March 27, 2018 KSU Sentinel

MARCH 27

2018

THE DAILY BONZA

(The Sentinel changed its masthead this week to honor and recognize its adviser Ed Bonza who is retiring March 29.)

Vol. 51 Issue 22 | Since 1966

Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel

BEER PANEL

www.ksusentinel.com

KSU nursing graduates exceed national certification rate Itzayana Lopez | Staff Writer

Jessi Lestelle | The Sentinel

Class members taste a variety of beers and participate in a panel discussion during professor Jonathan Brown’s Beer Culture class on March 22. Read the story on pg. 7

CSH PROGRAM NOT OFFICIALLY DEACTIVATED, CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW Sabrina Kerns | News Editor

A professor from KSU’s School of Culinary Sustainability and Hospitality planned to speak at a faculty senate meeting Monday, March 26, to ask for the senate’s backing in pushing the university to provide a fair review process to determine whether the program should be deactivated.

Jonathan Brown, a senior lecturer within the CSH program, said the university has not communicated any information about the status of the program to faculty since they made these announcements last year and that the university has not submitted a formal deactivation document for the program to the University System of Georgia.

Brown did not have the chance to address the entire faculty senate, but Interim Provost Linda Noble spoke on some of Brown’s concerns about the status of the program at the beginning of the faculty senate meeting.

The University College announced at the end of October 2017 that they would be terminating the CSH program and the funding would be shifted to a new hospitality program within the Coles College of Business.

University College Dean Lynn Disbrow originally announced in an email to students that the program’s curriculum would continue to be offered for three semesters.

Later on the same day, Disbrow sent another email to students informing them that then-Provost Ken Harmon approved to continue the program through spring 2021 to give students the opportunity to finish their degrees in four years.

Noble confirmed during Monday’s faculty senate meeting that there is currently no formal documentation to say the program is deactivated, but she said the program is currently under review by the university and the USG.

“It’s not technically in a deactivation state, but we are obviously in a deactivation mode and have been since November,” Brown said. “Part of what I was going to talk about today [Monday] is that does set a really nasty precedent for other programs moving forward. You’re talking about doing a review now that we haven’t heard or seen anything about until you [Noble] showed up.”

Noble explained that the program is not currently under a comprehensive review, but instead a review by the USG and KSU to decide if changes that were made to the curriculum warrant a substantive change approval by the USG. She said they will decide the status of the program after they receive the results of the review, which she said she hopes to receive in the next two weeks.

Noble said that the review probably did not happen before she came back to the university to serve as interim provost because “a lot of people don’t know the policy around degree programs like I do.”

One of the major concerns Brown had about the announcement made in October was that they had to stop allowing new students to enroll in the program. He said that many interested students have come to the CSH program, but that they have had to turn the students down because of the announcement that the program was deactivated.

During the meeting, Brown brought up this concern to Noble, asking if the program could start enrolling new students again.

“I am not in favor of doing that right now,” Noble said. “I think it’s a very good decision to be cautious about admitting new students. We’re going to make a decision very quickly.”

Brown was also concerned with advising holds the university started putting on students that are enrolled in the CSH

NEWS

program in January. Brown said students have to meet with an adviser every semester and sign a contract that says they will have their degree completed by spring 2021.

Brown said he is concerned this may have scared CSH students and caused them to drop out of the program.

CSH Director Christian Hardigree said that they had 221 students enrolled in the program before the university put the academic hold on students in January. After the hold was placed on students, the number of students enrolled dropped to 197.

Hardigree said the university then issued a moratorium to prevent CSH students from changing their majors to integrative studies, and KSU stopped allowing the CSH program from accepting new students.

“I do not know how many more students are changing their majors after the moratorium is lifted, but there is a list,” Hardigree said.

Brown said that those within the CSH program are completely willing to go through a review and possible deactivation process and that they fully support the new program being put together within the Coles College of Business, but he believes the decisions about the status of the program are being made without the faculty.

Noble said during the faculty senate meeting that if there were an overall review of the program, the faculty would be involved in the discussion.

“At the end of the day, the people who are supposed to dictate the direction of any university is supposed to be the faculty,” Brown said. “The faculty is who owns the curriculum. The faculty is who owns the long-term growth of a university.”

Megan Butler contributed to this story.

Alison Warren | The Sentinel

OPINION

Vacation or staycation?

Spring break head to head

KPA responds to reports

pg. 3

KSU nursing graduates earn their professional certifications at a faster rate than the national average, according to data gathered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in 2017.

According to KSU News, 97 percent of KSU nursing graduates passed the National Council Licensure Examination on their first attempt. In comparison, only 87 percent of candidates nationwide passed on their first attempt.

The NCSBN developed the NCL exam to test the competency of nursing school graduates in the U.S. and to see if they are prepared for entry-level practice, according to the NCSBN’s website.

“Our faculty strive to consistently provide varied clinical experiences and clinical decision-making practice to help students prepare for the exam,” said Rebecca Shabo, interim associate director of undergraduate programs and associate professor in the WellStar School of Nursing. “Most importantly, our students are excited about beginning their nursing career and they work hard to prepare themselves for this challenge.”

The WellStar school receives about 500 to 800 applications per semester, and only 84 students are accepted for the traditional bachelor’s degree program — only 44 are usually accepted for the accelerated BSN. According to the KSU WellStar College website, the WellStar School of Nursing is the largest nursing program in north Georgia.

According to the goals listed on its website: “The WellStar School of Nursing at Kennesaw State University functions to provide programs of high quality in undergraduate and graduate nursing education, support an environment conducive to personal and professional growth, scholarship, and creative activity, and demonstrate leadership in providing service and professional practice within the university and the community.”

According to the website, students applying for the traditional program must have an active application file or be currently enrolled and have been enrolled within the last three semesters. They must also complete an application on Owl Express as well as at least seven of the 12 prerequisite courses, five of which must be math and science requirements, prior to applying.

All applicants must have a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 as well as C or better in the prerequisite courses and major requirements. They must also complete an entrance exam and score at least a 78.

pg. 4

ARTS AND LIVING

USG chancellor sends letter to Harmon addressing recent student affairs issues, review conducted Sabrina Kerns | News Editor Earlier this month, University System of Georgia Chancellor Steve Wrigley sent a letter to KSU Interim President Ken Harmon, pushing him to improve the handling of student affairs.

Wrigley sent the letter on March 8, and it addressed the recent shortcomings of KSU administrators to apply law and policy in the student affairs division.

The letter specifically addressed the two lawsuits that have been recently filed against the university by student organizations on campus. Wrigley said that he finds the allegations “extremely troubling.”

In the letter, Wrigley also directed Harmon to conduct an assessment of the student affairs unit.

Wrigley requested that the search be thorough and encompass all aspects of the department. Harmon was also asked to provide a plan outlining corrective steps that will be taken and to provide the plan to Wrigley by March 16.

The letter also mandated that KSU’s legal affairs director and chief of staff review all requests for campus events from student organizations. According to the letter, the involvement of the legal affairs director and chief of staff is to ensure that all requests are managed properly in the future.

“You need to lead systematic, fundamental improvement of some very basic functions within student affairs, and I expect this to begin today,” Wrigley said in the letter.

