Volume 87 Issue 10
October 30, 2014
Today at VSU Haunted Trail- If you’re looking for a scare, check out CORE’s Haunted Trail. Stop by the CORE challenge course today from 8-10:30 p.m. Entry is $5. No More Forum - Join the Sigma Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega as they present the No More campaign. The campaign against domestic violence and sexual assault will he held at 7 p.m. in Jennett Hall.
This Day in History Rumble in the Jungle On this day in 1974, Muhammad Ali took back his title as heavyweight champion after beating George Foreman. The boxing match, called “The Rumble in the Joungle,” ended when Ali knocked Foreman out in the eight round.
McKinney orders probe
President seeks independent investigation into George matter John Stephen
Managing Editor jsstephen@valdosta.edu
& Jordan Hill
Opinions Editor jorhill@valdosta.edu VSU President William McKinney has ordered a third-party investigation into a clash between a former adjunct professor and a VSU alumnus last summer over the use of state resources for political purposes. Dr. Mark George, the professor involved in the conflict, has filed a formal complaint with the USG’s Ethics and Compliance Department against Dr. McKinney as well as VSU’s provost, Dr. Hudson Rogers, for alleged ethical/ legal violations.
The controversy began this summer when John C. Hall Jr., a VSU alumnus, complained to Dr. McKinney about Dr. George’s use of his VSU email account to distribute a proposal that recommended removing all state support for Confederate memorials and holidays. In July, Dr. George’s VSU email account was deactivated, but the motive behind this action is still hotly contested. Dr. George said VSU’s actions against him were politically motivated, adding that they have no policy to back up what they did. The policy that the administration presented to Dr. George refers only to restrictions on political campaigning and nothing more.
Dr. McKinney said Dr. George’s account was shut down because he was no longer a professor at VSU, and per a procedural statement posted on IT’s website, all employee email accounts are regularly deleted 45 days after the employee leaves VSU. However, Dr. George has provided evidence that several former VSU professors still use their VSU account regularly, even though they have passed the 45-day cutoff. Hall maintains that Dr. George’s email account was shut down because of Dr. George’s personal attacks against Hall, which Hall said in a previous email to The Spectator.
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“What we do have is clearly violating academic freedom and freedom of speech.” Dr. Michael Noll, Faculty Senate President
Outage causes issues for oncampus station VSU students experienced a short blackout on Moday evening. Kenzie Kesselring
Tyra Mills/ THE SPECTATOR
VSU students Chelsea Marty, Mary Booker, Ashlie Prain and Kierra Bryant walk in front of Odum on Oct. 29 in support of the “Carry that weight” campaign.
Students ‘Carry that weight’ Tyra Mills
Web Editor tnmills@valdosta.edu
Friday
Dr. William McKinney, VSU President
See Policy, page 2
Source: History.com
Weather
“In the absence of a policy that prohibits something, you’re permitted.”
Armed with signs, slogans and a twin-sized mattress, a group of VSU students walked up and down the Pedestrian Mall in support of the “Carry That Weight” movement. The students, made up of the sociology club and Women’s and Gender Studies club, were participating in the National Day of Action to fight campus sexual assaults. This movement was created in honor of the Columbia University student, Emma Sulkowicz, who is carrying a dorm mattress around until her rapist is expelled or she graduates in protest of his lack of punishment for his assault on her. Sulkowicz began
her campaign in August and has been covered by numerous media outlets. There have been several protests this year at VSU. What makes this protest different is that while chanting out to their pedestrian peers, these women were all the while carrying a mattress. Ashlie Praine, a member of the sociology club, said that women need to stand up for themselves. “We need to stop allowing men to victimize us,” Praine said. “We are women, we’re powerful beyond measure, and we need to stand up for ourselves.” The women carried posters that stated “Yes Means Yes” and “End Rape on Campus.” As shocking as their protest was, members felt it was the perfect way to bring more
awareness to on-campus sexual assaults. Columbia University also participated in the movement. With the help of hundreds of students, they carried 28 mattresses across campus to represent the 28 students who have filed sexual complaints so far at the school. According to organizers, similar events were held throughout the day at more than 100 universities across the country. Zoe Ridolfi-Starr, a student and organizer at Columbia University and a survivor of sexual assault, said she hopes the movement continues. “We refuse to be silent, and we refuse to let fellow survivors carry the weight of sexual assault alone. Together, we can end campus rape and dating violence,” Ridolfi-Starr said.
