9-8-2011 Issue by The Johnsonian

WHY WAIT TILL THURSDAY? READ MYTJNOW.COM.

Forget Europe, English student backpacks across America. See Culture, page 9

Eagles’ athletics team up to kick away cancer. See Sports, page 10

THURSDAY September 8, 2011

Opinion editor discusses psychology with President DiGiorgio See Opinion, page 5

WINTHROP UNIVERSITY

Issue 3

NEWS

Smoke on the Skyline Student watches the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy from her middle school window JONATHAN MCFADDEN mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

A neighbor gone. No communication with dad. Mass panic. September 11. At least from the view of Michelle Rojas, a senior digital information design major who, on that day, had a bird eye’s view of the Big Apple from across the Hudson River. On that particular day at that particular time when that particular plane hit that first particular tower, Rojas immersed herself in the rudiments of computing during her first period computer class in the sixth grade. From her classroom window in New Jersey, students could see the New York City skyline— particularly the World Trade Center—in its blazing glory. That morning, it blazed. Students saw the smoke, but didn’t know what was going on and just went through the day as usual, Rojas said. An hour or so later, students realized that the smoke didn’t stop. At that point, Rojas said her teacher turned on an old television and turned on the news. “That’s when we figured out what was really going on,” she said. The rest of the sixth grade classes joined them, crowding into one room as students and teachers watched the horror unfold on live TV. The first tower had already been hit, Rojas said. Soon enough, it happened again. “As we were watching the news, we saw the footage where the second tower got hit,” Rojas

said. “At that point, everybody stood up to look at it out the window.” Hours passed, the tragedy unfolded and gradually parents began picking up their children. When Rojas’ mother finally got her, she said the first thing her mother said was that she had not heard from Rojas’ father. Rojas’ father worked at the Ford Foundation, a company designed to receive and distribute funds for charitable organizations, educational purposes and public welfare initiatives. The office building was located in midtown Manhattan, miles away from the World Trade Center, but it was still close enough for Rojas. “That was probably the most frustrating thing for me, not hearing from my dad and not knowing where he was at that moment,” Rojas said. “Just the fact that he was in the city overall, that just like worried [me].” Hours later, Rojas, her mother and little brother finally heard from Rojas’ father. He was okay, she said, and making his way home on the Brooklyn Bridge, a method of travel for thousands of workers in Manhattan on that Tuesday. Because he rode a motorcycle, Rojas’ father was able to maneuver through the gridlocked traffic that swamped the bridge and make it to his family. Though she didn’t have any personal connections with anyone at Ground Zero, Rojas said her neighbor and one of her neighbor’s friends were both victims. They both had kids, Rojas said.

See SMOKE page 4

While sitting in her sixth grade computer class, Michelle Rojas, senior digital information design major, witnessed the plumes of smoke emitting from the falling Twin Towers in New York. Photo by Catherine Zende • zendec@mytjnow.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Chemistry department welcomes new professor

Though he started his college career in chemical engineering, Cliff Harris, assistant professor of chemistry, later changed to chemistry. Photo by Claire VanOstenbridge • vanostenbridgec@mytjnow.com

WU galleries recognized by Creative Loafing

FRANCES PARRISH

MONICA KREBER

Special to The Johnsonian

kreberm@mytjnow.com

The Winthrop University Galleries and the Department of Fine Arts have been named Best Cultural Institute by Creative Loafing Charlotte, a weekly magazine that covers arts and entertainment in the Southeast. Karen Derksen, director of Winthrop University Galleries, said it is an honor for the university, just across the border in South Carolina, to be recognized by the Charlotte community. Derksen said she believes the WU Galleries and the Department of Fine Arts received this recognition because the students, faculty and staff are so engaged in the community and are always looking for new ways to connect and provide innovative programming on and off campus. “I think we do a very good job of being involved in the arts in Rock Hill and the surrounding community,”

Freshmen aren’t the only new faces on campus. The Chemistry Department has a new face of their own. Dr. Clifton Harris is his name, and CHEM 105 is his game. Even though he never intended to teach, he is a visiting assistant professor of chemistry, and the Assistant Director of the Eagle STEM Scholar’s program, which gears chemistry and biology students toward Graduate School and a PhD. Dr. Harris is a part of the INBRE grant (IDeA Networks of BioMedical Research Excellence), which has placed him at Winthrop University to teach and complete research. The

See CHEMISTRY page 6

Dersken said. Derksen also hopes this will encourage art students to continue producing even better work and thinking more creatively. “I hope this inspires them to continue the great work they do,” she said. Tom Stanley, chair of Fine Arts, called the recognition “meaningful,” but their jobs as professors is not yet done. “We still have so much work in front of us in order to provide our students with a safe and quality fine arts and liberal arts education,” he said. Derksen and Stanley said community involvement through collaborations such as Gallery Up, which is a gallery in downtown Rock Hill, have supported their efforts to teaching students about the Fine Arts.

See LOAFING page 7

NEWS

Phelps Hall gains new sinks, lobby elevator JONATHAN MCFADDEN mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

Phelps Hall is on target for reopening back in the spring and with it will bring more bathroom space and an elevator in the main lobby. Closed down last fall for renovations to its plumbing and ventilation systems, Phelps—a traditionally all-female residence hall—will once again open its

doors to students, but to what gender mix won’t be decided until next semester, said Cynthia Cassens, director for residence life. “…We will have to make that decision based on information from Admissions for the incoming class and our current male/female ratio in the residence halls,” Cassens said. The guarantee, though, is that the residence hall will not accommodate married students or students with children who may be shuffled elsewhere when

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

I N D E X

Roddey Apartments goes off-line next fall. The strategy: The university will close down Roddey Apartments and embark on a plan that aims to convert the building into “Roddey Hall, adapting spaces there into alternative uses,” said President Anthony DiGiorgio during his opening address to faculty and staff on Aug. 17. “The Roddey location and design don’t serve the campus well, or meet the expectations of today’s students,” said CAMPUS NEWS OPINION SCIENCE & TECH

2-4

Rebecca Masters, assistant to the president for public affairs. More than that, Roddey is “out of place” amid academic buildings, and the bathroom in each apartment is located off one bedroom and thus not “optimal” for apartment living conditions, Masters said. Winthrop offiicials are looking at relocating several Winthrop offices into Roddey, including the university’s Division

See HALL page 3

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CULTURE

SPORTS

7-8 9 10-11

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

THURSDAY September 8, 2011

IT’S BAAAACK Just as Courtyard Food Court closes the kitchen, Dining Services announces Subway’s return to Dinkins By Amanda Phipps & Jonathan McFadden

phippsa@mytjnow.com mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

Twelve inches never tasted so good. Soon enough, students will be able to gobble down a $5 footlong again when Subway is added to the on-campus eateries this semester, according to a press release from Dining Services. Subway will be located in its previous home in the basement of Dinkins, the former student center, said Ashley Kinnaird, marketing assistant for ARA-

MARK Dining Services. Dining Services takes students’ opinions into account when considering changes, Kinnaird said. “We survey students each semester as well as meet with students one-onone throughout the year, getting some feedback on items they are interested in seeing at the dining facilities,” she said. The Subway will have the same menu options as all other franchises, Kinnaird said. This addition will also provide more jobs for students and staff, she said. Dining Services is accepting applications in Thomson 112. When Subway returns to Dinkins, it won’t be alone. During the summer, Winthrop began adding office space for the TRiO and McNair Scholars programs. The Academic Success Center also got some upgrades. Currently, Dinkins’ basement houses the

operating center for the Social Behavioral Research Lab, the office responsible for conducting the annual Winthrop Poll. Now, Subway will provide students with another healthy eating option, Kinnaird said. “We are servicing all parts of the campus,” she said. Subway was last seen on campus at the close of the spring 2010 semester, before the opening of the DiGiorgio Campus Center that following August. It was not among the eateries chosen for Markley’s Food Court. Meanwhile, low student traffic in the Courtyard Food Court due to the popularity of Markley’s led Dining Services officials to decide to shut the canteen down during the summer, Kinnaird said. As many students as possible were notified during the summer, she said. Starting this semester, a portion of the

closed food court will serve honor students, who will use the facilities as study, lounge and snack space, said Kathy Lyon, associate professor of psychology and director of the Winthrop University Honors Association (WUHA). “But they won’t be using the kitchen,” Lyon said. “That’ll be totally blocked off.” Partitions will create new space for the honor students, giving them a chance to move out of their current shared headquarters in the DiGiorgio Campus Center and into a space of their own. “I’ve wanted honor student space for many years, but we just haven’t had the space available,” Lyon said. Although grateful for the new digs, Lyon said she had nothing to do with grabbing up the Courtyard for the honor students. “This space became avaialble according to ‘someone,’” she said.

