2/3/2011

WHY WAIT TILL THURSDAY? READ MYTJNOW.COM.

How well do you know your roommate? Find out on WUTube.

See A&E, page 9

Public relations class could help bring back the Bike Club.

See News, page 2

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

Black History Month brings attention to 2 campus buildings.

See News, page 5

WINTHROP UNIVERSITY

Issue 16 NEWS

SPORTS

‘On guard. Ready? Fence!’ Students

promote local businesses

BY MONICA KREBER kreberm@mytjnow.com

It is called the Hive because it is a workplace buzzing with activity.

It is buzzing with activity because the Hive is a new program that gives Winthrop students the chance to work in the “real world.”

The Hive is for Winthrop’s digital information design 451 class, taught by Professor Jim McKim. Facilitator Jason Broadwater said the Hive consists of 30 students from both Winthrop and York Tech.

“Winthrop has never had a 451 class because it Winthrop’s Fencing Club meets every week to practice for competitions such as the Charlestonian, the Tiger Open and the S.C. Junior Olympics Qualifiers. Freshman Timothy Altman played in the Junior Olympics in December. Photo by Stephanie Eaton • eatons@mytjnow.com

thackhamd@mytjnow.com

Typical success stories don’t usually begin with “When I was in ACAD 101…, ” but Timothy Altman is not a typical freshman music education major. He’s just two weeks away from his debut in the Junior Olympics to represent his school in fencing.

When the Clubs and Organizations Fair, sponsored by the introductory freshman course ACAD 101, began in September 2010, Altman, along with every other freshman, strolled down to Schol-

ars Walk to fulfill a course requirement and mingle with new friends.

But the fencing table caught Altman’s attention.

“I used to want to fence,” he said, “but I’d never had the time, so I figured I’d come by… and attend a meeting, and [I’ve] been doing it ever since.”

Altman had no time for fencing in high school. He had his plate full with baseball, soccer, football and lacrosse.

“I’ve played almost every sport since I was three or four, so I’ve been a very athletic person all my life,” the freshman said.

See HIVE page 4

NEWS

Freshman fencer makes it to regional competition

BY DAVID THACKHAM

is a brand new program,” Broadwater said, “so they wanted the class to be about serving real clients.

Jim McKim was all over it.”

Broadwater said the class is doing two types of projects: one is designing and developing contentmanagement system websites. The other part is doing Internet marketing activity – anything from social media to connective activity, publishing, posting, videography and anything one can do online for a website.

“From York Tech, we have credit-seeking people

Athleticism was not the only thing his future coach, Michael Edgecombe, was happy to see in his new fencing club addition.

“Tim was really enthusiastic about fencing right off the bat,” Edgecombe said. “He soaked everything he could up like a sponge.”

Most novices to the sport elect to compete in the easier competitions, such as the sabre or foil divisions, where the strikes must be at least above the waistline. That simply was not Altman’s style. He chose to fight epee, (pronounced

See FENCING page 11

Credit cards pose potential danger

BY KAITLYN SCHALLHORN schallhornk2@mytjnow.com

College is traditionally the clichéd place for students to discover their own strong sense of self— not to have their identity stolen.

Dr. James Schultz, assistant professor of finance, said that credit cards are not a good idea for students, even if they can speed up transactions.

If a student happens to drop their wallet, all some-

one has to do is pick it up and they can go shopping, Schultz says.

In December, several Winthrop University international students were victims of theft after they used their credit cards at a local restaurant and had their credit card numbers stolen, according to a story in The Herald.

See THEFT page 4

NEWS

CULTURE

Fake laughter benefits heart, immune system

Rock Hill honors Friendship Nine with 50th anniversary ceremony

BY JONATHAN MCFADDEN

BY DAVID THACKHAM

mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

Laughter is therapeutic medicine.

It’s even better when you’re laughing while blowing bubbles, bowling, arguing with a friend, apologizing to a person, chanting a mantra or saying your name.

Though it may sound awkward, about 40 Winthrop students and faculty found it helpful, relaxing and fun on Jan. 26, when English instructor Mary Martin and Debra Heintz, executive director for the arts council of York County, held a trial-run session of laughter yoga in the West Center.

Laughter yoga, a

method of combining unconditional and initially fake laughing with breathing exercises, began in 1995 in Mumbai, India.

Dr. Madan Kataria originated the idea and, since then, the art of laughing and breathing has become popular, attracting over 6,000 laughter yoga clubs around the globe.

Winthrop may be one more.

Martin decided to bring laughter yoga to Winthrop after her own inspiring experience with it during the summer.

See YOGA page 2

thackhamd@mytjnow.com

Actors helped turn back time Sunday in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Friendship Nine arrests. Some re-enacted the role of the City Girls, a group of women who protested outside the old McCrory’s restaurant on Main Street in 1961 while the Friendship Nine held a sit-in inside. Photo courtesy of Judy Longshaw • Media Relations

Questions? Contact us at editors@thejohnsonian.com Serving Winthrop since 1923

I N D E X

CAMPUS NEWS OPINION HEALTH & SCIENCE

2-5 6 7-8

Five-year-old Joseph Allan does not know who the Friendship Nine were or what they did.

That’s exactly what the historic group is hoping to change.

A commemorative re-enactment walk and ceremony for the Friendship Nine took place Sunday to honor nine black college students who decided to go to jail in 1961 for the crime of ordering from an exclusively white diner. The event, which included an appearance from the eight surviving members and a speech from York County council

See FRIENDSHIP page 9

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CULTURE SPORTS

9-11 12 13-15

2

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

CLAIRE BYUN News Editor byunc@mytjnow.com JONATHAN MCFADDEN Assistant News Editor mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

WU rolls with student biking campaign

By Jonathan McFadden

who used to go on bike rides with Holder when he was younger.

The senior health care management Biking is a passion for Frank Rizzo. major began his hobby as a cyclist during When his wife was diagnosed with ter- his freshman year and helped start Winminal cancer in 1995, he bought a bike throp’s original bike club. to vent, and since then hasn’t stopped “It was fun at first,” Holder said. pumping the pedal to the metal.

The club started with eight people, Carrying on a five-year tradition, Rizzo, Holder said. information services staff, enjoys going Both Rizzo and Holder found an outlet on his annual birthday ride—riding the for their love for biking through the Winnumber of miles that corresponds with throp Bike Club, started in 2008, with his age.

Rizzo acting as adviser. Unfortunately, In August, Rizzo will turn 80. He’ll bike the club fell apart when some of its origi80 miles. nal members graduated and others lost Similarly, Greyson Holder carries a interest. love for biking.

Now, a public relations class in the Describing himself as an avid cyclist, mass communication department is Holder said he was inspired by his father, working on a campaign that could help bring it back.

Bonnye Stuart, professor of integrated marketing communication, is teaching the class and leading them in a mockcampaign that will provide Winthrop’s Bike Club with tools that may help the club revitalize itself.

Stuart, who’s had her class do campaigns for the Bike Club in the past, said the campaign’s goal is to bring about biking awareness on campus. “[We’re] making students aware that biking is a healthy thing,” Stuart said.

Stuart felt the need for a bike club on campus when she noticed no improvement in Winthrop’s overall biking interests. She decided she and her class would jump back on the bandwagon and try again in a more economically-conscious society. “…Especially with gas prices going up and being concerned about the environment. Maybe that time wasn’t right; maybe this time is,” Stuart said.