Asst. Opinions Editor klkesselring@valdosta.edu The short power outage at VSU on Monday night around 7:30 p.m. caused confusion and frustration for students who were on campus during that time. When The Spectator reached out to Georgia Power, they were unable to specify why VSU experienced a power outage Monday night. However, the Valdosta Daily Times received some information from Georgia Power’s spokesperson, John Kraft. Kraft told the VDT that there was a brief transmission line outage that affected most of Valdosta and caused a minute-long power outage throughout the city. The type of outage made it difficult for the Georgia Power technicians to determine specific areas that were affected, and they believe the outage could have been caused by a number of reasons. The technicians are still
investigating the case to determine the final cause of the outage. Students living, studying and eating on campus experienced a moment without power as the outage began near Langdale and Georgia Hall, moved down the street lamps to Palms dining center and onto Hopper Hall, and ended at the Student Union and Odum Library. “When the power went out, it went out in stages,” said Beth Tate, junior mass media major and Hopper Hall resident. “It was like a rolling blackout. There were a few laughs, a few screams, some grumbles and a wide set sense of confusion. At most I would call it a small inconvenience.” However, the outage was not just a small inconvenience for all of VSU’s students. Blaze FM, Valdosta’s student-run radio station, was shut down Monday night after the power outage. The radio station will not be able to continue with their normal business until IT fixes the problems the power outage caused to their equipment. “The power outage has caused a couple problems, but we at Blaze FM are working hard to solve them, and it will be all good soon,” a sophomore Blaze FM DJ said.
West Hall renovations still in progress Tierra Francois
Staff Writer tsfrancois@valdosta.edu After months of renevation to West Hall students and faculty have yet to find relief from the constant construction. The renovations began in the west wing and the second
Inside This Issue
- OPINIONS: Faculty deserve freedom to take political action - FEATURES: Creepy Halloween events geared to scare visitors - SPORTS: Volleyball approaches postseason
renovation will begin replacing the HVAC in the south wing, where many students complain of the high humidity in classrooms. Replacing HVAC is very costly and time-consuming. The HVAC has to be replaced in the north wing as well. Ray Sable, who has been overseeing the renovations,
said that the last time West Hall was fully renovated was in 1985. “The systems that have not been replaced are 30 years old,” Sable said. “The ductwork and air handlers need to be increased to account for the additional heat-generating technology that has been added to the building.”
Sable said that his team is also trying to implement new technology while doing these renovations. “While sections of the building are having the HVAC renovated, it is also an excellent time to make other upgrades,” Sable said. “In phase 1, VSU installed new whiteboards in many of the
classrooms.” This also means rearranging computer labs to ensure internet connection and also smaller replacements like new carpet and paint. These costly renovations are projected to be completed by spring 2015.
On the Web Check out w w w. v s u s p e c t a t o r. c o m our Weekly Check out “Spectator Slayers Horoscopes Halloween 2014” video on the See page 4 for more web!
PAGE 2 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM Upcoming Events
MGN Online
Daylight Saving Time Nov. 2 2 a.m. Remember to set your clocks backward one hour to 1 a.m. Daylight Saving Time is also a great bi-annual reminder to change the batteries in smoke detectors. More than 70 percent of home fire deaths result from fires in homes where the smoke detector did not work. Spring 2015 Early Registration Graduates and Seniors: Nov. 3, 7 a.m. Juniors: Nov. 4, 7 a.m. Sophomores: Nov. 5, 7 a.m. Freshmen: Nov. 6, 7 a.m. For the first time, registration will continue nonstop through the second week of January. The computer labs in Odum Library will be open from 6:30-8 a.m. the first four days of early registration.
Police Briefs Oct. 28 A student reported that her debit card was stolen from Odum Library early in the afternoon when she left her personal belongings to make a copy. Oct. 25 Five girls in black hoods were reportedly pouring substances in the vents of cars parked in the PE Lot. Officers reported multiple cars covered with flour, baby powder, sprinkles and “other assorted materials of mischief.”
