Volume 87 Issue 9
October 23, 2014
Domestic abuse project hung out to dry
Today at VSU Solar Eclipse - Come to Nevins Hall today to watch the solar eclipse. The VSU Observatory will open up at 6 p.m. if the weather permits. Four Directions Movie Night - Come out today to watch “Longmire and Native Comedians” with the Native American Studies Student Association. Stop by the Ashley Hall Conference Room at 6 p.m.
This Day in History Chicago crashes the charts On this day in 1976, popular rock band Chicago had its first #1 hit, “If You Leave Me Now.” The group went on to produce nine more albums in the next seven years. Source: History.com
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Jordan Hill
Opinions Editor jorhill@valdosta.edu The Women’s and Gender Studies program and VSU administrators are airing a different type of dirty laundry this year. Because of a dispute between WGST and VSU’s top administrators, the program will not hang T-shirts on clotheslines to create awareness of sexual assault and domestic violence for the first time in 14 years. The Clothesline Project began at VSU in 2000 when Dr. Tracy Meyers, director of Women’s and Gender Studies and the Clothesline Project, was a professor in the sociology department. Students made T-shirts of their story or someone else’s story of abuse/violence as
a class assignment. When Dr. Meyers became the interim director of the WGST program in 2005, she began displaying them publicly on the Front Lawn and the Pedestrian Mall. According to Dr. Meyers, VSU President William McKinney and Provost Hudson Rogers told her in separate meetings that she could not hang the shirts on VSU property because of a Board of Regents policy. However, according to Dr. Kimberly Luse, VSU’s Chief of Staff, that directive was never given. “No one in administration has been involved in any decision related to this important event,” she said. Dr. Meyers disputes Dr. Luse’s comment. “I was told in July by Dr. Rogers that I, as the director
of the Women’s and Gender Studies program, could not use state resources for political purposes,” she said. Dr. Meyers inferred those state resources to be computers, email accounts, campus structures, etc. According to Dr. Meyers, Dr. Rogers told her she needs to use her personal email account to participate in social justice actions and to do so as a private citizen because using state resources for such political endeavors is against BOR policy. The discussion between Dr. Meyers and Dr. Rogers came about after VSU adjunct professor Dr. Mark George sent an email from his VSU Mike LaGon/THE SPECTATOR account to the governor and general assembly per a social TOP LEFT: The pedestrian mall is barren from the annual Clothesline Project on Oct. 21, 2014. justice action. BOTTOM RIGHT: A sign of what happened to the t-shirt display See Clothesline, page 2 now hangs in the annual project’s place.
Blazers to play final home game
Tatyana Phelps
Chris Webb
Copy Editor tnphelps@valdosta.edu
Staff Writer ctwebb@valdosta.edu It’s not even November yet, but the Blazers last home game is already upon us. This Saturday at 3 p.m., Valdosta State (4-2, 2-2) will be hosting Shorter University (3-3, 1-2). “It really hasn’t hit me yet,” senior linebacker Justin Williams said. Williams, who played high school football for Valdosta High School feels that time will come once he runs out of the tunnel Saturday. “I have played a lot of games in that stadium going way back to high school,” Williams said. “Knowing it’s going to be my last game there, I might get a little emotional before kickoff.” Apart from being “Senior Night,” the Gulf South Conference battle with SU is also this year’s Homecoming Game for the Blazers. This will be the third matchup between the two schools since Shorter joined the GSC only two years ago. VSU has dominated, going 2-0 while outscoring the Hawks 78-6. VSU is sitting at 2-1 at
Stella Henderson/THE SPECTATOR Blazers prepare to take on Shorter Unviersity for Homecoming and the last home game of the season on Saturday.
home this season with their only loss coming in disappointing fashion to No. 20 Delta State University 32-49 back on Sept. 20. That loss combined with the heartbreaking, last-second defeat to No. 3 North Alabama has put the Blazers in early “playoff” mode. “We know if we expect to be in the playoffs, we are going to have to win from here on out,” head coach David Dean said following their 2-2 start. The Blazers have taken their coach’s remarks to heart, going 2-0 and outscoring West Georgia and Mississippi College by a combined 102-6 since. “I am really proud of them;
Inside This Issue
their backs are against the wall, and they have been playing that way,” Dean said. “I couldn’t be happier with how this group has responded.” Defensively the “Black Swarm” has looked lights out the past couple weeks, only allowing two field goals and 400 total yards to their opponents. VSU’s last conceded touchdown came back on Sept. 27, a span of over eight quarters. This has Dean feeling this group may have finally started to “click.” “We are starting to play better,” Dean said.