In line with the improvement of student affairs, Chancellor Wrigley said that Edward Tate and John Fuchko, General Counsel for the University System and Vice Chancellor for Organizational Effectiveness respectively, will be following up with Harmon directly to assist with the review.

Interim Provost Linda Noble spoke briefly about the letter at a faculty senate meeting on Monday, March 26, after Heather Pincock, associate professor of conflict management, brought up her concerns about what the letter means about the relationship between the USG and KSU. “The letter from the chancellor was very strongly worded because the chancellor, I think, has questioned his confidence in this institution, but he wants this institution to be a fantastic, comprehensive university,” Noble said. “We are working to rebuild that confidence.”

Noble said she believes Wrigley is concerned about the university’s policies regarding free speech and that a number of “academic beings” and faculty members attended free-speech training on Thursday, March 22.

She also said she is meeting with KSU’s deans later this week to go over the freedom of expression policy and how it has an impact on student affairs.

Harmon was not available at the faculty senate meeting because he was addressing the Georgia House of Representatives Appropriations Committee about some challenges that KSU recently faced.

LETTER continued on pg. 2

SPORTS

77-year-old student mentors students

Baseball racks up runs in weekend games

pg. 6

pg. 8

Page 2 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | March 27, 2018

NEWS

Registration for summer courses at UNG is open!

KSU RANKED AMONG TOP ONLINE LEARNING MASTER’S PROGRAMS

Apply Now! UNG.edu/apply

Sasha Avchukov | Staff Writer Top Education Degrees recognized KSU’s Master of Education in Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages online program as one of the top 20 best online English learning degrees in the nation.

According to the TED website, the master’s degree program ranked No. 6 among the 20 university programs listed and was the only Georgia university master’s program that made the ranking.

The ranking took into consideration tuition, student to faculty ratio and national recognition within the program. They also offered three extra points in the ranking system for universities that offer an online discount on tuition for students.

The program at KSU consists of 36 credit hours with “coursework in critical inquiry and cultural issues,” according to the website.

TED commended the Master of Education in Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages programs on its website, stating that: “Students who do not speak or write or read English well cannot expect to

LETTERS

continued from pg. 1

"The University has been the subject of critical media coverage, uncertainty through transitions and recently, legal actions on behalf of students where claims are being made against our administration that I have found deeply troubling," Harmon said to the committee.

Harmon said that any policies and actions that run counter to the university's goal of protecting its "marketplace of ideas" have been "identified and addressed."

Harmon also mentioned the LGBTQ Resource Center's pamphlet about gender-neutral pronouns that received attention from several media organizations, including Campus Reform, a news site focused on higher education, to the committee during the meeting on Monday.

He also mentioned the two lawsuits recently filed against the university and said that they sparked KSU administrators to begin a review of operations across KSU with a focus on the Division of Student Affairs.

This review includes student affairs policies, the classification system used for recognized student organizations, an analysis of funding and allocation of student activity fees and a review of event management among campus entities, Harmon said.

do well in their other subjects nor will they get or keep a good job. By helping those students achieve greater fluency in English, you will affect not only them, but you will also have a lasting influence on their descendants.”

Laura Kilmartin, an online relations specialist for TED, said that the site’s mission is to provide information that students need to find a degree program that will best suit their needs and their personal career goals.

KSU’s fully-online program “prepares teachers to educate an increasingly diverse population of students in Georgia through inclusive practices,” according to KSU’s online learning website.

The M.Ed. in Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages is approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and is fully accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Harmon said the review identified a number of findings that will "rectify areas of concern."

The areas include the "existing tier structure for student organizations, security fee guidelines and fee application to student groups and training and guidance on compliance with the Board of Regent’s policy on freedom of expression and speech among others."

Harmon sent this review attached to a letter to Wrigley on March 16 as a response to the chancellor's initial letter.

Wrigley sent his letter to Harmon after Alliance Defending Freedom filed two lawsuits against the university on behalf of two separate student organizations. The most recent suit, filed on behalf of Young Americans for Freedom on March 5, said that KSU uses a system to subjectively rank student groups.

The group also said that the university was participating in "viewpoint discrimination" after it charged them an extra security fee to bring a guest speaker on campus for an event.

The first suit was filed on behalf of Ratio Christi, a Christian group on campus, and said the university's policy on where students can set up displays and speak to other students is unconstitutional.

Alex Guevara contributed to this article.

See course offerings for all five campuses at go.ung.edu/courses.

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Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | March 27, 2018 | Page 3

NEWS

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Cameron Loi | Staff Writer Kennesaw Pride Alliance and other organizations representing the LGBTQ community hosted a teach-in March 19 on the Kennesaw campus and released an academic letter to address comments made by media sources about a pamphlet released by the LGBTQ Resource Center regarding gender-neutral pronouns.

One of the media organizations that reported on the pamphlet is an online press outlet called Campus Reform. It focuses on universities across the U.S., and on March 1 it published an article about the pamphlet on its website.

Campus Reform said in the article that a student received a copy of the pamphlet from an administrator in the student center.

The student told Campus Reform that, “It is a disgrace because I thought that my school was one of the few schools left that weren’t teaching these things. But when I found this, I felt really disappointed.”

KPA responded with an academic letter to the university explaining that the pamphlet was published in 2013, so it is not new to the university and it does not have any administrative power.

“While the University has historically promoted and protected the LGBTQ community, not recognizing a person’s preferred pronouns on campus does not carry any punishment,” the letter said. “The pamphlet exists to educate the curious, to promote a culture of acceptance and to recognize students who exist outside of the gender binary.”

The letter also explains that the goal of KPA is to “provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive space where students of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations can come to receive support, resources, and referrals in order to aid in the realization of their fullest potential as students, individuals, leaders, community members and advocates.”

KPA said that, even though the pamphlet was created five years ago, it has a right to share non-binary pronouns and advise on other ways for students to discuss pronouns.

KPA held the teach-in after sending the initial letter to KSU. “We hosted the teach-in, mostly, as a way to meet with our general body and get their feedback on what is happening with our organization,” said KPA President Vera Brickell. “We wanted to talk to them to make sure they were informed on the topic and to hear what they were looking for out of the officer board.

“We tried to listen to them and hear their perspectives and give ours so we could make a plan on how we will publicly and internally be handling this,” Brickell continued.

Campus Reform’s mission statement reads in part, “Our team of professional journalists works alongside student activists and student journalists to report on the conduct and misconduct of university administrators, faculty, and students.”

staff information EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Cory Hancock

eic@ksusentinel.com MANAGING EDITOR Connor Zielke managingeditor@ksusentinel.com NEWS EDITOR Sabrina Kerns newseditor@ksusentinel.com OPINION EDITOR Elizabeth Nouryeh opinioneditor@ksusentinel.com ARTS & LIVING EDITOR Marquis Holmes artseditor@ksusentinel.com SPORTS EDITOR Rio White sportseditor@ksusentinel.com PHOTO EDITOR Killian Grina photoeditor@ksusentinel.com

STAFF PRODUCTION MANAGER Payton Butler

production@ksusentinel.com ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR Abbie Bythewood engagement@ksusentinel.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Josh Eastwood admanager@ksusm.com

STUDENT MEDIA BUSINESS COORDINATOR Shereida A. Austin

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Ed Bonza adviser@ksumedia.com Rick Crotts rcrotts@kennesaw.edu

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TODAY

Mediation clinic brings conflict management to KSU community Morgan Harrison | Staff Wtiter

Sturgis the Owl poses for a photo at Friday’s spring game on March 23.

