September 15th, 2011

WHY WAIT TILL THURSDAY? READ MYTJNOW.COM.

WOAC and Winthrop Veterans team up for good cause.

See Sports, page 10

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

Freshman overwhelmed by Welcome Week, required tasks.

See Opinion, page 5

Which countries are represented on campus this semester?

See Culture, page 9

WINTHROP UNIVERSITY

Issue 4

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NEWS

Drunken Science

Student’s summer filled with humility AMANDA PHIPPS phippsa@mytjnow.com

Notorious for headaches and hangovers, alcohol is common on college campuses. Many students don’t realize the science behind drinking, or which rumors are myth versus fact.

Photo illustration by John Rhodes • rhodesj@mytjnow.com

Professor explains the science behind alcohol CATHERINE ZENDE zendec@mytjnow.com

As the weekend approaches, you may take a note from Rihanna and say “cheers to the freakin’ weekend.” But before you pick up an alcoholic beverage of any kind, take a moment to consider the science behind it all—particularly all the positive and negative effects of alcohol consumption.

Like anything you put in your body, alcohol has physiological effects on your internal system. So what is the exact biology behind being “drunk”?

According to the Center for Disease Control, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that is rapidly absorbed from the stomach and small intestine into the bloodstream. The alcohol is then metabolized by enzymes in the liver.

However, because the liver can only process

so much alcohol at a time, the excess amounts continue to circulate through the bloodstream.

That is the mechanics of it, but what is the effect of this alcohol intake?

Heather Evans-Anderson, assistant professor of biology, teaches human physiology and often discusses the effects of alcohol in her classes.

Alcohol helps nervous system “chill out” so you feel more relaxed, according to Evans-Anderson.

“The actual firing of the neurons will slow down. With that, your reflexes slow down and your motor control slows down too,” EvansAnderson said.

According to Evans-Anderson, alcohol targets two primary systems: the nervous system and the kidneys. While alcohol causes the nervous system to “chill out,” it can have a negative impact on the regular function of the kidneys.

See ALCOHOL page 6

As he helped his camper get food and turned them over at night, junior exercise science major Tyler Polomski realized how fortunate he is to be able to walk and move on his own.

Polomski volunteered at a Muscular Dystrophy Camp this past summer and worked with a 15-year-old camper who has no function of his legs and limited function of his arms. The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) of Charlotte sponsored the camp, which is for seven to 17 year-old children with varying forms and severity of of Muscular Dystrophy.

These disorders involve loss of muscle and muscle weak-

ness, according to the PubMed Health website.

Polomski said as these children grow older, they develop progressively worse symptoms of MD. At the age of seven, it is clear something is not working quite right and by 17, the children are wheelchair bound and have no function in their lower body.

Polomski said there is one counselor for every camper and the counselors help the campers with everyday functions. He helped his camper do everything from going to the bathroom to turning him over in his sleep.

He said the campers have a great attitude.

“These kids know people with

See CAMP page 3

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Jazzy musical hits WU stage in October, students rehearse almost daily MONICA KREBER kreberm@mytjnow.com

Three hours a day, six days a week, for over three weeks and counting...

Students and faculty in the theater department have been working on the upcoming musical “Chicago,” set to debut from Oct. 5-8.

This is the fourth musical production for associate theatre and dance professor Stephen

“”

We’re trying to keep that cold, sleazy feel to it Philip Calabro Junior

Gundersheim, who said the department wanted to do some-

See CHICAGO page 8

NEWS

Starbucks’ baristas experience life behind the counter JONATHAN MCFADDEN mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

Dezirea Jones puts on some good music and a smile every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

It’s the ritual that puts her in a good mood while she braces for a tidal wave of caffeine-craving undergraduates, graduates and faculty who are about to sweep in and flood the obviously popular café.

But what about the other days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday?

“Starbucks is Starbucks,” she said. “It’s a lot more than just making coffee.”

For a year, Starbucks

has provided Winthrop students, faculty and staff with fancy-named blended coffees alongside smoothies, cinnamon coffee cake, vanilla scones and salted caramel drinks.

At the beginning of this semester, the café was swamped—in a good way.

“We ran out of everything,” Jones said.

More than that, the café racked in $16,000 in sales during the first week--$5,000 more than anticipated, she said.

Fridays make for easier days. When students pack their bags and head home for the weekend, Jones and her fellow employees take advantage of the low-student traffic and clean the café, making it

Correction:

In our Sept. 8 edition, “Phelps Hall gains new sinks, lobby elevator” stated the residence hall re-opens next spring. The hall actually reopens fall of 2012. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

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

spic and span for another week of business.

On Monday, it all goes downhill again, Jones said.

But, it’s not that she’s complaining.

“My friends are a little jealous.”

Each day, Jones said she gets to make coffee and interact with people, and she’s no novice at performing either task.

As a biology student at Erskine College, she worked at Java City.

Once she graduated, she took six months off to take a Medical College Admission Test (or MCAT) preparation course at the Medical University of South Carolina.

She then submitted her application for entrance into medical school.

She didn’t get in.

See COFFEE page 3

I N D E X

Starbucks first opened in Seattle, Wash. in 1971. The coffee hub made it’s Winthrop appearance with the DiGiorgio Student Center in 2010, and has gained popularity as a common meeting area, quick pit stop and relaxing hangout.

Though some students pop in and out of the café, few realize the work needed to maintain cleanliness and proper customer service. Photo by Aimee Harman • harama@mytjnow.com

CAMPUS NEWS OPINION SCIENCE & TECH

2-4

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

5

CULTURE

6

SPORTS

7-8 9 10-11

2

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

JONATHAN MCFADDEN News Editor mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com AMANDA PHIPPS Assistant News Editor phippsa@mytjnow.com

Music, design mull off campus move

By Jonathan McFadden

mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

Growing class sizes and diminishing space may be the culprits behind encouraging two academic departments to consider moving their operations off campus.

Winthrop’s Design Department is considering a move out of Rutledge and off campus to the Rock Hill Coca Cola Bottling Plant on Cherry Road.

Joining them could be the department of music, which seeks to give students more working space in a larger rehearsal hall.

So far, discussions and meetings between architects, campus planning officials and department representatives have yielded little to no finite answers, but chairs for both departments say expanding class sizes with limited space has been a problem for a number of years.

For design students, gaining access to classrooms with specialized equipment can be a hassle, said Chad Dresbach, chair for the design department.

One such room is Rutledge 220, which on Tuesdays and Thursdays is filled with classes from 8 a.m. until about 9:15 p.m., with the exception of c0mmon meeting time.

“A lot of times students need to get in outside of class time…” to access the resources, Dresbach said.

“If it’s full top to bottom,

of Fine Arts--also housed in McLaurin and Rutledge--room to expand.

Still, the move is only in the “talks” stage, Dresbach said.

“I’m going to know that it’s happened on the day I wake up and I’m sitting in the Coke building and classes are running,” he said.

“Until then, I’m going to stay loose.”

Officials still have a preliminary timetable to work with. If the move is okayed, then about 13,000 sq. feet of space and equipment belonging to the design department will move out of Rutledge and McLaurin and into the Coke building, Dresbach said.

Dresbach estimated that 24,000 sq. feet comprise the building. Space has to be taken into account for restrooms, causeways Students needing to use Rutledge 220 have found it and hallways, Dresbach difficult to access the room, which contains specialized said, amounting to equipment, to finish their projects due to the number maybe 18 ft. of “raw of classes held in it on a given day. Photo by Aimee Har- square footage” that man • harmana@mytjnow.com can’t be included for the design department. that really limits students’ throp’s facilities manageThen there’s the shared ability to finish their work ment. space with music, which for their classes.”

Once they move out of may require 5,000 sq.

Case in point, Rutledge the building later this fall, feet, Dresbach said.

212—another specialized it will become vacant and The design department classroom—has 18 desks available for use, poscurrently operates in available. If students have sibly adding more class20,000 sq. feet, he said, projects to work on in room spaces and helping the classrooms, they are design department faculty meaning that the move is already operating on a unable to access muchand staff review the way deficit. needed materials. they schedule courses, “The whole departThe Coke plant is curDresbach said. It will ment is not going to be rently occupied by Winalso give the Department

able to move out there,” Dresbach said.

There have been discussions about what and who may move to the new building, but nothing’s concrete yet, Dresbach said.

Right now, the department exists as a “complex entity,” Dresbach said, consisting of classrooms, labs, conference rooms, copy rooms and a practicing design studio that allows students to work with outside clients.

Those involved with the migration are also considering the impact the move could have on students who live on campus and will have to walk down Cherry Road to class.

