Niner Times: September 1, 2015

CONES, CRANES& CHANGE!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: OP- ED: It’s far too early for 2016 Presidential Campaigning to begin Pg 8.

NINERTIMES.COM

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

Kicking off a new era of 49er football as part of Conference USA Pg 10.

1

2

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

NINERTIMES

Photo by Makeedah Baker

Construction projects abound NICK CROPPER NEWS EDITOR

It is nearly impossible to go anywhere on campus without running into some kind of construction project; whether it is for the roads or new buildings, the campus is littered with construction.

Capital Projects has been hard at work this summer with multiple construction projects that equal roughly $70 million. Many of the projects stayed on track and were completed by their intended due date; however, some projects encountered delays.

Any student that has set foot on campus during the first week of classes has seen the road construction. The original finish date for these improvements was for midAugust, just before classes began.

However, the project was delayed by about 45 days because contracts were not gotten.

“The first week of classes is going to be a zoo with all the construction we got going on with the roads,” said Director of Capital Projects John Fessler.

NINERTIMES.COM

There are five different phases of road construction, each located in a different section of campus. The first phase is the intersection of Cameron Boulevard, Craver Road and Phillips Road.

It is a new connection to Phillips Road, making it so that people no longer have to travel on the hill leading up from the tennis courts, which has been problematic for about 10 years.

This phase of construction was delayed because of some unforeseen conditions. New piles had to be ordered after the old ones went further into the ground than anticipated.

The other phases of the project include improvements along Craver Road and the road in front of the EPIC Building. There are also developments being made to the intersection of Kim Boulevard and Mary Alexander Road.

Several residence halls were under construction during the summer.

Holshouser Hall underwent

renovations while Capital Projects worked on constructing an entirely new residence hall called Laurel Hall, which is the newest addition to South Village Housing. Construction on both of these buildings finished on schedule in time for move-in day.

Capital Projects also planned to have the renovations to Oak Hall completed at the same time as Holshouser and Laurel, but encountered heavy delays before construction began. The contractor was late to get the insurance and bonds in place. Capital Projects would not let construction begin until the contractor had them.

“They were slow in starting the process; they needed to get their bonds and insurance in place and we would not let them start,” said Fessler.

For now, students who were supposed to live in Oak Hall are currently staying in other residence halls until Oak is finished.

The Levine Scholars House broke ground during the summer. Rodger’s

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

Builders is the construction manager for the building. Workers have been working on the foundation for three months. Levine Scholars House has a completion date of October 2016, but this date is subject to change.

Major progress has been made on the Belk Gym Renovations since the project was first started in 2014. As the building approaches its October deadline for completion, workers are putting the final touches on the structure.

Windows are being caulked, floors and carpets are being installed, drywall is being hung, roof fixtures are being finalized, the old tile in the pool is being replaced and heating ventilation and air conditioning is going through its final test.

Aside from the upgrades that are being made to Belk, there were several unforeseen conditions that were discovered during the renovations.

“You start pulling back the skin, you start finding things behind the walls you didn’t know about,” said

3

CONSTRUCTION, cont.

Fessler. “We found some water leaks, we found some rusted up pipes, we found some openings that should not have been open and those are all unforeseen conditions that we have to deal with.”

The Vickie and Gene Marching Band Center will be completed by the end of August. It is still waiting on its final state inspection. Until the final inspection, construction workers will be putting the final touches onto the building.

Work has begun on the design process of the Health and Wellness Center (HWC), which is roughly a $60 million project. The building was approved last year by the Board of Trustees after it was originally proposed by the Board of Advisors.

UNC Charlotte brought in designers last month to begin planning the layout of the building.

The HWC is still very early in development, but among other things, it will include a pool and exercise area.

Capital Projects estimates that the HWC will most likely be located next to the Student Union, on the intersection of Cameron Boulevard and Craver Road, taking the place

of the parking lot that is currently there.

However, the HWC is competing for that space with a new $90 million science building that Capital Projects is also considering putting there. Having the buildings share the space is almost not an option considering the scale of these two structures.

“If you put both of those building in there, you limit your ability to do anything with them, you can’t expand ... and putting so much structure in such a small corner will limit your ability to make changes in design,” said Fessler.

Not only would the crowding affect the two buildings, but it would strain everything around it. It would affect parking in the Student Union Parking Deck, cause traffic delays and could interfere with operating the Student Union.

“To me, it’s a no-brainer, they should not both go there,” said Fessler.

Fessler works with a staff of 13 to 14 people. He has several project managers, a facilities manager, three construction managers and facilities engineers.

The intersection of Mary Alexander Road and Kim Boulevard is one of five areas where road improvements are being made. Photo by Makeedah Baker

Construction begins by the Resident Dining Hall and in front of the freshmen highrises. Photo by Makeedah Baker

4

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

NINERTIMES

Bojangles’ moves out of Cone Center, into Student Union NICK CROPPER NEWS EDITOR

Customers began to line up as UNC Charlotte prepared for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the new Bojangles’ on campus.

After a slight delay, the ribbon was finally cut at 10:30 a.m. signifying that it was now open for business.

“I am a big Bojangles’ fan and I’m really excited ... I think that it’s going to rock here in the union.

It’s replacing a concept that’s about three years old ... I just think that it is a really good concept and that the students are going to love it,” said Associate Vice Chancellor of Business Services Keith Wassum.

Wassum was the one to cut the red tape when it was time to open for business that day.

Along with representatives from both UNC Charlotte and Bojangles’, were Norm the Niner and Bojangles’s mascot Big Bo, who were there to help create excitement for the opening.

