “Belle” were critically acclaimed films made by people of color that were snubbed as well. I find it in bad taste that “Selma” and other wonderful films made with people of color have been pushed to the side while “American Sniper” has been praised and held to great esteem. The film, while glorifying the Iraqi war, retains a “hero” who was a racist murderer quoted to have said ”I hate the damn savages; I couldn’t give a flying fuck about the Iraqis.” In regards to gender, every nominated director is male. Every nominated screenwriter is male, which ignores Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl.” This passes up on the chance to award the first and only woman to adapt her own novel in 87 years. This year of nominations may be notably white and male; not that much has progressed. Since the beginning of The Academy Awards, the Oscars have been behind the times in accurate representation. Out of 427 nominations for Best Director, only four have been women. Only one has won, being Kath-
Campus life column
Your hard work is about to pay off — literally! MIA MCDONALD Columnist
T
he Carl V. Patton Volunteer Service award acknowledges and highlights the unsung heroes. It’s one thing to be dedicated to your studies and maybe have a job, but to assist complete strangers for no reason other than it being from the kindness of your heart is truly admirable. Every year there are students, student organizations, staff members and members of the faculty who manage to somehow squeeze community service into their hectic schedules. Countless hours are dedicated to planning, performing, implementing and facilitating service projects all throughout the year. These same individuals go the extra mile without expecting anything in return and that’s exactly why they should receive something in return. Whether you’re a student, faculty member or staff member, you know how easy it is to disappear on this campus; everyone deserves their fifteen minutes of fame especially for positively contributing to your community. With all the negativity in the world, it’s nice to take some out to appreciate the forgotten about goodness. So what does this have to do with you and why should you care? Well if you think about it, you know at least one person who is Mr. or Ms. Incredible that seems to be involved in everything; here’s your chance to make sure that their hard work gets recognized. Did you join a new organization last year that contributed to the communi-
ty? Then your organization is qualified. Your favorite professor that was always promoting service projects -- they’re eligible too. Now that you know who’s qualified, you need to know how to nominate and who can nominate. Anyone can nominate an individual, organization or a faculty or staff member. You can even nominate yourself, but if you’re feeling modest ask your best friend, roommate, favorite professor, your boss, so on and so forth. Literally, anyone who can vouch for your hard work is an eligible nominator. All that needs to be done is to fill out the application form and get two letters of recommendation. Here’s a little incentive: There’s a scholarship opportunity. Each recipient of the award will have the chance to select a Georgia State program or scholarship to receive a $500 gift in their name. Even after you’re awarded for giving back, you’ll still be giving back. The truth is there can only be one winner from each category for the $500 award, but there is another opportunity for recognition. Anyone who has completed a minimum of 100 community service hours will receive a letter from President Barack Obama and a pin thanking you for your service or what’s formally known as The President’s Service Award. Everyone is a winner! I hope you consider nominating someone and if you do just make sure you submit your application by Feb. 6 by 5 p.m. to Alicia Bellezza-Watts in the Office of Civic Engagement. Good luck and keep serving!
ryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker.” Out of 1,572 writing nominees, only 117 women have been nominated. Only 26 of those were not shared with a man. Of 631 Cinematography nominees, no women have ever been nominated. It hasn’t necessarily grown better either. In 1947, 6 percent of winners were female. In 2011, the number was 7 percent. Clearly there is a disproportion that needs to be addressed. Who is at fault? Is it The Academy? The people who are buying the movie tickets? A lot of critics defending the nominations have used the fact that the president of The Academy is a black woman. However, let’s not pretend that changes how the rest of The Academy votes. Oscars are handed out on a majority vote basis. The Academy is still 94 percent white and 77 percent male with a mean age of 63 years old. Some say that it is by pure coincidence that the nominees are predominantly white and male. Some say that it is simply that mostly of the best films were made by the white and male. For me, there are multiple things
happening. The film industry dictates who could potentially be nominated for awards, but the awards themselves influence the industry. If awards keep reinforcing the idea that films about white men made by white men are the most prophetic and ground breaking, then the industry will take its cues on what to gaslight to the mainstream stage. It’s a vicious cycle that needs to get revamped. When a state that toxic exists, it’s hard for women and people of color to have a fair stand against a system put in place like Hollywood. Ones who do are treated as tokens, held up to excuse any and all statements of whitewashing, such as Lupita Nyong’o and Steve McQueen last year. The good news is that while the industry has miles to go before it sleeps, more films are being made about women’s stories. Reese Witherspoon created her own production company, Pacific Standard, for the purpose of putting more work out in the film industry of stories about women, by women. Her first two projects were “Gone Girl” and
“Wild,” both of which received nominations this year. With almost nine decades behind us with such little progress, it becomes difficult to believe that the glass ceiling for creative and talented women in this industry is even remotely penetrable, let alone stories to allow people of color to be represented. The largest error in the unjustifiable distribution of awards is that an award’s main purpose is to promote excellence. Not all of the nominations that are put out every year are the most excellent films and talent in the industry. Some of them are, absolutely. However, excellence is not what is expected and it’s not what we’re receiving across the board. Excellence is what is innovative. Excellence is what pushes subject matter in a way it has never gone before. Excellence explores stories that puts a fire into cinema every single year. Excellence includes narratives about women and men all from different backgrounds and identities with stories that show a mirror to the audience and still somehow find a way to surprise and to entertain.
