The Blue Banner issue 8

Volume 50, Issue 8

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Thursday, April 2, 2009

www.thebluebanner.net

University of North Carolina Asheville

inside disAbility shows potential Exhibit educates campus community through art and theater.

page 12 Sex ed vs. abstinence only Despite heavily funding abstinence-only programs, North Carolina registers one of the highest rates of unintended teen pregnancies in the country.

page 18

Asheville Green Works and Nature Center celebrate Arbor Day page 7

Greenfest ‘09 weeklong annual environmental awareness event blooms at UNCA

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6

News Thursday, April 2, 2009

Professor forms Asheville dance company page 10 {The Blue Banner}

Page 2

Cluster four canceled in favor of concentrated replacements

By Lorin Mallorie Staff Writer

lmmallor@unca.edu

Integrative Liberal Arts topical cluster Four, the study of perception across disciplines, discontinues this spring in favor of smaller, more streamlined clusters.

“Hey! We’re not just destroying a cluster here!” said Michael Ruiz, physics professor and perception cluster course coordinator.

Though the perception cluster phases out, many of the courses will be reorganized and available in newly formed topical clusters, according to Ruiz, professor at UNC Asheville since 1978.

Students can still declare the cluster until the end of the school year, he said.

Initially, cluster four was small and centered on physics, psychology and art history, he said.

Later, the administration asked them to redefine their cluster, making it broader and accessible to a wider range of students, according to Ruiz.

“Now there are lots of clusters, so it appears the big clusters are not serving their purpose,” Ruiz said. “Since we have lots of clusters and lots of choices, it seems it would be better to have them more focused. So, we are going back to the original idea.”

Currently, the perception cluster offers 22 individual courses.

“I can’t really meet regularly with 15 people. It’s just disjointed,” Ruiz said.

“If there were more like six of us, then we could meet regularly, and at least have a conversation.”

With a super-big cluster, Ruiz said, the themes are not as tight and easy to recognize.

“But that was good when we needed it,” he said. “P-H-Y-S, for some reason, does intimidate,” Ruiz said of his cluster four Visual Phenomena and Sound and Music physics courses. “I think breaking clusters smaller will help this.”

According to Ruiz, these are not your average physics classes. Students taking PHYS 101 explore light perceptions through optical illusions, magic tricks, rainbows, mirages and diamonds, while PHYS 102 studies jazz, composers and tuning while investigating sound and music.

“It’s liberal arts physics, that’s what it is,” Ruiz said. “If you can balance your checkbook, half the time you’re good.”

Patrick Foo, a UNCA psychology professor and a co-founder of the cluster, said his course, PSYC 101 General Psychology: Brain and Behavior, addresses the difference between sensation and perception.

“The most important concept I want students to understand in cluster four is to embrace the ambiguity and diversity in perception, and not to be afraid to ask

across disciplines for answers,” he said.

“Isn’t that the true spirit of a liberal arts education?” he asked.

Foo said he hopes to bring the same lesson to the new to-be-announced version of the perception-centered cluster.

According to Ruiz, the best way to start creating a cluster is to choose a coinciding ILS natural science and social science course with no prerequisites.

These will also accredit students for the respective general education requirement, he said.

“The third course then, is a wild card,” Ruiz said.

See a full list of the courses available in cluster four at www.unca.edu/ils/clusters/ cluster4.html.

Here are a few cluster four ‘wildcard’ course highlights.

ARTH 202 Introduction to Art History II

Ranging from the 15th century to the present, this course explores how visual perception relates to the artistic manipulation of materials, like using space, color and light to suggest various visual effects, according to Ginger Spivey, cluster cofounder and former UNCA professor.

SPAN 410 Hispanic Film

An overview of perception in Hispanic

film, this course incorporates an historical and visual approach, including exploring Sergei Eisenstein’s theories of montage in film, according to Gretchen Trautmann, chair and associate professor of foreign languages. The eye, image and perceptions of self and society collide in the cinematic dialogue presented in the film texts.

FREN 445 French Views of America

From the 18th century to the present, this course examines the perceptions of French and francophone observers and their critical attitude toward aspects of the American phenomena. Through literary and cinematic analysis, the class explores how cultural perceptions relate to the production and meaning of such works, according to Sandra Malicote, foreign language professor.

LIT/LANG ST: 373 Poetics of Perception

Poetic language at once alienates readers from direct sensory experience and tries to connect readers to sensory experience. Poems also shape our perceptions of self and others, and at the same time they draw attention to the ways language limits perception of ourselves and others, said Richard Chess, literature professor.

See CLUSTER

4 Page 7

Open line of communication tops new SGA president’s agenda

By Jonathan Walczak Managing Editor jmwalcza@unca.edu

Newly elected SGA President Cortland Mercer said improved communication with the student body is his top priority when he takes power in the fall.

“My office will always be open for any students with any complaints. They can also e-mail or Facebook message me. I’ll do my best to stay in touch,” Mercer said.

Mercer and future Vice President Asha Purohit said they are examining ways to make recordings of SGA proceedings available online, either by providing a

live stream or a podcast available for download.

“We’re here to serve the student body, so we’re here to be convenient to them,” Purohit said.

Mercer won the Courtland election by a landslide, Mercer but Purohit defeated junior James Price by two votes out of 564 cast.

“When I looked at the votes and realized it was two votes, I didn’t accept that I won the election either way until I had a

conversation with James Price, actually Thursday evening,” Purohit said.

“All Thursday during the day was anxious for me, seeing whether or not he was going to call for a revote.”

Price decided not to Asha Purohit contest the election after finding out it would mean a necessary revote for all positions, according to Purohit.

“I definitely think James would have done just as good of a job as myself,” Puro-

hit said. “He’s a great senator, he’s a great part of the student body. We wouldn’t have had a lot of the things we had go through this year if it wasn’t for him.”

Mercer, a 21-year-old political science student, grew up in Charlotte and volunteered for political campaigns in 2000 and 2004 while in high school.

Purohit, 19, a Spanish and international studies student, also gained an interest in politics while in high school outside Charleston, S.C. Mercer said he plans to use the con-

See SGA Page 7

Thursday, April 2, 2009

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Page 3

Achoo!

With allergy season in full swing, common remedies help relief

By Michelle Peck Staff Writer

mwpeck@unca.edu

With spring officially here, allergies bloom alongside flowers.

“The season has started and symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, stuffy head and itchy throat and sometimes a cough,” said Sarah Davis, a physician’s assistant at the student health center. “Allergy symptoms do not include fever, rash, sore throat and swollen glands, which are more indicative of a viral illness. We also see worsening of asthma symptoms: wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath during times of high pollen counts. All of this misery is especially frustrating for those who would prefer to be outdoors, active and enjoy the beautiful spring weather.”

Allergies mark the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in America and cost the health care system more than $18 billion annually, according to the Allergy Foundation of America.

Davis advises students with allergies to avoid being outside on dry, windy spring days.

“Avoiding exposure to pollens on high pollen count days is the best preventive approach. Dry, windy days in the spring and fall are the worst for seasonal allergy sufferers. Medical treatments include nonprescription products such as cromolyn and saline nasal sprays and oral antihistamines, and prescription products such as steroid and antihistamine nasal sprays, eye drops, oral antihistamines, and montelukast (Singulair),” Davis said.

The various elevations of the mountains make each pollen season longer than in flatter areas. In Western North Carolina, trees begin to pollinate in late winter, followed by grasses in late spring and early summer, according to Regional Allergy.

Common remedies

Alternative remedies Marshmallow root - helps body expel excess mucous Burdock - clears congestion Mullein - soothes throat and clears congestion Goldenseal Root - acts like antibiotic Eyebright - relieves congestion and coughs Stinging Nettle - provides hay fever relief Acerola cherry - vitamin C source, natural anti-histamine Ma Huang - opens airways Capsicum - vitamin C source, increases energy Rosemary - strengthens nervous system, anti-inflammatory White Pine - clears chest congestion, colds and coughs

Medical remedies Zyrtec Allegra Clarinex Claritin

source: allergyescape.com

Animals at forefront of new therapeutic frontier Thursday, April 2, 2009

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By David Milton Staff Writer demilton@unca.edu

Heart Songs, a children’s bereavement program run by Four Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care, plans to hold a daylong grief support session for grieving teens in coordination with Horse Sense of the Carolinas, a program offering equineassisted therapy.

