August 22, 2013
W W W. V S U S P E C TAT O r . C O M
VOLUME 85 iSSUE 1
On the Web
Inside This Issue
w w w. v s u s p e c ta t o r. c o m - OPiniOnS: “New Wi-fi finally arrives” - FEATUrES: “oprah gets lohan to talk” - SPOrTS: “New season awaits for women’s soccer”
Today at VSU the hAPPeNiNG - Come to the front lawn from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to see what community businesses and organizations and clubs on campus have to offer. movie NiGht - Natural High is hosting a movie night at 8 p.m. in the odum library auditorium. the movie is “G.i. Joe: retaliation.” Snacks will be provided. for more information about the event and Natural High, call 229-259-5111.
NAACP iNformAtioNAl the VSU Collegiate Chapter of NaaCP is hosting an informational at 7 p.m. in Meeting room 2 in the Student Union.
Weather Today
Friday
Mostly Sunny 91 H 71 L Partly Cloudy 91 H 72 L
Saturday Partly Cloudy 88 H 70 L
Today in History Althea Gibson becomes first African-American on U.S. tennis tour August 22, 1950 officials of the United States lawn tennis association accepted althea Gibson into their annual championship at forest Hills, New York. Source: History.com
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Jimerson plans changes for SGA Joe Adgie SoCial MeDia eDitor jmadgie@valdosta.edu
New SGa president Will Jimerson came to the first meeting of the semester with a road map to success and left with renewed interest from the senators. that road map is a threepage strategic plan that Jimerson unveiled on Monday night, which discussed changes, improvements and ways to increase the SGa’s visibility among the VSU community. “(this is) everything that goes along with our platform, and things that we can take
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action on this semester,” and various strategies for acJimerson said. “this is the complishing these objectives. fun part of the SGa.” “this presents a lot of opthe plan portunities for us included this year, and i One thing that I what were am excited to get noticed about this termed this year started,” “areas of Jimerson said. campus when I was conone of the campaigning was cern”— strategies inpoints that that a lot of people volved getting a were red“ground team” to did not know about the flagged by students to inthe SGA when I was form them about the SGa as probthe SGa. out on the ground. lems with“one thing - Will JimerSoN, SGA PreSideNt in the orthat i noticed ganization. about this camJimerson pus when i was pointed out various ways to campaigning was that a lot of deal with these areas of conpeople did not know about cern, through six objectives, the SGa when i was out on
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the ground,” Jimerson said. “We want to start that with the SGa, where we get people out on the ground on Monday when we’re wearing our polos (SGa shirts). Just walk around the Student Union at certain hours to where the students have any concerns they know that they can come to you.” the SGa has also rolled out a Student Concern form on their website and a 24hour hotline through which students can express their concerns. “it’s tailored to where we can see how (the students) would like the issue resolved,” Jimerson said in an See SGA, Page 2
West Hall construction continues
Brian Hickey bdhickey@valdosta.edu
John Preer jpreer@valdosta.edu
Jamal Tull / The SPecTaTor
Students can see construction on the iconic West Hall dome from the street. The project is projected to be done by October but could take longer depending on weather.
replaced. only repairs to the flat roof areas, dome roof deck, and cupola are being made. funding for the project came from the Board of regents of the University System of Georgia. VSU is awarded yearly general obligation bond funds by the state of Georgia to cover campus maintenance. the contract for the job was awarded to lowndes roofing of Valdosta who
publicly bid for the contract. the bid was for the relatively low amount of $184,339, and completion for the project is anticipated for october of this year. the expected date might be pushed back due to inclement weather conditions. Since there has been no major damage that would affect the structural integrity of the building some students see the construction as a poor allocation of funds.
HSBA building on schedule to open in spring semester S ta f f W r i t e r agpope@valdosta.edu
Construction on the new Health Sciences and Business administration building on North Campus continues on schedule with a completion date set for Jan. 2014. according to robert tindall, associate director of facilities Planning, they are 75 percent done with the project and are on the final stages of construction. the HSBa building will be home to several of the University’s health and science related majors and programs including Nursing, Communication Sciences and Disorders, athletic training, exer-
the SGa budget was not made available at press time. the meeting was fully catered, with chicken milanese as the main course for dinner. this cost the SGa $13.63 per person. the SGa conducted five votes during the meeting, all passing unanimously. - a vote approving new rules regarding SGa funding of events, rules that included a $500 budget cap, a requirement that the event benefit the whole student body, the event be on campus and it follow regulations from the student handbook. - four votes were made regarding elections requirements.
S ta f f W r i t e r
S ta f f W r i t e r reconstruction on the West Hall roof and dome began in July, but the work is for cosmetic reasons. the iconic dome that rests atop West Hall has been a symbol of VSU since its inception. as part of the yearly maintenance that facilities Planning oversees, sections of the roof are being replaced. ladders and temporary construction fencing can be seen from the front lawn as work has been underway for over a month. the West Hall roof replacement is “a general maintenance repair project,” robert tindall, associate director of facilities Planning, said. the entire roof is not being
SGA NoteS:
VSU Wi-Fi gets an upgrade
Facilities Planning began construction last month on the dome.
Anthony Pope
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cise Physiology, Social Work and Health Care administration. With programs spread throughout main campus, the new HSBa will consolidate all six programs into one building. according to a VSU press release from the beginning of construction, the HSBa building will also provide a number of advancements and advantages to the programs moving into the building. advantages include a state of state-of-the-art simulation center, clinical space, including space for community outreach for each of the health science programs, development of doctoral degrees in nursing, speech and language
pathology and social work and several other key advantages that will ensure the continued success of students in those fields. President McKinney shared his vision of what he hopes the HSBa building will be in the same press release. “the Health Sciences and Business administration building will serve as an advanced academic facility to educate Georgia’s future health care professionals,” McKinney said. “it will also provide continuing education for existing practitioners—it really becomes the cornerstone of Valdosta State’s focus on comprehensive health professions programs.” See HSBA, Page 2
“the construction on the dome and roof is a waste of money,” Kaylee Martin, senior general studies major, said. “that money could be used for scholarships.” austin Bixler, freshman finance major, said, “i believe they should use the funds to improve student housing conditions in Patterson, Brown and lowndes Halls. they really need it.”
imagine logging into the Wi-fi once and not needing to again. at the beginning of fall semester, VSU presented its new Wi-fi network powered by SmartPass Connect which gives the option to login only once to the Wi-fi with each registered device. this is a big change from past Wi-fi usage as students were required to log in to the old Wi-fi carrier, Hallnet, every time they wanted to use it. the old network was also limited to one device and was a hassle for students who wanted to log in on their cellular devices as well as their laptops. Students seem impressed with the upgrade. “i’m really glad that it got the Wi-fi together,” taylor Scott ratliff, junior marketing major, said. “everything See Wi-Fi, Page 2
Greeks party on Palms Quad
Sarah Turner / The SPecTaTor
Greek Explosion, hosted by Greek Life and Campus Activity Board, covered Palms Quad Wednesday, Aug. 14.