“I think it’s really going to call for a change in how they [the university] think about where classes are and how classes are held,” Dresbach said. “It’s a bit of a walk…like any other change, it’s going to take some getting used to.”

Yet, Dresbach said he thinks current students in the department are “rugged” and “nimble” enough to make the trek and adjust quickly.

Moving to the music As for the music department, the predicament is much the same.

Students used the stage in Byrnes Auditorium to compensate for a claustrophobic rehearsal hall, said Donald Rogers, department chair of music. Still, even a space like Byrnes had its downside.

“It’s not very conducive for rehearsal because it’s hard for students to hear each other,” Rogers said.

Winthrop administrators purchased overhead shelf space, Rogers said, which prevented sound from shooting straight overhead. Still, the department needed a rehearsal room with proper acoustics.

The two-floor Coca Cola complex would suit the music department’s purposes while providing adequate space for the design department as well, Rogers said. The facility will also give music students a “first rate” rehearsal hall they can be proud of, he said.

“We’re having it designed so it would be appropriate to house our instrumental program,” he said.

The facility will also house the music library.

Faculty will keep their offices in Barnes, Rogers said.

Though the building is old and “a little out of date,” Rogers said architects feel they can bring the building up to code.

Moving space out of Byrnes will also clear the auditorium for other groups to use the area, another problem students ran into when organizations requested the room during their class times.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Rogers said.

“We’re pleased our needs are getting met.”

Bookstore guards against theft, expands rental program

By Amanda Phipps phippsa@mytjnow.com

As the busy first weeks of school come to an end, it is the bookstore’s standard practice to block off the textbook area and not allow students to get their textbooks themselves, said Alex Talley, course material manager for the Winthrop University Bookstore.

“This allows us to give better service to customers and assist them on a personal individual basis,” he said.

This year, the area was blocked off earlier than usual due to a potential theft, Talley said.

Though unproven, the bookstore believes some merchandise may have been stolen and so decided to close the area off to protect inventory, he said.

“This semester, the area was blocked off a little sooner than normal because we noticed a customer in the aisles behaving suspiciously,” Talley said.

The bookstore found that the customer wasn’t a Winthrop student, but decided it was best to close the area off, he said.

This behavior and the recent news of the theft at Clinton Jr. College, in which 49 textbooks were stolen, according to an article in The Herald of Rock Hill, led the bookstore to try to prevent future loss, Talley said.

He said he has developed ways to notice certain behaviors that may indicate theft attempt, such as students sneaking into the textbook department with a book bag.

Talley said the store has ways to monitor their inventory and have taken precautions to prevent theft. The store provides cubbies for students to place their book bags in before doing their shopping.

Talley said the bookstore did not close the textbook area off until after their busiest weeks so that it wouldn’t be “too terribly inconvenient.”

“We will probably not block the area off as quickly next semester unless we notice similar suspicious behavior,” he said.

Rental Program Students can rent textbooks for about half the price of buying them, Talley said.

The rental book program at the Bookstore is expanding to include more titles,

he said.

As of the first semester last fall, 40 percent of titles qualified for the rental program, Talley said. Now more than 50 percent qualify. “[There has been] a fairly significant increase in the number of titles that quality (for the program),” he said.

Although more books are available for rent, some titles will never qualify, such as workbooks, certain bundles and books with access codes, Talley said.

Talley said the program has been successful so far.

“It is definitely helping the bookstore and the campus as a whole,” he said.

One challenge the program faces is reaching out to some foreign students, cashier Stephanie Cabaniss said.

She said it is hard to explain the program to students who do not understand what renting means.

“It’s really hard to explain what ‘to rent’ means to them,” Cabaniss said. “I don’t think [to rent] is in their vocabulary.”

She said she tries different ways of explaining the program to these students, such as comparing it to a temporary loan of a book or renting an apartment.

Cabaniss said that some still don’t understand what she means and they just tell her they want to buy the books.

Even though the program has challenges, the bookstore makes sure students know about it by prominently placing signs around the store and campus, Talley said.

The store takes steps to ensure that students wishing to participate in the rental program can do so effectively and efficiently, he said.

“Students can rent [books] online also,” Talley said.

There is also an express register set up for students to sign up for a rental account in the store, he said. During the first few weeks of school, deemed the ‘rush’ period, employees take extra measures to ensure students are helped quickly.

A dedicated rental associate is hired to explicitly assist students renting textbooks, Talley said.

He said the bookstore is encouraging more students to participate in this program.

“Hopefully we can cater to all students at some point,” he said.

The textbook area is now closed off in the bookstore. Photo by Devang Joshi • joshid@mytjnow.com

Chillin’ with Slabby

The DIGS got a little bit cooler Monday night when Slabby, the Marble Slab mascot, ventured around the student center. Samantha Smigel, junior elementary education major, and Jenny Nelson, sophomore english education major, handed out coupons to the creamery and escorted Slabby downstairs. Photo by Devang Joshi • joshid@mytjnow.com

3

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

Starbucks: ‘More than making coffee’ COFFEE • from front Undeterred, she applied for the lead supervisor position that opened up in May at Starbucks on campus.

She got it.

Now, every week during Common Time, the first question to enter her mind when she witnesses a growing line of students become longer is, “How many people do we have up here?”

When she’s not supervising, Jones floats. If there are two people working the front, then she jumps in and lends a hand. If there are three, she provides support—stocking and restocking and re-stocking again.

She’s not one to buckle under pressure either. Working with what she calls a “competent staff,” Jones doesn’t have a “whew” moment until after the lines disappear and her shift is over.

As it is with any fast-food industry, the customer is always right, Jones said, even when they’re impatient or occasionally rude.

Long lines are a staple at Starbucks five days a week. When employees aren’t skidding across the floor to fix coffee, they “If it’s wrong, we’ll make it again clean up the messes made while taking care of students and faculty during the morning and afternoon rushes. Photo by and again and again until we get it Aimee Harman • harmana@mytjnow.com correct,” Jones said.

Almost as if she were prophesying, something was wrong with the milk in working here.” a customer walked into the café while her coffee.

Still, Starbucks doesn’t play any Jones spoke with her visitor and said So, Jones did what she always does. games.

She made it again.

Each month, employees are tested.

“You asked why Starbucks, but I say, During on-the-job training, they are why not Starbucks?” Jones told her visitaught how to manage multiple tasks at tor. once and watch a video displaying the Dezirea Jones The paycheck is also a nice bonus, she correct way to mix certain beverages.

Lead supervisor, Starbucks added.

“There’s a hot drink side and a cold For Jones, the reach of medical school drink side and you have to go back and him while he’s mixing drinks. isn’t long forgotten. forth between the two,” Wilson said.

Sometimes, Wilson finds himself makJust this week, Jones will receive news “You have to make the drink a certain ing four different drinks at a time and he whether she will be admitted to medical way, and they weigh it and everything,” said it’s easy to mess up. school after taking the MCAT’s again.

On the weekends, there may only be When encountering disgruntled cusIt’s a smooth and sophisticated operatwo employees manning the fort. Last tomers, Wilson remembers that the stution Jon Wilson deals with every Friday, Friday, Wilson was the sole barista. dents are most likely in between classes.

Saturday and Sunday.

But even on days like these, the café “…We would kind of make them late a The junior graphic design major has can get unexpected rushes. little bit” if the wait is long, Wilson said. been working at Starbucks for almost “It hits within seconds and it gets so “I can understand why that’s frustrating five weeks now, after an extended tenure busy…and we’re running all over the to them.” at Barnes & Noble. place and making a mess back there,” The difference is uncanny and the Wilson said. on-campus café much more desirable, he When the rush comes, Wilson goes said. into the zone.

“I like this a lot better; I’m mostly “I can’t talk to anybody,” Wilson said, Dezirea Jones serves crowds at her serving students here—people my age,” referring to instances where customers job at Starbucks. Photo by Aimee he said.

“I met a lot of people on campus try to carry on side-conversations with Harmon • harmona@mytjnow.com

“”

My friends are a little jealous.

Student devotes week to helping children with muscular dystrophy CAMP • from front M.D. don’t live past 25,” he said. “We give (them) a normal week.”

Though they know the reality of the situation, Polimski said the campers have career goals and dreams like anybody else.

Polomski said the camp provides the kids with a place to belong.

“Everything is designed to fit them (at camp) and everyone is in a wheelchair,” he said. “No one was the outcast.”

Polomski wants to go into physical therapy and learned about the camp from his advisor. He said the camp needed male counselors and that he thought it would be a good opportunity. He said the camp provided him with lifting and transferring experience, some-

thing that is a key element of physical therapy.

Polomski also assisted his camper with his daily stretches, something he will have to do in his future career as well.

One aspect of the camp was facilitating activity with the campers. Polomski said the pool was a big thing for them because gravity is not as hard and they are able to move more freely.