Students, faculty voice opinions on Subway’s return Ellin McDonough got some good news on her birthday. People had various reactions to the return of the footlong.

“”

Hell yeah! Subway is good; we don’t really have any sandwhich (options) here. It’s better to have fresh stuff. Chelsea Vicari

Sophomore political science major

“”

I’m all about Subway! This is the best news ever! I’m a vegetarian and I get the veggie sub. I will go at least twice a week. I missed (Subway) when it was gone.

“”

It certainly seems more healthy than (other options). You can only go to Thomson so many times. Daniel Orego

Junior nutrition major

Ellin McDonough

Program director for service learning

Compiled by Amanda Phipps • phippsa@mytjnow.com Photos by Claire VanOstenbridge • vanostenbridgec@mytjnow.com

Farewell Scandals, WU knew thee well By Kaitlyn Schallhorn

schallhornk@mytjnow.com

As Winthrop University, students returned back to campus, they may have noticed that something was missing in the beginning week—First Thursday at Scandals. Scandals, a nightclub that was next to CVS on Cherry Road, closed for business this summer. It was a popular attraction to many Winthrop students. Among its fans was Shana Hamilton, senior integrated marketing and communications major, who can remember many nights of going out to Scandals. Once a popular club, Scandals closed this “I didn’t know what Scanharmana@mytjnow.com dals was before I came to Winthrop,” Hamilton said. “But I from hundreds of people on Thursbecame well acquainted with it once day nights to only a few this past I got here.” year. Hamilton attended Scandals Besides its close proximity to mainly for mixers and other various Winthrop’s campus, Scandals was themed events that the club would also well liked because of its memput on. “I went to Scandals pretty bership IDs. “Scandals really tried often, as often as any other college to give a place for Winthrop stukid,” Hamilton said. dents to go,” Sineath said. “I was very surprised to see it go,” Sineath said that she felt safer said Hamilton. “It seemed like a lot because of the IDs at Scandals. of people always went. I think a lot Other places, such as Pub House, of people were surprised.” do not have the same atmosphere Ashley Sineath, junior interior that Scandals had. design major, was employed at “It has a different vibe. Anyone Scandals for about a year before it can just walk up,” Sineath said. closed. People are really going to miss The attendance at Scandals went Scandals the most on First Thurs-

summer. Photo by Aimee Harmon •

day, said Sineath. Sororities and fraternities are also going to have to find new places to host their mixers. Sineath has not yet found another job. The hours at Scandals worked well with her class schedule and also allowed for some social time. “It was fun to have a job where you could see your friends out, but not actually be out,” Sineath said. Since Sineath worked at Scandals, she could see the signs coming. It became obvious that people just were not coming anymore. “[Scandals closing] was not a shock, but I was really sad to see it go away,” she said.

CSL Briefs New CSL members elected A transfer student from Sri Lanka and a graduate student studying nutrition are among the 10 candidates elected to the Council of Student Leaders on Monday night. After a round of interviews and compensating for two no-shows, members of CSL voted 10-8 to add all 10 of the candidates who applied to CSL’s ranks. Unlike previous years, target candidates didn’t only come from the freshman class and weren’t mostly university transfers. With a large number of CSL members not returning from last year, CSL’s newest members comprise a mix of freshmen, sophomores , juniors and transfer students. Prior to elections, 10 spots stood open on CSL’s roster. League of Extraordinary Characters Anime fans and comic book fanatics will be overjoyed when a new club and organization designed to discuss Japanese and American entertainment hosts

their meetings on Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. Members of CSL voted unanimously to charter the League of Extraordinary Characters, a new club on campus that will bring together anime and comic book fans alike, give them the opportunity to reveiew and trade memorabilia and participate in comic book and anime conventions. Catchafire The same students bringing a comic book/anime club to campus will be bringing a new campus ministry that hopes to help students hear God through art. Catchafire Ministries will also provide an outlet for students to openly express what God has said to them. One CSL member questioned the organization’s leaders, wondering why they couldn’t just join another campus ministry and contribute those same ideas. “In order to do what I’m called to do, I need to keep it separate,” said one of the leaders. Compiled by Jonathan McFadden

THURSDAY September 8, 2011

No paper, no problem: By Amanda Phipps

phippsa@mytjnow.com

Student employees will now be responsible for inputting their time on Wingspan, a trend that College of Charleston and The Citadel have also followed. The university has switched to a new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system, a system that covers the core administrative needs, said James Hammond, associate vice president of technology. PLUS, the ERP system Winthrop used previously, has lost support, meaning the university could not update it’s administrative functions and had to switch, Hammond said. “We had no choice,” he said. The university started planning for this switch in January 2008, Hammond said. The new system is Banner, which is a new product. College of Charleston and The Citadel switched from PLUS to Banner at the same time Winthrop did, Hammond said. USC is looking to switch in the future. Hammond said Banner is used more than any other ERP program in schools. The ﬁrst part of the new system was brought up in 2009, Hammond said. In 2010, Banner Student was developed, explaining the changes to Wingspan’s design and the addition of Degreeworks. This July marked the addition of the banner HR and payroll system, he said. This system includes ﬁnance, human resources payroll and students, said Lisa Cowart, associate vice president of human resources. She said the switch to

WU students, employees receive paperless paycheck

this payroll system went smoothly. The HR, payroll and budget ofﬁces worked with consultants to set up the new system, she said. “It’s just a matter of everyone learning their new jobs,” she said. “I’m very pleased with how quickly people are learning.” The electronic system will save time and money, Cowart said, and will eliminate the use of paper time sheets, temporary time cards and other paper forms. One of the biggest issues is dealing with student paychecks, said Tracy Holbert, payroll technical coordinator. Payroll is aiming for more people to switch to direct deposit to help with the transition, she said. This means people won’t have to worry about picking up their checks because the money would go directly into their bank account the night before payday. “It takes a while for us to know where to look for things with any new system,” Holbert said. Cowart said the online system will help them monitor the payroll processes easier. “It’s easier to make mistakes on paper,” she said. Holbert said that within the next couple of months, payroll should have the new system worked out. He said Winthrop has received compliments for having such a smooth transition. “The hardest parts of the migration are over with,” he said. “[I am] very relieved we didn’t have many hiccups.” The travel and expense module will be available next year, Hammond said, which will keep track of faculty and staff travel expenses and cut back on paper

forms. Hammond said the switch has had both good and bad effects. “[It meant] more work for all of us and more money had to be spent,” he said, “but we had to do this.”

Graphic by Courtney Niskala • niskalac@mytjnow.com

HALL• from front

“” No one should be

‘depending’ on living in any specific location Rebecca Masters

Assistant to the president for public affairs

During the summer of 2010, large fences isolating Phelps were set up around the perimeter of the building as construction workers began work on the building. The first phase of the project included demolition and asbestos removal. Photo by Aimee Harman • harmana@mytjnow.com of Development and Alumni Relations and possibly the Center for Career & Civic Engagement, Masters said. “Winthrop also would like to keep a limited number of apartments that could be used by visiting faculty/ lecturers,” Masters said. In the coming months, university officials will be crunching cost estimates and space calculations before final decisions can be made, she said. If Roddey does close down, it will be reopened as a revamped building during the 2013-2014 academic year, Masters said. As for students who may have tapped Roddey Apartments as possible future living quarters, “no one should be ‘depending’ on living in any specific location,” Masters said. Just like other students, Roddey occupants will be able to enter the room selection process in the spring semester prior to Roddey’s closing. What will be new this go-around is that Phelps will be an “upgraded” option, Masters said. Phelps is incapable of accommodating married cou-

POLICE BLOTTER DRIVING UNDER SUSPENSION DUI RELATED/POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA (9/1/11)

ples and parents because it does not have the kitchen facilities to suit their needs, Cynthia Cassens said. But the chips won’t fall into place if Phelps’ renovation doesn’t see completion by spring’s end. Not that finishing the fixing should be much of a problem. Each week, a team of architects, engineers, the general contractor and his subcontractor alongside Winthrop’s own senior project manager, Ben Roach and Howard Seidler, Residence Life’s business manager, meet to discuss the project’s progress, said Walter Hardin, vice president of facilities management. The renovations should be done by June 2012, Hardin said. “This will give us the summer to do detail work, replace furnishings,” Hardin said. “The summer will also allow us some compression time if we run into anything unexpected.” Bringing down the house The beginning of the spring 2010 semester brought with it news of Phelps’ impending closure in several emails circulated by Winthrop officials. This same closure helped spark a temporary housing shakeup that placed several rising

driving under suspension, DUI related, according to the police report. POSSESSION/CNSUMPTION OF LIQUOR UNDER 21 (9/3/11)