Check out page 3 for Greek explosion!
News
PAGe 2 | vSUSPecTATor.com
AUGUST 22, 2013
Peace Corps spreads Greek life invite students word about program to party at Palms Quad Neil Frawley S ta f f
writer
ndfrawley@valdosta.edu
a Peace Corps meeting was held in the west auditorium of Powell Hall on wednesday evening. Students were welcomed to listen in on a presentation being conducted by current members of the Peace Corps the presentation started off with a video about training programs. onscreen, current members discussed how their lives have benefited from serving in the Peace Corps after the video, two guest speakers both spoke about what it has been like for them to participate in Peace Corps. emily whitfield, a Peace Corps recruiter shared her ex-
perience in Honduras. "if someone has it in their heart to volunteer, Peace Corps is the best option because you can use your technical skills while also forming lifelong relationships, and living in a new culture and learning a new language," said whitfield. after the speakers were done, they opened the floor for a Q&a session. "i thought the meeting was extremely helpful. i'm ready to graduate and hopefully serve overseas," Lorena Gasque, senior mass media major, said. anyone interested in joining the Peace Corps should submit an application before august 30.
Police Briefs Aug. 21 a student reported her “Coca-Cola” bike stolen. another bike was stolen from outside the recreation Center. Aug. 20 Student reported two ipods stolen from her car. She witnessed a black male shutting her car door in the Langdale. a bike was stolen from odum Library. a bike was stolen from the fine arts building. a Parking and transportation bus was vandalized by an unknown individual with a fire extinguisher. Aug. 19 Jasmine davis, university employee, was arrested for Misdemeaner possesion of marijuana and transported to Lowndes County Jail. a bike was stolen from outside the Physical education building. a bike was stolen from the east side of Bailey Science Center. Aug. 18 a bike was reported stolen from the bike rack at Sustella Parking deck over the weekend. a bike was stolen from the bike rack outside Brown Hall. Katie rowland, odum Library employee, was ap-
proached by a patron who reported a blue Kia being broken into in the library staff parking lot. Police issued a BoLo for suspects. Connor Lee,18, was arrested for obstruction of an officer, underage possesion of alcohol public drunkeness and possession of a false id. Aug. 17 $20 was stolen from a purse in Lowndes Hall before being returned to the front desk. a driver was arrested in the Centennial Hall parking lot for driving under the influence. She was transported to Lowndes County Jail. Aug. 16 a possible theft was reported from the equipment warehouse in the west building of Centennial Hall. a bike was stolen from out Georgia Hall. Aug. 15 a bike was stolen from outside Georgia Hall. Aug. 14 a car was reported broken into in the parking lot of ashley Cinemas. a verbal warning was given to the driver for registration. a student reported her purse stolen in the Student union.
Sarah Turner f e at u r e S e d i t o r seturner@valdosta.edu
Greek explosion attracted hundreds of students into the Palms Quad wednesday evening from 7- 9 p.m. the event was hosted by Greek Life. Students were able to enjoy free food, play games, dance and learn about an array of Greek organizations. “i am overly ecstatic about the turn out,”Berkley Henshaw, Greek Life summer intern, said. “i wasn’t even expecting half the amount of students here; it’s really exciting to see.” as the event progressed more and more students were attracted to the area to take part in the party. the crowd was entertained by dJ Big twin who played current top hits and helped end the night by playing music to support dances performed by several Greek organizations and students. “Students can view the Greeks in a more personal and relaxed setting,” Henshaw said. “You can see Greeks on their own level as students and not necessarily Greek students.” event attendees brought out their inner child on the inflatables. there was also a slip and slide available; however, it received little attention due to no one bringing their swimwear.
the inflatables, as well as free prizes, were supplied by the Campus activity Board. Many of the organizations had displays explaining some of their national values and local traditions. “it’s beneficial to Greeks because it is an opportunity to market themselves to the campus as a whole,” Henshaw said. “they can all come together and put on this great event, interact with each other and also be able to talk about what each organization and what each council has to offer.” Greek Life aims to improve communications between students and themselves. “often times Greeks are seen as exclusive and secretive, but really they are value based organizations that want to share their purposes with others,” erin Sylvester, assistant director for organizational development, said. although rain clouds lurked over the crowd, the rain held off until the event was over. Greek Life also plans to host a similar event in the spring called Greek Stock. in the future, Greek Life plans to have a live band for these events. for more information on upcoming events, contact the student life office at 229-3335674.
SGA
representation on our university committees,” Jimerson Continued from Page 1 said. “this is where our student activity fees come in, interview on tuesday. and we haven’t had a repreSGa plans to review each sentative go to those meetconcern and examine how the ings in a year, maybe more students would like to see than that.” change happen. a look at past minutes in addition, a day called from Planning and Budget “Put it on Blast” was also an- meetings show that an SGa nounced by the SGa. “Put it representative attended these on Blast” would be an open minutes three times between forum where students could august of 2012 and this express their May—twice problems with This is where our from then-presiJimerson—as student activity fees dent ryan Baerwell as VSu walde, a nonPresident dr. come in, and we voting member, william McKhaven’t had a repre- and once from inney and dean Hassanat oshosentative go to of Students di, a voting russell Mast, those meetings in a member. who proposed the SGa year, maybe more the idea. also announced No date has than that. changes to the been set for - Will Jimerson requirements “Put it on for new senators Blast.” to join the organization. “if they have anything they Previously, a senator hopwant to talk about, they can ing to get a vacant seat didn’t come in and speak to us,” need any signatures. Jimerson said. “it’s not takNow, students wishing to ing the place of a town hall become senators need 100 meeting, but it’s more intersignatures on his or her elecactive with the representation packet. Previously, freshtives.” men hoping to become senaJimerson also expressed tors needed only 50 signadesire to increase the SGa’s tures. involvement in the Planning “we could all get that in and Budget Council. the line at Chick-fil-a,” the SGa officially has two Jimerson said. voting representatives in the the election packets rePBC and one non-voting rep- quired for upperclassmen and resentative – the SGa presifreshmen senators were made dent – but these representaavailable on wednesday, and tives were mostly absent freshman packets are due on from these meetings, and aug. 29. Voting will take Jimerson noted that the SGa place on Sept. 5 and 6. had abandoned the PBC. “we need a strong student
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Upcoming Events Aug. 23, 6 p.m. VSu’s men’s lacrosse club will hold an informational meeting in room 1480 of odum Library. for more information contact Henry whelan at Hiwhelan@valdosta.edu or Mike McGuire at mjmcguire@valdosta.edu. Aug. 24, 7 a.m. it’s the VSu 5K fun run/walk! the race will start in front of the Student union and circle the main campus for a total of 3.1 miles. VSu students will receive a special registration rate of $12. t-shirts will be provided at the beginning of the race. don’t forget to register early for size preference.