To entice people to come and experience the official opening of the restaurant, Bojangles’s had several free giveaways consisting of food and gifts. There were also two cornhole games set up in the dining area.

All day during the grand opening, Bojangles’ gave away a free Bobiscuit with every purchase, with no minimum requirement on how much a customer needed to spend.

Bojangles’ also gave away key chains and other small gifts.

The next day, any faculty and staff who presented their UNC Charlotte ID between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. received a free legendary ice tea along with a free cup, with no purchase necessary.

The 49th customer on both days received a free tailgate package from Bojangles’ as well.

“It helps with the brand, it helps with the excitement, and they’re not very costly things, but it’s just something to remember that Bojangles’ is in the Student Union,”

NINERTIMES.COM

Associate Vice Chancellor for Business Services Kieth Wassum shows his excitement as he cuts the red tape for the new Bojangles’ located in the Student Union. Photo by Ben Robson

said Tameron Jackson, who is the manager for the restaurant.

The soft opening for the Bojangles’ was originally planned to be August 24, with the official grand opening following the next day. However, there was a problem that was discovered in the gas lines that prevented the restaurant from opening.

“We weren’t getting the right pressure through our gas lines and that meant that some of our equipment wasn’t getting the right amount of gas; it wasn’t providing heat, which is not what you want when you’re preparing food,” said Wassum.

This issue took roughly a day and a half to fix, which resulted in the soft opening being moved to August 26.

The purpose of the soft opening was to ensure that staff had received the proper training and that equipment was working as intended. To prepare, Bojangles’ staff underwent training the week before the soft opening.

“There was a really expensive training program as well for the employees, so when you open you want to make sure that you have appropriately trained employees,” said Director of Auxiliary Services Ana Alvarez.

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

Bojangles’ was first brought onto campus to serve concessions at basketball games. It was well received enough to move it to the Cone Center where it became a Bojangles’ Express. It stayed there for several years until it moved locations to the Student Union over the summer and has now become a full menu Bojangles’, capable of serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“My team knows that I’m crazy about Bojangles ... I’m really excited that we’ve progressed with them …

We’ve gone from a concessions menu to an express and now we have the full thing, so I’m really excited,” said Wassum.

5

FIRST EVER CONVOCATION WELCOMES NEW STUDENTS

KAYLN KISIAH STAFF WRITER

August 24 marked the date of UNC Charlotte’s first ever New Student Convocation. Activities began between 8-9:30 a.m., and the New Student Convocation Ceremony started at 11 a.m. in Dale Halton Arena.

The event is a ceremony held to welcome new students to UNC Charlotte. Attending were faculty members, first-year course instructors and new undergraduate students.

During the ceremony, the students heard from speakers to learn about UNC Charlotte’s academic expectations as well as its history and what the University believes in.

As the ceremony began, Joan Lorden, provost and vice president for academic affairs, explained what it means to be a Niner to

6

the students. Lorden said, “The miner symbolizes hard work and perseverance,” and “Optimism and rich rewards await those who search.”

The students were informed of the importance of digging for academic gold and always applying themselves and persevering.

Among those attending the ceremony were 3,425 freshman as well as 2,750 transfer students.

These students come from every county in North Carolina and range from over 34 countries around the world.

It was an exciting moment for the students to hear Lorden state that “Today, you are all Charlotte 49ers!”

She ended her speech with the infamous “forty-niner” chant with the students.

Following Lorden’s address to the new students, Department of English Professor Jeffrey Leak spoke about life in the classroom and gave the students tips on being successful learners inside and outside of the academic buildings.

UNC Charlotte Chancellor Phillip Dubois took the podium after Leak.

Dubois spoke about UNC Charlotte’s mission statement and vision for the future. He emphasized the very first sentence of the mission statement which is, “UNC Charlotte is North Carolina’s urban research university.”

Dubois also touched on the fact that the university is constantly growing and that the location really promotes and supports growth.

Dubois stated in one of his remarks that, “UNC Charlotte is all about

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

dynamic change.”

In the ceremony students learned that Charlotte is the second fastest growing large city in the United States and UNC Charlotte is the fastest growing university in the UNC school system with 46 percent growth in the past year.

Dubois also joked that UNCC is an acronym for “under new construction constantly.”

The exciting news of the light rail was also premiered to the students.

The light rail will be effective beginning in 2017, running through campus all the way into Center City, allowing access to the area’s many amenities.

The ceremony’s main purpose was to remind students that with hard work, they can achieve their goals at UNC Charlotte.

NINERTIMES

Recognizing the diversity of courage Ruby Bridges, Caitlyn Jenner and the bravery inside each of us MIA SHELTON INTERN

“Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage!

What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What makes the Sphinx the Seventh Wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder?

Courage!”

As the Wizard of Oz’s Cowardly Lion points out, people have many different interpretations and definitions of courage.

I personally believe that some people have a biased view or interpretation of courage because some people feel that the only people who are courageous or deserve recognition for their courage are those who are giving their lives to save others or battling to save your own from a life threatening disease.

To me that’s not true.

What about the child who is afraid of needles, but pushes his way through a painless vaccine so he won’t get sick; is he not courageous?

How about the female high school student who is a victim of bullying finally stands up to her attacker despite her fear? I feel people see courage as just strength, a physical ability and forget that courage is not just physical. It is emotional and psychological, too. For example, when an addict finally kicks their addiction after years of relapsing, that’s courage. I have heard so many courageous stories about how someone has concurred a fear or surpassed a struggling situation, whether it be fear of monsters under the bed or post traumatic stress from a horrific experience.