Chris Brown | The Sentinel

Faculty senate addresses presidential search concerns in letter to BOR Sabrina Kerns | News Editor KSU’s faculty senate sent a letter to the Board of Regents on March 14 to highlight and remind the board about two conditions involving KSU’s presidential search.

Faculty Senate President Joya Hicks sent the letter, available from the faculty senate’s website, to University System of Georgia Vice Chancellor for Organizational Effectiveness John Fuchko on behalf of the faculty senate.

The letter addressed two of the main concerns the senate had after the BOR sent a letter to the presidential search and screen committee on March 8 which announced they would invite the presidential search finalists to Kennesaw’s campus.

The senate stressed in the letter the importance of the BOR choosing multiple finalists to visit campus to meet with faculty, staff and students.

“It is our view that a process involving multiple finalists visiting our campus is far

superior to one that has a single visit,” the letter said. “Campus and USG stakeholders are best served if they are able to interview several qualified finalists.”

The Senate also recommended that the BOR set up a feedback system for members of the KSU committee to provide feedback to the committee about the presidential candidates before the BOR makes its decision.

In the letter Fuchko sent to the search and screen committee earlier this month, he said they would need the assistance of the search and screen committee in scheduling campus visits “during the five working day period outlined in state law,” which raised some concerns amongst faculty members that were also addressed in the letter.

The senate also reiterated to the BOR in the letter that the Georgia Open Records Act states that the candidates must be announced “at least” five days prior to their

public vote for president. They wrote in the letter that the BOR could extend the time period “in order to facilitate valuable campus visits from multiple finalists.”

Fuchko responded to the letter in an email later the same day, March 14, thanking the senate for the feedback.

“We will take these recommendations under advisement as we move through the search process,” the email said.

The letter was originally drafted by a subcommittee created by the faculty senate after a meeting on Feb. 26. The faculty senate approved the letter before sending it to the BOR. The subcommittee also plans to send letters to the presidential search candidates after they are announced by the BOR to directly invite them the KSU’s campus.

The School of Conflict Management made a mediation clinic available that provides free mediation services to students, faculty and staff in the pursuit of conflict resolution.

The mediation clinic became available in November 2017 and is located in the conference room of the Math and Statistics building which houses the School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding and Development on the Kennesaw campus — mediations can be scheduled on the Marietta campus as well.

The mediators are trained faculty and graduate students within the School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding and Development.

The mediation service is an effort to reach an amicable agreement between the two parties before the issue has to be taken through official and disciplinary channels.

Casey Davis, a graduate student with the mediation clinic, said that co-workers, students, roommates, classmates, teachers and anyone in the KSU community are welcome to seek counsel in the mediation clinic.

“Mediation is a process in which a neutral conflict resolution expert sits with two or more people who are experiencing trouble in their relationship,” said clinic faculty director Susan Raines. “Parties are guided through a process in which they share their perspectives and concerns, engage in brainstorming and problem-solving together, and reach agreements about how to improve the situation.

“If they do not reach an agreement, then they are no worse off for having tried

mediation,” Raines continued.

Raines said that approximately 70 percent of people reach an agreement during mediation based on national averages.

“The mediation service is an effort to reach an amicable agreement between the two parties before the issue has to be taken through official and disciplinary channels.”

Anyone can request a mediation appointment by emailing Raines at sraines@kennesaw.edu. Raines said the clinic only mediates first offenses for student conduct and academic integrity cases, but it can help at any stage of conflict for all other types of relationships.

“Rather than pay $200 to change roommates, consider trying to improve your ability to live together successfully through mediation,” Raines said. “It is a way to solve problems without making a formal complaint or risking more costly options like court, student conduct hearings, etc.”

You can follow the School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding and Development @KSUConflict on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin.

Page 4 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | March 27, 2018

OPINION ED-ITORIAL:

HEAD TO HEAD:

Well wishes and many thanks for the best adviser student media will ever have

The Sentinel’s Editorial Board

A

contagious smile. Sarcastic humor. Dad jokes. Nerf guns. A happy-go-lucky personality. An ear that listens. A heart that’s left open wide for anyone. These are but a few aspects that make up Mr. Ed Bonza.

Every student at every college has a handful of professors or advisers that they will remember for the rest of their lives — the ones that left the deepest impact. Students are shaped and molded by the way their professors and advisers interact with them on a daily basis, and many of them encourage students to pursue paths they could have never dreamed of pursuing without the sometimes forceful nudge of a caring professor or adviser.

Ed is that person for us. He has served as an adviser to Kennesaw State student media for 27 years and has worked with student media for 30 years. That time is now coming to a close as he retires March 29.

To call him a faculty adviser feels weird — not that the work he does for our organization isn’t vital or amazing — but that he feels like way more than just an adviser. Anyone could work as an adviser and do no more than what is absolutely required of them, but people like Ed show that it is worth it to truly connect with people and give as much of yourself as possible to others.

Ed is recognized by every single person he’s ever come into contact with. His true, one-of-a-kind personality is one that no one will ever forget. His infectious smile and booming laugh are enough to turn your day around. If you’ve ever walked by the corner office with the sliding glass windows on the first floor of the student center, you’ve probably heard him talking or have been hit by a rogue nerf bullet he was trying to shoot at a colleague.

Not enough words exist to express the extent to which he has made a difference in all of our lives. He has encouraged us countless times, mentored us, guided us, taught us, allowed us to fail and celebrated us

when we succeed. He knows exactly how to cheer us up, whether it’s popping in to share almonds or buying us pizza for those late production nights.

A day has not existed where he hasn’t taken the time stop and ask someone, “How are YOU?” in his loud, authentic voice.

Some of us have only been an editor for a semester and haven’t known Ed for very long, but he has single-handily left a massive impression on our adult lives.

Every time we walk to the newsroom, Ed warmly greets us, sitting at the “misinformation booth,” doing what he loves — interacting with students and attaching smiles to faces. After he retires, it won’t be the same when we walk by, not receiving that daily enthusiastic conversation.

But, we will always be reminded of the most genuine and humble man in the world.

Ed has taught us all so much about what it means to be a part of an organization and to be proud of it. He teaches us how to laugh amongst stress and truly enjoy what we do and how we do it. Ed is what makes student media, student media.

No other adviser champions his students more than he does. Ed is a soul that truly cares more about others than himself, tries and constantly succeeds, at making anyone’s day better. He is the rare person who would never give a bad look to anyone — even a complete stranger.

No matter how stressed we get trying to put the paper together or edit stories, we can always count on Ed to come through and make our day a little brighter with his positive attitude and corny jokes. He knows exactly how to keep us on track while also making us feel calm during the storm.

Once you meet him, you feel like you’ve known him your entire college career. He has always been a source of great advice, not only about publishing but about life in general. Whether you’ve known him for three months or many years, Ed creates the time to make sure his students and staff feel known, and that is not a feeling that can be traded for anything.

Our university will be a bit dimmer without the light Ed shines every day when he steps foot onto campus, but we are thankful for the impact he’s left on our lives forever and that we have the opportunity to celebrate a true student media legend.