Aug. 28-29, 5 p.m. VSu will host informational meetings for the Miss Valdosta State university Scholarship Pageant in the Student union meeting room 2. winners will get the oportunity to compete in the Miss Georgia Scholarship Pageant. Aug. 29, 6:30 p.m. the distinguished women of excellence will hold an interest meeting in Ballroom a of the Student union. Learn about volunteer oportunities to build sisterhood and the dwe annual retreat. for more information follow the group on twitter @dwe_VSu2012.
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august 22, 2013
Natural High hosts Karaoke in Odum
Check out the web for a slideshow and video of Natural High’s event! Will Lewis / The SpecTaTor
vsuspectator.com | page 3
Wi-Fi continued from page 1 is faster—sign in one time and let that be it. it’s very innovative.” Commuters have also found it very convenient as they no longer have to worry about constantly having to sign in, even after traveling between home and campus. “i think it is a very good change,” Cassandra Hines, senior interior design major, said. “With the large amount of people on campus, service has been very slow in the past and i think with these changes, those of us who have to come to campus will greatly benefit from this.” “it will no longer be a has-
sle for commuters to have to worry about signing on because it will do itself,” Hines said. Before connecting to the “VSU-Personal” network students have to start with the “VSU-StartHere” network where a profile will be created on the device. “Each login lasts 180 days,” said russell reese, lead technician at the it helpdesk. “(S)o every semester you re-login so if you are not going to school it (wipes off).” “i’m pretty sure VSU is following bigger universities plans,” said ratliff. “Whatever works, works, go for it. if it works for them why not use it here?”
Ezra Pinckney, freshman music performance major,Danielle Shaw, freshman exercise physiology major, and Al Grant, freshman criminal justice major, sing a song by Trinidad James on Aug. 11.
Break-ins not on the rise Will Lewis Managing Editor walewis@valdosta.edu
on aug. 15, Major ann Farmer, assistant director Valdosta State University Police department, sent an email that alerted students and faculty to recent series of care break-ins around campus. the Valdosta Police department assumed jurisdiction over the burglaries, and so far only three have been reported.
HSBA continued from page 1 Students are also sharing President McKinney’s excitement about the new building. Jessica Steinfield, junior nursing major, is most excited about the move to a newer building. “the building we are now is kind of old,” Steinfield
the break-ins have been, what Maj. Farmer calls, “smash and grabs.” they occurred in daylight hours, and have involved thieves either smashing car windows or simply open unlocked doors. Lt. aaron Kirk, Valdosta Police department, said that these types of burglaries occur across the city, and can’t be considered the work of a single individual or group of criminals. Lt. Kirk said that there has
been no increase in the amount of break-ins either. the cause of the recent pilfering seems to be that “a lot of people leave valuable in plain view,” Lt. Kirk said. Maj. Farmer advised that students stop leaving valuables in visible locations within their cars. taking valuables indoors or simply locking them in the glove compartment are the easiest ways to prevent a robbery, Lt. Kirk said.
said. “it will be nice to have a new and fresh learning environment, which is something that can come in handy especially in a fast paced environment like nursing.” VSU has made the community an active part of the construction of the HSBa building. Via a webcam set up at the construction site, anyone who accesses the VSU web-
site can watch the construction of the building live. the HSBa building is scheduled for completion by the time students return from Christmas break in January. according to thressea Boyd, VSU communications director, there is no date scheduled for an official ribbon cutting ceremony.
The Happening 2013 Thursday August 22
1–4 1– 4PM Front Fr ont Lawn Come enjoy free food, great music and plenty of give-always! Participation in the thrilling, yet informative, event is fr free ee for both exhibitors and students. No selling or fundraising is allowed at the event, but businesses and community organizations often pr provide ovide fr free ee food samples, prizes and promotional pr omotional giveaways. VSU departments and student clubs will also pass out information and engage students in balloon tosses, quiz games, miniatur miniature e golf and many other activities. This year’ year’ss Happening pr promises omises to be the event of the semester with mor more e tents, games and fr freebies eebies than last year’ year’ss affair, affair affair, which was the largest in its 21year history history.. Call the Office Office of Student Life at 333-5674 for mor more e information or visit www www.valdosta.edu/student/student-life/our-services/special-events/the.valdosta.edu/student/student-life/our-services/special-events/thehappening.php.
PAGe 4 | vSUSPecTATor.com
OpiniOns
AUGUST 22, 2013
Our point of view...