One result of the class may Greyson Holder and other members of his fraterbe a renewal of interest in the nity, Pi Kappa Phi, rode on a 800 mile bike ride bike club, but the class won’t from Miami, Fla. to Tallahassee, Fla. last May. Photo courtesy of Greyson Holder. mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

actually be restarting the club itself.

Instead, it’s up to 10 students’ signatures on a biking club roster to resuscitate the club.

So far, the club has one name on the list, according to Rizzo.

The public relations class will provide the Bike Club with press releases, newsletters, fliers, posters and other items they would need if the decision to restart the club was made.

The class will also be responsible for conducting interviews with students in order to gauge their interest in biking and talking with business owners in the community to see how they would feel about students biking to their businesses.

EarthFare has already shown some signs of approval.

The health food market has added bike racks after they noticed students biking there more frequently, Stuart said.

Part of the class’ promotional work will include developing inexpensive creative objects they can hand out to incoming freshmen. Pieces Stuart’s class has worked on in the past include air fresheners for the International Center and throwing discs for the Global Learning Initiative.

“If you get the right students involved with this initiative, it can turn into a real revitalization of the Bike Club on campus,” said Tom Bell, outdoor recreation program director for Rock Hill Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

Though the class won’t restart the bike club themselves, Bell holds out hope the class may inspire at least one avid student to restart the club.

Bike Winthrop, bike Rock Hill The city of Rock Hill holds a vested interest in biking around Winthrop as part of their College Town Action Plan, an initiative to transform Rock Hill into more of a college town in the next several years.

Part of the plan includes making Winthrop and the surrounding area more bike-and-pedestrian friendly. To accomplish this, the city plans to put in shar-

rows—arrows painted into the right lanes of streets to make them predominantly bike lanes, Bell said. “[Sharrows] help people have confidence if they leave campus on a bike, there’s an area for them to bike on the road,” Bell said.

In fact, the right lanes on Oakland Avenue are intended to act as bike lanes, though most motorists aren’t aware of that, Rizzo said.

Bell said there’s a growing interest for “complete streets” in Rock Hill, specifically on Cherry Road.

Complete streets allow for all forms of traffic to have equal access on the roads, from pedestrians to bikes. Though this may mean slowing down traffic, Bell said the roads would become safer to everyone.

Another part of the city’s plans is to construct a velodrome, a track-cycling arena, that can host national caliber competitions while being accessible to the local community for cycling programs.

“It will be accessible but at the same time it will generate revenue from sports tourism,” Bell said.

Ground for the velodrome will be broken on Celanese Road in March, Bell said.

The project is expected to be completed

by December of this year.

The velodrome will be located at the Riverwalk site, a 1000 acre mixed-use development with 250 acres devoted entirely to outdoor recreational facilities and amenities, Bell said.

The velodrome, along with a BMX supercross track, represent just parts of a whole in the city’s collaboration with the Assured Group, a real estate development company, to provide facilities that will promote health, wellness and athleticism, according to the Riverwalk’s website.

WU government opens seats to student body

By Claire Byun

byunc@mytjnow.com

Yoga class helps reduce stress with laughter YOGA • from front “I think, overall, it has wonderful health benefits, wonderful mind benefits, and it’s not hard to do,” Martin said. “Everybody can laugh.”

With laughter yoga, there’s no need to be stressed out to try and be buff and healthy.

Testimonials by various people who have tried laughter yoga said it has helped cure them of allergies, stress and terminal illnesses, according to laughter yoga’s international website.

“Not only does it get you aerobically a little more in-tune if you do it consistently, but it helps your heart, it helps your blood pressure, it helps boost your immune system,” Martin said.

Laughter reduces stress, aids in sleep and bathes the brain in dopamine, Heintz said.

This leaves the laugher filled with endorphins that bring about relaxation and overall good feelings.

Ebony Wilkinson, sophomore exercise science major, felt really good Wednesday.

“I love laughter yoga; it’s awesome,”

Wilkinson said.

Initially, Wilkinson said she felt awkward, but after a couple of minutes of watching her peers and even some professors act silly, she got into the groove.

After Martin and Heintz introduced the principles of laughter yoga, they led the group in several laughter and breathing exercises, sprinkled with chants of ‘‘Ho, ho, ha, ha” and then a laugh.

First were the introductions. Each person, gathered around in a large circle, said their name followed by a quick laugh. Everybody else in the group joined them until there was a chorus of laughter following each person’s name.

Martin and Heintz then led the group in various laughing exercises, ranging from bowling while laughing to dancing like a chicken while laughing.

Martin said she’s hoping the West Center will review the schedule and evaluation sheets attendees filled out to find a good time to hold the class.

So far, so good.

The West Center is working to co-

incide its schedule with Martin’s, said Lindy Lunkenheimer, program director for fitness and aquatics in the West Center.

If there are any available times, the gym will potentially be offering the class in February, Lunkenheimer said.

“The likelihood is great,” she said. “I see it on the schedule in the future.”

To add group fitness classes to the gym, instructors usually conduct demos with Lunkenheimer, who then has attendees fill out evaluation sheets.

Once the judgment comes and feedback is positive, Lunkenheimer will try to add the class to the schedule.

Laughter yoga received good feedback.

“People seemed to enjoy it, just because it was something different,” Lunkenheimer said. “It’s really out of the box from what is more commonly offered.”

Another class recently added to the West Center’s schedule is Boxfit, a contact sport that allows participants to learn kickboxing moves and take their aggression out on a bag.

In the new student-wide elections, both president and vice-president seats will be available for student vote, said CSL Chair Sydney Evans.

Last week, The Johnsonian reported the Council of Student Leaders (CSL) will hold the first democratic student-government election in more than 10 years.

Evans sent out a student-wide e-mail last Tuesday stating all students will be able to vote but that e-mail did not mention who would be eligible to run for chair and vice-chair.

Evans said in an interview this week that all students will be able to run for the seats and the group’s constitution has been revised to reflect that change.

“The individual who occupies this seat acts as your voice to the administration, and you should have a say in who that person is,” Evans said.

Both the application process and new student constitution that provides for the student-wide elections are awaiting university approval.

Interest sessions will be held, similar to Peer Mentor interest meetings. All students who wish to apply must attend a session will be organized by Evans and Tripp Volk, CSL vice chair.

Each applicant must have a completed application, leadership portfolio, be a full-time student (with at least 24 hours of Winthrop credit) and have at least a 2.75 GPA. CSL will look for Board of Trustee approval for the new constitution and application process in two weeks at the board retreat.

3

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

Study buddies connect across classrooms

By Claire Byun

byunc@mytjnow.com

No longer will students have to awkwardly make classroom friends just to find study partners.

Connect 4 Class, a program run by the Residence Life department, assists students in finding study buddies, later in hopes of forming larger study groups.

“Study groups have shown to be effective at all levels in all classes,” said Katie Sardelli, academic associate for Margaret Nance. “Having to explain things to your classmate can help you learn the concepts, too.”

As long as students register for the same course, such as writing 101 and math 150, the program will match students regardless of professors.

“We aim to match by faculty member but many classes follow the same kind of program,” Sardelli said.

If needed, the groups can also rent a weekly study room free of charge, as long as no other schedling conflicts exist.

The study arrangement has been active for four semesters, and Sardelli said it continues to grow every year.

“The success of the program relies on how much students want to use it,” Sardelli said.

While the service is free and open to all students, anyone can register for any class. A match will be made as soon as another student requests a study buddy for the same course.