His knowledge and wisdom have helped all of student media immensely, and he will undoubtedly lead a successful life after KSU. Kennesaw State University is a better place simply from the legacy you have established.

Happy retirement, Ed!

Cory Hancock / The Sentinel

Cory Hancock, Connor Zielke, Payton Butler, Abbie Bythewood, Killian Grina, Elizabeth Nouryeh, Marquis Holmes, Sabrina Kerns and Rio White contributed to this article and make up The Sentinel’s editorial board.

Students should travel for spring break Autumn Edmonston | Staff Writer

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his spring break, students need to close their textbooks, lock up their apartments and pack their bags so that they can get away — far away.

Taking the scenic route from campus this year can help students find purpose and peace going into finals. It’s easy to become consumed with stress as the last month of classes approaches, and before we start slamming the library for study time, it’s important to engage yourself in activities that will bring you fulfillment.

Travel is one of the best ways to do that, according to an article by the Los Angeles Times, which said that more than 80 percent of Americans noticed significant drops in stress after traveling for just a day or two. This decrease in stress inspires a mental boost in happiness and satisfaction.

According to a poll by The Global Commission on Aging, the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies and the U.S. Travel Association, 86 percent of those who travel are more satisfied with their outlook on life.

Escaping the walls of your dorm and the traffic of Atlanta in favor of something new and exciting is a great way to be kind to your mental health.

Traveling is a great way to gain perspective away from the drawl of the classroom, too. Lounging on the beach or exploring a new city sparks a student’s youthful curiosity, and, according to an

article by the Atlantic, boosts creativity. All of this considered, raveling increases a student’s productivity dramatically, something everyone needs before cramming for finals.

Leaving Kennesaw and experiencing the world during spring break can teach you more than a classroom ever could. Immersing in travel will help a student appreciate how vibrant and diverse the world outside of class can be.

Flights are significantly less expensive during spring break as well. According to Expedia and TripAdvisor, an airline ticket to New York City during April costs about $170 while the same trip during July costs closer to $230.

The wise college student would use these prices to their advantage and seize the opportunity spring break gives them to travel somewhere they’ve never been before.

Not to mention that all your KSU friends will be off at the same time you are, too. Getting a group together to travel with for spring break is so much easier compared to the summer when other people are juggling jobs, internships and sometimes classes. Giving yourself and your friends a change of pace during the semester will be fun and affordable.

This spring break, don’t settle for a stay-cation. Netflix and that gallon of ice cream can wait — traveling for just a few days is far more enlightening than staying home.

Spring break staycation Cydni Cope | Staff Writer

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Paulette Juieng | The Sentinel

Citizen journalism cannot replace professionalism Megan Davis | Contributor

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itizen journalism can be biased and incorrect, and students need to realize this and know how to validate what they read.

Citizen journalism is the gathering, reporting, and sharing of news by the general public through the use of the internet. Many citizen journalists write and post anonymously which removes themselves from taking responsibility for what they are writing.

Anonymity allows them to publish controversial pieces and not receive any backlash.

On the downside, if they post something that is false, then they are also not responsible for whatever consequences come from their false reporting.

When people with no journalism experience or training present a story, they most likely do not have the entire story or only show a certain angle.

Nothing is holding them accountable other than their personal code of ethics and morals.

Professional journalists and newsgroups have voiced concern that people take citizen journalism too seriously because they believe that common people will be more truthful than their professional counterparts, which is untrue.

David Hazinski, a professor of journalism at the University of Georgia said, “Citizen journalism isn’t journalism, it’s gossip.”

Groups and stations exist that are dedicated to giving people correct and unbiased information.

Even though some bias can seep into reporting, it is less likely because organizations have a desire to be well known and respected sources of news.

The SPJ Code of Ethics requires journalists wto seek the truth, report it, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable and transparent.

As college students, we are constantly being bombarded with information, and it is our job to make sure that what we choose to believe is from a reliable source. The best way to fact check a

story is to look for it on other websites, especially credible news outlets, and to look at other stories written by the author to see if they have been reliable in the past.

According to an article by PolitiFact, factchecking requires “a relentless focus on evidence.”

Focusing on the evidence behind the claims being made is the best way to figure out if the writer is credible.

It can be harder to detect bias in an article because it is typically more subtle. Look for opinion words throughout the article such as ‘think,’ ‘feel’ or ‘believe.’ All of those are words that demonstrate the opinion of the writer as opposed to facts.

The number of times that bias and incorrect information show up in citizen journalism should make readers wary of the credibility of that information. Not all citizen journalism is bad, but readers should check the validity of sources and authors. Do not make yourself look stupid because of misinformation that was given to you by sloppy writers.

tudents should opt out of the traditional spring break trip to save money and stay safe.

According to the Spend Matters Network,“College students alone spend more than $1 billion every year on spring break.”

Looking at the average costs of some spring break destinations, specifically in Florida, Tampa serves as a relatively inexpensive getaway to a great city with a lot to do. Plus, a beach is only a 30-minute drive away.

According to CBS News, the average cost of a trip to Tampa during spring break is $1,142. This includes a hotel for six nights at $255, airfare and taxis at $389, and food and drinks at a cost of $498.

Not to mention, any number of other expenses may pop up. This is one of the cheaper destinations.

CBS News also reported on the opposite end of the price spectrum.

Panama City Beach is one of the more expensive destinations in Florida, with the average cost of a spring break trip at $1,474. This price includes the same factors as the average for Tampa — hotel for six nights at $464, airfare and taxis at $620 and food and drinks at $390.

However, money is not everything, and it might not be the only thing you are losing.

We have all seen someone being arrested on spring break whether in viral videos or in person. Either way, that arrest goes on their record, and, depending on the severity of the charge, can have a lasting, negative impact on the rest of their life. It’s not just the perpetrator that should be worried either — victims can have their lives ruined too.

In 2015, a video surfaced of a

gang rape of an incapacitated woman w a crowd looked on and did nothing.

A shooting also occurred at a house party in the same year that left seven people hospitalized.

Spring break culture and mindset leads to dangerous behaviors that we do not normally participate in or witness at “home.”

Years of alcohol-related crimes in Panama City Beach finally resulted in a ban on alcohol at the beach, though it is only during the month of March for spring break.

According to an article by ABC, Bay County, which Panama City Beach is located in, reported 420 arrests in 2014. Walton County, home to Miramar Beach, had 574 arrests, and 156 of those were kids under the age of 18.

It’s not just alcohol, but dangerous drugs too — police call them “100-milers.” These people are from the surrounding states of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and other places who have “nowhere to stay, but plenty to sell.” Panama City Beach police reported multiple arrests of students possessing marijuana and cocaine. These “100-milers” are often older people too, not students, just trying to make a lot of money before returning home.

This year, try to break the invincible mindset and behavior that is so often associated with spring break. Instead, stay home and take advantage of the fact that lines will be shorter and venues will be less crowded when you go out to have fun. Take some day trips to cities that are close by that you have never been to before. Either way, you’ll save money and avoid the trouble you’ll likely be around on a spring break trip.

Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | March 27, 2018 | Page 5

LOCAL BREWERIES COLLIDE FOR BEER CULTURE COURSE

ARTS AND LIVING

Cydni Cope | Staff Writer

The Michael A. Leven School of Culinary Sustainability and Hospitality offers a class on the classic American beverage — beer.

Additionally, the class holds panels where various brew masters from different breweries come and talk about all facets of the business and taste samples with students.

From March 20-22, students taking CHS 4640, Beer Culture, held a panel discussion in which a variety of local craft breweries were invited to talk about the business, answer questions and, of course, drink beer.

Craft breweries in attendance included Arches Brewing, Burnt Hickory Brewery, Dry County Brewing Company, Pontoon Brewing, Reformation Brewery, Terrapin Brew Labs, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Treehorn Cider, Second Self Beer Company, and Service Brewing Co. The dynamic of the class, from the students to the brewers to the instructor, Jonathan Brown, is very laid back, and the brewers’

joking interactions make for a lighthearted atmosphere.

Each session of the three-day panel featured five local craft brewers. Brown said he led the brewers in and gave the students “unprecedented access to pick their brains.”

Every brewer introduced themselves and their product, including its history and evolution, for about 10 to 15 minutes, and students drove “the rest of the way in the discussion,” Brown said.

“They get out of it what they put in,” Brown said. “It is obvious these students do their homework too.”

While some brewers answered questions, students and other brewers were able to participate in beer samples. The questions, sometimes coming from other brewers, ranged from thoughts about partnerships to relocation, expansions, obstacles and the processes of producing beer.

Although a class on drinking beer can be very exciting, Brown wants everyone to know that

there’s more to the class than just drinking beer.

“Students develop knowledge of the evolution of brewing and brewers’ culture and practices, an understanding of various beer and ale styles, the effects of local culture and society, and the relationship of various technologies on the brewing process,” according to the CHS course description.

The class generally walks through styles of beer, marketing, operations and anything else to do with beer. The tasting “illustrates the sensory properties (flavor, color, foam, and haze), microbiological processes and chemical components that determine beer quality,” the description continues.

“It’s not just how to drink beer, but very much the cultural and business side of it,” Brown said.

CHS 4640 is an upper-level elective available to all students of legal drinking age.

Samples of beers ranged from ales t0 IPAs to lagers while students take notes on taste, pallet and flavor profiles.

Jessi Lestelle | The Sentinel

From left to right: Neil Wolin, a member, Mikayla Moreau, president, Rashad Daniels, vice president, and Shiloh Ary, treasurer.

Kevin Barrett | The Sentinel

Club of the Week: Political Science Club Lyncoln Doggett | Contributor

Students participate in the second peace studies soccer match at the Owls Nest on March 24.

Marquis Holmes | The Sentinel

KSU students compete for peace sake Marquis Holmes | Arts and Living Editor On March 24, KSU peace and conflict studies students competed against international students in the second peace studies soccer match at the Owls Nest.

The soccer match, advised by Dr. Pranaya Rana, a part-time instructor of peace studies, and led by Canyon North, the elected class speaker, brought together 30 players and 40 observers to engage in a 40-minute, two-half match.

The peace studies team combined sections two and three of Rana’s Understand Peace and Conflict course. The international team was compromised of student volunteers of various majors from all over KSU. Sponsored by the school of conflict management, the intent of the match was to promote diversity at KSU. Last year, Rana pitted his class against the KSU Police Department as part of community building and peacebuilding,

and he planned to meet the same goal going into the second game.

“My aim is to engage students in doing something that is directly relevant to understanding peace and conflict,” Rana said.

“Playing soccer with the police was intended to send a positive message to other schools in the U.S. amidst some conflict regarding police brutality and some examples of use of excessive force in schools.”

On top of community and peacebuilding, Rana also aimed to set an example for inclusivity in the U.S. “This year, we organized it to involve international students so that we could promote diversity and cultural understanding in KSU and provide a good example to other universities and the overall U.S. amidst the rising negative stereotypes about foreigners and

immigrants,” Rana said.

North and the peace studies students were in charge of finding players, referees and managing operations while equipment was provided by students from participating classes. Julia Orr led the marketing effort by creating flyers and working with students to promote the event.

“It was great to be able to have a first-hand experience in negotiating with a big group of people and spreading positivity throughout the community, which is something we learn so much about in class,” said Caitlyn McGalliard, a peace studies student. “It’s been a lot of work, but the outcome has been so rewarding!”

The international team defeated the peace studies team 3-1 and mingled together at the conclusion of the game. Students looking to participate in the match next year can contact Rana at prana1@kennesaw.edu.

The KSU Political Science club is a bi-partisan student collective that aims to give students opportunities to become politically active and involved at KSU. Meeting every other Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Social Sciences building on the Kennesaw campus, Political Science Club members deliberate on how best to drive student involvement in politics. A typical club meeting consists of a group discussion about recent news, political event recaps, goal setting and plan-of-action implementing.

The club’s current goal is to foster student interest in politics even though the presidential election has passed. Last spring, members held a “Three Months of Trump” event that brought several KSU professors together to dissect the first 90 days of the Trump administration and how it aligned with President Donald Trump’s 100-day plan. The event allowed KSU professors that professionally analyze political discourse to honestly voice their opinions in front of an audience of students.

“Politics affects everyone, so we welcome students of all majors,” said Mikayla Moreau, club president and a junior at KSU. “Politics is most effective at the local level, so we hope to serve our community through volunteerism and by engaging in local politics. I believe that politics should not fall into the shadows of our everyday routines.”

Throughout the Trump administration, the club has pursued its focus on politics and not just the leaders that are involved in said politics. The club keeps its momentum going by locating

opportunities for members to gain beneficial experiences, such as campus events and peer discussions.

Alongside events featuring professors from KSU, the club also hosts student-led discussions regarding presidential candidates and the important decisions that government officials make daily.

“By allowing open dialogue, one day we’ll get to a point where politics doesn’t have to be a fight between friends, family and strangers,” Moreau said. “It won’t seem like a scary subject. If you want to affect change you have to start getting involved and speaking up. That is the goal of the Political Science club on the KSU campus.”

Dr. Andrew Pieper, political science club coordinator and an associate professor of political science, helped start the club in fall 2016. Since then, the club has maintained traction.

“I recently had a conversation with one of the current members, Sydney Palmer, who said that, although she is not a political science major, she wanted to be involved in a club that allowed her to be around people who don’t always see things the way she does,” Moreau said. “She wanted to get out of her bubble of like-minded people.

“I believe that sums up exactly what makes this club different than other clubs. We have one common interest, politics, but we are so diverse in how we view it,” Moreau continued.

The Political Science Club is open to all students, and students can inquire about getting involved by contacting Moreau at mmoreau3@ students.kennesaw.edu.

Page 6 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | March 27, 2018

ARTS AND LIVING

This year KSU Miracle raised more than $330,000 with the help of volunteers, donors and proud KSU students.

Photo courtesy of KSU Miracle

KSU MIRACLE’S DANCE MARATHON SURPASSES FUNDRAISING GOAL WITH MORE THAN $330,000 Abbie Bythewood | Engagement Director

Jim Wallace, 77, talks about his life experiences and views in an interview on March 22.

