October 2, 2014
Today at VSU Dive-In in the Rec Spend an evening watching a movie and relaxing in the pool with CAB and Campus Rec. The movie starts at 8 p.m. Buttons for Breast Cancer - Collegiate Women of VSU will be selling buttons on the pedestrian mall from 12- 2 p.m. All proceeds will go to the Suzan G. Komen Foundation.
This Day in History Marshall changes courts On this day in 1967 Thurgood Marshall, the first AfricanAmerican justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, was sworn in. Marshall was the court’s 96th justice and served for 24 years. Source: History.com
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Volume 87 Issue 6
McKinney shifts student affairs Elan Waite
EDITOR-IN CHIEF ewaite@valdosta.edu
& John Stephen
MANAGING EDITOR jsstephen@valdosta.edu One day he was in, and the next he was out. Russell Mast, a VSU staff member since 1989, no longer works for VSU in any capacity as of last Thursday, according to VSU President William McKinney. On Sept. 25, Dr. McKinney sent an email to all VSU students, faculty, staff and retirees, announcing that Dr. Hudson Rogers, currently serving as provost and vice president for academic affairs, was now the acting vice president for student affairs. Dr. McKinney never explained in the email why Mast no longer holds his former po-
sition and didn’t even mention him. Instead, he talked only of Dr. Rogers and of moving forward. “Hudson has my full faith and confidence, and I hope that you will join me in welcoming and supporting him in his expanded role,” McKinney said. McKinney refused to comment on the Mast situation. “I can’t and won’t comment on any kind of personnel matter at this point, so please understand that and respect that,” Dr. McKinney said. Rogers also said it was an issue that he could not comment on. McKinney said that while Rogers will be acting vice president for student affairs, Mast’s other position as dean of students will remain vacant for now. The separation of the titles may be one of the changes put
Historic house in danger LaMarcus Wilkerson
STAFF WRITER lkwilkerson@valdosta.edu VSU students, faculty and staff members assembled Wednesday night to listen to an architectural historian lecture about the Nichols House, a historic home near campus that has recently been threatened with demolition. Dr. Alfred Willis, a Valdosta native that now lives in Tennessee, gave a presentation titled “Valdosta’s Ultramodern Masterpiece: The Nichols House on Baytree” to a group of about 50. The house used to be home to Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Recently, there has been discussion about rezoning for an apartment complex to be built, which would result in the destruction of the Nichols House. The Valdosta City Council voted in favor of rezoning but there has been opposition to the idea. The Nichols House is located on the corner of Azalea Drive and Baytree Road. The significance of this house is linked to its history. The Nichols House was the
Valdosta, according to Willis. “Nowadays, the ultramodern is just a theme,” Willis said. “The Nichols House is one of a very small number of ultramodern buildings that survive in Valdosta.” However, the Nichols House is not only unique because of its ultramodern element. It is also special because of its western architectural style. “The Nichols House is not just a piece of ultramodern architecture; it’s also a very unusual piece of California imported into South Georgia,” Willis said. Also, the Nichols House was designed to be binuclear. “A binuclear house is a rarely seen house type in American architecture,” Willis said. The Nichols House was designed in 1950 and completed in 1953. Although the house has been standing for over 60 years, it is ahead of its time. “In general, ultramodern architecture is a very futuristic attitude for design,” Willis said.
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The historic house, which was home to Sigma Alpha Epsilon, has been threatened with demolition.
Inside This Issue
- OPINIONS: Stand together to end sexual assault - FEATURES: Lara Croft “raids” memory bank
- SPORTS: Soccer dropped at conference game on Sunday, looks to weekend
- President William McKinney on Dean Mast into place with the reconstruction of the student affairs department. McKinney has assigned a task force the responsibility of coming up with ideas for the department. The task force had their first
meeting Oct. 1. In his 25 years at VSU, Mast served at several posts, including assistant dean of students (1998-2002), director of student activities (1991-1998), and director of intramural and recreation (1989-1991). He earned the respect of many students who grew close to him while he served the students of VSU. “Me and Dean Mast had a pretty good relationship,” Tyler Barker, SGA president, said. “He was pretty receptive and open to me being president. If there was anything I needed as far as insight on the University, anything as far as personnel matters, he was willing to lend a helping hand in regards to best serving the students and helping me do my job.”
Kayla Stroud /THE SPECTATOR
first total electric house in
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“I can’t and won’t comment on any kind of personnel matter at this point, so please understand that and respect that.”
Alex Tostado/ THE SPECTATOR
President William McKinney and others pose at a press conference October 1. The press conference was held to discuss sexual assault at VSU.