The program is one of three academic initiatives created by Residence Life. The department also offers House Calls and pre-advising workshops to students.

Cindy Cassens, director of residence life, wants the program to succeed in order to help students succeed academically.

“We’re looking for any opportunity to compliment academic goals of the university for stu-

dent life,” Cassens said.

Though the curriculum isn’t very well known, Cassens suggests students use it frequently in order to make the most out of study buddies.

“We need to grow our pool bigger so we can make more connections,” Cassens said. “All we can do is give students the opportunity, and they go from there.”

If students have a different idea to promote academic success, Cassens said the department is always open to new ideas.

“If a student has an idea with some sort of academic theme, we’d be willing to look at it,” Cassens said. “Just let me know.”

Anyone interested in the program can register online at the Residence Life website, www. winthrop.edu/reslife. Once a match is found, both students will be alerted and given contact information.

“” Having to explain

things to your classmate can help you learn the concepts, too.

Katie Sardelli

Academic associate for Margaret Nance

Our bad: Tom Stanley, department chair of fine arts, was printed as John Stanley in the Hardin Family Garden story in the Jan. 20 issue.

Graphic by Courtney Niskala • niskalac@mytjnow.com

Driving Toasted Jacob Olsen and Matt Horick, both art students, thought it would be funny to build magnet toast pieces on top of Krysten Sobus’ car.

They were right.

“We’ve seriously been laughing about this for three days,” Olsen said.

Sobus, psychology major, followed her friends to her car in the commuter parking lot at Dinkins.

“They said they had to show me

something, and now I’m looking at my car and it has toast on it,” Sobus said.

“TOAST!” Yes, toast.

Sobus then drove several victory laps around campus.

A car with toast drove around.

“I mean, her car just looks like a toaster,” Horick said.

Yes, toast.

Photos by Kathleen Brown • brownk@mytjnow.com

4

THURSDAY February 3, 2011 HIVE • from front ple who are basically doing the equivalence of an internship,” Broadwater said.

“And we’ve got seven on-profit clients we are working with.”

Broadwater said the prominent clients include Children’s Protection Home, Rock Hill Schools Foundation, Historic Rock Hill and Rock Hill Economic Corporation.

Broadwater called the class an alignment of different goals, including the idea of economic development in terms of jobs.

“A clustering of technology-based talent is one of the best economic development tools we can have,” Broadwater said. “We are retaining Winthrop and York Tech students to create this hive of technology talent.”

Broadwater said the Hive, which is brand new to Winthrop, is a big deal for Rock Hill because it is part of the College Town Action Plan.

“Rock Hill has been begging to bring students downtown for years,” he said.

“No one was doing the Hive before this.

We just really want Winthrop downtown.”

The project is bigger than just a class; the whole class is based on the project(s) with the clients. The first thing the students do is learn the business requirements of the project, and the rest of the semester is about executing the project.

Senior digital information design major Nikki Ramey works on developing content-management for Children’s Protection Home in the class. She said the class is almost like being put into a reallife job scenario.

“Great things will happen here,” she said.

Senior digital information design major Thomas Phifer said he thinks the environment of the Hive will result positively for the students.

“With the amount of people, institutions and organizations coming togeth-

er for this project, I don’t see how it couldn’t be a success,” he said.

While Ramey also mentioned that the program is still getting off the ground, second-year York Tech student Cameron McLeod said the only bad thing about the Hive is the fact that the main PCs lack Flash and Java, which are necessary for web work.

“That is being fixed, so it might not count as a dislike,” McLeod said. “Hopefully I can get some good experience out of the Hive and possibly a job to work in as well.”

Broadwater designed and created the curriculum. He brought in all the projects, then he managed all the teams to execute the projects. Broadwater’s company, Revenflo, is responsible for delivering the outcomes at “market quality” to the clients.

“It’s not like a class doing a free project,” he said. “They’re paying us instead of hiring another professional service, so we better give them as good or better of an outcome as a professional business would give them.”

Despite the pressure, Broadwater said the students like the idea.

“It’s all about how students choose to engage,” he said, “and the students are so excited.”

Broadwater came up with the idea about a year and a half ago, first speaking with York Tech and then getting Winthrop involved within the past year.

Broadwater said the class will allow students to function in a real-world environment and learn the skills of executing real world work with accountability.

“Already they’re meeting the business leaders of the communities and hopefully when they leave here one of these people will hire them,” he said.

The pilot project is two years long.

However, the Hive needs clients for next semester or there will be no program, which Broadwater called “one of the realworld risks.”

Broadwater said in the future he would

Facilities management to permeate recently purchased operations center

By Jonathan McFadden mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

The operations center Winthrop purchased for almost $3 million will soon be vacant of Rock Hill personnel, just in time for Winthrop’s facilities management to set up camp.

Last October, Winthrop purchased the operations center as part of a long-term property deal between the university and the city.

In turn, the city purchased 8.27 acres of the Winthrop Park property near the Coliseum.

On Oct. 7, 2010, The Johnsonian reported that Winthrop had been planning to purchase the operations center for a number of years as part of a compact agreement set up by the university and the city in mid-2003.

Before any further action could be taken with the newly acquired property, Winthrop had to wait for approval from Rock Hill City Council and then

the South Carolina budget and control board.

The city council’s approval came in November 2010, while the approval from the budget and control board came in December 2010, said Rebecca Masters, assistant to the president for public affairs.

The city of Rock Hill will move out during the summer, said Walter Hardin, vice president for facilities management. Once they move out, facilities management will move its operations and warehouse storage out of the old Winthrop operations center on Cherry Road and into the new one on Columbia Avenue.

Currently, Winthrop facilities and operations are in four distinct locations.

Moving into the operations center will bring all facilities’ operations under one roof, Hardin said.

The old operations center, formerly the Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Plant, will free up space for future academic needs, as

well as provide additional parking for faculty, staff and students, Hardin said.

The university is also looking into obtaining energy grants to purchase electrical maintenance vehicles that would be charged by solar PV panels on the roof of the operations center, Hardin said.

“So far, this grant search has not been successful, but we keep trying,” Hardin said.

A byproduct of Winthrop’s purchase of the operations center is the university now owns that entire block of property, except for the corner of Constitution Boulevard and Cherry Road.

Hardin said the new ownership will allow for future campus growth.

As for the District 3 stadium near the operations center, Winthrop University spokeswoman Rebecca Masters said the university has no interest in purchasing the property at this time.

like to be doing 10-plus projects a semester, and get more institutions involved, more clients and more layers of the educational curriculum that they are not offering yet.

“Growth is what we’re looking for,” he said.

Broadwater said the students had no idea what the class was going to be like.

“They knew they Students work on projects at the Hive, gathering downhad to take the town together from both Winthrop and York Tech. Photo by class, they had no Monica Kreber • kreberm@mytjnow.com idea what it was going to look like,” he said. “They just knew they were going to do a real project.”

Students fall prey to credit fraud THEFT • from front Schultz believes identity theft could pose a bigger threat to international students merely because the students may not be as accustomed to American culture and language. International students may not comprehend everything, and additional safeguards need to be in place, Schultz said.

Regardless of this crime hitting so close to home, Schultz says he would not be concerned with swiping a card at a local restaurant or store.

“If I’m at Subway, I’m not looking over my shoulder,” he said.

Students should, however, be wary when online shopping.

Schultz warned, “The sketchier the website, the more concerned [students] should be.”