Cory Hancock | The Sentinel

‘THE KIDS ARE THE SAME,’

A non-traditional student’s journey in theater Zack Elledge | Staff Writer Jim Wallace, a theater and performance studies major and $250,000 donor to its department, is not the man you’d expect him to be. He’s not gregarious, or loud, and he does not speak with exaggerated hand gestures or a booming voice. He sits there, fairly still and somewhat quiet with an all-the-rarer friendly smile.

A 77-year-old retired IBM executive, Wallace has been taking classes in KSU’s theater department for 15 years.

He’s here because he wants to be, and his reasoning, as he puts it, is because “sitting around and waiting to die is very boring.”

“I’ve been here almost 15 years... because I’m in no rush to get out,” Wallace said. “The first time I got a degree, it was to get a degree. This time it’s to get an education.”

Dressed in blue jeans, a red, buttoned-up plaid shirt, flip-flops and a khaki jacket — it’s a cool, comfortable style that paints a man who, while not unconcerned, does not think of life as too gravely serious a thing.

It started about 15 years ago when, through a friendship with Joe Meeks, former dean of the college of the arts, Wallace got the idea to try an acting class.

Wallace recalled his first day: “I was the first one sitting in the acting class, Acting One, and as the students walked in the door, they were like, ‘Woah, what are you doing here?’ It was the kind of diversity that the students weren’t used to, but about three weeks into the class, and it’s been true ever since, the kids just accept me, you know? I’m one of them.”

What he does seem to take seriously is the world around him — more pointedly, the people. Wallace has an eye for injustice that focuses on the divide in the U.S. between whites and minorities, particularly the black community.

Wallace is no stranger to racism. He was raised in a racist community in Oregon, and his college fraternity excluded black people — but what separates Wallace is his outlook.

“I was in the military when Truman integrated the military, and I worked for a black major, and for some

reason, that guy took me under his wing and he liked me,” Wallace said. “And then I joined IBM, and IBM was in the forefront of equal employment opportunity. And I was going out and I was hiring people of color.”

Wallace said he found great satisfaction in theater department chairman Rick Lombardo’s decision to cast black actors in the lead roles of “As You Like It,” a recent KSU theater performance that Wallace partook in.

In talking with Wallace, it quickly becomes clear that this life, the life of a theater student that began at the age of 62, is the one he always wanted to lead. He attributes his career at IBM for his ability to do this.

“There is true joy in giving,” Wallace said.

When asked about his hope for the future of the department, given his time, emotional and financial investment in it, he jokingly said, “We’re doing fine.”

When asked how he thinks students today differ from him when he was their age, Wallace’s initial response was to jokingly reach for the cellphone recording the interview and then laugh.

“The kids are the same,” He said. “They get stuck in these things, [cellphones] but they’re the same.”

While weighing in on his relationship with the students, he said: “You know what our [the older generation’s] job is? Our job is to keep you alive until you’re 25 because we’re very stupid until we get to the age of 25.

“A lot of people say we write off old folks and I’m wondering whether old folks write off themselves, by disengaging or somehow feeling, ‘Well I don’t have anything to contribute anymore,’” Wallace continued.

“We have a lot to contribute. And I do not feel rejected by the students. I don’t. They’re glad to have me in the classroom.”

Wallace fell in love with performance as an eight-yearold kid in his church’s Christmas production, when he walked out, realized he had forgotten his prop sword, announced to the audience what he had done, and walked back to get it.

He’s still the same funny, honest kid today.

KSU Miracle hosted its annual 12hour dance marathon on Saturday, March 24, in the Dr. Betty L. Siegel student recreation and activities center, unveiling at the end of the event that, through the past year of fundraising, it had raised $330,514.18 for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

The theme of this year’s event was “CelebraTEN” to commemorate a decade since KSU Miracle was founded. The fundraising goal set by this year’s executive board was $300,000, doubling last year’s goal of $150,000.

Last year the organization raised $215,129, and the midnight reveal of this year’s total left the

executive board, its committees and volunteers elated at what they had achieved.

“I felt unworthy of the number,” said KSU senior Igne Zukaraite, executive director of KSU Miracle.

“The whole year was an uphill climb, and seeing not only the goal met but the goal exceeded was a wave of emotion and feeling of ‘We did it.’”

KSU Miracle is the largest registered student organization at KSU. This year’s total ended up being 100 times more than the organization’s first year total of $3,300.

“It’s crazy that we raised around $52,000 on just Saturday alone,” said

KSU senior Adam Pemberton, KSU Miracle’s external director. “It got to a point leading up to the weekend where I wasn’t sure if we would quite hit the goal, but at the reveal, I was in disbelief. We actually hit it.”

Dance Marathon is a nationwide event involving more than 450 high schools and colleges who raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, according to CHOA’s website.

KSU Miracle has yet to set its fundraising goal for next year, but the proceeds from this year’s event will directly benefit CHOA’s recently-opened Children’s at Town Center Outpatient Care Center.

Volunteers and KSU students dance “For the Kids” during the 2018 KSU Miracle Dance Marathon.

Noelle Cameron | The Sentinel

Dance Marathon went on for 12 hours from noon to midnight Friday, March 23.

Noelle Cameron | The Sentinel

Page 7 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | March 27, 2018

ARTS AND LIVING

SPRING BREAK CALENDAR

Spring Break Festival and Carnival BaconFest 2018 at the Riverdale Town Center at Dad’s Garage

March 31

March 30 - April 8

7200 Church Street, Riverdale, GA 30274

569 Ezzard Street, Atlanta, GA 30312 1-6 p.m.

Rides, games, food, and live entertainment, all sponsored

by A Community A-Fair, can all be expected at the Atlanta fair designated just for spring break. Entry is free for all ages. college students sticking by can have a blast at the park.

275 Riverside Parkway Southwest, Austell, GA 30168 Spend your spring break experiencing the thrills and joyrides at Six Flags Over Georgia, which will be open daily. With 12 thrill rides, including the 20-story-tall Goliath, college students sticking by can have a blast at the park.

Sparkles Skating Center 1000 McCollum Parkway, Kennesaw, GA 30144

April 2-6

March 31- April 8

Spring Break Celebration at Six Flags Over Georgia

The BaconFest fundraiser event returns to Atlanta with beer, games and bacon. You can find more information about BaconFest at baconfestatl.com.

Sparkles is offering a variety of specials for students hanging around during spring break, including Monday Madness which offers $2 skate rentals and $2 cheese pizza. Find out more about the schedule at sparkleskennesaw.com.

March 20 SOLUTION

ACROSS

1. Inscribed pillar 6. Strike caller 9. MADD member, colloquially 13. Conestoga vehicle 14. Salt in cocina 15. Caldecott award 16. Lusitania destroyer 17. School org.

18. Idealized image 19. *Glutes, e.g.

21. *Burnable unit 23. Witch’s work 24. What little piggy did 25. Overall part 28. “____ and shine!”

30. Chew the fat 35. *Lactic ____, cause of sore muscles 37. Editor’s mark 39. Nary a soul 40. Be dependent 41. Sort of warm 43. Seed cover 44. Capital near Casablanca 46. Embarkation location 47. Oates’ singing partner 48. Second book of Old Testament 50. Aphrodite’s son 52. Nod 53. Opposite of riches 55. Fleur-de-____ 57. *Wearable device 61. Rhinitis or dermatitis 65. Top scout 66. Grade A item in grocery store 68. Actress Davis 69. Alley tom 70. Ciao in the U.S. 71. Finish 72. *Competitive group 73. Ambulance crew 74. *Time between sets, pl.