VSU raises awareness of sexual assault on campus John Preer
FEATURES EDITOR jhpreer@valdosta.edu Sexual assault on college campuses has been in national headlines recently because of President Obama’s newly appointed task force. Colleges nationwide have been experiencing a rise in sexual assault against students and as a result, many have undergone some policy changes. California recently passed a law that outlines what qualifies as consent. No longer will silence mean “yes.” “Lack of protest or resistance does not mean consent … nor does silence mean consent. Affirmative consent must be ongoing throughout a sexual activity and can be revoked at any time,” the law states. VSU has had measures in place since 1972 to deal with issues of discrimination based on sex. The Title IX amendment protects victims of sexual discrimination and assault. Dr. Maggie Viverette, director of the office of social equity, is the Title IX coordinator and is responsible
Pizzeria grand opening a success, unique menu pleases patrons See page 4 for more
for monitoring and investigating complaints from VSU students and faculty. “VSU has very closely followed the recommended guidelines provided to all colleges and universities by the federal government in its efforts to provide a safe environment for all students, faculty and staff,” Dr. Viverette said. What many don’t realize is that there is an entire system of university employees that coordinate with one another to create a reliable resource. In addition, victims of sexual assault don’t have to solely report to VSU for help. One of the main reasons why so many sexual assault cases have gone unreported is because the victim isn’t properly informed about the many different avenues available to them after an attack. “Victims of sexual misconduct have the right to report incidents to multiple agencies,” Dr. Viverette said. “A victim has the right to notify the University, the University Police Department, the Valdosta City Police Department and the Lowndes County Police Department that an incident of sexual
violence has occurred.” VSU President William McKinney created the president’s special committee on the prevention of sexual assault. The committee has been tasked with the job of creating a more positive, safe, and supportive campus environment. “Prevention” is the key word here. VSU wants to shift some of its focus to ensuring incidents don’t occur instead of dealing with the aftermath. “There will be sexual assault awareness training for students scheduled for Oct. 23 and Nov. 10,” Dr. Viverette said. This training will inform students on what actions qualify as sexual misconduct, as well as instruction on how to stay alert in various situations that could possibly result in sexual violence. In addition, students will learn how to provide aid to friends in preventing assaults. Any student can attend these sessions and are strongly encouraged to do so. An announcement clarifying times and locations for the training sessions will be made within the coming weeks.
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Check out Tierra Francois’ story, “Is college still worth it ?” on the web!
PAGE 2 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
OCTOBER 2, 2014
SGA discusses blood drives, complaints
Red Cross guest speaker presents new app that makes it easier to donate blood LaShawn Oglesby
Staff Writer lsoglesby@valdosta.edu The Red Cross, student complaints and the financial budget were the main topics of discussion at SGA’s Monday meeting. Kathy Dallas from the American Red Cross was SGA’s first guest speaker. She talked about VSU’s annual blood drive and the challenges that go along with the drive. VSU competes with the University of West Georgia
for the most blood donations given, and the winning school receives a trophy. According to Dallas, the challenge began about 12 years ago. “I’m happy to say for the last five years VSU has come out on top,” Dallas said. “Last year though…we got it by one unit: 113 to 112. It was close.” However, VSU has been slowly declining in the amount of blood donated over the years. “The number one reason people say they don’t give is
because they were not asked to give,” Dallas said. The American Red Cross is looking for help from SGA to raise awareness of the blood drive and get more people involved, not only to keep the trophy in Dr. McKinney’s office, but to help people who need it. People can get involved by simply asking others to donate, be it stranger or friend. “Just because you can’t give doesn’t mean you can’t participate,” Dallas said. The American Red Cross
recently got a new app called “The Red Cross Blood App,” which offers upcoming blood drives, appointment schedules, reminders and alerts, and the ability to rate the experiences giving blood and keep track of all blood donated by the user. Tyler Barker, SGA president, talked about recent issues that the student services and faculty senate committee discussed. Students have been complaining about the bus services and the recreation center’s hours.
Professor’s program saves students money on books Cole Edwards
Multimedia Editor csedwards@valdosta.edu Students fed up with high textbook prices now have an option to pay it forward to benefit themselves and students who follow. In recent years, the national average cost of college textbooks has reached an all-time high, hovering around $1,100 per two semesters with the figures continuing to rise with inflation, according to GAcollege411.