New Wi-Fi network finally arrives Could we be one step clos- during class? er to information overload? These devices are now On Aug. 8, VSU released taking up a large part of a new wireless network sysour lives and the ways we tem that allows electronic communicate. As long as devices to stay connected to we are connected, we can the internet for long amounts talk with one another, no of time. matter the distance. That’s if you are not new to a good thing, right? VSU, you might remember To an extent, it is. Think how frustrating it was when about the time you got the system required you to frustrated when the netenter your username and work servers were down. password every few hours to Were you pleased with connect to Hallnet. Now demodern technology? vices can get smooth Wi-fi According to a July 2013 access for browsing the inonline survey conducted by ternet, Harris interchecking eactive on Jumails or up- Now devices can mio.com, 72 dating their percent of get smooth Wi-Fi social netU.S. smartaccess for works. phone-owning Technolo- browsing the adults keep gy has dratheir devices Internet, checking matically within five changed our e-mails or updating feet of themlives. Think selves the matheir social back to a jority of time, Students can access the new Wi-Fi by enabling VSU-Personal on their mobile devices. networks. few years 55 percent of Ritsuki Miyazaki and Stephen Cavallaro / THE SPECTATOR ago: How them use their more than 30 minutes a day to dinner with a group of one who is constantly typing ed, but in the long run we many of smartphone must be a tough challenge people and how many people on his or her phone. Your don’t reap many benefits. We your classwhile driving, for a lot of people. had their phones in their date could be telling the have to draw the line to dismates took lecture notes on a and, surprisingly, 9 percent How important is it to hands and their eyes affixed whole world that you’re a connect ourselves from the laptop or tablet? How many use their smartphone during know what your friend ate to their devices. imagine horrible date when they’re smart devices that stay glued professors even allowed stusex. Trying to limit the usage for lunch yesterday? Think how nerve-racking it is when the inattentive one. to our hands. dents to use those devices of their smart device to no about the last time you went you’re on a date with someit’s good to stay connect-
This editorial was written by Ritsuki Miyazaki (rmiyazaki@valdosta.edu) and it expresses the general opinion of the editorial staff.
National Amber Alerts NSA treads on citizens MCT Campus Last week, over the course of several days, millions of cellphones across the Western United States buzzed like fire alarms - loudly and, to some, annoyingly - as authorities sent out an Amber Alert that appeared as a text requesting everyone to be on the lookout for a blue Nissan Versa from southeastern San Diego County. No matter what they were doing or the hour they were doing it, everyone in California, Nevada, Washington state, Oregon and idaho who owns a cellphone with the capacity to receive emergency messages got one about the car driven by the suspected kidnapper of 16-year-old Hannah Anderson. Californians are accustomed to seeing Amber Alerts posted on freeways. But no statewide Amber Alert, which is issued only for abducted children in critical danger, had been sent over cellphones before in
California. The grating alert was not only startling and irritating to many cellphone users, but it seemed pointless if you weren't on a road or freeway. And yet it worked. The breadth of the alert and the novel use of cellphone mes-
saging to get it out kept the missing girl and her alleged kidnapper, James Lee DiMaggio, constantly in the news. Several people riding horses through the remote idaho wilderness happened upon the pair, then later saw a television report on the Amber Alert and notified local authorities. That put in motion the search that led to Anderson's rescue. "This Amber Alert, while
it's a minor inconvenience to people, literally saved the life of this child," said Robert Hoever, director of special programs at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. So authorities made the right call when they decided to use what's known as cell broadcasting to transmit the Amber Alert message. There are some kinks to be worked out. Some people got the buzzing message multiple times. That shouldn't happen. But overall, the loud phone messages did what they were supposed to do, they got everyone's attention, including the media's. To make sure they work in the future, they should be used sparingly and judiciously. The last thing authorities need is for people to become so irritated by frequent alerts that they disable the Amber Alert message function altogether (yes, it's doable) or so used to the sound that they treat it like a random car alarm going off in the night and ignore it.
loved every minute of it. Sure, it gets difficult to balance or sacrifice but there are always bigger goals to work toward, and that’s the great part. Being an active student opens a number of doors and that serves as a benefit at the end of the day. You meet a diverse group of people, you learn more about yourself and you get a chance to touch the lives of others. Who doesn’t want chances like that? Statistics even show that active students are more likely to graduate and stay at a particular university. Being active gives you a sense of pride for your school because you’re a part of something. You invest
yourself in something that you believe in. As mentioned before, there are over 200 organizations, and i dare to say there is something for everyone. There is a database known as Campus Connect that contains names and information on those groups that can be reached from the VSU website. You can research organizations by name or categories. i intended to relax this year with my activity in organizations but it’s a certain allure you get from being active. Knowing that you had a hand in something that transcends you or your single capabili-
They got everyone's attention, including the media's.
Taylor Stone S TA f f W R i T E R tnstone@valdosta.edu
flash back to the founding fathers as they authored the fourth Amendment, carefully constructing the foundation of the United States of America, and you will find the most important document ever crafted in American history –the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution was meant to guarantee rights, to create a limited system of government and, most importantly, to protect us, the American people, from that very system. The fourth Amendment clearly states that no warrant shall be issued without probable cause; a warrant goes towards a single person with a specific cause –not millions of American citizens.
So what makes the National Security Agency’s relentless wiretapping of the American people without just cause constitutional? The answer is simple –nothing. According to its website, the mission of the NSA is to protect U.S. national security systems and produce foreign signals intelligence information by "adhering to the highest standards of behavior." i believe it is safe to say that
the NSA has deviated from those values. One of the main principles intended by the founding fathers was the importance of separating police power from the power of the judiciary. Police power, or any other type of power except for the judiciary, was never meant to create warrants.
The NSA simply does not have the authority to create warrants and to unlawfully monitor the American people to this degree, and they must be held accountable. The judicial branch of the government has proven to be excessively lax with the NSA and needs to uphold its constitutional responsibility and question the constitutionality of NSA surveillance. The reality that the NSA regularly forces telecom providers to release their customers’ phone records does not coincide with the vision of the founding fathers as they composed the constitutional amendment protecting U.S. citizens against unlawful searches. The NSA has become a vacuum for disturbing amounts of metadata leaving the American people helpless in their pursuit for privacy.
gain information as previously stated. Ask your professors! There are committees and groups that students are sought out for that could use a voice: YOUR voice. Some people even have peers that are active and just need a little push. Ask a friend abou their organization and see if
that works for you. We need diversity in organizations. feel free to join whatever interests you despite the “look” of the organization. Don’t miss out on the hidden doors VSU offers, step out of your comfort zone. Be blessed. Be great. Be safe.