I remember in school we learned about a young African-American girl

NINERTIMES.COM

by the name of Ruby Bridges who lived in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Her story was so encouraging to me. She was a smart little girl who lived during the Jim Crow Era where schools where segregated. She excelling beyond her peers at her school, so she was given a chance to enroll in an all-white public school.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) requested that she be the first African-American child to help in the integration of schools in the New Orleans Schools system. This act was unheard of at the time and Ruby was greeted everyday at that school by a mob of Caucasian people who did not want her in their school.

Mind you, she was 6 years old and everyday despite the mean words shouted at her and spit aimed at her and death threats directed at her, she attended school everyday holding her head up high. That is courage, to hold your head up at 6 years old and say I want to learn and no one will stop me not matter what anyone says or tries to do I will accomplish what I came here for.

My sister is a good example of a courageous person as well. When my sister was in middle school she was in a car accident where her arm was paralyzed when the air bag deployed. From that day on, my sister had to go through life with a paralyzed arm, even to this day.

Still, she holds her head up and shows people that her arm does not define her; rather it is her kind heart and helping nature that matters, not her bodily imperfections. That to me is courage because she took her difficult life-altering situation and turned it into something to be admired and not feared.

I myself have done things that I

feel are courageous. For example, there was the time when I called my grandmother to ask her for some money to help me pay for a bill that I could not pay for on my own. I am a very independent and proud person. I like to prove to myself and my family that I can provide for myself. I also hate asking people for money even if it’s my parents.

Asking my grandmother for money was the hardest thing for me because even though she would give me whatever I asked, I didn’t want to have to ask her so I felt that I had failed myself by not having enough money and resulting to having to ask her for money. I felt that my actions were courageous because despite my reservations and pride, I stepped outside my comfort zone at a time of need and handled the situation accordingly.

As you can see there are many different ways to show courage, and I feel people are often too shortsighted to see all the different ways of being courageous. In the headlines recently is the issue of Caitlyn Jenner being awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards (ESPYS). The Arthur Ashe Courage Award is a prestigious award given to recipients who “reflect the spirit of Arthur Ashe, possessing strength in the face of adversity, courage in the face of peril and the willingness to stand up for their beliefs no matter what the cost.”

The issue that has risen about this situation is that Caitlyn Jenner did not need to receive this award because she did not do anything courageous enough to win it.

Some also argue that though she was courageous she was not as

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

courageous as the military soldier who lost a limb. I personally believe that what Caitlyn Jenner did was courageous. Letting the whole world watch her transformation from a man to a woman and allowing the world to see her challenges and her experiences and telling her story so that she might make a difference in someone else’s life. Opening up and allowing herself to be judged and scrutinized by a society in which some people don’t agree with or like the road or lifestyle she has chosen to live. That to me is courage because she had the confidence enough to say, “I identify as a woman not a man and I’m going to let the whole world see me transform and I’m comfortable enough with myself that I don’t care what negative things people have to say because it’s my life.”

UNC Charlotte student Angelica Beverly said, “I agree with Caitlyn Jenner winning the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Each person’s beliefs may be different but it takes great courage to come out and stand up for what you believe in when all odds may be against you.”

Though I do understand where the view that Caitlyn Jenner’s act was not as courageous as a soldier losing his limb comes from, I think that the world needs to show more recognition of courageous acts besides active duty because not everyone is a soldier or police officer or fire fighter, but we all do courageous things and we deserve to be recognized for it. You don’t have to be a military solider to be courageous; being able fighting through the obstacles and curveballs life throws is courageous in its own regard.

7

TOO EARLY FOR CAMPAIGNS American presidential campaigns are already in full swing with over a year to go until November 2016

CASEY ALDRIDGE OPINION EDITOR

For a country that so avowedly hates politics, we sure seem to like to get into it early.

We’re just now reaching September 2015, and already we’ve got a GOP debate under our belt. In fact, there are so many Republican contenders for president next year, that not all of them qualified for the Fox News debate last month, and there was a sort of a “minor league” debate held on the eve of the official forum so that voters could hear from all 17-or-so in the race.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont on the Democratic ticket is all over social media and deeply popular with the “liberal millennial” crowd. If you haven’t already faced an onslaught of Sanders quotes in meme format up and down your Facebook timelines, you certainly have different social circles than I. Then there’s Donald Trump and his loud, inyour-face and often crass (even more often racist) rhetoric, and even if he’s not becoming the meme sensation Sanders is, he’s attracting enthusiasm from his supporter base and quite a bit of media attention.

Then there’s a handful of other Democrats running, and several handfuls of Republicans.

Even if Trump is polling exceedingly well right now, there’s a long time between today and the GOP presidential nomination, and his fringe views on immigration in particular make likely to end up losing out to someone more moderate; at least, one can hope so. And despite all the memes and millennial buzz on social media, former Senator Hillary Clinton is the heavy Democratic favorite, consistently leading in primaries across the country.

Nonetheless, every time I flip on my television, everything becomes about Donald Trump; every time I log into facebook, everything becomes about Bernie Sanders. It’s been that way for some weeks now, as a matter of fact.

And we’re still 14 months out from the 2016 general election.

I’ll be the first to tell you that political engagement is important. I may not be the first to encourage you to vote, because every candidate in the race - even the self-proclaimed “democratic socialists” - ultimately fail to produce real and genuine challenges to the urgent issues of capitalism, racism and militarism of the United States today. But I will always be the first to tell you to be politically engaged.