Dr. Andrew Ostapski, professor of management at VSU’s Langdale College of Business, realized the need to help his students around three years ago when he first noticed the price of books growing to alarming heights. He decided to begin a program, Project Bookshare, for the students enrolled in sections C, D and E of his “The Environment of Business” class. Using money from one of the university funds that consisted of money from many
Upcoming Events TKE Charity Cook-Off Oct. 3 11 a.m. TKE House (across the street from Hopper on North Oak Street) TKE will be hosting a country cook-off to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and other philanthropies. All proceeds will go to charities. Various organizations will be providing food that will be judged during the event. Small plates are $2, large plates $4, and all you can eat is $10. For more information, email johnrbrown@valdosta.edu. Planetarium Show Oct. 3 7, 8, 9 p.m. VSU Planetarium (Nevins Hall, 3rd Floor) The VSU Planetarium will present October Skies, the first public show of its 2014-15 season. Dr. Martha Leake will lead everyone on a tour of the Valdosta skies of October, including two eclipses, two comets, two new spacecraft at Mars, and a meteor shower. Tickets are free, but space for each show is limited. Tickets will be
available at 6 p.m. the night of the shows, and visitors should show up 15 minutes prior to their show. For more information, call 229-3335752. Organ Recital Oct. 3 7:30 p.m. Whitehead Auditorium (Fine Arts Building) Guest organist Joby Bell will perform music by John Weaver, Josef Rheinberger, Charles-Marie Widor, Johann Sebastian Bach, Jean-Yves Daniel-Lesur and Leo Sowerby on VSU’s Whitehead memorial organ. VSU has never hosted a guest organist before, and Bell has traveled all over the world. The performance is free and open to the public. Rave and Laser Show Oct. 8 6-9:15 p.m. Student Union Ballrooms DJ Capone will host the Extreme Black Out Rave and Laser Light Show. The CAB event will include student performers and a fashion show.
MGN Online
sources including students, Ostapski was able to purchase the books for virtually nothing for his classes. “My focus is and has always has been on my students,” Ostapski said, who has been teaching at VSU for over two decades. “I want everything to be about them.” Project Bookshare allows students to discover the alternatives to purchasing costly textbooks by loaning copies of the two required course books for Ostapski’s classes. In total, this saves students $348.42 per semester. Adam Wright, junior business management major, volunteered on the first day of class to serve as Book Master for the class after hearing Ostapski’s proposal of an online shopping project. “I was in charge of finding the best deals and bringing them to Dr. Ostapski for approval,” Wright said. Using the foundation money, Wright purchased 80 used textbooks at reasonable prices from websites such as Chegg and Alibris to increase the available stock. The books are stored in Ostapski’s office in the Health Sciences and Business Administration Building. “I ordered about 30 packages of books and received
them at my house,” Wright said. “I would unwrap them and bring them to the class to distribute to the students.” Wright said he would buy one edition down of each book because it was cheaper and publishers would change very little content between each edition. Students in Ostapski’s class were happy with the money they saved through the program. “My financial aid couldn’t cover the costs of all my books,” Ronnie Lee, junior management major, said. “This program definitely saved me from having to scrape up money I didn’t have.” Many students said they will often loan friends their used textbooks for other classes as well as calculators and clickers after seeing the benefit they received from the program. “This program is good because it teaches people to share and pass (it) on,” said Andrew Ussery, a VSU graduate student. “We forget that as a community, especially the younger generation, so I hope this program expands as it reinforces basic humanitarianism.” Ostapski said that each semester only about two or three students fail to return the books loaned to them and cites the possibility of potential savings for all students if this approach were to spread across the university. “If this catches on, students would be looking out for each other,” Ostapski said. “And that would be even better than getting that perfect selfie shot.”
SGA is looking to create surveys about both issues at the end of the semester for students so SGA can “try to get a better understanding.” The current SGA budget, $9,673.75, was briefly discussed along with the $1,000 that will be going toward the Kel Mitchell event. Kel Mitchell, a Nickelodeon celebrity, will be visiting VSU Oct. 10. In light of Kick Butts Day, which happened Oct. 1, a reinforcement of the smoking policy was discussed. Repeat
offenders will be referred to the Dean of Students Office. Students can report these offenders to the dean’s office or to campus police.
Correction In the article titled “SGA talks student life, new smoking ban” that ran in the 9-25 issue of The Spectator, John Wright was incorrectly titled and quoted. He is the associate director of student life and is trying to get an ATM over at the Student Union.
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
Birthright Ad
Find this House ad in last week’s ad folder. copy & paste it in this week’s ad folder. change the name for this week. & place here. will have to adjust the size too!
Police Briefs Oct. 1 The L of the Langdale Hall sign was stolen. Sept. 29 A Toyota 4Runner parked in the Oak Street Lot was
reportedly broken into. A backpack was stolen. Sept. 28 A student’s white Hyundai Tiburon was broken into. An amp and subwoofer was stolen.
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VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 3
OCTOBER 2, 2014
Consent is at the heart of the matter
Our point of view...