reviews
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
ALBUM REVIEW
Mark Ronson, ‘Uptown Special’ ALEX KUGACZEWSKI
Staff Reviewer
Grade: B+ Verdict: “Uptown Special” is a triumphant slab of throwback sounds.
I
t seems as if everything from Souvlaki-era shoegaze to Zeppelinesque proto-metal is undergoing some cultish reverence in basements and garages across the world. As regressive as these worship bands may seem, there’s an undeniable logic in retreating to the sounds of decades past summarized by the mantra “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Sure, while that guy down the street could be committing his time towards something a bit more forward-thinking than that cover-butnot-really-a-cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” there’s worse things
you could be subjected to. English music producer Mark Ronson seems to feel the same way if his fourth studio album “Uptown Special” is any indication. Indebted to the old icons of funk, soul and sixties pop, Ronson’s latest recording is nothing if not a remarkable trek through the days of decades past, channeled with keen clarity through the present. Throughout the album’s eleven tracks, “Uptown Special” covers a remarkable amount of ground. As the psychedelic haze of the album’s second cut “Summer Breaking” transitions to the full-frontal funk and R&B attack of “Feel Right,” it’s clear Ronson’s approach isn’t concerned with a unified, consistent sample of the past as much as it is with casting a vast, encompassing net over days of yore. “Uptown Funk,” the album’s hit single, serves as the prime example. Sure, it reeks of manufactured nostalgia, but it’s just too irresistible to matter. Images of billowing smoke, beaded curtains and star-spangled glasses all come to mind as the track works methodically through the retro-funk playbook. Bruno Mars, the
president-elect of failed revivalism, even turns in a remarkable performance, elevating the song into something not only listenable but impossibly enjoyable. As “Uptown Special” continues to wind through the years, the logic of Ronson’s modus operandi reveals itself. After all, there’s no times like the old times. This philosophy is particularly pronounced through the quirky, tripped-out gait of “Leaving Los Feliz,” thanks in no small part to the kaleidoscopic vocalizations of Kevin Parker. The fuzzed-out, funky guitar work doesn’t exactly hurt the aesthetic either, drawing listeners deeper down the rabbit hole. Speaking of aesthetic, Ronson’s “Uptown Special” traverses the razor’s edge of modernizing yesterday’s sounds with considerable grace – an innately tricky endeavor. Given Ronson’s extensive experience as a producer though, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, but the results are stunning nonetheless. Had he committed too far to contemporary stylings, Ronson would have risked ruining the inherent appeal of his retro
1 soundscape, inadvertently turning the album’s proceedings into lifeless revisionism. Instead, “Uptown Special” sounds markedly pristine, like a newly polished recording of years long gone warped through the lens of today. This is all to say that Ronson has crafted one remarkable record. “Uptown Special” operates in a niche all its own, playing to – and just plain playing – the annals of history. Whether working in funk, soul, R&B or ’60s pop, there’s a pointed understanding of the genres as work. It’s credible, engrossing and, most of all, just plain fun. Sure, audiences could listen to something a bit more forward-thinking, but really, who doesn’t appreciate some good, oldfashioned Stevie Wonder worship?