Policy
Continued from Page 1 “If (the) USG doesn’t do a critical, thorough investigation, I will be consulting with my lawyer about legal action,” Dr. George said. Dr. McKinney said he didn’t want to comment further on this controversy until the third-party investigation had run its course. This dispute has had wideranging repercussions, including confusion among VSU faculty concerning Board of Regents policy on political activity. The most recent development was the cancellation of the Clothesline Project, an event consisting of hanging T-shirts on clotheslines on campus to promote awareness for sexual assault and domestic violence. Dr. Tracy Woodard-Meyers, director of the Clothesline Project and the Women’s and Gender Studies department, said she was told not to use state resources for political purposes. According to Dr. Meyers, the Clothesline Project is political, meaning its existence violates BOR policy. Dr. McKinney said Wednesday that he never
OCTOBER 30, 2014 told Dr. Meyers to cancel the Clothesline Project. “If I can’t use state resources for political purposes, I cannot hang up the Clothesline,” Dr. Meyers said. In a meeting between Dr. Meyers and Dr. McKinney in August, Dr. McKinney said he supported the Clothesline Project. “(Dr. Meyers) asked me flat out, ‘Can we still do those projects?’ and I said, ‘absolutely yes,’ and I stick by that,” Dr. McKinney said of the meeting.
“If (the) USG doesn’t do a critical, thorough investigation, I will be consulting with my lawyer about legal action.” Dr. Mark George Former Professor Faculty’s confusion on the policy has been a hot topic at faculty senate meetings. “We have a lack of clearly stated policies when it comes to electronic communication,” Dr. Michael Noll, faculty senate president, said.
Dr. Noll and faculty members are currently working with IT and other key players to look at what policies are in place and what they need to revise. “What we do have is clearly violating academic freedom and freedom of speech,” Dr. Noll said. “These cases are learning situations. We can learn as an institution and only become stronger as an institution by clarifying and updating existing policies.” Dr. McKinney also addressed the faculty’s confusion on what BOR policy allows employees to do, suggesting an open approach to the rules and encouraging anyone with questions about the policy to consult VSU’s legal council. “In the absence of a policy that prohibits something, you’re permitted,” Dr. McKinney said.
Happy ‘Tator Day!
The sudoku grid consists of eighty-one squares in a nine by nine grid. To solve the sudoku, each square in the grid must contain a number between one and nine, with the following conditions: Each row of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 once and only once. Each column of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 once and only once. Each of the nine 3 by 3 boxes of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 ANSWER ON PAGE 5
· · ·
Correction The article titled “Domestic abuse project hung out to dry” that ran in the 10-23 issue erroneously reported that Dr. Meyers was told by VSU that she could not carry out the Clothesline Project. She chose to suspend the project voluntarily.
IT understaffed, overworked Lia Armistead
STAFF WRITER jparmistead@valdosta.edu The VSU IT department is suffering from a lack of staff members, causing slower solutions to campus-wide technical problems. The IT department currently employs 42 full-time staff members to monitor over 230 smart classrooms and computer labs on campus. Because of the shortness of staff, glitches can take up to an hour to be fixed. After going through funding challenges last year resulting in a new policy limiting the total annual hours of part-time staff employees, the IT department has promoted ten part-time employees to full-time. “The only challenge we really have is just staffing,” IT director Brian Haugabrook said. “Right now with just a handful of people, it’s pretty much impossible to check
every single classroom every morning.” The Human Resources and Employee Development website has posted ten full-time job opportunities for the IT department. According to Haugabrook, the department is going to form a technical response unit of five to 10 employees by the end of the semester after all of the new staff members are trained. The department will be spread out across campus in separate zones, sometimes with multiple IT technicians, depending on the number of computer labs and smart classrooms in the area. “Our biggest goal is to be proactive with a 15-minute response time,” Haugabrook said. Starting in the spring semester, the technical support unit will go to each classroom between 7 and 8 a.m. to make sure that all technology is working properly.
A student reported that the back tire of her bicycle was stolen from Brown Hall. A student reported that she left her white Ford Fusion on campus, and when she returned, her vehicle had orange soda sprayed all over it.
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OCTOBER 30, 2014
Cyberbullying needs to be monitored
Our point of view...