Stand together to end sexual assault
Elan Waite
Editor-In-Chief ewaite@valdosta.edu Sexual assault is an unavoidable truth that is staring us all in the face. The topic of sexual assault on college campuses has been a recurring issue that the media has continued to keep a bright light on. Coverage has spread throughout all media outlets, as it should, and has been monitored more closely by students. One of the most haunting statistics is the “one in four”
slogan. This represents the number of women who report either being raped or surviving an attempted rape in their lifetime. There are victims who need help and attackers who need reprimanding. We need to focus on those two important aspects. Imagine how much more we could accomplish for victims of sexual assault if we didn’t have to go back to basics. It’s not only disgraceful but downright embarrassing that in this day and age, we have to launch campaigns spelling
out what consent means for adults. We should not have to dissect and spell out something so simple for anyone. “No means no” should be understood. In the past, our culture has questioned the victims and what they might have done to encourage an attack. What were they wearing? Did they lead the attacker on? Were they drinking? This backwards thinking is absolutely absurd. A college in California has included a consent section in its mandatory “welcome
back” session for students. They have taken a more positive approach, saying that instead of focusing on the “no means no” way, they put more emphasis on “yes means yes.” They encourage a clear, vocal, mutual agreement between two individuals before sex occurs. In a perfect world, we would not have to explain why someone being unconscious or coy is not an invitation for assault. However, this is our reality and we have to do all we can to eliminate sexual assault.
Good2Go is not good enough Sexual consent app attemps to curb sexual assault Jordan Hill
Opinions Editor jorhill@valdosta.edu
Courtesy of Alison Stephen
W
ith sore shoulders, rape victim Emma Sulkowicz carries her mattress across campus in protest while her alleged rapist walks the same campus path. In Sulkowicz’s opinion, Columbia University did nothing to punish her alleged rapist. She plans to carry the mattress around campus until she no longer goes to school with her alleged rapist. One student at the University of Kansas was found guilty of non-consensual sex and was given probation and a four-page reflection paper to write. These examples show the effect our culture has on our actions. While teenagers are given their first taste of freedom, 1 out of 5 women on university campuses is being raped. The punishment should always fit the crime. To only give a slap on the wrist to offenders is unjust. These men and women deserve to be expelled from their universities and prosecuted to the
full extent of the law. If offenders are still on campus, it provides more opportunities for assault and serves as a reminder to the victims. The problem begins at a young age when men and women are taught to view others as objects instead of equal human beings. The “No More” Campaign, which VSU is now on board with, promotes sexual assault awareness. Making the topic known is a great start to ending the trend. To end a culture immersed in sexual assault, it will take a nation standing together and viewing each other equally rather than viewing each other as objects. It will take teaching young children the importance of respecting genders. The editors at The Spectator believe that in order to end a problem, the solution must start at the root. Changing a culture is not something that happens overnight. Our generation can be the group that begins this change in order to rid our society of this heinous crime.
In an attempt to curb sexual assault, app developers launched Good2Go. It’s an app that adults can use to ensure each adult is consenting to sex before it happens. While it is a good idea and a great attempt to prevent college students from sexual assault while drunk, the app has its flaws. The app asks four questions to each individual to make sure they are
saying “yes” to sex, such as how drunk the person is and if the person is consenting. If a person later says the sex was nonconsensual, the app can recall the data and make a case against that person. There are a few problems with that. At any point during the encounter, someone can change his or her mind. Highly intoxicated people can barely text logical messages, let alone make logical choices. How can someone that is highly intoxicated consent to sex through an app?
Some reviews have found it inappropriate that Good2Go stores your number of sexual partners and how drunk you were at the time, but this information is only available through a government subpoena. If the unfortunate case of sexual assault or rape does occur, wouldn’t it be nice to have that information to back up your case if you said no? The app has its hits and misses. It’s commendable that developers are committed to cutting down sexual assault and rape while students are intoxicated. It’s a nice try, but Good2Go needs a little work.
People Poll: What do you think universities should do to prevent attacks on students?
Mariah Tucker Pre-nursing Sophomore
Darryl Booker Business administration Freshman
Larsen Weltz Exercise physiology Freshman
“We should promote self-defense classes.”
“Have different people set up in different places to watch for that kind of stuff.”
“Have police always nearby.”
This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and expresses the general opinion of The Spectator.
Helicopter teachers help, hinder students Taymara Tait
Staff Writer tatait@valdosta.edu It’s Tuesday and an assignment is due a week from today. You turn to the rubric on your desktop and it clarifies the assignment for you. Not only does your understanding for the assignment become clearer, but you also know in what direction to take your paper. If it weren’t for that handy dandy rubric, what would you have done? A helicopter approach, sometimes referred to as hovering, to the way professors teach is not wrong; if anything it’s amazingly helpful.
Professors give out rubrics and syllabi simply so that students have a guide, a standard of what should be done, and the correct method to take to submit adequate work. By giving out rubrics and syllabi, professors receive fewer questions, fewer emails and fewer phone calls. Professors should continue to implement standards, clearly outlining what their teaching will entail. The advantages of letting students know beforehand what to expect from a class is crucial. The busy flow of a semester and how it conflicts with students’ lives is always a perfectly balanced struggle, which is why
an outline, rubric or syllabus should be required. A standard is not seen as a way of pampering. A rubric is not a way of holding someone’s hand through an assignment or term paper, and a syllabus is not a bottle to feed to a baby on how to write, articulate or craft a paper. In order for students to succeed or to be on the right path, the helicopter way of teaching is a must.