See Football, page 6
Homecoming Week is in full swing, and the campus is ablaze with festivities as the VSU community engages in one of the biggest celebrations of the school year. “Homecoming is a highlight, one of the key highlights of a fall semester,” SGA President Tyler Barker said. “It’s simply a time to celebrate Blazer pride as a whole through a week of events that are geared toward students, faculty, staff, the community and alumni.” Homecoming week kicked off with VSU’s first ever “Homecoming Ball,” planned and hosted by the Lambda Phi chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc., on Oct. 19. Students were encouraged to come dressed in their best, including tuxedos and gowns. The ball began at 9 p.m. and ended at 1 a.m. Several other campus organizations have activities planned for each day of Homecoming week. On Monday, SGA put on the first annual carnival, which included games, food, rock climbing, music, an inflatable slide and more.
On Tuesday, Housing headed up a trike race, in which different organizations competed to see who could go the fastest on tricycles. Voting for Homecoming Court also took place on Tuesday. Students were able to choose five male candidates for king and five female candidates for queen on VSU’s Campus Connect. Students can vote for one candidate from the male and female choices on Thursday. This is the first time in 10 to 15 years that VSU will have a Homecoming King. “Myself and Isaiah Smart wrote a proposal to President McKinney and the Homecoming Committee to get Homecoming king approved for this school year,” Barker said. “It’s a great honor to be honored as Homecoming queen, but we felt like males should have that same opportunity,” Barker said. “It seems like that has turned out great as far as this year’s elections, and if I can make a bold prediction, I don’t see it going away; I really do see this being a permanent change as far as Homecoming in years to come.”
See VSU, page 4
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- OPINIONS: VSU must be proactive on safety
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PAGE 2 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
Clothesline
issues concerning women, etc.), but I should do so using a personal email account and as a private citizen, not the director of WGST,” Dr. Meyers wrote to Dr. McKinney. “If we follow this logic, then that means the WGST program will not be allowed to display the Clothesline Project. “Social justice is part of the WGST program’s identity, it is part of our mission, and it is now a part of the University’s mission,” she wrote. Dr. Meyers said that letter prompted a meeting with Dr. McKinney in August. In the meeting, Dr. McKinney said he would ask the BOR attorney for the policy that does not allow the Clothesline Project to take place. Dr. Meyers said she
Continued from Page 1 VSU received complaints about Dr. George, citing violations of the BOR policy that forbids employees to use state resources for political purposes. Eventually, VSU shut down Dr. George’s email account. Dr. George argued that their decision was politically motivated. Dr. Meyers then wrote a letter to Dr. McKinney on Aug. 25 after her meeting with Dr. Rogers, explaining her disappointment in VSU’s decision regarding Dr. George’s political efforts. “Dr. Rogers stated I could sign these types of petitions (taking action on behalf of
OCTOBER 23, 2014 never received that policy. On Tuesday, Dr. Luse emailed a BOR policy that refers to political processes to Dr. Meyers. According to Dr. Meyers, the policy that Dr. Luse produced only discusses political campaigning. “It doesn’t address the policy that the provost and president spoke to me and Dr. George about this summer,” she said. Dr. Meyers believes the policy that supports the decision is different than what Dr. Luse produced to her. The policy Dr. Luse presented refers to political campaigning rather than the use of employees’ email for political activity. “Everything that the WGST
program does is political,” Dr. Meyers explained. “I am very disappointed that the WGST program and my fellow activist scholars are not allowed to carry out our departmental, university, and professional organizations’ mission of social justice work because of what comes down to a BOR policy that has yet to be produced. I find myself at a loss for words to describe how unfortunate I believe this situation to be.” Dr. Luse said no one in the administration has been involved in the decision to ban the Clothesline Project at VSU. “For the record, the administration has always been and continues to be staunch supporters of the Clothesline
Election activities heat up at VSU
Project,” she said. “The focus should remain on the positive impact it has for raising awareness for these important issues. It would be irresponsible not to keep that focus or to erroneously report that the president, provost, or anyone in administration would not support this good work.” The WGST program tied the clotheslines up and hung signs explaining why the
clotheslines had no T-shirts as usual. Dr. McKinney and Dr. Rogers were not available for comment on Wednesday. All inquiries were directed to Dr. Luse. The BOR policy that Dr. Luse refers to can be seen at http://www.usg.edu/hr/ manual/conflict_of_interest or at www.vsuspectator.com.
