January 24, 2013
W W W. V S U S P E C TAT O R . C O M
Inside This Issue - OPINIONS: “Americans unite in D.C. for freedom”
VOLUME 84 ISSUE 15
Valdosta’s got a new spot for BBQ
- FEATURES: “CORE to host campus campout on front lawn” - SPORTS: “Softball ready to make another run”
See page 4 for our review.
On the Web w w w. v s u s p e c ta t o r. c o m
Check out Veronica Dominicis’ profile on the Department of Psychology and Counseling.
City, county to host Parade of Champions
Today at VSU AUDITIONS FOR AFRICAN NIGHT 2013 The African Student Association is holding auditons for its annual event tonight from 6:30-8 p.m.in Odum Library room 1480. AED PREMED CLUB - FIRST SPRING SEMESTER MEETING Guest Speakers: Jan Shiver from Albany SOWEGAAHEC will be discussing the Pathway to Medical School program starting this summer. Sgt. First Class Rodrick Hill from the US Army Medical Recruiting Station in Savannah will be presenting on military careers. NPHC CINNABON FUNDRAISER - Price: 2 Cinnabons for $5. Orders may be placed with any NPHC member. For more information, contact kdessau@valdosta.edu. Pickup will be Feb. 8 at noon in the Student Union. MOVIE NIGHT- “TAKEN 2” Join Natural High tonight for a movie night in the Library Auditorium at 8 p.m. Snacks will be provided and admission is free. DONATE YOUR OLD PROM DRESS! - Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity, Inc. is accepting donations to help with Valdosta High School Service Learning Program’s “Free Prom Dress Giveaway.” Dresses, shoes and accessories will be accepted throughout the month of February.
Weather Today
Friday
Mostly Sunny 71 H 42 L Partly Cloudy 72 H 52 L
Saturday Partly Cloudy 69 H 42 L
Question of the week What will you do with your refund check? A. Pay bills B. Spring Break fund! C. I don’t get excess checks Vote online at www.vsuspectator.com!
Last Week’s Poll Results What do you think of the gun laws Obama recently proposed? Just what the country needs
50%
Not the right answer
50%
What proposal?
0%
Ace Espenshied A S S T. S P O RT S E D I T O R acespenshied@valdosta.edu
H S BA bu i l d i n g o n r i s e Radhika Patel/ THE SPECTATOR Work continues on the site of VSU’s new Health Sciences and Business Administration Building. The project is slated for completion early next year. Other construction projects on main campus are nearing a close, leaving only smaller projects like upgrades and maintenance on the schedule.
Will Lewis S TA F F W R I T E R walewis@valdosta.edu
Major construction projects on VSU’s main campus have ceased for the year. This year, the majority of the construction projects will occur at the Rea and Lillian Steele North Campus with smaller renovation projects set for Langdale Hall and the Fine Arts Building. The Health Sciences and Business Administration building is being erected in the area that was formerly the North Campus overflow parking lot. The construction fencing has blocked off the entirety of the lot rendering it inaccessible to students and faculty. Ground was broken on the new building on Oct. 14, 2012, and the frame of the structure has already risen to form an outline of the building to come. The project, estimated at $32 million, will create a building with an area of approximately 140,000 square feet. The HSBA building, which is expected to be completed in January of 2014, will house several of the University’s science programs including nursing, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Athletic Training, Exercise Physiology, Social Work and
Health Care Administration. The building will consolidate the programs, which are currently located in five different buildings around campus. “The goal is to have functional academic and administrative spaces for programs in the College of Business, College of Nursing, Communication Science and Disorders and Sports Medicine and Kinesiology,” Dr. Victoria Douglass, University architect, said. The administration has big plans for the future of the building. Dr. William McKinney, VSU president, referred to the building in a University press release as the future “cornerstone of Valdosta State’s health professions programs.” Langdale Hall is also undergoing some minor work in an ongoing effort to give the 44-yearold building a facelift. “We are doing phase III, or the B-wing of Langdale.” said Tom Hardy, director of housing and residence life. “This will match the previous two renovations: new bathrooms, new furnishings, new flooring, repainting, and more. This phase will also enhance existing staff offices and the [Residence Hall Director’s] apartment.” Also on the schedule for this year is maintenance to the Fine
Arts Building, College of Education and the Continuing Education Building. The maintenance will include renovations to the elevators and restrooms. Renovations are ongoing for the P.E. Complex on Sustella Avenue. “Starting summer 2012 work began on replacing the [Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning] system in the P.E. Complex,” Thressea Boyd, VSU’s director of communications, said. “In addition, a new chiller system was installed as part of the HVAC work. “The former chiller and system was original to the building and more than 30 years old. Currently, work is being completed on a two-story addition to the P.E. Complex that will provide men and women’s bathrooms on the second floor, [and] extend the concession area. This work is scheduled to be completed by mid to late February.” Douglass declined to comment on the renovations being done at the P.E. complex, saying that she had no knowledge of any construction at the building. The construction of the HSBA building is being handled by the Atlanta and Nashville offices of KBR building group.