Kristin Whitman
Asst. Sports Editor krwhitman@valdosta.edu The college years are a time of growth and maturation for young adults - at least, they should be. Students cannot become adults on their own if they have someone hovering over them. Some college students are always walking off to talk to their parents, who check in on them multiple times a day, trying to control their every
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, LaShawn Oglesby, Marquez Slaughter, Kayla Stroud, Taymara Tait, Christopher Webb, Austin Wells, Kristin Whitman
In the real world, jobs are not always easily obtained. Students don’t want the fact that they cannot be responsible for themselves to affect them in the long run. Being a good professor means boosting students’ confidence and pushing them to their highest ability, not making it impossible for them to accomplish anything socially, mentally or physically on their own. Learning to navigate the world is essential. Hovering professors only make the task of taking responsibility for oneself more difficult, and there is a fine line between a good professor and a helicopter professor.
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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
move. These types of parents are called “helicopter parents.” Not only are college students dominated by parents, but “helicopter professors” are also present. Hovering professors can have the same negative effects on students as parents can. If a student must already deal with parents who will not allow them to be adults, they should not have to worry about the same thing happening when they attend class. Having a professor who gives you rubrics, strict syllabi and emails you multiple times a week gives the student no room to grow up or take responsibility for him or herself.
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PAGE 4 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
OCTOBER 2, 2014
John Preer/ THE SPECTATOR Mellow Mushroom is a newly constructed pizzeria that opened earlier this week. The comic book-themed restaurant is a refreshing change to the Valdosta food scene offering pizza, calzones, salads and more.
Pizzeria’s grand opening a success, unique menu pleases patrons Kenzie Kesselring Assistant Opinions Editor klkesselring @valdosta.edu The grand opening of the Mellow Mushroom took place on Monday. The restaurant was packed with enthusiastic people. Signs of support for the new business were clear during the grand opening. From the moment the friendly hostesses open the doors, the vibrant colors and
captivating super hero theme set a fun and joyful mood. Modern décor fills the large building and from the kitchen to the bar the restaurant has an open and inviting feel. The music playing throughout the restaurant is not only family friendly, but also fun. The music ties together the fun, relaxed atmosphere for guests to enjoy their pizza, beer, appetizers and desserts with friends and family. Huge bright screens sur-
round the bar and spread across the restaurant, bringing guests many options of sporting events or newscasts they prefer to watch. The bar tenders, waitresses and waiters are helpful, friendly and knowledgeable about the food and drinks they serve. Their relaxed presentation makes their guests feel at ease and cozy. The waiters and waitresses appear to be having fun with one another all while get-
ting food and drink to their customers in a timely fashion. Even though the restaurant’s opening night was fairly busy. Mellow Mushrooms’ bar is fully stocked. There are various beers on draft and numerous bottled craft beers. Many guests also enjoyed their colorful and fruity mixed liquor drinks. The food served at Mellow Mushroom is anything but ordinary. From spinach dip to pretzels, there are many
Lara Croft “raids”gamer’s memory bank
Jordan Barela
Social Media Editor jlbarela@valdosta.edu
In 1996, a gaming icon was born. “Tomb Raider” was one of the first titles for the Playstation to be released to the gaming masses. With her trademark dual pistols and ponytail, Lara Croft raided both the gaming world and my parents’ wallets. I have been a fan of the Tomb Raider series since the first title. I own every subsequent title after that as well. Sure, there have been hit and misses in the series (“Tomb
Raider: Legend” is an atrocity). But it is the original Playstation One titles and “Tomb Raider”, the 2013 reboot that keeps the treasure-crazed heroine as one of the most recognizable characters in the video game world. When the idea for this column came up in a meeting, I jumped up at the opportunity to write about video games, especially old video games. I dug in the bowels of my closet to find this gaming gem, and popped it into my PS3.