CROSSWORD:

Personal Fitness

Atlanta improvisers come together to celebrate the growth of improv in the city and open the door to performers across the nation.

Join in on a weekend of laughing.

Learn more about this event at the villagecomedy.com.

April 8

DIRTY CHAI: A Sunday Tea Dance at The Bakery 825 Warner Street Southwest, Atlanta, GA 30310 3-8 p.m.

The inaugural monthly dance party invites all out for music by DJ Esme of La Choloteca and DJ Pure Joy, drag performances by Jaybella Banks, Paege Turner and Dotte Comm, as well as local art on sale. Tickets are $10. You can find out more on Eventbrite.

592 N, Angier Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30308 11 a.m - 8 p.m.

The third annual food truck festival hosts food trucks from all over the southeast.

Local bands will also play while listeners enjoy cuisine from the chefs. Admission is free, and the cost of food varies from truck-to-truck.

2018 Big Picture Con Film and Tech Conference + Short Film Festival at Clayton State University

April 8-9

349 Decatur Street Southeast, Atlanta, GA 30312

April 7

April 5-8

Atlanta Improv Festival at Village Theatre

Food-O-Rama Food Truck Festival at Old Fourth Ward Park

Student Activity Center, 2000 Clayton State Boulevard, Morrow GA, 30260 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Film enthusiasts and students can participate in two days of workshops, panel discussions, demos and more for professional development in the film and digital entertainment industry. Find out more at bigpicturecon.com.

1. *Swim, swam, ____ 2. Not to be mentioned 3. Prima donnas’ problems 4. Catfish’s cousin 5. Deciduous horn 6. UPS competitor 7. *Yoga turf 8. There’s none like home?

9. Office communique 10. Month before Nisan 11. Balthasar and Gaspar 12. Plant-derived home remedy 15. “Paradise Lost” poet 20. Be 22. Mandela’s org.

24. Sentimental books and movies 25. *Isometric strength training prop 26. Mountaineer’s tool 27. Baggins of the Shire 29. *Type of aerobics 31. Genesis skipper 32. Maraud 33. Like a feeble old woman 34. *Dumb____ and kettle____ 36. Two of a kind 38. Wedding cake layer 42. Funny 45. Ankara country 49. Greek letters on campus 51. *____Sneakers, senior workout programs 54. Freshwater diving bird 56. Rive Droite and Rive Gauche separator 57. T in SAT 58. *Resting heart ____ 59. Site of Taj Mahal 60. Chowder mollusc 61. Def Leppard’s “Rock of ____” 62. Singer Stewart and actor Steiger 63. Overabundance 64. Puppy barks 67. *Fitness venue

SUDOKU

DOWN

March 20 SOLUTION

Listen to Owl Radio!

Check them out on the RadioFX app and online at ksuradio.com!

Get involved with The Peak!

Apply online at studentmedia.kennesaw.edu!

Page 8 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | March 27, 2018

SPORTS

Softball wins four of five at weekend tournament Vincent Coakley | Staff Writer The softball team soared at the Homewood Suites Challenge in Raleigh, North Carolina, over the weekend, winning four of five games while outscoring opponents 34-17 across all five.

Winning 12 of their last 14 games heading into the weekend, the Owls opened the competition with a doubleheader on Friday, March 23, beating Niagara 6-5. They took an early 3-0 lead, but three runs in the second and third innings leveled the score at 3-3. The teams would trade two more scores before the Owls sealed the victory, courtesy of an Olivia Tamewitz walk with the bases loaded.

The second game of the day saw KSU beat Marist 9-6. Marist came into the game at 8-16 on the year.

After a slow start, both teams sat at two runs going into the bottom of the fifth, but the Owls pulled away in that inning on the back of five runs scored. Meredith Milam batted in two on a single while an error on the Marist side allowed for two more KSU runners to find home plate. The Owls would score two more in the game to finish it off, going into Saturday undefeated.

Saturday’s game brought the only

defeat of the weekend for the Owls who played the tournament’s host, North Carolina State, falling 4-3.

Although KSU struck first in the top of the third inning by way of a mishandled pitch, three successive runs by the Wolfpack, accompanied by an error in the fourth, proved to be insurmountable for the Owls.

The competition’s final day featured two games for the Owls, both rematches from prior games.

The first game featured Marist, a game that KSU won decidedly 8-0.

KSU was led by freshman Patricia Awald who batted in five runs with two home runs. Pitcher Abigail Green made a major contribution, pitching a one-hit game.

Competition closed on Sunday with a rematch against the Wolfpack. Tamewitz and Noelle Winkles combined for four RBIs while pitcher Alley Cutting struck out seven batters, paving the way for an 8-2 victory for the Owls who came out of the tournament with a 4-1 record.

The Owls, whose record now sits at 22-11, will travel to Athens on Wednesday, March 28, to play the University of Georgia at 6 p.m.

The Owl offense takes on the Owl defense as they set up a play during this years’ spring game on Friday, March 23.

Chris Brown | The Sentinel

DEFENSE WINS SPRING GAME SHOWCASE, ALLOWS NEW TALENT TO PERFORM

Tyhi Conley | Contributor

KSU’s Gold-clad defense squeezed by the Blackclad offense 35-34 on Friday, March 23, mounting a comeback to win the Black vs. Gold spring football game for the second straight year.

Trailing by eight points at halftime under a modified scoring system, the defense forced four third-down stops and scored a touchdown off a blocked field goal in the third, and final, quarter.

Freshman linebacker Kyler Eldridge led the way with 10 tackles while defensive back Akebren Ralls scooped up the blocked field goal for an 87yard touchdown return.

The offense delivered the first hit on the opening drive as junior quarterback Daniel David broke for a 41-yard run and threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Justin Sumpter with 11:33 left in the first quarter.

“My decision-making has definitely improved,” David said. “I think I made some good decisions tonight, but we came out with a loss.”

The offense continued moving the ball throughout the game, rushing for 281 yards and gaining 134 yards in the air. Sophomore Donovan Taitt contributed to those stats in his debut at

quarterback. Still, their slew of miscues allowed the defense to gradually take the lead.

Responding to a six-play, 70-yard drive that ended with the first of two touchdown receptions by sophomore Darian Miles, reigning FCS Jerry Rice Award winner Bryson Armstrong recovered a fumble shortly before the quarter ended. Under the rules of the revamped scoring system, the deficit was cut to 10.

Standing all alone in the corner of the end zone as the clock wound down to end the second quarter, Miles scored the offense’s third touchdown of the half to lead 31-23. However, the offense failed to find the end zone the rest of the night.

After Ralls made the play of the game with his touchdown return, the defense carried that momentum and continued to accrue points en route to victory.

“Once they hopped out on us we were like, ‘We can’t get down,’” Ralls said. “‘We’ve got to keep our head up and keep going to play until the clock hits zero.’ That’s what we did.”

Down 35-34 with 32 seconds remaining, the

offense had a chance to gain two points with the game’s modified point system. Following a pass break up, the defense prevailed, limiting David to a 3-yard gain that would run the clock out.