Polomski said his camper was very grateful

“”

They have goals just like normal kids, they just have a time clock.

Tyler Polomski

for his help.

“I was like his big brother in a way,” he said. “It was very humbling.”

Besides helping the kids, the camp provides a break for the parents, who are sometimes apprehensive about leaving their children, but who constantly deal with children who grow increasingly weaker due to the disorder. “(The kids feel) that their body is deteriorating on them and they turn The Musculary Dystrophy Camp provides children with MD a week of fun and a chance into children again to be around others going through the same thing. Photo courtesy of Tyler Polomski. who can’t do anycounting down to the next Polomski said the kids try to make everyday as thing (for themselves),” year they can go,” he said. are very strong. productive as possible,” Polomski said.

Though 17 is the last “The kids know they are he said. “They have goals He said the campers year campers can go to not destined to live to 80 just like normal kids, they love coming. camp, many stay in conyears old, but they face just have a time clock.”

“Many campers are tact. it with such bravery and

–––––––––––––––––––––––– POLICE BLOTTER ––––––––––––––––––––––––– ASSAULT AND BATTERY (9/7/11) At 1:30 p.m., the victim reported to the Winthrop P.D. that she had seen a male student with multiple tattoos at least twice a day since the fall semester classes began, according to the police report. The victim told the Winthrop P.D. that she normally had contact with the male student at the smoking area behind Margaret Nance Hall. On 9/7/11, the victim said the subject followed her around after her classes and that she and the subject do not share any classes. After leaving her class, the victim said the subject followed

her to the smoking area and asked the victim if he could come back to her room and watch a movie. The victim told him no, but the subject pushed the matter and moved closer to where the victim was sitting.

The subject than began rubbing the victim’s thigh. Though the victim told the subject to stop, he refused and ran his hand underneath the victim’s dress and grabbed her butt. The victim then asked the subject to stop again because he was making her uncomfortable. She then left the scene and called victim services, which escorted the victim to Winthrop P.D. The victim told the P.D.

that she did not want to pursue the matter criminally, but may want to pursue it through the University Judiciary committee. The case will remain active while the reporting officer attempts to identify the suspect, who the victim described as a 30-something-year-old white male student who is heavily tattooed with a tattoo of a colorful tree, sunset and bird on one of his ankles, according to the police report.

Compiled by Amanda Phipps

4

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

Salesman swindles student on Scholar’s Walk Man posed as mass communication major, army recruiter; walked away with $120

By Jonathan McFadden mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

A female student was left without $120 two weeks ago after a stranger she said posed as a mass communication major and army recruiter asked her to donate money for magazine subscriptions meant to aid military personnel.

Walking back from her art history class on Scholar’s Walk, the student, who asked not to be identified, was approached by a man who said he was working on a project for his mass communication class that required him to walk up to strangers and talk to them for two to five minutes.

“So I was like, ‘ok,’ and I sat down and started talking to him,” the student said.

The stranger told the female student, a freshman, that part of his project also included raising funds for a scholarship-funded trip to Great Britain to work on BBC with ‘the guy from Monty Python,’ she said.

According to the stranger’s story, he had to sell magazine subscriptions to earn scholarship points for the trip. He said all donations would be tax deductible and would go to a good cause, the student said.

That cause included supporting active military personnel through money collected from the magazine subscriptions, the student said.

“He was talking really, really fast so I had a hard time hearing and keeping

“”

up with everything he was saying,” she said.

Still, she signed the paperwork and agreed to help the ‘mass communication major’ with his project.

That’s when he told her the total would be $120.

“By that point, I sort of felt like maybe something was weird but I felt like I was being paranoid because I only had been away from home for like Student two weeks,” she said.

The stranger asked to walk with her to the ATM anywhere to be found. and get out cash. She “And now I’m starting agreed. to panic because I just They walked to the gave some weirdo $120,” nearest ATM, the student the student said. “And I withdrew $120 and gave it didn’t want to think the to the stranger. worst and think that he Suddenly, the stranger was scamming me, but at said he had to run, the this point, that’s pretty student said, and get to much the only thing it class. He gave her his could have been.” phone number as the stuCalling her mother fredent explained her mother quently, the student said may want to call him and her mother sensed the ask him questions regardpanic in her daughter’s ing the money. voice and decided to call The stranger said it was Campus Police. fine and explained that A few moments later, if her mother did call, he the student said her would most likely answer mother revealed that the the phone as “Sergeant police were already in the Williams,” since he was process of interviewing also an army recruiter. someone else about the As soon as the stranger same situation. walked off, the student Minutes later, Campus called her mother because Police showed up at the she got an uneasy feeling. student’s door to interHer mother told her to view her as well. The potalk with someone to see lice said they just finished if they heard about the interviewing another feproject. The student went male student and wanted to her resident assistant to obtain some kind of (RA) to see if anyone else identification so they knew about the mass could find the stranger. communication project.

The police officers led They looked on the webthe student into her resisite and no news of any dence hall’s main lobby such project or scholarwhere their sergeant was ship competition was waiting with another guy,

And now I’m starting to panic because I just gave some weirdo $120

apparently the stranger’s accomplice, who sat in the backseat of the police’s car.

As she tried to tell her story, the student broke down in tears—bottled up stress and confusion spilling through the surface.

The accomplice, who had just finished scamming someone else, felt so bad for the student that he gave her $120 in cash. The accomplice said he didn’t realize selling the magazines was a scam and that it was his first time selling on a college campus.

“They couldn’t find the other guy,” the student said. “I guess when I told him my mom may call him about it, he got weirded out and took off and left his friend.

It worked out. I got my money back.”

One of the officers the student spoke with had her own take on the situation.

“These bastards aren’t usually out this early,” the student said quoting the officer.

The student said she hasn’t heard anything else about the stranger, but was told by Campus Police to notify them if she spots him on campus again.

The stranger had short buzzed hair and claimed to be a military veteran returning to school using money obtained from the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, the student said.

“He was showing me all these injuries he had, like a metal-plate skull and a fake knee and I was like, ‘wow’ I sort of felt bad for this guy...” the

student said. “I’ve always wanted to be the kind of person to help people out, so I don’t jump to that conclusion.”

Magazine salesmen on campus aren’t anything new, said Chief of Police Frank Zebedis.

In fact, the biggest difference in this situation was that “these two guys were a little more pushy than normal,” Zebedis said.

“However, they didn’t violate any laws because they were legitimate,” Zebedis added. “I think a message that should be shared with our students is to be very careful before buying magazines.”

Zebedis also advised that students ask the person selling the magazines to produce a business license from the City of Rock Hill that allows

them to sell periodicals within city limits.

“If they can’t produce that document, there is a good chance the salesmen may not be reputable,” Zebedis said.

If the cost of the magazine seems extremely low or high, it should raise suspicion, Zebedis said.

Two Thursdays ago, the men selling the magazines did not have permission to do so, Zebedis said.

An official police report was not created, Zebedis said, because “we couldn’t determine that criminal offense occurred.”

The police did complete an internal report but it never made mention of the salesman posing as an army recruiter, Zebedis said.

Graphic by Courtney Niskala • niskalac@mytjnow.com

Professors experiment with iPad tech to enhance teaching methods

By Amanda Phipps phippsa@mytjnow.com

More advanced technology may soon become part of the learning experience in Winthrop classrooms.

The university is experimenting with using mobile technology, such as iPads, to enhance students and faculty’s ability to learn and teach, said Debra Boyd, vice president of academic affairs.

“We don’t buy [technology] just to buy it,” she said.

The university is in the investigative stage of using these devices in the classrooms, Boyd said. She said the university does not want to intrude on other students’

learning space.

“We don’t want technology to be a distraction; we want to be an enhancement to learning,” she said.

Before leaving her previous position of dean of arts and sciences, Boyd got iPads for all the department chairs to help them work more efficiently and save on paper costs, she said.

Boyd said department chairs will experiment with using the iPads in meetings by sharing documents on programs such as Dropbox rather than printing out individual copies. This coincides with the university’s effort to be greener and cut back on paper use.

“I think investigating the use of iPads fits well with the Winthrop Readiness Initiative,” she said.“We are always looking for ways to accomplish our goals more effectively and efficiently, so investigating the use of iPads to save time, paper, and other resources seemed a natural thing to do.”

After holding workshops to learn to use the technology efficiently, Boyd said the deans and other faculty will try them out.

“Mobile devices are very efficient in helping people keep up with their work,” she said.

Boyd said she is curious to know how students use mobile devices, such as smart phones. She plans on speaking with the Council of Student Leaders and gaining student opinion on the use of this

Haney Howell, professor of mass communication, uses his iPad in his office.