“We do equine-assisted psychotherapy and learning for the group that comes from Heart Songs for hospice who have experienced a loss in their life,” said Shannon Knapp, president and owner of Horse Sense of the Carolinas. “They do a daylong workshop with us.”

Applications are available for the event on May 2, which focuses on teenagers ages 14 to 19. Horse Sense, located in Marshall, works with a variety of clients, but this program targets grieving teens specifically.

“A lot of adolescents aren’t able to articulate the surge of emotions that is going on,” Knapp said. “Traditional talk therapy isn’t always the most effective. ” For teenagers who lost a loved one, the session with the horses can help them identify the feelings they have, and work through the grief associated with those feelings, Knapp said.

“A lot of the time they project onto the horses characteristics of their loved ones,” Knapp said. “They’re able to communicate and resolve some of the unspoken issues.”

Horse Sense of the Carolinas offers equine-assisted psychotherapy, since its inception in 2003.

EAP is a “collaborative effort between a licensed therapist and a horse professional working with clients and horses to address treatment goals,” according to the Sulkiro Song - Staff Photographer Equine Assisted Growth and Learning AsLinda Pyeritz and Rocky enjoy petting a therapy dog at homecoming. sociation. tabula rasa, where a child gets a chance to long session often occurs when the teenAn effective and intense therapy, actry out new behaviors and get immediate agers part ways with the horse, Knapp cording to EAGALA, EAP compares to feedback on that behavior.” said. the ropes courses used by therapists, but Horses are responsive to human emo“One of the more powerful things with the advantage of participating in therapy with a dynamic and powerful live tion, and the psychotherapy is a true two- that happens is that at the end of the day, way communication experience, Knapp they’re given the opportunity to take the being.

Often a nonverbal interaction, equine- said. Horses are comfortable being around horse of their choice, who has often beassisted therapy Horse Sense provides ac- grieving, but become uncomfortable when come a stand-in for the person that they people conceal feelings or put forward have lost, out to the pasture and turn him or tivities and interaction with the horses. her loose and say goodbye,” Knapp said.

“Activities are designed to help the false emotion.

“The horses don’t lie, and they are not “It becomes a very powerful moment for kids process feelings more on a body levafraid of strong emotion.

They are afraid most kids simply for the symbolic act of el than an intellectual level,” Knapp said. when you’re lying to them,” Knapp said. having the chance to say what you didn’t “With the horses, it is like a blank slate, a The most powerful moment of the day- get to say before.”

Page 4

Horse Sense of the Carolinas remains a great resource for grieving teens, and for anyone dealing with grief, said Tricia Williams, the coordinator and counselor for Heart Songs.

A nurse and a social worker created the grant-funded program in 1994, Williams said.

“The Heart Songs program evolved when I came on board. With the community and hospice growing, and with us seeing more need, I began working with more individuals and families,” Williams said.

Heart Songs works with families and individuals, and also through schools in the county to help grieving teens. Teenagers tend to be a difficult group to reach because of class schedules and extracurricular activities.

“It is harder to facilitate grief groups in high schools, and that is the reason we started this teen group at Horse Sense of the Carolinas,” Williams said.

Heart Songs does other referrals to Horse Sense, not just this one program, Williams said.

“If an individual wanted, or if a family wanted, we could connect them up with Horse Sense,” Williams said. “This is a need in the whole entire community, and they are excellent grief facilitators when it comes to working with the horses.”

The nature of the work is difficult, Williams and Knapp said. Working with the grieving can be a difficult and overwhelming process.

“We tend to take on a lot of that intense emotion, and you can’t help it when you are compassionate about what you do,” Williams said. “You have to find a way to release.”

Teamwork in the bereavement department keeps the work from being too overwhelming, Knapp said. During the holiday season, employees make sure their co-workers don’t overwork themselves.

It is necessary for hospice counselors, and those working with the grieving, to find methods of coping with compassion fatigue, Williams said. Knapp, who developed a personal relationship with Heart Songs after losing a family member as a teenager, said she finds her work overall fulfilling.

“Where else can you see people come face-to-face with issues that have haunted them and see them step through that into happiness and relief,” she said.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

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Page 5

R.A.s lose rooms, benefits due to housing shortages

By David Milton Staff Writer

D

demilton@unca.edu

ue to a housing shortage, UNC Asheville will not offer double rooms as single rooms to resident assistants next year, a benefit associated with the position for the past

two years.

“For the past two years, we have consistently not had enough beds on campus to meet the demand,” said Vollie Barnwell, director of housing operations. “We are trying to figure out ways to create more beds for students to live in.”

UNCA’s residence halls contain 1,146 spaces, or beds, for oncampus students. With the R.A.s losing their single rooms, the university gains 39 beds, Barnwell said.

However, that number remains shy of the freshmen and sophomore population at UNCA. If all freshmen and sophomores wanted to live on campus next year, that would not be possible, Barnwell said.

“Policy requires freshmen to live on campus, which I think is good,” Barnwell said.

“For the most part we end up with about 600 freshmen on campus, and that is 600 of the 1,146 beds on campus.”

For current students, the week of March 23 to March 27 was room sign-up week.

By March 27, nearly Sulkiro Song - Staff Photographer 600 students signed up Sadie Ferguson, a R.A. in South Ridge, does homefor rooms and the houswork while enjoying time in a single room. Next year ing office wait-listed the rest of those who were the R.A.s will not be offered that perk due to housing signing up, Barnwell shortages. said.

“We have more students who want to live on campus than beds, and that’s a great problem to have,” Barnwell said. “That shows that everyone at the university is doing a good job making students want to live on campus.”

For the past two years, R.A.s had free single rooms at UNCA, with temporary roommates at the beginning of the academic year, Barnwell said. UNC Wilmington offers a similar program to their R.A.s, according to the UNCW Housing and Resident Life Office.

“Two years ago we looked at what other schools were doing and what we thought would be best for our students, and at the time the decision was made that R.A.s wouldn’t have roommates,” Barnwell said. “In the past two years, R.A.s had roommates at the start of the year, because we had to use their spaces for temporary spaces.”

The Office of Housing Operations employed several other

strategies to create temporary spaces, and some led to permanent spaces.

“One thing that we did do, in addition to the R.A.s getting roommates again, is that in Governors Hall we converted some very large double rooms into triples,” Barnwell said. “We used them as triples this year on a temporary basis, but the students living there wanted to stay there. So we put some extra closets in and made them triples.”

Although R.A.s will not have free single rooms, they will receive greater compensation and a discount on their housing bill, according to the Office of Residential Education.

“I use my single room to have one-on-one talks with students,” said Lara Martini, 21, R.A. in West Ridge. “But I don’t think not having single rooms will hurt the program. R.A.s shouldn’t want the job for the single room.”

Martini, in her third year as a R.A., suggests the job for interested students, especially in rough economic times, she said. So do other R.A.s.

“It is a great job, not only to have while you’re in school, but to have on your résumé when you get out of school,” said Stan Setzer, 23, a R.A. in South Ridge.

The housing shortage is not the only reason the university needs to free up the 39 beds, Barnwell said. More students on campus means more revenue for the university.

“It increases revenue when you put more people on campus,” Barnwell said. “So there is a financial reason for doing it.”

The strategic plan set forth by the university calls for a greater percentage of students to live on campus, Barnwell said. Eventually, more housing will be necessary.

“It would be better if we could go out there and build a 200-room or 300-room residence hall,” Barnwell said. “But I can’t do that before next August.”

There is a work group beginning plans for future housing accommodations, but there are problems with building a new residence hall, Barnwell said.

“Our campus doesn’t have 30 acres somewhere to start building on,” Barnwell said. “You don’t want to build a residence hall on the Quad.”

Governor’s Village, the oldest on-campus housing, houses 103 beds but is reaching the end of its life span, Barnwell said. Governor’s Village is one of the locations in consideration for a new residence hall.

“A couple of sites that have been talked about are where Governor’s Village is now, and the old physical plant site past Governor’s Hall going down toward Mills,” Barnwell said. “But with the Village site, what do you do with the students living there now?”

There is also a financial dilemma attached to any new residence hall. UNCA is still paying off other buildings, and new buildings are expensive, Barnwell said. In addition, housing operations do not receive state funds at all, and excess from student housing payments help fund other university programs and projects, according to Barnwell.