Facebook sees Supreme Court over threats made on social media Tierra Francois
Staff Writer tsfrancois@valdosta.edu
Alison Stephen
Faculty deserve freedom to take political action
A
s students strolled the Pedestrian Mall last week, many wondered why the clotheslines lining the walkway were empty. For the past 14 years, the Clothesline Project, which exists to raise awareness about domestic violence, had placed T-shirts with symbolic messages on the mall. This year, instead, all that hung from the string was an explanation of the Board Of Regents policy. Conflict of interest was the culprit. The professor who organized the project did not feel safe continuing the project under circumstances of the current policy. Under the University System of Georgia’s rules, as we understand them, professors here at VSU are free from institutional censorship and discipline. Whether projects such as the clothesline project are outlawed, it is under the perception of the VSU community that harsh consequences could result from political stances being made. The foundation at which the Women’s and Gender Studies program is built upon is political actions
Many people have their own opinion as to what a threat may be. Can you be threatened over the internet? According to Facebook vs. Supreme Court, this is the issue at hand. This issue was brought all the way to the Supreme Court when Anthony Elonis was accused of making threats against his wife and an FBI agent. His posts said graphic things such as, “I’m not going to rest until your body is a mess, soaked in blood and
dying from all the little cuts.” These threats and many others struck the attention of the FBI and the Supreme Court. The biggest question with Facebook and the Supreme Court is, can Facebook be trusted to monitor and protect its users? Do laws that apply to normal civilized society apply to what is essentially an online forum? The technical support behind Facebook, along with the Supreme Court, is looking into ways to be alerted about threats made on this social media website. The user’s page will be reported to the
Faculty awaits clarification on BOR policy
and informing students of important issues such as the Clothesline Project. If an entire department cannot carry out their mission of political activism through its faculty and students, what’s next? There are many other departments that focus on social and political issues outside and inside the community of Valdosta. This is a matter that should be formally addressed by administration. At this point, clear and concise parameters have not been set. As students of this institution, we look to those above us such as professors to provide us with valuable information and opportunities to shape our outlook on life, the environment and ethics. By causing unrest within the departments, students are losing opportunities to take an unfiltered stance. The editors at The Spectator believe that all faculty at VSU have the right to display and support political issues in the best interest of their students and the university. This benefits the student body and informs the community of a wide range of issues.
I write in support of your article “Domestic abuse project hung out to dry.” I was in the faculty senate meeting when this issue was raised by Dr. Tracy Meyers, Director, WGST. Dr. Meyers told the senate what she had been told relative to the Clothesline Project and
that it could be deemed political activity that is prohibited by the BOR. The provost was there. He did not comment, confirm or dispute the statements made by Dr. Meyers. I took that THEN, and still do TODAY, to mean that her assertions were accurate.
The faculty senate has been anxiously awaiting clarification on this issue and, to date, has received none. Lynn Adams, PhD, CCC-SLP Associate Professor
People Poll: What are your plans for Halloween?
Raven Rhodes Freshman Nursing
Diamond Hughes Freshman International business
Risa Ramsen Freshman Music
“I’m going out of town for Halloween, so I don’t have any plans.”
“Getting my priorities together... in the library.”
“I’m hanging out with my friends, nothing special.”
Why women choose not to marry Tierra Francois
Staff Writer tsfrancois@valdosta.edu A recent CNN article states that women are now getting married at a later age or even not at all. According to this article, titled “Why more women choose not to marry,” 53 percent of women over 18 are in the “single” category. Author Pepper Schwartz believes that the reason so many women are single is simply because they have the choice. At one point in time, women could not make the decision as to whether they would marry, who their husband would be or how many children they would have. Women now have the choice to pursue an education and start a family. What seems to be the problem is that after pursuing an education and finding a stable career, women feel too old to begin a relationship. By the
time they have stable careers, they are between the ages of 35 and 40 and are content with their lives. Schwartz uses Oprah Winfrey as an example of a successful unmarried woman. She basically says that a husband is useless to Oprah. Rather than having a companion, Oprah is more than able to take care of herself. “Moreover, a woman doesn’t need a husband who is a high-powered corporate attorney if she is a highpowered corporate attorney,” Schwartz said. As much as men do not want to admit it, I think they feel inferior to a woman who makes more money than they themselves do. Marriage tax could also be another reason why women are single. Schwartz says another reason women are reluctant to marry is that some women make so much money that getting married would inflict economic costs. This means
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the woman would have to pay more taxes if she married someone with equal or higher income. Fewer women than ever
are deciding to marry, leading people to question the ultimate implications of marriage.