Photo by Claire VanOstenbridge • vanostenbridgec@mytjnow.com

technology in classrooms.

“It is one of those things we need to think about,” she said.

Boyd said the university is addressing the question of what kind of technology is appropriate for the classroom.

“It’s not really about the technology,” she said. “It’s really about the learning and choosing the most effective tools to enhance learning.”

Boyd said she is looking at how other universities have efficiently incorporated mobile technology into their classrooms.

With more students using technology and taking online classes, Boyd said the important thing is to figure out how best to engage students in conversation.

Boyd said she needs to evaluate what the university is getting from the technology and be responsible.

“We are obligated as a university to use technology with integrity and to be good digital citizens,” she said.

Boyd said she is asking if faculty and students are interested in experimenting with using this technology in their classes. She said the university does not yet have a plan in place for incorporating these devices into its teaching methods, but is looking at all sorts of technology that may be useful.

“We are exploring ways to use old and new technologies,” she said.

Boyd said some professors are already using these devices in their classrooms. She said the university will do its best to get them for any faculty member who wants to try them out.

She is also conducting background research on how these devices can enhance learning. She will put her research together, review and share it to see what people think and decide where to go next.

“There isn’t one plan for every faculty member or every student,” she said. “We need to use different approaches. We support teachers and students in ways that best help them learn and work.”

5 Our Say

TJ asks WU students to drink responsibly For many students, the legendary parties are some of the most exciting aspects of college life.

Booze, beats and good friends can make memories that will last until you’re in a retirement home.

But of course, similar to many other fun things, alcohol can be dangerous in excess. As pointed out by Heather Evans-Anderson, assistant professor of biology, excessive drinking can lead to ill health and possibly and early death.

But we’re not advocating against drinking. We’re not condoning underage drinking, either. We’re asking students to be smart when it comes to booze.

At some point in your college career, if not already, you’ll have the opportunity to get completely wasted. The memoryloss, puking on your shirt and accidentally breaking a lamp type of drunk.

And you, as an adult, get to make that decision. The Johnsonian just asks you to be careful; not only for your safety but for the safety of others.

If you’re going to party at Suite in Charlotte or you’re hitting a local bar here in town, make sure someone sober can get you where you need to go.

If you’re feeling sick later that night, ask someone to hold your hair back or keep you from choking on your own vomit (it happens).

If you’re having trouble controlling motor skills, try not to break your arm or break someone else’s leg.

Just act responsibly and drink respon-

sibly.

Again, we’re not asking students to refrain from drinking because that’s unrealistic and unfair.

At least half of The Johnsonian staff is of age, and we all know the stories of alcohol induced mistakes. Some of us refrain from drinking because of religious beliefs, and some just prefer Dr. Pepper.

But some of us go to McHales after press night for a beer to blow off steam, similar to many other students.

We are, after all, journalists.

All The Johnsonian asks is for you to stay smart and safe while drinking. The police blotter fills up quickly, anyway.

For more information about Winthrop’s alcoholic beverage policy, visit the Student Affairs page at www.winthrop.edu/studentaffairs.

“”

...ask someone to hold your hair back or keep you from choking on your own vomit.

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

CONNOR DE BRULER Opinion Editor debrulerc@mytjnow.com

Freshman sees flaws in WU, welcome week too much would satisfy the tastes of anyone; Every college seeks to preshowever, the university requires ent itself as a welcoming and floor meetings, convocation and comfortable environment to other mandatory events that their incoming students; yet, pressed students for time in their did Winthrop really achieve schedules. Classes had already this with their own welcome started and students found sitting week? While the staff was through a two hour lecture on friendly, the orientation leaders full of energy and informa- Jacob Wingard Winthrop’s heritage, tradition and tion and the resident assistants Guest colomnist past: items that were already spoken upon by orientation leaders, a continual boon to the stuthough not as in-depth. Stress skyrockdents, somewhere along the line, it felt eted and the balancing act suddenly like Winthrop just missed the mark. began to topple as time was worn thin by The atmosphere of campus illusthese events. trating academic tradition, respect for While all of them were entertainthe past and keeping the visions of the ing; students seeking to study later in founders and our motto: veritas cum the evening could find themselves stuck libertate, truth with liberty, alive. As between the performance with no end I walked the breath-taking halls of the time, or leaving early and being denied a institution, a sort of pressure built up cultural credit for the show. around the shoulders: the weight of In short, Winthrop has an amazing responsibility. campus and, it definitely deserves apStudents are expected to make a plause for bringing in class acts like Tom certain grade or scholarships will be DaLuca and Asia Project; but students stripped from them; however, they are could easily become overloaded during also expected to be social and to make welcome week. new friends, join clubs and become a The constant mandatory meetings, part of the Winthrop community. the numerous events, clubs and other The pillars of support known as activities available make it hard to balmom and dad are gone; responsibility is ance between recreation and academics. placed firmly on their shoulders, and so Welcome week just seems like it would begins a balancing act.

Everyone knows that academia comes be better suited as part of orientation rather than the start of the school year. before recreation and fun; however, Convocation in particular would be where does the real balance come in? something that parents would likely Winthrop offered a dizzying array of want to attend. clubs, organizations and events that

Winthrop in dire need of more riots There aren’t enough protests on the Winthrop campus.

We don’t even need a specific cause to protest against. Rallying together is a fantastic way to exercise unity as a student body.

Connor de Bruler I remember the religious Opinion editor fanatics that nearly incited a riot last year during October. So many students were united in hating the same three people. It was beautiful. Unfortunately, a lot of students were tacking on their random social and political agendas to the hysteria (remember the SSU banner?).

I want the student body to rally together and stop classes and cause a bunch of arrests and detainments for no good reason. We should rally against the Baby Boomer generation. We should rally against there not being enough recycling bins on the campus. We rally against the idea that we don’t rally enough.

What I’m envisioning is best illustrated in the Slipknot music video for their song “Duality.” I’m hoping for a controlled, finite state of emergency and chaos: people punching through glass windows, arguing with cops and jumping through ceilings.

We should rally for the installment of seventy to eighty trampolines placed around campus.

Let’s make the campus more lively and exciting. It is our constitutional right to engage in free assembly and free speech, so let’s exercise it. Rights are like muscles and its time to get ripped and fit as a student body.

We should protest milk, man! What’s the deal with milk?

I personally feel that Thomson cafeteria should invest in several seltzer dispensers.

Come on Winthrop! College is about pushing the limits of thought and life itself. Streaking used to be all the rage in the 70s. Why not do some of

Illustration by Courtney Niskala•niskalac@mytjnow.com

that? We could organize a naked march down scholars walk. We should have a naked midnight pool party.

The possibilities are endless.

In my extensive conversation with president DiGiorgio, we discussed the statement Kierkegaard made about generations. He said that the new generation stands on the shoulders of the latter. I fervently submit to you that we cannot stand on the shoulders of the last generation without bruising their shoulders and kicking their faces a

little. We should be giving the staff and administration a hard time all the time.

I’ve decided that I’m going to protest milk and cereal pretty soon in front of Byrnes Hall. I think cereal should be illegal for the simple reason that it’s the grossest crap ever annexed into the canon of American cuisine.

I dare you Winthrop. I dare you to form some good riots this year.

About The Johnsonian

Editor CLAIRE BYUN

Science & Technology Editor CATHERINE ZENDE

Webmaster DEVANG JOSHI

News Editor JONATHAN MCFADDEN

Sports Editor JEFF BRODEUR

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.

Assistant News Editor AMANDA PHIPPS

Sports Editor DAVID THACKHAM

Photographers AMIEE HARMAN CLAIRE VANOSTENBRIDGE JOHN RHODES

Opinion Editor CONNOR DE BRULER

Copy Editor STEPHANIE ROJENCHES

Ad Manager / Ad Designer RILEY SCHOTT

Culture Editor ALISON ANGEL

Copy Editor EDWARD SZEMAN

Arts & Entertainment Editor MONICA KREBER

Multimedia Editor KAYLEE NICHOLS

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

Phone: (803) 323-3419 E-mail: editors@mytjnow.com Online: mytjnow.com

Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor JOSHUA JOHNSON

Assistant Multimedia Editor JEREMY ALLEN

Ad Sales Representative KATHRINE BROWN Graphic Designer COURTNEY NISKALA Faculty Adviser GUY REEL

CONTACT INFORMATION

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.

6

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

CATHERINE ZENDE Science & Technology Editor zendec@mytjnow.com

The science behind drinking, hangovers ALCOHOL • from front “The alcohol actually inhibits a step in the kidneys’ regulatory system that causes the kidneys to excrete more water than they normally would,” EvansAnderson said.