“In tough economic times, a residence hall like that is $20 million plus,” Barnwell said. “We don’t have $20 million laying around.”

Greenfest takes root Thursday, April 2, 2009

By Rhys Baker Staff Writer

rdbaker@unca.edu

This year’s Greenfest features sustainability awareness through gardening, biking and river cleanup, according to event organizers.

“Greenfest centers around raising awareness about environmental sustainability and engaging the campus community in projects that promote the environment on campus,” said Executive of Sustainability Ellie Johnston.

Greenfest began in 1991 as a oneday event where faculty and staff spent a Saturday planting around campus, but it expanded and the student body took control of its planning, according to Associate Director of Highsmith Programming Robert Straub.

“I’m doing Greenfest coordination as part of my position as SGA executive of sustainability affairs. I spend 10 hours a week working on different projects related to sustainability,” Johnston said about her role in school governance.

Her organizing team came from ASHE, SEC, SGA, the facilities department and the Greek organizations. Missing Links, River Link, College Republicans and the UNCA Bike Shop also sponsor Greenfest events.

“We will have all kinds of events from Fossil Fools Day, that will raise awareness about the damaging effects of coal and other fossil fuels that we use everyday, to gardening at the Pisgah View housing development’s community garden, and everything in between from energy panels to green tours, to movies and all sorts of fun stuff,” Johnston said.

The event isn’t just for the constantly environmentally-conscious students, everyone needs to realize simple things they can do to prevent extraneous power usage, according to Johnston “One of the ways that we’re trying to create dialogue and discussions is by co-sponsoring a panel with the College Republicans,” Johnston said.

The energy panel came together Wednesday along with the Fossil Fools Day rally around a blow up coal plant on the Quad.

“You hear a lot in the news about energy independence as a really important issue on both sides of the party lines, but what does this really mean? And so we’ll

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explore that on this panel. We have environmental studies professor Dee Eggers and then a woman who’s coming from an organization called American Solutions,” Johnston said.

Johnston was the backbone in organizing and running all the meetings, filling in the gaps, organizing all the spots, being instrumental in throwing together the panels, trying to structure together the budgets that were arranged through the SEC, ASHE and SGA and being a handout to anyone who needs it for their specific projects, said former SGA President Nick Ladd.

“I’m not a fan of picking favorites at an event I’ve invested so much time into,” he said when asked what event she is most excited about.

“Every time I hear the details of one specific part I become more and more excited about the entire event because it’s going to be really awesome.”

Former Executive of Sustainability and current Chair of the SEC Advisory Board Kim Quick understands how much work Johnston put into Greenfest because she planned it last year.

“Greenfest last year, it rained every day,” Quick said. “We had a lot of service-oriented activities like exotic invasive removals, planting, mulching, stuff like that.”

Service remains a key component of Greenfest. According to Johnston, the Greenfest planning team strived to provide a lot of opportunities for service on the Greenfest agenda.

“On Thursday and Friday we’re doing service projects with the facilities department, like campus planting and exotic invasive removal. Students can help out for an hour, give back to the school and also get a free t-shirt,” Johnston said. “Then, on Saturday, as part of the Great Bus and Bike About, there are two service activities planned.

One will be a river cleanup with River Link and the other one will be planting an herb garden on campus.”

Despite Ladd’s role as student body president, he chose to get involved in the planning of Greenfest.

“My primary role has been working on the Great Bus and Bike About, an event that is traditionally only held in

the fall semes- ter. I’ve seen it have such a level of success that I feel it could easily be a biannual event,” Ladd said. “This year we’re taking a new twist on that and teaming it up with the volunteer opportunities on Saturday. There will be a water team and a plant team. The water team is the part of the group that is working with River Link and cleaning up the French Broad.”

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Greenfest is from April 1 to April 6. The event is meant to inform students about environmental sustainability.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Asheville receives award at Arbor Day celebration

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Cluster 4 Continued

from

Page 2

After studying the works of poets who deal with perception, students then write their own poems enacting experiences of perception, he said.

Page 7

Weekend Weather Thursday

High: 65 Low: 53 20 percent chance of precipitation

Friday

High: 61 Low: 41 30 percent chance of scattered precipitation

Creating New Ideas

By Heide Penner Staff Writer

hmpenner@unca.edu

The Arbor Day celebration at the WNC Nature Center attracts an army of volunteers to plant trees.

“Arbor Day is a national holiday to celebrate trees. We have a big collaboration here between Quality Forward, which is now known as Asheville Greenworks,” said Daniel Clere, education and exhibits assistant at the WNCNC. “They’re the ones who got this army of volunteers together and actually purchased the trees to plant on the grounds.”

“We planted several dozen trees in our parking lot, and also back here on the trailhead,” he said.

“This is the first year it’s even been on the east side of town. They just started moving around to spread the love, so to speak, of the trees.”

Volunteers planted six different species of trees native to Appalachia, including dogwoods and pin oaks.

“The mayor was here earlier to receive the Tree City U.S.A. award, which is an Arbor Day Foundation credential for different cities,” Clere said of the celebration on Saturday. “Cities have to invest so much in their tree-planting. It’s like $2 per capita so the city has to, on a yearly basis, spend $2 per person on planting trees.”

Last year, Asheville spent nearly $9 per person, according to Clere.

The WNCNC promotes public awareness about the wildlife of WNC through volunteer opportunities, attracting about 100,000 people a year, he said.

“We have a lot of adult volunteers that help on a regular basis,” he said. “We had work-day Wednesdays, where we were closed seven or eight Wednesdays out of the winter, and we would just have a troop of volunteers helping us mulch and plant trees.”

About 30,000 of the visitors are school children who take academic classes with the center, according to Clere.

“We have a whole academic guide with maybe a dozen programs they can choose from for different age groups,” Clere said.

Half of the 42-acre nature center houses over 100 animals native to the region in habitat enclosures, while the other half is wooded with a nature trail that loops to the Swannanoa River.

“We have anything from salamanders and toads on up to black bears, wolves and cougars,” he said.

Already, the ILS Oversight Committee said it approved the creation of a new cluster in Applied Ethics, beginning in the fall.

Ruiz said he is excited for the opportunity to create a new cluster for his perception physics courses.

One idea, he said, is to accentuate the components of jazz he teaches in The Physics of Sound and Music, to create a cluster focused on black creative arts.

Here, a black poetry or art course and courses in black politics and black dance, could join with music physics for a new and unique university combination, he said.

By teaching physics along with black creative history, Ruiz said, students will realize, “this is not your average physics class, this is cool.”

“Even though I teach a science course, let’s think outside the box here, and try something different,” Ruiz said.

According to the administration, courses can be a part of three different topical clusters.

SGA

Continued

from

Page 2

nections he developed this year with students and administrators to push for more activities and facilities for commuter students, who he hopes will maintain a strong connection to campus.

“I realize doing this job is walking a fine line between being accountable to student needs and also weighing the big picture concerns of the administration,” he said.

Mercer said he is excited to work with Purohit on issues including a proposed on-campus disc golf course and a free expression structure on which organizations can advertise and students can artistically express their beliefs.

“I’m really excited about working with Asha. We’ve had a lot of discussions leading up to the election,” Mercer said. “I don’t think there’s been, in recent memory, an election in student government in which the tickets have not been split.”

Saturday

High: 66 Low: 44 0 percent chance of precipitation

Sunday

High: 62 Low: 50 20 percent chance of precipitation

Spring means severe, unpredictable weather

By Morgan Weeks Contributing Writer mlweeks@unca.edu

When spring arrives, peculiar weather is usually soon to follow.

Temperatures range from the mid 30s to the upper 80s, rain changes to snow and forecasting becomes very difficult.

Tornadoes are incredible forces of nature that are very dangerous and deadly. In the spring, the variety of temperatures makes the atmosphere so unstable it produces significant cloud structures that may spawn tornadoes.

The Midwest region from North Dakota to Texas, also known as Tornado Alley, is the best place for this to happen.

Tornado systems do not form in this region because of the mountainous terrain and the cooler average tempera-

tures. The cool, dry air from Canada and the warm, moist air from Texas meet and cause the air to mix and form clouds. These clouds build northward and cause updrafts and downdrafts.

Once this motion begins, it produces severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes.

