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Zombie make-up skills earn grad student cold, hard cash. See Arts & Entertainment, page 8
THURSDAY February 16, 2012
Friends immortalize deceased friend with social media. See News, page 3
U.S. military budget too high, student advocates change. See Opinion, page 5
WINTHROP UNIVERSITY
Issue 18
SPORTS
NEWS
Police reports lack match in assault
Eagles conquer Coastal Carolina Winthrop beats rival Chanticleers 67-57, move to #5 in conference
JONATHAN MCFADDEN DAVID THACKHAM
mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com
thackhamd@mytjnow.com
Contrary to an email notification released by Campus Police last week, the victim of a February 8 armed home invasion at 309 Union Ave. was in fact a student, according to both the student victim and an official Rock Hill Police report. Another contradiction found in the email drafted and sent by Chief of Campus Police Frank Zebedis is that the three assailants that broke into his home and held him at gunpoint fled when the male warned he would call the police. In reality, the victim— a male student at Winthrop— was pistol-whipped twice by one of three black males who barged into his home, according to the police report. While sitting on his couch studying, the student victim heard a knock at the door. He told police it was not unusual for neighbors to “drop by and hang out,” according to the report.
See ASSAULT page 4 SCIENCE & TECH.
Science grabs updates, new equipment FRANCES PARRISH parrishf@mytjnow.com
The Biology and Chemistry labs are getting an update in technology this year and have big plans for next year. “We are trying to keep the science laboratories fully modernized,” said Dr. Patrick Owens, professor and department chair for the chemistry department. The Chemistry department bought several pieces of lab equipment this past July and has just installed some of the items this January. Among the new lab instruments are two GCS Mass Spectrometers, four major Centrifuges, which can mutate cells and make protein, and a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) for organic chemistry. Flammable storage cabinets and new fume hoods were also recently bought according to Owens. “The equipment is like our library. You need a library to do history and other subjects, well you need science equipment to do science,” Owens said.
See SCIENCE page 6
George Valentine shoots a free throw against the Chanticleers Saturday at the rivalry game. Photo by Jenni Buker • Special to The Johnsonian
Fifteen minutes after securing a 67-57 upset win over hated rivals Coastal Carolina, Winthrop guard George Valentine could only dwell on what could have been- an even higher lead over the conference’s #2 ranked Chanticleers. After all, head coach Randy Peele had to send his first team back onto the court for the final 55 seconds to close out the win on Saturday. “I just got on the team,” he said. “When the coach sends the front guys out and sends the bench in, then we’ve got to clean it up; it’s embarrassing to clean up with a minute left.” Self-criticism aside, the Eagles (22-58, 37.9 FG% on Saturday) can take the win as a massive confidence booster two weeks before the Big South Conference Tournament begins. Winthrop (11-16, 8-8 BSC) currently lies in fifth position in the league, all but secured of a first round bye, but faces two more decisive matchups against 10th ranked Presbyterian College and last year’s tourney winners UNC Asheville.
See RIVALS page 10
CULTURE
Tales from a Presbyterian doctor
Christianity in Iraq: SARAH AUVIL auvils@mytjnow.com
In a country like Iraq, religious affiliation means more than flapping your gums. It means leaving your house every morning knowing you may not come back. Two years ago Mazin Alsaqa left Mosul, Iraq – traditionally the historical city of Nineveh – with his two sisters and mother for Detroit, Michigan after the murder of his father by extremists. He plans on starting his medical residency in the next few months after speaking all over the U.S. for Presbyterian Peacemakers. Alsaqa is a 7th generation Presbyterian in Iraq. His family’s church dates back to 1840 and still has the official registration documentation from the state. The church proudly served the needs of its community, such as providing $7.50 a month for struggling families, he said.
While that may not seem like much –Alsaqa’s job as a government doctor only paid $10 a month. One meal at Thomson could help support an Iraqi family for a month, Alsaqa said. Iraq is made up of many different religious backgrounds and minorities, including Arab Suunis and Shi’ites, Kurds, Jews and Christians. These groups solved their disagreements with words, until 2004, when Muslim extremists took hold in Iraq. Al Queda began to raise their voice with hate and anger, killing people in the streets. Alsaqa showed a video
“”
See IRAQ page 9
It means leaving your house every morning knowing you may not come back.
NEWS
State senator’s bill details more ACAD-like courses JONATHAN MCFADDEN mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com
Just when you thought ACAD 101 was over and the wait to graduation long enough, a South Carolina senator has introduced a bill mandating that all four-year institutions require its students to take an additional one-credit hour course before receiving their degrees. According to a document presented to Winthrop’s Board of Trustees earlier this month, the bill —divvied into two versions— is the brainchild of Sen. Glenn Reese (D- Spartanburg), a former high school science teacher and now 21-year-long representative for the state’s 11th district. One version of the bill, if passed, would require that state funded universities —Winthrop included— make their students take one more one-credit hour class teaching skills already taught in Winthrop’s mandatory Academy (or ACAD) 101 class. Another version proposes that schools make students take a series of one-credit classes for eight consecutive semesters —or the equivalent of four years of college— in order to earn a degree from the institutions.
Questions? Contact us at editors@mytjnow.com Serving Winthrop since 1923
The proposed bill would add more ACAD-like classes to colleges, but Winthrop is concerned about the associated costs. Screenshot from the S.C. State House website Each class would teach study and time management skills, stress management, positive thinking, the importance of life choices and setting goals and other similar subjects ACAD 101 covers. It’s a proposal that’s provoked Winthrop to speak out. The university is reaching out to Reese, expressing
I N D E X
CAMPUS NEWS
concern about the costs of such state mandates, said Rebecca Masters, assistant to the president for public affairs. Moreover, the university hopes to show Reese that Winthrop already requires all freshmen to take and
See BILL page 2 2-4
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
OPINION
5
CULTURE
SCIENCE & TECH
6
SPORTS
7-8 9 10-11