When the game started up and the classic Playstation sound came on, the sound brought out nostalgia from my childhood. Once I actually started the game, I was taken aback. The graphics were state of the art for 1996. When you compare the very first “Tomb Raider” to the 2013 reboot, it is unfathomable that the series has evolved so much. When I started playing the game, I felt like I did when I was 10 years old—excited and ready to play. I remember that excitement quickly
ping. So far, she has sold about 90 percent of the total printed books, selling out last Friday at her book signing at Grassroots in downtown Valdosta. “The people in Atlanta and the publishing companies who said that it wouldn’t sell were wrong,” said Newsome. Inspiration comes easy for Newsome, as she could be in class, listening to other people’s opinions on things or even lying in bed at night when it hits her. And when she gets started writing, she has to finish it. Her biggest inspiration and supporters are her parents, her boyfriend Joshua, and her fellow Deep Release performers. The Deep Release poetry society is a poetry club on campus. Now 19-year-old Newsome is studying Early Childhood Education at VSU because of her love for kids. “A lot of people don’t really understand why I am [an Early Childhood Education major],” said Newsome. “I just have a gravitation towards kids.” Eventually, Newsome wants to open an arts center for kids, targeting inner-city children specifically, to make them aware of the possibilities in the world, such as music, writing and art. “I like to think of it as an artistic boys and girls club,” said Newsome. “There are so
many other things that you could do, artistically, that you could make a living out of.” In her already successful life, Newsome wants to inspire people, either through poetry or in the classroom and wants to be able to impact somebody’s life in a positive way. Newsome encourages people to express their opinions in artistic ways, not just poetry. “Say what you want you say,” said Newsome. “Don’t ever let anyone tell you that your ideas are not marketable, that your ideas are not compatible and won’t appeal to people, because what you have to say is important.” “Things I Wrote by the Window” is available online.
VSU student independently publishes own poetry book
Lia Armistead
Staff Writer jparmistead@valdosta.edu
VSU junior Maya Newsome has successfully made one of her dreams come true: in June, she self-published her first book of poems, “Things I Wrote by the Window.” All written within the past two years, the 25 poems found in “Things I Wrote by the Window” encompass love, self, faith, the world and life observations. Newsome started writing poems when she entered high school at the age of 14, writing mostly about love and crushes. However, as she grew older her thoughts turned political, religious and “all over the place.” Newsome, after wanting to publish her poems for about a year, decided to take her collection to publishing companies in Atlanta. The companies liked her work. However, some wanted to change, take out, or have her write a few new poems, all while taking about 80 percent of the profits. So she came up with an alternative. “I don’t do well with people telling me what I can and can’t do,” said Newsome. “So my mom suggested to selfpublish as a joke.” Newsome does everything online herself including the editing, packaging and ship-
Photo Credit: Maya Newsome
turned into fear when an animal jumped out of nowhere and attacked me. The animal lunging out of nowhere was nothing compared to the haunting music that preceded it. After that initial fear, I always controlled Lara with guns blazing, literally. Playing the game now, I appreciate just how far ahead
different appetizers to choose from. Their salads and desserts are fairly basic but are delicious nonetheless. Yet, the pizza stole the show. Their pizzas are all rare and nothing like anything you’ve tasted before. The thick crust, fabulous cheese and unique toppings make for a great option for lunch or dinner. Mellow Mushroom is a great dining option for families, co-workers and
friends. The fun atmosphere and vibrant decor makes it an amazing place for kids, while their impressive bar is wonderful for adults. The arrival of Mellow Mushroom is exciting for the city of Valdosta. Breathing life back into the a somewhat lackluster foodie scene. It is a fresh new option for foodies hankering to try something different.
of its time Tomb Raider was. Tomb Raider was one of the first in-depth and challenging games that I played as a child, but it was not until playing it again now, that I realized its value. Exploring the tombs and caves and other dangerous locations also made me realize why I loved this game so much as a kid. I loved the amount of exploration in the game. It was like being
transported into a new world, a world of pixels and tombs. Tomb Raider was one of the first games that really got me into video games. With its immersive gameplay it is easy to see why the series is still around today. To appreciate the newer titles in the series, it doesn’t hurt to take a trip down memory lane and raid the original tomb.
VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 5
OCTOBER 2, 2014
Cross country teams take wins in first home race Austin Wells
Sports Writer amwells@valdosta.edu This past Saturday was VSU’s first home cross country meet in more than a decade, with the men’s and women’s teams both placing first overall.
With the first place finishes and some personal bests from seniors Jesse Prince and Juliana Boehm, head coach Clinton Bell is happy with the results but still thinks the team can perform better. “As their coach, I’m never truly 100 percent satisfied because I always believe they can do more,” coach
Bell said. “It’s still a growing experience for [the freshmen]. They’re moving from three miles in high school to five miles in college, so they’re learning a little bit.” “Do I think they did good?” Bell said. “Yes. Do I think they can do better? Yes. Time wise, I still think there’s a lot of room for improvement for
this team.” Coach Bell also discussed what it meant for the team to race at home. “It was great. It’s good to run in front of your home fans and the athletes were excited,” Bell said. “They’ve been ready to run in front of their home fans for a while [and] to have a nice crowd
VSU SOCCER NOTEBOOK
there to support them and watch them… I think they ran for Valdosta.” As for the team’s next meet at Florida State University on Oct. 10, coach Bell is expecting the best from his runners. “I’m looking for them to run totally up to their ability and potential,” Bell said. “They’re going to have to do
that against the competition that’s coming up at Florida State. For us to go into that type of environment and step up to the next level, which I know we can do, it’s going to be exciting to see and challenging as well.”