Except this time. This time it’s way too early.

8

Bernie Sanders supporters cheer at a campaign stop. Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service

There was a lot of excitement when thenSenator Barack Obama entered the Democratic race in 2008. He, like Sanders, was challenging a Hillary Clinton who was the overwhelming favorite. He, like Sanders, wooed young progressives with a long list of promises. And he won, yes, but Guantanamo Bay is still open.

Racism and the prison industrial complex still exist in Obama’s America, his heralded healthcare reform was a law written by Republicans and insurance companies in the 1990s, Wall Street got bailed out and income inequality has skyrocketed since President Obama took office. We’re still involved in wars where we shouldn’t be, climate change is still accelerating and President Obama is often referred to in immigrant communities as the “Deporter-in-Chief” for having deported more people than any president in United States history.

In 1976, a parody candidate ran as “Nobody for President,” saying things like: “Nobody keeps their campaign promises. Nobody will be a president for the people. Nobody has your best interests at heart.” Ultimately, as the promise and shattered expectation of Obama’s term in office have shown, candidates - and even the SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

democratic process as a whole - are rarely worth the excitement they carry.

In Greece, European Union austerity sparked outrage that led to the landslide election of Alexis Tsipras and the Syriza Party. Tsipras ended up folding on his campaign promises under pressure to accept a bad bailout deal from the EU, and announced a week-or-so ago he was stepping down, calling an election for less than a month after his resignation. That works in Greece, because people pay attention to the candidates for a limited amount of time, and then turn out to the polls to make their voices heard. Even still, campaign promises are hardly fulfilled.

I’m not saying don’t vote. I’m saying that right now is too early to drown in political campaigning, when there are valuable causes you could be putting your efforts to right now, with Black Lives Matter center-stage here in Charlotte in light of the Kerrick Trial, the Fight for $15, or working with the Latin American Coalition here in the Queen City to protect immigrants from hate crimes like the recent beating of a homeless Hispanic man in Boston. But it is far, far too early to be so deep in campaign mode for an election over a year away.

NINERTIMES

49ERS FALL ON THE ROAD Charlotte falls on the road to reigning national champions Virginia JARED ALLEN SPORTS EDITOR

The No. 17 Charlotte 49ers fell 1-0 to the reigning NCAA national champions No. 2 Virginia in their season opening match Saturday night. The 49ers conceded a late first half goal off a header which proved to be the game-winner.

“We’re a bit disappointed to go to Virginia to play the reigning national champions and put on a performance like that. Everyone here could see we were on the front foot. We had more possession and were the team most likely to score.

Some excellent performances from us, we looked strong and solid. We’re proud of the guys but with our goals and expectations for this season we’re bitterly disappointed.

It’s a bittersweet feeling,” said 49ers’ head coach Kevin Langan.

The 49ers attempted seven shots on the night and topped the Cavaliers in corner kicks 8-1.

Conor Agnew and Kyle Parker led the team with two shots a piece.

The game remained a draw until the 37th minute when Virginia’s Nikko Corriveau got his head to a driven cross from Todd Wharton.

Corriveau was able to direct the ball

past Charlotte goalkeeper Austin Pack to give the Cavaliers a 1-0 lead.

Redshirt freshman Daniel Bruce got into the action and was responsible for Charlotte’s best goal scoring chance of the night. Bruce was able to hit a perfectly placed shot on goal, but a good effort from Cavalier’s goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell kept the Niners off the board. Max Rodriguez had an attempt on goal in the final 10 minutes of the match but was unable to give the 49ers an equalizer.

“It’s key for us to stay together as a group and get better in the final third. We have to make better runs and be more direct.

We have to make better decisions and have that instinct to go to goal. When we had a chance to put a through ball in and excite the crowd we turned it around and went backwards. That’s not the Charlotte style, so we’ll have to find our DNA but to put in a performance like that for the first game of the season, we have to be pleased,” Langan said.

Virginia’s head coach George Gelnovatch also had a comment on the Charlotte 49ers’ performance.

“IT’S KEY FOR US TO STAY TOGETHER AS A GROUP AND GET BETTER IN THE FINAL THIRD.”

“I think the way they play, they’re hard, they’re physical, they’re organized, they get after it. It’s not easy against the 49ers. They had some good, big boys. Down in the last 10 minutes of the game, closing it out, it was reminiscent of how we were at the end of last year. We’re going to get that (physicality) every game,” Gelnovatch said.

Charlotte will continue their road trip and head to Conway, S.C., to play Coastal Carolina Friday, Sept. 4. Coastal Carolina recently drew their opening match with Conference-USA opponent No. 22 Old Dominion. Charlotte will make their home debut Sept. 7 when they host Gardner-Webb at Transamerica Field.

Charlotte will continue their road trip and head to Conway, S.C., to play Coastal Carolina Friday, Sept. 4. Coastal Carolina recently drew their opening match with

Conference-USA opponent No. 22 Old Dominion. Charlotte will make their home debut Sept. 7 when they host Gardner-Webb at Transamerica Field.