Contact Us
Spectator Staff Sports Editor: Alex Tostado Photo Editor: Sierra King Multimedia Editor: Cole Edwards Web Editor: Tyra Mills Copy Editor: Tatyana Phelps Social Media Editor: Jordan Barela
FBI for investigation, closed permanently or even taken to court as evidence. There has been much speculation on Facebook giving the FBI and court system evidence to people that commit “anonymous” crimes. There have been posts made
Letter to the Editor
This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and expresses the general opinion of The Spectator.
Editor-in-Chief: Elan Waite Managing Editor: John Stephen Business Manager: Kristen Varney Circulation Manager: Abbie Baggerly Opinions Editor: Jordan Hill Features Editor: John Preer
MCT Campus Supreme Court will consider the issue of Internet threats.
about school shootings and even killing the president. Threats made on the internet should be treated like threats made in person. Social media websites should block anyone who makes threats to people, and the person should be alerted as to why their page was closed. Not only is cyberbullying a main cause of suicide, but according to “Self-Esteem and Stress Management,” it is also the main reason why younger children have lower self-esteem. Threats, whether made online or in person, still have the same intent.
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OCTOBER 30, 2014
PAGE 4 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
Creepy Halloween events geared to scare visitors Marquez Slaughter
STAFF WRITER mjslaughter@valdosta.edu Halloween is the time of year to be spooked and to have a fun time with friends and family. Haunted houses and haunted trails are popular to go to during the Halloween season for college students who are looking for something exciting to get into. It is mainly for students to go in,
get scared, and leave laughing about their friends’ exaggerated reactions. Some students began their trips to haunted houses early, such as junior, Ahmaad Howard and his friends, who made a trip to 13 Stories Haunted House last Friday. 13 Stories, according to its website, is the largest and most expensive one year transformation in haunted house attraction history. The 13 Stories Haunted House is built into 54,000 square
feet of horror, and located in Newnan, Georgia. The haunted house has five houses all together to create one main attraction, and for one of the houses, called Sacrifice, the visitor has to be 18 or older and must also sign a waiver because each visitor is blindfolded and the characters are allowed to touch the visitors. Another house called Zombie Alley allows people to shoot laser guns at zombies. Newnan is a three and a
half to four hour drive north from Valdosta, and Howard said he and his friends spent around $40 for their admission tickets plus gas. Out of the total amount of money that was spent, Howard said “Man—it wasn’t worth it.” As far as the feedback on Facebook, the majority of reviews are positive, which is what caught Howard and his friends’ attention to go to 13 Stories. Another popular freight
March 21 - April 19 You’ll get into a passionate discussion with somebody sexy this week, and sparks will fly. You won’t be sure if you hate this person or love him or her. Take some time to sort out your true feelings. April 20 - May 20 This is a good week to work on improving your relationship. If you’ve been in a rocky one, don’t give up just yet. Work with a therapist or other third party to get an outside perspective. May 21 - June 21 A wild, crazy feeling is in the air. You’ll want to dance naked by moonlight or chant strange, primal sounds to the stars. Or, you could just make passionate love to your honey.
attraction that happened last week during VSU’s homecoming that some students attended was “Terror in the Wild” at Wild Adventures. This event featured Black Death, Oblivion II, Farmageddon, Ghost Train, Thrill Rides and five different scare zones. The attraction that gets the most attention in this event is the Black Death haunted trail, because the line stretches out further than the actual trail. “I was hiding in my hoodie most of the time, but when I did look, it wasn’t that scary because you would just catch on to them jumping out,” sophomore Noelle Turner said. Turner also said that “Terror in the Wild” last year was better and scarier because of the guys with chainsaws chasing people at the haunted trail’s exit. VSU Campus Recreation is hosting its sixth annual haunted trail Oct. 28-31, called “Face Your Fear.” This event, located at 1300 Sustella Ave.,
begins at 8 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. Tyra Hurst, junior volunteer for the haunted trail, said that the trail, directed by Dylan Volpintesta, graduate assistant of special events and student development, should be even scarier this year. This is Volpintesta’s first year directing the trail, and Hurst said that he wants to make it big by bringing in an acting coach to teach the actors how to scare people. This event is open to students, faculty and staff, as well as the general public. The issue with this event is that some students are indecisive about spending $5 on the admission ticket and are wondering whether if it is worth it. Another option is the 12th annual Adair Street Horror Haunted House, located at 200 E. Adair St. This attraction also costs $5 and lasts from Oct. 28-Nov. 1, from 7 p.m.-11 p.m.