Schultz also advocated students take precautions while using any online banking site. He says it is not enough to

just log out of the site; in order to prevent expert hackers from obtaining a card number, student must close the browser as well.

Debit cards pose the same risk as credit cards, Schultz said. “Credit and debit cards are both just electronic stamps on who you are.”

Sophomore accounting and economics major, Brandi Teat does not own a credit card, but uses a debit card, instead.

She says that while she is not always actively concerned with having her identity stolen, she believes the risk is still out there.

“I highly doubt businesses check for a signature every time you swipe your card,” Teat said.

“Most places don’t even ID for credit card purchases.”

The best way to avoid identify theft, according to Schultz, is to just use cash. “I know it’s 2011, but you can still use cash.

Use cash and you’re at no

risk for identity theft. No personal information is out there.”

Teat somewhat disagrees with Schultz.

“Credit cards are not safe, but in the same way, it isn’t safe to have thousands of dollars [in cash] on you,” Teat said.

It is ultimately up to the student to decide whether he or she wants to take the risk to open a credit card. If they do, Schultz has some advice.

The main thing students should do when using credit cards is to always make sure to get a receipt.

Schultz also advises students to go to their bank immediately if a purchase ever does not feel right. “Sit down with a banker, ask for a new card. They will give you a new card with a new number, usually for free.”

The worst thing students can do, Schultz says, is to just wait for something to happen.

5

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

CONNOR DE BRULER Opinion Editor debrulerc@mytjnow.com

Editor urges name change for 2 WU buildings It’s time hateful man. He Winthrop. Let’s holds the record change those for the longest names. filibuster. He also I performed had a secret child a stand-up with an Africancomedy routine American woman. at the last DSU His daughter did Connor de Bruler not go public until open mic. I Opinion editor went a little far his death. with some of Thurmond also my jokes, but I said, when opposmade a point. ing the racial integration, I told the following “…There’s not enough joke: “We have two buildtroops in the Army to ings here on Winthrop’s force Southern people to campus named after break down segregation unrepentant racists. Why and admit the Nigra race haven’t we changed the into our theaters, into name of Tillman Hall and our swimming pools, into Thurmond Hall? I guess our homes and into our Winthrop just doesn’t churches,” according to a feel like it. I didn’t know reflective piece by Slate. laziness was an excuse for com. racism. No one ever goes By many accounts, to college in Germany and he abandoned his racstill sees ‘Hitler Auditoriist views later in life. No um’ still hanging around.” recordings or formal acThe idea that Tillcounts of Thurmond ever man and Thurmond Hall denouncing his segregashould be dedicated to tionist views exist. For an other people is not new. I institution that promotes know quite a few people free thinking and unwho have mentioned it. I derstanding, Winthrop was once promised a colshould not have a building umn by an active member named after this man. of the campus socialists Ben Tillman, also a about it. former governor of S.C. He never wrote it. during the 1890s, did his After the joke worked best to prevent Africanso well in my set, I realAmericans from voting ized I was going to have to and he proudly upheld the write the column myself.

Jim Crow laws.

Strom Thurmond once For a school that allows ran for the presidency Americans of all races and under a third-party ticket. students from foreign naHe was also the Demotions an equal education, crat governor of South Winthrop can no longer Carolina in the mid-40s. afford to have buildings Thurmond was a divisive, named after those who

Graphic by Alex Miles • Special to The Johnsonian symbolize the oppression of humanity.

It’s 2011. The times have changed.

We recently changed

Elections resemble democracy at WU We now know the positions of chair and vice chair of CSL will be open to the entire student body.

With this new information on the table this week, we’d like to re-visit the issues brought forth in last week’s editorial.

We were working off the information provided in the priority student e-mail last Tuesday. We accessed CSL’s website but found no information about elections or a new CSL constitution.

We also called a representative from the group but had no success.

In last week’s editorial, we critiqued the fact that no mention had been made about opening up the positions to everyone, including those who had never been on CSL. Our stance was and still is that student government should be “anyone can run, everyone can vote.”

This week, CSL Chair Sydney Evans tells us that in fact, anyone can run for chair or vice chair of the council.

We think that’s great!

When it comes time to vote, we hope students will floor all the election naysayers by turning out in high numbers to vote.

At one point in student government history, some Winthrop administrators used low turnout numbers to bolster removing the elections altogether.

Because this is the first election in 10 years on campus, the idea of voting may not become a habit easily formed.

It might take two or three years to see respectable voter turnout.

No one at Winthrop should be allowed to take away the elections just because of that, though.

Kudos to you, CSL, and everyone else involved in putting student government on the road to democracy.

Arts & entertainment editor JESSICA PICKENS

Managing editor TIFFANY BARKLEY

Assistant arts & entertainment editor ALISON ANGEL

News editor CLAIRE BYUN Assistant news editor JONATHAN MCFADDEN Opinion editor CONNOR DE BRULER Culture editor ALEXIS AUSTIN Health & science editor AMANDA PHIPPS

Sports editor JEFF BRODEUR Assistant sports editor DAVID THACKHAM Graphic Designer COURTNEY NISKALA Copy editors BRITTANY GUILFOYLE BRANTLEY MCCANTS Ad designer SAMANTHA FURTICK

History Month, I encourage all students of every heritage to pressure this institution to do the right thing and stop endorsing

these blemishes of our nation’s history It’s our campus. We can change it.

Media pushes unreal expectation of beauty

Our Say

Editor ANNA DOUGLAS

the name of the science building from Sims to Dalton Hall.

It can’t be too hard.

During this Black

I think my faith in humanity can look similar to the plastic women on TV. I’m slipped a bit when I heard a guy say not sure why someone would want to look like he wanted to look like Jacob from an idealized fantasy character from “Twilight,” “Twilight.” either.

Yeah, it’s that serious. It says a lot I’m not picking on the movie, it’s just that it’s about the unrealistic standards we easy to see the problem through such a massive often hold each other to. pop culture phenomenon.

It’s silly to walk by a magazine The number of insane female fans fighting Jared Epps rack and see “beautiful” people plasabout Edward and Jacob speaks for itself (as Guest columnist tered all over the covers. I suppose movie executives laugh their proverbial butts the image acts as sufficient titillation off). for hormonal, undersexed teenagers, but it’s also inCelebrities in general seem to get much undicative of how many of us buy into warped beauty deserved attention and praise. For example, I standards. shouldn’t be able to witness people talk about how I never stop to think about what an “ugly” permuch they want to have sex with Megan Fox. All son looks like. I don’t think anybody actually does, she’s done is star in terrible movies; she doesn’t because there’s no need to. care about the ridiculous number of perpetually Our own media systematically brainwash us aroused men who salivate over her. into an understanding of what a “beautiful” The same can be said for many other “attractive” person is. celebrities.

Unless you’re watching a sad excuse for If people need someone to slobber over, then a network, such as BET (Black Exploitation why don’t we give celebrity status to people who Television), then chances are beauty commerhave actual worth, such as the brave members of cials will often feature women who just so happen our armed forces and law enforcement? to have white skin, long, straight hair, unrealisticalI blame pop culture because it has given undely perfect teeth and a disturbingly anorexic figure. served value to worthless people.