At 11 p.m., a Winthrop police officer observed a white vehicle driving with At 2:10 a.m., a Winthrop the lights off on Charlotte reporting officer went to Ave., according to the police Richardson Hall in reference report. The officer stopped to a male subject passed out the vehicle. While speaking in the fourth floor hallway, with the subject, the officer sensed an odor of marijuana according to the police report. The officer located coming from the vehicle. the subject, who smelled of The officer checked the subalcohol and was intoxicated. ject’s information through The officer woke him up and the DMV and found that inspected the subject’s idenhis driving privileges were suspended. He then arrested tification and found he was 18. The incoherent subject the subject. The officer was arrested for possession found a marijuna cigarette and consumption of liquor in the subject’s vehicle. The under 21 and transported to driver was escorted to the the Rock Hill Jail, according Rock Hill Law Center and to the police report. was issued a ticket for possession of marijuna and for Compiled by Amanda Phipps

juniors and seniors in housing limbo. Students were placed on a waiting list as rooms gradually became available. To accommodate more students, traditionally all-male Richardson Hall became co-ed. Once the all-female residence hall shut down in the summer, 32 contractors submitted bids to tackle the job of renovation. In November 2010, Leitner Construction, a company that’s had long ties to Winthrop and has a wall monument on campus named in the family’s honor, won the job. That same month, Winthrop’s Board of Trustees approved a $6 million bond to finance Phelps’ renovation but hoped the costs would not exceed $5.2 million. Hardin said it’s difficult to discuss exact finances at this point in time because final costs are unknown. The first phase of the renovation included demolition and asbestos removal, a process the EHG Corporation began this past February. Once Leitner was allowed to move in, they began the “put back” process, Hardin said. This included new duct work to run the lines of the plumbing and ventilation systems, new ceramic floors, new bathroom walls and a new elevator, Hardin said. “The foundation is going in now and will start rising up soon,” he said. Sinks will remain in residents’ rooms, a move that adds some variety to Winthrop’s selection of residence halls. “You can have three people doing something; it will make scheduling a little easier we hope,” Cassens said referring to residents’ early-morning routines. Further plans for Phelps called for retrofitting the building so it would fall into compliance with building standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act, and make the hall more handicap accessible. Ramps were never added to Phelps previously because it was not the only residence hall on campus to suit female students.

THURSDAY September 8, 2011

Poor cleaning habits in Courtyard spark inspections, risk fines By Jonathan McFadden mcfaddenj@mytjnow.com

Dirty dishes piled in the sink now join a list of violations residents of the Courtyard may have to pay for if their apartments don’t meet standards during monthly Health & Safety Inspections. Staff members of the 400-plus resident townhouse apartments are also cracking down on students who pile trash at their front door, adorn their room with unauthorized appliances or fail to clean their bathrooms. For students, the choice is simple: Don’t clean and pay the price—one that will be determined when residents check out at the end of the year, said Kara Westmoreland, resident learning coordinator for the Courtyard. With a checklist in hand, Westmoreland braves the varied terrain of students’ apartments and records any violations she may find. “A majority of the time there’s not [any violations,] but every now and then, I get the dirty bathroom, the toilet’s not clean...” she said. If Westmoreland has reason to issue residents citations, she fills out a form and tacks it on their door. From the moment the notice is posted on the door, residents have 48 hours to correct the problem or risk a fine, she said. As of Aug. 29, Westmoreland said she has yet to find a person in violation of health and safety inspections. Residents are notified of the inspection ahead of time, she said, and they usually coincide with exterminator visits. As for the dishes in the sink, Westmoreland didn’t set the new dish policy in place until this summer. More to the point, she said all students receive a dishwasher in their rooms. While she did admit she understands that it’s sometimes more convenient to leave a dish in the sink if the dishwasher’s full, bugs will often gather near dirty dishes, especially if they’ve been

Graphic by Courtney Niskala • niskalac@mytjnow.com “sitting there for three weeks,” she said. Joining the dishes are regulations on ‘excessive trash,’ or any garbage not properly placed in a trashcan. Sometimes students will take it out of the can, set it beside the door and plan to throw it out on the way out to class only to forget about it. “But there are some apartments that I go in that have pizza boxes just piled; there are some that I stick to the floor when I walk in,” she said. “It’s not necessarily, ‘I forgot,’ it’s more ‘I didn’t feel like doing it.’” Crystal Washington would call herself an exception to that rule. The sophomore criminology major said she understands why residents with moldy bathrooms get fined, but she doesn’t feel like trash by the door warrants a price tag. “If you can notice that I’m going to take it out...I don’t think we should be written up for it,” Washington said. She also voiced concerns about paying fines for quiet hours violations. From 10 p.m. to 10 a.m., residents of the Courtyard are expected to keep their noise levels at respectable levels so as not to disturb their floor-mates. If the noise level exceeds a certain point, residents of the apartment with the noise will pay the price.

“If we have company, how much discretion will we get as far as noise?” Washington said. She also doesn’t like the idea of staff members going into her room for the inspections. Residents living in twobedroom apartments have their bathrooms in their rooms, leaving staff members to cross the thresholds of residents’ rooms to inspect the lavatory. “I have a problem with that,” Washington said. “But I figured there’s not much I could do about it except keep a close eye on my stuff.” What students sometimes don’t realize, Westmoreland said, is the impact their actions in their apartment have on other apartments around them. About two years ago, Westmoreland received an e-mail from the complex’s maintenance technician who said filth accumulating in an apartment was caused by leaking in the apartment above it. Westmoreland investigated and found that the resident was taking showers without a curtain, leaving excess water to run over into the bathroom, leak through the floor and drip into the apartment below. “Looking at his shower, his shower looked like it had never been cleaned,” Westmoreland said. “I

Campus groups to honor 9/11 victims 9/11 @ 9:11 p.m.-”A Service of Remembrance” • •

•

Three hundred flags will adorn Scholar’s Walk starting Friday in remembrance of those who lost their lives on 9/11. On Sunday, the College Republicans, College Democrats and Office for Career & Civic Engagement will collaborate for a special commemorative service in honor of 9/11 victims and their families. The event begins at 9:11 p.m. and will include a candelight vigil and several readings. “We are diligently working to put together a program that will be worthy in honoring our 9/11 victims and their loved ones,” said Laura Foster, career consultant with the Offic of Career & Civic Engagement. Also on Sunday, Tillman Tower will play, “God Bless America,” at 9 p.m.

Event Outline: • • • • • • • • • •

9:11 Welcome – Tim Kroboth (College Republicans) ROTC – lowering of the flag - Winthrop ROTC Reading – “All We Really Have” – student Reflection – Madline Genoverse – student Music Guest Speaker – Political science professor Poem – “Become One” – Laura Foster Four Candles – 4 students Candlelight vigil Taps

was a little horrified.” After gaining advice from others in the Department of Residence Life, Westmoreland took a gander at the Courtyard’s lease and paid special attention to section 21,

which gives the landlord of the apartment the right to conduct routine safety, maintenance and care inspections of all apartments in the complex. From there, Westmoreland began to conduct inspections of every single room in the Courtyard, where she realized some cleaning issues existed. Some toilets were buginfested. Other apartments have been so messy in the past that outside cleaning crews, packing strong chemicals and elbow grease, were called in to clear the dirt and mildew students left behind. “It boggles my mind,” Westmoreland said, and “it varies.” Some students come from traditional homes, where they may not have had to clean their bathrooms because their parents always stepped to the task, she said. Other students are sophomores

who may have been used to living in other residence halls on campus where they weren’t responsible for cleaning their own bathrooms. “I think a lot of the time, students just don’t think about it,” Westmoreland said. Westmoreland said she’s actually seen a reduction of fines at the end of the year as a result of the monthly inspections. “It’s all meant to help the students. We’re just trying to figure out what’s best for the community overall,” she said.

“”

I was a little horrified Kara Westmoreland

Resident Learning Coordinator, Courtyard

Dirty, moldy tubs and mildew-infested bathrooms are just some of the reasons Courtyard staff began conducting routine health/safety inspections. The resident who lived in this room waited until the end of the semester, when the danger of fines was imminent, to begin cleaning his bathroom. Photos courtesy of Kara Westmoreland.