Will De Lorenzo
“Students can look at their schedule, add and drop members, and put in re-schedule requests [directly from the app].”
VSU Rec Center starts using new Intramural app Sports Writer wtdelorenzo@valdosta.edu
Jordan Barela/THE SPECTATOR Margaret Stauffer sets up a corner kick on Sunday against Lee University. The Blazers lost the game 1-0. It was their first conference loss of the season to move them to 3-1 in the GSC. The Blazers return home on Oct. 12.
Soccer dropped a conference game on Sunday, looks to weekend Kristin Whitman
Assistant Sports Editor krwhitman@valdosta.edu The Lady Blazers soccer team fell short in its fourth Gulf South Conference game to Lee University with a 1-0 loss. However, the Blazers outshot the Flames 12-9 on Sunday, Sept. 28. This was the first loss for VSU in GSC play, making their overall record 3-4 and 3-1 in GSC. The Flames back up goalkeeper, Erin Olsen, was shutting the Blazers down time after time. She was able to save all of the shots taken
on goal by the Blazers. VSU’s Meagan Doyle, freshman forward, had a shot at the goal late in the second half but was denied once again by Olson. LU forward Kinsey Cichowitz connected in the 56th minute for the only goal of the match. Cichowitz received a through ball from Kaela Leskovar. This game takes Lee to a 3-0 in GSC play and lifted their overall record to 4-3-1. The Lady Blazers look to recover their GSC play next Friday, Oct. 3 on the road against the University of North Alabama. The game will be held in Florence, Ala-
bama at 8 p.m.
Blazers bit by Lions
UNA and VSU are ready for a fiery, fierce GSC match on Oct. 3 in Florence, Alabama. Both teams are 3-1 in GSC play for the season. UNA has scored a total of 19 goals in eight games for this season and VSU has scored a total of six goals in its seven games. The Blazers faced the Lions in 2012 NCAA Division II National Soccer Tournament in 2012. The Lions took the victory over the Blazers 1-0. The 2012 championship match was fought hard with both teams having multiple
opportunities to score. In the NCAA game, the Blazers missed an opportunity in front of the goal with three and a half minutes left of play. Early in the fourth period, UNA scored the first and only goal of the match. The Blazers look to take a win back this season against UNA. “We have been taking the time to really evaluate our previous matches and worked hard to make the proper adjustments,” Olivia Mills, VSU senior goalkeeper, said. Since 2011, VSU has a 0-4 record against UNA. Follow Kristin on Twitter: @kwhit831
Volleyball looks to improve on offense, stay solid on defense Neil Frawley
Sports Writer ndfrawley@valdosta.edu The VSU volleyball team improved its record to 8-3 after defeating the University of West Georgia on Tuesday in a three set sweep. Despite the sweep, Mike Swan recognizes when the score doesn’t match the performance that he expects out of his team. According to Swan, he is pleased with his team’s improvement thus far, but is still unhappy with the amount of unforced errors and sloppy plays that result in easy points against VSU. He believes the solution to his team’s miscues are to communicate more and hold each other more accountable on the court. “(Sometimes) the setter and the hitter aren’t on the same page— we saw that a couple times tonight,” Swan said. “(Jessica Codato) would set something and nobody was there because they didn’t get the right signal, or they thought she was running something else.” Swan does like the way his
defense has played so far this season. “I do like our defense,” Swan said. “It is something we’ve been working on the whole year. We were really scrappy (tonight), and now if we could just get our offense to always click I think we’ll create a lot of problems for opponents.” Since the team suffered back to back losses against University of West Florida and Shorter University, earlier in the season, the Blazers found themselves towards the bottom of the Gulf South Conference standings. However, after winning four of their last five contests all against GSC competition, VSU has risen to fourth place in the conference, one spot behind No. 25 UWF. With the entire team experiencing success, senior middle blocker Destiny Berry managed to shine a bit brighter than the rest this past weekend as she recorded a VSU school record 16 blocks against University AlabamaHuntsville, which also put her in a four-way tie for fourth place in the GSC for blocks in
a game. Defense was less keen against UWG on Tuesday, with VSU recording only one block and eight block-assists. Codato turned in a strong performance offensively, recording 33 assists and hit 57 percent while being one of three Blazers to hit over 40 percent for the match. “Jessica had a really solid performance,” Swan said. “She’s come a long way in the last year, and I like the progress she’s made.” VSU continues conference play this week as they hit the road to play an unfamiliar opponent in Mississippi College. MC is new to the GSC this season and must wait two seasons before they can be eligible to compete in GSC postseason play. Following MC, VSU will play at West Alabama on Saturday, before having six days off prior to hosting Lee University on Friday, Oct. 10, which will be the first of three straight at home. Follow Neil on Twitter: @NeilFrawley