Matej Dekovic. NT file photo

49ERS HEAD COACH KEVIN LANGAN

NINERTIMES.COM

Brandt Bronico, Kyle Parker and Luke Waechter. NT file photo

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

9

CHARLOTTE 49ERS FOOTBALL KICKS OFF A NEW ERA

The Charlotte 49ers prepare for their first season of football at the bowl subdivision level as members of Conference USA

MATT CHAPMAN SPORTS EDITOR

Niner Nation has been waiting for this moment for far too long, but on Friday, Sept. 4 college football fans in the Queen City will officially have a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team that they can call their own. The Charlotte 49ers have been building toward this culmination slowly but surely since 2008 when the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees voted in favor of the new football program. Now, almost seven years and countless calculated steps later, the 49ers will hit the gridiron and do battle against the likes of Louisville (2016), Tennessee (2018) and Clemson (2019) just to name a few.

Chancellor Dr. Philip Dubois and Director of Athletics Judy Rose announced Brad Lambert as the head coach and architect of the upstart program during a press conference on March 1, 2011.

“Brad is, first and foremost, a man of integrity,” Dubois said. “Not counting his playing days, he has more than 23 years of experience at the coaching level in four excellent Division I programs. He knows what success looks like. He also understands the importance of patience and resilience required to build a new program.”

Lambert hit the ground running upon the announcement of his hiring and has now built a young, talented roster through four recruiting classes, two seasons at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level and endless hours of hard work in the weight-room and on the practice field.

“Character, integrity, toughness ... that’s how we will do it here. We’re going to be a tough football team that is really disciplined,” Lambert said

Charlotte running back Kalif Phillips strides into the end zone against Wesley College for one of his team-high 20 touchdowns in 2014. Photo by Chris Crews

10

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

after accepting the job.

“The thing that’s unique is building your roster is such an interesting challenge. The best thing about it is bringing in coaches and players who are pretty much going to do what you want to do.

You kind of have a chance to surround yourself with the kind of people that you want to be around and go recruit those kind of guys. That’s a huge advantage and I think that’s why our guys prepare so well each week because that’s all they’ve ever known.”

Lambert and his guys have battled through numerous ups and downs throughout their first two seasons on the field against FCS competition.

The Niners finished with a 5-6 overall record in each season, highlighted by a high-octane offensive attack, but hampered by a defense that has struggled through devastating injuries and an abundance of inexperience.

That’s the key for the 2015 season. If Charlotte’s defense can gain their footing and develop an identity under newly-appointed coordinator Matt Wallerstedt, the 49ers offense can score points in bunches and surprise a handful of teams that don’t know what football in the Queen City is all about.

Wallerstedt was hired back in January after the program chose to part ways with Bruce Tall, whose defense allowed an abysmal 478 yards per game during the 2014 campaign. Wallerstedt, Lambert’s roommate at Kansas State

NINERTIMES

in the 1980s, plans to bring a more aggressive approach and wants the 49ers to force the issue on the defensive side of the ball.

“We want to run to the football, create turnovers and create some confusion by disguising what we’re doing in the secondary. We want to make those quarterbacks and running backs earn their scholarships,” Wallerstedt told the Charlotte Observer after being hired.

Charlotte’s defense was lights out on the field during April’s spring game and surprisingly seemed to be miles ahead of the offense throughout the contest. A couple players praised Wallerstedt’s new schemes during the post-game press conference and the unit seems determined to put their past struggles in the rearview mirror.

“Coach Wally likes to play man coverage a lot and that’s what we like to do in the secondary,” said 49ers safety Ardy Holmes.

“When we run more man that means we’re going to have to send more pressure so we’re going to be a much more aggressive defense,” added cornerback Cortez Nixon.

Perhaps the biggest improvement to Charlotte’s defense will come with the return of veteran inside linebackers Caleb Clayton-Molby and Nick Cook. Clayton-Molby and Cook both went down with seasonending injuries early in the year, forcing two freshmen to step in and call the plays on the field. ClaytonMolby, a redshirt senior, racked up 67 tackles during the 49ers inaugural season while also leading

the team with four forced fumbles.

“The injury last year took a turn for the best and worst I guess because I got another year out of it,” said

“BRAD IS, FIRST AND FOREMOST, A MAN OF INTEGRITY. HE KNOWS WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE. HE ALSO UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF PATIENCE AND RESILIENCE REQUIRED TO BUILD A NEW PROGRAM.” Clayton-Molby in an interview at this season’s media day.

“I’ve played on the knee through the whole spring and I’ve been rehabbing, running and lifting everyday.

Throughout camp I’ve felt really strong and we’ve come together as a team so it’s worked out for the best.”

In contrast to the concerns on the defensive side of the ball, it’s no secret that the 49ers have elite playmakers at the skill positions on offense. The Niners return nine starters from last year’s unit that scored nearly 40 points per game, including redshirt junior quarterback Matt Johnson who prevailed in a three-way position battle throughout the spring and summer camp. Running back Kalif

numbers as sophomores last season.

Phillips lived in the end zone in 2014, scoring 20 touchdowns while racking up nearly 1,500 yards on the ground. Despite shouldering nearly the entire workload with 229 carries in a thin backfield, Phillips found an extra gear during the finishing stretch and topped 150 yards rushing in each of Charlotte’s last five games. Lambert made a point to address the lack of depth at the position by landing graduate transfer Andrew Buie from West Virginia. Buie showed flashes of brilliance for the Mountaineers back in 2012 when he led the team with 851 yards and seven touchdowns.

Duke was unstoppable on the outside, roasting outmatched defenders with his blazing speed to the tune of 1,373 yards including two games where he eclipsed 200 yards receiving. Duke should benefit greatly from Johnson’s emergence at quarterback as the two connected on seven touchdown passes of over 60 yards a year ago. Johnson went down with a knee injury in late October and Duke struggled as a result, failing to find the end zone in the final three games of the season.