SMOKE • from front “It was really surreal that something like that would happen to America; that’s like because we have this big ego of who we are and how we stand in the world,” Rojas said. “We didn’t think anything like that would happen to us of everyone else in the world it could happen to.” “We” were wrong. Rojas said it was interesting the attacks happened in such a melting pot like New York, where diversity merged consistently. On that day, Caucasians weren’t just attacked, Rojas said. Blacks weren’t just attacked. Hispanics weren’t just attacked. Everyone was. The attacks on September 11 didn’t end with New York. The Pentagon in Washington D.C. was hit, with casualties mounting to 184. A directed attempt for the White House was hijacked by passengers of United Airlines Flight 93. The plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing 44 people. “Although it was something so horrible that happened, it definitely had a positive impact as well,” Rojas said. “It kind of brought the country together. I don’t think we’ve seen so many people in America—it’s kind of cheesy to say—but how they say, ‘unite.’” In Rojas’ view, that’s probably the only good thing that came out of it.

Ten years later, Rojas said that she thinks the panicked reactions would be the same. “What other way would you react to something like that?” But, she said “sometimes, people forget.” “There’s a lot to learn from something like that happening,” Rojas said. “People kind of forget about it if it doesn’t really affect them.”

“”

We didn’t think anything like that would happen to us of everyone else in the world it could happen to. Michelle Rojas

5 Our Say

Sept. 11, 2001 memorial appreciated by staff This memorial goes beyond politics, ideologies and religions. We gather to honor those killed in the attacks and show appreciation for people currently serving in the military. We appreciate the hard work by all the organizations and the Center for Career and Civic Engagement to arrange this event, since it shows Winthrop’s commitment to the national and global community. The Johnsonian also thanks all the students, faculty and staff that participated in interviews, photos and multimedia efforts focused around our Sept. 11 coverage. Without your input, the student newspaper could not function as the voice of the campus. Thank you for sharing your memories and pain. So on Sunday, Sept. 11, we will stand on the steps of Tillman to honor the victims and families affected by terrorism. We hope to see you there.

No matter where you were when the planes struck the Twin Towers nearly a decade ago, you experienced a national tragedy. Even as children, many of us remember teachers turning on televisions with smoky images, parents calling school administrators and newscasters with mouths agape in awe. The Johnsonian congratulates the College Democrats, College Republicans, Student Veterans and other organizations for pulling together in remembrance, despite differences. Though our country is only 235 years old, it contains people from every nation, creed, dialect and color. Winthrop is similar; more than 50 countries are represented annually on campus. With so many different backgrounds, it is often difficult to create a sense of unity. Campus organizations have done just that, however, by organizing remembrance events for the Sept. 11, 2001 tragedy.

Editor praises Coutyard, rules not too constraining From a financial standMost college residence point, you’re given all the halls never have been, and amenities of living in an never will be, as spacious apartment, washer and dryer or luxurious as the houses included; only, you’re still students have left back located on the campus. Better home. yet, the cost is on par, if not After spending my first Jeff Brodeur less than what students will year at Winthrop in RichSports editor find around Rock Hill. ardson, I felt the same And for students who don’t way. work full time during the semester, I wasn’t used to having to share a such as myself, we aren’t required bathroom with a dozen other people, to pay rent upfront every month. nor did I ever have to deal with noisy Instead, it conveniently all comes out neighbors at odd hours of the night of tuition. when I was in my room trying to get However, the biggest draw for me work done. was the simple pleasure of having my Heading into my second year own room and only having to share a on campus, I applied to live in the Courtyard, hoping and praying that it bathroom with one other person. Privacy to me was one of those would live up to my expectations. things I always took for granted livIt did. ing in my own house, and as a college Okay, let me start off by saying that like every other college dorm, no student, it’s importance is intensely magnified. I can go to bed whenever I one should move in to the Courtyard want, stay up as late as I need to and expecting perfection. It still has its play the music that my roommate has fair share of rules and regulations, and there are still Resident Assistants always hated. The Courtyard almost seems like that will enforce these rules. the Ritz-Carlton of the campus, As long as you aren’t trashing your standing tall over the other residence room, screaming at the top of your halls, which would more likely relungs or using a George Foreman semble budget friendly hotels. grill, you’ll be fine. The suites are spacious and private, Aside from that, the Courtyard is the best option for Winthrop students fully furnished, competitively priced and located adjacent to the campus. that want to live on campus. It has surpassed my expectations, The first thing that I noticed was and I can’t even imagine moving back how much more the residents were to a traditional dorm after my experitreated like adults versus other ences living in the Courtyard. dorms on campus. Although I still don’t agree with the idea of having to sign visitors into your room after a certain hour, the Courtyard is much more lenient with their visitation policy. Guests are free to stay for up to four days, including overnight, once they are registered at the front desk.

THURSDAY September 8, 2011

CONNOR DE BRULER Opinion Editor debrulerc@mytjnow.com

Editor meets president I think most were there for people would everyone. hate me if I was I didn’t talk the president of to DiGiorgio to anything. I actually confront him became the student on any issues of council president college spendfor a year at my ing or governmiddle school. Connor de Bruler ment allocaI didn’t do a very tions. There’s Opinion editor good job. been enough At the end of the talk about that. last semester, I arranged I really just wanted to meet to sit down and have a talk him for the sheer hell of it. with the infamous Anthony President DiGiorgio is DiGiorgio, the president of not a menacing man. He’s this university. easy to talk to and surprisI was surprised that he ingly soft-spoken. agreed to meet with me. I don’t know why, but The Johnsonian has always I had always read a slight had an admittedly shaky tinge of arrogance in his relationship with the ade-mail updates. ministration of this school, His actual demeanor and I even tried to rally is very humble. He is a students into breaking straight-shooter as well, off and creating a quasiwhich is something I didn’t republic/university void expect from a man whose of an administrative board position requires a certain last year. level of character-engiAny student can have a neering. one-on-one meeting with He isn’t afraid to admit DiGiorgio. There’s a bit of that he enjoys the finer a waiting list, but it is an things in life. He has a option. new computer on his large The day of my appointoaken desk and his office ment I stole eight sugar is decorated with Budcookies from the waiting dhist and Hindu regalia. room where one of DiGior- He also has a Spiderman gio’s representative’s asked action figure overseeing his me to make myself compapers and files. He kept fortable. A secretary saw the original windows to me and said I didn’t have Tillman Hall for aesthetic to hide the cookies, they purposes, and he assured

me that logistics were just as dependent on aesthetics and creativity as literature and photography. My initial idea was to ask him a series of ridiculous questions and write a slightly explicative column where I came off more as a shock-monger seeking a cheap thrill from the man in power. Instead, I had a very deep and substantive discussion. DiGiorgio was once a practicing psychologist and his interests are eclectic. We had a long back-andforth about Kierkegaard and Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs.” All in all, I actually liked him. He’s a nice guy. I’m a very abrasive, sarcastic and all-around cynical personeven I liked being in the room with him. Many people have low opinion’s of those in charge such as bosses, elected officials, chairmen; but a good number of us wouldn’t take their jobs if we had to. It’s not easy allocating money that the state government refuses to give, and I think student groups should take their frustration over tuition to a higher level (Nikki Haley) rather than just rag on the president of Winthrop.

An Original Comic by John Allen Rhodes

“”

...no one should move into the Courtyard expecting perfection.

About The Johnsonian

Editor CLAIRE BYUN

Science & Technology Editor CATHERINE ZENDE

Photographer CLAIRE VAN OSTENBRIDGE

News Editor JONATHAN MCFADDEN

Sports Editor JEFF BRODEUR

Photographer AMIEE HARMAN

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

Ad Manager / Ad Designer RILEY SCHOTT

CONTACT INFORMATION

Opinion Editor CONNOR DE BRULER

Copy Editor STEPHANIE ROJENCHES

Ad Sales Representative KATHRINE BROWN

Culture Editor ALISON ANGEL

Multimedia Editor KAYLEE NICHOLS

Graphic Designer COURTNEY NISKALA

Arts & Entertainment Editor MONICA KREBER

Assistant Multimedia Editor JEREMY ALLEN

Faculty Adviser GUY REEL

Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor JOSHUA JOHNSON

Webmaster DEVANG JOSHI

Our offices are located in suite 104 in the DiGiorgio Campus Center. Phone: (803) 323-3419 E-mail: editors@mytjnow.com Online: mytjnow.com LETTER POLICY Letters and feedback can be sent to editors@mytjnow.com or by mail at The Johnsonian, 104

Campus Center, Rock Hill, S.C., 29733. Comments submitted online at www.mytjnow.com may be printed as letters and may be shortened for space and edited for clarity. Please include your name, major and year if you are a student; your name and title if you are a professor; or your name and profession if you are a member of

the community. Letters, cartoons and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily the opinions of The Johnsonian staff. CORRECTIONS Contact us if you find an error in an issue of the newspaper. We will correct it in the next issue.