What will the HSBA building bring to VSU? • State-of-the-art simulation center • Clinical space • Space for community outreach for each of the health science programs • Development of doctoral degrees in nursing, speech and language pathology and social work • Master’s programs: exercise physiology, health care administration
Beginning with the 2011 men’s tennis team and followed by the 2012 softball and football squads, VSU has seen three national championships in the past 19 months. The City of Valdosta and Lowndes County have announced that they will honor all three NCAA Division II national championship teams by hosting a Parade of Champions on Wednesday. The parade will begin at 4 p.m. in front of Mathis Auditorium and head south down Patterson Street, ending at Drexel Park. Featured speakers will include Valdosta mayor John Gayle, VSU President Dr. William J. McKinney, Lowndes County Commissioner Bill Slaughter, and all three championship head coaches. This has been the first time that VSU has seen more than one national championship team in a single year. The 2012 softball team was the first women’s team in VSU history to win a national championship. The men’s tennis team has been to five of the last nine, winning in 2006 and 2011. The football team capped off a great late season run defeating Winston-Salem 35-7 on Dec. 15, earning the program’s third championship since 2004. Brookwood Drive will be closed from 2-6 p.m. Wednesday, according to Thressea Boyd, VSU’s director of communications. “Cars parked in this area will be blocked and unable to move until after 6 p.m.,” she said in an email.
• Bachelor’s degrees: social work, health care administration • Retention and graduatuion of up to 1,000 more graduates per year Source: University press release
Panel attempts to clarify issues VSU not
Amber Smith/ THE SPECTATOR
The College of Arts and Sciences hostsa discussion about the complications of healthcare reform. Joe Adgie SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR jmadgie@valdosta.edu
Healthcare reform was on the minds of people at the Bailey Science Center on Wednesday night, as a panel discussion attempted to clarify this highly complicated issue. The event, which was attended by approximately 60 members of the community, discussed how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more commonly referred to as ObamaCare, would affect patients, caregivers and businesses. The first speaker was Randy Sauls, chief executive officer of South Georgia Medical Center. Sauls spoke about how hospitals were coping with the recent law. “We’re going to continue to operate as we always have,” Sauls said. “We’re going to continue to provide services to anyone, regardless of the bills you have to pay or any other condition.”
Sauls explained that SGMC is a public not-for-profit organization “owned by the citizens of Valdosta and Lowndes County.” “I should remind you, we’re not-for-loss,” Sauls also said. “We have payroll to make and expenses to pay.” Sauls also explained that various health organizations in the surrounding areas could consolidate. Dr. Myron Faircloth, an assistant professor at VSU’s College of Nursing, also spoke regarding the issue. “Obviously, one of the problems from my standpoint is the shortage of providers, and the federal healthcare law does give about 30 to 32 million people more access to healthcare, and there’s a problem with that,” Faircloth said. “Having healthcare does not guarantee access.” Faircloth also explained that the shortage of physicians in 2010 was at 13,700, and that number was projected to increase to 62,900 by 2015, and up to 91,500 by 2020.
hit by flu epidemic Jessica Ingram S TA F F W R I T E R jdingram@valdosta.edu
businesses would cope with the new law.
The flu has reached epidemic status in the nation, however much of VSU’s campus community said they have not had the flu. According to area experts— Lynette Lewis, assistant director and administrator at the Student Health Center, and Dr. Edwin Hiatt, M.D. Director at the Student Health Center—the flu season started abnormally early and is now spread across the U.S. “I have had swine flu in the past, but I haven’t had the flu this year and I don’t really know anyone that has had it,” Lacey Miller, junior early education major, said. The U.S. has seen a rise in the number or people getting the flu vaccine. According to Lewis
S e e PA N E L , P a g e 2
See FLU, Page 2
Isaiah Smart/ THE SPECTATOR Attendees at Wednesday night’s panel discussion in Bailey Science Center discussed what effects the Affordable Care Act will have on the nation.
Representing Langdale Industries were Barbara Barrett and Ewelina Sparks, who spoke how