While Johnson throws a fantastic deep ball, he’ll have to improve on his accuracy underneath in order to keep the chains moving and allow his defense some time to rest. The 49ers converted on a mere 33 percent of their third down attempts in 2014 due in large part

CHANCELLOR PHILIP DUBOIS

49ers receiver Austin Duke races down the field after hauling in a 98-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Johnson. Photo by Ben Coon

NINERTIMES.COM

Phillips and wide receiver Austin Duke were both named third team preseason All-Conference USA by Athlon Sports after putting up eye-popping

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

to Johnson’s dreadful completion percentage that hovered just above 50 percent.

Talent at the skill positions is vital, but Lambert knows that everything on offense starts in the trenches. The Niners return four starters on an offensive line that will need to hold up against bigger, faster athletes at the FBS level.

“The biggest difference when you change levels is the defensive line and we’ll have to adjust to the speed of the defensive fronts,” said Lambert after last season.

“Our offensive line will have a tremendous challenge in front of them, but we’ve got a lot of starters returning. That’s where we’re really relying on everything as we make this transition because the line of scrimmage is the biggest difference when you make a jump in division.”

Charlotte will open the season on Friday when they travel down to Atlanta to take on the Georgia State Panthers inside the Georgia Dome.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. so head down Interstate 85 or tune in on ESPNU to witness the Niners make history.

11

Photo courtesy of Sundance Fims

‘Z for Zachariah’ is human nature at play HUNTER HEILMAN ASST. A&E EDITOR

There was a time that dystopian cinema was a rarity, and when done, was done incredibly good with wonderful world building and characters unique to any other genre. Now, in 2015, we have countless numbers of dystopian films, all custom built to fit the needs of any and every teenage girl in the entertainment market. While some do in fact reach out to older, many times more sophisticated audiences (“The Hunger Games”), many others failed to hit the mark of success, even within their demographic (“The Host”). So tell me, why do we need another one? We have enough already, and yet, here we are with “Z for Zachariah,” as we will have again in January with “The Fifth Wave.” Yet, of those two new films, “Z for Zachariah” does something different that could be considered bold in this day and age in the state of dystopian cinema: it appeals to adults.

Yes, with its seasoned cast, indie director and decidedly bleak feel about it, there wasn’t much of a chance that this book adaption would ever hit the highs of “The Hunger Games” or “Divergent,” but maybe it shouldn’t have to; because “Z for Zachariah” is like the old school films mentioned earlier, done incredibly well with world building and character development.

Even though the book was published in 1974,

12

the basic plot of this film has been seen before, though a bit differently. Ann Burden (Margot Robbie) lives alone in the Midwest, left deserted after a nuclear disaster wiped out most of civilization. Thinking she’s the only one left, Burden comes across John Loomis (Chiwetel Ejiofor) sick on the side of the road one fateful day; taking him in, Ann begins to bond and grow close with the elusive Loomis, building her dilapidated farmhouse and work back into comfortable fruition. Another day, Ann comes across a strange and equally elusive man in the woods named Caleb (Chris Pine), and takes him in as well, despite hesitation from Loomis. This sparks a tense love triangle between the three that is only agitated by their isolation.

Robbie, rising exponentially to the top of the pack of young actresses working today, channels wonderfully loving notes in Burden, making her one of the most likable protagonists in a film of this nature in a long time. Her flaws in character are made up for in her kind and deeply loving actions towards these two strangers, despite their intentions. Robbie does this all with her comforting demeanor and familiarly soothing speaking style in the film that comes across so gracefully poignant. Ejiofor channels impending SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

chaos in his character of Loomis, making the audience wary of whether Ann should trust him, regardless of his intentions. Ejiofor starts his presence with a bang and slowly builds it back up from the bottom as he becomes wary of Caleb’s presence. Pine also strikes a chord, channeling temptation as Caleb, leaving behind the typical “bad boy” persona seen in mainstream cinema for something even more tempting, understanding.

Despite his mystery, Caleb understands Burden’s devout Christian faith and her disposition of the world she lives in, against Loomis’s agnostic hesitance.

Shot in New Zealand in place of the American Midwest, “Z for Zachariah” has a unique look about it that comes through in its complete ordinary settings. Director Craig Zobel, despite an awareness for its interesting setting, places far more emphasis on the three characters in the film, while also building the small world in which the film takes place in with subtle keenness. The focus on Burden’s burgeoning sexuality after he extended solitude is a well-executed plot point that never once uses Robbie’s looks to exploit this important aspect of human isolation.

The emphasis on faith in the film was also of value as well, as myself being non-religious, I

NINERTIMES

ZACHARIAH, cont. found the usage of faith in the film to be effective, never once preaching itself to the audience, but rather providing emphatic traits that rounded out the characters, making them more relatable and likable in their belief systems. Seeing as most of our country identifies as religious, it’s nice to see a film handle the topic in such a way that is effective and in no way alienating to anyone of any faith, it simply exists as is.

From what I’ve heard, “Z for Zachariah” is in no way an accurate representation of Robert C. O’Brien’s novel, and yet, I don’t seem to mind that fact, as the film we have in front of us is one of the more effective uses of the dystopian genre of films we’ve seen in recent memory,

never once gimmicking the audience into feeling for the characters through a forced romance, but rather building the character’s sympathetic qualities before ever introducing the realistically awkward and tense love stories involved. This is the type of film in need of multiple viewings, as each viewing could never be the same as the last with every element in play. Beautifully shot with wonderful performances from the entire seasoned cast, and what we have is a film deserving of a much larger release than what it has now.