CATHERINE ZENDE Science & Technology Editor zendec@mytjnow.com

THURSDAY September 8, 2011

Drop it like it’s hot...with Dropbox

Everyone has had the “uh-oh” moment, when the sudden realization of file loss strikes you. The paper, the presentation you spent all night working on has been taken away by those nasty Devang Joshi joshid@mytjnow.com computer elves, never to be seen again. Impossible to prevent, computer failure can put a serious hamper on your productivity, especially considering just how much of our work is dependent on these little magic boxes. What is the solution to our file loss woes? Well conventional wisdom tells us to ALWAYS save a copy of our work somewhere safe so that in case of

computer failure we have a copy to refer back to. But when your “in the zone,” who has time to stick in a jump drive or email yourself a copy of the file in question? Fortunately, there is a wonderful little program that can help us with all of these problems. Dropbox is a multiplatform (meaning it works on Windows, Mac & Linux) data syncing program that automatically backs up files to the internet. What seems like digital wizardry is actually an eloquently simple system that keeps your files nice and safe. So how does it work? Once you install Dropbox onto your computer, a folder called “Dropbox” will appear inside your user files (you can place this folder whereever you would like, such as inside your “my documents” folder). At that point, the folder acts like any

other folder on your computer. You can simply drag and drop files to and from the Dropbox folder to other locations on your computer. Files and folders inside the Dropbox folder will automatically sync to your online account. So rather than working on your paper from the Desktop, save the file to the Dropbox folder, and every time you hit save, the most up to date version of the file will sync to your account. Files can be accessed via the web, by simply logging in to your Dropbox account. From the web GUI you can download files you need and, if you are not on your computer, upload files that will automatically sync the next time you log on to your machine! You can even share files and folders with other Dropbox users, so collaboration is very straight forward.

If you have multiple computers, you can sync critical files among them (regardless of OS) by installing Dropbox on each machine. How much does it cost? Well a free account gives you 2gb of storage (with no limit on individual file size). You can get up to 8gb of free space by referring others to Dropbox, and paid plans start off at $9.99 a month and range from 50gb of space to 350+gb of storage, depending on your needs. What do I think about Dropbox? Well I LOVE IT, plain and simple I use it personally and it has saved my tail on more than one occasion. (TJ also uses Dropbox don’t ya know). Want to learn more about Dropbox or ways to add security to Dropbox? Email me at joshid@mytjnow.com.

New face on campus

CHEM professor begins first teaching position CHEMISTRY • from front

Dr. Cliff Harris joined the Winthrop faculty in the summer of 2011. He is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and currently teaches CHEM 105. Photo by Claire VanOstenbridge • vanostenbridgec@mytjnow.com

INBRE grant also sponsors the Eagle STEM Scholar’s program, which is similar to the Meyerhoff program that Dr. Harris was a graduate of in college. Experiencing a rough time in industry, he came to appreciate academia even more. “I did not spend nine plus years getting an education not to make a difference,” Harris said. Winthrop is his first teaching position, and he chose Winthrop because he was impressed by the advanced Chemistry undergraduate research. Dr. Harris is a Physical Chemist and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of Maryland. He went on to Graduate School at Notre Dame and earned a PhD in Solar Conversion Systems. From an early age he was able to understand math, and this skill led to an interest in physics and chemistry.

Pursuing his new found niche, he studied Chemical Engineering in college. However, he soon switched to Chemistry because he “was more interested in why things happened” and not just that they did. Since classes have began, he has already made an impact on at least one student who approached him after class to thank him for making her like science again. “He is very willing to help, and he definitely tests your mind to get you thinking,” sophomore Heather Landry said. Landry, who is a human nutrition major, said Dr. Harris is very knowledgeable and flexible with his schedule so he can meet with students to answer any questions. Dr. Harris is focused on influencing students to pursue scientific programs. “It’s all about making an impact. If I don’t, I have failed as a professor,” Harris said.

“” I tell my

students that you should take pride in your ability to teach someone Cliff Harris

Assistant Professor of chemistry

DIFD majors part of start-up culture Michelle Rojas

Special to the Johnsonian

Imagine a major that combines graphic design, marketing, mass communication, and computer science. Digital Information Design (DIFD) does just that. DIFD offers a choice of four different concentrations for even more diversification: Digital Commerce, Interactive Media, Web Application Design and Digital Mass Media. “This program is unique in the world. There are a number of programs that combine two parts, but we don’t know of a program that provides all four,” Dr. James McKim, professor of Computer Science, said. The unique blend of these disciplines allows students that are looking to learn technical concepts to also explore their creativity. The availability of mass information can allow people to teach themselves basic web design and ecom-

merce concepts. However, senior Janna Reid, a web applications design major, believes that a formal education in this field has more value. “This field, as far as digital media, web design and development, is changing so rapidly. This major is teaching us how to be adaptable and how to learn as you go,” Reid said. “When we get out in the field, we will be able to figure it out regardless of what we learned in school.” For senior Alex Miles, collaborating in a new field has been beneficial. “You read about start up culture and this is start up culture, we’re learning as we go and working off of each other,” Miles said. Miles was originally an integrated marketing csommunications (IMC) major, but switched over to DIFD because he wanted a more hands-on curriculum. According to McKim, the creation of the DIFD program was driven by companies that are looking for graduates who have the ability to communicate and

collaborate, while still being specialized in their field. In the business world, a website is no longer optional, but expected of a legitimate company. Donald Charbonnet, a senior digital csommerce major, has his own small graphic design business. “I wanted to offer more services to my clients than just a logo and graphics. DIFD includes various aspects that are important to businesses today including web application design and online marketing, which digital commerce focuses on,” Charbonnet said. As the Internet’s impact on business continues to grow, so should the number of careers that will become available for DIFD students. “We just graduated our first class in May. This will be the program’s fifth year, and almost all of the graduates had jobs before they walked the aisle,” McKim said.

DIFD Careers

• Online Marketing Specialist • Social Media Advertising Specialist • Web Designer • Usability Testing Expert

• • • • • •

Information Architect Web Programmer Web Database Engineer Web Developer Online Journalist/Editor Digital Media Specialist

Source: Department of Computer Science & Quantitative Methods

THURSDAY September, 8 2011

MONICA KREBER Arts & Entertainment Editor kreberm@myjnow.com JOSHUA JOHNSON Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor johnsonj@mytjnow.com

How I have literally ‘gone Greek’ After a class trip, editor encourages other students to study abroad before they graduate

Monica Kreber

kreberm@mytjnow.com

In the fall semester of the past school year my friend and roommate Ashley approached me with an opportunity to take an Art History class with her. The best part about this class was at the end of the semester, we would get to go on a trip to Greece. At that point, I was halfway through my junior and it did not look like I was going to have any time to study abroad, which was something I had always wanted to do, so this Art History class came as a close second. After talking it over with my parents, I registered for the spring semester class. The actual trip to Greece was not until after our final exam, from May 9 – 20, and our final grades rested with each of us giving a 10-minute oral presentation at the different sites we saw as we traveled. It did not sink in that I was even going to Greece

until about the day I started packing. Ashley and I joined 13 other classmates and our two teachers in an eight-hour plane trip from Charlotte to Munich, Germany, sat/slept in the airport terminal for an additional 6-hour layover, then finished up with the 2-hour flight to Athens, Greece. Athens is a city of four million people, and the entire area is full of graffiti, cigarette buds and stray dogs. Needless to say at first glance, I was not very impressed. It was hard to imagine that a city so dirty was full of so many sites: graffiti, graffiti, graffiti...ancient ruins. More graffiti, graffiti, graffiti... ancient ruins. It was not until I stood on top of the Acropolis, right in front of the Parthenon (the temple you have probably seen in many photos, but did not know what it was), that I started to appreciate the spectacle Greece really is. We stayed in Athens for three days. During that time we saw the Roman and Greek Agora. We took a day trip to Sounion, where the temple of Poseidon is situated on a cliff overlooking the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen. All the girls in the class, including myself, got to put on these tacky hand-made skirts in order to explore a nearby Greek Orthodox monastery, and have a tea party with one of the

nuns. A three-hour bus ride took us from Athens to Arachova for one night. I was not expecting to find a village resembling a Swiss ski lodge nestled in the mountains of Greece, but I can tell you, such a town exists. We stayed in Arachova in order to visit the site at Delphi wander through the ruins of Apollo and Athena’s temples. After Arachova, we travelled to the lush, tropical town of Olympia, where some of my classmates held a footrace on the turf where the first Olympic Games took place. The next place we visited was Nauplion, my new favorite place in the world. It is a very chic, upscale city with orange tile roofs and many stairs and alleyways featuring cafes and restaurants. Ashley and I climbed 999 steps to the top of the the Palamidi Fortress...only to discover once we got to the top that the fortress was closed (the view was still worth it). On our second day in Nauplion, my class drove to the archaeological site of Mycenae, where I used the flashlight application on my Droid to lead my friends through a dark tomb. We left Nauplion to drive back to Athens. That same night we boarded

Arts Council of York County presents...