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
· · ·
Both Democrats and Republicans are rallying to increase voter turnout LaMarcus Wilkerson STAFF WRITER lkwilkerson@valdosta.edu
It’s election time again, and organizations on campus are aiming to encourage college students to vote in the 2014 midterm elections. Rock the Vote, a large nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, launched a national campaign strictly for that purpose. The “Care Like Crazy” campaign uses numerous ads to inspire young people to hit the polls and vote. These advertisements appear on media networks such as Facebook, YouTube, Spotify, Comedy Central and Pandora. The Young Democrats and College Republicans of VSU are working locally to obtain votes for the upcoming election. “Students need to approach this election with
MGN Online VSU organizations are gearing up for the Nov. 4 elections.
their futures in mind,” Teresa Lawrence, president of the Young Democrats, said. “Do a little research on topics that are important to you and see which candidates have the same views as you do. “The most important thing to do is to make sure that you know who and what you are voting for at the polls.” The Young Democrats held a rally on Oct. 9 in support of Jason Carter, gubernatorial candidate and grandson of former President Jimmy Carter. The event featured
former First Lady Rosalynn Carter as the guest speaker. “It was an honor to have Ms. Rosalynn Carter come and speak to us,” Lawrence said. “She talked about her love of campaigning and how we all need to exercise our right to vote. “Many people fought long and hard for this right to be available to all. Please make sure you get to the polls and make your voice heard,” Lawrence said. The College Republicans have also been trying to
encourage people to exercise their right to vote. According to the chairman of the College Republicans, Chris Allen, the group has been active every weekend. “Every weekend in October, we’ve been going to locations around the state with the other chapters of the Georgia Association of College Republicans to phone bank and go door-to-door for various local candidates along with Governor Deal and the Republican nominee for US Senate, David Perdue,” Allen said. The College Republicans just returned from Augusta, Georgia, where they were assisting the Republican Congress nominee for the 12th district, Rick Allen. The College Republicans will host Georgia’s attorney general, Sam Olens, Oct. 31 at 11 a.m in the Student Union Theater.
Upcoming Events Sexual Assault Awareness/ Prevention Workshop
interested students. He often writes about nature and the mountaineering experience.
Oct. 23 5:30-7:30 p.m. Student Union Theater
Turkish Concert
Members of the Title IX Committee will host a meeting to discuss topics such as what Title IX is, why it is needed, the prevalence of sexual violence on campus, how to report sexual assaults, and what awareness/prevention resources are available. Fiction Reading Oct. 23 7 p.m. University Center Theater David Stevenson, director of the Creative Writing and Literary Arts M.F.A. program at the University of Alaska Anchorage, will be reading pieces of his fiction to
Oct. 23 7-8:30 p.m. Jennett Hall Room 1111 Latif Bolat, Turkish singer, composer and scholar will perform a concert hosted by VSU’s Philosophy and Religious Studies Club. The event is free and open to the public and will feature ancient Turkish mystic-devotional music. Pink Out for Breast Cancer Awareness Oct. 23 7:30 p.m. Whitehead Auditorium (Fine Arts Building)
VSU’s College of the Arts will host the Pink Showcase: A Celebration of Breast Cancer Survivors. The event is free and open to the public and will feature performances by students and faculty of the music and communication arts departments. Attendees are encouraged to wear pink.
and pet owners to enjoy an afternoon of games, snacks, and a pet contest while raising money for the Lowndes County Humane Society. It costs $3 to enter the pet contest and $1 to eat as much food as you want.
The event will also include two guest speakers: Dr. Vanessa A. Jones, VSU nursing instructor, and Brian Sayre, a chaplain at South Georgia Medical Center. Call 229333-5832 for more information. Halloween Pet Carnival and Contest Oct. 26 2 p.m. VSU Front Lawn The Pre-Vet Club is sponsoring a fall carnival for pets
Police Briefs Oct. 21
Oct. 19
Oct. 16
A student reported that someone tried to use his name on a financial aid loan application.
A student reported that a purple bag, cell phone and other items were stolen.
A student reported that his bicycle was stolen.
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VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 3
OCTOBER 23, 2014
Athletes need pay, not punishment
Our point of view...