The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates the severity of tornadoes, which grades them on a scale from EF0 to EF5. An EF0 tornado will likely damage trees but not substantial structures, whereas an EF5 tornado can rip buildings off their foundations. Some tornadoes attain wind speeds of more than 300 mph. Broadcasting watches and warnings is very important for saving lives and property.

- Morgan Weeks is a senior meteorology student.

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Arts & Features Thursday, April 2, 2009

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Page 9

Student theater group performs Jeff Daniels play

By Nick Robinson Staff Writer

nhrobins@unca.edu

A student-directed play broke convention twice last weekend. The newly reformed student theatre group Alpha Psi Omega performed Apartment 3A in the Highsmith University Union Grotto.

“It’s the first thing Alpha Psi Omega’s done as the drama honors society,” said Sam Woods, the show’s director and current president of Alpha Psi Omega. “It’s been at UNC Asheville before, but it hasn’t been active in about four years. It was sort of active my first year here in 2006 and it sort of just died down from there.”

The organization is a way for students passionate about theatre to celebrate their dedication, according to Woods, a junior at UNCA. “Basically, it’s an honors society where we just go out and try to learn and do as much theatre as we can. We get together and we read about and we express and we do and we learn about and try new things in theatre all the time,” she said. “We started the show first, but we had heard about Alpha Psi Omega and we wanted to see if we could use the show as a way to start that back up.”

The show, starring Bridget Patterson as Annie Wilson, Garrett Funk as Elliot Brown and Tyler Watts as Donald Peterson, also featured Leah Shapiro as Dal and Cassidy Robbins as Tony. Actor Jeff Daniels, known for his role as Harry in Dumb & Dumber wrote the play.

“When I first read the script, my eyes got really wide,” said Funk, a freshman at UNCA. “I recognized this was going to be a pretty intense play.”

Funk’s character in the show, Elliot, is a devout Catholic who spends the duration of the play madly in love with Annie, as played by Patterson.

“It’s a funny thing, because as most people know, I’m almost the exact opposite of a devout Catholic,” Funk said.

However, Funk said the character did not conflict with his values.

“Elliot’s belief in God was something I saw as really truthful, very pure, beauti-

Sulkiro Song - Staff Photographer

Left, Bridget Patterson and Taylor Watts waltz together in the play, Apartment 3A at the Highsmith Grotto. Bridget Patterson and Garrett Funk star in the play. All actors and actresses are UNCA students part of the re-formed Alpha Psi Omega theatre group.

ful, and well-founded,” he said. “He has true faith because he indulges doubts. So though I was playing a really religious guy, I didn’t feel conflicted in my playing the role.”

According to Funk, his casting as Elliot was actually more of an inheritance.

“I tried out for the show way back in the first semester and ended up getting cast as an extra,” Funk said. “Didn’t think much of it being a freshman and all, so I did what was expected of me whilst the main actors did their thing.”

“Garrett is amazing,” Woods said. “He wasn’t even in the show until January and we’ve been working on it since November. The previous Elliot had to drop out, and Garrett was an extra, and I said ‘You know what? Garrett’s gonna do it.’ So I called Garrett and he was like ‘oh my god, thank you!’ and he did an amazing job.”

“I had to blitzkrieg my lines which was a challenge, but I had a lot of moral support from Bridget,” Funk said.

Funk was not the only one wielding new responsibilities.

“I had never directed before, so I was really really nervous,” said Woods. “But because this was my first time and I wanted it to be a big learning experience, most of the blocking that (Daniels) had put in there, I just crossed out.”

Kirby Gibson, a freshman and prospective drama student, said she thought the show was “phenomenal.”

“I loved the way it was written and I thought the acting was fantastic,” she said.

Woods made a conscious decision to stick closely to the original dialogue.

“The script was definitely amazing. He is such a deep writer, and it’s not something you think when you think about Jeff Daniels the actor. He’s the guy who’s in Dumb and Dumber and 101 Dalmatians, and it’s interesting to see how you can underestimate people. He is such a good writer,” Woods said.

One interesting change to the original play came not from the director but from an actor. The change wound up guaranteeing that actor the part.

“The script was definitely amazing. He is such a deep writer, and it’s not something you think when you think about Jeff Daniels the actor. You think, ‘he’s the guy who’s in ‘Dumb and Dumber and ‘101 Dalmations,’ and it’s interesting to see how you can underestimate people.” ­— Sam Woods See PLAY Page 13

{The Blue Banner}

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Page 10

Balance, awareness, rhythm A look at UNCA’s dance program and newly formed dance company

By Erin McWhorter Staff Writer

C

emmcwhor@unca.edu

“We tried to create a program so that people can find a compliment to their regular academic work on their own terms,” Schrader said. “The vernacular classes, the dances that are street forms, have gone up and less is asked of students in those courses. Those courses are more popular, especially among students that are looking for something more physical, looking for something more social.”

Concert dance courses, with an expected bill and students trying to gain skills to apply later in life, are more difficult to keep enrollment up because of the nature of UNCA as a liberal arts school, Schrader said.

“My interest as a dance teacher is in helping students find their voice for creative expression,” said Kathleen Meyers, an adjunct dance instructor. “By training their bodies through technique classes they expand the potential of their instrument, their body.”

Meyers, an instructor interested in aiding the creative process of students, teaches ballet classes of all levels, concert production, a variety of modern dance courses, repertory classes and aids in the dance company.

“By doing creative work and improvisation they begin to explore their individual voice. I am interested in facilitating both of those processes,” Meyers said.

Meyers shares responsibility of managing the dance company and developing the creative process within the group.

“The students are really enthusiastic and energized about the new opportunity to be part of a dance company,” Meyers said. “Their work has reflected that enthusiasm.”

UNCA’s dance company is scheduled to perform April 17 at the Walker Arts Center. The show, titled “Dancing Heads,” will feature choreography to the music of David Byrne and co-artists.

“One thing that’s really exciting about this concert is that it will be the premiere of the company as an entity, which is kind of fun,” Schrader said.

See DANCE Page 13

Susan Terry - Staff Photographer

onnie Schrader, the director of UNC Asheville’s dance program, offers insight into the university’s program variety, the complimentary minor and the newly formed dance company.

“I’ve been at the university for 24 years,” Schrader said.

“When I first came, there was one ballet class and one half-term class in modern dance. In the time that I’ve been here, the program has built quite substantially.”

Schrader, 56, holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in dance.

From ages seven to 12, Schrader lived in Brazil, where she developed her personal mission to understand dance in Western culture and aid people in developing an embodied relationship through dance.

“The dance program has been a program for ten years,” she said.

During Schrader’s time teaching at UNCA, course offerings within the dance program increased. However, in certain dance composition courses, the lower the number of participants means the greater the value of the lessons, according to Schrader.

“We have over 30 courses in the curriculum. That rivals some departments on campus,” Schrader said.

“So, we try to offer as much variety as we can each semester, and with breadth you lose depth sometimes.”

The dance minor began at UNCA 10 years ago, and this school year marks the first formation of a dance company, she said.

“We have a dance program?” asked junior Claire Barker. “I would be interested in taking some form of Latin American dance if I had known it was offered here.”

The dance minor consists of completing 22 hours in both required and elective courses from the program.

According to Schrader, due to the liberal arts curriculum and the community size at the university, a minor is the best match for the school.

“I feel like students are paying a lot of money to be here, and if they wanted to be professional dancers I would encourage them to go somewhere else,” Schrader said. “I am very glad to honor their interests in blending dance with their other academic work, but I don’t want it to be another burden.”

The three schools in North Carolina that offer more opportune dance programs for those seeking dance as a profession are UNC Greensboro, UNC Wilmington and Eastern Carolina University, she said.

Sophomores Jacob Walas and Sara Stout dance together in UNCA’s dance studio in the lower level of the Health and Fitness Center.

Dance department director Connie Schrader and adjunct professor Kathleen Meyers recently formed a dance company with students and community members.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

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Page 11

Art Front hosts interactive art event Campus Events

Music (UP)

Bo Burnham Highsmith Grotto Thursday, 8 p.m.

Movie Night

Iron Man Highsmith 104 Friday, 7 & 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, 7 & 9:30 p.m.

Wacky Wednesday Make Your Own Bumper Stickers! (UP) HU Lower Lobby 4 p.m.