Spectator slayers steal the stage
June 22 - July 22 You’re in a mellow mood. Even if your partner is stressed out about something, you’ll be able to remain calm and centered. Share that calm vibe with others who could use an encouraging word or two. July 23 - Aug. 22 Don’t let yourself get too grumpy this week, even though you’ll probably want to sit and sulk about stuff. . You need to find a pleasant distraction. Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 You’re experiencing more stability than you have in a while. Your romantic situation isn’t as crazy, and you feel better about your current professional path, too. Sept. 23 - Oct. 23 You and your honey could clash over money matters. If one of you is paying all the bills, things are getting out of balance and this needs to change. Oct. 24 - Nov. 2 Pay attention to your intuition. Maybe you’ll sense that someone in your circle is interested in you, even if this person is acting shy. It could be time to take action. Start flirting. Nov. 22 - Dec. 21 You might have a premonition about what you really want to be when you grow up. You could realize something important about life and love. Pay attention to these moments of insight as they strike. Dec. 22 - Jan.19 You and your honey will enjoy spending time together as the moon creates a feeling of light-hearted fun. Take a day trip together or go out to dinner at a new place. Jan. 20 - Feb. 18 As an Air sign, you have a way with words. But sometimes people don’t appreciate your playful sense of humor. Your honey could be dealing with something stressful. Feb. 19 - March 20 You could reconnect with someone you used to date as the moon creates some strange encounters. You’re probably over this person by now, but it might be useful to talk to him or her again. You could realize something important about yourself in the process.
Check out the full video on the webspectator at vsuspectator.com
VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 5
OCTOBER 30, 2014
Step show ‘Phrozen Genesis’ a VSU homecoming success Kristin Whitman
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR krwhitman@valdosta.edu The crowd froze, the floors quivered, and “Phrozen Genesis: The Coldest Experience,” step show packed out the VSU P.E Complex Saturday evening. The event takes place every year and features fraternities and sororities from VSU, as well as other schools, to compete for a trophy. The Mu Omicron chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. held the 24th annual Homecoming step show, where the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and
Iota Phi Theta fraternity took home the big wins. Multiple sororities and fraternities participated in the festivities and the event was hosted by celebrity reality star and fashion designer Angela Simmons alongside VSU graduate and owner of Pressed Natural Hair Care Salon and a celebrity stylist in Atlanta, Nikk Nelson. Simmons was noted posting a tweet that read, “Having such a great time hosting VSU step show!” The night was full of surprises as J.L. New-
bern Middle School, the Nu Mu Sigma step team, battled for champion as well. The show seemed to be enjoyed by all in attendance. “This was the best step show I’ve seen,” Allie Williams, senior middle grades education major said. “It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.”
“This was the best step show I’ve seen” Allie Williams
Every participating team was given one performance that was judged by a panel of nine step experts in the following categories: sharpness, creativity, overall theme and crowd reaction. The annual step show raises funds for various programs provided by the Mu Omicron Chapter as well as the chapter’s fund Alpha Phi Alpha Memorial Scholarship. This event was a family friendly skit, step performance that was enjoyed by the entire audience.
Congrats to the 2014 Homecoming King & Queen
Sierra King/SPECTATOR Homrcoming king, Isaiah Smart, and queen, Diamond Moore, were announced Saturday at the football game.