Because the alcohol hinders the kidneys’ regular functions, alcohol has a dehydrating effect, according to EvansAnderson. “The next day you feel like crap because you’re hung over, you’re dehydrated,” Evans-Anderson said.

So what can you do to prevent this harmful dehydration? Gatorade is the best option because the electrolytes help prevent the dehydration that leads to that hangover, Evans-Anderson said.

“If you drank the Gatorade before you went to bed you’d feel a lot better in the morning,” Evans-Anderson said.

In addition to the dangers of dehydration, Evans-Anderson warns about taking aspirin or ibuprofen to prevent any hangover effects.

“Those drugs have to be metabolized just like the alcohol does,” EvansAnderson said. And because the liver is already detoxifying the alcohol, adding the pain medication can be a bad combination.

Evans-Anderson also warns about the dangers of excessive drinking to the point of passing out. “Kids die from alcohol,” Evans-Anderson said.

She emphasizes the need to look out for people who have been drinking a lot by monitoring their breathing and watch for choking hazards caused by vomiting. “The problem comes when everybody who is there is not in the right state to help someone,” EvansAnderson said.

So how much is too much? According to Evans-Anderson, the potency

of the drink and the timing are important factors. “In a normal party period (3-4 hours), if you had three drinks in that time period your body has time to process that alcohol,” Evans-Anderson said.

“Your liver is detoxifying that alcohol as it goes through and it is able to keep up.” However, if more drinks are consumed during this time, “the body can’t keep up and is more likely to shut down,” Evans-Anderson said.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than one drink a day for women and no more than two a day for men.

Drinking in moderation can have positive health effects, according to Evans-Anderson. “Red wine can have lots of benefits with antioxidants and polyphenols,” Evans-Anderson said.

Even beer can have positive health effects if limited. “It’s all about moderation,” Evans-Anderson said.

While Evans-Anderson recognizes the potentially dangerous physiological effects of alcohol on the human body, she understands that people will drink in social situations.

Her advice to Winthrop students is to have self-control. “There’s the drinking that happens for fun and the drinking that goes too far.”

“”

I have less than two months to be legal so I might as well wait. I haven’t had a drink before so I might as well make it like a celebration.

Grace Grindstaff, Junior

“”

I always limit myself and know when to stop, which is kind of hard for a lot of people.

Taylor Godfrey, Junior

Binge drinking is defined as drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 percent or above. For women this means four or more drinks in two hours; for men it is five or more drinks in two hours.

Photo illustration by John Rhodes • rhodesj@mytjnow.com

Myths of Alcohol: Fact or Fiction?

“Beer before liquor, never been sicker” Not necessarily! This myth relates more to the sheer amount of alchol consumed, according to Dr. Evans-Anderson, “Beer goes down a whole lot easier than liquor does. So if you’ve had a few beers then you tack on liquor on to that, you’re going to get a lot more alcohol in your system than if you were drinking one or the other,” Evans-Anderson said.

“Coffee will sober you up” Coffee has the stimulant caffeine, which leads some people to believe the hot drink will combat the depressant found in alcohol. According to WebMD, caffeine won’t “cure” your drunkness, but it will make you a more wide awake drunk. The next morning, the dehydrating effects of alcohol and caffeine will leave you feeling even worse.

“Alcohol kills brain cells” If you google this question, you’ll find a multitude of conflicting sources.

However, according to Dr. Evans-Anderson, large portions of alcohol can damage brain cells. “That alcohol is not being detoxifying by the liver and is going on to the brain where it’s going to kill mostly the supporting cells of the brain, the glial cells,” Evans-Anderson said.

“Drinking keeps you warm”

“”

It’s [drinking] against my religion and I also don’t see the point.

Abbey Frost, Junior

This myth may seem true, but it’s just an illusion. “[Alcohol] relaxes your circulatory system allowing more blood flow to your skin and that is what gives you that warmer sensation,” Evans-Anderson said.

“A passed out person just needs sleep” “This may be the most dangerous myth because a passed out person may have alcohol poisoning or may face a choking hazard after passing out.

That’s the worst thing. Wake them up, make sure they’re okay,” EvansAnderson said.

Sources: CDC, WebMD, and Dr. Evans-Anderson

Cellular providers face off, webmaster explains coverage

Devang Joshi

joshid@mytjnow.com

Cell phones are such an integral part of our day to day lives. However when we pay for this luxury, sometimes, it’s a little more cash than we would like to part with.

So which cellular provider is the best? That is the million dollar question we are going to answer for you.

Over the next few weeks, look for in-depth reviews of the “big three” cellular providers (AT&T, Verizon & Sprint) and additional coverage on “pay-as-you-go” options.

Is there really a difference between 3G & 4G? What do those pesky

coverage maps really mean? How much are “smart-phones” really worth?

These are the questions we are going to answer for you, and hopefully aid you in your next cellular purchase.

Which companies will come out on top? Make sure to check out The Johnsonian each week in print and online for more information.

What is your favorite celluar provider and why? Let us know! Email Devang @ joshid@mytjnow.com, and you can end up in a future issue of The Johnsonian.

7

MONICA KREBER Arts & Entertainment Editor THURSDAY kreberm@myjnow.com September, 15 2011 JOSHUA JOHNSON Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor johnsonj@mytjnow.com

How ‘entertaining’ is Winthrop’s campus?

Previous reports indicate entertainment budget for DSU has not increased in over 15 years Joshua Johsnon

johnsonj@mytjnow.com

August 2010 brought on line to Winthrop’s continuously developing building projects, the opening of the DiGiorgio Campus Center (DIGS).

The center, named for the university’s current president, replaced Dinkins Student Union, located on Oakland Avenue, as what is supposed to be the new hub for students to gather, work and be entertained.

Even with a game area including pool, foosball and ping pong tables, Xboxes, and televisions; a 224 seat theater that plays current movies weekly; “The Edge” which has a nightclubtype feel integrated into the food court area; some students question DIGS ability to meet entertainment needs.

DIGS has been described as the, “heart of campus,” but based upon the observations

of some students, the campus loses its beat on the weekends, and a pulse is sometimes hardly attainable during the week.

Kierra Landrum, former resident assistant and senior psychology major, said that working in the predominately freshmen Richardson Hall last year she did not see a great usage of DIGS by the students.

“I don’t know of any of my residents that chose to go there on the weekends unless they happened to be here and they played a movie they liked,” Landrum said. “It’s very nice, but it’s not over the top exciting.”

Landrum noted that it seemed most residents went to Charlotte, other schools or home on the weekends.

While tournaments may be a possibility, needing something new may entail using The Edge or other parts of the facility to host more popular acts. There may be some area of difficulty, as it was reported in the March

9 issue of The Johnsonian that the entertainment budget for DiGiorgio Student Union (DSU), formerly Dinkins Student Union, has not increased in over 15 years.

Boyd Jones, University Programs Director, zoomed out and looked at the factors that make students more prone to find other places to be entertained as opposed to that which is available to them on campus.

He made the point that Charlotte is a city that booms with entertainment and activities.

“People will go to Charlotte to see an act before they would come to Rock Hill,” he said. He pointed out that it’s not necessarily anything that the school is doing wrong in the way of programming, but that at the base of all things, location counts.

Jones said there has not been a particular increase in DSU events since most things have become centralized at the campus center, but “all of the space

we have to use is wonderful.”

At that time, there was actually a pottery making event going on in the lobby area beside the concourse.

According to an analysis of the center’s usage, released by DIGS director Alicia Marstall, the center received 1122 space requests in the course of the 2010-2011 academic year, which included requests for space on the campus green, concourse and Scholars Walk, as well as rooms within the actual facility.

The greatest amounts of requests was made for large meeting rooms which totaled 735; small meeting rooms came in second with 405 requests. The smallest amount of requests was made for The Edge, totaling 55. Dina’s Place, the theater, received 144 requests, while outside spaces received 143 requests. Other areas, including the ballroom, lobbies and room 114 (the fishbowl), round out requests.

However, the analysis also added, “The recreational and gaming equipment available to check out and use at the Information Services Desk evolved as the year went on.”

“Initially, we offered Pool, Ping Pong and Foosball available to be checked out,” Marstall said. “Based on customer feedback and requests, we added video game equipment (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii) and an assortment of games. As the demand for video gaming increased in the Spring semester, students signed up for a GameFly Membership Account to give users of the Campus Center the flexibility to have all the latest games currently out for a small monthly fee.”

As Winthrop continues to develop, perhaps the vision for DIGS as the “heartbeat of campus” will become more evident to pessimistic students.