FILM REVIEW
Grade: B Verdict: “Foxcatcher” is a good movie made from a great premise. If it were an athlete, it would deserve a medal. But not gold. Staff Reviewer
“F
oxcatcher” snatched four OSCAR nominations: best screenplay, best director, best actor (Steve Carrell) and best supporting actor (Mark Ruffalo). Had it been nominated for the big prize, best picture, it would have joined four other movies based on real stories. Yet, does it work as a film as well as the others? The movie tells the story of brothers Mark (Channing Tatum) and David Schultz (Ruffalo), both Olympic wrestling champions, as they accept to join a team led by coach John du Pont (Carrell), a millionaire who loves the sport and seeks to make American wrestlers the best in the world. The short answer to the question in the introduction is yes. “Foxcatcher” is ultimately a movie you want to like. It excels in showing the blood and tears that lead to a gold medal. All three main characters are multi-dimensional and filled with nuances of desire, love and jealousy. The cast brings forth amazing performances and director Bennett Miller handles gracefully two
elements of tension – a big house in the middle of nowhere and a psychologically unstable character. These elements set up an intriguing story. Yet, when Miller stretches the rope of tension to its maximum, the result is nowhere as satisfying as it could have been. “Foxcatcher” is a cinematic story, no doubt, but the movie rarely reaches the high notes this story allows. When du Pont, the “Eagle,” begins to undermine Mark, the confrontation between the two — a man who struggles with his frustrations and one who has reached the peak of his sport — never takes place. du Pont slaps Mark in the face and calls him an ape. Mark just retreats and seems to have no ability to react. The characters are passive at moments when some kind of reaction would be expected. This is not an acting flaw but one that is rooted on the script. Carell, Ruffalo and Tatum deliver great performances. Ruffalo’s acting is the great surprise of the film: More mature and focused than in his previous works such as ‘Now You See Me.’ In one of the most dramatic sequences, Ruffalo shines as he helps Tatum’s character
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Cinefest lose 12 pounds in 90 minutes before the weighing session of the Olympic trials. Ruffalo plays one of the best roles in his career as the older brother and mentor who will not let Mark give up on himself. Miller succeeds in showing the psychology of his characters. After du Pont’s mother passes away, he lets her beloved and award-winning horses run free in one of the most beautifully acted and photographed scenes of 2014. The horses were a passion du Pont could never understand, just like his mother never understood his love for wrestling which she called a “low sport.” This psychological battle is beautiful to see and Miller is able to do it again and again for every character. The movie, however, struggles with pacing. It never rushes to the action and ample time is given for character development. There is nothing wrong with this approach, but “Foxcatcher” fails to provide a payoff in key moments of the story. In one moment, du Pont begins to horseplay with his athletes. There is a palpable anticipation in the air, arising from his own frustrated wrestling career, but the scene never escalates to a moment of tension. Miller does this often in the movie, taking viewers close to the heart of
a scene, but he rarely lets this heart bleed and sequences become bland. When Miller does get it right, however, the results are noticeable. In the sequence where du Pont drives up to David’s house to kill him, Miller builds up the tension with the coach on a slow drive in his car just after a snowstorm. The coach maneuvers his car on David’s driveway and as the wrestler compliments him, du Pont fires a few accusations. Without warning, he also fires his gun. This well-paced buildup shows what the movie could have more of. Inevitably, however, the police quickly interrupt the runaway. Instead of letting the climax play out after so much tension has been built, Miller just lets it go too quickly. At the end, it is hard to decide whether to admire “Foxcatcher” for its brilliant display of character psychology or criticize it for a story structure that could have offered a much better payoff for all the tension it builds. And this fight, where positive and negative points both bring similar weights to the fight, makes “Foxcatcher” simply a good movie even though there is a constant and uneasy feeling that its premise could have yielded much more.
Mockingjay - Part 1 Synopsis: Following her rescue from the devastating Quarter Quell, Katniss awakes in the complex beneath the supposedly destroyed District 13. Her home, District 12, has been reduced to rubble and Peeta is now the brainwashed captive of President Snow. At the same time, Katniss also learns about a secret rebellion spreading throughout all of Panem. Showtimes: Wednesday - Friday 1 p.m., 3:20 p.m., 5:40 p.m. Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 123 minutes
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
Campus & Downtown Events
calendar&games
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Sudoku
Word Search
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Atlanta Jewish Film Festival
Jan. 27 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Rialto Center Called “America’s Greatest Contemporary Ballerina” by the New York Times, Wendy Whelan has built an impressive repertory that spans classical and contemporary in her 25 years with the New York City Ballet. With Restless Creature Whelan calls on four distinct young choreographers to produce and perform a signature work in duet with her. It’s a challenging experiment, but if any dancer is up for the challenge, its Wendy Whelan! Tickets start at $42. Students receive a 50 percent discount.
Urban Bush Women, Power in Movement: Celebrating 30 Years
Jan. 31 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. Rialto Center Urban Bush Women’s tapestry weaves contemporary sounds and movements through the history and spiritual traditions of the Diaspora to illuminate the common threads of struggle, suffering, soul and the bittersweet joy of survival. Tickets starting at $34. Students receive a 50 percent discount on tickets.
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Athens Wine Weekend
Wendy Whelan: Restless Creature
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Jan. 28 - Feb. 19 Various theaters The Atlanta Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) is a cinematic exploration of Jewish experience — Jewish culture and history, life in Israel and the work of Jewish artists — particularly where these stories intersect with other communities. Seeking to use the power of film to both entertain and educate, AJFF challenges conventional perspectives on complex and challenging issues facing the Jewish and global communities.
Jan. 30 - Feb. 1 The Classic Center Head out to Athens for the sixth annual Athens Wine Weekend, scheduled for Friday through Sunday, Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, 2015, at The Classic Center in downtown Athens. The event is a benefit for The Classic Center Cultural Foundation which helps provide performing and culinary arts scholarships for high school and college students and supports performing and visual arts programs for the Athens community.