If we need another reason to like Robbie, Ejiofor or Pine, you have it, and so much more once you look beyond the at first seemingly tired surface.

SEPTEMBER ALBUM RELEASES SEPT. 4 TRAVIS SCOTT -”RODEO” LIZZ WRIGHT -”FREEDOM & SURRENDER” SEPT. 7 PRINCE -”HITNRUN” SEPT. 11 LEONA LEWIS -”I AM” TAMAR BRAXTON -”CALLING ALL LOVERS” SEPT. 18 LANA DEL REY -”HONEYMOON” YOUNG DRO -”DA REALITY SHOW” CHEIF KEEF -”BANG 3 PT2” MAC MILLER -”GOOD A.M.” RUDIMENTAL -”WE THE GENERATION” SEPT. 25 DISCLOSURE -”CARACAL” FETTY WAP -”FETTY WAP”

ACROSS 1 Tiny insect 5 Road trip stop 10 Zipped 14 Indigo dye source 15 Solo 16 Fillable bread 17 *Sentry 19 Apple tablet 20 City with Heat and Hurricanes 21 Copter’s forerunner 22 Strike from the text 23 Gulf War journalist Peter 25 Invented, as a word 27 Light on the Vegas strip 29 Made a boo-boo 32 Grocery box amt.

35 Electrician on a film set 39 Academic URL suffix 40 Sushi tuna 41 Caboose locale ... and a hint to what the first

word of the answers to starred clues can be 42 Wolfed down 43 Transgress 44 Staten or Manhattan 45 License-issuing agcys.

46 Tennis great Agassi 48 Info 50 Show with clowns 54 Skype need 58 “Come Fly With Me” lyricist Sammy 60 Poker stake 62 Spaghetti topper 63 Copies are made from one: Abbr.

64 *Crafty press agent 66 Street artist in a striped shirt, stereotypically 67 Mombasa’s country 68 Penn Sta.-to-Suffolk County train system 69 Tapped brew 70 Golf’s Slammin’ Sammy 71 __, meeny ...

DOWN 1 Molten rock 2 “... bombs bursting __” 3 Business big shot 4 Periodic table item 5 West of “My Little Chickadee” 6 Couturier Cassini 7 Subject matter 8 Warm month in Chile 9 “Vive __!”: “Long live the king!”

10 Kiddie-lit’s Charlotte, e.g.

11 *Wishful thinking 12 And others, in Lat. 13 20-Across’ former county 18 Toy on a string 24 Frat party robes 26 Unhip sort 28 Finger or toe part 30 1999 Ron Howard satire 31 Association fees 32 Astronaut’s org.

33 Like wafers 34 *Music-maker activated by a breeze 36 St. Augustine’s state: Abbr.

37 Ward (off) 38 Provide with funds 41 Tall-cake layer 45 Complete failure 47 Pro pretending to be an amateur 49 Tijuana money 51 Winery containers 52 Set free, as pigs 53 “Goosebumps” author R.L. 55 Term of affection 56 Nut under an oak 57 “__ Christmas!”

58 Hair-parting tool 59 Singer India.__ 61 Irish folk singer 65 Family guy

THE GAME -”THE DOCUMENTARY 2”

NINERTIMES.COM

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

13

5

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BEAUTY MUST HAVES

Learn about some products that’ll make the morning hassle a bit easier

NICOLE BUCKENHAM INTERN

With school back in session, that means all those long and hardworking days are back as well.

Throughout the day, whether it is running back and forth between your classes, stressing over exams or just trying to withstand the hot summer heat, that makeup you applied in the a.m. is slowly coming off as the day turns into p.m. But, with help from these five back-toschool beauty products provided below, it’s safe to say that beautiful makeup you applied before you went to class this morning is going to last you a little longer throughout your busy day than usual.

outfit. You can find “Whirl” at any Mac store.

MAKEUP SETTING SPRAY

products at Target.

A makeup setting spray is just a misted spray that you apply to your face after your makeup is complete.

It should always be your last step when doing your makeup. Makeup setting sprays are good for keeping powders, concealers and eyeshadows from absorbing into your skin and melting off. Different makeup setting sprays do different things as well as keeping your makeup lasting throughout the day, but NYX’s matte setting spray is designed to keep your makeup matte as well which really helps you from getting oily in the hot summer heat when going back to school. You can find the NYX matte setting spray at Ulta.

Now, going back to school also means that you’ll be meeting tons of new people and trying to look your best through some long, hard days.

A perfect lip to last you through the day as well as being in style is a good old matte lip. The color that is in right now (thanks to Kylie Jenner who brought it back from the ‘90s) is a dark nude. The nude that you see her rockin’ is called “Whirl” from Mac Cosmetics. Originally it was just a lip-liner but now they have come out with the lipstick to match!

This lipstick is on trend, will last throughout the day without drying your lips out and also goes with any

Clean and Clear’s oil absorbing sheets are an oldie but a goodie.

They have been around for a while, but never seem to fail. If you’ve never used these sheets before, they are just a thin blue sheet you blot on your face to take excess oil off without removing your makeup.

These sheets are so helpful when you get sweaty and oily from running around all over school.

They’re small enough to put in your book bag and reach for them whenever you need it! You can find Clean and Clear’s oil absorbing sheets at any drug store.

PRIMER

A lot of makeup users underestimate the power of a primer and tend to skip this step. But, a primer really is one of the most important steps when doing your makeup just because it is good for so many things. The “Too Faced Primed and Poreless” primer for example can do three things all at one time.