Susan Terry - Staff Photographer

Highsmith Gallery displays student artwork. Art Front accepts submissions for a juried exhibition, April 6 and 7.

Awards and selections announced April 10 with guest juror and Kansas City, Mo. painter Peregrine Honig.

Student organization builds community through artistic collaborations

By Taliaferro Pollock Staff Writer mtpollock@unca.edu

UNC Asheville’s Art Front engages students of all artistic abilities and backgrounds in a series of April events.

“Art Front is a student organization on campus whose membership is open to all students,” said Ben Reid, vice president of Art Front. “Art Front is dedicated to building communities and collaborations through art, artists and experiential engagement with any person with an inclination towards creativity.”

On Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m., Art Front leads and co-sponsors an interactive event in the Highsmith Gallery with a figure drawing session involving a draped form dress on models in classical poses. Simultaneously, the event offers a clay exercise, which focuses on collaborative, tactile experience. All are welcome and materials

are provided.

“Although I am not a fantastic artist, I am definitely going to participate in this event,” said Sherydan Smith, a junior psychology major at UNCA. “Besides, I do find myself to be very creative, and doing crafts is very therapeutic for me.”

Art Front’s administrative assistant, the organization is responsible for hosting artist lecturers, special judges for group exhibitions, all-night create-a-thons, guest demos and community outreach, according to Tracie Pouilot “Art Front hopes to engage the campus community and attract anyone who has an artist within, be it a sculptor, painter, musician, dancer, engineer, programmer, drawer, printmaker, ceramicist, chef or storyteller,” Reid said. “We hold no art form superior to another and strive to generate positive and egalitarian relationships.”

To end its activities for the month, Art Front sponsors a create-a-thon in the middle of April. Although the exact date is not set, students are encouraged to look for flyers advertising the all-night, catered studio event, according to Reid.

“Participating in Art Front when I was at UNCA really helped me establish connections before I graduated, which is very important when you are an art major,” said Sarah Vernes, a 2007 visual art graduate.

“I also found a sense of inspiration that helped my mind expand immensely.”

Art Front accepts submissions on Monday and Tuesday for this year’s juried show. Their guest juror is Peregrine Honig, an award-winning Kansas City, Mo. painter. Any student may submit work to be judged from noon to 5 p.m. on April 6 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 7.

There is a $5 fee for each submission.

Movie Night

Soul Men Highsmith 104 April 10, 7 & 9:30 p.m.

April 11, 7 & 9:30 p.m.

Open Mic Night (UP) Open mic/ Karaoke (last one!)

Highsmith Grotto April 15, 8 p.m.

For more campus activities, visit: www.unca.edu/ barker/

An aptitude for understanding and respect Thursday, April 2, 2009

{The Blue Banner}

Page 12

Ian Shannon - Staff Photographer

Sophomore foreign language studen Suzanne Hughes and junior international affairs student Sophie Foscue read the confessionals on display for the Disability Awareness Exhibit in Karpen Hall on Monday.

Karpen Hall hosts exhibit highlighting portraits of people with disabilities

By Alyssa Spencer Staff Writer afspence@unca.edu

“We’re all people and we all have emotions.” This is the idea behind the photo exhibits “Road to Freedom” and “Potential Unlimited = (dis)ABILITY,” featuring photos and interviews of people with disabilities. “‘Road to Freedom’” presents the stories of individuals,” said Deborah Miles, executive director for the Center for Diversity Education. “It is a nationally traveling exhibit from The Family Diversity Project in Massachusetts. Before it came to UNC Asheville it was at the University of Texas at Austin. ‘Potential Unlimited’ was created by the Center for Diversity Education with help from UNC Asheville students. It addresses larger issues of disability such as, is disability a medical problem or a social problem?”

The exhibits feature people with learning disabilities, bipolar disorder, paralysis, cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis, to name a few. “Potential Unlimited = (dis) ABILITY” includes panels of people with disabilities being mobile and play-

ing sports, as well as displays explaining disabilities-related jobs and adaptive technologies.

“This project has been well received by the community and that was very evident on the grand opening of the event on March 15,” said Randy Shaw, City of Asheville Parks and Recreation creator of Asheville’s Recreational Therapy Program. “We’ve had a number of folks showing up to the lunch and learn sessions on different topics that face the disability community on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:20 to 1:20 p.m.”

According to Miles, the exhibit reaches a wide audience and she sees attitudes about disabled people change as they view the photos.

“We had a tour for high school students and did a pre and post test to see if they had any attitude shifts,” Miles said. “Prior to viewing, the comments were, ‘I feel sorry for people with disabilities.’”

Upon viewing the exhibit, responses were, ‘They are no different from us’ and ‘This does not stop people from doing what they want and it does not deprive people of their talents,’ according to Miles.

UNCA students Sijal Nasralla and Allison Schad were extensively involved in crafting these exhibits and say the experience changed them for the better.

“While volunteering with the Center for Diversity Education, during my studies I repeatedly found that people with disabilities are people first. People with and without disabilities all want the same things out of life,” said Schad, who helped establish the written text within the exhibits.

Nasralla, project manager for “Potential Unlimited,” honors the exhibits for defying stereotypes and generalizations about people with disabilities and instead focusing on their interests and potential.

“The great thing about ‘The Road to Freedom’ is how it captures people’s attention with portraiture and how it focuses in and elevates the individual with a disability rather than reiterating misleading generalities and statistics about disabled groups,” Nasralla said. “This is true for ‘Potential Unlimited’ as well – it also illuminates the variety of a person with disabilities.”

A large aspect of the exhibits promotes compassion and understanding, not sym-

pathy, for people with disabilities, according to Miles. A portion of the “Potential Unlimited” display reads, “Are you treating all the people around you with understanding and respect?”

“Most often, societal attitudes are what cause real suffering for people with disabilities,” Miles said. “Just learning how to say ‘the person who is deaf’ rather than ‘the deaf person’ is a good step.”

One person alone can influence a positive change in the way society views people with disabilities, according to Shaw.

“From a committee member standpoint, I can say we did our job to make people aware of stereotyping people of different ability levels and to make people think differently of the way we do business in today’s world when it comes to persons with different ability levels,” Shaw said.

“If we reached one I think it was well worth it. You never know - just that one may have made a difference in the life of a person with ability levels or may influence a person on the job to hire a person with a different ability level.”

The exhibits are on display in Karpen Hall until April 17.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

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Page 13

Susan Terry - Staff Photographer

Adjunct dance professor Kathleen Meyers and her class practice synchronized movement in the Health and Fitness Center’s dance studio. Meyers, Schrader and the dance company are scheduled to perform on April 17.

Dance

For some members of the dance company, it is their first experience of being on stage. Others in the company have previous experience and both types of experience create a sense of community among the dancers, Schrader said. At the show, there will be more than 100 performers, including the company, UNCA alumni and community dancers.

“I’m very proud of the tone of our dance community. It’s quite supportive, not starstudded and quite accessible,” Schrader said.

Continued

Page 10

“My interest as a dance teacher is in helping students find their voice for creative expression. By training their bodies through technique classes they expand the potential of their instrument, their body.”

— Kathleen Meyers Adjunct dance professor

Play

“(The character of Donald) was not written with an accent at all,” said Woods.

“Tyler Watts came to audition and he auditioned without an accent the first two times. We were wavering in between him and one other person and then he comes in the second round of auditions and said ‘You know, I don’t know if this will work for the character, but I’ve read this play and I’d really like to try him with a New Zealand accent.’”

Woods said she and the others involved in the play gave him a shot saying the lines with the accent.

“He walked in and did it and we were

from

Continued

like “oh my god, you have to play him like that. You can’t not play him like that now,’” she said.

According to those involved, the show reflected the input of everyone in the cast.

“I really can’t compliment my fellow actors enough, though,” said Funk. “They are the most talented people I know. I’m amazed at the raw amount of potential that we had in the cast — everyone was just really spot on and great at what they do.”

Woods agreed. “A lot of my vision was molded by the actors,” she said. “I had a

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hand in everything that happened, and so did everybody else.”

The believability everyone brought to his or her roles also impressed Funk.

“That’s what we strive for as actors,” Funk said. “Playing things truthfully.”

He best summarized how appealing Patterson made the character by paraphrasing dialogue from the show itself.