Student organizations ‘want you’ Isaiah Smart S TA f f W R i T E R itsmart@valdosta.edu
How do you get the “full experience” of college? There are so many things to do – so many opportunities. But as a student, how do you access these opportunities? The answer is a simple one: Get involved. There are over 200 organizations on this campus and that means there are plenty of chances to do something besides go to class. Why get involved? Well, why not? i have been in a number of organizations since i began my tenure at VSU in 2010 and i have
ties feels great. if you’re looking to get involved, there are many outlets. One way is The Happening. Every year, vendors from the Valdosta Community and student organizations of all types get together on the front Lawn to promote themselves. Campus Connect is another way to
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AUGUST 22, 2013
PAGe 5 | vSUSPecTATor.com
feaTureS
Oprah gets Lohan to talk H
ello, world—anthony here once again wrapping up everything that happened in Pop Culture last week just in case your brain was still in summer mode. Kicking things off this week, the interview that everyone, or at least i, was waiting for finally arrived on sunday. troubled actress and perpetual magnet for chaos, Lindsay Lohan, sat with Oprah winfrey to discuss her 90-day court-ordered rehab and where she’s at in her recovery. surprisingly, girlfriend didn’t hold back. among other things, Lohan admitted to being addicted to alcohol, cocaine and the increasingly popular adderall. she also said she was “in a better place” and that “things are different,” which caused me to give her a side-eye being that the interview was taped only four days after she
completed rehab. while Oprah may not have grilled Lohan as some would’ve preferred, at least she got the actress to open up and take accountability for her actions, something that she has never done. Here’s hoping our favorite ginger can lay off the bottle and get it together. while we are on the topic of Oprah, it’s apparent that the old saying is true: everything Lady O touches really turns to gold. the former talkshow queen’s new movie, “the Butler,” came in at number one at the box office last weekend. the star-studded film took in an estimated $25 million dollars friday through sunday. some are beginning to speculate the film could sweep next year’s Oscar ceremony with winfrey earning a nomination for her role. while Oprah’s star is on the rise, sadly, another has
Pop Addict Anthony Pope
dimmed. actor Lee thompson Young was found dead from an apparent suicide on Monday morning. Producers for tNt’s “rizzoli and isles” became worried after Young didn’t show up to film an episode of the show that morning. according to sources, the former “famous Jett Jackson” star died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. No suicide note was found at the scene. several celebrities reached out via social media to send their condolences to Young’s family. He was 29 years old. while one side of twitter was in mourning, the other
side was tuned into the drama that was boiling over between Lady Gaga and Perez Hilton. while no reason was given to why the former “besties” are no longer friends, it is evident by their tweets that the parties want nothing to do with each other. Hilton tweeted that Katy Perry’s new single, “roar,” was better than Gaga’s newest effort “applause.” Gaga responded by accusing Hilton of stalking her followed by a tweet that stated Hilton sent her a picture of herself in a wheelchair with Madonna pointing a gun at her head. so much shade was thrown you’d think the whole thing was taking place in the jungle. that’s going to do it for Pop addict this week. Be sure to check back next week for full coverage of the MtV Video Music awards as well as what some of your favorite celebs are up to.
Microsoft pacifies customers
w
elcome to the new academic year with a fresh edition of spectech. if you are new this year, welcome to VsU! spectech is all about keeping you up to speed with the rapid changing technology around us. i give the latest information on cell phones, tablets, computers and just about everything in between. i also occasionally review video games and mobile devices. so let’s get to it! i need to clean up Microsoft’s confusion and explain their next-generation system, the Xbox One. first off, as of now, it will ship with the new Kinect, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Kinect will not be required to play your system though. secondly, it will play used games, borrowed games or stolen games, just like the Xbox 360 does now. You will not have to check in every 24 hours to access the Cloud. Xbox One will, however, only play Xbox One games, so digital games from Xbox 360 will not transfer over. Other features of the Xbox One include watching tV through your cable box or DVr, using only your voice to control the system (Kinect required), signing in to anyone’s Xbox One while having access to all your games and ability to stream games live to twitch. the Xbox One
will be released this November with a 500GB hard drive for $499. since we are on the subject of games, let’s see what sony is packing. the Playstation 4 will be released on Nov. 15 with a $399 price tag for a 500GB hard drive. this does not include the Playstation eye that is required for some features. the new change to the Playstation brand that a lot of people glossed over is that it is now required to have a Playstation Plus account to play online. sony
Spec Tech with Steven Setser
seems to have a lot of devotion to indie games, so we will see how games sell between the Ps4 and XB1. Google and Motorola finally released a phone together— the Moto X. if ordered online, you can customize the backing and the ring around the camera lens, get it engraved and more. it has a 4.7 inch 720p screen with a rounded back to the phone. Google Now is baked right into the device, so you can talk to it without even holding your phone. it has a fea-
ture that will automatically show the time and date when you pull the phone out of your pocket. You can even open the camera app with just two twists of your wrist. the Moto X is available now online and in at&t, t-Mobile, sprint, U.s. Cellular and Verizon stores for $199 or $249. it’s a phone! No, it’s a camera! No, it’s the Nokia Lumia 1020! if you are confused, just look up a picture of this phone; it looks like a point-and-shoot camera. well, i guess it would have to since it has a whopping 41-megapixel camera. this thing takes beautiful photographs and even has manual controls. the internals are pretty average though, with a 720p screen, 32GB storage and 2GB raM. the Nokia Lumia 1020 looks great, but it is only available at at&t for $299. that is it for this week, everyone. i’d like to leave with a weekly question: will you buy an Xbox One or a Playstation 4? email your answers to smsetser@valdosta.edu and your answer could be in next week’s issue. Be sure to check out the spectech blog, which was updated over the summer at vsuspectech.blogspot.com.