“We’ve got the whole year,” Ralls said. “If they would have won, I would have had to listen to it all year. Now they have to hear it out [of] our mouths.”

A number of players were injured during the game, which was called after three quarters. As necessary as the spring game is to showcase the talents of all the players, a risk is still involved.

Coming off the best season in school history, head coach Brian Bohannon believes plenty of work is crucial before their season opener at Georgia State on Aug. 30. The first step is becoming healthy.

“I was encouraged by the way things finished up,” Bohannon said. “We’ve got to get some guys healthy and continue putting the pieces together.

Come fall, we’ll be ready to go.”

Men’s tennis splits weekend matches, women fall again Lynn Spain | Staff Writer

Shortstop Jessie Mullen throws a ball to first base during a game against Rutgers University on Feb. 24.

Richard Blythe | The Sentinel

The men’s and women’s tennis teams lost in their Atlantic Sun Conference opening matches against Lipscomb on Saturday, March 24, but the men rebounded on Sunday to defeat Gardner-Webb.

A 4-2 loss opened up Saturday’s home matches as the men’s team gained points from junior Fermin Calvo Barcelo and freshman Bryan Triana.

The Owls began the day with a win in the first doubles match before dropping the next two, falling behind 1-0 overall. After taking the first two singles matches to lead 2-1, the Owls lost the next three, resulting in a loss.

Calvo Barcelo, who earned ASUN all-second team honors last season, breezed past his opponent 6-3 and 6-0 while the four-star recruit Triana fought through a tight 7-5 first set before taking the second set 6-2. In the doubles matches,

the sole win for the Owls was by Triana and Drew Lahey.

The women’s team fell 5-2 in their evening matches against Lipscomb with junior Jessica Cantrell and sophomore Aspen Jarrett claiming wins for the Owls.

After dropping the doubles matches, the Owls claimed their first point through Jarrett who won the first set 6-2 before her opponent retired from the match. Later, Cantrell handily won her match, taking the first set 6-4 before blanking her opponent 6-0 in the second.

Saturday’s loss for the men’s team did not seem to affect them the next day as they defeated Gardner-Webb in a 4-0 shutout on Sunday.

The Owls took the lead early in the day with two wins in the doubles matches from pairs Lahey

and Triana along with Corey Smith and Lucas de Torres Curth.

Smith opened up the scoring in the singles matches with a straight-set victory, and de Torres Curth followed suit. Triana played the only prolonged match as he rebounded from his second set to win.

“I am really proud of the way we played today,” said director of tennis Eduardo Rincon. “We [strengthened] the doubles lineups up today and were able to clinch the point with solid play from all three doubles lines.”

Both tennis teams will play at home Saturday against Florida Gulf Coast University - The women play at 11 a.m., and the men play at 4 p.m.

Owls total 63 runs in 3 game series against Grambling State Perry Turnipseed | Staff Writer & Teddy Teshome | Contributor The baseball team played three home games against Grambling State over the weekend, sweeping the series and scoring a combined 63 runs.

Having lost six of their previous nine games coming into the series, the Owls took to Stillwell Stadium on Friday, March 23, looking to find good form.

That form was established quickly as a five-run first inning, a nine-run third inning and a seven-RBI performance from Griffin Helms carried the Owls to a 26-7 defeat of the Tigers.

The Owls batted around five times in the first five innings, and by the end of the fifth inning, they were up 25-0.

That offense was more than enough for starter AJ Moore who worked five scoreless innings, allowed two hits, struck out five batters and walked two.

The outing was the 40th career start for Moore who now holds KSU’s record for most career starts.

LaDonis Bryant, Tyler Simon, Grant Williams and Helms combined to go 12-for-23 with 13 runs scored and 14 RBIs. Every batter in KSU’s starting lineup had at least one hit and eight of

nine had multiple hits.

Helms ended up tying a KSU program record with seven RBIs while AJ Willoughby’s six RBIs equaled the second-highest total in the program’s history.

The Owls continued their dominance the next day, clinching the series and exceeding 20 runs once again in a 23-6 triumph.

Simon and Terrence Norman led the team with four hits each and a combined three RBIs while Helms added three RBIs to his dominant weekend. Brooks Buckler started on the mound for the Owls and allowed one run, six hits and recorded five strikeouts.

The Owls got off to a hot start and led the game 7-0 after the second inning, continuing the good start with an additional 10 runs scored in the third inning to take a 17-0 lead. They maintained control from that point forward.

On Sunday, the last game of the series was decided via a 10-run mercy rule that was agreed upon before

the game, and a final score of 14-2 shortened the game to seven innings.

Helms and Forrest Bramlett led the team with three hits each while Helms finished off his weekend with three additional RBIs to end up with 13 total for the series. Jake Rothwell was the starting pitcher for the Owls and allowed two runs, four hits and recorded seven strikeouts.

For the first time in the series, Grambling State scored in the first inning, but the Owls countered in the bottom half of the first with three runs of their own. The Owls would go on to score 11 runs in the next four innings to make the game 14-2.

Next up, the Owls will go on the road to take on in-state opponent Georgia State on Tuesday, March 27, at 6 p.m. After that, the Owls will begin their conference schedule against USC Upstate in South Carolina on Thursday, March 29, at 6 p.m.

Griffin Helms (34), LaDonis Bryant (14) and Grant Williams (11) celebrate after three runs were scored against Grambling State on March 23.

Alisa Seripap | The Sentinel

SPORTS

Page 9 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | March 27, 2018

Upcoming Spring Sports Events

Tuesday 3/27

(14-12)

Cory Hancock

(14-12)

Abbie Bythewood

(11-15) (12-14) (12-8)

Editor-in-Chief

Engagement Director

Rio White

Sports Editor

Payton Butler Production Manager

Doug Malone

Owl Radio Sports Director

This ad was paid for by CRU.

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

3/28

3/29

3/30

3/31

4/1

• Track and Field at Texas Relays (All Day) • Softball at UGA (6 p.m.)

• Women’s golf at Hennsler Intercollegiate (All Day) • Baseball at Georgia State ( 2 p.m.)

3-POINT PREDICTIONS THE FINAL FOUR

Wednesday

LOYOLA-CHICAGO V. #3MICHIGAN #11

• Track and Field at Texas Relays (All Day) • Women’s lacrosse at Detroit Mercy (3 p.m.)

• Baseball at USC Upstate (6 p.m.)

KANSAS V. #1VILLANOVA #1

NATIONAL CHAMPION

MICHIGAN VILLANOVA VILLANOVA LOYOLA VILLANOVA VILLANOVA LOYOLA

KANSAS KANSAS

LOYOLA VILLANOVA VILLANOVA LOYOLA

KANSAS

LOYOLA

• Track and Field at Emory Classic (All Day) • Softball vs. North Florida (1 and 3 p.m.)

• Baseball at USC Upstate (6 p.m.)

• Track and Field at Emory Classic (All Day) • Tennis vs. FGCU (11 a.m. and 4 p.m.)

• Softball vs. North Florida (1 p.m.)

• Baseball at USC Upstate (1 p.m.)

• Men’s golf at Augusta Invitational (All Day)

Page 10 | Kennesaw State University | The Sentinel | March 27, 2018

SPORTS