Winthrop professors produce documentary Chequira Harris

Special to The Johnsonian

The documentary shows the history of Duncan Park Stadium at the Winthrop Athletic Field. Above is a shot of the stadium during the American Legion World Series game in 1936. Below is Duncan Park today, from the perspective of second base. Photos provided by Bolognese and Nortz.

8

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In 1926, Duncan Park Stadium was built in Spartanburg, S.C. This baseball stadium was the home of the Spartanburg Phillies, affiliates of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Duncan Park stadium holds many memories for the people of Spartanburg, memories that Winthrop University faculty members Albert Bolognese and Mark Nortz planned to capture in their documentary “Duncan Park Stadium: 85 Years of Baseball Memories.”

A love of baseball and interest in the Spartanburg Phillies led Bolognese, assistant professor for PE Sport and Human Performance (and a native of Philadelphia), to look up the history of Duncan Park Stadium, which is how he and mass communication professor Nortz began the documentary.

This is Nortz’s second documentary.

On July 8, 1926 Duncan Park held its first game played by the Spartanburg Spartans and the Macon Peaches. Game 5 of the 1936 “World Series” of American Legion baseball was also held there, the professors said. The Stadium was once the highlight of Spartanburg, with people going there every weekend to catch up with friends or to just enjoy a game of baseball. In 1937, the New York Yankees played an exhibition game at Duncan Park as they were on their way back to New York from spring training. Major league standouts that have played in Duncan Park include Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Larry Bowa, Ryne Sandburg, Dale Murphy and Tom Glavine.

From 1963 through 1994, the Spartanburg

Winthrop faculty members Albert Bolognese, left, and Mark Nortz have made a documentary on Duncan Park. Photos by Aimee Harman • harmana@mytjnow.com

Phillies were a farm team associated with the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1971, 582 green wooden seats were sent to Duncan Park Stadium from Connie Mack Stadium (formerly known as Shibe Park) in Philadelphia when the Philadelphia Phillies began playing in Veterans Stadium. These wooden chairs are known as the “green seats” among the people of Spartanburg, according to the documentary, Bolognese said.

Bolognese has mentioned that if those green seats were taken back to Philadelphia, they would be sold for a lot of money, which can give an idea of how valuable they are.

The construction of I-85 gave the people of Spartanburg a way to get to places that would usually take all day within a matter of hours. This gave the option of going to another town on weekends instead of Duncan Park.

Bolognese said he believes that this may have led to the demise of Duncan Park Stadium, which was given to Spartanburg School District 7 by the state.

Today the Stadium is used by the Spartanburg

Stingers Baseball Club and the Spartanburg Crickets. Even though Duncan Park is still in use, there are still repairs needed and improvements that need to be made.

The “Friends of Duncan Park” are a group of people who want to raise awareness about the condition of Duncan Park Stadium in an effort to get the needed funds to restore it.

The people of Spartanburg are fond of the Duncan Park Stadium, and by interviewing them, Bolognese and Nortz were able to picture the stadium as it once was.

“Any facility always holds memories,” Bolognese said, “but when you knock it down they’re gone.”

Through this documentary Nortz and Bolognese hope to preserve some of these memories and share them with others who will see “Duncan Park Stadium: 85 Years of Baseball Memories.”

Nortz said they hope to tell a good story through the documentary.

“Tell a good story,” he said. “Everyone loves a good story.”

8

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

‘Chicago’: and all that jazz...

The cast has been rehearsing since Fall semester classes started, and all cast members are required to be able to sing, dance and act. Last Thursday night they rehearsed the song “We Both Reached for the Gun.” Photo by Claire Von Ostenbridge • vonstenbridgec@mytjnow.com

Winthrop theater department prepares to debut Broadway hit musical “Chicago,” Oct. 5-8 CHICAGO • from front thing “with name recognition” and good music.

“We started rehearsals right after classes started,” Gundersheim said.

Gundersheim said auditioning for the musical required cast members who posed a “triple threat”; everyone has to be able to sing, dance and act.

“I think people are going to enjoy the music, and it’s not an old school musical,” he said. “It’s not ‘Oklahoma’ or ‘Anything Goes.’ It’s darker.”

The musical, set in 1920s Chicago, focuses on murderess Roxie Hart, who attempts to gain fame during her murder trial.

Junior theatre major Philip Calabro will be playing Roxie Hart’s “slick” lawyer Billy Flynn, who he describes as “a sleazeball” who has never lost a case.

“We’re trying to keep that cold, sleazy feel to it (the play),” Calabro said. “I’ve never had to do a character that is such a sleazeball, and that’s the biggest thing for me; it’s a challenge to

do this because it puts me out of my own character.”

The poster for the musical will be labeled with “adult content” because of the dark story – and the theatre department is not censoring any of the songs or dialogue.

“I would say the show is what it is,” Calabro said. “We’re not trying to take anything out of it.

We’re not censoring anything at all.”

Senior theatre major Kayla Piscatelli plays Velma Kelly, Roxie Hart’s rival, in the play. Piscatelli said she likes her character because of “how smart” she is. “(Velma) is hard and tough,” Piscatelli said. “She is also selfsufficient and independent.”

Piscatelli said the play has been somewhat modernized from the original production.

“We’re a different version of what we were in the ‘20s,” she said.

Gundersheim said the musical is timely now with Casey Anthony trial

that wrapped up in July; he said the trials of Roxie Hart and Anthony have similarities.

“There are things about the play that reverberate that (the Anthony trial),” he said. “I think people might have conversations in the car on their way home.”

Senior theatre performance major Cecily Bigham, who will be playing Matron “Mama” Morton, said she loves the rehearsal process and the time she gets to experiment with her “powerhouse” character.

“My biggest challenge for this play is really getting my physicality to match the time period of Chicago,” she said.

“Like every role I’ve been cast in, I have to change the way I stand and the way I walk, talk and dance.

It’s all very exciting and challenging.”

Roxie Hart will be played by senior theatre performance major Jesse Powers.

“I love the fact that she is a very real, tangible character,” Powers said. “She and

I are different in a lot of ways, and it’s hard for me not to judge her for her actions or emotions. Character development is definitely the hardest thing about this show at the moment.”

Powers also said time management is an obstacle.

“With the small amount of time to learn all of the songs, blocking, lines and choreography, I’m struggling to get a good grip on who she (Roxie) is,” she said.

“Having such a fantastic group of dedicated and talented directors, musicians, technicians, actors and stage managers really helps the process run smoothly and successfully.”

Sophomore theatre performance major JT Rider will play Amos Hart, Roxie Hart’s husband. Rider said he likes his character because he is the “only pure, good character” in the show.

“I am excited about the smaller cast that this show calls for, giving all of us more of a family bond,” he said. “The friendships born during

the rehearsal process are so strong, and in my experience, have never fallen apart.”

Rider said students should come see the show because it will both entertain and share a powerful message about the facts of life.

“And, of course, cultural credits,” he said.

To keep the dark style of the musical intact, the cast is dressed in black lingerie. Associate theatre and dance professor Janet Gray, who is in charge of costumes, said the department has two classes working on the wardrobe of the musical.

“Each student works four hours a week,” Gray said.

“Teacher assistants that help with the class also work outside of class. It’s 28 hours of student work.”

Gray said the costume design for “Chicago” was “new and different.”

“I’ve done shows with people in underwear before,” she said, “but it’s different – not this kind of dark, sexy kind of show.”

Most of the set design is black as well. Associate theatre and dance professor Anna Sartin, who is in charge of set design, said the stage “may have texture,” but for the most part it is a dark setting.

“The challenges tend to be time and space,” Sartin said, “but I feel like we are in pretty good shape.”

Sartin said the crew is excited about opening night.

“Part of the fun about a show is coming in to see how the set has progressed every day,” she said.

“You never know what you got until the lights go on.”

“”

The friendships born during the rehearsal process are so strong...

JT Rider

Sophomore

Introducing: Ask Amelia Amelia Anonymous

askamelia@mytjnow.com

Have you ever had to make a decision and wanted some advice but didn’t know who to ask? Have you ever wanted advice but felt too selfconscious to ask for it? Have you ever questioned whether or not you should trust your own instincts?

When there’s a tough decision that needs to be made, it is human nature to be uncertain. In the face of this uncertainty, we try to justify every action and consider all the consequences.

Often times confusing ourselves by over-analyzing, we’ll look to someone else to give us some advice and guidance. However, not all topics and situations are comfortably discussed with just anyone.

Most people have what is known as a “go to” person when they want a second opinion. The “go to” person is often a best friend, a sibling, a cousin,

or maybe even a parent. But what happens when the decision that needs to be made is in regards to that person, such as: “Should I break up with my boyfriend?”

“Should I tell my parents I don’t want to take over the family business when I graduate?”

“I have no idea what I want to do with my life. Should I just drop out of college until I figure it out?”