Similar, but much more infrequent, commercials It’s gotten to the point where we practically wortargeted at men exist as well. ship celebrities because, well, they’re celebrities I realize everyone doesn’t hold others to these (and “beautiful” I guess). Do people really need to ridiculous standards, but many of our ideas of admit their supposed inferiority to celebrities by visual acceptance spawn from what pop culture says holding them on god-like pedestals? is normal (lame) or attractive (probably why most Maybe our armed forces and public service relationships fail). employees should leak a sex tape on the Internet; Maybe I just don’t get it. I’m not sure why some it’ll certainly make them popular with the witless girls may dye their hair or induce vomiting so they drones who keep up with celebrity Twitter accounts.

Photographers KATHLEEN BROWN STEPHANIE EATON Multimedia editors SHATESHA SCALES KAYLEE NICHOLS Webmaster DEVANG JOSHI Advertising manager KERRY SHERIN Ad sales team KERRY SHERIN SARAH MACDONALD Faculty adviser LARRY TIMBS

About The Johnsonian The Johnsonian is the weekly student newspaper of Winthrop University. It is published during fall and spring semesters with the exception of university holidays and exam periods.

CONTACT INFORMATION Our offices are located in suite 104 in the DiGiorgio Campus Center.

Phone: (803) 323-3419 E-mail: editors@mytjnow.com Online: mytjnow.com LETTER POLICY Letters and feedback can be sent to editors@mytjnow.com or by mail at The Johnsonian, 104

Campus Center, Rock Hill, S.C., 29733.

Comments submitted online at www.mytjnow.com may be printed as letters and may be shortened for space and edited for clarity.

Please include your name, major and year if you are a student; your name and title if you are a professor; or your name and profession if you are a member of

the community.

Letters, cartoons and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily the opinions of The Johnsonian staff.

CORRECTIONS Contact us if you find an error in an issue of the newspaper. We will correct it in the next issue.

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

6

By the numbers Winthrop has taken measures to educate people on how to report sexual violence.

46 percent of stalking victimes get at least one unwanted contact per week.

3.4

AMANDA PHIPPS Health & Science Editor phippsa@mytjnow.com

1 in 5 3 in 4

68

million people over college females will stalking victims are 18 are stalked each experience a form stalked by someone of dating violence. they know. year in the U.S.

percent of people know their rapist.

Compiled with information from www.acadv.org and www.ncvc.org

Grant to fund sexual violence education, reporting

By Amanda Phipps phippsa@mytjnow.com

Though rapes and incidents of sexual assault happen, not many people report them. The Department of Justice grant Winthrop received this year will help encourage reporting.

The three-year $299,209 grant is the first the university has been given. It will provide support for education and counseling services for victims and does not require a match from Winthrop.

The grant also funds a full-time victims coordinator who will work with different organizations in the community and on campus to provide students with a safe place to report sexual violence. That coordinator is Carrie Morphis, who got her undergraduate degree in psychology and her master’s in school psychology at Winthrop.

“We want to have a more community-based focus and work with Winthrop in serving survivors,” she said.

Morphis heard about the coordinator job through an advertisement.

“I felt like I could excel at (the job) and I feel passionate about helping people live safe, healthy lives,” she said.

Along with the coordinator position, the grant provides education and support for four main areas: sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and dating violence, Morphis said.

The grant also allows Winthrop to form the Sexual Violence Task Force (SVTF), a coordinated community response team consisting of students, survivors, Campus Police and local law enforcement, campus judiciary board members and Safe Passage, a local non-profit organization that provides services for victims of abuse.

“We try to partner with several campus organizations and anyone who wants to provide education or programming pertaining to sexual violence,” Morphis said.

Survivors, despite gender, can come speak to Morphis and get the support they may need.

“We’re here to help everyone,” she said.

The grant provides a

centralized office on campus for reporting sexual assault, Morphis said.

People who are survivors can come report the incident to Morphis in Crawford and can choose to remain anonymous, she said.

“A lot of people know they are victims but are too scared to come forward,” she said. “We guide students through the process (of reporting) so they don’t have to do it alone.”

Reporting the incident does not mean the victim will have to bring it to police, Morphis said.

“Nothing will happen unless they want it to,” she said.

Though there is some planning on how to help the victims, the support is handled on a case-by-case basis, Morphis said.

“Each individual case is specific to the person,” she said. “We empower the survivor.”

Through the grant, Winthrop will also hire a counselor who will cater specifically to survivors, Morphis said.

“We want to make sure they are seen and provided with on-going support

from the time of initial reporting,” she said.

To help students and faculty better understand how to identify and report sexual violence, the Office for Victims Assistance will set up an online training course that all incoming students will have to take, Morphis said. Training will also be available for faculty and staff.

“We want to provide education and better services to all incoming students,” Morphis said.

During the three years of the grant, Morphis and other faculty and staff members, including wellness coordinator Brianne Gemeinhardt, will travel to different areas around the country to learn how to better carry out the programs.

“We will learn from other schools that have successfully implemented these programs,” she said.

Morphis will also work with the SVTF to examine the education, training, victim support services and protocols these programs will provide and recommend revisions as needed, she said. The goal is to help reduce crimes

Carrie Morphis is the new victims coordinator at Winthrop. Photo by Claire VanOstenbridge • Special to The Johnsonian and increase reporting.

Once the three years are up, Winthrop plans to reapply for the grant, Morphis said.

“The goal is to make these changes to Winthrop’s program permanent,” she said.

Even if the university does not receive the grant

again, Health and Counseling Services will work to find other ways to fund the programs, Morphis said.

“There is a great need for them, and they are not something we want to let go easily,” she said. “We will try to keep them.”

How healthy is it?

This is a comparison of some healthy and less-healthy food choices on campus.

Photo by Kathleen Brown • brownk@mytjnow.com

Location

Popeyes: Mild Breast: Spicy Breast: 6 nuggets:

Calories

Zoca: Chicken Burrito: Two-Bean Burrito: Burger Studio: Angus burger with cheese: Veggie Burger with cheese:

Fat (g) Carbs

350 360 220

20 22 12

33g 8g 13g

878

32

107g

805

22

121

516

27

42g

447

14

63g

5.7 53

70g 4g

Individual Items: Yogurt Parfait: 350 Ceasar Salad 600 (no dressing):

Compiled with information from the Winthrop dining services website and www.popeyes.com

7

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

JESSICA PICKENS Arts & Entertainment Editor pickensj@myjnow.com ALISON ANGEL Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor angela@mytjnow.com

Video Club quizzes roommates, displays talent

By Jessica Pickens pickensj@mytjnow.com

Senior broadcast major Preston Jenkinson and Alex Muller perform on the Video Prodution Club. The Club meets on Thursdays during common time.

Photo courtesy of Chelsea Nelson.

It was born two years ago and got on its feet last spring.

The Video Production Club has official club status as of this past November.

“We built momentum over the past two years,” said president and producer Chelsea Nelson.

The Video Production Club invites students of all majors to tape, perform and film in a real studio and learn skills about broadcast.

The club created WUTube last spring, which allows students to perform to show off their talents, such as singing and standup comedy.

This year, a new feature has been created.

“My freshman year, I brought up the idea of a game show,” said the senior broadcast major.

“Everyone liked the idea and I’d like to try to do it this year.”

The game will be called “How Well Do You Know Your Roommate” and be in the format of the old TV Show the “Newly weds.”

“The show will have two sets of roommates, and I will quiz them before hand,” Nelson said.

Sophomore mass communication major Susan Clark helps promote the new shows and club meetings.

“A lot of our members are seniors, and we are going to lose them in May,”

Clark said. “I know lots of people like video production, but they just don’t know about our club yet.