Kristin Whitman
Asst. Sports Editor krwhitman@valdosta.edu
Alison Stephen
VSU must be proactive on safety
T
he concept of safety has been a hot topic at VSU lately. The idea that we as students, feel safe on campus is almost nonexistent given the recent happenings. A string of robberies around Drexel Park and the University Center is only the tip of the iceberg. The tragic death of VSU student Lizzie Lohmar is what changed the majority of students’ minds on the feeling of safety at VSU. After these tragic events, the student body was told numerous things that are supposed to be instilled to improve safety. Some of the planned safety improvements include the move of the illfated ATM at the University Center and safer cross-walks. These events have yet to take place. We are aware that the university hired two security guards. This is great in theory, but what is the point of having security guards if the guards are armed with only a mere flashlight and radio? How are a flashlight and radio supposed to stop a robber in Drexel Park? How are a flashlight and a radio supposed to stop someone from being robbed at the ATM
at night, or even in broad daylight? The university does have other safety precautions in place. The gargantuan, yellow emergency call boxes that are around almost every corner on campus are great, but the call boxes are not enough. The university does have more safety precautions set to be utilized. Among these potential additions to campus safety include partnering with the city of Valdosta about the areas surrounding Drexel Park and the push for “SAM”, the Safety Awareness Mascot. According to the minutes of the VSU Safety Committee Meeting that was held at the end of September, there is a push to gain a presence on Twitter for SAM. While this is great to get the word out to the population at VSU, the feeling of safety is not measured in Twitter followers. We at The Spectator urge for the university to have better safety precautions in place. Administration should not tell the entire populous of students that better safety tactics are going to be put in place and not stay true to their word.
Money, money, money. It’s all about money in the game of life, but what about collegiate sports? Are universities doing what is right or being hypocritical by not allowing student athletes to make an outside profit from their talents? Two athletes related to this topic are Todd Gurley, University of Georgia’s running back, and Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M’s Heisman-winning quarterback. Both, popular for their impeccable talents on the field, were punished for signing memorabilia for income. Manziel was suspended for the first half of a single game last season and Gurley, missing two games so far, was suspended indefinitely, pending the investigation of allegedly breaking NCAA rules. The amount of money that
the universities and NCAA make off of these athletes is an outrageous number, yet the athletes are forbidden to sign their name to any kind of memorabilia. The argument could go both ways and continues to do so during the controversy. The athletes’ tuition is paid for through scholarships. They are not paid for their talent and the attention they bring to the schools they play for. Gurley has been predicted to win the Heisman Trophy award this year. Why would he hurt those chances by signing an autograph for a minor $8 to $25? Think about it this way: The name is his and his only. Why should the NCAA be able to tell him he can’t sign it for a few dollars? Not everyone is made of money. What if he was in a situation where he needed a few dollars right then, and the NCAA doesn’t know about that?
MCT Campus Todd Gurley, UGA running back, is currently suspended for signing memorabilia for income.
These programs pump millions of dollars into the schools, and that money is used for improvements, but are the schools afraid that the profit the players are making will detract from their bank accounts? It is understood that these players are student athletes, but it is ridiculous how much money the schools are making, and the players are not
getting rewarded for it. We all know that breaking the rules should not be condoned, but this NCAA rule should be looked into and reviewed a little further before anymore of the beloved athletes are suspended from playing again. It is time to put the student athlete first instead of the money that is being made. It is time to look into where the billions of dollars made by athletic programs are really going. Universities along with the NCAA are in the moneymaking business, instead of looking out for the welfare of student-athletes. The athletes should not be owned and profited off of. When people realize that money is not the main focus behind these games, then headway will start to be made to find a suitable balance for colleges, the NCAA and student athletes.
People Poll: What has been your favorite part of homecoming?
Daniel Griffin Sophomore Vocal performance
Taylor Malone Junior Political science
Jasmine Banks Sophomore Psychology and Philosophy
“The Wild Adventures night. It’s an absolutely crazy night.
“I’m really looking forward to the homecoming parade. It builds Blazer pride.”
“I really enjoyed the T-shirt exchange because now I have a really cute shirt to wear.”
Tweet us your favorite part of homecoming! @vsuspectator #Blazerhomecoming
This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and expresses the general opinion of The Spectator.
Mary Allison Hamby Freshman Music
Jamel Shorter Sophomore Marketing
“My favorite part is hanging out with my sisters.”
“The chalk drawings. It’s neat to see how artistic people are.”
Allow patients death with dignity Elan Waite
Editor-In-Chief ewaite@valdosta.edu
MCT Campus
We like to take life by the horns. We have slogans and witty T-shirts that praise the idea of human agency, but that notion seems to change when it comes to death. In a recent opinion article on cnn.com, Brittany Maynard told her personal story about her painful journey with cancer and her desperate plea to end her own life on her
MCT Campus “I do not want to die. But I am dying. And I want to die on my own terms,” a terminally ill patient said.