“I would ask Annie out to lunch, then dinner, then more lunches, and more dinners until I finally reached my ultimate goal. Not breakfast in bed, but a life together,” Funk said.

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Sports Thursday,

April 2, 2009

Track and field update Page 15 {The Blue Banner}

Page 14

Bulldogs battle back, drop series to High Point 2-1

By Ryan Burtner Staff Writer

rrburtne@unca.edu

High Point University (7-14, 3-7 BSC) stole UNC Asheville’s (5-21, 3-7 BSC) first chance at a Big South Conference series win this past weekend, winning the first two games 9-4 and 8-7.

“We got off to a slow start in our first game and fell behind,” said Head Coach Willie Stewart.. “It was a tough time bailing out of that first game.”

Asheville fell behind 8-1 after three innings in the first game Sunday afternoon.

High Point scored three times in the first, once in the second and four times in the third.

Sulkiro Song - Staff Photographer “We came out in the first game and our UNCA struggled to find its rhythm in their weekend series against High Point. starter didn’t give us his best outing of the year and they hit him around the yard a art said. “Michael Bogaert did a phenomBilly Alvino’s RBI double gave High little bit,” Stewart said. enal job of keeping us in there, because we Point an 8-7 lead and the win in the top According to Stewart, things took a turn had one inning where we kicked it around of the 11th inning, dashing the Bulldogs’ for the better in Game 2. a little bit and had a couple of errors. We hopes of winning the series.

“In the second game we came back and tried our best to let them back in it, but we “We had a bad read on the bases and bad jumped out to an early lead,” Stewart said. battled back and had a big ending.” base running,” Stewart said. “We managed “We were swinging the bats a lot better Due to the lack of light, Game 2 offi- to get out of that inning, but we couldn’t and made some adjustments. But we let cials moved the game to Monday after- get it done.” them back in it and made some errors in noon. Coming out fresh and refocused, the Stewart said his team could have given one inning.”

Bulldogs hoped to tie the series up, Stew- up after losing Game 2 but they persisted.

Asheville led Game 2, 3-0, after just art said.

“It was a situation where we came out in three innings, but due to fielding errors “Coming out, we went with Ryan Dull Game 3 and we wanted to get ahead a little High Point took a 6-3 lead in the sixth. to start the game,” Stewart said. “He’s a bit,” Stewart said. “We could’ve folded up The Bulldogs fought back to eventually freshman for us, who went out and actu- shop, been upset and buried our heads, but tie the game at 7-7 after 11 innings. ally scratched a runner out right from the they played hard and we scored a couple “Our pitcher did a great job of going get go. It was a tough situation to be in, but more runs.” out pitching and competing for us,” Stew- we had a chance to come back.”

With almost half of the season done, the

Bulldogs will try to learn from their mistakes and continue to improve, he said.

“We have to continue to make improvements every day that we play,” Stewart said. “We’re struggling obviously. We got off to a very slow start, but the guys are working at it and we’re trying to get better and learn from every game that we play.”

Freshman pitcher Ryan Dull said the team coped with the adversity they met over the weekend.

“Today we just had to battle through adversity because we’ve been playing behind most of the weekend,” Dull said.

“But it helped that we kept going at it and it eventually paid off.”

Though Dull lost Game 2, he pitched a full game in Game 3 to pick up the win and improve his season record to 2-5.

“I was just trying to keep throwing strikes, put it in play and let our defense make the plays,” Dull said. “I didn’t really have that much left in the 8th and 9th innings, so I just let our defense make the plays.”

He said the High Point series proved to be a valuable lesson for the rest of the season.

“We should hopefully start hitting a lot more and that should help our pitching come along,” Dull said. “This weekend we pitched well two out of the three games and we should have won two of those games. Hitting-wise and pitchingwise we’re coming along, so we should be able to win some more games.”

Presbyterian defeats UNCA to collect first ever Big South Conference victory

By Randi Kitts Staff Writer

rjkitts@unca.edu

UNC Asheville men’s tennis team lost 4-3 at Presbyterian on March 24, giving the Blue Hose their first ever Big South Conference victory.

“We played well, we just had a little trouble executing on some critical points which has been the problem all year,” said junior Joe May.” They deserve credit for stepping up and winning a tight match.”

The Bulldogs fell to 3-13 overall and

0-4 in the Big South with this loss, while Presbyterian advanced to 4-9 and 1-2 in the conference.

Presbyterian collected the doubles point by winning two of its three matches.

Freshman Alex Appelt and sophomore Nathan White grabbed UNCA’s sole doubles match victory with an 8-4 victory over Presbyterian’s Andrew Lee and Brad Luciuk in the third match.

“Our success is a little overshadowed

by our record,” May said. “We have lost five matches 4-3, and if we had won those, our season would be completely different.”

May, one of UNCA’s three players to pick up a singles victory, defeated Lee in three sets, 6-1, 5-7 and 6-2.

White defeated Zach Sprouse 7-5 and 6-1 in two sets, and senior Mauricio Correa grabbed his singles victory by defeating Matthew Martin 6-2 and 7-5.

PC’s Mark Cannatelli defeated Appelt

6-2 and 7-6 to secure the Blue Hose victory in the final match of the day.

“Our strong points are cohesion, hard work and a willingness to learn,” May said. “We are a really young team, and a lot of our guys have never played a 25 match schedule.”

May said the team is equipped with big hearts and determination to play hard every time.

“We are looking to finish strong in the conference tournament,” he said.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

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Page 15

Pearson continues to power track team with strong season

By Dan Weller Staff Writer

djweller@unca.edu

The UNC Asheville track and field team continues their outdoor season with a trend of steady improvement that led to a strong finish for their indoor season.

“Just about everyone that we’ve worked with this year has made big improvements,” said Head Coach Jesse Norman. “We’ve had a lot of people that stepped up and got better. Everyone that we brought to the conference meet impressed me.”

Consistent improvements bring about higher expectations from Norman as well.

“We expect them to compete a little bit better each week. Competition gets stiffSulkiro Song - Staff Photographer er from week to week and we expect the Pearson’s leadership is helping UNCA track soar to new heights this year. kids to get better accordingly,” he said.

“Everything is building up to the confer- 1:56. provements have been minor, but their ence meet.”

Junior thrower Keith Scruggs said he impacts on his performance have been The Big South Indoor Meet, held on feels that the season is a success, but he major.

Feb. 26-27 in Clemson, S.C., proved suc- is striving to improve as the season con“My two biggest improvements have cessful for many of the athletes, namely tinues. been increasing my knowledge about junior sprinter Natalie Pearson.

“Through hard work, studying, trial nutrition and understanding the hammer Pearson finished third in the 200 me- and error and from the advice from oth- better. By making just a few small adters with a time of 24.79 seconds and fin- ers, I feel like this season is going very justments in my nutrition, I feel like I am ished sixth in the 4x400 relay along with smoothly,” he said. “With only a few now getting the most out of what I take senior Morgan Weeks, freshman Michelle weeks left until conference I still have a in,” said Scruggs. “Throwing the hammer Busse and junior Katie Olert. lot to work on in order to receive the re- is a very technical event and I have spent Pearson earned a spot on the Big South sults I’m looking for.” a fair amount of time studying Olympic All-Academic team.

Scruggs recently finished fifth in the throwers.”

Junior Duane Stepp had a spot on the hammer throw at the Winthrop Asics InThe Bulldogs began the outdoor season Big South All-Academic team for the vitational with a distance of 48.37 me- strong on March 13 at the Coastal Carolimen. Freshman Sam Maynard finished ters. na Invitational where Pearson placed first fifth in the 800 meters with a time of He said that his most significant im- in the 100 and 200 meters.

Attention Seniors!

“We can’t be our best if we don’t feel our best.”

Join the rest of the Class of 2009 at McCormick Field as the Bulldogs take on Furman University.

Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Wear your senior t-shirt for a special prize!

There are lots of great reasons to take multivitamins.

Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, they’re a good way to stay in good health. For just pennies a day, multivitamins may help lower your risk of cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis, and may prevent birth defects of the brain and spine. For a healthy, happy you, take a multivitamin every day. To learn more, call 1-800-367-2229 or visit www.getfolic.com.

“This is the part of the year where we want them performing at their best.”

– Head Coach Jesse Norman

She finished with times of 12.08 seconds and 25.03 seconds respectively.