I’m trying to get the word out.”

Along with updating the club’s Facebook page and making flyers, Clark also tries out the talent for the show.

“I regularly try to scout out talent for WUTube. I like different kinds of talents, not just singers and bands,” Clark said. “I’m really trying to search for the new coolest thing.”

The Video Prodution Club tapes shows every two weeks. They will alternate between WUTube and the game show.

“We’ve had a little trouble,” Nelson said. “We are making a better name

for ourselves on campus and bringing in entertainment.”

The Video Production Club meets on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. during common time in Johnson studio by the Black Box Theater.

“”

I’m really trying to search for the new coolest thing.

Susan Clark

Sophomore broadcast major

Winthrop As a Movie During fall 2009 and spring 2010, the Arts and Entertainment section featured Winthrop faculty and staff and their celebrity look-a-likes.

Now it’s back.

The Johnsonian uses the family networking website, MyHeritage.com, to generate the look-a-likes.

This week, the celebrity

comparison is philosophy and religious studies professor William Kiblinger.

According to Myheritage. com, Kiblinger looks 73 percent like Fred Savage of “Wonder Years” fame.

Send your celebrity looka-like ideas to pickensj@ mytjnow.com

The South Carolina Schools Photography Competition displays k-12 artwork in the Lewandowski Student Gallery. The work was judged by photographer Carolyn DeMeritt. Photo by Paul Ricciardi • ricciardip@mytjnow.com

High schoolers compete in WU campus gallery

By Alison Angel alisona@mytjnow.com

High schoolers have taken over the McLaurin Student Gallery.

The second annual photography competition for K-12 students all across South Carolina will be the first gallery exhibition of Winthrop’s 2011 spring season.

The South Carolina Schools Photography Competition will display 36 entries from student submissions in the state.

This year, 80 students submitted 240 pieces.

Karen Derksen, gallery director, said Winthrop hosts the event to allow students in South Carolina access to the university and to generate interest.

Photographer Carolyn DeMeritt will do the judging.

“We’re hoping that by putting their interest into

the competition and being juried by someone who is of prominence in the area and having it sponsored by Winthrop,” Derksen said.

“That will encourage them to look into our program here because our program is so strong in photography.”

This competition is restricted to K-12 entries.

However, due to financial issues, there is no on-campus competition similar to the S.C. Schools Photography Competition.

“It’s hard enough to carry on raising money for this one; to get more money for another one would be a real challenge,” said photography professor Phil Moody.

“There are several things for students, but nothing on campus at this stage.”

Photography majors have had success with national competitions, and many students are picked as finalists, Moody said.

“The chair of fine arts, Tom Stanley, does a great job of e-mailing the art students regularly, letting them know of exhibition opportunities to either submit work in or to just come and check out work from others,” said junior photography major Olivia White.

White said when photography majors begin their upper-level classes, professors are helpful when students are working on their exhibit.

Winthrop hosts the Annual Undergraduate Juried Exhibition every semester, which allows any art majors to submit their work and gives opportunity for those students interested in exhibiting their work to do so.

The chosen entries will be displayed in the Lewandowski Student Gallery at Winthrop Jan. 24 through Feb. 24.

William Kiblinger

Fred Savage

On-Campus Movies: Saturday, Feb. 5:

Due Date- Robert Downy Jr. hitches a ride with weird Zach Galifianakis so he can make it to his child’s birth on time.

Wednesday, Feb. 9:

For Colored Girls- A series of actresses including Janet Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg and Macy Gray read a collection of poems about women’s issues.

8

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

Feb. 3-16, 2011 Music Winthrop’s chorale conductor Katherine Kinsy and the York Country Chorale Society will perform in “Verdi Requiem” at 8p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5. Tickets are $5 with I.D., $10 for faculty and $15 for adults. Culture event Members of the Vision of Prayze Gospel Choir will compete at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 13, in Tillman Auditorium. Tickets are $2 for students and $5 for the public.

Plays The “Vagina Monologues” will be performed at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12, in Plowden Auditorium in Withers. Tickets are $5.

Movies Romeo and Juliet is remade with garden gnomes in “Gnomeo and Juliet.” The movie premieres on Friday, Feb. 11.

A documentary on child like Justin Bieber chronicles the last year of his fame in “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.” The movie premieres on Friday, Feb. 11.

TV shows influence lives Kids’ shows just aren’t what they’re better than the shows they used to be. kids must suffer through now.

But, I’m proud to say, our “The Suite Life of Zack and generation grew up watching the Cody,” “Hannah Montana” and best of the best from the 1990s “Wizards of Waverly Place” just to the early 2000s. don’t cut it.

Nickelodeon and Disney were This may sound like a stretch, at their prime, and I’m sure othbut I think the shows we ers around my age would agree. Brittany Guilfoyle watched growing up impacted Copy editor I think I’m not the only one our lives. who remembers getting frusMaybe watching “Kenan and trated when the kids on “Legends of the Kel” made you an orange soda lover.

Hidden Temple” couldn’t assemble the “The Wild Thornberrys” could have three-part shrine of the silver monkey inspired your love of traveling or “Rocket statue in Olmec’s Temple.

Power” could have influenced you to I wanted to be on that show just so I learn how to skateboard. could prove to everyone how easy it was Who knows, “The Adventures of Pete and win those prizes. & Pete” could have even made you And did anybody else cringe when thankful you’re not a redhead.

Topanga chopped off her long hair with So, don’t feel ashamed if you were scissors in the school hallway in that fond of that football-headed kid or Patti classic episode of “Boy Meets World?”

Mayonnaise – others can relate, even if I’ll never forget it. they won’t admit it.

When I think about the great memoLet’s be glad and take pride in the ries from my childhood, watching shows fact our generation shares this positive such as these always pop up; “Are You period in history and feel pity for those Afraid of the Dark?”, “Bug Juice” and who’ve grown or will grow up without “Gullah Gullah Island” are at the top of ever knowing the greatness of “All That.” my list.

And if you’re ever looking for a converIf we all watched these shows now, sation starter, well, I’ll let you wild and then we’d probably realize they’re not as crazy kids figure it out. great as we remember. However, I know

CrossWUrd Puzzle

On-Campus Movies: All on-campus movies are $2 with I.D. and $5 without and are located in Dina’s Place Theater The comedy “Due Date” with Robert Downy Jr. and the weird guy from “The Hangover” will be playing at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5.

The documentary “For Colored Girls” will be playing at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 9.

DSU: Events are $5 with I.D., $10 for the public and free with Spring Pass Magician and “Cupcake Wars” host Justin Kredible will perform at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 3, in Dina’s Place Theater.

Vidur Kapur, comic from India, will be performing at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 4, in the DiGiorgio Campus Center.

A play about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X called “The Meeting” will be performed at 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 7, in Dina’s Place Theater.

R & B singer/songwriter Rudy Currence will perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 11, in the DiGiorgio Campus Center.

Across 1. Last name of Winthrop’s tennis coach.

3. Sport that Timothy Altman is competing in for the Junior Olympics.

5. Name of the photographer judging the S.C. Schools Photography Competition.

6. Class that lets students go into the workplace.

8. Who is the producer for the Video Production Club? (last name) 9. What club was started in 2008?

10. What does finance professor James Schultz advise against? (two words) Down 2. Last name of the program director for fitness and aquatics in the West Center.