own terms. Maynard suffers from brain cancer and was given six months to live. Like many other people in her situation
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
Advertising Manger: Aimee Napier Graphic Designer: Mike LaGon Faculty Advisers: Dr. Pat Miller, Dr. Ted Geltner, Cindy Montgomery Reporters/Photographers: Lia Armistead, Mayah Cantave, Jessica Cooke, Kenzie Kesselring, Brittney Penland, LaShawn Oglesby, Marquez Slaughter, Kayla Stroud, Taymara Tait, Christopher Webb, Austin Wells, Kristin Whitman, Adrienne Fry
is unethical. Why is it ethical to allow a human being to endure a period of pain with no means of relief besides death? Regardless of an individual’s idea about what is right or wrong as far as the situation goes, the person in pain should always have the final say. Refusing to allow someone to die on their own terms is the immoral act. Death is the final part of life and if it’s prolonged and agonizing, you should be able to take it by the horns.
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Spectator Staff
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
she sought out the idea of assisted suicide. She went as far as to move to Oregon, one of the five states that allow death with dignity, just so she could have the option. “I’ve had the medication for weeks,” Maynard said. “I am not suicidal. If I were, I would have consumed that medication long ago. I do not want to die. But I am dying. And I want to die on my own terms.” Many physicians disagree with the practice and claim it
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OCTOBER 23, 2014
PAGE 4 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
VSU
Continued from page 1 “Terror in the Wild” at Wild Adventures was held on Wednesday night for students to enjoy a night of scares and rollercoaster rides, all provided by VSU’s Student Life. The event was free and open only to VSU students. The president’s cookout will take place today at 5:30 p.m. at Reams Field.
VSU students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to a cookout hosted by President McKinney and the First Lady. SGA volunteers will also be helping out at the event. Students had to have already registered online in order to attend the cookout. The Homecoming blacklight pep rally will also be held today at 7 p.m. in the P.E. Complex. There, the Homecoming Court will be announced, along with the
winners from the contest held throughout the week. A lip-sync competition between different organizations will also take place after the pep rally. Blaze Fest will take place downtown Friday at 6:30 p.m., which is open to the whole community. Buses will be available to take students downtown that evening. Saturday is the annual Homecoming parade beginning at 11 a.m., followed by
2014 VSU HOMECOMING COURT
Diamond Moore
Senior, Psychology major/Sociology minor, “I’ve traveled to numerous countries such as Spain, Ger many, Costa Rica, Switzerland, England, Taiwan and Japan.”
Haley Shiver
Senior, Business Management major, “I have a Rottweiler named Riley.”
Isaiah Smart
Senior, English-Journalism major, “I have studied Spanish, Japanese, and French.”
Justin Woods
Senior, Business Management major, “Delta Chi, leadership in Enactus, US Marine Corp veteran.”
Kyle Poe
Senior, Psychology major/African American Studies minor, “I only get an average of about three to four hours of sleep per night.”
Micah Howell
Senior, Mass Media major, “I use to weigh 250 pounds during my high school career and shed 100 before coming to college.”
Quineshia Claiborne Senior, Mass Media major, “I’m an old soul.”
Rachael Ramirez
Senior, Mass Media major, “I can name all 50 states in alphabetical order in less than 30 seconds.”
Tevin Williams
Senior, Mass Media major, “I never cheered until I got to VSU! This is my second year on the team.”
Tristen Jones
senior, Exercise Physiology major, “I’m very corny and I love Laffy Taffy jokes.”
Photos courtesy of VSU Kenzie Kesselring/ THE SPECTATOR
tailgating and the Homecoming football game at 3 p.m., where the Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned. “[Homecoming] is really a special experience that every student ‒ every Blazer ‒ deserves to have,” Barker said. “For that to keep going, it simply just relates back to making that pride and tradition just such a grand experience. Reaching the V-State experience is simply what Homecoming means.”
Brittney Penland/ THE SPECTATOR Students enjoy rides at Wild Adventures for homecoming.
Trekdesk double task work, gym Cole Edwards
Multimedia Editor csedwards@valdosta.edu A former social worker has invented a new approach that will allow millions of working adults to walk the walk and talk the talk. Steve Bordley, founder and CEO of the Arizona-based TrekDesk, designed a desk small enough to fit around virtually any treadmill that allows for the user to walk while busy at work, thus not having to take any extra time out of their day. The invention comes at an opportune time with the American Heart Association reporting that an alarming 68 percent of American adults or either overweight or obese. Over 75 percent of Georgia working adults spend at least a third of their day sitting behind a desk, which often leads to the development of diabetes, heart disease and even early death. “There are 50 million treadmills out there in this nation but only a small percentage of all those machines actually get used,” Bordley said. “My idea was to build something affordable and something as simple as attaching a desk to a treadmill so people can start getting healthy again.”