Freshman Emma Bussard placed third in the 3000 meters steeplechase race, and junior Corrie Trotter finished 11th in the high jump, reaching 1.45 meters.

Senior Adam Matthews finished seventh in the 3000 steeplechase while Maynard came in 13th in the 3000 meters.

At the 49er Classic, held at UNC Charlotte on March 19-21, Matthews finish ninth in the 3000 steeplechase and Maynard come in 21st in the 800.

For the women, Bussard finished third in the 3000 steeplechase followed by junior Rachel Ambrosia in seventh.

The bulk of the outdoor season remains for the Bulldogs, and Norman intends to finish strong by learning from some of last year’s mistakes.

“We’re better at this point than we were last year and we want to make sure the kids know that this is the point in the season where they should really start rolling,” Norman said. “This is the part of the year where we want them performing at their best.”

Comics, Etc...

Thursday, April 2, 2009

{The Blue Banner}

What Killed the Dinosaurs

by Sandy Igel

Page 16

Sudoku

The rules to play Sudoku are quite simple. Fill in the blanks so that each row, each column, and each of the nine 3x3 grids contain one instance of each of the numbers 1 through 9.

Puzzle answers published in the

Comics, Etc

online section weekly at

thebluebanner.net

B

lues

you can

Use by Jason Howell

Campus Voice Thursday, April 2, 2009

{The Blue Banner}

Copyright violations lessen value of creative work

S

o who should be responsible?

YouTube, its users, society or do we blame everyone for the current copyright mess?

The New York Times recently reported on people having their YouTube videos removed because they violated copyright laws. The article specifically focused on people playing copyrighted music in their videos and copyright holders not receiving compensation from YouTube on pages with the work.

“I wouldn’t think that my singing somebody else’s song would hurt their sales,” said Jim Kuhlman, UNC Asheville librarian and chief information officer. “It’s not like you’re making a recording and then selling it and making a fortune and therefore the vendor’s losing a lot.”

While copyright violations remain a hot topic in society, the violations show how little people know about what they can and cannot legally put online.

Whenever someone wishes to use a copyrighted work legally without the permission of the copyright holder, they do so by using the fair use doctrine, according to the U.S. Copyright Office.

In school, fair use allows students to use published and copyrighted works for educational purposes. In fact, the U.S. Copyright Office lists several reasons when a use may be considered fair use.

These include comment and criticism, news reporting and teaching. In addition, the use must pass a four-part test to determine fair use, and the U.S. Copyright Office points out that the test doesn’t always clearly distinguish between fair use and infringement in cases. In other words, it’s a complicated mess.

Whenever someone puts a video up on YouTube in which they included copyrighted music, or any other commercial copyright, we need to ask why. Why put up a video of yourself using or playing another person’s work?

“You know I think you could make a reasonable argument that what was really going on was that ‘I am using this particular song as a means of self-expression,’” Kuhlman said. “And that’s the primary focus of it; therefore, my recording this song is fair use because it’s really for selfexpression.”

Of course with self-expression, people

should take care of it,” Kuhlman said.

Fair use can get exceptionally confusBy Tom McLean ing when users post clips of movies and Staff Writer television shows. For example, professors tjmclean@unca.edu on campus show videos on YouTube every now and then. This certainly falls under fair use because it’s an educational purpose. But the people posting them online need to keep the recording as original don’t seem to do it for educational purposas possible. By staying original, people es. They don’t seem to have much purdon’t compete with the artist who wrote pose at all except to post a video, which, as The New York Times article discussed, the song.

“It’s my self-expression and that’s got creates a problem because YouTube gets nothing to do with affecting the sales of advertising dollars on pages where copyrighted work appears. the song,” Kuhlman said.

People need to figure out their priorities But people using copyrighted work illefor putting something online. Because the gally didn’t start with YouTube. It started Internet brings us closer together, we must a little over a decade ago with Napster. take into account the different responsibilWhen Napster first came around, peoities. It would have been ple used it to the point of acceptable for someone overkill in getting music to make a VHS recording for free. Record labels and musicians began to If musicians never from a television show 10 or 15 years ago belose money, which evenreceived comcause it would not appear tually forced us into the iTunes era where we pensation for their online.

“Of course, back in pay a small fee per song. work they would that time and in that sort And whether or not you of format, even though it like it, such a business simply stop may have been infringepractice maintains integplaying. ment, people who owned rity and standards. it didn’t really know that “It’s the same violayou infringed.

And when tion of copyright to take you infringed, it wouldn’t a program off the air or a song off the air,” Kuhlman said in refer- go to everybody on earth,” Kuhlman said.

We no longer live in those days and so ence to years ago when people recorded we must understand why posting someon video and cassettes. “And one of the thing wouldn’t be acceptable. But it’s not ways that they dealt with it was that some a bad thing. part of what you pay for a blank video tape If people stop posting copyrighted muor cassette tape went to a general copysic online, it forces them to become more right fund.” creative.

And if they become more creMaybe YouTube and copyright holdative and successful on YouTube, maybe ers could set up a similar system. For a label will pick the person up. Imagine: instance, people could, through YouTube, Someone using their own copyrighted, pay a small fee in order to use a song in a creative work to make money. video. And so that copyright holders will Almost a foreign idea these days, when still make money, maybe the small fee people do something original they deserve only lasts for a year before the user must the credit.

Covers of songs might be a pay again. form of self-expression, but if people nevIf musicians never received compensaer go beyond that, they start to look like a tion for their work they would simply stop karaoke singer.

And think back over the playing. Yes, these people make millions course of history.

Aside from the few exof dollars, but that shouldn’t be justificaceptions, the truly original people line the tion to break the law. halls of fame.

“I would think a fairly nominal fee

Page 17

SGA president bids farewell to student body

By Nick Ladd

Student Body President nkladd@unca.edu

By the time you read this I will no longer be in office, and though the experience taught me innumeralable lessons, I will be happy to move on.

Though no longer in office, I feel that it is imperative to reflect back both for the sake of SGA, in providing motivation and a challenge for the up-and-coming administration, but also to provide transparency and accountability to you, the students, demonstrating the potential changes that we as collected students can do when we move forward with passion and commitment.

This transparency has been a continuing theme through my administration, making it such that you are as much a part of student government as any of those individuals you helped to elect into office. In order to do this I integrated my executive staff into the public senate meetings and required a brief report of what they engaged in throughout the week.

We also increased transparency through the creation of Student Contact Reports, which were available in front of our office and during our bi-weekly tabling intuitive.

The forms provided a space for you to write down any problems you have, and then for you to monitor the timeline of action being taken on your behalf.

This year we addressed more than 50 of these issues. We created another avenue for input through the revision of our Web site, which was done in house by two seniors in computer science and multimedia respectively. In response to your input, student government implemented the following things on and off campus, and much more: • Adding 10 commuter bikes to the fleet

See SGA Page 19

Thursday, April 2, 2009

{The Blue Banner}

Page 18

Getting down to business

Abstinence-only sex education misses the mark A recent study by the North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics and the N.C. Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System shows that from 2004 to 2006, unintended births reached 45 percent, higher than the national level of 40 percent.

Other statistics show that teens in North Carolina make up one out of every six unintended pregnancies and 70 percent of teens in the state got pregnant unintentionally.

This leads to a bigger question: Is the current system being taught to teens in this state effective?

According to the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, North Carolina received more than $2.2 million in federal funds for abstinence education programs in 2007. North Carolina is one of the states still exclusively teaching abstinence until marriage in its schools.

In Buncombe County, sex education classes are taught by people from both The Health Adventure now located in Pack Square, and the Buncombe County Health Center. The two have a contract to work together that dates back more than 17 years.

“The program is abstinence-based, it is not abstinence only,” said Myra Lynch, an educator with The Health Adventure.

“We do provide information about sexually transmitted diseases, for example, and how they are spread and prevention and that kind of thing.”

Despite some beliefts about what constitutes proper sex education, Lynch said that not many people complain about the abstinence-based lessons.

“The vast majority, I think 90 something percent of the parents say, ‘yes, by all means.’ They’re very grateful for it,” she said. “Occasionally we get comments from parents who wish that we could go a little further in some of the topics that we discuss.”

The Health Adventure generally keeps away from topics like contraceptives.