Fans to be “blown away” Cole Edwards s ta f f w r i t e r
csedwards@valdosta.edu
f
rom small-town girl to “american idol” winner to country-music superstar, Carrie Underwood’s stardom continues to rise. the “Before He Cheats” singer just released her first concert DVD, “the Blown away tour: Live,” which was named after Underwood’s highly successful tour and album. the DVD performance was shot in March on a tour stop in Ontario, Canada, in front of a crowd of more than 11,000 people and features over 100 minutes of high-energy performances; it offers 20 tracks in total, including Underwood’s record-breaking #1 singles. the DVD was directed by raj Kapoor, who has also worked with shania twain and Celine Dion. the concert offers a twisted interpretation of the classic “wizard of Oz” story by dividing the show into four acts: storm warning, Lightning, Calm and twister. the show balances sentimental ballads with more
rock-oriented crowd pleasers and ends with a finale of Underwood being caught up in a makeshift tornado of wind and confetti. Highlights include Underwood and her band lifted 150 feet above the crowd on a glass “floating stage” that allows them to travel from one end of the arena to the other. the traditional hymn “How Great thou art” is intermixed with Underwood’s first number one hit “Jesus, take the wheel,” a skillful combination that appeals to her more conservative fan base. Perhaps the greatest artistic moment comes in the mesmerizing harmonies of “i Know You won’t,” an obscure gem from her 2007 “Carnival ride” album. a fan-favorite staple of the tour, Carrie’s cover of aerosmith’s “sweet emotion” is not included because of licensing issues. also not included is the number-one hit “remind Me” on which Underwood was featured with Brad Paisley. the show’s encore of the title track, “Blown away,” arguably the most arresting song in Underwood’s catalogue, is both stunning in its showmanship of visual ele-
ments and pure vocal talent. the DVD extras offer behind-the-scenes footage of the tour, an image gallery and four award-winning music videos of the “Blown away” album’s singles. “the Blown away tour: Live” bucks the current trend of “live” DVDs as it was recorded live during one show, instead of piecing together the best performances from several shows. Other than Underwood’s pristine voice, the DVD features moving video screens, confetti showers, extravagant costume changes and other various bells and whistles. from the opening number, “Good Girl,” to the last, an ode to paternal abuse and the damaging effects of alcoholism, Carrie Underwood leaves no question as to why she is among the few mainstream country artists who have successfully transcended the genre to become an arena sellout. “the Blown away tour: Live” is must-have DVD for die-hard fans and music lovers in general.
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PAGe 6 | vSUSPecTATor.com
AUGUST 22, 2013
Trip teaches value of education Jennifer Gleason editOr-in-CHief jlgleason@valdosta.edu
as americans, we take public education—kindergarten through twelfth grade—for granted, but in Belize what we take for granted is considered a luxury. five VsU students traveled to northeastern Central america for a summer study abroad program in Belize. dr. Matthew richard, an anthropology professor, and tom Besom, an archaeologist, led the trip. “i chose to go because i wanted to push myself outside of my comfort zone,” ashley dailey, senior english major, said. “i’ve traveled abroad before, but always to tourist destinations that i was really comfortable with. Belize was a completely different experience.” while in Belize, the group discovered that even high school education costs money; many villagers, particularly women, cannot afford the schooling. as such, the villagers take up crafts and skills to make an income. the students met three women living in santa elena, Belize: Miriam, Christina and dyna Choc. their ages ranged from 25 to 36, and their source of income is basket and bracelet weaving. “One thing that the Maya are known for in Belize is being extremely hard working and extremely tough,” Logan Hulsey, senior anthropology major, said. “while this was true for the men, it was equally, if not, more true of the women. they would take care of so many people and had an equal share in taking care of their family. and the fact that they would even at-
tempt to take over the man's role of obtaining the money just shows the persistence and strength of these women.” Miriam and Christina Choc are sisters whose father died when they were young. neither of the women had the chance to attend high school due to a lack of stable income in the household. “i met (the women) during my time in the village performing everyday tasks like washing clothes or going to church,” dailey said. “My first meal in the village was with Christina’s family, and i ate with dyna’s family quite a bit.” dailey met Miriam Choc at a graduation party for a young boy in the village. “Miriam and i made coleslaw for about 60 people, and we got to know each other very well in the time it took us to shred four heads of lettuce and three carrots,” dailey said. dailey later learned that Christina Choc married at 17, and the man she married eventually became an alcoholic. she was left as the sole financial support for their children after her husband spent most of the family’s small income on alcohol. Miriam Choc did not marry until the age of 22 and enjoys her life with her husband but still regrets never being able to attend high school. “i was touched by how desperately Miriam wants an education,” dailey said. “we take for granted our public school system here in the Us. an education is not guaranteed to everyone everywhere. “High school is not paid for by the Belizean government, and the poor families can barely afford to send the boys. in this male-dominated
PHOTOS BY: TOM BESOM
Christina, a Belize local, teaches Ashley Dailey, senior English major and Danielle Jordan, senior anthropology major how to make a bracelet. Similar bracelets will be sold to send money back to Belize.
society, it’s unlikely that the families will choose to support the girls.” for the women these five VsU students met, they still find ways to make money in a weak economy. “what touched me the most about these women were what hard work and time they put in to these bracelets,” Hulsey said.“each individual bracelet took an enormous amount of time, yet they would make several each day because it was their only lively hood.” the bracelets are yarn woven with wooden beads and other materials tied into the designs. “some of the bracelets that
we have—i think these are really special—are made from the clay at the bank of the river that flows through the village,” dailey said. “the clay is shaped into things like leaves or flowers and then fired in their stoves.” the group learned how to make the bracelets while on the trip and learned that it is not easy. “for me, a very simple design took about five of six hours to weave,” dailey said. “for a pair of expert hands, it might take three. it’s incredible to watch them.” in Belize, the handmade bracelets sell for 10 Belize dollars, which equate to about
five U.s. dollars. the group collected bracelets and baskets the women wove to help support the women struggling to keep a steady income for their households. “i was talking to dr. richard about how cheaply the women sell their crafts for in Belize and how people would be willing to pay so much more in the U.s.,” dailey said. “somehow, it sprang from there, and when we asked the women about selling them to VsU students they were so excited.” the students hope to sell the bracelets for $10 each with all money going back to Christina, Miriam and dyna.
“Belize was a life changing experience that i will remember for the rest of my life,” Hulsey said.
A Belize student graduating from elementary school.
IFC kicks off Rush Week VSU Community 5K returns Olivia Gear
s ta f f w r i t e r
oagear@valdosta.edu
it’s that time of the year again: the interfraternity Council’s rush week is rapidly approaching. rush orientation will be held in the student Union theater on sunday at 8 p.m., where members from each chapter will put on a short presentation about their organization and give the full agenda of rush week. the week will give potential recruits the opportunity to learn about and become a part of one of the nine ifC fraternities on campus. students rushing will spend Monday and tuesday getting a more in-depth view of what each fraternity is about. “everyone signed up will
be driven around to each house to get a chance to meet each fraternity,” robert wehling, a member of Kappa sigma, said. “Be prepared to shake a lot of hands and bring an appetite because food will be provided at each house,” Blaine Hendon, a member of Kappa alpha Order, said. On wednesday, potential recruits will decide which fraternity they are most interested in. they will then be escorted back to that house to hang out with members of that fraternity. thursday and friday are considered “smokers”—a name given to the potential recruits who make it to the final round of rush. those potential recruits are invited back to the house for a dinner. the ifC rush week will
conclude on aug. 31 with the bid distribution. ifC plans to have an enjoyable, safe week and strictly prohibits hazing and other damaging occurrences. “while myths about fraternity hazing still circulate, each chapter has written risk management plans which prevent this from occurring,” Hendon said. ifC encourages all male students looking for something new to be a part of to join in on the week. “it gives a great opportunity to meet people from all over and connect with some of the finest men that VsU has to offer,” Hendon said. “Joining a fraternity will provide a lifelong connection and some of the best friends anyone could ask for.”