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*Applicable for eligible, qualified new donors. Fees vary by weight. New donors must bring photo ID, proof of address and Social Security number.
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Student Activity Fee Funding for Academic Teams for Fiscal Year 2016
Applications must be submitted by Friday, Feb. 27, 2014, 4 p.m. Applications need to be submitted in hard copy to the Political Science department (Langdale Hall 1023, attention: Jeannie Grussendorf). Late applications will not be accepted. Additionally, representatives of applying academic teams need to be available to present their budget requests in person to the academic team fee council on March 6, at 12:30 p.m. in the Langdale Hall 1081.
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The Academic Team Fee Council will be reviewing budget requests for FY 2016 (July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016) and invites all eligible academic teams to apply. The Budget Request Application Form is available through Orgsync at: https://orgsync.com/22540/files/625490. Please direct any questions to the Academic Team Fee Council’s non-student member Jeannie Grussendorf jgrussendorf@gsu.edu.
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SPORTS
www.georgiastatesignal.com/sports
HUNTER MAKES
HISTORY
Cobb who also had high praise for R.J. Hunter’s ability to serve as an ambassador for the athletics program and the university. “It’s pretty cool to see him set the new school record,” Cobb said. “He recognized he had the ability to make a positive difference and still be humble.” Dave Cohen, long-time radio broadcaster voice of the Panthers, said he knew Hunter would rewrite the Panthers’ record book when he first saw him play in his freshman season in 2012 - 2013. “My first thought when he broke Hamilton’s record was that I knew this would happen when he broke the freshman scoring record,” Cohen said. That came when Hunter scored 527 points to break a record held by Matthew O’Brien who scored 515 points during his freshman campaign in 1989 - 1990.
Rodney Hamilton on the record
PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL R.J. Hunter, one of Georgia State’s premier players, scored 13 points against The Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns Jan. 24.
Panthers junior guard R.J. Hunter breaks Rodney Hamilton’s school scoring record AKIEM BAILUM Sports Editor
G
eorgia State students, fans and alumni witnessed history as junior point guard R.J. Hunter became the all-time leading scorer in men’s basketball history Jan. 24 at the Sports Arena. It came when the Panthers faced off against the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns, a team that up to that point had given Georgia State issues as of late. Hunter came into matchup with 1,515 points for his Panthers career, tied with Rodney Hamilton. Hunter missed his first two shots of the game. Halfway through the first half against Louisiana-Lafayette, a shot off the glass banked into the basket for his first pair of points of the game, moving Hunter to the top spot on the Panthers’ scoring chart. “I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t think about it,” R.J. Hunter said after the game. It would be a game in which the Panthers defeated Louisiana-Lafayette by a final score of 75-64. Junior forward T.J. Shipes, who has been Hunter’s Panthers teammate the last three seasons said he’s excited for what’s next for Hunter.
“R.J.’s the man,” Shipes said. “He’s my best friend on the team. I’m really excited for him and his future.” Earlier in the day the women’s team also faced off against the Ragin’ Cajuns, which saw a 63-56 result in LouisianaLafayette’s favor. Sharon Baldwin-Tener, head coach of the women’s basketball team, also took some time to acknowledge Hunter’s accomplishment. “It’s unbelievable. I’m really happy for him,” Baldwin-Tener said. “He’s a great player and a great person. It couldn’t have happened to a better person.” Even with Hunter only one point shy of breaking Hamilton’s record, he did not try to force any shots early on. Up to the point where Hunter made history, he only attempted three shots with the majority of the scoring being done by teammate Ryan Harrow. Hunter finished with 13 points on his record-breaking afternoon. Ron Hunter, R.J. Hunter’s father and Panthers men’s basketball head coach said in the postgame press conference that he would celebrate his son’s accomplishment as family. “I don’t even know how he got [the record-breaking shot], but I’ll be a dad today,” Ron Hunter said that Saturday. “I won’t let anyone take that from us.” Also on hand to see history was Georgia State Athletic Director Charlie
The man’s record Hunter broke, Hamilton, was in attendance at the game. “I’m delighted,” Hamilton said. “To see a player of his caliber accomplish what he has accomplished is great.” Hamilton wore Panthers blue and white from 1994 - 1998. His senior campaign of 1998 was also the first year that legendary coach Charles “Lefty” Driesell rose to the helm of Georgia State’s men’s basketball. He is now serving as an assistant coach for the men’s hoops team at Tennessee State. Hamilton had praise for Hunter’s ability to become the face of Georgia State’s athletics program — a task he says Hunter assumed as a freshman. “The fact that he was able to take on that responsibility as a freshman and continue to be humble and do the right things throughout his career, it makes it all the more better,” Hamilton said. He said it was gratifying to be back at the Sports Arena to witness history made. “It still feels like home,” Hamilton said. “There’s a lot about here that still feels the same but a lot that has changed as well with the growth of the campus.” Ron Hunter thanked Hamilton for being on hand that Saturday. “R.J. and I really appreciate it,” Ron Hunter said after the game. “I just wanted to thank Rodney Hamilton. For him to come back to do that was great. It was terrific.”