TrekDesk, which currently runs for $499 on Amazon. com, can be easily assembled within 30 minutes and fits tightly over any standard sized treadmill, allowing for a mile of walking to be accomplished in the time it takes to complete one spreadsheet. The idea for TrekDesk originated in early 2007 when Bordley was involved in a severe accident that placed him in a wheel chair for six months and
unable to
walk without the use of a walker or crutches for more than two years. “I had always been very active and suddenly I no longer could even walk properly,” Bordley said. “Stress began to set in, and the weight piled on seemingly overnight.” Forced to improvise how best to fight off weight gain and apathy, Bordley had the
idea of placing a rubber top across his treadmill to serve as a rudimentary desk while he continued to work from home. Within six weeks, he lost 25 lbs and became determined to begin developing the TrekDesk for others to start getting healthy again. With the recommended setting being only two miles per hour, TrekDesk helps users unknowingly walk 25 miles per week, burning 900-1200 calories a day. “We encourage our users to walk very slow speeds, almost as if they were simply walking down the hall,” Bordley said. Bordley is quick to point out that his invention is the desk itself, not the treadmill, which is sold separately and simply placed beneath the desk. In a May 2012 article, Livestrong. com added the TrekDesk to its comprehensive list of “20 Fitness Gadgets that Actually Work,” calling it “the perfect solution for those who think better on their feet.” According to Livestrong. com, prolonged sitting is just as bad for the body as smoking. The treadmill will help workers feel energized rather than fatigued.
VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 5
OCTOBER 23, 2014
Anonymous photo-sharing app comes to VSUstudents Maya Cantave
Staff writer mcantave@valdosta.edu A new anonymous photosharing app for college students, Unseen, was recently released at Valdosta State University, and students are taking notice. “It’s hilarious and entertaining, but it’s bound to piss someone off,” Camille Pollitt, senior mass media major, said. “(It will make) me question the next time I Snapchat something.” The app can be downloaded from the Itunes or Google app store. After you download the app, it asks for what school you go to. Students put in their school name, and the app shows you all of the anonymous pictures your fellow students have put up. There is no sign-up, and the app does not ask for any personal information. It is Aries: March 21 — April 19 Venus has you wondering if all the fuss is really worth it. Why do you even bother to date people when it never works out? Or why did you try to make a marriage last, when it’s so hard much of the time? Fortunately, this unpleasant episode will soon pass. Taurus: April 20 — May 20 You need to take a break from romance and get clear about what you really want out of life and love. The sun will be opposite your sign for several weeks, and this means that you need to take a careful look at what you’re doing and who you are spending time with. Gemini: May 21 — June 21 Your artistic side will be on display as the moon boosts your powers of imagination. You’ll compose a saucy limerick and leave it beneath your lover’s pillow. You’ll create a love song for your honey and upload it to YouTube. Go for it. Cancer: June 22-July 22
The Unseen app does not require a login or personal information.
completely anonymous unless you choose to give your information. “No, I wouldn’t use Unseen,” Deborahlea Smith, senior music education major, said. “I’m not into that type of stuff.” The Unseen app has been heavily compared to its competitor, Snapchat. Unlike the Snapchat app, there is no time limit on viewing the images. Users are also able to comment on pictures. The app gives everyone who uses it a different picture avatar, such as a rocket ship, car or star, when commenting and gives you the same avatar
if you comment again. “Unseen provides a new way to find and connect with others facing similar challenges and struggles in a safe, anonymous way,” Michael Schramm, CEO of Unseen, said. “Social media today is inherently inauthentic and a glossy version of who we really are. We are creating a new, social way for students to be themselves and make meaningful connections.” Unseen launched for the first time in May at Texas A & M. Now in mid-October, Unseen has been released at over 150 campuses. Many students at VSU have not yet heard about the app, but the ones who have heard about Unseen are a little skeptical. “I’ll probably look at this app all the time but be disappointed every time,” Nick Thompson, senior music education major, said.
