Volume 88 Issue 12
April 16, 2015
Police nab burgalry suspect near VSU
This Day In History Jackie Robinson breaks barrier On this day in 1947, Jackie Robinson, age 28, became the first African-American player in Major League Baseball when he stepped onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to compete for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Tatyana Phelps
COPY EDITOR tnphelps@valdosta.edu
Source: History.com Bryce Whitford/ THE SPECTATOR
Weather
SGA presidential candidates face off in a debate Jamel Shorter
Today Scattered Thunderstorms
Friday Thunderstorms
Saturday Cloudy
Source: Weather.com
Find Us Online WEBSITE: vsuspectator.com TWITTER: @vsuspectator FACEBOOK: The Spectator INSTAGRAM: @vsuspectator or Tap the app
Bryce Whitford/ THE SPECTATOR
Chris Hellams (left) and David burdette (right), presidential candidates, address SGA during a debate April 15 in the Psychology Building. The candidates discussed their platforms and their visions as potential presidents for SGA.
STAFF WRITER jhshorter@valdosta.edu For the past week, the campus has been plastered with street signs, posters and yard signs advertising various candidates for the SGA elections, and on April 15 the candidates went head-to-head in a heated, two-hour debate in an attempt to win over students right before the SGA elections. Elections take place April 16-17, and students can vote through Campus Connect. The debate, which took place in the Psychology Building, featured the student body sharing their concerns and the presidential and vice-
presidential candidates giving their visions for making VSU better. The format for the debate was standard. Each debate started with a four-minute opening statement, followed by four questions; each candidate had the opportunity to respond for two minutes, then a two-minute cross-examination followed, and a one-minute rebuttal came after that. Then, each candidate received the opportunity to ask an opposing question, followed by a 10-minute question-and-answer portion featuring the audience. The debate ended with a threeminute closing statement from each side. The candidates made it obvious that the student body
Another year, another raise Cole Edwards
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR csedwards@valdosta.edu VSU students might be soon feeling a little pinch in the pocketbook, but they should be happy they don’t go to UGA. VSU is facing a 2.5 percent increase in tuition for the fall semester after the University System of Georgia’s board approved on April 14 a tuition rise for 30 of the state’s colleges and universities. Fortunately, VSU falls on the lower end of the spectrum, as schools like Georgia Tech and UGA see the biggest increase at 9 percent. VSU will see a $4.27 per credit hour increase for Fall 2015, while out-of-state tuition will go up $15 per credit hour for students who have up to 15 hours. Overall tuition for in-state students will now be $2,613 per semester, while the out-ofstate rate will be $9,222.
:
would take priority in all decisions they would make if elected. There are two campaigns that have dominated the election for SGA’s executive board. “The Golden Ticket” features David Burdette for president, Colleen Kavanaugh for vice president and Jarius Leavy for secretary. The other ticket, “A Force for Change,” features Christopher Hellams for president, Matthew Cowan for vice president and Sequoia Kirby for comptroller. The Golden Ticket has the platform of “Innovation, Operation and Elevation,” and the slogan of “Envision the Future by the Power of the Past.” Kennedi Thompson, sophomore exercise physiology
major, is a fan of Burdette’s campaign. “I believe David Burdette will win president because I like what his platform is based on, and I also see that he is a real people person,” Thompson said. The platform for A Force for Change is “Community, Security and Blazer Pride,” and their slogan is “F.O.R.C.E: Fostering Opportunities Relationships Change and Equality.” At the debate, Hellams shared his ideas regarding campus security. “If we make students feel safe at VSU and make them feel like they are apart of the community…it will be a better place for everyone,” Hellams said.
A suspect was apprehended shortly after burglarizing a house near VSU’s campus late in the evening on April 14, according to police reports. The incident was the latest in a string of crimes reported in and around VSU this semester. According to police, at approximately 10 p.m. on April 14, a robbery was reported at a house on Brookwood Circle, located right across from Drexel Park. An individual was seen leaving the area shortly after the incident was reported and was stopped by VSUPD. Some of the stolen property was recovered from the suspect. The name of the suspect has not yet been released, nor have any other details on the story. According to VSUPD, the robbery is now being handled by the Valdosta Police Department. The VPD could not immediately be reached for comment. This is the second burglary/ robbery incident to take place within the last week. A 51-year-old male robbed two high school students and one VSU student by intimidation on April 7, after leaving a soccer game at BazemoreHyder Stadium “When he fled the scene, a Valdosta city police officer saw him and he was apprehended and charged with three counts of robbery,” Major Ann Farmer, assistant director of VSUPD, said.
State-wide tuition increases for 30 colleges scheduled for 2015-2016 academic year
Tuition for full-time, instate graduate students will increase $85 per semester, while out-of-state tuition for full-time grad students will increase $306 per semester. VSU students will also be seeing increased fee rates, including a slight rise in the activity and athletic fees per semester as well as a $15 increase in transportation, bringing it up to $35 per semester. The capital budget also revealed a $3.5 million budget for the upcoming renovation of Pound Hall. On campus Wednesday evening, VSU students were abuzz over the news of the tuition increase. “I feel like if they’re going to increase tuition, then we should get more perks,” Ben Westberry, senior business management major, said. “It’s ridiculous the amount of money we pay, and (we) still can’t get free parking on campus.”
Kayla Stroud/ THE SPECTATOR
30 colleges around the state of Georgia will experience tuition increases in the upcoming year. The tuition increases will vary by institution.
“Honestly, it doesn’t affect me personally, it just affects my parents, but I mean, increase of tuition isn’t very good in general,” Danielle Dillavou, junior deaf education major, said. System officials stated that
higher increases at institutions are due to higher expenses. In years past, state funding covered most of the system’s cost, with tuition funding only 25 percent. However, state funding cuts over the past few years have
led to tuition covering more expenses, which has moved the ratio to around a 50-50 contribution with state funds. This is the fourth consecutive year that the Board of Regents has approved a 2.5 percent rate for most colleges.
Check out Retrospec
Inside This Issue
On the Web
- OPINIONS: When it comes to crime, it’s better to know
See page 4
- SPORTS: Blazer tennis hope to wash away Tigers
Check out our videos and other multimedia on the web!
- FEATURES: Indie horror film delivers
w w w. v s u s p e c t a t o r. c o m