It is good for laying down a good clean base for your foundation, it minimizes the look of your pores and, most importantly, it keeps the rest of your face makeup staying on strong for the rest of your day. You can find the Too Faced primer at your local Ulta.

CONCEALER

Everyone knows a good concealer is vital when doing your makeup, but you probably didn’t know you

14

Five of the must have beauty products for back to school. Photo by Nicole Buckenham

should own two concealers in two different shades. You should own a concealer in a color that matches your skin tone so you can cover up any breakouts coming from all the stress of going back to school. Also, you should own a concealer a few shades lighter than your skin tone to apply under the eyes. This way the lighter shade covers up dark circles as well as brightens them so it looks like you got eight hours of sleep when you actually didn’t because you had to stay up all night studying for that one test. The NYX concealer wand is perfect for buying two shades because it comes in a variety of skin tones and is also super inexpensive. You can find NYX

MATTE LIP

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

CLEAN AND CLEAR’S OIL ABSORBING SHEETS

NINERTIMES

TIPS FOR STAYING ACTIVE AND HEALTHY THIS SEMESTER SYDNEY STEPHENS STAFF WRITER

“I will wake up and go to the gym every morning before my classes,” I told myself before the fall semester began. Over the summer I made it a priority to eat healthily and follow an exercise regimen that had me feeling strong and energized. Going to the gym each morning before class sounded like a great idea and something that would be easy to maintain, but after I received syllabi for each of my classes, I realized that my workload was going to be quite heavy. I quickly became discouraged and thought that it would be nearly impossible to make it to the gym every day of the week with homework and extracurricular activities.

After taking a step back at the end of the first week, I realized that I did not have to give up my health despite a busy schedule, and that everything would be fine. After all, change is good for the mind and body. If you are worried about staying fit or just being able to give your body the energy it needs during the daily grind of college life, these tips may be helpful for you.

FIRST: STAY MOVING

After class hours, it can be very tempting to sit back and relax for a while until it is time to go to work or do homework, but why not stay moving for a little while? The endorphins that your body produces during exercise will make you feel great afterwards and will help you sleep better at night. Exercise can also help fight depression and anxiety.

Even if you only have a few minutes at the beginning or end of the day, try and do something physical. There are plenty of exercises you can do in your dorm or apartment if you are unable to make it to the gym. Try doing yoga or push-ups and sit-ups in your living space.

Do not get discouraged if you miss a day of working out. Rest days are good and help

promote muscle growth. Also, you are more than likely getting more exercise than you realize walking around campus. To be considered an “active person,” according to the National Health Association, you need to take at least 10,000 steps a day. Most smartphones have health trackers that count your steps and can give you a good idea of how much you are moving.

SECOND: DON’T GET TOO COMFORTABLE

Once you figure out your schedule and have successfully navigated how to incorporate exercise into your routine at least five times a week, change up your workout. It does not have to be a huge change, but it is important to challenge your body so that your exercise is effective. This will help you see results.

If you are lifting weights, try to either add an extra set or a few more repetitions to your routine, or increase the amount of weight you lift.

Take your cardio to the next level with interval training. According to the Mayo Clinic, interval training is one of the most beneficial forms of exercise. It is very simple to implement, and can be done without any equipment. Also, it helps you burn more calories and will allow you to exercise longer and with more intensity. For example, jog steadily for three minutes and then sprint for one minute and continue that cycle. You can modify each time to your capabilities. Interval training will help keep your mind engaged and will prevent boredom.

Try a group exercise class to spice up your exercise routine. Most fitness clubs offer a wide variety of classes that cater to many fitness levels. The Student Activity Center on campus is also a great place to explore group exercise.

Classes are offered Monday through Friday and Sunday. Sometimes it is nice to have an instructor

coaching you through a workout so you do not have to worry about coming up with a plan on your own. Group exercise instructors are trained to make sure you are doing the movements correctly, and will always make sure you are getting the most out of the hour you are there.

THIRD: CREATE HEALTHY EATING HABITS

It is always tempting to eat whatever is quick and easy with a busy schedule, but if you are mindful of what you put in your body, you will feel much better and ultimately have more energy. Of course it is easier said than done, but try to avoid fried foods and put as much green in your diet as you can. It is also important to try and not skip meals. Eating something for breakfast will help kick-start your day and your metabolism. Even if it is something small like a granola bar, it will help.

Drink water as much as possible. Avoid drinking soda and limit yourself to black tea and coffee as sources of caffeine.

FOURTH: SLEEP

If you find yourself hitting the books until the early hours of the morning and only get a few hours of sleep, make sure that you are able to have some down time. Your body needs rest and relies on sleep to help maintain the knowledge you are gaining. Sometimes it is impossible to get eight hours of sleep when there are papers to write and tests to study for, but try to sleep at least some and the next day don’t be afraid to take a short nap if you have more work to do.

Irregular sleeping patterns can be the cause of weight gain and even memory loss. During the lighter weeks of the semester, try and rest. Avoid binge-watching Netflix until 3 a.m. every night.

Photo by Sydney Stephens

NINERTIMES.COM

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

15

Humans of UNC Charlotte HAILEY TURPIN INTERN

“I learned to play the guitar when I was a freshman in high school. I listened to Green Day and Incubus, and it inspired me to start playing myself. Playing feels natural to me, and I can express myself while I do it. It took me a little bit to get the hang of it, but now I play anytime I can.”

Adam Forde

Photo by Hailey Turpin

16

SEPTEMBER 1 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

NINERTIMES