An overly sensitive sun could turn you into an emotional wreck. Watch a marathon of romantic comedies where the girl gets the guy and get all that crying stuff out of your system. No matter how bad things are now, they will get better. Leo: July 23 — Aug. 22 Mars has been inspiring you to extend your social circle, and you’ve
up. Libra: Sept. 23 — Oct. 23 Things are happening so fast that it’s hard for you to keep up with them. One minute, you’re single. The next, you’re getting engaged—or something like that. Venus is ensuring that your romantic situation is far from boring. Scorpio: Oct. 24 — Nov. 2
been networking, dating, and chatting. Now you need to collect all of those phone numbers and follow up with the few truly cool people you’ve met recently. Virgo: Aug. 23 — Sept. 22 Mercury finally goes direct this week, and sanity will return. You’ll no longer think that stalking your ex is a great idea. You’ll start making use of that gym membership you purchased ages ago. Overall, things are looking
You could fall madly in love this week as flirty lady Venus bats her eyelashes at you. Maybe you’ll meet a cutie on the subway during your morning commute. Perhaps you’ll encounter a lovely lass at a business networking event. Have fun. Sagittarius: Nov. 22 — Dec. 21 You could find yourself the object of some flattering attention this week as the moon enhances your charisma. Maybe that sexy new neighbor will
Campus Wellness brings Freshstart program to VSU community Program encourages students to give up smoking Marquez Slaughter
Staff Writer mjslaughter@valdosta.edu Campus Wellness has followed up on the tobacco ban on VSU’s campus by providing a program for VSU faculty, staff and students who use tobacco products and are willing to quit. This program is called Freshstart, which is a free smoking cessation program of the American Cancer Society. The Freshstart program provides two series throughout the Fall 2014 semester. The first series has sessions held on Oct. 6, Oct. 13, Oct. 20, and Oct. 27 from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. on the third floor of the Student Union in Conference Room 2. The second series of sessions is held on Nov. 5, Nov. 12, Nov. 19, and Dec. 3 from 12 to 1 p.m. in Conferask you out or that cute girl who works out at your gym will compliment your killer abs. Capricorn: Dec. 22 — Jan.19 You’ve been considering making a major life change, and this week, it will be easier to do so. Maybe you’ve decided to make things exclusive with someone. Or maybe you’re ready to be single again. The moon is encouraging you to follow your heart. Aquarius: Jan. 20 — Feb. 18 Sometimes you’re so darned friendly with people that they mistake your kindness for romantic interest. Try not to break anybody’s heart. Mercury has you playing guardian angel to someone who is in pain, but don’t act flirty if you don’t really mean it. Pisces: Feb. 19 — March 20 The sun is beginning to help you out after several weeks of nervous tension and fear. You’ll feel much better about everything that is happening in your life. Whether you’re single or partnered, you’ll see that everything really does happen for a reason.
MGN Online The next Freshstart program will be held on Oct. 27.
ence Room 1. The sessions consist of four one-hour group sessions, which consist of individual attention, strategies and information, review and discussion, and assignments. The objective of the sessions are to understand why one smokes and how it affects that person, as well as his or her surroundings; to go the first few days without cigarettes;
to acquire that one will not go back to cigarettes, and to stay away from cigarettes. Trained facilitators, Tim Yorkey and Mark Williams, help run the meetings and track the average number of cigarettes each participant smokes prior to each session. “Unfortunately, we have had very little participation in the program,” said Rebecca Murphy, associate director of HR for employee and organizational development. “I don’t know how much of it is lack of desire to quit or challenges with promoting the programs existence or timing of classes.” Campus Wellness encourages whether the tobacco user has already attempted to quit before. Anyone who would like to quit smoking to participate.
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PAGE 6 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
OCTOBER 23, 2014
VSU soccer clinches Volleyball rides undefeated home win streak into GSC playoff berth Kristin Whitman
Asst. Sports Editor krwhitman@valdosta.edu Blazers soccer heated up Tuesday night against University of West Georgia with a 3-0 win. The Blazers improved to 7-1-1 in the Gulf South Conference and knocked the Wolves to a 2-6-0 record. VSU currently holds the second best record in the conference. The Blazers scored all three of their goals right off the bat to douse the hopes of the Wolves. All three goals were scored within 25 minutes of the first half. VSU jumped on top of UWG in the second minute when freshman forward Meagan Doyle scored off of a direct free shot from 33 feet. Soon after, only 15 minutes into the first period, the Blazers fired another goal to shoot down the Wolves again. Meagan Doyle took an assist this time around for Leeanne Bishop, senior midfielder, to score 35 feet from the goal with a ball right over goalie Rebecca Harb’s gloves. Even though the Blazers took a significant lead in the
Football
Continued from Page 1 “I think a lot of it has to deal with practice. We’ve been practicing a lot better the past two weeks… we are coming out more focused each day and you can tell it’s carrying over to Saturdays.” The “Black Swarm” will look to shutdown a Hawks attack that is lead by quarterback Eric Dodson who enters the contest with more rushing attempts (90) than passes thrown (50) this season. “We are very fortunate with how the scheduling worked out for us these past two weeks,” Dean said. “The offense we face this week is very similar to what we played last week. It should be a great carry over for us.” On the other side of the ball the Blazers have looked just as deadly bringing with them one of the nation’s best rushing attacks. Lead by running backs Austin Scott, Cedric O’Neal and quarterback Jake Medlock, VSU is averaging over 235 yards a game on the ground, good enough for 18th best in the nation. Entering Saturday, Scott is the Blazers’ current leading rusher with 422 yards on 67 carries with three touchdowns.