Comparing Hamilton and Hunter
It took Hamilton four years in order to reach the lofty plateau of scoring 1,515 points. Hunter, a junior, accomplished the feat in less than three seasons with Georgia State. “The styles of Rodney [Hamilton] and R.J. [Hunter] are very different,” Cohen said after the game. “Hamilton was a quintessential point guard, but he could score. He was also very quick. Hamilton does not have the same three-point range as R.J. is more of a scorer.” Cohen also compared the two in terms of the teams they played with. “What’s also remarkable is that R.J. was able to accomplish it with the talent he’s had around him. He’s played with much better talent and on winning teams. Hamilton had to score. He
R.J. HUNTER
PHOTO BY JADE JOHNSON | THE SIGNAL
Points per season
FRESHMAN
RODNEY HAMILTON
PHOTO CREDIT: GOSOUTHEAST.CSTV.COM Hamilton’s Georgia State career spanned from 1994-98. He was a four-year letter winner and a two-time All-Atlantic Sun Conference selectee. After graduating from Georgia State, he participated in a free agent camp for the Atlanta Hawks in 1998 before embarking on an international career. He retired in 2001 has since moved into coaching. Hamilton is now at Tennessee State, where he is currently an assistant.
527 604 279 397* 302 1,528* 485 449 SOPHOMORE
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had good talent around him, but he did not play on a winning team until 1998,” Cohen said. Hamilton’s post-Georgia State career saw him participate in a free agent camp with the Atlanta Hawks in 1998 before embarking on an overseas career. Many are predicting R.J. Hunter will be a first-round NBA Draft pick if he were to leave Georgia State after this season. Hamilton feels Hunter has what it takes to succeed at the next level. “With the way the game in the pros is played, if he continues to work hard, he’ll have success in the NBA,” Hamilton said.
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CAREER TOTAL
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 201510, 2013 TUESDAY, DECEMBER
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SPORTS
The ‘Gurley Bill’ Legislation proposed to toughen sanctions against those doing transactions with studentathletes in Georgia JEREMY JOHNSON Staff Reporter
G
eorgia Representative Barry Fleming (R-Harlem) is working on a bill that would penalize merchandise dealers that have been looking to establish financial relationships with student-athletes in the state of Georgia.
FLEMING’S PROPOSAL
Rep. Fleming is in the process of putting together a bill that would come down harder on the merchandise dealers in Georgia, including levying dealers a $25,000 fine. Fleming’s bill would be looking to give the dealers the same responsibility that goes along with other law-breaking offenses. He points out how other parts of the law punishes both ends of a crime. “The bill that I have introduced would do something similar that we
do in other areas in the law. We punish the drug user as well as the drug seller. We punish the guy that sells alcohol to minors as well as the minor,” Fleming said. The state representative from the Augusta, Georgia area contends that if players are punished for entering into financial relationships with outsiders, so should those who they deal with. “There’s already a punishment for players who get in trouble; this would provide a penalty for people that have ties to college athletes and do something that can jeopardize their scholarship,” he said.
POTENTIAL
PUNISHMENT
Fleming sees the punishment for the dealers being a misdemeanor which wouldn’t include much jail time if any. But the fines would be designed to attack the pockets and bank accounts of the dealers. “We probably are looking at a misdemeanor and the other possibil-
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One-man
club
JARED OLIVER Staff Reporter
T
he Panthers’ cycling club has been to nationals on five occasions, either for mountain biking or road cycling. This season, the club is officially represented by a single cyclist with Captain and Team Coach Alexander Vaughn. How is it that the recreational cycling team currently has only Vaughn officially representing the Panthers? This year the cycling club has had up to 47 members interested in joining. However, throughout the registration process, members begin to not follow through with commitment, according to Vaughn. “It’s just a matter of getting people to go through with the paperwork and actually be a part of the club,” Vaughn said. Georgia State has one other representative that officially competes with Vaughn. Because the other member is currently in training, only Vaughn out of its 12 members can compete this year. Twelve participate in the practices, but most do not compete at events. Vaughn said that a recent rule change mandated that the maximum amount of riders that can comprise
a school or pro team is 12. The Panthers compete as a member of the Southeast Collegiate Conference. The cycling team at Georgia State does not receive scholarship funding even though the cyclists compete against other colleges or universities. Because the cycling team is labeled a club, competition is voluntary and membership is not eligible for scholarship funding. Georgia State’s cyclists have competitions against other colleges and universities that have funding for their cycling programs such as Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, the University of Florida and more. The team also competes against professional cyclists in events. “We have to realize that a lot of pro cyclists go to college,” Vaughn explained. “If Lance Armstrong went to the University of Wisconsin, he would be competing against college cyclists even though he is considered a professional.” He mentioned how cyclists are categorized in three tier levels. According to Vaughn, a tier-one team would have to win 100 points or more throughout competition season to be granted $8,000. The tier two team would need 75 points to be granted $700 while tier three follows with no money rewarded. The points are determined on the success of the cyclists.
ity is a fine large enough to take the profit out of it and take the money out of it,” Fleming said. The bill could be on a fast track to being in place by the time the next college football season rolls around. “It will probably be March and would be signed by the governor in July if it makes it that far,” Fleming said of the time table for the potential passing of the bill.