“We were really scrappy (tonight), and now if we could just get our offense to always click I think we’ll create a lot of problems for opponents.” Mike Swan, VSU volleyball head coach
Upcoming Schedule Fri. @ Mississippi College Sat. @ West Alabama Fri. Oct. 10 vs. Lee Sat. Oct. 11 vs. Shorter
Intramurals at VSU are about to go through a big change. VSU Recreation in partnership with IMLeagues have introduced a new user friendly application, REC* IT. REC* IT allows users to access their individual IMLeagues’ profile and manage their intramurals directly from their phones. “Students can look at their schedule, add and drop members, and put in re-schedule requests [directly from the app],” said interim Assistant Director of Intramural Sports and Club Sports, Justin Stewart. Stewart stressed that the app would be easier to use and more convenient for students with a busy lifestyle. By allowing students to go directly to their respective profiles, this eliminates the need to sign into multiple websites on your computer to check something as simple as a game time. The goal here was to introduce a user friendly mobile app to replace the complicated IMLeagues mobile website. “This app will allow our intramural program to go to the next level,” Stewart said. “Not having to depend on a website or computer to find out game schedules or what is going in the intramural program and instead having it all at the touch of a button on their phone allows for easier
Justin Stewert, Interim Assistant Director of Intramural Sports and Club Sports computing.” The app was presented at the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association’s Conference in April of 2014. It was released for a trial run this summer and had minimal to no problems. Stewart did state that the app does contain less overall detail than the website, so first time users should sign-up online at imleagues.com. According to Stewart, VSU Recreation will use this app much like their various social media accounts to convey information to students about game cancelations, game results, and league standings. Registration notifications will be posted in the app as well. REC*IT is free to download on both the Android Market and the App Store. Follow Will on Twitter: @WDIII_17
UGA’s Gurley limited in practice Chip Towers
MCT Cmpus Atlanta-Journal Constitution Surely there were some moments of panic within the Bulldogs’ Twitter Nation when tweets went out Wednesday reporting that Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb were both wearing green jerseys at Georgia’s practice. Green at Georgia signifies a player is injured and/or is being withheld from contact. The Bulldogs are already without two of their prized tailbacks, Keith Marshall (knee) and Sony Michel
(shoulder), due to injuries. The thought of the two others also being banged up might’ve been too much for some fans to bear. Alas, coach Mark Richt reported following the two-hour practice that “they’re fine.” “My guess is that was probably just the fact that we’re running out of those dudes,” Richt said with a laugh. “I think it actually might have been the defensive coaches who requested it.” Chubb, required surgery two weeks ago. Gurley, the SEC’s leading rusher at 152.5 yards per game.
Sudoku Answer
PAGE 6 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
OCTOBER 2, 2014
MLB Playoffs begin, Spectator sports writers weigh in Editor’s note: These picks were made by Alex Tostado, Austin Wells, Chris Webb and Will De Lorenzo. The logo of the team represents the pick by each writer. For example, Will believes the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will win the World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
We want to hear who you have. Weigh in at vsuspectator. com today to tell us who you think will win the championship. Follow us on Twitter: @BlazerSports Follow us on Instagram: @vsuspectator
Illustration by Mike LaGon/THE SPECTATOR
DATE
TIME
AWAY TEAM
HOME TEAM
Fri, Oct 3 Fri, Oct 3 Fri, Oct 3 Fri, Oct 3 Sat, Oct 4 Sat, Oct 4 Sun, Oct 5
TBD TBD 6:30 pm 9:30 pm 5:30 pm 9:30 pm 3:30 pm
Detroit Tigers San Francisco Giants St. Louis Cardinals Kansas City Royals San Francisco Giants St. Louis Cardinals Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles Washington Nationals Los Angeles Dodgers Los Angeles Angels Washington Nationals Los Angeles Dodgers Detroit Tigers
TV STATION TBS FS1 FS1 TBS FS1 MLBN TBS
TBD- To be determined FS1-Fox Sports One MLBN-MLB Network
Find us on Facebook: The Spectator
Want to be a sports writer? Contact Alex Tostado ajtostado@ valdosta.edu
IGNITE YOUR BLAZER SPIRIT @ THE PRE-GAME STUDENT TAILGATE
STUDENT TAILGATE DATES & TIMES:
Saturday, October 11th vs West Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2:00 PM Saturday, October 25th vs Shorter (Homecoming) . . . . . . 3:00 PM
Tailgating will begin 4 hours before game time.
LIMITED SPACES: FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE
Sign up in Student Life Office from 8am on Tuesday to 5pm on Thursday the week of the home game.
LOCATION:
Corner of Brookwood Drive & Slater Street (next to UC and Stadium)
NAME THE TAILGATE SPOT!
Become a part of V-State tradition. Join the fun at the student tailgate and enter a contest for your chance to name the tailgate spot for all future events.
TM