“We do not show contraceptives, we do not show condoms, (but) we do talk about condoms as they relate to reducing the risk of sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS, so they are discussed in that way,” Lynch said.

Despite that, Lynch said the program

By Patrick Zarcone Staff Writer pwzarcon@unca.edu

Here’s a fact: Young people have sex.

States with the highest number of teen pregnancies

51.0

52.7

54.2

54.9

58.2

59.1

60.5

61.6

61.6

63.4

Birth rates per 1,000 estimated female population aged 15–19 years in each area. North Carolina’s teen birth rate is 48.5.

Source: The Center for Disease Control Vital Statistics Report, 2005 they teach is not a moral or values program and that it is fact-based, meaning that if students ask a question, they will get an honest answer.

“If questions are asked about any of the so-called controversial topics, like if somebody asks a question about abortion, if somebody asks about birth control pills or how they work, we would answer that question with a factual answer and move on,” she said.

That is the problem with the current system, though. We assume teenagers are smart enough to know how to use condoms or to make smart decisions with relationships and sex. It is never safe or smart to assume.

Questions about sexually transmitted infections or about how to use a condom embarrass some teenagers. If they don’t

want to ask a stranger who is there to answer questions on sexuality, they certainly won’t go home and ask their parents.

Gaylen Ehrlichman, the health promotion program supervisor at the Buncombe County Health Center, said the best way to talk to students about these issues is through the programs in fifth through eighth grade, but that is not necessarily the most effective way.

“The problem with doing a comprehensive program in high school is that past ninth grade, there is no health, so it’s difficult to get in (to high schools) the way we are in sixth, seventh and eighth,” she said.

In most cases, the only way people from the Buncombe County Health Center get into high schools is by invitation, according to Ehrlichman.

“In the teen living classes, we’re often

invited to help come and speak on HIV and STDs, birth control and those family life issues, and very rarely, but maybe in some of the health and PE classes we’re invited when they get to a unit in ninth grade,” she said.

Buncombe County’s house member in the North Carolina House of Representatives, Susan Fisher, introduced a bill entitled The Healthy Youth Act that will establish a two-track system of sexual education in the state if passed. The Healthy Youth Act says parents should be able to choose whether their child attends an abstinence-based or comprehensive, medically accurate sexual education class that includes discussion of contraceptives and other “controversial” issues.

Fisher said it’s extremely important that students have access to important information regarding sexual health at their schools, instead of only at home.

“With statistics showing an ever increasing number of STIs, I believe that it is necessary to arm young people with the medically accurate information that they need,” she said.

Fisher believes that the potential consequences of not getting proper sexual education can be costly for everyone.

“I believe that unintended pregnancy and STIs are a great cost not only to the young person, but to society as a whole,” she said. “I believe we have a responsibility to give them the information that they need and we’re there to educate them and we need to accurately do that.”

Statistics show that teenagers are having sex and will continue to do so at a potentially great cost to themselves and their partner. While abstinence-based sex education should not be seen as evil or necessarily as a harmful thing, it does need to be seen for what it is – unrealistic.

Here’s a fact: young people have sex.

What is also a fact is that young people in North Carolina, as of right now, don’t have access in their schools to the information they need until the abstinence-until-marriage plan goes out the window.

The North Carolina health and education system can continue to be ignorant of the facts and continue to see their state in the top 20 percent for teen pregnancies and STIs, or they can try and address the issue and give students the information they need.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

{The Blue Banner}

SGA 0010110110100101111010010010101

Reader comments from thebluebanner.net MP3s don’t deserve a bad rap

Euthanasia assumes too much

This is silly. First of all, not all MP3s are created equal, so making a blanket statement about them versus another medium is just plain inaccurate.

Second of all, all MP3s above 192 kb/s are indistinguishable quality-wise to the human ear.

Thirdly, the way MP3 compression works is by cutting out wavelengths that are sub and supersonic, stuff you would never ever be able to hear anyway.

This is elitism for elitism’s sake, which would be fine in an editorial if it wasn’t full of inaccurate, shoddy reporting.

I am looking at this title: “Assisted suicide relieves unbearable suffering.” With all due respect, Mr. Zarcone, you may be correct, but where is your evidence for that statement?

Please think about all the blithe and naked assumptions being made here about death and what it’s like to be dead. How in the world do any of us know if death, by suicide or otherwise, “relieves unbearable suffering”?

We don’t, plain and simple. Yes, we each have our concept of death, some based on formal religion, some not. But I don’t see how those various speculations can be a basis for a law granting the right to help kill a person.

— Posted by MusicMan, March 30

— Posted by Mmm, March 27

The

Blue Banner Editorial Board

Karpen Hall 019 (828) 251-6586 banner@unca.edu www.thebluebanner.net Aaron Dahlstrom, Editor-in-Chief

Emily Gray, Business Manager

Jonathan Walczak, Managing Editor

Cassidy Culbertson, Photo Editor

Pam Stringer, News Editor

Cassady Sharp, Assistant News Editor

Dylan Schepps, Arts&Features Editor Sam Hunt, Assistant Arts&Features Editor Greg Hicks, Sports Editor

Matt Starkey, Assistant Web Editor

Jason Herring, Design&Web Editor

Michael Gouge, Faculty Adviser

The Blue Banner is UNC Asheville’s student newspaper. We publish each Thursday except during summer sessions, finals week and holiday breaks. Our office is located in Karpen Hall 019.

The Blue Banner is a designated forum for free speech and welcomes letters to the editor, considering them on basis of interest, space and timeliness. Letters and articles should be e-mailed to banner@unca.edu. They should be signed with the writer’s name, followed by year in school, major or other relationship to UNCA. Include a telephone number to aid in verification. All articles are subject to editing.

Page 19

Continued

from

Page 17

I have one request of the student body: Stay active, whether inside a student organization or out and whether at the university level or above. in responses to the gas shortage earlier this year (coming in the fall) • Adding on to the transportation fee to give non-freshmen access to the emergency taxi program (pending the State Budget approval) • Addition of an international fee that helps cover the costs of those students participating in international service trips (pending the State Budget approval) • Adding an additional hour to library service on Sundays • Providing an additional smoking location on campus within the University Heights loop • Three grills for the Residence Halls purchased with Housing Operations • Expanded vending machines with more healthy options • Expansion of the Great Bus and Bike about into bi-annual event • Created alternative spring break trip in Asheville • Creation of free space where students can pick up or drop off usable items and can search through university surplus furniture for affordable purchases (coming in the fall in the Highsmith University Union) • Creation of the Free Expression Sculpture, a piece of art by a UNCA art student that provides the canvas for perpetual art (coming in the fall) • Successfully lobbied for more than $5,000 of sustainable infrastructural additions to the residence halls • Helped redirect tuition towards maintaining faculty and staff positions rather than funding additions inside of Zeis Hall • Help create regular forum for food service staff worker • Connected UNCA with N.C. in D.C., and Students Day at the Capital, two lobbying initiatives which provide students with the opportunity to be professionally trained to lobby, and gave the rest of us the chance to be represented both in Raleigh and in Washington, D.C. • Established student representation

within the Faculty Senate • Created judicial branch to serve as a watchdog over the actions of the executive and legislative branch • Created first Executive of Multicultural Affairs • Reunited UNCA with the larger Association of Student Governments in and throughout the UNC system, where we were the most legislatively prolific campus of all 16 of our sister institutions. As an organization which takes $1 from each student in the system, it was my objective to retrieve the more than $3,800 we have put in. $2,000 of this came back in the form of VoteFest, an event during the early voting of this past election.

• Created Rights Week, a series of events which helped educate students about their rights and how to properly exercise them in situations commonly held by students.

In addition to the efforts listed above and not mentioned is the constant effort of SGA , we want to ensure that students desires are constantly known by all administrators and decision makers prior to making any changes to our campus. All of these successes were made possible only through the united work of the more than 30 individuals who make up your representation. To them I am forever thankful for the hard work put forth and all that they taught me.

As I leave office I have one request of the student body: Stay active, whether inside a student organization or out and whether at the university level or above.

The world is a constantly shifting place, a moldable plan where you can help shape the future if you put yourself forward.

Without your input, there are many who will falsely claim to represent you and it is your right and duty to stand up and provide a vigilant check against them in their embodiment, from SGA all the way up to the federal government.

none of your

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