THE BUSINESS OF
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
The issue of student-athlete relationships received increased attention after the controversy involving University of Georgia runningback Todd Gurley who was suspended for selling merchandise with his autograph. He lost playing time as well as, potentially, a higher spot in the NFL Draft. The merchandise dealer, Bryan Allen of northwest Georgia, encountered no consequences for selling the merchandise. Arguments for and against paying
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MARC VALLE | THE SIGNAL The NCAA has dictated that no college athlete may seek compensation for autographs, and if any players were to sell them would face suspension. amateur athletes are passionate on both sides. There are outside temptations from merchandise dealers that have known to promise fast cash for amateur athletes. Beliefs run that the athletes are being taken advantage of from the institutions they represent on the playing field, as well as by the NCAA. Others contend that scholarships are all that athletes deserve and that financially compensating college athletes may run a risk of taking funds from women’s sports, which usually do not garner the attention of football and men’s basketball at
most colleges and universities. There are dozens of similar and identical situations around college athletics involving dealers and players. Running a collegiate athletics program is a big business. While something similar has not been known to have happened at Georgia State, the likelihood of outside dealers looking to enter into such relationships with Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) athletes like those at Georgia State is something that is being looked at under a broader microscope in light of what happened at UGA.
How a 12-man cycling team was reduced to a single representative Vaughn explains the difficulty to attain these points because of their late season start. “It’s kind of sided against us because our cycling doesn’t start until mid-February, so we actually don’t get enough time to get enough points,” Vaughn said. Georgia State cyclists are competing and training similar to scholarship athletes. There are several resources that the club has to cover for athletes in case of injury. Once a potential member takes the necessary steps to become a certified cyclist, he or she will register on imleagues.com, the website for all club organizations. “Basically they are signing a participant agreement and the agreement says that you cannot sue the university,” Vaughn said. “But luckily, the agreement states that the university will cover his or her injuries that occur in practice.” Racing licenses are separate from the cycling club itself. Once a rider obtains their racing license, there is a separate insurance that covers riders in competition. “Not only will you insure yourself but your bike as well,” Vaughn said. Starting a club or any organization may be difficult at first, which is why advertising and marketing is important. Vaughn said one of his
struggles is keeping the website detailed and updated. Vaughn explained that although the website states that there is a $50 fee to sign up, the listed information has not been up to date. The actual fee is $20. It is put into the membership fees for people who do not have bikes. The fee gives them the ability to rent the bikes (PanPHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MARC VALLE | ther Bikes). THE SIGNAL Vaughn hopes to Club president Alexander Vaughn, cycling as be more proactive a one-man team, represents Georgia State in with the cycling club competitions throughout the Southeast. in the community. “We’re reaching Vaughn explained. out to other organizations like the AtThe cycling club occupied a lanta Bicycle Coalition, which hapsign-up table at a recruitment fair pens to be a non-profit organization Jan. 22 in attempt to spread awarethat helps build bike lanes throughness of the cycling club to students. out the city,” Vaughn said. “I’m going to do everything I can He ensures he is representing his to make sure we make it to nationals school with a full cycling uniform so this year again,” Vaughn said. that others will see that he is from Georgia State. More information on the cycling “That’s just minimum ways were club and how to become a member trying to get the word out. We actually try to get advertisement can be found at the front desk at the from the marketing center at GSU,” Recreation Center.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013 22
SPORTS SPORTS
Anglade invited to train with Haitian national team
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015
Logan: ‘Without GPC, I would not be at Georgia State’ Former Georgia Perimeter studentathlete shares thoughts on consolidation
PHOTO CREDIT: GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS Georgia State’s Taina Anglade is training in hopes of being called up again to represent Haiti on its Women’s Soccer National team. BRYAN JOHNSON Staff Reporter
G
eorgia State women’s soccer player, true freshman Taina Anglade, was recently honored with a call-up to the senior squad of the Haitian Women’s Soccer National team. She spent a weekend on Jan. 16 18 training with the team. The Georgia State defender received the callup after coming off a stellar first season for the Panthers where she started all twenty games for the women’s team, playing every minute of every match. Anglade was contacted by the national coach of the Haitian women’s team, Shek Borkowski, after her father, Herlandy Anglade, initially got in touch with him about his daughter’s interest in and availability for the national squad. Borkowski also coaches football club Indiana of the Women’s Professional Soccer League (WPSL) and has been a good friend of Georgia State women’s soccer head coach Derek Leader for over 20 years, per the official Georgia State Athletics press release. “It was my dad actually who had got in contact with the Fédération Haïtienne de Football (FHF) about 3 months ago, just letting them know and making them aware that I was interested and available if they ever needed me and Borkowski thanked us. Then later he called Coach Leader and asked if I was willing to come down and start training with the team, so that was that and then I went to camp,” Anglade said. Coach Leader was very supportive of Anglade’s call up and is happy that Anglade is the first Georgia State soccer player, men’s and women’s, to be called up to represent a senior international side. “As a freshman, Taina started and played every minute of every game this year. Her impact was tre-
mendous,” Leader said. “The call up to play for one’s nation is an honor for both Taina and Georgia State. We are very proud of her and look forward to her representing both her immediate and Panther family.”