“My best friend is my roommate, but I HATE living with her. Should I move out to save our friendship or just suck it up?”

Sometimes all one needs is an outsider’s opinion, a completely unbiased, objective third party to lend an ear and some advice. It tends to be a lot easier to open up to someone you have no previous attachment to. You can be uncensored and bold, without any fear of being judged.

Decisions and choices are an inevi-

table part of life. They are sticky and messy and can seem overwhelming when we try to figure them out alone.

A lot of the time, we already know what we really want. Sometimes we just need a little nudge in that direction or someone to point us in a new, better direction. That’s where I come in.

“Ask Amelia” is here for you and your questions. The concept is simple.

You can e-mail askamelia@mytjnow. com or submit anonymously at http:// www.mytjnow.com/askamelia.

Every week I’ll go through my email and answer two questions in that week’s column. So if you have a question, don’t hesitate. If it’s embarrassing, ask it. If it’s personal, ask it. If it’s scary, ask it.

Be uninhibited and daring. You’d be amazed how easily a perfect stranger can give you a brand new perspective.

Have a question? Want some advice? Ask Amelia.

Amelia offers advice and a new perspective for students who need anonymous consultation on any matter, whether personal or public.

9

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

ALISON ANGEL Culture Editor angela@mytjnow.com

Cultural divide: For one student, worlds apart can sometimes offer similarities Steven Benitez Special to the Johnsonian

When someone thinks of the word “cultural” now-a-days, there is a simple yet very misleading perception of what the word really means.

The word culture is the word that holds on to certain roots in history, whether it is cuisine, religion, art and what have you. Even Hip Hop is a type of culture, yet people relate to it as a simple dance or genre.

Winthrop University is possibly as multicultural as any other University in the Southeast. Being located in Rock Hill, Winthrop has a cultural aspect that not only pertains to other countries, but anywhere else outside the boarders of Rock Hill.

I move around a lot, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that every place has its own unique culture.

N.Y I was born in Manhattan, N.Y.; however, I was raised in the Dominican Republic. I lived three more years in upstate N.Y., and now I live in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

As a child in N.Y. I do not remember much of what was going on in the city as a whole, but I can say for sure that it was a heart racing moment when the sounds of police cars driving down the street drifting at almost every corner attempting to capture someone filled the air.

This was a daily, if not weekly, ritual in N.Y.; and that was its particular culture. It has always been known for having a high rate of delinquency, but I remember that although you may not be a part of the crime, you were still a part of the culture of New York.

The endless nights in the city that never sleeps are infamous, but they are real, and they are a big part of the culture of the people within it.

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is another outstanding culture, and although it may not be recognized the same way the city is, the Dominican Republic has many similarities: specifically, that it ties countries and cultures together.

Steven Benitez poses with family and friends in the Dominican Republic.

Benitez lived in the Dominican Republic for years and said that the culture is very relaxed and enjoyable.

Photo provided by Steven Benitez

Life in the Dominican Republic

Photo provided by Steven Benitez

In the Dominican Republic, I remember people lived a much more relaxed and enjoyable lifestyle in my perspective. It was so different from the hasty lifestyle in N.Y. In the Dominican Republic, it was not uncommon to walk down the street and see people cleaning their cars or their front yard while cranking up the Bachata music to dance, a big part of their culture. Even baseball is a part of the culture; literally everyone becomes a part of it. Unlike in N.Y. and South Carolina where baseball is a sport that is only played by the talented.

Foods and schools are always different no matter where you go, but these in particular are some aspects that differentiate the Dominican Republic from other places.

Just like my experience in N.Y, however, delinquency also occurs in every part of the world. It’s not a perfect country [the Dominican Republic], but it is a vastly cultural one that can offer the experience of a lifetime.

Fort Mill Finally, Fort Mill, South Carolina: moving here has had a substantially big impact on my perspective of what culture means. When I moved back to N.Y. from the Dominican Republic, I realized that my lifestyle in the Dominican Republic wasn’t much different, and I was astonished! Not only was the nature of Goshen, N.Y. slightly similar to that of Dominican Republic, but I also couldn’t believe that these places were so far away but lived similar lifestyles.

Fort Mill, South Carolina on the other hand, was nowhere near the Dominican Republic nor Goshen in any way, shape or form.

Although I am still attempting to get used to the new ways in South Carolina, it just goes to show how even in the same country, let alone the same states, there can be so many different cultures within the.

So next time you’re walking down Scholars Walk or heading to Diggs, just remember how even though you may speak the same language as all of the other people right next to you, there can be so much more to that person that you cannot even begin to relate to.

Whether it is the food they eat, the music they listen to, or the way they think, you never know. Cultures surround us no matter where we find ourselves, but it is our job to become acquainted with them.

Who knows: we might even learn a thing or two about incorporating that custom into our own culture. And that is the definition of multicultural.

WU: The International Breakdown Ever wonder how diverse our student body is? We’ve put together the numbers that bring the rest of the world to our little corner and break things down:

Illustration by Courtney Niskala

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WOAC raises money and awareness for Winthrop Veterans

By Jeff Brodeur brodeurj@mytjnow.com

What’s a better way to start off a Saturday morning than with a 3.1 mile run around the Winthrop Athletic Complex?

Raising money and awareness for a great cause in the process.

That was the mindset of a group of runners over the weekend at the WOAC 5k Race for Veterans.

“The race was a group effort of the Winthrop Outdoor Adventure Club and the Winthrop Student Veterans Organizations,” said Allie Briggs, an officer of WOAC. “We’re splitting the funds raised today between each group.”

The Winthrop Outdoor Adventure Club was founded in 2006 and is dedicated to bringing individuals interested in outdoor recreation together. They plan events such a kayaking, white water rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking and skiing, just to name a few.

More information can be found on their blog at outdoorexplosion. blogspot.com.

The other campus club that made this 5k run possible was the Student Veterans of Winthrop University.

This program strives to help make the transition from combat to the classroom easier for veterans at Winthrop University.

SVWU is constantly setting up various programs and events that not only make college life more enjoyable and accessible for veterans, but also helping them out after they graduate.

Saturday’s WOAC 5k Race for Vet-

erans was an example of one of these events.

“We’re raising funds for the student veterans and that money is going to be used to better the life and education of the veteran population of Winthrop,” said Mike Widrich, head of SVWU. “We are looking to go to a national conference this December and we’re hoping to use some of the money we raise at this event to help send some of our veterans to a job fair so they have better opportunities once they graduate.”

It was a successful morning for both organizations as more than 30 runners showed up bright and early at Winthrop Lake to participate.

As for the race itself, it was open to anyone who wanted to compete, whether they wanted to test their endurance or just have a good time while helping out these organizations.

Prizes were given to the top finishers, ranging from gift certificates for local restaurants to Army T-shirts.

Everyone also walked away with a complimentary National Guard water bottle just for signing up.

The grand prize was an Army backpack filled with various items such as free Subway and Army/National Guard apparel.

In the end, junior AJ Fitzsimmons, who is also a member of the men’s cross-country team, was first to cross the finish line with a time of 18.52.

The event was both successful and timely according to Briggs.

“It was a great day for the race, and later it dawned on me that the anniversary of Sept. 11 was right around the corner, which was pretty cool.”

UPCOMING EVENTS Home games in bold Men’s soccer 9/18 @ Marshall - 1 p.m.

Women’s soccer 9/17 vs. East Tennessee State - 7 p.m.

9/21 vs. South Carolina State - 7 p.m.

Volleyball 9/17 @ Elon - 7 p.m.

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

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

More than 30 racers signed up to run in the 5k race Saturday morning, athletes and non athletes alike. The track consisted of two laps around the Winthrop Athletic Complex totaling 3.1 miles. All photos by Jeff Brodeur • brodeurj@mytjnow.com

Personal times were given to each runner as they crossed the finish line.

Prizes were given to the top performers following the race. AJ Fitzsimmons (left) had the best overall time of 18.52.

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

Sports Briefs Soccer player featured in Lowe’s Senior Class Award column Winthrop’s Matt Horn was recently mentioned in an article regarding the Lowe’s Senior Class Award for men’s soocer Every year, the award is given to a senior from each NCAA sport who demostrates outstanding service to their community.

Within the column, Horn, a two year team captain for the men’s soccer team, talked about his involvement with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

He recalls his mission trip to Peru with Samaritan’s Feet founder Manny Ohonme and traveling to different schools and reading to children.

For the full story, go to seniorclassaward. com, as well as the Winthrop Athletics website.

Matthews named Athlete of the Week Winthrop men’s soccer player Akeem Matthews was named the Athlete of the Week by the Winthrop Athletics website.