4. What game show is “How Well Do You Know Your Roommate?” based on?

7. Laughter was used as a breathing tool in what form of exercise?

9

ALEXIS AUSTIN Culture Editor austina@mytjnow.com

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

Ceremony marks 50th anniversary

Onlookers watch as actors portray the the nine black college students, known as the Friendship Nine, who entered a white only diner in downtown Rock Hill in 1961. • Photo courtesy of Judy Longshaw from University Relations

Reenactment of historical event draws hundreds FRIENDSHIP • from front chair Britt Blackwell, attracted hundreds of onlookers from the surrounding area of Main Street in Rock Hill, S.C. A cloudless sky set the backdrop for the 50th anniversary ceremony, which workers began preparing early in the morning. Trina Rix, organizer of the reenactment march, was proud of the work she and her team had done.

“We are doing this as a tribute to them,” she said. “In honor of recognizing their efforts 50 years ago, which made a difference in the civil rights movement.”

While sit-ins of restaurants were common in the early 1960s, many of the protesters had merely been arrested, paid their fine and were allowed to walk free.

However, on January 31, 1960, a ragtag group of ten students from Friendship Junior College (which closed its doors in 1981) decided to break the trend. The young men entered McCrory’s Five and Dime Store, (now the Old Town Bistro) ordered drinks and food and were quickly arrested.

Thomas Gaithner, the oldest of the 10 at the counter, had no

illusions to what the reaction would be.

“I grew up in the South,” Gaithner said before the ceremony. “I was very aware what the custom was; if you had skin of my color, you couldn’t enjoy sitting up at the lunch counter.”

Although one young man paid his fine to maintain his athletic scholarship at Friendship, the other nine refused and were sentenced to 30 days’ hard labor at York County prison. When word got out that nine students were spending time in jail for ordering a sandwich, the media descended on sleepy Rock Hill.

Rix explained, “This wasn’t their first sit-in, but this is the first sit-in that made a difference.”

Gaithner knew of the symbolic nature they were hoping to arouse through their actions.

“The issue was more than being served a hamburger,” he said. “It was the issue of being treated like a human being.”

The concept of “Jail, No Bail” spread like wildfire throughout the southeast, leading many other black protestors to do the same in their own hometowns.

Rix believes what happened 50 years ago was the turning point

for civil rights in the Southeast.

“It made a difference in not only the city, but the whole state.”

The ceremony, which lasted approximately 45 minutes, began with members of the Rock Hill chapter of the NAACP and reenactment members marching slowly up Main Street as a tribute to the walk the Friendship Nine took 50 years ago. They sang songs such as “We Shall Overcome,” and shook tambourines, sternly advancing down the road. Several white volunteers joined in. “[This event] means we recall our past, and from our past we find inspiration to make the future brighter for all Americans,” Gaithner commented. “This was not just a black protest, but one for human dignity and justice for all people.”

As the large mob made its way closer to where McCrory’s once stood, the voices ascended higher and some of the crowd joined in.

Kris Cunningham, a teacher at the local Rock Hill Montessori school, felt the event was beneficial both to herself and her young students.

“Our elementary schools need

to know that history happened in Rock Hill,” Cunningham, 65, said, “not just from a far off place a long time ago.”

“I wanted to feel more of a part of it,” she added, “because I’m from New Jersey and even though I was of the time period, this didn’t happen there, to me.

[Segregation] was a foreign concept.”

When the crowd got to the store, several of the younger reenactors melded into their role as the Friendship Nine, racing into the store before being promptly thrown out into the streets by an awaiting police officer.

Rix initially had some misgivings about the arrest scene, for fear that it would bring about bad memories.

“We have had mixed emotions, but most that I’ve heard is in favor that doing this is a piece to educate, not to bring up old feelings of the past, but to help young people understand you can create change.”

In the end, many were satisfied with how the event played out.

David Williamson, another of the Nine, said he “hoped to bring [people] into their past, because if we don’t know it, the past might repeat itself.”

In the end, Joseph Allan will know who the Friendship Nine are. He will know because he is standing on the shoulders of what they accomplished, of what they were willing to sacrifice.

“”

I grew up in the South. I was very aware what the custom was, if you had skin of my color, you couldn’t enjoy sitting up at the lunch counter.

Thomas Gaithner

One of the Friendship Nine

Play depicts meeting of influential activists Two figures central to America’s civil rights struggle in the 1950s and 60s, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., never quite saw eye-to-eye but they in the fictional play “The Meeting” they finally exchange dialogue.

Jeff Stetson’s play comes to Winthrop on Feb. 7 in Dina’s Place, the campus center theater, at 8 p.m.

The play depicts an imaginary meeting between activists King and Malcolm X, whose tactics and rhetoric differed during the civil rights movement.

The drama depicts the “lives, philosophies and times” of both leaders, according to the DiGiorgio Student Union website.

February is Black History Month.

10 Sports Briefs Track teams have record breaking performances Senior Keary Simms had two top three finishes in the 60m hurdles and the triple jump last weekend at the Liberty Open in Lynchburg, Va. Simms ran 8.14 seconds for the hurdles and broke his own triple jump record with a leap of 14.54m.

Freshman Kimberleigh Riggs also made the record books with a pole vault height of 3.45m, good enough for a 3rd place finish and a new school record.

Overall, Winthrop had 12 top-six performances at the event.

Men’s basketball team comes up short in overtime thriller Despite Winthrop‘s late game rally Saturday night, they came up short in overtime as they fell to Presybyterian College 76-74.

The loss snaps a two game winning streak for Winthrop, as well as a seven-game winning streak against the Blue Hose that dates back to the 1985-1986 season.

The loss drops Winthrop to 9-11 overall and 5-5 in the Big South Conference.

Winthrop baseball team holds first annual Eagle Challenge The baseball program

concluded its first fall practice under new head coach Tom Riginos with a five-day strength and conditioning.

Women’s tennis team stuggles against No. 2 team in the nation After an upset victory against No. 57 William & Mary on Saturday, they were unable to pull off another stunner on Sunday against a Florida Gators team that is currently No.2 in the country.

The 7-0 loss drops them to 3-4 on the season, while Florida continues their dominance and improve to 3-0 overall.

WU lacrosse postponed until spring 2013 Athletic director Tom Hickman announced last Sunday that the beginning of the new women’s lacrosse team’s first season will be pushed back to spring 2013, one year further than previously reported.

“After carefully reviewing various implementation options,” Hickman said in an annoucement on the athletics website, “a determination has been made that the most prudent course would be to postpone the hiring of a head coach until the late spring [of 2012].”

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

JEFF BRODEUR Sports Editor brodeurj@mytjnow.com DAVID THACKHAM Assistant Sports Editor thackhamd@mytjnow.com

Challenging schedules beneficial to tennis teams

By Hannah Schwartz schwartzh@mytjnow.com

Last year, both Winthrop tennis teams were Big South regularseason conference champions. This year, both the men’s and women’s teams hope to maintain that success. Standing in their way, however, will be very tough schedules.

Both teams were preseason favorites to repeat as Big South Conference champs. Coach Cid Carvalho knows, in order to keep his teams at the top of the conference, he needs them to compete against top-notch programs, including nationally ranked teams from the ACC and SEC. Because the final result can be out of each player’s hands, it is important to focus on performance rather than wins and losses, especially against those top-ranked teams. “The wins will come, and the losses will come, too,” Carvalho said.

Already this year, both teams have played several nationally ranked schools. Although they did not win all of those matches, Carvalho sees the beginning of the season as a very productive start. Playing against such tough teams is “all about getting the players better, improving,” he said. As long as they compete well, any points, games, sets or matches they win are victories, he said.