Freshman star
The call-up for Anglade comes after a dream season for the freshman in which she transitioned from playing as a wide right forward at the high school level to playing as a wide right defender for Georgia State. Anglade’s style of play is reminiscent of recent American World Cup star DeAndre Yedlin who also plays at right back for the United States Men’s National Team. Both players use their incredible speed to burst down the wing to create attacking chances for their sides while also being able to recover defensively. She was initially wary of stepping back into a defensive role but has since come to embrace her place in the squad and feels she brings a lot to the team. “I would say I brought a lot of ambition, a lot of speed, a lot of willingness to work. I moved positions. It was a big thing for me. I didn’t know what I was doing at all; all season they had to coach me through every step. It was a lot of dedication to working even though I wasn’t in my ideal situation. I kind of felt that I proved everyone wrong,” Anglade said.
Training with the national squad
Anglade and her teammates met up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where they participated in two-aday sessions over the course of the weekend as well as a scrimmage. Anglade acknowledged the step-up in terms of quality that her teammates brought to the field. “The camp was a lot of work honestly. The girls were really sweet. Some of them were young, some of
them were a lot older than me and there were nine of us in total. The talent was there I would say. It was only U.S. and Canadian based players. We did four training sessions and a scrimmage; we trained in the morning and night each day,” Anglade said. Anglade spoke about what it means to represent the country of her parents’ birth, noting both feelings of pride and responsibility to perform. “It was more pride for my parents honestly, I felt responsible to hold their pride more than my own personal feelings. That’s what made it so humbling, because I knew I wasn’t necessarily playing for me as an American citizen. I was playing for my family and my family’s friends and everyone I know who knows of Haiti,” Anglade said. According to FIFA regulations, Anglade is eligible to play for both Haiti and the United States. Despite training with the senior Haitian squad, Anglade is still eligible to join up with either teams in the future, as she has yet to play in an official competitive match for either team. Anglade made it clear though that her loyalties lie with the Haitian squad. “I would definitely play for Haiti; I would play for Haiti for sure. America plays with a lot of talent, but going there and having that experience, I’ve never met a group of girls who play with more heart and soul than anyone I’ve ever met,” Anglade said. The next step for the Anglade and the Haitian Women’s Soccer National team is preparation for qualification for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the 2019 Women’s World Cup. The Haitian Women’s Soccer National team did not qualify for the upcoming 2015 Women’s World Cup which is being held in Canada. Anglade is confident of helping her nation qualify. “I’m on the team and I’m expecting to get the call-up for those competitions,” Anglade said.