VSU talent displayed at art exhibit
Tyra Mills/SPECTATOR
VSU hosts annual Sunday’s Best event on November 2 Tierra Francois
STAFF WRITER tsfrancois@valdosta.edu VSU’s Sunday’s Best initially started in Fall 2011 as a way for the choir to offer an event for homecoming. Eventually the event became annual and very popular. Similar to BET’s Sunday Best, these auditions give students the opportunity to express themselves in song. The auditions this year for Sunday’s Best auditions were held Oct. 15 - Oct. 16. Although the competition consists mostly of singing, any act is welcomed. The competition revolves around Christian or gospel music. The event is seen as more of a
talent competition or showcase for the VSU community. Just like the choir, the competition is open to any VSU students, faculty or staff. The judges from the competition come from the community for the actual event. Eric Bentley, president and director of the event, says, “Not only do I see to it that things are accomplished, but I also physically take on the task of ensuring that things are done efficiently.” Bentley knows that being president and director is a handful and he is willing to take time to make sure he has a part in everything. Bentley also has a reliable executive board and music team that help get things done.
“My executive board and music team definitely makes the workload much easier. They are a hardworking group of people that you can rely on,” Bentley says. Sunday’s Best is a great event for VSU and brings something different for students to engage in. Sunday’s Best is the perfect competi-
How to stop the cravings Do you tend to start craving sweet, salty or sugary foods when stress creeps up or when you just want a quick pickme-up? All of the sugar, carbs and caffeine that we consume on the go only give us a temporary boost of energy. It may take practice to form new cravings that are more beneficial for your body, but it’s worth it in the long run. Here are a few tips to help get rid of those sugary cravings. Drink Water: My mom always told me that drinking water tends to fill you up more than reaching for a bag of chips. It turns out that drinking water actually does fill you up without adding the extra calories and stops you from overeating. Even though you might get a short sugar high from a candy bar, drinking water will keep you hydrated and alert for the rest of the day. Try drinking a cold glass of water each morning to speed up your metabolism or switch it with a hot cup of
water with lemon that also has detoxifying benefits. Choose dark chocolate: If chocolate is your go-to sweet snack, dark chocolate is your best bet. Try buying anything 70 percent cocoa or higher. Even dipping fruit (which
a game of basketball. Putting your attention towards doing something active will help you to clear your mind and forget about those unnecessary cravings. Indulge but have limits: It’s alright to have ice cream or a doughnut every once in a
contains natural sugars) in dark chocolate is better than a bag of chips. Get distracted: One of the best ways to get rid of a sugar craving is to get your mind and body moving. Usually after a workout your body is less likely to be craving sweets and will want something hydrating instead. Go for a walk, workout, do yoga or even call up friends to play
while, but you have to know when enough is enough. Focus on the quality of what you’re eating and maintain the quantity. When we get a sugar craving, we tend to overestimate what we are able to consume. If you go for ice cream, buy a small cone not a pint. You won’t feel guilty afterwards and will have the confidence next time to follow through with a better choice.
Tyra Mills/SPECTATOR
tion to be a part of to express your religion through song, dance, poetry or whichever medium you prefer. Eric Bentley is welcoming anyone from VSU to join in on the fun. This year’s event will be held Nov. 2 in the Whitehead Auditorium at 6:30pm.
Happy ‘Tator Day! Sudoku Answer
PAGE 6 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
OCTOBER 30, 2014
New faces hope to help Blazer soccer prepares for last stretch of season Lady Blazers’ woes Last season saw many injuries, eighth place finish Austin Wells
Sports Writer amwells@valdosta.edu With the season two weeks away, the Lady Blazers basketball team will look to improve off an injury-filled season resulting in an eighth place finish in the Gulf South Conference. “We basically only had seven people playing last year,” head coach Kiley Hill said referring to last season’s injuries. “We came off of a Sweet 16 appearance two years ago, and then we’ve just been a roller coaster. We’ve had quality kids and quality players, but the injury bug has just eaten us alive.” Despite the injuries, the Lady Blazers still finished with the second best defense in the conference, allowing only 59.1 points per game. Although the team had a successful season defensively, Hill still thinks there is room for improvement.
“We feel that these pieces...give us some major depth which will help us in the long haul.” -Kiley Hill VSU women’s basketball head coach “We weren’t very good consistently,” Hill said. “We could make stops when we had to but not overall. With this year’s group being so young, it’s going to be rough early but I think we’re going to have a chance to be very good by the end of the year.”