“We are not worrying about the records; we’re worrying about getting

ready for later on,” Carvalho said. we left everything out on the court, Women’s team captain Sara Abu- we leave the court as winners, retovic agrees with her coach’s as- gardless of what the result is,” Carsessment of the season so far. “We valho said. fought hard and we played well, Everyone on both teams knows but those teams were just a little it will take much effort to be rebetter than us,” she said. She also peat champions, but they are willsaid the team is ing to put in the time getting stronger to win. Now that the every year, and weather is getting they think they better, the teams are can compete with out working harder those higher-echthan ever, getting elon teams. ready for the grindThis time of ing season ahead of year is about getthem. ting better and Carvalho invites getting ready for the students out to the championwatch a match. Esship at the end of pecially once the Cid Carvalho the season. It is weather improves, Winthrop tennis coach important for the he said there will be teams to peak at some exciting home the right time. “If matches to attend. we can leave the court feeling like

“”

The wins will come, and the losses will come, too.”

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

11

SPORTS

Freshman takes jab at Junior Olympics FENCING • from front eh-peh), which requires the heaviest weapon and a full-body strike zone.

Altman was eager to begin and wasted no time in winning his second ever competition at the Charlestonian on Nov. 6. In the Daniel K-8 school gym in Charleston, S.C., the Rock Hill native stunned the coastal region by placing first in the unrated Senior Mixed Epee. Defeating veteran fencers from clubs such as the Dueling Society of Charleston and East of the Cooper Fencing Club made his first victory as an underdog even better.

“There were people who had been fencing for years and years,” Altman said, “and to beat them, that was great.”

The key to Altman’s success lies in his frame. The first thing someone notices when seeing the 6-foot-4inch athlete is his obvious height advantage.

“With my height, it’s really easy to score touches,” he said. Altman uses the reliable tactic of waiting until his opponent attacks him. He then dodges the hit and scores a touch when his foe’s guard is down. “It’s easier because I have such a longer reach than everybody [else],” he said.

Even Edgecombe concedes he knows Altman simply has an intangible factor to help him win.

“It doesn’t hurt that he’s 100 feet tall,” the coach said. “When Tim goes on the strip, he has an advantage, [but], when he gets up against someone his own height, he knows Timothy Altman what to do because he Freshman fencer practices so much.”

Altman estimates he

“”

I figured I’d come by...and attend a meeting, and I’ve been doing it ever since”.

The Winthrop Fencing Club can be seen training in the West Center during the spring, either on the basketball courts or the dance room. According to their website, the club wishes to “improve physical and mental skill, strategy and reflexes.” Photo by Stephanie Eaton • eatons@mytjnow.com practices fencing about seven to eight hours per week.

The practice was all worth it on Dec. 4, 2010, when Altman booked his spot in the Junior Olympics to represent the U.S. with a third-place finish in the Junior men’s epee qualifiers. The 18-year-old defeated four out of five opponents in his pool while tying for most touches inflicted (28) and having the lowest number of touches received (13).

Altman said he couldn’t believe he was going to Texas to compete.

“I’m so, so, so ready,” the freshman said. “I was very, very happy.”

With just two weeks to go before the competition, which runs Feb. 18-20, the jack-of-all-sports isn’t afraid to show his emotions.

“I’m nervous,” he said, “but it’ll be a good learning experience to go up against those who have been fencing for all their lives, to learn some of their stuff.”

Flames blaze past Winthrop, Eagles lose 2 straight

By David Thackham

thackhamd@mytjnow.com

The Liberty Lady Flames lived up to their high preseason expectations, already looking like Big South champions in a 70-33 demolition of Winthrop on Saturday.

Behind their hot shooting guard Devon Brown, Liberty flew out of the traps early, setting up a 21-5 run within the first nine minutes while holding the Eagles to just 19 percent field goal percentage in the first half. Although Winthrop improved their shooting after the break, the Flames only got hotter, shooting 10-16 in the second half while creating 11 steals, dooming the Eagles to a 3-4 record in the Big South Conference.

“We definitely need to pick it up.” head coach Bud Childers said.

The bookmakers would have put very long odds on Winthrop winning this home encounter. Winthrop (fifth in BSC) came into the game with a mediocre 3-3 conference record, including an overall record of 4-6 inside Winthrop Coliseum.

Meanwhile, Liberty (third in BSC) was undefeated on the road while playing conference opposition.

History also heavily favored the visitors: Liberty was 7-1 in the last eight games against Winthrop. The last 31 times the Flames and the Eagles met, Liberty came out victorious 30 times.

The all-time record between the two is currently 40-7 in favor of Liberty.

Although Mary Hathaway’s early 3-pointer kept the score level at 5-5 at 18:05, the Winthrop offense was effectively snuffed out for the following seven minutes and 23 seconds. The Eagles could not score a single point in that span, thanks to the imposing presence of 6-foot-3-inch Liberty junior center Avery Warley, the current Big South Player of

the Week.

Poor play also dominated the stretch for Winthrop. Dequesha McClanahan, reigning Big South Freshman of the Week, was uncharacteristically abysmal, getting into early foul trouble and turning over the ball four times in the span of just over a minute of action. She would finish with no points.

Childers noted that the turnovers were very costly in a game against such a highly touted squad.

“We were very sloppy with our passing decisions, and the way we readied ourselves to catch a pass. When you turn it over out front, it’s difficult to have good defensive floor balance in transition. It was a huge factor tonight.”

The rest of the squad was no better, taking just three open shots within the drought, while going 1-4 from the freethrow line in the first half.

Even after Ashley Cox drained a jumper to give the home crowd something to cheer about, Liberty wasted no time in extending their early lead. Redshirt sophomores Tolu Omotola and Devon Brown combined for 13 of the last 17 Liberty points scored in the first half of play, leaving Winthrop with a mountain to climb at 37-10.

Winthrop seemed more alert coming out of the locker room, creating a 4-1 spurt in the first two minutes, but Liberty’s Dymond Morgan disrupted the smooth passage of play, stealing the ball from Hathaway to extend the lead further to 30 points.

“Our defense in general the past three games, including tonight, has been poor,” Childers said.

The offense was also seriously lacking. Benched because of struggles in the beginning of games, Winthrop’s junior Lacey Lyons made very little impact on the game, finishing with 0 points and a

CORRECTION: In the Jan. 27 issue on page 13, the story “Diverse team heads for another conferencewinning season,” should have included Devonne Good as a contributing reporter.

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single steal. Lyons ranks eighth in Big South history for 3-point leaders.

However, the offense for the Eagles did improve slightly due to the efforts of TaQuoia Hammick. The junior out of Minneapolis tied her record of most points in a Big South game, with 12 in the night. Despite posting four personal fouls, Hammick led the Eagles as they played for pride on a night that wasn’t going well for them.

Winthrop was able to keep pace with Liberty in a 9-12 run with 9:43 left in the second period, but any hope for a

comeback had long since evaporated.

The Lynchburg natives claimed victory by 37 points.

Childers remains determined to pull Winthrop out of its two-game slide. He and the team will have the opportunity on Monday. “Simply put, we have to be ready to play against Coastal [Carolina University]. We need to come out like we do on the road, with a sense of urgency, which we have lacked repeatedly at home this season,” he said.

THURSDAY February 3, 2011

THE JOHNSONIAN

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