first period, they were not willing to slack after the first two goals were scored. The Blazers came in with another goal when Zahimara Fantauzzi, senior forward, attested Kim Caitlin Alderman, junior midfielder in her first goal of the season. “It has always been a hard fought game when we meet West Georgia all the way to the end of play so we knew that a big lead was needed in the first period,” Olivia Mills, senior goalie, said. Ending the first period on a good note for VSU did not stop UWG from coming back with intensity in the second period. UWG was unable to score against the defense of VSU, however. “West Georgia came out in the second period with much more composer than the first,” Mills said. “They focused on playing their strengths and did well to keep their heads up and work hard even though they were down by three.” With this win in their pockets, the Blazers look forward to more conference games to come so they can get what they want out of this season. “We are keeping our full focus on winning conference games and with the encourO’Neal’s five touchdowns are good enough for the team lead and his 367 yards is currently third on the squad. Rounding out the dangerous trio is the 6-foot 3, 226-pound Medlock who has looked very dangerous as a dual threat option behind center in recent weeks. “I call myself the power back of the group,” Medlock said. “Picking up 10 to 15 yards is what I’m good at.” Don’t think it’s just running the ball he’s good at though. In last week’s 62-0 whooping of Mississippi College Medlock completed 95 percent of his passes, going 19-20 to set a new GSC single game record for completion percentage. He went on to finish with 248 yards and three touchdowns before being replaced in the third quarter with the game already in hand. Medlock has looked much more comfortable and efficient in running the offense since since Dean benched him the second half of the DSU game. Dean wasn’t happy with some of the reads Medlock was making in the option that day and decided to send his talented senior signal caller a message. Since Medlock returned behind center against UNA he has gathered 888 combined
“We are
keeping our full focus on winning conference games and with the
encouragement
of another win under our belts, we are one step closer to our ultimate goal” -Olivia Mills VSU goalkeeper
agement of another win under our belts, we are one step closer to our ultimate goal,” Mills said. The Blazers will continue their conference play at home on Sunday at 1 p.m. against the University of AlabamaHuntsville. yards and eight total touchdowns, his 160.3 passing efficiency also brings him in at 11th in the country. “I think he has learned from some of his early mistakes,” Dean said. “He now has a lot more confidence in his protection up front, and has also learned our wide receivers tendencies a little better, he’s put all that together and I think you can see him playing with a lot more confidence in the pocket because of it.”
Series history against Shorter University 2012: VSU 37-6 SU 2013: VSU 41-0 SU Homecoming recent history 2011: VSU 22-21 UNA 2012: VSU 59-41 DSU 2013: VSU 52-14 FT VSU past two games 10/11: VSU 40-6 UWG 10/18: VSU 62-0 MC
weekend for GSC matchup
VSU has won three straight overall, all nine home matches this season while climbing in GSC standings Neil Frawley
Sports Writer ndfrawley@valdosta.edu The Valdosta State volleyball team has just four more home games left to complete the season with an undefeated home record. After going 1-3 in the South Region Crossover— a tournament VSU played in Lakeland, Florida—the Blazers bounced back to defeat No. 22 West Florida 3-1 Tuesday night. With the win against UWF, VSU in now tied for second place in the Gulf South Conference standings with the Argonauts, and are two
games behind first-place Shorter. After playing UWF, SU and Tampa, No. 1 in the nation, VSU’s schedule clears up for the last leg of the season. But tests do still remain. VSU must put its undefeated home record on the line against University of North Alabama next Friday. UNA is No. 4 in the conference beat VSU 3-1 on Sept. 26 in Alabama. VSU also plays West Alabama and University and Alabama Huntsville University who both beat VSU 3-2. The volleyball team also had a rare achievement this past week as two
of its players were chosen for GSC players of the week. Senior Jenna Kirkwood won offensive player of the week, while senior Ashley Lala won defensive player of the week. Lala recorded a career high 25 digs against Rollins College and Eckerd College. Kirkwood had 68 kills last week, 23 against EC, which tied her career high. She was also rewarded by being voted to the all-tournament team. The volleyball team will be on the road this week to play Union University and then Christian Brothers University on Friday and Saturday.
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