Matthews scored the first three goals of the game to help Winthrop earn a 5-4 doubleovertime victory over Georgia Southern in the Eagles first game of the Big South/Southern Shootout. It’s the first hat trick by a freshman since Matthew Skonicki netted three goals in his first game in 2006 against North Florida.

The 5-9 forward is tied for the team lead with three goals and currently leads the team with 12 shots (six on goal).

His performance was mentioned on CollegeSoccerNews.com as one of the notable performances on the week.

Men’s soccer shutout by Furman The Winthrop men’s soccer team dropped their second straight match over the weekend as they were blanked by Furman, 2-0 in the final game of the Diadora/Sphinx Furman Invitational.

Both of Furman’s scores came in the second half as they improve to 4-1-1 on the season, while the Eagles drop to 3-2. The match was the first time this season the Eagles were unable to score.

Winthrop’s Alex Isern and Josh Chioce were named to the All-Tournament team.

Head coach Rich Posipanko did not travel with the team due to illness.

The team will be back in action on Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. when they travel to Davidson. Although Winthrop came away victorious in their last matchup with the Wildcats, Winthrop is 5-9-1 against Davidson in the series history.

WU baseball to hold walk-on tryouts The Winthrop baseball team will hold walkon tryouts on Monday, Sept. 19 at The Winthrop Ballpark.

The tryout will begin at 4 p.m., and all walkon participants are asked to meet at the first base dugout.

All individuals will have to provide two items when reporting for the tryout. Players will have to complete a physical and fill out the walk-on form, and then turn them in prior to the tryout beginning.

The tryout form is available on the Winthrop baseball page of www.winthropeagles.com.

“Meet the Eagles Night” set for Sept. 20 The Winthrop Eagle Club and CN2 presents “Meet the Eagles Night” on Tuesday, Sept. 20, as members of the 2011 fall sports teams will be introduced to fans following dinner at the Winthrop Coliseum.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. with dinner followed by the coaches’ introductions of the team members of men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country and men’s and women’s golf. Reservations are required by Sept.17.

The event is free for Eagle Club members who have joined or renewed their 2011-12 membership. Tickets for non-members are $10 per person and $5 for children (age 13 and under).

For reservations and/or Eagle Club memberships contact Sharen G. DuBard at 803/3232129 ext. 6218 or dubards@winthrop.edu.

For more information, visit the Winthrop athletics Web page.

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SPORTS

Volleyball hopes to refocus for demanding non-conference slate

By Brandon McGinnis Special to The Johnsonian

After getting off to the best start since 2006, the Winthrop volleyball team tested itself against the state’s best at the Carolina Challenge in Charleston, SC last weekend. The Eagles were able to escape the tournament with a five-set win over host, College of Charleston, but fell to Clemson and a one-loss South Carolina squad.

This week, the Eagles will be on the road as they travel to Charlotte to take on the 49ers on Wednesday and then head to Elon for the Elon Phoenix Classic this weekend. At the tournament, Winthrop is slated for a match against North Carolina Central on Friday and then takes on the host, Elon on Saturday night.

The Eagles come into this week with a 5-4 record led by Big South Conference Preseason of the Year senior Becca Toor. Toor currently has 132 kills and an attacking percentage of .333 on the season. The middle hitter has won back-to-back Big South Conference Player of the Week Awards to start the season, an award she won just once in 2010. Defensively, Toor has tallied

35 blocks, 13 of those being solo.

Winthrop’s future looks bright as there are seven freshmen on this year’s squad. A pair of freshmen lead the Eagles defense as libero Catherine Brusie paces the team in digs with 137, and outside hitter Lauren Landsman has 112.

Sophomore setter Stephanie Palmer has shown how versatile she can be on the floor this year as she has posted double-digit kills, digs and assists in at least one match this season. Stephanie leads Winthrop is assists with 346 on the year.

In their first match of the week, the Eagles travel up I-77 to take on the Charlotte 49ers. Charlotte comes into the match with a 5-5 record as the 49ers captured two wins at the Hilton University 49er Invitational, a tournament in which they hosted. The 49ers are led offensively by Bianca Rouse with 121 kills on the season. Defensively, Charlotte looks to Christina Drake, who is the only player with tripledigit digs on the year with 110. The 49ers are coached by Chris Redding who is in his fifth season.

After squaring off against Charlotte, the Eagles will travel to Elon on Friday to take on North Caro-

lina Central on the opening day of the Elon Phoenix Classic. NCCU is still searching for its first win of the season and will be taking on Winthrop at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. North Carolina Central is led by Dayanna Arrufat on the offensive side of the net. Defensively, NCCU is paced by Jaima-Malaki Kalao with 54 digs.

The Eagles are led by six year veteran Georgette Crawford-Crooks.

On Saturday, Winthrop will be facing the host, Elon to wrap up the tournament. The Phoenix sit at 8-3 with a match with High Point pending this week. Winthrop will look to contain Elon’s tough offense as the Phoenix have two players with over 100 kills. Caroline Lemke and Chanelle have tallied 115 and 109 kills respectively and as a team, Elon has combined for 549 kills. Defensively, the Phoenix are paced by Ali Deatsch with 195 digs.

Changes galore as women’s soccer hopes to escape slump

By David Thackham thackhamd@mytjnow.com

Head coach Spencer Smith looked uncharacteristically stoic as he stood off to the side as his Winthrop women’s soccer team went through their typical pre-match practice last Thursday. Normally, the even-keeled manager doesn’t show much sign of frustration, but a man’s temperament can be tested by a three-game winless streak.

“Don’t look at your gloves,” he muttered under his breath, after backup goalkeeper Amelia Henderson reacted to a missed save. “You missed the shot, not your gloves.”

Minutes later, freshman Ashley Herndon skewed a shot high over the goal in a shooting drill, prompting the young midfielder to apologize loudly.

“No ‘sorry’s,’” Smith sternly reminded his player. “No more ‘sorry’s.’”

That’s the hard-nosed attitude Smith and his coaching staff must instill into the Lady Eagle camp as the season gets well and truly underway. After an undefeated preseason run and an early victory against Georgia Southern, Winthrop (2-3)could only score twice in nearly 300 minutes of play.

“We need a confidence booster,” Smith said prior to his team’s meeting with USC Upstate last Friday. “We’re still looking for the right combination of players and trying to find the chemistry to make it all smooth on the field.”

A team long perceived as average since their inception in 2003, Winthrop had their first seven-win season last year since 2008. Their success gained them a five-way tie of the 2010 Big South regular season title and a #1 seed going into the playoffs in Radford, VA. Mired in 6th in the Big South Conference as of September 7, Smith knows liv-

ing in the past doesn’t win championships.

The road to recovery lies with goals. Winthrop lost offensive threats Tiana Tallant and Tricia Vensel to graduation in 2010, opening a starting spot alongside Eagle stalwart Courtney Durbin.

“When I saw [Krystyna Freda] in her club days,” Smith said, “she was popping in goals from 25, 30 yards away, no problem. Now she’s getting a little more pressure, though.”

The freshman from New Jersey was given the starting job earlier this August ever since some dazzling form in her club team, Matchfit. However, Freda couldn’t seem to find her way to goal against the Citadel, College of Charleston or Francis Marion, prompting Smith to make tough choices.

“We needed an early goal [against USC Upstate] to inflate us and deflate them,” he said. “We made a tactical adjustment that was dangerous, but it worked.”

Smith decided to slot Durbin in at central defender against the Spartans (a spot she hadn’t played since early in her junior year) and leave Freda on the subs bench.

The move was an instant success.

Winthrop’s defense gained some well-needed experience during the first half, shutting down any threat from the visitors. The defining moment, however, would come in the 27th minute. Freda, who had just entered the match as a substitute seven minutes earlier, connected on a long pass by Rachel Webster, ducked an onrushing defender before sliding the ball past the Upstate goalkeeper for her first colle-

Photo by David Thackham • thackhamd@mytjnow.com giate goal.

“It’s been building up for so long,” Freda said afterwards. “It felt so nice to get that goal, I’m hoping this is a sign of things to come.”

It’s impossible to say whether the personnel changes truly made the difference or whether a switch to a 3-5-2 formation (away from Smith’s traditional 4-4-2) had opened the game up for the Eagles, but this much is clear: At the end of Winthrop’s 6-0 rout of the Spartans, the Lady Eagles had 12 second half shots, six more corners than their visitors and the best start to a season since 2008.

Smith thinks the best is yet to come.

“Tonight was a bit better,” he admitted, “but we really could have been so much better. We’re still looking for what works the best for us and nothing’s set in stone right now. Anything could change.”

THURSDAY September 15, 2011

THE JOHNSONIAN

WWW.MYTJNOW.COM

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