Hill went on to discuss the depth of this year’s squad and how the mix of youth and experience could lead to a promising season for the Lady Blazers. “We’ve brought back seven kids from last year and we brought in seven new ones,” Hill said. “Out of that group of seven new ones, five of them are freshmen who are trying to figure out what this new world is all about and the speed and size of the college game. With our returning kids’ experience, once our new kids start figuring out what we’re asking of them and what the rigors of the Gulf South are about, good things are going to happen for us. “We feel that these pieces, the seven old and the seven new, give us some major depth which will help us in the long haul.” The Lady Blazers first game is Nov. 14 vs. Eckerd College.
Kristin Whitman
Asst. Sports Editor krwhitman@valdosta.edu With the season winding down, things look promising for the Blazers soccer team after securing a spot in the Gulf South Conference tournament. The Blazers still need to face GSC opponents No. 6 West Florida (7-3) and No. 4 West Alabama (7-2-1) for the last two games in regular season play. VSU starts with UWF on a road trip to Pensacola, Florida, on a spooky Oct. 31 at 6 p.m. The Blazers creep into Argonaut territory with an 8-1-1 conference record above the standings of UWF’s at 7-3. Forced to settle for a tie in the 2013 season and two shut out games (3-0, 5-0) for UWF in 2012 and 2011, VSU hopes to take down the Argonauts sails and send their winning streak ashore. “We love playing them because it drives the best out of us,” Margaret Stauffer, senior
midfielder, said. “We know we can take it to them this year for the win.” Tying at 1-1 against Newberry University, the Blazers’ senior players had an emotional time realizing this was their last home game at the VSU Athletic Fieldhouse. “We have put four years of hard work on this field, literally blood, sweat and tears,” Stauffer said. According to senior goal keeper Olivia Mills, they do not plan to let this slow them down when playing huge rivals like UWF. “We have a lot of history against them,” Mills said. “We can’t let this emotion slow us down.” In the past competitions, the UWF team has had a wellrounded offense and defense as stated by senior midfielder Leanne Bishop, but this year that does not seem to affect how the Blazers plan to bring the blazing heat. “This season is different; our defenders have been very solid in the back, shutting down goals along with our
“We have a lot of history against (West Florida). We can’t let this emotion (of our final home game) slow us down.”
-Olivia Mills VSU goalkeeper
midfielders and forwards that are connecting on the attack,” Mills said. “We’re going to look dangerous to UWF.” The important 6 p.m. kickoff against GSC rivals can be followed live at www. vstateblazers.com.
Volleyball approaches postseason Neil Frawley
Sports Writer ndfrawley@valdosta.edu The Valdosta State University’s volleyball team sits just three spots out of first place in the Gulf South Conference standings and carries a perfect 9-0 home record into their second to last home stand against University of North Alabama on Friday followed by University of AlabamaHuntsville on Saturday. VSU is No. 6 in the south regional rankings according to
NCAA.com, which includes teams from the Sunshine State Conference. The top three teams in the region receive automatic bids to the Division II national tournament. Coach Mike Swan spoke to his team after practice on Wednesday about being able to control their own destiny as long as they play smart and focused. “I think it’s just a matter of us realizing that it’s make or break time,” Swan said. “It’s basically up to us at this
point.” While VSU has proven its ability to win in its own building, on the road the team has shown less consistency, losing four on the road and three on neutral courts. If VSU finishes in the top four of the conference, they will host the first match of the tournament. But being comfortable playing on neutral courts is very critical to being successful in the playoffs. With only one road match left on the season, VSU won’t
get much more experience testing their skills in hostile environments. “I think we just get it into our heads a crowd is going to intimidate us, or because we’re not playing at home we’re not going to have the crowd support, or be emotionally into it as much,” Swan said. Of course, Swan isn’t looking that far ahead, as he sagely stays focused on the opponent at hand, rather than looking ahead to the postsea-
son. “I honestly don’t ever look ahead,” Swan said. “I just stay focused on the (next opponent).” UNA sits one spot above VSU in the conference standings and will be VSU’s only opponent above .500 before the end of the regular season. VSU has a chance to rise in the rankings as UWF has to play both UNA and Shorter. The GSC tournament begins on Nov. 13.
Last Three Matches
Tue. @ West Georgia 7 p.m. Fri. Nov. 7 vs. Mississippi College 7 p.m. Sat. Nov. 8 vs. West Alabama 2 p.m.