One of the first stops on my trip was visiting the Acropolis in Athens. Here I am, holding up one of the columns of the Parthenon. Photo provided by Monica Kreber • kreberm@mytjnow.com

a ferry to take us to the Greek island Crete. I wore seasick bands on the boat ride but I still did not like the ride at all. We docked in Crete and visited the palace of Phaistos the day we arrived. My class stayed overnight in a verymodern hotel that served crepes with Nutella for breakfast. On the second day in Crete, we drove to the beach of Matala in order to go cliff-diving (I opted not to tell my parents I was going to jump off a cliff until after I came home). Half of my class piled

into the freezing-cold Libyan Sea (it was beautiful, but it felt like ice), armed with our waterproof disposable cameras to prove later that we jumped. I can now say I have jumped off a cliff... and after the nasty gash I received on my heel from swimming in the water and hitting a jagged rock, I will not be doing it again. We boarded the plane back to Athens that night, thus beginning our journey home. My trip made me wish I had taken advantage of studying abroad earlier on in my college career. I am very lucky I got to go

on this trip, and I wish I could have done a study abroad program earlier in my college career; so my word of advice to underclassmen is this: take advantage of what Winthrop has to offer in terms of travel. Even if it you cannot find a semester deal, I bet there are classes similar to my Art History course that offers the same kind of opportunity. You just have to look for it. Do it now, because after you graduate…you might not get another chance.

WU Galleries named Best Cultural Institute

The Second City Chicago’s legendary comedy troupe returns to Rock Hill for the third year running. Back by popular demand, see comedy stars in the making in this hilarious, one-of-a-kind show, sponsored by the Arts Council of York County. The Second City launched the careers of Steve Carrell, Tina Fey and Chris Farley, just to name a few, and has been called “A Comedy Empire” by the New York Times.

Honor bestowed by Creative Loafing Charlotte, a weekly arts and entertainment magazine LOAFING • from front

Friday, September 9 & Saturday, September 10 7:30pm (Doors at 7pm)

Tickets: Students: $15 ACYC members: $30 Non-members: $35 Free Parking For more information on The Second City, visit www.secondcity.com. For non-student tickets, visit www.yorkcountyarts.org. For student tickets you must call 803-328-2787.

*contains some adult content

“What we may currently lack in funding support at this time is made up by the fact that students are beginning to understand this core value,” Stanley said. Something that helps the Department of Fine Arts get involved with the community is not only having skilled artists as the professors, but having faculty members that have history with Rock Hill – as well as connections. “The members of this faculty have long-time, deep roots, and current innovative connections to this region,” Stanley said. Right now the focus is to establish better fine arts degree programs that can be done within

Winthrop and Rock Hill’s “changing and challenging” environment, Stanley said. Derksen added that the overall mission of the Galleries is to support students through the aforementioned programming. “We want to provide exhibitions and programming that strengthen the curriculum and develop and support young, creative minds,” she said. Derksen also said she hopes this award will draw more people out to see the WU Galleries, its programming and “our talented faculty and students.” “We welcome everyone to come join us,” she said. Karen Dersken (The first gallery Director of Winthrop University Galleries opening is Sept. 16).

“”

I think we do a very good job of being involved in the arts in Rock Hill and the surrounding community

THURSDAY September 8, 2011

Giving art and ‘giving back’ Fine arts seniors take time out of their summer to paint a mural on a building dedicated to veterans in Rock Hill Chequira Harris

Special to The Johnsonian

Driving on south Cherry Road, the American Legion Frank Roach Post 34 is located on the left. There is a mural painted on the face of the building. That mural was painted by two Winthrop University students. Senior Alastair Hutchison and junior Bryanna Smith, both art majors, are from Columbia, S.C., and are responsible for the artwork displayed on the wall of the Frank Roach American Legion Post 34. The mural features the American Legion’s crest, the founding sponsors, and the American ﬂag. Their job, Smith said, was to “give an identity to the American Legion.” Smith and Hutchison worked over the course of three weeks, working a few days each week, to complete the project. Smith said she took the job because she wanted to contribute something to the community and to those who serve America since she never had the chance to before. “This was something that I was comfortable and (at

least somewhat) confident doing,” she said. The Frank Roach American Legion Post 34 was created to help veterans deal with war-related issues such as injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. According to Hutchison and Smith, it is a community made by veterans, for veterans. When Vice Commander Craig Charlton contacted Winthrop’s arts department through director of fine arts Tom Stanley, he was searching for students who may have been interested in painting the face of American Legion Post 34. Stanley said he put a call out to students who might be interested in doing the project. “I would like to think that the department has tried to set an example of community engagement over the years via its projects downtown and with a variety of area agencies,” he said. “I think our students are realizing that they can make a significant difference through their art and design. That is how we change communities for the better.” After he sent the e-mail, Smith and Hutchison

stepped in and gave Post 34 a recognizable new look. The American Legion was so taken away with the work of the students, Smith and Hutchison were allowed the honor of cutting the ribbon when it came time to display their work. Hutchison said he felt painting the mural was beneficial toward his career goal. “As a fine arts major,” he said, “the work we do in the studio and in our classes is exactly what we will be doing when we graduate.” Smith said completing the mural gave her a sense of accomplishment. “This gave me a chance to use the skills I’ve learned here to help someone else,” she said. “It may not have been the most ‘fine arts’ type of ‘creative’ job, but it was definitely craft and management, which is another huge part of what we do in our department.” The Frank Roach American Legion Post 34 is located on 199 S Cherry Road. Veterans, or people closely related to veterans can be a part of it.

Above: ﬁne arts majors Alastair Hutchison, left, and Bryanna Smith painted the outside wall of the Frank Roach American Legion Post 34 (below). Photos by John Rhodes • rhodesj@mytjnow.com.

Skin Deep presents ‘Alcohol: What’s Up?’ in party setting Joshua Johnson

johnsonj@mytjnow.com

Skin Deep, Winthrop’s improvisational theater troupe, does more than just act: they also teach. At any of their performances, whether it is at Winthrop, or far beyond the boundaries of South Carolina, their audience’s emotions are roused time and time again as the group has no problem tackling risqué social and civil topics with a raw yet respectful approach. The beginning of this semester finds Skin Deep preparing to teach Winthrop’s incoming freshman class a lesson in being socially responsible. On Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. in Richardson Ballroom, Skin Deep will partner with the Student Wellness Advocacy Team (SWAT) to present Club Chaos. While there will be a normal party set up, this is not your average shindig. As the party progresses, attendees will be surprised to find what scenarios meet them. Skin Deep will act out some of the things that are possible on the college party scene when poor decisions are made. Afterwards, there will be an open discussion between the partygoers, the acting troupe, and certified Peer Health Educators. Theodore Jones, director of Skin Deep said that he loves to see the response of the audience.

“It’s different than performing on stage,” he said. “In a sense, everyone is in the scene, and they have to think on their toes. That’s what improv is all about, and that is why Skin Deep is here; to make people think.” Skin Deep’s other presentation in this series is entitled, “Alcohol: What’s Up?” While Jones is tight lipped about performance speciﬁcs, he said that it would be just as engaging as last year’s alcohol awareness performance. That performance, entitled, “1, 2, 3,” told three separate yet intertwined stories of three people whose lives were forever changed by one party. Sexual misconduct, irresponsible drinking, and poor decision making were all addressed in this scene. “I don’t want to give the storyline away, but we hope that everyone comes out, thinks hard and gets involved in the conversation,” said Jones. The performance will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. and on Monday, Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. in Dina’s Place. The two programs are a part of a three part alcohol awareness series Winthrop presents at the beginning of each fall semester. ACAD 101 students, which mainly consist of ﬁrst time freshmen, are required to attend at least one.