PHOTO BY NADIA DELJOU | THE SIGNAL Brittany Logan practices with her teammates on the Georgia State women’s basketball team. Logan is a former Georgia Perimeter athlete as well. AKIEM BAILUM Sports Editor
T
he looming consolidation between Georgia State and Georgia Perimeter College (GPC) is set to take place in 2016. GPC is consistently referred to as a “feeder school” where students earn associate’s degrees, then transfer to fouryear universities like Georgia State. One of those students is Brittany Logan, a member of Georgia State’s women’s basketball team who hooped up for GPC before trading in the Jaguars maroon and gold for the Panthers blue and white when she transferred before the 2013 season. “Honestly, if it were not for GPC, I would not be at Georgia State,” Logan said. Logan attended Georgia Perimeter from 2010 to 2013 and played basketball for her first two years as a Jaguar. She says that one of her main concerns as it relates to the takeover of GPC by Georgia State relates to how GPC’s student populace can handle Georgia State’s higher tuition cost. “My main concern, in terms of academics, is about people of different nationalities. There are a lot of people that attend GPC that are of different nationalities that, if they wanted to attend Georgia State in downtown that may not be able to afford it,” Logan said. In terms of the athletic side of the Georgia State-Georgia Perimeter pact, GPC president Rob Watts said at a Jan. 13 town hall meeting that athletes that did wish to transfer would be granted an immediate release and would not have to sit out a year due to eligibility requirements. Logan thinks that athletes from
GPC should have the opportunity to continue their athletic careers at Georgia State. “I think it would be a good idea if the GPC student-athletes did have a chance to try out here or if they wanted to transfer, considering it is a junior college. Hopefully [Georgia State] President Mark Becker and Athletic Director Charlie Cobb can figure something out,” Logan said. Logan says that she has since talked with GPC women’s basketball coach James Waldon since the announcement of the consolidation. Waldon coached Logan for the year that she played basketball at GPC. “We talked and we went into the possibility that he may be out of a job as a result of the merger. He just said, ‘Well, that’s how it is, Britt,’” Logan said. She did not play basketball during the 2012-2013 season at Georgia Perimeter as she turned her attention towards earning her degree. While at GPC, Logan had several games where she had at least ten rebounds. The Jaguars finished 31-3 along with winning a conference championship and finishing seventh in the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association (NJCAA) tournament. “Some of my fondest memories of my time at GPC include the camaraderie I had with everyone, the road trips and establishing new friendships with my teammates and winning the conference championship my first year,” Logan said. In her sophomore season, she averaged a double-double with 13.5 points and nearly 11 rebounds as Georgia Perimeter finished with a record of 23-9. In that year’s Georgia Junior Collegiate Athletic Association (GJCAA) tournament, Logan was named Most Valuable Player.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 201510, 2013 TUESDAY, DECEMBER
PANTHER OF THE WEEK
23
SPORTS
SPORTS CALENDAR
*conference games
Saturday, Jan. 31 Arkansas State*
GEORGIA STATE ATHLETICS
R.J. Hunter
Men’s Basketball On Saturday afternoon from the Sports Arena in a game against Louisiana-Lafayette, Hunter rewrote the Georgia State record books when he broke the all-time school scoring record of 1,515 points previously held by Rodney Hamilton. Hunter scored 13 points against the Ragin’ Cajuns that day in a 75-64 Panthers victory over the Cajuns. Hunter played basketball for Pike High School. The school team finished second in the Indiana State Championships. He averaged over 20 points in his senior year at Pike and was named to the all-Marion County (Indiana) First Team. In his freshman season, Hunter broke another record: He scored the most points as a freshman in school history when he put up 527 points. The previous record was held by Matthew O’Brien who had 515 as a freshman in 1989 -1990. Last season, Hunter scored a career-high 41 points against University of Texas-San Antonio on Dec. 22. Hunter led the 2013-14 Panthers to a 25-9 record and a regular season Sun Belt title.
Sports Arena 2 p.m.
MEN’S TENNIS Saturday, Jan. 31
1340 The Fan 3
Troy* Atlanta Athletic Club 6 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Thursday, Jan. 29
Sunday, Jan. 25
UT Arlington*
Gardner-Webb
Arlington, Texas 6 p.m.
Atlanta Athletic Club 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 31 Arkansas State* Sports Arena Noon
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Friday, Feb. 6
WOMEN’S TENNIS Friday, Jan. 30
ETSU Bucs Invite
Life Time Athletic and Tennis Piedmont Park 6:30 p.m.
at Johnson City, Tennessee 1 p.m.
Middle Tennessee
MEN’S BASKETBALL Thursday, Jan. 29
Saturday, Feb. 7
UT Arlington*
ETSU Bucs Invite
Saturday, Jan. 31
Arlington, Texas 8:15 p.m.
at Johnson City, Tennessee All day
Louisiana Tech
1340 The Fan 3
Life Time Athletic and Tennis Piedmont Park 3:30 p.m.
THE FINAL SCORE Women’s Basketball
Prior to the men’s game Jan. 24 in which Hunter set the all-time school scoring record, it was the women’s team’s turn to take the court against Lousiana-Lafayette. The result was inauspicious for the Panthers as they lost to the Ragin’ Cajuns by a final score of 63-56. Instrumental in the Panthers’ loss to UL-Lafayette was going zero for 15 from beyond the three-point arc. Georgia State faces UT-Arlington on the road on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Women’s Track and Field
The team participated in two meets over the weekend, both hosted by the University of AlabamaBirmingham. Both days saw strong showings from the Panthers. On Friday, Georgia State got wins from Alysiah Whittaker in the shot put and LaPorscha Wells in the weight throw. Saturday would see another Wells weight throw win and a Panthers victory in the 4x400 relays. The team’s next meet is on Feb. 6 7 in Johnson City, Tennessee.
Men’s Tennis
Georgia State evened its record on the young season to 1-1 in what was the first victory in the career of head coach Brett Ross. Jannis Koeke, Zack Kennedy, Sebastian Acuna, and Joseph Bishop all notched singles wins for the Panthers who also picked up a pair of victories in doubles competition.
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