" Kegs Available ** New Craft Beers **
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Jordan Barela s ta f f w r i t e r
jlbarela@valdosta.edu
Get ready to lace up your shoes. the VsU Community 5K run/walk is just around the corner. the race will take place at 7 a.m. on saturday outside of the student Union. “the 5K started as a ‘welcome to the campus’ type of event and is now in its eighth year,” Katy Latevola, graduate assistant of special events and student development, said. the course is a standard 5K, or 5,000 meters, which is 3.1 miles long. the race will begin and end behind the student Union and will outline the main campus. Course markers will be displayed to direct runners during the race. refreshments such as ba-
nanas, apples and water will be offered during the event. Prizes will be given out at the end of the 5K. a male and female first place award will be given to five age groups: ages 12 and under, ages 13-17, ages 18-29, ages 30-50 and ages 51 and up. random prize drawings including wild adventures tickets, book store certificates and gift cards for various restaurants in town will also be awarded to selected winners. the annual 5K is important to not only the students but the community as well. “it is important to offer this event to students because it gets them involved with the campus and the community, promotes a healthy lifestyle and also shows school pride,” Latevola said. Pre-registration for the 5K will be held online and at the
Campus recreation building until the day before the race. registration forms can also be turned in at the information table in the student Union rotunda from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Happening attendees will also have an opportunity to sign up for the race at the Campus recreation table today, from 1 to 4 p.m. for VsU students and people between the ages of 10 and 17, there is a $12 preregistration fee. Children under 10 are free. for everyone else, there is a $15 pre-registration fee. the cost for raceday registration, available at 6 a.m., is $20 for everyone. a t-shirt will be given to those who pre-register. to register online for the 5k, apply at runsignup.com/ race/Ga/Valdosta/VsUCommunity5K.
SportS
AUGUST 22, 2013
Transfer volleyball player challenges All-conference Lala for starting spot Shane Thomas S p o rt S W r i t e r
shanethomas@valdosta.edu
Jessica Caraponale Codato arrives at Valdosta State from Division i Winthrop University in search of a home away from home. VSU represents a fresh start for the transfer, who already feels comfortable in her new surroundings. “everybody is so nice,” Codato said smiling. “i feel really welcomed here. i talk to Coach Swan a lot and i felt a really good vibe and energy from him and my teammates.” “that family environment was something that i really didn’t have at Winthrop and i needed that being away from home.” A native of São paulo, Brazil, the 5-foot-10 junior strengthens the Blazers’ attack at the setter position. “As a setter, every ball comes into my hands,” Codato said. “i have to bring leadership and use my experience in favor of the group—it’s all about the team.” New Blazers head volleyball coach Mike Swan expects Codato to challenge junior setter Ashley Lala, who was recently named to the preseason All-Gulf South Conference team.
“Having those two players at that position is great,” Swan said. “it gives us the liberty of running a 5-1 [set] which has one setter or a 6-2 with both. Ashley knows that she has to step her game up now and i think it’s a winwin situation for everybody when that happens.”
S p o rt S W r i t e r ndfrawley@valdosta.edu
Big things are brewing for the Lady Blazer volleyball program. After 17 years away from coaching a Division ii program, Blazers' new head coach Mike Swan returns after coaching the evansville Aces, a Division i program in the Missouri Valley Conference. "i am very excited to join the Valdosta State family and look forward to meeting the expectations that come with working at this university," Swan said in a press release. Volleyball guru Swan has amassed a total of 520 wins in his career, which places him 35th all time in number of wins as a volleyball coach. "We were very pleased to have Coach Swan join our athletic program," Herb reinhardt, Valdosta State athletic director said. "He comes from a very strong background. He's had success at every level. So, for us to be able to attract him to VSU is something i am very proud of, and i think he will do a tremendous job. " the 27 years of coaching experience that Swan brings to the table is what VSU
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“ Ashley knows that she has to step her game up now. ”
Winthrop Athletics Setter Jessica Codato transferred to VSU after one season at Winthrop University.
-CoaCh Mike Swan
Codato is eager to compete with Lala and welcomes the idea of playing together occasionally. “[Lala] is awesome,” Codato said. “if you have a lot of people that are good, it doesn’t matter what position you play. We’re competing, but at the same time, we’re competing together for the same goal.” Swan values Codato’s leadership and experience as the season approaches. “[Codato] has played Division i volleyball at the highest level,” Swan said. “She has the qualities we’re looking for— somebody who is going
to work hard on the court, be a good student, and make this program better.” Codato brings a decorated résumé in international play to the Blazers, having won five consecutive State championships from 2007 to 2011 while playing for club team Finasa osasco/Bradesco esportes e educao in her native Brazil. in 2008 and 2009, Codato led her All-State team to national championships and was named Best Setter in the Under19 State tournament. “[Championship experience] is huge, especially for a setter,” Swan said. “Any time we can get an international student-athlete who has
played at that level, it’s just going to challenge everybody on the court.” “She’s going to blend really well with the team we have right now.” Codato, a business major who enjoys watching movies and playing guitar in her spare time, hopes to lead the Blazers to success this season. “i am trying to bring my best, every practice and every game,” Codato said. “i just want to make a difference and have the team with me and make a really strong group to win conference and hopefully the nationals.”