VISIT MYTJNOW.COM for more entertainment

THURSDAY September 8, 2011

ALISON ANGEL Culture Editor angela@mytjnow.com

Student Tells Own Story of Terrorism Two weeks after 9/11/01 WU student experienced own loss due to terrorism Amanda Phipps

“All I could remember was my mom was distraught,” he said. Benitez said his family held a gathering at their house for everyone who lost someone in the tragedy as well. The event lasted a couple of days. The crash was published across the East coast, he said. “To this day, some people consider it to be a terrorist attack,” he said. The 9/11 attacks affected Benitez’s everyday life as well. The event showed up in the news on September 12, Benitez said. He said it changed things at the bilin-

phippsa@mytjnow.com

September 11, 2001 caused a silence around the nation as the Twin Towers were attacked. The U.S. stood in shock after such a tragic event, but this event affected other parts of the world as well, as one student experienced first hand. Freshman international business major Steven Benitez was living in the Dominican Republic when 9/11 struck his family with grief and shock. Two weeks later, another tragedy hit. A few weeks after the 9/11 attacks, a family friend of Benitez’s mother boarded a flight from New Jersey with her family that was headed to the Dominican Republic. They never made it. The friend, her two children and mother, were killed as the plane went down off the coast ten minutes after takeoff, Benitez said. “Nobody made it,” he said. Though the reason for the crash remained undetermined, it was assumed to be a terrorist attack, Benitez said. He has a different idea about how the crash happened. “I think it was a technical difficulty,” he said. Benitez said the plane had some turbulence before the crash. He said it is a taboo to fly on a Tuesday in the Dominican republic. The incident occurred on a Steven Benitez, freshman business administration Tuesday. For three to four weeks after the tragedy occurred, major. Benitez lost family in plane crash considered Benitez said his church had constant prayers for the to be a terrorist attack that occured two weeks after terrorists flew planes into the Twin Towers. people who lost friends and loved ones. Photo by Jonathan McFadden • mcfaddenj@mytjnow. com

gual school he used to attend. He said some of the children came from New York City and other states in the U.S. “Nothing felt the same after that day,” he said. Benitez had some friends in school who had lost family during 9/11. One kid he knew lost an aunt and uncle and didn’t go to school for two to three weeks. Benitez said even the teachers were affected. “It was hard to see how much it put them down,” he said. “It affected a lot more than I thought.”

Since 2001, at least 30 terrorist attacks have been discovered and prevented in the United States alone, payoff from the numerous new safety measures created after the 9/11 attacks. Some of the prevented plots: 2002: Man is arrested and charged with planning a “dirty bomb” attack on the United States 2003: Man is arrested for planning to use blowtorches to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge 2008: A U.S. citizen is arrested for plotting with terrorist groups to use a weapon of mass destruction on Euoropean and U.S. targets Information compiled from the Heritage Foundation

Backpacking Across America? By Alison Angel

angela@mytjnow.com

Hopefully you were as confused as I was by reading the above column title. Otherwise I will simply feel like an American with no clue of what happens in the world beyond nor what they do for fun. Let me explain: backpacking across Europe has pretty much been spun as the basic right of young people the world over. Though I suspect it is much, much easier for Europeans to just country hop, I have never questioned the validity of this statement and instead accepted it as what you do when you’re young. There is supposedly something to be gained from “roughing it,”as though you magically build character because you live out of a backpack with no shower. Personally, I’m thinking it’s the fact that Europe is where the history comes from that really builds the character. Just a thought, but its out there. So although I have no real desire to backpack through Europe-- I’m more of a bed and breakfeast, croissants and cafes kind of gal-- I can at least see the validity in the experience. When you try to transfer that to America though? Not so much. Don’t get me wrong, I think there is tons of worthwhile stuff to visit in this

country. I’ve traveled all across it with friends and family and seen some of the best places-- Yellowstone National Park, the Valley of Fire in Arizona, Las Vegas (no explanation needed). Yet hopping a plane and schlepping from hotel to hotel is not quite the same as schlepping from state to state with only a backpack and a contacts list to your name. I am nowhere near brave enough to do that. But imagine my surprise when I found out that people actually do this. About six months ago a friend of a friend, hailing from London, decided to visit America for two weeks. Nothing unusual there, but when she described just how she was going about it, I paused: “I’m going to backpack across America,” she said. At first I was intrigued. Why would someone want to backpack across a country that boasts more Mcdonald’s than it does hospitals? I wondered. Once again, I repeat: I am not a hater. I like my country very much, thank you. But just considering the logistics of such a feat were enough to freak me out. And I’ve rarely used a backpack outside of class and hiking. Her plan was to fly over, put all possessions in a backpack, and from there proceed to cold-call random strangers until finding a place to crash. Probably just like a hostel in the danger factor, but otherwise not quite. After spending time in each state, she planned to move on to a new one by hopping a bus. Understand that in Europe, the public transportation system is absolutely phenomenal. They have buses that arrive on schedule and will take you quite literally anywhere. Up around New York, this method is bound to work. But as you get further south? You’re better off walking than waiting for a bus to come, if my hometown is any indication of what you’re relying on. My poor friend nearly had heart attack upon learning that she couldn’t just hop a bus to get to the airport in Charlotte from Rock Hill. It was one of the most shocking things about our country for her, besides our lack of “spread” when it came to sandwich toppings (apparently the English enjoy this topping). I think traveling cross-country is one of the coolest vacations you can take. But without a car, money or contacts? Let’s just say I was pretty worried about her. This backpacker finally arrived in America and managed to make it to Rock Hill, South Carolina unscathed. But didn’t realize that upon arriving...there wasn’t much to visit in the way of history, if you know what I mean. Why? Because she left the place where the history comes from and came to a country that is only 300 years old. Small towns like Rock Hill are a bit lacking in historical significance. To this day I am still confused as to the concept of backpacking across America; it ‘s just not a country that traditionally takes well to hitchhikers. It’s an entirely different world and I guess it really isn’t for everyone; but what’s cool is that our country is so appealing it attracts these determined visitors from as far away as England. That fact alone made me gain a huge respect for my new friend-- it takes a lot of guts to trek out to America on your own with only a backpack, a few bucks to your name and a list of Facebook friends who might offer couches to crash on.

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A route across America: this map shows the stops made by a recent European backpacking through America, from New York to Texas to a final stay in California. Her trek cross country commenced with only a few dollars and a vague notion of how the American bus system works.

THURSDAY September 8, 2011

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

Annual fundraiser ‘kicks’ up success Kicks Against Cancer game raises over $16,000 for American Cancer Society

All photos by David Thackham • thackhamd@mytjnow.com By David Thackham

thackhamd@mytjnow.com

No amount of money will ever be enough to defeat cancer until the last patient is cured, but for men’s soccer head coach Rich Posipanko, Tuesday night was a good start. The men’s and women’s soccer teams, along with the men’s and women’s cross country teams, as well as the volleyball team all pitched in with the Rock Hill community to raise $16,200 for the American Cancer Society. Posipanko presented the oversized check minutes before the Third Annual “Kicks Against Cancer” game at Eagle Field. Over the years, the programs, in association with Pi Kappa Alpha, have raised a total of $58,200 against the debilitating disease. “We are very appreciative for all the donations that were made and thanks to all the fans that turned out for the game,” Posipanko said, addressing the 100 fans who attended the mixed scrimmage

between the men and women’s soccer teams. “We are pleased that we have raised $58,200 to date in a very difficult economy.” While less money was raised this year than in previous years, Posipanko said that more donors responded than ever, raising hope for the future. This past summer, the Winthrop Athletic Department captured the Kallander Cup for the third straight year, an award given by the Big South Conference to the school that does the most community service. “Our student-athletes at Winthrop University have always played a leadership role in community service activities,” Posipanko said. “[T]his is just another example of our young people doing a good thing for a worthy cause.” As for the game itself, team Garnet walked away with a 5-4 victory over team White in the annual scrimmage.