Follow Shane on twitter @itsathomasthing
Blazer volleyball heating up for 2013 campaign Neil Frawley
vSUSpecTATor.com | pAGe 7
hopes will turn what has been a mediocre volleyball program into a Gulf-South Conference championship contender. "our volleyball program has certainly not been bad... But i think Coach Swan is the type of individual that has a chance of moving our program to the next level... making us a player on the national level." reinhardt said. Swan is clear about the goals that have been set for his new club. “We want to win a conference championship, want to have a winning record, (and) we want to win at home in order to build up a fan base," Swan said. Swan is not the only one expecting a big change this season; rather it's the entire program that has its sights on a new standard. "it's like a whole culture change. So, in order to be very successful you have to do things a little differently," Jordana price, assistant volleyball coach said. "i am overly excited about this season." A total of seven newcomers, including four freshman, a sophomore and two juniors make up this off-season's recruiting class. the other six members are all returners from last season,
none of which are seniors. As far as players go, VSU has plenty of depth in every position. According to Coach Swan, despite junior setter Ashley Lala being selected last week to the preseason all-GSC team, it is still not certain that she will be the starter over Winthrop transfer Jessica Cordato. "i think we have players who can make all conference, but i also think we have a lot of competition at each position. i think it's going to be very competitive at each playing spot," Swan said. No.19 West Florida has been tabbed to win conference for the sixth straight season while the new look Blazers are picked to finish fifth. the season begins with VSU traveling to West Georgia on Sept. 6 for a weekend tournament then returning home for its homeopener on Sept.10 against Albany State. "We obviously still have a lot of areas we need to work on...But i see the potential there. So, that part of it i am encouraged by. i think the new players are bringing a lot more athleticism and experience to our squad,” price said.
Preseason All-GSC Team Name School Alexis Gillis Christian Brothers Hannah Kurtz Christian Brothers Ashley Lala Valdosta State Jenny Bellairs West Florida Autumn Duyn West Florida Lindsey Homme West Flordia Lesley Bemis West Georgia Emily Reul West Georgia
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SPORTS
august 22, 2013
Five burning questions for New season awaits VSU Football this season for women’s soccer 1. How will the offensive line shake up?
4. How will the running back tandem pan out?
Eric Jackson S p o rt S e d i to r
presumably the strongest offensive line in Blazer history is now gone and the vacancy draws doubt in this season's success. VSU goes into the season with five unproven starters upfront. preseason camp is solidifying who these five will be. returning linemen Colin Glasco, Jesse Yancy, Jack Bradley and Alexander Brock are involved in the current position battle. Coach david dean expects last year's reserve center Mike Miller to step up not only on the field but as a leader too. dean agreed that preparing this raw offensive line will be the most difficult task of all. Quarterback Cayden Cochran has already begun getting acclimated with his new protectors. Cochran and the new unit are working against time to mesh quickly or the beginning of the season could be a drag. 2. Can the Black Swarm make up from the loss of Matt Pierce? You can ask any team and they'll tell you that replacing an All-American is far from easy. With pierce and other former cornerback Alex Webster gone, corners like Manny evans and isaiah Gresham must step up more than ever. Not having much depth here, VSU cannot afford any injuries at this position especially facing plenty high-caliber receivers this season. it will benefit the Blazers immensely if a newly added cornerback could bring some much needed intensity.
epjackson@valdosta.edu
Commentary
3. Will Cayden go out with a bang? in 2013, Cochran is still the most efficient quarterback in the conference and will have to lead once again by example. He is coming off a stellar season but unfortunately he most likely has to produce similar numbers again for the Blazers to fathom defending their title. Good thing for the senior quarterback is he comes back to all his receivers from last season and more. this can be irrelevant however if he doesn't have enough time to throw to them. depending on how the offensive line stands has great influence on how much of a bang his final season will be. When Cochran first arrived to VSU in 2011 and played with unfamiliar linemen,that season resulted in the Blazers falling short of even a playoff berth. it's vital that as much camaraderie as possible is gained upfront before September.
preseason All-Conference pick Cedric o'Neal and Austin Scott shocked the nation last season both rushing for over 1,000 yards. the two sophomores won't be nearly as much of a surprise for opposing defenses this season so how they adapt plays a major factor into the season’s outcome. Freshman running back Nick davis, who had three touchdowns in last week’s scrimmage, is trying to cement himself as a third threat in the backfield as well. obviously it takes some weight of Cochran's shoulders when the running game is fluid which ultimately sets up an effective passing game. if the duo can avoid specific game plans the upcoming teams will implement to contain them then i have little doubt that the Blazers won't win the conference and maybe more than that. 5. Who will be kicking for VSU? daniel Anderson's replacement is assumed to be determined very soon. Coaches will either decide to use sophomores Jake Walker or dominic demasi to kick field goals this season. demasi mainly handled punting in 2012 and Walker was on kickoffs. if not those two, coaches may experiment and plug in GSC top newcomer Anthony pistelli. this lingering question gets less attention and if taken too lightly could backfire later. the upcoming schedule includes some matchups that very well could end up being decided by three points.
After being bounced in the first round of the NCAA’s last season, the Blazers are back with a little vengeance this time around. Alex Tostado S p o rt S W r i t e r ajtostado@valdosta.edu
Blazer soccer is ready to pick up where they left off last season. the Blazers are coming off of a 13-5-2 season which ended in a first round loss at the NCAA tournament. third year Head Coach Mel Heinz is eager to get her girls back on the field to compete for a Gulf South Conference title. “every game is going to matter and if we show up every game and play it to win and play it to win bigger than (a tie), and we are going in with confidence… i feel like any time you have that going into bigger games, you can pull out a win,” Coach Heinz said. “in the GSC preseason polls, we are ranked second… people recognize that we work hard and have some talent.”
Heinz is proud of the upperclassmen on the team for their leadership. there are 15 juniors and only one senior on the team. “they have been great,” Heinz said. “the freshmen remember when they were (upperclassmen in high school) and we need them to step up, and they have.” VSU lost its scoring leader in rebecca Miller in the offseason. Miller, who has transferred to UGA, also led the team in shots, points and was tied for the team lead in assists. “Nobody is going to fill Miller’s shoes, and our kids know that,” Heinz said. “A lot of people turned to Miller to say, ‘we need you’ but a lot of the kids are coming and stepping up and they feel like now it’s their chance.” VSU plays its first four games at home,as well as six of its first eight games.
“Being at home feels good and we want to make our community proud and being at home brings a little extra pride,” Heinz said. “We need to score more,” Heinz said. “i think we put ourselves in some situations that we didn’t take over the game immediately and when you keep the score close its room for error and room for losing a game that you should not lose. We can’t be content with just winning by one.” VSU wants to get back on the field and give back to the fans that support them every game. “We have some thank yous to do and we know that thank yous come with wins, at least in this town,” Heinz said. Follow Alex on twitter: @Alex_tostado12
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