THURSDAY September 8, 2011

Sports Briefs Men’s 2011-2012 basketball scheduled released Winthrop has announced the men’s basketball schedule for the upcoming season. The 30-game schedule is highlighted by a trip to play in the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands on Nov. 18 where they will face Marquette in the opening round. Other non-conference opponents this season include road games against Virginia, Clemson and Georgia. The Eagles open on Nov. 12 as they host Eastern Kentucky for their annual homecoming game. Women’s basketball announces schedule for upcoming season Winthrop has announced the 2011-2012 schedule for the women’s basketball team. The 30-game schedule features 15 home games, including a three-day Winthrop Classic in mid-Nov. First year head coach Marlene Stollings will be thrown right into the action as she faces a challenging non-conference schedule right away. Following the opening game against Troy on Nov. 13, Winthrop will faces foes including Wichita State, Virginia Commonwealth, Davidson, Bradley and Niagara. The Lady Eagles first home game will be on Nov. 18 against Bradley as part of the Winthrop Classic. Women’s soccer comes up short against Francis Marion The Winthrop women’s soccer team fell to the Francis Marion Patriots 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at FMU Soccer Field. Winthrop’s lone score of the game came by Ariel Kunde in the 88th minute, but it proved to be too late in the game for the Eagles to make a comeback. The loss drops them to 1-3 on the season, while Francis Marion improves to 2-3-1 overall. The Eagles will be back in action on Friday, Sept. 9 as they host the USC Upstate Spartans at 7 p.m. Men’s soccer stays undefeated after double-overtime win The Winthrop men’s soccer team kept their perfect season alive as they slipped past Wofford College over the weekend. The deciding goal in the 3-2 victory came on an own goal as a thrown-in pass by Winthrop’s Josh Goldstein deflected off a Wofford player’s head and into their own net. The Eagles fought back from a 2-0 deficit at the half to hand Wofford its first loss of the season. The other Winthrop scores were credited to junior Alex Mantchev. The team will be back in action Sept. 9 as they take on College of Charleston at the Diadora/Spinx Furman Invitational at 4:30 p.m. WU baseball to hold walk-on tryouts The Winthrop baseball team will hold walk-on tryouts on Monday, Sept. 19 at The Winthrop Ballpark. The tryout will begin at 4 p.m., and all walk-on 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 turn them in prior to the tryout beginning. The tryout form is available on the Winthrop baseball page of www.winthropeagles.com. Women’s basketball holding open tryouts The Winthrop women’s basketball team will be holding open tryouts to all eligible students. The tryouts will be held Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Winthrop Coliseum. You must be a full time Winthrop student and complete a physical. All who are intersted should contact Coach Hamilton at hamiltonc@winthrop. edu.

SPORTS

Winthrop CC teams destined for contrasting seasons By Jeff Brodeur brodeurj@mytjnow.com

As the men’s and women’s cross country teams prepare for their home opening meet next Saturday, they are heading into the 2011 season on opposite ends of the spectrum. The men’s team, who finished fourth in the Big South last season, did not lose a single player from their 2010 roster and has only added talent to their already young squad. The cornerstone of this Winthrop team will be senior Adam Freudenthal, a strong candidate to compete for the individual title this year. “Our expectations are pretty high this year,” said head coach Ben Paxton. “Especially with Adam coming back after he missed the individual title by only five spots. He has a good shot at it this season.” Three of the top five runners from last season graduated, making Adam one of the top two returning runners this year. After being picked to finish fourth again this season in the Big South preseason poll, Paxton believed his team will improve on last year’s results. “We have the same core group from last season, so we’re only going to get better,” Paxton said. The men will have their work cut out for them as they face foes such as the top ranked High Point Pan-

thers and the six-time defending Big South champion Liberty Flames. As for the women’s team, there will be many new faces on the track this season. “The women are a completely new team, and that’s a good thing for us,” Paxton said. The 2011 squad features four freshmen, and three of which Paxton believes can make an immediate impact on the team. “We have Jessica Whitmire, a freshman who is a very strong runner, Tristan Langley, another freshman who was a top runner in Nova Scotia, and Sarah Devaux, who’s older sister is the school record holder.” The trio will be expected to help carry the load along with sophomore Jeanne Stroud, who was an All-Big South runner last season. Stroud currently holds the second best times for both the 5,000 meter and the 10,000 meter distance runs in school history, and is still only in her second year. With all of the new faces in 2011, the women did not get the love they had hoped for in the Big South preseason polls, as they were picked to finish sixth. Nevertheless, Paxton isn’t going to let that get his team down. “With a healthy group of returners like Lisa Nichols and Jennifer Schofield, I think it’s going to be a pretty good year,” he said. “I think we’re going to surprise some

people.” Both teams are off to a good start following their opening meet at the Campbell Invitation over the weekend. The men’s team finished first overall after strong finishes by sophomore Steve Ricard and junior Al Fitzsimmons, who finished second and fourth respectively. As for the women’s squad, they also had a successful opening weekend, claiming the second overall spot behind the hosting Campbell team. The team was led by Whitmire and Stroud, who finished second and third respectively. Both teams will be at home for the first and only time on Sept. 17 as they host the Winthrop Invitational. The meet will be on the Belk Track at the Winthrop Athletic Complex.

“”

We have the same core group from last season, so we’re only going to get better. Ben Paxton

Cross country coach

The hardest working man in Winthrop soccer Patrick Mitrovich through the eyes of his peers By David Thackham

Posipanko to experiment with a young defense, including freshman Grady Trimble. Clad in his typical black train“We have a young back four,” ing top and matching shorts, Miranda said. “A lot of the goalkeeper coach Patrick Mitrokinks need to get worked out vich tends to sit by Coach Rich and I’ll probably be called to Posipanko’s side on the halfway step up a bit more.” line of Winthrop men’s soccer That’s where Mitro can come matches. He’s unobtrusive, rarein. The former top goalkeeper ly stands up and doesn’t have a in the South Atlantic Region noticeable blood pressure level. (2008) must lend his wisdom With only eight minutes left in a to Miranda as the Eagles Coach Posipanko sitting next to Mitrovich. match against Georgia Southern, progress further into a tricky Photo by David Thackham • thackhamd@ Winthrop (3-0) conceded a fourth nonconference schedule mytjnow.com goal from a free kick to make it a including big threats such 4-4 game going into sudden death as Marshall, Davidson and Mitro signed with the United Socovertime. Mitrovich didn’t move Furman. cer League club Charlotte Eagles an inch. When sophomore Adam “He’s pretty set in his ways,” in March, but still finds the time Brundle smacked a 35-yard firesaid Miranda, grinning. “He won’t to be the official goalkeeper coach cracker into the top corner of the let someone tell him they can’t do of both the Winthrop men’s and net to snatch an Eagles victory 15 something. I’ve never been on his women’s teams. minutes later, the assistant coach bad side, but when you are, you “I don’t know how he has time merely watched the team’s jubilant to breathe,” said Brett Redden, know.” celebrations. It’s that competitive fire that Winthrop’s media relations contact “He’s very guarded,” Winthrop needs to keep Winthrop on a for the men’s squad. starting goalkeeper Enrique Miseason-opening tear not seen since Although he doesn’t get paid randa said. “His personality is very 2006. To Mitro, maybe he doesn’t twice for the double duties, Pohard.” know how to slow down. Being a sipanko allowed that Mitro just Perhaps the team can cut Mitrostarting keeper in one’s freshman keeps going for Winthrop. vich (“Mitro” to his friends) some year is nearly unheard of in colle“We’ve got it so that he’s not at slack for his stoic nature. After all, giate soccer. every single practice, but he does the former Eagle stopper was a “Having four years under him travel. He probably goes to about four-year starter between the posts 33 games a year.” must have definitely given him a lot from 2005-2008 with a phenomeof confidence,” Miranda said. Mitro now enters his third nal 0.89 goals-against-average (1st If a stonewall demeanor on the season on the Eagles’ staff and the in school history). With a NCAA sidelines can lead to further sucpressure is on to churn out effecDivision I record 54 victories in his tive goalkeepers more than ever. cess on the field, maybe Mitro will time in Rock Hill, it’s safe to say crack a smile all the way to the Big Despite their perfect record, the Mitro knows what his goalies are men’s side has let in six goals in the South Championships in Novemgoing through. ber. past two games. Defensive junior After all, the Marietta, GA native stalwart Daniel DiBiagio has seen is still a work-in-progress himself. only one start this year, leading thackhamd@mytjnow.com

UPCOMING GAMES Home games in bold Men’s soccer 9/9 @ College of Charleston - 4:30 p.m. 9/11 @ Furman - 2:30 p.m. Women’s soccer 9/9 vs. USC-Upstate - 7 p.m. 9/11 @ Western Carolina - 2 p.m.

Volleyball 9/9 @ College of Charleston - 7 p.m. 9/10 @ Clemson - 10 a.m. 9/10 @ South Carolina - 5 p.m. Men’s cross country 9/17 (Winthrop Invitational) Women’s cross country 9/17 (Winthrop Invitational)

THURSDAY September 8, 2011

THE JOHNSONIAN

Where were you?

Thoughts and reflections from the eyes of students on a day that will forever live in infamy. 9/11/2001. Where were you? AVAILABLE ON SEPT. 11, 2011

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